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On Friday, May 2nd in 1973, New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster approached a car that had been pulled over by police for a broken taillight on the New Jersey Turnpike.

Inside were three armed members of the radical Black Liberation Army.

Gunfire erupted, and in the shoot-out, Officer Foerster was hit four times and killed. Now, decades later, the officer's cold-blooded execution is spurring new calls for justice.

One of the militants in the car, Joanne Chesimard, has lived a life on the lam. In 1979, she escaped from a New Jersey prison and, in the decades since, she has been living freely in Cuba.

"She should be serving a life sentence," says the current head of the state police, New Jersey State Police Superintendent Colonel Patrick J. Callahan

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"I want her yesterday, and I have Trooper Foerster's handcuffs ready to go on her when she lands on that tarmac, wherever she is."

There are new calls to extradite her and the estimated 70 fugitives from U.S. justice, including convicted murderers, airline hijackers and others who continue to enjoy safe haven in Cuba.

President Donald Trump has called on the Cuban regime to cough up Chesimard and the others.

"Return the fugitives from American justice, including the return of the cop-killer Joanne Chesimard," he declared in 2017.  Now the Trump administration is taking tougher measures against Cuba that could eventually result in the fugitives being back on U.S. soil. In January, the administration slapped new sanctions on the Cuban regime, and it is considering tougher actions.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is denouncing the Communist government's protection of American criminals.

"The Cuban regime continues to provide safe haven for terrorists and criminals, including fugitives from the United States," he said in a statement to Fox News.

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"The brutal killing of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster will never be forgotten, and we will never stop fighting for justice."

President Obama normalized relations with the Cuban government in 2015, and while a few fugitives have been returned, terrorists were not among them. In 2018, James R. Ray, a lawyer wanted for murder in Montclair, New Jersey, was extradited by Cuba back to the state. He was convicted and died in jail while awaiting sentencing in 2023.

In his first term, President Trump scrapped the Obama agreements, and he has since put Cuba back on the State Department's list of state sponsors of terrorism, which President Biden had removed.

"I understand it's a sovereign nation and that there's no extradition policy, but here's somebody who has murdered a New Jersey State Trooper who lives free, and that just is painful for law enforcement, not only in New Jersey, but across the country," says Colonel Callahan. "Anything that I can do to bring her back to serve out the rest of her sentence is what I'm going to do."

"It's disgusting that some killer like this would be just roaming the streets in Cuba," says Senator Rick Scott, R-Fla. "It makes you mad. It makes you mad that Cuba harbors these terrorists and these fugitives."

Scott is sponsoring a Senate bill, "The Frank Connor and Trooper Werner Foerster Justice Act," demanding the fugitives' return. Rubio first introduced the legislation before he was named secretary of state.

Scott is calling for even stronger measures against the Communist nation.

"We have to make sure there's no money that goes there. They're clearly a state sponsor of terrorism," Scott says." Trump did the right thing by putting them back on."

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The bill is also named for another victim, Frank Connor. In 1975, Connor, a New York City banker, was having lunch in the historic Fraunces Tavern when a bomb exploded, killing him and three others, and wounding more than 50 people. The device had been planted by the Puerto Rican terrorist group "Armed Forces for National Liberation" (FALN), which was responsible for a wave of terrorist bombings in New York City in the 1970s.

The FALN's chief bombmaker, Willie Morales, also escaped a U.S. prison to find safety in Fidel Castro's Cuba.

"We have convicted terrorists who we do have the power to get back," says Connor's son, Joe, who has been in the forefront of the push to return the fugitives. He says President Trump can achieve that.

"Trump absolutely can use economic power," he says. "We have these convicted terrorists 90 miles from home, we have the economic leverage on Cuba to bring them back. Cut the deal, bring these guys back, and then we will talk about how we are going to assist Cuba in the future."

"It would really mean something, that there is justice for my dad."

In January, Secretary of State Rubio honored Connor and the other Fraunces Tavern victims on the anniversary of the FALN attack.

"We must also recommit ourselves to demanding that wanted U.S. fugitives under the Cuban regime’s protection be brought to justice. We owe the victims and the American people our unwavering commitment to holding the Cuban regime accountable."

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy marked the anniversary of Foerster’s murder by saying, "As we honor his memory, our commitment to justice has never wavered. More than half a century later, we continue to pursue his murderer’s repatriation to New Jersey to face the consequences of her actions."

Colonel Callahan notes that in its 104-year history, the state police force has lost 78 troopers in the line of duty, but that Foerster’s death and Chesimard’s freedom remain "an open wound."

"There’s not a day that goes by that I’m not trying to do something about bringing her back here," he says.

 Fox News Producer Maria Paronich contributed to this story.

A small English town north of bustling Manchester just saw two controversial pro-Gaza candidates flip seats held by the mainstream Labour Party. Both candidates ran as independents in the May 1 local elections.

Maheen Kamran, 18, won the Burnley Central East seat on the Lancashire County Council, while Azhar Ali won the position of county councillor for the Nelson East ward. The Telegraph noted that their victories could be part of a growing trend, following a slew of pro-Gaza candidates—including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn—winning seats in last year’s general election.

Ali is a former Labour Party member who was suspended from the party and lost its backing over allegations of antisemitism during an election last year. Labour initially supported Ali after he claimed that Israel "allowed" Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre to occur as a pretext to invade Gaza, according to the BBC. He later apologized for making what he called a "deeply offensive, ignorant and false" claim. Labour withdrew its support for Ali and later suspended him from the party.

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The Board of Deputies of British Jews did not accept Ali’s apology, calling his comments "disgraceful and unforgivable."

"It is clear to us that Mr. Ali is not [apologizing] out of a genuine sense of remorse. Despite what he says in his apology, we do not see how we could possibly engage with him at this time, and we believe other leading Jewish communal groups will feel similarly," the organization wrote in a 2024 statement.

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Meanwhile, Kamran has taken radical stances of her own. She voted in favor of ending the "free mixing" of Muslim men and women in public spaces. 

"Muslim women aren’t really comfortable with being involved with Muslim men. I'm sure we can have segregated areas, segregated gyms, where Muslim women don't have to sacrifice their health," Kamran told PoliticsHome.

In the same interview, Kamran said she entered politics because she believes there is a "genocide" taking place in Gaza. While critics of Israel’s military actions use the term "genocide," supporters of the Jewish state often argue that Israel has the capability to destroy Gaza’s population but has chosen not to, thereby disputing the genocide claim.

Ali and Kamran’s victories come as mainstream parties lose influence in local elections. The right-wing populist Reform UK Party saw major gains in the latest election, according to the Telegraph. Meanwhile, despite its control of 10 Downing Street, Labour suffered losses in the recent local elections. 

The Trump administration on Friday officially designated two of Haiti’s most powerful gang networks, Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif, foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) and specially designated global terrorists (SDGTs).

The move is aimed at disrupting the gangs' operations and supporting efforts to restore order in the troubled Caribbean nation.

The announcement was made in a formal statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who declared that "the age of impunity for those supporting violence in Haiti is over."

"These gangs have killed and continue attacking the people of Haiti, Haitian security forces and multinational security support (MSS) mission personnel and are committed to overthrowing the government of Haiti," Rubio said. "Their ultimate goal is creating a gang-controlled state where illicit trafficking and other criminal activities operate freely and terrorize Haitian citizens."

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The designations bring serious legal consequences. Individuals or entities that provide material support to Viv Ansanm or Gran Grif could face criminal charges, loss of immigration benefits or removal from the U.S.

Viv Ansanm formed in September 2023 through an alliance between Haiti’s two main gang factions, G-9 and G-Pép. The coalition has carried out coordinated attacks on Haitian infrastructure, including prisons, government buildings and the Port-au-Prince international airport. These attacks were part of a broader campaign that helped force the resignation of former Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

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Gran Grif operates mainly in the Artibonite region, a vital agricultural area. The State Department said the gang has been responsible for 80% of civilian death reports in that area since 2022. In February 2025, Gran Grif was linked to an attack that killed a Kenyan officer with the MSS mission.

According to NPR reporting from 2024, Viv Ansanm was spearheaded by Jimmy Chérizier, known as Barbecue, a former police officer turned gang leader. 

Chérizier helped unify rival gangs under a shared goal of opposing the Haitian government. In an interview with NPR, he defended the gang’s actions and blamed Haiti’s political elite for fostering the lawlessness. Though he acknowledged the violence, he claimed the government had enabled the conditions leading to it.

"These designations play a critical role in our fight against these vicious groups and are an effective way to curtail support for their terrorist activities," Rubio said. He also warned that U.S. citizens and lawful residents who engage in transactions with these groups are exposing themselves to sanctions and prosecution.

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Rubio praised the Haitian National Police and international partners for their efforts in pushing back against the gangs. "We commend the extraordinary bravery of the Haitian National Police and all international partners supporting the MSS mission for their ongoing efforts to establish stability and security in Haiti," he said.

He called on Haitian political leaders to focus on restoring peace. 

"We urge all of Haiti’s political leaders to prioritize the security of the Haitian people, find solutions to stop the violence and make progress toward the restoration of democracy through free and fair elections," Rubio said.

The State Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution or BfV, on Friday classified the country’s popular Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as "extremist."

"Central to our assessment is the ethnically and ancestrally defined concept of the people that shapes the AfD, which devalues entire segments of the population in Germany and violates their human dignity," the BfV said, explaining its decision. "This concept is reflected in the party’s overall anti-migrant and anti-Muslim stance." 

The AfD slammed the decision, calling it a "blow against democracy," claiming it was "clearly politically motivated," which the BfV denied.

The U.S. also criticized the designation, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio claiming it is "tyranny in disguise."

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"Germany just gave its spy agency new powers to surveil the opposition," Rubio posted on X. "That’s not democracy—it’s tyranny in disguise. What is truly extremist is not the popular AfD—which took second in the recent election—but rather the establishment’s deadly open border immigration policies that the AfD opposes. Germany should reverse course."

Elon Musk wrote on X: "Banning the centrist AfD, Germany's, most popular party, would be an extreme attack on democracy." 

AfD leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla said, "The AfD will continue to take legal action against these defamatory attacks that endanger democracy." 

Vice President JD Vance met with Weidel before the election and said that free speech was under attack in Europe. 

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The BfV also classifies the neo-Nazi National Democratic Party (NDP), the Islamic State and other Islamist groups, and the far-left Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany as "extremist."

The classification allows the intelligence agency to closely surveil the AfD, which came in second in Germany’s February elections, winning a record number of seats in parliament.

Germany’s intelligence agency is more legally constrained than other European countries in its ability to surveil political parties, which requires the "extremist" designation, because of its history under Nazi and Communist rule. 

The designation also allows the intelligence service to intercept party communications.

The "extremist" designation followed a 1,100-page report by the intelligence agency, and a court case loss for AfD in challenging the BfV’s previous classification of the political party as one suspected of extremism. 

Conservative leader Friedrich Merz, who heads the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), will be confirmed as chancellor next week following the elections in a coalition government with the center-left Social Democrats. 

Both Merz and the Social Democrats ruled out governing with the AfD. 

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CDU, along with its Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union (CSU), won Germany’s elections in February after garnering 28.6% of the vote, according to Germany’s international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW). 

The AfD secured 20.8% of the vote. Meanwhile, outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) won just 16.4% of the vote, its worst result since World War II.

Fox News Digital's Rachel Wolf and Reuters contributed to this report.

U.S. officials have finalized new economic sanctions against Russia, including banking and energy measures, to intensify pressure on Moscow to embrace U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to end its war on Ukraine, according to three U.S. officials and a source familiar with the issue.

The targets include state-owned Russian energy giant Gazprom and major entities involved in the natural resources and banking sectors, said an administration official, who like the other sources requested anonymity to discuss the issue.

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The official provided no further details.

It was far from clear, however, whether the package will be approved by Trump, whose sympathy for Moscow's statements and actions have given way to frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spurning of his calls for a ceasefire and peace talks.

The U.S. National Security Council "is trying to coordinate some set of more punitive actions against Russia," said the source familiar with the issue. "This will have to be signed off by Trump."

"It’s totally his call," confirmed a second U.S. official.

"From the beginning, the president has been clear about his commitment to achieving a full and comprehensive ceasefire," said National Security Council Spokesman James Hewitt. "We do not comment on the details of ongoing negotiations."

The U.S. Treasury, which implements most U.S. sanctions, did not respond to a request for comment.

An approval by Trump of new sanctions, which would follow the Wednesday signing of a U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal that he heavily promoted as part of his peace effort, could signify a hardening of his stance towards the Kremlin.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 the United States and its allies have added layer upon layer of sanctions on the country. While the measures have been painful for Russia's economy, Moscow has found ways to circumvent the sanctions and continue funding its war.

Trump "has been bending over backwards to give Putin every opportunity to say, 'Okay, we're going to have a ceasefire and an end to the war,' and Putin keeps rejecting him," said Kurt Volker, a former U.S. envoy to NATO who was U.S. special representative for Ukraine negotiations during Trump's first term. "This is the next phase of putting some pressure on Russia."

"Putin has been escalating," he continued. Trump "has got the U.S. and Ukraine now in alignment calling for an immediate and full ceasefire, and Putin is now the outlier."

Since assuming office in January, Trump has taken steps seen as aimed at boosting Russian acceptance of his peace effort, including disbanding a Justice Department task force formed to enforce sanctions and target oligarchs close to the Kremlin.

He also has made pro-Moscow statements, falsely blaming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for starting the conflict and calling him a "dictator."

Meanwhile, Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, has advocated a peace strategy that would cede four Ukrainian regions to Moscow, and has met Putin four times, most recently last week.

But three days after that meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated Putin's maximalist demands for a settlement and Moscow’s forces have pressed frontline attacks and missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities, claiming more civilian casualties.

Reuters reported in March that the United States was drawing up a plan to potentially give Russia sanctions relief but Trump in recent weeks has expressed frustration with Putin's foot-dragging on ending the invasion and last Saturday held a "very productive" one-on-one meeting in the Vatican with Zelenskiy.

The next day, Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform that he was "strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions and Tariffs on Russia" that would remain until a ceasefire and final peace deal.

Volker said that Russia has been earning hard currency that funds its military through oil and gas sales to countries like India and China and that it would be "very significant" if Trump slapped secondary sanctions on such deals.

Secondary sanctions are those where one country seeks to punish a second country for trading with a third by barring access to its own market, a particularly powerful tool for the United States because of the size of its economy.

The chimney that will let the world know when cardinals have chosen a successor to Pope Francis was installed Friday on the roof of the Sistine Chapel.  

Firefighters were seen putting up the fixture ahead of the conclave set to begin next Wednesday. 

During a conclave, cardinals vote through a secret ballot. A two-thirds majority is required for the election. After each round of submissions, ballots are read aloud and then burned. The ashes are used to notify audiences around the world and onlookers in St. Peter’s Square of the election’s status. 

Black smoke from the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican indicates a new round of voting is set to happen. White smoke signals a new leader of the Roman Catholic Church is selected. 

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The Sistine Chapel has been closed to the public for more than a week now as the Vatican is preparing for the conclave. 

Pope Francis died on April 21 at the age of 88. 

CONVICTED CARDINAL ANNOUNCES HE WON’T BE PART OF CONCLAVE TO CHOOSE POPE FRANCIS’ SUCCESSOR 

"Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church," Vatican camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced that morning. 

"He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God." 

Fox News' Gabriele Regalbuto and Caitlin McFall contributed to this report. 

The right-wing Reform UK Party saw a series of electoral wins early Friday after it secured parliamentary, mayoral and several local election seats in what leader Nigel Farage said is proof that Reform UK is "now the opposition party to this Labour government."

Farage, who predicted earlier this year in an interview with Fox News Digital that there would be a "political revolution," said the centurylong, two-party system that has dominated British politics was "now dead" after both the liberal Labour Party and Conservative Party saw losses in a Thursday election. 

Reform UK secured a fifth parliamentary seat after Sarah Pochin flipped the Runcorn & Helsby constituency, which is, according to Reform leaders, considered Labour "heartland."

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"Victory in Runcorn & Helsby proves we are now the opposition party to this Labour government," Farage said on X. "With this and other results tonight, it’s clear that if you vote Conservative you will get Labour. But if you vote Reform, you get Reform."

The race for the Runcorn & Helsby seat was the most closely watched race and required a full recount, after which it was confirmed that Reform secured the seat by just six votes.

Farage championed the victory as "a small margin" but "a huge win."

The Labour Party – which is led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer – currently holds 403 seats in Parliament, followed by the Conservative Party, which holds 121. Liberal Democrats hold 72 seats, while Independents hold 14. The remainder of the 40 other seats are divided between 11 other parties, including Reform. 

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Andrea Jenkyns also snagged the mayorship for Greater Lincolnshire, which has for years been dominated by the Conservative Party.

Reform UK's deputy leader, Richard Tice, reportedly told Times Radio on Friday, "It’s certainly a political earthquake because up and down the country in some 650 elections, give or take, voters have voted and the votes are coming in against the main two parties."

According to Farage, the rise in Reform UK supporters suggests the Conservative Party – which he was a former member of but left in the 90s and eventually started the Brexit Party before changing the name to Reform UK in 2021 – is losing support.

"You're witnessing the end of a party that's been around since 1832," he told reporters, according to a Reuters report. 

FIRST ON FOX: The United Nations’ UN80 Task Force is examining multiple suggested methods for reorganizing the institution, according to a leaked, confidential document shared with Fox News Digital. The six-page paper cites multiple inefficiencies and areas of improvement needed to combat "geopolitical shifts and substantial reductions in foreign aid budgets" which are "challenging the legitimacy and effectiveness of the organization."

The effort is "eight and a half years late," Hugh Dugan, former National Security Council Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for International Organization Affairs, told Fox News Digital: "If [Secretary-General António] Guterres really comprehends that the system needs a major overhaul, he should step down and facilitate an early U.N. Secretary-General election." Dugan said that "the person with the fresh mandate" should overhaul the U.N.

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The UN80 Task Force document notes that "overlapping mandates, inefficient use of resources, and inconsistent delivery of services" are among the problems with proliferating agencies, funds and programs, and notes ways to integrate, consolidate, and coordinate among reformed entities to maximize the benefit for those who rely on the U.N. 

As another means of reducing outlays, the task force also recommended reducing the quantity of high-level posts, establishing single entities to coordinate Peace and Security, Humanitarian Affairs, and Human Rights, and "reduc[ing] the number of U.N. development system entities." 

Dugan said the document "looks more like a whiteboard stream of consciousness approach that you find on the first day of a business retreat." He said that it lacks mention of human resource improvements, finding ways of recruiting "the very best in the world," or "identifying performance measurements or metrics against the leaders of the organization, branches, [or] offices." 

Dugan said that the task force is also missing the important confidence-building measures needed to increase buy-in from members, to keep them "impressed and enthusiastic" about U.N. programs. "They’re assuming that they are the leaders that are the right people at the right time." Dugan said this is "a real shortcoming." 

"I don’t think they have the confidence of the world community or the talents or the resources to hold out another year and a half under this regime of Secretary Guterres," Dugan said. Rather than utilize the "Noah’s Ark management mentality" of attempting to "weather the storm," Dugan said that the U.N. must "get very creative very quickly with what they have at hand." 

Dugan noted that the U.N. has gone through a "fall-off in relevance" with its lack of involvement in "real world dynamics between member states." He urged the organization to identify "the multilateral collateral, meaning we’ve got to identify what’s good, and then we have to get rid of what’s damaged after eight years."

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In response to concerns shared by Dugan, Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, said that the memo "is the result of an exercise to generate ideas and thoughts from senior officials on how to achieve the Secretary-General’s vision" and is one "of the three work streams that we are working on."

Dujarric pointed to a speech Guterres delivered in March when introducing the UN80 Initiative, in which he called for an "ambitious reform agenda to strengthen how we work and deliver." Guterres said this involves increasing transparency and accountability, being more effective and cutting costs, and decentralizing decisions to serve those who rely on the U.N.

Dujarric also mentioned a speech Guterres gave eight years ago in September 2017, when he lamented the Byzantine bureaucracy that hampers progress at the U.N., and said that he was "pursuing sweeping management reform – to simplify procedures and decentralize decisions, with greater transparency, efficiency and accountability."

For Dugan, Guterres’ failure to attempt those "sweeping" reforms prior to 2025 is an indication that regime change is needed. He reiterated that "the Secretary-General’s ‘Trust me’ window dressing is no longer convincing us to pay full retail." 

U.S. contributions to the U.N. may also take a hit. In April, a White House Office of Management and Budget passback to the State Department indicated the desire to end funding for international organizations, including the U.N. 

Other countries are also falling short with contributions. In March, Guterres’ spokesperson Farhan Haq told Fox News Digital that member states’ non-payment of dues had forced the closure of one staff entrance to the U.N. headquarters in New York City at the time.

FIRST ON FOX : Fox News Digital has learned that the U.S. could withhold funding for the war against Islamist terror in Somalia until Europe, the African Union (A.U.) and the United Nations (U.N.) pay more of their "fair" share toward the cost of striking out and keeping the peace in the conflict-torn country. 

These plans to "prohibit" the use of U.S. funds are key details, shown first to Fox News Digital, of a new bill to be introduced by three prominent Republican senators.

In line with President Donald Trump’s administration’s widespread moves to tighten fiscal controls in the U.S. and overseas, Sens. Jim Risch, R-Idaho., Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., are to introduce "the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) Funding Restriction Act of 2025." 

This is "to safeguard U.S. taxpayer funds and hold the U.N. and A.U. accountable in African peace operations," Risch told Fox News Digital.

TRUMP SAYS HE ORDERED AIRSTRIKES ON ISIS LEADERS IN SOMALIA

The bill also seeks to mandate the U.S. to oppose any U.N. Security Council action which enables such funding.  

The East African country of Somalia has been wracked for decades by attacks and insurgency from Islamist terrorists, both from ISIS and the al Qaeda-linked al-Shabab. In just the past five weeks, U.S. Africa Command reported that it has carried out four airstrikes; three against ISIS terrorists and one against al-Shabaab. At least one of these strikes, the command stated, was against multiple targets.

Chairman Risch told Fox News Digital, "The Trump Administration has taken decisive action to counterterrorist groups across Africa, and I’m very supportive."

However, officials from the European Union, according to Risch, plan to skew payments for the AUSSOM peacekeeping and stablization operation more toward the U.S.; in other words, make the U.S. pay more than it should, he said.

"At the U.N., our European partners are looking to skirt their financial commitments to AUSSOM in Somalia by switching to a new imbalanced funding mechanism that pushes the burden on Americans," he stated.

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"We can’t let that stand," Risch continued. "This bill will prohibit U.S. contributions to AUSSOM under this new funding scheme, until the A.U. and the U.N. can prove that they are using the funds they have responsibly, and prevent Americans from being locked into perpetually funding a broken system."

Risch said, "President Trump has ushered in a new era of American foreign policy where American taxpayer dollars will be used only to secure a safe and prosperous America. For far too long, our allies have taken America for a ride, and profited off of America paying the lion’s share for global security. Europe must continue to shoulder this burden."  

The other two senators sponsoring the bill, Cruz and Scott, also serve on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 

Scott told Fox News Digital, "The United States will not allow our tax dollars to be exploited by the U.N. while our partners refuse to pay their fair share, much less for a mission that fails to spend these dollars responsibly or transparently. I am proud to join my colleagues on the AUSSOM Funding Restriction Act to ensure Americans’ interests are put first, and their tax dollars spent wisely."

The specific aims of the bill that have been shown to Fox News Digital are:

FIRST ON FOX : Fox News Digital has learned that the U.S. could withhold funding for the war against Islamist terror in Somalia until Europe, the African Union (A.U.) and the United Nations (U.N.) pay more of their "fair" share toward the cost of striking out and keeping the peace in the conflict-torn country. 

These plans to "prohibit" the use of U.S. funds are key details, shown first to Fox News Digital, of a new bill to be introduced by three prominent Republican senators.

In line with President Donald Trump’s administration’s widespread moves to tighten fiscal controls in the U.S. and overseas, Sens. Jim Risch, R-Idaho., Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., are to introduce "the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) Funding Restriction Act of 2025." 

This is "to safeguard U.S. taxpayer funds and hold the U.N. and A.U. accountable in African peace operations," Risch told Fox News Digital.

TRUMP SAYS HE ORDERED AIRSTRIKES ON ISIS LEADERS IN SOMALIA

The bill also seeks to mandate the U.S. to oppose any U.N. Security Council action which enables such funding.  

The East African country of Somalia has been wracked for decades by attacks and insurgency from Islamist terrorists, both from ISIS and the al Qaeda-linked al-Shabab. In just the past five weeks, U.S. Africa Command reported that it has carried out four airstrikes; three against ISIS terrorists and one against al-Shabaab. At least one of these strikes, the command stated, was against multiple targets.

Chairman Risch told Fox News Digital, "The Trump Administration has taken decisive action to counterterrorist groups across Africa, and I’m very supportive."

However, officials from the European Union, according to Risch, plan to skew payments for the AUSSOM peacekeeping and stablization operation more toward the U.S.; in other words, make the U.S. pay more than it should, he said.

"At the U.N., our European partners are looking to skirt their financial commitments to AUSSOM in Somalia by switching to a new imbalanced funding mechanism that pushes the burden on Americans," he stated.

US–RUSSIA FLASHPOINT LOOMS OVER PUTIN'S PLANS FOR AFRICAN NAVAL BASE

"We can’t let that stand," Risch continued. "This bill will prohibit U.S. contributions to AUSSOM under this new funding scheme, until the A.U. and the U.N. can prove that they are using the funds they have responsibly, and prevent Americans from being locked into perpetually funding a broken system."

Risch said, "President Trump has ushered in a new era of American foreign policy where American taxpayer dollars will be used only to secure a safe and prosperous America. For far too long, our allies have taken America for a ride, and profited off of America paying the lion’s share for global security. Europe must continue to shoulder this burden."  

The other two senators sponsoring the bill, Cruz and Scott, also serve on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 

Scott told Fox News Digital, "The United States will not allow our tax dollars to be exploited by the U.N. while our partners refuse to pay their fair share, much less for a mission that fails to spend these dollars responsibly or transparently. I am proud to join my colleagues on the AUSSOM Funding Restriction Act to ensure Americans’ interests are put first, and their tax dollars spent wisely."

The specific aims of the bill that have been shown to Fox News Digital are:

China is "evaluating" an offer from the U.S. to hold talks on tariffs, according to a Friday statement from the Chinese Commerce Ministry. This shift in tone could leave the door open for the world’s two largest economies to deescalate the trade war that has left global markets in turmoil.

"The U.S. has recently taken the initiative on many occasions to convey information to China through relevant parties, saying it hopes to talk with China," the ministry said in a statement, according to a Reuters translation. The ministry also said that Beijing was "evaluating this."

However, while Beijing appears to be open to negotiations, the Chinese Commerce Ministry warned that it would not be forced into making a bad deal. According to the Reuters translation, the ministry said that "attempting to use talks as a pretext to engage in coercion and extortion would not work."

TRUMP SAYS CHINA'S XI CALLED HIM AMID ONGOING CONFUSION OVER TRADE TALKS

On Thursday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo on "Mornings with Maria" that he believed Beijing was looking to reach an agreement with the U.S.

"I am confident that the Chinese will want to reach a deal. And as I said, this is going to be a multi-step process. First, we need to de-escalate. And then the over time we will start focusing on a larger trade deal," Bessent said.

TRUMP WAGERS US ECONOMY IN HIGH-STAKES TARIFF GAMBLE AT 100-DAY MARK

President Donald Trump announced sweeping global tariffs last month. He slapped a 145% tariff on Chinese imports. Meanwhile, Beijing put a 125% tariff on U.S. imports. However, the country recently waived the tariff on a host of American-made products. 

There were already exemptions for some pharmaceuticals, microchips and aircraft engines, but China added an exemption for ethane imports, according to Reuters.

Beijing’s change in messaging regarding the tariffs comes in stark contrast to its April 23 comments during a U.N. Security Council Arria-formula meeting on "The Impact of Unilateralism and Bullying Practices on International Relations." At that meeting, China accused the U.S. of using tariffs to bully the rest of the world.

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"Under the guise of reciprocity and fairness, the U.S. is playing a zero-sum game, which is essentially about subverting the existing international economic and trade order by means of tariffs, putting U.S. interests above the common good of the international community and advancing hegemonic ambitions of the U.S. at the cost of the legitimate interest of all countries," Chinese U.N. Ambassador Fu Cong said in his opening remarks.

A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the meeting was "a waste of U.N. Security Council members’ time." The spokesperson also slammed the meeting as an example of China’s manipulation of "the multilateral system to support its economic, political, and security interests."

Former U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) James Gilmore is urging the Trump administration to repurpose funds cut from USAID to counter the growing global influence of China and Russia.

Gilmore agrees with President Donald Trump that making cuts to foreign funding requires a "scalpel, not a hatchet," but asserts that more can be done to strategically reform foreign aid.

"The decisions we make today will create the world of tomorrow. If we start by abandoning foreign assistance, that new world will be run by China and our adversaries," Gilmore told Fox News Digital. "Now more than ever, the U.S. needs to build up our military and national security strength while deploying a robust ‘soft’ power strategy and political initiative to counter China and Russia's growing global influence."  

PETE MAROCCO, MASTERMIND BEHIND DISMANTLING OF USAID PROJECTS, LEAVES STATE DEPARTMENT

However, Gilmore stressed in a recent op-ed that "every dollar" of foreign aid must make America safer and stronger, and align with U.S. national strategy. He views aid spent in this way as an investment.

Additionally, Gilmore told Fox News Digital that he is concerned about rising isolationism among Republicans, especially as America’s adversaries use soft-power tactics to spread their influence.

"When America pulls back from global leadership, instability blooms, and our enemies take advantage," Gilmore warned in his op-ed, adding that in the absence of American leadership "weak states become breeding grounds for terrorism and drug cartels."

FORMER USAID OFFICIAL WARNS CHINA IS ALREADY LOOKING TO FILL VOID LEFT BY PAUSED PROGRAMS

Both China and Russia have invested in economic development efforts in recent years, particularly in Africa. The continent took a major hit when several USAID programs, including those aimed at combating hunger and disease, were shut down.

In February 2024, Russia claimed to have sent more than 220,000 tons of free grain to six African nations, according to Reuters.

A few months later, in November 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered Africa his country’s "total support" in fighting terrorism and extremism, the BBC reported. 

China has also made major investments in economic development across the globe. According to a 2024 report from the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, China has increased its development spending by 525% over the last 15 years.

In September 2024, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged $51 billion in funding over the course of three years, Reuters reported. 

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Gilmore told Fox News Digital that the key to countering Chinese and Russian aggression is victory in Ukraine. He views the ongoing war as a "pivot to the future," and said the U.S. cannot let Russia win.

"Ukraine is on the frontline of a new global war between democracies and authoritarian regimes that is being waged with both military and soft power," Gilmore told Fox News Digital.

"If Ukraine is conquered by force, Putin will continue his long-term goal of reassembling the Russian empire, and compromising the safety, independence and of Europe, and challenge Europe's friendship with the U.S.  A defeat of Ukraine will require more investment of resources to defend our allies."

Estonia's top diplomat thinks Russia's war on Ukraine goes well beyond the front lines.

"This is not about Europe. I think that for Putin and for Russia, the U.S. is the main enemy, like historically," Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna told Fox News in an exclusive interview in Estonia's capital, Tallinn. 

"He has a plan to restore the Soviet empire, and this is exactly what he's doing. Ukraine is just one example," he added. 

Nine years ago, Tsahkna, then serving as Estonia's defense minister, watched as 120,000 Russian soldiers massed just across the border, ready to invade his country in just 48 hours. 

WARNING TO TRUMP NUCLEAR NEGOTIATORS ABOUT DECEPTIVE IRAN VERSION OF ‘ART OF THE DEAL’

"Now these troops are gone. They were sent to Ukraine, and they are literally dead," Tsahkna spoke from the foreign ministry Wednesday, where he now serves as Estonia's top diplomat. 

"At the moment, I don't expect any kind of the full-scale military aggression against NATO because Russia is running out of power in Ukraine, to be honest," Tsahkna added. "Economically, they're very weak, but of course, we see that Russia is preparing again." 

Estonia is not taking any chances.

To ward off any potential invasion on NATO’s eastern flank, Estonia recently announced it would spend over 5% of its GDP on defense next year, a goal President Donald Trump has requested from all NATO countries. 

EUROPE STEPS UP TO FUND ITS OWN DEFENSE, PROVIDE SECURITY FOR UKRAINE AFTER TRUMP THREATS

On Wednesday, Estonia officially welcomed the arrival of six HIMARS satellite-guided rocket systems made in the United States. It’s a weapon that has been used in Ukraine effectively, destroying targets up to 186 miles away. 

"We have created, as Estonians, the rule that if the U.S. is investing $1, we are adding $10 on top of that. And all this going back to [sic] goes back to the U.S. economy, and we are getting the capabilities," Tsahkna said. 

In recent weeks, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland and Poland announced they would withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, which bans the use of anti-personnel land mines. Russia, which is not party to the treaty, has deployed mines in the roughly 20% of Ukraine it now occupies. 

Estonia is a small country of 1.3 million people located in Eastern Europe, with an area about twice the size of New Jersey, It shares a 214-mile border with Russia.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago, Estonia has cut off all energy imports from Russia. Today, it receives 80% of its natural gas from the United States. 

Not all countries have been as defiant. The 27-nation European Union, of which Estonia is a member, has only cut 60% of its energy imports from Russia. Last year, the European Union spent more on Russian oil and gas than aid to Ukraine, according to the Kiel Institute. 

The Kremlin is also waging war on another front as well. "Russia is using religion of the church as a tool for their own political goals," Tsahkna said. 

The foreign minister also weighed in on Russia's proposed three-day ceasefire surrounding its May 9 celebrations marking the end of World War II. "This is not that serious," Tsahkna replied.

RUSSIA DECLARES 3-DAY CEASEFIRE IN UKRAINE FOR WWII VICTORY DAY

Since late 2023, nearly a dozen undersea cables in the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland have been cut. Russia is suspected but "it’s very hard to say exactly," Tsahkna said. Over 14 people from Russia’s so-called shadow fleet have been arrested. China is suspected of carrying out at least one act of sabotage as well. 

NATO deployed warships off the coast of Estonia in January, and since then no cables have been cut, officers told Fox while on two ships in the Gulf of Finland Tuesday. 

When asked about the prospects of a ceasefire and eventual end of hostilities in Ukraine, Tsahkna replied with a warning: 

"President Trump has said very clearly that he wants to have peace. The Ukraine [sic] people want to have a [sic] peace – and I think that this is something that Putin doesn't want."

Tsahkna does not believe Putin would ever use nuclear weapons, calling such a move "political suicide." 

"He's just brutal, but also sometimes, from the Western part of the world, we are too weak," Tsahkna added. "Putin is playing with our fears."

The parents of the American hostages still held by the Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza have called on President Donald Trump to use his reputation for being "tough" and apply pressure on not only known enemies but one of his closest allies: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

There are 59 hostages still in Gaza, at least 24 of whom are assessed to be alive, including American-Israeli Edan Alexander, now 21 years old after having spent two birthdays in Hamas captivity.

Itay Chen, 19, Omer Neutra, 21, Judy Weinstein Haggai, 70, and her husband, Gadi Weinstein, 73, are all believed to have been killed by Hamas in it's attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and whose bodies were taken into Gaza.

"I believe that the president is a very tough person, and he should be tough with the enemies and with friends as well," Adi Alexander, who is Edan's father, told Fox News Digital in a direct reference to Israel.

PRESIDENT TRUMP GAVE ME BACK MY LIFE AFTER 471 DAYS OF HAMAS CAPTIVITY – PLEASE SAVE THE REMAINING HOSTAGES

"We asked of the president to keep everybody accountable," Alexander, who sat next to his wife, Yael, described after the second phase of a ceasefire, which was supposed to begin in March but failed and Israel resumed military operations in the Gaza Strip to the immense frustration of mediators. 

In addition, the families urged Trump to keep Netanyahu "on a short leash" and to "get him back to negotiate as soon as possible and stop this thing."

Trump this week marked his 100th day in office, and the families of the five Americans still held hostage urged him to reflect on his strategy and apply pressure on both Israel and Hamas, through both economic and diplomatic means, to secure the release of all 59 hostages.

"With the election results, we had such high hopes," Ruby Chen, father to Itay, told reporters during a press event on Wednesday. "We know he cares about the topic, and we saw, even before the inauguration, his comments on the topic with the ‘hell to pay’ and ‘all the hostages need to come out.’"

"But I think the 100-day mark that we are at this moment, I think it's a good time to reflect and say that the job's not done," said Chen, sitting next to his wife, Hagit Chen.

Trump sparked international concern in February when he suggested the Gaza Strip should be turned into the "Riviera of the Middle East," and fears have mounted that as Washington continues to discuss potentially displacing Palestinians and Israel continues aggressive military operations, Hamas may be unwilling to give up its leverage: the hostages. 

AN AMERICAN FATHER'S PLEA: PRESIDENT TRUMP, PLEASE BRING MY SON AND THE OTHER HOSTAGES HOME FROM GAZA

Calls within the Gaza Strip are increasing from Palestinians to return all the hostages so a day-after plan can be discussed as Palestinian civilians continue to feel the consequences of the brutal war.

"It's easy rhetoric to say that Hamas won't hold their side of the deal," Orna Neutra, mother to Omer, told reporters. "If they don't hold their side of the deal, then [Netanyahu] can return to hostilities. 

"But let's allow them to release all hostages and see if that happens or not instead of just saying they won’t do it," she added, noting it could be another leveraging point for the Trump administration.

The families of the hostages are careful not to get overly involved in the heated political topics, but instead they have highlighted the importance of and need for a solid strategy to first secure the release of all remaining hostages, and then figure out a day-after plan. 

Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff has suggested that Hamas could become politically active in the Gaza Strip, but they need to fully disarm.

"I think the best approach will be just to call for both parties to rise above politics, although it will be very difficult with Hamas, which is politically struggling to survive in this region, but definitely to call on [the] Israeli government to rise above politics," Alexander said. "Do not think about politically surviving and prioritize human life."

The families pointed to polling from Israel that shows nearly 70% of Israelis favor ending military operations against Hamas in order to return all the hostages more than 573 days since they were abducted, including some 48% of Netanyahu’s coalition base. Some 39% of his conservative base apparently oppose the strategy, and another 13% are unsure.

While there is evident frustration among the families of the hostages, who have made clear the Israeli government has not offered anywhere near the same level of support or communication provided by both the Biden and Trump administrations, they said that, ultimately, the adversary is the terrorist organization that captured, in some instances killed, and continues to hold captive their loved ones. 

"Just to be clear, Hamas is the enemy," said Neutra, who sat next to her husband, Ronen. "Hamas committed these atrocious crimes. They're holding on to our family members. We don't want to see them continue to be a threat to Israel.

"But it's about priority, and it's about being in the situation for 19 months now," she added. 

China is blaming the United States for the origin of COVID-19, accusing Washington of "evading responsibility" for the virus amid multiple statements by President Donald Trump that it was leaked from a lab in Wuhan.

In a multipage paper, the Communist regime said the infectious disease was present in the U.S. earlier than what was officially determined. 

"The US should cease from shifting blame and evading responsibility, stop finding external excuses for its internal malaise, and genuinely reflect on and overhaul its public health policies," the paper states. "The US cannot continue to turn a deaf ear to the numerous questions over its conduct."

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House. 

CREDIBILITY CRISIS: NEW YORK TIMES HELPED MISLEAD AMERICA OVER COVID LAB LEAK THEORY

The paper came after the White House earlier this month revamped its COVID.gov website, showing the "true origins" of the disease. 

The website, which previously focused on promoting the vaccine to Americans, walks readers through evidence supporting the lab leak theory, how former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci promoted the idea that COVID-19 originated naturally, former President Joe Biden pardoning Fauci for "any offenses against" the U.S. he may have committed, and providing details on the origin of the "social distancing" rules and mask mandates. 

The new site outlines that a biological characteristic found in the virus was not found in nature, bolstering the lab-leak theory, while noting that Wuhan, China, where the first coronavirus case was found, is also home to China's "foremost SARs research lab" and that "if there was evidence of a natural origin it would have already surfaced. But it hasn't."

TRUMP MADE ME DO IT: LIBERAL MEDIA BLAMES ITS DISMISSAL OF LAB LEAK THEORY ON EX-PRESIDENT'S ‘XENOPHOBIA’

The Trump administration's CIA reported earlier in 2025 that a lab leak was the likely origin of the COVID-19 virus, which had been passed off by media outlets and scientists as a likely conspiracy theory during the early days of the pandemic.

However, China said in its paper that a past joint study conducted with the World Health Organization (WHO) found that COVID-19 was most likely transmitted from bats to humans via another animal.

The report also accused the U.S. of not doing more to combat the virus. 

"The slow and ineffective US response during the early stages of the outbreak set an appalling example to the international community and made the US performance in handling the pandemic the worst of all countries," Chinese officials wrote. "Instead of facing this issue squarely and reflecting on its shortcomings, the US government has tried to shift the blame and divert people's attention by shamelessly politicizing SARS-CoV-2 origins tracing."

"The US cannot continue to turn a deaf ear to the numerous questions over its conduct," the report said. 

Fox News Digital's Emma Colton contributed to this report. 

The trial of an Australian woman accused of serving her ex-husband’s family poisonous mushrooms began this week, nearly a year after the suspect pleaded not guilty to her charges.

Erin Patterson, 50, was charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. She was originally charged with two counts of attempted murder, though the charge was dropped earlier this week.

Patterson appeared in the Victoria state Supreme Court on Wednesday, where prosecutor Nanette Rogers told jurors the accused had served a meal of beef Wellington, mashed potatoes and green beans at her home in the rural town of Leongartha on July 29, 2023.

Her guests included her in-laws, Gail and Don Patterson, both 70; Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, 66; and Wilkinson’s husband, Ian Wilkinson, 68.

AUSTRALIAN WOMAN PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO MURDERING HER EX-HUSBAND'S FAMILY WITH POISONOUS MUSHROOMS

The next day, all four of the guests were hospitalized with poisoning from death cap mushrooms — or amanita phalloides — which were added to the beef and pastry dish. Simon Patterson, Erin’s husband, was not in attendance despite being invited.

Ian Wilkinson spent seven weeks in the hospital following the lunch.

The other three victims died in a hospital just days after consuming the meal at Patterson’s home.

On Tuesday, the prosecution told jurors that three charges alleging Patterson attempted to murder her husband were dropped. The two had been separated since 2015.

WOMAN UNDER INVESTIGATION AFTER POISONOUS MUSHROOM MEAL KILLED HER THREE FORMER IN-LAWS

Patterson invited her husband and his relatives to lunch two weeks before the poisoning, as she was attending a church service at Korumburra Baptist Church. Ian Wilkinson was the pastor at the church, and initially, Simon had accepted the invitation.

"She said the purpose of the lunch was to discuss some medical issues that she had and to get advice about how to break it to the kids," Rogers told the jury. "The accused said that it was important that the children were not present for the lunch."

What was surprising to the Wilkinsons, Rogers noted, was that they had never been invited to Patterson’s five-bedroom home.

The morning after the meeting at Patterson’s home, the prosecution alleged, Heather Wilkinson told Simon Patterson she was puzzled that Erin was eating from a different plate than the guests.

JEFFREY EPSTEIN CASE: VIRGINIA GIUFFRE'S DEATH MARKS THIRD LOSS, EXPERT SAYS PREDATORS NEED TO BE ‘PUNISHED’

"I noticed that Erin put her food on a different plate to us," Heather Wilkinson said, according to the prosecution. "Her plate had colors on it. I wondered why that was. I’ve puzzled about it since lunch."

Simon told his aunt it was possible his wife may have run out of plates.

The prosecution also told jurors Patterson made up an ovarian cancer diagnosis to explain why her children were not at lunch.

"After the lunch, the accused announced that she had cancer and asked for advice on whether to tell the children or keep it from them," Rogers said. "They had a discussion about it being best to be honest with the children. They prayed as a group for the accused’s health and wisdom in relation to telling the children."

WELLNESS INFLUENCER EXPOSED FOR FAKING CANCER DODGES AUTHORITIES A DECADE LATER: DOCUMENTARY

Still, Patterson’s lawyer, Colin Mandy, told jurors his client never had cancer. He also said guests were poisoned by mushrooms Patterson served, though the poisoning was a "terrible accident."

Rogers advised the jury that she would not be providing a motive for the poisonings, saying, "You do not have to be satisfied what the motive was, or even that there was a motive."

Erin Patterson eventually went to the hospital complaining about diarrhea and nausea two days after serving beef Wellington. But at that point, her guests had been diagnosed with suffering from death cap poisoning.

She later told authorities she cooked with a mixture of mushrooms she purchased from a supermarket and dried mushrooms from an Asian food store, denying that she had foraged for wild mushrooms.

But Mandy said his client lied about not foraging for wild mushrooms.

"She did forage for mushrooms," Mandy told the jury. "Just so that we make that clear. She denies that she ever deliberately sought out death cap mushrooms."

The trial was adjourned until Thursday and is expected to continue for six weeks.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The body of Viktoria Roshchyna, 27, was one of 757 bodies of mostly Ukrainian soldiers returned to Kyiv on Feb. 14, 2025, and reportedly bore unmistakable signs of torture after more than a year in Russian captivity. 

Roshchyna, who was described as a determined journalist, was captured by Russian forces while reporting behind the front lines in a Russian-occupied area of Ukraine in August 2023.

While her body was returned with hundreds of others, she was reportedly one of the few whose name was not provided, instead a tag attached to her shin read "unidentified male."

RUSSIAN ATTACKS ON UKRAINE INTENSIFY IN MAKE-OR-BREAK WEEK FOR PEACE TALKS

According to a report by the Washington Post, her head had been shaved, burn marks were evident on her feet, a rib was found to have been broken, and there were possible traces of electric shock. 

An investigation into her detention and death confirmed that some of her organs were missing in what some reports suggested was a move to conceal the extent of her torture, including her brain, eyes and part of the trachea.

Yurii Bielousov, head of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office war crimes department, which led the investigation into her death, told Ukrainian media outlet Ukrainska Pravda that there were signs she had also been strangled.

Russia did not confirm until April 2024 that it had detained the journalist, and in October 2024 it sent a letter to her father, Volodymyr Roshchyna, telling him she had died in captivity.

Her body was marked by Russian officials with an abbreviation "SPAS," which reportedly means "total failure of the arteries of the heart," a designation that Russian authorities may have used to fabricate an official cause of death.

TRUMP MARKS 100-DAYS IN OFFICE EMBROILED IN TRADE BATTLES, DEADLY WARS AND HARD-PRESSED DEALS

"The condition of the body and its mummification have made it impossible to establish the cause of death through the forensic examination," Bielousov told reporters involved in the investigation.

Roshchyna's parents have requested additional testing to be carried out.

After her capture, Roshchyna was held at a police station in the city of Energodar near the Zaporizhzhi nuclear power plant, where, according to the investigation, Russian forces set up a "torture chamber" and subjected captives to severe beatings and electric shock.

It is believed Roshchyna endured electric shock applied to her ears. 

Roshchyna was then transferred to Melitopol days later where she was held until the end of 2023 and is also believed to have endured significant torture. 

By the beginning of 2024, she was reportedly transferred along with other prisoners to a pre-trial detention center known as "No. 2" in Taganrog, a city in southwest Russia near the Ukrainian border and which has been likened to a concentration camp. 

The investigation referred to the site "as one of the most terrifying for Ukrainian prisoners" and confirmed that neither lawyers nor international organizations such as the Red Cross or United Nations observers have been allowed into this detention center.

Roshchyna reportedly went on a hunger strike before she was transferred to a hospital, revived to an extent and then sent back to the detention center.

She was intended to be returned to Ukraine in September 2024, but the exchange never happened for unknown reasons. Roshchyna was then reported to have died while in a convoy, but where she was headed remains unclear.

The United States and Ukraine are on the verge of signing a mineral deal after months of fraught and chaotic negotiations, although a last-minute snag still needs to be ironed out.

Ukraine's prime minister said First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko was flying to Washington on Wednesday to sign the deal, which is central to Kyiv's efforts to mend ties with President Donald Trump and the White House as the U.S. president tries to secure a peace settlement in Russia's war in Ukraine.

The latest version of the minerals agreement was reached after Kyiv secured a significant concession from the Trump administration that only future military aid would count as the US contribution to the deal, according to the Financial Times.

HERE'S THE REAL REASON TRUMP AND ZELENSKYY'S DEAL BLEW UP IN THE OVAL OFFICE

Trump had indicated in February that he wanted access to Ukraine’s rare earth materials as a condition for continued U.S. support in the war, describing it as reimbursement for the billions of dollars in aid the U.S. has given to Kyiv.

But a famous Oval Office spat with Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy set negotiations back. However, the pair met face-to-face in Rome on Saturday at the Pope's funeral.

According to a draft of the new agreement seen by Reuters, the two countries would create a joint reconstruction fund funded by 50% of profits from Ukraine’s new mineral licenses.

The draft agreement gives the U.S. preferential access to new Ukrainian natural resources deals but does not automatically hand Washington a share of Ukraine's mineral wealth or any of its gas infrastructure, the draft showed.

Ukraine would not be required to pay back previous aid provided to the war-torn country by the U.S., with only future aid being counted as America’s contribution to the fund.

RUSSIAN ATTACKS ON UKRAINE INTENSIFY IN MAKE-OR-BREAK WEEK FOR PEACE TALKS

"Truly, this is a strategic deal for the creation of an investment partner fund," Shmyhal said on Ukrainian television. "This is truly an equal and good international deal on joint investment in the development and restoration of Ukraine between the governments of the United States and Ukraine."

However, a snag arose as Svyrydenko’s plane headed to Washington, with U.S. officials reportedly demanding that Ukraine sign three documents at once—the framework, a detailed fund agreement and a technical document—which Ukraine says is not immediately possible due to required parliamentary ratification, according to the Financial Times citing three people briefed on the situation.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s team told her she should "be ready to sign all agreements, or go back home," the Financial Times reports, citing three people familiar with the matter.

The U.S. is seeking access to more than 20 raw materials deemed strategically critical to its interests, including some non-minerals such as oil and natural gas. Among them are Ukraine’s deposits of titanium, which is used for making aircraft wings and other aerospace manufacturing, and uranium, which is used for nuclear power, medical equipment and weapons. Ukraine also has lithium, graphite and manganese, which are used in electric vehicle batteries.

Unlike an earlier draft, the deal would not conflict with Ukraine’s path towards European Union membership — a key provision for Kyiv.

The two sides signed a memorandum, published on April 18, as an initial step towards clinching an accord on developing mineral resources in Ukraine. In the memorandum, they said they aimed to complete talks by April 26 and to sign the deal as soon as possible.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

EXCLUSIVE — A United Nations watchdog organization is calling on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to take action against an appointee of the international body whose second term is set to begin on May 1.

In a letter to Rubio, U.N. Watch Executive Director Hillel Neuer argues that the U.S. government should sanction and deny entry and visas to Francesca Albanese, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Additionally, he called for Albanese to be stripped of diplomatic immunity.

Neuer describes Albanese in his letter as being "pro-Hamas" and says her reappointment was done "illegally."

UN OFFICIAL REAPPOINTED DESPITE ACCUSATIONS OF ANTISEMITISM

"Her purported reappointment this month was illegally carried out in violation of express U.N. rules requiring investigation of her misconduct, rendering her term renewal null and void," Neuer wrote.

When speaking with Fox News Digital, Neuer pointed to the DOJ’s recent decision to allow lawsuits against the UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine) as evidence that Rubio has the ability to act against Albanese.

Neuer argued that the U.S. should act using a similar principle to the one used in cases against anti-Israel agitators, such as Mahmoud Khalil. He also wrote that "Albanese’s abuse of a global platform to spread hatred and legitimize terrorism demands an unequivocal response."

"Legally, it's very clear to me — I used to be an attorney in Manhattan for one of the major law firms in the United States — it's clear to be in any proper court of law this kind of procedural malpractice fraud would result in her not being a U.N. appointee," Neuer told Fox News Digital.

LAWYERS FOR COLUMBIA ANTI-ISRAEL ACTIVIST MAHMOUD KHALIL BLAST RUBIO EVIDENCE LETTER: 'TWO PAGES, THAT'S IT'

When asked about U.N. Watch’s letter, Pascal Sim, Spokesperson, UN Human Rights Council, told Fox News Digital that, "Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 (a country mandate), was appointed by the Human Rights Council on 1 April 2022, which was the last day of the 49th session of the Human Rights Council. She took up her function on 1 May 2022. Therefore, according to the "no longer than six years" principle, she can serve as Special Rapporteur until 30 April 2028."

Sim also asserted that "at no time has the Human Rights Council, in any formal or informal way, been called to 'reappoint' or 'renew' any Special Procedures mandate-holder. Whenever the Human Rights Council nominates any Special Procedures mandate-holder, it does so with the knowledge that the mandate-holder may serve up to six years in this function."

Earlier this month, when the U.N. was set to consider Albanese’s reappointment, House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) Chair Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., urged the U.N. not to allow it to go through. 

Mast argued in a letter to U.N. Human Rights Council (UNHRC) President Jürg Lauber that Albanese "unapologetically" used her role in the international body to "attempt to legitimize antisemitic tropes, while serving as a Hamas apologist."

In the past, multiple countries, including the U.S., have condemned Albanese for her remarks. In fact, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has compiled a list of antisemitic and anti-Israel statements made by Albanese throughout the years. 

In October 2024, while serving as a U.N. appointee, she shared a post on X, calling it a "must-read for the ages." In the post, journalist Chris Hedges asserted that the "Israel lobby has bought and paid for Congress and the two ruling parties," making campaign donations by Zionists "a formidable barrier to peace."

Albanese also compared Israel’s war in Gaza to the Holocaust and, in August 2024, called the Gaza Strip a "concentration camp of the 21st century."

Fox News Digital reached out to Francesca Albanese and the State Department for comment on this report but did not receive a response in time for publication.

Mexico has received nearly 39,000 deportees from the United States in the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s administration, according to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. 

More than 33,000 of the deported immigrants were Mexican nationals, Sheinbaum said on Tuesday during her regular morning press conference.

"Since President Trump's administration began, 38,757 have been deported [from the U.S. to Mexico], of which 33,311 are Mexicans and 5,446 are foreigners," Sheinbaum said. 

"The majority of people who are returning to Mexico are Mexicans, because the U.S. government, through the Department of State, has agreements for them to return directly to their countries," Sheinbaum continued.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DEPORTS 100K ILLEGAL MIGRANTS SINCE INAUGURATION: REPORT

For "humanitarian reasons," Mexico has "decided to accept people of other nationalities, particularly those who come from the northern border" by land, the Mexican president said.

Fewer deportees of other nationalities were arriving in Mexico because the U.S. government has agreements with "practically all of those countries, and so they send the planes directly to the countries where they are citizens," Sheinbaum said.

The Mexican president said most of the Mexicans were flown from the U.S. and that the majority of the foreigners accepted back into Mexico have since "voluntarily" chosen to return to their home countries. 

‘PROMPT REMOVAL’: TRUMP DHS EXPANDS EXPEDITED DEPORTATION POWERS AS OPERATIONS RAMP UP

Mexican data shows that Mexico accepted approximately 52,000 deportees from the U.S. in February, March and April of last year, according to Reuters. Mexico, therefore, accepted fewer deportees from the U.S. from the start of Trump’s second term compared to the same time period last year under former President Joe Biden’s administration.

U.S.-Mexico border crossings have slowed under the Trump administration, as migrants – deterred by Trump’s promised border crackdown and mass deportation plans - have increasingly abandoned their journeys north through Mexico and returned home, according to Reuters. 

Anticipating a potential influx of people earlier this year, the Mexican government in January began building large encampments in Ciudad Juárez capable of housing thousands of people, city official Enrique Licon previously told Reuters.

MEXICO SCRAMBLES TO BUILD TENTS TO HANDLE MASS DEPORTATIONS FROM US

"It's unprecedented," Licon said Tuesday of Mexico's plan to build shelter and reception centers in nine cities south of the U.S.-Mexico border. 

The Mexican government also organized fleets of buses intended to transport Mexican nationals from reception centers back to their hometowns. 

Sheinbaum has consistently affirmed the country’s commitment to receiving and supporting its returned nationals, saying that "Mexican migrants are not criminals."

Sheinbaum's administration has also launched the "México te abraza," or "Mexico embraces you," initiative to offer deportees financial assistance, healthcare access and transportation. In addition, Mexico has been creating thousands of jobs aimed at reintegrating migrants into the workforce, according to local outlets.

Fox News' Chris Pandolfo and Reuters contributed to this report.