International
Study Reveals Hydroxychloroquine Increases the Risk of Death in COVID-19 Cases.
A case-control study suggests that treatment with chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial drug, offers no benefit to COVID19 patients.
In fact, the report confirms that treatment with these drugs, either alone or combined with others, relates to the increased death rates and heart arrhythmias in treated patients.
The study, published in The Lancet Journal, analyzed data from nearly 15,000 patients with COVID-19 who received the drug in their treatment and data from 81,000 control patients in over 600 hospitals.
International
Iran says agreement with U.S. to end Middle East conflict is in final stages
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baqai, said Saturday that Tehran and the United States were in the “finalization phase” of a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the conflict in the Middle East.
Speaking to Iranian state television Irib, Baqai explained that Iran had initially sought to draft a memorandum consisting of 14 clauses as part of the negotiations.
“We are currently in the phase of finalizing these memorandums of understanding,” he stated.
Shortly before Baqai’s remarks became public, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there was “a possibility” that Iran could agree to a deal to end the conflict as early as Saturday.
“There is a possibility that later today, tomorrow, or within the next couple of days, we may have something to announce,” Rubio told reporters in New Delhi, adding that he hoped for “good news.”
Despite acknowledging progress in the negotiations, the top U.S. diplomat warned that President Donald Trump could still decide to resume military strikes against Iran if talks fail to produce a final agreement.
International
WHO Warns Ebola Outbreak Is Spreading Rapidly in DR Congo
The World Health Organization on Friday raised the risk level of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from “high” to “very high,” the highest alert category used by the organization.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the outbreak is spreading rapidly across the country, particularly in the eastern provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu.
“The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is spreading rapidly,” Tedros stated during a press conference.
He explained that the WHO had previously classified the risk as high at both the national and regional levels, while maintaining a low risk assessment globally.
“We are now revising our risk assessment to classify it as very high at the national level, high at the regional level, and low at the global level,” he added.
A WHO spokesperson told AFP that “very high” represents the organization’s highest risk category.
The outbreak has expanded across North Kivu and South Kivu, regions divided by the frontline between Congolese government forces and the armed group M23, which is reportedly backed by Rwanda and has seized large areas of territory since 2021.
International
Guatemalan Man Sentenced to 50 Years in U.S. Prison for Child Exploitation Crimes
Ángel Emilio Rodríguez Marroquín, a Guatemalan citizen living illegally in California, was sentenced to 50 years in prison on multiple charges related to the sexual exploitation of his two eight-year-old nephews, both of whom are disabled, according to a report published by Fox News.
The Central American national was arrested on November 22, 2025, on charges of producing and possessing child pornography, the report stated.
The investigation was led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Los Angeles and the Homeland Security Investigations division of the immigration service. Authorities said Rodríguez Marroquín recorded himself sexually abusing both children.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Rodríguez illegally entered the United States in 2024, was arrested, and later released.
The convicted man is also under investigation in Guatemala for child exploitation offenses. That investigation is being conducted by HSI in coordination with the Los Angeles Cyber Crimes Against Children Unit.
“This depraved illegal alien from Guatemala pleaded guilty to producing and possessing child pornography involving the abuse of his nephews,” said acting DHS Deputy Secretary Lauren Bis.
She also criticized U.S. immigration policies under former President Joe Biden, claiming the defendant would not have been in the country if stricter border controls had been enforced.
-
International4 days agoU.S. Sanctions Alleged Sinaloa Cartel Money Launderers Linked to Fentanyl Trade
-
International4 days agoTrump Delays Potential Iran Strikes as Regional Peace Talks Continue
-
International2 days agoWHO Warns Ebola Outbreak Is Spreading Rapidly in DR Congo
-
Central America5 days agoNicaragua’s Alliances With U.S. Rivals Could Trigger More Sanctions, Analysis Says
-
International14 hours agoIran says agreement with U.S. to end Middle East conflict is in final stages
-
International5 days agoGabriel García Luna Pledges to Restore Public Trust in Guatemala’s Prosecutor’s Office
-
International2 days agoGuatemalan Man Sentenced to 50 Years in U.S. Prison for Child Exploitation Crimes
-
International4 days agoFAO Urges Urgent Action as Hormuz Disruption Threatens Global Food Supply

























