International
Helene rises to category 4 and produces floods in Florida and blackouts in the southeast of the United States
The heavy rains and winds of Hurricane Helene, which in the course of the date reached category 4, have already flooded parts of Florida and have left more than 200,000 homes and offices in this state, as well as Georgia and North Carolina, without power.
The hurricane has strengthened in recent hours and, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), is heading towards the west coast of Florida with maximum winds of 215 kilometers per hour (130 miles), that is, as a major hurricane (category 3, 4 or 5).
Helene is expected to make landfall tonight in northwest Florida, in the Big Bend region, however its effects have already begun to be felt on the Gulf of Mexico coast of this state.
Strong winds and high tide for Helene in Florida
The US media begin to spread the first images of strong winds and high tide in coastal areas of this southern US state, while streets in Tampa Bay are already registering floods due to the rains, which can reach up to 50 centimeters in certain areas.
Likewise, more than 173,000 homes and offices on the west coast of Florida are without electricity this afternoon after the impacts of the hurricane’s external bands, according to the specialized website PowerOutages.
Classes are canceled
Helene, the eighth system with a name in the current hurricane season in the Atlantic, threatens with strong winds, storm surges and floods to a wide coastal strip of Florida facing the Gulf of Mexico.
Schools in all counties, except those in southern Miami-Dade, have canceled classes today as a foresight in the face of the imminent arrival of Helene, whose center was located mid-morning today 405 kilometers (255 miles) southwest of Tampa, in West Florida.
The airport of this city was closed today, as was that of the capital of Florida, Tallahassee, and that of St. Pete-Clearwater, and hundreds of flights have been canceled in this state.
Danger of tornadoes
The US National Meteorological Service has warned today about the possibility of tornadoes forming during the day, a warning that covers about 17 million people and large cities such as Miami, Orlando, Tampa and Fort Myers.
The governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, reported today that there are “tens of thousands” of operators ready to restore the power supply, given the forecast that many localities will be left in the dark due to the impact of Helene, which is estimated to touch the ground well into tonight as a category 3 or more on the Saffir-Simpson scale, of a maximum of 5.
“There will be bad weather during the last part of the day here in the state of Florida,” warned DeSantis, who has declared a state of emergency, as have his counterparts from Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia.
DeSantis said that more than 130 electric generators have been sent to gas stations to ensure the supply of fuel once the hurricane passed, and asked residents to act with caution during the passage of the hurricane.
International
U.S. Sanctions Network Linked to Fentanyl Trafficking Across India, Guatemala and Mexico
The United States Department of State announced sanctions on Thursday against 23 individuals and companies allegedly linked to an international fentanyl production and smuggling network operating in India, Guatemala and Mexico.
According to the State Department, the network supplied precursor chemicals to the Sinaloa Cartel, which the United States has designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
Washington declared fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, a weapon of mass destruction last year due to its role in the ongoing overdose crisis in the United States.
“By targeting the entire supply chain — from chemical suppliers in Asia to logistical intermediaries in Central America and cartel-linked networks in Mexico — the Trump Administration is dismantling networks that destabilize governance across our hemisphere and threaten U.S. security,” the State Department said.
In a separate statement, the Office of Foreign Assets Control detailed sanctions against three Indian chemical and pharmaceutical companies: Sutaria, Agrat and SR Chemicals, along with a sales executive accused of supplying precursor chemicals to contacts in Guatemala and Mexico.
In Guatemala, authorities sanctioned J and C Import and Central Logística de Servicios, as well as intermediary Jaime Augusto Barrientos.
The OFAC also designated several intermediaries and import companies operating in the Mexican state of Sinaloa.
As part of the investigation, U.S. authorities identified Ramiro Baltazar Félix as a member of Los Mayos, a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, and Alejandro Reynoso, accused of operating clandestine drug laboratories in Guadalajara.
International
Pope Leo XIV Says Countries Have Border Rights but Migrants Deserve Respect
Pope Leo XIV said Thursday that migrants must be treated with dignity as he addressed the global migration crisis during a press conference aboard the plane returning from his tour of Africa.
The pontiff answered questions from journalists regarding his upcoming trip to Spain, which will include a visit to the Canary Islands, a region heavily affected by migration flows and growing political polarization surrounding the issue.
“Obviously, migration is a very complex issue and affects many countries — not only Spain, not only Europe, but also the United States. It is a global phenomenon,” the pope said.
Pope Leo XIV also questioned the role of developed nations in addressing the crisis.
“My response begins with a question: What is the Global North doing to help the Global South and those countries where young people no longer see a future and dream of going north, even when the North sometimes has no answers to offer?” he asked.
While acknowledging that “a state has the right to establish rules for its borders,” the pope insisted that the debate must go beyond border control and address the structural causes that force people to leave their home countries.
International
Authorities Say Teotihuacán Gunman Was Obsessed With Mass Shootings and Extremist Symbolism
Julio César Jasso Ramírez, identified by authorities as the gunman behind the armed attack at the archaeological site of Teotihuacán, had allegedly spent years building a personal narrative shaped by an obsession with historical mass shootings, extremist symbolism, and an increasing detachment from reality.
According to preliminary findings from the Fiscalía General de Justicia del Estado de México, the 27-year-old suspect, originally from the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca, acted alone and appeared to have carefully planned the attack.
Investigators also pointed to signs of a severe psychological or psychiatric disorder. One official involved in the case stated that the suspect seemed to live in “his own reality,” disconnected from the world around him.
“I would not speak of a motive; I would speak of psychopathy, a condition, an illness,” the official said while discussing the ongoing investigation.
Authorities reported that Jasso Ramírez was allegedly fixated on mass violence incidents that occurred outside Mexico, particularly in the United States.
Among the items found in his possession were writings, images, and materials reportedly linked to the Columbine High School massacre, the school shooting that took place on April 20, 1999.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue analyzing evidence connected to the suspect’s background and mental state.
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