International

Hezbulá appoints Naim Qassem as its new secretary general

The Shira Council of Hizbula, the highest governing body of the Lebanese Shii Islamist group, announced the appointment of Naim Qassem as its new secretary general to replace Hasan Nazralá, who died in a bombing of Israel on September 27.

In a statement issued by the leadership of Hezbulá, the group assured that “according to the mechanism approved for the election of the general secretary, the Council of the Shura of Hezbulá agreed to elect His Eminence Sheikh Naim Qassem as secretary general of Hezbulá, carrying the blessed banner on this journey, asking God Almighty to guide him in this noble mission at the head of Hezbulah and his Islamic resistance.”

In the note, the armed formation promised that with the appointment of Qassem “they will work together to achieve the principles of Hezbullah and the goals of their path, and keep the flame of resistance shining and its banner high until victory is achieved.”

Number two of Hizbula since 1991

Just over a month after Nasrala’s murder, the group has decided to choose the number two of the formation and who has been in charge of delivering the three television speeches offered after the death of the previous head of Hezbulá, who was in charge for three decades.

This decision has been made after last week Hezbulá confirmed the death of Hashem Safi al Din, head of the Executive Council of the formation and considered one of the main candidates to succeed the clergy Nasrala.

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Qassem, whose location is unknown, was appointed deputy chief of Hizbulá in 1991, when Nasrala was not yet the leader of the formation.

He has been considered one of the main spokesmen of the Shiite group and the highest level figure who has even given interviews to foreign media.

Rocket rand against Israel after appointment

After the announcement of the appointment of its new leader, Hezbulá launched a fly of rockets from Lebanon against northern Israel that, according to Jewish emergency services, caused the death of one man.

“It was a difficult scene, there was great destruction in the place and we started looking. We saw a man unconscious, without a pulse and without breathing. His injury was critical and we had to declare him dead,” reported a spokesman for the Maguen emergency services David Adom (MDA).

In addition, they had to treat several people with anxiety crises, according to the MDA.

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The Army detected the launch of about 50 rockets towards various locations in northern Israel. Some of them were intercepted, but several fell in the city of Maalot Tarshiha.

The projectiles set off the alarms in at least 30 locations.

After more than a year of exchange of fire between the Israeli Army and Hezbullah on the border between the two countries, Israeli troops embarked on a ground incursion into Lebanon on October 1 after escalating the conflict days earlier with intense bombings that killed numerous Hezbulah fighters, but also civilians.

International

Maradona’s daughter accuses medical team of “horrible manipulation” in court

One of the daughters of Diego Maradona testified in court this Tuesday, breaking down in tears as she denounced what she described as “absolute and horrible manipulation” by her father’s medical team, during an emotional hearing in Argentina.

Gianinna Maradona stated that she and her siblings agreed to home hospitalization after doctors presented it as the best option following the neurosurgery Maradona underwent on November 3, 2020.

The football icon died on November 25 of that year, and the ongoing trial seeks to determine whether the conditions of his home care were appropriate.

According to Gianinna, what the family found at the residence where Maradona was recovering did not match what had been promised. She testified that there was no adequate medical equipment, constant monitoring, or even an ambulance available, despite assurances of continuous care.

“The manipulation was absolute and horrible,” she said during the hearing in San Isidro, near Buenos Aires.

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She accused members of the medical team, including neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, and psychologist Carlos Díaz, of misleading the family.

“I trusted these people, and all they did was manipulate us and leave my son without a grandfather,” she added.

Later in her testimony, recalling that six years have passed since her father’s death, she became emotional and said she struggled deeply with grief in the aftermath.

International

Trump extends Iran ceasefire after Pakistan mediation request

The president of the United States, Donald Trump, announced on Tuesday that he will extend the ceasefire with Iran, which was set to expire on Wednesday, following a request from Pakistan.

In a statement shared on Truth Social, Trump said the truce will remain in place until Iran presents a proposal and negotiations are concluded, regardless of the outcome.

“I will extend the ceasefire until their proposal is presented and negotiations are completed, whatever the result,” the U.S. leader stated.

Trump justified the decision by claiming that Iran’s government is “deeply divided” and noting that Pakistani authorities, acting as mediators, requested a pause in military action until Iranian leaders and representatives submit a unified proposal.

International

Venezuelan opposition demands election date and minimum wage increase

A group of opposition members from the Zulia Humana and former political prisoners on Tuesday demanded that authorities set a date for elections in Venezuela and increase the minimum wage, which has been frozen since 2022 and is currently worth just a few cents per month according to the Banco Central de Venezuela.

During a press conference in Maracaibo, Professor Eduardo Labrador stressed the urgency of establishing an electoral timeline. “We demand that a date be set for elections so Venezuelans can have free and transparent voting. It is essential to have that date now,” he said.

Economist Rodrigo Cabezas, who served under the late President Hugo Chávez, also called for an increase in the minimum wage, arguing that it is feasible through economic policy measures, although he did not specify an amount due to limited public data.

Cabezas warned that Venezuela experienced “galloping inflation” between March of last year and March 2026, a stage that precedes hyperinflation—a phenomenon the country has already faced. However, he clarified that Venezuela is not currently in hyperinflation, expressing hope that it will not return.