International
Ukraine strikes with its drones one of the biggest blows of the war to the Russian arsenal
Faced with the resistance of its partners to lifting the ban on using their long-range missiles against Russian territory, Ukraine once again resorted to its own drones to hit the enemy rearguard with a massive attack that hit a warehouse of missiles, ammunition and aerial bombs in the city of Toporets in the Tver region of western Russia.
According to sources of the Ukrainian espionage, the attack was a joint operation by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Kiev military intelligence and the special forces of the Army and reached an ammunition depot in which Iskander and Tochka-U missiles were stored, in addition to aerial bombs and ammunition for artillery.
According to the Russian Telegram channel Astra, the warehouse in question, located in the city of Toporets in the Tver region, was hit by six Ukrainian kamikaze drones around 3.30 a.m. local time (00.30 GMT).
The Ukrainian portal Militarni, specialized in defense matters, has revealed that the attacked unit is 541690 of the Main Directorate of Missiles and Artillery of Russia (GRAU), in information that includes the coordinates of the attacked tank.
According to the balance sheet offered by the Russian Ministry of Defense, 54 drones were shot down throughout Russian territory during last night’s Ukrainian attack, 27 of them over the Kursk region, the scene of a military operation in Kiev since last August 6.
The authorities of the Tver region ordered the evacuation of part of the population of the area where the anti-aircraft defenses were activated in the city of Toporets, of about 11,400 inhabitants, located 460 kilometers from the Ukrainian border and where the attacked weapons warehouse is located, which had already been the target of the Ukrainian drones on two other occasions during the war.
Access to the city was reopened on Wednesday afternoon, when the evacuees were able to return to their homes.
According to the governor of Tver, Igor Rudenia, the attack has not caused fatalities or serious injuries.
Ukraine has made attacks on military airfields and missile and air bomb deposits one of its top priorities during the last months of the war, with the aim of reducing Russian air superiority.
According to data from the Ukrainian Army, Russian warplanes launch a hundred airstrikes every day against Ukrainian positions, infrastructure and inhabited areas, often causing civilian victims.
Through the massive use of guided air bombs – conventional high-power explosives equipped with their own navigation systems that allow the planes to launch them from outside the reach of enemy defenses – Russian aviation destroys Ukrainian defensive structures to pave the way for ground troops.
Kiev has insistently asked its main allies to allow it to multiply the effectiveness of its attacks on airfields and related infrastructures located within Russia with the use of its long-range missiles for this type of attack.
Given the resistance that its partners have shown so far, Ukraine must be content with using its drones for this type of operation, which increasingly hit Russian military installations but have so far failed to significantly decimate Russian aviation.
None of the countries with the capacity to transfer long-range missiles to Ukraine has given the green light for the moment to this request from Kiev, which is welcomed by countries with less military power and by some leaders of Western supranational organizations such as NATO, whose Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, said on Monday that he “applauds” the efforts of the allies to take this step.
Speaking to a Russian radio, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov criticized Stoltenberg for “not taking seriously” the warnings in this regard by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said last week that giving permission to Kiev to attack Russian territory with long-range weapons will be interpreted with Moscow as a NATO entry into the war against Russia.
Peskov linked Stoltenberg’s words to the imminence of the end of his mandate at the head of the Atlantic Alliance. “It is clear that soon he will no longer have any responsibility for these words, but it is an extremely provocative and dangerous position,” he said.
International
Rush for Air Conditioners Sparks Tensions at French Supermarkets Ahead of New Heatwave
Scenes of long lines, overcrowded stores and customer disputes unfolded across France on Thursday as shoppers rushed to buy air conditioners and fans ahead of another expected heatwave.
The buying frenzy comes as the country continues to recover from last week’s extreme temperatures, which exceeded 40°C (104°F) in several areas and produced the warmest night on record, with an average temperature of 22°C (71.6°F). Authorities have linked the heatwave to at least 1,000 excess deaths.
Demand for cooling appliances has surged in recent days, prompting heavy traffic at appliance retailers. The situation intensified on Thursday when German discount supermarket chain Lidl launched a promotion on portable air conditioners and electric fans.
Videos shared on social media showed large crowds gathering outside stores, with customers pushing and rushing to secure the discounted products.
“Lidl France regrets the incidents that occurred in its stores,” the company told AFP, adding that employees were forced to manage tense situations in what it described as a challenging environment.
Outside a Lidl store in northwestern Paris, dozens of customers began lining up as early as 7:00 a.m., two hours before opening, while police monitored the crowd, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.
Although many shoppers remained in good spirits, tensions escalated as some people attempted to cut in line. “I will not open the store until they leave,” a store manager reportedly shouted as frustrated customers protested.
The situation worsened after customers discovered that the store, located in a working-class district of Paris, had only two air conditioning units available for sale.
One of the successful buyers, Lassana, who declined to provide his last name, said he had queued since 4:00 a.m. to secure one of the units.
Another customer, 69-year-old Fatou, was only able to purchase a small fan after what he described as a struggle. He criticized Lidl’s advertising as “misleading,” claiming police had temporarily closed access to the store because of the crowds.
Lidl France attributed the shortages to its fixed annual purchasing cycle, explaining that the promotional products had been ordered a year in advance and were offered at predetermined prices, limiting the available stock.
International
Peru Expands Emergency Measures Ahead of Heavy El Niño Rains
Peru has declared a state of emergency in 796 districts across 22 regions due to the imminent threat of heavy rainfall linked to the El Niño weather phenomenon, the government announced on Thursday.
El Niño, which causes unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, disrupts global wind and rainfall patterns, often triggering extreme weather events. In Peru, the phenomenon has already driven temperatures up to 26 degrees Celsius, around five degrees above the seasonal average.
According to Peru’s National Center for Disaster Risk Estimation, Prevention and Reduction (Cenepred), more than 9.3 million people are at very high risk of flooding and landslides associated with El Niño.
Interim President José María Balcázar signed a decree extending an emergency measure that has been in effect since January, allowing authorities to implement immediate response and recovery actions in affected areas.
Under the decree, regional and local governments, working alongside Civil Defense and supported by national ministries, are authorized to take extraordinary measures to protect communities and critical infrastructure from the expected impacts of heavy rainfall.
“We have declared a state of emergency in 796 districts across 22 regions due to intense rainfall associated with the El Niño phenomenon for a period of 60 days,” the Presidency of the Council of Ministers said in a statement.
Peru is divided into approximately 1,800 municipalities.
The country’s agency responsible for monitoring El Niño recently upgraded its forecast for the phenomenon from moderate to strong for the period between June and September, with conditions expected to persist through the first quarter of 2027.
Scientists at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimate there is a 63% probability of a very strong El Niño developing between November and January, potentially making it one of the most intense events recorded since 1950.
Peru last experienced El Niño in 2023, when flooding and landslides claimed 99 lives.
The country’s most devastating El Niño events occurred in 1997-1998, leaving around 500 people dead and reducing gross domestic product (GDP) by 6%, and in 1982-1983, when approximately 9,000 people died and the economy contracted by 11.6%.
International
Three Die During World Cup Celebrations in Mexico City After Mexico’s Victory
Three people died in Mexico City while celebrating Mexico’s 2-0 victory over Ecuador at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, local authorities confirmed on Wednesday.
According to the city’s Health Secretariat, the victims—a 44-year-old man, a 48-year-old woman, and a 19-year-old woman—died from asphyxiation following the post-match celebrations.
Emergency services were dispatched to the Juárez district after reports that three people had lost consciousness shortly after Tuesday night’s match.
Paramedics, firefighters, and police officers responded to the scene, where the victims received first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) before being transported to a hospital for specialized medical care. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, all three were later pronounced dead.
“We are in contact with their families to provide all the support they need,” Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada Molinasaid in a statement posted on social media.
“With my hand on my heart, I extend my deepest condolences to their loved ones. We once again call on everyone to celebrate with responsibility, care, and empathy,” she added.
Mexico’s victory over Ecuador sparked massive celebrations at the Estadio Azteca and across the capital. Goals from Raúl Jiménez and Julián Quiñones secured the hosts’ place in the Round of 16, where they are set to face either England or the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who meet on Wednesday in Atlanta.
Should Mexico advance to the quarterfinals, the team would face either Brazil, coached by Carlo Ancelotti, or Norway.
Rush for Air Conditioners Sparks Tensions at French Supermarkets Ahead of New Heatwave
Peru Expands Emergency Measures Ahead of Heavy El Niño Rains
Three Die During World Cup Celebrations in Mexico City After Mexico’s Victory
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
-
International5 days agoLooting Spreads in Venezuela’s Hardest-Hit Areas After Deadly Earthquakes
-
International4 days agoVenezuela Earthquake Death Toll Surpasses 1,700 as Search for Survivors Continues
-
International3 days agoSalvadoran National Arrested in New Jersey with Over 70 Machine Gun Conversion Devices
-
International4 days agoVenezuela Earthquakes Spark Diplomatic Thaw With Former Critics
-
International1 day agoFamilies Sue Nicolás Maduro in U.S. Over Alleged Extrajudicial Killings
-
International1 day agoThree Die During World Cup Celebrations in Mexico City After Mexico’s Victory
-
International14 hours agoPeru Expands Emergency Measures Ahead of Heavy El Niño Rains
-
International14 hours agoRush for Air Conditioners Sparks Tensions at French Supermarkets Ahead of New Heatwave