
-
Rihanna reveals third pregnancy on Met Gala night
-
Trump orders curb on virus research he blames for Covid pandemic
-
'Makes no sense': Hollywood shocked by Trump's film tariffs announcement
-
First day of jury selection wraps in Sean Combs sex crimes trial
-
Dominican Republic reports sharp rise in Haitian migrant deportations
-
Mennonite communities raise hackles in Peruvian Amazon
-
Dominican Republican reports sharp rise in Haitian migrant deportations
-
Stars shine at Met Gala, showcasing Black dandyism
-
Ireland captain Doris doubtful for Lions tour due to shoulder injury
-
Pentagon chief orders 20% cut in number of top officers
-
'New superstar' Zhao's world title heralds Chinese snooker revolution
-
OpenAI abandons plan to become for-profit company
-
Ford sees $1.5 bn tariff hit this year, suspends 2025 forecast
-
Snooker star Zhao: from ban to Chinese sporting history
-
Zhao makes history as China's first World Snooker champion
-
Brazilian ritual root gets second life as potential anti-depressant
-
Israel says 'most' Gazans to be displaced in expanded operation
-
Israel strikes Yemen after Huthi attack on Ben Gurion airport
-
'It's time': Popovich passes Spurs torch to Johnson
-
Cummins heroics in vain as rain forces Hyderabad out of IPL playoff race
-
Huthis say US, Israel bomb Yemen after strike on Israeli airport
-
Lewandowski on bench for Barca's showdown with Inter, says coach Flick
-
Pricing birdsong: EU mulls nature credits to help biodiversity
-
Scholz vows continued German support in last call with Zelensky
-
UK kicks off party to mark 80 years since end of WWII
-
Global film industry reels from Trump tariff announcement
-
Cardinals assemble to elect pope and set course for church
-
Meta content moderator cuts over 2,000 jobs in Spain: union
-
Pakistan conducts second missile test, India readies civil defence drills
-
Pro-EU or pro-Trump? Romania faces decisive choice in vote
-
Nazi surrender site sets the scene for Wim Wenders short film
-
French court backs Olympics choreographer in cyberbullying case
-
Romania run-off pits pro-Trump nationalist against centrist mayor
-
South Africa's Rabada back in IPL after serving drug ban
-
Pride and excitement as UK crowds celebrate 80 years since WWII's end
-
Ex-French interior minister Darmanin apologises for 2022 Champions League fiasco
-
Zhao on brink of becoming China's first World Snooker champion
-
Stars come out for Met Gala, showcasing Black dandyism
-
Jury selection begins in Sean 'Diddy' Combs sex crimes trial
-
Martinez rushing to be ready for Barca showdown, says Inter's Inzaghi
-
Warren Buffett to remain as Berkshire Hathaway board chair
-
UK royals lead celebrations to mark 80 years since WWII end
-
Top Spanish court drops tax complaint against ex-king Juan Carlos
-
Who are the Middle East's Druze religious community?
-
Russian reporter critical of Ukraine war escapes to France
-
France names first Concorde jet a historical monument
-
France, EU take aim at Trump's assault on science, seek to lure US researchers
-
Catholic Church's direction in the balance as vote conclave looms
-
German coalition deal signed on eve of Merz govt launch
-
UK begins four days of events to honour last WWII veterans

Ecuador leader to visit Biden, seek help fighting cartels
Ecuadoran President Guillermo Lasso will meet with President Joe Biden at the White House Monday to discuss security and other issues -- delicately trying to balance his nation's deep interests with both the United States and China.
Lasso arrives in Washington with a list of priorities. At the top is securing help in battling drug cartels that have waged open warfare in Ecuador's streets and prisons.
Drug-related violence prompted Lasso to declare a state of emergency in November in parts of Ecuador, which is sandwiched between Colombia and Peru, the world's largest producers of cocaine.
John Kirby, the spokesman for the US National Security Council, said Friday that the two presidents, who last met in June at the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, will discuss ways to boost cooperation in the battle against drugs.
- Balancing act -
Trade will be another prime topic. The two leaders will discuss regional economic initiatives, including the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity (APEP), aimed at mobilizing investment, promoting clean energy and strengthening supply chains, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday.
Like other Latin American countries, Ecuador seeks to avoid the global rivalry between the United States and China by remaining on good terms with Washington while benefiting from Beijing's open wallet.
Ecuador's first conservative president in 14 years is looking forward to concluding a free-trade pact with China after nearly 10 months of negotiations.
- Setting an example -
Biden is expected to focus on the immigration crisis at the US border with Mexico, where US agents intercepted more than 2.2 million migrants in the year that ended September 30, according to the US Customs and Border Protection office.
Ecuadorans constitute a relatively small share of the migrants. Still, their numbers have grown sharply this year, from 600 in January to 5,000 in September, according to official data.
Quito has set a good example on migration, Kirby said, noting it had regularized Venezuelan migrants and refugees living in Ecuador.
He also applauded Lasso for condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, another issue for the White House talks.
The two leaders will also explore opportunities for collaboration once Ecuador assumes a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council starting January 1.
Days before Lasso's visit, Ecuador got some good news from Washington.
The International Monetary Fund approved the immediate disbursement of $700 million after completing a final review of a fund facility for Ecuador aimed at supporting its recovery from the pandemic, ensuring fiscal stability and expanding protections for vulnerable people.
And the US Congress passed a bipartisan bill for the 2023 fiscal year that aims to help strengthen democratic institutions, foster more inclusive growth, and support environmental initiatives and the fight against corruption, crime and "malign foreign influence."
Robert Menendez, chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has said Ecuador has become a "model" for the region.
But at home, Lasso has been navigating troubled waters, marked by anti-government demonstrations led by the powerful Indigenous movement known as Conaie, which played a role in uprisings that brought down three presidents between 1997 and 2005.
Lasso and Conaie have put aside their differences for now, but for how long remains unclear.
F.Pedersen--AMWN