Brazil Pledges To Reduce Spending
The Brazilian government has announced its plans to cut spending by 50 billion reais, the equivalent of nearly $30 billion. Officials have stated the cuts are needed to curb inflation and prevent the economy from overheating.
Brazil has Latin America's largest economy, which grew by 7 percent last year. It is expected to increase another 5 percent by the end of this year. Inflation was at nearly 6 percent last year and is not predicted to change significantly.
In addition to the spending cuts, the government has implemented other steps in keeping inflation in check. Finance Minister Guido Mantega said all stimulus packages introduced since the onset of the global financial crisis would be removed. Social spending and infrastructure projects will be left untouched.
The central bank also raised its interest rates from 10.75 percent to 11.25 percent to further minimize inflation.
These moves have been made just a month after new President Dilma Rousseff took office. She has been applauded for taking these economic measures but some analysts maintain that even more should have been done.
Highest Terror Threat Since 9/11
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has announced that the threat of a terrorist attack is at its highest state since 9/11. She has stated that the possible terrorism that the U.S. faces has evolved in past years.
The biggest threat against the U.S. is terrorist groups that are already established inside the country. State and local law enforcement are going to be more crucial than ever in combating terror, and the federal government should be supportive of the measures that each community takes, Napolitano stated in her testimony to the Homeland Security Committee.
In recent years, terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda have increased efforts in recruiting individuals in the U.S. Anwar al-Awlaki, a U.S.-born Muslim cleric, has been labeled "a specially designed global terrorist," according to U.S. officials. He has been known to spread Islamic militant propaganda over the Internet while he is believed to be hiding in Yemen.
Since 2009, more than 60 U.S. citizens have been charged or convicted of terrorist acts or plots. Currently a nationwide initiative is in place called "If you see something, say something," which encourages citizens to report any suspicious activity.
Chancellor Addresses SUNY Future
This week SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher addressed multiple issues concerning the direction the SUNY system could take in the future. One of her main points was that the system is strong but not invincible.
In a joint Assembly and Senate fiscal hearing, Zimpher addressed the threats the system faces if Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's budget cuts are implemented. The SUNY system has already seen increased class size, decreased class offerings and more reliance on adjunct professors, which all make it difficult for students to graduate on time. With Cuomo's proposed cuts, the quality of education could decline even further.
Zimpher and other SUNY officials have maintained that a tuition hike is necessary to make up for lost state aid. Zimpher has proposed a five-year tuition increase plan with annual raises to make the changes more manageable.
The increased tuition is also critical to the UB2020 plan that needs the additional money to carry out the proposed development of a downtown Buffalo campus.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
