International
About 21,000 children are missing in the Gaza Strip, according to Save the Children
About 21,000 children are missing in the Gaza Strip, many of them trapped under the rubble, presumably dead, or in unidentified mass graves, according to a report published on Monday by the Save the Children organization.
“It is almost impossible to collect and verify information in the current conditions of Gaza,” says the child aid organization, which estimates that about 17,000 children are currently alone, orphaned or separated from their parents, in the face of the constant forced displacement.
According to the Ministry of Health of Gaza, controlled by Hamas, more than 15,800 children have died since the war began in October, about thirty minors have died of hunger and 3,500 are at risk of death from malnutrition.
In total, more than 37,600 people have died in the enclave, 70% of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health.
Save the Children assures that more than 14,000 children have died in the Gaza Strip since October; about 4,000 are missing under the rubble, and a number to be determined, in mass graves.
“Thousands of missing Palestinian children are trapped under the rubble, buried in unmarked graves, damaged to the point of not being able to be recognized by explosives, detained by Israeli forces or lost in the chaos of the conflict,” the organization says.
“Every day we find more unaccompanied children and every day it is more difficult to help them. We identify separated and unaccompanied children and try to locate their families, but there are no safe facilities for them; there is no safe place in Gaza,” they add.
Save the Children also recalls that at least 33 children died in the Hamas attack in Israel on October 7, in which about 1,200 people died and 250 were kidnapped.
The organization indicated that in the occupied territory of the West Bank, about 250 Palestinian children are also missing, many of them in illegal detention.
“Families are tortured by uncertainty about the whereabouts of their loved ones. No parent should have to dig between debris or mass graves to try to find their child’s body. No child should be alone, unprotected in a war zone. No child should be arrested or taken hostage,” said Jeremy Stoner, director of Save the Children in the Middle East.
Stoner has requested an independent investigation into the situation of the missing children in Gaza and for those responsible to be held accountable.
According to UN data, Israel has dropped 75,000 tons of explosives – the equivalent of six nuclear bombs – which, in addition to having destroyed 65% of the structures of the Strip, leaves minors in a very vulnerable situation because they are seven times more likely to die in an explosion.
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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