Election officials wary of shift to Texas’ centralized voter-registration system
Some lawmakers say a bill requiring counties to switch to TEAM would make it easier to monitor voter rolls. But the system has had its problems.
Rubio says US ready to ‘move on’ within days if no progress made on Russia-Ukraine peace deal
Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that it needs to be determined within days whether achieving a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine is “doable in the short term,” warning that he thinks the U.S. will “move on” if it is not achievable. Rubio said that if it is “not possible,” he thinks President Donald Trump is “probably at a point where he’s gonna say, ‘Well, we’re done.’” But Rubio noted that the U.S. will help if either or both sides are “serious about peace.” REPUBLICAN USES GEORGE WASHINGTON, AMERICAN REVOLUTION TO REJECT NOTION UKRAINE SHOULD SURRENDER TO RUSSIA “If it’s not gonna happen, then we’re just gonna move on,” Rubio declared. “@POTUS has been clear: The time to end the war between Russia and Ukraine is now. Today in Paris, @SE_MiddleEast, @SPE_Kellogg and I met with leaders from France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Ukraine to talk about how we can stop the killing and reach a just and sustainable peace,” Rubio noted in a post on X. RUBIO ANNOUNCES CLOSURE OF STATE DEPARTMENT EFFORT THAT ‘WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD ALREADY’ The war continues to rage, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declaring in a post, “This is how Russia began this Good Friday – with ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, Shaheds – maiming our people and cities.” U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., staunchly supports Ukraine and wants the U.S. to provide the Eastern European nation with arms to bolster its war effort. JD VANCE BLASTS ZELENSKYY’S ‘60 MINUTES’ COMMENTS AS ‘ABSURD,’ ‘NOT PRODUCTIVE’ CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “European Allies and U.S. should arm Ukraine to the max and help them defend their country against the Russians, and now the North Koreans and Chinese,” Bacon said in a recent tweet.
Federal judge temporarily restricts DOGE access to personalized Social Security data
A federal judge in Baltimore issued a preliminary injunction Thursday restricting the Department of Government Efficiency’s access to Social Security data. U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander, an Obama appointee, said DOGE-affiliated staffers must purge any of the non-anonymized Social Security data that they have received since Jan. 20. They are also barred from making any changes to the computer code or software used by the Social Security Administration, must remove any software or code they might have already installed, and are forbidden from disclosing any of that code to others. The injunction does allow DOGE staffers to access data that’s been redacted or stripped of anything personally identifiable, if they undergo training and background checks. “The objective to address fraud, waste, mismanagement, and bloat is laudable, and one that the American public presumably applauds and supports,” Hollander wrote in the ruling issued late Thursday night. “Indeed, the taxpayers have every right to expect their government to make sure that their hard earned money is not squandered.” BIDEN RETURNS TO PODIUM FOR FIRST TIME TO SLAM TRUMP’S SOCIAL SECURITY PLANS: ‘WRECK IT SO THEY COULD ROB IT’ But that’s not the issue, Hollander said — the issue is with how DOGE, led by billionaire Elon Musk, wants to do the work. “For some 90 years, SSA has been guided by the foundational principle of an expectation of privacy with respect to its records. This case exposes a wide fissure in the foundation,” the judge wrote. The case was brought by a group of labor unions and retirees who allege DOGE’s recent actions violate privacy laws and present massive information security risks. During a federal court hearing Tuesday in Baltimore, Hollander repeatedly asked the government’s attorneys why DOGE needs “seemingly unfettered access” to the agency’s troves of sensitive personal information to uncover Social Security fraud. TEXAS POISED TO CREATE ITS OWN VERSION OF DOGE AS BILL PASSES BOTH CHAMBERS “What is it we’re doing that needs all of that information?” Hollander said, questioning whether most of the data could be anonymized. Attorneys for the Trump administration said changing the process would slow down their efforts. “While anonymization is possible, it is extremely burdensome,” Justice Department attorney Bradley Humphreys told the court. He argued the DOGE access doesn’t deviate significantly from normal practices inside the agency, where employees and auditors are routinely allowed to search its databases. But attorneys for the plaintiffs called it “a sea change” in terms of how the agency handles sensitive information. Skye Perryman, President and CEO of the legal services group Democracy Forward, which is behind the lawsuit, said the ruling has brought “significant relief for the millions of people who depend on the Social Security Administration to safeguard their most personal and sensitive information.” SCHUMER CALLS ON LELAND DUDEK, ACTING COMMISSIONER OF SSA, TO RESIGN Hollander made clear that her order didn’t apply to SSA workers who aren’t affiliated with DOGE, so they can still access any data they use in the course of ordinary work. But DOGE staffers who want access to the anonymized data must first undergo the typical training and background checks required of other Social Security Administration staffers, she said. Hollander, 75, is the latest judge to consider a DOGE-related case. Many of her inquiries Tuesday focused on whether the Social Security case differs significantly from another Maryland case challenging DOGE’s access to data at three other agencies: the Education Department, the Treasury Department and the Office of Personnel Management. In that case, an appeals court recently blocked a preliminary injunction and cleared the way for DOGE to once again access people’s private data. Hollander’s injunction could also be appealed to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which sided with the Trump administration in other cases, including allowing DOGE access to the U.S. Agency for International Development and letting executive orders against diversity, equity and inclusion move forward.
Trump: China calling ‘a lot’ since last week’s tariff increase, deal could happen as soon as 3 weeks
President Donald Trump said Thursday that China has been reaching out “a lot” ever since he nearly tripled U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, and he suggested to reporters that the two nations could reach a deal in as soon as three to four weeks. During a gaggle with reporters after signing executive orders related to deregulating the seafood industry, Trump was asked about his ongoing negotiations with Chinese officials and, in particular, whether he has yet spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping about the ongoing trade battle. “They have reached out a number of times,” Trump said, referring to high-level Chinese officials. When asked how frequently they’ve been in touch since last week – after Trump tripled his Chinese tariff increase from 54% to 145% – the president responded, “A lot.” GORDON CHANG: TRUMP TARIFFING CHINA AT THE WORST POSSIBLE TIME FOR XI JINPING His comments come amid media reports that Trump has indicated he is unwilling to reach out to China first amid the ongoing trade war. According to sources close to Trump, U.S. officials have been urging the Chinese to initiate a call between Xi and Trump, but so far they have not. When asked if he had spoken to Xi yet, Trump would not confirm one way or the other. “I’ve never said whether or not [it’s] happened, but I have a very good relationship with President Xi, and I think it’s going to continue. They have reached out a number of times,” Trump told reporters. TALKING TARIFFS: TRUMP TOUTS TRADE NEGOTIATIONS AS HE MEETS WITH ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER The press then quickly pounced on Trump’s response, requesting the president to clarify if he was referring to Xi or other Chinese officials when he said, “They have reached out a number of times.” “I view it very similar,” Trump responded. “It would be top levels of China, and if you knew [Xi], you would know that if they reached out, he knew exactly – he knew everything about it. He runs it very tight, very strong, very smart. And, yeah, we’re talking to China.” The president said that while some have urged him to fast-track his negotiations, he believes there is “plenty” of time left to make a deal with China and expects it will eventually come to fruition. UK URGED TO ALIGN WITH TRUMP ON CHINA OR LOSE FAVORED STATUS IN WASHINGTON “I would think over the next three or four weeks, I think maybe the whole thing could be concluded,” Trump told reporters Thursday. The president added that if a deal cannot be reached, things will “be fine.” “At a certain point, if we don’t make a deal, we’ll just set a limit. We’ll set a tariff. We’ll set some parameters, and we’ll say, ‘Come in and shop,’” Trump said. “They always have a right not to do it, so they can say, ‘Well, we don’t want it, so we’re not going to shop there, we’re not going to shop in the store of America.’ We have something that nobody else has, and that’s the American consumer.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Bribery trial of Nadine Menendez reaches closing arguments: ‘Partner in crime’
Prosecutors and defense attorneys delivered closing arguments today in the bribery trial of Nadine Menendez, wife of former Sen. Bob Menendez, D-M.J., who is accused of helping broker deals that sold the senator’s influence in exchange for gold bars, envelopes of cash, and a Mercedes-Benz convertible. The former senator—who was not present and was sentenced in a separate trial to 11 years in prison on bribery, acting as a foreign agent, and obstruction charges—was repeatedly referenced during the government’s summation. Nadine Menendez, who faces similar charges, sat quietly in the courtroom between her two attorneys, wearing a pink face mask. Prosecutor Paul Monteleoni delivered the government’s closing argument over several hours, calling Bob Menendez his wife’s “partner in crime.” He walked the jury through all 18 charges against Nadine Menendez, alleging that she acted as a broker, selling her husband’s political power in a series of schemes. PROSECUTORS AGREE TO POSTPONE NADINE MENENDEZ’S TRIAL AFTER LAWYERS SAID SHE HAS A ‘SERIOUS MEDICAL CONDITION’ Prosecutors said the misconduct included helping a New Jersey-based Halal certifier pursue a monopoly, interfering in a state-level criminal case, and ghostwriting a letter for the Egyptian government to help maintain U.S. aid. In return, Monteleoni told jurors, Nadine Menendez received envelopes of cash, 1-kilogram gold bars, a high-paying job, and a luxury convertible. “She did it so she could get a convertible,” Monteleoni said. In closing, he added, “The defendant is guilty on every count.” SEN MENENDEZ CHARGED WITH OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE IN ANOTHER SUPERSEDING INDICTMENT Barry Coburn, representing the defense, argued that the government had applied overly broad definitions of “official acts” and “quid pro quo.” He claimed most of what was alleged involved routine political behavior. “Menendez must and should not be found guilty of any of them,” Coburn told the jury. He specifically pushed back on the claim that a meeting between former Sen. Menendez and New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal amounted to an official act. “These things are unproven in this case,” Coburn said, adding: “The rule of law mandates acquittal on those counts.” The defense also questioned the credibility of Jose Uribe, a cooperating government witness, saying much of his testimony lacked corroboration. Coburn pointed to a dinner where Uribe claimed the former senator told him, “I saved your ass, not once but twice.” Coburn argued that such statements were unverified and unreliable. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Judge Sidney H. Stein is scheduled to deliver jury instructions on Friday morning at 9:30 a.m., after which deliberations will begin.
Live in gated society? You might now have to pay 18% GST on flat maintenance; Check details here
There has lately been much confusion among people living in gated societies with respect to whether Goods and Services Tax (GST) is applicable on their maintenance amount. The confusion has been exacerbated by social media messages carrying misinformation. Read more about it here.
Man kills two with police mother’s gun at Florida State University
Police identify gunman as 20-year-old son of local sheriff’s deputy in attack that also wounded five. The 20-year-old son of a sheriff’s deputy opened fire at Florida State University with his mother’s former service weapon, killing two people and wounding at least six others, investigators said. The attack on Friday occurred at approximately 11:50am Eastern Time (15:50 GMT) outside of the Tallahassee school’s student union. The university swiftly issued an active shooter alert, with Florida State’s alert system announcing that law enforcement had “neutralised the threat” soon after. Florida State University Police Chief Jason Trumbower said that the two people killed, who were not immediately identified, were not students at the school. Five other people were being treated at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, where the attacker was also being treated after being taken into custody, he said. Evacuees watch law enforcement at Florida State University following a shooting [Alicia Devine/USA TODAY via Reuters] Speaking from the Oval Office, United States President Donald Trump said that he had been “fully briefed.” Advertisement “It’s a horrible thing. It’s horrible that things like this take place,” Trump said. He quickly pivoted to voicing support for gun ownership, saying, “These things are terrible, but the gun doesn’t do the shooting. The people do.” Leon County Sheriff Walter McNeil later identified the suspect as 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, the son of a sheriff’s deputy within his own department. He said Ikner used his mother’s former service weapon in the attack, adding the attacker had been a longstanding member of the sheriff’s office’s youth advisory council and engaged in a number of training programmes with the office. “We will make sure that we do everything we can to prosecute and make sure that we send a message to folks that this will never be tolerated here in Leon County, and I dare say across the state and across this nation,” McNeil said. Law enforcement officers at Florida State University after a shooting [Alicia Devine/USA TODAY via Reuters] Police said Ikner is believed to be a student at the university, but a motive for the attack was not immediately known. Ikner invoked his right to silence upon being arrested, authorities said. School shootings are relatively common within the US, and Thursday’s shooting was not the first attack at the university. In 2014, three people were shot just outside and inside the entrance of Strozier Library in the middle of the university campus. Officers who arrived within two minutes of the first call shot and killed the gunman, a 31-year-old man. Advertisement Adblock test (Why?)
Ukraine and US sign memorandum on minerals deal, Kyiv says
Ukraine offiical Yulia Svyrydenko did not publish details of the memorandum, says work continues towards securing final deal. Ukraine and the United States have signed a memorandum as an initial step towards the clinching of an agreement on developing minerals in the country, Kyiv’s first deputy prime minister and economy minister said. “We are happy to announce the signing, with our American partners, of a Memorandum of Intent, which paves the way for an Economic Partnership Agreement and the establishment of the Investment Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukraine,” Yulia Svyrydenko wrote on the social media platform X. Kyiv and Washington had discussed signing a deal on extracting Ukraine’s strategic minerals in February, but a clash between US President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy temporarily derailed work on the agreement. Trump says he wants the deal, designed to give the US royalty payments on profits from Ukrainian mining of resources and rare minerals, as compensation for aid given to Ukraine by his predecessor, Joe Biden. Svyrydenko did not publish details of the memorandum, but said work continued towards securing a final agreement. Advertisement “We hope that the Fund will become an effective tool for attracting investments in the reconstruction of our country, modernisation of infrastructure, support for business, and the creation of new economic opportunities,” she said. “There is a lot to do, but the current pace and significant progress give reason to expect that the document will be very beneficial for both countries.” The Ukrainian delegation travelled to Washington at the end of last week for negotiations after the Trump administration offered a new, more expansive deal. The initial framework agreement that was agreed to has never been signed. “We have a minerals deal, which I guess is going to be signed on Thursday,” Trump told reporters at the White House earlier. Zelenskyy had also said earlier that the two countries could sign a memorandum of intent online. “This is a memorandum of intent. And we have positive, constructive intentions,” Zelenskyy told reporters in Kyiv. He added that the offer to sign the memorandum before the comprehensive deal, which would require ratification in the Ukrainian parliament, had come from the US side. US officials say boosting American business interests in Ukraine will help deter Russia from future aggression in the event of a ceasefire. Kyiv is pushing for concrete military and security guarantees as part of any deal to halt the three-year war. Adblock test (Why?)
Man Utd reach Europa League last four with Maguire’s 121st minute winner
Manchester United score twice in the final minutes of extra time to turn quarterfinal against Lyon at Old Trafford. Harry Maguire scored in the dying seconds of extra time to help Manchester United snatch a place in the Europa League semifinals with a sensational 7-6 aggregate victory over Olympique Lyonnais in their quarterfinal. A thrilling second leg tie was taken into extra time after United threw away a two-goal lead on the night to be pegged back to 2-2 after 90 minutes, with goals from Rayan Cherki and Alexandre Lacazette putting Lyon on the verge of the semifinals at a stunned Old Trafford on Thursday. However, United made their numerical advantage, given to them after Corentin Tolisso’s late red card in normal time, count. Maguire sent Old Trafford into delirium with his 121st-minute header, which sealed a 5-4 victory in the second leg. It was the hosts who took an early lead, Manuel Ugarte slotting home 10 minutes in after a fine team move, before Diogo Dalot added a second just before the break to double the hosts’ lead. As the minutes ticked on, however, the nerves crept in, and two goals in six second-half minutes from Tolisso and Nicolas Tagliafico drew the match and left the tie level in a sensational fashion. Advertisement Tolisso’s late sending off swung the momentum back in United’s favour, but Cherki’s fine strike and Lacazzette’s coolly-taken penalty seemingly settled the exhilarating contest. Fernandes’s spot kick straight down the other end gave the home supporters hope of another dramatic finale, with Maguire having the final say, with United heading through to face Athletic Bilbao in the last four. Kobbie Mainoo of Manchester United scores his team’s fourth goal past Lucas Perri of Olympique Lyonnais during the UEFA Europa League match between Manchester United and Olympique Lyonnais at Old Trafford on April 17, 2025, in Manchester, England [Carl Recine/Getty Images] Tottenham overcome Frankfurt Tottenham also put its domestic problems to one side by sealing a place in the last four. Dominic Solanke’s first-half penalty secured a 1-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt and a 2-1 aggregate victory. The win keeps alive the Spurs’ hopes of salvaging a desperate campaign that has left them languishing in 15th place in the Premier League. The deep run in the second-tier competition has provided rare moments of optimism – and triumph would not only deliver a first trophy since 2008, but qualification for next year’s Champions League. Athletic Bilbao also advanced to the semifinals after a 2-0 win over the Rangers following a 0-0 draw in the first leg. Lazio vs Bodo/Glimt also went to extra time. Lazio won 2-0 on the night and levelled the tie at 2-2 on aggregate. Spurs needed the assistance of VAR when awarded a penalty for a foul by Frankfurt goalkeeper Kaua Santos on James Maddison. Advertisement Solanke fired down the middle for the decisive goal in the 43rd minute. Oihan Sancet and Nico Williams were on target for Bilbao against the Rangers at San Mames. Adblock test (Why?)
Dem Senator Van Hollen meets, shakes hands with Abrego Garcia; El Salvador says inmate will remain in custody
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., who flew to El Salvador this week to meet with deported illegal alien Kilmar Abrego Garcia before being denied multiple times, was granted his request on Thursday night. “I said my main goal of this trip was to meet with Kilmar,” Van Hollen said in a post on X. “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.” 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 his deportation was an administrative error, although now some top Trump officials say he was correctly removed and contend he’s a member of the notorious MS-13 gang. Both a federal court and the Supreme Court have ordered the Trump administration to “facilitate” his release and return to the U.S. for proper deportation proceedings. Van Hollen announced on Tuesday he was going to El Salvador to visit Garcia on Wednesday, and other Democratic lawmakers announced they planned to visit him as well. LIBERAL SENATOR SAYS HE IS FLYING TO VISIT DEPORTED MIGRANT IN PRISON, OTHER DEMS PLANNING TRIPS But when Van Hollen arrived, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele was out of the country, and the senator from Maryland met with Vice President Félix Augusto Antonio Ulloa Garay instead. “I asked the vice president if I could meet with Mr. Abrego Garcia, and he said, ‘well, you need to make earlier provisions to go visit CECOT,’” Van Hollen said. He told Ulloa that he was not interested in taking a tour of CECOT and that he just wanted to meet with Abrego Garcia. BLUE STATE SENATOR FLIES TO EL SALVADOR TO VISIT DEPORTED MIGRANT IN PRISON, ONLY TO BE DENIED “He said he was not able to make that happen,” Van Hollen said of Ulloa. The senator was also told he could not be promised a visit if he came back next week, nor could he arrange for Abrego Garcia to speak with his family over the phone. On Thursday, Van Hollen continued to push for entry into CECOT, but he was denied. “We were there for one simple reason: to check on his well-being, which his family and lawyers have not been allowed to do,” Van Hollen said on X. “We won’t stop fighting.” APPEALS COURT DENIES DOJ BID TO BLOCK RETURN OF KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA FROM EL SALVADOR PRISON His goal of meeting with Abrego Garcia was later granted, and images of the two men show them sitting at a table in the tropics with water and coffee. Other photos shared by Bukele showed water glasses with seasoned rims and cherry garnishes, and Sen. Van Hollen shaking hands with Abrego Garcia. “Kilmar Abrego Garcia, miraculously risen from the ‘death camps’ & ‘torture,’ now sipping margaritas with Sen. Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador!” Bukele exclaimed in a post on X. In another post, Bukele wrote, “Now that he’s been confirmed healthy, he gets the honor of staying in El Salvador’s custody.” ‘MARYLAND MAN’ KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA EXPOSED IN POLICE RECORDS AS ‘VIOLENT’ REPEAT WIFE BEATER A federal appeals court earlier in the day denied the Trump administration’s emergency request to block a judge’s order requiring the U.S. government to return Abrego Garcia to the U.S. The Department of Justice (DOJ) asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit to lift a judge’s order to “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s return from CECOT, but the court on Thursday rejected the request. The three-judge panel included Judge Harvie Wilkinson, appointed by President Ronald Reagan, along with Judges Robert King and Stephanie Thacker, appointed by Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, respectively. KRISTI NOEM CRITICIZES ‘LIBERAL LEFT’ FOR TURNING ACCUSED GANG MEMBER INTO ‘MEDIA DARLING’ In the court’s opinion, Wilkinson repeatedly referred to Abrego Garcia as a “resident,” even though Abrego Garcia is not a lawful U.S. resident. The court said the DOJ’s request was “extraordinary and premature” and that it would not interfere with the district judge’s efforts to carry out the Supreme Court’s decision. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Attorney General Pam Bondi said that Abrego Garcia would not be allowed back into the U.S. unless El Salvador were to decide otherwise. “He is not coming back to our country.” The Trump administration 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 29-year-old Kilmar Abrego Garcia by his wife, Jennifer Vasquez, in 2021. In the filing, written in Vasquez’s own handwriting, she alleges Abrego Garcia repeatedly beat 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.” The Department of Homeland Security also released documents that it says prove Abrego Garcia is a member of the notorious MS-13 gang, which the Trump administration has declared a foreign terrorist organization. Fox News Digital’s Jasmine Baehr and Bill Mears contributed to this report.