International
What should you know about the elections in Ecuador?

August 18|
Eight are the candidates of the alliances and political groups that will be facing each other in the upcoming elections in Ecuador scheduled for Sunday, August 20.
In the midst of the most violent electoral campaign in the history of that South American nation, next Sunday will be defined president, vice president, members of the National Assembly and regional and local leaders at national level.
Construye, one of the most mediatic groups after the assassination of its candidate for president, Fernando Villavicencio, ended up formulating its dupla after the atrocious fact by Christian Zurita and Andrea González for vice-president.
Likewise, the conservative side will be represented by the National Democratic Action (ADN) alliance, with Daniel Noboa for president and Veronica Abad, for vice-president.
The group leading the “hard hand” initiative to solve the security problems in Ecuador is headed by the alliance For a country without fear with Jan Topic, for president and Diana Jácome for vice-president.
In this same line of frontal and direct attack against violence and drug trafficking is the Actuemos alliance formed by the binomial of Otto Sonnenholzner and Erika Paredes.
On the other hand, the center-right Movimiento Amigo will be represented by the duo of Bolívar Armijos for head of state and Linda Romero, for vice-president.
Xavier Hervas and Luz Marina Vega are the two members of the center-right Total Renovation Movement (RETO).
Formed by the coalition between Unidad Popular, Partido Socialista Ecuatoriano, and Democracia Sí; the Claro que se puede alliance will be led by Yaku Pérez who came third in the 2021 elections representing Pachakutik and Nory Pinela.
Finally, the duo of Revolución Ciudadana, integrated by Luisa Gonzales and former presidential candidate, this time as vice-presidential candidate, Andres Arauz.
Polls published before August 10 placed this last duo as the favorite with more than 30 percent of the vote intention.
However, the surveys also revealed that the level of indecision is still high and it is not possible to give a clear favorite for these difficult elections.
On the other hand, the new National Assembly will have to position itself at the end of October.
This Thursday began the early elections for the 4,756 citizens enabled to exercise their right to vote, in 39 Social Rehabilitation Centers for which 62 Receiving Boards were enabled in 20 provinces.
For Sunday, the National Electoral Council informed that the timetable for voting within the country is between 7H00 and 17H00 (local time).
International
Man arrested after deliberately driving into seven children in Osaka

Japanese police arrested a man on Thursday after he rammed his car into a group of seven schoolchildren in an apparent deliberate attack in the city of Osaka.
The children, who were on their way home from school, sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital. All seven remained conscious, according to local authorities.
An Osaka police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the suspect is a 28-year-old man from Tokyo. The officer shared statements the man made after his arrest: “I was fed up with everything, so I decided to kill people by driving into several elementary school children,” the suspect reportedly said.
The man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
The injured children, aged between seven and eight, included a seven-year-old girl who suffered a fractured jaw. The six other children—all boys—suffered minor injuries such as bruises and scratches and were undergoing medical evaluation.
Witnesses described the car as “zigzagging” before hitting the children. One witness told Nippon TV that a girl was “covered in blood” and the others appeared to have scratches.
Another witness said the driver, who was wearing a face mask, looked to be in shock when school staff pulled him from the vehicle.
Violent crimes are rare in Japan, though serious incidents do occur from time to time. In 2008, Tomohiro Kato drove a two-ton truck into pedestrians in Tokyo’s Akihabara district, then fatally stabbed several victims. Seven people were killed in that attack.
Internacionales
Clashes erupt during may day protests across France amid calls for better wages

May Day protests in France were marked by a heavy police presence and clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement in several cities.
In Paris, Lyon, and Nantes, thousands took to the streets to demand better wages, fairer working conditions, and to voice their dissatisfaction with President Emmanuel Macron’s government.
While the majority of the demonstrations remained peaceful, isolated confrontations broke out in some areas. Protesters threw objects at the police, prompting the use of tear gas and resulting in several arrests.
Videos showing police crackdowns circulated widely on social media, drawing criticism from labor unions and human rights advocates, who denounced the authorities’ response to the protests.
International
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claimed that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has deported “more than half a million” migrants due to pressure from former President Donald Trump.
During a cabinet meeting highlighting the “achievements” of Trump’s administration in its first 100 days, Noem asserted that under the Republican leader’s influence, “Mexico has finally come to the table” to negotiate on migration and fentanyl trafficking.
“The president of Mexico told me she has returned just over half a million people before they reached our border,” Noem stated, criticizing media reports that suggest the Biden administration deported more migrants than Trump’s.
“I wish those deportations were counted,” Noem added, “because those people never made it to our border—she sent them back because you made her.” She went on to thank Trump: “They never made it here because they got the message—because you were so aggressive.”
Noem has made controversial claims about Sheinbaum in the past, prompting the Mexican leader to refute them.
On April 1, Sheinbaum responded to one such statement by declaring, “The president answers to only one authority, and that is the people of Mexico,” after Noem said on Fox News that she gave Sheinbaum “a list of things Trump would like to see” and that Mexico’s actions would determine whether Trump granted tariff relief.
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