Stories for December 16th 2013

Monday, December 16th 2013 - 17:19 UTC
Brazil again delays fighter jet contract; France rapidly losing ground in the bid

France will lose out in its bid to win a multi-billion-dollar fighter jet contract with Brazil, the Folha de Sao Paulo daily reported over the week-end. It said France’s 4 billion dollars proposal for 36 Rafale fighter jets, from a consortium led by French giant Dassault, will be shot down for cost reason.
Monday, December 16th 2013 - 17:16 UTC
Spain finally prepared to tackle political corruption: bill to control political parties finances

Spain’s government proposed a law to control more tightly the financial activities of political parties, after corruption scandals in recent years involving both left and right. The law will ban legal and corporate entities from making donations to parties, and banks will no longer be allowed to cancel their debts or negotiate with them interest rates that would be below market levels. Donations are currently allowed up to a limit of 100,000 Euros a year.
Monday, December 16th 2013 - 17:08 UTC
Germany's 'grand coalition' takes off Tuesday: Social Democrats 6 in 16 ministries

Germany’s main center-left party cleared the way for Angela Merkel to start her third term as chancellor on Tuesday, announcing that its members had voted by a large majority to join the conservative leader in government. The ballot of the Social Democrats’ nearly 475,000 members capped post-World War II Germany’s longest effort to form a government.
Monday, December 16th 2013 - 17:01 UTC
Following another death, Brazilian labor court orders partial stop in Amazon stadium

A Brazilian labor court ordered a partial stop to construction on the Arena Amazonia in the jungle city of Manaus after the death of a worker who fell off the stadium's roof again raised safety concerns ahead of the 2014 soccer World Cup.
Monday, December 16th 2013 - 16:52 UTC
UN research panel says 'institutionalized racism' persists in Brazil

Institutionalized racism persists in Brazil despite government efforts to tackle the issue, according to members of a United Nations panel examining conditions among black Brazilians in five cities. However Brazilian blacks ``still suffer from structural, institutional and interpersonal racism.''
Monday, December 16th 2013 - 16:43 UTC
Falklands: formal UK protest to Argentina over oil bill: Argentine law does not apply in the Islands

The United Kingdom formally protested on Monday to Argentina about the passing of an amendment to the hydrocarbons bill which seeks to criminalize individuals or companies with involved in hydrocarbons activities in Falkland Islands waters, insisting that Argentine law does not apply to the Falklands and the Islanders right to develop their hydrocarbons sector.
Monday, December 16th 2013 - 16:37 UTC
Uruguayan former Defense minister honored by Argentina for his Malvinas claims support

Uruguayan Senator from the ruling coalition Luis Rosadilla will be honored by the Argentine embassy in Montevideo for having volunteered in 1982 to join the Argentine war effort during the invasion of the Falkland Islands.
Monday, December 16th 2013 - 16:31 UTC
Falklands/Malvinas controversy: Argentine Senator rejects Oxford invitation and honors

An Argentine national senator publicly rejected an invitation to attend a special business and academics conference in Oxford arguing he could not participate in an event coming from a country “which has troops occupying part of our motherland territory”.
Monday, December 16th 2013 - 11:02 UTC
Bachelet sweeps in but as in the first round abstention prevailed

Michelle Bachelet is set to resume her former position as president of Chile in March 2014 after a resounding second round victory against her opponent and former childhood playmate, Evelyn Matthei. In an acceptance speech late Sunday night the president-elect touched on two key platforms of her campaign: free higher education and a new constitution.
Monday, December 16th 2013 - 10:37 UTC
Chile/Peru maritime dispute: International Court of Justice verdict January 27

As the International Court of Justice is set to release its final verdict in January, Peru announces plans to build a new settlement less than a mile from the Chilean border. After years of tribulation, an end is finally in sight for a maritime dispute between Chile and Peru, with The Hague to announce its verdict on the case Jan. 27.