International
Borrell: the EU will support Ukraine until Putin decides to stop the war
The High Representative for Foreign Affairs of the European Union (EU), Josep Borrell, said on Sunday that the Twenty-seven will support Ukraine “until (Vladimir) Putin decides to stop the war,” something that will not happen “soon,” but will probably have to wait for the elections in the United States to know the future of the conflict.
In a panel of the special meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), which started today in Riyadh and lasts until tomorrow, Borrell reiterated the EU’s commitment to support Ukraine in the war against Russia regardless of the budgetary investment that this represents.
“We will continue to support the people in Ukraine (…) There are those who ask how much money we will spend on the war. We pledged to support Ukraine to resist until Putin decides to stop the war, but I don’t think it will happen soon,” said the top representative in EU Security Policy.
In his speech, Borrell recalled that “Putin began the war” and pointed out that the Russian president “will wait for the United States elections” to consider the future or the possibility of ending the conflict that began a little more than two years ago.
Regarding the length of the war between Russia and Ukraine in time, he showed his concern that something similar will happen in the Middle East and referred to the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, another example of “a war between two parties for the same territory where the only solution is to share.”
And he asks “not to open Pandora’s box of new wars” in the face of the growth of international tensions resulting from the new world order.
Borrell summarized the changes that international relations have undergone in recent years, in which he went from talking about east-west and north-south blocks, to talking about “north, south, east and west.”
“There is no clear understanding of what the world is like today. Competition is fine, but the problem is not to compete, but confrontation and there is more confrontation because there are more poles and fewer rules. Power has been redistributed, there are more actors and fewer rules. That’s why there is disorder,” he explained to the audience.
According to Borrell, the main consequence of this new world order is a redistribution of powers that has changed the relationship of forces and many of it have been directed towards Asia, while the “north and west has decreased in importance” while countries such as Saudi Arabia and China grow.
In this sense, he pointed out that “war is not only with bombs, but with narratives” and stressed the importance of geography to establish relations and alliances, sometimes relationships of dependency that are used against the partners themselves.
“Today we need more cooperation (…) We have to respect the existing rules and change those that do not adapt to today’s world. Many things work because there is a gap between what we have to do and what we do,” he added.
Borrell admitted that there is something true in the caricature they make of the European Union: dependence on Russian gas (which went from 45% to 10% since the outbreak of the war), on the security of NATO led by the United States and on trade with China.
But it was clear that that is going to change: “We have to adapt to the new world. Being more responsible with one’s own security and resources (…) New countries have shown an incredible capacity for technological innovation. More union in Europe to survive in a world of giants and take into account the priorities of others” for self-development.
International
Florida officials warn against raw milk after dozens sickened
Unprocessed milk from a farm in Florida has sickened at least 21 people, prompting state authorities to issue a public health alert, U.S. media reported Monday.
The 21 cases include six children under the age of 10, all diagnosed with infections caused by E. coli and Campylobacterbacteria linked to raw milk from the farm in the southeastern U.S. state. Local authorities have also warned about the dangers of drinking unpasteurized milk.
Seven people have been hospitalized, two of whom have suffered complications, according to multiple reports.
The Florida Department of Health has urged the public to avoid raw milk consumption and blamed the outbreak on the farm involved—without naming it directly—citing poor sanitary practices.
Florida law prohibits the sale of unprocessed milk for human consumption, although it can be sold if labeled for pets. Pasteurization, which involves heating milk to kill harmful bacteria, is required under U.S. federal regulations for any dairy products sold across states.
Despite these regulations, sales of raw milk have been increasing in recent years, fueled by online promotion from wellness influencers and advocates of unprocessed foods.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warn that raw milk can contain potentially deadly bacteria such as E. coli, Campylobacter, Listeria, or Salmonella, which can cause symptoms ranging from diarrhea, vomiting, and indigestion to severe complications like kidney failure.
International
Massive wildfire in Southern France kills one, injures nine
Hundreds of firefighters battled on Wednesday to contain a massive wildfire in southern France that has left one person dead and nine others injured.
The blaze, which broke out Tuesday in the Aude department, is the largest recorded in France during the current summer season. Authorities have deployed 1,800 firefighters in an effort to bring it under control.
An elderly woman died in her home in the town of Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, while two others were injured—one in serious condition due to burns—according to the local prefecture. Seven firefighters suffered smoke inhalation injuries, and one person remains missing. The wildfire has already scorched an estimated 12,000 hectares of land.
“The fire is spreading very quickly due to unfavorable weather conditions. This is one of the driest areas of the department, and strong winds are fueling the flames,” said Lucie Roesch, secretary general of the Aude prefecture. Rémi Recio, subprefect for the city of Narbonne, added, “The fire is still spreading and is far from being contained or under control.”
The A9 motorway, which runs along the Mediterranean coast between France and Spain, has been closed in both directions between Narbonne and Perpignan, along with numerous secondary roads.
In Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, the smell of smoke lingers over the charred hectares. A helicopter was seen drawing water from the river below the village and dropping it several kilometers away, AFP reporters observed.
A campsite and at least one village were partially evacuated, with 25 houses and around 35 vehicles damaged, according to a preliminary assessment.
French Prime Minister François Bayrou announced he will visit the affected area on Wednesday.
International
Japan marks 80 years since Hiroshima bombing with call for nuclear disarmament
Japan observed a minute of silence on Wednesday to mark the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, a solemn reminder to the world of the horror it unleashed, amid heightened tensions between nuclear powers the United States and Russia.
At exactly 8:15 a.m. local time (23:15 GMT), the moment when the U.S. bomber Enola Gay dropped the “Little Boy” atomic bomb on August 6, 1945, the city paused to remember.
The bombing claimed an estimated 140,000 lives, not only from the devastating blast and fireball but also from the deadly radiation that followed. Three days later, another bomb dropped on Nagasaki killed 74,000 more. Japan’s surrender on August 15 marked the end of World War II.
On a sweltering morning, hundreds of students, survivors, and officials dressed in black laid flowers at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. The city’s mayor, Kazumi Matsui, warned of “an accelerating trend toward military buildup worldwide,” citing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing war in the Middle East.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stated that Japan has a mission “to take the lead toward a world without nuclear weapons.”
Today, Hiroshima is a thriving metropolis of 1.2 million people, yet the skeletal remains of one building still stand at its center as a powerful reminder of the tragedy.
Wednesday’s ceremony was attended by representatives from around 120 countries and regions, including delegates from Taiwan and Palestine for the first time.
Among the attendees was 96-year-old Yoshie Yokoyama, who arrived in a wheelchair accompanied by her grandson. She told reporters that her parents and grandparents were victims of the bombing.
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