2013 – Page 117

Fifteen underage girls and women are accusing Roman Catholic priest Juan Manuel de Jesus Mota (Father Johnny) of rape and abuse of trust in the mountain town of Constanza. Lawyer Juana Maria Castillo of the Ministry of Women heard the testimonies of six of the 15 alleged victims yesterday, Thursday 29 August. The accusers speak …

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The FIBA Basketball Americas Championship begins tomorrow, Saturday 31 August in Caracas. The tournament will continue till 11 September and the first four teams will qualify to participate in the 17th FIBA World Cup August 2014 in Spain. Two groups of teams Group A (Uruguay, Puerto Rico, Canada, Jamaica, Brazil) and Group B (Mexico, Dominican …

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A sailing competition is scheduled for the Bay of Barahona. Regata Palito Seco launches from the Marina of the city boulevard (the Malecon) of Barahona, part of the new Maria Montez Park. Participating classes are Laser (Radial and Standard), Optimist, Sunfish, Windsurfing and SUP Paddle. Visit http://www.gobarahona.com

Bachata, merengue and salsa star Alex Bueno “On Time” is booked for Friday, 30 August at the Hard Rock Cafe in the Colonial City of Santo Domingo. For more on ongoing and upcoming events, see http://dr1.com/calendar

At a press conference yesterday, Wednesday 28 August, Central Bank governor Hector Valdez Albizu announced an increase of its benchmark interest rate (monetary policy interest rate) from 4.25% to 6.25% per year. A total of US$200 million will also be injected into the exchange market over the next two weeks in order to stabilize the …

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The Special Fund for Agricultural Development (FEDA) will be providing funding for rabbit breeding in Hato Nuevo in the municipality of Los Alcarrizos, Santo Domingo province. President Danilo Medina instructed FEDA director Antonio Lopez to finance a farm where 32 families in the area who are already breeding rabbits can increase their production. Lopez handed …

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Current Minister of Tourism Francisco Javier Garcia has announced the start of his campaign to seek the PLD candidature for the presidential election in 2016. The 2010 Constitution bans President Danilo Medina from seeking re-election. The man to beat in the party for the candidacy is former President Leonel Fernandez. Fernandez’s wife, Vice President Margarita …

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A Christian couple in the Dominican Republic has become the first pair to marry under a new law recognizing religious weddings not held in a Roman Catholic Church. The newly effective Law 198-11 allowed Baldwin Rodriguez and Leidy Laura Cabreja to have an officially recognized Jehovah’s Witness wedding ceremony on Wednesday, 28 August. Instead of …

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The National Consumer Rights Protection Institute (Pro Consumidor) has taken at least 82,894 products off the shelves in the provinces of Hato Mayor, Azua and San Juan de la Maguana. ProConsumidor says that the products that represent a health hazard include ham, soda, cranberry juice, energy drinks, evaporated milk, corn, liquid soap, cat food, pasta, …

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The government has started teaching more than 3,000 inmates to read in jails around the country as part of the “Quisqueya Learns with You” National Literacy Plan. The inaugural event took place yesterday, Wednesday 28 August, at La Victoria jail and was headed by the Minister for the Presidency Gustavo Montalvo and Attorney General Francisco …

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