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Raúl Castro makes first public appearance since Trump administration charged him with murder

Former Cuban leader Raúl Castro made his first public appearance Friday since the Trump administration charged him with murder over the 1996 shoot-down of planes operated by a Cuban exile group.

Castro appeared on state television during an Interior Ministry celebration in Havana, according to Reuters.

The appearance came weeks after the Department of Justice unsealed an indictment accusing Castro of playing a role in the downing of two aircraft operated by the Miami-based exile organization Brothers to the Rescue nearly 30 years ago.

Castro was charged with conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, destruction of aircraft and four counts of murder.

DOJ, TREASURY INVESTIGATE NONPROFITS AND LEADERS ALLEGEDLY COORDINATING WITH CUBA IN INFLUENCE CAMPAIGN

Castro, who turned 95 on Wednesday, was last seen publicly during May Day celebrations in Havana, days before the indictment was unsealed.

Prior to his May Day appearance, Castro had remained out of public view for months, appearing only at a public ceremony in Cuba's capital in January honoring 32 Cuban soldiers killed during the U.S. military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The indictment centers on a February 1996 incident in which Cuban military aircraft allegedly shot down two unarmed civilian planes operated by Brothers to the Rescue, killing four men: Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña and Pablo Morales.

OBAMA’S BASEBALL OUTING WITH CASTRO REIGNITES FURY AFTER TRUMP DOJ DROPS HAMMER ON CUBAN LEADER

Prosecutors allege the aircraft were flying outside Cuban territory when they were destroyed.

The indictment came amid rising tensions in the Caribbean and a series of comments from Trump and his surrogates hinting at possible regime change in the island nation.

President Donald Trump previously praised the indictment, saying Cuban Americans whose families suffered under the communist regime had waited decades for accountability.

TRUMP DECLARES NATIONAL EMERGENCY OVER CUBA, THREATENS TARIFFS ON NATIONS THAT SUPPLY OIL TO COMMUNIST REGIME

"We have big news on Cuba, as you know, with the indictment of Castro," Trump said. "A lot of people have suffered very big, very, very, at levels that few people would understand."

Trump also suggested tensions with Cuba would not escalate following the indictment.

"There won’t be escalation," he said. "We won’t have to."

MADURO'S CAPTURE IS 'BEGINNING OF THE END' FOR CUBA'S REGIME, HOUSE INTELLIGENCE CHAIR SAYS

Still, the decision to indict Castro fueled comparisons to the pressure campaign Trump previously used against Maduro.

"At the very least, it means symbolically that he is now set up just as Nicolás Maduro was," Christine Balling, a Cuba expert at the Institute of World Politics and former advisor to U.S. Special Operations Command South, previously told Fox News Digital.

The U.S. indicted Maduro on narco-terrorism charges while tightening sanctions on Venezuela's oil sector, backing opposition efforts to remove him from power and increasing military operations in the Caribbean.

"I don't think that we are necessarily going to conduct the same operation," Balling said. "Raúl Castro is 94 years old. It might not be worth the trouble."

Still, Balling argued that the indictment sent "a very straightforward message that we are 100% behind the fall of the Castro regime."

Fox News Digital's Robert McGreevy, Greg Wehner and Morgan Phillips, along with Fox News' David Spunt, Bill Mears and Jake Gibson contributed to this report. Reuters also contributed to this report.

WATCH: Hawley fumes after 4 GOP senators help sink Trump-backed voter ID law

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., criticized four fellow Republicans who joined Democrats to block an effort to add the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act to the Senate's reconciliation package, saying "you can't explain it to me why you wouldn't vote for voter ID."

During Thursday's vote-a-rama, Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., voted with Democrats to defeat an amendment that would have attached the election-integrity measure to the GOP's budget package.

"I guess it's frustration," Hawley told Fox News Digital. "Listen, we've been doing this in Missouri for years. I mean voters in my state put it in our constitution."

FOUR SENATE REPUBLICANS AGAIN UNITE WITH DEMS TO BLOCK TRUMP'S SAVE AMERICA ACT

"Voter ID is the most popular thing out there," he continued. "There's a reason for that. People want their elections to be safe, they want them to be fair. And to me, you can't explain it to me, why you wouldn't vote for voter ID. I just don't understand it."

Republicans, yet again, failed to pass the legislation Thursday night through the Senate, despite months debating the importance of attaching it to the roughly $70 billion budget reconciliation package to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol.

REPUBLICANS FAIL TO ATTACH SAVE AMERICA ACT TO PARTY-LINE FUNDING PACKAGE

Many senators who voted to block the SAVE act argued that a bill dedicated to voter ID laws and protecting election integrity should be determined at state-level, and should not have federal jurisdiction.

Hawley rejected arguments that election rules should be left solely to the states, arguing Congress has long played a role in regulating federal elections.

"We make federal rules all the time for elections, you know," Hawley said. "I mean all the time we do. And there's nothing more basic than protecting the integrity of the ballot and that's what this is about."

PENCE URGES SENATE TO ‘RESTORE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE’ WITH NATIONWIDE VOTER ID LAW

Congress has enacted numerous election-related laws over the years, including the bipartisan Electoral Count Reform Act of 2022, which revised procedures for certifying presidential election results.

The SAVE Act would require applicants to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections and would require voters to present photo identification when casting a ballot in federal elections.

"37 states have voter ID already including several blue states," Hawley said in response to the idea that election rules should be left to the state. "So I think this idea that this is like ‘this is weird, this is exotic, this is out there,’ no it's not. Like most of our states do it." 

"Sooner or later this is going to happen because I think the American people are going to demand it."

WATCH: Maine voters divided on Platner as scandals shadow Democratic primary

MAINE — A new round of explosive allegations has put Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner back in the spotlight ahead of Tuesday’s primary, but voters who spoke to Fox News Digital were split on whether the scandals would affect their vote.

"It's not a good situation," said Jeff from Waterloo, Maine, one of the residents interviewed outside a shopping plaza in Biddeford, adding that choosing the "lowest common denominator" should not be the answer.

"I am a conservative, but he's just got so much baggage that I think if the Democrats want to have a winner, they're going to have to find somebody else because he's not the guy, just too much," he said.

‘HE HATED WOMEN’: EXPLOSIVE ABUSE, NEW NAZI TATTOO ALLEGATIONS FROM EXES ROCK PLATNER'S CAMPAIGN

Sheila from Harrison, Maine, said the scandals would "absolutely" weigh on her vote.

She said Platner lacks the judgment and values she expects from someone serving in Congress.

"Anyone who's representing our country or representing us in Congress needs to be held to a higher standard, and I don't think he's got any standards," she said.

Just days before Maine's Democratic Senate primary, former girlfriends told The New York Times that Platner engaged in heavy drinking, experienced violent episodes and discussed rape fantasies, accusations Platner has denied.

DEMOCRATIC MAINE SENATE CANDIDATE GRAHAM PLATNER CONFRONTED BY MS NOW HOST ABOUT TATTOO CONTROVERSY

The Marine Corps veteran also faced criticism over a string of controversies, including reports that he sent sexually explicit messages to younger women, a Nazi-linked tattoo and online comments mocking a Purple Heart veteran.

While some voters said Platner raised red flags, others remained unfazed.

Asked whether Platner's comments about women bothered her, Ellen from Acton, Maine, said, "When it comes to my vote, no."

SENATE CANDIDATE GRAHAM PLATNER SENT EXPLICIT TEXTS TO MULTIPLE WOMEN WHILE MARRIED, WIFE SAYS: REPORT

"I trust his wife," she said. "She knows him better than anybody. He is far from perfect. Most of this, my understanding, happened during a tough time in his life. The recent accusations, yes, they're more recent, but again, I trust her to know who he is morally.

"I do think that, as a representative of Maine, aside from what he may do in his marriage, he's going to do a good job for me," she added.

Jane from Wells, Maine, said her plans to vote for Platner haven’t changed.

"I still like him," she said. "Oh yes. I love him."

Jessica from Biddeford, Maine, said she was not following the controversy surrounding Platner because she ignores the news, arguing that the media distracts people from "the issues that are important."

"We're better together as one instead of fighting each other over things that don't matter," she said.

Platner will appear on the ballot alongside David Costello and Janet Mills in Maine's Democratic Senate primary on June 9, with the winner advancing to face incumbent five-term Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November.

Knicks survive to take 2-0 NBA Finals lead after Jalen Brunson's clutch shot sinks Spurs

The New York Knicks will return to Madison Square Garden just two wins away from ending their long championship drought.

Jalen Brunson hit a go-ahead free throw in the closing seconds Friday night, lifting the Knicks to a 105-104 win over the Spurs in Game 2. Moments earlier, Victor Wembanyama missed a jumper that could have swung the game in San Antonio’s favor.

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Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Brunson and Mikal Bridges each scored 20 for the Knicks. They have won 13 straight, the second-longest streak by any team in NBA playoff history.

The Knicks are now just the third team to win the first two games of a finals on the road, joining Michael Jordan and the 1993 Chicago Bulls, and Hakeem Olajuwon and the 1995 Houston Rockets.

Both of those teams won championships, the Bulls needing six games to oust the Phoenix Suns, the Rockets going home after winning those first two games in Orlando and sweeping the Magic. The Knicks, seeking their first championship since 1973, are in position to join them.

Wembanyama, after a very quiet first half, scored 29. De’Aaron Fox had 20 for San Antonio.

The series now shifts to New York. Game 3 is at Madison Square Garden on Monday night.

KNICKS-SPURS NBA FINALS GAME 3 AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN COULD BECOME MOST EXPENSIVE SPORTING EVENT ON RECORD

The Spurs erased a 12-point deficit midway through the fourth quarter, completing the rally when Wembanyama converted a three-point play with 57 seconds left to give San Antonio its first lead in nearly two quarters, 104-102.

Brunson scored on the next possession, just his seventh basket in 24 shots on the night, and the game was tied. Wembanyama missed a long jumper, OG Anunoby got the rebound for New York with 30 seconds left, the Knicks called time and the stage was set.

The Spurs got the stop they needed, but Victor Wembanyama turned the ball over on the ensuing possession. Brunson was fouled moments later and put the Knicks back in front for good before the clock hit zero.

Game 3 is set for 8:30 p.m. Monday in New York.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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OJ Simpson-era attorney sees familiar warning signs as Karmelo Anthony case fuels clash over race and justice

As the Karmelo Anthony murder trial heads into its third day of testimony Saturday, the attorney who successfully fought to keep cameras in the courtroom during O.J. Simpson's murder trial says he sees troubling parallels between the public reaction to both cases, particularly when it comes to race.

Royal Oakes, a California-based media attorney who represented news organizations seeking courtroom access during the Simpson trial, told Fox News Digital that the same cultural and racial tensions that surrounded O.J.'s case in the 1990s appear to be resurfacing as Anthony's case unfolds in Texas.

"We're likely to see the exact same dynamic developing in this case that we saw in the O.J. Simpson murder trial," Oakes said. "A huge cultural and racial divide."

Anthony is accused of fatally stabbing fellow student Austin Metcalf during a confrontation at a Texas track meet. He has pleaded not guilty, and his defense team is expected to argue he acted in self-defense.

KARMELO ANTHONY TRIAL IGNITES RIVAL CAMPS THAT THREATEN TO GET IN JURORS’ HEADS IN TRACK MEET STABBING: EXPERT

The case has sparked intense debate online and drawn supporters to the courthouse, with discussions often extending far beyond the facts of the case itself.

When asked whether the Anthony case is evolving into a broader conversation about race in America, Oakes said, "This case absolutely is going to hit so many hot buttons. The issue of race in America, the critical question of self-defense."

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Oakes noted that public opinion during the Simpson trial often broke sharply along racial lines, with polls showing dramatically different views among Black and White Americans.

AMERICA STILL CAN'T PUT DOWN THE RACE CARD. AND IT'S THE SHAME OF OUR NATION

"And so you could see the same kind of thing duplicated in this case as well," he said.

The attorney said the greatest risk in any high-profile case is allowing race or politics to overshadow the evidence presented in court.

KAREN READ JURY SELECTION: DOZENS IN POOL ALREADY HAVE AN OPINION ON THE CASE

"It is certainly possible that racial narratives can overshadow the actual facts in a case," Oakes said.

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At the same time, Oakes downplayed the impact of demonstrations and supporters gathering outside courthouses, arguing that Americans have become accustomed to strong public expressions of opinion.

Still, he acknowledged there is a point where activism surrounding a case can become problematic.

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"There is a danger that public demonstrations, if they are just so exuberant, if they get so far out of hand, will start to influence people," Oakes said.

He pointed to the aftermath of the Rodney King verdict in Los Angeles as an example of how public pressure can affect perceptions surrounding criminal proceedings.

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Unlike the Simpson trial, Oakes said today's debate is unfolding through a constant stream of viral clips, social media posts and commentary that can shape opinions before the full story emerges.

"Today, it's so different," Oakes said. "I don't think you're going to get anybody to sit down and watch eight hours a day of a trial. Instead, you're going to see 800 snippets on social media."

O.J. SIMPSON PROSECUTOR MARCIA CLARK DISSECTS EVOLVING MEDIA'S IMPACT ON TRIALS AND TRUE CRIME

That rapid-fire information environment, he said, may make it even harder for the public to separate facts from narratives.

"The big mistake that people made in evaluating the O.J. Simpson trial is that they went in with biases," Oakes said. "Either in favor of Simpson or against him, in favor of the cops or against them, and they didn't have an open mind to see what happened."

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For Oakes, the similarities between the two cases ultimately come back to one concern: whether Americans are forming conclusions before hearing all of the evidence.

"The prime comparison between the O.J. Simpson case and this case is that people do tend to take sides along racial lines," he said. "The important thing is that whoever is picked on a jury can convince the lawyers and the judge that they will be objective."

Graham Platner blasts new allegations as 'false accusations': 'Maine, you have my back'

Facing arguably the roughest stretch to date of his campaign for the U.S. Senate, Democratic candidate Graham Platner, back on home turf, thanked a large crowd of supporters for having his back and charged the incoming fire he's facing is "politically motivated."

Platner, the military veteran and oyster farmer who is aiming to oust longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in this year's midterm elections, has been playing defense amid multiple controversies, ranging from inflammatory online comments made on Reddit, a well-publicized and now covered-up tattoo on his chest that resembled a Nazi symbol, to new allegations this week from ex-girlfriends of a history of rape fantasies, heavy drinking and violent episodes.

"When hurtful things I said on the internet a decade ago came out into the public as I shared my personal journey through PTSD and darkness of recovery and accountability and growth. Maine had my back," Platner said at a rally Friday. "Now, as every single piece of that past and journey gets dug up, litigated, and weaponized, you have my back. And when politically motivated, serious and false, false accusations are made against me. Maine, you have my back."

Collins, a moderate Republican who at times votes against President Donald Trump's agenda, is running for a sixth six-year term in the Senate in left-leaning Maine in a race that's one of a handful across the country that will determine whether Republicans keep control of their slim Senate majority.

THE TEN RACES THAT WILL DETERMINE THE SENATE'S MAJORITY

Platner, who is supported by progressive champions Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and Rep. Ro Khanna of California, is pushing an economically populist agenda as he takes aim at corporate influences and advocates for the working class.

He is considered the all-but-certain Democratic nominee after two-term Gov. Janet Mills, who was backed by longtime Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer and the Democratic Party establishment, dropped out of the race earlier this spring after significantly trailing Platner in fundraising and polling.

Platner, who has acknowledged his battle with post-traumatic stress disorder from his multiple tours of duty in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, apologized for his controversial Reddit posts after they made headlines last fall soon after he launched his Senate campaign.

And Platner has said he got the skull and crossbones tattoo in 2007 while drinking with fellow Marines stationed in Croatia. He said that he covered up the tattoo with a new design after learning last year that it resembled a Nazi symbol. But new allegations raise questions about Platner's timeline regarding knowledge of the tattoo.

Friday's rally, which also included speeches by progressive gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson and congressional contender Matt Dunlap, was organized by Khanna.

In an interview with Fox News Digital ahead of his appearance on stage, Khanna was asked whether he's concerned if the current allegations, and any potential future ones, could sink Platner's campaign and hurt Democrats' hopes of winning back the Senate.

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"I’m more concerned about making it clear that we’re opposed to misogyny, those relationships were toxic and volatile, there’s no excuse for that," Khanna said. "I talked to Graham and he says he was at a very dark period, he had come back from two tours of duty in Iraq as an infantry man seeing violence and death. That doesn’t excuse it."

But Khanna added that Platner said "he really grew as a person when he came back to Maine and he was an oyster farmer and he found peace and he is ashamed of that period. To me that suggests someone taking accountability and improving their lives and we need that redemption in this country. And I agree with a lot of his economic polices, that we should be taxing the billionaires, we should be focusing on the working class."

Collins, returning to Maine on Friday after busy week on Capitol Hill where she reached a milestone by casting her 10,000 consecutive vote in the Senate, was asked by reporters about the latest allegations facing Platner.

"The allegations in the latest story are troubling," Collins responded. "And I believe that Graham Platner has a lot of questions to answer."

‘HE HATED WOMEN’: EXPLOSIVE ABUSE, NEW NAZI TATTOO ALLEGATIONS FROM EXES ROCK PLATNER'S CAMPAIGN

Meanwhile, an outside political group aligned with the senator has been blasting Platner, running ads spotlighting his multiple controversies.

The Republican National Committee (RNC), in a social media post following Friday's rally, took aim at Platner.

"Graham Platner says his violent and erratic past is being "weaponized" against him. Platner said he would rape someone to show his dominance and "rape was about power," the RNC research team wrote on X, as it pointed to new allegations against the candidate.

Mills, in a recent interview, noted that her name remains on the ballot. And a source in her wider political orbit confirmed to Fox News that the governor is receiving calls urging her to get back in the race amid Platner's controversies. But there's no active campaign effort on behalf of Mills.

Asked about Mills, Khanna told Fox News Digital: "the great thing about democracy, you can run full steam ahead, you can kind of run ambiguously like Janet Mills, you can keep your name on that campaign. That's why I love American democracy."

But he predicted that "Platner is going to come out victorious. And we need to unite and realize that the goal is defeating Susan Collins. And everyone from Schumer to Sanders is unified around that goal.

Platner's campaign said that over 600 people packed a theater in this resort town next to Acadia National Park, not far from the candidate's hometown of Sullivan, to attend the rally. And they touted that they had raked in $200,000 in fundraising the past 24 hours, which they said was their strongest fundraising day since Mills suspended her campaign.

Maine voters Fox News Digital spoke with ahead of the rally were divided on whether Platner's controversies will impact their opinions of the candidate.

Jeff from Waterboro, Maine said "it's not a good situation" as he pointed to Platner. "I think it's somebody who shouldn't' be in the mix. I am a conservative but he's just got so much damage, if the Democrats want to have a winner, they're going to have to find somebody else. He's not the guy. It's just too much."

Ellen from Acton, Maine, who said she is a registered Republican, said, "is he a perfect person? Heck no."

But she added, "I think he will go in and do a good job."

Fox News Campus Radicals Newsletter: Pride flags removed, DEI back under fire, TV host's Cali criticism

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Knicks center Mitchell Robinson seems to be fired up about playing Game 3 in front of President Trump

There's no question that, to put it mildly, President Donald Trump tends to divide the room.

That will be the case when he rolls into Madison Square Garden on Monday for Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks.

However, there's at least one player who seems to be a little fired up about the prospect of playing in front of the commander in chief.

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A TikTok started making the rounds, joking that Knicks center Mitchell Robinson will be playing extra hard with Trump in attendance.

It's a great video, but it turns out that is what Robinson — a 2018 second-round pick out of Western Kentucky who has spent his entire career with the Knicks — has planned.

He commented on the video and basically said it was on the money.

Man, flag emoji and everything.

He is fired up.

It seems like it would be hard not to be, whether you're a fan of the president or not.

You're already playing on the biggest stage the NBA has to offer (yes, it's still bigger than the in-season tournament) for one of the most popular franchises in the league in one of the most talked-about Finals matchups in years.

NYPD LIFTS BAN ON KNICKS WATCH PARTIES OUTSIDE MSG FOR GAME 1 OF NBA FINALS AFTER FANS WERE TOO ROWDY

As if that isn't enough to garner some attention, let's add the President of the United States to the equation.

There's a correct response in this situation, and it's to be fired up like Robinson is.

What you don't want is a player who gets nervous with all of this attention or goes, "The president is here? Well, then I'm going to let him know how I feel about ICE," because you want players focused on the game and not scoring political brownie points.

As for how Trump will be received by the fans at MSG, well, that's anybody's guess.

OutKick showed that this week while talking to Knicks fans in New York.

'Jumanji' actor James Handy's girlfriend's son charged with murder after actor found stabbed to death

James Handy's girlfriend's son has been charged with murder, after the actor was found stabbed to death outside his home in Tarzana.

According to a press release from the Los Angeles District Attorney's office, Michael Gledhill, 44, is facing up to 26 years to life in prison if he is convicted as charged.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney, Nathan J. Hochman, issued the following statement: "This is not how anyone's life should end, stabbed in the chest and left dying in the front yard of a home. The victim, James Handy, deserved to live out his later years enjoying what he had worked so hard for and enjoying it with those he loved and cared about."

The statement continued, "Like all murder victims, his life mattered and the person who inexplicably and violently took it must be held accountable for his actions."

ACTOR JAMES HANDY, KNOWN FOR 'JUMANJI' AND 'TOP GUN: MAVERICK,' ALLEGEDLY KILLED BY GIRLFRIEND'S SON

The press release stated that Gledhill was charged with one count of murder with a special allegation that he personally used a deadly weapon, a knife.

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Handy, an actor known for various roles in films like "Jumanji" and "Top Gun: Maverick," was killed early Wednesday morning. According to police, a 911 caller stated: "I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin."

When officers arrived, they found Handy, 81, unconscious in the front yard suffering from a stab wound to the chest. Authorities said Handy was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

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According to investigators, Gledhill flagged down officers as they arrived and told them he was the person they were looking for.

Police said Gledhill lived at the residence with his mother, who was Handy’s girlfriend.

Gledhill was arrested and booked into the Van Nuys Jail on a murder charge. Bail was set at $2 million.

Fox News Digital's Michael Sinkewicz contributed to this report.

Popular cruise line’s bikini crackdown could surprise passengers at island ports

Carnival Cruise Line is cracking down on bikini wearing at a popular South Pacific destination, reminding passengers that local dress code expectations may be stricter than what is typically allowed onboard.

Guests aboard Carnival Splendor received a notice ahead of the ship's stop in Lifou, an island in New Caledonia, advising travelers to follow local customs and dress conservatively while ashore, according to the blog Cruise Hive.

The reminder was issued before the ship's June 2 visit to the island as part of an eight-night sailing from Sydney.

BEACH TOWN CRACKS DOWN ON HALF-NAKED TOURISTS WITH HEFTY FINES FOR INAPPROPRIATE ATTIRE

Passengers were advised to avoid wearing G-strings, thongs, monokinis and mankinis while visiting the island. Topless sunbathing is also prohibited, the publication noted.

Fox News Digital reached out to Carnival Cruise Line for comment.

The dress code applies not only to beaches, but also to public areas such as markets, churches and community gathering spaces.

The swimwear crackdown reflects guidance that Carnival already shares with guests on its website.

"We kindly ask guests to respect the local culture and rules in the ports we visit," Carnival states in its dress code guidelines.

CRUISE PASSENGERS BLAST NEW DINING DRESS CODE ON MAJOR CRUISE LINE

The cruise line specifically identifies Lifou as a destination in which local customs call for more conservative attire.

"Some destinations, such as Lifou, which is a tribal island, are populated by proud indigenous people whose culture is based on respect, and in many cases are highly religious," Carnival states.

"The communities in these locations also request visitors to wear traditional one-piece or full-piece swimsuits and refrain from wearing bikini or monokini-type swimsuits [while] at the beach," the website says.

Carnival reportedly warned that failing to respect local customs could affect future visits to the island.

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Guests were reminded that noncompliance could jeopardize the cruise line's ability to continue including Lifou on future itineraries, Cruise Hive said.

The dress code reminder comes as cruise lines continue emphasizing destination-specific rules that may differ from onboard policies.

While Carnival generally allows casual resort wear during the day, guests are expected to ensure their clothing is respectful to fellow travelers and appropriate for the setting, according to its website.

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Carnival's swimwear policies have long been a topic of discussion among passengers online.

"Wear what you want," one Reddit user wrote.

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Another traveler argued that revealing swimwear is already common aboard many sailings, saying, "There [are] people wearing that type of swimwear on deck 24/7."

Others felt guests should be more mindful in family areas.

"Maybe wear it at adult-only excursions and the adult-only hot tub," one commenter suggested. 

"Carnival is for families, and there are a lot of kids on these cruises."