International
Fire causes closure of Metropolitan Park in Chile
December 23 |
Chilean authorities announced this Friday the complete closure of the Metropolitan Park on San Cristobal hill in order to extinguish all remaining outbreaks of the fire that started last night.
The decision was made by the Undersecretary of Housing, Gabriela Elgueta, who said that “the five accesses to the park will be closed to be able to do the work of liquidation of the fire that is already under control. An aircraft will come to allow this”. This closure includes a local swimming pool and the Zoo.
On the other hand, the director of the National Forestry Corporation (Conaf), Christian Little, corrected the figure of 5 hectares affected, specifying that only 2 had been affected.
However, in view of the hypothesis of intentionality in the fire, Little said that “it will soon be known”, and assured that “he has specialized investigation units” working on the case together with the “Carabineros Criminalistics Department (Labocar) and the Investigation Police”.
According to the presidential delegate for the Metropolitan Region, Constanza Martínez, the number of forces and institutions that were working to contain the fire was “enormous”, and that it “could be controlled in the early hours of the morning”. Although she pointed out that there was “a small resurgence during the morning”, but at the same starting point.
The official pointed out that the country is currently experiencing a hot summer, and that the next few days will have temperatures of “around 34 degrees”. Martinez said this meant “a double call for responsibility.”
“Almost 100 percent of fires are caused by human action or omission. Therefore, also when there are higher temperatures, the amount of humidity also drops, there is a greater amount of wind and there are more possibilities that a spark or a cigarette or leaving a bottle somewhere can cause fires,” he added.
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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