International
Brazil announces aid to population affected by drought in Amazonas
October 5 |
The vice president of Brazil, Geraldo Alckmin, traveled Wednesday to the city of Manaus, capital of the state of Amazonas (northwest) to assess firsthand the damage caused by the extreme drought affecting that region and announced several measures to help the population.
Alckmin met with several authorities, including Governor Wilson Lima and mayors. He visited affected communities, where he spoke with local leaders, businessmen and representatives of civil society. He also flew over the city of Manaus.
According to local media, the delegation sent by President Luiz Inázio Lula da Silva – who is recovering from surgery – announced a group of measures to combat the effects of the event. Among other measures, it was announced that two stretches of rivers will be dredged to clear flows and guarantee navigation, and protection insurance will be issued for affected producers.
According to the provisions, an 8 km stretch of the Solimões river will be dredged, a work that will last 30 days and will cost R$ 30 million (US$ 7.4 million). The second section, 12 km long and budgeted at R$100 million (US$19.48 million), will be dredged on the Madeira River. Both projects will seek to restore navigation capacity.
The Minister of the Environment, Marina Silva, announced that 191 firefighters will be sent to reinforce the contingent dealing with the forest fires in the south of the state.
For his part, the Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira, explained that in Amazonas enough diesel oil has already been stored to supply transportation for the next 30 days to 169 isolated sectors – which depend on river navigation – and to provide them with food, water and electricity, as well as to guarantee electricity generation (they use diesel generators).
Through the social network X, Alckmin assured that 850 reais (US$ 165) will be allocated to small farmers, extractivists and fishermen (with incomes up to 1.5 times the minimum wage) who have lost production.
Also, R$800 (US$150) per person will be given in the form of housing aid to 200 residents of the municipality of Beruri whose houses were destroyed by a landslide.
Among other concrete measures, he added that basic food baskets and sanitary kits will be distributed to the population, who will also receive other social benefits.
The Brazilian vice-president said that 55 of 62 municipalities are directly affected by the drought, which is having a negative impact on the lives of some 200,000 people, some 50,000 families. The drought is considered to be caused by the combined effect of the El Niño phenomenon and the warming of the North Atlantic.
International
Iranian leader warns foreign powers have “no place” in Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said Thursday that the Persian Gulf is entering a new era marked by a “bright” future without the presence of the United States in the region.
His remarks came during the commemoration of Persian Gulf Day, amid ongoing regional tensions following recent military confrontations involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
“Today, two months after the largest military buildup and aggression by the bullies of the world in the region and the humiliating defeat of the United States, a new chapter is being written for the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz,” Khamenei stated.
The Iranian leader insisted that the future of the region would be free from American influence and focused instead on the internal development and prosperity of Gulf nations.
“By the power and strength of God, the bright future of the Persian Gulf region will be a future without the United States and dedicated to the progress, welfare, and prosperity of its nations,” he said.
Khamenei also questioned the effectiveness of U.S. military bases in the region, arguing that they do not provide security even for Washington’s allies.
“Foreigners who come from thousands of miles away and commit evil and malicious acts have no place there except at the bottom of its waters,” he declared.
In addition, the Iranian leader defended new measures being prepared by Tehran to regulate maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, including fees for vessels passing through the strategic waterway. According to Khamenei, the policies would generate economic benefits and greater stability for the region.
Regional tensions remain high following the conflict that erupted on February 28 between the United States and Israel against Iran, leading to strategic blockades in the Strait of Hormuz, a route through which nearly 20% of the world’s oil supply previously passed. The situation has disrupted maritime trade and contributed to rising global oil prices.
Central America
U.S. and Regional Allies Back Panama Amid Dispute With China
The United States, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago issued a joint statement in support of Panama’s sovereignty, arguing that China’s recent actions represent an attempt to politicize maritime trade and undermine the sovereignty of nations in the hemisphere.
“We are closely monitoring China’s selective economic pressure and recent actions affecting vessels flying the Panamanian flag,” the statement released Tuesday said. “Panama is a pillar of our maritime trading system and, as such, must remain free from undue external pressure.”
The statement comes amid growing tensions surrounding the Panama Canal and the operation of key ports linked to global trade.
At the end of January, Panama’s Supreme Court invalidated the legal framework supporting the 1997 concession that granted Panama Ports Company, a subsidiary of CK Hutchison, the right to operate the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals located on the Pacific and Atlantic entrances of the Panama Canal.
The ruling followed mounting pressure from the United States to curb Chinese influence around the strategic waterway, through which roughly 5% of global maritime trade passes.
CK Hutchison, which managed the ports for nearly three decades, rejected the court’s decision and accused Panamanian authorities of illegally confiscating its assets. The company has launched international arbitration proceedings against Panama, seeking more than $2 billion in damages.
Following the court ruling, reports emerged of increased detentions and inspections of Panamanian-flagged vessels in China, actions widely viewed as retaliatory measures.
On Wednesday, China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the joint statement as “completely unfounded and misleading,” accusing the United States of politicizing port operations and warning that Beijing would take steps to protect its interests in Panama.
International
King Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”
King Charles III of the United Kingdom reaffirmed the strength of the British-American relationship on Tuesday during a speech before the United States Congress, describing the alliance between the two nations as “irreplaceable and unbreakable.”
The address, delivered at the Capitol, marked the first speech by a British monarch before Congress since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and comes at a time of political tensions between Donald Trump’s administration and the Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“As President Trump himself observed during his state visit to Britain last autumn, the bond of kinship and identity between the United States and the United Kingdom is invaluable and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable,” the king said.
While reflecting on the upcoming 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, which will be commemorated this year, Charles III stated that the partnership between the two countries “was born out of disagreement, but is no less strong because of it.”
The monarch emphasized the democratic values shared by both nations and noted that major global changes have occurred whenever the two allies found common ground.
“When we have found that way to agree, great changes have taken place not only for the benefit of our peoples, but for all peoples,” he said.
King Charles also quoted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who recently described the relationship as “an indispensable alliance.”
Concluding his speech, the monarch described the shared history of the United States and the United Kingdom as “a story of reconciliation, renewal, and an extraordinary partnership.”
He added that Washington and London have forged “one of the most consequential alliances in human history.”
“I pray with all my heart that our alliance continues to defend our shared values, together with our partners in Europe, the Commonwealth, and around the world, and that we ignore calls urging us to become increasingly isolationist,” Charles III stated.
The king ended by urging both nations to “recommit to one another in selfless service to our peoples and to all peoples of the world.”
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