International

Lasso asks UN for help to stop violence in Ecuador

Photo: @LassoGuillermo

October 25 |

Guillermo Lasso, president of Ecuador, held a meeting on Tuesday with the executive director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee of the UN Security Council, Natalia German, to request support to address the situation of insecurity that his nation is going through.

The Ecuadorian president asked the UN representative for support to manage cooperation projects and technical assistance to address the armed violence in Ecuador.

Lasso said that the Ecuadorian government has a “zero tolerance” policy against drug trafficking and violence.

“I appreciate the openness and commitment of the Counter-Terrorism Committee @ONU_es, who have proposed us to make an extended analysis of the current situation, which will take into account the good practices applied in Ecuador,” Lasso wrote on the social network “X”.

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In this sense, he clarified that the security issue “is priority one” in his government agenda and assured that this issue will be addressed until the last day of his term.

The General Secretariat of Communication of the Presidency complemented, in a statement, that in the meeting President Lasso reaffirmed Ecuador’s commitment to the fight against terrorism and transnational organized crime in its capacity as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

“This decision is framed in the growing threat of organized criminal groups that use terrorist tactics to consolidate their power and territorial control,” said the official.

It is important to remember that the Government of Ecuador has categorized the violent actions of armed groups as terrorist, which is why the support of international organizations is necessary to intervene with the forces of the State in the provinces affected by violence and drug trafficking.

Ecuador is experiencing a wave of violence, extortion, attacks and other crimes that has the population at the mercy of the actions of these violent groups, while the State continues the fight to curb drug trafficking.

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International

U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute

The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.

All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.

The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.

The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.

“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.

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International

Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.

“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.

Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.

According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.

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International

Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power

Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.

The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.

Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.

Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.

The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.

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Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.

Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.

In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.