Mexican drug cartels are getting help from the Chinese to build their drug empire that feeds off American consumers.Border patrol officials intercepted 50,000 kilos of precursor chemicals this week used in the process of manufacturing methamphetamines, sent from China and intended for members of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico. In addition to providing the cartels with the chemicals needed to make illicit drugs, Chinese entities are also one of the foremost actors in helping them launder their proceeds, according to the Treasury Department."For far too long, the Mexican drug cartels have raked in billions of dollars at the expense of our local communities leaving nothing but addiction, death and despair in their wake," said Chad Plantz, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge in Houston. "This initiative provides HSI with a game-changing method to stay one step ahead of the cartels by disrupting the flow of chemicals that they depend on to produce illicit narcotics."'COMING FOR US': EXPERT SOUNDS ALARM ON CCP'S MISSION TO 'KILL AMERICANS' AFTER FBI MAKES SHOCKING ARRESTSThe seizure was part of an ongoing initiative launched in 2019 to identify suspicious shipments of precursor chemicals from China, India and other countries that are destined for Mexican drug cartels. Since the initiative was established, officials have interdicted more than 1,700,000 kilograms of chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamines and fentanyl, including a seizure this past March of 44,000 kilograms of precursor chemicals at the Port of Houston, destined for the Sinaloa Cartel.Immigration officials' bust comes amid news of a spate of other incidents involving Chinese nationals or individuals working for China who have engaged in espionage efforts, ranging from agroterroism and selling military secrets, to infiltrating U.S. universities and utilizing American-based products to sow political divisions online.In the latest incident, two Chinese nationals were charged with allegedly smuggling a "dangerous biological pathogen" into the U.S. to study at a University of Michigan laboratory. This happened amid controversy over the Trump administration's effort to intensify visa scrutiny for Chinese nationals trying to enter the United States.CHINESE OFFICIAL REPORTEDLY SEEKING TALKS WITH TRUMP ON FENTANYL INGREDIENTS AMID TRADE WARLast month, an expansive investigation by a group of Stanford students detailed how there is a culture of students and faculty at their school doing work for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The report highlighted how some students want to work with the Chinese government, such as through sharing intellectual property or aligning their research priorities with Chinese interests, while others are sometimes coerced into doing work for the CCP, particularly if they have family back in Beijing.Meanwhile, just this week, reports of Chinese efforts to steal U.S. state secrets or sow political divisions have surfaced.On Friday, the Department of Justice indicted two Chinese nationals and a lawful permanent resident for conspiring to traffic sensitive American military technology to the CCP.Over the weekend, a British businessman was arrested for attempting to smuggle sensitive U.S. military components to China.American artifical intelligence company OpenAI this week also shutdown a Chinese-linked influence operation that was utilizing its ChatGPT product to generate social media posts and sow political division related to U.S. politics online.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"The new visa policy is long overdue," Congresswoman Michele Steel said. "After four years of willful ignorance or gross incompetence under the Biden administration, President Trump has wasted no time in directing his administration to take the decisive, necessary action to finally thwart the pervasive and growing threat of Chinese communist espionage."

UnitedHealthcare is suing British newspaper The Guardian for defamation, alleging that the outlet falsely accused them of enticing nursing homes to enroll in a special program that works to restrict medical expenses for elderly patients."The Guardian knowingly published false and misleading claims about our Institutional Special Needs Program, forcing us to take action to protect the clinician-patient relationship that is crucial for delivering high-quality care. The Guardian refused to engage with the truth and chose instead to print its predetermined narrative," UnitedHealthcare told Fox News Digital in a statement.The Guardian article, published May 21, claimed that UnitedHealthcare is pursuing cost-cutting tactics that jeopardize the health of nursing home patients. The article claims that the health insurance giant provides what amounts to secret bonuses to enroll in a program that stations medical staff that reports directly to UnitedHealthcare, and in practice works to reduce hospitalizations for patients, some of whom allegedly may urgently need the care.UNITEDHEALTHCARE CEO MURDER SUSPECT LUIGI MANGIONE INDICTED IN NEW YORKThe article also claims UnitedHealthcare financially entices nursing homes to join their "Institutional Special Needs" program, and allegedly illegally had nursing homes share confidential patient data with the insurer so that it could skirt federal law and market programs to patients some of whom lack the capacity to make financial decisions on their own and families. The Guardian also alleged that UnitedHealthcare leaned on nursing home staff to convince patients to sign DNRs, even if they had expressed a desire for all medical options to be used to save their life."A recent article published byThe Guardianpresents a narrative built largely on anecdotes rather than facts. It is unfortunate that the article misrepresents a program that, in reality, improves health outcomes for seniors through on-site clinical care, personalized treatment plans, and enhanced coordination among caregivers. We stand firmly behind the integrity of our programs, which consistently receive high satisfaction ratings from our members," UnitedHealthcare said in a statement in response to the article in May.The lawsuit alleged that The Guardian used a "heavily cropped screenshot" of an internal UnitedHealthcare email which they claim, when seen in full, contradicts their reporting. The suit also accuses The Guardian of "gratuitously" linking its report to the assassination of their former CEO Brian Thompson.UNITEDHEALTH SHARES SLIDE AS CRIMINAL PROBE REPORT ADDS TO INVESTOR FEARS"The Guardian knew these accusations were false, but published them anyway," the lawsuit stated.The Guardian told Fox News Digital it stood by its reporting."The Guardian stands by its deeply-sourced, independent reporting, which is based on thousands of corporate and patient records, publicly filed lawsuits, declarations submitted to federal and state agencies, and interviews with more than 20 current and former UnitedHealth employees as well as statements and information provided by UnitedHealth itself over several weeks. Its outrageous that in response to factual reporting on the practice of secretly paying nursing homes to reduce hospitalizations for vulnerable patients, UnitedHealth is resorting to wildly misleading claims and intimidation tactics via the courts," a representative from The Guardian said.When asked by Fox News Digital for clarification regarding the "heavily cropped screenshot," a representative for The Guardian said the image was in fact a "visual illustration" and the so-called missing information was provided "in an on-record comment and a denial from UnitedHealth" in the proceeding paragraph. The Guardian rep also claimed that UnitedHealthcare never asked the press outlet to alter the image.

A survivalist is issuing a warning for hikers and outdoorsmen in the Ozarks of Arkansas: steer clear of the area.Shawn Hendrix's warning comes amid an ongoing search for prison escapee and former Gateway Police Department Chief Grant Hardin, 56, who fled from a medium-security prison in Calico Rock on Sunday, May 25, according to the Arkansas Department of Corrections (ADC).Nicknamed the "Devil in the Ozarks," Hardin was serving decades in prison for murder and rape."I think that the big thing that gets him caught or dead in the field is getting injured or a foodborne illness he drinks some bad water," Hendrix told Fox News Digital. "Now, if he gets dysentery or some kind of really bad foodborne or waterborne illness, that could take him out real quick. So, let's hope that he drinks some bad water and has some really terrible disease that gets him out of the woods because my biggest concern is that if you're a hiker or a camper or hunter out there, you're not going to see it coming."ARKANSAS OFFICIALS RELEASE NEW PHOTO OF ESCAPED 'DEVIL IN THE OZARKS' ON RUN FOR WEEKSHendrix added that Hardin has shown little regard for human life in the past, and "every person in the woods right now is an opportunity for equipment for this guy." Arkansas authorities have warned that the escapee may be armed and dangerous."I definitely would stay clear of the area," he said.FORMER ARKANSAS POLICE CHIEF GRANT HARDIN'S PRISON ESCAPE OFFERS UNIQUE CHALLENGES TO SEARCHERS: EXPERTSHardin escaped prison through a sally port, wearing a makeshift ADC-style uniform, ADC communications director Rand Champion said last week, noting the uniform he was wearing was not official.The former police chief pleaded guilty to fatally shooting a man in the face inside the victim's work truck in 2017. After submitting DNA samples when he was booked for the murder case, his DNA was linked to the 1997 cold-case rape of a teacher. He pleaded guilty in that case in 2019, according to KNWA.'DEVIL IN THE OZARKS': FBI OFFERS $10K REWARD FOR CAPTURE OF FORMER ARKANSAS POLICE CHIEF ON THE RUN"This guy is just so evil. I mean, this guy is a sociopath," Hendrix said. "[Hardin] has no care for humans or anybody but himself. He's law-enforcement trained. He has a history of issues in and out of the police. I think there's a whole bigger story of how this guy was a cop for 27 years, right? I would not want to be out looking for this guy."Hardin is described as a 6-foot White male, weighing approximately 259 pounds.Hendrix said at that weight, Hardin has a caloric reserve that could help him survive for weeks alone in wooded areas of the Ozarks, which have hundreds of caves and natural resources that include food, water, berries and other natural food supplies.DEVIL IN THE OZARKS WHO ESCAPED PRISON LIKELY STILL IN ARKANSAS AREA: OFFICIALS"There's just a lot of, you know, berries, cattails, fish, you know, there's like natural native fruits like persimmon, maybe even plums in that area," Hendrix explained. "So there's a lot of natural things to live off the land. If he has a gun, I don't know about using a gun to shoot an animal just because of how loud it would be, but there [are] ways to get food. He's such a heavy individual [at] 260 pounds. He's got a couple of months of reserves."Police searching for Hardin in the wilderness will likely be looking for "concealed" evidence of a person living in the woods, such as a burnt-out fire or other materials that have been covered up, or an underground fire.The FBI and U.S. Marshals are offering a combined $25,000 for any information leading to Hardin's capture. They are asking anyone with information to call 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.MANHUNT UNDERWAY AFTER DISGRACED FORMER POLICE CHIEF CONVICTED OF MURDER, RAPE ESCAPES ARKANSAS PRISONChampion said during a news conference last week that authorities are fairly confident in the route they believe Hardin took when he escaped and said authorities believed he was still in the Ozarks area, but a federal complaint filed against Hardin on May 30 suggests another possibility: he may be out of state.Based on two unconfirmed sightings, including one in Missouri on May 26, a day after Hardin escaped, federal officials believe he's not in Arkansas anymore, as The Arkansas Democrat Gazette first reported."He has extensive knowledge of the Ozark Mountain region, where he is believed to be possibly hiding in caves or rugged terrain that he is familiar with," Deputy U.S. Marshal Robert J. Hammons wrote in the criminal complaint, according to the Gazette.Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas.

A flight passenger shared frustrations about a surprising issue involving a checked baggarneringplentyof comments from other users. Posting in the "r/delta" Reddit forum with the title, "My checked bag was rejected for being underweight," the user wrote that large souvenirs from a trip would not fit in any of the person's existing bags.So "I stuffed them into the secret duffel bag that I always bring for such contingencies and tried to check it," the post said.FLIGHT PASSENGERS COMPLAIN ABOUT MASKLESS COUGHING ON BOARD AS SUMMER TRAVEL HEATS UP"Imagine my surprise when the agent said I couldn't check my fluffy bag because it didn't weigh enough," read the post."Is this the bizarro luggage counter?" the user asked."The agent said I should go ahead and take it as a third carry-on, but I didn't want to get hassled by the gate agent," continued the post.The person did not want to be forced to check a backpack at the gate and ended up finding a few "heavy things" from the carry-on to add more weight.MAJOR AIRLINE HOLDING FLIGHTS TO ACCOMMODATE FLYERS WITH CONNECTIONS"Has this happened to anyone else?" asked the Reddit user. "What do you think is the reasoning behind this?"Users took to the comments section to discuss whether they'd ever heard of a checked bag rejected for being "underweight" and speculated about possible reasons for the rejection."Might have been too lightweight and flexible to make it through the sorting machines and various belts to get from the bag check conveyor to the plane," suggested one user.Another Redditor wrote, "Could easily be blown from the belt or from the cart."CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTERSaid another person, "I wouldve just checked my carry-on and taken souvenirs with me."Another user said, "Gate agents lately are super strict Trying to get three obvious bags past them would most likely not work.""You checking helium balloons?" joked one user.Another Redditor said, "Gate checking usually results in the bag getting damaged less. It's the unknown airport bag mazes that cause trouble."For more Lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyleMost airlines list the maximum weight of a checked bag on their website, but they do not state whether there is a minimum weight limit.Deltas website lists its price for the first and second "standard checked bag under 50 lbs."Bags on Frontier "must weigh 40 lbs or less," according to that company's website.

Jurors in Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal trial heard testimony this week about Cassie Ventura's friend allegedly being dangled off a balcony at the hands of the rapper.The explosive testimony echoed similarities between Diddy and one of television's greatest hits, "The Sopranos," according to Billy Bush.The "Hot Mics with Billy Bush" podcast host exclusively told Fox News Digital that Diddy's violent history may have been on display, but that doesn't necessarily equate to a guilty verdict.DIDDY'S DEFENSE ATTORNEY CHALLENGES GOVERNMENT'S NARRATIVE IN HIGH-STAKES FEDERAL TRIALCassie Venturas friend, Bryana "Bana" Bongolan, testified this week that Diddy held her over the edge of a 17-story balcony in 2016. While on the stand Wednesday, Bongolan confirmed she spoke about the incident during various government meetings.Bongolan said Diddy was yelling at her loudly, "You know what the f--- you did."She testified that to this day she doesnt know what the rapper was referring to."Her allegations are that he hung her over a balcony, which is like, what are you watching too much Sopranos here?" Bush said. "Like, this is such mafia sick s--t. It's, I can't believe it, but it reminds me of like when Michael Jackson had "Blanket" over the balcony in some Rome or Paris hotel (sic). And then Suge Knight hung Vanilla Ice over the balcony."In a 1999 episode of "Behind the Music," Vanilla Ice clarified that the balcony allegations against Suge Knight were unfounded."He didn't hang me off from any balcony," the rapper said. "The story's been kind of blown out of proportion, and I want to clarify that Suge and I have no bad feelings towards each other."50 CENT WARNS TRUMP ABOUT DIDDY AFTER PRESIDENT IS ASKED IF HE'D CONSIDER PARDON"It's the ultimate, like, it's the ultimate gangster move," Bush added of Bongolan's allegations against Diddy. "Who makes that up? I mean, he clearly did, and it's sick. So I think it was helpful as far as painting him as extremely violent."Bush continued, "I still don't know if Diddy is a sealed, done deal. He's not arguing that he's a domestic violence perpetrator and general bad dude."Allegations about the incident were detailed in a November 2024 lawsuit Bongolan filed against Diddy where she requested $10 million in damages. Bongolan filed the lawsuit to "seek justice for what happened to me," she told the court. She said her lawyer wrote the complaint and that the words were not the same as what she had testified to.Her recollection of the events that night were marred, according to Diddy's lawyers. Nicole Westmoreland, a Diddy defense attorney, asked Bongolan several questions about Cassies 29th birthday. Bongolan replied, "I dont remember" to most of the questions, which included if she was on drugs. She later told Westmoreland that she couldn't remember telling the government if the incident happened at a party or if they were just hanging out.LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS"Drug use is not great for memory, and we're dealing with a marginalized character here," Bush said. "At the end of the day, I don't think the drug use thing is a big shocker to anyone on the jury and you know, Diddy definitely partied with the drugs."WATCH: BILLY BUSH LIKENS DIDDY ALLEGATIONS TO MAFIA TACTICSHe added, "I don't think that is going to come into account at all. It's just the actions of what happened. They don't excuse his actions. And I don't think that they discount her claims either. I really don't."In a federal indictment unsealed on Sept. 17, Diddy was charged with racketeering conspiracy (RICO); sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and transportation to engage in prostitution. If found guilty, he faces a minimum of 15 years behind bars or a maximum sentence of life in prison.CLICK HERE TO GET THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERHe has maintained his innocence throughout the trial, in which witnesses have testified to alleged rape, sexual assault, severe physical abuse, forced labor and drug trafficking. The trial is expected to wrap by July 4.During the opening statements of Diddy's trial, defense attorney Teny Geragos asked the jury to consider the federal charges, not the choices of an at-times violent man."Sean Combs is a complicated man, but this is not a complicated case," Geragos told the court. "This case is about love, jealousy, infidelity and money. This case is about voluntary adult choices made by capable adults and consensual relationships. This case is about those real-life relationships, and the government is trying to turn those relationships into a racketeering case, a prostitution case and a sex trafficking case. It will not work."Geragos told the jury that they would hear the "basics" through the lens of various witnesses and evidence. Most importantly, though, jurors would get the opportunity to "finally" hear the facts about the case."I say that because this case is not about what you've heard on the news, read in the news or have seen on social media for the past year and a half," Geragos said. "This case is not about what civil attorneys looking for a payday are trying to make my client out to be. There has been a tremendous amount of noise around this case for the past year, and it is time to cancel that noise and hear and see the evidence that will be presented in this courtroom."She noted that Diddy "has a bad temper" and at times gets "so angry or so jealous that he is out of control," but she emphasized that the "Victory" rapper was not charged with "being mean."CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"He is not charged with being a jerk. He's charged with running a racketeering enterprise," Geragos told the jury. "And though there was violence that you are going to hear about, you already have, that violence is not part of any RICO. That violence is not connected to sex trafficking and that violence is not prostitution."

Radio host Charlamagne Tha God on Thursday said while he would gladly read former White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierres new book, her credibility is dubious.Former Biden White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Wednesday revealed she was registering as an independent and announced a forthcoming book about her time in the tumultuous administration. The longtime Democratic Party operative is urging Americans to step outside harsh party lines in her new book, "Independent: A Look Inside a Broken White House, Outside the Party Lines.""Until January 20, I was responsible for speaking on behalf of the President of the United States," she said in a statement,according to The Associated Press. "At noon on that day, I became a private citizen who, like all Americans and many of our allies around the world, had to contend with what was to come next for our country. I determined that the danger we face as a country requires freeing ourselves of boxes. We need to be willing to exercise the ability to think creatively and plan strategically."Charlamagne, who hasnt been shy about criticizing either party, offered mixed praise for Jean-Pierre's move during his radio show.FOX NEWS WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS SHARE SHOCK OVER KARINE JEAN-PIERRE'S PARTY SWITCH"I respect her being independent because I feel like if you Black in this country, you shouldn't be loyal to any party," he said on Thursday's episode. "You should only be voting your interest. You should only be voting for politicians who are implementing legislation and policies for your communities and your people. And if you ask me, none of these parties have done enough for us to be screaming, 'We Republican or Democrat,' so independent is the way to go."Jean-Pierres reputation is still questionable in his eyes, however."When it comes to her in particular, I'm probably going to read the book, but nobody wants to hear from anyone who got up there and lied for the Biden administration," he said.He argued such proclamations from people like Jean-Pierre are too little, too late, even if he approves of her general points.CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE"It's like a lot of these folks are having a come to Jesus moment way too late," he said. "They should have been talking like this two or three years ago, and she had a very interesting quote in her press release. The quote was, 'We need to be willing to exercise the ability to think creatively and plan strategically. We need to be clear-eyed and questioning rather than blindly loyal and obedient as we may have been in the past. And that right there is the problem with Democrat supporters, especially Black ones, just blindly loyal and obedient for no damn reason."When asked by a co-host about whether such loyalty is referring to Biden or to the presidency as an institution, Charlamagne argued it ultimately resulted in betraying the American people.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"Andor" series showrunner Tony Gilroy said Thursday he does not believe his "Star Wars" series is "left-wing."In an interview with New York Times columnist Ross Douthat on his podcast "Interesting Times," Gilroy denied that he wrote the show to represent a left-wing revolution against fascist authoritarians."I never think about it that way. It was never- I mean, I never do. I don't," Gilroy declared in response to Douthat asking if he agreed the show is a "left-wing work of art."'STAR WARS' ACTOR JOHN BOYEGA SAYS SERIES WAS 'SO WHITE' IN NEW DOCUMENTARYThe second season of the critically acclaimed series debuted on Disney+ in April. It follows the adventures of Cassian Andor, a key player in the rebellion against the Galactic Empire. He was a main character in the hit 2016 movie "Rogue One."The show, which lasted two seasons, provides a dark and realistic depiction about how individuals ban together to resist a creeping authoritarian government that uses deception, censorship and violence to cement its own power.In the interview, Douthat said he believes Gilroys depiction of the rebellion against the empire in the series is distinctly left-wing.While introducing his guest, he said, "The Star Wars serial Andor has somehow managed to pull off originality within the constraints of a familiar franchise, pleasing obsessive fans and critics alike. Part of its originality is that it has an explicitly political and, to my mind, left-wing perspective on its world, without feeling at all like tedious propaganda."BILL MAHER RIPS LEFT'S 'EXCLUSIONARY ATTITUDE' AS 'HAMILTON' CANCELS SHOWS AT TRUMP-BACKED KENNEDY CENTERGilroy admitted the work was political in that it was inspired by his fascination with revolutions in world history."The canvas that was being offered was just a wildly abundant opportunity to use all of the nonfiction and all the history and all the amateur reading that Id done over the past 40 years and all the things I was fascinated by, all the revolution stuff that not only I would never have a chance to do again, but I really wondered if anybody else would ever have a chance to do again," he said.Elsewhere, he told Douthat that he was particularly inspired by dictatorships throughout history, like Italian dictator Benito Mussolinis regime."I want to pay as much attention to the authoritarian side of this, the people whove cast their lot with the empire, who get burned by it all," he said.However, the showrunner denied he meant to portray the empire as a right-wing authoritarian government being undone by left-wing freedom fighters.CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE"But its a story, but its a political story about revolutionary " the conservative columnist protested.Gilroy interjected, "Do you identify with the Empire? Do you identify with the Empire?""No, I dont," Douthat said. "But I dont think that you have to be left-wing to resist authoritarianism. I see the Empire as you just described it: Its presented as a fascist institution that doesnt have any sort of communist pretense to solidarity or anything like that. Its fascist and authoritarian, and you're meditating on what revolutionary politics looks like in the shadow of all that."

A Catholic group is calling out Apple CEOTim Cook and Apple TV+ in a letter demanding an apology and removal of a "Eucharistic desecration" scene in one of its shows."As the nations largest lay Catholic advocacy organization, we write to express our concern about a blasphemous anti-Catholic scene in theApple TV+ show, Your Friends and Neighbors," CatholicVote said in a Monday letter obtained exclusively by Fox News Digital."Episode 6 of the series depicts two characters breaking into a Catholic church," the letter, signed by Josh Mercer, vice president of CatholicVote, reads. "The male character steals Eucharistic hosts from the tabernacle, which theyeat as a snack. The man flippantly remarks about how they are eating the Body of Christ. The man feeds a host to the female character and feigns blessing her. Then they begin engaging in romantic activity in the pews before the pastor walks in, and they flee the church."VIRGINIA BISHOP SAYS ALTAR DESECRATION ISLATEST IN INCREASING GLOBAL TREND OF ATTACKS' ON CATHOLIC CHURCHMercer, who is also requesting a meeting with Cook to discuss how the company can promote "true diversity and tolerance," called the scene "sacrilegious," and asked Cook if he would be tolerant of similar content mocking the Islamic or Jewish religion. CatholicVote's website called it a "shocking depiction of Eucharistic desecration.""As Catholics, we have believed for 2,000 years that the Eucharist is not simply a piece of bread," Mercer wrote. "It is the body, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ. The practice of taking communion was instituted by Christ himself at the Last Supper. Receiving the Eucharist at Mass is, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it, 'the source and summit of the Christian life.'"He also highlighted astatement on Apples website, which appears to value supporting those from various walks of life, stating, "At Apple, we create a culture with a North Star of dignity, respect, and opportunity for everyone. Because were not all the same. And that remains one of our greatest strengths."Mercer also pointed to a2015 op-ed from Cook where he opposed discrimination against those who provide marriage licenses to same-sex couples.Cook wrote that, "I have great reverence for religious freedom Apple is open. Open to everyone, regardless of where they come from, what they look like, how they worship or who they love."CATHOLICVOTE CALLS OUT HARRIS FOR PHOTO WITH CONTROVERSIAL SISTERS OF PERPETUAL INDULGENCE DRAG NUNSCatholicVote has alsolaunched a petition with 169,596 signatures and counting asking signers to tell Apple leadership that they "wont stand for blasphemy.""Apple's shameless depiction of blatant sacrilege inside a Catholic Church is a direct attack on what Catholics hold most dear," Mercer told Fox News Digital in a statement."We solemnly believe that the Eucharist is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ; this fundamental truth is the source and summit of our Catholic Faith," he added. "We cannot stand by while Christ and His Church are casually mocked in the name of entertainment. We call on Catholics to join us in demanding that Apple take down the blasphemous episode and issue an apology. We await Apple's response to our letter and hope it makes amends for its offensive actions."Fox News Digital reached out to Cook and Apple for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.

Cornelius Garrison wasmurderedin New Orleans in 2020. He had beencooperatingwith federal authorities investigating a crash-for-cash insurance fraud scheme. For years,Garrison helped stage car crashes, directing participants to purposefully crash into trucks with the hopes of extracting a settlement from their companies. He would thenfunnel the passengers from these choreographed car wrecks to billboard attorney Vanessa Mottas law firm, who would then file knowingly fraudulent lawsuits. For agreeing to expose this crime network, Garrison lost his life. Nine defendants now face charges related to this particular staged automobile collision scheme, according to anindictmentfrom the U.S. Department of Justice. So far, more than 63 individuals have been charged in a federal probe of staged car crashes in the New Orleans metro area. Unfortunately, these tactics are not isolated to New Orleans. They are occurring in cities across this country.Criminal networks across the United States are choreographing collisions with trucks, rideshare cars and private motorists, causing injuries, and eventually siphoning settlements that the rest of us ultimately fund.TRUMP ADMINISTRATION REVIVES ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT FOR TRUCK DRIVERSCongress can stop it. Earlier this month, I led a group of U.S. representatives in calling United States Attorney General Pam Bondi to create a federal task force to investigate and prosecute these rings, helping to shut them down. The Trump administration should launch it now.Today, motorists face choreographed threats when they drive on Americas roads. It may look like two sedans boxing in an eighty-thousand-pound tractor-trailer. The lead car slams the brakes. Physics takes over. Moments later, the truck has "rear-ended" a vehicle whose drivers set the whole scheme in motion. They call a lawyer. Lawsuits are filed. The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud says such scams help drain $308 billion annually from the U.S. economy, including $45 billion in property-and-casualty lines.Commercial vehicles, including truck drivers and rideshares, are easy targets to these criminal networks because the liability limits are high, and juries often blame the big trucks and commercial companies. Premiums for independent truckers have jumped nearly 50% in three years. AUTO OWNERS WORRIED ABOUT RISING INSURANCE PREMIUMSIn my home state of Georgia, 23% of every Uber ride goes directly into insurance costs. Fewer trucks on Americas roads mean higher freight rates and thinner inventories. Every shopper pays the price.This fraud also corrodes the rule of law. Free markets can function only when real risk, not manufactured danger, sets the price of insurance. Honest drivers subsidize this deceit. The reach and breadth of this fraud is staggering. In New York, ground zero of the so-called "fraudemic," a surge of staged-accident lawsuits and collusion between plaintiff lawyers and medical providers triggered investigations that forced one billboard attorney firm to drop hundreds of bogus claims. Since 2014, there have been 63 investigations involving U-Haul-related fraud, resulting in 47 arrests, including 20 criminal cases opened in 2019 alone.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONA focused federal task force could put a stop to this. Stronger laws must also back the effort. I have introduced the "Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act." It would make causing a crash for a payday a specific federal crime with hard prison time. Fraud is already illegal, but current penalties were written for one-off crashes, not the exploding cottage industry of assembly-line scams, causing million-dollar payouts. The law should match the crime.STUNTWOMAN PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY STAGED CAR CRASHES FOR PROFIT: FEDSThis bill still ensures justice for those who have been harmed in an accident. Genuine victims would still get their day in court. What vanishes is the incentive to invent injuries or recruit passengers as props.Consumers wouldbenefit first. Lower fraud losses mean lower premiums. Small trucking operators would stay in business. Rideshare passengers would see relief in the form of their total ride cost. Roads would grow safer. Support for broad reform is growing. The American Trucking Association, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, and rideshare companies like Uber have all called for quick action in launching a task force. These organizations are on the road every day and see it firsthand.The path forward is clear. The Department of Justice should launch the task force. Congress should pass the prevention act. Staged-accident fraud may not lead cable news segments nightly, but it drains wallets and endangers lives. Congress can and should end it.CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM REP. MIKE COLLINS

The fight over Jimmy Buffetts estate has sparked a massive legal battle.His widow has filed a petition to have co-trustee Richard Mozenter, who manages the late musician's estate, removed for failing to act in her "best interests" with the marital trust that was "created for her benefit."Jane Buffett, who married the singer in 1977, made the legal filing in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, alleging that Mozenter, also a co-trustee of the marital trust set up for her, has been "openly hostile and adversarial" toward her and worked against her, according to the legal filing obtained by Fox News Digital.TONY BENNETT'S DAUGHTERS CLAIM BROTHER TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THEIR FATHER FOR FINANCIAL GAIN IN NEW LAWSUIT"Mr. Mozenter has failed to perform even the most basic tasks required of him in his role as co-trustee, including providing Mrs. Buffett with information concerning Trust assets and finances, which has left Mrs. Buffett in the dark with regard to the state of her own finances," the filing said. "Along the way, Mr. Mozenter has belittled, disrespected, and condescended to Mrs. Buffett in response to her reasonable requests for information she undoubtedly was entitled to receive. As a result, the majority of Mrs. Buffetts net worth is controlled by someone she does not trust, and to whom the Trust for her benefit must pay enormous feesmore than $1.7 million in 2024 to him and his firmno matter how badly he treats her."Mozenter has filed his own petition in Florida to have her removed as co-trustee and representative of the estate, according to The Hollywood Reporter.Fox News Digital has reached out to Mozenter for comment.Jimmy Buffett died in 2023 following a battle with cancer, leaving a $275 million estate.Jane's filing claims that one month after the musicians death, she reached out toMozenter to find out how much she would be expected to receive from the trust going forward.JIMMY BUFFETT'S BUSINESS EMPIRE WENT BEYOND SEARCHING FOR HIS LOST SHAKER OF SALT"Rather than help his recently-widowed client understand her finances, Mr. Mozenter spent the next 16 months stonewalling and making excuses for why he could not yet provide the requested information," the filing said.In February, Mozenter finally gave Jane an estimate that the marital trust would generate less than $2 million in net income annually, a rate of return of less than 1%, according to the filing.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERMozenter "acknowledged that, over the prior 18 months, Margaritavillea company of which the Trust owns roughly 20%had paid distributions of approximately $14 million, but he decided against including any estimate of future distributions from Margaritaville in his analysis of the Marital Trusts future income."The filing stated that Mozenter told Jane that Margaritaville "continues to evaluate future business opportunities and how they deploy existing liquid assets."LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSHe told her, based on that analysis, that the trust would not cover her annual expenses, saying she could consider making "adjustments" or selling her own real estate to make up the difference, the filing claims."If the Marital Trust truly earns such a low return consistent with the financials Mr. Mozenter presented, it will confirm that Mr. Mozenter is either not competent to administer the Trust or unwilling to act in Mrs. Buffetts best interests," Janes filing claimed.Buffett landed on the Forbes billionaires list for the first time in 2023 for an empire that, along with his music, included his "Margaritaville" island escapism brand sparked by his hit 1977 song. As chair of Margarita Holdings LLC in which Buffett held a 28% stake he had resorts, restaurants, casinos, cruises and merchandise.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPFollowing their marriage in 1977, Buffett and Jane welcomed three children together, including Savannah, 46, Delaney, 33, and Cameron, who was born in 1994 and adopted by Buffett and Jane.Fox News' Larry Fink contributed to this report.