International
EU mission meets with Venezuela defense minister, supreme court
AFP
European Union election experts met on Wednesday with Venezuela’s defense minister and Supreme Court president, at a time when the opposition is demanding the release of a top leader accused of terrorism and treason.
The EU representatives arrived in Venezuela a week ago to study the possibility of sending a mission to observe mayoral and gubernatorial elections in November, following an invitation from President Nicolas Maduro.
“Enjoyable meeting with the European Union’s Electoral Exploratory Mission, on the eve of the next mega-elections that will take place in Venezuela,” Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino tweeted.
“We reiterated our democratic calling and the fundamental role the (armed forces) play in guaranteeing peace.”
Venezuela’s armed forces are the main authority backing Maduro’s continued hold on power, despite pressure from the opposition and international sanctions.
Earlier, the EU delegation met with the Supreme Court leadership.
“Our goal is peace and respect for the will of the people,” said court president Maikel Moreno in a statement released by the body, which is dominated by Maduro loyalists.
The EU has not responded to AFP requests for comment on the meetings.
It is not known whether the arrest on Monday of opposition figure Freddy Guevara, part of an opposition group that met with the EU delegation last week, was discussed.
Guevara, a 35-year-old former student leader, posted on social media from inside his car as he was being intercepted by intelligence agents on a Caracas highway.
He is a close ally of opposition leader Juan Guaido, recognized by the United States and several other nations as Venezuela’s leader.
Guevara’s arrest came despite plans for the opposition to sit down with the government for stalled peace talks to end the country’s political crisis.
Maduro said on Monday those talks, to be held in Mexico, would only go ahead if international sanctions are lifted and he is protected from any plots to oust him.
Most European and Latin American nations, along with the United States, consider Maduro to be illegitimate after wide reports of irregularities in his 2018 election.
The EU deems 2015 legislative elections, in which the opposition took control of the legislature, to be the last “free expression by Venezuelans in an electoral process.”
The opposition lost control of the assembly last year after boycotting an election it said would be neither free nor fair.
International
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.
All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.
The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.
The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.
“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
International
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.
“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.
Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.
According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.
International
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.
The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.
Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.
Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.
The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.
Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.
Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.
In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.
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