Stories for July 26th 2013

Friday, July 26th 2013 - 11:39 UTC
Beijing unveils measures to boost growth: tax breaks and railway construction

China has unveiled a series of moves aimed at boosting growth, indicating that policymakers are concerned about the slowdown in its economy. The steps include tax breaks for small businesses, reduced fees for exporters and opening up of railway construction.
Friday, July 26th 2013 - 06:41 UTC
Fifteen months ahead of presidential election, Uruguay’s ruling coalition continues to lead

Fifteen months ahead of October 2014 presidential election, over 80% of Uruguayans are willing to reveal whom they will vote, ‘if elections were held next Sunday’, according to the latest public opinion poll from Cifra and released this week.
Friday, July 26th 2013 - 06:38 UTC
Francis urges young Catholics to rebel: shake up the church and spread the faith in the streets

Pope Francis urged young Catholics to shake up the church and make a “mess” in their dioceses by going out into the streets to spread the faith. It’s a message he put into practice on Thursday by visiting one of Rio’s most violent slums and opening the church’s World Youth Day on a rain-soaked Copacabana Beach.
Friday, July 26th 2013 - 06:27 UTC
King Juan Carlos visits hospitalized survivors of the Galicia train crash

King Juan Carlos has said all Spanish people feel the pain of the families of the 80 people killed in a high-speed train crash in north-western Spain. The king was speaking on a visit to the dozens of hospitalised survivors in Santiago de Compostela, near to where the train derailed on Wednesday night.
Friday, July 26th 2013 - 06:25 UTC
Panel of scientists blames UN for cholera deadly epidemic in Haiti

A group of international scientists studying a deadly cholera epidemic in Haiti has concluded that peacekeepers from the United Nations were the most likely source of the disease. The epidemic, which began in late 2010, has so far claimed over 8,000 lives. The UN formally rejected compensation claims in February.
Friday, July 26th 2013 - 06:11 UTC
Mujica praises Fidel Castro as a brilliant man promoter of ideas

Uruguayan president Jose Mujica currently in Havana said he had an enlightening conversation with the leader of the Cuban revolution Fidel Castro whom he described as “a wise old man who continues to be brilliant” and a ‘promoter of ideas”.
Friday, July 26th 2013 - 06:02 UTC
OAS chief Insulza honoured as “a dear friend of Paraguay”

Jose Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) received on Wednesday the National Order Award of Merit, ‘Don Jose Falcon’ from the government of Paraguay.
Friday, July 26th 2013 - 05:48 UTC
US global spy dragnet and PRISM confirmed in narrow vote at the Lower House

The US House of Representatives has narrowly voted to continue collecting data on US phone calls, in the first legislative move on the program. In a 205-217 vote, lawmakers rejected an effort to restrict the National Security Agency's (NSA) ability to collect electronic information.
Friday, July 26th 2013 - 04:39 UTC
Polar blast covers 80 towns of southern sunny Brazil with snow

A severe cold front dumped snow on more than 80 towns in southern Brazil and leaving one dead, local weather forecast reported. In Argentina, six people were reported dead.
Friday, July 26th 2013 - 04:34 UTC
FAO forecasts new record level of cereals production this year: 2.479m tons

World total cereal production is forecast to increase by about 7% in 2013 compared to last year, helping to replenish global inventories and raise expectations for more stable markets in 2013/14, according to the latest issue of FAO quarterly Crop Prospects and Food Situation.