International
The White House denies that Elon Musk is the legal manager of the Department of Efficiency
The White House denied before a court that Elon Musk is the legal manager of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an office that President Donald Trump created for the tycoon to cut public spending of the federal Administration.
In a document filed on Monday with the District of Columbia federal court, White House Administration Director Joshua Fisher detailed that Musk is neither the administrator nor an employee of the DOGE.
According to Fisher, the richest man in the world is actually a White House worker who serves as an advisor to the president and who, therefore, has no direct authority to make government decisions.
The document does not clarify who is the legal guardian of the DOGE.
The White House’s revelation comes in response to the lawsuit filed by several Democratic prosecutors from different states accusing Trump of having delegated to Musk “a practically uncontrolled authority” and without the authorization of Congress.
The argument that Musk is not the legal manager of the DOGE contrasts with the public statements made so far by Trump himself, Musk and the DOGE.
After winning the elections last November, Trump announced the creation of the DOGE to cut bureaucracy and placed businessmen Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy at the head, but the latter disassociated himself from the organization.
Musk was last week in the Oval Office with Trump detailing to the press the actions that the DOGE is carrying out and assuring, in the face of criticism from the opposition, that its management is “transparent.”
To date, DOGE and Musk have led the dismantling of entities such as the International Development Agency (Usaid) or the Consumer Financial Protection Office (CFPB), in charge of monitoring Wall Street and protecting consumers.
The broad power of the businessman within the Administration has generated concern in some departments and a federal judge blocked the DOGE’s access to the Treasury Department’s payment system.
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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