By Guy Dinmore in Rome, Published: February 14 2011
A full month after Tunisia’s ousted president fled to Saudi Arabia, the official website of Italy’s foreign ministry – slow to keep up with events – still promotes the North African state as an “ideal” investment destination noted for its “political and social stability”. Read more…
By Guy Dinmore and Eleonora de Sabata in Rome, Published: July 23 2010
BP will start deep-water drilling off the coast of Libya within weeks in spite of concerns about the UK group’s environmental and safety record after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster.
The move comes as BP faces increased scrutiny over its acquisition of rights to a big oil and gas field off the African coast three years ago, a subject that overshadowed the visit of David Cameron, UK prime minister, to Washington this week.
At 1,700 metres below sea-level in Libya’s Gulf of Sirte, the well will be 200 metres deeper than the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico which triggered the worst US offshore oil spill disaster when the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded on April 20, killing 11 people.
“Drilling will start within a few weeks,” BP confirmed. Read more…
Ahmed Nazif, Egyptian prime minister, says forthcoming Israeli-Palestinian talks must produce concrete results this time
