International

Why do retirees protest in Argentina?

Retirees from Argentina, one of the groups most affected by the economic adjustment carried out by the Government of Javier Milei, protest every Wednesday in front of the headquarters of Congress in demand for an increase in their pensions, full coverage of their medication and the continuity of the social security moratorium, which ends on March 23.

About 7.5 million older adults receive a retirement credit in Argentina, that is, 15.7% of the population.

63.5% of Argentine retirees receive the minimum retirement, which in this month of March is 279,121 pesos (256 dollars), an income that reached 349,121 pesos for the reinforcement bonus that social security grants since September 2022 due to the economic emergency situation that the country is experiencing.

About 5.4 million retirees receive less than 400,000 pesos ($357), well below the basic basket of retirees calculated by the Ombudsman for the Elderly taking official data as a reference and estimated at 1,200,523 pesos (1,120 dollars) for April of this year.

Eugenio Semino, defender of the Third Age of the City of Buenos Aires, recently warned EFE that there is a “humanitarian crisis in the elderly sector.”

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According to the Mirador de Actualidad del Trabajo y la Economía (MatE), each retiree lost since Milei assumed the Argentine Presidency more than 2.2 million pesos in 14 months.

In addition, more than eleven trillion pesos were no longer transferred to retirees, slightly less than what the Government spent on debt payments: 14 billion dollars (about 14 trillion pesos).

The vast majority of older adults cannot afford health expenses, the cost of which skyrocketed by 119% in 2024.

The Milei government ended the policy of free medicines for retirees.

Since last December, only members of the PAMI (Comprehensive Medical Assistance Program) have access to 100% coverage of medicines, that is, those with incomes below 418,682.56 pesos.

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Between two and three million retirees and pensioners would be left out of total drug coverage.

Retirees demand the continuity of the social security moratorium, which ends next Sunday, March 23, and the Government has already said that it will not extend it.

This measure, which has been maintained for more than 20 years in Argentina, allows those who reach the required minimum age without having gathered the amount of contributions required by the social security law (30 years) to access a retirement immediately through a payment plan.

From March 23, people who turn 60 or 65, the retirement age of women and men, respectively, will no longer be able to access a pension if they do not have at least 30 years of contributions or contributions.

On the other hand, those over 65 years of age may receive a Universal Pension for the Elderly (PUAM) for an amount equivalent to 80% of a minimum retirement, which is updated by the Mobility Law.

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Between 2022 and 2024, on average, about 425,000 people per year retired, about 70% did so with moratoriums, 17% in the general regime, 9% with a PUAM and the other 4% by some special regime. Without further moratoriums, it is estimated that almost 80% will have a PUAM.

This Wednesday’s retirement mobilization is once again supported by unions and social movements.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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

36 deaths reported due to heat wave in Nuevo Leon, Mexico

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.

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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.