Latin America

• Wednesday, October 4th 2017 - 09:59 UTC

  Bolivian army veterans refuse to attend 50th anniversary of “Che” Guevara's death

  

  A row has broken out in Bolivia between the government and army veterans over the 50th anniversary of the death of the Cuban revolutionary, Ernesto “Che” Guevara. The Bolivian government is planning a series of commemorations next week in the presence of foreign guests.

• Thursday, September 28th 2017 - 07:16 UTC

  OAS hosts seminar on “Connectivity and Freedom of Expression in the Americas”

  

  Experts, academics and authorities on connectivity and freedom of expression in the Americas will meet Thursday at the headquarters of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington, DC to discuss and share experiences about optimal regulatory policies to create a universal telecommunication connectivity environment that helps strengthen the exercise of freedom of expression and of the press in the region.

• Thursday, September 21st 2017 - 07:24 UTC

  Hurricane Maria's 250km strong winds knock out Puerto Rico, St Croix, and Guadeloupe

  

  Hurricane Maria has knocked out power to the entire island of Puerto Rico, home to 3.5m people, emergency officials have said. Abner Gomez, head of the disaster management agency, said none of the customers of Puerto Rico's Electric Power Authority had any electricity.

• Wednesday, September 20th 2017 - 18:32 UTC

  Argentina 2018 budget bill forecasts growth of 3.5% and 15.7% inflation

  

  Argentina’s 2018 budget bill forecasts economic growth of 3.5% next year and average annual inflation of 15.7%, Treasury Minister Nicolas Dujovne told Congress. The bill proposes a 2018 primary fiscal deficit of 3.2% of gross domestic product (GDP) as previously announced.

• Wednesday, September 20th 2017 - 07:17 UTC

  Powerful wide ranging earthquake kills at least 200 in Mexico; thousands flee in panic

  

  A powerful earthquake shook central Mexico on Tuesday, collapsing buildings in plumes of dust and killing at least 200 people. Thousands fled into the streets in panic, and many stayed to help rescue those trapped.

• Wednesday, September 20th 2017 - 07:00 UTC

  Merciless Hurricane Maria lashes across the Caribbean leaving thousands homeless

  

  Hurricane Maria slammed into the US Virgin Islands on Tuesday, lashing the archipelago with rain as Puerto Rico braced for the Category Five storm’s expected landfall on Wednesday. On St John Island, which was also battered by Hurricane Irma two weeks ago, locals reported seeing trees dramatically swaying in swirling winds, with rain pouring “sideways.”

• Wednesday, September 20th 2017 - 01:46 UTC

  Peru appoints more conservative cabinet following a no confidence vote

  

  Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski made Vice President Mercedes Araoz his new prime minister in a Cabinet shuffle on Sunday that won praise from the opposition - a sign his year-old government will likely avoid a fresh standoff with Congress. Kuczynski also swore in Deputy Economy Minister Claudia Cooper as his new finance minister and replaced his justice, education, health and housing ministers.

• Tuesday, September 19th 2017 - 19:57 UTC

  Irish and French farmers warn about Mercosur/EU beef negotiations

  

  News of a potential offer of a tariff rate quota for 85,000 tons of beef in the Mercosur/European Union negotiations has triggered a dismayed reaction from the ICSA’s (Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association’s) Beef Chairman Edmond Phelan.

• Tuesday, September 19th 2017 - 09:04 UTC

  Hurricane Maria flattens Dominica: “we need help, we need help of all kinds”

  

  The British Overseas Territory of Dominica has suffered “widespread damage” from Hurricane Maria, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit announced. “We have lost all that money can buy,” he said in a Facebook post. The hurricane suddenly strengthened to a “potentially catastrophic” category five storm, before making landfall on the Caribbean island.

• Monday, September 18th 2017 - 09:40 UTC

  Washington considers closing embassy in Havana because of “sonic attacks”

  

  The United States is considering closing its embassy in Cuba after diplomatic staff reported health problems which Washington blames on a “sonic attack”. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said a decision whether to shut to the mission in Havana was “under evaluation”.