International
Iran denies having a proposal from the United States to close a nuclear agreement
Iran denied this Friday that it had received a firm proposal from the United States to close a nuclear agreement, as stated by US President Donald Trump.
“Iran has not received any written proposal from the United States, either directly or indirectly,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in X.
The head of Iranian diplomacy once again insisted that his country will not give up its right to maintain a nuclear program for peaceful purposes.
“Remember my words: there is no scenario in which Iran abandons its right to enrichment for peaceful purposes, which it has worked so hard to achieve: a right that is also granted to all other signatories of the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty), he said.
At the same time, he reiterated that the United States sends confusing and contradictory messages, before which Tehran will stand firm.
“Respect our rights and end your sanctions, and we will have an agreement,” he said.
Trump assured today that Iran already has a firm proposal from Washington on the table for the negotiations they keep aimed at achieving a nuclear agreement, but in case of not “acting quickly, something bad will happen.”
“Yes, they have a proposal. And most importantly, they know they have to act fast. Something bad is going to happen,” he told journalists inside the Air Force One as he took off in the direction of Washington after finishing his four-day tour of the Middle East
Yesterday in Doha, Trump said that he is “approaching” a pact with Iran, by which this country “will not be able to have a nuclear weapon,” which “is the only point, very simple” that the United States requires for an agreement.
Iran and the United States began nuclear talks on April 12, after Trump called on Tehran to negotiate an agreement and threatened a military attack if a pact on its atomic program was not reached.
Washington and Tehran have held four rounds of nuclear talks, the last one last Sunday in Muscat, Oman, in which they agreed to continue negotiations, although they have not yet announced the date and place of the next meeting.
In the negotiations, Iran seeks to lift economic sanctions and only limit its nuclear capacity, while the United States has also pointed to the Iranian missile program and Tehran’s support for regional groups such as the Houthis in Yemen.
Tehran insists that it will not negotiate its right to enrich uranium, while Washington has mentioned the possibilities of completely dismantling the Iranian atomic program or acquiring enriched uranium from another country.
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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