Stories for April 15th 2009
Chavez hosts alternative pre-summit in Venezuela
The Venezuelan city of Cumana is hosting the summit of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Peoples of our Americas (ALBA), one of the newest regional cooperation initiatives created by Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. The meeting takes place hours before the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad Tobago.
World Bank loan for Paraguay to improve water and sanitation
The World Bank approved a 64 million US dollars loan to increase the efficiency, coverage and sustainability of water and sanitation services in Paraguay. The project is expected to benefit almost 17% of Paraguayans, especially the most vulnerable groups.
Prime Minister Brown warns UK offshore tax havens
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has written to the UK’s offshore tax havens – including Gibraltar – warning them to meet international transparency standards within six months or face sanctions, reports the Gibraltar Chronicle.
Panama Canal transit falls modestly in spite of global crisis
Transits of the Panama Canal slipped 1.4% in the Canal’s second fiscal quarter, according to the Panama Canal Authority (PCA). A total of 3,914 ships passed through the Canal from January through March.
Obama and Unasur presidents to meet Saturday in Trinidad Tobago
United States president Barack Obama wishes to meet with his peers from the Union of South American Nations, UNASUR next Saturday on the sidelines of the fifth Summit of the Americas in Trinidad Tobago.
The Taiwan Relations Act at 30: Enduring Framework or Accidental Success?
Despite its pragmatic origin, ambiguous nature and transitory design, a unique piece of legislation has guided US-Taiwan relations for longer than many ever anticipated. By Vincent Wei-cheng Wang*
Valparaiso port expects less cruise activity next season
Chile’s Valparaiso port authorities confirmed that 15 cruise voyages that were planning to visit the port next season have now been suspended. Making matters even worse, vacation cruise companies Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean and Discovery confirmed they no longer plan to dock in Chile because of high operational costs.
Mafia chief who inspired “The French Connection” dies in Argentina
François Chiappe, the fearsome Corsican capo-mafia who inspired the famous film “The French Connection” in 1971 died in a geriatric home in the Argentine province of Cordoba last February, according to reports in the Sunday press.
Summit of the Americas, “test of intelligence and shame” says Fidel Castro
Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro said on Tuesday Cuba had no desire to rejoin the “infamous” and “vile” decadent Organization of American States, and said the coming Summit of the Americas next week end in Trinidad Tobago will be “a test of intelligence and shame”.
Paraguay bishops ask “forgiveness for the sins of church members”
Paraguay’s influential Catholic Church Episcopal Conference, CEP asked Tuesday in an official release “forgiveness for all the sins of the members of the Church” in direct reference, --but without mentioning a word--, to President Fernando Lugo’s confession of fathering a child while he was Catholic bishop.
