Stories for February 5th 2014

Wednesday, February 5th 2014 - 23:43 UTC
Paris Club prepared for talks with Argentina over debt repayment

The Paris Club is open to talks with Argentina on repaying its debt, the group of creditor nations said on Wednesday, moving closer towards launching formal negotiations with Buenos Aires.
Wednesday, February 5th 2014 - 23:12 UTC
Spain nervous with Catalonia says it will not interfere with Scotland's referendum

Spain has no intention of interfering in Scotland’s push for independence and is willing to consider an eventual Scottish application to join the EU as a separate state, foreign minister García Margallo said in an interview with the Financial Times.
Wednesday, February 5th 2014 - 22:59 UTC
US, the world's largest producer of oil approves licenses to export crude to Europe

The United States government has approved at least four licenses to export crude oil to Europe, for the first time in years, showing how companies are breaking through the limits of the export ban established in the 1970s, according to Reuters which learned about the fact from a Freedom of Information Act request.
Wednesday, February 5th 2014 - 22:53 UTC
UK obesity costs NHS £5.1 billion per year but overall the figure is closer to £ 16bn

Obesity costs the United Kingdom National Health Service, NHS £5.1 billion per year, according to latest estimates. But National Audit Office (NAO) figures suggest obesity is not solely a burden on the NHS.
Wednesday, February 5th 2014 - 08:54 UTC
Pacific Alliance summit will remove tariffs from 92% of goods and services

The four presidents of the Pacific Alliance are scheduled to sign next Monday the trade group's Additional Protocol which will remove tariffs on 92% of goods and services, effective immediately, announced Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos who will be hosting the summit in Cartagena.
Wednesday, February 5th 2014 - 08:47 UTC
WHO: Cancer growing at 'an alarming pace', particularly in developing countries

The WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) said cancer was growing “at an alarming pace” worldwide and new strategies were needed to curb the sometimes fatal and often costly disease.
Wednesday, February 5th 2014 - 08:38 UTC
US Senate passes 1 trillion dollars farm bill with crop insurance program, cuts in subsidies and food stamps

The United States Senate on Tuesday passed the long-awaited almost 1 trillion dollars farm bill, ending two years of partisan clashes and stalled negotiations. The bill was approved with strong bipartisan support, 68 to 32.
Wednesday, February 5th 2014 - 08:31 UTC
Argentina grateful to Grenada for Malvinas claim support, promises cooperation

Grenada foreign minister Nickolas Steele is in Buenos Aires for a two-day visit which included a meeting with his peer Hector Timerman and other top officials from the foreign ministry to discuss cooperation, economic development and trade issues.
Wednesday, February 5th 2014 - 08:27 UTC
Blackout in several Brazilian states that will be hosting the World Cup in June

A blackout late Tuesday hit eleven states of Brazil, six of which are scheduled to host the 2014 World Cup next June. Apparently a peak of demand caused by a heat wave had the grid down, but the government of President Dilma Rousseff attributed the incident to “a disturbance in the National Integrated System Operator” (ONS).
Wednesday, February 5th 2014 - 08:21 UTC
Falklands' oil industry developer Premier CEO steps down

Shares in UK's Premier Oil, which has interests in developing Falkland Islands oil, soared almost 9% on Tuesday despite news that its chief executive is to step down after nine years at the helm. Simon Lockett will leave his position and the board of Premier once a successor has been appointed.