International

Emotional support dogs help firefighters fighting fires in California

At least three emotional support dogs have been deployed at the Incident Command Post (ICP) in Palisades, one of the most devastating fires that continues to be active in Los Angeles, California, in order to provide some “love and joy” to firefighters who continue to fight the flames.

From very early Brisket, a three-year-old golden retriever Labrador, walks with his coach and police officer Amy Tate at the ICP located in Zuma Beach, Malibu, to share a moment with the firefighters as they line up to receive their breakfast and prepare to return to the fire zone.

The city agent of Glendale (California) believes that the presence of these highly trained emotional support dogs helps firefighters feel a little “at home” in critical emergency moments like the one that has been living in Los Angeles County for more than a week.

“Many people miss their families and their dogs. So if we can give them a couple of minutes of a little dog love, that’s our job,” Tate replies to EFE.

When Brisket appears the firefighters “come very quickly and ask me to caress him, kiss him and hug him, and tell me about their dogs at home or dogs they have had in the past and show me photos, which is really great,” he explains.

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On normal days, Brisket is a service dog of the Glendale Police Department that, according to Tate, has become “a celebrity” for the various activities he carries out in the community.

The dog usually sits next to victims when they interview them and they have to remember the trauma.

Brisket “taste forty orders. He knows how to open and close doors, turn on lights, pick up things from the floor, help with the laundry, open the fridge, whatever you need,” he says.

In the same ICP also walks Ember (Brasa in Spanish), a Sheepadoodle dog that attracts firefighters who do not miss the opportunity to take a picture of her and spend some time with her.

The dog, who began her service in 2024, wears a Riverside County firefighters cap on her head and her trainer Bari Boersma points out that by petting these animals, people experience a decrease in tension and feel better.

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“All these dogs that are here in this camp are trained through the first recognized therapy organization and then continue and obtain one more certification in animal-assisted crisis response training. So they have higher certifications than therapy dogs,” he explains to EFE.

Since January 7, Los Angeles, California, has faced one of the worst devastation crises due to the outbreak of a series of fires that are still active and have left at least 25 dead.

The Palisades fire, one of the most lethal foci, has been able to contain itself by 19% and has devastated one of the most exclusive areas of the city of stars, while the Eaton has managed to contain itself by 45%.

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.”