Politics

• Saturday, February 23rd 2013 - 06:34 UTC

  “Uruguayan government in deep crisis”, admits Mujica with a split cabinet and two economic teams

  

  “The Uruguayan government is in deep crisis” admitted President Jose Mujica following an open clash between ministers that called for an urgent meeting of the cabinet and half way had to be adjourned on fears that recriminations could get out of control. A recess was ordered but the squabbling through the press continued and the exposed deep rift remains more than a challenge.

• Saturday, February 23rd 2013 - 06:31 UTC

  OAS mission promotes political dialogue in Paraguay ahead of the April 21 general election

  

  The head of the Electoral Observation and Political Accompaniment Mission of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Paraguay, the former President of Costa Rica and Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Óscar Arias begins this weekend a visit to Asuncion to promote dialogue between the different Paraguayan political and social actors, and to prepare the deployment of the Mission that will monitor the general elections of April 21.

• Saturday, February 23rd 2013 - 06:26 UTC

  Hague to discuss US position on Falklands’ referendum with Kerry

  

  Foreign Secretary William Hague will discuss the United States' position on the Falkland Islands with Secretary of State John Kerry following reports that Washington will not recognise the result of next month's referendum.

• Saturday, February 23rd 2013 - 06:19 UTC

  Moody’s cuts UK credit rating to Aa1 from AAA, first time since 1978

  

  Moody's Investors Service on Friday cut the United Kingdom's credit rating to Aa1 from AAA for the first time since 1978, citing weakness in the nation's medium-term growth outlook that it now expects to extend for a number of years.

• Friday, February 22nd 2013 - 18:25 UTC

  Falklands confirms £ 26m fishing and oil ‘windfalls’ only for the Consolidated Fund

  

  The Falkland Islands government at a public meeting defended their position of not including in the annual budget what they described as ‘windfalls’ from fishing and oil and instead adding the ‘exceptional” excess revenue to the Consolidated Fund.

• Friday, February 22nd 2013 - 18:18 UTC

  MLA Hansen takes over Falklands’ Minerals portfolio following controversy

  

  Member of Legislative Assembly Ian Hansen will assume responsibility for the Falklands’ government Minerals portfolio after MLA Barry Elsby relinquished the post due to a conflict of interest. The brief release from Gilbert House adds that MLA Hansen has prior experience in the Minerals portfolio adding that MLA Jan Cheek will continue as the second portfolio holder.

• Friday, February 22nd 2013 - 16:03 UTC

  Controversy over Spain’s recovery ‘round the corner’ and ‘the next Germany’ forecast

  

  US multinational financial service corporation Morgan Stanley has declared that Spain has already got over the worst of the economic crisis and augurs that it “will become the next Germany” in the European Union. This however is challenged by the Financial Times, Goldman Sachs, Citibank and the IMF.

• Friday, February 22nd 2013 - 15:43 UTC

  Self determination and world examples dominated political debate hosted by Falklands

  

  The 43rd British Islands and Mediterranean Region (BIMR) Annual Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), held in the Falkland Islands on the 12th and 13th February 2013, was described as both fascinating and provoking by delegates.

• Friday, February 22nd 2013 - 04:59 UTC

  March and blackout to remember victims of Buenos Aires worst train station accident

  

  Relatives of the victims of Buenos Aires busiest railway station tragedy confirmed a demonstration at Plaza de Mayo for Friday to mark the first anniversary of the accident, February 22, 2012, and in which 51 people perished and over 700 were injured.

• Friday, February 22nd 2013 - 04:16 UTC

  Colombia signs free trade agreement with South Korea eliminating 96% of tariffs

  

  Colombia on Thursday signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with South Korea in Seoul. The FTA includes a wide range of elements to boost bilateral trade and investment, according to the trade ministry.