Jan 10: Around the world

Ecuador

Masked gunmen broke into a television studio in Ecuador's largest city, Guayaquil, during a live broadcast. They all have now been arrested. It so happened that a notorious gangster, who had been serving a 34-year sentence for organized crime, drug trafficking and murder, recently escaped from a Guayaquil prison. It is unclear whether the incident at the TV studio is related to his escape.

The president has now declared a state of "internal armed conflict," and granted the military authority to "neutralize" designated terrorist gangs. He was elected in October to fight rampant drug-related crime and violence in the country. The Ecuadorian crisis raises concerns about regional stability, prompting neighboring Peru to deploy additional police along its border.

France

In a bid to revitalize his second term, French President Macron has appointed a youthful prodigy, Gabriel Attal, as France's youngest-ever PM. The 34-year-old Education Minister, dubbed "baby Macron" also makes history as the nation's first openly gay leader.

Rome

Earlier this week, Pope Francis called for a global ban on surrogacy, asserting that it exploits the women involved in carrying these pregnancies. He emphasized that surrogacy transforms a child into a commodity, likening it to trafficking. He said that a child should always be seen as a gift and not as part of a commercial agreement.

Notably, in certain nations such as Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, Canada, Brazil, and Colombia, "altruistic" surrogacy—where a woman gives birth to a baby on behalf of another person or couple without financial transactions except for necessary expenses—is legally allowed. And, some states in the US permit commercial surrogacy.

3 truths and 1 lie

• Authorities in Bihar have dismantled a fraudulent operation known as "All India Pregnant Job Service." All the victims had to do was pay a registration fee, then choose a woman and pay a deposit (the amount was higher for attractive women). They were promised Rs. 13 lakh for successful impregnation and Rs. 5 lakh as a consolation fee in case of failure.
• For 30 years, an 85-year-old woman named Saraswati Devi has been silent. But on January 22, her voice will return. She made a vow in 1992 after the Babri Masjid fell in Ayodhya, promising to stay silent until a grand Ram temple stood in its place. A mother of 8, she communicates with her family using sign language.
• Donald Trump said he knows that the US economy would "crash" this year. He said the US economy is "running off the fumes of what we did." He made these remarks during an interview.
• A US woman got back at her cheating ex-boyfriend by reporting him to the IRS for alleged unpaid taxes. She claims this move wasn't just about emotional retaliation, but also financial gain. The IRS Whistleblower Program rewards individuals who report tax evasion.
• Third is a partial lie. Trump, in fact, predicted it would crash, and hoped it would happen within the next 12 months, before he would potentially take office again.

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