President Trump must stop any remaining television commercials financed with millions of dollars in taxpayer funds to promote his political message, a federal judge ruled Sunday night.

US District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon in New York sided with a coalition that includes the nonpartisan watchdog Common Cause, which argued that the advertisements represented an illegal use of government money.

In granting a temporary restraining order, Rochon directed the administration to cancel all remaining ads, including those scheduled to air Sunday night.

‘Defendants shall not enter into, renew, or expand any agreement authorizing the development, creation, dissemination, placement, or airing of the challenged advertisements’ during the two-week duration of the order, the judge wrote.

The administration had already indicated that the advertising campaign was nearing its end. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday night.

In a court filing submitted late Saturday, the Justice Department contended that a temporary restraining order was unnecessary because ‘the alleged offending conduct will end tomorrow.’

The Department of Homeland Security allocated $20 million in taxpayer money for the advertising campaign.

Legal experts have said the spending may violate a federal law barring the use of money appropriated by Congress for ‘publicity or propaganda.’

‘We are pleased the court acted swiftly to prevent more taxpayer dollars from being used for such blatantly unlawful political propaganda,’ the plaintiffs said in a statement released by Democracy Forward, the nonprofit legal group representing them.

‘There is no legal justification – and no precedent – for the president to use the machinery of the government and funds set aside by Congress for other uses to influence electoral outcomes that further his own agenda.’

In a declaration filed Saturday, senior DHS official Holly Mehringer said the money came from congressional appropriations that are ‘available for, among other things, “commemorating efforts and events related to border security.”‘

The White House has defended the commercials as public service announcements, similar to campaigns used by previous administrations to promote government policies.

Critics, however, say the latest advertisements are different from many earlier public service campaigns because they do not provide information intended to help people access or use a specific government program.

The ads began airing in late September and portray Trump in a favorable light while echoing his political messaging ahead of the midterm elections.

One commercial includes a clip of Trump discussing the threat of communism, while another reuses an advertisement from his most recent presidential campaign.

The campaign’s fifth commercial began airing Tuesday and focused on the Trump administration’s capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

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The use of public funds to pay for the ads drew heavy criticism – including from some in the GOP.

‘It shouldn’t be paid for with taxpayer dollars,’ Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-SD, told reporters.

The Democratic National Committee has separately sued the Republican administration over the ads.

Amid the backlash, Trump said he would start paying for the ads through a political action committee. 

‘These are ads for the country. You have to understand. I’m not promoting a candidate. I’m not promoting myself because I’m not running for office. I’m promoting the country,’ Trump said.

A White House official said there were no immediate plans to reimburse the government for money already spent.

Trump is facing record low approval ratings, an unpopular war in Iran, and high gas prices as the elections are just weeks away.

Many Republican insiders in Washington are privately bracing for a major Democratic wave to sweep them out of power in Congress, leaving Trump a lame duck president for his final two years in office. 

The latest polls show that Republicans are running behind, particularly in critical Senate races in Ohio, North Carolina, Michigan, and even traditionally safe states for Republicans like Iowa and Texas.

The shift toward Democratic control in the prediction market has been particularly notable because Republicans held the advantage in the Senate market for much of the Midterm campaign. 

Republicans currently hold 53 Senate seats compared with 47 for Democrats and have an advantage of 219-214 in the House.

The battle for the lower chamber is looking increasingly difficult for Republicans, with Democrats currently projected to hold around 230 seats compared with 200 for Republicans.

Democrats need 218 seats for a majority there and would need 51 Senate seats to be able to avoid a tiebreaking vote from Vance. 

Cornell University has called off its annual homecoming concert as students express support for a former female student who alleges she was gang-raped by fraternity members.

The Cornell Concert Commission, a student-led group, announced Friday on Instagram that the concert would not go ahead this academic year, citing its support for the woman known publicly as Jane Doe.

In a lawsuit filed last month, Jane Doe alleged that seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity sexually assaulted her after pressuring her to consume alcohol and drugs at the fraternity house.

The canceled event was scheduled for October 17 at Barton Hall and was expected to feature the band Between Friends. The commission said everyone who bought a ticket would receive a refund.

Tickets had been priced at $17, with refunds expected to reach purchasers within seven to 10 business days, according to the organization.

“The Cornell Concert Commission is a student-run organization and, as students, we stand with Jane Doe and all survivors of sexual violence,” the group said in its statement.

“It takes tremendous strength to come forward with such a painful truth, and Jane Doe needs all the support she can receive as she navigates this turbulent time,” the statement continued.

The commission also urged Cornell to take action, saying the university must make meaningful changes to protect survivors and support people who believe they were failed by the administration.

The seven men named in the lawsuit—Umar Matthew Ingalls, Jonathan Newell, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar—have not been criminally charged and deny the allegations.

Jane Doe filed the lawsuit in September against Cornell University, the Chi Phi fraternity, the seven men and other defendants.

According to the complaint, Ingalls, Newell, Lee, Lopes, Sarabia, Norris and Kretzschmar allegedly gang-raped her during a fraternity party on October 19, 2024.

The former student alleges that sexual acts were carried out while she was incapacitated and unable to consent.

She further claims that the fraternity members manipulated her into consuming ketamine and alcohol that evening, according to the lawsuit.

Jane Doe, who was 20 and a sophomore at the time, initially reported the allegations in 2024. Following an investigation led by Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten, prosecutors did not file charges.

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The case was reopened after the lawsuit was filed. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has since appointed Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor.

The Cornell concert cancellation comes as demonstrations continue on campus and in cities around the country, with protesters rallying in support of Jane Doe.

The allegations have fueled anger over Cornell’s handling of the matter, particularly the way university administrators responded when Jane Doe first reported the incident.

Ingalls and Newell were both expelled after Jane Doe first reported the alleged assault to the Ivy League university, The New York Times reported. 

Meanwhile, Lee was suspended for two years and faced several semesters of disciplinary probation when he returned to campus, according to disciplinary summaries seen by the NYT. 

Lopes was suspended for three semesters, followed by two years of probation. Both of them were also ordered to write essays and study sexual harassment, the summaries stated. 

Jane Doe has also accused Sarabia of forcibly kissing her that night, according to the lawsuit. 

He was banned from campus for three years, and a persona non grata order was issued against him after he graduated at the time of the panel’s ruling, the outlet stated. 

The final two men, Norris and Kretzschmar, were told they could not be in contact with Jane Doe, also had to write essays, and had to study sexual harassment and social media use and bystander intervention as a result of the school’s investigation two years ago. 

The fraternity chapter has since been banned from campus following the school’s investigation.

In announcing the cancelation of the event, the Cornell Concert Commission said it is actively ‘working to create a charity concert supporting sexual violence prevention and highlighting the talent within our own community, featuring student bands and DJs.’ 

The group said all donations for that future event will go toward the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN). 

According to the announcement, the group plans to welcome Between Friends, a sibling pop duo, back to campus ‘as soon as schedules allow.’  

A 20-year-old driver has escaped a prison sentence after a hit-and-run in Adelaide killed a woman who had been kneeling in the centre of the road in what appeared to be a moment of prayer.

Ashton Friend pleaded guilty to causing death by careless use of a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of an accident. He struck international student Samia Malik on North East Road in Hillcrest, Adelaide, at about 11pm on May 6, 2025.

The South Australian District Court previously heard that Malik had been kneeling on the road for about four minutes before Friend’s vehicle hit her.

Judge Anne Barnett said CCTV footage appeared to show Malik holding her hands in a “praying motion” shortly before she was fatally struck.

Friend had been driving home from his girlfriend’s house when the collision occurred. The court was told he was confused about what he had hit and failed to stop at the scene.

Defence barrister Jane Abbey KC told the court in September that Friend had not realised there was a person on the road and only heard a noise.

He believed it might have been an animal or another object, she said.

Ms Abbey also said the limited damage to Friend’s car contributed to his belief that he had not hit a person.

Although Friend checked his rear-view mirror, he did not see Malik and should have done so, the court heard.

His barrister said he initially did not understand that he had struck a person.

Friend later realised the likely truth after seeing news reports about Malik’s death, leaving him in what the court described as a “state of paralysis”.

Police identified and arrested him a week after the fatal crash.

“He just could not reconcile what he had done,” Ms Abbey said.

The court heard Friend had not consumed drugs or alcohol and was travelling within the speed limit when he hit Malik.

In an apology delivered to Malik’s family, Friend said he could only imagine the “indescribable pain” they were experiencing.

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“I will have to carry my failures with me for as long as I live,” he said.

“I am deeply sorry for the life that was lost, and for the grief and trauma caused to Samia’s family and loved ones.”

‘There is no excuse for my actions, or my failure to act – and I should have acted. I do not place responsibility on anyone else; it is mine alone.

‘I take full responsibility for my actions and their consequences. I stand before this court with genuine remorse and a commitment to reflect on, learn from and be accountable for what I have done.’

In a victim impact statement read aloud by prosecutor Frank Niemann, Malik’s sister Qudisya Malik told told the court that grief had become a part of her everyday life.

‘There are moments where the pain feels just as fresh as it did on the day we lost her’, the statement said.

‘Every important milestone reminds us that someone deeply loved is missing. There is always an empty place where Samia should have been.

‘Nothing can ever replace Samia. We have lost a daughter, a sister, a friend and a remarkable young woman who had so much life ahead of her. 

‘Samia will always remain part of our family. She may no longer be physically with us, but she continues to live on in our hearts.’

Niemann noted that other drivers had swerved around Malik in the lead up to her death.

It was also submitted that a police car travelling some distance behind Friend had the time to stop and pull over without hitting Malik. 

Niemann also emphasised that Friend had not turned himself in to police despite realising he had been the driver that killed Malik. Instead, it took some ‘impressive police work’ to track him down. 

Judge Barnett served Friend a suspended sentence of one year, three months and 29 days with a non-parole period of eight months, with a bond to be of good behaviour for two years.

There has never been a full explanation for why Malik was on the road the night she was killed. 

Andy Lee and Rebecca Harding looked every inch the happy couple as they enjoyed a romantic walk through New York City on Sunday evening, with their highly anticipated wedding in the Big Apple now just days away.

The 45-year-old comedian and his model fiancée appeared relaxed and affectionate as they made their way through Manhattan, walking closely side by side.

Andy opted for a sophisticated monochrome look, wearing a beige suit with a coordinating shirt.

A pair of loafers completed his smart ensemble as he strolled beside Rebecca and exchanged loving glances with his bride-to-be.

Rebecca embraced the pre-wedding mood in a stylish cream jacket and matching mini dress, revealing her toned legs as the couple explored the city.

The pair also seemed to enjoy a light-hearted moment, appearing to laugh and trade a joke with photographers during the outing.

After more than 10 years together, Andy and Rebecca are preparing to exchange vows at what is expected to be an extravagant wedding attended by a number of celebrity friends.

They arrived in New York over the weekend alongside members of their bridal party, with Andy revealing in jest that one of his groomsmen came close to missing the flight.

The couple previously announced that they had settled on a wedding date for later this year and had also finalised their guest list.

Their love story began in 2014, when they met at a Melbourne café. Andy famously scribbled his email address on a napkin before leaving it for Rebecca, who later contacted him. They went on their first date the very next day.

Although they briefly called time on the relationship during its early stages, Andy and Rebecca found their way back to each other and have been together ever since.

Andy eventually proposed after years of dating, but Rebecca has said she was truly surprised by the engagement despite their long-term relationship.

The couple are also preparing to share a new home: a recently built mansion in Hawthorn, a suburb of Melbourne.

Last week, Rebecca took aim at her comedian and radio star fiancé after discovering that he had kept photographs of former girlfriends while they were dating.

Andy and Rebecca recently appeared on the Channel Seven series Celebrity Intervention where she made the admission to hosts Mick Molloy and Glenn Robbins.

‘This is a bit traumatic for me. When we first started dating, Andy had a collage at the top of the stairs at his house,’ Rebecca began. 

‘He knows exactly what I am talking about! This beautiful collage of all of these photos of Andy over the years with all his friends and family… It is lovely until you find out it has photos of his three ex-girlfriends.’

Guest star Kate Langbroek jumped in to ask Rebecca if the collage ‘was thrown out with the hard rubbish’ once Andy began dating her – and she said it hadn’t been.

‘That’s what you would think. But we lived with it at the top of our shared home for another year,’ Rebecca sniped.

A shocked Mick Molloy asked Andy ‘what is wrong with you?’ and he was quick to defend himself.

‘My brother made it for me. There’s 140 photos in it and only three have exes… the rest are just good old-fashioned memories,’ Andy joked.

‘They remind me of the worst decisions of my life.’ 

He previously dated several high-profile women before he met Rebecca, including Australian supermodel Megan Gale from 2006 to 2010. 

He also briefly dated British singer Lily Allen in 2006, previously joking that she ‘ghosted’ him after two dates. 

On the program, Andy did not reveal which exes were featured on the collage, or whether they were among them.