International
A forest fire destroys the town of Jasper in the Rocky Mountains of Canada
An out-of-control forest fire has destroyed much of the Canadian tourist town of Jasper, in the Rocky Mountains, Canadian authorities confirmed on Thursday.
The head of government of the province of Alberta, where Jasper National Park and the town of the same name are located, Danielle Smith, declared in tears during a press conference that the town will recover.
“Magic has not been lost and it never will. The Government of Alberta will provide the necessary support to families and communities to recover and rebuild stronger so that future generations can continue to experience this unique community,” Smith said.
Images on social networks show this Thursday the desolate streets of Jasper with all the buildings reduced to piles of ashes.
Early on Thursday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed that he has authorized the deployment of military personnel in Alberta to help combat the 176 fires (54 out of control) that are currently active in the province, following the request made on Wednesday night by Smith.
Jasper National Park is one of Canada’s natural gems and one of its main tourist attractions. Last year, the park, which is located in the northern area of the Rocky Mountains of Canada, received 2.48 million visitors.
On Monday night, unexpectedly, the Canadian authorities ordered the evacuation of the town, in the heart of the park, after the change of winds pushed two forest fires towards the town where about 10,000 people reside in the summer.
The 10,000 residents of Jasper along with about 25,000 tourists had to leave the area on Tuesday although the Canadian authorities fear that there may still be people camping inside the park and that they have not received the order to evict the territory.
On Wednesday, the strong winds fueled the growth of the fires and at night the flames began to consume buildings in Jasper.
Also, western Canada is facing a wave of high temperatures that is fueling the appearance of hundreds of forest fires. The provinces of British Columbia and Alberta alone have 555 active fires this Thursday.
Throughout the country there are 983 active forest fires of which 410 are out of control. So far this year, the burned area in the country is 2.4 million hectares.
In addition, last year, Canada suffered its worst season of forest fires in history. Thousands of forest fires burned 17 million hectares of land, about 170,000 square kilometers.
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.
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.
Armed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
Caracas shuts embassy in Oslo without explanation following Machado’s Nobel win
Sheinbaum: Urgent to restore access to towns cut off by heavy rains
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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