Venezuela raises the death toll from the June earthquakes to 4,561

Official figure amounts to 4,561 deaths after the June earthquakes in Venezuela.

Publicado 4 days ago el 13 de julio a las 20:51 | 1 min reading |490 vistas | por Ana Rodríguez

The Venezuelan authorities updated this Monday the death toll after the two earthquakes on June 24. The new report, released by Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly, indicates that 4,561 fatalities have been recorded. The number of injured has remained at 16,740 for a week.

Disaster data

Most of the deaths occurred in the coastal state of La Guaira, 20 kilometers north of Caracas. After the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes, which occurred 39 seconds apart, 1,254 aftershocks have been recorded, according to the United States Geological Survey. They were the strongest earthquakes in the country in more than a century.

The report details that 856 buildings were damaged and 190 completely collapsed. More than 1,600 additional structures — bridges, roads — were also affected. The government estimates that tens of thousands of people lost their homes. Currently, more than 20 thousand remain in 107 temporary shelters installed in Caracas, La Guaira and the state of Miranda.

International

Iran hits desalination plant in Kuwait

An Iranian attack damaged a water and power plant in Kuwait, affecting drinking supplies.

Publicado 3 hours ago el 18 de julio a las 04:16 | 1 min reading

Attack on strategic plant in Kuwait

On Friday, an Iranian attack hit a power and desalination plant in Kuwait, causing damage to several power generation units and a fire that was controlled by emergency crews. Kuwaiti authorities activated contingency plans to maintain the supply of water and electricity.

Kuwait relies on desalination for about 90% of its drinking water, similar to other Gulf countries such as Oman and Saudi Arabia. Most of these facilities are on the Persian Gulf coast, making them vulnerable to missile or drone attacks.

This incident highlights the fragility of critical infrastructure in the Middle East amid regional escalation.

International

Latin America reinforces emergency plans for El Niño

Countries in the region activate protocols in response to the strengthening of El Niño in the Pacific.

Publicado 4 hours ago el 18 de julio a las 03:39 | 1 min reading

The governments of Latin America are accelerating their emergency plans in the face of the strengthening of the El Niño phenomenon in the Pacific. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed that the event is already underway and warned that countries must act early to reduce impacts.

Governments take action

Brazil reinforced its brigades against forest fires. Colombia activated water monitoring systems. Other Central American nations are working on plans to protect vulnerable communities and guarantee basic services. Experts point out that, although the phenomenon develops gradually, authorities usually delay preventive actions until emergencies are already underway.

Expected impact

Droughts, extreme heat, fires, floods and impacts on water, energy and transportation systems are expected. Agricultural production and access to drinking water could be seriously damaged, especially in the most vulnerable communities. The WMO insists that early preparation is key to mitigating the adverse effects anticipated in the coming months.

International

Xi Jinping calls for global AI governance without unilateral dominance

China proposes international cooperation in artificial intelligence and offers training to developing countries.

Publicado 5 hours ago el 18 de julio a las 02:54 | 2 mins reading

China bets on global governance of AI

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the promotion of global governance of artificial intelligence (AI) and stated that its development should not belong to a single country. During the opening of the World Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Shanghai, he questioned what he called an “overreach” of the concept of national security in this area, in clear reference to the technological restrictions imposed by the United States.

“Artificial intelligence must become a symphony of global cooperation, not an isolated competition between nations,” Xi said.

As part of its strategy, China will strengthen AI collaboration with organizations such as ASEAN, the Arab League, the African Union, CELAC and the BRICS countries. In addition, it will offer five thousand training opportunities for developing countries in the next five years.

Multilateral agreement in Shanghai

Before the event, 29 countries—including Russia, Pakistan and Kazakhstan—signed an agreement with Beijing to create a World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, based in Shanghai. Analysts interpret this initiative as China’s response to the US Pax Silica framework, which seeks to strengthen AI supply chains with its allies.