International
Biden confirms his support to reclassify marijuana as a low-risk drug
The President of the United States, Joe Biden, confirmed his support for marijuana to be reclassified as a low-risk drug. And, in turn, he announced the official start of the procedures for the process to be completed.
Through a video on social media, the US president stated that “no one should be in jail simply for using or possessing marijuana” and that there were “too many disturned lives” for “a failed approach to marijuana.”
“I am committed to correcting those mistakes,” said the 81-year-old president, who will be eligible for re-election in the presidential elections next November and will presumably face former Republican President Donald Trump (2017-2021).
With this measure, Biden points to the young population at a time when the Democrat’s campaign is worried about losing much of his support for the unconditional help that the United States has given to Israel in the Gaza War.
A senior official of the Administration told the press that the formal step for reclassification has already been taken, the presentation of the Proposed Regulatory Notice (NPRM) to the Federal Registry Office (OFR) in which it is proposed that marijuana move from Annex I to III.
Currently, marijuana is classified at the same level as drugs such as fentanyl and methamphetamine, while with this change it is sought to be considered at the same level of risk of prescription drugs such as anabolic steroids.
The government source recalled that this step comes after, in 2022, Biden asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Health to review how marijuana is classified, a process in which they were “guided by science and evidence.”
After the presentation of the NPRM, it will be published in the Federal Registry and a 60-day public comment period will then begin.
After that, the administrator of the United States Anti-Drug Agency (DEA), Anne Milgram, may assign an Administrative Law judge to make a final recommendation and, based on this, the DOJ must make a decision.
Since his arrival in the Government in January 2021, the official source recalls, Biden has opted to approve measures to prevent citizens from going to prison for possession of marijuana, including a pardon for federal crimes of possession.
Currently, marijuana with recreational uses and limited to those over 21 years of age is legal in 24 states. While marijuana for medicinal purposes is legal in 13 states, in addition to those where its use is allowed for pleasure.
On May 1, a group of Democratic senators re-presented a bill that seeks to decriminalize the use of marijuana at the federal level.
The initiative is unlikely to prosper because Senate Republicans oppose decriminalization and, although they have a majority in that chamber, the Democrats would need their support to pass the law.
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
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Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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