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Josh Duggar's cousin wishes 'absolute torture' for him during prison sentence Amy Duggar King hopes her cousin, Josh Duggar, is anything but comfortable during his 12½-year prison sentence.The disgraced reality television star was convicted on child pornography charges in 2021. The "19 Kids and Counting" alum was originally given a release date of Aug. 12, 2032, but in March 2023, Duggar's records showed his release date was pushed to Oct. 2, 2032.In an interview with People, Amy said, "I hope every day there is absolute torture for him. I really hope that because what he watched and what he was viewing for his own fulfillment is those kids experiencing torture."He deserves every second in there, and I hope he gets a longer term. I hope he messes up again," added Amy, who has one son.  JOSH DUGGAR SEEN SMILING IN MUGSHOT PHOTO AFTER RECEIVING GUILTY VERDICT IN CHILD PORNOGRAPHY TRIAL Duggar appeared alongside his father, mother, nine brothers and nine sisters on the TLC reality series "19 Kids and Counting," from 2008 to 2015. APP USERS CLICK HERE FOR INSTAGRAM POST Allegations against Duggar date to 2006, when authorities received a tip from a family friend that accused him of molesting four of his sisters and a babysitter years earlier. However, the investigation ended after it was determined the statute of limitations had passed on any possible charges.The allegations reemerged in 2015, leading to the cancellation of "19 Kids and Counting." Duggar later apologized for marital infidelity and a pornography addiction and sought treatment. LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS "I have not spoken to him, and I will not. I will not," Amy told the outlet. "When you just cross those evil lines like that, there is no coming back. I just think there's no coming back."Josh shares seven children with his wife, Anna Duggar, who Amy also has not contacted since Duggar's prison sentence began. Amy told People she saw Anna at a funeral in 2023, and the pair exchanged a few words."That was the last time. I wasn't really expecting to see anyone there, and I was shocked to see her. I just looked at her and I said, 'Anna,' and she was like, 'I just need space.' That's all she said to me," Amy said. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER "I understand. I can't speak for Anna, and I'm not going to try. But I can't imagine what she has to deal with internally, let alone out for the world to see. It's heartbreaking in every direction, and I just respected the fact that she needed space and I didn't try to push any further."Amy said she "wanted to say a whole lot" but understood a funeral service was not the time or place. "It was a ceremony, a viewing actually, at a funeral. And, yeah, it wasn't the right timing. And I didn't want to make [a] scene. And I didn't want to do that or draw attention to anything and clearly respect her, so I didn't."But if you ask me, I think she is mad. I do. I think she's just really, really mad." St. Louis government removes 'scary,' 'smelly' homeless camp after three years of disturbing homeowners The St. Louis government on Thursday morning removed a homeless encampment that had made residents uncomfortable for three years.City workers cleared the encampment located in a neighborhood complex just out front of multiple residences that was occupied by a homeless couple and disturbing homeowners."It was an all-around hazard," Toni Figuerroa, a neighborhood resident, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch from her porch. "Goodbye and good riddance." Mayor Tishaura Jones ' spokesperson Conner Kerrigan told Fox News Digital the city and city services had been trying to work with the homeless couple for eight to 10 years. LANDLORD DESCRIBES 'FILTHY,' 'GUT-WRENCHING' DISCOVERY FROM 'ONLYFANS INFLUENCER' SQUATTER "Previous relocation efforts have been unsuccessful," he said. "Over time, the area that the couple occupied has grown and is in the public right of way. The lack of sanitation has increased to the point of no longer being habitable.""The couple is receiving services from the City. Further details cannot be shared, due to privacy concerns," Kerrigan added. Residents living nearby sued the city in February for failing to remove the camp.Plaintiffs Richard Baumhoff and Steven McClanahan alleged that St. Louis refused to act despite multiple requests to the police and the city for a remedy. The residents said law enforcement told them it was out of police hands and blamed Jones, a Democrat."For three years, there have been two people living in a makeshift tent in front of their house," Baunmhoff and McClanahan's attorney, W. Bevis Schock, told Fox News Digital at the time. TYSON FOODS HOPING TO HIRE THOUSANDS OF MIGRANTS FOR LABOR-MANUFACTURING JOBS: REPORT "They have a lovely front porch. They would like to go out ... with a nice cup of coffee in the morning and ... let the sun pour in on them, and that cannot happen because these scary, smelly, noisy people are there, and they don't have the proper use of their house because of that," Schock added. The plaintiff's petition to the court alleged that the street squatters - dubbed "Doe and Roe" in court documents - "have become aggressive with Plaintiffs and screamed at Plaintiffs and at other people.""Plaintiffs no longer use their front porch and front yard because of the noxious odors emanating from the tent (including the smell of excrement)," the petition continued. It alleged that neighbors saw the homeless couple "straddling over the sewer, using it as a toilet.""These people aren't taking a shower every day. They have got garbage in their house. They see rats running around. They throw their litter outside their makeshift tent, including things like chicken bones, and that draws vermin," Schock said.City workers began clean-up around 9 a.m. Thursday, with the fire department showing up around 11 a.m. to wash off the sidewalk, according to the local report. Massive policing for Paris Olympics to include security checks for some of the capital's residents Special anti-terrorism measures being put in place to safeguard the unprecedented opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics on the River Seine will also apply to all buildings along the route, meaning people who work and live there and their guests will be subjected to background security checks, Paris police chief Laurent Nunez said Thursday.Those affected will be cross-checked against security services' databases, to see whether they have previously been flagged as suspected Islamist extremists or for other radicalism, Nunez said. MACRON TAKES PART IN CHARITY SOCCER GAME AHEAD OF PARIS OLYMPICS The wildly ambitious July 26 ceremony is proving to be a gargantuan security challenge. Athletes will be paraded through the heart of the French capital on 94 boats along a 6-kilometer (nearly 4-mile) stretch of the Seine, from east to west. They'll be accompanied by 87 other boats for security, media and other people.All of the parade route will be inside a high-security zone that Nunez described as an "anti-terrorism perimeter." He said it will include the first row of buildings along the route."We wanted to include in the perimeter all of the buildings that have a view on the parade," Nunez said.The zone will be put in place from July 18 and be extended even further along both banks of the river on July 26, in the final hours before the evening ceremony.Anyone who wants to enter the zone in the eight days before the ceremony and on July 26 itself will need to pre-register online and will "systematically" be subjected to the background security checks known in France as an "administrative investigation," Nunez said.Those affected will include people who work and live inside the perimeter, as well as their guests, and people going to hotels or restaurants inside the zone, he said. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said about 20,000 people live and work inside the perimeter. In the days before the ceremony, there will be places to cross the river and ways to visit the Louvre and other museums along the river without having to enter the security zone.Nunez said the security check for those affected won't include searching through their communications. "It's not as intrusive as that," he said."We verify if the person is known in a certain number of intelligence files," he said.Anyone flagged by the checks could be barred from the zone. "It will obviously be case by case," Nunez said.Ticket-holders for the ceremony won't need to pre-register on the online platform that will open May 10. But Nunez said French intelligence services can do checks on them, too.Separately, the top administrative official for the Paris region, Prefect Marc Guillaume, pledged that tests on the water quality in the Seine will be made public, without specifying when or how regularly. Marathon swimmers and Olympic and Paralympic triathletes are scheduled to race in the river, which is being cleaned up for the Games. From July 1, samples will be collected from 36 spots on the river and its tributary, the Marne, Guillaume said."We will be totally transparent about our results," he said. Blue state in battle over AG's illegal immigration dictate that 'handcuffs' police A group of New Jersey Republicans is trying to reverse a directive from the state's liberal district attorney general that "handcuffs" local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration officials. Assemblymen Greg Myhre and Brian Rumpf and state Sen. Carmen Amato Jr., are gaining support from nearly a dozen Republicans in the state legislature for their companion bill. Introduced in both the state Assembly and Senate, the bills would repeal the so-called "sanctuary state" directive to allow local police officers to coordinate with ICE to detain illegal migrants. "The New Jersey Attorney General's directive handcuffs law enforcement and, overall, undermines public safety, placing citizens at risk by creating a separate class of people who are permitted to flagrantly break the law and undermine U.S. sovereignty," the lawmakers said in a statement.  FLORIDA GOV. RON DESANTIS SAYS 'NEXT STOP' FOR HAITIANS WHO LAND IN FLORIDA KEYS MAY BE MARTHA'S VINEYARD New Jersey is one of the states most overwhelmed by illegal migrant arrivals in recent months. This year, buses of undocumented migrants have been dropped off at various NJ Transit train stations, New Jersey officials have said. Many of the migrant families being dropped off there have then made their own trek to New York City."Our attorney general could fix this right away," Myrhe told Fox News Digital Wednesday. "I'd like to say we could fix this legislatively, and that this could be the legislature effectively checking the executive branch if we can get that level of support." MIGRANTS FLOWN TO MARTHA'S VINEYARD ON FLIGHTS COORDINATED BY DESANTIS CAN SUE AVIATION COMPANY The lawmakers said the bill's passage "faces an uphill battle" among the state's Democratic trifecta. The governor is a Democrat and both the House and Senate are controlled by Democrats. "Regardless, this is a serious issue with national implications that needs to be debated by the state legislature if we want to be serious about public safety and how state tax dollars are being spent," they said. "We will also continue to educate the public and our colleagues in the legislature on the dangers of perpetuating this lawless policy."Under Attorney General Matt Platkin's directive, first issued in 2018, state, county and local law enforcement agencies are prohibited from assisting and even communicating with ICE agents when the purpose is to enforce federal immigration law. The directive also places limitations on law enforcement regarding immigration detainers, barring them from notifying individuals of their impending release from custody or extending detention solely based on civil immigration detainer requests. SOME OF 49 MIGRANTS FLOWN TO MARTHA'S VINEYARD BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA ARE NOW ABLE TO LEGALLY WORK IN US "This is a slap in the face to every law-abiding, taxpaying citizen who is fed up with federal and state immigration policies that are failing our nation," the lawmakers said.There are upward of 500,000 illegal migrants living in New Jersey, according to the American Immigration Council, and roughly 17,000 entered the state illegally in 2023.  Fox News' Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.    NYPD officer cleared of alleged assault on customer causing mayhem outside Apple Store The NYPD officer who was accused of punching an erratic man, who was reportedly harassing customers outside an Apple Store nearly three years ago, has been cleared of all charges, the Police Benevolent Association (PBA) of the City of New York announced on Thursday. The PBA said a Manhattan judge found New York City Police Officer Salvatore Provenzano not guilty of assault for a single punch he threw to protect himself from a repeat offender causing mayhem in an Upper West Side Apple Store back in 2021. "We're grateful that the judge in this case [made] the right and only decision to find our police officer not guilty," PBA President Patrick Hendry said following the ruling. Provenzano was indicted by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office in July 2023, and suspended without pay, despite the fact that the suspect was not injured and two security guards, who were eyewitnesses, were never called to testify before the grand jury. EX-CON NYC MURDER SUSPECT SMILES WITH DA BRAGG SHORTLY BEFORE SHOCKING ARREST Hendry added that despite having Provenzano cleared, the case should never have been in a courtroom because it did not fit the prosecutors' narrative. "This was never about fairness or justice, this was about derailing a hardworking police officer. That's what this case was about, from the beginning," Hendry explained. Hendry said the man Provenzano was accused of assaulting had been banned from the Apple Store, as well as another one, for threatening security in the store, throwing himself on the floor and refusing to leave for over 30 minutes, causing chaos.  ILLEGAL MIGRANT FLIPS MIDDLE FINGERS AFTER BEING CHARGED WITH ATTACKING NYPD IN TIMES SQUARE Other officers who witnessed the altercation reportedly tried to intervene and reason with the man, but it did no good. "Police Officer Provenzano was simply doing his job, trying to protect himself and the public from an individual who has repeatedly caused mayhem in places of business. We're grateful that the court recognized that reality and acquitted him, but unfortunately a lot of damage has been done," Hendry said.The police union called prosecuting Provenzano a waste of time."A good, hardworking cop has been sidelined for nearly a year, and police officers across this borough are wondering if their careers will also be derailed by baseless charges. Manhattan prosecutors need to stop wasting time and resources targeting cops over nonsense and start working with us to address real public safety issues," Hendry said. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Bernie Williams is back in center - only this time Lincoln Center for New York Philharmonic debut Bernie Williams was in the center, just like the old days at Yankee Stadium . Only this time he was at Lincoln Center alongside conductor Gustavo Dudamel and making his New York Philharmonic debut.After spending 16 years gaining fame while roaming the grass where Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle once trod, Williams was on the stage made famous by Leonard Bernstein and where guitar great Andrés Segovia once played. NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC HEADING TO CHINA FOR 5 CONCERTS THIS SUMMER Williams performed "Moving Forward," a jazz-infused work he composed in 2009 that was newly arranged by Jeff Tyzik as part of the orchestra's spring gala on Wednesday night at David Geffen Hall, a public exclamation of the former All-Star outfielder's second career as a classical guitarist.A day before the performance, he recalled going to the Manhattan School of Music from 2012-16 to learn his new trade and earn a bachelor's degree."A lot of these people were running laps around me and I had to come to the realization that I had to work as hard as have I ever worked upon anything, including being a Major League Baseball player," he said. "I had to put in the work, and none of that stuff that I did prior was going to help me here. I really had to reinvent myself. In learning all of the stuff that I learned being a professional baseball player, some of the stuff really helped me in performing under pressure, putting in the work in and being relentless."Dudamel, who becomes music director in 2026-27, gave Williams a glowing introduction that was repeatedly interrupted by applause as he recounted Williams' background at an event to raise money for music education."Bernie grew up in Puerto Rico and I think that maybe he had some other opportunities outside music," Dudamel said.Wearing a dark suit and tie with patent leather loafers, Williams played his 4 1/2-minute composition backed by the Philharmonic, joined by student musicians.Now 55, Williams signed with the Yankees on his 17th birthday in 1985, made it to the major leagues six years later and became a four-time World Series champion , five-time All-Star and the 1998 AL batting champion. He hit .297 with 287 homers, 1,257 RBIs and 147 stolen bases for the Yankees from 1991-2006.He began playing guitar when he was 6 or 7 in Puerto Rico, learning from his mother's friends, and listened to the guitar work of his dad, Bernabé. Bernie brought his guitar to the ballpark and played in the clubhouse lounge to MTV tunes picked by teammate Derek Jeter."When you're on the road, there's a certain amount of time that you spend in the room," Williams said. "A lot of people play video games, a lot of people just watch TV. So I used to kind of like split time between watching TV, ordering room service and playing guitar between."He used to play in a paint room under the right-field stands at the old Yankee Stadium, where Ron Guidry had left a drum set that Paul O'Neill took over. Williams brought an amplifier, and they jammed after batting practice and during rain delays.A particular thrill occurred before a game against Minnesota in 1998, when Bruce Springsteen walked into the clubhouse, spoke with some of the Yankees players and signed Williams' guitar, writing: "To Bernie, If you ever get tired of baseball ..." The two joined to play "Glory Days" at Joe Torre's Safe at Home Foundation gala in 2007.By 2003, Williams released his first recording, "The Journey Within." His second, "Moving Forward," earned a Latin Grammy nomination in 2009 for best instrumental album, and he's contemplating his third, which he hopes will have more daring playing and writing."Anybody can enjoy a good piece of music and some of that music is able to move people in ways that nothing else can," Williams said. "So understanding those emotions that come with being a musician I think has taken me in a great journey and it's just such an awesome process to have in contrast to what I used to do in sports. It's great to have an opportunity to do both things in one lifetime."His mother was adamant about him going to college. Williams received a degree in 2016 after the four-year undergraduate program. He studied guitar with Christopher Rosenberg, harmony, composition and improvisation with Garry Dial and writing with John Pagano. Williams now serves on the school's board of trustees.Ahead of this week's performance, Williams spent from April 9-13 performing at the Café Carlyle, the celebrated Upper East Side nightspot where Bobby Short entertained New York's high society from 1968-2004."Everybody's so close and you hear a pin drop and everybody's so attentive," he said. "It's such a unique experience, at least for me. I'm used to playing in front of 50,000 people, everybody yelling and screaming their hearts out. So it's, yeah, quite a contrast."Philharmonic CEO Gary Ginstling said after Wednesday morning's rehearsal that 30 orchestra musicians lined up to get balls, caps and shirts autographed by Williams as he posed for photos. Cellist Patrick Jee rehearsed in a Yankees jersey already signed by Torre and Jeter."I've never seen them all so giddy about one of our artists," Ginstling said.   Surging GOP Senate candidate unleashes on 'both parties' during border visit: 'Failing the American people' Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan on Thursday visited the southern border in McAllen, Texas, as he campaigns for the open Maryland Senate seat - and as the ongoing crisis at the southern border remains a top political issue.Hogan met with law enforcement and public safety officials and told Fox News in an exclusive statement that he visited the border to "get a firsthand understanding of this crisis, and what I've seen should appall every American.""This is a humanitarian catastrophe that is harming our communities and wreaking havoc across the country," he said. "Every day Washington lets this crisis continue without bipartisan action, they are failing the American people."  GOP SENATE CANDIDATE LARRY HOGAN LAUNCHES MARYLAND BUS TOUR AS DEM CANDIDATES FACE OFF "For decades, the politicians have played campaign politics with this issue instead of actually just solving the problem. Enough is enough," he continued. "The solutions are not complicated. In the Senate, I will fight to make both parties finally put the politics aside and get this done." The U.S. is in the grip of a border crisis now into its fourth year. There were a record 2.4 million migrant encounters at the southern border in FY 23. Thus far in FY 24, there have been more than 1.3 million, with six months still to go.  VIDEO SHOWS SECRET METHODS USED TO SNEAK MIGRANTS INTO US BY 'COYOTES' Republicans and Democrats have struggled to find solutions that can pass both chambers of Congress. The Biden administration has called for more resources and immigration reform , while Republicans have largely blamed the rollback of Trump-era policies by the Biden administration for the crisis.Hogan served as Maryland governor from 2015 to 2023 and made history when he became only the second Republican to win two terms in the state upon his re-election in 2018. The last Republican to do that was elected in 1954.A Washington Post-University of Maryland poll last month showed the former governor defeating both top Democrats in the running, Rep. David Trone, D-Md., and Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. Hogan beat Trone 49% to 37%, while he bested Alsobrooks 50% to 36%.  Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub. Fox News' Julia Johnson contributed to this report. Arkansas mortician pleads guilty to selling 24 boxes of body parts stolen from cadavers A former Arkansas mortuary worker pleaded guilty Thursday to charges that she sold 24 boxes of stolen body parts from medical school cadavers to a Pennsylvania man for nearly $11,000.She was among several charged recently in what prosecutors have called a nationwide scheme to steal and sell human body parts from an Arkansas mortuary and Harvard Medical School. 4 ARRESTED IN ARKANSAS BLOCK PARTY SHOOTING THAT KILLED 1, WOUNDED 9 Candace Chapman Scott, 37, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property. She had pleaded not guilty when she was indicted last year in the case.An indictment unsealed last year accused Scott of setting up the transactions with Jeremy Pauley, a Pennsylvania man she met through a Facebook group about "oddities."In September, Pauley pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the theft and sale of the body parts from the Arkansas mortuary and Harvard.Scott was employed at Arkansas Central Mortuary Services, where part of her job was to transport, cremate and embalm remains. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock has said that's where the medical school sent remains of cadavers that had been donated for medical students to examine.An attorney for Scott declined to comment Thursday afternoon.Under a plea agreement with Scott, federal prosecutors dropped 10 other wire and mail charges sought against her. She faces up to 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine on the transporting stolen property charge. She also faces up to 20 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine on the mail fraud charge.A sentencing date has not been scheduled. Former NBA star Rasheed Wallace rips into 76ers' Tobias Harris: 'Step that s--- the f--- up' One former NBA star and Philadelphia native doesn't want to hear about bad calls from the 76ers or referees not seeing head coach Nick Nurse calling for a timeout. Rasheed Wallace, a four-time All-Star and 2004 NBA champ with the Detroit Pistons saw the ending of Game 2 of the Sixers' first-round series with the New York Knicks. And while the league admitted refs should've called fouls on New York's Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson before a Donte DiVincenzo game-winning 3-pointer, he doesn't want to hear any more excuses.  CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Instead, looking ahead at Game 3 , Wallace is pointing the finger at one man in particular for the 76ers, who are looking for a win in their first home game of the series. "I can't really blame Buddy [Hield], though. He just got here. I can motherf---ing blame Tobias [Harris] with his s---, though," Wallace said bluntly on his "Sheed & Tyler" podcast with TylerIAm. "If you're listening, we mad with you, too, dog," Wallace added. "You gotta step that s--- the f--- up. Yo, you getting all that bread. We need more than 5-for-12 for 10 points. We need more than that from him."  76ERS' TYRESE MAXEY WAS FOULED TWICE BY KNICKS BEFORE NEW YORK'S GO-AHEAD THREE, NBA SAYS Wallace isn't the only critic who has a gripe with Harris, who is making $39.3 million this season. Harris is in the final year of his five-year, $180 million contract and is expected to be a core player alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. That has been a problem for the 76ers, who are reliant on Embiid and Maxey too often without someone else in the lineup picking up the slack offensively. Harris was 3 of 7 from the field in Game 1 for seven points, and then just 4 of 11 for 10 points in a Game 2 loss that stunned everyone in Philly as the Knicks scored six points in a matter of seconds late in the fourth quarter. Harris' average of 8.5 points early in this series is half his 17.2 during the regular season. "Here's the whole key how you step up. It's not a matter of, 'OK, I had a bad shooting game tonight, so now I gotta go out here tonight, Game 2, and prove that I can shoot,' and now you might shoot horrendous again," Wallace explained. "You gotta make that difference within the game. You can be a little extra greedy because what's happening, all they doing is switching. Mitch [Robinson] is a good defender. He's a good shot blocker. But, at times, when he comes out, other than that, they ain't got no shot blocker in there like when Embiid go to the bench. We ain't got no shot blockers in there."You gotta go at it, dog. You gotta go at it hard. Just come with that, as we said, that young boy energy, that full energy."Harris has been banging the boards, grabbing nine rebounds in each playoff game so far. But Wallace wants to see him be more aggressive, especially when Embiid goes to the bench for a breather. It may be early in the seven-game series, but if the Knicks pull out a victory on the road Thursday night, the 76ers' backs are definitely against the wall.  Follow Fox News Digital's  sports coverage on X , and subscribe to  the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter . Pentagon confirms US military has begun construction on Gaza humanitarian aid pier The Pentagon confirmed on Thursday that the U.S. military has begun construction of a pier and causeway to distribute humanitarian aid into Gaza amid Israel's war with Hamas."As an update for our humanitarian assistance support operations to establish the maritime corridor off the coast of Gaza , I can confirm that U.S. military vessels to include the USS Benavidez, have begun to construct the initial stages of the temporary pier and causeway at sea," Department of Defense spokesman Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a press briefing. He added, "We'll provide much more information in the very near future as we work alongside the international community to rush aid to the people of Gaza." Ryder said the pier would likely be up and running by early May, and last month said it would take up to 1,000 servicemembers to complete it.  MORE AID IS SUPPOSED TO BE ENTERING THE GAZA STRIP. WHY ISN'T IT HELPING? Since the war started last October, tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed and Gaza's 2.3 million residents face food, water and medicine shortages. Israel has sent aid trucks across the border and the U.S. has conducted humanitarian aid air drops, but getting aid to the area has been difficult, due to the ongoing hostilities and struggles to coordinate with the Israeli military, which has blocked routes and slowed deliveries due to inspections. The modular causeway system would consist of an offshore platform where ships could deposit aid that would be taken by the Army to a motorized string of steel causeway sections that have been pushed to the shore. HOUSE OVERWHELMINGLY PASSES $26 BILLION AID TO ISRAEL, GAZA AS TENSIONS WITH IRAN ESCALATE Last month, the Pentagon said it could deliver more than 2 million meals a day using the 1,800-foot pier. "Simply put, they'll establish a temporary offshore maritime pier that allows for shipping vessels to transfer cargo to smaller vessels to transport and offload cargo to a temporary causeway for the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza," Ryder said in March, while adding, "The concept that is being planned involves the presence of U.S. military personnel on military vessels offshore, but does not require U.S. military personnel to go ashore."After Ryder confirmed the pier's construction had begun, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement it had "approved collaborative efforts for the new Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) initiative led by the United States Central Command (CENTCOM). The initiative will create an enhanced ship to shore distribution system to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The statement added, "The IDF will operate to provide security and logistics support for the JLOTS initiative, which includes the establishment of a temporary floating pier to deliver humanitarian aid from the sea into Gaza. The IDF's involvement in the JLOTS initiative is one of many humanitarian aid efforts, further demonstrating the IDF's commitment to working with the international community to ensure the continuous entry of humanitarian aid to the civilian population in the Gaza Strip." The Associated Press contributed to this report.  Brazilian authorities bury deceased migrants who drifted in African boat to the Amazon The bodies of nine migrants found on an African boat off the northern coast of Brazil's Amazon region were buried Thursday with a solemn ceremony in the Para state capital of Belem.Fishermen off the coast of Para found the boat adrift on April 13, carrying the bodies that were already decomposing. Brazilian officials later said documents found in the vessel indicated the victims were migrants from Mali and Mauritania, and that the boat had departed the latter country after Jan. 17. BRAZIL FACES INDIGENOUS RESISTANCE OVER PLANS TO DRILL FOR OIL IN AMAZON RAINFOREST The deceased were buried in a secular ceremony organized by a number of groups involved in their recovery, such as the U.N. Refugee Agency , the Red Cross and the International Organization for Migration, as well as Brazilian police, navy and civil defense agencies.A tropical rain fell as their coffins were lowered into graves dug into the earth and those present watched in respectful silence.Their roughly 12-meter (39-foot) boat was carrying 25 raincoats and 27 mobile phones, suggesting the original number of passengers was significantly higher. This also implies that people of other nationalities may have been among the deceased, local officials have said.It was a rustic blue-and-white fiberglass boat that, when found, had neither motor, tiller nor rudder. Its canoe shape is similar to Mauritanian fishing boats often used by migrants fleeing West Africa and aiming to enter the European Union via Spain's Canary Islands.An Associated Press investigation published last year revealed that in 2021 at least seven boats from northwest Africa were found in the Caribbean and Brazil. All carried dead bodies, like the vessel found in Para.So far, none of the victims have been identified. Authorities said the manner of their burial would allow for subsequent exhumations in case families of the deceased were located and wished to transfer the bodies back to their home countries.Brazil's criminology institute in the capital Brasilia is carrying out forensic examinations of the remains, and the Federal Police say they are in contact with Interpol and foreign organizations to provide eventual results.This year the number of people attempting the crossing from the northwest coast of Africa to the EU has seen a 500% spike, with the majority departing from Mauritania, according to Spain's interior ministry. But it is a dangerous route with strong Atlantic winds, and boats that go off course can stay adrift for months and be swept away to distant destinations, often leading migrants to die of dehydration and malnutrition.The reasons pushing people toward such boats are varied and intertwined: a lack of jobs and prospects of a better life, impacts of climate change, growing insecurity and political instability, among others.More than 14,000 African migrants have reached the Canary Islands so far this year, according to the Spanish ministry. In February, the EU and Mauritania signed a 210 million euro ($225 million) deal aimed at cracking down on people smuggling and deterring migrant boats.With hundreds more West African migrants reported missing, families in Mauritania have set up a commission to search for loved ones, and are anxiously awaiting information from Brazil.Bachirou Saw of Mauritania buried one of his nephews earlier this year who had died during the arduous Atlantic crossing shortly after reaching the Spanish island of El Hierro. He's still looking for another nephew, Kadija Saw, who departed in January and is nowhere to be found. He's following news from Brazil closely.Saw, who also has Spanish citizenship and immigrated to Europe by plane 30 years ago when it was easier to get a visa, said he's been trying to convince young men not to emigrate by boat. He created a WhatsApp group to alert migrants to the perils of the ocean voyage and to share information with desperate relatives, and has counted at least 1,500 missing in the last six months from Mauritania, Mali and Senegal. While most of the migrants embarking to Europe are men, there is an increasing number of women getting aboard boats, too."I have their ID's on my phone," said Saw, who receives messages every day from families looking for their loved ones. Together with others, they've organized trips to Morocco to look inside prisons and morgues. Moroccan authorities often intercept migrants trying to reach Spain and detain them before deporting them. But Saw's nephew wasn't there either. He also visited the Canary Islands to check the morgues there.Saw's sister is desolate. "Every day she buys credit to listen to our audios, she lives for this, she doesn't eat, she is thin, just thinking about her son," Saw said. And she's not alone."It's very sad, half of the villages are dancing because their sons have arrived (in Spain)," he said, "but the other half cries because they've lost their sons in the ocean." 11 insider tricks for the tech you use every day If you're the person skipping updates on your devices ... knock that off. You're missing out on important security enhancements-like iOS 17.4, which adds better Stolen Device Protection and Android's new Find My feature to locate your lost phone. 🎉 Win an iPhone 15 worth $799! I'm giving it to one person who tries my free daily tech newsletter.  Enter to win now! It's nearly impossible to keep up with every update and added feature. That's what I'm here for. I hope you find a tech tip below that makes life better for you! Shop open-box deals US AIRPORTS ADAPT TO TRAVEL SURGE BY EXPANDING USE OF TECHNOLOGY TO PROCESS PASSENGERS Most sites use grades or ratings, so you know the condition. For example, a "Grade A" smartphone has just a bit of wear. Amazon open-box products are always fully functional and in one of four conditions: "Used/Like New," "Very Good," "Good" or "Acceptable."  Here's a link to Amazon's open-box deals. Know what apps are listening Buried within all the legal mumbo jumbo you said "yes" to when downloading an app, you may have given the app permission to listen using your phone's microphone and collect data. Your Google Doc holds secrets you shouldn't share It'll be called "Copy of" and your original file name by default. Rename it, then share that. Why? Anyone accessing the original doc can review all your edits, changes and versions. Hit File > Make a copy . Pro tip: Reverse this idea to see someone else's edits and changes. Make your iPad more useful SEE WHAT THE HOME YOU GREW UP IN LOOKS LIKE NOW AND OTHER MAPS TRICKS This is a pro move if you spend time with your Apple tablet on the couch . Go to Settings  > General  > Keyboard , then enable Split Keyboard . Long-press the keyboard key at the bottom right, slide your finger to Split , then release. Now you can type with your thumbs! To return to normal, long-press the keyboard key, slide your finger to Merge and release. Don't say I didn't warn you Take off your phone's case and you'll see all the grime collected inside. Gross. For plastic, rubber and silicone cases, use an old toothbrush and a bit of warm, soapy water. For leather cases, very lightly dampen a microfiber cloth with water and mild soap. Stay safe on the road Get the  free NHTS SaferCar app . Enter your car's VIN and receive automatic alerts about recalls. There have been a lot lately, and it's easy to miss notifications from your dealership. For your eyes onlyu have sensitive pics like your driver's license on your phone, set up a locked folder in Google Photos. Open the Google Photos app > Utilities  > Set up Locked Folder. Follow the on-screen directions to finish up. Note : Anything stored there isn't backed up to the cloud. Wouldn't be very private that way. Have an iPhone? CAN YOU SPOT ELECTION DEEPFAKES? HERE'S HOW NOT TO BE DUPED You can store secret pics in the Notes app. Open the pic in the Photos app, tap the share icon and select Notes . Go into the note you want to protect, tap the three-dot icon in the upper right corner, then choose Lock . You made a bad call And streamed a terrible rom-com. Get it off your Netflix history so it doesn't influence your future suggestions. On a computer, click your profile , then Viewing activity . By each show or movie, you'll see a small icon of a circle with a line through it. Click on that to hide it. I'd rather be safe than sorry For every study that shows your phone is perfectly safe, there's another about the impacts of even low-level radiation. I rarely bring my phone to my head or put it in my pocket.  AirPods are my favorite way to take a call (I'm an iPhone gal). Go with  AirPods Pro if you can. On an Android, here's a  budget earbuds option and  the fancy ones . Men, don't store your phones in your pants pockets.  It can hurt your fertility. Too many tabs and too much noise?  Right-click on a tab in your browser and select Mute Tab  or Mute Site . In some browsers, you can also click the microphone on a tab playing noise to stop it. Get tech-smarter on your schedule Award-winning host Kim Komando is your secret weapon for navigating tech. Copyright 2024, WestStar Multimedia Entertainment. All rights reserved.  US to pull troops from Chad and Niger as the African nations question its counterterrorism role The United States will pull the majority of its troops from Chad and Niger as it works to restore key agreements governing what role there might be there for the American military and its counterterrorism operations, the Pentagon said Thursday.Both African countries have been integral to the U.S. military's efforts to counter violent extremist organizations across the Sahel region, but Niger's ruling junta ended an agreement last month that allows U.S. troops to operate in the West African country. In recent days, neighboring Chad also has questioned whether an existing agreement covered the U.S. troops operating there. 7 SOLDIERS IN CHAD KILLED IN EXPLOSION BLAMED ON BOKO HARAM EXTREMISTS The U.S. will relocate most of the approximately 100 forces it has deployed in Chad for now, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Thursday at a press briefing."As talks continue with Chadian officials, U.S. AFRICOM is currently planning to reposition some U.S. military forces from Chad, some portions of which were already scheduled to depart. This is a temporary step as part of the ongoing review of our security cooperation, which will resume after Chad's May 6th presidential election," Ryder said.In Niger, the majority of the 1,000 U.S. personnel assigned there also are expected to depart, Ryder said.U.S. and Nigerien officials were expected to meet Thursday in Niger's capital , Niamey, "to initiate discussions on an orderly and responsible withdrawal of U.S. forces," the State Department said in a statement late Wednesday. Follow-up meetings between senior Pentagon and Niger officials are expected next week "to coordinate the withdrawal process in a transparent manner and with mutual respect," Ryder said.Called status-of-forces agreements, these deals allow the U.S. to conduct critical counterterrorism operations within both countries' borders and have supported military partner training. The reversals have prompted concern that U.S. influence in Africa is losing ground to overtures from Russia and China.Relations have frayed between Niger and Western countries since mutinous soldiers ousted the country's democratically elected president in July. Niger's junta has since told French forces to leave and turned instead to Russia for security.Earlier this month, Russian military trainers arrived to reinforce the country's air defenses and they brought Russian equipment, which they would train Nigeriens to use.Niger plays a central role in the U.S. military's operations in Africa's Sahel region, a vast region south of the Sahara Desert. Washington is concerned about the spread of jihadi violence where local groups have pledged allegiance to al-Qaida and the Islamic State groups.Niger is home to a major U.S. air base in the city of Agadez, about 920 kilometers (550 miles) from the capital, which is used for manned and unmanned surveillance flights and other operations. The U.S. also has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in training Niger's military since beginning operations there in 2013.Officials from the State Department, U.S. Africa Command and the Pentagon will work with Chad's government to make the case for U.S. forces to continue operations, Joint Chiefs Vice Chairman Adm. Christopher Grady said Wednesday.Grady told The Associated Press in an interview that if both countries ultimately decide the U.S. cannot remain, the military will have to look for alternatives to run counterterrorism missions across the Sahel."If we are asked to leave, and after negotiations that's the way it plays out, then we are going to have to recalculate and figure out a new way to do it," Grady said.The news of the departure of U.S. forces in Chad was first reported by The New York Times. Feds plan to reintroduce grizzly bears to Washington state's Northern Cascades The federal government plans to restore grizzly bears to an area of northwest and north-central Washington, where they were largely wiped out.Plans announced this week by the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service call for releasing three to seven bears a year for five to 10 years to achieve an initial population of 25. The aim is to eventually restore the population in the region to 200 bears within 60 to 100 years.Grizzlies are considered threatened in the Lower 48 and currently occupy four of six established recovery areas in parts of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and northeast Washington . The bears for the restoration project would come from areas with healthy populations. VIDEO SHOWS COLORADO WILDLIFE OFFICERS DANGLING ROPE TO RESCUE MOUNTAIN LIONS FROM SPILLWAY There has been no confirmed evidence of a grizzly within the North Cascades Ecosystem in the U.S. since 1996, according to the agencies. The greater North Cascades Ecosystem extends into Canada but the plan focuses on the U.S. side."We are going to once again see grizzly bears on the landscape, restoring an important thread in the fabric of the North Cascades," said Don Striker, superintendent of North Cascades National Park Service Complex.It's not clear when the restoration effort will begin, the Seattle Times reported.Fragmented habitat due to rivers, highways and human influences make it unlikely that grizzlies would repopulate the region naturally.According to the park service, killing by trappers, miners and bounty hunters during the 1800s removed most of the population in the North Cascades by 1860. The remaining population was further challenged by factors including difficulty finding mates and slow reproductive rates, the agency said.The federal agencies plan to designate the bears as a "nonessential experimental population" to provide "greater management flexibility should conflict situations arise." That means some rules under the Endangered Species Act could be relaxed and allow people to harm or kill bears in self-defense or for agencies to relocate bears involved in conflict. Landowners could call on the federal government to remove bears if they posed a threat to livestock.The U.S. portion of the North Cascades ecosystem is similar in size to the state of Vermont and includes habitat for dens and animal and plant life that would provide food for bears. Much of the region is federally managed. French air traffic controllers cancel strike, but Paris airport delays remain pervasive Air passengers traveling to and from Paris experienced significant disruptions Thursday, despite a decision by air traffic controllers to cancel a strike after last-minute negotiations. Flight operations were substantially reduced because of adjustments made to schedules ahead of the proposed industrial action. PARIS CHARLES DE GAULLE AIRPORT UNVEILS NEW BAGGAGE HANDLING SYSTEM AHEAD OF OLYMPICS French civil aviation authorities had preemptively requested airlines to cut their flights significantly - by 75% at Paris-Orly, 55% at Charles-de-Gaulle, and 65% at Marseille-Provence, with varying reductions across other French airports . As a result, operations were severely limited, also affecting international flights that cross French airspace.While the flights that did operate faced only moderate delays, significant cancellations and scheduling adjustments led to continued travel difficulties for thousands of passengers. The fallout was particularly noticeable at major airports like Paris-Orly, where delays compounded the day's challenges. Missing doctor found dead in Arkansas lake committed suicide, authorities say The death of a Missouri doctor who was found 11 months ago in a northwest Arkansas lake has been ruled a suicide, Arkansas authorities said Thursday.Dr. John Forsyth died of a gunshot wound to the head, the Benton County, Arkansas , sheriff's department said in a statement. An autopsy by the chief medical examiner at the Arkansas State Crime Lab concluded that it was a suicide. MISSOURI ER DOCTOR WHO VANISHED 3 DAYS AFTER PROPOSING TO FIANCÉE FOUND DEAD The sheriff's office said that its detectives located several surveillance videos of Forsyth riding a bicycle to the lake and the bicycle was located near where Forsyth's body was found.Forsyth, 49, didn't show up for his May 21, 2023, shift at Mercy Hospital in Cassville, Missouri, where he had parked his RV. That prompted a search, and there was no sign of him until a kayaker noticed his body in Arkansas on May 30, at a spot on Beaver Lake about 20 miles away from his last known location.The mystery surrounding his death gave his case national attention. Social media have speculated that his death may have been connected to the cryptocurrency company that he co-founded with his brother."Detectives have not been able to find any information or evidence that would lead us to dispute the medical examiner's findings," the sheriff's statement said. "If objective and relevant physical evidence becomes available, those leads will be investigated on a case-by-case basis." NY v. Trump: Tabloid publisher testifies he bought stories on Tiger Woods, ex-Obama chief of staff A former tabloid publisher and key witness for the prosecution testified that he purchased stories about professional golfer Tiger Woods, former Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, among others during questioning by defense attorneys for former President Trump. Prosecutors from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office brought David Pecker, their first witness, to the stand for the third day Thursday. Pecker is the former CEO of American Media Inc., the parent company of publications such as the National Enquirer, who has known Trump stretching back to the 1980s. Prosecutors allege that Pecker worked closely with the Trump campaign to bury negative information about Trump ahead of the 2016 election. Trump is accused of falsifying records related to the alleged "catch and kill" scheme.Pecker testified that he purchased negative stories about Trump before the 2016 election and did not publish them - known as a "catch and kill" scheme. The stories included allegations from adult film actress Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal about affairs with Trump.  NY PROSECUTORS REVEAL 'ANOTHER CRIME' TRUMP ALLEGEDLY TRIED TO CONCEAL WITH FALSIFIED BUSINESS RECORDS With regard to negative stories coming out about Trump before the election, Pecker testified that Trump was concerned about what his family would say about it, specifically about how it would impact his wife Melania Trump and daughter Ivanka Trump. Pecker also testified that Trump was concerned about what the impact would be on his campaign in 2016. But under cross-examination by Trump defense attorney Emil Bove, Pecker testified he purchased stories about other high-profile individuals besides Trump. Pecker testified he purchased a story about professional golfer Tiger Woods, and a story about Rahm Emanuel in 2009 after he left the Obama White House. Pecker said he purchased the story about an alleged affair Emanuel had so that it would not be published. Emanuel also later served as ambassador to Japan.  TRUMP TRIAL: FORMER PRESIDENT 'INNOCENT,' DEFENSE SAYS AS DA ALLEGES 'CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY' Pecker also testified that he worked with Trump attorney Michael Cohen in his capacity as the former president's personal attorney - not as part of the 2016 campaign. Pecker testified that American Media Inc., the owner of the National Enquirer, testified that before purchasing stories, the company would vet them for truthfulness. He also testified that there were instances AMI would purchase a story to use as leverage. When asked if this was standard, Pecker testified: "Yes." Pecker also said Thursday that Trump "was my mentor." "He helped me throughout my career," Pecker said, saying Trump was often the first person to call him when he needed help. "Even though we haven't spoken, I still considered him a friend," Pecker said. Bragg charged Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Bragg alleges that Trump ex-attorney Michael Cohen orchestrated hush money payments to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal to prevent them from sharing their stories about alleged affairs with Trump. Bragg is trying to prove that Trump was aware of those payments, and allegedly falsified records of payments to Cohen as "legal expenses" rather than repayments for the hush money.  NY VS TRUMP: THE EVIDENCE PROSECUTORS CAN PRESENT IF FORMER PRESIDENT TESTIFIES Trump has pleaded not guilty to all counts and told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview on Thursday that he was simply paying Cohen legal fees because Cohen was his lawyer. Bragg also alleged American Media Inc., which Pecker was the CEO of, allegedly employed the "catch and kill" strategy to bury stories - specifically Karen McDougal's. Bragg and prosecutors sought to convince the jury that Pecker's work to do this was made with the blessing of Trump's 2016 campaign. Pecker, though, testified that he worked with Cohen in his capacity as Trump's personal attorney. Pecker's cross-examination is expected to continue Friday morning. US energy giant sounds alarm on Biden's climate rules targeting power plants Duke Energy, one of the nation's largest energy providers, is warning that the Biden administration's newly finalized power plant regulations will threaten the reliability and affordability of power supplies.The North Carolina-based company - which serves more than eight million residential and commercial customers across several states, mainly in the Southeast - warned that the regulations could further present challenges given the growing electricity demand nationwide. On Thursday morning, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the White House unveiled the rules targeting fossil fuel-fired power plants."Duke Energy's 8.4 million customers expect and deserve affordable, reliable and increasingly clean energy," Duke Energy spokesperson Kaitlin Kirshner said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "Our charge - and we believe the charge of policymakers - is to optimize those three customer needs - not solve for one.""The final rule presents significant challenges to customer reliability and affordability, as well as limits the potential of our ability to be a global leader in chips, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing," she continued. BIDEN ADMINISTRATION RIGGED INTERNAL ANALYSIS, SOFTENING BLOW OF POWER PLANT REGULATIONS: REPORT Under the regulations, all coal-fired plants that are slated to remain operational in the long-term and all new, baseload gas-fired plants will be required to control 90% of their carbon emissions. The rulemaking also tightens emissions standards for coal-fired plants related to toxic metal and wastewater discharge.EPA and White House officials said the suite of environmental rules would help the U.S. achieve President Biden's goals of decarbonizing the nation's power grid . Shortly after he took office, Biden pledged to enable the nation to achieve an up to 52% total emission reduction by 2030 and to create a carbon-free power sector by 2035.The resistance from Duke Energy, though, underscores the tension between Biden's ambitious, renewable energy goals and power companies that will ultimately be tasked with transitioning their fleets to ones dominated by green energy sources , namely wind and solar. According to federal data, natural gas and coal currently generate 43% and 16% of the nation's electricity, respectively, while wind and solar generate 10% and 4%. WHITE HOUSE ECO COUNCIL AT ODDS OVER TECHNOLOGY CENTRAL TO BIDEN'S GREEN GOALS "The path outlined by the EPA today is unlawful, unrealistic and unachievable," said National Rural Electric Cooperative Association CEO Jim Matheson. "It undermines electric reliability and poses grave consequences for an already stressed electric grid. The American economy can't succeed without reliable electricity. Smart energy policy recognizes that fundamental truth and works to help keep the lights on."America's Power, a group which advocates for coal power , emphasized that the regulations are an "extreme and unlawful overreach that endangers America's supply of dependable and affordable electricity."The American Petroleum Institute, which represents the U.S. natural gas and oil industry, expressed concern that the administration failed to consider grid reliability and should instead remove barriers to building new power generation. JOE MANCHIN THREATENS TO OPPOSE BIDEN NOMINEES OVER UPCOMING POWER PLANT CRACKDOWN And Dan Brouillette, president and CEO of Edison Electric Institute, which represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies, applauded much of the EPA's rulemaking, but criticized the agency's reliance on carbon capture and storage (CCS). CCS, which the EPA says will play a key role in helping power plants achieve the stringent regulations, has been criticized as a costly and nascent technology that captures power plant emissions before they enter the atmosphere. "CCS is not yet ready for full-scale, economy-wide deployment, nor is there sufficient time to permit, finance and build the CCS infrastructure needed for compliance by 2032," Brouillette said.Overall, as federal and state government agencies continue to push the electrification of the residential, commercial and transportation sectors, power demand is slated to grow 2.5% and 3.2% in 2024 and 2025, respectively, according to the Energy Information Administration. At the same time, a staggering 22.3 gigawatts of coal-fired electric generating capacity were retired in 2022 and 2023. Another 13 gigawatts are slated to be retired over the next two years.The White House didn't respond to a request for comment for purposes of this story.  Kim Kardashian visits White House, will fight for criminal justice and learn with 'every administration' Kim Kardashian is committed to her advocacy work no matter who's in the Oval Office.Kardashian and four of President Biden's pardon recipients met with Vice President Kamala Harris Thursday afternoon for a discussion about their lives after incarceration and how Second Chance policies have benefited them and their businesses.  The reality star began her short speech by thanking the second in command. "I just wanted to start off by thanking you, Madam Vice President, for hosting this event today. And just for your deep commitment to Second Chances," she said. "I want to thank President Biden for all the commutations and the pardons that are happening." KIM KARDASHIAN ON WORKING WITH TRUMP ON ALICE JOHNSON CASE: I CHOSE 'HER OVER MY REPUTATION' Kardashian then emphasized it was a privilege for her to return to the White House just as she had during the Trump administration, although she did not reference him by name."I am super honored to be here to hear your stories today, and I think it's so important to share them and amplify them, because there's so many people that are in your position that can use the inspiration," she said."I'm so honored to be here to continue this fight and to learn more every day, every visit, every administration. I'm just here to help and to spread the word."Later in the conversation, Kardashian expressed that "some of the smartest individuals" she's met have been previously incarcerated. "To see the changes that are happening to make their reentry easier, I think is gonna be life-changing ... especially with the small business loans."I used to think, 'Well, the goal is just to get out.' Right? And then everything's all good, and then everything is just perfect. I was so naive to think that was all that was needed."And to just know that there are people that are dedicated and committed to changing that and to helping people really start their businesses, create a real life for themselves, is just inspiring and what pushes me to want to continue to do the work that I do."Kardashian has been an advocate for criminal justice reform for several years, having met with former President Trump on multiple occasions during his time in office to discuss similar topics. LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS During her first visit in 2018, Kardashian was accompanied by Alice Marie Johnson , a woman sentenced to life in prison for a nonviolent drug charge. Kardashian championed Johnson while Johnson was imprisoned, fiercely advocating for clemency. Trump ultimately pardoned Johnson, and Kardashian felt inspired to enroll in law school.Kardashian received immense backlash for meeting with the president, but the two continued to work together. In 2019, Kardashian delivered a speech emphasizing the importance of providing former inmates with opportunities to be successful and get jobs once released. "The one thing that I just realized that needed so much support that I'm happy to help and be supportive when I can, was the reentry of people coming home and seeing the lack of support that really existed. Whether it's housing or the amount of letters that I get with people just needing transportation to job interviews."These people want to work. They want the best outcome, and I'm so happy to be here today amongst people that want the same thing and that really believe in supporting their reentry." CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER Since their final meeting in 2020, their relationship has reportedly soured, according to Kardashian."I don't think he likes me very much. But I'm OK," Kardashian said on " Jimmy Kimmel Live! " days ago. "I think he did amazing stuff with prison reform and let a lot of people out and signed an amazing bill, The First Step Act, and so that's what I'll focus on." 'Death to America' rapidly emerging as key slogan of anti-Israel agitators in US The slogan "Death to America" is seemingly gaining steam among anti-Israel agitators, who have swept across the nation.The anti-Israel demonstrations that have spread across the country have taken on an anti-American tenor in recent weeks, with students at the University of Michigan who were participating in the protests being given pamphlets titled "10 anarchist theses on Palestine solidarity in the United States," which included a page that stated, "Freedom for Palestine means Death to America."The pamphlets come as anti-Israel protests have continued to gain steam, leading to multiple days-long "encampments" at some of the most elite colleges and universities in the United States.But such rhetoric has not been limited to college campuses, with similar slogans being chanted in nearby Dearborn, Michigan , during a recent rally on the last Friday of Ramadan. 'DEATH TO AMERICA' PAMPHLETS CIRCULATED AT COLLEGE ANTI-ISRAEL ENCAMPMENT, EYEWITNESS SAYS "Imam Khomeini, who declared the International Al-Quds Day, this is why he would say to pour all of your chants and all of your shouts upon the head of America," Tarek Bazzi, a Michigan-based activist associated with the Hadi institute, said in a video before leading rallygoers in chants of "Death to America" and "Death to Israel."The protests have spread at a rapid pace since a Hamas terrorist attack on Israel in October, becoming part of a growing movement that one expert believes can be traced in part to wavering support for Israel among top Democrats."The recent change of possible U.S. policy ... the pressure that Biden is under, and then also Democrats going down from Senator Schumer to Pelosi, people that have been very stalwart, always pro-Israel seem to be turning," Steven Stalinsky, the executive director of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), told Fox News Digital.While the protests have been called "mostly peaceful," participants in the demonstrations have been heard making antisemitic chants or rallying in support of the terrorist group Hamas."We are Hamas!" protesters at Columbia University in New York City were heard chanting at one recent demonstration. TOP DEMS TURN ON ISRAEL AFTER BIDEN CALL WITH NETANYAHU The "Death to America" chants in Dearborn came amid a movement to deny President Biden reelection over his handling of the conflict in Gaza, with organizations such as "Listen to Michigan" and "Abandon Biden" leading a charge that saw over 100,000 voters mark "uncommitted" on their ballots instead of supporting the president in the state's Democratic Primary in February.Biden seemingly responded to some of that pressure earlier this month, holding a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which the president threatened a change in U.S. policy toward Gaza if Israel does not do more to protect civilians during the conflict.Biden noted the need for an "immediate cease-fire" according to a White House readout of the call, a longtime demand of activists in Dearborn.Dozens of Democrats followed the president's lead following the call, with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., joining 36 House Democrats in calling for a halt to U.S. weapons shipments to Israel.Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called on Israel to hold new elections to defeat Netenyahu, saying the Jewish state "cannot survive if it becomes a pariah." DEARBORN 'UNCOMMITTEDS' PLAN TO MAKE 'EXAMPLE' OF BIDEN, TURN PARTY AGAINST JEWISH STATE The White House and Pelosi's and Schumer's offices did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.Representatives from Listen to Michigan and Abandon Biden told Fox News Digital that such chants represent a minority of the Dearborn community, arguing that most of the largely Arab and Muslim population in the area are peaceful and that such chants represent a vocal minority.The chants of "Death to America" were also rebuked by a Dearborn-area imam, who told Fox News Digital that he had personally confronted a local protester who chanted the slogan."I am absolutely against saying 'Death to America,'" Islamic House of Wisdom Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi said, later adding that Muslims in the area are "not for death," but for "love."But Stalinsky, who has spent years documenting cases of extremism arising out of Dearborn, argued that such evidence suggests that the community harbors many with anti-Israel and anti-American views."There's definitely support for Hezbollah, Hamas, and Iran," Stalinsky said of Dearborn. DEARBORN ACTIVISTS' PUSH TO BAIL ON BIDEN SPREADS TO OTHER KEY BATTLEGROUND STATES Stalinksy pointed out that Elahi himself has long been suspected of having ties to Iran, which resulted in nine members of Congress writing a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines last year warning of the Iranian regime's influence in the U.S. Islamic Centers, including Elahi's Islamic House of Wisdom.The rhetoric coming out of Dearborn in recent weeks has also caught the attention of the Michigan legislature, with Republican State Rep. Phil Green telling Fox News Digital that the area is "conflicted" and contains "kind, gracious, loving individuals" as well as a "radical side."Green said that the conflict in Gaza has now begun to highlight a political divide on the issue, pointing out that a Republican-led effort in the state legislature to condemn terrorism had been unable to pass through the Democratic majority."Republicans are united in our support for Israel. We're also united in our support or in our opposition to any type of terrorism," Green said, noting that the Democratic "caucus is split ... they do not want to support Israel."The potential for such a divide has been brewing for a long time, Stalinsky said, arguing that organizations in Dearborn and on college campuses have long propagated anti-Israel and antisemitic messages. Those messages have now been combined by groups who have long been sympathetic to progressive narratives on social injustices in the United States, creating a sort of cross-pollination of messages that has manifested in anti-American and anti-Israel sentiment."These groups are having influence on a lot of young, ignorant Americans," Stalinsky said. "That's something we really need to be worried about, I think, because they're mingling with a lot of bad guys, especially online, and that's such a danger." Trump compliments prosecution's first witness in criminal trial: 'very nice' Former President Donald Trump lauded the first witness in his trial in Manhattan, former tabloid publisher David Pecker, as a "nice guy" earlier Thursday ahead of court. "He's been very nice. David's been very nice. He's a nice guy," Trump told the media while meeting with construction crews in the city early Thursday morning. Pecker is the prosecution team's first witness in the NY v. Trump case, where the 45th president is facing 34 charges of falsifying business records. Pecker is the former CEO of American Media Inc., the parent company of publications such as the National Enquirer, who has known Trump stretching back to the 1980s. The former media publisher took the stand earlier this week, where he testified regarding "catch and kill schemes" to allegedly bury negative information about Trump ahead of the 2016 election.  LIVE UPDATES: TRUMP NY TRIAL TESTIMONY RESUMES AS SUPREME COURT HEARS IMMUNITY ARGUMENTS "Catch-and-kill" schemes are understood as tactics used by media and publishing companies to buy the rights of a person's story with no intention of publishing it. The NY v. Trump case specifically revolves around a payment of $130,000 given to former pornographic actress Stormy Daniels by former Trump personal attorney in 2016 to allegedly silence her claims she had an extramarital affair with Trump in 2006.  SUPREME COURT TO HEAR ARGUMENTS IN TRUMP PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY CASE Pecker testified Thursday that he first heard of Daniels' claims of a sexual affair with Trump after the notorious "Access Hollywood" tape was unearthed ahead of the election in 2016. He said that Daniels was selling rights to her story for $120,000, which Pecker said the media company could not afford.  TRUMP ATTORNEY, SUPREME COURT JUSTICE CLASH ON WHETHER A PRESIDENT WHO 'ORDERED' A 'COUP' COULD BE PROSECUTED "I am not a bank," Pecker said he told National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard of the tip and sale of Daniels' story. Howard then told Pecker he would contact Cohen about the matter, Pecker said. Prosecutors allege that after Cohen paid Daniels in exchange for silence on the alleged affair, Trump fraudulently logged reimbursements to the personal lawyer as legal expenses. Prosecutors in the case are trying to prove that Trump falsified business records in "furtherance of another crime." The DA's office said the other crime is the violation of a New York law against "conspiracy to promote or prevent election ." TRUMP SAYS NY JUDGE MERCHAN 'THINKS HE IS ABOVE THE SUPREME COURT' AFTER BARRING HIM FROM IMMUNITY ARGUMENTS Simultaneous to the trial Thursday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments for another Trump case: Special Counsel Jack Smith's election interference charges. The case charged Trump with conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights. The case stems from Jan. 6, 2021, when supporters of Trump breached the U.S. Capitol. The Supreme Court is currently weighing whether Trump has presidential immunity in the case.  CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "We have a big case today - this judge wouldn't allow me to go, but we have a big case today at the Supreme Court on presidential immunity," Trump said to the press, referring to the Supreme Court weighing whether Trump is immune from prosecution in Special Counsel Jack Smith's election interference case. "A president has to have immunity," he added. "If you don't have immunity, you just have a ceremonial president.""We want Trump," supporters of the president said during the event.  UT Austin anti-Israel agitators freed after governor said they 'belong in jail' Some of the dozens of protesters who were arrested at an anti-Israel demonstration at The University of Texas at Austin on Wednesday have been freed despite Texas Gov. Greg Abbott saying they should be locked up.Fifty-seven people were arrested at the campus, the Texas Tribune reports, citing a Travis County sheriff's spokesperson, while UT Austin said that 26 of those arrested were not affiliated with the college.Abbott, a Republican, had earlier slammed the protesters who clashed with Texas Department of Public Safety troopers in riot gear during chaotic scenes.  UT-AUSTIN PRESIDENT DEFENDS SHUTTING DOWN ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS: 'OUR RULES MATTER AND THEY WILL BE ENFORCED' "These protesters belong in jail," Abbott wrote on X. "Antisemitism will not be tolerated in Texas. Period. Students joining in  hate-filled, antisemitic protests  at any public college or university in Texas should be expelled."A small group formed outside Travis County Jail on Thursday and cheered on some of the suspects as they were cut loose, Fox 11 Austin reports. Criminal charges were dropped against 46 of those arrested as prosecutors said the charges lacked probable cause, the Texas Tribune reports.UT Austin said in a statement that there was "significant participation by outside groups" pointing to the more than two dozen arrested who the college says are neither students nor staff.  UT Austin said the protest was organized by the Palestine Solidarity Committee, which seeks to "paralyze the operations of universities across the country." "This outside group presence is what we've seen from the affiliated national organization's efforts to disrupt and create disorder," UT Austin said. "Thirteen pro-Palestinian free speech events have taken place at the university, largely without incident since October. In contrast, this one in particular expressed an intent to disrupt the campus and directed participants to break institutional rules and occupy the university, consistent with national patterns."Democratic State Rep. Gina Hinojosa shot back at Abbott's claims the protesters were driven by antisemitism."Nice try but this isn't about antisemitism," Hinojosa wrote on X in response to Abbott's comments."This is about a war that students oppose and their right to gather and protest it. These are our kids, Governor. Stop trying to bait them to serve your political ambitions."Hundreds of students walked out of class earlier on Wednesday in an attempt to occupy the South Lawn on campus. As with similar protests across the country, demonstrators are calling on the university to divest from Israeli companies linked to the war in Gaza and demand that the fighting come to an end.  EMORY UNIVERSITY RIPS ANTI-ISRAEL 'ACTIVISTS' DISRUPTING CAMPUS; POLICE USE TEAR GAS, ZIP-TIES DURING ARRESTS The protests come as the Israel-Hamas war surpassed the six-month milestone earlier this month, which has resulted in tens of thousands of civilian Palestinian deaths. The stories of suffering in Gaza have sparked international calls for a cease-fire and protests around the world.University of Texas at Austin President Jay Hartzell said he unequivocally defended his decision to shut down an anti-Israel protest and said he recognized that there was "a lot of emotion surrounding these events." Peaceful protests within our rules are acceptable," Hartzell said in a lengthy statement Wednesday."Breaking our rules and policies and disrupting others' ability to learn are not allowed. The group that led this protest stated it was going to violate Institutional Rules. Our rules matter, and they will be enforced. Our university will not be occupied," the president added.Meanwhile, on Thursday, dozens of demonstrators attempted to erect a tent encampment at a courtyard at Princeton University, only for university police to break them up and make two arrests. While demonstrators took down their tents, students continued their protests by staging a sit-down on tarps and blankets at the New Jersey college.Police were also called to Emory University in Atlanta to remove outside agitators trespassing on the school's campus, according to Laura Diamond, assistant vice president of University Communications.The University of Southern California (USC) announced its  campus will remain closed  "until further notice" following a large anti-Israel protest on Wednesday that ended with 93 arrested. The school has also canceled its "main stage" commencement due to the anti-Israel disruptions.  Fox News Digital's Chris Pandolfo and Andrea Vacchiano contributed to this report. Fitness expert shares 5 yoga and Pilates exercises to help release stress from your body With Mental Health Awareness Month recognized in May, a fitness expert is sharing the best ways to reduce stress.  Kristina Rudzinskaya is a California-based certified Pilates instructor and founder of Etalon, a posture bra brand. Rudzinskaya has multiple certifications in Pilates and proper body form - and shared with Fox News Digital the best poses for those looking to relieve stress at this time of year (or any time).  YOGA RETREATS IN THE UNITED STATES AND AROUND THE WORLD FOR THE ULTIMATE UNWIND "Next time you feel stressed, remember to stand tall, breathe deeply and let Pilates work its magic on both body and mind," she said.Rudzinskaya connected good posture with releasing stress - and said aligning "our bodies properly during Pilates practice [can help] activate deep, stabilizing muscles, release tension and improve circulation."Try these simple poses at home for stress relief.One of the top recommended poses to help with relieving stress is the child's pose. "This classic post stretches and lengthens your spine, glutes and hamstrings - and is a great position to meditate," she said.  IMPROVE YOUR SLEEP BY OPTIMIZING 6 BIOMARKERS: 'INTEGRAL TO HEALTH' The position allows the body to relax while also stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system, said Rudzinskaya."The cat and cow exercise engages the core muscles, which helps stabilize the spine and improve posture," Rudzinskaya said.  MENTAL HEALTH IMPROVES WITHIN 20 SECONDS OF DAILY AFFIRMATIONS, STUDY FINDS: 'SELF-CARE STRATEGY' The Pilates instructor said the pose has a calming effect on the nervous system when paired with synchronized breathing - which promotes relaxation. Holding a side plank helps with core strength and can align the muscles along your sides and glutes, Rudzinskaya said."[It] provides a solid foundation to support your back and improve posture ... Combined with mindful breathing, this pose aids in stress release and relaxation while also presenting a symbol of stability and steadiness," she noted.  CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER Side planks can vary in difficulty level; you can hold your entire body up or place your knees on the ground for an alternative. Lying flat on the floor with your arms above your head and lifting your arms and legs in the air at the same time is considered the superman pose. Rudzinskaya said the movement "strengthens spinal muscles, promoting better alignment and posture."She continued, "Holding the pose builds back strength, fostering an extended body position - which helps feelings of confidence and self-esteem."The last pose Rudzinskaya recommended is a chest stretch for those who tend to sit a lot during the day."This stretch fixes the hunched posture from sitting a lot, encouraging a more open stance," she said. She added, "It relieves upper body tension caused by desk work or screen time - promoting relaxation through deeper breaths and an expanded chest." For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle . Mexican gang member captured after 2 dozen prior arrests for illegally entering US Border Patrol agents this week arrested a Mexican illegal immigrant gang member who has two dozen arrests for illegal entry, a sign of the many challenges that agents face at the southern border - and the threats of those attempting to enter.Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens announced that agents in Laredo, Texas, arrested a Mexican national who is a member of the "Tango Blast" gang.He has 24 arrests for illegal entry, under multiple names and dates of birth, Owens said. BORDER STATE LAWMAKER SOUNDS ALARM ON BLOODTHIRSTY VENEZUELAN GANG ENTERING US  "Certainty of arrest & consequences = Border Security = the only way to stop subjects like this," he said.Recidivism, where illegal immigrants are removed or deported and then attempt to re-enter illegally once again, is a regular problem at the southern border. The Biden administration has attempted to tackle recidivism by increasing punishments for illegal entry after the ending of Title 42 last year. However, it has also attacked a law signed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott that would make illegal entry a state crime and authorize police to arrest illegal immigrants. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS So far this fiscal year, Border Patrol agents have stopped 248 gang members, compared to 639 in all of FY 23 and 751 in FY 22. Overall, there have been 1.3 million migrant encounters at the southern border so far, compared to a record 2.4 million last fiscal year. BLOODTHIRSTY VENEZUELAN GANG TREN DE ARAGUA SETS UP SHOP IN US AS BORDER AUTHORITIES SOUND ALARM Republicans have called for the Biden administration to reverse its policies, which they believe are responsible for the historic crisis at the southern border. The Biden administration, meanwhile, says it needs more funding and comprehensive immigration reform from Congress. It has backed a bipartisan Senate bill, but that bill has so far failed to receive enough support to pass the chamber.But lawmakers and some officials have warned about the looming danger of gang members trying to enter into the U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas , recently sounded the alarm about Tren De Aragua, a bloodthirsty Venezuelan street gang whose presence is being felt across the U.S. Greg Norman confirms LIV deal was not offered to Rory McIlroy, says he would be 'happy' to sit down with him LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman confirmed Wednesday that the rival Saudi-backed tour did not offer a lucrative deal to recruit one of the PGA Tour's biggest stars, Rory McIlroy, but he didn't shut down the idea either. In a Wednesday press conference ahead of LIV Adelaide in Australia, Norman was asked about the reports that McIlroy was offered around $850 million with a 2% equity in the organization to join LIV. But Norman, joined by former PGA Tour player Jon Rahm, denied the report.  CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM "LIV never put an offer to him," he said. "This is just typical white noise that gets out there in the industry.""If Rory was willing to sit down and have a conversation with us, would we be happy to sit down with him? 100% - no different than any other player who would be interested in coming on and playing with us."McIlroy also denied the report during last week's 2024 RBC Heritage, a statement that came just days before it was revealed that he would be returning to the PGA Tour's policy board, from which he resigned abruptly last November. TIGER WOODS TO GET $100 MILLION IN EQUITY FOR STAYING WITH PGA, RORY MCILROY RECEIVING $50 MILLION: REPORT "I think I've made it clear over the past two years that I don't think that it's something for me. Doesn't mean that I judge people that have went and played over there," he said at the time."I think one of the things I've realized over the past two years is that people can make their own decisions for whatever they think is best for themselves, and who are we to judge them for that? But, personally for me, my future is here on the PGA Tour, and it's never been any different." McIlroy's softened stance on the rival tour comes amid the PGA Tour's continued talks with the DP World Tour and LIV for a potential partnership. Norman expressed his confidence in LIV on Wednesday, and similar to McIlroy, expressed no hard feelings between the two tours. "It's understanding the facts about what LIV represents and what LIV can deliver on a global basis - that's up to you to determine it. I've sat down with one top, top PGA Tour player in his house with another member of my team, walking through the whole process, and he was so impressed - he said, 'Well, that's not what we're told in the locker room. This is really impressive.' But he made the decision. He called me up two days later and said, 'I've decided to stay where I'm at.' I said, 'Happy days. You made a decision on fact. If you're happier over here, fine, stay there. Your door is always open. If you want to come back and have a conversation with us, happy to do that.'"

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