Stories for December 18th 2013

Wednesday, December 18th 2013 - 19:03 UTC
Chilean congress rejects bill imposing harsher punishments for public disorder

Chile's Lower house ended a two-year debate over the contentious ‘Hinzpeter Law’ aimed to impose stricter punishments for public disorder, but which critics argued it would also apply harsh penalties to peaceful protesters.
Wednesday, December 18th 2013 - 17:49 UTC
Falklands' budget challenge: how to distinguish recurrent funding from oil windfall income

The Falkland Islands Executive Council, (EXCO), considers essential more public scrutiny to budget affairs discussions so that individuals can better understand what monies are available for ongoing funding and which are windfall incomes from oil related matters.
Wednesday, December 18th 2013 - 16:46 UTC
Falklands to cash 146m dollars from tax on farm-out deal in oil industry

An agreement has been reached between the Falkland Islands government and Rockhopper Exploration regarding tax arising from the Sea Lion farm-out to Premier Oil, an operation involving a billion US dollars, and which according to the settlement generated a credit of 146m dollars for the Islands Treasury.
Wednesday, December 18th 2013 - 07:15 UTC
Heat wave in Argentina collapses power grid: thousands with no energy or water

People out in the streets banging pots and pans, or protesting burning tires and garbage containers in powerless neighborhoods, while an estimated 30.000 businesses in Buenos Aires City and metropolitan area are organizing demanding compensation for losses suffered because of the collapse of the power distribution system overwhelmed by an extraordinary heat wave with temperatures in the high thirties and low forties.
Wednesday, December 18th 2013 - 07:05 UTC
Kimberlite rocks found in Antarctica could mean the territory is rich in diamonds

The prospect that Antarctica could be rich in diamonds was published in the scientific journal Nature Communications, following the discovery by a team of a telltale rock called kimberlite in the Prince Charles Mountains in East Antarctica.
Wednesday, December 18th 2013 - 06:51 UTC
Argentine mobile phone companies have to adjust rates and charge by the second

Mobile phone companies operating in Argentina will have 60 days to adjust all their rates and charge by the second, Federal Planning Minister Julio De Vido and Communications Secretary Norberto Berner confirmed in a news conference. Companies Personal, Movistar and Claro will only have 15 days to implement the change for new customers according to the resolution published in the Official Gazette.
Wednesday, December 18th 2013 - 06:43 UTC
First ruling against US government 'metadata' collection; Obama meets top technology companies leaders

A US judge has ruled the National Security Agency's mass collection of telephone data may be unconstitutional. Federal District Judge Richard Leon said the electronic spy agency's practice was an “arbitrary invasion”.
Wednesday, December 18th 2013 - 06:29 UTC
Paraguay set to approve Venezuela Mercosur membership this Wednesday, ending 18-month rift

Paraguay is waiting for the formality of a Wednesday vote in the Lower House floor to acknowledge the controversial incorporation of Venezuela as full member of Mercosur, putting an end to an 18 months political and diplomatic rift in the block. The Deputies' Constitution Affairs and Foreign Affairs committees on Tuesday afternoon approved Venezuela's Mercosur incorporation protocol, which means all is ready for the full house expected positive vote.
Wednesday, December 18th 2013 - 06:19 UTC
Falklands oil industry: Buenos Aires rejects UK formal protest; 'Malvinas are Argentine'

Argentina formally rejected on Tuesday the United Kingdom's 16 December protest against the latest Argentine hydrocarbons legislation which seeks to criminalize oil industry activities in Falklands/Malvinas Islands waters and which London argues is not applicable to the Islands.