Latin America

• Wednesday, September 14th 2016 - 21:02 UTC

  Falklands mine clearance project receives a new £20m UK commitment

  

  The Falkland Islands Government, FIG, and Falkland Islanders have welcomed the announcement of a new £20m landmine clearance commitment by the UK which will make safe dozens of areas which have been unusable for residents and visitors. The project financed by the Foreign Office and Ministry of Defense will clear 46 minefields over the next two years and prepare for clearance another 27. So far more than 30 minefields have been cleared in the Falklands in recent years and this is in line with the UK obligations under the Ottawa Treaty.

• Wednesday, September 14th 2016 - 18:35 UTC

  Falklands welcomes UK/Argentina future cooperation agreement, which leaves sovereignty discussions out

  

  The Falkland Islands Government (FIG) welcomed the UK/Argentina future cooperation agreement to remove all obstacles limiting the economic growth and development of the Falkland Islands and points out it will be represented at future discussions on these matters, the removal of sanctions on hydrocarbons, fisheries, shipping and tourism, and underlines that “sovereignty of the Falkland Islands will not be part of these discussions”.

• Tuesday, September 13th 2016 - 19:51 UTC

  Macri announces top level meeting with UK to address ''all issues'', next week in New York

  

  Argentine president Mauricio Macri described as a “gesture” the attendance of Foreign Office minister Alan Duncan at the Business and Investment forum in Buenos Aires, and anticipated that UK and Argentina are preparing a bilateral meeting next week in New York on the sidelines of the annual UN general assembly to address all issues including Falklands/Malvinas.

• Tuesday, September 13th 2016 - 10:44 UTC

  First OAS Electoral Observation Mission to the US next November 8

  

  The former president of Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla, will head the first Electoral Observation Mission that the OAS will deploy to the United States and that will observe the upcoming November 8 elections.

• Tuesday, September 13th 2016 - 10:17 UTC

  More than 230 cruise ships will pass through the Panama Canal this 2016/17 season

  

  Cruise ship Coral Princess is slated to transit the Panama Canal on a voyage from Los Angeles, Calif., to the U.S. East Coast on October 4, 2016, officially kicking off the canal’s 2016-2017 cruise season, which according to the Panama Canal Authority will see more than 230 cruise ships pass through the Panama Canal.

• Monday, September 12th 2016 - 10:19 UTC

  Guyana working to establish an onshore oil and gas facility to boost the incipient industry

  

  The Guyana government intends to establish an onshore oil and gas facility in the country as it seeks to fully optimize opportunities in petroleum exploration and production. The Ministry of Natural Resources, working in conjunction with the Ministries of Public Infrastructure and Business, says it believes that this facility is critical and said it is part of the raft of measures intended to ensure that Guyana keeps on the right trajectory in the development of the oil and gas industry.

• Saturday, September 10th 2016 - 11:47 UTC

  Falklands' response to Malcorra's statements of air links to Argentina and the oil industry

  

  The Falkland Islands Government has acknowledged it is aware of media coverage of Argentine foreign minister Susana Malcorra referred to proposals of possible air links between the Islands and Argentina as well as talks on other areas of interest such as the fishing and hydrocarbons industries.

• Thursday, September 8th 2016 - 02:45 UTC

  Morales demands FIFA sanctions Chile for offensive chanting against Bolivia during Russia 2018 qualifier

  

  President Evo Morales has called on the soccer authorities of Bolivia, the South American football confederation, Conmebol, and FIFA to sanction Chile for the offensive chanting towards Bolivians during the Russia 2018 Cup qualifier match played on Tuesday night in Santiago's Monumental Stadium.

• Wednesday, September 7th 2016 - 17:00 UTC

  Brazil's central bank sounds more flexible on the world's highest interest rates

  

  The Brazilian central bank said on Tuesday that future interest rate cuts will not depend on any single factor, signaling that policymakers are ready to ease monetary policy as inflation expectations improve. In the minutes of its last rate-setting meeting, the bank said all members were satisfied with the progress of disinflation, but remained cautious about high inflation expectations for 2017.

• Tuesday, September 6th 2016 - 19:36 UTC

  Cuba looking for new oil supplier and begins implementing social security tax

  

  President Raul Castro has asked Russia to consider beginning to supply Cuba with oil. Before the Soviet Union’s disintegration in 1991, the ex URSS was Cuba’s main supplier under favorable trade terms. Russia's official news network revealed the news, allegedly in a direct request from Castro to president Vladimir Putin.