
The opening session of the UN Fourth Committee on decolonisation was dominated by a joint verbal assault on Britain by South American countries over the issue of the Falkland Islands. One after another, representatives of governments in the region called on the UK to enter into dialogue with Argentina over the sovereignty of the Islands, which are claimed by the government in Buenos Aires.

Brazil came out strongly in support of Argentina’s sovereignty claims over the Falklands/Malvinas Islands and criticized British military exercises in the Islands during his speech on Monday to the Americas Defence ministers’ conference taking place in Punta del Este, Uruguay.

The British Government and the Government of Gibraltar must work ever more closely together in a spirit of openness and trust to further mutual interests and “without conceding on sovereignty, which must remain paramount,” they must also look to the future and work to strengthen relationships with Spain”.

By Alicia Dunkley-Willis, Jamaica Observer - What does a country with 3,000 people and nearly half a million sheep look like? After 18 hours of flying and trekking through four airports, I was determined to find out.

Several British newspapers have turned their eyes on Argentina arguing that the challenging situation faced by President Cristina Fernandez both domestically and internationally is making her increasingly take advantage of the Falkland Islands dispute as a smokescreen to mask domestic failings.

The British government said that the military exercises scheduled to be carried out in the Falkland Islands beginning Monday are “annual and routine exercises.” The move had been strongly condemned by the Argentine government.

Britain will have to keep cutting public spending to reduce the budget deficit, Prime Minister David Cameron said, underlining the government's tough task of trying to shunt the economy out of recession and winning back waning public support.

A Falkland Islands lawmaker was scheduled to meet on Tuesday with Tanzania top officials to explain the Islands support for post-colonial status and the coming referendum next year to determine its political future, faced with the insistent sovereignty claims from Argentina.

UK Labour leader Ed Miliband has indicated that a threat by banks to move abroad would not deter him from breaking them up if they did not agree to revolutionise their operations and put ordinary customers first.

British Prime Minister David Cameron admitted that UK and Brazil did not agree in all foreign policy issues, but welcomed the existence of an open debate between the two countries. PM Cameron ended on Friday a two-day visit to Latinamerica’s largest economy to promote trade and investment.