Venezuela releases 30 prisoners including activists, says rights group

Feb 1 (Reuters) - More than 30 people in Venezuela considered to be "political prisoners" were released on Sunday, legal rights group Foro Penal said, as part of a prisoner release process that families have said ​is too slow.

The releases come after Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez on Friday announced a proposed "amnesty law" ‌for hundreds of prisoners, and said the Helicoide detention center in Caracas would be converted into a center for sport and social services.

A 2022 United ‌Nations report said prisoners in Helicoide were subjected to torture, an accusation the government rejected.

Rights group Foro Penal said it had verified that 344 "political prisoners" had been freed since the government announced the new series of prisoner releases in early January, 33 of them on Sunday.

Government officials - who deny holding political prisoners and say those jailed have committed crimes - have put the total ⁠number of releases much higher at more ‌than 600, though that figure appeared to include releases from prior years.

Among those freed on Sunday was human rights activist Javier Tarazona, who had been in prison since mid-2021 in the Helicoide ‍center.

"After 1,675 days, four years and seven months, the day we've so wished for has arrived, my brother Javier Tarazona is free," Jose Rafael Tarazona said on X. "The freedom of one is hope for all."

Tarazona is the director of FundaRedes, which tracks alleged abuses by ​Colombian armed groups and the Venezuelan military along the countries' border. He was arrested and accused of terrorism and ‌conspiracy.

Prisoner releases have accelerated since Venezuela announced a release policy on January 8, in the wake of the U.S. capture of former President Nicolas Maduro.

"Every step towards freedom and the definitive end of repression is important," Gonzalo Himiob, vice president of Foro Penal, said on X.

The Venezuelan communications ministry, which handles press queries, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Foro Penal has said more than 300 political prisoners have been released in recent weeks and estimated that more than 700 ⁠remain jailed.

The government has not said how many prisoners will be ​released or identified them.

Families of prisoners say the releases have progressed too ​slowly, and relatives and human rights advocates have demanded that charges and convictions against detainees who are considered political prisoners be expunged.

Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who has ‍several close allies imprisoned, has ⁠advocated for their release.

Prominent figures still detained include opposition politician Juan Pablo Guanipa and lawyer Perkins Rocha, both close Machado allies, and opposition Voluntad Popular party leader Freddy Superlano.

Guanipa's son Ramon said in a post on X ⁠that he and his young siblings had seen their father for the first time in months on Sunday and that he was in good ‌condition.

Rafael Tudares, the son-in-law of former opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, is among those freed since January ‌8.

(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Michael Perry)

byVincento Seyarto

in

February 01, 2026

Venezuela releases 30 prisoners including activists, says rights group

Feb 1 (Reuters) - More than 30 people in Venezuela considered to be "political prisoners" were released on Sund...

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Aviation leaders tackle industrial and geopolitical headwinds

By Julie Zhu and Tim Hepher

SINGAPORE, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Aviation leaders tackled barriers to growth and the impact ​of geopolitical tensions on the eve of the Singapore ‌Airshow on Monday, while reaffirming pledges to reduce emissions.

Supply chain problems are ‌hurting global airlines and will remain for some time to come, the head of the International Air Transport Association warned industry leaders and regulators.

"This disruption continues to have a major impact," IATA ⁠Director General Willie ‌Walsh said at the Changi Aviation Summit, ahead of Asia's largest air show.

The aviation industry is ‍also navigating geopolitical changes including U.S. import tariffs that have upended flows of air freight.

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"I think the impact of geopolitical change was much ​more obvious on the air cargo side of the business ‌than on the passenger side," Walsh said.

Air cargo shipments between Asia and North America slipped 0.8% last year in the first such decline for some time, while volumes between Europe and Asia increased by 10.3%, he added.

The Asia-Pacific region is ⁠the world's fastest-growing region for air ​travel, propelled by China and India, ​with passenger traffic growth of 7.3% projected for 2026.

Toshiyuki Onuma, president of the governing council of the International ‍Civil Aviation ⁠Organization, the United Nations' aviation body, warned aviation would struggle to keep up with projected growth without coordinated action.

"A ⁠system built for 4 billion passengers cannot support three times that number ‌without transformation," he said.

(Reporting by Julie Zhu and Tim ‌Hepher; Editing by Jamie Freed)

byVincento Seyarto

in

February 01, 2026

Aviation leaders tackle industrial and geopolitical headwinds

By Julie Zhu and Tim Hepher SINGAPORE, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Aviation leaders tackled barriers to growth and the i...

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Swiss Alpine bar fire claims 41st victim, an 18-year-old Swiss national

ZURICH (AP) — An 18-year-old Swiss national has died in a Zurich hospital from injuries sustained in a Swiss Alpine bar fire, bringing the death toll to 41 a month after the tragedy.

Switzerland Bar Fire

The victim died on Saturday, according to the Swiss public prosecutor. The prosecutor said in a statement Sunday it would provide no further information on the status of the investigation.

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Investigators have said they believe sparkling candles atop Champagne bottlesignited the firewhen they came too close to the ceiling at the packedLe Constellation barin the ski resort of Crans-Montana, less than two hours after midnight on Jan. 1. Authorities are looking into whether soundproofing material on the ceiling conformed with regulations and whether the candles were permitted for use in the bar. Fire safety inspectionshadn't been carried out since 2019.

Swiss prosecutors have opened acriminal investigationinto the owners — French couple Jacques and Jessica Moretti — on suspicion of negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm and causing a fire by negligence. The court of compulsory measures in the southwestern Valais region on Jan. 12 ordered three months of pretrial detention for Jacques Moretti, but on Jan. 23 ordered his release on bail.

With high-altitude ski runs rising around 3,000 meters (nearly 9,850 feet) in the heart of the Valais region, Crans-Montana is a major destination for international alpine skiing competitions.

byVincento Seyarto

in

February 01, 2026

Swiss Alpine bar fire claims 41st victim, an 18-year-old Swiss national

ZURICH (AP) — An 18-year-old Swiss national has died in a Zurich hospital from injuries sustained in a Swiss Alpine bar f...

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'We heard the call, we came running': Trump's NATO remarks have shaken allied veterans

PETERBOROUGH, England — Helmand province's shades of yellow, cookies wrapped in pink foil andsouthern Afghanistan'ssweaty heat have imprinted on Lance Cpl. Cassidy Little's mind.

But then his memory of that day in May 2011 fractures. One moment he was walking through an unsecured compound with his patrol, the next he was on his back, staring into swirling dust and black smoke, his body unresponsive. He had been hit by a blast froman improvised explosive devicethat had been buried underground for months.

"I felt like I had dust from my tonsils to my prostate," Little, 44, told NBC News this week in Peterborough, a cathedral city 75 milesnorth of London. As a trained medic, Little pressed a fellow Royal Marines commando to be honest about the damage to his right leg. Eventually, he received the reply: "It's gone."

The same explosion killed two of Little's friends and an interpreter as their patrol pushed into a hostile area not yet controlled by NATO — part ofthe same allied missionthat President Donald Trump denigrated last week.

"They'll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan, and they did," Trump said. "They stayed a little back, a little off the front lines."

Taking long pauses as he spoke and appearing to rein in his frustration, Little responded to Trump's comments that cast doubt on whether NATO allies would be there for America "if we ever needed them."

"When I was hit, I was so far in front of the front line that I couldn't see the front line in my rearview mirror," he said.

Trump's assertions about NATO forces not coming to the United States' defense are incorrect: More than 1,000NATO troopsfrom over 25 countries, including 457 British service personnel, died in Afghanistan. Double that number were seriously wounded. Around 2,400 U.S. service members died in the conflict between 2001 and 2021.

The war, launchedafter the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attackson the U.S., remains the only time that the alliance's collective defense clause, known as Article 5, has been invoked.

After stoking outrage among Britons ranging from Prince Harry toPrime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump sought to backtrack.

Trump praised British troops as "among the greatest of all warriors" in a post on Truth Social, while stopping short of an apology.

For Little, who now works as an actor while serving as an ambassador for a veterans welfare group, Trump's comments sparked an initial surge of anger before he forced himself to calm down. But the president's appraisal of British troops, without mentioning the dozens of other nations who lost soldiers during the conflict, was "not an apology," he said.

"I stood shoulder to shoulder with the Estonians. I stood shoulder to shoulderwith the Danish," he said, sitting in a vape shop and cafe, in a corner of the room dedicated to veterans. "These are people that I've served with on the ground, including the Americans and the Canadians."

Trump's remarks caused fury across Europe and NATO countries, reopening old wounds and casting fresh doubt on the future of an alliance that has already cost so much for people like Little.

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Alice Rufo, the minister delegate at theFrench Defense Ministry, laid a wreath at a monument in downtown Paris on Monday dedicated to those who died for France in overseas operations. Speaking to reporters, she said it was crucial to show that "we do not accept that their memory be insulted."

Denmark lost 44 soldiers in Afghanistan, a higher number of fatalities than any other ally apart from the U.S. when taken as a proportion of its population of less than 6 million.

Denmark's leaders described Trump's comments as deeply disrespectful to allied sacrifices, and veterans joined a silent march in the capital,Copenhagen, braving subzero temperatures on Saturday to decry the president's remarks.

A minute of silence was also observed outside the U.S. Embassy, where earlier this week veterans had placed a flag for each Danish soldier killed in the conflict.

Backlash

In Britain, Starmer — usually deliberate in his dealings with Trump — called the comments "insulting and frankly appalling," saying he was not surprised they had caused "such hurt to the loved ones of those who were killed or injured."

Prince Harry, who served two tours in Afghanistan, said the sacrifices of allied troops "deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect," adding: "I served there. I lost friends there."

Nikki Scott's husband, Cpl. Lee Scott, was killed in Afghanistan while serving in the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, leaving behind his wife and two children.

Holding a black book containing briefing notes that her husband had taken, she said in a video posted on LinkedIn: "I believe in the difference he and all our armed forces made, and no one should tell us otherwise."

The sweeping response speaks to wider concerns about what Trump's stance could mean for the future of NATO and its relationship with the U.S., already under increasing strain as Russia seeks to test the alliance's resolve.

"Equivocation from Washingtonweakens deterrence, emboldens Moscow, and risks persuading soldiers on the ground that NATO no longer carries the saliency or seriousness it once did," said H.A. Hellyer, a senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a defense and security think tank in London.

"While the remarks change little for soldiers fighting in Ukraine," he said, "strategically, they are deeply corrosive."

Little recalls the commitment of NATO forces firsthand after the attacks on the U.S. in 2001, and the contrast between that reality and political rhetoric gives him pause.

"For the rest of us that were upfront, getting pulled apart, losing dads and brothers and husbands, we heard the call, we came running, and we happily went out there," he said.

"The trust that NATO has America's back has not been eroded. What's been eroded here is the trust that America has ours."

byVincento Seyarto

in

February 01, 2026

'We heard the call, we came running': Trump's NATO remarks have shaken allied veterans

PETERBOROUGH, England — Helmand province's shades of yellow, cookies wrapped in pink foil andsouthern Afghanistan...

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5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and father return to Minnesota from ICE facility in Texas

Five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, who were detained by immigration officers in Minnesota and held at an ICE facility in Texas, have been released followinga judge's order.They have returned to Minnesota, according to Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro.

The boy and his dad, Adrian Conejo Arias, who is originally from Ecuador, were detained in a Minneapolis suburb on Jan. 20. They were taken to a detention facility in Dilley, Texas.

Katherine Schneider, a spokesperson for the Democratic congressman, confirmed the two had arrived home. She said Castro picked them up from Dilley on Saturday night and escorted them home on Sunday to Minnesota.

In a statement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not target or arrest Liam Conejo Ramos, and that his mother refused to take him after his father's apprehension. His father told officers he wanted Liam to be with him, she said.

"The Trump administration is committed to restoring the rule of law and common sense to our immigration system, and will continue to fight for the arrest, detention, and removal of aliens who have no right to be in this country," McLaughlin said.

The government said the boy's father entered the U.S. illegally from Ecuador in December 2024. The family's lawyer said he has an asylum claim pending that allows him to stay in the U.S.

The Justice Department's Executive Office for Immigration Review's online court docket shows no future hearings for Liam's father.

The vast majority of asylum-seekers are released in the United States, with adults having eligibility for work permits, while their cases wind through a backlogged court system. Ecuadorians, who left in droves in recent years as their country spiraled into violence, have fared poorly in immigration court, with judges granting asylum in 12.5% of decisions in the 12-month period through September, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse.

Images of the young boy wearing a blue bunny hat and Spider-Man backpack and surrounded by immigration officers drew outrage about the Trump administration's crackdown in Minneapolis.

In his order granting the release, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery blasted the administration, writing, "The case has its genesis in the ill-conceived and incompetently-implemented government pursuit of daily deportation quotas, apparently even if it requires traumatizing children."

Neighbors and school officials say that federal immigration officersused the preschooler as "bait"by telling him to knock on the door to his house so that his mother would answer. The Department of Homeland Security has called that description of events an "abject lie." It said the father fled on foot and left the boy in a running vehicle in their driveway.

Residents celebrate release

On Sunday afternoon, residents of Columbia Heights, Minnesota, gathered outside the house where Liam was detained to celebrate his release and call attention to others from the community who remained in ICE detention.

"We cried so much when we heard that he was coming back," said Lourdes Sanchez, the owner of a cleaning business. "My son is also named Liam, and he is five years old, so it felt personal for us."

Nearby, Luis Zuna held up photographs of his 10-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, who he said had been detained, along with her mother, Rosa, while driving to school on Jan. 6. He said they both remained in custody at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in San Antonio – the same facility where Liam and his father were held.

"It's the same situation as Liam, but there were no pictures," said Carolina Gutierrez, who works as a secretary at the school that Elizabeth attended. "Seeing Liam released, it gives us faith."

Inquiries to the Department of Homeland Security about that case were not immediately returned.

Brenda Marquez, another nearby resident, said she had driven with her husband and two young children to the house immediately upon hearing news of Liam's release, stopping on the way to pick up Spiderman balloons. "We wanted something that would bring a little happiness," she said. "Being away from my son and not knowing what's going on with him, I just can't imagine it."

Congressman writes letter to Liam

Castro wrote a letter to Liam while they were on the plane to Minnesota, in which he told the young boy he has "moved the world."

"Your family, school and many strangers said prayers for you and offered whatever they could do to see you back home," Castro wrote. A photo of the letter was posted on social media. "Don't let anyone tell you this isn't your home. America became the most powerful, prosperous nation on earth because of immigrants not in spite of them."

Photos on Castro's social media showed Liam wearing his blue bunny hat and with a Pikachu backpack.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar,a Democrat from Minnesota, welcomed the boy back to Minnesota, saying in a social media post that he "should be in school and with family — not in detention." The senator added: "Now ICE needs to leave."

U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar,also a Democrat from Minnesota, posted a photo to social media of her with Liam, his father and Castro in which she is holding Liam's Spider-Man backpack. "Welcome home Liam," she posted with two hearts.

In a statement, Columbia Heights Public Schools called Liam's release "an important development," one that school officials hope will have positive developments for four other Columbia Heights students held at the same facility in Texas.

Dura reported from Bismarck, North Dakota. Associated Press writers Jake Offenhartz contributed from Columbia Heights, Minnesota, and Elliot Spagat from San Diego.

byVincento Seyarto

in

February 01, 2026

5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and father return to Minnesota from ICE facility in Texas

Five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, who were detained by immigration officers in Minnesota and held at an ICE...

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Swiss Alpine bar fire claims 41st victim, an 18-year-old Swiss national

ZURICH (AP) — An 18-year-old Swiss national has died in a Zurich hospital from injuries sustained in a Swiss Alpine bar fire, bringing the death toll to 41 a month after the tragedy.

Switzerland Bar Fire

The victim died on Saturday, according to the Swiss public prosecutor. The prosecutor said in a statement Sunday it would provide no further information on the status of the investigation.

Advertisement

Investigators have said they believe sparkling candles atop Champagne bottlesignited the firewhen they came too close to the ceiling at the packedLe Constellation barin the ski resort of Crans-Montana, less than two hours after midnight on Jan. 1. Authorities are looking into whether soundproofing material on the ceiling conformed with regulations and whether the candles were permitted for use in the bar. Fire safety inspectionshadn't been carried out since 2019.

Swiss prosecutors have opened acriminal investigationinto the owners — French couple Jacques and Jessica Moretti — on suspicion of negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm and causing a fire by negligence. The court of compulsory measures in the southwestern Valais region on Jan. 12 ordered three months of pretrial detention for Jacques Moretti, but on Jan. 23 ordered his release on bail.

With high-altitude ski runs rising around 3,000 meters (nearly 9,850 feet) in the heart of the Valais region, Crans-Montana is a major destination for international alpine skiing competitions.

byVincento Seyarto

in

February 01, 2026

Swiss Alpine bar fire claims 41st victim, an 18-year-old Swiss national

ZURICH (AP) — An 18-year-old Swiss national has died in a Zurich hospital from injuries sustained in a Swiss Alpine bar f...

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Georgia officer dead, another injured after hotel shooting, police say

A Georgia police officer was killed and another was critically injured on Feb. 1 after a shooting at a hotel in suburban Atlanta, authorities said.

During anews conference,Gwinnett County PoliceChief James D. McClure said two officers responded to a fraud-related call at 7:30 a.m. local time at a hotel in Stone Mountain, Georgia, located about 25 miles northeast of Atlanta. When the officers arrived, McClure said they went to the room of a person who was believed to have fraudulently used a credit card.

The officers made contact with the suspect, who invited them inside the room, McClure added.

"They began discussing the scenario or the incident with him," the police chief said. "And at some point the suspect produced a handgun and, in an unprovoked attack, fired at our Gwinnett County police officers."

'Dangerous and wrong':Gun rights groups slam feds' comments after Minneapolis shooting

Both officers were stuck, and one returned fire, injuring the suspect, according to McClure. The two officers and the suspect were transported to a local hospital after the shooting.

One of the officers, Pradeep Tamang, 25, was later pronounced dead, McClure said. The second officer, Master Police Officer David M. Reed, remains in critical but stable condition.

The police chief said the suspect, later identified as Kevin Andrews, 35, sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Andrews will be transported to jail once released from the hospital. No additional injuries were reported.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation assumed control of the shooting investigation, authorities said.

Police officers identified

In a statement to USA TODAY, the Gwinnett County Police Department said Tamang joined the department in July 2024 and graduated from the police academy in May 2025. During the news conference, McClure said Tamang was from Nepal and moved to the United States about 10 years ago.

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Reed, according to the statement, joined the Gwinnett County Police Department in September 2015.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemptook to social mediaand mourned the dead officer and prayed for the second officer's recovery.

"This is the latest reminder of the dangers law enforcement face on a daily basis," Kemp said. "We are grateful for every one that puts themselves in harm's way to protect their fellow Georgians."

DHS report:Two border officers fired guns in fatal Pretti shooting

Preliminary probe: Person reported credit card fraud

In anews release, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said it was investigating the shooting at the request of the Gwinnett County Police Department. The agency noted that once the investigation is complete, the Gwinnett County District Attorney's Office will review the case.

A preliminary investigation revealed that Gwinnett County police responded to the Holiday Inn Express after receiving a call alleging credit card theft, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Earlier in the day, a person from South Carolina had reported that their credit card was fraudulently used at the Holiday Inn Express.

After the two officers arrived at the hotel, the agency said a front desk manager told them the room was being rented to Andrews. Officers spoke to Andrews in his room about the fraudulent use of the credit card and learned that he had an active warrant for failure to appear in DeKalb County, which is also located in the Atlanta metropolitan area.

At the news conference, McClure said Andrews had a "lengthy criminal history," including multiple felony convictions for violent crimes, gun crimes, and narcotics.

When officers attempted to arrest Andrews, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Andrews pulled out a handgun and fired at the officers. Additional officers later responded to the scene and the officers, along with the suspect, were taken to the hospital.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Georgia hotel shooting leaves officer dead and another injured

byVincento Seyarto

in

February 01, 2026

Georgia officer dead, another injured after hotel shooting, police say

A Georgia police officer was killed and another was critically injured on Feb. 1 after a shooting at a hotel in suburban ...

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