
Trump says US ships should be allowed to travel through the Panama and Suez canals for free
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U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that American military and commercial ships should be allowed to travel through the Panama Canal and Suez Canal free of charge."I've asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to immediately take care of, and memorialize, this situation," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.The Panama Canal crosses the narrowest part of the isthmus between North and South America, allowing ships to move more quickly between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It carries about 40% of U.S. container traffic each year.The U.S. completed construction of the canal in the early 20th century but gave control of the strategically important waterway to Panama in 1999.Trump has said repeatedly that he wants to "take back" the canal. Before taking office in January, he told reporters that he would not rule out using economic or military force to regain control over the canal.

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The Hindu
17 minutes ago
- The Hindu
All-party parliamentary delegation led by Shashi Tharoor wraps up U.S. visit
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India.com
22 minutes ago
- India.com
Gas, Guns And Gridlock: LA Protest Over Immigration Raids, Trump Mobilises National Guard
New Delhi: Tensions have been running high in Los Angeles as thousands of protesters took to the streets to demonstrate against federal immigration raids that began on Friday. The protests, sparked by sweeping raids resulting in over 118 arrests in the LA area over the past week, quickly spread to Latino-majority areas like Paramount and Compton. Demonstrators gathered outside the downtown federal building, including near a detention center, and additional protests erupted in Compton and Paramount, south of Los Angeles, where crowds assembled near a Home Depot amid ongoing raids. The situation escalated when some protesters threw objects at law enforcement officers, leading the LAPD to declare an unlawful assembly and order the crowd to disperse. Riot police responded with tear gas and flash-bang grenades. In response to the escalatng situation, President Donald Trump deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles, citing the need for additional support to control the protests. This move was met with opposition from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who condemned the deployment, calling it a "serious breach of state sovereignty". Governor Newsom has been at odds with President Trump over the deployment, arguing it would escalate tensions and accusing the federal government of "sowing chaos". Newsom formally requested that the White House withdraw the National Guard deployment and return control of the troops to the state. Meanwhile, Trump defended the deployment, claiming Democratic leaders had failed to control the protests and invoking a legal provision permitting federal troop deployment in response to "rebellion or threat of rebellion". Here's a detailed breakdown of the events: 10 Key Points: 1. Federal Immigration Raids: The protests were triggered by sweeping federal immigration raids that began on Friday, resulting in over 100 arrests in Los Angeles. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported 118 arrests in the LA area over the past week. 2. Protests Escalate: Demonstrations began peacefully but turned violent after some protesters threw objects at officers, prompting the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) to declare an unlawful assembly. Riot police responded with tear gas, flash-bang grenades, and crowd-control munitions. 3. National Guard Deployment: President Donald Trump deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles, citing the need for additional support to control the protests. However, Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the deployment, calling it a "serious breach of state sovereignty." 4. Clashes with Authorities: Protesters clashed with National Guard troops and federal agents, who were equipped with riot gear and long guns. Tear gas was fired at protesters gathered outside the federal detention center in LA. 5. Freeway Blockade: Protesters later moved to block the 101 freeway, causing disruptions to traffic. The LAPD and National Guard units worked to secure civic buildings and monitor protests. 6. Governor's Response: Governor Newsom strongly criticized the National Guard deployment, arguing that it was inflaming tensions and accusing the federal government of "sowing chaos" to justify escalation. 7. Trump's Justification: President Trump defended the decision to deploy the National Guard, claiming that Democratic leaders had failed to control the protests against immigration agents. He invoked a legal provision permitting federal troop deployment in response to "rebellion or threat of rebellion." 8. Military Escalation Threat: Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth suggested that if protests worsened, Marines from nearby Camp Pendleton could be deployed. Governor Newsom strongly criticized this idea as "deranged." 9. LAPD Stance: The LAPD reiterated that it is not collaborating with federal agents on civil immigration enforcement and maintains a policy against stopping individuals solely to check their immigration status. 10. Protesters' Demands: The protests were organized by immigration advocates who are demanding an end to the federal immigration raids and the release of detainees. The demonstrations are part of a larger movement against Trump's immigration policies.

Mint
23 minutes ago
- Mint
Self-driving Waymo cars torched in LA riots, national guard deployed as protests rage on: Key updates
As tensions escalated in Los Angeles after immigration authorities clashed with protestors following the detention of individuals by federal immigration officials at various locations, several self-driving Waymo cars were set on fire, as per visuals that emerged online. Here are key updates from the three-day-long protests in Los Angeles – Protests erupted following Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers executed search warrants at several locations on Friday, over allegations of an employer using fictitious documents for some of its employees, according to a report by CBS News. The Los Angeles Police Department started arresting people after labelling multiple protests as 'unlawful' assemblies and permitting the use of 'less lethal munitions," reported CNN News. Protestors filled the streets, blocking near the original protest location at the Metropolitan Detention Centre, after the Los Angeles Police Department declared the assembly "unlawful." US President Donald Trump signed a memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to safeguard federal staff and assets during protests, marking the first instance in which a president has activated the National Guard without a state's request or approval since 1965. After the National Guard was deployed, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass mentioned that she communicated with border czar Tom Homan in an attempt to persuade President Donald Trump against sending National Guard troops to Los Angeles. Nevertheless, the troops were dispatched. 'I knew that the order had been given,' CNN quoted the mayor during a news conference. 'I was trying to encourage, to prevent the deployment. Obviously, that did not work," she said Earlier, California Governor Gavin Newsom spoke with Trump for about 40 minutes, according to the governor's office. Trump has asserted, without providing evidence, that he felt the need to intervene since California Democratic officials, including Newsom, could not manage the protests on their own.