Banks change infrastructure to prevent theft
Banks are to change their infrastructure as well as placing more hidden cameras in order to prevent robberies at ATMs. The decision came after Interior Minister Aníbal Fernández met with authorities from the Central Bank and Police, and delegates of security trucks yesterday. Official sources said that they wanted to make sure that each person is completely on their own when they take money out so as to prevent “express” kidnappings and robberies.

Traffic accidents   claim six lives
Six people died in traffic accidents in Córdoba and Buenos Aires and another 37 were injured in a multiple collision yesterday. In the Buenos Aires provincial district of Colón, a young man and a woman died and five people were hospitalized when a van crashed against a car. In San Andrés de Giles, a woman, aged 72, died and another 37 people were injured due to a chain collision in Route 7. In Córdoba, two men died as two vans crashed on provincial route 1, near Brinkmann city. In General Roca city, a 25-year-old pedestrian died when he was hit by a truck on national route 9.

Five-hour hostage keeping
A robber held an elderly woman captive for more than five hours in her house in Don Torcuato, Buenos Aires province, and shot the maid in order to enter. The 19-year-old aassilant, identified as “Ezequiel,” turned himself into the police and officers said he was under the effect of drugs. Investigators were suspicious of a man who lived four blocks away. They linked this attack to another which took place a month ago in the area, where a couple and their children were held prisoners for seven hours.
 
AMIA investigation               advances
National criminal policy secretary Alejandro Slokar, in charge of the AMIA investigation, yesterday emphasized his satisfaction over the arrest of former federal police inspector Carlos Castañeda. Slokar said that this was “a step forward for justice” and that it shows the government‘s political willingness to co-operate with the investigation. Castañeda has to serve a four-year prison sentence for his responsibility in the extraction and destruction of evidence in the 1994 AMIA bomb attack probe.

Gualeguaychú demonstrators to meet Quandrini
Federal judge Guillermo Quandrini, in charge of the lawsuit against Botnia pulp mill authorities, yesterday said he is willing to meet with the Gualeguaychú protesters. A spokesperson for the demonstrators said he agreed to meet with their representatives next Wednesday. Meanwhile, Colón protesters continued yesterday with the blockages, cutting the road to Paysandú, Uruguay, from 7pm to 9pm, in rejection of the construction  of the Botnia pulp mill in the city of Fray Bentos, in Uruguay. A 26-hour blockade is scheduled for this weekend in the international road that connects Colón with the General Artigas bridge. In other news, a meeting of the Civic Assemblies Union is expected to take place today in the city of Concepción del Uruguay, Entre Ríos. A hundred representatives of different environmental organizations from all around the country will gather to discuss Argentina‘s environmental issues.

De la Rúa insists on plot against him
Former president Fernando de la Rúa yesterday insisted on the existence of a plot to hold him responsible for the violent outbreaks that took place before he resigned on December 20, 2001, causing several deaths with many more people wounded. In spite of the lack of evidence ruled the last time he testified, De la Rúa had to continue with the inquiry at the Comodoro Py courthouse in Buenos Aires, since new cases of victims have come to light. 

Binner announces   future Cabinet
Hermes Binner, elected governor of Santa Fe province, yesterday presented his future Cabinet. Binner, who will take power on December 10, included three women in his 12-strong  team. Development finance expert Angel Sciara will be assigned economy minister; lawyer and professor Héctor Superti will be the future justice and human rights minister; Daniel Cuenca will head the security ministry; and Elida Resino will take charge of the education ministry, among others.

Garré award in Chile
Defence Minister Nilda Garré was awarded the “National Defence” medal yesterday in Chile, for her efforts to strengthen the bilateral relationship. Her Chilean counterpart, José Goñi Carrasco, said that Garré‘s efforts were fundamental to improve reciprocal co-operation in security matters, such as peacekeeping under the auspices of the United Nations. During 2007, 4,000 Argentine and Chilean servicemen participated in joint activities, and it is expected that this number will rise to 7,000 in 2008.

Teachers salary   under negotiation
The seven percent teacher salary increment proposed yesterday by the Buenos Aires provincial government was received in different ways by the teachers‘ trade unions. The Educators Federation of Buenos Aires (Federación de Educadores Bonaerenses) assembly turned down the offer by a majority vote, and later announced a 48-hour strike. On the other hand, SUTEBA‘s secretary-general Roberto Baradel said that 60 percent of the surveyed teachers accepted the government‘s proposal; but he left the door open for negotiations to continue. “The proposal implies a nine- peso increment for teachers who are starting their career and a 154-peso increment for a teacher with 20 years seniority”, explained Baradel.

 (Herald staff with DyN, Télam)