International
Lula da Silva says that Bolivia “can’t fall into the trap again” of coups d’état
The president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, said on Tuesday that Bolivia “cannot fall back into the trap” of the coups d’état, in reference to the military uprising that occurred on June 26 at the presidential headquarters in La Paz.
Da Silva is in Bolivian territory as part of a two-day official visit, in which he held meetings with his Bolivian counterpart, Luis Arce, to sign bilateral integration agreements.
“On the eve of celebrating its bicentennial, in 2025, Bolivia cannot fall into this trap again. We cannot tolerate authoritarian dreams or coups d’état,” Lula da Silva said in his official statement, after the signing of several agreements and meeting with Arce, in the eastern city of Santa Cruz.
The ruler of Brazil thanked his Bolivian peer for receiving him in the midst of a situation in which Bolivia demonstrated “its courage in the face of a serious threat,” after the armed uprising more than two weeks ago.
“We have the enormous responsibility to defend democracy in the face of attempts to push it back,” said Lula da Silva.
Military personnel under the command of the ousted Army commander Juan José Zuñiga took the headquarters of the Executive in La Paz for a few hours, on June 26.
After the military had a confrontation with the Bolivian president, he withdreted along with tanks and soldiers. Hours later he was arrested and is currently in pre-trial detention in a prison in the center of the country.
The president of Brazil said that his visit not only means the resumption of a friendship, but also represents “the communion of two countries whose trajectories have important parallels.”
Lula mentioned what happened in his country in 2022, when Brazil celebrated its bicentennial. “Instead of celebrating it, we were invaded by a wave of extremism that ended on January 8 with an attempted coup,” he recalled.
He affirmed that, like Brazil, Bolivian democracy “has prevailed after a long journey dotted with coups d’état and dictatorships.”
“All over the world, the disunity of democratic forces has only served the extreme right,” said the Brazilian president.
With Lula da Silva’s visit to Bolivia, bilateral relations were strengthened with the signing of 10 agreements in different areas such as health, migration, energy, security, mining and agriculture, among others.
International
Florida officials warn against raw milk after dozens sickened
Unprocessed milk from a farm in Florida has sickened at least 21 people, prompting state authorities to issue a public health alert, U.S. media reported Monday.
The 21 cases include six children under the age of 10, all diagnosed with infections caused by E. coli and Campylobacterbacteria linked to raw milk from the farm in the southeastern U.S. state. Local authorities have also warned about the dangers of drinking unpasteurized milk.
Seven people have been hospitalized, two of whom have suffered complications, according to multiple reports.
The Florida Department of Health has urged the public to avoid raw milk consumption and blamed the outbreak on the farm involved—without naming it directly—citing poor sanitary practices.
Florida law prohibits the sale of unprocessed milk for human consumption, although it can be sold if labeled for pets. Pasteurization, which involves heating milk to kill harmful bacteria, is required under U.S. federal regulations for any dairy products sold across states.
Despite these regulations, sales of raw milk have been increasing in recent years, fueled by online promotion from wellness influencers and advocates of unprocessed foods.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warn that raw milk can contain potentially deadly bacteria such as E. coli, Campylobacter, Listeria, or Salmonella, which can cause symptoms ranging from diarrhea, vomiting, and indigestion to severe complications like kidney failure.
International
Massive wildfire in Southern France kills one, injures nine
Hundreds of firefighters battled on Wednesday to contain a massive wildfire in southern France that has left one person dead and nine others injured.
The blaze, which broke out Tuesday in the Aude department, is the largest recorded in France during the current summer season. Authorities have deployed 1,800 firefighters in an effort to bring it under control.
An elderly woman died in her home in the town of Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, while two others were injured—one in serious condition due to burns—according to the local prefecture. Seven firefighters suffered smoke inhalation injuries, and one person remains missing. The wildfire has already scorched an estimated 12,000 hectares of land.
“The fire is spreading very quickly due to unfavorable weather conditions. This is one of the driest areas of the department, and strong winds are fueling the flames,” said Lucie Roesch, secretary general of the Aude prefecture. Rémi Recio, subprefect for the city of Narbonne, added, “The fire is still spreading and is far from being contained or under control.”
The A9 motorway, which runs along the Mediterranean coast between France and Spain, has been closed in both directions between Narbonne and Perpignan, along with numerous secondary roads.
In Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, the smell of smoke lingers over the charred hectares. A helicopter was seen drawing water from the river below the village and dropping it several kilometers away, AFP reporters observed.
A campsite and at least one village were partially evacuated, with 25 houses and around 35 vehicles damaged, according to a preliminary assessment.
French Prime Minister François Bayrou announced he will visit the affected area on Wednesday.
International
Japan marks 80 years since Hiroshima bombing with call for nuclear disarmament
Japan observed a minute of silence on Wednesday to mark the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, a solemn reminder to the world of the horror it unleashed, amid heightened tensions between nuclear powers the United States and Russia.
At exactly 8:15 a.m. local time (23:15 GMT), the moment when the U.S. bomber Enola Gay dropped the “Little Boy” atomic bomb on August 6, 1945, the city paused to remember.
The bombing claimed an estimated 140,000 lives, not only from the devastating blast and fireball but also from the deadly radiation that followed. Three days later, another bomb dropped on Nagasaki killed 74,000 more. Japan’s surrender on August 15 marked the end of World War II.
On a sweltering morning, hundreds of students, survivors, and officials dressed in black laid flowers at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. The city’s mayor, Kazumi Matsui, warned of “an accelerating trend toward military buildup worldwide,” citing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing war in the Middle East.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stated that Japan has a mission “to take the lead toward a world without nuclear weapons.”
Today, Hiroshima is a thriving metropolis of 1.2 million people, yet the skeletal remains of one building still stand at its center as a powerful reminder of the tragedy.
Wednesday’s ceremony was attended by representatives from around 120 countries and regions, including delegates from Taiwan and Palestine for the first time.
Among the attendees was 96-year-old Yoshie Yokoyama, who arrived in a wheelchair accompanied by her grandson. She told reporters that her parents and grandparents were victims of the bombing.
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