International
Biden manages to get Netanyahu to promise to take a step in Gaza and reiterates his position on Rafah
The President of the United States, Joe Biden, managed to get the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, to promise to open the humanitarian aid passage of Kerem Shalom, closed after an attack by Hamas, and reiterated his “clear position” regarding an invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
As reported by the White House in a statement, “the prime minister agreed to ensure that Kerem Shalom’s passage is open to humanitarian assistance from those in need.”
The Kerem Shalom crossing, one of the main crossings used to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, was closed on Sunday after a Hamas attack killed four Israeli soldiers and injured ten others.
In addition, Biden “reiterated his clear position on Rafah,” according to the White House statement, which does not add more details about that part of the conversation.
The Biden government has repeatedly asked Israel to present a concrete and effective plan before invading Rafah to prevent the death of civilians in that city, located on the border with Egypt and where more than 1.4 million Palestinians are crammed, who have taken refuge there from Israeli operations in the rest of the enclave.
Netanyahu has been reiterating his intention to invade Rafah for months to eliminate Hamas militiamen who he claims are hiding there and, just a few hours ago, the Israeli Army ordered the evacuation of about 100,000 residents of Rafah.
On the other hand, the two leaders also talked about the negotiations to agree on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages held in the enclave by Hamas and the release of Palestinians imprisoned in Israeli prisons.
The negotiations are at a crucial moment after the apparent failure of the last round held this weekend in Cairo. However, Washington seeks to revive them, so yesterday, Sunday, the director of the CIA, William Burns, arrived in Doha to continue the talks.
Biden referred specifically to that point and updated Netanyahu “on the efforts to reach an agreement on hostages,” including Monday’s talks in Doha, which has hosted the political office of Hamas for more than a decade.
The United States has been acting for months as a mediator in those negotiations with Egypt and Qatar.
Finally, both leaders also spoke about the commemoration of Holocaust Remembrance Day, which is celebrated this Monday.
Specifically, they talked about the “commitment” shared by the US and Israel to remember the six million Jews systematically persecuted and killed in the Holocaust, one of the “darkest chapters in history,” and agreed to “act forcefully against anti-Semitism and all forms of hate-motivated violence.”
International
Five Bodies Found in Ecuador as Police Probe Suspected Gang Turf War
Ecuadorian authorities are investigating the deaths of five people whose bodies were found inside a rural home, in what police believe may be linked to a territorial dispute between organized criminal groups.
The victims, aged between 21 and 30, were discovered Tuesday in the town of La Troncal, in the Andean province of Cañar. Police reported that two of the bodies were bound with wire, while a burned-out vehicle was found outside the residence.
Investigators said graffiti on the walls of the house included messages such as “Lobos territory” and “Lobos active,” suggesting a possible connection to the criminal organization known as Los Lobos.
Police believe the killings were likely the result of a conflict over territorial control between rival gangs.
The discovery came on the same day authorities arrested a former mayor in the neighboring province of Azuay. Officials identified him as the alleged main financial backer of Los Lobos, one of Ecuador’s most powerful criminal organizations.
Ecuador has experienced an unprecedented surge in violence in recent years, driven by criminal groups involved in drug trafficking, illegal mining, kidnapping, and extortion.
According to Insight Crime, the country recorded 51 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025—equivalent to roughly one killing every hour—making it one of the most violent countries in Latin America.
International
Georgia Teen Sentenced to Life Without Parole for Deadly School Shooting
A Georgia teenager who killed four people in a 2024 school shooting was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to the attack.
Colt Gray, now 16, admitted to opening fire at Apalachee High School in Winder, about 70 kilometers (45 miles) northeast of Atlanta. He was 14 years old at the time of the shooting.
The attack claimed the lives of two students and two teachers, while nine other people were injured. Despite being a minor when the shooting occurred, Gray was prosecuted as an adult.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Nicholas Trimm acknowledged the failures of the teenager’s family but said they did not excuse his actions.
“Your parents failed you. Your family failed you. But that does not absolve you,” the judge said.
Trimm also rejected any suggestion that the shooting was motivated by bullying or personal grievances.
“You were not bullied at Apalachee. This was not driven by hate. You didn’t know anyone at that school. It was simply the desire to commit a notorious act,” he told Gray.
The case also led to the prosecution of the shooter’s father, Colin Gray, who was convicted in March of voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter. The case marked one of the first instances in which a parent was held criminally responsible for a mass shooting carried out by their child.
Prosecutors said Colin Gray had given his son an AR-15-style rifle as a Christmas gift in 2023, despite being aware that the teenager had previously threatened to carry out a school shooting.
Authorities said the same rifle was used in the attack less than a year later. Months before the shooting, FBI investigators had alerted local law enforcement after receiving reports of online messages linked to the Gray family’s internet address that referenced plans for a school massacre.
The case reflects growing legal scrutiny in the United States over the responsibility of parents whose children commit acts of gun violence.
In a similar case, the parents of a Michigan teenager who killed four people at his high school in 2021 were convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2024 and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 10 to 15 years.
According to U.S. health authorities, firearms have been the leading cause of death among children and teenagers in the United States for several years.
International
Portuguese Authorities Seize 2.6 Tons of Cocaine Worth More Than $550 Million in Drug Bust
Italian financial police reported Monday that Portuguese authorities intercepted a speedboat carrying more than 2.6 tons of cocaine, with an estimated street value exceeding $550 million.
Four people — two Spanish nationals, one Albanian citizen, and a man from Gibraltar — were arrested in connection with the operation, according to Italian authorities.
The vessel was intercepted off the coast of Lisbon by Portugal’s maritime police following an investigation led by Italian authorities.
Italian financial police estimated that the seized shipment had a street value of approximately 500 million euros ($570 million), making it one of the largest drug seizures reported in the region in recent years.
Portuguese authorities said the interception took place on Thursday, about 90 kilometers (50 nautical miles) southwest of Cape Espichel, during an operation targeting international drug trafficking routes.
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