Stories for January 2015

Saturday, January 31st 2015 - 10:44 UTC
Moody's downgrades Petrobras credit rating because of corruption scandal

Moody's Investors Service has downgraded the credit rating of Brazil's state-owned oil company Petrobras because of the widening kickback-corruption scandal affecting the country's largest corporation.The credit rating agency announced its decision late Thursday in a statement posted on its website.
Saturday, January 31st 2015 - 09:30 UTC
Despite fourth quarter blip US economy fundamentals remain robust with strong tailwind

US economic growth slowed sharply in the fourth quarter as weak business spending and a wider trade deficit offset the fastest pace of consumer spending since 2006. GDP expanded at a 2.6% annual pace after the third quarter's spectacular 5%, the Commerce Department said in its first fourth-quarter GDP snapshot.
Saturday, January 31st 2015 - 09:25 UTC
Britain marks 50 years of state funeral for Winston Churchill

Britain marked 50 years on Friday since the state funeral of wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill, with the boat which carried his coffin under the dipping dockside cranes in 1965 retracing its journey along London's River Thames.
Saturday, January 31st 2015 - 09:23 UTC
Falklands/Malvinas: Celac summit, including Commonwealth members, support Argentina's 'legitimate' claims

The Celac summit held in Costa Rica and which brings together all Latin American and Caribbean countries released a declaration expressing full support for Argentina's 'legitimate' rights over the Falklands/Malvinas, recalls that 2015 marks the 50th anniversary of Resolution 2065 (first UN Assembly General resolution on the Falklands dispute) and again call on the goods offices of Ban Ki-moon to help start negotiations on the Argentina/UK dispute.
Friday, January 30th 2015 - 20:36 UTC
Leading culinary association promotes Argentine food and wine at the embassy in London

The annual dinner of the Chaine des Rotisseurs was held in the Embassy of Argentina in the United Kingdom and for the first time, the association dedicated its major event to Argentine food and wine. Over one hundred special guests enjoyed a menu of dishes and wines representing the best of the country’s regional culinary traditions.
Friday, January 30th 2015 - 19:46 UTC
Another contender for Blatter's FIFA job, Figo: “time for transparency”

Former Portugal star Luis Figo has announced he will stand for the FIFA presidency. The 42-year-old revealed his intentions in an interview with CNN, a day before the FIFA deadline for candidacies.
Friday, January 30th 2015 - 08:25 UTC
Chavez died December 2012 and not March 2013, says former bodyguard

A former bodyguard of Venezuela’s Socialist Party heavyweight Diosdado Cabello Leamsy Salazar, who fled the country earlier this week and was reportedly collaborating with US authorities investigating allegations of Venezuelan officials' involvement in drugs, said late president Hugo Chavez did not die on 5 March 2013 but on 30 December 2012.
Friday, January 30th 2015 - 08:19 UTC
Argentine-born scientist to prison for providing US nuclear information to alleged Venezuelan agents

A U.S. judge sentenced an Argentine-born scientist, now a nationalized American, to five years in prison for providing secret nuclear information to an FBI agent posing as a Venezuelan government official, the Justice Department announced.
Friday, January 30th 2015 - 08:03 UTC
Petrobras former CEO has assets frozen under court investigation

A Brazilian state court froze the assets of former Petrobras Chief Executive Officer Jose Sergio Gabrielli amid an investigation of graft and money-laundering in the government-run oil producer's contracts with construction companies.
Friday, January 30th 2015 - 07:26 UTC
Argentine officials try to discredit prosecutor Fein and engineer Lagomarsino

Argentine cabinet members diligently applied on Thursday President Cristina Fernandez strategy to disqualify facts and events surrounding the death of special prosecutor Alberto Nisman which has turned out to be a formidable blow to her administration's credibility.