International
Russia and China veto the first resolution in which the US called for a ceasefire in Gaza
Russia and China vetoed this Friday the first UN Security Council resolution in which the United States called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, after almost six months of war that has cost the lives of 32,000 people.
The resolution was also rejected by Algeria, while Guyana abstained and the other eleven countries voted in favor.
Nine votes in favor are enough to approve a resolution, but the negative votes of two countries with the right to veto (in this case Russia and China) prevented its approval.
It is the fourth time that a Member State has vetoed a resolution in this regard. On the previous three occasions the United States did so, arguing in those cases that Israel’s right to defend itself was not included and they actually allowed the rearmament and reorganization of Hamas.
The resolution rejected today, which had been negotiated for a month and required at least six drafts, was rejected for its ambiguous vocabulary, because, in the words of the Russian ambassador, Vasily Nebenzia, prior to the vote, he considered that it did not clearly call for a ceasefire, but was limited to considering “an immediate and sustained ceasefire imperative to protect the civilians of both sides.”
Nebenzia said that the resolution presented by the United States. The United States was “a hypocritical initiative designed to disorient the international community,” he regretted that Russian proposals to amend the text have been systematically rejected by Washginton and also considered that the text voted today “in fact assumes the green light for Israel to carry out a military operation in Rafah.”
As for Algeria’s ambassador, Amar Bendjama, he said that his rejection not only represented his country, but “the entire Arab world,” and stated that the text of the U.S. resolution. The United States on Gaza “does not convey a clear message of peace, but tacitly allows civilian victims to continue (falling) and lacks safeguards for a future escalation” of the conflict.
The Chinese ambassador, Zhang Jun, also considered the text voted today “ambiguous”, because “it does not clearly call for a ceasefire” and because it “deviates from the consensus of the members of the Council and is far from the expectations of the international community,” in addition to setting conditions for that ceasefire.
At this time, another resolution is being negotiated at the same time in the Security Council with a clearer language on the ceasefire, and while Russia and China have said that it will support that other resolution, it remains to be seen what the attitude of the United States will be, which could veto it.
At the same time, the United States sponsors other indirect negotiations in Doha (Qatar) between Hamas and Israel with a view to an exchange of prisoners between the two parties and an eventual truce.
Also yesterday, the European Union called for an “immediate humanitarian break” that “leads to a sustainable ceasefire,” the first common position in this regard in the European club, where Israel has solid allies such as Germany or the Netherlands.
All this political and diplomatic activity has intensified after a dramatic UN report was announced on Monday that assured that 1.1 million people in Gaza are about to enter “catastrophic food insecurity,” the most serious degree of famine.
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
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