International
The number of children killed in conflicts tripled in 2023, the United Nations denounces
The number of children who died in global conflicts tripled in 2023 compared to the previous year, and the number of women doubled, denounced on Tuesday the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, in his update on the situation of fundamental freedoms on the planet.
In total, the civilian victims in the multiple conflicts that ravage the planet in places such as Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Burma, Syria or Yemen, among many others, grew by 72%, Türk said at the opening of the 56th session of the Human Rights Council, citing statistics from the office he heads.
“It is disheartening to see how the different parties to the conflict exceed the limits of the acceptable and legal on many fronts, with a total contempt for the other, trampling on human rights,” the head of human rights told the delegations of the United Nations member states.
Faced with this, “the murder of civilians has become a daily routine, as well as the destruction of infrastructure. Children who are shot, hospitals bombed, heavy artillery against entire communities,” he denounced.
Türk gave as a first example of these abuses the situation in Gaza, where he recalled that 120,000 people have been killed or injured in eight months of Israeli attacks.
“The relentless attacks in Gaza are causing immense suffering and widespread destruction, and the arbitrary obstruction of humanitarian aid continues. Israel continues to arbitrarily detain thousands of Palestinians. This cannot continue,” Türk said, recalling that UN reports indicate that Israel and Hamas could be committing war crimes.
The Austrian also stressed that since in May Israel intensified its operations in Rafah, in the southern end of the Gaza Strip and the last refuge for many Palestinians who left their homes in areas further north, “more than a million Palestinians have necessarily had to move once again.”
In the war in Ukraine, the High Commissioner expressed his concern about the deterioration of the country’s situation after two and a half years of Russian invasion and particularly denounced the situation in Kharkov, where the recent Russian land offensive “has destroyed entire communities.”
“Many inhabitants, mostly elderly, hide in the basements, without electricity, water or adequate food, while the area suffers intense attacks with explosives,” said the Austrian.
Türk also recalled that the repeated waves of large-scale attacks by Russia against energy infrastructure have destroyed 68% of Ukraine’s electricity production capacity, “placing the system at a point of no return, especially for the winter.”
But Türk also alluded to other conflicts less present in the headlines and televisions, in places such as the Sahel, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, Haiti or Sudan, the latter country that according to the High Commissioner “is being destroyed before our eyes.”
The generals at the head of the two sides in conflict in Sudan “have responsibility in the commission of possible war crimes and other atrocities,” including ethnic attacks and sexual violence, he said.
“They are ultimately responsible for the impact of their actions on civilians, with effects such as mass displacement, the threat of famine, or an ever-increasing humanitarian disaster,” said the high commissioner.
At other levels that do not yet reach the open conflict, Türk also warned on Tuesday about the speeches “that turn migrants into scapegoats,” something that in his opinion has become common “between populists and the extreme right” in electoral campaigns in Europe, North America and other regions.
He also denounced setbacks in the situation of women and girls from various countries, with flagrant examples in Iran and Afghanistan, where they suffer serious violations of their fundamental freedoms.
International
Mexico City Mayor Invites U2 to Perform at Iconic Zócalo Plaza
Irish rock band U2, which spent Tuesday and Wednesday filming a new music video for its song Street of Dreams in the Historic Center of Mexico City, received an invitation to perform at the capital’s iconic Zócalo square from Mayor Clara Brugada.
Brugada shared the invitation through social media posts accompanied by photos and a video showing her meeting with the band members.
“This is an invitation for you to perform in our wonderful public square, the Zócalo. You are welcome here, and we would love to have you,” Brugada said in the video while handing a document to Bono, the band’s lead singer.
Bono responded by saying that the group would like “to begin its new tour in Mexico City.”
Referencing one of the band’s most famous songs, In the Name of Love, Brugada said she was greeting Bono along with The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr..
“Welcoming U2 to our capital means celebrating music, connection and the emotion that can be felt in every corner of this city,” Brugada wrote in one of her messages. “We are a city open to the world, vibrant and full of stories shared from the stage to the streets.”
She also described the Zócalo as “the country’s most important public square” and a cultural landmark for Latin America.
Over the years, the Zócalo has hosted massive concerts by internationally renowned artists and bands including Roger Waters, Paul McCartney, Manu Chao, Café Tacvba, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Los Tigres del Norte, La Maldita Vecindad, Silvio Rodríguez, Joan Manuel Serrat, Rosalía and Shakira, drawing hundreds of thousands of fans.
International
Marco Rubio Urges China to Help Restrain Iran Amid Gulf Tensions
Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Washington hopes to persuade China to take a more active role in stopping Iran from escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf, arguing that the crisis directly threatens Asian commercial interests.
“It is in China’s interest to resolve this situation. We hope to convince them to play a more active role in getting Iran to stop what it is doing now and trying to do in the Persian Gulf,” Rubio said during an interview with journalist Sean Hannity on Fox News while traveling aboard Air Force One.
The top U.S. diplomat said the conflict and concerns over the possible disruption of the Strait of Hormuz have already affected China’s interests.
Rubio noted that “a Chinese cargo ship was struck over the weekend,” referring to the exchange of attacks reported last Friday between Iran and the United States.
The remarks come amid growing international concern over rising tensions in the region and the potential impact on global trade routes and energy supplies.
International
Trump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubiocould potentially form a Republican presidential ticket for the 2028 elections.
Speaking during a dinner with law enforcement officials as part of National Police Week, Trump publicly praised both officials and said they could make “an ideal team” for the next presidential race.
“Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?” Trump asked attendees before adding that the pair “sound like a good combination.”
The president highlighted his vice president’s performance in office, stating that their current partnership has been highly effective. “JD is perfect, that has been a perfect formula,” Trump told reporters later.
He further suggested that a Vance-Rubio pairing could represent a strong presidential and vice-presidential ticket, although he stopped short of offering any formal endorsement.
“I think it sounds like a presidential candidate and a vice-presidential candidate,” he said, while clarifying that his remarks should not be interpreted as an official backing of any future campaign.
So far, neither Vance nor Rubio has publicly confirmed any intention to run in the 2028 presidential election.
Rubio previously sought the Republican nomination in 2016 but withdrew after losing the primary race to Trump. Later, in a December 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, he said he would be among the first to support Vance if he decided to run for the White House.
Vance, meanwhile, has recently dismissed speculation of any political rivalry with Rubio amid growing discussion about potential future GOP leadership.
Mexico City Mayor Invites U2 to Perform at Iconic Zócalo Plaza
Marco Rubio Urges China to Help Restrain Iran Amid Gulf Tensions
Panama confirms drug contamination of El Salvador coffee shipment occurred on its territory
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Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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International1 day agoTrump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
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International4 days agoRussia Accuses Ukraine of Violating Victory Day Truce
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Central America1 day agoPanama confirms drug contamination of El Salvador coffee shipment occurred on its territory
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International2 hours agoMarco Rubio Urges China to Help Restrain Iran Amid Gulf Tensions
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International2 hours agoMexico City Mayor Invites U2 to Perform at Iconic Zócalo Plaza