International

Two dead and one missing in Havana landslide confirmed

Photo: EFE

October 5 |

Authorities of the Cuban Fire Brigade confirmed Wednesday the death of two rescuers; a rescue and salvage technician of that corporation and the other of the rescue team, in the collapse that occurred during the early morning in the historic center of the capital, Havana.

Yoandra Suárez López, 40 years old, rescue and salvage technician, with more than 11 years of experience in the job, and
Luis Alejandro Llerena Martinez, 23, a professional rescuer, were reported dead.

The body of Ramón Páez Frometa, 79, who was in the building at the time of the incident, is being sought.

In declarations to the press by the chief of the Cuban Fire Department, first colonel Luis Carlos Guzmán Matos, it was reported that as soon as the information of the incident arrived, “the planned techniques were sent to the place, to participate in this type of work, together with the whole Minint (Ministry of the Interior) system”.

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Guzman informed that there is also a missing person under the rubble, another Fire Department rescuer and a resident in the destroyed building.

On the other hand, the rescue chief told the press that the work inside the building is very complex, since it is totally collapsed; nevertheless, “we are insisting with the canine technique to locate the missing persons”.

He clarified that there were two collapses, after the first one, the Fire Brigade arrived a few minutes later and managed to get one person out. It is then when the second collapse occurred, when the Rescue and Rescue technicians were already inside.

He insisted that there are the necessary forces and means to undertake rescue actions, but it is very dangerous because of the state in which the structure was left.

Two other injured persons were taken to a hospital in the center of the city and are being treated and are reported to be out of danger.

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According to local authorities, there were 13 families and 54 people living in the building, “who were immediately rescued and provided with protection and assistance”.

The teaching activities of a school near the area of the collapse were transferred to other educational institutions.

International

Brazil offers to mediate Colombia-Ecuador tensions, calls for restraint

The government of Brazil has offered to mediate in the ongoing tensions between Colombia and Ecuador, while calling on both nations to exercise restraint.

In a statement released Wednesday, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the parties involved to act with moderation and seek a peaceful resolution to the dispute.

“Brazil encourages all sides to act with moderation in order to find a peaceful solution to the controversy. It stands ready to support dialogue efforts aimed at preserving peace and security in the region,” the statement said.

Brazil also expressed “serious concern” over reports of deaths in the border area between Colombia and Ecuador, noting that the circumstances surrounding the incidents have not yet been clarified.

The diplomatic move comes amid rising tensions between the neighboring countries, increasing regional concern over stability and security along their shared border.

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International

U.S. lowers travel advisory for much of Venezuela but keeps high-risk zones under warning

The U.S. Department of State announced on Thursday that it has lowered its travel advisory for much of Venezuela to Level 3 (“Reconsider Travel”), reflecting what it described as improved security conditions in parts of the country.

However, the agency will maintain the highest Level 4 warning (“Do Not Travel”) for several regions, including the states of Táchira, Amazonas, Apure, Aragua and Guárico, as well as rural areas of Bolívar, citing ongoing risks such as crime, kidnapping and terrorism.

The updated advisory marks a shift from December, when the United States raised the alert for Venezuela to Level 4 nationwide, warning of severe security threats.

Despite the partial downgrade, U.S. authorities continue to urge caution, emphasizing that conditions remain volatile in certain areas and that travelers should carefully assess risks before planning any trips to the country.

International

EU lawmakers move to ban AI tools that generate non-consensual nude images

Members of the European Parliament are pushing to ban across the bloc artificial intelligence services that allow users to digitally “undress” people without their consent.

The proposal, adopted on Wednesday at committee level, aims to prohibit applications that generate non-consensual explicit images. Irish lawmaker Michael McNamara, one of the sponsors, said the measure seeks to stop tools that “have caused significant harm for the benefit of a few.”

Dutch MEP Kim van Sparrentak welcomed the move, calling it “a major victory, especially for women and children in Europe.”

The amendment, part of broader EU legislation on artificial intelligence, was approved by the Parliament’s civil liberties and internal market committees. It specifically targets systems that use AI to create or manipulate sexually explicit or intimate images resembling identifiable individuals without their consent.

The proposal will be put to a full vote in the European Parliament on March 26. If adopted, lawmakers and European Union member states will need to agree on a final version before it can take effect.

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Separately, representatives of the 27 EU countries recently backed a Franco-Spanish amendment seeking to ban AI services used to generate non-consensual sexual images or child sexual abuse material.

The initiative follows controversy surrounding a feature introduced in Grok, developed by xAI, which allowed users to create simulated nude images from real photos. The tool sparked widespread criticism and prompted an EU investigation.

In response, xAI restricted image generation features in mid-January to paying subscribers and stated it blocks the creation of sexualized images in jurisdictions where such content is illegal.