Illegal alien youth coach could face death penalty after allegedly murdering, raping teen player
Child sex charges continue to pile up against an illegal alien soccer coach accused of sexually attacking and murdering one of his players. Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino, 44, an illegal immigrant “gotaway” from El Salvador, faces more child sex charges after he was charged with raping and murdering a teen boy he coached. He was also charged with sodomy and oral copulation with a minor under 16. Garcia-Aquino, after entering the United States, established himself in the San Fernando Valley as a soccer coach. His work managing these teams made him a visitor of Whitsett Fields Park in North Hollywood, where youth soccer games are played and where Garcia-Aquino allegedly met 13-year-old Oscar Hernandez, who he allegedly sexually assaulted and then murdered. ICE ARRESTS MURDERERS, PEDOPHILES DURING SUPER BOWL WEEKEND AS AGENTS SAY HALFTIME SHOW ‘DEMONIZED’ THEM The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed nine more child sex charges against Garcia-Aquino this week — eight counts of sodomy of a person under age 16 and one count of oral copulation of a minor under 16, according to an amended complaint obtained by Fox News Digital. Garcia-Aquino reportedly pleaded not guilty to the additional charges through his attorney, according to local media reports. Fox News Digital inquired with the LA County Public Defender’s Office but did not receive a response in time for publication. The LA County District Attorney’s Office, which is prosecuting the case against Garcia-Aquino, declined to comment further on the ongoing case. A complaint from the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles indicates that, on March 28, Garcia-Aquino murdered 13-year-old Oscar Hernandez while sexually assaulting him. The same complaint also accuses Garcia-Aquino of a second sexual assault and rape of a child in December 2022. PRITZKER JOINS CHORUS OF DEM GOVERNORS BOYCOTTING WHITE HOUSE DINNER AFTER SNUB IGNITES ‘CHAOS’ A separate case involving an alleged sexual assault by Garcia-Aquino on Feb. 22, 2024, was also reportedly added to the case later. He allegedly assaulted this minor numerous other times between September 2022 and July 2023, according to the complaint. Now, as the charges pile up against the illegal immigrant soccer coach, he could face the death penalty. “Thirteen-year-old Oscar ‘Omar’ Hernandez was an innocent child who was exploited and killed by this depraved illegal alien who should have never been in this country,” the Department of Homeland Security said last year. “Under President Trump and Secretary Noem’s leadership, child predators, pedophiles and murderers will be hunted down and removed from America’s communities.” Hernandez was reportedly last seen leaving his home in Sun Valley to meet the soccer coach, according to family members, but he was later found dead along the side of a road. In one of the other cases, involving the sexual assault of a 14-year-old boy, Garcia-Aquino reportedly “befriended” a family through a local soccer program and the teen’s parents eventually let the teen stay the night at Garcia-Aquino’s home, officials say. The murdered boy’s brother told CBS News that he believed Garcia-Aquino targeted families who did not have the proper legal status to live in the United States.
Trump directs military to strike new deals with coal-fired power plants: ‘Going to be buying a lot of coal’
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday directing the Department of War (DOW) to work directly with coal-fired power plants on new long-term power purchasing agreements, arguing the move would ensure “more reliable power and stronger and more resilient grid power.” “That’s why I’m also pleased to announce that, in just a moment, I will sign an executive order that directs the Department of War to work directly with coal plants on the new power purchasing agreements, ensuring that we have more reliable power and stronger and more resilient grid power,” Trump said. “And we’re going to be buying a lot of coal through the military now, and it’s going to be less expensive and actually much more effective than what we have been using for many, many years.” The executive order, “Strengthening United States National Defense with America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Power Generation Fleet,” states, “The United States must ensure that our electric grid … remains resilient and reliable, and not reliant on intermittent energy sources,” calling the grid “the foundation of our national defense as well as our economic stability.” TRUMP ADMIN TO REPEAL OBAMA-ERA GREENHOUSE GAS FINDING IN LARGE-SCALE DEREGULATION It adds, “It is the policy of the United States that coal is essential to our national and economic security.” Under a section titled “Power Purchase Agreements with Federal Installations,” the order states that the Secretary of War, “in coordination with the Secretary of Energy, shall seek to procure power from the United States coal generation fleet by approving long-term Power Purchase Agreements … with coal-fired energy production facilities to serve DOW installations or other mission-critical facilities.” Speaking at the White House and flanked by members of his Cabinet, coal workers and GOP lawmakers, Trump framed coal as vital to defense and industrial production. BIDEN’S GREEN ENERGY FIASCO, NOT TRUMP’S REFORMS, IS JACKING UP YOUR ELECTRIC BILL “Coal is also critical to our national security,” he said. “Vital to everything from steel production to shipbuilding and artificial intelligence.” He also pointed to winter storms as evidence of coal’s reliability. “More than 200 million Americans across 35 states were impacted by the storm, and the only reason most were able to take a hot shower was thanks to the power provided by the most reliable, dependable of, and really dependable form of energy that we have,” Trump said. “And that’s clean, beautiful coal.” Trump contrasted his approach with the prior administration. “On day one of this administration, I ended the war on coal,” Trump said. “We terminated the green new scam, and we withdrew from the unfair, one-sided Paris climate accord.” He also criticized wind energy. TRUMP TO HOST ‘CLEAN BEAUTIFUL COAL’ EVENT, CALLS IT AMERICA’S MOST RELIABLE ENERGY “I’m not a big fan of those crazy windmills that are all made in China,” Trump said. “You know, they’re made in China but not used by China.” Trump said the Tennessee Valley Authority was “taking action to save two major coal plants,” mentioning the Cumberland Fossil Plant and the Kingston Fossil Plant. “These two plants were slated for termination,” Trump said, “but we’re going to save over 450 jobs by keeping them going and going strong.” Trump said he was “directing the Department of Energy to issue funds” to coal plants in several states. “In addition, I’m directing the Department of Energy to issue funds to coal plants in West Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina and Kentucky to keep them online and keep those plants open,” Trump said. On permitting, Trump said, “In one year of Trump, we’ve already approved over 70 permits for very big, very powerful mines that are going to be with us for many, many years to come.” Trump said coal production and generation had increased during his tenure. “Since I took office, coal production is up by nearly 4 million tons a month after falling for decades,” he said. “Coal power generation is up by nearly 15% in my first year.” Later in the event, Peabody Energy CEO Jim Grech presented Trump with an award. “Sir. Just to show our appreciation,” Grech said. “The trophy says the undisputed champion of beautiful, clean coal.” Trump closed by returning to what he described as American energy dominance. “America is now the No. 1 energy producer in the world,” he said. “We are by far No. 1.” The Department of War did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Only one House Dem voted in favor of voter ID, proof of citizenship in US elections
The House of Representatives passed a massive election integrity overhaul bill on Wednesday despite opposition from the vast majority of Democrats. The House passed Rep. Chip Roy’s SAVE America Act, legislation that’s aimed at keeping non-citizens from voting in U.S. federal elections. All but one House Democrat — Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas — voted against the bill. It passed 218 to 213. It is an updated version of the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, also led by Roy, R-Texas, which passed the House in April 2025 but was never taken up in the Senate. Whereas the SAVE Act would create a new federal proof of citizenship mandate in the voter registration process and impose requirements for states to keep their rolls clear of ineligible voters, the updated bill would also require photo ID to vote in any federal elections. MURKOWSKI BREAKS WITH GOP ON VOTER ID, SAYS PUSH ‘IS NOT HOW WE BUILD TRUST’ It would also require information-sharing between state election officials and federal authorities in verifying citizenship on current voter rolls and enable the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to pursue immigration cases if non-citizens were found to be listed as eligible to vote. Democrats have attacked the bill as tantamount to voter suppression, while Republicans argue that it’s necessary after the influx of millions of illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. during the four years of the Biden administration. “If we want to rebuild confidence again in American elections, we need to pass the SAVE Act,” Rep. Mike Haridopolos, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital. “What better way to eliminate that distrust than to make sure that whoever votes in an American citizen who is truly eligible to vote?” House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., accused Republicans of trying to make it harder for women to vote. She argued that the legislation would make it more difficult for married women to cast ballots if their surname is different from their maiden name on their birth certificate. “Republicans aren’t worried about non-citizens voting. They’re afraid of actual American citizens voting. Why? Because they’re losing among women,” Clark said during debate on the House floor. “This is a minefield of red tape that you have put in front of women and American citizens and their right to vote.” REPUBLICANS, TRUMP RUN INTO SENATE ROADBLOCK ON VOTER ID BILL But House GOP Policy Committee Chairman Kevin Hern, R-Okla., emphasized that it was about keeping illegal immigrants from voting in U.S. elections. “This really is about feeding the narrative that Democrats want illegally from all over the world to come here to support them,” Hern said of Democrats’ opposition. Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital, “The American people did not give Republicans a mandate to make excuses. They gave us one to deliver wins, and the SAVE America Act is exactly that. Every single Democrat who voted no today proved they would rather let illegal aliens tip the scales in our national elections than protect your vote.” If implemented, the bill could see new requirements imposed on voters in this year’s November midterm elections. But it would have to pass the Senate, where current rules dictate that at least several Democrats are needed to meet the 60-vote threshold to overcome a filibuster.
6 House Republicans defy Trump on key agenda item in Dem-pushed vote
The House of Representatives passed legislation Wednesday aimed at reversing President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada after several Republicans joined Democrats for a rare rebuke of the GOP commander in chief. Democrats successfully got a vote on a measure to reverse Trump’s national emergency at the northern border using a mechanism for forcing votes over the objections of House majority leadership called a privileged resolution. The six Republicans who voted in favor of the measure are Reps. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., Don Bacon, R-Neb., Jeff Hurd, R-Colo., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa. One Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, voted with the majority of Republicans on the matter. It passed 219-211. TRUMP’S TARIFFS COULD BE UNDONE BY ONE CONSERVATIVE DOCTRINE: ‘LIFE OR DEATH’ As the vote was on the verge of succeeding, Trump issued a warning to Republicans who defied him. “Any Republican, in the House or the Senate, that votes against TARIFFS will seriously suffer the consequences come Election time, and that includes Primaries!” Trump posted on Truth Social. Kiley told Fox News Digital when asked for a response to Trump, “This was a resolution regarding the emergency declared by the president over fentanyl from Canada. Congress has an obligation under the National Emergencies Act to evaluate every six months if the emergency still exists. Canada has now significantly cracked down on fentanyl, so there’s no basis to extend the emergency another six months.” Meanwhile Hurd told Fox News Digital that his constituents were “directly affected by these policies.” “Today’s vote is grounded first and foremost in the Constitution. Article I gives Congress the authority to regulate commerce with foreign nations and to levy tariffs. Over time, Congress has delegated limited authority to the Executive Branch, particularly in matters involving national emergencies. But those delegations were never intended to serve as a permanent vehicle for sweeping, long-term trade policy,” he also said. “If we normalize broad emergency trade powers today, we should expect that a future president—of either party—will rely on the same authority in ways many of us would strongly oppose. Institutional consistency matters. The Constitution does not shift depending on who occupies the White House. My responsibility is to defend the separation of powers regardless of political convenience.” Trump signed an executive order in February 2025, enacting an additional 25% tariff on most goods from Canada and Mexico. Energy from Canada was subject to an additional 15% tariff. At the time, the White House said it was punishment for those countries’ unwillingness to do more to stop the flow of illegal immigrants and illicit drugs into the U.S. Opponents of Trump’s tariff strategy have criticized his moves against Canada in particular, arguing it was unjustly harming one of the U.S.’s closest allies and trading partners to the detriment of Americans themselves. TRUMP’S SIGNATURE TARIFFS HANG ON KEY QUESTION ABOUT CONGRESS’ POWER BEFORE SUPREME COURT “In the last year, tariffs have cost American families nearly $1,700. And that cost is expected to increase in 2026,” Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., who is leading the legislation, said during debate Wednesday. “And since these tariffs were imposed, U.S. exports to Canada have fallen by more than 21%. When I go home, my constituents aren’t telling me that they have an extra $1,700 to spare. They’re asking me to lower grocery prices, lower the price of healthcare and make life more affordable. “Canada is our friend. Canada is our ally. Canadians have fought alongside Americans, whether it was in World War II or the war in Afghanistan, where 165 Canadians gave their lives after our country was attacked. There is no national emergency, there is no national security threat underpinning these threats.” House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., argued the text of the resolution itself would end a national emergency related to fentanyl. “The gentleman over here, 5,000 people per year die in his state alone from fentanyl,” Mast said of Meeks. “So, if he wants to beg the question of who’s going to pay the price of him trying to end an emergency, that actually, for the first time, has Canada dealing with fentanyl because of the pressure being put on them — who’s going to pay the price? It’s going to be 5,000 more of his state’s residents. That’s who’s going to pay the price.” SUPREME COURT TARIFF RULING HAS TRUMP ADMIN, US BUSINESSES BRACING FOR IMPACT He said the resolution was “not a debate about tariffs” but rather Democrats trying to “ignore that there is a fentanyl crisis.” The resolution was filed by Democrats months ago but was put on hold by an active measure by House GOP leaders that blocked the House from reversing Trump’s emergency declarations. The president has used emergency declarations to bypass Congress on the subject of tariffs, a move that has drawn mixed reviews from Capitol Hill. But that measure expired last month, and House GOP leaders’ bid to extend it through July 31 crashed and burned Tuesday night when three Republicans joined Democrats to oppose it. “It is time for Congress to make its voice heard on tariffs,” Bacon, one of the Republicans who voted in opposition to the Trump policy Tuesday and Wednesday, told Fox News Digital. The legislation now heads to the Senate, which has voted in the past to restrict Trump’s tariff authority. Even if it succeeds there, however, it’s likely to be vetoed the president.
DHS unloads on anti-ICE Dems after man arrested with manifesto, ‘disturbing’ alleged plot to kill agents
FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Homeland Security is speaking out against immigration rhetoric from Democrats and launching an investigation after a U.S. citizen in Oregon was arrested and found with a manifesto stating his plans to kill U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials. Last week, the St. Helens Police Department north of Portland arrested an 18-year-old during a traffic stop after he was found with knives and materials used to manufacture Molotov cocktails, according to police, Fox 12 Oregon reported. The individual, Rayden Coleman, is also alleged to have authored a manifesto outlining a plan to kill ICE agents at a Portland ICE office in an attack using Molotov cocktails and a gun. Additionally, Coleman reportedly told investigators about his plan and that he planned to pick up an AR-15 the next day from a licensed dealer to carry out the attack. He also reportedly admitted making statements about beheading ICE agents. “Every day there are more assaults, more vehicle-ramming attacks, more attempts to kill our officers,” Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital. “Now, we have an American citizen planning to kill ICE officers with Molotov cocktails and gun them down. It’s disturbing. DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSWOMAN SPARKS ONLINE OUTRAGE OVER ‘DERANGED’ QUESTION TO ICE DIRECTOR ABOUT ‘GOING TO HELL’ “Sanctuary politicians comparing ICE day-in and day-out to the Nazi Gestapo, the Secret Police and slave patrols have real-world consequences. The men and women of ICE and CBP are fathers and mothers, sons and daughters. They get up every morning to try and make our communities safer. Like everyone else, they just want to go home to their families at night. The violence and dehumanization of these men and women who are simply enforcing the law must end.” The DHS statement comes the day after several House Democrats railed against ICE during a hearing with acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, comparing ICE agents to Nazis and the Gestapo as they slammed the Trump administration over the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two anti-ICE activists killed while opposing federal immigration authorities. ICE REVEALS ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ ARRESTS IN JUST ONE DAY AFTER ROUNDING UP ‘THUGS’ CONVICTED OF VILE CRIMES DHS says there is an ongoing investigation into the Oregon arrest with ICE Homeland Security Investigations and that Coleman is facing state charges on six counts of manufacturing a destructive device and two counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree assault. Coleman is being held in the Columbia County jail, and his bail is listed at $400,000. ICE officers are facing a more than 1,300% increase in assaults against them, according to DHS, along with an 8,000% increase in death threats. As Democrats rally against ICE across the country, Congress has until Friday at midnight to fund DHS. Democrats are threatening to shut down the government if their demands for ICE reforms are not met, and, as days go by, the odds of doing so are becoming increasingly slim. “I think they (Democrats) are using families as political weapons,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem exclusively told Fox News Digital last week. “And this is a little bit different, because when it’s the whole government that they shut down, they’re not necessarily just attacking security. “This feels like a direct attack on the security of our country, our homeland. And it’s almost as though they’ve gotten so extreme, they don’t care if we’re out there on the front lines keeping our country safe from terrorists, keeping our country safe from murderers and rapists.” Fox News Digital’s Alex Miller and Emma Colton contributed to this report.
McConnell released from hospital after health scare, to work from home as key DHS vote looms
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has been discharged from the hospital and will work from home this week on the advice of his doctors, according to his spokesman. “Senator McConnell was discharged from the hospital [Tuesday] and is grateful for the outstanding care he received. He is feeling better and will be working from home this week on the advice of his doctors,” spokesman David Popp said in a statement. His absence this week comes as lawmakers face a Friday deadline to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Senate leaders are discussing a short-term continuing resolution to avoid a partial shutdown while negotiations continue. McConnell, 83, was hospitalized last week after experiencing flu-like symptoms. His office said at the time that he had checked himself into a local hospital “in an abundance of caution” after feeling ill over the weekend. PRO-REPARATIONS PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRAT WHO WANTS ICE ABOLISHED MOUNTS LONGSHOT SENATE BID TO SUCCEED MCCONNELL “In an abundance of caution, after experiencing flu-like symptoms over the weekend, Senator McConnell checked himself into a local hospital for evaluation last night,” a spokesperson said Feb. 3. “His prognosis is positive, and he is grateful for the excellent care he is receiving. He is in regular contact with his staff and looks forward to returning to Senate business.” McConnell has experienced several health scares in recent years, including falls at the Capitol. Last October, McConnell stumbled and fell while walking down a hallway in the Capitol. He was helped up and continued walking. SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL SEEN ON VIDEO FALLING INSIDE SENATE BUILDING Nearly one year ago, he fell on a set of stairs while exiting the Senate chamber. McConnell previously announced that he will not seek re-election in 2026, and plans to retire at the end of his current term, which runs through Jan. 3, 2027. He has served in the Senate for decades, including as Senate majority leader during President Donald Trump’s first administration. McConnell is a survivor of childhood polio. Fox News Digital’s Michael Sinkewicz contributed to this story.
‘Seditious Six’ Democrat lawmakers probed by Trump threaten legal battle
The six Democrats who urged U.S. service members to “refuse illegal orders” are threatening a legal battle with President Donald Trump over what they see as a “weaponization” of the Department of Justice (DOJ). On Wednesday, four House Democrats — Reps. Jason Crow, D-Colo.; Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H.; Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa.; and Chris Deluzio, D-Pa. — hinted they had prepared for a case of their own after they escaped an indictment Tuesday evening. “Yesterday, the Trump Department of Justice tried and failed to indict us on criminal charges based on a video that we filmed last year simply reminding our fellow service members to follow the law and the Constitution,” Crow said. “They failed, and they will always fail. REPUBLICAN COMBAT VETERANS URGE TROOPS TO ‘STAND STRONG’ AFTER DEMOCRATS’ ‘ILLEGAL ORDERS’ MESSAGE “We are taking names,” Crow said. “We are creating lists. My lawyers just sent a letter today to the Department of Justice, putting them on notice that there will be costs.” Crow did not expand on what kind of suit he would pursue. The “Seditious Six,” as Secretary of War Pete Hegseth called the group of military veteran Democrats, posted a video to social media in November 2025 urging service members to ignore commands that violated the Constitution. “Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend this Constitution. Right now, the threats coming to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad but from right here at home,” they urged. “Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution.” In response, the Department of Justice launched a probe of the group, weighing whether their calls had amounted to sedition. After those charges fell flat Tuesday, Democrats in the Senate who had also participated in the video similarly blasted the DOJ’s probe. WASHINGTON DEMOCRAT SAYS HE BELIEVES TRUMP ISSUED ILLEGAL ORDERS TO THE MILITARY “This is outrageous,” said Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz. “I want to be clear about something. This is not a good news story. This is a story about how Donald Trump and his cronies are trying to break our system in order to silence anyone who lawfully speaks out against them.” Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., who also appeared in the video, echoed Kelly’s framing. “The president has used our justice system to weaponize (it) against his perceived enemies,” Slotkin said. “I think that we’ve come to a really sad moment in America, where the paradigm of leadership has become completely reversed in 2026. Instead of looking to our elected leaders, like the president, as setting an example, it is now up to individual citizens in their private capacity to uphold the values of democracy, free speech, liberty, justice.” When asked how he would distinguish between political prosecution and a good-faith effort to uphold the law, Crow pointed to past statements from the administration but declined to offer a litmus test for future cases. “I’ve learned to take Donald Trump’s words and to listen to him,” Crow said. “He actually came right out and said what he thought about this and said this is because he wants to silence political opposition. So, let’s actually just listen to what the man says.” DEM CONGRESSMAN PRESSED ON WHAT TRUMP ORDERS ‘SPECIFICALLY’ WERE ILLEGAL Trump has accused the six lawmakers of being “traitors” who engaged in “sedition at the highest level” and “should be in jail.” He even suggested they should be executed over the video, although he later retracted that comment. Crow declined to answer questions about when he would press his legal strategy and hinted that it might depend on what Trump does next. “So, that’s actually a ball that’s in the Trump administration’s court,” Crow said. “We’ve been very clear about our position and that it needs to stop. If it doesn’t stop, then we’ll take all necessary actions.” The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Cyclone slams into Madagascar, killing at least 20 people
[unable to retrieve full-text content] Officials in Madagascar say building collapses are responsible for many of the confirmed 20 deaths from Cyclone Gezani.
Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona: Copa del Rey – team news, start time, lineups
All to know as La Liga leaders Barcelona clash with Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal. Listen to this article Listen to this article | 5 mins info Who: Atletico Madrid vs BarcelonaWhat: Copa del Rey semifinalWhere: Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, SpainWhen: Thursday at 9pm (20:00 GMT)How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will have live text and photo coverage of the Copa del Rey semifinal. Spanish football titans Atletico and Barcelona will lock horns on Thursday in Madrid with nothing less than a place in the Copa del Rey final on the line. The match is the opening semifinal leg of the competition. The return leg will be played at Barcelona’s Nou Camp Stadium on March 4. Who are the defending Copa champions? Barcelona are the reigning champions after they won the 2025 final 3-2 against Real Madrid for a record-extending 32nd Copa del Rey title. The match was played on April 26 at La Cartuja Stadium in Seville. There has been no repeat Copa champion since Barcelona won it four years straight from 2015 to 2018. When did Barcelona and Atletico last meet? The teams last played in a La Liga fixture on December 2 with Atletico – arriving at Camp Nou on a seven-game winning run in all competitions – striking first when Spanish international Alex Baena put the visitors up inside 20 minutes. But Barcelona rallied strongly with goals by Raphinha, Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres, handing Madrid their first La Liga defeat in more than three months with a resounding 3-1 result. Ferran Torres, centre, scores Barcelona’s third goal in their 3-1 victory against Atletico Madrid on December 2, 2025 [Nacho Doce/Reuters] How did Atletico and Barcelona reach the semifinals? Atletico Madrid advanced to the last four of the Copa del Rey with an emphatic 5-0 win at Real Betis as new signing Ademola Lookman scored on his Rojiblanco debut. Advertisement Goals by Lamine Yamal and Ronald Araujo helped Barcelona reach the semifinal with a nervy 2-1 win at Albacete. The defending champions were pushed to the end in a tight quarterfinal clash by their second division opponents, who stunned Real Madrid in the previous round. Head-to-head Barcelona and Atletico have faced off 249 times in official competition with the first match dating back to April 19, 1925, in the Copa del Rey. Blaugrana holds the head-to-head advantage with 113 victories compared with Madrid’s 79 wins with 57 draws. Atletico’s team news Manager Diego Simeone may be without duo Marc Pubill (illness) and Nicolas Gonzalez (physical discomfort). Both are listed as questionable, and either could still play a part against Barca. Johnny Cardoso is out after the American sustained a low-grade muscle injury training before Thursday’s Copa del Rey quarterfinal against Real Betis. Midfielder Pablo Barrios remains on the sidelines with a thigh injury. Predicted lineup (4-4-2): Oblak (goalkeeper); Llorente, Pubill, Hancko, Ruggeri; Simeone, Mendoza, Koke, Baena; Griezmann, Lookman Barcelona’s Marcus Rashford, right, will not be joining his teammate Robert Lewandowski on the forward line against Atletico Madrid [File: Albert Gea/Reuters] Barcelona’s team news In a last-minute blow, Marcus Rashford is out of the Atletico clash after receiving a knee knock during Barcelona’s 3-0 win over Real Mallorca on Saturday, according to the official FC Barcelona website. Head coach Hansi Flick could also be without Frenkie de Jong (groin), who is listed as doubtful. Teenager Marc Bernal would be the most likely replacement for the Dutchman in the central midfield role. Brazilian superstar Raphinha (thigh injury) is close to a return but will miss this fixture. Pedri (hamstring) and Gavi (knee) continue to be sidelined with longer-term injuries. Predicted lineup (4-3-3): J Garcia (goalkeeper); Kounde, Cubarsi, E Garcia, Balde; Olmo, Bernal, Lopez; Yamal, Lewandowski, Torres Form Guide: Atletico Madrid: W-L-D-W-L (all competitions, most recent result last) Barcelona: W-W-W-W-W Which team has won the most Copa del Rey titles? Barcelona: 32 Athletic Bilbao: 24 Real Madrid: 20 Atletico Madrid: 10 Valencia: eight Is the Copa del Rey the oldest Spanish competition? Yes. Founded in 1903 and organised by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the Copa del Rey is the oldest Spanish football competition played at a national level. The Copa del Rey winners qualify for the next season’s UEFA Europa League. If the winner has already qualified for Europe through their La Liga ladder position, the Europa League spot is awarded to the next highest placed team that has not yet qualified. The Copa del Rey trophy [File: Fran Santiago/Getty Images] Adblock test (Why?)
Why is the issue of Syrian prisoner repatriation from Lebanon complicated?
Beirut, Lebanon – The Lebanese and Syrian governments have reached a deal to repatriate about 300 Syrian inmates in Lebanese prisons back to their home country in a move that could pave the way for better relations between the two neighbours. The issue of Syrian prisoners in Lebanon has been a priority for Damascus since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024. Relations between the two countries have long been marked by what many Lebanese describe as nearly 30 years of occupation and a tutelage rule by Syria over Lebanon, which ended when Syria withdrew its troops in 2005. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list About 2,400 Syrian prisoners are currently in Lebanese prisons. Some are held on “terrorism” charges while others are held for links to attacks against the Lebanese army. But most have never been tried despite having spent years in jail, largely due to a myriad of issues, including political gridlock, judicial strikes and general political indifference. And while the deal reached on Friday may signal the beginning of a new relationship between Syria and Lebanon – one built on mutual respect rather than Syria’s direct or indirect control of the smaller state on its western border – it did not come about without any public controversy. In Syrian eyes, many of the prisoners are being held for political rather than judicial reasons. The government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa believes they are in prison mostly due to the influence of the former al-Assad regime and its Hezbollah allies in Lebanon. Advertisement But for many Lebanese, anyone accused of attacks against the Lebanese armed forces should not be released. “Lebanon has long insisted that anyone Syrian or otherwise accused of committing serious crimes against the Lebanese army should not be extradited,” David Wood, the senior Lebanon analyst at the International Crisis Group, told Al Jazeera. “That has been one key obstacle to resolving this prisoner agreement up until now.” Political prisoners? Lebanese-Syrian relations have long been complex. Under Syrian President Hafez al-Assad and later his son Bashar, Syrian forces controlled Lebanon from 1976 to 2005. Even after Syrian troops withdrew from Lebanon, Syria maintained influence over Lebanon via its allies there, including the political and military group Hezbollah. When the 2011 Syrian uprising began and was subsequently repressed by Bashar al-Assad’s regime, Syria’s border with Lebanon soon became a hotspot for the transportation of people – both fighters and refugees – weapons and drugs. Under the agreement signed by Lebanese and Syrian officials, about 300 Syrian prisoners in Lebanese jails will be transferred to Syria in the next three months [Wael Hamzeh/EPA] In Lebanon, the Syrian war had a strong impact. It spilled over into clashes in the northern city of Tripoli; the Battle of Abra, which involved firebrand anti-Assad sheikh Ahmad al-Assir and Lebanese-Palestinian pop star Fadel Shaker; battles with Hezbollah and the Lebanese army on one side and ISIL (ISIS) and al-Qaeda-aligned groups on the other; and attacks on Beirut’s southern suburbs. In the intervening years, hundreds of Syrians were arrested by Lebanese authorities and held in Lebanon’s overcrowded prisons. When the al-Assad regime fell, the new Syrian government quickly looked to reframe the relationship with Lebanon, expressing an interest in building ties based on mutual respect and interests. Among Damascus’s priorities were delineating their shared border and economic and security cooperation. But it also prioritised the repatriation of Syrians in Lebanese prisons. “The allegation from Damascus is that in many cases the reason for [imprisonment] is political and specifically due to perceived ties between the inmates and groups that were opposed to the former regime of Bashar al-Assad,” Wood said. In its view, “it was actually Assad’s Lebanese allies who conspired to make sure that these people were imprisoned in Lebanon.” By that logic, the fall of al-Assad and the weakening of Hezbollah after Israel’s 2024 war on Lebanon meant that these prisoners should be released. Advertisement Some Lebanese disagree and see the issue as more of a grey area. Even if the Syrian prisoners in question had fought Hezbollah, it had been at a time when the Shia group had been coordinating with the Lebanese army – and, for many Lebanese, fighting the army is a red line. An important step On Friday, the agreement was signed with a number of Lebanese ministers present, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri and the two countries’ justice ministers. “This is a very important first step on the road of a comprehensive treatment regarding Syrian prisoners in Lebanese prisons,” Mitri said to reporters on Friday. Syrian Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais said: “This step will boost existing confidence, and we hope that relations will progress more.” The agreement reportedly stipulates that over the next three months, about 300 prisoners will be repatriated to Syria and those serving time for serious crimes, such as rape or murder for example, must have served 10 or more years of their sentences in Lebanese prisons to be eligible for repatriation. Lebanese prisoners, such as al-Assir, are not included in the deal. But other issues remain. Among them are Lebanon’s backlogged judicial system and issues related to Lebanese inmates in Syrian prisons. Only about 750 Syrian prisoners out of the 2,400 have been convicted. That means roughly 65 percent of prisoners are not eligible for repatriation yet. Fadel Abdulghany of the Syrian Network for Human Rights described this as a “two-track” problem. On his personal website, Abdulghany noted that the transfer of prisoners convicted with final sentences can be carried out with a “swift step”. However, for those who have yet to be convicted, the issue is not as straightforward. A mechanism for pretrial detention has not yet been agreed by the respective authorities. “This is not merely a Syrian issue but one that touches the very structure of the Lebanese criminal justice system,” Abdulghany wrote. “Therefore, transferring convicts will not resolve the problem, because the root cause is the slow pace of procedures in