Politics

• Thursday, January 24th 2013 - 20:02 UTC

  Argentine Defence minister ‘ashamed’ of the Santisima Trinidad sinking in port

  

  Argentine Defence Minister Arturo Puricelli said that the sinking of the destroyer ARA Santísima Trinidad could have been a planned sabotage attack, but also confessed that when President Cristina Fernandez asks him why the ship sank his face drops with embarrassment.

• Thursday, January 24th 2013 - 19:58 UTC

  Exchange Mali support for French involvement if Argentina ‘invades’ Falklands, suggests MP

  

  A British Member of Parliament called for greater military support for France in Mali as a way of committing Paris in the event of an Argentine ‘invasion’ of the Falklands. However the British government downplayed any military attempt from Argentina and reiterated that no ground troops will put foot in the African country.

• Thursday, January 24th 2013 - 08:08 UTC

  Ashton praises Peru for its inclusion policy and fighting child malnutrition

  

  The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Catherine Ashton, highlighted the “important role that Peru is playing in the Latinamerican region,” assuring that Peru will participate “very constructively” in the EU-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) summit, in Santiago de Chile, on 26-27 January.

• Thursday, January 24th 2013 - 05:58 UTC

  LatinFocus forecasts regional GDP to expand 3.7% and average inflation 6.6%

  

  LatinFocus Consensus Forecast panellists expect regional GDP to expand 3.7% this year, following an estimated 2.9% increase recorded in 2012. The stable figure reflects rosier prospects for Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela, which were offset by downward revisions to Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay.

• Thursday, January 24th 2013 - 05:44 UTC

  EU tells PM Cameron that ‘cherry picking” and “a la carte” membership is not on the table

  

  Germany and France have warned UK Prime Minister David Cameron that Britain cannot pick and choose EU membership terms after he pledged a referendum. PM Cameron said a poll would be held if the Conservatives were returned to power at the next general election, which is expected in 2015.

• Thursday, January 24th 2013 - 01:14 UTC

  Brazilian industry claims Mercosur is ‘paralyzed’ and blasts Argentina’s ‘illegal barriers’ on trade

  

  Brazil’s powerful manufacturers’ lobby openly criticized the “illegal barriers” imposed by the government of President Cristina Fernandez on Brazilian produce, and also lashed at President Dilma Rousseff for her administration’s “permissive attitude” towards Buenos Aires, a position that has “paralyzed Mercosur”.

• Wednesday, January 23rd 2013 - 23:58 UTC

  EU wooing Latinamerica that is focused on China, now its leading trade partner

  

  Several European leaders among which the president of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy and the head of EU diplomacy Catherine Ashton are touring several Latinamerican countries with the purpose of strengthening relations with a region in full development but which lately has been increasingly focused on China.

• Wednesday, January 23rd 2013 - 09:21 UTC

  Davos 2013 expects less crisis management and a more dynamic vision

  

  The world's political and business elite gather in the snow-covered resort of Davos from Wednesday, aiming to instil some confidence in the global economy amid tentative signs of recovery.

• Wednesday, January 23rd 2013 - 09:15 UTC

  West Indies doctor appointed new director for WHO Americas Region

  

  The World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board, currently holding its 132nd session in Geneva, has appointed Dr Carissa Etienne as the new Regional Director for WHO's Americas Region (WHO/AMRO), following her nomination by the Regional Committee for the Americas in September 2012.

• Wednesday, January 23rd 2013 - 09:09 UTC

  Prince Harry completes successful tour of duty as Apache pilot in Afghanistan

  

  Prince Harry, known as Captain Wales in the British military, has departed Afghanistan with his squadron after a successful tour as an Apache pilot. He operated as part of the Joint Aviation Group which provides helicopter support to the International Security Assistance Force and Afghan forces operating throughout Regional Command (South West) in Helmand province.