International
Israel rescues two hostages in operation in Rafah, south of Gaza: Those released in good health
In a successful operation carried out this morning in Rafah, at the southern end of the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces have rescued two hostages, Fernando Simón Marman, 60, and Norberto Louis Har, 70, both kidnapped in the Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak on October 7.
According to a joint statement issued by the Army, Police and Shin Bet intelligence services, the hostages were transferred to the Sheba Tel Hashomer hospital to undergo a medical examination, where it was determined that they are in good health.
This rescue represents Israel’s second success in freeing hostages, after the capture alive of soldier Ori Megidish at the end of October, during the beginning of the ground operation in the Gaza Strip.
The operation in Rafah, a region where more than a million Gazans displaced by violence reside, left more than 50 people dead, identified as “terrorists” by Israel, while Hamas has denounced these actions as a “massacre.” .
With these two rescued, there are a total of three releases in this operation, while Hamas has freed 110 captives, 105 of whom were part of a truce agreement reached in November.
There are still 130 hostages kidnapped on October 7 inside the Strip, of which it is estimated that around thirty could be dead, in addition to four captives held by Hamas for years, including two deceased soldiers.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant expressed his gratitude to the Israel Defense Forces, the Shin Bet and the Police Counter-Terrorism Unit for the success of the operation, which he followed from the war room together with senior commanders. .
Army spokesman Daniel Hagari highlighted the complexity of the operation in Rafah, which required meticulous preparation and precise execution. The clandestine raid on the building where the hostages were being held took place around 1am, and troops exchanged gunfire with the kidnappers before securing the release of the captives.
Although one Israeli soldier was slightly injured in the operation, the release of the hostages represents a major achievement for Israel’s security forces, as noted by Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, who called the operation “impressive, heroic and complex”.
International
Trump orders immediate U.S. nuclear testing, ending 30-year moratorium
U.S. President Donald Trump’s order to begin “immediate” testing of the country’s nuclear arsenal could, if carried out, end the nuclear testing moratorium that the United States has maintained for over 30 years.
The announcement follows Russian President Vladimir Putin’s nuclear maneuvers on October 22 from the Kremlin, which involved land, sea, and air exercises and the launch of a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile with a range of up to 12,000 kilometers.
In 1992, the U.S. Senate approved a temporary suspension of nuclear tests in August, followed by the House of Representatives in September, initially for nine months, with the goal of ending all U.S. atomic testing by September 1996.
Although then-President George H.W. Bush, a Republican, and his successor Bill Clinton, a Democrat, threatened to veto the measure, the moratorium has remained in place ever since.
The decision came after the fall of the Soviet Union, the end of the Cold War, and a political climate in which many U.S. leaders and a significant portion of public opinion believed that the country should lead global denuclearization efforts. Technological advances have also allowed the United States to verify the reliability of its nuclear arsenal without conducting atomic explosions.
From World War II until 1992, the United States conducted over a thousand nuclear tests. Until 1963, these tests were atmospheric, after which only underground tests were performed.
Although the U.S. has not conducted nuclear detonations since September 1992, it has carried out several dozen subcritical experiments. These do not trigger chain nuclear reactions or produce atomic yield but are designed to verify the safety and effectiveness of the nuclear arsenal and remain within the limits established by the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.
International
Brazilian president defends coordinated anti-drug operations after deadly Rio raid
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva defended on Wednesday the integration of the country’s various police forces into an anti-drug strategy that avoids civilian casualties, commenting on Tuesday’s police operation in Rio de Janeiro that left 121 dead—the deadliest in Brazil’s history.
“We need coordinated efforts that strike at the backbone of drug trafficking without putting police, children, and innocent families at risk,” the progressive leader wrote on social media.
Lula, along with several of his ministers, emphasized that organized crime is not defeated through violent confrontations in the favelas, but by measures that decapitalize these groups and reduce their financial power.
“That was exactly what we did in August during the largest operation against organized crime in the country’s history, targeting the financial core of a major organization involved in drug trafficking, fuel adulteration, and money laundering,” he stated, referring to a recent operation against the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC), a major national criminal group.
Lula stressed that Brazil cannot allow organized crime to continue destroying families, oppressing citizens, and spreading drugs and violence across cities.
He added that, in a federal country like Brazil, where public security is the responsibility of regional governments, it is necessary to unify the country’s police forces.
The head of state affirmed that integrating regional and national police forces to combat organized crime will be possible with the approval of a public security bill that the government has submitted to Congress.
International
US Deputy Secretary criticizes Mexico’s call to end Cuba trade embargo at UN
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau reacted on Wednesday against Mexico’s request at the United Nations to lift the trade embargo on Cuba.
Landau expressed on X that he felt “sad” as a “friend of Mexico” after Mexico’s ambassador to the UN, Héctor Vasconcelos, reiterated solidarity with Cuba and stressed the “urgent need to end the trade embargo.”
“Let’s base ourselves on reality and not fantasies. There is no trade embargo on Cuba (…) Cuba freely receives goods and visitors from many countries,” Landau wrote.
The reaction from the State Department official came after the Mexican delegation urgently requested the removal of sanctions against Cuba at the United Nations headquarters in New York, where a majority of 165 countries voted in favor of ending the embargo imposed on the island since 1960.
Seven countries voted against the proposal, and twelve abstained. The United States, Israel, Argentina, Hungary, Paraguay, and Ukraine were among those opposing the measure, but the overwhelming support left the U.S. and its allies in the minority.
Trump orders immediate U.S. nuclear testing, ending 30-year moratorium
Brazilian president defends coordinated anti-drug operations after deadly Rio raid
US Deputy Secretary criticizes Mexico’s call to end Cuba trade embargo at UN
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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