International
Putin does not rule out supplying weapons to North Korea as NATO does in Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin did not rule out on Thursday the supply of weapons to North Korea in response to the delivery of modern weapons to Ukraine by NATO countries.
“We reserve the right to supply weapons to other regions of the world. And I also do not rule this out in view of our agreement with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” Putin said during a press conference at the end of his visit to Vietnam, broadcast on Russian public television.
Putin assured that “Westerners provide weapons to Ukraine and from then on they say that they no longer control anything, and it does not matter how they are used.”
“Well, we can also say that we have supplied something to someone and then we don’t take care of anything,” he said.
As for the mutual assistance agreement in case of aggression signed this Wednesday with Pyongyang, Putin took iron from him, arguing that “it is nothing new.”
“We have signed this agreement because the old one has ceased to exist. And in the previous agreement of 1961 it was all the same, there is no news,” he said.
Although he admitted that “in the current context this seems somewhat extraordinary,” he added that “we have changed almost nothing” and that the situation in the world requires legal strengthening relations with Russia’s partners, especially in Asia.
South Korea “does not have to worry, since our military aid under the agreement we signed is only raised if an aggression is committed in relation to one of the signatories of the document. As far as I know, the Republic of Korea does not plan an aggression against North Korea,” he said.
Putin stressed that, in reality, the agreement he signed with the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, will be “a deterrent so that the (Korean) crisis” does not translate into an armed conflict.
And, in response to a reporter’s question, he ruled out the possible deployment of North Korean soldiers on the battlefield of Ukraine.
The signing of the mutual assistance agreement between Russia and North Korea has caused great discomfort in Seoul, but also in the United States and Japan.
Putin also called some of the sanctions adopted against the North Korean communist regime “inhumane” today and called for its lifting.
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.
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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