Politics

• Wednesday, July 23rd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Change in Argentine cabinet: new Agriculture secretary

  

  Argentina's new Agriculture Secretary takes the oath of office on Wednesday. Carlos Cheppi replaces Javier de Urquiza one of the first victims of the four month long stand off between the administration of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and the protesting farmers.

• Wednesday, July 23rd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  South American cities with serious personal safety problems

  South American cities do not rank favorably with Mercer's highest personal safety ranking based on internal stability, crime, effectiveness of law enforcement and relationships with other countries.

• Tuesday, July 22nd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Falklands' veteran new commander of S. Atlantic forces

  

  A Falkland Islands war veteran is the new Commander British Forces in the South Atlantic. Air Commodore Gordon Moulds took over as Commander British Forces South Atlantic Islands on June 14 2008, the 26th Anniversary of the liberation of the Falklands from Argentine occupation.

• Tuesday, July 22nd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  FARC rejects peace talks and promises to fight on

  

  Two leaders from Colombian rebel group FARC said they will continue to use violence to achieve their aims. The statement by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia commanders defies calls from presidents in the region to disarm and give up the fight.

• Tuesday, July 22nd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentine judge shelves case against Nestor Kirchner

  An Argentine Judge shelved on Monday a report requesting that former president Néstor Kirchner be probed for accusing the farmers of being coup-mongers.
  
  Rafecas' decision came after prosecutor Federico Delgado requested that the case Judge Daniel Rafeca's decision came after prosecutor Federico Delgado requested that the case submitted by lawyer Ricardo Monner Sans be shelved

• Monday, July 21st 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Uribe clears the ground for a possible third mandate

  

  Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has scrapped his plan to rerun the 2006 election in which he won re-election, the government announced, a move that could set the stage for him to seek a third term in 2010.

• Monday, July 21st 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Falklands' new constitution bolsters “Britishness”

  

  THE 'Britishness' of the Falkland Islands is to be underlined in its new constitution, by a change that insists all individuals applying for Falklands status must first become a British citizen.

• Monday, July 21st 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentine Air Force replaces ageing F-27s with SAAB 340B

  

  The first two, of a total of four, SAAB 340B aircraft acquired by Argentine Air Force for passenger transport operations in Patagonia will arrive in Buenos Aires by the end of the year it was announced in Buenos Aires.

• Monday, July 21st 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Colombia and Brazil agree on ample defense cooperation

  

  Colombia and Brazil agreed on a cooperation and defense pact aimed at controlling the one thousand mile lawless common border which is regularly used by drugs and arms dealers as well as the cocaine-funded FARC rebel group.

• Monday, July 21st 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  EU offers to cut farm tariffs by 60% at Doha round talks

  

  The European Union has offered to cut its farm tariffs by 60% to kick-start trade talks in Geneva. EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson urged Brazil, India and China to reciprocate by slashing their industrial tariffs. The EU previously offered to cut farm tariffs by 54%.