International
El Salvador Sends Eighth Humanitarian Flight to Earthquake-Hit Venezuela
El Salvador has dispatched its eighth humanitarian flight to Venezuela as part of its ongoing relief efforts following the devastating earthquakes that struck the country on June 24, according to Civil Protection Director Luis Amaya.
Amaya said the eight flights have transported operational personnel, medicines, medical supplies, food, and other essential items to assist communities affected by the disaster.
“In total, we have sent eight flights to Venezuela carrying rescue personnel, medical teams, medicines, medical supplies, food, and basic necessities. As the chances of finding survivors in collapsed structures decrease, our mission is shifting toward other humanitarian actions, particularly medical care. A field hospital has been established to provide primary healthcare services, including veterinary assistance,” Amaya said.
Between June 25 and 26, El Salvador deployed six humanitarian flights carrying 300 rescuers and healthcare workers, along with 150 tons of medical supplies and food. The Salvadoran mission became the first international rescue team to arrive in La Guaira, one of the regions hardest hit by the 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes.
On July 5, President Nayib Bukele announced the departure of a seventh flight to reinforce the mission.
“Many members of our mission have become exhausted. We have therefore decided to send a seventh aircraft carrying 120 specialists to relieve those who need it most. The remaining 180 members of the original contingent will continue operating on the ground, ensuring that a team of 300 rescuers, doctors, paramedics, psychologists, veterinarians, firefighters, and other specialists remains deployed throughout the mission,” Bukele said.
That flight also transported an additional five tons of medicines, food, medical supplies, and equipment to strengthen ongoing relief operations.
The eighth flight, sent on July 15, carried 146 rescue personnel and four tons of humanitarian supplies, according to airline Avianca, which supported the operation.
The Salvadoran government continues to provide humanitarian assistance as emergency efforts transition from search-and-rescue operations to medical care and recovery support for affected communities.
International
U.S. to Limit Visa Duration for Foreign Students and Journalists
The United States has announced new limits on the legal length of stay for foreign students and journalists, marking the latest tightening of immigration policies under President Donald Trump.
The changes, outlined in an administrative rule published on Thursday, are expected to take effect in September, unless Congress blocks the measure.
Under the new policy, holders of student visas will be allowed to remain in the United States for no more than four years.
Foreign journalists will be limited to 240-day stays—approximately eight months—with the possibility of applying for extensions of the same duration.
The policy imposes even stricter rules on Chinese journalists, whose visas will be capped at 90 days.
More than 100 international news organizations and press freedom groups, including Agence France-Presse (AFP), criticized the measure in an open letter, arguing that it would reduce both the quantity and quality of international coverage of events in the United States.
The Republican Party, led by President Trump, currently holds a majority in Congress and has pledged to curb both illegal immigration and certain forms of legal immigration.
Previously, the United States generally issued student visas for the full duration of an academic program, while foreign journalists could receive visas valid for up to five years.
Central America
Nicaragua Cuts Diplomatic Ties With Italy Over Red Brigades Dispute
The Nicaraguan government announced on Thursday that it is severing diplomatic relations with Italy following criticism from the Italian government over Nicaragua’s long-standing decision to shelter Alessio Casimirri, a former member of the Red Brigades convicted in Italy for the 1978 kidnapping and murder of former Prime Minister Aldo Moro.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani criticized the administration of co-presidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo on Wednesday for continuing to provide refuge to Casimirri, who was sentenced in Italy to six life terms for his role in Moro’s abduction and killing.
In a statement issued Thursday, Nicaragua’s Foreign Ministry said it was ending all diplomatic relations with Italy, describing Tajani’s remarks as “unjustified, aggressive, and irresponsible.”
Tajani made the comments during a gathering of conservative leaders from Europe and Latin America held in Madrid.
“We have absolutely nothing in common with the positions of extremist governments such as Nicaragua, a country that continues to harbor dangerous Red Brigades terrorists like Alessio Casimirri,” Tajani said, according to Italian media.
The diplomatic break marks a new escalation in tensions between the two countries over the decades-old case involving Casimirri, who has lived in Nicaragua for many years despite repeated calls from Italy for his extradition.
International
U.S. Strikes Hit Areas Near Strait of Hormuz as Tensions With Iran Escalate
Several U.S. strikes targeted areas near the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, according to Iranian state media citing local authorities, as hostilities between the United States and Iran intensified.
Officials in Iran’s Hormozgan Province said the island of Qeshm was struck multiple times by what they described as U.S. missiles during the evening. The reports were carried by the Iranian news agencies Fars and Tasnim.
Iranian state television also reported that the Bandar Abbas region, located on the Iranian coast overlooking the Strait of Hormuz, was the target of what authorities described as an “enemy U.S. air attack.”
According to local officials quoted by state television, no casualties have been reported following the strikes.
The reported attacks come amid renewed military tensions between Washington and Tehran, although U.S. authorities had not immediately commented on the reported operations.
U.S. to Limit Visa Duration for Foreign Students and Journalists
Nicaragua Cuts Diplomatic Ties With Italy Over Red Brigades Dispute
U.S. Strikes Hit Areas Near Strait of Hormuz as Tensions With Iran Escalate
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