DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

Air France flights are returning in 2026. Air France has announced nonstop service between Paris Charles de Gaulle and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic on 13 January 2026. The seasonal route will operate three times a week—Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays—through 28 March 2026 using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

Flight schedule (local time):

AF968: departs Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 2:25pm, arrives in Punta Cana at 6:45pm.AF969: departs Punta Cana at 9:05pm, arrives in Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 10:30am the next day

Punta Cana will become Air France’s sixth destination in the Caribbean, alongside Cayenne (French Guiana), Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe), Fort-de-France (Martinique), Saint Martin, and Havana (Cuba).

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• Air France

Casa de Campo will be hosting its 45th International Tennis Tournament. The tennis tournament has expanded and now features all sorts of racquet sports available at the resort and residential community in La Romana.

The event is taking place from 26 to 29 June 2025 and is centered at the world-class Casa de Campo Racquet Center. This year’s tournament coincides with the 50th anniversary of the iconic luxury resort, marking a milestone celebration for one of the Caribbean’s most renowned residential and tourism destinations.

The 2025 event will welcome 150 top-level male and female players competing across various categories for a range of prizes. Alongside the on-court action, a lineup of social events will offer guests, players, and spectators a full experience combining sport and leisure.

Now recognized as a key fixture on the international tennis calendar, the tournament will unfold at the Racquet Center, one of the Caribbean’s most complete tennis complexes. The...

This is the peak time for family vacations. Children coming to spend summer with their grandparents and people just coming to get away from the intense heat up north….

Summer tourism is the peak time for international visitors given that hundreds of thousands of Dominicans living abroad visit.

It’s vacation time in the Dominican Republic. Is a good time to visit. In the cities, with schools out, it feels traffic is down 30% and jams are less intense on city streets.

Read more in Spanish:

• Hoy

The National Hotel & Tourism Association (Asonahores) announces its 2025 Exposicion Comercial will take place again at the Bluemall Punta Cana, in eastern Punta Cana. The date is 10 to 12 September 2025. The 37th trade show is a prime time when participating suppliers reach out to the hotels in the Punta Cana area and the hotel industry in general. The exhibition is open to the general public.

Read more in Spanish:

• Infotur

The city of Puerto Plata will come alive with the sounds of merengue from 18 to 20 July 2025, as it hosts the inaugural edition of the Puerto Plata Merengue Festival that promises to become an annual cultural celebration. The performances of Kinito Mendez and Josie Esteban have been announced.

Cultural promoter Luciano Vásquez, the driving force behind the event, announced that the festival will now hold a permanent spot on the province’s cultural calendar, scheduled every second week of July. “The rhythm that beats in the heart of Dominicans will now have a space of its own in Puerto Plata,” Vásquez said during a press conference.

The 2025 Merengue Festival will feature a rich lineup of cultural and artistic programming, including pre-festival activities on 15 and 16 July. Organizers promise an inclusive and festive atmosphere that celebrates Dominican heritage and music.

The initiative has garnered strong backing from both government and private sectors. Minister of the...

On 18 June 2025, President Luis Abinader joined capital city Mayor Carolina Mejia for the official start of the Malecon Deportivo from Av. Núñez de Cáceres to Av. Luperon, the major recreational project along Santo Domingo’s waterfront, expected to be completed in early 2026—just in time for the 25th Central American and Caribbean Games.

The extension completes the seafronting recreational area shortly before the Port of Haina entrance on the western side, with bicycling routes, paths, lighting, security and parking. The proposal is a priority of the second term of the Carolina Mejia capital city government.

The Malecon Deportivo initiative, aimed at promoting active lifestyles and offering public spaces for physical activity, seeks to transform the city’s iconic waterfront into a vibrant, multifunctional sports and leisure hub.

“This...

President Luis Abinader on Sunday, 22 June 2025 officially inaugurated the new Malecón de Haina, a long-anticipated development that is set to transform the southcentral coastal area of Haina into a modern public space for recreation, sports, and economic activity. Haina is an industrial area where now its resident and working population can enjoy the gorgeous views.

Speaking at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, President Abinader reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the comprehensive development of the municipality. He highlighted several infrastructure projects already completed with efficient use of public funds, including investments in technical education, green spaces, and improved transportation networks.

“Our government is committed to responsible budget management and prioritizing projects that genuinely improve the quality of life for Dominican...

The City Hall of the National District reacted promptly to a report in Listin Diario and began removing debris and discarded items from their location in the Mirador del Sur Park. The garbage began to be trucked to the Duquesa landfill. The report drew public attention to the cluttered state of that area of the park.

The site in question had become increasingly disorderly, with neighbors and visitors complaining of visual pollution and safety concerns. The accumulation of what many referred to as “junk” or “cachivaches” — including supermarket trolleys, wheelbarrows, metal sheets, and advertising boards — had given the impression of an unofficial dump within the park.

In a follow-up, Listin Diario reported that the Defense and Use of Public Spaces Department (DUEP), a division of the National District City Hall, acted. According to Lieutenant Colonel José Aníbal...

The Ministry of Environment has ordered a halt to a major development underway with two sections for around 300 riverside apartments on a northern capital city green belt. This is not the first halt order. These had been issued in the past, but unheeded to by the developers.

The developers had obtained a permit from the City Hall of the National District that authorized a low- impact project. The neighborhood groups say the development can in no way be described as low impact.

For the construction of the apartment buildings and commercial plaza, reportedly heavy equipment tore down large areas of forests on the green belt. For months, the residents had sought to appeal to the City Hall and the Ministry of Environment with the construction continuing.

Only when the neighbors persisted and took the case to the media and appealed to President Luis Abinader, were actions...

As of 2 June 2025, the US Customs and Border Protection enabled the Central Romana Corporation to resume shipping sugar to the United States. The US Customs and Border Protection modified the withhold release order that had been issued in 2022 for raw sugar and sugar products made by the Central Romana.

The ban had been issued on grounds that the sugar that was sold in the US under the Domino brand had not significantly improved its labor practices. The USCBP later says that the decision followed “documented improvements in labor standards”. The announcement was made initially in March 2025 and went into effect this month, as reported in Diario Libre.

Read more in Spanish:

• Diario Libre

Juana Barceló / Listín Diario

Juana Barcelo has resigned as president of Barrick Pueblo Viejo in the Dominican Republic. She had been in the position since 2018, and had worked in the firm for 25 years. She is the sister in law of the Minister of Mines and Energy, Joel Santos.

The company did not announce her replacement. Instead, it announced that Giselle Valera would be the new executive director for government affairs of Barrick Pueblo Viejo. Valera is a lawyer with 16 years of experience with the law firm Jimenez Peña.

Read more in Spanish:

• N Digital
• Listin Diario

Veron-Punta Cana is the fastest-growing urban center in the Dominican Republic. The impact of the growing tourism industry has propelled thousands of people to relocate East.

The Veron-Punta Cana area nevertheless, still falls under the city government of provincial capital Higuey, but its authorities are struggling for independence.

El Dia reports stats from the National Statistics Office’s 2022 National Census reveal that the Veron-Punta Cana area has grown to a population of 138,919, more than 10 other provinces in their entirety. The census data indicates that the area is growing at around 8% a year, and has moved from being a tourism enclose to an urban center.

Former Minister of Tourism Francisco Javier Garcia, who seeks to be the PLD presidential candidate in 2028, favors the upgrading of the municipal status of Veron Punta Cana. This would enable the municipal district to...

The preliminary official report on the collapse of the roof of the JetSet Club on 8 April 2025 with at least 236 dead and more than 180 injured points to the overloading of its roof as the main cause. New evidence has revealed the owners had ample and repeated evidence the roof had serious problems and yet delayed in taking corrective actions.

The judge in the pre-trial hearing, Fatima Veloz instructed the two lead accused parties, siblings Antonio and Maribel Espaillat to post bail of RD$50 million (10% insurance-backed bond). Both are impeded from leaving the country as the case is heard but are free to go about their business affairs. The judge declared the case complex and gave 18 months for the trial.

The state prosecutors had categorized the case as an involuntary homicide. The prosecutors say that is all the Penal Code allows. The maximum sentence in the case...

Suriname and the Dominican Republic ended their participation in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup playing to a scoreless draw in Group A on Sunday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, USA. For the Dominican Republic, this draw became its first point in a Gold Cup football event. Both nations had lost their two opening encounters.

Concacaf reported on the game:Edgar Pujol was sent off in the 30’, leaving the Dominican Republic with ten men for the remainder of the match.

Suriname tried to get on the board in the 31’, with Kenneth Paal serving the ball to the center of the penalty area off a free kick to find Richonell Margaret, but Xavier Valdez was there to make the stop.

Valdez was again the hero for the Dominican Republic in the 36’, denying a header from Gleofilo Vlijter.

Margaret had a right-footed attempt in the 81’ but Valdez kept the match scoreless.

Peter...

Dominican baseball legend, Sammy Sosa, 56, had played his final game with the Cubs at Wrigley on Oct. 2, 2004, when he homered in an 8-6 loss to Atlanta. Twenty-one years later he returned to the stadium to receive a standing ovation by the fans.

Sosa was the fan favorite who thrilled the crowds and brought joy and cheers to so many for around 13 seasons. Nevertheless, eventually the slugger’s diminishing performances led to a falling out with the organization and his previously adoring fans.

CNN reports that Sosa is remembered from when he and Mark McGwire captivated the nation in 1998 as the pair battled to break Roger Maris’ longstanding single-season home run record. Sosa – who won National League MVP honors that year – finished with 66 home runs and McGwire – who hit 70 homers to set the mark at the time. Yet, the love affair of the town with them, ended when they both became...

Marileidy Paulino won the Diamond race in Paris, France as she continues to prepare for the 20th World Athletics (13 to 21 September) to take place in Japan this 2025. Her goal is to set a World Record in the 400m at the World Athletics Championships to be held in Tokyo during the final set for 18 September 2025.

Paulino hopes to set the world record at the same track in Tokyo where she won her first silver medal, in the same event in 2021 during the Olympic Games held in Japan. Back then, because of Covid-19, there were no fans in attendance. In September 2025, the stadium should be packed.

It will be no easy feat, as she needs to break the long-standing record set by East German Marita Koch of 47.60 in 1985. That record was set at a time when the East German women were suspected of doping. The closest to the Koch record is the time of 48.14 set by Salwa...

DR1 News will not be published on Thursday, 19 June 2025 on occasion of the religious holiday Corpus Christi. The holiday falls on a Thursday and thus for those who can take the day off, a long weekend is created.

News over the weekend will be compiled for the Monday, 23 June 2025 issue.

On Tuesday, 17 June 2025, the government announced more than 100 new measures to improve traffic in Greater Santo Domingo. Described as a sweeping traffic overhaul for Greater Santo Domingo, the comprehensive traffic management strategy was unveiled by Minister of the Presidency Jose Ignacio Paliza, who is also the director of the Transport Cabinet for the Abinader administration. He said the initiative follows a rigorous technical process that included data collection at over 120 intersections, the analysis of more than 220 hours of video footage, origin-destination surveys at over 3,000 points, and extensive micro and macro traffic simulations.

More than 60% to 70% of morning commutes in Santo Domingo are attributed to work and study, according to Alexandra Cedeño Villegas, director of Urban Mobility at the National Institute of Ground Transit and Transport...

Remittances to the Dominican Republic continue their robust growth, with the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic (BCRD) reporting a significant increase in the first five months of 2025. Between January and May 2025, the nation received an impressive US$4.90 billion in remittances, marking an 11.9% jump compared to the same period last year.

May 2025 alone saw US$985.5 million flow into the country, an 11.1% increase over May 2024. These funds, sent by the Dominican diaspora abroad, are crucial for the country’s economic development, creating a ripple effect that boosts consumption, investment, and support for vulnerable sectors. The high level of remittances reflects the continued strong ties of the diaspora with the Dominican Republic.

The strong performance in remittances comes amid a challenging global economic landscape characterized by high uncertainty and volatility in...

Julia Vicioso / Revista Mercado

Thousands regard architect Julia Vicioso as the quintessential Dominican diplomat. Always with a smile, a connection and a solution, the Dominican Republic’s long-time diplomat in Italy tells about her life among architecture history and diplomacy, when sharing insights with Revista Mercado and Revista Hola readers.

She is currently Minister Counsellor at the FAO Mission in Rome and has served in the same position at the Dominican Embassy to the Holy See.

Her fruitful career of 25 years is leaving a legacy for future generations. Her legacy includes the chapel dedicated to the Virgen de la Altagracia in an important Roman basilica since 2006, the project for the installation of the image of La Altagracia in the façade of a palace in the center of Rome, and important research on the Italian origin of the Altagracia image that is in Higuey in...

Ambassador Lorea Arribalzaga / The Diplomat in Spain

The Council of Ministers of Spain announced Lorea Arribalzaga as the next Spanish ambassador to the Dominican Republic on Tuesday, 18 June 2025.

Lorea Arribalzaga joined the Diplomatic Service in 2001. In the central services of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she served as deputy director general for Andean Countries in the Directorate General for Ibero-America and the Caribbean (2017-2021) and deputy director general for Development Policies (2011-2012). She has also held other positions in the Directorate General for Ibero-America and the Caribbean, the Directorate General for Development Policies, and the Deputy Directorate General for Eastern Europe.

She has served at the Spanish embassies in Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Italy, and from September 2021 to the present, she was the Spanish...

An ironic and alarming situation is unfolding in Santo Domingo’s Parque Mirador Sur, where a section of the supposedly protected green space has been converted into an unofficial landfill, right next to the very entity tasked with safeguarding public areas, Listin Diario reports. The Public Advocacy and Use of Public Spaces (DUEP) Department, a dependency of the National District City Hall (ADN), has its headquarters situated amidst a growing mountain of scrap metal and debris, turning a once-pristine park area into a junkyard.

Listin Diario reports that the Mirador Sur Park is a protected natural reserve and yet now hosts a mountain of trash and a visible homeless population residing in its caves. The reporter complains about the massive pile of discarded items accumulating near the DUEP’s offices, creating a stark contrast to the park’s natural beauty.

As...

Two daughters of merengue icon Rubby Perez are among the dozens who are suing the owners of JetSet Club for compensation.

The two daughters of the late Dominican merengue icon Rubby Pérez have filed a lawsuit against the owners and partners of Jet Set, the Santo Domingo nightclub where a deadly roof collapse on 8 April 2025 claimed 236 lives, including that of the renowned singer.

The complaint, filed by Casiey Aileen Pérez Lebrón and Ana Beatriz Pérez Reynoso, was submitted amid ongoing criminal proceedings led by the Dominican Public Ministry, which has accused the club’s management of involuntary manslaughter and gross negligence.

Backed by their extended family, the Pérez sisters issued a statement through their legal team, calling the lawsuit “a tool of justice and remembrance, not revenge or attention-seeking.” They emphasized that their aim is accountability and truth—not...

The Public Ministry’s request for pretrial detention against the JetSet Club managers, sister and brother Maribel and Antonio Espaillat, is largely built on the testimonies of two employees of the Jet Set nightclub, Gregorio Adames Arias (known as Gregory) and Manuel Jiménez Mateo. Both witnesses claim they repeatedly warned the owners about the deteriorating condition of the venue’s roof and described gross mismanagement that preceded the tragic collapse that resulted in the death of at least 236.

According to documents obtained by Noticias SIN, Adames has become the prosecution’s key witness, offering to the state prosecutors a chilling account of events on the night of 7 April 2025, when the roof of the iconic nightclub caved in during a concert by merengue star Rubby Pérez.

Gregory Adames revealed he had tried to stop the concert due to the visible damage to the ceiling...

The trial of Major League Baseball player Wander Franco Aybar on charges of alleged sexual abuse of a minor was postponed during the Puerto Plata Collegiate Courthearing held on Tuesday, 17 June 2025. The next hearing was rescheduled for Monday, 23 June at 9:30am.

Also indicted in the case is the victim’s mother, who is accused of commercial sexual exploitation and money laundering. The victim’s mother, Martha Vanessa Chevalier Almonte, is charged with alleged sexual exploitation and money laundering.

According to the Public Ministry’s indictment, Franco allegedly abducted the minor for sexual purposes, holding her for several days in the municipality of Villa Montellano, Puerto Plata province. He is then accused of transferring large sums of money to the victim’s mother to prevent a complaint from being filed. These funds were allegedly used to acquire both movable and...

After an incredible first Concacaf Gold Cup loss of 3-2 to the very strong Mexican team (ranked 15th by FIFA) during the opening match, the Dominican Republic’s senior soccer team (ranked 139th by FIFA) now goes up against also experienced Costa Rica (ranked 54th) on Wednesday, 18 June 2025 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, USA. The two nations are meeting for the first time at the Gold Cup.

The Costa Ricans seek their second victory of the campaign while the Dominican Republic is in search of its first ever set of three points in the tournament. Costa Rica won its opening match 4-3 against Suriname (ranked 137th) on Sunday. The Dominican Republic will seek to rebound from its 3-2 defeat against Mexico on Saturday.

The two sides will head to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex for the Group A doubleheader on Wednesday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The...

The Dominican Republic will face host nation Turkey in the Wednesday, 18 June 2025 opening of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) showdown in Istanbul, Turkey at 6:30pm local time. The DR is playing in Group 4 of the matchup organized by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB). Turkey is ranked 3rd in the world, while the DR is ranked 10th.

Turkey enters the match undefeated with a 4-0 record, while the Dominican Republic sits at 2-2.

The Dominican team, known as “Las Reinas del Caribe,” arrived in Turkey last week to prepare with several training sessions for this crucial stage of the tournament. After the game against Turkey, the team will also face Bulgaria, Brazil, and South Korea.

With all games set for 9am Dominican time, the DR will then face Bulgaria (ranked 19th) on Thursday, 19 June; Brazil (ranked 2nd) on Saturday, 20 June; and South Korea...

The Central Bank announced on Monday, 16 June 2025 it will be injecting RD$81 billion into the monetary system to foster favorable monetary conditions and invigorate economic activity.

The comprehensive RD$81 billion liquidity program, coupled with the adjustments to prudential norms for foreign currency financing, is expected to significantly contribute to the expansion of credit to the private sector and invigorate the Dominican economy, all within a framework of price stability and robust macroeconomic fundamentals.

This comprehensive initiative, approved during the Monetary Board session of Friday, 13 June 2025, aims to bolster key productive sectors and the housing market amidst global uncertainties.

The program’s cornerstone is the release of RD$50 billion in legal reserve requirements, representing 2.4% of eligible liabilities, by the Central Bank of the...

The Dominican Republic continues to need to spend more on its security due to external factors – mainly dealing with crime from Haiti and drug trafficking. President Luis Abinader announced he will be signing an agreement with Portugal as early as this week to acquire at least two, and potentially four, offshore patrol vessels. President Luis Abinader announced that these new additions to the Dominican fleet will significantly bolster the nation’s efforts to combat drug trafficking in the region.

The agreement is the culmination of a year-long process, stemming from Abinader’s visit to Portugal approximately 12 months ago. Since then, the deal has been under continuous negotiation.

“From that visit, we have now reached an agreement to acquire at least two, perhaps even four, offshore patrol boats, which we did not previously possess in the Dominican...

On the occasion of World Blood Donor Day, 13 June 2025, Public Health Minister Víctor Atallah announced he is working so that blood and its derivatives be covered in the country’s social security system. He stressed that blood should be considered a right, not a commodity, and should be freely accessible.

“We are going to do everything possible so that this precious liquid be covered by our social security system,” Atallah stated, highlighting the Ministry of Health’s efforts to amend the Dominican Social Security System (SDSS) Law No. 87-01.

During the same event, held to commemorate World Blood Donor Day, the Ministry of Health and the National Hemocenter showcased considerable advancements in blood collection and distribution across the Dominican Republic. So far this year, over 5,000 blood components have been delivered, with nearly 3,000 pints collected in April and May 2025...

The government continues to crack down on electricity fraud. EdeEste reports the dismantling 8,863 electricity fraud installations in just May 2025. The installations enabled low cost power service for households and businesses located in eastern Santo Domingo and La Romana.

EdeEste mentions irregularities in the electricity installations of the large night spots of Dope Room and Zona G Lounge & Bar by Fogoo in the Colonial City of Santo Domingo. Also mentioned by name are the businesses of JR Pichardo Sport and Cafeteria Yessenia in Los Tres Brazos.

In La Romana, Ede Este mentions irregularities were found in the power access to the Colmado El Clásico and Súper Colmado Velásquez.

On 13 June 2025, Minister of Public Works Eduardo Estrella personally visited Constanza to oversee the government’s response to recent landslides on the Constanza mountain road, specifically on the Casabito-Constanza road, the main access to the prime farming area.

Accompanied by vice ministers of Supervision, Infrastructure, Maintenance, and Regional Affairs, along with a team of specialized technicians, Estrella’s presence underscored the Ministry’s commitment to addressing the critical situation.

The Ministry of Public Works (MOPC) has been actively involved in continuous monitoring of the terrain and clearing debris caused by intense rains in the past two months. At kilometer 10, the site of the most significant landslide, a single-lane traffic flow has been established with proper signage. Geotechnical and structural engineers are conducting studies to implement a...

A critical dialogue addressing the multifaceted Haitian crisis and its implications for the Dominican Republic is slated to commence on Monday, 23 June 2025 at 2pm, at the Universidad del Caribe (Unicaribe). This initiative, spearheaded by the Economic and Social Council (CES), aims to comprehensively tackle the challenges stemming from Haiti’s ongoing instability and its direct impact on Dominican national interests.

The “Dialogue on the Haitian Crisis and its Implications for the Dominican Republic” will kick off with six simultaneous thematic tables, designed to ensure a thorough examination of key areas:• Migration• Bilateral trade• Border community development• National security• International relations• Labor issues

Each thematic table will feature a moderator and two rapporteurs appointed by the CES. Initial working groups for each table will comprise 14...

In a significant breakthrough, the National Police, working in conjunction with the Public Ministry, the prosecution arm of the Attorney General Office, has successfully recovered a substantial quantity of stolen electrical materials intended for the extension of Santo Domingo’s Metro Line 2, Diario Libre reports. The valuable cables, worth approximately 300,000 euros, were intercepted just as they were about to be shipped out of the country, reportedly bound for China.

The recovery comes as construction on the Metro line extension to Los Alcarrizos enters its final stages.

According to the investigation, the theft occurred on 8 June 2025. Authorities allege that a security employee at the warehouse, in collaboration with Enercido Viola Familia, a former security employee, and Jonathan Enmanuel Vásquez Núñez, conspired to disable the electrical...

Cuesta Brava board of residents is on a media tour to tell about the blatant environmental violations taking place as developers seek to build a major residential project in area off limits. Cuesta Brava is a northern Santo Domingo province residential area located with magnificent views of the Isabela River.

The residents complain that the City Hall of the National District (ADN) and the Ministry of Environment have bent in favor of the developers, despite the violation to the laws.

The Cuesta Brava Neighborhood Association, located in Arroyo Hondo, appealed to President Luis Abinader on Monday, 16 June 2025 to intervene and halt the “environmental disaster” occurring in the area. This disaster, they assert, is caused by the cutting of trees and the extraction of gravel and other materials for the construction of “Balcones de la Rivera,” a 144-apartment project that includes...

An overload of the roof of the JetSet Club resulted in its collapse killing at least 236 persons and injuring more than 180 others on 8 April 2025, the technical report is presented by National Office for Seismic Assessment and Infrastructure and Building Vulnerabilities (Onesvie) that was commissioned by President Luis Abinader. 7 Dias publishes a downloadable report issued by the investigative engineering committee.

The preliminary technical report that seeks to explain the first conclusions on the causes of the collapse of the roof of the JetSet Club was presented on 11 June with a final report still pending without an established date. The preliminary report was prepared by Leonardo de Jesus Reyes Madera, and Maximo Jose Corominas Quezada (Presoled SRL) and California-based Eduardo A. Fierro (BFP Engineers) named by the Attorney General Office. The three are forensic...

The Attorney General Office issued a press release that concludes the managers of the JetSet Club knowingly acted with negligence and lack of responsibility, yet despite the severity of the evidence, the prosecutors give a category of involuntary homicide to the collapse of the roof that killed at least 236 persons and injured another 180 on 8 April 2025. If the prosecutors maintain the category of involuntary manslaughter in the case, the accused face a maximum sentence of two years in jail.

A recent preliminary report commissioned by the National Office for Seismic Assessment and Infrastructure and Building Vulnerabilities (Onesvie) and presented on 11 June 2025 provides evidence of years of structural modifications and overloading of the roof that eventually resulted in its collapse on that tragic evening with a full house crowd inside. The report is...