Stories for February 2023

Tuesday, February 7th 2023 - 10:35 UTC
Foreign Office Travel Advice for the Falklands and Chile

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has updated (February 7) its travel advises to the Falkland Islands and to Chile, with the usual main points of its reports: Summary, Coronavirus, Safety and Security, Terrorism, Local Laws and Customs, Entry requirements, Natural Disasters, Health, Money, Travel Advice and Support.
Tuesday, February 7th 2023 - 10:30 UTC
Tourism industry in Brazil expects a 2023 boom year; much bus traveling to discover the huge country

The Brazilian Ministry of Tourism recently released figures indicating the country received 3.1 million international tourists from January to November 2022, which is more than the 2.9 million tourist arrivals in 2020 and 2021.
Tuesday, February 7th 2023 - 10:26 UTC
East Anglia University team joins RRS Sir Attenborough in Antarctica science trials

Researchers from the University of East Anglia have joined the UK’s new polar ship RRS Sir David Attenborough as it begins its polar science trials in Antarctica. A team of 30 national and international scientists, engineers and technical staff departed the Falkland Islands on January 31 – where for almost two months they will test the ship's science capabilities in deep polar waters.
Tuesday, February 7th 2023 - 10:22 UTC
Emergency in Brazil as avian flu outbreak reported in neighboring Bolivia; poultry exports total US$ 9,7billion

After two decades, the highly pathogenic (when almost all infected animals show symptoms of the disease) avian flu has become a real threat to Brazilian flocks and production. Nine countries in Central and South America have confirmed 75 outbreaks of the disease in recent months and have already had to sacrifice 1.2 million birds.
Tuesday, February 7th 2023 - 10:08 UTC
Beijing admits balloon over Latin America is theirs

As US defense forces are beginning to pick up the debris from the Chinese balloon downed during the weekend by the Air Force on President Joseph Biden's orders, the Asian country admitted a second such aircraft last spotted over Colombia belonged to them. Biden said Monday that the Pentagon was in contact with the Latin American countries through which the Chinese balloon passed. The Colombian Air Force reported that “an object” with “characteristics similar to those of a balloon” was detected and monitored “until it left the airspace.”
Tuesday, February 7th 2023 - 10:04 UTC
Ecuador's referendum a major setback for President Lasso

Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso Monday admitted defeat in Sunday's referendum through which he intended to garner enough consensus for the remainder of his term after 18 months in office. Citizens were asked, among other issues, to decide whether national offenders could be extradited abroad to face drug-trafficking charges. Lasso favored the idea, a slim majority did not with 47% of the votes counted.
Tuesday, February 7th 2023 - 09:50 UTC
Garimpo is lethal, Brazilian minister says

Brazil's Minister for Indigenous Peoples Sonia Guajajara described the presence of illegal mining (known locally as “garimpo”) in the Yanomami Indigenous Land as destructive, Agencia Brasil reported Monday.
Tuesday, February 7th 2023 - 09:20 UTC
Falkland Islands reduced access to Customs and Immigration

The Falkland Islands Customs and Immigration would like to inform the public that due to staff illness, they will be closed to visits from the general public until Thursday 9 February.
Monday, February 6th 2023 - 10:40 UTC
The Indigenous-led movement shaking a divided Peru

By Eduardo Gamarra (*) – Peru is in the midst of a political and civil crisis. Weeks of protest have culminated in thousands descending on the capital amid violent clashes and running battles with police.
Monday, February 6th 2023 - 10:35 UTC
Chile's wildfires death toll reaches 24

Chilean authorities spoke Sunday of 24 fatalities, nearly 1,000 people injured, and some 800 houses destroyed in the past five days by wildfires spreading fast in amid a highly-irregular heat wave with strong winds and temperatures above 40°C in areas 500 km south of Santiago.