International

Monday, March 9th 2015 - 23:32 UTC
St Elena's airport will receive its first airplane test landing next July

The very first airplane landing on St Helena’s new airport is due to take place in July, seven months before the target date for its completion. St Elena is situated in the middle of the Atlantic, and besides being a volcanic island is world famous since Napoleon was kept under arrest by the British until his death.
Monday, March 9th 2015 - 11:45 UTC
February's FAO Food Price Index at is lowest value since early 2010

The FAO Food Price Index averaged 179. 4 points in February 2015, down 1.8 points (1.0 percent) from its January value and 29 points (14.0 percent) below its level in February 2014. Prices of cereals, meat and, especially, sugar, dipped last month, while they remained steady in the case of oils and rebounded sharply in the case of dairy products. The index has been on a declining path since April 2014 and has now reached its lowest value since July 2010.
Monday, March 9th 2015 - 08:07 UTC
Transparency International claims BOT are used to launder 'corrupt' money

British territories including Gibraltar are being used by criminals and foreign officials to launder ‘corrupt’ money through the purchase of up market UK properties, according to the respected anti-corruption organization Transparency International.
Monday, March 9th 2015 - 07:39 UTC
Colombia and FARC agree to clear minefields; 11.000 people killed in 15 years

Colombian government and Marxist oriented guerrillas jointly announced an agreement to remove landmines and other explosives from the battlefield in a sign of progress in their two-year-old peace talks being held in Cuba.
Saturday, March 7th 2015 - 08:22 UTC
Several cups of coffee a day help combat clogged arteries, say Korean scientists

Drinking a few cups of coffee a day may help people avoid clogged arteries - a known risk factor for heart disease - Korean researchers believe. They studied more than 25,000 male and female employees who underwent routine health checks at their workplace.
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 - 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.