Wednesday, April 24, 2013

4.24.13 - News Review

4.24.13 - News Review

» A New Era in Medical Travel Begins in Puerto Rico and Costa Rica - Wall Street Journal (press release)
24/04/13 09:08 from puerto rico news - Google News
A New Era in Medical Travel Begins in Puerto Rico and Costa Rica Wall Street Journal (press release) " Puerto Rico is the ideal destination for the U.S. market because of its proximity and easy access from many of the major cities, the fac..

» Puerto Rico Governor Says Police Strike Endangers Public
24/04/13 11:18 from Latin American Herald Tribune
Puerto Rico Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla said Tuesday that the sickout strike by hundreds of police officers is endangering the public. 

» Poetry Helps Correct History’s Mistakes, Cervantes Winner Says
24/04/13 11:18 from Latin American Herald Tribune
Spanish poet and novelist Jose Manuel Caballero Bonald spoke Tuesday, in his speech of gratitude for being awarded the Cervantes Prize, about poetry’s “power to comfort” in a world “besieged by troubles and contempt for human rights.” ..


» Suspect Admits He and Late Brother Carried Out Boston Bombings
24/04/13 11:18 from Latin American Herald Tribune
Terror suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev admitted to investigators that he and late brother Tamerlan carried out the deadly bombings at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, The Boston Globe said Tuesday, citing an unnamed senior law enforcement ..


» Puerto Rico slowly warms to more gay rights
24/04/13 01:20 from 
88 Comments, last updated on Tuesday Apr 23 by Jorge


Police Say Puerto Rico Officers Are Ending Sickout - ABC News

Police authorities in Puerto Rico say officers are returning to work after ... - Washington Post

Top cop: Sickout putting public at risk

Hundreds of officers in Puerto Rico join sickout - Fox News

Puerto Rico Police Force Decrees Unofficial Strike Over Non-Paid Sick Days - Huffington Post


To Succeed in Political Status Objective, Puerto Ricans Must Focus ...

Puerto Rico Marijuana Legalization Bill Filed - Drug War Chronicle

Puerto Rico debates legalizing marijuana use in a first for the US territory
Washington Post
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Dozens of people marched Saturday through Puerto Rico's capital amid growing support for a recent bill filed by a former police chief that aims to legalize marijuana for personal use, unleashing an unprecedented debate in this ...

Distressed loan investors see buried treasure in Puerto Rico's tax haven - Financial Times

Puerto Rico Becoming US Tax Dodge - thephuketinsider.com - thephuketinsider.com

PR’s economic index falls sharply

#UN lowers economic growth forecast for #LatinAmerica and #Caribbean. Read: http...

Video: Drug Bust at Puerto Rican Airport Last June is an Indicator

HSI Arrests Puerto Rico Department of Justice Agent for Production of Child ... - Latin American Herald Tribune

Review: Rita Moreno's memoir is survivor's story

Life with Loren: Episode 26 - Puerto Rico 2013

Saborea Puerto Rico: Featuring the best of the Puerto Rican culinary scene




The Teodoro Moscoso Bridge In San Juan Puerto Rico
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Driving over the Teodoro Moscoso Bridge in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Headed to Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport. Technically it's Isla Verde. Shaky camera...
From: Adam Struve
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Doctors flee Puerto Rico for US mainland
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Going to the doctor in Puerto Rico has for years often meant getting in line. Now, it might mean getting on a plane.




To Succeed in Political Status Objective, Puerto Ricans Must Focus ...
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That type of detail obsessive thinking has basically dominated decades of Puerto Rican politics, and it is one of the reasons why I think the island has never progressed. You see, the “tree” (or “trees”) has always referred to the ...

The Russian Opposition “Snake Pit”
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The Russian opposition is at war with itself, and it’s thanks to more than the usual ideological tectonics. The various fault lines that infamously allow the Kremlin to “divide and conquer” Russia’s would-be saviors are indeed political, but the divisions are every bit as much about idiosyncrasies and shady dealings. Take the case [ru] surrounding Konstantin Lebedev and his leftist comrades, Sergey Udaltsov and Leonid Razvozzhaev. The trio has been under criminal investigation since October 2012, following a program aired on Russian television network NTV, which featuredfootage [ru] of their meeting with Georgian politicians, allegedly involving a plot to facilitate riots in Russia, with the aim of destabilizing the Putin regime.
Background
Initially, the case against Lebedev, Udaltsov, and Razvozzhaev galvanized the opposition, rallying disparate factions in support of men accused on the basis of an apparently spurious NTV documentary film. (Bloggers have noted certain technical clues indicating that the video could be a recut montage.) Nationalist democrats like Vladimir Milovencouraged [ru] the public to support Lebedev, perhaps out of solidarity with Milov’s Democratic Choice ally Stanislav Yakovlev, who once worked alongside Lebedev in the movement “Smena” [ru] (“Change”). Alexey Navalny, another nationalist liberal, also hit the streets [ru] to call for Lebedev’s release, evidently to seize the opportunity to criticize Investigative Committee head Alexandr Bastrykin, against whom Navalny has personally crusaded [ru] since July 2012 [ru].
There were several broader reasons to band together over this case, as well: investigators tied it to the constantly expanding “Bolotnoe Delo” investigation into “rioting” at the May 6, 2012, “million man march”; Razvozzhaev claims [ru] that the police kidnapped and tortured [ru] him while in custody; and oppositionists are generally eager to believe that its putative leaders don’t plot their actions secretly with foreign conspirators.
Rude Awakenings
Konstantin Lebedev in pretrial detention, 18 October 2012, screen capture from YouTube.
Konstantin Lebedev in pretrial detention, 18 October 2012, screen capture from YouTube.
Earlier this month, on April 5, 2013, Lebedev’s presumed heroism abruptly ended, when state prosecutorsannounced [ru] that he had confessed to all charges of organizing mass unrest in May 2012 and violent acts elsewhere in Russia. In the aftermath of this news, the opposition’s political prisoner activists reshuffled their allegiances, producing a medley of censure and justification in the media and on the pages of Facebook and Twitter. The disillusionment of Lebedev’s detractors is matched only by the indignation of his defenders.
For those who believe that Lebedev betrayed Udaltsov and Razvozzhaev, the nature of his confession is fairly straightforward. Oleg Kashin’s April 8, 2013, article [ru] in Colta.ru is a good example of this attitude. In that piece, Kashin argues that oppositionists should have known better than to put their faith in Lebedev’s innocence. He alludes to Lebedev’s checkered past, which includes serving as the press secretary for a pro-Kremlin movement at the same time as when he entered leftist protest politics. While this blemish on Lebedev’s life story is well known, Kashin also entertains rumors that Lebedev enjoyed special luxuries (like Internet access and unguarded yard access) when in pretrial detention, that he owned a polo shirt with a spy camera sewn into the fabric, and that—before the Bolotnaya investigation—he always seemed to be a man of extraordinary means, who sometimes transported whole suitcases full of cash across international borders.
Less than a week later, on April 15, 2013, Kommersant’s Olesia Gerasimenko published an extensive profile [ru] of Lebedev, regurgitating—as Kashin had—many of the tawdriest details of his life, such as his pro-Kremlin affiliations, his unusual surveillance-embedded clothing, and many rumors long circulating among Lebedev’s closest friends. The article also includes the details of Lebedev’s confession, as conveyed by his girlfriend, Polina Starodubtseva. In a Facebookpost [ru] later that day, Gerasimenko congratulated herself on a “job well done,” revealing that she had conducted roughly sixty-four hours worth of interviews with thirty-two different people in researching Lebedev’s story. “This is probably how people pan for gold,” she declared triumphantly. Among the 118 people to “like” Gerasimenko’s Facebook post were fellow journalists Yuri Saprykin, Yevgenia Albats, Ilya Azar, and Michael Idov.
Albats offered her own thoughts in a separate tweet [ru], indicating clearly that Gerasimenko’s work had soured her sympathy for Lebedev:
Читаю сопли по поводу Лебедева. Дети малые, стукачи были, есть и будут. В СССР до 30% взрослого населения сотрудничало с КГБ.
I’m reading all this sniveling about Lebedev. Kids, informers were, are, and [always] will be. In the USSR, as many as 30% of the adult population cooperated with the KGB.
Sticking By Friends
Of course, not everyone embraces the idea that Lebedev has sold out. Stanislav Yakovlev (mentioned above), whom Gerasimenko’s article implicates in a Kremlin plot to replace the unruly grassroots protest leadership with an astroturf doppelgänger, has lashed out [ru] on multiple occasions [ru] at the growing ranks of Lebedev-disparagers. On April 10, 2013, for instance, Yakovlev posted to Facebook the following quotation from Lebedev, taken from wiretapped Skype conversations [ru] between Lededev and his Georgian financier, Givi Targamadze (who denies the recordings’ authenticity):
Тут еще надо понимать, что наша оппозиция не монолит и уж точно не джентльменский клуб, а скорее террариум единомышленников.
Here we need to understand that [Russia’s] opposition is not a monolith, and it’s certainly no gentlemen’s club, but closer to a snake pit.
In that conversation, Lebedev was trying to convince Targamadze of the need for secrecy in their planning, given the fact that even fellow oppositionists could be expected to rat them out to the authorities if they learned of their conversations. Yakovlev presumably reproduced this excerpt to connote that the members of the protest movement are overeager to accuse one another of treachery, and that someone else might just as easily have betrayed Lebedev and forced him into confessing.
Maria Baronova, one of the many suspects accused of inciting (though not “organizing”) the violence at Bolotnaia last May, elected to push back [ru] against Yakovlev, arguing that the opposition’s rush to support Lebedev debunks the notion that it’s every man for himself:
Почему только вот террариум о нем беспокоился, когда он сдавал все идя на сделку с подонками?
Tell me then—why was “the snake pit” concerned with his wellbeing, while he was giving up everything to cut a deal with those [Investigative Committee] lowlifes?
This launched a long and heated argument that later attracted the mother of Lebedev’s girlfriend, Irina Starodubtseva, who called [ru] Baronova “a fool” and “a hysterical woman.” (Starodubtseva was exploiting—rather ironically, given their shared gender—a sexist trope often peddled in attacks on Baronova, i.e., that her “emotionality” distorts her judgment.) On her own Facebook page, Irina Starodubtseva also posted several condemnations [ru] of Oleg Kashin, following his April 8 piece (discussed above).
No one, however, has so passionately defended Lebedev as his longtime friend, Kommersant journalist, and former activist Anastasia Karimova, whose Twitter and Facebook accounts are a trove of sympathetic outpourings for the man she describes [ru] as her “mentor,” “older brother,” and “fulcrum.” Days after the authorities took Lebedev into custody and placed him in pretrial detention, Karimova wrote [ru] on Facebook a fervid appeal to Investigative Committee officials Alexandr Bastrykin and Vladimir Markin (whom she calls “miserable f**king clowns”), imploring them to “end this circus” and release Lebedev.
After Kashin’s critical piece on Lebedev, Karimova tweeted [ru] angrily:
Сегодня Олег Кашин умер для меня, как журналист. RIP.
Today, as far as I’m concerned, Oleg Kashin died as a journalist. RIP.
The announcement was rather surprising given Karimova’s longtime friendship with Kashin, to whom she in part owes her opposition credentials, following his coverage [ru] of her January 2005 political stunt, where she delivered mandarin oranges to the FSB’s headquarters at the height of Ukraine’s Orange Revolution. Karimova and Kashin soonreconciled [ru], but her irritation [ru] with Lebedev’s critics survives unabated. Indeed, as recently as April 16, 2013, shecomplained [ru] on Twitter about “hypocrites’ double standards,” alluding to the opposition’s soured feelings about Lebedev, but its enduring rapport with Vkontakte.ru founder Pavel Durov, who’s been suspected of collaborating with Russian police against the protest movement. (Karimova seems not to have read or not to have accepted Anton Nossik’s interpretation [ru] of the recent “leaks” incriminating Vkontakte.ru, which he argues are part of a campaign to economically weaken the actually quite independently-minded social network.)
The Odd Man Out
The most interesting thing to emerge from Karimova's April tweets is that she believes Lebedev’s underling Yuri Aimaletdinov played a key role in turning public opinion against him. Aimaletdinov, known simply as “Alimych” in their circle of friends, is varyingly described [ru] as Lebedev’s “unavoidable accessory,” his “valet,” and even his “slave.”
Aimaletdinov is the odd man out in the case. He appears in the NTV film that underpins the entire investigation against Lebedev, Udaltsov, and Razvozzhaev, and yet investigators consider him a witness and not an accessory. This could be because, as Aimaletdinov himself maintains, he’s simply not important enough to have played an organizing role in any revolutionary plot. In a November 2012 interview [ru] with Openspace.ru, he was overwhelmingly evasive when questioned about his unique status in the case. Earlier this week, on April 17, 2013, Aimaletdinov indicated on Facebook [ru] that he’s limited by a nondisclosure agreement with state prosecutors. (That same day, it wasrevealed [ru] that Lebedev, too, is forbidden from discussing the full details of his settlement.)
Also on April 17, Novaya Gazeta’s Yulia Polukhina published a summary [ru] of her conversation with Aimaletdinov, concluding that he is likely more involved in the case than he lets on. For instance, Aimaletdinov apparently knows certain details about investigators that would be impossible to know, if he wasn’t assisting their work. (For instance, Polukhina explains, he is fond of naming individual case officers and describing the interior of their offices.)

Karimova and Aimaletdinov, on the road, 4 August 2012, posted to Twitter.
And then there is Aimaletdinov's connection to Karimova and Lebedev—a friendship rigorously cataloged in tweets and Instagram photos dating back years. There are photos of Karimova embracing Aimaletdinov, Aimaletdinov kissingLebedev, and their various travels [ru] to Georgia and throughout Russia. Read over the jokes constantly made at Aimaletdinov’s expense, and you start to wonder if Lebedev and Karimova didn’t have it coming. For instance, on April 26, 2012, Karimova tweeted [ru]:
Какой ад. Я знакома с Алимычем уже 7 лет и только что узнала, что его зовут ЮРИЙ. И у него, помимо имени, даже есть фамилия!!!
What a disgrace. I’ve known Alimych for 7 years already and only now have I realized that his name is YURI. And not only that, but he even has a surname!!!

Aimaletdinov again with Karimova, posted 17 November 2012 to Twitter.
Aimaletdinov, however, is hardly [ru] some charming, but under-appreciated, protagonist in this story. While he told Polukhina that he was first introduced to Lebedev through a communist labor organization (RKRP, which disowned [ru] Lebedev upon learning of his confession), in his November interview with Openspace.ru, Aimaletdinov had said that they met in a pro-Kremlin youth group, where Aimaletdinov’s friend of a friend (a prostitute) had offered her services. (Aimaletdinov said he had only joined in search of free meals and t-shirts.)

Aimaletdinov embraces Lebedev, 4 August 2012, posted to Twitter.
Karimova’s falling out with Aimaletdinov seems to have occurred sometime in late October, around the time that he was interrogated by police but never arrested. In a November 2, 2012, Facebook post [ru], she alludes to his “insane” behavior on a recent trip to Kostroma. In an April 8, 2013, tweet, Karimova accused [ru] Aimaletdinov of beingresponsible [ru] for spreading rumors to make Lebedev look like a traitor—rumors that appeared in Kashin’s and Gerasimenko’s articles about Lebedev’s special treatment in pretrial detention. Aimaletdinov has sinceresponded [ru] on Facebook and in a number of obscene messages [ru] to Karimova, denying her allegations, and going so far as to insult her “short legs” and “fat” ex-husband.
Schisms Today & Tomorrow
If there is a snitch in the snake pit, who is it? Is it Aimaletdinov, the slave who broke his chains, as it were, or was it Lebedev all along? Could they be working together to scapegoat Udaltsov and Razvozzhaev? Or maybe Yakovlev’s suspicions are correct, and the real defector is Ilya Ponomarev, whose name appears (along with Karimova’s) in Lebedev’s conversations with Targamadze. Ponomarev, after all, is widely suspected of collaborating with the authorities in various initiatives. Though his former aid Maria Baronova is reluctant to speak out against her former boss, the two did come into conflict earlier this year, when Ponomarev visited federal investigators in relation to her case. Did he go to defend her, as he says [ru], or was the aim something sinister? If the former, why did he claim to have warned Baronova about it in advance, when she says [ru] he didn't?
If journalist Alexandr Podrabinek’s reaction [ru] is any indication, the effect of the Lebedev confession will be to aggravate relations between the protest movement’s two biggest camps: the liberals and the leftists. Podrabinek, a liberal, is convinced that May 6 was such a disaster for the movement because the liberals allowed radical leftists to hijack the process and turn off the masses with appeals to violence:
В целом наша страна, надо признать, иммунитета к коммунизму и его разновидностям не приобрела.
Generally, we need to acknowledge that our country has not acquired an immunity to communism and its variations.
Consider this perspective alongside Left Front member Alexey Sakhnin’s comments [ru] to Kasparov.ru following the news of Lebedev’s confession. Sakhnin points out that Lebedev was never a member of Left Front (unlike Udaltsov, Razvozzhaev, and Ponomarev), and argues that Lebedev is likely a provocateur sent to disrupt the organization. Unsurprisingly, he doesn't see May 6 as proof of the Left’s unpopularity, but as evidence of its superior political weight relative to the “liberal elite”—as demonstrated by the authorities’ decision to stage provocations:
А эта демонстрация, в отличие от остальных, не была связана с элитной фрондой, с теми, кого называют системными либералами. Это большая угроза для власти. В таких условиях не с кем договариваться.
But this demonstration, unlike the others [in December 2011 and February 2012], wasn't tied to the elite Fronde, to those who call themselves establishment liberals. It [the May 6 rally] was a big threat for the authorities. In such conditions, there’s nobody with whom to strike a deal.
Disputes and scandals like these are endless in the Russian opposition. Whether you denigrate it as a “tusovka” (clique) politics or a snake pit, or celebrate it as Russia’s “creative class,” it’s hard to avoid the simple truth that these people operate in a turbulent free-for-all, where friends at one moment are at each other’s throats the next. It all begs the question: what conflicts will tomorrow bring?

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Puerto Rico debates legalizing marijuana use - USA Today - USA TODAY
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THE Weed Blog (blog)



Puerto Rico debates legalizing marijuana use - USA Today
USA TODAY
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Dozens of people marched Saturday throughPuerto Rico's capital amid growing support for a recent bill filed by a former police chief that aims to legalize marijuana for personal use, unleashing an unprecedented debate in ...
Puerto Rico debates legalizing marijuana useFox News 

Marijuana Legalization Bill Filed In Puerto RicoTHE Weed Blog (blog)
Lawmaker defends bill to decriminalize marijuana in Puerto Rico - GlobalPostGlobalPost
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Puerto Rico's Verdejo Wins by KO in NYC
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To view the full video, visit: http://www.toprank.com/videos/verdejo-remains-undefeated Puerto Rico's Felix Verdejo won by first-round knockout at the famed ...
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Puerto Rico debates legalizing marijuana use in a first for the US territory - Washington Post
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Washington Post



Puerto Rico debates legalizing marijuana use in a first for the US territory
Washington Post
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Dozens of people marched Saturday through Puerto Rico's capital amid growing support for a recent bill filed by a former police chief that aims to legalize marijuana for personal use, unleashing an unprecedented debate in this ...


GRUPO NICHE MI HIJO Y YO,MEXICO ,PUERTO RICO EN PHOENIX ARIZONA
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Boxing results: Canelo Alvarez gets decision over Trout (SLIDESHOW) - Washington Times
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Washington Times



Boxing results: Canelo Alvarez gets decision over Trout (SLIDESHOW)
Washington Times
“We were prepared for a different fighter, he surprised us.” Trout, 27, says Alvarez simply caught ... In the undercard fight, lightweight Omar Figueroa Jr. (21-0-1, 17 KOs) of Texas was aggressive from the opening bell, and dropped Abner Cotto (16-1 ...

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Puerto Rico debates legalizing marijuana use
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San Juan, Puerto Rico -- Dozens of people marched Saturday through Puerto Rico's capital amid growing support for a recent bill filed by a former police chief that aims to legalize marijuana for personal use, unleashing an unprecedented debate in this conservative U.S. territory.

Review: Rita Moreno's memoir is survivor's story
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"Rita Moreno: A Memoir" , by Rita Moreno The award-winning actress Rita Moreno opens up -- way, way up -- in a memoir driven less by recollections from her career than by her effort to overcome crippling self-doubts. Fans eager to learn what it was like to dance for Gene Kelly , share a soundstage with Yul Brynner and perform the choreography of ... (more)

Complete News - The Stream - Can social media tackle Puerto Rico's crime wave?
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http://www.youtube.com/CompleteNews Complete News Plz Subscrib for Latest News Puerto Rico's violent crime wave and the social media movement that's trying t...
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UN RECLAMO A LA MEMORIA DE SANES
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UN RECLAMO A LA MEMORIA DE SANES

Al cumplirse 14 años de la muerte de un humilde guardia de seguridad, David Sanes Rodríguez, quien se convirtió en símbolo y detonante de la lucha por Vieques, la Marina de Estados Unidos se muestra más renuente que nunca a reconocer y reparar los daños que causó, actitud que es una afrenta a todo Puerto Rico.

Polidoro

MAYRA MONTEROESCRITORAVuelve el tema de los Testigos de Jehová y su entrada en las urbanizaciones que cuentan con control de acceso, esta vez con ultimátum y amenazas de la autori

A remontar el cinco a cuatro

LUIS RAFAEL RIVERA
Desde que el fútbol llegó a su vida, la tía Clara ve todo como un asunto de balones y patadas. Así recibió la sentencia del Tribunal Supremo en el caso de la pretendida adopción po

Guagua

Gabino Iglesias
El joven se sube en la guagua y toma asiento. El graffiti de la ventana ni le añade ni le quita encanto al dilapidado mundo que hay del otro lado. Los movimientos del autobús y el

Distinga cause (del verbo causar) de cauce (lecho del río).
“Homeless Singer Awesome Talent” es el título del vídeo de un deambulante con aspecto desaliñado, pero con voz angelical que tuvo un efecto viral, más de 50,000 reproducciones en YouTube. Como resultado Johan, el protagonista del vídeo, un joven que pide dinero para mantener su adicción a la cocaína, fue invitado a un programa de radio en donde cantó y habló de sus anhelos de hacer dúos con artistas reconocidos y vencer su enfermedad.
La historia de Johan no es una aislada. La triste realidad es que en nuestras calles deambulan muchos talentos. Músicos, artistas, atletas, seres humanos que por diversas razones encontraron en la calle el hogar que no tuvieron junto a sus familiares. Están en las luces, suplicando una ayuda para comer o para la “cura”.
Muchas veces pasan desapercibidos. Su apariencia desarrapada y su lento andar hacen que los transeúntes les teman, aceleren el auto para que no se les acerquen a la ventana.
La mayoría los esquivan, excepto el Dr. José Vargas Vidot, que realiza una labor encomiable con esta población, cura sus heridas, los escucha y los abraza. Una labor digna de emular.
El Dr. Vargas Vidot es un paradigma en nuestra sociedad que debemos seguir para comenzar a escuchar las voces que gritan en las calles, pero el aire acondicionado del auto, la radio y el celular no nos permiten escuchar.
No olvidemos que esa persona que vemos pidiendo en la luz es un padre, una madre, un hermano, un ser con dignidad que no merece vivir en esas condiciones. Las voces se escuchan por todos lados, afinemos el oído para escucharlas. Escuchemos los gritos desesperados de personas talentosas con sueños y aspiraciones que podrían aportar mucho a nuestra sociedad.
Carmen Leonor Selpa Báez

En nueve días nos despedimos de abril y nos recibe mayo con sus flores, algo de lluvia, compras de madres y preparativos para las vacaciones. Para aquellos que planifican visitar latitudes fuera de Estados Unidos y aún no tienen el pasaporte, se les está haciendo tarde. Estos meses que se avecinan son difíciles para adquirirlo. Así que les sugiero que se pongan las pilas y comiencen la gestión mañana, si es posible. Recién tramité el de mi hija. Me comentaron que en los correos de Cataño y Caguas el trámite es rápido, pero la Ciudad Criolla no era opción por la distancia y la oficina postal en el pueblo de las lanchas cierra los sábados.
Así que opté por el Correo General. Sé que en Plaza las Américas hay una oficina que los procesa, pero eso de llegar al amanecer no me hacía mucha gracia. Total, tuve que madrugar. En el Correo General las personas llegan desde las cuatro de la mañana y solo procesan 30 solicitudes, o sea, 30 pasaportes. Que si llega una familia de cinco, son cinco turnos. Hubo quienes llegaron a las 6:30 a.m y ya no había más turnos.
Llegué a las 5:20 a.m. e hice el número 16 en una lista informal que no es la oficial. Por lo general, la primera persona que llega inicia la lista. El caballero que hizo el primer lugar llegó faltando quince para las cuatro.
Sugiero que aunque se apunte en esa lista, espere al empleado del Servicio Postal que a las 6:00 a.m. coloca el papel oficial. Eso para que tenga constancia de que se respetará su turno. Luego váyase a tomar café.
Pero, no se duerma en los laureles. Aproveche ese tiempo además de, para leer el periódico, echarles una revisada a sus documentos. Importante. Porque resulta que el tiempo que usted se echa en esa oficina, no lo define el funcionario postal, sino los ciudadanos. Me explico.
A las 8:00 a.m. abre la oficina. El caballero que atiende es muy diligente. Se nota que conoce de rabo a cabo su trabajo. Las instrucciones las imparte claras y precisas. De entrada deja establecido que no entra en controversias con nadie. Si sus documentos no están completos, usted tiene que irse a buscarlos. Que conste, no pierde el turno del día, pero les hace perder el tempo a los demás.
En ocasiones son detalles sencillos como el color de la tinta a utilizar para llenar la solicitud. Por favor, use tinta negra. Ni azul, ni roja. ¡Negra!
Otra cosa, escriba en letra de molde, no en cursivo. Y no firme la solicitud. Eso lo hará al frente del funcionario. También es importante que la solicitud la llene una sola persona. No puede tener diferentes tipos de escritura. Quien la comienza, la termina. Son detalles sencillos, pero créame, la de personas que no lo hacen así y luego tienen que esperar horas.
En cuanto a las fotos, seleccione un lugar en el que hagan fotos para pasaporte. El fondo debe ser claro y no debe tener nada en la cabeza. Solo el pelo, si es que tiene.
Son varios los documentos requeridos. Revíselos y no llegue allí si no los tiene. Necesita copia de una identificación. Por lo general, se usa la licencia de conducir. Pues debe tener copia de ambos lados de la licencia. ¿Y el pago? Ahí es que se cuelgan. No escriba nada, ni en los cheques ni en los giros. Espere que el funcionario le diga. ¿Por qué? No todos los pagos se hacen a nombre del Secretario de Hacienda. Si realiza el trámite en el correo, se endosa el cheque o el giro a nombre del ¡US Postal Office!
Como ven, son todos esos “detalles” los que provocan que uno se eche una eternidad en un trámite que no toma más de 20 minutos. A propósito, el caballero que llegó al amanecer, terminó el trámite a las 10 de la mañana por no tener todos los documentos disponibles.

El 31 de marzo de 2010, me retiré de la Administración de Tribunales, tras 30 años de servicio, con un 65% de pensión. Según los cálculos de Carlos González mi pensión sería mucho mayor a la que he recibido desde entonces.
Al llegar mi primer cheque me dirigí a la Administración de los Sistemas de Retiro y me solicitaron unos documentos adicionales los cuales fueron suministrados tanto por mi persona como por la Administración de Tribunales. Cada vez que me comunico por vía telefónica a Retiro o no contestan o me dan otra nueva explicación.
Me dirigí nuevamente a Retiro y una supervisora me indicó que los documentos estaban completados para ajustar mi pensión mensual. Considero que ya llevo más de tres años, tiempo suficiente para que el caso sea trabajado como debe ser y con prontitud.
¿Cómo es posible que a los legisladores y a Jorge Santini se le trabaje el caso en tres días y yo continúe esperando el ajuste a mi pensión y el correspondiente retroactivo el cual tengo derecho?
Señor Administrador del Sistema de Retiro, ¿cúanto tiempo más tendré que esperar por ser de la clase media? La clase media en este país parece que somos marginados en los derechos.
Gladys Castillo Rodríguez
Bayamón

Recientemente estuve en las instalaciones del Centro de Servicios al Conductor (Cesco) de Guayama renovando mi licencia de conducir. La experiencia fue muy positiva y agradable.
El personal que trabaja en esta oficina es muy eficiente y amable. Manejaron rápidamente mi solicitud de renovación de licencia. Personas como estas son los verdaderos servidores públicos que debiéramos tener en todas las agencias del gobierno de Puerto Rico. Gracias por un buen trabajo.
Dalia García
Guayama

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Puerto Rico Debates Legalizing Marijuana - Huffington Post
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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Dozens of people marched Saturday through Puerto Rico's capital amid growing support for a recent bill filed by a former police chief that aims to legalize marijuana for personal use, unleashing an ...

Puerto Rico Debates Legalizing Marijuana - Huffington Post - Huffington Post
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THE Weed Blog (blog)



Puerto Rico Debates Legalizing Marijuana - Huffington Post
Huffington Post
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Dozens of people marched Saturday through Puerto Rico's capital amid growing support for a recent bill filed by a former police chief that aims to legalize marijuana for personal use, unleashing an unprecedented debate in this ...

Marijuana Legalization Bill Filed In Puerto RicoTHE Weed Blog (blog)

Puerto Rico creates tax shelters for wealthyCt Post 

Puerto Rico May Decriminalize Marijuana - RTTNewsRTT News
La prensa-Pharmaceutical Processing
all 7 news articles »


Puerto Rican Power - Rosa Triste.O.X.M.
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La Orquesta Puerto Rican Power, dirigida por Luisito Ayala, se conoce por su SALSA, por su SALSA BRAVA. Luisito Ayala, natural de Humacao, Puerto Rico, se in...
From: OXMSALSA
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Puerto Rico 2013
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An amazing spring get-away to Puerto Rico featuring Zombie, The Real Deal, Paul Finch, C^3 and T2!
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Puerto Rican Senator Defends Bill to Decriminalize Marijuana
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... Democratic Party, or PPD, Sen. Miguel Pereira to decriminalize the use of marijuana has created a controversy in Puerto Rico. The legislation introduced by Pereira would allow people 21 or older to possess up to 31 grams of pot for their personal ...

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Hard landing in Puerto Rico
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Heavy rain was pouring over Puerto Rico, we had a very bumpy approach, and a hard landing. Debido a unas lluvias intensas tuvimos un descenso muy movido y un...
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Saborea Puerto Rico: Featuring the best of the Puerto Rican culinary scene
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Thousands of attendees enjoyed the best of the Puerto Rican culinary scene during the sixth edition of Saborea Puerto Rico , A Culinary Extravaganza .

Puerto Rico Becoming US Tax Dodge - thephuketinsider.com - thephuketinsider.com
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Puerto Rico Becoming US Tax Dodge - thephuketinsider.com
thephuketinsider.com
While the US government continues intent on hunting down it's citizen's engaged in taxation avoidance, an emerging loophole is close to home in Puerto Rico. According to an article in the New York Times, while Puerto Rico is part of the commonwealth of ...

Expatriation lite: leaving the U.S. tax system while retaining your citizenshipLexology (registration)

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Puerto Rico
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Puerto Rico - April 2013.
From: T12OYb
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AUSENTISMO EN UNA CRISIS DE SEGURIDAD
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AUSENTISMO EN UNA CRISIS DE SEGURIDAD

Nada justifica que en un país tan necesitado de apoyo social y ciudadano, cientos de miembros del Cuerpo de la Policía se ausenten deliberadamente de sus funciones, en un plan concertado para presionar al Gobierno, algo que agrava la situación de todo un pueblo como rehén de una crisis de seguridad.

El programa Head Start

IBRAHIM PÉREZ
El programa Head Start nació en 1965 como parte de la Guerra contra la Pobreza del presidente Lyndon B. Johnson. Cerca de 30 millones de niños económicamente desaventajados se han

Benny

WILDA RODRÍGUEZ
Cuando muere alguien querido, una se atrapa recordándolo con oraciones que empiezan con “yo” en lugar de con “él”. Es humano. Es parte del duelo. De hecho, los expertos aconsejan c

ue una pelea en que se sabía de antemano el apodo del ganador, sin duda, por tres razones básicas: la calidad y popularidad de Canelo, su poder de marketing y el lugar de la contie

Juego reasignado. Mal momento para los Capitanes y bueno para los Vaqueros. Escojo para ganar a Bayamón.HUMACAO EN GUAYAMA - TV DISH, 8:00 p.m.Los Caciques disponen de un poco más

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Venezuela: The Start of Reconciliation?
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[All links lead to Spanish language websites unless otherwise noted]
In the midst of the confusion [en] and clashes [en] that set the standard in the streets and on the Internet after theelections [en] on 14th April, citizen media were also the stage of much reflection.
In this way, while many bloggers have discussed the next steps under the mandate of Nicolás Maduro, others have shared their questions about what the loss [en] of a large number of voters in such a short campaign period could mean. People are commenting on errors and strategies that could be followed and bridges are being held so that dialogue may reach citizens on the other side.
Many of these opinions were shared by the site Aporrea, which has opened a space in support of Chavism, but many others have been shared in addition by bloggers and Facebook users identifying with the opposition.
Fotografía compartida por ClubVenezuela en Facebook
Photograph widely shared on Facebook
Juan Gómez Muñoz gave a written example of these thoughts, in which he emphasised the need of communication:
Otro tema que está en el tapete es el de la “reconciliación” y ciertamente, es hora de reconciliarnos, primero porque YA NO SOMOS MAYORÍA, pero a lo que me quiero referir es a la reconciliación con buena parte de los más de 7 millones de venezolanos que votaron por Capriles, esos compatriotas, ni son oligarcas (no la inmensa mayoría de ellos), ni son apátridas; no solo hemos sido incapaces de promover y entusiasmarlos a ellos con nuestro proyecto, es que hemos espantado de nuestra propias filas a varios que antes nos acompañaban!
Another topic that is out in the open is that of ‘reconciliation’ and certainly, it's time to reconciliate, firstly because WE ARE NOT THE MAJORITY ANYMORE, but what I want to refer to is to reconciliation with a large part of the seven million Venezuelans who voted for Capriles, our countrymen, they are neither oligarchs (the overwhelming majority aren't) nor stateless; it's not just that we have been incapable of promoting and making them enthusiastic about our project, it's that we have frightened many from our own ranks who used to accompany us!
With converging ideas and based on analysis of some of the figures, Nicmer Evans, also published by Aporrea, says:
Todo ese juego de números se resume de la siguiente manera: hubo sumas que no sumaron. Una campaña cargada de elementos que no contribuyeron a satisfacer las expectativas del capital político heredado el 7 de octubre, con ausencia de contenidos claves que permitieran convencer a nuevos sectores sociales a incorporarse al proceso revolucionario, pero sobre todo, el abandono de los sectores propios del chavismo, en especial a los sectores lealmente críticos y comprometidos…
Entre las elecciones del pasado 7 de octubre de 2012 y 14 de abril fueron 615.626 votos menos para los partidos del proceso revolucionario, mientras que alrededor de 711.337 votos incrementó la opción política antichavista en apenas seis (06) meses
This numbers game can be summed up in the following way: there were sums that did not add up. A campaign burdened with elements that did not serve to satisfy the expectations of the political capital inherited on 7th October, with the absence of key content that could have convinced new social sectors to join the revolutionary process, but above all, the abandonment of the sectors of Chavism themselves, especially to loyally critical and compromised sectors…
Between the elections of 7th October 2012 and 14th April, votes for revolutionary process parties decreased by 615,626, whereas the anti-Chavist political option gained around 711,337 votes in scarcely six months.
On the other hand, in the same self-critical manner, Adriana González (@Adri021) responds to the statements of Henrique Capriles, in which he accused leaders of violent acts committed against Chavism activists during the clashes, as ‘spies’:
@Adri021: Ahora, lo de “infiltrados” en las manifestaciones opositoras es generalizar, sí hay radicales en estas filas… un poco de poravor también
@Adri021: Now, talk of ‘spies’ in opposing protests is generalising, there are indeed radicals in these ranks… a bit of common sense please
Likewise, Héctor Palacio shared an answer on his Facebook account to the numerous calls made by many Venezuelans living abroad to gather signatures for a petition seeking a recount of votes on a website backed by the US White House:
Por cierto, no voy a firmar ninguna petición de reconteo de votos en ningun sitio de la Casa Blanca. Un poco de sentido común con la otra mitad del país.
By the way, I am not going to sign any petition for a vote recount from the White House… a bit of common sense for the other half of the country.
And in that regard, he published a post titled '10 Pieces of Advice on how to Talk’ on his blog, among which the second point stands out:
2. Escuchar. Obvio, ¿no?, pero no tan fácil. No es escuchar para poder atacar más fácilmente. Sino escuchar porque realmente uno puede estar equivocado en ciertas cosas. Lo más difícil es escuchar al otro de verdad, entre líneas, incluso entre gritos. Escuchar incluso para establecer un nexo, para tratar de saber como se siente el otro y porqué. Más importante si somos contrincantes en una de esos campos de batalla que salen día a día. Si uno no escucha de verdad, está condenado a no aprender, a seguir siendo el mismo.
2. Listening. Obvious, no? But it's not so easy. It's not listening to be able to attack more easily. Rather listening because one really can be mistaken about certain things. What's most difficult is listening to one another, between lines, even between shouts. Even listening to establish a link, to try to know how the other feels and why. It's more important if we are opponents in one of those battlefields that arise on a daily basis. If one does not really listen, he is condemned to not learning, to not changing.
Once again from the Chavism side and from the YouTube account Rio Agua de Vida, a video was published in which a female follower of Hugo Chávez asks Nicolás Maduro for a recount of votes, either to tell the truth about the results, or to reaffirm the majority in the elections. The video has been widely spread and backed on social networks and is underpinned by personal data given at the end of the video in order to support the veracity of the testimony.
Finally, from the site ProDavinci, Luis García Mora points out the pressing needs of the socio-economic situation, which he considers as an inheritance from the Chávez years, but which is being imposed as an inescapable common denominator to all Venezuelans:
Todos estamos inmersos en esto. Ésta es la herencia de Chávez. Una bomba de ingobernabilidad. Una bomba económica. Una bomba social. Y no hay tiempo.
We are all in the thick of it. This is the inheritance of Chávez. A bomb of ingovernability. An economic bomb. A social bomb. And there's no time.

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Rum producers play up — and ignore — spirit’s Caribbean roots in branding
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Rum producers play up — and ignore — spirit’s Caribbean roots in branding

When you’re talking about rum, how much does the Caribbean really matter? ...

European austerity shows mixed results in 2012

LONDON — The austerity pain pursued by a number of European countries has led to ...

Stocks tied to the consumer are hot. Maybe too hot

NEW YORK — The great engine of global growth, the American consumer, is starting ...

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Princess Maxima Zorreguieta: The Argentine Woman To Become The First ... - Huffington Post
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Princess Maxima Zorreguieta: The Argentine Woman To Become The First ...
Huffington Post
Naya Rivera. The half-Puerto Rican actress/singer has made it her mission to help the LGBTcommunity by being a strong advocate for gay rights both on-screen (as Santana Lopez on "Glee") and off.

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Esperanza de Vida -Videoblog 1 Puerto Rico 2013
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Días previos al concierto del Coliseo de Puerto Rico.
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36 Hours in San Juan, Puerto Rico
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36 Hours in San Juan, Puerto Rico
By CHARLES ISHERWOOD;
February 10, 2013, Sunday
In this pastel-hued capital city, you can sample cocktails and culture, shopping and surf, all in a single weekend.

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SEXTETO PUERTO RICO - Poco Importa
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Leocadio Vizcarrondo Delgado nació en Juncos el 9 de diciembre de 1906, pero cuando apenas tenía ocho años de edad sus padres se trasladaron al sector de Pue...
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SEXTETO PUERTO RICO - Cuando Dude De Ti
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"Cuando Dude De Ti" de
Felipe Rosario Goyco "Don Felo". .Cactan Felix Castrillon y Leocadio Viscarrondo. Leocadio Vizcarrondo Delgado Nació en Juncos el 9
de...
From: ramoburg
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4 Things To Know About Boston Bombings Prosecutor Carmen Ortiz - National Journal
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New York Daily News



4 Things To Know About Boston Bombings Prosecutor Carmen Ortiz
National Journal
Born in Puerto Rico and raised in a New York public housing project, Ortiz made a historic rise in Bay State politics by becoming the first woman and first Hispanic U.S. attorney in Massachusetts. Ortiz was nominated by President Obama for the position ...
US Attorney Carmen Ortiz Hopes Bombing Prosecution Brings JusticeFox News Latino

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#Venezuelanpresident shuffles Cabinet. Read: http://ow.ly/kiQN3 #caribbeanbusiness
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#Venezuelanpresident shuffles Cabinet. Read: http://ow.ly/kiQN3 #caribbeanbusiness



Puerto Rico Police Force Decrees Unofficial Strike Over Non-Paid Sick Days - Huffington Post
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Puerto Rico Police Force Decrees Unofficial Strike Over Non-Paid Sick Days
Huffington Post
In an island where crime rates soar higher each year, the police department of Puerto Rico is currently facing a surge in absenteeism due to a sudden epidemic of reported "sick agents," after police force members decreed a kind of unofficial sit-down ...



... Song Plays Last" is set in North Philadelphia and focuses in on Yaz, a highly educated character (played by Sandra Marquez) who could well be living in Greenwich Village but actually remains intensely connected to the Puerto Rican community of  ...

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Life with Loren: Episode 26 - Puerto Rico 2013
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Loren, La La and the rest of the team, debut Motives & Market America in Puerto Rico. During the events, Loren's Daughter, Amber Ridinger, has her big day #D...
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LOS BOMBEROS Y TU PUERTO RICO POBLADO ROSARIO
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Bomberos del Poblado Rosario y su Sargento Gabriel Gelabert Bahamundi muestran algunas recomendaciones y consejos que damos en las charlas de prevencion de i...
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The Many Flavors of Puerto Rico
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... what better way to soothe political oppression than with a bacalaito and fresh coconut milk? The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico has been under the United States' watchful eye since 1898, when Spain ceded the archipelago as a result of the ...

Joy Ride, Vieques Island in Puerto Rico
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Vieques Island in Puerto Rico, November 18, 2011.
From: leroyvle
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Depth-reporting panel discusses challenges covering borders in Puerto Rico ... - Downtown Devil
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Downtown Devil



Depth-reporting panel discusses challenges covering borders in Puerto Rico ...
Downtown Devil
Molly Smith, AJ Vicens, Caitlin Cruz, David Robles, Rachel Leingang and Alex Lancial spoke to the audience about their experiences with the depth-reporting class, in which they were able to take two different trips to Canada and Puerto Rico to report ...


Puerto Rico Police Swept Up in Drug Probe
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please no haters. This is not my copyright just backup and sharing. I beg permission accident, American, case, country, crisis, demonstration, direct broadca...
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Top cop: Sickout putting public at risk
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Top cop: Sickout putting public at risk

Police Superintendent Héctor Pesquera says rampant absenteeism is putting the pu ...

Boston bomb suspect is charged, signals radical Islam was motive

BOSTON — The 19-year-old charged with the Boston Marathon bombing, his throat in ...

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Tommy Torres recibe reconocimiento en Puerto Rico (22.04.2013)
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Tommy Torres fue reconocido por la Cámara de Representantes de Puerto Rico por su aporte a las artes. Durante la ceremonia estuvo acompañado de su esposa, la...
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Airport Privatization Takes Off in Puerto Rico - Truthout - Truth-Out
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Airport Privatization Takes Off in Puerto Rico - Truthout
Truth-Out
Luis Muñoz Marin Airport, San Juan, Puerto Rico. (Photo: khowaga1)Seventeen years ago, lawmakers slipped an obscure section of text into the annual federal aviation bill. In February, the intent of that law was enacted for only the second time when the ...
The Many Flavors of Puerto RicoEDGEOnTheNet 

Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste's CEO Discusses Q1 2013 Results - Earnings ...Seeking Alpha

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#Topcop: Sickout putting public at risk. Read: http://ow.ly/kkIuI #caribbeanbusi...
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#Topcop: Sickout putting public at risk. Read: http://ow.ly/kkIuI #caribbeanbusiness



UNA MOVIDA QUE DESANGRA A RETIRO
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UNA MOVIDA QUE DESANGRA A RETIRO

El flaco servicio que le hace al País un grupo de legisladores que reclama a destiempo la devolución de sus aportaciones al frágil Sistema de Retiro, merece el rechazo contundente, no solo de los miles de empleados públicos que enfrentan con incertidumbre su futuro, sino también de la ciudadanía en general que sufre las consecuencias de la crisis.

Hipócritas

SILVERIO PÉREZ
Quise buscar una palabra más suave para titular esta columna, pero no la encontré. Es la que mejor describe a algunos políticos que se rasgan las vestiduras ante la propuesta del s

Maratón

Rosa Mercado
En el 2005 corrí en el maratón de Londres. Mi logro fue terminar la carrera. Correr 42 kilómetros, 26.2 millas, es algo grandioso. Es vencer en la lucha de la mente con el cuerpo.

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Developing Latin America: A Summary
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dal-anca
Desarrollando América Latina (Developing Latin America) has published a video summary of the regional hackathon DAL 2012, where 400 participants and 70 social experts developed 80 applications. Here [es] you can see Global Voices’ coverage of the event.

ENTREVISTA A ARTURO ALLEN SOBRE ESTRENO DE "THE LOST MEDALLION" EN PUERTO RICO
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http://buenasnuevaspr.com El pasado jueves 18 de abril estrenó en las salas de cine de la isla la película THE LOST MEDALLION, una película dirigida principa...
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The Many Flavors of Puerto Rico
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There may be no better way to understand a region's history than through its food.




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#Bostonbomb suspect is charged, signals radical Islam was motive. Read: http://o...
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#Bostonbomb suspect is charged, signals radical Islam was motive. Read: http://ow.ly/kkJtp #caribbeanbusiness



Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste's CEO Discusses Q1 2013 Results - Earnings Call Transcript
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... Exchange Commission and the Mexican Stock Exchange. On today's call, I will provide a brief update on San Juan, Puerto Rico airport and then go over the key highlights of the results of the quarter. Moving on to San Juan airport, as you know we were ...

Esperanza de Vida - Videoblog 2 - Coliseo de Puerto Rico 2013
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Resumen de imágenes en el día del concierto en el Coliseo de Puerto Rico!
From: evband
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A.G. Schneiderman Announces Bust of Central New York Drug-Trafficking Ring - Long Island Exchange
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A.G. Schneiderman Announces Bust of Central New York Drug-Trafficking Ring
Long Island Exchange
Together, we are working to protect our communities and make the streets of Central New Yorksafer.” The large scale drug network transported cocaine from Puerto Rico, Arizona and the New York City Metropolitan for distribution in Syracuse and Watertown.

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Hundreds of officers in Puerto Rico join sickout - Fox News
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Latin American Herald Tribune



Hundreds of officers in Puerto Rico join sickout
Fox News
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Police in Puerto Rico are staging a sickout at a rate of nearly 2,000 officers a day. The sickout comes a month after hundreds of police protested proposed cuts in retirement benefits and demanded higher wages and overtime pay.
Puerto Rico Governor Says Police Strike Endangers PublicLatin American Herald Tribune
New Images of Plus Size Model Ana GarciaPLUS Model Magazine

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#Churches fight against #gayadoption. Read: http://ow.ly/klCzH #caribbeanbusiness
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#Churches fight against #gayadoption. Read: http://ow.ly/klCzH #caribbeanbusiness



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Enidris Siurano Rodríguez, Puerto Rican High School Student, Penalized For ... - Huffington Post
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Enidris Siurano Rodríguez, Puerto Rican High School Student, Penalized For ...
Huffington Post
The Puerto Rican-born 15-year-old is making a statement for her cause: raising consciousness about the political situation of the island of her birth and emphasizing her disagreement with U.S. government policies towards the island due to its ...


PR’s economic index falls sharply
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PR’s economic index falls sharply

The Puerto Rico Government Development Bank’s Economic Activity Index (GDB-EAI) ...

US wealth gap widened during recovery

WASHINGTON — The richest Americans got richer during the first two years of the ...

UN lowers economic growth forecast for Latin America and Caribbean

SANTIAGO, Chile — The economy of Latin America and the Caribbean is expected to ...

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Distressed loan investors see buried treasure in Puerto Rico's tax haven - Financial Times
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Distressed loan investors see buried treasure in Puerto Rico's tax haven
Financial Times
Tax and economic incentives are in place to help Puerto Rico recover,” the loan seller said, referring to post-crash tax changes, as well as former Governor Luis Fortuno's “Fortuno Plan” of 2011, which cut property taxes to zero for new homeowners for ...


Zab Judah: 'I'm more Puerto Rican than Danny Garcia' - Bad Left Hook
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Zab Judah: 'I'm more Puerto Rican than Danny Garcia'
Bad Left Hook
That's idiocy talk to me. When I hear a person from Philadelphia talking about they got more following in Brooklyn than me? I ain't worried about that.' I'm more Puerto Rican than Danny is. I've been all through the hoods of Puerto Rico. I been all ...

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#Vatican blocks Altar of Patriots plan. Read: http://ow.ly/klARD #caribbeanbusiness
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#Vatican blocks Altar of Patriots plan. Read: http://ow.ly/klARD #caribbeanbusiness



Skydiving in Puerto Rico
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Puerto Rico, March 1st, 2013.
From: Ana Trujillo
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Famous Dave's Expands to Puerto Rico With Opening of Its Carolina Restaurant - Wall Street Journal
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Famous Dave's Expands to Puerto Rico With Opening of Its Carolina Restaurant
Wall Street Journal
"The excitement around the new Puerto Rico location is incredible," said Victor Salamone, Famous Dave's Vice President of Franchise Development. "We have the honor of working with very talented and successful franchise partners here. Prior to the grand ...

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Puerto Rico Marijuana Legalization Bill Filed - Drug War Chronicle
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Drug War Chronicle



Puerto Rico Marijuana Legalization Bill Filed
Drug War Chronicle
Puerto Rico has become the latest US state or dependency to see a marijuana legalization bill filed this year. Sen. Miguel Pereira earlier this month filed Senate Bill 517 (link is in Spanish) earlier this month. The Old Capitol, San Juan, Puerto Rico ...


Police Say Puerto Rico Officers Are Ending Sickout - ABC News
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Latin American Herald Tribune



Police Say Puerto Rico Officers Are Ending Sickout
ABC News
Police officers in Puerto Rico are slowly returning to work after staging a sickout at a rate of nearly 2,000 officers a day, authorities said Tuesday night. The sickout came a month after hundreds of officers protested proposed cuts in retirement ...
Hundreds of officers in Puerto Rico join sickoutFox News
Puerto Rico Governor Says Police Strike Endangers PublicLatin American Herald Tribune

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Police authorities in Puerto Rico say officers are returning to work after ... - Washington Post
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Washington Post



Police authorities in Puerto Rico say officers are returning to work after ...
Washington Post
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Police officers in Puerto Rico are slowly returning to work after staging a sickout at a rate of nearly 2,000 officers a day, authorities said Tuesday night. The sickout came a month after hundreds of officers protested ...


The Marathon Bombings, Privacy and the Question "Why?" - ThisCantBeHappening!
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The Marathon Bombings, Privacy and the Question "Why?"
ThisCantBeHappening!
We can't really be sure but we know that, in New York City's Lower East Side alone, there are already 3,000 surveillance cameras. We are now being watched and, .... My mother, fretting about noisy neighbors' parties in the South Bronx of my youth ...


Expectations Run High With Immigration Reform in the United States
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Blazing temperatures didn't deter protesters, activists and community leaders from taking to the streets of Washington DC earlier this month in a show of support for immigration reform that would legalize some 11 million undocumented immigrants currently in the United States. Their cause seems to have been heard by a bipartisan group of senators who proposed a new immigration bill this week.
La reforma migratoria vuelve a ser noticia este mes. Foto tomada de Flickr/nathangibbs (CC-BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Immigration reform is again front page news this month. Photo taken from Flickr account of nathangibbs (CC-BY-NC-SA 2.0)
The so-called “Gang of Eight” (comprised of four Republican and four Democratic Senators), have been working on drafting the bill since February of this year. Among other things, the proposed S.744 bill includes the creation of a provisional program aimed to assist immigrants who meet certain requirements begin their application for legal residency; provisions to increase the strength of border security; the establishment of a merit-based system whichs awards green cards based on education and job stability; the development of electronic verification system e-verify, which employers will use to check an applicant's legal status; and a system that will track all foreigners exiting the counry. Without a doubt, some of these measures are quite controversial and problematic.
What remains to be seen, however, is how the attacks at the Boston Marathon on 15 April will play into this bill's success. The suspects, brothers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 26 and 19-years-old respectively, are originally from Chechnya in southern Russia although they had been living in the U.S. for nearly a decade. Actually, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is a US citizen. Tamerlan died Thursday night in a shootout with police in a Boston suburb, while Dzhokhar- detained Friday after a massive manhunt closed down the city and surrounding areas- remains in critical condition in one of the city's hospitals.
For some, like those at Encuentro, the proposed bill is merely a first step:
What this means is that there is so much more to do. We have to now assure that the plan is detailed with the clearest, attainable path to citizenship, that there be no discriminatory barriers that could impede people in our community. We want the best because our struggle has been big and united. Encuentro wants to highlight that this struggle has been happening from Albuquerque to Alabama and beyond, and is finally getting to the hearts of the entire country. We want to celebrate with you all, but at the same time, we still recognize there's much to do, especially going out and celebrating the migrant worker this year by going to the May Day celebrations and marches.
Father José Eugenio Hoyos explains how he views the relationship the Catholic Church has in immigration reform on hisblog:
Nuestra Iglesia Católica desde los comienzos del Éxodo masivo de inmigrantes dentro de la historia y en la actualidad siempre ha estado acompañado y apoyando a las familias inmigrantes…Las dificultades y sufrimientos de los inmigrantes sobre todo de los indocumentados golpean nuestras conciencias de cristianos y nos invitan a adoptar actitudes iluminadas por la fe y la Palabra de Cristo, especialmente desde nuestra comunidad. Las Sagradas Escrituras nos llaman a ser más sensibles y dar la bienvenida a los extranjeros, a los inmigrantes y a los enfermos (Mateo 25: 31-46).
Since the early days of the Exodus our Catholic Church has always been joined and supported by immigrant families…The difficulties and suffering of immigrants- above all the undocumented immigrants- weigh heavily on us as Christians, and are inviting us assume stances rooted in faith and the Word of God, especially on behalf of those within our community. The Sacred Scripture call us to be more sensitive and graciously welcome the hungry, the stranger, and the sick (Matthew 25: 31-46).
This month marked the launch of a new campaign by American news sources to deter the use of the term “illegal immigrant” in print. The initiative was started by the Associated Press, who claims the term “illegal” implies a criminal act, and identifies the person as illegal instead of explaining their immigration status. News outlets such as the New York TimesWashington Post and other new conglomerates are likely to follow this example. Social media giants like Mark Zuckerberg have also recently expressed an interest in the topic, though some reports say the interest goes only as far as to gain the human capital from the country's developing demographics according to the newspaper Politico.
The proposed bill and the decision to cease using pejorative terminology in reference to immigrants have been major topics on Twitter.
Cindy Y. Rodriguez (@cindyrodriguez) says:
@cindyrodriguez: Hasta ahora, la campaña contra dicha palabra ha tenido un éxito limitado
@cindyrodriguez: Until now, efforts to stop using the word “illegal” have had only limited success.
Some like Alfonso Hernández (@alhezjr) urge followers to support the reform:
@alhezjr: Apoyemos la Reforma Inmigratoria Comprensiva esta semana de apoyo,15-20 de abril@worldrelief #G92 #ReformaInmigratoria
@alhezjr: Show your support for Comprehensive Immigration Reform this week, 15-20 April@worldrelief #G92#ReformaInmigratoria
Finally, Karina Sánchez Campos (@karisanchezc) quotes Republican Senator Marco Rubio, one of the eight senators in the bipartisan group that drafted the bill:
@karisanchezc#ReformaInmigratoria Pagar impuestos mientras tiene este estatus temporal y “demostrar que no son una carga pública” (Marco Rubio).
@karisanchezc#ReformaInmigratoria Pay taxes while you are in temporary status and “prove that you are not a public charge.” (Marco Rubio)

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HSI Arrests Puerto Rico Department of Justice Agent for Production of Child ... - Latin American Herald Tribune
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Latin American Herald Tribune



HSI Arrests Puerto Rico Department of Justice Agent for Production of Child ...
Latin American Herald Tribune
SAN JUAN – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents, along with officers assigned to the Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force (PRCACTF), arrested a Puerto Rico Department of ...


#UN lowers economic growth forecast for #LatinAmerica and #Caribbean. Read: http...
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#UN lowers economic growth forecast for #LatinAmerica and #Caribbean. Read: http://ow.ly/klBOP #caribbeanbusiness



Documenting Cases Of Discrimination To End Untouchability
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Video Volunteers, an international media and human rights NGO, is promoting community videos to document and highlight plights of the marginalized and poor communities around the world. On the 14th of April 2012, Video Volunteers launched the ARTICLE 17 campaign which involved documenting video testimonies of different forms of untouchability by Community Correspondents across the country and taking actions. This 14 April, 2013 marks the first anniversary of the campaign against the discrimination against the so called “untouchables.”
Untouchability is a form of discrimination, the social-religious practice of ostracizing a minority group by segregating them from the mainstream by social custom or legal mandate. The term is used in India to talk about the public treatment of especially the Dalit communities, who face work and descent-based discrimination at the hands of thedominant Hindu castes.
Girls in a garbage picker colony. They are considered as Untouchables because it is considered that the simple act of touching them brings impurity. They are excluded from the system of Indian castes.
Girls in a garbage picker colony. They are considered as Untouchables because it is considered that the simple act of touching them brings impurity. They are excluded from the system of Indian castes. Image by Yan Seiler. Copyright Demotix (1/9/2011)
Although untouchability has been made illegal in post-independence India, Dalits and other scheduled castessubstantially empowered, prejudice against them are seen in the society, especially in rural areas.
Video Volunteers director Stalin K. provides a background of the campaign to end untouchability:
Ten Years ago, I started on a journey to document practices of untouchability across several states and religions of India. 25,000 kilometres, 9,000 minutes of footage and four years later, I put together a documentary called India Untouched. The main reason for making this film was to challenge the belief of most Indians that untouchability is a thing of the past.

Stalin continues:
Article 17 of the Indian Constitution states that “Untouchability is abolished and its practice in any form is forbidden. The enforcement of any disability arising out of untouchability shall be an offence punishable in accordance with law.” However, society continues to look at untouchability as a social given, grounded in ‘tradition’. Instead, we should see such practices for what they are: criminal acts.
The documenting initiative started in 2010 (see Global Voices report). The Community Correspondents of Video Volunteers have so far produced a series of 30 videos which documented untouchability practices across the nation. Here are a few examples:

The Untouchable Well: The Dalit community is only allowed to drink water drawn from the one chosen “untouchable” well in the village. Video by Video Volunteers

Untouchability in Shops: Dalits are not allowed to enter shops even if they are paying customers. They have to either throw their money into the hands of the “upper” caste shopkeepers without touching them or leave the money on the floor. Goods touched by Dalits are purified by putting them once through a burning flame. Video by Video Volunteers

Untouchability Captured and Ended on Camera: The video chronicled married Dalit women in the village removing their slippers and holding it in their hands as they crossed an “upper caste” neighborhood. The combined efforts of the Community Correspondent on the ground, the over 5000 people who signed the petition (DM) online and the national zeitgeist created by the TV show, persuaded the DM and the Superintendent police to personally visit the village to conduct a public hearing condemning the practice. The people promised the DM that there will no more complaints from the village. The practice was declared ‘abolished.’ Video by Video Volunteers
You can watch the whole set of videos from this Youtube channel. A petition campaign has started to ask the National Commission for Schedule Castes (NCSC) to take action against the documented violations.
Shekhar comments on the videos at India Unheard Blog:
After watching all these videos, I came to know that my view that the caste system in India is weakened to some extent is wrong and totally a blunder. I am forced to grasp that it is still rampant and deeply rooted.
Here are some Twitter reactions on the untouchability situation in India:
Shraddha Upadhyay (@shraddha48), a blogger from Gwalior tweets:
@shraddha48: Do read a personal experience of untouchability & endless prejudices. “What night is donned upon my nation, lord?” http://t.co/GtZRde1ndz
Community Media (@babasaheb_org) writes:
@babasaheb_org: 84 types of untouchability are being practised in the state even now http://fb.me/1D1WAjT2l
Stalin ends his post with:
It’s time we accepted that the practice of untouchability is not the vestigial remains of some backward, social phenomenon or tradition: it’s a criminal offence. Let’s start calling it what it is.

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Police say Puerto Rico officers are ending sickout
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... signup. Please click here to visit our Newsletter Signup Center to register for this newsletter. p>SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - Police officers in Puerto Rico are slowly returning to work after staging a sickout at a rate of nearly 2,000 officers a ...

#Hackers compromise #AP Twitter account. Read: http://ow.ly/kmh3P #caribbeanbusi...
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#Hackers compromise #AP Twitter account. Read: http://ow.ly/kmh3P #caribbeanbusiness



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Puerto Rico Vacation
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Bienvenido a Puerto Rico.
From: trqmj
Views: 3
    
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Time: 03:12More in Science & Technology

Charges Dropped Against Man in Ricin Letters Case
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A Mississippi man accused of sending poisoned letters to President Obama and others was released from custody after investigators found no evidence of ricin at the man’s home.
    




United States, Russia agree to try to revive Syria plan - Reuters
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Voice of America



United States, Russia agree to try to revive Syria plan
Reuters
He said that while there might be a difference of opinion between Russia and the United States about when and how Syrian President Bashar al-Assad might leave office, "I don't think there's a difference of opinion that his leaving may either be ...
US, Russia Clash Over Syria at NATO Meeting - VOAVoice of America
Russia studying US missile defense moves, still seeks guaranteesYahoo! News
NATO-Russia Council expands support to Afghan Air ForceNATO HQ (press release)
RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty -CNN (blog) -Stars and Stripes
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US, Russia Clash Over Syria at NATO Meeting - VOA - Voice of America
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Voice of America



US, Russia Clash Over Syria at NATO Meeting - VOA
Voice of America
“There's a difference of opinion between Russia and the United States with respect to when or how Assad might leave. I don't think there's a difference of opinion that his leaving may either be inevitable or necessary to be able to have a solution ...
Boston bombing looms large at US/Russia meetingCNN (blog)
NATO-Russia Council expands support to Afghan Air ForceNATO HQ (press release)
NATO, Russia push ahead with counterterrorism partnershipStars and Stripes
Reuters -RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty -InSerbia News
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Russia Studying U.S. Missile Defense Plans, Still Wants Guarantees
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said Moscow is studying proposed changes to the U.S. missile defense program, but still wants guarantees that the system would not be used against Russia.



Russia Simulated A Large-Scale Aerial Night Attack On Sweden - Business Insider
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Business Insider



Russia Simulated A Large-Scale Aerial Night Attack On Sweden
Business Insider
Erik Arnberg, a reader of The Aviationist, brought to my attention an episode that occurred on the night of Mar. 29, 2013, when Russian military aircraft simulated a large scale bomb run on Sweden. The episode got a lot of media attention among the ...
Sweden won't demand Russia fly-by explanationThe Local.se

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