Stories for January 2016

Saturday, January 16th 2016 - 10:05 UTC
St Helena and its new airport get ready for tourism take-off

The Guardian Weekly has published a piece on prospects for St Helena with the opening of its international airport, most probably next May, and which is expected to turn the mid Atlantic's island economy, particularly with tourism, since none less that Napoleon Bonaparte spent his last years until his death, almost two centuries ago.
Saturday, January 16th 2016 - 10:00 UTC
US Dept of Agriculture studying Brazil's success as an agricultural powerhouse

Over the last 25 years, the US farmer has become increasingly aware of the impact of South American agricultural output on the global supply of grains and oilseeds. For example, in recent years Brazil has risen to the number one position as an exporter of soybeans.
Saturday, January 16th 2016 - 07:37 UTC
Migration to foreign countries surged 41% in the last 15 years, says UN report

The number of people who migrated to foreign countries surged by 41% in the last 15 years to reach 244 million in 2015, according to a United Nations study released this week. Of those people, 20 million are refugees.
Saturday, January 16th 2016 - 07:32 UTC
UK confident of positive side for Gibraltar of Spanish royal family visit to UK

The visit by the Spanish Royal family to the United Kingdom, scheduled for March, will celebrate and strengthen the ties between both countries. This according to the British Ambassador in Madrid, Simon Manley, who highlighted the existing co-operation between the law enforcement agencies in Spain and Gibraltar.
Friday, January 15th 2016 - 12:31 UTC
Toxic gas cloud in Brazil's main and busiest port area sends tens to hospital

Toxic gas which on Thursday leaked from tanks in a cargo warehouse in the Brazilian coastal city of Guaruja, close to Santos the country's largest and busiest port, has sent some 40 people to hospitals.
Friday, January 15th 2016 - 12:24 UTC
Criminal charges against mining companies involved in major waste spill in Brazil

Police in Brazil said Thursday they have brought criminal charges against two mining companies and seven executives over a mine waste spill that buried a village and killed 17 people.Federal police accuse Brazilian iron ore giant Vale, mine operator Samarco and company officials including Samarco's chief executive, Ricardo Vescovi, of violating Brazil's environmental crimes law in connection with the disastrous November 5 collapse of a waste reservoir.
Friday, January 15th 2016 - 12:13 UTC
US Treasury and Homeland after identification of high end real estate deals in cash

The United States is hunting down international criminals who launder money through real estate deals, with the Treasury Department ordering title insurance companies to report the identities of people paying cash for high-end properties in Miami and Manhattan.
Friday, January 15th 2016 - 12:09 UTC
FIFA fines federations for homophobic remarks from fans, including Argentina, Chile and Uruguay

Anti-gay chants by fans have led to fines for six football associations. Match reports revealed that fans of Argentina, Chile, Honduras, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay yelled homophobic remarks during qualifying matches for the 2018 World Cup.
Friday, January 15th 2016 - 12:04 UTC
Fiat-Chrysler faces allegations of encouraging dealers to inflate monthly sales

Italian-American carmaker Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is denying allegations that it encouraged dealers to inflate monthly sales. The car company is being sued by a US dealer who says it encouraged dealerships to lie about monthly car sales.
Friday, January 15th 2016 - 09:24 UTC
Desperate for funds Rousseff offers amnesty to holders of undeclared offshore assets

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff on Thursday signed a bill that gives amnesty to holders of undeclared offshore assets in exchange for a fine, part of efforts to cut a swelling budget gap and revive investment in the recession-hit economy. The law offers amnesty from prosecution to Brazilians if they bring unreported foreign funds home and pay a 30 percent fine in the form of tax.