International

Texas reports first measles-related death as outbreak surpasses 130 cases

A child has become the first fatality in a measles outbreak in Texas, in the southern United States, where more than 130 people have been infected, health authorities reported on Wednesday.

“The school-aged child, who was not vaccinated, was hospitalized in Lubbock (northwest Texas) last week and tested positive for measles,” the state’s Department of Health said in a press release.

Since the beginning of the year, 124 measles cases have been reported in western Texas and nine in the neighboring state of New Mexico, raising concerns about the resurgence of this highly contagious disease amid declining vaccination rates. Most cases have been detected in children, with 18 of them requiring hospitalization in Texas.

“Although the multiple measles outbreaks in the United States had not caused any fatalities, it was only a matter of time before one occurred,” said Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease specialist at Johns Hopkins University, in an interview with AFP.

“Measles still kills over 100,000 people worldwide each year. This death should serve as a reminder of why the vaccine was developed and how valuable it is. These deaths are almost entirely preventable,” he added.

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The epicenter of the outbreak is Gaines County, home to a significant Mennonite population, a Christian sect with a history of vaccine hesitancy. Texas law allows vaccine exemptions for reasons of conscience, including religious beliefs.

The outbreak coincides with the beginning of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s tenure as Secretary of Health under the administration of Donald Trump, a position that plays a key role in shaping the country’s immunization policies.

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.

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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.

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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.