International

Bolivia opposition increases demands against government

AFP

Bolivia’s opposition on Monday stepped up its demands on leftist President Luis Arce with a call for the repeal of more laws after a week of protests.

The opposition mayor’s office in the capital La Paz, civil organizations and a powerful retail sector trade union met to demand the annulment of regulations approved by the Arce government this year, including a development plan which they say ignores the powers of local mayors, regional governments and public universities.

La Paz mayor Ivan Arias read out the new demands at the meeting and said it was agreed a march would be held in the capital on Wednesday.

The meeting, held at the premises of the local government, was harassed by officials who threw eggs and tomatoes at the front of the building.

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Tensions rose with the arrival of more government supporters, and police used tear gas to disperse the crowds.

The opposition and union of retail traders last week launched protests against a law on money laundering, which Arce decided to repeal.

The bill would have allowed the government to investigate the assets of any citizen without a court order and would have forced lawyers and journalists to reveal client information.

The protesters also demanded that the government bring back a legislative regulation that requires some laws and appointments to be approved by two-thirds of Congress, forcing the administration to negotiate with the opposition.

In Santa Cruz, the economic capital of Bolivia and a stronghold of the opposition, a blockade of the streets remained in force. Roads were also closed off in other cities such as Sucre, Cochabamba and Potosi.

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Meanwhile, pro-government unions of farmers, miners and indigenous people announced they would hold a march to La Paz to defend Arce’s administration.

The leader of the country’s largest union, Juan Carlos Huarachi, accused the opposition of seeking “to destabilize the government.”

Bolivia has been wracked by political crisis since the resignation of socialist president Evo Morales in November 2019 following weeks of protest at his controversial re-election to an unconstitutional fourth term.

His party is back in power following the 2020 election victory of his protege Arce, who has vowed to punish those he accuses of staging a coup against Morales.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.