International
The Dominican Republic and Haiti come out almost unscathed from the passage of Hurricane Beryl
The Dominican Republic and Haiti came out almost unscathed from the passage of Hurricane Beryl, whose main effect on the Spanish island, shared by both countries, was the strong waves that hit the Caribbean coast, where this Wednesday normality was restored except for some problems with the supply of electricity and water.
Almost half a million people were left without water supply due to the effects of the cyclone, according to the preliminary report of the damage in the national territory, where on Tuesday its effects were felt although with less intensity than expected.
During Beryl’s advance in the south of the Dominican Caribbean coast, 57 aqueducts were affected, leaving 487,020 users without service, according to the report of the Emergency Operations Center (COE).
The same information indicates that, in Barahona (south), one of the provinces most affected by the rains, 66 people had to leave their homes, while in the municipality of Boca Chica, near the capital, several beach establishments suffered damage due to the strong waves.
In addition, thousands of people are without electricity service as a result of the strong waves and the winds caused by Beryl that “have generated interruptions in the electricity service in various parts of the country,” the electricity distributors Edenorte, Edesur and Edeeste, who hope to leave the problem solved this same Wednesday, reported in a joint statement.
Although the indirect effects of Beryl have been limited and has already moved away from the national territory, the COE maintains 17 provinces on green alert for possible floods of rivers, streams and ravines, as well as sudden floods, and restrictions on navigation on the Caribbean coast are still in force.
As for Haiti, the Civil Protection Directorate reported that the cyclone caused “very little damage” in the country, where several flooded streets were reported in the southeast, where several fishing boats were dragged through the waters, specifically in Cayes Jacmel and Marigot, while the two mobile phone companies were out of service.
Although no river overflows were recorded and damage to housing and educational infrastructure is not important, the Haitian authorities maintain the orange alert level for the departments of the south of the country, as well as the prohibition of sailing, especially in the southern areas, until Friday.
In both cases, the damage has been of little consideration compared to the destruction suffered on the islands of Granada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the most devastated by the phenomenon, and it is feared that it will also cause great devastation in Jamaica.
The center of Beryl, a category 4 cyclone, will pass near or over Jamaica in the next few hours to arrive this evening or early Thursday morning in the Cayman Islands and then enter the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico), according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) of the United States.
The first hurricane of the Atlantic season remains a fearsome system with maximum sustained winds of 225 kilometers per hour (140 miles per hour), according to the most recent bulletin of the NHC, based in Miami (Florida), which places it 70 kilometers (45 miles) south of Kingston (Jamaica) and 225 kilometers (140 miles) east of Grand Cayman.
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.
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