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
Mexican TikTok Influencer Shot Dead While Livestreaming in Sinaloa
A Mexican influencer was shot dead Tuesday night while livestreaming on social media outside a restaurant in the violence-plagued state of Sinaloa, in northwestern Mexico.
César Gastelum, who had more than 500,000 followers on TikTok, was broadcasting live with two friends while taking part in a challenge in which they dressed as food delivery workers. During the livestream, a motorcycle carrying two individuals stopped beside them, and the driver shot Gastelum in the head.
The broadcast was interrupted immediately after the attack and was later removed by the platform. However, several news outlets preserved parts of the footage and shared images of the incident.
Initial reports from local police indicated that a delivery worker had been killed. However, after reviewing the recording and gathering witness statements, authorities identified the victim as Gastelum, who was approximately 25 years old, according to local media reports. The influencer was known for sharing lifestyle-related content.
The attack took place in a busy shopping area near the Sinaloa Attorney General’s Office in Culiacán, the state capital. Military and police forces were deployed to the scene, while forensic experts collected evidence and removed the victim’s body, according to local television reports.
Sinaloa has been experiencing a wave of violence for the past two years due to internal disputes within the powerful local drug cartel.
Local media have reported that around a dozen influencers, some allegedly linked to criminal groups, have been killed in recent years in the state.
International
Iran Rejects Negotiations With U.S. as Strait of Hormuz Remains Blocked Amid New Attack
Tensions remained high in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday after a vessel was hit by a projectile, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims that negotiations with Iran were moving forward and that the strategic maritime route could reopen as early as Tuesday.
Tehran denied that direct talks were taking place, but Trump insisted that discussions were underway and described the situation as a final opportunity for Iran to reach an agreement.
“This is the last chance they have to sign a good document,” Trump told reporters at the White House, adding that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz could happen “literally tomorrow” Tuesday.
The comments came after another escalation in rhetoric from Washington. Last week, Trump threatened Iran with military strikes before unexpectedly changing course on Sunday and announcing that negotiations with Tehran would resume.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqai rejected the U.S. president’s version of events, stating that Tehran was not holding negotiations with Washington.
“At this moment, we are not negotiating with the United States. We are negotiating with Oman to guarantee safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz,” Baqai said.
Earlier, the Iranian official said that Tehran was close to reaching an agreement with Oman, which lies across the Strait of Hormuz, to reopen the crucial waterway that plays a key role in global energy trade.
The maritime route has remained blocked by Iran since the outbreak of hostilities following U.S. and Israeli strikes against the Islamic Republic on February 28.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced Tuesday that they had launched an attack against an airport in Saudi Arabia. The Iran-backed group had previously disrupted the passage of Saudi vessels through the Red Sea, an alternative route used for crude exports by the world’s largest oil producer.
The continued instability in the region has raised concerns over global energy supplies, as the Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most important chokepoints for international oil shipments.
International
Lula Launches Re-Election Campaign Amid Rising Tensions With Trump
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is set to be officially nominated for re-election by his Workers’ Party (PT), marking the start of his campaign for a fourth presidential term.
The nomination takes place during the party’s national convention in São Paulo, Brazil’s economic hub, where around 3,000 supporters gathered to back the veteran leftist leader.
“Today I’m here because Lula’s policies changed my life and my family’s. Thanks to him, we finally own a home after eight generations without one,” said Cristiane Rosa Julho, a 51-year-old social worker attending the event dressed in the PT’s signature red.
Seeking the presidency for the seventh time in his political career, Lula is expected to face Senator Flávio Bolsonaro in next year’s election.
The 45-year-old senator is the son of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who has been jailed over his alleged role in an attempted coup following his defeat to Lula in the 2022 election.
The party convention opened with videos highlighting Lula’s social initiatives and speeches by four women praising his leadership, while supporters waved PT flags and held signs reading “We Want Lula as President” and “Brazil Is Not for Sale.”
The campaign begins amid growing tensions with the United States and President Donald Trump, a close ally of the Bolsonaro family who has openly backed several conservative candidates across Latin America.
Last week, Lula warned against foreign interference, declaring, “In Brazil, we do not accept anyone sticking their nose where it doesn’t belong.”
In July, the United States imposed two rounds of tariffs on Brazilian products, accusing the country of unfair trade practices. The measures followed earlier restrictions introduced in 2025, encouraged by Jair Bolsonaro’s son Eduardo Bolsonaro, in response to legal proceedings against the former president.
Lula has vowed to wage what he called a “war of truth against lies” in response to Washington’s pressure and accused Flávio Bolsonaro of undermining Brazil’s interests by allegedly helping the United States damage the country’s economy. The senator has denied the accusations.
The Brazilian president also claims Washington is attempting to influence the country’s political landscape in an effort to prevent his re-election.
Guatemala Declares Highest Alert in Areas Affected by Fuego Volcano Eruption
Mexican TikTok Influencer Shot Dead While Livestreaming in Sinaloa
Iran Rejects Negotiations With U.S. as Strait of Hormuz Remains Blocked Amid New Attack
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
International2 days agoIran Rejects Negotiations With U.S. as Strait of Hormuz Remains Blocked Amid New Attack
-
International3 days agoTruck bomb attack near police station in Colombia leaves 14 injured ahead of presidential inauguration
-
International2 days agoLula Launches Re-Election Campaign Amid Rising Tensions With Trump
-
International12 hours agoMexican TikTok Influencer Shot Dead While Livestreaming in Sinaloa
-
Central America12 hours agoGuatemala Declares Highest Alert in Areas Affected by Fuego Volcano Eruption
-
Central America2 days agoU.S. Defense Secretary to Close Multinational Military Exercises in Panama to Protect Canal