House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is no "big fan" of hiking the tax rate for America's wealthiest to 40%, an idea reportedly being mulled by Republicans to offset some costs of their in-progress tax package.
"We're the Republican Party, and we're for tax reduction for everyone, and that's a general principle that we always try to abide by," Johnson told Fox News' Maria Bartiromo on Sunday.
Though there are many discussions, thoughts and theories on how to get all the GOP's goals accomplished, Johnson said he wouldn't "put any money on any of [those] yet."
"I would say just stay tuned. The next five to six weeks are going to be critical as all these negotiations happen in the committees of jurisdiction," he continued.
"You'll hear lots of rumors and lots of talk, but we'll see where it all lands."
Johnson voiced the need for consensus on the package, eyeing the 218 votes needed in the House and the 51 votes needed in the Senate for successful passage, assuring viewers that the bill will have reached an adequate "comfort level" before heading to the floor.
According to Bloomberg, the floated 39%-to-40% tax rate would affect those earning $1 million or more annually, a two-to-three percentage increase from the current 37% rate.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., took the Coachella stage on Saturday to deride President Donald Trump and "billionaires" to the crowd of luxury music festival-goers.
Sanders, a self-described Democratic socialist, introduced the performance of Clairo, praising the 26-year-old artist, whose real name is Claire Cottrill, for her political activism. He was joined by Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., who the 83-year-old Sanders noted is the youngest member of Congress, and"in my view, one of the best members."
"This country faces some very difficult challenges and the future of what happens to America is dependent upon your generation. Now you can turn away and you can ignore what goes on but if you do that, you do it at your own peril. We need you to stand up, to fight for justice. To fight for economic justice, social justice, and racial justice," Sanders told the crowd.
"Now we got a President of the United States…" Sanders continued, as the crowd booed.
"I Agee," Sanders said of their opposition to President Donald Trump.
"He thinks that climate change is a hoax. He is dangerously wrong," Sanders said. "You and I are going to have to stand up to the fossil fuel industry and tell them to stop destroying this planet."
"All over this country, not in California, not in Vermont where I’m from, but in Florida where Maxwell is from, many other states, politicians are trying to take away a woman’s right to control her own body," Sanders went on. "We need you to stand up and fight for women’s rights. We have an economy today that is working very well for the billionaire class but not for working families. We need you to help us to create an economy that works well for everybody, not just the 1%. We have a healthcare system that is broken. We are the only major country not to guarantee healthcare to all people. We need you to stand up to the insurance companies and the drug companies and understand that healthcare is a human right."
Sanders said he was there to support Clairo because the artists has used her "prominence to fight for women’s rights, to try to end the terrible, brutal war in Gaza, where thousands – thousands of women and children are being killed."
The former Democratic presidential primary candidate’s remarks against "billionaires" were condemned by critics online who noted tickets to watch Clairo’s set started at around $600.
Coachella attendees typically shell out thousands of dollars to camp in the desert for the weekend in Indio, Calif.
"Bernie Sanders making a surprise appearance at Coachella to sermonize on the evils of wealth in front of a crowd of people who paid at least $600 per ticket to be there is peak 21st century Democratic Party," one X user wrote.
Sanders posted on X about introducing Clairo, saying, "These are tough times. The younger generation has to help lead in the fight to combat climate change, protect women’s rights, and build an economy that works for all, not just the few."
"Do you know the avg ticket price to attend this event bro?" Ryan Fournier, National Chairman for Students For Trump, responded.
"Bernie, America doesn’t want your socialism. We’ve made that clear for decades now," another user wrote. "Just retire already. Go enjoy your mansions and private flights."
Sanders traveled to the music festival after appearing with fellow progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., for their "Fighting Oligarchy" event in Los Angeles.
Both Sanders and AOC condemned "billionaires" and the Trump administration, namely criticizing the president's relationship with top Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) adviser Elon Musk.
A new survey finds dramatic growth in church attendance among young adults in the United Kingdom and should challenge the idea that religion is dying in Britain, its author says.
The survey entitled "Quiet Revival" found a 12% rise since 2018 among 18-24-year-olds who say they attend church at least monthly.
Among young men, that number has skyrocketed from 4% to 21% over the past six years.
More young women are also attending church, according to the survey, increasing from 3% to 12%.
Attendance is also up among older members of Gen Z, the Millennial generation, and those above 65 years old in the UK.
Among those 25-34-years old, attendance has shot up from 4% to 13%, and among 35-44-year-olds, attendance has increased from 5% to 8%. There's also been a 5% increase in attendance among the oldest generation, from 14% to 19%.
Overall, church attendance has risen by 50% in the UK over the past six years, the survey claims, and the church has grown more ethnically diverse, with one in five people coming from an ethnic minority.
The survey was commissioned by the Bible Society and conducted by YouGov.
Dr. Rhiannon McAleer, who co-authored the report, said the findings will challenge the popular notion "that the Church in England and Wales is in terminal decline."
"While some traditional denominations continue to face challenges, we’ve seen significant, broad-based growth among most expressions of Church — particularly in Roman Catholicism and Pentecostalism. There are now over 2 million more people attending church than there were six years ago," she said.
The survey also found more men than women go to church, with 13% of men overall saying so compared to 10% of women overall.
The UK survey mirrors an emerging trend about the religious views of young people in the United States.
A 2023 survey by The Survey Center on American Life found that among Gen Z adults, more women than men said they had left their childhood faith.
The survey found 54% of Gen Z adults who left their formative religion were women while 46% were men.
It was the opposite among older Americans, however. Among the Baby Boomer generation, 57% of people who left their religion were men, while 43% were women, the survey said.
Jackson Jobe, one of the Detroit Tigers’ top prospects and son of a Masters golfer, picked up the first major league win of his career on Saturday against the Minnesota Twins.
Jobe is the son of Brandt Jobe, who appeared in three Masters competitions and finished tied for 14th in 1999.
Jackson Jobe went six innings and struck out two batters and allowed two hits as the Tigers won the game 4-0. It was his third start of the season.
He explained his gameplan to reporters as he didn’t have a ton of strikeouts on the day.
"I just haven’t been throwing my curveball for strikes, so there was a big emphasis on that going into today’s outing," he said, via MLB.com. "I’ve been wanting to throw it a little bit more, but [catcher Tomás] Nido is not going to call it if I’m not throwing it for strikes. I feel like it took a pretty big step today."
The win came amid Masters weekend at Augusta National in Georgia and fond memories of his father competing in the tournament.
Katy Perry shared a look at the space suits she, Lauren Sanchez, Gayle King and other members of the all-female Blue Origin team will be wearing for their launch on Monday.
Perry posted a group photo on Instagram, writing in the caption, "Happy International Day of Human Space Flight. Forever in awe of the Universe and its alignment."
In the photo, Perry, Sanchez, Gayle, scientists and activists Amanda Nguyen and Aisha Bowe and film producer Kerianne Flynn, all wear dark blue jumpsuit-style ensembles, adorned with a NASA patch, a patch with their last name, and the Blue Origin logo on one arm.
Sanchez also shared some behind-the-scenes video of people’s first reaction to the suit, walking into a room with fiancé and Blue Origin owner Jeff Bezos, with people cheering the look.
The journalist showcased some more details of the suit, which she helped design, including flared pant legs, with a white feather design on the bottom of the left leg, part of the Blue Origin logo.
In another part of the clip, Sanchez got out of a car, stretching in the suit and saying, "Well, they’re comfortable. OK, that’s for sure!"
"Usually, you know, these suits are made for a man. Then they get tailored to fit a woman," she told the outlet.
Sanchez reached out to Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim, the co-founders of the brand Monse, who are also creative directors of Oscar de la Renta, to rework the look.
"I think the suits are elegant, but they also bring a little spice to space," the 55-year-old said.
She added something Perry told her, "We’re putting the ‘a--’ in astronaut."
Perry made the quip in an interview with Elle earlier this month, telling the outlet, "Space is going to finally be glam. Let me tell you something. If I could take glam up with me, I would do that. We are going to put the 'a--' in astronaut."
Perry, Sanchez and the team will launch on April 14, and spend 11 minutes and reach 62 miles above Earth at the limits of its atmosphere. The women will not actually reach orbit.
The group on the upcoming NS-31 space flight will be the first all-women crew to launch into space since Russian astronaut Valentina Tereshkova flew a solo mission in 1963, according to Blue Origin.
On Saturday, the legendary punk rock band took the stage to deliver a noteworthy set. However, the show was met with some outrage after a palm tree caught fire due to the fireworks ignited by the band's pyrotechnics.
In a video obtained by People magazine, concertgoers gathered around a palm tree which was engulfed in flames.
"After all the California wildfires, they are using pyrotechnics??! It's fine. They will host a benefit concert," a user commented on the video, referencing the catastrophic LA wildfires earlier this year.
"Can't believe they are allowed to launch fireworks when it's like 100 degrees in LA," another wrote.
"They just set the entire coachella on fire," one user added.
A representative for Green Day did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
During their set, lead singer Billy Joe Armstrong also took aim at President Donald Trump and his administration after changing the lyrics in their hit song, "American Idiot."
In a video obtained by Billboard, Armstrong sang, "I’m not a part of a MAGA agenda," instead of the original, "I’m not a part of the redneck agenda."
This isn't the first time Armstrong has taken such a political stance.
Earlier this year, Armstrong sang the same lyrics during a performance for "Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve" on ABC, just weeks before Trump's inauguration.
ESPN host Stephen A. Smith was pressed by ABC News' Jon Karl on Sunday about whether he was really considering a run for the presidency — prompting the ESPN host to say that he had no choice but to consider a potential run.
"I have no choice, because I’ve had elected officials — and I'm not going to give their names — coming up to me. I’ve had folks who are pundits come up to me. I've had folks that got a lot of money, billionaires and others, that have talked to me about exploratory committees and things of that nature. I’m not a politician. I’ve never had a desire to be a politician," Smith said, noting his contract with ESPN.
"People have walked up to me, including my own pastor, for crying out loud, who has said to me, ‘you don’t know what God has planned for you, at least show the respect to the people who believe in you, who respect you, who believe that you can make a difference in this country to leave the door open for any possibilities two to three years down the line.’ And that’s what I’ve decided to do," the ESPN host said. "So, I would hope somebody else would step up that’s more qualified than me, but if it has to come down to me, it is something I would consider. Yes, I would. Because I don’t mind tussling with these folks at all on the left or the right. All of them disgust me, to be quite honest with you."
Smith also took aim at the Democratic Party during the interview and said that the party's failures were the reason why he, a sports analyst, was even being polled as a potential 2028 Democratic contender.
"The bigger picture here is Elizabeth Warren was just on with you. You’re going to have a multitude of Democratic representatives on with you. They talk, and they talk, and they talk, but what can they do? They position themselves to do absolutely nothing. I didn’t hear anything about tariffs from Democrats before the election. Trump had been preaching about this for the longest time," he added.
He argued that Democrats focused on woke culture, cancel culture and abortion rights, and that its focus was not going to win an election.
"It’s an indictment against the Democratic Party that doesn’t have leadership and doesn’t have a vision, and it’s sad," he said.
"Time to stop messing around. Life is great. Especially at ESPN/Disney. Hate the thought of being a politician. But sick of this mess. So I’m officially leaving all doors open," Smith posted on April 7, including an article noting his thoughts on the matter.
Speaking of the future at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention in Las Vegas, Smith suggested, "If it comes in late 2026, 2027, where I look at this country and think it’s an absolute mess and there’s legitimate reason to believe — whether it’s via exploratory committees or anything else — that I indeed have a legitimate shot to win the presidency of the United States, I am not going to rule it out, and I'm not playing."
Fox News' Alexander Hall contributed to this report.
Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren defended her calls for the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate President Donald Trump over accusations of market manipulation and insider trading, saying such an investigation is "entirely appropriate."
"That's what investigations are for. And it's entirely appropriate to have an investigation to make sure that Donald Trump, Donald Trump's family, Donald Trump's inner circle didn't get advance information and trade on that information," Warren told CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday during an appearance on "State of the Union."
Warren, alongside a handful of other Senate Democrats such as Oregon's Ron Wyden and New York's Chuck Schumer, wrote a letter to the SEC chief on Friday calling for an investigation into alleged market manipulation following Trump's reciprocal tariff announcement and subsequent 90-day pause to the customized tariffs he leveled on foreign nations.
"We urge the SEC to investigate whether the tariff announcements, which caused the market crash and subsequent partial recovery, enriched administration insiders and friends at the expense of the American public and whether any insiders, including the President’s family, had prior knowledge of the tariff pause that they abused to make stock trades ahead of the President’s announcement," the Senate Democrats wrote in their letter to SEC Chair Paul Atkins on Friday.
The White House slammed calls for investigations into market manipulation last week in comments provided to Fox Digital that accused Democrats of playing "partisan games."
"It is the responsibility of the President of the United States to reassure the markets and Americans about their economic security in the face of nonstop media fearmongering. Democrats railed against China’s cheating for decades, and now they’re playing partisan games instead of celebrating President Trump’s decisive action yesterday to finally corner China," White House spokesman Kush Desai said in comment to Fox Digital when asked about Democrats claiming Trump manipulated the market.
When asked on Sunday if Warren had actually seen evidence of alleged insider trading, she responded: "Well, there are people who have looked at what happened to purchases and to calls just before he made that announcement that caused the stock market to skyrocket."
She continued on Sunday that members of Congress should also be subject to a rule barring them from trading individual stocks.
"This is how the stock market works in order to make sure on a consistent basis that nobody's trading on inside information. And, by the way, Jake, the same thing should apply to Congress. And that is, we should have a rule that no one in Congress can… trade in any individual stocks, no senator, no representative. I have had that bill for a long time. It's got a lot of support," she told Tapper.
Sens. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., wrote a letter on Thursday to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, as well as Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, also calling for an investigation into potential insider trading.
Trump, ahead of pausing the reciprocal tariffs on Wednesday of last week, posted to Truth Social, "BE COOL! Everything is going to work out well. The USA will be bigger and better than ever before!" and "THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!! DJT." The president had previously said he would not pause tariffs but was open to negotiating with other nations.
Trump paused only the higher, customized tariffs he placed on nations that historically installed trade barriers on U.S. goods, with nations across the world instead facing a lower 10% tariff on goods, as the Trump administration and world leaders hash out negotiations for the reciprocal tariffs.
China, however, was not part of the tariff pause and was instead hit with a higher 125% tariff after retaliating with its own additional tariffs against the U.S.
Warren continued in her remarks that tariffs can "be an important tool in the toolbox when used in targeted ways," but accused Trump of spreading "chaos" through the implementations of his tariff plans.
"Right now, what we have got is chaos and corruption. Donald Trump has imposed a tariff on everyone everywhere, on all products. That's the 10% tariff. Of course, it was much higher earlier in the week, and now in this trade war with China that basically tries to shut down all trade," she said.
White House trade advisor Peter Navarro brushed off concerns about a feud between him and billionaire Elon Musk, arguing the two administration advisors had a "great" relationship.
"First of all, Elon and I are great. It’s not an issue," Navarro said during an appearance on NBC News’ "Meet the Press" on Sunday.
The comments come after Navarro and Musk got tangled in a public war of words last week after Navarro said in an interview that Musk’s Tesla is more of a "car assembler" than "car manufacturer" that relies on parts from other countries.
"We all understand in the White House (and the American people understand) that Elon's a car manufacturer. But he's not a car manufacturer – He's a car assembler," Navarro said on CNBC. "In many cases, if you go to his Texas plant, a good part of the engines that he gets (which in the EV case are the batteries) come from Japan and come from China. The electronics come from Taiwan."
The point seemingly didn’t sit well with Musk, who took to X to defend his auto company.
"Navarro is truly a moron. What he says here is demonstrably false," Musk said.
"Tesla has the most American-made cars. Navarro is dumber than a sack of bricks," Musk added in a subsequent post.
But Navarro downplayed the public war of words Sunday, praising Musk’s contributions to the Trump administration.
"Everything’s fine with Elon," Navarro said. "And look, Elon is doing a very good job with his team, with waste, fraud and abuse. That’s a tremendous contribution to America. And no man doing that kind of thing should be subject to having his cars firebombed by crazies."
The White House has also downplayed concerns between them, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt arguing the feud shows that President Donald Trump is willing to hear vastly different views at the highest level.
"These are obviously two individuals who have very different views on trade and tariffs. Boys will be boys, and we will let their public sparring continue," she said during a press briefing last week. "You guys should all be very grateful that we have the most transparent administration in history."
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired back at House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries Sunday after the New York Democrat called him and other Trump appointees "Dumb Effing Individuals," a play on the DEI acronym, in an X video on Saturday.
"That's how far they have fallen. It's astonishing, not surprising," Hegseth told Fox News' Maria Bartiromo.
"Of course, they don't like the fact that we're ripping DEI out of the military and making it colorblind and merit-based."
"If their whole strategy is… minute-long videos on TikTok to call us names while we secure the southern border, kick out Chinese influence, revive the warrior culture inside our military, that's why they lost in a historic fashion to President Trump last time, and their future looks bleak as well."
Jeffries' remarks criticized Hegseth's instruction to purge the U.S. Naval Academy's library of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)-related content.
He vowed to keep pressure on "extremists" behind the move.
Hegseth shared the latest news from several foreign policy arenas — a historic deal to deter Chinese influence in the Panama Canal and President Trump's "dead serious" effort to prevent a nuclear Iran in this week's "Sunday Morning Futures" exclusive.
Rather than focusing on DEI, he said he remains focused on "rebuilding America's military" with "peace through strength" policies, cutting out waste and investing in new technologies like the F-47 fighter jet.
"We're looking at all the ways in which our military academies educate and giving guidance to get rid of DEI, and I think the American people appreciate that," he added.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family were evacuated safely from the governor’s mansion early Sunday after authorities say a suspected arsonist set fire to the residence.
The fire broke out overnight after Shapiro, considered a potential presidential contender for the Democratic Party in 2028, and his family celebrated the first night of the Jewish holiday of Passover.
Shapiro posted on X that he and his family awoke at about 2 a.m. to police banging on their door after "an arsonist set fire" to the governor’s residence.
"Thank God no one was injured and the fire was extinguished," Shapiro wrote. "Every day, we stand with the law enforcement and first responders who run towards danger to protect our communities. Last night, they did so for our family – and Lori and I are eternally grateful to them for keeping us safe."
Firefighters and police responded around 2 a.m. to a report of a fire at the governor’s residence in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania State Police said.
No one was injured and the fire was extinguished, police said, adding that the fire caused significant damage to a portion of the residence.
"While the investigation is ongoing, the State Police is prepared to say at this time that this was an act of arson," police said. No further details were immediately provided.
Police said a reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for the arrest and conviction of the individual or individuals responsible for the fire.
"We’re saddened to learn of the tragic passing of former LSU Football student-athlete Kyren Lacy," LSU said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones, as well as his former teammates and coaches impacted by his passing."
Lacy was under investigation in Louisiana in connection with a crash in December that left a 78-year-old man dead, officials said in January. He was accused of driving recklessly – speeding and passing in a no-passing zone – when the motorist swerved to avoid Lacy and crashed into another vehicle.
The football player, who graduated in December, fled the scene of the crash without calling for aid, Louisiana State Police said. An arrest warrant was obtained for Lacy for negligent homicide, felony hit-and-run and reckless operation of a vehicle.
A grand jury was set to convene to hear the evidence in the case on Monday, WAFB-TV reported. A family member told the station that Lacy had passed away.
"All the talks, all the tears, everything, you know GOD had us!… We protected everyday we wake up and go to sleep. I promise i tell u this everyday," Rontrell Sandolph, Lacy’s former high school teammate, wrote in a post on Instagram. "Prayed for ur career, ur health, everything everytime i laid my head on that pillow at night!! Even if i fell asleep without saying my prayers i wake up in middle of night and still talk to GOD for you!!! 2 why would u leave me bro?"
Rocky Arceneaux, Lacy’s agent, said in January his client was cooperating with authorities in the investigation. Alliance Management Group didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Lacy transferred to LSU in 2022. He had his best season in 2024 when he had 58 catches for 866 yards and nine touchdowns.
So-called "Doomsday Mom" Lori Vallow Daybell,who is representing herself in the murder conspiracy trial of her fourth husband, is shaking up the courtroom with fiery exchanges during testimony.
Prosecutors are accusing Vallow Daybell of conspiring with her late brother, Alex Cox, to murder her late husband, Charles Vallow, to benefit from a $1 million life insurance policy and marry another man, Chad Daybell, in 2019.
The Arizona trial comes nearly two years after Vallow Daybell and her current husband, Chad Daybell, were convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the 2019 murders of Vallow's two youngest children, 7-year-old Joshua "JJ" Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan, as well as the 2019 murder of Chad Daybell's first wife, Tammy Daybell.
On Wednesday, the second day of the trial, witness Nancy Jo Hancock — a woman who went on a date with Charles Vallow in July 2019 the night before Vallow was shot and killed — got into a heated exchange with Vallow Daybell during cross-examination.
In court, Vallow Daybell asked Hancock about the date, and whether Hancock knew that she and Vallow were still married at the time.
"Would you have gone out on a date with him if he would have said he was married?" Vallow Daybell asked.
"If I would have realized how married he still was, maybe not," Hancock replied. "But I just met for dinner. I wasn't sleeping with him or anything."
WATCH VALLOW'S CROSS-EXAMINATION OF HANCOCK:
"Do you go on dates with married men, naturally?" Vallow Daybell fired back, before the prosecution objected and called her question "argumentative and harassment."
Daybell Vallow continued to question Hancock, who fired back after she continued to be pressed on the date.
"So you spent your whole date getting to know each other, talking about me?" Vallow Daybell asked.
"Don't flatter yourself," Hancock replied. "No, we did not spend the whole time talking about you."
The heated exchange has taken the internet by storm with several reactions being shared online.
At a different moment during her cross-examination of Hancock, Vallow Daybell again asked the witness if she was aware during her date with Charles Vallow that he was "on dating websites and dating women."
The prosecution objected on the premise of speculation, which the judge sustained. Vallow Daybell then reframed her question, asking if Charles Vallow informed Hancock about the "situation of" Lori and Charles "being separated."
"He was under the impression that you were having an affair, so him moving on was a natural progression of that," Hancock responded.
Vallow Daybell then asked for more information about Hancock's communications with Kay Woodcock, Charles Vallow's sister by adoption. JJ Vallow referred to Kay and her husband, Larry Woodcock, as his grandparents. After asking Hancock to describe her communications with Woodcock, Vallow Daybell suddenly cut the witness off when she began discussing JJ Vallow.
"To express my condolences for her brother passing away and wanted to let her know that I had had dinner with him that last night and how much he loved JJ and how excited he was to see him the next morning and just — " Hancock started before Vallow Daybell interrupted.
"Thank you. That's enough," the defendant said.
WATCH VALLOW CUT OFF HANCOCK:
The next bizarre exchange came between Vallow Daybell and her brother, Adam Cox, who told the jury that he had flown to Phoenix right before Charles' death, claiming he went to help Charles stage an intervention with his sister.
During the cross-examination, Vallow Daybell did not ask many questions, seemingly to prove that they had not interacted with each other in years.
"Last time I remember our communications was you and I were speaking in the kitchen, when the family was over," Cox said.
"So you think that was that time in 2018?" Vallow Daybell asked.
Vallow Daybell questioned him again about not remembering that and said "that is what I made every time there was a family get-together, which was like 10 times a year."
WATCH VALLOW'S CROSS-EXAMINATION OF HER BROTHER:
Vallow Daybell explained to True Crime Arizona that she had been "working on her case for five years" and knows it "better than an attorney can learn it in two years," after making the decision to represent herself.
"Here's the thing, when you waive your speedy trial, then they can keep you here as long as you want," Vallow told True Crime Arizona. "There are intelligent, strong, beautiful women in here that have been here for eight years because of family tragedies. It’s the same, like my case, a family tragedy, not crime. A family tragedy, and they’re waiting, and they’re facing the death penalty for a family tragedy."
At the time of Charles Vallow's murder, his daughter, Tylee, confronted him with a baseball bat after hearing screaming inside the house. Charles reportedly took the bat from Tylee, who told police she was trying to protect her mother, and allegedly tried to attack Cox. Cox told investigators he fired his gun in self-defense and was never charged in Charles' death before he died of natural causes months later.
Vallow Daybell could face another life sentence if convicted and is also facing another Arizona trial in May for an alleged plot to kill her niece’s ex-husband after a judge denied her motion to dismiss the case.
Fox News Digital's Julia Bonavita contributed to this report.
EXCLUSIVE: Former Oakland City Council member Loren Taylor said former Rep. Barbara Lee's ties to the political establishment could help him to win over Oaklanders who are "fed up" with the status quo ahead of the April 15 special election.
A self-described political outsider who only served one term as a city council member after unseating a 16-year incumbent, Taylor shared his plans to bring change to the "struggling" Bay Area city in an interview with Fox News Digital.
"I am running as a political outsider who has just enough experience inside of City Hall to understand what's going on, but not so much that I'm entrenched in the political establishment. That is what Oaklanders are looking for," Taylor said.
WhileLee – a former member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and 2024 Senate primary candidate – has name recognition and national experience, Taylor has made waves in Oakland's special election as campaign finance reports reveal he has outraised the career California politician.
"We have raised more money than other candidates in this race from local residents," Taylor said. "Over 80% of our contributions come directly from people who live right here in Oakland, compared to less than 50% for my primary component. That speaks volumes about who this campaign is. We are powered by Oaklanders, locals who are impacted by the decisions that are being made. The campaign is surging. Huge momentum these final days fueled by that overwhelming grassroots support."
Oakland's staggering $129.8 budget deficit for Fiscal Year 2024-25 forced some Oakland firehouses to close their doors earlier this year. The City Council passed a resolution to reopen those firehouses, preventing tragedy from financial mismanagement.
The liberal-run city has had four different mayors in a four-month period after formerMayor Sheng Thao was recalled this November and subsequently indicted on eight counts of bribery. Oakland has been without a clear leader this year as the city continues to grapple with a homelessness crisis.
Alameda County Health's January 2024 Point-in-Time (PIT) report found there were 5,490 homeless individuals in Oakland in 2024, a 9% increase since 2022.
"Oaklanders are frustrated," Taylor explained. "We are upset that we have not been getting what we deserve, what we should be getting from our local government. The status quo continues to fail us when we see crime rates rising out of control, we see homelessness still growing when it's shrinking in neighboring cities, we see our city facing the largest fiscal budget deficit in our history – a number of failures that show that what we have is not working."
Taylor has called for equipping more police officers on the ground with technology to prevent violence and lawlessness.
"We are struggling as a city, and that is what this campaign is speaking to. I am ready to make the hard and necessary decisions in order to fix the mismanagement, in order to address the corruption head on, restore trust in City Hall, make sure that we're delivering as Oaklanders want," he said.
Just across the Bay, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has hit the ground running since assuming office in January. He launched the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) Hospitality Task Force and passed the Fentanyl State of Emergency Ordinance as he works to clean up San Francisco's streets and restore what he describes as commonsense policies to the city.
"I'm absolutely watching what's going on in San Francisco right across the Bay and even in the South Bay, in San Jose, with Mayor Matt Mahan, whom I am proud to have his endorsement," Taylor said. "I think both of those mayors are political outsiders, just like me. They didn't grow up within the ranks of government. They had careers, were making a significant impact outside and saw the gaps that existed with local government. I think that we share a bond in that in terms of bringing a data, results-driven approach to moving things forward."
Lee did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment by deadline.
Hollywood superstar Will Smith opened up on a new podcast about the spiritual journey he's been on since his fall from grace after slapping comedian Chris Rock on stage at the 2022 Academy Awards.
During a conversation with Christian rapper Lecrae on the April 4 "The Deep End with Lecrae," Smith was candid about the "inward work" he's done over the past few years to reach a "brand new" version of himself, both professionally and personally.
The "Independence Day" star told Lecrae that he had to "trust himself and God" to "let go" of things in his life that weren't serving him and believe there was a bigger plan.
Smith confessed that he also realized all the fame and success he earned didn't bring life meaning.
"It is such a rare gift to reach the end of the material world, to reach the end of money. To get to the point where you can buy anything you want, and you sit in your house and there’s nothing else to buy. Whereas buying things used to scratch an itch," he said.
"Now there's nothing else to buy… To have had all the sex that you wanted. How many more number one movies do I need? How many more Grammys do I need?" Smith said. "It’s such a rare gift to get to the end of the material world and a place where only God is left."
Smith said he came to realize that the "material world" only had so much to offer.
"People usually do that when they hit rock bottom. But there’s a corresponding place to rock bottom which I call cliff top. Where you actually pop out of the material world and you [realize] there’s nothing left here," he continued. "And inward is the only place left."
"There’s no country you can go to. There’s no relationship you can start. No new job that’s going to do it… You get to the end of it. It’s excruciating, but I would wish that on everybody. I wish everybody could get everything they want to see that it doesn’t satisfy," he added.
Later in the interview, Smith said that while he was raised by a Christian grandmother, his current views on spirituality have been shaped by other religions, including Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism.
"My religion is love," he said. "I believe in the oneness and possibility of harmony of people who are reaching for the one truth."
Smith said he recognized that he lived a "blessed" life and said he doesn't view himself as better than those who may have to make different life choices because of where they grew up or the situations they've been put in.
Smith is currently promoting his newest music album, "Based on a True Story," which is his first full album in twenty years.
The Trump administration is receiving an outpouring of support from animal advocacy groups, lawmakers and others for recent announcements to end animal testing within programs at the FDA and EPA.
"PETA applauds the FDA’s decision to stop harming animals and adopt human-relevant testing strategies for evaluating antibody therapies," Kathy Guillermo, PETA senior vice president, said in a statement.
"It’s a significant step towards meeting the agency’s commitment to replace the use of animals – which PETA has worked hard to promote. All animal use, including failed vaccine and other testing on monkeys at the federally-funded primate centers, must end, and we are calling on the FDA to further embrace 21st-century science," the PETA statement continued.
PETA's statement followed the Food and Drug Administration announcement on Thursday that it is phasing out an animal testing requirement for antibody therapies and other drugs in favor of testing on materials that mimic human organs, Fox Digital first reported.
"For too long, drug manufacturers have performed additional animal testing of drugs that have data in broad human use internationally. This initiative marks a paradigm shift in drug evaluation and holds promise to accelerate cures and meaningful treatments for Americans while reducing animal use," FDA Commissioner Martin A. Makary, said in comments provided to Fox News Digital.
"By leveraging AI-based computational modeling, human organ model-based lab testing, and real-world human data, we can get safer treatments to patients faster and more reliably, while also reducing R&D costs and drug prices. It is a win-win for public health and ethics."
Dogs, rats and fish were the primary animals to face testing ahead of Thursday's announcement, Fox Digital learned.
The phase-out focuses on ending animal testing in regard to researching monoclonal antibody therapies, which are lab-made proteins meant to stimulate the immune system to fight diseases such as cancer, as well as other drugs, according to the press release.
Instead, the FDA will encourage testing on "organoids," which are artificially grown masses of cells, according to the FDA's press release.
Environmental Protection Agency chief Lee Zeldin announced on the same day that the agency would reinstate a 2019 policy from the first Trump administration to phase out animal testing at that federal agency. The EPA said in comment that the Biden administration moved away from phasing out animal testing, but that Zeldin is "wholly committed to getting the agency back on track to eliminating animal testing."
"Under President Trump’s first term, EPA signed a directive to prioritize efforts to reduce animal testing and committed to reducing testing on mammals by 30% by 2025 and to eliminate it completely by 2035. The Biden administration halted progress on these efforts by delaying compliance deadlines. Administrator Zeldin is wholly committed to getting the agency back on track to eliminating animal testing," EPA spokesperson Molly Vaseliou told the Washington Times.
The EPA's and FDA's recent announcements also received praise from animal rights groups, including the White Coat Waste Project, which reported in 2021 that the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases spent hundreds of thousands of dollars under Dr. Anthony Fauci's leadership to test beagle dogs with parasites via biting flies.
"Thank you @DrMakaryFDA for your years of advocacy & outstanding leadership to eliminate FDA red tape that forces companies & tax-funded federal agencies to conduct wasteful & cruel tests on dogs & other animals!" the group posted to X last week.
"White Coat Waste made historic progress under Trump 45 to cut wasteful and cruel animal testing at the EPA and FDA, some of which was undone by the Biden Administration," Justin Goodman, senior vice president at White Coat, told Fox News Digital on Sunday.
"We applaud Administrator Zeldin and Commissioner Makary for picking up where Trump left off and prioritizing efforts to cut widely-opposed and wasteful animal tests. This is great news for taxpayers and pet owners as it sends a message to big spending animal abusers across the federal government: Stop the money. Stop the madness!"
Other animal rights groups and lawmakers praised the Trump administration for its recent moves to end animal testing.
"We’re encouraged to see the EPA recommit to phasing out animal testing – a goal we’ve long championed on behalf of the animals trapped in these outdated and painful experiments," Kitty Block, president and CEO of Humane World for Animals, said in a press release. "But promises alone don’t spare lives. For too long, animals like dogs, rabbits and mice have endured tests that inflict suffering without delivering better science. It’s time to replace these cruel methods with modern, humane alternatives that the public overwhelmingly supports."
Other groups have come out and warned that there is not yet a high-tech replacement for animals within the realm of biomedical research and drug testing, and that humane animal testing is still crucial to test prospective drugs for humans.
"We all want better and faster ways to bring lifesaving treatments to patients," National Association for Biomedical Research President Matthew R. Bailey said in a press release provided to Fox Digital. "But no AI model or simulation has yet demonstrated the ability to fully replicate all the unknowns about many full biological systems. That’s why humane animal research remains indispensable."
Under his first administration, Trump took other steps to protect animals, including signing the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act into law in 2019, which made intentional acts of cruelty a federal crime.
FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Government Efficiency launched a website where Americans can directly report and suggest how to deregulate policies within the federal government, Fox News Digital learned.
"Your voice in federal decision making," reads the website Regulations.gov, "Impacted by an existing rule or regulation? Share your ideas for deregulation by completing this form."
DOGE worked with the Government Services Administration, an independent agency tasked with helping support the functioning of other federal agencies, and the Office of Management and Budget, which is the federal office frequently charged with overseeing deregulation efforts, to launch the website earlier this month, Fox Digital learned.
"DOGE is combining the administration’s goals of adding transparency and slashing waste, fraud, and abuse by offering the American people the unique opportunity to recommend more deregulatory actions. This DOGE-led effort highlights President Trump’s priority to put the people first and government bureaucrats last," White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told Fox Digital.
The website's main page directs users to a form where they can report "deregulatory suggestions," which provides users with more than a dozen prompts regarding their issue.
The prompts include describing which federal agency had promoted a regulation at issue, if the regulation is finalized or in the midst of the rule-making process, justification for the deregulation, the history of how the regulation operates, and the title and name of the agency's leader, as well as other detailed information on the regulation.
The form prompts users to provide their name, but the box is not mandatory to complete before submission. The person who submits a deregulatory suggestion could see the Trump administration name the rescission to the rule after the individual.
"Only answer if you would like the rescission to be named after you or your organization. Providing your name does not guarantee that it will appear on any final agency action, and we reserve the right to refrain from using names that are inappropriate or offensive," the prompt asking for the user's name states.
DOGE's public leader, Elon Musk, has railed against government regulations for months, including when he joined President Donald Trump's campaign in key battleground states to rally support.
In a Pennsylvania rally ahead of the election, Musk recounted how his company SpaceX was wrapped up in "bunch of nutty stories" related to government overregulation, including studying the probability of the company's Starship rocket hitting a whale or shark and facing lofty fines from the EPA for "dumping fresh water on the ground."
"I’ll tell you like a crazy thing, like we got fined $140,000 by the EPA for dumping fresh water on the ground. Drinking water. It’s crazy. I’ll just give you an example of just how crazy it is. And we’re like, ‘Well, we’re using water to cool the launch pad during launch. You know, we’re going to cool the launch pad so it doesn’t overheat. And in excess of caution, we actually brought in drinking water, so clean, super clean water,’" Musk said to the audience in Folsom, Pennsylvania, last year.
"And the FAA said, ‘No, you have to pay a $140,000 fine.’ And we’re like, ‘But Starbase is in a tropical thunderstorm area. Sky water falls all the time,’" Musk recounted, referring to SpaceX's headquarters in Texas. "'That is the same as the water we used' So, and it’s like… there’s no harm to anything. And they said, ‘Yeah, but we didn’t have a permit.’ We’re like, ‘You need a permit for fresh water?’" Musk recounted.
Trump went on a deregulation blitz targeting energy and climate regulations last week in a series of executive orders aimed to "unleash" the power of coal energy in the U.S., including ending a pause to coal leasing on federal lands, promoting coal and coal technology exports, and encouraging the use of coal to power artificial intelligence initiatives.
"President Trump knows that the bureaucracy is built to regulate, not deregulate. The result is an ever-increasing number of regulations that stifle innovation and limit American freedom," the White House said in a fact sheet on the EOs last week.
President Donald Trump issued a Palm Sunday message at the start of Holy Week renewing his administration's promise "to defend the Christian faith in our schools, military, workplaces, hospitals, and halls of government."
"We will never waver in safeguarding the right to religious liberty, upholding the dignity of life, and protecting God in our public square," Trump wrote in his 2025 Holy Week presidential message released by the White House.
"As we focus on Christ’s redeeming sacrifice, we look to His love, humility, and obedience—even in life’s most difficult and uncertain moments," Trump said. "This week, we pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our beloved Nation. We pray that America will remain a beacon of faith, hope, and freedom for the entire world, and we pray to achieve a future that reflects the truth, beauty, and goodness of Christ’s eternal kingdom in Heaven."
"May God bless you and your family during this special time of year and may He continue to bless the United States of America," Trump wrote.
Trump said he and first lady Melania Trump "join in prayer with Christians celebrating the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ – the living Son of God who conquered death, freed us from sin, and unlocked the gates of Heaven for all of humanity." The presidential message reiterated how Holy Week begins "with Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday" and culminates "in the Paschal Triduum, which begins on Holy Thursday with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, followed by Good Friday." The week reaches its "pinnacle in the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night."
"This week is a time of reflection for Christians to memorialize Jesus’ crucifixion – and to prepare their hearts, minds, and souls for His miraculous Resurrection from the dead," Trump wrote.
"During this sacred week, we acknowledge that the glory of Easter Sunday cannot come without the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on the cross," the president said. "In His final hours on Earth, Christ willingly endured excruciating pain, torture, and execution on the cross out of a deep and abiding love for all His creation. Through His suffering, we have redemption. Through His death, we are forgiven of our sins. Through His Resurrection, we have hope of eternal life."
"On Easter morning, the stone is rolled away, the tomb is empty, and light prevails over darkness—signaling that death does not have the final word," Trump said.
Since surviving a July 2024 assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Penn., Trump has acknowledged his faith on the campaign trail and months into his second term by repeatedly affirming that he was "saved by God to Make America Great Again." On Friday, the White House hung a painting depicting a bloodied Trump pumping his first in the air during that attempt on his life last summer, replacing a portrait of former President Barack Obama.
The Holy Week proclamation on Sunday is first on the docket of a series of roll-outs and events expected before Easter organized by the newly established White House Faith Office.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital that Trump delivered on his promise to millions of Christians in creating the office. She drew a "sharp contrast" with the Biden administration, which marked Easter Sunday, which fell on March 31, 2024, the most important holiday on the Christian Church calendar, as Transgender Day of Visibility.
Jennifer Korn, faith director of the White House Faith Office, told Fox News Digital the administration is gearing up for "extraordinary" celebrations during Holy Week to treat the Easter season "with the observance it deserves."
On Monday, Trump is expected to release a Holy Week video and will host an Easter dinner on Wednesday evening. On Holy Thursday, the president is expected to host a staff worship service at the White House, where Pastor Paula White, the senior advisor to the White House Faith Office, the Rev. Franklin Graham, Pastor Greg Laurie and Pastor Jentezen Franklin will participate in prayer, scripture, service and communion.
Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
NASCAR Xfinity drivers were involved in a serious crash on Saturday during the Sciaps 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Dean Thompson got into the back of Creed as they came around Turn 4. Creed spun up the track and backed into the wall. Unfortunately, he was perpendicular to the other drivers trying to avoid him. Brennan Poole was unable to get out of the way as Creed came to a stop.
Poole buzzed through Creed, creating a huge collision. Creed’s left front side came completely unglued while Poole’s entire right side of his vehicle tore off as well as his right rear tire.
"It did knock the breath out of me," Poole told NBC Sports after he was released from the infield care center. "I was talking to Sheldon when we got into the trailer and he said it knocked the breath out of him, too."
The cast of the iconic 1980's film "The Breakfast Club" – Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, Judd Nelson, Anthony Michael Hall and Emilio Estevez – reunited for the first time in 40 years during a pop culture event in Chicago.
On Saturday, the former cast mates took the stage at C2E2 to reminisce about their experiences making the classic coming-of-age movie, in which five students from different high school cliques bond while serving Saturday detention together.
While other members of the cast have reunited in the past, this was the first time Estevez joined them.
"We don’t have to use the cardboard cutout anymore because he’s here." Ringwald added. "I feel really moved that we’re all together."
Estevez, who played star athlete Andrew Clark, admitted that joining the reunion was "something that finally I felt I needed to do just for myself."
"This one felt special, it’s here in Chicago where we made the film," he said. "It’s obviously the 40th anniversary, and it just felt like it was time. Somebody told me that Molly said, ‘Well, does Emilio just not like us?’ And that broke my heart. And I went, ‘No, of course I love all of them.’ And that just made sense, so here I am."
At one point during the panel, Nelson, who played delinquent John Bender, said he didn't think it'd take this long for everyone to reunite. But this time, he, Estevez and Ringwald were together, along with Hall, who played socially awkward Brian Johnson, and Sheedy, who starred as shy loner Allison Reynolds.
"I always felt in a weird way that the work was half done, that at some point we would all get back together – because there were too many questions by everyone, ‘What happens on Monday?’ The film is about the fact that everyone has to make that decision for themselves [about] what happens on Monday. But I felt, personally, that it was one shoe and I needed the second shoe, and that could only come from John," Nelson said, referring to the movie's late writer and director John Hughes.
"So his passing was profound for me, because it’s like the work will always be in a circle leaning one direction," he added. "What we needed was the one to counterbalance it, because Hughes explained to us the differences between the young and old. So now is the time for him to show us where we meet in the end, because we’re all older now, but we’re not going to get that, which is sad. But in a way, Hughes has been telling us, ‘Think for yourself.'"
Fans were quick to share their reaction to the reunion on social media.
"Fantastic. Great for fans but I hope they enjoyed getting back together and recognizing what an impact that movie had / has on so many," another wrote.
Last year, Ringwald – who had recently watched "The Breakfast Club" with her daughter – reflected on the movie in an interview with The Times.
"There is a lot that I really love about the movie, but there are elements that haven’t aged well – like Judd Nelson’s character, John Bender, who essentially sexually harasses my character," she told the outlet.
"I’m glad we’re able to look at that and say things are truly different now."
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