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At least 12 peacekeepers killed in eastern DR Congo fighting

At least 12 peacekeepers killed in eastern DR Congo fighting

Nine South African and three Malawian peacekeeping soldiers have been killed by M23 rebels, authorities say. At least 12 peacekeepers, including two from the UN peacekeeping force MONUSCO, have been killed in fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), authorities said. Congolese troops and peacekeepers have been battling in recent days to stop an advance by M23 rebels on the city of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. The three-year M23 rebellion in Democratic Republic of Congo’s mineral-rich east has intensified in January with rebels seizing control of more territory, prompting the UN to warn of the risk of a broader regional war. As of Friday, nine South African soldiers had been killed in the clashes with M23 rebels, the South African armed forces said in a statement on Saturday. Two South Africans deployed with the UN peacekeeping mission and seven others in the Southern African regional bloc’s force in DRC were killed over two days of fierce fighting, it said. “The members put up a brave fight to prevent the rebels from proceeding to Goma as was their intention,” it said, adding that the M23 had been pushed back. Advertisement An UN official, speaking to The Associated Press news agency, confirmed the death of two UN soldiers. The peacekeepers were killed on Friday, the UN official told the agency on condition of anonymity. Malawi’s military spokesman confirmed that three of its peacekeepers deployed with the SADC mission had been killed in fighting with M23 rebels. “We confirm the loss of three of our courageous soldiers who were part of the SADC Mission in the DRC,” spokesperson Emmanuel Mlelemba said, referring to the South African Development Community’s SAMIDRC mission. “These soldiers fell in the line of duty during an encounter with the M23 rebel group operating in eastern DRC. As the situation remains volatile, further details will be shared later,” he added. M23, or the March 23 Movement, is an armed group composed of ethnic Tutsis who broke away from the Congolese army more than 10 years ago. Since its resurgence in 2022, M23 has continued to gain ground in eastern DRC. The DRC and the United Nations accuse Rwanda of supporting M23 with troops and weapons – something Rwanda denies. UN to relocate nonessential staff M23 has made significant territorial gains in recent weeks, encircling the eastern city of Goma, which is home to about two million people and a regional hub for security and humanitarian efforts. The UN said that it would temporarily relocate nonessential staff from Goma, such as administrative staff. “Essential personnel remain on the ground, sustaining critical operations such as food distribution, medical assistance, shelter, and protection for vulnerable communities,” the UN statement read. Advertisement M23 is one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern DRC, along the border with Rwanda, in a decades-long conflict that has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. Since 1998, approximately six million people have been killed while roughly seven million have been displaced internally. More than 237,000 people have been displaced by the fighting in eastern Congo since the beginning of this year, the United Nations refugee agency said in a report on Monday. On Thursday, M23 took control of the town of Sake, which is only 27km (16 miles) west of Goma and one of the last main routes into the provincial capital still under government control, according to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Adblock test (Why?)

CIA releases new analysis on COVID origins favoring lab leak theory

CIA releases new analysis on COVID origins favoring lab leak theory

The CIA has changed its assessment on the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, now favoring the lab leak theory. Under its new director, John Ratcliffe, the agency released an assessment on the origins of COVID-19. The review was ordered by former President Joe Biden’s National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan toward the end of Biden’s time in office.  Analysts made the assessment with “low confidence” despite former CIA director Bill Burns, who remained agnostic on the origins, telling the agency it needed to look at the existing evidence again and come down on one side or the other. JOHN RATCLIFFE SAYS US FACES ‘MOST CHALLENGING SECURITY ENVIRONMENT’ EVER IN CONFIRMATION HEARING The agency has maintained for years it did not have enough intelligence to conclude whether COVID originated in a lab or a wet market in Wuhan, China. Despite the new assessment favoring a lab leak, there was no indication of new evidence. “CIA assesses with low confidence that a research-related origin of the COVID-19 pandemic is more likely than a natural origin based on the available body of reporting. CIA continues to assess that both research-related and natural origin scenarios of the COVID-19 pandemic remain plausible,” a CIA spokesperson told Fox News. “We have low confidence in this judgment and will continue to evaluate any available credible new intelligence reporting or open-source information that could change CIA’s assessment.” Ratcliffe, who was confirmed Thursday, has long been a proponent of the lab leak theory. In an interview with Breitbart, Ratcliffe framed the assessment of COVID’s origins as part of a broader strategy “addressing the threat from China.”  He also said he wants the CIA to “get off the sidelines” and take a stand. WHO RENEWS CALLS FOR CHINA TO SHARE DATA ON COVID ORIGINS 5 YEARS LATER In a March 2023 Fox News piece co-written with Cliff Sims, Ratcliffe accused the Biden administration of trying to keep a growing consensus around the lab leak theory quiet by suppressing “what can clearly be assessed from the intelligence they possess.”  He also cast doubt on the notion that the CIA did not have enough evidence to come to a conclusion about the virus’ origins. “The CIA is the world’s premier spy agency. Its reach is unmatched, its ability to acquire information unrivaled. And yet here we are three-and-a-half years later and there is ample public reporting that the CIA just doesn’t have enough information to make an assessment. This is utter nonsense,” the March 2023 piece says.

Kristi Noem sworn in as Department of Homeland Security secretary after Senate confirmation

Kristi Noem sworn in as Department of Homeland Security secretary after Senate confirmation

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem was sworn in as Department of Homeland Security secretary by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas at his home Saturday, following a scheduling hiccup earlier in the day. The ceremony, which was originally slated to take place in the Indian Treaty Room inside the Navy Department Wing of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C., at 3 p.m., was postponed multiple times.  Noem shared a video of the moment on X, just after 6:30 p.m. SENATE CONFIRMS KRISTI NOEM AS TRUMP’S DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY “It is such an honor to be sworn in as the United States Secretary of Homeland Security,” she wrote in the post. “It was made even more meaningful by being sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas at his home. Thank you, President [Donald] Trump for putting your trust in me to help keep America safe.” Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry shared photos of the event on X, just before 6 p.m., expressing confidence in Noem filling the role. “Sharon and I were honored to be a part of the swearing in ceremony for Homeland Security Secretary, @KristiNoem,” Landry wrote in the post. “America will be safer and stronger because of her and @realDonaldTrump [President Donald Trump]’s leadership. And once again Americans will be put FIRST!” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Sen Bernie Moreno and Sen Mike Rounds were in attendance in the Indian Treaty Room, awaiting the initial ceremony, Fox News correspondents reported. Taylor Van Kirk, a spokesperson for the vice president, told Fox News the swearing in was delayed “due to a scheduling conflict.” “We are excited for the work she will do to bring much-needed change to DHS and to secure the border,” Kirk said. KRISTI NOEM BEATS SENATE CONFIRMATION HURDLE, ADVANCING TO FINAL VOTE FOR DHS ROLE Earlier in the day, the Senate voted 59-34 to confirm Noem as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, making her the fourth Trump nominee to win chamber approval. One of Noem’s top priorities is securing the southern border and repairing the “broken immigration system,” she said. “The Trump Administration will once-again empower our brave men and women in law enforcement to do their jobs and remove criminal aliens and illegal gangs from our country,” Noem wrote in a statement. “We will fully equip our intelligence and law enforcement to detect and prevent terror threats and will deliver rapid assistance and disaster relief to Americans in crisis.” The Trump administration has already taken steps to secure the border, including deploying the military, restarting wall construction and ending the previous administration’s parole programs.  Before the swearing in, the president shouted out Noem, describing her as “tough,” at a rally in Las Vegas. “I thank President Trump and the US Senate for their trust in me,” she wrote. “Together, we will ensure that the United States, once again, is a beacon of freedom, safety, and security for generations to come.” Prior to her new role, Noem served as South Dakota’s first female governor. She pledged in 2021 that she would not take any more migrants from the Biden administration, and deployed the National Guard to the Texas border. Noem, who was a rancher, farmer and small business owner, served in the South Dakota legislature before being elected as South Dakota’s sole member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Fox News’ Julia Johnson, Lillian Lecroy, and Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw contributed to this report.

ICE arrests 3 Tren de Aragua gang members in mass deportation push

ICE arrests 3 Tren de Aragua gang members in mass deportation push

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) this week arrested three Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang members in two states as the new administration begins its mass deportation push, a senior Trump administration official told Fox News.  Nestor Jose Mendoza-Garcia was nabbed Thursday in San Antonio, Texas, and Elmer Aparicio-Castillo and an unidentified 36-year-old man were arrested the same day in Nashville, all after allegedly entering the country illegally last year when they were processed and arrested by the Biden administration.  “Throughout this week, the heroes of ICE have been hunting down and arresting hundreds of illegal alien criminals, and it’s immediate expulsion, including those with charges of convictions for rape, child sexual assault, terrorism and even murder,” President Donald Trump said at a rally in Las Vegas Saturday.  TRUMP ADMINISTRATION NEEDS MORE PLANES TO CARRY OUT DEPORTATIONS: REPORT “Members of the savage Venezuelan prison gang known as Tren de Aragua. You know that gang? This is not a nice group of people. They formed in prison, and then [Venezuela] dumped their prisons into our country.  “They’re as bad as the bloodthirsty MS-13 gangs.” Mendoza-Garcia arrived in the U.S. in October and was issued a notice to appear before being released.  He was arrested by the San Antonio Police Department in November for possessing a gun linked to an unsolved murder.  On Thursday, ICE San Antonio obtained a federal indictment and arrest warrant for Mendoza-Garcia for being an alien in possession of a gun. He is an active member of the gang, the official said.  Aparicio-Castillo was issued a notice to appear after an encounter with ICE in El Paso, Texas, in September.  INDIANA ATTORNEY GENERAL FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST SHERIFF FOR DEFYING FEDS ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION He was arrested by ICE Nashville Thursday for allegedly being an alien in possession of a gun. He also allegedly has links to the gang.  Aparicio-Castillo’s criminal history includes charges of evading arrest, promoting prostitution and marijuana possession in Nashville.  After his criminal adjudication, Aparicio-Castillo will be administratively arrested for immigration proceedings, the official said.  The 36-year-old unidentified Venezuelan entered the U.S. illegally through Eagle Pass, Texas, in December and was issued a notice to appear.  His criminal history also includes evading arrest, promoting prostitution and marijuana possession in Nashville.  CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP He was administratively arrested by ICE Nashville Thursday.  Fox News’ Bill Melugin contributed to this report. 

Crowd caught on camera going wild after Trump stops by Las Vegas casino floor: ‘USA! USA!’

Crowd caught on camera going wild after Trump stops by Las Vegas casino floor: ‘USA! USA!’

President Donald Trump shocked gamblers in Las Vegas when he unexpectedly dropped by a casino floor on Saturday. Prior to the surprise visit, Trump had addressed thousands of supporters at the Circa Resort and Casino in Sin City on Saturday afternoon. Photos and video show Trump strolling around the casino floor after the speech, while surrounded by security. The crowd began chanting “USA! USA!” as Trump walked past the slot machines. The president was also seen briefly interacting with enthused gamblers. TRUMP VOWS TO DELIVER ON ‘NO TAX ON TIPS’ CAMPAIGN PROMISE DURING LAS VEGAS SPEECH: ‘100% YOURS’ The president also naturally walked up to a craps table where a game was in progress, telling a player to “throw the dice.” When journalists shouted questions at Trump, a craps player scolded the press pool and told them, “I’m rolling here.” Trump told a gambler that he was “doing a good job” before leaving. TRUMP NOMINATES HEAD OF HIS PERSONAL SECURITY DETAIL, SEAN CURRAN, TO LEAD SECRET SERVICE: ‘A GREAT PATRIOT’ Trump also said thank you to staff workers holding water trays, shortly after his speech focused on reducing federal taxes for hospitality workers with his “no tax on tips” campaign promise. “Any worker who relies on tips [as] income, your tips will be 100% yours,” Trump said to a cheering audience during the speech. “Nationwide, over four million workers depend on tip income, including an estimated 700,000 single moms…here in Nevada…think of it, a quarter of the typical restaurant workers’ pay comes from tips. I didn’t know that,” he added. Fox News’ Sarah Tobianski and Sophia Compton contributed to this report.

Speaker Johnson invites Trump to address Congress amid busy first 100-day sprint

Speaker Johnson invites Trump to address Congress amid busy first 100-day sprint

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is inviting President Donald Trump to address a joint session of Congress on March 4. SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON: EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD ROOT FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP’S SUCCESS In a letter first obtained by Fox News Digital, Johnson wrote to the new president, “Thanks to your strong leadership and bold action in the first days of your presidency, the United States is already experiencing a resurgence of patriotism, unity, and hope for the future.” “Your administration and the 119th Congress working together have the chance to make these next four years some of the most consequential in our nation’s history,” the speaker wrote. HONORING TRUMP: SPEAKER JOHNSON SAYS FLAGS TO FLY FULL-STAFF AT US CAPITOL DURING PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION “To that end, it is my distinct honor and great privilege to invite you to address a Joint Session of Congress on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in the Chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives, to share your America First vision for our legislative future. I eagerly await your response.” The letter comes just before Trump is expected to address House Republicans at their annual issues conference and retreat, being held this year in South Florida. JOHNSON REVEALS TRUMP’S WISHES ON DELIVERING HUGE POLICY OVERHAUL IN CLOSED-DOOR MEETING House GOP lawmakers will be meeting at Trump’s golf course and resort in Doral for three days as they work to hash out a roadmap on government spending and plans for a major conservative policy overhaul. Trump signaled for weeks before being sworn in that he was positioning for a very active first 100 days of his new administration. Republicans now control both the House and Senate as well as the White House. But with razor-thin majorities in both chambers, GOP lawmakers will need to vote in near lock-step to carry out Trump’s plans.