8 NEWS The world at aglance
THE WEEK 17 August 2019El Paso, Texas
Anger at Trump visit:President
Trump’s visits to the two cities
affected by mass shootings a
fortnight ago–ElPaso, Texas
and Dayton, Ohio–were marred
by protests on his arrival last
week.Aphoto of Donald and
Melania Trump grinning–him
givingathumbs up–while posing
withatwo-month-old baby
whose parents were among the 22 people killed in El Paso caused
particular outrage. The baby’s uncle said his brother had been a
Trump supporter, but the president was criticised for apparently
having the baby brought to the hospital when the eight survivors
recovering there would not meet with him.Washington DC
“Cyanide bombs” approved:The Trump administration last week
reauthorised the use of controversial poison-filled traps to kill
wild animals, such as coyotes and foxes, that prey on livestock,
despite strong opposition from environmentalists. The spring-
loaded devices, dubbed “cyanide bombs”, ejectacapsule
containing sodium cyanide. The Wildlife Services’ use of the
traps, which last year killed 6,500 animals, more than 200 of
which were unintended targets, was being reassessed after a
teenage boy was injured and his pet dog killed by one in 2017.
On Monday, inamove lauded by industry, the government also
announced changes to the way the Endangered Species Act is
implemented, weakening protections for threatened species and
allowing, for the first time, “economic impact” of factors such as
lost revenue when deciding ifaspecies warrants protection.Los Angeles, California
Lewinsky brings affair to TV:Monica Lewinsky has
signed up to produceadrama series about her affair
with Bill Clinton and the 1998 impeachment
scandal that followed it.Impeachment: American
Crime Storywill bring the story into the spotlight in the context
of the #MeToo movement, and will air in September next year
–five weeks before the 2020 election. Lewinsky said that, though
reluctant to take part at first, she was convinced by the show’s
creator, Ryan Murphy, who refused to tell the story without her.
The first two seasons ofAmerican Crime Storytackled the trial
of O.J. Simpson and the assassination of Gianni Versace.Catatumbo, Colombia
Thousands displaced by gangs:Armed groups fighting for control
of drug trafficking routes in northern Colombia have forced
around 40,000 people to flee their homes, according toanew
report by Human Rights Watch. Despite the 2016 peace deal
signed by the government and Farc insurgents, the report says
aweak government presence in the mountainous region of
Catatumbo has left three smaller groups fighting for coca
plantations and routes abandoned by the rebels. The Popular
Liberation Army, the National Liberation Army and some former
Farc fighters have expelled thousands from their homes, murdered
community leaders, and forced children to work in the coca fields.
“In practice,” the report said, “the government does not exercise
effective control over areas reclaimed from Farc”.Canton, Mississippi
Mass arrest of immigrants:In asweeping crackdown on illegal
immigration, around 680 people were arrested in raids on seven
poultry processing plants across Mississippi last week. Agents
from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) descended
on the plants and loaded staff–some of whom have been in the
US for more than ten years–onto buses to be “processed”. The
operation, the biggest of its kind since 2006, was criticised for
temporarily leaving children without care and plunging towns
like Canton and Morton, which rely on the plants, into chaos.
On Monday, the government announcedasweeping rule change
to make it harder for those immigrants who use, or who are
deemed likely to use, welfare benefits such as food stamps and
public housing, to obtainagreen card and American citizenship.Buenos Aires
Shock primary win:Argentina is
poised forareturn to left-wing
populist rule, following the defeat of
the conservative president of four years, Mauricio Macri, at a
primary election on Sunday. The left-wing candidate, Alberto
Fernández, whose running mate is the former president Cristina
Fernández de Kirchner, wonasurprise landslide victory with 47%
of the vote to Macri’s 32%. The primary, used to ensure that
candidates have enough support to fight October’s presidential
election, sent the value of the peso plummeting by 30%. The
result reflectsapopular rejection of Macri’s austerity plan, which
he said was needed to undo public debts accrued by Kirchner, and
to combat Argentina’s soaring inflation of over 50%.Guatemala City
New leader:Guatemala has elected a
new right-wing president, Alejandro
Giammattei (pictured), amid anger at
amigration deal struck with the US last
month. Giammattei, who won 58% of
the vote in the run-off election this week,
opposes the deal, which would designate
Guatemalaa“safe third country”, forcing
migrants to seek refuge there instead of in
the US. Facing endemic poverty and
violence, Guatemala is now the leading
country of origin for asylum seekers detained at the US border.