In El Salvador, the official results of Sunday’s presidential elections are still not in, but that didn’t stop President Nayib Bukele from declaring victory on social media — and he looks slated to win. He was up for reelection, in a country that doesn’t allow reelection in its constitution. Bukele is extraordinarily popular. But many say the future is concerning.
China and France have condemned the new Aukus security pact between Australia, the UK and the US to build nuclear-powered submarines in the Indo-Pacific region. Also, French forces say they’ve killed the leader of ISIS in the Greater Sahara in Mali. And thousands of people protested the introduction of Bitcoin as legal tender in El Salvador on the nation’s bicentennial.
Top of The World: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin are in Qatar for talks aimed at reassuring Gulf allies that the Biden administration is not abandoning its partners in the Middle East by withdrawing from Afghanistan. And, the pre-trial of alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is set to resume at the Guantanamo Bay detention center. Also, El Salvador has become the first country in the world to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender.
El Salvador becomes first country to approve bitcoin as a legal currency. And, US President Joe Biden begins the first overseas trip of his term in the UK, hoping to repair relations with Europe. Also, Nicaragua’s National Police continues arrests of potential challengers for the upcoming November presidential elections.