International

A forest fire destroys the town of Jasper in the Rocky Mountains of Canada

An out-of-control forest fire has destroyed much of the Canadian tourist town of Jasper, in the Rocky Mountains, Canadian authorities confirmed on Thursday.

The head of government of the province of Alberta, where Jasper National Park and the town of the same name are located, Danielle Smith, declared in tears during a press conference that the town will recover.

“Magic has not been lost and it never will. The Government of Alberta will provide the necessary support to families and communities to recover and rebuild stronger so that future generations can continue to experience this unique community,” Smith said.

Images on social networks show this Thursday the desolate streets of Jasper with all the buildings reduced to piles of ashes.

Early on Thursday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed that he has authorized the deployment of military personnel in Alberta to help combat the 176 fires (54 out of control) that are currently active in the province, following the request made on Wednesday night by Smith.

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Jasper National Park is one of Canada’s natural gems and one of its main tourist attractions. Last year, the park, which is located in the northern area of the Rocky Mountains of Canada, received 2.48 million visitors.

On Monday night, unexpectedly, the Canadian authorities ordered the evacuation of the town, in the heart of the park, after the change of winds pushed two forest fires towards the town where about 10,000 people reside in the summer.

The 10,000 residents of Jasper along with about 25,000 tourists had to leave the area on Tuesday although the Canadian authorities fear that there may still be people camping inside the park and that they have not received the order to evict the territory.

On Wednesday, the strong winds fueled the growth of the fires and at night the flames began to consume buildings in Jasper.

Also, western Canada is facing a wave of high temperatures that is fueling the appearance of hundreds of forest fires. The provinces of British Columbia and Alberta alone have 555 active fires this Thursday.

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Throughout the country there are 983 active forest fires of which 410 are out of control. So far this year, the burned area in the country is 2.4 million hectares.

In addition, last year, Canada suffered its worst season of forest fires in history. Thousands of forest fires burned 17 million hectares of land, about 170,000 square kilometers.

Central America

El Salvador and Paraguay approve 2026–2028 cooperation program

The governments of El Salvador and Paraguay approved the 2026–2028 Cooperation Program, which includes six joint development projects, according to Salvadoran Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Adriana Mira.

Mira stated that El Salvador will act as the “main provider of cooperation,” contributing five initiatives focused on road infrastructure, tourism, and local development. She also noted that one of the projects will be led by the Paraguayan side, although no further details were disclosed.

The agreement was reached during the Second Meeting of the Joint Commission on Technical and Scientific Cooperation between both countries.

According to Paraguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the First Meeting of the Political Consultation and Bilateral Coordination Mechanism was also held, with the participation of Vice Minister Víctor Verdún.

In an official statement, the Paraguayan government reported that both delegations agreed to identify mechanisms to promote competitiveness, economic growth, and market access. They also committed to signing agreements related to air transport cooperation.

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International

Macron meets Machado, stresses need for democratic transition in Venezuela

Emmanuel Macron met on Monday at the Élysée Palace with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, where they discussed the importance of advancing a democratic transition in Venezuela.

In a message shared on social media, Macron highlighted Machado’s commitment to freedom and stressed the need to achieve a transition that is peaceful and respects the will of the Venezuelan people.

“I received María Corina Machado, Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Together, we discussed her commitment to freedom and the importance of achieving a democratic, peaceful transition in Venezuela that respects the will of its people,” he wrote.

For her part, Machado expressed her “deep gratitude” to Macron and to France for their support of democracy and freedom in Venezuela.

“We have gone through a long and painful journey, and we are now very close to freedom. Venezuela will become a nation of free and equal men and women—prosperous, safe, and united,” she said.

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International

Trump says Iran seeks new talks after failed negotiations in Pakistan

Donald Trump said on Monday that Iran has reached out to United States to resume negotiations, following the collapse of recent talks held in Islamabad.

“We’ve been contacted by the other side,” Trump told reporters, adding that Iran is eager to reach a deal “at all costs.” Speaking from the Oval Office, he reiterated that his main objective is to prevent the Islamic Republic from acquiring nuclear weapons and warned that he will not allow Iran to “blackmail” the international community.

After negotiations between Washington and Tehran ended without agreement on Sunday, Trump announced that the U.S. would move to block the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil trade.

The waterway had already been disrupted by Iran in response to a U.S. and Israeli offensive launched on February 28, causing significant shocks to the global economy.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump further warned that any Iranian vessel attempting to bypass the U.S. naval blockade in the strait would be “eliminated immediately.”