Stories for April 2017

Monday, April 17th 2017 - 14:18 UTC
Odebrecht's state of the art Division of Structured Operations, better known as “bribe department”

The Brazilian engineering group Odebrecht kept a secret communications system to discuss and arrange the payments of bribes. A detailed spreadsheet mapped out who got what, all veiled under a system of codenames, and overseeing it all, there was an entire department at Odebrecht whose only purpose was to ensure the graft ran smoothly.
Monday, April 17th 2017 - 12:33 UTC
Post-Brexit: Lloyds Group wants to convert its Berlin branch into a European hub

Lloyds Banking Group has decided to set up a European base in Germany after the UK leaves the EU, according to the BBC. Lloyds has decided to convert its Berlin branch into a European hub, in order to maintain a presence inside the EU, sources told the BBC.
Monday, April 17th 2017 - 10:05 UTC
Erdogan declares victory and celebrates, but Turkish opposition advanced they would challenge results

President Tayyip Erdogan declared victory in a referendum on Sunday to grant him sweeping powers in the biggest overhaul of modern Turkish politics, but opponents said the vote was marred by irregularities and they would challenge its result.
Monday, April 17th 2017 - 08:28 UTC
The era of strategic patience with Pyongyang is over, warns vice-president Pence in Korea

United States Vice President Mike Pence has stared across the demilitarized border between North and South Korea, a day after North Korea's failed missile launch, reiterating that the US “era of strategic patience” with Pyongyang is over. Pence is on the first stop of a four-nation Asia tour intended to show America's allies, and remind its adversaries, that the Trump administration is not turning its back on the increasingly volatile region.
Monday, April 17th 2017 - 08:13 UTC
Brazil's Odebrecht in nine years paid out bribes equivalent to US$ 3.3 billion

Odebrecht SA , the Brazilian engineering company at the center of a historic corruption scandal, paid about US$3.3 billion in bribes over a nine-year period that ran through 2014, according to testimony cited by local media in Sao Paulo.
Monday, April 17th 2017 - 07:54 UTC
South Atlantic air bridge rerouted temporarily; repairs to the Ascension Island runway

It's going to be a busny winter for the Falkland Islands. The government has announced that due to repairs required to the Ascension Island runway, the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) is temporarily rerouting the South Atlantic Airbridge via an alternative location. The UK air bridge from Brize Norton to the Falklands normally calls at Ascension Island both ways.
Monday, April 17th 2017 - 07:39 UTC
Dr. Dao incident makes United Airlines chane policy on last minute seats for staff

United Airlines is changing its policy on giving staff last-minute seats on full flights after a man was dragged screaming from an overbooked plane. The airline said that in future crew members would be allocated seats at least an hour before departure.
Sunday, April 16th 2017 - 02:03 UTC
UK sponsored Start-Up Games in Santiago to promote innovative businesses

Chile’s most enthusiastic entrepreneurs gathered together for Start-Up Games Santiago at the British embassy, sponsored by the UK Department for International Trade. The initiative helps entrepreneurs and innovative businesses develop their business plan through a variety of programs and training. The event featured a huge variety of companies, from virtual reality, to health drinks to green bicycle initiatives.
Saturday, April 15th 2017 - 10:17 UTC
Argentina “a divided country”, which needs to promote the “culture of dialogue and honesty”

Argentina is “a divided country and does not solve the problems of the people”, said the Catholic Church in its Easter message, demanding a “culture of dialogue and honesty” in the framework of the country's institutions.
Saturday, April 15th 2017 - 09:47 UTC
Falklands review tourist season and discuss shortcomings and improvements

Falkland Islands Tourist Board chairman Mike Rendell and Interim CEO Steph Middleton welcomed a large group of interested parties to the Chamber of Commerce last week for an informal end of tourist season ‘washup.’ Topics raised ranged from perennial issues such as easy access to the Totem Pole for tourists, to newer developments such as what to do with the new jetty.