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Each year, about 64 million people collect Social Security benefits: about one family in four receives some kind of Social Security benefits. Of those, nearly 45 million are retired workers who receive, on average, $1,471 per month; another 3 million individuals receive benefits as spouses or children of retired workers. 

Social Security benefits represent about 33% of the income of the elderly. According to the Social Security Administration, among the elderly, half of married couples and 70% of unmarried persons receive 50% or more of their income from Social Security. Nearly 21% of married couples and about 45% of unmarried persons rely on Social Security for 90% or more of their income.

Compare those numbers to just 25,972,101 taxpayers over the age of 65 who filed in 2018 (according to the most recent IRS data available). 

That means more than 20 million taxpayers over the age of 65 do not file a federal income tax return each year – likely because their only source of income is Social Security benefits. 

Initially, that wasn’t a barrier to getting stimulus checks. Congress provided Treasury with a mechanism in the CARES Act for relying on forms 1099-SSA (or RRB equivalent) to issue checks. That carve-out is in the same paragraph that gives taxpayers an alternative if they haven’t filed for the 2019 tax year (Treasury can refer to their 2018 tax return). I wrote about it – as did many others – and for days, the knowledge that they didn’t have to do anything further for benefits provided a sense of relief for seniors. Until Monday, March 30, 2020.

On Monday, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) posted a notice about the checks. The guidance included several sentences that seem contrary to the language in the law. Specifically, the guidance advised, “However, some seniors and others who typically do not file returns will need to submit a simple tax return to receive the stimulus payment.”

Tax professionals like me expected that some non-filers would have to file returns to receive checks. Otherwise, how would the IRS know how to reach them, or that they existed at all?

But seniors? Seniors for whom the Social Security Administration issues tax statements each year AND requires direct deposit for benefit checks? Why the need for more paperwork?

So far, the IRS isn’t commenting. 

But, according to Chye-Ching Huang, Senior Director for Economic Policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, this wasn’t supposed to be the result of the legislation. The Treasury, she notes, was given “clear and explicit authority” to issue checks based on information available from the Social Security Administration. 

Here’s the language from the law (downloads as a PDF): “if the individual has not filed a tax return for such individual’s first taxable year beginning in 2018, use information with respect to such individual for calendar year 2019 provided in— (i) Form SSA–1099, Social Security Benefit Statement, or (ii) Form RRB–1099, Social Security Equivalent Benefit Statement.”

That language was, Huang says, pretty clearly intended to avoid the mistakes of the past. In 2008, nearly 20 million taxpayers who were traditionally non-filers were required to file tax returns to get rebate checks. That’s why it took almost three months for some taxpayers to receive their checks.

At the time, then National Taxpayer Advocate, Nina Olson, criticized the move, testifying to Congress that it was unnecessary and burdensome for those in need (downloads as a PDF). Specifically, Olson noted in 2008 that there were “significant barriers that will result in substantially less than full participation by this target population.” Some challenges Olson noted were a lack of Internet access or discomfort obtaining tax information from the Internet; lack of mobility; including those who are incapacitated and under the care of guardians, conservators, or nursing homes and hospitals; fear of the IRS or losing benefits; and confusing messages. An estimated 3.5 million of those eligible never got their checks at all that year.

Olson suggested that it may be better to utilize another federal agency for payment delivery, querying at the time, “The 20.5 million Social Security and Veterans Affairs beneficiaries all receive payments from those agencies, and many of those payments are directly deposited into bank accounts. Why not find a way to let those agencies make stimulus payments to individuals without a tax filing requirement instead of requiring them to file ESP-only returns and having the IRS then send them paper checks?”

That was in 2008 when seniors weren’t been told to stay in their homes and tax offices were not shut down. Now, Huang notes, the current COVID-19 crisis has made it even harder for those people to file. Free tax centers for seniors, such as AARP Tax-Aide, are now closed. Tax professionals are staying home. And statistically, the elderly are among the most vulnerable to COVID-19. So why design a system where they may not be able to get financial assistance without exposing themselves to danger?

Throw in the potential for increased scams targeting the elderly, and it’s a recipe for disaster.

For its part, the IRS seems to think that the workaround is simply to wait, advising, “For those concerned about visiting a tax professional or local community organization in person to get help with a tax return, these economic impact payments will be available throughout the rest of 2020.”

For some seniors with bills to pay and food and medication to buy, that might be too late.

Requests for comment made to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), other members of Congress, and the White House were not immediately returned.

Related: Your Money And Coronavirus: A Financial Protection Guide

 

Source Article from https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2020/03/31/irs-adds-to-confusion-about-whether-seniors-have-to-file-tax-returns-to-get-stimulus-checks/

The record-breaking heat wave in the Pacific Northwest is pushing people’s bodies to the limit — sending more than 800 people to the hospital for possible heat-related illness in recent days.

There’s no question about it, scientists and health experts say: This is the result of climate change, and the future only holds more of the same.

“The record-shattering extreme heat we’re experiencing is just the latest example of our climate crisis and how it’s impacting human health now,” Jeff Duchin, a health officer for Public Health in Seattle and King County, Washington, said in a statement. “Climate change is a health emergency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions is literally a matter of life and death.”

Washington state hospitals reported 676 emergency department visits for suspected heat-related illness since Friday, with 81 leading to inpatient admission, according to Cory Portner, a spokesman for the state’s Department of Health.

That’s a staggeringly high health toll. Between 2000 and 2018, summer heat-related hospitalizations in Washington only twice surpassed 51, according to state data.

Meanwhile, about 200 people went to emergency departments or urgent care clinics for heat illnesses in Oregon amid the heat wave, according to a state report.

At least 43 emergency visits for heat illness occurred in Portland and surrounding Multnomah County between Friday and Sunday.

“Normally we would expect about 1 or 2 visits for heat illness in the same time period, and it is not unusual for the County to have zero visits for heat illness on a typical summer day,” Kate Yeiser, a spokesperson for Multnomah County, told BuzzFeed News in an email.

Moreover, the county’s Emergency Medical Services department received over 400 calls during that time. “We can’t say exactly how many calls were related to heat but that number is unheard of for our county,” Yeiser said.

Extreme heat is deadly, killing more than 11,000 people across the US since 1979. Everyone is at risk of heat exhaustion or the more serious condition of heatstroke, which could result in a high fever, nausea or vomiting, and even a loss of consciousness.

Certain groups of people, such as babies and kids, pregnant people, and the elderly, are more vulnerable to heat stress because their bodies aren’t efficient at regulating their internal temperatures. Others have a higher heat exposure because of their jobs or because they don’t have access to air conditioning, such as families with low incomes or people without stable housing.

This part of the country also isn’t prepared for this kind of punishing heat. Take Seattle, where only 44% of homes have air conditioning because of the city’s historically moderate temperatures, making it one of the least air-conditioned cities in the country, according to the Seattle Times.

The skyrocketing emergency calls and hospital visits in the Pacific Northwest have coincided with additional impacts to the region. Highways and streets have cracked and buckled from the heat, closing roads and impacting traffic. Even flights have been impacted. Restaurants have closed down. There has been a shortage of air conditioners and fans. Hundreds upon hundreds of people have sought refuge in air-conditioned libraries, malls, movie theaters, and other officially designated “cooling centers.”

The punishingly hot temperatures driving these impacts have shattered all-time high records day after day.

The Portland Airport officially hit 116 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday, June 28, setting a new all-time record high in the city, according to a tweet published by the Portland division of the National Weather Service. This beat the previous record of 112 degrees set the previous day.

Source Article from https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/zahrahirji/northwest-heatwave-washington-oregon

via press release:

NOTICIAS  TELEMUNDO  PRESENTS:

“MURIENDO POR CRUZAR,” AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE INCREASING NUMBER OF IMMIGRANT DEATHS ALONG THE BORDER, THIS SUNDAY, AUGUST 3 AT 6 P.M./5 C

Carmen Dominicci and Neida Sandoval present the Telemundo and The Weather Channel co-production

Miami – July 31, 2014 – Telemundo presents “Muriendo por Cruzar”, a documentary that investigates why increasing numbers of immigrants are dying while trying to cross the US-Mexican border near the city of Falfurrias, Texas, this Sunday, August 3 at 6PM/5 C.  The Telemundo and The Weather Channel co-production, presented by Noticias Telemundo journalists Carmen Dominicci and Neida Sandoval, reveals the obstacles immigrants face once they cross into US territory, including extreme weather conditions, as they try to evade the border patrol.  “Muriendo por Cruzar” is part of Noticias Telemundo’s special coverage of the crisis on the border and immigration reform.

 

“‘Muriendo por Cruzar’” dares to ask questions that reveal the actual conditions undocumented immigrants face as they try to start a new life in the United States,” said Alina Falcón, Telemundo’s Executive Vice President for News and Alternative Programming.  “Our collaboration with The Weather Channel was very productive. They have a unique expertise in covering the impact of weather on people’s lives, as we do in covering immigration reform and the border crisis. The result is a compelling documentary that exposes a harrowing reality.”

“Muriendo por Cruzar” is the first co-production by Telemundo and The Weather Channel.  Both networks are part of NBCUniversal.

Source Article from http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/07/31/noticias-telemundo-presents-muriendo-por-cruzar-this-sunday-august-3-at-6pm/289119/

America should give the peace agreement with the Taliban a chance, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Saturday.

In an interview on “Fox & Friends Weekend” with hosts Dean Cain, Pete Hegseth and Jedidiah Bila, Graham said he will believe there is peace when he sees it, but he wants to applaud President Trump for getting the Taliban to the table.

“Let’s give it a try,” he urged. “Eighteen years is a long time, but you’ve gotta remember why we still talk about Afghanistan… That’s the place where the Al Qaeda was invited in by the Taliban as their honored guests to attack us. Without a safe haven in Afghanistan, there would be no 9/11.”

JIM HANSON: TRUMP’S TALIBAN PEACE DEAL IS RIGHT MOVE — AFTER ALMOST 20 YEARS IT’S TIME TO EXIT AFGHANISTAN

After nearly two decades of conflict, the United States and the Taliban signed a peace agreement Saturday that is aimed at ending America’s longest war and will bring U.S. troops home more than 18 years after they invaded in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The deal, which was signed by chief negotiators and witnessed by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Doha, Qatar, could see the withdrawal of all American and allied forces in the next 14 months and allow the president to keep one of his key 2016 campaign pledges to extract the U.S. from an “endless war.”

From left, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets with Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani before a peace signing ceremony between the U.S. and the Taliban in Doha on Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. The U.S. is poised to sign a peace agreement with Taliban militants on Saturday aimed at bringing an end to 18 years of bloodshed in Afghanistan and allowing U.S. troops to return home from America’s longest war. (Giuseppe Cacace/Pool photo via AP)

Under the deal, the U.S. would draw its forces down to 8,600 from 13,000 in the next three to four months — a number Graham told the “Friends Weekend” hosts was “enough.” A complete retraction would depend on the Taliban’s ability to meet its promises.

Another condition of the agreement calls for the release of 5,000 Taliban members from Afghan-run jails, although it was not clear if the Afghan government will comply with that.

Additionally, a senior administration official told reporters earlier this week that the deal “explicitly mentions al Qaeda” and calls for the Taliban to cut all ties.

“Today, we are realistic,” Pompeo told reporters. “We are seizing the best opportunity for peace in a generation.”

To date, according to The Associated Press, the United States has spent nearly $1 trillion in Afghanistan and more than 3,500 U.S. and coalition soldiers have died there. More than 2,400 of them were Americans.

Saturday’s agreement sets the stage for March 10 intra-Afghan talks in Oslo, with the aim of forming a power-sharing agreement between rival Afghan groups.

Pompeo said that while “the chapter of American history on the Taliban is written in blood,” the pact represented “the best opportunity for peace in a generation.”

Simultaneously, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani signed a joint statement committing the Afghan government to support the U.S.-Taliban deal.

However, not everyone was on board with the move.

Former National Security Adviser John Bolton attacked his former boss’s historic treaty, arguing it posed an “unacceptable risk to American civilians.”

“Signing this agreement with Taliban is an unacceptable risk to America’s civilian population,” Bolton tweeted on Saturday.

“This is an Obama-style deal,” he wrote, referring to Trump’s predecessor. “Legitimizing Taliban sends the wrong signal to ISIS and al Qaeda terrorists, and to America’s enemies generally.”

President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the press briefing room at the White House, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020, in Washington as Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci, Vice President Mike Pence, Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams listen. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

In a news conference Saturday afternoon, the president hailed the deal and said he would be personally meeting leaders of the Taliban in the near future.

In addition, Trump said that Afghanistan’s neighbors should help maintain stability following the agreement.

Many expect the forthcoming intra-Afghan talks to be more complicated than the initial deal, but the president said he thought the negotiations would be a success because “everyone is tired of war.”

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“The Taliban are part of Afghanistan. The Taliban didn’t attack us on 9/11, but they set the conditions for us to be attacked. They are very radical in their philosophy, but they don’t want to govern the world — they just want to take over Afghanistan,” Graham remarked.

“So, here’s what’s going to happen,” he said, “We’re going to have a negotiation with the Taliban who is at 15 percent approval, with the rest of Afghanistan. I’m looking for reconciliation that protects the rights of women and I’m looking for residual American force to stay in Afghanistan for a long time to make sure that ISIS-K and Al Qaeda never come back.”

“So, it is in our interests to have a footprint,” he concluded.

Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj, Sam Dorman, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source Article from https://www.foxnews.com/media/lindsey-graham-us-taliban-peace-deal-pompeo-trump

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Source Article from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-09-30/gop-senators-seek-justice-department-details-on-biden-democrats

A second senior member of the National Security Council told House impeachment investigators Thursday that he immediately expressed concerns to his superiors after President Trump pressed Ukraine to investigate his political rivals, according to a source familiar with his testimony.

Tim Morrison, who testified behind closed doors a day after he abruptly quit as Trump’s top advisor for Russian and European affairs, was the second official to say he had complained after he heard Trump ask Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, for a “favor” during a controversial phone call on July 25.

Morrison, the first White House political appointee to appear, echoed the testimony of Lt. Col. Alexander S. Vindman, another White House expert on Ukraine, who told the panel on Tuesday that he was so alarmed after the call that he went to the NSC lead counsel to complain.

Morrison’s testimony has been widely anticipated since August, when a CIA officer assigned to the White House filed an anonymous whistleblower complaint that said multiple officials at the White House had said Trump was “using the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 U.S. election.”

Morrison’s name also appeared more than a dozen times in testimony last week by William Taylor, the acting U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, that appeared to contradict Trump’s repeated denials of using foreign policy for personal gain.

Taylor told impeachment investigators that Trump had frozen nearly $400 million in congressionally approved military aid to Kyiv unless Zelensky publicly promised to investigate Trump’s political rival Joe Biden and his son Hunter. He said Trump also was holding up a long-promised meeting with Zelensky until the Ukrainian leader agreed.

Taylor said Morrison had also expressed concerns about a July 10 meeting between Gordon Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, and Andriy Yermak, a top aide to Zelensky. Taylor said that Sondland had told Yermak that the military aid would not be released until Zelenskiy committed to investigate Burisma, a Ukrainian gas company that once employed Biden’s son.

“I was alarmed by what Mr. Morrison told me about the Sondland-Yermak conversation,” Taylor testified. “This was the first time I had heard that the security assistance — not just the White House meeting — was conditioned on the investigations.”

Taylor testified that Morrison told him he had a “sinking feeling” after learning about a Sept. 7 conversation that Sondland had with Trump.

“According to Mr. Morrison, President Trump told Ambassador Sondland that he was not asking for a quid pro quo,” Taylor testified. “But President Trump did insist that President Zelenskiy go to a microphone and say he is opening investigations of Biden and 2016 election interference, and that President Zelenskiy should want to do this himself. Mr. Morrison said that he told Ambassador Bolton and the NSC lawyers of this phone call between President Trump and Ambassador Sondland.”

Known as a hawk in foreign policy circles, Morrison stepped down from his NSC post on Wednesday. A senior administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Morrison has been considering leaving the administration for “some time.”

Morrison, who had worked for numerous Republican members of Congress, was brought into the White House in July 2018 by national security advisor John Bolton to work on arms controls issues, but later shifted to the portfolio that focuses on Russia and Europe.

Bolton stepped down in September after clashing with Trump over the president’s policies on North Korea, Syria and other issues. House impeachment investigators have asked him to testify on Nov. 7, but it’s unclear if Bolton will comply without a subpoena.

Both Bolton and Morrison were deeply involved the in-house squabble about the back-channel diplomacy with Ukraine undertaken by Trump’s personal attorney, Rudolph W. Giuliani. that now is the focus of the impeachment inquiry.

Republican lawmakers will be hard-pressed to dismiss Morrison, formerly a longtime Republican staffer on Capitol Hill. Over the last two decades, he has worked for Rep. Mark Kennedy (R-Minn.) and Sen. Jon Kyl, (R-Ariz.) and as a senior GOP staffer on the House Armed Services Committee, including for nearly four years when it was chaired by Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas).

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source Article from https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2019-10-31/house-impeach-vote-morrison-20191031

Los enviados especiales de Noticias Caracol, encabezados por su director, Juan Roberto Vargas, llegaron este viernes al aeropuerto internacional de Maiquetía, donde las autoridades locales retuvieron los equipos técnicos de grabación de este medio de comunicación.

“Con ayuda de nuestro canal aliado, Venevisión, hemos tratado de sortear estos problemas técnicos”, dijo Vargas durante su primera transmisión en vivo desde Caracas.

Cámaras y accesorios para el cubrimiento periodístico quedaron en poder de agentes aduaneros.

“No venimos a informar de un solo lado, sino con la gente en la calle, con los que están con la oposición y los que están con el gobierno”, agregó Vargas sobre el cubrimiento de Noticias Caracol.

Hacia las seis de la tarde, hora local, las mismas autoridades permitieron la recuperación de los equipos que habían sido retenidos horas antes.

Source Article from http://www.noticiascaracol.com/mundo/autoridades-venezolanas-retienen-equipos-de-noticias-caracol

En la madrugada de este viernes 5 de agosto, falleció el ministro de Defensa, Eleuterio Fernández Huidobro, según informó el Ministerio de Defensa en un comunicado. Estaba internado en el Hospital Militar desde hacía varios días a consecuencia de un grave cuadro respiratorio (EPOC). 

El velatorio se realizará a partir de las 9 de la mañana en el Salón de Honor del ministerio. A las 15 horas partirá el cortejo fúnebre hacia el Cementerio del Buceo (Panteón Casmu). Recibirá honores de ministro de Estado. 

El presidente Tabaré Vázquez llegó al velorio poco antes de las 13 horas, minutos después de que llegaran al lugar el secretario y prosecretario de Presidencia, Miguel Ángel Toma y Juan Andrés Roballo.

También están presentes el expresidente José Mujica y la senadora Lucía Topolansky, así como el ministro del Interior Eduardo Bonomi, la titular de Relaciones Exteriores Rodolfo Nin Novoa y la ministra de Industria Carolina Cosse, entre otras autoridades. Además, llegaron al lugar los senadores nacionalistas Jorge Larrañaga y Javier García, así como el cardenal Daniel Sturla.

Eleuterio Fernández Huidobro nació en Montevideo, el 14 de marzo de 1942. Cursó estudios primarios y secundarios en el Colegio y Liceo Santa María de los Maristas.

Fernández Huidobro fue uno de los fundadores y principales dirigentes del Movimiento de Liberación Nacional – Tupamaros. Fue el autor de varios operativos realizados por la guerrilla y también de documentos donde se explican los pensamientos del grupo, de visión marxista e inspirados en la revolución cubana de 1959.

Según el propio Fernández Huidobro, el movimiento guerrillero nació formalmente en 1965, aunque en 1963 ya habían realizado dos asaltos: uno al Tiro Suizo y otro al Banco de Cobranzas.

Empleado bancario, militó en el Movimiento Revolucionario Oriental (MRO) fundado por Ariel Collazo en 1961. A partir de 1962 integró “el coordinador” de pequeños grupos de izquierda que discutieron la creación de una organización guerrillera en Uruguay y que realizó algunas acciones, como el robo de fusiles en 1963 en el Tiro Suizo, cercano a Nueva Helvecia, y asaltó numerosos bancos.
Los tupamaros

Junto a Raúl Sendic y Tabaré Rivero Cedrés, integró la primera dirección del MLN-Tupamaros, creado formalmente a mediados de 1965 en una reunión realizada en Parque del Plata, y en los años siguientes redactó algunos de sus principales planes y documentos políticos.

Fue apresado el 8 de octubre de 1969, segundo aniversario de la caída de Ernesto “Che” Guevara en Bolivia, cuando los tupamaros se retiraban tras copar centros neurálgicos de la ciudad de Pando.

El 6 de setiembre de 1971 participó de la fuga de la cárcel de Punta Carretas de 106 tupamaros y cinco presos comunes. El episodio, que se desarrolló a menos de tres meses de las elecciones nacionales, en las que el presidente Jorge Pacheco Areco intentaba la reelección, llevó al gobierno a encomendar a las Fuerzas Armadas la dirección de la lucha antisubversiva.

Prisión

Cayó prisionero, herido, el 14 de abril de 1972, cuando los tupamaros mataron a tres presuntos integrantes de un “escuadrón de la muerte”, entre ellos Armando Acosta y Lara. Esa jornada sangrienta implicó la muerte de 13 personas (ocho tupamaros, un civil, tres policías y un oficial de la Armada) y fue el principio del fin de la organización guerrillera, desbaratada en los meses siguientes.

Detenido en un cuartel, participó en las negociaciones con oficiales del Ejército de una rendición del MLN supeditada al cumplimiento de un programa político-económico. Las negociaciones fueron desautorizadas luego por los mandos de las Fuerzas Armadas y el presidente Juan María Bordaberry.

Los “rehenes”

A partir de 1973, bajo un gobierno dictatorial, junto a José Mujica, Mauricio Rosencof, Henry Engler, Raúl Sendic, Adolfo Wasem, Jorge Manera Lluveras, Julio Marenales y Jorge Zabalza, integró el grupo de nueve “rehenes” que las Fuerzas Armadas mantuvieron en severas condiciones de reclusión bajo amenaza de que serían ejecutados si se realizaban atentados contra miembros de las fuerzas de seguridad.
Publicación de libros

Recuperó la libertad en marzo de 1985, después que el nuevo Parlamento democrático votara una ley que en los hechos significó una amnistía tardía para los presos acusados de delitos de sangre por motivos políticos.

Tuvo un papel central en los medios de comunicación de los tupamaros, como el semanario Mate Amargo y la radio Panamericana, y publicó varios libros sobre experiencias personales y de su organización: Historia de los tupamaros (tres volúmenes, a partir de 1986), Memorias del calabozo (junto a Mauricio Roscencof, tres volúmenes, 1987-1989), La tregua armada (narración de las negociaciones con los militares en 1972, editado en 1987), El abuso (sobre la fuga de Punta Carretas de 1971, editado en dos tomos en 1990) y En la nuca (sobre las divisiones internas en el MLN a partir de 1973, editado en 2000).

Creación del MPP e ingreso al Parlamento

También cumplió un papel central en la reorganización de los tupamaros, que ingresaron al Frente Amplio en 1989, no sin resistencias, y ese mismo año optaron por la lucha electoral tras crear el Movimiento de Participación Popular (MPP). Entre 1995 y 2000 fue suplente del senador Helios Sarthou y comenzó a escribir columnas en el diario La República.
En 1999 fue electo senador para el período 2000-2005 y reelecto en 2004 para el período 2005-2010.

En agosto de 2007 renunció (“licencia por tiempo indeterminado”) al MLN “tras una larga historia de discrepancias”, según escribió. En 2008 también renunció al MPP, aunque dentro del Espacio 609, que integra el MPP, creó su propio sector: Corriente de Acción y Pensamiento – Libertad (CAP-L).

En 2009 fue electo senador para el período 2010-2015. Se opuso a la propuesta del Frente Amplio de una ley interpretativa a la ley de la Caducidad de 1986, que concedió una amnistía a militares y policías acusados de violaciones a los derechos humanos durante la dictadura de 1973-1985. En abril de 2011 votó esa norma en el Senado por disciplina partidaria y de inmediato renunció a su banca

Dos meses después asumió como ministro de Defensa Nacional, tras la renuncia del titular de la cartera, Luis Rosadilla. Ocupó ese cargo hasta el final de la administración presidencial de Mujica. En 2014, luego de volver a ser electo presidente, Tabaré Vázquez anunció que ratificaría a Fernández Huidobro al frente del ministerio, cargo que desempeñó hasta su muerte. 

Source Article from http://www.elpais.com.uy/informacion/murio-ministro-defensa-eleuterio-fernandez.html

En Argentina, el fiscal especial Alberto Nisman fue enterrado en el cementerio judío de La Tablada ante representantes de la comunidad judía y del poder judicial. Su muerte en extrañas circunstancias conmocionó al país y está siendo investigada.

Jordania y Japón esperan que sus gobiernos consigan salvar la vida de los rehenes Kenji Goto y Muath al Kasaesbeh, en poder de Estado Islámico. El grupo extremista dio un nuevo plazo para que Jordania libere de prisión a una mujer yihadista.

Autoridades de Malasia declararon oficialmente que la desaparición hace casi un año del vuelo MH370 de Malaysia Airlines con 239 personas a bordo fue un accidente y que no hubo sobrevivientes.

La Corte Suprema de Panamá decidió abrir una investigación por corrupción en contra del expresidente Ricardo Martinelli, quien niega los cargos.

Científicos del Instituto Pasteur en París dicen que el virus del ébola ha mutado desde que comenzó el brote en marzo de 2014 e investigan si ahora es más contagioso.

Vea la actualidad en 1 minuto.

Source Article from http://www.bbc.co.uk/mundo/video_fotos/2015/01/150129_video_boeltin_noticias_np

Two people have died in a submerged car, evacuations have been ordered for wildfire-scarred California, and Seattle and Portland face the rare chance of snowy streets as a wave of storms rolled through the western United States.

The new storms, which could drop rain and snow over much of the region into next week and plunge the Pacific Northwest into a lengthy cold snap, follow a now-departed atmospheric river that delivered copious amounts of precipitation this week.

On Thursday, two people died when their car was submerged in a flooded underpass in Millbrae, California, just south of San Francisco. Firefighters rescued two people who had climbed on top of a car but they could not reach another fully submerged vehicle, San Mateo county sheriff’s Det Javier Acosta said.

In the Sierra Nevada, an evacuation warning was issued on Thursday for about 150 homes downstream of Twain Harte Lake Dam after cracks were found in granite that adjoins the manmade part of the 11-metre-high (36ft) structure.

The warning was lifted around 6pm after inspectors determined the dam was structurally sound and cleared it for continued use, according to the Tuolumne county sheriff’s office.

The Sierra range could see 1.5- 2.4m (5-8ft) of snow through the holidays, with 3m (10ft) possible at higher elevations, and authorities urged people to avoid travelling through the mountain passes, which could be treacherous.

A winter storm warning issued on Friday remains in effect until 10am on Tuesday for most of the Sierra, where almost 1m (3ft) of snow had fallen by early Friday at Mammoth Mountain south of Yosemite national park. About 0.6m (2ft) fell on Thursday at some Tahoe-area ski resorts.

Wind gusts over ridges could exceed 100mph (160km/h), the National Weather Service said, making travel difficult to impossible.

In southern California, evacuation orders were issued on Thursday night in Orange county because of possible mudslides and debris flows in three canyons where a wildfire last December burned the ground bare. The local fire authority reported a mudslide on Thursday night in one canyon that affected some roads but no injuries were reported.

On Thursday, a slow-moving front dumped the most rain and snow parts of eastern Nevada have seen on the date in more than a half century.

In preparation for freezing temperatures, snow and ice in the Pacific Northwest this holiday weekend and next week, state officials in Oregon declared an emergency and shelters were being opened throughout the region to help the homeless.

Recent forecasts show at least an inch of snow was likely to fall on Sunday in the Seattle and Portland regions, which do not typically see snow.

But forecasters and state officials said the main concern was cold temperatures in the region, with daytime highs next week struggling to reach above freezing, that are likely to impact people experiencing homelessness and those without adequate access to heating.

Oregon governor Kate Brown issued a state of emergency declaration on Thursday evening to remain in effect through to 3 January, saying expected snow and sustained temperatures below freezing could result in critical transportation failures and disruptions to power and communications infrastructure.

Portland and Multnomah county earlier declared states of emergency.

Source Article from https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/dec/25/two-die-in-car-and-rare-snow-forecast-for-seattle-as-storms-batter-western-us

São Paulo – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised down its world economic growth forecast by 0.3% for this year. As per an update of the World Economic Outlook (WEO) report, the global economy is expected to grow by 3.4%. According to the IMF, the revision stems from subpar performance in Q1 this year, especially in the United States, and from less optimistic expectations for several emerging countries, Brazil included.

For 2015, the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) forecast has been kept at 4%.

According to the document, international economic activity has slowed down more than expected, from 3.75% in Q1 2013 to 2.75% in the same period of 2014. The increase was 0.5% lower than previously estimated by the Fund.

The IMF reports that inventory overhang in the United States in late 2013 exceeded expectations, since demand declined due to a harsh winter, exports dropped significantly in Q1 this year from Q4 2013, and production decreased.

In China, domestic demand also slowed down more than expected, due to local government intervention to reign in credit expansion and “correct” real estate activity. In Russia, demand dropped as a consequence of “geopolitical tensions,” particularly the crisis with Ukraine, and affected growth significantly.

In other emerging countries, according to the IMF, economic growth was lower than expected as a result of lower external demand, mostly from the United States and China, and in many cases due to weakening domestic consumption and investment.

According to the Fund, however, international financial conditions have eased since April, when the first version of the WEO report was released. Long term interest rates in developed countries have dropped even further, price volatility expectations have diminished and equity prices have strengthened.

This scenario led to a recovery of capital flows to emerging markets, whose bond spreads also declined, and exchange rates and equity prices have stabilized or even strengthened in some of these economies.

Therefore, the IMF believes that performance improved in Q2 from Q1 2014. “This is consistent with the view that the unexpected weakness in the first quarter was in large part temporary,” according to the update.

However, some of these “weaknesses” are likely to persist, hence the downward revision of global growth projections for 2014.

Brazil and the Arabs

Also regarding emerging economies, the IMF expects 4.6% growth this year, down 0.2% from the April forecast, and 5.2% in 2015, down 0.1%.

In Brazil, the Fund believes tighter financial conditions and continued weakness in business and consumer confidence are holding back investment and dampening consumption growth.


The revised Brazilian economic growth forecast is 1.3% for 2014, down 0.6% from April, and 2% for 2015, also down 0.6%. This week, the Brazilian government itself has revised down its GDP growth estimate for this year from 2.5% to 1.8%.

For the Middle East and North Africa, plus Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Fund forecasts 3.1% growth this year, down 0.2% from April, and 4.8% in 2015, up 2%. This bloc comprises the Arab countries.

Concerning the Middle East, the Fund warns of issues affecting the region that may negatively influence the world economy as a whole. “Geopolitical risks have risen relative to April: risks of an oil price spike are higher due to recent developments in the Middle East while those related to Ukraine are still present.”

Since the original report was released in April, violence has escalated in Libya and Iraq, in addition to Israel’s attack on Gaza that has caused over 700 casualties. It is worth noting that the former two countries are major oil producers and exporters.

*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum

Source Article from http://www2.anba.com.br/noticia/21864393/macro-en/imf-lowers-global-growth-forecast/

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Reuters

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Rodeado de una multitud que lo aclamaba, Erdogan dijo: “El gobierno está en control”.

El presidente de Turquía, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, regresó a Estambul tras iniciarse en la noche de este viernes un intento de golpe de Estado en su contra por parte de un grupo de militares.

Y el nuevo jefe interino del estado mayor del ejército, Ümit Dündar, informó en televisión que el intento de golpe fue “frustrado”.

El primer ministro Binali Yildirim nombró a Dündar en sustitución de Hulusi Akar, del se que informó fue capturado por los rebeldes durante el levantamiento y cuyo paradero actual no está claro.

Aunque la versión del ministro Para Asuntos Europeos, Ömer Çelik,difiere un poco de ésta.

Çelik dijo este sábado que la situación está “un 90% bajo control”, ya que “algunos rehenes no han sido aún liberados”.

Según las autoridades, el levantamiento y la respuesta para controlarlo dejaron como consecuencia161 muertos, “la mayoría de ellos civiles”, más de 1.000 heridos y más de 2.800 militares vinculados al golpe arrestados.

“Este levantamiento, este movimiento es un gran regalo de Dios para nosotros. Porque el ejército será limpiado“, aseguró el mandatario en una rueda de prensa realizada tras su llegada a Estambul desde el sur del país, donde se encontraba de vacaciones.

Horas después el gobierno turco informaría que 29 coroneles y 5 generales fueron apartados de sus cargos.

Los golpistas pagarán caro este acto de traición”, agregó Erdogan en su desafiante discurso en el que señaló como culpables del intento de derrocamiento a los seguidores del clérigo musulmán turco Fethullah Gulen.

Así se ha vivido el intento de golpe en Turquía.

En la mañana del sábado, frente a una multitud que lo aclamaba en el aeropuerto de Estambul, Erdogan dijo: “El gobierno está en control”.

Poco después, la televisión turca mostró a decenas de soldados presuntamente involucrados en el intento de golpe de Estado rindiéndose en Estambul, abandonando los tanques con las manos en alto.

En cambio, en la capital, Ankara, todavía había reportes de escaramuzas.

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Getty Images

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Un grupo de partidarios de Erdogan festeja sobre uno de los tanques militares que bloquearon los puentes en el Bósforo.

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Las autoridades turcas informaron de que decenas de militares fueron apartados de sus cargos y la televisión turca mostró estas imágenes de soldados golpistas rindiéndose.

Disparos y explosiones

En la noche de este viernes, un grupo de militares de los cuales no se sabe aún quién los dirigía, aseguró tener el control de Turquía tras posicionar escuadrones de soldados en puntos estratégicos de Estambul y Ankara, las dos principales ciudades del país.

Decretaron el toque de queda y la ley marcial, y en un comunicado leído en la televisión estatal aseguraron haber instalado en el gobierno a un “consejo para la paz de la patria”.

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Reuters

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Un hombre se enfrentó solo a un tanque de guerra que intentaba entrar en el aeropuerto de Ataturk en Estambul.

Miles de personas ignoraron el toque de queda y salieron a protestar en apoyo a Erdogan, algunos incluso saltando sobre los tanques en actitud desafiante.

Durante toda la noche, las imágenes y reportes de medios locales mostraron enfrentamientos entre militares y civiles, y explosiones en edificios gubernamentales.

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EPA

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Erdogan dijo que “el ejército será limpiado” y que los golpistas pagarán por su “traición”.

En la plaza Taksim, en Estambul, por ejemplo, se escucharon dos explosiones grandes. Las mismas fueron acompañadas por el sonido de aviones de combate.

Los medios estatales informaron que una bomba impactó el edificio del Parlamento en Ankara.

Por otra parte, un avión de combate del gobierno derribó un helicóptero militar que era tripulado por fuerzas golpistas.

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Getty Images

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Hay reportes de 17 policías muertos en el cuartel de las fuerzas especiales de la capital.

El primer ministro de Turquía, Binali Yildirim, había dado la orden de derribar cualquier aeronave secuestrada por los golpistas. Según informó, jets militares habían despegado de la base militar ubicada en Eskisehir, al este de Ankara.

También se reportaron tiroteos y una explosión cerca del complejo presidencial en Ankara, y que sólo en el cuartel de las fuerzas especiales de la capital 17 policías habían muerto, aunque no se tiene claro si estas víctimas están incluidas en la cifra de fallecidos general.

“Orden democrático”

Horas antes, los uniformados emitieron en la televisión estatal un comunicado en el que aseguran haber tomado el poder para “preservar el orden democrático”.

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Getty Images

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Tras el levantamiento militar, el presidente Erdogan habló con CNN Turk y aseguró que seguía en ejercicio de su cargo.

El comunicado del grupo militar, leído por un presentador del canal nacional de televisión TRT— según él, obligado a punta de pistola—, aseguraba que el imperio de la ley democrática y secular se había visto erosionado por el actual gobierno, y que entraría en vigencia una nueva Constitución.

Sin embargo, Erdogan habló por medio de una videollamada desde un celular al canal de televisión CNN Turk para asegurar que seguía en ejercicio de su cargo e instó a sus partidarios a salir a las plazas y calles del país en favor de la democracia.

El mandatario se refirió al intento de golpe como “el levantamiento de una minoría”.

El inicio

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AP

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La plaza Taksim en Estambul fue uno de los lugares donde los partidarios de Erdogan se reunieron de a cientos para oponerse al golpe de Estado.

Los primeros reportes de una situación irregular en Turquía habían llegado cuando medios locales empezaron a hablar de sobrevuelo de aviones caza-bombarderos y helicópteros militares, así como disparos en Ankara.

Además, tanques bloqueaban dos puentes sobre el río Bósforo, en la ciudad de Estambul, la más grande del país. También impedían el acceso a los aeropuertos de esta ciudad y de la capital, Ankara.

Grupos de monitoreo de internet dijeron que el acceso a redes sociales como Facebook y Twitter estaba siendo restringido en Turquía, aunque no estaba claro quién bloqueaba el acceso.

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Getty Images

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Militares bloquearon este viernes el puente sobre el río Bósforo en Estambul.

La televisión turca anunció que altos mandos militares fueron tomados rehenes en Ankara. Según informes, uno de ellos era el jefe del estado mayor de las fuerzas militares, general Hulusi Akar, cuyo paradero sigue siendo desconocido.

Entre tanto el secretario de Estado de EE.UU., John Kerry, dio una declaración desde Moscú diciendo que esperaba que hubiera paz y continuidad en Turquía.

Junto a Kerry, el ministro de Relaciones Exteriores de Rusia, Sergei Lavrov, dijo que “es necesario evitar cualquier enfrentamiento cruento y resolver los problemas por conductos constitucionales”.

Y un portavoz del Kremlin, Dmitry Peskov, pidió que se volviera al “camino de la estabilidad y el orden” en Turquía.

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Reuters

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El primer ministro Binali Yildirim, dijo que las fuerzas de seguridad habían sido llamadas para manejar la situación.

El secretario general de Naciones Unidas, Ban Ki-moon, llamó a la calma.

“El secretario general está siguiendo de cerca los acontecimientos de Turquía”, informó un portavoz de la ONU, Farhan Haq.

“Naciones Unidas busca aclarar la situación en el terreno y llama a la calma”, añadió.

Además de hacer unas declaraciones similares y pedir “un respeto total para las instituciones democráticas de Turquía”, el secretario general de la Organización del Tratado del Atlántico Norte (OTAN), Jens Stoltenberg, recordó que Ankara es “un valioso aliado”.

Lo es sobre todo contra el gobierno del presidente Bashar al Asad en Siria y en el combate al grupo autodenominado Estado Islámico, ya que permite a la coalición internacional liderada por Estados Unidos su base de Incirlik para sus incursiones contra los yihadistas en Irak y Siria.

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Reuters

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Decenas de personas salieron a la calle en Estambul para rechazar lo que el presidente Erdogan denunció como un “intento de golpe” de Estado.

Por su parte, el presidente del Consejo Europeo, Donald Tusk, dijo que las tensiones en Turquía no se pueden resolver con armas.

Y agregó que la Unión Europea apoya totalmente al gobierno democráticamente electo del país, algo en lo que también insistió la canciller alemana Angela Merkel.

En unas palabras similares a las utilizadas por Erdogan, Qatar, la monarquía absoluta bañada por las aguas del Golfo Pérsico y aliado de Turquía, también denunció el “intento de golpe de Estado”.

“Pagarán el precio más alto”

El primer ministro turco dijo que las fuerzas de seguridad habían sido llamadas para manejar la situación y que “nada podrá perjudicar la democracia turca”.

“Estamos analizando la posibilidad de una intentona. No permitiremos esto”, dijo Yildirim, sin ofrecer más detalles.

“Aquellos que participen de este acto ilegal pagarán el precio más alto“, añadió.

Source Article from http://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-internacional-36812071

Un alto nivel de tensión se vivió la tarde de este domingo, en el colegio 24 de Mayo, en el norte de Quito, durante el sufragio del candidato a la vicepresidencia por Alianza PAIS, Jorge Glas. El evento terminó en agresiones.

Desde antes de las 14:00, grupos de personas permanecían en diferentes sitios del recinto electoral, como si esperaran una disposición.

A las 14:28, llegó la orden. Ese momento ingresaba Glas, acompañado de Lenin Moreno –el candidato presidencial-. Decenas de personas se enlistaron para protegerle y respaldarle con sloganes. “Una sola vuelta, una sola vuelta…”, retumbó por parte de los coidearios.

No obstante, pocos metros más adelante, gente que salía o ingresaba a sufragar comenzó a gritar en contra del Gobierno de Rafael Correa, de Glas y de su comitiva. “Fuera Correa fuera, fuera Correa fuera, fuera Correa fuera…”, se escuchó.

Mientras Glas sufragaba, en las afueras de la junta 3, del recinto colegio 24 de Mayo, los gritos subían de tono. Los enfrentamientos se volvían más intensos.

El candidato salió de sufragar, junto a su esposa, Cinthia Díaz que le acompañó, y se encontró con los ánimos caldeados, en los patios del centro educativo.

Subió a un auto y cerca de abandonar el colegio, unas diez personas impidieron el paso del carro. La seguridad personal y pública despejó el camino.

Fue entonces, cuando las agresiones pasaron de verbales a físicas. Una simpatizante de Alianza PAIS terminó en el suelo, luego de que se agrediera con una persona de la tercera edad, que a su vez lanzaba consignas en contra del Gobierno Nacional.

El caos en el recinto electoral terminó cerca de las 15:00. 

El candidato Glas no emitió declaraciones ante los periodistas. (I)

Source Article from http://www.eluniverso.com/noticias/2017/02/19/nota/6056110/agresiones-durante-sufragio-candidato-presidencial-jorge-glas

The FBI on Wednesday raided Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar’s home and campaign office in Texas as part of a wide-ranging federal probe relating to the former Soviet state of Azerbaijan and several U.S. businessmen, a source familiar with the matter told ABC News.

A federal grand jury in Washington is investigating the matter, but it’s unclear if Cuellar is a target of the grand jury’s probe, ABC News was told.

After FBI agents executed a search warrant at Cuellar’s home in Laredo, Texas, an aide to Cuellar said in a statement that the congressman “will fully cooperate in any investigation.”

“He is committed to ensuring that justice and the law are upheld,” the statement said.

On Wednesday, an FBI spokesperson emphasized that any “law enforcement activity” at Cuellar’s home and campaign office was “court-authorized.”

Cuellar, who represents Texas’ 28th Congressional District along the U.S.-Mexico border, has been in Congress since 2005. In recent years he has served as a co-chair of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus, and repeatedly met with Azerbaijan officials, including the ambassador of Azerbaijan, Elin Suleymanov.

Over the past year, Cuellar has frequently criticized the Biden administration for some of its border-related policies.

Spokespeople for the FBI and Justice Department declined to comment for this story.

ABC News’ Luke Barr, Alexander Mallin and Benjamin Siegel contributed to this report.

Source Article from https://abcnews.go.com/US/fbi-raid-house-democrats-home-related-azerbaijan-probe/story?id=82384118

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Source Article from https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/05/politics/election-night-kentucky-virginia/index.html

via press release:

NOTICIAS  TELEMUNDO  PRESENTS:

“MURIENDO POR CRUZAR,” AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE INCREASING NUMBER OF IMMIGRANT DEATHS ALONG THE BORDER, THIS SUNDAY, AUGUST 3 AT 6 P.M./5 C

Carmen Dominicci and Neida Sandoval present the Telemundo and The Weather Channel co-production

Miami – July 31, 2014 – Telemundo presents “Muriendo por Cruzar”, a documentary that investigates why increasing numbers of immigrants are dying while trying to cross the US-Mexican border near the city of Falfurrias, Texas, this Sunday, August 3 at 6PM/5 C.  The Telemundo and The Weather Channel co-production, presented by Noticias Telemundo journalists Carmen Dominicci and Neida Sandoval, reveals the obstacles immigrants face once they cross into US territory, including extreme weather conditions, as they try to evade the border patrol.  “Muriendo por Cruzar” is part of Noticias Telemundo’s special coverage of the crisis on the border and immigration reform.

 

“‘Muriendo por Cruzar’” dares to ask questions that reveal the actual conditions undocumented immigrants face as they try to start a new life in the United States,” said Alina Falcón, Telemundo’s Executive Vice President for News and Alternative Programming.  “Our collaboration with The Weather Channel was very productive. They have a unique expertise in covering the impact of weather on people’s lives, as we do in covering immigration reform and the border crisis. The result is a compelling documentary that exposes a harrowing reality.”

“Muriendo por Cruzar” is the first co-production by Telemundo and The Weather Channel.  Both networks are part of NBCUniversal.

Source Article from http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/07/31/noticias-telemundo-presents-muriendo-por-cruzar-this-sunday-august-3-at-6pm/289119/

via press release:

NOTICIAS  TELEMUNDO  PRESENTS:

“MURIENDO POR CRUZAR,” AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE INCREASING NUMBER OF IMMIGRANT DEATHS ALONG THE BORDER, THIS SUNDAY, AUGUST 3 AT 6 P.M./5 C

Carmen Dominicci and Neida Sandoval present the Telemundo and The Weather Channel co-production

Miami – July 31, 2014 – Telemundo presents “Muriendo por Cruzar”, a documentary that investigates why increasing numbers of immigrants are dying while trying to cross the US-Mexican border near the city of Falfurrias, Texas, this Sunday, August 3 at 6PM/5 C.  The Telemundo and The Weather Channel co-production, presented by Noticias Telemundo journalists Carmen Dominicci and Neida Sandoval, reveals the obstacles immigrants face once they cross into US territory, including extreme weather conditions, as they try to evade the border patrol.  “Muriendo por Cruzar” is part of Noticias Telemundo’s special coverage of the crisis on the border and immigration reform.

 

“‘Muriendo por Cruzar’” dares to ask questions that reveal the actual conditions undocumented immigrants face as they try to start a new life in the United States,” said Alina Falcón, Telemundo’s Executive Vice President for News and Alternative Programming.  “Our collaboration with The Weather Channel was very productive. They have a unique expertise in covering the impact of weather on people’s lives, as we do in covering immigration reform and the border crisis. The result is a compelling documentary that exposes a harrowing reality.”

“Muriendo por Cruzar” is the first co-production by Telemundo and The Weather Channel.  Both networks are part of NBCUniversal.

Source Article from http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/07/31/noticias-telemundo-presents-muriendo-por-cruzar-this-sunday-august-3-at-6pm/289119/