International
US special election seen as litmus test on abortion rights
AFP
A US special election Tuesday is being viewed as the last bellwether of the public mood on abortion ahead of November’s midterms, as Democrats seek to make reproductive rights a key issue in the campaign.
Voters in upstate New York are choosing a candidate to serve the final months of Democrat Antonio Delgado’s term in the House of Representatives, after he quit to become the Empire State’s lieutenant governor.
The battle for New York’s 19th Congressional — a swing district wedged between New York City and state capital Albany — comes two months after the Supreme Court sparked nationwide protests by ending the federally-guaranteed right to abortion.
Democrat Pat Ryan has sought to turn the vote — the last US special election before November — into a referendum on abortion access.
He has accused Republican Marc Molinaro and his party, who are against such access, of being “too extreme on women’s rights.”
“Choice is the ballot, but we won’t go back. Freedom is under attack, but it’s ours to defend. Our democracy is fragile, but we will fight for it,” Ryan said in a statement on the eve of the ballot.
Molinaro has also followed his party’s main political talking points, including on inflation, highlighting spiralling living costs in a campaign that has seen millions of dollars funneled on advertising.
“We can send a message that enough is enough, that we care deeply about one another, that we are willing to work hard to solve the problems that face us, and that together we can overcome anything,” he said in his own election eve message.
President Joe Biden carried the district by fewer than two points in 2020, after Donald Trump took it by about seven points in 2016. Barack Obama won there in 2012.
Both candidates will be back on the ballot in November, but in different districts newly drawn in the latest round of redistricting.
The somewhat anachronistic system means Ryan — who has yet to be nominated to fight for a seat in the midterms — is on the ballot Tuesday in two districts for two separate seats for two different congresses.
New York is also holding several nominating contests — known as primary elections — including a vote pitting Democratic committee chairs Jerry Nadler and Carolyn Maloney against one another.
In Florida, Democrats pick their candidate to challenge Governor Ron DeSantis in November.
US voters will decide control of Congress in the midterm elections, with all 435 House seats up for grabs, as well as 35 of the 100 Senate seats and the governor’s mansion in 36 out of 50 states.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Joe Biden finishes prostate cancer radiotherapy at Penn Medicine
White House targets Nicaragua over human rights and labor violations
Zelenskyy: Meeting with Trump “Positive” Despite Rejected Missile Request
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
International3 days agoMillions to join “No Kings” march in U.S. amid Trump’s growing authoritarian backlash
-
International3 days agoMaría Corina Machado: “Venezuela is closer than ever to regaining freedom”
-
Central America3 days agoEnvironmental groups denounce Nicaragua’s mining deals as ‘ecocide’ in protected areas
-
Central America4 days agoNicaragua grants 2,500-hectare mining concession to chinese firm in protected region
-
International4 days agoPetro expresses concern over fatal shooting during mass protests in Lima
-
International4 days agoPeru’s interim president José Jerí refuses to resign after protester’s death in Lima
-
Central America4 days agoPanama’s president accuses U.S. Embassy official of visa threats amid China tensions
-
International1 day ago
U.S.-Colombia Tensions Escalate as Trump Ends Subsidies, Criticizes Petro
-
Central America2 hours agoWhite House targets Nicaragua over human rights and labor violations
-
International2 hours agoJoe Biden finishes prostate cancer radiotherapy at Penn Medicine
-
International2 hours agoZelenskyy: Meeting with Trump “Positive” Despite Rejected Missile Request
-
International6 hours agoTrump says Venezuela is ‘feeling the heat’ amid U.S. anti-drug operations in the Caribbean