International
Hungary rejects Mark Rutte’s candidacy for NATO secretary general
The Hungarian government announced on Tuesday that it will not support the candidacy of outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte for the next Secretary General of NATO, citing his criticisms of Hungary’s policies.
“We cannot support the election of a person as NATO Secretary General who has sought to make Hungary kneel,” Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stated on Tuesday.
The selection of the NATO Secretary General requires consensus among all member states of the Alliance.
The minister stated that it would be “very strange” for the government of the ultranationalist Viktor Orbán to support Rutte.
Rutte strongly criticized Hungary in 2021 over the so-called “minor defense law,” which links pedophilia with homosexuality, leading the European Commission to initiate infringement proceedings against the country.
The Dutch Prime Minister suggested that Hungary should be expelled from the European Union (EU) and that the central European country should be forced to “kneel.”
Rutte has repeatedly criticized Hungary’s erosion of the rule of law, causing tensions with Orbán.
The term of the current NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, which was supposed to end in July 2023, was extended by one year due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Rutte’s name is being strongly considered as the leading candidate for the next NATO Secretary General. The selection of the new NATO leader is expected to take place at the summit to be held in Lithuania in the summer.
Hungary blocked Sweden’s entry into NATO for two years until last week, making it the last NATO member to ratify it.
The appointment must be agreed upon by the 31 members of the Alliance, one more if Sweden is already counted.
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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