International

Cuban President Díaz-Canel arrives in Mexico as a guest of López Obrador

Photo: AP

February 11 |

The President of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, arrived today at the Ingeniero Alberto Acuña Ongay International Airport of Campeche, where he was received by his host, Andrés Manuel López Obrador and other Mexican authorities.

A military band sang the national anthems of the two countries, while officials of the national government and of Campeche waited for the visitor on a stage near the parking lot of the Conviasa aircraft in which the Cuban leader traveled.

The governor was expressly invited by López Obrador, who received him next to the stairway, and said he wished to thank him and the people of Cuba for their gesture of sending doctors to collaborate in the development of the assistance plans, with which Mexico seeks to put itself on a par with the most advanced European countries in the field of public health.

Thus, the Caribbean head of state begins this Saturday his fourth official visit to this nation, in which he will discuss with López Obrador the issues of collaboration in public health and the supply of ballast for the Mayan train.

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They will also discuss issues related to the US blockade of Cuba of which the Mexican president is a persistent critic and an advocate for the US government to lift it immediately and without preconditions.

Both leaders will also hold private meetings and later on between both delegations, the latter scheduled for after midday.

Authorities of the Mexican Institute of Social Security, an organization that executes the IMSS-Bienestar Health Plan in which Cuban doctors participate, will be present at the latter.

The meeting was scheduled to be held at the Seventh Military Naval Region, located in Rio Lerma.

Yesterday, Friday, a group of 63 doctors arrived in Mexico to complete the staff of 610 doctors of 30 specialties in order to cover the deficit of this nation in this field.

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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.