International
Lula urges EU-South America regional trade deal before China talks

January 26 | By AFP |
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Wednesday called for the South American trade bloc Mercosur to urgently seal a free trade agreement with the European Union before negotiating with China.
Lula made the comments in Uruguay, which has been pursuing its own commercial deal with Beijing, despite opposition from Mercosur — made up of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.
The EU reached a trade agreement in 2019 with Mercosur following 20 years of negotiations, but the deal has not yet been ratified.
“It is urgent and extremely important for Mercosur to reach an agreement with the EU,” Lula said in Montevideo, where he met with President Luis Lacalle Pou.
“We will step up our discussions with the EU and sign this agreement so that we can then discuss a deal between China and Mercosur,” he added.
The EU-Mercosur deal has generated a wave of criticism in Europe, particularly among the agriculture and ecological sectors.
Negotiated by the European Commission, it needs to be ratified individually by all 27 EU members states before it comes into effect.
Uruguay had for years pushed for greater flexibility within Mercosur but its independent negotiations with China sparked opposition from fellow members and even rumors that the bloc could break up.
Despite negotiating with China directly, Uruguay “is part of Mercosur, and that has not changed,” insisted Lacalle Pou.
“There are no obstacles to informing Brazil (and) Argentina about what is being negotiated,” said Lacalle Pou.
Uruguay has also applied to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) — a trade agreement involving countries across eastern Asia, the Pacific, and North and South America — without the agreement of its Mercosur partners.
International
Erin brings strong winds and storm surge despite weakening offshore

Hurricane Erin weakened to a Category 2 storm on Tuesday but continues to pose a threat to parts of the U.S. East Coast with potentially dangerous flooding, according to meteorologists.
Although the hurricane’s eye is expected to remain offshore, experts are concerned about Erin’s size, as strong winds extend hundreds of kilometers beyond the storm’s center.
In its 18:00 GMT bulletin, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) lifted tropical storm warnings for the Bahamasand Turks and Caicos Islands, but kept them in effect for parts of North Carolina.
Erin was located several hundred kilometers southeast of North Carolina and was moving northwestward.
“This means there is a risk of potentially life-threatening flooding of 60 to 120 centimeters above ground level,” said NHC Director Michael Brennan.
He also warned of the possibility of destructive waves, combined with storm surge, that could cause severe damage to beaches and coastal areas, making roads impassable.
International
Three U.S. Warships deploy near Venezuela to combat drug trafficking

Three U.S. naval vessels are moving toward the coasts of Venezuela, according to international media reports on Tuesday, after White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed that President Donald Trump is ready to combat and curb international drug trafficking.
Reports indicate that the ships will reach Venezuelan waters within the next 36 hours as part of a recent U.S. deployment aimed at countering international narcotics operations.
The announcement coincides with Leavitt’s statement that Trump is prepared to “use the full extent of his power” to halt drug flows into the United States. The naval deployment involves approximately 4,000 military personnel.
“The President has been clear and consistent. He is ready to use every element of U.S. power to prevent drugs from flooding our country and to bring those responsible to justice. The Maduro regime is not the legitimate government of Venezuela—it is a narco-terror cartel,” the spokesperson said during a press conference.
International
Cuban authorities free salvadoran convicted in 1997 hotel bombing

Salvadoran national Otto René Rodríguez Llerena was released after serving a 30-year prison sentence for his involvement in a terrorist attack at a hotel in Cuba in 1997, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.
During his trial, Rodríguez Llerena admitted to placing an explosive device at the Meliá Cohiba Hotel under the orders of anti-Castro exile leaders. He was arrested the following year when he returned to Havana with another load of explosives that failed to detonate.
“The Cuban government reiterates its commitment to combating terrorism, respecting human rights, and the need for the international community to hold accountable those who promote such acts,” the statement read.
He was released on August 15 and is the second Salvadoran to complete his sentence. In December of last year, another Salvadoran, Ernesto Cruz León, was released after planting bombs at tourist centers, one of which killed an Italian tourist identified as Fabio Di Celmo.
A third Salvadoran, Francisco Chávez Abarca, also received a 30-year sentence from Cuban courts in 2010 after being extradited from Venezuela through Interpol for actions against Cuba.
Rodríguez Llerena had requested conditional release in 2016, arguing that his actions had not caused any direct fatalities, but no further information was released about his situation until now.
-
Central America4 days ago
Guatemalan police regain control of prisons after gang riots leave one guard dead
-
International4 days ago
Erin weakens to Category 3 after rapid intensification to Category 5
-
International2 days ago
NYPD declares suspicious Times Square package safe after investigation
-
International4 days ago
Ex-Pemex director linked to Odebrecht scandal detained in Texas, faces trial in Mexico
-
International2 days ago
Peruvian woman arrested in Bali for smuggling cocaine in sex toy
-
International2 days ago
Trump says Russia open to security guarantees for Ukraine amid peace talks
-
International2 days ago
Cuban authorities free salvadoran convicted in 1997 hotel bombing
-
International4 days ago
Residente to perform free concert at Mexico City’s Zócalo on september 6
-
International2 days ago
Texas opens major migrant detention center amid civil rights protests
-
Central America15 hours ago
Analyst warns of cracks in Nicaragua’s inner circle as Ortega prepares succession
-
International2 days ago
Three arrested in Dubai hours after $25 million pink diamond theft
-
International19 hours ago
Erin brings strong winds and storm surge despite weakening offshore
-
Sin categoría2 days ago
Zelensky meets Trump with European leaders amid peace deal tensions
-
International2 days ago
Finnish MP Eemeli Peltonen dies at 30 in Parliament building
-
International19 hours ago
Three U.S. Warships deploy near Venezuela to combat drug trafficking