International

The investigation of the cause of the fire in the Copenhagen stock exchange could take months

The investigation of the causes of the fire that on Tuesday caused serious damage to the historic old building of the Copenhagen stock exchange could last “several months,” the Danish Police reported on Wednesday.

The authorities assumed the fire was controlled on Tuesday afternoon, about eight hours after its emar, but several dozen firefighters continued this Wednesday with the extinguishing work, which is expected to last until Thursday.

“Shortly after the fire broke out, an investigation was opened and we have carried out several interrogations, ensured surveillance and taken a series of steps. But there is still a part left, especially since we have not yet been able to examine the bag itself or do the technical exams,” deputy comissary Brian Belling said in a statement.

The fire devastated half of the building, from the 17th century and whose facade and roof were being restored, and caused the collapse of part of the roof and the iconic spire of its tower, although hundreds of works of art from its interior were saved.

Apart from extinguishing the last flames, the work is now focused on stabilizing the construction and ensuring that the walls of the burned part do not collapse, for which forty containers full of cement have been placed on the outside.

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The police have progressively opened to traffic areas of the center that were cut off by the fire, but maintain the cuts in the vicinity of the building, located a few meters from the seat of the Parliament.

When the fire broke out, at 07.30 local time (05.30 GMT) on Tuesday, there were inside it, ten workers from the company that was restoring it and who left the place on their own foot.

“We have said that, no matter what happens, we are obliged to restore the Stock Exchange, out of consideration for our history, our cultural heritage, Denmark and the business world,” the director of the Chamber of Commerce, Brian Mikkelsen, reiterated today.

It is one of the oldest buildings preserved in Copenhagen, built between 1619 and 1623 by order of King Christian IV of Denmark and which functioned as the city’s purse until 1974.

King Frederick X yesterday described what happened as “sad” and the Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, as “horrible.”

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.