International

Venezuelan journalists reject government institute course to become reporters in three months

February 6^th |

An educational institute of the Venezuelan government proposed a technical course for those who wanted to become reporters, which generated criticism from the journalists’ union.

The National Institute of Socialist Educational Training (INCES), a public government entity that played an important role in literacy in Venezuela, began offering a three-month technical-professional training course for reporters, with a curriculum oriented to people as young as 14 years of age.

The Venezuelan journalists’ union condemned INCES for offering the course, arguing that it “violates” the exercise of the profession, university studies and infringes the Law on the Practice of Journalism.

Article 2 of the Law on the Practice of Journalism establishes that to practice the profession in Venezuela a degree of “Licenciado en Periodismo, Licenciado en Comunicación Social or equivalent degree”, issued in the country by a university, or a legally revalidated degree, is required, in addition to being registered in the National College of Journalists.

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The president of the CNP, Tinedo Guía, said on Wednesday that the course was “withdrawn” after they requested information about its scope.

Previously, Néstor Garrido, secretary of Professional Improvement of the CNP, had urged the government to respect the legislation and, on behalf of the institution, condemned the offer because, he said, it was “misleading advertising”.

The offer to train press workers “empirically” is framed in a context in which the State and its institutions seek to “de-professionalize” journalism in Venezuela, said to VOA the secretary of the National Union of Press Workers (SNTP), Marco Ruiz.

Although there were no further details, last year, the Parliament of the ruling party majority installed work tables for the revision and reform of the Law for the Exercise of Journalism.

In the absence of information, journalists and experts in the matter preferred not to speculate at that time, but agreed that the government may be seeking to grant recognition to “alternative journalists”.

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Since the late former President Hugo Chavez came to power, he promoted alternative reporters and community media, considered a “banner of the Bolivarian Revolution”. The initiative has been catalogued by different sectors as a way to promote government propaganda.

International

Trump orders U.S. control of Strait of Hormuz after failed Iran talks

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the United States will take control of the Strait of Hormuz“effective immediately,” following the collapse of negotiations with Iran held in Islamabad.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he had ordered the U.S. Navy to block vessels attempting to enter or exit the strategic waterway, a key route for global energy trade.

“The meeting went well, agreement was reached on most points, but the only really important one — nuclear weapons — was not approved,” Trump said, referring to the talks with Iranian representatives.

The president also stated that he had instructed authorities to intercept ships in international waters that had paid tolls to Iran to transit the strait, calling such payments “illegal.” He further accused Tehran of hindering an agreement by deploying mines in the area, describing the move as “international extortion.”

Trump added that the United States will undertake efforts to clear mines from the strait and expressed confidence that a future agreement ensuring free navigation could eventually be reached.

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The announcement came after Vice President JD Vance and special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner briefed the president on the outcome of the negotiations, considered the highest-level contacts between the two countries since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

While Trump acknowledged that enough progress had been made to maintain a temporary truce, he criticized Iran for remaining unwilling to abandon its nuclear ambitions, calling its position “very inflexible” on the central issue.

International

Child Found Malnourished in Van in France; Father Admits Confinement

French gendarmes discovered a child in a van in Hagenbach, in northeastern France, after a neighbor reported hearing what she described as “childlike noises” coming from the parked vehicle.

After unlocking the van, officers found the boy lying in a fetal position, unclothed and covered with a blanket, surrounded by garbage and near human waste, according to a statement from the Mulhouse prosecutor, Nicolas Heitz.

Authorities said the child appeared pale and severely malnourished. Due to prolonged confinement in a seated position, he was no longer able to walk. He was immediately taken to a hospital in Mulhouse for medical care.

The boy’s father, who lived with his partner and two daughters aged 10 and 12, admitted to keeping the child confined and depriving him of proper care.

According to the prosecutor, the man said he placed the child in the van in November 2024, claiming he wanted to “protect him” because his partner intended to have the boy admitted to a psychiatric facility.

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The suspect also stated that he allowed the child out of the vehicle in May 2025 and permitted him to enter the family apartment around mid-year, when the rest of the family was on vacation.

The man’s partner—who is not the child’s mother—also faces charges, including failure to report abuse. However, she has denied all accusations.

International

Europe Faces Jet Fuel Shortage Risk Amid Hormuz Disruption

The Airports Council International Europe has warned of a potential “systemic shortage” of jet fuel if maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is not restored within the next three weeks, according to a letter reviewed by AFP on Friday.

In the document, addressed to the European Commission and first reported by the Financial Times, the European airport lobby stated that a “systemic jet fuel shortage will become a reality” in the European Union unless stable and significant transit through the strait resumes soon.

The association, which represents around 600 airports across 50 countries, called on Brussels to implement “urgent monitoring of fuel availability and supply” over the next six months.

Jet fuel prices have surged amid the conflict in the Middle East and the ongoing disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy transport.

The conflict escalated on February 28 following joint U.S. and Israeli airstrikes against Iran.

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In response, Tehran imposed several countermeasures, including blocking maritime traffic through the strait, a route through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil, jet fuel, and gas supply passes.