International

The British Conservative Party withdraws its support for two candidates investigated for betting on the date of the elections

The British Conservative Party decided on Tuesday to withdraw its support for the two candidates for the July 4 general elections in the United Kingdom who are being investigated for having bet on what the date of the elections would be.

“As a result of internal investigations, we have concluded that we can no longer support Craig Williams or Laura Saunders as parliamentary candidates in the next general elections,” said a spokesman for the Conservatives.

The scandal, which has further damaged the bad prospects of the ‘tories’ of achieving victory, comes just over a week before the elections, in which the Labour of Keir Starmer appear as great favorites in front of the conservatives of the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak.

The party’s spokesman assured that the Gambling Commission has confirmed, after being consulted, that the decision does not interfere with the investigation that that body is carrying out on its side.

In his first reaction to the news, Starmer, who has criticized Sunak for not taking action, asked himself: “Why didn’t this happen a week ago?”

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So far, the prime minister, who declared himself “very angry” about the scandal, had chosen not to intervene so as not to interfere with the Gambling Commission.

However, even within his own ranks there was an increasing number of voices that asked him to act to stop a case that has damaged the credibility of the ruling party.

In addition to Williams and Saunders, the latter’s husband and head of the ‘tories’ electoral campaign, Tony Lee, and the Conservative Party’s data director, Nick Mason, both of whom are currently on leave, are also being investigated.

A member of the Prime Minister’s security team has also been suspended for this case.

Sunak announced by surprise on May 22 the date of the general elections for July 4, which was unexpected because the ‘tory’ leader had indicated that it could be in the fall.

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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.