International
Haiti’s new Prime Minister, Garry Conille, promises to face the serious crisis
The new Prime Minister of Haiti, Garry Conille, pledged to work with the Presidential Transitional Council to solve the problems facing the country, plunged into an unprecedented socio-political crisis, as he said in a 9-minute message posted on his YouTube account.
“I am now committed to working closely with all the counselors to solve the urgent problems facing the country,” he said.
Conille assured that he is also committed to working for the success of the transition, before stressing that he has “accepted the position with great humility,” thanking the counselors and organizations that placed their trust in him.
He called his appointment a “great step forward” for Haiti, despite the crisis it is currently going through. Conille stated that, since his election by the Council, he has dialogued with the actors of the national and international community.
“The Presidential Council is already actively working to identify the profiles that will form the Government. We are going to work so that the Transitional Government reflects the courage, generosity, resilience and diversity of the Haitian people,” he said.
“The average age of the Haitian population is 23 years old. So young people must be well represented. Half of the population are women. Women must find their place in the Government,” he said.
He promised that, together with the Presidential Transitional Council, he will do everything possible to find competent people with honest practices, who love his country and are willing to sacrifice themselves to fight for it.
Conille drew a critical picture of the situation in Haiti, which is going through a difficult period. “And despite the many sacrifices of the police, armed groups occupy a large part of the metropolitan region. They kill and rape without punishment,” he lamented.
“Several hundred thousand compatriots have been forced to leave their homes, almost half of the population does not have enough food to eat every day, and it is in difficult conditions that four million students go to school,” he recalled.
“Medicines, dispensaries and hospitals are becoming luxuries. Small merchants close their doors and the cost of living increases,” he said.
“If we join, I can guarantee that we will get out of the situation we are in. I have always believed that there is no Haitian fatality,” Conille said, stating that he is sure that the country will get the final victory.
In his message he also said: “We will do everything possible to make this transition a success. And to make sure that our institutions are in place on time,” remembering that Haiti cannot lose and that the country will not lose.
The Presidential Transitional Council of Haiti, composed of seven members with voice and vote and two others with voice only, published on Thursday the decree appointing Garry Conille as prime minister in the official newspaper Le Moniteur, two days after electing him at the National Palace.
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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