Trump ally Habba ousted from top prosecutor role as career attorney takes over

Interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba’s future as the top prosecutor in the District of New Jersey was thrust into uncertainty Tuesday after district court judges voted against keeping her in the role.

Habba’s 120-day term is set to expire, and after convening behind closed doors Monday to consider extending her term, the judges voted to replace her with Desiree Grace, a career attorney and Habba’s top assistant. Grace will take over the post temporarily beginning Tuesday, according to a court order.

Habba, who served as President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer and legal spokeswoman during his campaign, stirred controversy soon after she ascended to U.S. attorney.

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She had Newark’s Democratic mayor, Ras Baraka, arrested in May for allegedly trespassing in an immigration detention facility. But Habba quickly dropped the charges, and a judge scolded her for the move, suggesting she was attempting to “satisfy public clamor.” Baraka is now suing Habba for defamation.

Trump made clear this month he wanted to keep Habba as U.S. attorney, nominating her for the full four-year position earlier this month. Habba also nabbed endorsements from several law enforcement groups, who praised her as a tough prosecutor who would prioritize street crime.

But Habba has also been heavily criticized for having no prior prosecutorial experience and politicizing the role, including by saying on a right-wing podcast after she took the job that she hoped to help “turn New Jersey red.” 

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Habba has no current path to Senate confirmation after New Jersey’s two Democratic senators, Cory Booker and Andy Kim, declined to give favorable recommendations for her as part of the Senate’s “blue slip” tradition.

Booker congratulated Grace in a statement Tuesday.

“I respect the District Court’s decision today to exercise its authority to appoint a new United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey and congratulate Desiree Grace, who has served as a prosecutor in the office since 2016, on her appointment,” Booker wrote, adding that New Jerseyans deserve an attorney “who will enforce the law without fear or favor.”

Trump found a roundabout way to temporarily reinstate the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York, who had been in a situation similar to Habba’s. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.

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Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche defended Habba in a statement on Tuesday, saying the judges, most of whom were appointed by Democratic presidents, were “trying to force out” Habba early and that her term did not end until Friday.

“Their rush reveals what this was always about: a left-wing agenda, not the rule of law,” Blanche wrote on X. “When judges act like activists, they undermine confidence in our justice system. Alina is President Trump’s choice to lead — and no partisan bench can override that.”

ICE director has choice words for Ohio man’s alleged threats against agents

ICE’s acting director is speaking out against an Ohio man who is facing federal charges for making “multiple threats online to shoot and kill ICE officers,” calling his alleged posts “disgusting and completely unhinged.”

Anthony Kelly, 38, of Cincinnati, wrote “#RevolutionIsTheSolution #DestroyICE they’re rabid dogs that need to be put down. Including #KristiNoem” in one of his alleged social media posts, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced Tuesday. 

“Let me be crystal clear: Threatening to kill a federal officer is not protest — it’s terrorism,” acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said in a statement. “Anthony Kelly’s violent threats, while disgusting and completely unhinged, are a symptom of a larger problem: Politicians are trying to turn our law enforcement officials into targets by scaring their constituents and whipping them into a frenzy in a fact-free vacuum.  

“This is what happens when anti-ICE activists don’t realize or care that we’re out there arresting rapists, murderers and child molesters who are in this country illegally. Enough is enough. Anyone who targets ICE personnel will be met with swift, unrelenting justice,” he added. 

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ICE said its Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI arrested Kelly on July 19. He was federally charged with threatening to assault, kidnap or murder a United States official, as well as transmitting communications containing threats to kidnap or injure another person. 

“Law enforcement became aware of a social media user going by the name of ‘Slab’ after he allegedly made multiple social media posts calling for the killing of ICE officers and detailing his acquisition of firearms to carry out that threat,” ICE added. “After an investigation, the user making these posts was identified as Kelly, who lives in the Cincinnati area.” 

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The agency said in one post, Kelly allegedly wrote “Why even bother with these d— courts anymore. #Gestapedos don’t deserve anything but the smoke coming for them anyway.” 

“You come here for me, you’re getting shot. And I’m not looking to disable […] I’m shooting for the kill. I won’t give a **** about your names, who you are, or anything else,” he reportedly said in another. 

Kelly now remains in custody pending federal court proceedings. 

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“Calling for violence against federal law enforcement is not protected by the First Amendment,”  HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey said. “At great personal risk, ICE agents and officers faithfully enforce laws passed by our representatives in Congress. If members of the public disagree with our nation’s laws, they need to write their representatives, not threaten violence against those charged with carrying out the law.” 

‘Prince of Darkness’ Ozzy Osbourne passes away surrounded by loving family

Ozzy Osbourne, the lead singer of Black Sabbath, died Tuesday. He was 76.

“It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning,” the family said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. “He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”

Osbourne recently performed his final concert with the band in Birmingham, England. The 10-hour show on July 5 was hosted by Jason Momoa, and featured performances from Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Jack Black, Steven Tyler and more. 

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Osbourne is survived by wife Sharon, daughters Kelly and Aimee, and son Jack, in addition to daughter Jessica, and sons Elliot and Louis from his first marriage to Thelma Riley.

The “Iron Man” singer was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2003. However, he didn’t speak publicly about his diagnosis until 2020.

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The Black Sabbath frontman admitted that he couldn’t walk anymore on a Jan. 29 episode of his Sirius XM show, “Ozzy Speaks.” “I may be moaning about how I can’t walk, but I look down the road and there’s people that didn’t do half as much as me, and they didn’t make it,” he said at the time.

In a July post, daughter Kelly noted that Ozzy’s mobility had declined.

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“He’s not dying,” she emphasized. “Yes, he has Parkinson’s, and yes, his mobility is completely different than it used to be, but he’s not dying. What is wrong with you?”

Kelly shared her response earlier this month to a social media user who still insisted her father was dying.

“Believe me I fully understand how this works. Your message is incredibly rude,” she wrote. “So firstly I want to tell you to go f— yourself! He is not in stage 5!!! That is not the way his kind of Parkinson’s works.”

She added: “Stop watching AI generated content and stop perpetuating the bulls—. I don’t really respond [to] messages such as this but you really pissed me off how dare you!”

The heavy metal singer-songwriter struggled with a number of physical ailments over the years. In 2003, he almost died in an ATV accident when his quad flipped onto him while he was riding around his London estate.

In 2022, the “Mama I’m Coming Home” singer underwent surgery to remove and realign pins in his neck and back. Ozzy’s back problems likely stemmed from the all-terrain vehicle collision.

At the time, he had to undergo emergency surgery for “a broken collarbone, eight fractured ribs that were pinching crucial blood vessels and damaged vertebrae in his neck.”

“I’m just waiting on some more surgery on my neck,” he told Classic Rock magazine in May 2022. “I can’t walk properly these days. I have physical therapy every morning. I am somewhat better, but nowhere near as much as I want to be to go back on the road.”

When asked if he ever thought about his own mortality, Ozzy said he felt optimistic about his future as he looked back on the past.

“At f—ing 73, I’ve done pretty well,” he said. “I don’t plan on going anywhere, but my time’s going to come.”

Years after his success as a heavy metal rock star, the Osbourne family became a household name in the early 2000s when MTV took fans inside their lives as famous stars — and the children of rock royalty — with an unscripted show about the family. The series premiered in 2002 and ran for four seasons, with a final curtain call in 2005.

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Red Sox stunned as Phillies beat them on rare play not seen since 1971

The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Boston Red Sox in walk-off fashion, but in a bizarre way that hasn’t happened since 1971. 

With the bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the 10th inning, Edmundo Sosa was trying to be the hero at the plate in Citizens Banks Park. However, when he attempted to swing at a Red Sox pitch outside the strike zone, he checked his bat just in time as to not cross the plate for a strike call. 

As he was doing it, though, his bat made contact with Red Sox catcher Carlos Narvaez’s glove – catcher’s interference. 

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No, Sosa wasn’t intending on swinging all the way through the pitch, but when the bat makes contact with the catcher’s glove, it’s an automatic interference call and a trip to first base. With the bases loaded and nowhere to put Sosa, Brandon Marsh waltzed home for the 3-2 victory. 

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While a celebration unfolded for the Phillies, the Red Sox couldn’t believe that’s the way they went out on the road Monday night. 

This marked the second time ever a catcher’s interference ended a baseball game in the divisional era, which began in 1969, per MLB.com. The last time it happened was 1971. 

It was a huge win either way for Philadelphia, as they maintained their NL East lead by a half-game over the New York Mets, who came back to beat the Los Angeles Angels, 7-5, in their matchup on Monday. 

The Phillies saw RBI singles from Nick Castellanos and J.T. Realmuto in the fourth inning, but those were the only two runs they scored over the first nine innings. 

Boston, which saw Jarren Duran belt a homer in the top of the first inning, finally got back on the scoreboard thanks to Trevor Story to tie the game.

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However, after not being able to capture a run at the top of the 10th, it was a brutal way to go out in the end. 

Grocery giant closes several locations as struggles mount for industry

A prominent southern grocery store chain is shuttering some of its locations due to poor financial performance as the industry faces growing challenges with rising competition, increased costs and shifting consumer preferences. 

Homeland Acquisition Corp. (HAC) Inc., which has a significant presence in Oklahoma, Texas and Georgia, confirmed to FOX Business that it is closing four locations under the Homeland, United Supermarkets and Discount Foods banners in Oklahoma. The stores are slated to close by Aug. 16. 

One of its Piggly Wiggly locations in Gordon, Georgia, is also slated to close, according to the Daily Mail. 

HAC Inc., headquartered in Oklahoma City, operates 80 grocery stores under several well-known banners, including Food World, Piggly Wiggly, United, CashSaver and Homeland. 

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Homeland is the company’s largest banner and largest locally owned grocery store chain in Oklahoma, with 36 locations across the state.

Christin King, director of marketing and public relations for Homeland, told The Oklahoman that the stores’ financial performance was the driver behind the decision. 

“By closing these stores, we are able to focus on the greatest opportunities that strengthen other communities, grow communities and to really strengthen our organization by focusing resources in those areas,” King said.

The closures come as conventional supermarkets have been losing ground for years, particularly to mass merchandisers, club stores, discounters and specialty grocers, according to Arun Sundaram, vice president and senior equity analyst at CFRA Research. 

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“High inflation, shifting consumer habits, increased competition, and new entrants are some of the reasons why the competitive landscape has changed,” Sundaram told FOX Business. 

That’s one of the reasons why the two supermarket giants, Kroger and Albertsons, tried to merge, according to Sundaram, noting that a combined entity would make a more formidable competitor to companies like Walmart, Costco and Amazon. 

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A federal judge blocked the proposed $25 billion merger in December 2024, agreeing with the Federal Trade Commission that the deal would undermine competition in the grocery industry.

Since the merger is off, even Kroger and Albertsons “are playing catch-up on store closures, which had been paused during the merger process,” Sundaram said. 

For instance, Kroger announced in its first-quarter 2025 earnings report last month that it was closing 60 stores over the coming year in an effort to make the company “more efficient.”

However, Kroger and Albertsons are still opening new stores in faster-growing markets, he added. 

Monster truck tire flies off during Washington show, flattening parked car

The “Malicious Monster Truck Tour” certainly lived up to its name during a show in Washington over the weekend. 

A vehicle parked outside Thunderbird Arena & Stadium in Bremerton was crushed on Sunday after a wheel flew off one of the monster trucks during the show. Video showed the wheel come off the truck before bouncing out of the arena into several parked cars. 

The tour released a statement confirming that no one was injured as a result of the incident, but that several cars had sustained damage. 

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“Motorsports are unpredictable. The truck involved was running industry-standard wheel restraints. Fact is, there is no piece of metal in existence that will always stand up to the forces involved in monster truck competition. We were quickly in contact with both the Kitsap County Fair Board & a fencing company to collaborate on a plan of action to help reduce the risk of similar incidents in the future,” the statement read. 

“Accidents happen, even unprecedented incidents such as this & we will always do everything we can to help further the safety of this great sport we all love.” 

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The tour released a video on Facebook that showed another angle of the tire coming loose and launching outside the arena. There were no fans sitting in the path of the dislodged wheel. 

“Our backflip ramp Camera captured the most dramatic angle of the incident. We wanted to prove we are hiding from nothing & want to be as transparent & open about it as possible.” 

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According to FOX 13, a 6-year-old boy tragically died in 2009 after being struck in the head by debris from a monster truck at a show at the Tacoma Dome in Washington. 

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Beijing traps US government worker as dozens of Americans can’t escape China

China denied on Tuesday that it is doing anything wrong as it reportedly prevents “dozens” of Americans from leaving the country under an “exit ban” policy, including at least one U.S. government official.

Reports emerged Monday afternoon that an American citizen, an employee of the Commerce Department, has been barred from leaving China and prevented from returning to the U.S. since his passport, credit card, cellphone and iPad were seized on April 14, reported The New York Times. 

The passport was reportedly returned to the individual one week later on April 22, though he was told he was not allowed to leave China.

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The identity of the government official remains unknown, though a spokesperson for the State Department confirmed to Fox News Digital that the individual is a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office employee and was traveling to China “in a personal capacity.”

While it is unclear if any other U.S. government officials have been barred from leaving China, a spokesperson for Beijing’s foreign ministry, Guo Jiakun, told reporters on Tuesday during a press briefing that he had no additional details to share.

“China upholds the rule of law and handles entry and exit affairs in accordance with the law,” he said. 

In response to Fox News Digital’s questions, the State Department said, “The Chinese government has, for many years, imposed exit bans on U.S. citizens and other foreign nationals in China, often without a clear and transparent process for resolution.

“We track these cases closely, and have raised our concern with Chinese authorities about the well being of our citizens and impact these arbitrary exit bans have on our bilateral relations and urged them to immediately allow impacted U.S. citizens to return home,” a spokesperson added.  

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The department in November 2024 issued a Level 2 travel advisory for Americans considering travel to China. 

The advisory issued a warning to “exercise increased caution” due to Beijing’s “arbitrary enforcement of local laws, including in relation to exit bans.”

A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., said they were “not aware of” the case’s details, but added, “China always welcomes foreign citizens, including those of the United States, to come to China and guarantees their safety and legitimate rights and interests in China in accordance with the law, including freedom of entry and exit. 

“Meanwhile, foreign citizens in China should also respect and abide by Chinese laws,” the spokesperson added. 

While the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has enshrined the “right to freedom of movement,” which says “everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country,” it is not an absolute right, and nations can choose to hold individuals depending on certain conditions, including national security concerns. 

It is unclear why the Commerce Department employee has been blocked from returning to the U.S. where his wife also lives, though he was apparently questioned by Chinese intelligence authorities about his prior military service. 

Reporting has suggested that dozens of Americans have been barred from leaving China, including Wells Fargo Managing Director Chenyue Mao. 

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Mao is the latest business executive to be barred from leaving China, which has become increasingly common in recent years, prompting Wells Fargo to suspend all travel to China earlier this month. 

The Wells Fargo banker has reportedly been blocked from leaving China over her alleged link to a criminal investigation. How long she will be required to stay in China remains unclear. 

Neither the Commerce Department nor Wells Fargo immediately responded to Fox News Digital’s questions regarding this report. 

Disturbing video allegedly shows illegal migrant hauling woman back to sex dungeon

Chilling surveillance shows the moment an illegal migrant from Honduras carries a screaming Chinese migrant woman back to a Houston trailer home where she was allegedly being held captive for days as a sex slave. 

The terrifying footage shows illegal migrant Jose Armando Carcamo-Perdomo carrying the hysterical victim off her feet in a bear-hug style grip as she tries to kick and wrangle her way free. Authorities said she was held at the trailer home without food and water inside a closet.

In the video, the women can be heard screaming frantically while a dog at a fence barks loudly at them. Police were alerted to the trailer home after a neighbor saw the woman running down the street before a man grabbed her and carried her back screaming. 

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The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said that the woman was transported from New York to Texas on the promise of new masseuse job that paid more cash. But that hope descended into horror when she was instead held tied up for more than five days, had her Chinese passport taken and sexually assaulted several times. 

“There was a small closet with a piece of wood across the door that was screwed into the frame,” Lt. John Klafka, chief of the adult special crimes unit at the Harris County Sheriff’s Office told Fox News. “They were able to rip that piece of wood off and open the door. It had been tied up. She had some type of object like a sock or something that was used to bound her hands.”

Carcamo-Perdomo was arrested on July 14 and has been charged with kidnapping and assault. 

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He entered the country illegally in 2020 from Honduras was given a notice to appear after a traffic stop, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

But in 2023, an immigration judge decided to dismiss the case. 

“This heinous criminal illegal alien was freely roaming our interior and terrorizing American communities,” DHS said in an X response to the incident. 

“Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Noem, ICE is working day and night to remove the MILLIONS of illegal aliens in our interior. LAW AND ORDER WILL PREVAIL!”

The lieutenant in charge of that investigation says he believes this is part of a much larger traffic ring that they’re now investigating in Harris County.

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Klafka told KPRC 2 that the victim is safe in an undisclosed location and is receiving counseling and medical care.

In a statement, the migrant’s attorney said Carcamo is “shocked by the serious allegations” brought forth against him and “firmly maintains his complete innocence.”

“We remind the public that under the United States Constitution, every individual is entitled to the presumption of innocence, the right to due process, and a fair trial,” the statement reads. “We expect law enforcement, the State of Texas, and the judicial system to honor these fundamental rights without prejudice or assumption.

El Salvador’s president fires back at Hunter’s ‘invasion’ threat with cocaine jab

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele responded late Monday to having his country under the threat of invasion from a future “President Hunter Biden.”

Bukele, who has emerged as a top ally of President Donald Trump and a partner in the U.S. leader’s mass deportation operations targeting illegal immigrants, appeared to laugh off the threat.

“Is Hunter Biden sniffing powdered milk?” Bukele replied on X, where he shared a snippet of Biden’s interview with podcaster Andrew Callaghan.

“These guys think that we need to run away from all values in order for us to lead,” Biden fumed in the clip.

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“I say, f— you. How are we getting those people back from f—ing El Salvador?”

“Because I’ll tell you what, if I became president… I would pick up the phone and call the f—ing president of El Salvador and say, ‘You either f—ing send [illegal immigrants imprisoned in CECOT penitentiary] back or I’m going to f—ing invade.”

Biden then accused Trump and Bukele of a “f—ing crime” and labeled both men “f—ing dictator-thug[s].”

The retort called back to Biden’s history of drug use, which notably included a revelation he made to CBS that he would smoke “anything that even remotely resembled crack cocaine,” including “more Parmesan cheese than anyone you know.”

Biden’s interview touched on that history, including the incident in which he swore on a federal firearms form that he was not using controlled substances at the time of purchase.

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Bukele followed up by sharing news coverage of a three-party prisoner swap between the U.S., El Salvador and Venezuela, to illustrate ongoing cooperation with the U.S.’s current leadership.

“Maduro’s regime was satisfied with the exchange agreement; that’s why they accepted it,” Bukele said, adding that Caracas strongman Nicolas Maduro’s regime now “shout[s] and express[es] outrage – but not because they disagree with the deal, rather because they just realized they are left without hostages from the most powerful country in the world.”

Bukele had agreed to fly Venezuelan deportees from the U.S. who had been held at CECOT back to Caracas, as the Maduro regime in turn released several Americans being held captive. Venezuela had not initially been accepting of deported illegal immigrant nationals captured by U.S. authorities.

Ten U.S. citizens or legal-permanent residents, who had been held by Maduro, were released, according Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

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“Until today, more Americans were wrongfully held in Venezuela than any other country in the world. It is unacceptable that Venezuelan regime representatives arrested and jailed U.S. nationals under highly questionable circumstances and without proper due process,” Rubio said in a statement.

Bukele also highlighted a clip of U.S. Special Envoy for Hostage Response Adam Boehler calling him a “good friend” of the U.S.