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☆ Top U.S. border official says Biden administration pushing him out - reports
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Ted Hesson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 11 (Reuters) - A top U.S. border official said on Friday he had been asked to resign or be fired, a sign of tensions within U.S. President Joe Biden's administration over a record number of migrant crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border. Magnus said he would not resign and defended his commitment to the agency, according to the reports. The White House, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and CBP did not respond to requests for comment. The number of migrant arrests at the U.S.-Mexico border has soared to record highs under Biden, a Democrat who took office in 2021, fueling attacks by Republicans who say his policies are too lenient. Magnus, 62, was confirmed in December as commissioner of the CBP, a 60,000-person agency that oversees border security, trade and travel.

Several Republican and Democratic Latinos made history in the midterm elections, even as votes were still being tallied Wednesday in many parts of the country. According to the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, Latinos ran for top offices in 44 of the nation's 50 states. Antonio Delgado became the first person who identifies as Latino to be elected to the office, according to the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. Matos, a former Providence City Council president, was appointed lieutenant governor in April 2021 when Dan McKee became the state's governor. Follow NBC Latino on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

☆ Fact Check-Room of euro banknotes is an art installation
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A video of a room containing piles of euro banknotes has been falsely linked on social media to a Nigerian politician. In the 30-second clip, a camera pans around a small room containing a pallet topped with piles of euro notes, as well as a separate ceiling-high mound, some of which appear to be burned (here). It is part of an art installation called ‘European Dream’ by Spanish artist Alejandro Monge (here). Photos from February 2018 reveal the banknotes in the installation are not real. The video shows an art installation.

☆ Meet Maxwell Alejandro Frost, the 25-year-old gun-violence-prevention advocate backed by Bernie Sanders who will be the first Gen Z member of Congress
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Bryan Metzger | Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

At 25, Frost is set to become the first Gen Z member of Congress. Frost, who would also be Congress' only Afro-Cuban member, beat Republican candidate Calvin Wimbish by nearly 20 points, per Decision Desk HQ. "It still hasn't fully sunken in," Frost told Insider at the time. At 25 — the minimum age to serve in the US House — Frost will be the youngest member of Congress. "You get in for one reason, and then you find out there's a lot of things that are messed up," he told Insider in May.

☆ 25-year-old Maxwell Frost will be the first Gen Z member of Congress
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Jennifer Liu | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Progressive activist Maxwell Alejandro Frost, 25, will officially become the first Gen Z member of Congress after winning his race to represent Florida's 10th Congressional District. "Central Florida, my name is Maxwell Alejandro Frost, and I'm going to be the first Generation Z member of the United States Congress!" He quit his previous job in order to run for Congress and drove for Uber to pay rent while on the campaign trail. He's passionate about gun reform, often referring to Gen Z as the "school shooter generation." The 2022 midterms were the first time members of Gen Z could run for Congress, which Pew Research Center defines as people born between 1997 and 2012.

☆ ‘Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths’ Review: A Long Trek Through Dreamland
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Kyle Smith | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

‘Tell a dream, lose a reader,” writing teachers say to their charges. But after you’ve won five Academy Awards, you may feel you’ve earned the right to luxuriate in your fancies. Mr. Iñárritu’s latest, “Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths,” signals accurately in its title that it’s a heady dose of magical-realist arthouse cinema intended for serious filmgoers only. Yet it’s a dense, plotless, phantasmagorical swirl of memories, wishes and grudges, and so it demands full concentration in a theater. It is not best experienced from the lounge chair whose occupant may be distracted by the phone or the proximity of the kitchen.

☆ Alejandro Garnacho: Manchester United youngster mimics Cristiano Ronaldo's celebration after scoring first goal
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Manchester United’s emerging star Alejandro Garnacho scored his first goal for the club in his side’s 1-0 Europa League win against Real Sociedad on Thursday. The teenager wheeled away in celebration before being mobbed by his teammates, including Cristiano Ronaldo who had provided the assist. Thanks Idol, @Cristiano,” Garnacho tweeted after the game. Now he’s getting his chances because he’s training better, has a different attitude, and he deserves it.”Garnacho celebrates with teammate Cristiano Ronaldo who provided the assist. United play Aston Villa in its next league match before facing the same side again during a midweek League Cup fixture.

☆ Man Utd's Fernandes praises Garnacho's improved attitude after Sociedad win
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 4 (Reuters) - Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes praised Alejandro Garnacho's performance after he scored in a 1-0 Europa League win over Real Sociedad on Thursday, saying the 18-year-old was reaping the rewards of his hard work and an improvement in attitude. It was the winger's second start for United, following his full debut in last month's 3-0 win over Sheriff Tiraspol. "He (Garnacho) was good, but he knows we expect a lot from him," Fernandes told BT Sport after the win. Now he's getting his chances because he's training better, (he has a) different attitude, and he deserves it." United, who needed to win by a two-goal margin to overtake Real Sociedad in the standings on goal difference, head into the knockout round playoffs.

☆ Hurricane Lisa edges close to Belize barrier reef, major port
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 2 (Reuters) - Hurricane Lisa will strike coastal Belize Wednesday afternoon, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) predicted, edging very close to the country's barrier reef before it moves across northern Guatemala and southeastern Mexico. Weather models show Lisa's heavy rains and dangerous winds likely targeting some top tourist destinations in Belize, Guatemala and Mexico's Caribbean-facing Yucatan Peninsula, dotted by beach resorts, pristine coral reefs and Mayan ruins. The Category 1 hurricane was about 35 miles (60 km) east-southeast of Belize City, a major port, packing maximum sustained winds of 80 miles per hour (130 km per hour), the Miami-based NHC said in a bulletin. Belize's national emergency organization said borders would close at 2 p.m. (2000 GMT), with ports and airports shuttering. President Alejandro Giammattei of neighboring Guatemala told a news conference food rations were being sent to vulnerable areas.

☆ Hurricane Lisa strikes coast near top Belize port
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Jose Sanchez | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BELIZE CITY, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Hurricane Lisa bore down on Belize on Wednesday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported in a bulletin, predicting it will later move across the jungles of northern Guatemala and southeastern Mexico. Weather models show Lisa's heavy rainfall and powerful winds will likely target tourist destinations in Belize, Guatemala and Mexico's Caribbean-facing Yucatan Peninsula, dotted by beach resorts, pristine coral reefs and Mayan ruins. The eye of Lisa, now at Category 1 strength, is currently located about 5 miles (8 km) south of Belize City, the tiny Caribbean country's commercial hub, as it churns westward. Palm trees buckled as winds picked up in the Caribbean port city, as residents reported water and power outages plus some flooding. The Belize government's emergency services announced on Wednesday afternoon a state of emergency including a curfew across two districts covering large swathes of its Caribbean coast through Thursday.

[1/2] Brazil's former President and presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Sao Paulo Governor candidate Fernando Haddad react at an election night gathering on the day of the Brazilian presidential election run-off, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, October 30, 2022. Defeated President Jair Bolsonaro had not made public remarks more than 17 hours after the race was called. Some of his key allies have recognized publicly that Lula had won the race, easing concerns of contested election results. "There will be no transition problem, even if Bolsonaro reacts badly, most of his allies have already recognized Lula's victory". Francisco Levy, chief strategist at Empiricus Investimentos, said a favorable international reaction to Lula may help markets on the short term.

☆ Fritz leads American quartet into Paris Masters second round
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Fritz, the highest-seeded American in the draw beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 7-5 6-2 on the back of a decent first serve despite trailing by a break in the opening set. He's got weapons on both sides, he's extremely quick as well, so there's nowhere you can really play with a lot of safety," Fritz said. "Felix has played really, really well, so he deserves it, but I am going to try to steal his spot this week for sure." Frances Tiafoe also moved into the second round without conceding a break point with a 6-4 6-4 win over Lorenzo Sonego while fellow American Maxime Cressy ousted Argentine Diego Schwartzman 6-3 6-3. Defending champion Novak Djokovic, world number one Carlos Alcaraz, Rafa Nadal and Daniil Medvedev are among the main seeds who received a bye into the second round.

☆ Philippines' death toll from Tropical Storm Nalgae climbs to 72
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Flood waters surround a building following a heavy storm in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, Philippines October 28, 2022 in this still image obtained from a social media video. The tropical storm, which has maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometres (59 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 160 kph (99.4 mph), made landfall in the eastern Catanduanes province early on Saturday. On Friday, search and rescue teams pulled bodies from water and thick mud after Nalgae triggered flooding and landslides. "We are now gathering all rescue teams and will conduct a briefing before deployment," Nasrullah Imam, disaster agency official at Maguindanao province, said. An average of 20 tropical storms hit the Philippines annually.

☆ Venezuelan migrants stranded in Mexico
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Jeremy Schultz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Venezuelans Marilin de Los Angeles Medero Pina (R) and her 15-year-old son Hector Alejandro Medina Medero are pictured on the banks of the Rio Grande after they tried to cross into the United States, but were told by U.S. Border Patrol that they...moreVenezuelans Marilin de Los Angeles Medero Pina (R) and her 15-year-old son Hector Alejandro Medina Medero are pictured on the banks of the Rio Grande after they tried to cross into the United States, but were told by U.S. Border Patrol that they should go back because of new migration enforcement orders from the Biden Administration in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, October 18. Hector suffers from a sickness which he need treatment for, and the family was detained multiple times in Mexico, forcing them to delay their arrival to the border. REUTERS/Paul RatjeClose

The Coast Guard took 94 Cuban migrants back to their homeland Saturday amid continued flight from the island and an increased number of interdictions off Florida, the agency said Sunday. The migrants are part of a steady stream of Cubans seeking refugee status in the U.S. in hard economic times in their homeland. From January to July, U.S. authorities stopped Cuban migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border 155,000 times, more than six times the number in the same period last year. The Coast Guard said it carried out 6,182 interdictions of Cuban migrants in the fiscal year that ended in September, the most in at least seven years. Cuban migrants joined Venezuelans and Nicaraguans in pushing the number of migrants stopped at the southwest border to a new high of nearly 2.8 million for the 2022 fiscal year.

☆ U.S. lawmakers criticize Biden administration Puerto Rico fuel waiver
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Oct 21 (Reuters) - A bipartisan group of House of Representatives lawmakers criticized the Biden administration decision on Friday to waive U.S. shipping rules in September for the delivery of fuel to Puerto Rico. The Sept. 28 Jones Act waiver allowed for the delivery of diesel sourced from the mainland United States by British Petroleum (BP.L) Products North America. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chair Peter DeFazio, a Democrat, and top committee Republican Sam Graves expressed "concerns and disappointment" over the waiver. DHS issued a waiver of the Jones Act, a century-old law that requires goods moved between U.S. ports to be carried by U.S.-flagged ships. Last month, Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi asked the White House for a waiver to increase the availability of fuel after the storm.

☆ U.S. grants Temporary Protected Status to Ethiopians fleeing conflict
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Katharine Jackson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, Oct 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. government on Friday granted Temporary Protected Status for 18 months for Ethiopians currently residing in the United States, the Department of Homeland Security said. "The United States recognizes the ongoing armed conflict and the extraordinary and temporary conditions engulfing Ethiopia, and DHS is committed to providing temporary protection to those in need," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement announcing the designation. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe conflict has killed thousands, displaced millions and left hundreds of thousands on the brink of famine. An estimated 27,000 Ethiopians in the United States will be eligible for TPS under the new designation, a Homeland Security department spokesperson said. To qualify for the program, Ethiopians in the United States will have to show they have been continuously resided in the United States since October 20, 2022, and those who attempt to travel to the United States after that date would not be eligible, the department said.

☆ Venezuelan migrants expelled from U.S. and sent back to Mexico
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Jeremy Schultz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

☆ U.S. to provide millions in funding for tidal energy and river current systems
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Anmar Frangoul | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Laro Pilartes / 500Px | 500Px | Getty ImagesThe U.S. Department of Energy said $35 million in funding would be made available "to advance tidal and river current energy systems" under plans it hopes will provide a shot in the arm to a sector whose current footprint is tiny. In a statement Tuesday outlining the move, the DOE said the funding opportunity — which is slated for release in 2023 — represented the "largest investment in tidal and river current energy technologies in the United States." The DOE said it proposed "to develop a tidal or river current research, development, and demonstration site and to support in-water demonstration of at least one tidal energy system." Alejandro Moreno, who is acting assistant secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, said oceans and rivers represented "a huge potential source of renewable energy." "The U.S. tidal and river current energy industry requires long-term and substantial funding to move from testing devices one at a time to establishing a commercial site," it said.

☆ Lin-Manuel Miranda's first songbook is out, from 'In the Heights' to 'Hamilton' and 'Encanto'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +11 min

So even for Grammy, Emmy, Tony and Pulitzer winner Lin-Manuel Miranda, his first songbook, containing 27 songs from “Hamilton,” “Encanto,” “In the Heights” and more, was a big deal. At the event, his nephew Alejandro performed “Dos Oruguitas” (from “Encanto”) on the piano, and was joined by his own teacher for “You’ll Be Back” (from “Hamilton”). You grew up with musical theater and piano lessons — how does it feel to have your own songbook? And it really was a teacher who brought me out of just writing songs about girls in the back of the classroom. That’s a really fun thing about the whole process: When you’re there early enough, your songs can really be a part of a give-and-take.

☆ U.S. approves LNG shipping waiver for Puerto Rico after hurricane
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Shipping Corp FollowWASHINGTON, Oct 16 (Reuters) - The Biden administration late on Sunday approved a waiver of U.S. shipping rules to address Puerto Rico's urgent need for liquefied natural gas (LNG) after Hurricane Fiona. In late September, the DHS approved a Jones Act waiver to ensure Puerto Rico had "sufficient diesel to run generators needed for electricity and the functioning of critical facilities." Last month, Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi asked the White House for a waiver to increase the availability of fuel after the storm. A group of eight House lawmakers had asked Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for "a one-year waiver from the Jones Act for Puerto Rico" which faces "an unprecedented uphill battle to rebuild its homes, businesses, and communities." All other waivers, DHS said, "must be reviewed on a case-by-case basis."

☆ Biden uses controversial Trump policy to deal with influx of Venezuelan migrants at the border even as his Justice Department fights against the policy in court: report
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( Sarah Al-Arshani | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

President Biden is using a Trump-era rule to curb Venezuelans from entering the US at the southern border. Title 42 was invoked in 2020 under Trump to send migrants back to Mexico, citing the COVID-19 pandemic. Biden's Justice Department, however, has been fighting the policy in court. According to the AP, Mexico has said it would only take in one Venezuelan migrant for each Venezuelan allowed to enter the US on humanitarian parole. Under the current policy, Venezuelan migrants who walk or swim across the border will be expelled and those who illegally enter Mexico or Panama won't be able to enter the US, DHS said.

☆ American Music Awards 2022: See the full list of nominees
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Sandra Gonzalez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The Puerto Rican performer is the most-nominated artists for the 2022 American Music Awards, earning eight nominations, among them his first-ever for artist of the year. Beyoncé, Drake and Taylor Swift each earned six nominations, while Adele, Harry Styles and The Weeknd came in with five a piece. And elsewhere, Elton John made history for what the show called being “the longest-recognized artists” in the show’s history. The show also boasted about the addition of a new category dedicated to the K-Pop genre, favorite K-Pop artist. The American Music Awards will air Sunday, November 20 at 8 p.m.

☆ Mexico files a 2nd lawsuit targeting U.S. gun dealers to stem flow of weapons
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

MEXICO CITY — The Mexican government filed another U.S. gun lawsuit Monday, this time against five U.S. gun shops and distributors it claims are responsible for the flow of illegal weapons into Mexico. Mexico’s first lawsuit, which was recently dismissed, targeted U.S. gun manufacturers. The announcement comes several days after a U.S. federal judge dismissed Mexico’s first lawsuit against U.S. gun manufacturers; Mexico has said it will appeal that decision. The law shields gun manufacturers from damages “resulting from the criminal or unlawful misuse” of a firearm. The Mexican government estimates 70% of the weapons trafficked into Mexico come from the U.S., according to the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

MEXICO CITY, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Mexico's government filed a new lawsuit against five Arizona gun dealers on Monday accusing them of participating in illicit weapons trafficking, a Mexican official told Reuters, in a push to hold retailers responsible for the deadly trade. Mexican leaders have for years blasted illegal arms smuggling from the United States, with military-style guns often turning up at deadly crime scenes in the country. All of the retailers named as defendants are based in the southwestern U.S. state of Arizona, which borders northern Mexico's Sonora state. The new suit follows a $10 billion civil lawsuit filed by the Mexican government against U.S. gun manufacturers last year in Boston, which was dismissed by a U.S. judge late last month. "There is traceability information that shows that weapons that have been found in criminal scenes in Mexico were sold by those corporations we are suing today," Celorio said.

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