Politics

• Saturday, October 17th 2009 - 10:32 UTC

  FIFA orders disciplinary investigation into Maradona’s comments

  

  FIFA president Joseph Blatter announced Friday from Cairo that the disciplinary committee of the world organization would open a case on Argentine coach Diego Maradona’s comments following the qualifier victory over Uruguay last Wednesday.

• Saturday, October 17th 2009 - 10:30 UTC

  Chavez suffers “ideological delirium symptoms” claims Caracas mayor

  

  Venezuela’s capital Caracas Mayor Antonio Ledezma said that President Hugo Chavez suffers from “ideological delirium symptoms” because one day “he enshrines Fidel Castro, another Mao” and sometimes he “even praises Pinochet and Hitler”.

• Saturday, October 17th 2009 - 10:26 UTC

  UK Revenue looking into tax affaire of 27 Members of Parliament

  

  The tax affairs of 27 British Members of Parliament are being investigated following inspections of their taxpayer-funded expenses payouts, it has emerged. It follows a warning from the head of HM Revenue and Customs Dave Hartnett in July that politicians would be placed under increased scrutiny in the wake of the exposure of their claims.

• Saturday, October 17th 2009 - 05:30 UTC

  Falklands’ confirmed as first overseas deployment for Typhoons

  

  The first UK Typhoons to be deployed overseas have reached the Falkland Islands having flown from RAF Coningsby in Britain. They will take over Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) duties from Tornado F3s that will return to Britain later this year.

• Saturday, October 17th 2009 - 05:29 UTC

  Geithner committed to keep the US dollar as a reserve currency

  

  United States Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said the dollar's role as a reserve currency carries special responsibilities, including the need to control inflation and get the nation's finances in order. In an interview on CNBC television, Geithner was asked about the dollar's recent decline and what the Treasury was doing to guard its value.

• Saturday, October 17th 2009 - 05:24 UTC

  Honduras crisis stalls President Obama expected visit to Brazil and Chile

  

  US president Barack Obama could visit Brazil this year once the US Senate approves the nomination of Thomas Shannon as ambassador before the Brazilian government, announced the head of the Brazilian diplomatic legation in Washington Antonio Patriota.

• Saturday, October 17th 2009 - 00:20 UTC

  Weekly Penguin News Update

  

  The next 19 days will determine the winners and losers in the Falklands General Election—and the path of the government for the next four years.

• Friday, October 16th 2009 - 09:06 UTC

  Maradona’s foul reactions turn “hand of God” against him

  

  Argentina’s coach Diego Maradona lashed out angrily at the media for failing to back him during Argentina's roller-coaster ride to last-gasp qualification for the World Cup finals in Montevideo after beating Uruguay one to zero.

• Friday, October 16th 2009 - 06:51 UTC

  Spanish mayor calls for “extraordinary relations” with the Gibraltar government

  

  Spain’s La Linea (*) new Mayor Alejandro Sanchez wants to have “extraordinary relations with the Gibraltar Government, the opposition and the rest of the Rock’s political class,” he said to the Gibraltar Chronicle, minutes after his election.

• Friday, October 16th 2009 - 04:33 UTC

  Overwhelming support for Brazil as member of the UN Security Council

  

  Bosnia, Brazil, Gabon, Lebanon and Nigeria were elected Thursday to non-permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council. They will serve two-year terms starting January 1 and will participate in decisions ranging from deploying U.N. peacekeepers to imposing sanctions.