International
Milei denies that Scholz has mentioned the social impact of the reforms in Argentina
The president of Argentina, Javier Milei, denied on Monday that the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has mentioned to him, at the meeting they held in Berlin, the impact on the social situation of the strong reforms he is making to lower inflation.
“He never mentioned that to me,” “at no time,” Milei replied in an interview on Mitre radio in Argentina, since the official German statement indicated that Scholz stressed the importance of the “social compatibility” of the reforms undertaken by the president.
Milei met with the head of the German Government during the third stopover of his European tour – which the Argentine president describes as “an excellent trip” – which began in Madrid, continued in Hamburg, and after passing through Berlin, he will meet this Monday with the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, the conservative Petr Fiala.
“Afar from questioning social policy, (the German authorities) weigh it, because they understand that in the face of an adjustment of this caliber and the initial conditions, social policy has had to be extremely good, because in the face of what we have done, it would have been a catastrophe if we had not acted correctly,” Milei explained in another section of the interview.
Milei has managed to reach the fiscal surplus in the first five months of the year, from a deficit of 6% of GDP in 2023, at the expense of a hard adjustment, which allowed him to slow inflation at a rate of 4.2% monthly last May and 276.4% year-on-on-year.
“It was a very productive meeting” and “extremely positive,” Milei said when talking about his meeting with Scholz, the first he has with a social democratic leader since he took the presidency, on December 10.
“The German minister asked us about how the economic program was working, given that (Germany) has an important weight in the IMF,” since Argentina intends to renegotiate (with the IMF) the financing program for more than $41 billion, and “what were the prospects for the future,” Milei explained.
“We have talked about the inconveniences of German companies in Argentina and how we were making progress in solving those problems,” Milei added.
Germany is the eighth foreign investor in Argentina, with interests in the manufacturing, mineral and oil extraction and retail and wholesale sectors, and with the presence of companies such as Siemens, Volkswagen and Bayer.
President Milei also referred to the “issue of natural resources, of extreme importance for Germany,” which “woust be motivating many investments to be made in Argentina,” since both leaders addressed global energy security and the importance of having critical minerals.
Milei mentioned that, as indicated in the official statement issued at the end of the meeting, Argentina’s accession to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the integration of Mercosur with the European Union (EU) was also discussed.
In addition, they talked about Argentina’s entry into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and agreed that Russia has in its hands to end the war of aggression against Ukraine.
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
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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