International

Musk joins the fight between Trump and Trudeau and insults the Canadian prime minister

Businessman Elon Musk described Justin Trudeau as “stupid unbearable” on Wednesday after the Canadian prime minister delivered a speech in which he linked Donald Trump to the decline in women’s rights.

In the same message on his social network X, Musk also anticipated that Trudeau “will not be in power for a long time.”

Musk posted his message in response to another publication by a Canadian conservative academic who described Trudeau as “grotesque” as a comment on a video of the speech delivered this Wednesday by the Canadian leader.

The fight between Trudeau and Trump

On Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau linked Donald Trump’s electoral victory to the decline of women’s rights, after the Republican mocked the Canadian leader by calling him “governor” of a state of the United States.

It all started when Trudeau traveled to Florida at the end of October to meet with the president-elect where he tried to convince him not to punish Canada with tariffs of 25%, he said today at an event in Ottawa that there are politicians and “reactionary forces” who want to reverse women’s rights.

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“We were supposed to be in a constant, albeit difficult, march towards progress. And even so, a few weeks ago, the United States voted for the second time not to elect its first female president,” the prime minister continued.

“In all ways, women’s rights and women’s progress are under attack, openly or subtly. I want you to know that I am and will always be a proud feminist. They will always have an ally in me and in my Government,” he added before a mostly feminist audience.

Plans on Trudeau’s agenda: border security and tariffs

In addition, Trudeau plans to meet this Wednesday with the heads of government of the country’s 11 provinces to inform them of the plan to invest 1 billion Canadian dollars (710 million US dollars or 670 million euros) to strengthen border security.

Trump has stated that he will apply tariffs of 25% to Canada and Mexico until the flow of drugs and undocumented immigrants from those two countries stops.

After the threat, Trudeau had dinner with the president-elect at his residence in Mar-a-Lago. During that dinner, Trump joked that the solution to the large tariffs he wants to impose is for Canada to integrate into the United States as one more state.

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This week, in a continuation of his joke, Trump called Trudeau the “governor” of the “great state of Canada.”

The Canadian prime minister also faces negative opinion polls in Canada that place the opposition Conservative Party (PC) 20 points ahead in voting intention.

The conservatives have tabled three motions of censure in recent weeks to try to bring forward the general elections scheduled for October 20, 2025, but they have not managed to overthrow the Liberal Party government.

Trudeau’s confrontation with Trump and the possibility of Canadian conservatives winning the elections with a political agenda similar to that of the Republican on issues of women’s rights and other minorities could improve the prime minister’s political prospects.

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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.