Democratic New York City mayoral candidate and self-described socialist Zohran Mamdani is facing criticism over remarks made at a Young Democratic Socialists of America conference, where he urged attendees not to compromise on goals like "seizing the means of production."During the appearance which was part of a 2021 YDSA winter conference Mamdani, then newly elected to the New York State Assembly, lamented that many socialist principles remain outside the political mainstream."Right now, if we're talking about the cancellation of student debt, if we're talking about Medicare for all, you know, these are issues which have the groundswell of popular support across this country," Mamdani says in a video to conference goers. "But then there are also other issues that we firmly believe in, whether it's BDS or whether it is the end goal of seizing the means of production, where we do not have the same level of support at this very moment."NEW YORK MAYORAL HOPEFUL ZOHRAN MAMDANI SLAMS CAPITALISM ON CNN, CITES MLK TO DEFEND SOCIALISMMamdani went on to say that it was "critical" for people not to compromise on these less popular ideas, despite publicly asserting this week he is "not a communist.""It's critical, the way that we organize, the way that we set up our you know, set up our work and our priorities, that we do not leave any one issue for the other, that we do not meet a moment and only look at what people are ready for, but that we are doing both of these things in tandem," Mamdani continues in his conference address. "Because it is critical for us to both meet people where they're at and to also organize for what is correct and for what is right, and to ensure that, over time, we can bring people to that issue."On Monday, the video of Mamdani speaking at the 2021 YDSA conference began making the rounds on social media.EX-NYC MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO SAYS THERES A LOT OF EXAGGERATION OVER MAMDANI FEARS"Mamdanis socialism nomenclature is no joke or aspiration," billionaire Bill Ackman said in response to the video as it began appearing on social media. "It is the business plan of a movement that he is leading and, for now, winning. Dont rely on my summary. Listen to him speak his own words.""Mamdani smiles like a crocodile as he says his end goal is to elect more socialists and seize the means of production," President Donald Trump's crypto and artificial intelligence czar added in response to the video. "Democrats have become the party of the Luigi Left, Tesla Terrorism, and Crocodile Communists."Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani's campaign for a response to these criticisms but did not receive a response in time for publication.Last week, Trump personally criticized Mamdani, who upset former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the NYC mayoral primary earlier this month, as a "100% communist lunatic.""Its finally happened, the Democrats have crossed the line," Trump wrote. "Weve had Radical Lefties before, but this is getting a little ridiculous." Trump doubled down on the communist claim this week in an interview with Fox Business, adding that, if elected, Mamdani better "behave" or risk his city losing federal funding.In response to Trump's criticism of being a "communist," Mamdani directly refuted the claim to NBC News over the weekend."No, I am not," Mamdani responded when asked point-blank by NBC's Kristen Welker. "I have already had to start to get used to the fact that the president will talk about how I look, how I sound, where I'm from, who I am, ultimately, because he wants to distract from what I'm fighting for. And I'm fighting for the very working people that he ran a campaign to empower that he has since then betrayed."When we talk about my politics, you know, I call myself a Democratic socialist in many ways inspired by the words of Dr. [Martin Luther] King from decades ago, who said, Call it democracy, call it Democratic-Socialism, there has to be a better distribution of wealth for all of Gods children in this country."

The bosses of America's largest teachers' unions appear to have taken opposite stances on the recent Supreme Court ruling about LGBTQ books in school, with one saying the "expertise of trained educational professionals" should have been deferred to, while the other said, "Parents must have a say."On Friday, the justices decided 6-3 inMahmoud v. Taylor that parents could opt their children out of a Maryland public school system's lessons that contain themes about homosexuality and transgenderism if they feel the material conflicts with their religious faith."Students pay the price when books are censored and educators are silenced," National Education Association President Becky Pringle said in reaction to the decision on BlueSky."Today, in the ruling on Mahmoud v. Taylor, the Supreme Court failed students. They have discounted and ignored the expertise of trained educational professionals, and harmed students in the process," she added. "Shameful."AUTHORS BLAST 'HARMFUL' SCOTUS RULING ALLOWING PARENTS TO OPT KIDS OUT OF READING THEIR LGBTQ+ BOOKSThe National Education Association is the largest teachers' union in the country, presiding over 3 million members.However, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said on Friday that parents and families should be respected."We have to respect all children and all families. Bad facts make bad law. Mahmoud should have been worked out on a local level, it's a shame it went all the way to SCOTUS," Weingarten said. "Parents must have a say about their own kids, they are our partners in education."SUPREME COURT TO HEAR CASE ON LGBTQ-THEMED STORYBOOKS AND PARENTS RIGHT TO OPT OUTWeingarten shared similar sentiments on "The Story" in April, when the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the case."This is something that has to be happening at the local level and not in the Supreme Court," Weingarten said, while also noting that the books containing LGBTQ content are not ones she would read to children.The two teachers' union bosses usually align in political views, having both endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.In the past, Weingarten has pushed back on book challenges from parents. In 2023,Weingartenlaunched a hotline called "Freedom to Teach and Learn" to report instances of book banning and challenges against curricula.Weingarten, the leader of the 1.7 million-member union, claimed at the time that "MAGA lawmakers have used culture wars to divide communities and other schemes that drain resources from public education."CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The WNBA announced the remaining eight starters for the 2025 All-Star Game after it was revealed Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark and Minnesota Lynx leader Napheesa Collier will be this years captains.While looking over the overall scores following the voting process, Clarks position among her peers seemed surprising.There are three voting groups for the WNBA All-Star process: fan rank, media rank and player rank for the guards and frontcourt players. While Clark was first in fan votes, and third among the media, her fellow WNBA players ranked her ninth among the guards.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMClark finished second among all players largely because fan votes account for 50% of the votes to determine starters. But it was Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers, the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft earlier this year, taking the top spot after finishing second in fan rank, fifth in media rank and fourth in player rank among the guards.The Atlanta Dreams Allisha Gray, one of the WNBA All-Star starters, finished first in media rank and player rank, while players like Seattles Skylar Diggins, New Yorks Sabrina Ionescu and Natasha Cloud, Washingtons Brittney Sykes and more finished above Clark in terms of player rank.FEVER STAR CAITLIN CLARK NAMED CAPTAIN FOR 2025 WNBA ALL-STAR GAME AFTER RECEIVING OVER 1 MILLION VOTESPerhaps a main reason why Clarks peers ranked her so low among guards is due to playing only nine of the Fevers 16 games this season. Clark has been dealing with injuries in her sophomore season, which continues now as shes missed the last two games.Clark had been struggling lately as well, going just 13-of-47 from three-point territory in her last three games.Still, Clark is averaging 18.2 points, 8.9 assists, five rebounds and 1.6 steals over 33.3 minutes per game this season. Only the Phoenix Mercurys Alyssa Thomas who could be among the 12 All-Star Game reserves, which will be selected by the leagues head coaches and announced this Sunday has more assists per game (9.3), and shes touched the hardwood in 12 contests this season.Clark received 1,293,526 votes from the fans.While Clark has been integral in the rise of the WNBAs popularity since breaking rookie and league records last season with the Fever, there have been many contentious moments over that span of games with opponents.This season, a physical altercation broke out against the Connecticut Sun, during which Clark was hit in the face and shoved to the ground during a play. Later in the game, Clarks teammate, Sophie Cunningham, retaliated against Sun guard Jacy Sheldon in another scuffle that led to ejections.And, of course, Clark was the center of national sports conversation after instances against the Sun, Chicago Sky and others.But Clark and Collier will be the ones drafting players to their All-Star squads, and now they know who will be starting with them at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Clarks Fever home, on July 19.They will get to choose from the following starters:The WNBA All-Star Game draft results, which will include the 12 reserve players when head coaches sent their votes in, will be revealed on July 8.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X, and subscribe tothe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

A North Carolina landscaper found himself in the weeds after allegedly throwing a large party at a previous customers home.37-year-old Michael Brown is accused of inviting "several hundred people" to a Weddington home on June 21 where he had previously worked as a landscaper, according to the Union County Sheriffs Office.Brown allegedly waited until the homeowners were on vacation to throw the massive bash, even charging an entry fee that "he then pocketed," police said.Deputies were called to the home after receiving several noise complaints and encountered Brown, who initially told them he was the owner, according to authorities. When the officers did not buy his story, Brown then claimed the home belonged to his grandparents, police said.ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED AFTER VIRGINIA MAN FOUND STABBED TO DEATH IN STRANGER'S HOME: ICE"After several additional epic failures at telling the truth, he finally admitted he was the lawn guy and had no relation to the homeowners whatsoever," the sheriffs office said in a statement.EX-DUKE FOOTBALL MURDER SUSPECT KEEPS RETURNING HOME AFTER ARRESTS THANKS TO SOFT-ON-CRIME JUDGES: POLICE REPThe Union County Sheriffs Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digitals request for comment.Several local law enforcement agencies responded to the scene due to the large number of partygoers, with several individuals deciding to "double down on their criminal behavior" by leaving the area recklessly resulting in numerous traffic stops.ANTONIO BROWN RAISES EYEBROWS WITH SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS AMID REPORTS HE'S WANTED FOR ALLEGED ATTEMPTED MURDERBrown was subsequently taken into custody and charged with alleged breaking and entering, injury to real property, obtaining property under false pretenses, second-degree trespassing and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.He was booked into the Union County Detention Center, where he "was specifically told he was a guest [at the jail], not a resident, and ordered not to throw any parties in our phone cell while trying to secure a bonding company," the press release said.Brown has since been released from jail on bond.Fox News Digital was unable to immediately locate an attorney representing Brown.

The VOA is perhaps DOA.At least thats the interpretation of Kari Lake.Lake ran unsuccessfully for governor of Arizona in 2022. She ran for the Senate in 2024 and lost.So President Trump appointed Lake to lead the U.S. Agency for Global Media.KARI LAKE DECLARES US AGENCY FOR GLOBAL MEDIA ROTTEN TO THE CORE, SETS 2026 SHUTDOWN GOAL: 'A BOONDOGGLE'The worst thing in broadcasting is dead air. And that may be the goal of Lake a former Arizona TV news anchor."It's really like a rotten piece of fish," said Lake before a recent House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing. "And it's best to just scrap the whole thing and start over."She plans to edit the influence of VOA and other government media such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, Radio Free Asia and the Middle East Broadcast Networks."We need to modernize. I don't think doing 1990s television is effective anymore," said Lake.The hearing marked the first time Lake testified before lawmakers since President Trump tapped her for the position. She told lawmakers that Chinese spies infiltrated the VOAs Mandarin service. And Russian spooks nearly made the payroll at Radio Free Europe."This is not the voice of America. This is the voice of America's enemies," said Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky.Democrats say curbing VOA silences the U.S. from transmitting news and truthful information into enemy territory.Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., was apoplectic at the Trump Administrations plans to cancel many of the governments radio and TV broadcasts abroad."My God. It's the worst and most stupid thing that we could do in foreign affairs," fumed Sherman. "That's our soft power. That's our effort to bring freedom of information and hopefully democracy to the entire world. That's how we explain ourselves in dozens of different languages. And for them to gut it? In terms of our influence in the world, Voice of America and its sister broadcasters is more important than an aircraft carrier."EXCLUSIVE: KARI LAKE SAYS VOA'S PERSIAN NEWS SERVICE 'RISING TO THE OCCASION' AMID IRAN-ISRAEL CONFLICTSherman reiterated his concerns about diminishing soft power at the hearing, adding that changes to the VOA lineup may appeal to a special audience abroad."I think Putin would be very happy," said Sherman about the Russian leader. "Bombs are powerful. Truth is more powerful."But its not just Democrats who fret about the static on the government airwaves.Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif., says unwinding Radio Free Asia cedes power to China and North Korea."We have let go of journalists that have spent decades building their credibility and trust with our audiences," said Kim. "Without reporting from the outside world through VOA and (Radio Free Asia), most North Korean civilians only see the United States as the bad guy."Kim feared the U.S. couldnt "win in the information domain."Lake recently canned 639 Global Media employees. She says her orders come from the top.Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., the top Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, asked what sort of "review" she did to pare back VOA and other services."What we've reviewed was an executive order March 14th by the man who's in charge of the executive branch. Hs name is Donald Trump," said Lake.APPEALS COURT BACKS VOA OVERHAUL KARI LAKE SAYS WILL 'MODERNIZE' AGENCY: HUGE VICTORY FOR PRESIDENT TRUMPShe then held up a photo of the president and showed it to lawmakers facing her on the dais.Democrats contend thats exactly the problem as the president and Lake try to redesign American government broadcasters."I see why Mr. Trump put you in this position. He doesn't want a free press," scolded Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Penn. "You are a propaganda machine for the Trump Administration."Democrats piled on."Im also concerned about your ability to promote American democracy given your background backing dictators," said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash.Other Democrats highlighted Lakes controversial political history and how she questioned the results of both races."You have been sanctioned twice for providing false information to courts. Isn't that true? Yes or no?," asked Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., the former mayor of Phoenix."I was brave enough to fight our shoddy elections. And the courts have not caught up," fired back Lake.TRUMP ORDERS THE DISMANTLING OF GOVERNMENT-FUNDED, 'PROPAGANDA'-PEDDLING MEDIA OUTLET"The American people cannot believe a word you say," said Stanton. "You lost, fair and square. Instead of conceding, you embarrassed yourself and our state by lying again and again for years, blaming everything under the sun for your loss except for your own toxic politics.You lie about that election to this very day."After Lakes dual political losses, Stanton had a request of Lake."Will you do us all a favor and run it back and run again?" he asked.Lake encountered more friendly questioning from Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Mich. He asked about potential messages U.S. Global Media could broadcast around the world."What do you think some of the most important stories and tenants about America that need to be told that haven't been getting told?" asked Huizenga."I think that just the history of this country and what this country is about. Our freedoms. Our liberties. Our Bill of Rights," stated Lake."Maybe the founding of our country?" suggested Huizenga."The founding of our country and especially this year with 250 years," responded Lake, noting that July 4, 2025, is the semi-quincentennial of the U.S."That would seem to me a pretty big story to tell," added Huizenga.A BIG, BEAUTIFUL WEEKEND ON THE HILL: 'EVERYBODY HAVING FUN YET?'Congress commissioned VOA during the Cold War to beam news behind the Iron Curtain. But today, Republicans question its necessity. Especially when people now get news from their phone."Goddangit, it's not very efficient," said Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn."Its a relic," declared Lake."Yes maam. Its a Cold War relic," agreed Burchett.VOA fired dozens of staff in its Persian division. But restored some programming as tensions rose between Iran and Israel culminating in the recent U.S. airstrikes. But the VOAs Persian service used to broadcast 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Even though VOA bolstered some reporting amid the crisis, it was a fraction of the work the organization used to do."From my understanding the VOA operation is pretty much gone," observed Kim at the hearing."No. Its not gone. Were doing what is statutorily required," replied Lake. "The statutory minimum."That means VOA and other services are but a husk. Congress will prepare spending bills for the entire federal government over the next three months. What lawmakers decide to do with funding for VOA and Global Media will foretell the future of the organizations. And if the microphones fall silent for good.

Rosie O'Donnell is sharing her two cents when it comes to Lauren Snchez and Jeff Bezos' lavish, three-day Italian wedding.On Monday, O'Donnell took to Instagram and shared side-by-side photos of Snchez with "then and now" printed at the bottom."The BEZOS wedding. It turned my stomach seeing all these billionaires gathering in the gross excess of it all, the show of it. Is Oprah friends with Jeff [Bezos]. Really - how is that possible. He treats his employees with disdain. By any metric he is not a nice man," O'Donnell's caption began.CHARLIZE THERON TAKES DIG AT BEZOS WEDDING WHILE MIA FARROW CELEBRATES HIS CHARITABLE EX-WIFEShe continued by attacking Snchez's appearance and praising Bezos' ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott."And his fake fem bot wife. Who looks like that? Why would he choose her? After the salt of the earth MacKenzie. Sold his soul is what it looks like from here. The devil is smiling at all his conquests," she concluded.O'Donnell shared that she continued her commentary about Bezos' wedding on her Substack account.LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSOn her Substack account, O'Donnell wrote, "Bezos was raised by a single mother. He knows exactly what he does. So do all of his guests. Posing for photos forgetting themselves. In their designer outfits. Ready for a Vogue cover. A spot on ET. More worthless performative nonsense."She mentioned the Trump administration and how citizens have "become numb to gross excess. We have learned to tolerate it."JEFF BEZOS, LAUREN SNCHEZ CELEBRITY WEDDING GUESTS TAKE VENICE BY STORM"Celebrity worship. Devoid of humanity... As we worship the ones hurting us. Numbly asking for nothing. In an American stupor. Of [our] own making," O'Donnell continued.Representatives for the newlyweds did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.The couple were married Friday, June 27, on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore with A-list stars packing the guest list.Orlando Bloom, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Tom Brady and Sydney Sweeney were just a few of the stars in town for the Amazon founder's wedding.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERO'Donnell isn't the only celebrity who has taken aim at the Bezos-Sanchez wedding.Charlize Theron voiced her thoughts on Saturday while hosting the fifth annual Block Party for her Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project on the Universal Studios backlot.Before diving into immigration policy issues, the Oscar-winner slammed the Bezos bash and its attendees."I think we might be the only people who did not get an invite to the Bezos wedding," Theron told the crowd, per The Hollywood Reporter. "But thats OK because they suck, and were cool."

Bill Maher said he has a "dim" view of modern parenting and encouraged parents to be "traditional.""Well, I hope you're a traditional parent," Maher said Mondayduring his "Club Random" podcast with guest Odell Beckham Jr.,a three-time Pro Bowl NFL wide receiver.Maher, whorecently revealed in another episode of his podcast that he never left the Democratic Party because he was never a member to begin with, seemed disappointed in parents today.MAHER WARNS DEMS' REFUSAL TO DITCH UNPOPULAR 'WOKE' ISSUES MAY MAKE THEM AN 'IRRELEVANT PARTY'"I have a dim view of modern parenting, and not that I am one, but I'm not oblivious to what it looks like because I see these little rapscallions around me sometimes when I'm out and so forth, and they have no respect for their parents,"Maher said.His parenting advice to Beckham, who was released by the Miami Dolphins in 2024, was blunt."Don't take any s--- from your kid. It'll make your life and the kids' life better," Maher said.He also cautioned Beckham against letting his 3-year-old son use social media."When he gets a little older, keep him away from social media too much," Maher said, acknowledging that by the time he is old enough to use social media, it "might be implanted in our brains and the robots are going to take over."BILL MAHER SAYS DEMS ARE DOOMED IF THEY WONT STAND UP TO RADICAL ANTI-ISRAEL PROPAGANDA FROM THE YOUNGMaher has become increasingly critical of the progressive orthodoxy of far-left or "woke" views.He recently said Democrats need to "do something" about "The View," and called out Whoopi Goldberg when she said that life for Black Americans is the same as the plight Iranian women face living under their countrys regime.Maher also recently agreed withSen. John Fetterman, D-Penn., who said that Democrats defense of the Los Angeles anti-ICE protests would be "good for Trump," and additionally praisedDemocrats for moving"back to sanity" after The New York Times took a more "sensible liberal, not crazy woke" stance on transgender issues.

Federal authorities have unraveled several schemes by the Democratic Peoples Republic of North Korea (DPRK) that were used to fund its regime through remote information technology (IT) work for U.S. companies, resulting in two indictments, tech and financial seizures and an arrest.The Department of Justice (DOJ) said Monday that North Korean actors were helped by individuals in the U.S., China, the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan to obtain employment with over 100 U.S. companies, including Fortune 500 companies.In one scheme, U.S.-based individuals created front companies and fraudulent websites to promote the legitimacy of remote workers, while hosting laptop farms where remote North Korean IT workers could remotely access company-provided laptop computers.In another scheme, IT workers in North Korea used false identities to gain employment with a blockchain research and development company in Atlanta, Georgia, and steal virtual currency worth over $900,000.ALLEGED CHINESE SCHEME TO INFLUENCE 2020 ELECTION FOR BIDEN BEING PROBED BY FBI, SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEEAssistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg of the DOJs National Security Division said the schemes target and steal from U.S. companies and are designed to evade sanctions while funding illicit programs, including weapons programs, in North Korea."North Korea remains intent on funding its weapons programs by defrauding U.S. companies and exploiting American victims of identity theft, but the FBI is equally intent on disrupting this massive campaign and bringing its perpetrators to justice," Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI Counterintelligence Division said. "North Korean IT workers posing as U.S. citizens fraudulently obtained employment with American businesses so they could funnel hundreds of millions of dollars to North Koreas authoritarian regime."As part of its announcement about the North Korean scheme, the DOJ unsealed a five-count indictment against Zhenxing Wang, a U.S. national living in New Jersey, who has since been arrested.Wang and his co-conspirators, the DOJ said, obtained remote IT work with U.S. companies and generated over $5 million in revenue.CHINESE PHD STUDENT FROM WUHAN ARRESTED SMUGGLING BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS AFTER DELETING ELECTRONIC EVIDENCE: DOJAlso charged in the indictment are Chinese nationals Jing Bin Huang, Baoyu Zhou, Tong Yuze, Yongzhe Xu, Ziyou Yuan and Zhenbang Zhou. Taiwanese nationals Mengting Liu and Enchia Liu were also charged in the indictment.Also indicted was U.S. national Kejia "Tony" Wang, also of New Jersey, who was charged separately."The threat posed by DPRK operatives is both real and immediate. Thousands of North Korean cyber operatives have been trained and deployed by the regime to blend into the global digital workforce and systematically target U.S. companies," U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts said. "We will continue to work relentlessly to protect U.S. businesses and ensure they are not inadvertently fueling the DPRKs unlawful and dangerous ambitions."The indictment alleges that from 2021 and through most of 2024, the defendants and other co-conspirators compromised the identities of over 80 people in the U.S. to obtain remote jobs at more than 100 companies. As a result, the victim companies incurred legal fees, computer network remediation costs and other damages and losses to the tune of at least $3 million.Kejia and Zhenxing, along with at least four other U.S. facilitators, allegedly helped overseas IT workers with various parts of the scheme.FOREIGN NATIONALS CHARGED AMID TRUMP VISA CRACKDOWN FOR SCHEME TO SMUGGLE US MILITARY EQUIPMENT INTO CHINAFor example, the allegations claim the U.S. facilitators received laptops from U.S. companies at their homes and enabled overseas IT workers to access the laptops remotely. This was done by connecting the laptops to hardware devices designed to allow for remote access things like keyboard-video-mouse, or KVM, switches.Kejia and Zhenxing allegedly established shell companies with websites and financial accounts to make it appear as though the overseas IT workers were affiliated with legitimate businesses in the U.S. Once established, the two allegedly received money from U.S. companies, and the funds were transferred to co-conspirators overseas.In exchange for their services, Kejia, Zhenxing and the other four conspirators in the U.S. received at least $696,000 from the IT workers.The DOJ said one of the companies the schemers allegedly accessed data from was a defense contractor that develops artificial intelligence-powered equipment and technology. By accessing the companys data, the schemers were privy to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), the DOJ said.FEDS BUST ARMENIAN FRAUD RING ACCUSED OF STEALING $30M IN COVID, SMALL BUSINESS LOANSThe DOJ also announced that the FBI and Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) seized 17 web domains used as part of the scheme, along with 29 financial accounts holding tens of thousands of dollars, used to launder revenue for the North Korean regime.The DOJ unveiled another part of the scheme, which resulted in a five-count wire fraud and money laundering indictment against four North Korean nationals: Kim Kwang Jin, Kang Tae Bok, Jong Pong Ju and Change Nam II.The suspects are accused of scheming to steam virtual currency from two companies, with a value of over $900,000 at the time of the thefts, and to launder the proceeds.All four nationals, the DOJ said, are at large and wanted by the FBI."The defendants used fake and stolen personal identities to conceal their North Korean nationality, pose as remote IT workers, and exploit their victims trust to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars," U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia said. "This indictment highlights the unique threat North Korea poses to companies that hire remote IT workers and underscores our resolve to prosecute any actor, in the United States or abroad, who steals from Georgia businesses."CHINESE OFFICIALS CLAIMED BEHIND CLOSED DOORS PRC PLAYED ROLE IN US CYBERATTACKS: REPORTThe indictment alleges the four defendants traveled to the United Arab Emirates on North Korean travel documents and worked as a co-located team.Jin and Ju were also allegedly hired by a blockchain research and development company in Atlanta, and a virtual token company based in Serbia.While hired, Jin and Ju hid their North Korean identities from their employers and provided false identification documents, the DOJ alleged.Both defendants ultimately earned the trust of their employers and allegedly stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from them in multiple instances. The funds were then laundered and transferred to accounts held by Bok and Nam, which were allegedly opened fraudulently using Malaysian identification documents.During the investigation, the FBI executed searches of 21 premises across 14 states that were hosting known and suspected laptop farms. During the execution, the FBI seized 137 laptops.

As lawmakers push forward with the sweeping One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the executive director and CEO of the oldest and largest organization of public safety communications professionals warns that its failure to include funding for Next Generation 911 (NG911) is a serious national security oversight with consequences for public safety."This bill does many good things," Mel Maier, executive director and CEO of APCO International, told Fox News Digital. "However, it leaves something out thats very important, and thats funding for Next Generation 911 and failing to modernize that first call for help."NG911, Maier explained, is not just a modernization project but a public safety and national security necessity as the public remains on high alert following the U.S. strike against Irans nuclear capabilities.IRANIAN SLEEPER CELLS MAY BE TARGETING OPPONENTS ON CANADIAN SOILHe emphasized that NG911 is also a matter of national security, especially considering escalating global instability and the increasing threat of foreign cyberattacks."Next Generation 911, at its heart, is really about national security," Maier said. "Whether it's cybersecurity from national threat actors, or from internal actors, we need to get that information to the field-based responders out there as quickly as possible."Pointing to the recent concerns about sleeper cells in the U.S., Maier said that the vulnerabilities that the current system has could easily be jeopardized."We know that cyberterrorists and threats are being directed against 911 today, and its affecting us today," he said. "Ransomware attacks have taken down 911 centers, police departments, fire departments, EMS agencies across the U.S. We need to stop that."Despite these warnings, NG911 funding was not included in the current "big, beautiful bill.""We do believe that working with Congress in a bicameral and bipartisan way is the only effective way to make this happen," he said. "Weve had assurances from Congress on both sides of the aisle that this is a national priority."WATCH: US has eyes open for possible Iranian cyberattacks, says tech expertAPCO supports legislation introduced by Sen. Amy Klobuchar that contains language crafted in collaboration with public safety experts, but Maier pointed out that the bill still lacks what matters most: a funding source."That bill in Sen. [Amy] Klobuchars office right now has foundational and fundamental language that we support," he said. "Public safety has supported it. Weve helped craft that language. However, it does not identify a funding source. Thats missing. Without it, it will not move forward."Funding remains a weak spot in the organizations effort to modernize 911. A federal cost analysis from 2018 estimated that a full nationwide rollout of NG911 would require $15 billion. Without this investment, Maier warned, the U.S. risks a fragmented emergency response system and what he calls "a nation of haves and have-nots.""Some states have invested in Next Generation 911 infrastructure and technologies. Others have done nothing," Maier said. "That leaves us with haves and have-nots across the nation. We want to have cities, communities, townships, villages, rural areas, tribal areas, territories all getting the same services. It should be across the nation, the same for everyone."AMERICANS WEIGH IN ON TRUMP'S BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL: POLLSThe current system still runs on infrastructure built in the 1960s and '70s, which was never designed to support video, multimedia messaging, or geolocation data."Next Generation 911 allows that information to reach the 911 center, and then it can be pushed out to those field-based responders," Maier said. "That information itself can be critical in getting the best information to the right person quickly enough that they can make a difference and save lives. Next Generation 911, if implemented nationwide today, will save lives today."President Donald Trump is pressuring his party to pass the sweeping tax cuts and spending package in time for him to sign it by the Fourth of July. The spending package includes sweeping legislation and implements many of the president's campaign promises.

The largest number of voters since 2011 say they are proud of the country, according to a new Fox News national survey.Fifty-eight percent say they are proud of the country. Thats up 13 percentage points since June 2024 and the highest since 2011 when a record 69% were proud. By contrast, 41% are not proud. The survey was completed before recent events in the Middle East, including U.S. military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and President Donald Trump brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS THINK IRAN POSES A REAL THREAT TO US SECURITY, BUT SPLIT ON ISRAEL'S STRIKEThe increase comes from an overwhelming majority of Republicans (85%) now being proud compared to last summer (36%).That makes Republicans 30 points prouder of the country today than Democrats were a year ago (55% of Democrats in 2024). In 2011, majorities of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents were proud.The new survey shows 36% of Democrats are proud (61% not proud) while Independents held relatively steady with roughly 4 in 10 expressing pride.FOX NEWS POLL: ECONOMIC PESSIMISM ABATES SLIGHTLY AS VOTERS REFLECT ON THE ECONOMY"Although pride in the U.S.A. seems like it should be above partisan wrangling, thats only partially borne out by the data," says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts the Fox News survey with Democrat Chris Anderson. "The reality is the out-party has become saltier in recent years when asked about the land of the free. Democrats today (and Republicans last year) arent willing to express pride so long as the other side controls the White House."Majorities across most groups are proud, especially MAGA supporters (92%), Republican men (88%), and White evangelical Christians (80%).A lack of pride is highest among women with a college degree (51% not proud), voters under age 30 (57%), and Democrats (61%).A 68% majority of voters also agrees the U.S. is the best country in the world to live in (30% disagree).While thats roughly where sentiment has been for the last four years, it doesnt match the 8 in 10 who felt the same in 2015 (83%) and 2011 (84%) when the question was first asked.In 2011, 89% of Republicans, 84% of Democrats, and 73% of Independents thought living in America was the best. For Republicans, that number held steady at 90% today, but has decreased by 34 points among Democrats (50%), and by 13 points among Independents (60%).Overall, one-third trust the federal government compared to nearly two-thirds who distrust it.The only time more voters trusted than distrusted the government was in 2002 (54% vs. 36%), and that was also the first time the question was asked on a Fox News survey.Most Democrats (73%) and Independents (80%) distrust the government, while Republicans are split (47% trust, 48% dont trust).Even as more are proud of the country, more than 8 in 10 (85% extremely or very) are concerned about the future of the country, the highest in a list of eight concerns, albeit by one point.Almost as many say inflation is a huge concern (84%), followed by government spending (80%), Iran getting a nuclear bomb (78%), antisemitism (69%), illegal immigration (67%), domestic use of U.S. military troops (66%), and protests in U.S. cities (63%).The future of the country is the top issue for Democrats and Independents (90% each concerned). For Republicans, it comes in fourth at 79% behind illegal immigration, Iran getting a nuclear bomb, and government spending.CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINEConducted June 13-16, 2025, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,003 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (149) and cellphones (566) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (288). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of 3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics of respondents are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis and voter file data.

The college friends who found four University of Idaho students dead in a bloody crime scene just steps off campus have broken their silence years after the slayings and weeks before the suspect's trial.Hunter Johnson, now 24, and Emily Alandt, 23, were called to the house at 1122 King Road on Nov. 13, 2022 by two surviving roommates, identified in court documents only as DM and BF.Johnson and Alandt's names were also redacted, but they broke their silence in an interview with People over the weekend and are both expected to appear in an upcoming documentary about the case.Johnson was staying at Alandt's off-campus apartment the night of the murders and told the magazine he had an unusual gut feeling to lock their door that night. It was something he usually didn't think about, he said.PENNSYLVANIA RESIDENTS FIGHT SUBPOENAS IN BRYAN KOHBERGER'S IDAHO MURDER CASE"That's something I've never done in my life there," he told the outlet. "There was no noise. I don't know why, but something in my soul told me that I should go lock my door."That was at 3 a.m. An hour later, an aspiring criminologist named Bryan Kohberger allegedly crept into the victims' home up the street and killed Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20.DM saw a masked intruder but did not call 911 until hours later. Instead, she waited for him to leave, then ran downstairs to BF's room. It was DM who asked Johnson to come over when they woke up.BRYAN KOHBERGER SELFIE FROM DAYS BEFORE ARREST SEEN FOR FIRST TIMEGET REAL-TIME UPDATES AT THE FOX NEWS TRUE CRIME HUB"I was like, what is going on? Is this real?" he told People. "Then you realize the gravity of what you just walked into. At that moment, you don't really realize what you walked into until you really look at it and process it."What they entered was a bloodsoaked and brutal crime scene.All four victims had been stabbed multiple times by what authorities described as a large knife, likely a Ka-Bar.At least two were believed to have been asleep at the start of the attack.FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON XSIGN UP TO GET THE TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTERThe Moscow Police Department investigation dragged on for weeks, with help from the county sheriff, state police and the FBI. By Dec. 19, authorities had secretly identified Kohberger, then 28, as a suspect based on DNA recovered from a knife sheath under Mogen's body.They also allege his white Hyundai Elantra is the suspect vehicle.They arrested him on Dec. 30 at his parents' house in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains. Kohbeger had driven home cross-country with his dad riding shotgun ahead of the Christmas break.At the time of the crime, he was studying for a criminology Ph.D. in Pullman, Washington, 10 miles from the University of Idaho.Kohberger's trial is set to begin in August. He could face the death penalty if convicted of any of the four counts of first-degree murder.

Idaho student murders suspect Bryan Kohberger has accepted a plea deal to spare his life in the murders of four University of Idaho students, two sources close to the case told Fox News Digital Monday.Kohberger, 30, is accused of killing Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, in a 4 a.m. home invasion attack on Nov. 13, 2022.Goncalves' family, in a Facebook page her parents created after the murders, condemned the deal, which spares Kohberger's life."We are beyond furious at the State of Idaho," a new post reads. "They have failed us. Please give us some time. This was very unexpected."BRYAN KOHBERGER RETURNS TO COURT FOR HEARING ON PILE OF EVIDENCE HE WANTS THROWN OUT BEFORE TRIALAll four had been stabbed multiple times with a large knife. Police recovered a Ka-Bar sheath that they allege had Kohberger's DNA on it near Mogen's body.Kohberger was studying for a Ph.D. in criminology at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. That's 10 miles up the road from Moscow, Idaho, where all four victims were undergrads at the University of Idaho."By taking a plea dea, Bryan Kohberger has insulated himself from a sentence that would require his execution," said Edwina Elcox, a Boise defense attorney who said the deal came as a surprise. "Only a jury can sentence him to death. Regardless, he will likely spend the rest of his life in prison, without the possibility of ever being in society again."She said she hopes the process brings peace to the families after the horrifying crime."They will not have to go through the stress of a trial and the virtually guaranteed appeal process, in the event Kohberger was convicted at trial," Elcox told Fox News Digital. "The judge will take his guilty plea and then set a hearing for Kohberger to be sentenced. He can absolutely expect to spend the rest of his life behind bars."The plea deal came as a surprise prosecutors had not telegraphed the move and fought hard to keep the death penalty on the table in pretrial proceedings.Kohberger's defense failed repeatedly to have it removed, revealing his autism diagnosis and crying foul over discovery deadlines it claimed that prosecutors missed."If they don't get the why, this is the most incomprehensible deal of all time," said Paul Mauro, a retired NYPD inspector who is following the case.If Kohberger agreed to truthfully explain what happened, that could be a reason for the deal to have materialized so unexpectedly, he said. Especially with opposition from at least one family, he said.Judge Steven Hippler was unmoved by the arguments from his team.The latest development comes hours after a hearing in Pennsylvania to determine whether witnesses there can be compelled to travel to Idaho to testify.This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.