US & World Headlines: Immigration Crackdown, Gaza Hostage Recovery, and Global Conflicts

U.S. Immigration Policy and Protests

• 🚨 Greg Bavino, border patrol commander, was removed from Minnesota after agents fatally shot Alex Prey, a VA nurse, contradicting Bavino's claim that Prey intended to harm law enforcement.
• 🏛️ Tom Homan, an architect of the family separation policy, was sent to Minnesota to reassess operations, despite an ongoing investigation into alleged cash acceptance.
• ⚖️ A court sided with the Trump administration, allowing officers to arrest, detain, and use pepper spray against protesters in Minneapolis without probable cause.
• ✊ Protests continue across Minnesota, with students walking out of classes due to fear and brutality, particularly in neighborhoods near ICE agents.
• 🗳️ Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Matt withdrew from the race, citing President Trump's immigration crackdown and the national Republican party's actions.

International Conflicts and Humanitarian Crises

• 🕊️ Israel's military recovered the remains of the last hostage held in Gaza, Ran Villi, a key condition for a US-brokered ceasefire and potential reopening of the Rafah crossing.
• 🌍 The UN warns over 37,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced in the West Bank in 2025 due to settler violence, with US authorities reportedly deporting eight Palestinians to Israel.
• 💥 In Iran, an estimated 5,777 protesters and 49 civilians were killed by security forces, with nearly 42,000 arrests, and reports of protesters being detained at hospitals.
• 🚢 The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group arrived in the Middle East amid warnings from Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps.
• ⚖️ Judges at the International Criminal Court ruled former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte fit to stand trial for alleged murders during his war on drugs.
• ⚠️ South Sudan's military ordered civilians and UN personnel to evacuate Jonglei state ahead of operations against rebel groups, with a leader urging troops to "spare no one."

Labor Strikes and Negotiations

• 🏥 Over 30,000 Kaiser Permanente nurses and healthcare workers in California and Hawaii went on strike for higher wages and better staffing.
• 🤝 In New York City, nearly 16,000 nurses entered their third week on strike, with some progress made as two hospitals agreed to maintain current health benefits.