International
The Security Council approves a US resolution in support of the proposed truce in Gaza
The UN Security Council approved a resolution presented by the United States in support of the truce proposal announced by President Joe Biden on May 31, which establishes a three-phase plan to end the war in Gaza.
The resolution, approved by 14 votes in favor with Russia’s only abstention, is already the fourth approved in the Security Council regarding the war in Gaza, although the previous three have been left on paper when Israel refused to stop the offensive in Palestinian territory, a conflict that has already claimed more than 37,000 deaths.
The document “sends a clear message to Hamas: to accept the ceasefire on the table. Israel has already given its approval to the agreement, and the fighting could stop today if Hamas does the same,” said the U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, although the Jewish State Government has so far been ambiguous about the terms of that plan.
The resolution, which obtains unprecedented and almost unanimous support, calls for the approval of that truce proposal that calls for “an immediate ceasefire and the release of the hostages” in the hands of Hamas.
The US resolution had already been among the members for a week, and although at first it contained requests only for Hamas, the final version “urges the two parties to implement the terms (of the proposal) without delay or conditions.”
In addition, the text has an unequivocal “refaction of any attempt at territorial or demographic modification in Gaza, including any action to reduce the territory,” a message addressed to the “hard wing” of the Israeli government and that can thus reap support among Arab countries.
In his last paragraph, he reiterates “the importance of unifying Gaza and the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority” (PA), which means leaving out Hamas, one of the most controversial points given the lack of acceptance of the PA among Palestinians in Gaza.
“Now we are all waiting, waiting for Hamas to agree to the ceasefire it proclaims to want, but we cannot afford to wait and wait,” Thomas-Greenfield stressed.
And thus summarized the peace plan – which Biden presented at the first time as an Israeli, although it seems more a product of the will of the United States -: “This agreement will bring hostages home, guarantees the security of Israel, allows to increase humanitarian aid and essential services such as electricity, medical services and the removal of debris, in addition to preparing the stage for a political settlement,” said Thomas-Greenfield.
Previously, there have already been three resolutions on the war in Gaza; in November, December and March – which called for the cessation of hostilities or the entry of humanitarian aid – but none has been implemented on the ground, despite its theoretically binding nature.
Israel said in the UN Security Council that it does not intend to “commit to endless and meaningless negotiations” for a ceasefire in Gaza, minutes after the Council approved a resolution presented by the United States to support a truce plan in Gaza.
The political coordinator of the Israeli diplomatic mission, Reut Shapir, who took the floor after the intervention of the fifteen members of the Council, did not make it clear whether her country supports the resolution, as the US ambassador to the UN had previously assured, but implied otherwise.
“Israel clings to its principles, and these have not changed. We will continue (fighting) until all the hostages return and dismantle all the combat and government capabilities of Hamas,” Shapir said, without expressly mentioning that resolution, which calls in a first phase for a ceasefire and the release of certain hostages (women, elderly and wounded).
“This means that Israel is not going to engage in endless and meaningless negotiations, which can be exploited by Hamas as a means of buying time,” Shapir said.
For their part, the Arab countries welcomed the resolution, and considered that it will contribute to curbing the crisis in the Strip.
Egypt asked “both Israel and Hamas to take serious measures to respond to this (proposal of agreement) as soon as possible and start implementing its terms without delay or conditions.”
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry stressed in a statement that the resolution “supports (the proposal for) a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire agreement in Gaza, the exchange of hostages and prisoners, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the return of the displaced Palestinians” to their homes.
It also “guarantees full access to humanitarian aid that meets the needs of the inhabitants of the Strip,” he added.
In similar terms, the secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jasem al Bedewi, expressed himself, who considered that the resolution “will contribute to stopping the crisis in Gaza and achieving security and stability in the region and in the world.”
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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