International

Trump sues Los Angeles for immigrant “sarture city” policies

The Administration of US President Donald Trump sued on Monday the city of Los Angeles for its “sanctuary city” immigration policies, claiming that these interfere with the application of federal government immigration laws.

The lawsuit filed in the Central District of California names the mayor of Los Angeles, the Democrat Karen Bass, the city council and the president of the city council, Marqueece Harris-Dawson, as defendants.

The legal letter accuses the city of having initiated the process to turn its sanctuary city policies into law after the electoral triumph of Donald Trump, who had campaigned with a platform focused on deporting millions of immigrants who illegally entered the country.

The lawsuit cites the ordinance ‘Prohibition of the Use of City Resources for Federal Immigration Enforcement’, signed by Bass in December 2024, which limits federal immigration agencies from using city resources to carry out immigration operations or arrests within local jurisdiction, an action that, according to the lawsuit, seeks to hinder the application of federal immigration law.

“By helping foreigners subject to deportation to evade the application of federal law, the city’s illegal and discriminatory ordinance has contributed to an anarchic and unsafe environment that this lawsuit will help eradicate,” said federal prosecutor Bill Essayli for the Central District of California, in a statement issued by the Department of Justice.

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The lawsuit accuses the city of preventing officials from collaborating with immigration authorities, such as the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

In addition, he points out that the city discriminates against the federal government and its immigration authorities by denying them access to resources.

It is also alleged that the city has promoted acts of resistance and riots related to federal immigration operations, including episodes of violence against agents, and that it has carried out actions that constitute obstruction of justice.

The lawsuit is filed during the fourth week of migration operations in the state of California, weeks after protests broke out against the presence of ICE in the city, which led President Trump to send 4,000 soldiers from the California National Guard, without the permission of the governor of the state, a measure that was not taken 60 years ago.

Although Los Angeles approved for a few months to officially declare a sanctuary for immigrants, its Police have maintained for almost 50 years the Special Order that prohibits officers from starting contact with a person for the sole purpose of determining their immigration status.

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International

IEA warns Middle East conflict could spark worst energy crisis in decades

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East could trigger the worst energy crisis in decades, warned Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency (IEA), who described the situation as “very serious.”

Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra, Birol compared the current scenario to the oil crises of the 1970s, noting that during those events the world lost around five million barrels of oil per day in each crisis.

“Today, we have lost 11 million barrels per day—more than the two major oil shocks combined,” he said.

The Turkish economist referred to the conflict that began on February 28, following attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran, which have significantly disrupted global energy markets and driven oil prices higher.

Birol warned that the global economy is facing a “very, very serious threat” and expressed hope that the crisis will be resolved soon.

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“No country will be immune to the effects of this crisis if it continues in this direction. Global efforts are urgently needed,” he emphasized.

International

Colombian Air Force Hercules plane crashes during takeoff with troops onboard

A Lockheed C-130 Hercules operated by the Colombian Air Force was involved in a “tragic accident” while taking off from Puerto Leguízamo, in the Putumayo department of southern Colombia, as it was transporting troops, Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez reported on Monday.

The minister stated on social media that the exact number of victims and the causes of the crash have not yet been determined. He also extended his condolences to the families affected and urged the public to avoid speculation until official information is confirmed.

“This is a deeply painful event for the country. Our prayers are with the victims and their families,” Sánchez said, adding that emergency protocols have been activated and an investigation is underway.

Meanwhile, President Gustavo Petro expressed hope that there would be no fatalities in what he described as a “horrific accident that should not have happened.”

Petro also highlighted ongoing efforts to modernize the country’s air fleet and reiterated the need to acquire new helicopters and transport aircraft to strengthen military mobility, particularly in remote regions.

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According to local media reports, approximately 110 soldiers were on board the aircraft. So far, at least 20 injured military personnel have been rescued.

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.