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The Mexican national soccer team will change hotels in Los Angeles ahead of their Gold Cup match on Saturday because of safety concerns amid the protests against immigration raids in the city, a team spokesman said Tuesday. Mexico will play its opening match in the regional tournament against the Dominican Republic at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, reports AP. The team had a hotel reserved in downtown Los Angeles but governing body CONCACAF has allowed for a change to an undetermined hotel, Mexican team spokesman Fernando Schwartz told The Associated Press. CONCACAF, which runs soccer in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, has not made an official announcement. The protests began Friday in downtown Los Angeles after federal immigration authorities arrested more than 40 people across the city. On Sunday, crowds blocked a major freeway and set self-driving cars on fire as police responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades. US Defence Secy Hegseth grilled by Congress over troop deployment, Pentagon budget On Monday, President Donald Trump ordered another 2,000 National Guard troops along with 700 Marines to be sent to Los Angeles. Mexico coach Javier Aguirre was reluctant to talk about the protests at a news conference on Monday in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where the team is scheduled to play in a friendly match against Turkey on Tuesday. “I’m not going to talk about Los Angeles, I told you no, we are talking about sports here.” Aguirre said. “I can’t express myself right now. We have a match against Turkey, and I don’t have any information. I know what we see on television. We’re thousands of miles away, and I can’t express myself.” After the match against the Dominican Republic, Mexico will fly to Arlington, Texas, to play Suriname and then close out the first round of the tournament against Costa Rica in Las Vegas.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was met with sharp questions and criticism Tuesday by lawmakers who demanded details on his move to deploy troops to Los Angeles, and they expressed bipartisan frustration that Congress has not yet gotten a full defence budget from the Trump administration. “Your tenure as secretary has been marked by endless chaos,” Rep Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn, told Hegseth. According to AP, others, including Republican leaders, warned that massive spending projects such as President Donald Trump’s desire for a $175 billion Golden Dome missile defence system will get broad congressional scrutiny. The troop deployment triggered several fiery exchanges that at times devolved into shouting matches as House committee members and Hegseth yelled over one another. After persistent questioning about the cost of sending National Guard members and Marines to Los Angeles in response to protests over immigration raids, Hegseth turned to his acting comptroller, Bryn Woollacott MacDonnell, who said it would cost $134 million. Hegseth defended Trump’s decision to send the troops, saying they are needed to protect federal agents as they do their jobs. And he suggested that the use of troops inside the United States will continue to expand. “I think we’re entering another phase, especially under President Trump with his focus on the homeland, where the National Guard and Reserves become a critical component of how we secure that homeland,” he said. The hearing before the House Appropriations defence subcommittee was the first time lawmakers have been able to challenge Trump’s defence chief since he was confirmed. It is the first of three congressional hearings he will face this week. Newsom to sue Trump over National Guard deployment amid LA protests Lawmakers complained widely that Congress hasn't yet gotten details of the administration’s first proposed defence budget, which Trump has said would total $1 trillion, a significant increase over the current spending level of more than $800 billion. They said they are unhappy with the administration's efforts to go around Congress to push through changes. Spending issues that have raised questions in recent weeks include plans to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on security upgrades to turn a Qatari jet into Air Force One and to pour as much as $45 million into a parade recently added to the Army's 250th birthday bash, which coincides with Trump's birthday Saturday. Rep Betty McCollum, D-Minn, quizzed Hegseth on the deployment of about 700 Marines to assist more than 4,100 National Guard troops in protecting federal buildings and personnel in LA. She got into a testy back-and-forth with him over the costs of the operation. He evaded the questions but later turned to MacDonnell, who provided the estimate and said it covers the costs of travel, housing and food. Hegseth said the 60-day deployment of troops is needed “because we want to ensure that those rioters, looters and thugs on the other side assaulting our police officers know that we’re not going anywhere." Under the Posse Comitatus Act, troops are prohibited from policing US citizens on American soil. Invoking the Insurrection Act, which allows troops to do that, is incredibly rare, and it's not clear if Trump plans to do it.

The US Treasury Department on Tuesday imposed sanctions on five people and five entities across the Middle East, Africa and Europe, accusing them of being prominent financial supporters of Hamas’ military wing under the pretense of conducting humanitarian work in the Gaza Strip and around the world. Those sanctioned include the Gaza-based charity Al Weam Charitable Society, which is accused of being controlled by Hamas, along with its executive director Muhammad Sami Muhammad Abu Marei, reports AP. Turkey-based charity Filistin Vakfi and its President Zeki Abdullah Ibrahim Ararawi were also targeted for sanctions. Charities in Algeria, the Netherlands and Italy were also targeted for sanctions. The department is also targeting a separate charity linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, or PFLP. Five countries including UK, Canada sanction Israeli ministers for Palestine violence A 2024 Treasury report on terrorist financing highlights how online crowdfunding is increasingly done under the guise of soliciting legitimate charitable donations, making it difficult to identify as terrorist financing. Because the majority of crowdfunding activity is legitimate, “this status can make it more difficult for law enforcement attempting to investigate potential (terrorist financing) cases with a crowdfunding and online fundraising nexus," the report said.

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced his intention to sue the Trump administration over its decision to deploy the National Guard, calling the move "illegal, immoral, and unconstitutional." Speaking to MSNBC, the Democratic governor said the lawsuit would be filed on Monday in an effort to reverse the deployment order. President Trump has invoked a federal law that permits him to send in troops during instances of rebellion or threats against federal authority. However, Newsom argued that such a deployment requires coordination with the state’s governor, a requirement he intends to challenge in court. “We’re going to put that legal theory to the test with our lawsuit tomorrow,” Newsom said on Sunday. Trump’s new travel  ban enforced amid growing immigration tensions The National Guard was deployed after a wave of protests that started Friday in downtown Los Angeles and spread on Saturday to cities like Paramount and Compton, both with large Latino populations. On Sunday, tensions escalated as protesters clashed with Guard members in downtown LA, blocked a major freeway, and set self-driving cars ablaze. Source: With inputs from agnecy 

A new U.S. travel ban targeting citizens from 12 mostly African and Middle Eastern nations came into effect Monday, as immigration enforcement efforts under President Trump continue to intensify. The proclamation, signed by Trump last week, bars entry to citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Additionally, stricter visa rules now apply to individuals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela who are currently outside the U.S. and lack valid visas. Protests intensify in Los Angeles after Trump deploys hundreds of National Guard troops According to guidance issued Friday to American diplomatic missions, previously issued visas remain valid, allowing those travelers to enter the U.S. despite the new restrictions. However, starting Monday, visa applications from individuals in the listed countries will be denied unless they qualify for specific exemptions. Trump’s earlier travel ban during his first term, aimed mainly at Muslim-majority nations, triggered widespread confusion at airports and faced multiple legal challenges, leading to significant revisions.

President Donald Trump’s new ban on travel to the U.S. by citizens from 12 mainly African and Middle Eastern countries took effect Monday amid rising tension over the president’s escalating campaign of immigration enforcement. The new proclamation, which Trump signed last week, applies to citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. It also imposes heightened restrictions on people from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela who are outside the U.S. and don’t hold a valid visa. The new ban does not revoke visas previously issued to people from countries on the list, according to guidance issued Friday to all U.S. diplomatic missions. However, unless an applicant meets narrow criteria for an exemption to the ban, his or her application will be rejected starting Monday. Travelers with previously issued visas should still be able to enter the U.S. even after the ban takes effect. During Trump’s first term, a hastily written executive order ordering the denial of entry to citizens of mainly Muslim countries created chaos at numerous airports and other ports of entry, prompting successful legal challenges and major revisions to the policy.

Tensions in Los Angeles escalated Sunday as thousands of protesters took to the streets in response to President Donald Trump’s extraordinary deployment of the National Guard, blocking off a major freeway and setting self-driving cars on fire as law enforcement used tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash bangs to control the crowd. Some police patrolled the streets on horseback while others with riot gear lined up behind Guard troops deployed to protect federal facilities including a detention center where some immigrants were taken in recent days. Police declared an unlawful assembly, and by early evening many people had left. But protesters who remained grabbed chairs from a nearby public park to form a makeshift barrier, throwing objects at police on the other side. Others standing above the closed southbound 101 Freeway threw chunks of concrete, rocks, electric scooters and fireworks at California Highway Patrol officers and their vehicles that were parked on the highway. Officers ran under an overpass to take cover. It was the third day of demonstrations against Trump’s immigration crackdown in the region, as the arrival of around 300 federal troops spurred anger and fear among some residents. Sunday’s protests in Los Angeles, a city of 4 million people, were centered in several blocks of downtown. 

President Donald Trump's new ban on travel to the U.S. by citizens from 12 mainly African and Middle Eastern countries is set to take effect Monday amid escalating tension over the president's unprecedented campaign of immigration enforcement. The new proclamation, which Trump signed on Wednesday, applies to citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. It also imposes heightened restrictions on people from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela who are outside the U.S. and don’t hold a valid visa. Musk risks losing billions as tensions with Trump escalate The new ban does not revoke visas previously issued to people from countries on the list, according to guidance issued Friday to all U.S. diplomatic missions. However, unless an applicant meets narrow criteria for an exemption to the ban, his or her application will be rejected starting Monday. Travelers with previously issued visas should still be able to enter the U.S. even after the ban takes effect. Haitian-American Elvanise Louis-Juste, who was at the airport Sunday in Newark, New Jersey, awaiting a flight to her home state of Florida, said many Haitians wanting to come to the U.S. are simply seeking to escape violence and unrest in their country. “I have family in Haiti, so it’s pretty upsetting to see and hear,” Louis-Juste, 23, said of the travel ban. “I don’t think it’s a good thing. I think it’s very upsetting.” Unrest over raids on undocumented migrants: Trump sends National Guard to LA Many immigration experts say the new ban is designed to beat any court challenge by focusing on the visa application process and appears more carefully crafted than a hastily written executive order during Trump's first term that denied entry to citizens of mainly Muslim countries. In a video posted Wednesday on social media, Trump said nationals of countries included in the ban pose “terrorism-related” and “public-safety” risks, as well as risks of overstaying their visas. He also said some of these countries had “deficient” screening and vetting or have historically refused to take back their citizens. His findings rely extensively on an annual Homeland Security report about tourists, businesspeople and students who overstay U.S. visas and arrive by air or sea, singling out countries with high percentages of nationals who remain after their visas expired. Trump also tied the new ban to a terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado, saying it underscored the dangers posed by some visitors who overstay visas. The man charged in the attack is from Egypt, a country that is not on Trump’s restricted list. U.S. officials say he overstayed a tourist visa. Republicans urge Donald Trump and Elon Musk to end their feud The ban was quickly denounced by groups that provide aid and resettlement help to refugees. “This policy is not about national security — it is about sowing division and vilifying communities that are seeking safety and opportunity in the United States,” said Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America, a nonprofit international relief organization. Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro’s government condemned the travel ban, characterizing it in a statement as a “stigmatization and criminalization campaign” against Venezuelans.

PARAMOUNT, Calif. (AP) — President Donald Trump has ordered 2,000 members of the California National Guard to be deployed to Los Angeles, overriding opposition from Governor Gavin Newsom.   The deployment follows escalating protests on Saturday that led to clashes between demonstrators and immigration officials.   In a statement, the White House said the troops were being sent to address what it described as “lawlessness” that has been allowed to grow in the state.   Governor Newsom, a Democrat, criticized the decision on X (formerly Twitter), calling it “deliberately provocative” and warning that it would only heighten tensions.   Tensions flared in the southern part of Los Angeles for a second day, with tear gas and smoke filling the air as confrontations continued. President Trump also hinted that the federal government might take further action if the unrest persists.

As the Republican Party braces for aftershocks from President Donald Trump's spectacular clash with Elon Musk, lawmakers and conservative figures are urging détente, fearful of the potential consequences from a prolonged feud. At a minimum, the explosion of animosity between the two powerful men could complicate the path forward for Republicans' massive tax and border spending legislation that has been promoted by Trump but assailed by Musk, reports AP. “I hope it doesn’t distract us from getting the job done that we need to,” said Rep. Dan Newhouse, a Republican from Washington state. "I think that it will boil over and they’ll mend fences.” As of Friday afternoon, Musk was holding his fire, posting about his various companies on social media rather than torching the president. Trump departed the White House for his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, without stopping to talk to reporters who shouted questions about his battle with Musk. “I hope that both of them come back together because when the two of them are working together, we’ll get a lot more done for America than when they’re at cross purposes,” Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Thursday night. Sen. Mike Lee, a Republican from Utah, sounded almost pained on social media as Trump and Musk volleyed insults at each other, sharing a photo composite of the two men and writing, "But … I really like both of them.” “Who else really wants @elonmusk and @realDonaldTrump to reconcile?” Lee posted, later adding: “Repost if you agree that the world is a better place with the Trump-Musk bromance fully intact.” So far, the feud between Trump and Musk is probably best described as a moving target, with plenty of opportunities for escalation or detente. US defence secy warns Indo-Pacific allies of 'imminent' threat from China One person familiar with the president’s thinking said Musk wants to speak with Trump, but that the president doesn’t want to do it – or at least do it on Friday. The person requested anonymity to disclose private matters. In a series of conversations with television anchors Friday morning, Trump showed no interest in burying the hatchet. Asked on ABC News about reports of a potential call between him and Musk, the president responded: “You mean the man who has lost his mind?” Trump added in the ABC interview that he was “not particularly” interested in talking to Musk at the moment. Still, others remained hopeful that it all would blow over. “I grew up playing hockey and there wasn’t a single day that we played hockey or basketball or football or baseball, whatever we were playing, where we didn’t fight. And then we’d fight, then we’d become friends again,” Hannity said on his show Thursday night. Acknowledging that it “got personal very quick,” Hannity nonetheless added that the rift was “just a major policy difference.” House Speaker Mike Johnson projected confidence that the dispute would not affect prospects for the tax and border bill. “Members are not shaken at all,” the Louisiana Republican said. “We’re going to pass this legislation on our deadline.” He added that he hopes Musk and Trump reconcile, saying “I believe in redemption” and “it's good for the party and the country if all that's worked out.” But he also had something of a warning for the billionaire entrepreneur. “I’ll tell you what, do not doubt and do not second-guess and don’t ever challenge the president of the United States, Donald Trump,” Johnson said. "He is the leader of the party. He’s the most consequential political figure of this generation and probably the modern era.”