2012 – Page 333

A 5.3-magnitude earthquake struck the southern Dominican Republic in the early hours of Thursday, 5 January without causing any reported damage or loss of life. Local rescue officials and the US Geological Survey said the earthquake struck at 5:35am local time, and its epicenter was six miles deep (10 kilometers) in Ocoa province, 34 miles …

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The National Meteorological Office (Onamet) is saying that a low-pressure front has weakened and positioned itself to the north of the island of Hispaniola. This event, combined with the wind from the east-northeast will influence our weather today and bring light rains over the northeast, the southeast, the Cibao Valley and the mountains in the …

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The Three Kings holiday marks the end of the Christmas season in the Dominican Republic. It is also a time dedicated to family, and as Dominicans hold on to the last of the days of partying, the occasion is taken seriously. DR1 Daily News will take a break for the extended holiday, with no regular …

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Ellis Perez, head of the newly created General Cinemas Department (DGCINE) is predicting that 2012 will be a record year for filming movies in the Dominican Republic. He said that 12 to 15 films could be filmed here, as producers seek to make the most of the newly passed General Cinema Law, as reported in …

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The Central Bank forecasts that remittances will reach the US$3 billion level this year, back to the levels that had been maintained in 2008, 2009. In 2010, remittances dropped to US$2,998 million, as reported in El Caribe. The Central Bank says that statistics show a monthly average of US$250 million this year, so the annual …

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There is speculation in the press that once the 20 May 2012 election is over, the PLD-majority Congress will pass a major tax reform. The usual result of tax reforms is an increase in taxes that in the past has enabled the government to continue heavy spending. The Fernandez administration is ranked tops in wasteful …

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The newly created Supreme Electoral Court (TSE) has held its first ordinary work session at a temporary office on the fifth floor of the Dominican Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INDRHI) in the Centro de los Heroes government complex in Santo Domingo. During the session, Zenaida Severino Marte was appointed interim secretary general. Mariano Rodriguez, president …

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President Leonel Fernandez is due to visit Haiti next week for the second anniversary of the 12 January 2010 earthquake. Fernandez was decisive and first in sending massive relief to Haiti from the Dominican Republic as soon as news of the disaster broke. During his visit, he will inaugurate a university built with local funds …

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Avenues, green areas and barrios are taken over by taxi drivers, bus drivers, and vendors, while the city governments just stand by and take no action. Diario Libre editorializes and reports on how public spaces and roadways are affected by the chaotic informal economy. The newspaper mentions the case of Avenida Jose Marti, from the …

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After the scandalous news of an imposter posing as a doctor at the Jose Maria Cabral y Baez hospital in Santiago, the health center management announced that as of yesterday, all staff has been provided with new IDs that they will need to wear to gain access to the halls. The secretary general of the …

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