International
Hezbulá regrets the death of its spokesman in an Israeli bombing in Beirut
The Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah regretted the death of its spokesman, Mohamed Afifi, in a bombing of Israel on Sunday against the headquarters of the Baath Arab Socialist Party in Beirut, the first time in a month that the Israeli army directly attacks the Lebanese capital.
Hizbulá praised Afifi as a “leader” in his role as a media spokesman and said that he joined his comrades and his “father” as a “martyr”, Hasán Nasrala, the top person responsible for the political and military formation of the movement, who died in another bombing in Beirut in September, according to a statement from the group released on Sunday night.
Afifi was among the dead in the attack
The general secretary of the Baath Arab Socialist Party in Lebanon, Ali Yusef Hegazy, confirmed that Afifi was identified as one of the seven dead in the Israeli attack on the headquarters of his formation in Beirut, in a television intervention on the Al Mayadin channel.
The bombing destroyed the headquarters of the Lebanese branch of the Pan-Araba party that maintains power in Syria with Bashar Al Asad.
For its part, the Islamist organization Hamas regretted the death of Afifi in a statement in which it highlighted his “bold media appearances” from Dahye, the suburbs south of Beirut under constant Israeli attacks, and said that it was “a voice of strong and defiant resistance that disturbed the (Israeli) occupation.”
The attack occurred in the Beirut neighborhood of Ras al Nabaa, a peripheral area in the south of the capital considered part of its metropolitan area.
On Sunday afternoon, another Israeli bombing hit the center of the Lebanese capital again, in an unusual day with attacks beyond the Dahye, a daily siege target.
Israel detects the arrival of 60 projectiles from Lebanon
The Israeli Army detected the arrival of at least 60 projectiles launched between the morning and afternoon of Monday, which it attributed to the Lebanese Shiite organization Hezbollah, and indicated that most of them were intercepted.
“At 3:00 p.m. (13 GMT), approximately 60 projectiles fired by the terrorist organization Hezbulá crossed from Lebanon to Israel today,” the military body reported in a statement.
Israel’s Emergency Service, the Maguen David Adom (MDA), reported that two women, aged 34 and 65, were injured by the remains of these devices after being intercepted by the Israeli air defense system.
The Army also announced today the destruction of a Shiite arsenal and a tunnel in a mountainous area of southern Lebanon.
In the same statement, he detailed that militants of Hizbulá planned attacks against Israel from that place located in southern Lebanon – whose name was not specified.
Balance of the war between Israel and Hezbullah
More than a year of fire exchange between Israel and Hizbulah around the border with Lebanon has ended the lives of almost 3,500 people in this country, most of them since the Israeli Army intensified its bombing campaign on September 23. The armed forces estimate that about 2,500 were militiamen of the Shiite group.
On the Israeli side, 76 people have died from attacks launched from Lebanon, of which 45 were civilians (6 of them foreigners). In addition, 42 soldiers have died in combat in the south of the neighboring country, where they have maintained a land invasion since last October 1.
Israel confirms that a “precise” bombing in Beirut
The Israeli Army confirmed that it killed Hezbulah spokesman Mohamed Afifi in a “precise” bombing on Sunday in Beirut, who was condemned by Iran and the Lebanese Shiite group.
Afifi was in direct contact with senior officials from Hezbula to carry out “terrorist activities” of the group against Israel, according to a statement from the Israeli Army released early Monday morning.
He points out that Afifi directed Hezbullah’s operations from the field to promote the “propaganda and psychological terror campaign” of the Shiite movement, and accuses him of “glorifying” and “inciting” “terrorist activities” against the State of Israel.
International
WHO warns of increased disease outbreak risk in Venezuela amid low vaccination coverage
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of an increased risk of disease outbreaks in Venezuela, including vaccine-preventable illnesses, due to low immunization coverage across the country.
“The vaccination coverage in Venezuela, particularly against measles and other diseases, was already low, so the risk of measles cases and other illnesses is currently high,” said Ciro Ugarte, director for emergencies at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the WHO’s regional office.
Speaking during a video conference with journalists, Ugarte said the risk is especially high in shelters, where overcrowding could significantly accelerate the transmission of infectious diseases.
He also highlighted water quality as an additional concern in the aftermath of the disaster, noting that safe drinking water is not guaranteed in the most affected areas.
“Unfortunately, supply is scarce, making it very difficult to assess conditions in all shelters. That is why evaluating the quality of water provided to the population, especially in large shelters, is a priority,” he said during a briefing in Geneva.
Ugarte suggested that targeted vaccination campaigns could be deployed against mosquito-borne and other vector-transmitted diseases, particularly in overcrowded shelters and in areas where people remain displaced.
According to PAHO, eight health facilities have been assessed so far, all of which require assistance, with three reporting structural damage.
He also stressed that the José María Vargas Hospital, one of Caracas’s major public reference hospitals, requires urgent support due to critical conditions. The facility is currently treating 96 patients in an eight-bed unit, while its blood bank is operating at extremely low levels.
In La Guaira, the Rafael Medina Jiménez Hospital has reduced its capacity from 108 to 35 beds. Additionally, 22 other health centers have reported severe shortages, underscoring the strain on Venezuela’s healthcare system.
International
María Corina Machado’s attempted return to Venezuela reportedly halted amid US political concerns
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly pressured Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado and disrupted her planned return to Venezuela following recent earthquakes, amid concerns over a potential political crisis, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Sources familiar with the matter told the newspaper that a private jet carrying Machado from the United States to Curaçao was ordered to turn back last week after U.S. officials concluded she intended to continue onward to Venezuelan territory, effectively reversing her earlier departure route from December.
The opposition figure had reportedly spent months preparing to re-enter Venezuela in an effort to renew pressure for new elections, following the detention of then-president Nicolás Maduro under an order issued by Trump. The U.S. president has since stated that Washington’s relationship with Venezuela’s acting leadership, headed by Delcy Rodríguez, is “excellent.”
According to The Wall Street Journal, intermediaries close to the White House warned Machado that proceeding with her return plan could jeopardize her support from Trump and undermine broader U.S. strategy toward Venezuela, potentially delaying electoral plans.
Despite these warnings, Machado reportedly attempted a second route back through Panama. However, Copa Airlines declined to transport her to Venezuela, citing concerns over possible retaliation from Caracas against the airline, according to unnamed sources.
From Panama City, Machado stated on Monday that the Venezuelan government had closed commercial airspace to prevent her return, calling it “urgent” to go back to the country to “face this catastrophe together,” without addressing reports of U.S. pressure.
Axios reported that Trump administration officials viewed Machado’s attempted return as “grotesque political opportunism” in the aftermath of recent earthquakes that have left at least 2,595 people dead and thousands injured, while also delaying reconstruction efforts and potential electoral processes.
Since Maduro’s detention on January 3, President Trump has reportedly expressed support for Rodríguez, the former vice president, who has agreed to trade, mining, and oil agreements demanded by Washington. Trump has described Venezuela as effectively operating under U.S. oversight and has claimed the country is improving economically through increased oil production and exports.
Venezuelan opposition groups based in the United States have urged the Trump administration to reconsider its relationship with Rodríguez and criticized Washington’s stated satisfaction with reconstruction efforts following the June 24 earthquakes.
International
Rush for Air Conditioners Sparks Tensions at French Supermarkets Ahead of New Heatwave
Scenes of long lines, overcrowded stores and customer disputes unfolded across France on Thursday as shoppers rushed to buy air conditioners and fans ahead of another expected heatwave.
The buying frenzy comes as the country continues to recover from last week’s extreme temperatures, which exceeded 40°C (104°F) in several areas and produced the warmest night on record, with an average temperature of 22°C (71.6°F). Authorities have linked the heatwave to at least 1,000 excess deaths.
Demand for cooling appliances has surged in recent days, prompting heavy traffic at appliance retailers. The situation intensified on Thursday when German discount supermarket chain Lidl launched a promotion on portable air conditioners and electric fans.
Videos shared on social media showed large crowds gathering outside stores, with customers pushing and rushing to secure the discounted products.
“Lidl France regrets the incidents that occurred in its stores,” the company told AFP, adding that employees were forced to manage tense situations in what it described as a challenging environment.
Outside a Lidl store in northwestern Paris, dozens of customers began lining up as early as 7:00 a.m., two hours before opening, while police monitored the crowd, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.
Although many shoppers remained in good spirits, tensions escalated as some people attempted to cut in line. “I will not open the store until they leave,” a store manager reportedly shouted as frustrated customers protested.
The situation worsened after customers discovered that the store, located in a working-class district of Paris, had only two air conditioning units available for sale.
One of the successful buyers, Lassana, who declined to provide his last name, said he had queued since 4:00 a.m. to secure one of the units.
Another customer, 69-year-old Fatou, was only able to purchase a small fan after what he described as a struggle. He criticized Lidl’s advertising as “misleading,” claiming police had temporarily closed access to the store because of the crowds.
Lidl France attributed the shortages to its fixed annual purchasing cycle, explaining that the promotional products had been ordered a year in advance and were offered at predetermined prices, limiting the available stock.
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