With Portugal’s housing crisis now taking centre stage, President of CHEGA, André Ventura, has announced that his party will present an “emergency legislative package” for housing – accepting that it
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President Donald Trump is still playing hardball with Russia, according to US Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
Wright defended Trump's decision to waive sanctions on Russia during a Sunday interview on CNN's "State of the Union with Jake Tapper and Dana Bash."
In September, Trump signed into law a sanctions package targeting Russian officials and parts of its economy in an effort to pressure Russia amid its war on Ukraine. Last week, Trump issued an executive order waiving those new sanctions, other restrictions, and some duties on Russia.
In early October, Trump also announced an agreement with President Vladimir Putin under which Russia would supply over 300,000 tons of diesel fuel to America and the global market.
"President Trump waived sanctions just on diesel exports, and what's the one thing Russia has not been able to export over the last month or so? Diesel, because they're short of diesel," Wright said.
The Energy Secretary said waiving the sanctions solves two problems: the diesel oil shortage and Russia's ongoing war with Ukraine.
"This is pressuring Russia. Russia does not have diesel to export," Wright said. "The only way they can get additional diesel to export is if they turn down the conflict with Ukraine."
Wright said Russia would have to enter into an energy ceasefire or reduce its war efforts to have enough additional diesel to export.
"This is not going soft on Russia. This is an incentive to end the war," Wright added.
Trump elaborated on his reasoning further on Sunday in a Truth Social post.
"I am in the process of negotiating Peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and don't want to do anything that will drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table," he wrote.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said waiving sanctions on Russia "seems wrong" to him. US lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle also criticized the move, including Republican Sen. Thom Tillis.
"Beyond irresponsible. What part of enforcing a law passed 86-11 by the Senate does the President and his advisors not understand? It's unconscionable that this administration is capitulating to a Russian dictator who illegally invaded Ukraine and butchers innocent civilians every single day," Tillis wrote on X.
He added, "If the President wants to actually bring down energy prices, he can do it by solving the Iran problem, not by doing a solid for Vladimir Putin."
Diesel and regular gas prices have skyrocketed globally as the US war on Iran drags on. Following surprise attacks by the US and Israel on Iran in February, Iran effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, which is a major waterway through which much of the world's diesel and oil is shipped. Last week, the International Energy Agency said the diesel shortage could run into 2027.
That's a problem for Trump, who is hoping voters overlook high gas prices and concerns over the cost of living when they head to the polls this November for the midterm elections. Higher diesel prices mean higher shipping costs, which trickle down to consumers as inflated prices for everyday goods.
Wright also appeared on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday, during which he said Trump was trying to find "innovative" ways to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
"This is a motivation for Russia to figure out how they can actually export some diesel," he said.
UK home secretary’s meeting comes after PM said he wanted to rejoin European law enforcement databases
The UK home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, will meet the EU’s home affairs commissioner on Monday for further talks just days after Andy Burnham said he wanted to rejoin European law enforcement databases from which the UK has been locked out of since Brexit.
According to the European Commission, they will discuss “migration, border management, law enforcement cooperation and counter-terrorism”, with the latest Frontex data published on Monday showing a 43% decline in small boats crossing the Channel.
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© Illustration: Nicola Jennings/The Guardian
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French President Emmanuel Macron is facing criticism over his decision to attend a Celine Dion concert Friday night, on the eve of nationwide demonstrations that descended into violence, leaving hundreds of emergency personnel injured and nearly 1,800 people arrested.
Macron and his wife, Brigitte, were spotted at Dion’s concert at the Plenitude Arena in Nanterre, west of Paris, according to French media reports. The couple reportedly arrived and left discreetly and were among roughly 35,000 spectators at the performance.
The concert came after Macron spent Thursday and Friday in Brussels attending a European Council meeting. During a news conference in Brussels on Friday, he called for "calm and respect" ahead of Saturday’s planned demonstrations, saying the right to protest must be exercised with respect for people and property.
By Saturday, demonstrations over rising living costs, school conditions and declining public services had escalated into clashes with police, fires, looting and attacks on public buildings in several cities.
VIOLENCE ERUPTS AT FRANCE PROTESTS AS MACRON WARNS UNREST IS BEING EXPLOITED
French authorities said Sunday that nearly 1,800 people had been arrested nationwide, including 855 in the Paris region. More than 500 police officers, gendarmes and firefighters were injured, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez. One protester died after suffering cardiac arrest during demonstrations in Paris, authorities said.
In Limoges, a fire that authorities said was deliberately set at the city hall caused significant damage to the historic building. Shops were looted in Paris, Bordeaux, Marseille, Lyon and other cities, while public buildings were vandalized or targeted by fires.
Authorities estimated that more than 550,000 people participated in demonstrations across France. Organizers put the figure at roughly 800,000.
Macron condemned the destruction Saturday evening, writing on X that those responsible for damaging property, attacking public buildings and looting businesses would face prosecution and punishment. He also expressed support for law enforcement and warned against efforts to undermine French institutions.
His statement came after violence had spread through several major cities, raising questions about the government's preparations for the demonstrations and its ability to contain the unrest.
The hostilities began as a month-long student movement over school conditions and teacher shortages in working-class suburbs before broadening into a larger protest movement against inequality, public spending cuts and the rising cost of living.
Government officials have blamed violent groups and looters for the destruction. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu attributed the unrest to the "ultra-left" and criminals, while opposition leaders criticized the government's handling of the violence ahead of next year’s presidential election.
Right-wing leader Marine Le Pen condemned the looting and destruction, while left-wing leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon defended the protesters’ broader grievances and criticized the government’s handling of the demonstrations. Mélenchon accused Lecornu of "playing with fire," according to reports.
The violence also left businesses facing extensive damage and mounting financial losses. Carrefour CEO Alexandre Bompard told French television that 50 of the retailer’s stores were damaged, including 20 that were looted, with losses estimated in the tens of millions of euros, according to Reuters.
The mayors of Paris, Marseille and Lyon have requested a meeting with the prime minister to discuss the damage. Local officials in Marseille and Bordeaux have announced or proposed emergency assistance for affected businesses.
Macron is scheduled to address the nation at 8 p.m. local time Sunday, or 2 p.m. Eastern, after meeting with senior government officials. His speech will come as France begins a nationwide cleanup effort and authorities prepare prosecutions for those arrested.
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The address will mark a critical test for Macron as his government faces mounting pressure over the scale of the destruction, the police response and the economic grievances that fueled the demonstrations.
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