Month: July 2026

A three-judge panel on Wednesday denied a request from the Kennedy Center’s board to keep President Trump’s name on the institution while the board appeals an earlier ruling that dubbed the name change illegal and had it rescinded.

It’s another setback for the board of trustees, of which Trump is chairman, in a saga that began earlier this year when the Kennedy Center became: “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.”

The conspicuous addition, and ensuing legal battle, became symbolic of Trump’s broader push to imprint his legacy — and, in this case, his actual name — on the nation’s capitol in his final term.

The panel of judges wrote Wednesday that the request “failed to show how they will be irreparably injured” if Trump’s name remains off the building through the appeal process.

The board had argued that the the removal “threatens to impede” fundraising efforts, but the judges found that claim came without the support of “specific facts or evidence.”

The Kennedy Center did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

A federal judge earlier this year ruled that the name change was illegal, and Trump’s name was removed from the building’s white marble facade in June.

Bedayn writes for the Associated Press.

Dame Sarah Storey, Great Britain’s most-decorated Paralympian, has retired from international competition with immediate effect.

The 48-year-old cyclist has opted not to compete at Los Angeles 2028 to focus on helping improve Para-sport.

The 19-time Paralympic champion feels the sport has “stalled somewhat” since the London 2012 Games and that many areas “still need attention”.

“The years between each Games haven’t been utilised well enough to create the momentum that I and others hoped to see,” she said.

“I see this as a critical stage; there are many areas of Para-sport that still need attention, and that is something that has played a big part in my decision.

“I fully believe that I can have a greater impact off my bike, rather than chasing a 10th Games and possibly further titles.

“I’m excited to be part of a future where we inject the momentum that is needed to ensure the future is bright for all Para-athletes.”

Storey started her career as a swimmer and competed at four Games before switching to cycling, winning a total of 30 Paralympic medals across nine Games, including four golds at London 2012.

World Athletics president Lord Coe, who was chairman of London’s organising committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, said: “Para-sport was an enormously significant part of London 2012 and I remain extremely proud of what we were able to deliver.

“However, the issues that Dame Sarah raises upon her retirement resonate with me hugely – sport must continue to take those small but steady steps forward to ensure that what has gone before is not wasted.”

The British Paralympic Association has been approached for comment.

July 7 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s defense acquisition chief apologized Tuesday for failing to win Canada’s next-generation submarine project, saying alliance interoperability was the decisive factor in Ottawa’s decision.

Lee Yong-cheol, head of South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration, said South Korea’s submarine proposal was competitive on performance, delivery schedule and maintenance, but Canada placed greater weight on its long-standing NATO defense network.

“I am sorry that we were unable to achieve the expected result despite strong public interest and all-out support from the Industry Ministry, Defense Ministry, Foreign Ministry, Navy and other government agencies,” Lee told reporters at the Defense Ministry press room. “The failure to secure the result was due to my lack of ability.”

Canada selected Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems as the preferred bidder for its Canadian Patrol Submarine Project, which aims to replace the Royal Canadian Navy’s aging submarine fleet.

Lee said Canada appeared to consider several factors, including fuel cell-based air-independent propulsion technology, battery performance, Germany’s record of supplying submarines to more than one-third of NATO members, alliance interoperability, crew sharing, joint training, maintenance, parts supply and industrial benefits tied to jobs and maintenance facilities.

“In terms of submarine performance, early delivery and regional benefits such as maintenance, repair and overhaul, I do not believe there was a meaningful gap with our proposal,” Lee said. “In delivery schedule, even considering Norway’s production slot, we were faster.”

“The decisive difference appears to have been NATO interoperability and cooperation that allows crew sharing,” he said.

A defense acquisition official said South Korea’s submarines should not be seen as inferior in operational capability.

“Submarines, for which stealth is most important, do not operate by constantly exchanging wireless communications,” the official said. “We do not believe our submarine had weaker operational capability. Canada appears to have judged that sharing future operating systems and parts would be relatively easier with Germany.”

The official said Canada’s geography and Arctic security concerns likely shaped the decision.

“Canada stretches across both ends of the North American continent and must cover both the Atlantic and Pacific,” the official said. “Personally, I think the difference in Arctic security priorities also played a major role. For South Korea, the Arctic is more of a conceptual issue, but for Canada it is a real security concern.”

The official said Canada’s Indo-Pacific defense cooperation with South Korea is still developing, while its Atlantic alliance structure has been operating for more than 70 years.

“Training among those allies is routine, to the point where they can discuss sharing submarine crew members,” the official said. “South Korea has only recently begun joint exercises with Canada. Canada chose to strengthen an existing alliance framework, and I think that strategic choice should be respected.”

The agency said the failed bid still produced meaningful results for South Korea’s defense industry.

Lee cited South Korea’s previous loss in Norway’s K2 tank procurement, saying the tank passed performance testing in harsh winter conditions but narrowly failed to win the contract.

“Poland took close note of that performance and moved aggressively to sign a contract,” Lee said. “This challenge may also lead to another reversal.”

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260707010002453

A review of a disability benefit is not expected to make “crude proposals” on changes to claimants’ payments, the minister leading the report has said.

Sir Stephen Timms told the BBC his interim review of personal independence payments (Pip) found the benefit was not “fit for purpose” and promised “fundamental change” in recommendations due in the autumn.

The disability minister said the “sustainability” of spending on the benefit, which is forecast to rise to more than £41bn by 2030, was “going to be a concern as we reach these decisions”.

Last year, the UK government asked Sir Stephen to review whether Pip was “fair and fit for the future”. His initial report will be published on Thursday.

The interim report concludes Pip is not working for millions of disabled people or the government, and suggests a sweeping overhaul of the assessment system is needed.

In evidence submitted to the review, Pip claimants described the assessment process as “dehumanising” for disabled people and a barrier to work.

The report also highlights the steep increase in the number of Pip recipients in recent years and the forecasted rise in spending on the benefit.

Pip is a benefit people with long-term illnesses and disabilities can claim if they need help with extra costs associated with living, work and care.

Eligibility for Pip is determined through an assessment.

Under the current assessment system, claimants are scored on a zero to 12 scale by a health professional on everyday tasks such as washing, getting dressed and preparing food.

Speaking to the BBC, Sir Stephen said Pip “does a very important job in helping people meet the additional costs of disability”.

But the minister said disabled people had told the review the assessment can be “demeaning” and “deter you from participating in society”.

“We’ve also found that it hasn’t kept pace with changing understanding of health and disability over the last 13 years since the benefit was introduced, so we do think quite fundamental change is needed,” Sir Stephen.

As of April this year, there were about four million claimants entitled to Pip in England and Wales.

The number of Pip recipients has risen considerably since the benefit was introduced in 2013, with the increase fuelled by claimants citing mental health conditions in recent years.

Strictly Come Dancing is back for a brand new series and there’s some celebrities already signed up for the hit BBC show

Strictly Come Dancing is back for a brand new series and some famous faces have already signed up.

The BBC show is returning this year with a brand new look after hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepped down. Johannes Radebe, Emma Willis and Josh Widdecombe have taken over hosting duties in a new look for the show.

Also, five professional dancers will step in to replace the five that have departed. Karen Hauer, Gorka Marquez, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk and Michelle Tsiakkas have all departed the show in recent months.

Here’s a look at the line-up so far – and who might be rumoured for the show.

Lacey Turner

EastEnders actress Lacey – who plays Stacey Slater in the BBC soap – was the first celebrity to sign up for the show this year.

Speaking about joining the show, she said: “I am so excited to being making my way to the dance floor this year to be a part of Strictly Come Dancing! I am a huge fan and can’t quite believe I will be taking part and not watching at home this year! I look forward to meeting everyone and learning a new skill!

Dani Dyer

Love Island star Dani Dyer was forced to exit the competition last year due to injury but is back this year again with a bang. She was supposed to appear in the last series but an ankle injury before it kicked off meant she had to pull out.

“I am so excited to be back in the ballroom this September! I just cannot wait to get my dancing shoes back on and hopefully this time around I can actually make it to week one! I’m just over the moon and cannot wait to find out who else is doing it!” she said.

Delta Goodrem

Eurovision singer Delta Goodrem has signed up for the new series and is “absolutely thrilled” to be on the show.

“I’ve been incredibly honoured to perform on many different stages throughout my career – from tv, theatre, film sets, to touring my own shows around the world, there is however one stage I’ve never stepped onto and that is the ballroom floor! I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining Strictly and can’t wait to get started!” she said.

Chris Appleton

Celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton was announced as a contestant on the new series of the BBC show. The stylist to the stars counts the likes of Kim Kardashian and Katy Perry as his clients and friends.

“I’m thrilled to be joining Strictly Come Dancing and coming home to the UK for this incredible experience. I’ve always believed that the best things happen when you take a chance and try something new,” he said.

“I may know my way around a salon floor, but the dance floor is a whole different story – and I can’t wait to get started.”

Other rumoured stars

There have been a lot of names thrown into the mix for this year’s Strictly. Gavin & Stacey star Melanie Walters is the latest celebrity to have reportedly signed up.

Known for her role as Gwen West in Gavin & Stacey, Melanie has also starred in Hollyoaks and had guest roles in a string of shows including Doc Martin, Casualty and Beyond Paradise.

TV and radio presenter Roman Kemp is also in the mix. During an appearance on The One Show, Emma Barton – who plays Honey on the BBC soap – was chatting with Alex Jones and Roman Kemp about the upcoming series after her own successful stint on it.

As Alex announced Lacey joining the show, she asked her co-star Emma: “Have you spoken to her? How is she feeling?” Emma then replied: “She’s such a gorgeous wonderful woman and the audience are going to love her.

“And I’m so proud of her because it’s nerve-racking, isn’t it. And it’s scary.” Emma then went on to say: “Roman you know as well” but he quickly stuttered as he said: “I have never done it. I’ve never done it.”

Olympian Sarah Storey is also rumoured for the show and “really excited to be learning a new skill”.

“She is obviously very competitive and hopes to give the contest her all, while letting viewers get to know her personality. She’s also keen to embrace the glamour of the show and is looking forward to getting dressed up,” a source said.

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Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is directly asking Sen. Mitch McConnell, the state’s most powerful figure in Congress, to disclose more about his condition after three weeks of silence from the 84-year-old since he was hospitalized in Washington.

The letter released Wednesday from Beshear, a Democrat who is considered a potential presidential candidate in 2028, to the former Senate Republican leader says “Kentuckians have grown increasingly concerned about the current state of your health and well-being, and ability to hold office.”

McConnell, whose physical condition has visibly declined in recent years, was hospitalized June 14. He has not released a public statement, photos or videos since. Aides have disclosed nothing specific about his condition, other than to say last week that McConnell “continues to improve, and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session.”

That lack of detail has fueled rampant speculation about his prognosis and whether he will return to the Senate when it reconvenes next week. The firestorm was enough that Republican Senate leaders made public statements Tuesday saying they had talked to McConnell and that he was alert and discussing current events.

McConnell is retiring at the end of his term in January, and the campaign to elect his successor already is underway. Kentucky’s Senate succession law, which Republican legislators have twice changed during Beshear’s tenure, does not give the governor a role in picking a temporary successor should McConnell’s seat become vacant before his term ends.

Under the latest change in 2024, Beshear would call a special election if the seat became vacant. The winner of that election could take office after the result is certified. The general election winner would be sworn in as part of the new Congress in January. But there are unresolved questions about the timing of a special election under the untested law, and the seat could remain vacant until January.

Beshear ended the letter by wishing McConnell “a safe and speedy recovery.”

A look at what an absence from the Senate or a vacancy could mean.

What happens if McConnell isn’t able to return?

There is not much, if anything, that Beshear, Kentucky lawmakers or the Senate could do if McConnell remains in office but is unable to perform his duties between now and when the current Congress expires in January.

Senate rules do not allow proxy voting. But there have been extended Senate absences before, and the chamber has continued its business with however many senators are in attendance. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 advantage. Without McConnell, that means a maximum of 52 Republican votes are available.

McConnell had been among the senators blocking war powers resolutions that seek to limit President Trump’s military options in Iran. Without him, the administration has less of a buffer. On the other hand, McConnell had already been among the Republicans refusing to support Trump’s sweeping elections law overhaul.

Why wouldn’t Beshear have a say in filling any vacancy?

The 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution calls for Senate vacancies to be filled by popular elections. But it allows state legislatures to empower governors to appoint an interim senator to serve through those campaigns. Most states have taken this option, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Kentucky law allowed interim appointments until 2021, when McConnell and other state GOP leaders persuaded the Republican-run Legislature to make a change. They did not want Beshear to shift the partisan balance in Washington if he got the opportunity. They called for a committee of the previous senator’s state party to select three people from whom the governor could choose an interim senator. In this case, that would mean Beshear picking which Republican would fill a vacancy. Several states have this system.

Kentucky lawmakers changed the law again in 2024 to require a special election. The only role for the governor is to call that election.

Beshear vetoed the 2021 and 2024 changes, but Republican lawmakers overrode him.

How would a special election work?

The 2024 law says Beshear “shall” issue a proclamation for a special vote but it does not say when he should make that proclamation or what the election date must be. Separate laws require certain minimum windows between a proclamation and the election date, but not necessarily a maximum window.

Some officials have argued that any vacancy after Aug. 3 would mean a special election concurrent with the general. They have even speculated that at some point, it would be impractical to have a special election at all given the regular election already taking place.

The Kentucky secretary of state’s office declined to speculate on a hypothetical time frame.

If a special election was needed, the simplest option would be to hold it at the same time as the regular general election.

For the full Senate term that begins in 2027, Republicans nominated U.S. Rep. Andy Barr, and the Democratic nominee is former state lawmaker Charles Booker. Concurrent elections would be separate, requiring new nominations by the parties, though they could choose Barr and Booker. Regardless, in this scenario, voters would be electing the immediate replacement and the full-term lawmaker on the same Election Day.

Multiple vacant House seats have been filled that way with little national attention.

Could there be a legal fight?

Yes. The 2024 law has never been tested. If a vacancy occurred, there could be different interests between parties and even among Republicans about special election timing and whether to hold one at all. That could create any number of legal questions and disputes that have to be settled by the courts.

Beshear’s office did not immediately respond to an inquiry about how he interprets the law.

Barrow writes for the Associated Press.

Justin Bieber better be a fast singer.

The World Cup final halftime show already was going to feature three superstar acts with 121 Billboard Hot 100 hits, 20 No. 1 singles and 12 Grammy Awards among them.

Somehow that must not have been enough star power, because another performer with 123 hits, eight chart toppers and two Grammys has been added to the lineup.

Bieber was announced Wednesday as the fourth co-headliner for the July 19 intermission extravaganza at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., joining South Korean boy band BTS, U.S. pop culture icon Madonna and Latin music superstar Shakira.

Four gigantic worldwide acts might seem like a lot to cram into an 11-minute (!) show, but apparently curator Chris Martin doesn’t see it that way. In addition to the quartet of headliners, Martin also has lined up Nigerian Afrobeats performer Burna Boy, soon-to-be-departing Los Angeles Philharmonic conductor Gustavo Dudamel and Staten Island elementary school choir the PS22 Chorus (which will be performing with Martin’s band Coldplay).

Oh yeah, the Muppets will be there, too. Bieber will be lucky if he gets a chance to sing a bar or two from a list of hits that includes “Peaches,” “Sorry,” “Love Yourself” and “Daisies.”

Nonetheless, he seems happy to be part of the festivities, which will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, weeks after attending the U.S.-Paraguay game at SoFi Stadium, where he gave a surprise performance of his song “Yukon” in a backstage area.

“The FIFA World Cup brings the world together in a way nothing else can,” Bieber said in a statement. “I’m grateful to be part of this Halftime Show, and even more grateful knowing it’s already helping expand access to education for children around the world.”

One song that is sure to be featured during the set is this year’s World Cup anthem, “Dai Dai,” by Shakira and Burna Boy. The two acts already performed the song during the tournament’s opening ceremony in Mexico City.

Speaking of hit collaborations, Madonna recently charted with “Bring Your Love,” a duet with Sabrina Carpenter. Not to start any rumors, but surely they can squeeze one more pop superstar onto that stage, right?

July 8 (UPI) — The U.S. military resumed attacks against Iran on Wednesday afternoon “to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz,” U.S. Central Command said.

“The United States is holding Iran accountable for recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping and civilian crews freely navigating a vital international waterway,” the statement continued.

U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking at a news conference at the end of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, said the United States would resume its naval blockade of Iran. He said further negotiations were “a waste of time” and added “Let’s just finish the job.”

Trump had earlier characterized the resumed strikes as “a little warning,” and said, “We’re going to hit them hard tonight, but we’ll see how it all works out.”

Iranian media reported explosions in the cities of Bandar Abbas and Sirik, which the United States also struck Tuesday, and in the cities of Chabahar and Konarak on Iran’s southern coast. Sources said Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant did not sustain any damage.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that the Pentagon would strike Iran “even more and even deeper” if Trump said the word.

Earlier Wednesday, Trump called Iran’s leaders “scum” and “vicious, violent people.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that addressing Iran with “derogatory language” does not diminish it.

“Iranians are known for their civility, culture and strong moral values,” he said in a social media post. “We do not answer vulgarity with vulgarity, but with action: fearlessly and with great valor.”

Tuesday’s attacks lasted about four hours and struck more than 80 targets, U.S. Central Command said. The attacks came after Iran attacked three commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

The United States also reimposed sanctions on Iranian oil sales in retaliation for the attacks. Iran said the sanctions were “in clear violation” of the memorandum of understanding to end the conflict between Iran and the United States that was signed in June.

The family of a man killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Texas has called for an investigation into the incident.

The appeal on Wednesday came a day after the ICE agent fatally shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston during a traffic stop, the most recent high-profile killing by immigration enforcement agents amid the administration of US President Donald Trump’s mass deportation drive.

Salgado Araujo’s family said he was working at the time he was killed, driving a crew to a home build in the area. They said he may have been scared that the individuals in the unmarked vehicles that stopped him were trying to steal his tools.

They further said the Mexican national had lived in the US for 35 years and was working towards getting legal status. He had no criminal record and worked tirelessly to support his three US sons, all US citizens.

“He did not deserve to die. He did not deserve to be reduced to a headline of ‘Mexican man shot and killed by ICE’,” son Ronaldo Salgado said during a news conference.

“He deserved to live a quiet life as Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a husband, a father and a job creator for dozens of men who also wanted the American dream,” he said.

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has said Salgado Araujo attempted to ram an ICE agent, who opened fire in response. Prior to that, they said Salgado Araujo’s car had struck an ICE vehicle.

No video or images of the incident have been released, although a bystander recorded its aftermath.

DHS said Salgado Araujo had been targeted by the agents because he was living in the US without documentation.

While the Trump administration had initially said it would only target criminals in its mass deportation push, it quickly said that it considered anyone in the US without documentation a criminal. Irregularly entering the US is a civil, not a criminal, violation.

Rights groups have accused immigration agents of using “dragnet” techniques under pressure to meet detainment quotas. The Trump administration has denied such quotas exist.

Speaking at the news conference on Wednesday, League of United Latin American Citizens President Roman Palomares said the immigration crackdown has created a country where it is “open season on Latinos” by officers who think they can “shoot and explain later”.

The initial details of the Texas killing resemble the killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, Minnesota in January. DHS officials initially said that Good, a US citizen, was attempting to ram an ICE agent when she was fatally shot, although video appeared to show her steering around the agent, who opened fire after stepping to the side of her vehicle.

Just days later, 37-year-old Alex Pretti was fatally shot by a Border Patrol agent and a Customs and Border Protection officer as he sought to document immigration enforcement actions in Minneapolis.

Little has emerged from federal probes into the killings, which came amid an enforcement surge in the city. In a rare move, the Department of Justice declined a separate civil-rights probe into Nicole Good’s killing.

‘Working to give us the American dream’

Speaking at the news conference on Wednesday, Ronaldo Salgado recounted frantically looking for his father at his job site after his mother had been told something bad had happened.

At some point during the search, he was shown the video of his fatally wounded father.

“I recognised him, not from his appearance but from his voice crying for help as he lay on the street,” Salgado said.

“After nearly 35 years of working to give us the American dream, he made the choice to begin the process of obtaining his American dream through a work permit,” Salgado said.

“We dotted every I, crossed every T, filled every document, and attended every appointment. He was close to obtaining his legal status.”

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum also condemned the killing, saying she was considering legal measures or an appeal to the United Nations.

“There has been another tragic death of one of our compatriots in the United States due to detention issues, even though their only ‘offence’ is not yet having proper documentation,” Sheinbaum said.

The shooting was at least the eighth known death during an encounter with federal immigration officers since the start of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

Death in Paradise fans were left doing a double take as they instantly recognised the show’s guest star

A Widow’s Bay icon once played a huge role in Death in Paradise.

Currently, the BBC is airing repeat episodes of Death in Paradise and Wednesday night saw series 11, episode five play. In the 2022 season, Ralf Little was playing the main character of DI Neville Parker before his exit in 2024.

The repeat episode saw a young popstar found dead at a rehab clinic, where it initially looked like a tragic accident. However, Neville was convinced that there was more to her death than meets the eye…

In the episode, it saw the arrival of Neville’s sister, Izzy. However, Neville wasn’t best pleased to see his sister especially as she had kept her arrival a surprise and she soon interfered in his life.

The character of Izzy is played by actress Kate O’Flynn, who appeared as the character for three episodes. Of course, viewers will instantly recognise Kate, 40, for her iconic role of Patricia Moyer in the recent hit series Widow’s Bay.

Other roles include Fiona Lewis in Everyone Else Burns, Princess Mary in My Lady Jane and Alice in Bridget Jones’s Baby – to name just a few.

At the time of the episode airing, viewers were quick to instantly recognise Kate playing Izzy. One person said: “I recognise Izzy from somewhere!”

While another person wrote: “Where have I seen Izzy before!? @deathinparadise she looks very familiar #DeathInParadise!”

However, it looks like there will be no return of Izzy on Death in Paradise in the future due to her on-screen brother Neville’s exit. Back in 2024, Neville decided to leave Saint Marie for good after four years and explore the world.

Since then, Don Gilet has taken over the lead role as DI Mervin Wilson. Talking about joining the show in 2024, Don said: “Being offered the new lead role in Death in Paradise feels like a deeply loved and incredibly precious jewel has been placed in my hands.

“This is a big show, with a big heart and the love continually grows for it. It is my intention to never lose sight of that and to remain grateful, humbled and dedicated.

“Even during those testing times when every sinew is screaming at me to run off the set and dive into the sea, swimming pool or an ice-cold beer – whichever happens to be closer at the time!”

Death in Paradise is available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

The fatal shooting of a Houston man by a federal immigration officer Tuesday marks at least the eighth death during the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement campaign, and the first fatality amid a newly intensified push by the administration to carry out its mass deportations agenda.

Department of Homeland Security officials said in a statement that Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national, ignored commands while trying to evade arrest during an enforcement operation. They say he attempted to ram his car into an agent, who opened fire in self-defense.

Araujo’s family said he was on his way to work at a construction job. He died on the way to the hospital.

The fatal shooting drew immediate criticism from immigrants rights groups and some Democrats who called for an independent investigation and for all footage, communication and evidence to be preserved.

Video footage in several previous shootings has contradicted the accounts of federal officers. No immigration officers have been charged in those fatal encounters.

Man shot during vacation trip traffic stop

A fatal late-night traffic stop in Texas in March 2025 marked the earliest deadly shooting by federal officers during the nationwide immigration crackdown. It took almost a year for records in the fatal shooting of the 23-year-old U.S. citizen to be disclosed.

A Homeland Security Investigations team was conducting an immigration enforcement operation with local police when agents stopped Ruben Ray Martinez, who was on his way from San Antonio to South Padre Island. Family members said he had just turned 23 and was with his best friend on his way to celebrate.

DHS officials said Martinez was told to exit the vehicle, but he refused and instead “intentionally ran over” an agent. Another agent fired shots through the open driver’s window, striking Martinez, who died at a hospital. The HSI agent was treated for an undisclosed knee injury.

Martinez’s mother said she was contacted by investigators with the Texas Rangers who told her there was video that contradicted the account given by federal agents. Federal and state authorities have declined to comment on potential discrepancies.

Nurse shot during Minneapolis protest

A Border Patrol officer shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse, during a Jan. 24 protest against the Metro Surge immigration operation in Minneapolis.

Federal authorities immediately described Pretti, a U.S. citizen, as an armed agitator who was a threat to officers. But bystander video showed Pretti was on the ground and had been holding a cellphone during the interaction with officers.

The video showed an officer appearing to pull a gun from Pretti’s waistband and step away before the first shot was fired by another officer, followed by more shots. Pretti had a permit to possess a firearm.

State and local officials pushed back against the federal officials’ initial characterizations of Pretti, with Gov. Tim Walz calling the comments “despicable.”

Driver shot behind the wheel of an SUV

Renee Good, a U.S. citizen, was repeatedly shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis on Jan. 7. Videos show she was turning the wheels of her car away from an officer, Jonathan Ross, when he opened fire. Trump administration officials have repeatedly defended Ross, claiming his life was at risk from the moving vehicle.

Good’s death caused a firestorm across the country. The U.S. Justice Department said it wouldn’t share information on the shooting with state authorities.

State and local officials subsequently sued to try to stop the immigration sweeps. Protesters with whistles trailed officers who, in response, deployed tear gas and other chemical irritants.

Cook from Mexico shot during a traffic stop

ICE agents fatally shot Silverio Villegas González during a traffic stop Sept. 12 in suburban Chicago. Relatives said the 38-year-old line cook from Mexico had dropped off a child at daycare that morning.

At the time, DHS officials said agents were pursuing a man with a history of reckless driving who was in the country illegally. They alleged Villegas González evaded arrest and dragged an officer with his vehicle.

Homeland Security said the officer opened fire fearing for his life and was hospitalized with “serious injuries.” However, local police videos showed the agent walking around and dismissing his injuries as “nothing major.”

DHS has said the death remains under investigation.

Farmworker fell from greenhouse roof during ICE raid

Authorities were arresting dozens of farmworkers July 10 at Glass House Farms in Camarillo when Jaime Alanis fell from the roof of a greenhouse and broke his neck. The 57-year-old laborer from Mexico died at a hospital two days later.

Relatives said Alanis had spent a decade working at the farm. During the raid, Alanis called family to say he was hiding. Officials said he fell about 30 feet from the greenhouse roof.

Homeland Security said Alanis was never in custody and was not being chased by immigration authorities.

Man struck on California freeway after running from officers

A man fleeing from immigration officers outside a Home Depot store in Monrovia died after being hit by an SUV as he tried to cross a freeway on Aug. 14.

Monrovia police said ICE agents were conducting enforcement operations when the man was hit while running across the eastbound lanes of the 210 Freeway.

The man, identified by the National Day Laborer Organizing Network as Carlos Roberto Montoya Valdez, 52, of Guatemala, died at a hospital.

Homeland Security said Montoya Valdez wasn’t being pursued by immigration authorities when he ran.

Gardener from Honduras killed on Virginia interstate

A pickup truck fatally struck Josué Castro Rivera on a highway in Norfolk, Va., as he tried to escape authorities during a traffic stop on Oct. 23.

Castro Rivera, 24, of Honduras, was heading to a gardening job with three passengers when ICE officers pulled over the vehicle, according to his brother, Henry Castro.

State and federal authorities said Castro Rivera ran away on foot and was hit by a pickup truck on Interstate 264.

Homeland Security said Castro Rivera’s vehicle was stopped as part of a “targeted, intelligence-based” operation and that Castro Rivera had “resisted heavily and fled.”

Bynum and Lauer write for the Associated Press. Bynum reported from Savannah, Ga. Lauer reported from Philadelphia. AP reporters Ed White in Detroit; Sophia Tareen in Chicago; and Michael Biesecker in Washington contributed to this report.

Fery achieved his latest, most impressive win to date in a style at complete odds with the journey that had taken him there.

He dropped the opening set in his first two matches and then required match tie-breaks to overcome Zizou Bergs and Grigor Dimitrov in five-set thrillers.

Having twice been a set and a break down against Bergs in the third round – including going 4-1 down in the fifth set – he also had to take three medical timeouts after suffering a nosebleed.

Making his first appearance on Centre Court, he twice went a break down in a must-win fourth set against Dimitrov, before the 35-year-old Bulgarian’s own nerves appeared and Fery capitalised.

But, at two hours and 14 minutes, his match against Cobolli was his shortest of the tournament so far.

Fery has spent 16 hours and 20 minutes on court in total – his match against Bergs lasted four hours and 39 minutes alone – yet he showed no sign of fatigue against his Italian opponent.

Roared on throughout by a partisan crowd, Fery demonstrated unshakeable composure as he picked apart the below-par Cobolli, who lost June’s French Open final to Alexander Zverev in five sets and made the last eight at Wimbledon last year.

“What I’ve been so impressed with is Fery’s belief,” added former British number one Tim Henman.

“When you go out on Centre Court for the first time and you are a British player, you have the hopes and expectations of a lot of people on your shoulders.

“He has good tennis IQ, he is a phenomenal mover. The way he has handled the occasion is impeccable. When opportunities have been earned, he has taken them.

“For him to produce a performance like that against a Grand Slam finalist, given that the first two sets were so tight and such high quality, it was absolutely sensational.

“It will just go even further to enhance his inner belief that he can keep winning in this tournament.”

July 8 (UPI) — Cases of cyclosporiasis, an infection that causes “explosive” diarrhea, are on the rise in regions throughout the United States, health officials said Wednesday.

The intestinal illness, which is caused by the Cyclospora cayetanensis parasite, often surges through the summer, but this year has been marked by larger-than-usual spikes in some states.

Reported cases in Michigan are nearing 1,000 since June 22, a representative from the state’s Department of Health and Human Services told ABC News. The state usually has about 50 reported cases a year.

Authorities in Ohio, North Carolina, New York, Texas and Illinois are also dealing with more cases than usual. However, a spokesperson for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there is “no evidence of a single, multistate Cyclospora outbreak” right now. It can take weeks or more for local authorities to report confirmed cases to the CDC.

The parasite spreads through food or water contaminated by feces from an infected person, and person-to-person spread is unlikely. ABC News reports that the Michigan health department’s working hypothesis is that the outbreak is connected to contaminated produce.

Past outbreaks have been connected to fresh produce such as raspberries, salad greens, basil, cilantro and snow peas.

The illness is not usually life-threatening, but if not treated, it can last a few days to over a month, the CDC said. Multiple relapses are possible. The CDC also notes that the true number of those infected with Cyclospora is likely higher than reported.

In addition to the most well-known symptom of sudden, watery diarrhea, symptoms of cyclosporiasis include vomiting, nausea, severe stomach cramps, loss of appetite and fatigue. It can take up to two weeks after eating contaminated food for symptoms to show themselves.

To avoid cyclosporiasis, people should avoid food and water that may be contaminated.

They also should take basic food safety precautions, such as washing hands with soap and water before and after handling raw fruits or vegetables, thoroughly washing all fresh produce under running water before eating or preparing, cutting away any damaged areas on fresh produce and refrigerating prepared produce as soon as possible.

Caracas, July 8, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez held a meeting with a military and diplomatic delegation from Israel on Tuesday.

The talks represented the first official engagement between Caracas and Tel Aviv since former President Hugo Chávez severed diplomatic relations in 2009.

According to Venezuelan state media reports, Rodríguez alongside Public Works Vice President Juan José Ramírez and Transport Minister Francisco Garcés sat down with Israeli officials to discuss plans for the removal of over 1 million tons of rubble from La Guaira state in the wake of June 24’s double earthquake.

For its part, the IDF indicated that its engineering personnel delivered a “national rehabilitation” plan to the Venezuelan government. Photos published on social media showed Brigadier General Elad Edri, chief of staff of the IDF Home Front Command, presenting a slide show titled “Project for the Reconstruction of the Future” with Venezuelan and Israeli flags. 

The Israeli Foreign Ministry added that, at Rodríguez’s request, its delegation will stay in the Caribbean nation for two additional weeks to “begin implementing the reconstruction plan prepared by Israeli experts.”

Uniformed Israeli soldiers have toured multiple affected areas in Caracas and La Guaira, reportedly conducting inspections on damaged infrastructure. It has held multiple meetings with Venezuelan authorities, including a previous one with Ramírez in the Vicepresidency of Public Works. In a press conference last week, Rodríguez expressed her appreciation for the arrival of the “highly trained and professional” Israeli team.

It is not presently known whether the Israeli evaluations are being coordinated with similar assessments from specialized Venezuelan brigades.

“We are here primarily to assist in a natural disaster,” diplomat Yoed Magen said in a social media video. “Whenever we come to a country to advise or provide assistance, a relationship is formed and it can lead to a faster rapprochement.”

Former Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez cut ties with Tel Aviv in 2009, fiercely denouncing Operation Cast Lead as “genocide” and voicing solidarity with the Palestinian people.

President Nicolás Maduro maintained his predecessor’s position excoriating Israeli military occupation and war crimes in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as the June 2025 Twelve-Day War against Iran. The Maduro government publicly endorsed South Africa’s activation of the Genocide Convention against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2024.

The mission has drawn backlash from the Chavista grassroots.

“[Israel] is a rogue nation. Its rulers are committing a genocide against the native people of Palestine and now they supposedly help Venezuela rescue [earthquake] victims and rebuild La Guaira,” Hindu Anderi, spokesperson for the Platform of Solidarity with the Palestinian cause, wrote on social media.

Venezuelan officials have reported 3,685 people killed in the earthquake as of July 7, more than 16,000 injured, and over 15,000 displaced families. A total of 190 buildings have collapsed, with hundreds more suffering various levels of damage.

The Venezuelan government has radically shifted its foreign policy after the January 3 US military strikes and kidnapping of Maduro. Apart from reestablishing diplomatic relations with Washington, Caracas has distanced itself from historic allies. During the recent US-Israel war against Iran, Caracas did not express support for Tehran, instead offering public backing for US Gulf allies such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

The diplomatic rapprochement with the Trump administration has seen US forces hold military exercises in Caracas and conduct an extrajudicial execution in southeast Bolívar State.

Following the recent earthquakes, Washington expanded its footprint in the Caribbean nation, with 900 military personnel reportedly on the ground in Venezuela. After conducting repair works, US forces are currently running logistics and aid operations at La Guaira port and the Simón Bolívar International Airport.

Edited by Lucas Koerner in Caracas.

The Repair Shop expert was left fighting back tears after an emotional restoration on the BBC show.

The Repair Shop expert Will Kirk couldn’t hide his emotion as a guest left him feeling choked up.

The woodwork restorer, who has become a fan-favourite on the BBC programme, admitted he was ‘going to cry’ after an emotional restoration.

During Wednesday’s (July 8) episode of the BBC hit show, Will and expert shoe restorer Dean Westmoreland were joined by Barbara Dennison and granddaughter Giovanna.

The duo came into the workshop looking for the experts help to restore a pair of baby shoes holding precious memories of wartime heroism.

The shoes belonged to Barbara and her late father Norman William gave them to her. He was gifted the shoes in Holland in 1945, during the Second World War after saving a little girl.

During a heartfelt moment, Barbara explained: “He was going down the street in Holland and there was a little girl playing in the street. Some shooting started and he grabbed this little girl and jumped into a cellar.

“When the shooting finished, he took her back to her mum and dad. The family must have been really grateful because he saved her. They must have been talking and he told them that he had a little girl, then they brought him these little shoes.”

Pointing at the shoes, she added: “Shortly after that his jeep got blown up but they survived , which is a miracle in itself.”

Dean knew he had a huge task on his hand as he admitted that he was feeling “nervous”. While getting stuck into the restoration, he said: “They’re so delicate and so small that I’m a little bit nervous about handling them.

“Unfortunately, I can’t scale my hands down to get in and do all this fine micro-detail work. The lining on this one is actually, almost all of it has come away. The leather is quite stiff, it’s quite dry so I’m going to have to think about how to hydrate this leather.”

Despite the huge challenge ahead, Dean managed to restore the item and Barbara was left in tears after reuniting with her precious shoes.

Joining Dean and Will back in the workshop, Barbara was tearful as she said: “Oh that’s lovely. Look it’s all stitched on. Oh Dean, thank you.”

She continued: “You’ve done exactly what I wanted. Each crack is just a wonderful memory of my dad and all my kids.”

The moment left Will emotional as he turned to Barbara and Giovanna and admitted: “You’re going to make me cry.”

Barbara was grateful to Dean for all his hard work as she added: “I can’t thank you enough.”

You can catch up on The Repair Shop on BBC iPlayer.

WASHINGTON — President Trump flew home from a NATO summit in Turkey on an old baby blue Air Force One plane instead of the new Qatari-gifted and retrofitted red, white and navy blue jet he arrived in, a surprise swap that came as the U.S. and Iran once again began trading strikes.

Trump offered little clarity on the swap, instead saying he would fly on the legacy aircraft “for old time’s sake,” and indicating that both aircraft would make a previously unscheduled stop on the way back to the U.S. at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, a base used by U.S. troops.

The travel switch raised fresh security questions about the new aircraft that the U.S. spent $400 million to retrofit. Images of the Qatari-gifted jet captured since its unveiling show it is not equipped with some of the same missile detection and countermeasure systems as the older jets.

The swap was also announced less than a day after the U.S. military conducted a series of large strikes in Iran in retaliation for its attacks on merchant shipping in the region. Iran shares a border with Turkey.

Trump first announced in a social media post that the gleaming new plane he had proudly shown off a day earlier would instead visit the U.K. base on the way home so military members could “tour the Aircraft.” Trump said he instead would be flying home in an older plane previously used as Air Force One.

When asked later during a news conference if security concerns had played a role in the switch, Trump didn’t directly answer but said that when it came to Iran, he was “No. 1 on the list for killing.”

When another reporter followed up, Trump said he’d be “going home by normal methods” while the new plane would be shown off to troops.

When asked if the missing countermeasures systems played a role in the jet being swapped out, the U.S. Air Force directed questions to the White House.

“The new Air Force One is a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the President and his staff,” spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement. “As the President has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal— including distraction and misdirection— to address those threats.”

Trump departed Turkey aboard one of the older Boeing VC-25As that have carried presidents for three and a half decades. Consumer flight trackers were unable to monitor its transponder early in the flight after takeoff, suggesting it had been temporarily disabled by the crew — a security measure used when ferrying the president to and from high-risk environments like war zones, not a major NATO ally hosting a long-scheduled summit.

Other world leaders’ flights departed with trackable transponders, including those from Germany and the U.K.

The luxurious Boeing 747-800 gifted by Qatar, that was modified to carry Trump, departed earlier Wednesday from Turkey and landed at RAF Mildenhall on Wednesday afternoon, flight trackers showed.

Iran has several missiles and drones in its inventory with enough range to make the roughly 800-mile flight from its own borders to Turkey, including some of its Shahed drones and Shahab ballistic missiles.

However, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Iran does not possess weaponry that would be capable of effectively striking England at a range of roughly 2,500 miles.

The U.S. Air Force, which oversees the running of the fleet of aircraft used by every president, had previously said that they had to prioritize making only some of the necessary upgrades and changes in order to deliver the Qatari jet — also known as the “bridge” aircraft — into service.

The Air Force argued that the rapid conversion of the jet was done “without accepting any risk regarding security, safety, or secure communications,” but did concede that “several highly complex engineering modifications required for the final (Air Force One aircraft) were intentionally excluded from the Bridge aircraft.”

Jeremiah Gertler, a senior analyst for Teal Group, an aviation and defense consulting firm, previously told The Associated Press that the absence of countermeasure systems, as well as a seemingly smaller number of communications antennas, suggested that the Qatari jet was better suited to only work as a domestic aircraft.

Trump’s first flight on the new Qatari jet was to North Dakota last week.

The original Air Force One planes were built from scratch near the end of the Cold War and they were hardened against the effects of a nuclear blast and included a range of security features, such as anti-missile countermeasures and an onboard operating room.

The jets are also equipped with air-to-air refueling capabilities for contingencies, though it has never been utilized with a president on board.

The pair of Boeing jets that are currently being modified to act as the permanent upgrades to the Air Force One jets have been delayed, and are expected to be delivered in 2028.

Price and Toropin write for the Associated Press. AP writer Zeke Miller contributed to this report.

Manchester United are in a quandary over Marcus Rashford’s future, Arsenal and Tottenham eye Antonio Nusa, Barcelona shortlist Bournemouth‘s Eli Junior Kroupi.

Manchester United will aim to arrange a transfer for their England forward Marcus Rashford, 28 before their pre-season training camp in Dublin in August. (Sun), external

But plans are also in place, though, to reintegrate Rashford into Manchester United‘s squad under Michael Carrick. (Guardian), external

Arsenal and Tottenham are among five Premier League sides eyeing a move for RB Leipzig and Norway winger Antonio Nusa, 21. (Teamtalk), external

Barcelona have shortlisted Bournemouth‘s French striker Eli Junior Kroupi, 20, but could face competition from Paris St-Germain, Arsenal and Tottenham. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external

Juventus want Aston Villa to lower their demand for a 10m euros (£8.5m) fee for Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, 33, having already agreed personal terms. (La Gazzetta dello Sport – in Italian), external

Barcelona are competing with a host of Premier League clubs, including Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United, for highly rated Colorado Rapids and Australia defender Lucas Herrington, 18. (Teamtalk), external

Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool are all chasing 18-year-old Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who is starring in the World Cup for Morocco. (Football Insider), external

Chelsea will consider Juventus and Serbia striker Dusan Vlahovic, 26, if they choose to reshape their striking department this summer. (CaughtOffside), external

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho is considering Arsenal and Italy’s Riccardo Calafiori, 24, his Gunners team-mate, Chilean Piero Hincapie, 24, and Manchester City and Portugal’s Ruben Dias, 29, as he looks to add physicality to his side’s defence. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external

Former Liverpool and Brazil midfielder Fabinho, 32, says he is interested in reuniting with Mourinho at Real Madrid after leaving Al-Ittihad. (Talksport), external

Sporting are set to sign Chelsea‘s Jesse Derry, 19, on a season-long loan with the winger due in Lisbon for a medical. (Sky Sports), external

July 8 (UPI) — New York City officials believe they have stabilized a high-rise apartment building Wednesday in Midtown Manhattan after it began to buckle a day earlier.

Construction workers have added temporary support to the structure to prevent it from collapsing. However, the building, and three more in the area, remain under evacuation orders.

Construction crews continue to work on the high-rise structure Wednesday. It is a former office building that served as the headquarters for Pfizer and is being converted into luxury apartments.

The 37-floor building was evacuated Tuesday when construction workers noticed signs that it may collapse, such as multiple floors caving in and bricks falling from its facade.

At least two support columns in the building were observed to be buckling Tuesday, causing upper floors to sag. No injuries were reported.

“I can say right now the building is stable,” said Ahmed Tigani, New York City building commissioner. “We feel confident in the emergency plan we have now.”

The area of East 42nd and 43rd streets between Second and Third avenues remain closed to traffic.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said city officials continue to “prioritize the safety of all that immediate area.” He added that the situation will be investigated.

Mamdani said work Wednesday focused on installing shoring and support beams on the 17th through 24th floors.

“They’re going to be working through the day to get all the way up to the roof and all the way down to floor nine,” Mamdani said.

The order comes three years after a jury found out Trump has sexually abused and defamed the writer.

A federal judge has ruled that writer E Jean Carroll can collect the more than $5.8m that US President Donald Trump was ordered to pay after a jury found he sexually abused and defamed her, clearing the way for the money to be released after the US Supreme Court declined to hear his appeal.

Judge Lewis A Kaplan ruled on Wednesday that Carroll can be paid the original $5m award granted to her by the jury, along with interest that has accrued since the verdict in 2023. Carroll’s lawyers had asked for the funds to be released after the Supreme Court refused on June 29 to hear Trump’s appeal.

“This is the end of the line,” Carroll’s lawyer Roberta Kaplan wrote in a court filing, adding, “It is time for him to pay Carroll.”

Less than an hour after the judge issued the order, Trump appealed it.

“The American People stand with President Trump as they demand an immediate end to all of the Witch Hunts, including the Democrat-funded travesty of the Carroll Hoaxes,” a spokesperson for Trump’s lawyers said in a statement.

Carroll first accused Trump in 2019, writing in a memoir that he had sexually assaulted her in a dressing room at the Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan in 1996. Trump denied the allegation, saying he had never met Carroll, accusing her of lying to sell books and for political reasons, and calling the claim a “hoax.”

Carroll sued him for defamation over those comments later that year, accusing him of damaging her reputation by suggesting she had lied for personal gain. She filed a second lawsuit in 2022, accusing Trump of battery/sexual abuse and defamation over another denial he posted on Truth Social in 2022, again calling the allegation a hoax.

In 2023, a jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll and for defaming her through his 2022 statements. It did not determine that Trump was liable for rape.

A second jury awarded her $83.3m in 2024 for the defamatory statements Trump made in 2019 when he was president, after she first went public with the allegation.

Trump has continued to fight both verdicts.

After the Supreme Court declined to hear his appeal, He called the lawsuit “a Fake Case” and pledged to continue fighting what he described as a “Weaponisation and Lawfare Case.”

On Wednesday, Trump’s lawyers filed a petition asking the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision not to hear the appeal. They argued that Trump would suffer “irreparable harm” if the money is paid out, because Carroll has said she intends to donate it, which would make it difficult to recover the funds if the verdict is later overturned.

Trump is also still appealing the $83.3m judgment, arguing his 2019 comments were made while he was president and are therefore protected by presidential immunity. The Department of Justice has also launched a criminal investigation into Carroll over whether she committed perjury during her testimony.

Rhea Seehorn was nervous about whether “Pluribus” would be recognized by Emmy voters Wednesday when nominations were announced. So she was jubilant when she and the surreal sci-series on Apple TV scored 18 nominations, the most for a first-year drama.

“I’m just so grateful,” the actor said in a phone interview. “People were like, ‘Why were you nervous?’ Honestly, you never actually know. I’m just so thrilled for the show, my co-stars, the production design, the editing, the writing, the music, the sound. I haven’t moved from my couch since they first announced everything because I’m still trying to call everybody on the show.”

Seehorn received a nomination for lead actress in a drama series for her portrayal of cynical Carol Sturka, a fantasy romance author who finds herself in a mystifying situation after a virus seems to have wiped out most of Earth’s population. The series was created by Vince Gilligan, who created the acclaimed series “Breaking Bad” and co-created its spinoff “Better Call Saul,” which also featured Seehorn.

The actor compared her experience of being nominated for “Pluribus” to “Better Call Saul,” which earned her two supporting actress nominations: “ ‘Better Call Saul’ was such a family that supported and cheered each other on, and I’m so grateful I have that environment again. People could not be happier for each other, and we get to celebrate the show together.”

She added, “The only part that feels different is that it’s my first nomination as a lead. It’s the process of Vince writing this for me and seeing the mountain which he wanted me to climb and going through that process. The whole thing has been its own journey, so ending up with awards and nominations, and being so well received by critics and fans is not lost on me.”

The series has been applauded for its mix of drama, comedy and strangeness in its portrait of a woman coming to terms to what seems like an impossible dilemma.

“I love the storytelling, how much Vince and I would drill down on making this as authentic as we could in terms of an everyman who has to deal with an insane situation,” Seehorn said. “Most of us are just not heroic or leaping off the couch to go save the world. And Carol is dealing with immense grief and confusion in an utter dystopian crisis. I love the humor and the drama that comes out of us being as realistic as we can with her amidst an unrealistic event.”

Fans of “Pluribus” have been relentlessly curious since the finale in December about when the second season will launch.

“I don’t know anything about that,” Seehorn said. “I don’t have to keep secrets because I’m not great at keeping them, and I know nothing. I don’t know what I’m doing with an atom bomb in the driveway. I can’t wait to find out. The writers want to have the same quality and reward the intelligence of the fans and never phone a single thing in. So their process is their process.”

Photo: Juan Barreto / AFP

In 1999, Hugo Chávez coined the ‘civic-military union’ as a founding concept for the Bolivarian Revolution. At its core, he sought to blur the line between soldier and militant: the armed forces would no longer be subordinate to the civilian authorities, but become active political actors, essential not only to build and sustain the Bolivarian project, but to merge with the rest of society in conducting the nation. The old fuerzas armadas, FFAA, formed by the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and the National Guard, were transformed into a single Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana, FANB. Soldiers were granted the right to vote. Officers flooded the bureaucracy and started to give orders to civilians. They were, in practice, sworn to a movement rather than a constitution.   

In its later years, chavismo stretched the phrase to unión cívico-militar-popular, supposedly integrating the whole of el pueblo into the martial body of the revolution. In 2008, Chávez created the Bolivarian Militia to provide military training to millions of civilians, and turned it into a branch of the armed forces in 2020, when it started to operate more as a propaganda and clientelism resource rather than a defensive corps. 

How, then, were Venezuela’s armed forces made “useful”?

A government and an armed forces that claim to be in union with its people were caught outside of the massive, spontaneous popular mobilization Venezuelans pulled off…

In the Maduro years, soldiers guarded the ration lines of CLAP boxes and the gasoline pumps of the country with the largest oil reserves in the world. Others were stationed in the southeast of the country to run the Orinoco Mining Arc, formally assigned to FANB, in tandem with non-state armed groups—some pocketing up to $800,000 a month in gold as bribes. The luckier or best-positioned of the bunch got handed high-ranking positions in public companies and ministries. The “popular” leg, then, was never el pueblo but its keepers, united to protect the Bolivarian Revolution and themselves over their fellow countrymen.

In the morning of June 24th, the Financial Times revealed that Caracas would acknowledge a debt of roughly 240 billion dollars and prepare for the largest restructuring on record. Hours later, two M7.2 and M7.5 earthquakes changed the landscape of the country. As the news broke, Venezuelan civilians quickly organized to save relatives, friends, and strangers. For the first forty-eight hours, a somewhat coordinated response from FANB was nowhere to be seen, even after Delcy Rodríguez said a joint staff led by a National Guard general was managing the emergency response. It was as if Venezuela didn’t have soldiers.

What the State guarded most jealously was not the living, but keeping the credit. A government and an armed forces that claim to be in union with its people were caught outside of the massive, spontaneous popular mobilization Venezuelans pulled off after the earthquake. When civilians pulled strangers from the rubble with their bare hands without waiting for an order, they proved that el pueblo is perfectly capable of being a body on its own, and most notably, that the State is not the vital organ that Chávez envisioned, but a dead weight.

So the aid had to be captured, rerouted, or rebranded. On June 27, Delcy Rodríguez ordered the militarization of roads and access points to devastated areas like La Guaira, slowing down the flow of ordinary citizens delivering supplies for survivors and machinery for those trying to find more of them. Just a day after the quake, opposition party Vente Venezuela reported that police had stopped a truck of supplies in Altamira and would let it move only if the cargo were transferred into the officials’ own vehicles, and the UCV student movement denounced that seven trucks of supplies en route from Bolívar to Caracas were seized by state agents before they could arrive.

“When you are [repressing] on the Francisco Fajardo highway, you are badasses. Show me you’re a badass here, then. Show me with a pickaxe and shovel.”

Organizers from a donation center at Escuela Francisco Pimentel were informed that CONAS, a joint unit of police commandos and National Guards, would be taking over the site and its supplies. Would they have done the same if a PSUV banner hung next to the supplies? A video shows the truck carrying the donations away belongs to SENIAT, the tax authority commanded by Diosdado Cabello’s brother for 18 years until yesterday. Even digital efforts were policed: a network matching volunteer interpreters to foreign rescue teams shut down and wiped its database after participants were allegedly harassed by DGCIM and SEBIN officers.

When the authorities did appear where they could help, soldiers and policemen scrolled on their phones, posed in front of the rubble and left before their uniforms got dirty. They were the last responders. Why so late, then so heavy? Incompetence covers part of it, but watch what the greens reached for in the most critical moments of this crisis and the reason why the ‘union’ has propped up chavismo for decades becomes clearer. 

DGCIM agents diverted an active rescue to recover an official’s rifles from a penthouse while people were still alive below. Neighbors stopped four CICPC policemen in Catia La Mar from trying to take cash found in the rubble, tearing the bills apart so they couldn’t. Chilean rescuer Francisco Lermanda says a soldier seized a colleague’s phone over suspicions of espionage after the crew videocalled their doctors to guide a rescue. At the Residencia Gradisca in La Guaira, where Mexican Topos had marked three points with signs of life, a Corpoelec crew sealed the site on a general’s order because a body, “por orden de arriba”, had to be recovered first. Our ‘protectors’ were filmed carrying off televisions and refrigerators, drinking the liquor they had found, lying on piles of donated clothes while giggling away.

When push came to shove, the union was not incompetent to protect the regime’s weapons, the regime’s secrets, the regime’s chain of command. The FANB did not forget how to save people during the earthquake. It never learned because saving people was not supposed to be part of the job. Faced with people to rescue instead of people to subdue, they stood guard over the dying. A man looking for his family among the collapsed buildings of Tanaguarena dared soldiers to be as brave as when they face dissidence: “When you are [repressing] on the Francisco Fajardo highway, you are badasses. Show me you’re a badass here, then. Show me with a pickaxe and shovel.”