
The National Sovereignty Defence bill, with which Javier Milei’s government seeks to toughen sanctions against those involved in exploiting resources in the Falklands, failed to secure committee approval in the Chamber of Deputies and will not reach the special session planned for October 21, according to the Argentine press. The opposition is demanding that the text, which besides sanctions reforms security, defence and intelligence, be split.

Brazil’s Senate on Wednesday approved, by 75 votes to one, a cut in the maximum working week from 44 to 40 hours with no reduction in pay, ending the so-called 6x1 schedule of six working days and one day off and extending to two the days off for formal-sector workers. The reform, which according to Reuters benefits some 37 million people, comes ten days before the presidential runoff between Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro.