International
The US has a “clear interest” in preventing the fragmentation of Syria and stopping the Islamic State
The Secretary of State of the United States, Antony Blinken, said on Monday that his country has a “clear interest” in preventing the “fragmentation” of Syria and stopping a resurgence of the terrorist group Islamic State (IS).
“This moment presents a historic opportunity, but it also carries considerable risks,” the head of US diplomacy said about Syria during an event at the State Department.
Blinken, who described the fall of President Bashar al-Asad as a “defeat” of his allies in Iran, Hezbula and Russia, stressed that “the Syrian people have to be the one who chooses their path and their future.”
He also announced that senior State Department officials have been deployed in the region to analyze the situation with key actors and allies.
“We have a clear interest in doing what we can to avoid the fragmentation of Syria, massive migrations from Syria and, of course, the export of terrorism and extremism from the region to the world,” he stressed.
Blinken also said that the United States has a “strong interest” in preventing a resurgence of IS “given the death and destruction it has caused for so long,” as well as “ensuring that any weapons of mass destruction that remain in Syria do not fall into the wrong hands.”
The head of US diplomacy said that it is “imperative” that human rights in Syria are respected, especially of vulnerable minorities, and that state institutions be preserved.
In that sense, he said that the latest statements of the rebel leaders are “welcome,” but stressed that actions are more important than words.
The Pentagon watches that IS does not take advantage of the collapse
For his part, the head of the Pentagon, Lloyd Austin, warned on Monday that IS could take advantage of the collapse of the Al Asad government in Syria to reorganize.
“As this develops, there is the potential that elements in the area, such as the Islamic State, will try to take advantage of this opportunity and regain capacity,” Austin said in statements from Japan aboard the ship USS George Washington.
Austin was also “surprised” that “the opposition forces advanced as fast as they did.”
“I think everyone expected to see a much firmer resistance from Al Assad’s forces,” he said.
The President of the United States, Joe Biden, said last weekend that Washington’s immediate priority is to prevent the resurgence of the Islamic State, which in 2014 came to control vast areas of Syria and Iraq, in which it proclaimed a “caliphate.”
With this objective, US forces carried out a dozen airstrikes in central Syria on Sunday, reaching 75 targets linked to the terrorist group, according to the Pentagon.
The United States has 900 soldiers deployed in Syria, who will remain in the region as part of the international coalition against IS in order to prevent the jihadist group from taking advantage of the situation to reorganize.
Biden’s advisor travels to Israel with a focus on Gaza and Syria
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will travel to Israel this week to hold talks with senior Israeli officials focused on negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the situation in Syria after the fall of the Al-Assad government.
According to a White House spokesman to EFE, Sullivan will address with senior Israeli officials “a variety of important issues, including efforts to achieve the release of hostages and a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, the latest events in Syria, as well as tensions around Lebanon and Iran.”
Biden announced this weekend that he will send several officials to the region to evaluate the next steps in Syria and that he himself will hold telephone conversations with the leaders of Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and Israel, neighboring countries of Syria.
Sullivan’s trip will be the first official visit of a high-ranking US official publicly announced since the insurgent coalition led by the Levant Liberation Organization (HTS) took control of Damascus.
HTS, which split in 2016 from the Al-Qaeda subsidiary of the Nusra Front, is designated by the United States as a terrorist organization.
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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