House Democrat lashes out when grilled on whether socialist victories would threaten Dem unity
Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., clashed with Fox News chief congressional correspondent Chad Pergram on Capitol Hill while being pressed on whether Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidates who won New York primaries this week could threaten Democratic unity and complicate House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ path to the speakership. The exchange came after several socialist candidates won Democratic nominations in New York City this week, fueling questions about whether the party’s left flank could complicate Democrats’ messaging and create new headaches for Jeffries if Democrats win back control of the House. Larson defended New York voters’ right to choose their nominees and repeatedly expressed confidence that Jeffries, D-N.Y., could manage any new ideological tension inside the House Democratic Caucus, while also saying he opposes antisemitism and agreeing that some DSA positions are not very American. “Isn’t it going to create hassles here on Capitol Hill? For Jeffries?” Larson was asked. SOCIALISTS CHEER ‘SHOCKWAVE’ PRIMARY NIGHT AS DSA-BACKED CANDIDATES WIN, ADVANCE ACROSS THE MAP “The voters of New York make up their own mind. We don’t control voters of New York. In America, in a free Democratic-Republic, people get to choose their elective representatives,” Larson shot back. “The people of New York have made a decision. The people in Wyoming make decisions too, the people in other states make decisions. That’s the way democracy works.” Pressed on whether DSA-affiliated candidates coming to Capitol Hill would create division and dissension inside the House Democratic Caucus, Larson said Jeffries will “bring everybody together,” arguing he has been able to adequately handle numerous challenges thus far and will do so again with anymore that come his way. “Hakeem Jeffries is the greatest leader that we can have, because he will bring everybody together, as he has with the 11 separate, different caucuses and more in the Democratic caucus already,” Larson responded. Larson was then pressed on whether the DSA-backed candidates could present a new kind of challenge for Jeffries, particularly as he tries to become Speaker. DNC CHAIR DOWNPLAYS SOCIALIST–MODERATE RIFT AS MAMDANI’S RISE HAS SOME DEMS RATTLED “There was some argument out there that, you know, if this was Nancy Pelosi some years ago at the height of her powers, she’d be able to finesse this — he’s never been Speaker,” Pergram posited to Larson. “Well, she wasn’t Speaker for a long time either, but she became Speaker and she did an outstanding job. Jeffries is going to be an outstanding Speaker because of his ability to bring people together,” Larson said back. “Is there any backlash in the caucus about — and again, these are folks from New York, [Jeffries] is from New York, right? Schumer’s from New York — that this could undercut some of them. If others in the party think that these folks are going to drag them too far to the left?” Pergram continued to press. HAKEEM JEFFRIES CONFRONTED ON ‘YOU’RE NEXT’ CHANTS FOLLOWING NY DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST VICTORIES “Hakeem Jeffries will be the Speaker of the House, plain and simple,” Larson shot back. “And why? Because he’s demonstrated his leadership and he’s held the most diverse caucus ever assembled in the history of the world together. And that’s what he’s great at, and that’s what it’ll continue to do.” Larson was also pressed on whether Democrats would distance themselves from candidates or groups accused of holding antisemitic views. “Will you stand by people if they have antisemitic views?” Pergram asked. “The people in New York chose the candidates they did,” Larson replied. When pressed again, Larson said, “Am I against antisemitism? If that’s your question,” making clear he opposed antisemitism while continuing to argue that voters had the right to choose their nominees. DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKER SLAMS MAMDANI, SAYS PARTY SHOULD HAVE ‘ZERO PATIENCE’ FOR ‘INTIFADA’ RHETORIC The exchange continued as Larson was grilled on the DSA statement that he said called for eliminating the Senate and having the House choose the president and the Supreme Court. “That’s the DSA,” Larson said. “The people of New York decide who their elected officials are. The people of Connecticut decide who their elected officials are.” Asked whether that sounded radical, Larson said, “A lot of people sound radical to me. Radical on the left. Radical on the right. What’s your point?” “Should you stand out and argue against saying, ‘Hey, we shouldn’t have people, you know, throw out the Senate. Eliminate the Senate? That’s not very American,” Pergram proposed back. “I don’t think that’s very American either,” Larson said before he disengaged and took questions from another reporter.
Trump admin cracks down on estimated $10 billion in Obamacare fraud, boots millions from rolls
EXCLUSIVE: As part of an anti-fraud crackdown that spans the entirety of the federal government, the Trump administration’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) uncovered millions of alleged fraudsters on the Affordable Care Act rolls, according to a report obtained by Fox News Digital. A Biden-era spike in Obamacare enrollments led to a probe into the veracity of millions of claims, a Trump administration official confirmed. At the beginning of Biden’s term, there were 10 million people enrolled in the government’s healthcare program, but that number drastically skyrocketed to 22 million at its 2024 peak. Now, the Trump administration has removed nearly three million of the fraudulent enrollees, with a planned 2.6 million left to go. The administration official said the program’s massive abuse equates to about $10 billion swindled from the American taxpayer between 2021 and 2024. FRAUD SCRUTINY CLOUDS SCHUMER’S OBAMACARE CREDIT PUSH AFTER HIS PENTAGON ‘LUXURY’ SPENDING JAB The Biden administration relaxed eligibility checks and income verification requirements while also allowing more year-round enrollment in the program, according to the report. Furthermore, the report claims that fraudsters intentionally misstated their income levels in order to qualify and that insurance brokers signed people up for Obamacare without their knowledge, which are called “phantom enrollments.” Some people also received subsidies they were not eligible for. “By our estimate, improper, phantom, and fraudulent enrollment peaked at 5.6 million people in 2025,” the report says. “We estimate 2.6 million improper and phantom enrollments remain, including over 1 million enrollments without a social security number.” The Trump administration has since restored income verification, ended some special enrollment opportunities, checked for duplicate Medicaid enrollment, investigated so-called “phantom” enrollments by scamming brokers and ended some special enrollment periods. Right now, about 19.2 million people remain on the Obamacare rolls. “Preserving the fiscal and programmatic integrity of the ACA Exchanges is key to safeguarding taxpayer-funded resources for those that truly need them,” the report says. “The federal government paying brokers to enroll individuals without their knowledge is not.” “The Trump Administration continues to aggressively root out fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption by promulgating new regulations to improve program integrity, investigating suspected improper or fraudulent enrollment, and taking action against agents and brokers committing fraud.” READ THE FULL REPORT BELOW. MOBILE USERS CLICK HERE:
Death of great-grandmother brutally killed on train triggers federal action
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy reaffirmed the Trump administration’s commitment to holding Atlanta’s Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) “accountable” following the horrific stabbing death of a great-grandmother, announcing Friday that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is actively scrutinizing the transit system’s safety and security plans. In an X post Friday, Duffy said the FTA has launched a comprehensive review of MARTA’s security spending and safety protocols, along with risks to riders and workers. He noted that while MARTA met the government’s initial deadline for a response and assured the administration they are taking action, the FTA “won’t stop there.” ATLANTA TRAIN STABBING SUSPECT FACES NEW CHARGE AS FEDS WEIGH DEATH PENALTY IN GREAT-GRANDMOTHER’S KILLING “We are examining every aspect of their plan to verify if substantive improvements are being made,” Duffy wrote in the post. “This includes pouring over hundreds of pages of documents and conducting on-site visits to see the situation on the ground. We will continue to work to secure Atlanta’s system for passengers and transit workers alike.” The intense federal review into MARTA was launched after the unprovoked killing of 66-year-old Margaret Swan. Swan was riding a northbound MARTA train near the Oakland City Station on May 30 when John Elijah Matthews, 25, allegedly approached her, reached into his pocket and opened a folding knife. DISTURBING CONTENT WARNING: ILLEGAL ACCUSED OF KILLING GEORGIA GRANDMOTHER FACES NEW DISTURBING CHARGES According to prosecutors and a Fulton County arrest warrant, Matthews sliced Swan’s throat and subsequently stabbed her approximately 18 to 20 times in the neck and chest as she screamed and attempted to defend herself. Matthews allegedly threw Swan to the floor before exiting the train at the Oakland City Station, where MARTA police arrested him holding a bloody knife. Despite emergency medical aid from first responders, Swan was pronounced dead at the scene. ‘TRAGEDY AVERTED’ AT ATLANTA AIRPORT AS POLICE ARREST MAN WITH AR-15 ALLEGEDLY THREATENING TO ‘SHOOT IT UP’ Witnesses confirmed there was no interaction between the two prior to the attack. Matthews is facing a local felony murder charge and has been federally charged with committing an act of violence using a dangerous weapon with intent to cause death on a mass transportation system. If convicted, he could face life in prison or the death penalty, a determination that will be made by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. DUFFY WARNS CHICAGO, BOSTON TRANSIT SYSTEMS COULD RISK FEDERAL SUPPORT AMID RISING VIOLENCE In an X post earlier this month, Duffy said the rates of assaults, robberies and rapes on MARTA’s trains are “MORE THAN THREE TIMES the national average.” The FTA’s audit aims to examine if MARTA has properly implemented its safety plans to protect passengers and how it has allocated federal funds intended for security improvements. MARTA did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital’s Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.
Trump warns ‘godless communists’ will turn cities into slums as Dems fail to fight socialist surge
President Donald Trump took aim at the trajectory of the Democratic Party on Friday, telling attendees at the Faith & Freedom Coalition conference that its recent socialist primary winners are “godless communists.” “These are not social democrats. These are hardcore, godless communists. They’re godless communists. All communists are godless. They don’t believe in God. This is the most serious threat to our country since its existence. In my opinion, 250 years ago. This is a major threat to our country,” said Trump. Tuesday’s primary results in New York signaled a shift in the Democratic Party, with several socialist-backed candidates defeating incumbent officeholders. Trump, speaking ahead of the nation’s 250th birthday, highlighted America’s founding principles, arguing they stand in sharp contrast to the growing influence of socialist movements within the Democratic Party. “Our most important birthday so far, 250 years and instead of speaking about Christ and instead of speaking about freedom and victories of all different kinds, we’re speaking about yet another threat to the foundations of America,” said Trump. FAR-LEFT SURGE: MAMDANI-BACKED CANDIDATES OUST DEM ESTABLISHMENT INCUMBENTS He took aim at New York City socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani over a historic decision by New York City’s Rent Guidelines Board. Mamdani scored another political victory Tuesday, with all three congressional candidates he endorsed — Brad Lander, Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier — winning their respective Democratic primaries. “For the first time in history, the powerful Rent Stabilization Board, as an example that sets rents in New York City just happened today. They’ve done it for years and years and they’ve been very far left,” said Trump. NYC VOTERS FLOCK TO SOCIALIST-STYLE FREEBIES AS MAMDANI PUSHES RENT FREEZES, CITY-RUN STORES The board voted to freeze rents, banning landlords from raising rent on new one-year or two-year leases. “Mayor Mamdani, who came to the White House and seemed like a nice guy, but he said he was going to do this in his campaign,” said Trump. He warned that the decision would lead to the city’s decline. “What the mayor doesn’t say is that these buildings will soon turn into ghettos and slums, and that everybody will continue leaving New York,” Trump added. “As this spreads throughout the country, very much like an uncontrollable form of cancer, the country itself will be taken down. It will be third world, strictly third world. And it’s happened many times before to very big and very powerful countries. But it’s not going to happen to the United States of America,” Trump added.
New York City pours $15M into sex change initiatives as Mamdani accuses federal government of intimidation
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is pouring $15 million into new sex change initiatives for children and adults, framing the taxpayer-funded move as a defense against the federal government. The mayor’s office announced the multi-million-dollar package will establish a “direct care access fund” to subsidize providers who offer sex change procedures for children, and launch a dedicated call and text line, as well as fund research into LGBTQ+ healthcare access. Additionally, the city’s health department will launch a pilot program later this year at a Queens clinic to offer “gender-affirming hormone therapy” to adults at “no or low cost and regardless of immigration status.” MAMDANI TOUTS MASSIVE TAXPAYER-FUNDED INVESTMENT FOR TRANS HEALTHCARE: ‘FIRST STEP’ In a fiery statement, Mamdani accused the federal government of attempting to “intimidate patients, families and providers,” claiming the city is “stepping up” and will do “everything in our power to defend” the procedures. The mayor has directed the city’s law department to prepare for potential litigation to fight any federal efforts to restrict sex changes for children and adults. Top city officials echoed Mamdani’s sharp rhetoric, with Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su blasting the federal government’s actions as a “dehumanization of transgender people” that is “not just cruel, it’s dangerous.” NEW YORK AG LETITIA JAMES ADVISES HOSPITALS TO IGNORE TRUMP EO ABOUT SEX-CHANGE PROCEDURES FOR MINORS The director of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs, Taylor Brown, accused the Trump administration of waging an “ideological war” driven by “political instincts, not science.” The city’s announcement follows a recent legal clash over the issue. Earlier this month, the city opposed federal grand jury subpoenas seeking the medical records of transgender patients, and a federal judge recently granted an injunction blocking the U.S. Department of Justice from accessing the records. DEMS ‘DELIBERATELY OBFUSCATING’ TRUTH ABOUT ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ WITH THIS CLAIM: WATCHDOG Despite the multi-million-dollar price tag, some city officials are arguing that the $15 million investment is not enough. With the New York City Council projected to receive an additional $2 billion in tax revenue over the current and upcoming fiscal years, Councilmember Tiffany Caban is pressuring the city to increase the sex change budget to $60 million, according to a report from the Daily News. “We got money for 500 more cops in the executive budget, but we don’t have money for healthcare and trans kids,” Caban said. City Budget Director Sherif Soliman has also signaled a desire to expand the program, calling the $15 million allocation a “start” and expressing hopes to funnel more money toward the initiatives within the city’s fiscal limits, the outlet reported.
Socialists sweep NYC as Americans balk at movement’s brutal catch: ‘Talk to immigrants’
Americans gathered on the National Mall for President Donald Trump’s America250 kickoff at the Great American State Fair said New York’s socialist surge is a warning sign for Democrats — one they argue history has already rejected. “If you study history, you will see that many countries have already tried to go down that path and ended up in disaster,” said 11th grade Georgia teacher Jill. “If you talk to immigrants who came from countries that were socialist, they will tell you they left you know tending toward communist countries. They left for that reason.” Fox News Digital spoke with Americans who gathered on the National Mall Wednesday evening for Trump’s rally kicking off the Great American State Fair celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary, where attendees shared why they believe socialism would fail in the United States. The comments follow New York City socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani scoring another political victory Tuesday, with all three congressional candidates he endorsed—Brad Lander, Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier—winning their respective Democratic primaries. WINNERS AND LOSERS EMERGE AFTER SOCIALIST EARTHQUAKE ROCKS NYC PRIMARIES The victories were widely viewed as another sign of Mamdani’s growing influence in the Democrat Party and the increasing acceptance of socialism. The socialist victories in several high-profile New York Democratic primaries drew a sharp political contrast that many attendees of Trump’s rally told Fox News Digital served as a stark reminder of the direction they fear the country is heading. Rally attendee Jill told Fox News Digital that she traveled to East Germany at the age of 16 when the Berlin Wall was coming down, an experience she now brings into the classroom by showing her students photos from the trip. “I show my students pictures, and we talk about what communism means … capitalism is what’s got us here. We’ve been a capitalist country for a very long time. They have to be extremely careful when voting. They need to study and be well-informed voters,” Jill continued. While socialism collapsed in the Soviet Union and East Germany, it continues to shape the governments of countries such as Cuba and Venezuela—two nations that President Donald Trump has made a focus of his foreign policy efforts in an effort to support democratic change. NYC VOTERS EMBRACE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM AS AOC, SANDERS STUMP FOR MAMDANI “I don’t support socialism … If you look at Cuba, the difference there… compared to even the other Caribbean countries around it, it’s totally different. And they’re driving old cars. They don’t have even heating and air … capitalism makes that possible. And so I’m very much in favor of working for what you want … I still think America is a place where the American dream can still come true,” said Toni of Kentucky. “A hundred million people died from communism, whether it be from China and Mao or Stalin and Russia, Hitler. We can’t forget our history, or we have a tendency to repeat it, and we should definitely reject this. It’s never worked anywhere. And capitalism and a free market society has benefited the world,” David of Annapolis, Maryland, said. Jennifer, who traveled from Tennessee, said she is worried about the rise of socialism in America. “It’s not something that’s beneficial for our country and our values,” she said. Former Rochester, New York, resident Norma told Fox News Digital she has 10 grandchildren and is worried about the next generation. “New York is pretty much, I hate to say, far gone… I lived there for 22 years. There are conservative people there, but unfortunately, there’s this new agenda coming through,” she said. NYC VOTERS FLOCK TO SOCIALIST-STYLE FREEBIES AS MAMDANI PUSHES RENT FREEZES, CITY-RUN STORES Mamdani has faced criticism from conservatives over proposals including fare-free city buses, universal free childcare and city-run grocery stores, with Americans at the event telling Fox News Digital that “free” programs ultimately come at taxpayers’ expense. “Socialism promises everything, but they can’t deliver past everybody’s money… history has shown where socialism fails… the proof is in the pudding,” said Billy of North Carolina. “I don’t agree with it at all… we can’t function on giving everything away for free,” said Nicky of Tennessee. DANGEROUS OR AN OPPORTUNITY? SOCIAL MEDIA AS VENUE FOR DISCUSSING POLITICS DEBATED BY YOUNG CONSERVATIVES When Fox News Digital asked Gen Z and Millennial voters whether Mamdani is “cool,” Sarah of Massachusetts and Johanna and Elizabeth of California responded, “no.” “I understand the appeal that socialism has, but definitely don’t think that it’s the right way our country should be going. I think in theory it makes sense,” said Sarah. “In reality, that’s not how it ends up looking. It’s definitely scary to see so many of my generation leaning that way.” “It’s a really good concept to have everything for free in socialism, but it doesn’t really work out in the real world,” added Johanna. “If you look at the countries that have already tried socialism, it really hasn’t worked. It also doesn’t encourage innovation.” Elizabeth, visiting Washington, D.C. for the week, said she agreed with her friends, adding, “I’m not a socialist. I’m a Republican.”
Newsom begs Californians to vote ‘no’ on billionaire’s tax in face of mass exodus, pitches nationwide tax hike
California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is facing another blow after a massive wealth tax he warned could cause a wealth and business exodus from the state was officially added to the November ballot. Despite his opposition, the measure’s sponsor, Billionaire Tax Now, announced Thursday that it was officially being added to the state’s ballot. The measure, called the California Billionaire Tax Act, would impose a one-time, “emergency” 5% tax on Californians with assets exceeding $1 billion. The tax has been endorsed by socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who called it “reasonable and necessary” “at a time of unprecedented and growing wealth consolidation and income inequality.” However, Newsom, a rumored frontrunner for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination, has come out strongly against the tax, citing fears that billionaires will simply up and leave to states like Texas or Florida. In a lengthy Substack post on the tax, Newsom wrote, “Last night, it became certain that a wealth tax would be placed on the November ballot in California. I’m voting no.” SOCIALISM VS CAPITALISM: HOUSE DEMS CLASH OVER WHAT NY ELECTION RESULTS MEAN FOR PARTY “You may not be able to pick up and move to Texas or Florida to shelter your income from taxation, but I promise you that billionaires can, and do,” he wrote, adding, “Wealth is movable, and it shops for the state with the lowest taxes.” In a state that has already lost prominent business figures such as Elon Musk, Google co-founder Larry Page and Oracle founder Larry Ellison, Newsom is not the only one warning that the billionaire tax could worsen California’s ongoing exodus. Earlier this year, Silicon Valley tech entrepreneur Allison Huynh predicted in an interview with Fox News Digital that the tax would cause a “mass migration,” starting with “not just the billionaires, but the people who are investing in new ideas, in new infrastructure, whether it’s AI, healthcare, tech, robotics.” Huynh likened the proposed tax hike to a restaurant about to go out of business. “Instead of lowering the price, they increase the price,” she said. “And then you go into the restaurant, and it’s like $50 for a bowl of really bad dumplings.” Fox News Digital reached out to Billionaire Tax Now for comment. BLUE STATE’S BILLIONAIRE EXODUS ABOUT TO GET MUCH WORSE IN 2026, INSIDER WARNS After news of the measure being added to the ballot broke, Newsom called on the U.S. to institute a national billionaire tax and what he referred to as “a new social contract.” In an X post, Newsom wrote that “the system is fundamentally broken. The federal tax code, a corporate code, and an inheritance code were written for a different set of Americans. It’s time for an economic reset.” In his Substack post, he argued “the fight to make the wealthiest Americans pay more in taxes is not one we should be fighting state by state.” Instead, he wrote, “The fight belongs at the federal level, where this broken system was created in the first place.” In January, Newsom said he felt vindicated in opposing the proposed wealth tax after reports showed some of California’s wealthiest residents moving money and businesses out of the state, warning the measure would damage the economy and drive away investment. “This is my fear,” Newsom said in a Politico interview on Monday. “It’s just what I warned against. It’s happening.” “The evidence is in. The impacts are very real — not just substantive economic impacts in terms of the revenue, but start-ups, the indirect impacts of … people questioning long-term commitments, medium-term commitments,” he continued. “That’s not what we need right now, at a time of so much uncertainty. Quite the contrary.” Despite Newsom’s opposition, the group behind the tax effort — Billionaire Tax Now, sponsored by the Service Employees International Union – United Healthcare Workers West — proceeded to add it to the ballot. The union posits that the tax will “prevent the collapse of California healthcare and help fund California public K-14 education and state food assistance programs.” BERNIE SANDERS, DSA REVEAL DEMANDS FOR DEM PARTY AFTER SOCIALISTS SWEEP NEW YORK ELECTIONS Billionaire Tax Now is confident the measure will pass, posting on X that “while a few controversial billionaires and their buddies in Sacramento want to see California’s hospitals close and tax breaks for billionaires protected – popular support is on our side.” Meanwhile, some of Newsom’s detractors claim that his opposition to the measure is driven by a desire to appeal to potential presidential donors. Billionaire Tax Now reposted an X post by David Sirota, founder of the progressive investigative news outlet The Lever, in which he asserted that “Gavin Newsom is trying to protect 250 prospective 2028 presidential donors, even if that means 3 million of his constituents are medically bankrupted.” Reached for comment, Newsom’s office directed Fox News Digital to his Substack and video.
Morocco jails 29, including politicians and sports figures, in drug trial
Casablanca court delivers landmark verdict in ‘Escobar of the Sahara’ case: up to 12 years for top figures. By AFP and AP Published On 26 Jun 202626 Jun 2026 A Moroccan court has handed prison sentences of up to 12 years to 29 individuals – including prominent politicians and sports figures – concluding a major international drug trafficking and corruption trial. The verdicts, delivered late on Thursday in Casablanca following a two-year trial, mark one of the largest anti-corruption operations in Morocco’s history. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Among those convicted were Abdennebi Bioui, a construction tycoon and former regional council president, Said Naciri, former president of Casablanca’s Wydad AC football and sports club and former MP Belkacem Mir – all senior members of the governing PAM party. Naciri received 10 years, Bioui 12 and Mir 10. Besides the three main defendants, sentences for the remaining ranged from two to nine years, depending on their individual role in the network. The wide-ranging case was triggered by courtroom testimony from El Hadj Ahmed Ben Brahim, a notorious Malian drug trafficker nicknamed the “Pablo Escobar of the Sahara”. Currently serving a 10-year sentence in Morocco, Ben Brahim told judicial investigators that his former Moroccan political and business associates had betrayed him, seizing millions of dollars worth of his luxury real estate and vehicles following his arrest in 2019. The trial involved more than 20 defendants, 18 witnesses and two civil parties which centred on a sophisticated network that transported tonnes of Moroccan cannabis resin across North Africa to Europe, alongside Latin American cocaine shipments. Family members of Moroccan public figures Said Naciri and Abdennabi Bioui react as they are given 10 and 12 year prison sentences for a major drug trafficking scheme [Abdel Majid Bziouat/AFP] Defendants were convicted on charges including drug and gold trafficking, corruption, forgery and money laundering. Advertisement The court also ordered the seizure of assets and levied hundreds of millions of dollars in customs and exchange fines against the principal ringleaders. Moroccan media reported that families of the convicted, present without legal representation due to a lawyers’ strike, were left in shock, with some collapsing in the courthouse. The scandal reached the highest levels of state, prompting King Mohammed VI to demand a legally binding code of ethics aimed at “moralising” parliamentary life. Adblock test (Why?)
Why has the UN paused plans to evacuate sailors from the Strait of Hormuz?
The United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO) has suspended plans to evacuate more than 11,000 sailors stranded in the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship transiting the waterway was struck by a projectile. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said several crews had already been evacuated, but the agency had decided to pause the operation until there were “necessary safety guarantees” for those involved. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a Royal Navy maritime security agency, said on Thursday that a cargo vessel had been struck by “an unknown projectile” about 7.5 nautical miles (14km) southeast of Dahit, Oman. No casualties were reported. The incident comes despite a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by the United States and Iran last week that ended hostilities and included provisions aimed at reopening the strategic waterway. Iran had restricted passage through the strait in early March after the US and Israel attacked it on February 28. In April, the US imposed a naval blockade on Iran-linked vessels trying to pass through the waterway. Since the MoU was signed, commercial traffic has restarted through the strait, but key disagreements remain over which shipping routes vessels should use — and whether Iran gets to charge a toll or fee. Oman and the IMO have proposed a new shipping corridor that would partially bypass waters under Iran’s direct control. Tehran has rejected the plan, saying it was announced without consultation and raises safety concerns while demining operations are still under way. While Iran has not claimed responsibility for Thursday’s attack on the ship off Oman, it has not denied any role, either. Advertisement The latest attack has heightened concerns that tensions over navigation through the strait remain unresolved. Here’s what we know. Why is the UN evacuating sailors? Following the outbreak of the US-Israel war on Iran on February 28, Tehran and Washington imposed counter restrictions on the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, leaving thousands of seafarers unable to leave vessels trapped in the waterway. More than a dozen sailors have also been killed in attacks on ships — some from American missiles, others from Iranian projectiles. Most of those killed were from India. Even with last week’s agreement between Washington and Tehran to end the conflict, more than 11,000 sailors remain stranded in the strait. Announcing the evacuation plan on Tuesday, the IMO’s Dominguez said the operation would be conducted in “close cooperation with Iran, Oman, all other coastal states in the region, the United States and the maritime industry”. Oman’s Ministry of Defence said the operation, which had been under discussion for months, would be carried out in phases. Denmark also announced on Tuesday that it would join a multinational maritime mission led by France and Britain to help restore safe navigation through the strait. Why was the ship attacked? The Singapore-flagged cargo vessel Ever Lovely was struck by what authorities described as an “unknown projectile” while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. Ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic showed the vessel had been following the southern shipping route proposed by the IMO earlier that day, a corridor that passes closer to Oman’s coastline and has been rejected by Iran. Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) said the vessel had since completed its transit through the strait and was continuing its voyage, adding that all 21 crew members were safe. The authority said it was “deeply concerned” by an attack it described as “unprovoked, unjustifiable, and a breach of international law”. “All actions affecting international shipping must fully comply with international law, in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and not endanger the safety of seafarers and ships at sea,” the MPA said. The incident prompted the IMO to suspend its planned evacuation of stranded sailors. Dominguez said the Ever Lovely “did not transit under IMO’s evacuation framework”. “I have always reiterated that the safety of the seafarers remains paramount. Therefore, to ensure a coordinated approach and navigational safety, the evacuation plan will be paused until further clarity is obtained,” he said. Advertisement What has Iran said? While it remains unclear if the attack was carried out by Iran, the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had criticised the new shipping corridor announced by Oman and the IMO, while also warning that passage through the strait, “is only possible via routes announced by Iran,” the state broadcaster IRIB reported. Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, has said safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz cannot be guaranteed for vessels transiting “with ambiguous arrangements, parallel routes, or decision-making outside of Iran’s considerations as the coastal state”. “Any credible framework must be based on coordination with Iran and the provisions of paragraph five of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding,” he said in a statement on X. “Otherwise, the outcome will be the suspension of the designated parallel route.” Iran first published its own map of approved navigation routes in April, directing ships to sail much closer to the Iranian coastline than before the conflict. The IRGC’s latest warning came after a Liberian-flagged oil tanker transited the strait on Thursday using a route closer to Oman’s coast. On Friday, a further three foreign oil tankers that attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz “without authorisation” were turned back after a warning from the IRGC, Iranian state TV reported. Analysts say control over the Strait of Hormuz has long been one of Tehran’s most important sources of strategic leverage, allowing it to exert pressure on the US, whose economy is inextricably tied to global markets. Why was the evacuation suspended? Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar Atas said the attack appeared to show Iran was prepared to enforce its warnings over navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, after Tehran insisted vessels using either the Iranian or Omani route must coordinate with its authorities. “Yesterday, Oman announced new routes for the passage of the ships. But then the IRGC released a statement, saying that
EU targets Somalia with visa curbs as president pushes back on returns
President says his country will readmit genuine nationals but insists Europe must first verify deportees’ identities. Published On 26 Jun 202626 Jun 2026 Mogadishu, Somalia – The European Union has imposed visa restrictions on Somali citizens, escalating a dispute with Mogadishu over the return of Somalis living in Europe illegally. The bloc’s member states approved the measures on Thursday, acting on a report that Somalia was not doing enough to take back nationals who had been refused the right to stay. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud pushed back, saying his government would readmit its citizens, but said that many returnees were not Somali nationals. “We haven’t rejected our people; they own this country. And we cannot reject them,” the president said at an Independence Day event on Thursday, adding that Somalia had “questions about how those people would be returned.” People across the Horn of Africa share a similar appearance, he said, and some present themselves as Somali to claim asylum in Europe. He pointed to past cases in which individuals sent back as Somalis turned out not to be, including some who “don’t know the Somali language.” “If they are Somali, then we’ll take them. If they aren’t, we’ll help you find out where they are from, and you can send them there,” Mohamud said. The pressures driving people to leave are rooted in decades of upheaval. Somalia is still rebuilding after the collapse of its central government in 1991 and the long civil war that followed. Recovery efforts have been stifled by the ongoing armed rebellion of al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked armed group that has waged deadly attacks since 2006. Advertisement Those conditions have pushed many young Somalis to attempt the dangerous journey to Europe, often through Libya, where migrants have faced detention, extortion and violence. The prime minister regularly handled such cases, Mohamud said, adding that Somali embassies had been instructed to help citizens return. Magnus Brunner, the bloc’s migration commissioner, said countries of origin had to meet their commitments “otherwise, there can be consequences.” A European Commission assessment concluded that Somalia’s cooperation on readmission was insufficient. Under the new rules, member states can no longer issue multiple-entry visas to Somalis, and the fee waiver for holders of diplomatic passports has been removed. The standard processing time for visa applications has also been extended from 15 to 45 days. The suspension has no fixed end date and is intended as leverage to push Mogadishu towards closer cooperation. Somalia now joins a short list of countries hit with such measures. The EU imposed similar restrictions on The Gambia in 2021 and Ethiopia in 2024, lifting the Ethiopian curbs in May after deciding cooperation had improved. The visa restrictions add to a run of setbacks for Somali travellers. The United States imposed a sweeping travel ban in 2025, after President Donald Trump returned to office, covering citizens of a dozen countries, including Somalia. The policy drew attention this month when Omar Abdulkadir Artan, named Africa’s referee of the year in 2025, was denied entry to the US and couldn’t officiate at the World Cup, despite holding a valid visa. The standoff comes as the EU tightens its wider approach to migration, pursuing return centres beyond its borders and faster deportations for people refused the right to stay. Adblock test (Why?)