Also on today’s menu:
Explosion Kills 73 Near Soleimani Tomb
Airport And Train Make A Tulum Visit Easier
With the number of illegal border crossings continuing to fall, the United States plans to reopen four legal crossings on the U.S.-Mexico border — an international bridge in Eagle Pass, Texas, two crossings in Arizona, and a fourth near San Diego, California — on January 4.
In making the announcement, US Customs and Border Protection noted that the drop in illegal crossings has freed up personnel to help process legal migrants, whose numbers approached a record high, with nearly 11,000 waiting to cross in a single day in December.
Republicans have used border security as a political talking point, claiming that the Democrats are responsible but are uninterested in addressing the matter. Lawmakers have been discussing a possible agreement that would combine increased border security measures with foreign aid, including military funding for Ukraine. President Joe Biden Jr. told reporters, “We gotta do something. [Congress] ought to give me the money I need to protect the border.”
Discussion: Many political reporters say Republicans are using border security as a political tactic to keep attention away from Donald Trump’s legal problems, but that they are not really interested in reaching a deal that would provide the necessary funding because it would remove one of their campaign issues. New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, however, has sought more funding, pointing to an increase in illegal crossings at the northern border, which has not received enough attention. Immigration is a complex issue, and reaching a consensus has eluded lawmakers for years. Even a partial agreement would help the country, but a divided Congress has shown no real interest in accomplishing anything.
Explosion Kills 73 Near Soleimani Tomb
Iran’s state media reports that at least 73 people died in two bomb explosions that occurred near the tomb of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani during a ceremony marking the fourth anniversary of his death. The United States had killed Soleimani in a drone strike ordered by President Donald Trump in 2020, with Trump calling him “the number-one terrorist anywhere in the world”. The explosions wounded another 171 people in a procession near the Saheb al-Zaman mosque in the city of Kerman.
Soleimani was Iran’s second-most-powerful figure, after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He served as commander of the Revolutionary Guards’ overseas operations, and was in charge of the Quds Force’s clandestine missions and support of armed groups that included Hamas and Hezbollah.
Prior to the explosions, a state-run live broadcast showed thousands of mourners in the procession. After the attack, video showed people running frantically and men wearing EMT uniforms surging into the crowd.
Discussion: An Iranian official called it a terrorist attack, but no one has claimed responsibility for the blasts.
Airport And Train Make A Tulum Visit Easier
More than 1.3 million tourists in 2022 visited Mexico’s Tulum Ruins, one of the last cities inhabited by the Maya before the Spanish conquest in 1526. The ruins overlook a beautiful turquoise sea and serve as a refreshing alternative to the skyscraper resorts of Cancún and Playa del Carmen.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador recognized Tulum’s appeal and ordered the military to build a new international airport. In December, less than two years after construction began, the airport welcomed its first three inbound flights with domestic travelers. International flights are expected to begin in March.
Also in December, Obrador joined the inaugural journey from San Francisco de Campeche to Cancún aboard the new Tren Maya (Maya Train). When complete, the train’s route will run from near the archaeological site of Palenque to the city of Chetumal on the border with Belize. The seven sections of the railroad will open in stages, with a connection to the new Tulum airport and the city of Escárcega scheduled to open in February 2024.
When fully open to the public, the $28.5 billon train line will span five states, 40 municipalities, and 181 towns in southeastern Mexico, connecting tourist destinations such as Cancún, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum to lesser-visited towns, biosphere reserves, and inland archaeological sites across the Yucatán Peninsula. There will be three services: Xiinbal (the Mayan word for “walking”) with trains offering economy- and premier-class seating; Janal (“eating”) with a dining car serving hot meals; and P’tal (“accommodation”) trains with reclining seats and sleeping cabins for long-distance journeys.
Discussion: When Lee and I visited Tulum in 2008, there were only three options for getting from Playa del Carmen to the ruins: buses, colectivos (shared taxis), or rental cars. We chose a rental, with comical results that did not seem so funny at the time. The train sounds like a wonderful alternative, but we fear that an airport near Tulum will lead to undesired development that can turn that area into another Cancún. On the other hand, flying directly there and avoiding Cancún sounds like a great idea.
Café Chatter
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