Marine general warns African terror groups gaining capacity to attack US homeland

A top United States military general warned Thursday that terror groups in Africa are ramping up their ability to conduct attacks in the U.S. 

Gen. Michael Langley, the four-star Marine General who leads U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), said the Sahel region of the continent is now the “flashpoint of prolonged conflict and growing instability. It is the epicenter of terrorism on the globe.”

Several terror groups have expanded drastically in the last three years. Al-Qaeda in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, is three times the size it was in 2022, he said, and has spread across Mali, Burkina Faso, and parts of Niger, which the U.S. military pulled out of last year. 

ISIS INCREASINGLY UNOPPOSED FOLLOWING US WITHDRAWAL FROM AFGHANISTAN, COLLAPSE OF SYRIA

Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin, a faction affiliated with Al-Qaeda, is now four times the size it was in 2022, expanding mainly in Burkina Faso.

“We’re keeping a good eye on this because they could have the capacity to attack the homeland,” Langley said in a call with reporters. 

“Throughout my travels across West Africa and through dialog here at the conference, the concerns shared by my peers match my own,” he added. “One of the terrorist’s key goals now is access to the west coast of Africa. If they gain access to the vast coastline, they can diversify their revenue streams and evolve their tactics, more easily exporting terrorism to American shores.”

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He noted that the terror groups engage in illicit activity like smuggling, human trafficking and arms trading, which fund their nefarious actions and destabilize the region.

U.S. forces over the weekend conducted an airstrike against the al Qaeda-linked al-Shabab in Somalia. The East African country has been wracked for decades by attacks and insurgency from Islamist terrorists, both from ISIS and al-Shabab. 

The U.S. is in a race with China and Russia to gain influence and trust with the local governments of several African nations to help protect citizens from terror groups. 

Langley said there is an increasing concern about the number of African soldiers going to Beijing for military training and replicating a U.S. International Military Education and Training (IMET) program.

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“They’re trying to replicate what we do best in our IMET program,” said Langley. “And then they also said they’re going to increase security and training in a number of countries. So, they’re trying to replicate what we do.”

Bondi tells American Bar Association goodbye as DOJ axes role in vetting judges

FIRST ON FOX— The Justice Department on Thursday formally notified the American Bar Association that it will no longer comply with its ratings process for judicial nominees, the result of what it argues is a biased system and one that “invariably and demonstrably” favors nominees put forth by Democratic administrations.

The letter, sent by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to ABA President William R. Bay, was previewed exclusively to Fox News. It marks the latest escalation in a protracted legal fight that Republicans have waged against the nation’s largest association of legal workers.

“For several decades, the American Bar Association has received special treatment and enjoyed special access to judicial nominees,” Bondi said in the letter. “In some administrations, the ABA received notice of nominees before a nomination was announced to the public. Some administrations would even decide whether to nominate an individual based on a rating assigned by the ABA.” 

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The Department of Justice said in the letter that it will no longer grant the ABA the “special treatment” and first access it has received, revoking decades of precedent where the ABA interviewed and vetted potential members of the incoming DOJ team.

“Accordingly, while the ABA is free to comment on judicial nominations along with other activist organizations, there is no justification for treating the ABA differently from such other activist organizations and the Department of Justice will not do so.”

It also ended an Office of Legal Policy that directed judicial nominees to provide waivers allowing the ABA access to non-public information for nominees, including bar records. 

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“Nominees will also not respond to questionnaires prepared by the ABA and will not sit for interviews with the ABA,” Bondi said.

The Trump administration’s decision to excise the ABA from the judicial nomination process comes after several Republican senators on the Senate committee tasked with vetting judicial nominees told the ABA in a letter earlier this year that they planned to ignore its rating system.

The ABA, established in the late 1800s, has grown into a sprawling organization that touts a membership of over 400,000 legal workers.

But it has sparked criticism from Republicans, including members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, previously blasted the ABA as a “radical left-wing advocacy group.”

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He and others on the panel previously took aim at the group for embracing so-called “woke initiatives,” including its heavy use of diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI efforts, in many facets of its work.

This is not the first time Republican administrations have broken with the ABA. The George W. Bush administration ended the practice of giving the ABA a first look at nominees, and Trump also did so in his first presidential term. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to the American Bar Association for comment. 

Undocumented teen who killed Colorado woman in crash arrested with family by ICE

An illegal immigrant teenager who was spared jail time after he was convicted of killing a Colorado woman in a high-speed crash has been arrested, along with his family, by immigration authorities. 

The 16-year-old from Colombia was sentenced to probation and community service for the July 2024 death of Kaitlyn Weaver, 24, in Aurora after striking a plea deal with prosecutors. 

The teen, who has not been publicly named because of state laws that shield the identity of underage criminal suspects, was arrested May 20 along with his family, who were also living in the United States illegally, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said.

ICE CAPTURES ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WANTED FOR ALLEGEDLY KILLING MOTHER IN DUI CRASH 

“The minor was convicted in Colorado’s 18th Judicial District and was sentenced to probation and community service,” an ICE spokesperson told Fox News. “As part of its routine operations, ICE arrests aliens who commit crimes and other individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws. All aliens in violation of U.S. immigration law may be subject to arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States, regardless of nationality.”

The teen will remain in ICE custody pending an immigration hearing, the agency said. 

PROGRESSIVE PROSECUTOR LETS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TEEN OFF EASY AFTER CRASH THAT KILLED 24 YEAR-OLD WOMAN

Weaver died after she was sitting in her vehicle at a stop sign and the teen T-boned Weaver’s vehicle at an intersection. He was in a Jeep with other minors racing in a residential neighborhood at speeds of up to 90 mph, authorities said. 

Weaver was kept on life support for two days before she was taken off after her organs were donated. 

Her father, John Weaver, told Fox News Digital that he was told by U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo., that ICE would be taking action against the teen.

“I appreciate ICE taking enforcement action, and I really appreciate the outpouring of support from everyone,” Weaver said Thursday.

The teen was arrested and initially charged with vehicular homicide. At the time, the Weavers were told by the Arapahoe County District Attorney’s office that the case was a “no plea offer” case, John Weaver said. 

They then offered the teen a plea deal if he admitted his guilt. 

At the time, the Weaver family attorney, Matthew Durkin, called the deal “abhorrent,” in an interview with Fox News Digital, noting that Weaver was killed during the prime of her life. 

John Weaver noted at the time that the teen was in the U.S. illegally and unlicensed. 

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“We had a collision where the immigration system and the criminal justice system collided, and now my daughter’s dead,” he said. 

The teen has a pending asylum claim, but, according to ICE, asylum claims do not prevent detention.

Bernie Kerik, former NYPD commissioner and Trump ally, dies at 69

Bernie Kerik, the former New York City police commissioner who was hailed as a hero after 9/11, has died at 69 years old.

His death was announced by FBI Director Kash Patel on Thursday night, who wrote that Kerik “passed away after a private battle with illness.”

“Rest easy, Commissioner. Your watch has ended, but your impact will never fade,” Patel wrote.

Kerik’s rise to national prominence came during the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, where he became a steady figure alongside then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani. 

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Kerik worked to coordinate emergency response in the aftermath of the collapse of the World Trade Center.

His 35-year career has been recognized in more than 100 awards for meritorious and heroic service, including a presidential commendation for heroism by President Ronald Reagan and two Distinguished Service Awards from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 

Kerik, who served as the NYPD’s top cop from 2000 to 2001, pleaded guilty in 2009 to eight felonies, including tax fraud and lying to the White House while being vetted for the role of Homeland Security chief in 2004.

He spent nearly three years in prison before transitioning to home confinement and eventually supervised release. In 2020, President Donald Trump pardoned Kerik for his past convictions.

Following his release from prison, Kerik was a vocal critic of the criminal justice system and a staunch ally of Trump. 

Kerik later worked with Giuliani to investigate claims of election fraud after the 2020 election and was subpoenaed by the House committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riots.

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Born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1955, Kerik dropped out of high school but later earned his GED before joining the U.S. Army.

After returning to civilian life, he entered law enforcement and rose through the ranks, eventually leading the city’s Department of Correction. In 2000, he was appointed NYPD commissioner by Giuliani.

Trump’s lawsuit with Paramount carries on as he turns down big settlement offer

President Donald Trump and Paramount Global are still at an impasse as they attempt to resolve his $20 billion lawsuit against the company through mediation. 

Fox News Digital confirmed that Trump rejected a $15 million offer to settle his lawsuit, according to a source familiar with the matter. The president’s legal team is also demanding at least $25 million and an apology from CBS News. Trump’s attorneys even floated another lawsuit against the company.

Trump’s settlement rejection was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. 

Trump’s attorney did not respond to Fox News Digital‘s request for comment. Paramount declined to comment. 

‘60 MINUTES’ STAFF STAND BY KAMALA HARRIS INTERVIEW AT THE CENTER OF TRUMP’S MAJOR PARAMOUNT LAWSUIT

Last October, Trump sued CBS News and Paramount for $10 billion over allegations of election interference involving the “60 Minutes” interview of then-Vice President Kamala Harris that aired weeks before the presidential election (the amount has since jumped to $20 billion).

The lawsuit alleges CBS News deceitfully edited an exchange Harris had with “60 Minutes” correspondent Bill Whitaker, who asked her why Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wasn’t “listening” to the Biden administration. Harris was widely mocked for the “word salad” answer that aired in a preview clip of the interview on “Face the Nation.” 

However, when the same question aired during a primetime special on the network, Harris had a different, more concise response. Critics at the time accused CBS News of deceitfully editing Harris’ “word salad” answer to shield the Democratic nominee from further backlash leading up to Election Day.

The raw transcript and footage released earlier this year by the FCC showed that both sets of Harris’ comments came from the same response, but CBS News had aired only the first half of her response in the “Face the Nation” preview clip and aired the second half during the primetime special. 

CBS News has denied any wrongdoing and stands by the broadcast and its reporting. 

‘60 MINUTES’ PRODUCERS RAIL AGAINST TRUMP’S ‘BULLS—‘ LAWSUIT, DREAD PROSPECTS OF PARAMOUNT MAKING SETTLEMENT

Shari Redstone, Paramount’s controlling shareholder who recused herself from settlement discussions in February, made clear that she wanted to settle Trump’s lawsuit in hopes of clearing the pathway for Paramount’s multibillion-dollar planned merger with Skydance Media, which seeks approval from the Trump administration’s FCC. 

However, there has been newsroom drama in recent months involving Redstone’s efforts to “keep tabs” on the network’s reporting of Trump, at least until the merger closes. That led to the abrupt resignation of “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens, who claimed he could no longer maintain editorial independence.  

Also fueling settlement rumors was last week’s ousting of CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon, who cited disagreement with the company behind her departure.  

CBS NEWS STAFFERS RATTLED BY CEO’S ABRUPT EXIT AS TRUMP LAWSUIT LOOMS OVER NETWORK

CBS News journalists remain defiant, including “60 Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley, who went viral with his commencement address at Wake Forest University repeatedly slamming Trump as well as his lawsuit.

“Why attack universities? Why attack journalism? Because ignorance works for power,” Pelley told Wake Forest graduates. “First, make the truth seekers live in fear, sue the journalists and their companies for nothing. Then, send masked agents to abduct a college student who wrote an editorial in her college paper defending Palestinian rights and send her to a prison in Louisiana charged with nothing. Then move to destroy the law firms that stand up for the rights of others.”

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“With that done, power can rewrite history with grotesque false narratives. They can make criminals heroes and heroes criminals. Power can change the definition of the words we use to describe reality. Diversity is now described as illegal. Equity is to be shunned. Inclusion is a dirty word. This is an old playbook, my friends. There’s nothing new in this,” he continued. 

Harrison Ruffin Tyler, last link to 18th-century America, has died at age 96

Harrison Ruffin Tyler, the grandson of John Tyler, the 10th U.S. president, has died at the age of 96.

Harrison Tyler died May 25, according to a statement shared by the Sherwood Forest Plantation Foundation, which operates the Tyler family’s historic home in Virginia.

“A beloved father and grandfather, he will be missed immeasurably by those who survive him. His accomplishments in business changed the lives of countless employees of ChemTreat, the company he co-founded in 1968,” the foundation shared in a statement on Facebook. 

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“His love of history and his birthplace, Charles City County, VA, led him to preserve both Sherwood Forest, President Tyler’s home, and Fort Pocahontas, a Civil War fortification nearby. He will be remembered for his considerable charm, generosity and unfailing good humor by all who knew him.”

In 2012, Harrison Tyler had a series of small strokes and developed dementia, according to the National Archives.

Harrison Tyler was born Nov. 9, 1928. His grandfather, President John Tyler, was in office from 1841 to 1845.

Harrison Tyler was the son of Lyon Gadiner Tyler and Sue Ruffin in Richmond, Virginia.

Harrison Tyler’s father was born on Aug. 24, 1853, when President Tyler was 63 years old, which explains how a grandchild of the president from almost 200 years ago would still have been alive.

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Harrison Tyler graduated from William and Mary, the same university where his father was the president for over 30 years, and Virginia Tech, where he studied chemical engineering.

In 1968, Tyler and his business partner, William P. Simmons, opened a water treatment company called ChemTreat.

After founding ChemTreat, Harrison Tyler acquired the historic plantation Sherwood Forest, which once belonged to his grandfather, and oversaw its restoration.

Today, the plantation is open to the public.

Harrison Tyler also paid for the preservation of Fort Pocahontas, a Civil War-era fort built by Black soldiers of the Union’s U.S. Colored Troops, which is near Sherwood Forest.

At William and Mary, students and other guests can attend the Harrison Ruffin Tyler Department of History, which was named in his honor after he donated books and $5 million.

Harrison Tyler’s wife, Frances Payne Bouknight Tyler, died in 2019, and his brother, Lyon Gardiner Tyler Jr., died in 2020, making Harrison Tyler the last living grandchild of the 10th president.

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Harrison Tyler is survived by his three children and multiple grandchildren.

The president’s birth and his grandson’s death were separated by 235 years.

Vessel with 11 decomposed bodies washes ashore in Caribbean, sparks investigation

Police have launched an investigation into a vessel that washed ashore on an Eastern Caribbean island that contained human remains of at least 11 people in an advanced state of decomposition.

The Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) said it received a report at about 10:45 a.m. Monday that a suspicious vessel had been discovered along the coastline of the island of Canouan near Little Bay and Cherry Hill.

Officers from the Canouan police station responded and discovered the remains of 11 people on the boat.

Police said the boat measured 45 feet long, 12 feet wide and 6 feet deep, and it was found grounded in the area.

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The remains of the people onboard were in what police called an “advanced state of decomposition,” and some of the remains were not fully intact.

Investigators recovered several passports from the boat, which appear to be from the West African country of the Republic of Mali.

While passports have been recovered, police have not officially identified any of the bodies, and the investigation remains ongoing.

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The RSVGPF said it is working closely with regional and international partners to confirm the origins of the boat and the identities of those onboard.

The human remains have since been transported to the island of St. Vincent, where they are being held at the Kingstown mortuary for further forensic and investigative procedures.

“This incident is deeply concerning, and we understand the public’s interest in the matter,” police said. “We assure you that the RSVGPF is treating this investigation with the utmost seriousness and sensitivity.”

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The department added that it is committed to pursuing every lead and ensuring all appropriate protocols are followed.

The U.S. State Department issued a Level 4 Do Not Travel advisory for the country of Mali in July 2023.

The State Department’s reasoning for not traveling to the country is due to crime, terrorism and kidnapping.

“Violent crime, such as kidnapping and armed robbery, is common in Mali. Violent crime is a particular concern during local holidays and seasonal events in Bamako, its suburbs, and Mali’s southern regions,” the advisory states. 

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“Terrorist and armed groups continue plotting kidnappings and attacks in Mali,” the advisory on Mali adds. “They may attack with little or no warning, targeting nightclubs, hotels, restaurants, places of worship, international diplomatic missions, and other locations frequented by foreigners. Attacks may target Malian government offices and infrastructure, in addition to locations frequented by Westerners.”

Girls’ championship rule changes prompt backlash in ongoing trans athlete dispute

EXCLUSIVE: The California high school track and field state championship is shaping up to be one of the most unprecedented high school sports events in recent history. 

Amid a national controversy involving a trans athlete competing in the girls’ category, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) announced a series of sweeping rule changes in the days leading up to the event to accommodate female competitors. 

But now multiple families of girls who have already been displaced by a trans athlete at previous meets have spoken out against the federation, expressing dissatisfaction with the changes. 

On Tuesday, the CIF announced it would expand the size of the championship competition pool and inviting “biological female” athletes who missed out on making the title meet by one spot due to a trans athlete finishing ahead of them in last week’s qualifying round. 

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Then on Wednesday, the federation announced it would also recognize female athletes on the medal podium if a girl who misses out on a medal finish does so because they came behind a trans athlete.

Crean Lutheran track and field star Reese Hogan finished in second place to trans athlete AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley High School in the triple jump at the Southern Sectional final on May 17. Then, on the medal podium, after Hernandez stepped off, Hogan stepped up to the first-place spot for a photo-op to a roaring applause. The stunt went viral as Hogan was praised by women’s sports rights activists as a heroine. 

But CIF’s latest rule changes won’t be giving Hogan the first-place medal for that event. 

Hogan’s family provided a statement from her to Fox News Digital that read, “The recent CIF rule changes clearly acknowledge a misstep on their part. However, what they’ve proposed falls short of what we truly need for all girls across all sports. I placed second in CIF, and I know that if I hadn’t been competing against a boy, I would have claimed the top spot on the podium.”

“Unfortunately, we can’t revisit that moment to rectify this injustice. This issue transcends a single meet, sport, or individual; it’s fundamentally about the rights of all females to compete fairly among themselves. We deserve that opportunity, and we will continue to advocate for it.”

Hogan has previously told Fox News Digital she finds the situation involving Hernandez “sad.”

“It’s just kind of sad just watching. He’s obviously a really talented athlete, we’ve all seen him jump and stuff, and I wish him the best of luck, but in a boys’ division,” Hogan previously told Fox News Digital about competing against the athlete. “It’s pretty obvious the certain advantages that he has, and it’s obviously just sad as a woman to watch that.”

Meanwhile, the family of Hogan’s Crean Lutheran teammate, Olivia Viola, also isn’t satisfied with the rule changes. 

“While we are grateful that a few female athletes will regain their ability to compete at states and females will earn their rightful titles at this weekends competition, unfortunately CIFs trial program doesn’t actually fix anything. Women are still being forced to compete against biological males. The title IX civil rights of our daughters, sisters, friends and teammates are still being violated,” Viola’s family said in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

“Unfortunately, with each step our state leaders take, comes the realization that California really has no intention of protecting our girls in the ways that are necessary. The pilot program essentially admits that allowing biological males to compete in the female category was a mistake. Now it’s time for full course correction. There is a fundamental truth here that must be upheld. Separating competitive athletics into two XX-XY gender categories must be a non-negotiable.”

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President Donald Trump weighed in on the situation when he sent a Truth Social post on Tuesday morning, warning the state and Gov. Gavin Newsom of potential funding cuts and orders to local authorities to prevent a trans athlete from competing in the girls’ category on Saturday. The first rule change came just hours after Trump’s post.

The Department of Justice announced it would launch an investigation into the CIF and California Attorney General Rob Bonta over the state’s law that allows biologically male trans athletes to compete with girls and women on Wednesday. The second rule change took place shortly after that announcement. 

On Tuesday, the family of another girls’ track star who has been displaced by Hernandez in the track and field postseason, Katie McGuinness of La Canada High School, told Fox News Digital they are grateful for Trump’s intervention. 

“We are grateful that President Trump is fighting for female athletes and giving them a fair shot to compete on a level playing field. CIF’s ‘solution’ to this situation, which allows additional girls to compete at the state championship who otherwise didn’t qualify because the transgender athlete took their spot, isn’t good enough – it’s still an unfair competition and an injustice to the girls competing,” the family said in a statement.

“Allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports is unfair, unjust and defies common sense,” the family added. 

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Katie previously spoke out against CIF for allowing the situation to get this far in an interview on Fox News’ “America Reports” last week. 

“I have nothing against this athlete as a person, and I have nothing against the trans community,” McGuinness said. “My message today is really specifically to CIF and for them to act quickly and in a timely manner because this is a really time-sensitive issue.” 

Todd Chrisley spotted shopping after Trump’s full pardon from prison

Todd Chrisley looked happy as he went on his first public outing on Thursday following his release from prison. 

The 56-year-old was seen heading into a Nordstrom in Nashville, Tennessee, with his family, including his daughter, Savannah, who had fought for her parents’ release. Earlier in the day, Savannah was seen with her mom Julie.

The “Chrisley Knows Best” star, along with his wife Julie, received a full pardon from President Donald Trump this week following their 2022 conviction on fraud and tax evasion charges. 

The couple were convicted of conspiring to defraud community banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans as well as tax evasion and sentenced to 12 and seven years, respectively. Their sentences were later reduced. 

JULIE CHRISLEY MAKES FIRST PUBLIC OUTING AFTER TRUMP PARDON

Trump announced the pardon on Tuesday. 

“It’s a terrible thing, but it’s a great thing, because your parents are going to be free and clean, and I hope we can do it by tomorrow. Is that OK? We’ll try getting it done tomorrow,” Trump told Savannah and her brother, Chase, in a phone call from the Oval Office on Tuesday that was posted onto an X account of a White House aide. The post was captioned in part, “Trump Knows Best!”

Savannah has been advocating for their release since the pair went to prison in January 2023 and reached out to Trump for a pardon earlier this year after their conviction was upheld by a three-judge panel last summer. 

“Reunited and it feels so good,” Savannah wrote in an Instagram Story post earlier Thursday along with a photo. 

TODD CHRISLEY JOKES ABOUT PRISON AS HE REUNITES WITH DAUGHTER SAVANNAH

On Wednesday evening, Todd first walked out of a federal prison in Pensacola, Florida, after serving two and a half years, according to lawyer Alex Little’s office. The release came shortly after Trump signed pardons for both Todd and Julie. 

Little’s office confirmed to Fox News Digital that Julie was released from the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky, on Wednesday night, shortly after Todd was released.

“Julie has also been released from prison and is now on her way home to Nashville as well,” Little’s office said.

Savannah got emotional outside the federal prison in Pensacola, Florida, awaiting her father’s release on Wednesday.

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Speaking to reporters, Savannah said, “Honestly, this process has been absolutely insane, and I am so grateful that I’m going to leave here with my dad.” 

Savannah claimed that prosecutors had her father’s head “on a dart board” before his prison sentence. She read Trump’s pardon to the reporters, which stated an immediate release, and she said she hopes “the prison is going to do that shortly.”

Savannah said Trump’s pardon for her parents “literally came out of nowhere.”

“I was in such shock and awe that the president himself took the time to tell me my family is coming back together,” she said. During her interview, Savannah explained why her constant fight to get her parents released from prison wasn’t just for them.

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“I’m literally fighting for every man that has been left behind here,” she said, referring to the prisoners in the federal prison in Pensacola.

Savannah posted a video on her Instagram on Tuesday saying she got the call from the president that he was signing pardon papers for her parents while she was walking into a Sam’s Club. 

“So, both of my parents are coming home tonight or tomorrow, and I still don’t believe it’s real!” she exclaimed.

She said she will be “forever grateful” to Trump and his administration as well as her lawyers and everyone else who “put in countless hours” to “make sure that my parents got home.” 

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“My parents get to start their lives over!” she added, saying she “vowed to stand next to you and your administration, exposing the corruption and continue fighting for the men and women who are in prison … Thank you, thank you, thank you and I will repay your kindness to every person that I meet, so thank God for a president like Donald J. Trump. Thank you, God, for a president who wants to restore families and loves people … and took the time to call me from the Oval Office to let me know my parents are getting their lives back.”