Brazilian far right in copycat breach of government buildings

 

Supporters of Brazilian former President Jair Bolsonaro clash with the police during a demonstration outside the Planalto Palace in Brasilia on January 8, 2023. - Brazilian police used tear gas Sunday to repel hundreds of supporters of far-right ex-president Jair Bolsonaro after they stormed onto Congress grounds one week after President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva's inauguration, an AFP photographer witnessed. (Photo by EVARISTO SA / AFP)

BRASILIA – In what is being called the copycat breach, the Brazilian far right has reportedly breached the main buildings of all three branches of government to protest claimed stolen election.

Protesters are reportedly clashing with the police at Planalto Palace, the Chamber of Deputies, and the Supreme Federal Court building.

After the results of the Brazilian presidential elections were finalized, supporters of then president Jair Bolsonaro launched nationwide protests against what they claimed was a stolen mandate.

fearing a repeat of what happened in the United States on January 6, 2021, the Brazilian civil society urged the military to intervene but the military decline saying the right to protest is enshrined in the country’s constitution.

Bolsonaro reshuffled the Brazilian military leadership shortly before he left office, and is currently believed to be in the United States having skipped the transition as his ally Donald Trump did two years ago.

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva beat incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in a runoff election last year and was sworn in as the new Brazilian president on January 1, 2023.

More on this developing story from DNT Correspondent Ken Bright in due course

………………………………………………………

Ukraine war: Kyiv rejects Putin’s ‘trivial’ Christmas truce

 On January 6, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a 36-hour ceasefire in the conflict with Ukraine, beginning at 12:00 Moscow time (09:00 GMT) on January 7. The ceasefire, which coincides with Russian Orthodox Christmas, was requested by Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, who called for a Christmas truce to allow believers to attend church services.

The ceasefire is intended to allow Orthodox believers in areas of conflict to celebrate Christmas Eve on January 7 and Christmas Day on January 8. The Ukrainian government rejected the request, calling it a “propaganda gesture” and “trivial ploy.” The conflict between Russia and Ukraine began in 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea and has escalated into a war in eastern Ukraine.

It appears that Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for a 36-hour ceasefire in Ukraine in order to allow Orthodox believers in the region to celebrate Christmas. The move has been met with skepticism from Ukrainian officials, who have dismissed it as a “propaganda gesture” and an attempt by Russia to invite pressure on Ukraine from European countries.

The ceasefire proposal comes a few days after a large number of Russian troops were killed in a Ukrainian strike on a temporary barracks in the occupied Ukrainian city of Makiyivka. Some analysts have suggested that the Kremlin may be seeking to avoid another major loss of life on an important Russian holiday.

Source: BBC

…………………………………………………………

‘Queen Elizabeth came to Ghana just to greet the Chief Vandal’ – Former JCR president claims

 Bernard Oduro Takyi, a former JCR president of Commonwealth Hall, University of Ghana, has asked the management of the university to maintain the reputation and tradition of the Commonwealth Hall and not seek to alter its current status.

He argued that it is unconstitutional for the university administration to attempt to remove all male students enrolled in Mensah Sarbah Hall and the Commonwealth Hall.

Making a case for why the long-standing repute and tradition of the hall should be kept, he claimed that because of the hall’s status, Queen Elizabeth II, flew from the United Kingdom in 1957 to honour the Chief Vandal of the hall.

“In 2023 they want to sack every student here and bring in only freshmen, and we’re saying no. This hall that you see, a whole queen Elizabeth came from the UK to greet our chief vandal in 1957 and you think we will sit down for one vice chancellor with professorship to change that hall, she is joking,” Bernard Oduro Takyi angrily said.

The former JCR president of the Commonwealth Hall in an interview argued that the University has systems in place to address housing difficulties and that the management violated the appropriate legislation and took unconstitutional measures.

The Management of the University of Ghana last December revoked the accommodation of all continuing male students of the Commonwealth and Mensah Sarbah Halls after another round of clashes involving the two feuding halls.

According to a statement signed by the Registrar of the University on December 14, 2022, the residents are to be randomly assigned to available rooms in any of the University of Ghana Enterprise Limited Hostel (UGEl) and private hostels.

The statement further mentioned that continuing female students of Mensah Sarbah Hall and students with special needs in both halls will not be affected.

Source: ghanaweb

………………………………………………………

US dollar makes strong start to 2023 after months-long slump

 The US dollar posted gains against nearly all its major peers as trading kicked off in 2023 after a seasonal holiday lull.

Only the Japanese yen proved stronger than the greenback among Group-of-10 currencies, with the pound, euro and Swiss franc falling sharply. That saw the Bloomberg dollar spot index climb as much as 0.9%, putting it on track for its best day since mid-December.

Traders said the moves were exacerbated by thin liquidity. But it was also a reminder that the dollar’s decline in recent months — which is broadly expected to keep going this year — will not be a one-way move.

“From a re-balancing perspective, the US dollar ended the year a bit overdone,” said Geoff Yu, senior currency strategist at Bank of New York Mellon. That implies “a bit of recovery flow happening almost by default.”

The Bloomberg spot index fell 6.8% between October and December 2022 as traders slashed long-dollar positions, its worst quarterly performance for more than a decade. While Yu sees further weakness, he’s “highly skeptical” that the Federal Reserve can cut interest rates this year, which could help temper a longer-term drop.

Traders will scour new data this week for clues on the state of the US economy. Signs were building last year that an aggressive cycle of rate hikes was starting to bring down red-hot inflation, though wage gains remain strong, suggesting higher rates for longer.

The Australian dollar led losses against the greenback, down 1.4% to 0.6707. The yen bucked the trend to advance, reflecting bets on tighter policy from the Bank of Japan after its surprise December decision to tweak its yield curve control settings.

The currency pared gains in European hours to trade up 0.2% at 130.59, after earlier appreciating nearly 1% to the strongest since early June. With Japanese financial markets still shut for new-year holidays, currency flows doubled since the London open, according to Ian Tew, head of G-10 currency spot trading for EMEA at Barclays Plc.

“We’re looking at an uncertain 2023 and many macro themes will dictate market narratives — today feels like an unwind of short-term December positions, rather than anything fundamental to start the year,” Tew said. “The overwhelming flow has been for yen calls in the option space, but we have also seen dollar demand from hedge funds.”

Source: bloomberg.com

………………………………………………………

US unveils new border curbs for Haitians, Cubans, Nicaraguans

 Joe Biden says new rules allowing asylum seekers to be returned to Mexico aim to reduce arrivals at US southern border.

The United States has announced that it will turn back migrants and refugees from Nicaragua, Haiti, and Cuba who try to enter the country without permits at the border with Mexico. The announcement was made as part of efforts to stem the arrival of migrants and refugees.

The US will accept up to 30,000 people per month from these countries, along with Venezuela, and will provide them with two-year work authorization if they have sponsors in the US and pass background checks. However, anyone who tries to irregularly cross the border will be ineligible for the program and will be returned to Mexico. Mexico has agreed to take back 30,000 people per month from Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Haiti.

The new policy announced by the United States marks a significant change in US immigration rules, and it will remain in place even as the US Supreme Court considers ending a border expulsion policy called Title 42, which allows authorities to quickly expel asylum seekers without offering them a chance to seek protection.

The new policy includes a program that could allow 360,000 people from Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Haiti to enter the US annually, which has been viewed as a positive aspect of the policy. The US has seen an increase in the number of asylum seekers arriving at its southern border with Mexico, which has led to pressure on the Biden administration by Republican politicians who argue that the administration is not doing enough to secure the border.

The Biden administration has tried to deter migrants and refugees from arriving at the border while also defending Title 42 in court, despite criticism from rights groups who say the measure puts asylum seekers’ lives at risk.

The United States has seen an increase in the number of asylum seekers arriving at its southern border with Mexico. The arrivals are driven by various factors including gang violence, political turmoil, environmental disasters, and socioeconomic crises. Rights advocates argue that US deterrence policies have done little to reduce the number of arrivals.

Data from US Customs and Border Protection shows that border authorities have used Title 42, a border expulsion policy, to turn away more than 2.5 million migrants and refugees since it was first invoked by former President Donald Trump in March 2020. The policy was intended to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated in April 2020 that it was no longer necessary on public health grounds.

The policy was set to be rescinded, but a US federal judge ordered in November 2020 that it be lifted. The US Supreme Court has agreed to consider whether Republican-led states can challenge the end of the policy, leaving it in place for the time being. President Joe Biden will travel to the southern border in Texas on Sunday to meet with local officials and discuss their needs.

He will also visit Mexico City on Monday to meet with North American leaders. Some Republican governors, led by Greg Abbott in Texas, have been sending busloads of migrants and refugees to Democratic-run cities in an effort to “share the burden” of arrivals in US border communities. Critics have described the policy as inhumane and a political stunt that puts people in danger.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

………………………………………………………

Violence breaks out as Mexico arrests son of ‘El Chapo’ Guzman

 Cartels have sometimes unleashed violence on cities in retaliation for the arrest of prominent cartel figures.

Mexican authorities have arrested Ovidio Guzman, the son of imprisoned drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, according to multiple news sources. In response, alleged cartel members set cars on fire and carjacked residents in the city of Culiacan in Sinaloa province on Wednesday night and into Thursday.

It is not clear what sparked the violence, but such actions are sometimes taken in response to the arrest of a cartel member. The mayor of Culiacan has advised citizens not to leave their homes due to the blockades that have occurred in different parts of the city.

After the arrest of his father, Ovidio Guzman became an important figure in the Sinaloa Cartel and was briefly detained by Mexican authorities in October 2019. In response, gunmen started shooting throughout the city and Ovidio Guzman was released, which was seen as a setback for the administration of Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

In a press conference on Thursday, Lopez Obrador acknowledged that there were ongoing operations in Culiacan but did not provide further details. Unverified footage on social media appears to show gunfire and a helicopter in Culiacan, and the airport has suspended operations until Thursday evening. Municipal employees have also been told to suspend work.

The arrest of Ovidio Guzman, a son of imprisoned drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, has led to a wave of violence in the city of Culiacan, Sinaloa province in Mexico. Cars were set on fire and residents were carjacked by alleged cartel members, and the city has issued a warning for citizens not to leave their homes due to the violence.

The cause of the violence is not yet known, but such actions often occur following the arrest of a cartel member. In October 2019, Ovidio Guzman was briefly detained by Mexican authorities, leading to a similar wave of violence in the city.

The Mexican government has struggled to deal with the power and violence of drug cartels in the country, and President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has been criticized for relying on the military to address the issue. Rights groups have raised concerns about abuses by the military and the removal of civilian control over the National Guard.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

……………………………………………………………

Kenyan LGBTQ activist Edwin Chiloba found dead in metal box

 Discrimination against LGBTQ people is common in Kenya, which still has a 14-year jail term for gay sex.

Kenyan police have discovered the body of prominent LGBTQ rights campaigner Edwin Chiloba stuffed inside a metal box in the west of the country, according to local media sources.

Motorbike taxi riders alerted police after they saw the box dumped by the roadside from a vehicle with a concealed number plate, The Standard and The Daily Nation newspapers reported on Friday, quoting police sources.

Chiloba’s remains were found on Tuesday near Eldoret town in Uasin Gishu county, where he ran his fashion business, independent rights group the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) said.

“He was brutally killed & dumped in the area by unknown assailants,” KHRC said on Twitter. “It is truly worrisome that we continue to witness escalation in violence targeting LGBTQ+ Kenyans.”

Kenya National Police Service spokesperson Resila Onyango said she would comment at a later time. Uasin Gishu County Commander Ayub Gitonga Ali declined to comment.

“Words cannot even explain how we as a community are feeling right now. Edwin Chiloba was a fighter, fighting relentlessly to change the hearts and minds of society when it came to LGBTQ+ lives,” GALCK+, a Kenyan gay rights group, said on Twitter.

Under a British colonial-era law, gay sex in Kenya is punishable by 14 years in prison. The law is rarely enforced but discrimination is common.

Research suggests acceptance of homosexuality is gradually increasing in Kenya, but it remains a taboo subject for many. The country’s film board has banned two films for their portrayals of gay lives in recent years.

Last June, a number of queer Kenyan men told Al Jazeera that they had developed a phobia of public hospitals and were willing to try risky alternatives, because of targeted discrimination by doctors.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

……………………………………………………………

US Congress – McCarthy elected House Speaker after 15 ballots

 Kevin Owen McCarthy, Congressman-elect from the 29th district of California has been elected in a dramatic fashion to become Speaker of the 118th Congress of the United States.

On Friday January 6, on the second anniversary of the insurrection, the United States Congress came the closest it has ever been to fisticuffs when the in-coming Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Mike Rogers from Alabama.

Before the 14th ballot, Congressman Matt Gaetz considered the leader of the rebellious, “never-Kevin” House Republicans had apparently given his word to McCarthy that he would vote ‘present’ to lower the threshold for him to win the Speakership with less than 218 votes, which had eluded McCarthy for the previous 13 ballots.

As the roll was called alphabetically, Gaetz did not respond and waited to be the last person to be recalled. At the time, with McCarthy having garnered 215 votes would have been elected Speaker had Gaetz kept his word.

But he voted against McCarthy to the chagrin of fellow Republicans who literally surrounded him to convince him to change his vote, which he refused.

Instead, he insisted on an Adjournment vote which was carried out and concluded. But shortly before the vote closed, drama unfolded.

The House camera happened to be trained on McCarthy speaking with Gaetz. It is not certain what was said but McCarthy scrambled to the voting desk holding a red card to change his vote from ‘yay’ to ‘nay’ against adjournment.

Several other Republicans consequently changed their votes to defeat the Adjournment, paving the way for the 15th ballot.

In the final analysis, the final vote tally on the 15th ballot recorded 216 Republican votes for McCarthy, 212 Democratic votes to Hakeem Jeffries and six ‘present’ votes.

In the ensuing protocol for McCarthy to assume his Speaker role, the new Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries had to formally hand over the Speaker’s gavel to the New Leader since majority was shifting from the Democrats to the Republicans.

McCarthy opened his speech by quipping “That was easy, wasn’t it” in references to the historic 15 ballots that it took to get elected.

“Hakeem, I gotta warn you; two years ago, I received 100% of my Conference votes.” McCarthy joked in a signal to the new Minority Leader that his may have received 100% of his votes today, but when the time comes for him to be voted Speaker of the House, he might face a similar dilemma.

McCarthy spoke to his counterpart Hakeem Jeffries saying “I promise our debate will be passionate, but they will not be personal – I make that commitment to you.”

Although the Congressional session began on the second anniversary of the insurrection, McCarthy was elected when the clock had past midnight onto the 7th day of January.

DNT News, USA