Politics

The House of Representatives passed a roughly $80 billion spending package Wednesday evening, taking a significant step toward averting a government shutdown at the end of this month. The package combines two of Congress’ 12 annual appropriations bills in what’s called a ‘minibus.’ It covers funding for the State Department and related national security, as well as federal financial services and general government operations. The bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in a 341-79 vote....

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected claims of mass casualties amid a recent surge in protests within the Islamic country and blamed any killings that have taken place on an ‘Israeli plot’ intended to create a large number of casualties.  The claim came during a wide-ranging interview on Fox News’ ‘Special Report with Brett Baier’ Wednesday evening, during which Araghchi was told estimates have indicated the death toll in his country could be anywhere between...

A Senate Republican wants to crack down on childcare providers convicted of fraud with legislation that would, among a handful of tweaks to current law, require the fraudsters to pay back the misspent taxpayer money. The bill from Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, would amend the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act to impose harsher penalties on childcare providers convicted of fraud, and one of several moves in the upper chamber to tackle the sprawling...

Democrats and Republicans are united in opposing U.S. military strikes against Iran to retaliate for the killing of protesters amid a wave of massive demonstrations against the Iranian government in recent weeks, according to a new national poll. Seventy percent of voters questioned in a new Quinnipiac University survey said they think the U.S. should not get involved militarily in Iran, with 18% saying the U.S. should take military action. The vast majority of Independents...

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday afternoon from the Oval Office that he learned the killing in Iran has ended.  ‘We’ve been told that the killing in Iran is stopping, and it’s stopped and stopping, and there’s no plan for executions or an execution,’ Trump said. ‘So, I’ve been told that on good authority. We’ll find out about.’ Trump made the announcement during a bill-signing ceremony in the Oval Office focused on ending an Obama-era policy...

France’s ambassador to the United Nations said Paris has strongly condemned Iran’s violent crackdown on nationwide protests, as the French government weighs possible satellite communications support to help Iranians circumvent a near-total internet blackout. In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Jerome Bonnafont described what he said was an escalation in repression by Iranian authorities and outlined France’s response, including sanctions and diplomatic pressure. ‘We have condemned very, very strongly, at the highest level,...

Republican lawmakers are jumping on a social media trend to show their support for the anti-regime protesters in Iran. Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., and Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., posted photos of themselves using burning photos of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to light up a cigarette and a cigar, respectively. Both lawmakers used the caption ‘Smoke ’em if you got ’em.’ The lawmaker’s images mirror a social media trend in which people are using burning photos of...

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer’s press conference devolved into chaos Wednesday morning when an apparent activist repeatedly interrupted and confronted the Kentucky Republican about his plans to initiate contempt of Congress proceedings against the Clintons. Comer addressed reporters after Hillary Clinton missed her scheduled deposition in the committee’s Jeffrey Epstein probe.  Minutes after he began talking, however, a man who identified himself as a ‘citizen reporter’ started heckling him and the other Republicans present....

The Trump administration’s special envoy announced Wednesday the launch of phase two of a plan to end the war between Israel and Hamas, which is to establish a transitional technocratic Palestinian administration in Gaza.  ‘The US expects Hamas to comply fully with its obligations, including the immediate return of the final deceased hostage. Failure to do so will bring serious consequences,’ Witkoff said in a post on X.  The new phase will consist of ‘moving...

The Trump administration is tearing up an Obama-era policy barring public schools participating in the National School Lunch Program from offering whole and 2% milk to students.  A White House official confirmed to Fox News Digital that President Donald Trump will sign the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act Wednesday afternoon.  The executive order dismantles restrictions laid out in the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, signed by former President Barack Obama, which requires public...