INTERNACIONAL
Hamas influence looms over Gaza elections as experts warn vote could backfire
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On Saturday, Gazans in Deir al-Balah will go to the polls to elect new local leaders for the first time in 22 years — a move experts warn could allow Hamas room to maintain influence as it refuses to comply with ceasefire disarmament terms.
The Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer told Fox News Digital that «when you hold elections in the Palestinian Authority and the timing’s not right and the circumstances are still dicey, you get Hamas victories.»
Schanzer said the Bush administration’s 2006 decision to advocate for elections, which «led to Hamas winning, and it led to a standoff which led to a civil war,» adding that «you’ve got to be really careful when it comes to holding elections with a territory like Gaza in particular, where Hamas has so much control, and where terrorist organizations are still considered to be legitimate players.»
EXPERTS URGE TRUMP TO BAN TERROR-LINKED UN AGENCY FROM HIS GAZA PEACE PLAN
Gazan journalists and media personnel continue to be posthumously identified as members of terrorist groups, highlighting the difficulty of distinguishing terror affiliates from civilians.
Election campaign banners showing candidates for the upcoming municipal elections hang on a building in Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on April 21, 2026. On April 25, voters will choose representatives in cities, towns and villages across the West Bank, with the ballot happening in part of the Gaza Strip in the first such election since the start of the war there in Oct. 2023. (Eyad Baba / AFP via Getty Images)
Four parties are contesting the election in Deir al-Balah. To be eligible, candidates were asked to accept the Palestine Liberation Organization and the terms of agreements it has previously made, including recognition of the State of Israel and endorsement of a two-state solution, according to reporting by the Center for Peace Communications.
However, many are concerned that one party, Deir al-Balah Unites Us, is affiliated with Hamas. Two of its candidates have been pictured with Hamas officials or police officers.
Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, posted on X that «holding elections in Gaza at this time is extremely reckless and irresponsible,» noting that «Gazans are being arrested, jailed, tortured, shot, and killed daily for social media posts and anything they say that’s perceived as being critical of Hamas. These elections should be halted and prevented from proceeding, for they are meddling with the transition process that the Board of Peace, [National Council for the Administration of Gaza], and the international community have planned for Gaza, with Hamas’s disarmament and relinquishment of power being the first necessary step.»
TRUMP SAYS ‘REAL CHANCE FOR GREATNESS’ AS NETANYAHU WHITE HOUSE MEETING LOOMS FOR GAZA TALKS
Disarmament of Hamas, a key demand within the second phase of President Donald Trump’s ceasefire agreement, has yet to be completed. Reports indicate that Hamas has increased its hold in Gaza as of March, continuing to tax locals, building education systems, and placing police throughout the territory they hold.
Hamas terrorists stand guard in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Feb. 22, 2025, during the handover of hostages as part of a ceasefire and hostages-prisoners swap deal with Israel. (Hatem Khaled/Reuters)
Schanzer says that Hamas is unlikely to hand over its arms. If they were to do so, he said that they «will try to make distinctions between weapons,» possibly offering to give up heavy weapons like RPGs while maintaining a large arsenal of automatic weapons.
Hamas appears to have made a partial disarmament offer. The New York Times reported on April 19 that two Hamas officials said they would hand over thousands of weapons from their police force and other security institutions. The officials «did not provide a clear answer» when asked if weapons from Hamas’ so-called military wing would be included.
HAMAS FACES ‘LEGITIMACY CRISIS’ AS DESPERATE GAZANS FLOCK TO US-BACKED AID CENTERS
President Donald Trump holds up a signed agreement during a world leaders summit focused on ending the Gaza war in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, on Oct. 13. (Suzanne Plunkett/Getty Images)
Schanzer pushed back on claims that Hamas’ political and military wings operate separately. «That is a fiction. The idea that they are separate in any way or that there is a firewall between them is asinine.» He said that this is «a distinction that has been made up by the West in order to be able to have political relations with Hamas, or to justify elections. It’s a mistake to buy into that fiction.»
Schanzer said weakening Iran could be key to minimizing Hamas’ influence. «The psychological impact of their top patron being defeated on the battlefield, I can’t overstate how important that event could be,» he said. «It would be a gut punch to Hamas.»
An election campaign starts in the city of Deir al-Balah, Gaza on April 12, 2026, as part of the local elections scheduled for April 25. While posters and works regarding the election process continue in the city, citizens follow the developments closely. (Mohammed Eslayeh/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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With Israel controlling about 53% of the Gaza Strip and Hamas the remaining 47%, Schanzer said «we could continue to see the erosion of Hamas control» amid the «slow and steady process of Israel winning on the ground.» He said patience, though, is necessary, adding that «the enemies of the United States and Israel and the West have a very different timeline. They want to wait out everybody because they know that we’d like to move on.»
The Trump administration did not respond to Fox News Digital’s questions about whether a partial disarmament would satisfy its ceasefire terms, or if it would take action to stall elections until there’s more stability in Gaza
hamas, war with iran, israel, terrorism
INTERNACIONAL
El rey Carlos III viaja a Estados Unidos en medio de la tensión con Trump por la nueva controversia sobre las Malvinas
El rey Carlos III iniciará este lunes una visita oficial a Estados Unidos que, lejos de ser un simple gesto protocolar, estará atravesada por un delicado escenario político y diplomático.
El viaje, que se extenderá durante cuatro días, coincide con una creciente controversia internacional tras la filtración de un documento interno del Pentágono que menciona la posibilidad de retirar el respaldo estadounidense al Reino Unido en su disputa con la Argentina por las Islas Malvinas.
La gira, organizada a pedido del gobierno británico, tiene como objetivo formal conmemorar los 250 años de la independencia estadounidense y reforzar los históricos lazos entre ambos países. Sin embargo, el contexto actual amenaza con eclipsar ese propósito. En particular, el vínculo entre el presidente Donald Trump y el primer ministro Keir Starmer atraviesa uno de sus momentos más tensos desde que ambos coinciden en el poder. El vínculo entre el presidente Donald Trump y el primer ministro Keir Starmer atraviesa uno de sus momentos más tensos. (Foto: The New York Times)
Una reciente publicación de la agencia Reuters encendió las alarmas en Londres. Según el informe, un correo electrónico del Departamento de Defensa estadounidense analiza posibles represalias contra aliados de la OTAN que no respaldaron plenamente las operaciones militares de Washington en su conflicto con Irán. Entre esas medidas, se menciona la eventual suspensión del apoyo a Reino Unido en el conflicto por Malvinas.
Desde el gobierno británico buscaron bajar el tono de la controversia. Un portavoz oficial afirmó que la postura sobre la soberanía de las islas “no ha cambiado” y subrayó el principio de autodeterminación de los habitantes del archipiélago. Aun así, la filtración generó incomodidad en un momento especialmente sensible.
El trasfondo de este episodio se vincula con la guerra iniciada el 28 de febrero contra Irán, en la que algunos aliados occidentales mostraron reticencias a conceder facilidades logísticas a Estados Unidos. Esa falta de alineamiento habría motivado el análisis de sanciones, según fuentes citadas en el informe.
Leé también: Fuerte respuesta de la canciller del Reino Unido a EE.UU.: “Las Islas Malvinas son británicas”
Las diferencias entre Washington y Londres no son nuevas, pero se profundizaron en los últimos meses. Trump criticó duramente al gobierno laborista británico por sus reservas frente a los bombardeos sobre Irán y llegó a cuestionar el liderazgo de Starmer con comparaciones poco diplomáticas.
En ese contexto, la visita de Carlos III aparece como un intento de recomponer la llamada “relación especial” entre ambos países. El propio Trump sugirió que el viaje podría contribuir a limar asperezas, mientras que el monarca se prepara para pronunciar un discurso ante el Congreso estadounidense, un hecho poco frecuente: será el primero de un rey británico desde la intervención de Isabel II en 1991.
Pero la agenda del viaje no se limita a la política internacional. Otro foco de atención será el escándalo vinculado a Jeffrey Epstein, que vuelve a salpicar a la familia real británica. El caso involucra al hermano del rey, Andrés Mountbatten-Windsor, quien enfrenta investigaciones judiciales por su presunta relación con el fallecido financista acusado de tráfico sexual.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, hermano menor del rey Carlos III, se retira de una comisaría de Aylsham tras ser arrestado bajo sospecha de mala conducta en la función pública, luego de que el Departamento de Justicia de Estados Unidos difundiera nuevos documentos vinculados a financista Jeffrey Epstein. (Foto: Reuters)
En los últimos meses, la situación se agravó con la difusión de nuevos documentos y fotografías comprometedoras. Carlos III ya tomó distancia institucional al retirarle a Andrés sus títulos reales y permitir que avance la investigación judicial. Sin embargo, el tema sigue generando presión política, especialmente en Estados Unidos, donde algunos legisladores han pedido que el duque declare ante el Congreso.
Incluso, el congresista demócrata Ro Khanna solicitó al monarca que se reúna con víctimas del caso Epstein durante su visita. El Palacio de Buckingham rechazó esa posibilidad, argumentando que podría interferir con los procesos judiciales en curso.
Rey Carlos III, Donald Trump, Estados Unidos
INTERNACIONAL
Neo-Nazi, Klan ‘Cyclops’ and ‘Sadistic’ biker: Here’s who SPLC paid in its informant network
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The Montgomery-based Southern Poverty Law Center was indicted this week on federal fraud charges stemming from a years-long covert paid informant program, which Justice Department officials said allocated millions of dollars in donations to a network of informants affiliated with or closely tied to White supremacist and neo-Nazi groups.
The 11-count indictment accuses the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) of wire fraud, false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering.
According to the Justice Department, the SPLC sent some $3 million to its paid informants between 2014 and 2023 — including persons affiliated with the United Klans of America, the National Socialist Party of America, and the Aryan Nations-linked «Sadistic Souls Motorcycle Club,» among others.
Senior Trump administration officials took aim at the covert paid informant program, which funneled outside donations, at least in part, to informants affiliated with the same extremist groups the SPLC was founded decades earlier to oppose.
SPLC FACES BLOWBACK FROM ‘HATE MAP’ TARGETS AFTER DOJ FRAUD INDICTMENT
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche spoke during a press conference alongside FBI Director Kash Patel at the Department of Justice on April 21, 2026, in Washington, D.C., following the indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center on charges related to money laundering. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)
»As the indictment describes, the SPLC was not dismantling these groups,» Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told reporters Tuesday at a press conference.
«It was instead manufacturing the extremism it purports to oppose by paying sources to stoke racial hatred.»
The SPLC’s paid informant program funded individuals with ties to the Ku Klux Klan, the National Socialist Party of America, and others — including a member of an online «leadership chat group» that helped plan the deadly «Unite the Right» rally in Charlottesville, officials said.
Here are the top five most eye-popping paid informants revealed in this week’s indictment.
1. The Charlottesville coordinator
Among the paid informants identified in the indictment is a member of an online «leadership chat group» that Blanche said helped plan the deadly 2017 «Unite the Right» event in Charlottesville, Virginia.
The individual, referred to only as «F-37,» attended the event at the direction of the SPLC and was paid more than $270,000 for his or her work as an informant between 2015 and 2023, according to the indictment.
The indictment alleges that the individual shared «racist social media posts and helped organize transportation to events» associated with the deadly rally.
The news that the informant helped coordinate logistics, at least in some small part, for the deadly rally while under SPLC supervision is significant, especially given that the aftermath of the event prompted a new influx of donations to the nonprofit.
«They lied to their donors, vowing to dismantle violent extremist groups, and actually turned around and paid the leaders of these very extremist groups — even utilizing the funds to have these groups facilitate the commission of state and federal crimes,» FBI Director Kash Patel said. «That is illegal — and this is an ongoing investigation against all individuals involved.»
SUPREME COURT CLEARS PATH FOR DOJ TO ERASE STEVE BANNON’S JAN 6 CONVICTION
Clashes occurred at the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va., on Aug. 12, 2017. (Evelyn Hockstein/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)
2. A million-dollar burglar
One longtime member of the National Alliance, a White supremacist group tied to multiple violent attacks, profited handsomely from the SPLC in his role as a paid informant.
According to the indictment, SPLC paid the National Alliance member more than $1 million over a nine-year period for his role, which included clandestine activities such as breaking into the group’s headquarters to steal some 25 boxes of documents, which he photocopied and distributed to the SPLC.
The group appears to have later used those documents to create a report about the National Alliance.
After the stolen documents were utilized partly in public, SPLC paid another National Alliance member $6,000 to falsely take responsibility for the theft.
The National Alliance and the writings of its founder have been closely associated with a litany of violent attacks since the 1980s, including a 1999 multi-state shooting spree targeting minorities and Jewish Americans, and the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.
TRUMP ADMIN AGENCIES COORDINATING TO EXPOSE BIDEN ADMIN’S ‘PROLIFIC AND DANGEROUS’ WEAPONIZATION OF GOVERNMENT
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Assistant Attorney General for the Fraud Division Colin McDonald leave the Justice Department after a news conference on the Trump administration’s anti-fraud efforts in Washington on April 7, 2026. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
3. The ‘extremist file’ chairman
The SPLC also shelled out more than $140,000 to a paid informant who chaired the National Alliance neo-Nazi group.
The indictment accuses the SPLC of funneling tens of thousands of dollars to the individual between 2016 and 2023.
At least some of the payments occurred at the same time the National Alliance chairman himself was listed on the SPLC’s website, as part of its public «Extremist File» website — a striking and somewhat ironic fact, given that the site was warning the public about how dangerous the individual was.
4. Klan ‘Imperial Wizard’
Among the paid informants was an «Imperial Wizard» of The United Klans of America, a White supremacist group that the SPLC has linked to the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama, that killed four young girls and injured more than a dozen others.
Martin Luther King Jr. described the bombing, which exploded 19 sticks of pre-laid dynamite beneath the steps of a local church, as «one of the most vicious and tragic crimes ever perpetrated against humanity.» It was unclear how much the paid informant received from the SPLC.
Separately, SPLC also funneled money to a Ku Klux Klan member and spouse of an «Exalted Cyclops» — or a local Klan leader tasked with overseeing membership, organizing meetings, and directing activities.
According to the indictment, the informant’s link to the SPLC became known during the KKK chapter’s application to partake in the «Adopt-A-Highway» program, resulting in the discovery of more than $3,500 in known payments from the SPLC.
‘WHITE SAVIORS» USE OF WHISTLES CAUSES BITTER INTERNAL RIFT INSIDE ANTI-ICE MOVEMENT
The Department of Justice building is seen in Washington, D.C. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty)
5. $300K ‘Sadistic Souls’ biker
During the six-year period between 2014 and 2020, the SPLC sent a staggering $300,000 to one paid informant, F-27, who was an officer in both the National Socialist Movement group and the Aryan Nations-affiliated Sadistic Souls Motorcycle Club.
The SPLC also sent some $160,000 to other extremist groups, including the former Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan.
No individuals were named in the indictment, though Blanche noted during a press conference Tuesday that the investigation is ongoing.
According to federal prosecutors, the SPLC’s paid informant program began in the 1980s, shortly after its founding in the 1970s, and allegedly relied on a series of bank accounts set up for fictitious entities and used to funnel the covert payments to informants.
«They’re required to under the laws associated with a nonprofit to have certain transparency and honesty in what they’re telling donors they’re going to spend money on and what their mission statement is and what they’re raising money doing,» Blanche said.
The news comes as the SPLC has seen an increase in public support in recent years — including a groundswell of donations following the 2017 Unite the Right rally, and from prominent donors including George Clooney and Apple CEO Tim Cook.
«Donors gave their money believing they were supporting the fight against violent extremism,» Kevin Davidson, the acting U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Alabama, said in a statement.
«As alleged, the SPLC instead diverted a portion of those funds to benefit individuals and groups they claimed to oppose,» Davidson added.
«That kind of deception undermines public trust and social cohesion.»
A spokesperson for the Southern Poverty Law Center told Fox News Digital earlier this week they are reviewing the indictment. The group has denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
«Taking on violent hate and extremist groups is among the most dangerous work there is, and we believe it is also among the most important work we do,» interim SPLC president Bryan Fair said this week in a statement. «The actions by the DOJ will not shake our resolve to fight for justice and ensure the promise of the Civil Rights Movement becomes a reality for all.»
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The spokesperson for the SPLC defended its work monitoring White supremacist groups and other violent extremist organizations — including via the paid informant program — telling Fox News Digital that their use has «saved lives.»
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Panamá se está consolidando como un hub logístico-farmacéutico regional en medio de un mercado de salud que en América Latina que superó los $135,980 millones en 2025, según un estudio de EY que identifica al país como uno de los puntos estratégicos en la transformación del sector en Centroamérica y el Caribe.
De acuerdo con el informe, el posicionamiento de Panamá no es casual. El país combina una plataforma logística de alcance global, experiencia en manejo de cadena de frío, conectividad internacional y un entorno regulatorio que ha sido reforzado recientemente con la Ley 419, lo que acelera procesos y facilita la entrada de productos al mercado.
El estudio explica, en términos simples, que Panamá se está volviendo clave porque permite que los medicamentos y equipos médicos lleguen más rápido a distintos países, funcionen como centro de redistribución y reduzcan costos logísticos para las empresas, algo que hoy es crítico en un mundo donde las cadenas de suministro están bajo presión.
Además, el país muestra un crecimiento sostenido en su gasto en salud, que alcanzó los $5,100 millones en 2024, lo que no solo refleja mayor demanda de servicios, sino también oportunidades para inversión privada, innovación tecnológica y expansión de servicios médicos especializados.
El informe destaca que Panamá también se beneficia de un contexto global donde las empresas buscan acercar sus operaciones a mercados estratégicos, un fenómeno conocido como nearshoring, que está llevando a que parte de la producción y distribución de insumos médicos se traslade desde Asia hacia regiones más cercanas a Estados Unidos.
En ese escenario, Panamá no compite por tamaño de mercado, sino por algo más estratégico: su capacidad de conectar, distribuir y operar con eficiencia. Según EY, esto convierte al país en una especie de plataforma regional de salud, donde convergen logística, regulación ágil y demanda creciente.
El estudio también advierte que esta transformación no ocurre aislada, sino en medio de cambios estructurales en la región. Uno de los principales es el envejecimiento de la población, ya que para 2030 una de cada seis personas tendrá más de 60 años, lo que incrementará la demanda de servicios médicos, tratamientos y tecnología sanitaria.
A esto se suma el aumento de enfermedades crónicas y la urbanización, factores que están presionando los sistemas de salud públicos y abriendo espacio para que el sector privado invierta en clínicas, tecnología, telemedicina y modelos híbridos de atención.
Otro punto clave del informe es que la digitalización dejó de ser opcional. Herramientas como la historia clínica digital, la inteligencia artificial y el monitoreo remoto están cambiando la forma en que se presta el servicio de salud, haciendo los sistemas más eficientes y reduciendo costos operativos.
En este contexto, Panamá tiene ventajas adicionales, ya que su infraestructura y conectividad permiten integrar soluciones digitales a escala regional, facilitando la expansión de servicios como la telemedicina y la gestión de datos clínicos.
El informe también identifica oportunidades específicas para el país, como el desarrollo del Pharmaceutical Hub, la expansión de la logística para ensayos clínicos, la distribución de medicamentos y el crecimiento del segmento de salud digital, que está ganando terreno en toda la región.
Más allá de Panamá, el estudio señala que la transformación del sector salud se está dando de forma conjunta en varios países. Costa Rica lidera en manufactura de dispositivos médicos, República Dominicana se posiciona como uno de los principales exportadores del sector, mientras que Guatemala destaca como el mayor mercado farmacéutico de Centroamérica.
En conjunto, estos países están configurando un nuevo corredor estratégico de salud en América Latina, donde cada uno cumple un rol específico dentro de la cadena de valor: producción, distribución, regulación y servicios especializados.
Para EY, la clave del futuro está en la convergencia de tres factores: regulación ágil, uso de datos y financiamiento inteligente, elementos que determinarán qué países liderarán el desarrollo del sector en los próximos años.
En ese escenario, Panamá aparece bien posicionado, pero con un reto claro: aprovechar este momento para consolidar su papel no solo como punto de paso, sino como un centro integral de servicios de salud, innovación y logística en la región.
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El Gobierno le respondió al Reino Unido y se tensiona la discusión por Malvinas: “Fueron, son y serán argentinas”
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Pro cuestionó la decisión de la Casa Rosada de prohibir el ingreso de los periodistas acreditados
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Victoria Villarruel dijo que se bajó de la misa por Francisco porque estaba “lo peor de la casta”
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Victoria Villarruel dijo que se bajó de la misa por Francisco porque estaba “lo peor de la casta”
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Paolo Rocca le pidió a Mauricio Macri sostener la participación de Pro en las próximas elecciones nacionales
