International
U.S. to provide Ukraine with more than $1 billion in aid
September 7 |
The U.S. State Department on Wednesday announced $1 billion in assistance for Ukraine, while Secretary Antony Blinken made a surprise visit to Kiev to show support.
The State Department expressed that the new package includes an additional reduction of up to $175 million in weapons and equipment from Department of Defense inventories.
Included in this package is 120 mm depleted uranium ammunition for Abrams tanks, according to a list released by the Pentagon. This is the first time Washington has sent Kiev this type of ammunition, which is radioactive.
The assistance also includes air defense system components, multiple launch guided missile systems for HIMARS, ammunition and communications systems, the State Department published.
The announcement comes as Russian leader Vladimir Putin called the Ukrainian counteroffensive, which has been ongoing for three months to the present day, a “failure.”
Putin has estimated in tens of thousands the casualties suffered by Kiev in its attempt to regain territory, mainly on the southern front to break the corridor linking the Donbas with the Crimean peninsula.
On the other hand, the Russian embassy in Washington in a Telegram message stated, “Washington, obsessed with the idea of inflicting a ‘strategic defeat’ on Russia, is ready (…) to put a cross on future generations.”
“The United States (…) is fully aware of the consequences: the explosions of such munitions result in the formation of a moving radioactive cloud,” the embassy adds. “The U.S. Administration’s decision to send depleted uranium shells to Kiev is a clear sign of inhumanity,” the statement stresses.
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.
International
Three salvadorans in Florida sentenced in $146 million construction tax fraud scheme
Three Salvadoran residents living in Orlando, Florida, were sentenced for conspiracy to commit tax fraud and wire fraud involving a scheme exceeding $146 million in the construction industry, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. The sentence was handed down by federal judge Timothy J. Corrigan on Tuesday, July 29.
Eduardo Aníbal Escobar (45) was sentenced to 4 years and 9 months in prison, Carlos Alberto Rodríguez (36) to 3 years and 4 months, and Adelmy Tejada (57) to 18 months in prison, followed by 6 months of house arrest. All three pled guilty on April 3, 2025.
In addition to the prison terms, the court ordered restitution payments totaling $36,957,616 to the IRS for unpaid payroll taxes, and $397,895 to two insurers for workers’ compensation claims related to the scheme.
Escobar and Rodríguez are permanent legal residents originally from El Salvador, while Tejada is a naturalized U.S. citizen of Salvadoran origin.
International
Kremlin hails preparedness after Kamchatka quakes leave no casualties
The Kremlin expressed relief that the earthquakes that struck Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula today —the first being the strongest since 1952— resulted in no casualties, and emphasized that the region is well prepared to face such natural disasters.
“Thank God, there were no victims,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov during his daily press briefing.
The presidential representative stated that “all alert systems were activated in time, and evacuations were organized for residents in areas requiring it in response to tsunami threats.”
“Overall, the seismic resilience of the buildings proved effective (…) Therefore, we can say that the technological preparedness demonstrated a high level,” Peskov added.
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