Traitors, agents of foreign powers, and hitmen with superior electronics and sophisticated weapons interfere with communications, murder dozens of our compatriots, kidnap the elected president, defame him, and prepare for the transition by dividing up the country behind closed doors. The spoils are not bad at all: the largest fossil fuel reserves on the planet, stolen without asking the opinion of their owner, the sovereign [Venezuelan] people.

A human avalanche interrupts the looting and reinstates the legitimate authorities. They brandish their secret weapon before the cameras: a little blue book called the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. We are, of course, talking about April, 2002. That Fundamental Law is still in force. Let us consult it.

The question arises of whether a foreign leader, who does not even speak our language, can dictate policy to Venezuela and its authorities. In this regard, the Constitution states: “Article 1. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is irrevocably free and independent and founds its moral patrimony and values of liberty, equality, justice, and international peace on the doctrine of Simón Bolívar, the Liberator. Independence, liberty, sovereignty, immunity, territorial integrity, and national self-determination are inalienable rights of the Nation. Article 5. Sovereignty resides inalienably in the people, who exercise it directly in the manner provided for in this Constitution and in the law, and indirectly, through suffrage, through the organs that exercise public power. State organs emanate from popular sovereignty and are subject to it.”

The Constitution clarifies who owns the mineral wealth that a certain foreign leader considers we have “stolen” and which he will “take charge of” until he sees fit: “Article 12. Mining and hydrocarbon deposits, whatever their nature, existing in the national territory, under the territorial sea bed, in the exclusive economic zone, and on the continental shelf, belong to the Republic, are public property, and are therefore inalienable and imprescriptible. The sea coasts are public property.”

Let us ask ourselves whether the murder, without prior declaration of war, of nearly a hundred defenseless fishermen and another hundred of our brothers and sisters is sufficient grounds for the people or authorities to collaborate with the invaders in the destruction of the Republic. In this regard, our Constitution states: “Article 25. Any act carried out in the exercise of public power that violates or undermines the rights guaranteed by this Constitution and the law is null and void, and the public officials who order or execute it incur criminal, civil, and administrative liability, as the case may be, without the excuse of receiving orders from superiors.”

The foreign leader who ordered this series of mass murders declares that Venezuelan oil “belongs to him” and that he will “take charge of it,” as if the kidnapping of an official made him the owner of assets that belong only to the Republic, that is, to the Venezuelan people. In this regard, our Constitution states: “Article 156. The National Public Power has jurisdiction over: 16. The regime and administration of mines and hydrocarbons, the regime of uncultivated lands, and the conservation, promotion, and use of the country’s forests, soils, waters, and other natural resources. The National Executive may not grant mining concessions for an indefinite period (…)“. And for further clarification: ”Article 302. The State reserves, through the respective organic law and for reasons of national convenience, oil activity and other industries, exploitations, services, and assets of public interest and strategic nature. (…)”.

If foreign leaders and capitalists plunder such assets for their own personal gain, the social, economic, educational, welfare, and cultural rights of all Venezuelans recognized by the Constitution will be rendered inapplicable due to a lack of resources.

Does the bombing, massacre, and invasion of our territory grant the criminal the authority to impose measures contrary to our laws and the Constitution? In this regard, the Fundamental Law states: “Article 138. Any usurped authority is ineffective and its acts are null and void.”

Should we tolerate such usurpation? Our inviolable Fundamental Law answers us: “Article 130. Venezuelans have the duty to honor and defend their homeland, its symbols, and cultural values, and to safeguard and protect the sovereignty, nationality, territorial integrity, self-determination, and interests of the Nation. (…) Article 333. This Constitution shall not lose its validity if it ceases to be observed by an act of force or because it is repealed by any means other than those provided for therein. In such an event, every citizen, whether vested with authority or not, shall have the duty to assist in restoring its effective validity.”

We have been victims of an aggressive war. Until a peace treaty is signed, no diplomatic relations will be established, nor can any agreements of any kind be made with the aggressor.

[…] 

The only legal effect of the reprehensible and repudiated invasion, apart from the destruction of lives and property, is the illegitimate kidnapping of the Head of State, the massacre of more than two hundred compatriots, and the civil and criminal liability resulting from such crimes. Crime does not engender rights, only punishment.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Venezuelanalysis editorial staff.

Translated and slightly abridged by Venezuelanalysis.

Source: Rebelión

DJ Fat Tony, who played at Brooklyn Beckham’s wedding, is set to give a tell-all interview on This Morning about the now infamous ‘inappropriate’ dancing drama

The Beckhams face further embarrassment in the next 24 hours, with the DJ from Brooklyn Beckham’s wedding preparing to appear on This Morning on Friday/tomorrow to explain exactly what he saw.

DJ Fat Tony has already mocked Victoria Beckham this week on social media following Brooklyn’s bombshell statement about his family and her . And now to add insult to injury, he has been invited onto the This Morning sofa, where hosts Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond are expected to get more details about the wedding and what really happened.

An ITV source said: “We have lined up DJ Fat Tony for Friday’s show and are hoping it will be an interview filled with bombshells after an extraordinary week. He can offer huge insight into what happened and may well add further evidence to what Brooklyn has said or provide a more independent version of events.

“It is brave of him to go on and speak out as most people are steering clear but it will be fascinating and he is not normally one to hold back. Whatever he says is only going to keep this story going so the Beckhams may not want to tune in – but millions of others will be discussing what he says on ITV afterwards.”

Brooklyn’s statement on Monday, which made it clear he had no interest in reconciling with his family, also criticised his mum. The 26-year-old alleged one of the reasons they fell out was because his mother “hijacked” his first dance with his bride Nicola, 31, at their 2022 wedding.

He wrote: “My mum hijacked my first dance with my wife, which had been planned weeks in advance to a romantic love song. In front of our 500 wedding guests, Marc Anthony called me to the stage, where in the schedule was planned to be my romantic dance with my wife but instead my mum was waiting to dance with me instead. She danced very inappropriately on me in front of everyone.

“I’ve never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated in my entire life. We wanted to renew our vows so we could create new memories of our wedding day that bring us joy and happiness, not anxiety and embarrassment.”

Wedding guest, Stavros Agapiou, the husband of DJ Fat Tony, seemingly confirmed Brooklyn’s version of events. On social media he wrote: “I was there, and she did; he’s telling the truth.” He then deleted the comment and said: “Good on him for finally speaking out!”

Fat Tony, who played tunes at Brooklyn’s wedding, then backed his husband’s version of events, sharing a clip from hit BBC sitcom Motherland, of Amanda Hughes (Lucy Punch) performs an OTT dance for parents at a school event which he compared to Victoria. The DJ then added: “Actual video footage, it’s true I was there!”

Brooklyn and Nicola have been hiding out in Malibu since he posted his statement on Monday but they broke cover today to spend time on the beach.

They were seen holding hands and hugging and sources close to them say they have “no regrets” over his decision to post his strongly worded message, which has made headlines around the world.

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NEW YORK — President Trump sued banking giant JPMorgan Chase and its CEO, Jamie Dimon, for $5 billion on Thursday over allegations that JPMorgan debanked him and his businesses for political reasons after he left office in January 2021.

The lawsuit, filed in Miami-Dade County court in Florida, alleges that JPMorgan abruptly closed multiple accounts in February 2021 with just 60 days’ notice and no explanation. By doing so, Trump claims JPMorgan and Dimon cut off the president and his businesses from millions of dollars, disrupted their operations and forced Trump and the businesses to urgently open bank accounts elsewhere.

“JPMC debanked [Trump and his businesses] because it believed that the political tide at the moment favored doing so,” the lawsuit alleges.

Debanking occurs when a bank closes the accounts of a customer or refuses to do business with a customer in the form of loans or other services. Once a relatively obscure issue in finance, debanking has become a politically charged issue in recent years, with conservative politicians arguing that banks have discriminated against them and their affiliated interests.

Debanking first became a national issue when conservatives accused the Obama administration of pressuring banks to stop extending services to gun stores and payday lenders under “Operation Choke Point.”

Trump and other conservative figures have alleged that banks cut them off from their accounts under the umbrella term of “reputational risk” after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Since Trump came back into office, the president’s banking regulators have moved to stop any banks from using “reputational risk” as a reason for denying service to customers.

“JPMC’s conduct … is a key indicator of a systemic, subversive industry practice that aims to coerce the public to shift and re-align their political views,” Trumps lawyers wrote in the lawsuit.

Trump accuses the bank of trade libel and accuses Dimon himself of violating Florida’s Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

In a statement, JPMorgan said that it “regrets” that Trump sued the bank but insisted it did not close the accounts for political reasons.

“We believe the suit has no merit,” a bank spokesperson said. “JPMC does not close accounts for political or religious reasons. We do close accounts because they create legal or regulatory risk for the company.”

Joe Sterling, one of the best three-point shooters in the country, tried to put up a three-point attempt from long range at the outset of the third quarter on Wednesday night at Sierra Canyon. He must have forgotten who was guarding him, because Brandon McCoy came flying like Superman to block the shot, then took the deflected ball, dribbled and delivered an uncontested dunk.

“I knew he was going to shoot it,” McCoy said.

McCoy’s athleticism was on display all night as No. 1-ranked Sierra Canyon put itself in position to be the No. 1 seed for next week’s Mission League tournament with a 55-47 home victory over Harvard-Westlake.

McCoy finished with 20 points, including back-to-back threes in the second quarter when he helped Sierra Canyon (19-1, 5-0) wipe away an early deficit. He had zero points in the first quarter and 20 points the rest of the way.

“I wanted him to be more aggressive,” Sierra Canyon coach Andre Chevalier said. “He went into attack mode.”

Not only was McCoy contributing on offense, but his defense helped the Trailblazers hold Harvard-Westlake’s leading scorer, Sterling, to a season-low five points. He made one of eight shots and got into foul trouble.

“The fact he’s playing defense at a high level is amazing,” Chevalier said. “That’s what college coaches are looking for.”

Sierra Canyon also received a strong performance from 6-foot-8 Brannon Martinsen, who had 16 points. “I found my role,” he said. “It was figuring out how to complement guys as good as me.”

Pierce Thompson led No. 3 Harvard-Westlake (21-3, 4-1) with 14 points. The Wolverines struggled against Sierra Canyon’s half-court trap and didn’t have enough offensive contributors with Sterling taken out of the game by the Trailblazers’ defense.

“They’re good,” Harvard-Westlake coach David Rebibo said. “I don’t think they’re invincible. They’re deep and versatile. That’s what makes them so dangerous.”

The Mission League will hold a tournament beginning Jan. 29. The first two teams in the regular-season standings are guaranteed Southern Section playoff berths. Harvard-Westlake closes with tough matchups against Sherman Oaks Notre Dame on Saturday and St. Francis at home next week. Sierra Canyon has a home game against Crespi and a road game against Chaminade.

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 68, Crespi 56: NaVorro Bowman scored 33 points for the Knights.

Loyola 104, Bishop Alemany 70: Deuce Newt had 50 points and made 10 threes for Loyola. Austin Acy, a freshman, had 40 points for Alemany.

St. Francis 66, Chaminade 56: Cherif Millogo had 20 points and Luke Paulus 17 for St. Francis.

Santa Margarita 102, Servite 69: Drew Anderson finished with 35 points and 10 rebounds for the Eagles.

St. John Bosco 56, JSerra 50: Christian Collins scored 30 points and Max Ellis and Tariq Iscandari had key threes to stay unbeaten in the Trinity League.

Mater Dei 81, Orange Lutheran 79: Zain Majeed scored with 1.5 seconds left for Mater Dei. Luke Barnett had 23 points and became Mater Dei’s career three-point leader with 373 moving past Taylor King.

Corona del Mar 76, Los Alamitos 54: Ryan Mansouri scored 23 points for 23-1 Corona del Mar.

Cleveland 56, Chatsworth 55: Aaron Krueger led Chatsworth with 17 points.

Birmingham 74, Granada Hills 53: Tekeio Phillips had 16 points and Christian Graham 15 to help the Patriots set up a showdown with Cleveland on Friday to decide first place in the West Valley League.

El Camino Real 44, Taft 43: The Royals made a three at the end to win.

Narbonne 63, San Pedro 62: Branden Key had 24 points to help Narbonne pull off the Marine League upset.

Jan. 22 (UPI) — President Donald Trump held a signing ceremony for his new Board of Peace at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, calling it one of the “most consequential bodies” ever created.

“As everyone can see today, the first steps toward a brighter day for the Middle East and a much safer future for the world are unfolding right before your very eyes,” Trump said. “Together we are in a position to have an incredible chance — I don’t even call it a chance, I think it’s going to happen — to end decades of suffering, stop generations of hatred and bloodshed and forge a beautiful, ever-lasting and glorious peace for that region.”

About 25 countries have accepted his invitation to join the board, but some of the United States’ closest allies have rejected it.

Some countries have asked whether an alternative to the United Nations is necessary.

Trump sent invitations over the weekend to more than 50 leaders around the world, U.S. officials have said. A White House official told ABC News that more than 30 countries are expected to join.

“I think the Board of Peace will be the most prestigious board ever, and it’s going to get a lot of work done that the United Nations should have done,” Trump said Wednesday. “And we’ll work with the United Nations. But the Board of Peace is going to be special. We’re going to have peace.”

Trump was asked by a reporter on Tuesday if the body would replace the United Nations, and Trump responded, “It might.”

France, Norway, Denmark, Slovenia and Sweden, have declined or expressed reservations about the board. Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy are noncommittal. There were 19 countries with him in Davos, but Hungary and Bulgaria were the only European countries by his side.

“Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do, and we’ll do it in conjunction with the United Nations,” Trump said. “You know, I’ve always said the United Nations has got tremendous potential, has not used it, but there’s tremendous potential in the United Nations.”

On Jan. 7, Trump announced he would withdraw the United States from 66 international organizations, conventions and treaties deemed “contrary to the interests of the United States,” and many of them were United Nations-related agencies that focus on climate, labor, migration and other issues the administration has claimed were catering to diversity.

The initial scope of the board was to focus on peace in the Middle East, but the administration has since signaled it will have wider impact.

The White House’s list of members of the Board of Peace includes Belgium, but Maxime Prevot, deputy prime minister of Belgium, said on X Thursday that it wasn’t true.

“Belgium has NOT signed the Charter of the Board of Peace. This announcement is incorrect,” his post said. “We wish for a common and coordinated European response. As many European countries, we have reservations to the proposal.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have been invited.

“Russia is our enemy. Belarus is their ally,” The Washington Post reported Zelensky said Tuesday. “It is very difficult for me to imagine how we and Russia can be together in this or that council.” Poland has expressed similar concerns.

Sunday services were halted in the South Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo over extensive looting by fighters from the M23/AFC group. On Jan. 18, violence erupted in the Uvira town, forcing churches to shut down and disrupting the sanity of locals.

The rebels invaded several buildings across various quarters of Uvira, making off with valuables, including household belongings and shop stocks. As the looting unfolded, the rebels and their supporters fired shots into the air, instilling an atmosphere of fear and panic among the residents. 

The Catholic churches in the town suspended mass services for the day, while other denominations urged their congregations to stay home for their safety. Administrative buildings also fell victim to the chaos, with office furniture and valuables, including important documents and archives, being looted, according to local sources.

“Right now, it is difficult to know who is in control on the ground in Uvira. Youths claiming to be Wazalendo were seen in some quarters of the town, while other youths identified with M23/AFC rebels were also seen in other quarters of Uvira. While the various armed groups have been spoiling the town, the DR Congo national army, FARDC, is nowhere to be found,” a civil society activist in the area told HumAngle.

These incidents came on the heels of the recent departure of some of the M23/AFC combatants from Uvira, where around 200 heavily armed men wearing military helmets were seen leaving the town on foot, while others were in trucks. The M23 group said those sighted included members of its observation and monitoring unit, stating that this departure signified the final phase of their withdrawal from Uvira. They further declared that they would no longer assume responsibility for the town and its inhabitants’ security.

In response to a request from the United States, the mediators in the conflict, the rebel group, claimed it had decided to withdraw its foot soldiers from Uvira in December 2025 to allow peace to reign. Bertrand Bisimwa, head of the M23’s political wing, said the movement of forces from the town was imminent.

“We call upon the civilian population to remain calm,” he said, adding that the group called on mediators and other partners to ensure the town was “protected from violence, retaliation, and re-militarisation”.

The Malone family from Gogglebox have been sharing snaps with their fans as they show off their rarely seen son.

Gogglebox enthusiasts have been given an unusual peek into the Malone family’s life through a heartwarming post about their son.

The family became part of the beloved Channel 4 show in 2014, with dad Tom, mum Julie, and their sons Shaun and Tom Jr taking centre stage. Their daughter, Vanessa, has also made several appearances throughout the years.

Since joining Gogglebox, the household – complete with their beloved pack of Rottweilers – has captured viewers’ hearts with their hilarious observations, reliably bringing entertainment to living rooms across the nation.

Whilst Tom Jnr left in 2021, the rest of the family has continued gracing their iconic sofa, appearing in the programme’s 26th series, which launched in September 2025. Yet many fans might not realise the couple have another son named Lee, reports OK!.

On Wednesday (January 21), Tom and Julie posted two photographs of Lee on Instagram after he completed a demanding sporting challenge.

One image shows Lee standing shirtless with his mate before the results board, whilst another features him alongside his partner and their two youngsters.

The couple wrote: “Well done to our son Lee and his friend Craig! Great time, lads, at 01.02.33 love that Sarah, Grayson and Caelan went to cheer Daddy on!”

Supporters quickly flooded the comments with congratulatory messages for Lee, with one fan writing: “Fantastic,” whilst another responded: “Wow.”

Meanwhile, Tom and Julie have recently welcomed a fresh addition to their household after unveiling their new pooch in a Gogglebox episode that broadcast on New Year’s Day.

Having graced the programme for 11 years, the Malone clan, based in Manchester, were regularly spotted enjoying their television viewing accompanied by their beloved Rottweiler companions.

This hasn’t prevented the Malones from opening their doors to a creature requiring care, with the family revealing they’ve taken in another canine.

During the episode, which featured Tom and Julie’s son, Shaun, and their granddaughter, Saoirse, the household introduced their latest rescue puppy.

Tom enquired of Saoirse: “Who have we got here?” whilst their fresh four-legged friend bounded into the room to frolic with the youngster.

Disclosing the newest family member’s moniker, Tom questioned his grandchild: “Buddy! Is he your new doggie? Have you rescued him from the pound?” to which Saoirse responded, “Yeah,” as the pup carried on playing.

Tom jested: “We got this again have we? We got another nutcase in the house, haven’t we? All right buddy are you the nutcase of the house now?!”

Gogglebox is available to stream on Channel 4.com

**For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website**

In the wake of the fatal shooting of a Minnesota mother by an immigration agent this month, House Democrats have filed articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

These lawmakers are on the right track, but they need not have waited so long. Throughout her year at the Department of Homeland Security, Noem has shown disregard for judicial and congressional authority, and she has misled the American people. Her leadership is endangering the country. She should be removed from office before she can do more of the same and worse.

As secretary, Noem has displayed a troubling pattern of unethical behavior. Her infamous photo op last March, posing in front of detainees in El Salvador’s CECOT prison, was not just grotesque; it may have violated Geneva Convention provisions against the public exploitation of prisoners.

In October, Noem ordered a video blaming Democrats for the government shutdown to be played at airports nationwide. This was in direct conflict with the Hatch Act, which restricts federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity.

In November, the nonprofit newsroom ProPublica reported that a company tied to Noem got money from $220-million Homeland Security ad contracts in a secret, no-bid process.

None of these instances reflect sound judgment by the person charged with keeping our country safe.

Noem does not seem to respect the judicial branch. She defied a federal judge by not turning around deportation flights to El Salvador last March. Her agents in Chicago have used chemical sprays on protesters multiple times despite a court order forbidding them from doing so. Speaking on “Meet the Press” in November, Noem said, “We’ll continue to do the right thing, continue to work and protect Americans, no matter what radical judge comes out and tries to stop us.” These actions, coupled with her own words, reveal an unacceptable disdain for our constitutional system of checks and balances.

Under Noem, officials from the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have flouted congressional authority. Members of Congress have for months been denied their lawful right to inspect detention facilities in Minnesota, New Jersey, Florida and California. Such oversight is critical to protecting the well-being of detainees, especially because the department gutted its own watchdog agencies.

Noem has also made false or misleading statements to Congress, the press and the public. She made so many derogatory remarks about Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man deported by mistake to El Salvador, that a federal judge rebuked her for inflammatory comments. Noem has often declared that ICE does not detain or deport U.S. citizens, even though it does. ProPublica has, in fact, documented more than 170 cases of Americans detained by immigration agents. And although Noem likes to repeat that ICE agents are going after “the worst of the worst,” internal agency data show that they have arrested nearly 75,000 people with no criminal records.

When summoned before a congressional committee in December, Noem struck a defiant tone. “I will consider your asking me to resign as an endorsement of my work,” she told one lawmaker. However, this was before the killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis. Now the public appears to have lost confidence in Noem, whose job approval recently slipped to 36%.

True, Noem was appointed by President Trump to execute his aggressive immigration enforcement agenda. Anyone else put in the role would probably also have carried out these policies.

It is how Noem has carried out her responsibilities that demonstrates unfitness for her job — not only pursuing the president’s agenda but also racking up a body count, defying the law and lying.

She is also failing at the most basic functions of her role. Consider that, under her leadership, FEMA has been widely faulted for responding too slowly to natural disasters in Texas and North Carolina. Or that Noem has allowed department social media accounts to feature white nationalist memes and questionable messaging, including recruitment posts saying, “Want to deport illegals with your absolute boys?”

Noem’s tenure has already had grave consequences. Thirty-two people died in ICE custody in 2025, making it the agency’s deadliest year in more than two decades. During Trump’s second term, immigration agents have shot at people at least 16 times.

Americans need a Homeland Security secretary who will follow the law, respect Congress and tell the truth to the public. Kristi Noem is not that person. Under her, the department is harming citizens, not protecting them. Lawmakers should press her impeachment forward and remove her from office — unless she has the decency to resign first.

Raul A. Reyes is an immigration attorney and television commentator in New York City. X: @RaulAReyes Instagram: @raulareyes1

This essay is excerpted from culture writer Chuck Klosterman’s new book, “Football.”

Television defined the last half of the twentieth century, outperforming all other mass media combined.

This was already understood by the onset of the 1970s, prompting countless network executives to kill themselves in the hope of creating something impeccably suited for sitting in front of an electromagnetic box and remaining there for as long as possible. This typically entailed thoughtful consideration over the content of TV: what a program was about, how it was written, and what personalities were involved. But what’s even more critical, and far harder to manufacture, is the form of the program: the pacing, the visual construction, and the way the watcher experiences whatever they happen to be watching. How a person thinks about television is a manifestation of its content; how a person feels about television is a manifestation of its form. And there’s simply never been a TV product more formally successful than televised football. This was an accident. But it turns out you can’t design something on purpose that’s superior to the way televised football naturally occurs.

I realize I’m making an aesthetic argument many will not accept, particularly if they start from the position that football games are boring, meaningless, or both. The merits of televised football as a formal spectacle are immaterial to someone who hates the thing being televised, in the same way the harmonic simplicity of Miles Davis is immaterial to someone who hates jazz. Appreciating the TV experience of football requires some casual interest in the game itself. But what makes the TV experience of football so remarkable is how “casual interest” is more than enough to generate an illogically deep level of satisfaction. The way football is broadcast manages to obliterate any difference between an informal consumer and a face-painting fanatic. This is due to many factors, the most critical being that football is always, always, always better on television than it is in person. The televised experience is so superior to the in‑person experience that most people watching a football game live are mentally converting what they’re seeing into its TV equivalent, without even trying.

The only sport universally understood to be better when watched in person is hockey. In the same way football is always better on TV, hockey is always better live. With almost every other sport, the difference is debatable. Baseball is sometimes better in person, because it’s nice to sit outside in the summer (the weather and the park have more influence than the game). Basketball becomes more compelling if you sit close to the court and less compelling if you’re in the rafters, though the prime seats in any NBA arena tend to provide ticket holders with the same viewpoint they’d get from a TV broadcast. Live tennis and live golf offer details that can’t be captured on television, but there are rules of decorum and big potential for monotony. Soccer is exclusively about atmosphere and identity, so the experience of being in the crowd and the experience of the game itself are only nominally associated, in the same way going to see the Grateful Dead in the late 1980s was only nominally about music. Live boxing and live auto racing deliver palpable electricity with subpar sightlines. In all of these non‑football examples, the debate boils down to how effectively the televised depiction of an event can translate its in‑person actuality, which is why hockey is an outlier (the ambient feeling of bodies colliding with plexiglass is not digitally transferrable). Televised football is an outlier to an even greater extent, and for a much stranger reason: The TV experience doesn’t translate the live experience at all, in any way. The game happening in the physical world only exists to facilitate the broadcast version of the game, even if the game is not being televised. Here again, it must be reiterated: Football is a purely mediated experience, even when there is no media involved. It’s not just that you can see a game better when you watch it on television. Television is the only way you can see it at all.

Football fans attend football games for lots of different reasons. However, one of the expressed reasons can never be “A desire to see what’s really happening.” If that was someone’s true desire, they would stay home and watch it on TV. No one inside a football stadium — including the coaches on the sideline and the players on the field— can see the game with the consistent clarity of a person watching remotely. The announcers have the game happening directly in front of them and still watch the action on TV monitors, in part because they want their commentary to match what the home viewer is seeing but mostly because the camera is the perspective that matters.

And even when there is no camera, our minds insert one.

By now, it’s difficult to find any football game that isn’t being filmed by someone. When CBS broadcast Super Bowl LVIII in 2024, the network utilized 165 cameras. When Super Bowl I was broadcast in 1967 (on two competing networks at the same time), the total number of cameras was 11. This is now unthinkable. Show up at a random Pop Warner football game in rural Idaho, and you might find 22 different parents recording the action on 22 different camera phones. When I played high school football in the 1980s, not even the state championship was broadcast by any local station; today, most regular‑season high school games in every state can be streamed live, sometimes with a multi-camera professionalism on par with the broadcast of Super Bowl I. A camera‑free event has become rarer than the alternative. But the mental phenomenon I’m describing has little to do with how videography has expanded. The mentally inserted “camera” is not a machine. It is a way of seeing. It’s a type of forced perspective, invented by cameras and normalized through the omnipresence of television. In other realms of existence, such a phenomenon would be bad, since what I’m describing is a kind of psychological fascism. It is, technically, a form of mind control. Yet in this one particular instance, it benefits both the sport and the audience. With football, the psychology of fascism works.

Author Chuck Klosterman

(Joanna Ceciliani)

Visualize, for a moment, a capacity crowd at Michigan Stadium, the third‑largest sports venue on earth. Imagine the Michigan Wolverines are playing the Ohio State Buckeyes, with 107,601 people in the stands. Those 107,601 people are all seeing the event in a unique way, because every individual seat is in a unique location. All 107,601 sight lines are personal. Throughout the game, the ball moves up and down the field, and — every so often — a play will happen directly in front of a handful of fans coincidentally located in the ideal spot to see the action. Perhaps a woman’s seat is in the tenth row of section 15, located in the westerly corner of the south end zone: If an Ohio State receiver runs a fade pattern and catches the ball over his shoulder in front of the southwest pylon, that ticket holder will witness the reception with an unmatched lucidity. No one else will experience that extemporaneous moment like the woman in that particular seat. However, this solitary play is probably the only time when that will be true. There will be 179 other plays throughout the game, none of which will unequivocally cater to the singular view of this specific woman in this specific location. And what will happen during those other 179 plays is a bypassing of consciousness: The woman will see a play from her unique vantage point and automatically reframe what she saw into the way it would appear on television. She will watch the play from where she is sitting, but she will process the play from the standard TV perspective of a wide‑angle camera stationed in the press box at midfield. What she sees with her eyes will not be what she sees with her mind.

“But that’s not true,” you say. “That’s not how it is for me.” And maybe it’s not. There are exceptions to everything. Maybe your mind doesn’t work like this. Maybe you’ve attended three football games a week for twenty years without ever owning a television. Maybe your visual relationship with the world is completely authentic and unchanged by technology. I can’t crawl inside your skull and prove you wrong. But this is how it works for most people, including most who insist it does not. The visual imprinting of television is more overpowering than the visual imprinting of life; a TV screen presents an enclosed reality inside the preexisting reality of your house, and that manufactured reality overwrites both your memory and your imagination. Think of the primary setting from an old multi-camera sitcom (Jerry’s apartment on “Seinfeld,” the living room on “The Big Bang Theory,” the bar from “Cheers”). The standard shot of the set is ingrained in your memory and can be instantly recalled, but try to imagine physically entering that set through a different door and meandering around, without referencing the original image and triangulating where everything is supposed to be. Think of a real place or a historical event you’ve only experienced through film (the streets of 1950s San Francisco in “Vertigo,” West Baltimore as depicted on “The Wire,” the invasion of Normandy as seen in “Saving Private Ryan”). How difficult is it to now reimagine these places or events in a manner unlike the fake images you’ve seen only a few times? If you’re still skeptical, try this test: Host a party in your home and prop up your smartphone in an inconspicuous corner. Film 20 minutes of the party while you mingle with various guests. Rewatch that footage once a week for a month. At the end of the month, try to mentally reconstruct interactions from the party that aren’t anywhere on the recording. Try to visualize how the party looked, but from a different angle. You may be alarmed to realize your own unrecorded memories are locked into the perspective of wherever you placed your phone.

“But that’s not how football on TV works at all,” you say in response. “Football is seen from multiple angles that constantly shift. A few paragraphs ago, you noted that CBS used 165 different cameras for the Super Bowl. Football is better on TV, but not for the reason you claim. It’s better on television because there isn’t one static view.”

That’s a valid response, and it might feel true on a moment‑to‑moment basis. A controversial play might be replayed from seven different angles in the span of thirty seconds. It can even be argued that the standard camera view of a TV football game is the worst camera angle available. During the college football playoffs, ESPN’s family of networks will sometimes show the same game on multiple channels, with one channel broadcasting the whole affair from the Skycam camera. This is a remote camera hovering above and behind the line of scrimmage, replicating the perspective one sees in a video game. Coaches call this the “All‑22” view, because all 22 players on the field are simultaneously observable. It’s the camera angle coordinators use for film study, and — when it’s available — it’s the way I prefer to watch football. The Skycam allows the viewer to see how the defense is aligned, to follow pass patterns as they develop, and to (almost) see the game the way it’s seen by the quarterback. In terms of absorbing what’s transpiring, it’s vastly superior to the traditional mid‑ field perspective from the press box. Yet even as I’m watching the Skycam view, I can sense what’s happening inside my brain: I’m unconsciously converting what I see into the classic sideline sight line, even though that’s an inferior shot. I prefer the Skycam, but I understand what I’m seeing through the limited perspective of the most traditional camera angle: a master shot that (a) exclusively fixates on the location of the ball, (b) doesn’t include every involved player, and (c) provides no sense of depth or spacing. It’s an inadequacy that should be a death blow.

But like I keep saying: Football is different. These are the flaws that make the magic.

Copyright © 2026 by Charles Klosterman. Published by Penguin Press, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

Klosterman is the bestselling author of nine nonfiction books (including “The Nineties” and “Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs”), two novels (“Downtown Owl” and “The Visible Man”) and the short story collection “Raised in Captivity.” He was raised in rural North Dakota and now lives in Portland, Ore.

Whenever I travel back to Oklahoma to see family, one question I almost certainly get is: How’s the drought?

Hikers are arguably more aware than most Angelenos of how the drought is. How many of us have wanted to take a fun adventure in the mountains only to discover stagnant puddles and a rock wall of moss where a waterfall once flowed?

That is not today’s reality though. For the first time in 25 years, California is free of drought!

This news comes with multiple caveats, namely how human-caused climate change is continuing to shift California’s weather cycles in concerning ways. But two things can be true at once, and the rain that Mother Nature offers is still its own kind of blessing.

“This is certainly a less destructive weather winter than last year was and than many of the drought years were, so it’s OK to take that breather and to acknowledge that, right now, things are doing OK,” UC climate scientist Daniel Swain said in a recent story on drought.

Around L.A., we are blessed with a multitude of hikes that feature rivers and waterfalls. I chose the three hikes below because they’re in different regions of L.A. County and because they’re less-crowded water-themed hikes when compared to spots like Trail Canyon, Sturtevant or Escondido Falls.

The sun sets on the hillsides surrounding Zuma and Trancas Canyons in the Santa Monica Mountains.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

A few tips before we dive in:

• Wear hiking shoes or boots that are water-resistant or waterproof; not only will it add to your safety but also ensure you don’t clog up the trail for others behind you.
• Bring trekking poles for better balance at water crossings.
• At a water crossing, test a rock or log with your trekking pole before stepping on it; water crossings are often created by other hikers, so there’s no reason to assume the path through the river is safe.
• Before crossing a river or stream, assess whether the trail is taking you to the best place to cross; although we want to stay on trail, sometimes off trail is a better, safer option to cross.
• Do not cross a swift river or creek if you feel unsafe; we’ve lost hikers to drownings in the San Gabriel River in recent seasons.

I hope you have a beautiful time in our local mountains. With California free of drought conditions, we might just break Instagram with the number of waterfall selfies flowing out of our state.

Zuma Creek flows alongside part of the Backbone Trail, west of the Kanan Road trailhead.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

1. Upper Zuma Falls via Backbone Trail
Distance: 6.2 miles
Elevation gained: About 900 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Dogs allowed? Yes
Accessible alternative: Solstice Canyon Road

The Upper Zuma Falls via Backbone Trail is a 4.4- to 6.4-mile journey, depending on your route, where you’ll cross Zuma Creek via a well-maintained bridge and experience Upper Zuma Falls, a seasonal waterfall that features a varying number of cascades depending on rainfall.

To begin, you’ll park at a paved lot just north of a tunnel on Kanan Dume Road. (Fun fact: The Backbone Trail, a 67-mile trek through the Santa Monica Mountains, crosses over this tunnel!) The trailhead is on the west side of the lot. This is part of the aforementioned Backbone Trail.

The first .7 miles of the trail runs parallel to the road before taking hikers northwest through the canyon.

This trail will likely only get more beautiful, as it already has several blooming ceanothus shrubs and trees with white and purple-blue blooms, along with hummingbird sage, chaparral currant and lupine, which isn’t yet blooming.

If you notice a shrub with clusters of bright yellow flowers, you might have spotted a California barberry. “We are not likely to see barberry plants anywhere else in the Santa Monica Mountains,” hiking guru Milt McAuley wrote in one of his trail books.

Upper Zuma Falls, a seasonal waterfall in the Santa Monica Mountains.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

Just under two miles in, you should spot the falls to the north. The official trail does not take you to the falls. Instead, you will, about 2.1 miles in, take a short, steep user-generated path north off the Backbone Trail. It’s OK to skip this part if you’d like to just admire the falls from a distance.

I found the unofficial path to the waterfall fairly well-maintained until I got closest to the waterfall, and the brush was much thicker. If you choose to take this excursion, I’d recommend wearing hiking pants. On my walk back from the waterfall, I was greeted by a cacophony of frogs ribbiting at dusk. That remains one of my favorite sounds of our natural world.

From the turnoff to the waterfall, you could either turn around or continue onward. Many users will turn at just under three miles in and take the Zuma Ridge Motorway about a third of a mile up to Encinal Canyon Road. You could also, if you’ve downloaded the map or have a paper copy, continue on the Backbone Trail. Regardless, you will be treated to lush flora and fauna and, given the rainfall, probably some mushrooms.

The waterfall in Placerita Canyon as seen on April 1, 2025.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

2. Placerita Canyon and Waterfall Trail

Distance: 4.7 miles out and back
Elevation gained: 650 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Dogs allowed? Yes
Accessible alternative: Placerita Nature Center Loop

The Placerita Canyon and Waterfall Trail is a 4.7-mile out-and-back adventure that combines two trails in Placerita Canyon State Park. You’ll travel through an east/west-running canyon, shaded by oak woodlands as you listen to the water run along Placerita Creek. If you’re a history buff, consider taking the paved path near the parking lot to check out the Oak of the Golden Dream, the first authenticated gold discovery in California by colonizers.

To start your hike, you’ll take the trailhead just south of the Placerita Canyon Nature Center. The trail will follow the creek as it takes you past large coast live oaks and healthy thickets of California sagebrush (one of my favorite smells of our local mountains).

Savor that. Because just before the 1.5-mile marker, you’ll catch a whiff of a putrid odor that’ll make you wonder whether you’ve stumbled upon a gas leak. Kind of! Ahead, you’ll discover two small pools of bubbling goop next to the trail.

“This very rare geologic feature of translucent petroleum has been filtered by nature,” the sign reads. Scientists think this white oil originated deep within the earth, traveled along the San Gabriel fault zone and was filtered through several layers of sediment. Decades ago, residents would pour it into their Ford Model Ts for fuel, according to the sign.

Less than a mile from here, you’ll reach the end of Canyon Trail. You’ll find several picnic tables and usually a few portable toilets. This is a great place to take a break and also do some birding. When I visited a few weeks ago, a small bird flitted around me, hoping I’d drop some bread. (Don’t feed them, no matter how cute they are.)

Coast live oaks along the Canyon Trail in Placerita Canyon State Park.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

If you have kids younger than 7, I’d advise sticking to the Canyon Trail. The Waterfall Trail includes a few challenging technical features, including a spot where you must hike up a rocky, root-covered segment.

If continuing on, you’ll take the Waterfall Trail south just over half a mile. You will gain about 250 feet in elevation. The closer you get to the waterfall, the easier it is to lose the trail. Consider downloading the map beforehand so you don’t end up like me, cussing alone in the woods. (It’s a great visual though.)

The waterfall is an estimated 25 feet, the average height of a two-story building. Another one of nature’s stunners!

The West Fork of the San Gabriel River.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

3. West Fork National Scenic Bikeway

Distance: 14 miles out and back
Elevation gained: About 900 feet
Difficulty: On the easier end of moderate
Dogs allowed? Yes
Accessible alternative: N/A, as this is accessible

The West Fork National Scenic Bikeway is a seven-mile paved path that runs alongside the West Fork of the San Gabriel River. This crystal-clear waterway is home to multiple species of fish, including rainbow trout and the (adorable) arroyo chub. The first time I visited the West Fork National Scenic Bikeway, I was gobsmacked to find a well-paved pathway in the middle of the forest.

To start your hike, you’ll park at the West Fork day-use parking lot off State Highway 39. This lot can fill up on the weekends. The U.S. Forest Service recommends you arrive early or later in the afternoon to avoid crowds.

If using a wheelchair to hike, I’d recommend parking just before the day-use lot at a smaller parking area. The gate for the trail is here, and you can avoid stairs and other obstacles by parking here instead.

A seasonal waterfall next to the West Fork National Scenic Bikeway.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

From the lot, the trail meanders seven miles alongside the river, shaded by sycamore, white alder and willow trees, and it will take you as far west as the Cogswell Dam. Seasonal waterfalls flow alongside the trail, sometimes off the sides of the mountain. I’d recommend traveling as far down the path as you feel up to. There’s no reason to finish all seven miles if you’d prefer to hike a bit before relaxing along the river, listening to its gentle whoosh as you enjoy a moment without cellphone reception.

Keep an eye out for California newts along the trail, as they’re popular here. If you spot this large salamander, though, don’t pick it up! Not only is it rude, as that little guy probably had its own plans for the day, but also its skin secretes a neurotoxin that can cause illness, and in extreme cases, paralysis and death.

The Glenn Camp Campground is near the end of the trail and provides a great spot to eat snacks, relax and maybe even take a nap. It also makes for an easy bikepacking trip.

🦎💦⛰️

Regardless of where you go, I hope you have a fun, safe trip. Feel free to reply to this newsletter if you’re reading The Wild in your inbox with your thoughts about your favorite water-themed hikes!

3 things to do

Environmental educator Jason Wise, right, and his students present their invasive plant salad, foraged on a hike through L.A.

(Jason Wise)

1. Channel your inner goat in Elysian Park
Environmental educator Jason Wise will host an Eat the Weeds! workshop from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Elysian Park. Participants will take an easy hike where they’ll learn about edible native and invasive plants growing in the park. Along the way, students will gather invasive edible plants and then prepare and eat a wild, foraged, hyper-locally sourced salad. There is a suggested donation to join the class. Register at eventbrite.com.

2. Have ‘Sew’ much fun hiking in L.A.
Clothing designer Angel Gentle will host a Hike + Sew event at 8 a.m. Friday at Elysian Park. Guests are encouraged to bring their sewing machine or supplies for hand sewing. The group will leave the parking lot at 8:15 a.m. Participants should bring their own water, food and supplies. $10 suggested donation. Register at partiful.com.

3. Learn about planting native trees near Agoura Hills
The National Park Service and Santa Monica Mountains Fund need volunteers from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday to help restore a portion of Cheeseboro Canyon with native plants. The canyon burned in the 2018 Woolsey fire, and staff and volunteers have worked since to replant oaks and other native plants in the area. Sign up at eventbrite.com.

The must-read

A foggy view from the scenic trail in Sycamore Canyon.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

If you’re dreaming of a summer camping trip near one of California’s beaches, now’s the time to start planning. As Times staff writer Christopher Reynolds points out in his recent piece, “Statewide, California’s campground system continues to open most campsites for online reservations at 8 a.m., six months ahead of the stay, on a rolling basis.” That means if you’d like to take a mid-July trip to Point Mugu State Park, you’ll want to make reservations ASAP to camp at Sycamore Canyon and Thornhill Broome Campground, the latter of which allows you to camp on the beach. It is one of the most popular state park campgrounds, which Reynolds lays out in his piece.

Happy adventuring,

P.S.

Did you know there are plans to build a forest in downtown L.A.? Using the Miyawaki method, Gloria Molina Grand Park staff and volunteers will start installing a forest from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 31. According to this article, “The Miyawaki method, developed by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, is an innovative approach to afforestation that mimics natural forest ecosystems. This technique involves planting a diverse mix of native species very closely together, which accelerates growth and enhances biodiversity.” The plan is to transform 650 feet into a native ecosystem. To learn more, visit the park’s Instagram page. I might see you there!

For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here.

Hill 350, a strategic high point on the Thailand-Cambodia border, was fiercely contested in fighting last year. Thai forces say they secured it weeks ago, unlocking a ceasefire that is now holding — though tensions remain high and the area stays heavily fortified.

Donald Trump officially launched his “Board of Peace,” offering a vision of Gaza that sees Hamas disarmed and real estate developments based on “free market economy principles.”

Brad Pitt in the movie “F1.”

(Warner Bros. Pictures)

Nominating this popcorn trifle for best picture is silly, but at least it didn’t get a screenplay nod for a script that’s simply: See Brad Pitt go, go, go. Still, I’ll admit that I recommended this rumbler to everyone who wanted an excuse to speed to the multiplex. (I elbowed my uncle, a hobbyist racer, to go see it a half-dozen times.) Not once in ‘F1’ does it feel like we’re invested in Pitt’s bizarrely constructed character, a throwback fossil with jokey Gen-Z tattoos. The movie is fueled by pure star power and you can’t fault Oscar voters for huffing its fumes.

WASHINGTON — Federal immigration officers are asserting sweeping power to forcibly enter people’s homes without a judge’s warrant, according to an internal Immigration and Customs Enforcement memo obtained by the Associated Press, marking a sharp reversal of longstanding guidance meant to respect constitutional limits on government searches.

The memo authorizes ICE officers to use force to enter a residence based solely on a more narrow administrative warrant to arrest someone with a final order of removal, a move that advocates say collides with 4th Amendment protections and upends years of advice given to immigrant communities.

The shift comes as the Trump administration dramatically expands immigration arrests nationwide, deploying thousands of officers under a mass deportation campaign that is already reshaping enforcement tactics in cities such as Minneapolis.

For years, immigrant advocates, legal aid groups and local governments have urged people not to open their doors to immigration agents unless they are shown a warrant signed by a judge. That guidance is rooted in Supreme Court rulings that generally prohibit law enforcement from entering a home without judicial approval. The ICE directive directly undercuts that advice at a time when arrests are accelerating under the administration’s immigration crackdown.

The memo itself has not been widely shared within the agency, according to a whistleblower complaint, but its contents have been used to train new ICE officers who are being deployed into cities and towns to implement the president’s immigration crackdown. New ICE hires and those still in training are being told to follow the memo’s guidance instead of written training materials that actually contradict the memo, according to the whistleblower disclosure.

It is unclear how broadly the directive has been applied in immigration enforcement operations. The Associated Press witnessed ICE officers ramming through the front door of the home of a Liberian man, Garrison Gibson, with a deportation order from 2023 in Minneapolis on Jan. 11, wearing heavy tactical gear and with their rifles drawn.

Documents reviewed by the AP revealed that the agents only had an administrative warrant — meaning there was no judge who authorized the raid on private property.

The change is almost certain to meet legal challenges and stiff criticism from advocacy groups and immigrant-friendly state and local governments that have spent years successfully urging people not to open their doors unless ICE shows them a warrant signed by a judge.

The Associated Press obtained the memo and whistleblower complaint from an official in Congress, who shared it on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive documents. The AP verified the authenticity of the accounts in the complaint.

The memo, signed by the acting director of ICE, Todd Lyons, and dated May 12, 2025, says: “Although the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has not historically relied on administrative warrants alone to arrest aliens subject to final orders of removal in their place of residence, the DHS Office of the General Counsel has recently determined that the U.S. Constitution, the Immigration and Nationality Act, and the immigration regulations do not prohibit relying on administrative warrants for this purpose.”

The memo does not detail how that determination was made nor what its legal repercussions might be.

Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in an emailed statement to the AP that everyone the department serves with an administrative warrant has already had “full due process and a final order of removal.”

She said the officers issuing those warrants have also found probable cause for the person’s arrest. She said the Supreme Court and Congress have “recognized the propriety of administrative warrants in cases of immigration enforcement,” without elaborating. McLaughlin did not respond to questions about whether ICE officers entered a person’s home since the memo was issued, relying solely on an administrative warrant and if so, how often.

Recent arrests shine a light on tactics

Whistleblower Aid, a nonprofit legal organization that assists workers exposing wrongdoings, said in the whistleblower complaint obtained by the Associated Press that it represents two anonymous U.S. government officials “disclosing a secretive — and seemingly unconstitutional — policy directive.”

A wave of recent high-profile arrests, many unfolding at private homes and businesses and captured on video, has placed a spotlight on immigration arrest tactics, including officers’ use of proper warrants.

Most immigration arrests are carried out under administrative warrants, internal documents issued by immigration authorities that authorize the arrest of a specific individual but do not permit officers to forcibly enter private homes or other non-public spaces without consent. Only warrants signed by judges carry that authority.

All law enforcement operations — including those conducted by ICE and Customs and Border Protection — are governed by the 4th Amendment of the Constitution, which protects all people in the country from unreasonable searches and seizures.

People can legally refuse federal immigration agents entry into private property if the agents only have an administrative warrant, with some limited exceptions.

Memo shown to ‘select’ officials

The memo says ICE officers can forcibly enter homes and arrest immigrants using just a signed administrative warrant known as an I-205 if they have a final order of removal issued by an immigration judge, the Board of Immigration Appeals or a district judge or magistrate judge.

The memo says officers must first knock on the door and share who they are and why they’re at the residence. They’re limited in the hours they can go into the home — after 6 a.m. and before 10 p.m. The people inside must be given a “reasonable chance to act lawfully.” But if that doesn’t work, the memo says, they can use force to go in.

“Should the alien refuse admittance, ICE officers and agents should use only a necessary and reasonable amount of force to enter the alien’s residence, following proper notification of the officer or agent’s authority and intent to enter,” the memo reads.

The memo is addressed to all ICE personnel. But it has been shown only to “select DHS officials” who then shared it with some employees who were told to read it and return it, Whistleblower Aid wrote in the disclosure.

One of the two whistleblowers was allowed to view the memo only in the presence of a supervisor and then had to give it back. That person was not allowed to take notes. A whistleblower was able to access the document and lawfully disclose it to Congress, Whistleblower Aid said.

Although the memo was issued in May, David Kligerman, senior vice president and special counsel at Whistleblower Aid, said it took time for its clients to find a “safe and legal path to disclose it to lawmakers and the American people.”

Santana writes for the Associated Press.

Welsh Fire have signed former England international Chris Woakes for the 2026 season of The Hundred.

The 36-year-old is a one-day and T20 World Cup winner described by Welsh Fire as “one of the most respected all-rounders in world cricket”.

Woakes had signed for the Fire last year but was unable to make an appearance after dislocating his shoulder in his last ever Test match against India in August.

With over 300 international wickets and experience in franchise leagues across the world, Welsh Fire will be hoping the white-ball veteran helps turn the side’s fortunes around after a tough few years.

Woakes said: “I’m absolutely delighted to return to Welsh Fire for this year’s Hundred campaign.

“I was gutted not to be able to take to the field last year in Wales due to the shoulder injury, but I’m really excited to be coming back and to play in front of Welsh Fire fans.”

Despite his vast experience across white-ball competitions, Woakes has only played three games in The Hundred – for Birmingham Phoenix in 2023.

Welsh Fire men’s head coach Michael Hussey said: “Chris is a world-class cricketer and a fantastic addition to our group.

“His experience, professionalism and ability to influence games with both bat and ball will be invaluable for us, both on and off the field.”

Woakes follows Phil Salt, Rachin Ravindra and Marco Jansen in becoming Welsh Fire’s fourth and final direct signing.

An auction will take place in March where the franchises will bid for players to determine their final squads for the 2026 edition of the competition.

Jan. 22 (UPI) — The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights said Venezuela continues to carry out a systematic pattern of politically motivated arbitrary detentions, accompanied by serious violations of due process and the human rights of people deprived of liberty.

Gloria Monique de Mees, the commission’s special rapporteur for Venezuela, said before the Organization of American States Permanent Council in Washington on Wednesday that the group has information that indicates “clandestine detention centers” still are operating in the country.

“The persistence of these facilities highlights the structural nature of the violations and the absence of effective institutional oversight,” de Mees said, according to a report by Infobae.

Despite the release of some political prisoners by the interim government of Delcy Rodriguez after the Jan. 3 capture of Nicolas Maduro in a U.S. military operation, the human rights situation in Venezuela remains alarming, the commission said. Its members have not been able to visit the country since 2002.

During the session, the United States called for the “unconditional release” of the 1,000 political prisoners it estimates are being held in Venezuelan jails.

“Approximately 1,000 people remain unjustly detained,” U.S. Ambassador Leandro Rizzuto said during the OAS session convened to address the issue of political prisoners, according to El Mercurio Online.

He said the United States “urges the unconditional release of all unjustly detained political prisoners.”

U.S. pressure after Rodriguez becoming interim president led to authorities agreeing to release political prisoners. However, families and human rights groups in Venezuela say the process has been slow and lacks transparency.

According to the human rights group Foro Penal, 777 political prisoners were held in Venezuela as of Monday. Only 143 have been freed from incarceration, but they remain subject to criminal proceedings and severe restrictions, which the commission said do not amount to full releases.

More than 18,700 political detentions have been recorded since 2014, according to the group.

According to a report presented to the OAS by rights agency Commissioner Stuardo Ralon, criminal law is being used as a tool of persecution and control through abusive pretrial detention, indefinite postponement of hearings, frequent changes of prosecutors and lack of access to effective legal defense.

The commission also warned about deplorable detention conditions, including isolation, incommunicado detention, lack of medical care, limited access to drinking water and food, prolonged restrictions on family visits, and reports of torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, without effective investigations by the state.

The commission stressed the human impact of these practices, which affect not only detainees but also their families, including children, and cause lasting physical and psychological harm.

The rights group reiterated its call for the immediate and unrestricted release of all people detained for political reasons, an end to the use of the criminal justice system as a tool of repression, guarantees of an independent judiciary and the investigation and punishment of torture and ill-treatment.

Manchester United have said midfielder Casemiro will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of this season.

The 33-year-old joined from Real Madrid for £70m in 2022 and has made 146 appearances.

He scored the opening goal in the 2023 Carabao Cup final win over Newcastle as Manchester United finished third in the Premier League in his first season.

But last year he was mentioned by new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe who said some players were “not good enough” and “overpaid”.

The Brazil international said: “I will carry Manchester United with me throughout my entire life.

“It is not time to say goodbye; there are many more memories to create during the next four months.

“We still have a lot to fight for together; my complete focus will, as always, remain on giving my everything to help our club to succeed.”

IT was a showbiz scandal that shocked the world: esteemed actor Dominic West was seen with his arms around his stunning young co-star Lily James, before gently nuzzling her neck as they frolicked in Rome.

The photos would spark one of the most awkward photo ops of the past decade when Dominic and wife, Catherine Fitzgerald, stood on their doorstep with a handwritten note to announce that their marriage would weather the infidelity storm. But six years on, we can reveal how his aristocrat wife really felt about his dalliance with the young starlet 20 years his junior – and the impact it had on their marriage.

Catherine, who married Dominic in 2010, was thrust into the spotlight when her husband, 56, became embroiled in a scandal with his then 32-year-old co-star Lily James while filming The Pursuit of Love in 2020.

The actor, who famously said “women should be more indulgent of affairs”, had been playing Lily’s father on screen when they were caught off-screen in romantic clinches.

Photos which emerged of the couple riding around the city of love on an electric scooter before canoodling on a restaurant terrace were a sting to his devoted wife.

Back in the UK, Catherine, 54, who was born into vast wealth, was working on her passion projects – she runs a garden design company with famed landscape architect Mark Lutyen and also owns Glin Castle, her family’s 14th-century ancestral home in Ireland.

As the photos were published, a media frenzy began and Dominic flew home for crisis talks with his wife.

Dominic said sorry at the time for embarrassing her and they all moved on.

Insider

In an unprecedented move, the couple then staged a bizarre photo opportunity outside the family home in Wiltshire.

Holding up a piece of paper that read: “Our marriage is strong, and we’re very much still together”, Catherine appeared unfazed while Dominic – described by Piers Morgan as looking like “the cat who got the cream” – stood grinning alongside her.

At the time, it was said that Catherine was left “humiliated”, with sources claiming Dominic had confessed to “having feelings” for the actress.

But the mother-of-four stayed by Dominic’s side, with sources telling us she is “the glue that holds the family together away from the cameras”.

The insider told us: “Dominic said sorry at the time for embarrassing her, and they all moved on.”

Dominic, who had first worked with Lily in 2011 on stage in Sheffield, is said to have stopped contact with Lily to save his marriage, leaving a bitter taste in the mouth.

Our source continues: “Lily was left feeling hurt by his betrayal and disappointed that she was painted as the scarlet woman and hung out to dry.”

Six years on, Lily is currently single following her split from musician Michael Shuman. She saw in the New Year surrounded by friends in Mexico.

Dominic, meanwhile, was busy recording a podcast – Gyles Brandreth’s Rosebud – in which he opened up about his eldest daughter Martha’s mother, Polly Astor. The interview raised eyebrows.

He was asked if the end of his relationship in 2002 was “one of the big sadnesses” or “shames” of his life.

He replied: “I suppose so, yes. I suppose I wish my eldest daughter had had some of the advantages or some of the security that my others have had.

“I think I was too young. I was 28.”

I hurt Polly very badly, but at the time I wasn’t ready to settle down.

Dominic on split from Polly

He quickly backtracked and admitted it had actually just come “at the wrong time”.

Speaking about his roles as a father and partner, he said: “It was terrible because it was all me. I wanted out. I hurt Polly very badly, but at the time, I wasn’t ready to settle down.

“I was doing films all over the place and didn’t want to be tied down. Then I got The Wire.”

In another interview about the split, he previously admitted: “Martha was about three when Polly and I split up, and The Wire was very much a part of it. Women were extremely important to me, and I wanted to be selfish for a bit longer. I wanted to play the field, I suppose.”

From there, Dominic’s career went from strength to strength – and by 2002, he had started dating Catherine. 

Dominic and Catherine share four children together – daughter Dora, 14, Senan, 12, Francis, 11, and seven-year-old Christabel. 

The Crown star gushed to British Vogue in 2015: “I think I have a really good marriage, mainly because my wife is so cool and I adore her and we have all these kids.

It’s daft to kick someone out over a fling.

Dominic on affairs

“The mistake people might make, if I may be so bold, is expecting so much of a marriage and hoping that there can be perfection.”

His attitude towards marriage raised eyebrows, but it wasn’t until a year later that his relationship really came under scrutiny. 

In 2016, he said: “I think women should be more indulgent of affairs. I really do. It’s daft to kick someone out over a fling. Isn’t it? Everyone should turn a blind eye to men’s behaviour between the ages of 40 and 50. Let it all blow over.”

He also said that monogamy was “not the necessarily natural way to be, therefore there will always be adultery and intrigue about it”.

And Dominic’s wife certainly seemed to be on the same page when his relationship with Lily came under the spotlight. 

Speaking about the Lily James scandal in 2024, Dominic admitted it was “deeply stressful” for his wife and children, though the couple have since found humour in the situation.

In an interview with The Sunday Times, Dominic, who played Prince Charles in seasons five and six of The Crown, said: “I hesitate to speak on my wife’s behalf because it was obviously horrible, particularly for her. But we do joke about it sometimes. Because whenever we went out together, the papers would always say we were ‘putting on a show of unity’.

“Even if we’d just been rowing about parking the car or whatever, even if that couldn’t be further from the truth.

“And so when we go out, we do sort of say, ‘Shall we go out and have a show of unity up in London?’”

He added: “It was an absurd situation. It was deeply stressful for my wife and my kids, but there were lighter moments. That was the best that came out of it, really.”

Rekindled romance

Catherine and Dominic had actually met and dated years before they got together when they were both undergraduates at Trinity College Dublin.

Catherine told the Belfast Telegraph: “We went out together for six months, and we had great fun. He actually came to my 21st [in Northern Ireland], then he left, and we split up.

“Our best friend was also at Trinity with us. We all went on to have separate lives, but were linked through our best friend, Dominic Geraghty, also an actor.

“And I went to Wisley and did all this garden stuff and retrained. Then, when Dominic was doing The Wire, we met again through our friend Dominic; I was 32 then. I feel so lucky.”

Catherine was previously married to Viscount Lambton, the 7th Earl of Durham, in 1995, but the pair divorced in 2002 before she rekindled her romance with Dominic.

In a bizarre twist of fate, Martha’s mum, Polly, went on to date Dominic Geraghty, and all four of them remained close.

It sounds like it could be something from a romcom – and fortunately, Dominic is the perfect person to play the lead.

DAVOS, Switzerland — President Trump on Thursday inaugurated his Board of Peace to lead efforts at maintaining a ceasefire in Israel’s war with Hamas, insisting that “everyone wants to be a part” of the body he said could eventually rival the United Nations — despite many U.S. allies opting not to participate.

The new peace board was initially envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the ceasefire, but it has morphed into something far more ambitious — and skepticism about its membership and mandate has led some countries usually closest to Washington to take a pass.

In a speech at the World Economic Forum, Trump sought to create momentum for a project to map out a future of the war-torn Gaza Strip that has been overshadowed this week, first by his threats to seize Greenland, then by a dramatic retreat from that push.

“This isn’t the United States, this is for the world,” he said, adding, “I think we can spread it out to other things as we succeed in Gaza.”

The event featured Ali Shaath, the head of a new, future technocratic government in Gaza, announcing that the Rafah border crossing will open in both directions next week. That’s after Israel said in early December it would open the crossing, which runs between Gaza and Egypt, but has yet to do so.

Shaath, an engineer and former Palestinian Authority official from Gaza, is overseeing the Palestinian committee set to govern the territory under U.S. supervision.

Trump tried not to let those not participating ruin his unveiling party, saying 59 countries had signed onto the board — even though heads of state, top diplomats and other officials from only 19 countries plus the U.S. actually attended the event. He told the group, ranging from Azerbaijan to Paraguay to Hungary, “You’re the most powerful people in the world.”

Trump has spoken about the board replacing some U.N. functions and perhaps even making that entire body obsolete one day. But he was more conciliatory in his remarks on the sidelines of the forum in the Swiss alps.

“We’ll do it in conjunction with the United Nations,” Trump said, even as he denigrated the U.N. for doing what he said wasn’t enough to calm some conflicts around the globe.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said some countries’ leaders have indicated they plan to join but still require approval from their parliaments.

Why some countries aren’t participating

Big questions remain, however, about what the eventual board will look like.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country is still consulting with Moscow’s “strategic partners” before deciding to commit. The Russian was hosting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday in Moscow.

Others are asking why Putin and other authoritarian leaders had even been invited to join. Britain’s foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, said her country wasn’t signing on “because this is about a legal treaty that raises much broader issues.”

“And we do also have concerns about President Putin being part of something which is talking about peace, when we have still not seen any signs from Putin that there will be a commitment to peace in Ukraine,” she told the BBC.

Norway and Sweden have indicated they won’t participate. France declined after its officials stressed that while they support the Gaza peace plan, they were concerned the board could seek to replace the U.N.

Canada, Ukraine, China and the executive arm of the European Union also haven’t committed. Trump calling off the steep tariffs he threatened over Greenland could ease some allies’ reluctance, but the issue is still far from settled.

The Kremlin said Thursday that Putin plans to discuss his proposal to send $1 billion to the Board of Peace and use it for humanitarian purposes during his talks with Abbas — if Russia can use of those assets the U.S. had previously blocked.

Others voice reservations

The idea for the Board of Peace was first laid out in Trump’s 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan and even was endorsed by the U.N. Security Council.

But an Arab diplomat in a European capital said that Middle Eastern governments coordinated their response to Trump’s invitation to join the Board of Peace and that it was crafted to limit the acceptance to the Gaza plan as mandated by the U.N. Security Council.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter more freely, the diplomat said the announced acceptance is “preliminary” and that the charter presented by the U.S. administration contradicts in some parts the United Nations’ mission. The diplomat also said that other major powers are unlikely to support the board in its current form.

Months into the ceasefire, Gaza’s more than 2 million Palestinians continue to suffer the humanitarian crisis unleashed by more than two years of war. And violence in Gaza continues.

Key to the truce continuing to hold is the disarming of Hamas, something that the militant group that has controlled the Palestinian territory since 2007 has refused to do, despite Israel seeing it as non-negotiable. Trump on Thursday repeated his frequent warnings that the group will have to disarm or face dire consequences.

He also said the war in Gaza “is really coming to an end” while conceding, “We have little fires that we’ll put out. But they’re little,” and they had been “giant, giant, massive fires.”

Iran looms large

Trump’s push for peace also comes after he threatened military action this month against Iran as it carried out a violent crackdown against some of the largest street protests in years, killing thousands of people.

Trump, for the time being, has signaled he won’t carry out any new strikes on Iran after he said he received assurances that the Islamic government would not carry out the planned hangings of more than 800 protesters.

But Trump also made the case that his tough approach to Tehran — including strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June last year — was critical to the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal coalescing.

Zelensky announces discussions involving U.S., Russia and Ukraine

Trump also spoke behind closed doors for about an hour with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and called the discussion “very good” without mentioning major breakthroughs. Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected in Moscow for talks aimed at ending Russia’s nearly 4-year-old war in Ukraine.

Zelensky later addressed the Davos forum and said there would be two days of trilateral meetings involving the U.S., Ukraine and Russia in the United Arab Emirates starting Friday — following the U.S. talks in Moscow.

“Russians have to be ready for compromises because, you know, everybody has to be ready, not only Ukraine, and this is important for us,” Zelensky said.

Boak, Madhani and Weissert write for the Associated Press. Madhani and Weissert reported from Washington. AP writer Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed to this report.

Long Beach’s bet on the Olympics to help reshape its economy has attracted at least one sportswear company to the port city.

Speedo’s parent company, Pentland Brands, plans to move its North American headquarters from Orange County to Long Beach, which has emerged as a hub for aquatic sports for the upcoming Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

The privately held, U.K.-based company that manages a portfolio of fashion and sportswear brands — including outdoor gear brand Berghaus and cycling apparel brand Endura — plans to move to a 25,000-square-foot facility at Aero Long Beach this summer.

Pentland Brands’ North American headquarters has since 2015 been located in a 69,000-square-foot office in Cypress, a company spokesperson said in an email.

The company cited the Olympics as a driving factor in its decision to move.

“Being based in Long Beach places Speedo — a brand trusted by swimmers on the world stage — at the heart of one of the world’s most anticipated sporting events,” the company said in a statement.

Bo Martinez, the city’s economic development director, said in a statement that Pentland’s relocation to Long Beach is “a powerful vote of confidence” that strengthens the city’s efforts to “diversify the local economy, create more high-quality jobs and build an ecosystem where creative, forward-thinking companies can thrive.”

Pentland Brands’ Long Beach facility, which will accommodate more than 130 employees, is expected to include a dedicated Speedo showroom, open office space and rooms for product design, according to the statement.

Long Beach will host 11 sporting events during the 2028 Olympics, which are scheduled to run July 14 through July 30, according to an April statement from the city.

Many are water sports, including coastal rowing, open-water swimming, beach volleyball, sailing, artistic swimming and water polo. Also on the lineup are non-water sports such as sport climbing, handball and target shooting.

Events will be spread across seven venues, including temporary buildings as well as the Long Beach Arena, which hosted events during the 1984 Olympics, and Marine Stadium, built for the rowing events of the 1932 Olympics.

Long Beach will also host seven events for the 2028 Paralympics, scheduled to take place from Aug. 15 to Aug. 27, according to the city’s website.

Long Beach Councilman Daryl Supernaw said in an email to The Times he was “thrilled” for the company behind Speedo to move into his district, which encompasses neighborhoods around the Long Beach Airport.

“It is an ideal company to help diversify our economy and [reinforce] the City’s long history in aquatics,” Supernaw wrote.

Long Beach in 2023 unveiled plans to spend over $900 million on infrastructure over the next five years, with about $200 million earmarked for Olympics-focused projects.

Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson told The Times in 2024 that he considered the Olympics an opportunity for his city, which has long relied on oil revenue, to “build a new economy.”

Pentland Brands is a division of the Pentland Group, which was founded in the 1930s as the Liverpool Shoe Co.

In the 1990s, Pentland acquired Speedo International and Speedo Australia. In a move to consolidate the global swimwear brand, the company bought Speedo North America from apparel company PVH Corp. for $170 million ahead of the Tokyo Summer Olympics that were postponed to 2021.

Speedo is a major Olympic sponsor and has partnerships with the national swimming governing bodies in the U.S., Canada, China and Australia, among others.

The Australian swimwear brand traces its origins to 1928, when Scottish immigrant Alexander MacRae produced a sleeveless Racerback swimsuit.

Speedo’s tight-fitting suits sparked a brief controversy at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, when a complaint was filed about Australian swimmer Clare Dennis’ exposed shoulders, according to the Daily Telegraph. The complaint was dismissed and the teenager went on to win gold in the 200-meter breaststroke.

Torbjørn “Thor” Pedersen, a Danish adventurer who set off on his journey in 2013, was faced with an array of issues, including conflicts, visa problems, convincing ships to give him passage, and, notably, a global pandemic

A man who visited every country on Earth without boarding a single plane has revealed the one destination he truly yearns for. Torbjørn “Thor” Pedersen, a Danish explorer who embarked on his quest in 2013, originally believed the mammoth undertaking would require just three or four years, but it turned into the beginning of an almost decade-long odyssey.

Throughout his expedition, Torbjørn reached all 197 nations acknowledged by the United Nations plus several with limited recognition, totalling 203 destinations visited.

What distinguishes Torbjørn’s accomplishment from other globe-trotting endeavours is his commitment to reaching every nation without air travel, though predictably, this came with considerable obstacles.

Despite his professional background in logistics and shipping, “nothing quite prepared” Torbjørn for the hurdles that awaited, including conflicts, visa complications, persuading vessels to grant him passage, and crucially, a worldwide pandemic.

During this challenging time, with borders shuttered due to the Covid crisis, Torbjørn found himself marooned in his most cherished location for two years, yet this allowed him to develop “real friendships”.

Speaking to Business Traveller Middle East recently, when pressed to identify the destination he’d “return to tomorrow” given the chance, he responded: ” Hong Kong. I was there long enough to form real friendships and get a deep understanding of (the place) – its culture, its landscape, and everything it has to offer.

“And then the project had to continue, and I was yanked out of it. I miss Hong Kong.”

Hong Kong isn’t classed as a sovereign country, but rather a special administrative region of China, a status the former British colony acquired in 1997 following the end of the UK’s 99-year lease of the New Territories.

Its governance falls under the concept of “one country, two systems”, which involves China consenting to grant the territory a “high degree of autonomy”, according to the BBC.

Hong Kong is renowned for its bustling markets, shopping, temples, dim sum, and East-meets-West culture, alongside sights such as Victoria Peak, The Big Buddha (an enormous bronze statue on Lantau Island), and its spectacular skyline.

The territory also boasts the 800m-long Central-Mid-Levels escalator and walkway system, which has the reputation of being the world’s longest outdoor escalator system.

Discussing his quest previously, Torbjørn explained: “I got wind that no one in history has gone to every country in the world completely without flying and I was caught up in the idea that I might have my shot at doing something remarkable.

“The idea was to do it with public transport wherever possible so that means hundreds of buses, trains and ferries then you ask if you can get on someone’s fishing boat or a container ship.

“I have to spend a minimum of 24 hours in a country. What I do isn’t tourism, it’s like running a marathon or going to the moon, it’s an accomplishment.”