Americas
Mexico uncovers 3,000 secret graves hiding bodies of drug war victims | World news
More than 3,000 secret graves containing victims of Mexico’s raging drug wars have been found across the country, according to the first ever official tally of the phenomenon. A total of 4,874 bodies were found at 3,025 sites, and many of the victims have yet to be identified, said Karla Quintana, the head of the …
Brazil will reject $20 million of Amazon fire aid from G7
The chief of staff of Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro said that the country will turn down the money, suggesting that it should be used elsewhere instead, the site reported. “We are thankful, but maybe those resources would be more relevant to reforest Europe,” Onyx Lorenzoni was quoted as saying by G1 Globo late Monday night. …
Bolivia: catastrophic wildfires devastate forest in echo of Brazil’s Amazon crisis | World news
As fires continue to rage in Brazil, nearly a million hectares (6,200 sq miles) of farmland and unique dry forest have been destroyed by weeks of blazes across the border in Bolivia, where the flames have now reached the country’s Amazon region. Initial estimates indicate 600 hectares of rainforest have been destroyed in the north-eastern …
Brazil rejects G7 aid to fight Amazon fires and says nations should ‘reforest Europe’ instead
Brazilian officials say the government will reject more than $22m (£18m) pledged at the G7 summit in Biarritz to help fight raging Amazon wildfires. Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday that the funding would be immediately released, and could be spent on more fire-fighting plane sorties to curb record blazes in the rainforest that have alarmed environmentalists. Brazil …
The Amazon is burning because the world eats so much meat
The vast majority of the fires have been set by loggers and ranchers to clear land for cattle. The practice is on the rise, encouraged by Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s populist pro-business president, who is backed by the country’s so-called “beef caucus.” While this may be business as usual for Brazil’s beef farmers, the rest of …
Macron calls Amazon fires an ‘international crisis’ ahead of G7
“Our house is burning. Literally. The Amazon rain forest – the lungs of our planet which produces 20% of our oxygen – is on fire. It is an international crisis,” Macron tweeted Thursday. “Members of the G7 Summit, let’s discuss this emergency first order in two days!” he said, adding the hashtag #ActForTheAmazon. Brazil’s far-right …
Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro confirms months of secret US talks | World news
Nicolás Maduro has confirmed top Venezuelan officials have been talking to members of Donald Trump’s White House, after reports his second-in-command had been negotiating his downfall with the United States. “I confirm that for months there have been contacts between senior officials from Donald Trump’s government and from the Bolivarian government over which I preside …
Trump shares ‘worst poll in the world’ to claim his approval rating is higher than it is
Donald Trump has shared an opinion poll once described as among the worst surveys on the planet, appearing to show his approval to be much higher than what is shown in more traditional ratings. The online poll, by the firm Zogby, pegs Mr Trump’s approval at 51 per cent— a benchmark that is considerably higher …
America’s Breaking Point, and How We Got Here – Tablet Magazine
This past week found America in a soul-searching mood. Two mass shootings, one in El Paso, Texas, and one in Dayton, Ohio, left 31 dead and scores injured, and an aching nation demanded answers as to what, or who, was to blame for this chaotic, unsettling state of affairs. Some looked to President Trump, others …
Argentina opposition on way to defeating Macri in primary after major upset
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Argentine voters soundly rejected President Mauricio Macri’s austere economic policies in primary elections on Sunday, casting serious doubt on his chances of re-election in October, early official results showed. Argentina’s incumbent President and presidential candidate Mauricio Macri is seen on stage during the primary elections, at a convention centre in Buenos …
