Stories for January 2014

Tuesday, January 21st 2014 - 13:14 UTC
Lightning chips a finger from Christ the Redeemer right hand

Christ the Redeemer, the iconic statue with its arms extended overlooking Rio de Janeiro in Brazil was struck by lightning damaging the statue's right hand thumb, making it lose one finger, according to officials from the Archdiocese of Rio, which manages the statue.
Tuesday, January 21st 2014 - 02:21 UTC
Argentine and Spurs old soccer stars in Falklands car crash

Falkland Islands Government sources tonight confirmed reports that former Argentine and Tottenham Hotspur star, Osvaldo Ardiles, was among those injured when a vehicle left the road between Darwin and the military base at Mount Pleasant on Monday evening.
Monday, January 20th 2014 - 22:26 UTC
New body to regulate Libor; several big league banks fined for rate-rigging

A new body has been appointed to administer Libor - the London Interbank Offered Rate. A subsidiary of the Intercontinental Exchange Group (ICE), a global network of exchanges and clearing houses, has been appointed to ensure Libor cannot be rigged by banks again.
Monday, January 20th 2014 - 22:19 UTC
Over 400 priests defrocked in two years by former Pope Benedict XVI

Close to 400 priests were defrocked in only two years by the former Pope Benedict XVI over claims of child abuse, the Vatican has confirmed. The statistics for 2011 and 2012 show a dramatic increase compared to previous years, according to a document obtained by the Associated Press (AP).
Monday, January 20th 2014 - 22:07 UTC
Cuba proposes declaring Latam and the Caribbean a Zone of Peace

Cuba that is hosting a major regional summit at the end of the month will propose that Latin America and the Caribbean be declared a Zone of Peace, according to reports from the Cuban Foreign ministry.
Monday, January 20th 2014 - 22:04 UTC
Rockhopper finance director steps down but will remain as a consultant

Falkland Islands oil and gas exploration company, Rockhopper Exploration confirmed Monday that its finance director, Peter Dixon-Clarke, plans to step down from his position in early 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.