Stories for January 31st 2014

Friday, January 31st 2014 - 23:14 UTC
Falklands referendum: observers mission partially financed by Canada, claims Argentina

The Falkland Islands referendum a year ago when an overwhelming majority of Islanders voted to remain as a British Overseas Territory, supported on the UN charter enshrined peoples' right to self determination has become an obsession for Argentina and the official news agency Telam has been researching the international validation of the event and Canadian support stands out strongly.
Friday, January 31st 2014 - 07:04 UTC
Mujica admits that with Argentina 'nothing is guaranteed, only change, one way or the other'

Uruguayan president Jose Mujica said there is 'nothing guaranteed' in the coming talks with Argentina over a long list of bilateral issues, in reference to his meeting on Tuesday with president Cristina Fernandez in Cuba on the sidelines of the recent Celac summit. Mujica was interviewed by a Uruguayan television channel.
Friday, January 31st 2014 - 06:58 UTC
Chinese communities begin seven-day celebration of the Year of the Horse

Chinese communities around the world are gearing up Thursday for the Lunar New Year holiday that begins at midnight. Mainland China will virtually shut down for the next seven days, and many residents of the polluted capital, Beijing, already have departed for holiday destinations.
Friday, January 31st 2014 - 06:53 UTC
US economy advancing at steady pace fuelled by robust consumer spending

The U.S. economy advanced at a steady pace in the last months of 2013, growth that was fueled by robust consumer spending. The government's Commerce Department said Thursday the world's largest economy grew 3.2%t in the October-to-December period, following a 4.1% advance in the third quarter.
Friday, January 31st 2014 - 06:47 UTC
One in three children in Spain lives in poverty, according to Save the Children

One in three children in Spain lives at risk of poverty, the international charity Save the Children said in a report. The charity said austerity measures and cutbacks in public spending had worsened the situation and said the number of under-18s “at risk of poverty or marginalization”, an official EU measure of various aspects of economic hardship - soared to more than 2.8 million in 2012.
Friday, January 31st 2014 - 06:42 UTC
Climate change increasing penguin chick mortality in Argentina, says report

Penguin-chick mortality rates have increased in recent years off the coast of Argentina, a trend scientists attribute to climate change and expect to worsen throughout the century, a new study finds.
Friday, January 31st 2014 - 06:32 UTC
Peru and Chile committed to 'gradual and timely' implementation of maritime border ruling

As the echoes of Monday’s International Court of Justice (ICJ) continued to reverberate in Santiago and Lima, Presidents Ollanta Humala and Sebastián Piñera of Peru and Chile met on the sidelines of the CELAC (Community of Latin America and Caribbean States) summit in Havana in a show of unity.
Friday, January 31st 2014 - 06:29 UTC
Bad times for Shell: suspends drilling offshore Alaska and profits plunge

Royal Dutch Shell will suspend drilling in offshore Alaska following an adverse US court decision and as the oil major streamlines operations because of a slump in annual profits, the company said on Thursday.
Friday, January 31st 2014 - 06:25 UTC
Changes in the Brazilian cabinet with an eye on October elections

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff announced changes in her Cabinet on Thursday with an eye on the October elections in which some of her current ministers will run for Congress and regional government posts. She is expected to launch her presidential re-election bid next 10 February.