Stories for October 26th 2017

Thursday, October 26th 2017 - 07:38 UTC
Maduro manages to divide Venezuelan opposition; Capriles steps down from coalition

Venezuela's Opposition appeared close to disintegration this week after a key leader ditched the main coalition opposed to President Nicolas Maduro, bolstering the socialist leader ahead of elections due next year.
Thursday, October 26th 2017 - 07:03 UTC
Piñera leads in presidential election vote intention, but will face runoff

Chilean conservative presidential candidate Sebastian Piñera maintained his lead in voter preference ahead of the Nov. 19 election, and was seen beating his two closest rivals in a likely runoff, pollster CEP said on Wednesday
Thursday, October 26th 2017 - 06:55 UTC
Merkel furious with leaks on PM May 'weakness'; EU fearful she could be replaced by Boris Johnson

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was made “furious” by the leaks from Brexit talks about Theresa May as Berlin fears her leadership could come to an end if attacks against her continue. May reportedly “begged for help” according to details of a dinner between the prime minister and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker published by German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on Sunday.
Thursday, October 26th 2017 - 06:49 UTC
YPF unveils ambitious US$ 30bn five-year investment plan

Argentina's state-controlled energy company YPF has unveiled a US$ 30bn five-year investment plan to boost oil production and sharpen its focus on electric power generation. Some US$21.5bn will come from YPF's own coffers, with the remainder to be sourced from its project partners, the company said in a statement on Wednesday.
Thursday, October 26th 2017 - 06:45 UTC
Crowdfunder to recover Falklands' conflict flagship HMS Hermes

HMS Hermes was laid down in 1944 and was in service with the Royal Navy between 1959 to 1984 serving as the flagship during the Falklands War in 1982. She was sold to the Indian Navy in 1987 and renamed INS Viraat.
Thursday, October 26th 2017 - 06:16 UTC
Key ex minister of Cristina Fernandez and Nestor Kirchner jailed on corruption charges

Julio De Vido, an ex-minister in former Argentine President Cristina Fernandez's government, was jailed after turning himself in to authorities on Wednesday, marking an anti-corruption milestone in a country known for impunity.
Thursday, October 26th 2017 - 06:04 UTC
Bloomberg describes Brexit as the “single stupidest thing any country has ever done”

Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire media mogul and former mayor of New York, has said Brexit is the “single stupidest thing any country has ever done” apart from the election of Donald Trump as US president. Bloomberg argued that “it is really hard to understand why a country that was doing so well wanted to ruin it” with the Brexit vote, in a series of outspoken remarks made at a technology conference in Boston a fortnight ago.
Thursday, October 26th 2017 - 05:56 UTC
Hammond “confident” despite admitting an “urgent and pressing” Brexit transition period

Philip Hammond has said he is “confident” businesses will be given the Brexit certainty they need although he sidestepped calls to ensure transition principles are guaranteed by Christmas. The UK Chancellor acknowledged the principles of a transition period are “urgent and pressing”, also telling MPs the Government wants them agreed with the European Union “as soon as possible”.
Thursday, October 26th 2017 - 05:47 UTC
Catalonia to appeal Rajoy's measures; if not successful it will pursue the case in international courts

Catalonia’s political leaders intend to bring a legal challenge to prevent the Spanish government from removing them from office and taking over running the region to stop its push for independence, a spokesman has said.
Thursday, October 26th 2017 - 02:47 UTC
Xi reaffirms his grip on China and his approval is an encouragement “that will spur me on.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday unveiled the new lineup of the ruling Communist Party highest body, whose members will rule alongside him as he embarks on a second five-year term as party leader with an agenda to spread prosperity and expand the global influence of the world's second largest economy.