Stories for January 18th 2014

Saturday, January 18th 2014 - 06:39 UTC
US dollar approaching the 12 Pesos mark in Argentina

The US dollar in Argentina reached a new record on Friday at the end of nerve racking week which saw the greenback in the parallel market climb another 40 cents and close at 11.90 and 11.95 Pesos purchase and sale prices. During the week the US dollar soared 1.15 Pesos, and closed the week with a gap of 75.6% between the official dollar exchange and the 'blue' dollar.
Saturday, January 18th 2014 - 06:32 UTC
Gibraltarians will travel to EU offices in Brussels to protest Spain's border controls

The Gibraltar Government will sponsor a group of Gibraltarians and local residents who plan to travel to Brussels to protest before the European Union about delays caused by Spanish checks at the border, reports the Gibraltar Chronicle. The group approached the Government in recent months and is said to include people from all walks of life and from all shades of political opinion.
Saturday, January 18th 2014 - 06:26 UTC
Hague tells Scotland that the “UK is stronger and safer together”

Foreign Secretary William Hague has said the United Kingdom is “stronger and safer together” as he outlined the case for Scotland to reject voting for independence. Mr. Hague spoke of shared values between Britain and Scotland and said that remaining united would give the UK greater international “clout” and allow it to be “better able to make a difference in the world”.
Saturday, January 18th 2014 - 06:21 UTC
Obama announces contention policy for NSA monitoring activities

President Barack Obama has announced a ban on US eavesdropping on the leaders of close friends and allies, and rein in the vast collection of Americans' phone data in a series of reforms triggered by Edward Snowden's revelations.
Saturday, January 18th 2014 - 06:16 UTC
Falklands new Attorney General is expected to arrive next March

Peter Judge MBE has been named as the next Attorney General of the Falkland Islands. Mr Judge, who is scheduled to arrive in March 2014, will succeed current Attorney General Mark Lewis.
Saturday, January 18th 2014 - 06:10 UTC
Haiti PM Lamonthe pledges free, fair and honest elections later this year

Haiti’s Prime Minister Laurent Lamonthe has pledged that his government will provide the necessary means to the electoral council to facilitate the holding of legislative and local elections this year.
Saturday, January 18th 2014 - 05:55 UTC
Dairy values and meat peaked in 2013 according to FAO Food Price Index

The FAO Food Price Index averaged 206.7 points in December 2013, nearly unchanged from November, as a sharp increase in dairy prices and firming meat values largely balanced out a steep decline in sugar quotations and lower cereal and oil prices.
Saturday, January 18th 2014 - 05:50 UTC
Global cereal production in 2013 and outlook revised upward, says FAO

FAO’s latest forecast for world cereal production in 2013 has been revised upward marginally (2 million tons) since November to a new high of almost 2 500 million tons (including rice in milled terms), 8.4% more than last year and some 6% above the previous record in 2011.
Saturday, January 18th 2014 - 05:41 UTC
HMS Protector surveying previously unchartered waters off Sandwich Islands

Previously uncharted areas of the Southern Ocean have been surveyed by personnel on board Royal Navy ice patrol ship HMS Protector. Using its multi-beam echo sounder the ship gathered data off the Sandwich Islands along areas of the Douglas Straits between South Thule and Cook Island for the UK Hydrographic Office to fill in missing data in the Admiralty Charts.
Saturday, January 18th 2014 - 05:24 UTC
Outbreak of “Clostridium Difficile” in Uruguay's largest hospital; situation under control

Uruguay's main university hospital, suffering from an outbreak of the highly contagious bacteria “Clostridium Difficile” has been recommended “to suspend new entries to the sections involved, restrict visits and extreme hygiene measures” plus an epidemiological test of patients and staff.