Stories for October 10th 2017

Tuesday, October 10th 2017 - 16:45 UTC
Brazil relaunching economic ties with the African continent

Agricultural powerhouse Brazil aims to revive ties with Africa after a lull and sees a vast export market for food and manufactured goods in a continent whose population is surging, its foreign minister said.
Tuesday, October 10th 2017 - 16:37 UTC
China's Sinopec considering selling assets in Santa Cruz, Argentina

Argentina’s losses on its oil and gas assets, as well as its labor disputes, have prompted China’s Sinopec to consider selling its operations in the country. Sinopec advisors have offered up some of its assets to about a dozen large firms from the U.S., Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Russia, it was reported on Monday and confirmed in Beijing media.
Tuesday, October 10th 2017 - 07:20 UTC
Macri celebrates victory of staunch ally in Corrientes province

Argentina's ruling coalition of president Mauricio Macri celebrated on Sunday victory in the Corrientes province governor race, a significant boost a couple of weeks before the crucial midterm elections. Candidate Gustavo Valdés supported by “Let's Change” grouping won the Corrientes gubernational dispute with 54.06% of the votes.
Tuesday, October 10th 2017 - 07:08 UTC
Support for Catalonia president independence declaration rapidly weakening

Catalan President Carles Puigdemont is facing growing pressure to drop plans to break from Spain ahead of a key address to the regional parliament. There has been speculation that he could announce a unilateral declaration of independence following a disputed referendum. France and Germany have both expressed support for a united Spain.
Tuesday, October 10th 2017 - 06:38 UTC
Theresa May tells MPs to be prepared for every eventuality as a hard Brexit looms closer

The UK has set out how it could operate as an “independent trading nation” after Brexit, even if no trade deal is reached with Brussels. Prime Minister Theresa May told MPs “real and tangible progress” had been made in Brexit talks, but the country must be prepared for “every eventuality”. However Labour said “no real progress has been made” since last June's referendum.
Tuesday, October 10th 2017 - 06:29 UTC
LATAM non-stop flights between Santiago de Chile and Melbourne

LATAM launched on 5 October non-stop flights between Melbourne and Santiago. The route will offer the only direct connection between Melbourne and Latin America and see three flights per week on a Boeing 787-9.
Tuesday, October 10th 2017 - 06:25 UTC
Bottle with message tossed close to Falklands emerges five years later in New Zealand

Tossed into the sea by a sailor on a yacht in the Atlantic ocean, a message in a bottle drifted across the seas for five years. Some 8000 kilometers later, it washed up on a Northland beach in New Zealand. A couple were walking along the waterfront near their home when the corked wine bottle caught their eye. Inside was a letter thrown into the sea near the Falkland Islands, penned on January 20, 2012.
Tuesday, October 10th 2017 - 06:17 UTC
Falklands War memorial unveiled in Brecon by ex governor Sir Alan Huckle

The new Falklands War memorial in Brecon, Wales, was officially unveiled on Saturday in the Peace Gardens. The former Governor of the Falkland Islands, Sir Alan Huckle, unveiled the memorial stone while Jock Blair from the Royal British Legion in Brecon unveiled the bench.
Tuesday, October 10th 2017 - 06:07 UTC
Public funds to finance election campaigns to help fight corruption, “insufficient”

A political campaign fund set up in Brazil with public money to help fight corruption is not big enough for the country’s 2018 general election, the head of the country’s top electoral court said. Brazil’s scandal-plagued political class voted to establish the 1.7 billion Reais (US$542 million) fund to finance election campaigns after corporate donations were banned in the wake of the country’s biggest ever corruption scandal.
Tuesday, October 10th 2017 - 03:00 UTC
Brazilian political system passes a bill forcing social media outlets to censor critical content

In a move that critics say impinges on the legitimacy of democracy, the Brazilian Congress has approved legislation allowing parties and candidates to force social media outlets to censor offensive or critical content by anonymous authors.