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
Argentina detects first local cases of Influenza A (H3N2) Subclade K
Argentina’s National Administration of Laboratories and Health Institutes (ANLIS) “Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán” has confirmed the detection of three cases of influenza A (H3N2) corresponding to subclade K in the country. These are the first locally recorded cases of this variant, which has become predominant in several countries in the Northern Hemisphere in recent months and is associated with higher transmissibility.
The cases were identified through the National Network of Laboratories and Sentinel Units and confirmed by the National Reference Laboratory of INEI-ANLIS using genomic sequencing techniques. According to health authorities, the cases involve two adolescents from the province of Santa Cruz, detected as part of the Ambulatory Monitoring Strategy for Acute Respiratory Infections, and a child who had been hospitalized in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires.
In all three cases, patients experienced mild illness and recovered without complications. Officials did not specify whether any of the affected individuals had a recent travel history.
The jurisdictions involved have already launched the corresponding epidemiological investigations and are responsible for ensuring timely medical care for the detected cases. According to the latest integrated surveillance report, the circulation of influenza and other respiratory viruses in Argentina remains within expected levels for this time of year.
International
Pentagon confirms Trump pick for SouthCom as U.S. military pressure grows
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated a Marine Corps lieutenant general to lead U.S. Southern Command (SouthCom), the Pentagon announced on Friday, as Trump said he does not rule out the possibility of a war with Venezuela.
If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Marine Corps Lieutenant General Francis L. Donovan would replace an admiral who, according to media reports, criticized recent attacks on vessels allegedly linked to drug trafficking off the Venezuelan coast.
Washington has deployed a significant military presence in both the Caribbean and the Pacific, where it has carried out airstrikes against boats it claims were used by suspected drug traffickers. According to an AFP tally based on official information, the attacks have left more than 100 people dead.
The Venezuelan government has denounced what it describes as a plot to overthrow President Nicolás Maduro and seize the country’s oil resources.
In a statement published Friday on the Pentagon’s website, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that Trump had nominated Lieutenant General Donovan to serve as commander of U.S. Southern Command.
SouthCom is responsible for U.S. military operations in Central and South America, as well as parts of the Caribbean.
According to the Department of Defense, Donovan currently serves as deputy commander of U.S. Special Operations Command. His appointment is subject to Senate confirmation.
International
Trump moves to reclassify marijuana as less dangerous substance
Former U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous addictive substance, a move aimed at encouraging medical research without immediately opening the door to federal-level decriminalization.
Trump said that “people were begging” him to make the decision, particularly individuals suffering from chronic pain. He stressed, however, that the measure “is not at all a decriminalization” of marijuana for non-medical use.
“I’ve always told my children: don’t use drugs, don’t drink, don’t smoke,” Trump added. He is a well-known teetotaler.
A senior government official described the decision as “common sense” during a briefing with reporters, noting that marijuana and CBD-based products — a compound derived from cannabis known for its relaxing properties — are already widely used in the United States by patients dealing with chronic pain.
Most U.S. states currently allow the use of cannabis for medical purposes, and more than 20 states, along with the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., have also legalized recreational use.
Argentina detects first local cases of Influenza A (H3N2) Subclade K
Pentagon confirms Trump pick for SouthCom as U.S. military pressure grows
Trump moves to reclassify marijuana as less dangerous substance
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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