International

UN Security Council holds emergency session on Syria at Russia’s request

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting this Monday afternoon, requested by Russia, to address the situation in Syria after the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad last weekend.

The session will take place behind closed doors and is scheduled to begin at 15:00 local time in New York (20:00 GMT).
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, already spoke this Sunday about the future of the country, assuring that its future must be decided by “the Syrian people.”

“After 14 years of brutal war and the fall of the dictatorial regime, today the people of Syria can take advantage of a historic opportunity to build a stable and peaceful future,” Guterres noted after the Levant Liberation Agency group took Damascus and al-Assad fled the country.

UN Security Council meets to discuss situation in Syria

And he added that for this new stage in Syria “the international community is needed to ensure that any political transition is inclusive and broad, and that it meets the legitimate aspirations of the people of Syria in all their diversity.”

The Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Secretary-General of the United Nations already today discussed solutions about the transition period in Syria and the possible measures to rebuild the country, according to the Turkish foreign portfolio itself.

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During today, the insurgents commissioned Mohamed al Bashir, the president of the Salvation Government – the de facto administration in the northern Syrian province of Idlib controlled by the Levante Liberation Agency – to form a government for the transition in Syria, said the Syrian television now directed by the opposition.

New government

“The president of the Salvation Government, Mohamed al Bashir, will be in charge of forming a new Syrian government to manage the transition phase,” said the Syrian channel.

The Salvation Government is a kind of political and civil branch of the Levant Liberation Agency (Hayat Tahrir al Sham or HTS, in Arabic) that was created in Idlib, a province in northwestern Syria and a bastion of the opposition.

16 million Syrians need help

The United Nations estimates that 16 million Syrians are currently in need of humanitarian aid and urges the international community to increase funding for cooperation in order to “open new facilities for refuge, sanitation and food.”

Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, said on Monday at a press conference that “our colleagues (on the ground) tell us that more than 16 million people already need humanitarian aid in Syria, which represents a huge proportion of the population, and is increasing as the situation continues to develop.”

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The Islamist coalition Liberation Agency of the Levant (HTS, in Arabic), heir to the Al-Nusra Front – a former affiliate of Al Qaeda in Syria – took control of the main Syrian cities and on Sunday declared Damascus free after an offensive of just twelve days.

Possibility of accepting the Levant Liberation Agency

The UN Secretary General, António Guterres, left open the possibility of recognizing the legitimacy of a hypothetical HTS government, which led the overthrow of Bashar al-Asad.

“I think we are all anxious to know what the future holds for us, but I think we have to take things little by little; seeing how they advance day by day and maintaining certain objectives,” Dujarric said at his daily press conference.

In addition, the General Secretariat stressed that “Syria, regardless of the changes that have been made, remains, obviously, a member state” of the organization.

“Very often, when there is a change of government, there is a communication that comes from a permanent mission (…) Everything is hypothetical for now, we will see how it progresses,” said Dujarric.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.