
The Falklands Islands Pensions Board is pleased to announce that HM Revenue & Customs in the United Kingdom has approved the Falkland Islands Pensions Scheme (FIPS) as a Qualifying Recognized Overseas Pensions Scheme (QROPS).

University of Kent Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow visited Chile from 1 to 3 February 2015. Dame Julia, who is also the incoming President of Universities UK, the body representing all UK Universities, had discussions with senior Chilean officials, including the Deputy Minister of Education, Valentina Quiroga.

Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne announced at Portsmouth Naval Base a new national shipbuilding strategy in advance of a decision later this year on orders for the brand new Type 26 Global Combat Ship. The Chancellor also announced that these multi-million pound ships will be based at the Navy bases in Portsmouth and Plymouth.

The South Georgia Heritage Trust (SGHT) has been awarded a quarter of a million pounds towards the final phase of the Habitat Restoration, or rodent eradication Project, reports South Georgia's Newsletter. The third phase of the several years program is scheduled to begin in February.

The UK's economy grew by 2.6% last year, the fastest pace since 2007 and up from 1.7% in 2013, official figures have from the Office of National Statistics, ONS, have shown. The economy expanded 0.5% in the last quarter of 2014, which was a slowdown from the 0.7% of the previous three months.

The United States of America, Canada, and the United Kingdom have welcomed Guyana's President Ramotar’s announcement that national and regional elections will be held in Guyana on May 11, 2015. Elections are a critical first-step towards the return of a fully functioning Parliament.

The British government has begun a historic transfer of powers to Scotland, keeping a pledge it had given to persuade Scots to reject independence as renewed nationalist support surges.

Had it not been for the 1982 Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands, and the war that followed, Spain would have achieved through negotiations an 'irreversible solution' to the Gibraltar dispute with Great Britain, revealed Spanish diplomat, scholar and academic Jose Cuenca in his recently launched book, “From Adolfo Suarez to Gorbachev; an ambassador's testimonies and shared secrets”.

As of 26 January 2015, applications for visas for the United Kingdom made in Uruguay will be decided in Bogota. United Kingdom Visas and Immigration, which has the responsibility for issuing UK visas overseas, is introducing a change to its network as part of a broader change program.

By David Cameron and Barack Obama - Two hundred years ago this month, Britain and the United States fought each other at the Battle of New Orleans. It was the last major battle where our nations met as enemies. In modern times, our special relationship as allies and partners has been the firm foundation of our shared security and prosperity.