Stories for 2024

Tuesday, October 15th 2024 - 20:37 UTC
New coronavirus strain detected in southern Brazil

The Rio de Janeiro-based Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) confirmed the presence in the southern part of the continent's largest country of a sublineage of the Sars-CoV-2 Omicron strain known as XEC, which is rapidly spreading worldwide, Agencia Brasil reported. The variant has been found in the States of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Santa Catarina after Fiocruz made the first discovery in samples from two patients in Rio last month.
Tuesday, October 15th 2024 - 11:55 UTC
Argentina: College students rise against Libertarian budgetary constraints

Last week's veto by President Javier Milei against the University Finance Bill, which survived a parliamentarian challenge, has nevertheless sparked a nationwide conflict between the Libertarian administration and student groups claiming that the tuition-free higher education that has been a pillar of social mobility in Argentina was at stake. Some outlets even defined the uprising as “Estudiantazo” as some classes were held in the streets as part of the surging protests.
Tuesday, October 15th 2024 - 10:47 UTC
Milei welcomes Boris Johnson at Casa Rosada

Argentine President Javier Milei Monday welcomed former UK Primer Minister Boris Johnson at Casa Rosada, after which the South American leader announced he would travel to England for a meeting with musician Mick Jagger at a date yet to be determined. Milei had already discussed rock with another exPM - Lord David Cameron - whom he met as Foreign Secretary.
Tuesday, October 15th 2024 - 09:29 UTC
Maduro makes major military brass reshuffle

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro Moros announced Monday that he was keeping Vladimir Padrino López as Defense Minister but was otherwise making a major reshuffle within the Bolivarian Armed Forces' brass, including the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM) and the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (Sebin). Padrino López has been Defense Minister since October 2014.
Tuesday, October 15th 2024 - 09:15 UTC
Chilean fisherman rescued from cold Pacific Ocean waters

Chilean authorities used a thermal drone to locate in the Magellan Strait area and later rescue a fisherman from the Pacific Ocean, it was reported Monday. The man later identified as Sergio Brito was wearing adequate clothing, thanks to which he survived the cold temperatures. In addition, he clung to seaweed while waiting for Carabineros and the Navy.
Tuesday, October 15th 2024 - 09:11 UTC
EPP guerrilla suspects no longer refugees in Argentina

Relatives of Paraguayan guerrilla leader Carmen Villalba sheltering in Argentina were stripped of their refugee status by the administration of President Javier Milei and could soon be extradited to stand trial, it was reported in Asunción. “The news that we have confirmed is that their political asylum was withdrawn, they are not politicians,” Interior Minister Enrique Riera confirmed.
Tuesday, October 15th 2024 - 09:00 UTC
Some 400,000 households still powerless in São Paulo after three days

Given that some 400,000 households in São Paulo were without electricity on Monday after problems caused by a storm last Friday, federal Energy Minister Alexandre Silveira gave suppliers Enel 3 days to fully restore supply, Agencia Brasil reported.
Monday, October 14th 2024 - 22:06 UTC
Trio granted Economics Nobel Prize for delving into development asymmetries

Three researchers who delved into the asymmetries of how countries prosper differently were awarded the Economics Nobel Prize Monday, thus closing this year's round of announcements ahead of the Dec. 10 award ceremonies in Stockholm.
Monday, October 14th 2024 - 17:47 UTC
In a dull campaign and dull candidates, Uruguay votes new president and parliament on Sunday October 27

In less than two weeks time, Sunday 27 October, 2,8 million Uruguayan voters will be electing a new president, and a new parliament, 99 Lower House members and 30 Senators for the 2025/2030 period.
Monday, October 14th 2024 - 10:43 UTC
Swing voters to prove decisive in Uruguayan elections, poll finds

According to a Cifra survey released this weekend in Montevideo, Uruguay has 11% of swing voters who could end up pivotal in Oct. 27's presidential elections. Hence, political parties should focus on winning them over, the pollsters underlined. Cifra Director Mariana Pomiés underlined that this number could tip the scale at the end of the day.