International
Sheinbaum, Netanyahu, Musk and Trump, among the candidates for “person of the year” of Time 2024
Time magazine published this Monday its list of ten finalists for “person of the year” 2024, which will be announced this Thursday, and among them are the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum; the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the elected president of the United States, Donald Trump.
In an election year in the United States, it is no surprise that Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris appear among the finalists, who applied to be the first female president of the country and who had already been named “person of the year” along with President Joe Biden in 2020, when her formula won the elections.
In 2016, also an election year for the United States, Donald Trump won this ‘title’ of “person of the year” after his victory.
This year, the magazine highlights his political comeback, his conviction on 34 fraud charges and his plans for the US economy.
Political leaders dominate Time’s “person of the year” list
However, they are not the only political leaders on the list, since the first woman to serve as president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, is among the nominees and Time highlights her fight for people with fewer resources, her inauguration at an economically complicated time for the country and her firm response to Trump’s plans regarding tariffs.
On the other hand, according to the magazine, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu describes him as “one of the most influential and controversial world leaders of the year” and, on which an arrest warrant from the International Court of Justice for war crimes weighs.
Two entrepreneurs of technology companies are also among the ten finalists: Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
The other candidates
This year, Musk, the richest man in the world, entered the world of politics with Trump, who announced that he would co-direct a new commission, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The list also includes Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, who was international news and protagonist of conspiracy theories before her cancer diagnosis was made public, and economist Julia Navalnaya, who accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of killing her husband, the opponent Alexéi Navalny, and who met with world leaders.
The president of the US Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, has also entered the list, as well as the comedian and athlete Joe Rogan, whose podcast was the most listened to this year.
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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