White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Friday forcefully rejected a CNN report that said President Donald Trump’s national security team was unprepared for the possibility that Iran would move to close the Strait of Hormuz after U.S. strikes.

“This story is 100% FAKE NEWS,” Leavitt wrote on X, accusing CNN of relying on anonymous sources and defending the administration’s planning for such a scenario.

Leavitt said the Pentagon had planned for a possible Iranian closure of the strait for decades and said the threat had been part of the administration’s planning before Operation Epic Fury began.

“The idea that chairman Cain and Secretary Hegseth weren’t prepared for this possibility is PREPOSTEROUS,” she continued. “The President was fully briefed on it, and a goal of the Operation itself, to annihilate the terrorist Iranian regime’s navy, missiles, drone production infrastructure, and other threat capabilities is quite literally intended to deprive them of their ability to close the Strait.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt takes questions during a news briefing in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on March 10, 2026, in Washington, D.C.  (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

LEAVITT LASHES OUT AT CNN’S KAITLAN COLLINS IN TENSE EXCHANGE ON FALLEN SOLDIERS FROM IRAN OPERATION

The Strait of Hormuz has become a focal point in the conflict because roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil shipments pass through the waterway.

CNN reported Thursday that Trump’s national security team “failed to fully account for the potential consequences of what some officials have described as a worst-case scenario now facing the administration.”

The report cited anonymous sources “familiar with the matter.”

A navy vessel is seen sailing in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which much of the world’s oil and gas passes on March 1, 2026.  (Sahar AL ATTAR / AFP via Getty Images)

PETE HEGSETH CRITICIZES ‘FAKE NEWS’ COVERAGE OF IRAN STRIKES, SAYS ONLY TRAGEDIES MAKE FRONT PAGE

Leavitt’s criticism was echoed by Republican lawmakers and administration officials who called the CNN report false.

“As chairman of the Intelligence Committee, let me make clear: whoever leaked this lied,” Sen. Tom Cotton, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, wrote on X. “CNN should do some fact-checking.”

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth also blasted the report during remarks at the Pentagon on Friday, calling it “more fake news from CNN” and “patently ridiculous.”

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaks during the inaugural Americas Counter Cartel Conference at the U.S. Southern Command Headquarters on March 5, 2026, in Doral, Florida. The conference is being held to address narcoterrorism with regional defense and security leaders from the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

HEGSETH ANNOUNCES PENTAGON PROBE INTO DEADLY STRIKE ON IRANIAN SCHOOL

“For decades, Iran has threatened shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. This is always what they do, hold the strait hostage,” he added. “CNN doesn’t think we thought of that.”

CNN issued a clarification to the story on Friday, which read, “This story has been updated to reflect additional developments and clarify that top Trump administration officials briefed lawmakers on long-standing military plans to address a major disruption to the Strait, according to one official, but that multiple sources familiar with the session said there was no indication there were any near-term solutions.”

“We stand by our reporting,” CNN told Fox News Digital when reached for comment on Friday.

CNN chairman and CEO Mark Thompson said on X they “stand by our journalism.”

The White House has repeatedly clashed with major news outlets this week over coverage of the Iran conflict.

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Leavitt called for ABC News to retract a story on Thursday that claimed that the FBI has officially warned Iran may try to attack California with drones.

She called the report “false information to intentionally alarm the American people,” adding that the story was based off “one email that was sent to local law enforcement in California about a single, unverified tip.”

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ABC News has since updated its story with an editor’s note declaring, “The FBI has posted a fuller version of its alert to California authorities, which includes that the information was unverified. The latest version of this story has been updated with the full statement.”

Fox News’ Alexander Hall and Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.

Federal authorities say 11 Indian nationals were charged in a scheme to stage armed robberies at convenience stores and restaurants, so participants could falsely claim to be crime victims when applying for immigration benefits.

The defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit visa fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts.

Prosecutors allege the scheme centered on fake robberies designed to help clerks or store owners seek U visas, a form of immigration relief available to certain victims of serious crimes who assist law enforcement.

Six defendants were arrested in Massachusetts and released after initial appearances in federal court in Boston. Others were arrested in Kentucky, Missouri and Ohio, and are expected to appear later in Boston. 

An 11th defendant had previously been deported to India, authorities said.

Indian nationals charged in a visa fraud scheme involving fake robberies at Massachusetts stores. Federal authorities say the 11 defendants staged armed robberies to claim U visa benefits. (FBI Boston/X)

According to charging documents, the alleged conspiracy began in March 2023, and involved at least six convenience stores, liquor stores and fast-food restaurants in Massachusetts, with additional incidents elsewhere.

Investigators say the staged robberies followed a script.

A purported robber would enter a business, threaten clerks or owners with what appeared to be a firearm, take cash from the register and flee.

The encounters were captured on store surveillance video, prosecutors said, helping create the appearance of legitimate crimes.

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Federal authorities arrested 11 Indian nationals accused of orchestrating fake robberies to defraud the immigration system.  (FBI Boston/X)

Authorities allege the clerks or owners then waited five minutes or more before calling police, allowing the supposed robber time to escape and making the incidents appear real.

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Prosecutors say the participants portrayed as victims paid an organizer to take part in the scheme. The organizer, in turn, allegedly paid store owners for the use of their businesses as robbery locations.

Prosecutors say 11 people conspired to fake armed robberies across states, with participants paying organizers to be listed as victims for visas. (FBI Boston/X)

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The alleged organizer, along with the purported robber and a getaway driver, had already been charged and convicted in the case, according to federal authorities. The 11 people charged this week are accused of either arranging robberies with the organizer or paying for themselves or relatives to be listed as victims.

The charge of conspiracy to commit visa fraud carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Any sentence would be determined by a federal judge.

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According to a release from the Massachusetts Department of Justice, the following defendants have been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud:

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• Jitendrakumar Patel, 39, unlawfully residing in Marshfield, Mass.;
• Maheshkumar Patel, 36, unlawfully residing in Randolph, Mass.;
• Sanjaykumar Patel, 45, unlawfully residing in Quincy, Mass.;
• Dipikaben Patel, 40, deported to India after unlawfully residing in Weymouth, Mass.;
• Rameshbhai Patel, 52, unlawfully residing in Eubank, Ky.;
• Amitabahen Patel, 43, unlawfully residing in Plainville, Mass.;
• Ronakkumar Patel, 28, unlawfully residing in Maryland Heights, Miss.;
• Sangitaben Patel, 36, unlawfully residing in Randolph, Mass.;
• Minkesh Patel, 42, unlawfully residing in Perrysburg, Ohio;
• Sonal Patel, 42, unlawfully residing in Perrysburg, Ohio; and
• Mitul Patel, 40, unlawfully residing in Worcester, Mass.

Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va., announced plans Thursday to introduce legislation allowing the U.S. to denaturalize and deport naturalized citizens who commit or support terrorism, as Republicans point to a recent string of attacks involving immigrants who obtained citizenship.

On Thursday, Moore called out the “horrific pattern” of naturalized citizens committing acts of terror against the American people, saying it “must end.”

Moore announced he will be introducing a bill in Congress to denaturalize and deport any naturalized citizen who commits an act of terror, plots to unleash terror, joins a terrorist group or otherwise aids and abets terrorism.

Almost immediately, Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, and Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., vowed to support the bill.

OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY ROTC CADETS DISARM ISIS SUPPORTER SHOUTING ‘ALLAHU AKBAR’ DURING SHOOTING: OFFICIALS

Left: Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, the individual identified as the shooter at ODU on Thursday, March 12, 2026. Right: Ndiaga Diagne, 53, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Senegal, was identified as the suspect in Sunday’s shooting outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden in Austin. Background: A shot of the attack on Temple Israel, a synagogue in Michigan, on Thursday, March 12, 2026. (Obtained by WTVR; Obtained by Fox News; WJBK)

This week, Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Lebanon, attempted to ram his vehicle into a Michigan synagogue filled with children and teachers. The same day at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a naturalized citizen from Sierra Leone, opened fire on a class of Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) students, killing Lt. Col. Brandon Shah.

Days before, Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi, the children of naturalized citizens from Turkey and Afghanistan, attempted to bomb an anti-Islam demonstration outside the mayor’s mansion in New York City. At the start of the month, Senegalese-born naturalized citizen Ndiaga Diagne killed three people and injured over a dozen in a shooting in Austin.

After this week’s attacks, Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., renewed his call to pass another bill known as the Stop Citizenship Abuse and Misrepresentation (SCAM) Act. Schmitt is the Senate sponsor of the bill, which, if passed, would expand and clarify grounds for denaturalization if the individual in question participates in fraud against a government program, joins a terrorist organization or is convicted of an aggravated felony or espionage. The bill was introduced in the House in January by Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., amid widespread outrage over the rampant Medicaid and children’s services fraud scandal, which heavily involved the Somali immigrant community.

TRUMP WARNS OF IRANIAN ‘SLEEPER CELLS’ AS CANADA IS ACCUSED OF HARBORING REGIME OPERATIVES

Ibrahim Kayumi, right, pictured handing an object to Emir Balat, left. Both men were arrested on March 7 after allegedly attempting to bomb a protest in New York City and pledging allegiance to the ISIS terror group. (Justice Department Office of Public Affairs)

On Thursday, Schmitt posted on X that “after the SAVE America Act, we must pass the SCAM Act so we can denaturalize & deport those who are here to hurt Americans,” adding, “We must denaturalize those who shouldn’t be here.”

Currently, the U.S. government may strip citizenship from a naturalized individual only in very limited circumstances, such as when it was obtained through fraud. There is also a very high standard of proof on the government to show that fraud occurred during the process of obtaining citizenship.

The SCAM Act, however, would expand the government’s ability to denaturalize, allowing it to revoke citizenship from a person who engages in terrorism, commits fraud, commits espionage or commits felonies within 10 years of becoming a citizen.

WE’RE IN DANGER OF MORE TERROR ATTACKS — AND THIS IS THE MOST INDEFENSIBLE PART OF IT ALL: SEN TED CRUZ

Lt. Col. Brandon Shah was identified as the instructor killed in Thursday’s deadly shooting at Old Dominion University. (Old Dominion University)

In another post, Schmitt emphasized, “we need to give the Trump admin the SCAM Act,” saying, “Under current law, it is practically impossible to denaturalize these terrorists.”

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He said that the SCAM Act “will allow the Trump admin to denaturalize and deport those who should never have been granted citizenship in the first place.”

President Donald Trump said Friday that the U.S. had carried out a bombing raid on Iran’s Kharg Island, a strategically important island in the Persian Gulf that serves as one of the country’s main oil export hubs.

Located off Iran’s southern coast, Kharg Island is home to major oil terminals that have long been central to Iran’s energy trade and economic lifeline. 

Because so much of the country’s crude oil exports pass through the island, it is widely viewed as one of Iran’s most sensitive and strategically important pieces of infrastructure.

“Moments ago, at my direction, the United States Central Command executed one of the most powerful bombing raids in the history of the Middle East, and totally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Satellite view of Kharg Island, located in the Persian Gulf off the coast of Iran.  (Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2024)

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“Our Weapons are the most powerful and sophisticated that the World has ever known but, for reasons of decency, I have chosen NOT to wipe out the Oil Infrastructure on the Island. However, should Iran, or anyone else, do anything to interfere with the Free and Safe Passage of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision,” he added.

Cancer surgery often requires patients to travel to the specialist. This time, the specialist traveled to the patient. Doctors at The London Clinic remotely guided a robotic system to remove a man’s prostate cancer from 1,500 miles away.

The patient remained in a hospital operating room while the surgeon controlled the procedure from another country. The milestone operation marks the first time a U.K. hospital has successfully performed remote robot-assisted telesurgery on a patient.

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How the remote robotic surgery worked

The procedure connected two hospitals nearly 1,500 miles apart. The surgeon, Professor Prokar Dasgupta, operated from a robotic control console at The London Clinic’s robotic center at Harley Street.

AI ROBOT PERFORMS GALLBLADDER SURGERY AUTONOMOUSLY
 

Professor Prokar Dasgupta used the Toumai Robotic System at The London Clinic March 4, 2026, to remove a patient’s prostate cancer from 1,500 miles away. (Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty Images)

The patient lay in an operating room at St Bernard’s Hospital. Between them sat an advanced surgical robot. The system used was the Toumai robotic surgical system developed by MicroPort MedBot, a platform designed for high-precision minimally invasive procedures.

From the console in London, Dasgupta controlled:

• Four robotic surgical arms
• A high-definition 3D camera
• Specialized surgical tools

Fiber optic networks carried every movement from the surgeon’s hands to the robot in Gibraltar. A secure network infrastructure designed by Presidio connected the two hospitals. The delay between command and movement was about 48 milliseconds, which is fast enough to feel almost real time.

For delicate procedures like prostate cancer surgery, that speed really matters. Urological surgeons James Allen and Paul Hughes were part of the local surgical team in Gibraltar, ready to step in if the connection dropped or complications occurred. The operation went smoothly.

The patient behind the milestone surgery

The patient, Paul Buxton, is a 62-year-old resident of Gibraltar who has lived there for about four decades. Patients who need specialized prostate cancer surgery often travel to larger medical centers such as London or Madrid. That journey can mean long waiting lists, travel costs and weeks away from home.

Buxton avoided that disruption. He received the procedure in his local hospital. He had originally planned to travel to London for surgery but was offered the chance to participate in a telesurgery trial between the two hospitals earlier in February. Reports say he felt fantastic within days. The technology removed a major burden for him and allowed him to recover close to home.

Why this surgery matters for the future of medicine

This operation did not appear overnight. Remote robotic surgery has been developing for decades. One of the earliest examples took place during the Lindbergh Operation. In that procedure, surgeons in New York remotely removed a patient’s gallbladder in Strasbourg, France.

HUMANOID ROBOT PERFORMS MEDICAL PROCEDURES VIA REMOTE CONTROL
 

The surgeon in London controlled four robotic arms and a 3D camera to operate on a patient in Gibraltar in near real time. (Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty Images)

Technology has improved dramatically since then. Recent developments include cross-continent robotic surgeries between Rome and Beijing. Surgeons have also completed long-distance prostate operations using the same Toumai platform in parts of Africa. The London Clinic procedure signals an important shift. Remote robotic surgery is moving from experimental demonstrations toward practical medical use.

The hospitals plan to demonstrate the technology further by live-streaming a telesurgery procedure to thousands of surgeons at the upcoming European Association of Urology Congress.

The technology that makes telesurgery possible

Several technologies work together to make remote surgery viable.

Ultra-low latency networks

Surgeons must see and react instantly during an operation. Even small delays can make precise movements difficult. Modern fiber optic networks and backup 5G connections help keep latency extremely low.

High precision surgical robots

Robotic surgical systems translate a surgeon’s hand movements into smaller and more stable movements inside the patient’s body. That precision often improves outcomes in delicate procedures such as prostate cancer removal.

Advanced imaging systems

High-definition 3D cameras allow surgeons to see the surgical area with remarkable clarity. In many cases, the view from a robotic console is clearer than what surgeons see in traditional open surgery.

Challenges hospitals still need to solve

Remote robotic surgery still faces important hurdles. Infrastructure remains a major challenge. Hospitals must maintain extremely reliable networks with almost no downtime. Cost also plays a role. Robotic surgical systems and specialized networks can cost millions of dollars. Regulation raises additional questions. Surgeons who operate across borders introduce legal and licensing complexities.

Every remote procedure also requires backup plans. Local surgical teams must remain ready to step in if technology fails. For now, hospitals treat telesurgery as an emerging capability rather than a routine practice.

SPACE SURGERY EXPERIMENT COULD PROVIDE PATHWAY FOR MEDICAL CARE IN EARTH’S MOST REMOTE REGIONS
 

The first successful remote robot-assisted telesurgery by a U.K. hospital connected two operating rooms nearly 1,500 miles apart. (Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty Images)

What this means to you

For patients, the long-term implications could be significant. In the future, you may not need to travel to a major medical center for complex procedures. Instead, specialists could operate remotely while you stay in a hospital closer to home. This shift could benefit people in rural communities and regions with limited access to specialists.

Remote robotic surgery may also shorten wait times for certain procedures. Safety will remain the top priority. Hospitals must prove that remote procedures are as reliable as traditional surgery before the technology becomes widespread.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

For years, remote surgery sounded like something far off in the future. Now it is starting to move into real operating rooms. The procedure connecting London and Gibraltar shows how quickly surgical technology is advancing. Reliable networks and advanced robots now allow surgeons to guide delicate procedures from thousands of miles away. That does not mean remote surgery will become common overnight. Hospitals still need strong network infrastructure, trained specialists and clear safety standards before it spreads widely. Even so, the direction is becoming clear. Distance may no longer prevent patients from accessing world-class surgical care.

Would you feel comfortable having surgery performed by a specialist operating from another city, state] or country if the technology proved safe? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Newly released court documents have revealed messages showing Live Nation employees bragging about price-gouging customers, boasting they were “robbing them blind” and “taking advantage” of concertgoers through price hikes.

Live Nation, the event giant that includes Ticketmaster, faced a federal antitrust lawsuit. The company was accused of maintaining a monopoly in the live entertainment industry, allowing it to raise ticket prices while stifling competition.

The messages, reported by The New York Times, were pulled from private Slack exchanges between two regional directors. Live Nation had previously argued the messages should be excluded from the trial as private remarks, but a judge declined to exclude them.

KID ROCK SLAMS EVENT TICKETING SYSTEM AS A ‘COMPLETE FIASCO’ FOR CONCERT FANS

Courtroom sketches show Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino and Justice Department antitrust division head Omeed Assefi appearing before Judge Arun Subramanian at 500 Pearl Street for the Live Nation antitrust trial, Tuesday, March 10, in New York. (Christine Cornell)

“These people are so stupid,” wrote one employee, Ben Baker, who worked for Live Nation in Florida.

The other employee, Jeff Weinhold, whose job involved overseeing ticketing at an amphitheater in Virginia, said in response, “I have VIP parking up to $250 lol.”

Baker responded, “I almost feel bad taking advantage of them.”

In another reported exchange, Baker bragged about charging for “premier parking,” adding that he was “robbing them blind baby,” and saying, “That’s how we do.”

DOJ REACHES SETTLEMENT WITH LIVE NATION IN ANTITRUST CASE

The Live Nation logo is displayed at a corporate office in Beverly Hills, California, on March 9. The company has reportedly reached a tentative settlement with the Department of Justice that would require it to pay approximately $200 million in damages. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Live Nation responded to the messages in a statement to Fox News Digital, distancing the company from the remarks.

“The Slack exchange from one junior staffer to a friend absolutely does not reflect our values or how we operate,” a spokesperson said.

“Because this was a private Slack message, leadership learned of this when the public did, and will be looking into the matter promptly. Our business only works when fans have great experiences, which is why we’ve capped amphitheater venue fees at 15% and have invested $1 billion in the last 18 months into U.S. venues and fan amenities.”

Live Nation also noted the messages appear to show employees “going over caps,” which the company said went against its policies.

Attorney General Merrick Garland takes questions from reporters during a news conference at the Department of Justice Building in Washington, D.C., on May 23, 2024. DOJ filed a lawsuit seeking to break up Live Nation, alleging the Ticketmaster parent company violated antitrust laws and harmed consumers.

On Monday, the Department of Justice and Live Nation announced they had reached a settlement agreement. The case was filed in 2024 under then-Attorney General Merrick Garland, who accused the company of “unlawful, anticompetitive conduct to exercise its monopolistic control over the live events industry.”

In a press release, Live Nation Entertainment President and CEO Michael Rapino defended the settlement, calling it “a major step in improving the concert experience.”

“Live Nation is proud to lead the way enhancing this experience with our amphitheaters, which will be open to all promoters, allowing these promoters to decide how best to distribute up to 50% of the tickets, and capping ticketing service fees at 15%,” Rapino said.

NFL FANS’ 2025 BILLS COME UNDER FOCUS AS FCC PROBES THE RISE OF SPORTS STREAMING SERVICES

Some lawmakers criticized the settlement online, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. Warren wrote in part on X, “Donald Trump just betrayed every fan who’s been exploited by Ticketmaster.”

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As part of the deal, Live Nation will also divest its booking agreements with 13 amphitheaters nationwide.

An uninsured driver who killed a four-year-old girl after making a “split-second decision” to overtake has been jailed for five years and four months.

Mayar Yahia was walking home with her family from Eid celebrations on 14 April, 2024, when she was struck by a Vauxhall Corsa being driven by Javonnie Tavener, 23.

Two women were also seriously injured by Tavener, who initially left the scene but returned around 30 minutes later.

Mayar’s family said there were no “words that can truly describe how special she was, or how much we miss her”.

Tavener pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to causing death by careless driving, causing death whilst driving uninsured, and two counts of causing serious injury by careless driving.

He was also disqualified from driving for six years.

Tavener was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court. Speaking after sentencing, Detective Sergeant Paul Hughes, from the West Midlands serious collision investigation unit, urged drivers to think about the incident and how decisions can have “catastrophic consequences”.

He added that Tavener had made no efforts to ring the emergency services in the aftermath of the crash on Upper Highgate Street, Birmingham.

Read more from Sky News:

In a tribute issued through the police, Mayar’s family said: “Mayar was an extraordinary child. She was full of love and always smiling, kind to everyone and made friends easily.

“She was cheerful and bright, and she brought happiness to everyone around her at home, in her school and her neighbourhood.”

“No one deserves to lose a loved one like this.”