International
Colombia: Government and FARC-EP dissidents set up Dialogue Table
October 17 |
The Office of the High Commissioner for Peace reported on Monday that between the National Government and the Central General Staff of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP) the Table for Peace Dialogues and Protection of the Civilian Population and Ceasefire, signed by President Gustavo Petro, was installed.
In this sense, President Gustavo Petro declared that he initiates the second peace process in Colombia after the process with the National Liberation Army (ELN): the process with the Central General Staff (EMC).
The decree signed by the president also declares a “bilateral and temporary national ceasefire with territorial impact based on an Agreement for the respect of civil society”.
In this sense, the decree also states that this measure is in force from October 17, 2023 until January 15, 2024.
“Consequently, the suspension of offensive military operations and special operations of the National Police against the members of the Central General Staff of the FARC-EP is ordered,” the decree stated.
On the other hand, the High Commissioner declared that “the work of the social, citizen and community oversight will be developed under the terms and conditions established in the corresponding protocol, agreed by the parties at the Peace Dialogue Table”.
“These will be three months to show the country and the international community that we have the maturity to face the difficulties, with the horizon that we can transform the conflict for political and social reasons and achieve the peace that all Colombians deserve”, said the High Commissioner.
The roundtable will be held in the Colombian departments where the dissidents have the greatest presence and where the civilian population has been most affected, such as Putumayo, Cauca, Arauca, Huila, Guayare, among others.
Likewise, the Commissioner refers that “the National Government, through the Special Programs Fund for Peace or other funds created for these purposes, will have the necessary resources for the implementation of the commitments and responsibilities derived from the present agreement.
This is the second bilateral ceasefire between both parties, after the suspension by the Government in May of the first one agreed upon, which was from January to June, however after an EMC front killed four indigenous minors it had recruited.
International
Study finds COVID-19 vaccines prevented 2.5 million deaths worldwide
COVID-19 vaccines prevented an estimated 2,533,000 deaths worldwide between 2020 and 2024, according to an international study led by Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Italy and Stanford University in the United States, published in the journal JAMA Health Forum. Researchers calculated that one death was prevented for every 5,400 doses administered.
The analysis also found that the vaccines saved 14.8 million years of life, equivalent to one year of life gained for every 900 doses given.
The study, coordinated by Professor Stefania Boccia, revealed that 82% of the lives saved were people vaccinated before becoming infected with the virus, and 57% of deaths avoided occurred during the Omicron wave. In addition, 90% of the beneficiaries were adults over 60 years old.
“This is the most comprehensive analysis to date, based on global data and fewer assumptions about the evolution of the pandemic,” explained Boccia and researcher Angelo Maria Pezzullo.
International
Trump administration blasts judge’s ruling reinstating TPS for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump criticized a federal judge’s ruling on Friday that reinstated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua, stressing that the immigration program was never intended to serve as a “de facto asylum system.”
On Thursday, Judge Trina Thompson extended protections for about 7,000 Nepalese immigrants, whose TPS was set to expire on August 5. The ruling also impacts roughly 51,000 Hondurans and nearly 3,000 Nicaraguans, whose TPS protections were scheduled to end on September 8.
Immigrants covered by TPS had sued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), alleging that the program’s termination was driven by “racial animus” and stripped them of protection from deportation.
DHS Deputy Undersecretary Tricia McLaughlin issued a statement saying the decision to end TPS was part of a mandate to “restore the integrity” of the immigration system and return the program to its original purpose.
“TPS was never conceived as a de facto asylum system; however, that is how previous administrations have used it for decades,” McLaughlin emphasized.
She also criticized Judge Thompson, calling the ruling “another example” of judges “stirring up claims of racism to distract from the facts.”
McLaughlin added that DHS would appeal the decision and take the legal battle to higher courts.
The Trump administration has also terminated TPS protections for approximately 160,000 Ukrainians, 350,000 Venezuelans, and at least half a million Haitians, among other immigrant groups.
International
Trump to build $200M ballroom at the White House by 2028
The U.S. government under President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that it will begin construction in September on a new 8,000-square-meter ballroom at the White House.
The announcement was made by Karoline Leavitt, the administration’s press secretary, during a briefing in which she explained that the expansion responds to the need for a larger venue to host “major events.”
“Other presidents have long wished for a space capable of accommodating large gatherings within the White House complex… President Trump has committed to solving this issue,” Leavitt told reporters.
The project is estimated to cost $200 million, fully funded through donations from Trump himself and other “patriots,” according to a government statement. Construction is scheduled to begin in September and is expected to be completed before Trump’s term ends in 2028.
The Clark Construction Group, a Virginia-based company known for projects such as the Capital One Arena and L’Enfant Plaza in Washington, D.C., has been selected to lead the project.
The new ballroom will be built on the East Wing of the White House, expanding the iconic residence with a space designed for state dinners, official ceremonies, and large-scale events.
Study finds COVID-19 vaccines prevented 2.5 million deaths worldwide
Trump administration blasts judge’s ruling reinstating TPS for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua
Costa Rica faces historic vote on lifting presidential immunity for Rodrigo Chaves
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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