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☆ Mexico seeks diplomatic arrangements to return LatAm migrants
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] Agents from Mexico's National Institute of Migration (INM) carry out an operation on the banks of the Rio Bravo river, the border between Mexico and the United States, in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico October 5, 2023. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez Acquire Licensing RightsMEXICO CITY, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Mexico's national migration institute (INM) on Friday said it has asked the foreign ministry to make diplomatic arrangements with Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela for the countries to accept migrant return flights. In the last three weeks, more than 27,000 migrants have been "persuaded to get down from trains," INM said in a statement. INM said it sought help from the ministry so that Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela would accept "assisted returns via air." INM also said it had hired charter planes and buses to transport migrants within Mexico, as well as to their home countries.

Persons: Jose Luis Gonzalez, INM, Diego Ore, Brendan O'Boyle, Beth Solomon, Isabel Woodford Organizations: Mexico's National Institute of Migration, REUTERS, MEXICO CITY, Thomson Locations: Rio Bravo, Mexico, United States, Ciudad Juarez, MEXICO, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, U.S

☆ As US and Mexico seek more migrant deportation flights, Venezuelans press on
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Elida Moreno | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

On Thursday, the U.S. said it was restarting deportations of Venezuelans who cross the U.S.-Mexico border unlawfully. Mexico, on Friday, said it was seeking to return migrants to Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela. A record of 417,000 migrants have crossed the Darien Gap this year, more than double the number in all of last year. "Crossing the Darien is hell," said Panama President Laurentino Crotizo in a statement, after touring the area via plane with Costa Rica counterpart Rodrigo Chaves. In the last three weeks, more than 27,000 migrants have been "persuaded to get down from trains," INM said.

Persons: Laurentino Cortizo, Rodrigo Chaves, Lajas, Sherly, Kelvin Romero, Laurentino Crotizo, Ana Cordova, INM, Elida Moreno, Valentine Hilare, Beth Solomon, Stephen Eisenhammer, Sandra Maler Organizations: Costa Rica, REUTERS Acquire, Migration Institute, Ore, Thomson Locations: Panama, Costa, Darien province, U.S, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Cuba, Nicaragua, Darien, Costa Rica, Venezuelan, Meteti, Mexico City

☆ Number of migrants crossing Panama's Darien Gap surpasses 400,000 to record high
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Elida Moreno | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The year-to-date figure of 402,300 migrants is almost double the number for the whole of 2022. The United Nations had estimated in April that the number of migrants for the entire year would be 400,000. Most of the migrants traversing the dangerous stretch of jungle are Venezuelans, with others from Ecuador, Haiti and other countries, Panama's security ministry has said. These measures follow a two-month program launched in April by the United States, Panama and Colombia to tackle undocumented immigration. Some African and Cuban migrants and asylum seekers heading to the United States told Reuters they were flying into Nicaragua to bypass the perils of the Darien Gap.

Persons: Adri, Rodrigo Chaves, Biden, Elida Moreno, Valentine Hilaire, Miral Organizations: REUTERS, PANAMA CITY, United Nations, Reuters, Thomson Locations: U.S, Acandi, Colombia, PANAMA, Panama, United States, Ecuador, Haiti, Costa Rica, Darien, Mexico, Nicaragua

☆ Mexico disperses thousands of migrants to ease pressure on southern border
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Jose Torres | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TAPACHULA, Mexico, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Mexico moved to disperse a major build-up of migrants on its southern border with Guatemala by transporting thousands into nearby towns and setting up a camp to relieve pressure on local authorities, the government said on Tuesday. The National Migration Institute (INM) said it deployed 189 buses and 73 vans to move over 8,000 migrants from the southern city of Tapachula to other parts of the state of Chiapas and the southern states of Veracruz and Tabasco. Nevertheless, on Tuesday morning, thousands of people were still waiting outside COMAR's Tapachula offices, as migrants continued to cross the Suchiate River from Guatemala into Mexico, according to a Reuters witness. [1/8]Asylum seekers cross the Rio Grande river to finish their journey through Mexico to Eagle Pass, in Texas, U.S. as seen from Piedras Negras, Mexico, September 26, 2023. Discussing the railway concerns with U.S. officials at the end of the week, Mexico said the two sides had agreed on a series of measures to tackle the challenge.

Persons: Daniel Becerril, Biden, Jose Torres, Dave Graham, Grant McCool Organizations: Migration Institute, Mexican Commission, Aid, Refugees, National Migration Institute, REUTERS, U.S, Thomson Locations: TAPACHULA, Mexico, Guatemala, Tapachula, Chiapas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Eagle, Texas, U.S, Piedras Negras, United States, Venezuela, Brazil, Nicaragua, Colombia

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s top diplomat, Alicia Bárcena, said Friday that President Andrés Manuel López Obrador wants to travel to Washington D.C. in early November to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden about immigration, development aid and drug trafficking. Bárcena's comments came just a day after López Obrador announced he will skip the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November in San Francisco because his country “has no relations” with Peru. López Obrador previously claimed Peru’s current government was installed by a coup and that he still considers ousted president Pedro Castillo to be the country’s legitimate leader. It would not be the first time that López Obrador has skipped international meetings in the United States because of who else was or wasn’t invited. Last year, he skipped the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles because Nicaragua and Venezuela were not invited.

Persons: — Mexico’s, Alicia Bárcena, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Joe Biden, Bárcena, Greg Abbott, Abbott, Venezuela “, Bárcena's, López Obrador, “, Pedro Castillo Organizations: MEXICO CITY, Washington D.C, U.S, Texas Gov, Venezuela, Economic Cooperation Locations: MEXICO, Washington, Mexico, Mexico’s, Darien, Colombia, Panama, New York, Ciudad Juarez, El Paso , Texas, Rio, Mexican, Tapachula, Guatemala, Mexico City, China, Asia, San Francisco, Peru, United States, Americas, Los Angeles, Nicaragua, Venezuela

☆ Mexico president defends Russia participation in military parade
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador waves as he travels from Oaxaca to Veracruz on board the "Tren Transistmico" passenger train during its first test trip, in southern Mexico September 17, 2023. Ukraine's ambassador to Mexico, opposition politicians and critical media blasted the decision to allow a Russian unit to participate on Saturday, but Lopez Obrador said Mexico had allowed any country to join in. Lopez Obrador, a leftist, has sought to keep Mexico neutral in the war between Russia and Ukraine, at one point proposing peace talks. Ukraine's ambassador to Mexico, Oksana Dramaretska, said on X that the parade had been "sullied" by the participation of a Russian unit which she said was "stained with blood." "Long live the friendship between Mexico and Russia!," the Russian embassy said on X.

Persons: Andres Manuel Lopez, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Lopez Obrador, Russia's, Oksana Dramaretska, Mr, Dramaretska, Daniel Ortega, Ortega, Xochitl Galvez, Valentine Hilaire, Raul Cortes Fernandez, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Thomson Locations: Oaxaca, Veracruz, Mexico, MEXICO, Russian, Ukraine, Russia, Brazil, Chile, China, Venezuela, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Cuba, Nicaragua

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

☆ Insider Today: Your knockoff's hidden cost
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Tech: What could become of VMware employees when Broadcom's acquisition closes. What could become of VMware employees when Broadcom's acquisition closes. AdvertisementAdvertisementSo, instead of visiting the company's website, you head to one of the many e-commerce sites offering knockoffs. 3 things in techRaghu Raghuram VMwareLeaked email: The fate of VMware employees as Broadcom acquisition closes. The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, senior editor and anchor, in New York City.

Persons: Sen, Mitt Romney, Chelsea Jia Feng, Insider's Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins, Counterfeits, Birkin, Dow Jones, Michael M, Ray Dalio, Raghu, —, chatbot, Brooks Kraft, Vivek, crowdfunding, Joe Raedle, JW Anderson, Molly Goddard, Julia Pugachevsky, Dan DeFrancesco, Naga Siu, Hallam Bullock, Lisa Ryan Organizations: Service, Tech, VMware, Yorkers, Bridgewater Associates, Broadcom, Apple, Brooks Kraft LLC, Burberry, Riot Fest Chicago, Foo Fighters, Postal Service, Cutie, Happy National Hispanic, Costa Rica Blue Locations: Wall, Silicon, New York, Queens, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Spain, New York City, San Diego, London

☆ Rubiales kiss 'spoiled' Spain's celebrations, says FIFA's Infantino
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

FIFA’s president Gianni Infantino speaks during a news conference at the Nicaragua National Football stadium, in Managua, Nicaragua August 29, 2022. REUTERS/Maynor Valenzuela/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 1 (Reuters) - FIFA President Gianni Infantino said Luis Rubiales "spoiled" the Spanish team's celebrations at the Women's World Cup by kissing player Jenni Hermoso on the lips. "The well-deserved celebrations for these magnificent champions were spoiled by what happened after the final whistle," Infantino, who was at the presentation, wrote on Instagram on Thursday. "The disciplinary proceedings will continue their legitimate course. On our side, we should continue to focus on how to further support women and women's football in future, both on and off the pitch."

Persons: Gianni Infantino, Maynor Valenzuela, Luis Rubiales, Jenni Hermoso, Rubiales, Hermoso, Infantino, Instagram, Jorge Vilda, Hritika Sharma, Peter Rutherford Organizations: Nicaragua National Football, REUTERS, FIFA, Spanish, Thomson Locations: Managua, Nicaragua, Hyderabad

☆ I rented month-long Airbnb stays in 6 different cities before settling in San Diego. Doing a test run in each city made my decision easy.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

She tried living in six cities: Nashville, Austin, Chattanooga, Montreal, Toronto, and San Diego. I ended up renting month-long stays in Airbnbs in Nashville, Austin, Chattanooga, Montreal, Toronto, and San Diego. What it was like in San DiegoMy employer was hosting a company-wide event in San Diego, our US headquarters, the first week of January 2023. AdvertisementAdvertisementI planned to stay in San Diego after the event for my next Airbnb jaunt from January 9 to mid-February. I was always curious about San Diego and had heard that many Bostonians end up moving there and loving it.

Persons: Sophie London, Lewis, It's, I've, COVID, I'm, I'd, Taylor, NoogaNightlife.com, jaunt, pang, — Organizations: San Diego ., Service, Austin Nashville, Austin, Nashville, London, Toronto, Film, Chattanooga Locations: San Diego, Nashville, Austin, Chattanooga, Montreal, Toronto, Wall, Silicon, San Diego , California, Massachusetts, Boston, Airbnbs, Nashville , Austin, After London, Montreal In Montreal, London, Tennessee, Nicaragua, Diego, Balboa

☆ Russia has lost more than 2,200 tanks in Ukraine, and it may be reaching the limit of its ability to 'rebuild' older ones
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( David Hambling | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Russia has lost more than 2,200 main battle tanks since invading Ukraine in February last year. Russian storage depots are deep, but they don't have an unlimited supply of armor to throw into a new fight. In fact, Russia is rebuilding tanks rather than building them, and their capacity to do so may be reaching its limit. Russia has vast stockpiles of old tanks, from T-90s barely 20 years old to rusting T-62s from the 1960s. More importantly, Russia's supply of old tanks for rebuilding is showing signs of running down.

Persons: Alexander Zemlianichenko, Stalin, UVZ, Sergio Miller, Abrams, ANATOLII STEPANOV, Shoigu, Putin's, Dmitry Medvedev, OLGA MALTSEVA, Jakub Janovsky, Medvedev, Nobody, Putin, David Hambling Organizations: Service, Russia, Victory Day, AP, Stalin Ural Tank, British Army, Sierra Army, Omsk Transport Machine Factory, —, Getty, Defence, Moscow Times, Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant, Aviation, Forbes, The, New, Popular Mechanics, WIRED Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, AP Russia, Nizhny Tagil, Moscow, Stalin Ural, Doyle , California, Omsk, St Petersburg, Siberia, Venezuela, Vietnam, Nicaragua, Russian, Rostov, Izyum, AFP, OmskTransMash, Laos, St . Petersburg, Buryatia, Mongolia, Urals, USSR, Germany, Kremlin, London

☆ World Jesuit leader condemns Nicaragua government closure of university
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Philip Pullella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] A guard mans the access to the Jesuit Central American University (UCA) in Managua, Nicaragua August 16, 2023. REUTERS/Stringer Acquire Licensing RightsAug 18 (Reuters) - The superior general of the worldwide Jesuit religious order has condemned the closure of its university in Nicaragua as part of a government attempt to "suffocate" the Catholic Church and civic institutions in the Central American country. The United States has condemned the confiscation of the assets of the Central American University (UCA) as a further erosion of democracy. The government's action against UCA, other Catholic institutions and civic organisations, was aimed at "suffocating, closing or appropriating them", Sosa said. Vatican officials see the oppression of the Church in Nicaragua as one of the worst since the Cold War, when many communist countries in Eastern Europe persecuted the Church.

Persons: Stringer, Father Arturo Sosa, Sosa, Father Jose Domingo Cuesta, Daniel Ortega, Arturo, Philip Pullella, Christian Schmollinger, Robert Birsel Organizations: Jesuit Central American University, UCA, REUTERS, Catholic Church, Central American, order's Central, Reuters, The United, Central American University, Nicaraguan, Central America, Nicaragua's Catholic Church, Thomson Locations: Managua, Nicaragua, The United States, Rome, Venezuelan, Eastern Europe, Antonio

☆ Latin Americans fall prey to more online scams as cybersecurity lags
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Carolina Pulice | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Online scams in Brazil jumped 65% last year to over 200,000, according to data from the Brazilian Public Security Yearbook published last month. And across Latin America, online frauds and cyberattacks are at an "all-time high," says cybersecurity company Tenable, posing an urgent problem for a well-connected region. "Latin America is a priority target because it has a very connected population, which means that they are always exposed," said Claudio Martinelli, managing director for Latin America for Kaspersky. In a ranking of 93 countries on cyberthreat risks compiled by fraud prevention software SEON, nine of the 10 Latin American countries were ranked in the bottom half. Three Latin American countries - Honduras, Nicaragua and Venezuela - were seen among the 10 countries with the highest risks for cyberthreats.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Gabriella Batalha didn't, Batalha, Kerry, Ann Barrett, Barrett, Claudio Martinelli, SEON, Tenable, Ransomware, Marcos Simplicio, Carolina Pulice, Brendan O'Boyle, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, MEXICO CITY, YouTube, Brazilian Public Security, International Telecommunication Union, Organization of American States, America, Kaspersky, Costa, University of Sao, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, Instagram, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, America, Latin America, Caribbean, Peru, Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, Venezuela, University of Sao Paulo

☆ Nicaragua freezes bank accounts of top university led by Jesuits - source
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Ismael Lopez | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Aug 9 (Reuters) - Nicaraguan authorities froze the bank accounts of the country's top private university, a source from the institution told Reuters, marking the latest move against a Catholic-led institution in an ongoing crackdown by the government. The Jesuit-run Central American University (UCA) is the alma mater of many youth leaders who protested the government of President Daniel Ortega in 2018, which were initially triggered by old-age pension cuts. Earlier on Wednesday, digital news outlet Divergentes reported that UCA officials sent an email to staff and students advising that they were not receiving any payments due to reasons beyond their control. In May, authorities also froze bank accounts belonging to Catholic parishes across the country as prosecutors launched what they called a money laundering investigation. The university had already been singled out for budget cuts and its leaders targeted, including UCA rector and Jesuit priest Jose Idiaquez who last year was barred from returning to Nicaragua after traveling to Mexico.

Persons: Daniel Ortega, Bishop Rolando Alvarez, Ortega, Jose Idiaquez, Ismael Lopez, Sarah Morland, David Alire Garcia, Michael Perry Organizations: Nicaraguan, Reuters, Catholic, Central American University, UCA, Sandinista, Thomson Locations: Nicaragua, Mexico

☆ The Sea Captain Who Ran From Abraham Lincoln
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Dorothy Wickenden | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

SHIPWRECKED: A True Civil War Story of Mutinies, Jailbreaks, Blockade-Running, and the Slave Trade, by Jonathan W. WhiteWho was Appleton Oaksmith? One contemporary described him as a “good seaman, & a bold & daring officer.” His enemies, President Abraham Lincoln among them, judged him a scoundrel and a traitor. As a young seafaring adventurer in the 1850s, Oaksmith armed mercenaries in Nicaragua and joined the liberation movement in Cuba. After Lincoln took office, in 1861, Oaksmith became a shipping agent, outfitting old whaling ships. Whaling was in decline, so, it was assumed, the people who bought and fitted whalers were likely slavers.

Persons: Jonathan W, White, Appleton, ”, Abraham Lincoln, Lincoln, Oaksmith Organizations: Slave, Tammany Hall Democrat, Whaling Locations: Jailbreaks, Nicaragua, Cuba, North

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ 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

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

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