Stories for March 16th 2018

Friday, March 16th 2018 - 10:38 UTC
Three Caribbean nations blacklisted as tax havens by the European Union

European Union (EU) finance ministers have added the Bahamas, the US Virgin Islands and St Kitts and Nevis to a tax haven blacklist, while removing St Lucia from the list. And Trinidad and Tobago remains on the list which was created last December.
Friday, March 16th 2018 - 10:28 UTC
Western leaders abhor nerve-agent attack and point to Russia: “no plausible alternative explanation”

The leaders of France, Germany, the US and UK say there is “no plausible alternative explanation” to Russia having been behind the nerve agent attack in the UK. They condemned the “first offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since the Second World War”, calling it an assault on UK sovereignty.
Friday, March 16th 2018 - 10:24 UTC
Argentina gradually organizing natural gas production and consumption priorities

Argentina plans to increase natural gas exports to Chile, helping to encourage production growth in the giant Vaca Muerta shale play, while importing supplies from that country to meet peak demand, Energy Minister Juan Jose Aranguren said on Thursday.
Friday, March 16th 2018 - 10:18 UTC
Macri announces debt relief for farmers struggling with drought

Argentine President Mauricio Macri said the government would provide some debt relief to farmers struggling through what he described as the country’s worst drought in 40 years, which has resulted in dramatic cuts to soybean and corn crop outlooks.
Friday, March 16th 2018 - 10:14 UTC
Dry summer cuts Argentina's soy crop to 40m tons; US$ 4.6bn negative impact on the economy

Argentina's Rosario Grains Exchange slashed 14% off its forecast for the country's soy crop on Thursday, saying a drought now in its fourth month would limit the harvest to 40 million tons versus its previous estimate of 46.5 million. Argentina has been suffering dry weather since last November.
Friday, March 16th 2018 - 10:06 UTC
Hammond and Johnson will be visiting Argentina

British Chancellor Philip Hammond and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson are scheduled to visit Argentina as part of the G20 ministerial round of meetings in coming weeks, announced UK ambassador Mark Kent following talks on Thursday with foreign minister Jorge Faurie.
Friday, March 16th 2018 - 09:41 UTC
Argentina preparing its first offshore licensing round in the South Atlantic

Argentina plans to launch its first offshore licensing round in almost three decades this year, as it seeks to widen exploration for longer-term production growth, Energy Minister Juan Jose Aranguren said on Thursday.Round One will be launched in June or July for 240,000 sq km in three zones of the continental shelf, Aranguren said on the sidelines of The Economist's Argentina Summit in Buenos Aires.
Friday, March 16th 2018 - 09:36 UTC
Rio's military intervention questioned following the killing of a popular councilor and activist

Crying, chanting and screaming in anger, thousands gathered in front of the Rio de Janeiro state legislature on Thursday to say goodbye to a black city councilwoman shot in the head four times, a brazen murder that shocked Brazil and raised questions about the effectiveness of a military intervention in the country's second biggest city.
Friday, March 16th 2018 - 03:11 UTC
Falklands plans fishing talks with Argentina after more than a decade

Exchanges of information between the Falkland Islands and Argentina about fish and squid stocks could begin again before the middle of this year, if all parties are in agreement. Director of Natural Resources John Barton said: “Dialogue with Argentina on the conservation of shared marine resources has the potential to allow for better management of shared fish stocks and improve sustainability of such stocks.”