INTERNACIONAL
Gold Star father says prior Afghanistan review smelled ‘like a cover-up’ as new look examines millions of docs
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Gold Star father Darin Hoover says a new Pentagon review of the deadly Abbey Gate bombing finally feels different after years of what he described as «crickets» from the Biden administration — but he is still asking whether critical information was deliberately kept from military families and the public.
Hoover, whose son, Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin «Taylor» Hoover, was among the 13 U.S. service members killed in the Aug. 26, 2021, suicide bombing during the Afghanistan withdrawal, told Fox News Digital that for years families got little more than a «canned» response.
«For the first three-and-a-half years… we weren’t getting anything from the prior administration. It was crickets,» Hoover said. «The only thing we all got was a canned letter saying how sorry they were. There was not anything individual mentioned about any of the kids.»
Former President Joe Biden checked his watch during the dignified transfer of U.S. service members lost at Abbey Gate, which included 11 Marines, one Army soldier and one Navy sailor.
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Darin Hoover and Kelly Barnett, parents of Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover, speak to a House committee, Aug. 29, 2023, in Washington, D.C. (Darin Hoover and Kelly Barnett for Fox News Digital)
His frustration comes as the Pentagon’s Afghanistan Withdrawal Special Review Panel says it has completed the substantive phase of interviews with senior military and civilian leaders, and is now preparing findings and recommendations for a final report expected «in the coming months.»
The panel reviewed more than nine million documents, according to chairman Sean Parnell. By contrast, a prior Pentagon review examined roughly 3,000 documents.
Parnell said the earlier review was «significantly narrower in scope» and «over-classified at the highest levels, which effectively kept the most critical and relevant information from public scrutiny.»
That contrast is exactly what has Hoover demanding answers.
«The 3,000 pages… doesn’t even make a ripple,» Hoover said. «Now we’ve got over a million pages being reviewed. Why was everything so top-secret that none of us could see it? They owe us the answers.»
OUR FALLEN HEROES’ FAMILIES DESERVE MORE THAN OUTDATED SURVIVOR BENEFITS
Gold medals are displayed in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda ahead of a ceremony honoring 13 American service members who died in the Abbey Gate suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistan on Sept. 10, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Asked directly whether he believes key information was withheld, Hoover did not hesitate.
«Yes, absolutely, information was kept from us,» he said.
«That smells exactly like a cover-up,» he added. «What is it that they saw, or what did they feel needed to be hidden so nobody could know what it was?»
A Pentagon spokesperson referred Fox News Digital to a statement from Parnell when asked for comment.
In that statement, Parnell said the panel was established by War Secretary Pete Hegseth at the direction of President Donald Trump «to conduct the most comprehensive military after action review in modern history.»
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A display shows fallen American military members killed in the Abbey Gate suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistan in August 2021. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)
He said the panel has interviewed key figures involved in the planning and execution of the withdrawal, including retired Gen. Mark Milley and retired Gen. Kenneth McKenzie Jr., among other senior officials.
«This will be the most thorough, transparent, and honest accounting the American people have received of what happened in August 2021,» Parnell said. «Our purpose is to identify failures in decision-making, so that we may prevent the United States from ever repeating this tragedy.»
Hoover said accountability should mean real consequences for those in command if the new review finds failures.
«If they did something wrong or failed to act, they should no longer be allowed to lead where life and death is at stake,» he said.
«I would love to see pensions taken away… and if possible, I’d love to see people go to jail,» he added.
TRUMP CALLS FAMILY OF STAFF SGT OLLIS TO CONFIRM MEDAL OF HONOR AWARD
The families of American service members who were killed during the withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 listen as the fallen are posthumously presented the Congressional Gold Medal, Sept. 10, 2024. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)
He also argued the bombing exposed a broader system failure between civilian and military agencies.
«The right hand didn’t know what the left hand was doing,» Hoover said. «And it all got stalled somewhere in the middle.»
«And our kids did the best they could with the tools they were given,» he added. «They did a phenomenal job.»
Other official reviews have previously documented breakdowns surrounding the withdrawal. A State Department review found failures in crisis planning and preparation for worst-case scenarios, while Milley later described the evacuation timeline as «too slow and too late.»
Hoover said what makes this moment different is President Trump’s engagement with the families and Hegseth’s promise of a broader accounting.
«He spent 45 minutes with us… gave us his full undivided attention,» Hoover said.
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He added that after years of silence, simply being included now matters. Hoover noted that the trial of the ISIS-K-linked figure accused of giving the final approval for the bomber to detonate is set to begin Monday in Alexandria, and some of the Abbey Gate families plan to attend.
«We’re coming up on Memorial Day,» Hoover said. «Please, please, please remember them. Honor them. Don’t forget how we got here, why we got here and live a life worthy of the sacrifices that have been made.»
afghanistan, pete hegseth, pentagon, military families, bombings, politics, joe biden
INTERNACIONAL
Fury erupts as US brand fires 1,600 employees after securing thousands of foreign worker visas
Boston federal judge blocks Trump fee for H-1B visas
A federal judge in Boston has blocked the Trump administration’s $100,000 H-1B visa fee, stating it is an unauthorized tax without congressional approval. The policy, enacted last year, drastically increased the fee from $2,000-$5,000 to prioritize U.S. citizens. The White House plans to appeal the decision.
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A popular U.S.-based gaming brand owned by Microsoft is facing fury after mass employee layoffs occurred in the wake of the company being approved for thousands of foreign worker visas.
Microsoft announced that it will lay off 4,800 people total and 1,600 from the corporation’s XBOX division, which makes and sells the dominant video game console.
Meanwhile, Microsoft has been approved this year to hire from foreign countries 2,273 employer-sponsored, non-immigrant workers under what is known as the H-1B visa program, according to data from U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Furious online critics claim that American jobs are being unfairly handed to foreigners in an effort to cut labor costs but at the cost of leaving U.S. workers in the lurch.
‘AMERICA FIRST’ IMMIGRATION OVERHAUL BILL WOULD CODIFY TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN PROMISES ONCE AND FOR ALL
Asha Sharma, chief executive officer of Xbox,, during the Bloomberg Tech conference in San Francisco, California, US, on Thursday, June 4, 2026. The event brings together the leading CEOs, investors and innovators who are harnessing technology to change the world around us. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
«A great way to fix this is to throw anyone doing this in prison,» said one user on X. «Fire Americans to replace with thousands of visa workers? Straight to jail, and assets seized. This story has been told countless times. Fire American staff and hire foreigners. Over and over.»
«It is the fault of our Government [sic] for approving the H-1Bs,» another social media user lamented. «Our Government [sic] has sold us out of jobs at home and those being moved to other countries.»
HOUSE REPUBLICANS RIP INTO SENATE FOR DELAYING IMMIGRATION RECONCILIATION PACKAGE: ‘I’M VERY FRUSTRATED’
Another user described the H-1B program as «industrial scale job theft from Americans.»
Microsoft is the sixth-largest beneficiary of H-1B visas, a program that is overwhelmingly dominated by workers from India. The company has even more H-1B applications pending. Microsoft has employees worldwide, but most are in the United States.
«These decisions are based on business need, not visa status. H-1B employees were also impacted by job eliminations in the U.S.,» a Microsoft spokesperson told Fox News Digital when reached for comment on the lay offs.
Fans compete in a gaming tournament at Microsoft retail store at the Florida Mall on November 21, 2013 in Orlando, Florida and another five cities across the country for a chance to win up to $25,000 in prizes and a chance to participate in a final showdown at the Jacksonville, Fla. Microsoft Store opening, featuring a performance by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. Tournament finalists will receive an Ultimate Xbox One Gaming House including all launch night titles in each of the six participating stores. (Photo by Gerardo Mora/Getty Images for Microsoft) (Gerardo Mora/Getty Images for Microsoft)
«Every single employer is exploiting the H-1B visa program,» said the Project for Immigration Reform.
A lawmaker even called for a complete end to the non-immigrant visa program.
TRUMP TAPS ACTING LABOR SECRETARY KEITH SONDERLING FOR PERMANENT ROLE PENDING SENATE CONFIRMATION
«This is INSANE. LEGAL immigration is a major problem. These companies, especially big tech, are abusing these immigration programs to replace American workers with foreign workers,» said Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va.
«No more. It’s long past time to end the H-1B scam.»
XBOX CEO Asha Sharma cited the company’s financial health for the layoffs.
«Our business today is not healthy,» said a memo from Sharma, according to The Associated Press. «We are operating at margins that are 3-10x lower than comparable platform and publishing businesses.»
Sharma added that her strategy is to «reset» XBOX.
Some online critics, however, claimed Sharma’s Indian heritage played a role in firing the Americans, given the percentage of H-1B workers from India. Sharma was born in Wisconsin.
Vice President JD Vance announced on Tuesday a large-scale investigation into H-1B visa fraud.
«Today, I’m proud to announce that the federal Department of Labor has started dozens of subpoenas and investigations into foreign fraudsters who are trying to take advantage of the H-1B visa program,» he said during a press conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
«American jobs ought to go to American workers and not foreign fraudsters and the Department of Labor is fighting back against it.»
President Donald Trump signed two executive orders on Sept. 19, 2025, establishing the «Trump Gold Card» and introducing a $100,000 fee for H-1B visas. The «Trump Gold Card» is a visa program that allows foreign nationals permanent residency and a pathway to U.S. citizenship for a $1 million investment in the United States. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
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Recently, President Donald Trump tried to limit employers’ use of the H-1B program by imposing a $100,000 fee for companies seeking H-1B applications.
A federal judge struck down that order, reasoning that it amounted to a tax that only Congress has the ability to impose.
politics, jobs, tech, microsoft, big tech backlash
INTERNACIONAL
Era el estilista de las celebridades, apareció muerto junto a su madre y una carta escondía la verdad
Mauricio Leal era uno de los estilistas más reconocidos de Colombia. Dueño de un exclusivo salón de belleza en Bogotá, trabajaba con actrices, modelos, cantantes e influencers, y había construido una exitosa carrera que lo convirtió en una figura muy querida dentro del mundo del espectáculo.
Pero el 22 de noviembre de 2021 su nombre comenzó a ocupar las portadas de todos los medios por un motivo completamente distinto. Ese día fue encontrado muerto junto a su madre, Marleny Hernández, en la casa que ambos compartían en La Calera, un municipio ubicado en las afueras de Bogotá.
Lo que en un principio parecía un homicidio seguido de suicidio terminó convirtiéndose en uno de los casos policiales más impactantes de la historia reciente de Colombia, con una investigación que descubrió una escena cuidadosamente montada y reveló que el asesino era una persona de su entorno más cercano.
El hallazgo
La mañana del 22 de noviembre, familiares y allegados comenzaron a preocuparse porque Mauricio no respondía los llamados ni los mensajes. Poco después, las autoridades ingresaron a la casa y encontraron una escena estremecedora.
El peluquero y su madre estaban muertos dentro de la casa, ambos con múltiples puñaladas. Junto al cuerpo de Mauricio se encontró una carta escrita a mano en la que, supuestamente, confesaba haber asesinado a su madre para luego quitarse la vida. “No puedo más”, decía ese documento, que después se convirtió en la principal prueba de la causa.
Durante las primeras horas, esa hipótesis pareció convencer a parte de los investigadores. Sin embargo, había varios detalles que no terminaban de cerrar.
Las heridas, la posición de los cuerpos y distintos elementos hallados en la propiedad despertaron sospechas entre los peritos, que comenzaron a reconstruir minuto a minuto lo que había ocurrido. El peluquero Mauricio Leal junto a su madre, Marleny. Ambos fueron asesinados en noviembre de 2021. (Foto: City TV)
Con el avance de las pericias forenses, la teoría del homicidio seguido de suicidio empezó a derrumbarse. Los especialistas concluyeron que Mauricio había sido obligado a escribir la carta antes de morir y que, debido a la gravedad de las heridas que presentaba, era prácticamente imposible que hubiera podido redactarla por voluntad propia después de atacar a su madre.
Además, el análisis de la escena permitió establecer que alguien había intentado alterar la evidencia para hacer creer que se trataba de un suicidio.
La investigación dio entonces un giro total: ya no buscaban explicar una tragedia familiar, sino identificar al responsable de un doble homicidio cuidadosamente planificado.
El principal sospechoso
A medida que avanzaban las declaraciones y el análisis de cámaras de seguridad, todas las miradas comenzaron a dirigirse hacia Jhonier Leal, hermano mayor de Mauricio.
Los investigadores detectaron inconsistencias en sus declaraciones y movimientos que no coincidían con el relato que había dado sobre las horas previas al crimen. Jhonier y Mauricio Leal. (Foto: La República)
También encontraron pruebas que indicaban que había manipulado distintos elementos de la escena y que había permanecido en la casa durante un tiempo mayor al que había reconocido.
La Fiscalía colombiana sostuvo que el hombre había organizado el asesinato con un objetivo económico: quedarse con la importante fortuna de Mauricio, que incluía propiedades, vehículos, empresas y otros bienes obtenidos durante años de trabajo.
En enero de 2022, apenas dos meses después del crimen, Jhonier Leal fue detenido e imputado por el doble homicidio.
Durante una audiencia sorprendió al admitir su responsabilidad. Entre lágrimas, aceptó haber asesinado tanto a su hermano como a su madre y pidió perdón a su familia.
Sin embargo, poco tiempo después cambió completamente su estrategia judicial. Su defensa aseguró que había sido presionado para declararse culpable e intentó retractarse de la confesión, por lo que el proceso continuó con la presentación de pruebas periciales, testimonios y reconstrucciones realizadas por la Fiscalía. Mauricio Leal era conocido como el «peluquero de las estrellas» en Colombia. (Foto: El Universo)
Leé también: La consideraban como una hija, pero ella los traicionó: una joven secuestró a sus vecinos para robarles y luego los enterró vivos
La condena
Tras analizar toda la evidencia reunida durante la investigación, la Justicia concluyó que el doble crimen había sido cometido por Jhonier Leal y que el móvil había sido económico.
Los jueces consideraron probado que asesinó a su hermano y a su madre, que intentó simular un homicidio seguido de suicidio mediante la carta encontrada junto al cuerpo de Mauricio y que alteró la escena para desviar la investigación.
En junio de 2024 fue condenado a más de 55 años de prisión por el doble homicidio agravado.
Colombia, Asesinato
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