In a decisive move, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega announced that the country would cease holding elections, effectively eliminating any avenues for opposition parties to contest his and his co-governing wife, Rosario Murillo’s, rule.

Ortega, Nicaragua’s longest-serving leader, initially came to power in the 1980s and has held office since 2007. His current term is set to end in 2027.

“There will be no more elections for them to attempt to take over the government and seize control,” declared Ortega.

Ortega’s statement came on Sunday during a speech marking the anniversary of the 1979 Sandinista revolution, a historic event in which he played a pivotal role in toppling the U.S.-backed dictatorship of Anastasio Somoza.

The declaration appeared to eliminate the possibility of a future electoral challenge as Ortega and Murillo continue consolidating control over the country’s political institutions.

“The days when parties backed by the Yankees (United States) and the Somocistas would return to power are over — never again,” Ortega declared.

News Media has reached out to the U.S. State Department for comment.

The Trump administration has described the Ortega-Murillo government as a dictatorship and imposed sanctions on members of the government and their allies. The State Department has also enacted visa restrictions targeting more than 2,350 Nicaraguan officials and their family members.

“The United States stands with the Nicaraguan people who, like Rivera, aspire to see a free Nicaragua,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in June.

The Biden administration previously said Ortega illegitimately awarded himself another term following Nicaragua’s disputed 2021 presidential election.

Authorities arrested presidential candidates, opposition figures, business leaders and journalists ahead of that vote as the government intensified its criminalization of dissent.

Ortega and Murillo further expanded their authority through sweeping constitutional changes that took effect in 2025. The reforms extended the presidential term from five years to six and elevated Murillo from vice president to “co-president.”

The changes also placed Nicaragua’s legislative, judicial and electoral institutions under the authority of the presidency, according to United Nations experts.

Ortega and Murillo now exercise control over nearly every branch of the government, including the armed forces, police and judiciary.

Ortega had already effectively eliminated meaningful electoral competition during elections in 2011, 2016 and 2021, Salvador Marenco, coordinator of the Costa Rica-based Nicaragua Nunca Más Human Rights Collective, told Reuters.

Many prominent opposition leaders have been imprisoned, forced into exile or stripped of their Nicaraguan citizenship, while opposition parties and independent civic organizations have lost their legal status.

A United Nations group of experts has accused the Ortega-Murillo government of systematically violating human rights as part of a campaign to eliminate criticism and preserve its hold on power. The experts said some alleged violations may amount to crimes against humanity.

The government launched a violent crackdown on anti-government protests in 2018. More than 300 people were killed during the unrest, according to international human rights groups.

As Americans pack their bags for international journeys, there’s one crucial item they must ensure is left behind: cannabis, which could result in considerable fines or, in severe cases, imprisonment.

U.S. authorities are cautioning travelers that transporting cannabis products across international borders can have serious legal repercussions. This advisory comes in light of Thailand’s recent adoption of stricter customs regulations aimed at curbing violations.

In June 2026, Thailand enacted rigorous laws that significantly penalize anyone caught carrying cannabis into the country.

Those who break the law could face up to a decade behind bars, be slapped with fines reaching 500,000 Thai baht (approximately $15,000), or endure both penalties, according to insights from the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Thailand.

Fox News Digital has sought comments from the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) regarding these revised restrictions.

Although Thailand decriminalized cannabis possession in 2022, importing or exporting cannabis without the proper permissions remains illegal, the warning said.

Jeffrey Hoffman, a New York-based cannabis attorney, said travelers should never assume that laws at home apply once they cross an international border.

“While we are seeing cannabis laws relaxed in countries like Canada and in various states in the U.S., cannabis is still generally illegal across the overwhelming majority of the planet,” Hoffman told Fox News Digital. “When you travel to a different jurisdiction, you become subject to its laws.”

Hoffman, a legalization activist, pointed to the high-profile case of WNBA star Brittney Griner, who was imprisoned in Russia after authorities found cannabis oil in her luggage, as a reminder that some countries strictly enforce drug laws.

“There is no safe harbor when traveling internationally,” he said. “Even a mistake is no excuse.”

Travel expert and former flight attendant Bobby Laurie, based in the D.C. area, said many travelers mistakenly assume that if something is legal at home, it’s automatically legal everywhere they go.

“Even if you’re carrying a cannabis product for personal use or have a medical prescription, that doesn’t guarantee it [will] be allowed at your destination,” Laurie told Fox News Digital. “Some countries have extremely strict drug laws, and the penalties can be severe.”

Laurie recommended checking local laws before every trip, plus emptying backpacks, purses and carry-ons of forgotten items. He said people should never assume customs officials will overlook a mistake.

Some countries have laws governing everyday items that many travelers would never expect, Laurie noted — pointing to Singapore’s restrictions on chewing gum as a reminder to research destination-specific rules before packing.

“This is one of those things you wouldn’t know unless you researched it, and how many of us walk around with that in our bags?” he said.

Fox News Digital previously reported that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently updated its guidance for travelers carrying medical marijuana on domestic flights.

While the agency permits certain medical cannabis products under limited circumstances, experts emphasized that international travel is a different matter.

Crossing international borders with cannabis remains subject to the laws of the destination country, regardless of whether marijuana is legal where a traveler lives.

The TSA also notes that while its officers are focused on security screening, they may refer suspected violations of law to local law enforcement.

Khloe Quill of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.

A woman from Tennessee, who endured an unsettling encounter involving a local school board member, has publicly shared her story of distress for the first time. The incident unfolded when the official made an inappropriate comment about her appearance during a public board meeting.

Hannah Campbell was at the Washington County School Board gathering on April 2, aiming to present her findings on the district’s education system. However, her intentions were disrupted when board member Keith Ervin encircled her with his arm and delivered a disrespectful remark.

“God, you’re hot, you know that? Where do you go to school at?” the middle-aged Ervin inappropriately quipped to the teenager.

Within a month, Ervin found himself facing charges of assault, specifically relating to physical contact, as a consequence of his cringe-worthy comment.

Reflecting on the incident, Campbell expressed her belief that “no one should be subjected to such treatment in any context—especially in a place where one expects to feel secure, like a professional environment.”

‘And that just makes me feel like more people should understand that some mistakes can’t afford to be made, especially seeing the reputation not only Washington County has gotten after that, but Tennessee as a whole,’ she told WJHL.

‘And I just don’t think that that’s fair because we have so many amazing students doing amazing things, and it’s getting overlooked because of one incident,’ added Campbell, who graduated from high school in the spring.

But at the same time, Campbell said she doesn’t want to ‘minimize’ the incident either, ‘because it was awful.’

In the aftermath, the local community rallied around Campbell and her family, her mother, April said, describing how she started receiving messages of support from people she didn’t even know.

‘And so the community support is what really got the whole movement started,’ she claimed. ‘It wasn’t us. The community did that. The other people did that. We didn’t start that. They did. They got it rolling. We had very little that we even had to do. We just showed up at a couple meetings to meet some people and they did it.

‘It was amazing because we were dealing with a different emotional roller coaster and they took the reins to be like “We will push for this change and get it started.”‘  

Some parents then demanded Ervin resign or otherwise be forcibly removed from the board as school officials said his conduct was under review.

He was ultimately censured for his behavior but was allowed to retain his seat  despite public outcry and a letter from David Crockett High School students expressing their discomfort with him.

For Campbell, that slap on the wrist was a wholly inadequate measure, and she gave the board a piece of her mind on May 7. 

‘Gaining global attention for sexual comments and assault is not the reputation that Washington County deserves,’ she said, referencing the widespread media attention Ervin’s actions received. 

‘Everyone on this board shares that blame, as does every voter who put you into office,’ she continued. ‘I believe that you are all cowards.’

The teenager went on to call Ervin’s actions ‘unwelcome,’ ‘sexist’ and ‘derogatory,’ and she said that the board’s ‘failure to act… was and is equivalent to his actions, and it has hurt me just as much.’

She also called out a religious argument used by several board members to justify their soft-touched discipline of Ervin and blasted ‘those who used their god as a cop-out for forgiveness.’

‘I do not forgive you, and I do not accept your fake apologies used to protect yourselves,’ the teenager continued. 

Campbell now admits she ‘was a little nervous’ before she went up to the podium that night, ‘but after I saw the impact that it made, it was so beyond worth it.’

She now hopes people are more aware of what is said behind closed doors and who they are electing to represent them, ‘and not just voting for them because they’re your friend or because you know them around town.’

At the same time, the high school graduate is encouraging other students to get involved and make their voices heard. 

‘Age should have no influence on… how much your opinion matters,’ Campbell asserted. 

Ervin has previously defended himself by saying that his statement was misconstrued and previously told NBC News: ‘When I mentioned she was hot, I meant she was on a roll. It was nothing to do with her appearance.’

In April, Washington County Board of Education Chair Annette Buchanan released a public statement that said, ‘Mr Ervin has explained that he meant nothing offensive and that we have simply misunderstood his intentions.’

She also said, however, that ‘Mr Ervin knows his own intentions, but the rest of us have to judge his words and his actions,’ which she called ‘shocking’ and ‘grossly inappropriate.’

The Daily Mail has reached out to Ervin for comment. 

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (WLS) — Monday evening turned tense for residents in north suburban Highland Park, as authorities issued a shelter-in-place order due to an ongoing shooting investigation.

Officials advised locals to stay clear of the 300 block of Walker Avenue, an area bordering nearby Highwood, as part of the ongoing investigation.

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Residents in the vicinity were warned against opening their doors or windows to unexpected visitors and were encouraged to report any suspicious activity by calling 911.

Amidst the investigation, an injured person was transported to a nearby hospital, though their condition remains undisclosed.

SEE ALSO: 4 hurt, including a CPD officer, in Albany Park shooting; police report suspect in custody

Accused of a hate crime, a man identified as Andrew Truelove approached “Today” co-host Craig Melvin at NBC’s Manhattan studio. Truelove has a lengthy criminal history spanning over two decades, with charges including attempted kidnapping and trespassing, as shown by court records.

Andrew Truelove, 41, was taken into custody by New York City police last week. According to NBC, he had sneaked into a vestibule adjacent to Studio 1A at Rockefeller Center, where he confronted Melvin.

Footage from the show captures a man resembling Truelove, clad in similar attire, appearing in the background as early as 8:03 a.m. on the day of the incident. By 8:05 a.m., he is seen removing a backpack and seemingly placing it in or near a bush outside NBC’s building. He was visible several times in the footage until 8:34 a.m., while actress Anne Hathaway was on set discussing her role in the newest adaptation of “The Odyssey.”

Truelove was apprehended by the NYPD at 8:57 a.m., accused of using a racial slur while confronting Melvin in a building area not accessible to the public.

He was allegedly looking for Al Roker when he found Melvin instead.

In October 2007, Truelove was accused of trying to abduct an 8-year-old from a school in Norfolk, Virginia. He was convicted at trial and sentenced to 10 years in prison, of which six were suspended, followed by 10 years on probation, court records show.

A psychiatrist testified he had symptoms of bipolar disorder and had stopped taking medications after gaining more than 100 pounds prior to the incident, according to The Virginian-Pilot.

Truelove has an extensive rap sheet in the state of Virginia, where court records show he was also accused of trespassing, destruction of property, making bomb threats and multiple probation violations.

In 2023, he served 90 days in jail for the property destruction case. In 2014, he was arrested on charges of stealing signs from memorials dedicated to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims.

He faces hate crime charges of burglary, a felony, and menacing, a misdemeanor, in connection with the Melvin incident.

“An individual entered an unauthorized area in a vestibule near Studio 1A,” a “Today” spokesperson said in a statement. “The person approached anchor Craig Melvin, who alerted security. The individual was detained and taken into custody by law enforcement without further incident. There was no altercation, and no one was injured. TODAY is cooperating fully with law enforcement as they investigate the matter. NBC and TODAY take the safety and security of our employees, talent, staff and guests extremely seriously. We are reviewing the incident and our security protocols and remain committed to providing a safe and secure environment for everyone who works at and visits our studios.”

Court records in New York show man with the same name and age as Truelove has additional pending cases in connection with an alleged assault in the NYPD’s 5th Precinct in January, trespassing and reckless endangerment charges on the city’s transit system from May — and a 12-count criminal mischief indictment from last year.

He’s now being held on $10,000 bail in a New York City jail.

Melvin’s colleague, Savannah Guthrie, is the daughter of missing Nancy Guthrie, whose Feb. 1 disappearance remains unsolved. She is believed to have been abducted from her home after Nest video shows a masked intruder on her front steps in the Catalina Foothills of northern Tucson, Arizona.

Anyone with information on that case is asked to call 1-800-FBI or 520-88-CRIME.

With no arrests or publicly identified suspects in the Guthrie case, some web sleuths have pondered a potential connection. However, Truelove has not been linked to the abduction by any law enforcement agency, and he does not match the physical description of a masked man seen on Guthrie’s front porch around the time she was taken.

New York jail records list Truelove as about 6 feet tall and 250 pounds. The masked intruder has been described by the FBI as 5 feet, 9 inches to 5 feet, 10 inches tall with an average build.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and FBI did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Truelove has reportedly traveled through the Sonoran Desert region, according to a 2023 profile in the Los Angeles Times that focused on his bout with homelessness on the West Coast after getting off of probation in Virginia.

It was not immediately clear when he arrived in New York City.

Truelove is due back in court Wednesday.