International
Ukraine’s security a priority as NATO discusses future of conflict with Russia
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is holding an informal meeting on Wednesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders to discuss the “next steps” in the conflict with Russia.
The meeting is expected to include several heads of government, such as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, as well as senior officials from Denmark, the Netherlands, and Poland.
The United Kingdom will be represented by Foreign Secretary David Lammy, while the European Union will be represented by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa.
Speaking to the Italian parliament on Tuesday, Meloni stated that the meeting in Brussels was an “important opportunity to discuss the future of the conflict.”
On Wednesday, Rutte stated that the current priority was to provide Ukraine with weapons and resources to place the country in a stronger position.
“If we now discuss among ourselves what a potential agreement might look like, we will be making it easier for Russia,” he said.
Meanwhile, Scholz stated that discussing the deployment of troops to monitor a ceasefire “makes no sense.”
On Wednesday, before the European Parliament, von der Leyen emphasized that reinforcing Ukraine’s capabilities was “not just a moral imperative, but also a strategic one.”
According to von der Leyen, “The world is watching. Our friends, and especially our adversaries, are closely observing how we sustain our support for Ukraine.”
For Ukraine, it is a race against time, as Trump insists on a peace agreement to end the war (which he promises to resolve in one day) and suggests the possibility of suspending military aid to Kiev.
Ukrainian leaders, who had been adamantly opposed to the idea of peace negotiations with Russia, are now admitting the possibility, provided the country’s security is guaranteed.
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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