Stories for January 2020

Saturday, January 11th 2020 - 09:50 UTC
Trump sharply reduces flights to Cuba “to impede the regime gaining access to hard currency”

The United States on Friday sharply reduced flights allowed to go to Cuba in a bid to reduce revenue to the communist island. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that charter flights would only be allowed to fly to Havana, not other airports - a step already taken with commercial flights.
Saturday, January 11th 2020 - 09:46 UTC
US imposes more sanctions on Iran in retaliation for missile attack on its bases

The United States imposed more sanctions on Iran on Friday in retaliation for its missile attack on US forces in Iraq this week and vowed to tighten the economic screws if Tehran continued “terrorist” acts or pursued a nuclear bomb.
Saturday, January 11th 2020 - 09:45 UTC
New Spanish government takes oath of office next Monday: outstanding names in the cabinet

Women experts and radical leftists looked set to play a dominant role in Spain's new coalition government as Pedro Sanchez on Friday named a senior global trade expert as his top diplomat.
Saturday, January 11th 2020 - 09:35 UTC
Mexico shocked at school shooting and killing by a student

An 11-year-old boy shot and killed his teacher on Friday at a school in northern Mexico and wounded six other people before killing himself, authorities said. As shocked Mexicans searched for explanations for the school shooting - a rare event for the country - officials said they were investigating a possible link to the Columbine High School massacre in the US in 1999.
Saturday, January 11th 2020 - 09:31 UTC
Hong Kong troubles ensure election victory for Taiwan's incumbent candidate

By Gwynne Dyer – “Over the past few years, China’s diplomatic offensives, military coercion, interference and infiltration have continued unabated,” said Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen on New Year’s Day, as the Jan. 11 elections neared. “China’s objective is clear: to force Taiwan to compromise our sovereignty.” But every leader of her Democratic People’s Party (DPP) has always said that.
Saturday, January 11th 2020 - 09:30 UTC
Killing of investigative journalist finally knocks out Malta Prime Minister accused of hampering the case

Malta's outgoing Prime Minister Joseph Muscat on Friday (Jan 10) said he was “paying the highest political price” for failing to solve a journalist's killing, the investigation into which he has been accused of hampering.
Saturday, January 11th 2020 - 09:26 UTC
Gold bar, evidence of Spanish plundering of Aztec empire 500 years ago

A new scientific analysis of a large gold bar found decades ago in downtown Mexico City reveals it was part of the plunder Spanish conquerors tried to carry away as they fled the Aztec capital after native warriors forced a hasty retreat.
Saturday, January 11th 2020 - 08:56 UTC
FAO Price Index climbs 2.5% in December, the highest level in five years

World food prices rose for the third consecutive month in December, as a strong rally in vegetable oil prices drove the FAO Food Price Index to its highest level in five years. The FAO Food Price Index averaged 181.7 points during the month, a 2.5 percent increase from November and the highest level since December 2014.
Saturday, January 11th 2020 - 08:48 UTC
Boeing's fired CEO will receive US$ 62 million in stock awards and pension benefits

Boeing Co's ousted chief executive officer, Dennis Muilenburg, stands to receive US$62 million in long-term incentive, stock awards and pension benefits, but forfeited US$14.6 million and will receive no severance, the planemaker said in a regulatory filing on Friday.
Friday, January 10th 2020 - 14:28 UTC
Chinese fishing vessels withdraw from Indonesian EEZ, following standoff with Beijing

Dozens of Chinese vessels which were fishing in Indonesia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in Natuna are leaving the area, the Indonesian military said on Thursday, after days of stand-off.