International
The US will recognize in Syria a government that comes out of a process without “external interference”
The United States will recognize and support a Syrian government that results from an inclusive transition process without external interference, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Tuesday.
“The Syrian people will decide the future of Syria. All nations must commit to supporting an inclusive and transparent process, and refrain from any external interference,” he said in a statement.
In addition, the head of US diplomacy added that his country “will fully recognize and support the future Syrian government that emerges from this process.”
“We are willing to provide all the necessary support to the various communities and sectors of the population of Syria,” stressed Blinken, who called for “credible, inclusive and non-sectarian governance that meets international standards.”
The US sees minority rights as key for the transition in Syria
The transition process and the new government, Blinken said, must respect the rights of minorities, facilitate the flow of humanitarian assistance, prevent Syria from becoming a base for terrorism and safely destroy chemical weapons.
Joe Biden’s Administration has celebrated the fall of Bashar Al Asad as a defeat for Iran and Russia, but fears that the struggle for power within the rebel ranks will fragment the country or that a void will be generated that will be exploited by the Islamic State, which in 2014 came to control vast areas of Syria and Iraq.
On Tuesday, rebel forces appointed Mohamed al Bashir, linked to the Islamist group Levante Liberation Agency (Hayat Tahrir al Sham or HTS, in Arabic), who led the offensive against Al Asad and which Washington considers a terrorist organization, as acting prime minister.
The United States is not considering lifting the sanctions on the HTS for now, but it is “watching” what the Islamist group does, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Wednesday.
Likewise, Kirby said that the fall of the Al Asad government is an “opportunity” to gather more information about the whereabouts of Austin Tice, an American journalist kidnapped in 2012 while covering the Syrian war.
Prevent the conflict from escalating in Syria
The United States also expressed on Tuesday its rejection of any action that aggravates the conflict and hinders the transition in Syria, after Israel bombed several military facilities.
Asked at a press conference by the Israeli operative, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that the United States will discuss this matter “privately” with Israel before giving a public opinion.
“I would say that, in general terms, of course, we do not want to see any action that hinders the process led by Syria and, ultimately, we want there to be a peaceful process, not an escalation of the conflict,” he added.
The Israeli Army estimates that it has destroyed more than 70% of the military capabilities of the already overthrown Al-Assad regime in Syria after having attacked in recent days some 320 “strategic targets” from Damascus to Tartus.
Targets destroyed in the attacks include Syrian air defense systems, missile depots, drones, helicopters, fighter jets, tanks, radars and warships.
International
Climate-driven rains trigger one of Indonesia’s deadliest flood emergencies in years
A torrential monsoon season, compounded by two unusual tropical cyclones, has triggered intense rainfall in several regions since last week, including southern Thailand, northern Malaysia, and large parts of Indonesia.
Climate change has recently intensified rainfall patterns, as a warmer atmosphere is able to hold more moisture. In Indonesia, desperation is growing among those affected by the disaster due to the slow pace of rescue operations and the distribution of humanitarian aid.
Relief agencies warned that the scale of the emergency is nearly unprecedented, even for a country accustomed to frequent natural disasters.
Across the island of Sumatra, the death toll was revised downward to 770 fatalities and at least 463 people still missing as of Wednesday night. Earlier, the national disaster management agency had reported 804 deaths.
Gathering accurate information on the ground remains difficult, as many regions are still cut off due to flood damage, widespread power outages, communication failures, or a combination of all three.
International
Russian authorities ban Roblox citing child safety and moral concerns
Russia has blocked access to the U.S.-owned game creation platform Roblox, accusing it of distributing extremist materials and what authorities described as “LGBT propaganda,” state media reported on Wednesday.
The country has repeatedly threatened to ban certain foreign digital platforms, a move that human rights organizations view as part of broader efforts by authorities to tighten control over internet use.
In a statement released through Russian news agencies, the federal communications watchdog Roskomnadzor accused Roblox of hosting “inappropriate content that can negatively affect the spiritual and moral development of children.”
“The game exposes minors to sexual harassment, tricks them into sharing intimate photos, and encourages them to commit acts of depravity and violence,” the regulator claimed.
Last week, the same agency also threatened to ban WhatsApp, the country’s second most widely used messaging app, accusing it of failing to prevent criminal activity.
Roblox, which is owned by the U.S.-based Roblox Corporation, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
According to company data for 2024, the platform has around 100 million daily users worldwide, nearly 40% of whom are under the age of 13.
Other countries, including Qatar, Iraq and Turkey, have also restricted or banned Roblox, mainly over concerns about the safety of underage users. In the United States, the states of Texas and Louisiana have filed lawsuits against the platform on similar grounds.
International
El Chapo’s son Joaquín Guzmán López pleads guilty to U.S. drug trafficking charges
Joaquín Guzmán López, one of the sons of notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, pleaded guilty on Monday to drug trafficking charges in a U.S. court, months after his brother Ovidio reached a similar plea agreement, according to local media reports.
The defendant appeared before a federal court in Chicago early Monday afternoon and changed his previous plea in the case, the Chicago Tribune reported. U.S. authorities accuse him of forming, together with his three brothers, the cartel faction known as “Los Chapitos.”
The group is believed to have continued the operations of El Chapo, who has been serving a life sentence in the United States since 2019.
Guzmán López, 39, was arrested after landing in Texas in a small aircraft alongside cartel co-founder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.
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