Ecuador's conservative president, Guillermo Lasso, has dissolved the National Assembly, using an untested constitutional rule known as muerte cruzada ("mutual death") in response to a political crisis. The Assembly was set to impeach Lasso, who accused the Assembly of a "political project to destabilise the government, democracy and the state." Despite a flimsy case against him, Lasso has been unpopular for months, though the economy is buoyant with inflation at just 2.4% and the IMF recently offering access to cheap multilateral loans. Snap elections for president and parliament will follow within 97 days, allowing Lasso to rule by executive decree.
FIFA president optimistic about Women's World Cup TV deals in Europe
CBC
23-05-18 08:11
FIFA are currently in talks for broadcast rights to showcase the upcoming Women's World Cup in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and England. FIFA President Gianni Infantino is eager to increase the money the broadcasters pay by appealing to the whole women's sport sector. Infantino believes that whatever broadcasters pay in the right money is going back 150% into developing the women's game. The Women's World Cup is taking place in Australia and New Zealand.
Left-wing presidents have come to power across Latin America, but while they all promise change, they face major hurdles. Inequality levels remain high, and growth has stagnated, with the annual GDP growth averaging 3.4% between 2011 and 2013 and just 0.9% from 2013 to 2019. Twelve of 19 Latin American countries are run by left-wing governments, but despite this, inequality remains a problem, with what Chile’s interior minister called levels of inequality that would never have been possible in Europe. According to a recent Ipsos Mori survey, many in the region remained fond of globalisation as countries in the area shift their attitudes to democracy.
The social and economic situation in Latin America is spurring a shift to the right. Brazil’s recent left-wing turn has been reversed by Jair Bolsonaro, El Salvador’s right-wing leader Nayib Bukele is popular, and a recent election for a body to rewrite the constitution in Chile was dominated by a far-right party. Nonetheless, the new glimmer of hope brought forth by newly elected left-wing presidents from Mexico to Brazil has an enviable environmental stance and wants bigger government. They have promised to reduce inequality through higher taxes on the rich, bigger welfare systems, and more state-funded healthcare.
These left-wing governments are becoming more protectionist and more determined to stop foreign exploitation of green resources, such as lithium. However, there are many differences between the left-wing governments, with some officials displaying concerns over climate change. The region needs higher growth, investment flows are tepid, and inconsistent policies have been driving off investors. There are major concerns about the region’s ability to fulfil the promises it makes.
US importers are increasing volumes run through West Coast ports after 12 months of slow trade, as retailers and suppliers rework supply chains and return to previous trading patterns, despite labour contract talks dragging on. However, some supply chain executives believe that West Coast ports will struggle to regain their 2019 market share because of the shift towards the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico ports, and an increasing number of companies moving production to Mexico to avoid US tariffs. An observed 10% market share gap will never be regained, said one supply chain director at Million Dollar Baby.
Mexico police rescue most of 50 migrants kidnapped from bus
Reuters
23-05-18 12:11
Mexican authorities have rescued 34 migrants who were part of a group of about 50 people kidnapped from a bus in the northeastern state of Nuevo Leon. Organised crime rings in Mexico are increasingly engaging in the trafficking of migrants hoping to reach the United States, encouraged by the recent withdrawal of a border policy empowering US authorities to expel migrants more swiftly.
Toyota reveals all-new Tacoma, finally catching up to and blasting past its rivals
The Globe and Mail
23-05-19 02:05
This week Toyota revealed its all-new fourth-generation Tacoma mid-sized pick-up truck which is more powerful with two powertrains and packed full of AI driver's assistance and software. It is more rugged with outstanding grunt: the two engines create 310 and 317 lb-ft of torque respectively, up from the 265 of the older truck, and a hybrid motor in the more powerful version. It's probably more fuel-efficient, though official figures haven't been released yet. The all-new overlander with the hybrid engine is called the i-ForceMax, and this is only available with the automatic transmission. Grades are broken down into the basic two-door truck (SR5), three different TRD models designed for fast off-roading, a luxurious, road-focussed version (Limited), and an all-new Trailhunter. The Trailhunter is designed for round-the-world adventurers who want to travel and camp in remote areas. The road-oriented Limited has an adaptive variable suspension, while the three TRDs come with various grades of sport-tuned shocks.
The hammer of the gun that Alec Baldwin was holding when it fired a live round killing the "Rust" cinematographer may have been intentionally modified, according to New Mexico special prosecutors. These comments come a month after prosecutors dropped a criminal charge against Baldwin over the incident. Reports suggest the modifications were related to the notches on the internal portion of the hammer for full cock, half cock, and quarter cock positions. Prosecutors said additional testing was required to determine the hammer's modification, the source of the modification, and what impact it might have on the firearm's performance.
Attorneys defending Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the weapons supervisor on the set of New Mexico film Rust, have asked the Santa Fe County court to dismiss her charge of involuntary manslaughter for the shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Top lawyers argue that the investigation was improper, faulty and Gutierrez-Reed's due process rights were violated, concluding that the charges were politically motivated and selectively brought forward. The same charge against Alec Baldwin was dropped last month due to lack of evidence, but special prosecutors warned that new evidence could possibly result in new charges. “Rust” safety coordinator and assistant director David Halls has pleaded no contest to a conviction for the unsafe handling of a firearm and received a suspended sentence of six months of probation for his part in the shooting.
Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano has erupted again after almost 30 years of consistent activity. Popocatepetl is situated 45 miles southeast of Mexico City, and a severe eruption could cut off air traffic and envelop the city with choking ash clouds. Therefore, the Mexican government continuously monitors the mountain with a team of multi-disciplinary scientists working around the clock in a command centre in Mexico City. They watch data from six cameras, thermal imaging devices, twelve seismological monitoring stations and monitor gases from nearby springs and peak - and wind patterns that could help identify potentially dangerous ash.
Mexico's president has declared the construction and operation of the Mayan tourist train project a matter of national security as part of efforts to protect the $20bn infrastructure development, which is intended to hook up a series of beach destinations with Mayan archaeological sites. In a decree published in Mexico's official gazette, the government invoked its right to secure the transport infrastructure, as part of measures to protect the train project and a transoceanic freight rail corridor aimed at boosting economic growth in Mexico's poorer south.
Victoria Coates, senior advisor to the US Secretary of Energy under President Trump, is interviewed on The Kevin Roberts Show about effective national security policies. Coates suggests that the US has been the greatest force for good in human history and discusses that the country doesn't need to overthrow dictatorial regimes and impose democracy rather encourage, instruct, and be a good example. Coates also discusses the importance of seizing opportunities, flexibility, and not being wedded to rigid ideologies that cut you off from unorthodox solutions. She also notes the importance of historical perspective when dealing with human beings and the hallmark of being resilient.
Coates mentions the difficulty of figuring out the triangle of policy, communications, and politics and navigating it in a world where communications and information is flowing at such a rapid rate. She mentions that moral clarity, the clarity of vision, and purpose are also infectious, not just for the men and women who have the privilege of working for people like that, but also for the country and a group of free people around the planet who are going to respond to any American president who’s bold and has a clear vision and also has the ability to speak.
Law professor and originalist Michael Stokes Paulsen has given a speech claiming that something is wrong with the US Supreme Court’s approach to section one of the Fourteenth Amendment, which he feels goes beyond decisions he feels are wrong. Paulsen believes that the current Supreme Court only enforces the last two clauses of section one - addressing the rights of all persons - rather than the first three clauses, which address the status and rights of citizens, and that the Court’s approach is resulting in a jurisprudence that lacks any relationship to the original meaning of the amendment’s ‘Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses.’ Paulsen suggests that “An increasing number of scholars now believe that the “Equal Protection of the Laws Clause” guarantees nothing more than the equal protection of the natural rights of life, liberty, and property—natural rights that belong to all persons regardless of citizenship,” and claims the current Supreme Court “leaves those three opening clauses unexamined and unenforced.”
Paulsen concludes by suggesting that the overall approach to the Fourteenth Amendment, focusing only on the last two clauses, has created an entity resembling “the terrible truth [that] is unavoidable when you and your grandson try to set the space shuttle upright on the table…. [A] terribly shaped creation that most likely will not work as originally intended.” Protest, civil disobedience, and appeals to the Constitutional amendment process are the only ways to redress the Supreme Court’s current trend, Paulsen advises.
The US is set to end the Title 42 policy, which allows for the immediate expulsion of those considered to have crossed the southern border illegally (1 May 2022). Critics warn this could worsen the country's border crisis with some suggesting opening more legal pathways for migration, while others have argued the Biden administration should pass new laws similar to Title 42 to allow for the expedited expulsion of illegal migrants, particularly in the absence of significant reforms to the ailing immigration system.
The world is seeing a rise in "parametric" insurance as developing countries are hit by worsening drought, storms and heatwaves due to climate change. In these schemes, if conditions reach a predetermined threshold beyond which they are considered extreme, there is no need to prove losses as payments to policyholders can be made within a few days. Paramount insurance payouts are on the rise, with Swiss RE reporting a jump of 40% between 2021 and August 2022. Insurance analysts predict the market, currently worth about $11.7bn, could reach $29.3bn by 2031. However, some industry experts question whether such products will be financially viable in the long term, predicting too-frequent payouts would increase premiums. While these type of insurer-backed schemes in developing regions are often still reliant on charities, NGOs, national governments or wealthier nations, there is an aspiration that policyholders one day cover more if not all of the premium. However, the urgency of the situation and frequency of extreme weather events could make that difficult.
Former professional cyclist Hannah Arensman has spoken out against the participation of biological males in female professional cycling. Despite winning national medals and harboring hopes of competing in the Paris 2024 Olympics, Arensman retired from the sport last December following a race in which she finished fourth behind Austin Killips, a transgender athlete still benefiting from male puberty. Killips became global news this month by becoming the first transgender cyclist to win a sanctioned stage race. Arensman has accused the relevant governing authorities of failing to take appropriate action and failing to protect the integrity of women’s professional cycling competitions. Only retired athletes have spoken out in similar terms before now, with active athletes almost universally reluctant to express their misgivings for fear of being labelled transphobic. The case echoes similar controversies in other areas of women’s sports, notably tennis and weightlifting.
Hitachi Astemo, the Japanese auto supplier, has announced that it found evidence of misconduct over testing and other procedures for car components that has affected a broader group of customers and plants than was previously revealed. The news follows the announcement last month that the Toyota affiliate Daihatsu rigged safety tests for 88k compact cars. Following an investigation, the company said that it had worked with customers to redo tests on nearly 24 affected products and that none of the customers involved was paid compensation, and all the costs associated with renewed testing were booked in the previous financial year.
Hitachi Astemo has disclosed that misconduct over testing and other procedures for components has affected a wider range of plants and customers by up to four decades. None of the customers involved were paid compensation, and all of the costs associated with renewed testing were already booked in the previous financial year. The 69 affected customers were both domestic and international, and the misconduct affected 22 products, including brake systems and railcar dampers. The company found that employees were wrongly handling tests and procedures in 15 plants in China, Mexico, Thailand, the United States, and Japan. A spokesperson listed various issues, such as employees reporting periodic test results to customers without running the actual tests on some products and running tests on suspension systems at incorrect temperatures. The company found that a lack of compliance understanding and resources led employees to prioritise costs and delivery times over quality and compliance. CEO Brice Koch said that he did not expect any impact on growth or costs due to the measures being taken to improve the system and the company.
Transgender people in El Salvador continue to face discrimination and violence due to their gender identity, exacerbated by weak legal protection, a lack of social acceptance and the influence of Catholicism and evangelicalism. El Salvador’s supreme court ruled in 2022 that people should be able to alter the gender markers on their official documentation, but the government failed to meet a 2021 deadline to enact reform to facilitate that process. LGBTQ rights are said to be under threat in the country following a swing to the right in elections, with activists reporting increased homophobia and transphobia. Transgender citizens face practical challenges in their daily life due to misgendering or a lack of official documents that match their gender identity. Hospitals, banks and insurers are among those who refuse to respect the gender identities of transgender citizens. Violence against trans women in particular has increased in El Salvador in recent years, with police officers among those said to be operating with impunity.
John Edmunds, a former BBC newsreader, has died at 94. Edmunds was also a university academic and an expert on Shakespeare and French classical drama. He became a television newsreader at the BBC in the 1960s, having previously taught French at Battersea Grammar School. Edmunds was also one of the question masters on the BBC’s quiz show Top of the Form in the 1960s. He was head of drama at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth from 1979 and a professor of drama at the University of the Americas and the University of California from 1985. Following his return to the UK, he acted in stage productions and wrote and read poetry.
New Mexico's alliance between traditional woodcutters and federal land managers could provide a model for Joe Biden's administration to thin forests near villages and towns at risk of climate-driven wildfires. Under the scheme, the Forest Service is paying local woodcutters $300 an acre to cut trees for personal use or sale. Some environmentalists oppose Taos County's Mayordomo Program, saying it is a waste of time and harms forests. However, Douglas North, mayordomo on a project near Trampas, said it integrates the community with the forest.
