Podcast appearances and mentions of bernardo arevalo

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 214-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 21,341 on turnover of 5.5-billion N-T. The main board gained ground on Tuesday despite large-cap semiconductor stocks losing some early gains amid ongoing investor concerns over the U-S' tariff policies. Market watchers say although the index staged a technical rebound from Monday's downturn, investors remain cautious about the U-S introducing possible tariffs on semiconductors. Guatemala president to be in Taiwan Wednesday before heading to Japan Guatemala's President Bernardo Arevalo is visiting Taiwan today. It is his first visit to Taiwan since taking office in 2024 and the trip is part of an Asian tour that will also take him to Japan. Arevalo has said the trip to Taiwan is aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and attracting foreign investment, and he will be meeting with President Lai Ching-te. The Guatemalan president is being accompanied (陪伴) during his visit by the country's economics and foreign ministers as well as his wife. Digital ministry to order social media firms to publish transparency reports Digital Minister Huang Yen-nan says Meta, LINE, TikTok and Google will be required to publish transparency (透明性，公開處理) reports before the end of the year as part of government-led efforts to combat fraud. According to Huang, the move means the four companies will be subject to formal regulatory supervision. Huang says the companies submitted fraud prevention plans in May. The transparency reports are part of the Fraud Crime Hazard Prevention Act, which took effect at the end of July of last year. It means that social media companies must verify the identities of advertisers and sponsors, create fraud prevention plans, and remove any fraudulent advertisements within a set timeframe after receiving a notification from authorities. Family of flamethrower attack suspect detained The family of the man accused of carrying out an "antisemitic attack" with a makeshift (暫時代替，臨時湊合) flamethrower in the US state of Colorado has been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem confirmed the news on Tuesday. Nick Harper reports from Washington. Brazil Affirmative Action Law Signed Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has signed a new law to expand the country's affirmative action policies. The law signed on Tuesday increases the quota for government jobs reserved for Blacks from 20% to 30% and adds Indigenous people and descendants of Afro-Brazilian enslaved people to the group of beneficiaries. The changes apply to permanent (長久的，永久的) and public employment positions across Brazil's federal administration, agencies, public foundations, public companies and mixed-capital companies run by the government. As approved by Congress, the quota will be revised in 2035. Brazil's government said 55% of the country's population is made up of Black or mixed-race people. It added that more than 70% of Brazilians living below the poverty line are also Black or mixed race, while only 1% of people from those ethnicities are in leadership positions in the private sector. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 新鮮事、新奇事、新故事《一銀陪你聊“新”事》 第一銀行打造公股銀行首創ESG Podcast頻道上線啦 由知名主持人阿Ken與多位名人來賓進行對談 邀請您一起落實永續發展 讓永續未來不再只是想像 各大收聽平台搜尋：ㄧ銀陪你聊新事 https://sofm.pse.is/7qk76c -- 「親家JIA」19-27坪，全新落成，坐擁大安核心門牌。 350公尺達忠孝復興站，直通市府、機場、車站，850公尺接建國高架。 四大百貨、綠廊公園環繞，七分鐘生活圈涵蓋大潤發與市場，便利質感兼具。 城市菁英嚮往的私藏寓所，首選「親家JIA」，即刻入主 02-2772-6188。 https://sofm.pse.is/7qmry6 -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Kate Adie presents stories from Ukraine, Serbia, Guatemala, Kenya and the Philippines.Diplomatic efforts to end the fighting in Ukraine are continuing after initial attempts to secure a ceasefire stalled. Russia has refused to support a US-led plan for a 30-day ceasefire and demanded talks about its red lines first. James Landale has been in Kyiv where he says hopes are fading for any meaningful victory.Serbia saw its largest ever protest last weekend in the capital, Belgrade. Demonstrators blame corruption and corner-cutting by the ruling party for lives lost after a railway station collapsed last year. There have been several resignations, but the protests have only gathered momentum. Guy De Launey has been in Belgrade.Guatemala is notorious for endemic corruption. For years, state funds ended up in the pockets of a powerful elite known as “the pact of the corrupt." In the last election, political underdog Bernardo Arevalo defied the odds and won power on an anti-corruption platform. But some are growing impatient with his lack of progress, finds Jane Chambers.Between 2020 and 2022, the Horn of Africa suffered its worst drought in at least 40 years. The UN has thrown its support behind an initiative to help farmers fight drought through early warning systems. Peter Yeung has been to Kenya to find out more.President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested in Manila last week and flown to the Hague. There, he faces charges of crimes against humanity over his deadly ‘war on drugs.' During his term, thousands of small-time drug dealers and users were killed without trial. Tim Mansel recalls an illuminating meeting with a priest and a pathologist.Series Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Max Deveson Production Coordinators: Katie Morrison & Sophie Hill

Ce mercredi (19 mars 2025), la colère a grondé dans les hauteurs de Port-au-Prince. Excédés par l'insécurité grandissante et l'inaction des autorités en place, des milliers de citoyens venus de Canapé-Vert, Pacot et Debussy, des quartiers qui subissent les assauts des gangs, ont investi les rues, bravant la peur pour exiger des réponses. « Les bandits m'empêchent de vivre dans mon propre pays. Je ne peux pas l'accepter. Qu'ils viennent me tirer dessus là, dans la rue. Mais je n'accepterai pas de mourir chez moi comme un lâche », estime ce jeune Haïtien rencontré par Peterson Luxama à Port-au-Prince.Frustrés, les manifestants ont scandé des slogans dénonçant l'impuissance du gouvernement face à la terreur imposée par les gangs.Ces manifestants se disent prêts à se battre pour retrouver le droit de vivre en sécurité dans une capitale, dont la chute parait de plus en plus probable. « Ils veulent nous chasser du pays. Mais nous, nous n'avons nulle part où aller. Nous n'avons ni mère, ni père, ni personne à l'étranger sur qui compter. Notre seul refuge, c'est notre pays, et nous n'acceptons de le livrer aux gangs », assène cet autre manifestant.La foule a progressé pour atteindre les lieux de pouvoir mais ils ont buté sur un grand dispositif de sécurité. Ils ont été accueillis par des tirs en l'air et des gaz lacrymogènes : les policiers ont répondu à la détresse populaire par la force. Les forces de l'ordre semblent plus prompts à étouffer les revendications qu'à combattre l'insécurité qui gangrène la capitale.Pour Frantz Duval, rédacteur en chef du Nouvelliste, « les Haïtiens jusqu'à présents subissaient et ne se plaignaient pas, mais hier c'était la foule des grands jours. » Les quartiers concernés par ces rassemblements ce mercredi « sont les derniers de Port-au-Prince où les gangs n'ont pas encore pénétrés ». Pour l'éditorialiste, il s'agit d'un « sursaut qui s'adresse à la fois aux forces de l'ordre pour leur apporter du soutien mais surtout pour déplorer le fait que les autorités n'ont même pas un mot pour ce qu'il se passe dans la région métropolitaine depuis quelques jours ».Frantz Duval nous parle également de la compagnie Aruba Airlines qui a décidé d'annuler les vols réguliers qui étaient prévus, à partir de mardi prochain (25 mars 2025), entre Port-au-Prince et Miami. 2 mois après son arrivée à la Maison Blanche, Donald Trump est il une menace pour la démocratie ? L'heure d'un premier bilan a déjà sonné : en deux mois de présidence, le président américain qui gouverne par décrets a déjà fait beaucoup d'annonces, pris beaucoup de décisions, souvent contestées et la question se pose : Donald Trump est-il une menace pour la démocratie ? C'est une question qui revient de plus, aux États-Unis mais aussi ailleurs dans le monde. Achim Lippold s'est penché sur la question et estime que rien ne semble freiner Donald Trump. Le président américain qui gouverne agit à un rythme effréné en contournant les institutions et en remettant en cause l'état de droit. Le président américain passe en force même devant les magistrats qui contestent certaines de ses décisions. Pour preuve, le bras de fer qu'il a engagé avec un juge qui lui a ordonné de ne pas expulser plus de 200 Vénézuéliens, membres présumés d'un gang, vers le Salvador.Donald Trump qui effectue également une véritable purge dans l'administration avec des milliers de fonctionnaires licenciés, des agences fédérales fermées, même celles censées être indépendantes.Dans le «Project 2025», un programme ultra-conservateur de 900 pages conçu par ses proches en 2023,on trouvait déjà l'idée de démanteler l'administration fédérale et de remplacer les fonctionnaires par des personnes loyales à Donald Trump. Le Project 2025 propose aussi de s'attaquer à la culture «woke» et de bannir les personnes transgenres de l'armée. Une mesure que Donald Trump a déjà prise, bien que suspendue par la justice.Il s'attaque aussi à un autre pilier de la démocratie : la presse.Le président américain a licencié une grande partie des journalistes de Voice of America, une radio publique créée pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale pour promouvoir la démocratie. Il accuse CNN de «couverture illégale» et limite l'accès de l'agence de presse AP à la Maison Blanche.Une chose est sûre : rien ne semble l'arrêter dans sa volonté de tester les limites de la démocratie. Au Congrès, sa majorité républicaine est docile. Quant aux démocrates, ils sont inaudibles. Reste la justice et la société civile. Mais seront-elles assez fortes pour freiner le virage autoritaire du président américain ? Floride : le gouverneur de Santis « plus MAGA que Trump »El Pais parle d'un soutien du président américain, le gouverneur de la Floride, Ron DeSantis quis'efforce à rendre la Floride «plus MAGA que Trump», titre le journal.Pour preuve, ce dernier a créé son propre Département d'État pour l'efficacité gouvernementale « inspiré et calqué sur le DOGE dirigé par Elon Musk ».Le gouverneur de Floride a aussi approuvé une loi très dure ciblant les immigrants illégaux qui a fait grincer des dents même côté républicains et dans un élan populiste, a proposé de supprimer l'impôt foncier ce qui le met dans la droite ligne du locataire de la Maison Blanche.Ron DeSantis a toujours été comme « emprisonné dans l'ombre de Donald Trump », estime El Pais. Sa mesure la plus spectaculaire restant celle contre l'immigration, la nouvelle législation alourdit les peines pour tous les crimes commis par les immigrants illégaux, y compris la peine de mort pour les délinquants de premier degré, et crée un nouveau délit : l'entrée illégale sur le territoire américain. Une législation jugée inconstitutionnelle.Certaines villes de Floride comme South Miami se demandent si elles doivent se plier à cette politique ultra répressive ou résister explique le Miami Herald, au risque de voir leurs subventions fédérales fondre comme neige au soleil. Salvador : une vidéo des prisonniers Vénézuéliens vue 39 millions de fois en 3 joursLe New York Times diffuse dans son édition du jour une vidéo de propagande du Salvador, où les 238 Vénézuéliens expulsés des États-Unis vers le pays ont les mains et les pieds entravés par des chaînes. Ils sont extirpés de l'avion qui les emmène au Salvador, et conduit à bord de véhicules blindés au Cecot, la prison de haute sécurité que le gouvernement du président Bukele a construite pour incarcérer les membres de gangs.On les tire par les cheveux, puis on leur rase le crâne avant qu'ils ne soient conduits tête baissée en cellule par des hommes encagoulés. Ces migrants sont accusés par le président Trump de faire partie du gang Tren de Aragua, mais certaines familles de détenus ont démenti ces informations.La vidéo de 3 minutes a été vue 39 millions de fois en 3 jours révèle le NY Times, et ce procédé n'est pas nouveau. Le président Bukele, qui est un ancien publicitaire, a déjà eu recours à ce type de vidéos pour mettre en avant sa politique répressive contre les gangs. On y voit des mises en scènes humiliantes et déshumanisantes lors d'arrestations ou d'emprisonnements. Pour preuve, cette autre vidéo de 2023 des autorités de Salvador, que diffuse le journal, et qui montre des prisonniers alignés, torse nu et accroupis. La caméra fait un travelling au-dessus d'eux, on aperçoit leurs têtes rasées et leurs tatouages, ils se ressemblent tous, comme s'ils n'avaient plus de statut, comme s'ils n'étaient plus des êtres humains. Bolivie : inflation, pénurie de dollars et de carburant provoquent la colère de la population. Des manifestations ont eu lieu ce mercredi (19 mars 2025) à La Paz, contre la crise économique en Bolivie. «Le gouvernement a déjà pris des mesures mais jusqu'à présent, il n'y a eu aucune amélioration, c'est presque une blague. Nous, ce qu'on demande, c'est de vraies solutions», estime ce manifestant rencontré par Nils Sabin. Son reportage est à écouter dans son intégralité dans la version audio de ce podcast. Guatemala : le président Arevalo suspend l'assurance obligatoire pour les véhicules à moteurAu Guatemala, après deux jours de manifestations violentes, le président Bernardo Arevalo a cédé aux demandes des opposants àun décret obligeant les conducteurs de véhicules à moteur à souscrire une assurance responsabilité civile. Les accidents de la route sont la principale cause de décès dans le pays, bien au-dessus de la criminalité. En février, un accident d'autocar a fait 54 morts. La Prensa Libre reprend l'allocution du président guatémaltèque où il dit comprendre le malaise de la population. Les opposants au texte ont mis en avant la situation économique du pays où la pauvreté frappe 60 % de la population.  L'actualité des outre-merOdan Ajiali de la 1ère revient sur le déménagement d'une partie des habitants d'un village de Martinique en raison de l'érosion et de la montée du niveau de la mer.

"Why are there never coup attempts inside the United States?" an old joke among left-wing activists in Latin America goes. "Because there is no U.S. embassy there." It's a reference to U.S. actions during the Cold War to undermine democratically elected governments across the region, including Guatemalan President Jacobo Arbenz in the 1950s and Chilean President Salvador Allende in the 1970s. Under the auspices of fighting communism, Washington backed right-wing military coups and dictatorships throughout the hemisphere. As late as the 1980s, Jeanne Kirkpatrick - a foreign policy adviser to then-President Ronald Reagan who later served as his ambassador to the United Nations - issued a defense of authoritarian regimes that she believed helped to protect their populations from even worse revolutionary ideologies. But the joke was outdated even before January 2021, when then-U.S. President Donald Trump tried to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. In fact, over recent decades, the view of the United States as a defender of authoritarianism, at least in Latin America, has become an anachronism. Eventually, Washington lent support to the Concertacion coalition that defeated then-dictator Augusto Pinochet at the polls and led to the reestablishment of democracy in Chile in 1990. And in 2001, the U.S. backed the Inter-American Democratic Charter, which clearly states in its opening that "[t]he peoples of the Americas have a right to democracy and their governments have an obligation to promote and defend it," while promising to remove nondemocratic governments from various hemispheric institutions. More recently, perhaps the top three achievements of former President Joe Biden's policies in Latin America all came in defense of democracy. His administration supported a democratic transition in Honduras in 2021 after Xiomara Castro defeated the ruling National Party's candidate in the country's presidential election that year. Washington then had outgoing President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who had stolen Honduras' 2017 presidential election, extradited on drug-trafficking charges so he could no longer interfere in domestic politics. A year later, Biden's team pressured Brazil's military leadership to stay clear of a coup attempt led by outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro after Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won that country's presidential election in 2022. And the Biden team safeguarded an incredibly difficult presidential transition in Guatemala at the end of 2023 to ensure that President Bernardo Arevalo took office, overcoming the efforts of that country's corrupt elites to keep him from power. The U.S. record is far from perfect, and this column will no doubt provoke responses detailing the many wrongs Washington has committed in the region in recent years. But the U.S. really did shift toward a more pro-democracy stance in Latin America since the end of the Cold War. As part of that shift, the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, funded numerous local NGOs that promoted human rights and anti-corruption efforts. The National Endowment for Democracy - a government-funded semi-autonomous organization - backed training for political parties and civil society that contributed to grassroots civic activism at the heart of democratic values, winning NED the hatred of authoritarian leaders who viewed those efforts as a violation of their sovereignty. Various other U.S. agencies also provide grants for research and think tank work that is critical to policy debates in the region. All those efforts go beyond the specific episodes, such as those by the Biden administration, when the U.S. government backed a democratic movement at a critical moment. They were cooked into U.S. policy in nearly every country. That is not to say that U.S. support is the only thing sustaining democracy in Latin America. Democracy can't be imposed from abroad. The biggest efforts come from the people of Latin America, who work to impr...

In this podcast episode WOLA's Central America Director, Ana María Méndez Dardón, reflects on Bernardo Arevalo's first year in office, as January 14, 2025 marks one year since the inauguration that followed his unexpected election. As we discussed with Ana María in a podcast episode shortly after his inauguration, Bernardo Arevalo and his Semilla party had a very difficult time reaching inauguration day, notably due to active obstruction from Guatemala's traditional, ruling elites, including the Attorney General's Office. While citizen mobilization, largely indigenous groups' mobilization, made it possible for Arevalo to democratically take office, the difficulties he and his party faced back then have remained, making it difficult to govern and, in turn, negatively affecting his popularity due to unmet expectations. Three prominent obstacles that the Arevalo administration will continue to face from his first year to his second, Ana María highlights, are the office of the Attorney General and the powerful presence of other known corrupt actors within the government; the instability of his cabinet paired with a small presence of his party in Congress; and the powerful private sector's ties to corrupt elite groups. The Attorney General's office has played an active role in blocking access to justice and promoting the persecution and criminalization of those who have been key to anti-corruption and human rights efforts, while maintaining the threat of forcibly removing Arevalo from office. Although Attorney General Consuelo Porras was sanctioned by the United States, along with 42 other countries, for significant corruption, Arevalo has determined that removing her would violate constitutional norms. (Her term ends in May 2026.) Ana María also notes alliances that Porras has cultivated with members of the U.S. Republican Party.  Despite the obstacles, Ana María notes possibilities for growth, including the launch of an alternative business association, a new national anti-extortion effort, and negotiation efforts with Congress. Ana María also touches on the U.S.-Guatemala bilateral relationship during the Biden administration and expectations for the Trump-Arevalo relationship. During the Biden administration, it was evident that security and economic issues were top priorities, with notable bilateral engagement including multi-sectoral and multi-departmental efforts led by the Office of the Vice President to address the root causes of migration. It is uncertain whether the Trump administration will continue these efforts, and while some Republicans regard Arevalo as a strong democratic ally, the migration issue, particularly the incoming Trump administration's plans to deter and deport migrants, may be the topline item in the bilateral relationship. To follow Guatemalan developments, Ana María recommends independent media including Plaza Pública, Con Criterio, and Prensa Comunitaria.

En Haïti, le nouveau Premier ministre a pris ses fonctions, conformément à ce que voulait le Conseil présidentiel de transition : Alix Didier Fils Aimé s'est vu confier le poste ce lundi (11 novembre 2024). La cérémonie d'investiture s'est déroulée en l'absence de Garry Conille, le chef du gouvernement sortant, limogé par le Conseil Présidentiel de Transition. Le correspondant de RFI Peterson Luxama a assisté ce lundi à la cérémonie qui s'est tenue à la Villa d'accueil, siège du Conseil présidentiel de transition.Le nouveau Premier ministre Alix Didier Fils Aimé, qui avait déjà fait partie des finalistes pour le poste de Premier ministre en avril 2024, a fait de la sécurité une de ses priorités. Et il a invité la population à continuer d'avoir foi dans le pays, malgré la situation socio-politique et économique du pays. Pour ce qui est du sortant, Garry Conille, il n'aura pas réussi à changer grand-chose, estime le Réseau national de défense des droits humains. « Garry Conille ne faisait rien », affirme l'avocate Marie Rosy Auguste Ducéna, qui le qualifie de « pompeux, fanfaron », un homme qui a fait de la « propagande au lieu de se mettre au travail ». Mais, le RNDDH dénonce aussi le fait que « trois parmi les membres du Conseil présidentiel de transition à avoir signé l'arrêté qui met Garry Conille à l'écart soient des inculpés » dans un scandale de corruption qui « éclabousse toute la structure ».Gotson Pierre, le directeur de l'agence de presse Alterpresse, dresse lui aussi un constat sévère des mois passés par Garry Conille à la primature : « des promesses réitérées mais peu de réalisation », à part la mise en place de quelques instances prévues par la feuille de route de la transition - l'accord du 3 avril. Mais durant les six derniers mois, les gangs ont conquis de nouveaux territoires, le nombre de personnes déplacées a augmenté, entre janvier et septembre 5 000 personnes ont été tuées, contre 10 000 durant les trois années précédentes.Nouvelle illustration ce lundi de ce contexte de crise aggravée : un membre d'équipage a été blessé lors de tirs sur un avion de la compagnie aérienne Spirit Airlines en provenance des États-Unis : il tentait d'atterrir à Port-au-Prince mais, devant les tirs, il a dû se dérouter vers la République dominicaine.  Des nominations pour des expulsions Aux États-Unis, la transition continue – Donald Trump donne peu à peu les noms de ceux qui vont constituer son administration. Ces nominations montrent toutes la même chose, estime le New York Times : « la volonté du président élu de mener à bien la très large expulsion de migrants sans papier promise lors de sa campagne ».Le chef adjoint de son cabinet devrait être ainsi Stephen Miller, « un tenant de la ligne dure en matière d'immigration ». Thomas Homan hérite du poste de « tzar de la frontière », un titre repris par toute la presse – il va gérer l'expulsion des migrants illégaux. Et c'est une figure controversée, rappelle USA Today : c'est lui qui, sous le premier mandat de Donald Trump, avait géré la politique de « tolérance zéro » qui avait abouti aux séparations des familles.Le conservateur Wall Street Journal estime que Donald Trump ne devra pas seulement prendre des « ordres exécutifs », mais aussi légiférer dans le dossier immigration ; et « après leur défaite électorale les démocrates seront peut-être plus à même d'accepter un compromis ». Mais de son côté, le Washington Post estime que lorsque Donald Trump va arriver à la Maison Blanche au mois de janvier 2025, il héritera déjà d'outils de l'administration Biden encore plus puissants que ceux qu'il avait utilisés lors de son premier mandat. Fermeture de ports au CanadaLes patrons des deux plus gros ports du pays, Vancouver et Montréal, ont décidé de les fermer. Un blocage qui fait suite au rejet par les dockers, explique Le Devoir, de la dernière offre patronale : elle ne répond pas à leurs principales demandes en matière d'horaires et de conciliation travail-vie personnelle. Résultat, écrit le Globe and Mail : l'arrêt « d'une grande partie du commerce mondial du pays, mettant la pression sur le gouvernement fédéral pour trouver des moyens de limiter les dommages économiques ». D'autant que tout cela arrive à la fin de l'année, rappellent des groupes commerciaux cités par le Toronto Star : un moment critique pour le commerce, alors que « le résultat des élections américaines a renforcé la nécessité d'être considéré comme un partenaire commercial fiable ». Starlink en Amazonie Dans la forêt péruvienne d'Amazonie, même les villages reculés bénéficient désormais du wifi – deux heures par jour, quand il y a de l'électricité, mais les connexions sont trois fois et demi plus nombreuses qu'au début de l'année dernière (2023). Et ce grâce au service payant Starlink du milliardaire Elon Musk, qui utilise plus de 6 000 satellites en orbite autour de la Terre.La correspondante de RFI Juliette Chaignon s'est rendue dans le village de Diamante, où l'accès à internet a complètement changé les habitudes. L'électricité s'allume dorénavant pour deux heures, à la tombée de la nuit. Camila, 13 ans, et Itala, 27 ans se connectent l'une pour télécharger des devoirs ou des vidéos, l'autre pour communiquer avec sa famille. Elles payent les propriétaires de la connexion 75 centimes d'euros l'heure d'utilisation. Sachant que l'abonnement coûte près de 40 euros par mois, plus les 500 euros d'installation. Une inégalité que regrette le chef adjoint du village, Donato Pizarro : « il ne devrait pas y avoir de discrimination, on devrait tous avoir un accès à internet. On en avait un au collège, fourni par l'État mais je ne sais pas ce qu'il s'est passé, ça ne marche plus. Et ils ne viennent pas le réparer ». Ailleurs au Pérou, la presse locale a raconté comment l'addiction à la pornographie s'était invitée dans une communauté amazonienne. Côté brésilien, des chercheurs constatent un usage croissant de Starlink au profit d'activités illégales.  Liberté de la presse au GuatemalaLe président Bernardo Arévalo a signé ce lundi (11 novembre 2024) la déclaration de Chapultepec, qui garantit la liberté de la presse. Il s'est engagé à renforcer les institutions de l'État pour éviter la censure et garantir la liberté d'expression, tout en reconnaissant, écrit La Hora, qu'il devait y avoir des efforts de la part des maires, des députés et du procureur général. Prensa Libre note que le journaliste Rubén Zamora était présent en tant que témoin d'honneur. Le fondateur du journal El Periodico, critique du précédent gouvernement de droite d'Alejandro Giammattei, lors duquel il a été condamné à de la prison – il est sorti de cellule le mois dernier, après 800 jours. « Les institutions ne doivent pas être instrumentalisés pour persécuter la presse », a insisté Bernardo Arevalo – c'est le titre de l'article de Prensa Comunitaria. Le journal de la PremièreÉchange tendu hier soir (11 novembre 2024) entre le leader du RPPRAC, Rodrigue Petitot et le préfet de la Martinique, Jean-Christophe Bouvier.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 63-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 23,255 on turnover of $4.6-billion N-T. Foreign Minister Arrives in Guatemala on Five Allies Trip Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung is now in Guatemala on the leg of his 11-day trip to five of Taiwan's diplomatic allies in Latin America and the Caribbean. It is Lin's first overseas trip since he took office in May. Taking to Facebook, Lin said he and his wife, together with a governmental delegation, were welcomed by Guatemala's vice foreign minister on their arrival at Guatemala City's La Aurora International Airport. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Lin will be meeting with President Bernardo Arevalo and Foreign Minister Carlos Ramiro Martinez during his stay in Guatemala. According to the foreign ministry, President Lai Ching-te has appointed Lin as a special envoy (使者) to represent his government at celebrations to mark the 45th Independence Day of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Lin is also scheduled to visit Saint Lucia, Belize, and Saint Kitts and Nevis. He is scheduled to return to Taiwan on November 2. ICC Reports Mongolia for Failure to Arrest Putin A panel of judges at the International Criminal Court has reported Mongolia to the court's oversight organization for failing to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin when he visited the Asian nation last month. Putin's visit was his first to a member state of the court since it issued an arrest warrant for him last year on war crimes charges, accusing him of personal responsibility for the abductions (綁架) of children from Ukraine. Russia is not a member of the court and the Kremlin has rejected the charges. The court said in a statement that its member states are "duty-bound to arrest and surrender individuals subject to ICC warrants, regardless of official position or nationality.” What the assembly will now do remains unclear. While Putin was in Mongolia, a court said that the organization that is made up of all 124 of the court's member states can “take any measure it deems appropriate.” UN: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Out of Control A new United Nations report suggests that annual greenhouse gas emissions are at an all-time high. The UN Environment Programme says urgent action must be taken to prevent catastrophic (災難性的) spikes in temperature and avoid the worst impact of climate change. Jody Jacobs has more from the United Nations in New York… Canada to Cut New Immigrant Targets Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada will significantly reduce the number of new immigrants in the country after acknowledging his government failed to get the balance right coming out of the pandemic. Trudeau's Liberal government had targeted bringing in 500-thousand new permanent residents in both 2025 and 2026. Trudeau now says next year's target will be 395-thousand new permanent residents, which will continue to fall in 2026 and 2027. Trudeau says immigration is essential for Canada's future but it must be controlled and it must be sustainable (可持續的). The country's immigration minister says the lower immigration numbers will help with the housing shortage in the country. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 高雄美術特區2-4房全新落成，《惟美術》輕軌C22站散步即到家，近鄰青海商圈，卡位明星學區，徜徉萬坪綠海。 住近美術館，擁抱優雅日常，盡現驕傲風範！美術東四路X青海路 07-553-3838 -- 《遇見，預見 》 Podcast 第三季重磅回歸！每週一 、五更新，一起制定人生實用策略。 由知性主持人曾寶儀與 8 位知名來賓，攜手大學生，透過分享一個又一個真實且深刻的故事，一起及早規劃，與世界告別的那一天，不留遺憾 。 https://apple.co/3NE81Ji 衛生福利部 廣告

Aux États-Unis, Donald Trump affirme qu'il révoquera le statut de protection temporaire des migrants haïtiens dans la ville de Springfield s'il est élu. Rappelons que, depuis des semaines, Donald Trump et les républicains reprennent de fausses rumeurs selon lesquelles les migrants haïtiens de Springfield, dans l'Ohio, mangent les animaux domestiques de leurs voisins. « Springfield est un si bel endroit, vous avez vu ce qui lui est arrivé ? Ils sont dépassés. On ne peut pas faire ça aux gens. Il faut les faire partir », affirmait ce jeudi (3 octobre 2024) Donald Trump. Le Nouvelliste comme Gazette Haïti reprennent l'article de Jacqueline Charles dans le Miami Herald qui rappelle que, depuis des semaines, Springfield est un des thèmes de campagne les plus importants du candidat républicain et de son colistier JD Vance, « répandant des mensonges sur des Haïtiens mangeant les animaux familiers de leurs voisins ». Et ils continuent, malgré les critiques, note Politico, même si « selon certains des alliés de Donald Trump, cela a fait perdre de vue certains de ses objectifs à sa campagne ». Parler d'annuler le statut de protection temporaire des Haïtiens, ce n'est pas une première pour le candidat, rappelle le Miami Herald : à l'époque de sa présidence, le département de la sécurité intérieure l'avait déjà annoncé, ce qui avait entraîné des poursuites. Et au final, la décision avait été bloquée en justice. Gazette Haïti note que « les conditions en Haïti sont bien pires aujourd'hui qu'en 2017 ou même en 2010, lorsque le président Obama avait désigné Haïti pour le TPS après le tremblement de terre ». Le bas de la ville de Port-au Prince, une zone dévastéeUne fois par mois, Ayibopost vient parler d'un de ses articles marquant dans le Journal d'Haïti et des Amériques. Le journaliste Junior Legrand raconte son reportage dans le bas de la ville de Port-au-Prince, où il a pu mesurer l'étendue des violences commises par les gangs. Plusieurs facultés ont été saccagées. L'Institut de formation des sages-femmes a été également très touché, plusieurs responsables ont expliqué au journaliste que les dégâts étaient estimés à plusieurs milliers de dollars, et des milliers de livres, dont ont besoin les étudiants, ont disparu. La situation est telle que les directeurs d'établissements ne peuvent pas aller sur place faire un inventaire précis des dégâts. L'article est à retrouver sur le site Ayibopost.com. Des troupes du Salvador bientôt en HaïtiUn accord a été signé ce jeudi (3 octobre 2024) entre Haïti et le Salvador, qui prévoit le déploiement d'un contingent médical pour fournir des soins de santé aux officiers de la force multinationale, explique Le Nouvelliste. Selon une source du quotidien, ce contingent, essentiellement médical donc, doit arriver « sous peu », avec 80 officiers. Mais certains patrouilleront dans les rues et réaliseront des surveillances aériennes Au Guatemala, 13 nouveaux juges pour la Cour suprêmeL'élection par la Congrès a eu lieu ce jeudi (3 octobre). Elle était importante, car le président du pays Arevalo accuse la Cour d'avoir été, pendant des années, « entre les mains des mafias » et « d'intérêts corrompus ». Sachant qu'elle a soutenu la procureure générale qui a tenté, par tous les moyens, d'abord d'empêcher l'accession à la présidence de Bernardo Arevalo. Le choix fait par le Congrès était donc vu comme extrêmement importante dans le cadre de la lutte contre la corruption lancée par Bernardo Arevalo. Mais « c'est un échec », annonce La Hora. Prensa Comunitaria note trois magistrats réélus sont accusés de manipulation du processus de renouvellement de cours en 2019. Et deux nouvelles magistrates sont liées aux familles de deux personnes accusées dans des affaires datant de 2014 et 2020. Au Brésil, Lula à la peine pour les municipalesAu Brésil, le premier tour des élections municipales a lieu ce dimanche (6 octobre 2024).Il y a quatre ans, le parti des travailleurs de Lula avait essuyé un revers important, et cette fois, explique Achim Lippold, cela ne se présente pas mieux : même dans les grandes villes du Nordeste du Brésil, le bastion électoral du PT, le parti de Lula est devancé par ses concurrents. Dans certains cas, le parti tente donc des alliances, se contentant d'appuyer des candidats d'autres partis, en espérant qu'ils le soutiendront lors de la prochaine élection présidentielle. Il y a même des villes où le PT soutient le même candidat que le PL, la formation de l'ancien président d'extrême droite Jair Bolsonaro.À noter aussi l'apparition d'une nouvelle figure, un richissime coach de 37 ans, Pablo Marçal, candidat surprise à la très convoitée mairie de Sao Paulo : phrases choc, misogynes et mensongères, vidéos virales, il ne cesse de monter dans les sondages, même s'il est donné largement perdant au second tour. Son succès est, en tous cas, un indicateur, explique Achim Lippold, que l'électorat de droite commence à penser à une alternative à Jair Bolsonaro pour la présidentielle de 2026 – l'ancien président a été déclaré inéligible. Le journal de La Première Les négociations en Guadeloupe ont enfin repris entre les syndicats et EDF.

Les premiers policiers kenyans ont posé le pied en Haïti ce mardi (25 juin 2024) - 200 pour le moment sur le millier promis par Nairobi. Ils vont commencer à organiser la logistique, à baliser le terrain et à mener des opérations de reconnaissance, avant de commencer à appuyer la police nationale haïtienne dans sa lutte conte les gangs. Les policiers kenyans sont arrivés sous les applaudissements sur tarmac de l'aéroport international Toussaint-Louverture – en treillis, arme en bandoulière et casque sur la tête, brandissant le drapeau kenyan, rapporte notre correspondante à Port-au-Prince, Marie-André Bélange. Le Premier ministre Garry Conille a remercié le président kenyan William Ruto et le peuple kenyan. Dans les rues de Port-au-Prince, les Haïtiens ont commenté cette arrivée, avec un seul souhait, exprimé par ce technicien en communication : « J'aimerais qu'ils se mettent au travail pour combattre les bandits armés. J'espère qu'ils ne vont pas faire comme les précédentes missions de l'ONU qui venaient prendre du bon temps ». « Les Kenyans sont là, quels sont nos plans ? », s'interroge de son côté Frantz Duval dans Le Nouvelliste. L'éditorialiste déplore que, comme lors des deux débarquements précédents de forces étrangères en Haïti, en 1994 et 2004, « il n'existe aucun vrai plan pour construire et consolider les institutions démocratiques ni les organes de sécurité. Encore une fois, le pays va essayer de bricoler des solutions en cours de route ». La seule différence, remarque-t-il, c'est que « toute la classe politique, tous les représentants du secteur privé, toutes les associations de la société civile et tutti quanti sont au pouvoir » avec le Conseil présidentiel de transition. Et « plus personne de la classe politique ne met en cause » l'opportunité de ce déploiement.  Quelle est la situation à Port-au-Prince ?Quel est dans le détail le contexte sécuritaire à Port-au-Prince, où les soldats kenyans commencent à prendre leurs quartiers ? Diego Da Rin, expert pour International Crisis Group, revient sur la situation dans la capitale. Les gangs sont censés contrôler 80% de la ville, mais « il y a des nuances à apporter », entre les bastions complétement contrôlés par les gangs, où les forces de sécurité ne peuvent plus entrer, et les « zones d'influence » où ces gangs kidnappent et rackettent.Par ailleurs, la situation a « énormément évolué depuis le début des attaques concertées », fin février 2024, menées par deux bandes à l'origine rivales : les débuts ont été « extrêmement agressifs », avec les attaques de l'aéroport, des ports, mais aussi des commissariats – pour éviter que ceux-ci ne puissent servir de base à la police et la force internationale. Mais depuis fin mai 2024, on constate une diminution des attaques violentes contre les forces de sécurité. Un des chefs de gang, Jimmy Chérizier, a publié il y a quelques jours un appel au dialogue, dans lequel il interpelle directement le Premier ministre. « Depuis qu'il y a des plans qui commencent à avancer pour envoyer une mission de sécurité pour soutenir la police », explique Diego Da Rin, « Chérizier a toujours demandé des dialogues et pas des combats. Il y a quelques mois, il le demandait de manière très agressive. » Là, il y a « un changement de ton », d'autant qu'il s'adresse directement au Premier ministre « alors que jusqu'ici, il avait toujours refusé de s'asseoir autour d'une table avec le gouvernement de transition dirigé par Ariel Henry ».Le journal Le Nouvelliste a interrogé le Premier ministre sur le dernier appel au dialogue de Jimmy Chérizier. « La réponse est évidente », selon Garry Conille : « D'abord, il faut déposer les armes ; ensuite, reconnaître l'autorité de l'État haïtien avant toute autre disposition et nous verrons ce que nous pouvons faire ». Et le Premier ministre s'est également adressé aux membres des gangs : « je suis certain que vous êtes fatigués avec ces destructions que vous avez créées. Je suis sûr et certain que vous êtes prêts à faire votre mea culpa ».Les gangs sont-ils effectivement prêts à s'engager dans un processus de désarmement ? « On ne peut pas dire avec certitude si tous les gangs seraient prêts à entrer dans un processus de négociation », estime Diego Darin. Jimmy Chérizier se présente comme le porte-parole d'une coalition de gangs. Et on ne sait pas si le reste des chefs de gangs, moins visibles médiatiquement, vont vouloir s'aligner derrière sa position.Un journaliste du Wall Street Journal jugé à MoscouEvan Gershkovich, dont le procès commence ce mercredi (26 juin 2024) à Moscou, est accusé d'espionnage. « Appeler ça un procès est injuste pour Evan, et c'est une continuation de cette parodie de justice qui a déjà duré trop longtemps », écrit ce mercredi, le rédacteur en chef du Wall Street Journal, qui le répète : Evan Gershkovich est innocent. Le journaliste a été arrêté, il y a un peu plus d'un an, lors d'un reportage en Russie, il est accusé d'espionnage et risque 20 ans de prison, rappelle le Washington Post, qui précise que c'est la première fois depuis la Guerre froide qu'un journaliste américain est jugé pour espionnage. Le New York Times pointe « l'absence de preuves avancées par les autorités russes ». L'an dernier (2023), le Département d'État américain avait jugé qu'il était détenu à tort, ce qui, explique le journal, « oblige le gouvernement fédéral à travailler à sa libération ».Au Guatemala, le journaliste Ruben Zamora reste en prisonRuben Zamora, 67 ans, fondateur du quotidien El Periodiquito, un journal connu pour ses enquêtes sur la corruption au sein du gouvernement de l'époque, celui d'Alejandro Giammatei. Un journal poussé à la fermeture, tandis que Ruben Zamora était condamné à six ans de prison pour blanchiment d'argent. Il devait être libéré, rappelle La Hora - une liberté conditionnelle avec assignation à résidence. Mais le procureur Rafael Corruchiche a annoncé qu'à sa demande, la cour d'appel avait révoqué cette liberté conditionnelle, écrit Prensa Libre. Rafael Corruchiche, rappelle Prensa Comunitaria, figure sur la liste des acteurs corrompus et démocratiques des États-Unis ; et l'actuel président Bernardo Arevalo, élu l'an dernier (2023) sur un programme anticorruption, l'accuse d'avoir tout fait pour l'empêcher d'arriver au pouvoir. Sur le réseau social X, José Carlos Zamora, le fils de Ruben Zamora, a réagi au maintien de son père en prison : « cela fait 697 jours que mon père est détenu arbitrairement. Il est détenu arbitrairement depuis 697 jours dans le cadre d'un faux procès au cours duquel tous ses droits ont été violés ».Le Journal de la 1èreLe premier tour des législatives se passe samedi (29 juin 2024)  en Guadeloupe...

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 50-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 20,713 on turnover of $4.5-billion N-T. The market closed slightly lower on Wednesday after moving in a narrow range throughout the session. Investor were waiting for the release of key U-S inflation data. New Species of Aquatic Firefly Discovered in Keelung The Wild Bird Society of Keelung has confirmed that type of aquatic firefly discovered in the city is a new species. According to the society, the new species was discovered while its members were working on a project focusing firefly ecology and rehabilitation (復原). The project began in 2022 and was commissioned by the Keelung City Government. The society says the fireflies were first spotted in Keelung's Nuan-Nuan District in the first year of the project. They were confirmed to be part of a new species with the help of a firefly expert and a faculty member at the National Museum of Natural Science. It is the fourth aquatic firefly species discovered in Taiwan. The species has been temporarily named, "Bei-Miao" firefly. This is because it was discovered in northern Taiwan and flies at canopy height. US Biden Warns of Iranian Attack of Israel Iran is primed to launch "significant" (重要的) missile or drone strikes against Israeli government and military facilities, according to US President Joe Biden. He gave the warning at a press conference on Wednesday alongside Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House, where Benji Hyer reports. Guatemala Declares Natural Disaster as Forest Fires Continue Guatemala's president has issued a natural disaster declaration. 44 forest fires continue to burn across the Central American country. President Bernardo Arevalo made the announcement Wednesday, and said that 80% of the fires were started by people. Authorities canceled classes across three central provinces to protect students from the prevailing (盛行的) smoke. One of the largest fires is near a suburb of Guatemala City, the capital. The president's declaration now frees up funding for fire fighting efforts. RSF Reporter Denied Entry into HK Reporters Without Borders says its representatives was denied (被拒絕) entry into Hong Kong. RSF says its Taipei-based staffer Aleksandra Bielakowska was stopped at the Hong Kong airport on Wednesday by immigration officers earlier in the day. She was detained, questioned and had her belongings searched three times before she was denied entry to Hong Kong. RSF says this "marks a new decline in the already poor press freedom climate in the territory.” Bielakowska was to meet journalists and attend the trial of Jimmy Lai. The media tycoon and founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper is currently facing national security charges. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 【00941】全台首檔鎖定半導體上游設備與材料廠的ETF 半導體不是只有護國神山，想投資真正的隱形英雄，力爭「上游」就對了！ 中信上游半導體(00941)，帶你與科技王者中的王者同行：https://bit.ly/3xMsIhf -- 城揚建設新推出的「陽明第一廳」 緊鄰三民區的明星學府-陽明國中 46~52坪，每層四戶兩部電梯 最適合有換屋與置產需求的你 讓生活中充滿書香、運動風，滿足食衣住行的消費需求 城揚建設 陽明第一廳 07-384-2888 https://bit.ly/4azoWGy

Undisputed King of Stuff, columnist, and longtime Ricochet Editor-in-Chief Jon Gabriel is in for Jim today. Jon and Greg tackle good, bad, and crazy martinis and remember the late Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman.First, they cheer Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state legislature for enacting anti-squatting legislation to provide protections for property owners and swift law enforcement removal of people illegally occupying others' homes.Next, they hammer CBS News reporter Ed O'Keefe and new Guatemalan Pres. Bernardo Arevalo for blatantly misrepresenting Donald Trump's comments on migrants and absurdly suggesting people have a fundamental right to come to the U.S. O'Keefe also suggests migrants' lives might be in danger in the U.S. if Trump wins in November.They also highlight the painfully predictable results of California raising the minimum wage for fast food workers to $20 per hour.Finally, they offer a toast to longtime Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, who was the Democrats' vice presidential nominee in 2000 and, just as significantly, a guest on 3 Martini Lunch in 2022.Please visit our great sponsors:4Patriothttps://4Patriots.com/martiniStay connected with the Patriot Power Solar Generator 2000X on sale now.  Factor Mealshttps://factormeals.com/3ML50Get after your goals with Factor Meals.  Use code 3ML50 to save 50% today!Fast Growing Treeshttps://fastgrowingtrees.com/martiniUse code Martini to save an additional 15% off on your first order.  

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. MOFA Plays Down Guatemala's China Trade Ties The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says plans by Guatemala's new government's to develop trade ties with China does not conflict with the country's policy of maintaining diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The statement comes after Guatemala's foreign minister earlier this week told Reuters that his country "cannot ignore the weight and power China represents" - but will "continue working with Taiwan at the levels we have been doing." According to the foreign ministry here in Taiwan, the report "did not come as a surprise" as President Bernardo Arevalo has "consistently (始終如一地) maintained a policy" of maintaining formal ties with Taiwan while also developing trade links with China. TSMC Announces Employees' Business Performance Bonus Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing says its board has approved a plan to distribute employees' business performance bonus and profit sharing totaling about 100.1-billion N-T for 2023. That total includes a business performance bonus of 50.09-billion N-T distributed (分配) following each quarter of 2023 and profit sharing of 50.09-million N-T to be distributed in July this year. The board meeting also approved a plan to issue a 3.5 N-T per share cash dividend for the earnings of the fourth quarter of 2023, which hit 9.21 N-T. The ex-dividend date has been set for June 13 and the dividends will be distributed on July 11. MOA Warning on Carrying of Meat Products into Taiwan And, The Ministry of Agriculture is warning public not to bring meat products into Taiwan from other countries due to the risk of African swine fever. The annual Lunar New Year holiday reminder (提醒) comes as African swine fever has now been found in 79 countries since the first reports of the virus emerged in China in August of 2018. Data shows that between August of 2018 and January of this year, of the 6,795 meat seizures tested, 639 came back positive for the virus. Eighty-three percent of the meat products that tested positive for African swine fever came from China. Those caught entering Taiwan carrying pork and other meat products face fines of between 200,000 and 1-million N-T. Israel Arrests Palestinian American Woman in West Bank Israeli forces have arrested a 46-year-old Palestinian American woman in the West Bank. Relatives say that Samaher Esmail was pulled out of bed by soldiers late Monday and they still don't know where she is. The army says she was arrested for “incitement” (煽動) on social media. Esmail's arrest comes just as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel on a diplomatic visit. A U.S. government spokesperson said the State Department was aware of reports that a U.S. citizen had been detained and was “seeking additional information" about the incident but had no further comment. Late Tuesday, Blinken arrived in Israel, where he is expected to press ahead with efforts to at least pause Israel's offensive in Gaza and curb violence in the West Bank. US Homeland Security Secretary Survives Impeachment Attempt US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has survived an impeachment attempt in the House of Representatives after several Republicans broke ranks with their party. Congressional Republicans had sought to oust (逐出) Mayorkas over the surge in migration at the US's southern border. Ira Spitzer reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 龍年HIGH起來！新光三越《龍舞卡利HIGH》獨享7%回饋

In Guatemala, Bernardo Arevalo was elected president after promising to fight the corruption plaguing the nation. Opposition lawmakers delayed his inauguration for months, but ultimately Arevalo prevailed. KCSB's Mario Fuentes-Godinez has the story.

In the summer of 2023, Guatemala elected as President an outsider with a famous last name—Bernardo Arevalo. But his political opponents used ever level of law they could to try to deny his Inauguration. Why was he victorious and what does his election mean for the future of democracy in the Central American nation? [ … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Guatemala election and inauguration drama explained; Puerto Rico's struggle with corruption and self determination – January 28, 2024 →

In the months since Bernardo Arevalo's upset victory in Guatemala's presidential elections, a small elite often referred as “the pact of the corrupt,” has tried to derail the president-elect from taking office. In response, the United States imposed visa restrictions on nearly 300 Guatemalan congressmen and business leaders, while the Organization of American States, other international organizations and civil society raised mounting cries to respect the outcome of the election. For the time being, their tireless efforts appear to have paid off, with President Arrevalo taking office on January 14th, but only after a last-ditch effort by members in congress to block him.  In this episode, Christopher Hernandez-Roy sits down with Ambassador Frank O. Mora, U.S. Ambassador to the Organization of American States. Together, they shine a spotlight on the efforts of Guatemalan civil society, the OAS and the U.S. to defend democracy from efforts to overturn electoral results. They also look ahead to upcoming elections in the hemisphere, and analyze the role of the United States and OAS in safeguarding election integrity, and resisting democratic backsliding.

Attribution: Palestinian News & Information Agency (Wafa) in contract with APAimagesRalph welcomes Josh Paul, the State Department official who resigned in protest over the Biden Administration's policy of unconditional arms transfers to Israel in the response to the attacks of October 7th. Then, investigative reporter, James Bamford joins us to discuss his deep dive into how the Israeli government has recruited Americans as foreign agents to troll, dox, and blacklist college students and professors who dare to criticize Israeli policies.Josh Paul served 11 years in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs at the US Department of State, before his resignation on October 17, 2023. Mr. Paul previously worked on security sector reform in both Iraq and the West Bank, with additional roles in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, US Army Staff, and as a congressional staffer.I have spoken with a number of members of Congress in the last few months and—even for those who haven't publicly called for a ceasefire—many are willing to acknowledge behind closed doors that yes, actually, they do believe that Israelis are committing war crimes, but they will not say it publicly. And that just seems to me such a moral abdication of the purposes for which you were elected. If you know something to be a fact, if you know the U.S. to be complicit in facilitating war crimes, but are unwilling to say it because you are afraid of how your donors might react or how your next election might go, why are you even in Congress?Josh PaulIt is interesting that the United States places control of arms transfers and security assistance within the State Department. That is a different model than most of our allies follow… And there is an advantage to putting them in the State Department, so that they can be considered as tools of foreign policy along with other diplomatic tools such as economic assistance, such as of course diplomatic engagement. So there is an advantage there, but of course there is also inherently by doing so a militarization of foreign policy. Particularly when we look at the massive amount of funding that is provided for military assistance. And of course, the way that that providing that assistance then links us to the actions of our partners, whether we want to be complicit in those actions or not.Josh PaulIt's been said that in the last three months, the pro-Palestinian people in the United States have controlled the streets, but the pro-Netanyahu people in the United States have controlled the suites in Congress and the Executive branch.Ralph NaderJames Bamford is a best-selling author, Emmy-nominated filmmaker for PBS, award-winning investigative producer for ABC News, and winner of the National Magazine Award for Reporting for his writing in Rolling Stone on the war in Iraq. He is the author of several books, including Spyfail: Foreign Spies, Moles, Saboteurs, and the Collapse of America's Counterintelligence.I think some of these (American) groups should be arrested for being agents of a foreign government. I mean, if you're an American and you're contributing money and support to a clandestine foreign operation or clandestine foreign agency of a foreign government, then that's pretty much the definition of being an agent of a foreign government.James Bamford[People] get put on this blacklist—the Canary Mission list—and their job opportunities are extremely limited. Because if anybody goes for a job and their employer looks on the internet, one of the first things they'll see is that their name is on this blacklist where they're called a variety of names basically for doing something that's basically honorable.James BamfordIn Case You Haven't Heard with Francesco DeSantis* On Tuesday, Senator Bernie Sanders forced a vote on Section 502B of the Foreign Assistance Act, which, if passed, could have resulted in the United States cutting off military aid to Israel, the Intercept reports. While this attempt failed by a wide margin - 72-11 – it did win the support of Senators Laphonza Butler of California, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico, Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, and Peter Welch of Vermont, along with Rand Paul the lone Republican to back the effort. However, as Andrew O'Neil, policy director for Indivisible, put it “It's frankly historic that this vote took place at all…The number of senators willing to take a vote like this even weeks ago, on the face of it, would have been zero.”* 384 leaders from around the globe, led by Representative Ilhan Omar and German politician Sevim Dağdelen, have signed a letter calling for “an immediate, multilateral ceasefire in Israel and Palestine, the release of all the remaining Israeli and international hostages, and the facilitation of humanitarian aid entry into Gaza,” per the Guardian. The letter continues “We further urge our own respective governments and the international community to uphold international law and seek accountability for grave violations of human rights.” Further American signatories include Reps. Jamaal Bowman, Cori Bush, André Carson, Greg Casar, Chuy García, Hank Johnson, Summer Lee, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley, Nydia Velázquez and Bonnie Watson Coleman, who are joined by British progressive icon Jeremy Corbyn  and politicians from Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey.* Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib and Cori Bush have issued a statement of support for South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. The representatives write “We unequivocally join world leaders and international human rights organizations in support of South Africa's case before the International Court of Justice alleging Israel violated the Genocide Convention. There must be an end to the violence—and there must be accountability for the blatant human rights abuses and mass atrocities occurring in the region. The historical significance of a post-apartheid state filing this case must not be lost, and the moral weight of their prerogative cannot be dismissed. The United States has a devastating role in the ongoing violence in Gaza, where already over 23,000 Palestinians have been killed, more than 59,000 injured, and millions have been displaced. We must refuse to be silent as the majority of the world is calling for an end to the violence and mass human suffering, and the need for accountability. As one of the countries that has agreed to the Genocide Convention, the U.S. must stop trying to discredit and undermine this case and the international legal system it claims to support. Our commitment to protecting the human rights of all people must be unconditional. The best time to make a conclusive determination on genocide is when there is still time to stop it, not after. We will continue pushing for a lasting ceasefire, full accountability, and a just and lasting peace for everyone.”* The South African attorney Wikus Van Rensburg has formally delivered a letter to the leadership of the United States outlining that his firm “intend[s] to bring legal proceedings against the U.S. Government based on overwhelming evidence that the [it] has, and is, aiding, abetting and supporting, encouraging or providing material assistance and means to…the Israeli Defense Forces…enabl[ing]...crimes against the Palestinian people.” Legal advocates like Ralph Nader and Bruce Fein have long sounded the alarm that American support for Israel's actions in Gaza are in breach of international law, but it remains to be seen whether the U.S. will stand trial at the Hague for their support of this genocidal campaign. This from Al-Mayadeen.* Al-Mayadeen also reports “in a rare show of dissent, US federal employees from nearly 22 agencies are planning a walkout to protest the Biden administration's handling of the war on Gaza.” This report attributes organization of this walkout to a group called “Feds United for Peace” and the walkout is “expected to draw participants from key agencies, including the Executive Office of the President, the National Security Agency, and the Departments of State, Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs…[along with the] Food and Drug Administration…the National Park Service, the Federal Aviation Administration…and the Environmental Protection Agency.” Axios reports that Congressional Republicans are planning to retaliate against these workers exercising their free speech rights, with Speaker Johnson, saying “Any government worker who walks off the job to protest U.S. support for our ally Israel is ignoring their responsibility and abusing the trust of taxpayers…They deserve to be fired."* The Intercept published an interview with teenage Israelis who are refusing conscription into the IDF. These young “refuseniks,” almost all part of the group Mesarvot – Hebrew for “we refuse” –  have been resisting conscription since the large-scale protests against the Netanyahu government last year, when over 230 of them signed a letter stating “The dictatorship that has existed for decades in the territories is now seeping into Israel and against us…This trend did not start now — it is inherent to the regime of occupation and Jewish supremacy. The masks are simply coming off.” However, these courageous young people are facing an increasingly hostile environment in Israel due to their refusal to serve. We offer them our solidarity.* In a massive blow to journalism, the Baltimore Sun has been sold to David Smith, the Baltimore Banner reports. Smith serves as executive chairman of Sinclair Inc., which owns more than 200 television stations nationwide and has been criticized for pushing uniform, Right-wing narratives through these channels. In addition to the Sun, Smith purchased its affiliated papers, including “The Capital and Maryland Gazette newspapers in Annapolis, the Carroll County Times, the Howard County Times and the Towson Times.”* The Lever has dropped a stunning report on “How Boeing Bought Washington,” which lays out the influence network the embattled airline has cultivated in the Beltway. The top-line numbers alone are eye-popping, with Boeing & Spirit AeroSystems spending over $65 million on lobbying and campaign donations over just four years. More insidious however is what they got for this money, namely safety waivers enabling them to keep unsafe planes in the sky. This report also touches on the case of Republican Congressman Ron Estes of Kansas, a top recipient of this campaign cash, who pressured the FAA to reinstate the 737 MAX – and Senator Maria Cantwell, Democrat of Washington, who received nearly $200,000 from the company and then dutifully “pushed through legislation to exempt Boeing's 737 MAX…from a looming safety deadline that would have required changes in their alerting systems…despite concerns from the families of the passengers who died in the 2018 and 2019 crashes.”* Josh Eidelson, Labor reporter at Bloomberg, is out with two major updates on the United Auto Workers new campaigns. One, Bloomberg reports the union has “signed up more than 30% of workers at a Mercedes plant in Alabama, after hitting the same milestone last month at Volkswagen in Tennessee,” illustrating the durability and success of their union drives at foreign-owned auto plants in the U.S. And two, Bloomberg reports that “Tesla is boosting pay for all US production associates, the latest bump by a non-union automaker following the UAW's big Detroit wins.” Taken together, one gets the impression that Auto Workers are organized, on the march, and have momentum behind them.* In Guatemala, Bernardo Arevalo of the Semilla Party has finally been sworn in as the president of that country, beating back multiple attempts by the corrupt ruling elites to undermine his ascension down to the moment of his inauguration. Reuters reports “Arevalo's inauguration was thrown into disarray after the Supreme Court allowed opposition lawmakers to maintain their leadership of Congress, and forced members of the president's Semilla party to stand as independents… [sparking] wrangling in Congress…[with] supporters of Arevalo threaten[ing] to storm the building as police in riot gear amassed in the streets.” Arevalo managed to weather the storm however, in part because he was aided by other countries' leadership. USAID Administrator Samantha Power, opposing the power grab, tweeted “There is no question that Bernardo Arevalo is the President of Guatemala. We call on all sides to remain calm — and for the Guatemalan Congress to uphold the will of the people. The world is watching.” Meanwhile, the presidents and foreign ministers present at the inauguration released a statement forcefully avowing “The will of the Guatemalan people must be respected,” Progressive International's David Adler reports. Renowned investigative journalist Allan Nairn added, “What is clear…is that even if Arévalo succeeds in taking power as president he will be governing under siege”.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Taiwan held a close and closely watched election for president that has implications for the self-ruled island's relationship with China, which claims Taiwan as it's own. And Guatemala swore in a new president, the anti-corruption campaigner Bernardo Arevalo. But opponents tried to prevent the transfer of power up to the last minute. Sign up for State of the World+ to listen sponsor-free and support the work of NPR journalists. Visit plus.npr.org.

Republican voters in the state of Iowa are preparing to take part in the caucuses that mark the first test of the US presidential election year. Also in the programme: Bernardo Arevalo has been sworn in as Guatemala's new president after many hours of delay caused by wrangling among opposition MPs in Congress; and two Iranian women journalists have been charged for not wearing the hijab, a day after they were released from prison on bail.(Picture: Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks as he campaigns in Indianola, Iowa, U.S. Credit: Reuters)

Kate Adie presents stories from Israel, Guatemala, The Philippines, Greece and the Faroe IslandsUS Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is in the Middle East for another round of crisis diplomacy. After the assassination of a senior Hamas leader this week, there are now concerns the conflict will widen. Tom Bateman has just left his post in the Middle East and is now covering US foreign policy from Washington - which as he reflects - might have to draw on some lessons from history.Ahead of his inauguration next weekend, Bernardo Arevalo, Guatemala's President-elect, has had to contend with a series of attempts to prevent him from taking power. His victory in elections last year confounded all expectations, and was widely seen as a repudiation of Guatemala's political elite, which has been dogged by corruption allegations for many years. But, the country's democratic future is still hanging in the balance, says Rory Sullivan.Linda Pressly meets with a Catholic priest and a forensic pathologist in the Philippines, who are exhuming the remains of victims of Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs. In the process they discover evidence that points to a very different version of events to the official line.Heidi Fuller-Love visits the Greek island, Antikythera, whose remote and idyllic setting is its greatest allure for visitors, but it also poses its biggest challenge for the small number of residents there. Now the Greek government is paying people 500 euros to live there.And finally - Tim Ecott reports from the Faroe Islands of the North Atlantic where residents are trying to conserve their land and traditions in the face of an influx of tourists.Series Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Richard Vadon Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman

Ralph welcomes Allan Brownfeld from the American Council for Judaism to discuss, along with our resident constitutional scholar, Bruce Fein, the history of Jewish anti-Zionism and how Judaic principles can conflict with the Zionist project. We also review how university presidents recently responded to questioning from a congressional committee about free speech on campus.Allan Brownfeld is the Editor of Issues, the publication of the American Council for Judaism (an 80 year-old organization that has opposed Zionism since its inception) and a syndicated columnist who has worked as associate editor of The Lincoln Review and a contributing editor to such publications as Human Events, The St. Croix Review, and The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. Mr Brownfeld has served as a staff aide to a U.S. Vice President, Members of Congress, and the U.S. Senate Internal Subcommittee.Everybody is afraid of this label “antisemite” if they criticize Israel. Israel has succeeded—in fact, it's a tactic used by the Israeli government. The former Education Minister [Shulamit Aloni] said it very clearly—when someone in Europe attacks us in any way, we bring up the Holocaust. In America, if anyone attacks us, we call them antisemitic. That's silencing criticism.Allan BrownfeldWhat has happened in recent years can be compared to idolatry. Just as in the Bible when we have people worshiping the golden calf, we have Jews now worshiping not the universal God, but the state of Israel has become the focus of attention—has become almost the object of worship. And I think that this will change as Israel's behavior continues as it is now, and as Jewish Americans slowly come to realize that the values they hold dear—religious freedom, separation of church and state—are exactly the opposite values that the state of Israel promotes.Allan BrownfeldIt's good in any criticism to criticize the Netanyahu regime rather than Israel. There's a lot of opposition to Netanyahu in Israel [and he doesn't represent all Israelis] any more than Trump represents Americans. And we're seeing here—as Allan has pointed out—the most extreme right-wing, militaristic, jingoistic government in the history of Israel, headed by Netanyahu. And he's let the military run riot in Gaza. It's out of control.Ralph NaderBruce Fein is a Constitutional scholar and an expert on international law.  Mr. Fein was Associate Deputy Attorney General under Ronald Reagan and he is the author of Constitutional Peril: The Life and Death Struggle for Our Constitution and Democracy, and American Empire: Before the Fall.What speaks volumes about [the Harvard Board of Overseers] statement is that it pretends that the only thing that has happened is October 7. Suddenly the world stopped. Nothing happened afterwards. It ignores completely what's ongoing in Gaza, which I think speaks volumes about the bias and the prejudice there.Bruce FeinIn Case You Haven't Heard with Francesco DeSantis1. On Tuesday December 12th, the Senate Judiciary Committee held the first congressional hearing on Corporate Crime since 1980. This hearing consisted of two panels, one made up of government witnesses and another featuring civilians, including Professor Brandon Garrett – architect of the Corporate Prosecution Registry. The main focus of the hearing was the decades-long decline in corporate criminal prosecutions at the Department of Justice, and what the Department needs to pursue a more expansive vision of corporate criminal justice. The full hearing is available at the Senate Judiciary Committee website. 2. On December 7th, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter, in light of the mounting civilian death toll in Gaza. Article 99 is a rarely used provision of the UN charter which allows the secretary-general to bring to the attention of the Security Council “any matter which…may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security,” per AP. The last time Article 99 was invoked was nearly half a century ago, and was triggered by clashes between India and Pakistan that eventually led to the creation of Bangladesh. 3. However, the United States again vetoed the UN Security Council resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza. The United States was the sole member of the council to vote against the resolution, with even close allies like France and Japan voting in favor. The United Kingdom abstained from the vote. According to AP, “Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, told the council that Israel's objective is ‘the ethnic cleansing of the Gaza Strip' and ‘the dispossession and forcible displacement of the Palestinian people.'” 4. The Mayor of Burbank, California, Konstantine Anthony has endorsed Representative Barbara Lee for Senate. Anthony had previously endorsed Congressman Adam Schiff – whose Congressional district includes the city of Burbank – but withdrew his endorsement and switched over to Lee because of her principled position in favor of a ceasefire in Gaza. In a statement, Mayor Anthony said “We are in a moment of great reflection in this county…Congresswoman Barbara Lee is the progressive choice for our time.” Barbara Lee has been an extremely progressive and consistent voice on foreign policy issues, famously being the only member of Congress that did not vote for the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force, which she called a “blank check for endless war,” per KTLA. 5. Semafor's Joseph Zeballos-Roig reports Senate Banking Committee Chair Sherrod Brown is claiming that Democrats and Republicans are “making progress to expand the child tax credit” in a deal which would “revive R[esearch] &D[evelopment] [tax] deductions + accelerated depreciation for businesses.” This bipartisan gang hopes to push this through by mid-January, so Americans would see the benefit by the next tax season. Brown himself is facing a steep reelection challenge in his state of Ohio next year. 6. Two major unions in Hawaii – UNITE HERE and the International Longshoremen and Warehouse Union – are calling on the state of Hawaii to take unprecedented action to ensure locals are able to stay on Maui. In short, they are demanding, via the Honolulu Star Advertiser, that local governments take over vacation homes and convert them into permanent housing for Hawaii residents. The housing shortage in Maui has become particularly acute following the disastrous fires on the island earlier this year. 7. In Guatemala, Bloomberg reports the Public Prosecutor's Office has announced its intention to nullify the 2023 general election results, citing vague “irregularities,” in an escalation of the legal coup the corrupt ruling clique has been attempting to pull off against President-elect Bernardo Arevalo and his Semilla Party. The Electoral Supreme Tribunal has stated that the elections “won't be repeated.” For its part, the United States State Department is opposing attempts to subvert the elections, characterizing these attempts as “anti-democratic actions…constitut[ing] evidence of…clear intent to delegitimize Guatemala's free and fair elections and prevent the peaceful transfer of power.” The U.S. has also announced that it will impose visa restrictions on the individuals involved in “undermining democracy and the rule of law.” 8. Finally, back in 2021 the National Retail Federation released a report claiming that “‘organized retail crime' was responsible for half the $94.5B in store merchandise” stolen. This finding was widely reported and served as a bedrock claim for cities increasing their policing budgets and backlash against reform prosecutors after the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. Now, the Federation is retracting this claim, admitting “organized retail crime” was only responsible for about 5% of stolen merchandise. The Federation further admits that “in most major cities, shoplifting incidents have fallen 7% since 2019,” per the New York Times. In a just world, this would lead to quite a few mea culpas, but I won't hold my breath.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 13-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,482 on turnover of $3.7-billion N-T. The market closed marginally higher on Wednesday, as early gains shrank amid cautious investor sentiment ahead of the conclusion of the U-S Federal Reserve's final policy making meeting of this year. But the bellwether electronics sector still managed to lead the main board to its highest level so far this year, as buying rotated to highly priced stocks, in particular in those in the semiconductor sector. MOFA Hoping Guatemala's Election Turmoil has been Resolved The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is expressing its hope that Guatemala's ongoing controversy over its newly elected leader will be resolved peacefully. The call comes days after prosecutors in Guatemala took steps to block President-elect Bernardo Arevalo from taking office next month. Prosecutors sought to annul the election results amid accusations of an "attempted coup," however, Guatemala's electoral court has insisted the results are "unchangeable." According to head of the ministry Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs, the government here in Taiwan is hoping that Guatemala can have a "smooth government transition (轉變，過渡期)" on January 14 when the new president is sworn in. However, officials refuse to say whether President Tsai Ing-wen or Vice President Lai Ching-te will attend Arevalo's inauguration ceremony - saying only the government will make an announcement "in due time." US House Votes to Formally Open Biden Impeachment Inquiry The US House of Representatives has voted to formally open an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. Republicans have accused Biden of corruption (腐敗), but have yet to produce much evidence. Ira Spitzer has more. EU Grants Hungary Access to Frozen Funds The European Union says it will grant Hungary access to billions of euros in frozen funds. The announcement comes just as Prime Minister Viktor Orban appears ready to defy his EU partners and veto decisions on the opening of membership talks and vital financial aid for Ukraine. The money was frozen a year ago over concerns that democratic backsliding (倒退) in Hungary was putting the EU budget at risk. But the European Commission ruled Wednesday that Orban's government has addressed some of its concerns, notably on justice reforms. It's willing to grant access to $11 billion to reimburse money that Hungary spends on infrastructure and other projects. Netherlands SKorea Stepping Up Semiconductor Cooperation The Dutch caretaker prime minister says the Netherlands and South Korea are stepping up cooperation in the field of semiconductor chips as part of a deepening “strategic partnership.” Mark Rutte spoke after a meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol during his two-day state visit. Their meeting came a day after Yoon visited the headquarters of semiconductor chip machine maker ASML in the Netherlands. As part of the visit, South Korean nuclear power company KHNP signed a contract to carry out a feasibility study (可行性研究) into the construction of two new nuclear power plants in a Dutch town. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

"Bernardo Arevalo renuncia al MS"

Ralph is joined by author and human rights activist Miko Peled. They discuss the excuses that Israel uses to defend the atrocities they commit against Palestinians, and the truth behind all the propaganda. Miko Peled is an author, writer, speaker, and human rights activist living in the United States. He is considered by many to be one of the clearest voices calling for justice in Palestine, support of the Palestinian call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) and the creation of a single democracy with equal rights in all of historic Palestine. Mr. Peled was born and raised in Jerusalem. His grandfather was a signer of the Israeli Declaration of Independence and his father was a general in the 1967 war. Anybody who is not courageous enough to stand up and speak the truth and stand up for what is right, because they might be called this name or that name—it's cowardice, it's hypocrisy. Being called antisemitic is a small price to pay when you talk about standing for the rights of millions of people who have been living under such terror for so many decades.Miko Peled This is pure revenge. What we're seeing is vengeance of a military force and a state that have been humiliated. And just like any bully, any gangster who's been humiliated, they take it out on the weakest people they can find, people who cannot defend themselves… It's revenge for the sake of revenge. It's savagery for the sake of savagery. It's brutality in its purest form. There's no other reason than the brutality itself. Miko Peled Palestinians deserve nothing less than the lifting of the siege, release of all prisoners, and the dismantling of the apartheid state. Nothing less than that should be demanded. And all we're seeing people talk about is ceasefires, as though a ceasefire is some great accomplishment. Ceasefire does not provide the possibility of a future where this is not repeated. What needs to be demanded now is a political solution that will ensure the safety and security of Palestinians—and that is never part of the conversation. A ceasefire does not secure the lives or the security of Palestinians, because we know Israel will violate it a week later. Miko Peled It's not going to collapse because Israelis agree. It's not going to collapse because Israelis wake up one morning in a good mood. Israel is going to have to be forced on its knees. Just like in South Africa, whites in South Africa were on their knees. We're talking about severe sanctions. We're talking about closing down all diplomatic missions. We're talking about not allowing Israelis to participate in sporting events, cultural events, any events, academic arenas. They need to be shunned. Israeli society and the apartheid state that they created need to be brought on their knees.Miko Peled In Case You Haven't Heard with Francesco DeSantis1. The Intercept's Prem Thakker reports 43 members of Congress now support a ceasefire. Some notable additions in recent days include Reps. Becca Balint, Sara Jacobs and Jamie Raskin, the first Jewish members to call for a ceasefire, and Jeff Merkley, the second Senator to call for a ceasefire. Pressure continues to mount on Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, but they still do not support a ceasefire. And the LA Times editorial board has become the first in the nation to call for a ceasefire.2. According to Time, Reporters Without Borders has filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court for war crimes committed against Palestinian journalists in Gaza. The complaint cites the "deliberate, total or partial, destruction of the premises of more than 50 media outlets in Gaza." This crisis will likely prove decisive for the legitimacy of the ICC, as several countries including South Africa, have alleged that the court is biased in favor of western-aligned governments.3. Haaretz reports former Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy, who crafted the “Leahy Law” which prohibits U.S. military assistance to foreign security forces that violate human rights, has gone on record saying that the U.S. routinely ignores Israeli human rights abuses. Leahy said “it appears to me that shooting civilians and targeting civilian infrastructure, when you can't prove it is being used by Hamas, would be a violation of human rights…What is being done to apply the Leahy law now? I don't know. I know past administrations have been too concerned to do it. It should apply to the Israeli Defense Forces, unless the administration, as many have, has waived it."4. While not calling for a ceasefire, both Bernie Sanders and President Biden have announced plans to reshape military aid to Israel. Senator Sanders has put forth a plan to condition military aid upon multiple criteria including “the right of displaced Gazans to return to their homes” and “an end to settler violence in the West Bank.” Barak Ravid reports President Biden is considering imposing sanctions on Israeli settlers – who have long operated with legal impunity – threatening to ban visas for violent Israeli extremists in the West Bank. Ravid adds this would be the “1st time the U.S. [has] publicly consider[ed] individual sanctions against settlers.”5. KCRA reports The California Democratic convention was interrupted at multiple points by demonstrators demanding the candidates to fill Dianne Feinstein's Senate seat call for a ceasefire. Rep. Barbara Lee has done so, but not Reps. Katie Porter or Adam Schiff. Barbara Lee won the most votes at the convention, but fell short of the 60% threshold required to get the formal endorsement of the state party.6. A stunning ceasefire protest in the Bay Area saw activists park their cars on the bay bridge, then throw their keys into the water below – making it impossible for them or the police to move the vehicles, per FOX 8. Another protest at the DNC resulted in a police crackdown leaving 90 protesters injured, per the Guardian. Yet another protest at DC's Union Station resulted in 3 arrests on vandalism charges for protesters leaving bloody handprints on the inside of the station, per WTOP. Expect these disruption tactics to escalate as political leaders continue to ignore demands for a ceasefire.7. While many colleges are clamping down on pro-Palestine protests, Ryan Grim reports Occidental has set the model for engagement with student activists. The college announced that, following a student occupation of the administration office, they would pursue a dialogue with the student activists. Both the students and the administration stressed that Barack Obama got his start in activism at Occidental, pressuring the administration to divest from apartheid South Africa.8. In other news, Bloomberg reports the Public Prosecutor's office in Guatemala has conducted raids and arrests of Semilla party members. Semilla candidate Bernardo Arevalo was elected earlier this year, successfully, dealing a rare defeat to the openly corrupt political establishment in that country. The Public Prosecutor's office also announced that they will file charges against Arevalo, his vice-president elect, and several Semilla congressmen. The State Department has decried this move and is seeking to “Impose Additional Visa Restrictions in Response to Anti-Democratic Actions in Guatemala.” 9. Finally, More Perfect Union reports that “For the first time ever, U.S. auto workers have gotten a shuttered factory reopened. Workers at the massive Belvidere [Illinois] Jeep plant were laid off or told to relocate in March. Now the plant is not only reopening — @UAW won three times as many jobs and a $30/hour wage floor.” This stunning victory shows what is possible in terms of revitalizing domestic manufacturing with a renewed labor movement. And that is something we can all be thankful for.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Israel says it is uncovering an intricate network of tunnels used by Hamas in Gaza. Members of United Auto Workers approve a contract negotiated by the union. And prosecutors in Guatemala say they intend to bring charges against President-elect Bernardo Arevalo. Up First is produced by Ana Perez and Shelby Hawkins. Our editors are Michael Sullivan, Emily Kopp and Tara Neill. We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott and Arthur Laurent. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange. Our show director is Ziad Buchh. And our executive producer is Erika Aguilar.

Our five hundredth episode features long time labor organizer, Chris Townsend, who talks to Ralph about labor law reform, the Biden administration's attitude toward the labor movement, the UAW strike, the threat of automation, and much more. Plus, Ralph clarifies his position re the Washington Post article where he said he preferred “autocracy over fascism,” and we briefly discuss the chaos in the Republican caucus.Chris Townsend is a 44-year trade union worker and organizer. He is the retired Political Action Director for the United Electrical Workers Union and was the International Union organizing and field director for the Amalgamated Transit Union.The workplace in the United States is a dictatorship. And if you're willing to challenge that dictatorship— create a rebellion against it—you might be able to build a union. If you look at the statistics, the number of elections— the number of those campaigns that actually get that far, which is only a small number, most of them are incinerated, liquidated, poison gassed, fired, terminated out of existence before you ever get that election— but if you get that election, the labor movement is winning.Chris TownsendWhen you have a labor leadership that is lazy, unimaginative, unimaginative, rarely challenged, has a very timid view, a very limited worldview, and they see their role more as administrator as opposed to leaders— this is the modern situation that we face. We don't have much of a leadership, sadly. We have an administrator group, and they have administered the decline.Chris TownsendLet's be very, very realistic here. I don't think there can be a labor union movement in the United States under present federal laws. There are just too many hurdles, too many delays, too many licenses for these corporations to bust up the situation… And I'm amazed that you can listen to what the AFL puts out, what labor union leaders put out—they almost never mention card checks, they never mention repealing Taft -Hartley. They don't force the Democrats— who get elected in no small part because of union support— to put these labor law reforms in place.Ralph NaderIn Case You Haven't Heard with Francesco DeSantis1. October 1st marked the first day of Fiscal Year 2024 in Washington DC, and with it, DC's Cashless Ban finally goes into effect, per Axios. Now, district residents will be able to report businesses that do not accept cash and/or those who post signage saying they will not accept cash. If any listeners out there are based in Washington and wish to report any such businesses, feel free to submit them to me at francesco.desantis@csrl.org. And remember, if you see something, say something.2. Democracy Now! reports that Federal Communications Commission Chair Jessica Rosenworcel has gone on record saying she plans to restore Net Neutrality rules – which would “bar internet providers from blocking access or throttling customers' connections based on how much they pay or which websites they visit” – which were repealed under the Trump administration. This follows Democrats finally taking majority control of the commission. Common Cause remarked, “To allow a handful of monopoly-aspiring gate-keepers to control access to the internet is a direct threat to our democracy.”3. Brazilian President Lula has issued a statement in support of the United Auto Workers strike. Lula, who himself worked as a union organizer at the Brazilian automobile manufacturing facilities of auto giants like Ford, Volkwagon, and Toyota, made this statement after meeting with President Biden and seeing him take to the picketline in support of the striking workers. Lula added “It is crucial that presidents all around the world show concern for labor." More about Lula's history with automobile labor unions is available at the Multinational Monitor.4. Despite concerns raised by high-ranking Democrats in Congress, the Biden administration has approved Israel's entry into the visa waiver program, meaning Israelis can now visit the US for up to 90 days without a visa, and Americans can do the same. However, the Middle East Eye reports that Arab-American Nondiscrimination Committee plans to challenge this decision in court, as Israel may not meet the legal criteria for the program due to their discrimination against Palestinian Americans. Huwaida Arraf, a lawyer representing the ADC, added “This is all so unnecessary, all the US government had to do was maintain the standard it has with every other country in the Visa Waiver Programme. This lawsuit could have been avoided, but the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department resurrected the debunked notion that separate is somehow equal. As these plaintiffs show, that notion is a farce.”5. The Sacramento Bee reports California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed two major pro-labor bills that emerged late in this session of the state legislature. One would have granted unemployment insurance to striking workers, a push which emerged in the face of the extended entertainment industry strikes. The other would have brought domestic workers under “the umbrella of OSHA protections.” These vetoes were handed down along with Newsom's decision to appoint LaPhonza Butler, head of EMILY's List and a Maryland resident, to fill the Senate seat left vacant by Dianne Feinstein's passing.6. On October 1st, The State Department issued a statement decrying “Anti-Democratic Actions in Guatemala,” directed at President-elect Bernardo Arevalo and his Semilla Party. The statement expresses that “The United States is gravely concerned with continued efforts to undermine Guatemala's peaceful transition of power…Most recently, the Guatemalan Public Ministry seiz[ing] electoral materials under the custody of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal,” and goes on to add that “The United States…[is] actively taking steps to impose visa restrictions on individuals who continue to undermine Guatemala's democracy, including current and former members of Congress, judicial actors, and any others engaging in such behavior…The Guatemalan people have spoken. Their voice must be respected.”7. PBS reports that during a recent meeting between American officials and Mexican President AMLO, the latter levied scathing criticisms of US foreign policy, including the mammoth aid packages for Ukraine and economic sanctions on Cuba, Venezuela, and other Latin American nations. President López Obrador said the United States “should spend some of the money sent to Ukraine on economic development in Latin America…[and]…called for a U.S. program “to remove blockades and stop harassing independent and free countries, an integrated plan for cooperation so the Venezuelans, Cubans, Nicaraguans and Ecuadorans, Guatemalans and Hondurans wouldn't be forced to emigrate.”8. The Japan Times reports that “The Japanese government plans to seek a court order to disband the Unification Church…after a monthslong probe into the religious group over allegations of soliciting financially ruinous donations from members and other questionable practices.” The report goes on to say “Scrutiny of the group intensified after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was fatally shot during an election campaign speech last year over his perceived links to the entity, an incident which also brought to light its connections with many ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers.”9. Finally, Disney World is being hit with a substantial tort lawsuit. A woman visiting the park for her 30th birthday suffered “serious ‘gynecologic injuries'” while on the “Humunga Kowabunga” ride. I will spare listeners the grisly details, but suffice it to say she experienced “severe and permanent bodily injury,” which required surgery, per Law & Crime. Yet, in typical fashion of corporate media reportage on tortious injury, this story is being presented primarily as nothing more than a “wedgie,” just as the McDonald's lawsuit was reported as merely being about hot coffee. A deep dive into that case is available at the Tort Museum website.  Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Comprehensive coverage of the day's news with a focus on war and peace; social, environmental and economic justice. Trump lawyers seek dismissal of DC federal election subversion case, arguing presidential immunity. The Biden administration has taken action to allow for more border wall construction in South Texas. The decision, announced by the Department of Homeland Security, reverses some of the Biden administration's stances on building barriers along the US-Mexico border. Day two of a planned three-day strike at Kaiser Permanente. Tens of thousands of Guatemalans marched peacefully on Thursday for the fourth consecutive day, demanding the resignation of powerful senior prosecutors accused of working to undermine President-elect Bernardo Arevalo's ability to take office. The late Senator Dianne Feinstein was remembered as a leader of integrity, a trailblazer for women, and a loving grandmother at a memorial service in San Francisco. Feinstein served as mayor of San Francisco for a decade after the assassinations of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. She went on to become the first woman senator from California. The post The Pacifica Evening News, Weekdays – Thursday, October 5, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.

Comprehensive coverage of the day's news with a focus on war and peace; social, environmental and economic justice. Trump lawyers seek dismissal of DC federal election subversion case, arguing presidential immunity. The Biden administration has taken action to allow for more border wall construction in South Texas. The decision, announced by the Department of Homeland Security, reverses some of the Biden administration's stances on building barriers along the US-Mexico border. Day two of a planned three-day strike at Kaiser Permanente. Tens of thousands of Guatemalans marched peacefully on Thursday for the fourth consecutive day, demanding the resignation of powerful senior prosecutors accused of working to undermine President-elect Bernardo Arevalo's ability to take office. The late Senator Dianne Feinstein was remembered as a leader of integrity, a trailblazer for women, and a loving grandmother at a memorial service in San Francisco. Feinstein served as mayor of San Francisco for a decade after the assassinations of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. She went on to become the first woman senator from California. The post The Pacifica Evening News, Weekdays – Thursday, October 5, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.

*) Militant attack leaves dozens of Nigerian soldiers dead Twenty-nine soldiers have been killed in western Niger in an attack by suspected militants, the Defence Ministry has said. The ministry said the soldiers were targeted using "improvised explosive devices and kamikaze vehicles by more than a hundred terrorists". Two soldiers were seriously wounded and "several dozen terrorists" were also killed. According to the ministry, the attack took place near the country's border with Mali, during military operations aimed at "neutralising the threat posed by the Daesh" terror group. *) EU foreign ministers promise Ukraine billions of dollars EU foreign ministers have held talks with their Ukrainian counterpart in Kiev – the first time such a gathering has taken place outside of the bloc. It comes amid growing Western impatience over the war with Russia, especially after the Ukrainian counter-offensive didn't gather the pace many leaders had hoped for. Afterwards, the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell proposed over 5 billion dollars in military aid for Kiev next year. Meanwhile, Ukraine's eastern city of Kharkiv will build the country's first fully underground school to shield pupils from Russia's frequent bomb and missile attacks. *) UN finds no civilian violence in Azerbaijan's Karabakh as operation ends The UN mission visiting Karabakh in Azerbaijan has not received reports of violence against Armenian residents and seen destruction against civilian infrastructure. The mission was in the region to assess the situation on the ground and identify the humanitarian needs of both the people remaining and those who are on the move. Spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters the team surveyed the border checkpoint in Lachin and the city of Khankendi. *) Guatemalans block roads as anger grows over election interference Hundreds of Guatemalans have blocked key roads to demand the resignation of top prosecutors. The protesters accuse the prosecutors of trying to block the newly-elected president Bernardo Arevalo from taking office. One prosecutor even sent security forces to seize boxes of voting records. Arevalo is due to take office in January but observers and the international community have raised the alarm over efforts to challenge his election win. And finally… *) Trump decries New York trial over his business practices as 'scam' Former US President Donald Trump's fraud trial has gotten underway in Manhattan. Trump and his sons have been charged with inflating the value of his assets by billions of dollars to secure better loan and insurance terms. Trump is at risk of losing his business in New York and paying millions of dollars in fines but he denounced the case as a politically motivated "scam".

This episode is a sermon that I delivered at Pasadena Mennonite Church on September 17, 2023. In this sermon I connect the dots between U.S. military and economic aggression abroad with domestic housing justice. The passages cited are:Matthew 12:46-50Mark 10:29-30Matthew 6:19-21

Mark Twain once said, “Never put off till tomorrow, what you can do the day after tomorrow.” As an antidote to that Ralph welcomes Professor Piers Steel, author of “The Procrastination Equation: How to Stop Putting Things Off and Start Getting Stuff Done.” Plus, Ralph urges listeners to sign up for The Capitol Hill Citizen Association, another way to organize citizens to put pressure on the branch of our government where things must get done, the United States Congress.  Dr. Piers Steel is one of the world's leading researchers and speakers on the science of motivation and procrastination. Dr. Steel is a professor in the Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources area at the University of Calgary, and is the Brookfield Research Chair at the Haskayne School of Business. He is the author of The Procrastination Equation: How to Stop Putting Things Off and Start Getting Stuff Done.The root of procrastination is impulsiveness. Impulsiveness is valuing the now more than the later… We're designed to value the now. And this was really adaptive for a long time. It's not a bad trait. It's just that we've designed a world to take advantage of every little flaw that we have in our decision-making system.Dr. Piers SteelYou have to deal with yourself as an imperfect, flawed creature and deal with the reality of that. We're not robotic angels of perfection. We have limitations. And when I actually act within my limitations, I get stuff done.Dr. Piers SteelWe're superstars of self-control in the animal kingdom. We're able to hunt and kill most anything because we're willing to actually put in the delay of gratification. That's really what makes us great. But we're still not ready for things that are happening even a year off, much less five or ten.Dr. Piers SteelMore people will listen to what we just said about becoming part of the Capitol Hill Citizen Association and say to themselves, “I'm going to get around to doing that,” than the actual number of people who do it in a prompt period of time. So it would be very good to listen to Professor Steel's suggestions and read his book, because we cannot afford procrastinatory citizens. We have a procrastinatory Congress, and the citizens have got to get them to anticipate, to foresee, to forestall so many of the omnicidal urgencies that are coming at our country and other countries around the world.Ralph NaderTo become a member of the Capitol Hill Citizen Association, click here.In Case You Haven't Heard with Francesco DeSantis1. On August 28th, 20 groups – ranging from Left-wing anti-war organizations like Veterans for Peace to Right-leaning government transparency groups like R Street Institute – sent a letter to the Chairs and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees demanding they maintain Rep. Jamaal Bowman's Cost of War amendment in the final National Defense Authorization Act. This provision “requires public disclosure about the cost of the U.S.' overseas military footprint and gives the American people greater transparency on military spending.” Hopefully, the left-right consensus on this issue is enough to maintain this amendment.2. In other Pentagon news, the Intercept reports that Rep. Matt Gaetz, Republican of Florida, has introduced an amendment demanding the Pentagon “collect information on trainees who overthrow their governments,” following the recent spate of coups in Africa. Gaetz told the Intercept “The Department of Defense, up until this point, has not kept data regarding the people they train who participate in coups to overthrow democratically elected — or any — governments.” This could become a flashpoint as Congress prepares to consider the 2024 NDAA when it returns from recess in September.3. As expected, tensions are running high in Guatemala following the upset victory of anti-corruption crusader Bernardo Arevalo. Opponents of Arevalo had urged the country's electoral tribunal to suspend his Semilla party on dubious legal grounds, which the tribunal resisted hewing to the letter of the law which dictated such actions could not be taken during the electoral process. After the election however, the party was officially suspended. Now, Reuters reports that suspension has been revoked, following a mass mobilization of Arevalo supporters in Guatemala City. It seems unlikely however that Arevalo's political opponents will accept his victory without a fight.4. In a dangerous, anti-free speech move, the Attorney General of Georgia has filed RICO indictments against 42 individuals involved with the Stop Cop City protest movement, the Atlanta Community Press Collective reports. This is the latest in a long line of attempts to quash opposition to the project, which has so far included trumped up domestic terrorism charges and arrests for handing out flyers.  5. Bloomberg reports that President Biden and Brazilian President Lula will jointly call for new worker protections at the upcoming General Assembly of the United Nations. While the article notes the two leaders have been “at odds” over China and Russia, they align on the topic of labor unionization. The two presidents have found common ground before, such as on the issue of climate change.6. Visual Effects workers at Disney have filed for unionization, per the Hollywood Reporter. Approximately 80% of VFX staff have already signed union cards, demanding an NLRB election and representation by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees or IATSE. This comes on the heels of a similar announcement by VFX workers at Marvel, a Disney subsidiary. In recent years. studios have increasingly relied on VFX workers in a rather blatant attempt to cut costs, as VFX workers have generally been non-union.7. At long last, the Department of Health and Human Services has announced the first ten drugs that will be subject to Mecicare negotiations to bring down prices. These are: Eliquis, Jardiance, Xarelto, Januvia Farxiga, Entresto, Enbrel, Imbruvica, Stelara and – crucially – several brands of insulin. HHS noted that “These selected drugs accounted for $50.5 billion in total [Medicare] Part D gross covered prescription drug costs, or about 20%, of total Part D gross between June 1, 2022 and May 31, 2023.”8. The Washington Post reports Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su has proposed new overtime rules intended to “extend overtime pay to an additional 3.6 million salaried white-collar workers in the United States.” According to current rules, workers are exempt from overtime if they make over $35,568 per year; the new rules would extend to workers making under $55,000 annually. If implemented, this would mean a whole new class of workers would be eligible for time-and-a-half pay if they work more than 40 hours per week.9. Per Republic Report: “The U.S. Department of Education announced…that it is cancelling $72 million in student loan obligations for more than 2,300 former students who attended for-profit Ashford University between 2009 and 2020.” Yet, even now the shady operators behind Ashford may still be able to squeeze money out of the taxpayers via a convoluted buyout by the University of Arizona Global Campus. Still, this marks a significant victory in a legal battle that has raged for over a decade, with Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa calling Ashford a “complete scam” all the way back in 2011.10. Finally, in more debt related news, the Philadelphia Inquirer has published a piece detailing how the nonprofit RIP Medical Debt was able to purchase – and forgive – over $1.6 million in medical debt. As the piece explains “When hospitals or physician groups have delinquent debts they have little chance of collecting on, they'll typically go to what's called the secondary market and sell their portfolios for pennies on the dollar.” It was on this secondary market that RIP Medical Debt was able to buy $1.6 million worth of debt for just $17,000. In celebration, “30 proud, self-described gutter-pagan, mostly queer dirtbags in their early 30s,” gathered for a ritual burning of an oversized medical bill. Someone chanted “debt is hell” and the crowd responded “let it burn.” Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

On August 20th a former academic, diplomat and now anti-corruption crusader Bernardo Arevalo stunned the world with a landslide victory in Guatemala's presidential election. Arevalo won with over 60% of the vote, besting a former first lady who represented Guatemala's long dominant conservative -- and corrupt -- political establishment. This was a truly unexpected result. People who professionally observe Central American politics, including Ivan Briscoe, were taken by surprise.  Ivan Briscoe is Program Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the International Crisis Group. As he explains, Arevalo is genuinely committed to democracy and rooting out corruption -- and this is putting him at odds with the incumbent corrupt establishment. And despite the election results, the establishment is fighting back and taking measures to prevent Arevalo from wielding power in office and enacting meangful change. We kick off with a discussion of Arevelo's fascinating biography before having a longer conversation about the significance of his landslide victory.  Newsletter: https://www.globaldispatches.org/  Patreon  Spotify Premium Feed

-SGIRPC ofrece cursos virtuales gratuitos -Bernardo Arevalo, presidente electo de Guatemala, denuncia "un golpe de Estado”-Más información en nuestro podcast

Ralph welcomes civic activist, writer and filmmaker, Pete Davis, to discuss “Join or Die,” a film about why you should join a club—and why the fate of America depends on it. Then Professor Scott Sklar, an expert on sustainable infrastructure joins us to talk about one of the easiest ways we can reduce our energy consumption and slow down the pace of our overheating planet: white roofs. Plus, Ralph has some choice words about the media's coverage of the Republican presidential campaign and also how we don't truly celebrate Labor Day. And speaking of labor, Steve gives us an update on the Writers' and Actors' strike.Pete Davis is a writer and civic advocate. He is the author of Dedicated: The Case for Commitment in An Age of Infinite Browsing, co-founder of the Democracy Policy Network— a policy organization focused on raising up ideas that deepen democracy— and co-director—with Rebecca Davis— of the film Join or Die.43% of Americans are part of zero organizations, and another 20% are only part of one organization. So we're talking about two-thirds of the country that are not part of anything. So they don't know how to run a meeting. They don't know how to do an invitation. They don't know how to deal with tension between neighbors. They don't know how to plan something together in public.Pete DavisThe real basic, atomic-level skills that eventually flourish into hardcore political action often start with softer civic organizing.Pete DavisScott Sklar is Energy Director of George Washington University's Environment & Energy Management Institute and Director of GW's Solar Institute. Mr. Sklar is an expert on renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable infrastructure, and runs The Stella Group, Ltd., a clean energy technology optimization and strategic policy firm.White [roofing] is preferable, but even the lightest gray or lightest brown reflects out. We need building codes to do this, we need community activists to do this, we need to train roofers and builders to do this, and we need to create a sort of social compact that [recognizes] this is very easy to do. And so with this and things like tree canopy we can reduce the heat on the ground, which will save lives, make people healthier, and use less energy.Scott SklarThe obvious 800-lb gorilla in the room is the contradiction, where corporations in energy arenas make more money selling waste (by the overuse of energy) and consumers save money by the efficient use of energy. So there's a dead-on conflict between the two interests, and guess who has the most power in the country over government and media. So what Scott is saying is, the more you realize what you personally can save—quite apart from what your community and world can save— the more powerful you have to become.Ralph NaderIn Case You Haven't Heard with Francesco DeSantis1. Capping off a campaign defined by underhanded tricks and legal brute force by the corrupt right-wing establishment, Guatemalan presidential candidate Bernardo Arevalo triumphed on Sunday – winning the presidential election in a landslide, with nearly 60% of the vote. However, even with this victory in hand, the road ahead remains perilous. As renowned investigative journalist Allan Nairn noted just before the election, “Arévalo…won't be due to be sworn in until January 14, 2024, and…members [of the corrupt ruling clique known as El Pacto] have made it clear that they will do what's needed to prevent that.”2. Ecuador also held elections on Sunday, including the first round of their presidential contest. Moving to the runoff are Luisa Gonzalez, a left-wing leader backed by Ecuador's former president Rafael Correa and Daniel Noboa, a businessman and scion of a powerful family of banana tycoons, per AP. Yet, looming larger than either candidate is the specter of political violence directed at the left. Presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was assassinated earlier this month, as was a local leftist politician, and a third survived an attempt on his life. One can only hope for a runoff free of bloodshed.3. In that same election, the Guardian reports Ecuadorans passed a referendum to “halt the development of all new oilwells in the Yasuní national park in the Amazon, one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet.” The article goes on to state “In a second referendum, citizens in Quito also voted to block gold mining in the Chocó Andino, a sensitive highland biosphere near the capital city.”4. The Hollywood Reporter has a new story out concerning a federal court ruling that art created by AI is not eligible for copyright protection. This tremendous victory for creative workers puts up a major roadblock for Hollywood studios who have been unsubtly hinting that they will use AI-generated work to bypass writers, actors, and more. Hopefully, this ruling will convince the studios to return to the negotiating table and hammer out a fair deal to end the entertainment industry strikes.5. A report in The Intercept traces how Norfolk Southern successfully lobbied to weaken a rail regulation bill following the East Palestine disaster. As the author put it in a tweet: “April: Norfolk Southern sends lobbyists to Congress. May: A committee that lobbyists met with weakens the bipartisan rail safety bill. June + July: Norfolk Southern gives thousands to Republican members on that exact committee. Welcome to Washington!”6. From Truthout: In 2021, activists in New Jersey spearheaded a push to ban ICE contracts with private prisons – and got a bill signed into law. Yet, now the Biden administration is backing a challenge to this law led by private prison megacorporation CoreCivic. Back in 2021, Biden stated unequivocally “There should be no private prisons, period, none, period…They should not exist. And we are working to close all of them.” Another promise broken.7. Elon Musk has 153 million followers on Twitter – or as he has redubbed it, X – yet, how many of those are real? Mashable's Matt Binder examined the data and found some startling results. “[over] 42% of Musk's followers have 0 followers on their own account, [more than] 72% have less than 10 followers, [and over] 40 percent of Musk's followers have 0 posts.” While some of these accounts could simply be inactive, this data suggests many of these accounts are bots being used to artificially inflate Musk's follower count.8. The Daily Beast reports that Van Jones, the former activist and CNN commentator, has been forced out of his leadership role at the nonprofit Dream.org, two years after the group received a $100 million donation from Jeff Bezos. A subsidiary of Dream.org, Green For All, also received a three year, $10 million grant in 2020. The article quotes “several ex-employees” who allege “The group tore through that money with little to show for it.” This story shines a light on corruption in activist spaces and gives a window into the non-profit industrial complex run amok.9. Last year, San Francisco voters ousted progressive, reform prosecutor Chesa Boudin, in a recall brought after sustained attacks by conservatives and establishment liberals. Boudin was replaced by more traditional, ‘tough on crime' prosecutor Brooke Jenkins. Yet, a year on and MSNBC reports that violent crime has actually increased in the Golden City compared to Boudin's tenure. While this will come as a surprise to some, it is arguably more shocking that anyone could think going back to the old, failed model of law enforcement would yield new results. That is after all the very definition of insanity. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

*Políticas de línea dura migratoria prometen precandidatos en primer debate republicano *Tormenta tropical Hilary deja a miles de trabajadores agrícolas damnificados *Muchas esperanzas genera Bernardo Arevalo presidente electo de Guatemala

Ewa Jeneralczuk o pierwszej debacie kandydatów do republikańskiej nominacji na kandydata w przyszłorocznych wyborach prezydenckich. Gubernator Florydy wyraził niechęć do przyjmowania do USA imigrantów z Polski czy Brazylii.  Artur Żak o katastrofie, w której prawdopodobnie zginął Jewgienij Prigożyn. Na wraku samolotu, którego pasażerem miał być właściciel grupy Wagnera wraz z jej dowódcą Utkinem, znaleziono ślady amunicji przeciwlotniczej.  Sławomir Budzik o rozmowy Donalda Trumpa z popularnym dziennikarzem FOX News Tuckerem Carlsonem. Ponadto o wizycie prezydenta Joe Bidena na Hawajach.  Dmytro Antoniuk o Dniu Niepodległości Ukrainy. Jaśmina Nowak o katastrofie śmigłowca w Libanie i pogarszającej się sytuacji chrześcijan w tym kraju.  Iza Smolarek i Alex Sławiński o znalezieniu flag ze swastykami w pobliżu meczetu w Belfaście i zapowiadanej nowej płycie grupy The Rolling Stones. Zbyszek Dąbrowski  o zwycięstwie Bernardo Arevalo w wyborach na prezydenta Gwatemali.  Iza Lech i kolejny odcinek batalii o wolność słowa w Kanadzie oraz relacja o pożarach w tym kraju. 

Guatemala has elected a new president, bringing hope to the country. But with five months to go until his inauguration, it remains to be seen how smooth the transfer of power will be. Andrew Mueller explains who Bernardo Arevalo is and what kind of president he might be.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 48-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,429 on turnover of 4.4-billion N-T. The market closed flat on Monday after giving up most of its early gains ahead of Nvidia's release of its latest financial results at an investor conference scheduled for Wednesday in California. Investor sentiment was also negatively affected by concerns over the U-S Federal Reserve's rate hike cycle, as Fed Chair Jerome Powell is set to address the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium on Friday. **MOA to Take China Mango Import Suspension to WTO ** The Ministry of Agriculture says it plans to take China's decision to suspended imports of mangoes from Taiwan to the World Trade Organization. The statement comes after Beijing announced that it had suspended imports of mangoes following the detection of an agricultural pest in recent shipments. The agriculture ministry is slamming the suspension of mango imports -describing it as being "unwarranted (毫無根據的、不合理的) and out of step with international trade standards." Agriculture officials say China's import ban is unlikely to have any major economic impact, as Taiwan has only exported 2.2-per cent of its total mango crop this year. **MOFA Congratulates Guatemala' President-Elect ** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is congratulating Bernardo Arevalo on his victory in Guatemala's presidential election. According to the ministry, it has informed Guatemala's president-elect that Taiwan will seek to strengthen cooperation and exchanges with his incoming government, based on the shared values of democracy and freedom. The foreign ministry is "lauding" Guatemala for holding a successful election and Taiwan's embassy in Guatemala City sent an official letter of congratulations to Arevalo's camp after it declared victory in Sunday's runoff election. Speaking in July, Arevalo said he would not switch (轉變) diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing if elected, despite his being favor of improving trade relations with China. **Japan to Release Fukushima Wastewater as soon as Aug24 ** The Japanese government says treated and diluted (經稀釋的) radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant will be released into the ocean as early as Thursday. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida gave the final go-ahead at a meeting Tuesday of the Cabinet ministers involved in the plan. He instructed the plant's operator to being the release Thursday if weather conditions permits. It comes more than 12 years after nuclear meltdowns at the plant caused by a massive earthquake and tsunami. The water has been accumulating since then and will be released over decades. **US Biden Faces Criticism for Hawaii Response ** Joe Biden has visited the Hawaiian island of Maui, almost two weeks after deadly wildfires there killed more than hundred people. The US President has faced criticism (批評) for not traveling to Hawaii sooner. **Swiss ZeroDegree Isotherm Level Reaches Highest Altitude ** The Swiss weather service says a heat wave has driven the zero-degree Celsius level to its highest altitude since recordings on it in Switzerland began nearly 70 years ago. MeteoSwiss says the zero-degree isotherm level reached 5,298 meters above sea level over Switzerland overnight Sunday to Monday. All of Switzerland's snow-capped Alpine peaks had air temperatures exceeding (超過) zero Celsius, where water freezes. That raises prospects of a thaw. A MeteoSwiss meterologist says "if such conditions persist in the longer term, glaciers are set to be lost irreversibly (不可逆轉地)". That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is attending the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg and paying a state visit to South Africa (02:33). Bernardo Arevalo has won Guatemala's presidential election (13:46). And the capital of Canada's Northwest Territories has nearly emptied as people flee from wildfires (33:43).

Chinese President Xi Jinping calls for enhanced friendship and cooperation between China and South Africa as he attends the BRICS summit in the country. Tropical storm Hilary brings heavy rains and flooding to southern California. Bernardo Arevalo wins Guatemala's presidential election in landslide.

On August 20, Guatemalans will head to the polls to elect their next president, marking the culmination of a long and fraught electoral process. The election will pit Sandra Torres, a longstanding political force heading one of the country's most well-oiled political machines, against unexpected contender Bernardo Arevalo, who surged to claim second place in the June first round elections.  In this special episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Will Freeman, Fellow for Latin America Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. Together, they set the stage for the coming elections, outlining the unexpected rise of Arevalo and his party, the policy positions of the two candidates, and the overarching context of Guatemala's evolving political environment and democracy. They also touch upon the implications of this elections for U.S.-Guatemala relations, as well as common threads between Guatemala and Ecuador, who will host elections on the same day.

On Episode 10 of The LatinNews Podcast, we ask Jo-Marie Burt, professor of political science and Latin American studies at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University about Guatemala's presidential elections.  Guatemalans will vote on 20 August in the second round of the presidential elections in which establishment candidate Sandra Torres is pitted against outsider Bernardo Arevalo. We discuss the complex tangle of Guatemala's political landscape, the symbolic significance of Arevalo's surprise success in the first round and how the corporate authoritarian elites might swing the elections to their favoured candidate.    Show Notes: • Pact of the Corrupt • Corporate Authoritarian System • Backgrounds of Bernardo Arevalo & Sandra Torres • Guatamalan illicit trade   Jo-Marie Burt is associate professor of political science and Latin American studies at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. At Mason, she has served as director of Latin American studies, co-director of the Center for Global Studies, and associate chair for undergraduate studies. She is an affiliate faculty in global affairs, Latin American studies, conflict analysis and resolution, and women and gender studies. Burt is also a senior fellow at the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), a leading human rights research and advocacy organization.

Ralph and our resident constitutional scholar, Bruce Fein, discuss how they compiled letters they sent to various government officials and representatives that have gone unanswered into a book titled “The Incommunicados” and how this unresponsiveness violates our First Amendment right to petition our government for redress of grievances. Then Washington Post opinion columnist, Helaine Olen, highlights the corporate equivalent, how hard it is to reach a human being for customer service and how all of this plays into the free-floating anger and general unrest of an American population that feels unheard.Bruce Fein is a Constitutional scholar and an expert on international law.  Mr. Fein was Associate Deputy Attorney General under Ronald Reagan and he is the author of Constitutional Peril: The Life and Death Struggle for Our Constitution and Democracy, and American Empire: Before the Fall.Today, I couldn't have gotten through to members of the Senate or House on the auto safety issue. We couldn't have gotten through for them to even consider (much less pass) the auto safety legislation that they did in 1966. Because I could get on the line and even if I couldn't get a member, I could call and get the chief of staff or get the legislative director in order to have access. I could go down to Capitol Hill and get the hearings, get the media attention, and get the law to save millions of lives. So, this is serious. It isn't just a matter of literary courtesy here.Ralph NaderWhat we have in the right to petition for the redress of grievances is an effort to prevent a repeat of the deaf ear that King George was turning to the grievances of the colonists. And the right to petition implies a corollary obligation to respond… That's the heart of what democratic discourse is about. Part of what holding government officials accountable is about— requiring them to explain their decisions. They don't have to agree with us, but they can't just ignore us and treat us as though we're not human beings.Bruce FeinHelaine Olen is an expert on money and society, and an award-winning columnist for the Washington Post. Her work has appeared in Slate, the Nation, the New York Times, the Atlantic, and many other publications, and she serves on the advisory board of the Economic Hardship Reporting Project. She is co-author of The Index Card: Why Personal Finance Doesn't Have to Be Complicated and the author of Pound Foolish: Exposing the Dark Side of the Personal Finance Industry.This is part of why Americans are so angry. Is our lives as consumers. In the United States we often confuse our consumer lives with being a citizen. We think if the phone line isn't working if the airline isn't working, if we can't get through to the doctor's office, there's something wrong with the state of the country. And every time one of these interactions deteriorates, there's this sense of ‘things don't work,' which I think is pervasive in the United States… and I think it translates into this free-floating anger that then gets turned around and leveled at random people at the government, fill in the blank.”Helaine OlenThere's this dominant narrative out there right now that American consumers are becoming greedy and grasping and they're abusing the help— which happens, I don't want to say every consumer is a perfect citizen by a long shot— but I think it is partly a response to the fact that people are often treated very very badly. And there's really no one to complain to that will actually do anything about this.Helaine OlenIn Case You Haven't Heard with Francesco DeSantis1. The Screen Actors Guild, SAG-AFTRA, has joined the Writers Guild in going on strike following the collapse of negotiations with the studios. This new strike covers 160,000 actors and coming as it does amid the writers strike, will effectively shut down Hollywood production for the foreseeable future. In a widely shared video, SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher decried the studios for "plead[ing] poverty…[while] giving hundreds of millions of dollars to their CEOs."2. The Intercept reports that AOC has authored an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act requiring “the CIA, Pentagon, and State Department to declassify information related to the U.S. government's role in the Chilean coup that brought dictator Augusto Pinochet to power.” Much of what the public knows about the Chilean coup came out through the legendary Church Committee hearings, and it is encouraging that someone in Congress is interested in taking up that mantle.3. In Florida, a joint investigation by the Tampa Bay Times and Miami Herald uncovered the disturbing reality underlying Governor DeSantis' revamped Florida State Guard. While recruits were initially told they would be trained for a nonmilitary mission – to “help Floridians in times of need or disaster” – they were instead taught how to “rappel with ropes, navigate through the woods and respond to incidents under military command.” Major General John D. Haas, charged with overseeing the program, is quoted saying the State Guard is a “military organization” that will be used not just for emergencies but for “aiding law enforcement with riots and illegal immigration.”4. Longtime civil rights leader and two-time presidential candidate Reverend Jesse Jackson has announced that he is retiring from his role as president of the Rainbow-PUSH Coalition, per The Hill. He had led the group for over 50 years, even after he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2017. President Biden said of Jackson, “I've seen him as history will remember him: a man of God and of the people; determined, strategic, and unafraid of the work to redeem the soul of our nation.”5. Uruguay, the small South American nation sandwiched between Argentina and Brazil, is experiencing its worst drought in 74 years. The situation has become so dire that authorities are mixing salt water into the public drinking water. Now, the Guardian reports that Uruguayans are protesting a planned Google data center that would consume two million gallons of water per day. In response to this crisis, a new group has cropped up – the Commission to Defend Water and Life, backed by the country's trade unions – and their slogan has become ubiquitous: “This is not drought, it's pillage.”6. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, chair of the Progressive Caucus, got herself into trouble this week by calling Israel a “racist state,” in a speech to the progressive summit Netroots Nation, per CNN. While clumsily worded, Jayapal's statement actually vastly understates the issue. According to mainstream groups like Amnesty International, Israel is in fact an “apartheid” state.7. More on Israel, the New York Times reports that “At least 180 senior fighter pilots, elite commandos and cyber-intelligence specialists in the Israeli military reserve have informed their commanders that they will no longer report for volunteer duty if the government proceeds with a plan to limit judicial influence by the end of the month.” While media coverage of the protests against this judicial overhaul has slowed, the protests themselves are very much ongoing and these resignations prove there is significant discontent among secular Israelis. It remains to be seen whether the opposition by mainstream Israeli society to authoritarian creep will substantively address any of the underlying issues, such as the occupation of Palestine.8. In an update to the Guatemala story from last week, Al Jazeera reports that in a statement, “the public prosecutor's office denied accusations that its actions were aimed at derailing the [anti-corruption] Seed Movement's prospects as it competes in the final round of voting.” This prosecutor, Rafael Curruchiche, has “previously targeted anti-corruption campaigners and has been placed on the US Department of State's Engel List for ‘corrupt and undemocratic actors'.” The decision to ban the party has already been reversed by Guatemala's Constitutional Court, the highest court in that country. The party's leader, Bernardo Arevalo, has stated “We are in the electoral race, we are moving forward and we will not be stopped by this corrupt group.”9. The Houston Chronicle reports that “Officers working for [Texas Governor Greg] Abbott's border security initiative have been ordered to push children into the Rio Grande, and have been told not to give water to migrants” These abuses were revealed in an email from a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper who described the actions as “inhumane.”10. Finally, Universal Studios appears to have unlawfully trimmed trees on the public sidewalk outside of their building in Los Angeles, a transparent attempt to discourage picketers by denying them shade during the ongoing heatwave. City Controller Kenneth Mejia has announced that his office is launching an investigation. Ironically, this shows Hollywood executives are perfectly capable of cuts at the top. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Ralph welcomes Maxim Thorne director of the non-partisan Civic Influencers, an organization that trains young people to inspire their peers to vote and therefore swing elections toward issues they care about and also fights “generational gerrymandering,” efforts by certain states to make it harder for 18 to 29-year-olds to vote. Plus, Ralph gives his take on some recent news items, answers your questions, and comments on your recent feedback.Maxim Thorne is a lawyer, activist, philanthropist, and a Lecturer at Yale. He has worked with the NAACP, Human Rights Campaign, New Jersey Head Start Association, GLAAD, the Executive Committee of the Yale Law School, and the Yale Alumni Task Force on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. He currently serves as Chief Executive of Civic Influencers, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to inspiring young people to make their voices heard—and their votes count.When we think about how important young people are to saving our democracy, and voting on pro-democracy candidates, and voting on issues like climate change and abortion rights and LGBTQ rights— what are we giving them? If you are not moving to relieve their student debt, and you are not moving to allow them to organize so they get better paid jobs that allow them to lead a decent life, you're not giving that most important part of our electorate what they need and what they're demanding.Maxim ThorneWe can show [young people] the power of their vote— that's the marching band, the glee club, the gospel choir, the football team, the cheerleaders alone could swing that election. One dorm could swing that election. That is power.Maxim ThorneIt's really amazing how, after the civil rights battles and the civil rights laws in the 1960s and ‘70s, most people thought, “That battle is over, it's up to you to vote, and no one's going to obstruct you.” And along come some of these rightwing corporate lawyers for the GOP. And they say, “Hey, we can develop all kinds of ways to harass, delay, expunge, purge, and not count votes!” And that's what a lot of Republican governors are doing from Florida to Texas.Ralph NaderIn Case You Haven't Heard with Francesco DeSantis1. For the first time in 20 years, Israel has attacked the Jenin Palestinian refugee camp, the New York Times reports. Less than two weeks earlier, far-right Israeli defense minister Itamar Ben Gvir went on record saying “We have to settle the land of Israel and at the same time need to launch a military campaign, blow up buildings, assassinate terrorists. Not one, or two, but dozens, hundreds, or if needed, thousands.” This brutal attack has reignited international outcry against Israeli apartheid, including from the United Nations, but few expect the Biden administration to impose serious penalties in response.2. A group of congressional progressives is speaking out in response to the White House's decision to transfer cluster munitions to Ukraine. In a statement, this group wrote “Cluster munitions have been banned by nearly 125 countries…because of the indiscriminate harm they cause, including mass civilian injury and death.” This statement also notes that the administration is circumventing clear directives from Congress restricting the transfer of these weapons. This statement was signed by Reps. Pramila Jayapal, Barbara Lee, and Ilhan Omar, among other progressives.3. Per Ryan Grim of the Intercept, on the other side of the aisle, Matt Gaetz – the dissident House Republican – has committed to cosponsoring the amendment to bar the transfer of cluster munitions. One hopes this Left-Right coalition can expand and stop this move.4. The Verge reports that Microsoft has won the first round of its legal battle with the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC sought a preliminary injunction to prevent the tech giant's acquisition of the video game conglomerate Activision Blizzard. The ruling follows “five days of grueling testimony.” Despite their victory, Microsoft still faces an antitrust lawsuit.5. In Guatemala, an electoral crisis is unfolding. Shocking results in the June 25th elections put Bernardo Arevalo – a progressive anti-corruption candidate and son of former left-wing president Juan Jose Arevalo – into the second round, defeating the daughter of former Guatemalan dictator Efrain Rios Montt and setting up a showdown with the former first lady Sandra Torres. However, a coalition of nine right wing parties have filed a lawsuit to suspend the results, citing far-fetched allegations of fraud. The Organization of American States is urging the Guatemalan authorities to reject the lawsuit because "The Mission verified that no serious irregularities were revealed and that no significant changes were registered with respect to the preliminary results of Sunday, June 25." This from Reuters.6. The sports pages of both the LA Times and New York Times took major hits this week. According to the Sporting Tribune, the LA Times “will no longer have box scores, standings, game stories, TV listings or a daily sports calendar.” These changes were reportedly made to accommodate new 3 p.m. deadlines following the sale of the paper's printing press. At the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal reports that the Grey Lady is planning to close its sports desk entirely, and instead rely on The Athletic for their daily sports coverage. This is "part of an effort to further integrate the publication it bought for $550 million last year."7. A wild story in Variety alleges that Warner Brothers-Discovery CEO David Zaslav made a crooked bargain with GQ's editor-in-chief Will Welch. The terms? In exchange for burying a GQ story critical of Zaslav, Welch got a plum position as a producer on a WB film. If so, Welch likely violated the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics which states reporters and editors should “avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived [and] disclose unavoidable conflicts.”8. Common Dreams reports that President Biden has nominated Elliott Abrams to the US Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy. Abrams, a lifelong neoconservative war hawk, has admitted to covering up information in the Iran-Contra scandal and ignored reports of the massacres in El Salvador in the 1980s. Abrams later called US policy in El Salvador a “fabulous achievement.” Listeners may remember a heated confrontation between Abrams and Rep. Ilhan Omar when he was nominated as a diplomat to Iran and Venezuela under President Trump in 2019.9. According to the Financial Times, “Elon Musk's Tesla has joined Chinese automakers in pledging to enhance “core socialist values” and compete fairly in the country's car market after Beijing directed the industry to rein in a months-long price war.” While Elon Musk, one of the richest men in the world, clearly does not hew to ‘core socialist values' it is a marked turn from his previous comments on the topic, including tweeting that “Karl Marx was a capitalist.” We recommend he take a break from Twitter, and maybe read a book? Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Tour de chauffe pour les candidats de l'opposition au Venezuela : ils étaient 8 ce mercredi (12 juillet 2023) à participer à un premier débat télévisé, en amont des primaires qui seront organisées à l'automne prochain (2023). Objectif de l'opposition : trouver l'homme ou la femme capable de battre dans les urnes Nicolas Maduro, l'actuel président au pouvoir depuis 2013. Il y avait déjà eu des débats de l'opposition, mais cela faisait plus de 10 ans que cela n'avait pas eu lieu, raconte Alice Campaignolle, correspondante de RFI à Caracas. Car l'opposition avait décidé de boycotter la dernière présidentielle pour ne pas cautionner le gouvernement et son système autoritaire. Ces dernières années, l'opposition a changé son fusil d'épaule. Les différents partis, face à l'inefficacité du boycott, ont décidé de revenir sur la scène électorale. Si l'unité semble acquise, les défis sont encore très nombreux : notamment comment faire voter les Vénézuéliens à l'extérieur, nombre qui s'élève tout de même à 7 millions.   Guatemala : incertitude sur le second tour de la présidentielle Confusion au Guatemala après deux décisions de justice pour le moins contradictoires. Hier (12 juillet 2023) le Tribunal Suprême Électoral a validé les résultats du premier tour de la présidentielle, et donc la qualification pour le second tour des deux candidats de gauche : Sandra Torres et Bernardo Arevalo. Mais, dans la foulée, un autre tribunal est venu semer le trouble en décidant de suspendre Semilla, le parti de Bernardo Arevalo. Celui-ci dénonce un « coup d'État technique ». Haïti : l'ambassadeur de l'UE justifie le soutien au gouvernement   « L'Union européenne ne soutient pas un gouvernement en particulier mais il soutient l'État haïtien », déclaration de Stefano Gato, l'ambassadeur de l'UE à Port-au-Prince, à la Une du Nouvelliste. Interrogé par le journal haïtien, le représentant justifie le soutien apporté par Bruxelles à Ariel Henry et à son gouvernement, en amont du Sommet entre l'UE et la Communauté des États d'Amérique latine et des Caraïbes, qui aura lieu le 17 juillet 2023.   Le journal de la 1ère  Depuis le 30 juin 2023, un escadron supplémentaire de gendarmes mobiles est opérationnel en Martinique.   

Today, Morgan, Jamil, and Les discuss China's growing influence in Latin America after Guatemalan Presidential candidate Bernardo Arevalo advocated for expanding relations with China. This statement, combined with Brazil considering substituting the dollar for the yen and Honduras revoking its recognition of Taiwan, shows that states in the global south are trending away from the USWhat should the US do to counter China's growing influence? Following the Chinese spy base in Cuba, does the Biden Administration need to enforce red lines in the region? Has the U.S. devoted enough military and economic resources to Latin America? How can the U.S. be a better neighbor?Hear our experts debate these issues and more in less than 10 minutes on our latest episode of Fault Lines!Watch our experts debate on YouTube here!: https://youtu.be/eGpee0fLkK0Want to learn more about this topic? Check out these articles that our experts used to frame our discussion:https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/surprise-guatemalan-presidential-contender-pitches-closer-china-ties-2023-06-27/ https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/economic-displacement-chinas-growing-influence-latin-america Follow our experts on Twitter:@lestermunson@jamil_n_jaffer@morganlroachLike what we're doing here? Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe.And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zaskakujące poparcie dla Arevalo, w połączeniu z głębokim brakiem frekwencji wyborczej, wskazuje na wysoki poziom rozczarowania gwatemalskim systemem politycznym - komentują gwatemalscy analitycy.

Contrairement aux prédictions des sondages, le second tour opposera en août 2023 l'ancienne Première dame Sandra Torres à Bernardo Arevalo, qui ont obtenu respectivement 15,7% des voix et 11,8%. Si Sandra Torres se voit déjà première présidente de l'histoire de son pays, son rival se montre prudent, « nous sommes mesurés, nous sommes reconnaissants de la confiance qui nous a été accordée, nous espérons qu'elle sera maintenue. » Bernardo Arevalo a surtout mobilisé dans la capitale, explique Thierry Maire, doctorant au centre Maurice Halbwachs, et même si le candidat manque d'assise locale, il pourrait bénéficier du report de voix de la part de Thelma Cabrera, la leader indigène « écartée par le tribunal suprême électoral, sans doute dans une manœuvre politique pour éliminer une candidate qui dérangeait. Elle n'aurait pas grande difficulté à mobiliser sa base en faveur d'Arevalo en termes d'idéologie politique, de positionnement, de propositions. » Sa vice-présidente pourrait également permettre à Arevalo d'attirer des voix féminines, « ce qui n'est pas négligeable car les femmes représentent 54% du corps électoral », précise Thierry Maire.Aucun candidat ne parvient à dépasser 15% des voix, confirmant « l'atomisation croissante des partis politiques », analyse le chercheur en précisant que certains glissements politiques se sont produits récemment. Selon lui, on ne peut plus qualifier Sandra Torres de sociale-démocrate aujourd'hui. La candidate, arrivée en tête, s'est « droitisée, selon lui, son vice-président est un pasteur évangélique ce qui n'incline pas à un excès d'optimisme en termes de législation progressiste. » Thierry Maire nuance enfin « l'éparpillement politique » en précisant que le parti conservateur Vamos du président sortant est loin d'être repoussé dans les méandres de la vie politique guatémaltèque puisqu'il arrive en tête aux législatives.Haïti face à une misère grandissante et une économie à genouxAu lendemain du sommet dit pour un nouveau pacte financier mondial, l'économiste Etzer Emile se désole de constater toujours les mêmes réactions de la communauté internationale, « on ne réfléchit pas à des solutions innovantes ou impactantes dans la manière d'intervenir après les catastrophes naturelles ou concernant la crise alimentaire. Je pense qu'il y a une façon paresseuse de regarder Haïti. » Une crise aggravée par l'insécurité, les gangs qui contrôlent le département de l'Artibonite « empêchent la production ainsi que le transport des produits ou des intrants agricoles, explique Etzer Emile, c'est la même chose pour le Sud qui représente près de 40% de la production agricole. » La situation économique catastrophique d'Haïti aggrave encore la situation : le pays n'attire plus d'investisseurs étrangers et ne crée plus d'emplois, « pour cela, analyse l'économiste haïtien, il faut un environnement des affaires attractif : de la sécurité, une stabilité politique, des infrastructures de base comme l'électricité… nous n'avons pas ces conditions. »► À écouter aussi : «Haïti: La misère s'accélère de manière exponentielle».Le journal de la 1èreUn symposium caribéen et amazonien sur les matériaux durables s'est ouvert ce lundi matin (26 juin 2023) en Guadeloupe.