International
The vice president of Venezuela calls María Corina Machado a “scaser” and “dead mosquito”
The executive vice president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, called opposition leader María Corina Machado “faker” and “dead mosquito” on Wednesday, whom she accused of asking for sanctions and, at the same time, speaking in favor of the wage increase for workers, who was, according to the official, “hardly beaten” by those foreign measures.
“Who has called for the blockade against Venezuela? Leopoldo López, Julio Borges, Juan Guaidó, María Corina Machado, who then puts the voice of a dead mosquito, and then causes the tremendous damage to Venezuela and still today asks for more sanctions, (…) she then, every day, makes videos (saying): ‘dear workers, I am with you, worker, and now we are going to fight for Venezuela and your conditions,’” Rodríguez said.
“Draught to the US Government.”
She insisted that Machado, “dragged to the Government of the United States, calls for sanctions and blockade against Venezuela,” so the Minister of Oil pointed to the former deputy and the other opponents she mentioned as “tremendous fakes.”
Likewise, Rodríguez assured that the workers have been at the “vanguard” of the “active resistance against the criminal blockade imposed from Washington with the support of Western countries” for “the call made by the extremists and fascists in Venezuela,” in reference to anti-Chavista leaders and leaders.
The vice president charged against Machado a few days after the opponent expressed her “deep admiration and affection” to the educators, who, despite the “hunger waries”, have “remained at the forefront of this struggle, with an infinite vocation and dedication,” according to the former deputy.
María Corina Machado says she fears for her “life”
Machado, who claims to be in “strandness,” fearing for their “life” and “freedom,” told teachers on Saturday – in an audio published on social networks – that the country “needs them organized and active” in “this decisive hour” in the struggle for a “free” Venezuela that “arrives soon”, in which “they will be protagonists” of the construction of the “best public education system in the world.”
Machado defends the victory that the majority opposition, grouped in the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), assures that its candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, obtained in the presidential elections of July 28, in which President Nicolás Maduro was proclaimed winner by the National Electoral Council (CNE), a result questioned inside and outside the country, and that was announced based on votes that are still unknown in a disaggregated way.
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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