Evening Brief: Federal Judge Weighs Injunction to Halt Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz,’ Putin Meets Trump Envoy Ahead of US Peace Deadline

· Guy D. McCardle

Putin-Witkoff meeting in Moscow (left), The 'Alligator Alcatraz' sign (right). Image grab via X.

Here’s what’s making waves this Wednesday evening, August 6, 2025: A federal judge may shut down Florida’s controversial “Alligator Alcatraz” detention center. Israel faces global backlash after dozens die seeking aid in Gaza, while Hezbollah defies Lebanon’s disarmament push. Trump’s envoy meets Putin ahead of a Ukraine peace deadline, and Russia leans on the Central African Republic to ditch Wagner for a state-run force. Plus, Spain snubs the F-35 in favor of European jets, and Pakistan delays Afghan refugee deportations.

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Federal Judge Weighs Injunction to Halt Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Immigration Detention Center

A federal judge in Miami heard arguments Wednesday on whether to halt operations and further construction of a controversial immigration detention center built in the Florida Everglades, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz.”

Environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe argue the facility violates federal environmental laws and threatens sensitive wetlands that host protected wildlife and plants. They seek a preliminary injunction until proper environmental assessments and public comment procedures are followed.

The facility, built by the state of Florida on a remote airstrip owned by Miami-Dade County, has been operational for over a month and is holding hundreds of detainees.

Critics argue the state has no authority over federal immigration enforcement and that federal agencies should have reviewed and approved the project’s environmental impact.

A second lawsuit by civil rights groups claims detainees are being held without charges, denied legal access, and deprived of bond hearings, raising constitutional concerns. That case is scheduled for a hearing on August 18.

Attorneys for federal and state agencies are attempting to dismiss or relocate the environmental suit, arguing the case was filed in the wrong judicial district, as the center is located in neighboring Collier County.

Meanwhile, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration appears to be planning a second immigration detention site at a National Guard facility in northern Florida, with at least one contract already awarded.

Judge Kathleen Williams has not yet ruled on the jurisdictional challenge.

 

Kongsberg Secures $118M Contract for USMC ACV-30 Remote Weapon Turrets

Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace has secured a $118 million contract to supply 101 Protector RT20 remote weapon turrets for the US Marine Corps’ Amphibious Combat Vehicle 30 (ACV-30).

The deal finalizes an earlier agreement for full-rate production and includes production, support, fielding, testing equipment, and spare parts. If all options are exercised, the total value could reach $271.5 million.

Work will be carried out in Pennsylvania and Norway, with completion expected by September 2027.

Kongsberg will coordinate the program with the Corps’ Systems Command in Virginia.

The turret procurement supports the Marine Corps’ effort to modernize its amphibious vehicle fleet, replacing aging systems from the 1970s. The ACV-30, equipped with a 30mm weapon system, entered full-rate production in April 2025.

ACV-30
Amphibious Combat Vehicle 30 (ACV-30). Image credit: KONGSBERG

Kongsberg’s Protector RT20 is a remotely operated turret featuring advanced fire control, programmable airburst munitions, a coaxial 7.62mm gun, under-armor reload, and options for anti-tank missiles and active protection systems. It allows for dual-operator use and includes hunter-killer and target-sharing capabilities, with an effective engagement range of up to 3,000 meters.

Kongsberg President Eirik Lie praised the contract as a major step in enhancing the Marine Corps’ firepower and operational effectiveness, citing strong domestic and international market potential for the RT20 system.

 

US to Host Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Summit Amid Karabakh Tensions

Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the United States will hold a high-level peace summit in Washington on August 7-8, the Armenian government announced Wednesday.

The meeting will bring together Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and US President Donald Trump in a renewed push to stabilize the South Caucasus following Azerbaijan’s 2023 recapture of the disputed Karabakh region.

The summit aims to promote “peace, prosperity, and economic cooperation,” according to Yerevan, and includes a separate bilateral meeting between Pashinyan and Trump to strengthen US-Armenia strategic ties.

Despite a previously agreed-upon peace framework reached in March, Azerbaijan has since issued new demands—chief among them a constitutional amendment from Armenia to formally drop territorial claims to Karabakh.

The two sides last met for talks in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in July but failed to make progress.

The upcoming summit underscores Washington’s renewed diplomatic engagement in a region shaped by decades of war and recent ethnic displacement, including the exodus of over 100,000 ethnic Armenians from Karabakh.

 

At Least 38 Palestinians Killed While Seeking Aid as Netanyahu Weighs Gaza Reoccupation

At least 38 Palestinians were killed overnight and into Wednesday in the Gaza Strip while seeking aid, according to local health officials, as Israel’s military acknowledged firing warning shots near crowds approaching forces.

The latest incident comes amid worsening famine conditions and as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu considers a full reoccupation of Gaza, an action experts warn could endanger civilians, remaining hostages, and further destabilize the region.

Most of the deaths occurred in the Morag Corridor, an Israeli military zone in southern Gaza overwhelmed by looters and desperate crowds. Additional fatalities were recorded near aid sites run by the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and in Israeli airstrikes across central Gaza. Hospitals in Teina and Al-Awda confirmed the casualties.

The United Nations and human rights experts have sharply criticized GHF operations, saying the aid system exploits humanitarian relief for military aims and forces Palestinians to risk their lives to access food.

UN rapporteurs have called for GHF to be disbanded, noting that roughly 1,400 Palestinians have died while trying to reach aid since May. Most reportedly by Israeli fire.

Israel, which blocked aid into Gaza for over two months before establishing the GHF system, claims it targets only Hamas fighters and fires warning shots when threatened. GHF maintains its personnel have only used pepper spray and warning fire to control crowds.

The Gaza Health Ministry has recorded 193 malnutrition-related deaths since the war began, including 96 children. The total Palestinian death toll now exceeds 61,000, while roughly 20 of the 50 remaining Israeli hostages are believed to be alive.

Meanwhile, Jordan condemned Israeli settlers for attacking a humanitarian aid convoy en route to Gaza through the West Bank. The attack damaged trucks and further highlights the deteriorating security situation surrounding relief efforts.

US President Donald Trump, when asked about Israel’s potential reoccupation of Gaza, said the decision was “pretty much up to Israel.”

The White House has not publicly endorsed or rejected the move.

 

Hezbollah Rejects Lebanese Government Disarmament Plan, Calls It a Gift to Israel

Hezbollah on Wednesday condemned the Lebanese government’s decision to begin disarming the Iran-backed group by the end of the year, calling the move a “grave sin” that serves Israel’s interests.

The statement followed Tuesday’s announcement by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam directing the national army to develop a plan to ensure only state institutions possess weapons.

Hezbollah, a powerful Shiite political party and militant group, said it is open to dialogue about its weapons but insists the government should first focus on liberating southern Lebanese territory still occupied by Israel and securing the release of Lebanese prisoners.

Hezbollah accused the government of bowing to US pressure, claiming the disarmament push was driven by American envoy Tom Barrack.

The group warned that disarming would weaken Lebanon in the face of “ongoing Israeli-American aggression.”

The move to disarm Hezbollah comes after a 14-month war with Israel that left over 4,000 dead and caused $11 billion in damage. Hezbollah, significantly weakened by the conflict, has said it will not discuss laying down arms until Israel halts near-daily airstrikes and withdraws from five contested border hills.

Since the war’s end in November, Hezbollah has acknowledged one attack on a disputed area but has vowed to resume missile strikes if provoked.

Israel has accused the group of attempting to rebuild its military network, prompting continued air operations targeting Hezbollah assets.

 

Putin Meets Trump Envoy Ahead of US Peace Deadline, Ukraine War Rages On

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a three-hour meeting in Moscow on Wednesday with Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, just days before Trump’s deadline for Russia to agree to a peace deal in Ukraine or face harsh economic penalties.

The Kremlin described the talks as “useful and constructive,” with discussions focused on the Ukraine war and prospects for renewed US-Russia strategic cooperation.

The meeting followed Witkoff’s earlier stroll with Kremlin investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev, a key figure in past Russia-Ukraine and US-Russia talks.

Dmitriev later posted that “dialogue will prevail,” although past negotiations have failed to yield progress.

Trump has warned that if Moscow refuses to end the war by Friday, Washington will impose sweeping tariffs and economic sanctions, including on countries buying Russian oil (such as China and India). Still, he admitted Sunday that Russia is adept at avoiding sanctions, calling them “wily characters.”

Despite the talks, Russian forces escalated attacks on Ukraine, striking Zaporizhzhia overnight with glide bombs, killing two and injuring 12, including children.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the strike an act of terror with “zero military sense.” Russia also targeted power infrastructure as Ukraine braces for winter.

Western officials and Ukrainian analysts believe Putin is stalling negotiations while launching a slow, grinding offensive in eastern Ukraine. Although Russian forces have made limited territorial gains, they have not captured any major cities.

Putin has shown no indication of compromise. Instead, he has touted Russia’s new hypersonic missiles and scrapped a moratorium on deploying nuclear-capable intermediate-range weapons, moves that heighten tensions and raise fears of a new arms race.

Former President Dmitry Medvedev also warned the war could escalate into US-Russia conflict, prompting Trump to reposition two US nuclear submarines.

Trump initially gave Moscow a 50-day window to halt hostilities, later accelerating the deadline in response to continued Russian strikes. As of Wednesday, the Kremlin has not signaled any intent to meet US demands.

Ukraine continues to press Western allies for increased sanctions, insisting current measures are wearing down Russia’s military-industrial capacity.

 

Russia Pressures Central African Republic to Replace Wagner with Africa Corps, Demands Cash Payment

Russia has urged the Central African Republic (CAR) to replace the Wagner Group with its state-run Africa Corps and begin paying in cash for security services, according to CAR officials.

The request, made by Russia’s deputy defense minister during recent visits, marks Moscow’s push to formalize control over its overseas military operations following the 2023 death of Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin.

CAR’s government remains reluctant, citing Wagner’s superior combat effectiveness, established ties with local officers, and preference for mineral-based compensation.

Wagner operatives have protected President Faustin Archange Touadera, helped suppress rebel threats, and supported his 2023 constitutional referendum to extend power, gaining access to gold and other resources in return.

Unlike Wagner, Africa Corps operates under the Russian defense ministry and focuses on training rather than combat, a major concern for Bangui, which faces ongoing instability from armed groups.

Russian demands reportedly include full coverage of Africa Corps personnel costs and additional payments amounting to millions of dollars.

CAR officials say the country cannot meet these terms and instead hopes to offer strategic minerals such as gold, uranium, and iron.

The dispute highlights tensions in Russia’s evolving military footprint in Africa, as CAR weighs Moscow’s demands amid limited alternatives following the 2022 withdrawal of French forces.

Wagner remains operationally embedded, and analysts say CAR has little leverage after aligning closely with Russia and severing ties with Western security partners.

 

Spain Rejects F-35 Buy, Backs Eurofighter and FCAS to Prioritize European Industry

Spain has formally ruled out acquiring US-made F-35 fighter jets, instead choosing to invest in European alternatives, the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Future Combat Air System (FCAS).

The Spanish Ministry of Defense confirmed the decision, stating Madrid’s focus will remain on “the current Eurofighter and the FCAS in the future.”

The move, first reported by El País, indefinitely postpones any potential orders for Lockheed Martin’s fifth-generation stealth jet and reflects Spain’s broader intent to prioritize European defense industry collaboration.

The decision could create capability gaps, particularly for the Spanish Navy’s Juan Carlos I amphibious assault ship, which operates aging Harriers expected to retire by 2030.

Lockheed Martin previously argued that the F-35B short takeoff and landing variant was the only viable replacement for Spain’s Harrier fleet. The company deferred comment, citing that foreign military sales are handled government-to-government.

Spain is currently acquiring 45 Eurofighters under its two-phase Halcon program, replacing its legacy F/A-18 Hornets through a combined $6.95 billion investment.

Spain’s rejection of the F-35 also comes amid tensions with the Trump administration, which has pressed NATO allies to increase defense spending to five percent of GDP. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez pushed back, asserting that 2.1 percent was sufficient to meet NATO obligations.

 

Pakistan Extends Afghan Refugee Deportation Deadline to September 1

Pakistan has extended the deadline for the deportation of millions of Afghan refugees to September 1, granting a 25-day grace period for voluntary repatriation, officials confirmed Wednesday.

The decision comes amid mounting international pressure and human rights concerns over coerced returns.

Roughly 1.4 million Afghans registered with UN-issued Proof of Residence (PoR) cards will now have until August 31 to leave Pakistan. After that, those who remain could face arrest and forced expulsion, according to Home and Tribal Affairs Department spokesman Lateef-ur-Rehman.

Authorities also plan to target 800,000 Afghans holding Afghan Citizen Cards, who are considered to be residing illegally.

The UN refugee agency welcomed the extension but reiterated that forced deportations would violate international law, specifically the principle of non-refoulement.

UNHCR spokesperson Qaiser Khan Afridi urged Pakistan to extend the validity of PoR cards to prevent further destabilization.

At least 1.2 million Afghans have already been deported from Iran and Pakistan this year, according to a June UNHCR report. Many Afghan refugees in Pakistan have built lives over decades, integrating into communities and establishing businesses, with thousands now in hiding to avoid detention.

Authorities said they plan to shut down refugee camps but have not provided a timeline.

Local officials are being instructed to work with Afghan community leaders to encourage voluntary returns before enforcement begins in September.

 

Sources: News Agencies