Stories for 2017

Monday, June 12th 2017 - 01:46 UTC
The “robot revolution”, angry men, and Great Depression unemployment

By Gwynne Dyer
Wittenberg is the German city where Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the church door 500 years ago and launched the Protestant Reformation. To mark the anniversary, the local Protestant authorities have installed a robot called BlessU-2 to deliver blessings in five languages.
Saturday, June 10th 2017 - 10:30 UTC
Europe “ready” to begin Brexit talks sticking to the time plan, says Angela Merkel

Angela Merkel has said she sees no obstacles in the way of beginning Brexit talks as scheduled after Theresa May failed to win a majority in Thursday's UK election. The German chancellor said she believed Britain would stick to the timetable, adding the European Union was “ready”.
Saturday, June 10th 2017 - 10:26 UTC
Argentina invites UK to resume Falklands question negotiations

Argentina has again invited the UK to resume negotiations on the Falklands/Malvinas question, following on UN assembly resolutions, and urges an end to unilateral activities related to exploration and exploitation of renewable and non renewable natural resources in the disputed area, as well as to the British military presence in the South Atlantic.
Saturday, June 10th 2017 - 09:31 UTC
Theresa May stays on but with a shaky coalition: Ulster Unionists and Scottish Tories

Theresa May is expected to finalize her team of ministers later as she seeks to form a government with the support of the Democratic Unionist Party. Ministers say initial talks have begun with Northern Ireland's DUP after the Conservatives failed to secure a majority in Thursday's election. The Tories needed 326 seats to win but fell short by eight. The DUP won 10.
Saturday, June 10th 2017 - 09:16 UTC
Brazil tightens corruption controls on banks and listed companies

Brazilian presidential decree raising fines on banks and listed companies involved in illicit acts aims to empower the central bank and the country's securities industry watchdog in their efforts to bolster transparency, Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles said in Paris.
Saturday, June 10th 2017 - 08:51 UTC
Temer wins the day with a divided vote. “The system needs stability” was the decisive argument

Brazil's top electoral court gave embattled President Michel Temer a big victory late Friday, voting to reject allegations of campaign finance violations that could have removed him from office. After four days of deliberations, judges voted 4-3 in a case that many viewed as a measure of whether Temer could remain in office amid a ballooning corruption scandal and single-digit popularity.
Friday, June 9th 2017 - 22:09 UTC
Falklands' increase in landing fee will help fund the Museum & National Trust

The Falkland Islands government, FIG, has announced that as from the 1st July 2018, the landing fee for tourists arriving in Stanley shall increase from £21 to £25. The fee for those arriving into other destinations in the Islands shall remain at £7.50.
Friday, June 9th 2017 - 21:44 UTC
Strong indications that president Temer will survive the Electoral Court case and remain in office

Brazil's top electoral court on Thursday excluded testimony of engineering company executives from an illegal campaign funding trial against President Michel Temer, a move that suggested it would throw out a case that had threatened to unseat him.
Friday, June 9th 2017 - 11:14 UTC
Falklands: Red Cross exhumation of Argentine remains in three phases

With 123 graves to be exhumed but 140 families waiting for news, the exhumation and identification of Argentine war dead in the Falklands will bring answers to some families, but not every family involved, Head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Operational Coordinator for the project to identify the remains of Argentine soldiers buried at Darwin Cemetery.
Friday, June 9th 2017 - 11:10 UTC
Hung parliament in UK; Theresa May calls for stability; Corbyn says PM must go

Britain's Conservatives have lost their majority in a snap general that has resulted in a hung parliament. With just a handful of seats left to declare, Thursday polls shows gains for the opposition Labour Party. This is seen as a humiliation for PM Minister Theresa May, who chose to call the election to try to strengthen her hand in talks with the EU on Brexit.