International
Thousands protest Argentina’s debt deal with IMF
Several thousand protesters marched in Buenos Aires on Tuesday to denounce the agreement reached between the government of centre-left President Alberto Fernandez and the IMF on the repayment of a $44 billion loan.
Activists from about 200 movements and associations gathered in front of the Casa Rosada, the pink governmental palace.
The Fernandez government must “remember Argentine history: all the agreements with the IMF since 1983 have brought chaos, ended in (structural) adjustments, hyperinflation and huge social crises,” Myriam Bregman, a deputy from the Left and Workers’ Front (FIT), told AFP.
The government “must prove why it would be different” this time, she added.
On January 28, the Argentine president announced a new repayment deal with the International Monetary Fund of a $44 billion loan granted in 2018 to the government of his predecessor, Mauricio Macri.
Under the new deal, Argentina has committed to progressively reducing its fiscal deficit from three percent in 2021 to just 0.9 percent in 2024.
According to the government, the agreement will not affect social spending or economic growth.
The deal “has nothing to do with the needs of the Argentine people, but with an illegitimate and unpayable debt,” said Vilma Ripoll, another FIT leader.
The agreement still has to be ratified by Congress, where the ruling coalition has the largest group, but does not have a majority.
The government hopes to define the terms of the new financing program before the March 22 deadline, when $2.85 billion must be repaid by Argentina, which cannot afford it, according to Economy Minister Martin Guzman.
After three years of recession, the last two of which were linked to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Argentine economy saw a strong rebound in 2021, with 10.3 percent growth for the first eleven months of the year.
But inflation remains very high. In 2021 it was around 50.9 percent, while it is forecast to be 33 percent in 2022.
Poverty also remains high, affecting 40 percent of the population.
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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