Politics

• Thursday, July 6th 2017 - 04:26 UTC

  Scandal in EU: Juncker calls the European parliament “totally ridiculous”

  

  The head of the European Union’s executive called its parliament “totally ridiculous” during a spat over low MEP attendance. After EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker thanked the few dozens of the 700-plus MEPs for attending a plenary session, he insisted that “parliament is not serious” for failing to show up in large numbers for the keynote debate of the day.

• Thursday, July 6th 2017 - 03:54 UTC

  All eyes to be focused on gestures from the first face-to-face Trump-Putin meeting

  

  The first face-to-face meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will take place on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Hamburg. The Kremlin says terrorism; Syria and Ukraine will top its agenda.

• Wednesday, July 5th 2017 - 20:52 UTC

  Brazilian industrial output grows for a second month during May

  

  Industrial output in Brazil rose for a second straight month in May, government data showed on Tuesday, underpinning hopes that the economy will not fall back into recession despite an escalating political crisis.

• Wednesday, July 5th 2017 - 15:28 UTC

  Icebreaker Almirante Irizar expected in Puerto Belgrano for high seas trials

  

  The emblematic Argentine navy icebreaker Almirante Irizar, responsible for the country's Antarctic effort left Buenos Aires on Tuesday for high sea trials. The Atlantic incursion was its first in ten years, since in 2007 the icebreaker suffered a major fire that almost destroyed the vessel, originally built in Finland.

• Wednesday, July 5th 2017 - 08:29 UTC

  Close ally of President Temer arrested on charges of corruption in state bank

  

  Brazilian police have arrested a close ally of President Michel Temer as part of a corruption investigation into a government-controlled bank. Geddel Vieira Lima, a former cabinet minister, had been in charge of Temer's relations with Congress.

• Wednesday, July 5th 2017 - 08:19 UTC

  City of London delegation heads to Brussels for a financial services deal: fears of losing passporting rights

  

  Business leaders from the City of London are to send a delegation to Brussels with a proposal for a post-Brexit free trade deal for financial services, it is reported. According to the Financial Times, the group will be led by former City minister Mark Hoban as banks fear the fallout from Brexit negotiations if access to EU markets is curtailed.

• Wednesday, July 5th 2017 - 08:11 UTC

  Argentine destroyer damaged as she leaves for international exercise

  

  Destroyer “La Argentina” was damaged when it rammed its bow against a jetty at the Punta Alta naval base while attempting to make it to the high seas. She is scheduled to join an international naval exercise in the Pacific and bring several helicopters on her return trip from Peru.

• Wednesday, July 5th 2017 - 07:43 UTC

  Macri expects to talk Falklands with PM May at the G20 summit in Hamburg

  

  Argentine president Mauricio Macri is scheduled to meet in Hamburg with British Prime Minister Theresa May to reinforce cooperation and joint efforts but with the “difference” resulting from the dispute over the Falklands/Malvinas Islands remaining on the table, according to government sources in Buenos Aires.

• Wednesday, July 5th 2017 - 07:30 UTC

  Britain's growth prospects downgraded because of “newly created uncertainty”

  

  Economists have downgraded Britain’s growth prospects in the wake of political uncertainty following the general election and as a prolonged Brexit drag on business investment looms. New forecasts by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) show that the UK economy will grow by just 1.3% in 2017, a substantial downward revision from an earlier forecast of 1.7%.

• Wednesday, July 5th 2017 - 07:18 UTC

  Hammond tells business leaders that jobs and prosperity are first priorities of Brexit negotiations

  

  Brexit is not a dominant issue for European Union countries, Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond acknowledged as he called for jobs and prosperity to be the first priority in the negotiations. The Chancellor told business leaders that the UK had to remember that Brexit was “just one among many challenges” facing the other EU members.