International
Israel agrees to expand humanitarian aid to Gaza after a call between Biden and Netanyahu
Israel will take “immediate measures” to increase the amount of humanitarian aid that allows entry into the Gaza Strip, after US President Joe Biden urged to improve the humanitarian situation in the enclave in a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“This increase in assistance will prevent a humanitarian crisis and is essential to guarantee the continuation of fighting and achieve the objectives of the war,” said a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office about the decisions taken by the war cabinet at its meeting last night.
In this way, Israel will allow the temporary provision of aid through the port of Ashdod, in southern Israel, as well as through the Erez crossing, which directly accesses the north of the Strip, in addition to increasing the flow of aid from Jordan that enters through the Kerem Shalom crossing, in the south.
The Erez crossing will open for the first time since the beginning of the war, a recurring request from humanitarian agencies and the international community because it allows the entry of food and aid directly to the north of the enclave, where the situation is more serious.
There it is estimated that about 300,000 live in a situation of famine, for which 34 people have already died, 31 of them children.
Biden and Netanyahu had a telephone conversation last night, in which the US president warned that U.S. support for Israel could change if he did not take “concrete” actions to minimize the damage to civilians and ensure the safety of humanitarian workers, after a convoy of the NGO World Central Kitchen (WCK) was attacked on Monday up to three times killing seven of its employees.
The United States welcomed the measure and asked for it to be implemented “totally and quickly,” according to a statement from the White House.
From Brussels, the Secretary of State of the United States, Antony Blinken, celebrated Israel’s decision this Friday, but demanded concrete “results” in the “next few days and weeks.”
“They are steps in the right direction, but the real test is the results and this is what we hope to see in the coming days and in the coming weeks,” Blinken told the press in the community capital.
During the month of March, an average of 159 trucks per day entered Gaza with food and basic necessities, which is an upturn compared to previous months.
However, that figure is still low compared to the half-thourd that did it before the war, according to the United Nations.
So far, Israel has only allowed the entry of aid through the two of the seven crosses to the enclave: that of Rafah, between Egypt and Gaza; and Kerem Shalom, in its territory that connects with the southern Strip.
Israeli soldiers subject the convoys to exhaustive controls that slow down the process, in addition to the difficulties in reaching the north, in the face of the widespread destruction of the enclave’s roads.
International
Five Bodies Found in Ecuador as Police Probe Suspected Gang Turf War
Ecuadorian authorities are investigating the deaths of five people whose bodies were found inside a rural home, in what police believe may be linked to a territorial dispute between organized criminal groups.
The victims, aged between 21 and 30, were discovered Tuesday in the town of La Troncal, in the Andean province of Cañar. Police reported that two of the bodies were bound with wire, while a burned-out vehicle was found outside the residence.
Investigators said graffiti on the walls of the house included messages such as “Lobos territory” and “Lobos active,” suggesting a possible connection to the criminal organization known as Los Lobos.
Police believe the killings were likely the result of a conflict over territorial control between rival gangs.
The discovery came on the same day authorities arrested a former mayor in the neighboring province of Azuay. Officials identified him as the alleged main financial backer of Los Lobos, one of Ecuador’s most powerful criminal organizations.
Ecuador has experienced an unprecedented surge in violence in recent years, driven by criminal groups involved in drug trafficking, illegal mining, kidnapping, and extortion.
According to Insight Crime, the country recorded 51 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025—equivalent to roughly one killing every hour—making it one of the most violent countries in Latin America.
International
Georgia Teen Sentenced to Life Without Parole for Deadly School Shooting
A Georgia teenager who killed four people in a 2024 school shooting was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to the attack.
Colt Gray, now 16, admitted to opening fire at Apalachee High School in Winder, about 70 kilometers (45 miles) northeast of Atlanta. He was 14 years old at the time of the shooting.
The attack claimed the lives of two students and two teachers, while nine other people were injured. Despite being a minor when the shooting occurred, Gray was prosecuted as an adult.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Nicholas Trimm acknowledged the failures of the teenager’s family but said they did not excuse his actions.
“Your parents failed you. Your family failed you. But that does not absolve you,” the judge said.
Trimm also rejected any suggestion that the shooting was motivated by bullying or personal grievances.
“You were not bullied at Apalachee. This was not driven by hate. You didn’t know anyone at that school. It was simply the desire to commit a notorious act,” he told Gray.
The case also led to the prosecution of the shooter’s father, Colin Gray, who was convicted in March of voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter. The case marked one of the first instances in which a parent was held criminally responsible for a mass shooting carried out by their child.
Prosecutors said Colin Gray had given his son an AR-15-style rifle as a Christmas gift in 2023, despite being aware that the teenager had previously threatened to carry out a school shooting.
Authorities said the same rifle was used in the attack less than a year later. Months before the shooting, FBI investigators had alerted local law enforcement after receiving reports of online messages linked to the Gray family’s internet address that referenced plans for a school massacre.
The case reflects growing legal scrutiny in the United States over the responsibility of parents whose children commit acts of gun violence.
In a similar case, the parents of a Michigan teenager who killed four people at his high school in 2021 were convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2024 and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 10 to 15 years.
According to U.S. health authorities, firearms have been the leading cause of death among children and teenagers in the United States for several years.
International
Portuguese Authorities Seize 2.6 Tons of Cocaine Worth More Than $550 Million in Drug Bust
Italian financial police reported Monday that Portuguese authorities intercepted a speedboat carrying more than 2.6 tons of cocaine, with an estimated street value exceeding $550 million.
Four people — two Spanish nationals, one Albanian citizen, and a man from Gibraltar — were arrested in connection with the operation, according to Italian authorities.
The vessel was intercepted off the coast of Lisbon by Portugal’s maritime police following an investigation led by Italian authorities.
Italian financial police estimated that the seized shipment had a street value of approximately 500 million euros ($570 million), making it one of the largest drug seizures reported in the region in recent years.
Portuguese authorities said the interception took place on Thursday, about 90 kilometers (50 nautical miles) southwest of Cape Espichel, during an operation targeting international drug trafficking routes.
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