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MINNEAPOLIS — Days of demonstrations against immigration agents left Minnesota tense on Tuesday, a day after federal authorities used tear gas to break up crowds of whistle-blowing activists and state and local leaders sued to fight the enforcement surge that led to the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman.

Confrontations between federal agents and protesters stretched throughout the day and across multiple cities on Monday. Agents fired tear gas in Minneapolis as a crowd gathered around immigration officers questioning a man, while to the northwest in St. Cloud hundreds of people protested outside a strip of Somali-run businesses after ICE officers arrived.

Later that night, confrontations erupted between protesters and officers guarding the federal building being used as a base for the Twin Cities crackdown.

With the Department of Homeland Security pledging to send more than 2,000 immigration officers into Minnesota in what Immigration and Customs Enforcement has called its largest enforcement operation ever, the state, joined by Minneapolis and St. Paul, sued the Trump administration Monday to try to halt or limit the surge.

The lawsuit says the Department of Homeland Security operation violates the First Amendment and other constitutional protections and accuses the Republican Trump administration of violating free speech rights by focusing on a progressive state that favors Democrats and welcomes immigrants.

“This is, in essence, a federal invasion of the Twin Cities in Minnesota, and it must stop,” state Attorney General Keith Ellison said at a news conference.

Homeland Security says it has made more than 2,000 arrests in the state since early December.

Dozens of protests or vigils have taken place across the U.S. to honor Renee Good since the 37-year-old mother of three was shot in the head by an ICE officer in Minneapolis.

In response to Monday’s lawsuit, Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin accused Minnesota officials of ignoring public safety.

“President Trump’s job is to protect the American people and enforce the law — no matter who your mayor, governor, or state attorney general is,” McLaughlin said.

The Trump administration has repeatedly defended the immigration agent who shot Good, saying she and her vehicle presented a threat. But that explanation has been widely panned by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and others based on videos of the confrontation.

The government also faces a new lawsuit over a similar immigration crackdown in Illinois. More than 4,300 people were arrested last year in “Operation Midway Blitz” as masked agents swept the Chicago area. The lawsuit by the city and state says the campaign had a chilling effect, making residents afraid to leave home.

The lawsuit seeks restrictions on certain tactics, among other remedies. McLaughlin called it “baseless.”

Meanwhile, in Portland, Ore., federal authorities filed charges against a Venezuelan national who was one of two people shot there by U.S. Border Patrol on Thursday. The U.S. Justice Department said the man used his pickup truck to strike a Border Patrol vehicle and escape the scene with a woman.

They were shot and eventually arrested. Their wounds were not life-threatening. The FBI said there was no video of the incident, unlike the Good shooting.

Santana, Vancleave and Karnowski write for the Associated Press. AP reporters Ed White in Detroit; Sarah Raza in Sioux Falls, S.D.; and Sophia Tareen in Chicago contributed to this report.

If the new season of The Traitors has got you planning a Scotland escape, this stunning hotel in Glasgow city centre is a real treat, says Laura Mulley

A 10-minute walk from Glasgow’s Central Station in quiet, townhouse-lined Blythswood Square, you’ll find the Kimpton hotel. Here a cheery doorman welcomes you into a grand foyer complete with ornate pillars, plush seating and a glittering chandelier stretching up several floors, giving glam but elegant first impressions.

Our spacious Premier King room featured an original fireplace and bath that could be opened to look out into the bedroom, should you so wish. Complimentary soft drinks in the minibar were a nice touch, as were the little bottles of Glaswegian gin and tonic waiting on ice.

A few other unique services make the Kimpton Blythswood Square feel more like a home away from home: they’ll provide essentials such as toothbrushes and phone chargers if you’ve forgotten yours, and you can rent a handbag from Scottish luxury leather brand Strathberry for free. One new feature is the hotel’s Stay Well offering, allowing guests to borrow state-of-the-art wellness tools such as LED masks and Therabody muscle pummellers.

Where to eat in Glasgow

Kimpton Blythswood Square’s restaurant is called iasg (from the Gaelic word for ‘fish’), and as its name suggests, the fish and seafood on the menu is a real highlight. The BBQ monkfish came highly recommended and did not disappoint, while the fish and chips were the chunkiest we’d ever seen, and cooked to perfection.

Breakfast is served here too and offers an excellent continental buffet plus hearty hot dishes, including full Scottish breakfast favourites.

Outside of the hotel, we received a few recommendations from locals that are well worth checking out: Ardnamurchan for elevated Scottish classics (we loved the veggie haggis, neeps and tatties), popular pasta joint Sugo (worth the queue), and little authentic Italian cafe Sarti for delicious coffee and friendly service.

Kimpton Blythswood Square

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From £190 per night

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A stylish five-star hotel in Glasgow’s city centre with an impressive spa, top restaurant and luxury items fashion and wellness items available to borrow.

What to do in Glasgow

If you’re new to Glasgow it’s worth just spending some time wandering around its streets, admiring the striking architecture and colourful mural trail before heading up the hill to the imposing Gothic-style Necropolis. It’s no surprise that Glasgow is regularly used as a Hollywood filming location; apparently we’d just missed Tom Holland here filming scenes for the new Spider-Man movie.

Back at the hotel, Kimpton’s spa features various different hot rooms and pools, including a few even us seasoned spa-goers had never seen before: a snow room (Scotland’s first), and a cave-like dark pool, lit only by tiny LED lights in the ceiling.

Five months pregnant at the time, my therapist expertly worked into my tight muscles using oil from Scottish spa brand Ishga while still keeping me comfortable – even my bump got a gentle massage.

How much does it cost to stay at Kimpton Blythswood Square?

Rooms at Kimpton Blythswood Square start from £190 per night.

Dec. 26 (UPI) — A red, white and blue glass ball will drop on July 3 in New York City’s Times Square to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday in a first for the city.

The event will mark the first time that Times Square has hosted a second ball drop after the ad-hoc America250 committee announced the decision on Friday, The Hill reported.

“One Times Square has long been a place where the world comes together to celebrate pivotal moments — from the end of World War II to the moon landing,” said Michael Phillips, who leads the company that owns One Times Square.

“We’re proud to serve as the starting point of this historic year, showcasing the nation’s celebration on a global stage.”

The committee said it will connect the traditional New Year’s ball drop with the July 3 event.

The Times Square ball to be used in the New Year’s celebration will drop at midnight on New Year’s Day in its traditional manner.

It then will be illuminated with red, white and blue lights and rise again to above a “2026” sign, where it will drop a ton of red, white and blue confetti at 12:04 a.m. EST, according to the New York Post.

A “dynamic pyro finale” will close out the New Year’s Day event as “America the Beautiful” plays.

The same ball will return to Times Square on July 3 to honor the 250th anniversary of the United States and the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence, which gave birth to the country.

“To ring in the 4th of July, starting with the same type of festivities that you would normally see on New Year’s Eve — what better way to represent this global impact that we as a country have and the responsibility that comes with that?” America250 chairwoman Rosie Rios told The Post.

“It’s going to be huge,” she added, “and it’s going to be beyond anyone’s expectations.”

The America250 committee also is sponsoring a contest for youth in grades 3 through 12 to earn an opportunity to visit “some of the nation’s most iconic historic and cultural landmarks” while participating in “America’s Field Trip.”

Students will share their perspectives on what the United States means to them in essays, and 250 will be selected to participate in the field trip or opt for a cash prize.