International
Water crisis continues in Uruguay despite July rains
August 10|
The Uruguayan Institute of Meteorology (Inumet) said Wednesday that the water deficit in Uruguay remains despite the rains recorded in July.
According to its report “evaluating the last year and the last quarter (May-June-July), the water deficit in the country is maintained, mainly in the center-south, southwest and east region”, although it specified that “on a national scale and in average terms, July 2003 culminated with 100.7 millimeters; value that is above the climatological normal expected for this month (83.6 millimeters)”.
The Uruguayan agency mentioned that the drought continues in the south of the country, especially in the departments of Montevideo, Canelones, Maldonado, Lavalleja, Rocha and Florida, as well as Durazno (center).
Although some regions in the departments of Colonia and San José, and Artigas (north) have received rainfall, it is insufficient.
The worst drought in Uruguay’s history has brought the reservoir of the Paso Severino dam, on the Santa Lucia river and source of drinking water for Montevideo and the metropolitan area, to minimum levels.
In view of this situation, social organizations and popular platforms have denounced the government’s position in the country.
For her part, Silvia Ribeiro in an article shared on August 4 on the Contrahegemonía web platform asserted that “for almost three months now, Uruguay, a country known for its abundance of fresh water, has been without drinking water in its capital, Montevideo, and surrounding areas.”
“The public water system (OSE) distributes brackish water, with chemical residues above the permitted standards, which the government baptized drinkable water, not potable, while arbitrarily increasing to more than double, almost triple, the permitted presence of those substances,” he stressed.
The opinions held by Ribeiro state that “the country is experiencing a prolonged drought, but the government, instead of addressing the causes of vulnerability to it, is advancing in measures that will worsen it, such as handing over part of the water treatment to private entrepreneurs (Neptuno project), who will take water from wherever it is most profitable for them, whether saline or contaminated”.
Adding that they also favor the installation of new transnational industries which are voracious consumers of fresh water: the production of green hydrogen and the installation of mega data centers of Google and other technological titans, Silvia Ribeiro added that “this water crisis is not a one-off anecdote nor is it the result of the drought, although the main policy of the Uruguayan government is to wait for rain”.
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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