Stories for May 2018

Thursday, May 17th 2018 - 08:53 UTC
Brazil reacts strongly to EU ex-leaders asking for Lula to run for office

Brazil on Wednesday lashed out at a demand by former European leaders for disgraced ex-president Lula da Silva to be allowed to take part in elections this year. A group of former EU left leaning leaders, including French ex-president Francois Holland and Spanish former prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, called Lula's imprisonment for corruption “hurried” and said he should be “free to present himself before Brazilian voters.”
Thursday, May 17th 2018 - 08:47 UTC
Brazil leaves basic rate unchanged citing a more volatile world situation

Brazil's central bank unexpectedly left its benchmark interest rate unchanged on Wednesday, citing a more challenging and volatile situation in world economies. The bank left its benchmark Selic rate at an all-time low of 6.5%, after signaling at its previous meeting it would cut at least once more.
Thursday, May 17th 2018 - 08:31 UTC
Someone is cheating with ozone warn scientists: rate of decline has fallen drastically

The decline in the atmosphere of an ozone-depleting chemical banned by the Montreal Protocol has recently slowed by half, suggesting a serious violation of the 196-nation treaty, researchers revealed Wednesday.
Thursday, May 17th 2018 - 08:20 UTC
Argentine Prosecution orders the arrest of 26 officers for alleged torture against conscripts in the Falklands

The Federal Prosecution Office from Rio Grande, Tierra del Fuego has called for the arrest of 26 officers allegedly involved in torture practices against conscripts during the Falklands conflict in 1982. The case has been ongoing for over a decade but it remains at snail pace.
Thursday, May 17th 2018 - 08:13 UTC
New evidence from genetic data links obesity with increased risk of smoking

A study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) provides new evidence that increased weight and obesity may result in increased smoking. The study, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) and funded by Cancer Research UK (CRUK), found that increased body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage, and waist circumference were associated both with a higher risk of being a smoker and with greater smoking intensity, measured by the number of cigarettes smoked per day. These results were consistent in both men and women.
Wednesday, May 16th 2018 - 19:54 UTC
Uruguay is presented in London as main gateway to Latin America

The mission is being organized by Uruguay XXI, the investment, export and country brand promotion agency, along with the British Embassy in Montevideo, the British-Uruguayan Chamber of Commerce and with the support of the UK Department for International Trade. The trade mission will be present between May 14/18.
Wednesday, May 16th 2018 - 19:20 UTC
Falklands describes as 'positive', the outcome of fishery talks held in Argentina

The Falkland Islands has been positive about the outcome of the first round of fishery talks (May 14/15) referred to the South Atlantic, between Argentina and the United Kingdom. The talks in Buenos Aires, with Falklands representatives included in the UK delegation, emphasized on the exchange of scientific information and conservation of shared fishery resources in the South West Atlantic.
Wednesday, May 16th 2018 - 17:42 UTC
68% of the world population projected to live in urban areas by 2050, says UN

Sustainable development depends more and more on the successful management of urban growth, especially in low-income and lower-middle-income countries where the pace of urbanization is projected to be the fastest.
Wednesday, May 16th 2018 - 17:15 UTC
US scientists successfully transfer memory among marine snails

Scientists from the University of California have successfully transferred a memory from one marine snail to another, but there's still a long way to go until you can pay someone to wipe unpleasant memories or implant new ones.
Wednesday, May 16th 2018 - 17:10 UTC
Plan to eliminate industrially-produced trans-fatty acids from global food supply

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released REPLACE, a step-by-step guide for the elimination of industrially-produced trans-fatty acids from the global food supply. Eliminating trans fats is key to protecting health and saving lives: WHO estimates that every year, trans fat intake leads to more than 500,000 deaths of people from cardiovascular disease.