Stories for May 2017

Monday, May 22nd 2017 - 07:00 UTC
Venezuela: over fifty people killed in fifty days of protests

A young demonstrator has died from a gunshot wound to the chest, raising to over 50 the number of people killed in fifty days of protests targeting Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, officials said Sunday. The president personally denounced a brutal attack on another man he said had been taken for a government supporter during one of several massive demonstrations across the country Saturday demanding early elections.
Sunday, May 21st 2017 - 12:08 UTC
Temer on the cliff fearful of more tapes. Lula and Rousseff accused of receiving US$ 150 million for campaigns

President Michel Temer faced new pressure to resign Friday, after Brazil’s supreme court said prosecutors are investigating him for obstruction of justice and corruption, and a government witness claimed his company paid US$1.5 million to Temer in bribes. A day after the release of surreptitious audio recordings in which Temer seemed to condone a criminal cover up in the “Car Wash” investigation, the court released testimony accusing him of soliciting illegal payments from meatpacking firm JBS.
Saturday, May 20th 2017 - 09:02 UTC
Macri returns from Beijing with US$ 17bn for infrastructure and energy projects

Argentine President Mauricio Macri and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping have signed in Beijing 16 agreements worth at least US$17 billion in areas such as energy and transport infrastructure, confirming the close links between the two countries.
Friday, May 19th 2017 - 12:09 UTC
Malvinas Veterans expose Argentine Judiciary “delay” in addressing human rights abuses during the war

Malvinas Veterans organizations met with members of the Inter American Commission on Human Rights, IACHR, currently in Buenos Aires and complained about the “delay” of Argentine courts in addressing dozens of cases involving human rights abuses committed by Argentine officers against conscripts during the 1982 Falklands conflict.
Friday, May 19th 2017 - 09:13 UTC
Trump sets off renegotiation of Nafta in a divided Congress

The Donald Trump administration took the first step toward renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement, plunging into a battle that pits some Republicans and industry supporters of the pact against Democrats and some of the president's most ardent backers.
Friday, May 19th 2017 - 06:42 UTC
Argentina purchased several refurbished Mirages and engines for Pucaras

Argentine reportedly has agreed to purchase several refurbishedDassault-Breguet Super Étendard fighter bombers originally from the French navy. Apparently the Mirages are similar to those Argentine used during the Falklands conflict in 1982 and will be incorporated to the Air Force, as part of an Argentine re-equipment of its military forces.
Friday, May 19th 2017 - 06:11 UTC
Falklands actively seeking flight options, including some avoiding Latin America

The Falklands government, FIG, is actively seeking additional commercial flight routes to assist in the future development of the Islands, and is working on a number of options.
Thursday, May 18th 2017 - 22:37 UTC
Bovespa plummets 8.8% and Real suffers the largest drop in 14 years

Brazilian markets plummeted on Thursday as allegations that President Michel Temer condoned bribes to silence a key witness deflated investor optimism about the prospects for his ambitious pension and labor reform agenda.
Thursday, May 18th 2017 - 22:22 UTC
Temer rejects calls for stepping down: “I will not resign. I repeat, I will not resign”

Brazilian President Michel Temer on Thursday rejected calls for his resignation, saying he will fight allegations that he endorsed the paying of hush money to an ex-lawmaker jailed for corruption. The embattled leader spoke in a national address after Globo newspaper reported Wednesday night that Temer was recorded supporting payments to former Lower House Speaker Eduardo Cunha.
Thursday, May 18th 2017 - 21:37 UTC
Ex FBI special counsel to oversee inquiry into alleged Russia/Trump's campaign links

A former FBI boss has been named special counsel to oversee an inquiry into Russia's alleged meddling in the election and any Trump campaign ties. In naming Robert Mueller, the deputy attorney general said it was in the public interest to have an outsider. The appointment has been widely praised by politicians from both sides.