International
Gunman kills six at US birthday party before shooting himself
AFP/Editor
A gunman opened fire at a birthday party in Colorado, killing six people in the early hours of Sunday before taking his own life, US police said.
Colorado Springs police responded shortly after midnight to an emergency call at a mobile home park, where they found six adults shot dead and one adult male who was seriously injured.
He was transported to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Preliminary investigations revealed that families had gathered for a birthday party inside one of the trailers when the shooting occurred.
“The suspect, a boyfriend of one of the female victims, drove to the residence, walked inside and began shooting people at the party before taking his own life,” the police said in a statement.
“We are still investigating to determine a motive.”
None of the children at the party were injured in the attack, according to the police, and they were being cared for by family members. The victims have not been publicly identified.
“From the officers who responded to the shooting to the investigators still on scene, we are all left incredibly shaken,” said Colorado Springs police chief Vince Niski. “This is something you hope never happens in your own community.”
Colorado Springs mayor John Suthers said the “senseless act of violence” had sent the community into mourning, and called for prayers for the victims, their families and the first responders.
A woman who lived in the mobile home park told the Denver Post she was awakened by the sound of so many gunshots that she thought it was a thunderstorm.
Colorado Springs-based newspaper The Gazette reported that family and friends of the victims gathered Sunday afternoon outside the trailer to mourn the attack.
It was the third mass shooting in Colorado Springs since October 2015, including a random Halloween massacre and an attack on a Planned Parenthood clinic in November that same year, local media said.
The United States has suffered a spate of mass shootings in recent months, including at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis, an office building in California, a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado and at several spas in Atlanta.
President Joe Biden last month branded US gun violence an “epidemic” and an “international embarrassment.”
There were more than 43,000 gun-related deaths in the United States last year, including suicides, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
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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