International
UN General Assembly president: Gaza situation “catastrophic, unthinkable, shameful”
The President of the UN General Assembly, Dennis Francis, described the situation in Gaza on Monday as “catastrophic, inconceivable, shameful,” with 30,000 deaths reported from bombings and fatalities now occurring due to starvation.
Francis spoke during the opening of a special session of the Assembly called for the United States to explain its latest veto on February 20th at the Security Council — the third since the Gaza war began — on a resolution demanding an unconditional and immediate ceasefire.
Expressing unequivocal support for the ceasefire, Francis said he was “shocked and horrified by the killing or injuring of hundreds of people” during a food distribution last week.
In his speech, he went beyond usual diplomatic balances and did not hesitate to name Israel: “Israel’s restrictions on humanitarian access (to Gaza) have dramatically reduced the flow of vital aid,” lamenting that assistance entry dropped by 50% from January to February.
Francis was responded to by U.S. Deputy Ambassador Robert Woods, who once again justified their latest veto, arguing that a resolution for a ceasefire would have jeopardized the “intense efforts” the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt are making for a “temporary ceasefire” conditional on the release of hostages held by Hamas.
The Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour, displaying photos of emaciated Palestinian children due to lack of food, and ending his speech with a choked voice, protested that “Israel believes itself above the law, and until that belief is shattered, it will continue to act as a lawless state.”
Mansour lamented that there are people “with a much higher tolerance for Palestinian deaths than Israel’s” who consider Palestinians “an inferior race and find it difficult to see us as victims.”
“In the eyes of Israel, Palestinians have three options: displacement, subjugation, or death. Ethnic cleansing, apartheid, or genocide,” he concluded.
As for Israel’s representative, Gilad Erdan, he reiterated that the only acceptable terms for a ceasefire are “the elimination of Hamas: violators, mass murderers should never have free access to the UN.”
Furthermore, he attacked the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) as an instrument of Hamas and therefore stated that it “must be defunded and dismantled.”
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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