A Biden-appointed federal judge in California ruled Wednesday that the Department of Homeland Security must halt certain investigations into suspected illegal voting, citing concerns over voter intimidation.

U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín, the jurist in question, was born in Mexico and nominated to the federal bench by President Joe Biden in 2022. Before becoming a federal judge, Martínez-Olguín spent about six years at the American Civil Liberties Union, a progressive civil rights organization, where she worked on women's and immigrants' rights issues.

The activist groups suing DHS "demonstrate[d] that they are likely to succeed in their claim that Defendants have run afoul of the Voting Rights Act’s prohibition of intimidating voter assistance and mobilization," according to Martínez-Olguín.

DOJ OFFICIAL DEFENDS TRUMP'S NONCITIZEN VOTER PROBE ON '60 MINUTES,' ACCUSES SHOW OF EDITING OUT HER ANSWERS

The public’s "interests in safe elections, free from interference or intimidation, far exceed (the government’s) purported interest in combating unlawful voting by non-U.S. citizens," she added.

The Trump administration, meanwhile, maintained that noncitizen voting in federal elections is a crime and that DHS has statutory authority to investigate suspected violations. Martínez-Olguín did not find investigating noncitizen voting as itself unlawful, but instead argued that DHS’ methods likely violate the law as it used unreliable source data and sent armed agents to homes to conduct interviews, which could constitute intimidation.

STATE DEPARTMENT CONSIDERS SHARING PASSPORT RECORDS FOR VOTER CITIZENSHIP CHECKS

Lawyers representing the federal government conceded that some American citizens may have been looked at in connection with DHS’ investigations, but contended that in-person interviews were "expressly designed to resolve the discrepancies."

Noncitizen voting is rare, but cases of illegal voting have been documented. News broke earlier this year, for example, that New Jersey erroneously placed over 6,000 non-citizens on its voter rolls. The Justice Department announced charges against 16 individuals in September, including noncitizens accused of voting illegally in federal elections, and brought additional election-related charges in October.

NEW JERSEY REMOVES 6,600 PEOPLE FROM VOTER ROLLS WHO WERE ELIGIBLE TO CAST A BALLOT FOR 2024 ELECTION

Martínez-Olguín’s order blocks DHS from carrying out certain field investigations into suspected illegal voting involving U.S. citizens in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin. Several of those states are led by Democrats who have opposed the Trump administration's immigration enforcement policies, and some face high-profile elections in November.

Cracking down on illegal voting has been a priority for the second Trump administration, though it has yet to produce evidence of widespread noncitizen voting.

The judge delayed enforcement of her order until Friday, giving the Trump administration time to appeal, and set the restrictions to expire on Election Day unless otherwise ordered.

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"DHS is laser focused on identifying, prosecuting, and removing aliens who vote and dilute the votes of U.S. citizens. ONLY Americans should elect American leaders," a spokesperson for the department told Fox News Digital. "We have no plans to question or investigate people we believe to be U.S. citizens."

French President Emmanuel Macron vowed Thursday to ban protests by "individuals or groups with no legitimate authority" as he blamed "ultra-left groups" for riots and looting that spread across his country.

Macron made the remarks as thousands of protesters took to the streets of Paris on Thursday, according to The Associated Press, ahead of larger demonstrations set for this weekend.

"Last Saturday we had political and seditious acts by ultra-left groups whose aim is to bring down the Republic," Macron was quoted by Reuters as saying following a meeting with intelligence officials.

The news agency reported that businesses in central Paris have started boarding up their windows over concerns of violence on Saturday. Local authorities also told Reuters that protests planned for Saturday in Lyon have been banned.

FRANCE COULD FACE EVEN WORSE DESTRUCTION WITH SECOND WEEKEND OF PLANNED RIOTS, STATE DEPT WARNS

Macron said the strategy adopted for the coming days is to ban protests requested by "individuals or groups with no legitimate authority."

"Where trade unions submit requests to hold demonstrations, prefects will examine them in accordance with the law, but alternative routes will be proposed" to protect city centers, businesses and public buildings, Macron said.

"The rules are simple, and I think they're just common sense. The general recommendation is that there should be no demonstrations in the coming days," he said. "For those who still want to protest, if they are trade unions, prefects will propose alternative routes."

Organizers of the Paris protest on Thursday said an administrative court in the city overturned a ban issued by police after they challenged it. The Paris police prefecture previously said the ban was necessary, given the risk of street violence after groups of masked youth clashed with police forces, looted shops and torched cars over the weekend.

AMERICANS WARNED ABOUT PARIS TRAVEL AFTER VIOLENCE, LOOTING AND TEAR GAS-FILLED STREETS

The protests began in France in September with calls for education reform, before expanding into larger anti-government demonstrations that French officials say are being fueled by far-left groups.

Protesters gathered peacefully and chanted in the southeastern part of Paris on Thursday while they were watched by a heavy police presence, the AP reported.

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Thursday's planned protests were seen as a prelude to Saturday's big demonstration, when activists from the "yellow vest" movement, whose demonstrations over fuel prices shook France in 2018 and 2019, and the CGT labor union, are expected to join.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The NFL has insisted multiple times this week that Sunday's game in France will be safe to play and safe for fans to attend amid civil unrest in Paris, but the Pittsburgh Steelers showed a different side to that confidence on Thursday by canceling one of their fan events.

The club confirmed to OutKick that it has canceled a Steelers House fan event scheduled for this week.

"Following recent events in the Bastille neighborhood and after careful consideration, we felt it appropriate not to move forward with the planned Steelers House fan event in Paris," the club announced.

This isn't the lone crack in the "all is well" armor the NFL has put on about this event. Earlier this week, Dani Watt, the wife of Steelers defensive end TJ Watt, questioned publicly why the game has not been moved.

TJ WATT'S WIFE BREAKS RANKS WITH NFL MARCH TOWARD PARIS GAME QUESTIONING HOW PLAYING THERE MAKES SENSE

NFL SAYS FIRST REGULAR-SEASON GAME IN FRANCE REMAINS ON TRACK DESPITE GROWING UNREST IN PARIS

This is an obvious break from the the league's narrative that the civil unrest in Paris and other parts of France will not hinder it from playing its game and, indeed, holding a fan event of its own.

The NFL on Thursday told OutKick that its own NFL Fan House event scheduled for Friday and Saturday remains as scheduled.

"It's happening," a league spokesman said.

So what we have is the NFL taking another bold step in virtually guaranteeing the safety of its players and fans during the game, but also doing the same for a fan event over a two-day span at 46 Rue Cambon in Paris.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS ARRIVE IN FRANCE WITH SAFETY TOP OF MIND AHEAD OF NFL'S FIRST PARIS GAME

And this is where you should know it's not only the NFL that seems confident about the safety of Americans tied to the game in France.

On Wednesday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said he's going to the game and he spoke with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the event in recent days about moving forward with the game.

Rubio told OutKick that the American embassy in France believes the game "will be fine."

SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO GIVES NFL COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL ASSURANCES NFL GAME IN FRANCE 'WILL BE FINE'

So the NFL is moving ahead, including with its own fan event at which multiple thousand French and American football fans are expected in the days prior to the game.

"There's nothing more important from our standpoint than the teams' security, the fans' security — everybody involved with this game," NFL executive vice president Peter O'Reilly said at the League Fall Meeting this week.

 "Again, we've made all the preparations," Goodell said. "We've been in touch with all the appropriate authorities."

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Hal Steinbrenner was not fond of answering questions about Major League Baseball's labor negotiations with the players' association, but he came as close as possible to answering a very important one.

When asked at the New York Yankees' postmortem presser if he was in favor of a salary cap, the team's owner said he "support[s]" the owners' proposals - all of which include a cap.

"I've said before - let me put it this way as a member of the labor policy committee - I helped craft, one of many, the proposals that we have given at the bargaining table. And I support those proposals in their entirety. That's absolutely the case, so that should answer your question," Steinbrenner told reporters.

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"What I will say is as a member of the labor policy committee is that we are working hard on our end. We are completely focused on the task ahead of us, on the negotiating. And I'm optimistic we're gonna get a deal done, and we''e gonna get a deal done that's favorable for both sides."

Players have adamantly opposed a salary cap and said it is non-negotiable. The owners are expected to lock out the players on Dec. 1, when the current collective bargaining agreement expires.

The Yankees' $336 million payroll was the third-largest in baseball during the 2026 season, behind the Los Angeles Dodgers ($422 million) and New York Mets ($338 million).

Arguments skew both ways, but a constant has remained in that the highest payrolls continue to go up, while the lowest payrolls remain at a stall. The Marlins' payroll is actually roughly half of what it used to be in 2017, despite a sale of the team and everyone in the league making more money than ever. Meanwhile, the Dodgers have already committed more money in 2030 than 12 teams have this season.

HAL STEINBRENNER MAKES CLEAR WHO HE BLAMES FOR YANKEES' TROUBLES AS BRIAN CASHMAN MAKES ANNOUNCEMENT

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has said that owners are simply "listening to our fans" regarding a salary cap and said it "defies human experience... to think that the bottom end of that [payroll] gap has the same opportunity to win the top end." It should be noted, though, that the National League-winning Milwaukee Brewers swept the Dodgers with the 11th-smallest payroll, and they will be facing the Tampa Bay Rays, who have the league's third-smallest payroll. They defeated the Cleveland Guardians, who rank 29th in payroll, in the American League Division Series.

Major League Baseball has never had a salary cap.

"Salary cap is the ultimate excuse not to compete. It's the ultimate excuse for an owner to say, ‘Gee, I would like to make the team better, but you know I can’t,'" interim MLBPA executive director Bruce Meyer said during the All-Star break. "Salary caps are bad for fans. Salary caps prevent teams from doing the things that they believe are in their interest to make the team better."

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"Every team in baseball can afford to compete, many are choosing not to," Meyer added. "To me, that's the biggest problem right now."

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Steinbrenner mentioned Wednesday that the Yankees' payroll in 2026 was the highest in franchise history.

Singer Sawyer Hill is canceling his tour after a serious tour bus accident killed one of his crew members.

The rocker revealed on Oct. 14, his tour bus ran off the side of the road in the middle of the night near the Colorado-Wyoming border, then flipped.

"It was a terrifying experience for everyone on board, myself included, and we are devastated to share our driver lost his life," he wrote on Instagram.

COUNTRY STAR MARK CHESNUTT'S LONGTIME BANDMATE DIES UNEXPECTEDLY ON TOUR BUS

He said several members of the crew and band were injured in the crash.

"The cause of the crash is still under investigation, and out of respect for that process and for our driver and his family, we aren't able to share further details at this time," he wrote.

He said after "careful consideration" he realized there wasn't a "viable path" for continuing his "Everybody's Home, Nobody's Happy" tour "and that the focus and priority for my band and crew should be on processing and healing."

Hill shares that the band is working on rescheduling dates, but refunds are also available for those who purchased tickets.

ED SHEERAN'S GILLETTE STADIUM CONCERTS CALLED OFF AS TROUBLED TOUR FACES FRESH SETBACK

"I can't wait to get back out there with you all," he closed his message. "Thank you for your understanding, compassion, and support during this difficult time."

He added in the caption, "My heart is broken, I'm sorry guys."

A family member of the driver identified him as David "Rollingcloud" Jackson, and wrote on a fundraising page that he suffered a medical emergency while behind the wheel and crossed three lanes of traffic before the bus rolled.

"Thankfully, the band members aboard the bus survived. Tragically David's life was lost," she wrote.

She shared that the family didn't know before his death that he suffered from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and that he was also epileptic.

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"Although the exact medical emergency that took his life remains unknown, the autopsy revealed that he had already passed away before the crash," she wrote. "When paramedics arrived at the scene, he was pronounced dead on arrival."

She added, "There was no warning. No time to prepare. No chance to say goodbye."

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"He was a huge part of the music industry, a world he loved and was deeply connected to," she said. "Through his work, the miles he traveled, and the people he encountered along the way, David became part of a community that reaches far beyond any one place."

Jackson was a father of four and a grandfather of three.

The family is asking for donations to bring his body back from Wyoming to Minnesota, where he lived.

Hill's followers expressed their sympathy in the comments of his post.

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"Thank you for posting," fellow musician Lucy Levinsohn Berman wrote. "Many of us are grieving David 'RollingCloud.' He has been a pillar of the Music community. He personally took my band, along with 2 other bands into his home when we were on tour. He housed and fed us and showed us ultimate kindness. He was one of the real ones. It's so sad his journey ended with your tour. I've followed and enjoyed your work. Glad the rest of your band and crew were able to live to tell. Catch you in Los Angeles. Take care."

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Another follower wrote that he had toured "with Rolling Cloud and he was a beautiful soul. He will forever be remembered. Terribly sorry for your experience brother. Sending positive vibes to you and your camps way."

EXCLUSIVE: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's proposal to phase out horse-drawn carriage rides after an 18-year-old tourist died in a Central Park carriage accident is expected to face legal challenges.

New York City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino told Fox News Digital that Intro 943, also known as Romanch's Law, is "unconstitutional."

"There will be a lawsuit coming up because this is unconstitutional," Paladino said. "Intro 943 is unconstitutional. Lawsuits are going to be filed immediately after this effort is passed. They're going to be tangled up in legalese."

FAMILY SEEKS $105 MILLION FROM NEW YORK CITY AFTER TEEN’S FATAL CENTRAL PARK CARRIAGE RIDE

The New York City Council is scheduled to vote Thursday on the proposal, which would phase out the horse-drawn carriage industry by June 1, 2028. The legislation would also establish a transition plan for carriage drivers and require the humane disposition of the horses.

The bill is named after Romanch Mahajan, an 18-year-old tourist who died after jumping from a runaway carriage in Central Park. Mahajan’s mother was also injured in the incident.

MAJOR CITY EYES CRACKDOWN ON GOLF CART TOURS AS FURIOUS LOCALS PUSH BACK

Paladino criticized the proposal, which is supported by animal rights groups, including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). She argued that the ban would threaten the livelihoods of carriage operators, many of whom are immigrants and small-business owners.

"Let’s remember that these owners represent a melting pot," Paladino said. "Their livelihood exists in and around the city."

Paladino also warned that eliminating carriage rides could hurt New York City's tourism industry and weaken a historic tradition.

"It’s a tremendous tourist attraction," she said. "People come in from all over the world to take those carriage rides."

MAMDANI, CITY COUNCIL MOVE TO END ICONIC NYC HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE INDUSTRY AS WORKERS FACE UNCERTAIN FUTURE

The councilwoman also criticized proposed alternatives, including electric bicycles and scooters, arguing that they can pose greater risks to pedestrians.

"These scooters and these motorized bikes that go 20 miles an hour — these scooters that go 30 and 40 miles an hour, zigzagging throughout the park, with no license, no registration and no insurance," Paladino said. "How many people get run over by those people?"

Paladino said the Mamdani administration should focus on regulating e-bikes and scooters instead of eliminating the carriage industry.

"If the Mamdani administration truly cared about public safety, why don’t they get a handle on the scooter and bike industry?" she said.

MAMDANI ACCUSED OF BETRAYING NYC WORKERS AS UNION BOSS BLASTS 'ANTI-LABOR' HORSE CARRIAGE BAN

The union representing carriage workers has also said it plans to challenge the ban in court if the legislation becomes law.

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Mamdani's office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

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FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) is facing an ethics complaint filed to the United States Senate over comments she made earlier this month that many characterized as a "threat" to conservatives who are thinking about working for the Trump administration.

During an Oct. 13 University of Chicago event, Slotkin drew criticism after a clip went viral showing her saying she wants to pursue "signature cases" against people who "enabled" President Donald Trump and push a "deterrence message" for young people.

"I want young people coming out of school to say, 'Should I go work for the Trump administration? Like, that sounds fun, I might get an opportunity.' I want them to be like, 'Lord, that might be buying myself a ton of problems that I don't want, and so let me avoid participating in that,'" she said. "I want that deterrence message sent," Slotkin said.

Slotkin is now facing an ethics complaint filed Thursday by Michael Bicksel, a University of Chicago student who first reported her remarks. The complaint was submitted to the Senate Select Committee on Ethics and argues that Slotkin proposed using congressional investigations and potential prosecutions to frighten young people away from serving in a Republican administration.

FORTY-FIVE PERCENT OF COLLEGE STUDENTS SAY VIOLENCE CAN BE JUSTIFIED TO STOP HATE SPEECH, POLL FINDS

"Recently at an event at my college, the University of Chicago, Senator Slotkin laid out a legislative-oversight agenda that involved using the legal process to terrorize members of the Trump administration in order to ‘deter’ young people from going to work for it," Bicksel wrote.

The complaint asks the committee to determine whether Slotkin's comments amounted to "improper conduct which may reflect upon the Senate," a standard described in the Senate Ethics Manual as applying to conduct that may be unethical even if it does not violate a specific law or Senate rule.

"As a college student and a conservative, this was a shocking thing to hear," Bicksel's complaint reads. "A prominent U.S. Senator came to my college and laid out a goal that I and my peers should be afraid to serve our country in the executive branch. This is well below the standard of conduct expected of a U.S. Senator and deserves investigation by the Senate Select Committee on Ethics and appropriate subsequent disciplinary action."

ELISSA SLOTKIN TELLS STUDENTS LIKE ME NOT TO WORK IN GOVERNMENT. DON'T LISTEN TO HER

Bicksel argued that Slotkin's comments were directed at students considering government service, rather than exclusively at people who commit crimes or engage in unethical conduct.

"The substance of the ‘deterrence message’ is clear as day," Bicksel wrote. "Her target was ‘young people coming out of school’ (like me and my classmates) who are debating whether they should ‘go work for the Trump administration.’"

"We are obviously not debating — as she subsequently tried to clarify — whether to go commit crimes or behave unethically," he continued. "Those who commit crimes should be punished for doing so. No one disagrees with that. All we are debating is public service, pure and simple, and Senator Slotkin says we should think twice about doing so because it might provoke the full power of the United States Senate."

Slotkin, when pressed on the response to her comment on CNN, referred to the controversy as "manufactured outrage."

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"I think the thing that I've heard from my own Republican colleagues and peers, including interns and folks who work around the Hill who come to our events, they'll tell you, ‘I was worried,’" Slotkin added. "My parents were worried, you know. It's really messy. I'm not sure what to get involved in.' Politics, in general, has become messy."

The Justice Department is currently facing calls to investigate Slotkin over her remarks, Washington Examiner reported on Wednesday.

Slotkin's communication director pointed Fox News Digital to a statement made by the senator on Tuesday when reached for comment.

"Now, if you take a breath, this is all pretty crazy. A president from the Oval Office is weaponizing our justice system against an American who clearly gets under his skin. And if he can do it to me, he can do it to anyone," Slotkin said. "His supporters use a coordinated play to threaten, intimidate, and silence anyone who speaks up. It's a play to distract us from his failed economy, high gas prices, and the disastrous war he started with Iran. But if I've learned one thing from this past year, it's that you have to push back."

A Christian couple who spent more than a decade caring for foster children is celebrating a major legal victory after Washington state agreed to change its licensing rules following a dispute over requirements that foster parents use children's preferred pronouns and comply with gender identity policies, even when those requirements conflicted with their religious beliefs.

Shane and Jennifer DeGross told Fox News Digital in an interview Wednesday that the dispute began in 2022, when they attempted to renew their foster care license and discovered the state had changed its requirements concerning gender identity.

The couple said they were willing to love and care for any child placed in their home but could not agree to certain state-imposed requirements they believed violated their Christian faith.

"We were made aware that the state had updated and changed some of their requirements," Jennifer DeGross told Fox News Digital. "While we agreed that we would love and care for any child in our home, they had specific things that we could not agree to as Christians."

DOJ BACKS NUNS CARING FOR DYING CANCER PATIENTS IN FIGHT AGAINST NEW YORK TRANS IDEOLOGY MANDATE

Shane DeGross said the state required them to affirm the state's views on gender identity and human sexuality.

"Those views directly conflict with the biblical worldview of human sexuality," Shane DeGross said. "So, as Christians, we just couldn't accept that. Our allegiance is to God and the truth of Scripture. And we just couldn't abide by what they were requiring us to affirm."

Washington's licensing policies required foster parents to affirm and support LGBTQ children, including expectations concerning gender identity and the use of preferred names and pronouns. The DeGross family challenged the requirements on religious freedom grounds. Jennifer said the state eventually partially reinstated their license but restricted the ages of children they could foster.

AUTISM PROVIDERS WARN FOSTER KIDS AT RISK FROM UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF TRUMP'S MEDICAID FRAUD CRACKDOWN

"We felt like even when they reinstated a partial license to us that they were still discriminating against us," she said.

"When a child reached 5, they had to be removed from our home," Jennifer said. "So not only was that upsetting to us, but that's not good for kids, right?"

Jennifer argued that such a restriction could disrupt a child's placement even if the child had already spent years living with a foster family.

PATRIOTS RB TREVEYON HENDERSON SLAMS STATE OVERREACH AFTER CATHOLIC FAMILY LOSES CUSTODY IN GENDER CASE

"If we had had a child for a couple of years, and then they have to be removed just because they turned or reached a certain age, it's definitely not in the interest of children," she said.

The legal battle resulted in a settlement under which Washington agreed to revise its foster care licensing rules, addressing the conflict between the state's gender identity requirements and foster parents' religious freedom claims.

Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom, told Fox News Digital that the DeGross' case should serve as a lesson for the rest of the country.

"These foster care agencies, they have to respect the First Amendment rights of foster parents, as well as the children in the system and everyone that they work with," Widmalm-Delphonse said. 

"So, states should be on notice from this settlement, as well as some of the other cases that we've seen like the Bates v. Pakseresht decision, that they have to respect First Amendment rights, they have to respect free speech rights, and the way you do that is you invite as many foster parents into the system as possible on the front end, and then you match at the back end according to children's individual needs or family's abilities, comfort level, things like that, which is what they've been doing for decades, and this settlement shows that they can continue doing that now," Widmalm-Delphonse added.

WASHINGTON FATHER SUES SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR DENYING RELIGIOUS OPT-OUT FOR 5TH GRADER FROM LGBTQ INSTRUCTION

Widmalm-Delphonse said that since the settlement, Washington State has a new proposed regulation, WSR 26-20-103, currently undergoing the public notice and comment process which would in part give foster parents like Shane and Jennifer DeGross a religious exemption.

"This new rule, in part, would give foster parents like the DeGross's a religious exemption from any rule requiring them to violate their religious beliefs on gender or sexuality," Widmalm-Delphonse said.

Shane DeGross told Fox News Digital, "It's a great victory in the sense that more Christians can be available to love and care for foster kids without fear of being excluded because of their religious beliefs."

"It's a huge victory for kids that need a loving home," he added.

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"We are proud of the diversity of our foster parent and kinship caregiver community who have different cultures, religious beliefs, and lived experience," the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families said in a news release on the settlement. "We are grateful that they all open their doors and provide a loving home to children and youth in foster care."

"This settlement agreement respects the religious beliefs of foster parents, while ensuring LGBTQIA+ youth are placed in an environment that is safe and supports their well-being," DCYF Secretary Tana Senn said.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Washington DCYF for further comment.

Country music star Kip Moore dropped new music for the hit series "The Terminal List."

The popular series is based on a book series written by Jack Carr. It follows Navy SEAL James Reece on the hunt for revenge.

Season one came out in 2022 with Pratt playing the lead character. Season two premiered on Oct. 21, and is based on Carr's "True Believer."

'THE TERMINAL LIST' SEASON 2 FIRST PREVIEW DROPS WITH CHRIS PRATT RETURNING AS NAVY SEAL JAMES REECE

It also includes fresh music from Moore.

Kip Moore releases new song for season two of "The Terminal List."

Moore announced Wednesday on Instagram that he made a new song – "The Wolf" – for the second season of Pratt's series.

"I was on a surf trip in Central America in January of 2024 when I got a call from Jared Shaw, who I now consider a friend, about The Terminal List. I hadn’t seen the first season at the time, but he asked if I'd read some of the scripts they were working on for season two and consider writing something for the main character. I immediately dove into season one and was hooked," Moore explained.

He continued, "I've always been fascinated by the world of special operations and I have a tremendous amount of respect for anyone willing to endure that level of training, and the sacrifices it takes. As I started reading through the scripts, I kept coming back to something Jared had scribbled in his notes: ‘It's like the battle between two wolves.’"

"That idea really stuck with me. I’ve always been drawn to exploring the more complex, human side of those experiences rather than simply celebrating the heroism. I wanted to dig into the internal battles, the weight of what these individuals carry, and the toll those experiences can take on a person's mind and spirit. I tried to put myself in the character's shoes and write from that place, exploring what he might be wrestling with on a deeper level. That's really where ‘The Wolf’ came from," Moore finished.

You can listen to the song below, and let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

It's always great to see when worlds collide here at OutKick. We have lots of country music fans, and we have plenty of people who love action series.

Now, they're coming together with Kip Moore making music for season two of Jack Carr's "The Terminal List."

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It really doesn't get much better than that.

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Are you watching "The Terminal List"? Let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts released a video of alleged sham marriage mastermind Jennifer Gonzalez detailing her pay-for-play scheme which officials say netted her over $6 million.

The U.S. Attorney's Office accused Gonzalez of orchestrating fake marriages between U.S. citizens and illegal immigrants, charging the immigrants up to $40,000 per marriage.

Gonzalez can be seen on a video recorded by a witness cooperating with federal law enforcement explaining how her scheme worked.

FORMER USCIS OFFICIAL, ACCOMPLICE CHARGED IN ALLEGED $960K CITIZENSHIP BRIBERY SCHEME

"They will come, I will present them to the wife, they're like, 'yes, I want them, not a problem, I'll be back in, I don't know, three weeks.' And they would leave and make me hold these girls for months," she explained.

"The payment, it's agreed by both parties, OK? This is the first initial payment for the total amount of $38,000. Now, let me calculate that real quick. So $38,000 minus $3,000," she continued, while using a calculator. "That's going to give us $35,000. And then the day of the wedding, you have to bring me, what? $12,000.

WOMAN EXPOSED RUNNING VISA FRAUD SCHEME SPANNING YEARS, POSING AS IMMIGRATION OFFICER

"You and I are the ones in this contract, not nobody else. Because we don't want to get your wife and yourself into a...putting in paper about a fake marriage. You know what I mean? Does that make sense to you? Because if anything happened, we don't want them to have any proof that this was fake," she said.

Gonzalez also explained to the witness, who she believed to be an illegal immigrant, that Massachusetts was the best place to go for illegal immigrants because of its sanctuary state status.

BIDEN-APPOINTED JUDGE DEALS TRUMP ANOTHER SANCTUARY CITY DEFEAT IN MAJOR IMMIGRATION FIGHT

"Massachusetts is best place for you to be. That is a fact," Gonzalez said.

"You get health insurance. You get a lot of help as an immigrant here," she explained, adding, "Trump doesn't like this state because...the state defends us very much."

She also revealed that she stopped arranging the marriages around 2025 because of increased federal immigration enforcement.

BIRTH TOURISM SELLS AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP, AND TRUMP IS SHUTTING IT DOWN

Gonzalez further told the witness that she owned multiple properties in the Dominican Republic, which she called "my country," and in Puerto Rico.

"Miss Gonzalez got rich off selling the American dream, all the while investing her money in another country," Leah Foley, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, told reporters during a Wednesday press conference announcing the scheme.

DOJ SAYS 11 MIGRANTS INDICTED IN MULTI-STATE SEX TRAFFICKING, DRUG, FIREARMS CASE

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While prosecutors described Gonzalez as the ringleader of the operation, authorities arrested four other co-conspirators involved in the scheme.

Fox News Digital's James Cirrone contributed to this report.

MANCHESTER, N.H. - Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says she is helping President Donald Trump choose his next press secretary after his first pick for the job lasted just five days.

"I've offered my help to the president to help him select someone who can serve him and the country well," Leavitt said Wednesday evening in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital.

Leavitt served as Trump's press secretary from the start of the president's second term until Aug. 27, when she stepped down from the demanding role to spend more time with her two young children, including a daughter who was born in May.

Her successor, political commentator Katie Zacharia, took over earlier this month, but lasted just five days in the role, making her the shortest-serving White House press secretary in U.S. history.

TRUMP'S NEW PRESS SECRETARY OUT OF A JOB JUST DAYS AFTER ROCKY DEBUT

"White House press secretary is a tough job. I know that because I did it, obviously for almost two years, and many people say it's one of the hardest jobs in politics," Leavitt emphasized.

She noted that the job "takes a lot of preparation and sometimes you don't know how someone will perform until they go out there."

"We wish Katie the best. The job obviously was not for her, but we wish her and her family well," Leavitt added.

When it comes to whom Trump will choose next for the position, Leavitt said the president "is continuing to look over options. There's a lot of people who want that job. It's an amazing job. It provides you with incredible opportunities."

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Asked what advice she's offered to Trump, Leavitt said, "I'll keep my private counsel to the president private, but I do obviously talk to him about what the job entails, and he knows it very well."

"Nobody understands the press better than Donald Trump. He knows he needs someone who is tough, who is smart, who understands his policies, who is loyal, and who can go out there and put up a fight," she added.

Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, served as an intern in the Trump White House after graduating from Saint Anselm College in 2019. She later became an assistant White House press secretary at the end of Trump's first term.

After Trump's defeat in the 2020 presidential election, Leavitt worked as communications director for Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York. She then served as spokeswoman for the Trump-aligned super PAC MAGA Inc. before taking over as press secretary for Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.

After being named White House press secretary following the 2024 election, Leavitt made history as the youngest person ever in the role.

DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB

Leavitt also ran for Congress in 2022, winning a heavily contested GOP nomination in New Hampshire's 1st District before losing the general election to incumbent Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas.

Asked if she might make another run for public office in her home state when Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan is up for re-election in 2028, Leavitt quickly said, "No, I'm all set. I don't have any plans to run for office in the near future at all, or in the future at all."

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"I am home with my family, and we're really excited about that," she explained. "Right now I'm really focused on being a wife and a mother to my two very young children. That's why I made the decision to leave Washington. So we're just happy to be home and enjoying the ride."

Leavitt officially becomes a Fox News contributor at the start of November.

If NBA referees called every travel they saw, games would never end, but blowing the whistle every now and again to remind players that they can't take an infinite number of steps would be appreciated by all involved. Unfortunately, the exact opposite precedent was set during the season opener between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat on Wednesday.

LaMelo Ball put on an impressive performance in his official debut for Minnesota, scoring 21 points and dishing out six assists in his team's 131-106 victory on the road, but three of his 21 points should not have counted.

Just over three minutes into the first quarter, Ball dribbled around a well-set screen that got his defender off balance. Instead of driving towards the basket, he opted to pick his spot beyond the three-point line, but forgot to put the ball on the floor on his way there.

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Ball appeared to take every bit of four full steps without taking a dribble. The carry was so egregious that each of the announcers on the broadcast couldn't help but call out how bad the no-call was.

The 25-year-old guard immediately talking trash to some courtside fans after he made the three made the whole scene that much worse. Then again, Ball and essentially every other player in the league have gotten away with traveling with the basketball throughout their NBA careers.

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Oftentimes, the missed travel calls take place with players driving to the basket and getting away with an extra half-step while carrying the basketball. For Ball not to get whistled while standing well beyond the three-point line is a bit of a surprise, even by NBA standards.

As for the contest itself, the Timberwolves looked as good and entertaining as expected with their new two-headed monster of Anthony Edwards and Ball in the 25-point win over Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Heat.

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Edwards finished the night with 45 points, including nine made three-pointers, to go along with 10 rebounds.

While the duo of Ball and Edwards combining for 66 points stands out, maybe the most promising stat line to look at if you're a Minnesota fan is that the two only turned the ball over five times total in the win.

The U.S. Supreme Court has denied an emergency petition from the Trump administration, which sought a stay on a lower court’s injunction on a policy that would have denied gender-affirming care to federally incarcerated transgender people.

That policy was implemented by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) after President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January 2025 that denied the existence of transgender people. The order also directed federal agencies to take steps that would be consistent with that view, and included specific instructions for the BOP.

“The Attorney General shall ensure that the Bureau of Prisons revises its policies concerning medical care to be consistent with this order, and shall ensure that no Federal funds are expended for any medical procedure, treatment, or drug for the purpose of conforming an inmate’s appearance to that of the opposite sex,” the order reads.

After the BOP conformed to the order, a group of incarcerated trans people who had been receiving gender-affirming care sued the administration. The group is being represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which argued that their Eighth Amendment protections against cruel and unusual punishment were being infringed upon.

A federal judge agreed, and, in August, ordered the policy to be blocked. The Trump administration challenged that finding, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld it, prompting Solicitor General John Sauer to submit an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court.

The court has regularly ruled against transgender people, allowing state bans on trans athletes’ participation in sports, ruling in favor of a ban on transgender people in the military, and upholding state laws that bar gender-affirming care for trans children and teens. Yet on Wednesday, the court denied the Trump administration’s request.

“The application for stay presented to The Chief Justice and by him referred to the Court is denied,” the order read, giving no further explanation. Two justices for the court — Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas — would have granted the Trump administration’s request for a stay, the document said.

The ACLU heralded the high court’s denial of the emergency petition, stating, “This ruling affirms that federal prison officials can’t deny transgender people essential health care.”

Around 1,000 federally incarcerated trans people have also been diagnosed with gender dysphoria. The ruling means these individuals can continue receiving gender-affirming care while they remain in federal prisons or jails and the case moves forward in the lower courts.

I’m a retired military prosecutor, U.S. Air Force Academy instructor, and former Wind Cave National Park Ranger. I love the life that my wife and I have built in the Black Hills of South Dakota. I’m running for Senate as an independent because I’m tired of seeing Big Money overpower common sense. The values I learned growing up in a small rural town from my machinist father—the same values that built this great country—are being treated as though they matter less than a politician’s personal ambition or a billionaire’s appetite.

More than at any time in my life, I believe our political system needs to be shaken up and that We the People need to overcome the corrupting influence of Big Money. Self-dealing is screwing hard-working, honorable South Dakotans out of their chance to live the American Dream.

I’m convinced that term limits are the best way to do it. Here’s a good example of why I believe that. Last month it was reported that my opponent, Sen. Mike Rounds, allowed one of his top advisers — who’s drawing a 6-figure taxpayer-funded salary — to simultaneously work as a lobbyist for Meta. This adviser, also a former Rounds campaign manager, has been pushing Big Money interests in the halls of the South Dakota state capitol, then advising our U.S. Senator on the very same issues, on the very same day.

TRUMP VANISHES FROM GOP SENATOR'S CAMPAIGN WEBSITE AS POLL NUMBERS PLUNGE WEEKS BEFORE ELECTION

There ought to be a law prohibiting that sort of thing. That is why, when I’m elected, the first bill I’ll introduce is to make ALL lobbying by congressional staff illegal. I’ve had enough. My second bill would be term limits. Washington’s culture is so corrupt and out of touch that the people who live there too long don’t even realize it anymore.

It was also recently reported that Mike Rounds spends more taxpayer money on private jets than any other member of the Senate.

I’m not trying to dump on Mike.

I believe Mike Rounds is a good man. I’m not here to add to the name-calling and personal meanness that does nothing to solve the very serious problems our state and nation face. I’m here to say that Washington, D.C. needs to change. Most of us can agree our local communities are the ones who pay the price when an elected official stays in Washington too long. We're paying a huge price now.

I agreed with President Donald Trump when he ran on "no new wars." As a patriot who’s proud to have served in both the Navy and the Air Force, I believe commanders-in-chief have a duty to only send our fighting men and women into harm’s way when it’s absolutely necessary. I agreed with him when he said that we needed to fight to make life less expensive. Where I come from, a promise is a promise.

But now, every time I fill up my Ram 1500 at the Corner Pantry, I’m paying over $4.00 a gallon. When I buy groceries for my family at Sonny’s Super Foods, I’m paying more all the time—especially when I buy beef grown by the best ranchers in the world, right here in South Dakota. They are now having to compete with imports from South America that aren’t fairly labeled so that American consumers can know the difference.

The Indian motorcycles that my brother works to assemble are getting harder for Americans to buy because of tariffs that we were told would make American manufacturing stronger.

Sen. Rounds has voted in favor of the Iran war every time he’s had the opportunity. He voted for the tariffs that are hurting South Dakota’s economy. He voted to make the biggest healthcare cuts we’ve ever felt, just so that companies could get tax breaks to build data centers. Wired reports that Mike has now taken more campaign contributions from data center-tied interests than from all of South Dakota itself. Those corporate donors are literally getting our money’s worth.

Sen. Rounds has been in office so long that he voted for the law that made it so that grocery stores don’t have to tell us which country their meat came from. Now he says he wants to bring those rules back. We’ve reached the point where career politicians have been in office so long they’re running against the exact things they did.

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I’m not running to be an anti-Trump Senator or a pro-Trump Senator. I have plenty of disagreements with the left. It scares the hell out of me that young people are feeling a pull towards socialism. As a former Air Force prosecutor, I think proposals to "defund the police" and "abolish prisons" are insane. As someone who spent decades working to make America more secure, I thought President Joe Biden’s failure to keep our border secure was unacceptable and offensive.

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I’m running to put South Dakota first, and to work with anyone, whatever their politics, when it’s in the interest of our state. 

I was an ethics advisor in the Air Force. I know it’s not my job to judge people by their politics, but I do believe it’s my job to stand up against a system that isn’t going to fix itself.

The numbers are in, and they paint a disturbing picture for NASCAR as the series barrels toward its championship race in three short weeks.

Bottom line? Fans are leaving the sport ... in droves.

Nobody is watching. And those who are watching, are complaining. A lot. About the car. About the tracks. About the lack of drama, and personality, and, frankly, about the TV channel.

HAS NASCAR LOST THE SOUTH? EX-DRIVER UNLOADS AFTER SEEING "100,000 EMPTY SEATS"

Most folks have turned it off completely. Those who have stayed aren't thrilled.

I don't need to tell you guys, but that's not a great place to be.

Take a look:

Why are fans leaving NASCAR? It's simple.

Last Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix drew a pathetic audience of just 1.2 million viewers. That number is alarming, folks. I've seen a lot of bad TV numbers for NASCAR over the years. Believe me.

It's not like they're hard to find.

But that's a low number. It's an unfathomable number given the series is smack dab in the middle of its playoffs. I never thought we'd see the day where a NASCAR Cup Series race drops below the Mendoza line (1 million), but we're getting close. Too close.

For comparison's sake, NASCAR averaged more than 4.5 million viewers per race in 2016, which was a really bad time for the sport. That's when viewers were fleeing left and right. Jeff Gordon had retired. Tony Stewart was on his way out. Dale Jr. was right behind him.

NASCAR RACE LOOKS PATHETIC WITH EMPTY SEATS, DRIVER GIVES THE FINGER & THE MOST EMBARRASSING COMMAND EVER?

There's been a nearly 50% drop-off in viewership since then! Through 33 races this season, the Cup Series is averaging 2.3 million viewers per race. Through seven Chase races (that's what we're calling the playoffs this season), the number drops to 1.5 million.

So, yeah — I'd imagine alarms are going off in the big glass building across from Daytona International Speedway this morning. At least they should be.

NASCAR MAKES MAJOR CHANGE TO 2027 DAYTONA 500 WEEK, FANS FURIOUS WITH ANOTHER CHANGE & RACE WIFE IN COSTA RICA

Now, the obvious question they'll be asking themselves is ... why? Why is this happening? Where are fans going? Why are they leaving?

To me, it's a fairly simple answer if everyone is just honest with themselves for 30 seconds. I'll go in order from what I consider most pressing, to least:

1. The TV deal stinks. It brought in a lot of money, but it's really poor for exposure. Do you know how many races have been on network TV this season? Seven. Seven! Six on FOX, one on NBC. That means there has been one race on network TV since the spring (Daytona in August). That's awful. Asking folks to hunt down the USA Network, and TNT, and then download Amazon Prime, and also find FS1 for 26 of your 33 races is a slap in the face.
2. The schedule stinks. I don't mean the tracks themselves, I mean the time of year. NASCAR is putting its 10-race "Chase" right up against college football and the NFL. That's like taking a knife to a gun fight. No sport is going to win that fight, much less NASCAR. Chase Elliott said it years ago, and it's still true today: The season needs to end around Labor Day weekend. There's no upside in going up against the NFL.
3. The Next Gen car has been a bigger turnoff than a Kamala Harris cackle. Fans despise it. Drivers despise it. You can't pass. You can't push the car. God forbid you try to run in "dirty air." Folks aren't stupid. They've seen what it's done to these races, and they've lost interest.
4. To steal a phrase from the great Rick Pitino, "Dale Jr. is not walking through that door." There's no real personality in the garage anymore, beyond Carson Hocevar. Like him or hate him, Carson has moved the needle all season. Nobody else does. Chase Elliott is your "Most Popular Driver" year in and year out, and he was supposed to be NASCAR's Dale Earnhardt Jr. replacement. That hasn't worked out. Chase has no interest in carrying that torch.

Jeff Gordon is gone. Dale Jr. is gone. Tony Stewart is gone. Kyle Busch, tragically, died. He was, perhaps, the last of the "old guard" when it came to NASCAR. Beyond hoping someone goes viral and physically attacks Carson Hocevar every week, I'm not sure who NASCAR is looking at to bring in new fans. He doesn't exist.

And finally ...

1. Let's be honest, the drama isn't there anymore. At least it's not what it's been over the past decade. Yes, the shift back to The Chase format was popular amongst hardcore NASCAR fans. I get it. But the sport gave up elimination races in the process, which is naturally going to hurt interest from casual fans. People like drama. Having an elimination race every third race in the fall certainly helped with interest. Those are gone now.

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Now, let's try to fix NASCAR ...

OK, that was a long-winded "30 seconds" of honesty, but you get the picture. You add all those up, and I think it's fairly easy to see how the series has cratered in terms of viewership over the past few years.

As for the answers? I don't know. I'd shorten the season and own the summer. That's probably atop my list. Utilize midweek races in June and July. End the regular season in July, and end the postseason on Labor Day weekend.

That's probably the quickest and easiest fix.

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The TV deal is done, so I'm not sure you're changing that any time soon. A new-era car would take a while to build, so that's probably a ways off, too. As for the lack of personalities in the garage ...

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Yeah, I wouldn't hold your breath. Carson Hocevar is gonna need to keep rattling cages for years to come, I fear.

So start with the schedule, and go from there. That's my best suggestion ...

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Because right now we live in a world where a WNBA Finals game is outdrawing a NASCAR postseason race.

And nobody wants to live in that world, folks.

FIRST ON FOX: A federal judge appointed by former President Barack Obama is being accused of "misconduct" in a case involving President Donald Trump.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, is demanding an investigation into U.S. Judge Kathleen Williams of the Southern District of Florida after she sanctioned Trump's lawyers over his case against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Jordan wrote to the Judicial Conference of the United States that "there is evidence that Judge Williams abused her judicial authority and violated fundamental tenets of judicial impartiality in connection with an unusual and unsupported order that imposed sanctions after the plaintiffs voluntarily had dismissed the underlying action."

The letter is being co-led by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., chairman of the panel's subcommittee on courts.

OBAMA-APPOINTED JUDGE WITH TIES TO ANTI-TRUMP CONSPIRACY THEORY HIT WITH MISCONDUCT COMPLAINT

Trump, his adult sons Eric and Donald Jr., and the Trump Organization filed a lawsuit against the IRS in early 2026 seeking $10 billion in damages after a contractor with the agency leaked the president's tax returns to the press. The contractor, Charles Littlejohn, was sentenced to five years in federal prison.

APOLOGIES AND CASH HEADED TO ALLEGED ‘WEAPONIZATION’ VICTIMS IN BILLION-DOLLAR TRUMP SETTLEMENT

Trump, who filed the lawsuit in his personal capacity, had it voluntarily dismissed in May. Shortly after, however, the administration announced a settlement agreement that included $1.776 billion for an "anti-weaponization fund" for victims of "lawfare" by the Biden administration. Trump himself would receive no compensation, but would get a formal apology from the federal government and bar the IRS from ever auditing Trump or his family.

Williams, however, then accused the plaintiffs of purposely manipulating the courts to achieve the settlement and sanctioned two of the president's lawyers in a July order. Her order referred lawyer Alejandro Brito to the Florida Bar for potential disciplinary action and prevented lawyer Daniel Epstein from practicing under her jurisdiction for at least a year.

LIBERAL LAW PROFESSOR BREAKS WITH OBAMA JUDGE OVER TRUMP LAWYER CRACKDOWN: ‘I REFUSE TO TEACH’ IT

Jordan's letter called the timing of Williams' order "suspect" for coming after the case was voluntarily withdrawn.

He also accused Williams of basing the action on an amicus brief submitted by left-wing judicial activist group Democracy Defenders Action. The brief, which the group said was submitted on behalf of 35 former federal judges, called on Williams to reopen the case despite the dismissal by the involved parties and accused both sides of "fraud" over the settlement.

GOP SENATOR UNVEILS BOASBERG ACT TO STOP 'ROGUE' JUDGES FROM HANDPICKING TRUMP CASES

"Judge Williams issued her July 13 order after the plaintiffs filed a notice of voluntary dismissal of the case, ending the dispute between the parties," Jordan and Issa wrote. "Although Judge Williams invoked the court's inherent authority to impose sanctions, the Committee is not aware of Eleventh Circuit precedent applying inherent sanctions authority after a plaintiff has voluntarily dismissed a case based on briefing by partisan nonparties on an unrelated question the court never decided."

They concluded, "Judge Williams's conduct risks undermining public confidence in the federal courts. Accordingly, we respectfully ask that the Judicial Conference review this matter, including whether it warrants referral to the Judicial Council of the Eleventh Circuit or other appropriate action, and that you inform the Committee of steps taken no later than 5:00 p.m. on November 5, 2026."

CLINTON JUDGE INDEFINITELY BLOCKS TRUMP'S $1.776B ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND

Issa told Fox News Digital in his own statement, "The rogue federal judges who make up the Trump Resistance in Robes continue to disappoint but never surprise. Judge Williams hasn't only shown her liberal contempt for President Trump — but crossed a bright ethical line by going after his attorneys."

Trump allies, particularly in Congress, have clashed with federal judges on multiple fronts so far this term. Republicans have accused what they call "activist judges" of weaponizing their courts to block Trump's agenda.

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Democrats, meanwhile, backed up Williams' skepticism of Trump's settlement. The anti-weaponization fund proposal, which has since been blocked by other courts, has received bipartisan pushback.

Fox News' "Antisemitism Exposed" newsletter brings you stories on the rising anti-Jewish prejudice across the U.S. and the world.

IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:
- French synagogues canceled prayers, Jews warned to hide amid riots
- Hasan Piker thinks it's fine to call Jews ‘inbred’ and ‘Zionist pigs’
- Macklemore's 'Free Palestine' tour funding anti-Israel org who cheered Oct 7

TOP STORY: Raging French riots have spiraled into absolute terror. Synagogues canceled Sabbath prayers, while terrified Jewish citizens were warned to conceal skullcaps and flee home. Violent mobs carrying Palestinian flags clashed with police, looted hundreds of stores, and flooded social media with over 1,300 hateful anti-Semitic posts. Over 2,400 rioters were arrested as fear grips the nation.

VIDEO: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defends his nation against those who say Israelis live on stolen land on ‘Life, Liberty & Levin.' WATCH HERE:

SPEWING HATE: Twitch streamer Hasan Piker ignited fierce backlash after defending his use of vile slurs, including "inbred" and "Zionist pig," against political opponents. Speaking to NPR, Piker brushed off the toxic attacks, claiming they weren't meant literally and blustered that criticism against him stems from anti-Muslim bias. The Israeli-American Council forcefully condemned his rhetoric as dangerous, dehumanizing hate speech.

CASH FOR TERROR: Rapper Macklemore launched a solo "Free Palestine" tour after getting booted from Ed Sheeran's lineup over anti-Israel antics. But outrage erupted as tour proceeds are set to fund the radical Palestinian Youth Movement—a extreme group that openly cheered Hamas's brutal October 7 massacre. Outraged Jewish groups are now demanding organizers answer for bankrolling violent extremists.

JUSTICE DENIED: A grieving relative of Shiri Bibas and her two toddlers—brutally murdered after being dragged into Gaza on Oct. 7—is taking his fight straight to the International Criminal Court. The family’s legal team filed complaints targeting Iranian officials who bankrolled Hamas, slamming the ICC for double standards and demanding arrest warrants for the regime bosses backing the atrocity.

CAMPUS CLAMPDOWN: The Trump administration made University of North Carolina knuckle under. To kill off 18 federal probes into alleged campus antisemitism and race-based admissions, the university agreed to ban protest face masks, enforce mandatory antisemitism training, and adopt strictly color-blind admissions. UNC avoided paying cash or admitting guilt, but must comply with strict federal oversight through 2028 to keep its funding.

GUEST EDITORIAL: Former New York Post editor David Christopher Kaufman argues that Barack Obama and Kamala Harris are out of touch for pushing anti-Israel rhetoric to court Black voters. He contends that African Americans prioritize domestic issues like crime and unemployment over Gaza, dismissing claims of shared Black-Palestinian struggles as a myth and pointing to polling that shows solid Black support for Israel.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "The Jewish people know what happens when hatred becomes acceptable. Throughout history, pogroms and persecution were fueled by lies that portrayed Jews as less than human. The Holocaust showed the world where the systematic dehumanization of Jews can lead." - The Israeli-American Council, condemning Hasan Piker's anti-Semitic comments.

- Looking for more on this topic? Find more antisemitism coverage from Fox News here.

- Did someone forward you this email? Subscribe to additional newsletters from Fox News here.

- Want live updates? Get the Fox News app here

The lone holdout juror who was the only one in favor of convicting her of murder for the strangling deaths of her three young children will not have to have his phone examined or face an inquiry from her defense attorney, a Massachusetts judge ruled Wednesday.

Judge William Sullivan denied Clancy attorney Kevin Reddington's motion for an evidentiary hearing.

Sullivan wrote that the potential evidence to dismiss the juror, referred to as Juror Doe in court documents but understood to be Michael Desronvil, came to light only after the mistrial was declared — which makes it irrelevant under court precedent.

LINDSAY CLANCY HOLDOUT JUROR'S LAWYER TORCHES 'LOONEY TUNES MOTION' TO INVESTIGATE HIM

The defense did not raise the issue that Juror Doe lied on the jury questionnaire before the mistrial was declared, he wrote — it originated in media reports.

"Because post-trial information potentially affecting Juror Doe's impartiality cannot be used to attack the determination that a mistrial was manifestly necessary, Clancy is not entitled to an evidentiary hearing on that issue," Sullivan found, while also noting that Reddington didn't raise the possibility that Juror Doe used a cell phone improperly until after the mistrial was declared.

LINDSAY CLANCY HOLDOUT JUROR ASKS FOR ONE THING IN NEW VIDEO AFTER MISTRIAL DRAMA

Any further inquiry into the holdout juror is inappropriate because of "the mandate that the court must not delve into a juror's subjective reasoning, thought process, view of the case, or relationship to the other jurors, and must not inquire into the jury's deliberative content, collective thought process, or any disagreement among the jury," Sullivan wrote.

Read the judge's order:

Desronvil told Fox News' Kayleigh McEnany last week that he stands by his decision not to compromise with 11 others who wanted her to be found not criminally responsible due to postpartum psychosis.

LINDSAY CLANCY HOLDOUT PRAISED AS 'AMERICAN HERO' BY LAWYER WHO SAYS HE REPRESENTS HIM

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He has taken to referring to her slain children as "The Three Angels." They were Cora, 5, Dawson, 3 and Callan, 8 months.

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He also denied lying under oath on his juror questionnaire, said jurors only used their cellphones during breaks from deliberations and denied claims from other jurors that he'd ignored reasonable doubts about the case.

LINDSAY CLANCY'S 'SHOOTER MCGAVIN' UNLOADS ON 'HOODIE-WEARING LAWYER' AMID WAR OF WORDS OVER HOLDOUT JUROR

GOT A TIP?

Reddington has asked the court to preserve juror records from all 12 panelists and six alternates, including their questionnaires, courthouse hallway surveillance video taken outside the deliberation room and sign-in sheets for the jurors' cellphones.

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But it was only Desronvil's phone he's asked to have examined specifically — between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on each deliberation day.

LINDSAY CLANCY HOLDOUT JUROR'S LAWYERS SAY THEY PLAN BAR COMPLAINT AGAINST REDDINGTON

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"Everybody had their cellphones and our cell phone was used when we had a break," the holdout juror said. "So not during deliberation."

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Clancy returns to court on Nov. 2.

Tony Romo's loss has been J.J. Watt's gain at CBS – and now it's permanent.

Watt on Thursday was named lead analyst for the NFL on CBS in a new multi-year contract agreement. The announcement was made by David Berson, Chairman of Skydance's Global Sports Group.

Watt will continue to call the network’s top NFL games alongside Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson as CBS Sports’ lead NFL announce team, including during the 2027 season when they call Super Bowl LXII in Atlanta.

TONY ROMO AND CBS PART WAYS BUT HISTORY SUGGESTS ANALYST WILL BE BACK ELSEWHERE

"I’ve had a front-row seat to J.J.’s growth as a top-tier broadcaster, watching him tackle this role just like he did his Hall-of-Fame playing career," Berson said in a release by the network. "He’s insightful, entertaining, passionate, meticulous in his preparation, and the ultimate teammate. He has a unique ability to see things and communicate to fans of all levels. We are thrilled to have him leading our NFL coverage."

Watt didn't start the 2026 NFL season in his current role. That belonged to Romo, the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback.

NFL ANALYST TONY ROMO PLACED ON LEAVE BY CBS SPORTS FOLLOWING DRUNK DRIVING ARREST IN WISCONSIN

But Romo ran afoul of his assignment when he was arrested on July 23, after a traffic stop on southbound Interstate 43 near downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He later pleaded no contest to a first-offense OWI, with the sentence including a six-month revocation of his driving privileges and an alcohol-assessment requirement.

CBS said on July 31 that Romo was on leave "until further notice," but then the network announced on Oct. 2 that it had "mutually agreed to part ways" with its long-time lead analyst.

WITH TONY ROMO OUT AT CBS, TROY AIKMAN AND GREG OLSEN SUDDENLY BECOME LOGICAL REPLACEMENTS

Watt, meanwhile, was the next man up. He has served as the network's lead analyst since the start of the season and that now becomes a permanent role after what was obviously a successful trial period.

The network chose the man in the seat over other possible permanent replacements for Romo, Greg Olsen and others among them.

"I am incredibly honored and grateful to have the opportunity to represent CBS Sports and all of the fantastic people who make this place so special," Watt said in a statement. "From the brotherhood of The NFL Today to my crews calling games, I couldn’t ask for better teammates alongside me on this television journey.

"I am thankful to David Berson for his leadership, vision and trust. I love this job and can’t wait to see ya Sunday with Jim and Tracy and many more Sundays to come!"

Watt joined CBS Sports in 2023 as a studio analyst on The NFL Today. Last season, Watt moved to the booth to call games with Ian Eagle and Evan Washburn.

Watt was a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and was honored as the 2017 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.

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