International
International partners embrace the Palestinian Authority for a two-state future
The international partners and donors of the Palestinian National Authority (ANP) met this Sunday in Brussels to cover their new prime minister, Mohamed Mustafa, who showed himself as a “responsible” partner for a two-state future for Palestine and Israel.
“These meetings are key to moving towards an independent, sovereign and viable Palestinian State. Today is a very important opportunity to present to our international partners the plans and priorities that we have, as a new government, for the next mandate,” Mustafa said in a statement prior to today’s ministerial meeting, held at the headquarters of the European Commission.
This is his first visit to Brussels since he took office in mid-March and he participated, along with about twenty countries and international organizations, in this meeting, hosted by the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, chaired by the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Espen Barth Eide, and also attended by the Spanish head of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares.
The head of the Palestinian government presented himself as a reliable partner in the eyes of the international community and set the reconstruction of Gaza as the first priority of his new Executive, so he called for a ceasefire.
When the war is over, the ANP wants to “be prepared” to “care” for the civilian population in the Strip, in addition to “reintegrating the institutions of Gaza,” now controlled by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, with those of the West Bank, in the hands of the secular Fatah party.
Improving the economic situation of Palestine is another of Mustafa’s great priorities, and in this sense he asked the international community to put pressure on Israel to unblock the funds belonging to the ANP that the Israelis have kept frozen since the beginning of the war.
“We must take better care of the Palestinian authorities that we have because there is no alternative, and I think we are all convinced that there is no long-term alternative to a two-state solution. A two-state solution requires a Palestinian government,” stressed the head of Norwegian diplomacy.
Norway, which together with Spain and Ireland will officially recognize the Palestinian State next Tuesday, believes that the Palestinian National Authority, “which has all the control it can in the West Bank and East Jerusalem must be able to survive, strengthen itself, improve its ability to provide services, reform, and also plan a future return to Gaza, because we want a Palestine to be governed by a single government,” Eide said.
“We need to strengthen the voice of the moderates who really want to achieve a solution in which both Israelis and Palestinians can live together in peace,” stressed the Norwegian Foreign Minister, whose purpose in the meeting he chairs is that key partners and donors not only listen “attentively” to Mustafa’s plans but also “understand how serious the situation is.”
For Eide, the Mustafa government, with support, will be “capable of becoming the embryo of the State that we not only recognize, but also want to see in practice on the ground.”
“It is very important that we get together to try to support the Palestinian Authority because these are extremely difficult times for the Palestinians,” Borrell said.
And he drew a disheartening panorama: “The situation in Gaza goes beyond the worst. The occupied West Bank is on the edge of the abyss and runs the risk of suffering an explosion at any time. And while we speak, military operations continue in Rafah and its surroundings.”
In addition, the borders remain closed for humanitarian deliveries and dozens of Israeli hostages remain in the hands of Hamas, which today attacked Tel Aviv with rockets for the first time in four months. “This also has to stop,” Borrell added.
He highlighted the “immense challenges” faced by the Palestinian authorities, with “a dangerous socio-economic crisis, the impact of the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza, the closures imposed in the West Bank and other punitive actions such as the announcement by the Israeli occupation authorities to cut all the income that belongs to them.”
“That’s why today, with international partners and donors, we will focus on how we can better support the Palestinian Authority at this critical juncture,” Borrell added, urging to “do more” to help Mustafa’s new government.
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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