International
More than 200,000 people return to northern Gaza in an ongoing exodus
Thousands of Gazans began this Tuesday the return to what is left of their homes in the devastated north of the Gaza Strip, after yesterday at least 200,000 people did, according to UN figures, which the Hamas government raised to more than 300,000, in a statement from the Islamist group.
“More than 300,000 displaced people from our great Palestinian people returned from the southern and central governors to the (city of) Gaza and northern governors through Rashid and Salah al Din streets after 470 days of the genocidal war committed by the ‘Israeli’ army of occupation,” the Hamas media office said in a statement.
At dawn, the crowds who had spent the night near the Netzarim corridor, a closed military area located in the south of Gaza City, began to move on foot to the northern cities and a longed-for Gaza, the once vibrant capital of Gaza, from where 1.4 million people began to be forcibly evacuated after the first week of war.
“The doctor told me that I shouldn’t walk or climb stairs, but I’ve been walking for two hours and I’m not tired. I feel like someone takes me every step of the way. Closer and closer to my house,” the Palestinian Nihad, who walked yesterday with her husband and children through that parallel road to the Mediterranean Sea, heading north, told EFE.
As the Hamas Government reported today, more than 5,500 officials are working to facilitate return routes and corridors, while some 135,000 tents and caravans are needed to house this population that returns to a destroyed Gaza that they no longer know.
Late last night, at least one Palestinian was killed by an Israeli airstrike against the excavator he was driving next to the Nuseirat refugee camp, in central Gaza, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
With this event, the total number of deaths after the entry into force of the ceasefire is at least 16 people, according to an EFE count.
The Israeli Army confirmed today having fired from the air against “several suspicious vehicles” that were moving north through an area that “is not authorized for the passage and without being inspected, in violation of the terms of the agreement,” according to a military statement.
In addition, he said that after having fired “warning shots” at a suspect in northern Gaza who did not leave, “additional shots were fired to eliminate the threat.”
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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