Stories for January 26th 2012
Soros says German-driven austerity plans could splinter the European Union
Billionaire investor George Soros said that German-driven austerity plans in Europe risk creating tensions that could splinter the region as it struggles with a debt crisis entering its third year.
HMS Protector reaches Antarctica, visits Uruguayan and Argentine bases
HMS Protector, the Royal Navy's new ice patrol ship, has arrived in Antarctica for the first time after her long sail south from Portsmouth. Her arrival, via Montevideo in Uruguay, coincided with the centenary of the Royal Navy's Captain Scott reaching the South Pole.
MP proposes British Overseas Territories be represented in Westminster
Conservative backbench MP Andrew Rosindell has called for the Isle of Man and other Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories, including the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands to be represented in Westminster.
Fears UK economy might have entered a mild recession at the end of 2011
Britain's economy may have entered a mild recession in the last three months of 2011, hampering the government's core policy aim of spurring growth and raising the chances that the Bank of England will inject more cash soon.
Do you agree Scotland should be an independent country? Yes, but…
Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said his planned referendum on independence will ask a simple question on whether the country should go it alone, though he didn’t rule out a third option of more power within the UK
Japan posts first annual trade deficit in more than 30 years
Japan has announced its first annual trade deficit in more than 30 years, a setback for a country known for its exports including cars and electronics. The deficit came in at 2.49 trillion yen (32bn dollars) for 2011, the finance ministry said.
Norway’s discount carrier orders 222 Boeing and Airbus, totalling 21.5bn dollars
Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA ordered 222 Boeing Co. and Airbus SAS airliners valued at 127 billion Kroner (21.5 billion dollars) as Europe's fourth-biggest discount carrier steps up its competition with state-backed SAS AB.
Dozens of dolphins beached in a shallow inlet in the US Cape Cod
At least 85 dolphins have beached in a shallow inlet of a US nature reserve at Cape Cod, officials reported adding that the cause of the mass stranding remained a mystery.
Global crisis reaches Argentina’s shores “but we are going to have a good year”
Argentina’s Economy Minister Hernán Lorenzino admitted on Thursday that the global economic crisis has had an impact on the country but nevertheless “we are going to have a good year”.
As demands pile up, Venezuela requests to leave World Bank arbitration court
Venezuela’s government officially requested this week to leave the World Bank’s arbitration court as demands pile up from abroad for compensation following a decade of nationalizations under President Hugo Chavez.
