Stories for October 2018

Tuesday, October 30th 2018 - 08:51 UTC
More than 90% of the world’s children breathe toxic air every day

Every day around 93% of the world’s children under the age of 15 years (1.8 billion children) breathe air that is so polluted it puts their health and development at serious risk. Tragically, many of them die: WHO estimates that in 2016, 600,000 children died from acute lower respiratory infections caused by polluted air.
Tuesday, October 30th 2018 - 08:50 UTC
Future economy minister says Mercosur not a priority for Bolsonaro's Brazil

Mercosur is not a priority, and Argentina is not a priority for the new government of Brazil, the priority is to trade with all the world. The strong statement came from Paulo Guedes, signaled as the next Finance minister of president elect Jair Bolsonaro's cabinet and a crucial player in that team since the newly elected leader has admitted a limited knowledge of economics.
Tuesday, October 30th 2018 - 08:48 UTC
Andean condors found dead of agrochemichal poisoning in Patagonia

Wildlife and environmental organisations Monday denounced the deaths of 23 Andean condors in Argentine Patagonia due to the use of prohibited agrochemicals. Thirteen of the birds were found in Neuquén and the other ten in Santa Cruz.
Tuesday, October 30th 2018 - 08:45 UTC
YPF plans US$ 4bn annual investment in oil and gas production

Argentina's state-controlled oil company, YPF, will significantly boost oil and gas production, investing between US$4 and US$ 5 billion per year through 2022, Chief Executive Daniel Gonzalez said. The plan is to raise production by between 5and 7% per year, with the largest increase in the Vaca Muerta formation, one of the world's largest reserves of shale oil and gas.
Tuesday, October 30th 2018 - 08:40 UTC
UK Budget time: “Austerity coming to an end” announces Chancellor Hammond

Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond has said the “era of austerity is finally coming to an end”, in his last Budget before Brexit. He spent a windfall from better public finances on more money for universal credit and bringing forward planned income tax cuts by a year.
Tuesday, October 30th 2018 - 08:39 UTC
UK top surgeon proposes dexterity courses for medical students: top grades are insufficient

A professor of surgery says students have spent so much time in front of screens and so little time using their hands that they have lost the dexterity for stitching or sewing up patients. Roger Kneebone, professor of surgical education at Imperial College, London, says young people have so little experience of craft skills that they struggle with anything practical.
Tuesday, October 30th 2018 - 08:19 UTC
Hundreds pay tribute to Leicester City owner who died in helicopter crash

Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha's wife and son have joined the English Premier League outfit's players and hundreds of fans at the club's stadium to pay tribute to the victims of a helicopter crash which killed Mr. Srivaddhanaprabha and four people.
Tuesday, October 30th 2018 - 08:03 UTC
End of an era: powerful Angela Merkel announces her exit from the world stage

Marking the end of an era, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's announced on Monday her last term in office. The dominant figure in German and European politics for more than a decade said she will step down as party leader of her Christian Democratic Union, CDU, in December and not seek reelection as chancellor in 2021.
Tuesday, October 30th 2018 - 07:42 UTC
Trump sends troops to Mexico border; double the number fighting ISIS in Syria

The Pentagon said on Monday it is sending 5,200 troops, some armed, to the Southwest border this week in an extraordinary military operation to stop Central American migrants traveling north in two caravans that were still hundreds of miles from the U.S. The number of troops is more than double the 2,000 who are in Syria fighting the Islamic State group.
Tuesday, October 30th 2018 - 07:23 UTC
Bolsonaro wants Brazil's top anti corruption judge as his Justice minister

Brazil's president-elect Jair Bolsonaro says he wants the country's best-known anti-corruption judge to be justice minister or to serve on the Supreme Court. Sergio Moro has been the driving force behind an anti-corruption probe known as Operation Car Wash.