International
Salem ‘witch’ to be pardoned thanks to US teens
AFP
A woman convicted of witchcraft during the 17th-century Salem trials is expected to be pardoned thanks to a group of campaigning US schoolchildren.
Elizabeth Johnson Jr. was sentenced to death in 1693 as mass hysteria about witches swept colonial Massachusetts.
She was granted a reprieve and died in her late 70s in the 1740s but, unlike other convicted witches, has never been exonerated.
When eighth graders at North Andover Middle School, near Salem, learned about her plight during their civics class, they decided to take action.
They did extensive research, studying primary sources to understand that Johnson was targeted because she was unmarried and possibly mentally disabled.
“Part of our introduction to the civics class overall is based on the idea of identity, values, stereotypes and civil discourse,” teacher Carrie LaPierre told AFP.
“So looking at the situation regarding Johnson from this lens helped students develop perspective and empathy for her case,” she added.
The 13- and 14-year-olds couldn’t understand how Johnson was overlooked for a pardon: she had no immediate descendants lobbying for it.
They began writing letters to local representatives and helped state senator Diana DiZoglio draft a bill that will clear Johnson’s name.
DiZoglio recently introduced the legislation, which isn’t expected to face any opposition.
More than 150 people, mostly women and including Johnson’s mother, were accused of witchcraft between 1692 and 1693 as Massachusetts was gripped by fear, paranoia and superstition.
Thirty, including Johnson, were found guilty, 19 of whom were hanged. Massachusetts has formally exonerated the other 29, according to DiZoglio.
“It is simply time to finish the job and clear the name of Elizabeth Johnson Jr. once and for all,” she told AFP.
The students are receiving updates as their bill moves through the legislature and are enjoying the press coverage they are getting, including in The New York Times.
“In light of the present-day events that have consumed the attention of most over this past year, this project may seem insignificant, but the kids’ efforts righted a long-standing wrong, and I want them to be proud of that,” said LaPierre.
International
Erin brings strong winds and storm surge despite weakening offshore
Hurricane Erin weakened to a Category 2 storm on Tuesday but continues to pose a threat to parts of the U.S. East Coast with potentially dangerous flooding, according to meteorologists.
Although the hurricane’s eye is expected to remain offshore, experts are concerned about Erin’s size, as strong winds extend hundreds of kilometers beyond the storm’s center.
In its 18:00 GMT bulletin, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) lifted tropical storm warnings for the Bahamasand Turks and Caicos Islands, but kept them in effect for parts of North Carolina.
Erin was located several hundred kilometers southeast of North Carolina and was moving northwestward.
“This means there is a risk of potentially life-threatening flooding of 60 to 120 centimeters above ground level,” said NHC Director Michael Brennan.
He also warned of the possibility of destructive waves, combined with storm surge, that could cause severe damage to beaches and coastal areas, making roads impassable.
International
Three U.S. Warships deploy near Venezuela to combat drug trafficking
Three U.S. naval vessels are moving toward the coasts of Venezuela, according to international media reports on Tuesday, after White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed that President Donald Trump is ready to combat and curb international drug trafficking.
Reports indicate that the ships will reach Venezuelan waters within the next 36 hours as part of a recent U.S. deployment aimed at countering international narcotics operations.
The announcement coincides with Leavitt’s statement that Trump is prepared to “use the full extent of his power” to halt drug flows into the United States. The naval deployment involves approximately 4,000 military personnel.
“The President has been clear and consistent. He is ready to use every element of U.S. power to prevent drugs from flooding our country and to bring those responsible to justice. The Maduro regime is not the legitimate government of Venezuela—it is a narco-terror cartel,” the spokesperson said during a press conference.
International
Cuban authorities free salvadoran convicted in 1997 hotel bombing
Salvadoran national Otto René Rodríguez Llerena was released after serving a 30-year prison sentence for his involvement in a terrorist attack at a hotel in Cuba in 1997, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.
During his trial, Rodríguez Llerena admitted to placing an explosive device at the Meliá Cohiba Hotel under the orders of anti-Castro exile leaders. He was arrested the following year when he returned to Havana with another load of explosives that failed to detonate.
“The Cuban government reiterates its commitment to combating terrorism, respecting human rights, and the need for the international community to hold accountable those who promote such acts,” the statement read.
He was released on August 15 and is the second Salvadoran to complete his sentence. In December of last year, another Salvadoran, Ernesto Cruz León, was released after planting bombs at tourist centers, one of which killed an Italian tourist identified as Fabio Di Celmo.
A third Salvadoran, Francisco Chávez Abarca, also received a 30-year sentence from Cuban courts in 2010 after being extradited from Venezuela through Interpol for actions against Cuba.
Rodríguez Llerena had requested conditional release in 2016, arguing that his actions had not caused any direct fatalities, but no further information was released about his situation until now.
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