International
Toll from Brazil downpours rises to 44, another 56 missing: govt
AFP
Torrential rains drenching northeastern Brazil since Tuesday have left at least 44 dead and another 56 missing, the government said Sunday in an updated toll.
“We registered 44 dead, 56 missing, 25 injured, 3,957 without shelter and 533 displaced,” Minister of Regional Development Daniel Ferreira told a press conference in Recife, the capital of northeastern Pernambuco state.
The number of dead had mounted from 34 since Saturday, with at least 28 killed in landslides, as heavy rains caused rivers to overflow and torrents of mud swept away everything in their path.
During a lull in the rain, some 1,200 personnel from various agencies resumed search and rescue work, the state government said.
The National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet) maintained its “red alert” through Sunday in Pernambuco, its highest level of warning for flooding and landslides.
“Although it has stopped raining now, we are forecasting heavy rains for the next few days, so the first thing is to maintain self-protection measures,” said the minister.
Over the past year, hundreds of Brazilians have died in flooding and landslides brought on by torrential downpours.
International
Argentina detects first local cases of Influenza A (H3N2) Subclade K
Argentina’s National Administration of Laboratories and Health Institutes (ANLIS) “Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán” has confirmed the detection of three cases of influenza A (H3N2) corresponding to subclade K in the country. These are the first locally recorded cases of this variant, which has become predominant in several countries in the Northern Hemisphere in recent months and is associated with higher transmissibility.
The cases were identified through the National Network of Laboratories and Sentinel Units and confirmed by the National Reference Laboratory of INEI-ANLIS using genomic sequencing techniques. According to health authorities, the cases involve two adolescents from the province of Santa Cruz, detected as part of the Ambulatory Monitoring Strategy for Acute Respiratory Infections, and a child who had been hospitalized in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires.
In all three cases, patients experienced mild illness and recovered without complications. Officials did not specify whether any of the affected individuals had a recent travel history.
The jurisdictions involved have already launched the corresponding epidemiological investigations and are responsible for ensuring timely medical care for the detected cases. According to the latest integrated surveillance report, the circulation of influenza and other respiratory viruses in Argentina remains within expected levels for this time of year.
International
Pentagon confirms Trump pick for SouthCom as U.S. military pressure grows
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated a Marine Corps lieutenant general to lead U.S. Southern Command (SouthCom), the Pentagon announced on Friday, as Trump said he does not rule out the possibility of a war with Venezuela.
If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Marine Corps Lieutenant General Francis L. Donovan would replace an admiral who, according to media reports, criticized recent attacks on vessels allegedly linked to drug trafficking off the Venezuelan coast.
Washington has deployed a significant military presence in both the Caribbean and the Pacific, where it has carried out airstrikes against boats it claims were used by suspected drug traffickers. According to an AFP tally based on official information, the attacks have left more than 100 people dead.
The Venezuelan government has denounced what it describes as a plot to overthrow President Nicolás Maduro and seize the country’s oil resources.
In a statement published Friday on the Pentagon’s website, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that Trump had nominated Lieutenant General Donovan to serve as commander of U.S. Southern Command.
SouthCom is responsible for U.S. military operations in Central and South America, as well as parts of the Caribbean.
According to the Department of Defense, Donovan currently serves as deputy commander of U.S. Special Operations Command. His appointment is subject to Senate confirmation.
International
Trump moves to reclassify marijuana as less dangerous substance
Former U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous addictive substance, a move aimed at encouraging medical research without immediately opening the door to federal-level decriminalization.
Trump said that “people were begging” him to make the decision, particularly individuals suffering from chronic pain. He stressed, however, that the measure “is not at all a decriminalization” of marijuana for non-medical use.
“I’ve always told my children: don’t use drugs, don’t drink, don’t smoke,” Trump added. He is a well-known teetotaler.
A senior government official described the decision as “common sense” during a briefing with reporters, noting that marijuana and CBD-based products — a compound derived from cannabis known for its relaxing properties — are already widely used in the United States by patients dealing with chronic pain.
Most U.S. states currently allow the use of cannabis for medical purposes, and more than 20 states, along with the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., have also legalized recreational use.
Argentina detects first local cases of Influenza A (H3N2) Subclade K
Pentagon confirms Trump pick for SouthCom as U.S. military pressure grows
Trump moves to reclassify marijuana as less dangerous substance
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
Central America5 days agoEl Salvador ranks among top countries in the Americas in fight against organized crime
-
Central America5 days agoBukele says AI partnership with xAI will transform public education in El Salvador
-
International2 days agoShakira’s El Salvador concerts sell out in hours, fans demand more dates
-
International4 days agoRubio rules out 2028 presidential bid if Vance runs
-
Central America4 days agoArrests and clashes in Tegucigalpa as vote count continues after Honduras election
-
International2 days agoTrump moves to reclassify marijuana as less dangerous substance
-
International22 hours agoPentagon confirms Trump pick for SouthCom as U.S. military pressure grows
-
International4 days agoAuthorities search for armed and dangerous suspect in fatal Brown University attack
-
International22 hours agoArgentina detects first local cases of Influenza A (H3N2) Subclade K