International

The UN calls for a humanitarian pause in Gaza to vaccinate against polio

The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, called on Friday for a humanitarian pause in the conflict in Gaza to develop a polio vaccination campaign aimed at more than 640,000 children under the age of ten and facing “serious challenges.”

In a press conference, Guterres called on the parties to the conflict to provide “immediate concrete guarantees” for a ceasefire or a humanitarian pause for the safe delivery of vaccines and medical care, and to protect workers and health facilities from bombing.

“Let’s be clear: the definitive vaccine against polio is peace and an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. But in any case, a break due to polio is essential. It is impossible to carry out a polio vaccination campaign while war sweeps everywhere,” he said.

He recalled that the campaign is carried out with a decimated health infrastructure and insecurity for health workers and communities.

The vaccination campaign arises after polio was detected in wastewater samples in Gaza, which puts hundreds of thousands of children at risk, so he warned of the “urgent” need for global action to contain its spread.

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Last month, the Ministry of Health of Gaza declared a polio epidemic, days after the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed the presence of the disease in wastewater.

“Polio doesn’t care about dividing lines and polio doesn’t wait. Preventing and containing the spread will require a massive, coordinated and urgent effort,” said Guterres, who did not indicate when that campaign would begin.

A UN statement states that the organization plans to start a two-phase campaign at the end of this month. On August 7, WHO announced the shipment of 1.2 million vaccines to Gaza.

He explained that, due to the devastation in Gaza, vaccination coverage of at least 95 percent will be necessary during each phase of the campaign to prevent the spread of the disease and reduce its occurrence.

Guterres also indicated that the medical teams of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), the largest provider of primary health care in Gaza, are ready to administer the vaccines and help with logistics.

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The campaign will involve 708 teams in hospitals and primary health care centers, he said, reiterating that many barely work and 316 community outreach teams throughout Gaza.

And he stressed that for a successful campaign they will need safe transport of vaccines and personnel, fuel, reliable internet service and telephone to inform the communities, as well as security so that children and families can reach the centers and that they are protected from bombing.

“Polio goes beyond politics. It transcends all divisions, so it is our shared obligation to unite, to mobilize, not to fight against the people, but against polio,” he said.

International

Erin brings strong winds and storm surge despite weakening offshore

Hurricane Erin weakened to a Category 2 storm on Tuesday but continues to pose a threat to parts of the U.S. East Coast with potentially dangerous flooding, according to meteorologists.

Although the hurricane’s eye is expected to remain offshore, experts are concerned about Erin’s size, as strong winds extend hundreds of kilometers beyond the storm’s center.

In its 18:00 GMT bulletin, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) lifted tropical storm warnings for the Bahamasand Turks and Caicos Islands, but kept them in effect for parts of North Carolina.

Erin was located several hundred kilometers southeast of North Carolina and was moving northwestward.

“This means there is a risk of potentially life-threatening flooding of 60 to 120 centimeters above ground level,” said NHC Director Michael Brennan.

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He also warned of the possibility of destructive waves, combined with storm surge, that could cause severe damage to beaches and coastal areas, making roads impassable.

International

Three U.S. Warships deploy near Venezuela to combat drug trafficking

Three U.S. naval vessels are moving toward the coasts of Venezuela, according to international media reports on Tuesday, after White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed that President Donald Trump is ready to combat and curb international drug trafficking.

Reports indicate that the ships will reach Venezuelan waters within the next 36 hours as part of a recent U.S. deployment aimed at countering international narcotics operations.

The announcement coincides with Leavitt’s statement that Trump is prepared to “use the full extent of his power” to halt drug flows into the United States. The naval deployment involves approximately 4,000 military personnel.

“The President has been clear and consistent. He is ready to use every element of U.S. power to prevent drugs from flooding our country and to bring those responsible to justice. The Maduro regime is not the legitimate government of Venezuela—it is a narco-terror cartel,” the spokesperson said during a press conference.

International

Cuban authorities free salvadoran convicted in 1997 hotel bombing

Salvadoran national Otto René Rodríguez Llerena was released after serving a 30-year prison sentence for his involvement in a terrorist attack at a hotel in Cuba in 1997, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.

During his trial, Rodríguez Llerena admitted to placing an explosive device at the Meliá Cohiba Hotel under the orders of anti-Castro exile leaders. He was arrested the following year when he returned to Havana with another load of explosives that failed to detonate.

“The Cuban government reiterates its commitment to combating terrorism, respecting human rights, and the need for the international community to hold accountable those who promote such acts,” the statement read.

He was released on August 15 and is the second Salvadoran to complete his sentence. In December of last year, another Salvadoran, Ernesto Cruz León, was released after planting bombs at tourist centers, one of which killed an Italian tourist identified as Fabio Di Celmo.

A third Salvadoran, Francisco Chávez Abarca, also received a 30-year sentence from Cuban courts in 2010 after being extradited from Venezuela through Interpol for actions against Cuba.

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Rodríguez Llerena had requested conditional release in 2016, arguing that his actions had not caused any direct fatalities, but no further information was released about his situation until now.