Stories for August 2016

Sunday, August 28th 2016 - 03:56 UTC
Rousseff takes the stand on Monday, following the round of defense witnesses

Suspended Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff's former economy minister testified Saturday that Rousseff did not break any laws justifying impeachment, as her trial closed in on next week's climax. Rousseff is accused of taking illegal state loans to help bridge budget shortfalls and mask the true state of the economy during her 2014 reelection campaign. The president argues the charges are trumped up and amount to a rightwing coup.
Saturday, August 27th 2016 - 05:45 UTC
Mercosur founding members confident of a solution to the Venezuela situation

The foreign ministers of Mercosur founding members will adopt a common position regarding the current disarray of the group following on Venezuela's unilateral attitudes said Paraguayan economic affairs and integration deputy minister Rigoberto Gauto.
Saturday, August 27th 2016 - 05:32 UTC
Tierra del Fuego gas field inauguración suspended; Macri wants to attend

The inauguration ceremony of the Vega Pléyade natural gas field offshore Tierra del Fuego scheduled for Friday, has been postponed, although no official explanation has been given, it is believed that Argentine President Mauricio Macri was determined to attend, but his political agenda is too full precisely over the energy controversy and the fact next week he flies to China for the G20 summit.
Saturday, August 27th 2016 - 05:21 UTC
NOAA “flying laboratory” scheduled to circle St Helena Island

As part of an international study to be able to deliver more accurate weather forecasts across the South Atlantic, a United States NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) “flying laboratory” is planning to operate over St Helena this coming weekend, to undertake a series of weather-related measurements.
Saturday, August 27th 2016 - 05:12 UTC
PM Theresa May congratulates President Santos on the historic peace deal

British Prime Minister Theresa May spoke with President Juan Manuel Santos to congratulate him about the historic peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). President Santos thanked the UK for its central role in helping reach the agreement.
Saturday, August 27th 2016 - 04:40 UTC
Falkland Islander voted as Chair of Cruise New Zealand, leading voice of the country's sector

Falkland Islander Debbie Summers was this week voted in as Chair of Cruise New Zealand, the leading voice for the country’s cruise sector. Currently Executive Director of ID New Zealand Destination Management, Debbie left the Falklands nine years ago having progressed the Islands’ cruise ship industry as Tourism Manager for Sulivan Shipping Ltd.
Saturday, August 27th 2016 - 04:26 UTC
French ruling suspends “burkini” swimsuit ban in the Riviera resorts

Mayors of French towns who banned the controversial “burkini” swimsuit have been warned they must heed a court ruling suspending the action. Human rights lawyer Patrice Spinosi said if any mayors did not comply, he would take each case to court but at least three mayors have said they will keep the bans on their beaches.
Friday, August 26th 2016 - 11:53 UTC
Nin Novoa exposes Mercosur disarray: “It's her; I'm the only minister she talks to”

The fracture in Mercosur was candidly revealed by Uruguay's foreign minister Rodolfo Nin Novoa during an agro-business conference of cooperatives in Montevideo when he received a phone call from his Venezuelan peer Delcy Rodríguez.
Friday, August 26th 2016 - 11:44 UTC
Total inaugurates gas field offshore Tierra del Fuego with potential production of 10m cubic meters per day

Argentina will officially inaugurate this Friday the Vega Pléyade natural gas field, twenty kilometers offshore Tierra del Fuego to the south of the San Sebastián bay. The field started production last February and as “a production potential of 10 million cubic meters per day”.
Friday, August 26th 2016 - 11:34 UTC
Theresa May pledges full support for Gibraltar in private letter to Picardo

United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May has pledged her new administration’s full support to Gibraltar, in a recent private letter to Chief Minister Fabian Picardo.