International
The new president of the electoral court of Brazil says she will fight digital lies
The new president of the Superior Electoral Tribunal (TSE) of Brazil, Carmen Lúcia Rocha, assured on Monday that she will fight the fake news that is on social networks by the “anti-democrats” during the months remaining until the October municipal elections.
“The lie will continue to be harshly fought and the crimes investigated,” said the magistrate during her inauguration held at the headquarters of the court in Brasilia, which was also attended by the president of the country, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
According to Rocha, fake news is a “tyranical offense against the integrity of democracies,” an “instrument of cowards,” and a way to enrich the owners of the networks.
Faced with the spread of lies, Rocha defended the freedom of “serious and responsible” information, as well as the action of the courts because, in his opinion, democracy is a “permanent task.”
“What distinguishes this moment in history is hatred and violence, now used as instruments by anti-democrats to curtail freedoms,” he said about the challenges that will surround the organization of municipal elections.
Rocha, who is also a member of the Supreme Court, referred to the invasion by thousands of people from the headquarters of the Presidency, Congress and the highest court on January 8, 2023, and attributed to the TSE part of the credit for the failure of the coup.
Rocha’s predecessor in office, Alexandre de Moraes, also maintained a strong position in the face of the false news that was published during the 2022 presidential elections, in which former President Jair Bolsonaro was defeated by Lula.
During those elections (2022), De Moraes ordered the removal of hundreds of fake posts on social networks, which earned him criticism from the far right and more recently from Elon Musk himself, the owner of X, before Twitter.
On the other hand, it was the TSE that disabled Bolsonaro for eight years due to the illegal use of his powers as president to favor himself during the elections.
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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