International
Seventy-nine countries sign a declaration of support for the ICC after US sanctions
Seventy-nine countries, including many Latin Americans, signed this Friday a joint declaration of support for the International Criminal Court (ICC) at a time when it is attacked by the sanctions of the Government of the President of the United States, Donald Trump.
“Today, the Court faces unprecedented challenges: measures of sanctioning the court and its officials, as well as those who cooperate with it, have been adopted in response to the Court carrying out its mandate in accordance with the Rome Statute,” the statement reads.
However, neither the US government nor its president Donald Trump is mentioned by name, who on Thursday signed the executive order to announce financial restrictions and restrict the obtaining of visas to travel to the United States (where the UN headquarters is located) to individuals of the ICC, as well as their immediate family (partner and children), who collaborate in court investigations against US citizens or Washington allies.
“These measures,” says the joint statement, “increase the risks of impunity for the most serious crimes and threaten to erode the rule of international law; even more, sanctions can endanger the confidentiality of sensitive information and the safety of those affected, including victims, witnesses and members of the Court,” the text says.
“We regret any attempt to undermine the Court’s independence, its integrity and its impartiality (and) we emphasize its irreplaceable role in ending impunity, promoting the rule of law and fostering lasting law for human rights.”
Most Latin American countries sign the declaration, but the names of Argentina, Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, Paraguay or El Salvador are missing.
Among the signatories of the declaration there are also several European countries such as Spain, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Poland or the Netherlands, but not Italy or Hungary; there are also US allies such as Canada, but not Australia. Numerous African or Asian countries close to Russia are missing.
In signing his executive order on Thursday, Trump stressed that the ICC has taken “illegitimate and unfounded actions against the United States” and Israel, defined as a “close ally,” and has “even more abused its power by issuing unfounded arrest warrants” against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Galant.
The United States has never recognized the jurisdiction of the ICC, nor has Israel, China or Russia. In total, there are 124 countries that recognize the ICC, but not all have signed the joint declaration.
The Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, demanded that the ICC be allowed to work “with full independence”, after the executive order signed yesterday by Trump, to sanction the court.
“International criminal law is an essential element in the fight against impunity, which is unfortunately widespread in today’s world. The CPI is its essential element and must be allowed to work with full independence,” Deputy Secretary-spokesman Farhan Haq said at his daily press conference.
When asked about the possible impact of these sanctions on the visit of senior officials to the UN headquarters, located in the United States, Haq said he hopes that “any restrictions adopted against individuals will be applied in a manner consistent with the obligations of the host country” and “under the agreement relating to the UN headquarters.”
In his executive order, Trump said that the ICC has taken “illegitimate and unfounded actions against the US.” and Israel, defined as a “close ally,” and has “abused even more of its power by issuing unfounded arrest warrants” against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Galant.
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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Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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