Can Trump Win Over S. Korea?; Israel Resumes Gaza Strikes: Analysis | NTD Newsroom (Oct. 29)

And good afternoon. Thank you for joining us today. President Trump is in South Korea today meeting with President Lee Jong and other key regional leaders. NTD's Daniel Monahan has highlights from his trip and speeches. >> The Star Spangled Banner played for Trump as he stands in salute. >> Trump was awarded South Korea's highest honor, the Grand Order of Mug Hua. >> Like to wear it right now. Thank you so much. >> And President Liong gifted Trump a Korean treasure, the Chunmachong Gold Crown. >> The Chachong gold crown symbolizes the divine connection between the authority of the heavens and sovereignty on earth. >> Trump joined a meeting with President Lee. >> There's a great love between our communities, between our uh people, between leadership, and uh we're all friends. I know you showed me a picture from a long time ago of you and I and you're looking better now than you did then. That was quite a while ago. So, you're doing something well. >> President Trump said he knows the Korean peninsula remains technically at war and vowed his administration will work to straighten things out. >> I know Kim Jong-un very well. We get along very well. We we really weren't able to work out timing. We have President Xi is coming tomorrow and it was that was something that obviously is very important to the world. But we'll have uh other visits and we'll work very hard with Kim Jong-un and with everybody on getting things straightened out. At the Apex CEO summit, Trump said America's success fuels prosperity across the Pacific. >> When America thrives, our partners thrive and our alliances thrive. >> The president says his administration has rejected the old model of incompetent government that punished success and rewarded failure. We're rewarding those who build and create and hire and invest in the USA and we're making America the best place on earth to do business. >> On social media, the president addressed speculation about a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, saying, quote, "For those asking, we didn't come to South Korea to see Canada." Trump's arrival in South Korea came about 90 minutes late following North Korea's announcement that it had test fired a new cruise missile earlier in the day. The president downplayed the launch, calling it just one more missile from Kim Jong-un and emphasized his good relationship with the North Korean leader. Daniel Monahan, NTD News. >> President Trump in South Korea today providing an update on trade negotiations with the key American ally, saying a trade deal has been reached. I'd like to thank everybody all I know you all either either reasonably well or very well and we had a tremendous meeting today with South Korea. I think uh the meeting was uh was determined very much determined and we made our deal. We pretty much finalized a trade deal and we discussed some other things having to do with national security etc. And I think we came to a conclusion on a lot of on a lot of very important items. >> The $200 billion package is structured similarly to Japan's $550 billion financial package agreed upon with the US. >> Trump and President Lee Jay Meow agreed that Seoul can split up its promised $350 billion investment fund. $200 billion in cash would be paid in yearly installments capped at $20 billion. The other 150 billion is to be spent on investments in ship building, which South Korea has promised to help Trump restore. Mutual tariffs will stay at 15% while tariffs on South Korean cars and auto parts will also be reduced to 15%. Korean companies will take the lead in the ship building initiatives. Meanwhile, aboard Air Force One today, Trump hinted at lowering fentinel tariffs on Chinese imports. >> I expect I I expect to be uh lowering that because I believe that they're going to help us with the fentinel situation. They're going to be uh doing what they can do. >> And on the rear end, sir, do you need to see more than just a one-year delay? Is that sufficient to to make other concessions? >> I don't know. We haven't talked about the timing yet, but we're going to work out something. We're doing very well with rare earth as you know and we're I think going to make a big step with fentinel. The the thing with fentinel the border is now so tight it's much tougher for them. We've been doing very well with that. >> Trump suggested the US could reduce those tariffs ahead of his meeting tomorrow with Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping in South Korea. Trump did not provide details on how China would help curb the flow of fentinel precursors into the United States. He says he intends to address the matter with shei during their meeting. The White House says Trump will meet she at 11:00 a.m. local time on Thursday. That's 1000 p.m. Eastern tonight. The president also discussed the fact that he can't run for a third term. He said his poll numbers are the highest numbers he's ever had. He also said he ended eight wars and the US has the greatest economy in history, adding that energy prices are also down significantly. Here he is discussing the economy. The only thing that's not down is the stock prices and 401ks are through the roof. Everyone's 401ks hitting records. So, we have the greatest economy we've ever had. I have my highest poll numbers that I've ever had. And you know, based on what I read, I guess I'm not allowed to run. So, we'll see what happens. >> Johnson says you're trolling when you talk about a third term. >> Well, I don't think I don't think he I don't think he said that. I don't think he'd use that term. But, uh, it's a very interesting thing. I have the the best numbers for any president in many years, any president. And I would say that if you read it, it's pretty clear I'm not allowed to run stupid. House Speaker Mike Johnson yesterday said there's no way to amend the Constitution to allow Trump to run for a third term. That's because it requires a lengthy ratification process. Johnson said there were no plans to amend the 22nd amendment before 2028. The amendment allowed Franklin D. Roosevelt's fourth term presidency. The amendment process needs approval by twothirds of both the House and Senate and then ratification by three4s of the states or 38 states. Johnson remarked that he sees no path for that. Meanwhile, Trump was asked aboard Air Force One whether the Gaza ceasefire will hold. >> Nothing's going to jeopardize. That's you have to understand Hamas is a very small part of peace in the Middle East. And they have to behave. They're uh on the rough side, but they said they would be good, and if they're good, they're going to be happy. And if they're not good, they're going to be terminated. Their lives will be terminated, and they understand that. No, that's a very strong piece. Uh Hamas is a small thing, but they kill people. They grew up killing people and I guess uh they don't stop but uh the nobody knows what happened to the Israeli soldier but uh they say it was sniper fire and uh they it was retribution for that and I think they have a right to do this. >> Trump's comments come after Israel conducted strikes on targets in Gaza last night. According to the Hamas run health authority, the attack killed over a 100 people. That number has not been independently verified. Israel says acted after an attack by Hamas terrorists killed one soldier. Both Israel and Hamas trade blame for violations of the ceasefire. The Israeli military announced it will continue to uphold the truce agreement but respond firmly to any violation. And Israel released a video appearing to show that Hamas staged the discovery of bodies deceased hostages. According to Israel, Hamas planted the remains of an Israeli hostage at an excavation site before calling in a Red Cross team and pretending it had found a missing hostage. War Secretary Pete Hagath in Japan today. He described the relationship between the United States and Tokyo as critical in keeping both countries safe and responding to threats from communist China. To strengthen the alliance, we need to continue building strong, lethal, combat credible forces that are ready to deter war and if necessary, fight and fight to win. China's unprecedented military buildup and its aggressive military actions speak for themselves. That's why President Trump's peace through strength agenda is so important. We don't have to stand here and tell Japan what it needs to do because we both look out at the world and see the threat of a Chinese military buildup and we see the threat to free people and we have to defend our own countries and stand alongside each other. And so I think President Trump does an incredibly good job better than anyone else on planet earth of bringing alongside other countries and saying let's do this together. I will conclude a joint conflict. >> Hexath also called for an early implementation of Japan's plan to increase defense spending. Japan regards the security environment surrounding the country as the gravest since the end of World War II. That's partially because of China's military expansion and North Korea's missile and nuclear programs. Anti-CCCP sentiment running high today in South Korea. Protesters gathered to oppose Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping's visit there for the Apex summit. The protesters held signs, wore costumes, and waved flags reading lies and deception out to voice their resistance to the Chinese regime. Meanwhile, China today said it absolutely will not rule out using force over Taiwan. Beijing is striking a much tougher tone than a series of articles in state media this week that pledged benign rule if the island comes over to Beijing. Here's the organizer of the rally against the CCP. >> South Korea seems to be working well now as a democratic country, but there are so many contradictions in a government that lacks legitimacy. It is never the will of the people that this government is acting pro-China. The people are still trying to promote friendship with Western world free countries. They want it. They don't want communism. >> A protester said the current Korean government should be blamed for the high tariff imposed on the country as it has not shown belief and trust in the United States. Traders and investors on both sides of the Pacific hope the sitdown will ease months of trade tensions. Joining us to discuss President Trump's meeting with the South Korean president is Morris Tan, former US ambassador at large for the Office of Global Criminal Justice and former dean of Liberty University School of Law. Ambassador, good afternoon to you. To start off, can you just speak to how how you think the meeting went? Well, uh, I think the context of the meeting is actually more important and where EJ Young is coming from is more important than the theatrics and the show uh, that happened because what you have here is you have a fake illegitimate president in South Korea who did not actually win the election and did so by election fraud. Uh South Korea is the center of exporting the hardware for election fraud around the world and he is um he is someone who is deceptive, cunning, putting on a show for President Trump all the while uh has been uh stabbing him in the back in various ways. And so I think it's very important for people to know that they should not take at face value the superficial show uh that puts on for President Trump um and to realize that he is actually very much aligned with the Chinese Communist Party. He is aligned with North Korea. He has called the US forces an occupying force. He has opened the windows and the doors of the country uh to the CCP and to North Korea. is estimated that there are over a million uh agents uh spies, operatives uh from North Korea and the Chinese Communist Party in South Korea even as he's pulling down counter intelligence, even as he's weakening South Korea militarily, even as he is um doing all sorts of things to hurt uh the economy and even as he's um allowed visas entry and more favorable laws uh for uh Chinese uh people who are coming to South Korea. Um these are the realities that are going on even as he's persecuting and oppressing those who are standing up for justice and truth and freedom and democracy in South Korea. And so this context is very important to understand uh rather than just looking at the theatrics of what Ejinyong is doing uh superficially. >> So ambassador, you're saying that this new president is very much aligned with the CCP. Can you go a bit more into detail of that? What does that look like? Uh this alignment? >> Yes. So he has said that uh and he's on record saying that uh South Korea should just say shesh to whatever the CCP wants. It ranges from cracking down on anti-CCCP protests that are going on uh while allowing the burning of pictures of President Trump and the US flag and uh Trump's image to be torn up. Uh it includes uh it includes not standing up to uh CCP thugs that are involved in harming South Korean citizens in uh Cambodia. uh it involves largely seemingly taking orders from the CCP and from the DPRK even though he is the president of fake and illegitimate as he is uh of South Korea. And so um there are he is also trying to extend economic uh economic alliances and cooperation with the CCP even as CCP espionage is stealing military and industrial secrets. And so uh an example of an area where the US needs to be very careful is if the ship building that the US wants is happening in South Korea, there is a great danger that uh CCP espionage will steal military and industrial secrets. it would be much better for the US to go with Hanwaha uh Corporation for ship building because they bought the Philly shipyard and so they could do it in the United States where there's greater legal and other protections that can help prevent the espionage from happening. uh this is all the while as the US has fallen behind uh chi the CCP in its naval vessel count and uh when you have 83% of ship building done by China and South Korea it is uh very important for the US to engage in this in a way that does not leak important military and industrial secrets to the CCP the US can also consider Japan and the Philippines teams as taking up some of the slack for helping to um helping to build ships for the United States. >> Okay. So, you're saying that this partnership on ship building uh the US may need to be a bit wary of that. Um on that note, can you talk to us about what are the impacts? What are the consequences of this uh South Korean alignment with with China? that means that ECP makes a move to take over Taiwan that this present regime in South Korea cannot be trusted to come to Taiwan's defense. Uh and that's of grave concern. And so um it is collapsing the right flank of the first island chain uh for South Korea to fall towards CCP alignment and into the CCP orbit. And so this is of grave concern as the IndoPac commander has said that China is no longer engaging in military exercises in relation to Taiwan. It is actually engaging in rehearsals to take over Taiwan and there has been uh belligerent language coming out of uh China in uh in this regard as well. So it's a real threat. It's a real danger. Will the C CCP try to swoop in and seize Taiwan quickly and uh try to deter the United States from getting involved uh even as uh the current regime in South Korea would refuse most likely to come to the aid of Taiwan. It's of great concern. >> So, Ambassador, you've made your position very clear on this new South Korean president. Uh, do you still hold out hope at all um that President Trump can potentially win over more of South Korea's alliance um from China under this president? >> You know, with this president, uh I would not trust what he says. I would watch more what he does. And uh for him to promise is one thing in order to buy time. for him to actually follow through and to actually do things is a different question. Uh and so uh there are many indicators that this is not a trustworthy, honest partner in South Korea. And so um there may be ways though that Trump can get him to do some things uh if uh Ejyong's political survival depends on it. And under that sort of uh pressure, he might be able to extract certain things from Ejiny Young. But in terms of fundamentally considering him to be a trustworthy and honest partner, there are plenty of indications that that is not the case. >> Really appreciate you coming back and uh we apologize for the internet disruption earlier. So maybe we can just continue where we left off. Uh I was asking you what you would be expecting in the upcoming meeting tonight between President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. I think President Trump is looking for a strong commitment from uh Chairman Xi to cut off fentanyl from flowing into the United States. It has killed many Americans uh reportedly numbered in the hundreds of thousands and that is of great concern to President Trump and I think that will be a major uh concession that he is looking for Chairman Xi to make uh on top of that economic deal that will no doubt be part of the conversation as well. Well, what would be a measure of success in this meeting for you uh between Trump and she? >> Well, so if there is uh a cutting off of the deadly fentanyl flow, that will uh that will be a tremendous step forward. Um, I think uh, President Trump should remain tough in regards to the uh, the malign activities that the CCP is involved in. Uh, I think the rare earth minerals uh, situation needs to be resolved. uh I don't think President Trump considers it acceptable for the recent actions that uh China has mentioned in regards to rare earth minerals which are important in various uh major industries and so those would be that would be another area that I think uh President Trump would want to see progress made on. >> Okay, Ambassador, let me just ask one more question here and you don't need me to tell you that the CCP is the world's greatest human rights violator. you know, not only persecuting Christians, um, but also evidence is mounting that it's forcibly harvesting the organs of fallen practitioners. Um, so I just want your thoughts on this. Do you think human rights should be a main priority when it comes to trade talks? >> Um, I think human rights matters tremendously and I think it's one of the primary contrasts between the United States and the CCP. The organ harvesting uh through murder and taking organs out is of great concern. It is thought that that is extending not only from within China but into South Korea, into Cambodia and other places along these lines. It is no accident that China attracts a lot of medical tourism because they have the largest supply of human organs. But obtaining those organs through murder is not acceptable. And so I think it would be uh incumbent upon the United States to lead the world in opposing the human rights violations that the CCP has been perpetrating not only within its own borders but uh also uh in various places around the world. >> Okay, Ambassador Jan, again really appreciate you coming on the show today. Thank you very much. >> Thanks for having me. The FDA and the HHS are pushing to lower drug costs by accelerating the development of bio similars. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made the announcement today. >> Today, the FDA is taking bold, decisive action to break down these barriers and open the markets for real competition. The agency will release new draft guidance for companies developing biosimilars. guidance that reflects modern science and common sense. >> Kennedy explained that bioimilars are complex medications made from living cells that treat serious and chronic diseases like cancer. He said that these drugs make up only about 5% of American prescriptions, but they account for more than half of drug spending. Kennedy argued this is partially due to big pharma lobbying to make biosimilar approval more difficult and expensive. The FDA has unveiled new draft guidance that proposes major updates to simplify bio similarity studies and testing. FDA commissioner Dr. Marty McCary joined Kennedy to make the announcement today. >> The fundamental problem in healthcare is that we have non-competitive markets. It's something we don't talk about. It's a sacred cow topic. But the solution is to convert them to competitive markets. We want to see more biosimilars. We want to see more competition, more choices. McCary said the FDA has approved about 75 biosimilars in the past 10 years. He believes that number would be more than 200 if the requirements weren't so difficult. In a separate initiative, the FDA is pushing to make it easier to develop biosimilars as interchangeable with brand name biologics. Analysts are projecting nuclear energy will rise in the US in the coming decades. Analytics firm Wood McKenzie estimates that nuclear generation will remain steady until 2035 and then increase 27% through60. In recent years, there has been more interest in nuclear energy. That's because the power industry has been grappling with increased the electricity demand from data centers and electrification. Plus, tech companies have been signal signaling and signing deals to source power from the zerocarbon resource. By 2050, power demand from global data centers are expected to increase to the current combined electricity demand from India and the Middle East. This is based on Woodmax's latest energy transition outlook. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered military strikes on Gaza yesterday after Israel claimed Hamas violated terms of a ceasefire. Joining us to discuss is David Wormser, senior analyst for Middle East Affairs, Center for Security Policy. So, David, good afternoon. Uh, what does Netanyahu's decision to resume strikes mean for the overall ceasefire? Well, it means that he relieves some internal pressure because there's a lot of nervousness over the ceasefire, the attacks on Israeli soldiers, the killing of one yesterday. He needed to relieve the pressure. Uh but it's a limited structure of strikes. So it will uh and he's already uh announced the end of the cease, the resumption of the ceasefire, the end of the strikes. So what it means is that he's trying to maintain the ceasefire, but he's trying to navigate through a lot of different pressures to do so. >> So, you know, David, uh we've talked about this ceasefire um numerous times on this show. um you know do you do you think this was what you were thinking of this situation perhaps as an example of um potential challenges that we were talking about enforcing this peace deal with Hamas? uh yeah we are we are seeing the challenges and the nature of the challenge really rises arises from the nature of the deal which is it's uh with the terrorist organization which is inherently fraught with danger but moreover the tectonics behind it are that Qatar and Turkey saw a need they are sort of the patrons of this of kamas and they understood that kamas was about to be destroyed and they understood to avoid that they needed a ceasefire and that ceasefire came at a price of releasing ing the hostages. So they leaned heavily on Kamas to give up the hostages. So that we knew that that was the phase one. And ironically, that's the easy part. The hard part now is phase two because phase two involves dismantling and eliminating Hamas as a power structure in Gaza. And that uh Turkey and Qatar don't really want. This is their mechanism of control over the Palestinian issue. And the Palestinian issue is a major element of control over regional strategic politics. They have rivalries with other states like Saudi Arabia. So as phase two progresses, the interests between Qatar and Turkey diverge from those of the the camp that wants to maintain this. They want to maintain the ceasefire, but they don't want phase two necessarily implemented as agreed upon. So you see a divergence emerge. On the other hand, the Saudis in the UAE very much want this ceasefire to continue and very much want to see Hamas dis disarmed. So you're seeing this the strategic weight of the Arab side shift from one camp Qatar Turkey to Saudi Arabia the UAE. But this is fraught with extreme danger and it may not pass over. Right. >> So just now when you were speaking we were playing that footage. Uh, what do you make of Israel's military saying that the footage showing Hamas staging the discovery of bodies of deceased hostages? >> Yeah, the the Red Cross has confirmed that that's what happened. Uh, and obviously the footage is there that Hamas the both the United States and Israel know Hamas has about eight hostages in their hands ready to be released and have had them for a week. But this is part of the game is that Hamas is trying to drag this out. Why? Israel's military has to demobilize. Israel's military is in a vulnerable position right now with Hamas still armed. So they're hoping to uh attack Israeli soldiers, maybe take a few more hostages, things like that. So it's a very dangerous circumstance. They're dragging it out and and as I said, cut Qatar and Turkey would want this now dragged out as well. So they're holding the hostages back and the Israelis of course are very angry because it was part of what was agreed to for phase one is that all hostages dead and alive come home. So there's a great deal of tension but um Hamas has to make it look like they're not holding them intentionally. So they stage things like what they staged. >> How would you describe um Hamas's approach h how it's navigating this ceasefire deal? Do you believe Hamas is acting in bad faith right now? >> Well, it's not bad faith because they never really agreed to disarm and go away. That was the cutteries and the Turks sort of agreed for them uh in the 20point plan, but there is no assigned second phase yet. So, in a sense, there's no formal agreement yet for the se continuation. Uh but then that also means that the ceasefire is not uh agreed to because the ceasefire is linked to the entirety of the package. Uh so I don't really want to say they're operating in bad faith, but they did suggest that they would accept the agreement ultimately. So in that sense they are. They're trying to survive though. Um it's they they uh that that is their goal and that is exact they think that if they can mush this through and and drag it out over a long period of time the dynamics of resuming a war go away and without the resumption of a war there's no force that can essentially disarm them. >> Okay David just one last question. Uh how optimistic are you about the situation? Can the ceasefire continue from this point on? Because President Trump and Vice President JD Vance um saying that uh specifically the vice president says he thinks the president's peace is going to hold. >> I think the peace will hold and I think this will lead to a much larger peace but I think it'll be anchored to the Saudis in the UAE uh not to uh Qatar and Turkey and Kamas. think the president sort of diminished Hamas's role is not as significant. Um, and I think that's where the Israelis are. And that means that we may see the war resume for a short period of time, 2, three weeks, until the Israelis destroy the remnant of Hamas and take all of Gaza. But that actually is part of the structure of this deal if Hamas didn't go along. And then that unlocks the ability to turn to the Saudis and to the UAE more forthright and say, "Okay, now let's proceed forward to rebuild Gaza and finally get beyond this war." So, I'm actually optimistic about the president's plan and how it goes forward with the Saudis in the UAE. I'm not that optimistic that Kamas is going to be a fellow traveler. >> Well, all right, David. We'll have you on again as more developments happen. Thank you very much for today. >> Thank you. Russia announces conducting a successful test of a new underwater drone. The weapon is atomic powered and nuclear armed. NTD's international correspondent Arian Pasar has more on the test. >> The Russian government releases this animation of a new weapon it tested. President Vladimir Putin announces conducting a successful test of a new atomic powered and nuclear armed underwater drone. We conducted another test of yet another promising system, the Poseidon underwater unmanned vehicle, which is also equipped with a nuclear power unit. He added that the new drone can't be intercepted. According to Putin, the Poseidon torpedo was tested on nuclear power for the first time on Tuesday. Putin says the weapon is unmatched in speed and depth. The announcement comes just days after Putin hailed a successful test of a new nuclearpowered cruise missile. >> The reactor on Poseidon is 100 times smaller than the nuclear reactor on a submarine. Yet the power output of Poseidon significantly exceeds that of even our most advanced intercontinental range missile. Putin first announced the Poseidon torpedo and Burvestnik missile in a 2018 state of the nation address. This week's tests mark a significant milestone in their potential deployment. Arian Pastar, NTD News. France's army chief said yesterday the country could send up to 7,000 troops to Ukraine by 2026. The announcement comes as European allies discuss forming a coalition to support Keev on the ground. NTD international correspondent David Roatz reports. France's army chief says the country could deploy ground forces to Ukraine as early as 2026 if needed to support Kief. General Pier Shiel, head of the French land forces, said up to 7,000 soldiers could be mobilized for future operations, including security guarantees in Ukraine. He also said that 2026 will be a year of coalitions between European allies. His comments come as several European governments debate direct military involvement, a move once considered unthinkable. Leaders in Estonia, Poland, Lithuania, and Finland have all voiced support for possible large-scale deployments as the situation on the front lines continues to worsen. At a parliamentary hearing yesterday, several senior officers of the French army said France had to strengthen its position against Russia. If a strong person believes that they are facing someone weak, they can take action against him. I think that is Moscow's calculation which considers us too weak today. That is its perception. I think France is strong. >> The chief of staff of the French armed forces also warned last week that France must prepare within the next few years to face a possible Russian threat. These remarks follow President Mron's statement that Russia poses a threat to both Europe and France. Former OCE investigator Bunwa Pare said this marks an escalation in tensions. >> M said that basically Russia was a threat to Europe and to the United not the United States but to France itself u and so he somehow raised the bar higher in terms of uh the perception of the threat from Russia. Uh so this is uh some some kind of an unprecedented step. Um he had I don't think he had ever been so clear about the idea of a threat direct threat coming from Russia. So now uh is there a reality to this threat? That's a topic. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrav said at a conference in MSK that Moscow has no plans to attack NATO or EU states. David, NTD News, Paris. An Afghan national was arrested in Britain following a stabbing attack that left a man dead and two more injured. Locals say they're shocked and feel unsafe. The British government said it is committed to deporting foreign criminals. Here's more from entities international correspondent Malcolm Hudson. British police arrested an Afghan national on suspicion of murder and attempted murder following a triple stabbing in Oxbridge, West London on Monday. The attack left one man dead, another man with life-changing injuries and a 14-year-old boy injured. Police said it has not been treated as terrorism. A witness told the Daily Mail a man was quote chasing a man and a boy around the road and a local man who was with his dog tried to stop it. Graphic footage circulating on social media appeared to show 49-year-old dog walker Wayne Broadhurst being stabbed repeatedly as he attempted to fight off the attacker. Broadhurst died at the scene. A woman who lives next to the scene said a teenage boy with blood on his shirt and hand knocked on her door asking for help. When her husband opened, four or five residents from a house opposite emerged with baseball bats to protect the other injured man. She said they saved his life. Home Office Minister Alex Norris on Wednesday said the incident was a dreadful tragedy, adding that the government is committed to deporting people who commit crimes in the UK. >> Frankly, we don't want people uh who either commit crimes here or are dangerous here in the country. That's why we've removed 35,000 people with no rights to be here. >> A group of around 100 men, women, and children gathered to lay flowers near the police tape on Tuesday night with some lighting candles. Local residents said it's a shock with many worried for their safety. >> People are scared because kids on holiday. This is nightmare. This is on doorstep. Literally like 200 y from here, probably 100 yards from here. The incident took place. I live behind these shops for 35 years. Mad. I'm scared myself. I swear to God. >> Britain's home office said the suspect, a 22-year-old Afghan man, entered the UK illegally in a truck in 2020. He was granted asylum in 2022. Conservative Party leader Kimmy Badonok said on X formerly Twitter that people are exploiting the UK's kindness and generosity, adding, "We must stop pretending that everyone who claims asylum is a good person in need of sanctuary. Many are dangerous. And when we ignore that, it's the British public who pay the price." Afghans were the second most common nationality among asylum applicants in the year ending June 2025, making up 7.5% of claims. Data released under Freedom of Information Requests show that Afghans are arrested at a far higher rate than the UK baseline with 107 arrests per thousand in the first 10 months of 2024 compared to 12 arrests per thousand of the UK average. Earlier this month, an Afghan illegal immigrant was jailed for 5 years after threatening to kill reform UK party leader Nigel Farage. Farage has previously said that young males of fighting age are entering Britain, saying, "We know very little about who these men really are." Malcolm Hudson, NTD News, UK. >> An update on Rio de Janeiro's deadliest police operation ever. Brazilian officials raised death tolls to at least 132. Rio governor said those dead from the operations were criminals as much of the uh the gunfire was in a wooded area. >> The operation targeted a major gang just days before the city hosts a number of global events related to the United Nations climate summit known as COP 30. Police have often conducted large-scale operations against criminal groups ahead of major events in Rio. The death toll confirmed by Rio Governor Claudio Castro on Tuesday was more than twice the city's most deadly previous police operation. The massive operation involved 2500 security personnel across two favlla complexes near the city's international airport. Rio's fllas are poor, densely populated settlements woven through the city's hilly oceanside terrain. The governor confirmed 81 arrests and authorities are looking to serve 250 arrest and search warrants. Civil society groups have criticized the heavy casualties in a militarystyle operation. >> In France, two suspects arrested in connection with the Louv heist have partially admitted their involvement in the robbery. Paris prosecutors provided more details about the case during a press conference today. These two men are suspected of being the ones who entered the Apollo Gallery to steal the jewels. Both have partially admitted their involvement in the crime to investigators. They are currently being presented to investigating magistrates for indictment on charges of thefts committed by an organized gang. Crimes punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a heavy fine. The charge of criminal conspiracy has also been retained, punishable for another 10 years in prison. The two detained men, both in their 30s and with criminal records, were arrested on Saturday. One of them was attempting to board a flight to Algeria. They were identified through DNA evidence found at the crime scene. >> The jewels are, as I am speaking to you now, not yet in our possession. I want to hold on to hope that they will be recovered and can be returned to the Louvre Museum and more broadly to the nation. These jewels are now, of course, unsellable. More than 100 officers from a spe specialized police unit are still working around the clock with help from other police services and European authorities to recover the jewels. They're estimated to be worth over $100 million.