The world at a glance . . . Americas

Ottawa

Premier accused of plagiarism: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper copied nearly half of his 2003 speech urging Canada to send troops to Iraq from a speech delivered two days earlier by then–Australian Prime Minister John Howard, members of the rival Liberal Party said this week. The Liberals released a video of the two speeches that showed Harper using language identical to Howard’s, such as: “This resolution, which was adopted unanimously, gave Iraq a final opportunity to demonstrate immediate compliance with its disarmament obligations, and it promises serious consequences otherwise.” Harper, the Conservative Party opposition leader at the time of the speech, is campaigning for re-election. Harper speechwriter Owen Lippert took responsibility for the plagiarism and resigned.

Mexico City

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Hold the queso: Within a decade, Mexico will catch up to the U.S. to become one of the world’s fattest nations, the Mexican government said this week. Already, half of Mexicans are overweight and obesity among children is rising steadily. New cases of high blood pressure and diabetes have increased more than 25 percent over the past five years. The administration of President Felipe Calderón has launched a campaign to promote physical fitness, renovating hundreds of public gyms and encouraging businesses to give workers time for exercise. “The longer we carry this excess weight, the more serious the problem becomes,” said Dr. Samuel Flores Huerta of Mexico City’s Children’s Hospital. “Obesity is costing this country a lot of money.”

Quito, Ecuador

New constitution passes: Ecuadorians approved a new constitution this week that grants broad new powers to President Rafael Correa and allows him to serve longer in office. “The old structures are defeated,” the leftist Correa said. “This confirms the citizens’ revolution.” The new constitution, Ecuador’s 20th, increases the president’s control over the economy, including the key oil and mining industries, and allows suspension of some foreign loan payments. It also provides free health care for the elderly and allows gay couples to form civil unions. Correa, elected in 2006 on a platform of “socialism for the 21st century,” faced international criticism when he ordered the recent state takeover of television stations.

Brasilia, Brazil

Government razing Amazon: The Amazon region has been deforested three times faster this year than last and the Brazilian government is complicit in the destruction, Brazil’s Environment Minister Carlos Minc said this week. The Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform, a government department that distributes land to the poor, was responsible for the deforestation of 544,000 acres in the past three years. Settlers on the institute’s land routinely cut down trees to plant crops. Minc said he would file criminal charges against the top 100 illegal loggers, including government agencies and private firms. “We’re going to blow all 100 of them out of the water and then some,” he said.