- India's capital bans fireworks to curb air pollution
- Stocks diverge, oil retreats as China disappoints markets
- FIFA to open 'global dialogue' on transfer system after Diarra ruling
- Trio wins economics Nobel for work on wealth inequality
- Starmer vows to cut red tape as he urges foreign investors to 'back' UK
- Ex-Stasi officer jailed over 1974 Berlin border killing
- 'Not viable': Barcelona turns against surging tourism
- Hezbollah says targeted Israeli naval base after deadly drone strike
- Rice praises 'unbelievable' England interim boss Carsley despite uncertainty
- Nepali teenager hailed as hero after climbing world's 8,000m peaks
- England captain Stokes back from injury for second Pakistan Test
- Shanghai stocks gain after stimulus briefing as markets rally
- Shanghai stocks gain after stimulus briefing as Asian markets rally
- South Korea military says 'fully ready' as drone flights anger North
- Pakistan 'vigilantes' behind rise in online blasphemy cases
- Nearly 90, but opera legend Kabaivanska is still calling tune
- Smith experiment as Test opener over, Green out of India series
- With inflation down, ECB eyes faster tempo of rate cuts
- Is life possible on a Jupiter moon? NASA goes to investigate
- Dodgers crush Mets 9-0 in MLB playoff series opener
- South Korea military says 'fully ready' as drone tensions soar
- Cummins back, Marsh and Head out of Pakistan ODI series
- Shanghai stocks swing after stimulus briefing as most of Asia rises
- New Zealand's Latham promises 'no fear' as he takes charge for India Tests
- Kyrgios vows to 'shut up' doubters with December comeback
- Public hearings start into death of Brit by Russian nerve agent
- Ex-Stasi officer faces verdict over 1974 Berlin border killing
- Role of government, poverty research tipped for economics Nobel
- 'Stolen satire' feeds US election misinformation
- Rookie McCarty captures first PGA Tour title in Black Desert Championship
- Australia all-rounder Green ruled out of India Test series
- Seeing double in Nigeria's 'twins capital of the world'
- UK FM to attend EU foreign affairs talks for first time in 2 years
- Carter, Billups among 13 new Basketball Hall of Fame inductees
- Ravens rip Commanders as Lions lose NFL sacks leader in win
- Hezbollah drone strike kills four, wounds dozens at Israeli base
- China says launches military drills around Taiwan
- Stewart leads Liberty past Lynx to level WNBA Finals
- England return to winning ways in Nations League, Austria thrash Norway
- UN chief says attacks on UNIFIL 'may constitute a war crime'
- Ravens outlast Commanders while Bucs batter Saints in NFL
- Dozens hurt in Israel as Hezbollah claims drone strike
- England deserve 'world class' coach: Carsley
- Burkina Faso win to become first qualifiers for 2025 AFCON
- AC Milan's Pulisic among five out for USA match in Mexico
- France's Amandine Henry retires from international football
- Centre-left set to win pro-Ukraine Lithuania's vote
- India's World Cup hopes in Pakistan hands after Australia defeat
- Zelensky says NKorea sending troops to Russian army
- England beat Finland to get back on track
Canadian mining firm seeks to suspend 7,000 workers in Panama
Canadian firm First Quantum Minerals on Thursday asked Panama's government to suspend the contracts of some 7,000 workers at Central America's biggest copper mine, due to be closed under a court ruling.
The company said it had been forced to halt production after road blockades which cut off essential supplies and "has also affected our ability to maintain work activities on site."
It has therefore asked the ministry of labor to suspend the contracts of some 7,000 employees, First Quantum said in a statement. This would allow it to stop paying wages.
The mine workers' union asked the ministry to reject the company's request.
On Tuesday, Panama's Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional a contract awarded to First Quantum.
Trade and Industries Minister Federico Alfaro Boyd, the official in charge of negotiations with the Canadian company, resigned Thursday, warning that the Supreme Court's decision "could have serious consequences for the country."
Panama has faced nationwide protests and roadblocks since Congress approved a law in October allowing First Quantum Minerals to operate the copper mine for another 20 years, with an option to extend for another two decades.
Protesters were concerned over the potential environmental impacts of Central America's largest open-pit copper mine, as well as about other terms of the deal.
The protests against the mine agreement were the largest since the fall of dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega in 1989. Roadblocks, including of the Pan-American Highway, led to more than $1.7 billion in losses, according to business associations.
The Supreme Court had declared the original mining contract unconstitutional in 2017, but the government argued that a new deal set out a minimum annual contribution from the mining company to the state of $375 million -- 10 times more than initially agreed.
In addition, the company and the government said the mine generated 8,000 direct and 40,000 indirect jobs, and would contribute four percent to Panama's gross domestic product.
Since February 2019, the open-pit mine has been producing about 300,000 tons of copper concentrate per year, representing 75 percent of the country's exports.
Critics say the mine has wrought destruction on forest areas in a key biological corridor linking Central America and Mexico.
After the contract was invalidated by the Supreme Court on Tuesday, the government said it would close the mine.
The road blockades were subsequently lifted.
First Quantum Minerals, which has invested more than $10 billion in Panama, has notified the government of its intention to "present arbitration claims."
J.Williams--AMWN