International
Minister Katz attends the Israel Parade that brings together thousands of people in New York
Thousands of people participated this Sunday in the Israel Parade that is held every year on Fifth Avenue in New York, United States, and which was joined this year by the foreign minister of the Hebrew country, Israel Katz, who traveled expressly for the occasion.
The march took place peacefully for about four hours, despite the fact that the New York police considered it high risk this year in the face of the increase in tension in the city in recent months, translated into hundreds of pro-Palestinian and to a lesser extent pro-Israeli protests.
To do this, the Police cut off traffic not only from Fifth Avenue in its central section (from 40th to 74th Street), but also on the parallel Madison Avenue, with a deployment of thousands of agents – with drones and metal detectors – who fenced the entire route with a double barrier of metal fences on both sides, enabling only a few entry and exit points.
The demonstrators, among whom there were a large number of children and adolescents – dressed in their t-shirts from their schools, yeshivas or Jewish foundations – also expressed their American patriotism because they carried in many cases Israeli flags next to the American one.
They mainly shouted two slets: “Bring them home” (Bring them home, alluding to the hostages in the hands of Hamas) and “Am Israel Hai” (The people of Israel live), but they refrained from other more political smotical s.
Despite the fears of the Mayor’s Office, there was no incident with counter-demonstrators, as feared in the light of the more than 1,000 protests recorded in New York against the pro-Palestinian-signed war in Gaza in the past eight months.
The mayor of New York, Eric Adams, who since the beginning of the war in Gaza has multiplied the messages for Israel, was present at the march and photographed himself with Minister Katz, but that was not enough and from there he wrote in his X account: “I will always defend our brothers and sisters of Israel, (I want to) show the world that hatred has no place in our city.”
They could see numerous Jews arriving from neighboring New Jersey, who joined those from New York, a city that has the reputation of being the second largest in the world in Jewish population behind Tel Aviv.
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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