Stories for 2016

Thursday, July 7th 2016 - 06:43 UTC
US trade deficit soars 10% in May; imports rise and exports fall

United States trade deficit grew by 10% in May as exports fell while imports, particularly from China, rose according to the latest report from the Commerce Department. The deficit rose to US$41.1bn in May compared with US$37.4bn in April, while exports decreased by 0.2%, while imports grew by 1.6%.
Thursday, July 7th 2016 - 06:33 UTC
Germany warns EU members about a tax-cuts race to attract Brexit business

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has said he opposes a “race to the bottom” of competitive tax cuts. He spoke after George Osborne pledged to cut UK corporation tax in response to the Brexit vote and from Paris, in an attempt to attract UK businesses, the French government promised its taxes will be the most favorable in Europe.
Thursday, July 7th 2016 - 06:02 UTC
Iraq war: UK, pushed by US sent ill-prepared troops into battle with inadequate plans for the aftermath

The United States pushed the UK into military action in Iraq “too early”, a former British ambassador to the UN has said in the wake of the Chilcot report. The long-awaited report said ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair had overstated the threat posed by Saddam Hussein - and military action was not a last resort.
Thursday, July 7th 2016 - 05:56 UTC
Sub Antarctic volcano eruption ash threatens one of the world's largest penguin colonies

A volcano erupting on a small island in the Sub Antarctic is depositing ash over one of the world's largest penguin colonies. Zavodovski Island is a small island in the South Sandwich archipelago and its volcano Mt Curry has been erupting since March 2016. The island is home to over one million chinstrap penguins -- the largest colony for this species in the world.
Wednesday, July 6th 2016 - 06:54 UTC
Brazil asks Mercosur chair transfer to Venezuela to be delayed until August

The deep differences among Mercosur members as to who should hold the group's rotating chair this second half of the year surfaced openly in Montevideo with the surprise visit of Brazilian foreign minister Jose Serra and ex president Fernando Henrique Cardoso. The Brazilin delegation formally requested Uruguay, which currently holds the six/month Mercosur chair to suspend the transfer to Venezuela until at least August.
Wednesday, July 6th 2016 - 04:40 UTC
Macri pushes in Berlin for EU-Mercosur accord, but Merkel sides with France in the agriculture issue

President Mauricio Macri met on Tuesday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin with both leaders holding a press conference to address the current state of talks regarding a trade agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur.
Wednesday, July 6th 2016 - 04:25 UTC
Mega agreement between Italy and Shanghai shipbuilders, and Carnival to develop China's cruise industry

Fincantieri and the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), China’s largest shipbuilding conglomerate, have signed an agreement for the development of a joint venture aimed at developing and supporting the growth of the Chinese cruise industry, according to a statement.
Wednesday, July 6th 2016 - 04:16 UTC
Spain to analyze Brexit impact for employment in Gibraltar neighboring areas

The central Spanish Government and regional authorities in Andalucia are taking an increasingly-close interest on the impact that a United Kingdom withdrawal from the EU could have on communities in the Campo de Gibraltar, neighbouring with the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar, and the region as a whole.
Wednesday, July 6th 2016 - 04:02 UTC
Temer extends a Rio Olympic Games open arms message to the world

With just a month to go to the Olympic Games, Michel Temer Brazil’s interim president, invites the world to experience the beauty of Rio de Janeiro. The following is his welcome message to the world’s athletes, officials and fans:
Tuesday, July 5th 2016 - 07:49 UTC
Temer calls for “national reunification” at a friendly agro-business forum

Brazil's interim president, Michel Temer emphasized the role of agro-industry in the country's development and called for “national reunification” to guarantee jobs in the sector.