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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, November 27th 2024 - 18:33 UTC

Stories for 2018

  • Friday, May 18th 2018 - 08:34 UTC

    Lula lashes out at his “farce” imprisonment; Judge strips him of presidential privileges

    Lula's jailing in April almost certainly knocks him out of the October election in which opinion polls show him to be the frontrunner.

    Brazil's ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday lashed out against his imprisonment for corruption but the government rejected his claim to have been victim of a “farce” and a judge stripped him of presidential privileges. In a column in French newspaper Le Monde, Lula called his conviction and 12 year sentence for graft “a judicial farce” and said that presidential elections would be unfair without his participation.

  • Friday, May 18th 2018 - 08:24 UTC

    Oil hits US$ 80, its highest level since 2014; London's FTSE on new all time-high

    Higher oil prices pushed the shares of energy firms in European stock markets higher, helping London's FTSE to set a new all-time high

    Benchmark oil contract Brent North Sea hit its highest level since late 2014 on Thursday, breaching US$ 80 per barrel, with some market players predicting it could rise all the way to US$ 100. Higher oil prices, in turn, pushed the shares of energy firms in European stock markets higher, helping London's FTSE to set a new all-time high, and the Paris CAC to establish a fresh 2018 peak.

  • Friday, May 18th 2018 - 08:19 UTC

    Europe's top court rules in favor of bees banning three insecticides

    In April EU governments agreed to ban all use of three neo-nicotinoids outdoors. Seeds treated with them can still be used in greenhouses.

    The EU's top court has backed an almost complete EU-wide ban on the use of three insecticides, which studies have linked to declining bee populations. Chemicals giants Bayer and Syngenta had gone to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) hoping to get the restrictions on neo-nicotinoids overturned.

  • Friday, May 18th 2018 - 07:49 UTC

    IMF confirms support for Macri, but also with greater focus on social protection

    Rice stressed that the current situation, marked by “renewed financial market volatility” is very different than the last time Argentina went to the IMF for aid.

    The International Monetary Fund will move quickly to agree on a loan program to support Argentina but there are no details yet on what it will entail, a fund spokesman said on Thursday. However spokesperson Gerry Rice also underlined that the IMF nowadays has a greater focus on social protection, in particular towards the most vulnerable, ensuring the economy and living standards.

  • Friday, May 18th 2018 - 07:37 UTC

    Cross-party group of UK parliamentarians on two-day visit to Gibraltar

    The Parliamentarians received a detailed briefing on Brexit issues from the Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia, and later toured the frontier area with Spain

    A cross-party group of UK parliamentarians is in Gibraltar on a two-day working visit. The visit takes place against the backdrop of the negotiations for the United Kingdom and Gibraltar to leave the European Union, which means that it will centre on Brexit issues.

  • Friday, May 18th 2018 - 07:15 UTC

    Falklands Government reception in London on 5th June

    The reception is usually attended by UK officials, Members of Parliament, diplomats, Falkland Islands officials, friends and supporters of the Falklands.

    The Falkland Islands Government has announced that this year's reception will be taking place on June 5th at Middle Temple Hall, The Honorable Society of the Middle Temple in London.

  • Friday, May 18th 2018 - 07:09 UTC

    Tory MP proposes a Brexit bank holiday to mark June 23 referendum result

    MP Pete Bone speaking during businesses questions in the Commons, said: “The country works very hard, we have very few bank holidays relative to Europe”

    A Brexit bank holiday should be created to mark the June 23 referendum result, a Tory MP has said. Peter Bone told ministers that the bank holiday would become known as “independence day” – to laughs from fellow MPs.

  • Friday, May 18th 2018 - 06:58 UTC

    Post-Brexit concern: Britain “net contributor” to security collaboration in the EU

    Lord Evans said the UK is a “net contributor” in terms of the “information flows and expertise” that it provides, adding that the country is “very good at security”.

    Britain is the largest contributor to security collaboration in the EU, a former spy chief has said. Ex-MI5 director general Lord Evans of Weardale highlighted the UK’s input on information flows and expertise. He told a Lords Committee there was a “mutual benefit” from co-operation with Europe on security.

  • Friday, May 18th 2018 - 06:40 UTC

    After hammering Brexit bill, Holyrood calls on UK ministers to visit Scotland

    Speaking during First Minister’s Questions, Ms Sturgeon urged the Scottish Tories to “stand up for the rights” of the Scottish Parliament.

    Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said there is still time to secure an agreement on vital Brexit legislation as UK Ministers were urged to come to Scotland to hear Holyrood’s concerns. The First Minister told MSPs the Scottish Government was continuing to press the UK Government to listen to the concerns of the Scottish Parliament over the EU Withdrawal Bill.

  • Thursday, May 17th 2018 - 18:02 UTC

    IEA: High Oil Prices “Taking A Toll” On Demand

    Venezuela's production is plummeting, and output is 550,000 bpd below it's agreed upon target as part of the OPEC deal.

    Geopolitics has taken over the oil market, driving oil prices up to three-year highs. The inventory surplus has vanished, and more outages could push oil prices up even higher. Yet, there are some signs that demand is starting to take a hit as oil closes in on $80 per barrel.