new authoritarianism

‘Justice Demands No Less’: ICE Agent Arrested on Charges of Lying About Minneapolis Shooting

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Article by Stephen Prager republished from Common Dreams under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0).

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents depart the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building on February 4, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

“In Minnesota, we believe in equal justice under the law,” said Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. “That means nobody is above the law, including agents of the federal government.”

A US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent was arrested in Texas on Friday after he was charged by Minnesota officials for allegedly shooting a Venezuelan immigrant during an ICE operation in Minneapolis and lying about what happened.

Christian Castro, 52, was deployed as part of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation push in the Twin Cities, dubbed “Operation Metro Surge,” and was charged by Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty earlier this month with four counts of felony assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime.

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The charges stem from the shooting of Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis at his home on January 14 as ICE agents pursued his roommate, another Venezuelan immigrant named Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna.

According to The New York Times, Castro was arrested Friday after being tracked down by investigators with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). Texas Rangers and agents with the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General carried out the arrest, according to the Minnesota-based Sahan Journal.

“Today’s arrest is a critical step forward in our prosecution of Mr. Castro,” Moriarty said. “The BCA’s investigative work was instrumental in this process, and we’re grateful for their collaboration as we pursue accountability for this incident on behalf of Mr. Sosa-Celis, his family, and our community.”

[Embedded X video not found in article at Common Dreams.]

Sosa-Celis and Aljorna were originally charged by the US Department of Justice (DOJ), after Castro claimed that he had shot in self-defense when the men assaulted him with a broom and a shovel, claims that were parroted by then-Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and department spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin.

But the charges were later dropped after video of the incident and an examination of X-ray evidence demonstrated that Castro’s claims were false. Castro and another agent were subsequently placed on administrative leave by DHS while they were investigated internally for lying under oath.

“In Minnesota, we believe in equal justice under the law. That means nobody is above the law, including agents of the federal government,” said Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison following news of Castro’s arrest on Friday. “I am pleased to hear Christian Castro has been taken into custody and will stand trial for the crimes he allegedly committed in Minnesota. Justice demands no less.”

Castro is the second ICE agent to be charged by Moriarty’s office for their role in Operation Metro Surge, which civil rights groups and Minnesota officials have characterized as a lawless immigration crackdown involving racial profiling, warrantless arrests, violent raids, and multiple shootings by federal agents.

Another agent, Gregory Morgan Jr., was charged last month with two counts of felony second-degree assault after he allegedly pulled a gun on two local residents during a traffic stop. Morgan turned himself in to local authorities last week and was released on bond.

Ellison also sued the Trump administration in March for refusing to cooperate with the state investigation into the shooting of Sosa-Celis, and other probes into the fatal shootings of two US citizens.

Moriarty’s office has not yet brought charges against ICE officer Jonathan Ross, who fatally shot Minneapolis mother Renee Good in January, or Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raymundo Gutierrez in connection with the deadly shooting of Department of Veterans Affairs nurse Alex Pretti later that month.

Article by Stephen Prager republished from Common Dreams under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0).

Donald Fuhrump says that Amerikkka doesn't bother with crimes or charges anymore, not being 100% Amerikkkan and opposing his real estate intentions is enough.
Donald Fuhrump says that Amerikkka doesn’t bother with crimes or charges anymore, not being 100% Amerikkkan and opposing his real estate intentions is enough.
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.
Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says disinhibition and swearing are typical and common symptoms

Continue Reading‘Justice Demands No Less’: ICE Agent Arrested on Charges of Lying About Minneapolis Shooting

Israel Just Said The Quiet Part Out Loud

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Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/

Continue ReadingIsrael Just Said The Quiet Part Out Loud

Labour reports alleged Farage hack to security officials after Reform leader fails to do so

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https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/29/labour-inquiry-nigel-farage-russia-phone-hack-donation-reform-uk

Nigel Farage initially claimed he was given the money to cover security costs. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters

Request follows claims actors linked to Moscow accessed Reform UK leader’s data and leaked information over £5m donation

Labour has reported the alleged hacking of Nigel Farage’s phone to police and government cybersecurity officials after the Reform UK leader failed to do so himself.

The Labour chair, Anna Turley, has asked the Metropolitan police and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to investigate Farage’s claims that his phone was compromised by hostile actors linked to Russia.

Reform has suggested the Guardian’s revelation that Farage was given a £5m donation from the Thailand-based cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne originated from material leaked from his phone, email and bank accounts. The party said last weekend it believed his information had been obtained by “hostile actors, almost certainly linked to Moscow”.

Reform said it had reported the matter to “the relevant authorities”, without specifying which ones. Labour challenged the party to refer the case to the NCSC, but it is understood that had not happened by Thursday afternoon.

…

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/29/labour-inquiry-nigel-farage-russia-phone-hack-donation-reform-uk

dizzy: I suspect that this may be Farage’s downfall.

Nigel Farage blames the Muzzies.
Nigel Farage blames the Muzzies.

Continue ReadingLabour reports alleged Farage hack to security officials after Reform leader fails to do so

Shrinking Oil Inventories Raise Fears of Prolonged Energy Crisis

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https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/Shrinking-Oil-Inventories-Raise-Fears-of-Prolonged-Energy-Crisis.html

  • Global oil inventories are rapidly approaching “minimum operational levels,” with Asia already facing acute shortages.
  • Analysts warn record inventory drawdowns, collapsing Hormuz exports, and rising summer fuel demand are tightening markets far faster than expected.
  • Energy experts caution that prolonged underinvestment in new oil supply and continued disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz could trigger sustained high prices.

…

Carlyle’s Currie had an even grimmer message for the U.S. government. “Every day that goes by, Iran’s negotiating leverage compounds. Why? Because inventories of oil … continue to drop,” he said, as quoted by CNBC. “The minute you think you won, that’s exactly when you know you probably lost, and their negotiating position at this point has never been stronger in the last 47 years.”

Some analysts are warning that once the full extent of the supply shortage becomes felt, prices will rise and stay high, likely for years. The reason, in addition to the immediate crunch of Middle Eastern supply, is a prolonged period of underinvestment in new supply from other parts of the world—something that OPEC+ has been warning about for at least three years now, to no avail. With estimates that it would take at least a month before Hormuz reopens, even with a peace deal in place, the prospect of an oil shortage in Europe has become all but a certainty, and the U.S. will likely see higher gas prices.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/Shrinking-Oil-Inventories-Raise-Fears-of-Prolonged-Energy-Crisis.html

Continue ReadingShrinking Oil Inventories Raise Fears of Prolonged Energy Crisis

Iranian state TV: US aircraft destroyed near Bushehr

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This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

A view shows an anti-Israel billboard with an hourglass image and Persian and Hebrew text reading “Israel will not see the next 15 years” at Palestine Square in Tehran, Iran, on May 29, 2026. [Fatemeh Bahrami – Anadolu Agency]

Iranian state television, citing a local official, reported that a US aircraft had been destroyed in Iran’s Jam ‌governorate ⁠in Bushehr, although there has been no confirmation from the United States.

Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported on Thursday that the Iranian armed forces had launched missiles from southern parts of the country towards specified targets.

The agency said “the Iranian armed forces launched missiles minutes ago from the south of the country towards certain targets”, adding that the exact targets remained unclear, while some sources suggested there may have been clashes in Gulf waters.

It added that reports circulating about explosions being heard in the Gulf coastal provinces of Bushehr and Hormozgan had not yet been confirmed.

Separately, the Iranian Army’s Air Defence Monitoring Centre denied reports of explosions in the city of Bandar Abbas.

The centre said: “So far, no explosions have occurred in Bandar Abbas.”

It added that the sounds came from the sea, explaining that warning shots had been fired at vessels attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without coordinating with the Iranian navy.

Earlier on Thursday, clashes were reported between Iran and the United States near the Strait of Hormuz.

READ: Israeli spy Pollard says Turkiye and Egypt could be Israel’s next targets as Ankara is cast as ‘new Iran’

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it's fun to kill everyone ... unless he gets distracted or falls asleep.
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it’s fun to kill everyone … unless he gets distracted or falls asleep.
Orcas discuss rotting brain. Front Orca says "Wish someone would lock him up".
Orcas discuss rotting brain. Front Orca says “Wish someone would lock him up”.
Continue ReadingIranian state TV: US aircraft destroyed near Bushehr