International

Honduran Drug Trafficker Handed Over to U.S. After Extradition Treaty Ends

Honduran President demands results from security authorities

A business associate of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, convicted of drug trafficking in New York, was handed over to the United States on Wednesday. This transfer comes just a week after leftist President Xiomara Castro terminated the extradition treaty between the two countries, according to police reports.

Mario José Cálix was delivered to U.S. agents at Palmerola Airport, 50 kilometers north of Tegucigalpa, and boarded a plane bound for the United States around 11:30 a.m. local time (5:30 p.m. GMT).

“The plane is already in the air,” said police spokesperson Edgardo Barahona to AFP.

The 42-year-old alleged drug trafficker was transported in handcuffs under heavy security from the Police Special Forces headquarters in the capital, where he had been held since June.

Cálix’s extradition is likely to be the last from Honduras to the United States following the cancellation of the treaty between the two countries, explained judicial spokesperson Melvin Duarte.

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“Of the pending cases, [Cálix’s] is the last to be processed to the United States” before the treaty was denounced, Duarte told AFP.

Sought by the United States since 2019 for drug trafficking, Cálix was captured on June 21, and a judge authorized his transfer to the U.S. on August 16.

President Castro ordered the termination of the treaty on August 28 after U.S. Ambassador to Tegucigalpa, Laura Dogu, criticized a meeting between Honduran military leaders—including a niece of the president—and a Venezuelan minister sanctioned by Washington for drug trafficking.

However, the opposition claims that the president ended the treaty, which had facilitated the imprisonment of around fifty Honduran drug traffickers, including Hernández, to protect members of her government and family.

Her brother-in-law Carlos Zelaya—brother of her husband, former President Manuel Zelaya, who was overthrown in a 2009 coup—was accused of meeting with drug traffickers in 2013 to fund that year’s electoral campaign.

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International

Oil prices surge again as Middle East tensions persist

Oil prices climbed again on Friday for a second consecutive session, as markets remained concerned about a prolonged conflict in the Middle East with no tangible diplomatic progress.

North Sea Brent crude for May delivery rose 4.22% to close at $112.57 per barrel.

Meanwhile, U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) approached the $100 mark, settling at $99.64, up 5.46%.

The decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to delay by ten days his ultimatum for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz failed to reassure market participants.

“It means there will be ten additional days of disruptions in the Middle East for crude and refined product flows,” said Andy Lipow, of Lipow Oil Associates.

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“For prices to come down, a resolution to the conflict is necessary,” Lipow added. “And even in the event of a ceasefire, it is not certain that Iran would allow oil shipments to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.”

International

Young Spanish Woman Receives Euthanasia After Legal Battle, Sparking Debate

A 25-year-old Spanish woman, Noelia Castillo, received euthanasia on Thursday following a prolonged legal dispute with her father.

She passed away at a care center in Sant Pere de Ribes, about 40 kilometers from Barcelona, where she had been living for some time, according to Spanish media reports.

In an interview broadcast a day earlier on Antena 3, Castillo expressed her exhaustion after enduring prolonged suffering. She indicated that her decision was influenced by a combination of personal circumstances and health-related challenges, including family conflicts and a condition of paraplegia following a previous incident that left her with lasting physical consequences.

Spain legalized euthanasia in 2021, becoming one of the few countries that allow patients under strict conditions to seek medical assistance to end their lives in order to avoid what the law defines as unbearable suffering.

The case has reignited debate in Spain over the ethical, legal, and family dimensions surrounding euthanasia, as well as the broader issue of support for individuals in vulnerable situations.

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International

Over 300 U.S. Troops Wounded Since Start of Iran Conflict, CENTCOM Says

More than 300 U.S. service members have been injured since the start of the conflict with Iran on February 28, the United States Central Command confirmed on Friday.

“Since the beginning of Operation Epic Fury, approximately 303 U.S. service members have been wounded. The vast majority of these injuries are minor, and 273 troops have already returned to duty,” said U.S. Navy Captain Tim Hawkins.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to AFP, indicated that 10 American troops remain seriously injured.

According to the latest figures, an additional 13 U.S. service members have been killed since the conflict began, including seven in the Gulf region and six in Iraq.

Meanwhile, Iran’s armed forces warned on Friday that hotels hosting U.S. troops in the region could be considered legitimate military targets.

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“When U.S. forces enter a hotel, from our perspective that hotel becomes American,” said armed forces spokesperson Abolfazl Shekarchi in remarks broadcast on state television.