US seeks to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Uganda after he refused plea offer in his smuggling case
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — U.S. immigration officials say they intend to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Uganda, after he declined an offer to be deported to Costa Rica in exchange for remaining in jail and pleading guilty to human smuggling charges. Abrego Garcia’s defense attorneys wrote in a Saturday court filing that the Costa Rica offer came on Thursday when it was clear he would likely be released the following day. After Abrego Garcia left jail on Friday, the Department of Homeland Security notified his attorneys that he would be deported to Uganda and should report to immigration authorities on Monday. Separately, prosecutors then gave him until Monday to accept the plea deal. His attorneys declined to say if he’s still considering it.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, free for now from jail, could be deported to Uganda. Here’s what to know
The Trump administration plans to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Uganda after he declined a plea deal involving deportation to Costa Rica. This development follows his release from a Tennessee jail on Friday. Abrego Garcia’s case has drawn attention amid President Trump’s immigration crackdown. He was mistakenly deported in March and returned to the U.S. in June, only to face human smuggling charges. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem criticized his release, vowing to ensure he faces justice. Abrego Garcia’s attorneys argue the charges are vindictive, and a trial is set for January.
Doctors in Gaza say patients’ protruding ribs and bony limbs offer evidence of malnutrition
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Soon after arriving at a Gaza City hospital, Texas surgeon Mohammed Adeel Khaleel examined a 17-year-old with gunshot wounds sustained when he went to an aid site. The teen whose ribs protruded from his emaciated torso was just one of many patients showing signs of severe malnutrition. When doctors at Al-Ahli Hospital stabilized him, he raised his heavily bandaged hand and pointed to his empty mouth. He and other doctors didn’t have to wait until the pronouncement Friday by the world’s leading authority on food crises that Gaza’s largest city is gripped by famine. They see evidence of deprivation in the patients right in front of them.
Israeli forces kill 4 more aid seekers as northern Gaza braces for looming offensive
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinians reported more deadly incidents near aid sites and in areas Israel plans to invade as it seeks control of Gaza’s largest city. Israeli forces on Sunday killed four aid seekers in a military zone where convoys have been overwhelmed by looters and desperate crowds traveling to an aid distribution point. Hospital officials and eyewitness reported the deaths in the Netzarim corridor as Palestinians in northern Gaza braces for a new Israeli offensive. Gaza City is the largest city in the besieged strip and where hundreds of thousands of displaced people are sheltering. Israel has invaded multiple times and believes a network of tunnels used by militants lie beneath the city.
Trump ran on a promise of revenge. He’s making good on it
Donald Trump ran on a promise to use the powers of the government for revenge against those he believed wronged him. He now appears to be fulfilling that campaign promise while threatening to expand his powers well beyond Washington. The actions look like the payback Trump said he would pursue after being hit with four separate sets of criminal charges during his four years out of office. Democrats and others fear Trump is wielding the authority of his office to intimidate his political opponents and consolidate power in a way unlike any other in American history. The White House says Trump “is restoring law and order.”
Texas redistricting fight shakes up battle lines for both parties in key US Senate race
HOUSTON (AP) — The push to redraw congressional maps in Texas is shifting the dynamics of the state’s 2026 Senate campaign. It is renewing hope for Democrats as they gain attention for pushing back against the GOP redistricting efforts led by President Donald Trump. Republican rivals are using the moment to burnish their leadership credentials. Texas Democrats have ended a two-week walkout aimed at stopping a Republican effort to redraw districts before the 10-year timeline in order to secure Trump more allies in the U.S. House during the 2026 midterms.
Fed Chair Powell faces fresh challenges to Fed independence amid potential rate cuts
WASHINGTON (AP) — Now that Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has signaled that the central bank could soon cut its key interest rate, he faces a new challenge: how to do it without seeming to cave to the White House’s demands. For months, Powell has largely ignored President Donald Trump’s relentless hectoring that he reduce borrowing costs. Yet on Friday, in a highly-anticipated speech, Powell suggested that the Fed could take such a step as soon as its next meeting in September. It will be a fraught decision for the Fed, which must weigh it against persistent inflation that remains a problem and an economy that could also improve in the second half of this year. Both trends, if they occur, could make a cut look premature.
Pope affirms right of people to return home after unjust exile in meeting with Chagos refugees
ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV has affirmed the right of people to return to their homes after an unjust exile. Leo spoke during an audience on Saturday with refugees from Chagos, the Indian Ocean archipelago that is home to a strategic U.S.-U.K. military base. Some 2,000 Chagossians were evicted from their homes by Britain in the 1960s and 1970s so the U.S. could build the naval and bomber base on the largest of the islands, Diego Garcia. Leo said: “All peoples, even the smallest and weakest, must be respected by the powerful in their identity and rights, in particular the right to live on their land; and no one can force them into exile.”
Texas Gov. Abbott says he’ll swiftly sign new maps on his desk that will boost GOP in 2026
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has promised to sign a new congressional voting map designed to help Republicans maintain their slim majority in Congress. Texas lawmakers approved the map early Saturday, adding five new districts favoring Republicans. Democrats have vowed to challenge it in court. The move is part of a broader national effort, with governors from both parties redrawing maps to gain advantages in the 2026 midterm elections. In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom has approved a special election for a redrawn map to help Democrats win more seats.
Texas lawmakers give final approval to redrawn congressional map favoring GOP, send to governor
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Texas Senate has given final approval to a new, Republican-leaning congressional voting map, sending it to Gov. Greg Abbott for his signature. President Donald Trump has pushed for the map to help the GOP maintain its slim majority in Congress in the 2026 midterm elections. It has five new districts that would favor Republicans. The Republican Abbott is expected to quickly sign it into law. Democrats have vowed to challenge it in court, however. The effort by Trump and Texas’ Republican-majority Legislature prompted state Democrats to hold a two-week walkout and kicked off a wave of redistricting efforts across the country.