International
Between weddings and gifts, Venezuelans celebrate the Day of Love and Friendship
The celebration of Love and Friendship Day did not go unnoticed this Friday in Venezuela, where flowers, gifts of all kinds and even collective weddings broke everyday life in a country immersed in recent months in a political crisis following the presidential elections of July 2024, in which Nicolás Maduro was proclaimed winner among opposition claims.
Among the preferred flowers, balloons and chocolates, as EFE could verify in the streets of Caracas, to express their feelings to loved ones or friends, and, for lack of a budget, there was no lack of hugs and affectionate greetings.
Others took the opportunity to swear eternal love to their better half at collective weddings held in the Venezuelan capital and the city of Maracaibo, in the west of the country.
Altamira Square, in the heart of the municipality of Chacao (east of Caracas), hosted this Friday the union, in civil marriage, of a group of couples in a ceremony that has become a tradition to celebrate love on Valentine’s Day.
This time, 16 couples lived a special day, which included a makeup session for the ladies, rental of the suits for the wedding, photo sessions and an outdoor act in which the “yes, I accept” was heard.
The director of Municipal Justice of the Mayor’s Office of Chacao and civil registrar, Alejandro Urdaneta, explained to EFE that the activity, promoted by the local mayor, Gustavo Duque, reached its third edition this year and has as a framework the fountain of the Altamira Square, its obelisk and different recovered spaces.
The contractors, who previously registered with the municipal entity, also enjoyed a toast, gifts and a bottle of champagne to celebrate with their relatives.
One of the brides was Farides Galvis, 65, a pensioner and currently a housewife, who formalized before the law her union with her partner, which began 11 years ago.
She, born in the Colombian city of Valledupar, and he, a native of Barranquilla, met when Galvis was returning from work at her now husband’s kiosk.
“I’m looking for a husband,” the brand new bride who responded to her then suitor, who, without hesitation, said: “That’s me.”
Andreína Mendoca, 25, was also getting ready to celebrate her wedding, who told EFE that they chose this date because it was a “symbolic” day.
“We got the date, the opportunity, we wanted to formalize our home properly,” added this young woman, who has been sharing life with Johan for five years.
Also in Maracaibo, the capital of the state of Zulia, 39 couples got married in a collective wedding organized by the mayor’s office and another ten answered the invitation of a shopping center to formally unite their lives.
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
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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