International
Russia mourns the victims of the attack in the concert hall while the investigation continues
Russia is experiencing today a day of national mourning for the dead in the attack committed last Friday by the jihadist group Islamic State (IS) on the outskirts of Moscow while the count of fatalities and the search for the organizers of the massacre continues.
Flowers, candles and toys filled the surroundings of the Crocus City Hall on Sunday, where Friday’s terrorist attack left at least 137 dead and 180 injured.
Despite the rain that fell in the Russian capital, a tide of people approached the site of the attack today to pay tribute to the memory of the deceased.
“I came because I’m a Moscow, I live next door. I have been to the concerts at Crocus City Hall many times. It’s a tragedy what has happened, no one can be indifferent,” a local told the Vecherniaya Moskva newspaper.
On numerous screens on the roads and large shops of Moscow, candles were seen on a black background and the date of the attack, on March 22, 2024.
Meanwhile, in the capital subway, passengers were reminded that the security measures have been reinforced after the attack and they were asked for understanding for possible inconvenience.
Different memorials in memory of the victims of the tragedy were also created today in other Russian cities, according to regional media.
Meanwhile, the Russian flags in the state institutions and the Russian embassies abroad were flying at half-mast as a sign of mourning.
The deputy head of the Russian Security Council, Dmitri Medvedev, said on Sunday that all those involved in the brutal attack in Crocus City Hall will be “legitimate targets” of Russia.
“We will avenge everyone. And those involved, regardless of their country of origin or their status, will henceforth be our legitimate and main objective,” Medvedev wrote on Telegram.
He added right away: “Wait, you scoundrels.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin also assured the day before that “all the perpetrators, organizers and those who commissioned this crime will receive a well-deserved and irremediable punishment, whoever they are and regardless of whether they have sent them.”
So far, the security forces have arrested eleven people linked to the attack, four of whom personally participated in the massacre, according to the authorities.
This Sunday, the four responsible for the attack were transferred to Moscow pending the judicial decision on their entry into pretrial detention.
Meanwhile, several Russian politicians and analysts are already advocating the lifting of the moratorium on the death penalty in this country.
According to updated data, the tragedy has left 137 dead and 180 injured.
At the same time, these figures are growing every day because the search and rescue work continues at the site of the attack, where firefighters took long hours to extinguish the fire caused by the attackers and which devastated an area of 13,000 square meters.
“So far, the bodies of 137 people have been found at the site of the terrorist attack, including three children,” the Russian Instruction Committee said today in a statement.
He added that 62 bodies have been identified and “genetic tests are being carried out to establish the identities” of the other victims.
Meanwhile, the number of injured rose today from 154 to 180 people. According to Russian media, some survivors of the attack took more than a day to request medical help because they were in a state of shock.
On the other hand, the Russian police evicted the London Mall in St. Petersburg on Sunday after receiving a bomb warning, reports the local media Fontanka.ru.
Simultaneously, law enforcement officers arrested a man who claimed to have placed an explosive device in the shopping center.
Another woman was arrested today for a false bomb warning on a plane that was about to take off from Moscow to yerevan, the capital of Armenia.
During the interrogation, the woman assured that her words were “a joke.”
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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