International

Israel claims to have found tunnels and arsenal of Hizbulá next to UN bases

The head of Operations of the second brigade of the Israeli Army, Ariye Hominer, said on Monday that the troops have found numerous tunnels and arsenal of the Shiite group Hezbula near positions of the UNFI, the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, during its operations in the south of the country.

“It is surprising that, despite the number of bases of the UN forces, we have found so much infrastructure of Hizbulah: tunnels, arsenal… in the noses of the blue helmets. How is it possible?” Hominer criticized in a visit to the troops in the Israeli town of Shlomi, adjacent to the border with Lebanon.

Shlomi is one of the cities in Israeli Galilee that have become closed military zones in which troops are preparing for their operations in Lebanese territory since the Hebrew State invaded the south of the neighboring country on October 1.

There, the military spokesman defends the good communication of the Israeli Army with UNFINUL, after being questioned by the various incidents between the Hebrew troops against positions of this UN mission that so far leave at least five injured blue helmets.

However, the military assures that “the UN mandate is not doing the work it should be doing” in Lebanon.

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Attacks on Lebanon

Hominer also said that Israel will not cease its attacks on Lebanon – which, in addition to the land invasion, consist of a bombing campaign that began on September 23 – until it fulfills the objective of returning displaced Israelis from nearby communities to the border of the neighboring country.

“I hope it’s soon, but it doesn’t limit our time or space,” he said.

Throughout the day, the armed forces have detected the launch of more than 110 rockets from Lebanon aimed at Israel, although most have been intercepted or have fallen in open spaces.

“A drone approaching Israeli territory from Lebanon was intercepted by the Air Force” before entering the country, a military statement was collected around 15.00 local time (12.00 GMT), this being the fifth unidentified aerial vehicle shot down by the armed forces today.

Some 60,000 Israelis were displaced from northern Israel when the exchange of fire between the Army and Hezbullah began on October 8 last year, in a gesture of solidarity of the Shiite group with the Palestinians after the start of the war in Gaza.

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On the other hand, more than 1.2 million Lebanese have had to move through Israeli bombings and the deaths from these attacks in more than a year exceed 2,500, most of them since Israel intensified its offensive in September.

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.