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Montevideo, December 8th 2024 - 12:24 UTC

Stories for May 1st 2014

  • Thursday, May 1st 2014 - 10:10 UTC

    Amnesty International accuses Spain of repressive legislation and heavy hand with protestors

    In 2013, there were 4,500 demonstrations in Madrid alone: an increase of 1,000 from the year before

    The Spanish government is using the full force of the law to suffocate legitimate peaceful protest, Amnesty International in Spain has said. Jezerca Tigani, Europe and Central Asia Deputy Program Director for Amnesty, published a brief report last week in which he said that the excessive use of force by Spanish police and plans to strengthen repressive legislation are a damning indictment of the Spanish government’s determination to crush peaceful protest.

  • Thursday, May 1st 2014 - 09:52 UTC

    EU fishing fleet: balance between capacity and fishing opportunities still distant

    On 31 December 2012 the EU fleet consisted of 76,023 vessels.

    The European Commission's annual report on the European fishing fleet shows some progress towards achieving a balance between capacity and available fishing opportunities. However more remains to be done to ensure that stocks are managed in accordance with the objective of Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) and the Commission considers that there is still a need for active fleet capacity adjustment measures by Member States in order to achieve this.

  • Thursday, May 1st 2014 - 07:43 UTC

    OAS electoral observers arrive in Panama ahead of Sunday's ballot

     The mission is headed by former Peruvian presidential candidate Lourdes Flores

    The OAS Electoral Observation Mission has arrived in Panama, led by former Peruvian Congresswoman and presidential candidate Lourdes Flores Nano, for the final deployment of the 56 international experts and observers ahead of Sunday's general elections.

  • Thursday, May 1st 2014 - 07:33 UTC

    Brazil raises taxes on beer and sodas; primary surplus slightly down in March

    The coming World Cup should help collect more taxes: drink and feast

    The Brazilian government will raise taxes on beers, sodas and other beverages in a move that will raise an extra 1.5 billion Reais (674 million dollars) in revenue to help meet the fiscal savings goal. Earlier this month, the government had already announced a tax hike on beer to bolster fiscal accounts that have been hit hard over the last three years by rising subsidies, higher spending and an economic slowdown.

  • Thursday, May 1st 2014 - 07:22 UTC

    Brazil: Protestors demanding housing block main access routes and camp outside City Council

    Demonstrations have become a recurrent headache for law enforcement officials

    A demonstration supporting access to low-cost housing on Wednesday blocked several stretches of the Marginal Tiete, one of the main access routes to Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city and financial capital.

  • Thursday, May 1st 2014 - 07:08 UTC

    Rousseff bids for re-election and announces benefits for her electoral base

    The Brazilian president ignored the 'Lula Return' campaign and pledged “we will still go forward”

    President Dilma Rousseff said on Wednesday she will seek re-election in October, even though some are calling for the return of her popular predecessor president Lula da Silva. Rousseff, who belongs to Lula's Workers Party and was his protegée, said she hoped to have the support of all the parties allied with her government.

  • Thursday, May 1st 2014 - 06:58 UTC

    Fed optimistic about US economy; pares securities purchases by another 10bn dollars

    The report following the two day meeting chaired by Janet Yellen was unanimous

    The Federal Reserve looked past a dismal reading on first quarter US growth and gave a mostly upbeat assessment of the economy's prospects as it announced another cut in its massive bond-buying stimulus. Latest information indicates that economic activity has picked up after having slowed sharply during the winter in part because of adverse weather conditions, the central bank said on Wednesday.

  • Thursday, May 1st 2014 - 06:45 UTC

    Malvinas issue should be addressed at UN General Assembly suggest Argentine lawmakers

    Senator Ruben Giustiniani, forget C24

    Members from the opposition addressed a letter to President Cristina Fernandez recommending that in the coming UN General Assembly Argentina presents a resolution-draft calling for the Falklands/Malvinas Islands sovereignty claim to be discussed in the assembly and not at the Decolonization Committee or C24.

  • Thursday, May 1st 2014 - 05:43 UTC

    Falklands' new governor mystified by Argentine logic and 'welcomes illumination'

    Governor Colin Roberts, maybe the Argentines regret they were not able to do the same fifty years ago with the Falklands

    Asked at a press conference on Wednesday why the Argentine Government had appeared to be against his appointment to the Falkland Islands, while also attempting to vilify him as someone who had previously opposed the right to self-determination of the inhabitants of another small island community, the newly-arrived governor, Mr Colin Roberts CVO, said that he was mystified by the logic and “would welcome illumination”.