International
Prince William makes first visit to Wales since inheriting new title
AFP
Britain’s heir to the throne, William, and his wife, Catherine, on Tuesday made their first visit to Wales since becoming the new Prince and Princess of Wales.
Large crowds gathered around Holyhead Marina on the island of Anglesey, off the northwest coast of Wales, to greet the royal couple.
William inherited the title on the death of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, when his father — the previous prince of Wales — became king.
The visit came as media reports said William had no plans for “any kind” of investiture.
King Charles III spent time learning Welsh at university before he was crowned by his mother in a televised ceremony at Caernarfon Castle in July 1969 when he was 20.
During the elaborate investiture ceremony, the queen placed a coronet on Charles’s head and helped arrange robes around his shoulders.
He pledged allegiance to his mother with the words: “I, Charles, Prince of Wales, do become your liege man of life and limb.”
The domestic Press Association news agency reported that rather than planning an investiture, William was focused on deepening the trust and respect of the people of Wales over time.
His wife Catherine, meanwhile, while conscious of the history associated with the role, wished to create “her own path”, a royal source was quoted as saying in the days after the queen’s death on September 8.
At the same time, William spoke by telephone with Mark Drakeford, First Minister of Wales and an avowed republican — a conversation in which the prince mentioned his “deep affection for Wales”.
The prince, who previously served as an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot while living on Anglesey with Catherine, “expressed his and the Princess of Wales’s honour in being asked by the king to serve the Welsh people”.
King Charles and his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, visited Wales in the days after his mother’s death as part of a tour of the UK home nations.
In a speech to the Welsh parliament, he said William’s “love for this corner of the Earth” had been “made all the greater” by the years he had spent there.
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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