Environment

• Thursday, September 14th 2017 - 07:20 UTC

  Falklands Offshore Minerals Environmental Legislation Consultation

  

  The Falkland Islands Department of Mineral Resources is carrying out a public consultation on a range of proposed legislative measures applying to the offshore oil and gas industry.

• Monday, September 11th 2017 - 06:22 UTC

  Chile creates a marine protected area around Easter Island

  

  Chilean President Michelle Bachelet officially created a 740,000-square kilometer marine reserve around remote Easter Island, a move that will protect dozens of species found nowhere else. The move follows five years of efforts by environmental organizations and the Rapa Nui people of Easter Island, famous for its extreme isolation and mysterious stone statues known as Moai.

• Sunday, September 10th 2017 - 12:53 UTC

  Update regarding Irma’s impact over the Caribbean Islands.

  

  Assessments are still coming in from the impact of Hurricane Irma on a number of Caribbean countries in the northern Leeward Islands and the northern Caribbean with warnings and watches still in place for a few countries in Irma’s path. Additionally, due to the projected path of Hurricane Jose, a category 4 storm, tropical storm and hurricane watches and warnings have been issued for some countries in the northern Leeward Islands.

• Sunday, September 10th 2017 - 09:19 UTC

  UK's response to Hurricane Irma has been “found waiting”; several Caribbean islands devastated

  

  Britain's response to Hurricane Irma has been “found wanting”, the heads of two parliamentary committees have said. Many of those affected in the UK's overseas territories in the Caribbean are still in “grave need”, Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat and Labour MP Stephen Twigg said.The UK has stepped up its relief effort, with three RAF aid flights sent to the area.

• Sunday, September 10th 2017 - 08:25 UTC

  Hurricane Irma forces the evacuation of 6.4 million people in Florida

  

  Hurricane Irma’s leading edge swirled toward Florida state with 195 km/h winds Saturday on a projected new track that could expose Tampa — not Miami — to a direct hit. Tampa has not taken a head-on blow from a major hurricane in nearly a century.

• Friday, September 8th 2017 - 17:06 UTC

  Strongest earthquake in a century rocks Mexico

  

  An earthquake of magnitude 8.1 struck off the southern coast of Mexico late on Thursday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said, killing at least 61 people and triggering small tsunami waves but no major destruction.

• Friday, September 8th 2017 - 09:47 UTC

  UK declares state of emergency in several Caribbean Overseas Territories hit by hurricane Irma

  

  A state of emergency has been declared in a British Overseas Territory hit by Hurricane Irma. British Virgin Islands governor Gus Jaspert said there were reports of casualties and fatalities, and help had been requested from the UK. He said radio and other communication channels were extremely limited.

• Friday, September 8th 2017 - 08:42 UTC

  Chile and Argentina working on an energy, gas and power, swap deal

  

  Chile expects to close an energy swap deal with Argentina in the days ahead, Chilean Energy Minister Andres Rebolledo said in an interview Thursday. The neighboring nations are also negotiating the locations for five additional transmission line interconnection points, with an agreement expected as early as January, the minister revealed.

• Thursday, September 7th 2017 - 07:37 UTC

  Expo-Prado agro-industrial show opens in Montevideo

  

  Uruguay's main agricultural, industrial and commercial show, Expo/Prado 2017 opened in Montevideo on Wednesday. The annual event, which this year is international, (it rotates with Argentina's Palermo show) is an opportunity for city people to admire the best cattle, sheep, horses and hogs of the region, and for the farmers a chance to see how much technology has advanced in the last twelve months.

• Friday, September 1st 2017 - 10:14 UTC

  Harvey killed at least 30 and losses in Texas could reach US$ 100bn; half a million claiming federal assistance

  

  The costs of the deadly storm in Texas and the Gulf of Mexico continued to mount on Thursday, with some analysts estimating losses that approach US$100bn. Harvey has killed more than 30 people and destroyed thousands of homes. Many firms in the region, a major transport hub that is a home to the oil and gas industry, don't know when they will resume normal operations.