12/12/2024
FTS 16.30
*Mexican Chamber of Deputies passes 2025 Federal Budget.
*World Forum on Special Economic Zones underway in Venezuela.
teleSUR
These and many more stories now!
FTS 16.30
*Mexican Chamber of Deputies passes 2025 Federal Budget.
*World Forum on Special Economic Zones underway in Venezuela.
teleSUR
These and many more stories now!
Category
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NewsTranscript
00:00In Syria, Israeli troops begin a process of forced displacement in several villages of
00:17the south of the country.
00:23The Mexican Chamber of Deputies approved on Wednesday 9.3 trillion pesos equal to 442.7
00:31million euros for the 2025 federal budget.
00:34Caracas hosts the 25th edition of the World Forum of Special Economic Zones.
00:50Hello and welcome to From the South, I'm Ana Marrero from the Telesur headquarters
00:54in Caracas, Venezuela.
00:55We begin with the news, stay with us.
01:11In Syria, Israeli troops begin a process of forced displacement in several villages in
01:16the south of the country.
01:17The Israeli army stormed the central camp of Quneitra with tanks and infantry groups.
01:26During the illegal incursion, the Israeli forces razed several houses, confiscated weapons,
01:33and blew up a Syrian military site located in the town of Al-Araf.
01:37Meanwhile, the United Nations announced that the Saudis are obstructing the work of the
01:45peacekeeping forces in the occupying Golan Heights.
01:53The Israeli occupying forces announced the seizure of several tanks and armaments of
02:00the Syrian armed forces while they were taking over the demilitarized area in Syria.
02:06The Saudi forces further specified having seized many mines, explosives, and anti-tank
02:16missiles from the fortified posts of the Syrian army, which they claim was out of use following
02:23orders from the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to occupy the demilitarized zones
02:30and its nearby areas.
02:32In this regard, several countries have fully condemned the presence of the foreign military
02:37in Syria, claiming it violates not only the sovereignty of the nation but also the United
02:42Nations resolution taking advantage of the terrorist offensive on the country.
02:54The Minister of- the Interim Minister of Austria, Hergert Körner, presented on Wednesday a plan
03:01of actions to the National Council for the Repatriation of Syrian Citizens.
03:06The Minister argued that after the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad, the repatriation
03:11process might be progressive and orderly.
03:15Furthermore, Körner highlighted the government will reward with certain benefits those willing
03:23to return voluntarily.
03:24The Austria policy joins similar ones announced by other European countries, which stipulates
03:31the suspension of processing asylum requests from Syrians.
03:36European governments state the measures are due to the fact that Syria is under the control
03:41of a recognized al-Qaeda terrorist group, remarking some of its members face severe
03:46sentences.
04:04Moving on.
04:05Israelis swarm drones hit the Gaza Strip on Thursday, claiming 35 civilian lives.
04:11These latest Zionist crimes increase the Palestinian death toll to 44,805.
04:19Precisely, Israeli strikes have targeted an Israeli refugee camp in the west of the Strip,
04:25massacring 15 people, while in southern Gaza, Rafa City, the Genocidal Forces attacked a
04:31humanitarian convoy tasked with distributing food and water in the area, causing 13 deaths.
04:38In addition, Tel Aviv forces struck residential buildings north of the Gaza Strip.
04:48This house was targeted, this tower belongs to the al-Malash family but it is housing
04:52a large number of displaced people on account that this area is inhabited by a large figure
04:57of displaced people.
04:59Israeli warplanes targeted the upper floor of the tower, as a result, there are a large
05:03number of injured who have been transferred to the Baptist Al-Ali Medical Hospital while
05:07we have found five deaths so far.
05:16The Irish government confirmed on Thursday they intend to intervene in South Africa's
05:20International Court of Justice case against Israel under the genocidal conviction by filing
05:27a lawsuit later this month.
05:29The detainee and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense Michael Martin secured that the
05:35government will request that the court to broaden its comprehension scope of what constitutes
05:42the commission of genocide.
05:44Meanwhile, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry prized such a governmental decision which
05:50describes as an example of commitment to justice and international rule of law.
05:55Likewise, the Palestinian office stated such appeals evidence the deep Irish solidarity
06:01and the historical amicable relations between the two nations.
06:08That's a very short break, but remember you can join us on our TikTok account, as well
06:13as in English, where you'll be able to see news in different formats, news updates, and
06:16more.
06:17Stay tuned for more news.
06:18Welcome back to From the South.
06:32The Mexican Chamber of Deputies approved on Wednesday 9.3 trillion pesos, equal to 442.7
06:42billion euros for the 2025 federal budget.
06:45After over four hours of updates, legislators passed the first budget of a chain-bound government
06:52with 349 votes in favor and 129 against, registering no abstentions.
07:00The spending plan of executives will be fundamentally allocated to social programs.
07:06In this regard, the president of the Finance Commission of the Legislature, Marilyn Gomez
07:12The electronic voting system and the digital platform are closed, Mr. President, counting
07:36up 348 votes in favor, 129 against, and zero abstentions.
07:48Could you update the datum again?
07:52349 ballots in favor, 129 against, and zero abstentions.
08:04The federal budget for public expenditures was approved in general and in particular
08:08by 349 votes, which is a public notice.
08:12In Colombia, on Wednesday, the Economic Commission Office and the House of Representatives voted
08:19against the financing bill proposed by the government of President Gustavo Petro.
08:24The bill, which began its processing on Wednesday after several days of delay, was supposed
08:30to guarantee close to 12 trillion pesos, or little more than $2,700 million, for sustainable
08:38economic reactivation, adaptation to climate change, and sustainable development within
08:43the framework of fiscal sustainability, and new tools to strengthen the control and operation
08:50of the tax system.
08:51In this regard, President Petro assured via his social network that the decision is a
08:56hard blow against the people, while the Minister of the Interior assured that a sensible discussion
09:02of the norm was not allowed.
09:08The regrettable thing about today's decision is that a discussion was not allowed and we
09:13had urged the benches, the members of the third and fourth commissions, to open the
09:19debate and to discuss point by point the advance payment of the fiscal rule, because taxes
09:25and gambling were excluded in the report.
09:27We wanted to discuss each one of the points of the reform and there was no opportunity
09:33to discuss them, to move forward in that debate.
09:36It seems to me that there was a haste on the part of the commissions in not allowing the
09:40debate.
09:41I believe that the country deserved that debate.
09:44In Colombia, where the bidding for the minimum wage increase has started, some unions have
09:53already stated their percentage, which is far from the proposal of the workers represented
09:59in the Central Labor Union.
10:00Let's see more in the following material.
10:06As usual for this month, the Central Labor, Trade Unions, Industrial Organizations and
10:11Government meet to discuss the increase in the minimum wage for workers in the country.
10:17The Colombian Association of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises initially put on the
10:22table its proposal of 5%, a figure that could be approaching the other unions.
10:27However, they did not give their proposal and left in the hands of the Ministry of Labor
10:33and the government the evolution of the table of consultation.
10:40The great interest that we have is to reach an agreement this year.
10:44Some people ask us why we have not given a number, and the reason why we have not given
10:49it is because we really believe that the probability of agreement increases a lot if
10:54we allow the government to play the role of intermediary or conciliator in the middle
10:58of this tripartite work.
11:00As it happened in the year 2022 and in the year 2023, we almost succeeded in achieving
11:06it.
11:07For their part, the workers, who were members of and represented by the National Unitary
11:18Command, assured that the initiative of the small businessmen is illegal since it does
11:24not take into account other indicators, only the inflation index.
11:29They proposed a two-digit increase and made a series of suggestions with measures to maintain
11:34the purchasing power of the workers in thinking of the increases that are coming next year.
11:43We need a review of the housing rental rates, that the increases of products regulated by
11:49the state be reviewed so that they are never higher than inflation, that the proposals
11:54of the pensioners be considered so that the pension allowance is equal to the minimum
12:00wage and that the health contribution is reduced, as well as the contribution to the
12:06family compensation funds, that the Bank of the Republic's interest rates be significantly
12:20reduced because they have been a brake on economic reactivation, that financial expenses
12:26be reviewed, and that the minimum wage increase for 2025 be 12 percent.
12:36In this context, what expectations do ordinary citizens have regarding these negotiations
12:45and their results?
12:46It is not enough for a person who earns the minimum wage, and even more so for a person
12:53who pays rent, who has a family.
12:55They always raise it very little, and then they raise the public transportation.
12:59So, no, it must be something that allows one as a Colombian to be able to subsist.
13:09Perhaps in a middle ground between what the private sector and the workers' union are
13:14asking for, because it is really necessary for all people to have access to a better
13:20quality of life.
13:21That is the idea.
13:24The key data for the discussion of the minimum wage are inflation, which is 5.2 percent,
13:32the contribution of wages to GDP, which is 2 percent, and productivity, which ranges
13:38between 1.73 percent and 3.43 percent.
13:42The first deadline is December 15th to reach a consensus on the minimum wage increase,
13:48where for the moment the parties seem to be distant.
13:51The deadline is December 30th.
13:53Otherwise, it will be signed by decree.
14:00The U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed that there will be no change in
14:05the U.S. current policy towards Cuba before the end of the Biden administration.
14:10Blinken stated before the House of Foreign Affairs Committee that Cuba will not be removed
14:16from the state's sponsoring terrorism list, despite acknowledging that the nation does
14:21not finance nor promote such a scourge.
14:24In this regard, the U.S. Secretary of State certified both his office and his government
14:30disregarded the demand of over 120 governments not to consider Cuba as a nation sponsoring
14:37terrorism.
14:38By adopting such a stance, the authority is completely excompleting his term with one
14:47of the worst ratings ever in history.
14:55Let's take our last break, but before we invite you to visit our YouTube channel,
14:59Atelier SurInglish, where you'll be able to watch interviews, stories, special podcasts
15:03and more.
15:04Don't forget to subscribe and activate the notification bell to stay up to date on the
15:07world's most recent events.
15:08We'll finish our break, don't go away.
15:21Welcome back.
15:22The Brazilian government urged the international community to support Haiti in view of the
15:27violence waving in the country.
15:29The Brazilian foreign ministry asked for countries to support the interim government
15:34efforts to ensure public safety, economic development and social peace in the Caribbean
15:40nation.
15:41The ministry's statements come in reaction to a massacre that left, on Sunday, over 189
15:47dead.
15:48The incident occurred in the town of Port-au-Prince, Capital, where members of a criminal group
15:53massacred nearly 200 elderly.
16:00Also in Brazil, doctors described as successful the procedure performed on Brazilian President
16:08Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, intending to prevent a criminal hemorrhage.
16:12The doctors at the Syrian Lebanese hospital where the operation was performed assured
16:18that the president is stable and is expected to make a speedy recovery.
16:24According to the medical team, the head of state should return to Brazil at the beginning
16:29of next week.
16:30Furthermore, they also point out that the president is forbidden by medical order to
16:35receive working visitors at the hospital.
16:38Caracas hosts the 25th edition of the World Forum of Special Economic Zones, with the
16:53participation of international guests focused on the transition to new economic models.
16:58In this context, this Thursday, Chinese economic experts will discuss about the Belt and Road
17:04Initiative and will share their experiences with the Venezuelan delegations.
17:09During the meeting, both parties will focus on the strengthening of the industrial innovation
17:14between Beijing and Caracas.
17:21The foreign trade agency, the promoter that what is done in Venezuela is the best, the
17:27country brand Venezuela.
17:30It is a strategy that is concatenated, it is a strategy that has a very concrete sense
17:36of developing a country in an environment that you know very well, that has an illegitimate
17:41blockade, a criminal blockade against Venezuela that has sought to torture the body of the
17:47national economy, that has sought to torture and suffocate Venezuela in terms of income
17:53and of foreign currency.
17:56Also, the Minister of Communes and Social Movements, Angel Prado, announced that judges
18:06of peace to be led on Sunday will be in charge of enforcing common law and justice in the
18:13country.
18:14The minister provided the emblematic 23 de Enero parish example to such communes in Caracas,
18:22Venezuela, with vulnerable candidates for the elections to be held on December 15.
18:27It is worth noting that the Ministry of the Communes, in conjunction with the Supreme
18:34Court of Justice, will be responsible for providing special training to over 30,000
18:39justices.
18:40In this regard, Prado remarked that those trained justices will do justice to ourselves
18:47as they will cope with our problems, grounded in that they are part of communes who love
18:54their communes, noting that only the people save the people.
19:09And for 20 years, the Bolivarian Alliance for the People of America's People's Trade
19:14Treaty, ALBA-TCP, has benefited millions of people in Latin America and the Caribbean
19:19with several social programs.
19:21Let's review some of its achievements in the framework of its anniversary.
19:26In education, ALBA-TCP reached a historic milestone by making more than 4,980,000 people
19:33in Latin America literate.
19:35Countries such as Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua were declared illiteracy-free territories.
19:41With the creation of Misión Milagro in 2004, promoted by commanders Hugo Chávez and Fidel
19:47Castro, over 7 million people in the region have had free treatment for ocular pathologies,
19:52while 40 million have received corrective lenses for vision.
19:56Central America is among the ones that benefit from Misión Milagro, with almost half a million
20:00people who had surgery.
20:0211,900 Mexicans also benefit from this program.
20:06In the Caribbean, more than 1,300,000 people underwent eye surgery.
20:12In South America, over 4,200,000 citizens underwent surgery for eye conditions.
20:18The creation of PetroCaribe in 2004 within the framework of ALBA-TCP led to multilateral
20:24cooperation between Caribbean countries and Venezuela, an alliance that allowed the purchase
20:28of Venezuelan oil under preferential payment conditions and the financing for the construction
20:33of tankers, oil pipelines and hydropower plants in the Caribbean.
20:36Given the suspension of PetroCaribe in 2019 due to US sanctions against Venezuela, ALBA-TCP
20:42member countries pledged a developed plan to relaunch this international bloc.
20:47During two decades, the Bolivarian alliance has not only developed social programs in
20:51the areas of health, education and energy, but has also created opportunities for cooperation
20:56in sports and more than 10,000 athletes have participated in several ALBA-TCP Games.
21:03We have come to the end of this news brief, but you can find this and many other stories
21:07on our website at telestudioenglish.net.
21:09You can also join us on our socials, we're on Facebook, Onix and on Instagram as well.
21:13For Telestudio English, I'm from the south, I'm Ana Marrero, thank you for watching.