Stories for November 2015

Saturday, November 28th 2015 - 07:17 UTC
Commonwealth summit opens in Malta; counter extremism top of the agenda

Britain's Queen opened on Friday a two-day summit of leaders of the 53 Commonwealth nations in Malta. The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm), held every two years, will focus on climate change, with talks on security issues also expected.
Saturday, November 28th 2015 - 06:45 UTC
“Tsunami support” re-elects Gibraltar Chief minister Fabian Picardo

Gibraltar's incumbent Chief Minister Fabian Picardo thanked his supporters for their “tsunami of support” on Friday after he won a landslide victory in a general election.
Saturday, November 28th 2015 - 06:17 UTC
Falklands' right to self determination reaffirmed in UK's defense and security review

The British government reaffirmed its support for the Falkland Islands and its right to self determination as part of the recently announced Strategic Defense and Security review 2015, which pledges an extra increase £12bn of spending on defense equipment - part of London's £178bn overall defense equipment and support budget during the next decade.
Saturday, November 28th 2015 - 05:32 UTC
Falklands/Malvinas link of future Argentine foreign minister

A Falklands/Malvinas link has emerged from the naming of Susana Malcorra as Argentine president-elect Mauricio Macri Foreign minister. According to reports in the Buenos Aires media, UN's Ban Ki-moon Secretary General cabinet chief is not the only outstanding Argentine national working for the UN in particularly sensitive issues such as Disarmament Affairs.
Friday, November 27th 2015 - 15:22 UTC
Oil jobs lost: 250.000 and counting, Texas likely to see massive layoffs soon

Crude oil just capped off a third straight week of declines, as WTI nears the $40 per barrel threshold. Goldman Sachs is once again raising the possibility of oil dipping into the $20s per barrel. That spells more pain for the energy sector. Many companies have already slashed spending and culled their payrolls, but the total number of job losses continues to climb.
Friday, November 27th 2015 - 12:04 UTC
Paris attacks: The terrorist strategy

By Gwynne Dyer - As always after a major terrorist attack on the West, the right question to ask after the slaughter in Paris is: what were the strategic aims behind the attack? This requires getting your head around the concept that terrorists have rational strategies, but once you have done that the motives behind the attacks are easy to figure out. It also becomes clear that the motives have changed.
Friday, November 27th 2015 - 11:22 UTC
Obama on the phone with Macri; interest in expanding trade and energy ties

United States President Barack Obama congratulated Argentine president-elect Mauricio Macri on his victory in the runoff in a phone call, according to a brief release from the White House.
Friday, November 27th 2015 - 11:07 UTC
Australia's BHP denies UN report on 'toxic' mine spill from collapsed dam in Brazil

Australian mining giant BHP says mud spilled by the devastating collapse of a dam at a Brazilian mine is not toxic. On Thursday the UN said the dam burst at the Samarco mine unleashed a flood equivalent to “20,000 Olympic swimming pools of toxic mud”.
Friday, November 27th 2015 - 08:21 UTC
Maduro blames killing of opposition leader to score-settling among gangs

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Thursday the fatal shooting of an opposition leader appeared to be a gangland score-settling dismissing claim it was politically motivated ahead of elections. An attacker shot Luis Manuel Diaz dead on Wednesday evening in the central Guarico region at a campaign rally for the December 6 legislative elections, party officials said, ratcheting up fears that violence could erupt in the lead-up to the polls.
Friday, November 27th 2015 - 07:55 UTC
Brazilian banks follow closely events in Argentina: Dollar at 12 Pesos

Brazilian banks which follow closely events in Argentina and prospects of the new government under president Mauricio Macri, believe the official exchange rate of 9.67 Pesos to the dollar will inevitably have to be devalued, to 12 Pesos by the end of the year, which means a 24% depreciation.