Linguist and activist Noam Chomsky hospitalized in his wife’s native country of Brazil after strokeValeria Chomsky said via email that her 95-year-old husband is in a Sao Paulo hospital, where she took him on an ambulance jet with two nurses once he could more easily travel from the United States following the June 2023 stroke. The couple has had a residence there since 2015.
https://apnews.com/article/noam-chomsky-hospitalized-stroke-recovery-brazil-4fb6782abf6a7b6d0bbb30cefa05cedeMilei reform bill hangs in balance as riots rage outside Argentine CongressThe main left-leaning Peronist opposition bloc, closely allied to the unions, is likely to vote down what is known as the "bases" bill and a separate fiscal package. The main bill includes plans for privatizing public firms, granting special powers to the president and spurring investment.
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/mileis-key-reform-bill-hangs-balance-argentina-congress-debate-starts-2024-06-12/Colombia’s teachers strike over pending education reformThe compromise agreed between the minister and the opposition includes the “opening of education to the market under the pretext of improving quality,” which would make it more difficult for poor people to get decent education, and higher education in particular. Fecode and Osorio additionally accused Vergara of agreeing to the controversial compromises without consulting with the teachers and their union.
https://colombiareports.com/colombias-teachers-strike-over-pending-education-reform/Israel pushes out dozens of aid workers by not extending visasSince the war in Gaza began eight months ago, Israeli authorities have been quietly hindering the work of NGOs by not issuing temporary work visas to aid workers, nor renewing existing ones. Dozens of foreigners working for NGOs focusing their work in Palestine have had to leave their homes, usually in Jerusalem, as their visas have expired. Israel has also changed its policy toward U.N. system organizations, amid the biggest crisis in the region in decades.
https://english.elpais.com/international/2024-06-12/israel-pushes-out-dozens-of-aid-workers-by-not-extending-visas.htmlhttps://archive.is/Pwr2zYazidi Nationality Bill sparks debate and opposition in Iraqi parliamentYazidi activist Maiser Saeed told The New Arab's Arabic-language sister publication, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the Yazidis have endured significant oppression under ISIS and deserve recognition as a distinct Iraqi nationality. Saeed stressed that the bill would treat Yazidi as a nationality in terms of rights and duties, while not negating their religious identity.
https://www.newarab.com/news/yazidi-nationality-bill-sparks-controversy-iraqi-parliamentOpposition party agrees to join SA unity governmentThe leader of South Africa's Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) says his party has agreed to form part of a government of national unity that includes the African National Congress (ANC) and the biggest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA). Velenkosini Hlabisa told reporters at a media briefing in Durban on Wednesday: "The only options were to become part of the government, or part of the opposition." "The people of South Africa who voted said that political parties must find a common ground," Mr Hlabisa said.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd11gpdw2k1oITUC African body calls for action against child labour on the continent“Worldwide, the agriculture sector accounts for the largest share of child labour. In Africa, agriculture accounts for 85 per cent of all child labour and 61.4 million children in absolute terms.” It said: “Many African children toil in private homes as servants, in farming, construction sites, mines, garages, shops and other enterprises in the informal sector.
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/ituc-african-body-calls-action-against-child-labour-continentUS lifts ban on sending weapons to Ukraine’s Azov BrigadeAzov is the best-known name of the Ukrainian extreme right that emerged in 2014, following the Maidan Revolution. It is a political and military movement founded by extremist and ultranationalist elements that contributed to the overthrow of pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych. … Since the war in Donbas, the United States had prohibited the weapons it sent to Ukraine from ending up in the hands of Azov. This has been the case until Tuesday, when the White House State Department announced that the Azov Brigade will finally be able to receive U.S. war equipment.
https://english.elpais.com/international/2024-06-12/us-lifts-ban-on-sending-weapons-to-ukraines-azov-brigade.htmlhttps://archive.is/cwxd1Heat wave in Greece halts visits to Acropolis as drones with thermal cameras monitor temperaturesThe ancient site in the Greek capital — which drew nearly 4 million visitors last year — was closed from midday till 5 p.m. as the temperature was set to reach 39 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit). Elementary schools and preschool classes were also canceled in parts of southern and central Greece where the temperatures were highest.
https://apnews.com/article/greece-athens-acropolis-heat-wave-8384b3b1903da07f5915d2ead802fbd6Starmer promises ‘long-term strategy’ in business-friendly Labour manifestoThe Labour manifesto will promise to not raise corporation tax, and to launch a new industrial strategy with clean energy at its centre and enact rapid planning reforms to incentivise developers to build new infrastructure.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jun/13/keir-starmer-uk-election-labour-manifesto