Stories for February 2019

Wednesday, February 6th 2019 - 09:59 UTC
Falklands approves funding for a new aircraft to meet local demand

The Falkland Islands Government Air Service has received funding approval from the Executive Council and the Standing Finance Committee for a new aircraft to replace Islander VP-FBM which incurred substantial structural damage while landing at Beaver Island in June.
Wednesday, February 6th 2019 - 09:53 UTC
Trump announces meeting with Kim, calls for unity and blasts “ridiculous partisan investigations”

United States President Donald Trump has announced in his State of the Union speech that he will hold a second nuclear summit with North Korea's leader this month. In an address to the nation with the theme “Choosing Greatness”, he vowed once again to build a border wall.
Wednesday, February 6th 2019 - 09:22 UTC
“Neutral” Uruguay's name mentioned in attempts to drain Venezuelan coffers

A bank in Portugal has blocked Venezuela’s attempt to transfer US$ 1.2 billion to Uruguay, a lawmaker said on Tuesday as the opposition to President Nicolas Maduro warned of the theft of public funds, while the United States sent food and medical aid to the Venezuelan-Colombian border.
Wednesday, February 6th 2019 - 09:20 UTC
Vale in deep legal “sludge” over dam burst: 135 dead and 200 missing

A report commissioned by Brazilian miner Vale SA last year to look into the stability of the tailings dam that ruptured January 25, killing 135, certified it as sound but raised concerns over its drainage and monitoring systems, newspaper Folha de S Paulo reported on Tuesday.
Wednesday, February 6th 2019 - 09:19 UTC
LGBT tourism in friendly Argentina on the rise and down in Brazil

Argentina and Brazil had always been competing. This is not only true for soccer, but also for tourism. Anti-LGBT policies in the making in Brazil may contribute to an even bigger growth for tourism from this sector for Argentina.
Wednesday, February 6th 2019 - 09:09 UTC
Sexual abuse of nuns by clerics, including abortions, 'and still going', was admitted by Pope Francis

Pope Francis has admitted that clerics have sexually abused nuns, and in one case they were kept as sex slaves. He said in that case his predecessor, Pope Benedict, was forced to shut down an entire congregation of nuns who were being abused by priests.
Wednesday, February 6th 2019 - 09:05 UTC
UK seminar for Overseas Territories on safe maritime trade and seabed mapping

The United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) have launched a five-day capacity building seminar to help UK Overseas Territories, including the Falkland Islands, support safe maritime trade. The seminar, delivered as part of the government’s Overseas Territories Seabed Mapping Program, will focus on international regulations, with sessions on maritime safety information training, best practice governance and maritime law.
Wednesday, February 6th 2019 - 08:58 UTC
US humanitarian aid stationed at the Colombia/Venezuela border

Trucks carrying food and medical supplies sent by the United States to be stockpiled until it can be brought into Venezuela will arrive later this week at Guaido’s request and will be prepositioned at the main Colombian-Venezuelan border crossing at Cucuta, U.S. sources revealed
Wednesday, February 6th 2019 - 08:54 UTC
Bolsonaro remains in semi intensive care unit, with no discharge date

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s medical condition has improved, with no fever, but he remains in semi-intensive care with visits restricted and there is no date set for him to leave the hospital, his spokesman, Otavio de Rego Barros said on Tuesday.
Wednesday, February 6th 2019 - 08:45 UTC
Brussels insists the Irish backstop agreed with PM May is the “only operational solution”

Brussels has stepped up its opposition to attempts to reopen Theresa May’s Brexit deal as senior Tories began talks on alternatives to the Irish backstop. The European Union’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier said the backstop was the “only operational solution” to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland.