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The US will ask for the first time in a UN resolution “an immediate ceasefire” in Gaza
The United States will present in the coming days, probably tomorrow, a resolution in which for the first time it will specifically ask for “an immediate ceasefire” in Gaza, after having opposed three resolutions of other countries that requested it.
It was Secretary of State Antony Blinken who announced a few hours ago in Cairo that the resolution had been presented to the Council, but there is no certainty that it will be voted on tomorrow.
Blinken made it clear that the ceasefire would be “linked to the release of the hostages” in the hands of Hamas, although that release is no longer a precondition, as appeared in the first versions of the text circulated by the American diplomats.
The United States needed to present six different versions for more than a month until it reached what seems like a consensus text. It remains to be seen if it gets the support of nine nations and does not receive a veto by any permanent member country (in this case Russia or China). Two necessary conditions to approve any resolution.
The key paragraph of the Washington resolution says that “an immediate and sustained ceasefire is imperative to protect civilians on both sides, allow the delivery of essential humanitarian assistance, alleviate human suffering (…) and support diplomatic efforts to guarantee that ceasefire in connection with the release of all hostages.”
Last Monday’s publication of a UN report that warned that 1.1 million Gazans face the most serious levels of famine and food insecurity in a matter of days seems to have accelerated U.S. diplomatic efforts.
The French ambassador to the UN, Nicolas de Rivière, went out that same Monday to ask for urgent action from the Council to stop the war “now, not next week,” he said graphically.
In the previous resolutions vetoed by the United States, American diplomacy criticized several details: that they did not reflect Israel’s right to defend itself, that they did not condemn Hamas as a “terrorist” and that if a ceasefire was declared, that would allow the rearmament of Hamas.
Therefore, in this resolution that Washington now promotes, those same ideas appear in some way but in a more lowered tone, in order to win the support of member countries such as Russia, China or Algeria, which have harshly criticized on the past occasions the American attitude of seamless support for Israel.
The new resolution makes precise allusions to the protection of civilians, access to humanitarian aid, opposition to altering the map of Gaza with ‘security runners’ and the rejection of the forced displacement of civilians, arguments that can garner unanimous support from all countries.
However, it also contains phrases that are more difficult to achieve consensus, such as the request to Member States to “intensify their efforts to suppress the financing of terrorism, including restrictions on the financing of Hamas.”
In any case, the calls for a ceasefire already come from all UN agencies, from Muslim, African and Asian countries. And now also from the majority of the Western world, including countries that in the first weeks of the war had a more pro-Israeli attitude as in the case of France and the United Kingdom.
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Former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol Sentenced to Life for Insurrection
A South Korean court on Thursday sentenced former president Yoon Suk-yeol to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of leading an insurrection by declaring martial law in late 2024.
“The declaration of martial law resulted in enormous social costs, and it is difficult to find any indication that the defendant has shown remorse,” said Judge Ji Gwi-yeon of the Seoul Central District Court. “We sentence him to life in prison,” the judge stated.
Yoon declared martial law in a nationally televised address in December 2024, arguing that drastic measures were necessary to eliminate what he described as “anti-state forces.”
The 65-year-old conservative former leader was removed from office, arrested, and charged with multiple offenses, including insurrection and obstruction of justice.
Judge Ji noted that Yoon ordered military forces to the National Assembly in an attempt to silence political opponents.
“The court determined that the intention was to paralyze the assembly for a considerable period of time,” the judge said.
Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was also sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in the crisis.
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Eight Killed in Series of Armed Attacks in Ecuador’s Manabí Province
At least eight people were killed in four separate armed attacks reported Sunday night in the cities of Manta and Montecristi, in Ecuador’s coastal province of Manabí, one of the areas hardest hit by the country’s escalating wave of criminal violence, local media reported on Monday.
The shootings occurred between 7:50 p.m. and 10:50 p.m. local time and affected several neighborhoods, as well as a family gathering, according to press reports. Police are investigating the incidents.
The first attack took place in the Los Artesanos sector of Montecristi, where a couple was shot dead in a public street.
Minutes later, in Manta’s 12 de Octubre neighborhood, a man was killed while sitting down. Police arrested a suspect at the scene and seized a 9mm magazine, authorities said.
A third incident occurred in the Bellavista area of Manta, when an armed assailant entered a home and shot a man during a family celebration. The attacker was captured by neighbors and sustained injuries.
The deadliest attack was reported at 10:50 p.m. in the Leonidas Proaño parish of Montecristi, where gunmen opened fire from two vehicles on a group of people, leaving four dead and five wounded.
According to Jaime Salgado, acting chief of the Manta Police District, officers recovered seven 7.62mm shell casings, consistent with rifle ammunition, and 14 .40-caliber casings at the scene.
With these killings, the Manta police district, a port and tourist area on Ecuador’s Pacific coast, has recorded 51 violent deaths so far in January 2026, according to official figures.
The attacks occurred amid a state of emergency declared by the government in December due to serious internal unrest in Manabí, where military operations have been intensified this month, particularly in high-conflict zones.
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El Salvador Launches Fourth Year of Ocean Mission to Protect Marine Ecosystems
El Salvador’s Ministry of Environment has launched the fourth consecutive year of “Ocean Mission,” a permanent strategy focused on the protection, restoration, and responsible management of marine ecosystems, linking conservation efforts from inland mountain ranges to the coastline.
During an event held at the Los Cóbanos Protected Natural Area, Environment Minister Fernando López highlighted the ecological, social, and economic value of the site, which is recognized as the country’s eighth wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.
“We are in one of the most valuable natural treasures of our country, not only because of its beauty, but also due to the enormous ecological, social, and economic importance that Los Cóbanos holds for El Salvador,” López said.
The minister emphasized that this volcanic-origin ecosystem is home to coral reefs and key coastal-marine systems that serve as refuge, breeding, and feeding grounds for emblematic species such as sea turtles, cetaceans, and a wide diversity of fish.
“Protecting Los Cóbanos means protecting biodiversity, community livelihoods, the local economy, and our natural heritage,” López stated.
He also stressed that Ocean Mission goes beyond rhetoric, focusing instead on direct action framed within the National Environmental Education Policy. “We are not here to talk about environmental education; we are here to practice it,” he said, underscoring the guiding principle of moving from paper to action.
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