23/04/2025
FTS 06.30
*U.S. President Trump says China tariffs to drop 'substantially'.
*Israeli blockade in Gaza leaves 15 children to freeze and 52 to starve.
teleSUR
These and many more stories now!
FTS 06.30
*U.S. President Trump says China tariffs to drop 'substantially'.
*Israeli blockade in Gaza leaves 15 children to freeze and 52 to starve.
teleSUR
These and many more stories now!
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NewsTranscript
00:00The body of Pope Francis has entered St. Peter's Basilica and is now lying in state after the
00:17liturgy of the word has ended. Donald Trump has now stated that high tariff on goods from China
00:27will come down substantially, although they won't be zero. And in Palestine an NGO denounce that
00:36Israel's new military offensive on the Gaza Strip has made the delivery of humanitarian aid
00:42impossible, paralyzing any form of assistance.
00:45Hello and welcome to From the South, from the headquarters of Telesur English in Havana,
00:59Cuba. My name is Pablo Micheliche. We begin with the news. Stay with us.
01:03The body of Pope Francis has entered St. Peter's Basilica after being carried across St. Peter's
01:21Square and is now lying in state after the liturgy of the word has ended. The procession, which lasted
01:28just under 40 minutes, saw the transfer of the body of Pope Francis from his residence
01:33in Santa Marta, passing through St. Peter's Square and concluding at St. Peter's Basilica.
01:40Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Farrell has just completed the liturgy of the word and he and others read
01:47from sessions of the Bible. We met with occasional responses from the congregation. Cardinals are
01:55now paying their personal respects to the late Pope as crowds filtered Francis outside in St. Peter's
02:01Square. Pope Francis' body is now inside at St. Peter's Basilica where he will be lying in state
02:08until his funeral on Saturday.
02:17Latin America held a special place in Pope Francis' agenda with seven trips that included ten countries
02:23in the region. His first international trip was to Brazil shortly after his election,
02:28and his last Latin American visit was to Panama in January 2019. Let's see more.
02:37Francis, the first Pope in history born in Latin America, had in this region some of the priorities
02:42of his pontificate, but he also found enormous challenges and limitations. During his visit to Cuba,
02:48Francis met with Commander Fidel Castro, although it was a private meeting, it was an important moment
02:54because of his strong condemnation of the U.S. blockade against the island. The Supreme Pontiff
02:59also played a key role in the diplomatic rapprochement between Havana and Washington. During his visit to
03:05Brazil, the Pope criticized the inaction of the clergy, called for the recovery of the faithful and asked
03:10Catholics to go to the favelas of the cities, one of which he visited on that occasion. With gestures such as
03:16his support for peace in the region, Pope Francis gave the Vatican a leading role in peace negotiations
03:22such as the case of Colombia to seek an end to the armed conflict that plagues the country.
03:27Francis toured the Bolivian cities of El Alto, La Paz, and Santa Cruz. In this country, the Pope spoke of
03:33the sea and asked forgiveness for the oppression against indigenous peoples. In the midst of a serious
03:39political and economic crisis resulting from the U.S. blockade against Venezuela, the Pope took steps to
03:45establish a dialogue between the government of Nicolas Maduro and the opposition. Bergoglio took
03:50over the leadership of a church with great challenges and crises, two of which directly involved Latin
03:55America, the fall in the number of faithful and sexual abuse scandals within the church.
04:03We've changed topic. The Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement to demand
04:08the release of Venezuelan migrants kidnapped in El Salvador, and for the note that the Salvadorian
04:13Foreign Ministry confessed Tuesdays a right of unlawful actions labeled as international crimes.
04:21The Ministry denounced the violation of its national human rights as they were being arbitrarily deprived
04:30of their freedom, detained without judicial order or prior trial in a maximum security prison center,
04:37subjected to degrading and inhumane conditions, which the statement described as a very
04:43serious crime of human trafficking. The Ministry further denounced the collective criminalization
04:49and institutional xenophobia by attributing without individual evidence the link between the detainees
04:56and transitional criminal organizations already dismantled in Venezuela, in open violation of the
05:02principle of presumption of innocence. The authority finally condemned the moral intentions
05:08of trying to impose a prisoner swap in these conditions and described the situation as a legal operation of bilateral relations.
05:27In this context, a relative of migrants kidnapped in El Salvador opposed Nayib Bukele's proposal for a swap,
05:33as their relatives are not criminals.
05:39It is unheard of that they are going to exchange people in this case. At least our boys, at least the majority of
05:45those boys are innocent. My son is an innocent person. They cannot exchange him as a criminal. For another person who is
05:51imprisoned somewhere else here in Venezuela, and they may have some process, but my son does not really have any process, and he does not need to be exchanged for anyone okay.
05:58He needs his freedom because he is not a criminal.
06:03I do not accept it. That is, many mothers will say yes to force Maduro. No, it is not like that,
06:19because at least our children, nor mine, are not delinquents and we are not going to receive them like this.
06:24Take your politicians, and you take your delinquents. No, they are not delinquents.
06:36Likewise, the relative of migrants kidnapped in El Salvador said that President Nayib Bukele's proposal is evidence
06:42that he is carrying out a kidnapping.
06:44We, as mothers, could say or hope that there was a pronouncement, however, later on calmer and calmer,
06:55I understood that this is not the way it should be, because in his letter, he openly explains that he
07:00wants to make a change for criminals for people of the Aragua train. Our relatives are not criminals.
07:06They are innocent people. There, in his proposal, it is evident that it is a kidnapping. He is the person
07:16who is executing this kidnapping, because it is a kidnapping, because there is no official list.
07:22There is no name of the people who are there. We have not had any communication with our relatives.
07:27And now, we have a short break coming up, but first, remember, you can join us on TikTok at Teresure English,
07:37where you will find news in different formats, news updates, and much more.
07:41We will be right back. Stay with us.
07:51Welcome back. On another sharp turn of events, Donald Trump has now stated
07:56that high tariff on goods from China will come down substantially, although they won't be zero.
08:01During a White House news conference, Trump stated that the final tariff would not be near
08:07the current 145 percent, which he described as too high. The remarks come after Treasury Secretary
08:14Scott Peasant declared that the high tariff were unsustainable and that he hoped for a trade war
08:21for de-escalation as the Asian giant had countered with 125 percent tariff on U.S. goods.
08:28With the new possibility of a deal on the table, the markets have shown positive signs following
08:35great uncertainty as investors worried about slower economy and inflation.
08:40And what level do you think it will come down to if you have it?
08:51It will come down substantially, but it won't be zero. It used to be zero. We were just
09:10destroyed China. In this context, the U.S. president also highlighted that they plan to be very nice
09:17to China and are hoping to reach a deal. We're going to be very nice. They're going to be very nice,
09:24and we'll see what happens. But ultimately, they have to make a deal, because otherwise,
09:28they're not going to be able to deal in the United States. And we want them involved,
09:33but they have to, and other countries have to make a deal. And if they don't make a deal,
09:38we'll set the deal. Because we're, we're the ones that set the deal. Scott and Howard and myself and
09:46others, we're going to be setting the deal. And it'll be a fair deal for everybody. And it'll be,
09:52I think it's a process that's going to go pretty quickly. We've spoken to him.
09:56U.S. former vice president, Al Gore, sharply criticized President Donald Trump during a speech
10:02in San Francisco, accusing him of dismantling U.S. efforts to fight climate change and undermining the
10:08country's democracy. Speaking at the opening of San Francisco Climate Week, the 77-year-old Nobel
10:14Peace Prize winner warned that the Trump administration's rollback of environmental
10:19protections and support for the fossil fuel industry posed an existential threat to both the
10:26planet and the democratic institutions. Gord urged citizens to resist what he described
10:33as a coordinated effort to halt progress on clean energy and erode democratic norms. Drawing a
10:39historical parallel, he cautioned against the manipulation of truth by those in power,
10:46emphasizing the importance of defending both climate action and the foundation of democracy.
10:55We've already seen, by the way, how populist authoritarian leaders
10:59have used migrants as scapegoats and have fanned the fires of xenophobia to fuel their own rise to
11:05power. And power-seeking is what this is all about. Our constitution, written by our founders,
11:12is intended to protect us against a threat identical to Donald Trump, someone who seeks power at all costs
11:21to get more power.
11:22We stay in the United States. San Francisco unions and community members rallied on Tuesday to protest
11:30Airbnb's lawsuit against the city as an attempt to avoid taxes. The demonstration was held outside
11:38the local courthouse during an Airbnb court hearing in which the tax company seeks a refund on about
11:45$120 million in previously paid business taxes, claiming it was overcharged by the city. In this context,
11:54unions called on Airbnb to drop the lawsuit and pay their fair share to the district. The activists
12:00claim the city should be able to use the money set aside for business tax litigations to reduce the need
12:09for job cuts and improved services.
12:16We want Airbnb to pay their fair share of taxes because their taxes pay for the public services
12:23that we all depend on here. Our public transportation system, our libraries, our parks, our homelessness
12:31services, and our public health. If they don't pay their share of taxes, then we, the public, will pay for it.
12:38Airbnb step up and do its due diligence. Drop the lawsuits, pay their campuses, like every citizen
12:45in this city, so that we can have the resources we need to take care of the cities and the more companies.
12:54And we have a second show break coming up. And before we invite you to visit our Facebook page
12:59at Teleshoot English. There you will be able to watch our top stories, special live coverage, and much more.
13:04Follow our page and activate the notification button to stay up to date on the world's most recent events.
13:10Financial Braves stay tuned with Teleshoot.
13:23Welcome back. The Colombian government formalized on April 22 the questionnaire of questions that will be part of the
13:30popular consultation on the labor reform that will be delivered to the Colombian Senate next May 1st
13:37for discussion and voting. Our correspondent, Hernán Tubar, tells us the details.
13:45The Colombian government made official the 12 questions that will be part of the popular consultation
13:51on the labor reform that was rejected in the Colombian Congress. Vindicating workers' rights and recovering
13:56the lost legitimacy are some of the elements included in the questions that were read by the Minister of Labor.
14:01Do you agree that the workday should last a maximum of eight hours and should be between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.?
14:15Yes or no? Secondly, do you agree that a 100% surcharge should be paid for work on a Sunday or holiday rest day?
14:24Yes or no? Thirdly, do you agree that micro, small and medium productive enterprises,
14:32preferably associative, should receive preferential rates and incentives for their productive projects?
14:39Yes or no?
14:40The Minister of the Interior, who also attended this announcement, recalled the motivations that drove
14:54the first president of Colombia to seek solutions to the legislative blockage that prevented the
14:58advancement and discussion of transcendental reforms that were part of the political project
15:03with which Gustavo Petro was elected.
15:08It all starts because some people who did not have to sign the report signed in denying the debate,
15:13as I had never seen before in the Congress of the Republic.
15:15That day, the President of the Republic decides to go to the people to make a consultation on
15:25the labor reform. There is a sentence.
15:33The number 180 of the year 94 of the Constitutional Court that says that when there is a conflict between
15:39the legislature and the executive, it is settled by a consultation.
15:52Now it will be the legislators composing the Senate who will have to determine in plenary in a maximum
15:57of 30 days their endorsement regarding the questions formulated. For their approval, 55 votes are required
16:02for a total of 108 senators, and the consultation can be carried out.
16:10We hope that the Senate does not interfere in this popular consultation.
16:16Once the Senate approves within the next four months the registry has to set a date to hold
16:19the elections and people have to vote yes or no to each of the 12 questions.
16:26The votes are counted individually question by question.
16:34Today the popular consultation is a mandate of the people. Therefore the Senate of the Republic
16:39has to comply with the popular mandate as it is stated in the political constitution of Colombia.
16:43A referendum is the result of a popular mandate. Therefore, what it has to do is to give it the
16:48necessary procedures so that these questions are formalized and carried out.
16:57The Colombian president announced that on May 1st he himself will submit the questionnaire of the
17:01popular consultation on labor reform to the presidency of the Senate, so that it may begin its discussion
17:07and processing.
17:07Hernan Dariotovar Gaitan Telesur, Bogotá, Colombia.
17:21The organization Oxfam Intermon has denounced that Israel's renewed military offensive on the
17:37gas strip has made the delivery of humanitarian aid impossible, paralyzing any form of assistance.
17:43According to the NGO, this situation has created a nightmare for half a million people who are trapped
17:50in insecure and inaccessible areas, with more than 70 percent of the population deprived of water,
17:57food and essential medicines. Health authorities in Gaza confronted that the lack of resources
18:03has led to the death of 17 children from cold and 52 from masturbation, reflecting the collapse of the
18:11health system and critical shortages of medical supplies. The Israeli blockade has prevented the entry
18:18of trucks carrying food, drinking water, fuel and medicine, while ongoing attacks have destroyed
18:24vital infrastructure, including desalination plants and health centers.
18:35Family members and colleagues of the 15 emergency responders that were killed by Israel in Gaza last
18:41month have spoken out about the attack that sparked international outrage, calling for an
18:47independent investigation. On March 23rd, an ambulance convoy departed from Khan Junis towards Rafah,
18:54in southern Gaza, to rescue civilians trapped under bombardment, but the convoy never reached its
19:00intended destination and disappeared without a trace. Days later, 15 emergency workers were found
19:07murdered and buried in a mass grave. While Israel has stated there was no cover-up of the scene,
19:15refusing external proof, the rescue organizations demand a special investigation and alert about a clear
19:22breach of international law.
19:33They shot them in the head, then they buried them with bulldozers.
19:36They didn't even let us see them.
19:48We shared images of all our vehicles and uniforms through the ICRC.
19:54But that didn't spare our teams from being targeted.
19:56We are officially demanding through the UN Security Council a special investigation into the cold-blooded
20:04killings of our medical workers.
20:09The international humanitarian law guarantees the protection of civilians, including
20:16international organization personnel, as well as workers at the civil society, as long as they are not
20:23part of the conflict. These all kind of attacks are impeding the ability to continue the humanitarian
20:32mission that is dedicated primarily to alleviate the suffering of the affected population by armed
20:38conflicts and in many cases life-saving situations. Now in Cuba, the defense of the Palestinian coast is
20:46still present with messages of hope and resistance. In Havana, the international biennial of graphic humor,
20:52held under the slogan, less fake and more news, opens the Gaza exhibition. Let's see.
21:01The fact that these images of solidarity were filmed in Havana is no coincidence.
21:06It happens that this island and Palestine have an enemy in common. The same enemy that finances the
21:11genocide and occupation of the Palestinian people is the same one that has blockaded Cuba for more than 60 years.
21:18With the participation of design students and workers of our institute, we are making this mural in a
21:26public place as a voice of resistance. All the people who pass by here will be inspired by this image to
21:37learn more about the Palestinian cause and to be sensitized with one of the causes that at this moment
21:42marks the humanity. For Cubans, the Palestinian cause is the most urgent one that humanity is
21:53experiencing. Before the eyes of the world, a genocide is taking place, an ethnic cleansing with
21:58total impunity. They are students of the Higher Institute of Industrial Design and they paint another
22:04mural in the streets of Havana. The idea is always to draw people's attention and art is always good
22:11for that, to make people question themselves, to ask what is going on, what is this all about because
22:16we are talking about Palestine. We hope this will help to communicate and raise awareness for the cause.
22:31Solidarity is always necessary and that the Palestinians can see that the world is with them.
22:39In an international biennial of graphic humor such as the one taking place in Cuba these days,
22:44Palestine, Gaza could not be missing. This collective exhibition, curated by Fadi Abu Hassan and
22:50Aristides Hernandez, is open to the public at the iconic corner of 23rd and 12th.
22:59My work reflects the loss of the family. Sometimes the parents are not there because
23:03of the war or the parents lose their children. Also because the massacre of the children in that
23:08territory is horrendous and it is our way of denouncing to the world the sadness that is
23:17happening in Gaza. We are hopeful that someday this war, this massacre will end and there will be
23:22peace in the Palestinian territory. This is a caricature, but it is political satire. The one who thinks in
23:37the edge of the comical, here is humor. But the subject is so hard that it is not an exhibition to laugh,
23:51but to reflect on the issue of Gaza. Palestine violence and the image that is here are some posters
23:56that serve to denounce what is happening with that people.
24:0560 works by 58 artists from 30 countries. The graphic humorists of the world raise from Havana
24:11a banner of resistance and combat against war, lies and disinformation.
24:1660 works by 58 artists of the world raise from Havana.
24:21I like this. We have come to the end of this news brief. Remember, you can find this and many
24:24other stories on our website at TelesurEnglish.net. And you can also join us on social media.
24:29We are on Facebook, X, Instagram, Telegram and TikTok. For Telesur English, my name is Pablo Michelich.
24:35Thank you very much. Thank you for watching.