International

Vatican sets up investment committee after scandal

AFP

Vatican investments will from now on be scrutinised by an in-house committee on the orders of Pope Francis, following a scandal over the controversial purchase of a luxury London property.

The committee will be headed by Irish-American cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell and be made up of four “high-profile professionals” appointed for a five-year term, the Vatican’s press office said Tuesday.

Francis laid down the terms for the committee’s creation in a new constitution which came into effect on Sunday in a much-anticipated shake-up of the Vatican’s powerful governing body, the Curia.

The members are directors or specialists at investment companies in Britain, Germany and Norway, as well as at a higher education college in the United States.

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According to the constitution, they will have to “ensure the ethical nature of the Holy See’s equity investments, in accordance with the Church’s social doctrine and according to the criteria of profitability, suitability, and moderate riskiness”.

The Vatican has been rocked by a scandal centred around the costly purchase of a prestigious building in London as part of the Holy See’s investment activities.

At the end of January, the Vatican confirmed that it had sold the 17,000 square metre (175,000 square foot) building at 60 Sloane Square, in the upmarket Chelsea district, at a large loss.

Since July 2021, 10 people — including a once-powerful cardinal — have been on trial in the tiny city state accused of fraud, embezzlement, abuse of power, money laundering, corruption and extortion.

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International

Habeas Corpus at risk as Trump team eyes drastic border policy shift

The White House is reportedly considering suspending habeas corpus, the legal principle that protects individuals against arbitrary detention, as part of its efforts to escalate anti-immigration measures in the United States.

In remarks to reporters, Stephen Miller, a senior advisor to President Donald Trump, argued that the U.S. Constitution allows the suspension of habeas corpus “in times of invasion.”

“It’s an option we are actively considering, and it all depends on whether the courts do the right thing or not,” Miller stated.

The Trump administration has frequently invoked the notion of a “migrant invasion” to justify actions such as the militarization of the U.S.-Mexico border and the deportation of foreign nationals—primarily Venezuelans—to El Salvador’s CECOT megaprison.

International

Maduro to Xi: Venezuela is a loyal friend to China

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“You know that in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela you have loyal friends and people willing to continue working for a new world,” said the South American leader, according to footage aired Friday by Venezuelan state broadcaster VTV.

Maduro, accompanied by several of his ministers including Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López, highlighted the “great results” of a 2023 agreement between China and Venezuela called the “All-Weather and All-Round Strategic Partnership.”

“I believe we can multiply the great results we’re already seeing, and I’m sure that strong and clear guidelines will emerge from this meeting to keep moving forward together,” Maduro added.

International

Iberojet reaffirms commitment to Honduras as Central American Hub

Spanish airline Iberojet and Palmerola International Airport, located in central Honduras, signed a three-year renewal of their exclusive agreement to operate direct flights between the Honduran terminal and the cities of Madrid and Barcelona.

With this renewal, Iberojet—part of the Spanish tourism group Ávoris Corporación Empresarial—reaffirms its commitment to Honduras as its main gateway to Central America from Europe.

The agreement was signed by Iberojet’s Commercial Director, Mario Domínguez, and Erick Spears, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Palmerola.

The signing ceremony took place at the residence of the Spanish Ambassador to Honduras, Diego Nuño García, who served as an honorary witness.