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Francisco Conceicao to the rescue as Portugal snatches 2-1 win over Czechs

LEIPZIG, Germany — Francisco Conceicao came off the bench to grab a predatory stoppage-time winner as Portugal kick-started their Euro 2024 campaign with an edgy 2-1 Group F win over a dogged but cautious Czech Republic side in a tight contest on Tuesday.

Mr. Conceicao, who was brought on in the 90th minute, pounced on a mistake by Robin Hranac to fire home from close range in the third minute of added time soon after Portugal were crestfallen when Diogo Jota’s effort was ruled out by VAR for offside.

The Czechs had stunned the Portuguese fans packed inside the Leipzig Stadium when they took the lead out of the blue in the 62nd minute as Lukas Provod’s superb curling effort threatened to cause an almighty upset.

Yet unfortunate defender Hranac scored an own goal seven minutes later to set up a frantic finish that saw Portugal claim the three points to leave them level in the group with Turkey who beat Georgia 3-1 earlier on Tuesday.

With 41-year-old Pepe, who became the oldest player in Euros history, at center back, and Cristiano Ronaldo, 39 and playing at a record sixth Euros, up front, Portugal banked on experience against a Czech side with the youngest squad in the tournament.

The match was meant to be a walk in the park for the highly fancied Portuguese, who came into the tournament on the back of a flawless qualifying campaign in which they won all 10 matches, scoring 36 goals and conceding twice.

But as is so often the way in major tournaments the script needed a hasty rewrite.

While Portugal predictably dominated the ball, with 70% possession, 19 shots and 13 corners, the workmanlike Czechs provided an infuriating obstacle for Martinez’s side.

DISCIPLINED CZECHS
Portugal set up camp in Czech territory early on, but they came up against some fierce resistance as Ivan Hasek’s disciplined side kept them mostly at arm’s length.

For all their possession, Portugal’s chances were limited. Rafael Leao was their most creative outlet with his jinking runs down the left flank, although one theatrical dive earned him a first-half booking.

Record breaker Mr. Ronaldo was predictably at the center of most of Portugal’s attacks, although a largely ineffective display will do little to quell the debate about whether he should still be starting for the national team.

He passed up their best chance of the first half when he was played through on goal by Bruno Fernandes only to be thwarted by Jindrich Stanek and had another shot beaten away by the keeper just before the break. — Reuters

Putin gets lavish welcome in N. Korea with vows of support

RUSSIA’S President Vladimir Putin is greeted by North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un during a meeting in Pyongyang, North Korea on June 19, 2024. — SPUTNIK/GAVRIIL GRIGOROV/POOL VIA REUTERS

SEOUL — Cheering crowds and lavish ceremonies greeted Russian President Vladimir Putin in Pyongyang on Wednesday, where he met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for a rare summit aimed at forging a partnership to counter US pressure and sanctions.

An honor guard including mounted soldiers, and a large crowd of civilians gathered at the square by the Taedong River running through the capital, video broadcast by Russian media showed. The scene included children holding balloons, and giant portraits of the two leaders with national flags adorning the Grand People’s Study Hall.

Mr. Kim and Mr. Putin then rode to the Kumsusan Palace for summit talks, Russian media said. “We highly appreciate your consistent and unwavering support for Russian policy, including in the Ukrainian direction,” Russian state news agency RIA quoted Mr. Putin as saying at the start of the talks with Mr. Kim.

Mr. Putin said Moscow is fighting the hegemonic, imperialist policy of the United States and its allies, Russian media reported.

Mr. Kim said North Korea-Russia relations are entering a period of new flowering, the reports said.

Mr. Putin arrived at Pyongyang’s airport earlier in the day. After Mr. Kim welcomed him with an embrace, the two shared “pent-up inmost thoughts” on the ride to the state guest house, North Korean state media said.

Mr. Putin is on his first trip to the North Korean capital in 24 years, a visit likely to reshape decades of Russia-North Korea relations at a time when both countries face international isolation.

The countries’ partnership is an “engine for accelerating the building of a new multi-polar world” and Mr. Putin’s visit demonstrates the invincibility and durability of their friendship and unity, North Korea’s state news agency KCNA said.

Russia has used its warming ties with North Korea to needle Washington, while heavily sanctioned North Korea has won political backing and promises of economic support and trade from Moscow.

The United States and its allies say they fear Russia could provide aid for North Korea’s missile and nuclear programs, which are banned by UN Security Council resolutions, and have accused Pyongyang of providing ballistic missiles and artillery shells that Russia has used in its war in Ukraine.

Moscow and Pyongyang have denied weapons transfers.

Mr. Kim greeted Mr. Putin, shaking hands, embracing and talking beside the Russian leader’s plane. The pair then rode in Mr. Putin’s Russian-made Aurus limousine to the Kumsusan State Guest House.

Likely given the hour, the welcome was a relatively subdued affair, with Mr. Kim greeting the Russian leader on the red carpet without the grand ceremony the North put on for Chinese President Xi Jinping on his 2019 visit.

“Passing through charmingly lit streets of Pyongyang at night, the top leaders exchanged their pent-up inmost thoughts and opened their minds to more surely develop the DPRK-Russia relations,” KCNA reported, using the initials of North Korea’s official name.

State media photos showed streets of Pyongyang lined with portraits of Mr. Putin and the facade of the unfinished and vacant 101-story pyramid-shaped Ryugyong Hotel brightly lit with a giant message “Welcome Putin.” 

‘ALTERNATE TRADE MECHANISM’
Wednesday’s agenda includes one-on-one discussions between the two leaders, as well as a gala concert, state reception, honor guards, document signings and a statement to the media, Russia’s Interfax news agency quoted Mr. Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov as saying.

In a signal that Russia, a veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council, is reassessing its approach to North Korea, Mr. Putin praised Pyongyang ahead of his arrival for resisting what he said was US economic pressure, blackmail and threats.

In an article on the front page of North Korea’s main ruling party newspaper, he promised to “develop alternative trade and mutual settlement mechanisms not controlled by the West” and “build an equal and indivisible security architecture in Eurasia.”

Mr. Putin’s article implies that there is an opportunity for North Korea’s economic growth within an anti-West economic bloc led by Russia, which is a message that is likely appealing to Kim Jong Un, wrote Rachel Minyoung Lee, an analyst with the 38 North program in Washington.

“If Pyongyang views Russia as a viable longer-term partner for improving its economy — as irrational as this may seem to some — there is even less of an incentive for it to try to improve relations with the United States,” she said in a report.

Mr. Putin also issued a presidential order on the eve of the visit saying Moscow was looking to sign a “comprehensive strategic partnership treaty” with North Korea. Mr. Ushakov said it would include security issues.

Mr. Ushakov said the deal would not be directed against any other country, but would “outline prospects for further cooperation.” — Reuters

China and Malaysia renew 5-year economic, trade cooperation pact

REUTERS

KUALA LUMPUR — China and Malaysia renewed a five-year economic and trade cooperation pact on Wednesday and pledged to review visa-free travel arrangements between the countries, during a visit by Chinese Premier Li Qiang to mark 50 years of diplomatic ties.

Mr. Li, who arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday evening, met with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in the administrative capital Putrajaya on Wednesday. After the meeting, Mr. Li and Mr. Anwar witnessed the signing of several bilateral deals, including for exports of fresh durians from Malaysia to China. The agreement would see Malaysia, one of the world’s biggest producers of the pungent fruit, join Southeast Asian neighbors Thailand and Vietnam in shipping fresh durian to the multi-billion dollar Chinese market. Malaysia was previously allowed to ship only durian products and frozen whole durian to China.

Mr. Li is on the third leg in a trip where he has also visited New Zealand and Australia, as China looks to expand its influence and investments in the Asia Pacific amid geopolitical tensions and competition with the United States.

Mr. Li was expected to meet Malaysia’s King, Sultan Ibrahim, and attend a groundbreaking ceremony at a construction site for the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative on Wednesday.

The 665 kilometer (413 mile), 50.27 billion ringgit ($10.7 billion) railway will connect the east and west coasts of peninsular Malaysia by the end of 2026.

First proposed in 2017, the rail link is being constructed by the Malaysian unit of China Communications Construction Co Ltd. 601800.SS. In March, Malaysia said it would consider extending the China-backed project to its border with Thailand. — Reuters

Greece to set up its first sovereign wealth fund, reform posting, bus services

Euro coins are seen in front of a displayed Greece flag in this picture illustration, June 29, 2015. _ REUTERS

ATHENS — Greece will set up its first sovereign wealth fund to sell state assets such as estate property, ports and public utilities that were not sold during its debt crisis, its finance minister said on Tuesday.

The fund, with initial capital of 300 million euros, will invest proceeds from thousands of state asset sales into green projects, infrastructure and new technology, Finance Minister Kostis Hatzidakis said in a news conference, unveiling the plan.

“We hired BlackRock to propose the best corporate structure for the fund,” he added.

Greece’s privatization agency HRADF and its bank bailout fund HFSF will be absorbed by the Hellenic Corporation of Assets and Participations (HCAP), which manages a portfolio of state utilities and participations.

The funds jointly raised more than 10 billion euros from the sale of state assets and bank stakes to help Greece cut its debt during its 2010-2018 crisis, Mr. Hatzidakis said.

HFSF, which recently fully privatized three Greek lenders, plans to sell its remaining 18% stake in National Bank and a 72.5% in Attica Bank by the end of the year, Mr. Hatzidakis said.

Greece will also look to modernize its bus and postal services by allowing their state operators hire workers from the private sector and offer them pay flexibility. — Reuters

Los Angeles school board votes to ban smartphones

Silhouettes of mobile users are seen in this picture illustration taken March 28, 2018. — REUTERS/DADO RUVIC/ILLUSTRATION

THE LOS Angeles Unified School District Board of Education on Tuesday voted to ban smartphones for its 429,000 students in an attempt to insulate kids from distractions and social media that undermine learning and hurt mental health.

The board of the second-largest US school district voted 5-2, approving a resolution to develop within 120 days a policy prohibiting student use of cellphones and social media platforms. The policy would be in place by January 2025.

“I think we’re going to be on the vanguard here, and students and this entire city and country are going to benefit as a result,” said board member Nick Melvoin, who proposed the resolution.

On Monday, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called for a warning label on social media platforms, akin to those on cigarette packages, citing what he considers a mental health emergency.

L.A. school officials will consider whether phones should be stored in pouches or lockers during school hours and what exceptions should be made for students of different ages and pupils with learning or physical disabilities.

School officials will also examine the use of technology to restrict social media platforms and how the policy will address different types of devices such as smart watches.

Board member George McKenna voted against the resolution based on his concerns the policy would be too restrictive. Board member Scott Schmerelson also cast a “no” vote, saying it was unclear whether the ban would be during non-instructional time and who would enforce the policy.

“I think it’s going to be a full-time job being the police of the phone,” Mr. Schmerelson said.

Los Angeles (L.A.) joins a number of smaller school districts to ban access to phones or social media. Florida, with some 2.8 million public school students, last year passed a law requiring school districts to prevent student access to social media. Several other states have introduced similar legislation.

While the research on mental health risks remains incomplete, Mr. Murthy, the surgeon general, said the emergency was so apparent as to demand action.

Mr. Murthy cited a study in the medical journal JAMA showing adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media may be at heightened risk of mental illness, while referring to a Gallup poll showing the average teen spends 4.8 hours per day on social media.

The L.A. school district cited other evidence that cellphone addiction was linked to soaring rates of anxiety and cyberbullying. — Reuters

Philippine vice-president resigns as education minister

VP SARA DUTERTE OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE

MANILA (UPDATE) — Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte resigned on Wednesday from her posts as education minister and vice-chair of an anti-insurgency task force, in the latest sign that her alliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has crumbled.

Marcos had accepted Ms. Duterte’s resignation and thanked her for her service, Presidential Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said in a statement, adding that the vice president did not provide a reason.

In a separate press conference, Ms. Duterte said her “resignation is not because of weakness but because of true concern for teachers and the youth.”

The Marcos and Duterte families joined forces in 2022 with Sara Duterte standing as Mr. Marcos’ vice-presidential running mate, allowing Mr. Marcos to tap the Duterte family’s huge support base and seal a comeback for the disgraced Marcos dynasty.

In the Philippines, the president and vice president are elected separately.

That alliance was always expected to collapse, but analysts

were surprised by how soon the gloves have come off after Marcos’ predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, accused the president in January of using drugs. Mr. Duterte’s son, who is currently the mayor of Davao city, had also called for the resignation of Mr. Marcos at the time.

“It is the break we have all been waiting for,” Jean Encinas-Franco, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines, said of the vice president’s decision to step down from her cabinet post. — Reuters

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Philippines says Beijing’s words not matching actions in South China Sea

PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD FILE PHOTO

 – China must avoid actions that would endanger sailors and vessels in the South China Sea, the Philippine foreign ministry said on Wednesday, adding peace cannot be achieved if its words do not match its behavior in the disputed waters.

The Philippine foreign ministry said it “denounces the illegal and aggressive actions” of Chinese authorities that resulted in personnel injury and vessel damage during Manila’s routine resupply mission in the South China Sea on June 17.

“In line with the Philippines’ commitment to pursue peace, the Department has been exerting efforts to rebuild a conducive environment for dialogue and consultation with China on the South China Sea,” the ministry said in a statement.

“This cannot be achieved if China’s words do not match their actions on the waters.”

The ministry also called on China to respect the Philippines’ sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in its own waters. – Reuters

In South China Sea dispute, Philippines’ bolder hand tests Beijing

PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD PHOTO

 – Huddled in the presidential situation room in February last year, senior Philippines officials faced a stark choice.

Military and intelligence leaders watched as coast guard officers showed photos of what the agency said was a military-grade laser that China had pointed at a Philippines ship in disputed waters days earlier.

Eduardo Ano, the national security adviser and chair of the South China Sea taskforce, had to decide whether to release the pictures and risk Beijing’s ire, or refrain from aggravating his giant neighbor.

“The public deserves to know,” the retired general told the officials. “Publish the photographs.”

The previously undisclosed meeting marked a pivotal moment, as Manila began a publicity blitz to highlight the intensifying territorial dispute in the South China Sea, where the ramming of ships, use of water cannons and ensuing diplomatic protests have sharply raised tensions.

“It was a turning point and the birth of the transparency policy,” National Security Council spokesperson Jonathan Malaya, who attended the meeting and recounted the exchange, told Reuters. “The goal was to eventually impose severe costs to Beijing’s reputation, image and standing.”

Malaya said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr had directed officials to “civilianize and internationalize” the dispute, which they had achieved by using the coast guard and routinely embedding foreign journalists on missions. “This became an important component of building international support for the Philippines, because our audience is also foreign governments,” he added.

This account of the Philippines’ policy switch and its implications is based on interviews with 20 Philippine and Chinese officials, regional diplomats and analysts. They said publicizing China’s actions, combined with Manila’s deepened military alliance with the US, had constrained Beijing’s ability to escalate matters at sea but raised the risks of Chinese economic retaliation and US involvement.

The February 2023 meeting occurred days after Marcos granted the US access to four more military bases in the Philippines, rekindling defense ties that had suffered under his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte.

“China has few escalatory options left without triggering the US-Philippines mutual defense treaty and risking a military confrontation between Chinese and US forces,” said Ian Storey, a security scholar at Singapore’s ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute.

Mr. Marcos has also pursued a diplomatic offensive, gaining statements of support for the Philippines’ position from countries such as Canada, Germany, India and Japan.

The South China Sea is rich in oil and gas. About $3 trillion in trade passes through it annually. US access to Philippine bases could prove important in a war over Taiwan.

China, whose claims to most of the sea were invalidated by an international tribunal in 2016, says Philippine vessels illegally intrude into waters surrounding disputed shoals. It has warned Marcos, who took office in June 2022, against misjudging the situation.

“This is brinkmanship, poker,” said Philippine legal scholar Jay Batongbacal. “Brinkmanship is taking things to the edge, trying to see who loses his nerve. Poker is a game of bluffing and deception – one could be doing both at the same time.”

In response to Reuters questions, China’s foreign ministry said the Philippines had been stoking tensions with “provocative actions at sea in an attempt to infringe on China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights”.

China, it said, would defend its interests while handling the dispute peacefully through dialogue.

A US State Department spokesperson said Manila’s transparency initiative had succeeded in calling greater attention to China’s “disregard for international law” and actions that endangered Philippine service members.

The spokesperson would not comment on the risk of US military involvement but said the US would support the Philippines if it faced economic coercion from China.

 

‘AWAKE AT NIGHT’

The conflict is over Scarborough Shoal and Second Thomas Shoal, where the Philippine navy maintains a rusting warship, BRP Sierra Madre, that it beached in 1999 to reinforce Manila’s sovereignty claims. A small crew is stationed on it.

Chinese ships have sought to block resupply missions, by encircling Philippine vessels and firing water cannons that in March shattered a boat’s windshield, injuring its crew. Manila released footage of the incident; China said it acted lawfully and professionally.

In February, Philippine ships recorded Chinese counterparts placing a barrier across the entrance to Scarborough Shoal. This week, both sides traded accusations over a collision involving their vessels near Second Thomas Shoal.

Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Jay Tarriela taunts Chinese officials and state media on X, sometimes posting drone footage of maritime clashes. “If I were doing anything incorrect, I would have been shut down,” he said.

Mr. Tarriela said the transparency drive had worked, by galvanising support for Manila while the threshold of China’s aggression had not changed, despite an increase in incidents.

“They are still depending on their water cannon … they are still stuck with that kind of tactic,” he said.

The number of Chinese vessels around Second Thomas Shoal during Philippine resupply missions has grown from a single ship on average in 2021 to around 14 in 2023, the Center for Strategic and International Studies said in January.

Last month, China’s coast guard came within meters of the Sierra Madre and seized supplies air-dropped to troops stationed there, according to Philippine officials. China, whose navy patrolled nearby, said Filipino soldiers pointed guns at its coast guard; Manila said they just held their weapons.

Philippine officials say they fear a fatal accident could escalate into open hostilities.

“That keeps a lot of us awake at night,” the Philippines’ ambassador to Washington, Jose Manuel Romualdez, told Reuters.

Manila also wants to avoid the kind of economic pressure it faced around a decade ago, when protracted Chinese customs checks caused Philippine bananas to rot on Chinese docks.

China was the Philippines’ second-biggest export market in 2023, taking nearly $11 billion worth or 14.8% of all its shipments. China is the Philippines’ top source of imports, mainly refined petroleum products and electronics.

Mr. Romualdez said Manila hoped China would “see the value of continuing our economic activity while trying to peacefully resolve the issue”.

Edcel John Ibarra, a political scientist at the University of the Philippines, said Marcos risks provoking China into “a harder approach”, such as non-tariff barriers and tourism restrictions. He pointed to changes China announced in May that allow its coast guard to detain foreigners without trial for 60 days.

 

‘PARADIGM SHIFT’

The intensity of Manila’s campaign has surprised its neighbors. Vietnam and Malaysia, which also have maritime disputes with Beijing, have been more cautious about what they release from their skirmishes with China.

“We are all watching this and talking amongst ourselves,” said one Asian diplomat, who was not authorized to be named. “The Philippines has carved out a new strategy in standing up to Beijing over a point of friction.”

Mr. Marcos said in December that diplomacy with China had achieved little, calling on Southeast Asia “to come up with a paradigm shift”.

China’s state media have expressed irritation with the transparency push.

The Philippines has been “playing the victim to deceive international public opinions”, the state-backed Global Times said in an op-ed in May.

A key aspect of Manila’s approach has been solidifying the US alliance. Both countries made clear in May last year that their defense treaty also covers the coast guard. In April, Mr. Marcos participated in an unprecedented summit with his US and Japanese counterparts.

A US official involved in US-China talks that month said Chinese officials have complained about these diplomatic breakthroughs behind closed doors, adding that Beijing was “feeling the squeeze”.

Some Chinese scholars, like Zha Daojiong, at Peking University’s School of International Studies, say the situation is at an impasse and that China will continue to be “essentially reactive” at flashpoints like Second Thomas Shoal.

“By responding to the Philippines’ action, I guess they want to keep the message that this shoal is in dispute,” he said. – Reuters

US approves $360 million arms sale to Taiwan for missiles, drones

STOCK PHOTO | Image by Dice Me from Pixabay

 – The US State Department has approved the possible sale to Taiwan of drones and missiles for an estimated $360 million, the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said.

The United States is bound by law to provide Chinese-claimed Taiwan with the means to defend itself despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties, to the constant anger of Beijing.

China has been stepping up military pressure against Taiwan, including staging war games around the island last month after the inauguration of Lai Ching-te as president.

The sale “will help improve the security of the recipient and assist in maintaining political stability, military balance, and economic progress in the region”, the Pentagon agency said in separate statements on Tuesday in the United States.

The sale includes Switchblade 300 anti-personnel and anti-armor loitering munitions and related equipment for an estimated cost of $60.2 million, and ALTIUS 600M-V drones and related equipment for an estimated cost of $300 million, the agency added. Loitering munitions are small guided missiles that can fly around a target area until they are directed to attack.

Taiwan’s defense ministry expressed its thanks, especially for US efforts to increase arms sales to the island. Taiwan has repeatedly complained of delayed deliveries.

“In the face of the Chinese communists’ frequent military operations around Taiwan, these US-agreed-to arms sales items will have the ability to detect and strike in real time, and can respond quickly to enemy threats,” it said in a statement.

Peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait require goodwill from China, the ministry added.

“It is hoped that the People’s Liberation Army will stop its oppressive military operations around Taiwan and jointly contribute to regional stability.” – Reuters

Biden offers citizenship path to spouses of Americans in sweeping election-year move

US PRESIDENT JOSEPH R. BIDEN — WHITEHOUSE.GOV

 – President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced a sweeping effort to provide a path to citizenship to hundreds of thousands of immigrants in the US illegally who are married to U.S. citizens, an election-year move that contrasts sharply with Republican rival Donald Trump’s plan for mass deportations.

At a White House event, Mr. Biden criticized Trump for separating migrant families at the US-Mexico border and using incendiary language about immigrants in the US illegally, including comments that they were “poisoning the blood of our country.”

“It’s hard to believe it’s being said, but he’s actually saying these things out loud. And it’s outrageous,” Mr. Biden said. “I’m not interested in playing politics with the border or immigration. I’m interested in fixing it.”

The new Biden program will be open to an estimated 500,000 spouses who have lived in the US for at least 10 years as of June 17, officials said on Tuesday. Some 50,000 children under age 21 with a US-citizen parent also will be eligible.

Mr. Biden, a Democrat seeking a second term in the Nov. 5 presidential election, took office vowing to reverse many of Trump’s restrictive immigration policies. But faced with record levels of migrant arrests at the US-Mexico border, Biden has toughened his approach.

Earlier this month, the president barred most migrants crossing the US-Mexico border from requesting asylum, a policy that mirrored a similar Trump-era asylum ban and drew criticism from immigration advocates and some Democrats.

Mr. Biden’s planned legalization program for spouses of US citizens could reinforce his campaign message that he supports a more humane immigration system and show how he differs from Mr. Trump, who has long had a hardline stance on both legal and illegal immigration.

“The Statue of Liberty is not some relic of American history,” Mr. Biden said. “It still stands for who we are.”

The program will likely face legal challenges and a future administration could attempt to end it. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican whose state has battled Biden in court over immigration policy, said in a statement that the new effort was “blatantly illegal” and “pandering for votes.”

The US already provides a path to citizenship for immigrants who are married to Americans and entered the country legally on a visa. But in most cases, those who enter illegally must first leave the US for years before being allowed to return legally.

The new program will allow the spouses and their children to apply for permanent residence without traveling abroad, removing a potentially lengthy process and family separation.

The path to obtain permanent residence could take months or years. From there, they could apply for citizenship. People who have disqualifying criminal history would not be eligible.

The implementation will roll out in coming months and the majority of likely beneficiaries would be Mexicans, Biden officials said on a call with reporters.

Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Tuesday said the decision to regularize Mexican families’ migratory status in the United States is “very good news”, celebrating Biden’s announcement during a press conference.

Mr. Biden’s White House remarks were tied to the anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

Former President Barack Obama and then-Vice President Biden launched the DACA program in 2012, another major legalization effort that currently grants deportation relief and work permits to 528,000 people brought to the US as children. – Reuters

 

 

 

 

The Biden administration also announced guidance to make it easier for DACA recipients to obtain skilled-work visas.

 

 

MIXED POLLS

Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt called Biden’s new program “amnesty” that would create “another invitation for illegal immigration.” Trump has highlighted crimes committed by immigrants and has repeatedly pledged to deport millions of people if elected.

A little more than half of U.S. voters back deporting all or most immigrants in the U.S. illegally, Reuters/Ipsos polling shows.

At the same time, separate polling by the advocacy group Immigration Hub found 71% of voters in seven election battleground states backed allowing spouses in the U.S. illegally for more than five years to remain.

Rebecca Shi, executive director of the American Business Immigration Coalition, said focus groups conducted by her organization with independent and Republican voters found they supported legal status for spouses.

“It boosts turnout in terms of Latino and base voters, but it also has support with the middle and the right,” she said on a call with reporters on Monday, adding that most people thought the spouses could already legalize.

 

LIVING IN FEAR

One couple who could potentially benefit from the action was eagerly awaiting more details.

Megan, a social worker from the election battleground state of Wisconsin, met her husband, Juan, two decades ago when she worked with his relatives at a restaurant during her college summer break.

Juan’s family, from the Mexican state of Michoacan, had come to the U.S. for generations as seasonal workers, with his grandfather participating in a U.S. program for farmworkers. Juan was in the country illegally, but she never thought it would be an issue.

“I assumed maybe you pay a fine or something,” she said. “The punishment is just totally disproportionate.”

They have two daughters now – ages 4 and 7 – and still have not found a way to fix Juan’s status. Reuters is withholding their last names because of Megan’s concern they could face backlash.

Wisconsin does not issue driver’s licenses to immigrants in the U.S. illegally, and the couple worry that Juan, who works as a landscaper, could one day be pulled over and deported.

She said the family likely would uproot and relocate to Mexico if Juan was ever sent back.

“It’s just a low-level stress that’s always there,” she said.

In Chile, coastal construction on sand dunes raises alarm as sinkholes multiply

STOCK PHOTO | Image by Julian Hacker from Pixabay

 – Residents of the gleaming apartment buildings built atop sand dunes that dot Chile’s Pacific coast are expressing mounting concerns for their safety after a series of sinkholes.

Three sinkholes have opened up this year near or directly under the buildings following heavy rainfall. The affected area is just north of the Chilean city of Viña del Mar, one of the South American country’s most popular tourist destinations famed for its picturesque rocky coastline.

One of the sinkholes filled a building parking garage with mud and dirt, practically burying several cars.

“As a family, we decided to leave,” said former resident Gabriel, who declined to provide his surname, pointing to the building where he used to live.

“Even if the view here is really pretty, there’s an imminent risk.”

The most recent sinkholes struck near buildings erected on sand dunes near the town of Concon, located on a marine terrace more than 100 feet (30 meters) above sea level and rich in wildlife. Some buildings suffered significant damage.

Local experts warn that Concon building projects are ill-advised.

“There shouldn’t be construction on the dunes because these are very fragile systems,” said Luis Ribba, a University of Chile geologist, adding that even sound foundations can fail in this environment.

Over the past three decades, a battle has played out over how much of the area should be off limits to development.

Only 12 hectares of the dunes were protected after officials granted the area nature-sanctuary status in 1994, out of a total area that spans 45 hectares.

The unprotected areas have seen some of the most heavily-criticized construction projects, even as new protections authorized in 2006 cover about 22 hectares. – Reuters