Politics

Wednesday, January 30th 2019 - 09:56 UTC
US farm lobbies want a post-Brexit UK food quality standard lowered

United States lobby groups for agriculture and pharmaceutical firms want UK standards changed to be closer to those of the US in a post-Brexit trade deal. The meat lobby wants the sale of growth hormone-fed beef, currently banned in the UK and EU, to be allowed in the UK.
Wednesday, January 30th 2019 - 09:46 UTC
Russia and China criticize US sanctions on Venezuela: “they undermine confidence in the international financial system”

Russia and China strongly criticized U.S. sanctions placed on Venezuela, with the former pledging to support the beleaguered President Nicolas Maduro. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday the sanctions completely undermined confidence in an international financial system that is dominated by the U.S., Russian news agency Interfax reported.
Wednesday, January 30th 2019 - 09:41 UTC
Parliament instructs PM May to renegotiate Brexit's Irish border backstop

British lawmakers on Tuesday instructed Prime Minister Theresa May to demand that Brussels replace the Irish border arrangement known as the “backstop”, in a last-ditch attempt to renegotiate an exit treaty that the European Union says it will not change.
Wednesday, January 30th 2019 - 09:39 UTC
France rejects any EU/UK renegotiation deal and calls for credible proposals

France on Tuesday rejected any renegotiation of the EU-UK divorce deal and urged Britain to make credible proposals after British lawmakers passed a motion instructing their government to secure changes to a key element of the deal.
Wednesday, January 30th 2019 - 09:33 UTC
Ecuador issues 10-year sovereign bonds at 10.75% yield

Ecuador’s finance ministry said it had placed about US$1 billion in 10-year sovereign bonds in the international market. Proceeds from the 10.75% bonds will be used to strengthen the country’s reserves and help fund this year’s budget which has financing needs of about US$ 8 billion, the ministry said in a statement.
Wednesday, January 30th 2019 - 09:14 UTC
Vale vows to cut 10% iron ore output and decommission ten dangerous sludge dams

Vale SA, the world’s largest iron ore miner, on Tuesday vowed to take as much as 10% of its ore output offline in order to decommission ten more dams like the one that burst last week, killing scores of workers and nearby residents.
Wednesday, January 30th 2019 - 09:00 UTC
Corruption remains mainly unchanged in the Americas, according to Transparency International

With an average score of 44 for three consecutive years, the Americas region continues to fail in making any serious inroads against corruption, according to the latest report from Transparency International. Compared to other regions, the Americas is similar to Asia Pacific (average score: 44), but behind Western Europe and the European Union (average score: 66).
Tuesday, January 29th 2019 - 14:28 UTC
Guaidó on military option in Venezuela: All options are on the table

Consulted on possible military option in Venezuela, the declared interim President of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó, told the CNN channel that all the options are on the table “to achieve the cessation of the usurpation”.
Tuesday, January 29th 2019 - 10:50 UTC
Argentine navy will incorporate a South Korean frigate for ocean patrolling

The South Korean navy has started the documentation for the transfer of a decommissioned Ulsan Class frigate to the Argentine navy. A delegation of Argentine officers and crew members will be travelling to the South Korean base at Jinhae in the near future, according to Seoul's military attaché in Buenos Aires Lieutenant Colonel Ho Lim.
Tuesday, January 29th 2019 - 10:23 UTC
Falkland Islands Government Representative in London is retiring after forty years service

After forty years in the service of the Falkland Islands, Sukey Cameron, the Falklands Representative in London is to retire in October. The Penguin News chatted with Ms Cameron about her long and distinguished career.