Stories for April 29th 2016

Friday, April 29th 2016 - 18:09 UTC
UK embassy in Montevideo celebrates the Queen's birthday and Shakespeare 400th anniversary

The UK embassy in Montevideo celebrated the 90th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth at ambassador Ben Lyster-Binns residence on Thursday 28 with the attendance of 500 guests including Uruguayan government officials, lawmakers, diplomats, media and members of the British community in Uruguay.
Friday, April 29th 2016 - 07:10 UTC
“The maker of presidents” (including Lula, Dilma and Chavez) formally charged with corruption

Brazilian prosecutors charged political strategist Joao Santana, the architect of President Dilma Rousseff’s 2010 and 2014 election victories, and 16 others with corruption on Thursday as part of a massive graft investigation.
Friday, April 29th 2016 - 06:50 UTC
Brazil's central bank leaves benchmark rate at 14.25% forced by stubborn inflation

Brazil's central bank left its benchmark interest rate on hold at 14.25% for a sixth consecutive time, amid stubbornly high inflation and political uncertainty. The bank which makes rate decisions eight times a year has held its key Selic rate steady since the last of seven consecutive hikes in July 2015.
Friday, April 29th 2016 - 06:42 UTC
Chilean mining minister inaugurated the British Pavilion at Expomin 2016 in Santiago.

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and Mining Minister Aurora Williams officially inaugurated Expomin 2016. During her tour through the exhibition, Minister Williams visited the British pavilion, joined by Ambassador Fiona Clouder and UKTI Director Trevor Hines.
Friday, April 29th 2016 - 06:27 UTC
''Vote Leave'' Chair says leaving the EU will not affect UK protection of Overseas Territories

Withdrawal from the European Union will not affect the protection the UK provides for its overseas territories, the chair of Vote Leave, Gisela Stuart, has told MPs in the House of Commons.
Friday, April 29th 2016 - 06:18 UTC
Latam and Caribbean forecasted to contract 0.5% in 2016, worst two-year since 1982, says IMF

Latin America and the Caribbean will post an overall 0.5% economic contraction in 2016, the International Monetary Fund forecast in its latest report, capping the region's worst two-year period since the 1982 debt crisis. But the IMF said the region is expected to rebound to 1.5% growth in 2017, avoiding the “lost decade” phenomenon that marked the 1980s.
Friday, April 29th 2016 - 06:08 UTC
IMF praises Argentina's new focus despite an expected contraction of 1% this year

Argentina's GDP is expected to contract by about 1% in 2016, according to the latest IMF Regional Economic Outlook; Western Hemisphere, announced on Wednesday in Mexico. The chapter on Argentina makes a special mention of the new government's changes to remove macroeconomic imbalances.
Friday, April 29th 2016 - 05:59 UTC
Hammond becomes first foreign secretary to visit Cuba since 1959

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond became on Thursday the first British Foreign Secretary to visit Cuba since 1959. In a series of high-level meetings, the Foreign Secretary will call on his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodríguez and other government leaders to discuss the recent social and economic changes in Cuba, human rights, trade and investment, and the fight against global health threats such as the Zika virus.
Friday, April 29th 2016 - 05:44 UTC
Mercosur unmoved by Rousseff''s invocation of the “democratic clause”

“We respect the Brazilian constitutional process” and thus Argentina does not have plans to follow on president Dilma Rousseff announcement that she will appeal to Mercosur to implement the “democratic clause” if the impeachment process to remove the head of state from office advances in the country's Senate.