Welcome back to the Weekend Briefing. There’s plenty going on, as you can see below. But first, our Saturday World News podcast covers the weird new world of drone warfare. Our latest City Memo takes us to Dakar. And have a look at Reuters Open Interest, a new source for expert financial commentary that questions the consensus. Our smart columnists have many perspectives, but one motto: Question everything.
From LA to DC: Cities across the U.S. are bracing for demonstrations this weekend, including in Washington where Trump will celebrate his 79th birthday and a weekend military parade will mark the Army’s 250th anniversary. U.S. Marines carried out their first known civilian detention in Los Angeles. Here’s more about the National Guard and Marines and which powers Trump could give them.
Trump news: ICE arrests of people with no criminal charges or convictions other than immigration violations jumped 800% from January to June, government data show. The State Dept. resumed processing Harvard student and exchange visitor visas. Kilmar Abrego Garcia pleaded not guilty to criminal conspiracy charges of smuggling migrants into the U.S. A U.S. judge denied Columbia student and activist Mahmoud Khalil's request to be released from detention.
In torment: Ukrainians like Volodymyr Umanets hope their family members will be among the POWs Russia is handing over, but they know their loved ones also might return home among the repatriated remains of dead soldiers. Volodymyr Zelenskiy plans to attend the G7 summit in Canada. Recommended read: After its diplomats and operatives were expelled from Europe following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russia turned to using untrained spies. The case of a Canadian teenager jailed in Poland reveals how Moscow runs these operations.
Syria’s Islamist-led government said women should wear burkinis or other swimwear that covers their bodies. An official denied that there was any ban on Western beachwear and said the decision was misunderstood.
