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But expediting work permits isn’t so easy, either legally or bureaucratically, experts in the process say. It would take an act of Congress to shorten a mandatory, six-month waiting period before asylum-seekers can apply for work permits. Maura Healey, who declared a state of emergency over the migrant influx, wrote Mayorkas that work permits represent “an opportunity to meet employer needs, support our economy, and reduce dependency among new arrivals.” And 19 Democratic state attorneys general wrote Mayorkas that work permits would reduce the strain on government to provide social services. Custom and Border Protection online app have applied for work permits, according to the White House. After he got his temporary work authorization, his boss gave him an extra dollar per hour.

Persons: Eric Adams, Kathy Hochul, Joe Biden, Biden, Hochul, Gilberto Pozo Ortiz, ” Ortiz, “, Brandon Johnson, J.B, Pritzker, Alejandro Mayorkas, Maura Healey, Andre Vasquez, Adams, ” Adams, “ We’re, Muzaffar Chishti, noncitizens, Elden Roja, honked, Roja, Jose Vacca, Elliot Spagat Organizations: Gov, Democratic, Homeland Security Department, Illinois Gov, Homeland, Massachusetts Gov, City Council’s, Refugee Rights, New, Republicans, Migration Policy Institute, Nationwide, Custom, Protection, Federal, U.S, CBP, Associated Press Locations: ALBANY, N.Y, New York City, Mexico, Cuba, New York, Chicago, City, U.S, Venezuelan, Colombia, Texas

GENEVA (AP) — Venezuela’s government has intensified efforts to curtail democratic freedoms with use of threats, surveillance and harassment as President Nicolás Maduro faces a re-election contest next year, U.N.-backed human rights experts reported on Wednesday. An international fact-finding mission authorized by the Human Rights Council notes that violent repression between 2017 and 2019 eased after the coronavirus pandemic broke out the following year. A report by the mission three years ago decried “crimes against humanity” in Maduro's Venezuela. In the run-up to the 2024 presidential election, the experts warned that political interference has been on the rise. The mission's latest report, based on interviews and talks with nearly 300 people, covers a period from January 2020 through last month.

Persons: —, Nicolás Maduro, ”, Henrique Capriles, Maria Corina Machado, Freddy Superlano —, Patricia Tappata Valdez Organizations: GENEVA, U.N, Human Locations: Maduro's Venezuela, Venezuela

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks during a press conference at a hotel after the G20 Summit, in New Delhi, India, September 11, 2023. In part, that reflects the choppier waters the 77-year-old Brazilian leader now navigates, as Beijing and Washington flirt with a new Cold War while war rages in Ukraine. Even before he took office, Lula was greeted like a rock star last November at the U.N. climate change conference in Egypt. The closer ties to Beijing could complicate Brazil's relationship with Washington, including access to key technology, Shannon added. "Brazil is rapidly wasting its soft power by trying to be an international player with an outdated agenda," he said.

Persons: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Anushree, Pope, Jair Bolsonaro's, Lula, Oliver Stuenkel, Joe Biden, Vladimir Putin, Thomas Shannon, Porter, Shannon, Nicolas Maduro, Gabriel Boric, Rubens Barbosa, Putin, Maduro, Anthony Boadle, Brad Haynes, Paul Simao Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, United Nations General Assembly, U.S, General Assembly, Amazon, International Criminal Court, ICC, Arnold, Security, Mercosur, Venezuelan, Foreign Ministry, South, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, Rights BRASILIA, Brazil, China, Beijing, Washington, Ukraine, Sao Paulo, Egypt, U.S, Rio de Janeiro, Russia, South Africa, Shannon, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Brasilia, Brazilian, London, South American

☆ Illegal Mopeds and Fake Names: Migrants Scrape By in Underground Economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Andrew Silverstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

At the same time, a new cottage industry of black-market moped brokers has emerged to serve — and sometimes prey upon — the newest migrants, who arrive with little money, no bank account and no tax ID or Social Security number. He makes deliveries all over Manhattan and into Brooklyn, sometimes as many as 30 a day. For each order, Uber Eats pays him a fee determined by an algorithm, about $4 on average; customers can add a tip through the app. “Jessica” receives all his earnings as a direct deposit into her bank account, and then hands over his payments and tips in cash, minus the fee. Mr. Milano had to borrow money from another migrant to cover his moped rental.

Persons: Mr . Milano, Jessica, ”, Uber, Jessica ”, Milano Organizations: Mr Locations: Venezuela, United States, Venezuelan, Manhattan, Brooklyn

BEIJING (AP) — China and Zambia upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership on Friday, the latest move by America's chief global rival to forge deeper ties with the Global South. Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Zambian counterpart announced the agreement shortly after Xi had exchanged cordial words with another visitor, the new prime minister of Cambodia. China has in turn won access to natural resources and diplomatic support from many Global South countries on contentious votes at the U.N. and from Cambodia in China’s territorial disputes with other Southeast Asian nations in the South China Sea. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet made China his first official foreign visit after succeeding his father, Hun Sen, who ruled Cambodia for 40 years and cultivated his country's close relationship with China. Xi told Hun Manet that his father had made historic contributions to bilateral ties.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Xi, ” Xi, Hakainde Hichilema, Hichilema, Nicolás Maduro, ”, Edward Chan, South Africa —, Hun Manet, Hun Sen, Hun, Alfred Wu, National University of Singapore's Lee, “, Wanqing Chen Organizations: BEIJING, Global, Zambian, Australian National University, “, United Arab, Initiative, Cambodian, U.S, Ream Naval Base, National University of Singapore's, National University of Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew, of Public, Associated Press Locations: China, Zambia, Cambodia, Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America, U.S, Zambian, Brazil, Russia, India, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, South China, Cambodian, Beijing, ASEAN

☆ China, Venezuela sign agreements on economy, trade, tourism
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

China on Wednesday upgraded relations with Venezuela to an "all-weather strategic partnership", typically reserved for a select few nations. Maduro said Venezuela supports China's Belt and Road Initiative to boost trade infrastructure, Chinese media said, referring to a related conference in China next month. China has said it has Belt and Road cooperation agreements with more than 150 countries and over 30 international organisations. China said it is willing to support construction of special economic zones in Venezuela and both countries agreed to further develop bilateral trade and "enrich the variety of trade goods". In the statement they also said agreements on aviation and aerospace include future flights between the countries and cooperation in spaceflight.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Nicolas Maduro, Maduro's, Xi, Maduro, Bernard Orr, Liz Lee, Ella Cao, Elaine Hardcastle, Christopher Cushing Organizations: of, REUTERS Acquire, China Central Television, China, Initiative, United Nations, New Development Bank, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Miraflores, Handout, Venezuela, BEIJING, Venezuelan, China's, Brazil, Russia, India, South Africa

It has occurred in parallel to one of the world’s highest inflation rates. The artwork then fetches prices ranging from 40,000 to 70,000 pesos domestically and as much as $300 abroad. The artists are reclaiming the currency at a time when the bills have often been the target of disdain from Argentina’s neighbors. Brazilian soccer fans have torn up peso bills as a mockery to their Argentine rivals. Inflation surged 12.4% in August from July, the highest rate of monthly consumer price increases since February 1991.

Persons: George Washington, United States ’, Donald Trump, Sergio Díaz, Diaz, ”, Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, “ Harry Potter, Cristian English, Maradona Organizations: United, U.S ., Argentine Locations: BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, United States, U.S, Argentine, Paraguay, Washington, Salta, Chile

BEIRUT (AP) — The U.S. Treasury on Tuesday slapped terrorism sanctions on a family network of seven individuals and businesses in Lebanon and South America accused of financing the militant group Hezbollah, including a Lebanese man who officials say was involved in two deadly attacks in Argentina in the 1990s. The Iran-backed group is designated a “foreign terrorist organization," and Washington also claims that the group has been involved in drug trafficking in Latin America to generate revenue. Rada, according to the Treasury, spent over a decade in South America before relocating to Lebanon. Political Cartoons View All 1154 ImagesRada's brother, Samer, was also sanctioned and accused of being involved in various drug trafficking and money laundering operations across Latin America. The Treasury also slapped sanctions on Lebanon-based company Black Diamond SARL and owner Ali Ismail Ajrouch.

Persons: Amer Mohamed Akil Rada, ”, “, Brian Nelson, Mehdi Akil Helbawi, Diamond SARL, Ali Ismail Ajrouch Organizations: Treasury, Argentine, Israelite Mutual Association, Embassy, Rada, BCI Technologies Locations: BEIRUT, U.S, Lebanon, South America, Lebanese, Argentina, Buenos Aires, Iran, Washington, America, Colombia, Latin America, Belize, El Salvador, Venezuelan

Fox, which has maintained it is proud of its dishonest 2020 election coverage, still faces an even larger, $2.7 billion lawsuit from election technology company Smartmatic. That is the crux of our lawsuit, and we look forward to making our case in court.”A spokesperson for Fox Corporation declined to comment on the lawsuit. A spokesperson for the New York City Comptroller’s office said the pension funds held 857,000 shares of Fox Corporation stock valued at $28.10 million. Fox Corporation, led by Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch, has kept the current Fox News leadership team that oversaw the network’s lie-filled 2020 coverage in place. Earlier this year, Fox News settled a defamation case with a Venezuelan businessman who had filed a lawsuit against the company over its 2020 election coverage.

Persons: “, Brad Lander, ” Ellen Rosenblum, ”, Rupert, Lachlan Murdoch, Viet Dinh, Ray Epps, Fox, Abby Grossberg Organizations: CNN, Fox Corporation, Fox News, Fox, Voting, New, Dominion, FBI Locations: York, Oregon, Delaware, New York City, Viet, Arizona, Venezuelan

REUTERS/Nick Oxford/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Oil prices gained almost 1% to a nine-month high on Friday on rising U.S. diesel futures and worries about tight oil supplies after Saudi Arabia and Russia extended supply cuts this week. "Crude prices continue to trade on supply-side drivers. This week, OPEC member Saudi Arabia and Russia extended their voluntary supply cuts of a combined 1.3 million barrels per day to the end of the year. Rising U.S. diesel prices also supported crude prices with heating oil futures up about 3%. Interest rate hikes can slow economic growth and reduce oil demand.

Persons: Nick Oxford, Brent, Edward Moya, Baker Hughes, Nicolas Maduro, John Evans, Natalie Grover, Robert Harvey, Yuka Obayashi, Xu, Ros Russell, Jason Neely, Susan Fenton, David Gregorio, Leslie Adler Organizations: Midland , Texas U.S, REUTERS, U.S, West Texas, of, Petroleum, Energy, Thomson Locations: Midland , Texas, Saudi Arabia, Russia, OPEC, U.S, China, Venezuela, CHINA, Hong Kong, Germany, Europe, Riyadh, London, Tokyo, Singapore

[1/2] Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro gestures during a meeting with Chile's Ambassador to Venezuela Jaime Gazmuri, at Miraflores Palace, in Caracas, Venezuela August 16, 2023. Energy trade, debt repayment and new financing likely are the main focus of the Sept. 8-14 visit, officials and sources said. Beijing's decision to host Maduro coincides with a G20 summit in New Delhi this weekend, which Chinese President Xi Jinping will not attend. In 2020, the Maduro administration and Chinese banks again agreed to a grace period on some $19 billion of Chinese debt, according to Reuters reporting. Despite sanctions on Venezuela, China imported around 390,000 barrels per day of crude from the country between January and August this year, totalling roughly 12.9 million metric tons, data from commodities consultancy Vortexa showed.

Persons: Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela Jaime Gazmuri, Leonardo Fernandez Viloria, Han Zheng, Wang Yi, hegemonism, Han, Pedro Tellechea, Tellechea, Xi Jinping, Maduro, Hugo Chavez's, Joe Biden's, PDVSA, CNPC, Donald Trump, Andrew Hayley, Liz Lee, Joe Cash, Vivian Seuqera, Mayela, Marianna Parraga, Christopher Cushing, Frances Kerry, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, West, Energy, China National Petroleum Corp, Venezuelan, Venezuelan Oil, Shanghai International Energy Exchange, Shanghai Petroleum, Natural Gas Exchange, South, Shanghai, Mayela Armas, Thomson Locations: Venezuela, Miraflores, Caracas, Rights BEIJING, CARACAS, China, OPEC, Beijing, Shanghai, Asia, New Delhi, Malaysia, South American, Houston

[1/2] Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro gestures during a meeting with Chile's Ambassador to Venezuela Jaime Gazmuri, at Miraflores Palace, in Caracas, Venezuela August 16, 2023. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro will visit China over Sept. 8-14, China's foreign ministry said on Friday, marking renewed engagement between the two countries amid deepening tensions between Beijing and Western capitals. The visit coincides with the G20 summit in New Delhi this weekend, which China's president Xi Jinping will not attend. China is the world's largest importers of crude oil, while Venezuela has the largest proven reserves. The company stopped carrying Venezuelan oil in August 2019 after the Trump administration tightened sanctions against the South American exporter.

Persons: Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela Jaime Gazmuri, Leonardo Fernandez Viloria, Wang Yi, Delcy Rodriguez, Xi Jinping, Maduro, Xi, Trump, Hugo Chavez, Andrew Hayley, Liz Lee, Christopher Cushing Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Venezuelan, UN, Energy, South, Thomson Locations: Venezuela, Miraflores, Caracas, Rights BEIJING, China, Beijing, Shanghai, New Delhi, Kpler, Malaysia, South American

☆ Oil falls on concerns about China, winter demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Trixie Sher Li Yap | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Oil pump jacks are seen at the Vaca Muerta shale oil and gas deposit in the Patagonian province of Neuquen, Argentina, January 21, 2019. Brent crude futures fell 36 cents to $90.24 a barrel by 0645 GMT, after a nine-session winning streak. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) futures fell 37 cents to $87.17 a barrel after seven sessions of gains. Concerns about rising oil output from Iran and Venezuela, which could balance out a portion on cuts from Saudi and Russia, kept a lid on the market as well. Helping support prices, U.S. crude oil inventories were projected to have fallen by 5.5 million barrels in the week ending Sept. 1, according to market sources citing American Petroleum Institute figures.

Persons: Agustin Marcarian, Brent, Leon Li, Li, Trixie Yap, Stephanie Kelly, Jacqueline Wong, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: REUTERS, . West Texas, Markets, U.S, American Petroleum Institute, U.S . Energy, Administration, Thomson Locations: Vaca, Patagonian, Neuquen, Argentina, SINGAPORE, China, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Shanghai, Iran, Venezuela, Saudi, OPEC, Caracas, Singapore, New York

REUTERS/Johnny Carvajal Acquire Licensing RightsCARACAS, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Before they were arrested and sentenced to 16 years in prison on conspiracy charges, the six Venezuelan activists marched peacefully to call for better salaries for teachers, according to their families and lawyers. The latest moves by Venezuelan authorities demand a coordinated response from other countries, advocates said. He has long accused Venezuela's opposition of seeking to spread chaos. "But obviously I don't have faith in Venezuelan justice," said Oropeza, the wife of activist Bracho. Reporting by Vivian Sequera; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Daniel WallisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Oropeza, Alcides, Johnny Carvajal, Nicolas Maduro's, Yorbelis Oropeza, Fionnuala Ni Aolain, Clement Nyaletsossi Voulue, Juan Pappier, Gonzalo Himiob, Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's, Maduro, Javier Tarazona, Tarazona, Roland Carreno, Joel Garcia, Tarazona's, Himiob, Valentina Ballesta, Franks Cabana, Oscar Perez, Ana Leonor Acosta, Xiomara Andara, John Alvarez, Garcia, Bracho, Vivian Sequera, Julia Symmes Cobb, Daniel Wallis Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Maduro, Judiciary, United Nations, Human Rights, Foro Penal, Amnesty International, Coalition for Human Rights, Democracy, Thomson Locations: Caracas, Venezuela, Rights CARACAS, U.S, they'll, Foro, Russia, China, Colombia, Brazil, Colombian, Venezuelan

WASHINGTON (AP) — Online gig work is growing globally, particularly in the developing world, creating an important source of employment for women and young people in poorer countries where jobs are scarce, according to a World Bank report released Thursday. The report estimates the number of global online gig workers at as many as 435 million people and says demand for gig work increased 41% between 2016 and the first quarter of 2023. That boost is generating concern, though, among worker rights advocates about the lack of strong job protections in the gig economy, where people work job to job with little security and few employment rights. While location-based gig services such as Uber, Lyft and TaskRabbit require labor like moving and delivery, online gig assignments can be largely done at home. Roughly half of the surveyed gig workers did not have a retirement plan and as much as 73% of Venezuelan gig workers and 75% of Nigerians did not have any savings for retirement.

Persons: ”, Namita Datta, Sharon Block, Lindsey Cameron, Uber, ” Block Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Bank, World Bank, Harvard Law School’s Center for Labor, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, ”, Pew Locations: U.S, United States, Egypt, Argentina, Nigeria, Russia, China

The U.S. in January granted Venezuela's PDVSA, Shell and NGC a two-year authorization to revive the project, which could boost Trinidad and Tobago's gas processing and exports. Negotiations between the trio initially had progressed little over a U.S. demand that the proposed Dragon gas project exclude cash payments to Venezuela or its state companies. "Discussions on the Dragon project involving the governments of Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago and Shell are ongoing and commercially confidential," Shell told Reuters. PDVSA, Venezuela's oil ministry and Trinidad's energy ministry did not reply to requests for comment. A second could connect to Shell's Hibiscus field on Trinidad's side, allowing gas to flow to Trinidad, the people said.

Persons: Chris Helgren, Venezuela's PDVSA, Biden, PDVSA, Shell, Stuart Young, Nicolas Maduro, Keith Rowley, Trinidad's, Curtis Williams, Marianna Parraga, Timothy Gardner, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Shell, REUTERS, Rights, Tobago's National Gas Company, NGC, Reuters, Trinidad's Energy, U.S . Treasury, U.S . State Department, Trinidad's, U.S, Washington, Thomson Locations: Vancouver , British Columbia, Canada, Trinidad, U.S, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Maduro, Guiria, Point Fortin, Houston, Washington

Those charges center around a voting system breach in Coffee County, Georgia, a rural, Republican district that voted overwhelmingly for Trump in 2020. Willis’ indictment describes the breach, and Powell’s alleged involvement, as central to the broader conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. Powell has also been identified by CNN as one of Trump’s un-indicted co-conspirators listed in Smith’s federal election indictment. New details about Smith’s ongoing investigation indicate federal prosecutors are scrutinizing a series of voting breaches following the 2020 election that state investigators have been probing for more than a year. Network of operativesIn addition, special counsel prosecutors have also heard from other witnesses about efforts to breach voting equipment in other states.

Persons: Jack Smith, indicting Donald Trump, Smith, Joe Biden, Sidney Powell, Powell’s, Powell, Fani Willis, Willis ’, Smith’s, Donald Trump, Al Drago, Biden, ”, Hugo Chavez, Bernie Kerik, Kerik, Tim Parlatore, Parlatore, Mike Ryan, Bill Bachenberg, Ryan, Bachenberg, Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman –, Jocelyn Benson, Benson, Stefanie Lambert, Nalio Chery, “, ” Benson, Lambert, Trump Organizations: Washington CNN, Trump, CNN, Biden, Republican, Republican National Committee, Bloomberg, Getty, The Coalition, Good Governance, Systems, Network, FBI, Smith’s, Michigan Michigan, Reuters, Pennsylvania, American, Pennsylvania Senate Locations: Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, Atlanta, Coffee County , Georgia, Washington , DC, Republic, Coffee, Antrim County , Michigan, Coffee County, Detroit , Michigan, Dieu, Antrim County, Fulton County , Pennsylvania, Fulton County

But by January of this year, faced with rising rent, increased taxes and financing constraints, he closed it down. The government of Nicolas Maduro relaxed currency controls in 2019, allowing more transactions in dollars despite U.S. sanctions. The move led to a slight recovery in 2021 and 2022 after eight years of economic collapse and the migration of some 7.3 million Venezuelans. 'NO BUYING CAPACITY'Other businesses which have survived said they were slashing prices, salaries and profit margins to stay afloat. "Structural economic problems like scarce credit, an absence of recovery in public utilities, among others, were not resolved."

Persons: Enrique Perrella, Nicolas Maduro, Maduro, Yaner Fung, Fung, Ecoanalitica, Jesus Palacios, Migdalia Uviedo, Ivan Puerta, restaurateurs, Giulio Gallucci, Mayela Armas, Keren Torres, Tibisay Romero, Johnny Carvajal, Julia Symmes Cobb, Vivian Sequera, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Venezuelan Finance Observatory, Retailers, Restaurants, Thomson Locations: CARACAS, Caracas, Barquisimeto, Valencia, Ecoanalitica, Mexican

☆ Ronald Acuña Jr. makes MLB history with 30 home runs and 60 stolen bases in a single season just hours after wedding
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Thomas Schlachter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —It was a special day for Ronald Acuña Jr. as he made Major League Baseball (MLB) history just hours after getting married. Not only did Acuña hit this historic mark, but he did so in spectacular fashion. Acuña crushed a home run to left field off Lance Lynn and slamming a historic grand slam – home run No. Acuña crushed a grand slam to left field to give the Braves a big lead in the second. “Lived up to the hype, I guess.”Acuña celebrates after hitting his historic grand slam.

Persons: Ronald Acuña Jr, Acuña, Lance Lynn, Mark J, Terrill, ” Acuña, Acuña’s, Brian Snitker, “, Maria Laborde, we’ve, I’m, I’ve, ”, Michael Harris II Organizations: CNN, Major League Baseball, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, Braves, ESPN, “, National League, Dodgers, ” Braves, National League East, MLB

[1/2] The logo of Italian energy company Eni is seen at the booth of Eni during the Nigeria International Petroleum Summit in Abuja, Nigeria February 10, 2020. Under the revised terms, Eni and Repsol can supply the state company with fuels, potentially helping Venezuela ease an intermittent scarcity that has led to long lines at gasoline stations in recent years. Eni and Repsol were not immediately available to respond to a Reuters request for comment. Crude received by Eni and Repsol under their swap deal has mostly been sent to Repsol's refineries in Spain. The field is run by the Petrosucre joint venture between Eni and PDVSA.

Persons: Afolabi, Repsol, PDVSA, Joe Biden's, Perla, Marianna Parraga, Francesca Landini, Pietro Lombardi, Mircely, Matt Spetalnick, David Holmes Organizations: Eni, Nigeria International Petroleum Summit, REUTERS, Companies, U.S . State Department, Kuwait Petroleum, Repsol, U.S . Treasury, PDVSA, Perla, Washington, Thomson Locations: Nigeria, Abuja, HOUSTON, Venezuela, Europe, Venezuelan, PDVSA's, Italy's Milazzo, Kuwait, U.S, Spain, Chevron, American, Venezuela's Gulf, Colombia, Milan, Madrid, Maracay, Washington

☆ China's Sinopec's interim profit down 20.1% on lower oil prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Chinese refiners overall benefited from cheap crude oil supplies from Iran, Venezuela and Russia, as Western sanctions forced those producers to sell oil at deep discounts to keep revenue flowing. Although state majors have shied away from Iranian and Venezuelan oil, Sinopec has been taking in Russian supplies, traders have said. Sinopec produced 139.68 million barrels of crude oil during the six months, up 0.02% year on year, while its natural gas output gained 7.6% to 660.88 billion cubic feet. Capital expenditure for the half-year came in at 74.67 billion yuan, versus 64.65 billion yuan a year earlier. Its Hong Kong-listed shares have risen 14.4% year-to-date, outperforming Hang Seng Index (.HSI) which has fallen 10.9% during the period.

Persons: Chris Helgren, Sinopec, Chen Aizhu, Judy Hua, Robert Birsel Organizations: China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, REUTERS, Rights, China Petroleum & Chemical, Sinopec Corp, Thomson Locations: Vancouver , British Columbia, Canada, Iran, Venezuela, Russia, Sichuan, Hong Kong

☆ There are almost 4 million more open roles than job seekers in the U.S. Here's why some economists think the immigration and labor crises are related
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Lindsey Jacobson | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The U.S. had more than 9 million open roles in June, and while that’s down from the peak of 12 million in March 2022, it’s still among the highest number of openings we’ve had since before 2000. With 5.8 million unemployed workers in the U.S., some economists say all of these roles are unlikely to be filled by people currently living in the U.S. Fifty-one percent of Americans surveyed by the Cato Institute worry immigration could reduce the number of jobs available. Hankinson explained the current visa system, specifically in the case of the HB-1 visa, undercuts the skilled labor market by bringing in workers from abroad. Watch the video to learn more about how U.S. immigration policies impact economic growth and how the U.S. can fix it.

Persons: it’s, ” David J, Bier, “, Darrell Bricker, Dany Barah, ” Bahar, ”, Simon Hankinson, Hankinson, It's Organizations: U.S, Cato Institute, CNBC, Cato, Ipsos Public Affairs, Brown University, Occupational Opportunity Network, Heritage Foundation, HB Locations: U.S, United States, Canada, Venezuelan

☆ Opinion: Putin’s virtual bravado, Xi’s big win, and 6 new members. Why this was a summit like no other
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Opinion Michael Bociurkiw | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The move breathes new life into a group set to rival the G7 and brings the world closer to multi-polarity. BRICS leaders could be forgiven for not knowing whether to exhibit exuberance or concern on Wednesday. (Summit host, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, said it should be seen as an accomplishment for the entire BRICS bloc.) Hours later, just as BRICS leaders were sitting down to dinner, news alerts started to steal the show on the crashed private jet said to be carrying Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin. Host South Africa just manages to pull it offThat South Africa managed to pull off hosting the summit is an accomplishment in itself.

Persons: Michael Bociurkiw, Michael Bociurkiw Chrystia, “, —, Xi Jinping, you’ve, Nicolás Maduro, Russia’s, Cyril Ramaphosa, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, couldn’t, Swagger, I’ve, Modi, Vladimir Putin’s, Sergey Lavrov, Lula da Silva, Lula, Vladimir Putin, Michele Spatari, It’s, ” Nontsikelelo, Facebook Xi, Xi, Putin Organizations: Atlantic Council, Organization for Security, Cooperation, CNN, Johannesburg CNN, United Arab, —, for Security, UN, Wagner, Getty, Democratic, Twitter, Facebook, National Congress, ANC Locations: Odesa, Europe, Johannesburg, Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Africa, ”, Beijing, Donbas, Ukraine, AFP, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon

☆ Fact Check-Video shows 2022 floods in Venezuela, not Chile in August 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A widely-shared video of a car and a tree being washed away during floods was shot in Maracay, Venezuela in 2022 not – as many are wrongly saying online - in Santiago, Chile in 2023. Two people died and thousands have been evacuated or left homeless after rains caused flooding in central-southern Chile, Reuters reported on Aug. 21, 2023 (here). Examples of posts wrongly describing the 2022 Venezuela video as a scene from Chile can be seen on Facebook (here) and on messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter (here) (here). A building with the words “Walio Supermercado” (ibb.co/qd4rkgV) can be seen in the background in a longer version of the clip (imgur.com/gallery/yNNfEyf). Video shows floods in Venezuela in October 2022, not Chile in August 2023.

Persons: Read Organizations: Reuters, Facebook Locations: Maracay, Venezuela, Santiago , Chile, Chile, Colombia, Venezuelan, El Castano

Washington has been trying to encourage negotiations between President Nicolas Maduro and the political opposition over elections in Venezuela and other demands. U.S. President Joe Biden's government is prepared to provide Venezuela sanctions relief if the country moves to restore democracy, the White House said on Wednesday. A new round of talks began last November in Mexico including Maduro's representatives, the opposition and U.S. officials, but have shown little progress. The White House declined to comment on the oil sanctions reframing proposal. MORE OIL FOR MORE PEOPLEThe U.S. is this time considering a specific offer to reframe oil sanctions on the country so crude buyers in Europe and other regions also can resume imports of Venezuelan oil in a structured, organized way, the people said.

Persons: Nicolas Maduro, Joe Biden's, Jorge Rodriguez, Biden, Donald Trump, Dinorah Figuera, Rodriguez, Marianna Parraga, Vivian Sequera, Mayela, Timothy Gardner, Diane Craft, Berkrot Organizations: Chevron Corp, U.S, White, National Security Council, U.S . State Department, National Assembly, Mayela Armas, Thomson Locations: CARACAS, WASHINGTON, American, Washington, Venezuela, U.S, United States, Mexico, Europe, China, Iran, Russia, Houston, Caracas

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