International
Aznar and Quiroga defend Israel’s “peace” and “surness” in a world congress in Argentina
The former head of the Spanish Government José María Aznar (1996-2004) and the former president of Bolivia Jorge Quiroga (2001-2002) defended this Thursday, at the VII World Congress of Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue, the “peace” and “sus” of Israel in the war it is going on against the Islamist group Hamas in Palestine.
“Israel has to finish the military operation in the Gaza Strip, because a triumph of Hamas and Hezbollah will mark the fate of the Middle East,” Aznar said during his exhibition at the University of the Center for Macroeconomic Studies of Argentina (CEMA) in Buenos Aires, which functions as a laboratory of ideas from the right.
For Aznar, a recognition of the Palestinian State is an “irreality” because Hamas “is out of reality.” “Israel is the only democracy there, they are our allies and we must support them. Anti-Semitism has been reborn in the world,” said the former head of the Spanish government.
After 200 days of war, more than 34,260 people have died in the Gaza Strip and the number of injuries already exceeds 77,000, most of them women and children, according to the Ministry of Health of the enclave, governed by Hamas.
For his part, former president Jorge Quiroga recalled and named by his surnames the six Bolivian citizens who died during the attack on the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) in 1994, one of the largest terrorist attacks committed on Argentine soil, which left a total of 85 dead and more than 300 injured.
“We are going to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the savage attack on the AMIA. In the discussion it would seem that it is an Argentine issue, since here are Barriga, García, Salazar, Vela Ramos Eugenio and Juan and Zárate Loayza. Six Bolivians died in AMIA,” Quiroga listed.
“That’s why it hurt me to see that (Hugo) Chávez cultivated friendship with (Mahmud) Ahmadinejad, when there is no cultural link except that Venezuela-Iran relationship characterized by a rabid anti-Americanism, which led to Mr. (Ahmad) Vahidi being in my country inaugurating the military school of the Bolivarian alliance in Bolivia. That’s why Israel’s peace and success concern us all,” he concluded.
Iran is seen by Argentina as responsible for the attack and they have issued red circulars to arrest the Minister of the Interior, Vahidi for his participation in the attack.
Finally, he highlighted the figure of the former deputy and former candidate for the presidency of Venezuela, María Corina Machado, to “evict” the authoritarian regime with which Nicolás Maduro governs. “We do not ask the Western world to help us, but to stop helping Maduro’s tyranny,” Quiroga concluded.
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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