Stories for May 23rd 2009
Latinamerica divided on procedure to lift OAS ban on Cuba
Political divergences impeded the Organization of American States, (OAS) Permanent Council from officially debating for the first time since 1962, the possible re-entry of Cuba to the inter-American system.
Ex-SAS officer leaked the MPs “expenses scandal” information
The man who gave details of Britain’s Members of Parliament expenses to the Daily Telegraph has insisted that Parliament will benefit from their publication. Ex-SAS officer John Wick, who passed the data on from an anonymous source, said he had “no regrets” about exposing the expenses system's “rotten core”.
Influenza virus “inter mingling” strong warning to Southern Hemisphere
The director-general of the World Health Organization, Margaret Chan, closed Friday the agency's annual conference with a warning that nations, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere with the winter season on, must remain vigilant and be prepared for a possible swine influenza A-H1N1 virus pandemic.
Brazil concerned with the appreciation of its currency against the US dollar
The current appreciation of the Brazilian currency, Real, is a “cause for concern,” but also reflect international investors' growing interest in the nation's assets, Finance Minister Guido Mantega said on Friday.
Cash short Venezuela negotiating loans from Brazil
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, whose administration is facing cash shortages as oil revenues plunge, is negotiating loans from Brazil's development bank to fund infrastructure projects, revealed the Brazilian newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo.
Rockhopper claims first gas discovery in North Falklands
North Falkland basin explorer Rockhopper Exploration has reclassified a previous exploration well drilled by Shell in 1998, as a gas discovery and as a result has claimed the first discovery in the Falkland Islands.
Obama signs credit card holders “Bill of Rights”
Credit card companies in the US will be bound by new restrictions on their ability to charge fees, or raise interest rates on existing borrowings. On Friday, President Barack Obama is signed a new law which will come into full effect next February.
Angry UK reaction to Spanish navy incident in Gibraltar waters
Britain has told Spain that the recent incursion by a Spanish Navy vessel was an “unacceptable” violation of British sovereignty over Gibraltar waters. The complaint comes after a Spanish Navy fisheries protection vessel carried out checks on Spanish fishermen just off Gibraltar.
Obama administration invites Cuba to resume migration talks
The United States Department said on Friday it had offered to resume talks with Cuba about Cuban migration to the United States, a fresh sign of US President Barack Obama’s effort to comply, even partially, with the virtually unanimous request from Latinamerica to improve relations with the Castro regime.
Expenses disclosure has turned Commons “unbearable” complains MP
Tory leader David Cameron has criticised a Tory backbencher who claimed that MPs were victims of a “McCarthy-style witch-hunt” over their expenses claims. Nadine Dorries, who had warned there were fears that an MP could commit suicide, claimed the situation at Westminster had become “completely unbearable”.
