International

The White House rules out pardoning Julian Assange despite the request of his lawyers

The White House said on Thursday that it is not considering granting a presidential pardon to the founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, as requested by his lawyers.

The White House spokeswoman, Karine Jean-Pierre, responded with a brief “no” when the journalists aboard the Air Force One presidential plane asked her if that option was being considered.

The question arose as a result of the statements of Assange’s lawyers and his wife, Stella Assange, who in recent hours announced that they would ask the president of the United States, Joe Biden, for a presidential pardon with the aim of cleaning up Assange’s criminal history.

Assange’s release was made possible after an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice that was formalized on Wednesday during a hearing in a court in Saipan, in the Northern Mariana Islands, in which he pleaded guilty to violating the U.S. espionage law as part of the pact.

A criminal charge related to the largest leak of classified documents in the history of the United States, which occurred in 2010 and that questioned the role of that country in the world by revealing atrocities in the wars of Iraq and Afghanistan.

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At the hearing, in exchange for acknowledging her responsibility, Judge Ramona Villagomez sentenced Assange to 62 months in prison, acknowledging the time already served in the high-security prison of Belmarsh (United Kingdom), so he was released and can return to his native Australia.

This episode puts an end to a 14-year-old saga that began in 2010 with the largest leak of classified documents in the history of the United States, with which WikiLeaks revealed attacks on civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the mistreatment of prisoners in Guantánamo, among other issues.

Initially arrested in 2010 at the behest of Sweden for a case of abuse now filed, Assange was in the middle of a complex extradition process to the United States, where he was accused of 18 crimes that involved a possible penalty of more than 170 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.