- 5/21/2024
*China warns that political changes in Taiwan will not affect the One-China Principle.
*Venezuelan United Socialist Party slams U.S. sanctions.
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*Venezuelan United Socialist Party slams U.S. sanctions.
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NewsTranscript
00:00 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his deepest condolences to the people of Iran
00:16 after the helicopter crash took the life of President Erbakan Raisi.
00:23 The government of China reiterated that Taiwan is an inalienable part of its country while
00:29 affirming that political changes will not affect the "One China" principle.
00:37 This Monday, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela held a press conference on the sanctions
00:41 applied to the country and the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.
00:53 Hello and welcome to From the South.
00:55 I'm Alejandra Garcia from Telesur Studios in Havana, Cuba.
00:58 We begin with the news.
00:59 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his deepest condolences to the people of Iran
01:04 after the helicopter crash took the lives of President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister
01:09 Hossein Amir Abdullahi and other officials in an accident that rocked the world.
01:15 "Today, we received sad news from our neighbor and brother country, Iran.
01:26 We have learned that the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mr. Ebrahim Raisi
01:32 and his accompanying delegation died in a helicopter crash.
01:36 We ask Allah to have mercy on the late Mr. Raisi, the Iranian Foreign Minister and other
01:43 officials who lost their lives in the accident."
01:46 "First of all, I would like to express our deep sorrow over this tragic accident.
01:58 On behalf of myself, my country and my nation, I would like to express our deepest condolences
02:06 to the people of Iran.
02:09 After receiving the news of the accident, we immediately contacted the Iranian authorities
02:13 and declared our full commitment to contribute to the search and rescue efforts with all
02:18 our means."
02:22 Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbing says Xi Jinping expressed his condolences
02:28 over the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, calling it a "great loss" to the
02:33 Iranian people.
02:35 "President Xi Jinping pointed out that since President Ebrahim Raisi assumed office, he
02:39 has made important contributions to the maintenance of Iran's security and stability, as well
02:43 as the promotion of national development and prosperity, and has also made positive efforts
02:46 to consolidate and develop China-Iran's comprehensive partnership and strategic relations.
02:51 His tragic death is a great loss to the Iranian people, and the Chinese people have lost a
02:54 good friend."
02:55 Earlier on Monday, the leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei,
03:03 approved the appointment of the first Vice President, Mohammad Mughbar, as the country's
03:07 interim president.
03:08 Through a communique, the highest Iranian political authority assured that the Vice
03:13 President is in the position of directing the executive power and is obligated to agree
03:18 on the election of a new president within a maximum period of 50 days.
03:23 In this regard, Khamenei declared five days of national mourning for the martyrdom of
03:27 President Sayyed Ebrahim Raisi after the helicopter in which he was being transported was involved
03:33 in an accident.
03:34 On the other hand, it was confirmed that the until now Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister
03:39 Ali Bahari Kani will serve as acting Foreign Minister after the death of Foreign Minister
03:44 Hussein Amir Abdullahi.
03:53 The member states of the Bolivarian Alliance for the People's of Aramerica-People's
03:57 Trade Treaty, Al-Batisipi, expressed their solidarity with the Iranian people through
04:01 a communique following the devastating news of the death of their President Ebrahim Raisi
04:06 and the crew in which other high-ranking Iranian government officials were also travelling.
04:12 Through a communique, the Al-Batisipi member states expressed that the member states of
04:17 the Bolivarian Alliance for the People's of Aramerica-People's Trade Treaty, Al-Batisipi,
04:22 deeply mourn the passing away of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi,
04:28 and his Foreign Minister Hussein Amir Abdullahi after a helicopter crash in Barsehkan, Komti,
04:34 east of Serbian province.
04:38 Moreover, the text expresses that they are deeply saddened by the physical death of leaders
04:46 who with great belief and hard work rise high the sovereignty and culture of their country,
04:54 such as President Raisi.
04:55 Likewise, Al-Batisipi expresses its sentiments of sorrow for the loss of the rest of the
05:01 authorities who accompanied President Raisi and Minister Amir Abdullahi.
05:06 Finally, the document points out that the Bolivarian Alliance expresses its most sincere
05:12 condolences to all the relatives and close friends, as well as to the people and government
05:17 of the Islamic Republic of Iran for such an unfortunate loss.
05:21 The government of China reiterated that Taiwan is an inalienable part of its country while
05:32 affirming that political changes will not affect the "One China" principle.
05:36 The spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Wang Wenbin, said that Taiwan
05:42 is and always will be Chinese territory.
05:45 He also added that there will be no maneuver that will allow the independence of the administrative
05:49 region.
05:50 The diplomat issued these statements following the pronouncement of the new President of
05:54 Taiwan, Lai Ching-te, who promised to defend the island and urged Beijing to drop its challenges
06:01 to its autonomy and democracy.
06:09 I would like to emphasize that Taiwan independence is a dead end.
06:13 No matter under what guise or banner, the pursuit of Taiwan's independence and secession
06:17 is doomed to fail.
06:21 China's foreign ministry spokesperson stressed that the attempts to use Taiwan to control
06:25 China will not succeed.
06:29 Using Taiwan to control China will inevitably fail.
06:31 The Chinese people's righteous undertaking of opposing Taiwan independence, separatism
06:36 and striving for national unification will inevitably receive broader and broader understanding
06:40 and support from the international community.
06:42 The day of China's complete unification will come eventually.
06:47 The Government of Venezuela rejected the statements made by the leader of the Progressive Democratic
06:52 Party in Taiwan, Lai Ching-te, after becoming the new leader of that Chinese region.
06:57 Caracas reiterated its commitment to the "One China" principle, which recognizes the Chinese
07:02 government as the true and only legitimate representative of its people.
07:06 Throughout communiqué, the Venezuelan government expressed that the government of the Bolivarian
07:11 Republic of Venezuela rejects the sectarian position of the leader of the Progressive
07:17 Democratic Party, Mr. Lai Ching-te, expressed during his speech on May 20, 2024, when he
07:24 assumed the role of new leader of the Taiwan region, which is contrary to the peaceful
07:29 reunification of the strait, to peace and to regional stability.
07:34 On the other hand, the document also stresses that Bolivarian government, exalting its principle
07:39 of peace and democracy and diplomacy, condemns any threat from the hegemonic imperialism
07:45 and categorically rejects any country's intervention under any pretext that could undermine regional
07:51 peace and stability.
07:52 Finally, the text said that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reiterates its eternal
07:58 friendship with the brotherly People's Republic of China, with a true commitment of continuing
08:04 to deepen the political, bilateral and solidarity ties that contribute to the consolidation
08:10 of the community of future shared by mankind.
08:13 Let's take a short break, but remember you can join us on TikTok at TELUSURI ENGLISH
08:22 where you will find news in different formats, news updates and more.
08:25 Other stories coming up, stay with us.
08:27 Welcome back.
08:54 The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas accused the International Criminal Court of
08:58 comparing its actions in defense of its sovereignty with Israel's genocidal actions in Gaza.
09:04 Hamas accusations come after it issued arrest warrants for resistant leaders as well as
09:09 for Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
09:12 The Palestinian resistance warned that it is not possible to compare the victims with
09:16 the perpetrators and urged the ICC to cancel the arrest warrants against its representatives,
09:23 as in its opinion they push Israel to continue with its war of extermination.
09:28 Hamas added that the measure against Israeli Premier comes seven months late and urged
09:33 the court to extend arrest warrants against all military and officials who have participated
09:38 in the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip.
09:45 The reaction of the Palestinian resistance comes after the International Criminal Court
09:49 pointed out the responsibility of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the
09:54 crimes against humanity committed in the Gaza Strip.
09:57 The prosecutor Karim Khan held Netanyahu, the Israeli Defense Minister Joav Galant and
10:02 several Hamas leaders criminally responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
10:07 The charges against Netanyahu and the Israeli War Minister include intent for extermination
10:12 and starvation as methods of warfare, including the denial of humanitarian aid supplies and
10:18 the deliberate targeting of civilians in the conflict.
10:23 Today, I have reasonable grounds to believe, on the basis of evidence collected and examined
10:33 by my office, that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Defense
10:40 Joav Galant bear criminal responsibility for the following international crimes committed
10:47 on the territory of the State of Palestine from at least 8 October 2023.
10:55 The crimes include starvation of civilians as a method of warfare, willfully causing
11:02 great suffering, serious injury to body or health or cruel treatment, willful killing
11:10 or murder and intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population, as well as
11:17 crimes against humanity of extermination and/or murder, persecution and allegations of crimes
11:26 of committing other inhuman acts.
11:29 On the Gaza Strip, dozens of men, women and children line up Monday outside a charity
11:34 in Mawassi in the southern city of Kanjenis to get some food amid severe scarcity as the
11:39 result of the ongoing war.
11:41 Due to the shortage of cooking gas, people carry plastic containers to be filled with
11:46 pasta cooked in giant pots set over firewood.
11:50 The humanitarian situation worsened in early May when the Zionist troops launched an operation
11:55 in the southern town of Rafah on Israel's capture of the main border crossing linking
12:00 the Gaza Strip to Egypt.
12:02 Rafah was the main entry point for fuel.
12:05 In this context, Israeli Defense Minister Joav Galant said Monday in talks with a U.S.
12:10 envoy that the army would expand its operations in the southern Gaza town.
12:17 We don't have food and water, so we ask for help and people can see that we can't eat
12:24 nor eat when it comes to us and the food.
12:29 We can't find food or water and we take our children to the hospitals.
12:35 This pot will be used for sometimes they fill it half full and sometimes they fill it full.
12:42 We were in Rafah and came to Kanjenis.
12:45 Life is difficult because there is nothing here.
12:47 In Rafah everything was available.
12:49 We live on canned food now that we bring from charities.
12:52 Had it not been for charities, we would have starved to death, me and my grandchildren.
12:58 On Sunday, thousands of Moroccans demonstrated in Casablanca their support for the Palestinian
13:03 people.
13:04 Social activist and human rights defender groups reiterated their call to the Prime
13:08 Minister of Morocco, Aziz Asanoj, to break all kinds of relations with the government
13:14 of Tel Aviv.
13:15 It should be noted that the North African nation established diplomatic relations with
13:19 Israel in the framework of the Abraham Accords, mediated by the United States, which saw similar
13:25 movements by the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
13:29 In effect, the demonstrators highlighted the courage of the Palestinian people and rejected
13:34 the Western powers and the Zionist occupation.
13:38 We are here today to say to the valiant Palestinian resistance, to the steadfast Palestinian resistance
13:47 in the face of Zionist occupation and Western imperialism, to say that the Moroccan people,
13:52 as always, are always on the side of the Palestinian resistance.
13:59 This Monday, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela held a press conference on the sanctions
14:03 applied to the country and the death of the Iranian President, Ebrahim Raisi.
14:08 The first vice president of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, Diosdado Cabello, stated
14:13 that the structures of the party continue to be strengthened in view of the presidential
14:18 elections of next July 28th.
14:20 In this sense, Cabello affirmed that the governmental projects have become a direct response of
14:25 attention to the people of Venezuela.
14:27 He also expressed his condolences to the Islamic Republic of Iran after the death of its President,
14:33 Ebrahim Raisi.
14:34 Yesterday, there was an early news of a possible plane crash where the President of Iran was
14:45 traveling.
14:51 The fall of the helicopter where he was traveling and today his death has been confirmed.
15:01 To the people of Iran, our solidarity, our affection, our condolences in this painful
15:06 moment.
15:12 The vice president of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, Diosdado Cabello, said
15:16 Monday at a news conference that despite the blockade, the country has managed to move
15:20 forward.
15:24 The best thing about all this is that despite the blockade, despite the sanctions, despite
15:29 the persecutions, well, the national government, the Bolivarian government, has found a way
15:33 to do much more with much less.
15:39 And we stay in Venezuela as mobilizations continue against US sanctions and in support
15:44 of President Nicolás Maduro.
15:46 This time it was the people of San AgustĂn in the capital city of Caracas who took to
15:50 the streets to demonstrate against the coercive and unilateral measures imposed by the US
15:55 government against the country, which not only threaten human rights but also affect
16:00 Venezuelans directly.
16:02 The mobilization was attended by the first vice president of the PSUV, Diosdado Cabello,
16:07 and during the march, citizens expressed that Venezuela is a free country and that the people
16:12 already have their candidate, reiterating their full support to the president, Nicolás
16:17 Maduro, and reiterating the call to President Joe Biden to lift the sanctions.
16:44 Welcome back to From the South.
16:57 In the United Kingdom, the London High Court ruled Monday that Australian journalist Julian
17:01 Assange has the right to appeal his extradition to the United States.
17:05 Two London High Court judges granted Assange permission to appeal, having previously asked
17:10 Washington to provide satisfactory assurances about free speech protections at any US trial.
17:16 The journalist will now face another court battle in his long-running legal case, after
17:21 the UK government approved his extradition in June 2022.
17:26 His defence attorney told the court they do not accept assurances given by US prosecutors
17:31 that Assange would be able to rely on First Amendment rights and protections.
17:36 Assange is wanted by Washington for publishing hundreds of thousands of secret US documents
17:41 exposing their war crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq.
17:48 In the meantime, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the United Kingdom's High Court of
17:53 Justice in support of journalist Julian Assange.
17:55 The ruling was welcomed with cheers and slogans in support of Julian Assange.
18:00 The journalist's legal team indicated that in case of the unfavourable outcome, Assange
18:05 could have been on a plane to the United States in less than 24 hours.
18:10 Estela Assange expressed her intention to take the case to the European Court of Human
18:14 Rights.
18:21 In this regard, the Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva posted on X the following
18:25 "Julian Assange, the journalist who should have won the Pulitzer Prize for revealing
18:31 the secrets of the powerful, has been in prison for five years in England, condemned to the
18:36 silence of all the press that should defend his freedom in the framework of the fight
18:40 for freedom of expression.
18:42 I hope the press persecution against Assange ends and he returns to freedom as soon as
18:47 possible."
18:48 Nearly three weeks after floods hit the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre, large sections of the
19:09 city are still underwater.
19:11 Our correspondent Brian Meyer has more details.
19:15 Three weeks after the city of Porto Alegre in southern Brazil was hit with the greatest
19:19 flood in its history, with the Guaibar River level rising 5.33 meters above normal, large
19:26 swaths of this metropolitan area of 3.5 million people are still underwater.
19:31 Over half the city is without electrical power and running water.
19:35 Only 26 public schools are operating, with the local government promising that by next
19:41 week around half the schools will be open, and hundreds of thousands of people are still
19:45 living in shelters or in homes of families and friends, with a prediction that it's going
19:51 to take another couple of weeks before the water disappears completely, with multiple
19:56 pumping stations broken or underwater.
20:00 And as the city begins rebuilding, the anger is rising in the local population.
20:05 Governor Eduardo Leitchi from the right-wing PSDB party flexibilized 480 environmental
20:11 laws in the last few years, devastating forested areas along riverbanks that would have slowed
20:18 down the arrival of floodwater.
20:20 In addition, for years, the right-wing coalition that's been governing the city of Porto Alegre,
20:25 together with Governor Leitchi, has been pushing to rip down the containment wall that was
20:30 so neglected that several of the floodgates didn't properly close because they were lacking
20:36 rubber seals and screws.
20:38 With estimates of damage to the city of Porto Alegre rising to the billions just as people
20:44 are beginning to clean up, as the water has fallen to 4.3 meters above normal, meteorologists
20:50 are saying that there could be 100 millimeters of rain today in the mountains outside of
20:55 Porto Alegre.
20:58 New Guatemala forest fires destroyed more than 40,000 hectares of forest between the
21:02 end of 2023 and up to date.
21:05 According to the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction, a total of 40,700 hectares
21:11 of green areas have been completely burned, which is 42% more than the 28,700 hectares
21:18 that were destroyed in the same period of the previous year.
21:21 They also warn that so far there have been 2,314 fires registered throughout 2024.
21:29 The fire crisis has been influenced by record temperatures that exceed 40 degrees Celsius
21:34 and thermal sensation of 49 degrees Celsius.
21:41 In Belize, educational authorities suspended academic activities in several localities
21:46 of the country due to poor air quality caused by high temperatures, which led to the contamination
21:51 of the atmosphere with toxic smoke as a result of forest fires in the territory.
22:01 Japanese animation studio Studio Ghibli became the first collective to receive an honorary
22:06 Palme d'Or at Cannes on Monday.
22:09 The Japanese studio, which has been bringing a new spirit to animated cinema for four decades,
22:16 has won the audience's hearts with masterpieces such as "Shihiro's Journey" and "The
22:22 Walking Castle".
22:24 Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki was unable to travel to Cannes but sent a video thanking
22:31 the festival and the fans for the award, noting that it also belonged to the staff and not
22:37 the audience.
22:38 Miyazaki has announced his retirement more than once, but he continues to work and return
22:43 to the theaters last year with "The Boy and the Hero", a film that won him an Oscar.
23:06 Thank you for watching!
23:08 [music]