Stories for April 13th 2009
Latest News feedObama loosens restriction on travel and remittances to Cuba
President Barack Obama has decided to loosen restrictions on travel and remittances to Cuba for Cuban-Americans, senior US administration officials said Monday. A formal announcement was expected later in the day, reports CNN.
Paraguayan president admits having fathered illegitimate child
Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo (57) publicly admitted Monday that he fathered an illegitimate child who is now 2 years old, in the wake of a legal complaint filed by the boy’s mother.
Americas summit should not address Cuba issue, argues OAS
The Secretary General of the Organization of America States, OAS, Jose Miguel Insulza said it would be a mistake if the coming Summit of the Americas puts pressure on United States to end the embargo on Cuba.
Featured Analysis
Uruguay: “Government Transfers and Political Support”
A working paper from the US National Bureau of Economic Research, estimates the impact of a large anti-poverty program—the Uruguayan PANES—on political support for the government that implemented it.
The success of Brazilian farming and Argentina’s disarray
If forecasts are confirmed the 70 million tons of the 2008/09 Argentine harvest would represent 2.9% of the world’s grain production when in previous crops it had reached 4.2%. Brazil in the meantime will have reached 5.5% of world production. Only a few years ago the difference was minimal with Brazil almost 4% and Argentina above 3%.
House and flat sales in Britain remain very sluggish
Nearly a third of flats and more than a quarter of houses up for sale in Britain have been on the market for more than six months, research has shown. Around 30% of flats and 26% of houses have failed to sell during the past six months, while 10% of flats and 7% of houses have been on the market for more than a year, according to property website Globrix.com.
Colombian Catholic Church openly against third Uribe re-election
The Colombian Government is not amused by the Catholic Church’s rejection of a possible re-election of President Álvaro Uribe. Both Archbishop Pedro Rubiano and Bishop Ruben Salazar turned against a possible third term for the current President.
Argentine industry calls for “non tariff barriers” against world crisis
Argentina should appeal to “non tariff barriers” to protect itself from the global crisis said Hector Mendez, who this week takes over as head of the country’s largest federation of industries, Industrial Union of Argentina, after having elected to the post.
Dengue in northeast Brazil has epidemic proportions
The mosquito transmitted dengue disease which has ravaged Bolivia, Paraguay, North Argentina (and now threatens Buenos Aires) has also severely punished the Brazilian north-eastern state of Bahía where in the first quarter of this year, 40.000 cases have been confirmed and 32 deaths.
Official report blasts security at Brazil’s nuclear installations
A report by a Brazilian official organization published on Saturday in the daily O Globo criticized the lack of security at Brazil’s nuclear installations, which range from electricity-generating plants to hospital equipment.
