Ecuador

Strong earthquake of 6.8 magnitude kills at least 13 in Ecuador, 1 in Peru

A strong earthquake shook southern Ecuador and northern Peru on Saturday, killing at least 14 people, trapping others under rubble, and sending rescue teams out into streets littered with debris and fallen power lines. The U.S. Geological Survey reported an earthquake with a magnitude of about 6.8 that was centred just off the Pacific Coast, about 50 miles (80 kilometres) south of Guayaquil, Ecuador's second-largest city. One of the victims died in Peru, while 13 others died in Ecuador, where authorities also reported that at least 126 people were injured. Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso told reporters the earthquake had "without a doubt ... generated alarm in the population." Lasso's office in a statement said 11 of the victims died in the coastal state of El Oro and two in the highlands state of Azuay. In Peru, the earthquake was felt from its northern border with Ecuador to the central Pacific coast. Peruvian Prime Minister Alberto Otrola said a 4-year-old girl died from hea

US looking to strengthen relationship with Ecuador, says US President Biden

With Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso by his side, President Joe Biden said the US is looking to expand and strengthen the US relationship with one of its staunchest allies in South America and a country that is getting plenty of attention from China. Lasso's visit to Washington comes as his tiny nation is on the verge of completing a trade agreement with China, the United States' strongest economic competitor. China this year surpassed the United States as Ecuador's top trading partner on non-petroleum goods. The already fragile economy in oil-exporting Ecuador was battered by the coronavirus outbreak. One of Lasso's top priorities when he took office last year was to sign a free trade agreement with the United States. Ecuador wants to join Colombia and Chile as the only other countries in South America to enjoy such privileged status. But Biden, in the first two years of his presidency, has shied away from entering new trade pacts as he's focused on first settling a U.S. econo

Fifa World Cup: Koulibaly sends Senegal to Round of 16, Dutch through too

Fifa World Cup 2022 Qatar, Live Updates: In the last round of group games, to make sure that no team has an undue advantage over the other, all matches of one group are played at the same time

Ecuador volcano registers new activity with gas emissions, ash fall

Gas and water vapour emissions, a low level of ash and an increase in seismic activity were recordedat the Cotopaxi volcano in Ecuador, according to officials

Fifa World Cup Day 6: Ecuador, US impress in draws; Senegal, Iran in wins

Fifa World Cup Qatar Day 6 Highlights: Iran and Senegal won impressively against Wales and Qatar respectively while US and Ecuador forced draws from their fencied opponents England and the Netherlands

FIFA charges Ecuador over fan chants at World Cup opener in Qatar

Discriminatory chants allegedly by Ecuador fans at the World Cup opening game led FIFA to open the first disciplinary case of the tournament on Tuesday. FIFA said the charge was brought "due to chants" at the game against Qatar on Sunday and cited the section of its disciplinary code dealing with discrimination. The chants were reportedly directed at Chile, which brought a legal case ahead of the World Cup to try to take Ecuador's place. FIFA gave no timetable for dealing with the case against the Ecuadorian soccer federation, which is held responsible for fan behavior at games. Ecuador fans also drew global attention to their chants in Spanish of "we want beer" during the team's 2-0 win at Al Bayt Stadium. It was a reference to FIFA and Qatari organizers banning the sale of beer with alcohol at stadiums.

Fifa World Cup 2022: Jio Cinema app leaves football fans fuming in India

Be it the opening ceremony or the Qatar vs Ecuador match, Indian users complained that the online video streaming of the Fifa World Cup 2022 kept buffering on the Jio Cinema app

Fifa World Cup: Qatar first hosts to lose opener, Ecuador humble them 2-0

FIFA World Cup Qatar vs Ecuador Highlights: Enner Valencia's two goals in the first 30 minutes of the game became the ultimate difference as Ecuador beat the hosts Qatar 2-0 in tournament opener

Yellow alert in Ecuador for Cotopaxi volcano amid rising seismic activity

The government of Ecuador has declared a yellow alert (moderate risk) in areas near the Cotopaxi volcano amid increasing seismic activity.

At least 5 killed, 23 injured in clash among rival gangs at Ecuador prison

At least five inmates were killed and another 23 people were injured in the latest riot to roil Ecuador's prison system, authorities said

At least 15 dead, 20 injured after clash among inmates at Ecuador prison

A clash between inmates armed with guns and knives inside the Latacunga prison in central Ecuador on Monday left at least 15 people dead and 20 injured, authorities said. Officials attributed the fighting to national and international drug trafficking groups which have turned the Andean nation's prisons into the scene of repeated massacres as the groups fight for power and drug distribution rights. Ecuador's national penitentiary service confirmed the death toll in the Latacunga prison, located 50 miles (80 kilometres) south of the capital of Quito. Agents are still searching the prison's pavilions for bodies. Videos in which gunfire and the screams of inmates can be heard were posted on social media. Some 316 inmates were killed inside Ecuador's prisons last year, according to the penitentiary service. So far this year there have been 90 deaths. The worst massacre took place in September of last year in the Litoral Penitentiary in Guayaquil, where 125 prisoners were killed. Ecua

FIFA World Cup 2022 to kick off on Nov 20 with Qatar vs Ecuador match

The FIFA World Cup 2022 will commence from November 20 as host country Qatar will play Ecuador, the opener match of the event

With three new cases, Ecuador's monkeypox virus tally rises to 10, one dead

One person died on Monday as a result of his pre-existing ailments

Ecuadoran president declares state of emergency in 4 provinces amid protest

Ecuadoran President Guillermo Lasso declared a 30-day state of emergency in four provinces of Azuay, Imbabura, Sucumbios and Orellana, citing an escalation of violence in the indigenous protest

Ecuador could halt oil production in 48 hrs due to indigenous protests

Ecuador could suspend oil production in 48 hours if the nationwide indigenous protests and road blockades continue, the Ministry of Energy and Mines said

Ecuador's government lifts state of emergency in 6 provinces amid protests

Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso lifted a state of emergency he'd imposed in six provinces amid an Indigenous-led strike

Ecuador confirms 19 more cases of new coronavirus variant Omicron

Ecuador has confirmed 19 more cases of the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus, bringing its total number of cases to 22, the Ministry of Public Health said Tuesday.All 19 cases were detected in the southwest coastal province of Guayas, the ministry said in a statement.Those infected with this variant of coronavirus, originally identified in South Africa, were in contact with a case detected last week in Guayas' capital Guayaquil, according to the ministry.All the people have mild symptoms and were isolated, since they were identified as contacts of the case, the ministry said, adding "an epidemiological fence has been established through their contacts and the contacts of the contacts."The case was confirmed by health authorities on Dec. 17 in Guayaquil, involving a 48-year-old woman who was infected at a social gathering.Ecuador's first case was confirmed on Dec. 14 and involves an Ecuadorian engineer who arrived in the country from South Africa.

At least 18 dead, 25 others injured in bus accident in southern Ecuador

At least 18 people were killed and 25 others injured in a passenger bus accident in the Sucua canton of the Amazonian province of Morona Santiago in southern Ecuador

Battle among Ecuador prison gangs kills at least 68 inmates: Report

The killing erupted before dawn at the prison in the coastal city of Guayaquil

Ecuador declares prison emergency after 116 killed in riot

Ecuador's president has declared a state of emergency in the prison system following a battle among gang members in a coastal lockup that killed at least 116 people and injured 80 in what authorities say was the worst prison bloodbath ever in the country. Officials said at least five of the dead were found to have been beheaded. President Guillermo Lasso decreed a state of emergency Wednesday, which will give the government powers that include deploying police and soldiers inside prisons. The order came a day after bloodshed at the Litoral penitentiary in Guayaquil that officials blamed on gangs linked to international drug cartels fighting for control of the facility. Lasso, visibly moved by the carnage, said at a news conference that what had happened in the prison was bad and sad. He also said he could not guarantee that authorities had regained control of the lockup. It is regrettable that the prisons are being turned into territories for power disputes by criminal gangs, he sa