After months of stalemate, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is back in operation following a funding agreement approved by Congress and supported by Donald Trump.

On Thursday, the House cast a decisive vote to finance most parts of the DHS, except for its immigration enforcement sectors. This bipartisan funding package, now heading to the President, aims to resolve the prolonged deadlock.

The vote was conducted swiftly and with little drama, a contrast to the months of heated debate surrounding the department’s budget.

Since February 14, DHS had been operating without standard funding from Congress. This followed a Democratic protest against a Republican-led bill after a severe immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota resulted in the deaths of two Americans at the hands of federal agents.

In response, Democrats insisted on changes within Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Border Patrol, making these reforms a condition for their support of any funding legislation. They suggested a plan that would finance certain DHS operations while withholding funds specifically from ICE and DHS’s immigration enforcement units.

Senate Republicans passed that bill a month ago, but House Republicans refused to take it up. Republican Speaker Mike Johnson called the proposal a ‘joke’ last month, but on Thursday, his conference passed the measure. 

The shutdown impacted the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), ICE, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Coast Guard and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which all fall under the DHS umbrella.

Trump is expected to sign the bill later on Thursday, ending the 76-day financing spat. Republicans say they will fund immigration enforcement in a forthcoming bill. 

President Donald Trump signed a bill funding the majority of DHS on Thursday to end the months-long stalemate in Congress over the department’s financing

Democrats objected to a GOP-led bill in February because of its funding for ICE and Border Patrol in the wake of federal agent involved shootings in Minnesota 

The impasse also impacted TSA workers’ pay, prompting over 1,000 officers to quit, which made airport security lines unbearably long

To break the stalemate, Republicans rallied around the idea of passing immigration enforcement funding in a separate bill, which is expected to get a vote in the coming months. 

That effort will come through a budget reconciliation bill, which would need far less Democratic support. 

It is expected to include $70 billion for immigration enforcement and deportations that will help fund Trump’s sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration. 

Trump signed an order in late March to provide funding for TSA after airport lines grew so large that it would take passengers hours to get to their terminals. 

The White House warned Republicans to solve the impasse this week as money earmarked for the TSA workers was running low. 

‘DHS will soon run out of critical operating funds, placing essential personnel and operations at risk,’ the Office of Management and Budget said in a memo sent out on Tuesday. 

Over 1,000 TSA workers have quit since the shutdown began in February, according to Airlines for America.  

Most immigration enforcement functions remained funded throughout the shutdown due to a major cash infusion passed by Congress last summer as a part of Trump’s tax cut bill, dubbed ‘The One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act.’ 

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson called the bill passed on Thursday a ‘joke’ last month as he negotiated with Democrats on funding

Some immigration enforcement officials kept getting paychecks during the shutdown thanks to a $170 billion cash infusion passed in Trump’s signature tax cut bill passed last summer

Now Republicans are readying the larger reconciliation bill to provide the extra funding for immigration enforcement without Democratic support. 

The same method was used last summer to pass the Trump tax cuts without Democratic votes. 

Trump has said he wants that bill on his desk no later than June 1.  

A man with a criminal history spanning nearly ten years, accused of murdering a police officer last weekend, laughed in court on Thursday afternoon as prosecutors presented their case for denying him bail.

Alphanso Talley, aged 27, is charged with the murder of 38-year-old John Bartholomew, an officer with the Chicago Police Department, which occurred on Saturday morning at Swedish Hospital. In the tragic incident, Talley reportedly also injured another officer.

During the court session on Thursday, Judge D’Anthony Thedford interrupted the proceedings to admonish Talley, instructing him to “stop the giggling” as the prosecutors laid out their arguments.

Talley faces murder charges following the alleged shooting of two police officers. (Cook County Sheriff’s Office)

Authorities say Talley was apprehended on Saturday in relation to an alleged armed robbery at a Family Dollar store. During this episode, he is accused of assaulting a female employee with a firearm, taking her wallet and keys.

Upon his arrest, he told authorities that he had swallowed narcotics and needed to be taken to the hospital.

While he was awaiting a CT scan, police say he pulled a gun from underneath a blanket and shot both officers, killing Bartholomew. He is also accused of attempting to escape custody.

Talley has been charged with murder, attempted murder, aggravated unlawful restraint, armed robbery, aggravated discharge of a firearm, possession of a firearm by a felon, aggravated battery of a peace officer, aggravated battery, escape and unlawful use of a weapon.

John Bartholomew was shot and killed on Saturday at Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital. (Chicago Police Department)

“Facts of this case clearly lay out that the defendant certainly committed these offenses,” prosecutors said while arguing for his detainment.

“He was going to attempt an escape when he pretended to swallow drugs,” they continued. “He knew police would take him to the hospital for his own well-being. He knew he would be uncuffed at that time. He did that to officers who simply took him to the hospital for his own well-being.”

The courtroom was packed for Talley’s Thursday hearing. Some of Bartholomew’s family members, along with CPD officers and even some elected officials, were present.

Chicago police officers stand outside a hospital in Chicago awaiting updates on two officers shot during a prisoner transport incident at Swedish Hospital on April 25, 2026. A suspect was taken into custody after a brief manhunt in the neighborhood. (Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Ultimately, Thedford decided not to release Talley from custody before his trial.

“It is clear to this court that you pose a threat to any person you’re around,” he said. “If you’re out — you’re dangerous. I cannot trust that you will follow any orders that this court gives. No conditions that I can propose can keep the community safe from you.”

Chicago Police Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara Jr. slammed Talley and members of his family who were present in court after the hearing.

‘If you’re in the courtroom, I think you got a sense of why this kid turned out the way he did with the family support,” he said. “And I use that very loosely that he has, the smug attitude, the smiling, the smirking, the laughing, the ‘I love you’ from the family. Even after hearing the despicable acts that this piece of s— did.

“It’s appalling. It’s disgusting. It’s the reason the death penalty should still be in Illinois. Because he would certainly be exhibit A for a death penalty case. There is no redeeming quality of this kid,” he said. “There just isn’t. He’s stealing oxygen from the rest of us. And, there’s no doubt of his guilt there.”

In a separate post-hearing news conference, Chicago Alderman James Gardiner slammed Democrat Mayor Brandon Johnson, calling him “an embarrassment to this city.”

According to Illinois Department of Corrections records, Talley has a lengthy rap sheet consisting of violent crimes from the past nine years. It includes a conviction for four counts of aggravated robbery with a firearm in 2017, unlawful use or possession of a firearm by a felon with a prior conviction in 2021, battery on a peace officer in 2023 and possession/aiding and abetting a stolen motor vehicle.

Police responded to a shooting at Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital in Chicago on April 25, 2026. (WFLD)

Despite his criminal record, Talley was out of jail on pretrial release stemming from a previous armed robbery case when he allegedly killed Bartholomew.

ABC 7 reported that in December, Judge John Lyke, who has presided over Talley’s criminal cases for at least three years, said, “It appears [Talley’s] mind is finally developing, and he may be on the path to making better decisions,” before releasing him from custody in relation to a separate legal matter with only an ankle monitor.

A warrant for his arrest was issued on March 11 while he was on pretrial release for the alleged armed robbery after he had two electronic monitor violations in early March, according to court documents.

Talley is due back in court on May 20.

Fox News Digital reached out to Johnson’s office.

April proved to be a dismal month for the Mets, epitomized by yet another defeat as it drew to a close.

Despite efforts to ignite their struggling offense with a timely 359-foot home run and strategic three-foot sacrifice bunts, the Mets failed to maintain a slim eighth-inning lead. This resulted in a 5-4 loss against the Nationals during the series finale on Thursday, witnessed by 34,621 fans at Citi Field.

The Mets, now sitting at a 10-21 record, have endured a rough patch, losing 17 of their last 20 games.

Even with their top relievers in place to safeguard a 4-3 advantage, the Mets crumbled when Luke Weaver surrendered a two-run homer to C.J. Abrams in the eighth inning. The Nationals came close to extending their lead in the ninth, but Ronny Mauricio’s defensive play at home plate and Luis Torrens’ skillful throw to second prevented further scoring.

The game concluded with Mauricio striking out, leaving the tying run stranded in scoring position after Francisco Alvarez delivered a clutch two-out double as a pinch hitter.

The Nationals led 3-0 until the top of the Mets’ lineup forged a two-out third-inning rally. MJ Melendez followed back-to-back singles by Bo Bichette and Juan Soto with a two-strike line-drive home run that snuck over the right-field fence before James Wood could stalk it for a hat trick of great catches.

Melendez also supplied the bunt that allowed the Mets to take a brief 4-3 lead. He moved Soto into scoring position for Mark Vientos’ go-ahead RBI double in the sixth.

Playing with a lineup that had six batters with sub-.600 OPS’s at one point during the game, embattled manager Carlos Mendoza tried the sacrifice-bunt strategy again in the seventh to no avail as the Mets wasted Carson Benge’s leadoff single.

But the Mets abandoned bunting in the eighth with Soto at second base after a leadoff double. Instead of calling on Melendez to lay down another sacrifice, Mendoza sent up pinch hitter Austin Slater, whose groundout to shortstop ended up killing a rally.

The first sign that Thursday was going to be like so many other days that the MLB-worst Mets have had was when Soto’s would-be third home run in as many days was robbed by a glove-behind-the-wall catch by the 6-foot-6 right fielder Wood in the first inning.

The second was when ace Fredy Peralta turned and double play into a two-base error. Had he fielded a comebacker cleanly or let it go past the mound, the Mets would have been out of the second inning in a scoreless tie but instead Nakim Nunez ran 270 feet as Peralta’s errant throw tricked down the right-field line and then crossed the plate with a second run on Jacob Young’s single.

After the Mets tied the score, Peralta retired seven straight hitters until finding himself in a two-on, one-out jam courtesy of two walks in the sixth. But he bore down to retire Jorbit Vivas and Nunez on the final of his 91 pitches without the ball leaving the ball the infield.

Peralta — one earned run on four hits and three walks with six strikeouts mixed in —  was in line for the victory after the go-ahead rally, but the Mets don’t win anymore.

Recent discoveries in Israel have unveiled the oldest known inscription proclaiming Jesus as God, offering fresh insights into early Christian history.

This remarkable 1,800-year-old mosaic, found by a prisoner at Megiddo in 2005, bears an ancient Greek inscription stating: “The god-loving Akeptous has offered the table to God Jesus Christ as a memorial.”

The mosaic contains multiple Greek inscriptions, one of which mentions a Roman centurion named Gaianus. Scholars suggest that he was likely an army officer who played a role in funding or supporting the religious site where the mosaic, dating back to 203 AD, was unearthed.

Experts are continuing their study of the mosaic, and a recent analysis highlights that the involvement of a Roman centurion indicates Christianity’s spread within the Roman military much earlier than previously thought.

While the Roman Empire did not formally embrace Christianity as its state religion until February 27, 380 AD, centurions like Gaianus held significant authority and influence, potentially accelerating the faith’s adoption within Roman society.

Researchers said his involvement challenges long-held assumptions that early Christians were primarily poor or marginalized outsiders during this period.

Instead, the inscription suggested individuals connected to the Roman establishment were already supporting Christian worship by the early third century.

That discovery offered rare physical evidence that belief in Jesus had reached powerful circles within the Roman world decades before Christianity became legal across the empire.

The Megiddo Mosaic (pictured) was unearthed during the expansion of a high-security prison in Israel. The mosaic had an inscription at the top (pictured) that said: ‘The god-loving Akeptous has offered the table to God Jesus Christ as a memorial’

The mosaic was the floor of an early Christian worship hall, often described as one of the earliest known church floors, though it was likely a house-church–style worship space and not a later formal basilica.

The floor has been hidden under the prison since it was discovered in 2005, but has now been lent to the Museum of the Bible in Washington DC.

The inscription naming the Roman officer states: ‘Gaianus, also called Porphyrius, centurion, our brother, has made the mosaic at his own expense as an act of generosity.’

The team also found a nearby Roman camp, providing more support for the peace between the two groups.

‘Gaianus is a Latin name, but his colloquial name, Porphyrius, is Greek. This could indicate that he came from one of the eastern provinces,’ according to the Museum of the Bible.

‘The fact that he did not use his full Roman name may also indicate that Gaianus dedicated this mosaic in a personal, rather than an official, capacity. 

‘While “brother” is the common way Christians have always referred to each other, it is not certain that Gaianus was a Christian. 

Professor Christopher Rollston with the George Washington University said in a recent study that ‘Gaianus also called Porphyrius’ resembles the language used in the New Testament to describe the apostle Paul. 

There is an inscription naming Roman centurion Gaianus, which experts believe shows Romans believed in Jesus hundreds of years than previously believed

In the Book of Acts, Paul is referred to as ‘Saul also called Paul,’ a phrase that demonstrates how individuals in the ancient world often maintained both a traditional name and a more widely recognized one used in non-Jewish communities.

Paul was born a Roman citizen who actively arrested Christians, imprisoned them, and approved of their execution. The Bible says he encountered Jesus following the resurrection, and that is when he converted to Christianity. 

While he is known as Paul to Christians, researchers have noted that Paul did not change his name after converting to Christianity. 

Historical evidence suggests that he used both names throughout his life, Saul in Hebrew-speaking settings and Paul when interacting with Gentiles, or non-Jewish audiences.

Rollston said this same ‘double-name phenomenon’ was common across the ancient world, particularly among Jewish communities living outside Israel. 

He explained that the use of two names often reflected cultural adaptation, allowing individuals to maintain their religious identity while functioning within a broader political or cultural system.

The mosaic was the floor of an early Christian worship hall, often described as one of the earliest known church floors, though it was likely a house-church–style worship space and not a later formal basilica

In the case of the Megiddo mosaic, this naming pattern suggests that Gaianus may have been a figure of significance operating within Roman society, potentially explaining his role in funding or supporting the early Christian worship site.

Further linguistic analysis revealed additional details about the inscription, including abbreviated words commonly used in Roman military contexts. 

Rollston confirmed that the shortened form used to describe Gaianus’ rank, centurion, matches known abbreviations used in ancient Roman inscriptions.

The name of the artisan who set, or made and placed, the mosaic was included, Brutius, which researchers believe was another Roman.

The prayer hall, or church, was likely abandoned and covered up because the Roman Empire’s Sixth Legion was transferred to Transjordan, a region located to the east of the Jordan River.

The mosaic also contained the names of five women, highlighting the important role women played in the church.

Aside from Akeptous, who was mentioned for her donation of a table to the prayer hall, the mosaic’s inscription also says to ‘remember Primilla and Cyriaca and Dorothea and lastly, Chreste.’

The names of the women suggest they played a prominent role in the early Christian community at a time when female donors were not always publicly recognized. 

In Queens, New York, an explosion injured at least eight police officers on Thursday. They had been called to a residence where a man allegedly threatened others with a knife.

Officers from the New York Police Department (NYPD) were dispatched to address a domestic altercation involving a knife-wielding individual in the Ozone Park area, according to NYPD Assistant Chief Christopher McIntosh, who spoke about the incident earlier in the day.

Later, NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch unveiled startling body camera footage from the police. The video captures officers approaching the home’s entrance moments before a sudden and fiery blast knocks them back.

Just before the explosion, an officer can be heard inquiring, “what’s his name?” The blast then erupts, forcing officers to quickly assess their surroundings and ensure their safety amid the chaos.

An officer is overheard stating, “The guy just lit the house on fire,” confirming the explosion’s source.

Officers are seen attempting to remove several crying children from the chaotic scene and check on other occupants.

“Here is video of the heroic actions that members of the NYPD took this morning to rescue children and adults from a burning home in Queens,” Tisch wrote on X Thursday afternoon. “They were hurt. They had just been thrown to the ground by an explosion. And in that moment, with no clear sense of what else they might be walking into, they made the decision to keep moving forward. Their focus stayed exactly where it needed to be: on the people inside, on getting those children out, and on making sure that situation didn’t claim innocent lives.”

At an earlier news conference, McIntosh told reporters that at 2:42 a.m., officers responded to a 911 call for a domestic dispute with a knife.

“The call was placed by a family member of the victim, who stated that her male relative arrived at their residence intoxicated and armed with a knife, and there was a smell of gas in the residence,” McIntosh said.

Anroop Parasaram, 50, was armed with a knife, forced his way into the basement apartment of a three-family home and “began menacing and threatening the remaining victim with a knife,” McIntosh said.

Firefighters battle a five-alarm blaze in Queens, New York. The initial blast knocked multiple NYPD officers off of their feet on Thursday, April 30, 2026. (FOX5 New York)

“Our officers were at the front door of the residence attempting to enter when suddenly a massive fiery explosion erupted at 2:57 a.m. The officers were violently… multiple officers were thrown off their feet with some being launched into gates at the front of the residence,” McIntosh said.

Officers then went into the engulfed building to rescue remaining residents.

Eight officers were treated for minor burns and one of them received stitches for head lacerations.

“I want to be clear, we got very lucky today, this could have turned out really differently,” McIntosh stated.

Officers have still not located Parasaram, who is still “unaccounted for,” McIntosh revealed at the time.

Parasaram, who had three expired protection orders against him by family members, came to the home carrying two garbage bags containing gas cans and an unknown substance, McIntosh said.

Sixteen people living in the three-family home or in nearby homes have been displaced by the blaze, Fire Department of New York’s (FDNY) John Esposito told the news conference.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also weighed in on the situation.

Firefighters battle a large blaze in the Ozone Park neighborhood of Queens, New York. The fire came after a domestic dispute in which 50-year-old Anroop Parasaram allegedly carried garbage bags with gas cans into the home on Thursday April 30, 2026. (FOX5 New York)

“I’ve been briefed on this horrific situation involving a dispute that led to an explosion and fire in Queens. It left multiple people injured and displaced, including seven members of the NYPD and one firefighter — all of whom sustained minor injuries and are in stable condition,” Mamdani wrote in a Thursday morning post on X.

“I’m grateful to our NYPD officers, FDNY firefighters, and EMS members who rushed to the scene, rescuing residents and worked under extremely difficult conditions to keep New Yorkers safe. I’m wishing all those injured a swift recovery, and I thank our officers and firefighters for their extraordinary bravery in the face of a complex and dangerous situation. We’re continuing to support displaced residents and, as FDNY and NYPD personnel conduct debris removal and searches at this active scene, and working to account for anyone who may remain missing while the investigation continues,” Mamdani concluded.

Fox News Digital contacted the NYPD for more information but no further update was immediately available.

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It appears that the end of “The Morning After” podcast was prompted by the pressures of being in the spotlight.

On Thursday, Kelly Stafford, wife of NFL quarterback Matthew Stafford, disclosed on Instagram her decision to halt the production of her well-received podcast. She candidly shared that the constant anxiety over potential misinterpretations of her words became overwhelming as each episode’s release approached.

“What I don’t miss is the anxiety I used to get the night before every episode was released wondering what headline was going to be created from the episode,” Kelly explained. “It just felt like my name was in the headlines every week and that is not what I wanted this podcast for. So that is a big reason why I took a break. I needed a mental break.”

Initially launched in 2021, Kelly’s podcast quickly gained popularity. She later invited her friend, Hank Winchester, a distinguished Emmy-winning television reporter from Detroit, to co-host alongside her.

The two delved into an array of topics that included Kelly’s gameday experiences as well as her life at home with a star NFL quarterback.

The series featured plenty of guests — including Stafford himself — but in October 2025, she announced she needed a breather from filming.

It was supposed to be a short break, but the show never returned.

And on Thursday, Kelly made it clear it might never come back.

“It was really nice just being there and supporting and being with my kids and Matthew all last season and not having to worry about it,” she said.

However, she did leave the door slightly ajar for a return to the microphones.

“I really do miss it,” she said. “I think you can do a lot of good with a podcast if you do it right. So I’m trying to figure out what that looks like and still be super enjoyable for you all. So stay tuned on that. I’m working on it.

“And once there is a decision that I’ve made, I promise you, you’ll know.”