
Executives of Brazilian state oil company Petrobras and Bolivian counterpart YPFB signed this week a contract for a US$1.2 billion natural-gas exploration venture in southern Bolivia. Bolivian President Evo Morales and Brazil's minister of mines and energy, Fernando Coelho Filho, traveled to Bolivia's eastern city of Santa Cruz for the signing ceremony.

In a colorful opening ceremony in the Legislative Chamber at the Parliament Buildings in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, over 60 young participants representing CPA Branches in eight of the nine CPA Regions – Africa; Asia; Australia; British Islands and Mediterranean; Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic; Canada; India; Pacific – came together for the start of a week long program of events. The Falkland Islands are represented by Jody Aldridge and Gemma Finn.

The UN General Assembly’s Fourth Committee adopted this week a consensus decision setting out the conflicting positions of the British and Spanish governments on Gibraltar, and including – for the first time – Britain’s double-lock commitment on sovereignty. The decision was agreed by Britain and Spain despite the starkly contrasting views set out at the last session of the Fourth Committee in October, as reported by the Gibraltar Chronicle.

The Electoral Observation Mission of the Organization of American States (EOM/OAS) to the general elections in the United States congratulated the winners – especially President-elect Donald Trump – and recognized the civic behavior of the citizens and the officials who participated in the process, in its presentation of the preliminary report on its work, which mentioned the strong points and opportunities for improvement in the process.

The Government of the Falkland Islands and the British Embassies in Uruguay, Brazil and Chile invited university students to participate in this regional competition to win the chance to visit the Falklands for a week, all expenses paid.

Brazilian President Michel Temer has been accused of taking a large bribe by a former political ally. Lawyers for former President Dilma Rousseff, who was removed from office in May, filed court documents which they say prove the claim.

Gibraltar “is part of the UK” and its particular circumstances will be reflected in Britain’s exit deal from the EU, the UK’s ambassador to Spain said this week, adding that co-sovereignty was not an option. Simon Manley made the comments in a wide-ranging interview on Brexit published by La Nueva España newspaper on Wednesday.

After savaging President Barack Obama before and during his campaign, President-elect Donald Trump met him in person for the first time on Thursday and said he had “great respect” for him. President Barack Obama called his conversation with President-elect Trump excellent.

The Dow Jones index climbed more than 300 points (1.5 percent), by the afternoon, coming back from an abrupt 750-point plunge as election results came in. Stock markets reversed overnight losses stemming from the shock of Donald Trump's upset victory and and the Dow Jones Industrial Average soared to what would be a record closing high as investors assimilated the implications of the Republican return to the White House.

It was in the first three quarters of 2016 compared to the same period in 2015, the Argentine Ministry of Agroindustry reported during the Agricultural Perspectives Conference at the Buenos Aires Cereal Exchange.