Venezuelans describe abuse at El Salvador prison and witnesses recount Michigan Walmart stabbing: Morning Rundown
Here's what to know today.
Venezuelans describe abuse and sexual assault at El Salvador megaprison
Three Venezuelan men told NBC News they experienced physical and psychological torture, including one man's allegation that he was sexually assaulted, after the Trump administration sent them to a notorious megaprison in El Salvador. One said that he was sexually assaulted.
Andry Hernandez Romero, Jerce Reyes and Andry Blanco Bonilla were held for four months in the Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, which is known for its harsh conditions and reported abuse. They alleged ir allegations included beatings that left bruises and cuts, psychological abuse and the denial of necessities such as food or bathroom access.
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The men were deported as part of the Trump administration's efforts using the Alien Enemies Act, but denied any ties to gangs and said they were unfairly targeted for their tattoos. They were released and flown to Venezuela on July 18 in a prisoner swap with the United States.
→ Hernandez, a 32-year-old gay asylum-seeker, said that during his imprisonment he was taken to solitary confinement, where prison staff 'made me kneel, perform oral sex on one person, while the others groped me and touched my private parts.'
→ Reyes said one of his hardest moments for him was when a prison official 'encouraged us to commit suicide' and told him 'this is how your whole nightmare ends.' Thinking about his family and sharing copies of the bible helped motivate him, he said.
→ Bonilla, who had gone to the U.S. to seek asylum, said he would never forget the words of a prison official who told the detainees, 'Welcome to CECOT. Welcome to hell.' Guards would beat detainees as they saw fit, and prison doctors would file false reports, he said.
Now that they are back home with their families, the men have said they are demanding justice from Trump and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.
President Donald Trump announced a trade agreement with the European Union that would set tariffs at 15%, ending what had been months of uncertainty surrounding trade with the United States' largest trade partner.
The tariff rate is a reduction from the 30% that Trump threatened on July 12 and the 20% he said he would impose on April 2.
Announcing the agreement, Trump said the E.U. will not impose a tariff on U.S. imports. He added this agreement was 'satisfactory to both sides.'
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said alongside the president that the pact 'will bring stability. It will bring predictability. That's very important for our businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.'
However, Trump said 50% tariffs on steel would remain unchanged and more tariffs could still be on the way for pharmaceutical products, which Ireland is one of the top sources of. The president recently threatened 200% tariffs on pharma goods.
Also part of the deal, Trump said the E.U. will purchase '$750 billion worth of energy' and 'a vast amount of military equipment,' from the U.S., though a definitive purchase amount was not yet set.
Here's what else we know.
Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie have formed a bipartisan duo to push for the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files, but they're split over whether Trump should pardon Ghislaine Maxwell.
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., a member of the Freedom Caucus, announced he is running for governor, looking to succeed GOP Gov. Henry McMaster.
After Israel announced a 'tactical pause' in fighting to let aid into Gaza, Sen. Lindsey Graham told NBC News' Kristen Welker that there's no way to negotiate with Hamas
Democrats are planning to make Rep. David Valadao's support for Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' — and his vote for Medicaid cuts — a focal point of their campaign in a key midterm race.
The Democratic Party shook up its presidential primary schedule in 2024, placing South Carolina out in front. State leaders want to keep it that way in 2028.
Witnesses describe the Michigan Walmart stabbing
Julia Martell was browsing the aisles of her local Walmart when she heard people screaming. As she turned the corner, she saw a man running down another aisle, and then she saw his knife.
'I booked it down the aisle,' she told NBC News. Martell said the man looked 'crazed' and laser-focused on getting to the exit.
At that Traverse City, Michigan Walmart, 11 people were injured in a stabbing attack. The suspect, Bradford James Gille, was quickly subdued by other shoppers and arrested when a deputy arrived, the Grand Traverse County sheriff said.
Michael Miller was one of the good Samaritans who assisted with the suspect's apprehension. He, his fiancée, Julia Ling, and four of their kids heard what they described as blood-curdling screams when they walked into the Walmart.
The suspect 'lunged at us,' Ling said, and then a group trying to stop him pushed him out the door.
Michigan prosecutors are seeking a terrorism charge against Gille in addition to 11 counts of assault with intent to murder.
Staff Pick: Bitcoin's up. So are crypto kidnappings.
Festo Ivaibi, Rocelo Lopes, and Muhammad Arsalan are three men of differing ages, living in different parts of the world, and have never met one another. Yet they all have a shared story. They've all been impacted by crypto kidnappings.
I started researching the crime after the viral story of a New York crypto kidnapping in May. I discovered that incident was part of a much larger trend.
The men I spoke with shared chilling stories of perpetrators threatening them and their families with physical abuse and taking them into unknown vehicles in the middle of the night, where they were extorted, assaulted, and robbed — all for access to their digital wallets. But they aren't the only ones. As interest in cryptocurrencies rises so does the price of bitcoin, and the number of crypto kidnappings.
– Bruna Horvath, tech intern
NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
For those with darker skin, white casts when using sunscreen can be a concern. The NBC Select team tested mineral sunscreens, and some of the best options won't leave behind an unsavory white cast. Plus, for those with acne-prone skin, it can be hard to find a makeup primer that doesn't cause breakouts. Here are our team's 13 favorite makeup primers.
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