International
Brazil records 932 mining-related conflicts in 2022
December 15 |
The National Committee for the Defense of Territories Against Mining in Brazil published a report on Tuesday where they point out that during the past year, 932 mining conflicts involving almost 700 thousand Brazilians were registered.
Since 2021 said Committee formed by more than 100 non-governmental organizations, social movements, churches and researchers, publishes the report “to monitor the violations committed annually by the mining sector”.
This year the total figure exceeded that of 2021 when 22.9 percent fewer conflicts were recorded. With this initiative, the NGO seeks to identify the environmental impact and violations committed around mining activity.
“Especially in the current context of liberalization of environmental policies, proposals to open new areas for mining and incentives for mining in an institutionalized manner,” the report reads.
According to the NGO, at least “155,983 indigenous people were involved in 141 incidents of conflict”, constituting 15.1 percent of the most affected social groups, followed by workers, then the urban population, and finally rural smallholders.
The text points out that, of the foreign mining companies, the Australian companies “are the ones that produce the most damage” and conflicts over land and water disputes were the greatest.
Despite these unflattering data, in “2022, 132 direct reactions to violations were mapped, involving demonstrations, public letters, roadblocks, occupation, legal action”.
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.
Honduras sees ongoing killings of land defenders and attacks on press, warns NGO
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