Evening Brief: Hollywood Driver Slams Into Crowd, Americans Freed From Venezuela

· Guy D. McCardle

A smashed Nissan Versa sits mangled in front of The Vermont nightclub in East Hollywood after plowing into a crowd, leaving seven critically injured and triggering a chaotic scene of vigilante justice and gunfire. Image Credit: Associated Press

A man behind the wheel of a Nissan Versa plowed into a crowd of about 30 people early Saturday morning in East Hollywood, injuring at least 30 individuals—seven critically. The incident unfolded outside a nightclub on Santa Monica Boulevard near Vermont Avenue, where a reggae and hip hop event was underway. The car smashed into a taco truck and valet stand before slamming into a line of mostly women waiting to get inside.

According to witnesses and officials, the driver may have blacked out before the crash. In the chaos that followed, bystanders dragged the man from his vehicle and began beating him. At some point during the altercation, someone shot the driver. The shooter fled the scene and has yet to be identified.

Paramedics found the driver with a gunshot wound and transported him to the hospital. Meanwhile, emergency crews quickly set up a triage zone outside the club, and clubgoers stepped in to help treat the wounded before EMTs arrived. The LAPD has launched a full investigation, calling the situation both serious and ongoing.

 

High-Stakes Swap: 10 Americans Freed as U.S. Trades 250 Venezuelan Deportees

Ten Americans detained in Venezuela—including 2 U.S. Navy sailors, one a former Navy SEAL—are finally back home after a high-stakes prisoner swap orchestrated between the U.S., Venezuela, and El Salvador. In exchange, Washington agreed to send more than 250 Venezuelans back to Caracas. These individuals had been deported from the U.S. and were sitting in a high-security prison in El Salvador, accused of gang ties and other crimes. Critics say some of these folks got railroaded without due process during the Trump-era crackdown that used the old Alien Enemies Act to fast-track deportations.

This swap wasn’t a typical backroom handshake deal. It took months of careful maneuvering and coordination, with planes flying between three countries like it was a Cold War spy movie. While Venezuela got its nationals back, it also released several political prisoners alongside the Americans, most of whom had been held on charges that smelled more like politics than actual crimes.

U.S. officials are calling it a diplomatic win, emphasizing that bringing home wrongfully detained Americans remains a top priority. But while the freed Americans are safe, there’s growing concern over what lies ahead for the 250 Venezuelans now back under Maduro’s thumb. Human rights groups are sounding the alarm, warning that some of these returnees could vanish into the system—or worse.

 

M23 Rebels and Congolese Government Sign Tentative Peace Declaration in Qatar, Eye August Deal

After months of Qatari-led mediation and diplomatic nudging from the U.S., the M23 rebels and the Congolese government have finally agreed on something that might—just might—stop the bloodshed. In a breakthrough declaration signed in Doha, both parties committed to hammering out a comprehensive peace deal by August 18, 2025. It’s the first time in ages these two sides have found common ground, and the hope is that this could put an end to years of chaos in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s embattled east.

At the heart of the agreement is a pledge to a permanent ceasefire and a roadmap toward restoring state authority in rebel-held regions, including the flashpoint city of Goma. The declaration—more a framework than a treaty—mentions confidence-building steps like a prisoner exchange and reestablishing government control. But don’t be fooled by the diplomatic smiles: the document is vague, and the thorniest issue—M23’s withdrawal from key cities—was conveniently left in the fine print. The Congolese government says it’s non-negotiable. M23 says it’s not withdrawal—it’s “empowering the state.” Translation: we’re not leaving unless you make it worth our while.

Qatar stepped into the ring back in April and has hosted the talks since. Washington, meanwhile, has been leaning hard on all sides to play ball, especially after Congo and Rwanda signed a separate deal in June. That one’s supposed to rein in Rwanda’s backing of M23—though how enforceable that is remains anyone’s guess.

This is all unfolding in a humanitarian disaster zone. M23 controls swaths of the mineral-rich east, backed by Kigali’s quiet but unmistakable hand. Millions have been displaced. Thousands are dead. Villages have been emptied, and the front lines change weekly. If this new declaration holds—and that’s a big if—it could align with the Congo–Rwanda Peace Agreement and set the stage for talks that get to the root of the mess: power, land, ethnicity, and minerals.

All eyes now turn to August 18. Whether this turns into a real peace deal or another paper-thin promise depends on what happens between now and then—and who’s still standing when the ink dries.

 

Rutte Warns NATO: Build Faster or Fall Behind

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte isn’t sugarcoating things. In a blunt message to alliance members and defense contractors, he’s calling for what he describes as a “quantum leap” in collective defense. Translation: the West needs to start building weapons and ammunition now—fast and in bulk—or risk falling behind adversaries like Russia. “Delays are not an option,” Rutte said. “Future commitments alone will not suffice.” That’s about as subtle as a mortar round.

Rutte’s vision demands an immediate and aggressive mobilization of NATO’s defense industries. No more talking about plans five years out—he wants actual munitions, systems, and hardware coming off assembly lines now. To make it happen, NATO members have agreed to spend up to 5% of their GDP on defense (by 2035). That’s no small feat, and it represents a level of investment the alliance hasn’t seen since the Cold War.

But this isn’t just about money—it’s about coordination. Rutte wants to see tighter integration between European and North American manufacturers and expanded cooperation with partners like Ukraine and allies in the Indo-Pacific. The ultimate goal? Outproduce Russia, a country with an economy a fraction of NATO’s size but a disturbing ability to churn out tanks and artillery like it’s 1943.

Rutte is putting NATO’s military brass and industrial base on notice. No more excuses about red tape or procurement delays. Everyone is expected to deliver—now. His message is loud and clear: either NATO gets serious about deterrence and defense, or it risks waking up one day to find it’s already too late.