International
Xiomara Castro reaches an “agreement” with the United States for Honduras to continue the extradition treaty
The president of Honduras, Xiomara Castro, announced on Tuesday that her government reached an “agreement” with the United States Administration to continue the bilateral extradition treaty, a decision that occurs just ten days before the end of the treaty after the Honduran president’s accusations of US “interference”.
“I announce that I have reached an agreement with the new administration of the United States so that the Extradition Treaty continues with the necessary safeguards for the State of Honduras, guaranteeing its objective application,” Castro stressed in a message in X.
On August 28, the president denounced the extradition treaty with the United States dating from the last century, which provoked many reactions against sectors that consider that it meant a clear path for drug traffickers to continue operating freely in Honduras.
The president argued that the decision had been made before the interference of the United States ambassador in Tegucigalpa, Laura Dogu, who had criticized a visit to Venezuela by the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Honduran Armed Forces, General Roosevelt Hernández, accompanying the then Secretary of Defense, José Manuel Zelaya.
The United States ambassador in Tegucigalpa expressed her country’s “concern” about the meeting of Honduras Defense authorities with the sanctioned Minister of Defense of Venezuela, Vladimir Padrino López, as part of a military sports event.
Thus, Castro added on Tuesday, “I have assured respect for the integrity of the Armed Forces, an institution responsible for defending sovereignty, maintaining peace, asserting the empire of the Constitution and guaranteeing the security of our democratic electoral process.”
Honduran Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina reiterated on Monday in statements to journalists that the extradition treaty with the United States was denounced in the face of his country’s concern about the possibility that this mechanism can be used for political purposes, within the framework of the electoral process that Honduras is experiencing, with primary and internal elections, on March 9, and general elections on November 30.
He also pointed out that extradition is a “very important” tool.
“It is a useful tool, our concern is that it is not used for political issues, especially in electoral terms,” Reina said.
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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