Stories for January 2016

Friday, January 15th 2016 - 09:13 UTC
Petrobras scandal prosecution-informer involves president Rousseff in the scheme

Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff, and three former heads of state have been dragged into the investigation into the huge corruption scheme in the state-run oil firm Petrobras. According to informer Nestor Cerveró, Rousseff was personally involved in negotiations for votes in Congress in exchange for top jobs in Petrobras.
Friday, January 15th 2016 - 09:04 UTC
Falklands offers a PhD studentship opportunity in marine ecology research

Falklands fishing company Fortuna Ltd., the Falklands' Fisheries Department and the South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute, SAERI are sponsoring a research opportunity for a Science honors graduate to embark on a career in academic or applied marine ecology in the Islands.
Friday, January 15th 2016 - 08:45 UTC
UK ambassador participates in academic forum on climate change in Chile

British Ambassador Fiona Clouder and United States Ambassador Michael Hammer participated in the event “Sustainable Investment” last week organized by the Corporate Leaders Group on climate change (CLG Chile) in conjunction with the Faculty of Business and Economics from the University of Chile and the Harvard Law School.
Friday, January 15th 2016 - 08:06 UTC
Strong hints of a vast canyon system hidden under the Antarctic ice sheet

A vast, previously unrecognized canyon system could be hidden under the Antarctic ice sheet. Hints of its presence are seen in the shape of the white continent's surface, in a largely unexplored region called Princess Elizabeth Land. If confirmed by a proper geophysical survey - now under way - the winding canyon network would be over 1,000km long and in places as much as 1km deep.
Friday, January 15th 2016 - 07:57 UTC
Renault passes 'surprise VW emissions scam test', but impact is felt on shares

Shares in French carmaker Renault plunged 20%, before recovering to close 10.3% lower, after police raids on the company's facilities. The firm confirmed the raids took place last week and said investigators wanted to check equipment at its factories.
Friday, January 15th 2016 - 07:49 UTC
Al Jazeera America announces end of cable TV and digital operations in US by April 30

Al Jazeera America will shutter its cable TV and digital operations by April 30 of this year, the company announced on Wednesday. The decision by the AJAM board was “driven by the fact that our business model is simply not sustainable in light of the economic challenges in the U.S. media marketplace,” said AJAM CEO Al Anstey.
Friday, January 15th 2016 - 07:31 UTC
Departing Spanish minister joins Argentine bandwagon claiming 'Malvinas dialogue'

Spanish Foreign Secretary Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo has delivered what could possibly be his last comment on Spain’s claim to Gibraltar’s sovereignty in his current role. The official has jumped on the bandwagon of a new Argentine platform seeking international support for the return of the Falkland Islands and urging UK to agree to bilateral talks over Gibraltar’s sovereignty.
Thursday, January 14th 2016 - 06:54 UTC
Argentina needs to reach an agreement with holdouts, insists Prat-Gay

Argentina's new finance minister said on Wednesday it was imperative to resolve the country's legal dispute with U.S. creditors over unpaid debt because financing of the country's fiscal deficit this year may depend on progress on the issue.
Thursday, January 14th 2016 - 06:42 UTC
Argentina targets 25% inflation and fiscal deficit of 4.8% of GDP this year

Argentina Finance Minister Alfonso Prat Gay revealed on Wednesday that the fiscal deficit registered in 2015 was of 5.8% of GDP and 7.1% of GDP is all debts are computed, and complained that “there has been wasteful spending and when there is an expense it’s not well done.”
Thursday, January 14th 2016 - 06:33 UTC
Socialist becomes Spain's parliament speaker; no agreement yet on new government

Spain's parliament held its first session Wednesday, with lawmakers from four main parties taking their seats at a time of political turmoil. Lawmakers picked a Socialist, Patxi Lopez, a former head of the regional government of the northern Basque Country, as parliamentary speaker, in the first pact between rival parties still engaged in talks to form a government since last month's inconclusive election.