Returned body of Israeli hostage murdered by Hamas not young mother Shiri Bibas
The mother of two young boys murdered by Hamas terrorists while in captivity was not among the bodies returned to Israel on Thursday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.
Before the return of the remains of the four slain hostages, Hamas said the bodies would include Shiri Bibas and her two toddlers, Ariel and Kfir, ages 4 and 10 months, as well as Oded Lifshitz, a retired journalist and activist. However, Israel’s National Institute of Forensic Medicine could only determine the identity of two of the bodies, the young boys.
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“During the identification process, it was determined that the additional body received is not that of Shiri Bibas, and no match was found for any other hostage,” the IDF said. “This is an anonymous, unidentified body.”
“According to the assessment of professional officials, based on the intelligence available to us and forensic findings from the identification process, Ariel and Kfir Bibas were brutally murdered by terrorists in captivity in November 2023,” authorities said.
The family became symbols of the ordeal that has gripped Israel since the war in Gaza began.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Bibas family during this incredibly difficult time and remain committed to doing everything possible to ensure Shiri and all the hostages are brought home at the earliest opportunity,” the IDF said.
It called the deaths a “violation of utmost severity” by Hamas, while also demanding the terror group return the body of Shiri Bibas and all other hostages being held captive.
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Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, said Hamas continues to “violate every basic moral value,” even after the death of the boys.
“Instead of returning Shiri, the mother of Kfir and Ariel, Hamas returned an unidentified body, as if it were a worthless shipment,” he wrote on X. “This is a new low, an evil and cruelty with no parallel.”
He further said that UN Secretary-General António Guterres, UN the Security Council and the General Assembly continue to remain silent in the face of Hamas’ “barbarity” and demanded Hamas to return the body of Shiri Bibas.
“History will remember well who stood by and remained silent while Hamas trampled on the most basic principles of humanity,” Danon wrote.
The young boys and their mother were abducted in their home by Hamas terrorists during the terror group’s deadly Oct. 7, 2023 attack. Yarden Bibas, Ariel and Kfir’s father, tried to protect them and was abducted prior to the kidnapping of his wife and children, the IDF said.
Yarden returned as part of the agreement for the return of the hostages on Feb. 1.
Thursday’s release is the first one involving the transfer of slain hostages since the ceasefire deal went into effect last month.
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About 70 hostages remain in Hamas custody. Nearly all the remaining hostages, including Israeli soldiers, are men and about half are believed to be dead.
Federal department cafeteria empty for years under Biden, source says
EXCLUSIVE: The cafeteria in a top federal department resembles a ghost town after remaining empty and closed for years under the Biden administration, Fox News Digital has learned.
“You have federal workers showing up to protest President Trump’s plan to make government work for the people on a federal holiday, but they refuse to show up to work when they are collecting a paycheck courtesy of American taxpayers. It’s just nuts,” a source close to the situation told Fox News Digital.
The Department of Interior (DOI) cafeteria was initially closed during the coronavirus pandemic, but the lunchroom remained shut down for several years because the Biden administration did not require federal employees to work in person.
A photo taken on Feb. 20, 2025, reveals that five years after the pandemic, the lunchroom remains empty and unmanned, which “shows you exactly what’s wrong with the mindset of far too many federal workers,” the source tells Fox.
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“President Trump is keeping his promise to the American people about having a government that works hard and responsibly for the people. Under the Biden administration, there were so few people in the Interior office that the cafeteria closed!” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a statement.
“The American people elected President Trump because they want results,” the secretary said. “Getting the workforce back to the office will help accelerate America’s sprint to Energy Dominance.”
President Donald Trump, in January, took aim at Biden’s policies on remote work, warning that federal employees must return to in-person work by early February or “be terminated.”
Burgum is requiring that all federal employees return to the office to comply with the return to work order issued by the president.
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“It’s understandable that the cafeteria would close during the pandemic, but the pandemic has been over for years,” the source told Fox. “Why did the Biden administration let everyone continue to work from home when there is real work to be done for the country?”
Fox News Digital also recently found that the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) headquarters in Washington, D.C., was left relatively untouched since the first Trump administration, with an official saying it felt like a “taxpayer-funded ‘Spirit Halloween'” store.
The Trump administration has been conducting a sweep of federal departments over the past month, slashing spending, as well as making cuts to the workforce in an effort to downsize the government.
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The U.S. Office of Personnel Management offered more than two million federal civilian employees buyouts in January to leave their jobs or be forced to return to work in person.
About 75,000 federal employees have accepted Trump’s deferred resignation program and will retain all pay and benefits and be exempt from in-person work until Sept. 30.
Actor who wrote scathing op-ed on Biden’s ability to lead calls out media
Actor George Clooney conceded during a Thursday interview that the media failed in its coverage of former President Biden’s fitness and ability to serve.
Clooney told The New York Times’ Maureen Dowd that Biden was irresponsible in covering up his “incapacities,” and added, “the media, in many ways, dropped the ball.”
Reacting to a moment when former President Obama led Biden off the stage at a Los Angeles fundraiser in June, Clooney said, “I saw him for hours a year earlier at the Kennedy Center, and I saw someone much less sharp.” Dowd wrote that the experience left Clooney “gobsmacked.”
“I’ve always liked Joe Biden, and I like him still,” he added.
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Clooney also reflected on why President Donald Trump won the election, pointing to Biden’s messaging.
“The Biden administration was terrible at explaining that we’re a world economy, where we were actually doing better than all the other G7 countries. They were bad at telling the story because their messenger was not working at his best, to say the least,” he said.
Biden’s team did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The long-time liberal actor notably called for former President Biden to drop out in July, following the former president’s rough debate performance against Trump.
“It’s devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fundraiser was not the Joe ‘big F-ing deal’ Biden of 2010. He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate,” Clooney wrote in a guest essay for the New York Times at the time, noting the June 2024 fundraiser in Los Angeles.
After talking to Clooney for Thursday’s article, Dowd explained, “People thought Obama was behind it, but Clooney said he did it despite being urged not to.”
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Clooney also attacked Trump during the interview.
“I believe that whole idea of the arc of history bending toward justice, and I know it doesn’t feel that way right now,” he told Dowd of Trump. “I think there are always these pendulum swings. The first Trump election was, I believe, a result of eight years of a Black president.”
“No rules count anymore,” Clooney said of Trump. “It’s like letting an infant walk across the 405 freeway in the middle of the afternoon.”
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Clooney also spoke to Dowd about his new Broadway show, “Good Night, and Good Luck,” which features Clooney starring as late CBS News anchor Edward R. Murrow.
President Trump’s message to Team USA before game against Canada
President Donald Trump revealed his phone call with the U.S. Hockey Team ahead of its high-stakes 4 Nations Face-Off Final vs. Canada on Thursday.
Trump posted footage of the phone call to a video on X, revealing a motivational message delivered the way only Trump can.
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“You guys are really talented. I have great respect for hockey players. I’m a hockey fan. I love hockey,” Trump began.
Coaches and players were seen smiling, but kept stoic expressions, as the president spoke.
“The talent, the skill that you have is crazy. And just go out and have a good time tonight and I just want to wish you a lot of luck. You really are a skill group of people,” Trump continued. “It’s an honor to talk to you. And get out there, and there’s no pressure whatsoever.”
The players let out a light chuckle after Trump’s “no pressure” line.
Finally, Trump departed with his closing message.
“You just go out and have a good time. You’re going to win, and we love America. We love you guys. We’ll be watching tonight. Bring it home!” Trump concluded.
The stakes for Thursday’s game were raised amid physical hostility between the teams throughout the tournament and geopolitical tension between the two countries in recent weeks.
It started on Feb. 13 when Canada fans in Montreal booed the U.S. national anthem. The tension stemmed from President Donald Trump’s recent threats to issue tariffs on Canada while also suggesting the country should become America’s 51st state.
Then on Saturday, three fights broke out in the first nine seconds of a 4 Nations Face-Off game between the U.S. and Canada.
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At the opening puck drop, Matthew Tkachuk of the U.S. and Canada’s Brandon Hagel didn’t wait to drop the gloves. Just two seconds later, Matthew’s brother, Brady, went toe-to-toe with Sam Bennett. Then a scrap involving just about everyone broke out, and J.T. Miller and Colton Parayko got into a fight of their own.
The U.S. went on to win that game, 3-1.
The Canadian national anthem was then booed at TD Garden in Boston before a 4 Nations game between Canada and Finland. Canada went on to win that game to clinch a matchup against the U.S. in the championship game.
The general manager for the U.S. men’s team, Bill Guerin, appeared on “America’s Newsroom” on Monday and was asked whether the brawl was ignited because of the booing, previous heat between players or the political strife between the U.S. and Canada. Guerin said he thought it was all of the above.
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“I think a little bit of everything. Canada-U.S. is a huge rivalry in hockey,” he said. “I think there was a little bit of a political flare to it. It’s just the time that we’re in. I think our guys used that as inspiration. If you let it get the better of you, then you’re in trouble. But I really do think the players used it as inspiration.”
Guerin even pleaded for Trump to come to Boston to watch the game, but the president wasn’t able to make it.
However, Trump’s phone call prompted messages of gratitude from multiple players, including J.T. Miller, Brock Nelson and Matt Boldy, on Thursday ahead of the game.
DOGE scores two legal victories despite latest moves to derail cost-cutting mission
Two federal judges declined this week to stop the Trump administration from firing federal workers and conducting mass layoffs, allowing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to remain on track with finding and slashing wasteful government spending.
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper shot down a request from several federal labor unions, including the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), to issue a pause on the mass firings of federal workers by the Trump administration.
NTEU and four other labor unions representing federal employees – the National Federation of Federal Employees; the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers; the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers; the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers; and the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America – filed a complaint on Feb. 12, challenging the firing of probationary employees and the deferred resignation program.
The resignation program presented federal employees with a fork in the road, meaning they could either return to the office or they could resign from their positions and continue to get paid through September, though they had to decide by Feb. 6. That date was ultimately deferred to Feb. 12, then subsequently closed that day.
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The unions moved for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) and preliminary injunction to prevent the firing of probationary employees across all federal agencies and furtherance of the resignation program on Feb. 14, and the next day it was sent to Cooper’s court.
Cooper denied the request, though, saying the court lacks jurisdiction over the unions’ claims.
Instead, Cooper ruled the unions must pursue their challenges through the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute, which provides for administrative review by the Federal Labor Relations Authority.
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In a separate case, 14 states asked U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan to issue a TRO preventing billionaire Elon Musk and DOGE from accessing data systems at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Department of Education, Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Energy, Department of Transportation and Department of Commerce for 14 days after the order is issued.
The plaintiffs also asked Chutkan’s order to forbid Musk and DOGE from terminating, furloughing, or putting on leave, any federal officers, or employees in those agencies.
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This week, Chutkan wrote, “The court is aware that DOGE’s unpredictable actions have resulted in considerable uncertainty and confusion for Plaintiffs and many of their agencies and residents.”
She ultimately ruled that DOGE can continue to operate as it is now and keep the status quo.
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Chutkan also, on Friday, issued the court briefing schedule for plaintiffs and defendants to file motions for discovery, preliminary injunctions and dismissals, which stretches through April 22.
Blue state prison taken over by violent convicts forcing drastic action to control the chaos
Dozens of corrections facilities across New York state have ceased visits as the safety of personnel grow after another riot erupted inside an upstate prison.
“Visitation in all DOCCS facilities is cancelled until further notice,” the NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision wrote in a post on their Facebook page.
The latest prison unrest happened around midnight on Thursday inside the Riverview Correctional Facility, according to reports from WWNY.
The outlet reported that dorms inside the facility were under inmate control for several hours, where staff said they felt “unsafe.” However, the state told the outlet that correctional officers vacated their posts, leaving the dorms unsupervised.
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The outlet learned that as many as 500 inmates were housed in 10 dormitories at Riverview after speaking to several sources. It was also determined that around 15-20 staff members were on the overnight shift.
It was not clear what led to the tensions that escalated between inmates and corrections officers, but prison staff deemed conditions were unsafe and pulled staff back into a visitors’ area, the outlet reported.
Correction officers said they could hear, what sounded like inmates breaking glass and damaging the dormitories and so the staff left the visitors area and entered the administrative area of the prison where they felt safe.
The staff then called for help, where at least 2 teams arrived from Gouverneur and Albany.
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The facility was back fully under state control around 8 a.m. on Thursday.
No corrections facility staff were injured during the ordeal, according to the outlet.
“Last night, with everything that happened during the night, it was very scary. I couldn’t imagine being in their shoes in there. 25 years in corrections, things have changed in corrections,” John Robla, a retired corrections officer told the outlet.
A spokesperson for the NYS Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association also confirmed the incident to the outlet and said “it’s aware of what happened overnight.”
“After midnight, inmates took over several dorms at Riverview after they became unruly, and the officers assigned to the dorm felt their safety was at risk and exited the dorms. Sometime late this morning, the dorms were under control and restaffed.”
This latest incident comes nearly a week after another corrections facility was put on lockdown due to an inmate uprising.
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The incident happened around 1 a.m. on Feb. 12 at the Collins Correctional Facility in Erie County when three dorms were taken over by inmates and the staff were removed.
Kenny Gold, vice president of the Western Region for the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA) told the Albany Union Times that three correction officers sustained minor injuries.
The outlet also reported that Daniel Martuscello III, commissioner of the DOCCS had issued a memo earlier in the week announcing permanent staffing changes brought on by “chronic shortages.”
WRGB reported that recent past incidents at the facility have raised concerns after nine officers were injured in a June 12 incident. Then, less than two months later, 11 officers were hospitalized after coming into contact with a substance after trying to help an inmate on Aug. 4.
On Wednesday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order activating members of the New York National Guard to help “ensure safety and security at correctional facilities while the illegal and unlawful work stoppage by correction officers continues.”
The order also provides authority for additional overtime compensation for correction officers and other staff who are reporting for duty and actively working to secure facilities.
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New York State also filed an injunction under the Taylor Law and a judge granted a temporary restraining order mandating striking correction officers to cease the illegal activity on Wednesday.
“These disruptive and unsanctioned work stoppages by some correction officers must end as they are jeopardizing the safety of their colleagues, the prison population, and causing undue fear for the residents in the surrounding communities,” Governor Hochul said.
“In an effort to resolve this illegal work stoppage I have directed the appointment of highly respected independent mediator Martin Scheinman who will begin work immediately to return striking correction officers back to work. While I am confident we will resolve this illegal strike, I am grateful for the thousands of correction officers and staff that are continuing to report for duty – I thank them for their continued service and for doing the right thing.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision and New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association and Gov. Hochul’s office, but did not immediately receive a response.
Woman once serving life sentence, granted clemency by Trump to serve as ‘pardon czar’
President Donald Trump on Thursday appointed Alice Marie Johnson, a woman he pardoned during his first term, as “pardon czar.”
The announcement came during a Black History Month event at the White House.
The “pardon czar” will be responsible for making recommendations about who should be granted clemency.
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The New York Times first reported Trump was thinking about naming Johnson “pardon czar.”
Johnson was convicted of nonviolent drug trafficking in Memphis, Tennessee, and after serving 21 years, her life sentence was commuted by Trump.
Reality television star Kim Kardashian West met with Trump at the White House a week prior to her release to discuss the great-grandmother’s case.
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She was arrested in 1993 and convicted of drug conspiracy and money laundering in 1996.
A series of unfortunate events, including the death of her son, financial troubles and a divorce, led her to involvement with cocaine dealers.
“Back in the 1990s, I was a single mother about to lose my house,” Johnson wrote in a Fox News Digital opinion article. “In a desperate moment, I made a life-altering bad decision to become a low-level player in a drug operation. When law enforcement authorities broke up the drug operation, I was prosecuted and sentenced to life in prison.”
While Johnson claims she never “touched, saw or sold a single drug,” she admitted to assisting in communications.
While in prison, she worked in the prison hospice, volunteered in the prison church, became an ordained minister, and started writing and directing plays.
After being pardoned, she remained under federal supervision for five years.
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She became a champion for overburdened case officers and has fought against unnecessary supervision post-incarceration.
Her work on criminal justice reform led her to launch “Taking Action For Good,” which advocated for clemency and pardons for over 100 people.
She also published a book and partnered with the philanthropic organization, Stand Together.
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Hallmark heartthrob arrested for battery as he’s seen with black eye in mugshot
Eric Mabius was arrested early Thursday morning in Yulee, Florida, for simple battery, according to an arrest record obtained by Fox News Digital.
The Hallmark actor, who appeared to have a black eye in his mug shot, allegedly “knocked” two women to the ground inside a Nassau County bar during an altercation around 2 a.m. local time.
He faces two misdemeanor charges for battery and resisting arrest without violence.
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Mabius allegedly “knocked” an intoxicated woman, who was bothering people in a Florida bar, and a woman she was allegedly harassing, to the ground, according to a statement from the arresting officer with the Nassau County Sheriff’s Department.
“The victim said this only took a few seconds but while she was on the ground Eric got on top of her and was pulling her hair ripping a handful of her hair from her scalp,” the arresting officer continued. “The victim then stated that this is when multiple people at the bar was able to pull both arrestees’ off of her.”
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The intoxicated woman was also arrested, according to the arrest record.
Mabius became “more belligerent” once officers brought him outside of the bar, “not following simple commands to just sit on the bench,” the arresting officer continued, adding, “at one point in time Eric tried to stand up and walk behind me while I was trying to finish investigating the incident. Several deputies had to escort him back to the bench and placed him under arrest for resisting without violence.”
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A witness who claimed he had been spit on by the intoxicated woman, told officers that “Eric, slung both girls to the ground and so he grabbed Eric off the girls” as police were arriving at the scene.
The witness said he didn’t want to press charges for being spit on, but the woman who was allegedly thrown to the ground did wish to press charges against both Mabius and the intoxicated woman, and they were each arrested for simple battery.
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The actor starred in Hallmark’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” series, and he played Daniel Meade on “Ugly Betty” from 2006 until 2010.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Hallmark and reps for Mabius for comment.