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☆ Small California town wonders if restored floodplain prevented disaster
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Daniel Trotta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

[1/5] An aerial view shows the town of Grayson near floodwaters from the San Joaquin River in Grayson, California, U.S., January 25, 2023. Advocates for floodplain restoration say it can help solve California's dual dangers of flooding and drought, replenishing groundwater for future drought relief while protecting towns from the catastrophic flooding that scientists predict will come with climate change. One of the volunteers was David Guzman, who works in an almond processing plant and lives right up against a slough of the San Joaquin River. But some experts say floodplain restoration can help spare adjacent towns, and they envision a day when a proliferation of projects will prevent wider flooding throughout the state. The valley lies west of the north-south Sierra Nevada mountain range and includes the smaller San Joaquin Valley.

☆ India Budget 2023: Here's what the experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +13 min

"This budget, therefore, has rewritten the rules for financilisation of savings in India, which will induce expenditures rather incentivise savings. LAKSHMI IYER, CEO-INVESTMENT ADVISORY, KOTAK INVESTMENT ADVISORS LTD"India budget 2023 has offered a multi-dimensional view. The 3 Cs which stand out are - Capex increase - consumption boost - capital gains tax status quo. Additionally, the budget has provided significant direct tax benefits to individuals which will help increase disposable income and support spending. The budget keeps in mind the needs of future India while focusing on Artificial Intelligence and machine learning.

☆ Ecopetrol says CEO Bayon to leave his post on March 31
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BOGOTA, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Colombian majority-state-owned energy company Ecopetrol (ECO.CN) on Thursday said Chief Executive Felipe Bayon will leave his post on March 31, following more than five years in the position. Choosing Bayon's replacement will involve a rigorous selection process by the company's board of directors, the company said in a statement. "Ecopetrol expresses its gratitude to Felipe Bayon for his management and wishes him success in his new professional projects," Ecopetrol said. According to his Linkedin, Bayon spent just over 20 years at London-listed oil giant BP before joining Ecopetrol in 2016 as executive vice president and chief operating officer. He took on the mantle of chief executive a year later and steered the company through the coronavirus pandemic and celebrated surging profits as oil prices recovered.

Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn say Garcia Luna gave the Sinaloa Cartel sensitive information about its rivals as well as safe passage for drug shipments. Garcia Luna has previously accused drug traffickers of leveling false allegations against him as revenge for the actions he took against cartels. Guzman was sentenced to life in prison in 2019 following his conviction in Brooklyn on drug trafficking and murder conspiracy charges. Mexico's government in 2020 issued an arrest warrant of its own for Garcia Luna on charges of illegal enrichment. Mexico also sued Garcia Luna in Florida, where he had been living before his 2019 arrest, in an effort to recover what it called illegally obtained assets.

JESÚS MARÍA, Mexico—In the predawn hours of Jan. 5, hundreds of Sinaloa cartel gunmen raced to this dusty town to try to rescue their boss from Mexican soldiers who had laid siege to his ranch, according to residents, gang members and Mexico’s military. But the small army of gunmen proved no match for Mexico’s military, which used gunships to strafe the convoy of pickup trucks rigged with makeshift armor and high-caliber guns in the capture of Ovidio Guzmán, the son of former Sinaloa cartel boss Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, witnesses said.

☆ Blackstone's real-estate strategy, laid out in a leaked transcript, sets the stage for tenant battles over evictions and rising rents
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Rebecca Ungarino | Alex Nicoll | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The major real-estate investor Blackstone is playing defense as tenants scrutinize its policies. This week, tenants addressed Blackstone and an investor, UC Investments, to raise concerns. A transcript of an executive's remarks, obtained by Insider, sheds light on Blackstone's strategy. It is Blackstone, the New York-based investment giant that has become the world's largest real-estate investor. Vik Sawhney, Blackstone's chief administrative officer and global head of institutional client solutions, introduced Meghji, according to the transcript.

☆ Ovidio Guzmán's arrest may be the start of a campaign against El Chapo's sons and the Sinaloa cartel
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Chris Dalby | Insight Crime | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Mexican authorities arrested Ovidio Guzmán, son of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzmán, earlier this month. The US has demanded action on fentanyl, and Ovidio's arrest may prompt Mexico to continue a targeted campaign. Ovidio Guzmán López is one of the four sons of Joaquín Guzmán Loera, alias "El Chapo," who is seeking to continue their father's legacy. Vehicles torched during a January 5 operation to arrest Ovidio Guzman in Culiacan on January 7. In the last couple of years alone, they have mounted targeted operations at rivals within the Sinaloa Cartel and beyond.

☆ Fact Check-Behind-the-scenes filming of Brazilian TV show miscaptioned following capture of Ovidio Guzmán in Mexico
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The clip opens with a group of three people slowly advancing down an ally, hunched over, and appearing to hold firearms. A further two people can subsequently be seen hunched around a corner, shooting toward the first group. Instead, it shows behind-the-scenes footage from a Brazilian TV show, Arcanjo Renegado, which was released in 2020 via the platform Globoplay (the streaming service owned by the Grupo Globo conglomerate). Reuters previously addressed another miscaptioned behind-the-scenes video of Arcanjo Renegado which can be seen here: (here). The clip shows behind-the-scenes filming of the Brazilian TV series, Arcanjo Renegado.

☆ 9 things about sharks you saw in movies that are actually wrong, according to an expert
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Marianne Guenot | Margaret Guzman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Here are facts that "Jaws," "Finding Nemo," and "The Meg" got wrong — and one that's right. NOAA fisheriesIt's those scales that make the shark nose the wrong target for a sucker punch. When Dory hits her nose, her blood goes straight into the shark's nose. So "Finding Nemo" hit the nail on the head when they showed blood actually going into the shark's nose, she said. Gerard Soury/Getty ImagesSharks in "Finding Nemo" might want to fight their urges to eat fish, but it's not in their nature.

☆ Fact Check-Clip shows Arma 3 video game footage, not gun fire in Mexico following Ovidio Guzman’s arrest
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The clip circulating online shows rounds being fired from an aircraft, with bullets then seen aiming toward the aircraft. Examples of the miscaptioned clip shared by social media users online can be viewed (here), (here), (here). The clip is inauthentic, however, and shows footage from Arma 3 gameplays, as confirmed to Reuters by a spokesperson for Bohemia Interactive, the developer of the game. A side-by-side comparison between the clip circulating online (L) and the above YouTube link (R) can be seen (ibb.co/T1jmb16). Reuters has repeatedly addressed clips from Arma 3 gameplays shared online with claims that the footage shows authentic scenes from the Ukraine war (here), (here).

☆ Fact Check-Video of street shootout in Mexico between military and other vehicles predates Ovidio Guzman’s arrest in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The video has been online since at least Dec. 25, 2022 and appears to have been recorded in Tamaulipas, another Mexican state. “The Sinaloa Cartel Has launched wide scale retaliatory attacks against Mexican Security forces after the capture of Ovidio Guzmán. The video clip, however, predates his capture. Local media reports locating the video clip in Nuevo Laredo in the state of Tamaulipas are viewable (here), (here), (here), (here). The video clip does not show retaliatory attacks by the Sinaloa Cartel in January 2023.

☆ Fact Check-Clip of rounds being shot from a machine gun on an aircraft pre-dates Ovidio Guzman’s arrest
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A clip of machine gun rounds being fired from an aircraft pre-dates the arrest of drug cartel leader Ovidio Guzman, a son of incarcerated kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. The clip was shared widely online following Guzman’s capture on Jan. 5 and shows rounds of bullets being shot from an aircraft in what appears to be an arid location. Examples of the miscaptioned clip shared online in January 2023 can be viewed (bit.ly/3QrAAu3), (here), (here), (here) and (here). The video was uploaded by a Facebook page on Aug. 21, 2021 (here), archived (archive.is/wip/TJ2Qc). The clip pre-dates Guzman’s arrest and was uploaded to Facebook in August 2021.

☆ Guns, drugs and migrants: Biden heads to Mexico to face diplomatic challenges with North American allies
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Peter Nicholas | Peter Nicholas Is A Senior National Political Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

MEXICO CITY — When North American leaders gathered in 2021 — at the first summit for the group in five years — the mood was upbeat. Before he arrived in Mexico City on Sunday night, Biden stopped in El Paso, Texas, amid criticism from congressional Republicans that the southwest border has gotten more porous on his watch. Citing health concerns, López Obrador has called for banning imports of genetically modified corn. Ahead of the summit, the leaders sought to ease some of the strains and perhaps create a more convivial atmosphere. Rather than fly into the more conveniently located Mexico City hub airport, Air Force One landed Sunday at a new airport that was a pet project of López Obrador’s.

Led by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard, Mexican officials set out the U.S.-Mexico bilateral agenda after Biden's arrival in Mexico City on Sunday evening for a North American leaders' summit. "Integration needs to be strengthened," Lopez Obrador told a news conference, saying he expected to reach "good agreements" with Biden. Lopez Obrador is hosting Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau between Monday and Wednesday for the first summit between the three since late 2021. DOMESTIC POLITICSLopez Obrador has also alarmed the United States with a plan to prohibit imports of genetically-modified corn. "To create a North American corridor to outcompete China, the United States, Canada and Mexico need to be on the same economic page," he added.

☆ Economy, energy row and drugs loom at North American summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( Dave Graham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"A meeting like this is so that we keep moving forward on economic integration," Lopez Obrador said this week. A combative leftist, Lopez Obrador says his policy is a matter of national sovereignty, on the grounds that past governments skewed the energy market to favor private interests. Trudeau told Reuters on Friday he would make the case that resolving the energy dispute would help bring more foreign investment to Mexico, and was confident of making progress. "As long as Lopez Obrador keeps migrants out of the border area, Biden will be happy." Although Lopez Obrador's government agreed to delay the ban until 2025, the issue would be discussed, he said.

☆ Mexico Boosts Military Presence After Son of Drug Kingpin ‘El Chapo’ Is Captured
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( José De Córdoba | Anthony Harrup | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

MEXICO CITY—Mexico bolstered its military presence in western Sinaloa state on Friday after Sinaloa Cartel gunmen went on a rampage following the capture of Ovidio Guzmán, the son of former kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. Defense Secretary Gen. Luis Crescencio Sandoval said 10 military personnel were killed in Thursday’s operation, including seven where the younger Mr. Guzmán was arrested when armed gang members tried to free him near the state capital Culiacán. Another 35 soldiers were wounded, Gen. Sandoval said at a press conference.

☆ Fact Check-Clip shows behind-the-scenes footage of Brazilian TV show Arcanjo Renegado, not on-street clashes after 2023 arrest of Ovidio Guzmán
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Instead, the clip shows the filming of a Brazilian TV show. The clip shows one group in military gear hunched behind a wall, with one member first advancing by sliding down between two sets of steps. A reverse image search reveals that the clip has been circulating online since at least June 2019 (here), archived (archive.is/sFiI7). A scene viewable in the first episode of the series that aired in February 2020 matches the social media footage circulating online (21:29s to 22:20s) (here). The clip shows the filming of a Brazilian TV show, Arcanjo Renegado.

☆ Fact Check-2019 video of Mexican street shootout falsely linked to 2023 capture of ‘El Chapo’ son
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A 2019 video showing a shootout between Mexican authorities and cartel members has been reshared online as if from 2023. The 32-year-old son of jailed kingpin “El Chapo” Guzman is currently being held in Mexico City (here). His capture has triggered a wave of violence largely in the city of Culiacan in the northern Sinaloa state. But a clip showing a violent clash in the middle of the street is unrelated to the 2023 event. The exact location of the incident can be seen on Google Maps: bit.ly/3imKyAo .

☆ Fact Check-Video of ‘El Chapo’ son surrendering to Mexican authorities is from 2019
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

A years-old video showing drug cartel leader Ovidio Guzman surrendering to Mexican authorities has resurfaced online as social media users have mistaken it for his arrest in January 2023. Guzman, the son of jailed kingpin “El Chapo” Guzman, was captured on Jan. 5 and is currently being held in Mexico City (here). Following news of the capture, a video showing armed Mexican authorities surrounding a building and coaxing out the 32-year-old was shared online as if depicting the same moment (here , here). But the clip shows Guzman’s arrest in 2019 (here), an event that sparked violence on the streets and resulted in Guzman’s release shortly thereafter. The video shows Guzman’s arrest in 2019.

☆ Violence hits Mexican cartel stronghold after arrest of El Chapo's son
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Ovidio Guzman Lopez during his arrest in Culiacan, Mexico, on Oct. 17, 2019. An escaped Mexican cartel kingpin known as “El Neto” meanwhile died after a shootout early on Thursday, four days after he fled prison in a violent mass break-out, authorities said. Police arrive on the scene after a store was looted in Culiacan, Mexico, on Jan. 5, 2023. Martin Urista / APAt Culiacan’s airport, a Mexican military flight was able to spirit Guzmán away to Mexico City. Asked if the attempt to capture Guzmán was worth another day of tension and uncertainty in Culiacan, Téllez said, “If they caught him, it was worth it.”

☆ At least 29 killed during Mexico capture of El Chapo's son
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Mexican security forces on Thursday captured Guzman, a son of jailed kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. Members of the Sinaloa Cartel and their associates went on a rampage, fighting security forces, setting vehicles on fire and blocking roads across the Pacific coastal state. Ovidio Guzman, 32, was arrested in the early hours of Thursday, prompting a shootout with gang members, Sandoval said. Guzman was then extracted by helicopter from the house where he was caught and flown to Mexico City, the minister added. Ovidio's latest capture comes before a North American leaders' summit in Mexico City next week, which U.S. President Joe Biden will attend.

Mexican security forces captured Guzman, the 32-year-old son of jailed kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, in the early hours of Thursday morning, prompting hours of unrest and shootouts with gang members, the minister said. THE EXTRADITION QUESTIONThe United States has sought Guzman's extradition for years. Guzman, known by the nickname "The Mouse," has been charged in the United States with conspiracy to traffic cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana into the United States. Surging flows of the synthetic opioid fentanyl into the United States, where it has fueled record overdose deaths, have heightened pressure to capture Guzman. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration considers the Sinaloa Cartel, along with one other gang, to be responsible for most of the fentanyl inside the United Sates.

☆ Storms in California have led to high snowpack and great skiing conditions — but the deluge still may not be enough to fill the state's empty reservoirs after years of drought
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

California has faced heavy precipitation in recent weeks, leading to a high snowpack. The snowpack provides a third of California's water needs, but it's too soon to assess the impact on the drought. The snowpack in the Sierra Nevada, the mountain range that runs along the eastern part of the state, is often called California's "frozen reservoirs." Though the high snowpack this early in the season is promising, if the precipitation doesn't continue, it may not be enough to significantly address the drought. "It's great for the state of California to get out of this drought, and it's great for skiing."

☆ 'We threw ourselves to the floor': Mexican passenger plane caught in cartel crossfire
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Sarah Morland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MEXICO CITY, Jan 5 (Reuters) - "That's an attack plane, Dad," said one of David Tellez's young children as they spotted Mexican military aircraft touching down alongside their Aeromexico passenger plane early on Thursday. "As we were accelerating for take-off, we heard gunshots very close to the plane, and that's when we all threw ourselves to the floor," Tellez said after the incident in the northern city of Culiacan. He told Reuters he had reached the airport for his 8:24 a.m. flight without incident, despite encountering road blockades set up after overnight shootouts. Yet, just as flight AM165 to Mexico City was about to take off, a succession of military planes landed on the airstrip. Reporting by Sarah Morland and Carolina Ruiz in Mexico City; Editing by Bradley PerrettOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Analysis: Capture of El Chapo's son gilds Mexican president's patchy record on crime
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Dave Graham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The arrest of Ovidio Guzman, son of captured kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, was a timely reversal of fortune for Lopez Obrador. However, the arrest, one of just a handful of major scalps Lopez Obrador has claimed, is unlikely to herald a major sea change in the battle on organized crime unless the government is more aggressive about going after gangs, analysts said. Lopez Obrador took office in 2018 vowing to get a grip on gang violence. And while Lopez Obrador is popular, his record on combating crime has consistently been viewed critically by voters. GOODWILLLopez Obrador's attitude to the Sinaloa Cartel has stirred up misgivings, particularly when he decided to greet El Chapo's mother on a trip to Sinaloa in 2020.

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