Politics

• Monday, December 21st 2009 - 17:32 UTC

  British MoD row over Ascension Islands reached the London press

  

  The military outpost of Ascension Island “vital to the protection of the Falkland Islands” is at the centre of a row over tax bills unpaid by the Ministry of Defence, according to an article on Sunday’s edition of the Daily Express.

• Monday, December 21st 2009 - 17:19 UTC

  Brazilean industry to manufacture 2.044 armoured vehicles for the Army

  

  The Brazilian Army and Fiat Iveco signed an agreement for the manufacturing or 2.044 armoured vehicles involving 3.5 billion US dollars as part of the new National Defence Strategy launched by the administration of President Lula da Silva.

• Monday, December 21st 2009 - 15:22 UTC

  Renovation year for Bolivian Armed Forces

  

  Bolivia’s Armed forces expect next year to renew their military hardware and “store away all the junk”, but also called on neighbouring countries “not to fear” Bolivian plans.

• Monday, December 21st 2009 - 13:09 UTC

  Mercosur: Chavez sends “peace” message to Paraguayan Senate

  

  President Hugo Chavez said he was hopeful the Paraguayan congress would vote for Venezuela to join Mercosur since Paraguay is one of the countires to “most benefit” from such an incorporation.

• Saturday, December 19th 2009 - 11:53 UTC

  Key states reach “meaningful but modest” agreement at climate summit

  

  Key states have reached what they call a “meaningful agreement” at the Copenhagen climate summit. Five nations, including China and the US, reached a deal on a number of issues, such as a recognition to limit temperatures rises to less than 2C.

• Saturday, December 19th 2009 - 07:54 UTC

  “Legal insecurity” becomes top issue of Argentina’s political agenda

  

  Top United States official remarks about the lack of “legal security” in Argentina echoed in Copenhagen’s climate conference where Foreign Secretary Jorge Taiana approached Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to about these “unfortunate statements”.

• Saturday, December 19th 2009 - 04:50 UTC

  Argentina successfully tests locally designed and manufactured missile booster

  

  Argentina announced the successful launching of a missile booster, --identified as Gradicom PCX-2009-- in a firing range in the central province of Cordoba and said the event represented a “qualitative leap” for Argentine missile technology.

• Saturday, December 19th 2009 - 04:02 UTC

  Chavez picks on Holland for a verbal exchange; The Hague demands clarification

  

  The Netherlands government on Friday described as “groundless” the claims made by President Hugo Chávez in a speech on Thursday, when the Venezuelan ruler said that the Netherlands was plotting with United States “to target” Venezuela from the islands of Aruba and Curacao.

• Saturday, December 19th 2009 - 03:59 UTC

  HMS York en route to the Falklands for South Atlantic patrolling

  

  HMS Gloucester is expected Monday in Portsmouth in time for Christmas following a very successful six and half month in the South Atlantic. She was replaced early December by HMS York which is already on route to the Falkland Islands.

• Saturday, December 19th 2009 - 03:57 UTC

  Uruguay will retain close relations with Venezuela, “but no ALBA”

  

  Uruguay’s next Foreign Affairs minister Ambassador Luis Almagro said that president elect Jose Mujica’s administration will sustain “an important relation” with Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez because it is the country’s main supplier of oil and one of ten leading trade partners.