Politics

• Tuesday, February 2nd 2016 - 11:59 UTC

  FIFA puts Conmebol and Concacaf funding 'on hold' given 'current proceedings'

  

  FIFA has cut off funding to the corruption-hit confederations for football in the Americas, the global football body said on Monday, in a move which could cause future cash flow problems for the two organizations.

• Tuesday, February 2nd 2016 - 06:12 UTC

  Iowa surprise: Senator Ted Cruz beats Donald Trump: “I'm honored by second place”

  

  Texas Senator Ted Cruz has won the Iowa Republican caucuses, the first vote of the US 2016 presidential election. He took 28% of the Republican vote, beating his rival, the once frontrunner Donald Trump, and Marco Rubio.

• Tuesday, February 2nd 2016 - 05:58 UTC

  Raul Castro received in Paris with full honors; Hollande calls for an end of US sanctions on Cuba

  

  French President Francois Hollande called Monday for an end to US sanctions on Cuba during a historic visit to Paris by President Raul Castro, seen as a key step in rebuilding ties with the West.

• Tuesday, February 2nd 2016 - 05:49 UTC

  FARC will enter politics once peace deal is signed, announces top guerrilla leader

  

  Colombia’s FARC rebel guerrillas will enter politics and seek alliances with other parties after it signs a peace deal with the government, its secretive leader said, despite rebel fears they may be targeted by right-wing armed groups..

• Monday, February 1st 2016 - 09:36 UTC

  China's manufacturing contracts for sixth month running in January

  

  Activity in China's manufacturing sector contracted for the sixth month in a row in January - and hit its lowest level since 2012. According to the government's latest factory survey, the Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) showed a reading of 49.4 for the month compared to December's reading of 49.7.

• Monday, February 1st 2016 - 06:32 UTC

  EU and Cameron optimistic a deal on UK's relationship could be reached this week

  

  European Council president Donald Tusk left a meeting on Sunday evening with Prime Minister David Cameron declaring there is “no deal” yet over a renegotiation of the UK's relationship with the EU. It had been planned that any proposed deal could be put to other EU leaders on Monday, ahead of a February summit.

• Monday, February 1st 2016 - 06:22 UTC

  Venezuelan lobbying for oil production reduction: tour begins Monday in Russia

  

  Venezuelan Oil Minister Eulogio Del Pino will visit Russia, Qatar, Iran and Saudi Arabia on a tour of OPEC and non-OPEC countries intended to drum up support for action to stem the tumble in crude prices.

• Monday, February 1st 2016 - 05:48 UTC

  Chile to provide gas to Argentina in winter months; Enap and YPF will increase production in Magallanes

  

  The government of Chile will be selling energy-short Argentina 5.5 million cubic feet of natural gas a day starting in May, providing also 200 MW of electricity through the interconnection system between both countries. Chile also committed to invest 200 million dollars in the Incremental Project of the Magallanes Area to boost hydrocarbon production.

• Monday, February 1st 2016 - 05:34 UTC

  Lula and wife summoned to testify as suspects into money-laundering scheme

  

  Brazil's Attorney General’s Office of Sao Paulo summoned former socialist president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to testify as a suspect in a investigation into money-laundering in the latest phase of the ongoing Petrobras corruption scandal.

• Monday, February 1st 2016 - 05:16 UTC

  Bachelet in tears admits 'painful' ordeal after formal tax fraud charges against her daughter in law

  

  A Chilean court Friday brought formal tax fraud charges against the daughter in law of President Michelle Bachelet in a scandal the leftist leader tearfully admitted was a “painful” ordeal. The case first came to light a year ago and has shocked the public in Chile, which is ranked by Transparency International as one of the least corrupt countries in Latin America.