International
Elon Musk is a “special government employee” of Trump, according to the White House
Billionaire Elon Musk, who has deployed a team to access internal systems of the Treasury or the Usaid agency, is a “special government employee” and is operating in accordance with the law, according to White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, said on Monday.
“I can confirm that (Musk) is a special government employee and that he is complying with all applicable federal laws,” the spokeswoman explained on Monday, although she could not confirm if the tycoon, who does not hold a position in Donald Trump’s cabinet, has obtained a security permit to access sensitive data.
Musk has deployed a team of several young people, who report directly to him, and who during the weekend have accessed payment systems of the Treasury Department and servers of the US Cooperation Agency (Usaid), exposing in some cases transfers that the tycoon has denounced as inappropriate.
According to the Department of Justice, a special government employee is “anyone who works or is expected to work for the Government for 130 days or less in a 365-day period.”
According to sources told CNN, Musk does not receive any salary from the Government for his services he performs as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
In addition, according to the CBS network, Musk has an office in the west wing of the White House and, at times, has gone to it accompanied by one of his younger children.
Trump said today to questions from journalists in the Oval Office that Musk is acting in the right way and does not believe he has incurred any conflict of interest in his work of intervention and auditing federal expenses.
According to the president, Musk operates under his orders and “he cannot and will not do anything without our approval.”
Musk has deployed a team of six young engineers, which the tycoon joked in X who work without hours and at all hours, who have taken control of key points in the Treasury Department, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the General Services Administration (GSA).
In addition, these entries, which have sometimes forced this team to open sensitive federal services, have met with the opposition of officials who work in these institutions.
The United States humanitarian cooperation agency (Usaid) was the last scenario of this intervention by Musk’s team, with employees accused of “insubordination” by the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who has become the agency’s acting administrator.
Musk has said that Usaid, the world’s largest international cooperation agency, is a “criminal organization” and must be closed immediately.
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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