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Quebec confirms infected cow as outbreak of raccoon rabies continues  CityNews Montreal

Quebec confirms infected cow as outbreak of raccoon rabies continues  CityNews Montreal

Civilians bear the brunt of fighting as 27 people reported killed in strikes on a village in Sanaa province.

Comedian Bill Maher doubled down on his criticism of democratic socialists Friday, telling his "Real Time" audience that "these people want communism" and urging moderates to reclaim control of the party following Democrats' historic sweep in this week's midterm elections.

On Friday, Maher spoke with writer and podcast host Coleman Hughes regarding the rise of socialist policies within the Democratic Party — and the party’s apparent appetite for more moderate candidates — during the show’s roundtable discussion.

"My issues are high rents and crime," Hughes said. "Socialists don't tend to be good on those issues because they institute policies like rent control, which sound good and then end up increasing the rents in the long run."

SHOCKING PERCENTAGE OF DEMOCRATS IDENTIFY AS 'DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS' ACCORDING TO NEW POLL: 'TOXIC POLICIES'

"And we got a hundred years of data on socialism," Hughes added. "It's not good for the economy. It's not a new idea."

Maher appeared to agree with his guest, arguing that many of the policies pushed by socialist candidates are more closely aligned with communist ideology.

LIBERAL HOT SPOT RESIDENTS CAN’T AGREE ON WHAT SOCIALISM MEANS AS FAR-LEFT MOVEMENTS GAINS STEAM

"We already have a lot of socialism and a lot of it is appropriate," Maher said. "That's not what these people are selling, these far-left people."

Maher said some government services and programs — including Medicare, the Marine Corps and Social Security — fall under his definition of socialism.

TRUMP'S CORPORATE STAKES ARE A GIFT TO THE NEXT DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT

"It's anything the government does and the private sector doesn't," the comedian said. "You just read what they say in their manifesto. They want the government to take over everything. That is a prescription for failure."

Maher also argued that the sweeping victories by moderate Democrats could indicate a broader voter rejection of the policies advocated by far-left candidates.

AMERICA SAW THE BLUE WAVE COMING — BUT DRASTICALLY UNDERESTIMATED THE EXTENT OF THE DEM TSUNAMI

"To me, one of the great results of this election was it gave moderates a big stick to beat them off with," Maher told his audience.

He added that moderate Democrats could use their midterm victories to regain control of the party, while suggesting that the socialist agenda may not be as popular with voters as its supporters believe.

JOE MANCHIN WARNS DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS ARE GAINING GROUND AS DEMOCRATS REMAIN SILENT

"Who has the guts to say this is the Democratic Party, you are doing a whole different thing," he continued. "We already have a lot of socialism, and I'm for most of it. We need most of it, but these people want communism."

BILL MAHER WARNS THAT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS BEING 'COLONIZED' BY SOCIALISTS, SAYS HIS 'VOTE IS IN PLAY'

The liberal comedian has repeatedly criticized the rise of socialism within the Democratic Party and warned about socialist policies ahead of the midterms earlier this year.

"I did say that it was about two months ago, and you see how quickly the news changes in just two months, because that was before the Supreme Court made a ruling on voting rights," Maher said at an event in June, referencing the Supreme Court's April 29 decision in "Louisiana v. Callais," which found that Louisiana's revised congressional map constituted an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.

"So, that has changed just in the last two months, and then the Democrats just elected three very far-left democratic socialists in New York who are crazy — like outright really crazy — so like, how are they gonna blow it? I don't know, but they seem to be well on their way," he added at the time.

Maher’s comments come after Democrats have won at least 254 U.S. House of Representatives races, according to the Associated Press — subsequently giving the party its largest House majority since 2009.

MAJORITY OF AMERICANS BROADLY REJECT SOCIALIST IDEOLOGY EVEN AS FAR LEFT SURGES TO POWER

Additionally, democratic socialist Nithya Raman defeated incumbent Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass earlier this week, becoming another democratic socialist elected to lead a major American city, following New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's victory last year.

However, Democratic strategist Kaivan Shroff told Fox News Digital that Maher's criticisms of socialist policies — and his characterization of candidates who support them — are misguided as the comedian continues to criticize Democrats.

"There is something perfectly ‘Bill Maher’ about declaring it an ‘indictment of our educational system’ that young people supposedly do not understand socialism, and then immediately revealing that he does not understand it either," Shroff said. "Medicare and Social Security are social insurance programs. The Marine Corps is literally a branch of the military."

BERNIE SANDERS, DSA REVEAL DEMANDS FOR DEM PARTY AFTER SOCIALISTS SWEEP NEW YORK ELECTIONS

"If every service the government provides counts as socialism, then courts, cops and Congress are socialist too and the word has basically lost all meaning," he added. "He is mocking other people for being uneducated on the subject while demonstrating the same sloppy understanding himself."

Shroff also pointed to Maher's history of dining with President Donald Trump at the White House — most recently last month — and accused the liberal comedian of criticizing socialist policies more harshly when Democrats embrace them.

"And if Maher really wants to worry about socialism, he might want to look a little harder at his dinner buddy Donald Trump," Shroff said. "Trump’s government has taken roughly a 10 percent stake in Intel and about a 15 percent stake in MP Materials. Those examples are far closer to socialism than Medicare is. Yet somehow Maher’s socialism panic gets a lot quieter when Trump is the one doing it."

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Fox News Digital reached out to Maher for comment.

Fox News Digital's Peter D'Abrosca contributed to this report.

Demonstration in Berlin calls for an end to arming Israel

Christopher Atkins says becoming a father gave him a reason to walk away from alcohol, and nearly four decades later, his grandchildren are giving him another reason to stay sober.

The former Hollywood heartthrob, who rose to fame opposite Brooke Shields in the 1980 film, "The Blue Lagoon," opened up about the turning point that changed his life during an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital at Chiller Theatre Expo in New Jersey.

"I guess the turning point for me was having children, so I wanted to be a dad more than I wanted to be a drunk," Atkins said.

‘DALLAS’ STAR SAYS TV ‘COUGAR’ LINDA GRAY’S PRANK DURING CONTROVERSIAL KISS LEFT HIS LIPS NUMB

"So, I did that, cleaned up, coming up to 40 years, so still very active and wouldn't change it for a minute."

WATCH: 'BLUE LAGOON' STAR CHRISTOPHER ATKINS SAYS FATHERHOOD SAVED HIM FROM ALCOHOL
 

The actor explained that his commitment to sobriety has taken on new meaning as his family has grown.

"Just when you think, okay, well they grew up [his children], they moved out, [I] got a divorce, now you're by yourself, ‘I guess it's okay to start drinking again,’" he said.

"No, they had grandkids, so now I don't want my grandkids ever seeing their grandpa drunk, you know, so no."

Atkins credited his children with helping him make a lasting change.

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"That's a huge turning point, I think, in a lot of people's lives, and certainly for me. So that saved me," he said.

The actor shares two adult children, Grant and Brittney, with his former wife, Lyn Barron Weber, whom he married in 1985. The couple divorced in 2007.

Atkins previously spoke about how his drinking affected his Hollywood career, including an opportunity to star in the 1984 film "Footloose."

During an appearance at Fanboy Expo Knoxville earlier this year, the actor said he had been considered for the lead role that ultimately went to Kevin Bacon, but was drinking heavily when he met with filmmakers.

"I was a mess back then," Atkins said at the event, according to People magazine, as previously reported by Fox News Digital.

JOHN GOODMAN WAS 'EATING ALCOHOLICALLY' BEFORE STARTING WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY AT NEARLY 400 POUNDS

He explained that his condition during the meeting cost him the opportunity.

Despite the setbacks he experienced early in his career, Atkins has continued to reflect on the unexpected fame that followed his breakout performance in "The Blue Lagoon."

The actor told Fox News Digital this month that he never planned on pursuing a career in Hollywood.

"I never wanted to act," he said.

Atkins explained that he entered the entertainment industry through modeling before attending an open casting call for "The Blue Lagoon."

When the film became a massive success, he found himself adjusting to a level of attention he had never imagined.

‘BACK TO THE FUTURE’ STAR CHRISTOPHER LLOYD CONFESSES HE WAS ‘HOOKED’ ON COCAINE DURING ‘TAXI’ YEARS

"There wasn't a place on the planet I could go where I didn't get recognized and people stopped me," he recalled. "It was very, very, very weird."

He added that the experience was difficult to comprehend at such a young age.

WATCH: 'BLUE LAGOON' STAR CHRISTOPHER ATKINS NEVER WANTED TO BE AN ACTOR BEFORE FINDING OVERNIGHT FAME

"It's interesting if you try to think about what it's like to have people you've never met all over the world know who you are and know things about you that you didn't know."

More than four decades after becoming a household name, Atkins has traded much of his Hollywood lifestyle for a quieter existence on the East Coast.

The New York native relocated from California to Connecticut after his two children settled in North Carolina and his family circumstances changed.

‘DALLAS’ STAR SAYS TV ‘COUGAR’ LINDA GRAY’S PRANK DURING CONTROVERSIAL KISS LEFT HIS LIPS NUMB

"I'm an East Coast guy. You can't take the East Coast out of the boy," he said.

The actor explained that both his father and stepfather had died, while his mother was experiencing memory issues, making the move feel like the right decision.

Now, Atkins spends much of his time outdoors, enjoying fishing, hiking and woodworking.

WATCH: 'BLUE LAGOON' STAR CHRISTOPHER ATKINS EMBRACES OUTDOOR LIFE AFTER LEAVING HOLLYWOOD BEHIND

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He said he has even developed an interest in creating pieces with wood and epoxy, initially as a hobby.

"I just like being outdoors, I like working with my hands," he told Fox News Digital.

Atkins also has a new physical challenge in mind: hiking a lengthy stretch of the Appalachian Trail.

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"My goal is next year to do a leg of the Appalachian Trail, take a week or so and see if I can do 100 miles or 200 miles or something," he said.

The actor acknowledged that decades of sports have taken a toll on his body.

He said he recently underwent shoulder replacement surgery, following an elbow replacement less than a year earlier. Atkins also described having a metal plate and artificial disc in his back, along with three previous knee operations.

Despite those physical challenges, he remains determined to stay active.

"I think staying physical and staying active is really important to keeping more metal out of your body," he said.

Macklemore is claiming that Madison Square Garden and the Kia Forum are among venues who refused to host his "Free Palestine" tour.

On Friday, Macklemore – whose legal name is Ben Haggerty – uploaded a lengthy statement to Instagram, claiming it has been difficult for him to bring his "Free Palestine" tour over to the United States. He claimed that nine major venues across the U.S. turned him down.

Madison Square Garden, Prudential Center, Barclays Center, UBS Arena, Intuit Dome, Kia Forum, Crypto.com Arena, Chase Center and Climate Pledge Arena were all among the venues that said no, according to Macklemore. He emphasized that their decision came "once they found out these were my benefit shows for Palestine."

MACKLEMORE DOUBLES DOWN AFTER GETTING KICKED OFF ED SHEERAN TOUR AFTER PRO-PALESTINE STANCE

"In over twenty years of touring, I’ve never experienced anything like this," he wrote.

Macklemore went on to explain that activists, poets, entertainers and artists who stood in solidarity with Palestine have been experiencing this treatment for "decades."

The "Thrift Shop" singer said the only real regret he has from the past three years "is not speaking publicly when Zionists were kicking me under the table."

"But the intimidation, manipulation and suppression I experienced are part of how those in power keep entertainers quiet. It’s their main tactic to keep us in line. Shut up and dribble, or you will be punished," he wrote.

MACKLEMORE SLAMMED AS 'PERFORMATIVE' AFTER ANNOUNCING 'FREE PALESTINE TOUR'

"But at this point, I’m three years past giving two s---s about maintaining any relationships, business or personal, with anyone that isn’t riding for a Free Palestine," Macklemore continued.

He explained that he would rather lose "every opportunity" in the entertainment industry than keep his opinions about Palestine to himself.

"To these owners," he wrote, addressing the venues directly, "the words Free Palestine represent a threat. Not because they endanger anyone, but because those words challenge the systems of power they have built their fortunes on."

Macklemore encouraged other artists to not keep their opinions silent and referenced his three overseas shows as proof that people want to support Palestinian liberation.

"Look at what just happened in Europe. Three sold-out arenas. Tens of thousands of people from different backgrounds, religions and walks of life standing together. More than forty artists and speakers putting their names and platforms behind Palestinian liberation. For all the attempts to paint this movement as one rooted in hatred, what filled those rooms was love," he wrote.

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His statement included references to the historic midterm elections and Abdul El-Sayed winning a Senate seat in Michigan.

"The tides are turning. Just three nights ago, Abdul El-Sayed won his Senate race on a platform that included ending the genocide in Gaza and stopping U.S. arms sales to Israel. AIPAC spent $42 million trying to defeat him. And they still couldn’t win," Macklemore wrote.

"The trouble with buying power is believing you’ve bought the people too. The billionaires depend on our silence and complicity. They forget that we buy their tickets. We fill their arenas. We build their empires. And we have the power to bring them down," he continued.

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Macklemore added, "The people have spoken. We want an end to the genocide and we want a Free Palestine. The arenas have made their decision. Now we’ll make ours. If they think the threat of never playing another arena in America will make me retreat into silence, they got me f---ed up."

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Macklemore concluded his statement by saying he will be hosting more shows in support of Palestine. "We’ll probably just take that s--- outside where it belonged in the first place," he wrote.

Macklemore has been dominating headlines after he faced backlash in September for making pro-Palestinian remarks during a Sept. 4 Ed Sheeran tour stop at MetLife Stadium, leading to his removal as an opening act.

Houston Mayor John Whitmire has instructed police to limit contact with ICE, reversing the city’s previous approach.

1. Trump offers UFC chief Dana White press secretary job  CNBC
2. UFC boss Dana White says he's meeting with Trump after press secretary job offer  CBC
3. Trump asks UFC chief Dana White to be White House press secretary  Al Jazeera
4. UFC CEO Dana White declines Trump’s offer to become press secretary, source says  CNN
5. Trump offers press secretary role to Dana White; UFC boss to meet with president  ESPN

1. Trump offers UFC chief Dana White press secretary job  CNBC
2. 'Please take the job!' - Trump asks UFC boss Dane White to be White House press secretary  BBC
3. Trump says he offered White House press secretary job to Dana White  The Hill
4. Trump offers UFC chief Dana White top communications job  Reuters
5. Trump offers press secretary role to UFC chief Dana White  CTV News

• Wales 28-21 Japan

• Adams scores twice as Wales secure third win in five Tests

Josh Adams grabbed two tries ⁠and Louis ‌Rees-Zammit rounded off the scoring as Wales claimed a bonus-point 28-21 victory over Japan in ⁠the Nations ⁠Championship, but there will be much for their coach, Steve ⁠Tandy, to ponder after a lacklustre display.

It was a third win ⁠in five Tests for Wales, an ​improvement on the ‌harrowing 18-match ‌losing streak that followed the 2023 World ‌Cup, but in a game that lacked quality in general, the home side struggled at the set-piece in particular.

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Wales resumed their Nations Championship campaign with an unconvincing bonus-point 28-21 victory against Japan at the Principality Stadium.

Jaime Winstone is missing this week due to an injury, but the Latin and ballroom bonanza goes on. Brace for music by J-Lo, Leona Lewis and Coldplay

Close your curtains on any fireworks and concentrate on the dance pyrotechnics instead. We’re about to be beamed over live to Elstree Studios…

Tomorrow night’s results show includes an annual and much-admired Strictly tradition: a poignant group dance for Remembrance Sunday. The musical guest is Gregory Porter.

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️ Updates from the Interlagos (session starts 6pm GMT)
️ Sign up for The Recap newsletter | And email Philip

Ted Kravitz talking through the pole chances of Antonelli, Russell and Norris in the upgraded McLaren.

Verstappen is going to be at the back of the grid too! Have had technical problems and somehow I missed that. Apologies.

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Santiago Pena was impeached over the collapse of Ueno Bank, which left millions unable to access their accounts.