International

Ecuador: Intense volcanic ashfall affects provinces and forces airport closure

The Sangay volcano’s eruption process affected several provinces in Ecuador. Yesterday, volcanic ash fell over six of the country’s 24 provinces, according to the authorities. Because of ashfall, the Guayaquil Airport had to temporarily suspended all flights in and from the air terminal.

“We are keeping a close eye on ashfall from the Sangay volcano in Guayas, Los Ríos, Santa Elena, Chimborazo, Manabí and Bolívar”, posted President Lenin Moreno on Twitter. In addition, he said that they had deployed emergency support teams to assist citizens, farmers and ranchers.

The Sangay volcano, 5,230 meters high, is located 195 kilometers south of Quito. The volcano has increased its eruptive process over the last two decades. Rommel Salazar, director of Ecuador’s National Service of Risk Management and Emergencies, said that in the last weeks, because of the volcano’s activity, gas and ash columns had risen between 800 and 2,000 meters above the crater’s level.

International

Zelenski urges global action after russian ballistic missile strike

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski called on the international community Thursday to “respond” to Russia’s ballistic missile strike on Ukraine, which he said has heightened the “escalation and brutality” of the conflict.

“The world must react. So far, there has been no strong response,” Zelenski lamented in a social media statement.

“We must act. We must pressure. We must push Russia towards real peace, which is only achievable through strength,” he added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed Thursday that Russia had launched a new type of hypersonic ballistic missile against Ukraine in its “non-nuclear configuration.”

International

Elon Musk plans sweeping cuts to U.S. bureaucracy and spending

Elon Musk has pledged massive cuts to government programs, subsidies, and bureaucracy in his anticipated role as a “State Efficiency” leader, according to an article published Wednesday in The Wall Street Journal.

The billionaire entrepreneur plans to target hundreds of billions of dollars in federal spending, including funds for public broadcasting and Planned Parenthood. Musk called government bureaucracy an “existential threat” to American democracy.

Teaming up with fellow businessman and Trump ally Vivek Ramaswamy, Musk aims to streamline federal regulations and implement significant administrative and cost reductions.

“We are entrepreneurs, not politicians. We will serve as external volunteers, not federal officials or employees,” Musk and Ramaswamy stated in the article.

International

Putin warns of escalation, suggests strikes on western weapon suppliers

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that the conflict in Ukraine is taking on the characteristics of a “global war,” warning that Russia might target Western nations supplying Ukraine with weapons used in attacks on Russian territory.

These remarks come after a day of heightened tensions, during which Russia launched a state-of-the-art medium-range missile designed to carry a nuclear warhead. However, this particular missile was loaded with conventional explosives.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the missile strike, calling it the action of a “deranged neighbor” using Ukraine as a “military testing ground.”

Earlier, Ukraine accused Russia of attacking the central-eastern city of Dnipro with a missile exhibiting “all the characteristics” of an intercontinental missile, an unprecedented development in the ongoing conflict.