Pro-life movement to shake up messaging with big investment from these key players
FIRST ON FOX: In a second Donald Trump administration, the pro-life movement is trying to nail down its cultural messaging to adapt to a post-Dobbs era. It may get the boost it needs as a $30 million investment is being made through a membership-only organization, dubbed the Pro-Life Venture Fund, Fox News Digital has learned. Key figures in the pro-life movement, including Leonard Leo, Ray Ruddy and Princeton Professor Robert George, sent a letter Tuesday morning to major pro-life organizations about the new venture fund, which is being chaired by David Bereit, the founder of the pro-life organization 40 Days for Life. “We need to build more capacity and help meet the needs of those who are facing an unexpected pregnancy,” Bereit told Fox News Digital in an interview. “If we want to say to them, ‘You can do better than abortion,’ we need to say, ‘We will help you,’ and we need to provide the support, the resources and the tangible organizations that will walk with them.” PRO-LIFE ACTIVIST PROSECUTED BY BIDEN DOJ REACTS TO TRUMP PARDON: ‘I WANT TO GIVE HIM A HUG’ As the executive vice president of the Federalist Society, Leo helped vet and recommend conservative judicial nominees, including those who later contributed to the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. Ruddy co-founded the conservative news outlet Newsmax and has been deeply involved in financially supporting pro-life political action committees and candidates. George is a conservative philosopher and legal scholar at Princeton University who co-founded the American Principles Project. Rising as an influential voice in the pro-life movement, George has written extensively on the moral and philosophical arguments for opposing abortion. The group also announced the creation of the Life Leadership Conference, a members-only coalition featuring influencers and philanthropists “who know how to achieve genuine victories.” The memo states that while the Supreme Court has reversed the ruling of Roe v. Wade, “today a whole new set of challenges” faces the pro-life movement, which will require strong messaging to combat. Some of those challenges include combating the push to enshrine abortion into state constitutions. PRO-LIFE PROTESTERS COULD FACE UP TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON: ‘POLITICAL WITCH HUNT’ Voters in Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nevada and New York all approved state-level abortion referendums last year. “It should come as no surprise that, with the passage of time and changes in circumstance, old strategies for building public support and advancing the pro-life cause in legislatures and courts need to be rethought and, in some cases, revised,” the memo states. “Some groups have adapted and are charting winning strategies. Some are posting more losses than gains and are redefining what it means to win in ways that risk making the movement weaker and less effective.” “What’s more, the battle over abortion never was, and must never be allowed to become, simply about making sure the issue is delegated to the right government actors,” the memo continued in part. “The Life Leadership Conference is setting the bar higher. Our coalition will work tirelessly to provide genuine protection to unborn babies and practical assistance to pregnant women in need.” As such, Beirut added the group’s goal is to usher in “a new era of life-saving action and culture-shaping innovation.” PRO-LIFE PROTESTERS PARDONED BY TRUMP, FOX CONFIRMS Abortion emerged as a key issue in the 2024 election, with former Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party advocating for expanding federal abortion access. In contrast, President Donald Trump supported state-level restrictions, arguing for a more localized approach to the issue, including a ban on most abortions after 15 weeks. In one of his first executive actions, Trump pardoned 23 pro-life protesters – several of whom were elderly – imprisoned for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act under the Biden administration’s Department of Justice.
SC bans Ranveer Allahbadia, Samay Raina, Apoorva Mukhija from airing shows amid India’s Got Latent row
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Top federal agency exposed for spending billions on migrants in a single year
The Biden administration spent tens of billions of dollars on grants to migrants and refugees through one of its government agencies, including over $10 billion in just one year, according to a new watchdog report. The watchdog group Open the Books looked at grants to nonprofits awarded by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement. Its responsibilities include caring for unaccompanied migrant children who crossed the southern border illegally and refugees entering legally. The watchdog found that in FY 2021, it distributed $2.4 billion in grants to nonprofits. In FY 2022, it distributed $3.4 billion, then that number skyrocketed up to $10 billion in FY 2023 before being reduced to $4.2 billion in FY 2024. ‘CLAWED BACK’: DHS CHIEF NOEM SECURES EYE-POPPING SUM SENT TO NYC FOR MIGRANT HOTELS The numbers surged amid a historic migrant crisis at the southern border which plagued the Biden administration between 2021 and 2024. According to the watchdog, the money included spending to help migrants save for car and home purchases, while another gave out business and personal loans, along with other programs for legal aid and cultural orientation. “We’re hurting American taxpayers. People in places like North Carolina, Los Angeles that have lost everything,” Open the Books CEO John Hart told Fox News. “How is it moral to ask them to pay the bill for someone who wants to come to this country illegally? That’s outrageous.” DOGE PUTS DEI ON CHOPPING BLOCK WITH TERMINATION OF OVER $370M IN EDUCATION DEPARTMENT GRANTS The revelation comes amid a government-wide scrutiny of funding, including funding for migrants, by the Trump administration and led by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced last week that it had taken back $59 million in FEMA funds earmarked for hotels housing migrants in New York City and had fired four FEMA employees involved in the payments being distributed. “There will not be a single penny spent that goes against the interest and safety of the American people,” a DHS spokesperson said. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has been ramping up border security and cracking down on releases into the interior. It has suspended refugee resettlement, taken off limits imposed on Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and declared a national emergency at the southern border.
Obama-appointed judge who became Trump rival during election interference case overseeing pivotal DOGE hearing
A federal judge President Donald Trump once described as “the most evil person” is now hearing a lawsuit brought by blue states to stop the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing government data. First named to the bench in 2013 by then-President Barack Obama, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan of the District of Columbia Court rose to notoriety in 2021, when she presided over the criminal investigation into Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Though, her role Monday centered on whether billionaire Elon Musk’s DOGE should be blocked from accessing government data or firing federal employees. Chutkan is a longtime legal foe of the current president – at least, if her actions from her more than 10 years on the bench are any indication. LAWSUIT TRACKER: NEW RESISTANCE BATTLING TRUMP’S SECOND TERM THROUGH ONSLAUGHT OF LAWSUITS TAKING AIM AT EOS In 2021, Chutkan rejected Trump’s claims of presidential immunity in the 2020 election interference case. The decision was later overturned by the Supreme Court, whose ruling considerably expanded the notion of immunity for U.S. presidents. The judge did little to remedy any strained tensions in the months that followed. Beyond boasting the harshest sentencing record for all criminal defendants that appeared before her for their roles in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riots, Chutkan has been outspoken about her view of the day. After Trump moved to pardon and grant clemency to the more than 1,500 convicted, she said the president’s actions “cannot whitewash the blood, feces and terror that the mob left in its wake.” “And it cannot repair the jagged breach in America’s sacred tradition of peacefully transitioning power,” she continued. Chutkan also denied Trump’s attempt to block the release of records requested by the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack, supplying them with some 1,800 pages of documents despite the staunch opposition from Trump’s legal counsel. Trump famously described her, in response, as the “most evil person.” These actions and words have made her a target of Trump allies. In 2024, Chutkan was the victim of a “swatting” attack in her Washington, D.C., home, where police responded to what was later determined to be a false shooting report. DOGE SCORES BIG COURT WIN, ALLOWED ACCESS DATA ON 3 FEDERAL AGENCIES While it seems unlikely she will side with the states to block DOGE access to federal government data, her record of opposition to Trump’s agenda is unlikely to reassure Trump and his supporters. During the first Trump administration, Chutkan was criticized by administration officials for many actions they saw as harmful to their policy agenda. In 2018, she temporarily halted the U.S. from blocking the abortions of illegal teenage immigrants – a ruling that was later overturned. The following year, she ruled then-Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos had illegally delayed implementing an Obama-era special education equity rule, which required states to identify and correct for racial disparities in special education programs across the country. She ordered the administration to begin implementing the program “immediately,” despite requests from Education Department officials who said they needed more time to do so. ‘WASTEFUL AND DANGEROUS’: DOGE’S TOP FIVE MOST SHOCKING REVELATIONS She has also not been shy about using her position on the bench to criticize Trump’s actions. Following Trump’s decision to grant a mass pardon of the 1,600 criminal dependents involved in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, Chutkan reportedly had to reassure Capitol Police who were at the scene that the “rule of law still applies,” as Politico reported last month. However, she added at the time, “I’m not sure I can do that very convincingly these days.”
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Duffy blasts Buttigieg, accusing Biden-era official of ‘mismanagement’: ‘Mayor Pete failed for four years…’
Current Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy slammed former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a post on X, accusing the Biden-era official of “mismanagement.” He leveled the criticism when responding to a post in which Buttigieg wrote, “The flying public needs answers. How many FAA personnel were just fired? What positions? And why?” Duffy responded, blasting Buttigieg. “Mayor Pete failed for four years to address the air traffic controller shortage and upgrade our outdated, World War II-era air traffic control system. In less than four weeks, we have already begun the process and are engaging the smartest minds in the entire world,” Duffy declared. SEAN DUFFY TELLS HILLARY CLINTON TO ‘SIT THIS ONE OUT’ AFTER SHE CHIMES IN ON HIS DOGE ANNOUNCEMENT Prior to serving in the Biden administration, Buttigieg served as the mayor of South Bend, Indiana. “Here’s the truth: the FAA alone has a staggering 45,000 employees. Less than 400 were let go, and they were all probationary, meaning they had been hired less than a year ago. Zero air traffic controllers and critical safety personnel were let go,” Duffy continued. He accused Buttigieg of utilizing the Department of Transportation “as a slush fund for the green new scam and environmental justice nonsense,” and claimed “that over 90% of the workforce under his leadership were working from home – including him. The building was empty!” PETE BUTTIGIEG BLASTS TRUMP AFTER PRESIDENT EXCORIATES HIM DURING PRESS BRIEFING “When we finally get a full accounting of his mismanagement, I look forward to hearing from him,” he declared. Buttigieg fired back, “At least one of the claims here (concerning telework rates) is demonstrably false, so forgive us for seeking more specifics on the rest. Is the Secretary claiming, and will he show, that none of the hundreds of FAA personnel he just fired were important to safety?” In a post on Sunday, Duffy had indicated that individuals from SpaceX were slated to visit the Air Traffic Control System Command Center on Monday. DUFFY BRINGS UP CLINTON WHILE NOTING SPACEX WORKERS WILL VISIT AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM COMMAND CENTER “The safety of air travel is a non-partisan matter. SpaceX engineers will help make air travel safer,” Elon Musk replied.
US, Russian officials propose peace plan, lay ‘groundwork for cooperation’ in Riyadh
U.S. and Russian officials held diplomatic talks in Saudi Arabia without any Ukrainian officials present on Tuesday. The groups, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, are seeking terms for a peace agreement in Ukraine as well as negotiating a potential meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. They have proposed a framework that could involve a ceasefire, elections in Ukraine followed by the signing of a peace agreement. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce also confirmed that Rubio’s team agreed to “lay the groundwork for cooperation” with Russia on various issues in addition to Ukraine. They also agreed to appoint “high-level teams” to begin working on a path to ending the conflict in Ukraine. Reports from multiple foreign diplomatic sources say forcing Ukraine to hold new elections could be a key part of a peace deal. Both the U.S. and Russia believe Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has a low chance of winning re-election, the sources say. PUTIN VIEWED AS ‘GREAT COMPETITOR’ BUT STILL A US ‘ADVERSARY’ AS UKRAINE NEGOTIATIONS LOOM, LEAVITT SAYS “Putin assesses the probability of electing a puppet president as quite high and is also convinced that any candidate other than the current President of Ukraine will be more flexible and ready for negotiations and concessions,” the diplomatic sources said in a readout of the meeting. Zelenskyy has said his country would never accept peace terms negotiated by the U.S. and Russia without Ukrainian involvement. Trump has vowed that Ukraine will be involved in the larger process. Trump envoy Steve Witkoff emphasized on Sunday that the ongoing meeting in Riyadh is more about “trust building” than getting into the details of an actual peace agreement. Zelenskyy urged Trump not to trust Putin in a phone call last week. “I said that [Putin] is a liar,” Zelenskyy said of the call. “And he said, ‘I think my feeling is that he’s ready for these negotiations.’ And I said to him, ‘No, he’s a liar. He doesn’t want any peace.’” FREED AMERICAN HOSTAGE MARC FOGEL LANDS IN US AFTER YEARS IN RUSSIAN CAPTIVITY The Ukrainian leader nevertheless said he believes Putin is a “little bit scared” of Trump. Also excluded from Tuesday’s talks are any European representatives, a notable absence given the stern rebuke of European allies delivered by Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference last week. Some European allies are taking the cue, with U.K. Prime Minister Kier Starmer announcing that he is willing to put British troops on the ground in Ukraine to ensure its security as part of a peace deal. “I do not say that lightly,” he wrote in the Daily Telegraph. “I feel very deeply the responsibility that comes with potentially putting British servicemen and women in harm’s way.” “But any role in helping to guarantee Ukraine’s security is helping to guarantee the security of our continent, and the security of this country,” he added.
Russian officials make ultimatums on NATO, Ukraine as Saudi Arabia peace talks begin
U.S. and Russian officials held peace talks in Saudi Arabia without any Ukrainian officials present on Tuesday. Russia’s foreign ministry issued several ultimatums as the talks began early Tuesday morning. Russian officials noted that Ukrainian membership in NATO is unacceptable, and they said a simple refusal by NATO to allow Ukraine to join is not a sufficient protection. Instead, Russian officials said NATO must disavow promises of Ukrainian membership in NATO made during a 2008 summit in Bucharest. The groups, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, are seeking terms for a peace agreement in Ukraine as well as negotiating a potential meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two groups broke for a working lunch at roughly 2 p.m. local time. PUTIN VIEWED AS ‘GREAT COMPETITOR’ BUT STILL A US ‘ADVERSARY’ AS UKRAINE NEGOTIATIONS LOOM, LEAVITT SAYS Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said his country would never accept peace terms negotiated by the U.S. and Russia without Ukrainian involvement. Trump has vowed that Ukraine will be involved in the larger process. Trump envoy Steve Witkoff emphasized on Sunday that the ongoing meeting in Riyadh is more about “trust building” than getting into the details of an actual peace agreement. Zelenskyy urged Trump not to trust Putin in a phone call last week. “I said that [Putin] is a liar,” Zelenskyy said of the call. “And he said, ‘I think my feeling is that he’s ready for these negotiations.’ And I said to him, ‘No, he’s a liar. He doesn’t want any peace.’” FREED AMERICAN HOSTAGE MARC FOGEL LANDS IN US AFTER YEARS IN RUSSIAN CAPTIVITY The Ukrainian leader nevertheless said he believes Putin is a “little bit scared” of Trump. Also excluded from Tuesday’s talks are any European representatives, a notable absence given the stern rebuke of European allies delivered by Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference last week. Some European allies are taking the cue, with U.K. Prime Minister Kier Starmer announcing that he is willing to put British troops on the ground in Ukraine to ensure its security as part of a peace deal. “I do not say that lightly,” he wrote in the Daily Telegraph. “I feel very deeply the responsibility that comes with potentially putting British servicemen and women in harm’s way.” “But any role in helping to guarantee Ukraine’s security is helping to guarantee the security of our continent, and the security of this country,” he added.
South Carolina bill would ban smoking inside cars while children are passengers
A bipartisan group of senators in South Carolina introduced a bill this week that would ban smoking in the car with a child present. South Carolina Sen. Darrell Jackson, a Democrat, said it is aimed at protecting kids from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke and is similar to legislation already in place in a dozen other states. “I think the time has come for us to have a serious discussion, having South Carolina join these other states. Many of them are Southern states,” Jackson said. SMOKING SHRINKS THE BRAIN AND DRIVES UP ALZHEIMER’S RISK, NEW STUDY FINDS “As a father and grandfather, I believe we have a duty to create a healthier future for the next generation,” Jackson said. “This legislation is not about punishing smokers; it’s about ensuring our kids can grow up in an environment free from unnecessary health risks.” The bill would make it unlawful for a person to smoke a tobacco product in a motor vehicle with a passenger under the age of 12 present. It goes on to outline “tobacco product” as a product that contains tobacco and is intended for human consumption. POPULAR ITALIAN CITY OFFICIALLY BANS CIGARETTE SMOKING OUTDOORS The bill suggests a person in violation “must be fined not more than one hundred dollars” each time the offense takes place. Jackson filed similar legislation in the state almost two decades ago. Though it passed the state Senate, it never reached the governor’s desk.