International
The deadliest hurricanes in recent US history
After almost a week of having made landfall in northwest Florida as a category 4 hurricane, Helene is currently responsible for more than 200 deaths and is already the second deadliest cyclone recorded in the continental United States in the last 50 years.
Ahead of him, and with a considerable advantage, Hurricane Katrina tops the list, which with 1,392 deaths attributed is among the five most lethal tropical cyclones in the history of the United States, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) of this country.
These are the deadliest hurricanes that have impacted the continental United States in the last 50 years:
- Katrina (2005).- The immense hurricane Katrina hit the US coast of the Gulf of Mexico in August 2005. It made landfall first at Keating Beach, Florida, like a category 1 cyclone, and then reached Louisiana and Mississippi with category 3. The highest number of deaths was reported in the city of New Orleans (Louisiana), which recorded catastrophic floods due to the storm surge.
According to NHC records, Katrina is surpassed by the hurricane known as Great Galveston, in Texas, from 1900 and which is estimated to have claimed at least 8,000 lives, as well as Lake Okeechobee, in Florida, from 1928 and responsible for about 2,500 deaths.
- Helene (2024).- She entered through northwest Florida, in the area known as Big Bend, on the night of September 26 with category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale (of a maximum of 5) and from there left a tra trile of at least 800 kilometers of devastation by six states in the southeast of the United States. In North Carolina, the death toll amounts to almost a hundred, especially in the area south of the Appalachian Mountains, but the authorities do not rule out that the number will increase in the coming days.
- Ian (2022).- The powerful Hurricane Ian entered the United States through the west coast of Florida and, like Helene, did it with category 4. It left 156 deaths mainly in Florida, in addition to North Carolina and Virginia. After destroying more than 19,000 homes and buildings in Lee County, where Fort Myers is settled, Ian landed again in South Carolina.
- The “superstorm” Sandy (2012).- It produced at least 147 direct deaths and a catastrophic storm surge on the coasts of New York and New Jersey, where it made landfall at the end of October as a gigantic posttropical cyclone.
- Harvey (2017).- It produced rains of historical records in Houston, Texas, a state whose central coast facing the Gulf of Mexico it made landfall on August 25, as a category 4 hurricane. The death toll reached 103 and caused destruction in that state and in Louisiana.
Other noteworthy hurricanes are Agnes (1972), which claimed 128 lives, especially in the states of Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia and Maryland, where significant floods were recorded after the cyclone made landfall in northwest Florida as a category 1 hurricane.
Similarly, Hurricane Audrey, which made landfall in Louisiana in June 1957 with category 3, and was responsible for more than 400 deaths after registering a storm surge of up to 3.5 meters (12 feet) in areas of that state and Texas.
And finally, Hurricane Maria, category 4, which devastated Puerto Rico in September 2017 and is considered the most destructive in the recent history of the Caribbean island, which was almost entirely without electricity. Although at first 67 deaths were attributed to him, a subsequent study by George Washington University commissioned by the Government of Puerto Rico, raised the number of fatalities to 2,975.
International
Iran Faces Mounting Economic Pressure as US Prepares ‘Toughest Sanctions in History’
Iran, already weakened by years of sanctions and a devastating military campaign by the United States and Israel, is facing another major challenge as President Donald Trump moves to intensify economic pressure on the Islamic Republic.
The United States is preparing a new package of measures that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has described as “the toughest sanctions in history.” The measures are expected to be unveiled at a news conference Monday, as negotiations aimed at ending the six-month war remain stalled and Iran continues to disrupt commercial shipping through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, contributing to economic pressure around the world.
Iranian officials have acknowledged that the country is struggling under the combined impact of the conflict and economic restrictions.
“We regret that these problems exist, as we are caught up in a large-scale economic, military and security war,” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said, according to state media.
The Iranian president said his government was working to address inflation, public services, livelihoods, employment and the broader economic outlook.
“As a government, we are doing everything in our power to steer inflation, public problems, people’s livelihoods, jobs, the future and people’s lives toward dignity and pride,” Pezeshkian added.
Signs of the economic strain have also emerged in major Iranian cities. Videos shared on social media last week showed nearly empty markets in Tehran and Karaj, with vendors complaining that they were unable to sell fresh produce.
Residents and business owners told CNN that the economic pressure has become increasingly difficult to withstand.
Nima, a 36-year-old Tehran resident, said the cost of living has surged while access to essential goods has also become increasingly difficult.
“Not only is everything expensive, but some of the important things we need, such as certain medicines, are not even available,” she said.
The latest US measures could further deepen the economic challenges facing Iran, particularly as the conflict and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz continue to affect global trade and energy markets.
International
U.S. Revokes Nearly 900 Visas in Crackdown on ‘Birth Tourism’
The United States has revoked nearly 900 temporary visas as part of measures promoted by President Donald Trump’s administration against so-called “birth tourism,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.
“Nearly 900 visas have already been revoked just since this task force was established. And that is in addition to the actions we have taken since the beginning of this administration to dismantle birth tourism networks around the world,” Pigott said in an interview with Newsmax.
The visa revocations are the result of coordinated efforts between the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to identify people who allegedly use tourist visas to enter the United States with the intention of giving birth there.
The measures are part of Trump’s broader immigration policies. In January, the president signed an executive order describing birth tourism as a practice that undermines the integrity of the U.S. immigration system in an effort to obtain what the administration considers permanent immigration benefits.
The directive stated that some people enter the country through temporary visas issued for tourism, education, cultural exchanges or temporary employment, and later seek to benefit from the U.S. citizenship their children acquire by being born on American soil.
Trump targets birthright citizenship
The latest actions are also part of Trump’s broader efforts to restrict birthright citizenship in the United States.
The country has traditionally followed the principle of jus soli, under which citizenship is generally granted based on birth within U.S. territory, rather than solely on parental nationality, as is the case in other legal systems.
The administrative measures come after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship through executive action, ruling that the policy raised constitutional issues involving the Fourteenth Amendment.
The visa crackdown represents another step by the administration to target practices it associates with the use of temporary immigration permits to obtain long-term immigration benefits.
International
Sinaloa Governor Returns to Office Amid Political Backlash and Cartel Allegations
Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya returned to office on Friday after taking more than three months of leave while facing an investigation into allegations by the U.S. government that he has ties to the Sinaloa Cartel. Rocha has denied the accusations.
His return has drawn criticism from Mexico’s federal government and the ruling Morena party, which have accused the governor of putting personal interests ahead of the public good.
Although she did not mention Rocha by name, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed the situation Saturday in a post on X, warning about the dangers of placing personal ambitions above the interests of the country.
“Power without principles becomes arrogance,” Sheinbaum wrote.
The president stressed that no personal interest should take precedence over the interests of the Mexican people and the nation, particularly when the objective is not public well-being but the pursuit of power for its own sake.
“Mexico deserves public servants who understand that positions are temporary, but responsibility before the nation is eternal,” Sheinbaum said.
She added that public officials should prioritize the dignity, future and hopes of the Mexican people over individual names, political groups or personal interests.
Later Saturday, while attending the inauguration of new agricultural services facilities in Mexico City, Sheinbaum told reporters that she learned of Rocha’s return through the governor’s social media post.
The president said she would provide further comments on the matter during her daily press conference on Monday.
Bukele Announces Education Investment Exceeding 8% of El Salvador’s GDP
Iran Faces Mounting Economic Pressure as US Prepares ‘Toughest Sanctions in History’
U.S. Revokes Nearly 900 Visas in Crackdown on ‘Birth Tourism’
Sinaloa Governor Returns to Office Amid Political Backlash and Cartel Allegations
Panama’s Geisha Coffee Retains Pure Ethiopian Genetics, Studies Find
Pilot killed and two Pennsylvania state troopers injured in mid-air collision
Argentina’s Milei Links Low Birth Rates to Abortion and Feminism
Virginia Police Arrest Salvadoran Man in Great Falls Woman’s Killing
Honduran Lawyer and Protected Witness in Angie Peña Case Shot Dead
Virginia Police Arrest Salvadoran Man in Great Falls Woman’s Killing
Argentina’s Milei Links Low Birth Rates to Abortion and Feminism
Pilot killed and two Pennsylvania state troopers injured in mid-air collision
U.S. Revokes Nearly 900 Visas in Crackdown on ‘Birth Tourism’
Panama’s Geisha Coffee Retains Pure Ethiopian Genetics, Studies Find
Sinaloa Governor Returns to Office Amid Political Backlash and Cartel Allegations
Bukele Announces Education Investment Exceeding 8% of El Salvador’s GDP
-
Central America5 days agoHonduran Lawyer and Protected Witness in Angie Peña Case Shot Dead
-
International5 days agoVirginia Police Arrest Salvadoran Man in Great Falls Woman’s Killing
-
International4 days agoArgentina’s Milei Links Low Birth Rates to Abortion and Feminism
-
International4 days agoPilot killed and two Pennsylvania state troopers injured in mid-air collision
-
International22 hours agoU.S. Revokes Nearly 900 Visas in Crackdown on ‘Birth Tourism’
-
Central America4 days agoPanama’s Geisha Coffee Retains Pure Ethiopian Genetics, Studies Find
-
International2 days agoSinaloa Governor Returns to Office Amid Political Backlash and Cartel Allegations
-
Central America23 minutes agoBukele Announces Education Investment Exceeding 8% of El Salvador’s GDP
-
International25 minutes agoIran Faces Mounting Economic Pressure as US Prepares ‘Toughest Sanctions in History’