Politics

• Friday, December 23rd 2016 - 00:25 UTC

  Greek present for Trump: Obama and Trudeau ban offshore oil and gas drilling in Atlantic and Arctic waters

  

  In the final stretch of his term President Barack Obama is implementing new environmental protections that stand to thwart Donald Trump's agenda on oil and gas extraction in ways that may prove difficult for the president-elect to roll back. The Obama administration announced on Tuesday that it will place an indefinite ban on offshore oil and gas drilling across large swaths of Atlantic and Arctic waters.

• Wednesday, December 21st 2016 - 20:09 UTC

  Maduro reopens Colombian border after eight days

  

  The government of Nicolás Maduro Tuesday reopened its border with Colombia, eight days after closing it to combat smuggling, it was announced.

• Wednesday, December 21st 2016 - 18:50 UTC

  Fireworks market explosion kills at least 31 in Mexico

  

  A huge explosion on Tuesday at the San Pablito fireworks market outside Mexico City has killed at least 31 people, according to the latest reports, while scores were injured. It was said that there were around 300 tonnes of fireworks on site at the time of the explosion, but that is yet to be confirmed.

• Wednesday, December 21st 2016 - 17:54 UTC

  Construction of first Argentine-built Argentine Navy ship in almost 40 years commences

  

  The Rio Santiago shipyard (ARS) Tuesday began building the first ship for the Argentine Navy in 38 years, it was announced.

• Wednesday, December 21st 2016 - 16:56 UTC

  ISIS claims responsibility for Berlin lorry attack

  

  The Islamic State (ISIS) terror organization Tuesday admitted to being behind Monday's attack, when a lorry driven by one of its “soldiers,” crashed into a Berlin Christmas market, leaving 12 people dead.

• Wednesday, December 21st 2016 - 06:44 UTC

  Four people die as Colombian freighter fails takeoff attempt

  

  A Colombian freighter belonging to the airline Aerosucre failed to get properly airborne from Puerto Carreño and ended up crashing onto the ground and bursting into flames five nautical miles from the runway.

• Wednesday, December 21st 2016 - 05:56 UTC

  Kerry told movement of Gullen behind killing of Russian ambassador

  

  Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State John Kerry during which Barack Obama's chief diplomat was informed that the movement of Fethullah Gullen was behind Monday's assassination of the Russian ambassador to Ankara, the official newsagency Anadolu reported.

• Wednesday, December 21st 2016 - 01:12 UTC

  Falklands' additional air link to South America has a target launch date: October 2017

  

  Argentina, United Kingdom and Falkland Islands representatives have agreed on a process for an additional air service to the Falklands, from either Brazil or Chile, with a target launch date of October 2017, and likewise will address scientific data exchange in relation to fish stocks in the South Atlantic, particularly regarding the migratory Illex stock.

• Tuesday, December 20th 2016 - 09:01 UTC

  Macri to undergo microsurgery in vocal chords

  

  Argentine president Mauricio Macri must undergo laser microsurgery in his vocal chords to recover from a standing dysphonia originated in the “intensive and/or abusive use of his voice”

• Tuesday, December 20th 2016 - 08:53 UTC

  Macri manages to neutralize labor unrest with accord on income tax floor

  

  The Argentine government managed on Monday a great breathing space after reaching an understanding with labor unions on income tax cuts which threatened to derail relations with organized labor, and now also ensure a peaceful end of the year holidays. During the morning and while negotiations were ongoing, transport unions showed their muscle paralyzing flights, trains, buses and subways, in the main cities of the country.