International
The IPA calls the White House’s veto of AP agency journalists arbitrary
The Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) described on Wednesday as “arbitrary” the restriction imposed by the Government of Donald Trump on journalists from the American news agency The Associated Press (AP) to cover events in the White House.
The measure was adopted in retaliation for AP’s decision to continue using the name ‘Gulf of Mexico’ and not ‘Gulf of America’ as ordered by Trump.
The IAPA, based in Miami, stressed that it is a censorship and intimidation that violates freedom of the press.
The government prevented an AP reporter from attending a presidential event in the Oval Office on Tuesday, while another agency journalist was excluded from an event in the White House Diplomatic Room.
AP executive editor Julie Pace revealed that the White House warned the agency that it would not have access to the Oval Office if it does not align its editorial standards with Trump’s executive order of last January 20, which renamed the Gulf of Mexico as ‘Gulf of America’.
AP condemned the Trump Administration’s measure as an attack on independent journalism. The agency recalled that it maintains the use of the name ‘Gulf of Mexico’, although it recognizes the new name imposed by the White House within the US sphere.
The US agency emphasized that this order is not valid outside the United States and that other countries and international organizations are not obliged to adopt it.
“It is alarming that the Trump government punishes AP for its independent journalism,” Pace said.
The president of the IAPA, José Roberto Dutriz, expressed his concern about this measure. “The restriction on journalistic coverage and the warning against AP demonstrate a disturbing intention to impose official criteria on information of public interest, with the threat of reprisals for those who do not bend to them,” he said in a statement.
He added that freedom of the press is guaranteed by the United States Constitution and must be respected without conditions.
Carlos Jornet, president of the IAPA Commission on Freedom of the Press and Information, described the action as an unacceptable attempt to interfere with the style and editorial line of a media outlet.
“This is an arbitrary imposition by the government on journalistic work,” Jornet said.
“Prior censorship, interference or direct or indirect pressure on any informative expression violates the right to freedom of expression,” he added.
The White House Correspondents Association also protested on Tuesday against the decision of the Trump Administration and said that “it should not penalize journalists who work because it is not happy with the decisions of its editors.”
In contrast, AP announced that it will call Mount McKinley the elevation located in Alaska that previous President Barack Obama (2009-2017) had renamed Mount Denali out of respect for native traditions.
“It is an area located only in the United States, and as president Trump has the authority to change federal geographical names within the country,” AP said.
International
Trump Orders Construction of New ‘Golden Fleet’ to Revitalize U.S. Naval Superiority
President Donald Trump issued an executive order this Monday for the immediate construction of two new warships that will bear his name. These vessels will be the pioneers of what he described as the “Golden Fleet,” a future generation of “Trump-class” battleships that he claimed would be “100 times more powerful” than those currently in service.
The announcement took place at his private residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida. The President indicated that following the initial two ships, the administration aims to commission up to 25 additional vessels. He is scheduled to meet with Florida-based contractors next week to expedite production, criticizing existing defense firms for failing to deliver results efficiently.
This naval expansion is a cornerstone of Trump’s goal to revitalized the American shipbuilding industry and address the strategic gap between the U.S. and competitors like China.
The move comes amid heightened geopolitical tension. Just last week, Trump ordered the seizure of all sanctioned tankers involved with Venezuela’s “ghost fleet” to cripple the country’s crude oil industry. Since December 10, the U.S. military—deployed in the Caribbean under the guise of counter-narcotics operations—has already detained two tankers linked to Venezuelan oil transport.
International
U.S. Judge Blocks ICE from Re-detaining Salvadoran Erroneously Deported Under Trump Administration
A U.S. federal judge ruled this Monday, December 22, that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is prohibited from re-detaining Salvadoran national Kilmar Ábrego García, who was erroneously deported to El Salvador earlier this year during the administration of President Donald Trump.
During a hearing in Maryland, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis ruled that Ábrego García must remain free on bail through the Christmas holidays, concluding that his initial detention lacked a legal basis. The ruling follows a request from his legal team for a temporary restraining order to prevent ICE from carrying out a new arrest.
Earlier this month, on December 11, Judge Xinis ordered his release from a Pennsylvania migrant detention center after determining that the government had detained him without a formal deportation order. In 2019, an immigration judge had already ruled that Ábrego could not be returned to El Salvador because his life was in danger.
Despite that protection, Ábrego García was deported in March 2025 following a raid by the Trump administration. Officials argued at the time that he was a gang member, and he was sent directly to the Center for the Confinement of Terrorism (CECOT) in El Salvador. In June, he was returned to the United States to face a new trial for alleged human smuggling—a charge he denies.
On Monday, Judge Xinis also temporarily invalidated a new deportation order issued by an immigration judge following Ábrego’s recent release, granting him legal protection through the coming weeks. His trial is scheduled to begin in Tennessee in January 2026.
International
Fire at substation triggers major blackout in San Francisco
The U.S. city of San Francisco was plunged into darkness Saturday night after a power outage left about 130,000 customers without electricity, although the utility company said service was restored to most users within hours.
Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) said in a statement posted on X that nearly 90,000 homes had their power restored by 9:00 p.m. local time (05:00 GMT on Sunday), while the remaining 40,000 customers were expected to have service restored overnight.
Large areas of the city, a major technology hub with a population of around 800,000, were affected by the blackout, which disrupted public transportation and left traffic lights out of service during the busy weekend before Christmas, a crucial period for retail businesses.
“I know it’s been a difficult day,” San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie said in a video posted on social media from the city’s emergency operations center. “There has been progress, but for those still without power, we want to make sure they are safe and checking in on their neighbors,” he added.
Lurie said police officers and firefighters advised residents to stay home as much as possible. He also noted that officers and traffic inspectors were deployed to manage intersections where traffic lights were not functioning.
The mayor confirmed that the outage was caused by a fire at an electrical substation. Parts of the city were also covered in fog, further complicating conditions during the incident.
As a result of the blackout, many businesses were forced to close despite it being the weekend before Christmas. The sudden drop in shopper traffic ahead of the holiday is “devastating” for retailers, the manager of home goods store Black & Gold told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Trump Orders Construction of New ‘Golden Fleet’ to Revitalize U.S. Naval Superiority
U.S. Judge Blocks ICE from Re-detaining Salvadoran Erroneously Deported Under Trump Administration
Fire at substation triggers major blackout in San Francisco
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