Concerns Grow Over the Future of U.S. Democracy Amid Trump’s Second Term

Three alleged members of the Mara Salvatrucha-13 (MS-13) gang have been charged with murder for the assassination of an informant who was on the phone with his FBI handler during the attack, prosecutors announced. The incident occurred on February 18 at a grocery store in South Los Angeles, where Herlyn Barrientos, 47, was approached and shot by the suspects. According to the Department of Justice, Dennis Anaya Urias, 26, and Grevil Zelaya Santiago, 25, both of South Los Angeles, are charged with murder in aid of racketeering, risking life sentences or even the death penalty. A third suspect, Roberto Carlos Aguilar, 30, faces similar charges. Barrientos was infamous for cooperating with law enforcement against MS-13's methamphetamine operations. Prosecutors revealed that the gang had issued a "greenlight" for Barrientos' death as punishment for his cooperation, demonstrating the brutal repercussions faced by informants in gang culture. The suspects are currently being held without bail and are set to appear in court again on June 3, as MS-13 continues to be a dominant gang presence in Southern California.

Akshay Gupta, a 30-year-old Indian-origin entrepreneur, was fatally stabbed by fellow Indian Deepak Kandel on a public bus in Austin, Texas, on May 14, according to local police reports. The attack occurred while Gupta was seated at the back of the bus, and Kandel allegedly assaulted him "without provocation". Witnesses noted that approximately 12 passengers were on board during the incident. Police found Gupta's body after receiving emergency calls, and despite attempts to save him, he was pronounced dead at 7:30 PM. Following the stabbing, Kandel exited the bus calmly and fled the scene. Officers apprehended him less than a mile away, where he reportedly claimed he attacked Gupta because the victim resembled his uncle. Kandel has been charged with 1st Degree Murder and is currently held at Travis County Jail. Gupta was known for co-founding the health-tech startup FootBit, aimed at helping seniors improve their mobility, and had a master's degree from Penn State University. He had previously met Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella for his contributions to innovation.

A former FBI agent, Jonathan Buma, has claimed that Russian intelligence attempted to target Tesla CEO Elon Musk for potential blackmail, leveraging his purported interests in sex and drugs. In a documentary aired by German broadcaster ZDF, Buma stated that Musk, along with PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, came under Russian scrutiny following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. Buma asserted that Russian spies collected sensitive information that could be used for coercive purposes. He remarked, "Musk’s susceptibility to promiscuous women and drug use, particularly ketamine, were seen as opportunities for exploitation." Buma also noted that Musk’s participation in events such as Burning Man and adult entertainment heightened his vulnerability to espionage tactics. The allegations further suggest that Russian President Vladimir Putin was aware of the alleged blackmail plans, with Buma stating, “The agents would not have gotten involved in the blackmail plot had the Russian president not known about the action and approved it." This follows reports from The Wall Street Journal indicating that Musk and Putin have been in contact since 2022.