International
Venezuelan FANB reiterates commitment to electoral process
August 24|
Venezuela’s Minister of Defense, G/J Vladimir Padrino López, rejected on Thursday in a televised speech, the calls of opposition sectors to subvert the constitutional order and disregard institutions.
The military leader asserted that by instructions of the Venezuelan President and Commander in Chief of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, Nicolás Maduro Moros, he extends to the military commanders a call to ignore the extremist voices that seek to cloud the constitutional process of presidential elections, scheduled for the end of 2024.
He also denounced that the new attacks aim at hindering the work that the people and the Government of Venezuela are carrying out to recover the welfare of the nation, and in this sense, they add to the policy of illegal economic sanctions imposed on the country by the United States and which affect to a greater extent the most vulnerable sectors of the country.
Padrino López read a communiqué in which the FANB denounces new attempts by extremist sectors of the national opposition, in alliance with external factors, to intervene in the country by means of media manipulation and the biased use of international organizations, with the purpose of questioning the authorities and institutions of the country. A plan that he defined as an escalation against the stability of the republic.
The document assures that the military authorities will guarantee the security and the correct performance of the electoral process in accordance with the constitutional mandate, without detriment to the rest of their obligations, among which stand out the fight against irregular armed groups, the fight against drug trafficking, the approach to the scourge of illegal mining and the support to the Military Community Brigades for Education and Health, known as Brocomiles.
The General in Chief assured that the Bolivarian National Armed Force is firmly attached to the Constitution and ratifies its unconditional loyalty to President Nicolás Maduro.
Finally, the Vice-President for Political Sovereignty, Security and Peace also assured that the political conscience of the Venezuelan people will prevent them from falling into the provocations of the national right wing and its foreign allies.
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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