Axios

Brazil's top judge lifted restrictions on the bank accounts of Elon Musk's Starlink and X on Friday after more than $3 million dollars in fines were transferred, multiple outlets reported.

The big picture: It's the latest in the standoff over misinformation vs. freedom of speech between Musk and Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who the billionaire has accused of acting as a "dictator" for suspending his social media platform in Latin America's most populous nation.

The most far-reaching crime bill ever passed by Congress has left a complicated history three decades later, with President Biden being called to acknowledge and repair for damage some feel it caused.

The big picture: The 1994 Crime Bill, signed 30 years ago on Friday, is credited with helping reduce crime during a massive surge in the U.S. But it also resulted in more mass incarcerations of young Black and Latino men.

German national railroad operator Deutsche Bahn today announced that it will sell its logistics business, DB Schenker, to Danish transport company DSV for €14.3 billion. The losing bidder was CVC Capital Partners.

Why it matters: This was a Bizarro World sort of process, leaving confusion in its wake.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Thursday that the U.S. and its allies would be at war Russia if they allow Ukraine to launch long-range Western weapons into Russia.

Why it matters: Putin's warning comes ahead of a bilateral meeting between President Biden and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday, during which the pair are expected to discuss the issue.

China's benchmark CSI 300 index is now at its lowest point since January 2019 — almost 50% below its 2007 high.

Why it matters: The stock market slump reflects that Chinese consumers still aren't spending, as the country's housing slump continues to infect the broader economy.

The Justice Department is preparing criminal charges in connection with an Iranian hack that targeted former President Trump's 2024 campaign in a bid to shape the outcome of the November election, multiple outlets report.

Why it matters: They are the result of an FBI investigation into an intrusion that investigators across multiple agencies quickly linked to an Iranian effort to influence American politics.

Older Millennials, younger Gen Xers and those living in the American West are driving the surge of Americans who identify as "religiously unaffiliated," according to the latest census of religious diversity in the U.S.

Why it matters: The new data show that the number of white Christian Americans continues to shrink while the ranks of the unaffiliated swell in a historic shift in attitudes toward religion.

1. Spain's Parliament yesterday passed a bill recognizing Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia as the South American country's legitimate president-elect.

• The designation would only be official if Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez signs the bill, however.
• González is living in exile in Spain after being granted political asylum this weekend, after threats of arrest by the regime of Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro.

2. A highway project in the Brazilian Amazon will be completed despite major concerns about its environmental impact, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said this week.

Today's pachanga is for Regina Mills, assistant professor of English at Texas A&M University!

• Regina published her first academic book, a literary history of Afro-Latinos, Afro-Latinas, and Afro-Latinxs in the U.S.
• "Invisibility and Influence: A Literary History of AfroLatinidades," was published by the University of Texas Press in June 2024.

Congrats!

🎤 Please send us your pachanga nominations by filling out this form or replying to this email!

Hispanic sports fans are helping drive the surging popularity of soccer in the U.S. while also engaging heavily with other sports, per a new report.

Why it matters: Understanding how Latinos consume sports is key for advertisers, teams and brands that want to capture the coveted and growing audience.

Huge financial imbalances between the U.S. and China can be chalked up to weaknesses in each nation's domestic economy — as opposed to being primarily driven by unfair Chinese trade practices, according to a new piece from International Monetary Fund economists.

Why it matters: The conclusion throws some cold water on the Biden administration's stance that China's practice of heavily subsidizing targeted industries is a central economic concern.

An elite Israel Defense Forces unit conducted a highly unusual raid in Syria earlier this week and destroyed an underground precision missile factory that Israel and the U.S. claim was built by Iran, according to three sources briefed on the operation.

Why it matters: Israeli airstrikes on Syria have increased since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel as cross-border conflicts between Hezbollah and Israel intensified. But the raid on Sunday was the first ground operation the IDF has conducted in recent years against Iranian targets in Syria.

The total economic output of U.S. Latinos reached $3.6 trillion in 2022, growing at a faster rate than most wealthy global economies, according to a report released Thursday.

Why it matters: Despite wide economic disparities in the United States, Latinos' rapid population growth, relative youth, educational attainment and high levels of entrepreneurship have made them an economic powerhouse.

A list of Europe's economic shortcomings is a reminder of the strength that underpins the U.S. economy.

Why it matters: The man credited with saving Europe from one crisis now says it faces another. Countries are falling behind; he says the union must become more like America to catch up.