International
Brazil election court throws out Bolsonaro challenge, fines party

| By AFP |
Brazil’s top electoral authority on Wednesday threw out a challenge by President Jair Bolsonaro’s party against his election defeat and fined it more than $4 million for bringing the case “in bad faith.”
The head of the Superior Electoral Tribunal (TSE), judge Alexandre de Moraes, ruled the far-right president’s Liberal Party had presented “absolutely false” arguments in its case, which he said was aimed at “encouraging criminal and anti-democratic movements” by Bolsonaro supporters seeking to fight the election result.
The Liberal Party (PL) brought the case Tuesday, saying an auditing firm it hired had found “irreparable operating discrepancies” in around 280,000 electronic voting machines used in the October 30 runoff election, which Bolsonaro lost to veteran leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
The PL called for electoral authorities to exclude all votes cast on five models of voting machine manufactured before 2020, alleging they gave a suspiciously large advantage of nearly five percentage points to Lula.
Party lawyer Marcelo Bessa said excluding those votes would change the election result, from a 1.8-percentage-point win for Lula to a 2.1-percentage-point win for Bolsonaro.
Moraes responded with a withering rejection, accusing the PL of seeking to fuel ongoing protests by Bolsonaro supporters who have blocked highways and rallied outside army barracks calling for a military intervention to keep the incumbent in power.
“There is a total lack of supporting evidence” in the PL’s claim, Moraes said in a statement.
The case “is blatantly offensive to the democratic rule of law, and was brought recklessly, for the purpose of encouraging criminal and anti-democratic movements… responsible for grave threats and violence,” he added.
He fined the PL’s coalition 22.9 million reais ($4.2 million), and ordered an investigation of party leader Valdemar da Costa Neto and the head of the firm behind the audit, the Legal Vote Institute.
Bolsonaro, who has regularly alleged Brazil’s voting system is plagued by fraud — without providing evidence — was initially silent for nearly 48 hours after his defeat.
He then made a terse statement saying he would respect the constitution, but has not explicitly conceded defeat or congratulated Lula, who is due to be sworn in on January 1.
International
Trump administration begins downsizing ‘bloated’ state department workforce

The U.S. Department of State issued layoff notices on Friday to more than 1,300 employees both domestically and abroad, marking the start of a workforce reduction aimed at trimming what officials have called a “bloated” staff. The move is part of President Donald Trump’s broader effort to restructure the federal government.
According to local media reports, more than 1,100 Civil Service employees and around 250 Foreign Service officers received notifications via email. Those affected will be placed on administrative leave for periods ranging from 90 to 120 days from the date of their dismissal notice.
The job cuts are part of a plan to centralize and streamline the agency’s operations without disrupting its overall functioning. The restructuring was designed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had previously informed Congress in May of his intention to reduce the department’s workforce by 15%. The State Department currently employs about 18,000 people.
According to the top U.S. diplomat, the goal is to optimize what he described as a “bloated bureaucracy that stifles innovation and misallocates scarce resources,” as well as to eliminate remnants of “radical political ideology.”
The reorganization is expected to hit hardest in offices focused on human rights and refugee issues, which will now be handled by regional bureaus, according to The New York Times.
“We inherited a system that needed reform, and we are delivering it,” said State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce on Thursday, adding that the Administration is committed to a foreign policy that puts U.S. interests first.
International
Trump defends Bolsonaro, hints at talks with Brazil after tariff warning

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he “might at some point” choose to speak with the Brazilian government after threatening to impose a 50% tariff on imports from the South American country, citing what he claims is a political persecution against former president Jair Bolsonaro.
“I might talk to them at some point,” Trump said when asked whether he had spoken with officials in Brasília following the tariff threat he sent earlier this week.
The president once again insisted that the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is “treating former President Bolsonaro very unfairly.” He reiterated his admiration for Bolsonaro, calling him “a good negotiator” in trade matters.
“I shouldn’t like him because he was such a good negotiator. But he was an honest man,” Trump stated before departing Washington for flood-affected regions in Texas.
“I can tell the difference between those who are corrupt and those who are honest,” the Republican added, referring to the far-right former Brazilian president.
On Wednesday, Trump sent a letter to the Brazilian government announcing a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports starting August 1.
International
Sheinbaum slams ICE raids after 355 mexicans detained and 67,000 repatriated

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated on Friday that at least 355 Mexican migrants have been detained in various immigration raids across the United States, and over 67,000 have been repatriated since January 20, when Donald Trump’s administration began.
“There are 355 Mexican nationals directly linked to the raids who have been detained,” the president reported during her morning press conference.
She clarified that, on Thursday alone, following a raid on agricultural fields in California, the Mexican consulate received 25 calls from relatives seeking assistance for the detainees. However, the total number of those arrested is still being verified.
Sheinbaum’s comments come in response to Thursday’s reports that Mexican workers were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during raids on farms in California, specifically in Santa Barbara County, in the Carpinteria area.
The actions of ICE agents sparked protests, which were dispersed when officers deployed tear gas on demonstrators in the middle of the fields.
In response, the Mexican government, through its foreign ministry, activated its consular support protocol to assist the detained nationals.
The Mexican leader took the opportunity to condemn the raids, calling them “deeply unfair” and warning that “they will significantly harm the U.S. economy.”
-
International3 days ago
Cuba confirms 76 femicide cases in 2024, among highest rates in region
-
Central America3 days ago
Illegal crossings at U.S.-Mexico border plunge 92% in historic shift
-
Central America3 days ago
Costa Rica extends humanitarian status and grants work permits to stranded migrants
-
International3 days ago
U.S. thanks Mexico for sending rescue teams after deadly Texas floods
-
International4 days ago
DOJ and FBI officially deny Jeffrey Epstein ‘client list’ conspiracy theories
-
International4 days ago
Iranian president says Israel tried to assassinate him, warns U.S. against war
-
Central America2 days ago
Dengue crisis in Panama: co-circulating serotypes fuel rise in fatal cases
-
International4 days ago
Honduras regrets U.S. decision to end TPS for 72,000 hondurans
-
International4 days ago
Bolsonaro thanks Trump for support amid Brazil coup trial
-
International4 days ago
Sheinbaum urges unity and respect after clashes over gentrification in Mexico City
-
International3 days ago
Mexico launches probe into alleged $25 million bribe to ex-president Peña Nieto
-
International4 days ago
Gunman killed after shooting outside Texas Border Patrol Building
-
International2 days ago
ICE set to become America’s largest security force under Trump’s $75B immigration overhaul
-
International4 days ago
Russian ex-transport minister found dead after dismissal by Putin
-
International4 days ago
Trump ends TPS for haitians as gang violence surges in homeland
-
International3 days ago
Trump and Bondi slam Epstein inquiry amid Texas flood tragedy
-
International2 days ago
Harvard faces Federal pressure over immigration docs, autonomy dispute intensifies
-
Central America1 day ago
Guatemala hit by over 300 quakes; death toll rises to seven
-
Central America1 day ago
U.S. revokes visas of top Costa Rican lawmakers and constitutional judge
-
International1 day ago
German parliament orders removal of LGBTQ+ flags amid growing controversy
-
International1 day ago
UK and France seal innovative migrant exchange deal to curb channel crossings
-
International1 day ago
Federal judge halts Trump’s order to end birthright citizenship
-
International1 day ago
CDC reports record measles outbreaks in 39 U.S. jurisdictions this year
-
International11 hours ago
Sheinbaum slams ICE raids after 355 mexicans detained and 67,000 repatriated
-
International1 day ago
Ukraine gains $10 billion in commitments during Rome Recovery Forum
-
International1 day ago
Six agents penalized for conduct failures in July 2024 attack on Donald Trump
-
International11 hours ago
Trump defends Bolsonaro, hints at talks with Brazil after tariff warning
-
International11 hours ago
Trump administration begins downsizing ‘bloated’ state department workforce