Stories for March 2026

Thursday, March 19th 2026 - 00:50 UTC
UK reaffirms longstanding relation with Chile and continued partnership for the future

The United Kingdom reaffirmed its intention to deepen its relationship with Chile across trade, critical minerals, energy, shipbuilding and scientific cooperation, according to a statement released by the UK Foreign Office following the inauguration of President José Antonio Kast in Santiago.
Thursday, March 19th 2026 - 00:43 UTC
New fees for UK passport applications effective next 8 April

The UK government will introduce new fees for passport applications on 8 April 2026. The proposals, which are subject to approval by Parliament, will include the following:
Wednesday, March 18th 2026 - 23:39 UTC
Delcy Rodríguez removes Vladimir Padrino as Venezuela’s defense minister

Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez on Wednesday removed Vladimir Padrino López as defense minister and appointed General Gustavo González López in his place, ending one of the longest and most politically sensitive tenures within the country’s ruling military hierarchy. Venezuelan media reported the move citing Rodríguez’s official message on X, in which she thanked Padrino for his “loyalty to the homeland” and said he would take on “new responsibilities.”
Wednesday, March 18th 2026 - 23:10 UTC
Brazil promulgates Mercosur-EU deal, completing domestic ratification of trade pact

Brazil’s Congress on Tuesday promulgated the trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union, completing the final domestic step required for the treaty to take effect on the Brazilian side. The ceremony was led by Senate and Congress President Davi Alcolumbre, who framed the pact as a sign in favor of trade, stability and integration at a time of wars and commercial tensions.
Wednesday, March 18th 2026 - 23:04 UTC
Falklands celebrate success of Shearers and Wool-handlers Team at world Golden Shears competition in New Zealand

Congratulations have been pouring on the Falkland Islands Team at the recent 2026 World Shearing and Wool-handling Championships, Golden Shears, at Masterton, New Zealand, following the outstanding results obtained at the competition by Adam, Evan, Talia, Pilar and Richard.
Wednesday, March 18th 2026 - 22:56 UTC
Argentina unemployment rises to 7.5% at end-2025, Indec says

Argentina’s unemployment rate stood at 7.5% in the fourth quarter of 2025, up from 6.4% in the same period of 2024 and from 6.6% in the previous quarter, according to data released on Wednesday by the national statistics agency, Indec. The employment rate was 45.0%, while the activity rate reached 48.6% across the 31 urban areas covered by the Permanent Household Survey.
Wednesday, March 18th 2026 - 22:44 UTC
Brazil’s central bank starts easing cycle, cuts Selic rate to 14.75%

Brazil’s central bank on Wednesday cut the Selic benchmark rate from 15% to 14.75% a year, marking the first reduction since May 2024 and the formal start of an easing cycle that policymakers had already flagged. In its statement, the Monetary Policy Committee, or Copom, said the move was consistent with its strategy to bring inflation back to target and noted that the external environment had become “more uncertain” because of the intensification of geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East.
Wednesday, March 18th 2026 - 22:21 UTC
Attack on world’s largest gas field raises tensions and jolts markets

The war involving Iran, Israel and the United States escalated sharply on Wednesday with a strike on South Pars, the Iranian side of the world’s largest natural gas field, which it shares with Qatar. Reuters reported that the hit on the site marked a new phase in the conflict by targeting major Iranian energy infrastructure for the first time in this war, and was followed by Iranian threats and attacks against energy targets across the Gulf.
Wednesday, March 18th 2026 - 21:00 UTC
Venezuelan National Assembly speaker meets US Senate envoys

Venezuelan National Assembly speaker Jorge Rodríguez said on Wednesday that he met in Caracas with representatives of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and with U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Laura Dogu, in the latest sign of the bilateral opening that began after January’s political shift. Rodríguez said the agenda forms part of a dialogue “always based on mutual respect and cooperation between nations.”
Wednesday, March 18th 2026 - 11:12 UTC
Government targets faster state processes with new economic reform package

Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi and Economy Minister Gabriel Oddone said the government will send a competitiveness and innovation bill to Congress on May 31, focused on foreign trade, competition policy, innovation and administrative simplification. The initiative was launched alongside a call for unions, business chambers and academia to submit proposals by April 24.