International

Trump begins his first day in power with a mass in Washington Cathedral

US President Donald Trump began his first day in power on Tuesday with an interreligious service in the National Cathedral of Washington, an event that marks the closing of the acts of his inauguration, and later he will meet with leaders of Congress and make a “big announcement” on infrastructure.

Trump attended the ceremony with the first lady, Melania Trump. From the front row, both listened in silence and with a solemn gesture to the prayers, the melodies of the organ and the songs, including a ‘Hail Mary’. Next to him were the vice president, JD Vance and his wife, Usha.

This type of service has been a tradition since 1993, when the new president attends a prayer ceremony the morning after his inauguration.

Less than two weeks ago, Trump was in that same cathedral for the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter (1977-1981), where he was seen talking animatedly with Barack Obama (2009-2017). At that event, Trump sat in the second row, while the first was reserved for the then president, Joe Biden.

In addition to religious service, Trump plans to meet this Tuesday afternoon at the White House with important Republican legislators, including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, and the leader of the majority in the Senate, John Thune, to discuss his legislative agenda.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

Later, around 16.30 local time (21.30 GMT), he will make statements at the White House and make a “great announcement about infrastructure,” according to his press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, in an interview with Fox News.

At 27 years old, Leavitt has become the youngest spokesperson in the history of the White House. Before her, Ron Ziegler held that record, assuming office at the age of 29 during the presidency of Richard Nixon (1969-1974).

Leavitt explained to the Fox network that there will be no press conference today, since Trump himself will appear before the journalists.

During the Biden Administration (2021-2025), press conferences were held almost daily, as were in the Obama (2009-2017) and George W. governments. Bush (2001-2009).

However, Trump, who has maintained a tense relationship with the press and has described the media as “enemies of the people” and “fake news”, ordered to drastically reduce the frequency of these appearances in his first term (2017-2021).

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

As a result, the press conferences became sporadic, depending on the acting press secretary, and a record of more than 300 days without appearances was set between March 2019 and January 2020.

It remains to be seen if in this new stage he will choose to maintain that strategy or if the spokesmen will have more frequent contact with the media.

International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.

International

U.S. counterterrorism chief resigns over opposition to war in Iran

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced Tuesday that he has resigned from his post, citing his opposition to the ongoing war in Iran.

In a post on X, Kent said he could not, “in good conscience,” support the conflict, arguing that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the United States. He also claimed that the war was driven by pressure from Israel and its lobbying influence in Washington.

In a resignation letter addressed to Donald Trump, Kent alleged that at the start of the current administration, senior Israeli officials and influential figures in U.S. media carried out a disinformation campaign that undermined the “America First” platform and fostered pro-war sentiment aimed at triggering a conflict with Iran.

Kent further stated that he could not support sending a new generation of Americans to “fight and die in a war that provides no benefit to the American people and does not justify the cost in American lives.”

Since the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28, at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed, while 10 others have been seriously wounded and around 200 have sustained minor injuries, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”