Politics

• Saturday, July 20th 2013 - 05:31 UTC

  Brazil Catholic church losing ground to Protestants and Pentecostals

  

  Brazil's Catholic population has declined since 2000 while its Protestant population has grown during the past two decades, a Pew survey fund.

• Saturday, July 20th 2013 - 05:27 UTC

  Bolivia’s Morales apologizes to for 2011 incident when a Brazilian Defence ministry aircraft was searched

  

  Bolivia's President Evo Morales apologized to Brazil Friday for a 2011 incident in which authorities searched a Brazilian military aircraft for drugs. Brazil lodged an official complaint several days ago as Morales was demanding apologies from European countries for blocking his flight home from Moscow earlier this month.

• Saturday, July 20th 2013 - 05:22 UTC

  All four EU countries involved in the Morales plane incident have officially apologized

  

  Italy and Portugal have officially apologized for involvement in illegally re-routing the plane carrying Bolivian President Evo Morales earlier this month during a flight home from Moscow. On 3 July a number Western European countries closed their airspace to the presidential aircraft on a false suspicion that leaker of US electronic spying Edward Snowden was onboard, forcing the plane to land in Vienna.

• Friday, July 19th 2013 - 06:34 UTC

  Kirchnerite candidates in four main districts ahead of mid term election trail behind

  

  The latest round of public opinion polls for the coming mid term elections next October in Argentina don’t fare well for President Cristina Fernandez particularly in the country’s four main electoral circumscriptions, Buenos Aires province, Buenos Aires City, Santa Fe and Cordoba.

• Friday, July 19th 2013 - 06:29 UTC

  Pope Francis wants direct contact with the crowds when he visits Brazil next week

  

  Pope Francis will not use bullet-proof ‘Pope-mobiles’ on his visit to Brazil next week to allow him more direct contact with crowds despite the security risks, according to a Vatican release.

• Friday, July 19th 2013 - 06:26 UTC

  Piñera wants a ‘ladies fight’ for the coming November presidential election

  

  Chilean president Sebastián Piñera defended the need for an only candidate in the ruling coalition for the coming presidential election of November and considered it should be a woman, suggesting the name of Labour minister Evelyn Matthei.

• Friday, July 19th 2013 - 06:22 UTC

  Argentine Jewish community criticizes government on 19th anniversary of terrorist attack

  

  Argentine Jewish leaders harshly criticized their government on Thursday the 19th anniversary of the country’s deadliest terror attack, for dealing with Iran in ways they fear will only guarantee more impunity for those responsible.

• Friday, July 19th 2013 - 06:17 UTC

  Motor City files for bankruptcy; city offers 10cents for every dollar of debt

  

  The US city of Detroit in Michigan, once renowned as ‘Motor City’ has become the largest American city ever to file for bankruptcy, with debts of at least 15bn dollars. State-appointed emergency manager Kevyn Orr asked a federal judge to place the city into bankruptcy protection.

• Friday, July 19th 2013 - 06:03 UTC

  Blatter joins Brazilian protestors, tells politicians “need to take responsibility”

  

  Sepp Blatter, president of FIFA, has placed heavy pressure on World Cup 2014 organisers Brazil, after witnessing the social unrest that accompanied the Confederations Cup during June.

• Friday, July 19th 2013 - 02:43 UTC

  Fiona Clouder appointed new British ambassador to Chile

  

  Fiona Clouder has been appointed Her Majesty's Ambassador to Chile, announced the Foreign Office. Ms Clouder will succeed Mr Jon Benjamin, who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Ms Clouder will take up her appointment during February 2014.