Stories for July 2015

Tuesday, July 7th 2015 - 08:06 UTC
Pope said Mass to 650.000 people and centered the homily on the family theme

Pope Francis said Mass for more than 650.000 Ecuadoreans and hinted he wanted a major Vatican gathering this year to find ways to reach out to Catholics who feel excluded by the Church. On the first full day of a three-nation “homecoming” trip to South America, the Argentine-born pontiff was in Ecuador's second city Guayaquil, a steamy port sometimes referred to as the world's “banana capital,” given its bustling fruit trade.
Tuesday, July 7th 2015 - 07:48 UTC
Caricom supports Guyana in border dispute with Venezuela, but there's also Petro Caribe

The chairman of a 15-member Caribbean trade bloc said over the weekend that he backs Guyana's government amid an escalating border dispute with neighboring Venezuela. Freundel Stuart spoke at a press conference as Caricom leaders ended a three-day summit in Barbados.
Tuesday, July 7th 2015 - 07:40 UTC
Maduro recalls ambassador in Guyana: “Venezuela in under new forms of assault and aggression”

President Nicolas Maduro announced Monday that he was recalling Venezuela's ambassador in neighboring Guyana for consultation amid mounting tensions over their disputed border. During an address to parliament, Maduro said that he also is initiating a comprehensive review of relations with much smaller Guyana and reducing the size of Venezuela's embassy there.
Tuesday, July 7th 2015 - 07:21 UTC
Merkel and Hollande tell Greece the door for serious proposals remains open

France and Germany told Greece to come up with serious proposals in order to restart financial aid talks, raising pressure on Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to compromise a day after his country voted overwhelmingly against more austerity
Tuesday, July 7th 2015 - 07:11 UTC
New Greek finance minister, Oxford educated but equally hard line

New Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos may be less flamboyant than his predecessor Yanis Varoufakis, but his views on his country's debt crisis are no less stridently held. While most commentators appear to agree that Mr Tsakalotos, 55, will be less bombastic than Mr Varoufakis in his dealings with international creditors, some argue that his negotiating stance could even be more hard line.
Tuesday, July 7th 2015 - 07:01 UTC
Greek finance minister ousted because he favored a 'parallel currency'

Yanis Varoufakis, who was Greece's finance minister until Monday morning, was reportedly pushed from his job after he told a journalist that Greece could introduce a parallel currency in the weeks ahead. Cash is flooding out of Greek banks at the moment, and the government desperately needs money to make payments due later this month.
Tuesday, July 7th 2015 - 06:55 UTC
Brazil's main opposition party ready “to take on whatever the future holds”

Brazil' former president Fernando Henrique Cardoso said on Sunday addressing his party's convention, the main opposition force in the Brazilian congress, that the PSDB was ready 'to clear the country of its problems' and accused leader Lula da Silva and the ruling Workers Party (PT) of bankrupting Brazil.
Tuesday, July 7th 2015 - 06:46 UTC
Brazilian organizations allege there is an attempt to topple President Rousseff

A raft of Brazilian organizations issued a statement on Monday denouncing what they described as the 'right's' attempts to topple President Dilma Rousseff. The statement was signed by 28 groups including the MST Landless Movement and the Catholic Church's Pastoral Land Commission.
Tuesday, July 7th 2015 - 06:23 UTC
'Impeachment' and 'fresh elections' in Brazil's congressional debate

Brazil's leading political commentator and O Globo columnist, Ricardo Noblat is forecasting that president Dilma Rousseff will not conclude her four-year mandate and could very well be out of office by next October.
Tuesday, July 7th 2015 - 05:50 UTC
Falklands' competitors win three medals in Islands Games at Jersey

Falklands competitors took home 2 silvers and 1 bronze medal which they won at the 16th International Island Games which were held on the Channel Island of Jersey. The Falklands football team also retained the ‘Small Islands Cup’ which they won in Bermuda 2 years ago, beating the Norwegian island of Hitra 2-1.