International

Biden believes that Florida voters will vote in favor of protecting access to abortion

U.S. President Democrat Joe Biden defended women’s reproductive rights in Florida and expressed his confidence that voters in this state will vote in favor of protecting access to abortion in a referendum next November.

During a speech he gave to some 200 guests at an event at Hillsborough Community College, in Tampa, Biden alluded to a new state law that will enter into force on May 1 and that will prohibit abortion from the sixth week of pregnancy, when, he said, many women still do not know that they are in pregnancy.

“This extreme law will affect 4 million Florida women,” lamented the president, who added that access to the termination of pregnancy should not depend on the state in which a person lives.

“It’s about women’s rights,” she said, which should be protected at the federal level. To then warn that a new mandate from Donald Trump will bring with it a national ban on abortion.

With the restrictions of Florida, where a ban is in force from the fifteenth week, there are 21 states, or one in three women, who are under some kind of restriction on access to abortion, as Biden’s campaign team highlighted on Monday.

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“It is not inevitable, we can stop it when they vote,” said the Democrat, who in the elections next November aspires to re-election.

He warned that a new mandate of Trump (2017-2021), the virtual Republican candidate, carries the risk of a ban on this practice of national scope. He added that if he maintains power, he will veto any initiative sent to him by Congress in this regard.

Biden insisted on the cases of women who are forced to travel “thousands of miles” in order to have access to “basic care.” Or doctors threatened with their prosecution if they go against state anti-abortion laws. As is the case in Arizona, where a law of 1864 was re-established that does not allow abortion in almost any circumstances.

In June 2022, the Conservative-majority Supreme Court of the United States ended the federal protections established by the Roe vs. Wade case and that prevented states from legislating on the matter, from which a cascading effect was generated in conservative states.

Since then, abortion has become a protagonist of the current electoral campaign, in which Democrats hope to attract voters to the polls of key states such as Florida, where voters will have to decide whether to approve a constitutional amendment that protects access to this practice.

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In Florida, the inclusion of a referendum on the voting card issued in the state Supreme Court, after the campaign against the state governor, Republican and former presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, and prosecutor Ashley Moody, with a result in favor of the civil organizations promoting the amendment.

Florida media have echoed different polls about this referendum. Which reflect that the percentages of undecided about the question are not scarce, and that it could explain the presence of the president in this southern state.

After the event, held on the Dale Mabry campus of Hillsborough Community College, the president was part of a more informal event with Nikki Fried, the head of the Florida Democratic Party, and 50 other people, in which he said that Florida is still “at stake” in the November elections.

“These are basic and old-fashioned choices,” where the key is to get people to go out to vote, he said.

In the last electoral cycles, Republicans have won in Florida, a state that was considered “hinge” or ambivalent.

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International

US panel backs Trump-themed coin amid controversy

The United States Department of the Treasury confirmed to AFP that the Commission of Fine Arts approved the design of a new collectible coin featuring Donald Trump, with members of the commission appointed by the current administration.

According to the proposal, the coin will feature an image of Trump standing with clenched fists over a desk on the obverse, while the reverse will display an eagle, a traditional symbol of the United States.

The sale price of the collectible has not yet been disclosed, although the United States Mint typically offers similar items for more than $1,000.

“There is no more iconic portrait for the front of these coins than that of our president Donald Trump,” U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach said in a statement sent to AFP. He added that two additional coins — a $1 piece and a one-ounce gold coin — are also under consideration.

However, the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC), another body responsible for reviewing new coin proposals, declined to discuss the Trump design in late February.

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“Only nations governed by kings or dictators place the image of a sitting leader on their currency,” said Donald Scarinciat the time. “No country in the world has minted coins featuring a democratically elected leader during their term in office,” he added.

When contacted by AFP, the Treasury Department did not immediately respond to requests for further comment.

International

Fed’s Waller warns of rising inflation risks amid Middle East conflict

Christopher Waller, a governor at the Federal Reserve, said Friday that he is increasingly concerned about the inflationary impact of the ongoing conflict involving United States and Israel against Iran, particularly due to the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Waller, who had supported interest rate cuts over the past year amid concerns about the labor market, said he has shifted his stance in recent weeks due to rising inflation risks.

“Since the Strait of Hormuz was closed, it suggests this conflict could be much more prolonged and that oil prices will remain elevated for longer,” Waller said in an interview with CNBC.

“Therefore, this indicates that inflation is a greater concern than I had previously assessed,” he added.

Waller also backed the Federal Reserve’s decision earlier this week to keep interest rates unchanged, signaling a more cautious approach as global geopolitical tensions continue to affect economic outlooks.

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International

Brazil offers to mediate Colombia-Ecuador tensions, calls for restraint

The government of Brazil has offered to mediate in the ongoing tensions between Colombia and Ecuador, while calling on both nations to exercise restraint.

In a statement released Wednesday, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the parties involved to act with moderation and seek a peaceful resolution to the dispute.

“Brazil encourages all sides to act with moderation in order to find a peaceful solution to the controversy. It stands ready to support dialogue efforts aimed at preserving peace and security in the region,” the statement said.

Brazil also expressed “serious concern” over reports of deaths in the border area between Colombia and Ecuador, noting that the circumstances surrounding the incidents have not yet been clarified.

The diplomatic move comes amid rising tensions between the neighboring countries, increasing regional concern over stability and security along their shared border.