Daily Headlines: December 21, 2015

* Bolivia: A natural disaster declaration was emitted for Bolivia’s second-largest lake, Lake Poopó, which is nearly completely dry.

* Central America: Should the U.S. help airlift an estimated 5000 of Cuban migrants stranded in Costa Rica since November?

* Haiti: “Violent protests and acts of vandalism’ have erupted in several Haitian cites prior to the controversial presidential runoff election scheduled for this Sunday.

* Brazil: Nelson Barbosa, Brazil’s new Finance Minister, said that the austerity plans will continue in order to jump start the recession-hit economy.

YouTube Source – Fundacion Solon

Online Sources – teleSUR English, SBS, Miami Herald, Forbes

Daily Headlines: October 19, 2015

* Colombia: In the latest pact between the Colombian government and the FARC rebels, both sides agreed to work together and provide information on the tens of thousands of people missing due to the armed conflict.

* Bolivia: Bolivian officials claimed that spy planes have crossed into national territory and, thus, the government will buy some $229 million in radar equipment from France.

* Argentina: For the first time Argentina made it through to the final four of the Rugby World Cup after Los Pumas blitzed Ireland by a score of 43-20 in the quarterfinals.

* Brazil: President Dilma Rousseff backed beleaguered Finance Minister Joaquim Levy despite mounting pressure against her proposed austerity measures designed to boost the weakened Brazilian economy.

YouTube Source – AFP (“Thirteen years after Medellin was rocked by violence when the government decided to recapture a sector of the city disputed by right-wing paramilitaries and militias, family members and others take part in commemoration events.”)
 
Online Sources – BBC Sport, Voice of America, Fox News Latino, Reuters

Daily Headlines: October 12, 2015

* Brazil: Finance Minister Joaquim Levy declared his intent to stay in his post despite a political and popular backlash against President Dilma Rousseff’s austerity plans for the economy.

* Haiti: U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has reportedly requested a one-year extension to what could be the final peacekeeping mission for the organization in Haiti.

* Argentina: The Argentine government once again railed against “illegal” offshore oil and gas exploration by foreign firms near the disputed Falkland Islands.

* Mexico: The Mexican men’s national soccer team will head to the 2017 Confederations Cup following a thrilling 3-2 win over bitter rivals, the U.S.

YouTube Source – AFP (“Unions and social movements, traditional allies of Brazil's ruling Workers' Party, march (last September) to protest planned budget cuts by President Dilma Rousseff's government.”)

Online Sources – NBC News, CTV News, Latin American Herald Tribune, NPR

Daily Headlines: September 15, 2015

* Bolivia: The U.S. State Department claimed Bolivia “failed demonstrably” to combat drug trafficking even though coca leaf cultivation has fallen by over one-third since 2010.

* Puerto Rico: A group of eight Latino legislators called on Treasury secretary Jacob Lew to work with Congress and help push proposals that would allow debt-ridden Puerto Rico to declare bankruptcy.

* Brazil: The Brazilian government unveiled a $17 billion austerity plan though President Dilma Rousseff may not have sufficient political and popular support to implement the package.

* Cuba: Cuban police detained some fifty dissidents marching in Havana less than a week prior to Pope Francis’ scheduled visit to the island.

YouTube Source – wochit World (“According to a new UN report, Bolivia has reduced coca production by 34 percent in four years…(President Evo) Morales forced the DEA and USAID to leave the country in 2008 and 2013 respectively”.)

Online Sources – Voice of America, Bloomberg View, Time, The New York Times, GlobalPost