Stories for March 13th 2018

Tuesday, March 13th 2018 - 20:44 UTC
Falkland Islanders mark Commonwealth Day with a range of events

On six continents around the globe, the currently 53 countries of the Commonwealth marked Commonwealth Day earlier in the week. The day included messages to the Commonwealth from Her Majesty the Queen as well as the UK Prime Minister, both of which have been covered by MercoPress. However, the Falkland Islands also reaffirmed its ties to the Commonwealth over recent days both within the Islands and elsewhere in the world.
Tuesday, March 13th 2018 - 15:28 UTC
Tillerson fired, Trump names CIA chief Pompeo new Secretary of State

Rex Tillerson was fired as secretary of State on Tuesday, ending a tumultuous tenure as America's top diplomat that was marked by a series of public disagreements with his boss — President Donald Trump.
Tuesday, March 13th 2018 - 09:31 UTC
Argentine envoy in Washington to negotiate exemption of higher metal tariffs

Argentina's Commerce Secretary Miguel Braun travelled to Washington to negotiate an exemption to the higher tariffs recently placed on steel and aluminum imports by the Donald Trump administration.
Tuesday, March 13th 2018 - 09:24 UTC
Brazil Finance minister Meirelles will decide in April if he runs for president

Support for a presidential run by Brazil Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles is gaining strength within the country’s largest party and he could be nominated over President Michel Temer for the October presidential race, party officials said.
Tuesday, March 13th 2018 - 09:20 UTC
Brazil's speaker of the Lower House also wants to run for the presidency

The speaker of Brazil’s lower house of Congress, Rodrigo Maia, said he will run for the presidency with a market-friendly platform advocating tax cuts and more efficient public spending. Maia’s preliminary nomination by his centre-right Democrats party, the main ally to President Michel Temer, must be formalized at a convention in late July.
Tuesday, March 13th 2018 - 09:11 UTC
Gibraltar lowers the EU flag and flies the Commonwealth colors

The flag of the European Union at different points in Gibraltar was lowered over the weekend and replaced by the flag of the Commonwealth, marking Commonwealth Day. It has been traditional for the Commonwealth flag to fly on that day over No.6 Convent Place, the seat of Government in Gibraltar.
Tuesday, March 13th 2018 - 09:03 UTC
Canadian company develops all-natural calamari oil from squid

Canadian company Dr. Dobias Natural Healing has acquired Friend of the Sea Certification for its FeelGood Omega-3 product, an all-natural calamari oil sourced from Japanese flying squid, jumbo flying squid and South Atlantic short-fin squid, fished in South East Pacific Ocean (FAO Area 87).
Tuesday, March 13th 2018 - 08:57 UTC
Argentine icebreaker rescues US scientists stranded in an ice island

A group of US scientists who were stranded in an ice-bound island off the northeastern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula were rescued on Sunday by an Argentine icebreaker, US and Argentine authorities announced Monday.
Tuesday, March 13th 2018 - 07:20 UTC
Commonwealth has key role to play in the bright future for Britain

By Boris Johnson - Writing in The Sunday Express, the Foreign Secretary celebrates shared values with Commonwealth members and looks ahead to opportunities at the London Commonwealth Summit in April. Commonwealth Day is a celebration of the Commonwealth of Nations, and is held on the second Monday in March each year.
Tuesday, March 13th 2018 - 07:12 UTC
White House confirms Trump will visit Peru and Colombia in April

United States president Donald Trump will make his Latin America debut next month, visiting Peru and Colombia after harsh rhetoric towards Hispanic migrants and neighbors to the south. Trump will travel to Peru to attend the Summit of the Americas in Lima on April 13-14, a gathering of leaders from across the Western Hemisphere, and from there he will visit Colombia.