Stories for June 27th 2013

Thursday, June 27th 2013 - 05:42 UTC
Protests continue in Brazil while Congress is working overtime to legislate on grievances

As protests again turned violent near the stadium where Brazil’s national team was playing arch-rival Uruguay, legislators kept up a lawmaking spurt aimed at quelling the biggest street demonstrations in two decades by increasing penalties for corruption.
Thursday, June 27th 2013 - 05:38 UTC
Chilean students and workers take to the streets to demand education reform

An estimated one hundred thousand people turned out Wednesday on another day of demonstrations called by students in several Chilean cities, with union members, port workers and miners joining the throng.
Thursday, June 27th 2013 - 05:31 UTC
‘Artigas never wanted to be Argentine; he was too smart for that’, a barrage of twits tell Cristina Fernandez

Never in his life did Artigas (Uruguay’s liberator from Spain and Portugal 200 years ago) wanted to be an Argentine, and since then all Uruguayans feel the same way, was the spirit of the barrage of twits from Uruguayan opposition leaders condemning President Cristina Fernandez interpretation of history events.
Thursday, June 27th 2013 - 05:25 UTC
Energy companies pull a Blackwater (*)

By Daniel J. Graeber - Norwegian energy company Statoil said last week it was forming a special operations division to handle emergency operations in response to a terrorist attack on a natural gas facility in Algeria. The company said it would double the amount of employees it had designated for existing security operations after reviewing the measures in place at the In Amenas gas facility.
Thursday, June 27th 2013 - 05:14 UTC
London cabs with publicity inviting to visit and enjoy Uruguay

Sights of the Atlantic beaches from the hills surrounding the Uruguayan coast can be admired while travelling to Piccadilly Circus or to Westminster Palace in any one of the 75 London cabs with publicity contracted by Uruguay’s Ministry of Tourism began on the 17th June.
Thursday, June 27th 2013 - 05:07 UTC
Iguazu Falls Park closed because of heavy rains and flooding

Pouring rains and floods have forced the closure of the Iguazu Park, home of the world’s most famous waterfalls in the heartland of South America, shared by Argentina and Brazil, according to reports from the Argentine navy outpost in Puerto Iguazú.
Thursday, June 27th 2013 - 04:56 UTC
France confirms recession and budget deficit above EU 3% ceiling

The weak state of the French economy and uncertain outlook for budget targets was in focus on Wednesday after official data confirmed that the country is in recession. Weak growth and public finances in France are of acute concern to the European Commission and to Germany which is the main powerhouse in the Euro zone.
The figures are also watched closely on nervous financial markets.
Thursday, June 27th 2013 - 04:41 UTC
After a rough year Cristina Fernandez names new top heads of the Armed Forces

In a surprise move Argentine President Cristina Fernández replaced the top heads of the armed forces and appointed Brigadier General Luis María Carena as the new head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The changes announced on Wednesday come just a few weeks after former lawmaker Augstín Rossi was named new Defence minister.