Politics

• Monday, April 23rd 2012 - 09:33 UTC

  YPF seizure approved by 62% of Argentines, according to opinion poll

  

  The recent decision by President Cristina Fernandez to seize a majority stake in YPF from Spain’s Repsol has the approval of 62% of Argentines, while 23% disagree according to a public opinion poll from Poliarquía published in the Sunday edition of La Nacion.

• Monday, April 23rd 2012 - 09:28 UTC

  Washington Post suggests replacing Argentina with Chile at the G20

  

  As has happened with other leading world opinion makers such as the Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal, that have condemned the seizure by the administration of President Cristina Fernandez of a majority share in the Spanish Repsol owned YPF, The Washington Post has also been extremely critical of the Argentine leader.

• Monday, April 23rd 2012 - 09:21 UTC

  Brazil helped Soviet support operation for Argentina during the Falklands conflict

  

  Brazil collaborated during the 1982 Falkland Islands conflict in an operation mounted by the Soviets to supply Argentina with spares, arms, munitions and other requirements according to the Rio do Janeiro newspaper O’Globo based on disclosed documents from the National Security Council and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

• Monday, April 23rd 2012 - 09:16 UTC

  Hollande wins first round in France and leads comfortably for the run-off

  

  French President Nicolas Sarkozy faces an uphill struggle in the second round of the presidential election, after coming second in Sunday's first vote. He won only 27.1% of the vote, while his socialist rival Francois Hollande took 28.6%, the first time a sitting president has lost in first round. Third-place Marine Le Pen took the largest share of the vote her far-right National Front has ever won with 18.1%.

• Sunday, April 22nd 2012 - 23:17 UTC

  Record approval for Dilma, but Brazilian voters’ heart is with Lula da Silva

  

  Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff's administration reached a record-high approval rating in April but voters still long for the return of predecessor Lula da Silva, a newspaper reported.

• Sunday, April 22nd 2012 - 23:06 UTC

  G77 plus China present Argentina with the Malvinas statement denied by the Americas Summit

  

  Representatives from the Group of 77 plus China meeting in Doha, Qatar approved a statement calling on the UK to resume negotiations with Argentina regarding the sovereignty of the Malvinas question, according to a release from the Argentine Foreign Ministry.

• Sunday, April 22nd 2012 - 23:01 UTC

  Argentine seizure of YPF will be addressed at the June G20 meeting in Mexico

  

  The Argentine government decision to nationalize Spain’s Repsol owned YPF will be discussed in June in Los Cabos, Mexico, during the G-20 summit.

• Sunday, April 22nd 2012 - 22:54 UTC

  Foreign Office sends letter of support to companies active in Falklands threatened by Argentina

  

  The British government, in a move designed to ease concern among the investment community about the Argentine legal threats, has written to some 15 banks and oil exploration companies operating in the region, reports the Daily Telegraph.

• Sunday, April 22nd 2012 - 22:46 UTC

  ‘Falklands 30 years on’ four days conference at Canterbury University

  

  A four day conference at Canterbury University discussing the Falkland Islands ‘30 years on’, will begin Falklands elected Member of Legislative Assembly Dick Sawle’s visit to the UK.

• Saturday, April 21st 2012 - 07:36 UTC

  Fitch warns Argentina on “growing diplomatic isolation” and “investment shortages”

  

  In an article posted on the Fitch Wire credit market commentary page the rating agency slammed Argentina for its government’s decision to seize a majority stake in YPF from Spain’s Repsol as announced by President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner on Monday.