International
The FBI director announces that he will resign before Trump takes power
FBI director Christopher Wray announced that he will leave office before the President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, takes power on January 20, 2025.
Wray was appointed by Trump in 2017 during his first term and has only seven years of a ten-year term.
However, the president-elect, who has been very critical of the FBI, has already announced that he will appoint Kash Patel as the new director of the organization, so Wray was going to be fired.
Trump, upset with the FBI
Trump is upset, for example, by the FBI’s raid on Mar-a-Lago, his Florida mansion, in search of the classified documents he took from the White House after his first term.
Difficult decision
Wray made the announcement during an event with FBI agents.
“It should be obvious, but I’ll say it anyway: this is not easy for me,” Wray said, referring to his decision to resign.
“In my opinion, this is the best way to prevent the FBI from being dragged further into this dispute,” he added.
“I love this place, I love our mission and I love our people, but my focus is, and has always been, on us and on doing the right thing for the FBI,” Wray said.
Trump celebrates the resignation of the FBI director as “a great day” for the United States.
For his part, Trump celebrated the announcement of Wray’s resignation as “a great day” for the country and urged the Senate to ratify the substitute he has proposed for the position, Kash Patel.
Wray, who was appointed by Trump in 2017 during his first term, confirmed that he will not complete his ten-year term and leave the direction of the FBI before the Republican returns to power on January 20.
“Christopher Wray’s resignation is a great day for the United States,” said Trump, who has been very critical of the FBI since the police force raided his mansion in Mar-a-Lago (Florida) in 2022 in search of the classified documents that the Republican took from the White House.
Trump promised to “restore the rule of law” and said he did not understand “what happened” to Wray, whom he accused of having “illegally” raided his house and of “instrumentalizing” justice against him.
The next president took advantage of his message on the Truth Social network to urge the Senate to ratify the appointment as new director of Kash Patel, a fervent Trumpist very critical of the FBI.
“Kash Patel is the most qualified candidate to lead the FBI in the history of the agency and is committed to helping ensure that law, order and justice return to our country again, and soon,” Trump said.
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.
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
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