Havana
No more free lunch: In an effort to save money during the global recession, Cuba is phasing out its free “workers’ cafeterias.” Some 3.5 million Cubans—out of a total population of 11 million—eat free meals at the cafeterias every day. But that program, Economy Minister Marino Murillo told the state-run newspaper Granma, is too expensive and prone to waste. From now on, the government said, workers will receive stipends to cover only meals consumed during work hours. Granma said Cubans should welcome the change, since many “are not happy with the quality, quantity, and presentation of the food they get every day.”
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Did attorney general ignore murders? The Mexican senate has confirmed Arturo Chávez Chávez as attorney general over the objections of human-rights groups, which say that as attorney general of Chihuahua state during the late 1990s he did nothing about an epidemic of murders of women. Chávez suggested at the time that many of the hundreds of victims, mostly factory workers, were themselves to blame because they had been out at night. Mexico’s independent National Human Rights Commission had recommended that Chávez be disciplined for failing to investigate the murders, but no action was taken. At his confirmation hearing last week, Chávez acknowledged “errors” and “negligence” by people in his department, but said that he
himself had “complied with his obligation.”
Tegucigalpa, Honduras
State of emergency: Honduran leader Roberto Micheletti raised the stakes in the country’s mounting political crisis this week when he suspended civil liberties. Micheletti also ordered the arrest of President Manuel Zelaya, who was ousted in a coup in June but has returned to the country and is taking refuge in the Brazilian Embassy. After some members of his own party objected to the decree that bans unauthorized meetings and allows for arrests without warrants, Micheletti said he would consider rescinding the decrees. “This decision was made because Zelaya was calling for insurrection,” Micheletti said, “but I’m going to listen to the other powers of the state and we’re going to make the best decision in the interests of Honduras.” Micheletti warned Brazil that its embassy would be closed if it did not hand over Zelaya.
Porlamar, Venezuela
What is terrorism? Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi are calling for a global conference to develop a new definition of terrorism. Meeting on the sidelines of a summit between South American and African leaders, the two leaders signed a declaration rejecting “attempts to link the legitimate struggle of the people for liberty and self-determination” with terrorism. Chávez stands accused by the U.S. and Colombia of assisting the FARC, a Colombian Marxist rebel group that the U.S. labels a terrorist organization. Qaddafi has frequently been accused of sponsoring terrorism, including backing the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.
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