International

The Republican Party formally nominates Trump as its candidate

The Republican Party on Monday formalized, during its national convention in Milwaukee, the nomination of former US President Donald Trump as its candidate for the elections next November.

Just two days after surviving an assassination attempt at a rally, Trump was crowned by party delegates as the Republican candidate for the Nov. 5 election, in which he will likely face incumbent Democrat Joe Biden.

The nearly 2,400 delegates representing the country’s various states and territories cast their votes en masse for Trump, who ultimately obtained 2,387 votes.

When Eric Trump, the former president’s son, announced that Florida’s votes had been cast for his father, the number needed to formalize the nomination was reached and a standing ovation erupted to the tune of the song ‘Celebration’ by Kool & the Gang and Pat Boone.

Delegates gathered at the Republican National Convention also unanimously approved the selection of Ohio Senator JD Vance, a 39-year-old politician who is also a businessman and writer, as Donald Trump’s presidential running mate.

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Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley opened the meeting with a moment of silence for the attack on Trump on Saturday during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, that left him injured in the ear and killed a member of the audience.

The venue is surrounded by tight security and the red, white and blue balloons, the colour of the American flag, are already ready on the roof to mark the celebrations following Trump’s final speech on Thursday.

This is the former president’s first public shower since a man shot him in Butler. In addition to the person in the audience who died, two others were injured and the attacker was neutralized by law enforcement.

According to what he told the conservative magazine Washington Examiner, the events have led him to rewrite his speech to focus on the need for unity in the country and not on his likely electoral rival on November 5, President Joe Biden.

The Republican National Convention kicked off in Milwaukee on Monday with Trump’s nomination mathematically assured: he needed the votes of 1,215 delegates to secure it, and the primary process guaranteed him 2,268.

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In addition, his primary rival Nikki Haley, a former US ambassador to the UN, released her 97 delegates so they could vote for the former president.

The party’s unity around Trump has grown even stronger since the Republican survived the attack last Saturday in Pennsylvania.

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.