Stories for March 2015

Friday, March 6th 2015 - 22:08 UTC
Falklands oil drilling campaign takes off with spudding on the Zebedee prospect

Premier Oil spudded its first 2015 Falklands drilling campaign well, 14/15-5, using the Eirik Raude semisubmersible drilling rig on the Zebedee prospect on 6 March. The well, on license PL004b, will test a total of seven stacked fan bodies with varying geological chances of success (GCoS) of 9-52%.
Friday, March 6th 2015 - 18:25 UTC
ECB stimuli bond-purchase to begin next Monday, announces Dragui

Following a meeting of the European Central Bank's rate-setting Governing Council in Cyprus on Thursday, ECB president Mario Draghi said the bank would start buying sovereign bonds from Euro zone countries on Monday next week.
Friday, March 6th 2015 - 18:21 UTC
China lowers 2015 growth estimate to 7%; in 2014 expansion was the slowest in 24 years

Shares in China fell after the country's government set its official growth target at 7% for this year. The rate is lower than last year's target of 7.5%, which China missed after it grew at the slowest pace in 24 years. The Shanghai Composite closed down 1% at 3,248.48, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 1.1% lower at 24,193.04.
Friday, March 6th 2015 - 11:58 UTC
One of the mightiest of WW2 battleships discovered 70 years after it was sunk

American billionaire Paul Allen has announced the discovery of the famous World War Two Japanese battleship, the Musashi, more than 70 years after it was sunk by US forces. Mr, Allen said the vessel was found by his private exploration team. It was at a depth of more than 1km on the floor of the Sibuyan Sea off the Philippines.
Friday, March 6th 2015 - 09:06 UTC
Mercosur has failed, Argentina needs new partners: the Pacific Alliance?

“Mercosur as a unified space has failed and Argentina must start thinking in a new partner, which could be the Pacific Alliance” said one of Argentina's main businessmen with interests in a diversified portfolio, Eduardo Eurnekian. He made the statement on the sidelines of the World's Chambers Federation executive board meeting in Buenos Aires.
Friday, March 6th 2015 - 08:48 UTC
Argentine farmers and government clash over next week's three day walkout

Argentine farmer organizations lashed back at Agriculture minister Carlos Casaquimela who questioned a three-day strike announced for next week to protest government policies, and which he described as 'unjustifiable'.
Friday, March 6th 2015 - 08:44 UTC
The Brazilian currency slides past three to the dollar, fist time since 2004

Brazil's currency, the Real slid past three to the dollar (3.01) for the first time in 10 years on Thursday, in the latest sign of weakness of Latin America's largest economy.
Friday, March 6th 2015 - 08:08 UTC
“Nisman did not commit suicide, Nisman was murdered” concludes independent forensic report

The ex-wife of late special prosecutor Alberto Nisman, who was found fatally shot in his Buenos Aires apartment on Jan. 18, hours before he was supposed to brief Argentina's Congress about his accusations against President Cristina Fernandez, said Thursday that an independent forensic report shows that he was murdered.
Friday, March 6th 2015 - 07:52 UTC
South Atlantic Air-bridge to the Falklands restricted to certain nationalities

The South Atlantic Air-bridge linking RAF Brize Norton in the UK with the Falkland Islands will no longer fly nationals from a list of countries and although no specific reasons were given, the release underlines that the “Ministry of Defense places the greatest importance on the security of its people, facilities and operations”.
Friday, March 6th 2015 - 07:45 UTC
Hammond reiterates Conservative commitment to Gibraltar's self determination

The Conservative Government will never discuss the future of Gibraltar’s sovereignty against the wishes of its people, UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond told the House of Commons this week.