International
Migrants defy the alert for rains and cyclones to cross the southern border of Mexico
Migrants defy the alerts of the Mexican authorities for the possible first cyclone of the season and the rains of up to 250 millimeters forecasted in Chiapas, a state bordering Central America, to cross the southern border of Mexico despite the flood of rivers and floods.
Civil Protection authorities of the Government of Chiapas issued an ‘Orange’ alert for the rains in the face of the possible formation of the first tropical storms of the Atlantic season, so some migrants have paused their way, but others do not stop to advance towards the United States.
“We expose ourselves to everything, to rains, to the fact that we are going to get sick, a flu, an annoyance or something of the flu that can affect us a lot, the journey of everything is delayed,” Honduran Gabriel told EFE, who entered Tapachula, the main city of Mexico’s border with Guatemala, with about 10 compatriots.
But, instead of stopping, this migrant and his companions said that they will take advantage of this storm of rain to walk through Chiapas, avoid the Mexican authorities and reach Mexico City, where they will then continue to their final destination, the United States.
“The rain stops us for a moment, by the hand of God we will always continue. At the moment we are looking for a place to pass the rain,” he said.
The situation illustrates the crisis due to the migratory flow in Mexico, where the Government intercepted a record of almost 1.4 million irregular migrants from January to May, an increase of about 650% over the same period last year.
On the other hand, the National Meteorological Service (SMN) has warned of the possible formation between this Tuesday and Wednesday of the first cyclone in the Atlantic season and that it would make landfall in the Gulf of Mexico states.
For days, migrants such as the Venezuelan Carlos Luis Vendible have walked under the rains on the border of Mexico with Guatemala, where the Mexican authorities try to direct them to the shelters and warn of the dangers they will face due to the rainfall.
“Right now I will have to go out to the market to look for work and survive day by day for the food of the people who accompany us, we ask the Government of Mexico to continue to support us,” he told EFE.
But the South American said that the migrants are suspicious of the alerts of Mexican agents to the operations to stop them.
“(We ask) that the Migration police do not bother us so much, sometimes they grab us, humiliate us and insult us, that they are more humanitarian, we are not emigrating because we want to migrate, but because of the difficult economic crisis of our country,” he said.
The man is accompanied by his son, his niece, his partner and other Ecuadorians, who are now stranded in Tapachula to know how they can be regularized.
The Secretary of Municipal Civil Protection, Herbert Antonio Enrique Schroeder Bejarano, asked migrants and locals not to be exposed to the risks and to avoid settling on the banks of the rivers, including the Suchiate, which divides Mexico from Guatemala.
“Everyone has been urged, we are talking to the general population, where they, migrants, also enter. They don’t know what the situation prevails here, the risks and the danger we have,” he said.
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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