This year, the United Nations has decided to celebrate Earth Day, 22 April, in a very special way, by signing the Paris Agreement: a landmark climate change accord that came out of negotiations at the COP21 climate summit in Paris last December. This, of course, was extremely great news for climate advocates and ambassadors all over the world, including Oscar-winning actor and UN Messenger of Peace, Leonardo Di Caprio.
By Barack Obama, President of the United States - In 1939, President Franklin D Roosevelt offered a toast to King George VI in the White House. “I am persuaded that the greatest single contribution our two countries have been enabled to make to civilisation, and to the welfare of peoples throughout the world,” he said, “is the example we have jointly set by our manner of conducting relations between our two nations.”
European Central Bank President Mario Draghi brushed off German criticism of his ultra-loose monetary policy on Thursday and vowed to use all the tools at his disposal for “as long as needed.” He said the ECB's policy was working, which helped boost the Euro.
FIFA's former vice-president and ex president of Uruguay's football association Eugenio Figueredo is under home arrest following prostate surgery. Judge Adriana de los Santos authorized the 'temporary' measure while the former official recovers. He was in hospital several days given his age, 84 and heart problems.
United States hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer is a big fan of Argentina’s new president. For one thing, Mauricio Macri doesn’t call him a “vulture lord” or a “bloodsucker,” as his predecessor Cristina Fernández did. More important, the newly elected Macri recently paid Singer’s firm US$2.28 billion in debt.
Queen Elizabeth II lit on Thursday the first of more than 900 beacons lighting up across the UK and overseas as part of her 90th birthday celebrations. Prince Philip, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall then joined the monarch at a private dinner in Windsor Castle. Earlier, cheering crowds lined the streets in Windsor as the Queen took part in a walkabout.
Latam Airlines Group, made up of Chilean and Brazilian investors, ended last year with losses of 219 million dollars. However during the same period the Cueto family investment group, identified as Costa Verde Aeronautica, CVA, suffered even higher losses, 414 million dollars, mostly because of the performance problem of the largest Latin American airline.
Gibraltar will mark Thursday 21 April the Queen’s 90th birthday with her image projected onto the North face of the Rock. The number 90 will also be beamed onto the Moorish Castle, along with the lighting of a beacon and a 21 gun salute.
Monsanto has rejected a request by Argentina for more time to collect monies owed by small farmers for royalties on genetically modified soybean seeds. Argentine agricultural minister Ricardo Buryaile and members of his staff have met with Monsanto representatives, including chief operating officer Brett Begemann to request a waiver on the monies owed.
Embattled Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff will travel to New York in a bid to rally international support against her impeachment, leaving behind a Cabinet paralyzed by political crisis as another minister defected Wednesday.