Stories for May 11th 2015

Monday, May 11th 2015 - 10:33 UTC
Sei whales found dead in southern Chile: red tide or virus suspected death cause

More than 20 whales were found dead and rotting along a rocky coast of southern Chile, maritime officials said, as they tried to determine what killed them and when. The whales, discovered beached north of the Gulf of Penas, measured about 10 meters long, according to officials with Chile's national fisheries service.
Monday, May 11th 2015 - 10:21 UTC
Castro praises Francis and promises “to turn to the Church again if the pope continues on this vein”

Cuban President Raul Castro has praised Pope Francis for brokering the restoration of relations between Cuba and the US, announced in December. At the end of a Sunday audience at the Vatican, Castro said he had thanked the Pope for his contribution for the historic rapprochement.
Monday, May 11th 2015 - 10:16 UTC
Vazquez and Rousseff meeting will address Mercosur/EU trade negotiations

Uruguay and Brazil presidents, scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting next 21 May in Brasilia will be addressing Mercosur issues, and advancing in the proposal that will allow the group's members to sign bilateral agreements with third parties not belonging to the region, thus avoiding the 'consensus' clause clamp.
Monday, May 11th 2015 - 10:11 UTC
Brazil's inflation eases in April but still well above central bank's target

Brazil's consumer price inflation slowed in April, but not enough to prevent the 12-month rate from remaining well above the central bank's target. The consumer-price index, IPCA, rose 0.71% in April, compared with a rise of 1.32% in March, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, or IBGE, said in its latest release.
Monday, May 11th 2015 - 10:08 UTC
China's cuts interest rates to reduce cost of borrowing and boost the economy

China's central bank announced Sunday it would cut interest rates by 25 basis points as authorities seek to boost the flagging economy following a raft of data indicating a slowdown. The benchmark one-year lending rate would be reduced to 5.1% and the deposit rate to 2.25% from Monday, the People's Bank of China (PBoC) said on its website.
Monday, May 11th 2015 - 09:34 UTC
Argentine congress will try to evaluate 'psychophysical condition” of Justic Fayt

Argentina's Lower Houe Impeachment Committee has a busy week ahead, with the agenda including a request to evaluate Supreme Court Justice Carlos Fayt’s 'psychophysical condition'. The committee will also treat impeachment requests against Prosecutor General Alejandra Gils Carbó, foreign minister Hector Timerman and vice-president Amado Boudou.
Monday, May 11th 2015 - 09:15 UTC
A bashed Bachelet expects to announce reshuffled cabinet this Monday

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet plans to announce a reshuffling of her Cabinet this Monday in a bid to restore her public image, which has been badly tarnished by corruption scandals, including one involving her son.
Monday, May 11th 2015 - 09:05 UTC
Under pressure from Brazil, Venezuela announces legislative elections for end of the year

Venezuela will hold parliamentary elections in the last quarter of this year and the exact date will be announced soon, the head of the National Electoral Council (CNE) said on Sunday. The elected lawmakers will be inaugurated for five years on 2016.
Monday, May 11th 2015 - 08:47 UTC
Uruguay's local elections: no major number surprises but interesting changes in the political map

Uruguay Sunday's department and municipal elections resulted mostly as forecasted with no major surprises, and as advanced by MP 9 May, in the capital Montevideo, with half the country's electorate, the two promising candidates have effectively been the elected mayor, Daniel Martinez and Edgardo Novick, a successful businessman and non political figure, who now becomes head of the opposition.