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☆ What’s happening in Venezuela - protests, election uncertainty and an economic crisis
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —Venezuelans across the country took to the streets on Monday to protest a disputed election, clashing with police as uncertainty swirls around the results amid allegations of election fraud. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro after the presidential election results were announced in Caracas on July 29, 2024. Though Maduro supporters celebrated his win in parts of Caracas, Monday was marked by wider protests by the opposition. Many regional and world leaders have cast doubt on the results, including the United States – though some of Venezuela’s partners have stood by Maduro. Once the fifth-largest economy in Latin America, Venezuela has experienced the worst economic collapse of a peacetime country in recent history.

Persons: Nicolás Maduro, Maduro, –, Juan Barreto, Hugo Chávez, Edmundo Gonzalez, Maria Corina Machado, Matias Delacroix, Gonzalez, Machado, António Guterres, Molotov, Samir Aponte, ”, “, Antony Blinken, Maduro’s Organizations: CNN, Sunday, Getty, AP, Officially, Electoral Council, CNE, The Carter, United Nations, Reuters, Police, Washington, Venezuela –, European Union Locations: Venezuelan, Caracas, AFP, Venezuela, Charallave, Chile, Spain, Puerto La Cruz, United States, United Kingdom, Argentina, Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, Dominican Republic, Uruguay, China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, Latin America

☆ Analysis: In Venezuela, voters caught in Maduro’s dangerous dance are seeking answers
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-29 | by ( Flora Charner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“We want peace for Venezuela, for our family members,” a protester, who chose not to be identified, told reporting teams on the ground. Leo Ramirez/AFP/Getty Images/FileA ‘cyberattack’ curveballIt seems unlikely Maduro’s government will pay too much attention to the concerns raised over the results. Nearly 8 million people have left Venezuela since 2014, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro reacts following the election results in Caracas on July 29, 2024. “We want Venezuela to be free and for the people’s will to be respected,” she said.

Persons: CNN — It’s, Nicolás Maduro, “, Nicolas Maduro, ” Maduro, Edmundo González, González, Maria Corina Machado, ”, Federico Parra, Antony Blinken, Stephane Dujarric, Maduro’s, Miguel Díaz, Canel, Leo Ramirez, it’s, Tarek William Saab, Machado, Leopoldo López, Lester Toledo, Panamá, Consultores, Maduro, ” Eva Martinez, Will Freeman, Juan Barreto, Hugo Chavez, Chavez, sobbed Heczair Blanco Organizations: CNN, Bolivarian, Electoral Council, Armed Forces, Getty, UN, The United Nations, Carter Center, Washington, Twitter, AFP, CNE, Caracas Monday, Saab, ’, United Nations, Refugees, US Customs, Border Patrol, Council, Foreign Relations, Democrats, Biden Locations: Miraflores, Caracas, Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Venezuelan, AFP, United States, Tokyo, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, Dominican Republic, Uruguay, China, Cuba, North Macedonia, Balkans, UNHCR, Spain, Brazil, Colombia, “, Buenos Aires

☆ ‘A victory for generations to come:’ Puerto Rico bans hair discrimination
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Associated Press | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

San Juan (AP) — Puerto Rico’s governor signed a law on Wednesday that prohibits discrimination against people wearing Afros, curls, locs, twists, braids and other hairstyles in the racially diverse U.S. territory. The move was celebrated by those who had long demanded explicit protection related to work, housing, education and public services. “It’s a victory for generations to come,” Welmo Romero Joseph, a community facilitator with the nonprofit Taller Salud, said in an interview. A bronze statue of San Juan Bautista stands in front the Capitol building flanked by U.S. and Puerto Rican flags, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where a ruling was made on Wednesday to ban hair discrimination. “Unfortunately, people identified as Black or Afro descendant in Puerto Rico still face derogatory treatment, deprivation of opportunities, marginalization, exclusion and all kinds of discrimination,” the law signed Wednesday states.

Persons: ” Welmo Romero Joseph, Romero, San Juan Bautista, Ricardo Arduengo, ”, ” Westend61 Organizations: Puerto Rico’s, Salud, Civil, U.S, Puerto, Census, Economic Policy Institute, U.S . House, Democratic Locations: Juan, Puerto, Alabama, San Juan, Puerto Rican, San Juan , Puerto Rico, U.S, Puerto Ricans, Puerto Rico, Texas

☆ What to expect in Venezuela’s presidential election as strongman Maduro faces his biggest test yet
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-21 | by ( David Shortell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado wave to supporters at the Central University of Venezuela UCV in Caracas on July 14, 2024. Analysts see those as the seeds of a pretext that Maduro could use to postpone or cancel the election at the last minute. Some have speculated that Maduro could use the crisis as an excuse to suspend the election. Supporters at a meeting with Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado at the Central University of Venezuela UCV in Caracas on July 14, 2024. Maduro currently faces drug trafficking and corruption charges in the US and is under investigation for crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court.

Persons: Nicolás Maduro, Maduro, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia –, Hugo Chavez’s, Nicolas Maduro, Flores, Teresa Carreño, Jesus Vargas, “, Edmundo Gonzalez, Maria Corina Machado, Pedro Rances Mattey, Gonzalez, Corina Yoris, Oswaldo Ramírez, ORC Consultores, ”, Juan Barreto, Chávez, Ryan Berg, They’re, Machado, Yoris, –, Jimmy Carter –, Berg, ” Machado Organizations: CNN, of American, Teresa, Teresa Carreño Theater, International Monetary Fund, Central University of Venezuela UCV, Getty, Democratic, Venezuelan, Americas, Center for Strategic, International Studies, US, The Carter, European Union, CSIS, International Criminal, Socialist United Party Locations: Canada, United States, Caracas, Venezuela, Anadolu, “, Agua, Maiz, AFP, Guyana

☆ A Thai-American millennial went to Bangkok to find 'real Thai food.' Now, his private supper club has a monthslong waitlist.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-01 | by ( Parisa Pichitmarn | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

That made me think: If this is 'real' Chinese food, then is there 'real' Thai food too?" Eitharong told Business Insider. His goal was to continue learning more about Thai food. Parisa PichitmarnDespite Eitharong's culturally mixed upbringing, he sticks to authentic Thai food and never fusion. A few people have claimed he's not cooking Thai food because he's American.

Persons: —, Dylan Eitharong, Eitharong, he'd, voraciously, Haawm, Hanuman Aspler, Chiang Mai, Covid, Curry, wouldn't, jee, Randy Travis, Prince, Beyoncé, juan, Dylan, I'm, grandmas, Siradej Donavanik, Vincent Vichit, Vadakan, He's, Parisa Pichitmarn Organizations: Service, Business, Michelin, BI, Food Locations: Florida, Thai, Orlando, Thailand, Bangkok, Onnut, America

☆ Japan is determined to keep hunting whales. And now it has a brand new ‘mothership’ to do that
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Heather Chen | Hanako Montgomery | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Demand for whale meat in JapanOver the years, Kyodo Senpaku has launched aggressive public relation campaigns to promote whale meat and win over new generations of young diners. We would react very badly to that.”The owner of a whale meat shop shows a block of whale meat at the Karato fish market in Shimonoseki city. Yuichi Yamazaki/AFP/Getty ImagesThis picture taken on May 20, 2024 shows whale meat sashimi at a 'Nisshinmaru' whale meat restaurant in Shimonoseki city, Yamaguchi prefecture. Located in deep waters surrounding the entire continent of Antarctica, the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary hosts dozens of whale species including humpbacks, blue whales and fin whales. “It’s called the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary for a reason – you don’t kill whales there,” Watson said.

Persons: Tokyo CNN —, Hideki Tokoro, ”, ” Tokoro, Hideko Tokoro, Hanako Montgomery, Paul Watson, “, Daisuke Urakami, Ari Friedlaender, Sutton Hibbert, Shutterstock, ” Donald Rothwell, Yoshimasa Hayashi, Francois Gohier, ” WCA, Tokoro, Nobuhiro Kishigami, ” Kishigami, “ It’s, Yuichi Yamazaki, Mitsuhiro Kishimoto, Juan Barreto, Takaaki Sakamoto, Captain Paul Watson, aren’t, James Anderson, ” Rothwell, Watson, CNN he’s, ” Watson Organizations: Tokyo CNN, Kyodo, CNN, Yomiuri Shimbun, “, International Whaling Commission, IWC, International Convention, Whaling, Australian National University, ANU, Cetacean, Kyodo Senpaku, South Korea –, National Museum of Ethnology, Getty, Shimonoseki City University, Whale, Whaling Affairs, Japan’s Fisheries Agency, Captain Paul Watson Foundation, Whale Defense Agency Locations: Hong Kong, Tokyo, Kangei, Japan, Norway, Iceland, Nisshin, Gulf of Maine, North, Russia, Thailand, South, Osaka, Shimonoseki, AFP, Yamaguchi, Gerlache, Antarctica, …

☆ How the US Army refined its battle-tested, controversial M4 Carbine for modern combat
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Kris Osborn | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The PIP for the M4 was a far-reaching initiative to upgrade the Army's entire current inventory of M4 rifles into higher-tech, durable, and more lethal M4A1 weapons. Brooks Carroll shoots an M4A1 Carbine semi automatic rifle during a competition at Fort Carson, Colorado. Over the years, the Army has made more than 90 performance "Engineering Change Proposals" to the M4 Carbine since its introduction. Shaina JupiterFor many years, the Army upgraded and improved its M4, with some plans never passing the conceptual phase. These previous considerations, which were performed under a program called the M4A1+ effort, were analyzed by Army developers and then shelved.

Persons: —, Brooks Carroll, Woodlyne Escarne, Maven, Juan B, Joel Manzano, 19FortyFive Organizations: Service, Business, Army, Refining, M4, Fort Carson , Colorado . US, 19FortyFive, Camp Santiago, Training, US Army National Guard, Spc, US Marine Corps Locations: Fort Carson , Colorado, Salinas , Puerto Rico, Sukabumi, West Java, Indonesia

☆ Rich Chinese millennials are creating new status symbols. Here are 11 ways they are redefining luxury.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Alexandra Bacon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Rich millennials in the US have been known to splash out on their pets, new laundry rooms, and expensive coffee machines. And over in China, rich millennials have their own ideas of what counts as a luxury status symbol. AdvertisementExpect to see these rich millennials mixing luxury casual wear like T-shirts and sneakers with traditional luxury brands, Banta told BI. And getting regular aesthetic treatments has become a top priority for affluent millennials, Banta told BI. Independent luxury brands that offer more authentic products and those that draw on cultural heritage are also highly in demand, she said.

Persons: —, they've, Rich millennials, They've, Claudio Lavenia, Louis Vuitton, Daniel Langer, Amrita Banta, Budrul Chukrut, Elisa Harca, Ant Asia, Mary, Kate, Ashley Olsen, prioritizes, Harca, Banta, JUAN BARRETO, Olivia Plotnick, Port Ellen, Alexandra Bacon, Ewan Andrew, Langer, Black Pearl, JOHANNES EISELE, Olivier Morin, Plotnick, Tom Dixon, Potnick, Gen, Gabriella Tegen, Gen Z Organizations: Service, Business, Pepperdine University, Research, Getty, JUAN BARRETO Travel, Wai, Social, Diageo, Michelin, China Morning, Meituan, Clover, Bloomberg, Clover Suites, China News Service, McKinsey, Brands, Independent Locations: China, Antarctica, Iceland, Shanghai, Port, Scotland, That's, Harca, Singapore, Banta, millennials

☆ Massive genocide trial reopens old wounds in Guatemala, 40 years after indigenous slaughter
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( Tara John | Ivonne Valdés | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

In 2018, a Guatemalan court ruled that the army committed acts of genocide, but no one was convicted. Lucas García, 91, was meant to face trial this year with former military intelligence chief Manuel Callejas y Callejas. Robert Nickelsberg/Archive Photos/Getty ImagesBurt said this “expression of racism is extremely profound,” and its knock-on effects are evident in Guatemala today. Survivors from the civil war gather outside the Supreme Court, prior to a hearing in the Ixil Genocide trial, in Guatemala City, Guatemala March 25, 2024. When the trial was due to start at the end of March, Lucas García’s lawyers announced their resignation.

Persons: CNN — Juan Brito López, Brito López, Manuel Benedicto Lucas García, Lucas García, Benedicto Lucas Garcia, Johan Ordonez, Lucas García’s, AJR, Fernando Romeo Lucas García, “ Lucas García, Manuel Callejas y, Callejas, Jesús Silvio, Romeo Lucas García’s, ” Jo, Marie Burt, ”, Robert Nickelsberg, Burt, Efrain Rios Montt, Tiziano Breda, Claudia Paz y Paz, CICIG, ” Silvio, ” Will Freeman, Cristina Chiquin, Bernardo Arévalo, Public Ministry –, Consuelo Porras , hasn’t, Michelle Liang, “, Brito López’s, Catarina Chel, tormenter, Silvia, ” CNN’s Tara John, Ivonne Valdés Organizations: CNN, United, Getty, Association for Justice, Reconciliation, Human, Washington Office, UN, Guatemalan Army, “, Central American, International, Commission, Council, Foreign Relations, Reuters CNN, Public Ministry, US, Network, Solidarity, ” CNN Locations: Pexla, Guatemala City, United Nations, Guatemalan, Guatemala, America, ”, Santa Cruz de Quiche, of Guatemala, New York, Mexico City

☆ Space nukes are raising tensions between Moscow and Washington. Here’s what you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Kari Bingen director of the aerospace security project and senior fellow in the international security program at the Centre for Strategic International Studies. Space-based anti-satellite nuclear weapons — or so-called space nukes — are a type of weapon designed to damage or destroy satellite systems. "It's an indiscriminate weapon," Bingen said. The deployment of a space-based nuclear weapon would mark a major advancement of Russia's military capabilities and a serious escalation of geopolitical tensions. Kari Bingen director of the aerospace security project and senior fellow in the international security program at the Centre for Strategic International Studies.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Alexander Ryumin, Mike Turner, Joe Biden, It's, Kari Bingen, Bingen, Juan Barreto, Putin, CNBC's Silvia Amaro Organizations: Sputnik, Chelyabinsk, Afp, Getty, U.S, White, CNBC, . House Intelligence, Bloomberg, Centre, Strategic International Studies, Analysts, Strategic International, United Nations Office, Outer Space Affairs, Elon Musk, Reuters, U.S ., Space Foundation, The, NATO, General, Saturday, Munich Security Conference Locations: Russian, Chelyabinsk Region, Chelyabinsk, Washington, Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, China, Bogota, U.S, The U.S

☆ Russia made a flashy upgrade to its cruise missiles since Ukraine shot down so many — but it likely won't help
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Russia appears to have put decoy flares on its cruise missiles, a world first. AdvertisementRussia appears to be putting decoy flares on its cruise missiles to reduce how often Ukraine successfully shoots them down. A video at the end of December appeared to show a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile using decoy flares during an attack. Ballistic missiles, which are typically faster than cruise missiles and can have larger warheads, have used such flares in the past. Russia is trying to stop losing missilesRussia has been firing vast numbers of cruise missiles across Ukraine during its invasion.

Persons: —, Timothy Wright, Fabian Hoffmann, Hoffmann, It's, JUAN BARRETO, Wright, they'll, William Alberque, Alberque Organizations: Service, International Institute for Strategic Studies, Norway's University of Oslo, Russia, Getty Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Ukrainian, Bakhmut, Donetsk

☆ Army Called in to Rescue About 600 Spanish Motorists Stuck in Snow
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MADRID (Reuters) - Army units were mobilised to help about 600 drivers who were stuck on a motorway in heavy snow as Storm Juan blanketed many parts of Spain, authorities said on Friday. Snowfalls left motorists stranded for hours on the N-122 road between Soria and Agreda in northern Spain so authorites said they had dispatched troops from a base in Zaragoza to help move the drivers. Temperatures plunged to minus 13 Celsius (8.6 Fahrenheit) in Soria, AEMET, the state weather forecaster, said on Friday. Heavy rains fell in the western region of Extremadura and in Catalonia in northeastern Spain, Aemet added. The storm was expected to pass by Saturday, forecasters said.

Persons: Juan blanketed, authorites, Miguel Ángel Clavero, Aemet, Graham Keeley, Sandra Maler Organizations: Army, Saturday Locations: MADRID, Spain, Soria, Agreda, Zaragoza, Aragon, AEMET, Extremadura, Catalonia

☆ Luis Díaz inspires Colombia to emotional victory as his father watches from stands after kidnap release
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Luis Díaz scored two goals to help Colombia stun Brazil in a World Cup qualifier on Thursday, as his father watched on from the stands just a week after being released by kidnappers. On October 28, Díaz Sr. was abducted along with his wife, Cilenis Marulanda, by ELN gunmen in his hometown of Barrancas, northeastern Colombia. Marulanda was rescued later that day, but Díaz Sr. was handed over just under two weeks later to a mixed commission of UN personnel and Catholic priests on Thursday in nearby city Valledupar. Footage once again showed Díaz Sr. passionately celebrating with tears in his eyes. The five-time World Cup champion has now slipped to fifth in the qualifying standings, with Colombia up to third.

Persons: CNN — Luis Díaz, Luis Manuel Díaz, Díaz, Cilenis, Marulanda, Gabriel Martinelli, Allison, Luis Díaz, Juan Barreto, “ I’m, ” Díaz, –, Ronald Araújo, Darwin, Lionel Messi, Ballon, “, ” Messi, TyC Organizations: CNN, Estadio Metropolitano, UN, Liverpool, Brazil, Getty, BBC Sport, Messi’s, TyC Sports, Reuters, “, ”, FIFA Locations: Colombia, Brazil, Barrancas, Valledupar, Barranquilla, Brazilian, AFP, Messi’s Argentina, Argentina, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, ” Argentina

Up for grabs are 8.8 million votes that went to the three losing candidates, conservative Patricia Bull, moderate Peronist governor Juan Schiaretti and leftist Myriam Bregman. Reuters GraphicsSchiaretti and Bregman, both left-leaning, in theory should shed most of their combined 2.5 million votes to Massa in the Nov. 19 head-to-head. Bullrich's 6.3 million would likely favor Milei more, but moderates in her coalition could shift to Massa. Centrist Buenos Aires city mayor Horacio Larreta lost the conservative Together for Change's internal primary to Bullrich, but did get nearly 2.7 million votes, many of which shifted to her. Luana Molenberg, a 20-year-old worker in Buenos Aires, said she hoped the anti-Milei vote would get behind Massa: "I'm very afraid that Milei will win."

Persons: Sergio Massa, Javier Milei, Agustin Marcarian, Patricia Bull, Juan Schiaretti, Myriam Bregman, Milei, Massa, Shila Vilker, Trespuntozero, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, Horacio Larreta, Ramiro Vitale, Luana, Federico Aurelio, Nicolas Misculin, Juan Bustamante, Adam Jourdan, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Argentine, University of Buenos, Law School, REUTERS, Peronist, Massa, International Monetary Fund, Reuters, Reuters Graphics, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Thomson Locations: University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, BUENOS AIRES, South, Bullrich, Buenos Aires

☆ Argentina voters on a knife-edge as presidential election nears
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-21 | by ( Horacio Soria | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] Workers unload ballot boxes and voting material from a truck, ahead of the presidential election, at a school on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Argentina October 21, 2023. The vote is a tight three-way race between frontrunner radical outsider Javier Milei, ruling Peronist Economy Minister Sergio Massa and center-right former security minister Patricia Bullrich, all offering starkly different visions for Argentina. Libertarian economist Milei is in pole position to win, though would likely face a second round. "It seems to me that it is time for change, to see how we can alter the reality of the country." Reporting by Horacio Soria and Juan Bustamante; Writing by Adam Jourdan; Editing by Daniel WallisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Mariana Nedelcu, Javier Milei, Sergio Massa, Patricia Bullrich, Soledad Sanchez, Bullrich, Milei, Massa, pollsters, Hernan Etchaleco, Agustin Geist, Horacio Soria, Juan Bustamante, Adam Jourdan, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Workers, REUTERS, Argentine, Peronist Economy, International Monetary Fund, Thomson Locations: Buenos Aires, Argentina, BUENOS AIRES, Peronist, Bullrich

☆ Argentina's Lower House Passes Bill to Reduce Taxes on Wealthy
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentina's lower house on Tuesday passed a government-backed bill to cut taxes on high-income earners, a move that would erase about one trillion pesos ($2.8 billion) from state coffers in 2023, according to official estimates. The bill, which must now go through the Senate, passed with 135 votes in favor and 103 against. "Salaries are not profit," Economy Minister and presidential candidate Sergio Massa wrote on social media platform X following the vote. Opposition lawmakers blasted the move, saying the proposed tax cut aims to benefit Massa's presidential run for the October election. The South American nation is grappling with triple-digit annual inflation, with analysts polled by the central bank setting it at 169.3% at the end of the year.

Persons: Sergio Massa, Javier Milei, Milei, Eliana Raszewski, Juan Bustamante, Walter Bianchi, Valentine Hilaire, Sonali Paul Organizations: BUENOS AIRES, Reuters Locations: BUENOS

☆ Colombian artist Fernando Botero dies at 91
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Stefano Pozzebon | Eyad Kourdi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Renowned Colombian artist Fernando Botero, celebrated for his iconic style featuring rotund figures used to convey political critique and satire, has died at the age of 91. The news of his death was confirmed by his daughter, Lina Botero, in an announcement made to various Colombian media outlets on Friday. PL Gould/Getty Images A Botero sculpture in Plaza Botero in Medellin, Colombia pictured on April 15, 2022. The exhibition, titled "Celebration," featured some 80 works by the Colombian artist spanning 60 years of his practise. Vincent West/Reuters "La Gorda Gertrudis," a Botero sculpture depicting a reclining nude woman, on display in Cartagena, Colombia.

Persons: Fernando Botero, Lina Botero, Mona Lisa, PL, Juan Barreto, Vincent West, Gilles Barbier, Luis Eduardo Noriega A, Shutterstock, Shannon Stapleton, Piero della Francesca, della Francesca, Duke, Urbino, Federico da Montefeltro, Battista Sforza, Hwee Young, Nicolas Maeterlinck, Barbara Sax, Juan Mabromata, Gustavo Petro, Damian Dovarganes, Daniel Quintero, Stefano Pozzebon Organizations: CNN —, PL Gould, Getty, Museo, Bellas Artes, Reuters, Museum of Antioquia, National Museum of, Buenos Aires Fine Arts Museum, Twitter, Bowers Museum Locations: Colombian, Botero, Medellin, Colombia, AFP, Bilbao, Spain, Cartagena , Colombia, New York, China, National Museum of China, Beijing, Mons, France, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Medellín, Abu Ghraib, Iraq, Santa Ana , California, Bogota, Eyad

LA PLATA, Argentina, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Wielding a chainsaw above his head in the Argentine city of La Plata this week, radical presidential front-runner Javier Milei riled up thousands of supporters angry with 124% inflation and a painful cost-of-living crisis. We must remove all the people who have left this country destroyed," said Rosalia Garcia, 51, a public accountant at Milei's rally in La Plata, the capital of Buenos Aires province. "The political caste is afraid," he yelled in La Plata. Milei got just under 30% in the August primary, just ahead of Bullrich and Massa. Back in La Plata, high school student Roman Lopez, 16 - who will be a first-time voter this year - said he previously wasn't interested in politics, but Milei's energy had attracted him.

Persons: Javier Milei riled, Rosalia Garcia, Milei, Patricia Bullrich, Sergio Massa, I'm, Eduardo Murchio, it's, Sebastian Pedrozo, Roman Lopez, Horacio Soria, Juan Bustamante, Lucila Sigal, Eliana Raszewski, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: LA, Peronist, Thomson Locations: LA PLATA, Argentina, Argentine, La Plata, October's, Buenos Aires, Milei, Bullrich, Massa, greenbacks

☆ Latest Messi tribute in Argentina recycles the joy from icon's big win
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Juan Bustamante | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

GRAND BOURG, Argentina, Sept 5 (Reuters) - High school students in Argentina pieced together a massive mural of soccer superstar Lionel Messi out of thousands of recycled plastic bottle caps, with a video of the work of art shared widely online. But love for Messi seems to loom even larger. The new mural fills the floor of an open-air high school courtyard in the Grand Bourg neighbourhood, just outside the capital Buenos Aires. Sebastian Ramirez, a teacher at the school, posted a video clip on social media that went viral summing up a widely-held assessment of Messi's legacy. Video of the mural's making showed dozens of children hunched over a colour-coded design and boxes of bottle caps scattered around.

Persons: Lionel Messi, Messi, Sebastian Ramirez, Javier Milei, Pope Francis, Juan Bustamente, David Alire Garcia, Peter Rutherford Organizations: Thomson Locations: BOURG, Argentina, Argentine, Grand Bourg, Buenos Aires, Qatar, American

Ramiro Marra, candidate for mayor of Buenos Aires and part of the inner circle of Argentina's radical presidential front-runner Javier Milei, listens to Milei talking to journalists, in Buenos Aires, Argentina August 24, 2023. Juan Napoli, also running for a Senate seat with Milei's party, agreed time would be needed to lay the groundwork for reforms. The presidential candidates for the two blocs will be Economy Minister Sergio Massa and former security minister Patricia Bullrich, respectively. "All of the alternatives that are laid out in the law and the national constitution, we are going to use them." Reporting by Anna-Catherine Brigida; Additional reporting by Eliana Raszewski and Juan Bustamante; Editing by Rosalba O'BrienOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ramiro Marra, Javier Milei, Agustin Marcarian, Milei, Marra, Juan Napoli, dollarization, Sergio Massa, Patricia Bullrich, Anna, Catherine Brigida, Eliana Raszewski, Juan Bustamante, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: REUTERS, Milei, Reuters, Bull Market Brokers, Peronist, Thomson Locations: Buenos Aires, Argentina, BUENOS AIRES

☆ Argentina's Milei pitched dollarization 'models' in IMF meet - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Jorgelina Do Rosario | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Argentina's surprise presidential front-runner, radical libertarian Javier Milei, pitched models of dollarizing the South American country's economy in a meeting with major lender the International Monetary Fund on Friday, two sources said. Milei, 52, outlined his economic proposals and told IMF representatives that his teams is working on "different models of dollarization," said two sources close to the candidate with direct knowledge of the meeting who asked not to be named. In the 80-minute meeting, he also told IMF officials that he does not intend to default to the fund or to bondholders, one of the sources added. The IMF was keen to learn further details on Milei's dollarization plans, one source said. IMF officials included the director of the Fund's Western Hemisphere Department Rodrigo Valdes and deputy director Luis Cubeddu.

Persons: Javier Milei, Milei, Carlos Rodriguez, Roque Fernandez, Dario Epstein, Western Hemisphere Department Rodrigo Valdes, Luis Cubeddu, Milei's, Jorgelina, Juan Bustamante, Hugh Lawson, Adam Jourdan, Alistair Bell Organizations: International Monetary Fund, Peronist, U.S ., IMF, Western Hemisphere Department, Thomson Locations: Argentina, Rosario

☆ Voter anger, apathy hang over Argentina primary elections
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Nicolás Misculin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Pollsters, however, said voter apathy could mean big shifts late in the race, with many people still undecided. The primary election will give the clearest indication yet of what the October general election result is likely to be. "I still don't know who I'm going to vote for and I think we're all in the same position. "I'm going to vote because I don't want to pay the fine, but I still don't know who. Despite voting being obligatory by law, voter turnout is also expected to be down and could affect the result.

Persons: Sergio Massa, Kristalina Georgieva, Evelyn Hockstein, Javier Milei, Pablo Vairo, Facundo Nejamkis, Horacio Larreta, Patricia Bullrich, Cristian Guardo, Maximiliano Herrera, Karina, Nicolas Misculin, Juan Bustamante, Adam Jourdan, Diane Craft Organizations: Monetary Fund, IMF, REUTERS, Peronist coalition's, Economy, Peronist, Reuters, Primaries, pollster Opina, Milei, Reuters Graphics Reuters, la Patria, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, Buenos Aires, pollster, pollster Opina Argentina, Peronist, Candelaria

☆ Argentine polls give slight edge to opposition ahead of uncertain primaries
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Lucila Sigal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Matias Baglietto/File PhotoBUENOS AIRES, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Argentina's opposition is polling with a slight lead for the upcoming August primaries, usually a reliable bellwether for the outcome of the presidential election, but with many voters ready to snub the ballot box the results are far from certain. Most polls peg the center-right opposition alliance Together for Change (JxC) with a slight edge against the center-left ruling coalition Union for the Homeland (UP). Over 10 percentage points behind is political outsider Javier Milei's Liberty Advances party, which hopes to win votes from those disillusioned with politics. The primaries will decide the candidates who will compete in the Oct. 22 elections, but polls vary on which candidates will win a place in the race. Massa is seen as likely to win a place in the presidential vote, but the country's severe economic crisis has favored Milei, who carries an "emotional vote".

Persons: Javier Milei, Matias Baglietto, Carlos Fara, Javier Milei's, Mariel Fornoni, Horacio Rodriguez Larreta, Patricia Bullrich, Bullrich, Sergio Massa, Juan Grabois, Massa, Milei, Pollsters, It's, Lucila Sigal, Juan Bustamante, Sarah Morland, Sandra Maler Organizations: 135th Argentine, REUTERS, Union for, Homeland, Management, Economy, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Buenos Aires, Argentina, BUENOS AIRES, UP, Fara

☆ In Guatemala, A Collective of Young Artists Finds Family Through Film
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Juan Brenner | Isabella Grullón Paz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Like many dreams, the contours of what would become the film production house Desobediencia Perfecta were born at 3:00 a.m.Vanessa Martínez, 17, and Javier Martínez (no relation), 18, two students in Guatemala City, Guatemala, stayed up talking one night in April of last year about their love of film. Together with a mutual friend, Sebastián Aldana, 18, they founded Desobediencia Perfecta, whose mission is to explore the stories of queer and lower-middle-class Guatemalans. The members of the collective are scattered across Guatemala, and around the world, so much of their collaboration takes place online. “We explored the entire theater that day, all its corners. “What we did the most that day though was hug each other.” (All interviews have been translated from Spanish.)

Persons: Desobediencia Perfecta, Vanessa Martínez, Javier Martínez, Vanessa, Sebastián Aldana, Juan Brenner, ”, Javier Organizations: Lux Locations: Guatemala City, Guatemala

☆ Argentine shoemakers and tailors buckle under 109% inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Horacio Soria | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Argentina is battling one of the highest inflation rates in the world, with prices growing faster at any time since 1991, raising the specter of hyperinflation and full-blown economic crisis. What it meant for small businesses like his, he said, was supplier prices changing almost daily. The clothing and footwear sector experienced the highest monthly inflation of all categories in April at 10.8%, data from statistics agency INDEC show. In a clothing market in the capital, traders pointed to higher import prices, given volatile exchange rates. "I never used to fix clothes, but people fix clothes now because they cannot afford to buy them."

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