International
Bolivian President travels to Brazil for the Mercosur Summit
December 5 |
Bolivian President Luis Arce arrived in Brazil to participate in the Summit of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) and appointed the President of the Senate, Andrónico Rodríguez, as interim head of the Plurinational State.
“Brother Andrónico, in the Year of Youth, we hand over the Presidency to a young Bolivian leader to take charge of our State”, he expressed at the moment of handing over the symbol of command to Rodríguez, in a ceremony at the Presidential Air Group, in the city of El Alto.
It should be recalled that President Arce leaves decision-making in the hands of Rodríguez while he represents Bolivia at the Mercosur meeting because Bolivian Vice President David Choquehuanca is in Rome, Italy, participating in the Inauguration of the International Year of Camelids at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
This would be the second time that Rodríguez assumes the interim presidency of the Plurinational State of Bolivia. The first time he did it in September 2022 when Arce traveled to New York to participate in the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly and the vice president, David Choquehuanca, fulfilled an agenda of activities in Europe.
Arce will participate from Tuesday in the preparatory meetings of Mercosur, whose main meeting will be held in Rio de Janeiro on December 7.
The Bolivian presence is taking place shortly after the consolidation of its full adhesion to the southern economic bloc. The Brazilian Senate approved the Protocol of Accession of Bolivia to the bloc and sent it to the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for its promulgation.
On that occasion, Arce thanked the “efforts of brother President Lula and the Brazilian people for this historic milestone in Latin American integration”.
International
Floods in Central Vietnam leave 28 dead, thousands displaced
The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in central Vietnam has risen to 28, with six people reported missing and 43 injured, local newspaper VnExpress reported Friday night.
More than 22,100 homes remain flooded, primarily in the cities of Hue and Da Nang. Floods and landslides have destroyed or swept away 91 houses and damaged another 181, the report added.
Around 245,000 households are still without electricity, particularly in Da Nang, where over 225,000 homes are affected.
Additionally, 80 stretches of national highways are blocked or disrupted due to landslides. Authorities expect the flooding to continue for another day or two in the region.
International
FBI foils ISIS-Inspired attack in Michigan, arrests five teens
Kash Patel did not provide further details, but police sources told CBS News that the potential attack was “inspired” by the Islamic State (ISIS).
“This morning, the FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack and arrested several individuals in Michigan who were allegedly planning a violent attack during the Halloween weekend,” Patel wrote on X.
“Thanks to swift action and close coordination with our local partners, a possible terrorist act was prevented before it could be carried out,” he added.
CBS reported that five people between the ages of 16 and 20 were arrested on Friday. At least one of them was reportedly acquainted with a former member of the Michigan National Guard, who was arrested in May for plotting an ISIS-inspired attack on a U.S. military facility in the Detroit suburbs.
International
U.S. warns China over Taiwan during high-level defense talks in Kuala Lumpur
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth expressed concerns over China’s growing military activity near Taiwan during a meeting on Friday with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun in Kuala Lumpur.
“It was a constructive and positive meeting,” Hegseth wrote on X. “I emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and raised U.S. concerns about China’s actions around Taiwan,” the self-governed island that Beijing claims and does not rule out invading.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting-Plus, one day after U.S. President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea. According to Trump, Taiwan was not discussed during their talks.
“The United States does not seek conflict and will continue to firmly defend its interests, ensuring it maintains the capability to do so in the region,” Hegseth added in his message.
Friday’s encounter followed a September 9 video call between Hegseth and Dong. Their previously planned meeting at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore was canceled due to Dong’s absence from the event.
Trump’s sit-down with Xi — their first since 2019 — resulted in some trade agreements but avoided addressing the issue of Taiwan, a long-standing source of tension between the world’s two largest powers.
Trump has taken a more ambiguous stance on Taiwan’s future compared with former President Joe Biden, who repeatedly stated that Washington would support Taipei if China launched an invasion. The Republican president has also criticized Taiwan for “stealing” the U.S. semiconductor industry.
Floods in Central Vietnam leave 28 dead, thousands displaced
FBI foils ISIS-Inspired attack in Michigan, arrests five teens
U.S. warns China over Taiwan during high-level defense talks in Kuala Lumpur
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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