International

The polling stations open in the municipal by-elections in England

The polling stations opened their doors this Thursday at 06.00 GMT for the partial municipal elections in England, perceived in this country as a barometer to measure the popularity of the ruling Conservative Party before the next electoral elections scheduled for this year.

The schools will be in operation until 21.00 GMT, after which the vote count will begin in the consistories in competition, with the forecast that it will end around noon tomorrow, Friday.

Voters will elect their representatives in 107 out of a total of 317 consistories in the English region – the most populous in the United Kingdom -, mostly elected for the last time in 2021, delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In these partial municipal elections, the Labour mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, aspires to his third term, a task for the one who competes with the conservative candidate, Susan Hall.

Nine other mayors will also be elected in the metropolitan areas of West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Tees Valley, East Midlands, North East and York and North Yorkshire.

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At the same time, in England and Wales, 37 police and crime commissioners will be chosen, while the seat in the House of Commons (low) for Blackpool South will also be disputed, which became vacant after the resignation of ‘tory’ Scott Benton among accusations of influence peddling.

The results of this electoral marathon – the last appointment with the polls before the general elections, scheduled in the second half of the year – will be known between Friday, May 3 and Sunday, May 5, depending on the area. The London mayor’s office is expected to be awarded on Saturday.

International

Lebanon reports deadly airstrikes: 40 killed in Bekaa, 12 in southern regions

The Lebanese Ministry of Health announced that 52 people were killed on Thursday due to Israeli airstrikes, with 40 of the fatalities occurring in the Bekaa Valley in the east and 12 more in the south.

“The enemy’s bombings in Baalbek district resulted in 40 deaths and 52 injuries,” the ministry stated, detailing casualty figures across 10 localities.

In two additional reports, the ministry noted “seven deaths and 24 injuries” in the Nabatieh region and “five deaths and 26 injuries” in other areas of southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah opened a front against Israel in solidarity with Hamas following the outbreak of the war in Gaza on October 7, 2023. The conflict began after Hamas launched an attack on Israeli territory.

International

Matt Gaetz withdraws from attorney general nomination amid political tensions

Congressman Matt Gaetz announced his withdrawal from consideration for the position of Attorney General of the United States, expressing gratitude to President-elect Donald Trump for his confidence in nominating him. Gaetz stated he is open to serving in other capacities within the Republican administration if given the opportunity.

In a post on the social media platform X, Gaetz thanked the senators who supported his nomination but explained his decision to step aside and focus on his congressional duties.

“Yesterday, I had excellent meetings with senators. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it’s clear that my confirmation was unjustly becoming a distraction from the critical work of the Trump/Vance transition,” Gaetz wrote this morning.

“There is no time to waste on an unnecessarily prolonged fight in Washington, so I will withdraw my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. The Trump Department of Justice must be ready and in place on day one,” he added.

International

Trump appoints Pam Bondi as future U.S. attorney general

President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, announced on Thursday the appointment of a trusted ally, Pam Bondi, as the future Attorney General. Bondi previously served as a key member of Trump’s defense team during his 2020 impeachment trial.

“I am honored to announce the former Attorney General of the great state of Florida, Pam Bondi, as our next Attorney General,” Trump wrote on his social platform, Truth Social, shortly after the withdrawal of Congressman Matt Gaetz from consideration.

“She is smart, tough, and a fighter who puts America first,” Trump stated.

The President-elect criticized the current state of the Department of Justice, describing it as a partisan weapon used against him and other Republicans. “For too long, the partisan DOJ has been weaponized against me and other Republicans,” he said.

Bondi, Trump added, will refocus the department on “fighting crime and making America safe again.”