Select Regional Headlines from Americas

Washington Post

3 Mexican presidential hopefuls vie to lead a nation weary of politics

MEXICO CITY — With a decisive primary victory Sunday night, Josefina Vazquez Mota became the first woman to represent a major party in the Mexican presidential election, which backers hope will excite voters weary of the drug violence and political gridlock of her party’s leader, President Felipe Calderon.

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Expats lured by Brazil’s booming economy

SAO PAULO, Brazil — It just made sense to be in South America’s economic heart, Jonathan Rosenthal reasoned, no matter that he had been working on Wall Street with some of the investment world’s most heady firms.

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Audacious geologist goes for Amazon oil

RIO DE JANEIRO — Marcio Mello often talks of eureka moments.

The veteran geoscientist’s biggest came when he decided that his petroleum research firm should become an oil producer, taking advantage of the rich sedimentary basins that have lured oil companies to Brazil.

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Security contractors see opportunities, and limits, in Mexico

MEXICO CITY — With the Iraq war over and the American presence waning in Afghanistan, U.S. security contractors are looking for new prospects in Mexico, where spreading criminal violence has created a growing demand for battle-ready professionals.

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In tiny Ecuador, a populist president restrains the press

Reporters are frequently assassinated in Mexico, and a populist government in Venezuela has driven some journalists into exile. But press freedom advocates say that no other country in Latin America is moving so fast and on so many fronts to restrain the media as tiny, banana-producing Ecuador.

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LA Times

'Super PAC' leaders profit from lack of oversight

Leaders of some of the new groups are taking advantage of the mammoth donations and the lack of oversight to write themselves big paychecks or hire their own companies.

The Red White and Blue Fund, a "super PAC" backing the presidential bid of Republican Rick Santorum, paid more than half a million dollars last month to a newly formed direct mail firm.

Gulf oil spill spawns mega-suit, with likely mega-payouts

The Gulf of Mexico oil spill lawsuit pits the Justice Department and about 120,000 plaintiffs against BP and other companies. Trial is set to begin Feb. 27.

Spill 4.9 million barrels of oil into the ocean, and this is what you get: the lollapalooza, labyrinthine, mega-mother of all lawsuits.

Arizona debate features clash of Republican front-runners

Mitt Romney tries to halt the momentum of fellow GOP hopeful Rick Santorum before next week's primaries in Arizona and Michigan — and ahead of Super Tuesday the following week.

Days before a pair of crucial primaries, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum clashed Wednesday night in a testy debate that magnified small differences and underscored the big stakes in their neck-and-neck presidential fight.

Alcohol sales fuel spirited debates in East Texas

As more towns in Henderson County become 'wet,' or 'moist,' those that remain 'dry' struggle financially. One merchant couple takes up the battle in tiny Murchison.

Among the outposts of East Texas, where the battle over drink still rages, Ray and Jean Smith are fighting for tiny Murchison to go "wet."

Supreme Court hears Medal of Honor case, ponders political lies

The Supreme Court seems unmoved by Xavier Alvarez of Pomona, who lied about receiving a Medal of Honor. His lawyer says the 1st Amendment trumps the Stolen Valor Act.

The Supreme Court justices spoke with disdain about liars who claim to have earned military honors, but they sounded less sure how to handle another group known for shading the truth: politicians.

New York Times

Romney Duels With Santorum in Republican Debate

Mitt Romney tried to regain his lead in the fight for the Republican presidential nomination, assailing the voting record of Rick Santorum in a fiercely combative exchange.

Republican Debate in Arizona Billed as the Season Finale

After 20 debates, a long-running television series appears to be wrapping up.

Colonoscopy Prevents Death, a Study Affirms

Although many people have assumed the cancer screening must prevent deaths because it is so often recommended, strong evidence had been lacking.

In Germany, a Limp Domestic Economy Stifled by Regulation

Alongside Germany’s export success is another, creakier economy that suffers from overregulation and holds back not only the country but the rest of Europe, some economists say.

Governor of Virginia Shifts Position on Abortion Bill

Gov. Bob McDonnell said he wanted an amendment stipulating that pre-abortion ultrasounds be limited to a non-invasive abdominal scan.

Christian Science Monitor

Republican debate: Romney fights to win against surging Santorum

Mitt Romney used Wednesday's Republican debate to go head-to-head with his leading challenger, Rick Santorum.

'Diddy' as TV mogul? Why new network could face steep challenges.

'Diddy,' a.k.a. Sean Combs, will head one of four new minority-owned networks on Comcast. But with the TV landscape changing, 'Diddy' will have to do something special to stand out. 

Sarah Palin: press 'wee-weed up' over Santorum Satan speech. Is she right?

Sarah Palin has criticized the 'lame-stream media' for making too much of Rick Santorum's 2008 statement that Satan is attacking America. But the media aren't the only ones concerned. 

Supreme Court debate: Is lying about being a war hero protected speech?

Supreme Court justices heard arguments over the Stolen Valor Act, which bars lies over receiving military medals, but the discussion broadened into whether there is any value worth protecting in falsehood.

Republican debate: why Rick Santorum faces more pressure than Mitt Romney

Wednesday night's Republican debate in Arizona may be the most crucial yet. But Mitt Romney isn't the only one facing pressure. Rick Santorum needs to show that his rise to the top is real.

Wall Street Journal

Obama Tax Plan Gets Pushback

The White House proposal to overhaul the U.S. corporate-tax code by lowering rates and limiting deductions faced immediate resistance from business groups and many Republicans.

Web Firms to Adopt 'No Track' Button

A coalition of Internet companies including Google has agreed to support a do-not-track button to be embedded in most Web browsers—a move that the industry had been resisting for more than a year.

Investigators Probe a Rush at MF Global to Move Cash

Investigators probing the collapse of MF Global are scrutinizing two money transfers made during the securities firm's final days in an effort to uncover what happened to $1.6 billion in missing customer funds.

Massey Mine Executive Faces Charges

The U.S. attorney charged a former Massey Energy superintendent with conspiring to obstruct federal regulators before a 2010 explosion that killed 29 miners.

Home Resales Climb Higher

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes rose last month to the highest level in more than 1½ years, while the inventory of unsold homes contracted to a level economists consider healthy, positive signs for housing.

Latin American Herald Tribune

Spain Makes Cuba Offer to Soften EU Stance If Havana Moves Toward Democracy

Spanish Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo made an offer to Cuba’s communist regime to soften the framework of the European Union’s relationship with Cuba if Havana takes steps toward democracy and respect for human rights.

Police Capture 7 Escaped Prisoners Near Bolivia and Find 1 Dead

Peruvian police on Wednesday captured seven escaped prisoners and found another one dead near the border with Bolivia.

46 Injured in Cuba Traffic Accident

At least 46 people were injured Wednesday in a traffic accident in the eastern Cuban province of Holguin, official media reported.

Obama Urges Congress to Pass DREAM Act in 2012

U.S. President Barack Obama said Congress should take one step toward overhauling the country’s immigration system by passing the DREAM Act, a bill that would provide a path to citizenship for some children of undocumented migrants.

Fire on Brazilian Aircraft Carrier Kills 1, Injures 2

One sailor died and two suffered burns in a fire early Wednesday aboard the aircraft carrier Sao Paulo, the only warship of its type in Brazil’s navy, officials said.

MercoPress

Argentine group insists with Falklands’ self determination and sharing natural resources

A group of Argentine intellectuals, academics and free-thinkers have criticized President Cristina Fernandez government strategy of confronting the UK on the Malvinas Islands sovereignty dispute and called for dialogue that guarantees the self determination of the Falkland Islanders.

Spanish corporations freeze investment in Latam fearing the global crisis

Spain’s main corporations are freezing investments in Latinamerica this year with no chances of an increase given the risk of the global financial crisis hitting negatively in the region, particularly Brazil and Mexico.

Mujica says presence of Prince William in Malvinas is not a ‘nice’ gesture

Uruguayan president Jose Mujica said that the presence of Prince William, heir to the British Crown, in the Malvinas Islands is a gesture “not at all nice” and called for the dispute with Argentina not to become military because it’s no good for anybody, least for the region.

Inflation, over-valued currency and threat to exports, Uruguay’s 2012 challenge

Inflation and an over valued currency are among the main challenges faced by the Uruguayan economy this year in the framework of a global recession which threatens the country’s exports

Protesting police take over main provincial station in the north of Argentina

Rioting police in the north of Argentina took over their main communications centre in Posadas, capital of the province of Misiones as they claimed for better working conditions and a salary hike. Likewise, the policemen requested to be allowed to unionize their men.

Buenos Aires Herald

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