Stories for February 2019

Monday, February 25th 2019 - 09:12 UTC
Bohemian Rhapsody’s Rami Malek playing Mercury, wins Best Actor Oscar

Being neither a singer, dancer nor piano player, Rami Malek did months of research and took voice, movement, piano and guitar lessons in order to capture Mercury's accent, his strutting stage performances and the way he commanded a microphone.
Monday, February 25th 2019 - 09:09 UTC
Ecuador reaches an agreement with IMF and will receive US$ 4.2 billion

Ecuador and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff have reached an agreement on a set of policies to underpin a US$4.2 billion (435% of quota and SDR3.035 billion) arrangement under the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF). This arrangement, which is subject to IMF Executive Board approval, would provide support for the Ecuadorian government’s economic policies over the next three years.
Monday, February 25th 2019 - 09:05 UTC
Pope ends sexual abuse conference calling for an “all out battle” but victims remain deeply disappointed

Pope Francis has ended his conference on the sexual abuse of children by clergy by calling for an “all-out battle” against a crime that should be “erased from the face of the earth”. But victims and their advocates expressed deep disappointment, saying Francis had merely repeated old promises and offered few new concrete proposals.
Monday, February 25th 2019 - 09:02 UTC
“Rotten Bourbons” shouts the Barcelona crowd to Spanish visiting King

Hundreds of people took to the streets of Barcelona on Sunday to protest against a visit by Spain's King Felipe VI to the Catalonia region that made a failed bid to secede in 2017.
Monday, February 25th 2019 - 08:58 UTC
US/China trade talks make “substantial progress”; Trump delays deadline for more tariffs

The United States is delaying a planned increase of tariffs on more than US$200 billion in Chinese exports after “substantial progress” made in trade talks, President Donald Trump said on Sunday. Trump also said he planned to hold a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping at his Florida estate Mar-a-Lago to ink a deal.
Monday, February 25th 2019 - 08:38 UTC
Falklands will receive Malvinas Families relatives next 13 March

The relatives of the latest 29 Argentine soldiers remains identified in the Falklands will be flying on 13 March to the Islands, to the Argentine military cemetery at Darwin to pray and honor their loved ones. The announcement was done by the Argentine journalist Martin Dinatale, who is usually well informed on Falklands issues.
Monday, February 25th 2019 - 08:27 UTC
Apocalyptic scenario for Brazil if pensions' reform is not approved, warns Economy ministry

Brazil’s Economy Ministry warned that the economy will slip into recession next year and official interest rates could more than double unless Congress approves measures to reduce the deficit in the country’s pension system.
Sunday, February 24th 2019 - 18:01 UTC
Final Brexit vote on 12 March, says PM May; Tories remain deeply divided

MPs will be able to have a final vote on the Brexit deal by 12 March, Prime Minister Theresa May has said. Speaking to reporters as she travelled to a summit in Egypt, Mrs May ruled out holding the parliamentary vote on her deal this week. She said talks with the European Union were “still ongoing”.
Sunday, February 24th 2019 - 17:46 UTC
Humanitarian aid to Venezuela clash: first round for Maduro, but defeat to the world's eyes

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó has called on other nations to consider “all measures” to oust President Nicolas Maduro. International pressure is building on Mr Maduro after opposition-led efforts to bring aid into Venezuela descended into deadly violence on Saturday.
Saturday, February 23rd 2019 - 19:31 UTC
Maduro announces “total rupture” of relations between Venezuela and Colombia

In the midst of a tense day in which there have been clashes between volunteers and Venezuelan military officials on the borders of the country, President Nicolás Maduro, considered a usurper by the parliament of his country, announced the “total” cessation of diplomatic relations with Colombia.