Stories for December 18th 2017

Monday, December 18th 2017 - 13:47 UTC
Half of the world population without health services, says WHO/World Bank report

At least half of the world’s population cannot obtain essential health services, according to a new report from the World Bank and WHO. And each year, large numbers of households are being pushed into poverty because they must pay for health care out of their own pockets.
Monday, December 18th 2017 - 13:35 UTC
Russia again becomes main supplier of oil for Cuban refinery

Venezuela has pulled out of a partnership with Cuba in its Cienfuegos oil refinery and the Caribbean island has taken full ownership of the plant, Cuban state media said. Venezuela is grappling with an economic crisis that already forced it to slash cheap oil shipments to Cuba, which has had a knock-on effect on the island’s ailing economy.
Monday, December 18th 2017 - 13:12 UTC
Chile bans bottom sea trawling in 98% of its EEZ to protect marine environment

Chile's Under secretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture, SUBPESCA, and Oceana Chile jointly announced the freezing of the fishing footprint for the common hake and demersal crustacean fisheries. This means that 98% of Chile's exclusive economic zone, EEZ, will be protected from bottom trawling.
Monday, December 18th 2017 - 11:39 UTC
Morales insists in involving the Pope in the ongoing sea outlet dispute between Bolivia and Chile

Bolivian President Evo Morales implied in a Tweet that he and Pope Francis had discussed Bolivia’s territorial dispute with Chile during a meeting at the Vatican on December 15. According to the Vatican, the 30-minute private meeting “took place in a cordial atmosphere.”
Monday, December 18th 2017 - 10:33 UTC
Vigo launches “Fresco y Salvaje”, a registered brand to promote fresh and wild fish consumption

The Organization of Products of Fresh Fishing of the Port of Vigo (OPPF-4), in collaboration with the Galician company specialized in fishing issues Sinerxia Plus, has begun to present the new fish brand ”Fresco y Salvaje” (Fresh and Wild), which it intends to start up among the ship owners forming part of the organization.
Monday, December 18th 2017 - 09:22 UTC
Mexican presidential candidate Lopez Obrador presents a moderate pragmatic cabinet

The left leaning front-runner for Mexico’s 2018 presidential election proposed a moderate U.S.-trained economist for finance minister, unveiling a planned cabinet made up of men and women in equal measure.
Monday, December 18th 2017 - 07:23 UTC
Norovirus strikes again: Royal Caribbean's “Independence of the Seas” en route to Jamaica

Passengers of Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas expressed relief early Saturday as they returned to Florida after more than 200 people fell ill aboard the five-night cruise. Royal Caribbean said 220 passengers came down with a gastrointestinal illness during the cruise, which left Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades last Monday for Labadee and Jamaica.
Monday, December 18th 2017 - 07:16 UTC
Argentina ready for another attempt to approve the pension reform bill on Monday

The government of Argentina has decided to vote on the pension reform bill on Monday amid speculation that President Mauricio Macri's administration could use a decree to fast-track the legislation.
Monday, December 18th 2017 - 07:09 UTC
Mudslide buries village in Patagonian Chile: at least 8 dead and 15 missing

At least eight people are dead and 15 are still missing after a landslide swept through a remote village in Patagonian Chile on Saturday, the country's president said. The deadly catastrophe devastated the town of Villa Santa Lucia, near a popular national park in the Chaitén region following a deluge of rain on Friday.
Monday, December 18th 2017 - 06:56 UTC
Theresa May and cabinet to discuss UK's future relationship with the EU

Theresa May is due to meet her “Brexit cabinet” - about a dozen of her most senior ministers - to discuss for the first time what the UK's future relationship with the EU should be. The PM will later tell MPs the UK wants to sign trade deals during what she calls an implementation period.