Stories for February 16th 2018

Friday, February 16th 2018 - 23:14 UTC
Maduro will not be able to enter Peru or the Summit of the Americas

The government of Peru announced through its prime minister, Mercedes Aráoz, that it has withdrawn the invitation it sent to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in November to attend the eighth Summit of the Americas, to be held in Lima on the 13th and 14th. of April; a week of the criticized presidential elections decreed by the Constituent Assembly in Venezuela.
Friday, February 16th 2018 - 10:36 UTC
Berlusconi and conservative block ahead in Italy opinion polls for March 4

Italy's election race includes a dark horse. Opinion polls suggest a national vote on March 4 will produce either a conservative government or a broad coalition that will not threaten the status quo. But new electoral rules make predictions harder than usual. A post-election alliance of anti-EU parties is improbable - but not impossible.
Friday, February 16th 2018 - 10:26 UTC
US rejects merger between Chicago Stock Exchange and Chinese investor group

The US has rejected a proposed merger between the Chicago Stock Exchange and a Chinese-linked investor group. The decision comes after more than two years of reviews by officials. The tie-up was initially approved by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, pending further approval by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Friday, February 16th 2018 - 10:07 UTC
Theresa May flies to Berlin to meet Merkel, ahead of crucial speech on Saturday

Theresa May is due to hold talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel as she seeks to make progress on negotiating Brexit. The PM will travel on Friday to Berlin for the meeting at the Chancellery. It comes a day ahead of a speech on Saturday in which she is expected to set out the “security partnership” she wants to maintain with the EU.
Friday, February 16th 2018 - 09:53 UTC
Proposal to give £10,000 per year to every UK citizen under 55

The United Kingdom government should give £10,000 per year to every citizen under 55, a report suggests. The Royal Society for the encouragement of the Arts, Manufactrurers and Commerce (RSA) says it could pave the way to everyone getting a basic state wage. The Labour Party has also said it is looking into similar arguments for a Universal Basic Income (UBI).
Friday, February 16th 2018 - 09:48 UTC
South Africa's Zuma steps down: ignominious end for a clepto president

President Jacob Zuma, South Africa’s fourth democratic head of state, resigned on Wednesday amid an acrimonious battle for control of the nation and the governing party, the African National Congress. He told South Africans during a late-night televised address that, although he disagreed with the decision by the ANC to remove him, he would leave “with immediate effect.”
Friday, February 16th 2018 - 09:35 UTC
Falklands angry with National Geographic; demands apology to the Islands and its people

Anger has been expressed in the Falkland Islands this week over a letter which was sent to the Argentine Governor of Tierra del Fuego, Rosana Bertone, by a representative of the National Geographic Foundation. The letter, dated February 8, contains an apology for the appearance of the label ‘Falkland Islands’ instead of ‘Malvinas Islands’ on photos published on Instagram, which were taken here.
Friday, February 16th 2018 - 09:32 UTC
Wartime bomb found in Thames River successfully removed and detonated

The Royal Navy bomb disposal experts detonated on Wednesday a 500kg Second World War bomb found in the River Thames. The historic ordnance was found in the George V Dock during pre-planned construction work near London City Airport on Sunday morning.
Friday, February 16th 2018 - 07:26 UTC
Falklands' visit by 8 MPs; next week UK ambassador in Uruguay and FCO team are scheduled

Busy summer for the Falkland Islands elected lawmakers: eight Members of the British Parliament are visiting the Islands, next week British ambassador in Uruguay plus Foreign Office members are scheduled for talks with local authorities, Premier Oil briefed MLAs on the Sea Lion development, and government and MLAs will be holding an “away day” at Darwin to address the Islands Plan draft.
Friday, February 16th 2018 - 02:52 UTC
Porn star “Stormy” was paid US$ 130.000 for lust and silence with Trump

A private lawyer for President Donald Trump says he paid US$130,000 of his own money to adult film star Stormy Daniels who once claimed she had an affair with Trump more than a decade ago. The payment to Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, was made during the 2016 presidential election campaign but the lawyer, Michael Cohen, said he was working alone and that it was not a campaign expense.