Pita Taufatofua: Olympic flagbearer's father home safe after 'big adventure'
CNN
Tongan Pita Taufatofua says his father is safely hoome after the Olympic athlete was unable to make contact him following the "devastating" tsunami that hit the nation on Saturday.
Earlier this week Taufatofua, who became widely recognized after being his country's flagbearer at the Summer and Winter Olympics, told CNN that he had "no idea" of his 74-year-old father's whereabouts following the massive eruption of the underwater Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai volcano.
But on Friday, his father walked through the door of Taufatofua's family home on the main island of Ha'apai -- "sun burnt and tired," but safe after a "big adventure," said the Olympic athlete in an Instagram post on Friday.
The Trump administration is preparing to use private military contractors to protect oil and energy assets in Venezuela rather than deploying US troops, according to two sources familiar with the plans, setting up a potential boon for security firms with experience in the region and ties to the administration.
Senate Republicans blocked an effort to curb the Trump administration’s military action in Venezuela, a victory for the president who was incensed that some Republicans tried to tie his hands on a key foreign policy.
A federal three-judge panel on Wednesday allowed California to use a new voter-approved US House map that is designed to boost Democrats in the 2026 midterms.
Maria Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner, arrives in Washington this week for high-stakes talks with US President Donald Trump on the future of Venezuela following the ouster of Nicolás Maduro. The meeting comes after Trump surprised many by allowing Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, to assume control, dashing opposition hopes for a new democratic era.
A judge decided not to issue a temporary restraining order after Minnesota and the Twin Cities sued federal officials, claiming their immigration enforcement operation involves warrantless arrests and excessive force.
After an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis one week ago, reactions on social media and among politicians and political influencers rapidly polarized.
Most Americans see an immigration officer’s fatal shooting of Minneapolis resident Renee Good as an inappropriate use of force, a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS finds. Roughly half view it as a sign of broader issues with the way US Immigration and Customs Enforcement is operating, with less than one-third saying that ICE operations have made cities safer.
The United States is indefinitely suspending immigrant visa processing from 75 countries in another expansion of the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration.
The US announced the start of the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan on Wednesday as a new committee was formed to run the battered enclave.
Michigan Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin said Wednesday that US Attorney Jeanine Pirro wants a formal interview with her following her involvement in a controversial video urging service members and intelligence officials to disobey illegal orders.
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner, is scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump on Thursday, a senior White House official told CNN. CNN’s Stefano Pozzebon reports from Bogota.
Top Trump administration officials met Tuesday to further refine a set of options for the president to take action against Iran amid its deadly crackdown on protesters.
The decision that may make it easier for other candidates to challenge voting laws – even if they ultimately win their election.