International
WHO, “extremely concerned” about the possible outbreak of a polio outbreak in Gaza
The World Health Organization (WHO) said it was “extremely concerned” about a possible polio outbreak in Gaza after detecting type 2 vaccine-based poliovirus (VDPV2) in six environmental samples taken in the Strip.
Although at the moment the virus has only been isolated from the environment, the UN health agency assured that there is a “high risk of spreading” of this outbreak within Gaza and internationally if it does not act “quickly and optimally.”
“We believe that there is a high risk of spreading the circulating poliovirus not only due to its detection, but also to the serious situation of water sanitation in the Strip,” the head of the WHO emergency services in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Ayadil Saberkov, said at a virtual conference from Gaza.
The local official assured that the WHO is already developing epidemiological research and a risk assessment on the ground to identify the source of the detected poliovirus and determine the necessary recommendations in the face of a possible outbreak.
These recommendations will include, for example, the need for a mass vaccination campaign, the type of vaccine to be used and the population group to be vaccinated.
However, asked about the health situation in the Strip, Saberkov acknowledged that the implementation of these measures will be “very difficult” due to the almost total paralysis of the Gaza health system, the lack of water and sanitation and the difficulty of the population to access health services.
Faced with this situation, he said he was “very worried” not only about a possible polio outbreak, but also “about the different outbreaks of communicable diseases that may occur in Gaza.”
WHO hopes to complete its evaluation work during this week and will also transfer its recommendations to the health authorities of neighboring countries, including Egypt, Jordan and Israel, in order to prevent a spread at the international level.
International
China urges immediate release of Maduro, seeks emergency UN security council meeting
China on Monday called for the release of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who was captured by the United States during a military operation in Caracas, warning that Washington’s use of force poses a risk to peace and stability in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a press briefing that Beijing is “gravely concerned” about the detention of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and urged the United States to “ensure their personal safety” while they remain outside Venezuela and to proceed with their “immediate release.”
Lin stated that Washington’s actions “clearly violate international law and the basic norms governing international relations,” as well as the “purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter.” He accused the United States of engaging in a “blatant use of force” against a sovereign country and of carrying out actions that, according to Beijing, “undermine Venezuela’s sovereignty.”
The spokesperson stressed that such actions “threaten peace and stability in Latin America and the Caribbean,” a region China considers a “zone of peace.” He reiterated China’s opposition to the use or threat of force in international relations and to what he described as practices of “hegemonic bullying.”
In several responses to reporters, Lin insisted that Washington must “cease efforts to undermine the Venezuelan government” and resolve the crisis “through dialogue and negotiation.”
China, he added, “supports convening an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council” to address the situation and backs the body in fulfilling its responsibilities in accordance with its mandate.
Asked about contacts between Beijing and Caracas following Maduro’s capture, Lin said China “respects Venezuela’s sovereignty and independence” and trusts that the country will “handle its internal affairs in accordance with its Constitution and laws,” without confirming any direct communication with Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who has assumed the role of interim head of the Venezuelan executive.
Regarding bilateral cooperation, Lin noted that “energy cooperation is cooperation between sovereign states” and is “protected by international law and the laws of the countries involved.”
International
Delcy Rodríguez, key figure in U.S.-Venezuela transition, remains under EU sanctions
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who U.S. President Donald Trump has tasked with overseeing the new bilateral relationship and is positioned to lead the transition, is among 69 individuals sanctioned by the European Union for actions undermining democracy and the rule of law, human rights violations, and repression of civil society and political opposition in the country.
The EU first imposed sanctions in November 2017, with Rodríguez added to the list in June 2018. These measures include asset freezes, bans on receiving funds, and a prohibition on entering the European Union. On December 15, 2025, EU foreign ministers decided to extend these sanctions until January 10, 2027, citing “persistent actions that undermine democracy and the rule of law, as well as human rights violations and repression of civil society and democratic opposition.”
Other officials on the sanctions list include Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, former National Electoral Council President Tibisay Lucena, former National Guard Commander Antonio Benavides, Attorney General Tarek William Saab, and former Supreme Court President Maikel Moreno, the latter of whom was removed from the list following a ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).
On July 14, 2021, the CJEU rejected Rodríguez’s appeal, confirming her responsibility in Venezuela’s institutional erosion. Appeals from other senior officials were also dismissed, though the court accepted Moreno’s appeal, citing insufficient grounds from the European Council to sanction him.
Rodríguez was also involved in a diplomatic controversy in January 2020, when she made a stopover at Madrid Airportand met with then-Spanish Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos in the transit area, despite being barred from entering Europe. The encounter sparked debate in Spain and reached the European Parliament, which questioned whether the Spanish government had violated the sanctions regime. The European Commission clarified it has no authority to sanction member states, and Madrid prosecutors closed the case, ruling that Rodríguez had not attempted to enter Spanish territory.
In 2025, the European Parliament’s Petitions Committee kept a request open to review whether Spain had breached the sanctions framework. However, Brussels reiterated that enforcement is solely the responsibility of EU member states.
International
Marco Rubio warns Cuba could be Trump administration’s next target
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio did not rule out that Cuba’s communist government could become the next target of the Trump administration, just one day after the arrest of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro.
In an interview on Meet the Press, Rubio issued a warning to Havana, stating that Cuban authorities are “in a lot of trouble.”
“Is the Cuban government the next target of the Trump administration?” journalist Kristen Welker asked.
“Well, the Cuban government is a major problem. Yes,” Rubio replied.
“So that’s a yes?” Welker pressed.
“I think they’re in a lot of trouble, yes,” the Secretary of State added.
In a separate appearance, Rubio—who is the son of Cuban immigrants—claimed that Venezuela’s intelligence services were “full of Cubans” and said the island nation had effectively taken control of Venezuela.
“In some cases, one of the biggest challenges Venezuelans face is having to declare their independence from Cuba,” Rubio said from President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club. “They basically tried to colonize the country from a security standpoint. So yes, if I were living in Havana and part of the government, I would at least be worried.”
During a press conference on Saturday, President Trump himself said the United States seeks to be surrounded by “good neighbors.”
“It’s very similar in the sense that we want to help the people of Cuba, but we also want to help those who are forced to leave and live in this country,” Trump said. He also described the island as a “nation in decline” that is “not doing very well right now.”
The Cuban government has not yet responded to Rubio’s remarks. However, as a staunch ally of Maduro’s regime, Cuban authorities strongly condemned recent explosions and U.S. operations in Caracas.
“All nations in the region must remain alert, as the threat looms over everyone. In Cuba, our determination to fight is firm and unbreakable. The decision is one and only one: Homeland or Death,” Cuban officials said in a statement.
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