The story of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a resident of the United States who was incorrectly deported to El Salvador and later became a symbol of the Trump administration’s strict immigration policy, has taken another unexpected turn.

• Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a US resident, was initially deported to El Salvador and later faced legal challenges in Tennessee.
• ICE allegedly issued Abrego Garcia the ultimatum of pleading guilty or being deported to Uganda.
• Prosecutors had previously proposed deportation to Costa Rica contingent on a guilty plea and compliance with penalties.
• Abrego Garcia, married to a US citizen, declined these agreements, raising concerns over coercion and indefinite detention.

Public trust in institutions, capitalism, and even the value of hard work continues to erode in 2025, according to the latest Edelman Trust Barometer, now in its 25th year. The survey of more than 30,000 respondents across 28 countries highlights widening divisions between elites and the broader public, a growing crisis of legitimacy for capitalism, and deep fears about job security in an age of technological disruption.

Russia strikes US-owned factory as Trump backs Ukraine offense

Russian cruise missiles destroyed an American-owned electronics factory in western Ukraine early Thursday, killing one person and injuring 15 in one of Moscow’s largest aerial assaults of the year. The attack prompted President Donald Trump to support Ukraine’s right to launch offensive strikes against Russia, marking a significant shift in U.S. policy as peace negotiations appear stalled.

The Trump administration immediately suspended all worker visas for commercial truck drivers on Thursday following a deadly highway crash in Florida that killed three people, marking the latest escalation in the administration’s immigration crackdown.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the freeze on X, stating that “the increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on U.S. roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers”.

Magnitude 7.5 quake hits remote Drake Passage near Antarctica

A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck the Drake Passage between South America and Antarctica late Thursday night, prompting Chilean authorities to issue a tsunami advisory for parts of Antarctica while no immediate damage or casualties were reported from the remote seismic event.

A federal judge dealt a decisive blow to the Trump administration’s controversial immigration detention strategy Thursday night, ordering the shutdown of Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz” facility within 60 days over environmental violations. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams ruled that the hastily constructed detention center in the Florida Everglades violated federal environmental laws and must cease accepting new detainees immediately.

Italian police have arrested a Ukrainian man suspected of coordinating the 2022 attacks on the Nord Stream gas pipelines, according to German prosecutors, marking the first arrest in connection with one of the most mysterious acts of sabotage in recent European history.

The suspect, identified only as Serhii K. under German privacy laws, was detained overnight in the Italian coastal town of Rimini and is accused of being one of the key organizers of the underwater explosions that damaged the critical energy infrastructure. German authorities will seek his extradition to face charges of causing explosions, anti-constitutional sabotage, and destroying critical infrastructure.

Texas is the top state with the most financial distress, a new study shows. 

There are a myriad of factors that can cause misery for Americans related to finances, whether its their monthly bills, credit card debt, or inflation. 

After upgrading to a more spacious electric vehicle, Yin decides to forgo renting a flat, saving 2,500 yuan (US$350) a month on rent

A 38-year-old programmer working in Beijing, who spends weekdays sleeping in his car and returns to his home in nearby Tianjin every Friday, has gained significant attention on mainland social media.

The man, known as Yin, typically departs from Tianjin at 5.30am on Monday, driving 130km along the highway to reach his workplace in Beijing. He returns home after finishing work on Friday afternoons.