Stories for December 19th 2019

Thursday, December 19th 2019 - 09:59 UTC
Argentina emergency bill in Congress: 30% tax on dollar purchases and six month freeze on public utilities rates

Argentina's new government announced on Tuesday a 30% tax on foreign currency purchases and a six-month freeze on public utility prices as part of a raft of measures to boost growth. The government of President Alberto Fernandez, who took office last week, had already announced increases in taxes on agricultural exports over the weekend.
Thursday, December 19th 2019 - 09:58 UTC
Trump becomes third US president impeached; Republican Senate tries

US President Donald Trump was impeached in a historic vote in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, setting up a Senate trial on removing him from office after three turbulent years.
Thursday, December 19th 2019 - 09:56 UTC
Falklands/Taiwan/UK companies team up to survey jiggers and improve safety conditions

Falklands' Fortuna Group and their Taiwanese partners Go-Rising have teamed up with the UK naval architect firm Marine Design International to embark on an ambitious vessel survey and improvement program. Over a period the team surveyed 29 jigger fishing vessels in their home port of Kaohsiung, completing the survey last week.
Thursday, December 19th 2019 - 09:55 UTC
Riots, turmoil and the Argentine Peso, a tremendous toll for tourism in Chile

Research undertaken by ForwardKeys, the travel analytics firm, which analyses 17 million flight bookings and 7 million flight searches a day, has revealed that the recent riots in Chile have taken a tremendous toll on tourism to the country.
Thursday, December 19th 2019 - 09:50 UTC
Discovery of 500-year old anchors could give further insight to Spanish conquest of Mexico

Two 500-year-old iron ship anchors have been discovered on Mexico's Gulf Coast, potentially offering an insight into the Spanish invasion. Archaeologists say they may have belonged to the fleet led by Spain's Hernán Cortés, who conquered the Aztec empire in the 16th Century.
Thursday, December 19th 2019 - 09:40 UTC
McDonald Peru outlets closed on mourning after two employees were electrocuted

Every McDonald's in Peru has been closed for two days of mourning, after two young employees were electrocuted at a branch in the capital, Lima. Alexandra Porras Inga, 19, and Gabriel Campos Zapata, 18, reportedly died on a night shift while cleaning the kitchen. Apparently they were killed by a loose cable on Sunday.
Thursday, December 19th 2019 - 09:22 UTC
Barcelona-Real Madrid derby turns into world stage for Catalans demanding independence

Protesters have clashed with police outside a Barcelona and Real Madrid football match at Nou Camp in Spain. Thousands of fans inside the stadium held up banners urging the Spanish government to “sit and talk” with those demanding Catalan independence.
Thursday, December 19th 2019 - 09:19 UTC
Australia's inferno as heat wave worsens with temperatures of 46C

While Prime Minister Scott Morrison is overseas on vacation, Australia this week experienced its hottest day on record and the heat-wave is expected to worsen, exacerbating an already unprecedented bushfire season, authorities said on Wednesday.
Thursday, December 19th 2019 - 09:10 UTC
Tony Blair blasts Corbyn for Labour’s catastrophic defeat

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Labour's most successful election winner, will tell the opposition party it must change course after its catastrophic defeat last week or disappear as a party of government.
Thursday, December 19th 2019 - 09:10 UTC
Queen opens Parliament and will announce the Conservative government agenda

The Queen is to set out the Conservative government's agenda for the year ahead following their decisive election win last week. Legislation to take the UK out of the EU on 31 January will be among more than 20 bills announced during Thursday's State Opening of Parliament. Other measures include guarantees on extra health service funding and longer sentences for violent criminals.