Colombian authorities seized over 3.1 tons of cocaine hydrochloride during a major anti-narcotics operation in the Caribbean Sea. The Colombian Navy intercepted a speedboat carrying five suspects and confiscated cocaine worth more than $120 million, believed to be destined for Central America. Officials say the operation deals a major blow to transnational drug trafficking networks operating across the region.

Colombia seizes 3.1 tons of cocaine worth $120 million | major Caribbean drug bust

Colombia seizes 3.1 tons of cocaine worth $120 million | Major Caribbean drug bust

Karen Celebertti, the director of the Miss Nicaragua pageant has stepped down from her position, roughly 10 days after she was accused of treason by the Nicaraguan government.

Karen Celebertti, the director of the Miss Nicaragua pageant has stepped down from her position, roughly 10 days after she was accused of treason by the Nicaraguan government. Celebertti took to social media to post a message announcing her retirement, without giving further details about her future. “The time has come for my retirement. I know that there will always be more opportunities for us," Celebertti wrote on X, formerly Twitter. The Miss Universe Organisation said in a statement on its Facebook page that it had indeed received the resignation letter of Celebertti. "This week, we accepted the resignation of Karen Celebertti, national director of Miss Universe Nicaragua. We thank her for her exemplary work with our organisation for the past 23 years." The accusations were hurled against Celebertti as soon as Miss Nicaragua Sheynnic Palacios won the Miss Universe title. Palacios became the first person from the Central American nation to win the pageant which sparked frenzied celebrations. However, soon, photos of Palacios' involvement in a 2018 anti-government protest started doing the rounds of the internet, triggering the government's anger. Celebertti was accused of promoting Palacios to target the government on the world map. Watch | Gravitas: Plus-sized model wins hearts at Miss Universe Pageant × Nicaraguan government's allegations Initially, President Daniel Ortega, who has been in power since 2007, welcomed Palacios's victory, saying it was a moment of "pride and joy" but quickly changed his tune when her links to the 2018 anti-government demonstration went viral. Rosario Murillo, Ortega's wife and the country's vice president alleged that “coup plotters” were planning “manufactured provocations” under the pretext of celebrating Miss Universe. According to local media reports, the police have arrested Celebertti's husband and son, who co-own the local Miss Universe franchise with all three accused of treason. In a statement, the police said the family "remained in communication with exponents of treason to the homeland" and that they used their franchises and platforms to conspire and turn the contests into "traps and political ambushes, financed by foreign agents". Also read | Historic! Miss Nicaragua crowned Miss Universe 2023 Despite the allegations levelled by the Nicaraguan government, Palacios has barely said anything overtly political before or after winning the pageant. While Palacios is yet to return to Nicaragua, Celebertti and her daughter Luciana were barred from entering the country on November 22 by the immigration authorities as they were returning from Mexico. (With inputs from agencies)

Miss Nicaragua beauty pageant director quits following treason accusations involving Miss Universe

Tropical Storm Pilar loomed ominously off the Pacific Coast of Central America on Wednesday, provoking heavy rains that washed away crops and displaced hundreds of people as the death toll rose to four.

Since Sunday, three people have died due to the storm in El Salvador and one in neighboring Honduras, according to civil protection authorities.

In both countries and in Guatemala, hundreds of people have been evacuated from high-risk areas and taken to temporary shelters.

Pilar was about 160 miles (260 kilometers) off the coast of El Salvador Wednesday, generating winds of about 60 miles per hour, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in a bulletin.

"The center of Pilar will continue to move away from the coast of Central America this afternoon and tonight," it said, adding that "gradual weakening" was forecast for the coming days.&nbsp;

However, the NHC warned that "heavy rainfall and flash flooding (are) still a threat over portions of Central America."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/61-magnitude-quake-hits-indonesias-timor-island-usgs-654095">6.1-magnitude quake hits Indonesia's Timor island: USGS</a>

El Salvador's Environment Minister Fernando Lopez said the country was maintaining a high alert level.

"We cannot let our guard down... there is a lot of accumulated water, there could be river flooding and landslides."

The country's small farmers' association said many crops were flooded but the full extent of the damage had not been quantified.

Honduras also has an alert in place for coastal areas, while in Guatemala, emergency services are steeling themselves for possible flash floods.

Pilar arrived on the 25th anniversary of the Atlantic Hurricane Mitch, which left some 9,000 dead in the region.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/us-fed-keeps-interest-rates-unchanged-at-22-year-high-says-economy-is-strong-654062">US Federal Reserve keeps interest rates unchanged at 22-year high, says economy is ‘strong’</a>

Covering 523,000 square kilometres and with 50 million inhabitants, Central America is highly vulnerable to intense meteorological phenomena.

Farther north along the Pacific coast, Mexico was still recovering Wednesday from the devastating Hurricane Otis, which slammed into the city of Acapulco last week as scale-topping Category 5, killing at least 46 people.

Tropical Storm Pilar loomed ominously off the Pacific Coast of Central America on Wednesday, provoking heavy rains that washed away crops and displaced hundreds of people as the death toll rose to four.

Tropical Storm Pilar loomed ominously off the Pacific Coast of Central America on Wednesday, provoking heavy rains that washed away crops and displaced hundreds of people as the death toll rose to four. Since Sunday, three people have died due to the storm in El Salvador and one in neighboring Honduras, according to civil protection authorities. In both countries and in Guatemala, hundreds of people have been evacuated from high-risk areas and taken to temporary shelters. Pilar was about 160 miles (260 kilometers) off the coast of El Salvador Wednesday, generating winds of about 60 miles per hour, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in a bulletin. "The center of Pilar will continue to move away from the coast of Central America this afternoon and tonight," it said, adding that "gradual weakening" was forecast for the coming days. However, the NHC warned that "heavy rainfall and flash flooding (are) still a threat over portions of Central America." ALSO READ | 6.1-magnitude quake hits Indonesia's Timor island: USGS El Salvador's Environment Minister Fernando Lopez said the country was maintaining a high alert level. "We cannot let our guard down... there is a lot of accumulated water, there could be river flooding and landslides." The country's small farmers' association said many crops were flooded but the full extent of the damage had not been quantified. Honduras also has an alert in place for coastal areas, while in Guatemala, emergency services are steeling themselves for possible flash floods. Pilar arrived on the 25th anniversary of the Atlantic Hurricane Mitch, which left some 9,000 dead in the region. ALSO READ | US Federal Reserve keeps interest rates unchanged at 22-year high, says economy is ‘strong’ Covering 523,000 square kilometres and with 50 million inhabitants, Central America is highly vulnerable to intense meteorological phenomena. Farther north along the Pacific coast, Mexico was still recovering Wednesday from the devastating Hurricane Otis, which slammed into the city of Acapulco last week as scale-topping Category 5, killing at least 46 people.

Tropical Storm Pilar: At least four killed after storm dumps heavy rains on Central America

A zoo in the Central American country of Nicaragua has become the centre of attention after an albino puma cub was born there. It is rare for such a cub to be born in captivity and hence tourists and animal lovers are thronging to the zoo to catch a glimpse of the endearing pup.

The little, white puma cub with a small pink snout was born at&nbsp;Thomas Belt Zoo in Juigalpa, about 140 kilometres (85 miles) from the capital Managua. According to&nbsp;the zoo&nbsp;veterinarian Carlos Molina,&nbsp;the albino cub is only one of the four worldwide.

The images of the cub with its two beige-coloured and spotted siblings, providing a stark contrast have gone viral on social media platforms.

"The&nbsp;pictures of albino puma cub is just perfection," said one netizen, while another added:&nbsp;"Now, THAT is a face! Gorgeous."

A third said, "Nature is absolutely gorgeous, isn't it? I'd like to squish the little cub."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-tiger-census-india-now-home-to-75-of-worlds-tiger-the-india-story-583758">Watch |&nbsp;India Tiger census: India now home to 75% of world's Tiger | The India Story</a>

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Molina added that three siblings are being kept in a sealed cage&nbsp;so that the mother does not become stressed or confuse human odours with that of the newborns, which could cause her to attack them. Additionally, the mother's partner&nbsp;is being kept in a separate enclosure, as male pumas have been known to kill their young.

Generally, the fur of pumas at birth is light brown or reddish with black fleck. However, a genetic mutation causes white pigmentation which is extremely rare.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/himalayan-lynx-or-cougar-video-shows-rare-animal-spotted-in-ladakh-netizens-in-awe-watch-567366">Also read |&nbsp;Himalayan Lynx or Cougar? Video shows rare animal spotted in Ladakh, netizens in awe. Watch!</a>

The veterinarians are yet to make contact with the cub and the gender of the little one remains unknown at this stage.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"We are taking all measures to be able to keep him as healthy as possible, together with his mother," said Molina.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
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A zoo in the Central American country of Nicaragua has become the centre of attention after an albino puma cub was born there. It is rare for such a cub to be born in captivity and hence tourists and animal lovers are thronging to the zoo to catch a glimpse of the endearing pup.

A zoo in the Central American country of Nicaragua has become the centre of attention after an albino puma cub was born there. It is rare for such a cub to be born in captivity and hence tourists and animal lovers are thronging to the zoo to catch a glimpse of the endearing pup. The little, white puma cub with a small pink snout was born at Thomas Belt Zoo in Juigalpa, about 140 kilometres (85 miles) from the capital Managua. According to the zoo veterinarian Carlos Molina, the albino cub is only one of the four worldwide. The images of the cub with its two beige-coloured and spotted siblings, providing a stark contrast have gone viral on social media platforms. "The pictures of albino puma cub is just perfection," said one netizen, while another added: "Now, THAT is a face! Gorgeous." A third said, "Nature is absolutely gorgeous, isn't it? I'd like to squish the little cub." Watch | India Tiger census: India now home to 75% of world's Tiger | The India Story × Molina added that three siblings are being kept in a sealed cage so that the mother does not become stressed or confuse human odours with that of the newborns, which could cause her to attack them. Additionally, the mother's partner is being kept in a separate enclosure, as male pumas have been known to kill their young. Generally, the fur of pumas at birth is light brown or reddish with black fleck. However, a genetic mutation causes white pigmentation which is extremely rare. Also read | Himalayan Lynx or Cougar? Video shows rare animal spotted in Ladakh, netizens in awe. Watch! The veterinarians are yet to make contact with the cub and the gender of the little one remains unknown at this stage. "We are taking all measures to be able to keep him as healthy as possible, together with his mother," said Molina. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Endearing! Rare, tiny albino puma cub born in Nicaragua zoo draws crowds

The Central American country of Honduras will be severing its diplomatic ties with Taiwan to forge an official relationship with China, informed President Xiomara Castro on Wednesday.

The Central American country of Honduras will be severing its diplomatic ties with Taiwan to forge an official relationship with China, informed President Xiomara Castro on Wednesday. "I have instructed Chancellor Eduardo Reina to manage the opening of official relations with the People's Republic of China, as a sign of my determination to comply with the Government Plan and expand the borders freely in concert with the nations of the world," tweeted Castro. He instruido al Canciller Eduardo Reina, para que gestione la apertura de relaciones oficiales con la República Popular China, como muestra de mi determinación para cumplir el Plan de Gobierno y expandir las fronteras con libertad en el concierto de las naciones del mundo. — Xiomara Castro de Zelaya (@XiomaraCastroZ) March 14, 2023 × Speaking to reporters, Reina said the government needed to look at 'things very pragmatically and seek the best benefit for the Honduran people'. After the announcement, Taiwan’s foreign ministry released a statement expressing 'serious concerns' and urged Honuras to not fall into China's trap. “Taiwan is a sincere and reliable ally. Our country has always assisted Honduras in its national development to the best of our capabilities," said the ministry in a statement. "China’s only goal in developing relations with Honduras is to shrink our country’s international space, it has no sincere intentions to cooperate for the good of the Honduran people." If Honduras goes ahead with the decision, it will leave Taiwan with formal diplomatic ties to 13 countries only. Costa Rica (2007), Panama (2017), El Salvador (2018) and Nicaragua (2021) are the other countries that have severed ties with Taiwan in recent times. WATCH | Taiwan braces for blockade by China | Xi Jinping plans to speak with Zelensky: WSJ Report × The decision comes in the backdrop of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's sensitive visit to the United States and Central America. Experts suggest that the move by Honduras has been designed to pile pressure on the USA. Meanwhile, opposition leaders slammed Castro for attempting to antagonise the USA which is Honduras' top trade partner with thousands of families dependent on remittance income. Despite having no diplomatic relations with Taiwan, the US has been one of the most formidable backer and arms suppliers to the island nation. However, ever since former US House speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan in August 2022, China has launched an aggressive international campaign to isolate Taiwan. Read more: Taiwan prepares for 'worst case scenario' with China by altering defence spending strategy China claims Taiwan is a renegade province that must be unified. Any nation having or attempting to forge diplomatic relations with Taiwan is given a cold-shoulder treatment by Beijing. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Honduras to sever ties with Taiwan, seeks diplomatic relations with China

Volcán de Fuego, an active stratovolcano in Guatemala, erupted over the weekend. Videos and photos showed that the volcano spewed lava and ash, forcing the authorities to close the country's largest airport before activity eased on Sunday.&nbsp;

The volcano is located about 16 kilometres west of Antigua, which is one of Guatemala's most famous cities and a tourist destination.&nbsp;

Media reports mentioned that the volcano rumbled into activity overnight Saturday, which continued on Sunday also. Molten rocks were oozing down the slopes of the volcano.&nbsp;

Smoke and ash were seen high into the air with winds carrying them towards Guatemala City, almost 35 kilometres away.&nbsp;

As quoted by the news agency AFP, the General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics said in a statement that La Aurora international airport, six kilometres south of the capital, was temporarily closed at mid-morning. He said ash was present near the runway.&nbsp;

So far, there are no reports of casualties and authorities have also informed that they are still monitoring the situation.&nbsp;

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Así nos amaneció hoy desde el <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/volcanacatenango?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#volcanacatenango</a> mientras el <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/volcandefuego?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#volcandefuego</a> en plena erupción <a href="https://t.co/CZw718YZnr">pic.twitter.com/CZw718YZnr</a>
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Demetrio Pamal, a 28-year-old Indigenous Mayan farmer, told AFP that "people here are used to experiencing this, and they look at it as normal." He commented on the reports that locals saw a sudden expulsion of lava on Saturday night that turned the sky bright red. &nbsp;

The Guatemalan volcanological institute said on Sunday that "activity has decreased; there are no longer pyroclastic flows or the emission of lava or eruptive columns loaded with ash."&nbsp;

Roberto Merida, a technician at the volcanological institute, said: "After several hours of relative calm, this eruptive activity can be considered over."&nbsp;

But the locals are preparing to face a worse situation as they have their backpacks ready with food, water, a flashlight and medicine, AFP reported.&nbsp;

Authorities have not raised any alarm so far, but the situation might deteriorate. Notably, almost 200 people were buried by volcanic ash and mud during a violent eruption of Fuego in June 2018.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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Volcán de Fuego, an active stratovolcano in Guatemala, erupted over the weekend. Videos and photos showed that the volcano spewed lava and ash, forcing the authorities to close the country's largest airport before activity eased on Sunday.

Volcán de Fuego, an active stratovolcano in Guatemala, erupted over the weekend. Videos and photos showed that the volcano spewed lava and ash, forcing the authorities to close the country's largest airport before activity eased on Sunday. The volcano is located about 16 kilometres west of Antigua, which is one of Guatemala's most famous cities and a tourist destination. Media reports mentioned that the volcano rumbled into activity overnight Saturday, which continued on Sunday also. Molten rocks were oozing down the slopes of the volcano. Smoke and ash were seen high into the air with winds carrying them towards Guatemala City, almost 35 kilometres away. As quoted by the news agency AFP, the General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics said in a statement that La Aurora international airport, six kilometres south of the capital, was temporarily closed at mid-morning. He said ash was present near the runway. So far, there are no reports of casualties and authorities have also informed that they are still monitoring the situation. Así nos amaneció hoy desde el #volcanacatenango mientras el #volcandefuego en plena erupción pic.twitter.com/CZw718YZnr — KeynerF🌋⛺ (@neykerforoz) December 11, 2022 × Demetrio Pamal, a 28-year-old Indigenous Mayan farmer, told AFP that "people here are used to experiencing this, and they look at it as normal." He commented on the reports that locals saw a sudden expulsion of lava on Saturday night that turned the sky bright red. The Guatemalan volcanological institute said on Sunday that "activity has decreased; there are no longer pyroclastic flows or the emission of lava or eruptive columns loaded with ash." Roberto Merida, a technician at the volcanological institute, said: "After several hours of relative calm, this eruptive activity can be considered over." But the locals are preparing to face a worse situation as they have their backpacks ready with food, water, a flashlight and medicine, AFP reported. Authorities have not raised any alarm so far, but the situation might deteriorate. Notably, almost 200 people were buried by volcanic ash and mud during a violent eruption of Fuego in June 2018. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

WATCH: One of the most active volcanoes in Central America erupts, spews lava and ash

The European Union on Monday announced it was declaring Nicaragua's representative to the bloc "persona non grata" in retaliation for the expulsion of its ambassador from the Central American country.

"This is a reciprocal response to the decision by the Nicaraguan government on September 28 to declare the head of the EU delegation to Nicaragua as persona non grata. The EU considers the Nicaraguan decision unwarranted," a statement said.

President Daniel Ortega's leftist government has faced diplomatic pressure over what the United States has called a dramatic deterioration of human rights which has seen the jailing of dozens of political opponents, students and journalists.

"The EU reaffirms its continued commitment to the Nicaraguan people and to defending democracy, the rule of law and human rights," the bloc said in its statement.

"The current political crisis in Nicaragua should be resolved through genuine dialogue between the government and opposition."

The EU and the United States tightened their sanctions on Nicaragua in January, as Ortega was sworn in for a fourth straight term after elections attacked in the West as a "sham".

The EU sanctions target individuals accused of undermining democracy and human rights in Nicaragua, including Ortega's wife, who is vice president, and a son.

The EU's top diplomat in the country left Nicaragua in early October after being declared persona non grata.

Managua also expelled the ambassador from EU member the Netherlands and cut ties with its government, describing it as "interventionist" and "neocolonialist".

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The European Union on Monday announced it was declaring Nicaragua's representative to the bloc "persona non grata" in retaliation for the expulsion of its ambassador from the Central American country.

The European Union on Monday announced it was declaring Nicaragua's representative to the bloc "persona non grata" in retaliation for the expulsion of its ambassador from the Central American country. "This is a reciprocal response to the decision by the Nicaraguan government on September 28 to declare the head of the EU delegation to Nicaragua as persona non grata. The EU considers the Nicaraguan decision unwarranted," a statement said. President Daniel Ortega's leftist government has faced diplomatic pressure over what the United States has called a dramatic deterioration of human rights which has seen the jailing of dozens of political opponents, students and journalists. "The EU reaffirms its continued commitment to the Nicaraguan people and to defending democracy, the rule of law and human rights," the bloc said in its statement. "The current political crisis in Nicaragua should be resolved through genuine dialogue between the government and opposition." The EU and the United States tightened their sanctions on Nicaragua in January, as Ortega was sworn in for a fourth straight term after elections attacked in the West as a "sham". The EU sanctions target individuals accused of undermining democracy and human rights in Nicaragua, including Ortega's wife, who is vice president, and a son. The EU's top diplomat in the country left Nicaragua in early October after being declared persona non grata. Managua also expelled the ambassador from EU member the Netherlands and cut ties with its government, describing it as "interventionist" and "neocolonialist". WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Tit-for-tat? EU declares Nicaragua envoy persona non grata

The United States has added dozens of Central American big-wigs to a list of "corrupt and undemocratic" individuals. The names of those, that the US government considers amoral include current and former officials, lawmakers, and business tycoons. Reuters reports that these people have been made a part of the Engel list. El Salvadorians, Hondurans, Guatemalans, and Nicaraguans who Washington charges with wrongdoing are included on the so-called Engel List, which was established under a statute that Eliot Engel, a then-US Representative, sponsored.&nbsp;The State Department publishes the list every year. Those on the list will have their US visas cancelled and won't be allowed to enter the country.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Putin scores a big win against America

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For their suspected involvement in the detention and prosecution of opposition activists, the State Department this year listed 23 judges and prosecutors who it claimed&nbsp;"undermined democratic processes."

In a statement US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: "These individuals, through their significant corruption, efforts to obstruct investigations into corruption, and undermining of democratic processes and institutions, weaken the ability of governments in the region to respond to the needs of their citizens, contributing to irregular migration and destabilizing societies".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-joe-biden-plans-to-speak-with-his-chinese-counterpart-xi-jinping-499312" hreflang="en">US President Joe Biden plans to speak with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping</a>

Nicaraguans were included to the list for the first time. This comes after Daniel Ortega, a former Marxist guerrilla, won a fourth term in November after imprisoning his opponents and cracking down on critical media.&nbsp;

Joe Biden had labelled the election a fraud and placed penalties on Nicaraguan leaders.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/joe-biden-announces-initiatives-to-tackle-climate-change-promises-for-more-plans-499321" hreflang="en">Joe Biden announces initiatives to tackle climate change, promises&nbsp;more plans</a>

US authorities believe that one of the solutions to addressing the underlying reasons for the record-breaking illegal immigration at the US-Mexico border, which presents a political and humanitarian challenge for President Joe Biden, is to combat corruption in Central America. 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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The United States has added dozens of Central American big-wigs to a list of "corrupt and undemocratic" individuals. The names of those, that the US government considers amoral include current and former officials, lawmakers, and business tycoons.

The United States has added dozens of Central American big-wigs to a list of "corrupt and undemocratic" individuals. The names of those, that the US government considers amoral include current and former officials, lawmakers, and business tycoons. Reuters reports that these people have been made a part of the Engel list. El Salvadorians, Hondurans, Guatemalans, and Nicaraguans who Washington charges with wrongdoing are included on the so-called Engel List, which was established under a statute that Eliot Engel, a then-US Representative, sponsored. The State Department publishes the list every year. Those on the list will have their US visas cancelled and won't be allowed to enter the country. Watch | Gravitas: Putin scores a big win against America For their suspected involvement in the detention and prosecution of opposition activists, the State Department this year listed 23 judges and prosecutors who it claimed "undermined democratic processes." In a statement US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: "These individuals, through their significant corruption, efforts to obstruct investigations into corruption, and undermining of democratic processes and institutions, weaken the ability of governments in the region to respond to the needs of their citizens, contributing to irregular migration and destabilizing societies". Also read | US President Joe Biden plans to speak with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping Nicaraguans were included to the list for the first time. This comes after Daniel Ortega, a former Marxist guerrilla, won a fourth term in November after imprisoning his opponents and cracking down on critical media. Joe Biden had labelled the election a fraud and placed penalties on Nicaraguan leaders. Also read | Joe Biden announces initiatives to tackle climate change, promises more plans US authorities believe that one of the solutions to addressing the underlying reasons for the record-breaking illegal immigration at the US-Mexico border, which presents a political and humanitarian challenge for President Joe Biden, is to combat corruption in Central America. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION LIVE HERE: You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Judges, lawmakers and more, US adds dozens of Central American big-wigs to a list of 'corrupt' people

US President Kamala Harris announced on Tuesday a fresh USD 1.9 billion in private sector funding aimed at boosting jobs in hopes of reducing migration from Central America. The announcement was made at a Latin America summit in Los Angeles. Leaders of Mexico and other affected countries have snubbed the summit.

Tackling root causes of rising migration to the US has become a top priority for US President Joe Biden and the task has been handed to Harris.

Republican Party has seized upon the issue of migration. Donald Trump, former US president who was from Republican Party wanted to build a physical wall along southern border of the USA to deter migration.

At Latin America Summit in Los Angeles, Harris' unveiling of USD 1.9 billion in business commitments has come a day before President Biden is due to be present. The fresh funding is in addition to USD 1.2 billion announced last year.

The funding is aimed at creating economic opportunities in the impoverished so-called Northern Triangle of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras

During her announcement, Harris also announced creation of &nbsp;"Central American Service Corps" funded through US aid to mentor young people

A White House statement said that the investments aim "to provide hope for people in the region to build safe and prosperous lives at home."

Interestingly, none of the Northern Triangle leaders are attending the summit. Mexican President Obrador is absent too But Prime Minister Ariel Henry of Haiti -- another rising source of migrants as the country further descends into violence -- &nbsp;will attend.

(With inputs from agencies)

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&nbsp;

US President Kamala Harris announced on Tuesday a fresh USD 1.9 billion in private sector funding aimed at boosting jobs in hopes of reducing migration from Central America.

US President Kamala Harris announced on Tuesday a fresh USD 1.9 billion in private sector funding aimed at boosting jobs in hopes of reducing migration from Central America. The announcement was made at a Latin America summit in Los Angeles. Leaders of Mexico and other affected countries have snubbed the summit. Tackling root causes of rising migration to the US has become a top priority for US President Joe Biden and the task has been handed to Harris. Republican Party has seized upon the issue of migration. Donald Trump, former US president who was from Republican Party wanted to build a physical wall along southern border of the USA to deter migration. At Latin America Summit in Los Angeles, Harris' unveiling of USD 1.9 billion in business commitments has come a day before President Biden is due to be present. The fresh funding is in addition to USD 1.2 billion announced last year. The funding is aimed at creating economic opportunities in the impoverished so-called Northern Triangle of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras During her announcement, Harris also announced creation of "Central American Service Corps" funded through US aid to mentor young people A White House statement said that the investments aim "to provide hope for people in the region to build safe and prosperous lives at home." Interestingly, none of the Northern Triangle leaders are attending the summit. Mexican President Obrador is absent too But Prime Minister Ariel Henry of Haiti -- another rising source of migrants as the country further descends into violence -- will attend. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

US VP Kamala Harris announces USD 3.2 billion migration fund for Central American countries

The tropics are a paradise for everyone but a skeleton. Humidity keeps rainforests green but does little to preserve bodies, leading to a dearth of ancient skeletal remains in neotropical regions such as Central America.

But deep in the jungles of Belize, under the dry refuge of two rock shelters, the skeletons of people who died as many as 9,600 years ago have been exceptionally well preserved. Their bones offer a rare glimpse into the region’s ancient genetic history, which is largely unknown.

A group of scientists has extracted these ancient people’s DNA, offering new insight into the genetic history of people in the Maya region. The paper was published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications. The researchers identified a previously unknown mass migration from the south more than 5,600 years ago that preceded the advent of intensive maize farming in the region. This migration of people, who are most closely related to present-day speakers of the Chibchan languages, contributed more than 50% of the ancestry of Mayan-speaking peoples today.

Lisa Lucero, an anthropologist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who specializes in the ancestral Maya and was not involved with the research, said the new results “have the potential to revise and rewrite the early history of the First Americans.”

Xavier Roca-Rada, a doctoral student at the University of Adelaide, said the results “fill a gap between the oldest previously studied individuals from the Maya region and the time before the settling of Mesoamerica.”

The new paper emerged from ongoing excavations led by authors Keith Prufer, an environmental archaeologist at the University of New Mexico, and Douglas Kennett, an archaeologist at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The researchers have been excavating two rock shelters in the Bladen Nature Reserve, a remote and protected area of Belize that kept the sites, which were used as cemeteries, undisturbed for thousands of years. “People just kept going back to them over and over and over again and burying the dead,” Prufer said.

The shelters were also occupied by the living, who made tools and cooked, evidenced by the buried bones of armadillos, deer and a type of rodent called a paca, Prufer said. The bottom of the excavated pit held a piece of a giant sloth, which may have even predated human occupation of the shelter, he said.

The excavations also revealed a secret, formerly slimy layer of protection underground. Around 5,000 to 6,000 years ago, before the classic period of the Maya, people harvested tiny Pachychilus snails for food. “They would boil them and lop off the end of the shell and eat the flesh out of them,” Prufer said. Whoever inhabited these shelters feasted on these snails, and their discarded shells shielded bodies buried below. “This layer of snails actually protected the lower burials from the Maya digging through them,” he said.

Kennett and Prufer study these early burials to understand how the region transitioned from hunting and gathering to the development of intensive agriculture of maize, chili peppers and manioc (also called cassava). In a 2020 paper, they described evidence of maize consumption in the bones of individuals who lived 4,000 to 4,700 years ago.

David Reich, a geneticist at Harvard Medical School, led the extraction of ancient DNA from 20 individuals buried in the shelters over the course of 6,000 years. The analysis revealed several human migrations into the Maya region, in what is now southeastern Mexico and northern Central America.

They found three distinct groups: one living 7,300 to 9,600 years ago, another living between 3,700 and 5,600 years ago and a third group of modern Maya people. The first group appears genetically linked to a southward migration through the Americas during the Pleistocene. But the second group was related genetically to the ancestors of Chibchan speakers living farther south.

The authors hypothesize that this population turnover came from a mass migration from the south. “That was the spectacular result,” Kennett said.

The finding overturns an old assumption that farming technology spread through the Americas by the diffusion of crops and practices — the spread of knowledge as opposed to the spread of people, Reich said. The new results suggest this migration was critical to spreading farming, such as a scenario in which Chibchan speakers migrated northward with varieties of maize, which they then cultivated and spread in local populations, the authors wrote.

“People were actually moving into the region from the south, carrying these domesticated plants and also the systems of knowledge about how to grow them,” Kennett said.

David Mora-Marín, a linguistic anthropologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an author on the paper, conducted an analysis of early Chibchan and Mayan languages. He found that a term for maize had diffused from the Chibchan language into Mayan languages, further supporting the idea of a Chibchan origin of maize.

The field of ancient DNA has been criticized for a lack of ethics or appropriate engagement with communities that may be descended from the ancient humans being studied.

Kennett and Prufer conducted their archaeological research with the Ya’axché Conservation Trust, a Belizean nongovernmental organization that is largely staffed by descendants of Maya communities. The researchers consulted with these communities, presented results from studies and translated summaries of findings into the Mopan and Q’eqchi’ languages at the locals’ request. In the discussions, the communities expressed a desire to learn more about the diets and precolonial family units of the ancient people living in the cave. Because of these conversations, the authors placed a greater emphasis on these topics in the paper, Kennett said.

Krystal Tsosie, a genetics researcher at Vanderbilt University, said she wanted to see a more detailed description of how the community’s feedback influenced the paper. Tsosie added, “The process of proper engagement also means properly and transparently crediting the community members for informing and enriching the research.”

Ripan Malhi, a genetic anthropologist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, noted that the authors uploaded the ancient DNA data to a public database “with no safeguards or limitations on use indicated.” Ancient DNA can offer a shortcut to the DNA of modern communities without their consent. “This may have implications for the present-day Maya in the region,” he said.

Lucero and Roca-Rada said that more data was needed to prove the researchers’ hypothesis that a southern migration had brought maize to the Maya region. To Lucero, the question is whether researchers should acquire that data. “Should we dig up ancestors?” he asked. “Would we want someone to dig up ours to answer interesting yet nonvital research questions?”

Kennett and Prufer last visited Belize in January 2020 to present the preliminary results from the new paper to Maya communities. The pandemic has since prohibited the researchers’ return, but Prufer said they hoped to go back this summer to continue excavating and “keep our promise to return each year that we work and update everybody.”

The tropics are a paradise for everyone but a skeleton. Humidity keeps rainforests green but does little to preserve bodies, leading to a dearth of ancient skeletal remains in neotropical regions such as Central America.

The tropics are a paradise for everyone but a skeleton. Humidity keeps rainforests green but does little to preserve bodies, leading to a dearth of ancient skeletal remains in neotropical regions such as Central America. But deep in the jungles of Belize, under the dry refuge of two rock shelters, the skeletons of people who died as many as 9,600 years ago have been exceptionally well preserved. Their bones offer a rare glimpse into the region’s ancient genetic history, which is largely unknown. A group of scientists has extracted these ancient people’s DNA, offering new insight into the genetic history of people in the Maya region. The paper was published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications. The researchers identified a previously unknown mass migration from the south more than 5,600 years ago that preceded the advent of intensive maize farming in the region. This migration of people, who are most closely related to present-day speakers of the Chibchan languages, contributed more than 50% of the ancestry of Mayan-speaking peoples today. Lisa Lucero, an anthropologist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who specializes in the ancestral Maya and was not involved with the research, said the new results “have the potential to revise and rewrite the early history of the First Americans.” Xavier Roca-Rada, a doctoral student at the University of Adelaide, said the results “fill a gap between the oldest previously studied individuals from the Maya region and the time before the settling of Mesoamerica.” The new paper emerged from ongoing excavations led by authors Keith Prufer, an environmental archaeologist at the University of New Mexico, and Douglas Kennett, an archaeologist at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The researchers have been excavating two rock shelters in the Bladen Nature Reserve, a remote and protected area of Belize that kept the sites, which were used as cemeteries, undisturbed for thousands of years. “People just kept going back to them over and over and over again and burying the dead,” Prufer said. The shelters were also occupied by the living, who made tools and cooked, evidenced by the buried bones of armadillos, deer and a type of rodent called a paca, Prufer said. The bottom of the excavated pit held a piece of a giant sloth, which may have even predated human occupation of the shelter, he said. The excavations also revealed a secret, formerly slimy layer of protection underground. Around 5,000 to 6,000 years ago, before the classic period of the Maya, people harvested tiny Pachychilus snails for food. “They would boil them and lop off the end of the shell and eat the flesh out of them,” Prufer said. Whoever inhabited these shelters feasted on these snails, and their discarded shells shielded bodies buried below. “This layer of snails actually protected the lower burials from the Maya digging through them,” he said. Kennett and Prufer study these early burials to understand how the region transitioned from hunting and gathering to the development of intensive agriculture of maize, chili peppers and manioc (also called cassava). In a 2020 paper, they described evidence of maize consumption in the bones of individuals who lived 4,000 to 4,700 years ago. David Reich, a geneticist at Harvard Medical School, led the extraction of ancient DNA from 20 individuals buried in the shelters over the course of 6,000 years. The analysis revealed several human migrations into the Maya region, in what is now southeastern Mexico and northern Central America. They found three distinct groups: one living 7,300 to 9,600 years ago, another living between 3,700 and 5,600 years ago and a third group of modern Maya people. The first group appears genetically linked to a southward migration through the Americas during the Pleistocene. But the second group was related genetically to the ancestors of Chibchan speakers living farther south. The authors hypothesize that this population turnover came from a mass migration from the south. “That was the spectacular result,” Kennett said. The finding overturns an old assumption that farming technology spread through the Americas by the diffusion of crops and practices — the spread of knowledge as opposed to the spread of people, Reich said. The new results suggest this migration was critical to spreading farming, such as a scenario in which Chibchan speakers migrated northward with varieties of maize, which they then cultivated and spread in local populations, the authors wrote. “People were actually moving into the region from the south, carrying these domesticated plants and also the systems of knowledge about how to grow them,” Kennett said. David Mora-Marín, a linguistic anthropologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an author on the paper, conducted an analysis of early Chibchan and Mayan languages. He found that a term for maize had diffused from the Chibchan language into Mayan languages, further supporting the idea of a Chibchan origin of maize. The field of ancient DNA has been criticized for a lack of ethics or appropriate engagement with communities that may be descended from the ancient humans being studied. Kennett and Prufer conducted their archaeological research with the Ya’axché Conservation Trust, a Belizean nongovernmental organization that is largely staffed by descendants of Maya communities. The researchers consulted with these communities, presented results from studies and translated summaries of findings into the Mopan and Q’eqchi’ languages at the locals’ request. In the discussions, the communities expressed a desire to learn more about the diets and precolonial family units of the ancient people living in the cave. Because of these conversations, the authors placed a greater emphasis on these topics in the paper, Kennett said. Krystal Tsosie, a genetics researcher at Vanderbilt University, said she wanted to see a more detailed description of how the community’s feedback influenced the paper. Tsosie added, “The process of proper engagement also means properly and transparently crediting the community members for informing and enriching the research.” Ripan Malhi, a genetic anthropologist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, noted that the authors uploaded the ancient DNA data to a public database “with no safeguards or limitations on use indicated.” Ancient DNA can offer a shortcut to the DNA of modern communities without their consent. “This may have implications for the present-day Maya in the region,” he said. Lucero and Roca-Rada said that more data was needed to prove the researchers’ hypothesis that a southern migration had brought maize to the Maya region. To Lucero, the question is whether researchers should acquire that data. “Should we dig up ancestors?” he asked. “Would we want someone to dig up ours to answer interesting yet nonvital research questions?” Kennett and Prufer last visited Belize in January 2020 to present the preliminary results from the new paper to Maya communities. The pandemic has since prohibited the researchers’ return, but Prufer said they hoped to go back this summer to continue excavating and “keep our promise to return each year that we work and update everybody.”

Human migration brought maize to Maya region, study finds

US Vice President Kamala Harris declared her two-day trip to Central America a success after extensive discussions with leaders there. Harris defended not visiting the US-Mexico border following criticism.

Harris declares Central America trip 'a success' amid criticism over border

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Central American governments to do more to help contain illegal immigration and voiced concerns about the health of local democracy and human rights during a visit to the region on Tuesday. 
 
Speaking at a joint news conference with Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado, Blinken said the United States wanted to hear from its partners in the region about their shared commitment to managing migratory pressures. 
 
"Good governance is crucial for confronting the challenges and seizing the opportunities of this moment, and yet we meet at a moment when democracy and human rights are being undermined in many parts of the region," Blinken told reporters. 
 
Blinken cited erosion of judicial independence, crackdowns on independent media and NGOs, as well as the suppression of anti-corruption efforts to illustrate his point, noting that the United States had also suffered its own setbacks. 
 
US&nbsp;President Joe Biden has been under pressure to reduce a sharp increase in undocumented immigration at the US-Mexico border since taking office in January. 
 
Regional cooperation to address the issue was now more important than ever, said Blinken, who travelled to Costa Rica, to hold talks with leaders from Central America and Mexico. 
 
Many immigrants stopped at the US&nbsp;border are from three violent and impoverished Central American countries, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, which Washington has pledged aid in return for commitments to improve local governance. 
 
That drive has been clouded by concern about graft, cronyism, signs of authoritarianism and efforts to block the appointment of judges with track records of tackling corruption. 
 
The United States has promised to help poorer countries in the fight against COVID-19 with vaccines, and Blinken said the government would in the next week or so set out plans for how millions of doses would be distributed. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Central American governments to do more to help contain illegal immigration and voiced concerns about the health of local democracy and human rights during a visit to the region on Tuesday.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Central American governments to do more to help contain illegal immigration and voiced concerns about the health of local democracy and human rights during a visit to the region on Tuesday. Speaking at a joint news conference with Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado, Blinken said the United States wanted to hear from its partners in the region about their shared commitment to managing migratory pressures. "Good governance is crucial for confronting the challenges and seizing the opportunities of this moment, and yet we meet at a moment when democracy and human rights are being undermined in many parts of the region," Blinken told reporters. Blinken cited erosion of judicial independence, crackdowns on independent media and NGOs, as well as the suppression of anti-corruption efforts to illustrate his point, noting that the United States had also suffered its own setbacks. US President Joe Biden has been under pressure to reduce a sharp increase in undocumented immigration at the US-Mexico border since taking office in January. Regional cooperation to address the issue was now more important than ever, said Blinken, who travelled to Costa Rica, to hold talks with leaders from Central America and Mexico. Many immigrants stopped at the US border are from three violent and impoverished Central American countries, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, which Washington has pledged aid in return for commitments to improve local governance. That drive has been clouded by concern about graft, cronyism, signs of authoritarianism and efforts to block the appointment of judges with track records of tackling corruption. The United States has promised to help poorer countries in the fight against COVID-19 with vaccines, and Blinken said the government would in the next week or so set out plans for how millions of doses would be distributed. (With inputs from agencies)

Blinken asks Central America's help on migrants, flags democracy concerns

Iota has strengthened into a category 2 hurricane as it barrels toward Central America, a region still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Eta, and experts predict this year`s unprecedented storm season will force more people to migrate.

As of 7 p.m. EST on Sunday (000 GMT on Monday), Hurricane Iota was about 255 miles (410 km) off the Nicaraguan-Honduran coast, packing maximum sustained winds of 100 miles per hour (161 kph), according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC).

Iota "is expected to bring potentially catastrophic winds, a life-threatening storm surge, and extreme rainfall impacts to Central America," the NHC said.

Authorities are warning that Hurricane Iota could exacerbate the massive destruction wrought by Hurricane Eta, which slammed into the region two weeks ago, causing flooding and mudslides that destroyed crops and killed scores of people across a huge swath from Panama to southern Mexico.

The unprecedented 2020 hurricane season comes as Central America is facing an economic crisis linked to the coronavirus pandemic, with experts warning the compounding hardship could fuel a new round of migration from the region.

"Increased movements across borders are now more likely, including of people fleeing violence and persecution," said Giovanni Bassu, the regional representative for Central America and Cuba for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), in a statement on Friday.

The UNHCR said that climate change is increasing the intensity of both rain and droughts across Central America, and that "such phenomena can exacerbate poverty and conditions of insecurity which continue to drive people to flee their communities."

Last week, Guatemala requested that the United States allow its nationals in the U.S. to remain there on humanitarian grounds following Eta, under a provision known as temporary protected status, or TPS.

Evacuations are already under way in Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua in areas expected to be affected by Iota, which is slated to smash into the jungles of the Mosquito Coast of Nicaragua and Honduras on Monday.

Across the remote coastal region, residents spent the weekend evacuating from areas still suffering from the damage of Hurricane Eta.

"In the first hurricane we lost our house, our income, and our pigs, and now we have to leave again," said Winston Olier, a member of the indigenous Miskito community who lives in the coastal area of Wawa Bar, Nicaragua. "We`ve just returned to rebuild our house, but now we have flee again."

In Honduras, Douglas Espinal, head of the fire department of Puerto Lempira on the Mosquito Coast, told Reuters that evacuees have been arriving since early Saturday, traveling from the region`s remote peninsulas.

"People are coming from the coastal areas, but only those who have a boat or a canoe. The rest are staying in their communities," he said.

Espinal said Puerto Lempira has run out of fuel since deliveries were suspended following Hurricane Eta, making it impossible for the fire department to carry out a more extensive evacuation plan.

Puerto Lempira is the largest municipality in the Honduran department of Gracias a Dios, accessible only by air, sea or by traversing its internal rivers. With just over 100,000 residents, according to the National Institute of Statistics, the area is home to a number of indigenous communities, including Miskitos, Garifunas, Pech and Tawhakas.

Puerto Lempira is still recovering from massive flooding sparked by Eta that caused property damage and crop losses.

Iota has strengthened into a category 2 hurricane as it barrels toward Central America, a region still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Eta, and experts predict this year`s unprecedented storm season will force more people to migrate.

Iota has strengthened into a category 2 hurricane as it barrels toward Central America, a region still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Eta, and experts predict this year`s unprecedented storm season will force more people to migrate. As of 7 p.m. EST on Sunday (000 GMT on Monday), Hurricane Iota was about 255 miles (410 km) off the Nicaraguan-Honduran coast, packing maximum sustained winds of 100 miles per hour (161 kph), according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC). Iota "is expected to bring potentially catastrophic winds, a life-threatening storm surge, and extreme rainfall impacts to Central America," the NHC said. Authorities are warning that Hurricane Iota could exacerbate the massive destruction wrought by Hurricane Eta, which slammed into the region two weeks ago, causing flooding and mudslides that destroyed crops and killed scores of people across a huge swath from Panama to southern Mexico. The unprecedented 2020 hurricane season comes as Central America is facing an economic crisis linked to the coronavirus pandemic, with experts warning the compounding hardship could fuel a new round of migration from the region. "Increased movements across borders are now more likely, including of people fleeing violence and persecution," said Giovanni Bassu, the regional representative for Central America and Cuba for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), in a statement on Friday. The UNHCR said that climate change is increasing the intensity of both rain and droughts across Central America, and that "such phenomena can exacerbate poverty and conditions of insecurity which continue to drive people to flee their communities." Last week, Guatemala requested that the United States allow its nationals in the U.S. to remain there on humanitarian grounds following Eta, under a provision known as temporary protected status, or TPS. Evacuations are already under way in Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua in areas expected to be affected by Iota, which is slated to smash into the jungles of the Mosquito Coast of Nicaragua and Honduras on Monday. Across the remote coastal region, residents spent the weekend evacuating from areas still suffering from the damage of Hurricane Eta. "In the first hurricane we lost our house, our income, and our pigs, and now we have to leave again," said Winston Olier, a member of the indigenous Miskito community who lives in the coastal area of Wawa Bar, Nicaragua. "We`ve just returned to rebuild our house, but now we have flee again." In Honduras, Douglas Espinal, head of the fire department of Puerto Lempira on the Mosquito Coast, told Reuters that evacuees have been arriving since early Saturday, traveling from the region`s remote peninsulas. "People are coming from the coastal areas, but only those who have a boat or a canoe. The rest are staying in their communities," he said. Espinal said Puerto Lempira has run out of fuel since deliveries were suspended following Hurricane Eta, making it impossible for the fire department to carry out a more extensive evacuation plan. Puerto Lempira is the largest municipality in the Honduran department of Gracias a Dios, accessible only by air, sea or by traversing its internal rivers. With just over 100,000 residents, according to the National Institute of Statistics, the area is home to a number of indigenous communities, including Miskitos, Garifunas, Pech and Tawhakas. Puerto Lempira is still recovering from massive flooding sparked by Eta that caused property damage and crop losses.

Iota grows to category 2 hurricane as it nears Central America

Tropical Storm Iota is strengthening as it barrels toward Central America, with authorities urging communities to evacuate before it unleashes "life-threatening" flooding across a region still recovering from Hurricane Eta`s devastation.

Iota is expected to intensify to major hurricane strength or just short of it by the time it smashes into the jungles of the Miskito Coast of Nicaragua and Honduras on Monday.

As of 4 p.m. EST (2100 GMT), Iota was packing maximum sustained winds of 60 miles (97 km) per hour, according to the U.S. National Weather Center (NHC), as it gathered force over the southern Caribbean Sea about 480 miles (770 km) east-southeast of the Nicaraguan-Honduran coast.

The storm comes as Central America is still coping with the massive destruction wrought by Hurricane Eta, which slammed into the region two weeks ago, causing flooding and mudslides that have killed scores of people across a huge swath stretching from Panama to southern Mexico.

On Saturday morning, Guatemalan authorities said a mudslide buried 10 people in the state of Chiquimula near the border with Honduras. Emergency workers have rescued two people and recovered three corpses so far. Five people are still missing.

Saturday`s mudslide follows last week`s partial collapse of a mountain onto the village of Queja, in the central Guatemalan region of Alta Verapaz, which killed and buried alive dozens of residents.

Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei on Saturday expressed concern about Iota`s approach, saying he has ordered evacuations for areas expected to be affected.

"We are concerned about the area of ??Alta Verapaz and Quiché. We believe that they are the areas where we could have the greatest impact," said Giammattei. "We hope God helps us."

In Honduras, where Eta killed 64 people and damaged roads, bridges and crops, President Juan Orlando Hernández on Saturday urged people in Iota`s path to evacuate to the nearest shelters.

"Iota is going to put our lives and our economy at risk again," he said. 
Residents of the community of Cruz de Valencia in northwestern Honduras have begun evacuating.

"We have to get out, we have to save our lives," said resident Erick Gomez, who said he only survived the flooding from the last hurricane by clinging to a tree to avoid being swept away by the rushing water.

"We are afraid of what we just suffered with Eta, and we do not want to go through the same thing again," he added.

The NHC is warning Iota could bring flash flooding and mudslides across northern Colombia and Central America as early as Monday.

Tropical Storm Iota is strengthening as it barrels toward Central America, with authorities urging communities to evacuate before it unleashes "life-threatening" flooding across a region still recovering from Hurricane Eta`s devastation.

Tropical Storm Iota is strengthening as it barrels toward Central America, with authorities urging communities to evacuate before it unleashes "life-threatening" flooding across a region still recovering from Hurricane Eta`s devastation. Iota is expected to intensify to major hurricane strength or just short of it by the time it smashes into the jungles of the Miskito Coast of Nicaragua and Honduras on Monday. As of 4 p.m. EST (2100 GMT), Iota was packing maximum sustained winds of 60 miles (97 km) per hour, according to the U.S. National Weather Center (NHC), as it gathered force over the southern Caribbean Sea about 480 miles (770 km) east-southeast of the Nicaraguan-Honduran coast. The storm comes as Central America is still coping with the massive destruction wrought by Hurricane Eta, which slammed into the region two weeks ago, causing flooding and mudslides that have killed scores of people across a huge swath stretching from Panama to southern Mexico. On Saturday morning, Guatemalan authorities said a mudslide buried 10 people in the state of Chiquimula near the border with Honduras. Emergency workers have rescued two people and recovered three corpses so far. Five people are still missing. Saturday`s mudslide follows last week`s partial collapse of a mountain onto the village of Queja, in the central Guatemalan region of Alta Verapaz, which killed and buried alive dozens of residents. Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei on Saturday expressed concern about Iota`s approach, saying he has ordered evacuations for areas expected to be affected. "We are concerned about the area of ??Alta Verapaz and Quiché. We believe that they are the areas where we could have the greatest impact," said Giammattei. "We hope God helps us." In Honduras, where Eta killed 64 people and damaged roads, bridges and crops, President Juan Orlando Hernández on Saturday urged people in Iota`s path to evacuate to the nearest shelters. "Iota is going to put our lives and our economy at risk again," he said. Residents of the community of Cruz de Valencia in northwestern Honduras have begun evacuating. "We have to get out, we have to save our lives," said resident Erick Gomez, who said he only survived the flooding from the last hurricane by clinging to a tree to avoid being swept away by the rushing water. "We are afraid of what we just suffered with Eta, and we do not want to go through the same thing again," he added. The NHC is warning Iota could bring flash flooding and mudslides across northern Colombia and Central America as early as Monday.

Tropical Storm Iota strengthens as it approaches Central America

A strengthening Tropical Storm Eta made landfall on Florida’s Lower Matecumbe Key on Sunday night, days after leaving scores of dead and over 100 missing in Mexico and Central America

Tropical storm Eta makes landfall in Florida

A large 'tsunami' of trash has hit a beach in the town of Omoa in northern Honduras. The garbage traveled from neighboring Guatemala, where anti-waste barriers were damaged by heavy rain.

Honduras' coastline covered with discarded plastic

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/mexico-and-pemex-facing-downgrading-risks-in-2020-as-economic-growth-halts-271933">Mexican government</a> on Monday revised upward by as much as 50 per cent&nbsp;the number of citizens classified as missing to more than 61,000, the vast majority of them victims of the country's grinding war with powerful drug gangs that have grown more violent.

The new figure from the one-year-old administration of leftist President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador compares to about 40,000 missing cited by the government as recently as June.

"The official data of missing persons is 61,637," Karla Quintana, head of the National Registry of Missing or Missing Persons (RNPED), told a news conference. She said 25.7 per cent&nbsp;of them were women.

<img alt="Moscow" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bbeeee61-bceb-441b-836a-1edb1bedf1ac" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2814%29_2.jpg" /> 
Image: Members of the Mexican National Guard stand guard as they keep watch outside the prison after sixteen inmates were killed and five were wounded in a prison fight at the Regional Center for Social Reintegration in the town of Cieneguillas, located on the western flank of state capital Zacatecas,&nbsp;Mexico&nbsp;December 31, 2019 | Reuters

More than 97.4 per cent&nbsp;of the total have gone missing since 2006, when then-President Felipe Calderon sent the army to the streets to fight drug traffickers, fragmenting the cartels, which made combating them more difficult.

President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-administration-begins-formal-exit-from-paris-climate-pact-259963">Donald&nbsp;Trump</a>&nbsp;offered&nbsp; to help&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mexico-accuses-bolivia-of-intimidating-its-diplomats-in-la-paz-269871">Mexico</a>&nbsp;hunt the killers of nine Mormon women and children shot dead in a lawless border area&nbsp;and said the United States stood ready to back its southern neighbour in a "war"&nbsp;on&nbsp;the drug&nbsp;cartels.

Gunmen ambushed the members of the LeBaron family,&nbsp;a large clan of&nbsp;Mormons&nbsp;who emigrated to&nbsp;Mexico&nbsp;in the late 19th century,&nbsp;on&nbsp;a rural road Monday between the states of Sonora and Chihuahua, which border the United States.

<img alt="Mexico" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="84775359-5788-4f50-ad82-3664d8f1d5b3" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2815%29_7.jpg" /> 
Image: Police officers stand atop a vehicle as they keep watch outside the prison after sixteen inmates were killed and five were wounded in a prison fight at the Regional Center for Social Reintegration in the town of Cieneguillas, located on the western flank of state capital Zacatecas,&nbsp;Mexico&nbsp;December 31, 2019 | Reuters

Earlier, The United States announced that it&nbsp;will expand the scope of a program that returns non-Mexican migrants crossing Mexico's border to that country to await their US&nbsp;court hearings, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/immigration-hawk-promoted-to-us-homeland-security-acting-deputy-262013">Department of Homeland Security</a>.

Washington already has sent more than 56,000 migrants to Mexico under the programme, known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP). The majority have been Central Americans applying for US asylum.

The Mexican government on Monday revised upward by as much as 50 per cent the number of citizens classified as missing to more than 61,000, the vast majority of them victims of the country's grinding war with powerful drug gangs that have grown more violent.

The Mexican government on Monday revised upward by as much as 50 per cent the number of citizens classified as missing to more than 61,000, the vast majority of them victims of the country's grinding war with powerful drug gangs that have grown more violent. The new figure from the one-year-old administration of leftist President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador compares to about 40,000 missing cited by the government as recently as June. "The official data of missing persons is 61,637," Karla Quintana, head of the National Registry of Missing or Missing Persons (RNPED), told a news conference. She said 25.7 per cent of them were women. Image: Members of the Mexican National Guard stand guard as they keep watch outside the prison after sixteen inmates were killed and five were wounded in a prison fight at the Regional Center for Social Reintegration in the town of Cieneguillas, located on the western flank of state capital Zacatecas, Mexico December 31, 2019 | Reuters More than 97.4 per cent of the total have gone missing since 2006, when then-President Felipe Calderon sent the army to the streets to fight drug traffickers, fragmenting the cartels, which made combating them more difficult. President Donald Trump offered to help Mexico hunt the killers of nine Mormon women and children shot dead in a lawless border area and said the United States stood ready to back its southern neighbour in a "war" on the drug cartels. Gunmen ambushed the members of the LeBaron family, a large clan of Mormons who emigrated to Mexico in the late 19th century, on a rural road Monday between the states of Sonora and Chihuahua, which border the United States. Image: Police officers stand atop a vehicle as they keep watch outside the prison after sixteen inmates were killed and five were wounded in a prison fight at the Regional Center for Social Reintegration in the town of Cieneguillas, located on the western flank of state capital Zacatecas, Mexico December 31, 2019 | Reuters Earlier, The United States announced that it will expand the scope of a program that returns non-Mexican migrants crossing Mexico's border to that country to await their US court hearings, the Department of Homeland Security. Washington already has sent more than 56,000 migrants to Mexico under the programme, known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP). The majority have been Central Americans applying for US asylum.

Mexican drug war: More than 61,000 classified as missing

Exactly five years after 43 students disappeared without a trace in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/its-business-as-usual-at-mexicos-southern-border-despite-trump-deal-225581">Mexico</a>, the government said on Thursday that it will reinvestigate the case as a crime by "agents of the state," offering a reward for new information.

The night of September 26, 2014, a group of students in Guerrero state on their way to a protest were detained by corrupt police who handed them over to a drug cartel.

Forty-three of them vanished.

Half a decade later, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/thousands-of-asylum-seekers-left-waiting-at-the-us-mexico-border-228198">Mexico is still haunted</a> by the case, which drew international condemnation and stained the government of ex-president Enrique Pena Nieto.

On Thursday thousands of people, mainly students, took part in a demonstration led by the parents of the missing youths, shouting "justice!" as they marched towards Mexico City's central square, the Zocalo.

Approximately a hundred people wearing hoods who remained at the rear of the crowd broke shop windows and tried to set a restaurant on fire, which other protesters extinguished.

The investigation into the disappearance has been marred by allegations of official incompetence and even corruption. Misconduct -- especially the use of torture to extract supposed confessions -- has resulted in the release of 77 detainees, including the main suspect earlier this month.

New President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has launched a truth commission, and the new prosecutor general has announced plans to reinvestigate "almost from scratch."

Deputy Human Rights Minister Alejandro Encinas said the case would now be investigated as a crime "committed by agents of the Mexican state," a phrase Pena Nieto once said he "categorically" rejected.

Lopez Obrador said investigators would have a "great advantage" this time around: under his government, "there is no impunity."

"That's important, because when it's a crime by the state, it's very difficult to get at the truth," the leftist leader told a news conference, wearing a T-shirt stamped with the number 43 and the words "I am for the truth."

The government announced it would offer a reward of about $75,000 for new leads in the case, and $500,000 for information on the whereabouts of Alejandro Tenescalco, the local police supervisor at the time and a chief suspect.

No one will remain above the law, said Omar Gomez, special prosecutor for the case. He said his team would question former top prosecutor Jesus Murillo Karam next week, and even Pena Nieto "if necessary."

Historic Lie

But it is uncertain whether the world will ever know what happened to the young men from the teacher training institute in the rural village of Ayotzinapa.

"I don't think (a new investigation) will achieve a radically different result from the original," said Alejandro Hope, a security expert and former Mexican intelligence officer.

"There are two facts that don't seem to be in doubt: The students were kidnapped by police, and they were handed over to the Guerreros Unidos cartel."

What happened after that, he said, might remain a mystery forever.

The student activists had hijacked five buses that night to drive themselves to a protest in Mexico City.

Local police opened fire on the buses, killing six people. Then they rounded up the remaining students and handed them over to Guerreros Unidos, which apparently had the police on its payroll.

Under Pena Nieto, the federal prosecutor's office concluded the cartel mistook the students for members of a rival gang, executed them at a garbage dump and burned their bodies.

However, a team of independent investigators from the Inter-American Commission&nbsp;on&nbsp;Human Rights found that was impossible, based on forensic analysis of the supposed crime scene.

Their conclusion left Mexicans to wonder: If the government's gruesome explanation was a cover story, how horrific was the truth?

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mexico-asks-un-for-more-suppoprt-to-tackle-central-american-migrants-228816">The government</a> did not renew the experts' mandate.

However, before leaving Mexico, they hypothesised the students may have inadvertently hijacked a bus loaded with heroin bound for the United States.

Investigators began chasing a fresh lead this week: they are excavating at a different garbage dump nearby, in the town of Tepecoacuilco, where witnesses reportedly say some of the men were executed.

Exactly five years after 43 students disappeared without a trace in Mexico, the government said on Thursday that it will reinvestigate the case as a crime by "agents of the state," offering a reward for new information.

Exactly five years after 43 students disappeared without a trace in Mexico, the government said on Thursday that it will reinvestigate the case as a crime by "agents of the state," offering a reward for new information. The night of September 26, 2014, a group of students in Guerrero state on their way to a protest were detained by corrupt police who handed them over to a drug cartel. Forty-three of them vanished. Half a decade later, Mexico is still haunted by the case, which drew international condemnation and stained the government of ex-president Enrique Pena Nieto. On Thursday thousands of people, mainly students, took part in a demonstration led by the parents of the missing youths, shouting "justice!" as they marched towards Mexico City's central square, the Zocalo. Approximately a hundred people wearing hoods who remained at the rear of the crowd broke shop windows and tried to set a restaurant on fire, which other protesters extinguished. The investigation into the disappearance has been marred by allegations of official incompetence and even corruption. Misconduct -- especially the use of torture to extract supposed confessions -- has resulted in the release of 77 detainees, including the main suspect earlier this month. New President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has launched a truth commission, and the new prosecutor general has announced plans to reinvestigate "almost from scratch." Deputy Human Rights Minister Alejandro Encinas said the case would now be investigated as a crime "committed by agents of the Mexican state," a phrase Pena Nieto once said he "categorically" rejected. Lopez Obrador said investigators would have a "great advantage" this time around: under his government, "there is no impunity." "That's important, because when it's a crime by the state, it's very difficult to get at the truth," the leftist leader told a news conference, wearing a T-shirt stamped with the number 43 and the words "I am for the truth." The government announced it would offer a reward of about $75,000 for new leads in the case, and $500,000 for information on the whereabouts of Alejandro Tenescalco, the local police supervisor at the time and a chief suspect. No one will remain above the law, said Omar Gomez, special prosecutor for the case. He said his team would question former top prosecutor Jesus Murillo Karam next week, and even Pena Nieto "if necessary." Historic Lie But it is uncertain whether the world will ever know what happened to the young men from the teacher training institute in the rural village of Ayotzinapa. "I don't think (a new investigation) will achieve a radically different result from the original," said Alejandro Hope, a security expert and former Mexican intelligence officer. "There are two facts that don't seem to be in doubt: The students were kidnapped by police, and they were handed over to the Guerreros Unidos cartel." What happened after that, he said, might remain a mystery forever. The student activists had hijacked five buses that night to drive themselves to a protest in Mexico City. Local police opened fire on the buses, killing six people. Then they rounded up the remaining students and handed them over to Guerreros Unidos, which apparently had the police on its payroll. Under Pena Nieto, the federal prosecutor's office concluded the cartel mistook the students for members of a rival gang, executed them at a garbage dump and burned their bodies. However, a team of independent investigators from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights found that was impossible, based on forensic analysis of the supposed crime scene. Their conclusion left Mexicans to wonder: If the government's gruesome explanation was a cover story, how horrific was the truth? The government did not renew the experts' mandate. However, before leaving Mexico, they hypothesised the students may have inadvertently hijacked a bus loaded with heroin bound for the United States. Investigators began chasing a fresh lead this week: they are excavating at a different garbage dump nearby, in the town of Tepecoacuilco, where witnesses reportedly say some of the men were executed.

Five years on, 43 missing students still haunt Mexico

Honduras will sign an agreement with Cuba to deport Cubans who arrive in the Central American country illegally en route to the United States, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez said on Sunday.

The announcement comes as the United States presses Central American countries and Mexico to do more to curb the waves of migrants reaching the United States' southern border.

"With Cuba, we are about to sign an agreement at this time that if an irregular migrant Cuban appears, we will immediately return him to Cuba", Hernandez said during an interview on local television that aired Sunday night.

The United States and Honduras said in a joint statement on Saturday that they are discussing how to increase temporary legal employment opportunities for Hondurans in the United States as they hammer out details of an immigration agreement.

The governments are due to continue discussions this week, according to the joint statement.

Honduras will sign an agreement with Cuba to deport Cubans who arrive in the Central American country illegally en route to the United States, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez said on Sunday.

Honduras will sign an agreement with Cuba to deport Cubans who arrive in the Central American country illegally en route to the United States, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez said on Sunday. The announcement comes as the United States presses Central American countries and Mexico to do more to curb the waves of migrants reaching the United States' southern border. "With Cuba, we are about to sign an agreement at this time that if an irregular migrant Cuban appears, we will immediately return him to Cuba", Hernandez said during an interview on local television that aired Sunday night. The United States and Honduras said in a joint statement on Saturday that they are discussing how to increase temporary legal employment opportunities for Hondurans in the United States as they hammer out details of an immigration agreement. The governments are due to continue discussions this week, according to the joint statement.

Honduras, Cuba to sign deal on deporting some Cuban migrants

Led by a dream of marrying on US soil, a young Honduran couple travelled thousands of miles from their home in the port city of La Ceiba, narrowly escaping a kidnapping in Mexico before seeking asylum across the border in Texas.

But the couple, Dexy Maldonado and Marvin Madrid, decided, in the end, to settle for a wedding in less than dream-like conditions.

First, US&nbsp;authorities sent them back to wait for months in a violent region of Mexico for their asylum hearings. Then a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mexico-pushes-back-after-top-us-court-favours-trump-on-shunning-migrants-249280">ruling on Wednesday by the US&nbsp;Supreme Court</a> threatened to scupper their plans -- and those of thousands of other Central American migrants who have traveled through Mexico in pursuit of their own dreams in the United States.

So Maldonado, 20, and Madrid, 28, married on Thursday just over the Rio Grande in a Mexican border town, under open skies at a crowded tent camp in an impromptu religious ceremony -- and without registering the wedding with a government.

"The pastor said it wasn`t `legal, legal,` but it might give us a better chance of staying together," said Maldonado, whom US&nbsp;immigration agents had separated from Madrid after detaining the pair in July with their toddler daughter before returning them to Mexico.

Abrupt shifts in US&nbsp;immigration policy have pitched hundreds of mostly Central American asylum-seekers into a life of limbo in the border city of Matamoros, many of them crammed into tents on the end of a bridge from Brownsville, Texas.

The newlyweds are among at least 42,000 asylum seekers who since January have been sent to troubled Mexican border cities to await hearings with US immigration judges under a US program known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP).

In July, the Trump administration extended MPP to Matamoros, one of two receiver cities in Tamaulipas, an eastern state so riven by drug cartels that the US State Department ranks it as a "level 4" danger zone on a par with Afghanistan or Somalia.

Asylum seekers experienced a harsher blow still with the Supreme Court`s ruling on Wednesday allowing the Trump administration to enforce a ruling that would require anyone who passes through a third country, including Mexico, to seek asylum there instead of the United States. The decision, which allows US authorities to enforce the rule on asylum seekers as litigation challenging its legality proceeds, piles pressure on Mexico and migrants alike.

"It`s a disaster," said Jennifer Harbury, a Texas-based immigration attorney. "No one knows what it`s going to do to MPP."

Marrying between tents and toilets

The Supreme Court ruling fed the anxieties of asylum seekers who had already been returned to Matamoros and were struggling to stay afloat, caught between two worlds in an unforgiving city where jobs are elusive and criminal gangs treat migrants as lucrative trafficking commodities.

By day, many of some two dozen returnees whom Reuters spoke with worried about leaving the relative safety of a sidewalk near the bridge to search for work. By night, some forced themselves to stay awake lest gangsters snatch their children from inside their tents.

Then there was the question of whether to marry.

Maldonado and Madrid were the first of seven asylum-seeking couples who all tied the knot in the camp beside the bridge on Thursday afternoon.

Reverend Isaac Collins, from Charlottesville, Virginia, officiated the brief but emotional ceremony on a patch of parking lot between two portable toilets, three tents, and a sickly tree whose twigs someone clipped off for makeshift bouquets.

Another migrant fashioned Maldonado a wedding ring from aluminum foil. A third shared with other brides her ring with a mermaid tail, Collins said. 
Earlier, lacking other options to bathe, they cooled off from the stifling heat in the murky green waters of the Rio Grande, despite the rashes that many migrants said it caused. Red blotches marked Madrid`s wrist and their 2-year-old daughter`s armpit.

The couple had left Honduras after losing their jobs when authorities raided the used-clothing chain where they worked, alleging the owners used the business to launder drug money.

The two said they departed with a small group led by a self-proclaimed "guide," who asked for no money to take them up through Mexico.

However, as they neared Reynosa, a city about an hour`s drive west of Matamoros, a man apparently known to the guide pulled them off a bus and took them to a site where dozens of other people were being forcibly held, the couple said. They said they escaped, sleeping in ditches until finally crossing the Rio Grande and surrendering to US&nbsp;authorities.

It was not immediately possible for Reuters to verify the details of the apparent kidnapping.

A Department of Homeland Security document reviewed by Reuters shows that Maldonado was "subject to removal" from Texas on July 26 and told to appear at the gateway to Brownsville for a court hearing on September&nbsp;30.

"They told us the rules had changed three days earlier, which is why they sent us back here," Maldonado said.

Even before MPP was expanded to Tamaulipas, rights group Human Rights First documented more than a hundred cases of rape, kidnapping, sexual exploitation and other violent attacks against asylum seekers returned to Mexico under the program.

Madrid has now found work as a part-time laborer after a Mexican construction worker walked into the MPP encampment, looking for hires.

Wary of criminals, Madrid said he decided to try the job for a day, before sticking with it as the best option for his family as they await a court date that lawyers say may now not come.

Led by a dream of marrying on US soil, a young Honduran couple travelled thousands of miles from their home in the port city of La Ceiba, narrowly escaping a kidnapping in Mexico before seeking asylum across the border in Texas.

Led by a dream of marrying on US soil, a young Honduran couple travelled thousands of miles from their home in the port city of La Ceiba, narrowly escaping a kidnapping in Mexico before seeking asylum across the border in Texas. But the couple, Dexy Maldonado and Marvin Madrid, decided, in the end, to settle for a wedding in less than dream-like conditions. First, US authorities sent them back to wait for months in a violent region of Mexico for their asylum hearings. Then a ruling on Wednesday by the US Supreme Court threatened to scupper their plans -- and those of thousands of other Central American migrants who have traveled through Mexico in pursuit of their own dreams in the United States. So Maldonado, 20, and Madrid, 28, married on Thursday just over the Rio Grande in a Mexican border town, under open skies at a crowded tent camp in an impromptu religious ceremony -- and without registering the wedding with a government. "The pastor said it wasn`t `legal, legal,` but it might give us a better chance of staying together," said Maldonado, whom US immigration agents had separated from Madrid after detaining the pair in July with their toddler daughter before returning them to Mexico. Abrupt shifts in US immigration policy have pitched hundreds of mostly Central American asylum-seekers into a life of limbo in the border city of Matamoros, many of them crammed into tents on the end of a bridge from Brownsville, Texas. The newlyweds are among at least 42,000 asylum seekers who since January have been sent to troubled Mexican border cities to await hearings with US immigration judges under a US program known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP). In July, the Trump administration extended MPP to Matamoros, one of two receiver cities in Tamaulipas, an eastern state so riven by drug cartels that the US State Department ranks it as a "level 4" danger zone on a par with Afghanistan or Somalia. Asylum seekers experienced a harsher blow still with the Supreme Court`s ruling on Wednesday allowing the Trump administration to enforce a ruling that would require anyone who passes through a third country, including Mexico, to seek asylum there instead of the United States. The decision, which allows US authorities to enforce the rule on asylum seekers as litigation challenging its legality proceeds, piles pressure on Mexico and migrants alike. "It`s a disaster," said Jennifer Harbury, a Texas-based immigration attorney. "No one knows what it`s going to do to MPP." Marrying between tents and toilets The Supreme Court ruling fed the anxieties of asylum seekers who had already been returned to Matamoros and were struggling to stay afloat, caught between two worlds in an unforgiving city where jobs are elusive and criminal gangs treat migrants as lucrative trafficking commodities. By day, many of some two dozen returnees whom Reuters spoke with worried about leaving the relative safety of a sidewalk near the bridge to search for work. By night, some forced themselves to stay awake lest gangsters snatch their children from inside their tents. Then there was the question of whether to marry. Maldonado and Madrid were the first of seven asylum-seeking couples who all tied the knot in the camp beside the bridge on Thursday afternoon. Reverend Isaac Collins, from Charlottesville, Virginia, officiated the brief but emotional ceremony on a patch of parking lot between two portable toilets, three tents, and a sickly tree whose twigs someone clipped off for makeshift bouquets. Another migrant fashioned Maldonado a wedding ring from aluminum foil. A third shared with other brides her ring with a mermaid tail, Collins said. Earlier, lacking other options to bathe, they cooled off from the stifling heat in the murky green waters of the Rio Grande, despite the rashes that many migrants said it caused. Red blotches marked Madrid`s wrist and their 2-year-old daughter`s armpit. The couple had left Honduras after losing their jobs when authorities raided the used-clothing chain where they worked, alleging the owners used the business to launder drug money. The two said they departed with a small group led by a self-proclaimed "guide," who asked for no money to take them up through Mexico. However, as they neared Reynosa, a city about an hour`s drive west of Matamoros, a man apparently known to the guide pulled them off a bus and took them to a site where dozens of other people were being forcibly held, the couple said. They said they escaped, sleeping in ditches until finally crossing the Rio Grande and surrendering to US authorities. It was not immediately possible for Reuters to verify the details of the apparent kidnapping. A Department of Homeland Security document reviewed by Reuters shows that Maldonado was "subject to removal" from Texas on July 26 and told to appear at the gateway to Brownsville for a court hearing on September 30. "They told us the rules had changed three days earlier, which is why they sent us back here," Maldonado said. Even before MPP was expanded to Tamaulipas, rights group Human Rights First documented more than a hundred cases of rape, kidnapping, sexual exploitation and other violent attacks against asylum seekers returned to Mexico under the program. Madrid has now found work as a part-time laborer after a Mexican construction worker walked into the MPP encampment, looking for hires. Wary of criminals, Madrid said he decided to try the job for a day, before sticking with it as the best option for his family as they await a court date that lawyers say may now not come.

After US court ruling, Honduran newlyweds among migrants clinging to asylum dream

Regional leaders on Friday called for "shock" investment in infrastructure in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador to reduce the number of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/migrants-finally-disembark-open-arms-ship-in-italy-244628">migrants</a> flowing from the three economically fragile countries, bound for the United States.

Efforts to stem the flow of Central Americans, many <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/changes-for-a-landmark-agreement-mean-immigrant-children-face-harsher-treatment-in-us-245059">seeking legal asylum in the United States</a>, have gained impetus as US President Donald Trump continues to pursue a mix of threats and stepped-up immigration enforcement.

Poverty and rampant corruption that allows drug trafficking and criminal gangs to flourish in the so-called Northern Triangle have prompted many to seek a better life in the United States.

"The Northern Triangle region needs a shock of investment," said Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, host of a regional summit that wrapped up on Friday that also included political and business leaders from Mexico, Colombia and the Dominican Republic as well as all six Central American nations.

In the summit`s final declaration, the leaders signaled their "commitment to promote the formation of a great international initiative for the massive generation of jobs and productive investments in our countries."

The plan, which focused on infrastructure projects including railways, highways, pipelines, ports and airports, is needed to reduce the "migratory momentum," it said. 
Hernandez noted that the proposal will be submitted to the United Nations.

The summit was held in Honduras` second biggest city and industrial hub, San Pedro Sula, which has seen waves of migrants fleeing one of the world`s highest homicide rates at more than 47 per 100,000 residents, according to 2018 government data.

Regional leaders on Friday called for "shock" investment in infrastructure in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador to reduce the number of migrants flowing from the three economically fragile countries, bound for the United States.

Regional leaders on Friday called for "shock" investment in infrastructure in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador to reduce the number of migrants flowing from the three economically fragile countries, bound for the United States. Efforts to stem the flow of Central Americans, many seeking legal asylum in the United States, have gained impetus as US President Donald Trump continues to pursue a mix of threats and stepped-up immigration enforcement. Poverty and rampant corruption that allows drug trafficking and criminal gangs to flourish in the so-called Northern Triangle have prompted many to seek a better life in the United States. "The Northern Triangle region needs a shock of investment," said Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, host of a regional summit that wrapped up on Friday that also included political and business leaders from Mexico, Colombia and the Dominican Republic as well as all six Central American nations. In the summit`s final declaration, the leaders signaled their "commitment to promote the formation of a great international initiative for the massive generation of jobs and productive investments in our countries." The plan, which focused on infrastructure projects including railways, highways, pipelines, ports and airports, is needed to reduce the "migratory momentum," it said. Hernandez noted that the proposal will be submitted to the United Nations. The summit was held in Honduras` second biggest city and industrial hub, San Pedro Sula, which has seen waves of migrants fleeing one of the world`s highest homicide rates at more than 47 per 100,000 residents, according to 2018 government data.

'Shock' investment urged to stem flow of Central American migrants

Ledy Perez clenched her hand, covering her face as she wept, an arm clutching her small 6-year-old son, who glared defiantly at the Mexican National Guard soldier blocking them from crossing into the United States. The plight of this mother and son who had traveled some 1,500 miles (2,410 km) from their home country of Guatemala to the border city of Ciudad Juarez, only to be stopped mere feet from the United States, was captured by Reuters photographer Jose Luis Gonzalez as twilight approached on Monday (July 22). One of several images Reuters published of the scene, it has thrown into the spotlight the role Mexico's militarized National Guard police force is playing in containing migration, mostly from Central America. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador created the National Guard to bring down record homicide rates, but almost a third of its members are now assigned to patrolling the border to placate President Donald Trump's demands of stemming the flow of U.S.-bound migrants. The soldier displayed no overt aggression during the nine-minute encounter with Perez and her son. Still, the power dynamics apparent in the image resonated with criticism of the treatment migrants are receiving during the clampdown by Mexico. Lopez Obrador's spokesman, Jesus Ramirez, said the image was an example of the National Guard doing its job of looking after public security. He said the soldier did not impede Perez from crossing but advised her of the dangers of doing so.

Tearful mother begs Mexican soldiers to let her enter U.S

A Guatemalan asylum seeker left some members of a US House panel visibly shaken on Wednesday with the story of her daughter's death, saying the toddler had contracted a deadly lung infection during 20-day detention near the US border with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mexico-eyes-brazil-for-us-asylum-deal-trump-revives-tariff-threat-226124">Mexico</a>.

Yazmin Juarez told a House of Representatives subcommittee that it was "like they tore out a piece of my heart" when just weeks after they were released her daughter Mariee died at 19 months old.

She said she left a hospital with nothing but a piece of paper with two handprints in pink paint that staff had made for her, and described through a translator how she missed her daughter's hugs.

Juarez said it was hard to relive the experience, but wanted to shed light on the lack of medical care. "The world should know," she said.

"It can’t be so hard for a country like the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-nation-rights-chief-shocked-by-conditions-at-us-migrant-detention-centres-234083">United States</a> to protect kids who are locked up.

Guatemalan migrant: Life is difficult without my child

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Juarez testified at the House Committee on Oversight and Reform that was examining the treatment of refugees in US detention.

Apprehensions along the border have spiked to the highest in at least a decade, driven by families from Central America who say they are seeking asylum and fleeing violence in their home countries.

Images of filthy detention facilities jammed with refugees have sparked widespread criticism. On Monday UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said she was "appalled" that migrant children were forced to sleep on floors.

President Donald Trump's tough stance on immigration has been one of his signature policies. "If Illegal Immigrants are unhappy with the conditions in the quickly built or refitted detentions centers, just tell them not to come," Trump wrote on Twitter last week.

Juarez told members of Congress, several of whom appeared shaken by her testimony, that her daughter was healthy when the pair were initially detained. They were held with 30 others, including sick children whom Juarez said could have infected her daughter.

Juarez said that she and her daughter fled violence in Guatemala for a better life.

“Unfortunately, that did not happen,” Juarez said.

Several members of the subcommittee including New York Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hugged Juarez after she spoke.

"No hay palabras, there are no words," said Chip Roy of Texas, the ranking Republican on the subcommittee.

He blamed Democrats for the border crowding.

"The blood is on the hands of the Democrats who refuse to actually address this," he said.

The hearing came as a senior US Customs and Border Protection official told reporters that border agents were detaining only about 200 unaccompanied children at locations in the Southwest as of Wednesday, down from more than 2,500 in May. The reduction reflects funding increases that have enabled a federal health agency to expand its holding capacity.

A Guatemalan asylum seeker left some members of a US House panel visibly shaken on Wednesday with the story of her daughter's death, saying the toddler had contracted a deadly lung infection during 20-day detention near the US border with Mexico.

A Guatemalan asylum seeker left some members of a US House panel visibly shaken on Wednesday with the story of her daughter's death, saying the toddler had contracted a deadly lung infection during 20-day detention near the US border with Mexico. Yazmin Juarez told a House of Representatives subcommittee that it was "like they tore out a piece of my heart" when just weeks after they were released her daughter Mariee died at 19 months old. She said she left a hospital with nothing but a piece of paper with two handprints in pink paint that staff had made for her, and described through a translator how she missed her daughter's hugs. Juarez said it was hard to relive the experience, but wanted to shed light on the lack of medical care. "The world should know," she said. "It can’t be so hard for a country like the United States to protect kids who are locked up. Guatemalan migrant: Life is difficult without my child Juarez testified at the House Committee on Oversight and Reform that was examining the treatment of refugees in US detention. Apprehensions along the border have spiked to the highest in at least a decade, driven by families from Central America who say they are seeking asylum and fleeing violence in their home countries. Images of filthy detention facilities jammed with refugees have sparked widespread criticism. On Monday UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said she was "appalled" that migrant children were forced to sleep on floors. President Donald Trump's tough stance on immigration has been one of his signature policies. "If Illegal Immigrants are unhappy with the conditions in the quickly built or refitted detentions centers, just tell them not to come," Trump wrote on Twitter last week. Juarez told members of Congress, several of whom appeared shaken by her testimony, that her daughter was healthy when the pair were initially detained. They were held with 30 others, including sick children whom Juarez said could have infected her daughter. Juarez said that she and her daughter fled violence in Guatemala for a better life. “Unfortunately, that did not happen,” Juarez said. Several members of the subcommittee including New York Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hugged Juarez after she spoke. "No hay palabras, there are no words," said Chip Roy of Texas, the ranking Republican on the subcommittee. He blamed Democrats for the border crowding. "The blood is on the hands of the Democrats who refuse to actually address this," he said. The hearing came as a senior US Customs and Border Protection official told reporters that border agents were detaining only about 200 unaccompanied children at locations in the Southwest as of Wednesday, down from more than 2,500 in May. The reduction reflects funding increases that have enabled a federal health agency to expand its holding capacity.

'World should know,' migrant tells US Congress of toddler's death

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rule-of-law-in-venezuela-eroded-un-rights-chief-233251">UN human rights</a> chief said Monday that she was "deeply shocked" by conditions under which migrants and refugees are held at US detention centres, following reports of severe overcrowding and disease-ridden cells.&nbsp;

"As a paediatrician, but also as a mother and a former head of State, I am deeply shocked that children are forced to sleep on the floor in overcrowded facilities, without access to adequate healthcare or food, and with poor sanitation conditions," the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rule-of-law-in-venezuela-eroded-un-rights-chief-233251">Michelle Bachelet</a>, said in a statement.&nbsp;

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) watchdog report released last week warned of "dangerous overcrowding" in multiple detention facilities holding thousands of migrants seeking to remain in the United States. Most of them are fleeing violence and poverty in Central America.

On Saturday, the New York Times and The El Paso Times published an article describing a Border Patrol station in Clint, Texas as filled with hundreds of children wearing filthy clothing and packed into disease-ridden cells.

President Donald Trump called the story a "hoax" and said he would take the media to visit the centres.&nbsp;

Democratic lawmakers who recently visited detention facilities reported massive crowding in cells with no running water, where children and adults lacked access to medicines and were deprived of showers for up to two weeks.

Responding to the DHS report, Bachelet said that even detaining children "for short periods under good conditions can have a serious impact on their health and development.

"Consider the damage being done every day by allowing this alarming situation to continue," added Bachelet, the former president of Chile.

Trump has previously expressed little sympathy for migrants in the facilities.

On Twitter, he wrote,&nbsp;"If Illegal Immigrants are unhappy with the conditions in the quickly built or refitted detentions centres, just tell them not to come. All problems solved!"

'This should never happen, anywhere'&nbsp;

Bachelet called for compassion, stressing that those who find themselves in these facilities "have embarked on perilous journeys with their children in search of protection and dignity and away from violence and hunger."

"When they finally believe they have arrived in safety, they may find themselves separated from their loved ones and locked in undignified conditions. This should never happen anywhere."

She noted that states have the right to determine the circumstances surrounding the entry of foreign nationals and acknowledged the complex challenges surrounding migration management, including in Central America.&nbsp;

"But clearly, border management measures must comply with the State’s human rights obligations and should not be based on narrow policies aimed only at detecting, detaining and expeditiously deporting irregular migrants," she added.

The UN human rights chief said Monday that she was "deeply shocked" by conditions under which migrants and refugees are held at US detention centres, following reports of severe overcrowding and disease-ridden cells.

The UN human rights chief said Monday that she was "deeply shocked" by conditions under which migrants and refugees are held at US detention centres, following reports of severe overcrowding and disease-ridden cells. "As a paediatrician, but also as a mother and a former head of State, I am deeply shocked that children are forced to sleep on the floor in overcrowded facilities, without access to adequate healthcare or food, and with poor sanitation conditions," the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, said in a statement. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) watchdog report released last week warned of "dangerous overcrowding" in multiple detention facilities holding thousands of migrants seeking to remain in the United States. Most of them are fleeing violence and poverty in Central America. On Saturday, the New York Times and The El Paso Times published an article describing a Border Patrol station in Clint, Texas as filled with hundreds of children wearing filthy clothing and packed into disease-ridden cells. President Donald Trump called the story a "hoax" and said he would take the media to visit the centres. Democratic lawmakers who recently visited detention facilities reported massive crowding in cells with no running water, where children and adults lacked access to medicines and were deprived of showers for up to two weeks. Responding to the DHS report, Bachelet said that even detaining children "for short periods under good conditions can have a serious impact on their health and development. "Consider the damage being done every day by allowing this alarming situation to continue," added Bachelet, the former president of Chile. Trump has previously expressed little sympathy for migrants in the facilities. On Twitter, he wrote, "If Illegal Immigrants are unhappy with the conditions in the quickly built or refitted detentions centres, just tell them not to come. All problems solved!" 'This should never happen, anywhere' Bachelet called for compassion, stressing that those who find themselves in these facilities "have embarked on perilous journeys with their children in search of protection and dignity and away from violence and hunger." "When they finally believe they have arrived in safety, they may find themselves separated from their loved ones and locked in undignified conditions. This should never happen anywhere." She noted that states have the right to determine the circumstances surrounding the entry of foreign nationals and acknowledged the complex challenges surrounding migration management, including in Central America. "But clearly, border management measures must comply with the State’s human rights obligations and should not be based on narrow policies aimed only at detecting, detaining and expeditiously deporting irregular migrants," she added.

United Nation rights chief 'shocked' by conditions at US migrant detention centres

Mexico on Wednesday called on the United Nations for more support for its plan to stem the stream of undocumented migrants who are fleeing poverty and violence in Central America.

In a meeting with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard asked for a special envoy to be appointed to coordinate the work that 14 UN agencies are carrying out on the ground in Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.

Extra UN participation was needed because the work "involves not only several agencies in Mexico but also all other agencies in the three other countries and Mexico," said Mexico's ambassador to the United Nations, Juan Ramon de la Fuente, who was also present at the meeting.

The minister himself said the meeting with Guterres had been "very successful ... We asked for a UN presence on the border."&nbsp;

A spokesman for Guterres said the "UN system has been very involved in supporting Mexico, as a large number of refugees and migrants cross its territory" and said a full statement on the meeting was likely to be released Thursday.

Thousands of Central American migrants have fled poverty and violence, heading across Mexico and bound for the United States, many of them organized into massive "caravans."&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump has threatened to close the border and slap tariffs on Mexican imports if Mexico does not stem the flow of migrants from the south.

In tense negotiations, Mexico won a delay of 45 days on punitive actions in return for a pledge to deploy 6,000 members of the National Guard along its own southern border to start cracking down on the migrant flow.

"Migration is not prohibited," said Ebrard. "But we are not going to allow the trafficking of minors as they are doing, the trafficking of people."

Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obredor and his El Salvador counterpart Nayib Bukele are due on Thursday to launch one of the development plans aimed at stemming the flow of migrants.

The plan will include 30 public policy recommendations to bolster growth and employment in the region, thereby easing pressure on people to leave their homelands. &nbsp;

Mexico will contribute "several million dollars" to the plan, said Ebrard.&nbsp;

Mexico on Wednesday called on the United Nations for more support for its plan to stem the stream of undocumented migrants who are fleeing poverty and violence in Central America.

Mexico on Wednesday called on the United Nations for more support for its plan to stem the stream of undocumented migrants who are fleeing poverty and violence in Central America. In a meeting with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard asked for a special envoy to be appointed to coordinate the work that 14 UN agencies are carrying out on the ground in Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. Extra UN participation was needed because the work "involves not only several agencies in Mexico but also all other agencies in the three other countries and Mexico," said Mexico's ambassador to the United Nations, Juan Ramon de la Fuente, who was also present at the meeting. The minister himself said the meeting with Guterres had been "very successful ... We asked for a UN presence on the border." A spokesman for Guterres said the "UN system has been very involved in supporting Mexico, as a large number of refugees and migrants cross its territory" and said a full statement on the meeting was likely to be released Thursday. Thousands of Central American migrants have fled poverty and violence, heading across Mexico and bound for the United States, many of them organized into massive "caravans." US President Donald Trump has threatened to close the border and slap tariffs on Mexican imports if Mexico does not stem the flow of migrants from the south. In tense negotiations, Mexico won a delay of 45 days on punitive actions in return for a pledge to deploy 6,000 members of the National Guard along its own southern border to start cracking down on the migrant flow. "Migration is not prohibited," said Ebrard. "But we are not going to allow the trafficking of minors as they are doing, the trafficking of people." Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obredor and his El Salvador counterpart Nayib Bukele are due on Thursday to launch one of the development plans aimed at stemming the flow of migrants. The plan will include 30 public policy recommendations to bolster growth and employment in the region, thereby easing pressure on people to leave their homelands. Mexico will contribute "several million dollars" to the plan, said Ebrard.

Mexico asks UN for more suppoprt to tackle Central American migrants

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-to-propose-plan-to-make-us-immigration-more-merit-based-219054">&nbsp;President Donald Trump</a> said on Monday that US authorities would begin next week removing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-trump-immigration-plan-may-increase-visas-for-highly-skilled-workers-213463">millions of immigrants</a> who are in the United States illegally.

"Next week ICE will begin the process of removing the millions of illegal aliens who have illicitly found their way into the United States," Trump tweeted, referring to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. "They will be removed as fast as they come in," he said. He did not offer specifics.

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Next week ICE will begin the process of removing the millions of illegal aliens who have illicitly found their way into the United States. They will be removed as fast as they come in. Mexico, using their strong immigration laws, is doing a very good job of stopping people.......
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There are an estimated 12 million immigrants who are in the United States illegally, mainly from Mexico and Central America.

Under a deal reached earlier this month, Mexico has agreed to take Central American immigrants seeking asylum in the United States until their cases are heard in US courts.

The agreement, which included Mexico pledging to deploy National Guard troops to stop Central American immigrants from reaching the US border, averted a Trump threat to hit Mexican imports with tariffs.

Trump also said in the tweet that Guatemala "is getting ready to sign a Safe-Third Agreement."

US Vice President Mike Pence suggested last week that Guatemala could receive asylum seekers from its neighbours as a so-called safe third country.

Details of the plan have not been made public, and Guatemala has not publicly confirmed talks that the US State Department said were taking place in Guatemala on Friday.

US rights group Human Rights First said, however, it was "simply ludicrous" for the United States to assert that Guatemala was capable of protecting refugees when its own citizens are fleeing violence.

Mexico has agreed that if its measures to stem the flow of migrants are unsuccessful, it will discuss signing a safe third country agreement with the United States.&nbsp;

President Donald Trump said on Monday that US authorities would begin next week removing millions of immigrants who are in the United States illegally. "Next week ICE will begin the process of removing the millions of illegal aliens who have illicitly found their way into the United States," Trump tweeted, referring to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

President Donald Trump said on Monday that US authorities would begin next week removing millions of immigrants who are in the United States illegally. "Next week ICE will begin the process of removing the millions of illegal aliens who have illicitly found their way into the United States," Trump tweeted, referring to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. "They will be removed as fast as they come in," he said. He did not offer specifics. Next week ICE will begin the process of removing the millions of illegal aliens who have illicitly found their way into the United States. They will be removed as fast as they come in. Mexico, using their strong immigration laws, is doing a very good job of stopping people....... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 18, 2019 × There are an estimated 12 million immigrants who are in the United States illegally, mainly from Mexico and Central America. Under a deal reached earlier this month, Mexico has agreed to take Central American immigrants seeking asylum in the United States until their cases are heard in US courts. The agreement, which included Mexico pledging to deploy National Guard troops to stop Central American immigrants from reaching the US border, averted a Trump threat to hit Mexican imports with tariffs. Trump also said in the tweet that Guatemala "is getting ready to sign a Safe-Third Agreement." US Vice President Mike Pence suggested last week that Guatemala could receive asylum seekers from its neighbours as a so-called safe third country. Details of the plan have not been made public, and Guatemala has not publicly confirmed talks that the US State Department said were taking place in Guatemala on Friday. US rights group Human Rights First said, however, it was "simply ludicrous" for the United States to assert that Guatemala was capable of protecting refugees when its own citizens are fleeing violence. Mexico has agreed that if its measures to stem the flow of migrants are unsuccessful, it will discuss signing a safe third country agreement with the United States.

US will begin removing millions of illegal immigrants, tweets Donald Trump

Oil prices rose on Monday after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-says-firm-stand-needed-to-deter-iran-iraq-demurs-223124">Saudi Arabia </a>said producer club OPEC and Russia should keep supplies restricted at current levels, and in relief that the United States withdrew a tariff threat against Mexico, removing a cloud over the global economy.

Despite Monday's increases, traders said concerns about the health of the global economy and its impact on fuel demand still weighed on oil market sentiment.

Front-month Brent crude futures, the international benchmark for oil prices, were at $63.61 at 0411 GMT, 32 cents, or 0.5%, above Friday's close.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $54.32 per barrel, 33 cents, or 0.6%.

Traders said crude prices were rising because of statements by OPEC's biggest producer Saudi Arabia on Friday saying that the group was close to agreeing extending supply cuts.

"Brent futures continue rising ... after the Saudi Arabian Energy Minister expressed confidence that OPEC+ producers will prolong their output cuts programme through the second half of 2019," said Han Tan, an analyst at futures brokerage FXTM.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and some non-members, including Russia, known collectively as "OPEC+", have withheld supplies since the start of the year to prop up prices.

Stephen Innes, the managing partner at Vanguard Markets, said stronger stock markets also supported oil futures.

"With the Mexican stalemate averted and no harmful shockwaves from this weekend G-20 meeting ... oil could trade favourably as WTI and Brent will continue to track the broader risk environment high," Innes said.

Stock markets rose on Monday after a deal between the United States and Mexico to combat illegal migration from Central America late last week removed the threat of US tariffs on goods imported from Mexico.

But analysts said there were still concerns about the health of the global economy, with the United States and China still locked in a trade war.

"Slowing global demand appears to be featuring prominently on the markets' collective mind, as the fallout from heightened trade tensions continues to be felt in the global economy," said FXTM's Tan.

"The sustainability of oil's recent climb could be determined by the outlooks of several key industry bodies scheduled this week, whereby more downcast projections for global demand could prompt traders to continue chipping away at oil," he added.

China's crude oil imports slipped to around 40.23 million tonnes (9.47 million barrels per day), down from an all-time peak of 43.73 million tonnes in April, customs data showed on Monday, as the world's top importer of the commodity curbed shipments from Iran amid tightening U.S. sanctions on that country.

Oil major BP will publish its statistical review of global energy markets on Tuesday, while China on Friday is scheduled to publish its monthly commodities output data.

Oil prices rose on Monday after Saudi Arabia said producer club OPEC and Russia should keep supplies restricted at current levels, and in relief that the United States withdrew a tariff threat against Mexico, removing a cloud over the global economy.

Oil prices rose on Monday after Saudi Arabia said producer club OPEC and Russia should keep supplies restricted at current levels, and in relief that the United States withdrew a tariff threat against Mexico, removing a cloud over the global economy. Despite Monday's increases, traders said concerns about the health of the global economy and its impact on fuel demand still weighed on oil market sentiment. Front-month Brent crude futures, the international benchmark for oil prices, were at $63.61 at 0411 GMT, 32 cents, or 0.5%, above Friday's close. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $54.32 per barrel, 33 cents, or 0.6%. Traders said crude prices were rising because of statements by OPEC's biggest producer Saudi Arabia on Friday saying that the group was close to agreeing extending supply cuts. "Brent futures continue rising ... after the Saudi Arabian Energy Minister expressed confidence that OPEC+ producers will prolong their output cuts programme through the second half of 2019," said Han Tan, an analyst at futures brokerage FXTM. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and some non-members, including Russia, known collectively as "OPEC+", have withheld supplies since the start of the year to prop up prices. Stephen Innes, the managing partner at Vanguard Markets, said stronger stock markets also supported oil futures. "With the Mexican stalemate averted and no harmful shockwaves from this weekend G-20 meeting ... oil could trade favourably as WTI and Brent will continue to track the broader risk environment high," Innes said. Stock markets rose on Monday after a deal between the United States and Mexico to combat illegal migration from Central America late last week removed the threat of US tariffs on goods imported from Mexico. But analysts said there were still concerns about the health of the global economy, with the United States and China still locked in a trade war. "Slowing global demand appears to be featuring prominently on the markets' collective mind, as the fallout from heightened trade tensions continues to be felt in the global economy," said FXTM's Tan. "The sustainability of oil's recent climb could be determined by the outlooks of several key industry bodies scheduled this week, whereby more downcast projections for global demand could prompt traders to continue chipping away at oil," he added. China's crude oil imports slipped to around 40.23 million tonnes (9.47 million barrels per day), down from an all-time peak of 43.73 million tonnes in April, customs data showed on Monday, as the world's top importer of the commodity curbed shipments from Iran amid tightening U.S. sanctions on that country. Oil major BP will publish its statistical review of global energy markets on Tuesday, while China on Friday is scheduled to publish its monthly commodities output data.

Oil prices rise as Saudi producers stick with ongoing supply cuts

The White House on Sunday defended President Donald Trump's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-cuts-aid-for-some-central-american-countries-over-migrants-206859">decision to cut off aid to three small Central American countries</a>, insisting they weren't doing enough to stop the flow of migrants to the United States.

Trump announced the aid cut-off to El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala last week and threatened once again to close the US border with Mexico in response to the migrant surge.

"If we're going to give these countries hundreds of millions of dollars, we would like them to do more," White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said on CNN's "State of the Union."

The aid has gone to fund programs to combat gangs and foster development in the three countries, with the aim of addressing the root causes of the mass migration.

"If it's working so well, why are the people still coming? &nbsp;Why are these historic numbers -- again, 100,000 people will cross the border this month alone," Mulvaney said.

"It's not working well enough to help us solve our border crisis. &nbsp;And that's what the president's focused on," he said.

Critics warned, however, that US funding cuts are likely to worsen conditions, possibly adding to the migrant flow. And they said Trump's threat to close the border with Mexico if carried out, would hurt the US economy.

Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, dismissed the threat to close the border as "a totally unrealistic boast" by Trump.

"We need to focus on what's happening in Central America where three countries are disassembling before our eyes and people are desperately coming to the United States. The president cutting off aid to these countries will not solve this problem," he said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway, speaking on "Fox News Sunday," insisted Trump's threat to close the border "certainly isn't a bluff."

On Saturday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that, at the president's direction, the State Department was ending its foreign assistance programs for the three Central American countries for 2017 and 2018.

The State Department did not say how much unspent money was involved in the step, which could be largely symbolic.

In comments to reporters Friday, Trump suggested as much as $500 million is at stake.

"We were giving them $500 million. We were paying them tremendous amounts of money, and we're not paying them anymore because they haven't done a thing."

In response to the aid cuts, Honduras proposed Sunday that it, Guatemala and El Salvador consider undertaking joint initiatives "to ensure the sovereignty and dignity of each nation" in light of "the contradictory policies of the United States."

The White House on Sunday defended President Donald Trump's decision to cut off aid to three small Central American countries, insisting they weren't doing enough to stop the flow of migrants to the United States.

The White House on Sunday defended President Donald Trump's decision to cut off aid to three small Central American countries, insisting they weren't doing enough to stop the flow of migrants to the United States. Trump announced the aid cut-off to El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala last week and threatened once again to close the US border with Mexico in response to the migrant surge. "If we're going to give these countries hundreds of millions of dollars, we would like them to do more," White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said on CNN's "State of the Union." The aid has gone to fund programs to combat gangs and foster development in the three countries, with the aim of addressing the root causes of the mass migration. "If it's working so well, why are the people still coming? Why are these historic numbers -- again, 100,000 people will cross the border this month alone," Mulvaney said. "It's not working well enough to help us solve our border crisis. And that's what the president's focused on," he said. Critics warned, however, that US funding cuts are likely to worsen conditions, possibly adding to the migrant flow. And they said Trump's threat to close the border with Mexico if carried out, would hurt the US economy. Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, dismissed the threat to close the border as "a totally unrealistic boast" by Trump. "We need to focus on what's happening in Central America where three countries are disassembling before our eyes and people are desperately coming to the United States. The president cutting off aid to these countries will not solve this problem," he said on NBC's "Meet the Press." White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway, speaking on "Fox News Sunday," insisted Trump's threat to close the border "certainly isn't a bluff." On Saturday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that, at the president's direction, the State Department was ending its foreign assistance programs for the three Central American countries for 2017 and 2018. The State Department did not say how much unspent money was involved in the step, which could be largely symbolic. In comments to reporters Friday, Trump suggested as much as $500 million is at stake. "We were giving them $500 million. We were paying them tremendous amounts of money, and we're not paying them anymore because they haven't done a thing." In response to the aid cuts, Honduras proposed Sunday that it, Guatemala and El Salvador consider undertaking joint initiatives "to ensure the sovereignty and dignity of each nation" in light of "the contradictory policies of the United States."

White House defends aid cuts to Central America

The amount of cocaine seized in Central America in 2017 was up on previous years, a trend that the International Narcotics Control Board has linked to greater production of the drug in Colombia and greater demand for it in the United States and Europe, according to a report published Tuesday.

The INCB's latest report said Central America and the Caribbean continued to be used by criminal groups for getting drugs manufactured in South America into the USA and across to Europe.

"Cocaine and cannabis are the drugs most frequently trafficked in large quantities through the region, and the most abused as well," the report said. "Overall, the quantities of cocaine seized in Central America increased in 2017 compared with 2016 and 2015."

The reason behind the hike in cocaine confiscations was due to an increase in coca bush cultivation and cocaine production in Colombia, combined with a growing demand for the drug in Europe and the USA, the report said.

Panama, which shares a border with Colombia, has been confiscating the most cocaine in recent years, having reported to the United Nations-linked agency that it seized 66.9 tons of the drug in 2017, which was 12.7 per cent more than the previous year (59.3 tons).

Costa Rica observed a similar trend in 2017, seizing the second-largest amount of cocaine at 27.9 tons; 20.1 per cent more than in 2016.

The drug arrived in Costa Rica via Panama, on its way to Mexico, the USA, and Europe from Colombia, the INCB said.

Guatemala meanwhile saw a 6.5 per cent increase in cocaine seizures in 2017 (13.6 tons), while Nicaragua saw a 22 per cent rise (5.5 tons).

The INCB said that Central America accounted for 11 per cent of the total cocaine confiscations all over the world, most of which were undertaken in Panama.

Cocaine reached Europe via passenger flights, air freight, private aircraft, postal systems, yachts and shipment containers, the report said.

A total of 70.9 tons of cocaine were seized in the European Union in 2016.

Belgium overtook Spain as the EU country where the most cocaine was seized (30 tons versus 15.6 tons).

"The importance of cocaine trafficking routes to Europe through the Iberian Peninsula may have slightly declined in favour of ports in other European countries," the INCB said.

An estimated 34.2 million people used drugs worldwide in 2016, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

The amount of cocaine seized in Central America in 2017 was up on previous years, a trend that the International Narcotics Control Board has linked to greater production of the drug in Colombia and greater demand for it in the United States and Europe, according to a report published Tuesday.

The amount of cocaine seized in Central America in 2017 was up on previous years, a trend that the International Narcotics Control Board has linked to greater production of the drug in Colombia and greater demand for it in the United States and Europe, according to a report published Tuesday. The INCB's latest report said Central America and the Caribbean continued to be used by criminal groups for getting drugs manufactured in South America into the USA and across to Europe. "Cocaine and cannabis are the drugs most frequently trafficked in large quantities through the region, and the most abused as well," the report said. "Overall, the quantities of cocaine seized in Central America increased in 2017 compared with 2016 and 2015." The reason behind the hike in cocaine confiscations was due to an increase in coca bush cultivation and cocaine production in Colombia, combined with a growing demand for the drug in Europe and the USA, the report said. Panama, which shares a border with Colombia, has been confiscating the most cocaine in recent years, having reported to the United Nations-linked agency that it seized 66.9 tons of the drug in 2017, which was 12.7 per cent more than the previous year (59.3 tons). Costa Rica observed a similar trend in 2017, seizing the second-largest amount of cocaine at 27.9 tons; 20.1 per cent more than in 2016. The drug arrived in Costa Rica via Panama, on its way to Mexico, the USA, and Europe from Colombia, the INCB said. Guatemala meanwhile saw a 6.5 per cent increase in cocaine seizures in 2017 (13.6 tons), while Nicaragua saw a 22 per cent rise (5.5 tons). The INCB said that Central America accounted for 11 per cent of the total cocaine confiscations all over the world, most of which were undertaken in Panama. Cocaine reached Europe via passenger flights, air freight, private aircraft, postal systems, yachts and shipment containers, the report said. A total of 70.9 tons of cocaine were seized in the European Union in 2016. Belgium overtook Spain as the EU country where the most cocaine was seized (30 tons versus 15.6 tons). "The importance of cocaine trafficking routes to Europe through the Iberian Peninsula may have slightly declined in favour of ports in other European countries," the INCB said. An estimated 34.2 million people used drugs worldwide in 2016, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

Higher demand for cocaine in US, Europe boosts trafficking in Central America

In pics: World Youth Day starts off in Panama

Hundreds of mostly <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/hondurans-form-a-new-us-bound-caravan-drawing-fire-from-trump-191110">Honduran migrants</a> entered southern Mexico on Friday, joining around 1,000 other people from Central America who crossed a day earlier and putting to the test Mexico`s vows to guarantee the safe and orderly flow of people.

The cohort crossed the Guatemalan border into Chiapas state before dawn without needing the wrist bands that Mexican officials on Thursday gave migrants to wear until they could register with authorities, several migrants and an official told Reuters.&nbsp;

"The road today was open," said Marco Antonio Cortez, 37, a baker from Honduras travelling with his wife and children, ages 2 and 9. "They didn`t give us bracelets or anything, they just let us pass through Mexico migration."

A migration official at the entry point, who asked not to be named because she was not authorized to speak to media, said that at least 1,000 people crossed from Guatemala into Mexico before dawn, without putting on wrist bands.

Asked why migrants did not receive wrist bands, David Leon, the director of civil protection, said authorities faced a caravan of hundreds of people early in the morning and let them pass rather than risk a confrontation.

The migrant group proceeded on foot alongside cars on a highway, accompanied by federal police officers, arriving at a shelter in the city of Tapachula around midday.

Sitting by the side of the road rubbing cream onto his children`s feet, 40-year-old Honduran migrant Santos Pineda said he and his family entered Mexico easily, and without having to provide documents or wear any wrist bands. The family`s plan was to press on to the United States, he said.

A migration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said those who entered without wrist bands ran the risk of being detained for crossing illegally. 
Around 300 mostly Honduran migrants with wrist bands were still waiting to cross into Mexico on Friday afternoon.

Mexico`s migration institute said the migrants can stay in temporary shelters in Mexico until they receive humanitarian visas allowing them to remain in the country, or they can wait in Guatemala for their document to be ready.

Groups of migrants left El Salvador and Honduras earlier in the week, the latest in a string of caravans of people largely fleeing poverty and violence.&nbsp;

The caravans have inflamed the debate over US immigration policy, with President Donald Trump using the migrants to try to secure backing for his plan to build a wall on the US-Mexican border.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is pursuing a "humanitarian" approach to the problem, vowing to stem the flow of people by finding jobs for the migrants. In exchange, he wants Trump to help spur economic development in the region.

Hundreds of mostly Honduran migrants entered southern Mexico on Friday, joining around 1,000 other people from Central America who crossed a day earlier and putting to the test Mexico`s vows to guarantee the safe and orderly flow of people.

Hundreds of mostly Honduran migrants entered southern Mexico on Friday, joining around 1,000 other people from Central America who crossed a day earlier and putting to the test Mexico`s vows to guarantee the safe and orderly flow of people. The cohort crossed the Guatemalan border into Chiapas state before dawn without needing the wrist bands that Mexican officials on Thursday gave migrants to wear until they could register with authorities, several migrants and an official told Reuters. "The road today was open," said Marco Antonio Cortez, 37, a baker from Honduras travelling with his wife and children, ages 2 and 9. "They didn`t give us bracelets or anything, they just let us pass through Mexico migration." A migration official at the entry point, who asked not to be named because she was not authorized to speak to media, said that at least 1,000 people crossed from Guatemala into Mexico before dawn, without putting on wrist bands. Asked why migrants did not receive wrist bands, David Leon, the director of civil protection, said authorities faced a caravan of hundreds of people early in the morning and let them pass rather than risk a confrontation. The migrant group proceeded on foot alongside cars on a highway, accompanied by federal police officers, arriving at a shelter in the city of Tapachula around midday. Sitting by the side of the road rubbing cream onto his children`s feet, 40-year-old Honduran migrant Santos Pineda said he and his family entered Mexico easily, and without having to provide documents or wear any wrist bands. The family`s plan was to press on to the United States, he said. A migration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said those who entered without wrist bands ran the risk of being detained for crossing illegally. Around 300 mostly Honduran migrants with wrist bands were still waiting to cross into Mexico on Friday afternoon. Mexico`s migration institute said the migrants can stay in temporary shelters in Mexico until they receive humanitarian visas allowing them to remain in the country, or they can wait in Guatemala for their document to be ready. Groups of migrants left El Salvador and Honduras earlier in the week, the latest in a string of caravans of people largely fleeing poverty and violence. The caravans have inflamed the debate over US immigration policy, with President Donald Trump using the migrants to try to secure backing for his plan to build a wall on the US-Mexican border. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is pursuing a "humanitarian" approach to the problem, vowing to stem the flow of people by finding jobs for the migrants. In exchange, he wants Trump to help spur economic development in the region.

Hundreds of Central American migrants enter Mexico with few checks

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