International
Death toll from storms in southern Brazil rise to 137
The number of deaths from the storms that hit southern Brazil causing floods never before seen in the region already has 137 victims, according to the latest report released by the Civil Defense.
At least 141 people are still missing, while more than 400,000 displaced, of which about 340,000 have had to take refuge in the homes of friends and family and about 71,000 in shelters improvised by the authorities.
In total, 444 cities affected and 1,950,000 people affected by the storms in the region.
The most dramatic situation is in Rio Grande do Sul, a state bordering Argentina and Uruguay, where at least 136 deaths and 756 injuries have been reported.
The other deceased was reported in the neighboring state of Santa Catarina, also affected by the catastrophe, but to a lesser extent.
The rains that had given a slight truce since Thursday resumed their intensity this Saturday, especially in the Taquarí Valley, one of the most affected regions in the last week, and in Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul.
The storms that have been punishing the region since the end of April have left a trail of chaos and destruction in which dozens of cities have been totally or partially under the waters, as is the case of Porto Alegre.
Hundreds of roads destroyed or hindered and the victims suffer from the lack of public services; hospitals are collapsed and without adequate conditions to care for patients.
The event has also hindered the work of the nearly 28,000 personnel – including firefighters, security forces and volunteers – who help in the rescues and distribute humanitarian aid.
In the last few hours, new cities were taken over by the waters after the overflow of the Lagoa dos patos, where the waters are already one and a half meters above normal.
The situation may get worse in the next few hours, where in addition to the heavy rains, strong winds and a drastic drop in temperature are expected.
Rio Grande do Sul, an important agricultural center and a fundamental sector for the growth of the country, will need at least 18,839 million reais (3.7 billion dollars or 3.4 billion euros) to recover from the floods, according to the calculations of the regional government.
At the moment, the Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, announced an aid package of 50 billion reais ($9.8 billion) for that state, which includes direct assistance measures, subsidized credits for companies and aid for rural producers, among others.
International
U.S. to Limit Visa Duration for Foreign Students and Journalists
The United States has announced new limits on the legal length of stay for foreign students and journalists, marking the latest tightening of immigration policies under President Donald Trump.
The changes, outlined in an administrative rule published on Thursday, are expected to take effect in September, unless Congress blocks the measure.
Under the new policy, holders of student visas will be allowed to remain in the United States for no more than four years.
Foreign journalists will be limited to 240-day stays—approximately eight months—with the possibility of applying for extensions of the same duration.
The policy imposes even stricter rules on Chinese journalists, whose visas will be capped at 90 days.
More than 100 international news organizations and press freedom groups, including Agence France-Presse (AFP), criticized the measure in an open letter, arguing that it would reduce both the quantity and quality of international coverage of events in the United States.
The Republican Party, led by President Trump, currently holds a majority in Congress and has pledged to curb both illegal immigration and certain forms of legal immigration.
Previously, the United States generally issued student visas for the full duration of an academic program, while foreign journalists could receive visas valid for up to five years.
Central America
Nicaragua Cuts Diplomatic Ties With Italy Over Red Brigades Dispute
The Nicaraguan government announced on Thursday that it is severing diplomatic relations with Italy following criticism from the Italian government over Nicaragua’s long-standing decision to shelter Alessio Casimirri, a former member of the Red Brigades convicted in Italy for the 1978 kidnapping and murder of former Prime Minister Aldo Moro.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani criticized the administration of co-presidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo on Wednesday for continuing to provide refuge to Casimirri, who was sentenced in Italy to six life terms for his role in Moro’s abduction and killing.
In a statement issued Thursday, Nicaragua’s Foreign Ministry said it was ending all diplomatic relations with Italy, describing Tajani’s remarks as “unjustified, aggressive, and irresponsible.”
Tajani made the comments during a gathering of conservative leaders from Europe and Latin America held in Madrid.
“We have absolutely nothing in common with the positions of extremist governments such as Nicaragua, a country that continues to harbor dangerous Red Brigades terrorists like Alessio Casimirri,” Tajani said, according to Italian media.
The diplomatic break marks a new escalation in tensions between the two countries over the decades-old case involving Casimirri, who has lived in Nicaragua for many years despite repeated calls from Italy for his extradition.
International
U.S. Strikes Hit Areas Near Strait of Hormuz as Tensions With Iran Escalate
Several U.S. strikes targeted areas near the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, according to Iranian state media citing local authorities, as hostilities between the United States and Iran intensified.
Officials in Iran’s Hormozgan Province said the island of Qeshm was struck multiple times by what they described as U.S. missiles during the evening. The reports were carried by the Iranian news agencies Fars and Tasnim.
Iranian state television also reported that the Bandar Abbas region, located on the Iranian coast overlooking the Strait of Hormuz, was the target of what authorities described as an “enemy U.S. air attack.”
According to local officials quoted by state television, no casualties have been reported following the strikes.
The reported attacks come amid renewed military tensions between Washington and Tehran, although U.S. authorities had not immediately commented on the reported operations.
U.S. to Limit Visa Duration for Foreign Students and Journalists
Nicaragua Cuts Diplomatic Ties With Italy Over Red Brigades Dispute
U.S. Strikes Hit Areas Near Strait of Hormuz as Tensions With Iran Escalate
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