Stories for January 2016

Monday, January 11th 2016 - 11:42 UTC
PM Cameron hopeful of reaching a deal on EU referendum with Brussels in February

Prime Minister David Cameron says he is “hopeful” of reaching a deal with European leaders in February that will allow him to hold the UK's EU referendum. The prime minister said the in-out vote “would follow” if agreement was reached on his reforms at next month's summit. He also said he would stay on as PM even if he ended up on the losing side.
Monday, January 11th 2016 - 11:14 UTC
Falklands' reveals oil at the Isobel/Elaine project and several adjoining fans

Rockhopper Exploration and Falkland Oil and Gas Ltd have confirmed a significant oil discovery at the Isobel/Elaine project to the north of the Falkland Islands. According to a release from the companies the new 14/20-2 well was a ‘re-drill’ of the prior Isobel Deep well which had to be abandoned prematurely due to operational issues despite encountering oil.
Saturday, January 9th 2016 - 11:29 UTC
Brazilian industry contracts 12.4% in the year to November; auto production down 23%

Brazilian industry contracted in November, breaking all negative estimates as the country’s worst recession in decades deepened. Industrial production declined 2.4% from October in seasonally adjusted terms and 12.4% from November 2014, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, or IBGE, said.
Saturday, January 9th 2016 - 11:26 UTC
Brazil' inflation hit a 13-year high in 2015, and double the government's target

Brazil's inflation rate hit a 13-year high in 2015, in what analysts called the result of years of economic mismanagement, worsened by a political crisis in Latin America's biggest economy. Annual inflation reached 10.67% in 2015, the government said Friday, the highest rate since 2002 and more than double the government's 4.5% target.
Saturday, January 9th 2016 - 11:24 UTC
Spanish Socialists target “a grand coalition of progressive parties”, Portugal model

Almost three weeks on from Spain’s election, which left a fragmented Parliament, Socialist Party leader Pedro Sánchez ruled out a coalition with the conservative People’s Party (PP) on Thursday and said he was seeking “a grand alliance of progressive forces” to lead the country.
Saturday, January 9th 2016 - 07:47 UTC
A robust US economy keeps adding jobs: 284.000 a month in the fourth quarter

United States jobs growth remained solid in December as the economy added 292,000 jobs, beating expectations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data also showed the jobless rate held at its seven-and-a-half year low of 5%.
Saturday, January 9th 2016 - 07:34 UTC
Platini drops out of FIFA presidential race; Infantino and Ebrahim Al Khalifa, leading candidates

Suspended UEFA chief Michel Platini has withdrawn from the FIFA presidential race as he fights to clear his name following an eight-year ban. Platini was banned by FIFA's ethics judge in December over a “disloyal” $2 million payment he received from Sepp Blatter in 2011. It virtually ended his dreams of succeeding Blatter at the helm of FIFA in the Feb. 26 election.
Saturday, January 9th 2016 - 07:20 UTC
Mexican marines recapture drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzmán

Mexican authorities recaptured drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman in a bloody raid on Friday. “Mission Accomplished,” President Enrique Peña Nieto announced via Twitter. “We have him” in reference to the recapture of one of the world's most notorious and slippery criminals.
Friday, January 8th 2016 - 20:06 UTC
US and Cuban universities sign cooperation and student exchange programs

The Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the University of Havana that will allow the institutions to develop cooperative programs in a variety of academic disciplines.
Friday, January 8th 2016 - 20:02 UTC
FAO: major food commodities prices declined in 2015 for the fourth year running

Prices of major food commodities declined for the fourth year in a row in 2015, averaging 19.1% below their previous-year's levels, as the dwindling global economy also triggered sharp price falls from metals to energy markets.