Stories for April 20th 2017

Thursday, April 20th 2017 - 23:21 UTC
Russian shipping conglomerate suing Venezuela's oil giant PDVSA for unpaid fees

Venezuela's state-run oil company, PDVSA, sent a tanker in October to the Caribbean with the expectation that its cargo of crude would fetch about US$20 million - money the crisis-stricken nation desperately needs. Instead, the owner of the tanker, the Russian state-owned shipping conglomerate Sovcomflot, held the oil in hopes of collecting partial payment on US$30 million that it says PDVSA owes for unpaid shipping fees.
Thursday, April 20th 2017 - 06:33 UTC
Chubut province declared in state of emergency and agriculture disaster

Chubut province in Argentine Patagonia has been declared in state of emergency and eight of its 16 counties in agriculture disaster as a consequence of torrential rainfall and mudslides which have left huge areas isolateds, or cut off from the communications network.
Thursday, April 20th 2017 - 06:24 UTC
Falklands' Criminal law and criminal justice system reform come into force Friday

The Falkland Islands government has announced as part of its transparency policy that reform to the criminal law and criminal justice system come into force from Friday, 21st April. The official release states that the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Ordinance and the Crimes Ordinance are a root and branch reform of the criminal law and the criminal justice system in the Falkland Islands.
Thursday, April 20th 2017 - 03:00 UTC
How effectively has the strong UK economy delivered? May and Corbyn debate

How strong is the UK economy? The issue was debated between Theresa May and opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons shortly before the Wednesday vote confirming the June 8 election.
Thursday, April 20th 2017 - 02:21 UTC
British snap election campaign takes off; May wants to increase her current majority of 17

Campaigning is under way after the House of Commons backed Theresa May's call for a general election on 8 June. MPs voted by 522 votes to 13 - with Labour and Lib Dem helping secure the two-thirds majority needed to bring forward the election from 2020.
Thursday, April 20th 2017 - 02:13 UTC
King of Spain will witness firsthand the election: he will be in London June6/8

The King of Spain’s state visit to Britain, which will coincide with the snap June 8 general election, will go ahead, Downing Street has said. King Felipe VI will visit Britain along with Queen Letizia of Spain from June 6 to 8, as the campaign reaches its climax.
Thursday, April 20th 2017 - 01:57 UTC
Punta Arenas plans to seat a major Antarctica scientific research hub

Chile will build the International Antarctic Center in the southern city of Punta Arenas, meant to become the entering point to the white continent for the world. The Governor of the Magellan region and the Chilean Antarctic, Jorge Flies stated this week that there were 35 projects developing in his jurisdiction, in three important areas.
Thursday, April 20th 2017 - 00:51 UTC
Two students killed in massive marches in Venezuela; “the anti-Christs have been defeated” blasts Maduro

Two Venezuelan students died on Wednesday after being shot during protests against unpopular populist President Nicolas Maduro, increasing turmoil in the volatile nation amid a crippling economic crisis. Opposition supporters protested in Caracas and other cities in what they called “the mother of all marches,” denouncing Maduro for eroding democracy and plunging the oil-rich economy into chaos.