Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Friday 27 January 2017
Castro: Cuba can work with Trump if sovereignty respected

EZEQUIEL LOPEZ .Castro made the com- dency, Barack Obama. country would not “make also warily anticipated his
Associated Press ments at a summit of Latin “Cuba and the United concessions inherent to its support for protectionist
BAVARO, Dominican Re- American and Caribbean States can cooperate independence and sov- measures.
public (AP) — President leaders in the Dominican and live together in a civi- ereignty” to achieve this. Salvadoran President Sal-
Raul Castro expressed Cu- Republic that was domi- lized manner,” Castro said The leaders veered off the vador Sanchez said his
ba’s willingness to continue nated by talk of Trump’s Wednesday in a speech at expected script for the country would take action
negotiations with President immigration and trade poli- the summit of the Commu- summit after Trump signed to confront the chang-
Donald Trump’s new ad- cies, and his criticism of the nity of Latin American and executive actions calling es, while other leaders
ministration but warned detente between Cuba Caribbean States. He said for construction of a bor- pledged to reject the crimi-
that his country would not and the United States that Cuba was willing to con- der wall and stripping sup- nalization of immigration
concede any of its sover- was promoted by Trump’s tinue normalizing relations port for so-called sanctuary and defend the rights of
eignty predecessor in the presi- with Washington but his cities. Many of the leaders migrants.q

Puerto Rico’s new gov signs controversial labor reform law

working on Sundays and al- 10 hours a day for four days
lowed businesses to remain without earning overtime,
closed from 5 a.m. to 11 and it increases unem-
a.m. on Sundays. ployment benefits from a
Opponents warn the law maximum of $133 to $240 a
will worsen the exodus of week.
Puerto Rico professionals However, concerns remain
to the U.S. mainland, while as the island of nearly 3.5
supporters believe it will million people struggles to
stimulate investment and emerge from a deep eco-
create jobs in part by low- nomic crisis and battles
ering the cost of doing busi- a 12 percent unemploy-
ness in the U.S. territory. ment rate, compared with
“In the last 10 years, we’ve a U.S. average of nearly 5
lost nearly 300,000 jobs, and percent. “People will grow
this has prompted Puerto more impoverished and will
Ricans to move to Florida spend less,” Rep. Ramon
and other places in search Luis Cruz said in a phone in-
of jobs and quality of life,” terview. “This will slow down
Gov. Ricardo Rossello said. the economy instead of
“It’s time to stop this migra- advance it.”
tion and the separation of He said the law also antici-
families.” pates an ongoing push to
Puerto Rico’s new governor Ricardo Rossello speaks in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Rossello has signed The law implements some privatize certain govern-
a much-debated labor reform bill that targets the private sector and aims to stimulate the island’s of the changes sought by a ment agencies and es-
economy amid concerns that it infringes on workers’ rights. federal control board cre- tablish more public-private
(AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)
ated by Congress last year partnerships.
that said Puerto Rico regu- “This has been well
DANICA COTO island’s economy amid vacation days and over- lations tied to employee planned,” he said.
Associated Press concerns that it infringes on time pay from double time retention, severance pay, The law is the latest of
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) workers’ rights. to time-and-a-half, and flexible scheduling and several that Rossello has
— Puerto Rico’s new gover- The law approved on implements a nine-month mandatory vacation days signed in a bid to stimulate
nor has signed a much-de- Thursday implements flex- probation period for most and pensions should reflect the economy as the feder-
bated labor reform bill that ible scheduling, cuts the workers. It also strikes down U.S. standards. al control board pushes for
targets the private sector amount of a mandatory a previous law that autho- The new law now allows an increase in the number
and aims to stimulate the Christmas bonus, reduces rized extra pay for those
private employees to work of austerity measures. q

Chile’s worst wildfires destroy town, total death toll at 9

EVA VERGARA found under the charred kilometers) south of Santa and a prolonged drought. dump nearly 20,000 gallons
Associated Press remains of the town, which Olga in the coastal city of Emergency services have (73,000 liters) of fire retar-
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — another 6,000 residents fled Concepcion, said Andrea battled the flames non- dant or water. A delega-
Flames from one of Chile’s unharmed. Officials have Munoz, the governor of stop for days with firefight- tion of Colombian experts
worst wildfires completely not identified the person Concepcion province. ers on the ground and heli- was to assist Chilean fire-
consumed the town of who died. The fast-spreading blaz- copters and small airplanes fighters on Thursday.
Santa Olga as the death “This is an extremely seri- es of recent weeks have in the air. The central regions of
toll from the blazes since ous situation — of horror, a destroyed about 385,000 But the ferocity of the O’Higgins and Chile’s top
November rose to nine, of- nightmare without an end,” acres (160,000 hectares) of flames prompted President wine-making region of
ficials said Thursday. said Carlos Valenzuela, the forest and killed eight peo- Michelle Bachelet to ask for Maule are among those hit
The flames engulfed the mayor of the neighboring ple. They include a firefight- international help. worst. But fires are also rag-
post office, a kindergarten, coastal city of Constitu- er and two police officers A Boeing 747-400 “Super ing in the south-central Bio
and about 1,000 homes cion. “Everything burned.” who died Wednesday. Tanker” arrived in Chile Bio and Araucania regions,
Thursday in the town 220 Authorities found anoth- The fires have been rag- from the United States known for its timber industry
miles (360 kilometers) south er body burned inside a ing in central and southern Wednesday to help fight and where most of Chile’s
of the Chilean capital. The house destroyed in the Chile, fanned by strong the blazes. The world’s larg- Mapuche Indigenous peo-
body of one person was flames about 85 miles (140 winds, hot temperatures est fire-fighting aircraft can ple live.q