International
The energy supply, a challenge to attract the investments that Trump is looking for to the United States
The United States seeks to promote foreign direct investment at a time of optimism, driven by the will of Donald Trump’s Government to generate jobs in manufacturing and other sectors. One of the main challenges pointed out by regional representatives is the large-scale supply of energy.
“Thanks to the Trump Administration, our flow of possible (investment) agreements is greater today than it has ever been,” Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves said categorically at the SelectUSA investment summit, an event that usually attracts more than 5,000 participants and that this year local authorities face with special enthusiasm to the policies of the federal government.
“It is obvious that we are not going to achieve all those investment contracts, but I think that our economy will continue to thrive in the current panorama,” added Reeves, who leads a state that concentrates plants of companies such as Toyota, Rolls Royce or Airbus and who wants to attract capital from new sectors, such as data centers.
Although Trump has applied tariff pressures to encourage foreign investment, several multinational executives highlighted the “good time” to invest in the US, both for regulatory agility and for the protection of intellectual property.
Siemens CEO Barbara Humpton said the country is experiencing a “vibrant era,” highlighting government initiatives in technology, artificial intelligence and high-speed rail. Siemens has focused recent investments in the manufacture of trains in North Carolina and electrical equipment in Texas and California, essential for data centers.
The high energy demand of these servers represents a great challenge, especially for the state of Virginia, the largest data center hub in the world.
“The demand for energy will not decrease, but quite the opposite,” said its Secretary of Commerce, Juan Pablo Segura, who highlighted initiatives such as the development of new generation nuclear reactors.
“We want that reactor to be operating by 2030, and with our current regulatory framework I think we can achieve it,” he added.
One of the great objectives of the Trump Administration in terms of energy is to make a plan that has been developing for years and that has encountered obstacles in terms of economic viability, to build a pipeline that allows to supply from Alaska 20 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) each year to Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam or Thailand.
The idea is to transport natural gas from North Slope, the northernmost region of the United States, to the port of Nikiski, from where it would be liquefied and sent by ship to Asia in a journey of about 8-9 days, almost four times less than what it takes to arrive the Texas LNG that the US sells to this region of the world.
The problem is that the construction of a gas pipeline almost 1,300 kilometers long in such a remote area has been estimated at about 44 billion dollars (about 39,641 million euros).
In any case, the governor of Alaska, Mike Dunleavy, believes that given the current scenario, the gas could already be “flowing” in 2028, as he said on the opening day of this summit that concludes on Wednesday.
“Tariffs and trade have changed the equation,” he admitted regarding the reluctance shown so far by the major buyers of US LNG in the region, Japan and South Korea, two countries whose economy depends in turn greatly on what they export to the US and that are negotiating these days so that Trump’s threat to impose tariffs of 24% and 25%, respectively, does not come true.
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.
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
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