International
Antony Blinken says that the US continues to press and sees it “possible” to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza
US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said in Cairo that the United States continues to pressure the parties involved to reach a ceasefire in Gaza in the negotiations that will follow this week in Doha, an agreement that he sees as “possible.”
“The differences are narrowing and we continue to push for an agreement in Doha. There is still hard work to be done, but I still think it is possible,” Blinken said at a press conference along with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shukri, after a meeting with his counterparts in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and the head of the Palestinian Authority.
To reinforce his commitment to this truce, the head of American diplomacy reiterated that the United States will present a resolution to the United Nations Security Council in which for the first time it will specifically request an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza, after having opposed three resolutions from other countries that requested it.
“I hope that all countries support this resolution,” said Blinken, who urged to increase and expedite the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip to avoid a crisis of serious proportions.
“Children should not die of malnutrition in Gaza or anywhere else because of these circumstances. 100% of the population in Gaza is experiencing severe levels of food insecurity. We can’t allow this. We must not allow this to happen,” he said emphatically.
In this sense, he stressed the importance of strengthening the delivery of humanitarian aid by land, sea and air, while showing his rejection of an Israeli land operation in the Palestinian town of Rafah, where more than one and a half million displaced Palestinians live overcrowded.
In his speech, Blinken again defended the creation of an independent Palestinian State with security guarantees for Israel with the aim of avoiding a new war like the current one and achieving peace in the region, with the Israeli state integrated with its neighbors.
The Egyptian Foreign Minister pointed out that it is necessary to “develop processes to implement these objectives in a new phase of political perspective through the two-state solution.”
“We have to address the current circumstances to break with the circle of violence that has marked numerous generations with blood and thirst for revenge,” Shukri added.
After reaching these assessments after the meeting with the six Arab countries, the US Secretary of State will travel to Israel this Friday to continue the round of talks that could culminate in integral peace in the region.
International
Mexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Wednesday that the death toll from recent rains and floods across several central states has risen to 66, while the federal government has activated air bridges and prioritized assistance in 191 isolated communities.
“Unfortunately, 66 people have died, and 75 remain missing,” the president said during her morning press conference. She added that the official death toll will be updated later in a new report.
As of Tuesday, authorities had reported 64 fatalities. Sheinbaum also announced the creation of a public information center to centralize official data on the deceased, missing persons, damaged homes, and cut-off communities.
According to the president, the number of missing persons has decreased thanks to coordination with state authorities.
“Through calls to phone line 079, 103 people who had been reported missing have now been located,” she explained.
Priority Municipalities
The president noted that the federal government has classified 191 communities as ‘priority’, a designation based mainly on the percentage of homes affected.
International
New road and bridge explosions raise alarm amid indigenous protests in Ecuador
Ecuadorian authorities are investigating two explosions that occurred early Wednesday, one on a road in the southern part of the country and another under a bridge in Guayas province. These incidents follow the car bomb explosion in the coastal city of Guayaquil, also in Guayas, which occurred the day before and left one person dead and 30 injured.
Press reports indicate that one person was injured and several vehicles were damaged in the explosion on the Cuenca-Girón-Pasaje road in the south.
“Besides yesterday’s explosion in Guayaquil, we have received reports of explosives placed on bridges along the Guayaquil-Machala and Machala-Cuenca routes to disrupt traffic,” said Roberto Luque, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport (MIT).
On his X social media account, Luque reported that authorities have been deployed to the sites to assess the damage and determine the current condition of the structures.
“What they haven’t achieved with their call for a strike, some are trying to achieve through terrorism,” he stated, referring to the 24 days of protests organized by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (Conaie) against rising diesel prices and other demands.
The protests, called at a national level, have Imbabura province as their epicenter. Roadblocks have also been reported in the northern part of Pichincha province, whose capital is Quito, while activities in the rest of the country continue normally.
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.
Mexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
New road and bridge explosions raise alarm amid indigenous protests in Ecuador
Armed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
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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