Stories for April 2009

Tuesday, April 28th 2009 - 11:03 UTC
Peru grants political asylum to Venezuela’s main opposition leader

Peru confirmed Monday it had granted political asylum to Manuel Rosales, the mayor of Maracaibo, Venezuela. Rosales, a leading political opponent who lost the 2006 presidential race to Hugo Chavez, faces corruption charges in Venezuela.
Tuesday, April 28th 2009 - 10:54 UTC
US confirms follow up on thaw talks with Cuba

United States diplomats are holding talks with officials of Cuba's diplomatic mission in Washington on possible follow-up measures to steps President Barack Obama took earlier this month to ease restrictions on the island nation.
Tuesday, April 28th 2009 - 10:39 UTC
Venezuela’s access to Mercosur should be cleared by May 26

Venezuela agreed to comply with Mercosur intra-trade conditions so that its stalled incorporation request can be finally approved by the Brazilian Congress. Hopefully the issue will be finalized for when President Hugo Chavez makes a state visit to Brazil next May 26, according to Brazilian Foreign Secretary Celso Amorim quoted by the Sao Paulo press.
Tuesday, April 28th 2009 - 10:26 UTC
Bolivia and Paraguay seal peace and limits 74 years after the Chaco war

Bolivia and Paraguay formally sealed Monday in Buenos Aires the end of an armed conflict dating back 74 years and which is considered the bloodiest of the last century in South America with over 100.000 killed.
Tuesday, April 28th 2009 - 08:37 UTC
Leading Paraguayan bishop suggests President Lugo should marry

A leading authority of the Catholic Church has suggested that Paraguayan President and former bishop, Fernando Lugo should marry one of the women who claim to have had children with him so as to mitigate the scandal triggered in the country with the repeated allegations.
Tuesday, April 28th 2009 - 06:05 UTC
Fifth year-running march to protest against Botnia pulp mill

For the fifth year running a massive concentration of Argentine environmentalists and picketers marched Sunday across an international bridge linking with Uruguay to protest against a pulp mill built on the Uruguayan side and which has been at the heart of a bilateral political and diplomatic dispute between the neighbouring countries.
Monday, April 27th 2009 - 14:39 UTC
WHO admits swine flu could become pandemic, but world “better prepared”

The international community is better prepared than ever to deal with the threatened spread of a new swine flu virus, the top United Nations health chief has said. As the UN warned the outbreak might become a pandemic, World Health Organization Director-General Dr Keiji Fukuda said years of preparing for bird flu had boosted world stocks of anti-virals.
Monday, April 27th 2009 - 14:34 UTC
UK has enough anti-viral drugs to treat 50% of the population

Health experts in Britain are on high alert to prevent the spread of a new human strain of the swine flu virus. Britain’s NHS also revealed it has a stockpile of £ 500 million of Tamiflu anti-viral drug which has proved effective on patients in Mexico where the outbreak seems to have started.
Monday, April 27th 2009 - 14:29 UTC
Swine flu deaths in Mexico 103; US declares public health emergency

Mexican Public Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova said on Sunday that the number of deaths from swine flu virus had increased to 103, with 1.614 suspect cases and 400 in hospitals. Meantime in neighbouring United States the Health and Human Services, HHS, issued a nationwide public health emergency declaration.
Monday, April 27th 2009 - 14:14 UTC
“Major rebalancing” of British forces to counter irregular warfare

United Kingdom Special Forces like the SAS are to be boosted as part of a new military strategy to take on al-Qaeda and other terror networks that threaten Britain's security, Defence Secretary John Hutton is expected to announce. They are included in plans for a “major rebalancing” of the armed forces over the next 10 years.