International
Brazil’s most-voted lawmaker suspended from Twitter
| By AFP |
An ultra-conservative who was the most-voted lawmaker in Brazil’s elections said Saturday his social media accounts had been suspended after he called for an investigation of alleged irregularities in President Jair Bolsonaro’s loss at the polls.
Nikolas Ferreira, 26, a social media star and fervent supporter of the far-right president, had posted a series of messages on Twitter Friday calling on electoral authorities to investigate accusations that some of Brazil’s electronic voting machines gave unusually large scores to leftist president-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who defeated Bolsonaro in the October elections.
“I’m asking the (Superior Electoral Tribunal) to verify revelations made today of possible fraud in the Brazilian elections. Valid doubts have emerged,” wrote Ferreira, a devout Christian with more than two million followers on Twitter and Instagram.
He said the information came from a video on a pro-Bolsonaro YouTube channel about supposed irregularities in “unauditable” voting machines manufactured before 2020.
Bolsonaro and his supporters have regularly alleged Brazil’s voting system is plagued by fraud, with scant evidence.
The Superior Electoral Tribunal (TSE) has moved aggressively to counter disinformation around the elections, including by ordering false claims be blocked on social media — drawing accusations of bias from Bolsonaro.
Ferreira’s Twitter account was inaccessible in Brazil, displaying a message that said it had been “withheld in response to a legal demand.”
Ferreira accused the authorities of censorship in a message on Instagram, saying he “never alleged anything, just asked for an investigation.”
He posted a picture of himself with black tape over his mouth, with the message: “Share this information… The truth will prevail.”
The TSE did not confirm it had ordered Ferreira’s accounts suspended. A spokeswoman for the electoral authority told AFP such rulings are confidential court documents.
Ferreira, who says he is at “war” with the “silent threat of communism” in Brazil, was elected to Congress for the southeastern state of Minas Gerais with 1.5 million votes in the country’s October 2 elections.
Lula went on to defeat Bolsonaro in a polarizing presidential runoff election on October 30, with 50.9 percent of the vote to 49.1 percent for the incumbent.
International
7 in 10 mexicans born poor stay poor, new report finds
Seven out of ten Mexicans born into poverty remain poor throughout their lives, highlighting an urgent need for public policies focused on promoting social mobility through equal opportunity, according to civil society organizations.
The 2025 Social Mobility Report in Mexico, published by the Espinosa Yglesias Center for Studies (CEEY), reveals that 73% of individuals born into the bottom 20% of income households in Mexico — Latin America’s second-largest economy — continue to live in poverty based on income.
The report signals a worrisome stagnation in social mobility, defined as the ability of individuals to improve their socioeconomic standing compared to that of their parents. This lack of upward movement indicates that one’s economic origins are largely inherited, according to CEEY.
Geographically, disparities are stark:
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In northern Mexico, 37% of those born in poverty remain there.
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In the south, that number rises dramatically to 64%.
Gender gaps are also evident. Among those born in wealthier households, women experience less upward mobility, with a rate of 47% compared to 53% for men.
The report also notes that 48% of economic inequality in Mexico stems from inequality of opportunity — placing Mexico among the top ten countries with the highest opportunity inequality across 50 nations analyzed globally.
International
Spain hits record 46°C in June amid scorching heatwave
Spain registered a record-breaking temperature of 46°C (114.8°F) on Saturday, June 28, in El Granado, Huelva — a southern town near the Portuguese border — marking the highest temperature ever recorded in June in the country, according to Spain’s national meteorological agency, Aemet.
The temperature was officially recorded at 4:40 p.m. local time, surpassing the previous June record of 45.2°C (113.4°F)set in Seville back in 1965, also in the Andalusia region.
Like many parts of Southern Europe, Spain is experiencing a severe heatwave, with large areas of the country facing temperatures above 40°C even though summer has just begun.
As one of Europe’s countries most vulnerable to climate change, Spain has endured its three hottest years on recordfrom 2022 to 2024, marked by repeated heatwaves and temperature extremes.
Climate scientists have long warned that global warming is amplifying the intensity, frequency, and duration of extreme weather events such as heatwaves and droughts — trends now evident across the Iberian Peninsula and the broader Mediterranean region.
International
Trump administration sues Los Angeles over sanctuary city policies
The Republican administration of Donald Trump filed a lawsuit on Monday against Los Angeles officials, challenging the city’s sanctuary policies as illegal amid an intensifying federal immigration crackdown.
The Department of Justice accused the Democratic-led city of interfering with federal immigration enforcement, arguing that its sanctuary policies have contributed to “violence, chaos, and attacks on law enforcement” recently seen in Los Angeles.
“The sanctuary city policies were the cause of violence, chaos, and attacks on law enforcement that Americans recently witnessed in Los Angeles,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi in an official statement.
The lawsuit, filed in a California federal court, names Mayor Karen Bass, City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, and the entire City Council as defendants.
While Los Angeles had long been considered a sanctuary city for immigrants, the City Council officially adopted the designation through a municipal ordinance in November last year, following Trump’s election to the presidency.
The legal action seeks to limit local authorities’ cooperation with federal immigration agents under Trump’s policies.
With over one-third of its population being immigrants, Los Angeles has become a flashpoint in the battle against Trump’s anti-immigration agenda, which began with his campaign promise to deport millions.
Tensions in the city escalated earlier this month after an increase in workplace immigration raids, sparking mass protests downtown. The situation further intensified when Trump overrode California Governor Gavin Newsom and ordered the deployment of thousands of National Guard troops and 700 U.S. Marines to the area.
7 in 10 mexicans born poor stay poor, new report finds
Spain hits record 46°C in June amid scorching heatwave
Trump administration sues Los Angeles over sanctuary city policies
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