The Trump administration is reportedly planning to rescind up to 200,000 business and tourism visas, the Associated Press reports.

The alleged plan could amount to the largest mass cancelation of visas in U.S. history.

“We are coordinating with [the Department of Homeland Security] to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the United States claiming to be short-term visitors, but then file for asylum to stay here permanently,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott told The Independent in a statement. “These types of visas are issued with the clear understanding that they are for those who intend to return home. Obtaining a visa in order to seek asylum is fraud — which is grounds for visa revocation.”

The mass cancelation would apply to individuals who were issued B1 and B2 visas between 2016 and 2026 then sought asylum, according to the AP.

The visas, respectively, cover business trips and voyages for other common reasons such as tourism, family visits and medical care.

“It’s shocking from an historical perspective,” Yael Schacher, director for the Americas and Europe at the humanitarian group Refugees International, wrote on Bluesky, arguing the “crazy” policy was part of the “delegalization of people who applied and were given permission to enter” the country.

The visa plan would likely face strong challenges in court, as have many of the Trump administration’s immigration efforts.

Last week, a federal judge struck down a Trump administration policy that suspended visa processing for nationals from 75 countries whose citizens were deemed likely to need public assistance upon coming to the U.S.

The Trump administration has moved aggressively to tighten immigration requirements, halt refugee resettlement and cancel scores of existing visas.

Since Trump took office, his administration has revoked more than 175,000 visas from foreign nationals, according to the State Department.

That’s quadruple the pace of the final year of the Biden administration, an analysis by The Guardian found.

The president has also sought to revoke the legal status of hundreds of thousands of people who came into the U.S. legally under a Biden-era immigration parole program.

The White House is pushing to permanently impose a $100,000 fee on businesses seeking H-1B visas for high-skill workers, despite a federal judge previously striking down a similar plan.

A throng of balaclava-clad youths set off flares and fireworks on Monday afternoon to remember the five A66 ‘joyriders’ who died when they smashed into a police car.

The chaos came in stark contrast to a silent prayer vigil hosted in a nearby church to honour PC Tom Clough and PC Matthew Blades, who were also tragically killed in the crash.

Friends and family of Jakub Matusiak, 23, decided to gather at a field in South Bank, Middlesborough, just yards from the scene of Saturday’s catastrophic collision, caused by the gang hurtling the wrong way down the dual carriageway.

What began as a balloon release descended into a confusion of smoke and noise when attendees lit up the sky with flares and rockets.

A gang of around 20 masked youths on motorbikes and quad bikes roared around the field in honour of Matusiak, who himself had convictions for motoring offences.

Footage showed dozens of flares being held aloft, filling the field with dense orange fog, as bikes revved their engines and blared their horns.

Meanwhile, just down the road, locals mourning the lives of the two constables quietly filed into St John The Evangelist Church.

Among them was Redcar’s Labour MP Anna Turley, who said: ‘I thought it was really important to come together. I was really pleased that the church has opened themselves up for the community to come together, because it’s such a devastating incident.

A group of masked bikers tore around the field  and joined in with the pyrotechnics

The memorial began as a balloon release but descended into noise and confusion

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The vigil to remember the two constables who lost their lives was a much more sober affair

‘The whole community here is reeling, and we’ve lost lives, particularly those lives of brave police officers who are out in action to keep us safe. It’s a tragic incident.’

Back at the joyriders’ vigil, one female attendee in her 20s was indignant at the tone of the coverage of the deaths of the youths. 

She said: ‘Jakub was a lovely, caring lad and he’s somebody’s son and somebody’s brother, he’s not some scumbag who should just be written off and forgotten.

‘It was an accident that those police officers died, they weren’t trying to kill anyone and they lost their own lives but they’ve just been written off as if they don’t matter. 

‘The number of people who have come out for Jakub today should show you that they do matter, they were loved and they will be missed.’

The gathering took place on South Bank back field, only a few hundred yards from where the collision took place on the A66, ending seven lives.

Cleveland Police attended but kept a low-key presence, a patrol car from the Matrix team – which the two constables worked in – was parked 500 yards away alongside a police van.

Plenty of the residents of the surrounding streets chose not to attend.

Family and friends of Matusiak, 23, decided to gather on the South Bank Back Field for a balloon release today 

PC Matthew Blades, a father of two, was killed when his police vehicle was struck head-on by a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way down the A66 near Middlesbrough 

PC Tom Clough also died in the crash, which occurred around 10 seconds after a police pursuit of the Volkswagen had been called off. 

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Looking at the police officers standing beside their vehicles, a 58-year-old grandmother said: ‘What must they be thinking right now? This is nothing but a mockery of the lives of those two policemen.

‘I’ve watched them walking down there drinking and smoking weed and razzing about on their motorbikes. There’s nothing here to celebrate.’

Another balloon release was scheduled at the same time in Middlesbrough for Cole Worthy, 17, another of those killed.

Matusiak, Worthy and their friends Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and Michael Robert Cahill, 23, died in a catastrophic head-on collision in Teesside early on Saturday morning.

The youngsters were driving the wrong way down the A66 when they struck PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, who were travelling in an unmarked response vehicle.

Another police car had been pursuing them before calling off the chase. Just ten seconds later, the VW struck PCs Blades and Clough, who had not been involved in the pursuit.

In the months leading up to the crash, Saddington had posted a string of TikTok clips that appeared to show him taking part in police chases. He had also been awaiting trial for racially abusing and assaulting police officers. 

At the same time, another balloon release will be held in Middlesbrough for Cole Worthy, 17, another of those killed

Makai Saddington, one of the five killed in the Volkswagen, posted videos on TikTok of him being chased by police and was awaiting trial for racially abusing and assaulting officers

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Twelve people have now been arrested by police probing the crash. 

Four of the youngsters killed in the VW had extensive criminal records, including convictions for drug offences, assault and robbery.

Friends and family have paid tribute to Matusiak, with his sister describing him on social media as ‘my best friend, always and forever’.

A family friend, Jodie Stephenson, also paid tribute, writing: ‘I’ll miss the ADHD and the headaches you caused us, the late-night phone calls to pick you up quickly and walking into Jimmy’s to find you flat out on the bed.

‘You always came here when the s*** had hit the fan and that was quite often.’

In May this year, Matusiak posted a video on social media which appeared to show him driving a Volvo recklessly through a Middlesbrough housing estate. At one point in the video, he was seen leaving the road and driving across a grassy area. 

Meanwhile, the families of the two officers have paid moving tributes to the heroes, and a GoFundMe appeal launched by Cleveland Police Federation to support them had raised more than £500,000 by this morning.

Close friends Theo Rae (left) and Cole Robert Worthy both died in the crash on Saturday

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Michael Robert Cahill was one of the five in the VW

The federation said its officers had ‘paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty’ and left behind ‘heartbroken loved ones’. It added that the funds raised would be split equally between the families. 

PC Blades’ wife described him as ‘our superhero’ and said: ‘He gave his life in the line of duty, protecting and serving others with courage, dedication and selflessness.’

Former soldier PC Clough, 38, was described by his family as ‘our hero’ who was ‘always driven by a sense of public service’.

Cleveland Police said today that nine men and three women, aged between 19 and 61, have now been arrested on suspicion of offences ranging from possession of a firearm to participating in the activities of an organised crime group.

Cleveland Police received several reports of the Volkswagen Passat being driven dangerously on Saturday. Separate reports involved a second car, a Volvo XC60, which was seen ramming properties in the Middlesbrough area.

Both vehicles were operating with cloned number plates to avoid detection, but were identified through the force’s automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system.

Police said there is no evidence to indicate that filming of the activities that took place on Friday night and Saturday morning was carried out for the purposes of TikTok.

The Middlesbrough crash came less than a week after an incident in Co Kildare, Ireland, when five teenagers died in a head-on crash while driving the wrong way down the M9.

A family in the other car, comprising three women and a seven-year-old boy, were left seriously injured in the crash while travelling to the airport to begin a holiday, according to reports.

At least three of the teenagers had boasted online about driving the wrong way down motorways to evade police.

Speaking in Kyiv on Monday, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the Government had urged TikTok and other platforms to remove videos which glorify dangerous driving.

Mr Burnham said those who share such videos are ‘doing something that’s truly reprehensible’.

A Downing Street spokesman said: ‘The glorification of dangerous driving for clips and entertainment is utterly disgraceful and that is why we have raised the issue of this appalling content with social media companies since the tragedy.’

Pawel Kulpa is facing multiple charges, following a deadly house fire in west London

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A 34-year-old man has been charged with murder after a deadly house fire claimed one life, and endangered eight others.

Pawel Kulpa has been charged with one count of murder, eight counts of attempted murder and one count of arson with intent to endanger life.

Officers were called to reports of a fire at a property on Berkeley Avenue, Hounslow, at about 1.14am on August 19.

A 48-year-old woman died in hospital and another woman, 40, remains in a life-threatening condition.

A murder investigation was launched soon afterwards and the Crown Prosecution Service said on Monday that Kulpa had been charged.

He will appear at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on August 25.

The Metropolitan Police have said the other six men and one woman who were taken to hospital have since been discharged with minor injuries.

Images from the scene show a light-coloured terraced house that has been blackened on the outside, with the window panes peeling.

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Lisa Ramsarran, chief crown prosecutor in London North said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has decided to prosecute Pawel Kulpa for murder, attempted murder and arson following a fatal fire in Hounslow, west London which resulted in the murder of a 48-year-old woman and the injury of eight others at approximately 1am on Wednesday 19 August.

“Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to pursue criminal proceedings.

“We have worked closely with the Metropolitan Police to bring this case to court, and we will continue working with them as their investigation progresses.

READ MORE: Scotland’s youth football club shame as rogue dads and violent officials clash

READ MORE: ‘Murdered’ girl, 9, makes final journey through Arbroath as mourners line streets

“Mr Kulpa will appear at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 25 August.

“We remind all concerned that proceedings against the defendant are active and he has the right to a fair trial.

“It is vital that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”

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The man has been banned from drinking alcohol for two months

A man “frightened” a police officer after threatening him with a glass bottle. Benjamin Arksey, 50, was the passenger in a car stopped by Cambridgeshire Police officers on May 16 in Sutton Road, Mepal.

At Peterborough Magistrates Court on Monday (August 24), prosecutor James Quelch told the court that Arksey “threatened a police officer as he was asked to leave the car”.

Mr Quelch told the court that Arksey, who was carrying two bottles of alcohol, threatened to “knock them out”. Arksey threatened one officer with a glass bottle and also assaulted the same officer.

The defence lawyer Mr Willett told the court that Arksey was “genuinely remorseful”, and he was “genuinely motivated” to get back into work.

Before passing sentence, District Judge Richard Jepson told Arksey that there were “various features” of the incident that were “disappointing”. The judge said: “The reality is this was a straightforward traffic stop for someone else and not you. It may have been that you were not happy.

“The reality is you responded with not only words but actions. I understand why the two officers were frightened by this. Officers don’t go to work to have people shout at them. This could have ended up worse.”

The judge added that he was again “disappointed” that Arksey committed the offences, with him “being of a certain age”. He added: “Where this came from is a mystery. There is a lesson to be learnt from this, the drinking needs to be stopped.”

Arksey, of Victoria Street, Littleport, was handed a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, for threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a public place. He was also given a 16-week concurrent prison sentence, also suspended for 12 months, for assaulting a constable in the execution of his duty.

Arksey was also ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, given a 60-day alcohol tag which bans him from drinking alcohol, and ordered to pay £200 in compensation.

A memorial for one of the men killed in the A66 crash has divided opinion after masked bikers set off flares while police watched on.

Hundreds of people turned up to remember Jakub Matusiak, 23, one of the five men who were killed inside the Volkswagen Passat near Middlesbrough on Saturday morning.

It had driven down the wrong way on the A66 seconds after a police chase had been called off before it smashed head-on into another police vehicle, killing PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38.

People gathered on a field in the South Bank neighbourhood of Middlesbrough, where the fatal crash happened, to release balloons, many in Matusiak’s favourite colour orange.

Around 20 masked young men on scooters and quad bikes rode around the field and set off flares with colourful smoke filling the air.

One woman in the crowd insisted that the 23-year-old was a ‘lovely, caring lad’ and ‘not some scumbag who should just be written off and forgotten,’ referring to coverage of the five men.

Matusiak, Theo Rae, 17, Cole Worthy, 17, and Makai Saddington, 18, are said to have several convictions and charges, including motoring offences.

Their friend, Michael Robert Cahill, 23, was also killed in the crash.

The woman continued: ‘It was an accident that those police officers died, they weren’t trying to kill anyone and they lost their own lives but they’ve just been written off as if they don’t matter. 

‘The number of people who have come out for Jakub today should show you that they do matter, they were loved and they will be missed.’

Officers from Cleveland Police’s team that late PC Blades and PC Clough were part of observed the gathering nearby.

One grandmother living near the field appeared dismayed over the celebration.

The 58-year-old said: ‘What must they be thinking right now? This is nothing but a mockery of the lives of those two policemen.

‘I’ve watched them walking down there drinking and smoking weed and razzing about on their motorbikes. There’s nothing here to celebrate.’

Posters were shared online for a separate balloon release for Worthy today in Trimdon Park, Middlesbrough.

A fundraiser for the killed officers has reached over £685,000 within a day of its launch.

The A66 crash and another deadly incident on the M9 in County Kildare, Ireland, involving young joyriders have raised questions about dangerous driving videos and social media.

Some of the men involved in both crashes are said to have previously posted clips showing them driving recklessly.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has labelled the glorification of dangerous driving as ‘unacceptable’ and said those sharing footage are ‘doing something that’s truly reprehensible.’

Cleveland Police said it has arrested 12 people following the A66 crash, including for firearm possession and participating in an organised crime group.

The Volkswagen Passat, with the five men inside, had cloned number plates on, the force said.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

MORE: Twelve arrested after deadly A66 crash that killed seven

MORE: Two more people killed on roads overnight after crash involving three Seat Leons

MORE: Seven people killed including two officers in wrong-way crash on A66

FULHAM 2-3 CHELSEA: The Blues have kicked off their season in the best way by squeezing past their West London rivals at Craven Cottage on Monday evening

Xabi Alonso enjoyed a dream Chelsea debut as his new side edged Fulham in a five-goal thriller at Craven Cottage on Monday evening.

Joao Pedro gave his new boss an ideal start to life in West London, scoring the opener after just 30 seconds. But Fulham hit back through the Josh King.

Morgan Rogers was to have a say on his Chelsea debut, with a goal just before the break, while Cole Palmer then got on the scoresheet. The drama was not finished there, with Gonzalo Garcia scoring for the hosts on his debut.

Pedro thought he had wrapped things up late on as he fired in following Bernd Leno’s save but his celebrations were cut short by the linesman.

Here are all of the talking points from Craven Cottage:

Pedro on point

Just a few days after putting pen to paper on a new deal and being entrusted with the number nine shirt at Stamford Bridge, Brazilian forward Pedro celebrated with a goal.

One simple ball from the back split apart the Fulham defence, with Palmer playing Pedro through. The former Brighton man then deftly lifted the ball over Bernd Leno.

After 23 goals last season, Pedro looks set to be a crucial player for Chelsea once more.

Sanchez shockers

While Pedro has shone ever since arriving at Chelsea, the same cannot quite be said of Robert Sanchez. The Spanish goalkeeper has dropped a number of clangers as a Chelsea player and that was no different at Craven Cottage.

Josh King – who has caught the eye since breaking through into the side – was afforded far too much room to charge into the Chelsea penalty area. He let fly with an effort that appeared to be relatively easy for Sanchez to collect at his near post.

But he was positioned woefully and let the shot squirm through his hands and into the net. He then parried a later shot from back into the danger area, with Garcia heading home and reducing the deficit.

If Chelsea want to achieve anything this season, they might need to look at upgrading their goalkeeper.

Rogers off the mark

Chelsea regained the lead just before the half-time interval and it was £117m man Morgan Rogers with the goal – albeit he did not have to do much.

A brilliant bit of play from Cole Palmer saw defender Maxence Lacroix find room down the right. The Frenchman showed plenty of skill to draw Leno into a challenge, before playing a ball across the box to Rogers, who had the simple task of tapping home.

He will no doubt score more spectacular goals for Chelsea but regardless, he will be delighted that he’s managed to get off the mark so soon for his new employers.

Palmer back to his best

There might have been a bit of a debate in the Chelsea dressing room at full time about Rogers’ celebration – and whose it actually is. Palmer also pulled out the move moments after the restart as he scored his first goal of the season.

Pedro held the ball up and waited for his teammate, who was on the overlapping run. The ex-Manchester City man then finished coolly between the legs of Leno.

After a season in which he endured a frustrating time of things – and missed out on a place in England’s World Cup squad – Palmer looks back to his best.

Alonso gets the better of Arbeloa

There won’t have been a more poignant game for both Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa to start their Premier League managerial careers. The pair have of course been closely associated throughout their careers.

After being teammates at Liverpool, they were reunited at Real Madrid. They also both had managerial stints at the Bernabeu last season, both of them left with points to prove after leaving the club.

And then turning to their spells with Chelsea and Fulham, it was Alonso who came out on top. It’s still early days but it appears that the same result could be said of the Premier League table at the end of the season.

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Countdown to Kickoff: The Essential 26/27 Sky Sports Bundle

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Legends has been hailed as “Netflix’s answer to Slow Horses”.

Netflix crime thriller Legends has been given a major update that fans have been desperately waiting for.

Released back in May, Legends was an overnight hit revolving around ordinary customs officers who go undercover to infiltrate drug gangs in the 1990s in the UK.

Not only was the six-part drama loosely based on real-life undercover operations, it also took inspiration from the 2022 memoir of former customs officer Guy Stanton, The Betrayer.

Not only did it’s real inspiration draw Netflix fans in, so did its cast with Legends starring none other than Alan Partridge’s Steve Coogan as supervisor Don.

So it doesn’t come as too much of a surprise that Legends has now officially been given the green light for a second season on Netflix.

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Created by Neil Forsyth, also known for writing The Gold and Guilt, shared his excitement.

He said: “I’m delighted to have the opportunity to tell a new story in the fascinating and unique world that Legends offers, and to show just how dangerous, thrilling, and important their work became in the late 1990s.”

Sadly, fans are still going to have to wait quite some time for its return, given that production on season two will begin sometime in 2027.

Depending on when shooting for the new episodes start, Legends season two may not return until late 2027 or even early 2028.

Singing its praises on IMdB, a fan wrote: “This series is now the best TV drama series I’ve ever watched.”

A second agreed: “Terrific watch, just needed more episodes. A 10+ rating from me”, while another said: “This series is brilliant. They got 90s Britain down perfectly.

“The acting is some of the best I’ve ever seen.”

Legends is one of a number of Netflix shows that have been renewed today, with other hits including House of Guinness and The Gentlemen for a third outing.

Legends is available to watch on Netflix.

The sanctuary which is home to dozens of birds has been open for almost three decades

A beloved owl sanctuary which has looked after sick and injured birds for decades has announced it is closing to members of the public. Ebbw Vale Owl Sanctuary, which is run by 87-year-old Malcom Jones who has dedicated his life to caring for birds of prey and owls, has been open to members of the public seven days a week since it opened in 1998.

The owners are said to be “heartbroken” to have had to make the decision to close to members of the public for the majority of the year.

A statement shared by the sanctuary said they have been forced to make the decision due to difficulties in meeting the expectations to secure a license to operate, as well as “haters” who have made reports to trading standards after vising the sanctuary. Always keep on top of the latest Welsh news with our newsletter

The sanctuary, which Mr Jones runs with his partner Patricia Webb, is located at Festival Park in Ebbw Vale. The pair rehabilitate and care for injured, abandoned uncared for wild owls, hawks and falcons, with the main aim of caring for these animals until they can be released back into the wild.

Some of the birds cannot be released and so remain at the sanctuary, which is currently home to around 60 birds, with members of the public allowed to visit for free. While the sanctuary will be closed to the public going forward, Mr Jones and his partner will continue caring for the birds at the sanctuary, as well as rescuing any birds which may need help.

The sanctuary said it will be allowed to open for six days a year without a license, and will update people on what days these will be as soon as a decision is made.

It will be closed from August 31. The announcement encourages people to visit before then, and “cheer up” volunteers who work there.

Mr Jones thanked the public for their support over the last two decades.

In a statement posted on social media, they said: “It is with a very heavy heart that we have to announce the closure to the public of our site.

“Unfortunately, we are governed by a Zoo Licence in order for the public to visit. It has become harder and harder to meet their expectations.

“With the added interruption of people coming into our sanctuary and then making complaints to Trading Standards.

“We will remain here dedicating ourselves to the welfare of our amazing birds. We will be allowed to open 6 days a year. We are going to look which 6 days would be best. We will attend as many event that we are invited to, in order to raise the necessary funds to keep going.

“As many of you know we do invite members of the public to sponsor our birds. If you would like to sponsor, please get in touch.

“We have also been approached to take a monthly donation from our wonderful followers. If you would wish to help in this way, please get in touch. We will still be accepting volunteers to help us keep up the good work.

“We are truly sorry, but we are left with no alternative. We would like to thank all of our followers over the years. Your kind words and support has helped and encouraged us to continue for so many years.

“I hope our haters are very proud of themselves. An 87-year-old man is heartbroken; Malcolm has dedicated the last 40 years to protecting and helping these beautiful birds, allowing visitors free entry so that all children have access to nature.

“We will continue to keep you all updated via our Facebook page. We will announce the 6 open days in due course.

“As you can imagine this is a very difficult decision and one we have been forced to take. All our dedicated volunteers will still be here caring for our birds.

“Our final day open to the public is 31 August 2026. Why not come down and cheer up our lovely volunteers.

“Malcolm would love to thank all our lovely followers for their wonderful support over the last 28 years and is truly sorry he can no longer open daily to the public. Let’s give Malcolm a lovely day on the 31st by everyone coming to see him and his beautiful birds.

“We will continue to care for all injured bird of prey its just unfortunate. We will give updates and news on Facebook.”

A Blaenau Gwent Council spokesperson said: “We have been made aware that the owl sanctuary has decided to change how it operates and reduce access for the public.

“We have worked with the sanctuary over many years to support them in meeting the requirements of their licence, which can be subject to change to reflect standards of modern zoo practice.”

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The California Supreme Court is weighing whether a Southern California sheriff who seized election ballots must return them to county election officials.

The high court heard oral arguments Monday regarding Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco’s seizure of approximately 650,000 ballots from a November 2025 special election on redistricting. The measure passed in the county by roughly 80,000 votes.

Bianco in March seized 1,000 boxes of election materials to investigate a complaint from a local citizens group that the count was off — though not by an amount that would’ve changed the outcome. Local election officials had previously said the complaint was unfounded. Bianco was running for governor at the time.

Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta immediately launched a legal challenge in March, arguing the sheriff has no authority over election materials and warning the seizure was designed to sow distrust in elections. He ordered Bianco to return the ballots, but Bianco did not. The University of California, Los Angeles Voting Rights Project also sued the sheriff on behalf of several Riverside County voters. The state Supreme Court heard arguments in both cases.

Chad Dunn, legal director and co-founder of the UCLA Voting Rights Project, told the court there are mechanisms to contest election results, and Bianco failed to follow them.

“The elections code provides a process. Citizens could have triggered a recount within, I think, it’s five days of the canvas, and they chose not to do that. They could ask the Attorney General, the Secretary of State, and there’s other officials to trigger an official recount,” Dunn told the court.

Bianco began recounting the vote using sheriff’s officials under the supervision of a special master appointed by a court but suspended it days later, citing mounting legal challenges from the state attorney general and a voting rights group. But he has not returned the ballots.

“Nowhere else in election law, in this state, in any other that I’m familiar with, does anybody get to handle ballots on their own in the back room with their deputies,” Dunn he told the judges.

Xavier Becerra, a former state attorney general and Democrat running for governor, is part of the UCLA lawsuit to halt Bianco’s efforts.

The ballot investigation came as President Donald Trump has repeatedly disputed the results of the 2020 election, citing unsubstantiated instances of fraud. His administration recently seized ballots and other documents from an election office in Georgia. Some Republicans have mirrored Trump’s rhetoric on voting in their states.

Photos taken on the street show officers in tactical gear holding rifles parked up outside a home.

Armed police have swarmed a housing estate in Fife following an ongoing incident. Emergency services, including Police Scotland, raced to Walnut Crescent in the town of Methil this evening, Monday, August 24.

Firearm officers were among those in attendance. A police presence is understood to still be at the scene with the nature of the incident currently unknown.

It also remains unclear how many people, if any, are involved, or if there have been any injuries. Photos taken on the street, and shared with the Record, show officers in tactical gear holding rifles parked up outside a home.

One armed cop is seen staked out in the back garden of one of the properties. Several firearm officers have also been recorded storming up the garden path of one house. Cop cars can be seen parked up on nearby streets.

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In another image, the street can be seen filling with spectators, as worried residents come out their homes to see what is happening. Police Scotland has been contacted for comment.