held

Aug. 16 (UPI) — Demonstrations are taking place Saturday in 34 states to protest congressional redistricting efforts in Texas that have caused state House Democrats to flee the state to prevent the measure.

Well over 150 rallies are being organized by the movement “Fight the Trump Takeover,” as part of a national day of action.

Protesters are demonstrating against the move by Texas state Republicans and Governor Gregg Abott’s push to redraw the district lines mid-decade at the urging of President Donald Trump.

The re-drawn maps could add five Republican seats in the U.S. House of Representatives if the Republican proposal passes.

State House Democrats left Texas last week, heading to Blue states like Illinois to prevent a vote from taking place on the issue.

Abbott this week called a second special session of the state’s House of Representatives, after Democrats suddenly left Texas to stymie the vote.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., said if Abbott pushes ahead with Trump’s request, his state will respond by redrawing its districts to establish more Democratic seats in Congress.

Typically, congressional redistricting is done at the end of a decade in conjunction with a new census.

“Texas House Democrats are blocking a redistricting vote in the Texas House right now to Stop the Trump Takeover. But Trump has made it clear that he’s not stopping at Texas. He’s targeting Missouri, Ohio, Florida and every state he can twist to help him steal Congress. States like Florida and New York are already fighting back,” the protest organizers’ website states.

Newsom has been a vocal supporter of the Texas state Democratic caucus.

“Califorina coming on board gives us more options,” said Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu told reporters in an interview Friday.

“If California passes a trigger bill, then there will be real incentive for Texas to not pass its [redistricting] bill.”

In June, millions of people attended hundreds of “No Kings” protests across the United States, demonstrating against Trump’s large-scale military parade in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the U.S. Army and his 79th birthday.

Protests and vigils have taken place around the world in support of Palestinians suffering in Gaza and to pay tribute to the four Al Jazeera journalists and two freelancers killed by Israel in the besieged enclave in a deliberate targeted assassination on Sunday.

Journalists, students, activists and members of civil society – notably in Cape Town, South Africa; Manila, the Philippines; and London, the United Kingdom – held the protests on Wednesday to call on their governments to put pressure on Israel to allow international media into Gaza and bring an end to Israel’s genocidal war there.

Late on Sunday, Al Jazeera correspondents Anas al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh, along with cameramen Ibrahim Zaher and Mohammed Noufal, were killed in an Israeli strike that had targeted their media tent located by al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.

Al-Sharif had been one of Gaza’s most recognisable faces for his constant reporting of the reality on the ground since Israel’s war on Gaza began following the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attacks on southern Israel.

Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 61,722 people and wounded 154,525. An estimated 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the October 7, 2023, attacks in southern Israel, and more than 200 were taken captive.

Nearly 270 Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed by Israel since the war began.

South Africa

Members of civil society and journalists gathered at St George’s Cathedral in Cape Town on Wednesday to express their anger at al-Sharif’s murder, sporting placards with one reading “your voice was louder than their bombs”.

The location is significant, said Al Jazeera’s Fahmida Miller, reporting from Cape Town, as “it’s been an important signal against oppression here in South Africa, especially during the decades of apartheid”.

The people gathered here “have condemned what Israel has done”, Miller said.

“They want the entry of international journalists into Gaza in addition to the work being done by Palestinian journalists,” she said. “People here are angry.”

Journalist Zubeida Jaffer told Miller, “I was one of the journalists who were targeted, you know those media that documented apartheid, so this really resonates with me.”

Miller said, “The South African government has previously condemned the killing of journalists in Gaza, specifically in 2022 when Shireen Abu Akleh was killed. The South African government had said it was a violation of international law.”

Abu Akleh was a Palestinian-American journalist who worked as a reporter for 25 years for Al Jazeera, before she was killed by Israeli forces while covering a raid on the Jenin refugee camp in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

In December 2023, South Africa brought a case before the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip.

United Kingdom

Reporters belonging to the UK branches of the National Union of Journalists paid their respects on Wednesday to the slain Al Jazeera workers outside the prime minister’s residence at Number 10 Downing Street, said Al Jazeera’s Jonah Hull, reporting from London.

The reporters, holding placards bearing the names of journalists killed since Israel’s war on Gaza began, read out the names of each journalist that appeared on their placard and “symbolically, recited Islamic funeral prayers” for those killed on Sunday, said Hull.

Those present “have really condemned the British government … talking about its complicity in what is going on in Gaza, for not doing more and speaking out more,” said Hull.

While British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday “talked about his grave concern” about the killings of the Al Jazeera journalists, those present on Wednesday “want outright condemnation and nothing less”, said Hull.

“They also want the government to take firm steps to pressure the Israeli government to ensure the safety of journalists in Gaza, importantly to allow international journalists into Gaza to be able to work freely there and for an independent investigation to be carried out by … the International Criminal Court in order to provide justice and accountability for those involved.”

Last week, Starmer condemned Israel’s plans to take over Gaza City, saying they were “wrong” and “will only bring more bloodshed”. He has also announced that the UK will recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel meets certain conditions, including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza and reviving the prospect of a two-state solution.

Philippines

Students, campus journalists and activists gathered at the University of the Philippines on Wednesday to express outrage at the killing of the Al Jazeera journalists.

They say “the attack … is a deliberate cover-up by Israel of its crimes against humanity” in the Gaza Strip, said Al Jazeera’s Barnaby Lo, reporting from Manila.

“They also describe the accusation that Anas al-Sharif, one of the most prominent voices reporting from within Gaza, is a member of Hamas is baseless,” said Lo, noting that protesters say “this is an age-old tactic used by governments who are bent on silencing the truth”.

“Any imperialist power … will choose a scapegoat to use as a pretext, however false it is,” campus journalist Karl Patrick Suyat told Lo.

These protesters also gathered to urge “the international community to ramp up pressure on Israel to stop its genocide, including for the Philippine government to cut its trade and defence ties with Israel”, said Lo.

The Philippines is the third-largest importer of Israeli weapons.

In June, the Philippines voted in favour of a United Nations General Assembly resolution demanding an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza. This resolution also condemned Israel’s use of starvation as a weapon of war and called for Israel to lift its blockade on humanitarian aid in Gaza.

Aug. 3 (UPI) — Groups around the world will gather this week to commemorate the Aug. 6th bombing of Hiroshima, a nuclear attack that killed 200,000 Japanese people 80 years ago.

Events, prayer gatherings and services memorializing the bombings of Hiroshima and, three days later, Nagasaki, range from an event at a small library in Kansas and a gathering at a church in Spokane, Wash. to a series of reflection ceremonies in the Northeast and a ceremony in a park in a North Carolina park.

Japan exited World War II within days of the Hiroshima bombing, an event that changed the rules of war and elicited shock and disbelief on the global stage. The Hiroshima bombing marked the first occasion that a nuclear weapon had been used on a large scale, and raised questions about human rights and what constituted fair rules of engagement.

The bombongs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki started a nuclear arms race that accelerated over the decades and remains a constant today.

Recent data from the Pew Research Center shows a third of Americans feel that dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was justified while nearly the same number said it was not. Another third said they are unsure if the drastic measures were warranted.

Many of the deaths were instantaneous. Other people died years later as a result of exposure to nuclear radiation, researchers have said.

The ex-president, accused of seeking to overturn the 2022 election that he lost, has been backed by US President Donald Trump.

Supporters of former far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro have rallied across the main cities of the country against the Supreme Court coup trial that could land the ex-leader in prison for years.

Protesters in Sao Paolo, Rio de Janeiro and other cities on Sunday carried Brazilian and the United States flags, in an apparent reference to United States President Donald Trump’s support for a staunch ally.

They also held banners with Bolsonaro’s and Trump’s pictures on them as they shouted slogans.

Bolsonaro is accused of seeking to overturn the 2022 election won by his left-wing opponent, current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Bolsonaro supporters stormed Brazil’s congress in January 2023, ransacking the chambers and attacking police, in violent scenes that evoked Trump supporters’ attack on the US Capitol two years before.

A Brazilian general has given evidence that the alleged plotters also wanted to assassinate leftist Lula and several other public officials.

The prosecution told the court that former army officer Bolsonaro and seven others were guilty of participating in “armed criminal association” and had sought to “violently overthrow the democratic order”.

A coup conviction carries a sentence of up to 12 years. A conviction on that and other charges could bring decades behind bars for Bolsonaro.

The former president has repeatedly denied the allegations and asserted that he is the target of political persecution.

‘A witch hunt’

Bolsonaro says he is the victim of political persecution, echoing Trump’s defence when the US president faced criminal charges before his White House return.

Al Jazeera’s Monica Yanakiew, reporting from Sao Paolo, said that protesters were thanking Trump for his support.

“There are a lot of American flags here and people are saying ‘Thank you Trump’,” she said.

“They are thanking President Trump for sanctioning Brazil,” Yanakiew added.

Trump has slammed the trial a “witch hunt” and his Treasury Department has sanctioned Brazil’s Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes in response.

Brazil has strongly criticised the US decision to impose sanctions on de Moraes.

Trump has openly admitted he is punishing Brazil for prosecuting his political ally Bolsonaro. He also signed an executive order slapping 50 percent tariffs on Brazilian imports, citing Bolsonaro’s “politically motivated persecution.”

Protesters gathered on the streets of Brazil on Friday to denounce Trump for the steep tariffs he imposed on the country’s exports. The demonstrations erupted in cities like Sao Paulo and Brasilia, as residents voiced their anger on the first day of Trump’s latest tariff campaign.

Brazil is slated to see some of the highest US tariffs in the world. The tariff is due to enter into force on August 6.

A Ukrainian MP and other officials have been arrested after the country’s anti-corruption agencies uncovered what they call a large-scale bribery scheme in the purchase of drones and electronic warfare systems.

In a statement on X, President Volodymyr Zelensky said a Ukrainian MP, heads of district and city administrations and several National Guard service members had been exposed for their involvement, which involved state contracts with suppliers being signed at prices inflated by up to 30%.

Zelensky wrote that there can be “zero tolerance” for corruption in Ukraine, and thanked the agencies for their work.

The independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies was restored on Thursday, following nationwide protests.

Zelensky’s government faced an extensive backlash after introducing a bill that would strip the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, known as Nabu and Sap respectively, of their independence.

The president claimed the agencies needed to be “cleared of Russian influence”, and sought to give the general prosecutor the authority to decide who should be prosecuted in high-level corruption cases.

Many saw the move as a step backwards for corruption in Ukraine, resulting in the largest anti-government demonstrations since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of the country in 2022.

Zelensky acknowledged public anger and submitted a new bill restoring the agencies’ former independence, which was voted through by parliament just nine days after the original bill had been passed.

The head of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), Kyrylo Budanov, thanked Zelensky for “hearing the public’s call” regarding the powers of anti-corruption agencies and “not making a mistake”.

The move was also praised by EU allies, who had voiced concerns over the implications of the original bill.

The fight against corruption is significant in Ukraine’s bid to join the EU. The creation of Nabu and Sap was a requirement set by the European Commission and International Monetary Fund in 2014, in order to move towards a relaxation of visa restrictions.

As a result, Kyiv was granted EU candidate status in 2022, bringing the nation another step towards closer ties with the West.

Since their establishment, Nabu and Sap have been involved in far-reaching investigations into the misappropriation of millions of dollars’ worth of assets and bribes across various ministries and sectors.

A joint investigation in 2023 resulted in the arrest of the head of Ukraine’s Supreme Court, Vsevolod Kniaziev, in connection with a $3m (£2.4m; €2.9m) bribe.

Thailand’s military said the detained Cambodian troops will be returned home after ‘legal procedures’ are completed.

Cambodia has called on Thailand to return 20 of its soldiers who were taken captive by Thai forces hours after a ceasefire that halted days of deadly cross-border clashes over disputed territory between the Southeast Asian neighbours.

Cambodian Ministry of National Defence spokesperson Maly Socheata said on Thursday that talks were under way for the release of 20 soldiers, though reports from Thailand indicate that the Royal Thai Army wants the detainees to face the “legal process” before repatriation.

“We will do our best to continue negotiations with the Thai side in order to bring all our soldiers back home safely and as soon as possible,” the spokesperson told a news briefing.

“We call on the Thai side to send all 20 military personnel back to Cambodia as soon as possible,” she said.

According to reports, the group of Cambodian troops were captured at about 7:50am local time on Tuesday (00:50 GMT) after crossing into Thai-held territory – nearly eight hours after a ceasefire came into effect between the two countries.

Speaking to the media at the headquarters of the Royal Thai Army on Thursday, army spokesperson Major-General Winthai Suvaree said the commander of Thailand’s Second Army Region had assured that the Cambodian detainees – which numbered 18 – would be dealt with under international legal conditions.

“The soldiers would be swiftly returned once the legal procedures are completed,” Thailand’s The Nation newspaper reported the army spokesperson as saying.

The Nation also added that the exact nature of the legal proceedings the Cambodian troops will face was not immediately known, but the Thai military’s “firm position suggests a comprehensive review of the incident is underway”.

Thailand’s government said on Wednesday that the detained Cambodian soldiers were being treated in line with international humanitarian law and military regulations, and that they would be returned to Cambodia when the border situation stabilises.

Nearly 300,000 people fled their homes on both sides of the Thai-Cambodia border as the two opposing armies clashed for days with long-range rockets and artillery in what is largely a border area of jungle and agricultural land. Thai jet fighters also attacked Cambodian positions.

Thailand has confirmed that 15 of its soldiers and 15 civilians were killed in the fighting – which was the heaviest in decades – while Cambodia said eight civilians and five of its soldiers died.

Despite accusations of truce violations by both sides, the ceasefire – which was facilitated by Malaysia – has held since Tuesday.

United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk has urged Bangkok and Phnom Penh to implement their ceasefire deal in full and take rapid steps to build confidence and peace with each other.

“This crucial agreement must be fully respected, in good faith, by both sides, as diplomatic efforts continue, in a bid to resolve the root causes of the conflict,” Turk said.

Lawyers seeking a temporary restraining order against an immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades say that “Alligator Alcatraz” detainees have been barred from meeting attorneys, are being held without any charges and that a federal immigration court has canceled bond hearings.

A virtual hearing in federal court in Miami was being held Monday on a lawsuit that was filed July 16. A new motion on the case was filed Friday.

Lawyers who have shown up for bond hearings for “Alligator Alcatraz” detainees have been told that the immigration court doesn’t have jurisdiction over their clients, the attorneys wrote in court papers. The immigration attorneys demanded that federal and state officials identify an immigration court that has jurisdiction over the detainees and start accepting petitions for bond, claiming the detainees constitutional rights to due process are being violated.

“This is an unprecedented situation where hundreds of detainees are held incommunicado, with no ability to access the courts, under legal authority that has never been explained and may not exist,” the immigration attorneys wrote. “This is an unprecedented and disturbing situation.”

The lawsuit is the second one challenging “Alligator Alcatraz.” Environmental groups last month sued federal and state officials asking that the project built on an airstrip in the heart of the Florida Everglades be halted because the process didn’t follow state and federal environmental laws.

Critics have condemned the facility as a cruel and inhumane threat to the ecologically sensitive wetlands, while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other Republican state officials have defended it as part of the state’s aggressive push to support President Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has praised Florida for coming forward with the idea, as the department looks to significantly expand its immigration detention capacity.

Schneider writes for the Associated Press.

UK’s Met police says 55 people have been arrested in Parliament Square for displaying placards in support of the group.

Protests are taking place across the United Kingdom calling for the ban on Palestine Action to be reversed, amid police warnings that those showing support for the proscribed activist group face arrest.

Demonstrations have been taking place on Saturday in Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol, Truro and London as part of a campaign coordinated by Defend Our Juries, which has already seen dozens arrested.

London’s Metropolitan police said 55 people have been arrested Saturday in Parliament Square for displaying placards in support of the group.

The Met police said 70 people were arrested at similar demonstrations in Parliament Square over the past two weekends, while Defend Our Juries said a total of 120 had so far been arrested across the UK.

It comes ahead of a High Court hearing on Monday in which the cofounder of Palestine Action, Huda Ammori, will ask for the green light to challenge the home secretary’s decision to ban the group under “anti-terror” laws.

The ban means that membership of, or support for, the direct action group is now a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison, under the Terrorism Act 2000, putting the group on a par with armed groups such as al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS).

Authorities have beefed up police presence in Westminster in the wake of the rallies.

A counterprotest by the pro-Israeli Stop the Hate group will also take place in London on Saturday.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan said those expressing support for Palestine Action “will likely be committing an offence and will very likely be arrested”.

Five people appeared in court on Saturday over a Palestine Action protest at an Israeli-linked defence firm’s site.

Members of the organisation, allegedly armed with sledgehammers and whips, are accused of breaking into the Elbit Systems site near Patchway, Bristol, in the early hours of August 6, 2024, “counter-terrorism” police said.

More than 2 million pounds of damage ($2.68 million) was caused, and police officers and a security guard were assaulted, the Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard.

Prosecutors claim the alleged offences had a “terrorist connection”. The five involved were charged with aggravated burglary, criminal damage and violent disorder.

Palestine Action describes itself as “a pro-Palestinian organisation which disrupts the arms industry in the United Kingdom with direct action”.

Since its founding in July 2020, it has carried out hundreds of protests across the UK aimed at disrupting the operations of companies they accuse of profiting from Israeli military operations, with a particular focus on the Israeli arms manufacturer, Elbit Systems.

The group’s tactics typically involve breaking into facilities, chaining themselves to machinery, daubing buildings with red paint and destroying equipment.

The UK has seen hundreds of thousands of people peacefully protest on a near-weekly basis, calling for an end to Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza in the last 22 months.

July 18 (UPI) — About 250 Venezuelan migrants deported to El Salvador’s maximum-security prison in March have been sent to Venezuela as part of a prisoner swap that included Americans on Friday.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rucio posted on X: “Thanks for @Potus’ leadership, ten Americans who were detained in Venezuela are on their way to freedom.”

El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele 10 minutes earlier posted on X: “Today, we have handed over all the Venezuelan nationals detained in our country, accused of being part of the criminal organization Tren de Aragua. As was offered to the Venezuelan regime back in April, we carried out this exchange in return for a considerable number of Venezuelan political prisoners, people that regime had kept in its prisons for years, as well as all the American citizens it was holding as hostages.”

The post included video of deportees boarding a plane.

“These individuals are now en route to El Salvador, where they will make a brief stop before continuing their journey home,” Bukele said.

The freed Americans include former Navy SEAL Wilbert Joseph Castaneda, who was detained last year while on personnel travel, three sources told CBS News.

“We have prayed for this day for almost a year. My brother is an innocent man who was used as a political pawn by the Maduro regime,” Castaneda’s family said in a statement.

He had suffered several traumatic brain injuries during his 18 years in the Navy and his decision-making was affected, his family said.

The State Department warned Americans not to travel to Venezuela.

The U.S. Embassy in Venezuela posted a photo of the freed Americans and U.S. diplomat John McNamara.

The Venezuelan government also released several dozen people described as Venezuelan political prisoners and detainees, a senior administration official told CBS News.

The flight, which originated from Texas, included several children, Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela’s minister of Interior, Justice and Peace, said in televised remarks.

“We will keep demanding the return of all the Venezuelans kidnapped by the government of the United States, kidnapped by the government of El Salvador,” he said. “All of them, we demand that they return them to our country. To their home country.”

Family members told CNN they had been told to gather for an emergency meeting in Venezuela ahead of the release.

The Trump administration made a deal with Bukele to send the deported migrants to CECOT prison as part of a $6 million deal.

Bukele said there were “months of negotiations with a tyrannical regime that had long refused to release one of its most valuable bargaining chips: its hostages.

“However, thanks to the tireless efforts of many officials from both the United States and El Salvador, and above all, thanks to Almighty God, it was achieved.”

Rubio also congratulated those involved in the negotiations: “I want to thank my team at the @StateDept & especially President @nayibbukele for helping secure an agreement for the release of all of our American detainees, plus the release of Venezuelan political prisoners.”

In March, the CECOT detainees were sent under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which is rarely deployed and used typically during wartime.

The Trump administration declared Trend de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang, an invading force.

Family members have said the detainees were denied due process and are not members of the gang.

Kilmer Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran man living legally in the United States, was mistakenly deported from Baltimore to the prison without due process. The Trump administration acknowledged the mistake in a legal filing though they still allege he is a member of the MS-13 gang.

He was initially at the prison but went to another one in the county.

In April, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the Trump administration to facilitate his return to the U.S. He was sent in June to face federal smuggling charges in Tennesse, which he denies.

The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday asked California counties to provide it with lists of all inmates in their jails who are not American citizens, as well as the crimes they have been accused or convicted of and their scheduled release dates.

The Justice Department said in a statement that its “data requests” to the counties — including Los Angeles and San Francisco counties — were “designed to assist federal immigration authorities in prioritizing the removal of illegal aliens who committed crimes after illegally entering the United States.”

The requests add another layer to the Trump administration’s already roiling turf war with California over immigration policy and state and local sanctuary laws. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been swarming the region making thousands of arrests as part of President Trump’s call for mass deportations, and the Justice Department is already suing the city of Los Angeles over its sanctuary policy.

State officials have long defended California’s sanctuary policies, which generally forbid local authorities from enforcing civil immigration laws but provide for exceptions in cases involving criminal offenses. They have also criticized the administration and ICE agents for their recent arrest tactics in Southern California, including by citing figures that show that a majority of those arrested had no criminal convictions.

What immediate impact the demands would have — and whether they would spark a legal challenge from the state or counties — was not immediately clear. California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department recently resumed transferring some jail inmates to ICE for the first time in years, citing criminal exceptions to state and local sanctuary laws.

A spokesperson for L.A. County referred questions about the request to the Sheriff’s Department.

Asked about the request during a Civilian Oversight Commission meeting Thursday morning, L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna said information about all county inmates is already publicly available on the department’s website.

“The minute you get booked, processed and you get Livescanned, that’s a national system, so agents of the federal government will know you’re in custody,” he said. “So it’s not that we’re notifying them, it’s an automatic notification based on your fingerprints.”

The Justice Department said that it hoped the counties would voluntarily comply with its requests. But if they do not, it said, it would “pursue all available means of obtaining the data, including through subpoenas or other compulsory process.”

It said that while “every illegal alien by definition violates federal law, those who go on to commit crimes after doing so show that they pose a heightened risk to our Nation’s safety and security.”

Not every noncitizen in the U.S. is in the country illegally, given that there are non-citizen permanent residents and other visa holders. However, as part of its immigration crackdown, the Trump administration has given heightened scrutiny to people in those categories, as well.

Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi, in her own statement about the requests, said that removing “criminal illegal aliens” from the country was the administration’s “highest priority.”

“I look forward to cooperating with California’s county sheriffs to accomplish our shared duty of keeping Californians and all Americans safe and secure,” Bondi said.

In May, Luna’s department transferred inmates from its jails to ICE for the first time since early 2020. Between May and June, the department handed 20 inmates over to the federal agency.

At Thursday’s oversight meeting, Luna said the department received 995 civil detainer requests from ICE in 2024, and that it did not comply with any of them, which it is not legally required to do. But he said that the department had to turn over the 20 inmates because it received federal judicial warrants from federal authorities for each of them.

He said he expected such warrants to increase, which would increase the number of inmates turned over.

“Those are legal documents signed by a judge. We cannot deny those,” he said.

Max Huntsman, the county’s inspector general, and other experts have said the Sheriff’s Department is required by federal and state law to comply with the warrants, and the process is legal under state and local sanctuary policies.

Times staff writers Rebecca Ellis and Rachel Uranga contributed to this report.

In the late 1990s, the quiet of a small Russian town was shattered when Irina Ganyushkina stumbled into a police station—an escapee from a living nightmare.

Irina revealed to authorities that she was one of five women kidnapped and held captive in a secret underground bunker by a notorious serial killer: Aleksandr Komin, chillingly nicknamed ‘the maniac.’

For Irina and the other survivors, freedom was only the beginning. In a country where women’s stories of violence are too often dismissed, they now faced a new challenge: rebuilding their lives after unimaginable horror.

In this episode:
-Dariana Gryaznova, human rights lawyer

For Ken Holland, the Kings’ decidedly old-school general manager, new isn’t necessarily better. Take the NHL draft, for example.

Holland presided over more than a quarter-century of drafts with the Detroit Red Wings and Edmonton Oilers, and they were generally held in one place, with everyone from the executives doing the drafting to the players being drafted on site.

On Friday, for the first time in a non-pandemic environment, the draft was conducted semi-remotely, with the top 93 draft-eligible players and their families filling some of the seats in the half-empty Peacock Theater in Los Angeles while team representatives made their selections from their home markets.

And whatever the league was attempting to accomplish with the decentralized format, other than saving on travel, it didn’t work.

After each pick was announced on a giant video board that took up two-thirds of the theater’s massive stage, players made their way up the aisle to be greeted by Commissioner Gary Bettman. They then pulled on a team jersey and hat before being led into the “Draft House” — a small virtual reality room in the center of the stage — for what amounted to a congratulatory Zoom call with the club’s brass.

The Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles hosts the NHL draft.

(Juan Ocampo / NHLI via Getty Images)

The young men were celebrating the biggest moment of their lives yet they came off like Dorothy speaking to the Wizard of Oz. Much of it was awkward, especially when James Hagens, the eighth selection, was left waving at Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney after the audio in the Bruins’ war room in Boston went mute. That was just one of multiple technical glitches that included echoes and timing delays that left players and executives talking over one another.

When it became obvious the painfully slow-paced event would plod past 4½ hours, the Draft House was closed to some teams.

Brady Martin, the fifth pick, didn’t even bother to come to L.A. So when Nashville announced his selection — via a celebrity video taped at a golf course — the NHL showed a video of Martin working on his family’s farm. Russian goaltender Pyotr Andreyanov wouldn’t even get that treatment. When he was announced as the 20th overall pick, the NHL had nothing to show, making Andreyanov the first no-show of the no-show draft.

Matthew Schaefer, a 17-year-old defenseman from Hamilton, Canada,, who was taken with the No. 1 pick by the New York Islanders, said being part of video draft did not spoil his big day.

Matthew Schaefer stands between Michael Misa, left, and Anton Frondell after being selected 1-2-3, respectively, in the NHL draft at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Friday.

(Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)

“I’m just honored to be picked,” said Schaefer who cried, alongside his dad and brother, when his name was called. “I dreamt about it my whole life. It’s such an honor. Especially the first pick overall.”

For Holland, however, none of that counts as progress.

“I’m old and I’m old fashioned. So I like the old way,” said the Kings general manager, whose view was shared by other GMs around the league. “You draft some player in the sixth round and all of a sudden you hear ‘yay!’ way up in the corner. It’s him, it’s his family, and they’re all excited to hear [his] name announced by an NHL team.

“This weekend, to me, is about the young players.”

Aside from the technical difficulties, the actual draft went largely to form. The Ducks, as expected, took Roger McQueen, an 18-year-old forward from Saskatchewan, with their top pick, the 10th overall selection. The Kings, meanwhile, traded their first pick, No. 24 overall, to the Pittsburgh Penguins. After moving down seven spots they took right-handed-shooting defenseman Henry Brzustewicz, 18, a Michigan native, with the penultimate pick of the first day.

Round two through seven of the draft will be conducted Saturday.

Roger McQueen, second from right, poses for photos with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, right, and actors Joshua Jackson, left, and Marguerite Moreau, second from left, after being drafted by the Ducks at No. 10 overall.

(Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press)

The Ducks, who had a top-10 pick for a seventh straight year, see the 6-foot-5 McQueen as a raw talent who can develop into a top-line center.

“He has a big body. But what goes along with that is his skill and skating ability,” said general manager Pat Verbeek, whose team has 10 picks this weekend.

For the Kings, this draft was the first public move in what could be an intense couple of weeks. Defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and winger Andrei Kuzmenko are unrestricted free agents and the team would like to re-sign both before they hit the open market Tuesday.

“If we re-sign Gavrikov, there’s not going to be a ton of change,” Holland said. “If we don’t, then there’s going to be change.”

Gavrikov, 29, emerged as a solid presence on the blue line, playing a career-high 82 games and posting the best goals-against average of the 17 defensemen to play at least 1,500 minutes. Former Kings GM Rob Blake made Gavrikov a contract offer last March, said Holland, who has since sweetened the deal twice. Replacing him, the GM said, could require a couple of signings.

Kuzmenko, 29, reenergized the offense after coming over from Philadelphia at the trade deadline, with the Kings going 17-5 and averaging nearly four goals a game down the stretch.

Kings fans cheer after Henry Brzustewicz is drafted by the team at No. 31 overall.

(Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press)

“We like Kuzmenko. Kuzmenko likes it here; he likes his role,” Holland said. “I’m talking to him. I talked two, three, four times this week with his agent. So we’ll see.”

Signing both players would put a big dent in the Kings’ $21.7 million in salary-cap space.

“We have a lot of cap space but it doesn’t take much and it’s gone,” Holland said. “We’ve got to figure out how we want to spend our money and they need to figure out how much money they can get.”

Aside from Gavrikov and Kuzmenko, the Kings don’t have many loose ends to tie up. The team is confident it can get forward Alex Laferriere, a restricted free agent, to agree to a short-term deal and it has to decide whether to re-sign David Rittich, an unrestricted free agent, as the backup to starting goalkeeper Darcy Kuemper.

Two players who could be moving on are forward Tanner Jeannot and defenseman Jordan Spence, both of whom are looking for more ice time and may have to leave to get it.

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Pressure growing on businesses

A stunning header from the veteran Spanish defender delights the pro-Mexican fans as the European giants are held.

Sergio Ramos rolled back the years to score a brilliant header as Monterrey held Inter Milan to a 1-1 draw in their FIFA Club World Cup clash at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, United States.

The former Spain and Real Madrid defender towered above the Inter defenders to find the back of the net and give his Mexican club a lead in the 25th minute of their Group E fixture, much to the delight of the thousands of Monterrey fans gathered at the famous venue in Southern California on Tuesday.

European giants Inter levelled the scoreline in the 42nd minute, as Lautaro Martinez tapped in from close range from a Carlos Augusto pass in a superbly crafted team goal.

However, it was Ramos’s goal and ensuing celebrations – both by the player and the Monterrey fans – that stole the limelight on the fourth day of the club competition.

“There is always joy to contribute to the team by scoring, but if we can get points, that’s even better,” the Monterrey captain said after the match.

“We played very well as a team. Of course, football showcases the goal, but we’re here to share this experience.”

Both sides had plenty of opportunities to take the lead in the second half but missed their chances, with a Martinez strike being called offside in the 68th minute.

It was a hard-fought draw for Inter, who lost the UEFA Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on May 31 and welcomed new manager Cristian Chivu.

According to the 39-year-old Ramos, his team lacked the energy in the final moments of the game.

“For most of this match, we created quite a few chances, but at this moment, we don’t have much energy,” he said.

Monterrey and Inter have one point apiece in the group led by River Plate, who beat Urawa Red Diamonds 3-1 in the earlier game in Seattle.

Goals from Facundo Colidio (12 minutes), Sebastian Driussi (48 minutes) and Maximiliano Meza (73 minutes) helped the Argentinian club beat their Japanese opponents with ease, but they lost their forward to an ankle injury while scoring the second goal.

A successfully converted 58th-minute penalty from Yusuke Matsuo brought Urawa back into the game momentarily, but Meza’s goal 15 minutes later consolidated River Plate’s lead again.

On the second match day for the group on Saturday, Inter take on Urawa, and Monterrey face River Plate.

In the Group F fixtures on Tuesday, Brazilian Serie A side Fluminense held German club Borussia Dortmund to a goalless draw at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, while Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa beat South Korean side Ulsan HD 1-0 in Orlando, Florida.

Iqraam Rayners scored in the 36th minute for Mamelodi, who now lead Group F with three points. Dortmund and Fluminense have one point each.

Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi inspires bright second half in Club World Cup opener, but Egypt’s Al Ahly hold on for 0-0 draw.

Lionel Messi led a strong second-half resurgence from Inter Miami in a surprisingly thrilling 0-0 draw with Al Ahly in Group A to open the FIFA Club World Cup in Florida.

The Argentinian forward, much like the rest of his teammates, had a quiet first half at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Saturday.

Egyptian giants Al Ahly dominated the play and the chances in the opening 45 minutes but were denied on numerous occasions by Inter keeper Oscar Ustari.

It appeared that the 39-year-old’s efforts were going to be in vain going in at the break, when Trezeguet stepped up from the spot in the 43rd minute, but Ustari was equal to the Al Ahly threat once more.

The second period was a vastly improved performance by the Major League Soccer side, and ended with Messi thumping a long-range effort off the bar.

Al Ahly keeper Mohamed El Shenawy managed to get fingertips onto Messi’s late left-footed curler.

The stopper had to be just as alert from the resulting corner – deep into stoppage time – to deny Maximiliano Falcon’s header.

It was his opposite number, Ustari, who kept his side in the contest at the break, leading Inter manager Javier Mascherano to reflect that his side were only “alive” thanks to their keeper.

Wessam Abou Ali and Emam Ashour were both denied from close-range chances, but the big moment came after Zizo cut into the box before being clipped from behind by Telasco Segovia.

Former Premier League player with Aston Villa, Trezeguet, stepped up from the spot and sent his kick to his left – the keeper guessed correctly and made the save.

“I’m happy with the performance. It was much better in the second half,” Mascherano continued in conversation with broadcaster DAZN after the full-time whistle.

“In the first period, we lost some balls and some transitions, where they are very dangerous.

“We dominated the second half and had the chances to win the game.”

Inter’s first big chance came just a few minutes after the break, when Tadeo Allende was denied with a similarly smothering save from Al Ahly keeper El Shenawy as had been seen by his opposite number early in the piece.

The possession and pressure had clearly switched to the home side, who looked a vastly different side to the showing in the opening 45 minutes.

Messi hit the side netting with a free kick, and was a constant thorn in the side of the Egyptians, who, with 155 trophies, are the most successful side in the world.

It was late in the game, though, that a short corner taken by Messi was rolled back to him on the right and he whipped a shot to the far post, only for the keeper to tip it onto the bar and over.

The recovery by the home side was even more impressive given the extraordinary turnout of Egyptian fans, who made themselves heard from start to finish.

Their team, however, could not do the same with their performance on the field.

“It’s not about what went wrong. We had a decent amount of chances in the first half to put the game into a different space. We couldn’t,” Al Ahly’s new manager, Jose Riviera, told DAZN after the match.

“In the second half, we had a time where we were suffering, but a lot of positives and things to correct to do better next time.

“It seems like we were playing in Cairo. It was a big surprise for me in my first match. Hopefully, next time, we can give them a victory.”

The second match of the group is played on Sunday between Palmeiras of Brazil and Porto of Portugal.

Inter then face Porto, while Al Ahly face Palmeiras in the next round of fixtures on Thursday.

Trump’s $45m military parade, marking US Army anniversary, goes ahead despite widespread backlash, storm forecast.

A massive military parade is set to roll through Washington, DC, as United States President Donald Trump marks his 79th birthday with a contentious show of force that coincides with the US Army’s 250th anniversary, as nationwide “No Kings” protests are held against Trump policies in more than 2,000 cities and towns.

The Washington, DC event on Saturday hastily added to the Army’s long-planned celebration, has drawn criticism for its cost, timing, and overt political overtones. There will not be a “No Kings” protest in the US capital to avoid confrontations.

The parade unfolds against a febrile, tense national backdrop. This past week, Trump deployed US Marines to manage protests in Los Angeles over aggressive immigration raids. He also activated the California National Guard without the governor’s consent, provoking legal challenges and accusations of federal overreach.

The military parade will begin at the Lincoln Memorial and snake down Constitution Avenue, flanked by security fences and watched closely by armed personnel at 6:30pm local time (22:30 GMT).

Nearly 6,200 soldiers will march, joined by 128 military vehicles – including 60-tonne M1 Abrams tanks – and 62 aircraft. A parachute jump, a concert headlined by Lee Greenwood, and fireworks are planned to cap off the night.

Trump announced on social media that the parade would proceed “rain or shine”, brushing off concerns over forecast thunderstorms and nationwide protests.

The National Weather Service has warned of possible lightning, which could force delays. Officials say they are prepared to evacuate the National Mall if necessary.

Despite assurances from the White House, the event has triggered backlash over its projected $45m price tag and fears of militarisation of domestic politics.

Critics argue that the use of heavy armoured vehicles risks damaging infrastructure, prompting the Army to install steel plates along the route to protect roads.

A recent poll by the Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research found that 60 percent of Americans believe the parade is not a worthwhile use of public funds. Among those polled, 78 percent who expressed no strong opinion about the parade itself still disapproved of the expense.

Massive snowploughs have been stationed to block traffic on Pennsylvania Avenue, turning the thoroughfare into a pedestrian zone filled with food stalls and souvenir vendors. The festival atmosphere includes fitness competitions, military equipment displays, and a ceremonial cake-cutting.

‘No Kings’ rallies

Civil rights groups accuse the Trump administration of using military assets to intimidate and suppress dissent.

Protesters planning to take part in the demonstrations said they oppose Trump’s deeply divisive policies. The organisers’ website said the administration has “defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights, and slashed our services”.

Since Trump’s inauguration, the administration has sent immigrants to foreign prisons, set immigration arrest quotas, clashed with courts, slashed government jobs and proposed reductions to social services.

Although no demonstrations are formally scheduled in Washington, organisers of nationwide “No Kings” rallies say the parade reflects Trump’s personal ambition and ego, rather than any genuine tribute to the armed forces.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly reaffirmed that the event would proceed regardless of weather or criticism. However, lightning could lead to sudden delays and crowd evacuations.

The military spectacle is divided into historical segments, with troops and equipment representing different eras of US Army history.

An estimated 200,000 people are expected to attend. The parade will conclude with Trump swearing in 250 new or reenlisting troops and a dramatic skydiving display by the Army’s Golden Knights.

While the Army insists the event is about heritage and honouring service, critics argue the spectacle veers uncomfortably close to a political rally with troops as props.

England’s friendly against Senegal on Tuesday is taking place at the City Ground in Nottingham as Wembley enters concert season.

The Three Lions traditionally play their home matches at the national stadium, but their final match of this season will be staged at Nottingham Forest’s home ground.

Wembley will host seven concerts in the next month, then another 19 – plus Oleksandr Usyk v Daniel Dubois – before England’s next match there, which is against Wales on 9 October.

The World Cup qualifier against Andorra in September will be held at Villa Park.

The last time the City Ground hosted England’s first team was in March 1909, when they were 2-0 winners over Wales in a Home Championship match.

Speaking after the announcement of the friendly, England boss Thomas Tuchel said: “Facing a strong African team in a passionate city with rich football heritage can only help us on the road to the World Cup.

“While I know Wembley is our home, I also understand the importance of taking the team around the country when we are able to and the opportunity to experience playing at a famous old English stadium such as the City Ground is one we can all look forward to.”