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US House passes DC statehood proposal, Senate buzzsaw awaits

AFP/Editor

The House of Representatives voted Thursday to make the US capital Washington the nation’s 51st state, but the historic effort is widely expected to fail when it reaches the Senate.

More than 712,000 people live in the District of Columbia, a Democratic stronghold with a population greater than two states and comparable to two others. Supporters of statehood have framed their cause as an effort to end a glaring American civil rights violation.

The city’s residents fight and die in US wars and face a higher federal tax burden than people in the 50 states. But while Washingtonians can cast ballots in presidential elections, they are denied votes in Congress.

The House voted along strict party lines, 216 to 208, with no Republicans supporting the appropriately numbered measure HR 51.

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It was the second time the initiative received a vote in Congress. The measure passed the House in 2020 but died in the Senate.

“This is about democracy. It’s about self-government. It’s about voting rights,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer tweeted after the House vote.

“I was proud to re-introduce this bill in the Senate, and we are working to make #DCStatehood a reality.”

Passage however is highly unlikely in the Senate, where Democrats hold majority power but Republicans occupy half the seats.

To overcome blocking tactics, 10 Republicans would need to join all Democrats in support for the statehood measure to reach Biden’s desk. No Republicans are publicly in favor.

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Like many Republicans, congressman Ben Cline says the statehood push is a “power grab” aimed at adding two Democrats to the Senate.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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