Stories for 2018

Wednesday, February 28th 2018 - 09:23 UTC
North Ireland “hard border” controversy surfaces in in London and Brussels

The British government has dismissed any prospect of a return to a “hard border” on the island of Ireland after Brexit. It followed the leak of a letter from Boris Johnson in which he appeared to contemplate future customs border checks after the UK leaves the EU.
Wednesday, February 28th 2018 - 09:20 UTC
Pemex loss of US$ 18bn in fourth quarter; blames weaker Peso and declining oil fields

Mexican state-owned oil company Pemex reported a nearly US$18 billion fourth-quarter loss on Monday after both crude output and processing slid, though the company said refining levels should rebound as major maintenance plans are completed. The company posted a 352.3bn (US$17.9bn) peso loss for the last quarter of 2017, blaming a weaker peso exchange rate and higher financing costs for its performance, according to a filing with the Mexican stock exchange.
Wednesday, February 28th 2018 - 09:14 UTC
Mark Twain revival: American Cruise pledges five new Mississippi river boats

American Cruise Lines has announced that construction has begun on the second modern riverboat in the series of five. The second riverboat is the sister-ship to state-of-the-art American Song, the first modern riverboat available in the U.S., which will make its inaugural cruise on the Mississippi River this October.
Wednesday, February 28th 2018 - 09:02 UTC
Jeans will be made with laser technology: 90 seconds to finish a pair instead of 20 minutes

Levi Strauss is ramping up its use of lasers to automate the way its jeans are made. The firm says the new techniques will reduce chemical use and make the way in which jeans are faded, distressed and ripped more efficient. By replacing manual labor with lasers, Levi's will be able to finish a pair of jeans every 90 seconds, instead of just two to three pairs an hour.
Wednesday, February 28th 2018 - 07:14 UTC
All crew members of Taiwanese jigger which caught fire are rescued in the South Atlantic

The government of the Falkland Islands has reported that all crew members of a Taiwanese jigger which caught fire in the South Atlantic have been rescued and should be arriving in Montevideo in the coming days.
Tuesday, February 27th 2018 - 09:34 UTC
Brexit: Corbyn proposes customs union with EU, but for Brussels it is “pure illusion”

Britain should enter a new customs union with the European Union, opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said on Monday, setting up a possible parliamentary defeat for Prime Minister Theresa May who has vowed to leave the arrangement after Brexit.
Tuesday, February 27th 2018 - 09:30 UTC
Venezuela Electoral Court admits it's not prepared to organize presidential and legislative on the same date

The president of Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE), Tibisay Lucena, dismissed the idea of holding legislative elections on the same day as the presidential election scheduled for April 22, as the ruling party has proposed.
Tuesday, February 27th 2018 - 09:22 UTC
Climate change will force King Penguins to move after food or face heavy losses

Global warming is on track to wipe out 70% of the world's King penguins by century's end, putting the regal birds on a path towards extinction, researchers warned on Monday. As climate change drives away the fish and squid upon which the flightless creatures depend, the penguins must swim further afield to find sustenance for their hungry hatchlings on land.
Tuesday, February 27th 2018 - 09:05 UTC
UK counter terrorism expert warns about far-right violent extremism

The retiring head of counter-terrorism policing in the UK has warned of the growing threat of far-right terrorism. Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, who will retire from the Met Police next month, said four extreme-right terror plots were disrupted last year. Ten Islamist-inspired plots have been foiled since March last year, he added.
Tuesday, February 27th 2018 - 08:58 UTC
Heathrow is UK's largest port by value: £106bn worth of goods; needs urgent expansion

Britain’s exporters risk being held back by a lack of access to key trading markets, new data has revealed. As Britain prepares to leave the EU, the data shows that key routes from Heathrow to Shanghai, Delhi, Mumbai, Los Angeles, Tokyo Haneda and Dubai are virtually full and unable to accommodate further growth in trade. Combined, these six routes alone account for nearly 18% of Heathrow’s total cargo volumes.