International

The U.S. Senate approves a military aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan

The United States Senate approved the $95 billion package in military aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, which would give the green light to the sending of the money after months of legislative blockade.

The measure was approved by 75 votes in favor and 20 against.

The Senate has put together in a single text four bills that the House of Representatives approved last Saturday.

On the one hand, $61 billion in military aid for Ukraine, another 26,400 for Israel and 8,100 for Taiwan.

A fourth bill seeks to force the Chinese ownership of TikTok to sell the company in a period of one year if it does not want to face a ban in the United States.

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“Finally, tonight, after more than six months of hard work, the United States sends a message to the whole world,” Chuck Schumer, Democratic leader in the U.S. Senate, said after the vote.

According to Schumer, with this vote USA. The United States tells the world that it “will do everything possible to safeguard democracy.”

The White House has been asking the Legislature for months for the joint approval of these military aid packages, but the opposition of Republican sectors to assistance to Ukraine has caused a long blockade.

A minority part of the Democratic group has opposed the aid package to Israel.

Iran’s attack on Israel two Saturdays ago caused the Republican leadership in the House of Representatives to lift its blockade to jointly approve foreign military aid packages.

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Now it will only take the sig of the president, Joe Biden, for the money and weapons to begin to flow into the Ukrainian trenches, which have been begging the United States for help for months in the face of the advance of Russian forces.

Biden spoke on the phone on Monday with the president of Ukraine, Volodymir Zelensky, who after the call and in a message on social network X, said that the US president had told him that this assistance will include long-range artillery.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine two years ago, the United States has channeled military aid for more than 75 billion dollars.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.