The Sangay volcano continued to produce large explosions on Sunday, sending ash and gas clouds 4,000 meters into the atmosphere. The Geophysical Institute reported Sunday night that “significant amounts of volcanic ash” were falling in Alausí, Cebadas, Palmira,...
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State of emergency declared following Guayaquil explosion that killed at least five and injured 26
President Guillermo Lasso issued a state of emergency declaration for Guayaquil Sunday following a massive explosion that left at least five people dead, 26 injured and several others missing. Calling the attack "an act of terrorism committed by criminal gangs," the...
Guayaquil flights canceled and rerouted as Sangay volcano ash clouds drift toward the coast
At least a dozen Guayaquil airport arrivals and departures were cancelled or rerouted Saturday as a result of ashfall from the Sangay volcano. An international flight from Santiago, Chile was rerouted to Cuenca while one from Miami landed in Quito. At least 11 Quito...
Lasso confirms he will veto Assembly communication law he claims is a ‘return to Correismo’
President Guillermo Lasso announced Thursday he will totally veto changes to the communication law proposed by the National Assembly. A total veto means the legislation cannot be reconsidered for at least a year. Lasso announced his decision, which was expected,...
Parque Calderón is heart and soul of Cuenca: Through the years it has hosted executions, revolutions, cat roastings, concerts, fireworks and creative loafing
By David Morrill and Deke Castleman A statue of Garaicoa Abdón Calderón marks the heart of Parque Calderón, which marks the heart of El Centro, which, in turn, marks the heart of Cuenca. To get your bearings in Cuenca, this is where you start. Abdón Calderón was born...
Air travel rebounds from the pandemic
The number of national and international air passengers arriving at Ecuador’s airports is showing a strong recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the National Civil Aviation agency, the number of passengers through the first six months of 2022 was 78% the...
Henry Ford’s folly: Carved out of the Brazilian jungle, Fordlandia was automaker’s biggest failure
By Ellis Barber In the late 1920s, the Ford Motor Company bought up millions of acres of land in Brazil. They loaded boats with machinery and supplies, and shipped them deep into the Amazon rainforest. Workers cut down trees and cleared the land and then they built a...
Inflation soars in Argentina despite price and wage freeze and efforts of a ‘super minister’
Argentina's inflation rate is soaring amid a severe economic and financial crisis. Consumer prices climbed 71% in July year-on-year, the country's statistical office Indec said on Thursday. In July alone, prices increased by 7.4% compared to the previous month as peso...
Want to be an expat but can’t bring yourself to leave your home country behind entirely?
By Martin Simmons As someone who has spent five or six months a year in Cuenca since 2003, I always appreciate the fact that I’m able to see the city with fresh eyes every time I return. For me, it’s like viewing a series of snapshots, taken in chronological order. It...
Possible World Cup schedule change could see Ecuador playing host Qatar in the opening match
By Tariq Panja Qatar has had 12 years to plan for the World Cup. Now, with the first games of the tournament just over 100 days away and the intricate match schedule announced months ago, organizers have requested changes that would make the event start a day earlier...
Government-indigenous talks suspended over price control impasse; Judge who ordered Glas’ release is arrested; Covid cases drop ahead of holiday weekend
Negotiations between the government and indigenous groups were suspended Wednesday as the two sides were unable to agree on price controls. The Catholic Episcopal Conference, which is moderating the talks, asked the two sides to reconsider their positions. “At this...
How to conduct a ‘mental reset’ to achieve a higher state of consciousness
By Deepak Chopra and David Frawley There has never been a better time to reach a state of higher consciousness than now. On the surface this seems like a paradox. Modern secular society is far removed from the pursuit of higher consciousness, whether we call it...
Ecuador celebrates ‘First cry for independence’ with a a three-day weekend but what was the ‘first cry?’
Editor's note: Although the anniversary of Ecuador's 'first cry for independence' was August 10, it will be celebrated in most of the country on Friday, August 12, as part of a three-day weekend. By Robert Bradley Officially, yesterday was the 213th anniversary of...
Jorge Glas remains in prison as judge’s authority is questioned; Rapid Covid-19 tests will be free; Drug money influencing officials, ex-ambassador says
Former vice president Jorge Glas remains in prison while the legality of a judge’s order for his release is questioned by the National Judicial Council. At the time Judge Banny Molina issued the habeas corpus for Glas and Daniel Salcedo, Molina was facing charges for...
Barrio residents block the demolition of a community center, say they were not consulted by the city
Residents of the El Cebollar / Mutualista Azuay neighborhood are blaming Mayor Pedro Palacios for the partial demolition of a community education center. Heavy equipment began knocking down walls of the center before daylight Tuesday but were stopped by angry...
The strange habits of Einstein and other geniuses: Long walks, recycled cigarette butts and toe squishes
By Zaria Gorvett Celebrated inventor and physicist Nikola Tesla swore by toe exercises – every night, he’d repeatedly ‘squish’ his toes, 100 times for each foot, according to the author Marc J. Seifer. While it’s not entirely clear exactly what that exercise involved,...
Supporters wait for Glas’ release as controversy swirls around judge who granted the habeas corpus
Although release orders for former vice president Jorge Glas and another inmate have been delivered to the prison administration at the Unit 4 of the Quito Penitentiary, there was no indication Tuesday afternoon when or if the release would occur. At 3:30, Glas’...
Gov’t will appeal new habeas corpus for Glas; Sangay volcano ashfall reported; Warning of increased illegal mining; 94% of vehicles use subsidized fuels
President Guillermo Lasso said Monday night that the government will appeal a new habeas corpus ruling in favor of former vice president Jorge Glas, adding that Glas should remain in prison during the appeal. The habeas corpus was issued by Judge Banny Rubén Molina of...
Scientific misinformation spread by ‘trusted sources’ reduces the credibility for all science
By Cameron English The world has a misinformation problem. “Inaccurate information spreads widely and at speed,” the World Health Organization warns, “making it more difficult for the public to identify verified facts and advice from trusted sources.” But the problem...
Quito bioengineer brings 400-year-old Ecuadorian monastery beer back to life
Inside an old oak barrel, Ecuadorian bioengineer Javier Carvajal found a lucky mushroom: a 400-year-old yeast sample that he has since resurrected and used to reproduce what is believed to be the oldest beer in Latin America. This single-celled microorganism, taken...