Six people dead after alleged dynamite attack in Bolivia gold-mining clash
The dynamite attack is thought to be the result of two mining collectives fighting over access to gold deposits. A clash between gold-mining operations in Bolivia has resulted in an explosion that killed six people, according to authorities. Thursday’s blast rocked the Yani mining camp approximately 150 kilometres – or 90 miles – northwest of the country’s administrative capital, La Paz. “There are six dead, and we have reports of missing persons,” said Jhonny Silva, a representative from one of the mining groups involved, the Hijos de Ingenio Mining Cooperative. That mining collective reportedly brawled with another group, known as Senor de Mayo, in a dynamite-laden fight over access to a gold mining area. The explosion left houses damaged and the town of Sorata without power. “They have blown up machinery with dynamite, even a diesel tank,” Silva said of the rival cooperative. Collectives developped in Bolivia as an alternative to state-run and private enterprises. Critics have accused those large companies of providing unstable employment for low-income mining workers, their jobs hinging on market fluctuations. Advertisement The collectives started to crop up in the wake of several economic crises, particularly in 1985, when international mineral prices fell and the state-owned mining company Corporación Minera de Bolivia (COMIBOL) temporarily shuttered. That left tens of thousands of Bolivian miners without jobs. As Bolivia’s mines were privatised, the collectives offered a space for the miners to self-organise. Some would eventually extract tin, silver, gold and zinc to sell to private businesses. Collectives now represent the majority of mining workers, outnumbering their counterparts at COMIBOL and in the private sector. They therefore wield significant political power, despite their relatively modest ability to extract minerals, compared to big companies. Estimates put the number of gold-mining collectives at about 1,600. But critics of the cooperative system warn that there are few safeguards in place for workers, who are exposed to toxic conditions in the extraction process. Opponents also note that – while cooperatives are legal – some of their mining activity is not, and that can lead to environmental destruction and pollution. The informal nature of the work has also led to deadly clashes, both over access to mining sites and the markets in which to sell the metals and raise investments. The fights sometimes involve COMIBOL workers and security forces. The state-run company has become Bolivia’s largest company, propelled in part by favourable policies under former socialist President Evo Morales, who led the country from 2006 to 2019. Advertisement In 2012, for instance, tensions between COMIBOL and the collectives led to road blockages and a deadly dynamite attack in La Paz. Thursday’s dynamite attack between the collectives, however, was simmering for years, according to Silva. Colonel Gunther Agudo, a local police officer, told local media that the dynamite attack “caused an explosion of great magnitude”. “We’re continuing the rescue efforts,” he said. Adblock test (Why?)
South Korea’s Constitutional Court removes President Yoon from office
BREAKINGBREAKING, South Korea’s Constitutional Court said that President Yoon Suk-yeol ‘violated’ people’s basic rights by declaring martial law. Seoul, South Korea – The Constitutional Court in South Korea has removed President Yoon Suk-yeol from office after upholding his impeachment by parliament for declaring martial law late last year. The court’s Acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae opened the proceeding on Friday by declaring that there was sufficient reason to impeach President Yoon. “The defendant mobilised military and police forces to dismantle the authority of constitutional institutions and infringed upon the fundamental rights of the people,” the acting chief justice said while reading the court’s decision. “In doing so, he abandoned his constitutional duty to uphold the constitution and gravely betrayed the trust of the Korean people,” the chief justice said. “Such unlawful and unconstitutional conduct constitutes an act that cannot be tolerated under the constitution,” he said. “The negative consequences and ripple effects of these actions are substantial, and the benefit of restoring constitutional order through removal from office outweighs the national costs associated with the dismissal of a sitting president,” he added. Advertisement The Constitutional Court’s decision was unanimous, Hyung-bae said. The ruling on Friday now means that South Korea must hold a presidential election within 60 days. Yoon briefly declared martial law late on the evening of December 3, claiming that antistate and North Korean forces had infiltrated the government. But senior members of the police and military said they were instructed to detain rival politicians and prevent the country’s assembly from voting to lift the president’s surprise imposition of military rule. This is a breaking news story. We will bring you more soon … Adblock test (Why?)
Trump supports proxy voting for new mothers in Congress: ‘Don’t know why it’s controversial’
President Donald Trump said he supports letting new moms in Congress vote by proxy, putting him at odds with House Speaker Mike Johnson. “You’re having a baby, I think you should be able to call in and vote,” Trump told reporters Thursday on Air Force One. “I’m in favor of that.” “I don’t know why it’s controversial,” he added. He said he had spoken with Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., one of the lead GOP voices behind the plan. ANNA PAULINA LUNA FORCES HOUSE LEADERSHIP’S HAND ON PROXY VOTING AS GOP WAR ESCALATES Luna and Rep. Brittany Pettersen, D-Colo., are pushing a proposal that would let new parents vote by proxy for 12 weeks while caring for their newborns. With 218 lawmakers backing the move, it has enough support to force a vote. Johnson, however, has historically opposed proxy voting, previously calling it unconstitutional and warning it was misused under then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi during COVID. But after Trump’s endorsement, Luna revealed that Johnson reached out to her. “@SpeakerJohnson has called me after POTUS statement and we discussed limiting the vote to just new moms who cannot physically travel in event of emergency etc. This is smart,” Luna tweeted. “Remember: only 13 in US history.” ANNA PAULINA LUNA RESIGNS FROM HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS, SAYS ‘MUTUAL RESPECT’ WAS ‘SHATTERED’ Johnson had tried to kill the effort earlier this week, but nine Republicans joined all Democrats to block him, voting 206-222. After the loss, Johnson canceled votes for the rest of the week. Despite the setback, Luna made it clear the issue isn’t about advancing any legislation for the president, saying she personally told Johnson as much. It is unclear whether the issue will be brought back for a vote on the House floor before the April Recess. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The offices of House Speaker Mike Johnson and Representative Anna Paulina Luna did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Waltz under fire
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -Newsom foe picked by Trump for key prosecutor job vows to ‘dismantle’ sanctuary state shields –Trump’s DOGE push slashes millions in DEI contracts funding ‘divisive ideologies’ in blue states -Hawley, Senate Judiciary panel to hear from muzzled Meta whistleblower next week President Donald Trump’s national security advisor, Mike Waltz, has repeatedly landed in hot water in recent days, beginning with an uproar from Democrats over a Signal chat leak with high-ranking national security officials that has since snowballed. Trump and his administration, however, repeatedly have defended the national security leader publicly. Waltz, who previously served as a Florida congressman and as a decorated combat Green Beret, has come under fire from Democrats and critics since March, when the Atlantic magazine’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg published a firsthand account of getting added to a Signal group chat with top national security leaders, including Waltz, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, while they discussed strikes against Yemen terrorists…Read more ‘NAZI NEPO BABY’: Unearthed photo shows smiling Obama touring SpaceX alongside ‘Nazi nepo baby’ Elon Musk ‘CASH AVALANCHE’: President Trump, conservatives celebrate ‘absolutely massive’ Florida special elections sweep ‘THE PATIENT LIVED’: Trump issues ‘prognosis’ for US after tariffs in medical metaphor CHANGE OF POLICY: Trump admin moves to more easily fire federal workers at 2 agencies: report COURT TURBULENCE: Trump faces Judge Boasberg over migrant deportation flights defying court order ‘REAL LEADERSHIP’: Trump invites El Salvador’s Bukele to White House for ‘working visit’ COSMIC CLASH: Space Force chief fires off dire warning about Chinese capability to knock out US satellites ‘RESTORING DIALOGUE’: Kremlin official says he’s meeting Trump admin in first Russian visit to US since Ukraine war UNLIKELY ALLY: Trump gets rare Democrat support for new tariffs: ‘This is a good start’ ‘LONG-OVERDUE’: Trump’s GOP allies praise new tariff strategy, Dem critics say they will only make life more difficult ‘UNBELIEVABLY DISLOYAL’: Senate approves resolution against Trump’s Canada tariffs hours after ‘Liberation Day’ event CALIFORNIA CLASH: Congress barrels toward showdown over Biden-era rule letting California ban gas cars POWER STRUGGLE: Bipartisan senators’ bill would require Congress to approve new tariffs GOOD TIMING: House Democrats to head to U.S.-Mexico border in California to scrutinize Trump security policies ‘FULL SUPPORT’: Top House Republican backs Byron Donalds for Florida governor FIRST ON FOX: Washington Post article hyping anti-DOGE protesters in deep red state omits crucial details DOWNWARD DOGE: Musk’s political baggage: Polls show Americans sour on Trump’s most visible advisor WATCHDOG: Pentagon watchdog opens probe into Hegseth’s use of Signal to discuss Houthi attack plans ONE-WAY TICKET: ICE says it deported 174 criminal migrants from Texas, including a man with 39 illegal entries Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
South Texas county leaders will lose some authority over SpaceX launches under new bill
The lawmakers behind the bill promised there would not be an increase in the number of days the beach is closed.
Despite Texas defendant’s death in Louisiana prison, lawmakers unlikely to end reliance on out-of-state lockups
Lawmakers are pursuing legislative changes that would keep more people locked up in overcrowded county jails while awaiting resolution to their cases.
Tariffs creating uncertainty in Texas as report shows slower revenue growth since late 2024
Respondents to a Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas survey expressed concern about a reduction in consumer demand and a potential recession.
Ken Paxton’s legal woes are lifting, clearing a path for a likely Senate run
The federal criminal investigation into corruption allegations was the most serious inquiry Paxton faced. Its end nearly clears his slate of numerous legal battles.
SCOOP: Trump admin sets terms for Harvard to address antisemitism or lose billions in taxpayer dollars
FIRST ON FOX: The Trump administration has set new preconditions for Harvard to combat antisemitism in exchange for access to federal funding. In a letter addressed to Harvard President Dean Garber, senior administration officials claimed Harvard had “fundamentally failed to protect American students and faculty from antisemitic violence and harassment” in violation of the Civil Rights Act. “U.S. taxpayers invest enormously in U.S. colleges and universities, including Harvard,” the letter, signed by Josh Gruenbaum, Commissioner of the Federal Acquisition Service at the General Services Administration (GSA); Sean Keveney, acting general counsel at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); and Thomas Wheeler, acting general counsel at the Department of Education (ED), said. “It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that all recipients are responsible stewards of taxpayer funds,” the memo, obtained by Fox News Digital, read. The letter stipulated that Harvard must ban the use of masks that could conceal identities at protests and establish a clear “time, place and manner” policy for protests. Harvard must also eliminate all Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs, adopt “merit-based” admissions and hiring reform and end any admissions based on race or national origin. TRUMP CUTS MORE THAN $400 MILLION IN GRANTS TO COLUMBIA OVER ANTISEMITISM CONCERNS, POTENTIALLY MORE TO COME The university must commit to “full cooperation” with the Department of Homeland Security and all other agencies in government, according to the letter. It also said Harvard must review and make changes to programs and departments that “fuel antisemitic harassment,” and cooperate with law enforcement. It must hold all recognized and unrecognized students accountable for violations of policy and ensure senior administration officials are responsible for disciplinary decisions. The three federal agencies — HHS, GSA and ED — last week announced a review of some $8 billion in “multi-year grant commitments” as part of a probe launched by the Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism. The review also includes some $255 million in contracts. “The message is clear: reform is not optional,” the task force told Fox News Digital when reached for comment. “The era of elite impunity is over. With billions in taxpayer dollars at stake, Harvard must either confront its institutional failures — including its inability to protect students from anti-Semitic abuse — or risk losing funding.” The university could not immediately be reached for comment. TRUMP COLLEGE CRACKDOWN: LIST OF STUDENTS DETAINED AMID ANTISEMITISM ON CAMPUSES Weeks ago, the Trump administration clawed back more than $400 million in funding from Columbia University, demanding changes to disciplinary policy and placing some programs under administrative control. Columbia acquiesced to many of the trio of agencies’ demands — prompting backlash from liberal critics — and the university replaced its interim president, Katrina Armstrong. The university’s board of trustees denied caving to the administration, calling the new changes “Columbia-driven decisions made in accordance with our values and our mission.” “Where this work aligns with recommendations of others, we believe constructive dialogue makes sense,” the trustees wrote. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has targeted international students who study at U.S. universities and participate in Gaza protests that they say veer into pro-Hamas territory. Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 30 to “combat the explosion of anti-Semitism on our campuses and streets” since Oct. 7, 2023, and since then the State Department has revoked some 300 visas, many of them held by college students. “If you apply for a visa to enter the United States and be a student, and you tell us the reason you are coming to the United States is not just because you want to write op-eds, but because you want to participate in movements that are involved in doing things like vandalizing universities, harassing students, taking over buildings, creating a ruckus — we’re not going to give you a visa,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said before adding, “Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visa.” Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean Hopi E. Hoekstra said this week that the department was working on a contingency plan in case of federal funding cuts. “I know this news is extraordinarily disconcerting and that it’s hard to process,” Hoekstra said, according to the Harvard Crimson. “There is some important work that we, and only we, can do right now: maintain the continuity of our teaching and research mission.” Harvard and Columbia were among 10 universities the task force said it is reviewing. Harvard has already instituted a hiring freeze in response to the review, given the uncertain funding environment.
Trump admin sets terms for Harvard to address antisemitism to avoid losing billions in taxpayer dollars
FIRST ON FOX: The Trump administration has set new preconditions for Harvard to combat antisemitism in exchange for access to federal funding. In a letter addressed to Harvard President Dean Garber, senior administration officials claimed Harvard had “fundamentally failed to protect American students and faculty from antisemitic violence and harassment” in violation of the Civil Rights Act. “U.S. taxpayers invest enormously in U.S. colleges and universities, including Harvard,” a letter signed by Josh Gruenbaum, Commissioner of the Federal Acquisition Service at the General Services Administration, Sean Keveney, acting general counsel at the Department of Health and Human Services and Thomas Wheeler, acting general counsel at the Department of Education. “It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that all recipients are responsible stewards of taxpayer funds,” the memo, obtained by Fox News Digital, read. The letter stipulated that Harvard must ban the use of masks that could conceal identities at protests and establish a clear “time, place and manner” policy for protests. Harvard must also eliminate all Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs, adopt “merit-based” admissions and hiring reform and end any admissions based on race or national origin. TRUMP CUTS MORE THAN $400 MILLION IN GRANTS TO COLUMBIA OVER ANTISEMITISM CONCERNS, POTENTIALLY MORE TO COME The university must commit to “full cooperation” with the Department of Homeland Security and all other agencies in government, according to the letter. It also said Harvard must review and make changes to programs and departments that “fuel antisemitic harassment,” cooperate with law enforcement. It must hold all recognized and unrecognized students accountable for violations of policy and ensure senior administration officials are responsible for disciplinary decisions. The three federal agencies – HHS, GSA and ED – last week announced a review of some $8 billion in “multi-year grant commitments” as part of a probe launched by the Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism. The review also includes some $255 million in contracts. “The message is clear: reform is not optional,” the task force told Fox News Digital when reached for comment. “The era of elite impunity is over. With billions in taxpayer dollars at stake, Harvard must either confront its institutional failures—including its inability to protect students from anti-Semitic abuse—or risk losing funding.” “Harvard received the letter from the federal task force this afternoon,” a university spokesperson told Fox News Digital. Garber said earlier this week that Harvard would engage with the task force “to ensure that they have a full account of the work we have done and the actions we will take going forward to combat antisemitism.” “Much is at stake here. In longstanding partnership with the federal government, we have launched and nurtured pathbreaking research that has made countless people healthier and safer, more curious and more knowledgeable, improving their lives, their communities, and our world,” Garber said. “But we are not perfect. Antisemitism is a critical problem that we must and will continue to address.” TRUMP COLLEGE CRACKDOWN: LIST OF STUDENTS DETAINED AMID ANTISEMITISM ON CAMPUSES Weeks ago the Trump administration clawed back more than $400 million in funding from Columbia University, demanding changes to disciplinary policy and placing some programs under administrative control. Columbia acquiesced to many of the trio of agencies’ demands – prompting backlash from liberal critics – and the university replaced its interim president Katrina Armstrong. The university’s board of trustees denied caving to the administration, calling the new changes “Columbia-driven decisions made in accordance with our values and our mission.” “Where this work aligns with recommendations of others, we believe constructive dialogue makes sense,” the trustees wrote. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has targeted international students who study at U.S. universities and participate in Gaza protests that they say veer into pro-Hamas territory. Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 30 to combat the explosion of anti-Semitism on our campuses and streets” since October 7, 2023, and since then the State Department has revoked some 300 visas, many of them held by college students. “If you apply for a visa to enter the United States and be a student, and you tell us the reason you are coming to the United States is not just because you want to write op-eds, but because you want to participate in movements that are involved in doing things like vandalizing universities, harassing students, taking over buildings, creating a ruckus – we’re not going to give you a visa,” Rubio said before adding, “Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visa.” Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean Hopi E. Hoekstra said this week that the department was working on a contingency plan in case of federal funding cuts. “I know this news is extraordinarily disconcerting and that it’s hard to process,” Hoekstra said, according to the Harvard Crimson. “There is some important work that we, and only we, can do right now: maintain the continuity of our teaching and research mission.” Harvard and Columbia were among 10 universities the task force said it is reviewing. Harvard already instituted a hiring freeze in response to the review, given the uncertain funding environment.