Former presidential candidate Luisa González denounced political persecution Thursday after security forces detained her in a predawn raid in Ecuador’s Manabí province, accusing the government of President Daniel Noboa of an authoritarian drift.

In her first written message since the arrest, Luisa González rejected the accusations against her and described the country’s institutional situation as “unsustainable.”

“Today it is my turn to be detained over an absurd accusation,” she wrote on X. “I will respond with the dignity of the Ecuadorian men and women who owe nothing and who are committed to achieving freedom for Ecuador and a better future for the country,” she added.

RELATED: Former Ecuadorian President Correa Denounces the Arrest of Luisa Gonzalez

The leading figure of the Citizen’s Revolution movement also warned of mistreatment and torture inflicted on political prisoners held by the current far-right government of Daniel Noboa.

Faced with what she called a repressive escalation and a socioeconomic decline marked by violence and state corruption, González issued a call for unity to social organizations and leftist movements. “To my partners of the Citizen’s Revolution and all progressive forces, I say: it is time for unity, unity and unity to achieve freedom and democracy in the country,” she said.

She thanked communities across the country for their support and insisted that the people remain determined to overcome government censorship. González closed her statement by asserting that popular silence would eventually break the authoritarian siege and restore sovereignty and full democracy to Ecuador.

A Judicial Crackdown

Luisa González was detained in the early hours of Thursday in the Canuto parish of Chone canton, Manabí province. National Police officers and state prosecutors carried out the operation under the name “Labyrinth case,” an inquiry authorities describe as targeting alleged electoral financing during the 2023 campaign.

The police deployment included simultaneous raids in Manabí and Pichincha provinces and ended with three people detained for the purpose of formal charges.

After the procedure, relatives and allies of González denounced uncertainty over her whereabouts. Officials have not clarified whether she remains in Manabí or is being transferred to Quito for a court hearing, a situation her supporters describe as a grave violation of due process guarantees.

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The arrest is part of a broader judicial offensive against the Citizen’s Revolution movement, which is currently suspended for nine months following rulings by the Electoral Contentious Tribunal that critics say were designed to block its participation in sectional elections.

That institutional push previously prevented González from registering as a candidate for the Manabí prefecture. Quito mayor Pabel Muñoz, meanwhile, faced raids on his offices in the middle of his reelection campaign.

Ecuadorian Former President Rafael Correa denounced the detention of González in a separate statement, adding his voice to the growing criticism of the operation. The predawn arrest now places one of the government’s most prominent opponents at the center of a legal battle that her movement frames as political persecution rather than a legitimate investigation.

Fan favourite Ross Kemp met his maker in the latest episode of The Celebrity Traitors

Venezuela’s National Assembly President reaffirmed sovereign control over the country’s oil revenues and reported 71 active energy agreements alongside 44 contracts under negotiation, framing the figures as evidence of a sector revival after years of financial restrictions.

The statements came amid what officials called a strategic reconfiguration of the Venezuelan hydrocarbon industry. After years of intense global financial restrictions, the gradual operational reactivation of agreements between state-owned oil company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) and international firms aims to restore a steady flow of foreign currency into the national treasury.

“No foreign agency or international financial entity administers or safeguards the public funds that enter the country from hydrocarbon sales,” National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said.

RELATED: Venezuela’s Acting President Reviews Wage Consensus With Business, Unions

Rodríguez detailed that the money enters the public treasury under the supervision of authorized national banks, and he ruled out any external trust or any management of accounts by third parties outside the country’s institutions. In this sense, he called autonomy over foreign currency “a non-negotiable principle” for the country’s macroeconomic stability.

71 agreements are currently in force, while another 44 contracts are being negotiated. For the government, that volume confirms an operational momentum geared toward diversifying investment across the country’s main extraction fields.

The National Assembly President presented this dynamism as the result of a deliberate push to reopen the sector to international capital without surrendering control. Over the past several years, sweeping financial measures limited Venezuela’s ability to sell crude, collect payments and maintain production infrastructure. The current wave of deals represents a step-by-step return to commercial activity.

Text reads: “Coordinator of the dialogue by the National Government, Jorge Rodríguez, asserted that Venezuela retains control over financial resources obtained through the marketing of oil to different countries in the world.”

Each reactivated agreement carries a single objective, officials indicated, the capture of hard currency for the public coffers. That revenue is meant to fund the productive apparatus and national infrastructure rather than remain subject to outside oversight.

By spreading investment across the country’s principal extraction zones, the government seeks to reduce dependence on any single field or partner.

Sovereign Control Defended

Reaffirming sovereign control over monetary flows stands as a central pillar of the government’s message. The leadership projected institutional stability at a moment when Washington continues to review and adjust the licenses it grants for oil operations.

Rodríguez also denounced continuous pressure and unilateral coercive measures against the country’s financial system by foreign powers. He said that, despite what he described as an economic siege, the government has consolidated alternative mechanisms to receive payments directly for oil-product exports.

Against that backdrop, the government is working to shield energy agreements legally, dismiss any suggestion of foreign tutelage and guarantee direct financing for public budgets.

Official strategy insists that autonomous management of oil income is an indispensable guarantee for preserving fiscal balance, defending the national currency and sustaining social development programs.

For the Bolivarian government, legal protection of the energy agreements goes hand in hand with financing priorities. The revenue is meant to flow directly toward the productive apparatus and public infrastructure, a framework that Rodriguez described as essential to institutional stability.

A Mercedes-Benz anunciou um investimento de cerca de meio bilhão de euros para ampliar a aplicação de inteligência artificial em todas as etapas de desenvolvimento de seus veículos.

Por meio da nova iniciativa digital, batizada de PLM.AI (Product Lifecycle Management Artificial Intelligence), a montadora alemã passa a integrar dados, aplicativos e processos de engenharia em uma arquitetura unificada de dados.

A proposta busca estruturar o fluxo digital de informações entre diferentes departamentos em tempo real. Atualmente, os agentes de inteligência artificial da empresa atuam em etapas isoladas, como a otimização de custos de materiais, processos de homologação, identificação de falhas em protótipos e desenvolvimento de sistemas de software.

Redução de testes físicos e otimização de peso

Um dos principais impactos da nova plataforma será a redução da dependência de testes físicos na fase de engenharia. Com o auxílio de simulações digitais e análise preditiva de dados, a empresa prevê cortar pela metade a necessidade de ensaios com veículos reais ao longo do processo de homologação.

A tecnologia também será aplicada para avaliar, em tempo real, os impactos de mudanças estruturais nos automóveis. Em projetos de redução de peso, por exemplo, os agentes virtuais conseguem mensurar simultaneamente os efeitos de uma alteração de peça sobre custos, padrões de segurança, componentes de hardware e viabilidade de produção em série.

Parcerias tecnológicas e governança de dados

Para a implementação da estrutura de software, a Mercedes firmou parcerias estratégicas com a Siemens e a CONTACT Software. A Siemens fornecerá ferramentas de validação digital para a criação de “gêmeos digitais” dos veículos, enquanto a CONTACT colocará à disposição a base modular necessária para conectar os sistemas de dados.

A montadora informou que manterá a propriedade total e o controle sobre os dados operacionais e de inteligência artificial. As equipes humanas de engenharia e design permanecerão como as responsáveis finais por todas as decisões de produto antes do envio para a produção em massa.

Novo Mercedes GLC 300 é capaz de detectar desgaste de peças

The United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) on Wednesday condemned the arrest warrant issued by a judge in Florida against Cuba's nonagenarian communist dictator Raúl Castro — reiterating support for their ideological mentors in the Castro regime.

The post Venezuela’s Ruling Socialists Condemn Florida for Raúl Castro Arrest Warrant appeared first on Breitbart.

A group of violent far-left rioters in Spain attempted to crash a Wednesday rally led by VOX party leader Santiago Abascal in A Coruña.

The post Watch: Spanish Far-Left Rioters Try to Crash VOX Party Rally in A Coruña, Stage Night of Chaos appeared first on Breitbart.

A influenciadora Bruna Biancardi, 32, contou aos fãs, por meio de suas redes sociais, qual de suas três gestações foi a mais difícil. Mãe de duas meninas, Mavie, 3, e Mel, 1, a paulista está à espera de sua terceira herdeira, fruto da relação com o jogador Neymar Jr., 34.

Ao abrir uma caixinha de perguntas na manhã desta quinta-feira (22) para interagir com seus seguidores, Biancardi declarou que sua primeira gestação, da qual nasceu Mavie, foi a mais complicada emocionalmente.

“Por ser a primeira gestação, sempre temos mais medo, dúvidas, inseguranças… Tudo é novidade e isso assusta. Você não sabe como vai ser, se vai dar conta… E também pelas questões pessoais que eu vivi nesse período da gravidez e puerpério, o que tornou tudo ainda mais difícil”, explicou.

Ao final, a influenciadora também aproveitou para deixar um recado para as seguidoras que pudessem estar enfrentando uma gestação complicada. 

“Vou te contar uma coisa: vai passar e vai ficar tudo bem! Eles nos dão a força que precisamos para tudo!”, finalizou.

Ao longo da conversa com os fãs, Bruna comentou sobre a animação com a possibilidade de um show inédito da dupla Sandy e Júnior, divulgou uma lista dos países que ainda sonha em conhecer e mostrou alguns cliques das filhas prontas para uma festa de Dia das Bruxas.

Além do trio de meninas, Neymar também é pai de Davi Lucca, de 14 anos, nascido de seu antigo relacionamento com Carol Dantas, e Helena, 2, fruto da breve relação com a criadora de conteúdo Amanda Kimberlly.

Anúncio da terceira gravidez de Biancardi e Neymar

Durante a temporada em que a família do jogador e da influenciadora esteve reunida nos Estados Unidos por conta da Copa do Mundo de 2026, o casal de celebridades anunciou que estava à espera da terceira filha por meio de um vídeo nas redes sociais.

Junto ao anúncio da gestação, Biancardi confirmou que eles teriam mais uma menina. Semanas depois, por meio de um post feito sem querer, Neymar deixou escapar que a nova caçula da dupla se chamará Mariah.

A previsão é que a bebê nasça em meados de dezembro deste ano. “Eu vou montar uma banda e, a partir de hoje, vai ser Spice Girls”, brincou o jogador nas redes sociais ao saber que teria mais uma menina na família.

*Sob supervisão de Fernanda Pinotti

Bruna Biancardi anuncia gravidez do 3º filho com Neymar; saiba o sexo do bebê

No dia em que completa 80 anos e num ano em que celebra, também, 65 anos de carreira, Paulo de Carvalho sobe pela primeira vez a solo ao palco do Coliseu dos Recreios, em Lisboa

No dia em que completa 80 anos e num ano em que celebra, também, 65 anos de carreira, Paulo de Carvalho sobe pela primeira vez a solo ao palco do Coliseu dos Recreios, em Lisboa

• The Billboard 200 is the definitive all-genre chart for album sales in the US.
• Only 10 artists in Billboard history have topped the chart at least 10 different times.
• The Beatles have the most No. 1 albums with 19. Taylor Swift and Drake are tied for second place.

The Billboard 200 has tracked the best-selling albums in the US for decades.

It's a major accomplishment to top the chart, especially when an artist manages the feat with multiple different albums.

Only a handful of artists have crossed into double-digit No. 1s, including modern superstars like Taylor Swift, Drake, Jay-Z, and Future. They're listed below in ascending order.

Editor's note: Although Elvis Presley is often credited with 10 No. 1 albums, a Billboard representative told Business Insider that most of his biggest releases predate the modern Billboard 200 chart, which launched in 1963.

Madonna — 10

Madonna's 2026 album "Confessions II" became her milestone 10th No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

Madonna is also the first artist with a No. 1 album in the 2020s to have already topped the chart in three other decades: twice in the 2010s ("Madame X" and "MDNA"), four times in the 2000s ("Hard Candy," "Confessions on a Dance Floor," "American Life," and "Music"), and thrice in the 1980s ("Like a Prayer," "True Blue," and "Like a Virgin").

Bruce Springsteen — 11

Bruce Springsteen's 11 chart-topping albums span over three decades, from 1980's "The River" to 2014's "High Hopes" — even though Springsteen has yet to score a No. 1 hit song on the Billboard Hot 100.

Barbra Streisand — 11

Barbra Streisand logged her first No. 1 entry on the Billboard 200 with "People" in 1964.

Fifty-one years later, she set a record for the longest span between No. 1s when "Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway," her 2016 studio album, topped the chart.

Streisand previously held the record for the most No. 1 albums among female artists until Taylor Swift broke it in 2023.

Kanye West — 11

Ye, who still releases music under the name Kanye West, topped the Billboard 200 for the first time in 2005 with "Late Registration."

He logged his 11th consecutive No. 1 album in 2024 with "Vultures 1," a collaborative effort with Ty Dolla $ign.

Eminem — 11

When it was released in 2000, Eminem's "The Marshall Mathers LP" sold over 1 million copies in its first week, easily earning a No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200.

Two decades later, "Music to Be Murdered By" debuted at No. 1, becoming Eminem's historic 10th chart-topper. He logged his 11th in 2024 with "The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)."

Future — 11

Future earned his first No. 1 album in 2015 with "DS2," which has since spent over 300 weeks on the Billboard 200.

In 2024, Future's "Mixtape Pluto" debuted atop the chart — his third No. 1 album in just six months and 11th overall.

Earlier that year, Future topped the chart with "We Don't Trust You" and "We Still Don't Trust You," collaborative efforts with Metro Boomin. The former is widely known for reigniting a feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar.

Jay-Z — 14

Jay-Z began collecting No. 1s in 1998 with his third studio album, "Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life." In 2017, he extended his total to 14 with his latest effort, "4:44."

Jay-Z is also one of the most-awarded artists in Grammy history.

Drake — 15

Since pivoting to music after starring on "Degrassi" as a teenager, Drake has racked up 15 No. 1 albums, from 2010's "Thank Me Later" to 2026's "Iceman."

Drake's grand total also includes one mixtape ("Care Package"), three collaborative albums ("What A Time To Be Alive" with Future, "Her Loss" with 21 Savage, and "$ome $exy $ongs 4 U" with PartyNextDoor), and one project mysteriously billed as a playlist ("More Life").

Taylor Swift — 15

Only one of Taylor Swift's albums hasn't topped the chart: her self-titled debut, which peaked at No. 5 in 2008.

Swift earned her first No. 1 later that same year with "Fearless," which has since been ranked the fourth-biggest album in Billboard 200 history. In the 2020s, Swift rerecorded four of her old albums and rebranded each new release as "Taylor's Version." All four of those topped the chart, too.

Most recently, 2025's "The Life of a Showgirl" launched atop the chart with the biggest sales week in history, breaking Adele's record. It became her 15th No. 1 album, extending her record for the most among women. She is tied for the most among solo artists.

Swift has also broken Elvis Presley's record for the most cumulative weeks spent at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for a solo artist.

The Beatles — 19

The Beatles hold both records for the most No. 1 songs on the Hot 100 and the most No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200. The latter group includes classics like "Revolver" (1966), "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (1967), "Abbey Road" (1969), and their post-band breakup compilation "1" (2000).

As a solo musician, Paul McCartney has topped the Billboard 200 eight more times, while John Lennon managed the feat three times before he died in 1980.

• Goldman Sachs Asset Management found 80% of Gen Zers have worked outside their primary jobs.
• People across generations said this was because they needed the money or for financial security.
• Not feeling secure can affect financial goals, like homeownership.

Having a job doesn't always mean you have enough to cover daily living or savings goals.

A July survey of Americans by Goldman Sachs Asset Management and the behavioral economics firm Escalent found over 60% of respondents have worked outside their primary roles, largely because they needed to. Twenty-seven percent of respondents said work covers their expenses, but it's tough to get ahead.

"Employment remains essential for retirement security, but for many Americans, it is no longer sufficient," a Goldman Sachs Asset Management retirement report said.

Gen Zers were most likely to say they earn or have earned money outside their primary job; millennials followed closely behind. The report said that's despite most Gen Z and millennial workers reporting their jobs provide financial stability.

"Younger workers may feel stable in their main jobs while still seeing extra work as necessary," the report said.

Throughout the generations, a majority said they're doing gig or side work out of necessity or for financial security.

"The traditional full-time job may no longer be carrying the full weight of financial security," the report said. "For many, supplementing income appears to have become part of the baseline."

Some Americans are living paycheck to paycheck or adjusting their budgets to cope with rising gas prices and other everyday expenses. It can be hard to get ahead when wage growth has been consistently falling short of inflation, and it's tough to find a new job to try to earn more money.

Not feeling financially secure can lead to putting off savings goals. Eighty-three percent of Gen Z and 78% of millennials said they put major financial goals on hold. Forty-one percent of millennials have delayed emergency savings despite being employed, and 30% said they delayed housing or homebuying goals. For Gen Zers, the shares were 35% and 34%, respectively.

While some people may be working a part-time side job, others are "overemployed" and working multiple full-time jobs. One millennial has worked five full-time remote IT jobs, earning over $700,000 annually. As Business Insider's Jacob Zinkula reported, overemployed people use their extra earnings for different reasons, such as retiring early or paying down debt.

Having multiple income streams can also be considered a "portfolio career," where people piece together different kinds of work, such as writing a newsletter, doing a side gig, and holding an office job. It can be one way to try "stability stacking" to feel more secure about your career if, for example, you were laid off and lost an income stream.

"When you decentralize everything from one 9-to-5 and build a portfolio career, you protect yourself from the emotional and financial shock if and when business needs change at your 9-to-5," said career coach Janel Abrahami in a TikTok video.

And sometimes, working a side gig can become a complete career pivot. Harlan Rappaport, in his 20s, turned his email marketing side hustle into a full-time career after working as an investment analyst at a financial institution.

"I used to get really excited about the numbers, but over the last couple of years, I realized it's more about the freedom I've had in my life over the last couple of years as a freelancer," Rappaport said in an as-told-to essay. "I don't miss family events, can travel when I want, and can work from anywhere in the world."

Greece and Egypt ​are discussing extending their Exclusive Economic ‌Zone eastwards towards Cyprus after eastern Libya’s parliament ratified a disputed maritime agreement with ​Turkey earlier this week, Greece’s ​foreign minister said. Greece, Egypt and Cyprus ⁠have long opposed the Turkey-Libya maritime ​accord, arguing that it infringes on ​their own maritime claims in the eastern Mediterranean. […]

The post Greece, Egypt discuss to extend their Exclusive Economic Zone in Med East appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.