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UK bans ninja swords in move to crack down on violent knife crime
Brits have until Aug. 1 to get rid of all their ninja swords as the U.K.’s Labour government looks to crack down on knife crime.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Thursday that «ninja swords» specifically will be banned this summer after the 2022 murder of 16-year-old Ronan Kanda, who was stabbed to death by a ninja sword just outside his home.
«Confirmed: Ninja swords will be banned by this summer,» Starmer said in a post on X. «When we promise action we take it.»
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An activist wearing a T-shirt with the slogan «Put Knives Down!» stands in front of pictures of victims of knife crime during a demonstration outside New Scotland Yard. (Vuk Valcic/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The new ban, «Ronan’s Law,» will now make it illegal to possess, sell, make or import ninja swords.
«Since losing our beautiful boy Ronan, we have relentlessly campaigned for a ban on ninja swords, the lethal weapon which took his life,» Pooja Kanda, the mother to the 16-year-old boy, said, according to a government readout. «We believe ninja swords have no place in our society other than to seriously harm and kill.
«Each step towards tackling knife crime is a step towards getting justice for our boy Ronan.»
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The British government has set up a surrender process for any owner of a ninja sword, defined as a blade between 14 inches and 24 inches «with one straight cutting edge with a tanto-style point.»
«From 1 August, anyone caught in possession of a ninja sword in private could face 6 months in prison, and this will later increase to 2 years under new measures in the Crime and Policing Bill,» the government said in a statement. «There is already a penalty of up to 4 years in prison for carrying any weapon in public.»
Knife crime has long plagued the U.K. and though offenses involving a «sharp instrument» committed last year across England and Wales were down from a 15-year peak in 2019, they were still substantially higher than crimes reported in 2010, when 33,800 crimes were reported, versus the 50,500 cases in 2024.
A person views knives available to purchase via an online website. (Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images)
A sharp instrument, according to the U.K., could include knives, but it could also include the use of a broken bottle to commit an offense.
The U.K. saw a significant drop from the 52,000 cases involving a «sharp instrument» reported in 2019 by the following year with 41,700 cases reported.
But these incidents have continued to increase each year since.
Nearly two dozen different types of knives are already banned in the UK, including swords that are not a part of a national uniform, switch blades, zombie knives, belt buckle knives or butterfly knives, to name a few.
Knives that are permitted are those used for cooking or while working and have a cutting edge of no more than three inches.
Though the government states that «it’s illegal to use any knife or weapon in a threatening way.»
Under Ronan’s Law, jail sentences were also increased for selling knives to minors and the illegal sale of banned knives.
An officer outside All Saints Catholic High School on Granville Road in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, after a 15-year-old boy died in a stabbing at the school Feb. 3, 2025. (Danny Lawson/PA Images via Getty Images)
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«Knife crime is destroying young lives as too many teenagers are being drawn into violence, and it is far too easy for them to get hold of dangerous weapons,» Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said in a statement. «Ronan Kanda was just 16 when he was ruthlessly killed by two boys only a year older than him.
«We are acting with urgency to bring forward measures to prevent deadly weapons from getting into the wrong hands and will continue to do whatever is needed to prevent young people being killed on our streets as part of our mission to halve knife crime over the next decade.»
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Israeli intelligence sources reject claims Jeffrey Epstein was Mossad operative following document releases
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A wave of recent reporting and newly released documents detailing the relationship between former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Jeffrey Epstein has reignited claims that Epstein worked for Israel’s Mossad, a theory Israeli intelligence sources and senior political leaders are forcefully rejecting.
Ex-Israeli intelligence officials told Fox News Digital that Epstein never worked for Mossad, describing the allegation as baseless and inconsistent with how the agency operates.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly pushed back on the claims, writing on X: «Jeffrey Epstein’s unusual close relationship with Ehud Barak doesn’t suggest Epstein worked for Israel. It proves the opposite.»
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In the same post, Netanyahu escalated his criticism, writing: «Stuck on his election loss from over two decades ago, Barak has for years obsessively attempted to undermine Israeli democracy by working with the anti-Zionist radical left in failed attempts to overthrow the elected Israeli government.»
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett also sharply dismissed the accusations, writing: «As a former Israeli Prime Minister, with the Mossad having reported directly to me, I say to you with 100% certainty: The accusation that Jeffrey Epstein somehow worked for Israel or the Mossad ran a blackmail ring is categorically and totally false. Epstein’s conduct, both the criminal and the merely despicable, had nothing whatsoever to do with the Mossad or the State of Israel. Epstein never worked for the Mossad.»
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak is seen in this handout image from the estate of late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee on Dec. 12, 2025. (House Oversight Committee Democrats/Handout via Reuters)
Ex-Mossad director Yossi Cohen also rejected the claims in a podcast interview with The Free Press, saying Epstein had «absolutely nothing» to do with the Mossad — «not an agent, not an operative, nothing.»
The strong denials come amid renewed scrutiny of emails, financial records and communications included in U.S. Justice Department materials and other public reporting, none of which indicate that Epstein cooperated with Israeli intelligence.
Barak, who served as prime minister from 1999 to 2001 and later as defense minister in Netanyahu’s government, has become one of Netanyahu’s most vocal political opponents.
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Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak during a press conference on July 25, 2019, in Tel Aviv. (Amir Levy/Getty Images)
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Barak’s office fired back, describing Netanyahu’s remarks as politically motivated and reiterating that he regrets ever meeting Epstein while denying any wrongdoing.
«Barak has repeatedly and publicly stated that he regrets ever meeting Jeffrey Epstein. There is no credible allegation—none—that Barak engaged in any illegal or inappropriate conduct,» the statement said.
Barak’s office also called Netanyahu’s attacks «the desperate acts of a failed and panicked politician» and «a pathetic attempt to divert attention from his catastrophic record,» accusing the prime minister of attempting to shift blame for national failures.
Newly surfaced materials continue to document Barak’s personal and professional interactions with Epstein, including stays at Epstein’s New York apartment and meetings arranged through the financier.
EXCLUSIVE: EPSTEIN EMAILS RELEASED AS DOJ SAYS NO CRIMINAL OR INAPPROPRIATE CONDUCT BY TRUMP
Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in federal custody in 2019. (New York State Sex Offender Registry via AP, File)
Emails cited in document releases describe the apartment as being used by Barak and his then-wife during visits to the United States, with staff coordinating logistics and maintenance requests tied to the property.
Other communications referenced financial ties and introductions facilitated by Epstein, including meetings with prominent business figures, as well as broader correspondence and internal notes referencing allegations, warnings and speculation surrounding Epstein’s activities.
Barak has acknowledged meeting Epstein multiple times and said he regrets the association. In a previous interview, he said he never witnessed improper behavior and never participated in anything illegal.
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«At times during my occasional visits to the United States, I was sometimes a participant in a breakfast or lunch or dinner at his New York townhouse, together with respected American public figures,» Barak said. «At no point in my dealings with him did I ever witness any improper behavior, and I certainly never participated in anything like that.»
jeffrey epstein,israel,benjamin netanyahu,anti semitism
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Transición en Venezuela: Delcy Rodríguez eliminó por decreto programas sociales y entes emblemáticos del entramado chavista
La sucesora del dictador narco Nicolás Maduro, Delcy Rodríguez, eliminó siete organismos del entramado construido por el chavismo durante más de dos décadas, incluyendo programas sociales, fundaciones y un organismo de coordinación de inteligencia y seguridad del Estado.
La decisión quedó establecida en el Decreto N.º 5.248, que ordena la supresión y liquidación de entes adscritos al Ministerio del Poder Popular para el Despacho de la Presidencia y Seguimiento de la Gestión de Gobierno.
Entre las entidades eliminadas destacan:
- Centro Estratégico de Seguridad y Protección de la Patria (Cesppa): fue creado en 2013 y centralizaba la coordinación de información sobre seguridad, defensa, inteligencia, orden interno y relaciones exteriores. Su función era “unificar el flujo informativo sobre los aspectos estratégicos sensibles” del Estado.
- Fundación Propatria 2000: se encargaba de la ejecución de obras de infraestructura, rehabilitación de espacios públicos y proyectos especiales. Es la entidad suprimida con más denuncias de corrupción. Entre 2013 y 2015, el proyecto “Gimnasios Verticales” fue señalado por adjudicar contratos millonarios a empresas sin experiencia y con vínculos irregulares, algunas investigadas por lavado en Colombia y Panamá. Algunas investigaciones revelaron sobreprecios, obras inconclusas y transferencias sospechosas desde el Banco de Venezuela a la fundación. Se estima que parte de los fondos se desviaron a través de contratistas cercanos al régimen.
- Fundación Misión Jóvenes de la Patria “Robert Serra”: impulsaba proyectos de formación, producción y emprendimiento dirigidos a la población juvenil. Su desaparición deja sin soporte institucional a programas de desarrollo de jóvenes gestionados desde el despacho presidencial.
- Oficina Presidencial de Planes y Proyectos Especiales (OPPPE): fue creada en 2011 para coordinar y ejecutar acciones de desarrollo urbanístico, arquitectónico y paisajista. Diversos reportes han denunciado contrataciones directas y sin licitación en proyectos emblemáticos como el mausoleo de Bolívar y otras obras inconclusas o sobrevaloradas. Transparencia Venezuela y otras organizaciones han señalado opacidad en la asignación de contratos y desvío de fondos.
- Fundación José Félix Ribas (Fundaribas): activa desde 1986 en la prevención y tratamiento del consumo de drogas.
- Fundación Movimiento Bolivariano Revolucionario de la Reserva Activa General en Jefe Félix Antonio Velásquez: desde 2016 impulsaba programas de desarrollo socio-productivo en áreas agroalimentarias, farmacéuticas e industriales.
- Misión Socialista Nueva Frontera de Paz: creada en 2015 para la atención de zonas fronterizas y de seguridad.
El decreto ordena el inicio inmediato del proceso de liquidación de estos organismos y la conformación de una junta que supervisará el cierre administrativo, la revisión de bienes y la adecuación institucional.
“Se ordena la supresión y el inicio del proceso de liquidación de los entes adscritos al Ministerio del Poder Popular para el Despacho de la Presidencia y Seguimiento de la Gestión de Gobierno”, indica el texto oficial.
Algunas funciones no desaparecen, sino que serán reasignadas. Por ejemplo, el trabajo de prevención de adicciones de Fundaribas pasará a la Fundación Misión Negra Hipólita. La gestión de la Misión Socialista Nueva Frontera de Paz será responsabilidad de la cancillería. Otros entes, como el Cuerpo Nacional Contra la Corrupción y la Fundación Movimiento por la Paz y la Vida, fueron transferidos al Ministerio de Interior, Justicia y Paz, mientras que la Fundación Radio Miraflores queda bajo el Ministerio de Comunicación e Información.
La lista incluye también el Consejo Nacional para el Desarrollo de las Comunidades Afrodescendientes, ahora bajo el Ministerio de Educación, y el Instituto de Altos Estudios del Pensamiento Hugo Chávez, que pasa al Ministerio de Educación Universitaria.
El documento sostiene que esta reorganización “resulta obligatoria para adecuar la gestión pública a los objetivos actuales”. El proceso entró en vigencia el mismo día de la publicación en la Gaceta Oficial y marca un cambio en la administración de programas sociales, estructuras de seguridad y fundaciones históricas del chavismo.
South America / Central America
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Democratic lawmakers say President Donald Trump’s redistricting gambit is backfiring as Virginia’s Democratic-controlled Senate advanced new congressional maps that could chip away at the House GOP’s majority.
The Virginia Senate voted 21-16 along party lines on Wednesday to pass a set of new congressional maps that would leave just one Republican district in play.
Republicans currently hold five.
To Republicans like Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., that’s too drastic a swing for a state that only has 11 districts to begin with. Even in light of similar redistricting pushes in Texas, California and other states, Wittman believes Virginia’s case is unique.
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President Donald Trump speaks to reporters and members of the media at Mar-a-Lago on Feb. 1, 2026, in Palm Beach, Fla. (Al Drago/Getty Images)
«This partisan power grab is not reflective of Virginia. Virginia is a 6-5 congressional delegation: six Democrats, five Republicans. And now they want to go to 10 Democrats, one Republican — 92%,» Wittman said.
«They’re going to disenfranchise most Virginians, if not all of them, that are Republican or independent.»
Despite the size of the change the maps would bring, Democrats believe it’s just the latest continuation of a fight that Trump started.
«You have to fight fire with fire,» Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., told Fox News Digital.
«The voters that I’m talking to feel that we can’t just sit back and be victims of redistricting. I don’t think this would be happening unless [Trump] pushed for redistricting in Texas and other red states,» Subramanyam said.
When asked if he thinks the changes would go too far, Subramanyam said he thinks Republicans will have a chance to press their case at the ballot box.
«If Republicans can win over the hearts and minds of Virginians, they will have a good cycle. It’s a very volatile map in that sense, and so I know many have argued that this is actually fair. I would say that it’s certainly a map where, if Republicans campaign well and their message resonates, they can win too,» Subramanyam said.
Since Trump urged lawmakers in Texas to push through a map change in July 2025, state legislatures across the country have explored ways to squeeze out a congressional advantage where control of the House hangs by a two-seat thread.
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Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., speaks during a news conference on Oct. 14, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)
Virginia’s map change, on its own, would give Democrats a path to flipping control of the chamber in November.
But the maps aren’t a sure thing. Their implementation turns on pending legal battles about whether the shakeup complies with the state’s constitutional requirements, according to a complaint filed late last year.
On Friday, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled that the redistricting consideration could continue while it deliberates over a final ruling on whether the maps are permissible.
To become official, maps will also require a statewide constitutional referendum. Under current law, Virginia’s constitution outlaws gerrymandering, the practice of drawing congressional districts to purposefully benefit a political party.
Subramanyam said the referendum gives voters a chance to express their will.
«It will come down to the voters. One good thing in Virginia is that people will have a say and can vote on the referendum in April. Folks in Texas, like where my family still lives, didn’t have a choice,» Subramanyam said, noting that Texas’s redistricting push didn’t require a constitutional amendment and was decided purely by the legislature.
Wittman believes the fact Virginia is looking to upend its own constitution should make the reshuffle a foregone conclusion.
When asked whether he sees Virginia’s redistricting question as a consequence of the redistricting in Texas, Wittman said the two situations differ because of existing state law.
JEFFRIES SAYS GOP ‘DONE EFF’D UP IN TEXAS,’ VOWS THEY WON’T WIN FIVE SEATS: ‘THEY CAN’T IGNORE IT’
Sen. Phil King, R-Texas, displays a map during a Special Committee on Congressional Redistricting public testimony hearing on Aug. 7, 2025, in Austin. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
«Each state has their own constitution as to how they put together their congressional districts. Virginia’s is very clear. A super majority of voters — 66% of the voters — said we want a bipartisan redistricting commission. That’s Virginia,» Wittman said, referring to the 2020 vote in Virginia that outlawed gerrymandering.
«Texas is doing what Texas and its constitution allow,» he added.
Upon teeing up that referendum, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger framed the action as a way to give Virginians a voice in a national debate over congressional redistricting.
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«Virginia voters deserve the opportunity to respond to nationwide attacks on our rights, freedoms and elections… I trust Virginia voters to respond,» Spanberger said in a statement.
Voters in the state will consider whether to «temporarily adopt new congressional districts to restore fairness in the upcoming elections» on April 21.
congress,virginia,democratic party,politics
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