Can hackers pull your fingerprints from photos on social media? Experts explain.

June 1, 2026 / 8:46 AM EDT / CBS News

One of the latest culprits of online panic has arrived in the form of a peace sign selfie.

Social media posts claiming that hackers can extract fingerprints from photo subjects flashing peace signs online and enhance them using artificial intelligence have garnered thousands of likes and sparked anxiety for some.

“Just end AI already!” wrote one Instagram user, whose comment received more than 16,000 likes. “It’s clearly a threat to humanity and not here to help regular people.”

Another Instagram user lamented that they will have to change how they take their selfies.

Experts say that’s probably not necessary. While it is possible for fingerprints to be pulled from a photo, the risk is low for the average person.

“You have a better chance of being hit by a car tomorrow than this happening to you in your lifetime,” said Justin Cappos, a New York University professor and cybersecurity expert whose research has been adopted by companies like Google and Palantir.

Many of the social media posts appear to have stemmed from an April segment on a Chinese television show featuring an expert who showed how taking a peace sign selfie with your fingerprints visible within a few feet of the camera could allow cybercriminals to digitally extract them. If hackers are successful in extracting a fingerprint, they could potentially use it to breach sensitive accounts that use fingerprints for access.Unlike passwords, biometric data can’t be changed.

“This sounds like the stuff out of spy novels or ‘Mission Impossible,’” said Vyas Sekar, an electrical and computer engineering professor at Carnegie Mellon University. “In theory, it’s possible, especially if people are posting high resolution images.”

There have been some cases. In 2014, a hacker reportedly claimed to have cloned a fingerprint of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, then Germany’s defense minister, using close-up photos taken at a press event. That same year, a team of security researchers at the cryptocurrency exchange, Kraken, were able to construct a fingerprint from a photo of one marked on a surface with the assistance of photoshop, a printer and glue.

But, even if a hacker were to obtain your fingerprint, to do anything with it, they would need access to the physical scanner your fingerprint unlocks — like on a laptop or a thumbprint pad at a bank.

A hacker also would need to be “fairly determined” and likely choose a “high-value target” that renders a fingerprint valuable, such as someone with access to a high-security facility, Sekar said.

For most people, there’s a higher likelihood of being targeted through a phishing scam like an email containing links to malware or fraudulent websites to extract personal information, Cappos said.

“I don’t think cyber criminals have started to try to weaponize it at any scale,” he said of extracting fingerprints. “Ten years from now, who knows if the landscape has shifted and cyber criminals are using this as an attack vector or something. But definitely, where we are today, this is not going to happen.”

Fourth US drug boat strike in a week kills more ‘narco-terrorists’

2026-06-01 09:21 EDT / Fox News

‘No U.S. military forces were harmed,’ SOUTHCOM noted

By Alex Nitzberg Fox News

Published June 1, 2026 9:21am EDT

US kills three ‘narco-terrorists’ in attack on vessel

U.S. Southern Command shared this footage on social media and indicated that three ‘narco-terrorists’ had been killed in the May 30th strike. (Credit: @Southcom/X)

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The U.S. military conducted a deadly strike against a vessel in the Pacific on Saturday, killing several alleged “narco-terrorists,” according to U.S. Southern Command.

That attack, which killed three men, was one of four such military strikes announced by SOUTHCOM last week.

“On May 30, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. Three male narco-terrorists were killed during this action. No U.S. military forces were harmed,” the post on X noted.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CRACKS DOWN ON BRAZIL’S BIGGEST DRUG GANGS WITH ‘GLOBAL TERROR’ DESIGNATION

A strike on Friday killed three men, while a strike on Wednesday killed two, SOUTHCOM reported.

A strike on Tuesday killed one person but others survived: “One male narco-terrorist was killed during this action, and there were two survivors. Following the engagement, USSOUTHCOM immediately notified the U.S. Coast Guard to activate the Search and Rescue system for the survivors,” SOUTHCOM noted in a post on X.

U.S. MILITARY KILLS ALLEGED NARCO-TERRORIST IN LETHAL STRIKE ON DRUG-TRAFFICKING VESSEL IN EASTERN PACIFIC

The U.S. conducted what it characterized as “self-defense strikes” against Iran over the weekend.

“U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) conducted self-defense strikes on Iranian radar and command and control sites for drones in Goruk, Iran and Qeshm Island this weekend. The measured and deliberate strikes occurred on Saturday and Sunday in response to aggressive Iranian actions that included the shootdown of a U.S. MQ-1 drone that was operating over international waters. U.S. fighter aircraft swiftly responded by eliminating Iranian air defenses, a ground control station, and two one-way attack drones that posed clear threats to ships transiting regional waters,” according to a press release.

“No American service members were harmed. CENTCOM will continue to protect U.S. assets and interests in response to unwarranted Iranian aggression during the ongoing ceasefire,” the release added.

US MILITARY ATTACKS IRAN IN ‘SELF-DEFENSE STRIKES’ OVER WEEKEND

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth listens as Adm. Brad Cooper, Commander of U.S. Central Command, speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon on April 16, 2026 in Arlington, Va.(Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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CENTCOM noted in a Monday post on X, “Last night at 11 p.m. ET, U.S. forces successfully intercepted two Iranian ballistic missiles targeting American forces based in Kuwait. These missiles were immediately defeated and no American personnel were harmed. U.S. Central Command remains vigilant and will continue to protect our forces from Iranian aggression while supporting the ongoing ceasefire.”

Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.

James Comey ’86 47′ seashell case prosecutor suddenly steps down, assistant US attorney steps in

June 1, 2026 8:36am EDT / Fox News

Former assistant FBI director calls Comey indictment a ‘long shot’

Former assistant FBI director Chris Swecker discusses the indictment of former FBI director James Comey on charges of allegedly threatening President Donald Trump on ‘Sunday Night in America.’

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The federal prosecutor handling the Justice Department’s criminal case against former FBI Director James Comey over his “86 47” seashell Instagram post has stepped down, according to a new court filing.

A notice of substitution filed Friday in the Eastern District of North Carolina says Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo will replace Matthew Petracca “as counsel for the government.”

The filing from U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina Ellis Boyle requested that Petracca be removed from the court docket but did not explain the change. Boyle had hired the rookie prosecutor for the case months ago.

Comey is facing two federal charges and up to 10 years in prison for his sharing the Instagram post showing seashells arranged to read “86 47,” potentially signaling would-be political assassins. Prosecutors have alleged the post amounted to “a serious expression of an intent to do harm” to President Donald Trump, the 47th president.

JAMES COMEY TELLS COLBERT WHAT LED TO HIM POSTING CONTROVERSIAL ’86 47′ INSTAGRAM POST

After being fired, former FBI Director James Comey continued to only press for political toppling of President Donald Trump, including posting a controversal ’86 47′ seashell photo right before releasing a book publicly attacking the president.(Alex Kraus/Bloomberg/Getty Images and Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

The number “86” is a common restaurant term for getting rid of or stopping service of an item, but Trump and his prosecutors argue it is also well known to law enforcement as a mob term for assassination.

“Threatening the life of the President of the United States is a grave violation of our nation’s laws,” acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in an April 28 statement at the time the two-count indictment for threatening the president and transmitting a threat in interstate commerce was announced.

“The grand jury returned an indictment alleging James Comey did just that, at a time when this country has witnessed violent incitement followed by deadly actions against President Trump and other elected officials,” he added. “The temperature needs to be turned down, and anyone who dials it up and threatens the life of the President will be held accountable.”

LEGAL EXPERTS WARN COMEY ‘8647’ INDICTMENT FACES FIRST AMENDMENT HURDLES

Comey has denied any threatening intent, saying he viewed the image as a political statement and not a dog whistle for assassins.

“James Comey disgracefully encouraged a threat on President Trump’s life and posted it on Instagram for the world to see,” FBI Director Kash Patel added in a statement. “As the former Director of the FBI, he knew full well the attention and consequences of making such a post. This FBI and our DOJ partners pursued a rigorous investigation that followed the facts – and now Mr. Comey will be held fully accountable for his actions.”

FEDERAL JUDGE DISMISSES JAMES COMEY, LETITIA JAMES INDICTMENTS

Watters’ FLASHBACK: Comey CONFRONTED over alleged Trump posthttps://www.foxnews.com/video/6395427358112

The case is being prosecuted in North Carolina, the location where the infamous seashells were photographed.

“No one is above the law in the Eastern District of North Carolina,” Boyle wrote in a statement. “Our office regularly pursues threat cases including those against public officials. The Grand Jury examined the evidence in this case and found probable cause to indict Mr. Comey.”

The change comes as the case heads toward an October trial after U.S. District Judge Louise Wood Flanagan granted Comey’s request for a delay.

NBC News first reported Petracca’s departure from the Comey case and said he has also recently come off other criminal cases in the district. The network reported that Petracca had considered leaving the Justice Department altogether but decided against it after taking a week off, according to sources.

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“If Comey is charged for the shell picture, it would face a monumental challenge under the First Amendment,” constitutional law expert Jonathan Turley told Fox News in April. “In my view, the image itself is clearly protected speech. Absent some other unknown facts or elements, it would be unlikely to survive a threshold constitutional challenge.”

Comey has portrayed the prosecution as politically motivated, and has said he will continue speaking out about what he views as threats to the rule of law.

Eric Mack is a writer for Fox News Digital covering breaking news.

Americans’ financial literacy slumps to a 10-year low, new study finds

June 1, 2026 / 10:11 AM EDT / CBS News

Americans’ understanding of basic financial concepts has fallen to a 10-year low, raising concerns that households are becoming less prepared to manage debt, savings and retirement decisions, according to a new study from investment giant TIAA and Stanford University’s Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center.

In 2025, U.S. adults correctly answered only 47% of the 28 questions used to assess financial literacy, down from a high of 52% in 2020 and the lowest score in the decade since the survey began. The decline was driven by a growing share of Americans with very low financial literacy, which has jumped to 25% this year from 20% a decade ago, the study found.

The findings are troubling because low financial literacy is linked with worse outcomes, such as carrying higher levels of debt, Surya Kolluri, the head of TIAA Institute, told CBS News. The survey didn’t examine why scores declined, but he said possible factors include misleading financial information on social media, weaker overall literacy and the financial strains many households already face.

“Those with lower levels of financial literacy are four times more likely to have trouble making ends meet,” Kolluri said.

Women and younger adults scored lower than other groups. Women answered 44% of the questions correctly, compared with 50% for men. Gen Z adults, ages 18 to 29, had the lowest score of any generation, at 38%, while baby boomers had the highest, at 54%.

The generation gap is partly due to Gen Z’s age, as many aren’t likely to be well-versed in the retirement topics addressed in the survey. But Kolluri also suspects it could be due to financial pressures on young people, such as high student debt and a sense that buying a home may be out of reach.

Financial burden

Economists and experts also point to a broader problem: Should the burden of knowledge be placed on consumers, or should the complex financial system be overhauled to make it easier for people to understand what they’re buying or signing for? Blaming consumers for failing to understand increasingly complicated products may miss the real problem, they argue.

As two economists, Harvard University’s John Campbell and Imperial College London’s Tarun Ramadorai, wrote in a 2025 book, the U.S. retirement system “appears too complex for many people to understand.”

Still, although financial services have become markedly more complex, many of the basic concepts remain the same, said LendingTree chief consumer finance analyst Matt Schulz.

“Sure, plenty has changed in the last decade or more in the financial services space, but the fundamentals of financial knowledge really haven’t,” he said. “The fact that people are faring worse and worse on these kinds of tests is troubling, for sure.”

Schulz thinks the decline could be due to the surge of financial information on social media, much of it inaccurate. Consumers without a grasp of the basics may struggle to distinguish good advice from bad.

“Knowing what financial content to follow and trust has never been harder,” he said. “There’s an enormous amount of really smart and insightful personal finance information out there, but there’s also a sea of garbage, and if you don’t know the difference, it can cost you.”

Financial industry critics also contend that companies including banks, credit card issuers, insurance companies and other firms often deliberately complicate their products, burying key details in the fine print or lengthy disclosure statements. Many personal finance decisions, such as buying a home or planning for retirement, also involve sums of money well beyond what people are used to dealing with.

Can you answer the questions correctly?

TIAA released eight questions from its financial literacy test. See if you can answer them correctly.

1. Mark’s salary has increased over the past two years. What would be a plausible reason for this?

A. The number of workers with Mark’s skills increased where he lives and works

B. New technology reduced the demand for workers with Mark’s skills

C. Mark completed several training courses at a local college

D. Don’t know

2. A household budget cannot be used for which of the following?

A. To track household financial assets

B. To plan for necessary household expenses

C. To plan household discretionary spending

D. Don’t know

3. Akiko has $1,000 in savings that earns a 2% rate of return over the course of the year. The inflation rate during the year is 3%. Which statement is true?

A. She can afford to buy fewer things at the end of the year

B. She can afford to buy more things at the end of the year

C. It’s not clear whether she can afford to buy more things or fewer things at the end of

the year

D. Don’t know

4. Which statement about investing is correct?

A. Investing in the stock of a single company is typically safer than investing in a mutual fund that holds shares of many companies in multiple industries

B. Investing in a mutual fund that holds shares of many companies in multiple industries is typically safer than investing in the stock of a single company

C. Investing in the stock of a single company and investing in a mutual fund that holds shares of many companies in multiple industries are typically equally safe

D. Don’t know

5. José owes $1,000 on a loan that has an interest rate of 20% per year compounded annually. If he makes no payments on the loan, at this interest rate, how many years will it take for the amount he owes to double?

A. Less than 5 years

B. 5 to 10 years

C. More than 10 years

D. Don’t know

6. Katherine is a single 25-year-old worker who is in good health. What type of insurance coverage is she most likely to need in the near term?

A. Life insurance

B. Disability insurance

C. Long-term care insurance

D. Don’t know

7. Lottery A pays a prize of $200, and the chance of winning is 5%. Lottery B pays a prize of $90,000, and the chance of winning is 0.01%. Expected winnings are greater in which lottery?

A. Lottery A

B. Lottery B

C. They are equal

D. Don’t know

8. Which of the following appears to be inappropriate investment advice for the respective individual?

A. A stock index fund to a 30-year-old worker saving for retirement

B. A bond fund to a 60-year-old worker for some of her retirement savings

C. A stock fund that invests in small start-up businesses to a 75-year-old retiree

D. Don’t know

Answers, with the percentage of Americans who answered the question correctly:

1. C: Completing training courses increases Mark’s skills and earning potential: 56%

1. A: A budget plans spending and expenses; it is not designed to track financial assets: 49%

1. A: Because inflation (3%) exceeds Akiko’s return (2%), her purchasing power decreases: 48%

1. B: A diversified mutual fund is typically safer than a single stock: 54%

1. A: At 20% compounded interest, the debt doubles in less than 5 years: 40%

1. B: A young worker is most likely to need disability insurance to protect her income if she cannot work: 27%

1. A: Lottery A’s expected value is $10 (5% × $200); Lottery B’s is $9 (0.01% × $90,000): 46%

1. C: High-risk growth stocks are generally inappropriate for a 75-year-old retiree: 46%

Edited by Alain Sherter

中美举行海上军事安全磋商机制工作小组会议

2026年6月1日 22:16 / 联合早报

中美举行海上军事安全小组会议，中方强调反对任何以航行和飞越自由为名危害中国主权和安全。图为2018年4月18日，中国人民解放军海军辽宁舰在西太平洋参加军事演习。 （路透社档案照）

中美两军在美国夏威夷举行2026年度中美海上军事安全磋商机制工作小组会议。中国解放军强调，坚决反对任何以航行和飞越自由为名危害中国主权和安全，反对任何针对中方的侵权挑衅和抵近侦察滋扰。

中国解放军公众号“人民海军”星期一（6月1日）发布，5月28日至29日，中美两军在美国夏威夷举行2026年度中美海上军事安全磋商机制工作小组会议。

解放军文告称，双方以构建“中美建设性战略稳定关系”重要共识为引领，在平等和尊重基础上，就当前中美海空安全形势进行了坦诚、建设性交流，对2025年中美海上军事安全磋商机制会议以来的《中美海空相遇安全行为准则》执行情况进行了评估，讨论了改进中美海上军事安全问题的措施。

文告称，双方一致认为，两军进行有效沟通交流，有助于一线部队更加专业地执行任务，增进相互了解、避免误解误判。

中方强调，坚决反对任何以航行和飞越自由为名危害中国主权和安全，反对任何针对中方的侵权挑衅和抵近侦察滋扰，将继续依法依规坚定维护国家领土主权和海洋权益，维护地区和平繁荣。

Trump flips script on left, maneuvers to use foreign influence law against the them

2026-06-01T08:50:42-04:00 / Fox News

Hasan Piker and Code PINK co-founder Medea Benjamin already face Treasury investigation over alleged sanctions violations

By Robert Schmad Fox News

Published June 1, 2026 8:50am EDT

Trump flips script on left, maneuvers to use foreign influence law against them

Fox News Digital spoke with Heritage Foundation senior legal fellow Zack Smith to discuss how the second Trump administration is addressing foreign influence on domestic affairs.

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President Donald Trump is turning foreign-influence laws that once ensnared figures in his own orbit toward left-wing activist networks accused of benefiting from overseas money and support.

Once seldom enforced criminally, FARA became a more prominent tool at the DOJ after 2016, including in cases involving several figures in Trump’s orbit as well as some prominent Democrats. Now, legal experts say that FARA and other laws dealing with foreign influence are emerging as a potential weapon in Trump’s campaign against left-wing activist networks.

“Unfortunately, it seems clear that the Biden administration went overboard and tried to use FARA as a political weapon against allies and supporters of President Trump instead of concentrating on real national security threats and those acting on behalf of foreign governments and principals without disclosing it as required by the law,” Hans von Spakovsky, senior legal fellow at Advancing American Freedom, a think tank founded by former Vice President Mike Pence, told Fox News Digital.

TRUMP, DEMOCRATS LOCKED IN ENDLESS CYCLES OF PAYBACK AFTER COMEY INDICTMENT AND TARGETING PRESIDENT’S ENEMIES’

The Trump administration has increased scrutiny on organizations it perceives as politically biased and misusing U.S. taxpayer dollars.(Getty Images)

FARA requires people acting in the United States on behalf of foreign governments or political parties to disclose their relationships, activities and funding to the Justice Department. While the law has been on the books for decades, criminal prosecutions related to it have become more common from 2016 onwards, engendering resentment among conservatives who feel they were unfairly targeted by the Justice Department.

“Prior to the Mueller gang and the deep state using it against Paul Manafort and Michael Flynn, FARA was rarely, if ever used for criminal purposes,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton told Fox News Digital. “It was seen as a paperwork issue … anti-Trump fanaticism turned it into a weapon to put people in jail.”

FARA prosecutions were relatively rare prior to the first Trump administration, with only seven criminal cases being prosecuted between 1966 and 2015. In 2018 alone, however, the Department of Justice charged more than 20 individuals and entities with FARA violations.

FEDS SUBPOENA HASAN PIKER, MEDEA BENJAMIN OVER CUBA TRIPS

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche speaks as Attorney General Pam Bondi and President Donald Trump listen during a press conference with FBI Director Kash Patel in the Oval Office of the White House on Oct. 15, 2025, in Washington, D.C.(Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

During the first Trump administration and the Biden administration, many of those targeted by the Department of Justice for undisclosed links to foreign governments were viewed as close allies of Trump.

Paul Manafort, Trump’s 2016 campaign chair and a long-time GOP consultant, for instance, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States in 2018 in connection with his activity as an unregistered foreign agent for Ukraine.

Michael Flynn separately came under scrutiny for his firm’s work tied to Turkish interests, while his criminal plea involved false statements to the FBI about conversations with Russia’s ambassador. Flynn’s business partner was convicted of acting as an undisclosed agent of Turkey, though the conviction was eventually overturned and the investigation was dropped by the Justice Department.

Conservatives were not exclusively targeted during the last two administrations, however.

Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Texas Democrat, Sen. Bob Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, and Linda Sun, a former Democratic staffer, all faced foreign influence investigations under the Biden administration.

TAX COMMITTEE REPUBLICANS PRESS FOR TREASURY CRACKDOWN ON NONPROFITS PROMOTING FRAUD, ‘ANTI-AMERICAN’ HATE

President Donald Trump holds a note handed to him by Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a roundtable on antifa at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 8, 2025.(Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

The pattern of right-wing politicos getting caught up in alleged foreign influence schemes continued into the Biden administration, with Rudy Giuliani, GOP megadonor Stephen Wynn and Trump associate Tom Barrack all being investigated for foreign ties.

Former Attorney General Pam Bondi wound down FARA enforcement upon taking office in 2025, narrowing prosecutions to activities resembling traditional espionage, citing the law’s purported weaponization under President Joe Biden. Fitton characterized this as a “reversion to the norm.”

In a departure from the prior two administrations, Spakovsky told Fox News Digital that the Trump administration is working to “implement a comprehensive national security strategy that integrates FARA as a tool,” citing a national security memo issued by the president in 2025.

NSPM-7,the memo referenced by Spakovsky, is a Trump administration directive ordering federal agencies to investigate and disrupt alleged networks behind domestic terrorism and organized political violence. It specifically directs the Department of Justice to scrutinize foreign ties and investigate possible FARA violations in order to investigate advocacy groups, nonprofits, donors and activists linked to alleged political violence.

Some groups on the right and left have criticized the memo for potentially targeting constitutionally protected expression. The ACLU, for instance, argued that it could chill free speech since the document explicitly calls out “anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism and anti-Christianity” as dangers to the United States.

FOREIGN BILLIONAIRES FUNNEL $2.6B TO US ADVOCACY GROUPS TO INFLUENCE POLICY, WATCHDOG REPORT CLAIMS

Former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn looked on before President Donald Trump delivered remarks at the Department of Justice on March 14, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Trump was expected to outline steps his administration would take to address what he described as the “weaponization” of the department.(Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Spakovsky, however, argued that the memo simply implements changes that were recommended by career civil servants during the Obama administration.

“When looking at the directive, another important point on FARA is to go back to a very revealing report issued by DOJ’s Inspector General in 2016 in which it criticized DOJ’s lack of enforcement of FARA, including during the Obama administration,” he said. “It recommended that DOJ develop a comprehensive enforcement strategy that was integrated with DOJ’s overall national security efforts … This relatively new directive seems to be an effort to do exactly what the DOJ IG recommended ten years ago – implement a comprehensive national security strategy that integrates FARA as a tool.”

Though FARA is seen by many as the obvious mechanism to address foreign influence, if it is indeed being exerted on American activists, some legal experts are skeptical about relying on it alone.

“FARA is a powerful tool. It’s just a difficult tool to use,” Jason Torchinsky, a partner at the law firm Holtzman Vogel, told Fox News Digital. “It is a powerful tool, but there are other tools they can use too.”

Torchinsky pointed to the recent investigation into Twitch streamer Hasan Piker and Code PINK co-founder Medea Benjamin, initiated by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, as an example of this.

TOP GOP SENATOR CALLS OUT CODE PINK, THE PEOPLE’S FORUM ALLEGEDLY PUSHING CCP PROPAGANDA IN US

Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, was accused of accepting more than $500,000 in bribes from an Azerbaijan-owned energy company and a Mexican bank.(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc)

“If these guys literally are shipping things to Cuba in violation of sanctions, that’s pretty easy,” he said. “You don’t have to prove any intent … OFAC sanctions are just such an easy crime to prosecute, because it’s like, you did X, I have evidence you did X, and it was prohibited … it’s a really nice sort of cut and dry criminal case.”

Trying to bring FARA charges into the mix, according to Torchinsky, could lead to unnecessary complications.

Torchinsky, who specializes in government ethics laws, noted that prosecuting violations of FARA often proves problematic as defendants can sometimes credibly claim their actions are protected by the First Amendment. Other options, he said, may be more attractive to prosecutors attempting to address foreign political influence.

Heritage Foundation senior legal fellow Zack Smith, added that prosecutors need to prove that those accused of violating FARA knew they were breaking the law at the time of their conduct, which he called “a very high standard.”

BIDEN DOJ WEAPONIZED FACE ACT AGAINST PRO-LIFE AMERICANS, 882-REPORT ALLEGES

U.S. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and former Attorney General Pam Bondi spoke with the media in the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on March 18, 2026. Bondi and Blanche briefed the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform privately about the Epstein files.(Heather Diehl/Getty Images)

“The IRS has tools that allow them to revoke the nonprofit status of nonprofits that are acting illegally,” Torchinsky continued. “There’s a concept in internal revenue law called the illegality doctrine. The idea is that you can’t set up and operate as a nonprofit, something that’s illegal.”

Nonprofit organizations accused of providing material aid to foreign terrorist organizations, for instance, could be prosecuted by the administration without the Justice Department having to prove that they acted as unregistered foreign agents.

“Criminal statutes like wire fraud, bank fraud, those types of statutes could come into play, particularly if those carrying out these foreign influence operations are receiving cash or payments or some other type of compensation for taking part in these operations,” Smith added.

‘RIOT INC.’: TRUMP LAUNCHES ‘WHOLE-OF-GOVERNMENT’ PUSH TO EXPOSE ANTIFA FUNDING NETWORKS, DARK MONEY SOURCES

President Donald Trump attends an event in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 21, 2026.(Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

Some, however, see FARA as an indispensable tool in fighting foreign influence.

“I look forward to a quiet life outside of politics. With a fire-pit and beehives,” Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican from Florida, posted to X on Wednesday. “Until then I am going to make it my mission to get the FARA office back up and running. The political divide in this country is a foreign op from multiple countries and it’s sad.”

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT TUESDAY’S HOUSE HEARING ON FOREIGN INFLUENCE IN AMERICAN NONPROFITS: ‘FOLLOW THE MONEY’

President Donald Trump delivers remarks during a Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., on May 25, 2026.(Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Torchinsky noted that the presidential national security memo laid out some laws other than FARA that the administration could use to target foreign-backed political agitators.

“You can go after these folks, particularly these entities that are engaged in violence,” he said. “They’ve got conspiracy against rights, solicitation of a crime or violence, money laundering, funding terrorist acts or facilitating terrorism, arson offenses, RICO, and fraud against the United States.”

“For example, organizing protests and violence at companies that are in the F-35 supply chain, like Palestinian groups are doing, is potentially a solicitation of acts of violence,” Torchinsky added.

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“Now, I suspect this is the beginning of a larger conversation over FARA, whether it needs to be revised, how it needs to be revised, what this regime will look like going forward to combat foreign influence in the United States,” Smith, the Heritage fellow, said. “But fundamentally, there should be broad agreement that foreign influence, particularly foreign influence directed at influencing our elections, our political discourse, is very problematic. Appropriate action should be taken to combat it.”

The Department of Justice, Treasury Department, and Code PINK did not respond to requests for comment when reached by Fox News Digital.

The Odds: California’s Gubernatorial primary

2026-06-01T13:52:59.083Z / CNN

By Ainsley Ehlers, CNN

Published 9:52 AM EDT, Mon June 1, 2026

The Odds: California’s Gubernatorial primary

CNN News Central’s John Berman and chief data analyst Harry Enten explore where prediction markets stand ahead of Tuesday’s crowded non-partisan contest for California Governor.

4:39 • Source: CNN

Woman from Iran describes fear for loved ones after Trump’s “civilization will die” threat: “Sense of terror”

June 1, 2026 / 11:17 AM EDT / CBS News

By Alex Sundby Senior Editor
Alex Sundby is a senior editor at CBSNews.com. In addition to editing content, Alex also covers breaking news, writing about crime and severe weather as well as everything from multistate lottery jackpots to the July Fourth hot dog eating contest.

Read Full Bio

An Iranian woman who now lives in the U.S. told CBS News that she feared for the safety of her family members in Iran when President Trump threatened in April that “a whole civilization will die tonight” as Washington sought to make a deal with Tehran.

“They were scared too,” Setareh, who didn’t want to be identified by her last name, told CBS News’ Lindsey Reiser as the war with Iran entered its fourth month. “They didn’t know what was going to happen. We don’t know. We don’t know if he’s actually going to do it, so they could’ve died at any moment. So they were like sitting in terror and fear.”

Setareh was born and raised in Iran and moved to the U.S. later in life.

Setareh, who didn’t want to be identified by her last name, speaks with CBS News’ Lindsey Reiser about the war with Iran. CBS

Mr. Trump’s threat on social media in early April came during a tense moment in the war before the U.S. and Iran struck a ceasefire agreement that has been tested several times. Over the weekend, the U.S. military conducted what it described as “self-defense strikes” on Iranian radar and drone sites after Iran allegedly shot down a U.S. drone that was operating over international waters.

“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” Mr. Trump posted hours before he announced the ceasefire agreement. “I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.”

Setareh said the threat made her feel a sense of terror take over her body.

“I was scared. I felt like I couldn’t think,” she said. “I felt this sense of terror take over my body. I thought about how, like, my family’s there. I wouldn’t know what would’ve happened to them. Just all these innocent people, the culture, just, they could all just be destroyed. I couldn’t even think. I just was, I felt paralyzed.”

In:

Iran

Woman felt paralyzed after Trump’s Iran threat

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/iranian-woman-says-she-felt-this-sense-of-terror-when-trump-threatened-to-annihilate-iran/

Iranian woman says she “felt this sense of terror” when Trump threatened to annihilate Iran

(01:21)

United Airlines flight to Spain returns to U.S. after Bluetooth device is labeled a “certain four-letter word”

June 1, 2026 / 9:34 AM EDT / CBS/AP

A United Airlines flight bound for Spain from Newark Liberty International Airport turned around midflight Saturday due to a possible security threat.

The flight departed around 6 p.m. for Palma de Mallorca, Spain, but landed back at Newark at 9:37 p.m., according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The airline said there were 190 passengers and 12 crew members on board the Boeing 767 aircraft.

According to air traffic control audio, security came to inspect the aircraft after someone named their Bluetooth device a “certain four-letter word.”

“They have to inspect the whole aircraft, including the cargo area,” the tower can be heard saying, according to audio from LiveATC.net

A passenger posting on social media said crew members repeatedly asked passengers to turn off all Bluetooth devices, but two devices remained on. The flight turned around after communicating with the airline’s headquarters in Chicago.

One person posted video on social media showing crew and officers escorting passengers off the plane and onto a bus on the tarmac.

Passengers had to evacuate as the aircraft was swept by Port Authority police, and passengers were re-screened by TSA and Customs and Border Patrol before re-boarding. The airline declined to provide specifics on the cause of the incident.

Passengers boarded a replacement flight with a new crew, which took off early Sunday morning and landed in Palma in the afternoon.

In a statement, the FAA said United Airlines Flight 236 returned to Newark Liberty International Airport on Saturday “after the crew reported a passenger disturbance.” According to the FAA, airlines have reported more than 640 unruly passenger incidents so far in 2026.

This was the latest incident with a United Airlines flight this month. On Friday, a domestic flight was diverted because of a security concern with an unruly passenger. Earlier this month, a United flight landing at Newark airport struck a semitrailer truck and a light pole, though no one was injured. The Boeing 767 was traveling at 160 mph at the time of the collision.

https://x.com/travelfoodiestv/status/2061149324470325714?s=46
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/unruly-75-year-old-united-airlines-passenger-forces-flight-divert-midair/

高市促伊朗总统在与美停火协议中展现“最大灵活性”

2026年6月1日 20:29 / 联合早报

图为5月30日，从阿曼穆桑达姆半岛可见停泊在霍尔木兹海峡的船只。 （路透社档案照片）

日本首相高市早苗周一说，她在与伊朗总统佩泽希齐扬通话时指出，伊朗应展现“最大灵活性”，抓住与美国达成停火协议的机会。

高市星期一（6月1日）通话结束后对记者说，她还强烈要求伊朗尽快重新开放霍尔木兹海峡，以确保来自亚洲及其他国家船只的自由安全航行。

高市没有详细说明佩泽希齐扬的回应，但表示，两国领导人承诺将继续保持密切沟通。

伊朗称过去24小时有15艘船通过霍尔木兹海峡

伊朗军方周一发布消息称，过去24小时共有15艘船只在伊朗协调和安全保障下通过霍尔木兹海峡，其中包括四艘油轮。

伊朗军方强调，上述船只均在获得许可后，在革命卫队海军协调及安全保障下完成通行。