Stories for March 22nd 2018

Thursday, March 22nd 2018 - 22:33 UTC
“Water for sustainable development”: UN Secretary-General's message at launch of international decade for action

I am pleased to be with you on World Water Day to launch the International Decade for Action on Water for Sustainable Development.
Thursday, March 22nd 2018 - 22:22 UTC
Bank of England leaves rates unchanged for now, waiting for more Brexit data

The Bank of England signaled on Thursday that it remains on course to lift interest rates in Britain this year and next, as figures showed a yearlong squeeze on consumers caused by a steep fall in the pound appears to be coming to an end.
Thursday, March 22nd 2018 - 22:16 UTC
Trump calls for reciprocity and reveals US$ 60bn tariffs in China imports

President Donald Trump announced on Thursday his plans for tariffs on up to US$60 billion annually in Chinese imports, designed as retaliation for an administration report that will outline Beijing’s violation of U.S. intellectual property rights.
Thursday, March 22nd 2018 - 22:04 UTC
Falklands ready for the Argentine next of kin visit

The Falkland Islands government has announced details of next Monday's visit of relatives of the Argentine fallen soldiers whose remains, at the Argentine military cemetery at Darwin, were recently identified by a special team led by the International Red Cross. The release states the following:
Thursday, March 22nd 2018 - 16:00 UTC
Brazil instructs federal communications agencies to reduce coverage of the murder of Marielle Franco

Journalists and radio broadcasters at Empresa Brasileira de Comunicação (Brazil Communication Company, or EBC), a federal public agency, protested on March 20 against direction given by company managers to reduce coverage of the murders of Marielle Franco, a city councilor for Rio de Janeiro, and her driver Anderson Gomes, both killed in a March 4 shooting.
Thursday, March 22nd 2018 - 14:53 UTC
Cambridge Analytica partner in Brazil under prosecutor investigation

Brazilian prosecutors on Wednesday said they had opened an investigation into whether London-based political consultancy Cambridge Analytica acted illegally in Brazil, as controversy over the firm’s data harvesting practices spreads across the globe.
Thursday, March 22nd 2018 - 14:26 UTC
Lula could have to begin serving his 12-year sentence next week

Brazilian federal appeals court will make a final ruling next week on a corruption conviction of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a decision that could see the popular politician ordered to prison shortly afterward, the court’s press office said on Wednesday.
Thursday, March 22nd 2018 - 14:04 UTC
Zuckenberg admitted the network “made mistakes”, and was willing to testify before Congress

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has admitted that the social network “made mistakes” that led to millions of Facebook users having their data exploited by a political consultancy.Cambridge Analytica is accused of improperly using the data on behalf of political clients. In a statement Zuckerberg said a “breach of trust” had occurred. In a later interview with CNN he said he was “really sorry”, and pledged to take action against “rogue apps”.
Thursday, March 22nd 2018 - 11:33 UTC
Red Cross: Rising humanitarian needs among Venezuelans entering Colombia

The Colombian Red Cross Society have been working for more than a year to support people arriving in Colombia and travelling through the country. Aid workers are warning of rising vulnerabilities among people crossing the Colombian-Venezuelan border and “are calling on the international community to increase support for humanitarian efforts”, said a statement published by International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) at Geneva.