In Washington, Zelenskiy courts Congress, Biden on military aid
Washington DC, USReuters US President Joe Biden assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Thursday that strong US support for his war to repel Russian invaders will be maintained despite opposition from some Republican lawmakers to sending billions more in aid. Biden and Zelenskiy held a war council in the White House East Room as part […]
El Salvador backs mass trials for thousands held in crime crackdown
San Salvador, El SalvadorReuters El Salvador’s Congress on Wednesday approved group trials for the tens of thousands of people arrested during President Nayib Bukele’s crackdown on criminal gangs, which has given the country one of the world’s highest incarceration rates. The legislation will allow prosecutors to simultaneously try up to hundreds of people alleged to […]
Peru’s Congress fails to agree over holding early elections
Lima, PeruReuters Peru’s Congress on Wednesday rejected a proposal to move elections forward to December, 2023, despite nearly two months of protests that have left dozens dead following the ousting of former President Pedro Castillo. Lawmakers will continue debating a different proposal to hold early elections, a key demand of the protesters. But Peru’s Congress […]
Lula to purge Bolsonaro loyalists from Brazilian security forces after rampage
Brasilia, Brazil Reuters Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Thursday that security force members were complicit in letting an anti-government mob ransack the seat of power in Brasilia, and promised to weed out hardcore supporters of his predecessor. The task of screening out those actors will be complex, his senior aides said, […]
Essay: What now for Brazil? President Lula strengthened, but Bolsonaro supporters won’t go quietly
In an article first published on The Conversation, DEBORAH BARROS LEAL FARIAS, of UNSW Sydney, looks, in the wake of Sunday’s riots in Brasilia, at what next for the South American nation…
Updated: Bolsonaro in Florida hospital; over 1,500 supporters detained after Brasilia riots
Updated: 11:15am (AEST)Brasilia, Brazil Reuters Far-right former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was admitted to a hospital in Florida on Monday as more than 1,500 of his supporters were rounded up in Brasilia after storming the capital over the weekend. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a leftist who took office on Jan. 1 after defeating […]
Peru ministers resign after protest deaths as new government wobbles
Lima, PeruReuters Pressure rose on Peru’s fledgling government Friday as two cabinet members resigned following deadly protests that have rocked the country since former President Pedro Castillo’s removal from office and arrest last week. Education Minister Patricia Correa and Culture Minister Jair Perez announced their resignations on Twitter, citing the deaths of individuals during the […]
US faith leaders urge lawmakers to pass expanded child tax credit
Washington DC, US RNS Faith leaders joined members of US Congress on Capitol Hill on Thursday to voice support for the expansion of the child tax credit, urging lawmakers to reinstate a broader version of the anti-poverty benefit before the end of the year. “For many of us, this is a season of miracles – […]
Peru explodes into fiery protest as anger over political crises ignites; at least seven dead
Lima, Peru Reuters As Peru careers from one political crisis to another, the country has exploded in protest, with at least seven dead in the last week and the smoke of fires and tear gas hanging over city streets. A way out seems distant. The spark of the current unrest was the ouster and arrest […]
Peru’s new President pledges early elections; three die in protests
Lima, PeruReuters Peru’s new President said early on Monday she would submit a bill to Congress to bring general elections forward by two years, after the ouster of her predecessor sparked protests that have left at least three dead. President Dina Boluarte was sworn in last week after former President Pedro Castillo was sacked by […]