Politics

• Friday, February 8th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Falkland Islands: Weekly Penguin News update

  

  Headlines: Farewell, grand old lady; Veterans' house in Stanley - hopes high for year end opening; Upland Goose conversion approved; Drugs arrests.

• Friday, February 8th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  C. Kirchner invited to London; Falklands unofficial talks?

  

  Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner is ready to visit London next April although Buenos Aires press reports indicate that the Kirchner administration would like to see advances in the Malvinas war next of kin humanitarian visit to the Falklands Islands for the inauguration of the Argentine cemetery, before the final decision is taken.

• Friday, February 8th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Rio Tinto, another Argentina/Uruguay dispute brewing

  

  Uruguayan Minister of Public Works and Transport Víctor Rossi accused the Argentine Foreign Affairs ministry of looking for problems “where they don't exist” following an official request for information on the projected construction of a new port by the mining giant Rio Tinto where the river Uruguay and the River Plate meet.

• Thursday, February 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Colombian Defense Minister says ties with Israel are strong

  

  Colombian Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos on Thursday praised his country's long defense relationship with Israel, saying he sought to boost it further by setting up a bilateral fund for technological research and development.

• Wednesday, February 6th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Super Tuesday: McCain pulls ahead; Clinton, Obama close

  

  Sen. John McCain jumped to a commanding lead in the Republican delegate race over Mitt Romney on Super Tuesday. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton edged ahead of Sen. Barack Obama in the race for Democratic delegates.

• Wednesday, February 6th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Chilean diplomat head of WTO Dispute Settlement Body

  

  The Chilean ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Mario Matus, has been chosen to head the organization's Dispute Settlement Body. Matus will replace Australian representative Bruce Gosper, who will preside over the WTO policy-making General Council for the next 12 months.

• Wednesday, February 6th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Gay marriages and end to travel restrictions in Cuba?

  

  A Cuban minister who accepts gay marriages and a world known revolution-faithful musician hopeful that traveling permits for Cubans wishing to leave or travel to the island are finally eliminated, seem to be evidence of a new tolerant environment in the continent's longest lasting dictatorship.

• Tuesday, February 5th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  FCO and Falklands talk Disaster Management

  

  DISASTER Management was a key issue in discussions between councillors and a senior Foreign and Commonwealth Officer last week.

• Tuesday, February 5th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Humans' rights: Argentine dirty war trial opens

  

  The last army chief from Argentina's dictatorship and five other retired officers went on trial Tuesday for their alleged roles in the illegal detentions and torture of dissidents during military rule.

• Tuesday, February 5th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil seeks to modernize submarine Force

  

  Brazil's dreams of becoming the first Latin American country to operate a nuclear submarine were reportedly discussed during a late January visit by defense minister Nelson Jobim to France.
  
  Long-dormant plans to enter the nuclear submarine club were recently revived by Brazil, which already has a modest submarine-building capability.