Stories for May 17th 2009
Peru army to quell Amazon protests
The government “authorises for 30 days the intervention of the armed forces to ensure the continued functioning of essential services in select districts” of the Amazon rainforest region, a statement from the ministry of defence said on Saturday.
Private sector economists say Argentina is in recession
Argentina's industrial production in April plunged 9.1% on the year, economic think tank Orlando J Ferreres & Asociados reported this week. The April drop follows a 9% decline during the first quarter of 2009 and a 5.6% drop during the fourth quarter of 2008, according to the report.
Chavez promises to combat the “terrorist” press of Venezuela
Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez anticipated that the “terrorist” media of his country will face the full consequences of the law for their insistence in allegedly manipulating, misleading or fabricating the president’s statements.
To school for reading classes with Karl Marx and Che Guevara
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez approved last week a list of books for schools to educate young people on Socialist ideology and the Bolivarian revolution, reported the Caracas press.
Uruguay scraps rules banning homosexuals from armed forces
This week Uruguayan president Tabare Vazquez announced that his government will “allow gays to join the armed forces” by scrapping military rules that define homosexuality as a disorder”.
Uruguayan rice crop with record yield of 8.012 kilos per hectare
Uruguay’s rice 2009 crop is estimated in 1.3 million tons and although the area planted was 4.5% less that in 2008, yield is a record 8.012 kilos per hectare, according to the latest release from the Agriculture Statistics Department, DIEA.
Labour voters support equals that of UK Independent Party, 17%
The ruling Labour slumped to be neck and neck with the United Kingdom Independence Party in a poll as voters looked set to punish mainstream parties over the expenses scandal at the ballot box next month.
UK to complain Spanish Navy incursion in Gibraltar’s territorial waters
Britain will formally complain to Spain about the recent incursion by a Spanish Navy patrol boat into Gibraltar's territorial waters. The fisheries protection vessel 'Tarifa' entered British waters and deployed a small speedboat to carry out checks on Spanish fishermen off the east side of the Rock, reports The Gibraltar Chronicle.
