International
Far-right wins first round in crucial french legislative elections

The far-right won the first round of crucial legislative elections in France this Sunday, with President Emmanuel Macron’s center-right forces coming in third behind the left, according to initial estimates.
“We need an absolute majority,” Le Pen told her supporters in her stronghold of Hénin-Beaumont, northern France. The French “have delivered a resounding verdict,” said her prime ministerial candidate, Jordan Bardella, from Paris.
Macron’s alliance is projected to achieve between 20.5% and 21.5% of the vote, trailing the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) coalition, which is expected to secure between 28.5% and 29.1% of the vote, according to early estimates by polling institutes Ifop and Ipsos.
The far-right’s rise to power, the first since the Liberation of France from Nazi Germany in 1945, would add another European Union (EU) country governed by this trend, alongside Italy.
This shift could weaken Macron’s policy of supporting Ukraine. While Le Pen’s party, which critics view as close to Vladimir Putin’s Russia, claims to support Kyiv, it emphasizes the need to avoid escalating tensions with Moscow.
In what is seen as a historic vote, by 5:00 PM, three hours before polls closed, turnout reached 59.39%, 20 points higher than at the same time in 2022, according to the Interior Ministry.
The electoral system itself makes the final outcome of the National Assembly uncertain, where the three blocs from the 2022 elections will continue, but with a new balance of power.
Its 577 deputies are elected in single-member constituencies through a two-round majority system. Based on the results in each constituency, two, three, or more candidates may advance to the second round.
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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