International
Major shake-up in Ecuador cabinet after mass protests
AFP
Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso on Tuesday accepted the resignations of four cabinet members, the government said, just days after damaging protests against the cost of living ended.
Economy minister Simon Cueva, health minister Ximena Garzon, transport and public works minister Marcelo Cabrera and higher education minister Alejandro Ribadeneira have all left their posts.
Lasso thanked Cueva “for his loyal and valiant services in the exercise of his functions,” said a statement from the presidency.
The statement did not give any reasons for the resignations.
An economy ministry spokesperson told AFP that Cueva had made the decision to resign “a couple of months ago.”
Lasso named businessman Pablo Arosemena, currently serving as governor of the eastern province of Guayas, to replace Cueva.
Ecuador was gripped by 18 days of at times violent protests led by a powerful Indigenous group that left six people dead, until the government agreed last week to several demands, including a reduction in the price of fuel.
The central bank said Tuesday that the protests cost the country at least $1 billion.
“There is nothing more absurd than to ask, on the one hand, for more resources, for fair social care, while at the same time, attacking the source of income that meets those demands,” said Lasso at the swearing-in of his new ministers, referring to the paralysis of oil wells and pipelines due to the protests.
The agreements made with protesters, including extra financial aid for the country’s poorest, will cost the country $700 million a year.
These concessions come at a time when the country is struggling with an economic crisis due to previously low oil prices — affecting one of Ecuador’s main exports — and the ravages of the pandemic.
Oil production dropped almost by half during the protests, during which demonstrators managed to paralyze more than 1,000 oil wells in the country.
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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