International
They denounce the arrest in Havana of the Cuban opponent Manuel Cuesta Morúa
The Cuban opponent Manuel Cuesta Morúa, one of the leaders of the dissent on the island, has been detained since this Saturday in Havana and for the moment the reason for his arrest has not been revealed, denounced Cuban parties abroad and human rights NGOs.
According to sources close to EFE, the arrest took place in the middle of the morning around his home and after the dissident warned his closest circle that he had been surveillance in front of his home by the Cuban security forces since the day before.
“The opposition Manuel Cuesta Morúa, vice president of the Council for the Democratic Transition of Cuba (CTDC), has been arrested by the Cuban political police. We do not know his whereabouts or the reason for his arrest,” the Christian Democratic Party of Cuba (PDC) wrote on social networks.
The NGO Cubalex made for its part “a call to the international community to keep the attention on human rights violations in Cuba” by denouncing the arrest of Cuesta Morúa.
The complainants and sources consulted said they did not know the possible reasons for the arrest and the current whereabouts of the opponent. They also indicated that they have no record of other arrests in the drensing opposition collective on the island.
Manuel Cuesta Morúa asked for the freedom of José Daniel Ferrer
Cuesta Morúa recently presented before the Cuban Supreme Court a habeas corpus procedure to request the immediate release of the opponent José Daniel Ferrer, an initiative that so far has not had an official response.
The appeal was filed shortly after Ferrer’s family denounced that the prisoner for political reasons had received a “brutal beating” by the prison staff in which he has been since July 11, 2021.
Ferrer, founder of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (Unpacu) and historical dissident, has been arrested on previous occasions. The first occurred in 2003, during the repressive period called the “black first time.”
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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