Flu Hysteria Increases with Four Dead Swine flu hysteria has increased in Uruguay as three died yesterday who had been infected with the H1N1/swine flu and a host of other illnesses. A total of four have died in Uruguay from flu complications. Five patients are currently in intensive care and more than 130 have been hospitalized. Read More ...

Mujica Accuses Lacalle of “Sabotage” After Nacional Party candidate Luis Alberto Lacalle told investors to wait until after the elections to invest in the country, rival candidate José Mujica of the Frente Amplio Party accused Lacalle of “sabotaging” the country. Read More ...

State Bank to Sell Apartments State-owned bank Banco Hipotecario del Uruguay (BHU) will begin a new program to sell apartment units.  Read More ...

Montevideo Extends Term for Debtors The municipality of Montevideo has extended the period to pay municipal taxes and debts until 28 August. Read More ...

Exports Decline 11.4% in June According to a report by Uruguay XXI, exports fell 11.4% in June with respect to the same month last year. In the first six months of 2009, exports fell 13.3%. Brazil accounts for 18.6% of Uruguay’s total exports and is the country’s biggest purchaser. Second is the Nueva Palmira Free Zone (located in Uruguay) with 9.1% and Argentina with 7.6% of all exports. Read More ...

New Petroleum Exporation Bid for Maldonado Coast A consortium by Petrobras of Brazil, YPF of Argentina and PetroGal of Portugal has presented two offers to explore for petroleum and natural gas in Uruguayan territorial waters off the coast of Maldonado.  Read More ...

Swine Flu in Uruguay May Extend Beyond Winter Public Health Minister María Julia Muñoz said she hopes that the swine flu virus will run its course by the first half of August, but her own advisors warn that the country may have to live with the virus into the spring months. According the Public Health advisor Homero Bagnulo, the seasonal flu has “disappeared” and the new virus “continues to circulate.”  Read More ...

Nacional Knocked Out of Libertadores Estudiantes beat Nacional 2-1 in the Copa Libertadores semifinals at Centenario Stadium in Montevideo yesterday and earned a trip to the finals. Estudiantes was at ease throughout the match and Nacional was unable to mount an attack. Read More ...

Astori May Accept VP Spot According to Frente Amplio Party president Jorge Brovetto, some details need to be defined in order for Danilo Astori to accept the vice presidential spot on the party’s ticket. Read More ...

Public Health Reports 3 Serious Swine Flu Cases The Public Health Ministry said yesterday that there are at least 50 persons hospitalized with the swine flu and three of the cases are serious: a 10-year-old boy in Montevideo, a young pregnant woman in Paysandú and an older man in Maldonado.  Read More ...

Vatican Accepts Minas Bishop’s Resignation Pope Benedict has accepted the resignation of Francisco Barbosa of the diocese of Minas after it became known that Barbosa maintained homosexual relations. Read More ...

Bordaberry and Mujica Agree on Clean Campaign Colorado Party presidential candidate Pedro Bordaberry met yesterday with Frente Amplio candidate José Mujica.  Read More ...

Mobile Emergency Services Saturated Due to fears over the swine flu, mobile emergency services are being overwhelmed with approximately 5,000 calls per day in the country.  Read More ...

One Hurt in Maldonado Due to High Winds One man was injured in Maldonado due to high winds that affected the Uruguayan coast on Monday and Tuesday.  Read More ...

High Winds to Continue Today The National Meteorology Bureau’s weather warning is still in effect for eastern and southern Uruguay. Winds of more than 120 km per hour are expected for the departments of Rocha and Maldonado. Firefighters have received about 21 reports of several fallen branches and power lines in Montevideo alone. Read More ...