Pope Francis’ funeral will be held on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. local Rome time (4:00 a.m. ET) and more than 200,000 people are expected to attend the deceased Vicar of Christ’s services.
Thousands of mourners have taken to the Vatican this week to pay their final respects to Pope Francis following his death on Monday.
The funeral Mass will be held on the parvis of St. Peter’s Basilica, and His Most Reverend Eminence Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, will preside over the Catholic rites and blessings.
Mass will begin with an Entrance Antiphon, typically sung or recited by clergy and mourners.
Then, the congregation will acknowledge their sins with the Penitential Act followed by the Collect, or opening prayer.
Cardinal Battista will then extend the First Reading, a reading from the Acts of the Apostles, to the congregation of worshipers.
The Responsorial Psalm "The Lord is my Shepherd," or "Psalm 23," is to be sung. The Second Reading, a reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians, typically recited by an instituted lector at a pope’s funeral, will be heard among parishioners.
The Acclamation and the Gospel will follow.
Cardinal Battista will give the Homily, a reflection, which includes prayer for Pope Francis, the faithful departed and the congregation. The dean of the Roman Catholic Church's College of Cardinals will consecrate the Body and Blood of Christ and invite the faithful to receive Holy Communion following the Communion Rite, or the Our Father prayer.
Requiem Aeternam, a chant often heard among funeral-goers, is to be recited during Communion, followed by a prayer.
Cardinal Battista will offer a final Commendation and Farewell including the Prayer of the Church in Rome and the Prayer of Eastern Churches.
The funeral liturgy "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" will be sung or chanted by the congregation, and Mass will conclude with the Canticle of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Pope Francis will be buried in a wooden casket at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, a place he often visited with flowers during his 12-year papacy.
The Novendiali, an ancient and customary nine-day period of prayer, remembrance and mourning, will begin on the day of Pope Francis’ funeral on the parvis of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Pope Francis’ Holy Mass led by His Most Reverend Eminence Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, will commence the nine Masses in memory of the deceased pontiff.
While the Masses are open to public audiences, they are specifically held for employees and faithful of Vatican City.
The schedule is as follows, according to the Vatican:
Shedeur Sanders was not selected in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft, in one of the most shocking slides of any top quarterback prospect in league history.
The third round closed on Friday night with five quarterbacks being taken, while Sanders and his family remain uncertain about where and when his pro career will begin.
After Cam Ward was selected with the first overall pick on Thursday night, experts assumed Sanders would soon follow as the second quarterback selected. Instead, Jaxson Dart was the second quarterback taken when the New York Giants traded back into the first round to take him at 25.
Early in the second round, the New Orleans Saints used the 40th pick to take Tyler Plough. Then, late in the third round, the Seattle Seahawks took Jalen Milroe at 92 and then the Cleveland Browns took Dillon Gabriel at 94.
Dart, Plough, Milroe and Gabriel were all projected to go much later than Sanders by scouts and analysts, and early projections even had Sanders going above Ward at No. 1.
Sanders led the Big 12 Conference with 4,134 passing yards and 37 touchdown passes and was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. In his 50 college games, Sanders threw for 14,347 yards, 134 touchdowns and 27 interceptions.
For a quarterback prospect of that esteem to fall out of the third round is highly unusual in the NFL.
Top prospects like Sanders have seen shocking slides in past NFL Drafts. Aaron Rodgers slipped down to the 25th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, and was passed on for Alex Smith by the 49ers.
Patrick Mahomes wasn't taken until the 10th pick in the 2017 Draft, and was passed on for Mitch Trubisky by the Bears. Still, at the time, Mahomes was less of a hyped prospect than Sanders.
Lamar Jackson fell all the way to the 32nd pick in the 2018 draft, after four other quarterbacks were taken ahead of him.
But Sanders, who was once considered the top candidate to go No. 1 overall this year, falling to day three of the draft, is a historic anamoly.
To make matters worse for him and his family, Sanders was prank-called by an imposter during a livestream Friday night.
While he and his family live-streamed day two of their NFL Draft party on Twitch Friday night, Sanders was seen answering a phone call that he assumed was from a general manager making the decision to draft him.
Then the caller told the eager young athlete that he would "have to wait a little longer," as Sanders' smile quickly faded.
NFL teams' decision not to draft Sanders has prompted mass controversy and debate throughout the draft, and even prior to it as rumors of Sanders falling down draft boards became public.
An anonymous NFL coach recently told the NFL Network Sanders was "the worst formal interview I've ever been in in my life."
"He's so entitled. He takes unnecessary sacks. He never plays on time. He has horrible body language. He blames teammates," the coach continued. "But the biggest thing is he's not that good."
Another longtime AFC executive echoed that sentiment, telling the outlet, "It didn't go great in our interview. He wants to dictate what he's going to do and what's best for him. He makes you feel small."
Kansas City Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes seemingly alluded to Sanders' draft slide in an X post later on Friday, simply writing "Crazy."
President Donald Trump even joined in on the debate on Friday, when he ripped "stupid" NFL owners for passing on the star Colorado quarterback and allowing him to fall into the second round.
"What is wrong with NFL owners, are they STUPID? Deion Sanders was a great college football player, and was even greater in the NFL. He’s also a very good coach, streetwise and smart! Therefore, Shedeur, his quarterback son, has PHENOMENAL GENES, and is all set for Greatness," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
"He should be "picked" IMMEDIATELY by a team that wants to WIN. Good luck Shedeur, and say hello to your wonderful father!"
Now, Sanders will have to wait until day three of the draft to hear his name called, if it is called at all.
However, he has seemingly expressed gratitude and patience throughout the process despite the dramatic slide.
In an X post late Friday night, while the third round was coming to an end, Sanders thanked go.
Three picks later, the Cleveland Browns, who had plenty of chances to take Sanders, went with Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
The Seahawks traded Geno Smith to the Raiders earlier this offseason and brought in Sam Darnold on a three-year, $100 million.
Milroe isn't very known for his arm, but some scouts say he has some of the best raw athleticism of any quarterback in the NFL Draft.
Gabriel, meanwhile, transferred to Oregon for his final year of NCAA eligibility, and the Ducks were the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. But, they lost to Ohio State, who won the national championship.
That's now five quarterbacks taken ahead of Sanders, who continues to fall.
The Colorado quarterback said on Thursday night after round one that he "didn't expect" to fall into night two of the draft, so one can only imagine what is going through his mind right now.
Milroe threw for 5,678 yards and ran for 1,257 in his last two years at Alabama. He led his squad to the Rose Bowl after winning the SEC championship in the 2023 season, but they lost to the eventual national champions in Michigan.
Gabriel finished in third place in the Heisman Trophy vote this past season, leading the Big Ten in both completions and attempts. He threw for 3,857 yards and 30 touchdowns.
Quinn Ewers is also waiting on his name to be called - which would be as big a shock as anything.
The emotional roller coaster for Shedeur Sanders plunged even harder during the second day of the NFL Draft.
After falling to the third round and getting passed on in favor of two other quarterbacks projected to go much later than Sanders, he fell victim to an ill-timed prank call as the world watched.
While he and his family live-streamed day two of their NFL Draft party on Twitch Friday night, Sanders was seen answering a phone call that he assumed was from a general manager making the decision to draft him.
The 23-year-old quarterback had a big smile on his face as he answered and greeted the caller, with friends and family crowding around him.
"I'm good, been waiting on you," he said.
But the imposter on the other side told the eager young athlete that he would "have to wait a little longer," as Sanders' smile quickly faded.
After the call ended, the crowd around Sanders broke out into concerned conversation, as he glared at his phone.
Sanders has since ended his Twitch stream.
Sanders' draft slide has been the biggest and most controversial storyline of this year's draft.
After fellow quarterback Cam Ward out of Miami was selected with the first overall pick on Thursday, experts assumed Sanders would follow soon after as the second quarterback taken. But instead, Jaxson Dart was taken by the Giants late in the first round Tyler Shough was taken by the Saints early in the second.
Both Dart and Shough were projected to go much later than Sanders by scouts and analysts.
At one point during the quarterback's slide on Thursday, his other brother, NFL safety prospect Shilo Sanders, insisted "something is going on" with Shedeur not being selected, as seen in footage posted by their other brother, Deion Sanders Jr.
"Bro, if they don't take you right now, it's something going on," Shilo said. "If they don't take him right now, it's something going on. I don't know what's going on, but it's something."
In additional footage posted by Deion Jr. Thursday night, Shedeur addressed not being taken in a speech to his family when the first night of the draft was over.
"We all didn't expect this, of course, but I feel like with God, anything possible, everything possible. I don't feel like this happened for no reason. All of this is, of course, fuel to the fire. Under no circumstances did we all know this was going to happen, but we understand we on to bigger and better things," the quarterback said.
"Tomorrow's the day. We going to be happy regardless. Legendary."
President Donald Trump even joined in on the debate on Friday, when he ripped "stupid" NFL owners for passing on the star Colorado quarterback and allowing him to fall into the second round.
"What is wrong with NFL owners, are they STUPID? Deion Sanders was a great college football player, and was even greater in the NFL. He’s also a very good coach, streetwise and smart! Therefore, Shedeur, his quarterback son, has PHENOMENAL GENES, and is all set for Greatness," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
"He should be "picked" IMMEDIATELY by a team that wants to WIN. Good luck Shedeur, and say hello to your wonderful father!"
Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman joined the debate Friday, suggesting Sanders slid because "America continues to fear strong black men."
"The NFL doesn’t like [Shedeur] Sanders because he wears gold chains and talks like a rapper. They don’t care that he’s a leader, intelligent, tough and completed 77% of his passes with no O-line and no running game. He’s entitled but Eli Manning wasn’t entitled when he refused to be drafted by San Diego?" Bowman wrote on X.
A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked an executive order from President Donald Trump that would cancel collective bargaining rights for most federal workers.
U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman blocked the Trump administration from implementing the order following a lawsuit from the National Treasury Employees Union, which represents about 160,000 federal employees.
The union claims in the lawsuit that the order would violate federal workers’ labor rights and is unconstitutional, adding that it would lose two-thirds of its membership and half of its dues if they order is allowed to go through.
The order exempted more than a dozen agencies from the requirement to bargain with unions, including the departments of Justice, State, Defense, Treasury, Veterans Affairs, and Health and Human Services departments.
It affects around 75% of the nearly one million federal workers represented by unions and expands an existing rule that exempts national security agencies like the FBI and CIA from collective bargaining requirements.
The U.S. Treasury Department also filed a lawsuit against the NTEU following the order to invalidate a collective bargaining agreement involving IRS employees.
The order is part of the administration’s efforts to lessen the size of the federal government, by making it easier to discipline and fire workers and change working conditions.
The temporary injunction will remain in place pending the outcome of the NTEU lawsuit.
Friedman said he would issue an opinion explaining his ruling in the next few days.
He also gave attorneys on both sides a week to propose how the lawsuit should move forward.
Shedeur Sanders' fall from the first-round of the 2025 NFL Draft remains a hot topic.
As the second round came and went Friday, the former Colorado quarterback still did not hear his name called. While Sanders was widely considered one of the top quarterback prospects entering this year's draft, criticism about his pre-draft interviews began surfacing leading into Thursday.
Sanders' tendency to hold the ball for extended periods was also scrutinized.
That and other factors seemingly contributed to claims that Sanders' stock was dropping ahead of the draft. Although the New York Giants signed veteran quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston earlier this offseason, the team was still linked to Sanders.
New York ultimately opted to trade back into the first-round on Thursday to select former Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart.
ESPN star and former Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark had a strong reaction to his former team deciding against taking Sanders when they were on the clock in the first round.
"He went to Tennessee and got worse. You know what we're gonna do? Oh, let's wait for Aaron. Wait for Aaron to make a decision. We let Aaron Rodgers hold us hostage like we're a four. We the Pittsburgh Steelers! We're supposed to be acting like a 10. We acting like a four."
Rudolph left the Steelers after the 2023 season and joined the Tennessee Titans. The quarterback threw nine touchdowns against nine interceptions over eight games in 2024. Rodgers recently met with the Steelers front office and coaches, but the four-time NFL MVP has yet to make an official decision about his football future.
Aside from Rudolph, Skylar Thompson is the only other quarterback under contract with the Steelers.
Sanders finished the 2024 season with 4,134 passing yards. He is the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer and Colorado football head coach Deion Sanders.
Virginia Giuffre, a woman who accused Jeffrey Epstein and Prince Andrew of abuse when she was underaged, has died by suicide, according to a report.
Giuffre, 41, was one of Epstein and Andrew's most prominent accusers, filing a lawsuit against the English royal in New York in 2021, claiming she was forced to have sex with him three times between 1999 and 2002 when she was underage.
Giuffre died in Neergabby, Australia, where she had been living, NBC News reported.
Epstein died by suicide in a New York City jail cell in 2019 after being federally charged with sex trafficking.
"It is with utterly broken hearts that we announce that Virginia passed away last night at her farm in Western Australia," her family said in a statement to NBC News. "She lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking."
"Virginia was a fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking. She was the light that lifted so many survivors," the statement said. "In the end, the toll of abuse is so heavy that it became unbearable for Virginia to handle its weight."
A former New Mexico judge and his wife allegedly tried to hide incriminating images and videos of an illegal immigrant believed to be a member of Venezuela’s notorious Tren de Aragua gang and harbored other migrants, the Justice Department said Friday.
Former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano, 68, and his wife, Nancy Cano, 67, were arrested Thursday after federal agents raided their Las Cruces home. The pair face charges of evidence tampering amid allegations they harbored Cristhian Ortega-Lopez.
"Judges are responsible for upholding our country’s laws. It is beyond egregious for a former judge and his wife to engage in evidence tampering on behalf of a suspected Tren de Aragua gang member accused of illegally possessing firearms," said U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison.
"The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to dismantling this foreign terrorist organization by disrupting its criminal operations in New Mexico. That starts by prosecuting those who support gang members — including judges."
Ortega-Lopez was put on the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) radar after a tipster said he was in the U.S. illegally and had guns. He initially entered the country Dec. 15, 2023, near Eagle Pass, Texas. He was taken into custody and released due to overcrowding at the U.S. Border Patrol facility.
Ortega-Lopez apparently posted multiple images and videos on social media showing him with other illegal immigrants handling guns at a shooting range in Las Cruces, federal prosecutors said. Among the weapons were a SIG Sauer P365 pistol, an AR-15 rifle equipped with a suppressor and other high-powered guns and ammunition.
His social media activity revealed content suggesting ties with the Venezuelan gang, including gang-related tattoos, hand gestures and clothing, prosecutors said.He also mocked a $5,000 reward to catch TdA members, Attorney General Pam Bondi said.
Among the images were also two people who were decapitated, she said.
In January, federal agents received a tip that Ortega-Lopez was living with other illegal immigrants on a property belonging to Cano, who was still a judge at the time, and his wife.
Authorities seized four guns during a Feb. 28 search of the property.
The four guns, along with three cellphones belonging to Ortega-Lopez, were seized, and he was arrested. During the search, Ortega-Lopez was allowed to make a phone call before being taken to the Doña Ana County Detention Center (DACDC).
He told the agents that the phone he wanted to use was not among the devices recovered. Video calls from DACDC later showed Nancy Cano holding a black iPhone believed to be Ortega’s fourth phone, prosecutors said.
During a March 7 call with Ortega-Lopez, Nancy Cano allegedly used the device to contact someone named "Michelle" via WhatsApp, before facilitating a FaceTime call between Michelle and Ortega-Lopez using her personal phone.
In an April 20 call, Nancy Cano and Ortega-Lopez discussed deleting his Facebook account, which he allegedly used to share incriminating content, including gang affiliations and images with guns.
On April 24, federal agents searched the Cano home to locate Ortega-Lopez's missing phone. During questioning, Joel Cano admitted smashing the device with a hammer five weeks earlier because he believed it contained incriminating photos and videos of Ortega-Lopez with guns, and throwing it into a dumpster, said Bondi.
A forensic analysis of the recovered phones revealed messages linked to Ortega’s alleged criminal activities, including links with the TdA gang and images of him with guns, authorities said.
Joel and Nancy Cano face up to 15 years in prison.
"The rule of law is very simple: It doesn't matter what line of work you're in. If you break the law, we will follow the facts, and we will prosecute you," Bondi said in a video message Friday.
Another judge arrested for allegedly interfering in the arrest of an illegal immigrant in Wisconsin also faces federal charges. Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan, 65, allegedly confronted federal agents inside a courthouse April 18 and ordered them to leave as they were trying to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican citizen who was previously deported and recently charged with multiple counts of domestic abuse-related battery.
Flores-Ruiz allegedly punched a man 30 times and struck a woman, Bondi said. Both victims were in court when Dugan learned that ICE was outside to arrest him.
"After being made aware of a valid immigration arrest warrant, Judge Dugan told agents that they needed a judicial warrant and demanded that they go to the Chief Judge’s office, the Justice Department said in a news release Friday. "Once the agents were no longer in the vicinity of her courtroom, Judge Dugan allegedly elected not to conduct a hearing on Flores-Ruiz’s criminal case despite the fact that victims of his offense were present and instead personally escorted Flores-Ruiz and his attorney through a restricted ‘jury door’ exit not typically used by defendants or attorneys."
The doorway led to a nonpublic hallway, which Flores-Ruiz and his attorney used to leave Dugan's courtroom, prosecutors said. He was eventually arrested outside the courthouse after a brief foot chase.
Dugan is charged with obstruction of proceedings before a department or agency of the United States and concealing a person to prevent arrest. She faces up to six years in prison.
Flores-Ruiz was previously deported in 2013 and reentered the U.S. illegally, authorities said.
"Sanctuary jurisdictions that shield criminal aliens endanger American communities," said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. "This Justice Department will not stand by as local officials put politics over public safety. Reckless sanctuary city policies create a sanctuary for one class — criminals. Those days are over."
In recent years, Pride parades have been funded by major corporations, but the shift against DEI and identity-politics across American business and culture is reportedly beginning to take its toll.
Seattle Pride, centered in one of the most famous left-leaning bastions on the West Coast, reportedly faces a shortfall of nearly $350,000, which, according to Seattle-based KOMO news is "attributed to recent rollbacks in initiatives and political challenges facing the LGBTQIA2S+ community."
Seattle Pride Executive Director Patti Hearn spoke to the news outlet about how the changing cultural and economic landscape may shift the onus of supporting Pride events from businesses to grassroots organizations and the community.
"We have seen shifts in corporate sponsorship as companies assess their budgets and priorities, and some sponsors have not yet renewed their commitments this year," Hearn said. "We are still in conversations with many of them — it’s important to us that we partner with organizations that demonstrate genuine and sustained support for the LGBTQIA2S+ community year-round. This is especially imperative as our community faces ongoing political attacks."
Hearn added further that "We know that relying on corporate sponsorships is not the future of Pride. The future is community. That's why we're leaning into grassroots partnerships and radical mutual aid."
The organization reportedly said that this financial gap threatens the very core of Seattle Pride celebrations, including the annual Seattle Pride Parade itself.
According to The Seattle Times, "Hearn said the retreat in financial commitments by major corporate sponsors is a sign big-name companies may be following the lead of the Trump administration, which has launched a sweeping campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and the LGBTQ+ community, particularly transgender people."
"It’s a really rough world for queer people," Hearn told The Seattle Times, "and this just feels like it’s part of that package."
Hearn declined to name which corporations have neglected to renew their donations to the annual event so far, claiming her team is "still in some conversation" with some of them.
"Typically, we’d have a lot more companies who’d sign on the dotted line much earlier than the deadline," Hearn told The Seattle Times. "What we’re seeing is a bit of uncertainty."
Harn told the news outlet that while the shortfall will not impact this year’s festivities, the ones in 2026 could look very different unless the situation changes. She added further that the organization is soliciting individual donations and grants and will start regularly hosting events to raise funds.
Fox News Digital reached out to Seattle Pride and did not receive an immediate reply.
A group of four teenagers have been arrested in connection with the "gang assault" on a 65-year-old man this week in New York City, authorities said late Friday.
The victim was a retired NYPD lieutenant and the teens allegedly turned their anger toward him after he confronted them for harassing a cab driver, the New York Post reported, citing sources.
The unidentified teens allegedly punched the man in the face and hit him with a backpack before running away. The NYPD said five suspects were involved in the attack.
He was knocked down during the assault, and suffered minor injuries to his face and knee during the alleged assault that took place on Manhattan’s Upper East Side near Park Avenue.
He refused medical attention at the scene, police said.
"They were looking for trouble, harassing everyone they saw," the victim said, according to the Post. "When they started to bother the cab driver, I went over and told them to leave him alone. That’s when one coward hit me from behind with a backpack."
On Friday night, the NYPD said three 14-year-old boys, and another 13-year-old male, had been arrested. They are all charged with second-degree assault and second-degree gang assault.
One of the suspects was wearing a black T-shirt, black sneakers and black and white shorts; the second was wearing a white T-shirt and black pants; the third was wearing a white T-shirt and gray pants; the fourth was wearing a white T-shirt and gray shorts and the last suspect was wearing a black t-shirt and gray pants, police said.
Tiger, who played college football at Princeton, was one of the 14 victims killed in the early hours of New Year's Day on Bourbon Street.
The New Orleans native played for Princeton from 2016-2018 and was an All-Ivy League kick returner. During his three-year career, he caught 53 passes for 825 yards with three touchdowns. He graduated from the university in 2021 and pursued a career in finance.
He was working as a stockbroker in New York City but traveled home to Louisiana for the holidays.
Jack scored the walk-off touchdown in the Senior Bowl as time expired.
"My brother has some wings on me. He gave them to me, and he let that all take place. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Tiger, nothing else but them. They're the reason I did what I did today. I attribute it all to them," Jack said after the game.
"It's been surreal just to be able to come and be in this game. It's a goal you set for yourself. But if I had the option if I came here, had the worst week ever, ruin my draft stock, but that means I could hug my brother right now, I would take that.
"But, on the flip side of that, I don't think I could have had the week that I had if all that wouldn't have happened. His wings were on my side. Him and Jesus Christ are the reasons I was able to do all of this."
After he was selected, cameras caught Jack sharing emotional embraces with his family.
"All the big brother does in life is want to see his little brother succeed. He's been my role model my whole life, the person I looked up to, the person I wanted to be. He was the best big brother I could ever ask for. My whole goal in the rest of my life is to live his legacy on."
Jack caught 62 passes for 1,034 yards, nine of which were touchdowns, for TCU last season. He joins Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker, with fellow rookie Ashton Jeanty in the backfield.
More than 30 prospects realized their NFL dreams Thursday night. Over the next two days, hundreds more will hear their names called as the 2025 NFL Draft continues.
Kelly Stafford, wife of Super Bowl-winning quarterback Matthew Stafford, knows what it's like to support a football player during the draft process. Matthew was the top pick in the 2009 draft.
During a recent edition of her "Morning After" podcast, Kelly was asked about where she was the night her husband was drafted by the Detroit Lions.
New York City hosted that year's draft, but Kelly said she was not at the event. She then delved into whether players' significant others should be included on draft night.
"I don’t see why guys do it because, if they do get drafted, and you have all your family, and you’re in the draft, and you have your girlfriend and the girlfriend's in the draft pics. And then, all of the sudden, the girlfriend’s gone. You don’t have draft pictures without a random girl, and I know she’s not random when you’re taking it, but she might be random eventually. Do you know what I mean? It’s a serious thing to consider," Kelly said.
The Staffords tied the knot in 2015 and share four daughters.
Later during the podcast, Kelly mentioned how sometimes couples debate whether to include a sibling's partner in the wedding party if the couple is not engaged.
"It’s like having your brother’s girlfriend in your wedding when they’re not engaged. And then, all of a sudden, do you know what I mean? You have all these photos with your family and the brother’s girlfriend — and not mine, because mine [brother Chad Hall] got married to [sister-in-law] Rose, so we were good. Like, what happens if Rose didn’t marry Chad, and she’s in all my wedding photos," Kelly said.
Matthew spent the first 12 years of his career with the Lions. The Rams acquired Stafford in a blockbuster trade that sent Jared Goff to Detroit.
While the "Morning After" podcast does occasionally touch on football, Stafford and co-host Henry Winchester tackle a wide range of other topics, including navigating friendships and parenting.
"I'm very vulnerable throughout this podcast," explained Kelly, "because I feel safe in this community, which is why I love it."
After falling out of the first round of the NFL Draft Thursday, Sanders wasn't even the first quarterback taken in the second round Friday. In fact, Sanders ended up not getting taken in the second round at all.
The New Orleans Saints chose former Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough with the 40th overall pick.
It came as a surprise to many when the Saints passed on Sanders in the first round with the ninth overall pick, as the 23-year-old Colorado Star's slide became more pronounced after falling past the Saints. But the move to pick Shough over Sanders in the second round was an even bigger shock to fans on social media.
Sanders was projected by some to contend for the No. 1 overall pick this year. Shough was projected by some to be the fifth-best quarterback in the draft.
Many fans on social media were quick to post lowlights of Shough's passing ability, while critisizing the Saints' decision.
But the Saints thought otherwise, and pulled the trigger on the underdog Shough with a hole at quarterback going into the 2025.
The situation surrounding Saints' veteran Derek Carr has led to many questions over the past several weeks. What began as reports about a potential shoulder injury that required surgery was seemingly confirmed by Saints general manager Mickey Loomis only Wednesday when he said that Carr does have a shoulder "issue."
So, Sanders continues to wait, while the NFL's owners and general managers explore other options.
Earlier Friday, President Donald Trump ripped "stupid" NFL owners for passing on the star Colorado quarterback and allowing him to fall into the second round.
"What is wrong with NFL owners, are they STUPID? Deion Sanders was a great college football player, and was even greater in the NFL. He’s also a very good coach, streetwise and smart! Therefore, Shedeur, his quarterback son, has PHENOMENAL GENES, and is all set for Greatness," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
"He should be "picked" IMMEDIATELY by a team that wants to WIN. Good luck Shedeur, and say hello to your wonderful father!"
Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman joined the debate Friday, suggesting Sanders slid because "America continues to fear strong black men."
"The NFL doesn’t like [Shedeur] Sanders because he wears gold chains and talks like a rapper. They don’t care that he’s a leader, intelligent, tough and completed 77% of his passes with no O-line and no running game. He’s entitled but Eli Manning wasn’t entitled when he refused to be drafted by San Diego?" Bowman wrote on X.
"He’s not athletic, but that didn’t stop Joe Montana, Drew Brees or Tom Brady. America continues to fear strong black men who come from means and have a strong sense of themselves without submitting to the 'dominant' culture."
At one point during the quarterback's slide on Thursday, his other brother, NFL safety prospect Shilo Sanders, insisted "something is going on" with Shedeur not being selected, as seen in footage posted by their other brother, Deion Sanders Jr.
"Bro, if they don't take you right now, it's something going on," Shilo said. "If they don't take him right now, it's something going on. I don't know what's going on, but it's something."
In additional footage posted by Deion Jr. Thursday night, Shedeur addressed not being taken in a speech to his family when the first night of the draft was over.
"We all didn't expect this, of course, but I feel like with God, anything possible, everything possible. I don't feel like this happened for no reason. All of this is, of course, fuel to the fire. Under no circumstances did we all know this was going to happen, but we understand we on to bigger and better things," the quarterback said.
"Tomorrow's the day. We going to be happy regardless. Legendary."
States that allow illegal immigrants to collect unemployment benefits could lose federal funding, Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said Friday.
In a letter to all governors, Chavez-DeRemer urged them to comply with President Donald Trump's directives to ensure that tax dollars aren't used to benefit those in the U.S. illegally.
"Our nation’s unemployment benefits exist solely for workers who are eligible to receive them," Chavez-DeRemer wrote. "To qualify for unemployment, one must be able and available to work, actively seeking work and be legally authorized to accept employment in the United States. Unemployment benefits are not a handout for those in our country illegally."
Chavez-DeRemer urged the states to use SAVE, an online database for registered federal, state and local government agencies, to verify the immigration status of applicants seeking benefits or licenses.
The move comes as the Trump administration continues to clamp down on illegal immigrants who receive taxpayer benefits.
On Thursday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USDA) is taking action to ensure that illegal immigrants no longer receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, widely known as food stamps.
"USDA's nutrition programs are intended to support the most vulnerable Americans," Rollins said. "To allow those who broke our laws by entering the United States illegally to receive these benefits is outrageous."
Last month, Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner warned illegal immigrants living in government-funded housing that HUD is prioritizing only Americans under the Trump administration.
"At HUD, we only serve one out of four Americans that we should be serving, and that has to come to an end," Turner told Fox News Digital at the time. "And so we're not only making it a priority, but we are making that our only priority, that American citizens will benefit from hard-working American taxpayer dollars."
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Friday the Department of Justice (DOJ) will change the policy that allows journalists to hide records and testimony related to suspects in a criminal investigation.
In a memo first obtained by Axios, Bondi wrote that federal employees intentionally leaking sensitive information to the media undermines the ability of the Department of Justice to keep America safe.
"This conduct is illegal and wrong, and it must stop," Bondi wrote. "Therefore, I have concluded that it is necessary to rescind Merrick Garland's policies precluding the Department of Justice from seeking records and compelling testimony from members of the news media in order to identify and punish the source of improper leaks."
She noted investigative techniques relating to news-gathering are "an extraordinary measure to be deployed as a last resort when essential to a successful investigation or prosecution," according to the memo.
She added the protections were being abused, with officials using "media allies" to leak sensitive information for political gain, and the policy often put their phone and other electronic records out of reach of prosecutors, Politico reported.
The memo comes after Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Wednesday referred two intelligence community professionals accused of leaking classified information to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution.
The professionals allegedly shared classified information with the Washington Post and the New York Times, according to previous reporting.
A third criminal referral is expected, the DOJ said.
Former Attorney General Merrick B. Garland under former President Joe Biden in 2022 made significant revisions to the Justice Department’s regulations regarding obtaining information from members of the news media.
Garland's policy prohibited the DOJ from seeking information from members of the news media, acting within the scope of news-gathering, except under limited, specified circumstances.
Bruce D. Brown, president of the Reporters Committee for the Freedom of Press wrote in a statement that he had not seen the language of the new policy, but stressed the importance of reporters being able to protect the identities of confidential sources.
"We’ll wait to see what the policy looks like, but we know reporters will still do their jobs, and there is no shortage of legal support to back them up," Brown wrote in the statement.
Bondi said the department will continue to limit the use of forced legal action to obtain information from or records of the media, which includes enhanced approval and advance-notice procedures.
The Office of Legal Policy is tasked with creating new language to reflect the rescission of Garland's policies.
Former Secretary of State John Kerry took a defensive posture after an MSNBC host pointed out that Russia had annexed Crimea under his watch during the Obama administration.
MSNBC's Chris Jansing spoke with Kerry from inside the Vatican on Friday ahead of Pope Francis' Saturday funeral. Jansing mentioned how Pope Francis was a "voice for peace" and had been outspoken about the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
"You were Secretary of State when Russia annexed Crimea," Jansing said. "And I want to ask you-"
"But when they stated they were," Kerry interrupted. "We did not allow them to annex it. And we stood and we stood up against it."
"Right," Jansing agreed. "They said that it was theirs."
"Yeah, they said it, but under international law, that does not make it theirs," Kerry responded.
Jansing went on to ask Kerry what he thought of President Donald Trump's suggestion that under a potential peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine that Russia would maintain control of Crimea.
"Well, who knows?" Kerry reacted. "I personally don't agree with putting that out there on the table."
"It's a dramatic change in U.S. policy," Jansing said.
"Huge- I just said I don't necessarily agree with putting that out there on the table," Kerry continued. "Who knows what the parties will accept. Clearly, it has to be perceived by each party as being fair to them and as a balanced outcome somehow. And I think that to announce where you’re coming down as a mediator ahead of time puts everybody in a very difficult position."
"I applaud the president for pursuing this. I know he’s dogged about it. He wants to have peace. I believe that, and I wish him well in their efforts to try to get there. It’s a tough task, but it’s doable. And I think it’s really important for the administration to continue to work at it," Kerry added.
"Vladimir, STOP! 5,000 soldiers a week are dying. Let’s get the peace deal DONE," Trump posted on Truth Social on Thursday.
Oh, the frustration of negotiating with Russia. But this sounded like the cry of a hoop-skirted heroine tied to the railroad tracks.
President Donald J. Trump is a master communicator, but with the single-word plea, he brought back bad memories of one of the low points of President Joe Biden’s foreign policy. That came Sep. 16, 2022, when 60 Minutes asked then-President Joe Biden what he would say if Putin threatened to use nuclear or chemical weapons.
"Don’t. Don’t. Don’t. It would change the face of war unlike anything since World War II," Biden replied. About then came the tragic freeze in strategic planning that frittered away momentum for a battlefield victory for Ukraine.
So here we are, with negotiations at an intense phase of swapping Crimea for the huge Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant and trying to make sure Ukraine has a viable economic path.
"Vladimir, STOP" won’t get the job done. Can this be the same President Donald J. Trump who threatened Hamas there would be "all hell to pay," which resulted in a ceasefire and a hostage deal? Trump has come down like a ton of bricks on Ayatollah Khamenei. He’s said multiple times he will strike Iran if need be to stop Iran from building a nuclear bomb. "If we don’t make a deal, I’ll be leading the pack," Trump said on Friday.
Perhaps Trump needs to say something like this next:
"My fellow Americans, I’m pleased to tell you today that I’ve signed legislation which will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in 5 minutes."
So joked President Ronald Reagan on August 11, 1984, during a sound check before a speech. You can hear the laughter in the background. Was it a meaningless slip-up? Not on your life. This Hollywood veteran with five decades of experience before the camera and boundless media savvy knew quite well there was no true "off the record" moment. Reagan had already accelerated production of B-1 and B-2 bombers, introduced the Strategic Defense Initiative, and put the Soviet Union on notice.
I bring up Reagan in part because he was not afraid of Russia. Part of the problem shared by Trump and Biden in dealing with the Ukraine war is placing too much stock in Putin’s nuclear threats. As many have pointed out, use of a nuclear weapon by Russia in Ukraine would blow radiation back into Russia itself. Don’t forget that China told Putin in late 2022 to cool off the nuclear threats. Russia is an economic vassal state of China. Putin can’t risk losing China’s oil money and sneaky microelectronics, and Xi Jinping has made it clear that tactical nuclear weapons are bad for business.
Reagan did not hesitate to play hardball with General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev to get the Soviets to agree to arms control. Reagan also avoided the one-word trap, either using humor to send a message, or pointing out a wider path, most famously in his Berlin speech from June 12, 1987. "If you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall."
Like Reagan, Trump is very close to a deal, and now is the moment to be firm.
Trump has done well luring Putin with reminiscences about the U.S. alliance with the Russians during World War II, an event still vivid in Putin’s mind. (Putin’s mother Maria survived the siege of Leningrad but lost her two-year-old son Viktor to diptheria and starvation in 1942 during the siege.)
Trump ought to tell Putin there will be "all hell to pay" if Special Envoy Steve Witkoff doesn’t leave Moscow with a smile on his face.
Then, of course, Trump would have to back it up, but that’s easy.
Let Trump threaten to increase the oil sanctions or withdraw all the financial carrots, which I believe are the sweeteners being offered behind the scenes. Or how about a Truth Social post granting Ukraine immediate NATO membership, followed by the deployment of nuclear-capable F-35s to Ukraine for "exercises."
Putin’s backside would be twitching like a bunny rabbit’s nose.
All the world knows Vladimir Putin has a taste for war. He continues to launch attacks on civilians in Ukraine to show off his second-rate military, scare European allies, and impress the Russian people who know he’s a crook but support him anyway.
Now is the moment for Trump to hammer Putin with words and real consequences: renewed NATO military power supporting Ukraine, or a total loss of any business deals to get out from under China’s shadow.
The U.S. Department of Education launched an investigation into the New York Department of Education (NYDOE) Friday over a Long Island high school's mascot.
The NYDOE banned Native American-inspired logos and mascots for high school sports teams, which has made Massapequa School District on Long Island a target due to its continued use of the Chiefs mascot name.
A 2022 mandate by the NYDOE demands that all public schools retire Native American mascots or risk losing state funding. Four Long Island school districts, including Massapequa, filed a lawsuit challenging the order, but a federal judge dismissed the case.
Now, the Trump administration is getting involved.
"The U.S. Department of Education will not stand by as the state of New York attempts to rewrite history and deny the town of Massapequa the right to celebrate its heritage in its schools," U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in an announcement Friday.
"While New York chooses to prioritize erasing Native Americans, their rich history and their deep connection to the state, it is requiring schools to divert time and resources away from what really matters: educating our students. It is not lost on the Department that there are several mascots that refer to indigenous or ethnic groups — the Vikings, Fighting Irish, the Cowboys — and yet New York has specifically singled out Native American heritage. We will investigate this matter fully."
The announcement of the investigation claims the Native American Guardian's Association (NAGA) filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR).
The NAGA claims the New York Board of Regents is violating federal civil rights law by forcing the Massapequa School District to eliminate its Chiefs mascot based on its association with Native American culture.
"The Native American Guardian's Association stands firm in asserting that the preservation of Native themes and imagery in New York public schools is not only a matter of cultural dignity but a fundamental civil right for all students. We call on federal and state leaders to help us defend these dwindling expressions of our presence and contributions," said Frank Blackcloud, vice president of NAGA.
"Maintaining a respectable presence in NY State schools is vital to educational equity, historical truth and the civil rights of all American Indians."
The president of the Massapequa Board of Education is quoted in the announcement thanking Trump's administration for getting involved.
"We thank the Department of Education and the Trump Administration for standing with Massapequa in our effort to preserve the Chiefs name and honor our community’s proud history. We’re especially grateful to the Native American Guardian's Association for its support and advocacy," Watcher said.
"Attempts to erase Native American imagery do not advance learning. They distract from our core mission of providing a high-quality education grounded in respect, history and community values."
Trump previously spoke out in support of the school's right to maintain its name.
"I agree with the people in Massapequa, Long Island, who are fighting furiously to keep the Massapequa Chiefs logo on their Teams and School," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
"Forcing them to change the name, after all of these years, is ridiculous and, in actuality, an affront to our great Indian population. The School Board, and virtually everyone in the area, are demanding the name be kept. It has become the School’s identity and, what could be wrong with using the name, ‘Chief’? I don’t see the Kansas City Chiefs changing their name anytime soon! By copy of this TRUTH, I am asking my highly capable Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, to fight for the people of Massapequa on this very important issue. LONG LIVE THE MASSAPEQUA CHIEFS!"
Several Democrats who have argued that "no one is above the law" in President Donald Trump’s cases are now condemning the arrest of Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan, warning it could threaten the rule of law.
"This is not normal," Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., tweeted of Dugan’s arrest by the FBI on proceeding obstruction charges for allegedly shielding an indicted Mexican migrant from ICE agents.
"The administration's arrest of a sitting judge in Wisconsin is a drastic move that threatens the rule of law," Klobuchar added, saying it's a "grave step and undermines our system of checks and balances."
During Trump’s 2019 impeachment, Klobuchar said his first impeachment case marked a "somber day for our country."
"In America, no one is above the law, and the American people deserve to hear evidence and witness testimony during a full and fair trial in the Senate. If the president has any facts to present in his defense to the articles of impeachment, we should hear them," she said.
After the 2022 FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago, Klobuchar said, "The law is king, and the former president isn't."
Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., also condemned Dugan’s arrest, saying, "If [FBI Director] Kash Patel and Donald Trump don’t like a judge, they think they can arrest them.
"This is stunning — we must stand up to this blatant power grab. Republicans: How is this not a red line for you?"
Commenting in 2020 on her vote to remove Trump from office over abuse of power allegations, Smith said she took her constitutional oath seriously and that "to condone corrupt behavior such as this undermines the core value that we stand for as a nation -- that no one is above the law, including and most especially our president."
Smith said she pored over presentations and evidence to reach that conclusion.
Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wis., who represents Dugan’s county, lambasted the White House, saying its "willingness to weaponize federal law enforcement is shocking and this arrest has all the hallmarks of overreach."
"I will be following this case closely and facts will come out. However, I am very alarmed at the increasingly lawless actions of the Trump administration, and in particular ICE, who have been defying courts and acting with disregard for the Constitution."
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., commented on an apparently deleted tweet from Patel, writing on X, "Donald Trump and JD Vance are arresting judges now. Deleting the tweet won't undo the constitutional crisis you have just thrust us into."
In a 2023 interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt, Khanna said of the Trump impeachment, "You can't just say, 'OK, because someone was president or someone is a candidate, that you're above the law.' Everyone is under the law, and that allegations, the evidence needs to be pursued."
When reached for comment by Fox News Digital, Khanna said of the contrast that Trump has "waged war on the judiciary" and that there is no public evidence yet regarding Dugan, but "it is deeply concerning given the administration’s attacks on the courts."
"Even Chief Justice Roberts has rebuked Trump’s conduct toward the judiciary," Khanna added.
In a statement obtained by Fox News Digital, Pocan laid out the differences he sees between the Dugan and Trump cases: "Judge Dugan’s arrest is outrageous and a fear tactic to our independent judiciary. Trump has always thought he was above the law, but now he’s enabling his goons to push that limit as far as it can go. His reckless deportations and flaunting of the Constitution will fail," Pocan said.
"This is stuff I expect from Third World countries," he told Axios.
In a December 2019 statement after his vote in favor of impeachment, Pocan said Trump was "never held accountable for his actions" over his 70-plus years of life.
"Today, Democrats sent a clear signal to this president and all future presidents: No one is above the law."
Fox News Digital reached out to the offices of Klobuchar and Smith for comment.
A federal judge on Friday ruled the Trump administration must reinstate the legal status of an Ohio State University graduate student who was arrested at a 2024 anti-Israel protest.
Ahwar Sultan, of India, filed a civil lawsuit in D.C. District Court on April 15, alleging his F-1 student visa was "abruptly and unlawfully terminated" by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after his participation in protests against Israel's military action in Gaza, according to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
While Sultan was arrested at an April 25, 2024, protest on campus, his attorneys allege his charges were dismissed and subsequently expunged from his record.
One week after Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the State Department revoked the visas of hundreds of foreign students, Sultan was told by OSU administrators he no longer had active legal status.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan ruled on Friday that the Trump administration must immediately return Sultan's visa, and that they cannot modify his record solely based on his arrest at the protest, according to court documents.
However, a later hearing will allow Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials to explain the reasoning for the status change, and clarify if they intend to initiate removal proceedings against him.
The suit, brought by Sultan and the Students for Justice in Palestine at OSU, names President Donald Trump, Rubio, Attorney General Pamela Bondi, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, and ICE Director Todd Lyons.
Sultan joins at least a dozen other Ohio State students whose visas were recently revoked.
The decision comes days after a federal judge and Biden appointee in Georgia ordered the administration to reinstate the legal statuses of 133 international students whose F-1 visas were revoked by ICE and DHS.
OSU did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
A Florida woman got a pretty big – and scaly – shock this week when she looked at her doorbell camera after hearing noises at her front door.
"I heard a knock at the door and then nothing else," Nathalie Gaines, who lives in Lake Mary, Florida, told FOX 35. "I waited a while and then I hear it again.
After she looked at the camera, she realized, "There was a full-blown alligator sitting at our front door."
"It was big," Gaines told the station, estimating the reptile at seven to eight feet.
Another Florida woman had a more contentious encounter with an alligator earlier this month when she straddled the reptile and pried its jaws open after it grabbed her dog's head in its mouth. Her dog survived.
But as attention shifts to Zabel's future, his past interaction with President Donald Trump is also coming back into focus.
Zabel and his North Dakota teammates visited Washington, D.C., April 9 in celebration of the football team's latest NCAA Division I FCS national championship.
Before making their way to the White House, a few delegates and a special guest, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., delivered some remarks. Some Bison football players then reflected on their run to the title.
Once they made it to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., President Trump eventually met the football team in the East Room. Trump addressed the North Dakota State players and posed for photos. At one point during the interaction, Zabel's teammates pointed him out.
"Who is the best player? Let's see, who are they pointing at?" Trump asked. "Biggest guy? Come here."
Zabel then approached the president and shook his hand.
"Is he that good?" Trump asked. "Wow. Boy, he's a big sucker huh?"
Trump then asked what position Zabel played, and the 305-pound lineman replied, "Offensive line."
North Dakota State's football team also visited the White House during Trump's first term.
Zabel started 41 games in five seasons at every position on the offensive line except center. He was an FCS All-American at left tackle as a senior last season.
The 23-year-old started the final 36 games of his collegiate career and figures to slot in on the interior of the Seahawks' line, which is in need of help. Zabel could quickly replace Seattle's starting left guard from last season, Laken Tomlinson, who is now a member of the Houston Texans.
The Seahawks are optimistic Zabel can be part of the solution for an offensive line that struggled mightily in 2024. Last season, the Seahawks surrendered 54 sacks, tied for third most in the NFL. The Seahawks, who went 10-7 last season and won the NFC West, ran the vast majority of their plays out of the shotgun formation.
The versatile Zabel could slot in at any of the five starting offensive line positions, but coach Mike Macdonald said he would start out at guard.
"Hopefully, we find a home for him at one position, and he lives there for a really long time for us," Macdonald said. "But I think it just speaks to his savvy. It’s not easy to find those guys that can play interior and at tackle. So, he’s one of them, and he’s ours now."
Former Secretary of State John Kerry claimed Friday that the late Pope Francis expressed private frustration over human inaction on dealing with climate change, even rolling his eyes.
Kerry, who served as U.S. Climate Envoy during the Biden administration, told MSNBC ahead of the pope's funeral about his private conversations with him on the subject. Asked if Pope Francis ever showed frustration in their chats about climate change, Kerry said, "Absolutely."
"He would roll his eyes a little bit about the human challenge, getting people to do things, but he had faith in that," Kerry said. "Obviously, he had faith. He was remarkable in his steady, calm, quiet but totally dedicated mission of dealing with this."
Kerry said Pope Francis was motivated by actual evidence of climate change's effects. He used his papacy to repeatedly call for reduced carbon emissions in industrialized countries.
"It's really interesting, too, that this man of faith who was here to speak about the faith of the Church, and some of the beliefs that are based on faith, not evidence, but in the case of the climate crisis, it's all based on evidence," Kerry said. "It's not a matter of faith what is happening. It's a matter of mathematics, and physics, and biology, chemistry, and he knew that, and he accepted that."
In 2023, Pope Francis slammed the United States in particular as "irresponsible" on emissions compared to China.
"The world in which we live is collapsing and may be nearing the breaking point," the pope wrote in the 12-page "Laudate Deum," which means "Praise God" in Latin, Fox News Digital previously reported.
In a 2015 encyclical, Pope Francis wrote the planet was "beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth."
"Many of those who possess more resources and economic or political power seem mostly to be concerned with masking the problems or concealing their symptoms, simply making efforts to reduce some of the negative impacts of climate change," he wrote at the time. "However, many of these symptoms indicate that such effects will continue to worsen if we continue with current models of production and consumption."
Pope Francis' advocacy didn't go over well with conservatives, with some figures accusing him of scolding industrial progress that had made life better for humanity.
Fox News Digital's Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
Democrats hit their lowest favorable rating ever this month as Republicans are viewed more positively than their counterparts for the first time in a decade. Yet, voters would back the Democratic candidate over the Republican in their district if the 2026 congressional elections were held today.
The latest Fox News survey, released Friday, finds 44% have a favorable opinion of the Republican Party, while 54% have an unfavorable view for a net rating of -10. For the Democratic Party, it’s 41-56%, for a -15 rating.
Results were reversed last summer, the most recent time Fox asked the question, when voters viewed Republicans negatively by 14 points and the Democrats by just 6 points.
The last time Republicans had a better favorable rating than the Democrats, albeit by 1 point, was in April 2014, when 45% viewed the GOP positively vs. 44% the Democrats.
The drop in positivity toward the Democrats comes from within. Last summer, 87% of self-identified Democrats approved of their party. Now, that’s down 10 points to 77%.
Meanwhile, the Republican Party saw a slight improvement among their party faithful: 83% of self-identified Republicans had a favorable view in 2024 vs. 85% today.
"The higher favorable rating for the Republican Party is entirely due to Democrats feeling less favorable toward their party than Republicans do toward theirs," says Democrat Chris Anderson, who conducts the Fox News surveys with Republican Daron Shaw. "This in and of itself is unlikely to translate into midterm success for the GOP, as Democrats say they will almost universally vote for their party and Independents favor the Democrats as well."
If the midterm elections were today, voters would back the Democrat over the Republican candidate in their district by 7 points (49% vs. 42%), similar to the results in April 2017 during President Donald Trump’s first term (47% vs. 42%).
The Democrats are ahead mostly due to stronger backing from their base and being preferred by Independents by a 2-to-1 margin (40% Dem to 18% GOP). They also have the backing of at least 6 in 10 Black voters (68%), voters under age 30 (60%), and women with a degree (59%).
Independents have negative views of both major parties but are more down on the Republicans (72% unfavorable) than the Democrats (66%). And while more back the Democratic candidate, a 41% plurality are unsure of what they’ll do in 2026.
Republicans’ strongest support comes from White evangelical Christians (66%), White men without a degree (54%), and rural voters (50%).
Another reason the GOP candidate is struggling is because of party loyalty: fewer Republicans (92%) and 2024 Trump supporters (86%) back the GOP candidate than Democrats (97%) and 2024 Harris supporters (91%) do theirs.
"The congressional ballot results aren’t surprising, as the out-party typically does well in the administration’s first midterms," says Shaw. "Republicans did well in 2010 and 2022, while Democrats did well in 2018, and polls showed this was mostly because their partisans were more fired up. The key for the Republicans is either keeping some of the Democrats and independents that crossed over in 2024 for Trump or ginning up their base for an election where Trump isn’t on the ballot."
The survey also asks voters how they felt about their 2024 vote choice and while 85% were satisfied overall, there has been a decline in satisfaction among Trump voters. Eighty-nine percent of those who supported Trump in 2024 remain satisfied with their choice, yet that’s down from 92% four years ago and 97% eight years ago. Among 2024 Harris supporters, 90% remain satisfied with their vote today.
Young voters, especially those under age 30, have played a big role in the electorate over the last few cycles. The survey finds the GOP congressional candidate is underperforming what Trump got in the 2024 election among these young voters: Forty-seven percent backed Trump according to the Fox News Voter Analysis election survey in November vs. 33% backing the Republicans today.
Young voters also have a more favorable view of the Democratic Party by 2 points (50% favorable, 48% unfavorable), a reversal from last July, when they viewed them negatively by 6. Their views of the Republican Party remain negative by 20 points (38% favorable, 58% unfavorable today vs. 40-60% in July 2024).
"The bad news for the Republicans is the age gap is back in these data," says Shaw. "The good news is this is the most volatile group in the electorate: they tend not to show up for midterm elections and, when they do, they are particularly responsive to short-term forces."
Conducted April 18-21, 2025, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,104 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (127) and cellphones (703) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (274). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics of respondents are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis and voter file data.
A roommate inside the home where four University of Idaho students were killed saw one of her housemates on the floor minutes after seeing a masked intruder but walked past the scene, according to a new court filing.
Bryan Kohberger is charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of four students at the University of Idaho, including Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; Madison Mogen, 21; and Ethan Chapin, 20. The former Washington State University student was also charged with one felony count of burglary.
D.M. and B.F., the surviving roommates, returned to their Moscow, Idaho home during the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2022 after a night out. The Thursday night court filing reveals that D.M. and B.F. met in Goncalves' bedroom before resting for the night.
At 4:00 a.m., D.M. reported hearing strange noises as well as crying coming from the bathroom. According to the documents, she opened her door and "saw a man dressed in black with a ski mask on."
After seeing the man with a ski mask on, D.M. called and texted her roommates to see if they were awake. B.F. was the only one to respond, and the two spoke on the phone for 24 seconds. They would speak again for 41 seconds just a minute after the first call, and D.M. told B.F. "she saw a man in a ski mask leaving the house," the document states.
The two would continue frantically texting each other 4:22 a.m. and 4:26 a.m.
"No one is answering," D.M. texted B.F. "I'm rlly confused rn."
"Ya dude wtf," B.F. responded. "Xana was wearing all black."
At one point between 4:22 a.m. and 4:26 a.m., D.M. texted Goncalves, but received no response. D.M. also attempted to contact Kernodle and Chapin, who both didn't respond.
D.M. then left her room and began "running" toward B.F.'s room and saw Kernodle "laying on the floor of her bedroom" with "her head towards the wall and her feet toward the door" at 4:17 a.m.
Between 5:00 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., D.M. "engaged in activity on her phone, primarily creating, editing and deleting images and videos," the filing stated. Her phone activity ended at 8:05 a.m. At 10:23 a.m., D.M. texted Mogen, but got no response. She used Instagram up until 11:29 a.m., when she texted Goncalves asking if she was up.
B.F. would eventually call 911 at 11:56 a.m. once several of her friends arrived.
Heather and Jared Barnhart, digital specialists retained by law enforcement to analyze Kohberger's cell phone and PC, determined that there were "abnormal" gaps in data on the devices, according to the court filing.
In the Barnhart's joint report, they observed "gaps" in Kohberger's PC which "may be consistent with cleaning up or using anti-forensic methods to clear evidence," the court filing indicated.
The documents also disclosed that Brent Turvey, a crime scene analyst called by the defense, said that there were attempts by the suspects to "clean up the crime scene after the homicides," which he claims "would have taken far longer than the time interval alleged by the state.
Judge Steven Hippler ruled that the Barnhart's testimony is admissible during the trial, as well as most of the 911 call placed by the roommates.
