Stories for June 18th 2019

Tuesday, June 18th 2019 - 09:54 UTC
Argentina opens an official inquiry into Sunday's massive blackout

Argentina has opened an inquiry into what caused a massive blackout that left nearly 50 million people without power, Energy Minister Gustavo Lopetegui said on Monday.
Tuesday, June 18th 2019 - 09:49 UTC
Trump prepared to remove 12 million illegal immigrants as of next week

United States President Donald Trump said on Monday that US authorities would begin next week removing millions of immigrants who are in the United States illegally. There are an estimated 12 million immigrants who are in the United States illegally, mainly from Mexico and Central America.
Tuesday, June 18th 2019 - 09:45 UTC
Brazil's largest private company, Odebrecht, files for bankruptcy; US$ 20bn in debts

Scandal-ridden Brazil construction giant Odebrecht, which has admitted to spending nearly US$ 800 million to bribe officials across Latin America to win contracts, filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday, judicial sources said.
Tuesday, June 18th 2019 - 09:00 UTC
Deputy Italian PM calls himself a Trump admirer and pledges a “Trumpian” budget, despite EU warnings

Italy is the United States' most reliable ally in Europe, Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said on Monday, keen to present himself as a strong, trustworthy statesman during a visit to Washington.
Tuesday, June 18th 2019 - 08:57 UTC
Turkey blames Egypt's “tyrants” for the death of ex elected president Morsi

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday blamed Egypt's “tyrants” for the death of former Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi who died in a Cairo hospital after fainting during a court session.
Tuesday, June 18th 2019 - 08:52 UTC
Agreement to implement an ambitious Plata basin that benefits six countries

The Organization of American States (OAS) and the Intergovernmental Coordinating Committee of the countries of the Plata Basin (CIC) signed an agreement on Monday for the project “Preparing the ground for the Implementation of the Strategic Action Program for the La Plata Basin,” during a ceremony at OAS headquarters in Washington, DC.
Tuesday, June 18th 2019 - 08:45 UTC
Billions suffer from poor access to water, sanitation and hygiene, says Unicef and WHO report

Billions of people around the world are continuing to suffer from poor access to water, sanitation and hygiene, according to a new report by UNICEF and the World Health Organization. Some 2.2 billion people around the world do not have safely managed* drinking water services, 4.2 billion people do not have safely managed sanitation services, and 3 billion lack basic** hand-washing facilities.
Tuesday, June 18th 2019 - 08:41 UTC
Despite some shootings, two million took to the streets cheering NBA champions Toronto Raptors

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and some two million other fans cheered the NBA champion Toronto Raptors on Monday in a victory celebration that united the nation, but the party was marred by a shooting that seriously wounded two people.
Tuesday, June 18th 2019 - 08:33 UTC
Colombian town brewing the largest cup of coffee, waiting for Guinness Records

A Colombian town is hoping to brew up to two world records: one for the world's largest cup of coffee and the second for the largest coffee tasting.
Tuesday, June 18th 2019 - 08:29 UTC
Trump to launch reelection bid on Tuesday in Orlando, Florida

As President Donald Trump prepares to formally launch his re-election bid on Tuesday, his allies are trying to tamp down headlines that depict his campaign as trailing top Democrats, beset by withering leaks and unable to keep internal tensions from spilling into public view.