INTERNACIONAL
Trump slams Maryland governor, launches federal effort to protect Potomac after historic sewage spill
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President Donald Trump ordered an all-of-government effort to protect the District of Columbia’s water supply and slammed Maryland Gov. Wes Moore as a sewage pipe interceptor rupture in Cabin John has released an estimated 240 million gallons into the Potomac River.
The break was first noticed on security cameras off the Clara Barton Parkway just north of the District line Jan. 19, and within several days, crews from DC Water were able to segregate much of the spill into the paralleling Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, according to local reports.
The pipe takes wastewater from several towns in the John F. Dulles International Airport area all the way to Washington, where it is processed farther downstream at the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant in Anacostia, D.C.
«There is a massive ecological disaster unfolding in the Potomac River as a result of the gross mismanagement of local Democrat leaders, particularly, Governor Wes Moore, of Maryland,» Trump said in a Truth Social post late Monday.
TRUMP SAYS HE COULD SEND THE NATIONAL GUARD TO MARYLAND TO ADDRESS CRIME
Sewage clings to flotsam in the Potomac near Glen Echo, Maryland. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
«This is the same Governor who cannot rebuild a bridge. It is clear local authorities cannot adequately handle this calamity,» Trump said, referring to the newly elongated timeline and reported projected multi-billion-dollar cost-projection overruns for the rebuilding of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge on the Baltimore Beltway.
The catastrophe affects the region’s other Francis Scott Key Bridge in Georgetown, D.C., as Trump alluded to the explosion in e.Coli counts downriver from the spill.
«I am directing Federal Authorities to immediately provide all necessary Management, Direction, and Coordination to protect the Potomac, the Water Supply in the Capital Region, and our treasured National Resources in our Nation’s Capital City,» Trump wrote Monday on Truth Social. «While State and Local Authorities have failed to request needed Emergency Help, I cannot allow incompetent Local ‘Leadership’ to turn the River in the Heart of Washington into a Disaster Zone.»
Moore spokesperson Ammar Moussa blasted Trump in response, saying he has his «facts wrong — again.»
«Since the last century, the federal government has been responsible for the Potomac Interceptor, which is the origin of the sewage leak. For the last four weeks, the Trump Administration has failed to act, shirking its responsibility and putting people’s health at risk,» Moussa said. «Notably, the president’s own EPA explicitly refused to participate in the major legislative hearing about the cleanup last Friday.»
«Apparently the Trump administration hadn’t gotten the memo that they’re actually supposed to be in charge here,» Moussa said.
Trump also cited the Palisades fire in California, saying that Democratic officials have a «war on merit» with «real consequences.»
He also noted that Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is currently subject to a partial government shutdown affecting Department Homeland Security.
«FEMA, which is currently being defunded by the Democrats, will play a key role in coordinating the response,» he said, as many of those workers may go unpaid.
BRIDGE COLLAPSE AID BECOMES ECONOMIC WEAPON IN ESCALATING TRUMP-MOORE FEUD
Sewage in the Potmac, left; Workers try to fix a pipe in Cabin John, Md., right. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Maryland state Del. Linda Foley, D-Potomac, whose district is just upstream from the spill, said at an Annapolis hearing that it has been characterized to her as «one of the worst ecological disasters in the eastern part of the United States.»
Moussa said that Maryland, by contrast, has taken action — pointing to the shellfish fishery closure downstream to the Nice Bridge — and told Fox News Digital that Annapolis sent personnel «within hours» to help coordinate the response and protect drinking water in Montgomery County.
«The Potomac isn’t a talking point, and the people of the region deserve serious leadership that meets the moment.»
Moore’s Department of the Environment did issue an emergency closure for shellfish harvesting downstream of the spill, as ecological effects are being felt all the way at the Harry Nice Bridge where U.S. 301 crosses between Bel Alton, Maryland, and Dahlgren, Virginia, nearly 60 miles south of Washington.
Rather than most cases where a state line runs down the center of a waterway, Maryland controls nearly all of the Potomac — save for the part where the District of Columbia briefly covers the Old Line State’s historical boundaries.
MARYLAND BRIDGE REBUILD COSTS SOAR TO $5.2B, MORE THAN DOUBLE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE OFFICIALS PROVIDED
The unique boundary is also why eccentricities like Lady Bird Johnson Island, on the «Virginia side» of the Potomac near the Pentagon are actually in the District of Columbia.
David Gadis, CEO of DC Water, wrote in an open letter that the Potomac River is a «shared treasure» and that «any event that threatens its health understandably causes concern, frustration, and a sense of loss.»
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«Our immediate priorities have been containment, environmental monitoring, and stabilization – working closely with federal, state, and local partners to assess water quality, ecological impacts, and necessary remediation,» he wrote.
donald trump,aftermath,environmental,maryland,democrats elections
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Tens of thousands of Iranians are being held in «black box» detention sites with no judicial oversight, official records, and no way for families to confirm whether their loved ones are alive, according to reports.
The facilities — which the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) says are modeled on prison camps from the 1980s — have sparked alarm among human rights advocates amid unrest across the country.
«These sites were initially used in the 1980s in Iran and were residential compounds inside Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, west of Tehran,» he added.
FORMER IRANIAN PRISONERS REVEAL TORTURE HORRORS AS REGIME KILLS PROTESTERS ON SIGHT DURING CRACKDOWN
The state tax building burned during Iran’s protests, on a street in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 19, 2026. (Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters)
«Female prisoners affiliated with MEK (Mujahedin-e Khalq) were confined and subjected to torture,» he added, describing how women were «forced to live in coffin-like boxes or sit in squatting positions, deprived of sleep and food.»
«If they spoke, they were beaten. We have heard that similar prisons are being used today that operate outside the formal Iranian prison system,» he said.
Iranian authorities have reportedly been using these unofficial detention sites for interrogation during the protests, where detainees are held without registration or access to legal counsel.
The Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) described the facilities as «among the gravest concerns documented» by the organization.
In a new report, CHRI warned that when detainees are removed from the formal prison system, they effectively disappear into these sites.
IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER ACKNOWLEDGES THOUSANDS KILLED AS TRUMP CALLS FOR NEW LEADERSHIP: REPORTS
Military members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in western Tehran, Iran (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
There is no paper trail and no legal supervision, leaving individuals highly vulnerable to abuse.
CHRI said the risk of torture, coerced confessions, sexual abuse and deaths in custody inside these facilities is extreme.
Outside the facilities, families are often left traumatized after having to spend days outside courts and prisons that deny holding their children, the report said.
«The precise locations of these black box sites are unknown, which is part of their function,» Safavi said.
IRANIAN SECURITY FORCES GUN DOWN AMATEUR BOXER AS FATHER SEARCHES MORGUES FOR MISSING SON: SOURCE
Iranian security forces escalated from pellet guns to live ammunition during protests. (Getty)
«This ensures total isolation and no access or contact. Agents inside are able to employ whatever methods they choose, much like at Ghezel Hesar Prison in the 1980s,» he explained.
«The clandestine sites eliminate witnesses and prevent documentation that could lead to leaks,» Safavi said.
The findings come amid reports of escalating executions in Iran following recent protests, during which thousands of people were killed at the hands of the clerical regime.
The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported Monday that at least 17 prisoners were executed across Iran over a two-day period.
The CHRI report came as Iranians living in exile gathered in Europe to protest against the regime and as others commemorated the 40th day since the Jan. 2026 uprising.
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At the same time, the HANA Human Rights Organization said that at least 24 children, including a 3-year-old, were killed by direct fire from security forces during nationwide protests.
iran,middle east,ali khamenei
INTERNACIONAL
Uno de los argentinos que estuvo preso en Venezuela y fue liberado contó el calvario que vivió: «Tenía miedo a la locura, no a morir»
El argentino Gustavo Rivara, liberado el 2 de febrero tras pasar más de un año bajo arresto en Caracas, aseguró que los detenidos ya llegan torturados a El Helicoide y dijo que pensó que moriría en el mayor centro de detención de Venezuela.
“La parte de Investigación está separada de El Helicoide. La parte de Investigación es en realidad donde hacen las torturas. Al tener tanta fama de ser un sitio de torturas, se cuidan de no torturar (…). La gente ya llega torturada al Helicoide”, afirmó.
Además, afirmó que creyó que no saldría de ahí. “No creí que iba a salir. Estaba seguro de que me iban a trasladar. No me veía salir” dijo en diálogo con Nelson Castro en Radio Rivadavia.
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Consultado sobre si pensó que moriría en prisión, afirmó: “Sí. Les decía a los compañeros que no me veía salir” de ahí.
Rivara es uno de los dos argentinos liberados en las ultimas semanas en Venezuela. El otro es Roberto Baldo, residente en Caracas. Aun permanecen detenidos el gendarme Nahuel Gallo y el abogado Germán Giuliani.
Qué dijo Gustavo Rivara sobre su arresto en Venezuela
En una extensa entrevista, Rivara contó que nunca supo la razón por la que fue detenido. Su arresto se produjo el 1 de enero de 2025.
“No se necesitan razones para meterte preso en Venezuela. Me agarraron en una estación de autobuses. A todos los extranjeros que agarraba la policía llamaban al (servicio de inteligencia) Sebin. Eran detenidos y luego son utilizados como moneda de cambio, a modo de chantaje con países. Utilizan a los extranjeros para eso, para mover sus chantajes”, afirmó.
Gustavo Rivara habló desde Colombia (Foto: captura)
Además, aseguró: “Me detuvieron solo por ser argentino. Estaba regresando para Colombia. Había ingresado hacía 18 días al país. Tenía poco más de dos semanas y me dirigía a Colombia y fui interceptado en una estación de autobuses”.
Leé también: El Vaticano abrirá al público la terraza de la basílica de San Pedro para celebrar su 400° aniversario
Sobre los motivos de su viaje, dijo: “Yo quería apoyar a la democracia. Quería ver la situación política. Estábamos en vísperas de la entrega de poder supuestamente a María Corina Machado y Edmundo González Urrutia. Pero no lo permitieron. Yo quería presentarme y apoyar a la oposición en lo que pueda”.
Cómo fueron sus días en El Helicoide
Rivara contó que “la vida en el Helicoide es triste para todos”.
“Ves mujeres detenidas con hijos, separadas de su familia, gente inocente, sin proceso judicial. ves chicos de 27 años que no hicieron absolutamente nada, que están presos porque el régimen te desaparece solo porque tienes dinero y pretende solo chantajearte. Si no le das una suma de dinero vas preso. Es una banda”, afirmó.
Según afirmó, El Helicoide “es un búnker. Uno se encuentra con luz artificial, está sucio. Tengo problemas en mis ojos por la suciedad. No se permite dormir correctamente porque pasan listas, te despiertan muy temprano, estamos todo el tiempo alertas. No te dejan dormir. Estamos siendo filmados todo el tiempo. Tenemos cámaras en los baños”, comentó.
Además, afirmó: “Estuve incomunicado, en un cuarto pequeño, los últimos 4 meses. Nomás me dedicada a leer y escribir. No tenía ningún derecho. Me decían que haga de cuenta que estaba (en la base naval de Estados Unidos) en Guantánamo”.
“Ni ellos sabían por qué estaba ahí”, indicó.
Leé también: Un fuerte temporal que golpeó al sur de Italia provocó el colapso del “Arco de los enamorados”
Después de 10 meses de arresto, tuvo su primera presentación ante un juez. “Fue algo de cinco minutos, algo ridículo. Me acusaban de traición a la Patria. Yo no sé que Patria. O sea, como si hubiera jurado lealtad a Venezuela”, señaló.
“Uno piensa en la locura. Tiene miedo a la locura, no a morir. Miedo a ser olvidado y quedar muchos años ahí”, agregó.
Rivara contó que recién el 18 de enero le comunicaron que lo iban a liberar, pero no lo creyó.
“Vino al director a mi celda por la noche y me preguntó por mis cosas. Que me iba a ir al día siguiente. No le creí. Yo estaba esperando un traslado. Me portaba mal. Tenía bronca. Yo les decía: ´fusilame. No tengo derecha a nada. Fusilame´“, sostuvo.
Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro
INTERNACIONAL
Tourist arrested after destroying multiple check-in kiosks in Hong Kong airport rampage
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A shocking scene unfolded inside Hong Kong International Airport’s Terminal 1 on Monday when a man was seen pushing over check-in kiosks and trying to smash them with a metal pole.
Footage of the incident went viral and showed the man dressed in a black jumper, blue jeans, and wearing a cross-body bag striding toward a row of automated check-in kiosks in the departure area.
Without hesitation, he began forcefully pushing the machines over one by one.
INDIAN NATIONAL ALLEGEDLY STABBED 2 TEENS WITH FORK ON FLIGHT
The 35-year-old man was allegedly trying to buy a plane ticket before the violent episode at Hong Kong International Airport.
The kiosks toppled to the ground in quick succession, crashing loudly onto the terminal floor.
Not satisfied with knocking them down, the man then grabbed a nearby metal stanchion — one of the poles used to guide passengers in queue lines — and used it to smash the machines repeatedly.
Stunned travelers and airport staff were seen watching with no one intervening.
The rampage reportedly resulted in damage to around 10 kiosks, as well as metal barriers, nearby counters and even a glass panel.
CHAOTIC VIDEO SHOWS PASSENGERS TRADING BLOWS MIDAIR AS PLANE FORCED TO DIVERT: REPORTS
Viral footage shows the man using a metal stanchion to smash fallen check-in machines as travelers watched. (ViralPress)
The South China Morning Post reported that the man was later identified as a 35-year-old British tourist who had been trying to buy a plane ticket before the violent episode began.
The exact trigger for his outburst was unclear.
Airport authority personnel and airport security responded by rushing to the scene and warning him to stop further vandalism.
Officers then arrested the traveler and launched an investigation into his airport meltdown, according to Viral Press.
CHAOTIC VIDEO SHOWS PASSENGERS TRADING BLOWS MIDAIR AS PLANE FORCED TO DIVERT: REPORTS
Inbound passengers walk through the arrivals hall at Hong Kong International Airport. (Li Zhihua/China News Service via Getty Images)
When the man was detained, officers reportedly found that he was carrying four Viagra pills without a prescription.
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«Airport Authority personnel and airport security immediately arrived at the scene, warned the man to stop further vandalism, and called the police. Officers then arrested him and are continuing their investigation,» an Airport Authority spokesperson said, according to the Telegraph.
hong kong,airports,travel,vandalism
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