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Deforestation in Brazilian Amazon remains high in May

AFP

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon fell in May from the same month last year, but came in at the second-highest level on record for the period, continuing a devastating year for the world’s biggest rainforest.

Figures based on satellite data published Friday by the national space agency, INPE, showed a total of 900 square kilometers (347 square miles) of forest cover in the Brazilian Amazon was destroyed last month — equivalent to more than 126,000 football fields.

The figure was down 35 percent from May 2021, but was still the second-worst since records began in August 2015.

And deforestation so far this year is up 12.7 percent from the same period last year.

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Experts say the destruction is mainly driven by farming and ranching in Brazil, the world’s top producer of soy and beef.

President Jair Bolsonaro, an ally of Brazil’s powerful agribusiness lobby, has presided over a surge in destruction in the Amazon, a key resource in the race to curb climate change, since taking office in 2019.

Under the far-right president, who is up for reelection in October, average annual deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has risen by 75 percent from the previous decade.

At the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles this week, Bolsonaro said his country could expand agribusiness without harming the Amazon, and complained to US President Joe Biden about international pressure over the issue. 

“We have a wealth in the heart of Brazil — our Amazon, which is bigger than Western Europe, with incalculable riches, biodiversity, mineral wealth, drinking water and oxygen sources,” Bolsonaro said, as he met Biden on the sidelines of the summit.

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“Sometimes we feel that our sovereignty is threatened in that area but Brazil preserves its territory well,” he said.

“On the environmental issue we have our difficulties but we do our best to defend our interests.”

Experts say otherwise.

“Despite all the alerts from the scientific community, Brazil continues flying in the face of sustainable development,” Mariana Napolitano, science director at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Brazil, told AFP.

“These deforestation records make it clear an environmentally just and balanced future is more remote every day and make it clear how ineffective current environmental policies are.”

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International

Joe Biden finishes prostate cancer radiotherapy at Penn Medicine

Former U.S. President Joe Biden completed his prostate cancer radiotherapy on Monday, a condition he has been managing since 2023.

The 82-year-old touched a ceremonial bell at Penn Medicine in Pennsylvania after his final session, according to a video posted on Instagram by his daughter, Ashley Biden. She expressed gratitude to the doctors and nurses for the care her father received during his treatment.

A spokesperson for Biden told ABC News that it is currently unclear whether the former president will need to continue radiotherapy.

Biden’s prostate cancer was detected during a routine check-up. According to his medical team, it was a localized, slow-growing tumor. At the time of diagnosis, doctors indicated a positive prognosis with no signs of metastasis.

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Central America

White House targets Nicaragua over human rights and labor violations

The White House is considering imposing new tariffs of up to 100% on Nicaragua or removing the country from the benefits of the CAFTA-DR free trade agreement, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) reported Monday.

The USTR determined that Nicaragua’s policies under the Ortega-Murillo regime regarding violations of labor and human rights, as well as the dismantling of the rule of law, are “unreasonable” and constitute a burden on commerce.

The resolution follows an investigation that began on December 10, 2024, when the USTR, based on recommendations from the Section 301 Committee and other advisory bodies, started reviewing the practices of Nicaragua’s government. The process included a public hearing and more than 160 comments and testimonies, including evidence of severe human rights abuses that have been forwarded to the U.S. State Department for evaluation and follow-up.

The report published Monday extensively documents how Nicaragua’s authoritarian practices — including the repression of fundamental freedoms — create a high-risk environment for U.S. businesses and investments.

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International

Zelenskyy: Meeting with Trump “Positive” Despite Rejected Missile Request

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described his reportedly tense meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump last week as “positive,” despite failing to secure Tomahawk missiles for Ukraine. He emphasized what he said was the continued U.S. interest in economic cooperation with Kyiv.

Zelenskyy said Trump backed away from the possibility of sending long-range missiles to Ukraine after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, held just hours before the U.S. and Ukrainian leaders met on Friday.

“In my view, he doesn’t want an escalation with the Russians until he meets with them,” Zelenskyy told reporters Sunday. His remarks were embargoed until Monday morning.

Ukraine is seeking to purchase 25 Patriot air defense systems from U.S. manufacturers using frozen Russian assets and assistance from partners. However, Zelenskyy noted that acquiring all of them will take time due to long production lines. He said he discussed with Trump potential support to accelerate procurement, possibly through European partners.

According to Zelenskyy, Trump stated during their meeting that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s sweeping demands — that Ukraine cede the entire eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk — remain unchanged.

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Zelenskyy was diplomatic when describing his encounter with Trump, though reports suggest he faced pressure to accept Putin’s terms — a strategy Trump has reportedly maintained since the tense Oval Office confrontation on February 28, when the Ukrainian leader was publicly scolded for not being “grateful enough” for U.S. aid.

Still, Zelenskyy said that since Trump ultimately supported maintaining the current front line, the overall message was “positive” for Ukraine.

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