FBI Director Patel leads charge to root out Chinese influence on US soil
FBI Director Kash Patel is tackling China’s influence on American farmlands head-on, as both a food supply and national security concern. Patel’s early focus on Chinese influence over American land — particularly farmland near sensitive sites — reflects a broader second-term push by the Trump administration to confront the Chinese Communist Party’s presence on U.S. soil. The effort has gained traction among Republican lawmakers and conservative allies, who say CCP-connected land ownership poses a direct threat to national security and critical infrastructure. “FBI Director Kash Patel has made eradicating CCP interference and infiltration in the United States a relentless, uncompromising priority,” Patel advisor Erica Knight told Fox News Digital. “With his unmatched experience in counterterrorism and intelligence, Patel possesses a profound understanding of the grave threats our nation faces,” Knight said. “His expertise and unwavering resolve make him uniquely equipped to lead the bureau to crush CCP infiltration and safeguard America’s national security.” US-CANADA BORDER EYED AS VULNERABILITY BY CHINA, RUSSIA, SAYS PATEL: ‘THE ENEMY ADAPTS’ Patel recently told lawmakers that the “effective resolution” of the southern border crisis has prompted adversaries like China, Russia, and Iran to shift their focus to the U.S. northern border. As the administration ramps up its second-term focus on China, President Donald Trump was asked aboard Air Force One on Thursday what the White House is doing about Chinese-owned farmland. Trump said he is “looking at it all the time,” adding that he has “a very good relationship with China and with the president.” “I have a lot of respect for President Xi,” Trump said. TOP FIVE TAKEDOWNS: KASH PATEL’S FBI HITS THE GROUND RUNNING WITH MAJOR EARLY VICTORIES Trump emphasized that Chinese-owned farmland “has been an issue for years.” In a February Fox News op-ed, Presidential Envoy for Special Missions Ric Grenell echoed growing concern on the right over Chinese-owned farmland, calling it part of a “not-so-silent takeover.” “While conservative legislators and governors across the country are taking action to stop adversarial nations from buying U.S. farmland, we must recognize that there’s a much broader issue at play here — China’s end goal is not confined to land ownership,” Grenell wrote. MORE THAN HALF A MILLION LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL BACK PATEL AS FBI DIRECTOR Capitol Hill lawmakers have already begun taking action. In early March, Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., introduced the PASS Act in the Senate, which would bar entities from “covered countries” — including China — from purchasing agricultural land near military bases or other sensitive sites. The legislation, which also has Democratic support, would allow the Department of Agriculture to submit cases to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. for review if the department suspects there is a national security concern. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Likewise, Republican senators in January also announced the Not One More Inch or Acre Act, led by Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota and Katie Britt of Alabama. The legislation would require selling land owned or “influenced” by the Chinese Communist Party that is deemed to be a national security risk. Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips and Michael Lee contributed to this report.
Cory Booker on whether he should be Democrats’ next leader: ‘It’s time for all of us’
After breaking the Senate record for longest floor speech, Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., gave an innocuous answer about whether he sees himself as the Democratic Party’s next leader. With Democratic veterans like former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., no longer in leadership, no one person can fully claim the title of Democratic Party leader. At age 55, Booker has been in the Senate for more than 10 years. After his record-breaking speech on the Senate floor this week, during which he bashed the Trump administration, Elon Musk and Republicans, some wonder whether Booker could be a contender for party leader. “Some are saying the Democratic Party needs a national leader, are you it?” Fox News Digital asked. BOOKER CALLED FILIBUSTER AN ‘ABUSE OF POWER’ YEARS BEFORE SETTING SENATE SPEECH RECORD “I think that, as the great Ella Baker said, we are the leaders we’ve been looking for,” Booker answered. “I think the Democratic Party needs everybody to realize it’s time for all of us to lead,” he added. During his speech, Booker claimed that President Donald Trump, in 71 days, “has inflicted so much harm on Americans’ safety, financial stability, the core foundations of our democracy, and even our aspirations as a people for, from our highest offices, a sense of common decency.” Booker said he felt inspired to make his marathon speech, which disrupted votes on the Senate floor for over 25 hours, because his constituents “were demanding more.” BAN ON TAXPAYER-FUNDED SEX CHANGES FOR PRISONERS SPARKS DEM WALKOUT IN GEORGIA HOUSE VOTE “We’re in a moral moment in our country about what we are going to stand for,” he said. “So, I wanted to stand with our veterans, I wanted to stand with expecting moms in their healthcare, I want to stand for people who rely on Social Security and a lot of the other things that are happening I think are in the balance right now.” The senator said that his days as a football player at Stanford prepared him to be able to stand and speak for so long. “I learned a lot as an athlete — as most athletes will tell you, what you learn is that you can go further than you think you can,” said Booker. “You’ve got more in the tank when you think it’s all gone. And those lessons gave me a lot to draw on. And then even when everything is out of the tank and you physically have hit your wall, that your spirit can take over and you can do a little bit more.” JASMINE CROCKETT SETS OFF SOCIAL MEDIA AFTER TOUTING BEING BLACK AS QUALIFICATION FOR PUBLIC DEFENDER JOB Asked whether his speech, not technically a filibuster, had the impact he was hoping for, Booker responded: “I think this is not a single moment, or even 25 hours. I think it’s a longer journey.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “It was a good day,” he continued. “But as I learned playing college football, just because you had a good play, you get back to the huddle, and you get ready for the next one, and that’s what we need to do.”
Judge orders Trump administration to return Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvador prison
A federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to immediately make arrangements for the return of a Maryland man who was mistakenly deported to an El Salvador prison. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis said that Kilmar Abrego Garcia had been illegally deported to El Salvador and said he must be returned by Monday before midnight. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Dem senator looks to hijack key Trump budget process with tariff challenge
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Jacky Rosen plans to introduce amendments ahead of Friday night’s “Vote-A-Rama” that would roll back President Donald Trump’s tariffs on certain materials on key tourism partners, likely forcing her Republican colleagues to go on record defending the policy again. “President Trump broke his promise to lower costs, and has enacted reckless tariffs that are jacking up prices even higher for hardworking Nevada families and harming my state’s tourism economy,” Rosen, D-Nev., told Fox News Digital in an exclusive statement. “Donald Trump may not care if his tariffs raise prices, but I do, and that’s why I’m trying to stop his new national sales tax. Every senator should be on the record: Do you stand with America’s working families who need financial relief, or do you stand with Trump in giving his billionaire buddies even more tax giveaways?” REPUBLICANS CHARGE AHEAD ON TRUMP BUDGET, SETTING UP MARATHON SENATE VOTES The Nevada Democrat’s amendments include one to stop the administration from levying tariffs on critical construction materials for building houses, and one that would bar Trump from putting across-the-board tariffs on countries with many who visit the U.S. “I’ve already heard from Nevadans and Nevada business owners who are worried about how these new tariffs will impact their businesses and livelihoods, including the founder of a small business in Reno. They wrote to me saying, quote, ‘We maintain a small production facility in Reno . . . these duties will force us to raise retail prices by 37 percent, and we don’t believe our customers will accept that. This policy could wipe us out entirely,’” Rosen said during her debate time on the floor on Friday. TED CRUZ CLASHES WITH KEY DEMOCRAT OVER ‘SECOND PHASE OF LAWFARE’ THROUGH FEDERAL JUDGES’ ORDERS “They go on to say, quote, ‘I’m not asking for a favor. I’m asking for leadership that reflects the urgency and reality we face. These tariffs do not bring jobs back. They raise prices, punish small businesses, and put livelihoods at risk, all while making it harder for companies like mine to do what we’ve done for 13 years: create jobs, innovate, and support our families,’” she went on. On Thursday, Republicans agreed to a motion that kicked off roughly a day’s worth of debate, before the “vote-a-rama” begins. A marathon of amendment votes is now expected to take place at some point on Friday after the debate ends. GOP DEFECTORS HELP SENATE ADVANCE RESOLUTION TO CANCEL TRUMP TARIFFS DESPITE WHITE HOUSE VETO WARNING During this process, senators can introduce an unlimited number of amendments, and many are expected to get floor votes. The “vote-a-rama” marks movement on Trump’s budget for border funding and extending his hallmark 2017 tax cuts, which Republicans in Congress have long been pursuing. This week, the Senate released its changes to the House’s budget reconciliation resolution, taking a big step forward. SENATE DEMS FORESHADOW MORE FORCED VOTES TO BLOCK TRUMP’S EMERGENCY ORDERS This amendment to the resolution will get a Senate vote at the end of the “vote-a-rama.” The expected budget vote comes after months of disagreement between Republicans in the House and Senate, the former of which sought a reconciliation bill to tackle both the border and taxes, while many in the Senate wanted to split it into two bills. Ultimately, House Republicans got what they wanted in a one-bill approach, which Trump blessed.
Manchester United vs Manchester City – Premier League: Team news, stream
Who: Manchester United vs Manchester CityWhat: English Premier LeagueWhere: Old Trafford, Manchester, United KingdomWhen: Sunday at 4.30pm (15:30 GMT) Follow Al Jazeera Sport‘s live text and photo commentary stream. The Manchester derby has been a clash for titles in years gone by, or at least qualifying places for the Champions League. This season, United are battling for pride, while City’s defence of their Premier League title is over. A top four finish should be City’s for the taking but, for the fans of both teams, bragging rights are the priority in one of the world’s great cross-city rivalries. Al Jazeera takes a closer look as the teams battle to turn Manchester red or blue. Where are Man Utd in their latest rebuild? Manchester United may have a grand vision to win the Premier League title in three years’ time, but manager Ruben Amorim said on Friday that the club may not be title contenders in the next couple of years unless major changes are made. United are on course for their worst Premier League finish, with the club 13th in the standings after 30 games, and Amorim’s task does not get any easier with a derby against City. Advertisement Amid the dire run, the club’s ownership announced a plan to bring the title back to Old Trafford in three years to celebrate United’s 150th anniversary, but Amorim said a lot of work needs to be put into the squad to become genuine contenders. “I understand, and I am not naive. I don’t want to think we need a lot of years to be competitive. I cannot think like that … I know that we are not going to be the biggest contender in the next year or two years,” Amorim told reporters. “We are doing a lot of things. Sometimes, we changed players because they have had to learn how to adjust to our new standards … We have changed a lot of staff; we have changed things inside the club. “I know that is going to take time. I will not say we need a lot of years … Next year is our goal. I am not saying we are going to win the title in the next year, I am not crazy. We are in a rush, we are suffering a lot to be better next year.” Amorim said the club needs to bring in “one or two big players” but the Portuguese knows that in this day and age, with patience wearing thin among fans and club owners, time will not be on his side. “The Premier League is so different. When everyone says [former United manager] Sir Alex Ferguson took three or four years to win something, it’s not possible nowadays,” he added. “The pressure is completely different … No matter the context, we need to be there with the best teams. We will have to face a lot of adversity and big teams, more than in the past.” What was the score in the reverse fixture? United won 2-1 in December’s match at Etihad Stadium. Advertisement Josko Gvardiol looked to have won the match for City until an 88th-minute penalty from Bruno Fernandes was followed two minutes later by an Amad Diallo winner. That was a result Amorim does not consider a highlight, even though the shock win came early in his United tenure. “I don’t see one win as a special moment. Special moments are to be competitive and win titles. Even in the third division, you can beat the best team in the country,” he said. “We want to improve [our position] in the league table and especially we want to win games. We are going to have full focus on this game.” What is Man City’s reaction to De Bryune leaving? City manager Pep Guardiola hailed Kevin De Bruyne as one of the Premier League’s greatest midfielders after the Belgian announced on Friday that he would leave the club at the end of the season, after a decade at the Etihad Stadium. The 33-year-old De Bruyne has lifted 16 trophies since joining City from German side VfL Wolfsburg in 2015 — a haul that includes six Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2023. De Bruyne has played 413 games for City, scoring 106 goals and providing 174 assists, including 118 in the Premier League — the second-most, behind Ryan Giggs (162). “One of the greatest midfielders ever to have played in this country, and I think with Manchester City, there is no doubt,” Guardiola told a news conference. “Greatest/not The Greatest, always you have to be careful with players that played at Maine Road [City’s former stadium], incredible players in the last 20-30 years in this club [too]. Advertisement “But come on, there’s no doubt he’s one of the greatest, for sure, because of his consistency in important games, the not important games, being there every three days all the time. There is no doubt.” The Spaniard added that he had known about De Bruyne’s departure a few days before it was announced, though Friday’s news still carried a bittersweet feeling. “A sad day. A happy day for the fact that [I had] the pleasure personally [to] live with him. He gave all of us his humility and, with his influence in our success in the last decade, that would have been impossible to imagine without him.” Kevin De Bruyne will depart Man City at the end of this season with one of the most-decorated Premier League careers 🏆 pic.twitter.com/A4Dz9zbNyK — Premier League (@premierleague) April 4, 2025 What does Guardiola think De Bruyne’s legacy will be? Asked whether De Bruyne deserved a statue at the stadium like other club greats, such as Sergio Aguero and Vincent Kompany, the coach said De Bruyne certainly deserved it. “I will bet a lot of money that it will happen,” Guardiola said. De Bruyne has made 20 league appearances this season after an injury in September and fitness struggles. After a difficult campaign for
DNA TV Show: Kolkata’s Circus Chauraha turned into ‘Shaheen Bagh’ over Waqf Bill protest?
The Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025, has received a nod from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. On the occasion of Jumma Namaz today, i.e., Friday, there was a fear of uproar across the country. However, the same was conducted peacefully.
Trump’s China tariffs face legal challenge from conservative group calling them ‘unlawful’
A conservative legal group is challenging President Donald Trump‘s tariffs on China, calling them “an unlawful attempt” to make Americans pay higher taxes on Chinese imports. The New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA) filed an initial complaint in Florida district court Thursday, challenging Trump’s “unlawful use of emergency power to impose a tariff on all imports from China.” “By invoking emergency power to impose an across-the-board tariff on imports from China that the statute does not authorize, President Trump has misused that power, usurped Congress’s right to control tariffs, and upset the Constitution’s separation of powers,” Andrew Morris, senior litigation counsel at NCLA, said in a statement released. SOME COUNTRIES TARGETED BY TRUMP TARIFFS SEEK NEGOTIATIONS, CHINA SAYS ‘NO WINNERS IN TRADE WARS’ Trump issued an executive order on Feb. 1 titled “Imposing Duties to Address the Synthetic Opioid Supply Chain in the People’s Republic of China,” and amended it on Mar. 3 to raise tariffs on Chinese imports from 10% to 20%. Plaintiff Emily Ley, owner of Simplified, a Pensacola, Florida-based company, argues Trump’s invocation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose the tariffs is unlawful. The plaintiff also argues that her business will be harmed as a result of Trump’s action. “The key thing for all of this is that IEEPA does not provide for the tariff power, and you know that because when Congress does do it, they use the word, and they say how the president is supposed to do it,” John Vecchione, senior litigation counsel at NCLA, told Fox News Digital. Vecchione notes that the complaint delineates the various statutes Trump used in his first term to impose tariffs, saying that in this instance, he is “using the wrong statute.” “Here, [Trump] declares an emergency, and then he says that his tariffs fit the emergency, that they’re necessary for the emergency,” Vecchione said. “IEEPA requires that they be necessary for the emergency, and they’re not.” TRUMP TOUTS RETURN OF THE ‘AMERICAN DREAM’ IN HISTORIC TARIFF ANNOUNCEMENT The plaintiff argues that the law permits the president to “order sanctions as a rapid response to international emergencies,” but does not authorize him to “impose tariffs on the American people.” “President Trump’s executive orders imposing a China tariff are, therefore, ultra vires and unconstitutional,” the complaint states. If the president is granted such authority, the group argues, he would have “nearly unlimited authority to commandeer Congress’s power over tariffs.” “He would be empowered to declare a national emergency based on some long-running national problem,” the complaint continues, “then impose tariffs purportedly in the name of that emergency – thus sidestepping the detailed constraints Congress has placed on the tariff authority it has granted.” NCLA is asking the court to block the administration from implementing or enforcing the executive orders and to vacate “all resulting modifications” to the tariff schedule. In response to the lawsuit, White House principal deputy press secretary Harrison Fields defended the executive orders, telling Fox News Digital, “President Trump has broad authority to impose tariffs to address issues of national emergency, such as the opioid pandemic. The Trump administration looks forward to victory in court.” The suit comes just days after the president unveiled his tariff plan during a speech in the White House Rose Garden at a highly anticipated “Make America Wealthy Again” event. “Now it’s our turn to prosper, and in so doing, use trillions and trillions of dollars to reduce our taxes and pay down our national debt,” Trump said on April 2. “And it will all happen very quickly. With today’s action, we are finally going to be able to make America great again, greater than ever before.” HOW WE GOT TO LIBERATION DAY: A LOOK AT TRUMP’S PAST COMMENTS ON TARIFFS Trump was joined by several Cabinet members in the Rose Garden on Thursday for his first official presidential event since taking office in January. During the speech, Trump announced that China would be hit with a 34% tariff. In response, China declared retaliatory measures on Friday, saying it would impose matching 34% tariffs on U.S. goods. The new tariffs are set to take effect April 10, according to The Wall Street Journal. “China played it wrong, they panicked – the one thing they cannot afford to do,” Trump wrote Friday on Truth Social. Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton and Greg Norman contributed to this report.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on her new book, Trump and ‘mass murder’ in Gaza
Redi Tlhabi talks with award-winning author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie about her new book, Trump’s second term and Gaza. Award-winning author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is back with her first novel in more than a decade, Dream Count, about the lives and dreams of four women in the United States, Nigeria and Guinea. She spotlights familiar themes including issues of gender, immigrant experiences, class and free speech. As the US continues its crackdown on pro-Palestinian speech, including arresting, deporting and revoking the visas of international students, what will the future of education and learning look like? And has the current political climate shaped her writing? This week on UpFront, Redi Tlhabi talks to author Chimamanda Ngozi Adhichie about her new book, Dream Count. Adblock test (Why?)
Myanmar confirms 180,000 Rohingya eligible to return, Bangladesh says
The 180,000 names were part of a list of 800,000 Rohingya that Bangladesh submitted to Myanmar in six batches, Bangladesh government says. Myanmar has confirmed that 180,000 Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh since fleeing their homeland are eligible to return, the Bangladeshi government has said. Friday’s announcement, following talks in Bangkok, offered a possible breakthrough in the long-stalled repatriation process, although many Rohingya refugees say all of them should be allowed to go home. More than a million Rohingya people have been crammed into camps in southeastern Bangladesh, the world’s largest refugee settlement. Most fled a brutal crackdown by Myanmar’s military in 2017. About 70,000 Rohingya crossed into Bangladesh last year, many fleeing worsening hunger and violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. The Bangladeshi government’s announcement comes after a meeting between Khalilur Rahman, high representative of Bangladesh’s interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, and Than Swe, Myanmar’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, on the sidelines of the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok. The 180,000 names were part of a list of 800,000 Rohingya that Bangladesh submitted to Myanmar in six batches between 2018 and 2020. Myanmar has also indicated that final verification of another 70,000 refugees is pending further review of photographs and identity details. Advertisement The statement said Myanmar had pledged to expedite the verification process for the remaining 550,000 names on the original list. There was no immediate comment from Myanmar’s government on the outcome of the Bangkok talks. Many Rohingya refugees have little hope of returning to their homeland, where they continue to face systematic denial of citizenship and basic rights. Attempts to begin repatriation in 2018 and 2019 failed as the refugees, fearing persecution, refused to go back. “After all these years, they are confirming only 180,000 names. This feels like nothing more than an eyewash. We want a genuine solution,” one Rohingya refugee, Shafiqur Rahman, told the Reuters news agency. “Myanmar must take all of us back — not just a selected few — and they must ensure we return with full rights, dignity, and citizenship. Without that, this process means nothing to us.” Adblock test (Why?)
Trump DOJ, Education Dept form task force to protect female athletes from ‘gender ideology’ in schools, sports
The Trump administration launched a new investigative unit to protect “female athletes, from the pernicious effects of gender ideology in school programs and activities” on Friday, further clamping down on transgender women in school sports and sending a warning signal to states defying the president’s executive orders. The Department of Education (DOE) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the Title IX Special Investigations Team (SIT) to handle cases, particularly targeting transgender women in sports, because “traditionally, our Office for Civil Rights [OCR] takes months, even years, to complete Title IX investigations,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said Friday. “OCR under this Administration has moved faster than it ever has, and the Title IX SIT will ensure even more rapid and consistent investigations,” McMahon said. “To all the entities that continue to allow men to compete in women’s sports and use women’s intimate facilities: there’s a new sheriff in town. We will not allow you to get away with denying women’s civil rights any longer.” CONCERNED PARENTS OF TRANS KIDS COMPARED TO ‘HATE GROUPS’ BY COLORADO DEM: WOULDN’T ‘ASK THE KKK’ FOR OPINION The team, drawn from both agencies, will implement a rapid process to handle the growing number of cases to hand over investigations to potential DOJ enforcement. McMahon said the Title IX unit “will benefit women and girls across this nation who have been subjected to discrimination and indignity in their educational activities.” “Protecting women and women’s sports is a key priority for this Department of Justice,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said Friday. “This collaborative effort with the Department of Education will enable our attorneys to take comprehensive action when women’s sports or spaces are threatened and use the full power of the law to remedy any violation of women’s civil rights.” The unit comprises investigators and attorneys from the OCR, DOE Office of General Counsel, and the DOE Office of Student Privacy and Protection, along with caseworkers and an FSA Enforcement investigator. The unit also includes attorneys from the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division. TRANS INMATE IN PRISON FOR KILLING BABY MUST GET GENDER SURGERY AT ‘EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY’: JUDGE The investigative unit will enforce Title IX protections with President Donald Trump’s executive orders on “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” and “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism.” The unit comes as Trump has been facing pushback from both lawmakers and judges for his gender-related orders. Trump and Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills sparred in February over Trump’s order banning biological males from women’s sports. During a National Governors Association meeting, Trump accused Mills of defying federal orders by continuing to allow transgender women to compete in women’s sports. Following the confrontation, the Trump administration launched investigations into Maine’s education department. The U.S. Department of Agriculture also froze funds to certain educational programs in Maine due to the state’s rebellion. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins indicated the funding freeze could be lifted if Maine aligns with federal interpretations of Title IX. BAN ON TAXPAYER-FUNDED SEX CHANGES FOR PRISONERS SPARKS DEM WALKOUT IN GEORGIA HOUSE VOTE Trump’s Title IX unit comes after the Biden administration updated Title IX regulations in 2021 and 2022 to expand protections for LGBTQ+ students, interpreting the law’s prohibition on sex discrimination to include gender identity and sexual orientation. Under then-President Joe Biden’s interpretation, transgender students were protected in sports, bathrooms, changing room facilities and in other educational programs.