Stories for August 31st 2013

Saturday, August 31st 2013 - 18:54 UTC
Major change in US drugs policy: allows recreational cannabis on a ‘trust but verify’ approach

President Barack Obama's administration ceded ground last week in the US war on drugs, saying it will not dispute the legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado and Washington states. The decision was swiftly hailed by campaigners for the legalization of a substance that, under federal law, remains a Schedule One controlled substance on a par with heroin.
Saturday, August 31st 2013 - 18:22 UTC
UNICEF says 2.3 million under-16s in Spain at risk of malnutrition

The continuing fall in household income in Spain is causing many families to cut down on basic necessities such as food and it is estimated that a quarter of under-16, or 2.3 million are at risk of malnutrition, according to a recent statement by Gabriel González-Bueno, responsible for Child Policies at UNICEF in Spain.
Saturday, August 31st 2013 - 18:03 UTC
Unasur embarrassment: Suriname president’s son arrested by US on drug and arms trafficking

Suriname opposition legislators have called on President Desi Bouterse to resign as well as to clarify the circumstances surrounding the arrest of his son by United States law enforcement authorities in Panama earlier this week.
Saturday, August 31st 2013 - 17:46 UTC
Santos orders troops to patrol Bogotá as farm-protest reaches the capital

President Juan Manuel Santos ordered troops to patrol Bogota and Colombia's highways on Friday, after violent protests in support of striking farmworkers left two dead.
Saturday, August 31st 2013 - 17:31 UTC
Chronicle of a removal foretold: Francis names new ‘prime minister’

Pope Francis and his orthodox reform approach sets a new tone for a Vatican beset by scandals by naming a veteran diplomat as secretary of state, a role often called the “deputy pope”.
Saturday, August 31st 2013 - 15:30 UTC
Falklands’ lawmaker arrives in Uruguay to inform on business opportunities in the Islands

Falkland Islands member of the Legislative Assembly Dick Sawle will be in Montevideo 2-6 September, after spending a week in Brazil involved in business, academia and informal political contacts sponsored by the Foreign Office. In Uruguay according to the official release MLA Sawle will inform about business opportunities with the Falklands and to strengthen the historical ties with Uruguay.
Saturday, August 31st 2013 - 15:27 UTC
Uruguay fearing the wrath of Cristina Fernandez denies authorization to expand pulp mill capacity

The Uruguayan government fearful of Argentine President Cristina Fernandez’s reaction will not authorize the local UPM pulp mill to expand its production capacity from 1 million to 1.3 million tons annually, in the short term, according to company and government sources.
Saturday, August 31st 2013 - 02:01 UTC
Sigh of relief for Mantega: Brazilian economy expands 1.5% in second quarter

Brazil’s economy expanded 1.5% in the second quarter of 2013 compared with the previous three month, exceeding the most optimistic market expectations, official statistics showed Friday. The farm sector fared best, growing 3.9%, followed by industry with 2% and services 0.8% according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) website.
Saturday, August 31st 2013 - 01:50 UTC
“Doors are open for Aerolíneas whenever they wish” Chile tells Argentina

Chilean Foreign minister Alfredo Moreno said that flag carrier Aerolíneas Argentina can access the Chilean domestic market whenever they wish, discarding any impediments or veto to such an option.
Saturday, August 31st 2013 - 01:39 UTC
Falklands’ Argentina banned oil companies linked to YPF partner Chevron

An Argentine lawmaker claims that the US oil corporation Chevron which is investing heavily in developing shale resources in Neuquen with YPF is a partner of Oil Spill Response Limited that is also involved with the oil companies operating in the South Atlantic in Argentine waters but licensed by the Falkland Islands government.