00:00Cuba rejects the United States presidential memorandum that strengthens the economic,
00:15financial and trade blockade against the island. In Palestine authorities reported over 580 killed
00:24and more than 4200 wounded in Gaza during Israeli attacks against aid-seekers at US-backed centers.
00:31Countries worldwide face impact of climate change amid heavy storms,
00:37floodings and extreme weather conditions.
00:40Hello and welcome to From the South. I'm Alejandra Garcia from Telesur Studios in Havana, Cuba.
00:47We begin with the news.
00:54Cuba rejects the United States presidential memorandum that strengthens the economic,
01:05financial and trade blockade against the island. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said that
01:09the Trump administration's documents serve the interests of those who profit from the pain,
01:14suffering and deprivation of the Cuban people. In addition, the Cuban Foreign Ministry affirmed
01:18that the original text and its re-addition include a set of measures aimed at destabilizing the island.
01:24government authorities denounced the promotion of pressure measures on international,
01:28commercial and financial entities to make their links with Havana impossible.
01:54In St. Vincent and the Granadins 2025, Carnival celebrations continue with emphasis on the legacy of traditions to new generations.
02:02St. Vincent's Carnival, known as Vincimas, is one of the most important and colorful celebrations in the Caribbean.
02:09During the festivity, the streets of the island are filled with parades, music, dancing and colorful costumes.
02:16The Carnival celebrates the local culture with African, European and indigenous elements.
02:20For this, the Carnival includes various events such as concerts, costume contests and marching band parades,
02:27which highlight the culture of the nation, accompanied by traditional calypso and soca musical rhythms.
02:34And we go with our special envoy Belen de los Santos at this hour, who has all the latest information on this Carnival season in St. Vincent and the Granadins' High Vale.
02:47What can you share with us at this hour?
02:49Hello, Aleph. It's a pleasure to greet you this night.
02:55It's an interesting night here in Kingstown.
02:58You were just saying that the streets were filled with colorful costumes.
03:04And precisely right now, we are aware those are being made.
03:09This is the band camp for the band Blondiebird and Friends.
03:14One of the bands that are going to be performing and presenting their costumes during the events in the coming days.
03:22This is a day of preparation here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
03:27Because we know that Vincent and the Mass is already underway.
03:30But the main events are happening this weekend and particularly ending with Monday and Tuesday.
03:38And the main celebrations, the Mardi Gras carnival celebration on Tuesday.
03:44So everything is getting ready.
03:45And as you see behind me, these are costumes that the bands are preparing.
03:51We've been talking to the different men and women, children also involved in this process.
03:57And today, many of them are highlighting the importance of the artisanal work that goes into the celebration of tradition, of heritage, of recovering and highlighting the identity of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
04:13All the different components of this very diverse and colorful culture.
04:19So this is what's happening today.
04:21But before we go, let's hear a little bit more about what happened yesterday when the younger boys and girls were performing their shows of their Calypso songs.
04:32This is also another important component of this carnival here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
04:37So we will part with that right now.
04:40We go back to studios.
04:41But let's see this material.
04:43St. Vincent and the Grenadines renowned carnival is here.
04:50And Telusir is up for the ride.
04:53Since May this year, the entire nation has been bracing for a unique event that celebrates the country's heritage, safeguarding its culture and sharing it with the entire world.
05:07I think the uniqueness of Vincent Mass is really the raw culture of our people.
05:12You're seeing elements of the creativity on display and, you know, you will go to other carnivals and you'll have the traditional costumes.
05:21Yes, you'll have a lot of display.
05:22But when you come to St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the experience that you get here, you will never get an experience like this anywhere else.
05:30And I think importantly, the people that really makes Vincent Mass what it is.
05:35The locals who are so welcoming to the persons who are coming in to visit.
05:40This week kicked off with a special treat.
05:43The Junior Calypso and Soccer Monarch provides an opportunity for the younger generations to showcase their talent as they approach these traditional rhythms in which dancing and lyrics come together to let out the local creativity and powerful vision of the world.
06:05I really like carnivals because it makes me more exciting.
06:11I felt nervous, but when I saw my people supporting me, I just, no, Lilani, you can't do this.
06:25My favorite part of the performance is when I gave my mommy the rose.
06:30She kissed me and I said what I have to say to the crowd and it was so beautiful.
06:40Lilani's Calypso was about the love to her mother, to all mothers cheering in the crowd.
06:47The intergenerational exchange is one of the key aspects of this contest.
06:51As adults encourage their kids, certain that they will carry on the torch of their national culture.
06:57There was so much people. I know my teachers, my cousins, my brothers, my moms, my dads.
07:10I know they were all looking at me, so that's how I felt. I felt like there was love in my heart.
07:19We know that our future for Vinci Carnival is bright because these children are the future Calypstonian and Soka artists.
07:26Emotions are on the rise as Vinci Mass nears its peak weekend that will end in Mardi Gras celebrations on July 8th.
07:40Meanwhile, everyone continues enjoying main and sideline events in a party that locals assure is definitely unique.
07:48This carnival in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is the best carnival ever, like, best carnival ever.
07:56And people away overseas should come check it out.
08:00Belen de los Santos from Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines for Telesur.
08:06Thank you Belen for all the latest information on this carnival season in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
08:11And now, after this report, we have a short break coming up.
08:15But first remember, you can join us on TikTok at Telesur English, where you'll find news in different formats, news updates and more.
08:22We'll be right back. Stay with us.
08:41Welcome back to From the South.
08:53In Palestine, authorities reported over 580 killed and more than 4200 wounded in Gaza during Israeli attacks against aid seekers at US-backed centers.
09:03The government information office in Gaza confirmed the deaths and wounded and denounced that going for humanitarian aid represents a suicide for the people of Gaza.
09:11They pointed out that the responsibility for the death lies with Israel and the US private security company that is in charge of delivering the support aid.
09:21Palestinians urged the international community to take action for the violations of their rights and to prevent the situation from escalating as these humanitarian agencies have broken off all collaboration with the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation after these killings.
09:37The Syrian police officers also assassinated on Wednesday the director of the Indonesian hospital in Gaza Strip, Dr. Marwan Sultan, in the western part of the coastal enclave.
09:52Palestinians claim that Dr. Marwan was killed along with his family following drone strikes on his residents that also left several injured.
10:00In recent days, Dr. Marwan had denounced that Israeli drones directly attacked several departments of the hospital including the intensive care unit.
10:09The Jordan armed forces carried out Wednesday the 6th medical evacuation of children from Gaza transferring 23 children along with their accompanying family members as part of the Jordanian Medical Corridor Humanitarian Initiative.
10:27According to a statement issued by the Jordanian Army, 19 of the children would receive treatment in Jordanian private hospitals while the remaining four will be flown to Turkey.
10:37The patients and their families were received in coordination with the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization.
10:44With this latest group, the total number of children evacuated from Gaza for treatment in Jordan has reached 77.
10:52The program is expected to evacuate 2,006 children from Gaza to receive treatment in Jordan.
10:59In India also it is registered at least 51 people dead and over 100 injured due to landslides and floods in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh.
11:25The weather department reported that in the last weeks 12 districts have been affected by the rainfall with 22 people missing so far.
11:34The floods caused the total closure of more than 400 roads in addition to infrastructure damage.
11:40Authorities are working to restore power lines and ensure public safety.
11:44In Europe, a heat wave has killed at least eight people, four of them in Spain, two in France and two in Italy, while 300 others are hospitalized throughout the country due to high temperatures.
12:01The Italian authorities have also decreed a red alert in 18 cities, including Milan and Rome, where temperatures exceeded 39 degrees Celsius.
12:10Meanwhile, countries such as Turkey and Greece are facing forest fires caused by rising temperatures.
12:17Spanish authorities report at least 6,500 hectares of burned land and two dead as a result of major forest fires in Catalonia.
12:38Meanwhile, firefighting teams have been working since Monday to contain the flames to prevent them from spreading.
12:44The cause of the blaze has not been determined yet.
12:51The United Nations organization highlighted in a report that recent droughts are a slow-moving global catastrophe.
12:58The international entities suggested a systematic monitoring of how this could affect lives, livelihoods and the health of ecosystems in order to develop plans to slow the consequences of the climatic phenomenon.
13:11For its part, the United Nations recommended governments to prepare for a new normal with measures that include stronger early warning systems.
13:23The National Meteorological Service of Mexico has issued an alert in 21 states due to an increased risk of flooding caused by heavy rainfall.
13:35The entity indicated that the threat comes from Hurricane Flossy, which is currently moving west of the Jalisco coast.
13:42This is generating cloud bans and causing rainfall in Nayarit and Sinaloa as well as intermittent showers in Colima, Jalisco and Baja California Sur.
13:52The authorities are not ruling out Flossy advancing towards other areas of the country.
13:57And like this, we have come to the end of this news brief, but you can find these and many other stories on our website at telesurenglish.net and join us on social media.
14:10We are on Facebook, X, Instagram, Telegram and TikTok as well.
14:14For Telesurenglish, I'm Alejandra GarcÃa. Thank you for watching.
