Nicolás Maduro Decrees Venezuelan Christmas Will Be Oct. 1; Issues Arrest Warrant For Rival Political Leader
Nicolás Maduro, the dictator of Venezuela, decreed that Christmas will be celebrated on Oct. 1 as he cracks down on dissent following the controversial presidential elections in July. Maduro claimed victory in the elections, which many international observers and domestic opposition have disputed. Maduro announced the new date for the holiday on his TV show, With Maduro. He previously changed the dates of the occasion in 2021 and 2023. Since the election, 2,400 people have been arrested. Shortly before his announcement, authorities announced an arrest warrant for his main rival, opposition leader Edmundo González.
Israelis Protest for Ceasefire After Death of Six Hostages
Protests occurred across Israel last Sunday after six hostages captured by Hamas during the Oct. 7 attacks were found dead by the Israel Defense Forces. The protesters, who violently clashed at times with the police, called for their country to accept a deal with Hamas that would bring the remaining hostages home, criticizing the Israeli government for not accepting such a deal. A Palestinian and Israeli peace organization called the Parents Circle-Families Forum, said hundreds of thousands of people turned out to the protests. Still, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would refuse any deal that would require the Israeli military to leave two corridors in Gaza, making a deal with Hamas impossible. The Prime Minister said that he believes military force is the best way to free the remaining hostages.
Nicaragua Frees Political Prisoners
The release of 135 political prisoners from Nicaragua was announced Thursday by the U.S. government. The prisoners, who were freed through an agreement between the U.S. and Nicaragua, have traveled to Guatemala where they will be able to apply for entry to the U.S. and other countries. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Eric Jacobstein said the U.S. gave nothing for the release of the prisoners. He and other U.S. diplomats decried the treatment of the prisoners, many of whom they said were subjected to torture. The prisoners were arrested amid the Nicaraguan government’s crackdown on the Catholic Church, which is accused of supporting anti-government protests in 2018. Amongst those released were Catholic laypeople, journalists, students, human rights workers, and 13 members of a Texas-based religious charity.
Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei Murdered
Ugandan marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei was killed by her ex-boyfriend Thursday. Cheptegei was in critical condition after her ex-boyfriend, Dickson Ndiema, set her on fire Sunday in her home in Kenya. She had been doused in petrol and set alight due to a land dispute and suffered burns to 75 percent of her body. Ndiema was also burned and is being treated at a hospital in the city of Eldoret. Cheptegei competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics and placed 44th in the women’s marathon. Her killing has drawn renewed attention to incidents of domestic violence in Kenya, where 38 percent of women experience intimate partner violence over the course of their lives.
