El Salvador has published a law permitting life sentences for minors as young as 12 years old, the latest legal escalation under President Nayib Bukele's ongoing security crackdown. The measure extends the reach of a state of emergency that has been in force for four years, during which tens of thousands of suspects have been detained under suspended constitutional protections. The new law reshapes juvenile justice by removing what had been an implicit ceiling on sentencing for underage defendants, applying the harshest adult penalties to children well below typical criminal-majority thresholds. The practical effect is an expanded prosecutorial toolkit in a system already criticized by human rights groups for mass detentions and due-process shortfalls. Observers will watch whether courts apply the measure broadly or limit it to the most severe gang-related offenses, and whether international bodies escalate formal pressure on San Salvador over its juvenile justice framework.
Venezuela's earthquake death toll has reached 1,430 with the US Geological Survey warning fatalities could top 10,000, placing it among Latin America's deadliest in a century. US military planes are landing in Caracas, Washington is mobilising $150 million in aid, and rescue teams from 17 countries are on the ground.
Iranian armed forces attacked a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, briefly halting traffic through the waterway. The strike threatens a fragile US-Iran arrangement and could push shipping insurance costs and oil prices higher.
The US has struck Iran, with President Trump citing an Iranian attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz as justification. The action raises immediate risks for global oil flows through one of the world's most critical shipping chokepoints.
The US struck ten Iranian targets on the second consecutive day of military action, putting a fragile ceasefire under serious pressure. The escalation raises immediate risks for Gulf shipping, global oil supply, and regional stability.
