International
Javier Acosta dies after euthanasia in Colombia, sparking renewed euthanasia debate
On Friday noon, Javier Acosta, 36, passed away after receiving euthanasia at a university hospital in San Ignacio, Bogotá, Colombia. He had been diagnosed with osteomyelitis and blood cancer.
His case shocked the entire nation and those who followed his story on social media after he decided to end his life. The decision came as medications ceased to be effective and doctors ruled out the possibility of walking again or improving his condition.
“I’ve been hospitalized for a month; I discovered a severe bacteria that I’ve been treating for about six years, called osteomyelitis. This bacteria has left me in a bad state,” Javier explained on August 21, during a live broadcast on his Facebook profile, Javier Acosta PK. In the video, he did not explicitly mention his decision to undergo euthanasia but hinted at it. “After crying so much and talking with God, I have no tears left. It’s hard, it’s sad,” he said while describing his suffering.
“I’ve been fighting to save myself, my body, my skin, my bones. Unfortunately, the bacteria came back… The bacteria is like the iPhone, 13, 14, 15, pro, pro max. This bacteria is in re pro max. I’m on three antibiotics,” he said, showing the intravenous antibiotics in his video and expressing that despite the three strong medications, he still had fevers and poor culture results. “I don’t have much hope of continuing to live; it sounds harsh, and I’m recounting it very coldly, but it’s the truth. Life turns out this way.”
Colombian media reported that Javier Acosta died at 12:47 PM on August 30, after being induced into a coma and then undergoing euthanasia. Javier was a fan of the Millonarios football team, and his wheelchair condition was a result of an accident related to his support for the team. A group of supporters gathered in front of San Ignacio Hospital at noon on Friday to show their support for Javier and his family.
Javier Acosta’s case has reignited the euthanasia debate. Although euthanasia is legal in Colombia, many tried to persuade him to reconsider his decision through social media.
On August 28, Javier received a call from Radamel Falcao García, who learned about his case and offered words of encouragement. “Thank you, Tiger, for praying for me, for calling me, and for saying so many beautiful things about my life… you know the promise, first goal dedicated to Javi PK…” Javier wrote in a Facebook post where he shared part of the call.
According to Infobae, in Colombia, euthanasia is permitted in specific cases of terminal illness where the patient suffers from unbearable physical or psychological pain that cannot be alleviated by other means. Javier had said that even morphine did not relieve his pain.
International
Suspect Armed With Shotgun and Knives Detained at White House Correspondents Dinner
U.S. authorities confirmed Saturday that the suspect who stormed into the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner while President Donald Trump was attending acted alone, adding that there is no ongoing threat to the public following the incident, which left one Secret Service agent injured.
Acting Metropolitan Police Department chief Jeff Carroll said during a press conference that the suspect was carrying “a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives” when he attempted to pass through a Secret Service security checkpoint inside the hotel lobby at approximately 8:36 p.m. local time.
“At this point, everything indicates that this was a lone actor, a lone gunman,” Carroll stated, adding that investigators have found no preliminary evidence suggesting the involvement of additional suspects.
During the exchange of gunfire inside the hotel corridors, the suspect was not struck by bullets but was subdued by law enforcement officers and later transported to a hospital for medical evaluation.
A member of the United States Secret Service Uniformed Division was shot during the incident, though the bullet was stopped by the officer’s ballistic vest, preventing serious injuries. The agent was taken to a hospital and is reportedly “in good spirits,” according to Carroll.
The shooting prompted the immediate evacuation of President Trump, Melania Trump, and several senior officials attending the event after multiple gunshots were heard outside the hotel’s main ballroom.
International
U.S. allows Venezuela to fund Maduro and Cilia Flores’ legal defense
Until now, the U.S. administration had blocked the Venezuelan government from covering the legal fees of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who is also jailed and facing drug trafficking charges, due to international sanctions imposed on Venezuela.
The couple’s legal team had relied on that argument in an attempt to have the indictment dismissed, claiming that preventing a defendant from accessing counsel of their choice violates rights guaranteed under the Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
However, the U.S. Treasury Department will now allow “defense attorneys to receive payments from the Government of Venezuela under certain conditions,” New York prosecutor Jay Clayton wrote in a letter dated Friday to Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who is overseeing the case.
According to the letter, the funds must have become available after March 5, 2026, and cannot come from Venezuelan oil sales regulated in the United States.
Since Maduro’s removal from power in early January, former Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has served as Venezuela’s interim leader.
The United States effectively controls Venezuelan crude exports, with revenues deposited into special accounts supervised by Washington.
Court documents filed on Friday show that the defense acknowledged the sanctions exemption and, for now, withdrew its motion seeking dismissal of the charges.
International
U.S. Sanctions Network Linked to Fentanyl Trafficking Across India, Guatemala and Mexico
The United States Department of State announced sanctions on Thursday against 23 individuals and companies allegedly linked to an international fentanyl production and smuggling network operating in India, Guatemala and Mexico.
According to the State Department, the network supplied precursor chemicals to the Sinaloa Cartel, which the United States has designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
Washington declared fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, a weapon of mass destruction last year due to its role in the ongoing overdose crisis in the United States.
“By targeting the entire supply chain — from chemical suppliers in Asia to logistical intermediaries in Central America and cartel-linked networks in Mexico — the Trump Administration is dismantling networks that destabilize governance across our hemisphere and threaten U.S. security,” the State Department said.
In a separate statement, the Office of Foreign Assets Control detailed sanctions against three Indian chemical and pharmaceutical companies: Sutaria, Agrat and SR Chemicals, along with a sales executive accused of supplying precursor chemicals to contacts in Guatemala and Mexico.
In Guatemala, authorities sanctioned J and C Import and Central Logística de Servicios, as well as intermediary Jaime Augusto Barrientos.
The OFAC also designated several intermediaries and import companies operating in the Mexican state of Sinaloa.
As part of the investigation, U.S. authorities identified Ramiro Baltazar Félix as a member of Los Mayos, a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, and Alejandro Reynoso, accused of operating clandestine drug laboratories in Guadalajara.
Suspect Armed With Shotgun and Knives Detained at White House Correspondents Dinner
U.S. allows Venezuela to fund Maduro and Cilia Flores’ legal defense
U.S. Sanctions Network Linked to Fentanyl Trafficking Across India, Guatemala and Mexico
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