Politics

Saturday, December 3rd 2016 - 07:44 UTC
Brexit controversy ousts Tories from safe seat: Lib Dem newcomer Sarah Olney wins by election

Lib Dem leader Tim Farron claims his party is “back in the big time” after it fought on the issue of Brexit to oust ex-Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith in the Richmond Park by-election. Lib Dem challenger Sarah Olney overturned Goldsmith's 23,015 majority to finish 1,872 votes ahead.
Saturday, December 3rd 2016 - 07:32 UTC
US unemployment falls to nine-year low in November, 4.6%, but earnings slowdown

United States unemployment rate fell to a nine-year low in November, adding to expectations that US interest rates will rise later this month. Figures from the Labor Department showed the US economy created 178,000 jobs in November, while the jobless rate fell to 4.6% from 4.9% in October.
Saturday, December 3rd 2016 - 07:25 UTC
Austria's Sunday presidential election with an eye on Brexit and Trump's victory

Austrian voters could elect the European Union’s first far-right leader in the a presidential election on Sunday. Norbert Hofer of the far-right Freedom Party is running against Alexander Van der Bellen. Van der Bellen is an independent candidate who led The Greens party earlier. Recent public opinion studies have shown the two candidates with about equal support.
Friday, December 2nd 2016 - 10:52 UTC
Putin wants Trump to be his ally in fighting terrorism

Russian President Vladimir Putin Thursday said he needed friends in his fight against terrorism and invited US President-elect Donald Trump to normalize relations between the two countries, which have deteriorated considerably under Barack Obama.
Friday, December 2nd 2016 - 10:43 UTC
Brazilian sources say Venezuela's suspension from Mercosur to be announced Friday

Nicolas Maduro's Venezuela has been suspended from the Mercosur regional trade bloc for failing to meet its membership requirements, a Brazilian government source revealed Thursday. And the official announcement is to be made Friday, which could not be corroborated in Buenos Aires' diplomatic circles.
Friday, December 2nd 2016 - 09:33 UTC
Hollande will not run for re-election; conservative Fillon calls it a lucid reaction “to failure”

French President Francois Hollande said on Thursday he would not seek a second term in next year's presidential election, a surprise move that clears the way for an alternative left-wing candidate, most probably his prime minister Manuel Valls.
Friday, December 2nd 2016 - 08:43 UTC
Italy's referendum could knock out Rienzi and unleash a financial volcano

The focus of the news from Italy this weekend will be political: there's a referendum on constitutional reform and the Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, has said he will resign if the proposals are rejected. This could be followed by new elections which could in turn benefit the Five Star Movement, an anti-Euro group led by the former comedian Beppe Grillo.
Thursday, December 1st 2016 - 18:26 UTC
Temer admits Brazil “lacks solid institutions”, but foreigners are eager to invest in the country

President Michel Temer said that “Brazil doesn’t have solid institutions” and that is why, “small factoids” menace the country’s institutional framework. Temer made such statements during an event Monday evening with private businessmen.
Thursday, December 1st 2016 - 18:12 UTC
Petition to impeach President Temer mostly symbolic but erodes his political standing

Brazilian opposition party filed a petition for the impeachment of President Michel Temer, underlining the growing difficulties facing the centre-right leader as he tries to introduce austerity reforms.
Thursday, December 1st 2016 - 15:39 UTC
Argentine Senate passes 2017 Budget, caps Executive's “super powers” to reallocate funds at will

The Argentine Senate passed Wednesday the 2017 National Public Administration Budget bill and approved a reform to the Financial Administration Law, which limits the Executive Branch's discretion and power to reallocate budget items.