"Escalating Violence: Gunmen Hijack Live TV Broadcast in Ecuador"

Masked gunmen stormed into a live TV broadcast at a station in Guayaquil, Ecuador, threatening and terrifying employees before the transmission was cut. This attack followed a series of other violent incidents and police officer abductions, prompting President Daniel Noboa to declare an "internal armed conflict" and designate 20 drug trafficking gangs as terrorist groups. The violence is linked to the apparent escapes of two gang leaders from prison, exacerbating the country's existing issues with drug-related violence and gang control.