International
Haitian criminal leader among FBI’s Most Wanted
November 16 |
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reported on Wednesday the inclusion of Haitian gang leader Vitel’Homme Innocent in its list of the ten most wanted fugitives for his alleged responsibility in the kidnapping and murder of U.S. missionaries in Haiti.
For its part, the State Department joined the announcements and said it was willing to pay up to 2 million dollars for information leading to the apprehension of Vitel’Homme Innocent, although it recognized that his capture will be a complicated task in a nation with the chaotic situation that Haiti is suffering.
Known only by his common name, Vitel’Homme Innocent has already been formally charged in the United States for the armed kidnapping of 16 Christian missionaries in 2021, as well as the murder of missionary Marie Franklin and the kidnapping of her husband, Jean, in 2022.
According to the FBI, Vitel’Homme heads the Kraze Bayre gang which works in conjunction with his similar 400 Mawozo to carry out kidnappings, extortions and murders. The Bureau believes Vitel’Homme remains in Haiti, but if caught and convicted of Franklin’s murder, he could face the death penalty in the U.S.
Special Agent Jeffrey B. Veltri, head of the FBI’s Miami office, told a press conference that Vitel’Homme Innocent “is a threat to the island and clearly is a threat to U.S. citizens”.
The agent acknowledged that even with the support of the authorities to locate the criminal, his capture would be complicated due to the atmosphere of profound instability and chaos that reigns in the Caribbean nation, as evidenced by the assault on a hospital by a heavily armed gang that took hundreds of women, children and newborns hostage.
Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, the gangs have become more powerful than the government, as they have better weapons than the police and control under terror, crime and extortion. The leaders of the armed groups continue to operate with impunity, evading previous UN sanctions.
The UN Security Council approved in early October the deployment of a multinational force led by Kenya to combat the gangs, but Haitian authorities are now skeptical, claiming that the Africans need more training and funding.
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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