Day: July 8, 2021

Argentina said that it is taking steps to sanction foreign companies undertaking hydrocarbon exploration in the South Atlantic.

Officials said the companies are illegally exploring in Argentina’s Continental shelf — an area in the northern Falklands basin.

The Foreign and Energy ministries announced that sanctions will be levied against two British and one from Israel.

The announcement was made at a news conference on Wednesday by the Malvinas, Antarctica and South Atlantic Secretary Daniel Filmus, alongside his Energy counterpart, Dario Martinez.

“The companies are not authorized to operate nor have they requested authorization and that is why we started this process, which has to do with notification and sanctions,” said Martínez. “The Ministry of Energy provided the technical knowledge and records and then the Foreign Ministry will continue with the claims.”

He said actions against Chrysaor Holdings Limited and Harbor Energy Plc from the UK and Navitas Petroleum LP from Israel, are “to defend energy sovereignty” of Argentina.

They will be served notices for breaking hydrocarbon laws dating to 2011 and 2013, respectively.

The laws establish that companies operating in the area have an “obligation to obtain permits prior to carrying out said activities.”

“We are initiating the process of sanctioning companies that are linked to the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons in the Argentine Continental Shelf and the North Malvinas Basin without authorization from the Argentine government,” said Filmus.

Possible sanctions could range from the inability to operate in Argentina from five to 20 years and fines.

All three companies have 20 days to issue a defense.

Officials said the companies were previously warned but continued their activities.

Authorities also said Argentina is supported by multilateral blocs, including the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, Mercosur and the Ibero-American Summit.

They warned of previous incidents which were not resolved and that such events could create an “environmental risk” in the future.

All three companies will now be added to a list of eight that have been sanctioned between 2011 and 2015.

Argentina and the UK have endured a protracted disagreement and dispute concerning ownership of the Falklands, or the Malvinas as they are referred to by Argentina – who have claimed sovereignty over the British-administered Islands.

The countries fought a brief war in 1982 concerning the islands.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Authorities have reacted to the assassination of Haitian president Jovenel Moise by killing four suspected “mercenaries” and arresting two of the alleged perpetrators of the crime, Police General Director Leon Charles said in a televised briefing late on Wednesday.

“We blocked them en route as they left the scene of the crime. Since then, we have been battling with them,” said Charles.

President Moise was killed in an armed attack at his private residence in Port-au-Prince by a group of unknown individuals on early Wednesday, after which interim prime minister Claude Joseph declared a nationwide state of siege, granting broad powers to the army.

Haiti’s first lady, Martine Moise, was injured in the attack and was transferred to a hospital in Miami where she is being treated.

The country’s international airport in Port-Au-Prince closed and the government of neighboring Dominican Republic ordered the “immediate closure” of its border with Haiti.

Haitian President Jovenel Moise was shot 12 times during the attack, said Judge Carl Henry Destin who was in charge of the forensic report.

The gunmen spoke Spanish, said Joseph, who assumed the leadership of the country and said “the situation was under control” by the police and military.

Three police officers who were held hostage by the suspected gunmen were freed late Wednesday, Charles said.

The recent events have plunged the country into leadership chaos. Moise, 53, took office in 2017 after a contested election. After failing to hold elections, the opposition had been demanding him to step down. Only a day before his death, Moise had appointed a new prime minister who was due to take office this week, so Joseph was virtually stepping down. Haiti was going to hold presidential and legislative elections on Sept. 26.

The killing brought condemnation by many countries including Dominican Republic, Mexico, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Argentina.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Czech tennis player Karolina Pliskova advanced to the Wimbledon women’s singles final after defeating Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus on Thursday.

She won the semifinal clash with the sets of 5-7, 6-4, and 6-4.

Pliskova will face World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty of Australia in Saturday’s final.

Source: Anadolu Agency