Liberal outlet marvels at transformation of Venezuela after Maduro’s arrest

NPR correspondent Eyder Peralta was amazed during a segment Friday by his recent trip to Venezuela following President Donald Trump‘s arrest of the country’s president Nicolás Maduro.

“It is absolutely surreal because you land at the airport and the signs are in Spanish, Russian, Arabic and Chinese, which tells you just where this country was facing a few months ago,” Peralta told host Steve Inskeep. “And then you go out on the streets and people here tell you that they feel like a weight has been lifted.”

He continued, “For the first time in a long time, there are street protests. Opposition groups are holding public meetings. I was at the justice department building yesterday, and there was a group of protesters calling for all political prisoners to be released.”

Peralta recalled his encounter with Edward Ocariz, a former political prisoner who Peralta said had “faced the wrath of this government.”

“But then, right there in public, he taunted the government. They call us traitors, he said, but look at them now,” Peralta said. “‘Now it’s them who are not only kneeling,’ he’s saying, ‘but sleeping with the United States.’ And to be clear, he thinks the U.S. intervention was regrettable, but he also thinks that something good came out of it, and that allows him to say this in public without being thrown back in prison.”

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The NPR reporter went on to say he observed “lots of smiles” during Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s visit, who was brokering a deal with the interim Venezuelan government, eyeing minerals that the U.S. once depended on China for.

“And those are the minerals in your laptop, for example, and he says Venezuela likely has those minerals,” Peralta said. “American companies would like to extract them, and Venezuela could suddenly become key in helping the U.S. break reliance on China — a win-win, he called it. And yesterday, Trump said, quote, ‘Venezuela is working.’ Once again, he was framing it as the model for regime change.”

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The Trump administration shocked the world in January when it extracted Maduro and his wife in an overnight operation in order to bring them to justice in the U.S. for criminal charges filed against them in 2020.

The State Department announced Thursday the U.S. is reestablishing “diplomatic and consular relations” with the interim Venezuelan government.

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Minimum wage law signed by Dem mayor making life ‘impossible’ for key industry: study

A phased-in minimum wage hike in Los Angeles that will mandate up to $30 per hour for hotel workers, signed into law by mayor Karen Bass, is already causing problems for the hotel industry and putting the squeeze on the working-class demographic that minimum wage laws are purportedly intended to help.

“The bottom line is the city of Los Angeles has forced a wage and benefits package on hotels that is utterly unaffordable at a time when Californians and Americans are laser focused on affordability,” Hotel Association of Los Angeles (HALA) President Dr. Jackie Filla told Fox News Digital in an interview this week. 

HALA recently commissioned a study that found hotels have eliminated or expect to eliminate 6% of positions, roughly 650 jobs, since the Hotel Worker Minimum Wage Ordinance took effect in September 2025.

Mayor Bass signed the ordinance into law May 27, 2025, after it was approved by the Los Angeles City Council. The measure is often referred to as the “Olympic Wage” in reference to the sporting event being held in Los Angeles in 2028 and will raise pay for hotel and LAX airport workers up to $30 per hour by 2028. 

The law has already resulted in a pay increase to $22.50 per hour in July 2025, and will continue to increase incrementally until it hits $30 in July 2028. Filla says she is urging elected officials from the city council to the mayor to make “amendments” to the ordinance to ease the burden on the hospitality industry.

“We are at the very beginning of the series of these increases and hundreds of hotel workers have already lost their jobs,” Filla said. “Even more are seeing their hours reduced. We’ve seen restaurant closures within hotels, parking is already getting more expensive, and improvements and the creation of new buildings altogether are being delayed or canceled. So taken together, these impacts should really sound alarm bells for our local policymakers.”

In many instances, the workers who lose their jobs are working-class or blue-collar individuals and Filla pointed out that many managers and general managers started off as cooks or dishwashers and advanced through executive training programs which now are less available due to financial shortfalls. 

The study put out by HALA found that a significant number of the jobs lost have been labor-intensive positions like food and beverage, housekeeping, and parking.

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The study also found that 62% of hotels expect staff hours to decrease in 2026, with three-quarters anticipating reductions of at least 10%.

The impact extends beyond hotel payrolls to subcontractors operating on hotel properties, according to HALA, and hotels reported that two-thirds of third-party providers plan to raise prices to offset wage increases, and one in five plan to cancel hotel contracts altogether.

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“Unlike typical layoffs that are occurring in other industries right now, these job losses, and it is 6% of jobs lost in a short period of time, were entirely policy-driven, caused by the mayor and city council,” Filla said. “And what is especially troubling about this is it didn’t have to happen. Hotels actually want to maintain and grow their workforce heading into these major events, but these dramatic cost increases. Just make that impossible”

Fox News Digital reached out to Bass’s office for comment.

Paul Newman, Jimmy Buffett named in leaked Bohemian Club alleged member list

A newly circulated list purporting to show the 2023 membership list of the Bohemian Club includes several A-list celebs.

Paul Newman, Jimmy Buffett, Clint Black and Eric Church were named on the list obtained by an independent journalist.

If authentic, the 2023 list provides a rare snapshot of who might be a part of one of the country’s most exclusive networks.

Independent journalist Daniel Boguslaw published the list he allegedly got from a member online, and the list was confirmed by another alleged member to the San Francisco Standard.

“I went to this person’s office for a week straight,” Boguslaw told the outlet about his strategy to obtain the ultra-secret membership list.

The San Francisco Standard was able to reach an unnamed member, who confirmed the list was real.

Newman’s inclusion, despite his death in 2008, suggests the list may reference former members or historical records.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the celebrities mentioned for comment.

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The Bohemian Grove is a private, 2,700-acre compound located in Sonoma County. The Bohemian Club, which meets in a San Francisco clubhouse, hosts a two-week private retreat at the property, according to the New York Post.

The recently revealed membership list from 2023 features around 2,200 names of business executives, high-profile politicians, actors and musicians.

The list is divided into categories, with a number of members falling under each one.

A Bohemian Club spokesperson told the San Francisco Standard the club does not keep member lists due to the nature of the secret society.

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The Bohemian Club was allegedly founded in San Francisco in 1872 by a group of journalists, artists and musicians who sought a place to gather and celebrate the arts.

Over time, the club seemingly expanded to include prominent business leaders and public officials, gradually shifting from a primarily artistic circle to a broader network of influential figures.

Its annual summer encampment at Bohemian Grove in Sonoma County reportedly began in the late 19th century and evolved into the private retreat known today.

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Leaders outraged as woman walks free after brazen crime against cop caught on camera

A North Carolina woman accused of striking a police officer with her car during a street takeover was released on a $3,000 bond just hours after her arrest — a decision law enforcement leaders say sends a troubling message.

Tanaezah Michelle Austin, 25, faces a felony charge of assault with a deadly weapon on a government official in connection with the early Sunday morning incident in northwest Charlotte.

According to an arrest affidavit, officers responded around 3:25 a.m. to reports of vehicles doing donuts in a commercial parking lot. When officers attempted to break up what police described as a street takeover, one officer approached a black Kia Optima that was attempting to leave.

The affidavit states the driver initially stopped as the officer walked in front of the vehicle. But as he moved toward the driver’s side, the driver “began to accelerate rapidly” and struck him, causing him to roll over the hood.

Police say the officer was in full uniform and giving verbal commands to stop before he was hit, and was standing directly in front of the vehicle where he “could be clearly seen by the driver.”

The officer was transported to a hospital and treated for minor injuries.

Viral posts show the altercation, with some asking, “What is happening in Charlotte?”

Court records show Austin was arrested March 2 and released later that day after posting a $3,000 secured bond. A probable cause hearing is scheduled for March 24.

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The bond amount has sparked outrage among law enforcement leaders.

“These are among the worst of the worst incidents that we have to deal with in Charlotte,” said Dan Redford, president of the Charlotte Fraternal Order of Police. “To see a $3,000 bond for an offender, regardless of whether she has a criminal history or not, when the intent to flee was clearly there, is pathetic.”

Redford said the suspect fled the scene and was later located by officers. He added that decisions like this can impact officer morale.

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“It’s very frustrating,” Redford said. “There are laws on the books that are supposed to protect law enforcement officers from these heinous attacks. When officers see this treated like just another incident, it makes them question whether they’re truly supported — especially by members of the criminal justice system.”

Randy Sutton, a retired police lieutenant and founder of The Wounded Blue, an organization that advocates for injured law enforcement officers, said the bond decision reflects broader systemic concerns.

“When I hear about someone being released on a $3,000 bond for running over a police officer on video, it boggles my mind,” Sutton said. “In reality, that means she may have only had to put up about $300. She ran over a cop, and she walked out.”

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Sutton described street takeovers as “mob situations” that can quickly turn deadly.

“This wasn’t an accident,” he said. “She saw him, he was communicating with her, and then she just gunned the car toward him. This could have been a fatal encounter.”

He added that using a vehicle to strike an officer constitutes deadly force.

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“If you try to run over a police officer, they have every justification to use deadly force to protect themselves,” Sutton said.

U.S. Rep. Mark Harris, R-N.C., also criticized the bond decision.

“Running over a police officer is of the highest level of evil,” Harris said in a statement. “It’s also a complete slap in the face for our brave law enforcement to see these kinds of criminals allowed right back on the streets. When is Charlotte going to end the crime cycle? When are magistrates going to keep bad guys behind bars? Enough is enough!”

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Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley also weighed in, blaming what he described as soft-on-crime policies in Charlotte and across the state.

Whatley said those policies threaten law enforcement officers and public safety, arguing that criminals belong behind bars and pledging to continue backing law enforcement.

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The Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office declined to comment on the case, citing North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct that prohibit prosecutors from making out-of-court statements on pending cases.

Court records show Austin previously faced misdemeanor marijuana and paraphernalia charges in 2025. Those charges were later dismissed.

Gifted program axing in NYC backfires as families abandon public schools

Parents in New York City are reportedly worried about Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s plan to cut gifted programs in public schools, and it’s boosting interest in private schools, according to a new report.

New York Magazine reported that the private-school application process causes parents to network and put their children through “intensive” tutoring.

“Parents have complained for decades that getting into an elite independent school in Manhattan is harder than getting into Harvard; for the wealthy parents who are competing to spend about $70,000 a year, it’s an infamously complicated and time-intensive game of tutoring and networking that involves preschoolers sitting for assessments and ‘interviews’ just before nap time,” the magazine reported.

This gave rise to Facebook groups being formed, like “Moms of the Upper Eastside” and “UES Mommas,” where NYC parents vented about their children getting wait-listed and rejected at the school they believed their children would enroll in. One parent wrote, “It’s a bloodbath this year.”

During Mamdani’s campaign, he planned to end the gifted and talented program for kindergarten students at public schools — a proposal that “divided parents,” according to The New York Times.

Mamdani’s campaign told the Times that he would follow through with former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan, announced in 2021, to phase out the gifted program for elementary schools. Students currently enrolled in the program will continue, but the program will not be available for kindergartners next fall.

Mamdani has argued that early testing for gifted students contributes to inequities in the school system.

The plan to end the program prompted some education experts to warn that it could deprive high-achieving students — particularly those from low-income families — of critical academic opportunities.

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Brooke Parker, a Manhattan admissions consultant who focuses exclusively on kindergarten and nursery schools, confirmed to New York Magazine that the city’s private kindergartens were unusually competitive this cycle.

“Applications across the board were up 25 percent,” Parker said. 

She also cited a baby boom during the coronavirus pandemic that led to the growth in applications.

“People who were considering public school were very nervous about Mamdani winning,” Parker said. “The only area in Manhattan, really, that voted for Cuomo was the Upper East Side.”

The Mayor’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

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Another NYC admissions consultant, Alina Adams, said public school policies “added to the application glut” as the governor mandated class sizes to be reduced to 25 students per teacher by 2028. She said the mandate could cause the city to assign children in a wealthy neighborhood to schools outside their home districts.

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“You used to be able to buy your way into a good school by buying a home in a good school zone,” Adams said. “Now people are really concerned that they will be zoned out even of their zoned schools,” Adams added.

Mediterranean chef says ‘liquid gold’ in your pantry may rival trendy weight-loss drugs

In a world of complicated diet rules and trending weight-loss drugs, one Mediterranean cooking expert says the answer could already be in your pantry.

“Extra virgin olive oil — we call it our liquid gold, and I can’t live without it,” said Suzy Karadsheh, founder of The Mediterranean Dish brand and website. 

“It’s the one thing that I reach for all the time, and it’s one of the main reasons the Mediterranean diet is really good for heart health. You make that one swap, and you start using extra virgin oil for your fat, and you’ve just upgraded your diet by a lot, simply because you went from maybe saturated fats or something more processed to this liquid gold.”

Karadsheh grew up along the Mediterranean coast of Egypt and is now based in the Atlanta area. She’s the author of two New York Times bestselling cookbooks and the founder of a curated line of Mediterranean pantry staples. Her cooking centers on vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish and healthy fats — especially olive oil.

“People used to comment on how much olive oil I’m putting on top of my salad,” she said. “I would always say, ‘One day, one day, you’ll know.'”

Rich in polyphenols and other beneficial compounds, olive oil can support overall health and promote fullness, she told Fox News Digital in an interview. 

Some people in wellness circles have gone further, calling olive oil a “natural GLP-1” — referencing glucagon-like peptide-1, a gut hormone that helps regulate blood sugar, slow digestion and promote fullness. 

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GLP-1 is the same hormone targeted by popular weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy.

“I’m not making any claims that that’s the case, but I’m just saying that people are starting to catch on to the fact that healthier fats are helpful to you, because otherwise you may be trying to fill up from other sources and reaching for those ultra-processed snacks throughout the day,” Karadsheh said.

GLP-1 is naturally released in the gut after meals and stimulates insulin while reducing glucagon, helping to regulate blood sugar.

The hormone also slows digestion, enhancing satiety, according to a 2021 review published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

Certain nutrients — including protein, fiber and long-chain fatty acids — can stimulate GLP-1 release. Human studies cited in that review found that meals rich in olive oil produced higher post-meal GLP-1 responses than butter-rich meals, suggesting unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, may stimulate the hormone more effectively than saturated fats. 

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Earlier animal research, including a 2005 study published in Endocrine, found that rats fed an olive oil–enriched diet had higher GLP-1 levels and improved glucose tolerance.

But experts caution against overstating any comparison to prescription GLP-1 drugs.

“The olive oil–GLP-1 connection is real but routinely overstated,” said Dr. John La Puma, a California-based board-certified internist, professionally trained chef and author of the upcoming book “Indoor Epidemic.”

“Olive oil GLP-1 release lasts minutes to hours, versus days for the drugs.”

La Puma added that several human studies show meals with olive oil and avocado produce greater releases of GLP-1 and peptide YY (PYY), another hormone that helps signal fullness, than meals high in solid fats. He cautions against reducing complex biology to a single ingredient.

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“Calling any single food a ‘natural GLP-1’ misleads people,” he said. “What people can do is build environments — a food environment, a movement environment, a light environment — where their biology works the way it evolved to work. We need to fix the environment that broke people’s biology in the first place.”

“A brief dietary GLP-1 signal after a meal simply does not produce the same sustained effect.”

Joseph Zucchi, a New Hampshire–based physician assistant who specializes in obesity medicine, agreed there is “a small kernel of truth” to the olive oil claim, but the effect is short-lived.

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“Certain foods, including fats like olive oil, can stimulate the body to release GLP-1 after a meal,” he said. “But the body’s own GLP-1 is extremely short-lived. It circulates for about one to two minutes before it is broken down.”

GLP-1 medications, meanwhile, are engineered to remain active in the body for up to a week.

“A brief dietary GLP-1 signal after a meal simply does not produce the same sustained effect,” Zucchi said. He noted that olive oil still plays an important role in metabolic health when it replaces saturated or ultra-processed fats.

That idea of replacement is exactly where Karadsheh says people should focus.

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“A little bit more olive oil on your salad makes it that much more of a meal,” she said. “I actually need the fat in order to stay satisfied for longer.”

She even takes a shot of olive oil every morning, she said. Still, she agrees that making healthy swaps and pairing it with a balanced diet are where the real impact lies.

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“It’s not about eliminating,” she said. “It’s about upgrading.”

‘Pawn Stars’ Rick Harrison reacts to son’s medical fundraiser drama: ‘Grown man’

Rick Harrison is speaking out about a fundraising effort to help with son Corey Harrison’s medical care.

Corey, who was in a motorcycle crash in January, says he emptied his bank account to cover part of his hospital bills, but the expenses have continued to build. “Pawn Stars” fans have suggested that he shouldn’t be asking for money after years on a successful reality show, or that his father, who still owns the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas in addition to his own TV earnings, should foot the bill.

“I paid all of Corey’s medical bills long before he put the GoFundMe out,” Rick told Fox News Digital. “He is a grown man in his 40s and is responsible for how he handles his finances.”

He also added, “It’s always nice to be paid back, but there is no repayment schedule in place.”

Some fans of the long-running History Channel series have been a bit more critical of the GoFundMe.

“Maybe pay your own medical bills instead of trying to get strangers online to pay for them?” someone commented on Corey’s most recent Instagram post.

“There are thousands of broke people out there who would never ask for help like that.. the fans have given him enough already and he blew it,” another person wrote.

Others have been supportive, offering well wishes to Corey on X. One person told him, “I hope you recover and are better than ever. Love pawn stars and have been a customer in your shop. Surprised you’re doing a go fund me tho.”

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Corey responded, “Thank you and I appreciate the positive comment.. I hope you never get into an accident in mexico and they wont touch you without bringing in a card reader! They will let you die! 100k in medical bill. The gofundMe me wasnt somthing I wanted to do!”

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According to the GoFundMe, which was set up by a friend and has pulled in more than $8,500 in donations so far, Corey suffered “11 fractured ribs, a punctured lung, a concussion, and internal bleeding” during the January motorcycle crash in Mexico, where he moved after leaving “Pawn Stars.”

WATCH: RICK HARRISON RECALLS VISITING SON COREY IN HOSPITAL ON DAY BEFORE HIS WEDDING

After spending 14 days in the hospital, Corey left against medical advice because he couldn’t afford to keep paying upfront for his care. While friends tried to help him get comfortable at home, he took a turn for the worse. He was taken to a less expensive hospital hours away, where doctors discovered that “one rib had completely separated and was pressing into his lung. Surgeons drained nearly three liters of blood from his chest cavity.”

He underwent three surgeries and spent 18 days in that hospital.

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In addition to the medical costs – the creator of the fundraiser said that Corey spent all he had in his bank account, and that multiple friends maxed out credit cards to help – the former reality star is now three months behind on rent, and he’s still dealing with medical expenses including medication and therapy. The money raised is meant to help him with that, and to help him return to the U.S. so he can recover fully with the support of his family.

Newsom dubs outgoing DHS chief ‘Kosplay Barbie,’ laments stalled $500M wildfire aid

California Gov. Gavin Newsom ripped outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem over her controversial ad campaign and demanded the agency immediately release more than $500 million in stalled FEMA funding for Los Angeles wildfire recovery.

Newsom, in a statement, labeled Noem “Kosplay Barbie” and accused her of prioritizing a $220 million taxpayer-funded ad campaign featuring herself over disaster relief for fire-ravaged communities.

“While Kristi Noem poured $220 million of taxpayer money into a political ad campaign featuring herself on horseback, more than $500 million in FEMA funding for LA fire recovery sat stalled on her desk,” Newsom said in a statement alongside a still photo of Noem riding a horse from the widely publicized ad.

“Families in Los Angeles shouldn’t have to wait while she and Donald Trump play politics. Release the funding now and redirect those dollars to help communities rebuild.”

The Los Angeles wildfires burned for weeks in early 2025, destroying thousands of homes across areas including Pacific Palisades and Altadena and causing tens of billions of dollars in estimated damage.

Newsom’s office said DHS under Noem required her personal sign-off on every department contract, grant or disaster award exceeding $100,000, including FEMA public assistance and hazard mitigation grants. The governor said the policy created a backlog of awards that had already been vetted, awaiting final approval.

According to Newsom’s office, more than $500 million tied to Los Angeles fire recovery remains stalled, along with roughly $94 million in hazard mitigation funding for the region. Those funds typically support rebuilding schools, repairing roads and strengthening infrastructure against future disasters.

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The delays are affecting rebuilding efforts in canyon and foothill neighborhoods, including areas above Pasadena and Altadena, where damaged park facilities, fenced-off trailheads and temporary road repairs remain in place while local agencies await federal reimbursement, his office said.

President Donald Trump cut short Noem’s tenure at the Department of Homeland Security after weeks of internal turmoil and named her “Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas,” a newly created role he described as part of a broader Western Hemisphere security initiative. The White House has not yet detailed the scope of the position.

Noem was removed as the nation’s immigration chief after a turbulent stretch marked by internal clashes and two contentious congressional hearings where even some Republicans pressed her over alleged leadership missteps, including the ad campaign, which she said the president had signed off on.

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Trump announced on Truth Social that Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., will replace her effective March 31, while Noem shifts to the newly created envoy role, which the president said he will detail this weekend.

Highly contagious virus with no treatment spreading rapidly through western state

Cold, flu and COVID may get the most attention, but a lesser-known, highly contagious virus is taking the West Coast by storm.

Wastewater SCAN data show that human metapneumovirus, or HMPV, is rampant in Northern California — specifically San Francisco, Marin, Vallejo, Napa, Novato, Santa Rosa, Sacramento and Davis, per reports.

The virus peaked sharply in January and remains elevated in early March, although the seasonal winter wave is now tapering.

HMPV is in the same viral family as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and was first discovered in 2001, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

The National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS), part of the CDC, monitors samples of wastewater (sewage) for viruses and bacteria to detect infection patterns in communities.

“It is a single-stranded RNA virus, like flu and COVID,” Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, told Fox News Digital. “The virus is increasing not only in the west, but also around the country.”

The wastewater data also show that HMPV is rising sharply in the Midwest and Northeast.

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The most common symptoms of the virus in healthy children and adults include cough, fever, nasal congestion and shortness of breath, per the CDC.

Those at highest risk of severe illness, such as pneumonia, include young children, older adults and those who are immunocompromised. It leads to over 650,000 hospitalizations yearly worldwide, according to Siegel.

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Rare effects of HMPV can include asthma attacks, wheezing, difficulty breathing, bronchiolitis (infection of the small airways), ear infections, croup (a “barking” cough) and fever, according to the CDC.

Adults with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) can experience complications of their illness if they contract HMPV. 

“It can worsen chronic lung conditions,” Siegel confirmed.

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The virus can be transmitted from close personal contact and from coughing, sneezing and touching contaminated surfaces, per the CDC.

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HMPV is most commonly reported from winter through spring.

There is no vaccine or treatment for the virus, the CDC notes, but HMPV can be diagnosed via testing by a healthcare provider. Supportive care includes drinking plenty of hydrating fluids and resting.

The agency provides the following prevention methods to help curb spread.

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• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing
• Follow proper handwashing techniques
• Regularly sanitize frequently touched surfaces
• Avoid contact with others and/or wear a mask when sick