Stories for January 2014

Tuesday, January 14th 2014 - 00:00 UTC
Foreign Office stretched “almost to the limit”, warns Parliament: “a more realistic approach needed”

The Foreign Office is being stretched “almost to the limit” as it attempts to cut spending at a time of international turbulence while having to cope with additional demands such as the London Olympics, MPs have said.
Monday, January 13th 2014 - 11:29 UTC
Canadian group Cooke Aquaculture has set its eyes on (Pescanova) Pesca Chile

The process of selling Pesca Chile continues, despite Pescanova's attempts to slow down the liquidation of the company and its Chilean subsidiaries until the situation of the Galician multinational in Spain is resolved.
Monday, January 13th 2014 - 07:35 UTC
A frustrated Mujica calls for a readjustment of Mercosur legal framework

Uruguayan president José Mujica said that members of Mercosur must readjust the block's legal framework ‘to make it work’ so that differences among its partners can be resolved in an institutional framework. He insisted on a review and amendment of mechanisms with greater flexibility and more adapted to current circumstances.
Monday, January 13th 2014 - 07:27 UTC
Nicaragua announces that construction of inter-ocean canal begins this year

President Manuel Ortega said on Saturday that the construction of a massive inter-oceanic canal in Nicaragua that could significantly alter global trade would start at the end of 2014. Ortega gave a Chinese group a concession to manage the future shipping channel for 50 years, with the possibility to renew the contract for another 50.
Monday, January 13th 2014 - 07:15 UTC
Three investment funds interested in recapitalization of bankrupt Pescanova

The bankrupt Galician multinational Pescanova has three proposals for its recapitalization: one from Damm, Luxempart, KKR and Ergon Capital Partners; another from Centerbridge and Bluecrest investment funds, and a third one from the major domestic creditor banks, according to reports from Vigo.
Monday, January 13th 2014 - 07:09 UTC
Paraguay plans to climb from eighth to world's fifth exporter of beef by 2018

One of Paraguay's priorities is to make the country the world's fifth exporter of beef by 2018, according to Industry and Trade minister Gustavo Leite. The land locked member of Mercosur currently holds the eighth position.
Monday, January 13th 2014 - 07:01 UTC
UK EU 2017 membership referendum clears first hurdle but triggers further controversy

The Tory plan for a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union cleared its first hurdle in the House of Lords last week. The Bill was given an unopposed second reading after a lengthy seven-hour debate in the Lords, in which more than 60 peers spoke.
Monday, January 13th 2014 - 06:55 UTC
Pope puts his stamp as he names 19 new cardinals, including his Buenos Aires successor

Pope Francis put his first stamp on the group at the top of the Roman Catholic hierarchy naming 19 new cardinals from around the world. Sixteen of them are “cardinal electors” under 80 and thus eligible to enter a conclave to elect a pope. They come from Italy, Germany, Britain, Nicaragua, Canada, Ivory Coast, Brazil, Argentina, South Korea, Chile, Burkina Faso, the Philippines and Haiti.
Monday, January 13th 2014 - 06:49 UTC
Francis baptizes children of an unmarried couple and a from a single mother

Pope Francis has baptized 32 babies in the Sistine Chapel and told their mothers to have no qualms about feeding them there. Two of the infants are the daughter of a couple that did not get married in the Catholic Church and a single mother's son.
Monday, January 13th 2014 - 06:42 UTC
Falklands' Scot Guards veterans donate a priceless crafted whiskey bottle

Two 1982 Falkland Islands conflict veteran Scots Guards and the brother of the last man to be killed in action just 30 minutes before the surrender of the Argentine invaders on June 14 visited the Islands last week and made valuable donations to the Museum and the Cubs and Scout groups.