Latin America and the Caribbean will post an overall 0.5% economic contraction in 2016, the International Monetary Fund forecast in its latest report, capping the region's worst two-year period since the 1982 debt crisis. But the IMF said the region is expected to rebound to 1.5% growth in 2017, avoiding the lost decade phenomenon that marked the 1980s.
Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond became on Thursday the first British Foreign Secretary to visit Cuba since 1959. In a series of high-level meetings, the Foreign Secretary will call on his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodríguez and other government leaders to discuss the recent social and economic changes in Cuba, human rights, trade and investment, and the fight against global health threats such as the Zika virus.
UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has arrived in Colombia to highlight the UK’s support for the country’s peace process and fight against narcotics during visits to Bogota and Cartagena.
The Organization of American States (OAS) will conduct, at the request of the governments of Belize and Guatemala, an independent investigation of the April 20 border incident that led to the death of the Guatemalan minor Julio Rene Alvarado Ruano and in which his father and brother were wounded.
Former World Bank economist Pedro Pablo Kuczynski continues to hold his lead over conservative Keiko Fujimori ahead of the June 5 runoff presidential election. Kuczynski, also known by his initials PPK, is projected to win with 43% of the vote ahead of Fujimori's 39%, according to the latest Ipsos public opinion poll conducted between April 20 and 22.
Salmon farming company AquaChile reported the detection of a possible ISA virus outbreak in a cage of one of its salmon farming centers located in the Aysen region, in southern Chile.
April 25 is one of two days dedicated to the adorable, waddling birds. April 25 is World Penguin Day while January 20th is Penguin Awareness Day.In addition to two penguin days, there are believed to be 17 penguin species, ranging from the Little Blue Penguin to the mighty Emperor Penguin. And several of these are threatened by climate change.
The Organization of American States, OAS, has called on the governments of Belize and Guatemala to avoid an escalation of tensions, and renew efforts to establish a lasting peace. The OAS statement follows a previous repudiating “the death of a Guatemalan minor [Julio Alvarado, 13] at the hands of a Belizean patrol”.
The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are joining forces with other international organizations to cooperate on tax issues and develop new tools and standards to halt tax base erosion and evasion.
A federal lawsuit is claiming that Carnival Corporation is discriminating against Cuban-Americans who weren’t allowed to book tickets on a cruise to the Castro brothers dominated country. CNN reports that when Carnival announced plans for a cruise ship from its Fathom line to sail from Miami to Havana in May, Francisco Marty jumped at the opportunity to surprise his children with a trip back to their native land.