Petro clashes

with Trump

BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — Colombian President Gustavo Petro has strongly criticized the Trump administration’s actions against Venezuela. Colombia’s left-wing president has called the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro an “abhorrent” violation of sovereignty.

That has reignited President Donald Trump’s ire against the Colombian leader; Trump has issued insults, sanctions, a visa revocation, and threats that Petro’s country could be Washington’s next military target. Colombia, the world’s biggest producer of cocaine, has been the United States’ closest regional ally for decades, and Colombian officials have been scrambling to quell the recent tensions. Petro meanwhile is calling for mass protests against Trump on Wednesday.

DeSantis wants

special session

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Gov. Ron DeSantis is calling for a special session in April for Florida’s legislature to redraw congressional districts. He announced this Wednesday, joining a trend among states redrawing districts mid-decade. DeSantis wants to wait for a possible U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the Voting Rights Act before proceeding.

The ruling could impact Section 2, which bars discrimination in voting systems. Redrawn districts favoring Republicans could affect President Donald Trump’s plans to reshape districts in GOP-led states. Nationwide, Republicans believe they can gain more seats, but ongoing litigation could impact the final outcomes.

US to exit

organizations

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration will withdraw from dozens of international organizations, including the U.N.’s population agency and the U.N. treaty that establishes international climate negotiations. It marks the U.S. further retreating from global cooperation.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from 66 organizations, agencies and commissions following his instruction for his administration to review participation in and funding for all international organizations, including those affiliated with the United Nations. Most of the targets are U.N.-related agencies, commissions and advisory panels that focus on climate, labor and other issues that this administration has categorized as catering to diversity and “woke” initiatives.

‘One Battle’

leads nominations

(AP) — “One Battle After Another” dominated nominations to the Actor Awards on Wednesday, with Paul Thomas Anderson’s ragtag revolutionary saga landing a record seven nods in the annual Screen Actors Guild honors. In the 31 years of the Actor Awards, formerly known as the SAG Awards, no movie has received more nominations.

Along with a nod for the guild’s top award, best ensemble, the cast of “One Battle After Another” was showered with nominations for Leonardo DiCaprio, Chase Infiniti, Teyana Taylor, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro and its stunt performers. The four other nominees for best ensemble are: “Sinners,” “Hamnet,” “Marty Supreme” and “Frankenstein.”