International

Controversy in Chile over a report that says Piñera was not wearing a seat belt in his fatal accident

The companions of former Chilean President Sebastián Piñera on his helicopter trip through a lake in southern Chile, where the ship capsized in a fatal accident just ten months ago, assured this Saturday that the former president, who died of “suffocation by suffocation”, did use his seat belt at the time of the event, contradicting a preliminary report from the General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics (DGAC).

“At the time of the accident, the helicopter pilot (Sebastián Piñera) was wearing the seat belt, as were the other three passengers,” said his daughter Magdalena Piñera, in addition to his friend Ignacio Guerrero and his son, Bautista Guerrero, in a public statement.

“We sent this statement only in order to clarify the information delivered yesterday (Friday) regarding a preliminary report of the DGAC,” added the three companions who managed to save themselves.

With or without a seat belt?

The preliminary document released by the DGAC on Friday revealed that Piñera, pilot of the helicopter, “was without his safety harness and died at the scene of the incident.”

The person in charge of rescuing the former president’s body, firefighter Ricardo González, stated after the accident that “the extraction was not complex,” due to the favorable conditions of temperature, water, wind and depth, and that the former president “was free, without the belt, on the side of the helicopter.”

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The former Chilean president died on February 6 at the age of 74 while piloting a helicopter that rushed over Lake Ranco, an exclusive spa more than 800 kilometers south of the capital where he spent the summers with his family.

The first conclusions of the investigation into the causes of the accident are expected to be known in February 2025, when one year after the event has been made.

Piñera was the first right-wing politician to come to power after the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990). He ruled for two non-consecutive terms (2010-2014 and 2018-2022) and his unexpected death caused a deep shock in Chilean society.

International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.

International

U.S. counterterrorism chief resigns over opposition to war in Iran

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced Tuesday that he has resigned from his post, citing his opposition to the ongoing war in Iran.

In a post on X, Kent said he could not, “in good conscience,” support the conflict, arguing that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the United States. He also claimed that the war was driven by pressure from Israel and its lobbying influence in Washington.

In a resignation letter addressed to Donald Trump, Kent alleged that at the start of the current administration, senior Israeli officials and influential figures in U.S. media carried out a disinformation campaign that undermined the “America First” platform and fostered pro-war sentiment aimed at triggering a conflict with Iran.

Kent further stated that he could not support sending a new generation of Americans to “fight and die in a war that provides no benefit to the American people and does not justify the cost in American lives.”

Since the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28, at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed, while 10 others have been seriously wounded and around 200 have sustained minor injuries, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal.

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International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

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Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”