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Feb 5 (Reuters) - An amnesty law being considered in Venezuela's legislature that would grant immediate clemency to people jailed for participating in political protests or critiquing public figures won initial lawmaker approval on Thursday.

According to a draft seen by Reuters, the bill would also return assets of ​those detained and cancel Interpol and other international measures previously issued by the government, allowing opposition figures in exile to return home.

The bill passed unanimously ‌in the first of two necessary votes at the National Assembly, which is controlled by the socialist ruling party. The date for a second session to debate the matter has not yet been set.

The ‌amnesty law, announced last week by interim President Rodriguez, would lead to hundreds of people being released if it were to be passed in its current form and would likely please the Trump administration, which has hailed prisoner releases.

Rodriguez's brother Jorge Rodriguez, the head of the assembly, described the law as a difficult but necessary step.

"The path of this law is going to be full of obstacles, full of bitter moments ... we're not only going to have to swallow hard ... but also swallow frogs," he said.

"We ask for ⁠forgiveness and we also have to forgive."

Venezuela's opposition and human ‌rights groups have said for years that the government has used detentions to stamp out dissent by politicians, members of the security services, journalists and activists, charging them arbitrarily with crimes like terrorism and treason. The government has always denied holding political prisoners.

Rodriguez, who took ‍office after the U.S. captured and deposed President Nicolas Maduro last month, has been complying with U.S. demands on oil deals. The government has also been already slowly releasing people classified as political prisoners by human rights groups and the country's opposition.

According to the draft, the amnesty will cover crimes committed between January 1, 1999, and the date that the law comes into ​force, and will be applied immediately to people who acted peacefully or who have health concerns. It would not provide amnesty for those convicted of human rights ‌violations, war crimes, murder, corruption or drug trafficking.

PROTESTS AND DEFAMATION

Other alleged crimes, including instigation of illegal activity, resistance to authorities, property damage, rebellion, treason, and illegal carrying of weapons will all be covered by the amnesty if they were committed in the context of political protests, the draft said, specifying that it would include mass protests that rocked the country and led to deaths in 2007, 2014, 2017, 2019 and 2024.

Those latest marches, in 2024, took place after a contested election that Venezuela's opposition and international observers say the opposition roundly won. The government and judicial authorities backed Maduro, swearing him in for a third term.

The bill would also cover those accused of ⁠defamation if the act took place in the context of criticizing authorities.

The law would lift Interpol red notices ​and movement restrictions against people who have committed crimes covered by the amnesty, the draft said, "guaranteeing ​the safe and persecution-free return of Venezuelan citizens who are abroad."

Many members of the opposition and dissident former officials live in other countries to escape arrest warrants they say are politically motivated.

Also revoked by the law would be public office bans for political reasons and ‍sanctions against media outlets.

Rights group Foro Penal says it ⁠has verified that 383 political prisoners have been freed since the government announced a new series of releases on January 8. It says more than 680 remain jailed, an updated count including prisoners whose fearful families had not previously reported their detentions.

The government has always denied holding political prisoners and says those jailed ⁠have committed crimes. Government officials have said the number of releases is nearly 900, but have not been clear about the timeline and appear to be including those freed in previous years.

Among the long-time ‌advocates of releases and amnesty is Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who has several close allies imprisoned, including opposition ‌politician Juan Pablo Guanipa and lawyer Perkins Rocha.

(Reporting by Reuters, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)

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Key Points

• Aroeve air purifiers with model MK04 are being recalled.

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• Contact the company for a replacement if your purifier matches the recall.

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Check your air purification system, and if it matches the recall information, contact Airova for a replacement. You can do this by emailing aroeve-airpure-recall@outlook.com.

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ZAPOPAN, Mexico (AP) — The Mexican state of Jalisco on Thursday issued a health alert and mandated the use of face masks in schools as ameaslesoutbreak hit the state capital, a key host city for the upcoming2026 FIFA World Cup.

Mexico Measles

The measures come on the heels of anepidemiological alert issuedby the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) earlier this week over the spread of the preventable disease across the Americas, particularly in Mexico, which leads the region with 1,981 cases confirmed by authorities this year and more than 5,200 suspected cases.

Jalisco is the epicenter of the outbreak, with 1,163 cases confirmed this year and 2,092 suspected cases, according to Mexico's government.

The measles outbreak in Mexico began last year in the northern state of Chihuahua, after a Mennonite child fell ill while visiting relatives in a region in Texas that was suffering an outbreak. Casessurged in Mennonite communities— which have high rates of vaccine hesitancy — and have rippled out across Mexico in the country'sbiggest outbreak in decades.

Risk for outbreaks at World Cup

Scientists say rising outbreaks across the hemisphere are linked to declining vaccination rates. Mauricio Rodríguez, a microbiology professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico focused on epidemics, that cases have shot up in Mexico in particular because many communities in the country don't have their full immunization schedule against measles.

That poses a heightened risk over the summer as the United States, Mexico and Canada – all which have seen rising measles cases – host visitors from across the world, he said.

"With the World Cup, many people are going to be visiting from outside (Mexico) and that represents a risk of introducing even more outbreaks from other places, Rodríguez said.

Guadalajara is one of themain venues in Mexico for the soccer tournament.

In an effort to rein in cases, Jalisco health authorities announced Thursday that masks will be required in Guadalajara schools across seven specific neighborhoods for the next 30 days.

Jalisco was the first Mexican state to take such measures as medical groups urged the local government to take urgent action, marking the country's first such public health mandate since theCOVID-19 pandemic.

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Classes were also recently suspended in 15 schools in Jalisco and the central state of Aguascalientes due to outbreaks of the highly contagious airborne virus.

Efforts to control infection

On Thursday, students and teachers in areas surrounding Guadalajara showed up to classes masks and long lines would through vaccination centers set up in local government buildings.

Ángel Ivan Soto Mendez and his family were among those waiting to get a shot, and said they had already prepared for their kids to go to school with masks and disinfectant.

"If everyone doesn't get vaccinated, there are going to be infections everywhere," he said.

Canadalost its measles-free statusin November and the U.S. and Mexico face the risk of meeting the same fate. Both governments have requested a two-month extension to try to control the outbreak, although in January the Trump administrationwithdrew from the World Health Organization, under whose umbrella PAHO operates.

In the first three weeks of this year, 1,031 additional measles cases were confirmed in seven countries in the Americas with no deaths reported — a figure 43 times higher than that recorded in the same period last year — PAHO said Wednesday in a statement.

The Mexican government has spent weeks encouraging the population to get vaccinated against the measles, which is preventable with two doses of the vaccine, and announced the launch of vaccination sites in places such as airports and bus stations.

Associated Press journalists Fabiola Sánchez and Megan Janetsky contributed to this report from Mexico City. Pesce reported from Mexico City.

Follow AP's coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean athttps://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty;ABC

NEED TO KNOW

• Kid 'N Play's Christopher Reid underwent a heart transplant after being diagnosed with congestive heart failure last year

• The rapper hopes his story inspires others, especially people of color, to prioritize their heart health

• Reid is feeling renewed and working on a new special, Kid 'N Play tour dates and a book titled Heart of the Matter

Christopher Reidhas a second chance at life.

The hip-hop icon known for his towering high-top fade — who rose to fame as one half of the duo Kid 'N Play alongside Christopher Martin, and later starred in theHouse Partyfilms — is recovering after undergoing a heart transplant.

"New year, new heart, new vibration," Reid said ina sit-down withGood Morning America's Michael Strahanthat aired on Thursday, Feb. 5.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE'sfree daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Reflecting on his scare, Reid, 61, said he began noticing something was wrong with his health over the past year when everyday tasks became harder.

"I started to feel a little bit more fatigued than before," Reid explained. "And then when you feel that shortness of breath, sleeping a lot more than normal. And I think sometimes you kind of just chalk it up to, 'I'm getting older, the road is harsh.' "

But by July, his symptoms worsened, sending him to the emergency room, where doctors delivered a shocking diagnosis.

"Congestive heart failure," Reid said. "That's a bad one."

Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

After initially being treated with medication, Reid returned to his cardiologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles just weeks later with worsening swelling, raising serious concerns.

"He came in very swollen again," said Dr. Erika Jones. "That is a little unusual in somebody who has been started on treatment, for the swelling to come back that quickly."

Additional blood work revealed Reid's heart failure was beginning to affect other organs. He was rushed to the ICU and told that a heart transplant was his only option.

"When we think about status for heart transplant, he was very high on that list because of how ill he was," said cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Laura DiChiacchio. "[He was] really dealing with a life or death situation."

Reid said he was determined to approach the process with gratitude and purpose.

"I wanted to let them know at the same time, 'Hey, I am worthy of this,' " he said. "If I do get this gift, I intend to respect it and really live life to the fullest."

Just nine days later, he received the call. "They're saying, 'We got the heart and we want to put it in tomorrow night at 10 p.m.,' " Reid recalled. "About seven hours later, I have a new heart."

Now recovering, Reid said the experience has left him feeling renewed. "I hope that I'm the same person, but that I'm a better version of myself," he said. "Because man, this thing, this is a beautiful life."

Reid's story comes during American Heart Month in February, a national campaign dedicated to raising awareness about cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the CDC.

It's a reality Reid says too many people ignore until it's too late. He told Strahan he's hoping his story will encourage others, particularly people of color, to prioritize their health.

"A lot of people be walking around with heart disease because they don't go to the doctor," Reid said. "You might not [get over it]. So I'm urging all of my fans, all of y'all's loved ones too — get it checked out."

As for Reid's future, Strahan said the musician is feeling energized and is already working on a new special, planning additional Kid 'N Play tour dates and writing a book.

Its title, fittingly, isHeart of the Matter.

Good Morning Americaairs weekdays (beginning at 7 a.m. ET) on ABC.

Read the original article onPeople

Timothée ChalametandKylie Jenner's relationship is once again under intense scrutiny after the actor was reportedly spotted arriving at aParisian hotelwith French-Romanian actressAnamaria Vartolomei.

Innow-viral clipsand images circulating across social media, the 30-year-old star and Vartolomei were allegedly filmed trying tododge cameras.

The duo's latest appearance sparkedwild conspiracy theoriesonline, as netizens heavily debated whether Chalamet's romance with Jenner was merely a "PR stunt" or a "transactional situationship."

One person commented, "Let's be honest with ourselves… Kylie is not in love with Timothy.Kylie and Tim are using each other mutuallyas the next stepping stone in their careers."

Timothée Chalamet's late-night hotel appearance with Anamaria Vartolomei in Paris has sparked conspiracy theories about his romance with Kylie Jenner

Image credits:Karwai Tang/Getty Images

According to multiple reports, Timothée Chalamet has been in the French capital for the past few days to promote his 2025 award-winning film,Marty Supreme.

Chalamet brought to life the character of table tennis hustler Marty Reisman, inspired by the 1950s sports world, a role that even earned him his first Golden Globe last month for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.

Moreover, the film has received significant awards buzz, with an impressive nine nominations, including the Best Picture category for the upcoming Oscars ceremony next month.

Image credits:Phillip Faraone/Getty Images

Amid this promotional tour, the actor was unexpectedly spotted by several fans and paparazzi leaving an ultra-exclusive luxury sports and lifestyle club called 21 Blanche, located in the city's 9th arrondissement, withMickey 17actress Anamaria Vartolomei.

In a brief clip, the two were seen making their way toward the exit together, but upon spotting photographers, Vartolomei allegedly became hesitant to walk out.

The actress was then seen stepping aside for Chalamet and letting him walk out solo first, following behind him with another man, who many assumed was a member of their team.

One viral Reddit post claimed, "The pair had suddenly realized they were being filmed as they seemed to shy away from the cameras and returned to their hotel around 10:30 PM."

In viral clips, the French-Romanian actress was allegedly seen trying to distance herself from Timothée upon spotting paparazzi and fans

Image credits:Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

"Later, around 11:30 PM, it seemed thepair wanted to go out quietlytogether as they requested a large security detail, including tarpaulins to prevent them from being seen getting into the same vehicle."

Moreover, it was alleged that "they then drove around Paris for an hour… but ultimately decided to return to the hotel because too many people allegedly were watching them."

Image credits:Marc Piasecki/Getty Images

Many viewers flooded the comments section with the conclusion that the two were romantically involved, with some even accusing Timothée of "cheating" on Kylie.

One person said, "Poor Kylie,she got cheated on again!"

A second user commented, "Tim is going to di* when Kylie finds out lol."

Image credits:Marc Piasecki/Getty Images

"God. The amount of logistics and keeping track of lies upon lies to everyone about everything when having an affair looks exhausting. How do people do it?!"

Many were also of the opinion that theDunestar's romance with Kylie was "just a PR relationship," while others were even supportive and happy about his appearance with Anamaria.

From Oscar "smear campaign" claims to "open relationship" accusations involving the reality TV star, the viral sighting has wildly reignited the rumor mill

One viewer wrote, "I'd take anything atp for him to get out of kylie jenner's shadow lol," while another added, "Maybe Timmy is a paid 'boyfriend' after all."

A third netizen quipped, "Poor Kylie… Thank you to my partner of 3 years – I couldn't have done this without you – hisspeech at the Globessaid."

"Social climbers the lot of them to even be involved with the karTRASHians. Honestly tho i'm not sure why Timothy needed this? to help promote marty supreme?" questioned one confused fan of the actor.

Image credits:BACKGRID UK

Rumors of the lovebirds' three-year-long relationship being a "paid transactional situationship" have been circulating since Chalamet's Critics' Choice Awards shoutout to Kylie last month, when he cryptically, for the first time, publicly acknowledged her as his "partner."

Several social media users slammed his public declaration of love forThe Kardashiansstar, pointing out that Chalamet did not mention her name directly.

Image credits:BACKGRID UK

Comments like, "I couldn't afford this [award] without you," "Thank you for mommy dearest having bought this for me," "Kris is actually behind the camera with a g*n in one hand and a cue card in the other," and others flooded online.

While Timothée and Anamaria have not addressed the exact nature of their relationship, or the outing in question, some fans defended them in light of his Oscars nomination, calling the "cheating" allegations a "smear campaign" against him.

While the majority were convinced that the 30-year-old star was "cheating," a coincidental connection between him and Vartolomei has reportedly emerged

"The story circulating online is made up… The original post was… hoping to smear his Oscar campaign… You guys are falling for fake tea," argued one supporter.

Another wrote in his defense, "Probably just creating movie buzz, are they working together in something do we know?"

"Sorry this is nonsense, the video looks like he is with a group of people and they knewthey were photographed, there's tons of people at the door."

Image credits:Monica Schipper/Getty Images

At the time of writing, there is no confirmed film project linking the two, but there does appear to be a luxury designer brand connection between Chalamet and Vartolomei.

Reportedly, theCall Me By Your Namestar is the global ambassador for the Bleu de Chanel fragrance, while Anamaria is a long-standing House Ambassador for Chanel, specifically for fashion and beauty.

Given their shared ties to the brand, their recent appearance together in Paris may have been related to a Chanel work-related meet-up.

However, until the two address the cheating rumors directly or announce a project together, their meeting remains awild mystery, as fans keep guessing.

"They got that 'just got caught on the Coldplay Jumbo screen' look lol," joked one user, while a second echoed the sentiment, writing, "Reminds me of an incident at a concert not that long ago."

"He is absolutely cheating. That woman is not part of his entourage… He is sneaking around with that woman and finally got caught," wrote one netizen