
Venezuelan ruler Nicolás Maduro Thursday announced he had signed a series of bilateral agreements during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The cooperation accords are on mining, oil, telecommunications, weapons and food.

Brexit's economic effects will be the focus of a Commons debate later, as government whips work behind the scenes to gain support for Theresa May's deal. Ministers will say it creates a unique partnership with the EU, while Labour argues it will make people poorer.

Argentina's state-run energy company YPF and Malaysia's Petronas agreed this week to invest US$ 2.3 billion in a shale oil project in Vaca Muerta, with a target of reaching 60,000 b/d of oil equivalent by 2022. The investment will be in La Amarga Chica, where the companies have been testing the shale oil potential since 2015 and have spent US$ 550 million to date in the process, YPF said in a statement.

The Scottish Parliament has voted by 92 to 29 to formally reject the UK government's draft Brexit deal. SNP, Labour, Green and Lib Dem members at Holyrood backed a motion rejecting the proposals, as well as the prospect of leaving without any deal. However, the parties have not come to a consensus on an alternative plan.

Manufacturing in Argentina fell 6.8% in October year on year, while construction declined 3.7%, and in the first ten months of this year 2.5% and 4.9% respectively according to the Indec statistics bureau report. Firms were hit hard by a contraction in economic activity and the devaluation of the Peso against the US dollar.

Cubans will have access for the first time to 3G mobile telephone technology starting this coming Thursday, the state-run telecoms monopoly in Cuba, Etecsa, announced Wednesday.

Chinese officials have said they are confident in implementing trade commitments made to the US as soon as possible, without giving details. An ongoing trade war has seen both countries impose duties on billions of dollars of one another's goods.

Right-wing President-elect Jair Bolsonaro said on Tuesday he plans to tackle the overhaul of Brazil's fiscally burdensome pension system with piecemeal reforms that can pass Congress, starting with an increase in the minimum age of retirement. He said reforms should start with the public social security system and advance gradually to make sure they pass Congress.

Chinese President Xi Jinping Monday explained relations between his country and Panama have ”gotten off to a strong start in just a year-and-a-half” after the establishment of diplomatic ties in June 2017.

After meeting in Caracas with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro took off for Moscow, where he hopes to hold some “serious talks” with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in order to “strengthen and expand diplomatic relations and friendly ties between the brotherly nations.”