Top Dems brush off ties to Imam who held memorial for Iranian leader who vowed ‘Death to America’
FIRST ON FOX: Legacy Democrats and a slew of Michigan Democratic Party lawmakers dismissed concerns over their connections to a radical Imam who eulogized the death of Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei by “the most wretched hands on Earth” and works at a mosque known for being a purveyor of Iranian propaganda. Dearborn Heights, Michigan, Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi’s social media pages were a who’s who of Michigan Democratic Party politicos and also included a slew of photos of him with legacy Democrats and Democratic Party officials from other states, before they were deleted. The photos, many of which come from various political and religious-oriented events, were removed from the Imam’s social media after Fox News Digital reached out to him and his Michigan-based Islamic House of Wisdom (IHW). However, screenshots retained by Fox News Digital and other photos that remain publicly available on the Imam’s social media sites show him posing alongside legacy Democrats like former President Bill Clinton, former Vice President Kamala Harris and former Secretary of State John Kerry. Other Democrats the Imam was pictured with on his social media pages included current candidates for office in Michigan and some of the state’s highest-ranking leaders, such as Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, whose 2023 inauguration included a Muslim prayer tribute from Ali Elahi, Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, and Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich. One post on his socials included a flyer highlighting an event the IHW helped sponsor that was headlined by Dr. Anthony Fauci, while others included photos of the Imam interacting with out-of-state Democrats, such as Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga. CRITICAL SWING STATE CANDIDATES REVEAL WHERE THEY STAND ON DHS FUNDING AFTER SUSPECTED TERROR ATTACKS In addition to the public photos of Ali Elahi, with a slew of various Democrats, he has also donated to several of these same lawmakers as well, including candidates running for office this year in his state of Michigan, according to Michigan’s campaign finance database. Current Michigan U.S. Senate candidate, Abdul El-Sayed, featured in at least one of the Imam’s photos, received over $800 from him in 2017. Gilchrest, pictured numerous times with the Imam on his social media pages, received over $1,000. Ali Elahi has also, for years, made many small-dollar donations through Act Blue to various Democrats and Democrat institutions. “The unwillingness of public officials to distance themselves from someone so controversial would be troubling enough under normal circumstances, but doubly so during a time of conflict when Americans’ lives hang in the balance and voters expect their leaders to rally around the flag,” said GOP strategist Colin Reed. “For nearly 40 years, the leaders of the Iranian regime have pushed ‘death to America’ and exported terror around the world. It shouldn’t be a close call to want to put daylight between someone so sympathetic to their cause.” When asked, following Ali Elahi and IHW’s Khamenei tribute, if any of the Democratic Party figures regretted attending events alongside the Iranian-born Imam living in Michigan, or whether they planned to reconsider interactions with him going forward, those Democrats seen with him in photos at various events either did not respond or downplayed their ties to the Imam. A staffer for Michigan gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson initially got in touch after Fox News Digital reached out, but then ignored Fox News Digital’s inquiries after they were told the story was not only about Benson. Khamenei, who was killed by an Israeli airstrike last month, has repeatedly attacked the United States and Israel on social media, including saying, “Death to America.” “Yes, it will happen. Death to America will happen,” Khamenei declared in 2022, the Middle East Media Research Institute reported at the time. “Some people say: By chanting ‘Death to America,’ you bring America’s animosity upon yourself. I say that this is not true. When America began its hostility towards Iran, nobody had been chanting ‘Death to America.’” “Senator Peters routinely attends events with his constituents across Michigan. Peters has long said that Iran and its leaders, like Ayatollah Khamenei, are bad actors, and he strongly believes that we must ensure Iran never has nuclear weapons,” a spokesperson for the Michigan senator said. TRUMP WARNS OF IRANIAN ‘SLEEPER CELLS’ AS CANADA ACCUSED OF HARBORING REGIME OPERATIVES “Georgians are concerned about an illegal war that’s costing taxpayers $1 billion a day and spiking gas prices,” a Warnock spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “The Senator believes Ayatollah Khamenei was a brutal dictator, and this President should be focused on problems at home instead of entangling our country and service members in another endless war.” “It was 60 seconds of social niceties at a funeral. Shaking someone’s hand isn’t a connection or an endorsement,” said a Clinton spokesperson. “They don’t know each other.” “The press corps often sprints after Republicans in office to ask them about why someone took a picture with them and how quickly will they distance themselves from that individual, but that same level of scrutiny is not remotely applied to Democrats,” lamented Republican strategist Mark Bednar. “For the good of the country, elected Democrats and candidates must explain to their constituents and to the media where exactly do they stand regarding cheerleaders of the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism.” Former Detroit Mayor and current Independent candidate for governor, Mike Duggan, who initially told local Michigan news outlet The Michigan Enjoyer that he “had no recollection” of photos they shared of him with the Imam, told Fox News Digital that the candidate for governor did not know Ali Elahi personally when asked if he planned to reconsider interacting with him in the future. Fox News Digital uncovered multiple photos of Duggan attending events alongside Ali Elahi that were on the Imam’s Facebook page, including one where the two are seen embracing each other. “In his 12-year tenure, Mayor Duggan constantly reached out to congregations of all faiths, visiting 40-50 churches, mosques, and synagogues each year,” a spokesperson for Duggan’s gubernatorial campaign said. “He attended close to 1,000 political
WATCH: Dem senators make the case for the very bill they’re trying to kill
In trying to downplay its seriousness and scope, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., tacitly acknowledged the existence of a problem they’ve argued is immaterial: that illegal immigrants may be able to unlawfully participate in federal elections. “The evidence is that almost no illegal aliens vote,” Schumer said in remarks on the Senate floor. Warnock similarly acknowledged the issue while listing statistics about voting records in his home state. “8.2 million people are registered to vote in Georgia. The Republican secretary of state found 20 instances of noncitizens who were registered, and only nine had ever attempted to vote,” Warnock said. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT’S TWO DECADES OF UNLAWFUL VOTES EXPOSE THE REAL ‘THREAT’ TO DEMOCRACY: EXPERTS Their comments came as the pair of Democrats argued against passage of the SAVE America Act — legislation that would impose citizenship requirements for voter registration. Democrats have fiercely opposed the Republican-led bill, citing concerns that its voter integrity measures are overly heavy-handed and could inadvertently burden communities that may struggle to provide documented proof of citizenship. “This is a solution in search of a problem that does not exist,” Warnock said. DAVID MARCUS: SENATE GOP SHOULD TAKE FETTERMAN’S DEAL ON VOTER ID Under the bill, voters could use a REAL ID, a birth certificate or a passport to satisfy the requirements, according to the bill’s text. Republicans, who argue that lax identity requirements may have already allowed an unknown number of noncitizens onto voter rolls, have launched a marathon standoff over the bill on the Senate floor. Republicans cannot pass the bill without the 60 votes needed to end debate. They hold 53 seats in the chamber, making passage impossible without support from at least seven Democrats. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, the sponsor of the SAVE America Act, argued that the scope of the problem remains unknown. “Democrats argue that federal law prohibits noncitizen voting and insist that it is not just rare but exceedingly rare — so rare that we shouldn’t even consider it cognizable in this chamber,” Lee said Tuesday. REPUBLICAN SENATORS BLAST DEMOCRATS FOR ‘FEAR-MONGERING’ OVER ELECTION SECURITY SAVE ACT Lee said the lack of documented cases does not rule out future risk. “It remains unknown — and in many instances, unknowable. How many illegal votes are being counted in federal elections? How many illegal votes cast by noncitizens might be cast in any future federal election?” Lee said. The standoff, which began Tuesday, appears unlikely to advance the bill. Fox News Digital reached out to the offices of Schumer and Warnock.
Cuban exiles in Miami say ‘this is the end’ for communism as island teeters on collapse
There’s growing unrest in Cuba as the communist government struggles to deal with island-wide blackouts and a collapsing economy. As President Donald Trump alludes to change on the island, the Cuban community in Miami is left wondering what is next. The island has experienced 67 years of authoritarian rule where the Communist Party of Cuba is the only legal party. Last week, protesters attacked a Communist Party headquarters on the island overnight, ransacking the building and attempting to set it on fire, according to local reports. “The protesters are more brave today than before,” said Jose Collazo, a Cuban migrant who left the island in the 1960’s. “But if you remember four years ago when they came out, they were brutally repressed.” TRUMP SAYS HE BELIEVES HE HAS ‘HONOR’ OF ‘TAKING CUBA,’ CALLS CARIBBEAN ISLAND A ‘VERY WEAKENED NATION’ Collazo often spends time at Domino Park in the heart of Little Havana, a neighborhood in Miami with a large population of Cuban immigrants. He and other Cuban Americans meet up for friendly — but highly competitive — games of dominoes and to discuss current affairs. Lately, there’s been a lot of chatter about the situation in Cuba. On Monday, a nationwide power grid collapse left roughly 10 million people without electricity, according to U.S. Embassy statements and Cuban authorities. Cuban officials have said the outages are linked to fuel shortages and failures at aging power plants. Then, there’s the ongoing economic crisis which has been made even worse in recent months after President Trump threatened tariffs on any country that sends oil to Cuba. RUSSIA SHIPS FUEL TO CUBA USING ‘SPOOFING’ TACTIC CHALLENGING TRUMP EMBARGO: REPORTS “They’re living like in the Stone Age. Cave people. That’s how they live. It’s sad to see the people [living with] malnutrition, living in ragged clothes,” said Collazo. The escalating tension on the island comes amid remarks by Trump that he expects to have the “honor” of “taking Cuba in some form” and “I can do anything I want” with the neighboring country. “Cuba right now is in very bad shape. They’re talking to Marco,” Trump told reporters, “We’ll be doing something with Cuba very soon.… We’re dealing with Cuba.” On Tuesday, Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, also made comments about the island, saying “they have to get new people in charge” in Havana. Meanwhile, Pentagon officials told lawmakers there are no plans to invade Cuba, even as they described it as a long-standing security concern. CUBAN ACTIVIST TO TRUMP: ‘MAKE CUBA GREAT AGAIN’ BY ENDING COMMUNIST RULE “In all the years I’ve been here— I’m going on 47 years— I think this is the first time I’ve seen really good things happening for Cuba,” said Francisco Botella, a Cuban migrant who lives in Miami. “You can tell it’s a very precarious situation this time around. Now the system is going down, way down.” Hearing U.S. leaders discuss the situation brings members of the Cuban exile community like Botella and Collazo hope. “I think this is the end for Cuba. I really think it’s over. Either the communist leaders leave, or what happened to Maduro will happen to them,” said Botella. Cuban officials have continued to blame U.S. sanctions for the country’s economic hardships, while analysts say the government is facing mounting pressure from ongoing blackouts, shortages of basic goods and growing public frustration.
Far-left firebrand dodges questions over hiring bodyguard with criminal history
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas., turned away questions on Wednesday about why her office had hired a security guard with a criminal history after news broke that he had been shot and killed in an armed standoff with law enforcement in Dallas, Texas. “I’m going to refer you to my page,” Crockett told Fox News Digital. “I made a statement and I said there would be no additional statements. You need someone to read it for you? I can find someone to do that.” The criminal history of Crockett’s bodyguard, Diamon-Mazairre Robinson, 39, who went by the alias “Mike King,” drew national attention last week when details emerged that he had a track record of run-ins with the law for theft, violating probation and impersonating law enforcement. JASMINE CROCKETT FACES CRITICISM FROM BLACK DEMOCRATS AFTER LOSING TEXAS SENATE PRIMARY RACE Robinson was killed in a standoff with SWAT last week after he barricaded himself inside the garage of a children’s hospital as local police were looking to detain him while investigating an active warrant. Local authorities said they had recovered 11 firearms during their investigation. Crockett, who said she had known Robinson under the name, Mike King, said he had been employed by her office “for years” and that during that time he had not given her reason to suspect him of wrongdoing. JASMINE CROCKETT CAMPAIGN REPORTEDLY KICKED ATLANTIC WRITER OUT OF RALLY FOR BEING A ‘TOP-NOTCH HATER’ Crockett said her team had vetted Robinson according to standards laid out for lawmaker security, according to a statement put out by her office. “We are saddened and shocked by some of the concerning revelations. Our team followed all protocols outlined by the House to contract additional security. We were approved to use this vendor who also provided security services for additional entities in the local community and worked closely with law enforcement agencies, including Capitol Police,” Crockett said in a statement. JASMINE CROCKETT UNDER FIRE AFTER REPORTEDLY HAVING ARMED GUARDS REMOVE ‘WHITE GIRL’ REPORTER FROM RALLY She noted that she was surprised that her office hadn’t discovered his background until the time of his death. “The fact that an individual was able to somehow circumvent the vetting processes for something as sensitive as security for members of Congress highlights the loopholes and shortcomings in many of our systems,” her office’s statement read.
White House unveils its first national AI framework, pushes Congress to act ‘this year’
EXCLUSIVE: The White House on Friday unveiled its first national policy framework for artificial intelligence — a legislative outline to establish a “consistent” national standard for AI development across the nation that prevents censorship and protects free speech and children, Fox News Digital has learned. Fox News Digital exclusively obtained the legislative framework that the White House will share with congressional leadership Friday as the White House pushes Congress to advance and codify its “commonsense” proposals into law “this year.” “This year. As fast as we can,” White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview Thursday evening. “Congress has a lot of priorities they’re trying to make happen, but we believe this can receive bipartisan support.” TRUMP BRINGS BIG TECH EXECUTIVES TO WHITE HOUSE TO CURB POWER COSTS FOR AMERICAN HOUSEHOLDS AMID AI BOOM White House sources told Fox News Digital that the framework was designed to reduce regulatory uncertainty, sustain U.S. dominance in the AI space, prevent censorship and protect free speech. “We need one national policy — not a 50-state patchwork of laws,” Kratsios told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview Thursday evening. “This legislative proposal delivers on that.” “In December, President Trump signed an Executive Order tasking us with the development of a national framework for AI, what he called ‘One Rulebook,’” White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks told Fox News Digital. “This was in response to a growing patchwork of 50 different state regulatory regimes that threaten to stifle innovation and jeopardize America’s lead in the AI race.” The White House is urging Congress to “preempt state AI laws that impose undue burdens to ensure a minimally burdensome national standard consistent with these recommendations, not fifty discordant ones,” according to the official framework obtained by Fox News Digital. “This national standard should respect key principles of federalism and not preempt the traditional police powers retained by the states to enforce laws of general applicability against AI developers and users, including particular laws to protect children, prevent fraud, and protect consumers,” the framework states, adding it should also not preempt “state zoning laws, including state authorities, to determine the placement of AI infrastructure.” The framework said that “preemption must ensure that state laws do not govern areas better suited to the Federal Government or act contrary to the United States’ national strategy to achieve global AI dominance.” The White House stresses that states “should not be permitted to regulate AI development, because it is an inherently interstate phenomenon with key foreign policy and national security implications.” “States should not unduly burden Americans’ use of AI for activity that would be lawful if performed without AI,” the framework says. “States should not be permitted to penalize AI developers for a third party’s unlawful conduct involving their models.” Beyond the regulatory structure, the framework also focuses on protections for children. The White House is urging Congress to build on and codify actions taken throughout the Trump administration to protect children from AI harms and empower parents with robust tools to manage their children’s privacy settings, screen time, content exposure and account controls. Sacks told Fox News Digital that the framework helps parents to “safeguard their children from online harm, shield communities from higher electric bills, protect our First Amendment rights from AI censorship, and ensure that all Americans benefit from this transformative technology.” The legislative proposal includes establishing commercially reasonable, privacy protective, age-assurance requirements — like parental attestation — for AI platforms and services likely to be accessed by minors. TRUMP’S SCIENCE AND TECH MAN LAYS OUT WHITE HOUSE’S GLOBAL AI STRATEGY In addition, the White House is calling for legislation requiring AI platforms to implement features that reduce the risk of sexual exploitation and self-harm to minors. “We are calling on Congress to ensure parents are empowered to shape and protect their children’s digital upbringing,” Kratsios told Fox News Digital. Kratsios pointed to first lady Melania Trump’s efforts surrounding the passage and signing of the “Take it Down Act” last year. That legislation punishes internet abuse involving nonconsensual, explicit imagery and garnered strong bipartisan support. The framework also addresses energy costs tied to AI infrastructure. Meanwhile, the White House is pushing Congress to codify its Ratepayer Protection Pledge into law. The pledge ensures that tech giants protect Americans from higher electricity bills tied to data center power demand. It also requires companies to “build, bring, or buy new generation resources and cover the cost of all power delivery infrastructure upgrades required for data centers.” The pledge came amid concern that the creation of new data centers will cause mounting energy prices for everyday Americans. The pledge works to protect Americans against spiking electricity bills. It also has companies vowing against passing expenses to American households and commits companies to hiring and training talent from within communities where they build and operate data centers — a move that could create thousands of jobs. “We’re calling on Congress to codify this Ratepayer Protection Pledge,” Kratsios said. Meanwhile, the White House is also calling on Congress to augment existing law enforcement efforts to combat AI-enabled impersonation scams and fraud that target vulnerable populations, such as seniors. The framework also addresses national security concerns tied to advanced AI systems. As for national security, the White House is urging Congress to ensure the appropriate federal agencies have sufficient technical capacity to understand frontier AI model capabilities and any associated national security considerations. The White House is also calling on Congress to establish plans to mitigate potential national security concerns. Another key area is intellectual property and creator protections. Another section of the White House’s legislative framework urges Congress to draft language to protect American creators, publishers and innovators from AI-generated outputs that infringe their protected content. This recommendation specifically asks Congress to respect those intellectual property rights, without undermining lawful innovation and free expression. “Although the Administration believes that training of AI models on copyrighted material does not
Palestinians bury four women killed in Iranian missile attack
NewsFeed “It’s not our war.” A small occupied West Bank community has buried four women killed in a hair salon during an Iranian missile attack meant for Israel. Published On 20 Mar 202620 Mar 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Brazil’s president criticises the US for thinking ‘they own the world’
NewsFeed President of Brazil Lula de Silva criticised the United States’ aggressive foreign policy under President Trump and called on the UN Security Council to prevent war. Published On 20 Mar 202620 Mar 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Luka Doncic scores 60 points as Lakers rally to defeat Heat in NBA
The NBA’s leading scorer recorded the second 60-point game of his career as the Lakers take down the Heat in Miami. By Reuters Published On 20 Mar 202620 Mar 2026 Luka Doncic scored 60 points – the most ever recorded against the Heat – as the Los Angeles Lakers won their eighth straight game, defeating the Miami Heat 134-126 away on Thursday night. James Harden had the previous record against Miami with 58 points. He reached that mark while a member of the Houston Rockets on February 28, 2019. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list The Lakers (45-25) also got a triple-double from LeBron James, who had 19 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists. It was just the second triple-double of the season for James, who no doubt has fond memories of his time in Miami, leading the Heat to four straight NBA Finals (2011-2014) and two NBA titles. It is possible that this was the final game in Miami ever for James, 41, who has not yet announced his future playing plans. Doncic, who entered the day leading the NBA with a 32.9 scoring average, made 18 of 30 shots from the floor, nine of 17 on three-pointers and 15 of 19 at the free throw line. He also had seven rebounds, five steals and three assists. Over the past two nights, Doncic has scored 100 points. Bam Adebayo led Miami (38-32) with 28 points and 10 rebounds. He appeared fully healthy after having missed Miami’s previous game due to tightness in his right calf. However, the Heat are just 1-3 since Adebayo scored 83 points against Washington on March 10, the second-greatest scoring game in NBA history. Tyler Herro added 21 points for Miami, and Norman Powell tallied 20. The Heat were without two key injured players, Jaime Jaquez Jr (left-hip tightness) and Andrew Wiggins (left big toe). Those two players combine to average 30.9 points. Doncic #77 connects on one of his nine three-pointers against the Miami Heat on March 19, 2026, at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, US [Issac Baldizon/Getty Images via AFP] Miami led 42-29 at the end of the first quarter, during which the Heat shot 63.0 percent from the floor and had a 26-12 edge in paint points. Los Angeles, despite 12 points from Doncic, shot just 40.9 percent. Advertisement Los Angeles hit 12 of 20 shots from the floor in the second quarter and cut its deficit to 65-59 at halftime. Miami shot just 40.9 percent. The Lakers took their first lead of the game at 72-71 with 9:05 left in the third as Doncic hit his third straight three-pointer. By the end of the period, the Lakers led, 97-88. Doncic scored 19 points in the third. Miami misfired on 10 of 12 attempts from behind the arc in the quarter. The Lakers closed out the game without much trouble in the fourth quarter, beating Miami for the third straight time. Adblock test (Why?)
Delhi’s Bawana in Shock: Family targeted in deadly shooting, 1 dead, 3 injured; details here
A deadly shootout at a grocery store in Delhi’s Bawana killed one person and left three others with bullet injuries on Thursday. The deceased identified Ravi Bhardwaj, 30, died of bullet injuries, while three others are undergoing treatment, confirmed a senior official. Preliminary investigation suggests the shooting was linked either to a gang war or a personal feud.
West Bengal Election 2026: Mamata Banerjee intensifies attack against Election Commission, alleges bias ahead of polls
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that the Election Commission of India has “crossed all boundaries of decency and constitutional propriety.”In her letter, Banerjee expressed concern over the Commission’s actions since the start of the “Special Intensive Revision,” claiming that it has acted with apparent bias and ignored ground realities and public welfare. She said she had repeatedly raised these concerns with the poll body, but received no response, forcing her to move to the Supreme Court of India to safeguard democratic and fundamental rights.