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Guatemala president warns millions could die as visits Ukraine

AFP

Millions around the world could die due to the “food crisis” caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Guatemala President Alejandro Giammattei said during a visit to Ukraine on Monday.

Giammattei, who was invited to Ukraine by counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky to view the damage caused by Russia’s invasion, hit out at the war’s global impact.

“An irrefutable proof of the consequences of this war are the global economic effects that have generated inflation, increased the cost of living and produced more poverty,” he said in a joint statement with Zelensky published by the Guatemalan presidency.

And he warned that the conflict would cause a future “food crisis that could mean the death of millions of people.”

Central America has been badly affected by the war as it imports all of its grain from the conflict zone.

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Ukraine has been unable to export grain since the beginning of Russia’s invasion due to a blockade of its Black Sea ports by Kremlin forces.

“The whole world is suffering the serious consequences of the Russian aggression such as the food crisis and price destabilization,” said Zelensky.

“The cost of living is unfairly rising and only together can we protect the world and international legal order.”

Zelensky thanked Giammattei for his visit and called on the international community to set up a special court to “punish Russia for its aggression.”

During the visit, the two countries agreed to scrap visa requirements for Guatemalans traveling to Ukraine and to establish direct business contacts.

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The visit was arranged during a telephone conversation between the two presidents in June, after which Giammattei had said they “spoke about reconstruction in Ukraine, where they need laborers, and so (Zelensky) asked that Guatemalans travel to work in Ukraine.”

In a brief press release, Guatemala’s communication secretariat for the presidency gave no details on when the visit began or how long it would last.

Following Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine, Giammattei closed Guatemala’s embassy in Moscow.

The Central American country exports nickel to Ukraine while importing iron and steel.

Despite breaking off diplomatic relations with Russia, Guatemala continues to export coffee and bananas to the Eurasian powerhouse, while importing fertilizer, medical supplies and paper.

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Russian troops invaded Ukraine on February 24 following months of rising tensions between the neighbors.

Like many countries affected by the war, Guatemala has since seen fuel prices shoot up.

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Tehran engulfed in toxic cloud after strikes on fuel facilities

Tehran woke up under a sky that shifted from gray to black following strikes on fuel infrastructure, as the city has become engulfed in a toxic cloud that is turning daily life into a public health and environmental emergency.

Residents warn that what is falling from the sky is no longer just rain, but a mixture of oil and pollutants. Attacks on fuel depots have triggered prolonged fires, releasing thick plumes of smoke that continue to spread across the العاصمة.

For several days, facilities have remained ablaze, while a dark layer has settled over streets, homes, and even water reserves. Authorities have urged the population—more than nine million people—to remain indoors, especially vulnerable groups.

The extreme toxicity is linked to mazut, a dense petroleum byproduct with high sulfur content still used in Iran due to industrial limitations and sanctions. When burned, it releases hazardous particles that, when combined with moisture, result in contaminated rainfall.

The situation is worsened by Tehran’s geography. Surrounded by mountains, the city is affected by a temperature inversion phenomenon that traps pollutants near the ground, preventing their dispersion and creating a stagnant layer of toxic air over the population.

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Residents have reported symptoms such as eye and skin irritation, headaches, and respiratory difficulties. Emergency agencies have also warned of potential chemical burns caused by acid rain.

Long-term concerns are mounting, as prolonged exposure to fine particles and heavy metals could lead to serious health conditions, including lung damage and cancer.

Contamination is also spreading to water sources and agricultural land, threatening the food supply in a country already facing water scarcity.

At a regional level, the environmental impact is expanding, with oil spills reported in the Persian Gulf, affecting marine ecosystems and fishing communities.

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FBI Most Wanted Fugitive Arrested in Mexico and Deported to U.S.

Authorities in Mexico announced Thursday that Samuel Ramírez Jr., a U.S. citizen accused of murdering two women and listed among the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, was arrested in the northern state of Sinaloa.

Ramírez Jr., 33, was detained Tuesday in Culiacán just 1 hour and 13 minutes after being added to the Federal Bureau of Investigation Ten Most Wanted list, the agency said in a statement.

The suspect, who was born in California, has already been deported to the U.S. state of Washington, where he faces charges related to the fatal shooting of two women at a bar in Federal Way in May 2023.

A court issued an arrest warrant for Ramírez in November last year, and the FBI initially offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to his capture, later increasing the amount to up to $1 million.

“To protect individuals’ privacy and ensure continued cooperation from the public, the FBI does not confirm the identity of those who provide information,” the agency said in its statement.

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UN experts warn Nicaragua runs vast transnational network to monitor exiled dissidents

Nicaragua maintains an “extensive” transnational network to monitor and intimidate opposition figures living in exile, affecting “hundreds of thousands” of people, the United Nations Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua warned on Tuesday.

In a statement, the experts said their report “details an extensive transnational architecture of surveillance and intelligence used to monitor, intimidate and attack the hundreds of thousands of Nicaraguans living abroad.”

The report, which will be presented on March 16 to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, states that the structure maintained by the government of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo includes the army, the police, migration authorities and diplomatic missions.

According to the statement, “the government has arbitrarily stripped 452 Nicaraguans of their nationality, left thousands more exiled in a situation of de facto statelessness, and prevented many from returning to Nicaragua.”