19 h. ago We asked critics from authoritarian regimes what they wish they’d known sooner. Here’s what they said

Critics from Hungary, El Salvador and Turkey offer advice to the US about what they’ve learned about authoritariansDonald Trump makes no secret of his admiration for strongmen like Hungary’s Viktor Orbán or El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele. Last month, he praised Orbán’s hardline stance on immigration and urged European leaders to show more “respect” for the president; earlier this year his administration struck a deal with Bukele to send more than 200 detained migrants to a notorious, maximum-security prison in El Salvador.Many international organizations, experts and historians have sounded the alarm about the United States heading in a similar direction as these authoritarian regimes. Continue reading...

Culture

30 h. ago Judge wants whistleblower to testify in contempt probe of Trump official over planes to El Salvador

A federal judge investigating whether Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem should face a contempt charge over flights carrying migrants to El Salvador wants to hear from a whistleblower and a top Justice Department official

Politics

6 d. ago LA doctor who sold Matthew Perry ketamine sentenced to prison

Salvador Plasencia pleaded guilty to giving actor ketamine in the month leading up to his deathA Los Angeles doctor who sold ketamine to Matthew Perry before his overdose death has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison.Dr Salvador Plasencia, 44, had pleaded guilty on Wednesday to giving Matthew Perry ketamine in the month leading up to the Friends star’s overdose death in 2023. Perry died at age 54 after struggling with addiction for years, dating back to his time as one of the biggest stars of his generation for his role as Chandler Bing. The actor had been taking the surgical anesthetic ketamine legally as a treatment for depression. But when his regular doctor wouldn’t provide it in the amounts he wanted, he turned to Plasencia, who admitted to illegally selling to Perry and knowing he was a struggling addict. He texted another doctor that Perry was a “moron” who could be exploited for money, according to court filings. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Trump jokes some of his staff wanted to send pardoned turkeys to El Salvador ‘torture’ prison

President Donald Trump joked that some of his “more enthusiastic staff” wanted to send the two Thanksgiving turkeys to an El Salvador megaprison instead of pardoning them.

Events

2 w. ago Nicki Minaj will have to sell $20 million mansion if she doesn’t pay security guard settlement, judge says

Judge is only missing one document to proceed with the sale

Economics

2 w. ago Judge to proceed with contempt probe after US flew migrants to El Salvador prison in March

A federal judge has asked attorneys to identify witnesses and offer plans for how to conduct a contempt probe of the Trump administration for failing to turn around planes carrying Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador in March

Events

3 w. ago Inside El Salvador’s hellish supermax prison: Migrant detainees deported by Trump tell of harrowing abuse and torture

The Trump administration deported dozens of alleged members of a Venezuelan gang to El Salvador earlier this year as part of the US’s migration crackdown

Events