International
Nepal counts 148 deaths and massive damage after the worst rains in decades
The intense monsoon rains have caused floods and landslides in Nepal, causing the death of at least 148 people and the disappearance of dozens. The Kathmandu Valley, the epicenter of the catastrophe, has been the most affected, with 73 fatalities reported.
Floods have caused massive damage to infrastructure such as homes and bridges, leaving thousands of people homeless. Rescue teams work hard to locate the missing and provide assistance to those affected, but they face great challenges due to adverse weather conditions and blocked roads.
The deputy inspector general of the Armed Police, Kumar Neupane, explained to EFE that security forces have been mobilized to remove debris and open key roads throughout the country. So far, 3,626 people have been rescued and transferred to a safe area.
Nepalese authorities have reported that the death toll may continue to rise as search and rescue operations progress.
In addition to the deaths, dozens of injuries and thousands of displaced people have been reported.
The Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, has been one of the areas most affected by floods. Saturday recorded the highest level of rain in decades, which caused rivers to overflow and flood entire neighborhoods.
According to Neupane, the rescuers have recovered 35 bodies buried by landslides in the Jhyaple Khola area of Dhading, on the Prithvi road, which connects the Kathmandu valley.
“A bus and two minibuses were found buried in the landslide. The police have been recovering the bodies since Sunday morning,” he said.
A low pressure system over the Bay of Bengal caused prolonged rains this year. The monsoon, which normally begins in mid-June and ends at the end of September, will extend this year until the first week of October.
The Government of Nepal today ordered the closure of schools in the Himalayan country for at least three days, in an effort to mitigate the impact of widespread floods.
This decision, taken at an emergency cabinet meeting, seeks to protect the safety of students and educational staff, the spokesman for the Ministry of Education, Laxmi Prasad Bhattarai, said in a statement.
The interruption of transport, the damage to school buildings and the serious impact on the communities have forced the Government to take this measure. In addition, it has been decided to postpone all ongoing exams due to extreme weather conditions.
The Kathmandu valley, the epicenter of the floods, recorded yesterday the highest level of rain since 1970. Thousands of homes have been submerged and authorities fear that the number of fatalities will continue to increase.
Sharmila Sharma, who lives in a rented room in the Nepalese capital, told EFE how the water flooded her home up to a meter high. “This has been one of the worst floods I have seen in Kathmandu in the last 30 years,” he said.
Videos and photos on social media platforms and local media showed people trying to move with water up to their waists. In many places, residents used buckets to empty their water-filled houses.
International
Mexico, Brazil and Colombia left out of Trump’s “Shield of the Americas” summit
Left-wing governments in Latin America, including Mexico, Brazil and Colombia, were excluded from the “Shield of the Americas” summit convened by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The meeting, held in Miami, Florida, brought together 12 presidents from across the continent to discuss strategies to combat drug cartels and organized crime.
In Mexico’s case, President Claudia Sheinbaum had recently rejected the use of military force as a solution to the drug trafficking problem. She has argued that her administration’s security strategy is producing results and emphasized that force alone is not the answer.
During the summit, Trump said that most narcotics entering the United States come through Mexico and referred to his previous conversations with Sheinbaum on the issue.
“I like the president very much, she’s a very good person,” Trump said. “But I told her: ‘Let me eradicate the cartels.’ And she said, ‘No, no, no, please, president.’ We have to eradicate them. We have to finish them.”
The remarks highlighted ongoing differences between Washington and Mexico over how to confront drug trafficking networks operating across the region.
International
Trump announces 17-nation alliance in the Americas to “destroy” drug cartels
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday the creation of a 17-nation alliance across the Americas aimed at dismantling drug cartels, during a regional summit held at his golf club in Doral.
Speaking to a group of allied leaders at the Shield of the Americas Summit, Trump said the initiative would rely on military force to eliminate powerful criminal networks operating throughout the hemisphere.
“The heart of our agreement is the commitment to use lethal military force to destroy these sinister cartels and terrorist networks. Once and for all, we will put an end to them,” Trump told the assembled heads of state.
The Republican leader argued that large portions of territory in the Western Hemisphere have fallen under the control of transnational gangs and pledged U.S. support to governments seeking to confront them. He even suggested the potential use of highly precise missiles against cartel leaders.
Before making the announcement, Trump greeted the roughly twelve leaders attending the summit, including close allies such as Javier Milei, Daniel Noboa and Nayib Bukele, whom he described as a “great president.”
The meeting forms part of Trump’s broader regional strategy inspired by his reinterpretation of the Monroe Doctrine, which seeks to reinforce Washington’s influence in the Americas, strengthen security cooperation and counter the growing presence of powers such as China.
Trump pointed to recent U.S. actions in the region as examples of his administration’s approach, including the operation that led to the capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro earlier this year.
The summit also takes place amid escalating international tensions following the conflict launched last week by the United States and Israel against Iran.
International
Trump replaces Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem with Senator Markwayne Mullin
U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday the departure of Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security, one of the key architects of the administration’s policy of deporting undocumented immigrants.
Noem, who has been assigned a new role as a “special envoy” to Latin America, will be replaced starting March 31 by Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin, the president said in a message posted on his social media platform Truth Social.
According to media reports, Trump made the decision after Noem’s recent hearings in Congress, during which she faced tough questions regarding the awarding of a major public contract.
Mexico, Brazil and Colombia left out of Trump’s “Shield of the Americas” summit
Trump announces 17-nation alliance in the Americas to “destroy” drug cartels
Trump replaces Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem with Senator Markwayne Mullin
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
-
International2 days agoTrump announces 17-nation alliance in the Americas to “destroy” drug cartels
-
International3 days agoYoung Woman Will Represent Mexico at 2026 World Cup Opener, Says President Sheinbaum
-
International1 day ago
Mexico, Brazil and Colombia left out of Trump’s “Shield of the Americas” summit
-
International3 days agoTrump replaces Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem with Senator Markwayne Mullin