Saca admitted to diverting more than $300 million in public funds during his 2004-2009 presidency.

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Former Salvadoran President Elias Antonio Saca was released on Thursday after completing a 10-year prison sentence for embezzlement and money laundering involving more than $300 million in public funds.

RELATED: Bukele Says El Salvador Could Dismantle Haiti’s Gangs

The 61-year-old former president appeared in court to formally register his release after serving his sentence in full, without early-release benefits, his lawyer, Mario Machado, said.

Saca was sentenced in September 2018 to five years for embezzlement and another five for money laundering. Under a plea agreement, he admitted to diverting and laundering more than $300 million during his 2004-2009 administration, avoiding a potential 30-year prison sentence.

He was arrested in 2016 during his son’s wedding. Prosecutors accused him of siphoning money from the state budget for himself and others, including more than $7 million transferred to his former political party, the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA).

¡El ex presidente de El Salvador, Elías Antonio Saca, recupera su libertad tras 10 años en prisión! 🌟 https://t.co/3kuzLOrsGl pic.twitter.com/ML3B51eew2

— Diario La Tribuna (@LaTribunahn) October 30, 2026

Text Reads: Former El Salvador president Elías Antonio Saca regains his freedom after 10 years in prison! 🌟

During the trial, Saca acknowledged exploiting weaknesses in government oversight to transfer public funds to private accounts. He also disclosed that he had issued regulations allowing him to classify information about financial transactions as state secrets, shielding the transfers from scrutiny.

According to his testimony, the money was transferred over the course of his five-year presidency into 13 private bank accounts belonging to his former private secretary, Elmer Charlaix, and two other presidential staff members.

In 2019, Saca was convicted in a separate bribery case after offering $10,000 to a court employee in exchange for information about proceedings against him. A judge ruled that the additional sentence would be incorporated into his existing 10-year term.

He was also ordered to repay $260 million to the state. In another case involving the diversion of funds from Taiwan, he was sentenced to pay an additional $6 million. It remains unclear whether he has fulfilled that obligation.

Saca, a businessman and radio broadcaster who served as president under ARENA, is one of four former Salvadoran presidents to have faced corruption charges. His successor, Mauricio Funes, fled to Nicaragua in September 2016 and died there in 2025.

More than 2,000 Salvadoran troops have been deployed to Haiti after an ambush left four military personnel missing.

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El Salvador has deployed more than 2,000 military personnel to Haiti in a mission to recover four soldiers missing since an ambush near Port-au-Prince, with President Nayib Bukele saying the operation could also be used to dismantle the country’s armed gangs.

RELATED: Haiti: Anti-Gang Force Confirms Finding Remains, Bukele Denies Those to Be Salvadoran Missing Military

“If we defeated the gangs here in El Salvador, we can defeat them there,” Bukele told reporters Thursday during an official visit by Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori. He said, however, that El Salvador would withdraw the same day if the four missing military aviation technicians were returned alive.

The Salvadoran Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that the deployment involved more than 2,000 members of the country’s armed forces and was part of a large-scale operation backed by several countries and international organizations.

Pèp ayisyen,

Nou prèske fin deplwaye sòlda nou yo ak ekipman nou yo sou tè Ayiti. Sa a se pa yon operasyon kont pèp ayisyen an, ni yon envazyon peyi Ayiti. Nou pa yon gwo pisans. Nou pa gen okenn enterè ni pou nou vin domine pèp ayisyen an, ni pou nou mete men sou richès Ayiti.… pic.twitter.com/AZ1XvdeJje

— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) October 29, 2026

Text Reads: Haitian people, We have nearly finished deploying our soldiers and equipment on Haitian soil. This is not an operation against the Haitian people, nor an invasion of the country of Haiti. We are not a great power. We have no interest in coming to dominate the Haitian people, nor in laying hands on Haiti’s wealth. We are a modest country that is developing. The only thing we want is for our four aviation technicians to return home. And we’re giving the gangs a lesson—these gangs that make the Haitian people suffer, that kill people the population loves, that prevent them from living a normal, free life, without fear. It’s almost just us footing the bill for this operation. Even though we receive a bit of logistical help from a few other countries, it’s with our own modest funds that we’re covering 90% of the expenses. It costs us dearly, but we’ve learned from our own suffering: justice and peace have no price. We went through the same suffering that Haiti is going through today. We lived through a nightmare that was even more horrific than what the Haitian people are enduring right now. We know what that means: living in fear, not trusting politicians, not believing anyone who promises to help you. Because no one came to help us, and those who did come didn’t have good intentions in their hearts. But we managed to escape it. After 200 years of suffering, finally we’re living in peace, and today we are the safest country on the continent. We didn’t come to Haiti to make money, because no one is paying us to do it. We came to Haiti to fight against the wicked. But here’s what I’m asking of you: trust us, pray to the one true God, and ask Him to heal Haiti. “If at that time my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, where I am, I will forgive their sin, and I will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 Help us help Haiti. And when our mission is finished, we’ll return home. Perhaps the next generation of Haitians will remember us as friends who came to help one day.

Bukele rejected suggestions that the deployment amounted to an invasion, insisting that his government had no intention of occupying Haiti or asserting control over its population. In a post on X earlier Thursday, he said the mission had received authorization at both national and international levels and was focused on rescuing the missing personnel alive.

He also vowed to confront the gangs responsible for their abduction, arguing that Salvadoran forces knew how to deal with criminal organizations of this kind. Bukele described the confrontation as a battle between good and evil, saying his government stood on the side of good.

El Salvador had already been participating in the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), but its involvement in Haiti’s security crisis deepened after an ambush on Oct. 18 on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince. The attack targeted a vehicle carrying four Salvadoran military personnel, who have been missing since the incident.

The Salvadoran contingent includes special forces personnel and represents the largest deployment by a single country in Haiti since the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) ended in 2017. The UN mission operated in the country from 2004 to 2017.

Reports circulated last Saturday that human remains potentially belonging to the four missing personnel had been found. Bukele dismissed those reports.

Bukele has maintained that recovering the four personnel alive is the operation’s primary objective and said their return would prompt the immediate withdrawal of Salvadoran forces.

A three-kilometer ash plume prompted evacuations within a six-kilometer radius as officials raised the volcano’s alert level to 3.

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Philippine authorities ordered the evacuation of communities within six kilometers of Mayon volcano on Friday after a moderately explosive eruption sent an ash plume 3,000 meters above its crater, prompting warnings of further volcanic activity and possible lava flows.

RELATED: Climate Science and Emissions Cuts Face Growing Resistance Ahead of COP31

The eruption began at 11:53 a.m. local time (03:53 GMT) and lasted nearly six minutes, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). It generated a dense ash cloud that rose rapidly to 3,000 meters above the summit.

Phivolcs raised Mayon’s alert level to 3 on a five-point scale, warning that the volcano had entered a new phase of magmatic eruption and faced an increased risk of a hazardous event. The agency said lava flows could descend the volcano’s slopes in the coming days or weeks.

Following the eruption, the Albay Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council ordered local authorities to evacuate residents living within a six-kilometer radius of the crater on Friday afternoon.

The Philippines’ Mayon Volcano has erupted, sending ash plumes 3,000 metres above its summit.

Authorities have raised the alert to Level 3, signalling that the volcano has entered a new phase of eruption. pic.twitter.com/45eGH25Hf0

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) October 30, 2026

The directive, signed and shared by the provincial governor, also suspended classes at all educational levels in public and private schools across the affected area until further notice.

Police and military personnel will enforce security measures to prevent access to the danger zone, where all activities have been prohibited.

Authorities also warned residents to remain alert for possible mudflows and avalanches of volcanic material along rivers and streams flowing down the volcano. Phivolcs advised pilots to avoid flying over the summit.

The agency forecast ashfall in Daraga, Camalig and Guinobatan, as well as other communities in Albay province, in the southeastern part of Luzon island.

Mayon is one of the Philippines’ most active volcanoes. The country lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region marked by intense seismic and volcanic activity.

The move comes amid a federal dispute over election oversight and a court ruling blocking efforts to set aside more than 20,000 mail-in ballots.

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday that he would deploy election lawyers and observers across the state to protect voters’ rights, escalating a confrontation with President Donald Trump’s administration over federal involvement in polling places ahead of the elections.

RELATED: More Than 26.6 Million Have Voted Early in U.S. Midterms

The legal teams will be sent to key districts with closely contested races, Newsom said, warning against unauthorized interference in the electoral process.

“A warning to Donald Trump: I’m deploying election lawyers to key battleground districts in California to protect every vote. And I just made it a FELONY to illegally seize ballots,” the Democratic governor wrote on social media platform X.

Newsom also approved legislation making the unlawful seizure of election ballots a felony, establishing criminal penalties for unauthorized interference with ballots.

A warning to Donald Trump:

I’m deploying election lawyers to key battleground districts in California to protect every vote.

And I just made it a FELONY to illegally seize ballots.

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) October 29, 2026

The measures follow the Trump administration’s announcement that it would deploy federal agents to polling places to prevent potential electoral irregularities. Trump has repeatedly accused California of failing to address alleged voter fraud.

Speaking Wednesday night on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Newsom criticized the administration’s approach, accusing the White House of trying to suppress votes and create grounds to challenge the election results.

He argued that the administration was seeking to create conditions that could later be used to question the outcome and allege fraud.

The dispute has also reached the courts. On Wednesday, a federal judge rejected a Justice Department request to set aside more than 20,000 mail-in ballots cast in California while authorities verified voters’ citizenship.

The judge warned that withholding the ballots would cause widespread disruption and interfere with an electoral process already underway.

California officials had also questioned the reliability of the voter list submitted by the federal government and rejected its request to verify voters’ citizenship before ballots were counted.

The Justice Department confirmed it would appeal the ruling, setting the stage for further legal disputes between federal and state authorities before the election process concludes.

Unions and left-wing groups plan further demonstrations in November, calling for the release of opposition figure Luisa González.

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Nearly 100 people marched through Ecuador’s capital, Quito, on Thursday to protest President Daniel Noboa’s government, launching a new wave of demonstrations ahead of local elections scheduled for Nov. 29.

RELATED: Ecuador Readies Snap Regional Elections Amid Opposition Exclusion Accusations

Organized by the country’s main trade unions and left-wing political parties, the peaceful march moved through the historic center before reaching the attorney general’s office. Protesters gathered outside the building carrying banners demanding the release of Luisa González, a former presidential candidate and one of the leading opposition figures.

González, who belongs to the political movement associated with former President Rafael Correa, was placed in pretrial detention in a case involving alleged money laundering. Prosecutors accuse her of involvement in the irregular financing of her first presidential campaign in 2023.

Chanting “Out, Noboa, out,” demonstrators also called for improvements to public education and healthcare. Some participants urged voters to cast null ballots in the upcoming local elections.

Natasha Rojas, a politician and activist, described the mobilization as a defense of democracy, civil liberties and the rights of Ecuadorians. She argued that the government was losing public support and warned that its policies would fuel further protests.

Nelson Erazo, president of the Popular Front, accused state institutions, including the attorney general’s office and the comptroller’s office, of being used to target social activists and political leaders.

He said the demonstration brought together groups seeking political change and demanding that Ecuadorians be able to express themselves freely, with guarantees of access to education, healthcare and employment.

Opposition organizations have announced further demonstrations on Nov. 7 and 15, followed by a march alongside feminist groups on Nov. 25 to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Another mobilization is planned for Dec. 10, in coordination with international organizations, to defend human rights.

The destruction of schools, universities and cultural institutions threatens Palestinian education, historical memory and future generations.

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United Nations experts have warned that the systematic destruction of Gaza’s education system and the killing of Palestinian journalists are undermining Palestinian society’s ability to educate future generations, preserve its history and document events in the occupied territories.

RELATED: Israel Kills Four Palestinians in Gaza Despite Ceasefire

Speaking Thursday at a briefing organized by the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People at the organization’s headquarters in New York, the experts condemned the destruction of educational institutions and the growing restrictions on press freedom across the occupied Palestinian territories.

Farida Shaheed, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to education, described the devastation in Gaza as “scholasticide,” defined as the systematic and deliberate destruction of education. She reported that 98% of schools and all 13 universities in the territory had been destroyed.

The damage extends far beyond educational facilities. According to the experts, 13 libraries, 195 heritage sites, 227 mosques, at least three churches and Gaza’s central archives have also been destroyed. The archives held 150 years of collective memory, representing a significant loss of Palestinian historical records.

Gaza’s children are losing more than classrooms and textbooks. Three years of Israel’s genocide have disrupted their education, killed teachers and classmates, and left many struggling with hunger, trauma and the basic skills they need to learn.https://t.co/Fz7cmDzbzB

— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) October 25, 2026

The consequences for education are also evident in the occupied West Bank. Shaheed reported that 10 of the 48 schools in East Jerusalem were demolished in September. She also cited 224 security incidents during the first half of the year that affected 152 schools and 20,450 students.

The experts also raised alarm over the killing of Palestinian journalists and media workers, warning that the loss of those documenting events in Gaza has compounded the restrictions on freedom of expression.

Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, recalled that nearly 300 journalists and media workers had been killed in Gaza since October 2023, making the territory an increasingly deadly place for members of the press.

The most immoral army
will continue to slaughter innocent people

No matter which fugitive or potential war criminal leads Apartheid Israel.

They will.
Until or Unless WE THE PEOLE force it to stop.

Stop the Genocide now.
Together we can and we will. https://t.co/KoKmHMzWAw

— Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur oPt (@FranceskAlbs) October 29, 2026

Albanese warned that silencing witnesses not only allows crimes to be committed but also conceals them, allowing impunity to become part of the process.

The experts called on the international community to take immediate action by halting arms transfers, protecting journalists and sustaining humanitarian assistance through the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). They also warned that the ceasefire announced the previous year had failed to bring relief, with more than 1,500 Palestinians killed since it took effect.

The Fund outlined four priorities for turning economic stabilisation into stronger growth and job creation as it backed a new $900 million disbursement.

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Thursday urged Argentina to maintain its economic programme, warning that sustained policy implementation and stronger international reserves remain essential to reducing country risk as concerns grow over a possible technical recession.

RELATED: Billions Dollars Stolen in Historic Cryptocurrency Cyberattack

IMF spokeswoman Julie Kozack said the government should continue implementing its current policies while ensuring that the benefits of economic stabilisation translate into stronger growth and employment.

“Our best advice for Argentina to continue reducing its country risk is to continue with its strong policy implementation, that is, to keep implementing the programme as it has been doing,” Kozack told a news conference in Washington.

She stressed that accumulating net international reserves and strengthening the country’s external position were fundamental to reducing financial risks. The Fund’s broader message, she added, was to maintain the current policy direction while extending the benefits of stabilisation across the economy.

🇦🇷💸 | Ante las declaraciones directas del presidente de la nación Argentina, Javier Milei, la escalada de la crisis económica golpea con dureza a la sociedad, donde la mayoría de la población lucha diariamente contra el endeudamiento y la precariedad laboral. La realidad es que… pic.twitter.com/J4RLdc4uvQ

— teleSUR TV (@teleSURtv) October 22, 2026

Text Reads: | In light of the direct statements from Javier Milei, president of the Argentine nation, the escalation of the economic crisis is hitting society hard, where the majority of the population struggles daily against debt and job precariousness. The reality is that surveys reveal that nearly 6 out of 10 Argentine citizens have had to go into debt to survive amid the drastic drop in purchasing power. At the same time, the lack of employment and the loss of social rights worsen a landscape that deeply affects the quality of life of families, especially the youth. Popular discontent is growing in the face of official responses that seem to ignore the urgency of the crisis, forcing us to understand “The Other Side of the Coin”.

Addressing questions about the possibility of Argentina recording two consecutive quarters of economic contraction, Kozack outlined four priorities agreed upon with the government to support growth and job creation.

These include deepening capital and mortgage markets to expand access to financing, introducing greater flexibility in the labour market to encourage private-sector employment, advancing infrastructure projects awarded through concession agreements, and facilitating strategic investment through the Incentive Regime for Large Investments (RIGI).

Projects approved under the investment incentive scheme already exceed $76 billion, according to the IMF.

The Fund’s latest assessment comes as its staff and Argentine authorities reached an agreement on Tuesday on the third review of the country’s Extended Fund Facility programme, potentially unlocking a disbursement of approximately $900 million.

Kozack said the IMF Executive Board could consider the review in early December.

The Fund said the programme had continued to deliver results despite a more challenging international environment. Net international reserves exceeded the June target by approximately $4 billion, while the Central Bank purchased nearly $16 billion in foreign currency during the year.

The Treasury also raised more than $5 billion in domestic markets. With support from official creditors, the government secured $3.2 billion in guaranteed financing from international banks and was working to obtain an additional $1 billion before the end of the year.

The agreement maintains Argentina’s target of a primary fiscal surplus equivalent to 1.4% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2026, with a similar fiscal effort planned for 2027. It also preserves the existing exchange rate band system.

However, the economic outlook remains weaker than previously expected. In October, the IMF lowered its 2026 growth forecast for Argentina from 3.5% to 2.1%, underscoring the challenge of turning stabilisation gains into sustained economic expansion.