Politics

• Friday, March 14th 2025 - 10:04 UTC

  New euthanasia bill submitted before Uruguayan Congress

  

  Uruguayan lawmakers submitted a new euthanasia bill before the Lower House, reviving a proposal already passed there in 2022 but stalled in the Senate. The bill, introduced by deputies from the Colorado Party (PC) and the ruling Brooad Front (Frente Amplio - FA), is supported by a multiparty coalition including members of the Partido Nacional and Partido Independiente. The initiative seeks to allow assisted death for individuals with terminal, incurable, and irreversible diseases.

• Friday, March 14th 2025 - 09:34 UTC

  Argentina's CGT announces 24-hour general strike

  

  Argentina's General Labor Confederation (CGT) will be staging a 24-hour general strike against the government of Javier Milei, tentatively set for before April 10. Héctor Daer, one of the CGTs triumvirs, announced the plan Thursday during a meeting with social movements and at the closing of Juan Grabois' Union of Workers of the Popular Economy (UTEP) plenary at the CGT headquarters.

• Friday, March 14th 2025 - 09:28 UTC

  Venezuela to resume repatriation flights for irregular migrants in the US

  

  Venezuela's Chavista regime confirmed Thursday the resumption of repatriation flights for migrants deported from the United States under the “Return to the Homeland” Plan, following an agreement with US Special Envoy Richard Grenell. National Assembly Speaker Jorge Rodríguez announced the initiative and blamed Washington for the delays after President Donald Trump revoked Chevron's license to operate in the South American country. Since the program began, over 300 Venezuelans have been repatriated on three flights.

• Thursday, March 13th 2025 - 19:25 UTC

  Uruguayan President backtracks on horsetaming restrictions

  

  Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi suspended for 180 days a regulation passed last month by the previous administration of Luis Lacalle Pou concerning the National Institute of Animal Welfare (INBA) to prioritize animal welfare in horsetaming (jineteadas). The newly-inaugurated head of State said the measure approved last Feb. 10 was too strict to rural sectors, forcing them to cancel several traditional events.

• Thursday, March 13th 2025 - 17:57 UTC

  Trump threatens to impose 200% tariffs on all EU alcoholic products

  

  US President Donald Trump threatened Thursday to impose a 200% tariff on all European Union (EU) alcoholic products, including wines, champagnes, and other beverages, in response to the reinstatement of a 50% tariff on American whiskey. The EU's tariffs, announced by the European Commission on Wednesday, are set to begin on April 1 and fully take effect by April 13, targeting US$ 19.6 billion in US imports. This move retaliates against Trump's recent 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports starting Thursday. The EU tariffs also revive previous measures from 2018 and 2020, impacting US$ 8.7 billion in US goods, focusing on products from Republican-led states like soybeans, beef, and poultry.

• Thursday, March 13th 2025 - 10:59 UTC

  House of Commons question on beneficial ownership registers in Overseas Territories

  

  British Members or Parliament continued to discuss the implementation of publicly accessible beneficial ownership registers in the overseas territories, to which the Falkland Islands and St Helena committed to join by April 2025..

• Thursday, March 13th 2025 - 10:40 UTC

  Trump's 25% tariffs: Lula's gov't favors negotiation over retaliation

  

  The Brazilian government criticized US President Donald Trump's decision to impose a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports. The protectionist move is foreseen to cause the South American country around US$ 1.5 billion loss in exports, primarily affecting semi-finished products. Despite its potential impact on the steel sector, minimal effects on Brazil's GDP and total exports are projected. The Government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva favors negotiation over retaliation.

• Thursday, March 13th 2025 - 10:38 UTC

  Bolivian gov't announces measures to tackle fuel shortages

  

  Bolivian President Luis Arce Catacora announced Wednesday in a broadcast message a set of ten measures adopted by his government to tackle the fuel shortage affecting his country.

• Thursday, March 13th 2025 - 10:35 UTC

  Across-Amazon highway to be built for COP30 sparks controversy

  

  As Brazilian authorities prepare for the upcoming COP30 climate summit in November in Belém, constructing a new four-lane highway - Avenida Liberdade - through the protected Amazon rainforest has sparked controversy. The structure seeks to ease traffic for the expected 50,000 attendees, including world leaders. But it has led to significant deforestation, fragmenting ecosystems and disrupting wildlife movement along its 13 kilometers.

• Thursday, March 13th 2025 - 10:31 UTC

  Labour has found out it needs to continue stimulating oil and gas production

  

  An oil industry information site has published a most interesting piece on the UK Labour government turn around in its oil and gas policy. The piece recalls that when the Labour Party of Keir Starmer won the latest UK elections, it vowed to stop new oil and gas exploration. The Starmer cabinet has stayed true to its word on that—but it is looking for ways to boost production through other means.