International
Group of hired assassins mistakenly murder four children in Guayaquil

December 13 |
In Guayaquil, Ecuador, a group of hitmen broke into a house and killed four minors, leaving the mother of the children seriously injured. The police presumes that this crime was a mistake by the criminals, whose real target was the house next door.
“This is a Christian family, whose adults have no criminal record. The murdered children were only five months old, 3 years old, 5 years old and 7 years old. The mother is in the hospital with a reserved prognosis”, informed the commander of the Police in the Metropolitan District of Guayaquil, Víctor Herrera, who was dismayed by the crime.
According to the authorities, the assassins entered the house located in Guasmo Sur around 21H00 (local time) on Monday and shot without distinction against all the occupants.
The police presumes that the real target was the house next door because when they searched it they found inside elements that could be used in possible attacks, among them slow fuse, useful to detonate all types of primary explosives, including dynamite, booster, detonating cord, hydrogel and others.
The Attorney General’s Office of that country has already opened an ex officio investigation and the Attorney General, Diana Salazar stated in a message on the social network X: “What happened to the four children in Guayas cannot be indifferent to us. It is heartbreaking that, when criminal structures do not achieve their objectives, violence escalates to this level”.
Ecuador is currently experiencing one of the biggest security crises in recent years. In the past five years, the homicide rate quintupled from 5.8 to 25.62 violent deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. Some experts consider Ecuador one of the most violent countries on the continent.
International
Joe Biden finishes prostate cancer radiotherapy at Penn Medicine

Former U.S. President Joe Biden completed his prostate cancer radiotherapy on Monday, a condition he has been managing since 2023.
The 82-year-old touched a ceremonial bell at Penn Medicine in Pennsylvania after his final session, according to a video posted on Instagram by his daughter, Ashley Biden. She expressed gratitude to the doctors and nurses for the care her father received during his treatment.
A spokesperson for Biden told ABC News that it is currently unclear whether the former president will need to continue radiotherapy.
Biden’s prostate cancer was detected during a routine check-up. According to his medical team, it was a localized, slow-growing tumor. At the time of diagnosis, doctors indicated a positive prognosis with no signs of metastasis.
Central America
White House targets Nicaragua over human rights and labor violations

The White House is considering imposing new tariffs of up to 100% on Nicaragua or removing the country from the benefits of the CAFTA-DR free trade agreement, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) reported Monday.
The USTR determined that Nicaragua’s policies under the Ortega-Murillo regime regarding violations of labor and human rights, as well as the dismantling of the rule of law, are “unreasonable” and constitute a burden on commerce.
The resolution follows an investigation that began on December 10, 2024, when the USTR, based on recommendations from the Section 301 Committee and other advisory bodies, started reviewing the practices of Nicaragua’s government. The process included a public hearing and more than 160 comments and testimonies, including evidence of severe human rights abuses that have been forwarded to the U.S. State Department for evaluation and follow-up.
The report published Monday extensively documents how Nicaragua’s authoritarian practices — including the repression of fundamental freedoms — create a high-risk environment for U.S. businesses and investments.
International
Zelenskyy: Meeting with Trump “Positive” Despite Rejected Missile Request

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described his reportedly tense meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump last week as “positive,” despite failing to secure Tomahawk missiles for Ukraine. He emphasized what he said was the continued U.S. interest in economic cooperation with Kyiv.
Zelenskyy said Trump backed away from the possibility of sending long-range missiles to Ukraine after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, held just hours before the U.S. and Ukrainian leaders met on Friday.
“In my view, he doesn’t want an escalation with the Russians until he meets with them,” Zelenskyy told reporters Sunday. His remarks were embargoed until Monday morning.
Ukraine is seeking to purchase 25 Patriot air defense systems from U.S. manufacturers using frozen Russian assets and assistance from partners. However, Zelenskyy noted that acquiring all of them will take time due to long production lines. He said he discussed with Trump potential support to accelerate procurement, possibly through European partners.
According to Zelenskyy, Trump stated during their meeting that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s sweeping demands — that Ukraine cede the entire eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk — remain unchanged.
Zelenskyy was diplomatic when describing his encounter with Trump, though reports suggest he faced pressure to accept Putin’s terms — a strategy Trump has reportedly maintained since the tense Oval Office confrontation on February 28, when the Ukrainian leader was publicly scolded for not being “grateful enough” for U.S. aid.
Still, Zelenskyy said that since Trump ultimately supported maintaining the current front line, the overall message was “positive” for Ukraine.
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