- Stocks shrug off China disappointment but oil slides
- New Zealand 4-0 up in America's Cup but British show signs of life
- Russian prosecutor demands 3 years prison for French researcher
- 'Innocent' British nerve agent victim caught in global murder plot: inquiry
- Afghan Taliban vow to implement media ban on images of living things
- Russian prosecutor demands 3 years, 3 months jail for French researcher
- England ready for Pakistan's spin assault in second Test
- New Zealand's Ravindra excited for India Tests with father in crowd
- India's capital bans fireworks to curb air pollution
- Stocks diverge, oil retreats as China disappoints markets
- FIFA to open 'global dialogue' on transfer system after Diarra ruling
- Trio wins economics Nobel for work on wealth inequality
- Starmer vows to cut red tape as he urges foreign investors to 'back' UK
- Ex-Stasi officer jailed over 1974 Berlin border killing
- 'Not viable': Barcelona turns against surging tourism
- Hezbollah says targeted Israeli naval base after deadly drone strike
- Rice praises 'unbelievable' England interim boss Carsley despite uncertainty
- Nepali teenager hailed as hero after climbing world's 8,000m peaks
- England captain Stokes back from injury for second Pakistan Test
- Shanghai stocks gain after stimulus briefing as markets rally
- Shanghai stocks gain after stimulus briefing as Asian markets rally
- South Korea military says 'fully ready' as drone flights anger North
- Pakistan 'vigilantes' behind rise in online blasphemy cases
- Nearly 90, but opera legend Kabaivanska is still calling tune
- Smith experiment as Test opener over, Green out of India series
- With inflation down, ECB eyes faster tempo of rate cuts
- Is life possible on a Jupiter moon? NASA goes to investigate
- Dodgers crush Mets 9-0 in MLB playoff series opener
- South Korea military says 'fully ready' as drone tensions soar
- Cummins back, Marsh and Head out of Pakistan ODI series
- Shanghai stocks swing after stimulus briefing as most of Asia rises
- New Zealand's Latham promises 'no fear' as he takes charge for India Tests
- Kyrgios vows to 'shut up' doubters with December comeback
- Public hearings start into death of Brit by Russian nerve agent
- Ex-Stasi officer faces verdict over 1974 Berlin border killing
- Role of government, poverty research tipped for economics Nobel
- 'Stolen satire' feeds US election misinformation
- Rookie McCarty captures first PGA Tour title in Black Desert Championship
- Australia all-rounder Green ruled out of India Test series
- Seeing double in Nigeria's 'twins capital of the world'
- UK FM to attend EU foreign affairs talks for first time in 2 years
- Carter, Billups among 13 new Basketball Hall of Fame inductees
- Ravens rip Commanders as Lions lose NFL sacks leader in win
- Hezbollah drone strike kills four, wounds dozens at Israeli base
- China says launches military drills around Taiwan
- Stewart leads Liberty past Lynx to level WNBA Finals
- England return to winning ways in Nations League, Austria thrash Norway
- UN chief says attacks on UNIFIL 'may constitute a war crime'
- Ravens outlast Commanders while Bucs batter Saints in NFL
- Dozens hurt in Israel as Hezbollah claims drone strike
Ecuador police requisition cultural center under state of emergency
Ecuadoran police requisitioned an Indigenous cultural center in Quito on Sunday to use as a base for monitoring anti-government protests by Indigenous people, the institution said.
"The national police notified (us of) the requisition of the place, under the state of emergency," the House of Ecuadorian Culture said.
President Guillermo Lasso declared a state of emergency on Friday in three provinces, including the capital Quito, in a bid to end the sometimes violent demonstrations.
The state of emergency empowers Lasso to mobilize the armed forces to maintain order, suspend civil rights and declare curfews.
The powerful Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie), which has been credited with helping topple three presidents between 1997 and 2005, called the protests to demand cheaper fuel and food price controls.
The Indigenous community represents more than one million of Ecuador's 17.7 million inhabitants, and their protest has been joined by students, workers and others.
The demonstrations have blocked roads across the country, including highways leading into Quito.
Oil producer Ecuador has been hit by rising inflation, unemployment and poverty exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.
Fuel prices have risen sharply since 2020, almost doubling for diesel from $1 to $1.90 per gallon and rising from $1.75 to $2.55 for petrol.
The requisition of the House of Ecuadorian Culture -- home to theaters, cinemas, a museum and a library -- came on the eve of the arrival of more Indigenous protesters in the capital, where a seven-hour nighttime curfew is in effect.
The center sheltered thousands of Indigenous people in October 2019 during violent demonstrations against rising fuel prices that left 11 dead and more than 1,000 injured.
"National police and soldiers entered" the building and "hundreds of armed elements besieged it," the Ecuadorian House of Culture said in a statement.
"Joy has died tonight, the House of Culture has fallen into the hands of police terror, we live in a dictatorship," Fernando Ceron, president of the cultural center, tweeted on Sunday.
Ceron also tweeted a copy of the police requsition order.
Talks with President Lasso have failed to end the demonstrations.
Clashes with security forces during the protests over the past week have left at least 83 people injured, and 40 have been arrested.
P.Santos--AMWN