Regina, Canada
No opt-out: Canadian public officials cannot refuse to marry same-sex couples on religious grounds, an appeals court in the western province of Saskatchewan ruled this week. Canada legalized gay marriage in 2005, but some commissioners in Saskatchewan have refused to perform ceremonies for same-sex couples, saying that doing so would violate their religious beliefs. The province’s appeals court ruling—which is expected to set a precedent for the whole country—said the infringement of religious rights would be minor compared with the discrimination against gays and lesbians that would result were an opt-out allowed. “They’ll have to fire me,” said commissioner Larry Bjerland. “I do not intend to marry any gay couples.”
Acapulco, Mexico
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Murder spree: Bodies littered Acapulco last weekend as 31 people were killed, including 15 who were decapitated, in the worst spate of drug violence to hit the resort city. The headless bodies were found with notes saying the killings were ordered by Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, leader of the Sinaloa cartel and Mexico’s most-wanted man. Three drug gangs have been fighting for control of Acapulco since December 2009, when the Mexican navy killed Arturo Beltrán Leyva, the drug lord who used to run the city. Acapulco is particularly desirable because its port offers a direct link to Colombia and Peru, the world’s largest cocaine producers.
Santiago, Chile
Palestinian statehood: Chile has become the fifth Latin American country in the past month to recognize Palestinian statehood. The trend started in early December in Brazil, which has been seeking to expand trade ties with Iran and Arab countries. Then Argentina, Ecuador, and Bolivia followed suit, endorsing a state in the entire West Bank and the Gaza Strip, which would leave Israel with its pre-1967 borders. Chile, which has one of the largest Palestinian communities outside the Middle East, jumped on the bandwagon last week, but avoided mentioning the border issue. Israel expressed “regret and disappointment” at the developments.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Show me the money: Argentina is suffering a shortage of cash. Across the country, the few ATMs that are still stocked draw long lines of people eager to get their hands on some pesos. The government ordered an emergency delivery of 10 billion pesos in 100-peso notes from a mint in neighboring Brazil; in the meantime, it’s telling people to use credit and debit cards to pay bills. But most Argentines don’t trust those methods, because of the country’s history of hyperinflation and economic meltdown. Some economists say the current shortage is due to an inflation rate of at least 25 percent. As the 100-peso note loses value, people need to use more and more of them. Others say demand for cash always rises around Christmas, when people take beach vacations, and that the government
simply failed to plan ahead.
