International
Borrell calls for a meeting of ministers in Brussels and not in Budapest in protest of Orbán’s tour
The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, decided on Monday to convene the EU foreign and defense ministers in Brussels in Brussels at the end of August, instead of the one planned in Budapest, to show the EU’s rejection of the tour of the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán through Russia, China and the United States.
“We must send a signal, even if it is symbolic,” Borrell said at a press conference, about the boycott that some EU countries are willing to carry out against the rotating presidency of the European Union that Hungary holds this semester.
However, “I reject the word ‘boycott,” said the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, given that “the meeting will be held and Hungary will participate in it” will be held wherever it is held.
But he did consider that Orbán’s interviews with Russian President Vladimir Putin; Chinese President XI Jinping and former US President and re-election candidate Donald Trump should have “consequences,” so he considered it “appropriate” that the August meeting be held in Brussels and not in Budapest.
The EU foreign ministers, who today held their last meeting in the EU capital before the August break, discussed the possibility of meeting again in Ukraine at the end of August, instead of in Budapest, but Hungary opposed it, so the proposal did not go ahead, due to the lack of unity required.
The spokesman for the Hungarian Government, Zoltan Kovac, said that Hungary faces an “aggressive and warring hysteria for its ‘peace mission’” and called the discussion about whether to oppose the informal meeting in Budapest as “childish.”
Kovac pointed out that Hungary is “prepared” to hold the meeting in its country, “but it is also willing to attend if it is held in Brussels,” as he wrote in a message on his official account on social network X.
“There is no hysteria, we are just telling the truth,” said Borrell, who assured that “the only one who is in favor of the war is Putin, who wants the participation and surrender of Ukraine as preconditions for any conversation (of peace) and any ceasefire.”
The possibility of torpedoing the Hungarian presidency, however, does not convince the Twenty-seven equally, since the Spanish Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, said that “Spain does not support boycotts within the EU,” although he will see “meeting by meeting, according to the content of the agenda,” who sends to the meetings.
Also the Luxembourg Foreign Minister, Xavier Bettel, assured that it “does not make sense” to act in this way, that they have defended Poland, the Baltic countries, Sweden and Denmark.
Beyond this issue, Borrell defended the need for EU countries to support the reconstruction of Ukraine’s electricity grid, damaged by Russian bombings, given that “Putin wants to bring darkness and cold to Ukraine.”
In this sense, the European Investment Bank, whose president, the Spanish Nadia Calviño, attended the meeting with the ministers, today announced new loans worth 450 million euros for the reconstruction of hydroelectric plants and the electricity grid damaged by the Russian bombings.
Kovac also announced that Hungary and Slovakia conveyed their disagreement over Ukraine’s decision to partially ban the passage of Russian gas through their territory, which is affecting those EU countries.
International
Dominican ‘False Hero’ Arrested for Faking Role in Nightclub Collapse That Killed 231
A man identified as Rafael Rosario Mota falsely claimed to have rescued 12 people from the collapse of the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo—a tragedy that left 231 people dead—but he was never at the scene.
Intelligence agents in the Dominican Republic arrested the 32-year-old man for pretending to be a hero who saved lives during the catastrophic incident, authorities announced.
Rosario Mota had been charging for media interviews in which he falsely claimed to have pulled survivors from the rubble after the nightclub’s roof collapsed in the early hours of April 8, during a concert by merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who was among those killed.
“He was never at the scene of the tragedy,” the police stated. The arrest took place just after he finished another interview on a digital platform, where he repeated his fabricated story in exchange for money as part of a “media tour” filled with manipulated information and invented testimonies.
“False hero!” read a message shared on the police force’s Instagram account alongside a short video of the suspect, in which he apologized: “I did it because I was paid. I ask forgiveness from the public and the authorities.”
Central America
Nicaraguan Exiles to Mark 7th Anniversary of 2018 Protests with Global Commemorations
The Nicaraguan opposition in exile announced on Thursday that it will commemorate the seventh anniversary of the April 2018 protests against the government of President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Rosario Murillo, with events in Costa Rica, the United States, and several European countries.
The commemorative activities—which will call for justice for the victims, as well as freedom and democracy for Nicaragua—will include religious services, public forums, cultural fairs, and other public gatherings, according to official announcements.
In April 2018, thousands of Nicaraguans took to the streets to protest controversial reforms to the social security system. The government’s violent response quickly turned the demonstrations into a broader call for the resignation of President Ortega, who is now 79 and has been in power since 2007.
The protests resulted in at least 355 deaths, according to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), although Nicaraguan organizations claim the toll is as high as 684. Ortega has acknowledged “more than 300” deaths and maintains the unrest was an attempted coup d’état.
International
Arsenal stun Real Madrid at the Bernabéu to reach Champions League semifinals
Arsenal enjoyed a “historic night” on Wednesday after defeating Real Madrid 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu, knocking them out of the Champions League quarterfinals, midfielder Declan Rice said.
“It’s such a special night for this club, a historic night for this club,” said Rice, who scored twice in the first leg in London, speaking to TNT Sports.
The English international was named Man of the Match in both legs — the 3-0 win in London and the second leg in Madrid.
“It’s amazing. I knew we were on an upward trajectory and we’ve done incredibly well in this competition. We deserve it and we have full confidence in our coach. Reaching the semifinals is unbelievable,” Rice added.
Dominican ‘False Hero’ Arrested for Faking Role in Nightclub Collapse That Killed 231
Nicaraguan Exiles to Mark 7th Anniversary of 2018 Protests with Global Commemorations
Arsenal stun Real Madrid at the Bernabéu to reach Champions League semifinals
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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