Nicaragua cancels planned welfare overhaul in bid to end protests

By Oswaldo Rivas MANAGUA (Reuters) - Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said on Sunday a planned overhaul of the welfare system that sparked days of deadly protests had been canceled, as he attempted to end the biggest crisis of his administration. Ortega has been on the defensive since demonstrations began on Wednesday against the plan to increase worker contributions to social security and to lower pensions. The pope, the U.S. government and business leaders all urged Ortega to stop the violence before he appeared on television and said the measures approved last week would be withdrawn.

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