International
The number of deaths from heavy rains in southeastern Brazil rise to twelve
At least twelve people have died due to landslides and waterspouts caused by the rains that fall on the states of Rio de Janeiro and Espíritu Santo, in southeastern Brazil, official sources reported on Saturday.
The storms were unleashed during the night of this Friday and punished various areas of the southeast of the country, with a special incidence in the mountain region located about 100 kilometers from the city of Rio de Janeiro.
In that mountainous region, due to landslides caused by the rains, five of the deaths have been recorded in the last 24 hours and, according to the regional authorities, three other deaths occurred in different areas of Rio de Janeiro.
In addition, four people have died in Espíritu Santo, where the rains also began on Friday night and have continued strongly during this day.
The most serious situation has occurred in Petrópolis, one of the main cities in the fluminense mountains, where several houses have been practically walled up by a hill that collapsed due to the impact of the rains.
The authorities tried this Saturday to clean up the mudslide that the streets have become and about 500 people have had to leave their homes in the face of the possibility of new landslides.
One of the evicted, Adriana Correia de Almeida, told EFE that both she and her family have moved to the residences of relatives, since her house is located next to a plot of land that, according to the authorities, can collapse at any time.
All of Rio de Janeiro was declared on “alert” due to the intense rains, and the authorities keep the members of the Fire and Civil Defense Corps in the starns, the same situation as in Espíritu Santo.
The weather service has warned that the storms will continue over the weekend and that they can spread to other areas of southeastern Brazil, such as the states of São Paulo and Minas Gerais, which are also suffering from heavy rains since this Friday.
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
Trump to build $200M ballroom at the White House by 2028
Daniel Ortega’s last historic sandinista ally detained in Managua
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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