International
Netanyahu: “Israel’s policy in Syria will depend on the emerging reality”
The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, assured this Sunday in a video statement that Israel will determine its policy towards Syria according to the emerging reality in the country, which barely celebrates a week off from the regime of Bashar al-Assad and is still setting down a new transitional government.
“We have no interest in confronting Syria. We will determine Israel’s policy towards Syria based on the emerging reality on the ground,” Netanyahu said.
Israeli troops have been invading the border area between the Golan Heights (Syrian territory that Israel has occupied since 1967) and Syria for a week to eliminate, according to Tel Aviv, threats against the country.
The president assured that Syria has been an “active enemy” of Israel over the decades, allowing attacks on its territory or Iran’s arms trafficking to the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah.
Transitionaly government
Since the overthrow of Al Asad, Syria has embarked on a transitional government with Mohamed al Bashir as acting prime minister until next March, as well as the leader of the insurgent coalition, the Islamist Ahmed al Charaa (known as the war name of Abu Mohamed al Jolani), as the “strong man” of the country.
In this context, and although Israel celebrates the fall of Bashar al-Assad as a symbol of Iran’s weakness that it claims as its own triumph, the concern is growing in the Hebrew State about what kind of regime will go ahead in Syria and how it will affect the balance of power in the region.
The Israeli operation in the demilitarized Syrian zone, a territory that invaded a week ago for the first time in 50 years, is aimed at destroying weapons that could be used like Israel, as well as weapons smuggling routes from Iran to Hezbulah, a group with which the ceasefire in Lebanon began on November 27.
In this sense, the Israeli leader issued a warning to the region, reiterating that Israel will act “in any arena and at any time” to avoid the rearmament of the pro-Iranian group.
“Challenges” before Israel
Netanyahu assured that there are still “challengs” against Israel: “Iran, with its damn agents, and other potential threats, because reality is dynamic and is changing rapidly.”
The Israeli Prime Minister discussed all this in a call last night with the elected president of the United States, Donald Trump, in a conversation that he described as “very important” about the situation in the region, and in which they talked about “the need to complete Israel’s victory.”
Since the beginning of the war in Gaza on October 7, 2023, which later led to the war in Lebanon with Hezbollah and conditioned the fall of Al Asad in Lebanon (by weakening this Lebanese militia, one of its main allies), Netanyahu defends achieving a “total victory” over Hamas that has been transferred to the rest of the open fronts he maintains in the Middle East.
International
WHO warns of increased disease outbreak risk in Venezuela amid low vaccination coverage
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of an increased risk of disease outbreaks in Venezuela, including vaccine-preventable illnesses, due to low immunization coverage across the country.
“The vaccination coverage in Venezuela, particularly against measles and other diseases, was already low, so the risk of measles cases and other illnesses is currently high,” said Ciro Ugarte, director for emergencies at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the WHO’s regional office.
Speaking during a video conference with journalists, Ugarte said the risk is especially high in shelters, where overcrowding could significantly accelerate the transmission of infectious diseases.
He also highlighted water quality as an additional concern in the aftermath of the disaster, noting that safe drinking water is not guaranteed in the most affected areas.
“Unfortunately, supply is scarce, making it very difficult to assess conditions in all shelters. That is why evaluating the quality of water provided to the population, especially in large shelters, is a priority,” he said during a briefing in Geneva.
Ugarte suggested that targeted vaccination campaigns could be deployed against mosquito-borne and other vector-transmitted diseases, particularly in overcrowded shelters and in areas where people remain displaced.
According to PAHO, eight health facilities have been assessed so far, all of which require assistance, with three reporting structural damage.
He also stressed that the José María Vargas Hospital, one of Caracas’s major public reference hospitals, requires urgent support due to critical conditions. The facility is currently treating 96 patients in an eight-bed unit, while its blood bank is operating at extremely low levels.
In La Guaira, the Rafael Medina Jiménez Hospital has reduced its capacity from 108 to 35 beds. Additionally, 22 other health centers have reported severe shortages, underscoring the strain on Venezuela’s healthcare system.
International
María Corina Machado’s attempted return to Venezuela reportedly halted amid US political concerns
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly pressured Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado and disrupted her planned return to Venezuela following recent earthquakes, amid concerns over a potential political crisis, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Sources familiar with the matter told the newspaper that a private jet carrying Machado from the United States to Curaçao was ordered to turn back last week after U.S. officials concluded she intended to continue onward to Venezuelan territory, effectively reversing her earlier departure route from December.
The opposition figure had reportedly spent months preparing to re-enter Venezuela in an effort to renew pressure for new elections, following the detention of then-president Nicolás Maduro under an order issued by Trump. The U.S. president has since stated that Washington’s relationship with Venezuela’s acting leadership, headed by Delcy Rodríguez, is “excellent.”
According to The Wall Street Journal, intermediaries close to the White House warned Machado that proceeding with her return plan could jeopardize her support from Trump and undermine broader U.S. strategy toward Venezuela, potentially delaying electoral plans.
Despite these warnings, Machado reportedly attempted a second route back through Panama. However, Copa Airlines declined to transport her to Venezuela, citing concerns over possible retaliation from Caracas against the airline, according to unnamed sources.
From Panama City, Machado stated on Monday that the Venezuelan government had closed commercial airspace to prevent her return, calling it “urgent” to go back to the country to “face this catastrophe together,” without addressing reports of U.S. pressure.
Axios reported that Trump administration officials viewed Machado’s attempted return as “grotesque political opportunism” in the aftermath of recent earthquakes that have left at least 2,595 people dead and thousands injured, while also delaying reconstruction efforts and potential electoral processes.
Since Maduro’s detention on January 3, President Trump has reportedly expressed support for Rodríguez, the former vice president, who has agreed to trade, mining, and oil agreements demanded by Washington. Trump has described Venezuela as effectively operating under U.S. oversight and has claimed the country is improving economically through increased oil production and exports.
Venezuelan opposition groups based in the United States have urged the Trump administration to reconsider its relationship with Rodríguez and criticized Washington’s stated satisfaction with reconstruction efforts following the June 24 earthquakes.
International
Rush for Air Conditioners Sparks Tensions at French Supermarkets Ahead of New Heatwave
Scenes of long lines, overcrowded stores and customer disputes unfolded across France on Thursday as shoppers rushed to buy air conditioners and fans ahead of another expected heatwave.
The buying frenzy comes as the country continues to recover from last week’s extreme temperatures, which exceeded 40°C (104°F) in several areas and produced the warmest night on record, with an average temperature of 22°C (71.6°F). Authorities have linked the heatwave to at least 1,000 excess deaths.
Demand for cooling appliances has surged in recent days, prompting heavy traffic at appliance retailers. The situation intensified on Thursday when German discount supermarket chain Lidl launched a promotion on portable air conditioners and electric fans.
Videos shared on social media showed large crowds gathering outside stores, with customers pushing and rushing to secure the discounted products.
“Lidl France regrets the incidents that occurred in its stores,” the company told AFP, adding that employees were forced to manage tense situations in what it described as a challenging environment.
Outside a Lidl store in northwestern Paris, dozens of customers began lining up as early as 7:00 a.m., two hours before opening, while police monitored the crowd, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.
Although many shoppers remained in good spirits, tensions escalated as some people attempted to cut in line. “I will not open the store until they leave,” a store manager reportedly shouted as frustrated customers protested.
The situation worsened after customers discovered that the store, located in a working-class district of Paris, had only two air conditioning units available for sale.
One of the successful buyers, Lassana, who declined to provide his last name, said he had queued since 4:00 a.m. to secure one of the units.
Another customer, 69-year-old Fatou, was only able to purchase a small fan after what he described as a struggle. He criticized Lidl’s advertising as “misleading,” claiming police had temporarily closed access to the store because of the crowds.
Lidl France attributed the shortages to its fixed annual purchasing cycle, explaining that the promotional products had been ordered a year in advance and were offered at predetermined prices, limiting the available stock.
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