International
A total of 43 civilians have been killed as a result of the Russian attacks on Monday
A total of 43 civilians have died so far in Ukraine as a result of the massive attack launched by Russia against Kiev and the Dnipropetrovsk region during Monday.
The death toll in the Russian attack on the Ukrainian capital continues to grow as the debris debris work progresses and already stands at 31 civilian fatalities, according to the latest part offered by the Kiev Military Administration, which figures 117 injured.
On the other hand, Russia denounced a massive Ukrainian drone attack against five regions of the south and the center of the country.
In addition, Ukraine’s health facilities have suffered 1,884 attacks since the Russian invasion, in which 150 people have died and 379 have suffered injuries, the World Health Organization (WHO) said a day after a children’s hospital in Kiev was hit by a missile.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, which so far has not reported any victims, the air defense systems shot down a total of 38 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones last night.
The military side specified that the enemy drones were shot down in the regions of Belgorod (3), Kursk (7), Voronezh (2), Rostov (21) and Astrajan (5).
Although last night’s drone attack did not cause casualties in the Belgorod region, the governor of that border entity with Ukraine, Viacheslav Gladkov, denounced on his Telegram channel that yesterday four civilians were killed and another 20 were injured by Ukrainian artillery fire.
In the Rostov region, a drone hit an electrical substation and caused a fire, which was extinguished by firefighters, the governor of the entity, Vasili Gólubev, reported in Telegran.
According to the authorities of the Astrajan region, the airstrike caused a fuel tank to fire.
For security reasons, the airports of the cities of Astrajan and Volgograd restricted their operations.
The governor of the Volgograd region, Andrei Bocharov, reported that due to the fall of fragments of drones shot down by the anti-aircraft defense, there were fires in an electric substation and a fuel tank.
In addition, a joint attack with drones from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and military intelligence (GUR) last night caused several fires at a military airfield in the Russian region of Astrajan and on energy infrastructures of the Russian oblasts of Rostov and Volgograd, according to sources from both Ukrainian services to the Ukrainska Pravda publication.
These attacks occurred after yesterday Russia launched dozens of missiles against several cities in Ukraine, causing about 40 deaths and more than a hundred injuries.
The Kremlin denied that the Russian Army is hitting civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, after yesterday’s attack.
On the other hand, about 400 members of the Ukrainian emergency services continue to work on rescue work at the Ojmatdit children’s hospital in Kiev and in other places in the capital affected by the missile attack that Russia launched on Monday against the city, as explained on Tuesday by the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenski.
“In the places where the missiles hit, emergency and rescue work has not stopped all night,” Zelenski wrote in a message published on his social networks in which he confirms that the death toll from Monday’s Russian attack on Kiev and the Dnipropetrovsk region, in central Ukraine, is currently 38 victims. Of these, 31 lost their lives in the Ukrainian capital.
Zelenski also wrote that his administration continues to work “to strengthen the protection” of Ukrainian cities from Russian attacks. “There will be decisions. The world has the necessary strength for it,” added Zelenski, who will arrive in Washington today to participate in the NATO summit.
Ukraine hopes to obtain new decisions from its allies at the summit that will allow it to better defend itself from Russian airstrikes like yesterday’s.
Kiev asks for total freedom to hit, with weapons from its partners, enemy military targets within the territory of the Russian Federation and to be able to neutralize the attacks of the Russian Army at the origin and in a preventive way.
The United States and other allies continue to impose restrictions on the use of their weapons in Russian territory for fear of Moscow’s reaction.
International
Colombia says it would not reject Maduro asylum request as regional tensions escalate
The Colombian government stated on Thursday that it would have no reason to reject a potential asylum request from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro should he leave office, as regional tensions persist over the deployment of U.S. military forces in the Caribbean since August.
“In the current climate of tension, negotiations are necessary, and if the United States demands a transition or political change, that is something to be assessed. If such a transition results in him (Maduro) needing to live elsewhere or seek protection, Colombia would have no reason to deny it,” said Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio in an interview with Caracol Radio.
However, Villavicencio noted that it is unlikely Maduro would choose Colombia as a refuge. “I believe he would opt for someplace more distant and calmer,” she added.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro also commented on Venezuela’s situation on Wednesday, arguing that the country needs a “democratic revolution” rather than “inefficient repression.” His remarks followed the recent detention and passport cancellation of Cardinal Baltazar Porras at the Caracas airport.
“The Maduro government must understand that responding to external aggression requires more than military preparations; it requires a democratic revolution. A country is defended with more democracy, not more inefficient repression,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter), in a rare public criticism of the Venezuelan leader.
Petro also called for a general amnesty for political opponents and reiterated his call for forming a broad transitional government to address Venezuela’s prolonged crisis.
Since September, U.S. military forces have destroyed more than 20 vessels allegedly carrying drugs in Caribbean and Pacific waters near Venezuela and Colombia, resulting in over 80 deaths.
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned that attacks “inside Venezuela” will begin “soon,” while Maduro has urged Venezuelans to prepare for what he describes as an impending external aggression.
International
Cuba battles out-of-control dengue and chikungunya epidemic as death toll rises to 44
Cuba is facing a severe dengue and chikungunya epidemic that has already claimed at least 44 lives, including 29 minors, according to the Ministry of Public Health (Minsap). The outbreak—now considered out of control—has expanded across the entire country amid a critical shortage of resources to confront the emergency.
Authorities report more than 42,000 chikungunya infections and at least 26,000 dengue cases, though they acknowledge significant underreporting as many patients avoid seeking care in health centers where medicines, supplies, and medical personnel are scarce. The first cluster was detected in July in the city of Matanzas, but the government did not officially use the term “epidemic” until November 12.
Chikungunya—virtually unknown on the island until this year—causes high fever, rashes, fatigue, and severe joint pain that can last for months, leaving thousands temporarily incapacitated. Dengue, endemic to the region, triggers fever, muscle pain, vomiting, and, in severe cases, internal bleeding. Cuba currently has no vaccines available for either virus.
Minsap reports that of the 44 deaths recorded so far, 28 were caused by chikungunya and 16 by dengue.
The health crisis unfolds amid deep economic deterioration, marked by the absence of fumigation campaigns, uncollected garbage, and shortages of medical supplies—conditions that have fueled the spread of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the primary vector for both diseases. “The healthcare system is overwhelmed,” non-official medical sources acknowledge.
Beyond the health impact, the epidemic is heavily disrupting economic and family life. The intense joint pain caused by chikungunya has led to widespread work absences, while hospital overcrowding has forced relatives to leave their jobs to care for the sick. In November, authorities launched a clinical trial using the Cuban drug Jusvinza to reduce joint pain, though results have not yet been released.
International
Ecuador on track for record violence as homicides hit highest level in Latin America again
Violence in Ecuador is expected to reach historic levels by the end of 2025, with the country set to record the highest homicide rate in Latin America for the third consecutive year, according to a report released Thursday by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). The organization warns that criminal activity is not only persisting but could worsen in 2026.
Official figures show 7,553 homicides recorded through October, surpassing the 7,063 registered throughout all of 2024. ACLED estimates that 71% of the population was exposed to violent incidents this year, despite President Daniel Noboa’s declaration of an “internal armed conflict” in an attempt to confront powerful criminal groups.
According to the report, several factors are driving the deterioration of security: a territorial war between Los Chonerosand Los Lobos, the two most influential criminal organizations in the country; the fragmentation of other groups after the fall of their leaders; and Ecuador’s expanding role as a strategic hub for regional drug trafficking.
Since 2021, violence has forced the internal displacement of around 132,000 people, while more than 400,000 Ecuadorians — equivalent to 2% of the population — have left the country. Between January and November alone, violent deaths rose 42%, fueled by prison massacres and clashes between rival gangs.
The report warns that conditions may deteriorate further. Ecuador has been added to ACLED’s 2026 Conflict Watchlist, which highlights regions at risk of escalating violence. The expansion of Colombian armed groups such as FARC dissidents and the ELN, state weakness, and a potential rerouting of drug trafficking corridors from the Caribbean to the Pacific intensify the threat.
“The president is facing a wave of violence that shows no signs of easing,” the report concludes.
Colombia says it would not reject Maduro asylum request as regional tensions escalate
Cuba battles out-of-control dengue and chikungunya epidemic as death toll rises to 44
Ecuador on track for record violence as homicides hit highest level in Latin America again
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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