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Top GOP candidates predict Republican voters will unite behind nominee after divisive Senate primary

INDEPENDENCE, OH – From the campaign trail to the ad wars, the attacks and rhetoric have been flying in the closing days ahead of Tuesday’s contentious and costly Republican Senate primary in Ohio. Bernie Moreno, the businessman and luxury auto dealership giant who’s backed by former President Donald Trump, has repeatedly charged that his main rival in the race – state Sen. Matt Dolan – is a “RINO,” a derogatory acronym which stands for “Republicans in name only.”  And he’s compared Dolan to establishment Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, who is reviled by Trump and the MAGA movement. Dolan, a former top county prosecutor and Ohio assistant attorney general whose family owns Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Guardians, told Fox News Digital on the eve of the primary that Moreno’s “divisive.”  TRUMP’S IMMENSE CLOUT OVER GOP ON THE LINE IN OHIO’S UGLY COMBUSITIBLE SENATE PRIMARY And an outside super PAC supporting Dolan charged in a recent ad that Moreno’s “creepy” and “damaged goods.” The spot referred to an Associated Press report which claims that an adult hookup website account was created in 2008 using an email linked to Moreno. Moreno denied the report and called it “a sick, last-minute attack by desperate people.” SIX KEY SENATE SEATS REPUBLICANS AIM TO FLIP IN NOVEMBER  The other major candidate in the Republican primary battle, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, has criticized both of his wealthier rivals, who’ve pumped millions into their campaigns. As he voted on Tuesday, LaRose once again jabbed at his rivals, claiming “Dolan certainly has a very long liberal track record. So does Moreno.” But the candidates aren’t concerned that the crossfire will weaken the winner of Tuesday’s primary, who will face off in November against longtime Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown – who’s considered one of the most vulnerable Democrats -in a race that may determine whether Republicans win back the Senate majority. TRUMP AND TOP ALLIES MAKE FINAL PITCH IN CONTENTIOUS REPUBLICAN SENATE PRIMARY “I’m going to be the flag bearing Republican who’s going to beat Sherrod Brown and I think Republicans will unite and Donald Trump will be part of that,” Dolan predicted in a Fox News Digital interview on Monday in Columbus. Moreno, speaking with Fox News Digital after meeting Tuesday morning with Republican activists in suburban Cleveland, predicted that Republicans in the battleground state will rally behind the winner of the primary. “The entirety of the Republican Party will be behind who ever wins tonight. I believe it will be me,” Moreno said. “We’re all going to be united when this race is called tonight, because we have one singular cause, which is to defeat Sherrod Brown. This is a guy who’s not good for Ohio. He’s not good for Ohio,” he claimed. “We need to get control of the United States Senate back and control of the United States Senate runs through Ohio.” Ohio and national Democrats have spotlighted the intra-party fireworks, arguing that the crossfire will weaken the eventual nominee. But Republican Sen J.D. Vance of Ohio disagrees. Vance, who is backing Moreno and has campaigned with the candidate continuously across the state the past four days, was the winner of the 2022 GOP Senate primary in Ohio, which was more crowded and combustible than the 2024 edition. “You see this all the time. You have slugfests in the primary,” Vance told Fox News Digital. “I don’t worry at all about these intermural fights carrying over into the general election. They happen all the time and I think Republicans know how to unite and win.” Dolan said that if he wins, he’ll preach unity.  “I’m not interested in dividing the Republican Party. I’m interested in when we put conservative agendas in place, Republicans win. When that happens, Ohioans and Americans are better off. That’s the message I’m running on,” he emphasized. And Moreno agreed that “I think at the end of the day we’ll all come together.” But the candidate did acknowledge that “sometimes it does get personal. That’s OK. Listen, that’s what we signed up for. It’s part of politics.” Fox News’ Jamie Vera and Deirdre Heavey contributed to this report Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Fox News Politics: Texas’ (temporary) SCOTUS win

Welcome to Fox News’ Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail.  What’s happening?  – Biden refuses to recognize his fifth granddaughter born out of wedlock  – Congress reaches spending deal with White House – Where do the Trump trials stand? The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed Texas to enforce a law that allows local police to arrest migrants suspected of crossing the border illegally – marking a significant, but temporary win for the state’s efforts to control illegal immigration across the border.  The ruling comes a day after the court extended a block on the state law at the request of the Biden administration, which sued to strike down the measure. The Biden administration argued that the law, known as Senate Bill 4 and signed by Gov. Greg Abbott in December, would usurp federal authority on matters related to immigration enforcement. It marks the most significant effort by a state to take control of enforcement since the Court struck down parts of an Arizona law in 2012. The case now goes back to the Fifth Circuit again, which could again block the law again, setting up another Supreme Court battle. Abbott called the ruling a “positive development” while acknowledging that there will be hearings in the appeals court. LEFT OUT: Biden fails to recognize fifth granddaughter born out of wedlock to Hunter …Read more PULLING THE PLUG: House Republicans to introduce bill ending federal funding for med schools with DEI, ‘race-based mandates’ …Read more A NEW PLAYER: House Democrats invite ex-Giuliani associate Lev Parnas as Biden impeachment inquiry hearing witness …Read more FUNDING FIGHT: Congress reaches deal with White House on government funding …Read more NO MORE AID: Lindsey Graham promotes Trump’s Ukraine loan over foreign aid plan in Zelenskyy meeting …Read more GETTING OUT ALIVE: Florida congressman helps 13 more Americans escape Haiti, swipes at Biden ‘pattern of abandonment’ …Read more GOP BATTLE LINES: Trump, MAGA Republicans clash with establishment conservatives in key Senate primary …Read more STRONG WORDS: Trump claims any Jew who votes Democrat ‘hates their religion’ after Schumer speech on Senate floor …Read more SHOUTING AND SWEARING: Biden becoming increasingly frustrated and concerned over re-election efforts …Read more ‘LASER-FOCUSED’: Conservative groups unleash massive investment for battleground state’s ‘historic’ vote-by-mail program …Read more FAITH FIGHTER: Trump voters don’t think he’s very religious, but say he fights for religious communities: poll …Read more REPORTING TO PRISON: Former Trump adviser Peter Navarro begins 4-month sentence for contempt of Congress …Read more HIGHER RISK: Major cancer research group finds LGBTQ+ people have a higher risk …Read more ‘READY TO ASSIST’: Arkansas sends troops to Texas to help tackle migrant influx …Read more TRUMP HUSH-MONEY CASE: Judge permits Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels to testify …Read more ‘FRAUD’: Trump says ‘disgusting’ New York AG committed ‘FRAUD’ by allegedly convincing judge to undervalue Mar-a-Lago …Read more TRUMP TRIALS: Where do all the cases against the former president stand? …Read more ‘UNCHARTED TERRITORY’: Legal experts weigh in on Trump’s options after failure to obtain $464M appeal bond …Read more Subscribe now to get Fox News Politics newsletter in your inbox. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

Nancy Mace scolds ABC’s Stephanopoulos for trying to ‘use’ her to damage Trump

FIRST ON FOX: Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., is blasting ABC News and host George Stephanopoulos after former President Trump sued them both on Tuesday, accusing both network and newsman of defamation. Trump accused Stephanopoulos of defaming him on an episode of ABC News’ “This Week” earlier this month when he said several times on air that the former president was “found liable for rape” during a heated March 10 interview with Mace. “The verdict in question was plain as day. The jury had the opportunity to find Trump liable for rape, and they chose not to. Partisan Democrats like George Stephanopoulos, who masquerade as the face of supposedly impartial news organizations, are the chief reason for the vast decline of Americans’ trust in the media,” Mace said in a statement first obtained by Fox News Digital. ABC NEWS’ GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS INACCURATELY SAID TRUMP WAS FOUND ‘LIABLE FOR RAPE’ 10 TIMES, LEGAL GURUS SAY “For far too long, Democrat partisans in the press have put politics over facts, and talking points over truth. Repairing the havoc and damage these partisan actors have caused to our public discourse will require a serious effort by news organizations to hold themselves accountable for their actions.” She said of her interview, “Stephanopoulos thought he could use me in his shameful attempt to damage President Trump. It didn’t work because I wouldn’t fall for it. President Trump will always fight for the truth. And so will I.” “All are on notice now. Stephanopoulos’ tenure at ABC News is a stain on the profession of journalism. He’s not fit to hold a microphone, let alone pose as a beacon of truth,” the statement ended. NANCY MACE PUSHES BACK ON GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS IN HEATED EXCHANGE OVER TRUMP SUPPORT: ‘TRYING TO SHAME ME’ Mace called on Republicans to stop going on ABC “until Stephanopoulos is held accountable.”  Fox News Digital reached out to a representative at ABC News for comment on Mace’s statement. Mace, a rape survivor, previously said she felt personally attacked when Stephanopoulos, a former top aide to President Bill Clinton, asked how she could support Trump’s White House bid. Stephanopoulos said Trump was found “liable for rape” 10 times during the exchange.  A federal jury in New York decided that Trump was not liable for rape but was liable for sexual abuse and defamation in the 2023 civil trial of advice columnist E. Jean Carroll vs. Trump. The former president has called the verdict a “disgrace,” and denied all wrongdoing.   NANCY MACE’S OFFICE CALLS ON ABC, WOMEN’S GROUPS TO ‘DEMAND AN APOLOGY’ FROM GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS The lawsuit, filed Monday in Florida, claims Stephanopoulos’ statements are “false” and were made with “actual malice or with a reckless disregard for the truth given that Defendant Stephanopoulos knows these statements are patently and demonstrably false.” The court document then noted that a jury “expressly found that Plantiff did not commit rape.”  The suit notes that Trump representatives contacted ABC seeking a retraction following the interview, but the Disney-owned news outlet failed to apologize or correct the record. 

Texas lawmakers praise Supreme Court ruling letting police arrest illegal immigrants crossing border

Texas lawmakers on Tuesday praised a Supreme Court ruling that will allow Texas to enforce a law that allows local and state authorities to arrest illegal immigrants. The 6-3 ruling paves the way for Texas to enforce its controversial law, SB 4, which the Biden administration argued was an intrusion into federal immigration enforcement, while it remains pending in a federal appeals court. The statute was passed by Texas lawmakers last year and signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, who is embroiled in other legal battles with the federal government over his state’s efforts to curb the flow of migrants into the state.  The measure makes illegal immigration a state crime, and enables state and local authorities to arrest illegal immigrants, who could face deportation or jail time. CONSERVATIVE GROUPS UNLEASH MASSIVE INVESTMENT FOR BATTLEGROUND STATE’S ‘LARGEST EVER’ VOTE-BY-MAIL PROGRAM Despite the legal entanglements and future hearings on the matter, Abbott said the ruling was a “clearly a positive development.” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said it was a “HUGE WIN.” “Texas has defeated the Biden Administration’s and ACLU’s emergency motions at the Supreme Court,” he wrote on X. “Our immigration law, SB 4, is now in effect. As always, it’s my honor to defend Texas and its sovereignty, and to lead us to victory in court.” Fox News Digital has reached out to the offices of Sens. Ted Cruz and John Coryn.  U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, said the federal government has failed in its duty to defend the southern border and that Texas is well within its right to enforce the law.  JUDGE RULES ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS HAVE GUN RIGHTS PROTECTED BY 2ND AMENDMENT “It is clear to any honest and objective person living in this country that President Biden has willfully disregarded the laws of the land, abdicated his constitutional duty to provide for a common defense, and unilaterally surrendered control of our border to terrorist drug cartels,” Arrington said in a statement. “I applaud the Supreme Court for allowing Texas to do what President Biden won’t — stop the chaos, secure the border, and protect Texans and Americans.” The SCOTUS ruling is a “HUGE win for the great state of Texas and border security!” said U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls, a Texas Republican. Similarly, the House Judiciary Committee said it was a “Big win for law and order!” Despite SB 4 being a Texas law, New Mexico state Rep. John Block, a Republican, raised concerns about his state’s ability to curb the flow of migrants.  “Without states like New Mexico joining Texas in apprehending illegal border crossers, our state’s remaining 50-plus miles of open border will become ground zero for criminal trespass into the country,” Block said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “New Mexico will be crippled beyond compare with the next wave of criminal entry if we do not act now.” He called on Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, to order a state of emergency and direct the New Mexico National Guard to send personnel to assist border agents and direct the New Mexico State Police to immediately begin arresting suspected illegal border crossers. “Every community in our country has now become a border community due to the Biden administration, and we must finally do what is required to keep our citizens safe,” he said.  On Tuesday, the White House called SB 4 unconstitutional, saying it was “just another example of Republican officials politicizing the border while blocking real solutions.” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the measure ultimately harms communities and is a public safety risk.   “We remained focused on delivering the significant policy changes and resources we need to secure the border — that is why we continue to call on Congressional Republicans to pass the bipartisan border security agreement, the toughest and fairest set of border reforms in decades,” she said. 

Trump tells Supreme Court a denial of immunity would ‘incapacitate every future president,’ in initial brief

Former President Trump told the Supreme Court in his initial brief that he should be immune from criminal charges, arguing that a denial would “incapacitate every future president with de facto blackmail and extortion while in office,” and would create “post-office trauma at the hands of political opponents.”  Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, and his legal team filed the 67-page brief to the high court on Tuesday.  The Supreme Court will hear initial arguments on the issue of presidential immunity on April 25, after Trump argued that he should be immune from prosecution on charges stemming from Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into alleged election interference in 2020 and Jan. 6.  Smith’s trial is on hold pending the high court’s ruling, which is expected to be handed down in mid-June.  “A denial of criminal immunity would incapacitate every future President with de facto blackmail and extortion while in office, and condemn him to years of post-office trauma at the hands of political opponents,” the brief states. “The threat of future prosecution and imprisonment would become a political cudgel to influence the most sensitive and controversial Presidential decisions, taking away the strength, authority, and decisiveness of the Presidency.”  The brief lays out the case brought against Trump.  SUPREME COURT AGREES TO REVIEW WHETHER TRUMP IMMUNE FROM PROSECUTION IN FEDERAL ELECTION INTERFERENCE CASE “The indictment charges President Trump with five types of conduct, all constituting official acts of the President,” the brief states. “First, it alleges that President Trump, using official channels of communication, made a series of tweets and other public statements on matters of paramount federal concern, contending that the 2020 federal election was tainted by fraud and irregularities that should be addressed by government officials.”  “Second, the indictment alleges that President Trump communicated with the Acting Attorney General and officials at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding investigating suspected election crimes and irregularities, and whether to appoint a new Acting Attorney General,” it continues. “Third, the indictment alleges that President Trump communicated with state officials about the administration of the federal election and urged them to exercise their official responsibilities in accordance with the conclusion that the 2020 presidential election was tainted by fraud and irregularities.” TRUMP SAYS SUPREME COURT RULING IN COLORADO CASE IS ‘UNIFYING AND INSPIRATIONAL’ “Fourth, the indictment alleges that President Trump communicated with the Vice President, the Vice President’s official staff, and members of Congress to urge them to exercise their official duties in the election certification process in accordance with the position, based on voluminous information available to President Trump in his official capacity, that the election was tainted by extensive fraud and irregularities,” it states. “Fifth, the indictment alleges that other individuals organized slates of alternate electors from seven States to help ensure that the Vice President would be authorized to exercise his official duties in the manner urged by President Trump.”  The brief states that according to the indictment, “these alternate slates of electors were designed to validate the Vice President’s authority to conduct his official duties as President Trump urged.”  “President Trump moved to dismiss the indictment based on Presidential immunity,” the brief states. “The district court wrongfully held that a former President enjoys no immunity from criminal prosecution for his official acts. The D.C. Circuit affirmed, likewise incorrectly holding that a former President has no immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts.”  The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the appeal.  Trump’s attorneys argue that “A former President enjoys absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for his official acts.”  “Criminal immunity arises directly from the Executive Vesting Clause and the separation of powers,” the brief argues. “The Impeachment Judgment Clause reflects the Founders’ understanding that only a President ‘convicted’ by the Senate after impeachment could be criminally prosecuted. The Constitution authorizes the criminal prosecution of a former President, but it builds in a formidable structural check against politically motivated prosecutions by requiring a majority of the House and a supermajority of the Senate to authorize such a dramatic action.”  “The Founders thus carefully balanced the public interest in ensuring accountability for Presidential wrongdoing against the mortal danger to our system of government presented by political targeting of the Chief Executive,” the brief states. “The long history of not prosecuting Presidents for official acts, despite ample motive and opportunity to do so over the years, demonstrates that the newly discovered alleged power to do so does not exist.”  TRUMP SPEAKS AFTER SUPREME COURT RULING, TELLS BIDEN TO ‘FIGHT YOUR FIGHT YOURSELF’ Trump and his attorney argue that the “lack of historical precedent” provides “a telling indication of a severe constitutional problem with the asserted power.” Trump attorneys also argued that the impeachment judgment clause of the Constitution “confirms the original meaning of the Executive Vesting Clause — i.e., that current and former Presidents are immune from criminal prosecution for official acts.”  Trump attorneys argue that “the Impeachment Judgment Clause provides that, after impeachment and Senate trial, ‘the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.’”  “By specifying that only the ‘Party convicted’ may be subject to criminal prosecution, the Clause dictates the President cannot be prosecuted unless he is first impeached and convicted by the Senate,” the brief states.  Trump lawyers argued that “the Clause’s plain language presupposes that an unimpeached and un-convicted President is immune from prosecution.”  Smith charged the former president with conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights. Those charges stemmed from Smith’s investigation into whether Trump was involved in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and any alleged interference in the 2020 election result. Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges. 

Trump adviser Peter Navarro starts prison term for contempt of US Congress

Peter Navarro, a key adviser to the White House under former United States President Donald Trump, has turned himself in to a federal prison in Miami, Florida, to serve a four-month sentence for defying a congressional subpoena. His arrival at the prison on Tuesday makes him the first senior Trump official to report to prison in relation to efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. “I am the first senior White House adviser in the history of our republic that has ever been charged with this alleged crime,” Navarro said in a fiery press conference outside the prison. He also blamed members of the Democratic Party and judicial bias for his prison sentence. “Every person who has taken me on this road to that prison is a friggin’ Democrat and a Trump hater,” he said, pointing towards the federal detention facility. In September, a US district court convicted Navarro of two counts of contempt of Congress, after he failed to comply with a subpoena to surrender documents and sit for a congressional deposition. The testimony and documents were part of a trove of evidence being collected by a now-defunct House Select Committee assigned to investigate the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. That attack saw thousands of Trump supporters storm the seat of Congress in an attempt to disrupt the certification of the 2020 election. Trump, a Republican, had lost that election to Democrat Joe Biden. Former White House official Peter Navarro told reporters he was ‘pissed’ as he turned himself over to authorities in Miami, Florida [Adriana Gomez Licon/AP Photo] Still, Navarro and other Trump allies spread a conspiracy theory that Trump had not, in fact, been defeated — but was rather the victim of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 race. A former trade adviser to Trump, Navarro in particular promoted a proposal called the “Green Bay Sweep”, which would pressure public officials to decertify results that showed Biden winning. However, Navarro refused to submit to the House committee’s requests for testimony, citing Trump’s claims that, as president, he enjoyed executive privilege during the January 6 attack. Both Navarro and fellow Trump adviser Steve Bannon were ultimately convicted of failing to comply with the congressional committee’s subpoenas. But unlike Navarro, Bannon was allowed to delay his prison sentence while he pursued an appeal. However, the chief justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts, denied a last-minute request from Navarro’s legal team that he, too, should remain free pending his appeal. Roberts’s decision, which came on Monday, all but assured Navarro would face time behind bars. “I see no basis to disagree with the determination” made by the lower courts, Roberts wrote. He explained that Navarro had not met the “burden to establish his entitlement to relief under the Bail Reform Act”. Chief Justice John Roberts, left, denied Peter Navarro’s attempt to delay his prison sentence [Shawn Thew/Pool via AP] Navarro used his press conference in Miami to argue that, like Trump, he had been the victim of a weaponised legal system and partisan tactics. He also called the House Select Committee he had been called to testify before “unlawful”. “I’m pissed. That’s what I’m feeling right now. But I’m also afraid of only one thing: I’m afraid for this country, because this, what they’re doing, should have a chilling effect on every American, regardless of their party. If they come for me, they can come for you,” Navarro said. The House Select Committee ultimately shut down in January 2023, as Republicans took control of the House of Representatives. But before it disbanded, the committee compiled its 18 months of research into a damning, 845-page report, accusing Trump and his allies of refusing to accept their defeat in the 2020 election. The report argued that Trump “unlawfully pressured State officials and legislators to change the results of the election in their States” and “oversaw an effort to obtain and transmit false electoral certificates”, among other acts in a “multi-part conspiracy” to overturn the election results. While the report recommended criminal charges, it did not have the power to pursue them independently. Donald Trump supporters rally on January 6, 2021, near the White House [Jose Luis Magana/AP Photo] However, the US Department of Justice has since appointed a special counsel, Jack Smith, to investigate Trump’s actions before, during and after the 2020 election. Smith has since filed two federal criminal indictments against Trump: one in Washington, DC, for attempts to subvert the election and one in Florida for Trump’s handling of classified documents once out of office. Trump faces two additional criminal indictments on the state level. The first, in New York, concerns hush money payments made during the 2016 presidential race. And the second, in Georgia, pertains to attempts to subvert the 2020 election results in that state. The former president — now the presumptive Republican nominee in the 2024 US presidential race — has denied all the charges against him. Adblock test (Why?)

Libya-Tunisia border crossing closed following clashes

Closure comes as Libya says ‘outlaws’ attacked the Ras Jedir border crossing. Tunisia and Libya have closed a major border crossing at Ras Jedir due to armed clashes, according to Tunisian state TV and Libyan authorities. Libya’s interior ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that “outlaws” had attacked the border, which sees a large flow of Libyans, often going to Tunisia for medical treatment, and trucks with goods coming in the opposite direction. “This action carried out by these outlaw groups will not be tolerated, and legal measures and the most severe penalties will be taken against those involved,” the Tripoli-based ministry said, without giving further details. The border post in the desert area of Ras Jedir about 170 kilometres (105 miles) from the Libyan capital Tripoli, is the main crossing point between the two North African countries. According to local media, armed clashes broke out on Monday night between armed groups who control Ras Jedir and security forces sent by Tripoli. On Monday, Libyan Interior Minister Imad Trabelsi had directed the ministry’s “law enforcement department” to intervene at Ras Jedir to “combat smuggling and security violations” and facilitate travel. Unverified footage on social media showed a burning vehicle at Ras Jedir and people running, as well as the sound of gunfire. Tunisia’s Tataouine Radio said late on Monday that Tunisia closed the crossing for the safety of citizens going to Libya. Groups from cities in the border area have for years controlled Ras Jedir, benefitting from the lucrative parallel border trade. Thousands of Tunisian families in the south also make a living from the trade. Libya has been mired in insecurity since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising led to the overthrow of longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi, and is split between eastern and western factions, with rival administrations governing each area. Adblock test (Why?)

How can Israel’s war on Gaza be allowed to continue?

Starvation and disease pose imminent dangers. As Israel’s brutal war on Gaza continues, the 2.3 million residents of the besieged Palestinian territory face the imminent risk of famine. More than 31,800 people have been killed and 74,000 others wounded in the Israeli assault on Gaza since October 7. The wounded rely on a health system that’s either destroyed or under attack by Israeli forces. What can bring Gaza’s suffering to an end? Presenter: Cyril Vanier Guests: Fidaa Al-Araj – Oxfam aid worker in Gaza Arwa Mhanna – Middle East senior adviser for advocacy and policy, Mercy Corps aid agency Francesca Albanese – United Nations special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territory Sam Rose –  Director of planning for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) Adblock test (Why?)

Gov. Greg Abbott appears with embattled House Speaker Dade Phelan for first time in heated primary season

Abbott has so far been silent as Phelan battles for political survival in a tough primary runoff.

USA Powerlifting applauds appeals court decision after transgender woman claimed discrimination

A Minnesota appeals court struck down a previous ruling that claimed the USA Powerlifting organization violated a transgender woman’s rights by prohibiting the individual from joining the women’s team. JayCee Cooper, a transgender woman, sued the organization in 2021 after being rejected from the women’s team in 2018. In the complaint, Cooper alleged the organization violated the Minnesota Human Rights Act, which protects discrimination against people “having or being perceived as having a self-image or identity not traditionally associated with one’s biological maleness or femaleness.” A district court ruled last year that the organization discriminated against Cooper, then they appealed the decision. Cooper then cross-appealed, and on Monday, the Minnesota Court of Appeals decided the athletic league did not discriminate against the individual.  COLORADO COULD BECOME THE FIRST STATE TO BUILD SEPARATE PRISON UNITS FOR TRANSGENDER FELONS “USA Powerlifting did not exclude JayCee Cooper because of her gender identity,” the organization’s lead attorney Ansis V. Viksnins told Fox News Digital in a statement. “USA Powerlifting excluded her from competing in the women’s division because of her physiology: she enjoys strength advantages over other women because she went through puberty as a man.” “Maintaining separate categories based on sex, age, and weight is necessary so that similarly situated athletes have fair opportunities of success,” the statement continued. “Scientific studies show that athletes who have gone through male puberty enjoy a large strength advantage over athletes who go through puberty as a female. The scientific studies also show that suppressing testosterone only reduces the strength advantage by a very minimal amount. Because powerlifting is a strength sport, the strength differences between competitors are significant. Excluding male to female transgender powerlifters from the women’s division is necessary to maintain fairness and integrity in the sport.” TRANS INMATE WHO KILLED BABY AND IDENTIFIES AS MUSLIM WOMAN SUES CHAPLAIN FOR ALLEGEDLY NOT ALLOWING HIJAB Now, the case could continue being litigated in a lower court, or Cooper could raise it to the Supreme Court. Cooper’s attorney did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. According to Judge Matthew Johnson’s lengthy opinion, the court concluded “that there are no genuine issues of material fact on Cooper’s claim of aiding and abetting discrimination and, accordingly, affirm the district court’s grant of summary judgment on that claim.” Cooper participated in men’s sports before transitioning in her 20s and changing her name sometime between 2015 and 2016 when she was 28 years old, the court documents said. Cooper became a member of USA Powerlifting in 2018.  WOMEN’S PRO GOLF TOUR UPDATES POLICY TO ONLY ALLOW BIOLOGICAL FEMALES, BANNING TRANS GOLFER HAILEY DAVIDSON Cooper asked the organization for permission to have an exemption to take spironolactone, a substance prescribed for gender dysphoria. After a couple of weeks of taking the prescription, estrogen is typically taken as part of the hormone transition to female.  “USAPL has satisfied its burden to produce evidence of a legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason. Cooper’s female gender identity co-exists with her male physiology,” the opinion stated. The appeals decision comes as transgender people in sports has become a hot button issue. Last week, 16 current and former female athletes filed a lawsuit against the NCAA, saying the organization’s transgender policy violates Title IX.