Stories for 2016
Olympics organizers in Rio do Janeiro struggling with tickets, 50% remain unsold
With five months to go before the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian organizers are struggling to sell tickets for South America’s first games. The IOC president Thomas Bach said the locals will buy up tickets at the last minute.
UN requests to know why Argentine social leader Milagro Sala remains in jail
United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention wants Argentine President Mauricio Macri to explain why social leader Milagro Sala has been in jail for almost two months. The request comes two weeks after the UN Group accepted a filing submitted by the Centre of Legal and Social Studies (CELS), Amnesty International and Andhes, a group of lawyers from the northern area of the country.
Malcorra sides with Lula da Silva, “hard to believe” what he's going through
Argentine foreign minister Susana Malcorra sided with former president Lula da Silva arguing that it is hard to believe that a leader with such a record is under a criminal investigation, and underlined that all the economic and political scenario of Brazil has a great impact in Argentina.
Spain will bring up the issue of Gibraltar, 'the very next day' UK votes to leave European Union
The caretaker Spanish Foreign Secretary, Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo, has declared that he will bring up the question of Gibraltar ‘the very next day’ if the UK votes to leave the European Union on 23rd June. The interview has been described by the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo as an example of why it's so much more important for Gibraltar to remain in Europe.
Argentina downgrades Malvinas Department, but sovereignty claim “remains as strong as ever”
The Argentine government announced it downgraded the Malvinas Islands department at the Foreign ministry, but minister Susana Malcorra insisted that the sovereignty claim over the South Atlantic Islands “remains” as strong as ever and will advance in different forms, probably more subtle, and with Gibraltar as a reference.
US jobs market in February underlines strength of the economy
The United States economy added 242,000 jobs in February, far better than the 190,000 expected by economists. The Labor Department numbers underlined the strength of the US economy and may allow the Federal Reserve to gradually raise interest rates this year. Another 30,000 jobs were also added to the previous estimates for December and January.
Brazil political system in shock: police question Lula da Silva for three hours and raid his properties
Brazilian police on Friday questioned former President Lula da Silva for over three hours and searched his home and other properties linked to him and his family, one of the most dramatic developments yet in the sprawling corruption case at the oil giant Petrobras.
Brazilian GDP contracted 3.8% in 2015, the worst among major economies
Brazil's GDP fared worse than almost any other major economy in 2015, contracting by 3.8%, according to the national statistics agency IBGE. Economic growth in the world's seventh-largest economy has fallen sharply in recent months, which was due partly to low commodity prices and sluggish global growth.
Paul Singer will have made a $2.4bn profit with the Argentine defaulted bonds
Elliott Management Corp., a New York-based hedge fund that invested in distressed Argentine government bonds well over a decade ago, will have made a $2.4 billion profit on its wager once this week's settlement is finalized, the Wall Street Journal said.
French president wants UK in the EU and warns of the consequences of leaving
French President Francois Hollande has said he wants the UK to stay in the EU - and warned of the “consequences” for immigration and the economy of leaving. A French government minister earlier suggested his country could end UK border controls in Calais.
