International

March against racism in Argentina

Photo: @ElExtremoSur

November 9 |

The Plaza de Mayo was the place chosen in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, for the first march against racism and to vindicate the importance of the Afro-descendant population.

In what was the first of Afro-descendant peoples in Argentina, the march left the Plaza de Mayo bound for the National Congress with a series of demands, mainly against racism.

The representative of this march, Diego Bonga, stated that “the march is to give visibility to the struggle that we have been doing for several decades in this beautiful Argentine nation, blessed by the blood of blacks on the battlefields.”

“To fight racism, to fight discrimination, to be able to melt our beautiful culture, to put an end to preconceptions, to try to denounce that institutional racism that exists, that discriminatory policy, and to assert our rights as human beings”, added Bonga.

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

In addition, the representative of the mobilization emphasized that “beyond Afro-descendants we are a struggle for human rights, but we add Afro-descendants, because at some point in history we were considered that we were not human”.

“In fact, here we are, standing, with pride, with dignity, and defending a legacy that deserves to be recognized, deserves to be respected, and deserves to be made visible all this struggle that we are carrying out with our own resources,” he said.

Bonga said he was concerned about the policy that could be adopted by the candidate Javier Milei, who will dispute the Argentinean presidency with the ruling party candidate Sergio Massa, in the second round of elections to be held on November 19.

“Many people are very concerned in that sense. There are claims that have to do with integration, more than anything else. This society has to be correctly informed about blackness, about the different nations that have brought, with their knowledge, with their great contribution that we have made for the construction. That is, our ancestors”, he added.

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

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.

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

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.

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

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.

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

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.