Stories for March 2019

Sunday, March 31st 2019 - 17:07 UTC
Venezuela suffers the fifth mass blackout of the month

A new massive blackout was recorded this weekend in Venezuela after a nationwide interruption of electricity service this Friday, which was slowly restored in main cities as Caracas. However, a new relapse of the supply occurred on Saturday night, affecting 16 states of the country - more than half.
Saturday, March 30th 2019 - 23:25 UTC
New York country massive vaccination campaign following measles outbreak

The New York county which declared a state of emergency over a measles outbreak is on the “right path” after administering hundreds of vaccinations in two days, the chief of the US district said. Under the emergency, Rockland County banned non-vaccinated minors from public places in a bid to prevent the once-eliminated disease from spreading.
Saturday, March 30th 2019 - 23:21 UTC
British PM May considering a fourth attempt to have her Brexit deal approved

British Prime Minister Theresa May on Saturday mulled a possible fourth attempt to get her Brexit agreement through parliament, faced with the growing risk of a chaotic no-deal exit in less than two weeks' time. MPs on Friday resoundingly rejected May's deal, although by a substantially lower margin than on two previous occasions in January and March.
Saturday, March 30th 2019 - 23:15 UTC
Madrid appeals to sheep to look after the city's main green spaces

It's a rustic scene: sheep graze placidly on grass as a shepherd keeps watch. But this is Madrid's largest public park, not the tranquil countryside. Madrid city hall has since February employed 500 sheep to munch undergrowth at the Casa de Campo, a former royal hunting ground with pines and scrubland stretching over 1,722 hectares - an area about five times the size of New York's Central Park.
Saturday, March 30th 2019 - 23:12 UTC
Ethiopian airline crash confirms malfunctioning of Boeing's anti stall system, reports Wall Street Journal

Details have begun to emerge of the final moments of an Ethiopian Airlines flight which crashed three weeks ago. An anti-stalling system on the plane, a Boeing 737 Max, has been blamed for the disaster which killed all 157 people on board.
Saturday, March 30th 2019 - 23:08 UTC
Rolling Stones postpone US and Canada tour because Mick Jagger is ill

The Rolling Stones have postponed their tour of the US and Canada because Mick Jagger has fallen ill. In a statement, the band said that doctors had advised Jagger not to tour because he needs to receive medical treatment.
Saturday, March 30th 2019 - 16:14 UTC
Russia to celebrate 200th anniversary discovery of Antarctica by Bellingshausen

Russia's tall ships are to undertake a round-the-world trip to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Antarctica's discovery by the Bellingshausen-Lazarev expedition, according to official information from Moscow. In effect, 2020 marks the 200th anniversary of the discovery of Antarctica by the expedition led by Fabian Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev. In honor of this event, plans are underway for the round-the-world sailing of the tall ships Pallada, Sedov and Krusenstern in 2019-2020.
Saturday, March 30th 2019 - 10:00 UTC
Brexit: Spain takes over UK maritime duties combating piracy off Somalia

Spain on Friday took over from Britain command of a European Union maritime mission that combats piracy off the coast of Somalia as Britain's planned departure from the bloc nears.
Saturday, March 30th 2019 - 08:37 UTC
Brazilian Judge bars celebration of 1964 military coup that overthrew an elected government

A judge has barred a planned celebration marking the anniversary of the 1964 Brazilian coup which overthrew the democratic government of the elected leader Joao Goulart. President Jair Bolsonaro had planned to celebrate the anniversary of the start of the military dictatorship on Sunday.
Saturday, March 30th 2019 - 08:30 UTC
Red Cross ready to supply humanitarian aid to Venezuela, apparently negotiated with Maduro's regime

The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said on Friday it was prepared to channel humanitarian aid to Venezuela through an operation that could be similar to one in Syria, potentially helping ease chronic hunger and disease in the South American nation. President Nicolas Maduro in February blocked efforts by political opponents to bring US-backed aid into the country across its borders with neighboring Colombia and Brazil, and has denied the country is suffering a humanitarian crisis.