International
Court orders Colombian presidential rivals to debate

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A Colombian court on Wednesday ordered the two men in this weekend’s presidential election runoff to hold a public debate, something one of them — maverick millionaire Rodolfo Hernandez — had avoided until now.
The Bogota High Court ruled that Hernandez and his leftist rival Gustavo Petro must arrange, by Thursday at the latest, a debate to be broadcast on public TV and radio ahead of Sunday’s vote.
The court ruled in favor of a group of lawyers seeking to compel Hernandez to debate Petro, a senator and former guerrilla hoping to become Colombia’s first-ever leftist president.
The judges found that public debates were “a right of the candidate” to get their ideas across, “but at the same time a duty” to the public.
Hernandez, who has no ties to established parties and no obvious political leaning, came in surprise second place in a first election round on May 29, denying frontrunner Petro an outright win and beating out the rightwing candidate until then considered the leftist’s main competition.
Hernandez, 77, has consistently refused to address public gatherings or take part in debates, preferring to address supporters directly on Facebook or TikTok.
Petro, 62, on Wednesday declared himself “ready” to debate, but Hernandez has not commented on the court order.
Mauricio Urquijo, one of the lawyers who filed the suit, said sanctions for non-compliance could include even prison time.
Petro had also skipped some debates ahead of the first round of voting in May as a protest against alleged electoral fraud committed in the March legislative elections.
Both candidates are seeking to rally a vast group of abstentionists — some 45 percent of the electorate and largely composed of young people — as well as undecided voters.
Opinion polls point to a neck-and-neck race.
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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