Politics

Tuesday, April 28th 2015 - 05:38 UTC
Australia intercepts and boards the fishing vessel 'Perlon', from the IUU list

Australia has intercepted in the Southern Ocean the fishing vessel Perlon, believed to have been operating under a false flag in defiance of international conventions, according to an official report from the Ministry of Immigration and Border Protection.
Tuesday, April 28th 2015 - 05:20 UTC
Fitch cuts Japan's credit rating: high and rising level of government debt

Fitch cut its credit rating for heavily indebted Japan by one notch on Monday, saying it has not done enough to plug a budget gap left by its decision to delay the second stage of a sales tax hike.
Tuesday, April 28th 2015 - 05:13 UTC
China's oil giant Sinopec under investigation over corruption suspicions

A senior executive at state energy firm China Sinopec Group is under investigation for suspected “serious disciplinary violations”. The China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) named Wang Tianpu, an oil industry veteran and president of Sinopec Group, in a statement on its website. Sinopec Group is the parent of Sinopec Corp, Asia's largest oil refiner.
Tuesday, April 28th 2015 - 05:04 UTC
New York dims lights in high buildings to help birds' migration

The state of New York is to turn off non-essential lights in state-run buildings to help birds navigate their migratory routes in spring and autumn. Migrating birds are believed to use stars to navigate but they can be disorientated by electric lights, causing them to crash into buildings.
Tuesday, April 28th 2015 - 02:07 UTC
Falklands' fisheries contribute an additional £6 million to Islands' budget

It's budget time in the Falkland Islands and fishing again has boosted the government coffers this year with more than £6 million above that originally budgeted, according to the Penguin News.
Monday, April 27th 2015 - 22:48 UTC
Paraguay and Uruguay ministers to discuss recovering paralyzed Mercosur

Following on the lead of Uruguay's new government, Paraguay has also demanded Mercosur returns to its roots and original objective with free circulation of goods and no obstructions of any kind or impediments such as tariff barriers. The five countries group has been paralyzed and negotiations for an encompassing cooperation and trade agreement with the European Union remain stalled.
Monday, April 27th 2015 - 22:40 UTC
Brazil's ruling party of Lula and Dilma 'stole too much' and its time 'is over'

A close ally of Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff and currently part of her government's coalition said “too much stealing” by Lula da Silva's ruling Workers Party (PT) is responsible for the country's political crisis and public opinion disenchantment with politics.
Monday, April 27th 2015 - 21:41 UTC
In Finland the rich pay higher fines in accordance with their income

Getting a speeding ticket is not a feel-good moment for anyone. But consider Reima Kuisla, a businessman in Finland. He was recently fined 58,000 dollars for traveling a modest, if illegal, 64 mph in a 50 mph zone.
Monday, April 27th 2015 - 10:27 UTC
Bachelet admits not acting quicker to address political scandals

Chile's President Michelle Bachelet expressed regret for not having acted quicker and more aggressively to address a raft of political scandals that have alienated voters and dragged her popularity to an historic low
Monday, April 27th 2015 - 10:14 UTC
Shell confident Petrobras will recover and willing to purchase more assets from the Brazil oil giant

Royal Dutch Shell Plc has taken into account the risks presented by the Petrobras graft scandal to its expanding operations in Brazil and is confident the Brazilian state-run oil company will emerge stronger, Shell's CEO said in an interview.