International
International partners embrace the Palestinian Authority for a two-state future
The international partners and donors of the Palestinian National Authority (ANP) met this Sunday in Brussels to cover their new prime minister, Mohamed Mustafa, who showed himself as a “responsible” partner for a two-state future for Palestine and Israel.
“These meetings are key to moving towards an independent, sovereign and viable Palestinian State. Today is a very important opportunity to present to our international partners the plans and priorities that we have, as a new government, for the next mandate,” Mustafa said in a statement prior to today’s ministerial meeting, held at the headquarters of the European Commission.
This is his first visit to Brussels since he took office in mid-March and he participated, along with about twenty countries and international organizations, in this meeting, hosted by the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, chaired by the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Espen Barth Eide, and also attended by the Spanish head of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares.
The head of the Palestinian government presented himself as a reliable partner in the eyes of the international community and set the reconstruction of Gaza as the first priority of his new Executive, so he called for a ceasefire.
When the war is over, the ANP wants to “be prepared” to “care” for the civilian population in the Strip, in addition to “reintegrating the institutions of Gaza,” now controlled by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, with those of the West Bank, in the hands of the secular Fatah party.
Improving the economic situation of Palestine is another of Mustafa’s great priorities, and in this sense he asked the international community to put pressure on Israel to unblock the funds belonging to the ANP that the Israelis have kept frozen since the beginning of the war.
“We must take better care of the Palestinian authorities that we have because there is no alternative, and I think we are all convinced that there is no long-term alternative to a two-state solution. A two-state solution requires a Palestinian government,” stressed the head of Norwegian diplomacy.
Norway, which together with Spain and Ireland will officially recognize the Palestinian State next Tuesday, believes that the Palestinian National Authority, “which has all the control it can in the West Bank and East Jerusalem must be able to survive, strengthen itself, improve its ability to provide services, reform, and also plan a future return to Gaza, because we want a Palestine to be governed by a single government,” Eide said.
“We need to strengthen the voice of the moderates who really want to achieve a solution in which both Israelis and Palestinians can live together in peace,” stressed the Norwegian Foreign Minister, whose purpose in the meeting he chairs is that key partners and donors not only listen “attentively” to Mustafa’s plans but also “understand how serious the situation is.”
For Eide, the Mustafa government, with support, will be “capable of becoming the embryo of the State that we not only recognize, but also want to see in practice on the ground.”
“It is very important that we get together to try to support the Palestinian Authority because these are extremely difficult times for the Palestinians,” Borrell said.
And he drew a disheartening panorama: “The situation in Gaza goes beyond the worst. The occupied West Bank is on the edge of the abyss and runs the risk of suffering an explosion at any time. And while we speak, military operations continue in Rafah and its surroundings.”
In addition, the borders remain closed for humanitarian deliveries and dozens of Israeli hostages remain in the hands of Hamas, which today attacked Tel Aviv with rockets for the first time in four months. “This also has to stop,” Borrell added.
He highlighted the “immense challenges” faced by the Palestinian authorities, with “a dangerous socio-economic crisis, the impact of the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza, the closures imposed in the West Bank and other punitive actions such as the announcement by the Israeli occupation authorities to cut all the income that belongs to them.”
“That’s why today, with international partners and donors, we will focus on how we can better support the Palestinian Authority at this critical juncture,” Borrell added, urging to “do more” to help Mustafa’s new government.
International
Biden, Trump campaigns set rules for first pre-election debate on CNN
Campaign committees for U.S. President Joe Biden and businessman Donald Trump agreed on Saturday to the rules for their first debate ahead of the November elections, scheduled for June 27 and hosted by CNN: it will last ninety minutes, be audience-free, and feature muteable microphones.
CNN had indicated since its announcement in May that the debate would proceed without an audience, which is Biden’s preferred format.
It was also disclosed that both candidates’ campaign teams accepted a series of other provisions, including the use of identical podiums and the implementation of muteable microphones to enforce speaking times.
“The microphones will be silenced throughout the debate, except for the candidate who has the speaking turn,” CNN specified, adding that hosts Jake Tapper and Dana Bash “will use all available tools” to “enforce the timing and ensure a civilized discussion.”
The debate will feature 90 minutes of discussion with just two commercial breaks during which campaign teams cannot interact with the candidates, as specified.
Pre-written notes on the set will also be prohibited, but “the candidates will receive a pen, notepad, and a water bottle” for the event.
Biden and former President Trump (2017-2021) agreed to debate twice before the presidential elections on November 5, on June 27 and September 10. The second debate will be organized by ABC News.
International
Florida declares a state of emergency due to severe floods in five southern counties
The Government of Florida declared a state of emergency on Thursday in five southern counties where severe floods have occurred due to the torrential rains that began last Tuesday.
The governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, today issued the order covering Miami-Dade, Broward, Collier, Lee and Sarasota counties, where for now there have been no victims but mainly road flooding, putting drivers and their families at risk.
The state government stressed that tropical humidity will continue to cause heavy scattered rains in southern Florida and that the flood alert will remain in effect throughout this region and the Keys of Florida, a succession of islets in the extreme south of the state.
These storms have also caused tornadoes, highway cuts, suspension of classes and flight cancellations, about 200 this Thursday, at the airports of Miami and Fort Lauderdale, according to the Flightaware platform.
Several areas in the vicinity of Fort Lauderdale airport were impacted, as well as Hallandale Beach, Dania Beach and Lauderdale Lakes, where floods forced the cancellation of transport services.
Although the storm subsided this Thursday, several sectors remained underwater, including Hallandale Beach, whose residents today asked for more pumps to evacuate it. In addition, several vehicles remained stranded and some were even submerged.
Meanwhile, the Brightline train had to temporarily close its stations in Miami and Aventura, the two further south, and several universities and schools have suspended classes.
The mayor of Miami-Dade, Daniella Levine Cava, declared a local state of emergency on Wednesday night, with immediate effect.
International
The IMF approves the disbursement of another 800 million dollars for Argentina
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved the eighth revision of the agreement with Argentina, which allows an immediate disbursement of approximately 800 million dollars for the country.
The financial agency indicated in a statement that this disbursement “will support the efforts of the authorities to restore stability and strengthen Argentina’s external viability.”
The total disbursements made under the Fund’s agreement with Argentina amounts to about 41.4 billion dollars.
The IMF stressed that, when completing the review, “the Executive Board considered that the program was firmly on track, with all the quantitative performance criteria until the end of March 2024 met with margins.”
“Non-compliance exementions for a new exchange rate restriction and multiple exchange practices were also approved in the context of some relaxation of the restrictions on the payment of dividends.”
To maintain solid progress, according to the IMF, “it is necessary to improve the quality of fiscal adjustment, to initiate steps towards an improved monetary and exchange policy framework, implement the structural agenda.”
Likewise, “continue efforts to support the most vulnerable, expand political support and ensure agility in the formulation of policies.”
In March 2022, the then Government of the Peronist Alberto Fernández (2019-2023) signed an agreement with the IMF to refinance loans for about 45 billion dollars that the agency had granted to Argentina in 2018, during the presidency of the conservative Mauricio Macri (2015-2019).
The pact includes quarterly revisions such as the one now surpassed on the level of compliance with demanding goals in terms of fiscal discipline, accumulation of monetary reserves and limits on monetary issuance.
The approval for new disbursements to Argentina by the agency depends on the fulfillment of those goals and the approval of each review, funds that, in turn, the South American country uses to cancel its debt to the entity, which amounted to 40,899 million dollars at the end of 2023.
On Tuesday, the Argentine Minister of Economy, Luis Caputo, said that he will negotiate a new program with the IMF after the eighth review of the organization: “From there we will begin to negotiate a new program with them,” he said.
The IMF had highlighted in a statement last May that Argentina reached this eighth review with a “stabilization plan” where it could reach “the first quarterly fiscal surplus in sixteen years,” a “rapid fall in inflation” and “a strong reduction in sovereign risk.”
Argentina had passed this last review in May, but that step had to go through a formal procedure and be approved by the Executive Board of the IMF, something that took place this Thursday, to receive the 800 million.
This eighth review corresponds to the first quarter of 2024, a period marked by the drastic change in economic policy in Argentina after the arrival of Javier Milei to the presidency in December and the implementation of a severe adjustment plan to recover the fiscal surplus this year.
Biden, Trump campaigns set rules for first pre-election debate on CNN
NHC warns of severe rainfall threat to Central America and Southeast Mexico
Costa Rica seizes 1.3 tons of cocaine in Pacific Ocean bust
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
Ecuador prison riot leaves at least 43 dead
-
International3 days agoHutis say that they attacked 3 other ships and the United States, that a Ukrainian freighter was hit
-
Central America20 hours agoNHC warns of severe rainfall threat to Central America and Southeast Mexico
-
International3 days agoThe IMF approves the disbursement of another 800 million dollars for Argentina
-
Central America2 days agoUS Congressman Gaetz praises El Salvador’s transformation under President Bukele
-
International20 hours agoBiden, Trump campaigns set rules for first pre-election debate on CNN
-
Central America2 days agoCosta Rica seizes 1.3 tons of cocaine in Pacific Ocean bust
-
International3 days agoXóchitl Gálvez challenges the presidential election before the authority and asks for a sanction for López Obrador
-
International3 days agoThe Legislature of the City of Buenos Aires declares Nicolás Maduro persona “non grata”
-
International3 days agoFlorida declares a state of emergency due to severe floods in five southern counties
-
International3 days agoOn Lebanon’s line of fire, Spanish troops patrol between alerts and destruction
-
International3 days agoSpain and Mexico evoke 85 years of republican exile: “A great day for democracy”
-
International3 days agoAfter the new restrictions, fewer migrants can apply for asylum at the U.S. border