AURN News

President-elect Donald Trump announced plans to nominate Herschel Walker, the former football star and controversial 2022 Senate candidate, as U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas.

Walker, who has no known connection to the Bahamas, would require Senate confirmation.

A Heisman Trophy winner and NFL standout, Walker reentered politics in 2022 at Trump’s urging, challenging Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock.

His campaign was mired in controversy, including allegations from two women who claimed Walker, an anti-abortion candidate, paid for their abortions. Walker denied the allegations, admitting in one case he wrote a check but said he didn’t know its purpose.

Walker’s nomination has already sparked debate over his qualifications.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Hollywood Live, Tanya Hart shares the latest highlights from Hollywood and beyond. Jamie Foxx is celebrating a big win as his new Netflix comedy special What Happened Was hits number one on the platform. Fresh off his recent birthday, Jamie reflects on life after last year’s near-fatal stroke. However, his celebrations took a turn when an altercation at Beverly Hills hotspot Mr. Chow’s left him needing stitches. Thankfully, Jamie’s okay and still riding high on his success.

Tanya also spotlights Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who made history this weekend with her Broadway debut. Justice Jackson appeared in a special one-night-only performance of the Tony-nominated musical & Juliet. This modern retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet imagines a world where Juliet survives and reclaims her story—a fitting role for the trailblazing justice fulfilling her lifelong dream.

As the holiday season kicks into full swing, Tanya promises more updates on the entertainment world to keep you informed while you take a well-deserved break.

For all these stories and more, follow Tanya on social media and @aurnonline across platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

(AURN News) — The White House is responding to mounting public concern over widespread drone sightings across the United States, with officials emphasizing the complex nature of America's aerial landscape.

"There are more than 1 million drones that are lawfully registered with the Federal Aviation Administration here in the United States, and there are thousands of commercial, hobbyist, and law enforcement drones that are lawfully in the sky on any given day," National Security Council communications advisor John Kirby said. "That is the ecosystem that we are dealing with."

The FBI has received approximately 5,000 drone sighting tips in recent weeks, with about 100 cases warranting further investigation, Kirby told the press.

"We're obviously quickly working to help state and local authorities prioritize and follow up on the leads that are still being followed up on," Kirby said, noting that additional detection technology and trained observers have been deployed to the region.

Kirby claims that after analyzing the reports, officials have found no unusual threats. "We have not identified anything anomalous or any national security or public safety risk over the civilian airspace in New Jersey or other states in the Northeast," he stated.

Looking ahead, Kirby predicted continued growth in drone usage: "With the technology evolving as it is, we have every expectation that the number of drones in the skies over the United States is going to increase over time."

Despite the official explanations and ongoing investigations, questions remain about the timing and purpose of the increased drone activity across the country.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Harvard Law School has reported a dramatic drop in Black student enrollment, with only 19 Black students entering this year's first-year class. That's the lowest number since the 1960s and comes after last year's Supreme Court decision striking down race-based affirmative action in college admissions.

By comparison, Harvard Law enrolled 43 Black students last year, meaning the number has been cut by more than half. Meanwhile, Asian student enrollment saw a slight increase.

Critics say the decision has already set back decades of progress and could have a dramatic effect on attracting diverse talent. The decline raises broader concerns about representation in the legal profession, where Black Americans are already underrepresented.

With the class of 2027 marking this shift, many fear this could be just the beginning of a trend reversing hard-won gains.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A New York judge has rejected Donald Trump's attempt to overturn his 34 felony convictions for falsifying business records, dismissing his argument that the Supreme Court's immunity ruling protects him.

Judge Juan Merchan ruled that the evidence presented at trial did not violate Trump's presidential immunity, calling the claims harmless error even if they were considered official acts. He also noted the "overwhelming evidence of guilt" presented at trial.

Trump's legal team plans to appeal this, which could delay his sentencing indefinitely. Originally set for July, sentencing has already been postponed twice due to the presidential election, leaving the timeline unclear.

Jail time is unlikely, with legal experts saying Trump would remain free pending appeal, especially as the president-elect.

The hush money case is the only one of Trump's four criminal prosecutions to go to trial. His two federal cases were dismissed ahead of his White House return, but the future of the Georgia election interference case and another New York case remain uncertain.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

(AURN News) — President-elect Donald Trump is accusing the Biden administration of undermining the upcoming transition of power by selling unused border wall materials at deeply discounted prices through government auction websites, intensifying a dispute over an issue that ranked among voters' top concerns in last month's presidential election.

Speaking at a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, Mr. Trump said the Biden administration is selling the materials despite his planned use in future border wall construction.

“We ordered an additional 200 miles of wall. It's very expensive, and now it's about double the price of what it would have been six years ago, and the administration is trying to sell it for five cents on the dollar, knowing that we're getting ready to put it up,” Trump said.

"It's almost a criminal act," Trump said, arguing that replacing the materials would cost "hundreds of millions of dollars" more than their original price due to inflation.

"They know we're going to use it, and if we don't have it, we're going to have to rebuild it, and it will cost double what it cost years ago,” he said.

The controversy emerged after The Daily Wire reported last week that border wall materials were being removed from storage and offered for sale. The president-elect contends this action goes beyond typical transition procedures, stating it "has to do with people really trying to stop our nation."

Trump, who exceeded his initial border wall construction goals during his first presidency, expressed concern about gaps in border security, noting that without additional barriers, people flow through "sort of like water."

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson recently made her Broadway debut in a special one-night performance of “& Juliet.”

Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman on the Supreme Court, fulfilled a lifelong dream of stepping onto the theater stage.

“I feel very much in my element,” she told CBS News. Reflecting on her love for theater, Jackson said she was always performing as a child and felt deeply connected to the theater community.

The experience included rehearsals, choreography, and vocal training, culminating in appearances in two scenes of the hit musical.

Jackson said, “It’s a story about female empowerment… to control their own destiny.”

In her memoir, "Lovely One," Jackson recalls taking drama classes with Matt Damon at Harvard, balancing her love of theater and law.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A heartbreaking situation is still unfolding at the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, where at least three people have died following a shooting. Among the deceased are a teacher and a teenage student, with two additional students in critical condition.

Authorities believe the shooter, also a juvenile, was a student at the school and was found dead at the scene.

Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes confirmed that police were conducting emergency training just miles away when the call came in.

A handgun was recovered from the scene as investigators are still working to determine the motive behind this tragic incident coming so close to the holiday season.

As the community grapples with this loss, police are trying to prioritize support for the families involved and allowing students the time they need before speaking.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

According to the Associated Press, Jamie Foxx required stitches after being struck in the face with a glass while celebrating his birthday at Mr. Chow, a popular restaurant in Beverly Hills.

A representative for the actor told the Los Angeles Times that someone from another table threw a glass that hit Foxx in the mouth during the Friday night incident.

The Beverly Hills Police Department responded to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon around 10 p.m. but later determined it was unfounded. The department described the event as a physical altercation between parties. No arrests were made.

In an Instagram post on Sunday, Foxx appeared to reference the incident, writing, “The devil is busy … but I’m too blessed to be stressed.”

Foxx, who won an Oscar for portraying Ray Charles in “Ray” (2004), turned 57 that day.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against a New York physician, Dr. Margaret Daley Carpenter, accusing her of illegally prescribing abortion pills to a Texas woman via telehealth in violation of Texas laws. Paxton claims the medication caused complications requiring hospitalization and is seeking at least $100,000 in civil penalties for each violation.

The lawsuit is one of the first to challenge state shield laws to protect out-of-state doctors providing abortion care after Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022. New York Attorney General Letitia James condemned the move, vowing to defend reproductive rights and protect physicians providing legal care.

The legal clash highlights the deepening divide over reproductive rights and the aggressive push by Texas to enforce its near-total abortion ban.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices