International
Trump suggests that Biden should face judicial investigations similar to his own
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, suggested this Wednesday that he would like his predecessor, Joe Biden, to face judicial investigations similar to those he has faced in recent years.
Trump made these statements in his first interview since taking office on Monday, granted to presenter Sean Hannity, a fervent defender of the president, on the conservative Fox News network.
During the conversation, Hannity asked Trump if he would like the Department of Justice to investigate his political adversaries, such as Biden or former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, his rival in the 2016 elections.
In his response, Trump assured that he finds it difficult to argue that they should not investigate themselves alluding to his own experience with judicial proceedings.
“I went through four years of hell. I spent millions of dollars on legal fees, and I earned, but I did it in the most difficult way. It’s really complicated to say that they shouldn’t go through the same thing,” Trump said.
Trump is the only president in the history of the United States who has been sentenced in a criminal case, in this case a judicial process in New York related to the falsification of business documents to hide payments made to porn actress Stormy Daniels.
Although he was sentenced for that case this month, he was not fined, imprisoned or restricted to his freedom.
The other three criminal cases that Trump faced have been suspended, due to the tradition of the Department of Justice of not prosecuting an active president.
One of them refers to the retention of classified documents that he took to his residence in Mar-a-Lago after leaving the White House in January 2021. Another case focuses on his attempts to reverse the results of the 2020 elections in Georgia, while the last one is related to the assault on the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
During the presidential campaign, Trump promised to take “revenge” against his political rivals and falsely argued that the legal cases against him were politically motivated.
Before leaving power, Biden issued preventive, “total and unconditional” pardons for several members of his family, including his brother James.
In addition, in December, Biden granted a pardon to his son, Hunter Biden, preventing him from facing prison sentences on charges of illegal possession of a weapon and tax fraud.
International
Vatican speeds up Sistine Chapel preparations for upcoming conclave
Work is accelerating inside the Sistine Chapel as the Vatican prepares for the papal conclave set to begin on Wednesday. The preparations include the installation of a wooden floor, the setup of a stove for burning secret ballots, and the iconic chimney that will signal the election results.
A nearly five-minute video released by the Vatican on Saturday shows technicians assembling scaffolding beneath Michelangelo’s frescoes and laying a false wooden floor, where large tables will be placed to accommodate the 133 cardinals expected to vote.
Elsewhere in the chapel, workers are installing the heavy stove that will be used to burn the ballots. The footage, dated Friday, also shows firefighters climbing the tiled roof to prepare the chimney flue, which will emit either white smoke when a new pope is elected, or black smoke if no decision has been reached.
“This is a key stage for the Catholic Church,” said Silvio Screpanti, deputy director of Vatican infrastructure, on the Vatican’s official website. The stove has been discreetly tested, and in case of any issues, a technician will remain in a nearby technical room with a remote control to manage the stove, which now operates electronically.
A team of five electricians, five technicians, and two florists will remain on-site throughout the conclave. After taking an oath, they will stay within Vatican grounds with no outside contact, including with their families.
Some of these workers have participated in previous conclaves, while younger staff will receive guidance from more experienced colleagues, ensuring a smooth transition for future conclaves.
International
Venezuela achieves 22% drop in maternal mortality in first months of 2025
Maternal mortality in Venezuela decreased by 22% during the first four months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez announced on Saturday.
The significant reduction is attributed to a combination of public health policies focused on primary care, obstetric surveillance, and the promotion of community health, Rodríguez explained during a broadcast on the state television channel, following a meeting of the Sectoral Vice Presidents Council.
“These are lives saved thanks to the joint efforts of medical teams, community brigades, and the national healthcare system,” she said.
Contributing factors include the strengthening of prenatal care programs, free access to safe childbirth services, and the deployment of mobile medical units in remote areas. Additionally, emergency obstetric protocols were reinforced and specialized staff received further training.
The council meeting also addressed other areas of government action.
In the economic sphere, officials reviewed progress in the “13 Productive Engines” initiative, designed to boost key sectors such as agriculture, energy, tourism, and the pharmaceutical industry. The goal is to stimulate domestic production, generate foreign currency, and reduce external dependency.
In education, over two million students participated in the 19th edition of the National School Sports Games, held between March and April. Authorities highlighted the importance of these events in supporting the comprehensive development of the nation’s youth.
The government also assessed the national rain mitigation plan, which includes structural and preventive measures such as drainage maintenance, reinforcement of vulnerable areas, and the activation of early warning systems.
International
Trump signs order to end federal funding for NPR and PBS
U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to halt federal funding for two public media outlets, PBS television and NPR radio, accusing them of being biased.
NPR and PBS are partially funded by American taxpayers but rely heavily on private donations.
Trump has long maintained a hostile relationship with most media outlets, which he has referred to as the “enemy of the people.”
An exception is the conservative Fox News channel, some of whose hosts have played important roles in the administration of the Republican magnate.
“National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) receive taxpayer funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB),” Trump said.
“Therefore, I direct the CPB board and all executive departments and agencies to cease federal funding for NPR and PBS,” he added.
The Republican leader argued that “neither of these entities provides a fair, accurate, or impartial portrayal of current events to the taxpayer citizens.”
At the end of March, Donald Trump called on Congress to end public funding for these two “horrible and completely biased networks.”
Vatican speeds up Sistine Chapel preparations for upcoming conclave
Venezuela achieves 22% drop in maternal mortality in first months of 2025
Trump signs order to end federal funding for NPR and PBS
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