2008 – Page 342

A new Dominican gang is now fighting over control for streets in the Spanish capital, according to El Dia. The paper reports that “Los Trinitarios” have split from the DDP (Dominicans Don’t Play) gang and use the slogan “Dios, Patria y Libertad,” as their gang tagline. Gang members reportedly greet each other with the words …

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Former President Salvador Jorge Blanco was taken out of intensive care at CEDIMAT yesterday. Hoy writes that Jorge Blanco’s situation has been listed as stable, although there are no indications of when he will leave the hospital. The former president was taken to the hospital on Sunday suffering from an infection in his left leg …

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The Haitian authorities have banned the importation of Dominican chicken and eggs in order to prevent the spread of Avian flu in the country. The ban has worried egg and chicken producers in the Cibao region and Escolastico Suero, spokesperson for egg and chicken sellers at the bi-national market, told Listin Diario that vendors could …

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The DR could lose its share of the international banana market in the aftermath of Tropical Storms Noel and Olga. A delay in the distribution of RD$400 million to get the sector back on its feet, as promised by President Leonel Fernandez, is also causing concern. Fernandez had promised to provide this sum at a …

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The president of the National Drug Control Department, Major General Rafael Ramirez Ferreira complained about the weak link of the judiciary in the war against drugs. He said that 42% of accused drug dealers were released by the courts, adding that the DNCD’s role is to prosecute and arrest people who are caught drug dealing, …

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Could this be the game that gets the Tigres on a surge to first place? Fans sure hope so. Last night the Tigres beat the fast-fading Gigantes del Cibao 3-2 behind homeruns by Napoleon Calzado and Jose Guillen. Guillen went 2-4 in the game, batting two runs, while Calazdo went a measly 1-4 despite a …

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Diandino Pena, the head of the Transport Reorganization Office (OPRET) and the person in control of the whole metro and public transportation project, told reporters from Hoy newspaper that the cost of using the system would be RD$20 and that the system would be in operation towards the end of the current Fernandez administration. The …

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The Dominican Senate has approved its own version of the 2008 National Budget, voting to assign a total of RD$300,889,000,000 for its own expenditures during the year. The budget was passed with the ‘yea’ votes of the PLD and PRSC senators. Hoy itemizes several of the allotments for the Legislative Branch approved by the legislators. …

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The City Council of San Cristobal has voted to give itself a 49% pay rise and the mayor is not happy. According to the national newspapers, the mayor says that this will use up the money needed to pay the firemen and the city police. The pay rise gives the council members a total of …

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For the second week running fuel prices have hit historic levels with giant price increases for gasoline and a RD$2.00 increase in the price of diesel fuel. Premium gasoline was hit with a RD$6.60 peso increase, bringing the cost of a gallon of lead-free premium gasoline to RD$171.20, about US$5.11 at current exchange rates. Regular …

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