Record rainfall transforms America’s lowest point as ancient lake returns to valley
An ancient lake that vanished from California’s Death Valley National Park thousands of years ago has made a rare return after the area was soaked by record-setting rainfall.
Recent storms have transformed Badwater Basin, which lies 282 feet below sea level and marks the lowest point on the continent, into a shallow lake, according to a Dec. 4 news release from the National Park Service.
The basin, widely known as Lake Manly, was once a vast Ice Age lake that stretched 100 miles and plunged 600 feet deep more than 100,000 years ago.
The enormous lake dried up as the climate warmed, the Los Angeles Times reported.
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But after months of unusually heavy storms, water has once again filled the ancient lake bed.
Between September and December, Death Valley received 2.41 inches of rain, including a record-breaking 1.76 inches in November alone, according to the National Park Service.
“These fall storms brought more rain than Death Valley typically receives in an entire year,” the National Park Service said.
Lake Manly last resurfaced in 2023, when Hurricane Hilary dropped 2.2 inches of rain on Death Valley. Then, in February 2024, an atmospheric river delivered another 1½ inches, deepening the basin enough for people to kayak, the LA Times reported.
The current lake “is much smaller and shallower than the one that formed after the remnants of Hurricane Hilary passed through the park,” the National Park Service noted.
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An employee at the Death Valley Inn noted that although the lake is not very deep, business has increased 20% to 30% since it reemerged, according to the LA Times.
“It’s more like a very, very large riverbed without the flow, a wading pool maybe,” the employee told the LA Times.
Senator outlines legal consequences for Omar after Trump’s immigration allegations
A top Senate Republican argued that if allegations against “Squad” member Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., that she married her brother to enter the U.S. were true, she’d be breaking several laws.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, joined the long-standing scrutiny against Omar Friday after President Donald Trump revived the allegations during a rally pushing his affordability agenda in Pennsylvania earlier this week.
In a post on X responding to a White House social media account that charged, “Yes, [Omar] married her brother,” Cruz listed a trio of federal and state laws the progressive lawmaker may have violated.
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“If this is true, then Omar faces criminal liability under three different statutes,” Cruz said.
Cruz argued that Omar could have committed federal marriage fraud, which stipulates that it is a felony to knowingly enter into a marriage to evade immigration laws, and could lead to up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and deportation.
Omar was born in Somalia and came to the U.S. in 1995 after her family was granted asylum. She became a citizen in 2000. Omar, who is Muslim, has been married legally three times, first in a religious marriage to Ahmed Abdisalan Hirsi in 2002, then to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi in 2009 before later divorcing and legally marrying Hirsi. In 2020, she married political aide Tim Mynett.
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Cruz noted that Omar could also be breaking Minnesota’s state incest law, a felony in the state punishable by jail time up to 10 years. He also contended that she could be liable for tax fraud, specifically if joint tax returns were filed while she was not legally married.
That violation would levy up to a $100,000 fine and up to three years in prison.
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The Senate Republican’s legal analysis of the situation comes after Trump resurrected the unsubstantiated claims that Omar had married her brother for immigration purposes that have dogged the lawmaker since she entered politics nearly a decade ago. She has denied the allegations.
Still, Trump charged, “She married her brother to get in, right?”
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“If I married my sister to get my citizenship, do you think I’d last for about two hours or something less than that? She married her brother to get in,” he said. “Therefore, she’s here illegally. She should get the hell out.”
Fox News Digital did not immediately hear back for comment from Omar’s office.
‘Highly unusual’: Minnesota judge overturns $7.2 million fraud verdict in surprise move
Lawmakers and the legal community are raising questions after a Minnesota judge took the uncommon step of overturning a unanimous jury verdict in a massive $7.2 million Medicaid fraud case, a move experts say is rarely seen in white-collar prosecutions.
The ruling, handed down late last month by Hennepin County Judge Sarah West, comes as Minnesota is engulfed in a series of major welfare and human services fraud scandals that have drawn national attention and shaken confidence in the state’s oversight systems.
West’s decision has triggered broader doubts about Minnesota’s resolve to prosecute white-collar and welfare fraud at a time when billions in public funds could be vulnerable.
JaneAnne Murray, a University of Minnesota law professor who studies criminal procedure, said she was surprised by the decision.
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“It is highly unusual for a judge to reject a jury’s verdict in any case, much less a white-collar one, where issues of intent will almost always be circumstantial,” Murray told Fox News Digital.
Minnesota’s circumstantial-evidence standard, she noted, is among the strictest in the country and requires prosecutors to “exclude any reasonable hypothesis of innocence.”
Legal experts say Minnesota’s unusually stringent rule gives judges broader authority to vacate convictions if prosecutors cannot rule out every reasonable alternative explanation for the defendant’s conduct. The Minnesota Supreme Court is reviewing the decades-old standard, but Murray said West was applying the law as it stands today.
“The judge in the Medicaid fraud case was applying the current law,” Murray said.
Until now, West had maintained a low profile on the bench with no prior rulings that attracted substantial controversy. But last month’s decision was derided by Republican Minnesota Sen. Michael Holmstrom, who labeled her a “true extremist.”
West, a former public defender appointed to the bench in 2018 by Gov. Mark Dayton, previously handled juvenile and child protection cases in Hennepin County. She also held leadership roles in the Hennepin County Bar Foundation, which funds legal aid and community justice programs.
She presided over the prosecution of Abdifatah Yusuf, found guilty by a jury of six counts of aiding and abetting theft after he and his wife were accused of stealing $7.2 million from the state’s Medicaid program while running a home healthcare business, according to the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.
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Prosecutors said the business lacked a real office, operated “for years out of a mailbox” and that Yusuf allegedly used the money to fund a “lavish lifestyle” that included shopping sprees at luxury retailers such as Coach, Canada Goose, Michael Kors, Nike and Nordstrom.
But West tossed the conviction, ruling that the state’s case relied heavily on circumstantial evidence and failed to eliminate other reasonable inferences about Yusuf’s personal involvement in the billing scheme.
“There is a reasonable, rational inference that Mr. Yusuf was the owner … but that his brother, Mohamed Yusuf, was committing the fraud … without Mr. Yusuf’s knowledge or involvement,” West wrote in her ruling.
She said the scale and nature of the fraud was “of great concern” but ruled the state failed to prove Yusuf knowingly participated in it.
Andy McCarthy, a former assistant U.S. attorney and Fox News contributor, said the ruling veered far beyond what trial judges are normally permitted to do, underscoring how exceptional the move was.
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“It is highly unusual for a judge to overturn a jury verdict in a criminal case,” McCarthy told Fox News Digital, noting that a judge who believes the evidence is legally insufficient is supposed to stop the case before it ever reaches the jury.
McCarthy said the reported rationale for vacating the verdict “seems untenable,” arguing circumstantial evidence is routinely strong enough to sustain convictions.
“The fact that a case is circumstantial — meaning there is no central witness who saw the crime — is not a reason to overturn it,” he said. “Very often, circumstantial cases are much stronger than cases that rise or fall on the testimony of witnesses of dubious credibility.”
He added that judges are required to instruct jurors to view evidence as a whole rather than in isolation.
“The judge is only permitted to vacate a guilty verdict if it is obviously irrational and against the full weight of the evidence,” McCarthy said.
Because West waited until after deliberations to overturn the verdict, McCarthy said the state may still have the ability to appeal, a procedural opening that does not exist when a judge tosses a case before the jury deliberates.
Ben Walfoort, the jury foreperson, told KARE he was “shocked” by West’s decision and said the jury’s conclusion “was not a difficult decision whatsoever.”
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Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has filed an appeal.
The decision has also triggered a political fight, with Holmstrom sending a formal letter to Judge West demanding she unseal key exhibits — and the entire case record — arguing that the public “must know what is happening in their courts and in their welfare programs.”
Holmstrom called the ruling “unprecedented” and said locking away documents produced in open court violates Minnesota’s tradition of transparency.
Woman allegedly involved with fired Michigan coach keeps job and big pay hike
The football staffer who allegedly had a romantic relationship with fired head coach Sherrone Moore is still employed by the University of Michigan.
The woman has served as Moore’s executive assistant.
“There is no change in her employment status,” a Michigan spokesperson told Fox News.
The woman received a massive pay bump between 2024 and 2025.
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The individual allegedly linked to Moore, whose LinkedIn profile lists her as an executive assistant to the head football coach at the University of Michigan, made just over $58,000 in 2023 and 2024, according to public payroll information. In the 2025 fiscal year, though, her salary jumped to $99,000, according to a salary disclosure report from the University of Michigan.
During Moore’s arraignment Friday, prosecutors alleged he and the staffer had been in an “intimate relationship for a number of years,” which they say the woman ended on Monday. Prosecutors further claim Moore sent multiple text messages and made phone calls that prompted the woman to report the situation to the university and cooperate with its investigation.
Moore was released from jail Friday on $25,000 bond, according to police records obtained by Fox News Digital.
However, it’s unclear whether Moore will be returning home to his family.
Moore’s attorney, Joseph Simon, declined to say whether the coach will be going home to his wife and three children while speaking to reporters at an Ann Arbor courthouse Friday.
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“I’m just going to not answer that question,” Simon said when asked if Moore was “going to be able to go home.”
Moore has been married to wife Kelli since 2015, and they have three daughters together — Shiloh, Solei and Sadie. Simon also declined to comment on the “mood” of his client after Moore was charged.
The conditions of Moore’s release require him to wear a GPS tether and continue mental health treatment and forbid him from communicating with the victim.
Moore was fired Wednesday, and the University of Michigan quickly announced it found credible evidence he had an “inappropriate relationship” with a staffer. Moore was then detained by police Wednesday after news of his dismissal broke.
Moore was arraigned in court Friday on stalking and home invasion charges. According to prosecutors, he faces a felony charge of home invasion in the third degree and two misdemeanor charges of stalking and breaking and entering without the owner’s permission.
Both misdemeanor charges are related to a “domestic relationship.”
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When Moore was fired from his position as head coach, prosecutors said, it prompted him to visit the woman’s home.
Moore then allegedly “barged” his way into the residence, grabbed a butter knife and a pair of kitchen scissors and began threatening his own life. According to prosecutors, Moore allegedly told the staffer, “My blood is on your hands” and “You ruined my life.”
Prosecutors claimed Moore “terrorized” the staffer and that they believed him to be a “risk to public safety.”
DHS abandons sweeping ICE raids as Trump’s deportation support plummets: report
The Department of Homeland Security is amending its immigration enforcement operations by moving away from raids targeting all illegal immigrants in the U.S. and focusing more on the ones who have committed serious offenses, according to a report.
Teams under U.S. Border Patrol Commander at Large Gregory Bovino will shift their focus to specific targets, including illegal immigrants who have been convicted of serious crimes, NewsNation reported.
The change means federal agents will put a smaller emphasis on carrying out large raids that have happened at Home Depot stores and other locations, according to the outlet.
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Illegal immigrants have been targeted based on characteristics such as ethnicity, accent, language or location, such as being at a Home Depot or a car wash.
Agents will still conduct traffic stop enforcement, but Border Patrol is unlikely to continue grabbing people off the streets, the outlet reported.
The reported change in immigration enforcement comes as support for President Donald Trump‘s mass deportation policies has tanked in the polls.
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A Public Religion Research Institute survey released earlier this week found that approval of Trump’s handling of immigration dipped from 42% in March to 33%.
A YouGov poll last month found that a majority of Americans oppose Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations tied to Trump’s immigration crackdown.
In a survey last month by the health policy research group KFF and The New York Times, about half of the immigrants polled said they – and their family members – “feel less safe” with Trump as president.
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Border Patrol has carried out migrant raids this year in various cities, including in Los Angeles, Chicago and Charlotte. The raids have prompted several protests and lawsuits, as the operations have been scrutinized for going too far.
A new operation in New Orleans, dubbed “Catahoula Crunch,” will continue despite the updated tactics. Agents have already arrested more than 250 people, and DHS said it aims to reach 5,000, according to NewsNation.
Social media ‘boymom’ allegedly lured teen into sexual encounter after marriage woes
A Florida micro-influencer was arrested in November after allegedly making sexual advances on her teenage son’s friend, coercing him to touch her breasts while complaining about her husband.
Lisa Marie Singh, 41, was arrested outside an Applebee’s Nov. 19 after an anonymous tipster notified authorities Singh, who had an active warrant for her arrest, was at the restaurant, according to a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office arrest report.
She was charged with two counts of indecent, lewd or lascivious touching of certain minors and violation of parole, according to the report.
Jacksonville Corrections records indicate she remains in custody with bond set at more than $100,000.
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The charges stemmed from a Sept. 7 incident in which the alleged victim went to Singh’s home to meet her son, but he was not there, according to court documents.
Singh allegedly invited the group of teens over earlier in the day after an altercation with her husband.
While at the house, the victim said Singh “displayed flirtatious behavior toward him … rubbing his arms and shoulders” and calling him “babe,” documents allege.
At one point, the victim was left alone in a room with her, and he told deputies she ranted to him about her husband’s inability to “satisfy her sexually.”
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Singh allegedly told the teen she wanted to “f— the s— out of him” before exposing her breasts and insisting he touch them, according to the documents.
She also kissed the teen several times and fondled him over his clothing, according to court records.
The boy told authorities he did not object because he felt “extremely awkward and uncomfortable.”
Singh is also accused of threatening to inflict harm on the teen if he told anyone about the encounter.
The sheriff’s office noted Singh did not participate in an interview or answer any questions, referring deputies to her lawyer.
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The Florida influencer, who has nearly 7,000 followers on Facebook and about 3,500 followers on TikTok and Instagram combined, brands herself as a “#boymom” in her bio and has brand partnerships.
Singh’s attorney did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Amtrak workers to receive $900 bonuses after DOT deal shifts executive payouts
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced Thursday it has helped redirect “exorbitant” executive payouts at Amtrak — put in place under the Biden administration — into $900 bonuses for more than 18,000 frontline workers.
The DOT said it reached an agreement with Amtrak’s management and board of directors to shift roughly half of leadership bonuses to Amtrak’s unionized frontline employees this holiday season, recognizing what officials described as a “record year” for ridership and revenue.
“Due to the urging of the Trump administration, end-of-year bonuses will now go to 18,000 frontline workers rather than being limited to the executive ranks,” Mark Wallace, president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, said in a statement.
“This long-overdue recognition of the employees who keep the railroad moving is a step in the right direction.”
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In a post to X Friday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy reiterated the announcement, noting “Christmas is coming a little early” for the 18,000 Amtrak workers receiving the bonuses.
“The Trump administration is delivering LOWER COSTS and BIGGER PAYCHECKS,” Duffy said.
The move follows the Trump administration’s push for Amtrak’s executive leadership team to forfeit half of the bonuses they would have received under what the DOT described as “misplaced priorities.”
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“Under the Trump Administration, [DOT] discovered Biden-Buttigieg era bonus structures for Amtrak’s executive team that resulted in exorbitant payouts for senior staff,” the agency said. “Under Secretary Duffy, [DOT] will restructure these levels to be more competitive to ensure employees are properly awarded.”
Earlier this year, Duffy similarly criticized the Biden administration, particularly former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, for leaving behind an “unprecedented backlog” of critical infrastructure safety improvements across the country.
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A spokesperson for Buttigieg, a rumored 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, dismissed the DOT’s criticisms at the time as “nonsense.”
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Fox Business has reached out to Buttigieg and former President Biden for comment.
Men of all ages clash during Santa’s arrival at Christmas celebration
A wild brawl broke out last weekend during a Christmas celebration on Nantucket island in Massachusetts.
The melee, which was caught on video, occurred Saturday on Federal Street during the 51st Nantucket Christmas Stroll, the Nantucket Police Department confirmed to Fox News Digital.
Hundreds of people had gathered in the area to watch the arrival of Santa Claus in the wealthy enclave.
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In video footage, a group of men ranging in age from their 20s to their 60s can be seen arguing and shoving one another in the middle of the street.
The groups eventually split into two. In one group, two older men are seen shoving each other.
In another, a younger man is seen pushing another individual. Someone then jumps on the back of the assailant, who is thrown to the ground.
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A full brawl then breaks out as several people are seen throwing haymakers at one another.
“It was kind of like the Jets and the Sharks from ‘West Side Story,’ only in Ralph Lauren and Burberry,” a witness told KISS108, referring to the two gangs in the musical. “It was 20-somethings versus, like, 60-somethings.”
“It was crazy,” she added. “It was mayhem.”
It was unclear what prompted the street fight.
Officers with the Nantucket Police Department responded to the scene at around 2 p.m., but no arrests have been made.
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The investigation is ongoing, the department told Fox News Digital.
White House fires back after Democrats release new Epstein estate images
The White House accused Democrats from the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of spreading a “cherry-picked” and “false narrative” Friday after they released another batch of photos from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate, this time featuring prominent figures including Donald Trump, Bill Clinton and Woody Allen.
The release comes about a week after the same group said it “received never-before-seen photos and videos of Jeffrey Epstein’s private island that are a harrowing look behind Epstein’s closed doors.”
“Oversight Dems received 95,000 new photos from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate. These disturbing images raise even more questions about Epstein and his relationships with some of the most powerful men in the world. Time to end this White House cover-up. Release the files!” Oversight Dems said Friday on X.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson accused Democrats of “selectively releasing cherry-picked photos with random redactions to try and create a false narrative.”
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“Here’s the reality: Democrats like Stacey Plaskett and Hakeem Jeffries were soliciting money and meetings from Epstein AFTER he was a convicted sex offender,” she added. “The Democrat hoax against President Trump has been repeatedly debunked, and the Trump administration has done more for Epstein’s victims than Democrats ever have by repeatedly calling for transparency, releasing thousands of pages of documents and calling for further investigations into Epstein’s Democrat friends.
“It’s time for the media to stop regurgitating Democrat talking points and start asking Democrats why they wanted to hang around Epstein after he was convicted.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., previously has fired back at accusations that he may have had dinner with Jeffrey Epstein or solicited donations from the disgraced financier. A House GOP effort to censure Plaskett also failed in mid-November.
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A White House official also told Fox News Friday that the House Democrats selectively chose some of the photos to release, with random redactions intended for political purposes. None of the documents, the official added, have ever shown any wrongdoing by Trump.
Representatives for Clinton, Gates and Allen did not immediately respond Friday to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.
Other images released Friday included photos of sex toys.
On Wednesday, a federal judge cleared the Justice Department to release secret grand jury transcripts from Epstein’s 2019 sex trafficking case.
U.S. District Judge Richard Berman reversed his earlier decision to keep the transcripts under wraps, citing Congress’ recent action on the Epstein files. Berman had previously warned that the contents of the roughly 70 pages of grand jury materials contain little new information.
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That move came just one day after Judge Paul Engelmayer granted the DOJ’s motion to unseal separate grand jury transcripts and exhibits in Ghislaine Maxwell’s criminal case.