USA to send ICE agents to Winter Olympics, prompting Italian anger

The USA immigration agency whose officers have been involve in two fatal shootings in Minneapolis has said it is sending agents to assist American security operations during the Winter Olympics which start in Italy on 6 February.

 

An ICE media person stress that all security operations remain under Italian authority.

 

Confirmation of agency role came from Immigration and Custom Enforcement ICE after reports prompted alarm and  danger in Italy.

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This is militia that kills of course they are not welcome in Milan the city mayor.

US embassy sources in Rome had explained to media that federal agencies had worked at past Games in past it was not clear if the customs and enforcement agency had itself taken part.

The agency statement on Tuesday added that ICE Homeland Security Investigation HSI is helping the US Department of State Diplomatic Security Service and host nation to vet and mitigate risks from international criminal organizations.

It would obviously not conduct immigration enforcement operations outside the USA it said.

The statement was given to news media AFP and corroborated by embassy source to Press.

 

The BBC has approach the Department of Homeland Security for comment.

 

Italy interior minister Matteo Pantedosi had appeared unaware that USA immigration officials would be coming to Milan Cortina Olympics and added even if they were foreign delegations could choose their own safety.

I do not see what the problem is and it is very normal.

 

In aftermath of Alex Pretti being shot on streets of Minneapolis by federal agents on morning two journalist for Italian broadcaster Rai were threatened by ICE officials as media dove around the city covering the agency actions.

Donald Trump

United States

 

The governor of Lombardy areas Attilio Fontana sought to calm the situation suggesting the ICE agents would be deployed in Italy to protect USA Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

 

Political opponents of right wing PM Glorgia Meloni five star Senator Barbara Floridia warped that continue government silence on issue would provide yet more evidence of cowardice towards Donald Trump.

 

Trump abandons attack mode as Minneapolis shooting backlash rises

The Trump administration has rapidly abandoned its familiar deny and attack playbook after starting using it when federal agents shot

dead Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday morning.

Within 24 hours as multiple videos of shooting circulated online it became visible that White House was out of step with public choice and what Americans could see with their own eyes.

The administration and president himself have changed tack blaming Democrats for what happened and stressing less on actions of American nurse who was murdered.

 

Democrats have rised their criticism of president mass deportation policy and aggressive tactics of immigration and custom enforcement leaning into political flight that could result in latest government shutdown on Friday.

On Monday morning Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche detailed the situation as powder keg.

 

He blamed the Democrats many on both side of America political divide will agree that current situation is fraught with peril.

Donald Trump

United States

The initial administration reply to Pretti death was open.

The 37 year old was showed as domestic terrorist bent on bloodshed.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem added that Pretti wished to inflict harm and was brandishing a weapon.

US Border Patrol Commander Gregory said that it looks like situation where individual desired to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement.

 

President Adviser Stephen Miller called Pretti would be assassin.

 

The White House has been rapid to push back when criticized.

Deny and attack has long been bedrock Trump strategy for handling adversity.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt refuse to echo Miller comments herself on Monday when pressed on whether the president agreed with his senior adviser.

She said full investigation would be carry  out.

Minnesota attorney General Keith Ellison when asked the media about Homan involvement said that he may provide a new avenue 16 work with administration.

“I do not want to foreclose the possibility that reasonable minds can prevail” he added but we are here because the federal government had unreasonable positions.

Other Potential thaw came when Trump revealed on Monday that he had spoken with Minnesota Democratic governor Tim Walz.

It was very good call Trump wrote.

Donald Trump

United States

We actually seemed to be on similar wavelength.

Senate Democrats have revealed they will now block that funding measure in their chamber which would trigger a partial government shutdown on Friday night.

I am voting against any funding for DHS until and unless more controls are put in place to hold ICE accountable said Senator Brian Schaltz of Hawaiil

These repeated incident of violence across the country unlawful escalatory and making all of us less safe.

Move is not without its own political danger Democrats triggered a record setting shutdown last autumn over health care subsidies finally relented with little of show for it.

They will be wary of pushing too far on immigration and law and order two issues where they poll poorly.

Republicans and Democrats are graphing with how to handle what has become explosive.

At stake is public perception of Trump immigration policy a core political problem for president and one that helped him win back White House.

The initial reply had echoed the path the administration took three weeks before when federal law enforcement shot and killed one another.

Minneapolis resident Renee Good. They said Good was terrorist who had weaponised her vehicle in attempt to injure ICE agents.

 

As with Good’s case, the federal government’s version of events has been challenged by local officials, eyewitnesses and the victim’s family.

In statement on Sunday Pretti Parent asked for truth to come out adding.

The sickening lies told about our son by administration are reprehensible and disgusting

Donald Trump

United States

Multiple videos of Saturday deadly encounter contradict many of admin initial claims.

The images shows Pretti filming ICE agents with his cell phone and assisting a lady who is pushed over before both are pepper sprayed.

Pretti is visible not holding gun when he is wrestled to ground.

 

DHS says Pretti had 9mm semi automatic handgun and two magazines ammunition.

Local police have said Pretti was legal gun owner.

Under Minnesota law citizens can legally carry concealed handgun in public if they have permit.

Bill that decrease foreign aid and public broadcasting moves to Trump’s desk

The US House of Representatives has passed a bill permitting Congress to recover billions in pre approved funding for foreign aid and public broadcasting.

The US Senate passed its version of bill less than 24 hours earlier.

The bill will view the government cut $9bn in total was passed in 216 to 213 votes before hours after midnight on Friday.

All democrats and two Republicans voted against cuts.

The bill now moves to President Donal Trump desk to signed into law

“This Is Big” on social media after vote.

According to US media this recissions package was first to succeed in more than 30 years.

As Senate was preparing to vote on its version of bill people in Alaska were told to tune into local radio station.

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“Public radio is lifeline connection rural communities to rest of nation and providing life saving emergency broadcasting and weather alerts.

It cannot be replace.”

Republicans have said the recissions package a political tool to decrease funding approved by Congress is likely to first of many.

“This is not the end its the beginning” House Speaker Mike Johnson told after the bill was passed.

The victory for Republicans and President Trump is latest progress in ongoing attempt to shrink government spending.

Nine billion dollars is good begin. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said.

The approved funding cuts consist of large reductions to Corporation for Public Broadcasting which includes NPR and PBs.

It also consist cuts to US Agency for International Development the largest US global humanitarian programme.

The spending cuts were smaller than Trump originally proposed.

In senate version of bill lawmakers voted to keep $400m in budget for Pepfar a gloabl Aids prevention programme bring the cuts from $9.4bn to $9bn.

The bill faced lot of difficulties throught the Senate and House with lawmakers on both side have disagreemt to foreign aid and public proadcasting.

The next SEC chair must be named before next US election Tyler Winklevoss

Gemini co founder Tyler Winklevoss argues that crypto industry should not tolerate any chance of a repeat of last 4 years.

The US government must take action to inform the crypto industry who will lead the securities watchdog before US election according to Gemini co founder Tyler Winklevoss.

Winklevoss believes this perfectly captures President Joe Biden administration position on crypto industry. The Biden Harris Administration had chance to try and reset the relationship with crypto industry this week.

We should demand to know among other things who the next chair of the SEC before we head to ballot box. Winkelvoss declared on X post on July 26 while opening up that he and his brother Cameron Winklevoss also a Gemini co founder were uninvited from a latest event at Whit House for endorsing Donald Trump.

This is table stakes and this is how you make crypto bipartisan. No more guessing. No more hoping. no more surprises. Our industry should not tolerate any chance of a repeat of last 4 years. Winklevoss said.

Winklevoss shared his hope that politicians will stop attending Bitcoin conference. Crypto should become so mainstream that it no longer need debate.

Like going to a conference on whether or not email or the internet should be legal or allowed he stated.

The post cam on 2nd day of the Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville Tennessee which saw several politicians make appearances. Independent Presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr delivered a speech praising the role Bitcoin should play in improving the US economy and American way of life.

He promise to sign a various executive orders on first day in office to start the process.

US president Donald Trump will headline the event.

Gary Gensler the current chair of the US Securities and Exchange Commission since February 2021 has become a controversial person in crypto industry due to various statements and decision he has made past year which have been viewed as anti crypto.

His 5 years terms end in June 2026.