International
Panamanian ruling party demands an end to current crisis
November 13 |
The National Executive Committee (CEN) of the ruling Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) of Panama demanded this Sunday that the government of Laurentino Cortizo speed up a way out of the crisis that the country is currently experiencing.
According to the party, in the solution “all sectors of society must be present, especially the youth, workers, business sector, indigenous groups, teachers and professionals”.
In this communiqué, the PRD expresses that Panama is living one of the most serious crises of the last 33 years, which has been triggered by Law 406 on the contract between the State and the company Minera Panama S.A., a subsidiary of the Canadian transnational First Quantum Minerals (FQM).
It also values that “this crisis is characterized by the exposure of a massive discontent that Panamanians, especially from the youth, supported by workers, teachers and indigenous sectors, have taken to the streets, throughout the national territory”.
They add that for this political grouping, such discontent includes motivations that go beyond the mining problem and are the result of the absence of a “political-economic model of fair, equitable and equitable social executions”.
In this sense, they point out that “the crisis we are living demands a mature and dignified solution through a consensus derived from a new social pact, which is the expression of all the sectors that share the 75,000 kilometers of territory on a daily basis, and in which the quick action of the national government will be decisive in order to propitiate together the construction of spaces for dialogue and national consensus”.
The ruling party also maintains that we respect the right to protest as a citizen’s right, the right to dissent is protected by our political constitution, for which reason we urge the search for avenues that lead us to a national agreement that offers guarantees of respect to all the norms as a civilized society.
They add that we must support the solution proposed by the government: an indefinite moratorium on the exploitation of metallic mining in Panama and leave in the hands of the Supreme Court of Justice the definition of unconstitutionality demanded by the popular organizations.
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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