Politics

• Monday, April 29th 2019 - 09:15 UTC

  Unprecedented 10-day holiday in hardworking Japan: May's Golden Weak and a new emperor

  

  Japan this weekend kicked off an unprecedented 10-day holiday, including celebration days for the imperial transition, as airports were packed with record travelers while people queued at teller machines in the cash-dominated nation.

• Monday, April 29th 2019 - 09:07 UTC

  Turkey and France clash over remembrance of the 1915 Armenian genocide

  

  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan upped his war of words with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron for creating a day of remembrance for the 1915 Armenian “genocide”.

• Monday, April 29th 2019 - 08:58 UTC

  Admiral in charge of Guantanamo detention center fired: no reasons given

  

  The US admiral in charge of the Guantanamo Bay detention centre in Cuba “has been fired” due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command,” US Southern Command said in a statement on Sunday. Rear Admiral John Ring was removed from the post on Saturday, the brief statement said, without giving details about why.

• Monday, April 29th 2019 - 08:48 UTC

  Sri Lankan president bans face covering following the terrorist attacks

  

  Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Sunday announced a ban on face-covering, a week after Islamist militants carried out coordinated suicide bombings that killed 253 people.

• Saturday, April 27th 2019 - 11:30 UTC

  A week of volatility in Argentina ends with the Peso down 8.81%

  

  Argentina’s peso fell back on Friday afternoon to post a record low close, giving up earlier gains after a tumultuous week that saw the currency battered to its weakest ever level and local debt pummeled as anxious investors fled.

• Saturday, April 27th 2019 - 10:23 UTC

  Resumption of political talk process in Northern Ireland to begin May 7

  

  Prime Minister Theresa May and Taoiseach (Irish PM) Leo Varadkar have issued a joint statement setting up a new talks process aimed at restoring devolution in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley confirmed fresh talks would begin on 7 May. Earlier this week, the two premiers attended the funeral of Lyra McKee.

• Saturday, April 27th 2019 - 10:15 UTC

  US economy beats expectations and expands 3.3% in the first quarter

  

  The US economy grew much faster than expected in the first quarter of the year, helped by a jump in exports and by firms building up stocks of goods. The economy expanded at an annualized pace of 3.2% in the January-to-March period, well above analysts' forecasts.

• Saturday, April 27th 2019 - 09:59 UTC

  With markets and assets falling, Argentina becomes a magnet for bargain hunters

  

  Argentine assets have tumbled so far, so fast that a few stout-hearted investors say it might be time to buy. “Find me a high-yield sovereign country with an IMF program paying so generously,” said Jean-Dominique Butikofer, the Atlanta-based head of emerging-market fixed income at Voya Investment Management, which oversees about US$ 205 billion.

• Saturday, April 27th 2019 - 09:46 UTC

  Leak scandal rocks UK government over decision to allow China's Huawei develop the 5G network

  

  Britain's splintered government was rocked on Friday by a growing scandal over who leaked news that Prime Minister Theresa May has conditionally allowed Chinese giant Huawei to develop the UK 5G network.

• Saturday, April 27th 2019 - 09:45 UTC

  Lula da Silva claims that Brazil is governed by “a gang of madmen”

  

  Former Brazilian president Lula da Silva on Friday said the country is governed by a “gang of madmen” in his first interview from prison, where he is serving an almost nine-year sentence.