Stories for 2013

Wednesday, March 20th 2013 - 08:54 UTC
Francis inaugurates papacy with little pomp and much contact with the faithful

Pope Francis on Tuesday inaugurated his papacy with a Mass in front of hundreds of thousands of people, foreign leaders and the Orthodox Christians Patriarch (first time since the great schism of 1054) in St. Peter's Square with a simplified rite that fuelled hopes for change in the scandal-plagued Roman Catholic Church.
Wednesday, March 20th 2013 - 08:50 UTC
Francis calls on world leaders ‘to be protectors of one another and of the environment’

Under bright sunshine in St. Peter's Square, the Argentine pope insisted with his constant message since he was elected by a secret conclave of cardinals last week: that the Church's mission was to defend the poor and disadvantaged. Francis also called on leaders to protect the people and respect the environment.
Wednesday, March 20th 2013 - 08:40 UTC
Before his coronation mass Francis talked to the Catholics gathered in Plaza de Mayo

As thousands of Argentine Catholics were congregated at Plaza de Mayo in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral, where huge screens and Vatican and Argentine flags were set up for people to joyfully celebrate the beginning of Francis’ papacy, the Pontiff surprised the masses with an unexpected phone call.
Wednesday, March 20th 2013 - 08:35 UTC
Francis first beatification could be a Franciscan friar killed by Argentine military

A Franciscan friar tortured and killed by Argentina’s last civil-military dictatorship, could become the first religious leader to be beatified by Pope Francis according to a piece in the Italian newspaper La Stampa.
Wednesday, March 20th 2013 - 08:29 UTC
Suspended potash project top officials left Argentina following union threats

Top officials from the Brazilian mining company Vale which suspended a 6 billion dollars potash development project in Argentina left the country for Sao Paulo last Friday following “on instructions from the security department” of the corporation, according to reports in the Brazilian press.
Wednesday, March 20th 2013 - 08:26 UTC
Mining and construction boom fuelled Chilean economy in 2012, growing 5.6%

Chile’s GDP expanded 5.6% in 2012 as a boom in the mining and real estate industries demand boosted investment and sparked an increase in consumer spending. The economy grew 5.7% in the fourth quarter from 2011, the central bank said in a report on its website.
Wednesday, March 20th 2013 - 08:22 UTC
FAO first wheat forecasts for 2013 anticipates second largest crop on record

First forecasts for the 2013 wheat harvest point to production increasing to 690 million tons, 4.3% up on 2012. This would be the second largest crop on record, according to the latest issue of FAO quarterly “Crop Prospects and Food Situation” report. The production hike is expected mostly in Europe, driven by increased plantings in response to high prices and a recovery in yields in some countries, notably the Russian Federation.
Wednesday, March 20th 2013 - 08:13 UTC
For Argentina’s tax-revenue office Afip, Malvinas are a foreign territory, most probably British

Despite persistent claims before the world, and his Holiness, that the Malvinas Islands are Argentine, for the tax office in Buenos Aires in practical terms they really are a foreign country, according to the latest resolution which applies an additional fee of 20% to tickets and overseas expenditure with Argentine debit or credit cards.
Wednesday, March 20th 2013 - 08:08 UTC
Chinese leadership pledges new relationship with US and demands respect for ‘core interests’

Chinese President Xi Jinping told US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew in Beijing on Tuesday that he wants to build a new type of relationship with Washington centred on core interests.
Wednesday, March 20th 2013 - 08:00 UTC
Germany warns Cyprus ‘banks might never reopen’ if terms of bailout are rejected

Germany's finance minister has warned Cyprus that its crisis-stricken banks may never be able to reopen if it rejects the terms of a bailout. Wolfgang Schaeuble said major Cypriot banks were “insolvent if there are no emergency funds”.