NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! The Department of Transportation (DOT) announced Wednesday that it has officially closed a major loophole that allowed unqualified drivers, including illegal immigrants, to operate commercial trucks, following several fatal crashes last year involving non-domiciled drivers.  “For far too long, America has allowed dangerous foreign drivers to abuse our truck licensing systems – wreaking havoc on our roadways. This safety loophole ends today,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said. “Moving forward, unqualified foreign drivers will be unable to get a license to operate an 80,000-pound big rig.”Officials said foreigners who hold only a work…

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! A federal judge on Thursday ruled the Pentagon cannot punish Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., a retired Navy pilot, for taking part in a video that called on U.S. military members to defy “illegal orders.”U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, appointed by former President George W. Bush, found the Pentagon violated Kelly’s First Amendment right to free speech and those of “millions of military retirees” by censuring him Jan. 5.Leon’s ruling blocks the Pentagon from demoting Kelly’s retired military rank of captain or reducing his pay during an ongoing lawsuit he brought against War…

The U.S. national debt is on pace to break a record set after World War II in four years, while annual budget deficits are projected to balloon to $3 trillion a year a decade from now, according to a new analysis by Congress’ financial watchdog. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a budget and economic outlook spanning the next decade, which projected that federal budget deficits will rise from an estimated $1.9 trillion in fiscal year 2026 to $3.1 trillion in 2036.Mounting budget deficits will push the national debt higher, with the gross federal debt rising from an estimated $39.4…

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! The World Baseball Classic is right around the corner, and FOX Sports just announced the broadcast schedule.There are five teams in each pool, and each team will play four games across six days during pool play. The tournament begins on March 4 and ends on March 17.The FOX Sports family of networks (FOX, FS1, FS2, FOX Deportes), the FOX Sports App and Tubi will combine to air all 47 games of the World Baseball Classic. Eight of the 20 teams will advance to the quarterfinals, which are single elimination. The semifinals begin…

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! UNITED NATIONS: Iran’s election as vice-chair of the United Nations Commission for Social Development is being slammed by human rights advocates and policy analysts, who have condemned the U.N.’s hypocrisy when it comes to its treatment of undemocratic regimes. The leadership role was approved without objection during a meeting of the commission, where delegates adopted agenda items and organizational decisions by consensus.The United Nations has faced continued criticism over its inaction towards the regime’s violent crackdown against protesters in December and January. On Wednesday, U.N. Secretary General António Guterres faced criticism for congratulating…

When it comes to bling, Pandora is officially breaking up with silver — and sliding into platinum’s DMs. The world’s biggest jewelry brand by volume is leaning away from its once-signature sterling silver for shiny new platinum-plated pieces as precious metal prices go haywire, turning what used to be “affordable sparkle” into a profit-margin nightmare. Translation: silver got too expensive, and Pandora isn’t about to let wild metal markets mess with its charm bracelet empire. But according to jewelers, it’s also a smart emotional play — because most shoppers aren’t exactly metal purists. Starting later this year, the Danish jewelry…

Actors Corey Hawkins and Kelvin Harrison Jr. are in talks to join the cast of the forthcoming film adaptation of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, Deadline reports. As previously reported, the new adaptation will be led by Tony Award-winner Jeffrey Wright and Academy Award-winner Octavia Spencer.  No word yet on who Hawkins and Harrison would play in the film, but it’s a strong possibility that they take on the roles of Biff and Happy Loman, the sons of Willy and Linda. Hawkins is no stranger to theater projects, having appeared in the film versions of In the Heights and…

Get ready for magical journeys and mindful bedtimes!Disney Jr. has announced that its highly anticipated new series “BeddyByes” and “Magicampers” will both premiere this March.First up is “BeddyByes,” a series designed to support positive sleep routines, which premieres March 2, on Disney Jr. and Disney Jr. On Demand. The show takes viewers on a voyage alongside best friends MeMo and BaBa as they travel across Planet BeddyByes on a mindful journey to bedtime.Supporting healthy habits for preschoolers, the series also features the voices of Noah Melo Batista as MeMo, Phoebe Dalton as BaBa and BAFTA Award winner Dawn French as…

European leaders floated a two-speed union as the fastest way to break a political impasse over economic reforms needed to reboot the European economy, as French President Emmanuel Macron set a summer deadline for a broad deal. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT “What we decided today is that between now and June, we will have to finalise the agenda,” Macron said upon departing the castle. “If in June we don’t have concrete prospects and concrete progress, we will continue with enhanced cooperation.” While the EU is built on consensus at 27, frustrations about the pace of reforms prompted calls to work in smaller…

James Van Der Beek was reportedly writing a memoir prior to his death at age 48. Sources told Deadline on Wednesday, February 11, that the Dawson’s Creek alum was quietly writing a book amid his lengthy cancer battle. His work on the memoir took place in between production on his final roles — some of which have yet to be released. Details about the book, including how far he got and any possible posthumous release date, have yet to be announced. VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images News broke on Wednesday that Van Der Beek died years after being diagnosed with…

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! A group in a Los Angeles neighborhood is using sirens to warn residents and business owners of federal immigration authorities.The Highland Park Community Support group, a coalition of community members, has crowdfunded to raise funds to purchase air raid sirens. “We’d like to ultimately have this along all the different streets so they can take shelter,” Amanda Alcalde, who created the group, told KTLA. “I’ve seen a lot of fear in people’s eyes. I don’t see a lot of our ethnic minorities out in the day to day. It’s big change. It feels…

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is making an example of former President Barack Obama for encouraging voters and lawmakers to reject adopting national voter ID laws. “You know how badly the Democrats are panicking when they bring out Obama to spread lies about voter ID,” Leavitt posted to X Thursday. “The fact is that nearly 90% of voters support” voter ID laws, she continued before posting two screenshots showing two polls reflecting Americans support such laws at around 83% support to 84% support. Leavitt’s comments follow the House passing a massive election integrity…

Chevron’s flagship Gulf Coast refinery is processing its first Venezuelan oil shipment since the U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro in Caracas last month, turning heavy, tar-like crude into gasoline, diesel and jet fuel for American consumers. “We’ve been [in Venezuela] for a long time, and it looks like things are starting to go better for both the Venezuelan people and I would say for the American people too, because what’s going to happen is the more that oil that flows to a place like Pascagoula or some of the other refineries here, it drives down the cost,” Andy Walz, President…

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Logan Paul seemed to have beef with Bad Bunny last week, and fellow WWE superstar Cody Rhodes wants to see the two hash it out in the ring.Paul has solidified himself as a legitimate WWE superstar, finishing in the final four of each of the last two Royal Rumbles and being a one-time United States champion.But believe it or not, Bad Bunny also has in-ring experience, appearing at the 2022 Royal Rumble, WrestleMania 37 and Backlash in 2023 in Puerto Rico.  Last week, Fox News Digital asked Paul if he was excited…

A Surfside condo sold for $86 million last year, shattering a Miami-area price record that had stood for more than a decade. That benchmark may be short-lived: a $120 million penthouse is now said to be in contract at Miami Beach’s Shore Club. These record-breakers are part of a broader shift: An expanding wave of ultra-luxury condos are coming to market in Miami at price points that, until recently, did not exist. “I see this as New York-ification,” said Jonathan Miller, president of appraiser Miller Samuel. “It’s not that these assets appreciated 100%, it’s just that this asset class is…