- 6 hours ago
13/08/2026
FTS 8.30
*Venezuela´s NA govt. and 2015 National Assembly complete 1st round of talks
*Iraq reaffirms deadline for U.S troops withdrawal
FTS 8.30
*Venezuela´s NA govt. and 2015 National Assembly complete 1st round of talks
*Iraq reaffirms deadline for U.S troops withdrawal
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NewsTranscript
00:10In Colombia, a race against the clock is underway across the earthquake-impacted areas as rescue workers fight to save
00:16lives from under the rubble.
00:21The President of Venezuela's National Assembly, Jorge Rodriguez, announced the completion of the first round of talks between the national
00:29government and the 2015 National Assembly, as well as the results and agreements.
00:36Iraq reaffirmed September 30 as the deadline for ending the US-led coalition's military mission in Iraq and completing its
00:43troop withdrawal.
00:58Hello, welcome to Friendly South. I am Lorena Fon from the Telesur Studios in Caracas, Venezuela. We begin with the
01:03news. Stay with us.
01:23In Cali, Colombia, rescue teams and civilian volunteers are screening rabble and searching for victims following the earthquake.
01:29So far, six people have been rescued alive, while authorities are assessing the recovery of a body from one of
01:35the collapsed structures.
01:37Images show the scale of the devastation, with multiple homes severely damaged and some completely destroyed, putting residents' safety at
01:44risk.
01:45Amid the emergency, community solidarity and the continued efforts of rescue teams remain crucial to the response.
01:57Also in Colombia, the Nemesio Camacho El Campín Stadium in Bogotá opened its door to serve as a collection center
02:04for victims of the earthquake that struck the country.
02:06The collection point will remain open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. local time to receive food, toiletry
02:12items and essential supplies for those affected.
02:15The initiative is sponsored by the Sencia Concessionaire in partnership with the Red Cross, which is coordinating the physical collection
02:22of items such as rice, blankets, diapers and personal hygiene products.
02:27In addition, financial contributions have been made available throughout the Solidaridad por Colombia Foundation.
02:34It was also announced that the supplies will be sorted and shipped to the affected areas, while the funds will
02:41support the reconstruction of homes and the replacement of household goods.
02:52There is uncertainty and concern among those affected by the earthquake that struck Cali, Colombia.
02:58Amid the already complex situation they are facing, they feel that the government has not responded in a timely manner
03:03to their most immediate needs.
03:05Our colleague Milton Henao is in the city.
03:11In the absence of a government response to provide shelter and assist the affected families, these camping tents have become
03:19improvised places for families to spend the night during these first few days after the earthquake.
03:25Citizens are calling for concrete solutions for their housing, beyond the rental subsidies that have been announced.
03:33They should give us subsidies and help us find a home or something because we can't hang on for three
03:37months.
03:39What are we supposed to do if we don't have a place to live?
03:42They tell you to move out, but what are you supposed to do the rest of the time if you're
03:45unemployed and have nothing?
03:50You're left adrift.
03:52And the fact is that from among the rubble have emerged not only the living and the dead, but also
03:57social problems in a country and a city that were not prepared for this kind of emergency.
04:01It is the citizens to a large extent who have provided immediate responses to the emergency.
04:07This is the location we have here.
04:10We also have another site on Boulevard del Oriente where we're collecting aid to distribute to people here in Cali
04:15who have no support, such as those in Rio Cauca, Altos de Santa Elena, and Altos de Melendez.
04:22People have gathered in the lower areas, but there are people who are being affected in Montebello, in areas that
04:28are all hills and forest.
04:32Meanwhile, authorities are working to rescue those who were injured, while rescue workers try to find survivors among the rubble
04:40and other teams work to restore the city little by little.
04:44We have received a report on the number of injured from the earthquake, which now stands at 1 to 24
04:49patients treated through the Cali hospital network.
04:55At this time we are seeing a decrease in the number of injured patients accessing emergency and outpatient services, and
05:03in that regard we are restoring the hospital network's full capacity.
05:08Opposition to the position of the government led by Abelardo de la Espriella is growing as it restricts international aid
05:15for ideological and political reasons, while the public waits for substantive responses to the crisis affecting nine departments of the
05:23country.
05:26In the wake of the earthquake, Colombians organized a wide range of solidarity efforts to overcome the government's lack of
05:32assistance.
05:34The Sports Palace and the Unicentro Shopping Center in Bogota are serving as collection centers for those affected by the
05:43earthquake in the Choco department.
05:45Aid has begun arriving at the facilities sent by various organizations, neighbors and communities who have come together in solidarity
05:53with those displaced.
05:55Colombian cyclists also joined the solidarity efforts in the city of Pereira.
06:00I am here on behalf of a group of amateur cyclists from Medellín called Route 56.
06:06We came together for this beautiful cause to help those in need.
06:10We are all brothers, and we brought almost two tons of groceries from Medellín to share with everyone and make
06:17this critical situation that the country is experiencing easier and more bearable.
06:23Medical teams and volunteers offer assistance at collection centers, helping to organize and distribute supplies to those affected by the
06:31earthquake.
06:34Right now, we are supporting the city of Pereira. We have locations throughout the country. Our Risaralda headquarters is supporting
06:39the efforts at Government Park.
06:42We have a mobile unit that provides triage and medical services. Free nurses are available to provide care to those
06:48in need. We will be here all day.
06:54We have been assisting in Pereira for over ten years with all the disasters that have occurred, including fires. From
07:01the beginning, we have been here for over 48 hours in tents.
07:04We have over two tons of aid and are preparing breakfast, lunch and dinner. The shelters are extremely full, so
07:09people have set up tents in the parks. We are assisting them.
07:14Instead of lamenting his material losses caused by the earthquake, a baker went out to distribute cookies to those affected,
07:21as well as to brigade members, volunteers and passers-by in the city as part of the citizens' solidarity efforts.
07:30Despite the lack of support and assistance from the national government, Colombians continue to find ways to overcome adversity through
07:40solidarity.
07:43For their power, Mexican citizens also express their solidarity with the people of Colombia following the 7.4 magnitude earthquake.
07:53Stay strong, have lots of self-confidence if you believe in God, have strong faith in your beliefs, and also
07:58trust in us Mexicans who are there to help you.
08:02Well, stay upbeat, stay strong, and know that you're not alone.
08:06Give it your all, get back on your feet, and keep working so you can get back to where you
08:10were.
08:14Above all, may they have strength. Mexico has always pulled themselves up in many areas, and they'll be able to
08:19do the same.
08:20May they change their perspective on the world and on their government, and they'll see that things will get better
08:24for them.
08:29This tragedy is going to last a long time. No, we already experienced this in Mexico during the 2017 tragedy,
08:35and the support we provided.
08:37Well, obviously today forces us to send internal emergency supplies, internet equipment, mattresses, tents, but it also destroys the livelihoods
08:44and sustainability of communities.
08:45So we want to hold a fundraiser to help with the reconstruction.
08:53And now we have a short break coming up, but first, remember you can join us on TikTok at Telesur
08:57English.
08:58There you will find news in different formats, news updates, and more.
09:03We'll be right back, stay with us.
09:25Welcome back to From the South.
09:26On Wednesday, the President of Venezuela's National Assembly, Jorge Rodriguez, announced the completion of the first round of talks between
09:33the national government and the 2015 National Assembly, as well as the results and agreements.
09:38In a statement, Jorge Rodriguez announced that the operating methodology and technical tables for this initiative have been approved.
09:45For this cycle, two technical tables were established, emergency response to the double earthquake, and a threatening democracy, judicial power,
09:52and electoral power.
09:53The President of the National Assembly also announced the following agreements.
09:57In response to the tragedy caused by the June 24 earthquake, efforts will be made to strengthen care programs in
10:03the areas of housing, electricity, health, and debris removal.
10:06Regarding this issue, both parties will focus their efforts on recovering Venezuela's international reserve assets at the Bank of England.
10:14Another agreement focuses on initiating a process to transform the justice systems.
10:18This process involves reforms to the organic law of the Supreme Court of Justice and other justice system law, as
10:24well as renewing and expanding the judicial nominations committee, activating a new nomination process for the renewal and appointment of
10:33all TSJ magistrates.
10:35The agreement also called for the formation of a review council to examine the credentials and requirements of TSJ candidates.
10:43The implementation schedule for the agreements will begin in August.
10:52In this regard, Venezuelan Acting President Elsie Rodriguez stated,
10:56I welcome this initial step in the dialogue process with the opposition sector that was represented in the National Assembly
11:02elected in 2015.
11:04I hope this process paves the way for better democratic coexistence among the country's political sectors and resolves intangible benefits
11:11for Venezuelans.
11:12Delce Rodriguez added, I urge all political forces to participate in this dialogue and to prioritize the well-being, peace,
11:19stability, and development of Venezuela.
11:30On Wednesday, Venezuela's Acting President Elsie Rodriguez led the signing of an addendum to the contract between the National Electric
11:37Corporation Corpoelec and the Argentine company IMSA aiming to strengthen the national electric system.
11:43The document was signed at Miraflores Palace to expand the cooperation strategy and solidify mechanisms for collaboration on electrical services.
11:51Inso-President Jorge Salcedo emphasized that the contract aimed to complete the Tocoma hydroelectric project in Bolivar State while maintaining
11:59high quality generation and energy standards.
12:02During the signing ceremony, the Acting President emphasized that the agreement focuses on incorporating more megawatts to the national power
12:09grid and ensuring stability in the face of global climate challenges.
12:22I would like to extend a warm welcome to the representatives of the Argentine company EMPSA as well as to
12:29its president, Jorge Salcedo, and to his entire team.
12:35Together, we will complete a significant project in Venezuela, the construction of the Tocoma hydroelectric plant.
12:42The Tocoma plant, along with the Guri, Caruachi, and Macagua plants comprises our lower Caroni hydroelectric system in Bolivar State.
12:52This project is of great significance to the national power grid.
12:56That is why we were here on June 13 signing our memorandum of understanding.
13:01Today, we are signing the contract to begin work on both the Macagua and Tocoma plants.
13:08The Tocoma project was conceived to contribute more megawatts to Venezuela's economic development.
13:15We are aware of the challenges facing our national electrical system.
13:20That is why we are working tirelessly to rehabilitate it.
13:43In Panama, short film and documentary were screened in honor of the Centenario of Revolutionary Commander Fidel Castro,
13:49focusing on the Cuban leader's diplomatic role in foreign policy.
13:53The event took place in the auditorium of the University of Panama in the hall of the University Experimental Group.
13:58Among the activities was the screening of the documentary Fidel the Diplomat,
14:02which was produced by the multi-platform network Telesur and its part of the city's Tierra of Fidel.
14:08These screenings are part of the commemorative activities organized by the Cuban Embassy in the country
14:13to conclude the celebrations marking the centennial of Commander Fidel Castro Ruz.
14:24Cultural tributes continue in Havana as part of the first international colloquium Fidel Legacy and Future
14:29to mark the 100th anniversary of the historic leader of the Cuban revolution.
14:33A gala concert of the insible pop of music was held.
14:43Look, we are at La Piragua, one of the most popular spots in Cuba, right next to the anti-imperialist
14:49tribune.
14:50That is, right next to the tribune where he gave his great speeches across from the U.S. Embassy.
14:55This stage here is packed with ordinary people.
14:58It's a popular Cuban spot where people come to dance to Cuban timba, paying tribute to and celebrating the commander.
15:05Because people might ask, well, why not have grand speeches right now?
15:09Well, there will be time for that, but for now, let's wait, just as Cubans wait for a birthday.
15:15Fidel's centennial is being celebrated with joyful dancing because the Cuban revolution was always about resisting with a smile, resisting
15:23through dance, resisting through emotion.
15:25And he was very clear, even in the most difficult moments, that the spirituality of the people was tied to
15:31that, smiling, to dancing, to being happy.
15:33That's why people are here today dancing for Fidel's centennial, enjoying it, feeling it, and right now, at 12 o
15:40'clock, we'll see what happens.
15:41But it's part of what Cuba is.
15:43How could we celebrate Fidel's centennial without that genuine spirit, which is our collective joy?
15:56That people have spaces like this, and that it serves as a way to commemorate the commander's centennial.
16:04And that people come and have a chance to step away a little from that routine that sometimes feels so
16:09overwhelming to us.
16:12But even so, we still have this joy, this desire to keep moving forward, the effort this country has to
16:18make at a time like this to give the people a little bit of happiness.
16:21I also think we have to value that greatly, and I'd like to think that Fidel would be very happy
16:27and very proud of what we've managed to endure, and of the fact that we haven't lost our joy, despite
16:33the circumstances.
16:35One of the few options we have left to defeat imperialism and to counteract and respond to everything they want
16:41to do to us, is not to lose our joy.
16:44It's to keep trying to maintain a sense of normalcy when, by now, Trump and Marco Rubio probably had already
16:54written us off as dead and didn't think our spirit would still remain intact.
16:59So I believe this space is essential for that, to remind ourselves, to build community, and to remind one another
17:06that we can keep going and that we still have hope.
17:12On Thursday, China and Cuba commemorated the 100th anniversary of the birth of the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution,
17:19Fidel Castro, at the Hintai Art Museum in Beijing, with award-winning ceremonies, speeches, and cultural performances, celebrating bilateral friendship.
17:26The program included a screening of the audiovisual representation, Fidel and the one, an invisible, indivisible China, a deep and
17:35enduring friendship, a performance by a Spanish-speaking choir, and the presentation of copies of a work dedicated to the
17:42Cuban leader.
17:42Mahui, deputy head of the International Department of Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Hugh Xiaohi, the Chinese
17:50government's special representative for Latin American and Caribbean affairs, Cuba's ambassador to China, Alberto Blanco Silva, and the museum's director,
17:59Yuan Shikun, were among those in attendance at the event, along with children and youth from the Cuban state mission
18:05in China.
18:12Let's take a short break, but before we invite you to visit our Facebook page at Teresuit English, there you'll
18:16be able to watch our top stories, special live coverage, and much more.
18:20Follow our page and activate the notification button to stay up to date on the world's most recent events.
18:25Final short break, man go away.
18:45We'll see you next time.
19:06According to the statement, both sides offer under full and final agreement to conclude the coalition military mission, in accordance
19:12with the consensus reached during al-Sahiri's visit to Washington in mid-July.
19:16Al-Sahiri further said that October 1st will mark a new era for Iraq, as the country becomes free of
19:22a foreign military presence and exercises full national sovereignty over its territory.
19:27This comes after a reported behind-the-scenes meeting between Iraqi officials and the commander of Iran's Al-Quds Force,
19:34Ismail Hani.
19:39Lebanon's Prime Minister, Nawaf Salam, condemned Israeli attacks against southern villages as violations of international law.
19:47Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Wednesday said Israel's attacks, incursions, demolitions, and the systematic destruction of homes represents a serious
19:55violation of the principles and rules of international law and human international humanitarian law.
20:00Salam further rejected Zionist claims that villages it had destroyed were military sites.
20:05The statements came just hours after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz visited southern Lebanon and said Israeli forces were destroying
20:13the underground infrastructure there and destroying all the houses.
20:18This comes as negotiations between Israeli and Lebanese officials are underway but have failed to reach an agreement that secures
20:24Zionist withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
20:33Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ankara,
20:38reaffirming firm support for the Palestinian cause amid the genocide in Israeli ongoing in Gaza.
20:45President Abbas condemned Israel's ongoing blockade, settlement expansion, and home demolitions, reiterating that Gaza remains an integral part of an
20:54independent Palestinian state.
20:56President Erdogan called for immediate condition to reconstruct the Gaza promising continued international defense of Palestinian rights.
21:03The talks follow Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rejection of a ceasefire framework further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis across the
21:12region.
21:17In Afghanistan, nearly 4 million children are suffering from acute malnutrition.
21:21New research from Save the Children has found that 1 in 10 children below the age of 5 in Afghanistan
21:27is now suffering from acute malnourishment,
21:30which refers to a sudden and severe drop in weight or nutritional health over a short period of time.
21:36Save the Children, further said, the rise in malnutrition is largely down to a slowing of humanitarian aid in the
21:42country,
21:42which has forced about 600 essential healthcare facilities to close.
21:46Over the past four years, humanitarian aid for Afghanistan has fallen by almost 70% following the Taliban takeover of
21:54Afghanistan in August 2021.
21:58Save the Children said it has managed to keep 14 health clinics open
22:02and that it is the only organization providing healthcare to 10,000 people in the mountainous areas of northern Afghanistan.
22:16Polls are open for Zambia's presidential election, with about 8.79 million people registered to vote.
22:2214 candidates are contested in the presidency, including Hakan de Hichilema,
22:27leader of the governing United Party for National Development, who is seeking a second term,
22:32and Brian Munduvile, the presidential candidate of the Opposition Tons Alliance.
22:37For a nation with more than 60% of the population below the national poverty line,
22:43economic hardship, inflation, and debt restructuring are major concerns for voters.
22:47In this context, many Zambians are left frustrated by economic hardship
22:51and are looking for leaders who could offer practical solutions.
22:55Likewise, copper is another key election issue,
22:58with the mining sector being a major source of foreign exchange and government revenue.
23:09The Chinese and Indonesian Navy successfully completed a naval navigation exercise
23:14in waters east of China's Taiwan Island on Wednesday.
23:17A Chinese military statement said that the exercise involved the Chinese naval vessel Hongqi
23:22and Indonesian Navy frigate Kri Gustengur Array.
23:27As part of the exercise, the two warships formed a naval formation
23:31and conducted practical drills covering maritime communication formations,
23:36maneuvers underway, replenishment, and a potting ceremony.
23:40Likewise, crews from both navies practiced real maritime information exchange,
23:45tactical order transmission, and flag semaphore signaling.
23:48According to the Chinese officials, the exercise aims to enhance the country's military capabilities
23:54in coordination with other nations.
24:02In southwest China, authorities rescued one person and are searching for five others
24:07who are missing after a boat capsized on a river in Yunnan province.
24:11The incident occurred in the village of Panxi in Huanin district
24:15after an agricultural boat capsized on the Yunnan Pan River.
24:19The local emergency response team reported the rescue of one person who is in stable condition,
24:24while rescuers and local government officials assured that they are taking every possible measure
24:29to locate the missing person.
24:36Like this, we have come to the end of this thing's brief.
24:38Remember, you can find this and many other stories on our website at telestudyenglish.net
24:42and join us on social media.
24:44We are on Facebook, X, Instagram, Telegram, and TikTok.
24:48For Telestudy English, I'm Lorena Foam.
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