Stories for December 18th 2018

Tuesday, December 18th 2018 - 19:50 UTC
Former President Julio Argentino Roca not good enough for a Neuquén school's name

School No. 103 in the Argentine city of Neuquén Tuesday changed its name from that of two-time President “Julio Argentino Roca” to “Rosa Alaniz,” who was one of the first teachers of the institution.
Tuesday, December 18th 2018 - 19:43 UTC
Mercosur leaders agreed on need for reforms in the midst of Bolsonaro's threat to leave

The presidents of all Mercosur member and associate countries gathered Tuesday in Montevideo for a summit to redefine the bloc's future, in light of recent statements from Brazil's future government that the region will not be among the priorities of Jair Bolsonaro when he becomes president on January 1.
Tuesday, December 18th 2018 - 14:15 UTC
Colombia had no reason to fear Russian bombers in Venezuela, ambassador says

Russia’s Ambassador to Caracas Monday said the presence in Venezuela of Tupolev 160 bombers from his country should be no grounds for concern in Colombia as some reports seemed ti have indicated.
Tuesday, December 18th 2018 - 13:03 UTC
Peru receives 395,000 applications from Venezuelan citizens to stay, work and study

Around 395,000 Venezuelans have applied for a Temporary Stay Permit (PTP) in Peru, National Migration Superintendent Roxana del Aguila announced Monday.
Tuesday, December 18th 2018 - 09:35 UTC
Creditors demanding payment of US$ 1.5 billion Venezuelan bond in default

A group of creditors has demanded payment on a US$ 1.5 billion Venezuelan bond that is in default, their lawyer said on Monday, kicking off a long-awaited showdown between creditors and the crisis-wracked OPEC nation. President Nicolas Maduro’s government and state-owned companies owe nearly US$ 8 billion in unpaid interest and principal following this year’s default on bonds amid a hyperinflationary collapse of the country’s once-wealthy socialist economy.
Tuesday, December 18th 2018 - 09:31 UTC
Twitter warns on a “bug-in-help-form” and unusual activity from China and Saudi Arabia

Twitter has warned of “unusual activity” from China and Saudi Arabia related to a bug in a help form. The bug - discovered on 15 November and fixed the day after - could have revealed the country code of users' phone numbers or if their account was locked, the company said.
Tuesday, December 18th 2018 - 09:25 UTC
Bolsonaro disinvites Venezuelan and Cuban presidents to his swearing in

The Brazilian Foreign Ministry on Monday confirmed that it had called off invitations sent to Cuban president Miguel Diaz-Canel and his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, for the inauguration of President-elect Jair Bolsonaro, local media reported.
Tuesday, December 18th 2018 - 09:23 UTC
Mexico new government first budget committed “to fiscal and financial discipline”

Mexico’s new government avoided major surprises in its closely watched first budget, sticking to promises made to investors who have been jittery about plans for Latin America’s No. 2 economy.
Tuesday, December 18th 2018 - 09:20 UTC
Maduro boasts that the civilian militia has grown to 1.6 million members

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Monday the country’s civil militia had grown to 16 million members - more than tripling in size from the beginning of the year - and that its mission was to defend the country against external aggression.
Tuesday, December 18th 2018 - 09:17 UTC
Labour's Jeremy Corbyn has called for a no confidence vote in PM Theresa May

The leader of Britain’s main opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, said he was calling for a no-confidence vote in Prime Minister Theresa May — a largely symbolic gesture — for not putting her Brexit plan to a vote by lawmakers immediately.