
The Falkland Islands government has made a public statement pointing out that the UK Government has been open and transparent with FIG about how it would like to improve the bilateral relationship with Argentina but ”has made it clear that this will not include negotiations on the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.”

Foreign minister Susana Malcorra confirmed on Wednesday that Argentina and the United Kingdom are holding talks, “moving to a more productive phase” which includes making progress towards new “air links between the Falkland Islands and third countries” plus the removal of “restrictive hydrocarbons measures”.

Germany's Deutsche Bank had the highest potential capital shortfall, 19 billion Euros in a study of 51 European banks using U.S. Federal Reserve stress test methods, German economic research institute ZEW said.

With just a month to go until Uruguay's main agro show, Expo Prado, the British Embassy in Montevideo announces that for the third consecutive year it will be present with a Great Pavilion focused on business, education, culture, tourism, gastronomy and entertainment. British brands such as JCB Machinery, Polo Club clothing, FCR-DAS who specialise in quality management certification, fire extinguishers from Noblex, Brompton and other bicycles courtesy of Muvin will all be taking part.

A review of breeding distributions, population trends, threats and key priorities for conservation actions on land and at sea for the 29 species covered by the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) has been published in the journal Biological Conservation. It reveals increased conservation efforts are required in order to secure a sustainable future for albatrosses and large petrels.

Argentines with the support of the Catholic Church and a message from Pope Francis, on Sunday turned an annual religious celebration into a massive rally to protest growing unrest over unemployment, recession, inflation and a promised second half of the year rebound which remains absent.

Chinese exports have seen a further decline in July, adding to concerns over the global economic outlook. Exports fell by 4.4% compared to a year earlier, which was a slight improvement over June's 4.8% drop but still worse than analysts had been expecting. And imports were also weaker than estimated, down by 12.5%.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon applauded on Monday Argentina's commitment and strong partnership with the UN and its cooperation with other countries. Ban Ki-moon arrived in Buenos Aires from Paraguay and previously from Brazil where he was part of the inauguration of the Rio Olympic Games.

Venezuela announced it will not allow Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, “the triple alliance” to storm the Mercosur pro tempore presidency, which the government of president Nicolas Maduro is fully exercising. Caracas also claimed that economic forces operating in the dark are interested in a Mercosur “implosion”.

The Falkland Islands Planning and Building Committee has granted permission to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to undertake clearance of land mines (a technical assessment) at various sites around the Falklands.