The far-left network that helped put Alex Pretti in harm’s way, then made him a martyr
The skirmish that led to Saturday’s fatal shooting of an agitator by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis and the response that followed were driven by a complex network of far-left organizations with a wide range of causes, a Fox News Digital investigation found.
A coordinated web of encrypted chats, street alerts and tracking of ICE “Abductors” in a sophisticated database reviewed by Fox News Digital shows that agitators were already mobilized at the scene where 37-year-old Alex Pretti was killed minutes before any shots were fired.
ICE and Border Patrol agents were there to arrest an illegal immigrant criminal, and Pretti and others were there, outside a donut shop, to meet them as part of a strategic pattern of organized interference with law enforcement operations.
Over the following hours, a national network of socialist, communist and Marxist-Leninist cells in the United States leveraged the tragic fatality into a nationwide protest operation. While grief and outrage over Pretti’s death is genuine, the network’s real-time rapid response, using short sensational video clips and emojis as weapons of propaganda, offers a window into the disciplined logistics, messaging and coordination of far-left warriors fomenting insurgency-like confrontation with authorities.
VANCE CALLS MINNEAPOLIS UNREST ‘ENGINEERED CHAOS’ AFTER DEADLY SHOOTING
“This level of engineered chaos is unique to Minneapolis. It is the direct consequence of far left agitators, working with local authorities,” Vice President JD Vance observed in a Sunday post on X.
The encrypted Signal messages obtained by Fox News Digital in real time show that anti-ICE “rapid responders” were actively tracking, broadcasting and summoning “backup” around federal agents outside Glam Doll Donuts on Nicollet Avenue, where the shooting happened. Local “rapid responders” made at least 26 entries into a database called “MN ICE Plates” in the critical hours before and after the killing, documenting the license plate numbers and details of alleged ICE vehicles they claimed to see around Nicollet Avenue.
The entry at row 344 read, “At the nicollet [sic] murder,” chronicling a black Jeep Wagoneer at the location with agents allegedly “involved in shooting.” Row 338 had a “Glam Doll Donuts” entry, tracking a black Ford Taurus.
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At 9:50 a.m. ET, just before the killing, a user identified as “Willow” shared a 22-second video on an encrypted Signal chat for anti-ICE “rapid responders.”
“26and 3rd,” wrote “Willow,” quickly following up with, “Outside Glam Doll.”
The video showed two agents, one wearing a vest marked “POLICE,” studying the front door of Glam Doll before walking away, past a sign in the window that read, “ICE OUT OF MINNESOTA.”
As the camera rolled, the person filming yelled, “No!”
The camera followed the agents as they returned to a maroon Dodge Durango, passing another sign in the window that read, “ALL WELCOME HERE.”
In the video, someone shouted, “Get out of here!”
Just three minutes later, at 9:53 a.m. ET, a second Signal user, “Salacious B. Crumb,” escalated the alert, summoning additional responders and citing the same vehicle and agents.
“Backup needed at the Black Forest Inn parking lot on Nicollet Ave just south of 26th Street,” the message read.
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“Multiple vehicles with many agents appear to be staging there,” the alert continued. “One confirmed ICE vehicle seen was a maroon Dodge Durango [plate number], but it has driven away northbound on Nicollet.” Fox News Digital has redacted the Florida license plate number included in the original message.
ICE Assistant Director Marcos Charles said Sunday that the violence on the streets was “not a coincidence,” considering the “chaos and mayhem” that agitators are fomenting in Minneapolis. At the same press conference, Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) Commander-at-Large Greg Bovino confirmed that Pretti was “on the scene several minutes” before the fatal shooting.
Video of the scene shows that as Pretti stepped into the middle of Nicollet Avenue to direct traffic, fellow agitators could be heard blowing whistles to alert locals that ICE officers were around. Soon after, Pretti ended up in a street confrontation with CBP agents, across the street from Glam Doll Donuts outside a worn storefront marked “NEW AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT CENTER,” a nonprofit focused on immigration entry programs for Somalis.
Within minutes, at about 10:05 a.m. ET, at least one CBP agent shot Pretti, killing him.
MINNESOTA ICE OFFICIAL URGES PROTESTS TO REMAIN PEACEFUL AMID TENSIONS ‘LIKE NOTHING I’VE EVER SEEN BEFORE’
At 10:18 a.m. ET, the Signal network erupted.
Using a red phone emoji to signal an all-points alert, a message blasted out: “☎️ easy. URGENT: observers urgently requested at glam doll donuts @ 26th & nicollet [sic],” the alert continued. “an observer has been shot by ice, unknown condition, emts [emergency medical technicians] present, please be safe. EDIT: medics requested to join perimeter in case agents start gassing. be aware there are many agents and mpd [Minneapolis Police Department] officers present.”
Within minutes, far-left activists descended on Nicollet Avenue. Soon after, a video showed corrugated boxes of supplies apparently lined up on a Minneapolis sidewalk for protesters, including boxes marked “DESINER MASKS” [sic] and “FREE WINTER HATS,” next to piles of bottled water.
MINNESOTA AGITATORS STALK, PELT BORDER PATROL AGENTS WITH FOOD AND SPIT AT GAS STATIONS, DHS SAYS
Within hours, socialist leaders turbocharged their “rapid responders” in Minneapolis and mobilized street protesters from New York City to Los Angeles.
Media outlets, including CNN and MSNOW, described “angry protesters” but failed to identify the ideological networks behind the mobilization, even as protesters flashed their signs with their logos and names, touting socialism, communism and Marxism, on camera.
The Minneapolis activation marked the beginning of an almost instantaneous weekend surge by far-left organizations, including hardened socialist and communist groups operating in an ecosystem that national security experts describe as an insurgent-style operation designed to exploit tragedy to wage a domestic political war.
The strategy mirrors past mobilizations, including the aftermath of George Floyd’s killing in May 2020, and exploits well-intentioned public sympathy by rapidly framing Pretti — an intensive care unit nurse at a Veterans Administration hospital — as a symbol of resistance, much like Renee Good, the first victim of an ICE shooting in Minneapolis.
Just as they responded in real-time to mobilize “comrades” to march on the streets within 12 hours of the U.S. arrest of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro in early January, socialist, communist and Marxist-Leninist groups now frame their activation as an action within the “belly of the beast” against the “hyperimperialism” of the United States.
VANCE CALLS MINNEAPOLIS UNREST ‘ENGINEERED CHAOS’ AFTER DEADLY SHOOTING
Based on a digital analysis of scores of rapid-response messages following the killing on Saturday, a hub of communist and socialist nonprofit organizations emerged as key organizers of the protests. Many of them are funded by American-born billionaire Neville Roy Singham, a self-declared Marxist-Leninist living in Shanghai. Some are also offshoots of the People’s Forum Inc., a nonprofit hub Singham has funded in New York City since 2017 as an “incubator” for socialist and communist groups. The People’s Forum declined requests for comment.
At 10:48 a.m. ET, BreakThrough News, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and propaganda arm of the People’s Forum, broke the news widely of the killing, sharing a video recorded from inside the Glam Doll Donut shot of the tussle outside, punctuated by gunshots and frantic narration, “Holy s–t. What the f—!…Did they f—ing kill that guy? F—ing kidding me, dude.”
BreakThrough News put a dramatic black-and-white caption over the video: “BREAKING: Another CBP Shooting in Minneapolis.” By Sunday afternoon, the video had 4.1 million views, alongside the outlet’s calls to support the People’s Republic of China, Venezuela’s Maduro and the communist revolution in Cuba.
Before the video cuts off, someone can be heard saying, “Yo, we need people on site!”
MINNESOTA SOCIALISTS TELL WORKERS TO FAKE SICK LEAVE FOR ANTI-ICE PROTESTS
At 11:40 a.m., BreakThrough News broadcast a 39-second video purporting to show state police charging across a street with batons, some falling as clouds of breath rose in the cold air.
Soon after, at 12:24 p.m., the Party for Socialism and Liberation – a political wing of the movement, working with shared leadership at the People’s Forum – published a quickly-made graphic, “CBP MURDERS ANOTHER IN MINNEAPOLIS,” and the message, “EXPAND THE GENERAL STRIKE!”
The call for a “general strike,” a classic communist tactic, refers to coordinated mass work stoppages aimed at paralyzing civil society to force political – and economic – outcomes.
At 12:33 p.m., the People’s Forum blasted out a bold red-and-white poster to followers, calling for an “EMERGENCY PROTEST” at 4 p.m. ET at Union Square in midtown Manhattan, with the message, “STOP ICE TERROR.”
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In lockstep, at 12:57 p.m., Democratic Socialists of America, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit that elected Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York City, posted a stark black-and-white graphic on X, calling the killing an “execution” and demanding, “ABOLISH ICE NOW.”
At the protest, Linda Sarsour, a Palestinian political operative who has led virulently anti-Israel protests with socialist organizations after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack against Israel by Hamas terrorists, rallied the crowd at the 4 p.m. protest, yelling, “We will bring this country to a halt!” The People’s Forum shared the 22-second video clip with the caption: “🚨HAPPENING NOW IN NYC.”
Other groups mobilized simultaneously, including Freedom Road Socialist Organization, a self-described Marxist-Leninist group that has waved its red flag with its acronym, “FRSO,” in the middle of the protests since Good’s killing.
Also active: the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, which has led many of the rapid-response efforts and Black Lives Matter chapters, which led the recent stampede through a local Christian church.
ANTI-ICE AGITATOR ALLEGEDLY BITES OFF FEDERAL OFFICER’S FINGER DURING MINNEAPOLIS ATTACK
By early evening, the narrative had coalesced into a chorus of voices within the far-left propaganda apparatus, adopting charged historical language to brand federal officials as Nazi-like figures. At 4:12 p.m. ET, Calla Walsh, a controversial communist activist filmed this past summer in Iran shouting, “Death to America! Death to Israel!” shared a 32-second video showing barricades built with Republic Services dumpsters.
She wrote, “People of Minneapolis build barricades, trapping ICE Gestapo at the scene of their latest murder in broad daylight. Not far from where they killed Renee Good a couple weeks ago, not far from where George Floyd was killed in 2020.”
By evening, CNN was reporting from the 4 p.m. protest in New York City but did not identify the ideological affiliations of the organizers, even as activists openly carried signs from the Party for Socialism and Liberation, with the group’s full name printed across the bottom.
FREY, KLOBUCHAR CALL FOR ICE TO LEAVE MINNEAPOLIS FOLLOWING DEADLY CBP SHOOTING IN CITY
Another CNN segment from Minneapolis interviewed Chris Gray, describing him only as Pretti’s “next-door neighbor.” Gray spoke about Pretti while delivering a well-scripted appeal for a general strike to dismantle the “Trump regime” and promote “non-violent resistance.” The segment did not disclose that Gray is a member of Socialist Alternative, the U.S. affiliate of the International Socialist Alternative, a “global fighting organization of workers, young people, and all those oppressed by capitalism and imperialism,” seeking to create a “socialist world.”
Soon after, however, Socialist Alternative shared the interview proudly on Instagram, noting, “Chris Gray, Socialist Alternative member and next-door neighbor of Alex Pretti, speaks out.”
By evening’s end, at 9:44 p.m. ET, Gloria La Riva, a co-founder of the Party for Socialism and Liberation who has described herself as “a communist,” posted a message on X, using the inflammatory language now normalized: “Alex Pretti was murdered in cold blood, everyone knows that. 10 shots in his back. All of Trump’s, Noem’s, Bovino’s lies cannot cover it up. The people’s struggle will only grow!”
TRUMP CITES ARMED SUSPECT, LACK OF POLICE SUPPORT FOLLOWING FATAL BORDER PATROL SHOOTING IN MINNEAPOLIS
The maroon Dodge Durango in the early Signal alerts from Saturday morning is Entry No. 2069 in the publicly shared database, “MN ICE PLATES.” It included a gallery of photos of alleged ICE vehicles.
At last count on Sunday, the database had 4,626 records of license plate numbers organized as “Highly Suspected ICE,” “Confirmed ICE,” “Suspected ICE,” “Cleared – Not ICE” and “Unknown.”
The total number of “Confirmed ICE” entries is 2,933 records. The total number of records labeled “Abductors” is 455.
A fine-print disclaimer states that the data is “for informational purposes only” and that its organizers “do not condone its use to forcibly assault, resist, oppose, impede or interfere with the official duties of any officer or employee of the United States, or of any agency in any branch of the United States Government, while engaged in or on account of the performance of official duties.”
One guide, “Best Practices Guide for Neighborhood or Area Patrol / Monitors: 612,” includes a key to emojis and the jobs they represent for rapid responders:
“🚗💨= Mobile Patrol / Commuter – In a vehicle driving around, looking for agents”
“🚗📍= Stationary Patrol/Monitor – In a vehicle positioned at key places in the area, looking for agents”
“🏃🏻♀️= Foot Patrol – On foot, looking for agents”
“☎️ = Dispatch – Live on the Monitor / Patrol group call”
“📟 = Hyper-local group messenger – Ready to pass on word to individual neighborhoods and blocks”
‘🦺 = School / event safety spotters – Assigned and connected to a specific school or event”
“🍽️ = License plate checker – Ready to check a plate against the list of known license plates’
“⛑️ = Medic – Ready to offer medical care”
“❤️🩹 = Aftercare provider – Available to connect with responders after an event”
The maroon Dodge Durango that was allegedly outside Glam Doll Donuts on Nicollet Avenue is listed with three prior sightings: Jan. 11 at 3 p.m. at the Whipple federal detention facility, Jan. 13 at 1:15 p.m. and a final sighting at Powderhorn Park parking lot on 35th Street and 14th Avenue.
It’s listed with the tags, “Seen in a convoy, Tinted/blacked-out windows, ICE agent(s) seen in vehicle,” and a final verdict: “Confirmed ICE.”
As socialist organizations continued to dispatch their foot soldiers to Nicollet Avenue on Sunday evening, the Signal groups were as active as ever on Sunday, an alert going out at 4:37 p.m. ET, with rapid responders now chasing a black Dodge Durango around town.
“2 confirmed ICE vehicles,” the alert read, “…at least 2 agents in each vehicle.”
At least 12 deaths reported in several states as monster winter storm hammers US
While millions of Americans dig out from the monster winter storm, forecasters are warning of a new threat that could deliver even more snow to the East Coast.
The FOX Forecast Center says the pattern is favorable for another potential big winter storm to develop next weekend – a nor’easter that could bury parts of the Northeast and New England in heavy snow.
Meteorologists says it is still way too early to determine exact impacts, timing, and snow forecasts, but computer forecast models have consistently shown the storm’s development in the past 24 hours.
All eyes will be on this potential storm as cities along the East Coast work to clear snow and ice from this past weekend’s storm.
At least 12 people have died as a result of the historic winter storm that’s impacted millions of Americans across dozens of states this weekend with snow, ice and extreme cold. Deaths were reported in Tennessee, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, and Pennsylvania according to local officials across the 6 states.
New York, Philadelphia, and Boston are all digging out from the biggest snowstorm in years, and another one could be on the way. The FOX Forecast Center is tracking a potential nor’easter that may slam the East Coast again next weekend.
Meteorologist are closely monitoring an evolving weather pattern around the Northern Hemisphere that would deliver another big storm. FOX Weather meteorologists caution that we’re still a week away from this even possible happening, but the signs are there in the computer forecast models that it could be happening.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, the atmospheric pattern reloads this weekend with another push of arctic air into the eastern half of the U.S.
One big signal is an atmospheric traffic jam over Greenland that can force storms to take paths that meander along the coast making for multi-day weather hazards.
The second is an impressive ridge in the Intermountain West. While temperatures there will be much above average, it gives a clear path for the jet stream to bring systems out of Canada, over the Plains, and exiting somewhere along the Atlantic seaboard. This also helps to ensure that cold air continues to funnel out of the arctic and into the eastern half of America.
Should the timing align over the weekend, it could set the stage for yet another northeast snowstorm.
Bangor International Airport in Maine remains closed to air traffic this morning following a plane crash on Sunday evening.
The Federal Aviation Administration says the airport remains closed to all air traffic until noon ET on Monday.
The private passenger jet, a Bombardier Challenger 600, carrying 8 people crashed during takeoff around 7:45 p.m. ET.
National Transportation Safety Board investigators are investigating the crash.
Washington’s Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is operating with delays and service changes systemwide today due to the storm.
Click here to see the latest alerts and updates from Metro.
Oxford, Mississippi crippled by paralyzing inch+ of ice accretion, arctic air after monster winter stormPeople in Mississippi, particularly in Oxford, are being slammed with winter weather as intense snow and ice continue to cover most of the U.S. this weekend.
The National Weather Service says Boston, Massachusetts just recorded the most snow from a single snowstorm that it has seen in 4 years.
As of 7 a.m. ET Monday, Boston Logan International Airport, the official weather observation site for the city, measured 18.6″ of snow.
Thousands of workers now have the tedious task of clearing snow off of roads and sidewalks throughout the Northeast, and Old Man Winter isn’t helping. Temperatures are dangerously cold this morning with wind chill temperatures dipping below zero in many locations.
Some of the coldest air in years has invaded the Deep South. It’s not just cold, it’s dangerously cold. Temperatures are in the 10s and 20s, but the wind makes it feel even colder. Wind chills are below zero in some spots, which can lead to frostbite on exposed skin within just minutes. Right now, more than 200 million Americans are under some type of cold weather alert, with Extreme Cold Warnings stretching down to the Gulf Coast.
New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority is working to restore service following Sunday’s snowstorm.
Right now, the MTA has suspended subway service in Brooklyn on the S train and the F and R trains are running with severe delays due to the snow.
Other trains are also running with delays as crews work to clear the snow and ice from the tracks.
Click here to see the latest MTA service changes and alerts.
NJ Transit is working to restore normal operations this morning after all rail and bus service was suspended on Sunday.
According to its website, NJ Transit expects to begin a phased resumption of service on Monday, starting with all three Light Rail lines — Newark Light Rail, Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, and River LINE.
Customers should expect delays and possible select train cancellations as local and county crews continue clearing secondary and tertiary roadways.
It expects a gradual ramp-up of bus and Access Link service this morning as its team evaluates road conditions.
Click here for the latest service alerts.
Amtrak says it has canceled at least 5 trains across the Northeast this morning due to equipment availability.
Click here to read the latest service announcement.
New Yorkers are heading out into slick streets and onto slippery sidewalks as another round of light snow and flurries rolls into the five boroughs. The FOX Forecast Center says this very small band of snow could lead to minor accumulations through the morning commute.
City leaders are urging people to use extreme caution if traveling this morning.
At least 9 people have died as a result of the historic winter storm that’s impacted millions of Americans across dozens of states this weekend with snow, ice and extreme cold.
Deaths were reported in Tennessee, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas and Kansas, according to local officials across the 5 states.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating a plane crash at a Maine airport that happened during Sunday’s winter storm.
Officials said eight people were on the plane when the crash happened around 7:45 p.m. ET.
Utility crews are scrambling to restore power to areas hit hard by this weekend’s winter storm. Crippling ice pulled down trees and power lines across nearly a dozen states, plunging thousands of people into darkness and cutting the heat as temperatures plummeted.
PowerOutage.com
tracks the number of energy customers experiencing power outages, which soared to more than 1,000,000 on Sunday afternoon. The latest data shows more than 836,000 customers are still without power.
The monster winter storm that blasted the eastern half of the United States this weekend wreaked havoc on air travel. Airports worked around the clock to keep runways clear, but the intense snow and ice forced airlines to cancel thousands of flights.
Data from FlightAware shows more than 36,000 U.S. flights have been disrupted since Friday. That’s more than 20,000 canceled and 16,000 delayed flights nationwide. Even though the storm has moved away, it will take time for airlines to reposition equipment and shift crews into place to resume normal operations.
A 28-year old missing teacher from Kansas was found dead on Sunday, days after she was last seen as the massive winter storm began to take hold in the South.
The Emporia Police Department said Rebecca Rauber is believed to have died from hypothermia just hours after she disappeared.
Rauber was found covered in snow approximately 300 yards from where was last seen on surveillance video late Sunday night.
Thousands of Americans are waking up without power across the South as life-threatening cold air settles into the region. Extreme Cold Warnings and Cold Weather Advisories are in effect for more than 200 million people as temperatures drop into the 10s and 20s with wind chills dipping below zero in many states.
- Current conditions and local forecast for your area
- Latest winter storm videos from FOX Weather
- How to watch FOX Weather on your favorite device
You can go back and see how the winter storm evolved with our live coverage from Sunday.
Click here to see Sunday’s minute-by-minute coverage.
Minnesota National Guard hands out coffee and donuts to anti-ICE protesters in St. Paul
The Minnesota National Guard was seen handing out coffee and donuts to anti-ICE protesters in St. Paul on Sunday.
Video captured guardsmen in yellow vests offering donuts and coffee out the back of a vehicle. One National Guard member told WCCO-TV that this was a “demonstration of safety and security.”
The Minnesota National Guard posted on X earlier this month that if troops were deployed to the Twin Cities, they would wear reflective vests “to help distinguish them from other agencies in similar uniforms.”
The guardsmen in the video were seen one day after a Border Patrol agent shot and killed 37-year-old Minneapolis resident Alex J. Pretti after he allegedly confronted officers during a Department of Homeland Security operation in south Minneapolis.
THE FAR-LEFT NETWORK THAT HELPED PUT ALEX PRETTI IN HARM’S WAY, THEN MADE HIM A MARTYR
Federal officials initially claimed Pretti approached agents with a handgun and resisted disarmament.
Bystander video and eyewitness accounts circulating online raised questions about that version of events and whether Pretti was threatening officers when he was shot.
Pretti’s death happened just weeks after an ICE officer fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good while she allegedly blocked an operation in Minneapolis and drove toward the officer.
TIM WALZ COMPARES MINNESOTA ICE ACTIONS TO HOLOCAUST AND ANNE FRANK: ‘HIDING IN THEIR HOUSES’
After the shooting of Good, Democratic officials, including Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, encouraged anti-ICE protesters to assemble, prompting a probe by federal prosecutors for the alleged impeding of law enforcement efforts.
Walz on Sunday called for President Donald Trump to pull out “his 3,000 untrained agents” from Minnesota “before they kill another American in the street” following Pretti’s death.
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Trump confirmed to The Wall Street Journal on Sunday that his administration is “reviewing everything” in the wake of the latest shooting.
Royal rules force Prince William to abandon beloved hobby at new home
Prince William will have to find a new hobby.
The king-in-waiting’s recent move to Forest Lodge has forced the royal to give up his electric scooter. Prince William’s new home is inside Windsor Great Park, where various forms of motorized transportation are banned.
“For reasons of safety and traffic management, we do not allow motorised transport within the Park,” the park’s website stated. “Aside from cyclists, the roads are reserved for residents and Estate workers.”
Royal experts predict Prince William will adhere to the e-scooter ban with ease, highlighting his anti-diva behavior. The 43-year-old prince was known for riding an e-scooter around Windsor Castle.
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“Prince William will miss the convenience and his fun, but he’s self‑disciplined, always adhering to rules and abiding even with humor,” British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. “He always manages to underscore the appropriate behavior of those in a constitutional monarchy rather than being a diva, untouchable celebrity royalty.”
“So, he’ll accept such limits, albeit there are some residents who use e-scooters on lanes closest to their homes but not on high profile areas like the Long Walk,” she added. “If he uses one it would be discreet as guidance allows. Even the future king can’t ride a low‑speed scooter on roads of an estate which is nominally ‘his’ family’s, due to park authority prioritizing risk management optics.”
PRINCE PHILIP GAVE KATE MIDDLETON BLUNT WARNING ABOUT SURVIVING ROYAL LIFE
Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner hopes this turn of events will encourage people to wear safety gear, as Prince William often chose not to wear a helmet.
“The sight of Prince William using his electric scooter at speed around the grounds of Windsor Castle, in my opinion, should have been banned some time ago, especially as on many occasions he has not been seen wearing a safety helmet,” he told Fox News Digital.
“The guidance normally is that a safety helmet and other protective body gear similar to skateboarders’ is essential to protect the man waiting to become King.”
“If he fell off, then he could cause himself serious injury and also not putting out the proper safety measures for other scooter users. Thus, perhaps if this action becomes a reality, it is both a safety code for other users and an accident prevention method for the Prince.”
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Prince William, Kate Middleton and their three children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — officially moved into their new home late last year.
The Prince and Princess of Wales moved to Forest Lodge, nestled in Windsor Great Park, according to The Telegraph. The family relocated during the school half-term, the outlet reported.
The move sparked privacy and safety concerns at the time.
Residents of Cranbourne Hall Residential Park, the nearest neighborhood, were worried that the new home would be less private than the four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage.
“I welcome them,” Jean Reeve, 87, told the Daily Mail in August. “But I hope the public allow them to live there quietly as a family.”
“It’s a less private spot than their previous home, from what I know about the location,” the resident continued. “So I’d hate for people to always be going past and saying, ‘Oh, that’s where they live.'”
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According to People, the Wales family doesn’t have any live-in staff after their move to Forest Lodge. The children’s longtime nanny, Maria Turrion Borrallo, and the housekeepers will likely stay on other smaller properties on the estate, the outlet reported.
The royal family previously moved to Adelaide Cottage in 2022. At the time, the couple’s three children started attending the nearby co-ed prep school, Lambrook.
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Republican unveils push to block Dems’ election ‘scheme’ ahead of 2026 midterms
FIRST ON FOX: A battleground district House Republican is wading into the redistricting war that has seized the U.S. with his own new proposal to crack down on “partisan gamesmanship.”
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., has introduced a bill called the Fair Apportionment and Independent Redistricting for Maps that Avoid Partisanship (FAIR MAP) Act, which would impose new guardrails on the process of changing congressional districts across all 50 states.
The bill would bar states from drawing districts for or against a specific political party or candidate and ban the creation of new congressional maps more than once a decade following the U.S. census.
It comes as election watchers eye Virginia and Maryland as the latest states whose Democrat-led legislatures could move to redraw their congressional boundaries ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
REDISTRICTING BATTLES BREWING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS PARTIES COMPETE FOR POWER AHEAD OF 2026 MIDTERMS
Earlier this month, a state Supreme Court judge in Lawler’s own home turf of New York ruled that New York City’s lone Republican-held district is unconstitutional and must be redrawn — handing potentially a consequential win to Democrats.
Lawler said of Democrats’ push in his state, “[Gov. Kathy Hochul] and [House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’] scheme to redraw New York’s congressional districts months before an election is a blatant power grab and misuse of public office.”
The growing redistricting war was kicked off last year when Texas’ GOP-led legislature approved a new congressional map that could give Republicans as many as five new seats in the House of Representatives come the November elections.
Redistricting normally occurs every 10 years after the U.S. census is taken to ensure that seats in the House are reflective of each state’s population. And while there’s a patchwork of state laws aimed at blocking those districts from being redrawn along partisan lines, there is no current federal standard.
In addition to banning mid-decade redistricting in most cases and creating a federal gerrymandering standard, Lawler’s bill would also create a host of new provisions dictating how those populations are ultimately counted and how disputes can be resolved.
The bill would block state and local courts from legal redistricting fights, for example, leaving it to federal judges to weigh in on those fights.
DOJ URGES SUPREME COURT TO BLOCK CALIFORNIA MAP, CALLS NEWSOM-BACKED PLAN A RACIAL GERRYMANDER
It would also mandate that just U.S. citizens are counted toward state populations when creating new maps — something that could take a significant amount of power away from sanctuary jurisdictions that can currently factor numbers of illegal immigrants who cannot vote when apportioning districts.
The legislation also includes new electoral provisions like barring ranked-choice voting in federal elections, requiring photo ID for voting in those elections, and banning same-day registration in federal elections.
Lawler was among the House Republicans who forcefully came out against the growing redistricting war last summer, when leaders in Texas and California were going toe-to-toe with threats to redraw their maps.
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But it does not appear likely as of now that his bill will get taken up for a House-wide vote, given House GOP leaders’ prior insistence that redistricting is a states’ issue.
“Voting rights and equal representation only work if the system itself is fair, transparent, and trusted. My FAIR MAP Act puts clear guardrails around congressional redistricting, ends mid-decade political map rigging, and ensures that federal elections reflect the voices of lawful voters, not partisan gamesmanship,” Lawler told Fox News Digital. “Every voter deserves confidence that the system is fair and that their vote counts the same as anyone else’s.”
McVay erupts at reporter questioning Stafford’s future after crushing playoff defeat
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay had no time for a question about Matthew Stafford’s NFL future following a close NFC Championship loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
Stafford, 37, was 22-of-35 for 374 passing yards and three touchdown passes as Los Angeles fell to Seattle 31-27 and missed out on making Super Bowl LX against the New England Patriots.
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In the postgame press conference, McVay was asked if he thought Stafford would be back for the 2026 season.
“If he still wants to play. What the hell kind of question is that?” McVay snapped back. “We’ve been totally present. I know if he wants to, he’s still playing at a pretty damn good clip.
“I mean, he’s the MVP of the league. If he’s not, I mean I got respect for everybody else, but this guy played at a level that’s just different.”
SUPER BOWL LX: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE GAME
Stafford and McVay won a Super Bowl with the Rams to cap the 2021 season – his first with the Rams. The team acquired him from the Detroit Lions for Jared Goff with fans thinking he could be retiring soon.
However, he continued to play as one of the top quarterbacks in the league.
He led the NFL with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdown passes in 2025. It was the first time he’s surpassed 4,000 passing yards and 40 touchdown passes since the 2021 season. He also earned his third Pro Bowl nod.
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Los Angeles and the rest of the Rams’ faithful will wait to see what Stafford ends up doing.
Plane with eight people aboard crashes during takeoff in Bangor, Maine
An aircraft carrying eight people crashed while attempting to takeoff on Sunday in Maine, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
“A Bombardier Challenger 600 crashed as it was taking off from Bangor International Airport in Maine around 7:45 p.m local time on Sunday, Jan. 25,” the FAA noted in a post on X.
“Eight people were on board. The FAA and NTSB will investigate,” the post added, calling the information provided “preliminary and subject to change.”
FAA WARNS ABOUT FLYING IN CENTRAL, SOUTH AMERICA AND EASTERN PACIFIC, CITING POSSIBLE ‘MILITARY ACTIVITIES’
The airport remained closed on Monday, according to a news release posted to the Facebook pages of the Bangor Maine Police Department and the Bangor International Airport on Monday morning.
“Multiple emergency crews responded to an aircraft accident at Bangor International Airport (BGR) Sunday night,” according to the release. “At approximately 7:45 p.m. there were reports of an incident involving a single aircraft that was departing from BGR.”
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWERS WILL ‘NEVER’ REACH FULL STAFFING LEVELS UNDER CURRENT SYSTEM, FAA CHIEF SAYS
“The airport remains closed at this time. There are numerous flight cancellations and diversions,” the release noted.
THOUSANDS OF FLIGHTS CANCELED OR DELAYED NATIONWIDE AMID WINTER STORM CHAOS
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Many flights around the country have been canceled recently as much of the U.S. has been facing winter weather.
Overlooked Costco perks can pay for your membership — and then some
From value-packed bulk items to $1.50 hot dogs, Costco is renowned for its focus on savings. The warehouse giant, however, offers far more than just its in-store products. From travel and automotive programs to remodeling and cleaning services, here are some lesser-known benefits that members may be missing.
Costco Travel
Costco Travel offers a variety of trips, including international destinations, theme parks, cruises and other excursions. Packages typically include accommodations, such as hotels and resorts, as well as transportation, including flights and rental cars. While many offerings come as pre-designed packages, members also have the flexibility to build their own trips.
Rather than focusing solely on the lowest prices, Costco Travel emphasizes high-quality experiences that deliver strong value. Members can expect to save hundreds of dollars while enjoying additional perks of similar value. Some resorts provide credits valued at hundreds of dollars, and certain packages include transportation to and from the airport, as well as scheduled train rides.
COSTCO QUIETLY BOOSTS GAS REWARDS FOR BRANDED CREDIT CARD HOLDERS TO 5% CASH BACK
Costco Auto
Costco members can access a variety of vehicle deals, including prearranged, no-haggle pricing on new and used cars, with average savings of over $1,000 off MSRP. Members can purchase sedans, electric vehicles, recreational vehicles and take advantage of auto services.
Participating service centers offer 15% off parts, service and accessories with up to $500 per visit. For those buying a new recreational vehicle, exclusive discounts are available through Camping World, the nation’s largest RV retailer.
Costco Next
Costco Next is a specialized online platform offering a catalog well beyond the company’s in-store selection, including camping gear, home goods and specialty items, such as caskets. Members buy directly from trusted, vetted suppliers and can enjoy discounts of up to 40% off.
COSTCO LAUNCHES EXCLUSIVE HIYO TONIC VARIETY PACK NATIONWIDE FOR A LIMITED TIME
Shutterfly
Costco members receive an exclusive 51% discount on regularly priced orders at Shutterfly, a leading e-commerce company specializing in personalized photo products. While Costco notes that economy shipping is free on orders over $49, Shutterfly’s website currently lists free shipping for orders of $30 or more.
Insurance
Costco offers a variety of insurance options, including home, auto, renter’s, business health, pet and life insurance.
Through American Family Insurance, Costco members can purchase renter’s or bundle home and auto coverage at exclusive discounts.
Depending on the state, life insurance provided by Protective Life at Costco features lower premiums during the first five years and offers term periods of either 10, 20 or 30 years, with coverage options up to $5 million.
Figo Pet Insurance offers a 15% discount for Gold Star and Business Members, while Executive Members receive 15% off plus lost pet recovery services through 24PetWatch. In some states, new policyholders may also receive a $25 digital Costco Shop Card upon enrollment.
The CBC Health Insurance Marketplace provides comprehensive business health insurance solutions, including dental, vision, life and disability coverage.
COSTCO BORROWS TECH UPGRADE FROM COMPETITOR TO BOOST MEMBER EXPERIENCE
Prescription Program
The Costco Member Prescription Program (CMPP) is a free, value-added program for members that helps lower the cost of prescriptions, including brand-name, generic and pet medications. Savings of up to 80% are listed on popular medications, with current discounts such as $50 off Wegovy.
Executive Members and Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi holders also receive a 2% cash back reward at Costco Pharmacy.
Through Sesame, members can also access home prescription delivery, 24/7 virtual same-day doctor visits, $29 virtual primary care visits within minutes and other health-related savings.
Professional cleaning
Through Stanley Steemer, Costco members receive discounts on floor, tile, hardwood, carpet, furniture and air duct cleanings. For three rooms of the same flooring type, members get one additional room cleaned for free. Similarly, cleaning one air duct system includes a complimentary dryer vent cleaning.
Moving Services
Warehouse members can receive a 25% discount from Budget Truck, a leading rental company known for offering some of the most affordable moving options. Owned by Avis Budget Group, Budget Truck provides trucks and cargo vans with pricing based on factors such as daily rates, truck size, mileage and fuel. Local rentals typically cost under $200 per day, while long-distance moves average around $1,000.
Trucks are available in sizes ranging from 10 to 26 feet, with options for local or one-way moves. Additional services include roadside assistance, moving supplies, towing equipment and additional authorized drivers.
For Executive Members who want several weeks to pack and not drive, PODS delivers containers directly to homes and handles all the transportation. Costco Executive Members receive free delivery and pickup, plus up to 20% off monthly container reservations.
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| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COST | COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP. | 983.25 | +7.08 | +0.73% |
Home Improvement
Costco Home Improvement is a service program providing professional installation and delivery for home renovations and remodeling projects, including flooring, kitchen cabinets, bathrooms, HVAC systems, windows, garage doors, generators and countertops. Upon completion, some services include a 10% Costco Shop Card, a gift card that can be used for nearly any purchase in-store or online at Costco.com.
Deadly ‘death cap’ mushrooms claim 3 lives amid toxic foraging crisis
Consumption of death cap mushrooms — often mistaken for safe, edible lookalikes — has been linked to a deadly outbreak in California.
The mushrooms, officially called Amanita phalloides, contain toxins that can cause amatoxin poisoning, which can lead to severe illness or even death.
In the California cases, the poisonings caused severe liver damage in both children and adults, resulting in three deaths, three liver transplants and 35 hospitalizations as of Jan. 6, according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).
HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT AT CENTER OF HEALTH ALERT OVER RAT-BORNE DISEASE
The CDPH warned the outbreak was linked to consumption of “wild, foraged mushrooms” and urged Californians not to pick or eat wild mushrooms at this time.
The officials stated in a report that death cap mushrooms are “still poisonous even after cooking, boiling, freezing or drying.”
The California Poison Control System (CPCS) identified cases across Northern California and the Central Coast, spanning regions from Sonoma to San Luis Obispo between Nov. 18 and Jan. 6.
Affected individuals ranged from 19 months to 67 years old. Officials blamed the recent rainfall for the overgrowth of the toxic mushroom.
Symptoms of amatoxin poisoning
Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and dehydration, which can occur within six to 24 hours after ingesting the poisonous mushroom, stated the CDPH report.
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“You might not get symptoms for the first five or six hours, and that’s just by nature of the breakdown of the toxin in the stomach. Then you get the nausea, vomiting and diarrhea,” Dr. Lauren Shawn, M.D., a board-certified emergency medicine physician and medical toxicologist at Northwell Health Phelps Hospital in Sleepy Hollow, New York, told Fox News Digital.
“Because of the damage caused by the death cap mushroom, the liver is no longer able to function properly.”
Although symptoms can resolve within a day, serious or even fatal liver damage can still occur two to four days later.
DOZENS SICKENED AS POTENTIALLY DEADLY FUNGUS SPREADS IN SOUTHERN STATE
After the initial stomach issues subside, the toxin continues to invade the liver cells and stops them from making RNA (ribonucleic acid), which the body needs to make healing and protective proteins.
“It takes some time for the toxin to actually damage the cell, which is why people don’t show up with liver failure until a day or two after,” Shawn said.
Amatoxin “damages many types of cells in the human body, but especially liver cells,” Dr. Adam Berman, the associate chair of emergency medicine and a medical toxicologist at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York, told Fox News Digital.
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“Because of the damage caused by the death cap mushroom, the liver is no longer able to function properly. Without a functional liver, the body begins to fail and can quickly die,” the doctor warned.
As there is no widely available rapid test to detect amatoxin poisoning, clinicians rely on exposure history, symptoms and liver tests, according to experts.
When to seek medical attention
Anyone who has consumed this type of mushroom should follow up with their primary care physician or a liver specialist to monitor for liver failure, doctors recommend.
“Ideally, if you have leftover mushrooms, bring them in or take pictures of them, because hopefully a poison center can call a mycologist and actually identify what the mushroom is,” Shawn advised.
Toxicologists agree with the California health agency’s warning to avoid foraging wild mushrooms.
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“The death cap mushroom can look to the untrained eye like many common and non-toxic mushrooms, which often makes it often difficult to spot and avoid,” Berman told Fox News Digital. “Because of this, it is best to not go looking for wild mushrooms to eat, especially in areas where the death cap mushroom commonly grows.”
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Shawn agreed that it is also not worth the risk.
“There’s a saying, ‘there are old mushroom foragers, there are bold mushroom foragers, but there are no old, bold mushroom foragers,’” she told Fox News Digital. “It’s a risky thing and you really have to know what you’re doing.”
The CDPH recommends that individuals purchase mushrooms from trusted grocery stores and retailers, to be careful when buying them from street vendors, and to keep children and pets away from wild mushrooms.
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Those in the area who have ingested a death cap mushroom should contact the CPCS hotline at 1-800-222-1222 and seek medical attention right away, health officials advised.