International
Bolsonaro ex-minister arrested for ‘influence peddling’
AFP
A Brazilian former education minister accused of influence peddling, allegedly at the request of President Jair Bolsonaro, was arrested Wednesday, police and a defense lawyer said.
Milton Ribeiro resigned in March over allegations that he channeled public funds to allies of two influential Evangelical pastors at Bolsonaro’s “special request.”
Newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo revealed an audio recording of Ribeiro saying he gave priority in deciding school-funding requests to municipalities governed by “friends” of the pastors.
One mayor reportedly said he had been asked for a kilo of gold in exchange for having his school-funding request cleared.
The claims triggered calls from opposition lawmakers for Ribeiro and Bolsonaro to be investigated.
Bolsonaro, a conservative Catholic, won the presidency in 2018 with solid backing from Brazil’s powerful Evangelical Christian movement.
He is keen to keep the Evangelical vote as he seeks reelection in October, trailing in the polls to leftist ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Bolsonaro and Ribeiro, himself a Presbyterian pastor, have denied wrongdoing.
“Based on documents, testimony and the final report of the preliminary investigation… possible indications of criminal practice in the granting of public budgets were identified,” Brazilian police said in a statement.
Ribeiro’s arrest, it said, was the result of an operation across four Brazilian states Wednesday morning to dismantle a criminal network, with officers armed with five arrest warrants and 13 search warrants.
He risks a sentence of between two and five years for influence peddling and two to 12 years for corruption, the police said.
Ribeiro’s lawyer Daniel Bialski in a statement described his client’s arrest as “unjust” and “indisputably unnecessary.”
The Ministry of Education confirmed its premises were searched on Wednesday and said it intended to cooperate with investigators.
In March, Bolsonaro defended Ribeiro and called the claims “cowardly.”
On Wednesday, the president appeared to distance himself from his former minister.
“Let him answer for his actions, I pray to God that he has no problem. But if he does, it shows that I have no influence on the police,” the far-right president told the Itaitiaia radio station.
“I have 23 ministers, about a hundred secretaries of state… If someone does something wrong, will they blame me?” he added.
Ribeiro, 64, took office in July 2020 — the third education minister in the cabinet of Bolsonaro, whose government was shaken by an avalanche of resignations and dismissals.
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.
International
Trump Delays Potential Iran Strikes as Regional Peace Talks Continue
Donald Trump announced a new deadline for potential military action against Iran, saying he would temporarily delay planned strikes while regional negotiators continue efforts to secure a peace agreement.
Speaking at the White House, Trump said he decided to postpone the operation after receiving requests from the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.
The U.S. president explained that the pause would remain in place for only a limited period, adding that discussions could continue through the end of the week or early next week.
Trump also warned that military action remained a possibility if negotiations fail to produce results, stressing that the United States could not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon.
“Maybe we’ll have to hit them again,” Trump said, referring to Iran while reiterating his willingness to resume military operations if necessary.
WHO Warns Ebola Outbreak Is Spreading Rapidly in DR Congo
Guatemalan Man Sentenced to 50 Years in U.S. Prison for Child Exploitation Crimes
Trump Delays Potential Iran Strikes as Regional Peace Talks Continue
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
-
International3 days agoU.S. Sanctions Alleged Sinaloa Cartel Money Launderers Linked to Fentanyl Trade
-
International3 days agoTrump Delays Potential Iran Strikes as Regional Peace Talks Continue
-
Central America4 days agoNicaragua’s Alliances With U.S. Rivals Could Trigger More Sanctions, Analysis Says
-
International4 days agoGabriel García Luna Pledges to Restore Public Trust in Guatemala’s Prosecutor’s Office
-
International8 hours agoWHO Warns Ebola Outbreak Is Spreading Rapidly in DR Congo
-
International3 days agoFAO Urges Urgent Action as Hormuz Disruption Threatens Global Food Supply
-
International8 hours agoGuatemalan Man Sentenced to 50 Years in U.S. Prison for Child Exploitation Crimes