Daily headlines: November 23rd

* Hate crimes against transvestites and other minorities in Guatemala have increased this year; sadly, they have been met with impunity by law enforcement authorities who are sometime involved in the crimes themselves.

* The World Bank issued loans totaling about $520 million to fund a controversial mill project along the Uruguay-Argentina border.

* Heavy rains in Central America have killed five people in Panama and possibly two more in Honduras.

* New Zealand’s government lent its public support Chile’s application to be a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

* Peruvian prosecutors issued a new arrest warrant against disgraced former president Alberto Fujimori who is currently exiled in Chile.

* Soccer officials in Argentina lifted a ban on preventing visiting fans to attend matches, which had been put in place in order to curb rising violence during games.

Links- Reuters, The Latin Americanist (blog), MercoPress, International Herald Tribune, MSN Money, BBC News, ESPN Soccernet

Image- the Gully (Guatemalan lesbians protesting for their civil rights)

Tags-Guatemala, crime, international economy, Uruguay, Argentina, Central America, weather, soccer, Peru, Chile