Stories for January 9th 2019

Wednesday, January 9th 2019 - 19:01 UTC
US government shutdown leaves farmers and markets with no reports on world crops

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) delayed several major U.S. and world crop reports because of the two-week-old partial government shutdown, the agency said on Friday. New release dates for the monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report and other data originally scheduled for Jan. 11 will be set once government funding is restored, USDA said.
Wednesday, January 9th 2019 - 18:05 UTC
HMS Montrose visits “the most polluted island in the world”

Type 23 frigate HMS Montrose joined the international fight against plastic littering the oceans by recording pollution on four Pacific islands. The ship's company and their Wildcat helicopter spent two days surveying remote islands – including Pitcairn, last resting place of HMS Bounty.
Wednesday, January 9th 2019 - 14:49 UTC
Brazil's Bovespa closes above 92.000 points for the first time ever

Latin American stocks in the region's main markets closed on Tuesday at new highs on the positive outlook for the ongoing US/China trade talks in Beijing. Brazil's Bovespa index ended trading above 92,000 points for the first time ever after hitting several record highs last week.
Wednesday, January 9th 2019 - 08:48 UTC
Brazilian middleman involved in Petrobras corruption arrested in the US

A Brazilian man facing allegations of bribing officials at state-run oil company Petrobras on behalf of Vitol Group, Glencore and other major oil trading firms has been arrested in the United States, authorities said Tuesday.
Wednesday, January 9th 2019 - 08:45 UTC
Domestic car sales in Brazilian domestic market in line with expectations

Car and light truck sales in Brazil went up 13.6% in 2018 from the previous year, cementing the industry’s gradual recovery from a deep recession. Brazil was one of the world’s five biggest auto markets until a recent downturn and, despite last year’s growth, numbers remain lower than at their peak in 2012.
Wednesday, January 9th 2019 - 08:41 UTC
Brexit plan's five-day debate takes off; Westminster shuts off “no-deal option”

MPs will begin debating Theresa May's Brexit plan again on Wednesday, nearly a month after she postponed the crunch Commons vote on her agreement. There will be five days of discussion on the terms of the UK's withdrawal and future relations with the EU ahead of an expected vote next Tuesday.
Wednesday, January 9th 2019 - 08:40 UTC
World Bank says global economy is “soft landing”, so far “orderly”

The World Bank is warning of increasing risks, or what it calls “darkening skies”, for the world economy. In its annual assessment of global prospects the Bank predicts continued, though somewhat slower, growth this year and next.
Wednesday, January 9th 2019 - 08:39 UTC
ExxonMobil resumes exploratory drilling off Guyana; first FPSO expected at the end of the year

US energy company ExxonMobil has started drilling one of two new exploration wells offshore Guyana. It’s the first of two wells to be drilled this month. The world’s largest publicly traded international oil and gas company said in a statement that the Stena Carron drillship is drilling the Haimara-1 well, located 19 miles east of the Pluma-1 discovery in the southeast Stabroek Block.
Wednesday, January 9th 2019 - 08:37 UTC
Ireland extends a friendly hand to embattled PM May's government

Ireland’s Foreign Affairs Minister has said the country will not stand in the way if the British Government asks for an extension to Article 50. Simon Coveney said they want to avoid a no-deal Brexit scenario as “everyone loses”.
Wednesday, January 9th 2019 - 08:31 UTC
20-year old student confesses to hacking data of hundreds of high-profile Germans

A 20-year-old man has made a “comprehensive” confession that he was behind a data breach affecting hundreds of high-profile Germans, police say. Styling himself “G0d”, he published private information about politicians, journalists, and celebrities on Twitter, under the username @_0rbit.