International
Argentine president Milei’s cryptic hebrew post hints at new legislation amidst political turmoil
Argentine President Javier Milei posted a message in Hebrew on his social media accounts this Friday, hours before his appearance before the Legislative Assembly, suggesting the possibility of introducing new laws to Parliament following the failed processing of the so-called ‘omnibus law.’
On his X social media account, the libertarian economist posted a message with his well-known slogan “VIVA LA LIBERTAD CARAJO” (Long live freedom, damn it) written three times, accompanied by a text in Hebrew.
“God said to Moses: Write on two new tablets (like the first ones) the laws that I gave you on the first tablets that you broke,” reads the text from the book of Exodus (Old Testament) 34:1, shared by Milei a few hours before his speech to the Assembly.
This quote, referring to the Ten Commandments, alludes to another passage from the same book (32:15), in which God had given Moses the original tablets. Moses threw them on the ground and broke them when he saw that the people were worshiping the golden calf as a deity.
Possible Allusion
This biblical imagery could be an allusion by Milei to his Basic Principles and Starting Points for the Freedom of Argentines Law project, better known as the ‘omnibus law,’ which failed to gain sufficient support in parliamentary proceedings and returned to square one. It may also hint at the idea of being able to send future reforms to Parliament.
The president himself stated that he would prefer not to reprocess it rather than “dismantle it,” which he claimed was what the opposition intended to do.
The Freedom Advances, a far-right party led by Milei, has 38 deputies and 7 senators (the third parliamentary minority), while none of the 24 regional government leaders (23 provinces and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires) belong to his party.
This situation forces the libertarian to seek support from other opposition forces to advance his bills, a task that has become complicated in recent times due to his direct confrontation with provincial governors over the reduction of funds that the state must send to their territories.
Several of these local rulers recently requested “dialogue” to reach possible agreements, although they demanded “respect” in the treatment of the Argentine president towards them, following some derogatory or dismissive comments shared on social media.
Milei will speak this Friday at 9:00 p.m. (00:00 GMT on Saturday) in his first appearance before the Legislative Assembly less than three months after assuming the presidency on December 10. On that day, he chose to deliver his inaugural speech on the street rather than inside the Congress.
International
Germany says football bodies alone will decide on possible World Cup boycott
The German Football Association (DFB) and FIFA will decide with full “autonomy” whether to boycott the upcoming World Cup, which will be hosted mainly by the United States in six months, following threats made by former U.S. president Donald Trump, the German government told AFP on Tuesday.
Trump has threatened to seize Greenland and impose higher tariffs on European countries that oppose the plan, raising political tensions between the United States and Europe.
“This assessment therefore lies with the relevant federations, in this case the DFB and FIFA. The federal government will respect that decision,” Sports State Secretary Christiane Schenderlein said in a statement emailed to AFP.
AFP had asked the German government about the possibility of a boycott of the World Cup to be jointly hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
“The federal government respects the autonomy of sport. Decisions regarding participation in major sporting events or possible boycotts fall exclusively within the responsibility of the relevant sports federations, not the political sphere,” said Schenderlein, a member of the conservative CDU, the party of Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
International
Daily Mail publisher insists reports relied on legitimate sources amid privacy trial
Two British tabloids accused of phone hacking and other forms of “unlawful information gathering” against Prince Harry and six other individuals, including singer Elton John, insisted on Tuesday that their reporting relied on legitimate sources.
Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL), the publisher of the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday, sought to rebut allegations of privacy violations through illegal methods on the second day of trial at London’s High Court, following a lawsuit filed by the seven claimants.
Prince Harry, 41, who attended court hearings on both Monday and Tuesday, could be called to testify starting Wednesday in a trial expected to last up to nine weeks.
Lawyers for the claimants said the alleged illegal activities took place between 1993 and 2011, with some incidents reportedly extending as late as 2018. They argue that the tabloids hired private investigators to intercept phone calls and obtain confidential information, including detailed phone records, medical histories, and bank statements.
However, Anthony White, counsel for ANL, told the court that the trial would show the company presents “a compelling account of a pattern of lawful source acquisition” for its articles.
White added that the claims would require the court to believe that journalists and staff at the tabloids had engaged in widespread dishonesty, which the company strongly denies.
International
Death toll from southern Spain train crash rises to 40
The death toll from the train accident that occurred on Sunday in southern Spain has risen to 40, according to investigative sources cited by EFE on Monday afternoon.
Since early Monday, search operations have focused on the damaged carriages of a Renfe train bound for Huelva, which collided with the last derailed cars of an Iryo train traveling from Málaga to Madrid after it left the tracks.
The crash has also left more than 150 people injured. Of these, 41 remain hospitalized, including 12 in intensive care units at hospitals across the Andalusia region.
More than 220 Civil Guard officers are working at the site, searching the railway line and surrounding areas for key evidence to help identify victims and determine the causes of the accident.
The tragedy has revived memories of the deadliest railway disasters in Europe in recent decades. In Spain, the most severe occurred on July 24, 2013, when an Alvia train derailed near Santiago de Compostela, killing 80 people and injuring 130 others.
At the European level, the worst rail disaster took place on June 3, 1998, in Eschede, northern Germany, when a high-speed train struck a bridge pillar at 200 kilometers per hour, resulting in 98 deaths and 120 injuries.
Germany says football bodies alone will decide on possible World Cup boycott
Daily Mail publisher insists reports relied on legitimate sources amid privacy trial
Death toll from southern Spain train crash rises to 40
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
International4 days agoU.S. deportation flight returns venezuelans to Caracas after Maduro’s ouster
-
Central America3 days agoGuatemala prison uprisings leave 46 guards held by gangs
-
International1 day agoDeath toll from southern Spain train crash rises to 40
-
International4 days agoCanada accuses Iran of killing its citizen during anti-government unrest
-
Central America1 day agoGuatemala raises police death toll to nine after gang violence escalates
-
International4 days agoSheinbaum highlights anti-drug gains after U.S. says challenges remain
-
International1 day agoOver 160 christian worshippers kidnapped in Kaduna Church attacks
-
International3 days agoChile declares state of catastrophe as wildfires rage in Ñuble and Biobío
-
International4 days agoFormer South Korean President Yoon sentenced to five years in prison
-
International12 hours agoGermany says football bodies alone will decide on possible World Cup boycott
-
International1 day agoSpain’s Prime Minister pledges transparency after train crash kills at least 39
-
International12 hours agoDaily Mail publisher insists reports relied on legitimate sources amid privacy trial