International
Leo XIV urges to defend “the dignity” of migrants
Pope Leo XIV urged this Friday to defend the dignity of migrants, which “is always the same, that of a creature loved and loved by God,” in the speech he gave to the representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See.
“In the change of era that we are living, the Holy See cannot exempt itself from making its own voice felt in the face of the numerous imbalances and injustices that lead, among other things, to unworthy working conditions and increasingly fragmented and conflicting societies,” he said before the representatives of the 184 countries with which the Holy See maintains diplomatic relations.
And he said that “it is also necessary to strive to remedy global inequalities, which trace deep grooves of opulence and indigence between continents, countries and even within the same societies.”
The American pontiff made an appeal to those who “have the responsibility of government to apply to build harmonious and peaceful civil societies” and said that “this can be done above all by investing in the family, based on the stable union between man and woman.”
So “no one can exempt themselves from favoring contexts in which the dignity of each person is to be tuted, especially those most fragile and defenseless, from the unborn child to the elderly, from the sick to the unemployed, whether these are citizens or immigrants.”
And he recalled his own life “unfolded between North America, South America and Europe” and his own history, which is that of “a citizen, descendant of immigrants, who in turn has emigrated” so “each of us, in the course of life, can find ourselves healthy or sick, busy or unemployed, in his homeland or in a foreign land”.
“His dignity, however, is always the same, that of a creature loved and loved by God,” he said.
As a cardinal, Robert Francis Prevost had criticized the anti-immigrant policy of US President Donald Trump on social media.
This Friday, in his first meeting with the diplomatic corps, León XIV also advocated giving new impetus to multilateral diplomacy and to those international institutions that were loved and conceived above all to resolve the controversies that may arise within the international community.
And he recalled Pope Francis’ last request on Easter Sunday to abandon the race to rearmament.
“It is a time of conversion and renewal, and above all the opportunity to leave the contests behind and begin a new path, animated by the hope of being able to build, working together, each according to their own sensitivities and responsibilities, a world in which each of us can realize our own humanity in truth, in justice and in peace,” the pope concluded before the diplomats.
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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