International

• Saturday, March 21st 2020 - 09:02 UTC

  Falklands Sea Lion project: Rockhopper and Premier confident of farm out with US/Israel Navitas

  

  Rockhopper Exploration, a partner in Premier Oil-operated Sea Lion offshore oil project in the Falkland Islands, is confident it will manage to farm-out a share in the project despite the low oil prices and COVID-10 uncertainty. The two companies in January signed non-binding heads of terms with US/Israel Navitas Petroleum, which should lead to Navitas obtaining a 30% interest in the Sea Lion offshore blocks.

• Friday, March 20th 2020 - 08:26 UTC

  IAATO has a new Executive Director, Gina Greer

  

  The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) announced on Thursday the appointment of Gina Greer as Executive Director. Gina will lead the Secretariat and work with IAATO’s Executive Committee to further the association’s mission of advocating and promoting safe, environmentally responsible private-sector travel to Antarctica.

• Thursday, March 19th 2020 - 08:47 UTC

  Chile declares a 90-day “state of catastrophe” beginning this Thursday

  

  Chilean President Sebastian Piñera on Wednesday declared a 90-day state of catastrophe as cases of the new coronavirus mounted in the nation, giving the government extraordinary powers to restrict freedom of movement and assure food supply and basic services.

• Thursday, March 19th 2020 - 08:36 UTC

  Most world airlines “will be bankrupt by the end of May”

  

  Sydney-based consultancy CAPA Center for Aviation warned in a statement on Monday that most of the world's airlines will be bankrupt by the end of May. Airline carriers are suspending routes for March, April, and May, and a full grounding of fleets has yet to be ruled out as flight restrictions have been placed across the world, spurring a collapse in demand, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

• Thursday, March 19th 2020 - 08:21 UTC

  Oil prices collapse below US$ 30 a barrel and could drop to US$ 20, Goldman Sachs estimates

  

  U.S. oil prices reached their lowest point since 2003 on Wednesday as the coronavirus has reduced demand in countries around the world. The prices fell for a third session, with U.S. crude Clc1 reaching US$ 25.06 per barrel, the lowest prices since late April 2003. As of 11:35 GMT, U.S. crude Clc1 hit US$1.51 cents or 5.6 percent at US$ 25.44 per barrel.

• Thursday, March 19th 2020 - 08:20 UTC

  Russian economy battered by the oil price war with Saudi Arabia

  

  Russia, hit by falling oil prices and the coronavirus outbreak, has announced the formation of a US$4 billion fund as part of a package of measures to support the economy.

• Wednesday, March 18th 2020 - 08:59 UTC

  Falklands updates air and cruise ship advisory; recommends foreign nationals in the Islands to take Wednesday's Latam flight

  

  The Falkland Islands Government has announced a new air travel advisory and outlined the terms on which it may assist cruise ships seeking to repatriate passengers. Likewise, it strongly recommends foreign nationals seeking to leave the Falklands to do so on Wednesday, March 18, LATAM flight.

• Wednesday, March 18th 2020 - 07:25 UTC

  Why you need not worry about pets spreading Covid-19

  

  By Sarah L. Caddy (*) – A Pomeranian dog in Hong Kong grabbed the international media's attention this week after scientists found traces of coronavirus in the canine. Following confirmation that the dog’s owner was positive for the virus causing COVID-19, the dog was taken from Hong Kong Island to a nearby animal quarantine facility. Subsequent tests performed on swabs collected from the dog’s nose and throat unexpectedly revealed coronavirus.

• Wednesday, March 18th 2020 - 07:25 UTC

  Whatever you call it, Beijing has made a mess of the Covid-19, 'China virus' and jinbu

  

  By Gwynne Dyer – U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has run afoul of the language police. Last week, he called the coronavirus, which already has killed 0.000013 percent of the world’s population, the “Wuhan virus.” When challenged about this criminal violation of linguistic propriety, he just said it again. The World Health Organization (WHO) was shocked.

• Wednesday, March 18th 2020 - 07:24 UTC

  IMF rejects Maduro's request for coronavirus aid loan: who runs Venezuela?

  

  The International Monetary Fund has quickly rejected a surprise request on Tuesday by Venezuela for an emergency US$ 5 billion loan to fight the new coronavirus, which threatens to push its already battered economy over the edge.