Stories for December 2018

Monday, December 17th 2018 - 08:35 UTC
Cristina Fernandez is back on stage and preparing for her presidential bid next October

Argentine ex-president and Senator Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner is back on stage and looking to run in next October's presidential election, hopefully with a united opposition. Mandatory primaries in Argentina are only eight months away and several of her acolytes over the weekend and with her blessing announced she is prepared to run for the presidency.
Monday, December 17th 2018 - 08:34 UTC
Bug in Facebook exposed photos from 6.8 million users

Facebook has revealed that a software bug exposed the photos of up to 6.8 million users, including pictures they had not posted. It made the announcement a day after hosting its pop-up privacy experience “It's Your Facebook” in New York's Bryant Park.
Monday, December 17th 2018 - 08:26 UTC
Controversy in UK over a second Brexit referendum, proposed by ex PMs Tony Blair and John Major

Holding another referendum on the EU would “break faith with the British people”, Theresa May will warn MPs. Former PMs John Major and Tony Blair are among those urging a new referendum if MPs cannot agree on a way forward. But the prime minister will argue that it would do “irreparable damage to the integrity our politics” and would “likely leave us no further forward”.
Monday, December 17th 2018 - 08:09 UTC
Argentina creates two marine protected areas in the South Atlantic

Argentina has officially created two large marine protected areas: the Yaganes Marine National Park, lying off of the country’s southern tip, and the Namuncurá-Burdwood Bank II Marine National Park in the South Atlantic. Together, the two parks cover a total area of about 98,000 square kilometres.
Monday, December 17th 2018 - 07:59 UTC
Brazil launches first of four submarines constructed with French technology

The Brazilian Navy launched on Friday its first Brazilian-built Scorpène submarine, the Riachuelo. The ceremony took place at the Itaguaí Navy base in presence of current president Michel Temer and elected president Jair Bolsonaro.
Monday, December 17th 2018 - 07:40 UTC
Brazil refutes Merkel's comments on Mercosur and Bolsonaro

Brazil’s outgoing Agriculture Minister Blairo Maggi said that Mercosur is ready to close a trade agreement with the European Union but it is being held up because the Europeans do not want to close a deal.
Monday, December 17th 2018 - 00:59 UTC
Uruguay's “Live Without Fear” to hold constitutional reform plebiscite for harsher penal code

The Uruguayan “Live Without Fear” (Vivir Sin Miedo) campaign collected 376,427 signatures, way above the Electoral Court's threshold to force a a plebiscite on security matters in the next elections, Senator Jorge Larrañaga announced Saturday.
Sunday, December 16th 2018 - 23:44 UTC
Argentine city of Rosario to grant allowance to victims of gender violence

The City Hall of Rosario has passed an ordinance whereby victims of gender violence housed in one of the city shelters are to collect a monthly allowance of 2,000 pesos (52 US dollars) during six months, it was reported.
Sunday, December 16th 2018 - 15:39 UTC
AMLO announces plan to reshape Mexico's oil production

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, commonly referred to by his acronym as AMLO, Saturday launched the National Plan for the Production of Hydrocarbons in a move to strengthen the country's oil industry.
Saturday, December 15th 2018 - 09:41 UTC
Paraguayan judge refuses to halt Uber and clone company MUV - battle with taxis continues

Judge Letizia Paredes Friday denied the request submitted by Paraguayan taxi driver unions to keep carpool services Uber and MUV from operating but she still allowed the petition for an amparo remedy to be processed by the courts, it was reported.