Ecuador imposing overnight blackouts as drought saps hydroelectric power capacity
CBSN
Ecuador's government was to begin imposing nationwide nighttime blackouts Monday evening in a bid to conserve energy. The move has been forced by widespread drought conditions depriving Ecuador of vital hydroelectricity capacity.
The office of Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa announced the blackouts in a message posted on social media last week, saying there would be daily eight-hour power cuts from Monday until Thursday, lasting from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m.
The statement said the measure was due to "the worst drought in the last 61 years and in order to responsibly manage the control of our electrical system."
Warsaw, Poland — European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday pledged billions of euros in aid for Central European countries that suffered enormous damage to infrastructure and housing during the massive flooding that has so far claimed 24 lives in the region. Von der Leyen paid a quick visit to a flood-damaged area in southeast Poland and met with heads of the governments of the affected countries — Poland, Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
TEL AVIV, Israel — The recent attacks targeting Hezbollah members with exploding pagers and walkie-talkies in Lebanon may seem to be the stuff of spy novels, but the impact and implications of the complex operations blamed on Israel are very real. Lebanese officials said at least 30 people were killed and some 3,000 wounded by the explosions, and the chief of Hezbollah acknowledged Thursday that the Iran-backed militant group had taken a serious blow.
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