International
North Korean soldiers cross the dividing line with the South for the third time in June
North Korean soldiers working in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas crossed the border briefly, for the third time so far this month, to which the South responded again with warning shots that made them return to their territory.
North Korean troops crossed the central section of the border dividing line around 11:00 local time (2:00 GMT), as reported by the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) in a statement collected by the Yonhap news agency.
Before the incursion, the South Korean Army fired warning shots that caused the soldiers from the North to return to their side of the border, the JCS explained, which added that the event seems to be accidental again, since Pyongyang’s troops soon resumed their work in the area.
It is the third time that a border incident of this nature has occurred this June, amid the increase in tension between neighboring countries. On June 9 and 18, groups of North Korean soldiers carried out similar events, which the JCS does not consider intentional either.
North Korea has been deploying troops in front-line areas since April to carry out activities such as planting mines, erecting walls that could serve as anti-tank barriers and reinforcing roads.
Both Koreas have begun to resume activities around the DMZ after Seoul recently decided to suspend compliance with a military security treaty signed in 2018 to reduce tensions, in protest against the sending of balloons to the South by the North Korean regime loaded with waste.
Tension on the peninsula has increased especially since at the beginning of the year Pyongyang decided to withdraw from the Constitution the need to carry out the reunification of the peninsula and declared the South as its main enemy.
This Thursday’s border incident also occurs days after the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, made his first visit to North Korea in more than 24 years and met with the leader of the North Korean regime, Kim Jong-un, with whom he signed a new strategic agreement that contemplates mutual military assistance in case the other is assaulted.
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
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