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Trump orders National Guard to LA after clashes
US President Donald Trump has ordered 2,000 National Guardsmen to Los Angeles to deal with unrest over raids on undocumented migrants.
Trump said the troops had done a “great job” in the Californian city, which saw a second day of clashes between protesters and by federal agents on Saturday.
Tear gas was used to disperse crowds as residents of the predominantly Latino Paramount district clashed with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents earlier in the day.
As many as 118 arrests were made in LA this week as a result of ICE operations, including 44 on Friday. California Governor Gavin Newsom has condemned the raids as “cruel”.
Trump criticised the city’s Democratic governor and mayor in a post on his Truth Social platform, calling them “incompetent”. He also said protesters would no longer be allowed to wear masks.
Newsom said the federal government’s takeover of the National Guard was “purposefully inflammatory” and would “only escalate tensions”.
The National Guard is usually called by a state’s governor, but Trump has used a provision that allows him to take control himself, Newsom’s office told the AP news agency.
Trump had earlier hit out at the governor on social media, saying that if he and LA Mayor Karen Bass could not do their jobs, “then the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth later threatened to mobilise active-duty marines if violence continued, saying troops at nearby Camp Pendleton were on “high alert”. Newsom described this threat as “deranged behaviour”.
The Paramount district had calmed considerably late on Saturday evening, but clashes between protesters and law enforcement were still happening.
Outside the Home Depot hardware store where the protests first erupted, the air was thick with tear gas and smoke.
LA county sheriffs fired flash bangs and tear gas every few minutes to try to clear protesters away.
Neighbours and protesters said migrants were locked inside local businesses afraid to come out.
Paramount’s population is more than 80% Hispanic.
Clashes continued into the evening on Saturday (BBC)A White House press release said: “In recent days, violent mobs have attacked ICE Officers and Federal Law Enforcement Agents carrying out basic deportation operations in Los Angeles, California.”
The statement added that “California’s feckless Democrat leaders” had “abdicated their responsibility” to protect citizens, why was “why President Trump has signed a Presidential Memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen”.
Speaking in Los Angeles, where he had travelled to personally supervise the continuing ICE operations, Trump’s “border tsar” Tom Homan warned that there would be “zero tolerance” of any violence or damage to private property.
In a post on X, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino also issued a warning to protesters: “You bring chaos, and we’ll bring handcuffs. Law and order will prevail.”
Governor Newsom, a Democrat, said the federal government “wants a spectacle” and urged people not to give them one by becoming violent.
In a statement on Friday, he said: “Continued chaotic federal sweeps, across California, to meet an arbitrary arrest quota are as reckless as they are cruel”.
Earlier, Mayor Bass accused ICE agents of “sowing terror” in Los Angeles.
Angelica Salas, who leads the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, told a recent rally: “Our community is under attack and is being terrorised. These are workers. These are fathers. These are mothers. And this has to stop.”
(BBC)
Ali Khan the USA fast bowler of Pakistan origin, has claimed in a caption to a story on Instagram that he has been “denied” an Indian visa. USA are scheduled to play India in Mumbai on February 7, the opening day of the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Khan, who is currently in Colombo for a USA training camp, posted on Tuesday without giving any further details. ESPNcricinfo has approached the USA team manager for comment.
USA are yet to announce their squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup but it is expected the final 15 will be chosen from the 18 that are at the camp in Sri Lanka. It is understood that the squad will be picked by the USA coaching group, while the team administration and logistics are being overseen by the ICC, which took charge following the suspension of USA Cricket late last year.
Khan, 35, is one of three USA players of Pakistan origin currently at the camp in Colombo; Ehsan Adil – who has played three Tests for Pakistan – and Mohammad Mohsin are the other two. The ICC has made no official comment on the situation but is understood to be trying to facilitate the matter and is confident it will be resolved.
A number of associate teams in the tournament – Oman, UAE and Italy – will be looking on with interest, given their squads are likely to include a number of players of Pakistan origin, or with Pakistani nationality.
ESPNcricinfo understands that England’s two squad members of Pakistan heritage, Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed, are both still awaiting their visas. While the matter is expected to be resolved in time for the tournament, their situation is complicated by the need to apply in-person. Rehan is currently in Australia at the BBL, while Rashid is in Dubai.
Last September, the ICC had informed all participating teams that securing visas to India and Sri Lanka, the co-hosts of the T20 World Cup, would be the responsibility of the respective boards but it would facilitate paperwork if needed. In the case of USA, with the suspension of USAC, that responsibility would lie with the ICC.
Worsening diplomatic and political ties between India and Pakistan have made visas an complicated issue in recent years, even for players who are nationals of other countries. England’s Shoaib Bashir and Saqib Mahmood had faced delays in obtaining visas but were granted them eventually, as was the case with Australia’s Usman Khawaja. The visas for the Pakistan team were also delayed ahead of their travel to India for the 2023 ODI World Cup.
USA, who got a direct entry for the 2026 T20 World Cup after making the Super Eights stage in the 2024 tournament, are scheduled to play three of their four group A matches in India. Their first match is against defending champions India on the opening day (February 7) of the T20 World Cup in Mumbai, followed by Pakistan in Colombo (February 10) and then two matches in Chennai – against Netherlands (February 13) and Namibia (February 15).
[Cricinfo]
At least 28 people have been killed after a construction crane fell on top of a moving train carriage at around 09:00 local time (02:00 GMT)
According to official records, the train, which was carrying at least 195 people, had set off from Bangkok and was headed to Ubon Ratchathani province. After it had departed from Nong Nam Khun station in Nakhon Ratchasima province was about to reach the next station, it was struck by a falling construction crane.
The crane had been working on a high-speed rail project linking Thailand and China.
The impact caused one train carriage to derail and another to catch fire.
The disaster left at least 80 people injured, the youngest just one year old One survivor, a train staff member, recalled how he and the other passengers were thrown into the air after the crane fell on the vehicle
The governor of the State Railway of Thailand has been ordered to “thoroughly and comprehensively” investigate the cause of the accident
[BBC]
United States President Donald Trump says he has cancelled all meetings with Iranian officials and has told protesters to “take over your institutions” amid Tehran’s crackdown.
In a social media post on Tuesday, Trump said that “help is on the way” without offering further details. Trump has openly contemplated ordering military attacks on Iran over the last several days.
“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price,” Trump said on his website, Truth Social. “I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY. MIGA!!! [MAGA]”
Trump has threatened Iran with military strikes in the past as a means of pressuring Tehran into greater alignment with US demands, and has said during the last week that a harsh response by Iranian authorities to the country’s protesters could result in US attacks.
The US president announced on Monday that any country doing business with Iran would be subject to a 25 percent tariff. On Tuesday, the State Department issued an alert saying US citizens should “leave Iran now” amid the rising tensions.
[Aljazeera]
Showery condition over the island is expected to reduce from tomorrow (15th)
USA’s Ali Khan claims having been ‘denied’ India visa ahead of T20 World Cup
At least 28 dead as crane collapses onto train in Thailand
Fair weather will prevail except for a few showers in the Uva, Eastern, Western and Central provinces and in Galle, Matara and Rathnapura districts
Trump cancels US-Iran meetings, urges protesters to take over institutions
Govt. bows to pressure, shelves Grade 6 reforms
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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