International

Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of the Ismailite Muslims, dies at the age of 88 in Lisbon

Prince Karim al Hussaini Aga Khan IV, philanthropist and spiritual leader of the Ismailite Muslims, died this Tuesday in Lisbon at the age of 88 surrounded by his family.

Its foundation, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), reported in a statement the death of the 49º imam of the Ismailite Shiite Muslims and “direct descendant of the prophet Muhammad.”

The note added that, after this death, his designated successor will be announced.

Born in Switzerland in 1936 and raised in this country and in Kenya, he was studying at Harvard when he was appointed imam of between 12 and 15 million Ismailites that are estimated to be in the world in 1957 by his grandfather, Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan.

Known for his opulent mansions and his taste for careers, Karim al Hussaini Aga Khan was known for his work as a philanthropist and being in charge of the network of institutions around the world dedicated to education, health, social and economic development, and culture.

20260330_renta_mh_728x90

It is not known for sure how much his fortune amounted to, there are those who place it in billions of dollars.

The Ismailites are a Shiite Muslim minority that since the 19th century has granted the title of Aga Khan to their imam, who is attributed a direct descent from Muhammad.

The imams have no control over any specific territory but exert their influence through the AKDN.
Portugal hosts one of the largest Ismailite communities in Europe, with between 8,000 and 10,000 people.

Ten years ago, the Portuguese Government and Aga Khan signed an agreement to establish the world headquarters of the Ismali Imamat in Portugal.
Three years later, Aga Khan officially designated the Henrique de Mendoça Palace in Lisbon as the global headquarters of the Ismaeli Imamat.

Among the honors he received throughout his life stands out that of “her highness”, granted by Queen Elizabeth of England in 1957, and that of “her royal highness” that was granted to her two years later by the then Shah of Iran.

20260330_renta_mh_728x90

Two times married and with four children, he created a business empire that goes from the banking sector to hotels.
In the 1960s he founded the luxury tourist enclave of Porto Cervo, in Sardinia (Italy), and the Costa Smeralda yacht club, which became a pole of attraction for European royalty, Hollywood actors and celebrities of the time.

Even so, in the interviews he defined himself as a religious leader rather than an entrepreneur and claimed to be focused on fighting poverty by promoting the autonomy of people and culture.

International

White House says Cuba policy unchanged despite sanctioned fuel shipment

The White House said Monday that it has not changed its policy toward Cuba, despite allowing a sanctioned Russian oil tanker to deliver fuel to the island on humanitarian grounds.

U.S. officials emphasized that the decision was made as an exception and does not signal a broader shift in policy.

The administration added that similar decisions would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, depending on humanitarian considerations.

The clarification comes amid ongoing restrictions related to U.S. sanctions policy, which continue to limit trade and financial flows involving Cuba.

International

Spain to grant citizenship to Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López

The Spanish government is expected to grant citizenship this Tuesday to Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lópezthrough an extraordinary procedure known as “carta de naturaleza.”

The decision will be approved by royal decree, an exceptional legal mechanism used in special cases that require expedited resolution due to specific circumstances.

López has been living in Madrid since 2020, after leaving Venezuela following a prolonged political and legal conflict with the government of Nicolás Maduro.

According to government sources, López currently does not have a valid Venezuelan passport and faces difficulties in having his nationality fully recognized in his home country.

As a result, he applied for Spanish citizenship via a fast-track process at the end of 2025, after previously attempting to obtain it through regular procedures.

20260330_renta_mh_728x90

The Spanish government justified the move based on López’s international relevance and foreign policy considerations.

López is the leader of the Voluntad Popular party and co-founder of the World Liberty Congress, an initiative launched in 2022 alongside figures such as Garry Kasparov and Masih Alinejad.

International

ICE to remain at airports amid DHS shutdown, Homan says

The U.S. “border czar,” Tom Homan, said Sunday that agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will remain deployed at airports until operations return to “100% normal,” as the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues.

“We will maintain ICE presence until airports feel they are fully back to normal operations,” Homan said during an interview on Face the Nation on CBS.

Homan justified the deployment on security grounds, noting that the measure was ordered by President Donald Trumpamid widespread absenteeism among agents of the Transportation Security Administration, who have gone without pay for over six weeks due to the DHS shutdown.

According to acting TSA administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill, at least 460 TSA agents have resigned during the shutdown, while daily absenteeism has averaged 11%, exceeding 50% at some airports.

Homan warned that if TSA staffing levels do not recover after the shutdown, ICE agents will continue filling the gap. “ICE is there to support our TSA brothers and sisters. We will remain as long as needed to ensure airport security,” he said.

20260330_renta_mh_728x90

The DHS shutdown reached 44 days on Sunday, making it the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The impasse stems from disagreements between Democrats and Republicans over ICE funding.

A recent bipartisan Senate proposal to fund DHS without including ICE failed after being blocked by House Republicans, who insist on full funding for the agency.

Amid the deadlock, Trump signed an executive order directing Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to immediately pay TSA agents to address what he called an “emergency situation” and restore order at airports, with payments expected to begin Monday.