- 1 hour ago
* Europe: Intense heatwave affects several regions
* Israeli occupation kills 10 civilians and 4 children
Category
đ
NewsTranscript
00:09In Venezuela the great national program is
00:12continuous in Anzategui, Apure and Falcon states calling for a country free
00:16from sanctions and blockades imposed by the United States. An intense heat wave
00:25is affecting several regions of Europe where high temperatures have made daily
00:29life difficult for residents and tourists. And the Israeli Occupation Army
00:38committed another massacre in the Gaza Strip killing 10 Palestinian civilians
00:42including four children.
00:50Hello, welcome to From the South. I'm Luis Alberto Matos from De La Sous Studios in Caracas, Venezuela.
00:55We begin with the news.
01:11The great national pilgrimage continues in Anzategui state where acting president
01:16Delce Rodriguez made a stop at the port of Eulalia Budos. At the meeting the acting president
01:23evaluated the operational capacity of the port in Anzategui state on Thursday as part of the
01:29second day of the great national pilgrimage calling for a Venezuela free from sanctions
01:33and blockades imposed by the United States. During her visit she highlighted the potential
01:38for tourism, agriculture, livestock and oil and gas that Anzategui represents for the nation and also stated
01:46that Anzategui is showing significant progress in its non-oil productive sectors.
01:55We want to abandon the tide to oil income and to have a truly diversified economy.
02:02This is what we are seeing in the national productive union where all the economic sectors
02:07of the country are expanding the capacities and economic potentials of Venezuela and here
02:14public-private alliance. It is Venezuela. It is Venezuela in alliance. It is the productive union.
02:20It is a country that has not given up in the face of difficulties and in the face of what
02:25means the fierce economic blockade against finance, against commerce, against the economy in general
02:32and it is a productive people. It is a people in creativity. What we are seeing is the inventiveness,
02:38innovation and creativity of the Venezuelan people and this is the way and in this pilgrimage where we
02:44are reaching the productive heart of Venezuela well we wanted to go to highlight these diverse capacities
02:50of the economy of our country and the Venezuelan government is promoting a comprehensive development
02:59plan for the state of Apure to improve public health and increase agricultural production.
03:05On Thursday, as part of the National Economic Productive Pilgrimage Initiative, National Assembly
03:10President Jorge Rodriguez announced that the government is planning to renovate hospital
03:15centers to improve public well-being in Apure. In this context, Rodriguez also referred to reforms
03:21to laws intended to protect the country's livestock sector. In this regard, the senior official
03:26indicated that the Venezuelan parliament would work towards amending the law predating the 1999
03:32constitution in order to punish and prevent cattle theft. These actions aim to ensure food
03:37self-sufficiency and offset the impact of economic sanctions on the Venezuelan people.
03:56And in Venezuela, the second phase of the National Programming for Peace and a sanctions-free country
04:02advances through Falcon State. On Thursday, the sectoral vice president for politics, citizen security,
04:07and peace, Diosdado Cabello, led a major civic and spiritual mobilization through different municipalities
04:13promoting national unity, peace, and a stronger productive economy. During the journey, Cabello met
04:20with regional authorities and representatives of various industries who emphasized the importance
04:25of their contributions to the Venezuelan economy and put forward ideas for improving development.
04:44We just took two days to go until the elections. Colombia is entering the final stretch of its
04:49presidential race with candidates presenting their proposals in attempt to win over undecided
04:54borders and consolidate political alliances. In this scenario, the presidential candidate for the
04:59historic pact, IvĂĄn Cepeda, seeks to strengthen the fight against corruption by appointing former
05:04magistrate and current ambassador to Italy, IvĂĄn VelĂĄzquez GĂłmez, as a key figure in the Colombian
05:10justice system. For her part, the candidate for Uribismo, Paloma Valencia, presented her security and
05:16peace process plan amid her ties to former President Ălvaro Uribe. In addition, far-right candidate,
05:21Abelardo de la Espriella, ended his campaign in Barranquilla by promising to end total peace.
05:28His team includes the Sharf family, who are under investigation for corruption and vote-buying.
05:42In Colombia, IvĂĄn Cepeda, the presidential candidate for the historic pact, announced the creation of a
05:47national anti-corruption system to combat corruption as one of its key policy priorities.
05:54The purpose of this press conference is to present to the nation one of the most significant
06:01decisions of our government program, the creation of the national anti-corruption system. As I have
06:08mentioned it throughout this election campaign in various speeches, I have given across the country
06:15the frontal and determined fight against corruption, particularly run corruption or macro-corruption,
06:23which has penetrated white sectors of the Colombian state, will be an absolute priority and central
06:33pillar of our government's work and efforts. Likewise, the candidate for Pacto Historical,
06:42IvĂĄn Cepeda, proposed strengthening the citizen audit of public resources and works as a means of
06:47combating corruption. We will promote the participation of citizens and civil society
06:56in anti-corruption force. At all levels, our government will encourage social and citizen participation
07:06in the oversight, monitoring and auditing of public resources, public procurement and public works
07:15execution. We will strengthen the involvement of civil society and citizens in auditing, monitoring and
07:24allocating public spending.
07:31Colombia's National Registrar HernĂĄn Penagos announced that the source code for the election software,
07:36which will process the results of next Sunday's election, has been frozen.
07:45At this time, they are in the process of freezing the source code for the various software programs that
07:50will be used to consolidate and disseminate the information on Sunday. This recent process consists
07:56of the following, and has code what the technicians call a kind of serial number, will be used in the
08:04presence of all the representatives of the political parties, the supervisory bodies, the attorney general
08:11office, the controller office, the prosecutor's office, and international observers. This code will
08:18serve as proof that no modifications of any kind have been made to the software until Sunday,
08:24when the software is open to begin processing the information.
08:29The government of Colombia and President Gustavo Petro faced economic challenges due to opposition from
08:40right-wing sectors in Congress, the courts, and the central bank, which blocked key initiatives aimed at reducing
08:46the fiscal deficit and financing social programs. Our correspondent HernĂĄn Dario-Tobar had details.
08:56President Gustavo Petro's administration faced obstacles to the implementation in these flagship reforms,
09:03particularly from Congress, the Supreme Court, and the central bank, which hindered the implementation
09:08of economic and social policies amid a reducing inequality and historical social exclusion. Gustavo Petro's
09:16government has introduced three tax reforms, of which only the first was approved. These initiatives sought to
09:24address a historical fiscal deficit and rise nearly 4.3 billion social. However, the executive branch,
09:32refusal to back down on traditional political privileges, has radicalized a majority position in Congress,
09:40creating a legislative stalemate that limits the Petro's government's economic maneuvering room.
09:48The fiscal decisions made by Congress have not only rejected the 2025 budget, but also rejected to
09:55final bills that previous administrations have approved without any problem. And this has caused several problems.
10:01One is the failure to make progress in areas such as the healthcare, where there is a crisis that has
10:07been
10:08improving for several years, not just recently, without any response. Furthermore, there is a fiscal crisis that is also
10:15being caused by the decision of the Congress of the Republic. This was not the only setback. In early 2025,
10:24the Constitutional Court declared a decree issued under the state of emergency in Catatumbo once
10:29constitutional due to procedural errors. The decree sought to use royalty funds to mitigate the violence and
10:36humanitarian crisis in the region. Also, the High Court declared unconstitutional the tax decree
10:42intended to address last December winter emergency in several departments. This measure amid to rise
10:50nearly 2.93 billion. That government of judge has been very harmful, not the president who has become
11:00increasingly popular in the face of the court's attacks. But rather, the Colombian people, I have
11:06invited you and continue inviting you with all due respect that if your wish, engage in economy policy,
11:14resign from jurical positions, run for election in a political campaign, and then government in accordance
11:21with the will of the people, rather than from courts engaging in economic policy and harming the Colombian people.
11:28Another controversy is the 100 base point, increasing the interest rate by the central bank. The president
11:36asserts that this measures slow economic growth and benefits exclusively the financial sector,
11:43both local and farming. Some analysts agree with this presidential position.
11:49The financial sector is the main lender to the government, so when the benchmark interest rate rises,
11:54that becomes more expensive debt becomes more expensive, which means they lend to the government a higher
11:59cost and therefore earn more. The second is that the financial vicious cycle is taking place,
12:06which means that the large economic groups are borrowing about 2 percent rates, bringing that money to
12:12Colombia and lending that the same money at 12 percent, making a spectacular profit. And the third is this
12:21high cost gain for minimum wage increases by making consumer credit more expensive, which is a necessity for
12:28any worker in the country, forcing us to have paid more for loans. Petro's government is facing these
12:35economic challenges amidst an institutional framework controlled by sectors of the right. In this context,
12:41politics, and with the upcoming presidential election, the people are determined to promote forward to change this practice.
12:49HernĂĄn Dario Tobar GaitĂĄn, Telesur, BogotĂĄ, Colombia.
12:55We're going to have a first break. We'll stay with us.
13:09Welcome back. In Bolivia, the social and rural sectors of Shimode in the Cochabamba department remained
13:16mobilized in response to threats from Rodrigo Pass government. On Thursday, labor movements gathered in the city of
13:22Cochabamba, setting up road blockades and displaying banners and slogans demanding the president's resignation,
13:28following power outages in Cochabamba surrounding areas. Demonstrators held a feature to protest against
13:34the executive branch's neoliberal policies. The presence of mobilized farmers and labor unions has kept
13:40security forces deployed in the area. And although no mayor memorializations like those seen in previous days
13:50were reported on Thursday, police forces continued to be deployed in the streets of La Paz. In this context,
13:55the authorities reported no clashes or injuries. However, the presence of mobilized social groups
14:00kept the police on alert. Citizens claim that this is an organized act by the government in collaboration
14:05with the United States administration aimed at undermining democracy and silencing the voice of the people.
14:18The Trump administration is threatening to impose sanctions on major international airports if local
14:23authorities refuse to cooperate with its anti-immigrant policy. The measure seeks to destroy the economic and
14:29operational capacity of local governments that defend the rights of foreign communities, and it aims to
14:35force authorities to hand over undocumented workers to federal immigration enforcement agents. For the
14:41part, social organizations warn that this strategy puts the human rights and freedom of movement of
14:46thousands of families at risk.
15:03An intense wave of unusual heat is affecting several regions of Europe, including the city of Rome,
15:08the capital of Italy, where high temperatures have made daily life difficult for residents and tourists.
15:14In response to this situation, the Italian Ministry of Health declared maximum alert in cities such as Rome,
15:19Florence, and Turin, and recommended avoiding long exposure to the sun due to the health risks it poses.
15:26In tourist areas near the Coliseum, many visitors use umbrellas, hats, and fans to protect themselves from the intense heat.
15:32Temperatures reach near 30 degrees Celsius, figures unusual for late May, while many tourists choose to
15:38tour the city during the early hours of the day and stay in the shade.
15:47And Italy is not the only country affected by this intense heat wave. In France, a primary score in the
15:52municipality of Sustans,
15:53in the southwest of the country had to partially close due to the extreme temperatures recorded inside
15:59the building. According to local authorities, temperatures inside the classrooms reached nearly
16:0340 degrees, difficulty in the normal conduct of school activities. The heat wave is affecting various
16:09areas of Western Europe, and as further temperature rises, our forecast for the coming days concern is
16:14growing about the effects of extreme heat on the health and daily life of the people.
16:22It's a building with a huge glass canopy, which is very good in winter. But in summer, temperatures reach around
16:2950 to 52 degrees under the canopy, and 38 degrees in the classrooms. So I think it was a pretty
16:36good decision by
16:36the town hall and the school to send the students home. Regarding the heat, even though measures were put in
16:42place
16:43such as fans and cooling units, it still remains a problem that we've actually known about for years.
16:49It's very hot this time, especially for late May. It's supposed to be only in the low 20s, but in
16:57the high 30s, it's...
17:01Likewise, a record heat wave in the United Kingdom has left at least 11 people dead while trying to cool
17:07down in rivers and ponds amid extreme temperatures. On Tuesday, the country recorded 35 degrees
17:12Celsius across the entire territory, though it's confirmed the death of two teenagers. The rescue
17:17organization warned that the water in the rivers is still cold, increasing the risk of accidents
17:22for those seeking to cool down in the water. Additionally, the British Health Security Agency
17:27maintains an orange alert left across the country. It is worth noting that authorities are urging the
17:34population to take extra precautions in view of the persistence of this phenomenon.
17:43Meanwhile, the Russian Forest Service has extinguished 61 fires in the last 24 hours,
17:48where the flames have consumed an area of over 24,000 hectares in the territory. At midnight on May 28,
17:5542 fires were still active and the flames covered more than 13,000 hectares in 13 regions of the country.
18:00The region of Javarovsk in the east of the country has been the most affected, with 10 active fires
18:07having devastated more than 12,000 hectares of forest. Similarly, authorities activated the state
18:12of emergency in Javarovsk and the district of Ivdel. Additionally, the response teams are maintaining
18:18the deployment to contain the spread of the fire, as the country faces a critical situation due to the
18:22extent of the fires. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday called for reforming and improving
18:36global governance while attending a meeting of the Group of Friends of Global Governance at the United
18:41Nations. In his keynote speech, Wang said that reforming and improving global governance is a historic
18:47mission for this generation and that such a task demands strong convictions and unremitting efforts.
18:53He called for efforts to advance UN reform to make the world body more efficient and the Security
18:59Council more authoritative and capable. He noted that the purpose of UN reform is to enhance the world
19:05body, not to weaken it, and the UN reform should be led by member states and carried out in a
19:11fair,
19:11inclusive and transparent manner.
19:23Though not perfect, the UN remains the most authoritative platform for global governance.
19:29The purpose of reform is to strengthen, not weaken, the UN. We should uphold the leading role of member
19:36of the United States and ensure fairness, inclusiveness and transparency.
19:43The Israeli Occupation Army has committed another massacre in the Gaza Strip, killing 10 Palestinian
19:48civilians, including four children. With this criminal attack, the death toll has risen to 21 mothers in
19:54the last 24 hours. It also claimed the life of Professor Ahmad Abu Halima, President of Gaza University,
20:01who was killed along with his children inside his home. In light of these events, the Hamas resistance
20:07movement announced Israel's systematic violation of the ceasefire agreement.
20:20The Prime Minister of the Israeli regime, Benjamin Netanyahu, announced new orders for his army to take
20:26control of 70% of the Gaza Strip. The extremist leaders celebrated that as part of his expansionist
20:32mission, his troops have already invaded 60% of Gaza's territory. This is part of his genosidal siege,
20:38which maintains military pressure on all Palestinian fronts.
20:51Meanwhile, the United Nations officially included Israel in its blacklist on sexual violence in
20:56conflict. The report says that incidents of sexual violence continue to be documented by the United
21:00Nations in the occupied Palestinian territories. Since October 2023, hundreds of testimonies from
21:06release detainees, medical personnel, and legal observers describe severe mistreatment in detention.
21:12The inclusion of Israel on the list comes amid reports by human rights organizations of abuse,
21:17torture, and sexual violence against detainees. It also includes claims from activists on board
21:23a recent Gaza-bound flotilla who say they suffer abuse, while in Israeli detention, including at least 15
21:30cases of sexual assault or rape. In response, the Israeli ambassador to the UN announced the
21:36severance of relations with the organization.
21:52Iran's foreign ministry has strongly condemned the United States' threat of targeting Oman with
21:57sanctions if it cooperated with Iran towards exercising control of the Strait of Hormuz.
22:03Spokesman Ismail Baguay made the remarks on Thursday after U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Besson issued
22:08the threat and U.S. President Donald Trump said he would blow up Oman if it agreed to work with
22:13Iran to
22:13share control of the Strait of Hormuz. Baguay described the menacing rhetoric as an attempt to
22:18blackmail an independent UN member state and yet another sign of the moral bankruptcy of the U.S. system
22:25of governance and policymaking. The official added that the international community had to respond
22:30responsibly to such conduct in order to prevent the growing normalization of violations of international
22:35legal norms.
22:43The Director General of the World Health Organization arrived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on
22:48Thursday evening as the country grapples with a major Ebola outbreak. The number of suspected cases
22:53in eastern Congo is nearing a thousand with at least 220 suspected deaths. Terros is scheduled to meet
22:59with the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and then travel to Bunia, the epicenter of the
23:03outbreak in the country. Congo's Health Ministry on Tuesday said 101 cases have been confirmed and they
23:09are looking into over 3,000 possible contacts. The Ebola outbreak is spreading rapidly, forcing some
23:14countries to take measures such as closing their borders with the DRC.
23:22The President of the World Health Organization. The President of the World Health Organization.
23:23I'm here to support. We have colleagues on the ground now in Bunia and they're working. So
23:31came to give high level support as well. And the challenges, I think I have said it many times before
23:40even I came here. There are many challenges, especially containing this outbreak. It's a very complex
23:47outbreak. One is the conflict security challenges and that's why in my letter today I asked for a ceasefire.
23:56The other problem is displacement. People are displaced because of conflict. There were people who
24:08are displaced hundreds of thousands and newly displaced around 100,000 I think in the past few months
24:15and that makes it very difficult to contain the outbreak. And the other of course is the food insecurity
24:22you see in the province and other neighboring provinces. That makes it difficult also.
24:33Other topics. Russia and Kazakhstan are planning to develop energy projects with the aim of further expanding
24:38and developing their bilateral relations to the highest level. In a statement, Moscow reported that
24:43projects with Astana and their expansion are also linked to transport and logistics due to decisions to
24:49increase hydrocarbon supplies and other energy programs. These include Kazakhstan's first nuclear power plant
24:55which will drive advances in bilateral cooperation in science, education and technology. The energy
25:01ministers of Russia and Kazakhstan emphasize that expanding these agreements provides an opportunity
25:06to boost investment and help in the development and maintenance of energy infrastructure in both countries.
25:17For this, we have come to the end of this news story. You can find more on our website at
25:20TeleZoneEnglish.net and also on our social media. For TeleZoneEnglish, I'm Mr. Alberto Matos.
Comments