Politics

Friday, March 22nd 2013 - 07:19 UTC
Argentina threatens with ‘flexible imports’ to ensure supply of consumer goods

Argentine president Cristina Fernandez announced the government is prepared to make imports more flexible in those areas where a few companies have a quasi-monopoly control, but also warned about windfall profiteering.
Friday, March 22nd 2013 - 07:14 UTC
Falkland Islands’ referendum an act of value, say Uruguayan Parliamentarians

“I was surprised that such a small community with so few human resources to organise an electoral act did things so well, so properly, in conformity with international standards. This was a demonstration of a desire that this should be an act of value, not only in terms of its effects in the Falklands themselves, but also for the international image of a legitimate process.”
Friday, March 22nd 2013 - 07:04 UTC
Bernanke de-personalizes his job: the Fed a ‘terrific team’ and ‘no single person is essential’

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke admitted speaking to President Barack Obama about his future and that he feels no personal responsibility to stay at the helm until the Fed winds down its unprecedented policies to stimulate the US economy.
Friday, March 22nd 2013 - 06:59 UTC
Falklands’ invasion: documents show Conservatives were divided on how to react

Senior Tories were initially sceptical about going to war over the Falkland Islands, newly released papers from Margaret Thatcher's personal archive show. A note from the whips' office following Argentina's 1982 invasion reported solid support for military action from some Conservative MPs, but others were privately hostile.
Friday, March 22nd 2013 - 06:55 UTC
Brazil/China closer to promote trade in national currencies; announcement at BRICS summit

Brazil hopes to sign a bilateral accord with China to promote trade in their national currencies at next week's BRICS summit of the world's five emerging powers, Trade and Industry Minister Fernando Pimentel said on Thursday.
Friday, March 22nd 2013 - 06:21 UTC
Seven countries, including Argentina and UK calls for a universal Arms Trade Treaty

The UK and Argentina joined Foreign Ministers from six other countries to call for a universal Arms Trade Treaty. Countries of the world gathered at the UN in July 2012 to negotiate an Arms Trade Treaty but the conference could not reach an agreement.
Friday, March 22nd 2013 - 06:10 UTC
Why the Falklands matter

By James Kirchick (*) - Americans might wonder why they should care about the fate of a tiny set of islands closer to Antarctica than to Florida, where penguins outnumber humans by more than 300 to 1. But the fate of the Falkland Islands — whose citizens expressed a near-unanimous desire to remain part of the United Kingdom this month — will set an important precedent for the universal principle of self-determination
Friday, March 22nd 2013 - 02:32 UTC
Italy's Grillo asks for mandate to form government; Berlusconi available for any coalition

Italy's anti-establishment Five Star Movement has officially asked President Giorgio Napolitano for a mandate to form a new government. The party led by comedian Beppe Grillo won an unexpected 25% of the vote in elections last month and holds the balance of power.
Friday, March 22nd 2013 - 02:28 UTC
US congress agrees on ‘fiscal warfare’ truth until budget debate next October

Congress has comfortably passed a large spending bill to keep the US government running until the end of September and avert a temporary shutdown. President Barack Obama must now sign the bill, which was passed by a bipartisan vote of 318-109.
Friday, March 22nd 2013 - 02:22 UTC
On 18 September 2014, Scotland will decide if it wants to become an independent country

First Minister Alex Salmond set a historical vote in motion announcing on Thursday the date for a referendum on Scottish independence, 18 September 2014 and promising to campaign hard for the “Yes” side. The simple question reads: “Should Scotland be an independent country?”