International

Hurricane Milton hits Florida as a category 3 storm, threatening central-west coast

Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida on Wednesday as a Category 3 “extremely dangerous” storm, bringing life-threatening storm surges, extreme winds, and flash floods, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC).

“Data indicates that the eye of Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key in Sarasota County along Florida’s west coast,” the NHC said in a bulletin at 8:30 PM (00:30 GMT Thursday).

“The storm is here. It’s time for everyone to take shelter,” stated Governor Ron DeSantis during a press conference just before Milton’s arrival.

Milton made its way into Florida after weakening from a Category 5 to a Category 3 storm, according to U.S. meteorological services, though this downgrade did not significantly reduce the ferocity of the winds or the storm surge expected to impact the densely populated central-west region of Florida.

The cities of Tampa and Sarasota are directly in the storm’s path, an area hit just two weeks ago by Hurricane Helene, which resulted in 235 deaths in the southeastern U.S.

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In Mexico, Helene caused minor damage along the coasts but left dozens of fishermen stranded at sea.

On Wednesday, Mexican authorities announced that four fishermen had been rescued and brought to safety in the state of Yucatán after surviving 12 days adrift, though at least 12 others remain missing.

Milton is also expected to move toward the Atlantic Ocean, with the tourist hub of Orlando — home to Walt Disney World — in its sights.

International

Marco Rubio warns Venezuela against military action against Guyana

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Venezuela on Thursday that a military attack on Guyana would be “a big mistake” and “a very bad day for them,” expressing his support for Georgetown in its territorial dispute with Caracas.

“It would be a very bad day for the Venezuelan regime if they attacked Guyana or ExxonMobil. It would be a very bad day, a very bad week for them, and it would not end well,” Rubio emphasized during a press conference in Georgetown alongside Guyanese President Irfaan Ali.

International

Ecuador oil spill worsens as containment dam collapses

The collapse of a containment dam holding back part of the 25,000+ barrels of oil spilled from a pipeline rupture nearly two weeks ago has worsened the environmental crisis in northwestern Ecuador, contaminating rivers and Pacific beaches.

The Ecuadorian government attributed the March 13 pipeline rupture—which led to the spill of 25,116 barrels of crude—to an act of sabotage. The spill affected three rivers and disrupted water supplies for several communities, according to authorities.

On Tuesday, due to heavy rains that have been falling since January, a containment dam on the Caple River collapsed. The Caple connects to other waterways in Esmeraldas Province, a coastal region bordering Colombia, state-owned Petroecuador said in a statement on Wednesday.

Seven containment barriers were installed in the Viche River, where crews worked to remove oil-contaminated debris. Additional absorbent materials were deployed in Caple, Viche, and Esmeraldas Rivers, which flow into the Pacific Ocean.

Authorities are also working to protect a wildlife refuge home to more than 250 species, including otters, howler monkeys, armadillos, frigatebirds, and pelicans.

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“This has been a total disaster,” said Ronald Ruiz, a leader in the Cube community, where the dam was located. He explained that the harsh winter rains caused river levels to rise, bringing debris that broke the containment barriersthat were holding the accumulated oil for extraction.

International

Federal court blocks Trump’s use of Enemy Alien Act for deportations

A federal appeals court upheld the block on former President Donald Trump’s use of the Enemy Alien Act on Wednesday, preventing him from using the law to expedite deportations of alleged members of the transnational criminal group Tren de Aragua.

With a 2-1 ruling, a panel from the Washington, D.C. Court of Appeals affirmed previous decisions by two lower court judges, maintaining the legal standoff between the White House and the judiciary.

On March 14, Trump invoked the 1798 Enemy Alien Act, a law traditionally used during wartime, to deport hundreds of Venezuelans whom he accused of belonging to Tren de Aragua, a criminal organization that originated in Venezuelan prisons.

The centuries-old law grants the president the power to detain, restrict, and expel foreign nationals from a country engaged in a “declared war” or an “invasion or predatory incursion” against the United States, following a public proclamation.