Politics

• Monday, December 25th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Mercosur runs the risk of “collapse”, warn analysts

  

  Mercosur runs the risk of collapsing because it keeps adding members without consolidating as a customs union or having solved the serious tensions between big and junior partners, according to regional analysts.

• Sunday, December 24th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Another Chilean General's grandson fired

  A week after Augusto Pinochet Molina, grandson of the former Chilean dictator, was fired from Chile's armed forces for giving an incendiary speech at his grandfather's funeral, the grandson of former General Carlos Prats, Francisco Cuadrado Prats, was fired from his job as a cultural director in Santiago's borough of Las Condes.

• Friday, December 22nd 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Penguin News Update

  

  Headlines: Lord Triesman's seasonal greetings; Mine feasibility study: '100% clearance is possible'; Chief of Police officially resigns; Festive cruise visits; Men lost after ship links.

• Friday, December 22nd 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentine mines laid in 1982 could be cleared.

  

  Thousands of Argentine landmines which remain in the Falkland Islands could be successfully cleared sometime in the future.
  This is the confident prediction of Landmine consultant Paddy Blagden, who headed a team from Cranfield University, which has just completed a feasibility study into minefield clearance in the islands.

• Thursday, December 21st 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Uruguay ratifies support for Spain's “facilitating” efforts

  

  Uruguay denied Wednesday it had rejected Spanish King Juan Carlos' “facilitating” efforts, following press reports in Buenos Aires attacking Uruguay for allegedly having desisted of the royal support to reestablish dialogue in the pulp mills controversy.

• Wednesday, December 20th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazilian Congress' pay increase shock the country

  Brazil's Supreme Court (Supreme Federal Tribunal) ruled Tuesday that a decision by congressional leaders to almost double the salaries of senators and representatives must be put to a vote in Congress.

• Wednesday, December 20th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  U.S. environmental group opposes Aisen project in Chile

  Chilean Patagonia, one of the world's most pristine wilderness areas, is receiving major attention these days from a large and very well-connected U.S. environmental group.

• Wednesday, December 20th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Helicopter Veteran of the Falkland 's War becomes Scotland's new Admiral

  

  The Royal Navy has today appointed a new Flag Officer for Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland. He is Rear Admiral Tony Johnstone-Burt, a helicopter pilot in the Falklands War and later the captain and commander of a Type 23 frigate.

• Wednesday, December 20th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Falklands' elected government takes on more duties

  

  The Falkland Islands gave last week yet another step in the evolution of internal self government: the Executive Council monthly summary will no longer be presented by the Governor of Islands as has been tradition, but by a democratically elected member of the government.

• Wednesday, December 20th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Lord Triesman speaker at Falklands' Forum

  

  Lord Triesman, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirmed he will be addressing the Falklands Forum next April in London.