Stories for February 21st 2019

Thursday, February 21st 2019 - 15:33 UTC
Labour and Tories face more resignations with Independent Group growing

British Labour and Conservatives parties could face more resignations, with members of the new Independent Group saying they expect more MPs to join them. Ex-Tory MP Heidi Allen told ITV's Peston program “a third” of Tory MPs were fed up with the party's direction.
Thursday, February 21st 2019 - 15:24 UTC
Standard Chartered bank puts aside US$ 900m for potential fines in US and UK

Standard Chartered is putting aside US$ 900 million for potential fines involving investigations in Britain and the US. The money will cover separate investigations into breaches of US sanctions and foreign exchange trading issues.
Thursday, February 21st 2019 - 15:22 UTC
Trawler “Pesca Vaqueiro” expected to remain in Montevideo for repairs

The Spanish trawler “Pesca Vaqueiro” arrived in Montevideo on Wednesday with the thirty crew members rescued from the Chinese jigger which was involved in a collision incident with the Spanish vessel last Friday.
Thursday, February 21st 2019 - 09:31 UTC
Victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy demand to meet Pope Francis

Victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy demanded on Wednesday to meet Pope Francis to press their call for the Church to apply a zero-tolerance policy including the dismissal of bishops who covered up such offences.
Thursday, February 21st 2019 - 09:23 UTC
Macri in Vietnam pledges closer relationship between the two countries

Vietnam sees Argentina as its most important partner in Latin America and hopes to consolidate and strengthen its comprehensive partnership with the country, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc said on Wednesday.
Thursday, February 21st 2019 - 09:20 UTC
Cristina Fernandez corruption trial set to begin next week postponed until May

The corruption trial of former Argentina president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, CFK, set to begin next week, has been postponed until May, authorities said on Monday. It is one of several corruption trials facing the opposition Peronist politician, who turned 66 on Tuesday.
Thursday, February 21st 2019 - 09:18 UTC
Swiss bank UBS fined €3.7bn in France for helping clients launder proceeds of tax fraud

Swiss banking giant UBS has been fined €3.7bn (US$4.2bn) in a French tax fraud case. A court in Paris found that the bank had illegally helped French clients hide billions of Euros from French tax authorities between 2004 and 2012.
Thursday, February 21st 2019 - 09:09 UTC
Maduro's regime closes air and sea traffic from Caribbean islands to block humanitarian aid

Venezuela’s government said on Wednesday that it was closing its border to air and sea traffic from three Caribbean islands in an effort to block aid shipments to the country organized by the Venezuelan opposition.
Thursday, February 21st 2019 - 09:05 UTC
Fed changes focus from interest rates to balancing reduction of the US$ 4 trillion it holds in assets

The United States Federal Reserve on Wednesday signalled they will soon lay out a plan to stop letting go of US$4 trillion in bonds and other assets, but policymakers are still debating how long their newly adopted “patient” stance on U.S. rates policy will last.
Thursday, February 21st 2019 - 08:44 UTC
Bolsonaro presents to Congress his pensions overhaul... Where are the necessary votes?

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro delivered his proposed pension overhaul to Congress on Wednesday, aiming to save over 1 trillion reais (US$270 billion) in a decade by changing tax rates, delaying retirement and creating individual savings accounts.