Soldiers patrol streets in Ecuador as government and cartels declare war on each other
CBSN
Hundreds of soldiers patrolled near-deserted streets in Ecuador's capital Wednesday after the government and drug mafias declared war on each other, leaving residents gripped with fear.
The small South American country has been plunged into crisis after years of growing control by transnational cartels who use its ports to ship cocaine to the U.S. and Europe.
President Daniel Noboa, 36, gave orders on Tuesday to "neutralize" criminal gangs after gunmen stormed and opened fire in a TV studio and bandits threatened random executions of civilians and security forces. Less than two months after taking office, he declared the country in a state of "internal armed conflict."
Run 3 Space | Play Space Running Game
Traffic Jam 3D | Online Racing Game
Duck Hunt | Play Old Classic Game
The United States is halting some weapons shipments to Ukraine amid its war with Russia, the White House confirmed Tuesday.
Barcelona recorded its hottest June in more than a century, the summit of Paris' iconic Eiffel Tower was closed to visitors and hundreds of French schools closed on Tuesday as Europe sizzled in its first major heat wave of the summer.
Israel's military said Tuesday that it had expanded its operations in Gaza, where residents reported fierce gunfire and shelling days ahead of a planned trip to Washington by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.