International
China extends maternity leave to boost births
AFP
Several regions in China have extended maternity leave by at least 30 days, in the latest attempt to encourage child-rearing as the country faces a demographic crisis fuelled by a record-low birth rate.
The changes follow the relaxation of strict family planning rules this year to allow families to have a third child — as officials grapple with a rapidly ageing workforce and slowing economy.
On Friday, Beijing’s city government announced that women can now take 158 days of maternity leave, a bump up of 30 days.
Shanghai authorities announced similar changes beginning a day earlier.
In the eastern Zhejiang province, mothers of a second or third child can now take a total of 188 days, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
Under current national regulations, mothers are entitled to 98 days of paid maternity leave.
The issue attracted widespread discussion online Friday, with some people expressing concern it could make companies think twice about hiring women.
“The unemployment rate of women is going to be even higher,” one internet user said.
Others questioned why the paternity leave entitlement remained unchanged at 15 days in Beijing.
In the capital, new fathers can extend their paternity leave only by taking days from their partner’s quota.
Similarly, paternity leave in Zhejiang remains at 15 days and the period for fathers in Shanghai is 10 days.
“Enterprises will just favour men over women,” another user commented.
China relaxed its “one-child policy”, one of the world’s strictest family planning regulations, in 2016, allowing couples to have two children.
That was extended to three children earlier this year but the changes have so far failed to result in a baby boom as the cost of living rises.
Last year, China recorded 8.52 births per 1,000 people, the lowest figure since yearly data began in 1978.
International
Trump urges Putin to reach peace deal

On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his desire for Russian President Vladimir Putin to “reach a deal” to end the war in Ukraine, while also reaffirming his willingness to impose sanctions on Russia.
“I want to see him reach an agreement to prevent Russian, Ukrainian, and other people from dying,” Trump stated during a press conference in the Oval Office at the White House.
“I think he will. I don’t want to have to impose secondary tariffs on Russian oil,” the Republican leader added, recalling that he had already taken similar measures against Venezuela by sanctioning buyers of the South American country’s crude oil.
Trump also reiterated his frustration over Ukraine’s resistance to an agreement that would allow the United States to exploit natural resources in the country—a condition he set in negotiations to end the war.
International
Deportation flight lands in Venezuela; government denies criminal gang links

A flight carrying 175 Venezuelan migrants deported from the United States arrived in Caracas on Sunday. This marks the third group to return since repatriation flights resumed a week ago, and among them is an alleged member of a criminal organization, according to Venezuelan authorities.
Unlike previous flights operated by the Venezuelan state airline Conviasa, this time, an aircraft from the U.S. airline Eastern landed at Maiquetía Airport, on the outskirts of Caracas, shortly after 2:00 p.m. with the deportees.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, who welcomed the returnees at the airport, stated that the 175 repatriated individuals were coming back “after being subjected, like all Venezuelans, to persecution” and dismissed claims that they belonged to the criminal organization El Tren de Aragua.
However, Cabello confirmed that “for the first time in these flights we have been carrying out, someone of significance wanted by Venezuelan justice has arrived, and he is not from El Tren de Aragua.” Instead, he belongs to a gang operating in the state of Trujillo. The minister did not disclose the individual’s identity or provide details on where he would be taken.
International
Son of journalist José Rubén Zamora condemns father’s return to prison as “illegal”

The son of renowned journalist José Rubén Zamora Marroquín, José Carlos Zamora, has denounced as “illegal” the court order that sent his father back to a Guatemalan prison on March 3, after already spending 819 days behind barsover a highly irregular money laundering case.
“My father’s return to prison was based on an arbitrary and illegal ruling. It is also alarming that the judge who had granted him house arrest received threats,” José Carlos Zamora told EFE in an interview on Saturday.
The 67-year-old journalist was sent back to prison inside the Mariscal Zavala military barracks on March 3, when Judge Erick García upheld a Court of Appeals ruling that overturned the house arrest granted to him in October. Zamora had already spent 819 days in prison over an alleged money laundering case.
His son condemned the situation as “unacceptable”, stating that the judge handling the case “cannot do his job in accordance with the law due to threats against his life.”
-
Central America5 days ago
Nicaragua denounces Costa Rica’s position in SICA as aligned with foreign interests
-
Central America5 days ago
Nicaragua’s new judicial law consolidates power in Ortega and Murillo’s hands
-
Central America5 days ago
Panama’s president declares Darién gap ‘closed’ amid sharp drop in migrant flow
-
International3 days ago
Son of journalist José Rubén Zamora condemns father’s return to prison as “illegal”
-
International5 days ago
Marco Rubio warns Venezuela against military action against Guyana
-
International3 days ago
Miyazaki’s style goes viral with AI but at what cost?
-
Central America2 days ago
Panama police clarifies that Interpol alert for Martinelli is still pending
-
International2 days ago
Deportation flight lands in Venezuela; government denies criminal gang links
-
Central America14 hours ago
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary urges Mexico to strengthen Guatemala border
-
International14 hours ago
Trump urges Putin to reach peace deal
-
Central America14 hours ago
Panama grants Martinelli 72-hour extension to travel to Nicaragua
-
Central America4 days ago
Nicaragua revokes legal status of 10 more NGOs, bringing total to over 5,600