Stories for November 2013

Friday, November 15th 2013 - 16:27 UTC
The anonymous millions of dollars spent in Chilean campaign donations

It will come as no surprise to Chileans that some of the country’s biggest companies — and richest families — have donated millions of dollars to presidential and parliamentary campaigns this election season. However, until an investigative report was published last week, people were only able to speculate on the matter, as a law passed in 2003 allows donors and donations to remain completely anonymous.
Friday, November 15th 2013 - 16:15 UTC
Deliver or Die: Financial Survival Challenges for Today’s Junior Oil Companies

Long gone are the days of easy money, so it seems. Junior energy companies are finding today’s capital to be more expensive and harder to access. In the current market, juniors are fighting an ongoing battle just to balance sustainable growth, manage debt, and to compete with peers for dollars that just aren’t there. When assessing a junior, one must look at how they put their budgets together and maintain them if they’re to survive out there in the wild.
Thursday, November 14th 2013 - 21:45 UTC
British painter Bacon triptych becomes most expensive artwork sold at auction

A painting by Francis Bacon of his friend and fellow artist Lucian Freud has become the most expensive artwork ever sold at auction after it fetched 142 million dollars in New York. The triptych, Three Studies of Lucian Freud (1969), is considered one of Bacon's greatest masterpieces.
Thursday, November 14th 2013 - 21:39 UTC
EU approves 2014 budget 7% lower; 62bn Euros to stimulate growth and jobs

The European Union has clinched a deal on a sharply trimmed 2014 budget after a marathon 16-hour session ending a long dispute over how best to spend taxpayers' money. After decades of growth, next year's EU budget is set to be around 7% lower than this year's at 135.5 billion Euros in contributions by member states.
Thursday, November 14th 2013 - 19:58 UTC
UK becomes observer of the Pacific Alliance, announces Chilean foreign minister

Chilean Foreign Affairs Minister Alfredo Moreno has said that the UK has been granted Observer Status of the Pacific Alliance. The announcement was made by Moreno during his recent visit to Europe. The Pacific Alliance is made up of Chile, Peru, Colombia and Mexico and is consolidating as the fastest growing group in the region.
Thursday, November 14th 2013 - 19:20 UTC
Two UK scientists keeping track of Manhattan size iceberg moving in the Southern ocean

An Iceberg, the size of Manhattan in area, was derived from the Pine Island Glacier, and is currently moving through the Southern Ocean. To keep track of its movements and melting Professor Grant Bigg of UK's University of Sheffield has been awarded a £50,000 grant from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) for the 6 month project.
Thursday, November 14th 2013 - 19:09 UTC
Japan unveils floating wind farm off the coast of the defunct Fukushima

Japan unveiled a new wind farm off the coast of Fukushima last week. Only thirteen miles offshore from the Fukushima Daichi nuclear power station, the same nuclear station that notoriously attracted the world's attention during the 2011 Japanese tsunami, the new wind farm is expected to produce upwards of one gigawatt from 143 wind turbines. For comparison, the now-inoperable Fukushima Daichi nuclear power plant could provide 4.4 gigawatts.
Thursday, November 14th 2013 - 19:01 UTC
Faklands: “Argentines are behaving irrationally” says England/Wales Attorney General

“I’m afraid the Argentines are behaving irrationally and not very well.” This was the opinion expressed in Stanley on Thursday morning by the Attorney General for England and Wales.
Thursday, November 14th 2013 - 18:40 UTC
Uruguay complains at Mercosur against Argentine resolution limiting ports' transshipments

Uruguay made a formal complaint against Argentina before Mercosur regarding the administration of President Cristina Fernandez decision banning Argentine exports from transshipment in Uruguayan ports. The complaint was filed on Wednesday in Caracas at Subgroup 5 which addresses Mercosur maritime transport by Uruguay's Deputy Transport minister Pablo Genta.
Thursday, November 14th 2013 - 18:30 UTC
Business climate in Latam receives 'unfavorable' assessment from Brazil's leading foundation

The business climate (ICE) in Uruguay was down in the third quarter of the year, which means the country dropped from position 5 to 7 in the ranking of the eleven economies contemplated in the index elaborated by the Brazilian Getulio Vargas Foundation and Germany's respected IFO.