LONDON (Reuters) – Argentina accused Britain on Tuesday of promoting Israeli-type settlement on occupied land in the Falkland Islands, while British parliamentarians said Buenos Aires was using “megaphone diplomacy” to assert its claims to the islands.

A bid to build confidence and bolster trade between Britain and Argentina in London’s parliament descended into acrimony as British lawmakers and Argentinian Foreign Minister Hector Timerman traded barbs over the remote South Atlantic islands.

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain published on Thursday a 159-billion-pound long-term defence equipment spending plan, a move aimed at reversing decades of mismanagement but which drew only qualified praise from experts.

The plan covers spending from 2012 to 2022, the first time the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has outlined defence equipment spending over such a long period, reflecting the gestation time of major military projects.

* Defence equipment plans stretches to 2022

* Meant to reduce uncertainty; experts question assumptions

By Mohammed Abbas

LONDON, Jan 31(Reuters) – Britain published on Thursday a
159-billion-pound ($251 billion) long-term defence equipment
spending plan, a move aimed at reversing decades of
mismanagement but which drew only qualified praise from experts.

The plan covers spending from 2012 to 2022, the first time
the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has outlined defence equipment
spending over such a long period, reflecting the gestation time
of major military projects.

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain increased its offer of aid to France and African governments on Tuesday to help them counter Islamist militants in Africa but limited the scope of its support for fear of being dragged into an Afghanistan-style quagmire.

Defense Secretary Philip Hammond told parliament that up to 240 soldiers could take part in missions to train African troops, and that at least 90 more are already taking part in logistical operations to support French troops fighting in Mali.

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain said on Monday it was looking at ways of curbing immigration before the European Union eases work and travel rules for Romanian and Bulgarian citizens.

The lifting of the restrictions has triggered warnings of “hordes” of immigrants and a “flood” of new arrivals in Britain’s right-leaning media, riding a wave of euroscepticism as the economy falters and public resources are squeezed.

PARIS/LONDON (Reuters) – Western concern over the growing strength of jihadist rebels in Syria is mounting, hindering aid to the moderate Syrian National Coalition opposition and possibly pushing it into the arms of religiously conservative backers, diplomatic sources said.

The widely recognized coalition has failed to gain traction on the ground in Syria since being formed in November, its credibility undermined by its failure to secure arms and cash in the battle to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

TRIPOLI/LONDON (Reuters) – European countries urged their nationals to leave the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi on Thursday, with Britain citing a “specific and imminent” threat to Westerners days after a deadly attack by Islamist militants in neighbouring Algeria.

Officials declined to give details, but Britain has warned of a growing militant threat in North Africa, which Prime Minister David Cameron has called a “magnet for jihadists”.

TRIPOLI/LONDON, Jan 24 (Reuters) – Britain urged its
nationals to leave the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi on
Thursday, citing a “specific and imminent” threat to Westerners
days after a deadly attack by Islamist militants in neighbouring
Algeria.

Britain’s Foreign Office declined to give details of the
nature of the threat, but has warned in the past of the long
reach of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, the North African wing
of al Qaeda.

LONDON, Jan 23 (Reuters) – Britain has vowed a tough
response against militants in North Africa, but behind its tough
language lies the ugly reality of a fast-shrinking army, deep
budget cuts and little U.S. interest in another costly war in a
distant desert.

Enraged by the death of British citizens in a hostage taking
crisis in Algeria, Prime Minister David Cameron has called for a
global response to jihadist threats in North Africa and warned
it could take decades to tame the increasingly volatile region.

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain said on Monday it would increase counter-terrorism and intelligence aid to Algeria and consider giving more help to France to fight Islamists in Mali, but ruled out any prospect of direct British military intervention in Africa.

Prime Minister David Cameron last week warned of the need to tackle a “large and existential terrorist threat” from different parts of the world. But a wariness about getting bogged down in another Afghanistan-style conflict may be restraining Britain.