Author: Vanessa Buschschlüter
A deadly category five hurricane, Hurricane Beryl, has caused devastation in the Caribbean, with reports of two fatalities in Grenada and St Vincent. The storm intensified rapidly, hitting Carriacou with sustained winds of 150mph. Communications remain disrupted, with damages to homes and government buildings. In St Vincent, 90% of houses on Union Island were severely damaged. The storm is now heading towards Jamaica, prompting a hurricane warning and preparations for life-threatening winds and storm surges. The region is bracing for potential devastation, especially in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Meteorologists warn of Beryl’s strength and the possibility of more major…
Colombian authorities have successfully captured one of the founders of the notorious transnational crime group Tren de Aragua. Larry Amaury Álvarez Núñez, also known as “Larry Changa”, was apprehended in a rural area in Quindío province. He is wanted in Venezuela and Chile on charges including terrorism, arms trafficking, extortion, and kidnapping. The Tren de Aragua, which Changa helped establish, has expanded its criminal activities from Venezuela to countries as distant as Chile and the United States. This syndicate evolved from a prison gang at Tocorón jail in Venezuela, where Changa and co-founder Héctor Guerrero Flores were serving time for…
In a shocking turn of events, two suspects involved in a kidnapping plot targeting a prominent Brazilian judge met a brutal end in prison. Janeferson Aparecido Mariano Gomes, also known as Nefo, and Reginaldo Oliveira de Sousa, known as Rê, were both murdered by fellow inmates while in pre-trial detention in São Paulo. These men were apprehended last year in a police operation called Henchman, which revealed their scheme to abduct high-ranking public figures for ransom, including Senator Sergio Moro. The former public prosecutor, overseeing a major corruption investigation known as Operation Car Wash, was among the intended targets. Nefo…
The Pantanal, the world’s largest tropical wetland in Brazil, is under threat as firefighters battle intense wildfires. Home to iconic wildlife like jaguars and giant river otters, close to 32,000 hectares have already been destroyed in Mato Grosso do Sul state. Climate experts note that this year’s wildfire season has started earlier and is more severe than previous years, with a 935% increase in fires compared to last year. High winds and less rain have hindered firefighting efforts, with conditions ripe for fires to spread. Concerns are growing as the peak of the dry season approaches in August and September.…