Obama urges Virginians to vote yes on redistricting measure that could give Democrats 4 more House seats

Former President Barack Obama is urging Virginians to vote in favor of a congressional redistricting ballot measure that if passed, could give Democrats a big boost in this year's midterm elections.

"By voting yes, you have the chance to do something important — not just for the Commonwealth, but for our entire country," Obama said in the video. "By voting yes, you can push back against the Republicans trying to give themselves an unfair advantage in the midterms."

The video by the former president, who remains one of the most popular former presidents and whose favorable ratings among Democrats remain very high a decade after leaving the White House, was released Friday on the eve of the final day of early voting ahead of Tuesday's statewide referendum.

If the ballot measure is successful, it would give the Democrat-controlled legislature — rather than the current nonpartisan commission — temporary redistricting power through the 2030 election. It could result in a 10-1 advantage for Democrats in Virginia's congressional delegation, up from their current 6-5 edge.

OBAMA ENDORSES VIRGINIA REDISTRICTING CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT COULD HELP DEMS GAIN 4 SEATS

That would give Democrats four additional left-leaning U.S. House seats ahead of the midterms, as the party tries to win back control of the chamber from the GOP, which currently holds a razor-thin majority.

"By voting yes, you can take a temporary step to level the playing field. And we're counting on you," Obama said in the video.

Republicans call the Democrats' redistricting effort an "unconstitutional power grab." Democrats counter that it's a necessary step to balance out partisan gerrymandering already implemented by Republicans in other states under the urging of President Donald Trump.

The video by Obama is the former president's latest effort tied to the referendum. He has previously appeared in ads released by Virginians for Fair Elections, the Democrat-aligned group working to pass the ballot initiative.

Virginians For Fair Maps, the leading Republican-aligned group opposing redistricting, is using past comments by Obama against political gerrymandering in their ads opposing the referendum.

"Because of things like political gerrymandering, our parties have moved further and further apart, and it’s harder and harder to find common ground," the former president says in a clip showcased in the spot.

A separate group that is also urging Virginians to vote no has sent mailers across the state featuring Obama's image alongside a six-year-old quote from the former president saying, "For too long, gerrymandering has contributed to stalled progress and warped our representative government."

Supporters of redistricting have dramatically outraised and outspent groups opposed to the referendum. But polling suggests support for the ballot initiative is only slightly ahead of opposition, amid a surge in early voting.

Virginia is the latest battleground in the high-stakes fight between Trump and the GOP versus Democrats over congressional redistricting.

BATTLE FOR THE HOUSE RUNS THROUGH VIRGINIA AS COURT OKS HIGH-STAKES REDISTRICTING VOTE

Aiming to prevent what happened during his first term in the White House when Democrats reclaimed the House majority in the 2018 midterms, Trump last spring first floated the idea of rare, but not unheard of, mid-decade congressional redistricting.

The mission was simple: redraw congressional district maps in red states to pad the GOP's fragile House majority to keep control of the chamber in the midterms, when the party in power traditionally faces political headwinds and loses seats.

When asked by reporters last summer about his plan to add Republican-leaning House seats across the country, the president said, "Texas will be the biggest one. And that’ll be five."

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas called a special session of the GOP-dominated state legislature to pass the new map.

But Democratic state lawmakers, who broke quorum for two weeks as they fled Texas in a bid to delay the passage of the redistricting bill, energized Democrats across the country.

Among those leading the fight against Trump's redistricting was Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom of California.

REPUBLICANS TARGET VIRGINIA GOVERNOR IN BID TO DEFEAT DEMOCRAT-BACKED REDISTRICTING

California voters in November overwhelmingly passed Proposition 50, a ballot initiative that temporarily sidetracked the left-leaning state's nonpartisan redistricting commission and returned the power to draw the congressional maps to the Democratic-dominated legislature.

That is expected to result in five more Democratic-leaning congressional districts in California, which aimed to counter the move by Texas to redraw their maps.

The fight quickly spread beyond Texas and California.

Republican-controlled Missouri and Ohio, and swing state North Carolina, where the GOP dominates the legislature, have drawn new maps as part of the president's push.

In blows to Republicans, a Utah district judge late last year rejected a congressional district map drawn up by the state's GOP-dominated legislature and instead approved an alternate that will create a Democratic-leaning district ahead of the midterms.

Meanwhile, Republicans in Indiana's Senate in December defied Trump, shooting down a redistricting bill that had passed the state House. The showdown in the Indiana statehouse grabbed plenty of national attention.

Florida is next up.

Two-term Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and state lawmakers in the GOP-dominated legislature are hoping to pick up an additional three to five right-leaning seats through a redistricting push during a special legislative session that kicks off on April 28.

Hovering over the redistricting wars is the Supreme Court, which is expected to rule in Louisiana v. Callais, a crucial case that may lead to the overturning of a key provision in the Voting Rights Act.

If the ruling goes the way of the conservatives on the high court, it could lead to the redrawing of a slew of majority-minority districts across the county, which would greatly favor Republicans.

But it is very much up in the air — when the court will rule, and what it will actually do.

source https://www.foxnews.com/politics/obama-urges-virginians-vote-yes-redistricting-measure-could-give-democrats-four-house-seats

Rep Burlison demands FBI probe after top US scientists vanish or turn up dead

House Oversight Committee member Eric Burlison is demanding the FBI get involved after a string of "disturbing" disappearances and deaths involving U.S. scientists and researchers with access to top-level secrets.

Burlison described the pattern as "too coincidental" to ignore after at least 10 researchers have gone missing or turned up dead in the last two years.

"This is a rattling call to pay attention to this issue and make sure that our nation's top scientists are safe and secure. This is too coincidental," the Missouri republican said Friday on "Fox & Friends."

"We have to be investigating this. We need to have our nation’s top investigators, the FBI and every agency looking into this matter," he added.

GOVERNMENT WITHHOLDING INFORMATION ON UFOS FROM THE PUBLIC, GOP REP SAYS

Burlison said his office first became aware of the trend last year when an individual scheduled to speak with him, Matthew Sullivan, died by suicide under what he described as suspicious circumstances. He said his office referred the case to the Office of the Inspector General and the FBI, which he said deemed it "credible and urgent."

The recent disappearance of retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William "Neil" McCasland in February was another wake-up call. McCasland had been involved in research on unidentified anomalous phenomena and held top roles in space research.

Authorities at the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office in New Mexico said he walked out of his home while his wife was out, leaving his phone behind but taking his wallet and a gun. McCasland’s wife wrote on Facebook that her husband retired years ago, and that it’s "quite unlikely that he was taken to extract very dated secrets from him."

MISSING RETIRED AIR FORCE GENERAL CONSULTED ON UFOS FOR BLINK-182'S TOM DELONGE

Still, Burlison said the number of cases warrants an investigation.

"What's really disturbing when you look back and reflect on it, you've got Monica Reza, you've got Anthony Chavez, you got Melissa Cassius and you have Steven Garcia, all of which, along with General McCasland, walked out of their homes," Burlison said.

MISSING GENERAL, SCIENTIST DEATHS TIED TO SECRET US WORK PROMPT WHITE HOUSE PROBE

"These are some of the most advanced scientists, researchers in our nation, some of the most important people for our nation's national security efforts, and they all just mysteriously disappeared," he added.

President Donald Trump addressed the disappearances this week but did not say whether he believes the cases are connected. He noted that he would know more soon, having just emerged from a briefing on the subject.

"Hopefully, I don't know, coincidence, if you want it, whatever you want to call it. But some of them were very important people, and we're [going to] look at it," Trump said.

source https://www.foxnews.com/media/rep-burlison-demands-fbi-probe-top-us-scientists-vanish-turn-dead

Turkish grad student who co-authored anti-Israel op-ed at Tufts self-deports after legal battle with DHS

Rumeysa Ozturk, a Tufts University medical graduate student from Turkey whose charges were dropped after DHS detained her for allegedly "[engaging] in activities in support of Hamas," has self-deported to Turkey, according to sources familiar with the matter. 

Ozturk self-deported from the U.S. late Thursday night on a flight to Istanbul, Turkey, according to sources familiar.

Ozturk was detained by ICE in Somerville, Massachusetts, in March 2025, sparking a battle between the Trump administration and a federal judge over her detainment.

The Tufts graduate student was living in the U.S. under an F-1 student visa, which the Trump administration revoked around March 21, 2025. At the time her visa was revoked, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Trump administration were cracking down on student visas for students who were involved in protests and demonstrations regarding Israel and Palestine.

JUDGE WHO BLASTED TRUMP AS 'AUTHORITARIAN' BLOCKS US FROM DEPORTING PRO-PALESTINIAN CAMPUS ACTIVISTS

"After 13 years of dedicated study, I am very proud to have completed my Ph.D. and to return home on my own timeline," Ozturk said in a statement. "The time stolen from me by the U.S. government belongs not just to me, but to the children and youth I have dedicated my life to advocating for. With them in mind, I am choosing to return home as planned to continue my career as a woman scholar without losing more time to the state-imposed violence and hostility I have experienced in the United States – all for nothing more than co-signing an op-ed advocating for Palestinian rights."

Ozturk co-authored an opinion piece on March 26, 2024 that was published in Tufts Daily, a student newspaper on campus.

"Credible accusations against Israel include accounts of deliberate starvation and indiscriminate slaughter of Palestinian civilians and plausible genocide," the op-ed read. 

The authors, including Ozturk, were critical of the university’s response to anti-Israel protests, saying that the university should publicly acknowledge Palestinian suffering. 

Rubio specifically referenced opinion pieces in a statement surrounding the revoking of student visas, notably after the arrest of Ozturk on March 25, 2025.

DHS SAYS COLUMBIA STUDENT TAKEN INTO CUSTODY IS ILLEGAL ALIEN WHOSE VISA WAS TERMINATED UNDER OBAMA ADMIN

"If you apply for a visa to enter the United States and be a student, and you tell us that the reason why you're coming to the United States is not just because you want to write op-eds, but because you want to participate in movements that are involved in doing things like vandalizing universities, harassing students, taking over buildings, creating a ruckus — we're not going to give you a visa," Rubio said.

Trump's Department of Justice also weighed in on Ozturk's self-deportation.

"Attending elite colleges and universities in the United States is a privilege afforded to foreign students who respect our values and follow our laws," a DOJ official told Fox News. "Rümeysa Öztürk chose not to abide by those simple conditions, and as a result left the United States - something the Administration sought to accomplish from the beginning. We will continue to seek the deportation of any foreign student who abuses their opportunity to study in America by engaging in vile antisemitism, harassment, or other illegal behavior."

Following Ozturk’s arrest, she was transferred to Methuen, Mass., then Lebanon, New Hampshire, and Vermont before she was sent to the South Louisiana ICE processing facility, according to reports.  

Protests erupted at Tufts and across the country over her arrest, and two months later she was released on bail.

ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATOR MAHMOUD KHALIL ONE STEP CLOSER TO DEPORTATION WITH IMMIGRATION BOARD RULING

The legal battle continued between the Trump administration and Ozturk, who was legally represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), until Feb. 9 when Biden-appointed Boston immigration Judge Roopal Patel terminated deportation proceedings. 

Patel ruled that the Department of Homeland Security lacked the legal grounds to deport her. 

"I grieve for the many human beings who do not get to see the mistreatment they have faced brought into the light," Ozturk said in a statement released by her attorneys after the ruling. "When we openly talk about the many injustices around us, including the treatment of immigrants and others who have been targeted and thrown in for-profit ICE prisons, as well as what is happening in Gaza, true justice will prevail."

THE US GOVERNMENT TARGETED ME FOR MY POLITICAL SPEECH. IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU, TOO

The Trump Department of Justice fired Patel, among other immigration judges, last week.

Since Patel ruled as an immigration judge and not a federal Article III judge, the Trump administration and the executive branch has authority over her tenure.

The White House issued a press release on April 9, titled: "Era of Amnesty Is Over: President Trump Restores Rule of Law to Immigration Courts," in which the administration touted "the most aggressive and successful immigration enforcement overhaul in modern history."

"President Trump promised to end the open borders nightmare — and he is delivering on that promise with unrelenting force. The era of catch-and-release, mass releases, and activist judicial amnesty is over," the White House statement reads.

source https://www.foxnews.com/politics/turkish-grad-student-co-authored-anti-israel-op-ed-tufts-self-deports-legal-battle-dhs

Yankees fans brawl in stands as team gets beat down by Angels amid frustrating skid

A beautiful day for baseball did not stop some friendly fire in the South Bronx on Thursday.

The New York Yankees were wrapping up their four-game set against Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels in a Thursday matinee when during L.A.'s 11-4 victory, fans in the stands had some extracurricular activity.

In a 20-second clip posted online, it appears that at least five people were involved in the mayhem.

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One person in a Gerrit Cole jersey threw a nasty right hook after grabbing someone from behind. Someone else in an Aaron Judge jersey also appeared to throw a jab.

Cooler heads prevailed relatively quickly, but the damage had already been done.

Perhaps the fans were just re-enacting what had happened on the field: a beatdown.

MIKE TROUT'S TORRID ANGELS SERIES VS YANKEES ENDS IN HISTORIC FASHION AFTER HE BLASTS FIFTH HOME RUN

The loss for the Yankees extended their winless-series streak to three, as they have now lost eight of their last 11 games.

Trout and Judge went blow-for-blow, but not in the same fashion as the fans. Both three-time AL MVPs combined for nine home runs, with Trout turning back the clock to hit five. He became the only player in the history of baseball to hit a home run in four consecutive games at Yankee Stadium as a visitor.

Temperatures reached near 90 degrees in New York on Thursday, so perhaps patience was wearing thin on E. 161st Street.

The Bombers begin a three-game set at home against the Kansas City Royals before hitting the road for nine games against the Boston Red Sox, Houston Astros, and Texas Rangers.

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source https://www.foxnews.com/sports/yankees-fans-brawl-stands-team-gets-beat-angels-amid-frustrating-skid

Iranian-American doctor sends fiery message to Hollywood actress as Iran prepares to execute female protester

Dr. Sheila Nazarian said Wednesday on "America's Newsroom" that actress Elizabeth Banks and other public figures are ignoring what she described as ongoing human rights abuses against women in Iran, including executions tied to recent protests.

"This Elizabeth Banks sitting comfy in a little cushy couch on a podcast with her hair slicked back talking about how could anyone vote for Donald Trump," Nazarian said. "You claim to be a feminist. You claim to be a humanitarian. Where are you when the women need you? You’re a fake. You’re a hypocrite."

Nazarian’s remarks came after Banks said she does not "understand" the 53% of White women who voted for President Donald Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris.

"I don’t understand the 53% of White ladies that didn’t vote for Kamala. What were you thinking?" Banks said in a "Bustle" podcast episode.

EXILED IRANIAN WARNS REGIME WAS 'AGGRESSIVELY PATIENT THREAT WAITING TO POUNCE' ON AMERICA

Nazarian, a California-based plastic surgeon who fled Iran as a child, made the remarks during an interview with host Bill Hemmer, who cited reports from human rights groups that Iranian courts had sentenced four more people to death following January protests, including a woman.

The segment focused on both the treatment of women under Iran’s regime and broader reactions in the West. Nazarian framed the issue as a humanitarian crisis, criticizing what she characterized as selective outrage from prominent voices.

"This woman, Beta, is about to be gang-raped and publicly executed, and so are three more women," Nazarian said. "They have been doing this to many young people every single day, one or two public executions."

Nazarian described practices she attributed to the Iranian regime regarding female prisoners facing execution.

"In Iran, this regime, these Islamists, they believe that if a woman is killed and she’s a virgin, she goes to heaven," she said. "So what they do is they will gang-rape her before they execute her."

IRANIAN JOURNALIST URGES TRUMP TO 'FINISH THE JOB,' SAYS IRANIANS FEAR 'WOUNDED REGIME'

"They are killing young people every single day," Nazarian said.

Nazarian also pointed to her family’s experience fleeing Iran, describing the risks they faced under the regime.

"My family escaped Iran on the back of a pickup truck while the Iranian border police was shooting at us," she said. "They had two daughters. They could see this is no future for a girl in Iran."

"Imagine there are millions of people in Iran who knew freedom 47 years ago, and they lost it," Nazarian said.

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Hemmer asked about reports that much of Iran had been offline, while some elites retained internet access. Nazarian said her information from inside the country reflects fear of the regime.

"The only things that I’m hearing from Iran is that they don’t want the bombs to stop," she said. "They are more afraid of this regime than they are of the targeted attacks."

Nazarian reiterated that the situation extends beyond geopolitics and should be viewed through the lens of human rights.

"Iran isn't just a military war or peace in the Middle East or oil stabilization," she said. "This is a humanitarian issue."

source https://www.foxnews.com/media/iranian-american-doctor-sends-fiery-message-hollywood-actress-iran-prepares-execute-female-protester

Two icebreakers headed to Alaska as US combats Russian, Chinese influence in Arctic

FIRST ON FOX: The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) announced two Arctic Security Cutters will be homeported in Alaska by the end of 2028 and will serve to strengthen American maritime in the Arctic region.

The USCG, which operates under the Department of Homeland Security, could potentially award up to 11 Arctic Security Cutter contracts in 2026 using roughly $3.5 billion in funding provided by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

"Homeporting these two Arctic Security Cutters in Alaska is a decisive step forward in securing America’s Arctic frontier," Secretary Markwayne Mullin told Fox News Digital in a statement.

TRUMP UNVEILS $1.5T DEFENSE SURGE, DEEP DOMESTIC CUTS — WHAT’S ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK

"I want to thank President Trump for his bold leadership and vision in directing this critical investment, as well as Senator Sullivan and the entire Alaskan Congressional delegation for championing the funding that made these icebreakers possible," he said.

"These vessels will deliver the enduring operational presence our nation needs to protect sovereignty, deter foreign adversaries, and safeguard vital resources for the American people," Mullin added. 

Arctic Security Cutters create opportunities for operations in frozen regions where ship transport is normally challenging or impossible to navigate. The vessel is structured with a rounded and sloped bow, allowing the ship to ride up on top of the surface of the ice and smash through using the weight of the ship. 

Where most ships would get stuck, icebreakers use reinforced hulls, high-powered engines and special propellers to plow through dense ice fields, creating a passageway after the ice separates. 

CHAD WOLF: TRUMP IS SERIOUS ABOUT THE CHINA THREAT AND IS REBUILDING OUR ARSENAL

Coast Guard Arctic District has a total of 16 cutters homeported in Alaska, according to the USCG

The move also comes as Russia and China have both increased interest in the Arctic and icebreaker production.

Russia has roughly 40 icebreakers in the polar region, according to multiple reports, and has been developing the Northern Sea Route (NSR) using the vessels in an effort to establish a potentially dominant trade route as ice melts and paths are cleared. 

The China Research Center reported that the NSR would be a 40% faster trading route than the Suez Canal traditionally used for trade between China and Europe. 

The Arctic is known to have high levels of oil, gas, minerals, hydrocarbons and rare elements, sparking moves from prominent countries to have more presence in the region.

WHY TRUMP ZEROED IN ON GREENLAND AND WHY IT MATTERS IN 3 MAPS

Reports indicate that China and Russia are collaborating on patrols, research and shipping in the Arctic, as China is reliant on the Russians for access to Arctic routes.

Last October, President Donald Trump signed a $6.1 billion agreement with President Alexander Stubb of Finland to acquire four icebreakers for the U.S. 

"We need these ships very badly because we have a lot of territory, more than anybody. And so, I’m very honored to have this deal. And thank you very much. It’s going to be great," Trump said.

TRUMP’S $12B RARE EARTH PLAN TARGETS CHINA AS EXPERTS WARN US IS ‘ONE CRISIS AWAY’

U.S. defense officials have identified the Arctic as a top national security priority, noting the importance of early-warning systems and missile detection networks.

"Homeporting Arctic Security Cutters in Alaska underscores the United States’ leadership as a maritime power in the Arctic," USCG Commandant Adm. Kevin E. Lunday told Fox News Digital in a statement. 

"By strategically positioning these state-of-the-art icebreakers in Alaska, the Coast Guard will maximize our ability to defend our northern border and approaches, while reinforcing America’s maritime dominance in a crucial region of strategic importance," Lunday explained.

The USCG said that a revitalized icebreaker fleet will also counter malign influence in the Arctic as well as allow for faster response to crises and contingencies in the region.

source https://www.foxnews.com/politics/two-icebreakers-headed-alaska-us-combats-russian-chinese-influence-arctic

PGA tour winner says golfers who beat up course look 'very spoiled' after Sergio Garcia's Masters meltdown

Six-time PGA Tour winner Max Homa said he doesn’t like golfers beating up the course in frustration, saying it makes those who play the sport look "very spoiled."

Homa, 35, was asked about the code of conduct at the Masters and what he thinks dictates a violation following Sergio Garcia's receipt of a code of conduct warning at the Masters for beating up a tee box. Homa did not directly mentioning Garcia’s name but took issue with Garcia’s meltdown.

"I don't like when people break clubs. I don't like when people beat up the golf course because we deal with it, and I think the breaking clubs makes us look very, very spoiled," Homa said during a press conference Wednesday at the RBC Heritage.

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"I try my absolute best not to do it. And when it does happen, as far as slamming a tee box, I’m very upset with myself because we’re very lucky to play this game where we do, and I think it is a bad look."

Garcia apologized for his outburst in a post to social media on Tuesday.

For Homa, in addition to controlling his physical outbursts, he tries to watch his language when on the golf course as well.

SERGIO GARCIA APOLOGIZES FOR HIS MASTERS MELTDOWN, SAYS HE REGRETS HIS ACTIONS

"I say a lot of bad words. I very much try to do it not when a kid can hear," Homa said. "So I do think there's some, hey, don't say it in front of the wrong person, like be a bit aware of your surroundings. Not saying I've never done it."

The PGA Tour and major championships have adopted a new code of conduct policy that penalizes players for actions considered detrimental to the game’s image. Actions like club throwing, profanity or mistreating equipment or officials will result in penalties.

Homa said he likes the conversation being had around a code of conduct policy.

"It's never a bad thing to have that conversation being had. That's good," Homa said. "Between that and pace-of-play stuff, there's things we can address, and we can wait until we kind of figure it out until we implement it, but at least the conversation is going that way."

"We want to inspire the next generation to be better than us, so we need to be held to a higher standard."

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source https://www.foxnews.com/sports/pga-tour-winner-says-golfers-beat-course-look-spoiled-sergio-garcias-masters-meltdown