International

The UN says it works with the de facto Afghan Government to assist in floods

The UN said it is working with the interim Taliban government in Afghanistan to assist the population after the heavy floods that have caused at least 300 deaths and left thousands of people without shelter or resources in the north of the country.

“The UN and its partners in Afghanistan are coordinating with the de facto authorities to assess needs and provide emergency assistance quickly,” the spokesman for Secretary-General António Guterres, said in a brief statement, who conveyed her condolences.

Guterres expressed his sadness and solidarity with the Afghan population for the disaster caused in recent hours by the flash floods in the province of Baġlān, which the Food Program (WFP) estimates at 300, while the Afghan Government reduces to 153 in total in several provinces.

The WFP, which is distributing food to the survivors, indicated that the floods have also destroyed 1,000 houses in Baġlān.

The main spokesman of the fundamentalists, Zabiullah Mujahid, said in a statement that the interim Government has ordered the mobilization of “all available resources to carry out the rescue operations.”

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Afghanistan has witnessed heavy snowfall, heavy rains and sudden flooding in recent weeks.

The Asian country is considered one of the most vulnerable in the world to climate change. In addition to the least prepared to adapt, according to a report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

To the vulnerable situation is added the interruption of a good part of international aid. The freezing of the country’s funds, after the Taliban took power in August 2021.

International

Armed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids

Ecuador’s Armed Forces carried out an operation on Monday — including airstrikes — against illegal mining in the town of Buenos Aires, in the country’s north, Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo reported.

The mountainous, gold-rich area has been a hotspot for illegal mining since 2017, located in the Andean province of Imbabura.

In 2019, former president Lenín Moreno deployed around 2,400 soldiers to the region in an attempt to curb the illegal activity. “The operation began with mortar fire, followed by gunfire and bombing runs by Supertucano aircraft,” Loffredo said in a video released by the Defense Ministry.

He added that the operation would continue on Tuesday with patrols across the area to locate possible members of “irregular armed groups that may have crossed from the Colombian border.”

The Armed Forces stated on X that the intervention focused on the “complete elimination of multiple illegal mining tunnels” in the areas known as Mina Nueva and Mina Vieja.

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The operation coincided with the deployment of a military and police convoy into Imbabura, which has been the epicenter of protests against President Daniel Noboa since September 22, following his decision to scrap the diesel subsidy.

International

Caracas shuts embassy in Oslo without explanation following Machado’s Nobel win

Venezuela has announced the closure of its embassy in Norway, just days after opposition leader María Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Venezuelan diplomatic mission provided no explanation for its decision on Monday.

“It is regrettable,” a ministry spokesperson said. “Despite our differences on several issues, Norway wishes to keep the dialogue with Venezuela open and will continue to work in that direction.” The ministry also emphasized that the Nobel Committee operates entirely independently from the Norwegian government.

In its announcement, the Nobel Committee stated that Machado met the criteria established by Alfred Nobel, “embodying the hope for a different future, where the fundamental rights of Venezuelans are heard.”

International

Sheinbaum: Urgent to restore access to towns cut off by heavy rains

Thousands of military personnel and civilians in Mexico worked tirelessly on Tuesday to clear roads blocked by the torrential rains of recent days, which have left more than 300 communities cut off across central and eastern regions of the country. Authorities also launched mass fumigation efforts in several affected areas to prevent the spread of dengue fever.

The official death toll remains at 64, though dozens of people are still missing. President Claudia Sheinbaumacknowledged that the government does not yet know the full situation in many of the isolated villages, which range in population from 500 to 1,000 inhabitants.

“The reopening of roads is one of the greatest urgencies,” Sheinbaum said. “It’s essential to guarantee air bridges, food supplies, clean water, and a proper census of the isolated communities so we can determine the condition of every person living there.”

Private construction companies are also assisting the effort with heavy machinery and technical support to help reopen highways and reconnect rural areas.