Politics

• Monday, February 9th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Aerolineas takeover shadows Cristina K visit to Spain

  

  Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner began on Monday her first official visit to Spain amid expectations that she would try to reduce tension over the expropriation of the airline Aerolineas Argentinas from the Spanish tourism group Marsans.

• Monday, February 9th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  WTO debate to assess protectionism and trade barriers

  World Trade Organisation (WTO) members met on Monday to assess how far the financial crisis has encouraged protectionism. Diplomats representing rich and poor countries discussed WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy's January report showing countries had ignored the Group of 20 nations' plea in November against raising trade barriers.

• Monday, February 9th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Bolivia, Venezuela, South Africa need visas to enter UK

  

  Bolivia and Venezuelans, South Africans and citizens from Lesotho and Swaziland visiting the United Kingdom will need a visa, under new rules issued by the Home Office. The named countries failed a test of the threat posed by their citizens in terms of security, immigration and crime.

• Monday, February 9th 2009 - 19:59 UTC

  Police agents accused of attack on Venezuelan synagogue

  

  Seven Venezuelan police agents and four civilians have been arrested in connection with an attack on a synagogue, according to reports in the Caracas press. President Hugo Chavez, whom Jewish groups accuse of encouraging anti-Semitism, referred to the arrests and said the attack was led by a police officer who had worked closely with the rabbi at the synagogue.

• Sunday, February 8th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Bolivia's Morales travels to Russia for energy deal

  Bolivian President Evo Morales is scheduled to visit Russia February 16 to sign formal agreements enabling Russia's state-run OAO Gazprom to invest in Bolivia's natural gas industry.

• Sunday, February 8th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Ecuador President Correa Expels US Embassy Attache

  

  Ecuador's left-wing president has ordered the expulsion of a senior US diplomat, accusing him of suspending aid to Ecuador's anti-drugs programme.

• Sunday, February 8th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Tories deny any possibility of Scottish independence

  

  United Kingdom Conservative leader David Cameron has said he would do everything in his power to prevent Scottish independence if he becomes Prime Minister. Mr Cameron's assertion comes days after his party backed the SNP's (Scottish National Party) budget north of the border.

• Sunday, February 8th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Warning to British “nationalized” banks on bonus rewards

  

  British Chancellor Alistair Darling has told RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) failure should not be rewarded with huge bonuses, but says he cannot rule out pay-outs for some staff.

• Sunday, February 8th 2009 - 01:59 UTC

  Bolivia's Morales: New constitution takes effect

  

  Evo Morales, Bolivia's president, has enacted a new constitution which hands greater powers to the country's indigenous majority and allows him to seek a second five-year term.

• Saturday, February 7th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Mrs. Kirchner believes Obama has read Perón's writings

  

  Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner said this week she was pleased when she heard US President Barack Obama say that “trade unions are not part of the problem but part of the solution”.