International
John intensifies into a category 2 hurricane and anticipates its impact in southern Mexico
The newly formed tropical storm John has intensified to a category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale in the Mexican Pacific, and reduces its distance with the coasts of the southern states of Guerrero and Oaxaca, where it could touch land on the date, the National Meteorological Service (SMN) reported.
The center of the cyclone, the second of the Pacific season that would pass over Mexican territory, was in the last report 90 kilometers (km) south of Punta Maldonado, in the state of Guerrero, and 155 km west-southwest of Puerto Escondido, in Oaxaca.
According to the forecasts of the organization of the National Water Commission (Conagua), John could intensify to category 3 and make landfall in the next six hours.
If the current trajectory is maintained, it would be expected that the center of Hurricane John will touch land between Santiago Pinotepa Nacional (Oaxaca), and Copala (Guerrero), tonight or early Tuesday, the SMN warned.
The phenomenon has sustained winds of 155 kilometers per hour (km/h) and gusts of 195 km/h and moves north at a speed of 9 km/h.
The current category 2 hurricane will cause extraordinary occasional rains in Oaxaca and Guerrero; torrential in Chiapas; intense in Veracruz and Puebla; very strong in Tabasco, Michoacán and Morelos; as well as strong in the State of Mexico.
The SMN also predicted winds with gusts of up to 120 km/h and waves between three and five meters high on the coasts of Oaxaca, and gusts of between 40 and 60 km/h with waves up to three meters high on the coasts of Guerrero and Chiapas.
In addition, he reported that he established a prevention zone for the effects of Hurricane John from the east of Acapulco, in Guerrero, to Bahías de Huatulco, in Oaxaca.
The Mexican Meteorological Service asked the population to take extreme precautions, which included maritime navigation, as well as to heed the recommendations issued by the authorities of the National Civil Protection System.
John is the second cyclone of the Pacific season that would land in Mexico, where last week the storm Ileana hit in the state of Sinaloa, in the northwest of the country, where it left minor damage.
While three cyclones have hit Mexico through the Atlantic: Hurricane Beryl and Storm Chris, which left a blank balance in July, and Storm Alberto in June, when it left six dead in Nuevo León, a state on the northern border of Mexico.
Mexican authorities predicted in May up to 41 named cyclones in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, of which at least five would hit the country, a figure above the average in both cases.
International
Severe winter storm grips U.S., leaves multiple dead as extreme cold persists
Meteorologists are describing the storm as one of the worst winter weather events to hit the United States in decades, as heavy snowfall and widespread ice accumulation triggered potentially “catastrophic” conditions, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
The agency warned that similar conditions are expected to persist through Monday morning, with freezing temperatures and icy conditions likely to last for several days.
In Texas, authorities confirmed three deaths, including a 16-year-old girl who died in a sledding accident.
Meanwhile, two people died from hypothermia in Louisiana, according to the state’s Department of Health.
In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said that five people were found dead outdoors over the weekend amid frigid temperatures. Although he did not confirm that the deaths were directly related to the weather, he told reporters: “There is no more powerful reminder of the danger of extreme cold.”
“The impacts of snow and sleet will persist well into next week, with repeated refreezing keeping surfaces icy and dangerous for both driving and walking,” the NWS said.
International
France debates ban on social media for children under 15
French lawmakers are set to decide this Monday whether to ban social media access for children under the age of 15, a measure aimed at protecting adolescents’ mental health and combating cyberbullying.
The proposed legislation also includes a ban on mobile phone use in high schools, and comes shortly after Australia introduced a similar restriction in December, becoming the first country in the world to prohibit social media for minors under 16.
“The emotions of our children and teenagers are not for sale, nor should they be manipulated by American platforms or Chinese algorithms,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in a video published on Saturday.
The centrist president has made the protection of minors from the harmful effects of social media and the regulation of screen time a key priority of his second term, which ends in 2027.
At 4:00 p.m. local time (15:00 GMT), members of the National Assembly are scheduled to debate the bill introduced by Macron’s ruling party, Renaissance. If approved, the proposal will move to the Senate for consideration in mid-February.
The leader of the ruling party’s lawmakers and former prime minister, Gabriel Attal, expressed confidence that senators would also back the measure, which would take effect on September 1, following the summer holidays.
“France could become a pioneer in Europe within a month. We can change the lives of our young people and their families,” Attal said, adding that the country would gain greater independence from “certain powers” that seek to “colonize minds.”
France’s public health agency Anses has warned that social media platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram, which are deeply embedded in teenagers’ daily lives, can have a detrimental impact on mental health.
The agency highlighted multiple risks, including cyberbullying, constant social comparison, exposure to violent content, and attention-capture mechanisms that negatively affect sleep patterns.
International
Federal immigration agents kill man in Minneapolis, sparking protests and outrage
Federal immigration agents shot and killed a 37-year-old Minneapolis man during an operation on Saturday, authorities confirmed, sparking new protests and deepening outrage over federal immigration enforcement in the city.
The victim, identified as Alex Jeffrey Pretti, was a U.S. citizen and intensive care nurse who worked at a Veterans Affairs hospital and was widely respected in his community, according to colleagues and news reports.
Officials said the shooting occurred during a targeted immigration raid in south Minneapolis. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described the incident as an act of self-defense by agents who believed the man posed a threat.
However, videos reviewed by multiple outlets and eyewitnesses show Pretti holding a phone and not displaying a weapon before being pepper-sprayed, tackled by agents and then shot multiple times, raising serious questions about the official account.
The killing comes amid a broader federal immigration enforcement operation in the city and follows another controversial shooting in early January in which Renée Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, was fatally shot by an ICE agent, leading to widespread protests and criticism of federal tactics.
Severe winter storm grips U.S., leaves multiple dead as extreme cold persists
France debates ban on social media for children under 15
Federal immigration agents kill man in Minneapolis, sparking protests and outrage
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
-
International5 days agoMexican influencer “La Nicholette” kidnapped in exclusive area of Culiacán
-
International4 days agoTrump to invite Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez to Washington
-
Central America4 days agoMazatenango Carnival cancelled amid State of Siege in Guatemala
-
International5 days agoMajor winter storm to blanket U.S. and Canada with snow, ice and arctic cold
-
International4 days agoMarkets rise as Trump halts Europe tariffs and floats Greenland agreement framework
-
International5 days agoColombia slams Ecuador’s 30% tariff as ‘economic aggression’
-
International5 days ago
Trump announces preliminary NATO agreement on Greenland, suspends tariffs on Europe
-
International4 days agoVenezuela’s interim president predicts 37% increase in revenues for 2026
-
Internacionales3 days agoMajor winter storm threatens “catastrophic” ice and snow across much of the U.S.
-
International4 days agoJapan reopens Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Plant despite public concerns
-
International2 days agoTrump-Era Defense Plan Prioritizes Border Security and Scales Back Global Commitments
-
International4 days agoFour minors killed in deadly clash between FARC dissidents in Colombia’s Amazon
-
Central America3 days agoGuatemala’s president rules out negotiations with inmates after prison riots
-
International3 days agoGuatemala considers sending high-risk gang members to military prisons
-
International2 days agoBogotá and Quito Seek Dialogue After Tariffs and Power Cut Escalate Tensions
-
International5 days agoJosé Jerí claims destabilization attempt after videos of secretive meetings surface
-
International1 day agoDelcy Rodríguez seeks political agreements after Maduro’s ouster
-
International3 days agoRights group says over 5,000 killed in Iran protests, mostly civilians
-
International1 day agoFederal immigration agents kill man in Minneapolis, sparking protests and outrage
-
International22 minutes agoFrance debates ban on social media for children under 15
-
International19 minutes agoSevere winter storm grips U.S., leaves multiple dead as extreme cold persists