International
Mexico weaves fashion policy to help Indigenous communities
| Par AFP | Samir Tounsi |
Clothing designers inspired by traditional Mexican motifs, embroidery and colors are exhibiting their work at a fashion fair in Mexico City promoted by the government to support marginalized Indigenous communities.
Traditional blouses made by the Tzotzil people of Chiapas, embroidered patterns from Michoacan and shirts from Oaxaca were among the garments on show at the first of seven parades at the “Original” event.
“The creation of each product made in our community is a legacy of our ancestors,” said Carlos Alberto Delgado Martinez, one of around 500 exhibitors at the event, which runs until Sunday at the Los Pinos former presidential residence.
“It’s important that we artisans save our culture and defend it from plagiarism because each garment has a meaning. Each embroidery has an explanation,” he added.
As with the first edition in 2021, “Original” aims to fight what Mexico calls plagiarism of Indigenous textiles by foreign clothing brands, and to create a more equitable fashion industry.
“We’re not opposed to (the big fashion houses) using motifs of pre-Hispanic origin” as long as they recognize “the intellectual work and creativity” of Mexican artisans, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Friday.
“The government is pursuing a policy of rehabilitating the dignity of Indigenous peoples,” Lopez Obrador’s spokesman Jesus Ramirez Cuevas told AFP.
“Mexico would not be what it is without its Indigenous peoples,” he said, underlining the government’s social programs for impoverished such communities.
“It’s time for them to play a central role in the construction of the (country’s) identity. Today, we recognize their art,” he added.
Mexico has lodged several complaints against major clothing brands including Zara, Mango and SHEIN for alleged cultural appropriation.
Last month it won an apology from US fashion house Ralph Lauren after Lopez Obrador’s wife Beatriz Gutierrez accused it of plagiarizing Indigenous designs.
French designer Isabel Marant also apologized in 2020 for the use of the traditional patterns from an Indigenous community.
Mexico’s culture ministry has called for “ethical collaboration” between clothing brands and artisans.
“No to plagiarism. No to cultural appropriation. Yes to original creations and the communities behind them,” Culture Minister Alejandra Frausto said.
The government is also trying to retrieve pre-Hispanic archaeological pieces from abroad and stop foreign auctions of such items that Lopez Obrador has branded “immoral.”
“You want to buy Mexican art? Buy this one, which is alive,” Frausto said, pointing to models dressed in blouses, shirts and belts made by Indigenous artisans.
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
-
Central America4 days agoFuneral turns tragic as armed attack leaves seven dead in Guatemala City
-
Central America4 days agoCosta Rica issues Yellow Alert and halts water activities over tsunami currents
-
Central America5 days agoPeru’s ambassador highlights “historic bonds” with El Salvador on Independence Day
-
International5 days agoU.S. and China push for extension of tariff truce after “constructive” talks in Sweden
-
International4 days agoThree salvadorans in Florida sentenced in $146 million construction tax fraud scheme
-
International5 days agoMedvedev warns Trump after new Ukraine ultimatum: ‘Russia is neither Israel nor Iran’
-
International4 days agoKremlin hails preparedness after Kamchatka quakes leave no casualties
-
International5 days agoTrump administration opens civil rights probe into duke university over alleged bias
-
International4 days agoU.S. launches ads urging undocumented migrants to self-deport via CBP Home App
-
Central America3 days agoDaniel Ortega’s last historic sandinista ally detained in Managua
-
International5 days agoArgentina requests reentry into U.S. Visa Waiver Program during DHS chief’s visit
-
Central America3 days agoHonduras sees ongoing killings of land defenders and attacks on press, warns NGO
-
International5 days agoPetro accuses Marco Rubio of undermining colombia’s sovereignty over Uribe comments
-
Central America3 days agoGuatemala transfers top gang leaders to maximum security prison after funeral home massacre
-
International3 days agoTrump to build $200M ballroom at the White House by 2028
-
International1 day agoTrump administration blasts judge’s ruling reinstating TPS for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua
-
International1 day agoStudy finds COVID-19 vaccines prevented 2.5 million deaths worldwide
-
Central America1 day agoCosta Rica faces historic vote on lifting presidential immunity for Rodrigo Chaves