Politics

• Friday, February 14th 2020 - 09:50 UTC

  Lula receives papal blessing at the Vatican; not a word in Francis official agenda

  

  Former Brazilian President Lula da Silva met on Thursday with Pope Francis at the Vatican, received a papal blessing and said the two discussed prospects for a “more just and fraternal world.”

• Friday, February 14th 2020 - 09:44 UTC

  ICJ to hold public hearings on Venezuela/Guyana territorial dispute in March

  

  The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will begin holding public hearings, next month, on Venezuela’s claim for more than half of Guyana’s territory. The first round of oral arguments starts on March 23 when Guyana will present its case from 10 am to 1 pm at the Peace Palace in The Hague.

• Friday, February 14th 2020 - 08:40 UTC

  Ex head of Mexican oil firm Pemex arrested in Spain on corruption charges

  

  Spanish police this week arrested Emilio Lozoya, the former chief executive of Mexico’s state oil firm Pemex, giving President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador his first high-profile win in his government’s anti-corruption drive.

• Friday, February 14th 2020 - 08:28 UTC

  Argentina anticipates rough times for bondholders in any of three possible economic scenarios

  

  Argentina’s economy minister confirmed bondholders’ worst fears, telling them to brace for significant losses as the country restructures its debt amid an economic crisis. Martin Guzman warned that holders of Argentine debt will probably be disappointed by the restructuring, without providing specifics on how steep losses could be.

• Friday, February 14th 2020 - 08:22 UTC

  US criticizes lack of transparency from China over the coronavirus outbreak

  

  The United States feels let down by a lack of transparency from China over the coronavirus crisis, a senior White House official said on Thursday. “We are a little disappointed that we haven't been invited in and we're a little disappointed in the lack of transparency coming from the Chinese,” Larry Kudlow, the director of President Donald Trump's Economic Council, told reporters.

• Friday, February 14th 2020 - 08:02 UTC

  OAS Observation mission to monitor March elections in Guyana

  

  The Organization of American States (OAS) and Guyana have agreed to send an Electoral Observation Mission to the Caribbean country to observe the general and regional elections of March 2, 2020, during a ceremony held at the headquarters of the hemispheric institution in Washington, D.C.

• Friday, February 14th 2020 - 07:23 UTC

  Falkland Islands announces partner to develop new port

  

  The Falkland Islands Government (FIG) announced on Thursday it has selected a development partner to design and build a new port in Stanley Harbour. After an extensive global procurement process, FIG is pleased to announce that it has agreed to BAM Nuttall Ltd as its development partner, subject to successful conclusion of contract. The aim is for the contract to be agreed and signed by the end of March 2020.

• Thursday, February 13th 2020 - 10:12 UTC

  IMF mission begins talks in Argentina; Government presented his fiscal plan to Congress

  

  Recession-hit Argentina opened talks on Wednesday with a team from the IMF, seeking relief from what President Alberto Fernandez says is an unsustainable foreign debt. The delegation, led by Julie Kozack and Luis Cubeddu, arrived in Buenos Aires for a week-long visit as left-wing groups staged public protests to demand a suspension of debt payments.

• Thursday, February 13th 2020 - 10:10 UTC

  Bolsonaro-Alberto Fernandez summit and “cordial embrace” in Montevideo next March first

  

  Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has proposed a meeting with his Argentine peer Alberto Fernandez on March first in Montevideo when Uruguayan president-elect Luis Lacalle Pou takes office. The information was announced by Argentine foreign minister Felipe Solá, after meeting president Bolsonaro for fifty minutes at his office in Brasilia.

• Thursday, February 13th 2020 - 10:08 UTC

  Biggest smartphone conference in Barcelona cancelled because of coronavirus concerns

  

  The biggest smartphone conference of the year was just canceled. The organizers of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, GSMA, announced in a statement on Wednesday that the conference was canceled because of concerns about the coronavirus.