Author: Fernando Santos

Records obtained by The Associated Press show that Supreme Court justices have attended publicly funded events at colleges and universities that allowed the schools to put the justices in the room with influential donors, including some whose industries have had interests before the court. When Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas headlined a 2017 program at McLennan Community College in Texas, his hosts had more than a speech in mind. Working with the prominent conservative lawyer Ken Starr, school officials crafted a guest list for a dinner at the home of a wealthy Texas businessman, hoping an audience with Thomas would be a reward for…

We hear so much about crime rates, opioids, and gun violence in America, but so little from our elected leaders about the poverty crisis Can you name the top 10 causes of death in America? Without too much trouble, most Americans could likely come up with some of them: cancer, heart disease, stroke, accidents. But it would come as a surprise to many to know that poverty is right up there with these other dreaded scourges – much higher, in fact, than many ills that have inspired investigative committees, major policy investments and sustained attention from the public and private…

Sabrina Carpenter will be supporting on the new dates Taylor Swift has revealed her first round of international dates for her current ‘Eras’ tour kicking off in August. Mexico is up first with a three-date run at the Foro Sol Stadium in Mexico City on August 24-26. Argentina will follow after that with two nights at the Estádio RiverPlate in Buenos Aries in NovemberThe first batch of international dates will wrap up in late November in Brazil, with one show on November 18 at the Estádio Nilton Santos in Rio de Janeiro, followed by a two-night run on the 25 and…

A school district in the US state of Utah has removed the Bible from elementary and middle schools for containing “vulgarity and violence”. The move follows a complaint from a parent that the King James Bible has material unsuitable for children. Utah’s Republican government passed a law in 2022 banning “pornographic or indecent” books from schools. Most of the books that have been banned so far pertain to topics such as sexual orientation and identity. The banning of the Bible comes amid a larger effort by US conservatives in states to ban teachings on controversial topics such as LGBT rights…

The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un accused the UN of acting as an “political appendage” to the United States. She vowed that her country would push for a second attempt to launch a spy satellite. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Jo Jong, sharply criticized the UN Security Council (UNSC) for a “most unfair” meeting held over Pyongyang’s failed spy satellite launch, state media reported on Sunday. “I am very unpleased that the UNSC so often calls to account the DPRK’s exercise of its rights as a sovereign state at the request of the US,” Kim Yo Jong said…

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States on Saturday called on China to stop harassing Philippine vessels in the South China Sea, pledging to stand with the Philippines at a time of simmering geopolitical tension. “We call upon Beijing to desist from its provocative and unsafe conduct,” the U.S. State Department said in a statement. The Philippines on Friday accused China’s coast guard of “aggressive tactics” following an incident during a Philippine coast guard patrol close to the Philippines-held Second Thomas Shoal, a flashpoint for previous altercations located 105 nautical miles (195 km) off its coast. The Second Thomas Shoal is…

SYDNEY, April 28 (Reuters) – Australia’s defence minister said on Friday the government was being “upfront and transparent” about the cost of its AUKUS nuclear submarine programme, after an analysis showed the forecast A$368 billion cost included a 50% contingency fund. The Greens party, which commissioned the analysis by the Parliamentary Budget Office, said it showed the “huge” uncertainty over the project. U.S. President Joe Biden, Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak unveiled details in March of a plan to provide Australia with nuclear-powered attack submarines, a major step to counter China’s ambitions in the…

Police in the United States are on the hunt for a man suspected of shooting dead five neighbours, including an 8-year-old boy, after some of them had asked him to stop shooting a semiautomatic rifle in his front yard in Cleveland, Texas, because it was keeping their baby awake. San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers told reporters on Saturday that the search area for the suspect, 38-year-old Francisco Oropeza, could now be as large as “10 or 20 miles” (16 to 32 km) as the gunman remained at large more than 15 hours after shooting his neighbours on Friday night. The…

A breakdown in communication between the United States and China is raising the risk of an unintended crisis or conflict between the two superpowers, current and former U.S. and Western officials say. Diplomatic channels between China and the U.S. have mostly dried up as relations between the superpowers have steadily deteriorated over two successive administrations, with Beijing so far unwilling to say when top U.S. officials from the Biden administration will be welcome for high-level meetings. Even if the two sides are able to arrange another phone call soon between President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping or a Cabinet-level meeting to discuss trade as White House…

Economic inequality is a pervasive issue that has plagued societies across the world for centuries. The gap between the rich and the poor has widened over the years, leading to numerous social and economic challenges. The impact of economic inequality on sustainable development cannot be ignored, as it poses a threat to social stability, economic growth, and the environment. International cooperation is crucial in addressing economic inequality and promoting sustainable development across the globe. It refers to the unequal distribution of wealth, income, and resources among individuals and communities. Economic inequality can lead to poverty, poor health outcomes, limited access…