International
Chile congress approves same-sex marriage bill
AFP
Chile’s congress on Tuesday approved a long-awaited bill to legalize same-sex marriage, joining just a handful of countries in majority Catholic Latin America with similar laws.
The measure has the support of President Sebastian Pinera, who must sign it into law, and will also enable married same-sex couples to adopt children.
The bill got the green light from the upper house of congress, or senate, Tuesday, and was immediately given the final stamp of approval by the lower Chamber of Deputies with 82 votes to 20.
There were two abstentions.
In Latin America, same-sex couples could until now get married only in Costa Rica, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina and in 14 of Mexico’s 32 states.
The country legalized same-sex civil unions in 2015, and has been eagerly awaiting the legalization of gay marriage since then-president Michelle Bachelet sent a bill to Congress in 2017.
In a surprise move, her conservative successor, Pinera, announced in June he would seek the urgent passage of the bill — which has the backing of a majority of Chileans — through Congress.
The project has been consistently opposed by the most conservative bloc of Chile’s ruling right wing, but has nevertheless obtained a majority “yes” vote at every step of the process in an opposition-dominated congress.
The issue deeply divides the two candidates headed for a presidential run-off on December 19.
Gabriel Boric, 35, who represents a leftist alliance that includes the Communist Party, supported the bill and voted “yes” in his capacity as lawmaker.
But 55-year-old, far-right candidate Jose Antonio Kast, who won 28 percent of first-round votes compared to Boric’s 26 percent, campaigned against it.
International
Trump directs ICE to focus deportation efforts on democratic-led states
On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to prioritize raids, deportations, and immigration enforcement in states governed by the Democratic Party, according to the news outlet Univision.
The U.S. president posted on his social media channels directing agents to “do everything possible to achieve the very important goal of delivering the largest mass deportation program in history,” the report said.
Trump further explained that efforts should be expanded to apprehend and deport illegal immigrants in the largest U.S. cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where millions of undocumented immigrants reside.
Previously, Stephen Miller, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff, informally stated that the agency aims to arrest 3,000 immigrants per day. He also demanded that agents actively seek out and detain undocumented immigrants, according to the American media outlet.
In recent weeks, ICE operations have faced criticism for the use of masked agents who do not identify themselves or present warrants during arrests.
International
Judge to rule next week on injunction against Trump’s student visa restrictions
A Boston (Massachusetts) federal judge postponed on Monday her decision on whether to maintain the injunction blocking President Donald Trump’s ban on foreign students at Harvard University.
District Judge Allison D. Burroughs announced after a hearing that she would decide next week whether to uphold or lift the temporary restraining order she issued in May against the policy.
The order will remain in effect until her ruling next week, according to local media reports.
Last month, the Trump administration barred Harvard from enrolling new foreign students and warned current international students that they must transfer to other universities or risk losing their immigration status.
Harvard, one of the most prestigious U.S. universities, filed a lawsuit arguing that its authorization to accept foreign students is “essential” for them to remain legally in the country.
In its legal challenge, the university stated that revoking this authorization has already “disrupted countless academic programs, research labs, and courses.”
Following Harvard’s lawsuit, Judge Burroughs issued a temporary restraining order against the government’s ban, which affects about a quarter of the university’s student body.
Despite the judge’s order, Harvard reported in court documents that several students who arrived in Boston on June 5 were sent to “secondary inspection” and “were detained for many hours without being able to contact anyone.”
International
Netanyahu: Israel is ‘changing the face of the Middle East’ amid Iran strikes
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Monday that Israel is “changing the face of the Middle East” with its unprecedented attack on Iran, now in the fourth day of escalating military tensions between the two countries.
Netanyahu made these remarks during a televised press conference, just hours after an airstrike targeted the Iranian state television building in Tehran, forcing a brief interruption of its broadcast.
At the time of the attack, cameras captured a state TV presenter, who had been criticizing Israel’s offensive, hastily leaving the studio amid thick dust and falling debris from the ceiling, according to videos circulated by Iranian media.
The channel resumed live programming minutes later, while Tehran condemned the strike as a “war crime.” Netanyahu stated that Iranians are now seeing that “the regime is much weaker” than previously thought, highlighting that since Friday, Israel has systematically eliminated Iran’s military leadership. “We take them out one by one,” he said.
Killing the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, “would end the conflict” between Israel and Iran, Netanyahu told ABC News.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly opposed an Israeli plan to assassinate Khamenei, a senior U.S. official revealed on Sunday.
Trump directs ICE to focus deportation efforts on democratic-led states
Guatemala cracks down on prison corruption with over 20 raids in recent weeks
Judge to rule next week on injunction against Trump’s student visa restrictions
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
-
International4 days agoOne survivor confirmed after Air India flight crashes with 242 on board
-
International4 days agoShark attacks child in Florida
-
International4 days agoOver 200 dead after London-Bound plane crashes in India
-
International4 days agoUncle Sam used in DHS poster calling for public to report immigrants
-
International2 days agoChina shows at the UN its “condemnation” of Israel for the “violation of Iran’s sovereignty”
-
International3 days agoICE under fire for detaining undocumented teen from Florida foster care
-
International4 days agoHegseth dodges lawmakers’ questions on potential U.S. invasion plans for Greenland, Panama
-
International4 days agoAt least five others involved in attack on Miguel Uribe Turbay
-
International4 days agoArgentine government says Cristina Fernández sentence was fair and free of political influence
-
International2 days agoDonald Trump’s government pauses its program of indiscriminate raides against migrants
-
International2 days agoTrump says he knew “everything” about the attack on Iran and assures that the dialogue remains open
-
International4 days agoEight Killed in Gaza as Hamas allegedly attacks Israel-Backed aid group
-
International2 days agoRight and far right leaders aspire to win the next elections in Latin America
-
International3 days agoIsrael warns of retaliation after iranian missiles hit civilian areas
-
International3 days agoCalifornia sues Trump over deployment of military forces in immigration arrests
-
International2 days agoMore than 2,000 protests in the US will condemn Donald Trump’s “authoritarianism” this Saturday
-
Central America16 hours agoNicaraguan exile coalition urges Costa Rica to receive U.S. deportees fleeing Ortega regime
-
International2 days agoCriticism of ICE in Florida for arresting a minor from Honduras and taking him away from a foster family
-
Central America16 hours agoFirst woman elected president in the Americas, Violeta Chamorro, dead at 95