TLA Times | October 23, 2018
SNAPSHOT
Source: data.worldbank.org

Figures from Oct. 19 Source: www.xe.com
FUN IN THE SUN
BOLIVIA
Bolivia sees potential for lithium extraction from salt flats.
Salar de Uyuni is the world’s largest salt flat and has been used for scenes in the Star Wars series. It has the potential to make Bolivia “the Saudi Arabia of lithium,” ABC News reports. Lithium is the key ingredient for high-tech batteries, and demand is growing. The government plans to open a processing plant next year but is giving assurances that this will have little effect on Salar de Uyuni. Details
PERU
Officials from Singapore, Peru sign Open Skies deal.
Peru and Singapore have reached a deal that will allow the flight of unlimited passengers and cargo between the two countries and to third parties, The Straits Times reports. Singapore has more than 70 Open Skies agreements. “The agreement will open up new opportunities for our carriers and enable greater connectivity for people and goods,’’ an official with the Singapore Transportation Ministry tells The Straits Times. Details
CUBA
Havana to play host to Latin American-Russia conference.
Tass, the Russian news agency, reports that Havana will be the site of a conference about Russian and Latin American business. The is the second such conference. The first took place in Uruguay in 2016. “The development of cooperation with the countries of the Latin American region remains a priority for Russia. Such business events always draw remarkable attention of our Cuban colleagues and partners,’’ Anton Kobyakov, adviser to the president of the Russian Federation, says. Details
MEXICO
State-owned oil company announces 180-million barrel find.
Business Insider reports that Pemex, Mexico’s state-owned oil company, says it has discovered 180 million barrels of oil in the Gulf of Mexico. This may reverse Mexico’s declining oil production, which started in 2004. The company will need to invest $7 billion to $10 billion. Since 2013, Pemex has sought to bring other companies into Mexican oil production. Details