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-- Shares Facebook Twitter Reddit Email Melania Trump said her son Barron Trump was a critical part of President-elect Donald Trump 's winning campaign. During a stop by "Fox & Friends" on Friday, the soon-to-be first lady said her 18-year-old son with Trump was “very vocal” about how his father should reach out to young people. "He brought in so many young people," she said. "He knows his generation." "Nowadays, the young generation doesn't sit in front of TV anymore," she continued. "It was incredible how he brought in success. He knew exactly who his father needed to contact and talk to." Melania's interview confirmed a report by Time that Barron acted as his father's unofficial new media consultant. The outlet's post-mortem of the election revealed that Donald Trump was approached in July by a GOP operative carrying a list of podcast appearances to consider. Related How this dark-horse hard seltzer helped reelect Donald Trump "Have you talked this over with Barron?" Trump reportedly said. "Call Barron and see what he thinks and let me know." The morning show also played a viral clip of typically silent Barron speaking, juxtaposing it with a clip of him as an eight-year-old. In the 2010 video, Barron still carries a Slovenian accent to match his mother's. "I'm very proud of him about his [knowledge of politics] and giving advice to his father," she said. Watch the full interview below: Read more about Melania Trump The play behind Melania Trump's delayed defense of her nude pictures "I felt a deep responsibility to respect tradition": Melania Trump recounts Rose Garden revamp "It was a mess": Melania Trump "questions the results" of 2020 election in new memoir MORE FROM Alex Galbraith Advertisement:

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The list of President-elect Donald Trump's legal cases is shrinking — or being delayed. On Monday, Special Counsel Jack Smith filed a motion to dismiss the Washington, D.C. election subversion case. He also asked a federal appeals court to stop reviewing the classified documents case in Florida. On Tuesday, that court granted dismissal of the case against Trump — though not against other appellees. In dismissing the cases, the Special Counsel cited the Department of Justice's long-standing policy of not prosecuting sitting presidents. "After careful consideration, the Department has determined that OLC's prior opinions concerning the Constitution's prohibition on federal indictment and prosecution of a sitting President apply to this situation and that as a result this prosecution must be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated," Smith wrote in his court filing regarding the election subversion case. "We've used the word unprecedented a lot over the course of the last four years, and yet again this is something that is unprecedented, and Smith himself said this in his motion," former state and federal prosecutor David S. Weinstein told Scripps News. "He took great detail to point out that this was not based on the strength or weakness of the case." In a post on Truth Social , Trump said in part "These cases, like all of the other cases I have been forced to go through, are empty and lawless." RELATED STORY | Special counsel evaluating how to wind down federal cases against Trump Earlier this year, Trump faced four on-going criminal cases. He was convicted in his New York hush money case in May, but sentencing — which was scheduled for this week — has been delayed . After Smith's actions Monday, Trump now faces only the Georgia election interference case. In Georgia, Trump was indicted along with 18 allies, accused of trying to overturn the 2020 election results in the state. But that case is now on hold after the state appeals court unexpectedly removed a December hearing from its calendar. That court will issue a new order on how this case will move forward, but with less than two months before the inauguration, the future of the Georgia and New York hush money cases are still being decided. "The two state cases are likely to recede into the background — at best," former Department of Justice attorney and current partner at Gelber, Schachter & Greenberg, Barbara Llanes, told Scripps News. "We probably won't hear much about these cases following the inauguration of President-elect Trump." Defense attorneys for Trump believe his election victory is enough for the hush money case to be dismissed. They need to file a motion by Dec. 2 making that argument. Then prosecutors have until Dec. 9 to file a rebuttal. They still believe Trump should be sentenced — even if it's after he leaves office. Judge Juan Merchan will then make a decision on how this case should move forward. There's no set date on exactly when he will make that decision.Nita Simpson has lived more lives than many. She’s coached basketball. She’s coached volleyball. She’s coached boxing. She’s run a record label. She’s been a radio personality. All of these phases of her life have allowed her to find her purpose. Simpson is the founder and chief executive officer of Battle Tested Kids , a nonprofit organization that formed in 2019 and provides mentorship and sports training for low-income and underserved youth in Oakland. During the fifth annual Juneteenth in Oakland’s Town Jubilee, Simpson was recognized with the Town Hero award for her efforts. “It’s being able to see what a person is lacking and what a situation is lacking,” Simpson said, “and then being able to fill those gaps. That seems to be my gift. Giving people my work ethic, tapping into the mind, that seems to be the gift that God gave me.” With that gift, Simpson and her organization have been able to influence members of the next generation. Like Jamahl Foster, one of the first people who Simpson ever mentored. Simpson, having shared a church with Foster’s parents, has known Foster his entire life. When she began coaching him in basketball when he was in the eighth grade, she wasn’t afraid to challenge him. Foster recalls learning the importance of “extreme numbers” like making 1,000 shots per day and, on one occasion, running around a gym while carrying a rice bag. Simpson connected the work ethic needed to succeed in basketball with the work ethic necessary to succeed academically. Upon graduating from KIPP King Collegiate in San Lorenzo, Foster graduated with a degree in kinesiology at Cal State East Bay. Currently, the 29-year-old works as a financial consultant and personal trainer while serving as an assistant coach for Battle Tested Kids. “Some of these kids don’t really know work ethic,” Foster said. “So, we really try to teach these kids work ethic. They think they know with their little big heads, but then they get into our program. Then, they’re like, ‘Oh, I don’t know.’” Like Shariff Salzman, who was, by his own admission, “going down the wrong path” when he met Simpson at 16. Before working with Simpson, Salzman recalls “not really doing anything with my life.” He relied on marijuana to deal with childhood trauma. What Simpson provided was structure. Fresh off graduating high school, Salzman now has his hand in several businesses and makes music under the moniker Young Legend. “I would just be hanging out, not taking school seriously,” Salzman said. “I was failing my classes. When I joined the program, now I had to do (well) in school. She helped me get more laser focused, not just in basketball, but in life.” Like Yuniqque Robinson, who won a state championship under Simpson last season at Oakland High. If not for Simpson, Robinson might have quit on basketball entirely. Robinson recalled having a lack of motivation as she entered her senior year of high school. She didn’t want to play basketball. She didn’t want to run track. During early-season basketball practices, Robinson would storm off the court when she felt frustrated. Simpson, an honorable mention selection by this publication last season for coach of the year , was always there to provide equanimity, and Robinson believes she would’ve quit if not for Simpson’s influence. “She would sit me down and talk to me and tell me, ‘It’s OK, you’re not going to be perfect the first time you try it. Just keep going,’” said Robinson, who’s in her freshman year at Alabama A&M. “She motivated me to do better and keep trying and not give up on myself, because there was a time I wanted to quit basketball because I felt like I wasn’t good enough to play.” The path to forming Battle Tested Kids started, in essence, when Simpson was entering high school. Simpson grew up in East Oakland, but instead of attending an Oakland-area high school, she elected to attend Marin Academy, a private college preparatory school in San Rafael. Simpson, who attended public schools leading up to high school, knew that attending high school in Marin County would be starkly different compared to Oakland. But even as a preteen, she understood the value of branching out. “I remember my parents asked, ‘Are you sure you want to go there? This is the one?’ I told them, whoever offers the most money, that’s the place I’ll go,” Simpson said. “The reality was when you look at the population at the time, it is predominantly white. So, for me, as someone who wanted to operate in high places, it was a replica of what I would be dealing with in the real world.” From Marin Academy, Simpson attended Whittier College. Along with majoring in business, Simpson started her first business, Prime Dymes Entertainment, with her friend, Rita Forte. Simpson served as a personality on Whittier’s college radio station, which allowed her to become familiar with working with record labels. That experience set the stage for her to run Rah Muzik, otherwise known as Black & White Entertainment, from 2004 to 2007, their main artist being legendary Oakland rapper Keak Da Sneak. Following her time in the music industry, Simpson found her way back to the sporting world, spending time coaching basketball at Marin Academy, AIMS College Prep (both boys and girls) and, now, Oakland High School, which Simpson led to a state title in her first season as head coach. It was the totality of these lived experiences that set the stage for Battle Tested Kids to come into formation. Simpson’s ambitions, though, only begin here. She envisions one day having a dedicated facility, one that will allow the organization to stop renting out other spaces. From there? She wants a full-blown campus. “I want so much technology in (my facility). People will probably think, ‘She’s crazy.’ I am a little bit of that,” Simpson says with a smile. “There’s not even a professional facility that has what I want in mind. But this is the mecca of technology, so why can’t I have it? It’s just a matter of getting in the room with the right people to be able to make it happen.” If history is any indicator, doubt Simpson at your own risk. For more information, and to donate, go to sharethespiriteastbay.org/donate . Donations will help Battle Tested Kids to offer camp to 150 underserved youth, and to support and fund three paid internships for at-risk youth wanting to pursue careers in sports, social media management, photography, web design, entrepreneurship or marketing.

Franchise Council calls for unity after steep lossIsrael cracks down on Palestinian citizens who speak out against the war in Gaza UMM AL-FAHM, Israel (AP) — In the year since the war in Gaza broke out, Israel's government has been cracking down on dissent among its Palestinian citizens. Authorities have charged Palestinians with “supporting terrorism” because of posts online or for demonstrating against the war. Activists and rights watchdogs say Palestinians have also lost jobs, been suspended from schools and faced police interrogations. Palestinians make up about 20% of Israel's population. Many feel forced to self-censor out of fear of being jailed and further marginalized in society. Others still find ways to dissent, but carefully. Israel's National Security Ministry counters that, “Freedom of speech is not the freedom to incite.” Israel says rabbi who went missing in the UAE was killed TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel says the body of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi who went missing in the United Arab Emirates has been found, citing Emirati authorities. The statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Sunday said Zvi Kogan was killed, calling it a “heinous antisemitic terror incident.” It said: “The state of Israel will act with all means to seek justice with the criminals responsible for his death." Kogan went missing on Thursday, and there were suspicions he had been kidnapped. His disappearance comes as Iran has been threatening to retaliate against Israel after the two countries traded fire in October. Israeli strike kills Lebanese soldier and wounds 18 as Hezbollah fires rockets at Israel BEIRUT (AP) — An Israeli strike on a Lebanese army center has killed one soldier and wounded 18 others. The Hezbollah militant group meanwhile fired around 160 rockets and other projectiles into northern and central Israel on Sunday, wounding at least five people. Israeli strikes have killed over 40 Lebanese troops since the start of the war between Israel and Hezbollah, even as Lebanon's military has largely kept to the sidelines. The Israeli military expressed regret over the strike, saying it occurred in an area of ongoing combat operations against Hezbollah. It said it does not target the Lebanese armed forces and that the strike is under review. The rising price of paying the national debt is a risk for Trump's promises on growth and inflation WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has big plans for the economy. He also has big debt problem that'll be a hurdle to delivering on those plan. Trump has bold ambitions on tax cuts, tariffs and other programs. But high interest rates and the price of repaying the federal government’s existing debt could limit what he’s able to do. The federal debt stands at roughly $36 trillion, and the spike in inflation after the pandemic has pushed up the government’s borrowing costs such that debt service next year will easily exceed spending on national security. After Trump's Project 2025 denials, he is tapping its authors and influencers for key roles WASHINGTON (AP) — During the campaign, President-elect Donald Trump had hailed what would become Project 2025 as a conservative roadmap for “exactly what our movement will do." Trump pulled an about-face when Project 2025 became a political liability. He denied knowing anything about the “ridiculous and abysmal” plans, even though some were written by his former aides and many allies. Now, after winning the 2024 election, Trump is stocking his second administration with key players in the effort he temporarily shunned. Trump has tapped Russell Vought for an encore as director of the Office of Management and Budget; Tom Homan, his former immigration chief, as “border czar;” and immigration hardliner Stephen Miller as deputy chief of policy. Forecasts warn of possible winter storms across US during Thanksgiving week WINDSOR, Calif. (AP) — Forecasters in the U.S. have warned of another round of winter weather that could complicate travel leading up to Thanksgiving. California is bracing for more snow and rain this weekend while still grappling with some flooding and small landslides from a previous storm. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for California's Sierra Nevada through Tuesday, with heavy snow expected at high elevations. Thousands remained without power in the Seattle area on Saturday after a “bomb cyclone” storm system hit the West Coast earlier in the week, killing two people. Parts of the Northeast and Appalachia also began the weekend with heavy precipitation. Pakistan partially stops mobile and internet services ahead of pro-Imran Khan protest ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan has suspended mobile and internet services “in areas with security concerns” as supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan gear up for a protest in the capital. The government and Interior Ministry made the announcement on X, which is banned in Pakistan. Sunday's protest is to demand Khan's release. He has been in prison for more than a year but remains popular. His supporters rely heavily on social media and messaging apps to coordinate with each other. Pakistan has already sealed off Islamabad and shut down major roads and highways connecting the city with Khan's power bases. Here's what to know about the new funding deal that countries agreed to at UN climate talks BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — In the wee hours Sunday at the United Nations climate talks, countries from around the world reached an agreement on how rich countries can cough up the funds to support poor countries in the face of climate change. But it’s a far-from-perfect arrangement, with many parties still unsatisfied but hopeful that the deal will be a step in the right direction. Japan holds Sado mines memorial despite South Korean boycott amid lingering historical tensions SADO, Japan (AP) — Japan has held a memorial ceremony near the Sado Island Gold Mines despite a last-minute boycott of the event by South Korea that highlighted tensions between the neighbors over the brutal wartime use of Korean laborers. South Korea’s absence at Sunday’s memorial, to which Seoul government officials and Korean victims’ families were invited, is a major setback in the rapidly improving ties between the countries. The Sado mines were listed in July as a UNESCO World Heritage Site after Japan moved past years of disputes with South Korea and reluctantly acknowledged the mines’ dark history. Chuck Woolery, smooth-talking game show host of 'Love Connection' and 'Scrabble,' dies at 83 NEW YORK (AP) — Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83. Mark Young, Woolery’s podcast co-host and friend, said in an email early Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristen, present. Woolery, with his matinee idol looks, coiffed hair and ease with witty banter, was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978. He teamed up with Young for the podcast “Blunt Force Truth” and became a full supporter Donald Trump.