Stories for May 17th 2017

Wednesday, May 17th 2017 - 21:15 UTC
Something smells rotten in Brazilian food companies: probes into bribed inspections

Brazilian police on Tuesday opened two separate investigations into whether certain food companies improperly received favorable treatment from the Agriculture Ministry, the latest probe ensnaring the powerful farming sector. The probes into whether inspection procedures were relaxed for meatpacking, dairy and other food companies come two months after industry leaders JBS SA and BRF SA were rocked by allegations of bribing food inspectors.
Wednesday, May 17th 2017 - 20:06 UTC
Stranded reefer loss in South Atlantic confirmed: “no oil pollution was observed”

The managers of “Uruguay Reefer”, the vessel adrift in the South Atlantic after she suffered massive water ingress finally sunk 210 NM outside the Falkland Islands Conservation Zone at 6.000 meters of water.
Wednesday, May 17th 2017 - 17:44 UTC
.Brazil seems to be climbing out of the worst recession in history

Brazil is set to show a return to growth, the Central Bank indicated Monday, raising hopes that Latin America’s biggest economy could be inching out of a two-year recession.
Wednesday, May 17th 2017 - 16:50 UTC
Mexico and US journalists demand justice following the killing of Valdez Cardenas

Journalists in the U.S. and Mexico are reeling from the death of Mexican reporter Javier Valdez Cardenas, who was shot dead on Monday in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, where he lived and worked. Valdez Cárdenas was an internationally recognized journalist who specialized in reporting on drug-trafficking and organized crime in Mexico.
Wednesday, May 17th 2017 - 16:06 UTC
Trump in deep water: Congress demands FBI turns over documents of Comey with the president

United States House of Representatives Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz is demanding the FBI hand over all documents detailing communications between President Donald Trump and fired agency Director James Comey within the next week.
Wednesday, May 17th 2017 - 15:53 UTC
Petrobras performance improving: largest quarterly earnings in two years

Brazilian state-controlled oil company Petrobras reported its largest quarterly earnings in two years as crude prices rose and the government allowed it to sell fuel at a profit in the domestic market. Petrobras posted a 4.5 billion reais net profit (US$ 1.4bn) in the January to March period, reversing a 1.25 billion reais loss (US$ 400 million) in the first three months of 2016.
Wednesday, May 17th 2017 - 10:33 UTC
UK's April inflation at its highest since September 2013; Bank of England expects it to peak at 3%

UK's inflation rate rose last month to its highest since September 2013, official figures show. Inflation now stands at 2.7% - up from 2.3% in March - and above the Bank of England's 2% target. The main reason was higher air fares, which rose because of the later date of Easter this year compared with 2016.
Wednesday, May 17th 2017 - 10:23 UTC
European Court of Justice ruling could complicate post-Brexit EU/UK trade deal

A new decision in the European Court of Justice could complicate Theresa May’s task of securing a post-Brexit trade deal with the EU. The Luxembourg-based court has ruled that a free trade deal reached with Singapore in 2013 must be ratified by member states.
Wednesday, May 17th 2017 - 09:50 UTC
Amnesty International blasts Brazilian police systematic killings and impunity

Amnesty International lambasted “impunity” for Brazilian police who kill suspects during operations after a regional rights court ruled against Brazil in a spate of slayings in the 1990s. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled last week that Brazil must reopen investigations into the killings of 26 people in a Rio de Janeiro favela two decades ago and should provide compensation.
Wednesday, May 17th 2017 - 09:36 UTC
Lloyds Bank returns to private sector; at height of financial crisis government held 43% of shares

The British government has confirmed its remaining shares in Lloyds Banking Group have been sold, eight years after pumping in £20bn to save it. Lloyds Bank said the government will see a return of £21.2bn on its investment.