International
José Mujica maintains that Milei is “very impulsive” and does not doubt that Brazil “will be a power”
The former president of Uruguay José Mujica assures that the Argentine president, Javier Milei, is “very impulsive” and that he “hit the entrance” when talking about his Brazilian peer, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, while wishing that his political project will give him a result and can prosecute the country.
“I am very sorry that Milei, who is seen to be very impulsive and very run over, kicked the doorstay because he relaxed Lula. He has every right to think what he wants, but a man at the head of a country cannot say that of a neighboring country. The relationship has been screwed up,” he says during an interview with the EFE Agency.
There he also talks about the situation in Argentina and assures that “he has many problems” that he hopes he can overcome, while emphasizing that Uruguay “it is in the best interest of it.”
“The Argentine middle class who comes to summer here if they can leave a cake of guita (money), work and everything else. That’s a value. A balanced Argentina is convenient for us. Hopefully this project that Milei has will work for him and that Argentina will be caused,” says the former Uruguayan president.
On the other hand, he talks about Brazil and assures that this nation is “in another category” and he has no doubt that it will be a power. “It is the world’s leading producer of meat and soy. Brazil plays on the big court, moves the wheel of the world,” says Mujica.
In that sense, he details that, despite “all the defects” that Mercosur has, Uruguay sells more to São Paulo than to any European country.
“We sell added value to Brazil. We sell chocolate to Brazil, which is more or less like selling ice to the Eskimos,” Mujica emphasizes.
Finally, the former Uruguayan president assures that the tensions in the region weaken it against the world and emphasizes the importance of the joint work of both countries.
“One thing is a proposal that Brazil and Argentina do together and another thing is that they do it separately. That doesn’t mean that we have to go to the kisses or we agree one hundred percent. It means that you have to have a diplomatic position that suits the region,” he concludes.
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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