JPMorgan Chase $290 million settlement with Epstein accusers wins preliminary approval

By Luc Cohen and Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) -A U.S. judge on Monday granted preliminary approval to JPMorgan Chase’s $290 million settlement with women who said Jeffrey Epstein abused them, and that the largest U.S. bank turned a blind eye to the late financier’s sex trafficking. The approval was issued by U.S. District Judge…

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Honduras military takes over prisons after dozens die in riot

TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) – Honduras’ military began taking control of the country’s violent prisons on Monday, following a gang dispute that left 46 inmates dead at a women’s detention center last week, officials said. Leftist President Xiomara Castro announced last week she would hand the military police control of the prison system, a departure from a…

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Analysis-Emergence of Guatemalan anti-graft champion shakes up election

By Sofia Menchu GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) -Guatemalans fed up with persistent graft scandals on Sunday catapulted an unheralded anti-corruption candidate into a run-off for the presidency, raising hopes of a renewed drive to clean up the government after years of frustration. Bernardo Arevalo, an ex-diplomat and son of former president Juan Jose Arevalo, defied poll…

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Ukraine ‘peace summit’ talks make progress but long way to go -officials

By Andrew Gray BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Ukraine’s work with allies to build broad international support for a peace blueprint has made progress but any summit to endorse a document is at least months away, officials said. Senior officials from Ukraine, G7 countries, the European Union and nations such as Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia, South Africa…

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Costa Rica unlocks $519 million from IMF for economic reform, climate programs

(Reuters) – Costa Rica has unlocked a total of around $519 million for its economic reform program and a climate and sustainability program, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Monday. Around $274 million went to the economic reform program, which is one installment in the more than $1 billion Costa Rica has received from…

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Dutch human rights body: ASML may follow US export rules when hiring

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Dutch computer chip equipment maker ASML may refuse job applicants on the basis of their nationality when required to do so by U.S. export rules, a Dutch human rights body has found. The decision by the Netherlands’ Institute for Human Rights affirmed that ASML may reject job applicants from Iran, Syria, Cuba…

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US should apologize to Guantanamo Bay inmates for treatment -UN expert

(Reuters) -A United Nations expert said on Monday that U.S. government treatment of Guantanamo Bay inmates was cruel, inhuman and degrading under international law and called for Washington to apologize and provide reparation. “I observed that after two decades of custody, the suffering of those detained is profound, and it’s ongoing,” Fionnuala Ni Aolain said…

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Guatemala election heads for run-off, leftists in lead amid voter anger

By Sofia Menchu and Diego Oré GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) – Guatemalans voted for a new president on Sunday in an election headed for an August run-off, with early results putting the center-left in the lead but also appearing to show widespread voter frustration over the exclusion of an early favorite. The contest, dominated by international…

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Argentina’s election line-up twist boosts markets, adds spice to IMF talks

By Walter Bianchi BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) -Argentina’s election line-up twist, which saw the ruling Peronist coalition torpedo a leftist candidate in favor of a centrist economy minister, boosted local markets on Monday, though analysts said it added a new spice to talks with the IMF. The Peronist bloc, Union por la Patria, said on Friday…

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America Movil announces foreign debt offering of up to 20 billion pesos

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexican telecommunications giant America Movil, controlled by the family of tycoon Carlos Slim, announced the launch of a foreign debt public offering of up to 20 billion pesos ($1.17 billion), the company said in a statement on Monday. The issuance will take place on July 6, part of a five-year overall…

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