International

The Pentagon says that Gaza’s humanitarian dock will operate again this week but “temporarily”

The U.S. Department of Defense reported on Tuesday that the humanitarian dock located off the coast of the Gaza Strip will be operational “again this week,” but stressed that it is a “temporary measure” and that there are “better ways” to bring aid to the Palestinian enclave.

“We hope it will be operational again this week (…) We have always said that the dock is a temporary measure. I have no date to announce in terms of when it will cease its operations,” said the press secretary of the U.S. Department of Defense, Patrick Ryder, at a press conference.

The dock, which has been used since May 17 to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza by order of US President Joe Biden, was withdrawn on Friday and towed to Ashdod (Israel) to avoid possible damage caused by the strong waves.

“We are looking forward to it being operational again soon to deliver the aid,” Ryder replied when asked if the dock, whose installation cost 230 million dollars, could be dismantled as early as next month.

The installation consists of two structures: a floating dock to which the ships loaded with humanitarian assistance are moored and a roadway through which the trucks that carry the supplies to the ground travel.

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The Pentagon already announced on May 28 that it had to temporarily remove part of the pier since the road that joined it with the beach was damaged by a storm and needed repair.

The rough sea also caused two U.S. Army ships to be stranded.

On the other hand, the representative of the Pentagon added today that, “as far as (aid) launches from the air are concerned,” they have “the capacity and the intention” to continue carrying them out.

More than 3,500 metric tons (3,858 tons) were delivered through the maritime corridor for delivery by humanitarian organizations, according to the U.S. Central Command. (Centcom).

Since then, Centcom has also participated in almost 40 missions of this type in Gaza to deliver, among other things, more than 1,050 metric tons of bulk food, water and prepared meals.

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The last humanitarian air launch of this type took place on June 9, when a U.S. C-130 threw more than 10 metric tons of “ready-to-eat meals” (padded food) in northern Gaza.

The UN has repeatedly stressed that neither the artificial dock nor these actions are sufficient in the face of Gaza’s needs.

Central America

Nicaragua revokes legal status of 10 more NGOs, bringing total to over 5,600

The Nicaraguan government canceled the legal status of 10 more non-profit organizations on Friday (March 28, 2025), including the Swiss Foundation for Development Cooperation, bringing the total number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) shut down since December 2018 to over 5,600.

According to the Ministry of the Interior, the Swiss Foundation for Development Cooperation, which had been registered since March 9, 2002, was found to be in non-compliance for failing to report its financial status for 2024 and for having an expired board of directors.

Among the 10 NGOs whose legal status was revoked were religious organizations, educational groups, consumer associations, and aquaculture organizations, all dissolved “voluntarily” or closed under similar reasons.

As of today, more than 5,600 NGOs have been dismantled following the popular protests that erupted in April 2018 in Nicaragua. In most cases, the assets of these organizations have been ordered to be transferred to the state.

International

Marco Rubio warns Venezuela against military action against Guyana

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Venezuela on Thursday that a military attack on Guyana would be “a big mistake” and “a very bad day for them,” expressing his support for Georgetown in its territorial dispute with Caracas.

“It would be a very bad day for the Venezuelan regime if they attacked Guyana or ExxonMobil. It would be a very bad day, a very bad week for them, and it would not end well,” Rubio emphasized during a press conference in Georgetown alongside Guyanese President Irfaan Ali.

International

Ecuador oil spill worsens as containment dam collapses

The collapse of a containment dam holding back part of the 25,000+ barrels of oil spilled from a pipeline rupture nearly two weeks ago has worsened the environmental crisis in northwestern Ecuador, contaminating rivers and Pacific beaches.

The Ecuadorian government attributed the March 13 pipeline rupture—which led to the spill of 25,116 barrels of crude—to an act of sabotage. The spill affected three rivers and disrupted water supplies for several communities, according to authorities.

On Tuesday, due to heavy rains that have been falling since January, a containment dam on the Caple River collapsed. The Caple connects to other waterways in Esmeraldas Province, a coastal region bordering Colombia, state-owned Petroecuador said in a statement on Wednesday.

Seven containment barriers were installed in the Viche River, where crews worked to remove oil-contaminated debris. Additional absorbent materials were deployed in Caple, Viche, and Esmeraldas Rivers, which flow into the Pacific Ocean.

Authorities are also working to protect a wildlife refuge home to more than 250 species, including otters, howler monkeys, armadillos, frigatebirds, and pelicans.

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“This has been a total disaster,” said Ronald Ruiz, a leader in the Cube community, where the dam was located. He explained that the harsh winter rains caused river levels to rise, bringing debris that broke the containment barriersthat were holding the accumulated oil for extraction.