International
Number of migrants crossing the Darien reaches historic highs
February 10 |
The Colombian Ombudsman’s Office reported Friday that the number of migrants who have crossed the Darien Gap into Panama in search of North America has quadrupled, reaching historic highs.
According to the report, while in January 2022 the passage of 4,702 people had been reported, by the first month of 2023 this figure rose to 21,307 migrants, most of them Haitians, Ecuadorians, Venezuelans, Chinese and Indians.
In view of this situation, the Ombudsman, Carlos Camargo, called on the governments of Colombia and Panama to address the situation of migrants in order to reduce the risk of rights violations.
“It is urgent that the authorities implement actions to attend to this population group together with the transit and host communities, which means establishing medical care points, assistance for children and the elderly, as well as controls by the authorities so that migrants do not become victims of migrant smuggling and human trafficking networks, among other risks associated with migratory processes,” said Camargo.
The official made “a call to the Ministry of Transportation and the Superintendence of Transportation to intensify surveillance and controls on the mechanical condition and permits of the buses that are transporting migrants, and avoid situations such as the accident of a special transport bus in the Llorona Canyon, between the municipalities of Dabeiba and Mutatá, which was carrying 38 migrants”.
Camargo was referring to the controls on those who offer transportation services to migrants to take them to the Colombian town of Necoclí, the last step before reaching neighboring Acandí, Colombia, the entry point to the Darién Gap.
The nationalities that crossed this dangerous jungle corridor linking South America with Central America in 2022 were Venezuelans, with 150,327; Ecuadorians, 29,356; Haitians, 22,435; Cubans, 5,961; and Colombians, 5,064. Other persons of extra-continental and Caribbean origin accounted for a total of 247,284 migrants.
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
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