International
Nicaraguan authorities expel family of former Miss Nicaragua director to Mexico

In a move criticized by opposition forces, the government of Daniel Ortega released and expelled the husband and son of former Miss Nicaragua director, Karen Celebertti, to Mexico on Sunday. They had been detained for almost two months on charges of conspiracy, according to press reports and Nicaraguan exiles.
Opposition leader Juan Sebastián Chamorro reported on social media, “At this moment, Martín and Bernardo Argüello are flying to reunite with Karen Celebertti.” Arturo McFields, Nicaragua’s former ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), now in exile in the United States, confirmed their exile to Mexico.
Nicaragua’s government has not commented on the information, also reported by Nicaraguan media outlets such as La Prensa, El Confidencia, and 100%Noticias, operating from Costa Rica.
Celebertti, former owner of the Miss Universe franchise in Nicaragua, left the country for the world beauty pageant in El Salvador, won by Nicaraguan Sheynnis Palacios on November 18. After the coronation, while returning to Nicaragua, authorities denied Celebertti entry, resulting in the detention of her husband and son in Managua.
Nicaraguan police accused Celebertti’s family of actively participating in “terrorist actions of the failed coup attempt” related to the 2018 protests against Ortega, which left around 300 dead according to the UN.
Carlos Chamorro, a Nicaraguan journalist in exile, commented, “Without evidence, they accused them of ‘anti-patriotic conspiracy’.” After Palacios’s Miss Universe victory, Vice President Rosario Murillo claimed opposition manipulation, emphasizing Palacios’s involvement in the 2018 protests.
Miss Universe Organization urged Nicaragua on November 25 to ensure the safety of local pageant affiliates.
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.
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