MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Stories for February 28th 2026
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Saturday, February 28th 2026 - 23:16 UTC
Chile: undersea cable dispute triggers US visa curbs, leaves Kast to decide on China Mobile project
With Chile’s presidential handover set for March 11, outgoing President Gabriel Boric is closing his term amid a diplomatic dispute with the United States over a China Mobile-backed undersea fiber-optic cable project that would link Chile’s coast in the Valparaíso region to Hong Kong—an issue now landing on president-elect José Antonio Kast’s desk.
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Saturday, February 28th 2026 - 20:21 UTC
Israel says Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in strikes
Israel said on Saturday that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei died during a wave of airstrikes on Iranian territory. An Israeli official, speaking anonymously to local media, said “his body has been found.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said there were “growing signs” that Khamenei had died.
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Saturday, February 28th 2026 - 10:58 UTC
US and Israel launch strikes on Iran; Trump calls them a “massive” operation as Tehran vows retaliation
The United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Saturday, reigniting a regional conflict and further dimming hopes for diplomacy over Tehran’s nuclear program. Explosions were reported in Tehran as Israel moved to emergency measures and shut its airspace to civilian flights.
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Saturday, February 28th 2026 - 02:22 UTC
Poll shows Flávio Bolsonaro drawing level with Lula in a potential Brazil runoff
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro are virtually tied in a simulated second-round vote for October’s election, according to an AtlasIntel survey conducted for Bloomberg News — the first poll to show the pair at parity in a head-to-head scenario.
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Saturday, February 28th 2026 - 01:29 UTC
Uruguay approves offshore 3D seismic survey for oil exploration, sets marine safeguards
Uruguay’s Environment Ministry on Friday granted operational authorization for a 3D seismic survey in its jurisdictional waters, in an offshore block operated by Chevron, with a specialized vessel already in position and work planned through the end of April.
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Saturday, February 28th 2026 - 01:13 UTC
Bolivia military plane carrying central bank cash crashes; crowd tries to grab banknotes
A Bolivian military Hercules C-130 transport aircraft suffered an accident on Friday afternoon in El Alto, the city adjacent to La Paz, leaving at least 15 people dead, according to a preliminary toll attributed to firefighters. The aircraft overran the runway and slid onto a main avenue, striking vehicles and triggering chaotic scenes as residents attempted to collect bundles of cash scattered across the crash area.
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Saturday, February 28th 2026 - 01:09 UTC
Argentina lowers age of criminal responsibility from 16 to 14, Senate approves new juvenile regime
Argentina’s Senate passed a law on Friday lowering the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 16 to 14, a flagship “tough on crime” initiative backed by President Javier Milei. The bill cleared the upper house with 44 votes in favor, 27 against and one abstention, after it had already been approved by the Chamber of Deputies the previous week.
