Judge orders Trump admin to reinstate probationary workers fired at 6 agencies
A federal judge ordered the Trump administration on Thursday to reinstate probationary workers who were let go in recent mass firings from six different agencies, including the Department of Defense. The administration is expected to file an appeal against the ruling by U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco. The judge’s order came during a federal court hearing over a lawsuit from labor unions and other groups challenging the mass termination being directed by the Office of Personnel Management. Those plaintiffs said it violates Administrative Procedure Act requirements and congressional laws that deal with agency hiring and firing practices. BLUE STATE OFFERS TO HIRE FEDERAL WORKERS FIRED BY DOGE The judge earlier ruled OPM lacked the power to fire workers, including probationary employees who normally have less than a year of civil service on the job. The agencies affected included Defense, Agriculture, Energy, Interior, Treasury and Veterans Affairs. Aslup appeared incredibly frustrated with the government during the hearing Thursday, which lasted around an hour and a half, saying “this is a sham” at least four times. He added that by not having anyone from OPM there to testify today, it was preventing them from getting to the truth. The number of fired workers was in the thousands, according to Reuters. This is a developing story and will be updated. Fox News’ Michael Lundin contributed to this report.
‘Needs to resign’: Blue state blasted for asking for loan amid skyrocketing immigrant healthcare costs
The California Department of Finance cleared a $3.44 billion loan to make up for a gap in Medi-Cal spending, which critics say is due to illegal immigrant healthcare costs, whereas the governor’s office argues it’s not out of the ordinary. It was revealed a few weeks ago that the state had $6 billion in expected costs for Medi-Cal, but it is now roughly $9.5 billion. This comes after it became state law to allow people to qualify for the program regardless of their immigration status. Medi-Cal is the state’s Medicaid system for certain Golden State residents, which takes both federal and state taxpayer dollars, according to a state government website. Critics of allowing the program’s availability to those who are in the country illegally strongly believe it is cause for concern. CALIFORNIA GOV NEWSOM SETS MENENDEZ BROTHERS PAROLE BOARD HEARING DATE IN BID FOR CLEMENCY “Gov. Gavin Newsom lied and cooked the books to gift all illegal immigrants free healthcare and now has stuck California taxpayers with a multi-billion dollar bill,” Rep. Carl DeMaio, R-San Diego, told Fox News Digital in a statement. “This is so egregious that he needs to resign,” he continued. DeMaio was the lawmaker who, in a hearing last month, questioned a state budget official who ended up revealing the higher spending figure for MediCal. DeMaio was later removed from the California State Assembly budget committee. CALIFORNIA EXPLOITING MEDICAID ‘LOOPHOLE’ TO PAY BILLIONS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS’ HEALTHCARE, STUDY SAYS However, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said that California is not the only state facing spending issues with their state-based healthcare programs, such as Pennsylvania, Colorado and Indiana. “This isn’t new — as the administration already outlined in the Governor’s January budget proposal, additional funding is needed to support Medi-Cal,” Izzy Gardon, a spokesperson for the governor told Fox News Digital in a statement. BORDER AREA BUSTLING UNDER BIDEN NOW QUIET UNDER TRUMP, SAYS VETERANS GROUP: ‘AMAZING DIFFERENCE’ “Rising Medicaid costs are a national challenge, affecting both red and blue states alike. This is not unique to California.” The border state continues to face scrutiny for its policies pertaining to people in the country illegally, whether it is for healthcare eligibility or “sanctuary” policies.
Deadline looms for federal agencies to submit mass layoff plans as Trump admin guts ‘bloated’ workforce
Federal agencies are required to submit layoff plans to the White House and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Thursday as the Trump administration works to slim down and streamline the federal government. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Feb. 11 that ordered federal agency leaders to “undertake preparations to initiate large-scale reductions in force.” The order focused on removing employees in offices suspended or closed by the Trump administration, roles that were considered nonessential during government shutdowns and temporary employees. The executive order stipulated that the layoff plans would not affect roles related to “public safety, immigration enforcement, or law enforcement.” On Feb. 26, the Office of Management and Budget and OPM — which works as the federal government’s human resources office — issued guidance to agency heads that they had until March 13 to submit “Agency Reorganization Plans” to comply with the large-scale reductions in force order. TRUMP SIGNS ORDER INSTRUCTING DOGE TO MASSIVELY CUT FEDERAL WORKFORCE “The federal government is costly, inefficient, and deeply in debt,” the OPM and OMB guidance read. “At the same time, it is not producing results for the American public. Instead, tax dollars are being siphoned off to fund unproductive and unnecessary programs that benefit radical interest groups while hurting hardworking American citizens. The American people registered their verdict on the bloated, corrupt federal bureaucracy on November 5, 2024, by voting for President Trump and his promises to sweepingly reform the federal government.” WH LAMBASTS ‘HEAD-IN-THE-SAND’ LIBERAL PROSECUTORS AFTER 20 AGS SUE TO HALT DOGE CUTS Some agency heads have already submitted plans or announced how they plan to gut their respective departments. The Department of Education, for example, announced on Tuesday that it was rolling out its reduction in force plan that impacted nearly 50% of its staff, translating to roughly 1,300 terminations. “Today’s reduction in force reflects the Department of Education’s commitment to efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most: to students, parents and teachers,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said. “I appreciate the work of the dedicated public servants and their contributions to the Department. This is a significant step toward restoring the greatness of the United States education system.” Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced Wednesday he will shutter the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, the Office of Inclusive Excellence and the Environmental Justice Division within EPA regional offices to come into compliance with the Trump order. DC FEDERAL WORKERS IN A ‘PANIC’ OVER NOVEL EXPERIENCE OF JOB INSECURITY WITH JOB CUTS NASA announced Monday it will shutter three offices — the Office of Technology, Policy and Strategy, the Office of the Chief Scientist and the Diversity Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility office — as part of a “phased reduction in force.” The Department of Veterans Affairs began firing employees earlier in March after announcing in February that it would lay off about 76,000 employees as part of its mission to return staffing levels to those under the first Trump administration in 2019. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced in March that it was laying off more than 1,000 of its employees, accounting for roughly 20% of its total staff. The IRS is in the midst of firing roughly 12,000 employees — most of whom were hired under the Biden administration — while the CIA is firing an undisclosed number of probationary employees. The Pentagon fired roughly 5,400 probationary employees in February. Probationary employees are individuals who have not yet secured permanent employment, including new hires and those who had recently been moved to a new role within the government. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT BEGINS STAFFING CUTS AS 31,000 EMPLOYEES OFFER TO RESIGN: REPORT Cabinet secretaries and agency leaders are working alongside the Department of Government Efficiency, which is led by Elon Musk, to cut spending and reduce the overall federal workforce, though the agency leaders have final say over terminations. OPM’S SECOND EMAIL TO FEDERAL EMPLOYEES ASKS WHAT THEY DID LAST WEEK — AND ADDS A NEW REQUIREMENT: REPORT The Thursday deadline comes after the administration already offered the roughly two million employees who were on the federal payroll a buyout offer, known as the “Fork in the Road” offer. Roughly 75,000 employees took the offer by the Feb. 12 deadline, which provided them with eight months of pay and benefits. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House on Thursday for additional comment on the layoff plans but did not immediately receive a reply. The OPM and OMB directive noted that Social Security, Medicare and veterans health care will not be affected by the Thursday deadline, directing appropriate agency heads to not carry out layoffs until the two offices can review plans for such terminations. TRUMP CUTS OFF FEDERAL RESOURCES FOR LAW FIRM THAT HELPED FUEL 2016 RUSSIA HOAX Trump was asked about the mass layoffs from the Oval Office on Wednesday, including bucking the notion that the terminations will weaken the labor market. “I think the labor market’s going to be fantastic,” Trump told the media when asked about a potentially weakened labor market. “But it’s going to have high-paying manufacturing jobs as opposed to government jobs. We had too many people in government. You can’t just do that. We had many, many, too many. This is for 40 years, you know, this isn’t just now. This built up and got worse and worse, and they just hire more and more people.” Trump campaigned on, and has championed, states having broader authority over policies and issues stretching from abortion access, to disaster relief preparation and response to education. The president on Wednesday said the Department of Education, specifically, needs to shift from the federal level to allow states individual control over their respective systems, arguing that the U.S. has academically dragged behind nations such as Norway and China. “We want the education to be given by the states,” he said. “It’ll be much better. It’ll move us to the top of the list from the bottom of the list and actually save us
‘Squad’ member rails against alleged Trump healthcare cuts: ‘We ain’t stupid’
Leading House Democrats, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and “Squad” member Rashida Tlaib, railed against the Department of Government Efficiency’s “cruel” cuts at a healthcare rally outside the Capitol, demanding the Trump administration not make “even a minor cut to Medicaid.” For weeks now, Democrats have been pushing a narrative that the Trump administration is planning massive cuts to government health programs, including ObamaCare, Medicare and Medicaid. Several hundred protesters joined the rally organized by left-leaning groups, including the Women’s March, Planned Parenthood Federation of America and National Nurses United. Speaking during the rally, Pelosi said: “They said they were going to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. In fact, that guy who’s in the White House said, ‘ObamaCare sucks,’ crude as he is. But nonetheless, we said it doesn’t suck, it cures.” DOGE PROTESTERS RALLY OUTSIDE KEY DEPARTMENT AFTER EMPLOYEES ARE TOLD NOT TO REPORT TO WORK WEDNESDAY “They say they want to cut waste, fraud and abuse. We’ve always done that. We have oversight. We know what we’re doing,” she said. “Firing half the people at the Department of Education, that’s not waste, fraud and abuse, that’s brutal.” She also slammed the continuing resolution budget bill passed by House Republicans this week. “What they did in that bill that passed the House last night was disgraceful, it was harmful, it was deadly for some people,” she said. Pelosi said Democratic leadership is planning a national messaging push to “save our Medicaid.” DEMOCRAT REP. STANSBURY GOES ON PROFANE TIRADE DURING SANCTUARY CITY HEARING: ‘TOTAL BULLS—‘ “Our leadership under Hakeem Jeffries and Catherine Clarke, our leadership next week we will be having a day all over the country, one word, ‘Medicaid,’ ‘Save our Medicaid,” she said. Tlaib, who represents Detroit, accused the Trump administration and Republicans of wanting to make cuts to healthcare to provide tax cuts to billionaires. “Here they are choosing the billionaires and the corporations over the people they’re supposed to represent,” she said. “Republicans want to ram through not millions but $4.5 trillion in tax cuts for billionaires and profit corporations. You know, corporate greed kills and it’s a disease in our country.” “You know I have colleagues who will go up and say, ‘This budget proposal doesn’t have the word Medicaid in it.’ Yeah, OK, we ain’t stupid. We understand what nearly a trillion dollars out of energy and commerce committee really means. Stop lying to the American people,” she shouted. “It’s obvious to me that they prefer to put profits before people and, in order to pay for these tax breaks, giving away our money, they want to rip healthcare away from millions of our families. It is shameful.” MAJOR BLUE STATE OFFERS TO HIRE FEDERAL WORKERS FIRED BY DOGE: ‘CLUELESS CADRE OF CAREER KILLERS’ Tlaib told Fox News Digital that Medicaid “is the most American thing you can ever support.” “People don’t plan to get sick, we got to protect Medicaid,” she said. The White House did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment by the time of publication.
Trump softens Gaza stance, says Palestinians will not be expelled from the war-torn territory
President Donald Trump insisted that no one would be “expelled” from Gaza, amid questions about his audacious plan to rebuild the war-torn strip. “Nobody’s expelling any Palestinians,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday while meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin. Egypt, which led negotiations on an Arab-led plan to rebuild Gaza, welcomed the president’s comment. “This position reflects an understanding of the need to prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the importance of finding fair, sustainable solutions to the Palestinian issue,” theEgyptian foreign ministry said. ISRAEL SAYS HAMAS SENT A TODDLER TO A MILITARY OUTPOST In February, Trump proposed that the U.S. “take over” war-torn Gaza. “The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too,” Trump stated. “We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous, unexplored bombs and other weapons on the site.” He had said at the time that Gaza’s population of about 2 million would be “permanently” relocated. Asked whether that would be done by force, he claimed no Palestinians wanted to live among the rubble in Gaza. “We’re moving them to a beautiful location where they have new homes, where they can live safely, where they’ll have doctors and medical and all of those things,” he said while meeting with King Abdullah of Jordan last month. “And I think it’s going to be great.” But finding a Middle Eastern nation willing to take in masses of Palestinian refugees has proven difficult. After receiving pushback from Egyptian and Jordanian leaders on his vision for a Gaza without Palestinians, Trump said he would not “force it.” ‘LEVEL IT’: TRUMP SAYS US WILL ‘TAKE OVER’ GAZA STRIP, REBUILD IT TO STABILIZE MIDDLE EAST “The way to do it is my plan. I think that’s the plan that really works. But I’m not forcing it. I’m just going to sit back and recommend it,” he told Fox News in February. Earlier this month, Arab leaders agreed on a $53 million Egyptian-led reconstruction plan, but the White House rejected it. National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said the Arab proposal “does not address the reality that Gaza is currently uninhabitable and residents cannot humanely live in a territory covered in debris and unexploded ordnance.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described Trump’s plan as a “revolutionary, creative vision.” But Hamas also welcomed Trump’s assurance that Palestinians would not be expelled. “If US President Trump’s statements represent a retreat from any idea of displacing the people of the Gaza Strip, they are welcomed,” Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said in the statement. “We call for this position to be reinforced by obligating the Israeli occupation to implement all the terms of the ceasefire agreements,” he added. White House envoy Steve Witkoff is in Qatar for intensive talks on the next phase of the ceasefire agreement. Israel wants a two-month pause in fighting in exchange for about half of the remaining living hostages. Hamas is pushing for a full cessation of hostilities.
Dems killed VA sex offender bill before it could get a hearing, Republican says, despite recent incidents
A Virginia Republican lawmaker is blasting Democratic leaders in Richmond, after what she characterized as their hasty dispatching of a fresh piece of legislation she authored targeting sex offenders and people deemed dangerous to children. Delegate Kim Taylor, R-Petersburg, who herself won a “Biden+12” district in what is the state’s most Democratic municipality per-capita, said protecting the public from sexual deviants transcends party lines. “[This] isn’t a partisan issue, it’s a basic duty of any community that values safety and decency,” Taylor told Fox News Digital. “These individuals, with proven histories of predatory behavior, pose a real threat when allowed unrestricted access to public spaces like parks, schools or locker rooms.” TRUMP’S ICE NABS CHILD SEX OFFENDERS AMONG 530 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAUGHT IN SINGLE DAY Taylor alleged her bill, HB 2527 – which would have prohibited most sex offenders from “loitering” within state parks and other places where they would be in “proximity to children,” including schools, playgrounds, daycares and the like – was wrongly and quietly terminated. The bill was listed as last referred to the Courts of Justice Committee, but with the legislature adjourned “sine die” – essentially ending the session – barring a rare special session being called, the bill was never heard nor voted on and is considered “dead.” “This should not be about politics, it should be about prioritizing the vulnerable over political gamesmanship,” said Taylor, who added she had also drafted another never-heard bill toughening penalties for sex trafficking. “Time and time and again, Democrats have dismissed or killed commonsense legislation that would protect women and children.” Fox News Digital reached out to Delegates Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, Courts Committee chair, and Marcus Simon, D-Dunn Loring, committee vice chair, for comment. Neither lawmaker returned calls. TED CRUZ QUESTIONS JUSTICE JACKSON OVER SEX OFFENDER CASES Delegate Wren Williams, R-Stuart, who co-sponsored Taylor’s bill, blamed Democrats across Virginia – particularly in the committee leaders’ districts – for “jeopardizing the safety of women and girls by refusing to support commonsense legislation.” Williams said there is a heightened threat from registered sex offenders in public spaces, specifically citing the case of Richard Kenneth Cox – a serial flasher who has recently faced dozens of charges in the Washington, D.C., suburbs. Local media reported Cox has faced more than 20 charges in Arlington County alone, including reports reaching back to the 1990s when he was accused of masturbating in front of children. Cox has also had recent encounters with Fairfax County police, including one in November. Bodycam footage aired by FOX5DC purportedly shows Cox claiming a civil rights violation for identifying as a transgender woman – after authorities responded to reports of Cox “lurking” in a Fairfax gym’s locker room. Williams argued that the legislation is urgently needed, and claimed Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano “prioritize[s] woke ideology over the well-being of our communities.” Washington’s ABC affiliate reported that the prosecutor had dismissed charges against Cox. “There is no justification for allowing someone like Richard Cox, a convicted sex offender with a disturbing criminal record, to waltz into girls’ locker rooms unchecked,” Williams said in characterizing the case as the poster child for the necessity of Taylor’s bill. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Democrats have repeatedly killed practical bills that would enforce stricter protections and penalties, choosing instead to coddle predators under the guise of tolerance,” he said, calling the overall behavior on the left in Richmond a “betrayal” of women. Fox News Digital reached out to Descano for a response. The prosecutor’s office did tell ABC7 that prosecutors are not involved in cases that are “pro se (without an attorney) misdemeanors.” The outlet later quoted a local attorney who found the indecent exposure nonprosecution “unusual.” The Cox case, however, did draw the attention of other leaders in the heavily Democratic county, as Fairfax Board Chairman Jeffrey McKay reportedly said Taylor’s bill may have been beneficial. Virginia Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Mount Vernon, criticized McKay to ABC7, claiming Taylor’s bill had “nothing to do with local parks… or recreational facilities,” and suggested a change in policy on “which dressing rooms people can use” would be helpful.
‘Absurd’: White House blasts law firm that helped fuel Russia hoax after challenging Trump order
The White House said a lawsuit filed by a law firm with ties to the FBI’s Russia investigation during President Donald Trump’s first term – known among conservatives as the “Russia collusion hoax” – is “absurd,” after a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from cutting off the firm’s access to federal resources Wednesday. Perkins Coie, the firm that hired the company responsible for composing the so-called “Steele dossier” released in 2017 about Trump’s alleged connections to Russia that was used to obtain a surveillance warrant against former Trump campaign advisor Carter Page, filed a motion in a federal court in Washington Tuesday requesting a temporary restraining order to block the Trump administration from rescinding its access to federal resources. U.S. Judge Beryl Howell approved the request Wednesday afternoon. “The Trump Administration is working efficiently to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government,” White House spokesman Harrison Fields said in a Wednesday evening statement to Fox News Digital. “It is absurd that a billion-dollar law firm is suing to retain its access to government perks and handouts.” Perkins Coie and Attorney General Pam Bondi’s chief of staff, Chad Mizelle, appeared before U.S. Judge Beryl Howell Wednesday afternoon. Attorney Dane Butswinkas, who is representing Perkins Coie, said roughly a quarter of the firm’s revenue stems from clients with government contracts, and compared Trump’s order to “a tsunami waiting to hit the firm.” Additionally, Howell said Wednesday that the order “sends little chills down my spine.” Trump signed an executive order March 6 suspending security clearances for Perkins Coie employees until a further review evaluating its access to sensitive information is complete to determine if it aligns with national interests. The order also pulled access to sensitive information facilities for Perkins Coie employees and limits the company’s access to government employees. The order also prevents the federal government from hiring Perkins Coie employees without specific authorization. JUDGE DISMISSES TRUMP’S LAWSUIT ALLEGING INFAMOUS DOSSIER AND ITS ‘SCANDALOUS CLAIMS’ DAMAGED HIS REPUTATION As a result, Perkins Coie’s lawsuit claims that the Trump administration’s executive order is an “affront to the Constitution and our adversarial system of justice” and that the order means the firm’s ability to represent its clients is “under direct and imminent threat.” Likewise, the lawsuit asserts the order violated procedural due process because it failed to give Perkins Coie the opportunity to contest accusations included in the executive order. “The order violates core constitutional protections, including the rights to free speech and due process, and undermines all clients’ right to select counsel of their choice,” a Perkins Coie spokesperson said in a Tuesday statement. “We were compelled to take this step to protect our firm and safeguard the interests of our clients.” Attorneys general from states including California, Arizona, Massachusetts and Rhode Island filed an amicus brief Wednesday voicing support for Perkins Coie “to underscore the bedrock rule of law principles and free speech imperatives at issue in this case.” “Through official action, the President has attempted to exclude certain lawyers and certain viewpoints from reaching a court of law at all,” the coalition of attorneys general wrote in the brief. “It is a menacing message to attorneys nationwide: unless they advance positions or represent clients favorable to the current administration, their livelihood may be at risk and their patriotism will be called into question.” Perkins Coie represented Hillary Clinton’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee in the 2016 election and former President Joe Biden after Trump challenged Biden’s 2020 election win. Marc Elias, the former chair of the firm’s political law practice, hired opposition research firm Fusion GPS to conduct opposition research into presidential candidate Trump in April 2016 on behalf of Trump’s opponent, Clinton, and the Democratic National Committee. CARTER PAGE FISA WARRANT LACKED PROBABLE CAUSE, DOJ ADMITS IN DECLASSIFIED ASSESSMENT Fusion GPS then hired former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele, who authored the so-called “Steele dossier.” The document, which BuzzFeed News published in 2017, included shocking and mostly unverified allegations, including details that Trump engaged in sex acts with Russian prostitutes. Trump, who repeatedly denied the allegations included in the dossier, filed a lawsuit in September 2023 against Orbis Business Intelligence, a company Steele co-founded, claiming that the dossier led to personal and reputational damage. A judge tossed the case in February 2024. Meanwhile, Trump said Thursday it was an “honor” to sign the executive order. “What they’ve done, it’s just terrible,” Trump said. “It’s weaponization. You could say weaponization against a political opponent, and it should never be allowed to happen again.” Fox News’ Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.
Soros-backed judge defends reduced sentence for repeat child molester at debate in state Supreme Court race
Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Susan Crawford, a George Soros-backed liberal, defended her decision to significantly reduce a sentence for a convicted child molester who had repeatedly assaulted a five-year-old girl, in a 2020 case during Wednesday night’s heated debate against conservative candidate Brad Schimel. The debate, which was to be the only debate for the high court seat race before the April 1 election, was moderated by ABC affiliate WISN 12 at Marquette University Law School. The winner of the race will determine whether conservatives or liberals will control the state’s high court, as justices are expected to hear cases involving abortion, gender identity and the power behind labor unions. During a debate segment where candidates were asked about the multi-million-dollar ads they’d aired criticizing each other’s judicial records, Crawford – a judge on the Dane County Circuit Court – was questioned by the moderator about a controversial sexual assault case involving a five-year-old girl she had ruled in. SCOTUS TURNS DOWN ABORTION CLINIC BUFFER ZONE CHALLENGE, THOMAS SLAMS ‘ABDICATION’ OF DUTY “In 2020, you did sentence a child sex offender to four years in prison after prosecutors requested 10. Do you regret that sentence?” the moderator asked Crawford. “I don’t regret that sentence, because I followed the law in that case, as I always do,” Crawford responded. “I applied the law, which says that judges have to consider every relevant factor in sentencing, you have to consider both the aggravating and mitigating factors, and the Supreme Court has said you have to order the minimum amount of prison time you believe is necessary to protect the public. That’s what I did in that case and every other case.” “And my goal is always to keep the community safe. And those have been sentences that have been successful, they have kept the community safe,” she said. “Unlike the short jail sentences that Brad Schimmel has entered over and over, where people have gone on to commit new crimes, that’s when you know the sentence has failed.” The moderator then turned to ask Schimel about his record of delaying testing of thousands of sexual assault evidence kits – a central focus of Crawford’s campaign ads against him – nearly a decade ago as the then-attorney general. ‘THE PENDULUM IS SWINGING’: EXPERTS WEIGH IN ON HISTORIC SCOTUS TRANSGENDER CASE AMID ORAL ARGUMENTS “Some of the ads people have seen about you, Judge Schimel, nine rape kits tested in your first two years as the Attorney General. Do you regret that?” the moderator asked. Schimel, who currently serves as a judge on the Waukesha County Circuit Court, instead used his answer time to fire shots at Crawford’s decision in the child sexual assault case. “My opponent just revealed the problem in her judgment, that, in weighing all the factors, giving the minimum amount of time to a dangerous offender weighs higher than protecting the community,” Schimel said. “That’s what she just revealed.” “That is not what I said,” Crawford said. “The court requires you to order the sentence necessary to protect the community, and that’s what I’ve done, and that’s what those sentences did.” “HE CANNOT BUY AN ELECTION HERE IN WISCONSIN”: SANDERS SLAMS MUSK IN STATE TRUMP WON BY LESS THAN 1% Crawford, backed by a $1 million donation from progressive philanthropist George Soros and $500,000 from Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker — a likely 2028 Democratic presidential contender — also traded barbs with Schimel over his million-dollar donations from Tesla CEO and head of DOGE Elon Musk’s political action committees. The high-profile candidates also sparred over abortion, an upcoming state voter ID ballot measure and President Donald Trump. The Wisconsin Supreme Court currently has a 4-3 liberal majority.
Qatar begins supplying natural gas to Syria through Jordan
Qatar will provide 400 megawatts of electricity daily to Syria, where authorities have struggled with power generation. Qatar has begun providing natural gas to Syria through Jordan to tackle the country’s electricity shortage and power cuts, state news agency QNA has reported. In a statement issued on Thursday, Qatar said the initiative comes as part of a deal signed with Jordan and in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme. According to the agreement, Qatar will provide natural gas supplies “generating power from 400 megawatts of electricity daily and gradually increase production at the Deir Ali power plant in Syria”. The electricity will be distributed to several Syrian cities, including the capital Damascus, Rif Dimashq, As Suwayda, Daraa, Al Qunaitra, Homs, Hama, Tartous, Latakia, Aleppo, and Deir ez-Zur, it added. “This initiative represents a pivotal step towards meeting the Syrian people’s energy needs and reflects a shared commitment among all parties to work together for the benefit of the region,” said Fahad Hamad Hassan Al-Sulaiti, who heads the Qatar Fund for Development, according to QNA. Advertisement Syrian’s interim authorities have struggled to provide electricity to civilians since they removed former President Bashar al-Assad in December, with much of the country’s infrastructure battered by more than 13 years of civil war. Damascus previously received much of the oil used for power generation from Iran, but supplies were cut after al-Assad’s removal. Adblock test (Why?)
Satellite photos show Gaza darkened by Israeli power restrictions
[unable to retrieve full-text content] Satellite photos from NASA show the widespread impact of Israel’s electricity and fuel cutoffs to Gaza.