Huckabee visits iconic holy site in Israel, delivers Trump’s prayer for peace
As Passover and Holy Week came to a close, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee fulfilled a vow he had made to President Donald Trump. In his first act as ambassador, Huckabee placed a prayer from Trump into the Western Wall. In his remarks at the Western Wall, Huckabee said that Trump “handwrote” the prayer and handed it to the new ambassador at the White House. Along with the note, Trump reportedly gave Huckabee a directive to bring it to the holy site as his first official act as ambassador. WHITE HOUSE PLANS ‘EXTRAORDINARY’ HOLY WEEK AS TRUMP HONORS EASTER WITH ‘THE OBSERVANCE IT DESERVES’ “This morning, I visited [the Western Wall] in Israel’s eternal capital, Jerusalem, and placed a prayer from [the president] between the stones. On behalf of President Trump and the American people, I say to Israel: our commitment to you is unwavering, and we pray for the immediate return of all the hostages. Israel will never be alone,” Huckabee wrote in a post on X. Trump famously relocated the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 2018, a move that drew intense praise and criticism at the time. He has also enjoyed a close relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during both of his terms in the White House. EASTER AND PASSOVER FOODS THAT AMERICANS MOST LIKE AND DISLIKE, ACCORDING TO NEW DATA The Western Wall Foundation included a photo of the note that Huckabee said was from Trump, which appeared to read, “For peace in Israel. D.T.” TRUMP DEMANDS BIDEN ISSUE APOLOGY OVER ‘BLASPHEMOUS’ TRANS VISIBILITY DAY ON EASTER SUNDAY: ‘APPALLING’ Placing notes, like the one from Trump, in the wall is a common practice. The notes are typically collected twice a year — once before Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, and then again before Passover. Huckabee’s visit to the Western Wall came as the Trump administration emphasized Holy Week, with the White House Faith Office leading events, including a pre-Easter dinner with faith leaders. “We pray that America will remain a beacon of faith, hope, and freedom for the entire world, and we pray to achieve a future that reflects the truth, beauty, and goodness of Christ’s eternal kingdom in Heaven,” Trump said in a White House statement on Holy Week.
Confidence in Congressional Democrats hits all time low in new poll
Confidence in the Democratic Party’s congressional leadership has sunk to an all-time low, according to a new national poll. The confidence rating for Democratic leadership in Congress stands at 25% in a Gallup poll conducted April 1-14 and released on Thursday. That’s nine points below the previous low of 34%, which was recorded in 2023. According to Gallup, confidence in Republican congressional leadership stands at 39%, which is well above the 24% low hit in 2014. Fueling the drop in confidence in the Democratic congressional leadership were Democrats. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLING “Democratic congressional leaders’ rating among their own party faithful has fallen 41 points since last year to their lowest point ever,” Gallup noted in its release. DEMOCRATS FAVORABLE RATINGS DROP TO RECORD LOWS The Democratic Party is in the political wilderness, following last November’s election setbacks, when Republicans won back control of the White House and the Senate, and defended their fragile House majority. And Republicans made gains among Black and Hispanic voters, as well as younger voters, all traditional members of the Democratic Party’s base. Democrats have become increasingly angry and energized in response to President Donald Trump’s aggressive and controversial moves, since returning to the White House three months ago, in slashing the federal government and upending longstanding national policies. NEW MOVE BY DEMOCRATIC PARTY VICE CHAIR FURTHER INFLAMES EXISTING INTRA-PARTY TENSIONS That anger is directed not only at Trump and Republicans, but also at Democrats. Many in the party’s base feel their leaders in Congress haven’t been effective or vocal enough in pushing back against the president. And the energy has been evident at town halls this winter and early spring held by both Democratic and Republican members of Congress. National polls conducted in February by Quinnpiac University, and last month by CNN and by NBC News, indicated the favorable ratings for the Democratic Party sinking to all-time lows.
LGBTQ Christians crusade against Trump’s ‘anti-LGBTQ’ orders during Holy Week
As Christians across the country celebrate Holy Week, a group of LGBTQ+ faith leaders gathered outside the U.S. Capitol to reject President Donald Trump’s “anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.” And one religious leader told Fox News Digital the Trump administration is “the most hostile administration to religion in recent memory.” Attendees at the Collective of Queer Christian Leaders event Monday claimed Trump had not only targeted the LGBTQ+ community but faith leaders. “We’ve seen a series of attacks on faith leaders,” Guthrie Graves, an ordained Baptist deacon, told Nicholas Ballasy for Fox News Digital. “For instance, Bishop Mariann Budde, the bishop in the Episcopal Church of Washington, spoke about mercy for LGBTQ people and immigrants during the inaugural prayer service. And then, even at a very humble plea for mercy, President Trump lashed out at her.” In a Truth Social Post, Trump called Budde a “Radical Left hard line Trump hater” and accused her of politicizing his inaugural prayer service by asking him to “have mercy” on LGBTQ+ children who are “scared.” TRUMP EXCORIATES BISHOP AS ‘RADICAL LEFT HARD LINE TRUMP HATER’ AFTER POLITICALLY CHARGED PRAYER SERVICE “As the Collective of Queer Christian leaders, our message today was to let LGBTQ+ communities and individuals know that they are not alone. We are not alone. We’re in this together. We wanted today to speak out against the anti-LGBTQ+ legislation as well as the executive orders coming out of this current administration,” said Ryan Henderson, who attended Monday’s event. LGBTQ CHRISTIANS INVOKE ‘RIGHTEOUS RAGE’ AT CAPITOL DURING HOLY WEEK Trump, on his first day back in the Oval Office, issued an executive order establishing only two sexes, male and female. And Trump Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a lawsuit Wednesday against the state of Maine for allowing transgender women to continue playing women’s sports. Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills has refused to comply with Trump’s executive order restricting biological men from playing girls and women’s sports. Nearly two months ago, Trump and Mills sparred during a bipartisan meeting of governors at the White House, during which Trump promised Mills he’d see her “in court.” Many attendees told Fox News Digital that transgender people, in particular, are “under attack.” And Haley Warner of the Belong Collective, an LGBTQ+ inclusive church, advocated for a “full embrace from the church, from the arms of God” and to speak out against “what’s being done by the far-right in the name of God.” Sunu Chandy, a senior advisor at Democracy Forward, a legal organization that advocates for the advancement of democracy through policy engagement, said rights “need to be fought for in the courts, in the faith communities, in the streets, to make sure that our trans siblings, in particular, are uplifted in this time. “What’s incredibly clear is that we are in the midst of a certain level of unprecedented attacks against the LGBTQ+ community, wherein the rights that my ancestors fought so hard to gain are now not only under attack, but are actively being rolled back,” said the Rev. Don Abram, founder of Pride in the Pews. Another attendee, Jan Lawrence, executive director of Reconciling Ministries Network, an LGBTQ+ justice organization within the United Methodist Church, emphasized the importance of faith leaders standing united during this “critical time.” “We have a collective voice that is louder than the voice of any one of us,” Lawrence said. While the Trump administration was called “the most hostile administration to religion in recent memory” during Monday’s event, Trump’s new White House Faith Office announced a robust Holy Week schedule to celebrate Easter. The White House did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment by deadline. Last year, President Joe Biden proclaimed March 31, which fell on Easter Sunday, Transgender Day of Visibility to show “transgender and nonbinary Americans that we see them, they belong, and they should be treated with dignity and respect.”
Trump calls Sen. Van Hollen a ‘fool’ after meeting with deported MS-13 suspect in El Salvador
President Donald Trump is calling Sen. Chris Van Hollen a “fool” on Friday after the legislator flew to El Salvador to meet with deported illegal immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia. “Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland looked like a fool yesterday standing in El Salvador begging for attention from the Fake News Media, or anyone. GRANDSTANDER!!!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account. Garcia, a 29-year-old illegal immigrant living in Maryland, was deported to the El Salvadoran megaprison “Terrorism Confinement Center” (CECOT) last month, and officials acknowledged in court that his deportation had been an administrative error, although now some top Trump officials say he had been correctly removed and contend that he is a member of the notorious MS-13 gang. “I said my main goal of this trip was to meet with Kilmar,” Van Hollen, a Democrat, said in a post on X on Thursday. “Tonight I had that chance. I have called his wife, Jennifer, to pass along his message of love. I look forward to providing a full update upon my return.” DEMOCRAT SENATOR VAN HOLLEN MEETS, SHAKES HANDS WITH ABREGO GARCIA Van Hollen said earlier Thursday that “Kilmar Abrego Garcia had been illegally abducted and is being held in a notorious prison in El Salvador — barred from contacting his family or lawyers.” Van Hollen also spoke to the press in El Salvador, in a video posted on YouTube. Abrego Garcia’s wife Jennifer Vasquez said in a statement that “we still have so many questions, hopes, and fears,” according to the Associated Press. Both a federal district court and the U.S. Supreme Court have ordered the Trump administration to “facilitate” Garcia’s release and return to the U.S. for proper deportation proceedings. MORE DEMOCRATS WORK TO JOIN VAN HOLLEN IN EL SALVADOR TO PUSH FOR ALLEGED GANG MEMBER’S RETURN TO US The Trump administration also released information on Wednesday indicating that Abrego Garcia’s wife has accused him of repeated abuse of her. Fox News obtained the written domestic violence allegations filed in court against Abrego Garcia by Vasquez in 2021. In the filing, written in her own handwriting, Vasquez alleged that Abrego Garcia had repeatedly beaten her, writing: “At this point, I am afraid to be close to him. I have multiple photos/videos of how violent he can be and all the bruises he [has] left me.” Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner, Jasmine Baehr and Bill Mears contributed to this report.
Rubio says US to decide within days if Ukraine ceasefire ‘doable’
NewsFeed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the US will decide in the coming days whether to continue to push for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, or to walk away. The Trump administration had made ending the war a priority, but talks have stalled. Published On 18 Apr 202518 Apr 2025 Adblock test (Why?)
The dangers of falling in love online
We discuss the dangers of falling in love online and how technology is used to deceive and steal from victims. The world of online romance scams is a dark and increasingly prevalent phenomenon, thriving on digital platforms where scammers exploit the search for love. These scams often involve emotional manipulation and blackmail, and can lead to significant financial devastation for victims. Dating apps, social media platforms and websites have become common spaces for people to connect with potential partners, but they also serve as prime hunting grounds for scammers. Presenter: Anelise Borges Guests:Cecilie Fjellhoy – Co-Founder, LovesaidRohan Mer – Scam Prevention Technology ExpertHelmi Korhonen – Romance Scam Recovery Project Adblock test (Why?)
Pakistan confirms its expulsion of more than 80,000 Afghans since April 1
Rights groups have criticised the repatriation drive, warning that mass expulsions risk endangering vulnerable people. Pakistan has confirmed to have repatriated more than 80,000 Afghan nationals since April 1, before an extended April 30 deadline for the country’s largest migrant group in an initiative labelled as “forced deportation” by Afghanistan. Talal Chaudhry, Pakistan’s Interior Ministry adviser, told reporters in Islamabad on Friday that there would be no more extensions to the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan launched in late 2023 for more than three million Afghans. “We have communicated clear instructions to all provinces, if anyone gives a shop, house, or any kind of space to an illegal foreigner, they will be held accountable under the law,” he said. Those lacking valid documents or holding Afghan Citizen Cards had initially been ordered to leave by March 31. That deadline was later extended by a month. On Tuesday, the International Organization for Migration, a UN entity, said Pakistan has expelled nearly 60,000 Afghans since the start of April. “With a new wave of large-scale returns now under way from Pakistan, needs on the ground are rising rapidly – both at the border and in areas of return that are struggling to absorb large numbers of returnees,” Mihyung Park, head of the IOM’s Afghanistan mission, said at the time. Advertisement More than 1.3 million Afghans who hold Proof of Registration cards from the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, have also been told to move outside the capital Islamabad and the neighbouring city of Rawalpindi. On Saturday, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is due to visit Kabul, where he will head a delegation for high-level talks with the Taliban-led government. “The talks will cover the entire gamut of the Pakistan-Afghan relationship, focusing on ways and means to deepen cooperation in all areas of mutual interests, including security, trade, connectivity, and people-to-people ties,” said a statement from Pakistan’s foreign office. ‘We have no desire to leave’ The crackdown threatens to uproot Afghan families that have been in the country for decades. Earlier this month, Akber Khan, who owns a restaurant in the northwest Pakistani city of Peshawar, told The Associated Press news agency: “I have been here for almost 50 years. I got married here, so did my children, and 10 of my family members are buried here. That’s why we have no desire to leave.” At least a third of the Afghans Pakistan wants to expel this year live in the northwest province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “Afghans can never be completely repatriated, especially from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as they return using illegal channels or exploiting loopholes in the system despite fencing at the border,” said Abdullah Khan, managing director of the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, to Al Jazeera. ‘Security threat’ Islamabad has frequently linked Afghan refugees to rising security threats and criminal activity within its borders – allegations rejected by Kabul, which has described the campaign as forced deportation and politically motivated. Advertisement Authorities in Pakistan say they have established temporary holding centres across multiple cities to process and accommodate Afghan nationals before their return. Most are being transported to the Torkham border crossing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the key route into eastern Afghanistan. Human rights groups have criticised the repatriation drive, warning that mass expulsions risk endangering vulnerable people, particularly women and children, who may face insecurity or persecution upon return. Despite these concerns, Pakistani officials maintain that the crackdown targets only those who remain in the country without legal authorisation, insisting the policy is a matter of national security. Adblock test (Why?)
Former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal hosts daughter Harshita’s grand wedding, flaunts dance moves; Know all about his son-in-law
Former Delhi Chief Minister and convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Arvind Kejriwal and wife Sunita Kejriwal’s daughter Harshita is getting married on Friday, April 18. Her husband Sambhav Jain studied at IIT with her.
Trump announces a conservative media star, a GOP governor,and others for Homeland Security Advisory Council
President Donald Trump announced that conservative commentator Mark Levin, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, Florida state Sen. Joe Gruters and former NYPD detective Bo Dietl will serve on the Homeland Security Advisory Council. The president described service on the panel as a “big honor.” “I am proud to announce the formation of my revamped Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC), which is comprised of Top Experts in their field, who are highly respected by their peers. It is a big honor to serve on HSAC, and I know the new Members, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, Mark Levin, Bo Dietl, and Joseph Gruters, will do an incredible job,” the president declared in a post on Truth Social. ‘MASS SURVEILLANCE’: CONSERVATIVES SOUND ALARM OVER TRUMP ADMIN’S REAL ID ROLLOUT “Under Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s leadership, HSAC will work hard on developing new Policies and Strategies that will help us secure our Border, deport Illegal Criminal Thugs, stop the flow of Fentanyl and other illegal drugs that are killing our Citizens, and MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN. Congratulations to all!” he added. Levin, a conservative talk radio show star and author, hosts the TV show “Life, Liberty, & Levin” on the Fox News Channel. Last year, Trump urged Gruters to run for the role of Florida chief financial officer. IRS AND DHS REACH HISTORIC DEAL TO AID IN PURSUIT OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS SUBJECT TO DEPORTATION “RUN JOE, RUN! This is an Endorsement I would love to make,” he declared in a March 2024 Truth Social post. Gruters noted in a November post on X, “Whether via appointment or at the ballot box in 2026, I look forward to running for CFO as President Trump’s endorsed candidate.” WHITE HOUSE DEFENDS ICE, SAYS DEMS, MEDIA WANT ‘SICK’ CRIMINAL MIGRANTS LEFT ON STREETS CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP U.S. Rep. Jimmy Patronis, R-Fla., who previously served as Florida’s CFO, joined Congress this month after winning election to former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s old seat in the Sunshine State’s 1st Congressional District. Patronis resigned from the Florida CFO role before the end of his term, and Gov. Ron DeSantis can appoint a replacement. The Florida CFO election is slated to take place in 2026.
Poll position: How Trump’s approval rating compares to his presidential predecessors
There’s no denying that President Donald Trump is moving at warp speed during his second tour of duty in the White House. “We have accomplished more in 43 days than most administrations accomplished in four years or eight years, and we are just getting started,” the president said during his prime-time address to Congress and the nation last month. And a few days later, the White House team touted, “50 WINS IN 50 DAYS: President Trump Delivers for Americans.” Trump has aggressively asserted executive authority in his second term, overturning long-standing government policy and making major cuts to the federal workforce through an avalanche of sweeping and controversial executive orders and actions – many aimed at addressing grievances he has held since his first term. CLICK HERE FOR FOX NEWS COVERAGE OF TRUMP’S FIRST 100 DAYS But the most recent national public opinion polls suggest that Americans aren’t thrilled with the job the president is doing. The latest Gallup poll, conducted April 1-14 and released on Thursday, indicates that Trump is underwater, with a 44% approval rating and 53% disapproval rating. Most, but not all, of the most recent national public opinion surveys indicate Trump’s approval ratings in negative territory, which is a slide from the president’s poll position when he started his second tour of duty in the White House. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLING Contributing to the slide are increasing concerns over the economy and inflation, which was a pressing issue that kept former President Joe Biden’s approval ratings well below water for most of his presidency. And Trump’s blockbuster tariff announcement two weeks ago, which sparked a trade war with some of the nation’s top trading partners, triggered a massive sell-off in the financial markets and increased concerns about a recession. The Gallup poll is the latest to spotlight the massive partisan divide over the polarizing president. Nine out of 10 Republicans questioned by Gallup gave Trump a thumbs up, but only 4% of Democrats said they approved of the president’s performance. Among Independents, only 37% approved of the job Trump’s doing steering the nation. With the president reaching three months into his second term this weekend – he was inaugurated on Jan. 20 – Gallup is comparing his approval ratings with his presidential predecessors. According to Gallup’s figures, Trump’s average approval rating during the first quarter of his first year back in office is 45%. While that’s an improvement from his 41% average approval rating during the first three months of his first administration, in 2017, it’s far below previous presidents. FIRST ON FOX: HERE’S HOW MUCH REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE HAULED IN THE PAST THREE MONTHS “John F. Kennedy and Dwight Eisenhower had the highest first-quarter average ratings, with both registering above 70%, while Jimmy Carter, Barack Obama and Ronald Reagan averaged between 60% and 69%. George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush, Joe Biden and Bill Clinton had similar average ratings of 55% to 58% in their first quarters,” Gallup noted in its release. Gallup highlighted that “Trump is the only president to have sub-50% average approval ratings during a first quarter in office.” But enjoying promising approval ratings out of the gate doesn’t guarantee a positive and productive presidency. Carter’s poll numbers sank into negative territory less than two years into his presidency, and he was resoundingly defeated in his bid for re-election in 1980. Biden’s approval rating hovered in the low-to-mid-50s during the first six months of his single term as president, with his disapproval in the upper 30s to the low- to-mid-40s. However, Biden’s numbers sank into negative territory in the late summer and autumn of 2021, in the wake of his much-criticized handling of the turbulent U.S. exit from Afghanistan, and amid soaring inflation and a surge of migrants crossing into the U.S. along the nation’s southern border with Mexico. Biden’s approval ratings stayed underwater throughout the rest of his presidency, and he dropped his bid for re-election last summer.