International
Peruvian prosecutor’s office investigates prime minister for corruption
October 20 |
The Attorney General’s Office of Peru initiated an investigation against the Prime Minister of Peru, Alberto Otárola, for an alleged corruption scheme after the contracting of a company that would provide services to the State.
The investigations are being carried out for the alleged irregular hiring of Rosa Rivera Bermeo in the National Commission for Development and Life without Drugs (Devida), a public agency attached to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers (PCM) and which is responsible for conducting the national anti-drug strategy.
“Fiscalía de la Nación initiated preliminary investigation against Luis Otárola, president of the Council of Ministers, as alleged instigator of the crime of collusion, simple and aggravated modalities, to the detriment of the State; for the alleged hiring of Rosa Rivera Bermeo in Devida”, reads the publication made by the Prosecutor’s Office in the social network “X”.
This alleged corruption scheme would have come to public light last September 17 in the program Panorama, where they revealed that Rosa Rivera and Yaziré Pinedo, obtained positions in public institutions after meeting with Otárola in December 2022 and March 2023.
Last March 2, according to Panorama, the Prime Minister and Rivera had a half-hour meeting at the headquarters of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.
After that meeting, the woman said that two contracts were signed with Devida for 27,000 soles, that is, almost 7,000 dollars at the current exchange rate.
Subsequently, Pinedo obtained benefits with contracts in the Ministry of Defense (Mindef); from Panorama they affirmed that the contract was for 53,000 soles, that is, more than 13,500 dollars.
However, the preliminary investigation of the Public Prosecutor’s Office has started for the case in Devida.
These investigations also include Carlos Figueroa, executive president of Devida, as well as the general manager of the entity, Martin Villafuerte, who would have incurred in simple and aggravated collusion, respectively.
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
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