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*Chile declares state of emergency over heavy rains
*Iraq: Iranian parliament speaker calls for regional cooperation
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00:01Venezuela's Acting President Darcy Rodríguez announced the date of the next
00:04National Popular Consultation in 2026, which will take place on October 18.
00:13Chilean President José Antonio Caz declared a constitutional state of emergency
00:16due to a natural disaster caused by unprecedented damage
00:20resulted from heavy rains in the northern part of the country.
00:26During his official visit to Iraq, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohamed Bagheer-Galibaf
00:31highlighted the importance of regional cooperation without foreign interference.
00:41Hello and welcome to From the South. I am Lorena Fong from the Telesur Studios in Caracas, Venezuela.
00:46We begin with the news. Stay with us.
01:02Venezuela's Acting President Darcy Rodríguez announced the date of the next National
01:06Popular Consultation in 2026, which will take place on October 18.
01:10This announcement was made during a Zoom meeting with the People's Government, System
01:14and the Government Chambers, but Rodríguez played a key role.
01:17Also, during the meeting, the Acting Head of State invited the daily variant people to prepare
01:22for the presentation of the projects by the communal circuits and condominium boards.
01:27The Popular Consultation is a mechanism of direct democracy that allows communities to decide
01:32on their investment priorities within the framework of strengthening popular power.
01:42I'm going to change the date of the consultation.
01:45I had said it would be on October 11, but they told me that would be a killer boring day
01:51because
01:54there's a holiday on the 12th for Indigenous Resistance Day, a day of struggle for Venezuela.
02:01And the new date will be October 18.
02:05So let's all get ready for October 18.
02:09All the communal circuits, the condominium boards.
02:13We already had the project ready.
02:16Well, let's move forward.
02:18And on October 18, we'll hold an election.
02:40A week after the earthquake that struck Columbia in August 10, rescue efforts slowly turned
02:44into recovery operations as official death toll rises to 304.
02:47According to the latest figures released by the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management
02:52on Tuesday, the seismic event has left 4,548 injured, 426 missing and 134,342 homes damaged
03:03across 15 departments and 472 municipalities.
03:08356 people have been rescued.
03:10Although in cities such as Cali and Pereira, the chances of finding survivors have diminished
03:15and the re-removable efforts have begun.
03:17Now I see departments of Chocó, Valle del Cauca, Risaralda and Quindío now face an emergency
03:23that extends far beyond the rescue efforts with uninhabitable homes close to schools and communities
03:30in needs of assistance to start over.
03:32In this context, President Abelardo del Espri inform on the beginning of a reconstruction phase
03:37costing 30 trillion pesos, approximately 9.6 billion US dollars,
03:42declaring the nation in a state of economic emergency.
03:51The earthquake in Colombia also hit the education system.
03:54In Cali, for example, more than 200,000 students are still without classes.
03:57Well done and now ask the details.
04:01In Cali, one of the sectors currently facing enormous challenges is education.
04:0680% of public and private educational institutions were affected.
04:11Nearly 220,000 students have had their classes suspended,
04:15while authorities develop a strategy for how to safely return to the classroom
04:21and how to accommodate students whose schools are uninhabitable.
04:26In Cali, we have 3038 school facilities.
04:32Of those 3038, 214 have been reported to have sustained some type of damage.
04:39Of those 214 facilities, we have so far conducted inspections with engineering and structural experts,
04:45as well as architects.
04:46We have 10 crews working.
04:50As a result, we have already completed inspections at 99 of the 214 reported sites.
04:56The situation is also affecting universities.
05:00Several institutions of higher education, such as Antonio Jose Camacho University,
05:05located in the northern part of this city, have suffered damage to their facilities
05:10and will have to temporarily switch to online learning to ensure academic continuity.
05:18We are facing an issue that affects every sector of society.
05:22Education is clearly one of them, from two perspectives.
05:26First, in terms of educational infrastructure,
05:29and second, in terms of the major challenges that families, students,
05:33and teachers themselves now face in resuming their studies and moving forward.
05:38Let's say that this implies that moving forward with a process of reconstruction cannot be limited exclusively to the university.
05:44The situation becomes complex because, in the case of schools that serve children and young people from the city's vulnerable
05:51communities,
05:52a huge problem arises.
05:54Not all students have access to the internet, computers, or adequate devices to connect to their classes.
06:00Furthermore, the families of many of these students are also suffering the consequences of the earthquake.
06:08Well, I think that, in any case, technology is advancing rapidly but not fast enough to ensure that every child
06:14has access to a computer or a phone.
06:16And above all, not just that they have one, but that they can access the internet.
06:21Consider that in Guanaventura, for example, and in Choco, people don't have access to the internet daily or even weekly.
06:27There are cases where they can connect only for a few hours a day, even electricity, just imagine.
06:33If a country can't guarantee a steady supply of electricity,
06:36how can we possibly claim that providing a child with a computer or cell phone will guarantee their education in
06:41a post-pandemic and post-earthquake era?
06:45The earthquake caused material damage, but it also tested Cali's ability to guarantee a fundamental right, the right to education.
06:54And while the walls of the schools are being rebuilt, we must ensure something even more important,
06:59that no child or young person is left out of the education system because of this emergency.
07:04In Cali, Milton Hanau, Telesur.
07:08In Bolivia, presidential spokesperson Jose Luis Galvez held a press conference to commend on the attack against activist Nadia Beller.
07:15During his remarks, the spokesperson focused on the armed attacks suffered by political activist Nadia Beller
07:20and read out statements from representatives of the Bolivian government regarding the case.
07:25He stated that every attack must be investigated with the diligence required by law to safeguard lives.
07:31He reported that following the incident, police protection was arranged around the victim,
07:35a measure currently involving 15 officers and confirmed the arrest of the suspect Fernando Crimeo,
07:41the victim's former partner and advisor to the current president of Bolivia, Rodrigo Paz,
07:46and a former advisor to Javier Milei.
07:54In Paraguay, the multisectoral of social organizations peacefully mobilized to demand
07:58that the national government implement the public housing policies and promote a gradient reform.
08:03The massive mobilization in Asunción brought together members of the multisectoral, including farmers,
08:09indigenous people, social organizations, neighborhood commissions, and construction workers.
08:14The demonstrations followed up and requests made the government to strengthen and increase funding for the national social housing fund
08:20program.
08:21Additionally, protesters called for agrarian reform to reclaim land seized by foreigners.
08:26Due to the government's lack of response, the president of the multisectoral of social organizations,
08:31Bolsonaro Sanchez, demanded a meeting with government authorities.
08:40We are requesting the execution of the Ministry of Urbanism and Housing Budget for home construction and job creation.
08:47The president of the republic has refused to dialogue with us.
08:51We want to speak with him because the ministers of housing and economy cannot address our concerns.
08:57That is why we requested to speak with the president, but he refused.
09:03In Chile, lawmakers in the Chamber of Deputies voted in favor of a bill seeking to ban dog-raising nationwide
09:11amid intense street protests.
09:12Lawmakers approved the bill in general terms by 80 votes through 41, rejecting a competing proposal to regulate the practice.
09:20Animal rights activists outside Congress celebrated the advance citing widespread mistreatment and abandonment of competitive greyhounds.
09:27Meanwhile, supporters of the sport defended dog-raising as a traditional economic activity.
09:32The legislation now returns to the Environment Committee for detailed reviewing before facing a final vote.
09:45And now we have a short break coming up, but first remember you can join us on TikTok at Telesur
09:50English,
09:50where you will find news in different formats, news updates and much more.
09:55We'll be right back, stay with us.
10:20Welcome back to From the South.
10:21Chilean President José Antonio Cas declared a constitutional state of emergency due to a natural disaster caused by the unprecedented
10:28damage resulting from heavy rains in the northern part of the country.
10:31The measure aims to facilitate the mobilization of resources and the coordination of security forces to address the emergency.
10:38Authorities have confirmed the death of one person near Taltal, a victim of an accident caused by failing rugs on
10:45Road 1.
10:46And they emphasized the danger of the weather and geographical conditions for residents in nearby areas.
10:51In turn, they urged the public to stay away from riverbeds and have activated the emergency alert system to warn
10:58about the highest risk areas.
11:00The National Disaster Prevention and Response Service ordered evacuations in various parts of northern Chile in response to the threat.
11:14A rapidly spreading wildfire in the province of Cáceres in western Spain forced hundreds of people to evacuate their homes
11:21after the flames swept throughout the Las Hordes region.
11:24The fire, initial reports indicated it started near Robledo, spread due to the heat and winds forcing the evacuation of
11:31about 700 people in nine villages in Pino Franqueado and Nuño Moral.
11:36The combat to the fire, 17 aircraft, heavy equipment and nearly 150 ground crew members were deployed, along with support
11:44from regional reinforcement and the military emergency units from Terrejón de Ardoz.
11:51Due to the serious threat that the fire poses to the population and property, authorities activated a Level 2 alert
11:57under the Civil Protection and Forest Fire plans.
12:06The United States and Canada have reached an 11th-hour agreement to temporarily pass a 50% tax on Canadian
12:13exports.
12:14The last-minute deal suspends punitive duties on over $20 billion worth of Canadian goods, including electronics, industrial machinery and
12:22agricultural products.
12:24The MO follows talks between United States President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Mark Carney, with Washington linking the trade
12:30paths to negotiations surrounding the Keystone XL pipeline project.
12:34Critics highlight that the proposed tariffs threaten key protection under existing trade frameworks reflecting ongoing unilateral economic pressure by Washington.
12:52Meanwhile, a landmark trial against Meta is underway in the United States, which courts accusation the social media company of
13:00designing its platforms to get children addicted.
13:03Opening statements in a landmark case against Meta, the powering company of Facebook and Instagram, have begun on Tuesday in
13:11the United States, started by the states of California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey.
13:16The lawsuit accuses Meta of contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features that addict
13:25children to its platforms and hiding these harms from the public.
13:28His fathers argue that Meta routinely collects data on children under 13 without their parents' consent, in violation of federal
13:37law.
13:37With this process, the four states are seeking billions of dollars in damages, as well as fundamental changes to how
13:44Meta runs its platforms.
13:49We need to be here.
13:50We laid out our case today, which is essentially this, that Meta has designed and deployed dangerous product, a dangerous
14:02product with dangerous features, that they knew would create excessive use and compulsive use by children.
14:09And it would create mental health harms, including things like anxiety and depression, like that.
14:18They knew their product was dangerous and they lied to the public.
14:23They lied to Congress.
14:25They told the public.
14:26They told the world that their product was safe, that it wasn't dangerous.
14:29And so their deception, their lies are at the core of our case.
14:35And Meta's conduct is deceptive.
14:37It is dangerous.
14:38And as we make clear in our lawsuit, and as is most important in a court of law, it is
14:43illegal.
14:45The company had a legal, not to mention a moral obligation, to consider the safety of young users when designing
14:53their products.
14:54Meta, we have proof that Meta knows, Meta knows that Instagram is harmful to a significant percentage of teenagers, especially
15:04teen girls.
15:06Meta knows that.
15:08Meta knows that more than 13% of teen girls on Instagram say the platform makes thoughts of suicide and
15:17self-injury worse.
15:19Meta knows that.
15:20In other topics, China is preparing for the second World Humanoid Robot Games to be held in Beijing from August
15:2622 to 26, with more than 600 teams and 2,000 robots from more than a dozen countries participating.
15:33Organizers say that this year's game will feature more than 30 events, including the long jump, weightlifting, talk of war,
15:40and table tennis, which were recently added.
15:42Scenario-based competitions are also expected to expand to real-world environments, including factories, hotels, homes, and logistic facilities.
15:51Tasks such as assembly, housework, emergency response, and sorting books in libraries will test the robot's ability to perform practical
15:59tasks in demanding environments.
16:08Let's take a short break, but before we invite you to visit our Facebook page at Teleshare English.
16:12There you'll be able to watch our top stories, special life coverage, and much more.
16:17Follow our page and activate the notification button to stay up to date on the world's most recent events.
16:22Final short break. Don't go away.
16:50Welcome back to From the South.
16:52During his official visit to Iraq, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohamed Bagher Galibaf highlighted the importance of regional cooperation without foreign
16:59interference.
17:00Galibaf delivered a speech on Wednesday at the site where General Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis were martyred,
17:08paying tribute to the two leaders of the Axis of Resistance.
17:12During his speech, he stressed that his visit to Iraq was part of a new regional approach focused on bilateral
17:17cooperation with countries in the region without foreign meddling.
17:21The official also described the relations between Iran and Iraq as deeply rooted, portraying their partnership as central to defending
17:28West Asia from foreign aggression and instability.
17:31His visit comes amid the ongoing conflict imposed by the United States against Iran that has disrupted regional peace in
17:37the Middle East.
17:45Our trip to Iraq today is aimed at strengthening the new order in the region and accelerating the strengthening of
17:52cooperation between all countries in the region without foreign interference.
18:03During the war, I also publicly stated several times that the Islamic countries of the region should seek deep security
18:11interactions and relations that will be accompanied by sustainable economic cooperation and the Islamic Republic is ready for this.
18:26Israel continues its aggression against southern Lebanon despite the ongoing peace negotiations between the two nations, carrying out demolitions, explosions
18:34and shelling.
18:35According to local media, Israeli forces have carried out a series of explosions and shelling across several southern Lebanese towns
18:42overnight and at dawn on Wednesday.
18:44Demolitions were reported in Hadatta at the dawn following overnight explosions in Al-Mansuri, while artillery shells struck Mahdal, Suona
18:52and surrounding Belize.
18:53Furthermore, overnight, Israeli strikes have targeted the Ali Al-Tahir Hill area in the Ben-Lemonon's Nabatyeh district moreover.
19:01An overnight Israeli attack targeted a family home in southern Lebanon as Nabatyeh al-Fakwa destroying it.
19:16Also, the Iranian government declared two French diplomats personal non grata in a reciprocal measure after France took the same
19:23action against two Iranian diplomats.
19:25The Iranian foreign ministry confirmed that staff of the French embassy will be buried from entering Iran for violating the
19:311961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
19:35The two French nations in question left Iran and returned to France on July 23, before being informed on August
19:4217 that Iranian authorities had officially designated them as persona non grata for violating the Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
19:49For his part, Iranian foreign minister Rabah Sarakshi praised the work of his diplomats abroad and assured that, despite the
19:57pressure and propaganda, no one abandoned their position during the war.
20:09At least 24 people were killed in an armed attack carried out by an identified man in the community of
20:15Bin Per, located in Plateau State, in central Nigeria.
20:18The victims' families gathered in the street to demand justice and security in the face of the wave of violence
20:23they endure on a daily basis.
20:26In response, Plateau State, the authorities condemned the Bin Per massacre and expressed their condolences in a statement.
20:32The background to this event lies in a prolonged crisis in the state, where conflicts between farmers and livestock raisers
20:39have escalated into highly deadly intercommunity attacks.
20:57In our topics, Moscow and Kiev have completely a major prisoner exchange, with each side returning 103 captured service servicemen
21:06in a deal mediated by the United Arab Emirates.
21:09The returned Russian troops are currently in Belarus, where human rights officials and medical teams are providing first aid, psychological
21:16counseling and preliminary care.
21:18Following initial assistance, the servicemen will be transported to Russia for a specialized treatment and long-term rehabilitation and Ministry
21:25of Defense medical institution.
21:28Russian authorities condemn the United Arab Emirates for its vital humanitarian mediation efforts in facilitating the successful return of the
21:36soldiers.
21:43Ukraine's former defense minister, Mikhailo Fedorov, who was recently removed from office, called for elections stating that democracy is not
21:50a luxury preserved for space time.
21:52Although he acknowledged the logistical difficulties of organizing elections during war, Fedorov issued a warning about institutional management.
22:00It is particularly dangerous for society to have the impression that the main criterion for appointment is not competence, no
22:08results, nor the ability to transform the country, but rather personal loyalty to the regime.
22:13Elections in the country remain suspended due to the commercial law ban in effect since February 2022.
22:24Also in Ukraine, protests against President Volodymyr Zelensky continued organized to demand the return of former defense minister Mikhailo Fedorov.
22:33The protesters noted that they have not yet received an explanation for the official's dismissal and warned that they will
22:39continue the protest until he is reinstated.
22:42Chanting slogans such as corruption kills and carrying banners including one with the slogan will raise our voices for those
22:50who cannot vote.
22:51They demanded the greater transparency and direct communication from authorities.
22:56At the same time, President Volodymyr Zelensky formally nominated the acting defense minister Yevgen Kamara, former senior official with the
23:04Ukrainian security service as his successor.
23:12And like this, we have come to the end of this news brief.
23:14Remember, you can find this and many other stories on our website at telestoryenglish.net and also join us on
23:20social media.
23:21We are on Facebook, X, Instagram, Telegram, and TikTok.
23:25For Telestory English, I'm Lorena Fong. Thank you for watching.
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