International
Brazil exceeds 100 deaths from floods in the southern region of the country
The number of deaths from the catastrophic floods in the southern region of Brazil has exceeded one hundred, in one of the greatest climatic tragedies in the country, according to the latest balance published this Wednesday by the Civil Defense.
The most hit state is Rio Grande do Sul, bordering Uruguay and Argentina and where 100 deaths have been reported, five more than Tuesday night, 128 missing and 372 injured, according to official figures.
The neighboring state of Santa Catarina has so far recorded a death, which brings the preliminary balance to the 101 deaths throughout southern Brazil, which since Monday of last week has been dealing with heavy rains linked to the effects of climate change.
In Rio Grande do Sul, 80% of the municipalities have been affected by severe floods, which have partially or totally flooded cities, including Porto Alegre, the regional capital and whose main airport has become a lagoon.
In that state, one of the prosperous of the country, about 230,500 people have had to leave their homes and in total there are 1.5 million victims, according to the Civil Defense.
Rainfall and the consequent floods have left a large part of the population without water and electricity and caused considerable material damage to roads, bridges and other urban infrastructure.
The rescue teams, with the support of the Armed Forces, are still working in the area to find more victims and save the incommunicado survivors, many of whom only had time to climb to the roof of their homes.
The Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, said this Wednesday, during an event to present investments in the areas of infrastructure and prevention of natural disasters, that this climate tragedy is “a warning for the world” and “a bill that the planet is passing” to humanity.
The governor of Rio Grande do Sul, Eduardo Leite, has said that the state is experiencing “a war situation” in the face of what is already one of the worst climatic tragedies in the history of Brazil and that could worsen in the coming hours, since a new storm is expected in the extreme south of the region.
The heavy rains in the south of the country, an important agricultural pole, contrast with the high temperatures, above 30 degrees Celsius, which have been recorded in recent days in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, not common for this time of year.
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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