US demand $15,000 bonds for visa applications from 12 more countries

WASHINGTON (AP) – The State Department says it is adding 12 countries whose citizens must post bonds of up to $15,000 to apply for U.S. visas. Effective April 2, passport holders from Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles and Tunisia will be required to pay the bond.

Wall Street rallies to the edge of its all-time high

NEW YORK (AP) - U.S. stocks rallied to the edge of their all-time high and crude oil prices eased. The S&P 500 rose 1.2% Tuesday, bringing the index within 0.2% of its record set in January. The Dow gained 0.7%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 2%.

El Salvador arbitrarily detained nationals deported from the US

MIAMI (AP) – Salvadoran nationals who were deported from the United States have been arbitrarily detained in El Salvador and have disappeared into the Central American nation’s prison system, according to a Human Rights Watch report released on Monday.

Top Asia Pacific Breaking News: Latest Updates

BEIJING (AP) – Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that the stability and certainty of China-Russia relations are particularly “precious” in the face of an international landscape intertwined with change and chaos.

Guatemala's new Constitutional Court faces tough test to win public trust

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) – Guatemala’s newly selected Constitutional Court will have to work to regain the trust of Guatemalans disillusioned with a justice system that appears to serve the interests of few, experts said Thursday.

New Israeli strikes hit southern Lebanon a day after historic talks in Washington

TYRE, Lebanon (AP) – Israel pressed on with bombarding southern Lebanon on Wednesday, a day after historic talks between Lebanese and Israeli officials in Washington. Smoke rose over the coastal city of Tyre, underscoring the fragility of diplomatic efforts.

Iran war and rising fuel costs could boost Panama Canal traffic

PANAMA CITY (AP) – Panama Canal Administrator Ricaurte Vásquez said Thursday that the conflict in the Middle East and rising fuel costs could ultimately benefit the interoceanic waterway as global shippers adjust routes.

Editorials from The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian and others

Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad:

Trump encourages Latin American leaders to use military action to help US fight cartels

DORAL, Fla. (AP) – President Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States and Latin American countries are banding together to combat violent cartels as his administration looks to demonstrate it remains committed to sharpening U.S. foreign policy focus on the Western Hemisphere even while dealing with five-alarm crises around the globe.