Stories for February 28th 2019

Thursday, February 28th 2019 - 10:00 UTC
Desperate Maduro regime appealing to the sale of central bank's gold

At least 8 tons of gold were removed from the Venezuelan central bank’s vaults last week, an opposition legislator and three government sources told Reuters, in the latest sign of President Nicolas Maduro’s desperation to raise hard currency amid tightening sanctions.
Thursday, February 28th 2019 - 10:00 UTC
Guaidó arrives to Brasilia as part of a continental tour

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido arrived in Brazil on Wednesday night to meet with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro as part of a tour of several nations to drum up international pressure on President Nicolas Maduro to step down.
Thursday, February 28th 2019 - 09:51 UTC
Trump's ex lawyer ashamed of working for a conman, a cheat and a racist

Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen called the US president a conman, a cheat and a racist in explosive congressional testimony on Wednesday, saying he was ashamed of a decade of working for the real estate billionaire.
Thursday, February 28th 2019 - 09:34 UTC
Trump and Kim cut short summit with no agreement reached on denuclearization

President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un abruptly cut short their two-day summit on Thursday after the two leaders failed to reach an agreement to dismantle that country’s nuclear weapons. Although Kim said he was ready in principle to denuclearize, he and Trump ended their meetings without sitting for a planned lunch and without participating in a joint signing ceremony.
Thursday, February 28th 2019 - 09:33 UTC
Airlines forced to reroute flights in East Asia because of Pakistan/India conflict

Airlines operating flights from East Asia to destinations in Europe are having to reroute their planes away from Pakistan and northern India. The airspace is closed because of escalating tension between the two countries, following the shooting down of two Indian military jets. Flights via Pakistan have been canceled and other flights rerouted.
Thursday, February 28th 2019 - 09:28 UTC
Pakistan shows downed Indian pilot; New Delhi demands his release

India has demanded the release of a fighter pilot shot down by Pakistan warplanes in a major escalation between the two nuclear powers over Kashmir. Video showing the pilot, blindfolded and with blood on his face, was shared by Pakistan's information ministry. India described the images as a “vulgar display of an injured personnel”.
Thursday, February 28th 2019 - 09:18 UTC
Argentina's economic activity dropped 2.6% in 2018, says Indec

Argentina's economic activity fell 2.6% in 2018 versus the previous year, government statistics agency Indec said on Wednesday, underscoring the turmoil that dragged the country into recession last year.
Thursday, February 28th 2019 - 09:15 UTC
US trade deficit widens sharply in December: imports increase, exports drop

The US trade deficit widened sharply in December as slowing global demand and a strong dollar weighed on exports, another sign that economic growth slowed in the fourth quarter. Other data from the Commerce Department on Wednesday showed new orders for US-made goods barely rose in December and business spending on equipment was much weaker than previously thought, pointing to a softening in manufacturing activity.
Thursday, February 28th 2019 - 09:10 UTC
China's manufacturing activity shrinks for a third straight month in February

China's manufacturing activity shrank for a third straight month in February, sinking to its worst performance in three years as the economy slows and the US trade war bites, official data showed on Thursday. The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), a gauge of factory conditions, came in at 49.2 for the month, down from 49.5 in January, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Thursday, February 28th 2019 - 09:00 UTC
Cesarean surgery to an 11-year old raped girl reopens abortion debate in Argentina

The cesarean section carried out on an 11-year-old girl raped by her grandmother's husband has reopened the debate about abortion in Argentina, where rules on pregnancy terminations are strict.