International

Fires in Brazil so far this year already exceed all those of 2023

September is not over yet and the fires that Brazil has experienced so far this year exceed those that occurred throughout 2023, according to official data released this Monday.

Between January 1 and September 22, the South American country registered 200,013 fire outbreaks, a number 5.3% higher than all those that occurred last year, according to the fire alarm system of the National Institute of Space Research, INPE.

These are the largest fires recorded in the country since 2010, a problem that has especially affected the Brazilian Amazon, the most impacted biome with 100,543 fire outbreaks so far in 2024.

Only between August and September, 80% of the flames in the country were unleashed during the year.

For about two months, 60% of the Brazilian territory has suffered the worst drought in 50 years.

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In that period, the lack of humidity, the heat and the increase in the winds helped to generate about 141,500 fires, largely caused by the lack of control of the fire used by landowners to prepare the land for sowing.

In addition, the drought has reduced to a minimum the flow of several important rivers in the Amazon, leaving isolated rural communities and causing difficulties in the transit of people and goods, which in the region depend on river transport.

The Government has taken several measures to deal with the situation, such as prohibiting the use and management of fire during the drought period, while the Supreme Court authorized the Government to modify its budgets so that the resources to fight fires are not counted in the tax calculation.

However, Environment Minister Marina Silva admitted on Monday in New York, within the framework of the UN General Assembly, that the measures have been insufficient.

“What we are discovering now is that (what was planned) was not enough,” he said in statements to the newspaper Folha de São Paulo.

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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.”