International
The US avoids committing to Ukraine’s “irreversible” accession to NATO
The United States promised this Friday that next week’s NATO Summit in Washington will conclude with a joint statement in support of Ukraine’s accession process to the Atlantic Alliance, but avoided committing to including the word “irreversible,” as Kiev has requested.
“We hope that the declaration of the summit, which is still being negotiated, includes very strong signs of support for the entry of Ukraine and that it also underlines the importance of Ukraine making reforms in economic, security and democracy matters,” a source from Joe Biden’s Administration told the press.
The same source evaded the question of whether or not the word “irreversible” will be put in the final document, a request made by the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenski.
The position of the Biden Administration is that the statement contains a “strong language” in which it is clear that Ukraine will join NATO in the future.
What the Biden Government offers Ukraine is a long-term commitment to guarantee its defense and improve the training of its troops, in what Washington has baptized as a “piring” towards its future membership in the Alliance.
At last year’s summit in Lithuania, Zelenski saw his expectations that the Atlantic Alliance extend a formal invitation to Ukraine to negotiate its accession, a step that most Ukrainians see as indispensable to send a sign of strength to Russian President Vladimir Putin, frustrated.
Ukraine’s early accession to NATO will also not be discussed at next week’s summit in Washington, since the United States is opposed to accession for the duration of the war, since this would imply the existence of a direct conflict between the Atlantic Alliance and Russia.
But Kiev wants the allies to recognize that Ukraine’s future entry is a process that has no turning back.
According to European sources, the allies are negotiating the language of the final statement and want it to be “as strong as possible” to demonstrate their support for Ukrainian accession.
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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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
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