International
Brazil green-lights Covid-19 vaccines for children age 5-11
AFP
Brazilian health authorities authorized Covid-19 vaccines for children age five to 11 on Wednesday, as South America’s most populous country faces a rapid increase in cases due to holiday gatherings and the arrival of the Omicron variant.
The final green light by Brazil’s Ministry of Health comes three weeks after the nation’s independent medicines regulator, Anvisa, declared Pfizer-BioNTech’s child-size dose to be safe and effective.
“To all those parents who want to vaccinate their children, the Ministry of Health will guarantee doses of the (Covid) vaccine,” said Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga in Brasilia.
Controversy abounded in Brazil until Wednesday’s announcement, with many alleging an improper delay by the government.
President Jair Bolsonaro, who did not get vaccinated and said he will not immunize his 11-year-old daughter Laura, asked weeks ago to publish the names of those responsible for Anvisa’s decision, unleashing a wave of threats.
The final authorization comes amid a rising rate of infections in the country and a struggle to repair the health ministry’s hacked Covid website.
Brazil’s Health Ministry recorded 18,759 new cases in 24 hours in its latest data released Tuesday, the highest level since October 5.
The seven-day average also rose to 9,876 new cases, up from 5,033 the previous Tuesday, and 3,386 the week before that.
The rapidly increasing rate of new infections follows a trend seen in other nations where Omicron has taken hold.
“We will have growth of the Omicron variant here as in all the other countries,” said Ethel Maciel, an epidemiologist with the Federal University of Espirito Santo.
“The Christmas and New Year holidays, and the Omicron variant contributed a lot,” she explained.
But she also noted that Brazil “has a backlog of data due to a problem with the tracking system,” meaning the site is currently being updated which inflates the number of cases.
The issue stems from a cyberattack last month that disabled the government’s website for tracking infections and deaths, while allowing hackers to steal personal data and delete citizens’ health passes.
Authorities in Rio de Janeiro, wary of Omicron’s increasing impact, on Tuesday announced the cancelation of next month’s carnival street celebrations.
After the United States, Brazil has the second highest number of deaths due to Covid with around 620,000 since the global pandemic began.
International
Ex-Pemex director linked to Odebrecht scandal detained in Texas, faces trial in Mexico
Carlos Treviño Medina, former director of Mexico’s state-owned oil company Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) between 2017 and 2018—during the final year of President Enrique Peña Nieto’s administration—has been detained in the United States and will be deported to Mexico to face corruption charges, President Claudia Sheinbaum said Thursday.
“He was detained in the U.S., an ex-director of Pemex who was already on alert lists. He will be deported and will face trial here in Mexico for corruption-related matters,” Sheinbaum told reporters during her morning press conference.
Shortly after, Sheinbaum confirmed that the detainee is Treviño Medina, who is accused of receiving bribes in connection with the Odebrecht scandal, “among other things.” She added: “We should ask the Attorney General’s Office exactly what the charges are. What I can say is that it is related to a complaint filed by Emilio Lozoya,” a former Pemex official also implicated in the Odebrecht corruption case.
Later in the day, Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office (FGR) stated in a press release that Treviño Medina was arrested on August 12 in Dallas, Texas, by agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which currently holds him in custody while deportation proceedings move forward.
The FGR noted that Treviño Medina is subject to an active arrest warrant in Mexico on charges of criminal association and money laundering.
Meanwhile, the U.S. government said that ICE detained Treviño Medina for overstaying his visa by nearly three years.
International
Residente to perform free concert at Mexico City’s Zócalo on september 6
Mexico City’s head of government, Clara Brugada, announced on Saturday that Puerto Rican musician Residente will perform a free concert at the capital’s Zócalo on September 6.
“I have great news for you! On Saturday, September 6, at 8:00 p.m., Residente will perform. It’s a song to freedom and Latin American resistance,” Brugada said in a video posted on X.
According to the Mexico City Ministry of Culture, Residente will take the stage “with lyrics loaded with social messages and rhythms that have marked generations.” The singer, who has already held free concerts at the Zócalo, also shared the announcement on his social media, emphasizing the historic significance of the venue.
“I don’t take this for granted, I know where I’m performing—it’s a special place (…) It’s where the flag of a free Mexico was first woven, and that’s what I want for my own country as well. (…) I don’t know how much longer I’ll keep performing, but what I do know is that I want to enjoy this day to the fullest with all of you,” he wrote on Instagram.
With over 20 years of career, René Pérez Joglar—better known as Residente—is recognized as a rapper, songwriter, and music producer, as well as the co-founder and lead vocalist of the group Calle 13. His lyrics have long stood out for their political and social content.
The Zócalo show will open with a performance by the female collective Mujer en Cypher, featuring Arianna Puello, Ximbo, Niña Dios, Prania Esponda, Azuki, and Mena, according to the Ministry of Culture.
International
Trump and Putin end Alaska summit without Ukraine peace agreement
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin wrapped up their summit in Alaska on Friday with a brief joint press conference, during which they announced no agreement on peace in Ukraine.
Trump described the more than three-hour meeting with Putin and his delegation at Elmendorf-Richardson base as “extremely productive,” but admitted, “we have not reached the goal.”
“Many points were agreed upon. Only a few remain unresolved. Some are not significant. One is probably the most significant, but we have a good chance of resolving them. We haven’t gotten there yet, but we have a good chance of achieving it,” Trump stated cryptically at the no-questions press conference.
According to White House officials, the summit began around 11:30 a.m. local time (7:30 p.m. GMT).
Trump was joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy for the Middle East and Kremlin mediator Steve Witkoff. On Putin’s side, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov were in attendance.
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Residente to perform free concert at Mexico City’s Zócalo on september 6
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