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Two US military planes carrying dozens of expelled migrants arrived in Guatemala on Friday, authorities said, without specifying whether they were part of the deportation operation launched by President Donald Trump.A total of 79 Guatemalans — 48 men and 31 women — were on a first flight that landed at around midnight, the Central American country’s migration institute said.The second, with an unspecified number of migrants on board, arrived Friday morning.The White House announced late Thursday that “538 illegal immigrant criminals” had been arrested and hundreds deported by military aircraft, saying that “the largest massive deportation operation in history is well underway.”The Guatemalan government did not confirm whether any of those migrants were among the deportees that arrived Friday.”These are flights that took place after Trump took office,” an official in the Guatemalan vice president’s office told AFP.A Pentagon source told AFP that “overnight, two DOD (Department of Defense) aircraft conducted repatriation flights from the US to Guatemala.”Early Friday the White House posted an image on X of men in shackles being marched into a military aircraft, with the caption: “Deportation flights have begun.”And Trump told reporters that the flights were to get “the bad, hard criminals out.””Murderers, people that have been as bad as you get. As bad as anybody you’ve seen,”  he said.Deportation flights were carried out regularly under Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden, whose administration removed some 270,000 people in fiscal year 2023 — more than any year of Trump’s first presidency.Friday’s deportees were taken to a reception center at an air force base in Guatemala’s capital, away from the media.Trump promised a crackdown on illegal immigration during the election campaign and began his second term with a flurry of executive actions aimed at overhauling entry to the United States. On his first day in office he signed orders declaring a “national emergency” at the southern border and announced the deployment of more troops to the area while vowing to deport “criminal aliens.”His administration said it would also reinstate a “Remain in Mexico” policy under which people who apply to enter the United States from Mexico must remain there until their application has been decided.The White House has also halted an asylum program for people fleeing authoritarian regimes in Central and South America, leaving thousands of people stranded on the Mexican side of the border.

The top prosecutor in Los Angeles said Friday that his office will not bring charges against goth rocker Marilyn Manson, who has been accused of sexual assault and domestic violence.Following “a comprehensive four-year investigation,” prosecutors determined that “allegations of domestic violence fall outside of the statute of limitations,” said a statement from Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman.”And we cannot prove charges of sexual assault beyond a reasonable doubt,” it added. Manson has faced allegations from multiple women, including his ex-fiancee, the actress Evan Rachel Wood, and Esme Bianco, who featured in “Game of Thrones.”Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner, has denied wrongdoing.He filed court proceedings in 2022 against Wood for conspiracy, fraud and defamation after she accused him of raping her, but later dropped the civil suit.The 56-year-old musician has long cultivated a controversial image with his ghostly make-up and stage name evoking serial killer Charles Manson, one of the most notorious criminals in US history. “While we are unable to bring charges in this matter, we recognize that the strong advocacy of the women involved has helped bring greater awareness to the challenges faced by survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault,” Hochman’s office said in a statement. Manson is currently on a global tour. Hours after the prosecutor’s statement was released, he announced on Instagram that the tour would include shows in the United States.

US immigration officers swooped on a New Jersey seafood business, detaining undocumented migrants, officials said Friday, as President Donald Trump deployed troops to the Mexican border.Trump has pledged a crackdown on migrants with the White House reporting that agents arrested 538 undocumented people nationwide Thursday, with hundreds removed from the country on military aircraft.”The largest massive deportation operation in history is well underway,” White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt wrote on X.Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said that in a night-time operation in his city, a US Army veteran was among those detained at Ocean Seafood Depot, marking a resumption of workplace raids that were suspended under former president Joe Biden.”Some ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents raided a business in our city without a warrant,” Baraka told a briefing.”The problem with this is that none of these people were rapists or murderers or criminals — the problem is that ICE went in without a warrant.”Newark, New Jersey, like other major cities including New York, is a so-called “sanctuary city” meaning local officials and law enforcement do not typically cooperate with federal immigration agents.- ‘People are scared’ -Trump has threatened to curb federal funding for cities that uphold sanctuary policies.Immigration enforcement agents used raids on businesses and workplaces during Trump’s first term, and he has vowed to resume them, and to conduct operations at schools, churches and hospitals — also off-limits under Biden.”They caught three guys… everybody is afraid, I don’t know if this is normal. They were from Ecuador I think,” a witness to the Newark raid who declined to be named told NBC News.Baraka said he was “appalled, upset, angry that this would happen here, in this state, in this country — that this would be allowed.”Last year under Biden there were 270,000 deportations in total, which was a 10-year high alongside 113,400 arrests.On his first day in office, Trump signed orders declaring a “national emergency” at the southern border and announced the deployment of more troops to the area, vowing to deport “criminal aliens.”Active service troops began arriving on the US-Mexico border Friday, with soldiers working to build structures and barracks.There are an estimated 11 million undocumented migrants in the United States, according to the Department of Homeland Security statistics.Amy Torres, executive director of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, said “people are scared.””We knew this was going to happen, and what we learned from folks that stayed behind was that ICE walked in like it was their empire’s own conquered land,” she said.”They were heavily armed, there was no prior announcement. They were blocking off entrances and exits.”

Move over President Trump — the newest stars in Washington are two giant pandas who made their public debut on Friday in front of hundreds of adoring fans.Bao Li and Qing Bao rambled around their enclosure, played in the snow and munched on bamboo at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in the US capital.The pair, who arrived from China in October, have been in quarantine while their home was renovated with new climbing structures, water features and rock zones.Bao Li and Qing Bao — both three years old — are part of a 10-year agreement with China, after the previous pandas in Washington returned home in 2023.Their arrival is the latest chapter of so-called “panda diplomacy,” in which China’s black-and-white bears are sent across the globe as soft-power ambassadors.After Washington lost its last pandas, the lack of immediate replacements was viewed by many as a symbol of heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing.- ‘Won our hearts’ -Zoo officials said the two new residents have settled in well with Bao Li, a male, happy to eat anything, though female Qing Bao is pickier.”For over 50 years, giant pandas have been an integral part of the fabric and culture of Washington,” zoo director Brandie Smith said.”Bao Li and Qing Bao have won our hearts, and we’re excited to welcome panda fans back to the zoo.”Bao Li’s name translates as “active and vital power” while Qing Bao means “green” and “treasure.”They were flown from Chengdu to Dulles airport in Virginia aboard a FedEx cargo plane decorated with giant panda images.Under the zoo’s agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association, the pandas will remain in the United States for a decade for an annual fee of $1 million.The pandas are too young to breed, but will reach sexual maturity between ages four and seven. Any cub would leave for China when young to join in the country’s breeding program.Thanks to conservation efforts, the giant panda was downgraded last year from “endangered” to “vulnerable” on the global list of species at risk of extinction.The new pandas are among just a few that remain in the United States, including a pair that arrived at San Diego’s zoo last summer.The Washington zoo relaunched its popular giant panda cam, with 40 cameras streaming images throughout the day.It is also selling panda-themed merchandise ranging from M&M candy to hoodies, pillows and notepads under the slogan “Pandas Are Here.”The first pandas were sent to Washington as a gift in 1972, following US president Richard Nixon’s historic visit to the Communist nation.

The US Senate appeared poised Friday to narrowly confirm former Fox News host Peter Hegseth for defense secretary, with opponents saying Donald Trump’s pick has nowhere near the experience for the huge job and a disturbing history of heavy drinking and domestic abuse.Hegseth’s resume is so thin and his list of alleged personal issues so long that he makes an unusual pick to lead the world’s biggest nuclear-armed military with about 2.9 million employees and an $850 billion budget.He has never led a large organization. He served as a major in the National Guard but is better known for his work until recently as a host on Trump-friendly Fox News.After his nomination, a slew of damaging allegations emerged about past drinking excesses and accusations of abusive behavior toward his second wife and one case of sexual assault.His former sister-in-law Danielle Hegseth said in an affidavit received by lawmakers that she was subjected to emotional abuse by him, and was told by his second wife that she once hid from him in a closet because she “feared for her personal safety.”According to the affidavit, Hegseth also told his ex-sister-in-law that women should not work or have the right to vote, and said that “Christians needed to have more children so they can overtake the Muslim population.”Hegseth denies any wrongdoing and Trump has stood by him, telling reporters Friday: “Pete’s a very, very good man.”Hegseth has a combative media personality, fierce loyalty and telegenic looks — common hallmarks in Trump’s entourage.Supporters say his deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq give him the insight to run the Pentagon better than the top brass typically considered for the job.- Tricky Senate math -In his Senate hearings and media appearances, Hegseth has aggressively driven home the need to make the US military less “woke” and more “lethal.” He has also focused on ending what he says has been lowering of standards to help women enter the military.He calls the allegations of improper personal behavior against him “smears” but has said he will stop drinking alcohol if confirmed to head the Pentagon.Republicans hold only a thin majority in the Senate and two of the party’s 53 senators — Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski — are expected to vote against Hegseth, joining what is expected to be a unanimous “no” from Democrats.That would still allow Hegseth to squeak through. If one more Republican voted against, it would make 50-50 — with Trump’s vice president, JD Vance, coming to break the tie.On Thursday, the Senate confirmed John Ratcliffe to head the CIA, while a vote on Kristi Noem’s nomination to lead Homeland Security is expected Sunday morning.Focus then shifts to Treasury nominee Scott Bessent and Trump’s pick for Transport, Sean Duffy.Those votes are not expected to be difficult for the Republicans.However, the divisions exposed by Hegseth’s nomination will flare up again next week when three more of Trump’s most contentious nominees enter the spotlight.Kash Patel — Trump’s pick to lead the FBI — goes before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, the same day as Tulsi Gabbard’s hearing in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Both are facing major questions over their character, judgement and previous positions — including Gabbard’s echoing of Kremlin talking points on Ukraine. They are not expected to get any Democratic support.Thursday is likely to be a day of drama as the Senate holds the first of two scheduled confirmation hearings for Trump’s Health Secretary nominee Robert F Kennedy Jr, who is likely to be grilled on his anti-vaccine statements and embrace of other conspiracy theories. 

Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg on Friday said the tech giant plans to invest at least $60 billion in artificial intelligence in 2025, aiming to lead in the technology.”This will be a defining year for AI,” Zuckerberg said in a post on his Facebook page.Zuckerberg expects Meta AI to be the top digital assistant, used by more than a billion people, and for the tech firm’s Llama 4 to be at the forefront of AI models, according to the post.Meta is creating an AI “engineer” to contribute computer coding to its research and development efforts, he explained.Meta will construct a massive new datacenter to power its AI ambitions and is planning $60 billion to $65 billion in capital expenditures this year related to the technology, according to Zuckerberg.”This is a massive effort, and over the coming years it will drive our core products and business, unlock historic innovation, and extend American technology leadership,” he said.The post comes just days after US President Donald Trump announced a major investment to build infrastructure for artificial intelligence led by Japanese giant SoftBank and ChatGPT-maker OpenAI.Trump said the venture, called Stargate, “will invest $500 billion, at least, in AI infrastructure in the United States.”But in a post on his social media platform X, Trump ally and tech tycoon Elon Musk said the main investors “don’t actually have the money.”The comment marked a rare instance of a split between the world’s richest man and Trump, with Musk playing a key role in the newly installed administration after spending $270 million on the election campaign.Microsoft president Brad Smith, meanwhile, has gone on record saying the company was on pace this fiscal year to invest about $80 billion to build out AI datacenters, train AI models and deploy cloud-based applications around the world.”The United States is poised to stand at the forefront of this new technology wave, especially if it doubles down on its strengths and effectively partners internationally,” Smith said in an online post.

US President Donald Trump visited disaster zones in North Carolina and California on Friday, using his first trip since his return to office to turn emergency aid into a political cudgel.Trump said he would sign an order that could scrap the federal disaster agency, stepping up his effort to exert presidential power over the levers of government, and to decide which states get money from Washington.The Republican billionaire also threatened to withhold funding for Democratic-led California — a long-term target of his ire — to deal with devastating wildfires if it does not follow his orders.The visit came as the White House said that Trump’s promised operation to expel millions of undocumented migrants had begun with the launch of deportation flights on military aircraft.Speaking in North Carolina, where floods caused by Hurricane Helene last year that killed more than 100 people in the state, Trump said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had “really let us down.”Trump said he would be “signing an executive order to begin the process of fundamentally reforming and overhauling FEMA, or maybe getting rid of FEMA.””We’re going to recommend that FEMA go away.”- ‘Greatest president’ -Trump met victims of the devastating floods, getting them to recount what they said were failings by federal agencies and insurance companies.Trump is separately trying to leverage disaster aid over rival Democrats in California, even as fresh wildfires add to the toll of blazes that have killed some two dozen people and caused billions of dollars in damage.He said he could withhold assistance if California does not change voting laws which he says allow undocumented migrants to vote — and linked that to a false claim that the state could solve its drought by simply opening a valve.”In California I have a condition,” he said. “I want two things, I want voter ID for the people of California… and I want to see the water be released and come down.””After that I will be the greatest president that California has ever seen.”Trump has previously slung insults at California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom — branding him an “idiot” — and baselessly claimed that California authorities diverted water supplies to save a kind of small fish called a smelt.- Deportation flights -Trump’s administration is also keeping the focus on migration, one of the key issues that fueled the 78-year-old’s extraordinary political comeback in November’s US presidential election.The White House trumpeted the arrest of 538 undocumented migrants on Wednesday and said it had deported “hundreds” of migrants on military aircraft — a departure from the normal use of civilian planes.By comparison, under Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden there were a total of 270,000 deportations in 2024 — a 10-year record — and 113,400 arrests, making an average of 310 per day.Two US military flights carrying migrants arrived in Guatemala early Friday, a US defense official said. A total of 79 Guatemalans were aboard, according to the central American country’s migration institute.”We’re getting the bad, hard criminals out,” Trump said when asked about the flights. “Murderers, people that have been as bad as you get. As bad as anybody you’ve seen.” Trump repeatedly accused Biden of failing to crack down on an “invasion” of migrants illegally crossing the southern border with Mexico.And his turbocharged bid to reshape America in the first days of his administration was also continuing with a planned video address to a huge anti-abortion march in Washington on Friday.Tens of thousands of people attended the “March for Life” on the National Mall, waving US flags and carrying banners with slogans including “God’s choice.””I did a big clip for the March for Life, and we look forward to seeing it,” Trump told reporters.Trump recalled that he had signed a pardon for 23 anti-abortion protesters in the Oval Office on Thursday.

The mayor of a major US city said Friday immigration officers raided a seafood business, detaining undocumented migrants alongside an American citizen as President Donald Trump pressed actions against undocumented people and deployed troops to the Mexican border.Trump has pledged a crackdown on migrants with the White House reporting that agents arrested 538 undocumented people on Thursday, with hundreds removed from the country on military aircraft.Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said that a US Army veteran was among those detained in an overnight raid on Ocean Seafood Depot that marked a resumption of workplace raids, suspended under former president Joe Biden.”Some ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents raided a business in our city without a warrant,” Baraka told a briefing, adding that a military veteran who held US citizenship was questioned during the operation.”The problem with this is that none of these people were rapists or murderers or criminals — the problem is that ICE went in without a warrant.”Newark, New Jersey, like other major cities including New York, is a sanctuary city meaning local officials and law enforcement do not typically cooperate with federal immigration agents as a matter of policy.Trump has threatened to curb federal funding for cities that uphold sanctuary policies.Immigration enforcement agents used raids on businesses and workplaces during Trump’s first term, with the newly-inaugurated president vowing to resume them, and to conduct operations at schools, churches and hospitals — also off-limits under Biden.”They caught three guys… everybody is afraid, I don’t know if this is normal. They were from Ecuador I think,” a witness to the Newark raid who declined to be named told NBC News.Last year under Biden there were 270,000 deportations in total, which was a 10-year high alongside 113,400 arrests.On his first day in office, Trump signed orders declaring a “national emergency” at the southern border and announced the deployment of more troops to the area, vowing to deport “criminal aliens.”Active service troops began arriving on the US-Mexico border Friday, images showed, with soldiers working to build structures and barracks.There are an estimated 11 million undocumented migrants in the United States, according to the Office of Homeland Security Statistics.Amy Torres, executive director of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, said “people are scared.””We knew this was going to happen, and what we learned from folks that stayed behind was that ICE walked in like it was their empire’s own conquered land,” she said.”They were heavily armed, there was no prior announcement. They were blocking off entrances and exits.”

Sales of previously owned US homes slipped to their weakest level in about three decades last year on the back of high housing prices and mortgage rates, according to industry data released Friday.Existing home sales came in at 4.06 million on an annual basis in 2024, the lowest level since 1995, said the National Association of Realtors (NAR).The weakness came despite population and job growth over the past three decades, NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun said on a call with reporters.But he pointed to affordability issues with elevated home prices, alongside higher mortgage rates and a lack of inventory to explain the trend.In December, however, existing home sales rose by 2.2 percent from November, reaching a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.2 million, the NAR said.This was its strongest pace since February 2024 — and in line with analysts’ expectations.”Home sales in the final months of the year showed solid recovery despite elevated mortgage rates,” said Yun in a statement.While sales during the winter months are typically softer than in the spring and summer, “momentum is rising with sales climbing year-over-year for three straight months,” Yun added.”Job and wage gains, along with increased inventory, are positively impacting the market,” he said.From a year ago, existing home sales were up 9.3 percent in December — the largest year-on-year gain since June 2021 — the NAR said.Meanwhile, the median sales price jumped by 6.0 percent from a year ago, to $404,400 last month.The growth in sales came despite the popular 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaging nearly 6.9 percent as of December 26, according to Freddie Mac data.”The prospects for this year look better, but not by much as the triple threat of high mortgage rates, high home prices and low supply will continue,” said economist Robert Frick with the Navy Federal Credit Union.Even with builders poised to add more homes, they will be constrained with interest rates still elevated.And homebuyers, Frick said, will likely face mortgage rates between 6.5 and 7.0 percent.Economist Oliver Allen of Pantheon Macroeconomics expects the fourth quarter’s home sales increase “will unwind in the first quarter” of 2025, given a rebound in mortgage rates recently.Carl Weinberg and Mary Chen of High Frequency Economics expect home sales data will not weigh on the US central bank’s upcoming interest rate decision.The Federal Reserve is cutting rates in slow motion and the housing market has been weak for a while, they said.”The Fed will not start rushing its next rate cut to boost a single sector,” they added.The Fed’s rate-setting committee is set to meet next week.

US President Donald Trump made his first trip Friday since returning to power, heading to fire-scorched California and hurricane-hit North Carolina as a row blazed over disaster funding.The visit came as the White House said that deportation flights on military aircraft had begun, launching Trump’s promised operation to expel “millions” of undocumented migrants.On his fifth day of his whirlwind return to office, Republican Trump headed for Los Angeles amid continuing attacks on its Democratic leaders over their handling of devastating wildfires.Leaving the White House with First Lady Melania Trump, he repeated his false claims that rain-starved California could solve its water problems by simply opening a valve in the north of the state.Trump told reporters he was going to “take a look at a fire that could have been put out if they let the water flow, but they didn’t let the water flow, and they still haven’t for whatever reason.”He suggested yanking federal disaster support for America’s second largest city — a liberal bastion — after the fires that have killed some two dozen people and caused billions of dollars in damage.Trump has also slung insults at California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom — branding him an “idiot” — and baselessly claimed that California authorities diverted water supplies to save a kind of small fish called a smelt.Officials say Trump will meet firefighters and those affected by the blazes.- ‘Get it fixed’ -Trump also sought to score political points on North Carolina, accusing Democratic predecessor Joe Biden of failing to help it recover from floods caused by Hurricane Helene last year that killed more than 100 people in the state. He said the situation there was a “horrible thing the way that’s been allowed to fester, and we’re going to get it fixed up.”North Carolina resident and Republican supporter Christy Edwards said that “Trump can change everything.”People were still living in camper vans with their families following the disaster, said the 55-year-old retired teacher living an hour away from the hard-hit city of Asheville.”We’re hoping by Trump coming we’ll help get more resources,” she told AFP by phone.Trump has floated ending federal disaster relief in general and leaving states to fend for themselves, accusing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of turning its back on victims.”FEMA has not done their job for the last four years,” Trump said on Fox News. “I’d rather see the states take care of their own problems.”- Deportation flights -The White House is meanwhile keeping the focus of Trump’s second term on migration, trumpeting the arrest of 538 arrests on Wednesday.Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration had deported “hundreds” of migrants on military aircraft — a departure from the normal use of civilian planes.”The largest massive deportation operation in history is well underway,” Leavitt said on X.By comparison, under Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden there were a total of 270,000 deportations in 2024 — a 10-year record — and 113,400 arrests, making an average of 310 per day.Trump repeatedly accused Biden of failing to crack down on an “invasion” of migrants illegally crossing the southern border with Mexico.On his first day in office, Trump signed orders declaring a “national emergency” at the southern border and announced the deployment of 1,500 troops to the area.The Democratic mayor of the city of Newark, New Jersey, Ras Baraka said on Thursday that agents raided a local business and detained undocumented migrants “without producing a warrant.””Newark will not stand by idly while people are being unlawfully terrorized,” Baraka said in a statement.There are an estimated 11 million undocumented migrants in the United States, according to the Office of Homeland Security Statistics.On the international front, Trump told Fox News he would “rather not” impose tariffs on China despite repeated vows to hit America’s biggest economic rival with hefty import levies.Trump also said he would seek to rekindle his diplomatic relationship with Kim Jong Un, calling the North Korean leader he has met three times a “smart guy.”