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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, April 10th 2026 - 19:34 UTC

Health & Science

  • Wednesday, July 4th 2018 - 08:51 UTC

    UK bans online adverts targeting junk food for children

    In its ruling ASA banned Cadbury's use of a storybook titled The Tale Of The Great Easter Bunny on its website, which featured children hunting for eggs.

    Cadbury, Chewits and Squashies sweets have become the first companies to have online adverts banned under new rules targeting junk food ads for children. The Advertising Standards Authority said the companies did not do enough to prevent under-16s seeing the content.

  • Wednesday, July 4th 2018 - 08:09 UTC

    Falklands begins comprehensive Public Health Strategy development

    MLA Barry Elsby said “public health measures are critical in reducing illness and disease and enabling people to enjoy a good quality of life”

    The Falklands Islands Government has begun work on developing a comprehensive Public Health Strategy. The purpose of this work is to help people stay healthy as long as possible and reduce ill health by enabling everyone to make healthier choices in their lives.

  • Friday, June 29th 2018 - 08:25 UTC

    World Trade Organization Panel rejects claims concerning tobacco plain packaging in Australia

    In December 2012, Australia was the first country to fully implement tobacco plain packaging (also known as “standardized packaging”)

    A World Trade Organization (WTO) Panel has ruled against complaints brought by several countries concerning Australia’s tobacco packaging law, which implements the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and its Guidelines. The panel decided that Australia’s policy on plain packaging is consistent with WTO law.

  • Wednesday, June 20th 2018 - 06:50 UTC

    Canadian parliament approves recreational marihuana

    Legal sales are likely to begin before the end of the boreal summer after the Senate voted 52-29 on Tuesday night to approve the bill

    Recreational marijuana may soon be legal in Canada, after both the House of Commons and the Senate approved the Cannabis Act. Legal sales are likely to begin before the end of the boreal summer after the Senate voted 52-29 on Tuesday night to approve the bill, CBC reported.

  • Tuesday, June 19th 2018 - 06:56 UTC

    WHO releases new International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11)

    “The ICD is a product that WHO is truly proud of,” says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

    The World Health Organization (WHO) is releasing this Monday its new International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). The ICD is the foundation for identifying health trends and statistics worldwide, and contains around 55 000 unique codes for injuries, diseases and causes of death. It provides a common language that allows health professionals to share health information across the globe.

  • Monday, June 18th 2018 - 08:08 UTC

    World tributes to Professor Hawking at his Westminster Abbey memorial service

    Prof Hawking died in March, aged 76, after a long battle with motor neurone disease.

    Tributes have been paid to renowned physicist Prof Stephen Hawking in a Westminster Abbey memorial service. British actor Benedict Cumberbatch, who played Hawking in a BBC drama, and astronaut Tim Peake were among those giving readings at the ceremony.

  • Saturday, June 16th 2018 - 11:12 UTC

    World Health Organization update on suspected polio case in Venezuela

    Final laboratory analysis received on Friday has confirmed that the AFP symptoms are not associated with wild or vaccine-derived poliovirus.

    Following unconfirmed reports on 8 June of suspected polio re-emergence in Venezuela, final laboratory testing has confirmed the cause of the paralysis is not wild poliovirus or vaccine-derived poliovirus, according to a release from WHO.

  • Saturday, June 16th 2018 - 10:02 UTC

    Collapse of Nicaragua's health system condemned by World Medical Association

    WMA President Dr. Yoshitake Yokokura said that attacks on health workers, medical vehicles and hospitals were unacceptable.

    The collapse of the public health care system in Nicaragua and the breakdown of medical ethics and human rights in the country have been condemned by the World Medical Association. Referring to the rapidly deteriorating situation in the country, WMA President Dr. Yoshitake Yokokura said that attacks on health workers, medical vehicles and hospitals were unacceptable.

  • Wednesday, June 13th 2018 - 08:35 UTC

    A divided Argentine congress and society vote to decriminalize abortion

    President Mauricio Macri although he has declared himself “pro life”, last March he supported the initiative calling for “a mature and responsible debate”

    Argentina's Lower House will vote on Wednesday a bill to decriminalize elective abortion without judicial authorization in the first 14 weeks of pregnancy. In Argentina abortion is only allowed when the mother's life is at risk or as a result of rape.

  • Monday, June 11th 2018 - 08:16 UTC

    WHO certifies Paraguay malaria-free

    “Success stories like Paraguay’s show what is possible. If malaria can be eliminated in one country, it can be eliminated in all countries” said Dr Adhanom Ghebreyesus

    The World Health Organization (WHO) certified Paraguay as having eliminated malaria, the first country in the Americas to be granted this status since Cuba in 1973. “It gives me great pleasure today to certify that Paraguay is officially free of malaria,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General, in a recorded statement.