Politics

• Tuesday, October 8th 2013 - 05:43 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez undergoes surgery to remove clot; doctors consider operation ‘low-risk’

  

  Argentine President Cristina Fernandez (60) will undergo surgery on Tuesday morning to remove an accumulation of blood in her skull (subdural haematoma) following a blow in early August, according to a statement issued by the hospital where she is being treated.

• Tuesday, October 8th 2013 - 05:05 UTC

  Boudou is Argentine caretaker president but power remains in Cristina’s inner circle

  

  “There are no uncertainties or any weird things here, we just have to keep up with the performance”, said Argentine Vice-president and caretaker president Amado Boudou speaking on Monday from Government House a few hours after signing to replace Cristina Fernandez for thirty days while the head of state undergoes cranium surgery and a recovery period.

• Tuesday, October 8th 2013 - 01:25 UTC

  Ahead of Scotland referendum and 2015 election Cameron reshuffles cabinet

  

  British Prime Minister David Cameron has kicked off a coalition reshuffle, with Scottish Secretary Michael Moore among the casualties. The Liberal Democrat's Cabinet post is being taken by the party's chief whip Alistair Carmichael, just a year before the crucial referendum on independence north of the border.

• Monday, October 7th 2013 - 17:37 UTC

  Brazilian police raid slum areas in Rio do Janeiro; claims of police brutality

  

  Brazilian police poured into a dozen slum areas of Rio de Janeiro over the weekend continuing a drive to pacify the poor neighborhoods despite accusations of police brutality that have called the tactic into question.

• Monday, October 7th 2013 - 15:42 UTC

  Breathing space for Argentina’s bonds case: litigation continues at US appeals court level

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court left intact a ruling that may force Argentina to make payments on defaulted government bonds, rejecting that country’s appeal in a clash that has roiled its financial markets. The justices, without comment, on Monday let stand a 2012 U.S. appeals court decision that bars Argentina from making payments on 24 billion in restructured debt unless it also pays owners of the earlier repudiated bonds.

• Monday, October 7th 2013 - 14:27 UTC

  Powerful alliance (ecologists and business) emerges to challenge Rousseff

  

  Environmentalist Marina Silva announced that she will not run for the Brazilian presidency in the 2014 polls, and instead will back Eduardo Campos, who will be the nominee for the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB).

• Monday, October 7th 2013 - 13:42 UTC

  Claims Canada spied on Brazil’s Mining and Energy Ministry

  

  Canada spied on communications at Brazil's Mining and Energy Ministry, according to Canadian intelligence documents revealed Sunday by Globo television. The documents were leaked by former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden.

• Sunday, October 6th 2013 - 07:01 UTC

  UPM conflict: Argentine protestors will not be allowed to cross to Uruguay, warn officials

  

  Residents from Gualeguaychú, Argentina confirmed that on Sunday they will attempt crossing an international bridge to Uruguay to protest the production expansion of the pulp mill Botnia/UPM, authorized by the government of President Jose Mujica. This despite the fact Uruguayan officials anticipated that at the most “eight or nine” Argentine officials and representatives from the protestors will be allowed to meet with their Uruguayan counterparts to discuss the situation.

• Sunday, October 6th 2013 - 06:56 UTC

  IMF raises Uruguay’s 2013 growth estimate but lowers 2014 forecast

  

  The IMF raised its 2013 economic growth forecast for Uruguay, but lowered its estimates for 2014, saying growth had “moderated to a more sustainable pace” after a decade of strong expansion.

• Sunday, October 6th 2013 - 06:40 UTC

  Falklands ‘confident’ about ‘mutually acceptable outcome’ on taxes with oil company

  

  The Falkland Islands Government remains, “confident that a mutually acceptable outcome can be reached with Rockhopper,” on the matter of their tax bill from FIG, confirmed Financial Secretary Nicola Granger last week and indicated the situation would have no impact on local tax laws.