International
Colombia demands removal from ‘hunger hotspots’ list
AFP
Colombia took umbrage Monday at being included in a report by UN agencies on 20 “hunger hotspots,” demanding to be removed from the list of countries considered at risk of “acute food insecurity.”
The report published last week by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Programme said that “7.3 million Colombians are food insecure and in need of food assistance in 2022.”
Other countries on the list included South Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Madagascar and Yemen.
In a letter provided to the media, Colombia’s foreign ministry informed the FAO in Rome of its “rejection of this publication” which it said “lacks factual support, methodological definition and clarity in the sources that give it validity and credibility.”
The country asked to be removed from the list of “hotspots” and for statements made about Colombia to be “corrected,” Foreign Minister Martha Lucia Ramirez told reporters.
The report had blamed the situation in Colombia on “a combination of political instability, economic challenges and the ongoing impact of the regional migratory crisis amplified by internal displacement.”
It also highlighted a lack of food security for 1.1 million Venezuelan migrants who fled their country and now live in Colombia.
Alan Bojanic, the FAO representative in Colombia, lamented that the way the data was presented “was not the best”.
The idea, he said, was to “draw attention to the acute food insecurity of some populations in the territory, mainly migrants”.
International
Maduro, Delcy Rodríguez sued in Florida over alleged kidnapping, torture and terrorism
U.S. citizens have revived a lawsuit in Miami against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro following his capture, as well as against Vice President and now acting leader Delcy Rodríguez and other senior Chavista officials, whom they accuse of kidnapping, torture, and terrorism.
The plaintiffs — including U.S. citizens who were kidnapped in Venezuela and two minors — filed a motion over the weekend before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida asking the court to declare the defendants in default for failing to respond to the lawsuit initially filed on August 14, 2025, according to court documents made public on Monday.
The case, assigned to Judge Darrin P. Gayles, accuses the Venezuelan leaders of violating the U.S. Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), the Florida Anti-Terrorism Act, and the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).
In addition to Maduro and Rodríguez, the lawsuit names Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López; Attorney General Tarek William Saab; Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello; former Supreme Court Chief Justice Maikel Moreno; and National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez.
The complaint also lists the state-owned oil company Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) and former Electricity Minister Néstor Reverol as defendants.
According to the filing, Maduro “committed flagrant acts of terrorism against U.S. citizens,” citing the criminal case in New York in which Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, appeared in court for the first time on Monday following their arrest on Saturday.
The lawsuit claims that the plaintiffs “were held captive by Maduro” with “illegal material support” from the other defendants, whom it identifies as members of the Cartel of the Suns, a group designated by the United States as a terrorist organization last year.
International
U.S. faces worst flu season in decades as new strain spreads nationwide
The flu continues to take a heavy toll across the United States, with all but four states reporting high or very high levels of activity as a new viral strain known as subclade K continues to spread.
According to another key indicator — doctor visits for fever accompanied by cough or sore throat, common flu symptoms — the U.S. is experiencing its highest level of respiratory illness since at least the 1997–98 flu season, based on data released Monday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“This is definitely a standout year,” said Dr. Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. “It’s the worst we’ve seen in at least 20 years. Most of the country is experiencing very high levels of activity, and we are still near the peak.”
Rivers noted that it is unusual to see such a severe flu season following another poor season the previous year, as intense seasons typically do not occur back to back.
Nationwide, approximately 8.2% of doctor visits during the final week of the year were for flu-like symptoms. At the same point last season — which was also severe — that figure stood at 6.7%.
In Massachusetts, where flu activity is reported as very high, health officials urged residents to get vaccinated.
“This is a moment for clarity, urgency, and action,” said Dr. Robbie Goldstein, Commissioner of Public Health, in a press release. “These viruses are serious, dangerous, and potentially deadly. We are seeing critically ill children, families grieving devastating losses, and hospitals under strain due to capacity.”
International
U.S. Energy Secretary to meet oil executives on reviving Venezuela’s crude industry
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright is set to meet this week with executives from the American oil industry to discuss how to revive Venezuela’s crude oil sector, according to multiple media reports.
The meeting will take place on the sidelines of an energy conference organized by investment banking group Goldman Sachs in Miami.
Senior executives from major U.S. oil companies, including Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are expected to attend the symposium.
Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, estimated at 300 to 303 billion barrels, representing roughly one-fifth of known global reserves.
Following the controversial operation carried out on Saturday to detain Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, U.S. President Donald Trump has placed renewed emphasis on control over and exploitation of Venezuela’s vast oil resources.
Maduro, Delcy Rodríguez sued in Florida over alleged kidnapping, torture and terrorism
U.S. faces worst flu season in decades as new strain spreads nationwide
U.S. Energy Secretary to meet oil executives on reviving Venezuela’s crude industry
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
-
International1 day agoU.S. faces worst flu season in decades as new strain spreads nationwide
-
International5 days agoMissile attack hits Kharkiv homes, leaving 13 wounded
-
Central America2 days agoEl Salvador reports safest year in its history, security cabinet says
-
International5 days agoCanada’s prime minister Mark Carney to join Ukraine peace talks in Paris
-
International4 days agoTrump signals possible expansion of U.S. regional policy beyond Venezuela
-
International4 days agoWorld leaders react to U.S. attacks on Venezuela, sparking global divide
-
International2 days agoDelcy Rodríguez, key figure in U.S.-Venezuela transition, remains under EU sanctions
-
International1 day agoMaduro, Delcy Rodríguez sued in Florida over alleged kidnapping, torture and terrorism
-
International3 days agoMarco Rubio warns Cuba could be Trump administration’s next target
-
International2 days ago
China urges immediate release of Maduro, seeks emergency UN security council meeting
-
International5 days agoSheinbaum evacuates National Palace after 6.5-magnitude earthquake hits Southern Mexico
-
International1 day agoColombia to maintain anti-drug cooperation with U.S. after Trump remarks
-
International1 day agoFlorida’s ‘Tidal Wave’ operation detains 10,400 migrants in largest ICE joint effort
-
International1 day agoU.S. Energy Secretary to meet oil executives on reviving Venezuela’s crude industry
-
International1 day agoColombia says border with Venezuela remains calm after U.S. arrest of Maduro