International

Houthis will keep Israeli ships blocked after reports of asset transfers

Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced that they will maintain the maritime blockade against Israeli vessels in response to intelligence reports that indicate that several Israeli shipping companies would be transferring their assets to other companies to evade sanctions.

In a statement, the Houthis’ military spokesman, Yahya Sarea, warned that the Yemeni forces “will not take into account any change of ownership or flag on the ships of the Israeli enemy” and that any company that transacts with these shipping companies “will be subject to sanctions and will be prohibited from passing” through the areas of operation controlled by the Houthis.

The Houthis will continue with the measures against Israel

Sarea added that the blockade will continue “until the aggression and siege in the Gaza Strip cease and the aggression against Lebanon stops.”

The Houthis, who control much of the Yemeni territory, argue that these actions are a direct response to what they consider hostile acts by Israel and its allies in the region.

Attack against Israel

This announcement comes days after the Houthis claimed a drone attack on the industrial zone of Ashkelon, in southern Israel.

According to Sarea, this operation, which “successfully achieved its objectives,” was carried out “in support of the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples and their resistance,” and said that the movement, backed by Iran, “will continue its military operations” against Israel until the siege in Gaza and the aggression in Lebanon ends.

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In addition, the Houthi insurgents have intensified their attacks against ships in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, in what they describe as a strategy to economically damage Israel and its allies in retaliation for the conflict in Gaza.

Since February 2023, the Houthis have claimed numerous attacks with drones and ballistic missiles against Israeli targets and merchant ships, in a sign of explicit support for the Palestinian cause and rejection of Israeli military operations in the region.

International

Security Council to Hold Emergency Meeting on Middle East Crisis

UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Saturday condemned the “military escalation in the Middle East” following attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes, just hours before an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council.

“I call for the immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation,” Guterres said in a statement.

The Security Council is scheduled to meet on Saturday at 21:00 GMT (4:00 p.m. in New York) to address “the situation in the Middle East,” the United Nations announced.

The meeting, during which Guterres will deliver remarks, was convened at the request of France, Bahrain, Colombia, Russia and China, according to a diplomatic source.

International

Trump Floats “Friendly Takeover” of Cuba Amid Rising Tensions

U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that his administration is considering what he described as a “friendly takeover” of Cuba, as Washington continues to increase pressure on the island’s communist government.

“The Cuban government is talking to us and they have very serious problems, as you know. They have no money, they have nothing at this moment, but they are talking to us and maybe we will see a friendly takeover of Cuba,” Trump told reporters as he departed the White House for a trip to Texas.

Earlier in the week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Cuba needed a “radical change,” shortly after Washington eased restrictions on oil exports to the island for what officials described as “humanitarian reasons,” amid a deep economic crisis.

The United States has imposed an energy blockade on Cuba since January, citing what it calls an “extraordinary threat” posed by the communist-run island, located roughly 150 kilometers (90 miles) off the coast of Florida, to U.S. national security.

International

Argentina’s Senate Reviews Milei-Backed Labor Overhaul

Argentina’s Senate on Friday began reviewing the Labor Modernization Law promoted by the administration of President Javier Milei, a proposal that would significantly reshape labor rules across the country.

The upper chamber opened its final discussion of the contentious initiative, which revises the method used to calculate severance payments — lowering the amounts owed in dismissal cases — and introduces an “hour bank” mechanism that allows overtime to be offset with paid leave rather than extra wages.

The legislation also broadens the classification of essential services, a change that would place new limits on the right to strike in designated sectors.

The bill was initially approved by the Senate on February 11 and then moved to the Chamber of Deputies, where lawmakers passed it with amendments. It has now returned to the Senate for definitive approval.

Outside the Congress building in Buenos Aires, workers, trade unions and left-wing organizations staged demonstrations beginning at midday. The gathering later thinned out amid reports of disturbances and a strong police presence. Security forces had secured the area surrounding the legislature since early morning hours.

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Union leaders contend that the reform weakens labor protections, while many business representatives back the measure but stress that sustainable formal employment will require economic expansion, improved credit conditions, greater investment and a more dynamic domestic market.