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.

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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.

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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.

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International

ICE agent arrested in Texas over shooting of Venezuelan migrant in Minnesota

U.S. authorities arrested an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on Friday in Texas after he was accused of shooting a Venezuelan migrant in Minnesota earlier this year and later providing false information about the incident.

The suspect, identified as Christian Castro, faces four counts of second-degree assault, along with an additional charge related to filing a false official report. He was taken into custody after investigators from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension located him, according to a statement from the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.

The case stems from a January operation carried out by ICE during which Castro shot Julio César Sosa, a Venezuelan migrant, in the leg. Prosecutors allege that the agent later submitted a misleading account of the incident, claiming that Sosa and another migrant had attacked officers with a shovel and a broomstick.

However, investigators say that video evidence and further findings contradicted that version of events, leading to the dismissal of charges initially brought against the migrants by federal prosecutors.

ICE’s acting director, Todd Lyons, acknowledged in February that agents involved in the incident had given “false sworn testimony” about what occurred.

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Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty described Friday’s arrest as a “critical step forward” in the judicial process and reaffirmed that the investigation remains ongoing.

International

U.S. classifies CV and PCC as terrorist groups in major policy shift

The United States government announced on Thursday that it will add the Brazilian criminal organizations Comando Vermelho (CV) and Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) to its list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO), a designation set to take effect on June 5, 2026.

The State Department justified the decision by stating that both groups are among the most powerful criminal organizations in Brazil and accused them of coordinating violent attacks against police officers, public officials, and civilians.

The designation comes just days after Brazilian senator and presidential hopeful Flávio Bolsonaro directly asked U.S. President Donald Trump to classify these groups as “narco-terrorist” organizations during a visit to the White House.

Bolsonaro, who is running in Brazil’s upcoming presidential election in October, has made tougher action against organized crime and prison-based gangs a central part of his campaign platform.

He is part of a political dispute with current Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who has opposed the U.S. classification, warning it could open the door to potential foreign military intervention in Brazilian territory.

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The Comando Vermelho and Primeiro Comando da Capital emerged in Brazilian prisons during the 1970s and have since expanded their influence, now controlling extensive criminal activities including drug trafficking, extortion, smuggling, and other illicit operations.

According to security experts and Brazilian authorities, both organizations have tens of thousands of members and support networks spread across multiple states in the country.

The U.S. measure aims to increase financial and operational pressure on these groups by restricting funding sources, limiting international mobility, and expanding cooperation in security enforcement efforts.

International

U.S.–Iran pre-agreement aims to de-escalate tensions and secure key trade route

The United States confirmed on Thursday that its negotiators have reached a preliminary agreement with Iran aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz and extending the current ceasefire, though the understanding still requires final approval from U.S. President Donald Trump.

U.S. government sources confirmed information first reported exclusively by Axios, stating that the deal now only awaits the president’s endorsement.

According to Axios, citing two senior U.S. officials, the draft agreement stipulates that navigation through the Strait of Hormuz—previously blocked by Iran in response to U.S. and Israeli military actions—would be “unrestricted.”

The agreement reportedly includes provisions under which Iran would not impose transit fees in the strategic waterway, a critical route for global oil shipments. In parallel, the United States would lift maritime restrictions on vessels entering and leaving Iranian ports.

The memorandum of understanding also contains a commitment from Iran not to develop nuclear weapons, a key red line for President Trump. However, discussions on limiting Iran’s uranium enrichment would be postponed to later negotiations.

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These issues are expected to be addressed during a 60-day extension of the ceasefire, which has been in place since April.

In addition, the United States would consider easing sanctions on Iran and releasing frozen Iranian assets as part of the broader diplomatic framework.

Negotiations between Washington and Tehran have intensified over the past week with mediation from Pakistan, as both sides seek to formally end the conflict that began on February 28 involving the United States and Israel.

The White House has recently stated that a deal was “a matter of days away,” while Tehran has tempered expectations, suggesting that an agreement is not yet imminent.