Stories for 2015

Friday, September 11th 2015 - 06:03 UTC
Venezuelan opposition leader sentenced to 13 years in prison; Unasur statement expected Friday

Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez was convicted inciting violence and sentenced to 13 years in prison on Thursday for his leading role in the 2014 street protests against the government of President Nicolas Maduro that spiralled into bloodshed, killing more than 40 people. A statement from Unasur (Union of South American Nations) is expected on Friday.
Thursday, September 10th 2015 - 08:50 UTC
Business lobbies feeling the pinch, impatient with Rousseff's budget cuts

After months of trying to shore up Brazil's public finances, President Dilma Rousseff now faces political and business pressure to ease up on painful austerity measures in a country long hooked on the helping hand of a big state.
Thursday, September 10th 2015 - 08:33 UTC
Lula da Silva campaigns for Scioli and is full of praise for Cristina Fernandez and the 'K' model

Brazil's popular but scandal-weary former leader Lula da Silva endorsed Argentina's ruling party presidential candidate on Wednesday, identifying Daniel Scioli's credentials with the political left, and hoping the current project “that began in 2003 is re-elected”. The former president was also full of praise for president Cristina Fernandez.
Thursday, September 10th 2015 - 08:25 UTC
Queen Elizabeth thanks well-wishers for their 'touching messages of kindness'

Queen Elizabeth has thanked well-wishers in the UK and overseas for their “touching messages of kindness” as she becomes Britain's longest-reigning monarch. Speaking in the Scottish Borders, the 89-year-old monarch said the title was “not one to which I have ever aspired”.
Thursday, September 10th 2015 - 08:14 UTC
Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein makes official his bid to head FIFA and slams Platini

Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan wastes no time in slamming Michel Platini as he announces his bid to succeed Sepp Blatter as head of world football's governing body. After hinting at a second run for the FIFA presidency at the Soccerex Global Convention in Manchester on Monday, the Jordanian officially launched his campaign on Wednesday in Amman.
Thursday, September 10th 2015 - 07:52 UTC
Brazil loses investment-grade credit rating, with outlook remaining negative

Standard & Poor's has stripped Brazil of its investment-grade credit rating, further hampering President Dilma Rousseff's efforts to regain market trust and pull Latin America's largest economy out of recession.
Thursday, September 10th 2015 - 07:35 UTC
Economists' open letter to UN: political power must be preeminent in handling economic policy

European countries must support the United Nations’ proposals for sovereign debt restructuring! – Open letter to the UN by 19 economists.On Thursday September 10, the United Nations General Assembly will vote on nine principles concerning the restructuring of sovereign debts.
Thursday, September 10th 2015 - 06:32 UTC
Lula da Silva pictured with the Pope's Malvinas-dialogue poster

Brazil's former president Lula da Silva was pictured holding Pope Francis' poster calling for dialogue in the 'Malvinas issue'.
Wednesday, September 9th 2015 - 13:56 UTC
Pope Francis makes substantial changes to marriage annulment procedures

Pope Francis, making the most substantial changes to Catholic marriage annulment procedures in centuries, on Tuesday radically simplified them and said bishops should give greater help to divorced couples.
Wednesday, September 9th 2015 - 13:10 UTC
A forest area equivalent to South Africa has been lost since 1990, says FAO

The world's forests continue to shrink as populations increase and forest land is converted to agriculture and other uses, but over the past 25 years the rate of net global deforestation has slowed down by more than 50%, FAO said in a report published on Tuesday.