International

Trial begins for man accused of attempting to kill Trump at Florida Golf Course

The trial of Ryan Wesley Routh, a 59-year-old resident of Hawaii accused of attempting to assassinate former U.S. President Donald Trump while he was playing golf in West Palm Beach, Florida, begins this Monday. Routh was arrested nearly a year ago after being spotted by a Secret Service agent.

Routh has chosen to represent himself in the trial, which will include witness testimony allegedly placing him fleeing the scene, statements from people who claim to have sold him the rifle, and a letter in which he supposedly confessed to the crime, according to CNN.

He faces five charges, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, assault on a federal officer, possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possession of a firearm with a removed serial number. If convicted, he could face life in prison.

Jury selection begins Monday in a federal court in Fort Pierce, Florida, with District Judge Aileen Cannon, appointed by Trump, presiding. Judge Cannon previously drew criticism in 2024 for dismissing the classified documents case against Trump due to the slow pace of the proceedings.

According to court documents, in August 2024, Routh traveled from North Carolina to West Palm Beach, and in September, made several trips to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago mansion and nearby golf course. On September 15, while Trump and his now special envoy Steve Witkoff were playing golf, a Secret Service agent saw the face of a man partially hidden and the barrel of a rifle.

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The agent fired multiple shots in response before taking cover to report the threat. A civilian saw Routh fleeing toward a nearby car, photographed the scene, and shared the images with authorities. Agents later stopped the vehicle 45 minutes away, discovering a loaded rifle with 11 bullets, a digital camera, and bulletproof plates capable of withstanding gunfire.

International

White House says Cuba policy unchanged despite sanctioned fuel shipment

The White House said Monday that it has not changed its policy toward Cuba, despite allowing a sanctioned Russian oil tanker to deliver fuel to the island on humanitarian grounds.

U.S. officials emphasized that the decision was made as an exception and does not signal a broader shift in policy.

The administration added that similar decisions would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, depending on humanitarian considerations.

The clarification comes amid ongoing restrictions related to U.S. sanctions policy, which continue to limit trade and financial flows involving Cuba.

International

Spain to grant citizenship to Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López

The Spanish government is expected to grant citizenship this Tuesday to Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lópezthrough an extraordinary procedure known as “carta de naturaleza.”

The decision will be approved by royal decree, an exceptional legal mechanism used in special cases that require expedited resolution due to specific circumstances.

López has been living in Madrid since 2020, after leaving Venezuela following a prolonged political and legal conflict with the government of Nicolás Maduro.

According to government sources, López currently does not have a valid Venezuelan passport and faces difficulties in having his nationality fully recognized in his home country.

As a result, he applied for Spanish citizenship via a fast-track process at the end of 2025, after previously attempting to obtain it through regular procedures.

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The Spanish government justified the move based on López’s international relevance and foreign policy considerations.

López is the leader of the Voluntad Popular party and co-founder of the World Liberty Congress, an initiative launched in 2022 alongside figures such as Garry Kasparov and Masih Alinejad.

International

ICE to remain at airports amid DHS shutdown, Homan says

The U.S. “border czar,” Tom Homan, said Sunday that agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will remain deployed at airports until operations return to “100% normal,” as the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues.

“We will maintain ICE presence until airports feel they are fully back to normal operations,” Homan said during an interview on Face the Nation on CBS.

Homan justified the deployment on security grounds, noting that the measure was ordered by President Donald Trumpamid widespread absenteeism among agents of the Transportation Security Administration, who have gone without pay for over six weeks due to the DHS shutdown.

According to acting TSA administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill, at least 460 TSA agents have resigned during the shutdown, while daily absenteeism has averaged 11%, exceeding 50% at some airports.

Homan warned that if TSA staffing levels do not recover after the shutdown, ICE agents will continue filling the gap. “ICE is there to support our TSA brothers and sisters. We will remain as long as needed to ensure airport security,” he said.

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The DHS shutdown reached 44 days on Sunday, making it the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The impasse stems from disagreements between Democrats and Republicans over ICE funding.

A recent bipartisan Senate proposal to fund DHS without including ICE failed after being blocked by House Republicans, who insist on full funding for the agency.

Amid the deadlock, Trump signed an executive order directing Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to immediately pay TSA agents to address what he called an “emergency situation” and restore order at airports, with payments expected to begin Monday.