Kilmar Abrego Garcia says he was beaten and subjected to psychological torture in El Salvador jail

Kilmar Abrego Garcia says he was beaten and subjected to psychological torture in El Salvador jail

Kilmar Abrego Garciasaid he suffered severe beatings, severe sleep deprivation and psychological torture in the notorious El Salvador prison the Trump administration had deported him to in March, according to court documents filed Wednesday. He said he was kicked and hit so often after arrival that by the following day, he had visible bruises and lumps all over his body. He said he and 20 others were forced to kneel all night long and guards hit anyone who fell. Abrego Garcia was living in Maryland when he was mistakenly deported and became a flashpoint in PresidentDonald Trump'simmigrationcrackdown. The new details of Abrego Garcia's incarceration in El Salvador were added to a lawsuit against the Trump administration that Abrego Garcia's wife filed in Maryland federal court after he was deported. The Trump administration has asked a federal judge in Maryland to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that it is now moot because the government returned him to the United States as ordered by the court. A U.S. immigration judge in 2019 had barred Abrego Garcia from being deported back to his native El Salvador because he likely faced persecution there by local gangs who had terrorized him and his family. The Trump administration deported him there despite the judge's 2019 order and later described it as an "administrative error." Trump and other officials have doubled down on claims Abrego Garcia was in the MS-13 gang. On March 15, Abrego Garcia was deported to El Salvador and sent to thecountry's mega-prisonknown as the Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT. In the new court documents, Abrego Garcia said prison officials told him repeatedly that they would transfer him to cells with people who were gang members who would "tear" him apart. Abrego Garcia said he saw others in nearby cells violently harm each other and heard screams from people throughout the night. His condition deteriorated and he lost more than 30 pounds in his first two weeks there, he said.

byMario Satorik

in

July 02, 2025

Kilmar Abrego Garcia says he was beaten and subjected to psychological torture in El Salvador jail

Kilmar Abrego Garcia says he was beaten and subjected to psychological torture in El Salvador jail Kilmar Abrego Garciasaid he suffered seve...

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Trump says deal for ceasefire in Gaza is closer after Israel agrees on terms

Trump says deal for ceasefire in Gaza is closer after Israel agrees on terms

CAIRO (AP) — U.S. PresidentDonald Trumpsays Israel hasagreed on termsfor a new 60-day ceasefire with Hamas and that Washington would work with both sides during that time to try to endmore than 20 months of war in Gaza. Neither sidehas accepted the proposalannounced Tuesday by Trump, who has admonished Hamas that ifthe militant groupdoes not buy into the offer, its prospects will get worse. It's not clear what conditions Israel agreed to. The efforts to reach a truce are unfolding in the wake of powerful Israeli and American strikes on nuclear sites in Iran, which has long supported Hamas, and just days before Trump is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington. Here's a look at the situation and the challenges it might present. Details are murky Details of the proposed ceasefire are just beginning to emerge. But rather than being completely new, the potential deal seems to be a somewhat modified version of a framework proposed earlier this year by Trump's Middle East envoy,Steve Witkoff. Trump said Tuesday in a social media post that Qatar and Egypt have been working on the details and would deliver a final proposal to Hamas. An Egyptian official involved in the ceasefire talks told The Associated Press that the proposal calls for Hamas to release 10 more hostages during the two-month period — eight on the first day and two on the final day. During that period, Israel would withdraw troops from some parts of Gaza and allow badly needed aid into the territory. Thewar beganon Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking roughly 250 hostages. The group is believed to still have some 50 hostages, with fewer than half of them thought to be alive. The Egyptian official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters, said a sticking point over how aid would be distributed had been resolved with Israel. He said both sides have agreed that the United Nations and the Palestinian Red Crescent would lead aid operations and that the Israeli- and U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund would also continue to operate. Hamas has been weakened The unraveling of Iran's regional network of proxies, capped by the blow inflicted on Iran during the recent12-day war with Israel, has left Hamas weaker and more isolated in the region. Iran was a key backer of the militant group, but its influence has waned, and it's now preoccupied with its own problems. At the same time, Trump has made it clear to Israel that he wants to see the Israel-Hamas war end soon. While he has been supportive of Netanyahu, Trump had tough words for Israel in the opening hours of last week'sceasefire with Iran, when he pressured Israel to scale back its response to an Iranian missile attack. That could help persuade Hamas to embrace a deal. A diplomat briefed on the talks said there is now a "big opportunity" to reach an agreement. "The indications we're getting are people are ready." He said Trump's harsh talk toward Israel has "given a bit of confidence to Hamas" that the U.S. will guarantee any future deal and prevent a return to fighting. The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity because he was discussing behind-the-scenes diplomatic contacts. Israeli military positions and future talks pose obstacles The Egyptian official said Israel has not yet agreed to a proposal to withdraw its forces to positions held in early March after a previous ceasefire officially expired. Since then, the Israeli army has seized large swaths of Gaza to put pressure on Hamas, and it's not clear whether Israel is ready to return to those same positions. An Israeli official characterized the agreement as a 60-day deal that would include a partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a surge in humanitarian aid to the territory. The mediators and the U.S. would provide assurances about talks on ending the war, but Israel is not committing to that as part of the latest proposal, said the official, who was not authorized to discuss the details of the deal with the media and spoke on condition of anonymity. The Egyptian official said Hamas will have to review the proposal with other factions before submitting an official response. One point that does seem to have been ironed out is the question of who will administer Gaza. Israel has said Hamas cannot run the territory, and the Egyptian official said the proposal would instead put Gaza under a group of Palestinians without political affiliations known as the Community Support Committee once a ceasefire is reached. Potentially complicating the effort, Netanyahu reiterated his hard-line position Wednesday, vowing that "there will be no Hamas" following the 60-day ceasefire plan. Previous ceasefire did not last A previous ceasefire agreed to in January established three phases, but the two sides never made it past phase one. During that time, however, there were multiple exchanges of Hamas-held hostages for prisoners held by Israel, andcritical humanitarian aidwas able to reach Gaza. When phase one expired on March 1, Israel sought to extend it while Hamas argued that phase two should go ahead as planned. The second phase would have compelled Hamas to release all the remaining living hostages in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. That was always seen as difficult, because it would have forced Israel to choose between its two main war goals — the safe return of the hostages and the annihilation of Hamas. On March 18, Israel broke the ceasefire with new airstrikes and resumed hostilities. In Gaza, residents expressed hope that this time, a ceasefire will bring an end to the war. "We are seriously tired," said Asmaa al-Gendy, who has been living in a tent camp in Deir al Balah with her two children. The family has been displaced and starved and endured "every form of torture in the world." ___ Rising reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Josef Federman in Jerusalem and Wafaa Shurafa in Deir al Balah, Gaza Strip, contributed to this report.

byMario Satorik

in

July 02, 2025

Trump says deal for ceasefire in Gaza is closer after Israel agrees on terms

Trump says deal for ceasefire in Gaza is closer after Israel agrees on terms CAIRO (AP) — U.S. PresidentDonald Trumpsays Israel hasagreed on...

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Knicks expected to hire Mike Brown as next head coach, reports say

Knicks expected to hire Mike Brown as next head coach, reports say

The New York Knicks are set to hire two-time NBA Coach of the Year Mike Brown as their head coach, according to multiple reports. Brown, 55, was most recently head coach of the Sacramento Kings. The Kings hired Brown in 2022, and he led the team to back-to-back winning seasons before he was fired in December after a 13-18 start. Brown will have big shoes to fill in New York. The Knicks finished 51-31 under Tom Thibodeau in 2025, their best regular season win total since 2013. In the playoffs, New York made it to the conference finals for the first time in 25 years. Since 2000, Thibodeau is the only head coach who has led New York for more than 300 regular season games. He also led the Knicks to more playoff wins than all the coaches from 2001 to 2020 combined. Thibodeau went 226-174 in five seasons with the Knicks, advancing to the postseason four times. New Yorkfired Thibodeau in Juneafter the team lost to the Indiana Pacers in six games in the conference finals. Before his stint with Sacramento, Brown was an assistant with the Golden State Warriors — with whom he won three championships — as well as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers (twice) and the Los Angeles Lakers. From 2005 to 2010, Brown led LeBron James and the Cavaliers to two 60-win seasons, as well as an NBA Finals appearance in 2007. He won his first Coach of the Year award in 2009. He would next coach the Lakers, making the playoffs in 2012 before he was fired only five games into the following season. Brown spent one more season in Cleveland, 2013-14, then joined the Warriors staff in 2016, spending six seasons with the club. He acted as head coach for 12 games during the 2017 playoffs while Steve Kerr was absent because of a back issue, posting a 12-0 record. UPenn to ban trans athletes, feds say, ending civil rights case focused on swimmer Lia Thomas Cuban women's volleyball team denied U.S. visas to compete in Puerto Rico A basketball fan's dream vacation: Michael Jordan's onetime Chicago mansion listed on Airbnb In 2023, Brown was Coach of the Year again after he led the Kings to their first postseason appearance in 17 years. Sacramento won 46 games in 2024 but failed to make the playoffs after they lost in the Play-In Tournament. In 758 career games, Brown has a 454-304 record, a .599 winning percentage. Not including the games he coached in place of Kerr, he also has a 50-40 record in the postseason.

byMario Satorik

in

July 02, 2025

Knicks expected to hire Mike Brown as next head coach, reports say

Knicks expected to hire Mike Brown as next head coach, reports say The New York Knicks are set to hire two-time NBA Coach of the Year Mike B...

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Wimbledon: No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is the last top-five women's seed left. Carlos Alcaraz wins

Wimbledon: No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is the last top-five women's seed left. Carlos Alcaraz wins

LONDON (AP) —Aryna Sabalenkajoked that she'd love it if the upsets atWimbledonwould stop, which makes sense, given that she is ranked No. 1. She's also the only one of the five top-seeded women still in the bracket after No. 4 Jasmine Paolini, last year's runner-up, followed No. 2Coco Gauff, No. 3 Jessica Pegula and No. 5 Zheng Qinwen on the way out. Sabalenka was two points from dropping the opening set of her second-round match three times on Wednesday before asserting herself for a 7-6 (4), 6-4 victory over Marie Bouzkova. In all,a record-tying 23 seeded players— 10 women, 13 men — were gone by the end of Day 2, equaling the most at any Grand Slam event in the past 25 years. Five more women joined them by losing Wednesday: Paolini, No. 12 Diana Shnaider, No. 21 Beatriz Haddad Maia, No. 22 Donna Vekic and No. 29 Leylah Fernandez. "Of course you're going to know the overall picture," Sabalenka said, then added with a chuckle: "I hope it's no upsets anymore in this tournament, if you know what I mean." She isa three-time Grand Slam champion, with all of those titles coming on hard courts at the Australian Open or U.S. Open. She also was the runner-up to Gauffat the clay-court French Openlast month — drawing criticism from some over her post-match comments, a flap she and Gauff set aside via social media videos last week — but hasn't been past the semifinals on the grass of the All England Club. A year ago, Sabalenka was forced to miss Wimbledon because of an injured shoulder. On Wednesday, the record-breaking heat of the first two days gave way to rain that delayed the start of play on smaller courts for about two hours, along with temperatures that dropped from above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) to below 68 F (20 C). At Centre Court, the 48th-ranked Bouzkova went ahead 6-5 in the first set with the match's initial service break thanks to a double-fault by Sabalenka. Bouzkova served for that set, and was two points away from it at 30-15 in that game, again at 30-all, then once more at deuce. But on the last such occasion, Sabalenka came through with a forehand volley winner she punctuated with a yell, followed by a down-the-line backhand winner that was accompanied by another shout. "That was a tough moment," said Sabalenka, who will face 2021 U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu next. "Until that point, (my) return wasn't great enough to break her serve. I'm really glad ... everything clicked together and I was able to break her back. I kind of like felt a little bit better." That sent them to a tiebreaker, and from 4-all there, Sabalenka took the next three points, ending the set with a powerful forehand return winner off a 67 mph second serve. In the second set, the only break arrived for a 3-2 lead for Sabalenka, and that was basically that. Sabalenka compiled a 41-17 edge in winners while making only 18 unforced errors in a match that lasted a little more than 1 1/2 hours. What else happened Wednesday at Wimbledon? Raducanu defeated 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova 6-3, 6-3, and Australian Open championMadison Keys, who is seeded sixth, beat Olga Danilovic 6-4, 6-2. In men's action, two-time defending championCarlos Alcarazextended his winning streak to 20 matches with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 victory over 733rd-ranked qualifierOliver Tarvet, who plays for the University of San Diego, and No. 5 Taylor Fritz got past Gabriel Diallo of Canada 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (0), 4-6, 6-3 for his second consecutive five-set win. But No. 12 Frances Tiafoe joined the parade of seeds exiting, eliminated by 2022 Wimbledon semifinalist Cam Norrie 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-5. Who plays Thursday at the All England Club? Novak Djokovic, who has won seven of his 24 major championships at Wimbledon, will lead off the Centre Court schedule on Day 4 against Britain's Dan Evans at 1:30 p.m. local time (8:30 a.m. ET), followed by Iga Swiatek vs. Caty McNally, and No. 1 Jannik Sinner vs. Aleksandar Vukic. ___ AP tennis:https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

byMario Satorik

in

July 02, 2025

Wimbledon: No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is the last top-five women's seed left. Carlos Alcaraz wins

Wimbledon: No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is the last top-five women's seed left. Carlos Alcaraz wins LONDON (AP) —Aryna Sabalenkajoked that she...

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20 states sue after the Trump administration releases private Medicaid data to deportation officials

20 states sue after the Trump administration releases private Medicaid data to deportation officials

(AP)— The Trump administration violated federal privacy laws when it turned over Medicaid data on millions of enrollees to deportation officials last month, California Attorney General Rob Bonta alleged on Tuesday, saying he and 19 other states' attorneys general havesuedover the move. Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s advisers ordered the release of a dataset that includes the private health information of people living in California, Illinois, Washington state, and Washington, DC, to the Department of Homeland Security, The Associated Press first reported last month. All of those states allow non-US citizens to enroll in Medicaid programs that pay for their expenses using only state taxpayer dollars. The unusual data sharing of private health information, including addresses, names, social security numbers, immigration status, and claims data for enrollees in those states, was released to deportation officials as they accelerated enforcement efforts across the country. The data could be used to help the Department of Homeland Security locate migrants in its mass deportation campaign, experts said. Bonta said the Trump administration's data release violates federal health privacy protection laws, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). "This is about flouting seven decades of federal law policy and practice that have made it clear that personal healthcare data is confidential and can only be shared in certain narrow circumstances that benefit the public's health or the Medicaid program," Bonta said during a news conference on Tuesday. The Trump administration has sought to arm deportation officials with more data on immigrants. In May, for example, a federal judge refused to block the Internal Revenue Service from sharing immigrants' tax data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to help agents locate and detain people living without legal status in the US. The move to shore up the federal government's data on immigrant Medicaid enrollees appears to have been set in motion in May, when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced it would be reviewing some states rolls to ensure federal funds have not been used to pay for coverage for people with "unsatisfactory immigration status." As part of the review, CMS asked California, Washington and Illinois to share details about non-US citizens who have enrolled in their state's Medicaid program, according to a June 6 memo signed by Medicaid Deputy Director Sara Vitolo that was obtained by the AP. The memo was written by several CMS officials under Vitolo's supervision, according to sources familiar with the process. CMS officials attempted to fight the data sharing request from Homeland Security, saying that to do so would violate federal laws, including the Social Security Act and the Privacy Act of 1974, according to the memo. The legal arguments outlined in the memo were not persuasive to Trump appointees at HHS, which oversees the Medicaid agency. Four days after the memo was sent, on June 10, HHS officials directed the transfer of "the data to DHS by 5:30 ET today," according to email exchanges obtained by AP. HHS is "aggressively cracking down on states that may be misusing federal Medicaid funds," agency spokesman Andrew Nixon said in a statement. The agency has not provided details on DHS' role in the effort. Nixon also defended the legality of releasing the data to DHS. "HHS acted entirely within its legal authority – and in full compliance with all applicable laws – to ensure that Medicaid benefits are reserved for individuals who are lawfully entitled to receive them," he said in the statement. Dozens of Democratic members of Congress — in both the House and Senate — have sent letters to the involved agencies, demanding that data sharing cease and that Homeland Security destroy the information it has received so far. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byMario Satorik

in

July 02, 2025

20 states sue after the Trump administration releases private Medicaid data to deportation officials

20 states sue after the Trump administration releases private Medicaid data to deportation officials (AP)— The Trump administration violated...

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DHS and FBI warn about potential lone wolf attacks ahead of July 4 celebrations

DHS and FBI warn about potential lone wolf attacks ahead of July 4 celebrations

Attacks perpetrated by lone actors are the biggest terrorism threat to July 4th festivities in New York City and elsewhere, federal authorities said in a threat assessment obtained by CNN. The FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and other law enforcement agencies issued a joint bulletin in late June saying "the most significant terrorism threat facing the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks stems from lone offenders and small groups of individuals seeking to commit acts of violence." "These individuals are often motivated by a broad range of racial, ethnic, political, religious, anti-government, societal, or personal grievances," the assessment continued. But the threat is not limited to New York City. The bulletin said other large gatherings could be targeted. "Special events with high attendance and media coverage … remain attractive targets" for domestic and foreign terrorists and violent extremists who may want to "cause mass casualties or draw attention to their causes," the bulletin said. The agencies said they had not received any reports of specific threats at the massive fireworks show or related events. However, "high-profile, large events can draw interest from malicious actors looking for targets of opportunity to perpetrate criminal schemes," the bulletin said. It's not uncommon for authorities to issue threat assessments before major events. But several recent, high-profile attacks have spurred additional concern heading into July 4. "We are concerned about the potential threat of copycat attacks inspired by the 2025 New Year's Day vehicle-ramming attack in New Orleans and continued FTO (foreign terrorist organization) messaging calling for attacks against Western targets," the bulletin said. On January 1, a driver intentionally rammed a6,000-pound truck into a crowdof revelers in New Orleans' bustling French Quarter,killing 14 people. The assailant, a Texas-born Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, was killed in a shootout with police. Investigators later discovered he had recorded several videos before the attack that mentionedhis divorce and claimed he had joined ISIS. Just one month before that massacre, the FBI and DHS warned about the threat of violence from lone offenders and thepotential use of vehicle ramming, according to two internal memos obtained by CNN. Tensions over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza have been linked to a spate of recent violence in the United States, and authorities say similar attacks could erupt on July 4. "Most attackers motivated at least in part by the Israel-HAMAS conflict have selected targets with a symbolic link to Israel, houses of worship, or locations associated with houses of worship. Individuals with grievances linked to the conflict could also perceive large gatherings, such as Independence Day celebrations, as opportunistic targets symbolic of the West in general," the threat assessment said. The DHS and FBI cited last month's firebomb attack in Boulder, Colorado, that targeted a group of demonstrators supporting Israelis who were held hostage by Hamas. Dozens of people were injured, andan 82-year-old woman died. The attack marked "the most recent act of terrorist violence in the Homeland motivated by the Israel-HAMAS conflict," the joint bulletin said. "This attack came shortly after the (May 21) attackkilling two Israeli embassy staffin Washington, DC." Drones have also raised the specter of possible violence at large holiday events, the threat assessment said. "Unauthorized unmanned aircraft system (UAS) activities may pose a hazard to participants and attendees, delay events, and disrupt law enforcement operations," the FBI and DHS said. "Although we have no credible, specific reporting regarding illicit plans to use UAS to target the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks, we assess that unauthorized UAS operations have the potential to increase public safety risks." While most drones are flown legally by hobbyists, they "have also been used to facilitate terrorist and other criminal acts," the threat assessment said. "Various state and nonstate actors have increased their use and modification of short-range UAS to conduct surveillance of adversary positions, drop small munitions on targets, and detonate explosive-laden UAS on impact to targets in conflict zones abroad," the bulletin said. "Malicious use of UAS poses a potential risk to spectators, volunteers, security personnel, and first responders in and around the event." For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byMario Satorik

in

July 02, 2025

DHS and FBI warn about potential lone wolf attacks ahead of July 4 celebrations

DHS and FBI warn about potential lone wolf attacks ahead of July 4 celebrations Attacks perpetrated by lone actors are the biggest terrorism...

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Buffalo Bills rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston sued, accused of sexual assault

Buffalo Bills rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston sued, accused of sexual assault

Buffalo Billsrookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston was named as a defendant in a civil lawsuit after a woman says she was sexually assaulted by Hairston when he attended the University of Kentucky in 2021. Hairston is being accused of sexual assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky and obtained by USA TODAY Sports, alleges on the night of March 24, 2021, Hairston came to the women's dorm room uninvited. She says she first met Hairston earlier in 2021 outside their shared on-campus residence hall at the University of Kentucky. "Plaintiff inquired about the purpose of Defendant's visit, to which Defendant responded that he wanted to hang out with Plaintiff. Plaintiff declined and further expressed that she was tired and going to bed before turning around and walking away from the door," according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit states that Hairston followed the woman into her bedroom and ignored her repeated refusals to engage in sexual contact. Hairston then forcibly removed the woman's pajama shorts and sexually assaulted her, the suit states. "Our client showed remarkable strength in coming forward, and we are proud to stand with her in pursuit of accountability and justice," said Peter Flowers, one of the women's attorneys. "No one – regardless of their status or athletic success – is above the law." Hairston was selected with the 30th overall pick by the Bills in April's draft. When asked about Hairston, Bills general manager Brandon Beane said that the draft pick was properly vetted. "We did a lot of research. I think all teams were aware of the Title IX thing. That was fully investigated by the school. He even volunteered to do a polygraph and had notes. It was one of those where there was zero information saying that this actually happened, to what the accusation was. You can't take someone's account and think that's the truth. But yes, we fully investigated that," Beane said. "Every person you talk to at Kentucky, teammates, staff there, plus what we've done, I would say this is a heck of a young man, every person you ask. That's unfortunate when things like that are attached to someone's name; in this case, it doesn't seem to be anything there." The woman, who is seeking a jury trial and compensatory damages on all counts, reported the incident to law enforcement and transferred out of the University of Kentucky. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Maxwell Hairston lawsuit: Bills rookie sued for sexual assault

byMario Satorik

in

July 02, 2025

Buffalo Bills rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston sued, accused of sexual assault

Buffalo Bills rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston sued, accused of sexual assault Buffalo Billsrookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston was named a...

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