International
The UN calls for a humanitarian pause in Gaza to vaccinate against polio
The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, called on Friday for a humanitarian pause in the conflict in Gaza to develop a polio vaccination campaign aimed at more than 640,000 children under the age of ten and facing “serious challenges.”
In a press conference, Guterres called on the parties to the conflict to provide “immediate concrete guarantees” for a ceasefire or a humanitarian pause for the safe delivery of vaccines and medical care, and to protect workers and health facilities from bombing.
“Let’s be clear: the definitive vaccine against polio is peace and an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. But in any case, a break due to polio is essential. It is impossible to carry out a polio vaccination campaign while war sweeps everywhere,” he said.
He recalled that the campaign is carried out with a decimated health infrastructure and insecurity for health workers and communities.
The vaccination campaign arises after polio was detected in wastewater samples in Gaza, which puts hundreds of thousands of children at risk, so he warned of the “urgent” need for global action to contain its spread.
Last month, the Ministry of Health of Gaza declared a polio epidemic, days after the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed the presence of the disease in wastewater.
“Polio doesn’t care about dividing lines and polio doesn’t wait. Preventing and containing the spread will require a massive, coordinated and urgent effort,” said Guterres, who did not indicate when that campaign would begin.
A UN statement states that the organization plans to start a two-phase campaign at the end of this month. On August 7, WHO announced the shipment of 1.2 million vaccines to Gaza.
He explained that, due to the devastation in Gaza, vaccination coverage of at least 95 percent will be necessary during each phase of the campaign to prevent the spread of the disease and reduce its occurrence.
Guterres also indicated that the medical teams of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), the largest provider of primary health care in Gaza, are ready to administer the vaccines and help with logistics.
The campaign will involve 708 teams in hospitals and primary health care centers, he said, reiterating that many barely work and 316 community outreach teams throughout Gaza.
And he stressed that for a successful campaign they will need safe transport of vaccines and personnel, fuel, reliable internet service and telephone to inform the communities, as well as security so that children and families can reach the centers and that they are protected from bombing.
“Polio goes beyond politics. It transcends all divisions, so it is our shared obligation to unite, to mobilize, not to fight against the people, but against polio,” he said.
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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