International
Venezuelan becomes oldest living man
AFP
A 112-year-old Venezuelan farmer has been officially recognized as the oldest living man following the death of a Spaniard who was the previous holder of the title, Guinness World Records said Tuesday.
Juan Vicente Perez was confirmed as the oldest living man in February, Guinness said in a statement on its website.
He “has exceptional health and memory. He remembers his childhood, marriage, the name of his siblings, children and grandchildren,” said Guinness.
“He loves to be surrounded by family and friends as they tell stories and engage in good conversation.”
Perez was born on May 27, 1909 in the western Tachira state, where by the age of five he was already helping his parents to harvest sugar cane and coffee.
As an adult, he worked as a sheriff resolving land disputes in the town where he lived.
Perez was married for 60 years until his wife Ediofina del Rosario Garcia died in 1997.
They had 11 children together. Perez has 41 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and 12 great-great grandchildren.
He told Guinness that his secret to long life is to “work hard, rest on holidays, go to bed early, drink a glass of aguardiente every day, love God, and always carry him in your heart.”
The previous oldest man alive was Spaniard Saturnino de la Fuente Garcia, who died in January just under a month from his 113th birthday.
The oldest person alive is Frenchwoman Lucile Randon, a nun born on February 11, 1904, who is 118 years old.
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.
Iran says agreement with U.S. to end Middle East conflict is in final stages
WHO Warns Ebola Outbreak Is Spreading Rapidly in DR Congo
Guatemalan Man Sentenced to 50 Years in U.S. Prison for Child Exploitation Crimes
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
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