ALEX BLOG

SYDNEY, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Hate speech and gun control laws proposed by the Australian government in the aftermath of the Bondi Beach mass shooting were criticised by conservative opposition and Greens parties on Thursday, putting in question whether ​they can pass.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has recalled Parliament from its summer break to sit next Monday and Tuesday with the hope ‌that a combined bill that authorises a gun buyback and lowers the bar for hate speech prosecutions would be voted on.

Albanese was criticised for not acting quickly enough in ‌announcing a public inquiry into the Bondi massacre, but has now been criticised for rushing complex legislation.

On Thursday, Liberal Party leader Sussan Ley, who previously urged Albanese to act quickly, said the bill was "unsalvageable" after prominent conservative lawmakers said it threatened free speech. She urged Albanese to allow more time to consider new laws.

The December 14 shooting in Sydney that killed 15 people at a Hanukkah celebration sparked nationwide calls to tackle antisemitism. Police say the alleged ⁠gunmen were inspired by the Islamic State militant ‌group.

Ley criticised the bill for not targeting "radical Islamic extremist hate preaching without impinging on free speech."

The bill exempts preachers who quote from or discuss religious texts, which the Executive Council of Australian Jewry said could pose a loophole that ‍allows antisemitism.

The National Party, which partners with the Liberals in opposition, criticised the government for combining gun control measures, which it opposed, and hate speech in the same bill.

"This should have been a moment of national unity," Albanese said in an Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio interview on Thursday. The government is prepared to consider ​amendments to the bill, he added.

Labor holds a majority in the lower house of Parliament and is negotiating with the Greens party for ‌support for the bill in the Senate.

The Greens said on Thursday it would not support the bill over concerns at the impact on political protest and changes to the migration act.

Greens leader Larissa Water said the party also wants hate speech protections broadened beyond race to cover Islamophobia.

"We need to ensure these laws cannot be weaponised to shut down legitimate political protest. Labor must make it crystal clear that criticism of Israel's actions, just like those of Russia, China or Australia, will not be criminalised," she said.

Universities, and a United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Counter ⁠Terrorism, Ben Saul, have also raised concerns the bill could limit freedom of ​expression.

NEO-NAZI GROUP DISBANDS

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said since the draft law was released on ​Tuesday, a neo-Nazi group that was flagged as a concern by intelligence agencies disbanded to avoid prosecution, which he said showed the effectiveness of the bill.

In addition, a Muslim prayer hall in Sydney linked to a cleric who was ‍found by a court to have made ⁠intimidating statements about Jewish people said it would shut down.

An expert in constitutional law, Anne Twomey, said the proposed law could be challenged in the High Court for impinging on political communication. The proposed offence of promoting racial hatred carries a five-year prison sentence.

Daniel ⁠Aghion, president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said the reform would make it easier to prosecute hate crimes because incitement of an audience would no longer need ‌to be proved in court.

In a statement, the council said the bill should be passed, even though it had "serious shortcomings."

(Reporting ‌by Kirsty Needham in Sydney; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus and Michael Perry)

Last fall, Parente defended in courtMarimar Martinez, a U.S. citizen who was shot five times by a Border Patrol agent in Chicago and survived. The news out of Minnesota, Parente said, served as a stark reminder of what happened to his client just months earlier.

"I was heartbroken," Parente, a defense attorney and former federal prosecutor, told USA TODAY, "but I wasn't surprised."

Thefatal shooting of Goodby a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent has put a spotlight on previous violent – and sometimes deadly – interactions involving federal agents carrying out theTrump administration's deportation agenda.

Immigration agents have fired upon at least 10 people since August, USA TODAY has found. In each case, agents shot at drivers or into moving cars – a practice that haslargely been discouraged by law enforcementbecause of risks to public safety.

Federal agents continue surge of immigration enforcement in Minnesota

Footage of the incidents shows agents swarming vehicles, smashing windows and trying to pry open car doors within seconds of approaching drivers. On multiple occasions, body camera video and cellphone footage has contradicted federal officials' initial claims about the shootings.

The Department of Homeland Security and federal prosecutors defended the agents and accused drivers of trying to run them over. Of the four drivers charged by federal prosecutors, three have had their charges dropped, court records show.

Similarities between the various shootings have raised concerns among public officials, judges and policing experts over the aggressive tactics used by federal agents nationwide.

"There seems to be a pattern of shoot into vehicles and then justify it by saying the vehicles are trying to run them over," said Geoffrey Alpert, a professor of criminology at the University of South Carolina who specializes in the use of deadly force.

Each year, local police officers stop tens of millions of drivers on American streets, leading to a wealth of best practices and common procedures aimed at mitigating risk to officers and the public.

Alpert and former law enforcement officials said many of the tactics being used by federal agents – from reaching into vehicles to stepping into the path of cars – are in stark contrast to well-known policing standards.

"The growing number of incidents where we see agents resorting to deadly force without any reasonable basis is a recipe for disaster," said David Harris, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania who focuses on police procedure. "These actions," he added, "don't reflect the current thinking of law enforcement generally or best practices."

In a statement, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said "The pattern is not of law enforcement using deadly force. It's a pattern of vehicles being used as weapons by violent agitators to attack our law enforcement."

"When faced with dangerous circumstances, DHS law enforcement used their training to protect themselves, their fellow officers, and the public," she said, adding, "The brave men and women of DHS will not be deterred and will continue arresting the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens. Anyone who attacks law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

What happened to Renee Good?

An ICE agent shot and killed Good on Jan. 7 in a suburban neighborhood south of downtown Minneapolis. Videos show multiple agents approaching her SUV as it idled on a residential road, with one of the officers yelling "get out of the (expletive) car."

Within seconds of approaching her, an agent tried to open Good's door. She reversed briefly before moving forward with her wheels turned away from the agents. When her car began to lurch forward, an agent near the front left-side of the SUV drew his gun and shot her at close range.

Videoanalysis by USA TODAYand other outlets shows the agent appeared to be standing just beside the SUV, out of the vehicle's path, when he opened fire.

Aseparate video from the officerwho pulled the trigger shows the agent walking around Good's vehicle before stopping near the front of the SUV. The last thing Good – a U.S. citizen with no criminal history – could be heard saying is "That's fine, dude. I'm not mad at you."

The Trump administration saidthe agent, Jonathan Ross,acted in self-defense andaccused Good of engaging in "domestic terrorism."Trump administration officials – including Vice PresidentJD Vance– pointed to the agent's video to justify their position that he acted appropriately.

Minnesota state and local officials vehemently disputed those claims, calling them "propaganda" and "BS."

While use of force and policing experts called for a full investigation into the shooting, several criticized the agent's actions.

"The officer is moving away from the vehicle as the car slowly turns to the right, away from the direction he's moving," Harris said. "Given what I saw, the use of deadly force is not reasonable."

Feds allege car ramming, appear quick to use 'domestic terrorist' label

In many ways, the deadly shooting in Minneapolis resembles Martinez's shooting in Chicago by a Border Patrol agent. In that October case, DHS officials said Martinez "ambushed" federal agents and "rammed" officers with her car.

Like the shooting in Minneapolis, agency officials within hours described Martinez, who has no criminal history, and another person initially charged in the incident as "domestic terrorists."

"We will not allow domestic terrorists to attack our law enforcement," McLaughlin said ina statement at the time. "If you lay a hand on law enforcement, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

But after a few weeks in court, the case fell apart, leading the Justice Department to drop the charges. The case was ultimately dismissed in November.

In court, the agent walked back the Department of Homeland Security's initial claims that the officers were "rammed" by Martinez."To me, ramming is the front of a vehicle striking another vehicle. And that is not what happened," the agent said, according to a transcript of an evidentiary hearing on Nov. 5.

Exhibits presented in court show the Border Patrol agent, Charles Exum, apparently bragging about the shooting in a Signal group chat with other federal officers.

"I fired 5 rounds and she had 7 holes. Put that in your book boys," Exum wrote. In court he explained the text by saying "I'm a firearms instructor. And I take pride in my shooting skills," according to a transcript of an evidentiary hearing in November.

In reaction to being deployed to another city, Exum wrote in another chat, "Cool. I'm up for another round of '(f---) around and find out'" – a reference to FAFO, internet slang that's become a fixture ofsocial media postsand statements by officials in the Trump administration.

When asked about the meaning of that text, which was sent less than 72 hours after the shooting, the agent told the court, "I would be up for another round of ... that means illegal actions have legal consequences."

"And you're up for it?" asked Parente.

"That's my job," Exum replied.

Videos show agents firing at moving vehicles

Several incidents raised concerns about immigration agents firing at moving vehicles, a major safety hazard that's been increasingly prohibited by law enforcement agencies nationwide.

In August in San Bernardino, California, multiple immigration officers swarmed the vehicle of Francisco Javier Longoria, an undocumented immigrant. Videos show he drove away from agents after one began smashing his driver's side window. Seconds after his truck started moving forward, multiple shots can be heard.

The truck had bullet holes on the passenger side where Longoria's 18-year-old son, a U.S. citizen, was seated, videos show. Harris, the law professor, watched footage of the incident and said it's "by sheer luck that the passenger was not killed."

A similar incident unfolded in Franklin Park, Illinois, the next month, and ended with the death of a civilian.

Federal agents shot and killed Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, a 38-year-old Mexican immigrant, after they say he resisted arrest and "dragged" an agent with his car. Video evidence from the scene shows the agent describe his wounds as "nothing major."

Videos also show one of the agents reaching into the vehicle just before Villegas-Gonzalez steps on the gas – a move that is not in accordance with longstanding police procedures.

"That's a huge no-no," said Seth Stoughton, a former Tallahassee police officer and law professor at the University of South Carolina. "The tactical approach that policing has emphasized for decades is: 'don't reach into a car, don't overextend, don't reach for the keys.'"

Police department and federal agencies also discourage officers from shooting at moving vehicles. Astudy commissionedby U.S. Customs and Border Protection in 2013 recommended the agency prohibit officers from shooting at moving cars unless "deadly physical force is being used … by means other than a moving vehicle."

The authors of the report reviewed 15 cases in which agents shot at moving cars and found that officers had often put themselves in harm's way, "exposing themselves to additional risk and creating justification for the use of deadly force," the report said.

According to its latest policy document, the Department of Homeland Security allows agents to shoot at vehicles if there's an "imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury," including from the vehicles themselves.

Immigrant fatally shot after dragging ICE agent with car: See photos from the scene

Former law enforcement officers say shooting at a driver poses a risk to public safety because, if a driver is incapacitated, the vehicle can become an "unguided missile."

In the Minneapolis and Franklin Park shootings, the drivers were killed and their vehicles continued careening down public roads before crashing into other cars. There were no reports of injuries from the collisions.

Agent shoots TikTok creator, US Marshal injured by gunfire

In December, a federal judge dismissed charges against a Los Angeles-based TikTok creator who was shot by a federal agent. In that case, prosecutors accused Carlitos Ricardo Parias, a Mexican national, of ramming into law enforcement vehicles in an "attempt to dislodge his car during an immigration arrest."

During the incident, a federal agent opened fire, wounding Parias as well as a deputy U.S. Marshal who was struck by a ricochet bullet, prosecutors said.

Body camera footage obtained by theLos Angeles Timesraised serious questions about the agent's conduct.

The footage shows the ICE agent holding a gun in one hand as he smashes Parias' passenger-side window, the outlet reported. As the agent attempts to open the passenger door, he moves the gun into his other hand before firing. The Times reported that at the time, Parias' car did not appear to be moving and other agents could be seen near the driver's side door.

Similar to the shootings in Minneapolis, Chicago and San Bernardino, video of the incident challenged the initial claims by federal prosecutors and Department of Homeland Security officials.

On other occasions, information from local police has challenged the Department of Homeland Security's accounts.

Last week, the agency walked back claims that two men in Maryland were inside a vehicle that allegedly rammed into federal officers, leading one agent to fire "defensive" shots. The change came after the Anne Arundel County Police Department announced that one of the two people was in ICE custody at the time of the shooting.

"It's unprofessional," said Alpert, pointing to what he described as a rush to judgment by federal law enforcement officials soon after the shootings. "How can you make these judgements without a thorough investigation? I think it's doing everyone a disservice."

Will the agents face any recourse for shootings?

After the Minneapolis shooting, Martinez called Parente in a panic.

"She called me from work, distraught and heartbroken," Parente said. "It could have easily been her had these bullets traveled an inch to either side."

The two discussed the similarities of the cases and what Parente described as the "nearly identical conduct" of the agents involved.

Like the ICE agent in Minneapolis, the Border Patrol officer who shot Martinez had worked for the Department of Homeland Security for over a decade, according to court records. The agent, Exum, was posted on the Canadian border in Maine before he was dispatched to Chicago.

After the shooting, Exum turned over his gun but was able to leave within days back to Maine. He was soon in conversations about being deployed to another U.S. city, court records show. When asked if he had ever faced suspension over the shooting in Chicago, he told the court he hadn't.

So far, none of the agents involved in the shootings has been publicly suspended or reprimanded. McLaughlin, a spokesperson for DHS, said shootings involving ICE agents are reviewed by an "appropriate investigative agency" as well as internally.

After the shooting in Minneapolis, Vice President JD Vance said the officer has"absolute immunity,"which legal experts have challenged. As Democrats and state officials call for independent investigations, former law enforcement agents and police experts say they're worried that without accountability more violence will follow.

"It's very concerning," Harris said. "Having this type of policing operation with a very strong willingness to use force is just a recipe for more of these shootings."

This story was updated to add comments from the Department of Homeland Security.Christopher Cann is a national breaking news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact him via email at ccann@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:ICE, Border Patrol shootings fit pattern in Minneapolis, Chicago, LA

The reopening around midday came three months ahead of schedule, and business owners say that should give travelers plenty of time to plan their spring and summer road trips. The highway is famously a must for California visitors traveling between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

"Today is a monumental milestone for us," said a relieved Colin Twohig, general manager of the Big Sur River Inn. "We're hitting the light at the end of the tunnel after three long years."

The first shutdown came in January 2023 when a series of powerful atmospheric rivers triggered a major landslide. The highway was buried by mud and rocks again the following year during another wet winter, and a lane also collapsed down a cliff near the Rocky Creek Bridge.

The traffic stoppage between Carmel and Cambria cut off access to Big Sur, an isolated stretch of the state's central coast where misty, forested mountains rise up from the ocean. What used to be a short drive between the southern and northern sections — with tiny Big Sur Village roughly in the middle — became an eight-hour trek inland and then back toward the seashore.

The isolated area, home to fewer than 2,000 residents, is known for its panoramic hiking trails along high cliffs and craggy beaches where seals and sea lions sometimes sprawl out. The late "Tropic of Cancer" author Henry Miller lived there for nearly two decades starting in the 1940s, and there's now a library devoted to his work.

There were multiple closures at various locations throughout the past three years, and the last stretch that remained shut was a 7-mile (11-kilometer) span near Lucia, according to the California Department of Transportation, or Caltrans.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the opening on social media, thanking Caltrans for the speedy work in "reviving a vital economic lifeline for local business owners and residents affected by the closure."

Caltrans, which has called Highway 1 the jewel of the state highway system, deployed remotely operated bulldozers and excavators to safely remove tons of debris in steep terrain. Then crews drilled 4,600 steel bars into the slopes in a grid to patch layers of the hillside together and reduce the risk of future slides, the department said.

California Assemblymember Dawn Addis, a Democrat whose district includes Big Sur, said the restoration will provide a much-needed fiscal boost to the region.

"This turning point will help restore revenue, access to our state parks, support jobs, public safety, and economic stability for many of our residents," Addis said in a statement.

Twohig said he looks forward to seeing tourists in cars and motorhomes back on the road.

He estimated that his inn, with 22 guest rooms, a large restaurant and a general store, saw a 20% drop in business. He said the road closure directly following COVID-19 restrictions was a one-two punch. The inn spent the down time making improvements and marketing heavily to entice California residents to visit during the off-seasons.

"When you have a hospitality business, you really rely on the busy season, and when there is no busy season, it can be a hard pill to swallow," he said. "Having that lifeline back is huge."

A top Trump administration lawyer pressed a federal judge Wednesday to block a newly enacted California law that bans most law enforcement officers in the state from wearing masks, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Tiberius Davis, representing the U.S. Department of Justice, argued at a hearing in Los Angeles that the first-of-its-kind ban on police face coverings could unleash chaos across the country, and potentially land many ICE agents on the wrong side of the law it were allowed to take effect.

"Why couldn't California say every immigration officer needs to wear pink, so it's super obvious who they are?" Davis told U.S. District Judge Christina A. Snyder. "The idea that all 50 states can regulate the conduct and uniforms of officers ... flips the Constitution on its head."

The judge appeared skeptical.

"Why can't they perform their duties without a mask? They did that until 2025, did they not?" Snyder said. "How in the world do those who don't mask manage to operate?"

The administration first sued to block the new rules in November, after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the No Secret Police Act and its companion provision, the No Vigilantes Act, into law. Together, The laws bar law enforcement officers from wearing masks and compel them to display identification "while conducting law enforcement operations in the Golden State." Both offenses would be misdemeanors.

Read more:Trump claims crime is rampant in California. Newsom counters with stats showing historic lows

Federal officials have vowed to defy the new rules, saying they are unconstitutional and put agents in danger. They have also decried an exception in the law for California state peace officers, arguing the carve out is discriminatory. The California Highway Patrol is among those exempted, while city and county agencies, including the Los Angeles Police Department, must comply.

"These were clearly and purposefully targeted at the federal government," Davis told the court Wednesday. "Federal officers face prosecution if they do not comply with California law, but California officers do not."

The hearing comes at a moment of acute public anger at the agency following the fatal shooting of American protester Renee Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis — rage that has latched on to masks as a symbol of perceived lawlessness and impunity.

"It's obvious why these laws are in the public interest," California Department of Justice lawyer Cameron Bell told the court Wednesday. "The state has had to bear the cost of the federal government's actions. These are very real consequences."

She pointed to declarations from U.S. citizens who believed they were being abducted by criminals when confronted by masked immigration agents, including incidents where local police were called to respond.

"I later learned that my mother and sister witnessed the incident and reported to the Los Angeles Police Department that I was kidnapped," Angeleno Andrea Velez said in one such declaration. "Because of my mother's call, LAPD showed up to the raid."

The administration argues the anti-mask law would put ICE agents and other federal immigration enforcement officers at risk of doxing and chill the "zealous enforcement of the law."

"The laws would recklessly endanger the lives of federal agents and their family members and compromise the operational effectiveness of federal law enforcement activities," the government said in court filings.

Davis also told the court that ICE's current tactics were necessary in part because of laws across California and in much of the U.S. that limit police cooperation with ICE and bar immigration enforcement in sensitive locations, such as schools and courts.

California contends its provisions are "modest" and aligned with past practice, and that the government's evidence showing immigration enforcement would be harmed is thin.

Bell challenged Department of Homeland Security statistics purporting to show an 8,000% increase in death threats against ICE agents and a 1,000% increase in assaults, saying the government has recently changed what qualifies as a "threat" and that agency claims have faced "significant credibility issues" in federal court.

Read more:Attacks on ICE up 1,000%? Trump administration claim not backed up by court records

"Blowing a whistle to alert the community, that's hardly something that increases threats," Bell said.

On the identification rule, Snyder appeared to agree.

"One might argue that there's serious harm to the government if agents' anonymity is preserved," she said.

The fate of the mask law may hinge on the peace officer exemption.

"Would your discrimination argument go away if the state changed legislation to apply to all officers?" Snyder asked.

"I believe so," Davis said.

The ban was slated to come into force on Jan. 1, but is on hold while the case makes its way through the courts. If allowed to take effect, California would become the first state in the nation to block ICE agents and other federal law enforcement officers from concealing their identities while on duty.

A ruling is expected as soon as this week.

Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.

This story originally appeared inLos Angeles Times.

That's exactly what customs officials found when they discovered two women were smuggling an invasive species of turtle into the country through theirchecked baggage. Now, the women face possible jail time while the turtles will hopefully be returned to their natural habitats, where they belong. Here's what we know.

Sign up for our newsletter and get hidden gems, travel secrets, and stories like this delivered straight to your inbox!

5,000 turtles rescued from a smuggler's suitcase in India

The Air Intelligence Unit had an unusual day when they came face-to-face with 5,000 red-eared slider turtles that had been packed tightly into a series of plastic containers and hidden inside of the suitcases of a pair of women.

The alleged smugglersflew into Tiruchy International Airport, according toTimes of India. They arrived there from Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. The publication says thatauthorities were alteredto the possible situation via a tip, which prompted them to check the bags once the duo arrived. The women were taken into custody due to violations of the Wildlife Protection Act.

A team of officials from the forest department then arrived to examine the turtles, which were identified as the invasive species, before sending them back to Kuala Lumpur. According to theTimes of India, the investigation is ongoing.

Related: United Airlines passenger flabbergasted over how seatmate behaved—alleging no flight attendants stepped up to help

Trafficking exotic animals through the airport is a big problem

As unusual as this news sounds, it's hardly out of the ordinary. In fact, aUnited News of Indiareport from 2024 said that4,967 small green turtlesand 19 yellow turtles were seized at the Anna International airport. Once again, the flight originated from Kuala Lumpur and contained a massive collection of turtles, but they are hardly the only ones caught up in these crimes.

According toan extensive reportfrom the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, turtles and tortoises made up only 4 percent of the illegally trafficked animals between 2015 to 2021. The group that sees the most international trafficking are corals, which make up 16 percent of all seizures, then the list breaks down further, like this:

• Crocodilians at 9 percent

• Elephants at 6 percent

• Bivalve mollusks at 6 percent

• Carnivores at 5 percent

• Parrots and cockatoos at 4 percent

• Orchids at 4 percent

And then the list goes on. You can get a full accounting of the report by visiting the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime's website. While some people may think of these as victimless crimes—after all, many of these creatures are sold at a very high price to people who desperately want to keep and care for them—that's hardly the case.

Related: Delta passenger who recently lost 60lbs spots seatmate's body-shaming text: 'I can't stop crying'

According to the World Wildlife Fund W(WF), poaching and the associated trafficking that comes along with it causes untold harm to the environment. "Populations of species on earthdeclined by an average 40 percentbetween 1970 and 2000—and the second-biggest direct threat to species survival, after habitat destruction, is wildlife trade," a statement on their website reads. And, that doesn't take into consideration the lives lost when non-native species are introduced into new habitats, either by those who purchased them illegally and realized they could no longer care for them, or by smugglers who decided to release them when they became too much of a liability to keep.

My personal opinions about animal smuggling aside, it's clear that the trafficking of wild animals continues to be a big problem. Hopefully, as more high profile cases like this come to light, future smugglers will think twice about taking part in the trade and leave the animals in their natural habitats where they belong.

This story was originally published byTravelHoston Jan 14, 2026, where it first appeared in theAirlinessection. Add TravelHost as aPreferred Source by clicking here.

Superfoods Inc., which makes Live it Up-brand Super Greens powder, recalled products including its original and wild berry flavors with expiration dates of August 2026 to January 2028. Consumers should not eat, sell or serve the products and should throw them away or return to the place of purchase.

lllnesses tied to the supplement were reported from Aug. 22 to Dec. 30, 2025. At least 12 people were hospitalized. No deaths have been reported, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The products were distributed nationwide. Case have been reported in 21 states: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.

An FDA investigation is continuing and additional products could be contaminated, the agency said.

Symptoms of salmonella poisoning usually start within hours or days of eating a contaminated food product. They include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. Most people recover without treatment within a week, but infections can be serious in children younger than 5, adults 65 and older and people with weakened immune systems.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

A top Trump administration lawyer pressed a federal judge Wednesday to block a newly enacted California law that bans most law enforcement officers in the state from wearing masks, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Tiberius Davis, representing the U.S. Department of Justice, argued at a hearing in Los Angeles that the first-of-its-kind ban on police face coverings could unleash chaos across the country, and potentially land many ICE agents on the wrong side of the law it were allowed to take effect.

"Why couldn't California say every immigration officer needs to wear pink, so it's super obvious who they are?" Davis told U.S. District Judge Christina A. Snyder. "The idea that all 50 states can regulate the conduct and uniforms of officers ... flips the Constitution on its head."

The judge appeared skeptical.

"Why can't they perform their duties without a mask? They did that until 2025, did they not?" Snyder said. "How in the world do those who don't mask manage to operate?"

The administration first sued to block the new rules in November, after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the No Secret Police Act and its companion provision, the No Vigilantes Act, into law. Together, The laws bar law enforcement officers from wearing masks and compel them to display identification "while conducting law enforcement operations in the Golden State." Both offenses would be misdemeanors.

Read more:Trump claims crime is rampant in California. Newsom counters with stats showing historic lows

Federal officials have vowed to defy the new rules, saying they are unconstitutional and put agents in danger. They have also decried an exception in the law for California state peace officers, arguing the carve out is discriminatory. The California Highway Patrol is among those exempted, while city and county agencies, including the Los Angeles Police Department, must comply.

"These were clearly and purposefully targeted at the federal government," Davis told the court Wednesday. "Federal officers face prosecution if they do not comply with California law, but California officers do not."

The hearing comes at a moment of acute public anger at the agency following the fatal shooting of American protester Renee Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis — rage that has latched on to masks as a symbol of perceived lawlessness and impunity.

"It's obvious why these laws are in the public interest," California Department of Justice lawyer Cameron Bell told the court Wednesday. "The state has had to bear the cost of the federal government's actions. These are very real consequences."

She pointed to declarations from U.S. citizens who believed they were being abducted by criminals when confronted by masked immigration agents, including incidents where local police were called to respond.

"I later learned that my mother and sister witnessed the incident and reported to the Los Angeles Police Department that I was kidnapped," Angeleno Andrea Velez said in one such declaration. "Because of my mother's call, LAPD showed up to the raid."

The administration argues the anti-mask law would put ICE agents and other federal immigration enforcement officers at risk of doxing and chill the "zealous enforcement of the law."

"The laws would recklessly endanger the lives of federal agents and their family members and compromise the operational effectiveness of federal law enforcement activities," the government said in court filings.

Davis also told the court that ICE's current tactics were necessary in part because of laws across California and in much of the U.S. that limit police cooperation with ICE and bar immigration enforcement in sensitive locations, such as schools and courts.

California contends its provisions are "modest" and aligned with past practice, and that the government's evidence showing immigration enforcement would be harmed is thin.

Bell challenged Department of Homeland Security statistics purporting to show an 8,000% increase in death threats against ICE agents and a 1,000% increase in assaults, saying the government has recently changed what qualifies as a "threat" and that agency claims have faced "significant credibility issues" in federal court.

Read more:Attacks on ICE up 1,000%? Trump administration claim not backed up by court records

"Blowing a whistle to alert the community, that's hardly something that increases threats," Bell said.

On the identification rule, Snyder appeared to agree.

"One might argue that there's serious harm to the government if agents' anonymity is preserved," she said.

The fate of the mask law may hinge on the peace officer exemption.

"Would your discrimination argument go away if the state changed legislation to apply to all officers?" Snyder asked.

"I believe so," Davis said.

The ban was slated to come into force on Jan. 1, but is on hold while the case makes its way through the courts. If allowed to take effect, California would become the first state in the nation to block ICE agents and other federal law enforcement officers from concealing their identities while on duty.

A ruling is expected as soon as this week.

Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.

This story originally appeared inLos Angeles Times.

That's exactly what customs officials found when they discovered two women were smuggling an invasive species of turtle into the country through theirchecked baggage. Now, the women face possible jail time while the turtles will hopefully be returned to their natural habitats, where they belong. Here's what we know.

Sign up for our newsletter and get hidden gems, travel secrets, and stories like this delivered straight to your inbox!

5,000 turtles rescued from a smuggler's suitcase in India

The Air Intelligence Unit had an unusual day when they came face-to-face with 5,000 red-eared slider turtles that had been packed tightly into a series of plastic containers and hidden inside of the suitcases of a pair of women.

The alleged smugglersflew into Tiruchy International Airport, according toTimes of India. They arrived there from Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. The publication says thatauthorities were alteredto the possible situation via a tip, which prompted them to check the bags once the duo arrived. The women were taken into custody due to violations of the Wildlife Protection Act.

A team of officials from the forest department then arrived to examine the turtles, which were identified as the invasive species, before sending them back to Kuala Lumpur. According to theTimes of India, the investigation is ongoing.

Related: United Airlines passenger flabbergasted over how seatmate behaved—alleging no flight attendants stepped up to help

Trafficking exotic animals through the airport is a big problem

As unusual as this news sounds, it's hardly out of the ordinary. In fact, aUnited News of Indiareport from 2024 said that4,967 small green turtlesand 19 yellow turtles were seized at the Anna International airport. Once again, the flight originated from Kuala Lumpur and contained a massive collection of turtles, but they are hardly the only ones caught up in these crimes.

According toan extensive reportfrom the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, turtles and tortoises made up only 4 percent of the illegally trafficked animals between 2015 to 2021. The group that sees the most international trafficking are corals, which make up 16 percent of all seizures, then the list breaks down further, like this:

• Crocodilians at 9 percent

• Elephants at 6 percent

• Bivalve mollusks at 6 percent

• Carnivores at 5 percent

• Parrots and cockatoos at 4 percent

• Orchids at 4 percent

And then the list goes on. You can get a full accounting of the report by visiting the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime's website. While some people may think of these as victimless crimes—after all, many of these creatures are sold at a very high price to people who desperately want to keep and care for them—that's hardly the case.

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According to the World Wildlife Fund W(WF), poaching and the associated trafficking that comes along with it causes untold harm to the environment. "Populations of species on earthdeclined by an average 40 percentbetween 1970 and 2000—and the second-biggest direct threat to species survival, after habitat destruction, is wildlife trade," a statement on their website reads. And, that doesn't take into consideration the lives lost when non-native species are introduced into new habitats, either by those who purchased them illegally and realized they could no longer care for them, or by smugglers who decided to release them when they became too much of a liability to keep.

My personal opinions about animal smuggling aside, it's clear that the trafficking of wild animals continues to be a big problem. Hopefully, as more high profile cases like this come to light, future smugglers will think twice about taking part in the trade and leave the animals in their natural habitats where they belong.

This story was originally published byTravelHoston Jan 14, 2026, where it first appeared in theAirlinessection. Add TravelHost as aPreferred Source by clicking here.

Renee Nicole Macklin Goodwas fatally shot on Jan. 7 by U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement agentJonathan Ross. The shooting came amid an ICE action in Minneapolis, Minnesota, when the 37-year-old mother of three drove her SUV forward near Ross after being told to exit her vehicle.

Widely seenfootage of the deadly encounter has sharply divided the country. Department of Homeland Security officials say Ross acted properly and that Good was engaged in "domestic terrorism"; top Democrats have called for Ross' arrest. New polling finds most American voters think the shooting wasunjustified.

In statements where they called Good "the beautiful light of our family," the woman's four siblings, parents and their attorneys described the shooting as a result of a chance encounter after dropping her 6-year-old child off at school.

"We want to thank everyone who has reached out in support of Renee and our family. The kind of unending care we've been given during this time is exactly the kind that she gave to everyone," Good's family said in a letter shared with USA TODAY. "Nae was the beautiful light of our family and brought joy to anyone she met. She was relentlessly hopeful and optimistic which was contagious. We all already miss her more than words could ever express."

According to the family and their attorneys, Good and wife Becca Good were driving in their car with their dog after dropping off their child when they came across federal agents in their neighborhood engaged in an immigration action. The couple stopped "to observe, with the intention of supporting and helping their neighbors," family attorneys said.

Becca Good exited the SUV shortly before the deadly encounter. Among Good's last words caught on camera, the woman can be heard telling immigration agents, "I'm not mad at you."

"She was our best friend with a seemingly infinite capacity for love. Nae-Nae gave everything she had to take care of her friends and family, and indeed people she never met," Good's family said. "She was our protector, our shoulder to cry on, and our scintillating source of joy."

June Pierce (C) prays during a vigil at a memorial near the site where Renee Good was killed a week ago on Jan. 14, 2026 in Minneapolis. Good was killed by an immigration enforcement agent during an incident in south Minneapolis on January 7. Attorneys representing the family of Renee Good say they are launching an investigation into the fatal shooting and intend to take legal action against the federal government

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Prayer vigil marks one week since Renee Good was killed by ICE agent

June Pierce (C) prays during a vigil at a memorial near the site where Renee Good was killed a week ago on Jan. 14, 2026 in Minneapolis. Good waskilled by an immigration enforcement agentduring an incident in south Minneapolis on January 7. Attorneys representing the family of Renee Good say they arelaunching an investigationinto the fatal shooting and intend to take legal action against the federal government

The new details come as the family announced a Chicago-based law firm islaunching an investigationinto Good's death. The investigation comes as Justice Department officials say there is "no basis" for an investigation in the case. The firm, Romanucci & Blandin, is the same group that represented the family ofGeorge Floydafter he was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis in 2020.

Department of Homeland Security leaders say thecontroversial deploymentof militarized agents to the state is needed to root outfraudagency officials have linked toSomali immigrants.

More:After Renee Good ICE shooting, lawyers for family launch investigation

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Renee Good family reveals new details about the morning she was killed by ICE