Stories for April 23rd 2009

Thursday, April 23rd 2009 - 13:27 UTC
Slower Brazilian economy cuts current account deficit by half

Brazil’s current account deficit dropped by half in the first quarter compared to a year ago as businesses cut imports and sent less money to parent companies abroad amid slower economic growth. According to the latest release from the Central Bank the deficit narrowed to 5 billion US dollars in the first quarter of the year compared to 10.3 billion in the same period in 2008.
Thursday, April 23rd 2009 - 13:19 UTC
Cuban regime coming to an end, Hillary tells US Congress

United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Wednesday that Cuban President Raul Castro’s current regime “is ending” and that the US must prepare to deal with a new reality on the island.
Thursday, April 23rd 2009 - 13:15 UTC
Development banks pledge 90 billion USD for Latinamerica

Leading multilateral development banks announced Wednesday they will increase their support to Latin America and the Caribbean by providing as much as 90 billion US dollars during the next two years in a joint effort to spur economic growth in the region by coordinating their crisis response initiatives.
Thursday, April 23rd 2009 - 13:09 UTC
Brazil liberates international air passenger fares

Brazil’s Civil Aviation Agency, ANAC, announced Wednesday the gradual liberation of air fares for all international flights departing from Brazil. The decision applies to all regular airlines, national or international and will be arranged according to a one year chronogram.
Thursday, April 23rd 2009 - 13:04 UTC
IMF economic outlook influenced by Wall Street, claims World Bank

The World Bank believes that the IMF growth prospects for Latinamerica are “too pessimistic” and anticipates the region will suffer a milder contraction 0.6%, compared to the 1.5% forecasted by the April World Economic Outlook which IMF released Wednesday.
Thursday, April 23rd 2009 - 10:38 UTC
Venezuelan court asks Interpol to help arrest opposition leader Rosales

A Venezuelan court has ordered the arrest of exiled opposition leader Manuel Rosales on corruption charges and asked Interpol to detain him after he left for Peru, according to the Venezuelan state television.
Thursday, April 23rd 2009 - 10:32 UTC
Japan’s first annual trade deficit in 28 years

Japan has reported its first annual trade deficit in 28 years, with exports in the year to March down 16% from the previous year. Total exports in February and March were half of what they had been a year earlier, the finance ministry said.
Thursday, April 23rd 2009 - 07:02 UTC
Paternity claims shed light on President Lugo’s exit from the Church

A third woman in two weeks has claimed that Paraguay's President Fernando Lugo fathered her child, intensifying a political scandal that has made him the target of acid jokes, graffiti and a pop song. However in this last case the 39 year old teacher said she was “deeply in love” with the former bishop.