Stories for October 13th 2017

Friday, October 13th 2017 - 15:41 UTC
Thousands rally in Barcelona: “Don't be fooled, Catalonia is Spain”

Thousands of people rallied on Sunday in central Barcelona to protest against the Catalan government’s push for secession from the rest of Spain, with many in the crowd carrying Spanish and Catalan flags.
Friday, October 13th 2017 - 14:56 UTC
Swiss prosecutors will help with 2016 Rio Olympics corruption investigation

Federal prosecutors in Switzerland have agreed to help Brazilian authorities investigating Olympic official Carlos Nuzman, who is suspected of vote-buying in a corruption conspiracy linked to the Rio de Janeiro Games.
Friday, October 13th 2017 - 14:05 UTC
Ryanair set to challenge Lufthansa deal to buy failed Air Berlin

Ryanair is set to challenge a Lufthansa deal to buy parts of failed German carrier Air Berlin. The budget Irish airline said it would take the €210m deal to European competition authorities.
Friday, October 13th 2017 - 13:55 UTC
Falklands' democracy and coming elections praised by FCO minister

The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Alan Duncan has expressed his admiration for Falklands democracy. Speaking of the Islands General Election to be held on November 9 he said: “From many years of personal experience I can attest to the significance of democracy in action. Election Days are both exciting and purposeful and should provoke both qualities.”
Friday, October 13th 2017 - 13:54 UTC
Argentina's September CPI 1.9% and 17.6% in nine months

Consumer prices rose 1.9% in Argentina in September, government statistics agency Indec said on Thursday, pushing the nine-month inflation reading to 17.6%, above the upper band of the central bank’s target for the year.
Friday, October 13th 2017 - 13:36 UTC
Giant meatpacker owners involved in insider trading could lose plea bargain deal with prosecutors

Brazil’s police investigation into insider trading by the owners of the world’s largest meatpacker JBS SA has found that they made a profit by taking financial positions before details of their plea bargain deal with prosecutors became public, the head of the probe said on Tuesday.
Friday, October 13th 2017 - 12:59 UTC
Meirelles optimistic about congressional approval of pensions' reform

Brazilian Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles said on Thursday “there’s a very good chance” that the country’s proposed pension reform bill will be approved by the end of the year. Addressing a question-and-answer session at an Institute for International Finance meeting in Washington Meirelles said that it would be simpler to pass the bill this year than next year because of political challenges that could come with Brazil’s upcoming presidential election in October 2018.
Friday, October 13th 2017 - 12:52 UTC
HSBC names John Flint as next CEO; JP Morgan Chase and Citigroup profits up

Banking giant HSBC has named John Flint, current head of retail banking and wealth management, as its new boss. Mr Flint, who takes over from outgoing chief executive Stuart Gulliver, will start his new role next February.
Friday, October 13th 2017 - 12:33 UTC
EU chief negotiator says Brexit talks are stuck in a state of deadlock

The European Union's chief negotiator on Brexit talks says negotiations with the United Kingdom are stuck in a state of deadlock. The EU wants to know what divorce bill Britain is prepared to pay before talks go any further. British officials, on the other hand, want to begin trade talks now, before they commit billions.
Friday, October 13th 2017 - 12:24 UTC
Ozone layer threatened by compounds (from China) not currently regulated

Rising global emissions of some chlorine-containing chemicals could slow the progress made in healing the ozone layer. A study found the substances, widely used for paint stripping and in the manufacture of PVC, are increasing much faster than previously thought. Mainly produced in China, these compounds are not currently regulated.