International

They find a body and continue to look for 6 missing people after the shipwreck of a sailboat in Sicily

The body of one of the seven missing from the sailboat that sank this Monday in front of the town of Porticello, in Palermo, on the Italian island of Sicily, was located by the divers of the Fire Force inside the hull at a depth of 49 meters, while six other people who could be trapped in the cabins are being sought.

The first shipwrecked, initially recovered by a ship present in the vicinity, were brought ashore by 4 ships of the Coast Guard.

According to some media, the body that has been recovered would be the crew member who worked as a cook and has Canadian nationality, although born on the island of Antigua.

The six people who are still missing are British and American tourists.

The sinking occurred at 05.00 local time (03.00 GMT) and according to some witnesses the British-flagged sailboat, called ‘Bayesian’, was anchored in front of the port of Porticello when the strong tornado that hit the area broke the main mast and this would have caused the imbalance of the boat that overturned and sank.

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The sailboat was from a group of tourists who had chosen Sicily to spend their vacations and the survivors who have already disembarked are mostly English citizens, but there is also a New Zealander, an Irishman and another from Sri Lanka

Among the 15 survivors, a mother and her one-year-old daughter were transferred to the Palermo Children’s Hospital for checks, while the father was admitted to another hospital in the Sicilian capital and five other passengers were treated in an outpatient clinic.

The mother of the girl, of whom they have communicated only that her name is Charlotte, explained to the doctors who treated them that at a time when she slept the boat overturned and they found themselves in the water and that for a few seconds she lost the girl at sea, but then immediately picked her up again.

He pointed out that people were heard screaming and that they were saved because a lifeboat launched by another ship that was nearby arrived almost immediately.

“The baby is fine and the mother only has abrasions and a wound that needed to be sutured,” said Domenico Cipolla, director of pediatric admission and emergency and surgery at the “Di Cristina” hospital in Palermo.

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“Yesterday afternoon we saw this boat in the port. He arrived before dusk from the west, from Palermo, and docked about 300 meters from the entrance of the marina,” Giovanni Lo Coco, one of the fishermen of Porticello, a coastal town in the province of Palermo, told the Italian media.

It continues while the search for the divers in the sunken hull of the ship that is 49 meters deep, as well as patrol boats and helicopters of the Coast Guard look for the missing in the area and more reinforcements of divers are arriving from Naples and Rome.

International

US panel backs Trump-themed coin amid controversy

The United States Department of the Treasury confirmed to AFP that the Commission of Fine Arts approved the design of a new collectible coin featuring Donald Trump, with members of the commission appointed by the current administration.

According to the proposal, the coin will feature an image of Trump standing with clenched fists over a desk on the obverse, while the reverse will display an eagle, a traditional symbol of the United States.

The sale price of the collectible has not yet been disclosed, although the United States Mint typically offers similar items for more than $1,000.

“There is no more iconic portrait for the front of these coins than that of our president Donald Trump,” U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach said in a statement sent to AFP. He added that two additional coins — a $1 piece and a one-ounce gold coin — are also under consideration.

However, the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC), another body responsible for reviewing new coin proposals, declined to discuss the Trump design in late February.

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“Only nations governed by kings or dictators place the image of a sitting leader on their currency,” said Donald Scarinciat the time. “No country in the world has minted coins featuring a democratically elected leader during their term in office,” he added.

When contacted by AFP, the Treasury Department did not immediately respond to requests for further comment.

International

Fed’s Waller warns of rising inflation risks amid Middle East conflict

Christopher Waller, a governor at the Federal Reserve, said Friday that he is increasingly concerned about the inflationary impact of the ongoing conflict involving United States and Israel against Iran, particularly due to the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Waller, who had supported interest rate cuts over the past year amid concerns about the labor market, said he has shifted his stance in recent weeks due to rising inflation risks.

“Since the Strait of Hormuz was closed, it suggests this conflict could be much more prolonged and that oil prices will remain elevated for longer,” Waller said in an interview with CNBC.

“Therefore, this indicates that inflation is a greater concern than I had previously assessed,” he added.

Waller also backed the Federal Reserve’s decision earlier this week to keep interest rates unchanged, signaling a more cautious approach as global geopolitical tensions continue to affect economic outlooks.

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International

Brazil offers to mediate Colombia-Ecuador tensions, calls for restraint

The government of Brazil has offered to mediate in the ongoing tensions between Colombia and Ecuador, while calling on both nations to exercise restraint.

In a statement released Wednesday, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the parties involved to act with moderation and seek a peaceful resolution to the dispute.

“Brazil encourages all sides to act with moderation in order to find a peaceful solution to the controversy. It stands ready to support dialogue efforts aimed at preserving peace and security in the region,” the statement said.

Brazil also expressed “serious concern” over reports of deaths in the border area between Colombia and Ecuador, noting that the circumstances surrounding the incidents have not yet been clarified.

The diplomatic move comes amid rising tensions between the neighboring countries, increasing regional concern over stability and security along their shared border.