2006 – Page 9

In a scene straight out of movie, last night police officials and a SWAT team saved two children who were being held hostage by a man only identified as “the Major.” Hoy reports that the Major had been followed by police from the 45th kilometer of the Duarte Highway and even shot at a patrol …

Read more…

The US embassy in the DR has donated US$30,000 in equipment and computer software to the anti-Money Laundering Unit at the Attorney General’s office. US ambassador to the DR Hans H. Hertell says that any initiative directed against money laundering directly attacks drug trafficking, terrorism and organized crime, and that fighting these is a priority …

Read more…

The campaign to eradicate the German measles (rubella) succeeded in immunizing 5.3 million people in 23 days, and now 95% of the population is protected against the disease. During one day more than 500,000 were vaccinated, as part of the nationwide campaign by the Ministry of Health.

The much-anticipated concert by Latin pop star Shakira is almost here and tonight’s show will be the last stop on Shakira’s six-month world tour. Shakira arrived in country on Saturday accompanied by her parents, her boyfriend and a 65-person crew. The show has been months in the making and preparations at the Olympic Stadium have …

Read more…

Dominican boxing champ Joan Guzman kept his promise when he won his bout against American Antonio Davis by unanimous decision last night. In front of a crowd of 8,000 fans, light heavyweight champ Guzman took the fight into the 12th round, giving the fans on hand a great show. Although Guzman won the fight there …

Read more…

There were no games last night, but the regular baseball season is slowly coming to an end. No team has managed to secure the last spot in the post season and only four games separate the Estrellas, Azucareros and Escogido. The Estrellas hold their playoff destiny in their hands. They are in the driver’s seat …

Read more…

The Dominican government has announced a 20% increase in spending on education and public health, according to Temistocles Montas, the Presidential Minister for Technical Affairs. Diario Libre reports that Montas said the President would send the budget proposal to Congress as soon as the tax “correction” has been passed by both houses. The minister said …

Read more…

The Dominican government will save 24.2% of the resources that it had planned to spend on subsidies for the electricity sector in 2006. Of the US$700 million programmed for 2006, the government will only pay out US$530 million. Listin Diario cited two contributory factors to this unexpected largesse: the first one was the increased efficiency …

Read more…

Law 28-01 is safe for now, according to Senate leader Reinaldo Pared Perez. The law was designed to attract investments to the seven frontier provinces, the most economically depressed area of the Dominican Republic. Public outcry, headed by bishop emeritus Tomas Abreu of Mao, halted efforts to rescind the privileges extended to investors in the …

Read more…

Economist Fernando Alvarez Bogaert reported that the Dominican Republic’s tax policies are regressive and the proposed tax correction will exacerbate rather than solve the problem. He explained that a study carried out by Ivan Rodriguez showed that more than 75% of the government’s income came from indirect taxes, and the scheme is followed in the …

Read more…