Stories for March 2016

Thursday, March 17th 2016 - 22:55 UTC
Happy St. Patrick's Day

Every year on March 17, the Irish and the Irish-at-heart across the globe observe St. Patrick's Day. What began as a religious feast day for the patron saint of Ireland has become an international festival celebrating Irish culture with parades, dancing, special foods and a whole lot of green. Best wishes for a safe, happy & pleasant day of love, peace and joy.
Thursday, March 17th 2016 - 08:08 UTC
Obama challenges Republicans and names veteran judge to the Supreme Court

President Barack Obama nominated veteran appellate court judge Merrick Garland to the US Supreme Court on Wednesday setting up a potentially ferocious political showdown with Senate Republicans who have vowed to block any Obama nominee.
Thursday, March 17th 2016 - 07:53 UTC
Finland's new state of the art icebreaker Polaris will also be the world's greenest

Due for delivery in the second quarter of the year, Finland’s new icebreaker Polaris is the world’s first to feature dual fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG) and diesel propulsion, earning the icebreaking vessel designations as the Finland’s most powerful and the world’s greenest.
Thursday, March 17th 2016 - 07:42 UTC
FIFA reclaiming 'millions of dollars' pocketed by former officials; admits votes sold for South Africa in 2010

As it tries to reclaim “tens of millions of dollars” pocketed illegally by corrupt former officials, FIFA has admitted for the first time that ExCo members sold their votes to help South Africa secure the 2010 World Cup.
Thursday, March 17th 2016 - 06:38 UTC
“When a rich man steals they name him minister”, Lula da Silva quote in 1998

“When a poor man steals, he ends in jail; when a rich man steals he is named minister”, the phrase belongs to Lula da Silva back in 1998 when he was leading the opposition, and it is now being repeated in social networks. In effect, on Wednesday Lula was named chief of staff by president Dilma Rousseff, who also phoned him to tell him she would be sending him the official decree on his nomination, so that he make use of it “if necessary”.
Thursday, March 17th 2016 - 06:13 UTC
Protests erupt in Brazil as Rousseff confirms Lula da Silva as chief of staff

Protests erupted in Brazilian cities on Wednesday after President Dilma Rousseff named her predecessor Lula da Silva chief of staff and a taped telephone conversation fed opposition claims the appointment was meant to shield Lula from prosecution.
Thursday, March 17th 2016 - 06:01 UTC
Falklands' oil industry making steady advance 'with positive signs from Argentina', says GlobalData

Falkland Islands' oil and gas industry is making steady advancement in spite of global concerns about falling prices, according to new analysis by GlobalData. With positive signs coming from the neighboring Argentina, which recently witnessed a change in government, the Falklands is preparing to commercialize production of its first oil project, Premier Oil's Sea Lion.
Wednesday, March 16th 2016 - 17:29 UTC
Judge Griesa sends strong message of support for Argentina at crucial moment

As the Argentine congress started to debate an end to the 15-year litigation, United States District Judge Thomas Griesa sent a new message of support to Argentina by claiming he won’t allow any attempts to seize the funds to be used by Argentina to pay the holdout creditors.
Wednesday, March 16th 2016 - 17:15 UTC
Argentine Senate begins consideration of debt 'normalization' bill following approval by Lower House

The administration of president Mauricio Macri overcame a first hurdle in the Argentine congress to have its “debt normalization” bill approved, which should help bring to an end years of litigation with the holdout funds and open access to global money markets in normal conditions.
Wednesday, March 16th 2016 - 16:43 UTC
Beijing protests sinking of Chinese jigger and calls for a formal inquest into the incident

Beijing made a formal complaint to Argentina and expressed 'great concern' regarding the incident in which a Chinese flagged jigger caught red-handed fishing in the country's EEZ was fired at and sank on Tuesday. Chinese authorities also requested an “immediate inquest” into the procedure of the Argentine Coast Guard in the sinking of the vessel Lu Yuan Yu10.