International

National Guard deployed to L.A. as ICE raids spark protests and clashes

Immigration raids at workplaces continued over the weekend in Los Angeles, where federal authorities once again clashed with protesters opposing the operations. Detainees were reportedly denied communication with legal counsel and members of Congress.

During the raids, police fired stun grenades at demonstrators and shut down part of a freeway, according to media reports. National Guard troops began arriving in Los Angeles early Sunday morning, following an order from President Donald Trump to quell protests against immigration enforcement.

“The federal government is taking control of California’s National Guard and deploying 2,000 troops to Los Angeles—not because there’s a shortage of law enforcement, but because they want a spectacle,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom on Saturday.

Following the deployment, Newsom shared a video of the troops on social media, doubling down on his criticism:

“Trump is sending 2,000 troops not to meet an unmet need, but to create a crisis. He hopes chaos will erupt so he can justify more repression, more fear, more control.”

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He urged Californians once again to “never resort to violence” and to “remain peaceful.”

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a list of 11 individuals of various nationalities arrested during a week of mass immigration raids in Los Angeles. The recent operations sparked widespread protests and confrontations between demonstrators and authorities across the county.

The arrested individuals—from Vietnam, the Philippines, Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, and Honduras—were taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as undocumented immigrants. DHS accused them of being “murderers, sex offenders, and other violent criminals,” though no specific criminal records were provided.

The men, aged 26 to 55, face a wide range of charges, including drug trafficking, murder, rape, carjacking, and shooting into dwellings, allegedly committed across the Los Angeles area.

Tom Homan, Trump’s appointed “border czar,” stated in an interview with NBC News that “around 150” undocumented immigrants had been arrested during recent large-scale ICE operations.

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International

Paris prosecutors alert U.S. over alleged deepfake strategy linked to Elon Musk

The Paris Prosecutor’s Office said on Saturday that it had alerted authorities in the United States over suspicions that tech entrepreneur Elon Musk may have encouraged the spread of sexualized deepfake content on the social platform X to artificially boost the company’s valuation.

According to prosecutors, the controversy surrounding explicit AI-generated videos—reportedly linked to Grok, the platform’s artificial intelligence system—may have been deliberately triggered to increase the market value of X and X AI.

The office added that the alleged strategy could be tied to the planned June 2026 public listing of a new entity formed through the merger of SpaceX and X AI.

French authorities said they contacted the U.S. Department of Justice as well as legal representatives at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) earlier this week to share their concerns.

Responding on X in French to a report about the case, Musk referred to French prosecutors using an offensive term.

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When contacted, X’s legal representative in France did not immediately comment.

Grok, the platform’s AI system, has its own account on X, allowing users to interact with it or request content generation. For a period, users were able to tag the bot in posts to generate or edit images, a feature that may have facilitated the spread of such material.

International

Netanyahu vows to target Iran’s leadership after missile strikes in southern Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Sunday to target Iran’s leadership directly, escalating rhetoric amid ongoing hostilities between Israel and Iran.

Speaking during a visit to the southern city of Arad, which was struck by an Iranian missile a day earlier, Netanyahu said Israel would intensify its response against Tehran.

“We are going after the regime. We are going after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, that gang of criminals,” he told reporters while standing among the debris left by the தாக்க.

He added that Israel intends to strike “personally” at Iran’s leadership, as well as its facilities and economic assets.

In addition to Arad, Iranian missiles also hit the city of Dimona on Saturday. The area is widely believed to host Israel’s undeclared nuclear facilities. The strike caused significant damage following a direct impact.

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Netanyahu also visited Dimona, where he urged residents to strictly follow military instructions and seek shelter whenever warning sirens are activated.

“The entire nation is a front line, and the home front is also a front line. And when we are on the front line, we follow these instructions,” he said.

International

US panel backs Trump-themed coin amid controversy

The United States Department of the Treasury confirmed to AFP that the Commission of Fine Arts approved the design of a new collectible coin featuring Donald Trump, with members of the commission appointed by the current administration.

According to the proposal, the coin will feature an image of Trump standing with clenched fists over a desk on the obverse, while the reverse will display an eagle, a traditional symbol of the United States.

The sale price of the collectible has not yet been disclosed, although the United States Mint typically offers similar items for more than $1,000.

“There is no more iconic portrait for the front of these coins than that of our president Donald Trump,” U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach said in a statement sent to AFP. He added that two additional coins — a $1 piece and a one-ounce gold coin — are also under consideration.

However, the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC), another body responsible for reviewing new coin proposals, declined to discuss the Trump design in late February.

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“Only nations governed by kings or dictators place the image of a sitting leader on their currency,” said Donald Scarinciat the time. “No country in the world has minted coins featuring a democratically elected leader during their term in office,” he added.

When contacted by AFP, the Treasury Department did not immediately respond to requests for further comment.