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WASHINGTON, July 27 (Reuters) - U.S. senators, alarmed by the malevolent potential of artificial intelligence, will summon developers, executives and experts for hearings later this year on possible legislative safeguards, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Thursday. Speaking on the Senate floor, Schumer, the chamber's leading Democrat, said the Senate would convene what he called "the first-ever AI Insight Forums" to hear what experts had to say. Democratic and Republican senators voiced alarm this week about artificial intelligence's potential use to create a biological weapon. Schumer said senators were briefed on AI on Wednesday by experts at the U.S. Energy Department, the National Science Foundation and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, which had laid the groundwork for the internet. Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Howard GollerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Chuck Schumer, Schumer, Diane Bartz, Howard Goller Organizations: Democratic, U.S . Energy Department, National Science Foundation, Defense, Research Projects Agency, DARPA, Senate Homeland Security, Governmental Affairs, Thomson

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) listens during a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., April 18, 2023. In addition to creating the regulatory commission, the proposed law would tighten antitrust law to forbid the companies from preferencing their own products over those of rivals. "This bipartisan bill would create a new tech regulator and makes clear that reining in Big Tech platforms is a top priority on both sides of the aisle," said Warren in a statement. Graham said the creation of the regulatory commission was "the first step in a long journey to protect American consumers from the massive power these companies currently wield." Amazon declined comment while Facebook and Google did not respond to a request for comment on the proposal.

Persons: Elizabeth Warren, Amanda Andrade, Rhoades, Lindsey Graham, Warren, Graham, Diane Bartz, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Banking, Housing, Urban Affairs, Capitol, REUTERS, WASHINGTON, Democrat, Republican, Facebook, Google, Big Tech, Federal Trade Commission, Digital Consumer Protection, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Big Tech, Washington

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, July 21 (Reuters) - Top AI companies including OpenAI, Alphabet (GOOGL.O) and Meta Platforms (META.O) have made voluntary commitments to the White House to implement measures such as watermarking AI-generated content to help make the technology safer, the Biden administration said. Congress is considering a bill that would require political ads to disclose whether AI was used to create imagery or other content. President Joe Biden, who is hosting executives from the seven companies at the White House on Friday, is also working on developing an executive order and bipartisan legislation on AI technology. Other commitments include developing AI solutions to scientific problems like medical research and mitigating climate change. Reporting by Diane Bartz in Washington and Krystal Hu in New York Editing by Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Biden, Chuck Schumer, Joe Biden, Diane Bartz, Krystal Hu, Matthew Lewis Organizations: WASHINGTON, Microsoft, White, Thomson Locations: cybersecurity, U.S, Washington, New York

☆ Opinion: In tough times, Russia turns to a Cold War comrade
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Opinion Jeremi Suri | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —After decades of somewhat distant relations, Russia and Cuba are working closely together again — this time, as part of Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine. Cuba's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodriguez, and Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, meet in Havana on April 20, in a show of deepening ties between the countries. In addition to deepened connections with Russia, Cuba has allowed China to build a secret espionage facility on the island. Washington will respond to Russian military escalation in Cuba with its own escalating force, as it already has done with the recent deployment of a nuclear submarine. Military escalation around Cuba is a dangerous temptation for Russia and a difficult trap for the US.

Persons: Jeremi Suri, Mack Brown, America’s, Vladimir Putin’s, Jeremi Suri Korey Howell, Nikolai Patrushev, Igor Sechin, Rosneft, Sergey Lavrov, —, Manuel Marrero Cruz, Putin, Alvaro Lopéz Miera, Sergei Shoigu, Shoigu, ” Shoigu, ”, Gerardo Peñalver, Bruno Rodriguez, Ramon Espinosa, Miguel Diaz, Canel, Obama, White, Nikita Khrushchev, John F, Kennedy, Khrushchev, Biden, — Khrushchev Organizations: Leadership, Global Affairs, University of Texas, History Department, LBJ School, Democracy, CNN, Russian Security Council, Cuban, Russian, Cuba's, Foreign Affairs, Russian Foreign, Getty Images, year’s, Russian Navy, Caribbean Military, Trump, Biden, Soviets, Pentagon, US, USS, Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, US Navy, West, Washington, Hulton, Getty, White, Republican, Russia, Ukraine, Twitter, Cuban Missile Locations: Austin, Russia, Cuba, Ukraine, Russian, Havana ., — Venezuela, Nicaragua, Moscow, Caribbean, Washington, Havana, Getty Images Cuba, America, China, Lourdes, USS Pasadena, Guantanamo, American, Soviet, West Berlin, Europe, Putin, Florida, Afghanistan, Turkey

The U.S. Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have mounted an unprecedented number of legal challenges to mergers since Biden came to office in 2021. The Justice Department lost a merger in the insurance industry but won an effort to stop a book publisher merger. Deal advisers said companies had already braced for a tough antitrust regime under Biden and some had been emboldened by the regulators' recent court losses. "The (regulators' guidelines) do provide more transparency but that transparency also reveals some concerns that they are quite hostile to consolidation. The new antitrust guidelines also reflect the White House's focus on labor issues.

Persons: Gonzalo Fuentes, Joe Biden's, Biden, Department's, Kenneth Schwartz, Flom, Fiona Schaeffer, Milbank, Elizabeth Warren, Warren, Diane Bartz, Richard Chang, Chizu Nomiyama, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Viva Technology, Porte de, REUTERS, U.S . Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard Inc, FTC, Meta, Justice Department, JetBlue Airways, Spirit Airlines Inc, Amazon.com, Amazon, Flom LLP, Global, LSEG, Intelligence, Democrat, Congress, Thomson Locations: Porte, Paris, France, WASHINGTON, Skadden, Slate

☆ Magnitude 6.5 quake felt in Central America, no damage reported
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SAN SALVADOR, July 18 (Reuters) - A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck off El Salvador's Pacific coast at a depth of nearly 70 km (43 miles) on Tuesday evening, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said, with reports indicating it was felt in several nations in Central America. There were no immediate reports of damage and the earthquake did not trigger a tsunami warning for El Salvador, El Salvador's environment ministry said. Salvadoran lawmaker Salvador Chacon said on Twitter that checks were being carried out in the coastal city of La Libertad, near the capital San Salvador, although there were no reports of damage from the municipality. The quake was also felt in Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Belize, according to local media and Reuters witnesses. Reporting by Nelson Renteria in San Salvador; Writing by Kylie Madry and Isabel Woodford; Editing by Anthony Esposito and Tom HogueOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: El, Salvador Chacon, Nelson Renteria, Kylie Madry, Isabel Woodford, Anthony Esposito, Tom Hogue Organizations: SALVADOR, United States Geological Survey, Twitter, Thomson Locations: El, Central America, El Salvador, La Libertad, San Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize

☆ US adds Central American ex-presidents, judges, lawmakers to corruption list
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Raul Cortes | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Two former Salvadoran presidents - Mauricio Funes, who served from 2009 to 2014, and his successor Salvador Sanchez, whom Washington links to corruption, money laundering and embezzlement of public funds - were added to the list. Guatemala's government meanwhile rejected the accusations on Wednesday, labeling the report "used by the United States to impose its jurisdiction on people abroad, as despicable." It includes ex-officials from the government of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was extradited to the United States over drug trafficking links. Politicians from Honduras' opposition Liberal Party also appear, including Liberal leader Yani Rosenthal, previously convicted of money laundering in the United States. The Nicaraguan section includes all of the country's parliamentary leaders, barring its president, who Washington has already sanctioned, and several judges and directors of Nicaragua's money laundering watchdog.

Persons: Mauricio Funes, Salvador Sanchez, Funes, Sanchez, Daniel Ortega, Brian Nichols, Fredy Orellana, Bernardo Arevalo, Engel, Juan Orlando Hernandez, Yani Rosenthal, Rosenthal, Washington, Raul Cortes, Sofia Menchu, Gustavo Palencia, Nelson Renteria, Sarah Morland, Matthew Lewis Organizations: U.S . State Department, Salvadoran, Western Hemisphere, Liberal Party, Liberal, Thomson Locations: El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Washington, United States, Mexico City, Sofia, Guatemala City, Tegucigalpa, Nelson, San Salvador

☆ Mexico intercepts over 500 migrants in two days
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Brendan O'Boyle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

INM/Handout via REUTERSMEXICO CITY, July 16 (Reuters) - Mexican authorities on Sunday said they intercepted over 500 migrants in two days in the eastern state of Veracruz as authorities crack down on the transportation of migrants toward the United States in unsafe conditions. The town's mayor Roberto Montiel wrote on Facebook that "over 180" migrants were found, including women and children, with some of the migrants presenting signs of dehydration. Earlier on Sunday, the INM reported in a statement that authorities had intercepted 303 migrants in two operations on Friday morning in Veracruz. Also on Friday, authorities found 196 migrants, including 19 unaccompanied minors, packed into an improperly parked tractor-trailer detected on a road close to the city of Fortin de las Flores. Five of the migrants were adults from Guatemala and another five adults from India, the INM statement said, without providing further details on the other migrants' nationalities.

Persons: Fortin de las, Roberto Montiel, Fortin de las Flores, Brendan O'Boyle, Diane Craft Organizations: National Institute of Migration, REUTERS, REUTERS MEXICO CITY, National Migration Institute, Facebook, Thomson Locations: Fortin de, Fortin de las Flores, Veracruz, Mexico, Handout, REUTERS MEXICO, United States, Puente Nacional, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Fortin, India, Mexico's, Chiapas, Texas

☆ EU seeks to revive Latin America, Caribbean ties as it turns away from China, Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Philip Blenkinsop | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Regardless of the outcome, officials said the meeting itself marked a step towards stronger ties. "The most important issue of the meeting is the meeting itself," Argentine Undersecretary for Latin American and Caribbean affairs Gustavo Martinez Pandiani told a small group of reporters in Brussels. The EU has said it wants a joint declaration condemning Russia, but knows this will be difficult to achieve. The EU and Argentina will sign a memorandum of understanding on energy cooperation before the summit starts. The EU may also offer details on plans to invest 10 billion euros ($11.2 billion) in CELAC infrastructure projects, part of its Global Gateway initiative.

Persons: Gustavo Martinez Pandiani, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Philip Blenkinsop, Barbara Lewis Organizations: European Union, UN, European, EU, Mercosur, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, America, Caribbean, EU, Ukraine, China, Caribbean States, Brussels, Argentine, Russia, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Cuba, El Salvador, Beijing, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay

☆ Drag queens compete for top prize in Nicaragua pageant
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The Mix Imperial Central American Tropical Drag Royale provided a stage for drag performers in a region where LGBT people often face discrimination and economic hardship. "It's a form of catharsis," said Alexa Evangelista, a drag queen from El Salvador and one of the night's performers, who lip-synched and danced for the adoring crowd. Drag queen Peppe Pig said the pageant gave her the opportunity to travel outside her home country of Guatemala, and that drag has helped her meet new friends and her current partner. Nicaraguan drag queen Akeyra Davenport took home the night's crown in her first competition after 11 years as a drag artist. Reporting by Maynor Valenzuela in Managua Writing by Brendan O'Boyle Editing by Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Maynor Valenzuela, Alexa Evangelista, Evangelista, Peppe Pig, Akeyra Davenport, Brendan O'Boyle, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Imperial, REUTERS, Maynor, Central, Thomson Locations: Guatemala, Managua, Nicaragua, Maynor Valenzuela MANAGUA, El Salvador, Central America, Nicaraguan

The San Francisco federal court had ruled in favor of Microsoft on Tuesday, saying the FTC had failed to show the deal would be illegal under antitrust law. "The FTC asks this Court to enjoin the merger at issue pending resolution of the FTC’s appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The FTC had said it was seeking a preliminary injunction to temporarily stop the deal until an internal FTC judge could assess it. It is rare for a merger fight to go to an appeals court. The agency settled with the companies before the appeals court made a decision.

Persons: We're, Brad Smith, Jacqueline Scott Corley, Corley, Diane Bartz, David Shepardson, Kanishka Singh, Tim Ahmann, Josie Kao, Jamie Freed Organizations: U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Microsoft, Activision, San, FTC, Ninth Circuit, Appeals, Nintendo, Britain's, Markets Authority, Foods, Oats, Thomson Locations: San Francisco, Britain, California

Still, any outstanding regulatory hurdle makes it more likely that the agreement between Microsoft and Activision will expire on July 18 without the deal having been completed. The FTC's court filing about the appeal gave no details, which will go before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on the West Coast. The FTC may request a stay from the appeals court stopping the deal from closing. When U.S. antitrust agencies lose merger challenges in court, appeals are rare. The agency settled with the companies before the appeals court made a decision.

Persons: We’re, Brad Smith, Jacqueline Scott Corley, Corley, Diane Bartz, Diane Craft Organizations: U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Microsoft, Activision, Microsoft's, Ninth Circuit, FTC, Biden, Markets Authority, Japan's Nintendo, Foods, Oats, Thomson Locations: West Coast, San Francisco

WASHINGTON, July 13 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) asked a federal court on Thursday for a stay that would prevent Microsoft (MSFT.O) from closing its $69 billion purchase of "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O). A federal judge had ruled for Microsoft on Tuesday, saying the agency had failed to show the deal would be illegal under antitrust law. The FTC appealed that loss late on Wednesday, and Microsoft has said it would fight that appeal. In its motion, the FTC asked for an order that would prevent the deal from closing until after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled on a separate stay request filed with that court.

Persons: Jacqueline Scott Corley, Diane Bartz, Tim Ahmann, Josie Kao Organizations: U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Microsoft, Activision, FTC, U.S, Circuit, Appeals, Britain's, Markets Authority, Thomson Locations: Britain, California

[1/2] The sun sets behind the U.S. Capitol dome in Washington, U.S., on midterm election day, November 6, 2018. It was not the first loss for the agency under Khan. In addition, an internal FTC judge ruled for Illumina's (ILMN.O) purchase of Grail (GRAL.O). Lawmakers are also expected to bring up the committee's requests for documents regarding the agency's review of billionaire Elon Musk's purchase of Twitter. Conservatives have accused social media companies, including Twitter before it was acquired by Musk, of seeking to stifle conservative voices.

Persons: James Lawler Duggan, Lina Khan, Jim Jordan, Trump, Black Knight, Amgen's, Elon Musk's, Diane Bartz, Matthew Lewis Organizations: U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, WASHINGTON, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Republican, Committee, FTC, Microsoft, Activision, Khan, Facebook, Illumina's, Black, Horizon Therapeutics, Twitter, Musk, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Washington

☆ Guatemala court suspends anti-graft presidential candidate's party
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Sofia Menchu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

GUATEMALA CITY, July 12 (Reuters) - A court in Guatemala suspended the party of anti-graft presidential candidate Bernardo Arevalo, a prosecutor at the Attorney General's Office said on Wednesday, throwing into question his place in a second round run-off vote. "In no way will we obey a spurious and illegal decision like the one issued by that court." Shortly after, the electoral court confirmed the first-round results, which put Arevalo into a second round. "It's something that concerns us as a court, because we know that elections are won at the polls," Irma Palencia, head of the electoral court, said when asked about the suspension. This would certainly represent an astounding new low for Guatemala," said Donald J. Planty, a former U.S. ambassador to Guatemala, about the possible suspension.

Persons: Bernardo Arevalo, Attorney General's, Arevalo, Rafael Curruchiche, Sandra Torres, Irma Palencia, Brian A, Nichols, Guatemalans, Juan Jose Arevalo, Carlos Pineda, Will Freeman, Semilla, Critics, Alejandro Giammattei, Donald J, Sofia Menchu, Valentine Hilaire, David Alire, Adriana Barrera, Cassandra Garrison, Brendan O'Boyle, Stephen Eisenhammer, Lincoln, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: GUATEMALA CITY, Attorney, CNN, Twitter, U.S, Western Hemisphere Affairs, Central American, Council, Foreign Relations, Thomson Locations: GUATEMALA, Guatemala, Nicaragua, U.S

WASHINGTON, July 11 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge ruled on Tuesday that Microsoft may go forward with its planned acquisition of videogame maker Activision Blizzard, turning aside antitrust enforcers' request for a preliminary injunction to temporarily stop the $69 billion deal. The FTC had originally asked the judge to stop the proposed deal, arguing it would give Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O), maker of the Xbox gaming console, exclusive access to Activision (ATVI.O) games including the best-selling "Call of Duty." The deal would be the largest for Microsoft and the biggest in the history of the videogame business. The FTC's complaint had cited concerns about loss of competition in console gaming, as well as subscriptions and cloud gaming. And while much of the testimony in the recent trial focused on "Call of Duty," Activision produces other bestsellers like "World of Warcraft," "Diablo" and the mobile game "Candy Crush Saga."

Persons: Jacqueline Scott Corley, Douglas Farrar, we'll, Brad Smith, Bobby Kotick, Satya Nadella, Diane Bartz, Caitlin Webber Organizations: Microsoft, Activision, Britain's, Markets Authority, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Microsoft Corp, Sony PlayStation, Nintendo, Sony Group, Activision Blizzard, PlayStation, Thomson Locations: U.S, San Francisco

Activision shares surged 10% on the day, as the U.S. and Britain have been the two countries opposed to what would be Microsoft's biggest deal ever and the largest transaction in the videogame industry's history. Microsoft shares rose 64 cents to $332.47. Microsoft logo is seen on a smartphone placed on displayed Activision Blizzard's games characters in this illustration taken January 18, 2022. "It does seem like the Microsoft and the CMA could work out a deal within the next couple of weeks," said D.A. The FTC's complaint had cited concerns about loss of competition in console gaming, as well as subscriptions and cloud gaming.

Persons: Jacqueline Scott Corley, ”, Joost Van Dreunen, University's, Corley, Douglas Farrar, we'll, Dado Ruvic, Biden, Brad Smith, Franco Granda, Satya Nadella, Diane Bartz, David Shepardson, Jaspreet Singh, Aditya Soni, Chris Sanders, Caitlin Webber, Matthew Lewis David Gregorio, Muralikumar Organizations: Activision, Microsoft, Biden, U.S, Markets Authority, University's Stern School of Business, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Nintendo, Sony Group, FTC, Sony PlayStation, REUTERS, FOCUS Gaming, CMA, Davidson &, PlayStation, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, U.S, British, Britain, San Francisco, New, Washington, Bengaluru

☆ Insight: Catholic clergy report surveillance, beatings amid Nicaragua's crackdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( David Alire Garcia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's five-year campaign against the Catholic church has intensified since February, according to interviews with five priests inside and outside the country. This week's brief release of Nicaraguan Bishop Rolando Alvarez raised hopes for a turning point. The priests describe heavy surveillance of church services by police or civilian members of government-sponsored community councils, especially since Easter. His latest restrictions seem aimed at silencing priests, Erick Diaz, 33, a Nicaraguan priest in exile in Chicago, said. Nine church leaders inside and outside Nicaragua did not respond to interview requests for this story.

Persons: Daniel Ortega's, Nicaraguan Bishop Rolando Alvarez, Mexican Bishop Ramon Castro, Pope Francis, Nicaragua's, Ortega, Rosario Murillo, Bishop Alvarez, Alvarez, Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes, Brenes, Martha Patricia Molina, Molina, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Erick Diaz, David Alire Garcia, Philip Pullella, Ismael Lopez, Suzanne Goldenberg Organizations: MEXICO CITY, Sunday, Nicaraguan, Catholic, Vatican, Reuters, Organization of American, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, Nicaraguan, Managua, Nicaragua, Mexican, Eastern Europe, Matagalpa, Texas, Leon, Vatican, Chicago, Rome, San Jose

In its lawsuit filed in March aimed at stopping JetBlue's purchase of Spirit, the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) cited as evidence JetBlue's alliance with American at airports in New York and Boston several times. Calling the partnership a "de facto merger," the DOJ argued that JetBlue's proposed purchase of Spirit, a Florida-based ultra-low cost carrier, would lead to further industry concentration. On Wednesday, JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes said ending the partnership with American has taken the DOJ's "misplaced" concerns off the table and would help when the Spirit case goes to trial in October. New York-based JetBlue, however, views the Spirit deal as a way to expand its domestic footprint amid persistent labor and aircraft shortages. American, Delta (DAL.N), United (UAL.O) and Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) control nearly 80% of the U.S. airline industry.

Persons: JetBlue's, Robin Hayes, Eleanor Fox, Fox, William Kovacic, James Speta, Speta, Rajesh Kumar Singh, Diane Bartz, David Shepardson, Richard Chang Organizations: JetBlue Airways, American Airlines, Spirit Airlines, U.S . Justice Department, DOJ, Wednesday, JetBlue, American, New York University School of Law, Spirit, Former Federal Trade, George Washington University, Virgin America, Alaska Air Group, LaGuardia, Frontier Group Holdings, Northwestern University, Northeast Alliance, Southwest Airlines, U.S, Thomson Locations: CHICAGO, WASHINGTON, American, New York, Boston, Florida, Boston . New York, New, U.S, Chicago, Washington

JetBlue said it had informed American last week of its decision to terminate the three-year-old alliance, which allowed the two carriers to coordinate flights and pool revenue. The "Northeast Alliance" with JetBlue helped American compete in the New York market, where it had been losing money. On May 19, U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin in Boston ordered JetBlue and American to end the partnership, saying it "substantially" diminished competition in the domestic market. JetBlue said its decision to unwind the alliance would not result in any immediate changes for customers. But without the alliance, Hayes said JetBlue would likely need fewer employees in New York and Boston.

Persons: judge's, U.S . Justice Department's, Robin Hayes, Andre Barlow, Doyle, Barlow, Mazard PLLC, Leo Sorokin, Hayes, Rajesh Kumar Singh, David Shepardson Diane Bartz, Will Dunham, David Gregorio, Jamie Freed Organizations: JetBlue Airways, Spirit Airlines, American Airlines, The, JetBlue, American, U.S, U.S ., US Airways, DOJ, ALLIANCE, District, Northeast Alliance, furloughs, Thomson Locations: U.S, The New York, American, New York, Boston, Chicago, Washington

☆ Nicaraguan Catholic Bishop Alvarez freed, talks going on - source
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

July 4 (Reuters) - Nicaraguan Catholic Bishop Rolando Alvarez was released from prison late on Monday, a diplomatic source said, marking a possible turning point in the government's prolonged crackdown on the Catholic Church. The diplomatic source said on Tuesday that negotiations between the government and the country's Catholic bishops were going on over Alvarez's future, and the prelate was at the Catholic episcopal compound in the capital. The source, who declined to be identified, added that talks included the possibility that the bishop might be expelled from the Central American country or otherwise sent into exile. If the bishop refused to leave the country, he could be returned to prison, the source said. Earlier in the day, the news outlet Confidencial reported that Alvarez had been released on Monday night, citing church and diplomatic sources.

Persons: Nicaraguan Catholic Bishop Rolando Alvarez, Alvarez, Daniel Ortega, Pope Francis, Ortega's, Ismael Lopez, David Alire Garcia, Robert Birsel Organizations: Nicaraguan Catholic, Catholic Church, Central American, Thomson Locations: Nicaraguan, Matagalpa, United States

☆ Number of Migrants Crossing U.S. Southern Border Is Down. But for How Long?
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Eileen Sullivan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

New options to come to the United States mean fewer illegal crossings. In central and northern Mexico, migrants can gain access to a government app on smartphones, where they can apply for an appointment at an official port of entry at the U.S. border. In April, the Biden administration announced that migrants from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras would be eligible for a family reunification program. The measures Mexico has taken include limiting migrants’ abilities to travel throughout the country, making it harder for them to reach the U.S. border. Mexico is also flying migrants whom the United States has recently deported to southern parts of the country.

Persons: Biden, ” Benjamine Huffman Organizations: Central, Customs, Border Protection Locations: United States, Mexico, U.S, Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico’s, Colombia

The deal had been announced in January 2022 and the FTC sued to stop it in December last year. Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley in San Francisco pressed FTC lawyers on where their economist got the data to show the deal would harm consumers. The FTC has said that if Microsoft bought Activision, Microsoft would have the incentive and the ability to harm competition in markets related to consoles, subscription game services and cloud gaming. "The harm here is we think is substantial in locking up Activision content," said FTC lawyer James Weingarten. To address the FTC concerns, Microsoft has agreed to license "Call of Duty" to rivals.

Persons: Microsoft Corporation Satya Nadella, Read, Microsoft's, Jacqueline Scott Corley, James Weingarten, Corley, Microsoft's Beth Wilkinson, it's, Satya Nadella, Nadella, Biden, Diane Bartz, Lincoln Organizations: Microsoft Corporation, . Federal Trade Commission, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, U.S . Federal Trade, Activision, Federal Trade Commission, Nintendo, Sony Group, FTC, PlayStation, Thomson Locations: California, Downtown San Francisco , California, U.S, WASHINGTON, San Francisco, British, Canada

☆ Heat dome, explained
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Jennifer Gray | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Summer is notorious for producing punishing heat waves, often referred to as heat domes. Most heat records are set within a heat dome. Sanjeev Verma/Hindustan Times/Getty Images• Chicago, 1995: More than 700 people died in the metro area as a heat dome settled over the Midwest. This new all-time high temperature broke the record set two days earlier at 113 during an unusually strong heat dome for the month of June. • Siberia set dozens of records in June as temperatures climbed above 100 degrees during a heat dome that formed especially far north.

Persons: Sanjeev Verma, Ian Waldie, Del, •, Tuong Duong, Maximiliano Herrera Organizations: CNN, Hospital, Hindustan Times, Environment, Central America, Nature Communications, • Shanghai Locations: Europe, France, • India, Delhi, New Delhi, India, Chicago, Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea, Central, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Trafalgar, London, South Texas, Del Rio, Vietnam’s, Tuong, Thailand, Bangkok, Siberia

☆ Guatemala will vote for new president but critics say many anti-corruption candidates were weeded out
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( Tara John | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

One of the expelled candidates, the rightwing Roberto Arzú, was a vocal critic of President Alejandro Giammattei. Employees of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) arrange ahead of the general elections in Guatemala City on June 20, 2023. Johan Ordonez/AFP/Getty ImagesIt’s not the first time that Guatemala’s electoral tribunal eliminates presidential hopefuls, but this year’s cycle is happening in rapidly shrinking civic space. Failing battle against corruptionRights groups say graft and impunity accelerated in the country after former President Jimmy Morales dissolved a United Nations-backed anti-corruption commission in 2019. The candidatesThe US and Western allies have raised concerns about the exclusion of presidential candidates in Guatemala.

Persons: CNN —, Sandra Torres, Thelma Cabrera, Carlos Pineda –, ” Will Freeman, Roberto Arzú, Alejandro Giammattei, Cabrera, Pineda, Tik Tok, ”, Johan Ordonez, we’ve, Caren, Jimmy Morales, Consuelo Porras Argueta, Antony Blinken, José Rubén Zamora, Moises Castillo, Porras, –, Kevin López, Giammattei, Freeman, Biden, “, ” Freeman, Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols, Guatemalans, Maria Consuelo Porras, Mulet, Carin, Edmont, Ríos, Torres, Rios, El, Nayib Bukele, Álvaro Colom, Colom, Efraín Ríos Montt, CICIG Organizations: CNN, Council, Foreign Relations, Twitter, “ Corruption, Constitutional, ” CNN, Getty, Americas Society, United, International Commission, Washington Office, Guatemala Human Rights, USA, Prosecutors, US, State, José Rubén Zamora –, . Press, Patrol, Western Hemisphere Affairs, Public Ministry, United Nations, Agence, France Presse, Analysts Locations: Central America’s, Guatemala, America, Guatemala City, Americas, United Nations, Guatemalan, Central America, American, Washington, United States, Haiti, Nicaragua, France

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