Iran proxies wage war on Israel, threaten US interests as Iraq slammed for not disarming them
FIRST ON FOX: The Israeli military spokesman confirmed to Fox News Digital this week that multiple unmanned aerial vehicles, UAVs, have been launched into Israel from Iraqi territory since the start of the conflict with Iran to eradicate the Islamic Republic of Iran’s illicit nuclear weapons facilities, missile systems and terrorism infrastructure.
Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, the Israeli military spokesman, said that the army has had a “near complete success” rate in stopping Iranian drones from hitting Israeli targets.
The drones fired from Iraq are presumed to come from the Iranian regime-controlled Popular Mobilization Forces, or PMF. An umbrella organization of Shiite terrorists, that attacked Israel with drones in 2024 during Israel’s war against the Tehran-backed Hamas movement.
An Iraqi Kurdish official told Fox News Digital, “Iraq has become a vessel for the Iranians. Is it so hard to see? I don’t see a distinction between the PMF and the state. They’re paid by the state, hold sovereign portfolios in this cabinet, go on foreign travel and now they’ve entered the federal legislature.”
The official continued: “In the last two decades, Iran has systemically taken over the state, weaponizing what were supposed to be institutions into tools to protect the Shia regime in Baghdad and punish any threat to it, including the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Through Baghdad and state institutions, it has economically strangled the Kurdistan Region, torn strips from our autonomy and exposed us to more attacks.”
An attack was reported on the country’s shrinking Christian community. The Chaldean Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil, Iraq, from the capital city of Iraqi Kurdistan, wrote on X on Thursday: “A miracle no one was injured when 2 drones struck our community, 150 meters from our Catechist Center that serves 1,000 Catholic children. Our university & schools are also closed so the young can be with their parents. Please pray for us & for all who suffer in this war.”
Kurdistan Regional Government authorities confirmed the attack and said it was carried out by two drones.
ISRAEL POUNDS HEZBOLLAH TARGETS, DARING LEBANON TO RECLAIM SOVEREIGNTY FROM IRAN-BACKED TERROR PROXY
Phillip Smyth, an expert on Shiite militias in Iraq, told Fox News Digital about the strikes on the Chaldean Catholic school that “Kata’ib Hezbollah was first to talk about it and it was likely Kata’ib Hezbollah, but it is possible it was another two pro-Iran militias because they all work together on drone launches.”
A drone attack struck an oil field operated by U.S. firm HKN Energy in Iraq’s Kurdistan region on Thursday, causing a fire and halting production, according to a Reuters report citing security sources and an oilfield engineer.
No group claimed responsibility, but Kurdish officials accused Iran-allied Iraqi militias of carrying out the attack.
If so, the attack would mean Iran‑aligned Iraqi militias, who have vowed to retaliate for the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, have expanded targets from U.S. military bases in Iraqi Kurdistan to U.S. energy interests.
Production at the field was halted as a precaution after an explosion at its power unit, the engineer told Reuters.
Some energy companies operating in Iraqi Kurdistan shut oil and gas production at their fields as a precaution after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on neighboring Iran.
Entifadh Qanbar, a former spokesman for the deputy prime minister of Iraq, echoed the comments of the Iraqi Kurdish official in his statement to Fox News Digital: “The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) are fully funded by the Iraqi government. In fact, they are formally included as a line item in Iraq’s federal budget. Officially, more than $3 billion is allocated annually just for salaries, but when logistics, weapons, food, and other operational costs are included, the PMF’s budget likely exceeds $10 billion. That is the size of the budget of a small country in the Middle East,” he claimed.
IRAQI STATE BANK ACCUSED OF PROCESSING PAYMENTS FOR HOUTHI TERRORISTS WHO DISRUPT RED SEA COMMERCE
Qanbar said there is a way to change Iraq’s behavior: “If the United States wants to stop this situation, there are clear tools available. Sanctions must be imposed on the Iraqi government for funding these militias. Another powerful mechanism involves Iraq’s oil revenues, which are deposited at the U.S. Federal Reserve. The United States could suspend transfers of those funds unless Baghdad halts the financing of the PMF. Make no mistake: every terrorist who launches drones or rockets against Kurdistan, U.S. interests, Gulf states or military bases is effectively being paid by the Iraqi government,” he claimed.
When asked if the Islamic Republic of Iran urged Shiite militias from the PMF to fire drones at Israel, a spokesman for Iran’s U.N. mission said, “The Mission declined to comment.”
On Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said his government is “not tolerating any attempt aimed at dragging Iraq into war or threatening the country’s stability,” according to Kurdistan24.
Salwan Sinjari, chief of staff to the Iraqi foreign minister, referred Fox News Digital to the Iraqi foreign ministry page for official statements by his minister and the government. He did not respond to follow-up messages and calls on whether Iraq’s government was failing to crack down on the PMF.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein claimed the government was seeking to convince Iran-backed militias to disarm in January 2025, according to the Long War Journal.
However, Iraq’s government has issued mixed messages about the PMF over the years. In May 2025 al-Sudani was quoted as saying, “Today, the Popular Mobilization Forces constitute a basic force in defending Iraq.”
Iraq’s ambassador to the U.S. did not immediately respond to email, WhatsApp and telephone queries. A second Iraqi diplomat said he was unable to provide Fox News Digital a comment.
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The Times of Israel reported on Thursday, after military strikes eliminated a senior officer from Kataeb Hezbollah — Iraq’s largest pro-Iran militia — south of Baghdad that PMF militias pledged to strike the Middle East interests of European nations that joined in the “Zionist-American” strikes on the Islamic Republic and its proxies.
Fox News Digital reached out to the U.S. State Department.
Major city doubles its visitor tax to become one of highest amid overtourism concerns
As popular vacation destinations continue their crackdown on overtourism, one major city has recently raised its traveler tax — making it one of the highest in Europe.
The city of Barcelona, Spain, has nearly doubled its hotel guest tax, from $5-$9 to $10-$17 per person, per night — while holiday rentals rose from 12.5 euros per night, up from $7.24 to a maximum of $14.49, Reuters reported.
The change follows overcrowding concerns from local residents due to the high number of visitors and a shortage of affordable housing for native Spaniards.
Barcelona citizens held a large protest last summer, even spraying tourists with water guns, as Fox News Digital previously reported.
Demonstrators marched with signs saying, “One more tourist, one less resident,” and “Tourist Go Home.” The demonstrators are demanding a reworking of their local economy.
Andreu Martínez of Spain humorously said at the time that the use of squirt guns was to annoy the tourists a bit.
“Barcelona has been handed to the tourists,” said Martínez. “This is a fight to give Barcelona back to its residents.”
He said his rent had risen over 30%, with apartments in his neighborhood continually being rented out for short-term vacation use instead.
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The regional parliament of Catalonia said it is planning to ban all short-term rental accommodation by 2028.
“I don’t think this added expense is fair.”
Short-term rentals in Barcelona have been stagnant for years, remaining at around 10,000 since 2014, according to figures from Barcelona’s City Hall.
Barcelona city data indicates around 850,000 homes exist in Barcelona, making the 10,000 or so short-term rentals a fraction of total housing.
Italian nurse Irene Verrazzo, who traveled to the city, told Reuters that Barcelona was already very expensive. She said she would probably not visit again.
“I don’t think this added expense is fair,” she told Reuters. “They already make money from tourists spending in shops, visiting their monuments, etc.”
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Barcelona hotel owners have expressed concern the tax rise could deter too many tourists from visiting.
Manel Casals, Barcelona’s hoteliers’ group general director, told Reuters that proposals to monitor the taxes’ impact and raise them gradually instead were ignored.
“One day, they will kill the goose that lays the golden eggs,” said Casals.
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Last year, 96.8 million people visited Spain — with nearly 94 million visiting in 2024, according to government data.
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Fox News Poll: Voters give poor marks to economy, Congress and Trump
With prices still a concern and economic confidence subdued, voter anger toward Washington has reached new highs.
Majorities say the economy is struggling, inflation is not under control and the federal government is falling short.
A new Fox News survey finds a record 70% disapprove of the job congressional Democrats are doing, up 6 percentage points since December (29% approve).
Views of congressional Republicans have mostly held steady, with 36% approving and 64% disapproving.
The gap reflects greater party unity on the right: 77% of Republicans approve of their party’s leaders, while just 62% of Democrats approve of theirs.
The sour mood extends beyond Congress. Eight percent are “enthusiastic” about how the federal government is working, and another 26% are “satisfied.” But a majority is “dissatisfied” (33%) or “angry” (32%) with Washington.
While these views are similar to the one-year point in Joe Biden’s presidency (February 2022), there are two key differences. First, the 8% enthusiastic and the 32% angry are at record highs. And, second, the partisan intensity has flipped. Republicans were more than four times as likely as Democrats to be angry in 2022, while Democrats are more than five times as likely as Republicans to feel that way now.
FOX NEWS POLL: VIEWS ARE DIVIDED ON US ACTION AGAINST IRAN
“Political science research indicates anger is a more powerful mobilizing force than hope or fear,” says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducted the survey with Democrat Chris Anderson. “The anger on the left may be one reason Democrats have been doing so well in recent special elections and early 2026 primaries.”
Much of that frustration appears rooted in the economy. Only 30% rate it positively, down from 32% earlier in President Trump’s term (July 2025). More than twice as many say economic conditions are only fair or poor.
Voters are still feeling cost pressures. Compared to a year ago, most say grocery prices have increased (81%), including more than half who say they are up a lot (56%). Large numbers also say costs have increased for utilities (79%), healthcare (71%), housing (65%) and gas (51%).
And while 22% say inflation is completely or mostly under control, the highest going back to 2022, most say it is not.
More than half, 57%, rate their personal finances negatively, and those ratings are especially high among independents (61%), Black voters (66%), voters under 30 (66%), women (66%) and households with income below $50,000 (74%).
Just 9% say there are a lot of jobs in their community that pay decent wages, while 15% say there are almost none.
Reflecting those concerns, half of voters identify the cost of living (50%) as the most important economic issue facing the country, far ahead of government spending (18%), jobs (10%), income inequality (9%), tariffs (8%) and taxes (4%).
Currently, 43% approve and 57% disapprove of the job Trump is doing overall. It was 44% and 56% in both January and December.
Another 6 in 10 say he is focused on the wrong things. By comparison, 54% said Biden had the wrong focus in November 2021.
Virtually all Democrats are unhappy with the job Trump is doing (95% disapprove) and say he is focused on the wrong issues (94%). Republican unity is strong but not absolute: 87% approve and 83% say he has the right focus. There is a fault line within the GOP over support for the MAGA movement.
Among Republicans who identify with MAGA, approval of the president climbs to 98% compared to just 63% among non-MAGA Republicans. And there is a similar 38-point gap in whether he is focused on the right issues (95% MAGA vs. 57% non-MAGA).
Most independents disapprove of Trump’s job performance (72%) and think he is focused on the wrong issues (78%).
Border security is the president’s only positive issue, with 52% of voters approving (48% disapprove). His ratings are underwater by 35 points on the cost of living (32% approve, 67% disapprove), 27 points on tariffs, 23 points on the economy and healthcare, 20 points on foreign policy, 19 points on taxes, 13 points on jobs and 6 points on immigration. Republicans rate Trump far more negatively on the cost of living (33% disapprove) than other measures.
On tariffs, 63% of voters disapprove of how Trump is handling them, while another 56% oppose tariffs in general. The top concerns about tariffs are higher consumer costs, the risk of a trade war and reduced product availability. The main reasons for supporting them are preventing unfair trade practices from other countries, protecting U.S. jobs, increasing government revenue and reducing the trade deficit.
After the Supreme Court’s Feb. 20 ruling limiting the administration’s tariff authority, 62% say Trump is being treated fairly by the high court, including majorities of Democrats (76%) and independents (58%) and half of Republicans (50%).
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Still, the Court’s own ratings have slipped: 57% disapprove, up 7 points since last summer. The higher disapproval is driven largely by a near doubling among Republicans, from 20% disapproving in 2025 to 39% today.
US whiskey exports to Canada collapse nearly 70% after Trump tariff fight
EXCLUSIVE: LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A year after Canadian provinces yanked American whiskey from store shelves in a trade clash triggered by President Donald Trump’s tariffs, U.S. spirits exports have collapsed by nearly 70%, gutting what had been one of the industry’s most important overseas markets.
In 2025, Canada slid from the second-largest destination for American spirits to sixth, as exports declined two-thirds to $89 million, according to data compiled by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS).
Before the dispute, the market had generated roughly $250 million annually for American distillers.
The drop was immediate and relentless. From March through December, exports fell from $203 million in 2024 to just $60 million in 2025 — a roughly $143 million wipeout.
FROM BOURBON TO BORDEAUX: TRUMP’S TARIFFS SPILL INTO GLOBAL BOOZE MARKETS
Despite the lifting of some tariffs, most Canadian provinces continue to shut American alcohol out of retail stores.
“Our industry thrives in a zero-for-zero tariff environment,” Chris Swonger, DISCUS president and CEO, told Fox News Digital.
The export downturn comes as Trump continues to use tariffs as economic leverage — a strategy his administration argues is designed to strengthen U.S. manufacturing and reduce trade imbalances.
While Swonger said the industry recognizes the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce trade imbalances, he noted that the loss of Canadian shelf space has had a significant impact on exports.
“Since Liberation Day, it’s unfortunate to report that our industry has lost over 70% of our exports to Canada because many provinces have decided not to carry American spirits,” Swonger said.
‘WE WERE RIGHT’: HE TOOK TRUMP’S TARIFFS TO THE SUPREME COURT AND WON
Nowhere is the fallout felt more acutely than in Kentucky, the epicenter of America’s bourbon business.
The Bluegrass State is bourbon’s beating heart, producing 95% of the world’s supply, employing more than 23,000 workers and generating a cool $9 billion annually, according to figures provided by the Kentucky Distillers’ Association.
RAND PAUL: BOURBON INDUSTRY ‘HATES’ BEING A TARGET IN US TRADE FIGHTS
For distillers on the ground, the trade dispute doesn’t end at the border.
Owen Martin, master distiller at Angel’s Envy, said the consequences reach into the bourbon-making process itself.
“There are the tariffs on finished goods and on us shipping abroad, but I’m even thinking a step below that,” Martin said.
He pointed to barrels as one example. By law, bourbon must be aged in new American oak barrels, which can only be used once for bourbon production. But port casks — used to finish Angel’s Envy bourbon — can be reused multiple times.
“Those are the sorts of things, as a maker, that I have to be aware of in any given year,” Martin said. “You have different opportunities and different challenges.”
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Beyond supply chain pressures, the export downturn is largely tied to provincial retail bans in Canada. The majority of provinces have yet to restore American alcohol to government-run retail stores.
Swonger said the dispute has produced a striking irony between two whiskey-loving nations.
“American consumers love Canadian whisky, and Canadians love Kentucky bourbon,” he said. “We’re hoping this gets resolved.”
Supreme Court blocks Trump tariffs—but hands him a smarter path forward
President Donald Trump has lost his tariff case in the Supreme Court. However, with careful and prudent use of the tariff powers he does have, he can turn this into a win for his policies and for America.
The Supreme Court has just ruled in Learning Services v. Trump that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not authorize the president to impose tariffs. While the act unquestionably gives him the power to regulate imports in the event of unusual and extraordinary emergencies, the dispute was whether tariffs — a kind of tax — are legally and constitutionally “regulation.”
While there were reasonable arguments on both sides, six of the nine justices ruled they are not, and that the IEEPA does not empower the president to impose tariffs. What are the likely economic consequences of this ruling, and what should it imply for future Trump trade policy?
First, note that as economic policy, tariffs are a bad idea. International trade raises incomes and promotes economic growth in every country that trades. Trade is mutually beneficial, win-win for all trading parties. It is a popular myth that trade destroyed American manufacturing. American manufacturing has steadily increased since 1970, more than doubling, as shown by data collected by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
On the other hand, roughly 90% of the costs of the “liberation day” tariffs have been borne by American businesses and consumers, as shown in analysis by economists at the New York Federal Reserve. The American economy has had solid growth and low unemployment under Trump, but this is owing to his excellent energy and deregulation policies, which have reduced regulatory burdens. Tariff costs are another burden on the economy. Removing this drag should further encourage economic growth and employment.
VOTERS REACT AS TRUMP TOUTS SIGNATURE TARIFF PLAN AT STATE OF THE UNION
It is also a popular myth that a trade deficit is a loss for a country. The trade deficit, or current account, is balanced by the capital and financial accounts, that is, foreigners investing in America. There are two reasons why foreign investment flows into America. One is that America’s security and dynamism make it an attractive place to invest, a good thing. The other is the federal government’s growing appetite for borrowing to cover its burgeoning deficits, a bad thing. Tariffs and trade restrictions make America’s economy less dynamic and do nothing to curb the government’s fiscal irresponsibility. There is no good economic argument for tariffs.
However, for foreign policy and national security purposes, tariffs can have an important role. Numerous other laws authorize the president to impose such tariffs. For example, the Trade Act of 1974, Section 122 (under which Trump has now imposed 10% tariffs) authorizes tariffs in the event of severe balance-of-payments deficits. The Trade Expansion Act of 1962, Section 232, authorizes tariffs on goods for national security purposes.
Numerous other laws authorize the president to impose tariffs. However, all of these include various reasonable conditions and limits. For example, if the president imposes a national security tariff, Section 232 gives the administration 270 days to develop a study justifying the tariff. Trump still holds broad power to impose tariffs, but now it is more constrained and requires transparent reasons for any particular exercise of this power.
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While this constrains Trump somewhat, he can turn this into a win for his presidency. Tariff power can be useful as a foreign policy tool, and by using a more nuanced and targeted approach to tariff policy, he can accomplish a lot of good for the American economy.
For example, the European Union is attempting to impose its ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) standards on American firms doing business in Europe, via the EU’s Corporate Due Diligence and Sustainability Mandates. EU mandates would apply to all of a firm’s activities everywhere, not just those in Europe.
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Similarly, the EU has attempted to impose its Digital Services Act on American media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) and Meta. This would require firms to monitor and censor free speech, despite America’s First Amendment protections. Targeted tariffs could be a very useful tool for punching back at this, protecting free commerce and defending American firms from such attacks. This would have the effect of strengthening America’s economy and position in the world.
President Trump has lost a round in the Supreme Court and his ability to impose tariffs is constrained. But with judicious use of the powers he retains, he can turn this into an opportunity to make America stronger and his presidency a greater success.
RICK PERRY: Where’s the beef? Trump knows and he’s trying to make it affordable
“America First” has been more than a slogan for President Trump. It has become a governing framework and near-mandate for his administration. America First policy decisions have manifested across immigration strategy, energy regulation, and, perhaps most clearly, trade policy.
The beef market has been in desperate need of an America First recalibration after President Joe Biden’s failed policies. Ground beef prices have become astronomical, reaching an average of $6.69 per pound in December, the highest price since tracking began in the 1980s.
These price increases are outpacing those of other food categories due to structural problems within the domestic beef market. Analysis from the American Farm Bureau Federation shows the domestic herd has fallen to a 75-year low and is continuing to shrink as fewer calves are retained for breeding. As a result, the U.S. cattle herd is unlikely to expand until at least 2028.
From my time as governor of Texas and agriculture commissioner for the nation’s leading cattle-producing state, I understand both the gravity of this situation and the need for a deliberate policy response.
In October, President Donald Trump addressed the need for beef affordability measures and signaled plans to increase imports, which he recently finalized through an executive order, opening the U.S. to an additional 80,000 metric tons of lean beef trimmings from Argentina this year.
This step is valuable because the U.S. does not produce enough beef to meet domestic demand, necessitating imports. Argentina is a strategic and well-suited partner to remedy our beef shortage because they specialize in lower-cost, lean beef. These trimmings from Argentina will be blended with fattier domestic beef to produce hamburgers and ground beef products – affordable staples in high demand.
Importing the specific type of affordable beef directly addresses supply and aligns with an America First approach. Expanding lean beef imports will reduce pressures on our beef supply, thus reducing costs for consumers while protecting cattle ranchers’ premium production.
THE SURPRISING REASON WHY AMERICANS COULD FACE HIGH BEEF PRICES FOR YEARS
The impacts of these smart imports are complemented and multiplied by broader efforts to strengthen the cattle sector, including Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ October plan to fortify the American beef industry and President Trump’s directive for the Department of Justice to crack down on foreign-owned meat packing cartels.
Beyond these efforts, the administration should reassess the existing allocation of tariff-rate quotas (TRQs), which were configured in 1995. Reworking would acknowledge shifts in global production patterns and domestic market needs, putting U.S. ranchers in a better position.
Today, the overwhelming share of tariff-free beef imports are dedicated to Australia and New Zealand. Both countries focus heavily on premium, grass-fed exports – products that compete directly with higher-end U.S. beef in domestic and international markets.
By contrast, lean beef imports from South America primarily serve the lower-cost blended segment. Ranchers and their supporters criticizing the import increase from Argentina, but failing to push back about the near-unlimited market access Australia and New Zealand have are fighting the wrong battles.
The beef market has been in desperate need of an America First recalibration after President Joe Biden’s failed policies.
Some policymakers have raised concerns that imports would sideline American ranchers and that we should focus on cutting red tape, lowering production costs and supporting cattle herd growth. These priorities are valid – but they’re not mutually exclusive with strategic imports.
RFK JR BACKS BEEF, DECLARING ‘WAR ON PROTEIN IS OVER’ AS HE THANKS AMERICA’S CATTLE RANCHERS
The notion that imports should be avoided is misguided and ignores structural supply realities. Strategic imports like lean trimmings can stabilize prices while allowing U.S. producers to concentrate on premium markets, where profitability is strongest. This is how we pave the path for rancher success.
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If U.S. ranchers are forced to simultaneously try and dominate serving both low-margin ground products and high-margin premium markets with higher-end cuts, they may become overwhelmed. From a long-term market perspective, overextension can discourage heifer retention and delay necessary herd rebuilding.
President Trump and his team are on the right path with the Argentina deal. This expansion should be defended unapologetically, incorporated beyond just 2026, and considered as part of a long-term strategy rather than a temporary measure.
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Permanently expanding Argentina’s tariff-free access to the U.S. market for lean beef trimmings is how we ensure prices stop rising. The administration should also consider opportunities for expanded imports from other South American nations, such as Paraguay and Uruguay, where production aligns with U.S. market gaps.
Building an American First beef market requires precision and long-term thinking. The current policy shifts are moving in the right direction, which will support ranchers, strengthen our market and deliver affordability for American consumers.
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Chicago man deported from Bali after prison release for murder arrested on flight back to US
A Chicago man convicted in the 2014 suitcase killing of his girlfriend’s mother in Bali was arrested in international airspace on a flight to the U.S. to face federal murder conspiracy charges.
The Department of Justice said Tommy Schaefer, 32, of Chicago, faces a three-count indictment in the Northern District of Illinois charging him with conspiracy to kill in a foreign country, conspiracy to commit foreign murder of a U.S. national and obstruction.
Prosecutors say Schaefer conspired with girlfriend Heather Mack to murder her mother, Sheila von Wiese-Mack, during a 2014 trip to Bali, Indonesia.
Court filings say Mack arranged Schaefer’s travel to Bali as part of the plan. In the days before the attack, Schaefer exchanged messages with his cousin, Ryan Bibbs, about how to carry out the killing.
Bibbs pleaded guilty in December 2016 to conspiracy to commit foreign murder of a U.S. national after admitting he advised Schaefer on the killing. Court records show Mack also asked Bibbs whether he knew someone who would murder her mother for money.
Authorities allege Schaefer and Mack discussed the timing and details of the killing before carrying it out Aug. 12, 2014, inside von Wiese-Mack’s hotel room. Afterward, investigators say, they concealed her body in a suitcase and placed it in the trunk of a taxi.
HEATHER MACK GETS 26 YEARS FOR CONSPIRACY TO KILL HER MOTHER AT LUXURY ISLAND RESORT AND DUMP BODY IN SUITCASE
Prosecutors have said the motive was financial, alleging the couple sought access to a $1.5 million trust fund, according to The Associated Press. In August 2014, von Wiese-Mack’s body was discovered inside a suitcase in the trunk of a taxi parked at the St. Regis Bali Resort.
Mack was 19 and several weeks pregnant at the time of the killing, while Schaefer was 21, the AP reported. Prosecutors said Mack covered her mother’s mouth as Schaefer struck her with a fruit bowl. The pair were arrested the day after the body was discovered.
AMERICAN WOMAN ACCUSED OF KILLING MOTHER ON BALI VACATION, HIDING BODY IN SUITCASE PLEADS GUILTY
The following year, both were convicted in Indonesia in the murder. Mack received a 10-year prison sentence. After her release and return to the United States, she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kill a U.S. national and was sentenced in June 2023 to 26 years in federal prison.
Schaefer was sentenced in Indonesia to 18 years in prison. He was returned to the United States after completing his term, which Indonesian officials reduced through remissions and good behavior credits.
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If convicted on the federal charges, Schaefer faces up to life in prison on the first two counts and up to 20 years on the obstruction charge and fines of up to $250,000.
US officials indict high-ranking Sinaloa Cartel narco-terrorists, offer up to $10M reward for their arrests
Authorities recently announced a superseding indictment against Sinaloa Cartel Tijuana Plaza leader René “La Rana” Arzate-García and his brother, Alfonso “Aquiles” Arzate-García, for allegedly trafficking massive amounts of drugs into America.
The U.S. State Department is offering a reward of up to $5 million each for information leading to their arrests.
La Rana was charged with narco-terrorism; conducting a continuing criminal enterprise; material support to a foreign terrorist organization; international conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl and marijuana; and money laundering.
The Arzate-García brothers have jointly controlled the Tijuana Plaza for the Sinaloa Cartel for the past 15 years, maintaining authority through violence, strategic alliances and deep local influence, including political and police corruption, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Despite ongoing conflicts, authorities claim they continue to manage the critical trafficking corridor, making them key figures in sustaining cartel operations, including trafficking deadly illicit fentanyl, which was designated by the Trump administration as a “weapon of mass destruction,” into U.S. communities.
Court documents allege La Rana uses paramilitary fighters to patrol and control territory, as well as drones equipped with explosives to conduct surveillance.
Officials said his group also has an extensive collection of military grade and high-powered guns and weapons, including assault weapons and grenade launchers.
“Foreign terrorist organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel have spent decades poisoning our children and committing acts of unimaginable violence against innocent civilians — no longer under President Trump,” Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote in a statement.
MAJOR DRUG LORD ‘EL MENCHO’ KILLED IN MEXICAN MILITARY OPERATION WITH US INTELLIGENCE SUPPORT
“This latest indictment, which follows the landmark conviction of Sinaloa Cartel co-founder ‘El Mayo’ on American soil, is a key development in this Department of Justice‘s ongoing campaign to permanently dismantle these cartels and deliver American justice to their cowardly leaders,” she continued.
Last year, Trump designated the Sinaloa Cartel as both a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) and a specially designated global terrorist (SDGT).
The Arzate-García brothers were charged in the Southern District of California in 2014 with drug trafficking offenses in separate indictments and have been fugitives since that time.
In August 2023, the brothers were designated by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Financial Assets Control under an executive order.
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FBI Director Kash Patel said his agency and its partners have an “unwavering” commitment to thwarting the Sinaloa Cartel.
“We will continue to use everything at our disposal to disrupt their operations and prevent further drugs and violence from coming into our communities,” Patel wrote in a statement. “The Sinaloa Cartel, including its leaders, will be forced to face the consequences of their actions.”
World Economic Forum president and CEO steps down after facing scrutiny over Epstein links
Børge Brende, who has faced scrutiny due to the revelation of links between him and the late Jeffrey Epstein, is stepping down from his role as World Economic Forum president and CEO.
“I am grateful for the incredible collaboration with my colleagues, partners, and constituents, and I believe now is the right moment for the Forum to continue its important work without distractions,” Brende said in a statement.
Disclosures by the U.S. Justice Department indicated that Brende had attended three business dinners with Epstein and engaged him in communications through email and texts, according to Reuters.
“In light of these interactions, the Governing Board requested the Audit and Risk Committee to look into the matter, which subsequently decided to initiate an independent review,” the WEF noted in a statement, the outlet reported earlier this month. “This decision underscores the Forum’s commitment to transparency and maintaining its integrity.”
In the statement about Brende’s departure, the globalist body noted, “The independent review conducted by outside counsel has concluded. The findings stated that there were no additional concerns beyond what has been previously disclosed.”
WEF’s co-chairs André Hoffmann and Larry Fink said in a statement on behalf of the board of trustees that they wanted “to express our sincere appreciation for Børge Brende’s significant contributions to the World Economic Forum.”
“His dedication and leadership have been instrumental during a pivotal period of reforms for the organization, leading to a successful annual meeting in Davos. We respect his decision to step down,” they said.
“We are pleased to announce that Alois Zwinggi will serve as Interim President and CEO and looking forward to his continued collaboration and partnership over time,” Hoffmann and Fink added. “The Board of Trustees will oversee the leadership transition including the plan to drive a proper process to identify a permanent successor.”
FORMER NORWEGIAN PM THORBJØRN JAGLAND HOSPITALIZED AMID EPSTEIN PROBE
Brende asserted in a statement that he met Epstein while attending a dinner that former Norwegian Deputy Prime Minister Terje Rod-Larsen invited him to, according to Reuters.
Brende noted that he later went to two similar dinners that included Epstein and that those dinners plus “a few emails and SMS messages” comprised the full scope of his engagements with Epstein, according to the outlet.
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“I was completely unaware of Epstein’s past and criminal activities,” Brende noted, according to the outlet.
“Had I known about his background, I would have declined the initial invitation to join Rod-Larsen and any subsequent dinner invitations or other communications,” he said.
Dem senator puts Trump on notice over ‘unlawfully collected’ tariff funds after Supreme Court loss
FIRST ON FOX: A Senate Democrat is demanding that the Trump administration refund billions in tariff revenue to Americans following last week’s Supreme Court decision, according to a letter first obtained by Fox News Digital.
Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., wrote in a letter to President Donald Trump charging that he was concerned over the White House’s “lack of action” to issue refunds to families and small businesses impacted by tariffs.
His appeal to the president comes after the Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision last week that Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), the law undergirding his sweeping duties, “does not authorize the President to impose tariffs.”
“The invalidation of these IEEPA tariffs is a chance to make American families and small businesses whole — not to retain unlawfully collected funds or enable additional corporate profit,” Gallego wrote.
Gallego’s letter comes as Congress wrestles with its next move on tariffs and as Trump has vowed to sidestep lawmakers in his quest to continue levying duties on other countries.
Some Republicans want to see Trump’s tariffs considered through budget reconciliation — the same party-line move used to pass his “big, beautiful bill” last year — to meet the deliberative parameters established in the court’s decision.
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Others think Trump doesn’t need to come to Congress. The president already moved to reinstate 10% tariffs that are set to last for 150 days and will require lawmakers to weigh in on continuing them.
Several congressional Democrats want to see the administration tender full refunds from the billions raked in under Trump’s tariffs — 25 Senate Democrats back a newly introduced bill led by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., to refund all duties with interest.
And Gallego specifically wants guardrails to ensure that money ends up in the hands of families and small businesses.
“Absent action from this administration, over $100 billion in tariff revenue collected under those unlawful tariffs will not make it into the hands of American families and small businesses but instead will remain either in government coffers or in corporate accounts,” Gallego wrote.
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Since the start of the current fiscal year in October, Trump’s IEEPA tariffs are estimated to have generated roughly $155 billion, according to data from the Treasury Department.
He also raised concerns about large corporations taking advantage of the “chaotic and expansive nature of the IEEPA tariffs” to crank up prices on products in response to the duties.
Gallego included several requests of the administration in his letter to be met no later than March 4, including whether the administration will issue tariff refunds, who will be eligible, how much revenue has been collected as of Feb. 20 and whether corporations will be required to disclose tariff costs passed on to consumers, among several others.
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He also warned that corporations, armed with the financial firepower to hire “high-priced lawyers and lobbyists,” would have a leg up on Americans without the same means.
“Without your administration providing a structured process to determine how refunds should be distributed, American families and small businesses will once again be left behind,” Gallego wrote.