Politics

• Thursday, January 3rd 2013 - 18:42 UTC

  Brief history of the Falklands since first references in the 16th century to 1841

  

  The Falkland Islands, lying about 560km off the mainland of South America, comprise two large islands, East and West Falkland, and a swarm of other islands ranging from substantial ones off the western edge of West Falkland to smaller islets and reefs scattered all along the coasts.

• Thursday, January 3rd 2013 - 17:57 UTC

  Argentina “again ignores the rights and wishes of the Falkland Islands people”

  

  The Falkland Islands are an British Overseas Territory by choice, entirely self-governing except for defence and foreign affairs and have been settled for at least nine generations, well before Argentina even claimed what is today Tierra del Fuego, points out the Falklands’ elected government in a release-reply to the open letter from Argentine President Cristina Fernandez published on Thursday in the British press.

• Thursday, January 3rd 2013 - 05:52 UTC

  Recreation of Shackleton 1914 survival epic planned for 20 January

  

  Six British and Australian adventurers are setting off to recreate one of the greatest journeys of human survival. In 1914, Ernest Shackleton, the seasoned British explorer, set out to better Scott and Amundsen by attempting the first-ever crossing of the Antarctic.

• Thursday, January 3rd 2013 - 00:40 UTC

  Uruguayan president believes Argentine economy “can’t remain closed much longer”

  

  President Jose Mujica anticipated that the Argentine economy can’t remain ‘closed for much more time’ (protectionist) and forecasted that 2013 will be a ‘clear year’ for Uruguay regarding economic issues.

• Thursday, January 3rd 2013 - 00:31 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez asks Cameron to return the Falklands “forcibly stripped” in 1833

  

  Prime Minister David Cameron must return the Falkland Islands to Argentina, 180 years after the territories were “forcibly stripped” from Buenos Aires, President Cristina Fernandez has claimed in UK newspaper adverts scheduled to be published on Thursday and which has been anticipated.

• Thursday, January 3rd 2013 - 00:20 UTC

  Poor performance of Brazilian economy last year: estimates average 0.98% growth

  

  Economists cut their estimates for economic growth in Brazil to 0.98% this year, a central bank survey showed, highlighting the sharp slowdown of an economy that just a couple of years ago was an emerging market star.

• Thursday, January 3rd 2013 - 00:03 UTC

  Inter-American convention against corruption analyzes six countries

  

  The Organization of American States (OAS) has begun the process of analyzing a new group of countries - Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Panama, Uruguay, and Venezuela - as part of the Fourth Round of the Mechanism for Follow-Up on the Implementation of the Inter-American Convention against Corruption (MESICIC) of the OAS.

• Wednesday, January 2nd 2013 - 23:53 UTC

  Money timidly returning to Spain after 14 months of sustained outflows

  

  Foreign investors put more money into Spain in October than they took out, marking the second month running the country has benefited from an influx of capital. Spain registered capital inflow of 12.1 billion Euros in October, the Bank of Spain said on Friday. The figure, which excludes central bank operations, was lower than the 31 billion Euros of inflow in September.

• Wednesday, January 2nd 2013 - 23:47 UTC

  Mercosur closely following Venezuela situation; Cristina Fernandez paid secret visit to Chavez in Cuba

  

  Mercosur leading members Brazil and Argentina are closely following the Venezuelan situation confident there are no reasons for surprises or fears about the democratic system, while the most respected political reporter of the country Nelson Bocaranda assures that President Cristina Fernandez, CFK, paid a secret visit to Havana in December where she talked with Hugo Chavez about his true health condition.

• Wednesday, January 2nd 2013 - 23:39 UTC

  Markets rally on fiscal cliff agreement but a second chapter waits in February

  

  Global stock markets have rallied after a short-term deal to stave off the US “fiscal cliff” was reached. In New York, the Dow Jones closed up 2.4%, while European shares were up about 2% for the day.