International
Registration of alliances for elections in Argentina concludes
June 15 |
The registration of electoral alliances that will participate in the presidential elections in Argentina, scheduled for next October 22, concluded on Wednesday.
According to local media, both the ruling party and the opposition negotiated until the last minute which parties to include or exclude from the coalitions, their electoral strategies and other details.
For the justicialism (officialism), Unión por la Patria was registered, which replaces Frente de Todos, winner of the 2019 elections, of which the Partido Justicialista, Frente Renovador, Kolina, Nuevo Encuentro, Partido de la Victoria, Frente Grande, Partido Comunista and Partido Solidario, among others, are part of.
Meanwhile, for the opposition, Juntos por el Cambio (Together for Change) was registered, formerly led by the right-wing former President Mauricio Macri (2015-2019).
According to the electoral calendar, the political alliances must register ten days before the official registration of the presidential pre-candidates, which will take place on June 24, and 60 days before the primary elections or PASO (Primarias, Abiertas, Simultáneas y Obligatorias), to be held on August 13, which will define the presidential candidates to be voted for on October 22.
Within the Peronism, the debate continues between two tendencies: to choose the presidential candidate through the PASO, an idea defended by President Alberto Fernández, or that Vice-President Cristina Fernández -who will not run in the elections- designates a single candidate and transfers her political wealth to him.
Among the candidates are the current Minister of Economy, Sergio Massa, the Minister of the Interior, Eduardo “Wado” de Pedro, the governor of the province of Buenos Aires, Axel Kicillof, and the Argentine ambassador in Brazil, Daniel Scioli, former vice-president (2003-2007) and candidate for president for Peronism in 2015.
In the case of Juntos por el Cambio, it was formed by the Unión Cívica Radical (UCR), the Coalición Cívica and Propuesta Republicana (PRO). Now, Encuentro Republicano Federal, Partido Demócrata Progresista, Partido Unión Popular, Generación para un Encuentro Nacional (GEN), Partido Unir and Movimiento de Integración y Desarrollo (MID) have joined.
Within these forces, the former Minister of Security, Patricia Bullrich (supported by Macri), as well as the head of the Government of the city of Buenos Aires, Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, and the governor of the province of Jujuy (north), Gerardo Morales, stand out as candidates.
Days before the closing of alliances, Rodríguez Larreta tried to include in the coalition a group of Peronists who define themselves as non-Kirchnerists, led by the governor of Córdoba, Juan Schiaretti, but this was rejected by Bullrich.
In view of this, Schiaretti registered the alliance Hacemos por Nuestro País, which includes the Socialist Party, the Christian Democratic Party, the Autonomist Party and other forces of Córdoba.
International
Mexico and Guatemala Agree on Five-Point Binational Plan for 2027
Mexico and Guatemala agreed Tuesday on a 2027 Binational Plan built around five areas of cooperation, along with a schedule of meetings and initiatives aimed at making progress by the end of 2026 on security, border infrastructure, human mobility, development and technical and social cooperation.
The agreement was announced by the foreign ministers of both countries following a meeting in Mexico City.
Mexican Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco said the plan will establish the “direction and priorities” of bilateral relations for next year. His Guatemalan counterpart, Carlos Ramiro Martínez, said the meeting allowed both governments to make decisions, schedule activities and revitalize bilateral cooperation mechanisms.
Security and border infrastructure
In the area of security, the two governments have nearly completed negotiations on a new memorandum of understanding for the Mexico-Guatemala High-Level Security Group (Ganseg), which was reactivated in 2025.
The countries expect to sign the agreement in the coming months to strengthen coordination and their ability to respond to shared security threats.
Regarding their nearly 1,000-kilometer shared border, Mexico and Guatemala agreed to advance infrastructure improvements at border crossings and continue work on a joint cargo clearance program between Ciudad Hidalgo and Tecún Umán, two border areas separated by the Suchiate River.
The measures are intended to facilitate bilateral trade while making cross-border exchanges safer and more efficient.
The two governments will also continue defining a route toward a railway connection between their countries through Line K of Mexico’s Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT), with the aim of strengthening economic and community ties.
Migration and development
On human mobility, Mexico and Guatemala will maintain coordination to ensure safe, orderly and dignified returns, while strengthening protection for people in transit.
The bilateral agenda also includes a second phase of the Sembrando Vida program in Guatemala, which is expected to benefit 10,000 people across 15 departments.
Both countries will also advance initiatives under Juntos para el Bienestar, as well as six technical, scientific and energy cooperation projects approved by the Joint Commission.
The agreements seek to strengthen bilateral ties and establish concrete priorities for cooperation between Mexico and Guatemala during 2027.
International
France to Expel Two Iranian Diplomats Over Alleged Attack on French Officials
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced Tuesday, August 18, 2026, that France will expel two Iranian diplomats in response to what Paris described as an attack on two French representatives in Iran last month.
“Two French diplomats were scandalously and deliberately assaulted on July 19. I had announced that this intolerable act would have consequences. It has now happened. Two Iranian diplomats in France will be expelled in the coming days,” Barrot said in a message posted on X.
The two Iranian diplomats have been declared persona non grata and will be required to leave France within the coming days, according to the French foreign minister.
About a month ago, Barrot said that two members of the French diplomatic staff had been detained by Iranian security forces for several hours. One of them was also subjected to harassment, he said.
The French government described the incident as an “extremely serious act of intimidation” that violated diplomatic immunity.
The two French embassy staff members were working on programs supporting Iranian civil society, particularly initiatives involving artists and researchers.
Iran has denied France’s allegations regarding the incident. The diplomatic dispute comes amid already strained relations between Paris and Tehran.
International
Heat wave puts more than 70 million Americans under alerts as temperatures near 46°C
More than 70 million people remained under heat alerts Monday as an intense heat wave continued across the southern United States, particularly Florida and states along the Mexican border, where temperatures and heat indexes could reach as high as 46 degrees Celsius, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Several cities recorded or tied temperature records over the weekend and into Monday, including Miami and Fort Lauderdale in Florida; Laredo, Borger and Austin’s airport in Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina; and Memphis, Tennessee.
The NWS warned that the heat wave will continue affecting the southern and southeastern United States, with maximum temperatures expected to remain near 38°C to 40°C for several days. The heat index, which combines temperature and humidity to estimate how hot conditions feel, could reach 46°C.
The extreme heat is also spreading into the Southwest, where temperatures began rising again between Monday and Tuesday. Forecast highs in the region range from about 38°C to 43°C.
Heat alerts remain in effect across Nevada, Arizona and California, including areas in southern Arizona and California near the Mexican border, as authorities warn of the risks posed by prolonged extreme temperatures.
The NWS urged residents to limit outdoor activity, stay hydrated, ensure access to air conditioning or cooling centers, and check on vulnerable friends, neighbors and family members.
The United States is experiencing a summer marked by above-average temperatures and repeated heat waves. One of the most intense episodes occurred during the July 4 weekend, when extreme heat was blamed for roughly 30 deaths.
July was the hottest month ever recorded in the United States since measurements began, with the average temperature across the contiguous country approaching 25°C, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The combination of extreme heat and drought conditions has also fueled wildfires. Nearly 3 million hectares have burned across the country so far in 2026, making it the largest area affected by wildfires in a decade.
Mexico and Guatemala Agree on Five-Point Binational Plan for 2027
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Heat wave puts more than 70 million Americans under alerts as temperatures near 46°C
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Mexico and Guatemala Agree on Five-Point Binational Plan for 2027
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International16 hours agoFrance to Expel Two Iranian Diplomats Over Alleged Attack on French Officials
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International2 days agoTrump warns Iran over nuclear ambitions as U.S.-Iran ceasefire deadline passes
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