作者： root

US lawmakers urge Trump to maintain ban on Chinese automakers

September 21, 2026 4:59 PM UTC / Reuters

U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI) speaks to reporters following a House Democratic Caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., November 2, 2021. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo

WASHINGTON, Sept 21 (Reuters) – More than two dozen Democratic ​lawmakers on Friday urged ‌President Donald Trump to keep in place a ban ​on Chinese automakers out ​of the US market, ⁠ahead of his meeting ​with China’s President Xi ​Jinping this week.

“We urge you to maintain strong protections against Chinese ​automobiles and connected ​vehicle technologies and ensure that China ‌does ⁠not gain access to our market through direct imports, local production, and ​other avenues ​of ⁠circumvention,” said the 27 lawmakers led ​by Representative Debbie Dingell.

The Misinformation Monitor newsletter rounds up international misinformation narratives, with a “Real or Fake?” quiz in every edition. Sign up here.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

Earlier ​this ⁠month, Trump told Fox News he would accept Chinese ⁠car ​companies building ​cars in the United States.

(This story has been refiled to fix a typo in the headline.)

Reporting by ​David Shepardson Editing by Nick Zieminski

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Dem lawmakers scoff at Trump’s $5K ‘fantasy land’ promise: ‘Ain’t happening’

The $1.2 trillion promise faces opposition from both parties, with some Republicans questioning if Congress would approve it

September 21, 2026 12:19pm EDT / Fox News

By Hannah Brennan Fox News

Democratic lawmakers slammed President Donald Trump’s pitch to hand out $5,000 dividends to every American if the GOP keeps its grip on Congress as the upcoming midterm elections creep closer. (Credit: Nicholas Ballasy for Fox News Digital)

NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

blob:https://www.foxnews.com/00a0085d-ec68-402c-aaae-41d6c0cbd890

Listen to this article

4 min

President Donald Trump’s promise of a hefty payout for all Americans if Republicans win big in the midterm elections is taking heat from Democratic lawmakers who blast the vow as a “hysterical” lie and unlawful bribe.

“I think it’s hysterical,” Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., said about the promise. “Literally, I think, it’s insane. It’s effectively a proposed bribe of the American people that we can’t afford.”

“This is just fantasy land, right?” Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., told Fox News Digital. “$5,000 checks, plus, you know, puppies and rainbows and ponies.”

VOTERS HAVE A BLUNT MESSAGE FOR TRUMP ABOUT HIS IDEA TO DOLE OUT $5,000 CHECKS

President Donald Trump is betting that the promise of a $5,000 check will resonate with voters as Republicans make their closing pitch to keep control of Congress.(Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

He continued, “The president will make any promises he can.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., waved off Fox News Digital when asked about the checks, declining to comment.

Trump pledged to issue the $5,000 dividend during his speech at the Republican National Committee’s midterm convention in Dallas earlier this month — as long as the GOP wins to keep control of both the Senate and the House in November.

“$5,000 to gain a majority?” Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., said. “He already has the Senate and the House and the White House, and it’s been an unmitigated disaster.”

“It’s just a campaign promise that he’s trying to make to the American public, because he knows he’s underwater, and he’s not doing well and people are angry,” Aguilar said.

Most Democrats who spoke with Fox News Digital about the payments waved off the president’s $5,000 pledge as a “lie” and argued it’s something Americans have heard from him before.

“If you have an opportunity to provide relief to the American people, you should take it,” Rep. Christian Menefee, D-Texas said. “But lying to Americans around election season, what the president has done numerous times, I think it’s sad and shameful.”

‘STILL WAITING ON THE DOGE CHECK’: BATTLEGROUND STATE VOTERS CAST DOUBT ON TRUMP’S NEW $5K PROMISE

He continued, “I can guarantee you those checks ain’t happening.”

“I think it’s one more lie, and people aren’t going to fall for this,” Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., said.

It’s not just Democratic lawmakers who disagree with Trump’s idea. Many Republicans have also been vocal about their outright opposition, with others questioning whether it could actually be achieved or approved by Congress. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said last week congressional approval would be necessary.

“You’ve already seen House Republicans and Capitol Hill Republicans say that this isn’t going to happen,” Aguilar said. “It’s just a campaign promise that he’s trying to make to the American public, because he knows he’s underwater, and he’s not doing well and people are angry.”

“He’s done this before,” Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., said. “He’s never followed through on it. If he does follow through, how are we gonna do it?”

The payments to 240 million Americans would cost the federal government roughly $1.2 trillion. Trump brushed off affordability criticism of the pledge, saying the U.S. could “easily” afford the payouts.

TRUMP DEFENDS $5,000 DIVIDEND PROPOSAL, PRAISES ‘BEAUTIFUL’ TARIFFS ON ‘INGRAHAM ANGLE’

President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a campaign rally with North Carolina Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley, at Gastonia Municipal Airport on Sept. 16, 2026, in Gastonia, N.C.(Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Vice President JD Vance suggested one source for the money could come from tariff revenue. He also proposed excluding wealthy Americans from receiving the payout to make the pledge’s price tag more feasible.

Democrats also scrutinized Trump’s prioritization, urging the president to shift his focus to deliverables for the American people — particularly emphasizing healthcare.

“I’d rather give people their healthcare and their food assistance back,” Subramanyam said. “That’d be way more than $5,000 for most people.”

“If he really cared about the American people, he would have made sure they had healthcare,” Alsobrooks said.

Warnock even blamed Trump’s policies for being the reason Americans would need the $5,000 check.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“The only reason why Americans would need $5,000 is because of Trump’s awful policies,” Warnock said. “He should fix his policies. He shouldn’t wait until after the election.”

Hannah is a Production Assistant for the Politics team at Fox News Digital.

Trump’s Greenland fixation revealed as wars expose why the Arctic island matters now more than ever

CEO drilling in Greenland says mining could rival Russian region in scale as resources remain restricted by war

September 21, 2026 1:43pm EDT / Fox News

By Amanda Macias

Robert Price, CEO of Greenland Energy Company and president of USFM Corporation, says the agreement could bolster long-term investment and US security as China, Russia loom over critical mineral supplies.

NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

blob:https://www.foxnews.com/28802d5f-9e55-42c6-95a5-6362bf506300

Listen to this article

4 min

President Donald Trump’s persistent interest in Greenland has put a spotlight on what lies beneath the vast Arctic island, including potentially valuable deposits of critical minerals and oil.

That focus intensified this week after Trump reached a security agreement with Denmark and Greenland that he is signing on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday — a deal the administration says is intended to strengthen U.S. influence in the Arctic and bolster long-term investment in the island.

The focus on obtaining control and influence in Greenland, which also has a highly strategic location in the world, comes as wars in Ukraine and Iran expose vulnerabilities in global energy supplies and the U.S. looks to reduce its dependence on foreign sources of critical minerals.

“One of the reasons that we are exploring for oil in Greenland is because of what’s going on in the Strait of Hormuz right now,” Robert Price, CEO of Greenland Energy Company and president of USFM Corporation, told Fox News Digital.

Price’s two companies are pursuing separate oil and mineral projects in Greenland, including plans to drill an exploratory oil well in 2027 and ongoing mineral exploration in the island’s west.

Greenland’s melting ice is opening new Arctic shipping routes and exposing critical mineral resources, adding to the island’s growing strategic importance.(Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto/Getty Images)

WHY TRUMP ZEROED IN ON GREENLAND, THE WORLD’S LARGEST ISLAND, MOSTLY COVERED IN ICE — IN 3 CHARTS

Those projects are taking on new significance as conflicts abroad strain global energy supplies and highlight vulnerabilities in critical supply chains. The Iran conflict has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil supplies, while the war in Ukraine has put energy infrastructure at the center of the conflict.

Trump announced an agreement with Denmark and Greenland on Friday that would expand the U.S. military presence on the island while keeping Greenland under Danish sovereignty. Full details have not yet been made public, but Fox News Digital obtained exclusive insights into some of the specifics of the agreement.

“We don’t want to be dependent on China for our rare earth minerals, and we don’t want to be dependent on Russia for them either,” Price said.

“Critical minerals, they touch every part of our lives, which includes our cellphones, our computers, batteries, power storage, power generation,” he said.

Price’s USFM has been drilling around Disko Island in western Greenland for nickel, copper, palladium and cobalt, commodities used in electronics, batteries, energy and manufacturing.

“This mining district could be one of the largest mining districts in the world,” he said, comparing its potential with Russia’s mineral-rich Norilsk region.

The scale Price described has not been proven, with exploratory drilling still underway.

TRUMP’S AMBITIOUS ENERGY BET COULD BE A WINNING HAND AS THE WORLD BURNS MORE OIL, GAS THAN EVER

Greenland’s potential riches aren’t limited to minerals.

Price’s Greenland Energy Company is pursuing permits for an exploratory oil well planned for 2027. Its licenses are on Greenland’s eastern side, where Price said the geology resembles the petroleum-producing North Sea.

“Our licenses are similar to the same petroleum system as the North Sea,” Price said, noting that his company has sampled oil on and below the surface.

But Greenland’s value extends beyond what may lie beneath the surface.

Sitting between North America and Europe and extending into the Arctic, the island has played a role in U.S. defense for decades. The U.S. maintains Pituffik Space Base there, its northernmost Defense Department installation.

A composite image shows President Donald Trump overlaid on a protest in Greenland. Trump announced an agreement concerning U.S. security interests in Greenland, while Denmark and Greenland have emphasized that the deal preserves their sovereignty and territorial integrity.(Sean Gallup/Getty Images; rtur Widak/Anadolu via Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Price said Trump’s emerging deal with Denmark and Greenland could provide greater security and give companies more confidence to invest in projects that take years to develop.

“What it does is it shores up long-term investment in Greenland, and that’s what our projects are,” Price said. “They’re long-term investments from oil, gas, and minerals.”

“We’re really excited about this agreement,” he added.

Amanda Macias covers the intersection of business, economics and politics, with a focus on how policy decisions shape markets, businesses and American workers.

Trump administration sued over withheld federal grants for US community lenders

2026-09-21 18:16:03 / Reuters

By David Hood-Nuño

September 21, 2026 6:16 PM UTC Updated 54 mins ago

A general view of the entrance to the U.S. Department Of The Treasury in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 1, 2026. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno/File Photo

• Summary

• Lawsuit seeks to stop nearly $300 million in fiscal 2025 grants expiring on September 30
• Group says Treasury announced awards on September 15 but has not identified recipients or obligated funds
• Trump administration cited concerns ​about community lenders’ alleged “partisan agenda”

WASHINGTON, Sept 21 (Reuters) – A business advocacy group representing government-backed ‌community lenders sued the U.S. Treasury Department on Monday, seeking to prevent nearly $300 million in federal grants from expiring at the end of the month.

The Washington-based Freedom Economy Business Association filed the suit in U.S. District Court for ​the District of Columbia, arguing the Treasury unlawfully failed to distribute fiscal year 2025 funding ​approved by Congress for Community Development Financial Institutions, or CDFIs. Because Congress appropriated the ⁠funds and CDFIs lawfully applied for them, they should be distributed, it said.

Jumpstart your morning with the latest legal news delivered straight to your inbox from The Daily Docket newsletter. Sign up here.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

The Treasury Department did ​not respond to a request for comment.

CDFIs are specialized lenders that provide financing to small businesses, affordable ​housing projects, health clinics and other community initiatives that often lack access to traditional sources of capital.

The Treasury certifies CDFIs and distributes grants authorized annually by Congress. The vast majority of CDFIs do not take deposits, meaning government ​funding is a critical lifeline.

While Treasury announced awards on September 15, it has not identified recipients or ​obligated the funds, leaving the money at risk of expiring when the fiscal year ends on September 30, Freedom ‌Economy ⁠said.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

The group has asked the court to order Treasury and the Office of Management and Budget to distribute funds before the deadline and to move forward with an additional $289 million appropriated by Congress for fiscal year 2026.

It also asked the court for a temporary restraining order to immediately prevent Treasury from “running ​out the clock,” according ​to Alphonso David, CEO ⁠of the Global Black Economic Forum and lead counsel in the case.

The Trump administration last year said the organizations promoted a “partisan agenda,” “gender extremism” and “climate radicalism,” ​claims they deny.

The funding delay led one CDFI to shutter and further ​delays could cause ⁠more to close, community lenders have warned.

CDFIs have laid off staff, downsized operations and accrued debt, Tynesia Boyea-Robinson, chair of Freedom Economy, told reporters at a press conference.

blob:https://www.reuters.com/20151d05-5fa2-4047-bf60-59c40dacfe96

“Many of our members are unable to serve ⁠the millions ​of people relying on them,” she said. “This is all because ​the federal government has refused to follow the law and meet their obligations under the law.”

The group expects a response from ​the courts within 48 hours, David said.

Reporting by David Hood-Nuño; editing by Michelle Price and Cynthia Osterman

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Spanberger sparks outrage after sneakily ending Youngkin-era women’s sports protections

2026-09-21 12:26pm EDT / Fox News

Virginia’s health commissioner confirmed the proposed ban on transgender girls in female scholastic sports was dropped

By Charles Creitz, Fox News

NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

Critics, including parents of athletes, expressed outrage Friday after Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s administration quietly shut down a rulemaking process that would have required school sports to be divided by sex.

The move to end protections for scholastic sports based on sex is the latest development in the debate over whether biological males who identify as transgender should compete in girls’ sports.

“My jaw dropped when I saw the news,” former Del. Kim Taylor, R-Petersburg, told Fox News Digital on Friday. “As a mom of a daughter, I’m furious that protecting the privacy, safety, and opportunities of Virginia’s girls has somehow become controversial.”

“Governor Spanberger had a chance to stand up for women and girls, and instead she turned her back. Our daughters should never be asked to sacrifice their privacy or a fair playing field for someone else’s political agenda.”

VIRGINIA GOVERNOR ABIGAIL SPANBERGER QUIETLY ROLLS BACK YOUNGKIN’S PLANS TO PROTECT GIRLS’ SPORTS

Split image shows Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, left, and former Gov. Glenn Youngkin, right. Youngkin has criticized Spanberger for her decision not to revoke her endorsement of Democratic candidate Jay Jones.(Vitalii Nosach/Getty Images; John Lamparski/Getty Images)

Taylor focused on maternal and children’s issues during her time in Richmond and was the target of an assassination threat during her unsuccessful re-election bid last year.

Del. Wren Williams, R-Stuart, called the move “classic Spanberger.”

“Say one thing, do another, don’t tell anyone, and ignore them if they ask about it,” he told Fox News Digital.

Former Ball State basketball player and Indiana state Rep. Michelle Davis added that Spanberger appears to be “taking Virginia backwards.”

WHAT’S NEXT IN THE BATTLE TO ‘SAVE WOMEN’S SPORTS’ AFTER SCOTUS RULING — AND THE HIDDEN DAMAGE DRIVING IT

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger speaks with reporters during an April 18, 2026, event.(Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg/Getty Images)

“Women’s sports exist for women, and protecting a fair playing field shouldn’t be controversial,” said Davis, R-Whiteland.

“Democrats talk constantly about empowering women, yet we continue to see Democratic leaders roll back protections for female athletes. Virginia’s girls deserve better.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger and a representative for Youngkin for comment.

Former Gov. Glenn Youngkin started the process of barring biological males from girls’ scholastic sports, but the process, which was expected to take years, was ended by his successor, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

“[We] did not proceed with the proposed regulation,” Virginia Health Commissioner Cameron Webb told the Richmond Times-Dispatch of his agency and the governor’s office.

The rule, supported by the separate Virginia Board of Health during the Youngkin era, would have prevented “biological males from participating in organized female-only athletic teams and competitions in Virginia, and to prevent biological males from using designated female spaces where females are likely to be in any state of undress.”

HOUSE DEMS HAND GOP A WIN ON TRANS SPORTS AS PARTY UNITY CRACKS

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6399820871112

The decision was made in late July but did not surface until this week. Spanberger did not issue a press release or announcement on it in the interim.

Meanwhile, the Youngkin-appointed chairwoman of the State Board of Health told the Times-Dispatch she had no idea the process was ending.

SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER

“Our hearts go out to everybody involved, the athletes on all sides of it,” Nelson told the paper.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6400040348112

Williams added that the case shows “Democrats continue to fall all over themselves to openly discriminate against our female athletes,” as several states continue debating whether to separate transgender students in athletics.

Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

US halts flights at busy East Coast airports, says fiber line cut at construction site

2026-09-21T17:00:47.338Z / Reuters

By David Shepardson

September 21, 2026 5:00 PM UTC Updated 32 mins ago

A view shows United Airlines at the tarmac at Newark International Airport, as the skyline of New York is seen in the background from Newark, New Jersey, U.S., May 7, 2025. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

• Summary
• Companies

• Air traffic snarled as 130 world leaders due to arrive for UN
• FAA chief says traffic resuming at JFK and LaGuardia in New York
• Unclear when flights will resume in Philadelphia, Newark

WASHINGTON, Sept 21 (Reuters) – The Federal Aviation Administration halted traffic on Monday at busy U.S. East Coast airports, ‌snarling more than 1,000 flights after a telecom circuit failed and a backup fiber cable was accidentally cut.

The issue at one point forced a halt to incoming flights at all three major New York-area airports as well as Philadelphia and Boston and two smaller airports in the ​New York area.

The Misinformation Monitor newsletter rounds up international misinformation narratives, with a “Real or Fake?” quiz in every edition. Sign up here.

The flights were halted on the day that 130 world leaders and dozens of ministers were ​arriving in New York for the annual high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

The ⁠incident demonstrated the fragility of the aging U.S. air traffic control system, which Congress awarded $12.5 billion for upgrades last year.

​FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said a replacement circuit had also failed but said they were resuming traffic to John F. Kennedy ​Airport and LaGuardia Airport. He said it was not clear when flights might resume at airports in Philadelphia and Newark.

A ground stop at Boston, which stopped accepting flights because of spillover volume, was also lifted.

The FAA will not restart the system for incoming flights at the ​affected airports “until we make sure the airspace is safe,” Bedford said.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

The loss of communications was tied to some frequencies ​at a Philadelphia air traffic control facility that handles air traffic for the airports, Bedford said. Then authorities discovered that a backup fiber line ‌was ⁠accidentally cut by a construction crew in New Jersey.

At Newark alone, more than 1,000 flights had been delayed or canceled. Throughout the US there were nearly 4,000 delayed flights and 500 canceled.

“When it went to flip into the backup, we discovered that the backup fiber had a break, and that fiber break is probably 13 hours to repair. It’s massive, I’m told. ​Meanwhile, we’ve got the new circuit ​ready to install now,” ⁠Bedford said.

FlightAware, a flight-tracking site, said more than 600 flights at Newark and Philadelphia, or more than 20%, had been delayed at Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control. Newark is a major ​United Airlines (UAL.O) hub, while Philadelphia is an American Airlines (AAL.O) hub.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/faa-halts-some-us-east-coast-flights-due-communication-issues-2026-09-21/

The issue has also forced the diversion ​of a number ⁠of flights to other airports. Flightradar24, a flight-tracking site, said flights were being delayed by an average of 112 minutes at Newark.

In May 2025, the facility that guides air traffic in and out of Newark airport suffered a series of significant communications outages.

The ⁠FAA said ​last year a telecommunications outage impacted communications and radar displays at Philadelphia TRACON.

Last ​year, Congress approved $12.5 billion to address the aging air traffic control system, and boost controller hiring following decades of complaints over airport congestion and flight delays ​and a series of technology issues in recent years.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

Reporting by David Shepardson, Editing by Franklin Paul, Aurora Ellis and David Gregorio

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

SEE IT: Chinese nationals intercepted in ‘extremely dangerous’ infiltration attempt near Florida coast

2026-09-21T14:51:48-04:00 / Fox News

CBP and Coast Guard arrested 23 illegal immigrants near Key Largo, seizing a 27-foot vessel and a Cuban suspected smuggler

By Peter Pinedo, Bill Melugin Fox News

Published September 21, 2026 2:51pm EDT

Border Protection and Coast Guard intercept boat carrying Chinese nationals

U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Coast Guard interdicted a smuggling vessel off the coast of Florida carrying Chinese nationals and other illegal immigrants. (Credit: Ozzy Trevino)

NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

A smuggling vessel filled with Chinese nationals and other illegal immigrants was intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Coast Guard in what sources called a rare and “extremely dangerous” attempt to enter the U.S. through Florida.

CBP confirmed the interdiction exclusively with Fox News, sharing video and photos of U.S. authorities intercepting the vessel, which was carrying 22 illegal immigrants, including 13 Chinese nationals. The boat, a 27-foot cuddy cabin vessel, was stopped, and the migrants aboard were arrested without incident Tuesday. The interdiction took place near Angelfish Creek, Florida, near Key Largo.

According to the agency, a CBP Air and Marine Operations multi-role enforcement aircraft first detected the vessel. The interdiction, carried out by CBP alongside Coast Guard personnel, resulted in the apprehension of one suspected smuggler, a Cuban national, 13 Chinese nationals, eight Ecuadorian nationals and one Dominican national.

Sources emphasized to Fox News that it is extremely rare for Chinese nationals to attempt to enter the U.S. through maritime Caribbean routes that are typically used by Haitians, Dominicans and Cubans. During the Biden administration, Chinese nationals typically entered the U.S. through land routes in California and Texas, which are now subject to tighter enforcement under the Trump administration.

CBP, COAST GUARD INTERCEPT MIGRANT VESSEL HEADING FOR PUERTO RICO; 40 APPREHENDED INCLUDING UZBEK NATIONAL

An image of the interdiction shared exclusively with Fox News shows Chinese nationals and others being apprehended by U.S. authorities off the Florida coast.(U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP))

Andres Blanco, executive director of Air and Marine Operations Southeast Region, told Fox News that “attempting to enter the United States illegally by sea is extremely dangerous and will not go undetected.”

Blanco said that “this interdiction demonstrates the strength of our maritime partnerships and our commitment to stopping human smuggling organizations before they can put more lives at risk.”

He added that “those who attempt these dangerous voyages face arrest, prosecution, removal, and the very real possibility of losing their lives at sea.”

The illegal immigrants were transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Pablo Valent for processing. Meanwhile, authorities seized the vessel.

ICE-LED FLORIDA OPERATION NETS 500 — INCLUDING ILLEGAL ALIENS ACCUSED OF MURDER, CHILD ABUSE, CARTEL TIES

Coast Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations Southeast Region personnel aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Pablo Valent intercept a human smuggling vessel carrying Chinese nationals and other illegal immigrants near Key Largo, Florida, on Sept. 15, 2026.(U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP))

After the operation, Coast Guard Lt. Corryn Ulrich, the commanding officer of the Pablo Valent, told Fox News that “the U.S. border remains secure due to highly capable teams and coordinated interagency enforcement” and that “we remain ready to save lives and enforce federal law at sea.”

The CBP Air and Marine Operations unit is designed to anticipate and confront aviation and maritime threats to America’s national integrity, according to the agency.

President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet Thursday in Washington, D.C.

Gatestone Institute senior fellow Gordon Chang claimed that, despite the leaders trumpeting a positive relationship, Xi is mulling a war against the United States and organizing troops “for battle.”

“Xi Jinping keeps on talking about going to war against us… and also he’s preparing China’s society, civilian and military, for battle. And we think we’re at peace,” Chang said Sunday on “Fox News Live.” “So, this is a very dangerous period for us.”

Chang’s remarks follow reports that China aided Iran in attacks that killed three U.S. troops in Jordan earlier this summer.

ICE SHOOTING ROCKS AUSTIN AS DEMOCRAT DEMANDS BODYCAM VIDEO, INDEPENDENT PROBE

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping while leaving after a visit to the Zhongnanhai Garden in Beijing, China, on Friday, May 15, 2026.(Evan Vucci/AP)

The incident comes amid renewed debate over the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement tactics after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot a Venezuelan illegal immigrant in Austin on Sunday. The Department of Homeland Security said the man shot by the officer, Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, “illegally entered the country under the Biden administration and had a final order of removal during a law enforcement operation.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER

His lawyer, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, has contested DHS’ statement, saying Perez entered the U.S. lawfully. According to DHS, he survived and is in stable condition and is in federal custody pending removal. The incident has resulted in large protests in Austin and Democratic politicians condemning ICE and the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement.

Fox News Digital’s Nora Moriarty and Stepheny Price contributed to this report.

Peter Pinedo is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.

A timeline of Trump administration moves to weaken endangered species protections

September 21, 2026 7:36 PM UTC / Reuters

An endangered gray wolf is pictured in this undated handout photo from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Handout via Reuters/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

Sept 21 (Reuters) – US President Donald Trump has scaled back regulations meant to protect endangered wildlife as part of a broader push to reduce permitting obstacles for energy, mining, agriculture and other development.

The 50-year-old Endangered ​Species Act is credited with helping to save the bald eagle, the US national ‌bird, along with the California condor and numerous other animals and plants from extinction.

Jumpstart your morning with the latest legal news delivered straight to your inbox from The Daily Docket newsletter. Sign up here.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

Here is a timeline of actions the administration has taken in Trump’s second term:

April 16, 2025

The administration proposes rescinding the ESA’s regulatory definition of “harm,” arguing that habitat modification should ​not qualify as a prohibited “take” of a protected species. In the ESA, “take” is defined as “to ​harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to ⁠attempt to engage in any such conduct.”

Environmental groups say the proposal could make it easier for developers ​to damage wildlife habitat.

November 19, 2025

The Interior Department proposes four rules to roll back former President Joe Biden’s ​endangered species regulations. The proposals would make it easier to exclude areas from critical habitat designations by considering economic and national security impacts.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

March 31, 2026

The Endangered Species Committee unanimously exempts Gulf of Mexico oil and gas operations from certain requirements of ​the Endangered Species Act, citing national security and domestic energy needs. It is the first ESA exemption ​approved in more than three decades.

July 10, 2026

The administration finalizes a rule removing habitat destruction from the regulatory definition of “harm” ‌under the ⁠ESA. The change allows habitat modification so long as protected animals are not directly injured or killed. Days later, environmental groups sue to block the rule.

July 17, 2026

The administration finalizes additional ESA regulatory changes, ending automatic protections for newly listed threatened species and making it easier for regulators to consider economic and national ​security concerns when designating ​critical habitat.

blob:https://www.reuters.com/bfcadf5a-b996-4109-8275-b62dbef9da5d

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/timeline-trump-administration-moves-weaken-endangered-species-protections-2026-09-21/

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/timeline-trump-administration-moves-weaken-endangered-species-protections-2026-09-21/

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/timeline-trump-administration-moves-weaken-endangered-species-protections-2026-09-21/

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/timeline-trump-administration-moves-weaken-endangered-species-protections-2026-09-21/

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/timeline-trump-administration-moves-weaken-endangered-species-protections-2026-09-21/

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/timeline-trump-administration-moves-weaken-endangered-species-protections-2026-09-21/

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/timeline-trump-administration-moves-weaken-endangered-species-protections-2026-09-21/

September 4, 2026

Trump ⁠signs an executive order directing the Interior Department to determine whether gray wolves and Mexican wolves qualify for delisting or downlisting under the ESA and, if ​so, begin that process.

September 9, 2026

Twenty states and Washington, D.C., sue the ​administration, challenging the ⁠revised definition of “harm” and other ESA rule changes that they say unlawfully weaken protections for endangered and threatened species.

September 14, 2026

An internal memorandum from US Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik instructs agency officials to ⁠adopt a ​narrower interpretation of the ESA’s prohibition on “take” following repeal of ​the harm rule. The memo says a prohibited take occurs only when intentionally directed at a particular animal, potentially limiting enforcement.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

The ​Interior Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Aurora Ellis

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Police investigating murders of 9 women in South Africa neighborhood link 1 death to possible love triangle

2026-09-21 12:16:29 EDT / CBS/AFP

South African police said Monday they had arrested three people over the killing of one of nine women found dead in a neighborhood east of Johannesburg in a series of murders that have alarmed the nation.

The discovery of the nine bodies in Kempton Park over two months has fueled fear and anger, as authorities investigate whether a serial killer or killers were responsible.

A man and two women were arrested over the weekend over the killing of Jabulile Ntimba, whose body was found on Sept. 17 and was the ninth victim, police said.

As in most of the cases, her body was found on the side of the road, partly clothed.

“There does appear to be an indication that her murder may have stemmed from a relationship-related matter, including what has been described as a possible love triangle,” deputy police chief Tebello Mosikili said.

Members of the South African Police Service Forensic Pathology Services work on the crime scene where the body of a woman was discovered in Boksburg on Sept. 17, 2026. Emmanuel Croset/AFP via Getty Images

Gender-based violence is endemic in South Africa, despite years of government pledges to tackle the problem and even declaring it a national disaster.

The South African Police Service has issued a public warning for women to be cautious when doing activities like jogging in the area.

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday echoed the police pledge that those responsible for the killings would be held accountable.

“We will be pulling out all stops to find these perpetrators,” he told journalists, vowing additional measures to tackle violence against women.

“We are going to be deploying more money, more resources, more technology, to ensure that we deal with the fear that women are now subjected to,” he said.

The latest arrests bring to four the number of people held by police in connection with the Kempton Park killings.

“While the investigation must establish whether these cases are linked, the possibility that a perpetrator or perpetrators may be targeting women demands our urgent and determined attention,” acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia said in a statement. “A multidisciplinary investigation has been established to examine possible links between the cases, identify those responsible and bring them to justice.”

A forensic officer works at the scene where a sixth body, believed to be that of a woman, was found along a road in KwaThema, Springs, South Africa, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026. AP

A man arrested over the murder of a woman whose body was found in July remains in custody and is due back in court on Oct. 28, police said.

“We are not going to rush these investigations simply to make arrests. We owe it to the victims, we owe it to their families, and we owe it to justice to get this right,” Mosikili said.

Separately, police said another woman was found dead on Sunday in Soweto, south of Johannesburg, her body wrapped in a duvet and dumped near a dam.

Police also said two alleged serial rapists were due in court in the eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal. A 46-year-old man has been linked by DNA to 16 rape cases in the province’s largest city, Durban, while a 36-year-old man has been linked to at least 14 cases across two provinces.

Violence continues to plague South Africa

South Africa suffers from a murder rate of more than 60 a day on average, one of the highest globally.

The country recorded 5,427 murders between April and July — an average of 45 a day — according to the latest crime statistics.

Femicide rates in South Africa are among the highest in the world, according to the U.N.’s agency for gender equality. Last year, the government declared gender-based violence and femicide a national disaster, according to the U.N.

A 2024 study in South Africa revealed that three women were killed every day by an intimate partner from 2020 to 2021. A study in 2022 found that more than 35% of South African adult women had experienced physical or sexual violence at some point.

Amnesty International South Africa previously said the recent discovery of the bodies was “just another horrific reminder that women in South Africa are not safe.”

The Commission for Gender Equality has called for urgent preventive action, including a safety audit of the affected areas involving police, municipal officials, transport authorities and community safety structures.

It said the audit should assess lighting, surveillance, pedestrian and public transport routes, neglected spaces, police visibility and access to emergency assistance.

“Women should not have to be killed before an area receives heightened attention,” commission spokesperson Javu Baloyi said.

Bill Gates says Trump’s AI views point to societal blind spot

September 21, 2026 / 1:18 PM EDT / CBS News

By Aimee Picchi

Bill Gates told CBS Mornings that President Trump’s view that the risks posed by AI are overblown reflects a societal blind spot, with many people unaware of how quickly large language models could transform the world.

Mr. Trump is “in the place that everybody else is in, where at first you’re like, ‘Isn’t this just like the technologies of the past?’” Gates told CBS Mornings co-hosts Gayle King and Norah O’Donnell on Monday in response to Mr. Trump’s recent contention that claims that AI could inflict serious harm on people are a “hoax.”

Gates added, “If he wants to get credit for helping the entire world, the AI topic is his best bet. The leader that brings people together there will deserve positive recognition.”

Gates stressed that AI has the potential to improve lives, but it also could be misused to engage in bioterrorism, financial hacks and other destructive acts.

In recent weeks, a debate over AI’s potential harms has consumed the technology industry, prompting AI leaders, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, to propose slowing its development.

“Evolutionary event”

“Most of society is still not aware of how quickly it’s moving,” Gates said, adding that comparisons to prior technological leaps are unhelpful given AI’s potential for surpassing human intelligence. “AI is almost an evolutionary event.”

Gates’ comments come after the Microsoft co-founder published an essay last month warning that AI is transforming the global economy much faster than previous tech revolutions, shortening the time frame to prepare for employment disruptions.

blob:https://www.cbsnews.com/b6436645-0fa7-4086-8593-f29df756daca

“AI will take on work in law, customer service, medicine, software and manufacturing. It will hit these industries rapidly, over the course of a decade rather than a few generations,” Gates wrote in the article posted on his personal website. “There will be some new jobs, but without the right policies, there will be far fewer than exist today.”

On Monday, Gates stressed that AI has enormous potential to help people around the world. To that end, Gates said his Gates Foundation is spending $1 billion over two years to expand access to AI across the globe in the fields of education, healthcare and agriculture. The effort will also work to enable people to interact with large language models in languages beyond English.

The effort to improve access to AI in more languages has drawn roughly 60 participants, the Gates Foundation said on Monday. The coalition includes Anthropic, Google, Microsoft and the OpenAI Foundation.

“We want in places like Africa, where there are so few doctors, where a patient could speak in their native language and describe their symptoms” to an AI app, he told CBS Mornings. “The quality of support for most of the world’s languages is very, very poor.”