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Cate Blanchett is one of the many actors expressing fears about artificial intelligence.In a recent interview with the BBC, the Oscar winner said the technology “deeply concerned” her.”I’m looking at these robots and driverless cars and I don’t really know what that’s bringing anybody,” she told the outlet. Blanchett added she is “less concerned” about the impact of AI on her job and more “about the impact it will have on the average person.”NICOLAS CAGE TERRIFIED AI IS GOING TO STEAL HIS BODY, ‘DO WHATEVER THEY WANT WITH IT’”I’m worried about us as a species, it’s a much bigger problem,” she said.The “Don’t Look Up” star continued, saying the threat of AI is “very real” because “you can totally replace anyone.””Forget whether they’re an actor or not, if you’ve recorded yourself for three or four seconds, your voice can be replicated.”She added, “When you look at it one way, it’s creativity, but it’s also incredibly destructive, which of course is the other side of it.”WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?Blanchett’s fears were expressed just a few weeks before Creative Artists Agency (CAA), the firm that represents her, and YouTube announced their new partnership to manage actors and athletes’ likenesses in AI-generated content.”By collaborating with CAA, we’ll gain insight from some of the world’s most influential figures—some of whom have been significantly impacted by the latest waves of AI innovation—to refine our product before releasing it to a wider group of creators and artists,” the company stated in a blog post.”CAA’s clients’ direct experience with digital replicas in the evolving landscape of AI will be critical in shaping a tool that responsibly empowers and protects creators and the broader YouTube community.”Next year, CAA’s clients will have access to technology that can identify AI-generated content featuring their likenesses, allowing them the option to have it removed through a privacy complaint process.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER”At CAA, our AI conversations are centered around ethics and talent rights, and we applaud YouTube’s leadership for creating this talent-friendly solution, which fundamentally aligns with our goals. We are proud to partner with YouTube as it takes this significant step in empowering talent with greater control over their digital likeness and how and where it is used,” Bryan Lourd, CEO and Co-Chairman of Creative Artists Agency, said in a statement on YouTube’s post about the deal. Several actors have already run into issues with having their face and voice likenesses used without their consent for AI-generated materials.”Black Widow” star Scarlett Johansson, also a client of CAA, sought legal action against OpenAI last year when she claimed the company released its “Sky” voice system that resembled her voice after she had already turned down the company’s offer to hire her for the job.”When I heard the released demo, I was shocked, angered and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would pursue a voice that sounded so eerily similar to mine that my closest friends and news outlets could not tell the difference. Mr. Altman even insinuated that the similarity was intentional, tweeting a single word ‘her’ – a reference to the film in which I voiced a chat system, Samantha, who forms an intimate relationship with a human,” the statement, released by NPR in May, read.LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS”As a result of their actions, I was forced to hire legal counsel, who wrote two letters to Mr. Altman and OpenAl, setting out what they had done and asking them to detail the exact process by which they created the ‘Sky’ voice. Consequently, OpenAl reluctantly agreed to take down the ‘Sky’ voice,” the statement continued.In a statement to Fox News Digital, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI said, “The voice of Sky is not Scarlett Johansson’s, and it was never intended to resemble hers. We cast the voice actor behind Sky’s voice before any outreach to Ms. Johansson. Out of respect for Ms. Johansson, we have paused using Sky’s voice in our products. We are sorry to Ms. Johansson that we didn’t communicate better.”  In August, Tom Hanks posted a statement on Instagram, saying, “There are multiple ads over the internet falsely using my name, likeness and voice promoting miracle cures and wonder drugs. These ads have been created without my consent, fraudulently and through AI.”He continued, “I have nothing to do with these posts or the productions and treatments, or the spokespeople touting these cures. I have type 2 diabetes, and I ONLY work with my board certified doctor regarding my treatment. DO NOT BE FOOLED. DO NOT BE SWINDLED. DO NOT LOSE YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY.”Hanks’ likeness was also used in a dental company scan in October 2023, when he issued a similar warning to fans. Fox News Digital’s Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.



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Publish date : 2024-12-20 07:00:12

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A group of U.S. officials are in Syria’s capital for the first time in more than 10 years seeking information on American citizens who disappeared under the Assad regime, among other things.The team visiting Damascus consists of US Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs (NEA) Barbara Leaf and NEA Senior Adviser Daniel Rubinstein, a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital.Rubinstein, who previously served as U.S. Special Envoy for Syria and has decades of foreign affairs experience, will lead the diplomatic engagement, the spokesperson confirmed. His mission is to engage with the Syrian people and key parties within the country. He also seeks to coordinate with allies to advance principles laid out in a meeting between world leaders in the Jordanian city of Aqaba earlier this month.BIDEN SAYS US KNOWS ‘WITH CERTAINTY’ THAT AMERICAN JOURNALIST AUSTIN TICE IS BEING HELD BY SYRIAThe trio will meet with the Syrian people to uncover their vision for their country after the Assad regime fell earlier this month amid an ongoing civil war. They will also ask how the U.S. can help support them in their desired future.”They will be engaging directly with the Syrian people, including members of civil society, activists, members of different communities, and other Syrian voices,” the spokesperson said, in part.The three officials will also meet with representatives of Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), a U.S.-designated terrorist group, to “discuss transition principles” endorsed by the United States and regional partners in Aqaba, Jordan, the State Department said.ISLAMIST GROUP RUNNING SYRIA HAS MIXED RECORD OVER GOVERNANCE IN PROVINCE, RULED WITH ‘IRON FIST’Secretary of State Antony Blinken previously noted that world leaders discussed “the need for an inclusive, Syrian-led political transition” during the Aqaba Meetings on Syria in Jordan on Dec. 14.”The United States supports a future government in Syria that is chosen by and representatives of all Syrians,” Blinken said on X.Another goal of the visit is to determine what has happened to American citizens who disappeared under the Assad regime, including former marine turned freelance journalist Austin Tice, who was kidnapped while reporting in Syria in 2012.Carstens has been leading the charge to locate Tice and recently shared that Rewards for Justice is offering up to $10 million for information on his whereabouts.”Given recent events in Syria, the FBI is renewing our call for information that could lead to the safe location, recovery, and return of Austin Bennett Tice, who was detained in Damascus in August 2012,” the FBI said in a statement.



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Publish date : 2024-12-20 06:07:27

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The influx of migrants into the U.S. in 2024 drove the population to its highest rate of increase in 23 years, as the nation’s population surpassed 340 million, according to a report Thursday from the U.S. Census Bureau.Between 2023 and 2024, the U.S. population grew by nearly 1%, the highest increase since 2001. In contrast, the 0.2% growth rate in 2021 was a record low at the height of pandemic restrictions on travel into the U.S., the annual population estimates show.This year, immigration increased by almost 2.8 million people, in part due to a new method of counting that adds people who were admitted for humanitarian reasons.Net international migration, which the Census Bureau says refers to any change of residence across U.S. borders, was a critical component of the change driving growth in the residential population.REPUBLICANS SLAM BIDEN MIGRANT PAROLE PROGRAM: ‘RIFE WITH FRAUD’Net international migration accounted for 84% of the nation’s 3.3 million person increase last year.The increase reflects a continued trend of rising international migration, with a net increase of 1.7 million in 2022 and 2.3 million in 2023.”Improved integration of federal data sources on immigration has enhanced our estimates methodology,” Christine Hartley, assistant division chief for Estimates and Projections, said. “With this update, we can better understand how the recent increase in international migration is impacting the country’s overall population growth.”Last year, births outnumbered deaths in the U.S. by almost 519,000, which was an increase over the historic low of 146,000 in 2021, but still well below the high points of the previous decades.BORDER PATROL CHIEF THRILLED WITH TRUMP BORDER CZAR PICK AFTER ‘EXHAUSTING’ BIDEN-ERA CRISIS: ‘I’M EXCITED’The U.S. Census Bureau did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the report.Along with immigration statistics, the report showed that the south was the fastest-growing region in the U.S. in 2024, adding 1.8 million people, more residents than all other regions combined.Texas saw the biggest increase with 562,941 new residents, followed by Florida, which gained 467,347 new residents.Washington, D.C., had the nation’s fastest growth rate at 2.2%.COLORADO REPUBLICANS SOUND OFF ON IMPACT OF MIGRANT SURGE ON CITIZENS: ‘THEIR SOULS ARE CRUSHED’Some states — Mississippi, Vermont and West Virginia — lost population in 2024, though in small amounts ranging from 127 to 516 people.Those included in the international migration estimates this year are a group of people who entered the U.S. through the Biden administration’s humanitarian parole, which has been harshly criticized by Republicans.The Migration Policy Institute based in Washington, D.C., reported last week that over 5.8 million people were admitted under various humanitarian policies from 2021 to 2024.But capturing the number of new immigrants is a challenging aspect of U.S. population estimates.The bureau’s annual calculation of how many migrants entered the United States in the 2020s has been much lower than the numbers cited by other federal agencies, such as the Congressional Budget Office. The Census Bureau estimated 1.1 million immigrants had entered the United States in 2023, while the Congressional Budget Office’s estimate was 3.3 million people. With the revised method, last year’s immigration figures are now recalculated by the Census Bureau to almost 2.3 million people, or an additional 1.1 million people.The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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Publish date : 2024-12-20 03:25:33

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Adrian Peterson is in legal trouble again.The 2012 NFL MVP has warrants out for his arrest, according to USA Today, for failing to appear in court for two different child support cases.The warrants were issued in Fort Bend County in Texas, USA Today reported. Its sheriff’s department did not immediately confirm this information to Fox News Digital.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM”The current legal case is related to a misunderstanding regarding Adrian’s court appearances as it relates to child support, and he is actively working with his legal team to resolve this matter as quickly as possible,” his publicist, Denise White, said in a statement to USA Today. “He is committed to clearing up this situation and moving forward positively.”Despite earning over $100 million in his career, the former Minnesota Vikings running back has also been in trouble with bank loans. Court records in February said Peterson had not paid any of the $8.3 million he owed to DeAngelo Vehicle Sales LLC, which he was ordered to pay over three years earlier. He was ordered to pay a creditor $2.4 million in 2019 and had to pay a Minnesota bank the year prior.Peterson missed all but one game in the 2014 season after his indictment on charges of reckless or negligent injury to a child. He pleaded no contest to assaulting his son, 4 years old at the time, with a tree branch.PATRICK MAHOMES, PREVIOUSLY CRITICAL OF CHIEFS’ TIGHT SCHEDULE, WILL PLAY DESPITE ANKLE INJURYIn 2022, Peterson was arrested after an incident with his wife on a plane. But his wife said it was only an argument, and charges were dropped.Peterson rushed for 14,918 yards in his career, leading the league in rushing three times. He’s one of six running backs to rush for 2,000 yards in a season and was eight yards shy of breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season record in 2012.He does, though, hold the record with 296 rushing yards in one game, which he accomplished in his rookie season. He ran for 253 of those yards in the second half.Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.



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Publish date : 2024-12-20 02:32:03

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A former CNN pundit has offered a mea culpa for shrugging off concerns about President Biden’s mental decline. Chris Cilizza, who served as CNN’s editor-at-large before leaving the network in 2022, spoke candidly about his lack of journalistic curiosity about Biden’s condition to serve following a pair of damning reports this week from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal that shed light on the president’s diminished state. “As a reporter, I have a confession to make,” Cillizza began his “apology” on his YouTube channel Thursday. “I should have pushed harder earlier for more information about Joe Biden’s mental and physical well-being and any signs of decline.”BIDEN ADMIN OFFICIALS NOTICED STAMINA ISSUES IN PRESIDENT’S FIRST FEW MONTHS IN OFFICE: REPORTCillizza acknowledged how Republicans would “regularly ping me” during his time at CNN, asking him why he hadn’t addressed Biden’s decline and how he would “brush them off” since he had not seen “evidence” of the president’s decline.And not only did he admit to taking the word of the White House, he conceded he felt guilty of “age shaming” Biden. “The White House and the people around Joe Biden were absolutely adamant that suggesting anything- asking the question about whether he was in some physical, mental or both decline, was offensive. ‘How could you? It’s age shaming.’ And I think that impacted me at some level,” Cillizza said. “Because while I did ask the question from time to time… I didn’t really push on it, if I’m being honest. Now, once I left CNN and once it became a little bit more clear to me about Biden’s age, I think I did write pretty regularly and talk pretty regularly about how I wasn’t sure that this guy was up to it. And then obviously, after the June 27 debate, everybody, including me, was writing and talking about it.”The former CNN pundit went on to read excerpts from the Journal report about Biden’s limited interactions with his own cabinet members and Democratic lawmakers, as well as the Times’ assertion finding it “hard to imagine” Biden lasting in the job for another four years.  WHERE’S BIDEN? LAME-DUCK PRESIDENT SLAMMED FOR ‘QUIET QUITTING’ AMID MAJOR GOVERNMENT FUNDING BATTLE”I probably should’ve pushed harder on the Biden age stuff because, in retrospect, it’s clear that the people close to him knew that at best, he had some good days and some bad days. June 27, the debate clearly was a bad day. But if the bad day was that bad, as bad as he performed on that debate stage, the fact that he had been president without a whole lot of questions being asked about his physical and mental decline, and I’ll add the fact that he continued to be president from June 27 until January 20, 2025, I think is a little bit concerning and begs the question of, like, when did people near him know, what did they know, and why did they not share?” Cillizza said. “I know journalists did ask, and I can tell you, I mean, I know from my experience, there was a shame factor that went into that. People around Biden worked to make you feel bad when you asked whether he was up to the job of being president, running for president again and serving as president for another four years. ‘How could you?’ … And they did a very good job, at least until they couldn’t hide it anymore, of hiding it,” he continued. “But journalists, and I put myself here, we should have been pushier. We should have- I should have not let the shame campaign to make you feel bad for asking the question get to me because it’s now clear from both the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times piece that there was real deterioration… and significant decline in Joe Biden, and that it was being managed by the people around him. They were insulating him. They were keeping sort of the world, the political world, out, and keeping him sort of bunkered in.” “And so I think it’s a lesson that we have to learn going forward. Because again, Donald Trump will be the oldest person ever to hold office if he serves for four years, and I will be mindful of that. Because again, asking those questions isn’t a partisan thing. Asking those questions is a journalism thing, and I should have pushed harder and not been as willing to accept the ‘Nah, he’s fine. Look at him when he’s in public’ campaign,” Cillizza added. CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST MEDIA AND CULTURE NEWS Some critics took aim at Cillizza’s delayed apology. One of them, conservative podcast host Meghan McCain, drew scrutiny towards his sincerity, invoking his past commentary of her late father, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., during his 2008 presidential run.”When I say this is too little too late, I mean this is absolutely pathetically too little too late,” McCain reacted on X. “There was no bigger and more obsessive ‘McCain truther’ regarding my dad’s age when he ran in 2008 (when he was 71 mind you) than Chris. He ignored Biden because he’s a hack.”



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Publish date : 2024-12-20 01:00:27

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This is a heartbreaking story out of Florida. Megan Garcia thought her 14-year-old son was spending all his time playing video games. She had no idea he was having abusive, in-depth and sexual conversations with a chatbot powered by the app Character AI.Sewell Setzer III stopped sleeping and his grades tanked. He ultimately committed suicide. Just seconds before his death, Megan says in a lawsuit, the bot told him, “Please come home to me as soon as possible, my love.” The boy asked, “What if I told you I could come home right now?” His Character AI bot answered, “Please do, my sweet king.”DON’T SCAM YOURSELF WITH THE TRICKS HACKERS DON’T WANT ME TO SHARE🎁 I’m giving away a $500 Amazon gift card. Enter here, no purchase necessary.You have to be smartAI bots are owned by tech companies known for exploiting our trusting human nature, and they’re designed using algorithms that drive their profits. There are no guardrails or laws governing what they can and cannot do with the information they gather.When you’re using a chatbot, it’s going to know a lot about you when you fire up the app or site. From your IP address, it gathers information about where you live, plus it tracks things you’ve searched for online and accesses any other permissions you’ve granted when you signed the chatbot’s terms and conditions.The best way to protect yourself is to be careful about what info you offer up.Be careful: ChatGPT likes it when you get personalTHIS CRIME SHOT UP 400% — HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF10 things not to say to AIStill relying on Google? Never search for these termsReclaim a (tiny) bit of privacyMost chatbots require you to create an account. If you make one, don’t use login options like “Login with Google” or “Connect with Facebook.” Use your email address instead to create a truly unique login.TECH TIP: SAVE YOUR MEMORIES BEFORE IT’S TOO LATEFYI, with a free ChatGPT or Perplexity account, you can turn off memory features in the app settings that remember everything you type in. For Google Gemini, you need a paid account to do this. Best AI tools for search, productivity, fun and workNo matter what, follow this ruleDon’t tell a chatbot anything you wouldn’t want made public. Trust me, I know it’s hard.Even I find myself talking to ChatGPT like it’s a person. I say things like, “You can do better with that answer” or “Thanks for the help!” It’s easy to think your bot is a trusted ally, but it’s definitely not. It’s a data-collecting tool like any other.Get tech-smarter on your scheduleAward-winning host Kim Komando is your secret weapon for navigating tech.Copyright 2025, WestStar Multimedia Entertainment. All rights reserved.



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Publish date : 2024-12-20 00:21:13

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Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sounded off Thursday about Elon Musk’s influence over the spending drama on Capitol Hill. “If you’re just catching up: the Republican Party, taking orders from the world’s richest man, is on course to shut down the government over the holidays, stopping paychecks for our troops and nutrition benefits for low-income families just in time for Christmas,” the 2016 presidential candidate wrote on X.Clinton, a former first lady and senator, was in Congress from 2001 to 2009. Her comments came just as House Speaker Mike Johnson released a new version of a continuing resolution, or CR, to keep the government open beyond a Friday night deadline. ‘HELL NO’: HOUSE DEMS ERUPT OVER GOP SPENDING DEALMusk came out in strong opposition to the original spending deal Johnson negotiated with Democrats, threatening to back a primary challenge to any Republican who voted for it. Without a passable deal to kick the government funding deadline to March and continue spending at 2024 levels, the government will go into partial shutdown at midnight Saturday.But House Democrats are balking at the latest iteration of a spending plan. And with $36 trillion in debt and a $1.8 trillion deficit in 2024, some conservatives are against a CR, which punts the funding deadline to March and keeps spending at 2024 levels entirely.”The Musk-Johnson proposal is not serious, it’s laughable. Extreme MAGA Republicans are driving us to a government shutdown,” said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., indicated Democratic leadership would whip their members to vote “no” on the deal.Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., lamented that the last deal had been blown up by opposition from conservatives, with input from DOGE leaders Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. HERE’S WHAT HAPPENS DURING A PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN”Everybody agreed,” he said, “and then it was blown up by Elon Musk, who apparently has become the fourth branch of government. And that’s just an intolerable way of proceeding.”Democrats are going to try to figure out how we can salvage the public good as the wreckage that’s just been pushed.”Chants of “hell no” could be heard inside the room where Democrats were meeting after the bill’s text was released. The latest continuing resolution would extend current government funding levels for three months and also suspend the debt limit for two years, something President-elect Trump has demanded.It comes after the original 1,500-page CR drew opposition from the right due to policy and funding riders.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPHouse lawmakers could vote on the new bill as early as Thursday evening.It’s not immediately clear if the new deal would pass. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who led opposition to the initial bill, also blasted the new deal.”More debt. More government. Increasing the Credit Card $4 trillion with ZERO spending restraint and cuts. HARD NO,” Roy wrote on X.



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Publish date : 2024-12-19 23:12:39

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Earlier this week, Patrick Mahomes said he didn’t want to put himself in “harm’s way” and wanted to “protect” himself after sustaining an apparent ankle sprain.Now, it seems Mahomes has nothing to be worried about.The two-time NFL MVP is off the Kansas City Chiefs’ injury report and is good to go for Saturday against the Houston Texans.Head coach Andy Reid told reporters Thursday Mahomes will “likely” play.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMThe injury comes at an inopportune time with the Chiefs in a stretch of three games in 11 days due to playing on Christmas Day, a rare Wednesday NFL contest.”It’s not a good feeling,” Mahomes told reporters last week about the schedule. “You never want to play this amount of games in this short of time. It’s not great for your body. But, at the end of the day, it’s your job, your profession. You have to come to work and do it.”All you can do is focus on the game. The practice you have that day,” he added. “I try to prepare my body all year long for this stretch. That’s tailoring my workouts, tailoring how you practice and prepare, and the coaches do a great job of taking care of us on the practice field. We practice as hard as anybody, but they know how to dial it back when needed.”Mahomes injured his ankle in the fourth quarter Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. X-rays were negative, but backup Carson Wentz entered the game for a brief period.Mahomes said he wanted to “be able to move” and “get out of the way” if he were to take the field this weekend.TITANS HEAD COACH GOES ON EXPLICIT TIRADE WHEN ASKED ABOUT TEAM BEING SOFT: ‘TOTAL BULLS—‘”You don’t want to go out there and put yourself in harm’s way. It’s football. You’re going to take hits, but you want to be able to protect yourself,” Mahomes said this week.”I don’t want to limit the game plan,” Mahomes said. “That’s another thing for me. I want to be able to still be able to move around the pocket so we’re not just sitting in one spot the whole entire game and leading the D-line to get after it. So, it’s about me finding that balance and seeing where I’m at and, like I said, I won’t know until closer to the end of this week.”The Chiefs are in a race to maintain their hold on the top seed in the AFC. At 13-1, they have the best record in the league and have a two-game lead over the Buffalo Bills for a first-round bye. But the Bills would hold the tie-breaker over the Chiefs if they finish with the same record because Buffalo beat Kansas City, 30-21, Nov. 17. A win would improve the Chiefs to 13-1 and closer to clinching the top seed in the AFC.Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos and Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.



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Publish date : 2024-12-19 22:51:31

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced a new billboard campaign on Thursday to warn potential illegal immigrants about the “horrific” reality of human trafficking, violence and danger facing them if they attempt to illegally enter the U.S.Abbott said the state is placing dozens of billboards with warnings in several languages throughout Mexico and Central America.”We’re here to expose the truth to immigrants who are thinking about coming here, the truth about the traffickers who assault so many of the women and children along the way,” the governor said. “The message is: Do not risk a dangerous trip just to be arrested and deported.”Abbott, who recently made another trip to the border with the incoming border czar, Tom Homan, also emphasized that the new Trump administration will “prioritize for deportation illegal immigrants who have been arrested.”INCOMING BORDER CZAR HOMAN ISSUES WARNING IN TEXAS TO DEMS OPPOSING TRUMP DEPORTATIONS: ‘DON’T TEST US’Billboards will be written in Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Arabic, and will be placed along migrant travel routes.The governor made his announcement at a ranch on the southern border. He was standing by a burned “rape tree,” where property owners have said migrant women were routinely raped. Abbott said the billboards “tell the horror stories of human trafficking” and “inform potential illegal immigrants about the reality of what will happen to them if they try to enter Texas illegally.”One billboard written in Spanish depicts a little girl and simply asks: “How much did you pay to have your daughter raped?”‘SHUT IT DOWN’: RED STATE MAKES MASSIVE LAND BUY TO RAMP UP BORDER WALL EFFORTS AMID MIGRANT SURGEAnother depicts a pregnant woman and says: “Your wife and daughter will pay for their trip with their bodies.”Abbott criticized governments and private groups who “make it sound like it may be harmless going into the state of Texas,” and said the state is trying to “provide reality facts for immigrants thinking about coming here to save their lives, to save them from sexual assault, save them from being arrested and let them know there are consequences if they take any further steps to come to the state of Texas.””This is tough medicine, but we want no more rape trees in Texas,” said Abbott. “Do not make the dangerous trek to Texas.”The governor went on to lament the historic surge in illegal immigration under the Biden administration, saying: “It’s a deadly situation, a horrific situation, a horror that we fully expect to end beginning in about a month when President Trump takes office and shuts down the border and restores safety and normalcy to the immigration process.”



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Publish date : 2024-12-19 21:41:47

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Attorneys at the Department of Justice are urging federal judges to reject petitions from at least two Jan. 6 defendants who are asking that they be allowed to return to the nation’s capital for President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.Cindy Young, convicted of four misdemeanors for her involvement in the riot at the Capitol, and Russell Taylor, who pleaded guilty to a felony conspiracy charge, both petitioned the courts to allow them to return to Washington, D.C., despite provisions of their sentences requiring them to stay away. “Contrary to Young’s self designation that she ‘poses no threat of danger to the community,’ Young presents a danger to the D.C. community, including the very law enforcement officers who defended the Capitol on January 6, 2021,” U.S. attorneys said in response to Young’s petition. The federal attorneys cited calls from Young “for retribution against those involved in January 6 prosecutions” and argued that she has failed “to recognize the seriousness of her actions.”FBI SHOULD PROBE ‘POTENTIAL’ LIZ CHENEY ‘WITNESS TAMPERING’ IN JAN 6 MATTER, HOUSE REPUBLICANS SAYA request from Taylor, who was invited to attend the inauguration by members of Utah’s congressional delegation, is also being challenged by attorneys at the Department of Justice who argue that the serious nature of his crimes should preclude him from being able to “return to the scene of the crime.””He is asking for the Court to bless his desire to return to the scene of the crime, and the Court should not look past his criminal conduct the last time he was on Capitol grounds,” the U.S. attorneys wrote in a filing to U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth. The attorneys added in their court filing that, while they had granted previous travel requests to other defendants involved in the Capitol siege, those approvals were to support people’s continued employment, and the requests did not involve travel to the nation’s capital. TRUMP INAUGURATION: DC POLICE CHIEF EXPECTING ‘4,000 POLICE OFFICERS TO ASSIST US’However, another Jan. 6 defendant, Eric Peterson, who was convicted of a misdemeanor in November for his involvement in the Capitol riot but has yet to be sentenced, was given approval by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to travel to the District for Trump’s swearing-in ceremony, according to Peterson’s criminal case docket. Notably, the docket did not include any responses from the Department of Justice urging Chutkan to deny Peterson’s request. There remains uncertainty around whether Trump will pardon any, some, or all of those defendants who were convicted of crimes as a result of their involvement in the U.S. Capitol siege that occurred in 2021. Trump has said at times that pardons will be reserved for those who remained peaceful on that fateful day; however, at other points he has suggested a blanket pardon for all those who were convicted. One thing that Trump has been steadfast on is that the pardons will come quickly following his inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025.The Department of Justice declined to comment for this story.



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Publish date : 2024-12-19 20:13:37

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Reading with your children and sharing stories you cherish (both old and new) helps you and your little ones create memorable traditions and leave a lasting impression for years to come. The holiday season is a magical time for families and reading festive children’s books offers more than just entertainment—they create opportunities for bonding, spark meaningful conversations about traditions and inspire wonder in young minds. Not to mention, books make great gifts for kids of all ages and will hopefully encourage them to get off those tech devices and read! Whether it’s spreading the joy of Christmas, shining the light of Hanukkah or relishing in the beauty of a snowy winter’s day, these stories help children connect with the spirit of the season while creating cherished memories. So, while you’re on the hunt for all the hottest toys and gifts to place under the tree, here are ten holiday books to help you take a break from the hustle and bustle and immerse yourself into the magic of the season with your children this year. This enchanting Christmas tale (with a classic movie they can also enjoy!) follows a young boy on a magical train journey to the North Pole. This beautifully illustrated hardcover 30th anniversary-edition of the story captures the spirit of Christmas with its themes of belief, wonder, and the magic of giving. Its lush, colorful illustrations complement the heartfelt story, making it a timeless favorite. While not an anniversary-edition, Walmart has the book for under $10 and you can also pick up the accompanying DVD!If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can get these books to your door ASAP. You can join or start a 30-day free trial to start your shopping today.15 LAST-MINUTE GIFTS UNDER $50 AMAZON WILL DELIVER ON TIME FOR CHRISTMASDr. Seuss’s beloved rhyming story about the Grinch, who tries to steal Christmas from the Whos of Whoville, is a classic lesson in the true meaning of the holiday season. Its whimsical illustrations and memorable characters have captivated generations of readers and inspired several movies of the same name! If they’re Grinch obsessed (and who isn’t?), you can grab the sequel The Grinch Takes a Vacation, which is a hilarious take on the story about everyone’s favorite Christmas grouch. This award-winning classic book follows young Peter as he explores his neighborhood after a snowfall. Its simple, poetic text and vibrant illustrations have been helping families celebrate the joy and wonder of a winter day for more than 50 years, making it a perfect seasonal read. The book’s message inspires kids to get off their devices and get outside. Scholastic offers a special edition with an accompanying CD if your child likes to read and listen to this meaningful story. This book follows Hershel of Ostropol as he outsmarts a group of goblins to save the holiday for a village. The suspense, humor and rich illustrations make this a favorite for Hanukkah celebrations. While this is a hardcover/gift edition with a poster, Amazon offers a simpler paperback version for quite a few dollars less. 10 TOYS THAT WILL BE HOT THIS HOLIDAY SEASONThis beautifully illustrated Ukrainian folktale tells of a boy who loses a mitten in the snow, which becomes a temporary home for a growing number of animals. This oversized board book highlights Brett’s intricate border art for younger kids, and detailed depictions of the woodland creatures make it a visual delight. If you are looking for a stocking stuffer instead, a smaller one is also available at Amazon.This humorous and heartwarming tale follows a poor girl who receives a magical frying pan that makes endless latkes. The story highlights themes of kindness, family and the joy of the Hanukkah tradition of making latkes and is accompanied by charming illustrations. This book might inspire them to want to make the traditional Jewish pancakes with you, so be sure to pick up this cookbook that’ll make cooking with your tot easy and fun! Set on a cold, moonlit winter night, this poetic story follows a young girl and her father as they go owling. The lyrical text and stunning watercolor illustrations capture the stillness and beauty of the winter landscape, making it a calming and evocative read. Now that they’re inspired to get outdoors during winter, check out this book with 50 winter activities for kids! This quirky and witty tale blends Hanukkah and Christmas traditions through the adventures of a talking latke. With its signature Lemony Snicket humor and clever storytelling, this book offers a fresh perspective on holiday celebrations. If they’re Lemony Snicket fans and the screaming latke leaves them begging for more, pick up Lemony Snicket’s Lump of Coal.Eric Carle’s distinct collage illustrations bring this gentle Christmas story about a farmer dreaming of snow to life. The interactive overlays and simple text make it an engaging read for younger children, evoking the season’s warmth. On an Eric Carle holiday books kick? Also, be sure to grab The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Christmas 123. This imaginative story explores what snowmen do after dark (hint: they come to life!) With playful rhymes and hidden details in the illustrations, it’s a delightful book for children and parents alike to enjoy during the winter season. Looking for more of a classic? Well then Frosty the Snowman it is! You can get the nostalgic Little Golden Book classic we all grew up with at Barnes and Noble for the bargain price of $5.99. 10 FAMILY BOARD GAMES THAT ALSO MAKE GREAT GIFTS



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Publish date : 2024-12-19 19:03:05

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Oklahoma man Kevin Ray Underwood was put to death by lethal injection on Thursday in the nation’s 25th and final execution of the year.Underwood was pronounced dead at 10:14 a.m. at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, information provided by the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (ODOC) to Fox News Digital states. He killed a 10-year-old girl back in 2006 as part of a cannibalistic fantasy.Underwood, a former grocery store worker, admitted to luring Jamie Rose Bolin into his apartment and beating her over the head with a cutting board before suffocating and sexually assaulting her. He told investigators that he nearly beheaded Jamie in his bathtub before abandoning his plans to eat her.His last meal was chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, pinto beans, a hot roll, a cheeseburger and fries with ketchup and “cola from the canteen,” the ODOC said. He received it at 5:40 p.m. Wednesday.OKLAHOMA LAWMAKERS ON BOARD WITH ABOLISHING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONUnderwood elected not to have a chaplain present in the execution room, according to the ODOC. He did opt for sedatives during the three-chemical protocol lethal injection that took place on his 45th birthday. Local TV station KOCO states witnesses said Underwood apologized for what he did and to the Bolin family. He also reportedly said it was “needlessly cruel to my family” to execute him on his birthday and six days before Christmas. No complications were reported with the execution, witnesses told KOCO. SLEEPING MAN SAVED FROM ROLLING OFF BRIDGE BY POLICE OFFICER, GOOD SAMARITAN IN DRAMATIC VIDEOUnderwood’s attorneys had argued that he deserved to be spared the death penalty because of his long history of abuse and serious mental health issues that included autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar and panic disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizotypal personality disorder and various deviant sexual paraphilias.Prosecutors argued that many people suffer from mental illness, but that doesn’t justify harming children.In a last-minute request seeking a stay of execution from the U.S. Supreme Court, Underwood’s attorneys argued that he deserved a hearing before all five members of the board and that the panel violated state law and Underwood’s rights by rescheduling the hearing at the last minute after two members of the board resigned. The court rejected that bid earlier Thursday morning.Underwood was convicted in Cleveland County of first-degree murder on April 3, 2008. He was 28 years old when the ODOC received him on April 7, 2008. Oklahoma has executed 206 men and three women since 1915, information from the ODOC states. Currently, 32 men and one woman are on death row in Oklahoma. “Today’s event and the circumstances that led to it have affected many people – especially the family of 10-year-old Jame Rose Bolin,” a statement from ODOC Director Steven Harpe said. “As an agency, we carried out the court’s orders according to our high standards of professionalism and respect for those in our custody, ensuring dignity for everyone involved in the process. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 



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Publish date : 2024-12-19 17:39:23

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Members of President Biden’s staff noticed his fading stamina and increasing confusion within the first few months of him entering office, according to a new report from the Wall Street Journal.The Journal based its report on interviews with nearly 50 people, including current and former White House staffers who interacted directly with the president, as well as lawmakers.One former aide recalled a national security official explaining why a meeting in the spring of 2021 was canceled altogether.”He has good days and bad days, and today was a bad day so we’re going to address this tomorrow,” he recalled the official saying.Democratic lawmakers in Congress reported that Biden was less available than past presidents. He had few meetings with members of Congress, and those meetings were often brief, they said.BIDEN IS SAYING ‘SCREW YOU’ TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, BEN FERGUSON ARGUES”The Biden White House was more insulated than most,” Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., told the Journal. “I spoke with Barack Obama on a number of occasions when he was president and I wasn’t even chairman of the committee.””I really had no personal contact with this president. I had more personal contact with Obama, which is sort of strange because I was a lot more junior,” Rep Jim Himes, D-Conn., echoed.BIDEN’S PRESIDENCY WILL BE REMEMBERED AS THE ‘MAN THAT WAS TOO OLD,’ SAYS BYRON YORKEven members of Biden’s own Cabinet soon stopped requesting calls with the president, perceiving from interactions with staff that calls were unwelcome, WSJ reported.A source familiar with the Journal’s reporting said the outlet had on-record interviews with a number of Cabinet members who rejected claims that Biden lacks mental acuity. Those Cabinet members included Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and EPA Administrator Michael Regan and others, the source said. The Journal did not include their comments in its report.Biden held fewer than half as many full Cabinet meetings as his most recent predecessors. President-elect Trump held 25 such meetings and former President Obama held 19 in their first terms, but Biden had just eight.The White House pushed back on the substance of the Journal’s report in a statement provided to Fox News Digital, saying Biden’s policy accomplishments provide “indisputable proof” of his qualifications and leadership.”President Biden speaks with members of his Cabinet daily, and with most members multiple times a week, staying in close touch with them about implementation of key laws and strengthening our national security. During every presidency, there are inevitably some in Washington who do not receive as much time with whomever the president is as they would prefer; but that never means that the president isn’t engaging thoroughly with others, as this president does,” said White House spokesman Andrew Bates.”Cabinet meetings are an important tradition, but the contemporary work environment means they can be fewer and far between. As academics who study the presidency have emphasized, every member of the Cabinet – to say nothing of the President – are busy principals and more can be accomplished on behalf of the American people speaking with the President one-on-one or in smaller settings with officials who have related portfolios,” he added.Fox News Digital reached out to Cabinet officials and their departments, asking them if they believed Biden was fit to serve this week, and if they stood by past statements of confidence in his ability to continue.DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, in a statement in September, said that he has “full confidence in President Biden’s ability to carry out his job. BIDEN’S AGE MUCH MORE OF A LIABILITY THAN TRUMP’S, POLL FINDS AHEAD OF PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE”As I’ve said before, I come fully prepared for my meetings with President Biden, knowing his questions will be detail-oriented, probing, and exacting. In our exchanges, the President always draws upon our prior conversations and past events in analyzing the issues and reaching his conclusions,” he said.On Monday, DHS said that the secretary stands by those comments.Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo has called Biden “one of the most accomplished presidents in American history and continues to effectively lead our country with a steady hand.””As someone who is actually in the room when the President meets with the Cabinet and foreign leaders, I can tell you he is an incisive and extraordinary leader,” Raimondo said.A spokesperson said this week that Raimondo stands by those comments.Sabrina Singh, deputy Pentagon press secretary, told Fox in September: “As Secretary Austin has said before, he has watched President Biden make tough national security decisions and seen his commitment to keeping our troops safe – he has nothing but total confidence in our Commander-in-Chief.”This week, Singh said those comments still stand.



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Publish date : 2024-12-19 17:08:11

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House Democrats fumed Thursday over the spending bill drama and what they characterized as the outsize influence of Elon Musk and others in President-elect Donald Trump’s orbit, after a bipartisan plan brokered by House Speaker Mike Johnson collapsed just hours earlier.Speaking to reporters outside a leadership meeting on Thursday, House Democrats expressed disappointment in Republicans for walking away from the negotiated argument, and many accused them of appearing to take clues from Elon Musk. Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., labeled the billionaire X owner “President Musk” while speaking to reporters Thursday.”For the Republicans, for President Musk to come in at the last moment and blow up the deal is just intolerable,” Nadler said. “You have to negotiate, and you have to be able to enforce what you’re negotiating, and what was negotiated was a very good deal for the American people.”JOHNSON HIT WITH POSSIBLE SPEAKERSHIP RIVALS AS CONSERVATIVES REBEL OVER GOVERNMENT FUNDING PLANRep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., said their caucus is “disappointed” in House Speaker Johnson, saying it appeared as though Musk is “president” and Trump “vice president.”This was echoed by Rep. Greg Casar, D-Tex. “My main question is just if Elon Musk is kind of cosplaying co-president here, I don’t know why Trump doesn’t just hand him the Oval Office.””Speaker Johnson should maybe just hand Elon Musk the gavel if they just want that billionaire to run the country,” Casar told reporters outside a House Democrat leadership meeting.THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO WHAT HAPPENED TO THE INTERIM SPENDING BILLHouse Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., was emotional as she expressed her frustration with the protracted negotiation and a changed debt ceiling agreement, saying that in her view, Republicans “need to do the right thing for once.” She noted that she has “thousands of neighbors” and others in her district who are waiting for disaster aid or for a Small Business Administration loan. “”Those are the loans that help people repair their homes. Those are the loans that help small businesses get back on their feet.”She noted that Republicans did not replenish those funds when they did the last spending bill, so in the meantime, these people “have been left out in the lurch.””I just wanted to point out that this kind of chaos and dysfunction has real world impacts on hardworking people, and it’s irresponsible and wrong,” she said.Musk’s team did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for a response to the comments on his role in the spending bill negotiations. 



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Publish date : 2024-12-19 15:57:41

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EXCLUSIVE: President-elect Donald Trump reacted to the Georgia Court of Appeals decision to disqualify “corrupt” Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her team, telling Fox News Digital that the case “is entirely dead” and that the “wonderful patriots who have been caught up in this for years” should “receive an apology.” The Georgia Court of Appeals on Thursday disqualified Willis and her team from prosecuting Trump and co-defendants in her election interference case. The court did not toss the indictment but declared that Willis and her team now have “no authority to proceed.” In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Trump said the “whole case has been a disgrace to justice.” “It was started by the Biden DOJ as an attack on his political opponent, Donald Trump,” he said, “They used anyone and anybody, and she has been disqualified, and her boyfriend has been disqualified, and they stole funds and went on trips.” Trump said the case “should not be allowed to go any further.” “There is no way such corrupt people can lead a case, and then it gets taken over by somebody else,” Trump told Fox News Digital. “It was a corrupt case, so how could it be taken over by someone else?”  “The case has to be thrown out because it was started corruptly by an incompetent prosecutor who received millions of dollars through her boyfriend — who received it from her — and then they went on cruises all the time,” Trump said, referring to Willis’ relationship with a former prosecutor on her team, Nathan Wade. “Therefore, the case is entirely dead,” Trump said. “Everybody should receive an apology, including those wonderful patriots who have been caught up in this for years.”Willis’ office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.



Source link : https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-cheers-disqualification-corrupt-fani-willis-says-case-entirely-dead

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Publish date : 2024-12-19 15:29:11

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