International

Judge examines Prosecutor’s request for a gag order to Trump for comments about the FBI

Judge Aileen Cannon, in charge of the case of mishandling of classified documents by former president and Republican pre-candidate Donald Trump, examined on Monday a request from prosecutors in which they ask him to be prohibited from making comments that may endanger the lives of the FBI agents who registered their property in Mar-a-Lago.

Special prosecutor Jack Smith asked Cannon, nominated by Trump in 2020, to issue a “limited gag order,” after the former governor claimed, according to the Special Prosecutor’s Office, that the agents who searched his Palm Beach house for classified documents endangered him and his family and had an order to respond violently if necessary.

The agents who carried out the search at his residence in Mar-a-Lago did so at a time when Trump and his family were outside Florida.

In a fundraising email, Trump pointed out that the FBI agents who searched his Mar-a-Lago house for documents were “simply eager to do the unthinkable,” in reference to the use of force, something that does not exceed a normal protocol in a registry.

Trump’s lawyers say that any gag order would unduly silence his defendant in the middle of a campaign in which he is the Republican pre-candidate.

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It is not yet known when Cannon could pronounce on this point, after hearing the arguments that are part of a three-day hearing that began last Friday to address several of the unresolved legal issues that have accumulated in this case.

Last May, Judge Cannon indefinitely postponed the date of the trial against Trump in Florida for the mishandling of confidential documents found in her Mar-a-Lago club, in Palm Beach (Florida) after leaving the White House.

A measure that practically guarantees that the trial will not take place before the presidential elections next November, in which the president, Joe Biden, will be met.

Federal Judge Cannon analyzed last Friday a petition from Trump’s defense to dismisal the accusation of mishandling of documents with the argument that the special prosecutor who presented it, Jack Smith, was illegally appointed.

Trump’s defense team maintained that the U.S. Attorney General, Merrick Garland, lacked legal authority to appoint Smith as special prosecutor in charge of the process.

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Last Thursday it became known that Cannon rejected the request of two federal judges to resign from presiding over the case, as reported that day by The New York Times newspaper.

In the same case, Trump faces charges of obstruction and deliberate retention of official documents related to U.S. Security, which can result in penalties of up to 20 years in prison.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.