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☆ The 20 best countries for women—the U.S. isn’t one of them
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Morgan Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

No country has yet achieved full equality between men and women — but some countries are doing a better job of closing the gender gap than others. The Global Gender Gap Report, now in its 17th year, compares countries' gender gaps across four dimensions: economic opportunities; educational attainment; health and survival; and political empowerment. Nordic countries, such as Finland and Iceland, have been exemplary in this regard, having elected several female heads of government. There are a number of reasons why Europe has been more successful in closing the gender gap than the U.S., says Zahidi. One reason is that European countries have invested more in care infrastructure, offering affordable child care, paid parental leave and universal health care.

Persons: Saadia Zahidi, Joe Biden's, Noreen Farrell, Zahidi, Roe, Wade, Farrell Organizations: Economic, Iceland Norway Finland New Zealand, Iceland Norway Finland New Zealand Sweden Germany Nicaragua Namibia Lithuania Belgium Ireland Rwanda, Iceland Norway Finland New Zealand Sweden Germany Nicaragua Namibia Lithuania Belgium Ireland Rwanda Latvia Costa Rica United, Iceland Norway Finland New Zealand Sweden Germany Nicaragua Namibia Lithuania Belgium Ireland Rwanda Latvia Costa Rica United Kingdom Philippines Albania Spain The Republic of Moldova South, WEF, Yale Locations: Iceland, Norway, Finland, New Zealand, Sweden, Iceland Norway Finland, Iceland Norway Finland New Zealand Sweden Germany Nicaragua Namibia Lithuania Belgium Ireland, Iceland Norway Finland New Zealand Sweden Germany Nicaragua Namibia Lithuania Belgium Ireland Rwanda Latvia Costa, Iceland Norway Finland New Zealand Sweden Germany Nicaragua Namibia Lithuania Belgium Ireland Rwanda Latvia Costa Rica United Kingdom Philippines Albania Spain The Republic of Moldova, Iceland Norway Finland New Zealand Sweden Germany Nicaragua Namibia Lithuania Belgium Ireland Rwanda Latvia Costa Rica United Kingdom Philippines Albania Spain The Republic of Moldova South Africa, U.S, Europe, North America

☆ Brazil's Lula will ask Nicaragua's Ortega to release jailed bishop
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ROME, June 22 (Reuters) - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Thursday he would personally lobby Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega to release a bishop who has been imprisoned in the Central American state. Speaking to reporters a day after meeting Pope Francis, Lula said the Nicaraguan president should have "the courage" to recognize that a mistake had been made. "I intend to speak with Daniel Ortega about this to release the bishop. There is no reason for the bishop to be prevented from exercising his function in the Church," Lula said. "The only thing the Church wants is for Nicaragua to free them," Lula said, referring to Alvarez and a number of detained priests.

Persons: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega, Pope Francis, Lula, Bishop Rolando Alvarez, Ortega, Daniel Ortega, Francis, Alvarez, Alvazez, Philip Pulella, Catarina Demony, Federico Maccioni, Crispian Balmer Organizations: Central, Roman Catholic Church, Thomson Locations: Central American, Nicaraguan, Nicaragua, Latin America, Brazil, United States

☆ Global gender gap could take 131 years to close after a generation of progress was lost to Covid, WEF says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

At the current rate, it will take 131 years to close the global gender gap, according to the World Economic Forum. Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty ImagesIt could now take 131 years to close the global gender gap after an "entire generation" of progress was lost to Covid-19, according to the World Economic Forum. European countries lead on gender equalityThe Global Gender Gap Report, now in its 17th year, benchmarks gender-based gaps in fours areas: economic participation and opportunity; educational attainment; health and survival; and political empowerment. While no country has yet achieved full gender parity, the top nine ranking countries have closed at least 80% of their gap. watch nowOn a regional level, Europe has the highest gender parity at 76.3%, overtaking North America, where 75% of the gap is closed.

Persons: WEF, Saadia Zahidi, Zahidi, CNBC's Joumanna, there's Organizations: Economic, U.S, Pacific, Getty Locations: Iceland, Norway, Finland, New Zealand, Sweden, Germany, Nicaragua, Namibia, Lithuania, Belgium, Europe, North America, United States, Latin America, Caribbean, Eurasia, Central Asia, East Asia, Saharan Africa, Southern Asia, East, North Africa

☆ It could take 131 years for the world to close the gender gap, report shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Minneapolis CNN —Progress on achieving global gender equality is languishing. A new report from the World Economic Forum estimates that women won’t attain parity with men for another 131 years. The overall gender gap — a measurement of equality across the realms of the economy, politics, health and education — closed by a mere 0.3% as compared to last year, according to the WEF’s “Global Gender Gap Report 2023,” released Wednesday. “Today, some parts of the world are seeing partial recoveries while others are experiencing deteriorations as new crises unfold.”The WEF’s Gender Gap Index measures gender parity in 146 countries and across four areas: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival and political empowerment. “Accelerating progress towards gender parity will not only improve outcomes for women and girls but benefit economies and societies more widely, reviving growth, boosting innovation and increasing resilience,” Zahidi wrote.

Persons: ”, Saadia Zahidi, ” Zahidi, “ Organizations: Minneapolis CNN, “, United Locations: Minneapolis, Iceland, Norway, Finland, New Zealand, Sweden, Germany, Nicaragua, Namibia, Lithuania, United States

☆ See How the G.O.P. Has Reacted to the Trump Indictment
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Karen Yourish | Charlie Smart | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +10 min

Less conservative HOUSE MORE conservative Kevin Calvert Calif. 41st George Santos N.Y. 3rd Less conservative SENATE MORE conservative Roger Wicker Miss. Less conservative HOUSE MORE conservative Kevin Calvert Calif. 41st George Santos N.Y. 3rd Less conservative SENATE MORE conservative Roger Wicker Miss. Less conservative HOUSE MORE conservative Paul Gosar Ariz. 9th Less conservative SENATE MORE conservative Josh Hawley Mo. Less conservative HOUSE MORE conservative Paul Gosar Ariz. 9th Less conservative SENATE MORE conservative Josh Hawley Mo. SEN. HOUSE MORE conservative Less conservative HOUSE MORE conservative Less conservative SENATE MORE conservative Less conservative HOUSE MORE conservative Less conservative SENATE MORE conservative Less conservative HOUSE MORE conservative Less conservative SENATE MORE conservative SEN. HOUSE MORE conservative According to an analysis by The New York Times, a small number of Republicans have made statements about the indictment that did not immediately dismiss the investigation.

Persons: Donald J, Biden, Trump, Brian Fitzpatrick Pa, Ken Buck Colo, Romney, Romney Utah SEN, Doug LaMalfa Calif, Mike Kelly Pa, Ted Budd N.C, Kevin Calvert Calif, George Santos N.Y, Roger Wicker Miss, SEN, Lauren Boebert Colo, Tom Emmer Minn, Ted Cruz Texas, Ted Cruz Texas SEN, HOUSE Lauren Boebert Colo, Byron Donalds, Eli Crane Ariz ., Ron Johnson Wis, HOUSE, HOUSE Byron Donalds, Paul Gosar Ariz, Josh Hawley Mo, “, ”, Don Bacon of Nebraska, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Kevin McCarthy, —, Daniel Webster, Donald Trump, Steve Scalise, Diana Harshbarger, Mike Lee, Jack Smith, General Merrick Garland, Garland, Biden’s, Hunter, Trump’s Organizations: Senate, MORE, SEN, HOUSE Byron, The New York Times, ”, Justice Department, Biden’s Department of Justice, DOJ, Twitter, The, Department, White Locations: United States, Ken Buck Colo ., Romney Utah, Byron Donalds Fla, SEN, HOUSE Byron Donalds Fla, Florida, Tennessee, Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua, America, Utah

☆ Cuba, Iran presidents meet in Havana, vow to confront 'Yankee imperialism'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Nelson Acosta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

HAVANA, June 15 (Reuters) - Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi met with Cuban counterpart Miguel Diaz-Canel on Thursday, his last stop on a three-nation Latin American tour aimed at shoring up support among Latin American allies saddled, like Iran, by U.S. sanctions. Raisi told reporters at a trade forum in Havana early on Thursday that Cuba and Iran would seek opportunities to work together in electricity generation, biotechnology, and mining, among other areas. "The conditions and circumstances in which Cuba and Iran find themselves today have many things in common," Raisi said in a conversation with Cuban president Miguel Diaz-Canel. Prior to arriving in Cuba, the Iranian president also met with Nicaragua´s Daniel Ortega in the Central American country. Raisi called his visit with Iran´s key Latin American allies a "turning point" in relations.

Persons: Ebrahim Raisi, Miguel Diaz, Canel, Raisi, Nicaragua ´, Daniel Ortega, Diaz, John Kirby, Kirby, We’re, Hurricane Ian, Fidel Castro ´, Donald Trump, Nelson Acosta, Dave Sherwood, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Cuban, U.S, Central American, Yankee, White House, Communist, Thomson Locations: HAVANA, Iran, Havana, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, America, Iranian, Russia, China, Hurricane

☆ Venezuelan asylum seekers tripled in 2022, UN agency says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 14 (Reuters) - Venezuelans seeking asylum abroad nearly tripled in 2022, according to the United Nations refugee agency, which found that more than two in five new asylum applicants globally last year came from Latin America and the Caribbean. Cuba, also hit by U.S. trade sanctions and fuel shortages, recorded the second highest asylum figure at 194,700, a six-fold increase on 2021. Asylum seekers primarily stayed within the region, particularly in neighboring countries, the UNHCR found, with the United States, Costa Rica and Mexico receiving the most requests. While 2022 saw countries process asylum requests faster than previous years, the UNHCR said that backlogs keep growing due to "the sheer volume of new applications." The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has urged migrants to use legal pathways to enter the United States, including using a mobile app called CBP One to schedule appointments to request asylum.

Persons: Joe Biden, Sarah Morland, Raul Cortes, Grant McCool Organizations: United Nations, Refugees, UNHCR, U.S, Thomson Locations: America, Caribbean, Venezuelan, Americas, Cuba, Nicaragua, Colombia, Honduras, Haiti, UNHCR, United States, Costa Rica, Mexico, Mexico City

WASHINGTON, June 13 (Reuters) - The United States will extend deportation relief and work permits through 2025 for more than 300,000 immigrants from El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Nepal but will not expand the program to cover additional people, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said on Tuesday. Biden's Democratic administration is rescinding Trump's earlier decisions as part of the process of extending the relief for immigrants from El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Nepal. The latest decision by the Biden administration will allow TPS renewals for 239,000 Salvadorans who have resided in the U.S. since 2001. Hundreds of thousands of immigrants from El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua living in the U.S. illegally will not be covered by the TPS extension since they arrived after the cutoff dates. Reporting by Ted Hesson in Washington; Editing by Mica Rosenberg, Aurora Ellis, Alexandra HudsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Joe Biden's, Donald Trump, rescinding, Alejandro Mayorkas, Biden, Eric Adams, Ted Hesson, Mica Rosenberg, Aurora Ellis, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: U.S . Department of Homeland Security, TPS, Democratic, New York City, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: United States, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Nepal, U.S, Mexico, Washington

CNN —An “unprecedented drought” is affecting the Panama Canal’s water supply and leading authorities to impose surcharges and weight limits on ships traversing the key global trade route, according to the Panama Canal Authority. Ships move through the Panama Canal through a lock system, which uses water from several freshwater reservoirs to float the massive cargo vessels overland. But Panama is currently gripped by drought, and water levels at least one of those reservoirs – Gatun Lake – are dropping. But the start of El Niño “could worsen” conditions, the Panama Canal authority also warned. Regional neighbors have sought opportunities to compete with the lucrative Panama Canal.

Persons: El Niño, El, Cape Horn Organizations: CNN, Panama Canal Authority, Ships, Panama City, Panamanian National Government, El, Pacific, United Locations: Panama, Central America, El, South America, Cape, Asia, United States, Panamanian, Panama Canal, Nicaragua, Mexico, Pacific, Gulf of Mexico

☆ DeSantis breaks silence on migrant flights that landed on Newsom's turf, boasting that the program was 'very effective'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

DeSantis on Wednesday defended a Florida program that relocates migrants to blue states. Until Wednesday, DeSantis hadn't commented publicly about the flights that landed in Sacramento, first on Friday and then again on Monday. "I think it's also been every effective," DeSantis said about the relocation program at the start of the roundtable. DeSantis also defended the use of a $12 million fund in Florida to pay for the relocation program. Under DeSantis, Florida sent more than 1,100 members of its national guard to Texas.

Persons: DeSantis, —, Ron DeSantis, DeSantis hadn't, Biden, Gavin Newsom, Joe Biden's, Trump, Scott Eisen, Ray Chavez, it's Organizations: Service, Gov, Florida Division, Emergency Management, US Customs, Border Patrol, Republican Gov, Democratic Gov, MediaNews, Mercury, Getty, GOP, Arizona, Biden, Republican Locations: Florida, Texas, California, Sierra Vista , Arizona, Sacramento, Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Mexico, DeSantis, Vineyard , Massachusetts, DeSantis , Florida, Arizona

REUTERS/Mike Blake/File PhotoWASHINGTON, June 5 (Reuters) - Illumina (ILMN.O) on Monday filed an appeal against a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) order, demanding that it divest cancer diagnostic test maker Grail (GRAL.O) over competition concerns in the U.S. market for cancer tests. San Diego-based Illumina is arguing that the FTC "violated due process by depriving Illumina and Grail of a fair proceeding before an impartial tribunal," according to the filing in the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. An administrative law judge at the FTC had earlier dismissed the antitrust charges brought against Illumina but FTC staff won an appeal against that decision. In early December, EU antitrust regulators proposed measures for Illumina to unwind its acquisition of Grail, three months after blocking the deal. Billionaire investor Carl Icahn, who owns 1.4% of the company, had also urged Illumina to unwind the Grail deal which he called a risky acquisition.

Persons: Mike Blake, Illumina, Carl Icahn, Francis deSouza, Vincent Intrieri, Diane Bartz, Mrinmay Dey, Jamie Freed, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: REUTERS, WASHINGTON, Federal Trade Commission, Fifth, Appeals, FTC, Illumina, Thomson Locations: San Diego , California, U.S, Diego, Europe, EU

The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and one-time bitter rivals LIV Golf circuit announced a landmark agreement on Tuesday to merge. But Trump, who owns three courses on LIV Golf's 14-event schedule for 2023, celebrated the deal in a Truth Social post. "Great news from Liv Golf. The PGA Tour had responded by dramatically raising prize money for some events. The deal could also be seen as good for consumers, according to Steve Ross, a sport antitrust expert at Pennsylvania State University's law school.

Persons: Donald Trump, Yasir Al, LIV, Read, Jamal Khashoggi, Rumayyan, Richard Blumenthal, Chris Murphy, Trump, LIV Golf's, Liv Golf, PGA's, Seth Bloom, hasn't, Steve Ross, Nevena Simidjiyska, Diane Bartz, Echo Wang, Steve Keating, Tyler Clifford, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Trump National Golf Club, PGA Golf, Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, Liv, Department of Justice, Bloom, Pennsylvania State, Reuters, of Foreign Investment, Treasury, Fox Rothschild LLP, Thomson Locations: Washington, DC, USA, Sterling , Va, WASHINGTON, Saudi, Kingdom, American, United States, U.S

☆ This couple are riding around the world with three rescue dogs
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Tamara Hardingham-Gill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

But other than a “couple of cruises,” Janell and Stu Clarke, both from Australia, had barely traveled beyond their home country nearly a decade later. I was waiting until my obligation with the navy had ended.”Ultimate road tripAustralian couple Janell and Stu Clarke are riding around the world on motorcycles with three rescue dogs. The couple purchased two motorbikes, Janell went for a 2006 BMW F650GS, while Stu opted for a 2012 G650GS, while in Texas. “We were surrounded by people who were trying their best to help us and care for Skyla,” says Janell. Now, after setting off from Australia with one dog, Janell and Stu are preparing to finish their trip almost 10 years later with three entirely different dogs.

Persons: CNN —, Janell, Stu Clarke, Stu, ”, “, it’s, Skyla, ’, ‘, ’ ” Janell, they’d, Mary, ” Janell, We’ve, they’ve, That’s, we’ve Organizations: CNN, Australian, BMW, “, Southampton, Azra Locations: Australia, Skyla, Dallas , Texas, Texas, Belize, Mexico, Janell, Central America, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, South America, Venezuela, Colombia, Bogota, Colombian, Ecuador, Turkey, Europe, Morocco, West Africa, South Africa, “ Africa, Egypt, Portugal, Eastern Europe, ”, South East Asia, “

☆ Replanting the Amazon could slow global warming. Here’s why it’s hard
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +24 min

Milton da Costa Junior nosed his pickup through a remote stretch of the western Brazilian Amazon to check on his babies. Local authorities said the September 2021 incident, which Da Costa outlined in a police report that was reviewed by Reuters, is being investigated. Out of dozens of reforestation initiatives in the country, Rioterra and The Black Jaguar Foundation, a Brazilian-European group, are among the largest. Illegal invaders destroy in hours what it takes Rioterra or Black Jaguar a year to plant. In all, Black Jaguar has signed contracts with 26 farms and planted 326 hectares (806 acres) to date.

Persons: Milton da Costa, Da Costa, Carlos Nobre, Alexis Bastos, Rioterra, ”, Nobre, “, Bastos, Jamari, Dejesus Aparecido Ramos, it’s, ” Bastos, Jair Bolsonaro, Germany –, Bolsonaro, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Black, Ben Valks, Valks, Leandro Silveira, Silveira, São, ” Valks, aren’t, Cristina Banks, Leite, Marcos Mariani, Araguaia, Mariani, Tânia Irres, ” Irres, Regina Molke, I’ll, Clovis, Black Jaguar, Aquaverde, Renato Franklin, “ Ben, ” Franklin, L’Oreal, da Costa, ” Da Costa, da, Spring, Clare Trainor, Catherine Tai, Lais Morais, Ilan Rubens, Lucy Ha, John Emerson, Marla Dickerson Organizations: Milton da Costa Junior, Toyota, Reuters, Black Jaguar Foundation, National Institute for Space Research, Rioterra, Cultural, Environmental Studies, Petrobras, “, Amazon Fund, Environment Ministry, United, United Arab Emirates, São Paulo, Global, Farmers, Brazil’s Central Bank, Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research, Imperial College London, Santana, Bolsonaro, United Nations, Space Agency, Copernicus, Sentinel Locations: Machadinho, Rondônia, Brazil, Germany, Brazilian, European, Manhattan, Lebanon, Nicaragua, Bastos, Porto Velho, droves, Rio, Black, Itapuã, Oeste, Norway, United Arab, Pará, Caixa, “, Costa, Syria, Paris, Santana, Araguaia’s, Clovis, Regina, United States, South, Geneva, Rio Preto, da Costa

May 31 (Reuters) - American Airlines Group (AAL.O) will appeal a U.S. court decision requiring it to end an alliance with JetBlue Airways Corp (JBLU.O), American CEO Robert Isom said on Wednesday. "We've got a legal system that allows for appeal, and we're going to do that," Isom told the Bernstein Conference. American is the largest U.S. airline by fleet size and low-cost carrier JetBlue is the sixth largest. Even as the Texas-based carrier prepares to appeal the ruling, Isom said it will have to work with the Justice Department and JetBlue to figure out what it does in the interim. American, which reiterated its full-year profit forecast Wednesday, doesn't expect the court ruling to have a material impact on its earnings.

Persons: Robert Isom, Leo Sorokin, We've, Isom, Sorokin, Joe Biden's, doesn't, Rajesh Kumar Singh, David Shepardson, Diane Bartz, Deepa Babington, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: American Airlines Group, JetBlue Airways Corp, . U.S, District, Bernstein Conference, JetBlue, U.S . Justice Department, U.S, Justice Department, Thomson Locations: U.S, American, ., Boston, New York, Texas, Chicago, Washington

☆ Nicaragua dissident Felix Maradiaga and Berta Valle on fighting for justice and family life
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Melissa Mahtani | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Many were accused of treason or involvement in “illicit activities” for having contact with foreign journalists or human rights’ organizations that the Ortega regime views as a threat. He gave me, for example, the name of our international human rights lawyer, Jared Genser, who became my angel through all of this. Both spoke at the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy in May, where Maradiaga was awarded the 2023 Courage Award. Those Nicaraguans who only are asking for the protection of basic human rights and human dignity. “After all this work that we do as human rights defenders, there’s a private life that also has to be taken care of.

Persons: CNN — It’s, Felix Maradiaga, –, Maradiaga, Berta Valle, Berta, I’m, Washington ’, ”, “, Félix, Daniel Ortega –, Ortega, ” Maradiaga, ‘, ’ Maradiaga, Daniel Ortega, Ned Price, ” Price, Valle, Jared Genser, It’s, he’s, “ It’s, Alejandra, ” Valle, Nicaragua –, I’ve, that’s, Pope Francis, Adolf Hitler, Vladimir Kara, Murza, pic.twitter.com, —, there’s Organizations: CNN, State Department, Nicaraguan, Geneva, Human Rights, Democracy, US State Department, Dulles International Airport, UN, Oslo Freedom, Catholic Church, Central American, National Assembly of Locations: United States, Valle, Nicaragua, Washington, Miami, American, Nicaraguan, Oslo, National Assembly of Nicaragua, China, Hong Kong, Venezuela, Cuba, Afghanistan, Ukraine, “

WASHINGTON, May 28 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday finalized a budget agreement with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to suspend the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling until Jan. 1, 2025, and said the deal was ready to move to Congress for a vote. The deal, if approved, will prevent the U.S. government from defaulting on its debt and comes after weeks of heated negotiations between Biden and House Republicans. "I strongly urge both chambers to pass that agreement," Biden said, adding that he expected McCarthy to have the necessary votes for the deal to pass. The deal has drawn fire from hardline Republicans and progressive Democrats, but Biden and McCarthy are banking on getting enough votes from both sides. McCarthy dismissed threats of opposition within his own party, saying "over 95%" of House Republicans were "overwhelmingly excited" about the deal.

☆ El Salvador court sentences ex-President Funes to 14 years in prison
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SAN SALVADOR, May 29 (Reuters) - A court in El Salvador sentenced former President Mauricio Funes and his justice minister to over a decade behind bars for their ties with criminal groups and failure to comply with duties, the attorney general's office said in a tweet on Monday. Funes was sentenced to 14 years and former justice and defense minister, David Munguia, to 18. Funes, who governed from 2009 to 2014 and lives in Nicaragua, was granted Nicaraguan citizenship in 2019. El Salvador has been living under a state of emergency declared by the government of President Nayib Bukele for more than a year. Official data shows 5,000 of the prisoners have been released, as authorities found no ties to criminal groups.

WASHINGTON, May 28 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden said on Sunday he had finalized a budget agreement with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to suspend the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling and that the deal was ready to move to Congress for a vote. "I strongly urge both chambers to pass that agreement," Biden said, adding that he expected McCarthy to have the necessary votes for the deal to pass. The deal has drawn fire from hardline Republicans and progressive Democrats, but Biden and McCarthy believe they have enough votes from moderates on both sides. [1/2] U.S. President Joe Biden speaks on his deal with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to raise the United States' debt ceiling at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 28, 2023. But McCarthy dismissed threats of opposition within his own party, saying "over 95%" of House Republicans were "overwhelmingly excited" about the deal.

Hours later, the Democratic president said he was confident the legislation would pass both chambers of Congress to avoid a U.S. government default. Biden and McCarthy were due to speak later on Sunday to finalize the agreement, which has drawn fire from hardline Republicans and progressive Democrats. House Republicans expected on Sunday to unveil legislation to pass the deal. But McCarthy dismissed threats of opposition within his own party, saying "over 95%" of House Republicans were "overwhelmingly excited" about the deal. The deal would also impose a 1% across-the-board spending cut should Congress fail to enact 12 appropriations bills by Oct. 1.

WASHINGTON, May 28 (Reuters) - Republican U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Sunday dismissed vehement opposition among party hardliners to a new agreement with President Joe Biden to suspend the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling, predicting that most House Republicans would support the deal. House Republicans expected to unveil legislation to pass the deal later on Sunday. But McCarthy dismissed threats of opposition within his own party, saying "over 95%" of House Republicans were "overwhelmingly excited" about the deal. "This is a good strong bill that a majority of Republicans will vote for," the California Republican told reporters in the U.S. Capitol. Progressive Democrats in both chambers have said they would not support any deal that has additional work requirements for food and healthcare programs.

☆ Nicaragua accuses Catholic Church of money laundering, freezes accounts
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 27 (Reuters) - Nicaraguan police said on Saturday they are investigating several dioceses of the Catholic Church for money laundering, a day after local media reported that the bank accounts of parishes in the Central American country had been frozen. Investigations "confirmed the unlawful removal of resources from bank accounts that had been ordered by law to be frozen," the police said in a statement. Ortega's government has intensified attacks against the Catholic Church in the wake of 2018 anti-government protests in which some 360 people died after what human rights groups call police repression. The police statement said the bank accounts were linked to religious figures convicted of treason and other crimes, and that the investigations confirmed the funds entered the country irregularly. "People have their bank accounts here, this is how they carried out their work," Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes said in an article posted on news website despacho505.com.

☆ Opinion | The Newest Immigrants Will Change American Spanish. That’s a Good Thing.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Ilan Stavans | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Today the Spanish language is the fourth-most-spoken language in the world, and it is the most common language spoken in the United States after English. Then there is the Mexican population that lived here long before the United States claimed their land. Each wave infused American Spanish with local flavor. That’s partly because the language spoken in each country has unique characteristics, at the national and the regional level. American Spanish features all of these elements, which depend on the national background and geographic location of the speaker.

[1/2] An American Airlines Airbus A321-200 plane takes off from Los Angeles International airport (LAX) in Los Angeles, California, U.S. March 28, 2018. In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin said the partnership "substantially diminishes competition in the domestic market for air travel." Garland said the Justice Department will continue to protect competition and enforce U.S. antitrust laws across industries, including the airline industry. The judge gave the airlines 30 days to end the alliance. TD Cowen analyst Helane Becker said she believes the American JetBlue ruling "has negative implications for the JetBlue/Spirit merger."

☆ Is Mexico doing the US’s ‘dirty work’ when it comes to migration?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Rafael Romo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But the enforcement has been chaotic, sporadic and, in the words of a former top Mexican official, “inefficient.”Tonatiuh Guillén was commissioner of Mexico’s National Migration Institute until 2019. Luis Barron/Eyepix Group/NurPhoto/AP“Mexico became a control territory, [a place of] a severe migration policy, detentions, deterrence, and expulsions. ‘This is not about doing the United States’ dirty work’Mexican President Obrador denies Mexico is doing the US’s bidding when it comes to migration. Two months later, another 47 migrants were found alive crammed inside a truck in Matehuala (San Luis Potosí state), Mexico. Viangly, a Venezuelan migrant, reacts outside an ambulance while firefighters remove injured migrants, mostly Venezuelans, from a National Migration Institute building during a fire in Ciudad Juarez on March 27, 2023.

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