Stories for July 1st 2016

Friday, July 1st 2016 - 13:22 UTC
UK and France mark centenary of start of the Battle of Somme, WW1 bloodiest

Commemorations are being held in the UK and France to mark the centenary of the start of the Battle of the Somme. Britain fell silent to mark the moment on 1 July 1916 when the battle began and the start of the bloodiest day in British military history.
Friday, July 1st 2016 - 10:15 UTC
Tory infighting forces Boris Johnson to step down from leadership contest

Former London mayor Boris Johnson abruptly pulled out of the race to become Britain's prime minister that he was once favored to win, upending the contest less than a week after he led a campaign to take the country out of the EU.
Friday, July 1st 2016 - 10:07 UTC
Theresa May stands out among Tory leader contenders; round of voting begins Tuesday

Theresa May's bid to become Britain's Conservative leader has won the support of two more cabinet ministers and the Daily Mail. Michael Fallon and Patrick McLoughlin now say they back the home secretary.
Friday, July 1st 2016 - 09:43 UTC
Ex president Cristina Fernandez properties searched as part of a alleged financial fraud wider investigation

The properties of former Argentina president Cristina Fernandez, in the province of Santa Cruz, have been raided by police on Thursday. The search was part of an investigation into the ex president's possible involvement in financial fraud.
Friday, July 1st 2016 - 09:08 UTC
“Possible surprise” in US elections must have the Pacific Alliance “ready to react”

The Pacific Alliance must be “ready to react” to a possible “surprise” in the United States presidential election, Mexican Economy Secretary Ildefonso Guajardo said in Chile on Thursday.
Friday, July 1st 2016 - 08:45 UTC
Pacific Alliance after stronger integration and closer links with the EU

The presidents of Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, the four member states of the Pacific Alliance, met on Thursday in the Chilean town of Puerto Varas to strengthen their economic integration in order to deal with the ravages of global finance. They also called for closer links with the European Union to bolster education for development.
Friday, July 1st 2016 - 08:30 UTC
Pacific Alliance members plan financial integration investing pension funds in infrastructure

The Pacific Alliance must improve integration of financial systems to spur investment in key areas such as infrastructure, finance ministers from the four member nations said on Thursday. The group, composed of Colombia, Mexico, Chile, and Peru, has already reached several accords in areas such as free commerce and immigration rules, but admitted that significant opportunities for integration remained.
Friday, July 1st 2016 - 07:11 UTC
Falklands: Red Cross clear on Argentine families' wishes of identifying remains at Darwin cemetery

Members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) currently visiting the Falkland Islands have stated they are quite clear on the wishes of the Argentine families, in relation to the potential future identification of remains of unknown Argentine soldiers in the Argentine memorial at Darwin.