The U.S. Supreme Court refused Thursday to reinstate a Florida law that punishes businesses for allowing children into drag shows.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law the "Protection of Children Act" in May to ban "children" from any "adult live performances" that feature sexual or lewd conduct. The penalty for restaurants or other venues that violate the statute is potential license revocation or even criminal charges. While the law does not explicitly refer to drag shows, it is widely seen as aimed at them.

Hamburger Mary's Restaurant and Bar in Orlando, Fla., challenged the law in court, contending that it violates the First Amendment right of free speech. The restaurant frequently hosts drag show performances, comedy sketches, and dancing. In July a federal judge in Florida temporarily blocked the law from going into effect, and the state of Florida asked the Supreme Court to reinstate it while appeals are carried out in the lower courts.

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The highly anticipated testimony of former President Trump in his New York civil fraud trial Monday heaved chaotically between defending his business practices and decrying those involved in the case as politically motivated “Trump haters.”

Months of bubbling tensions between Trump and New York Judge Arthur Engoron reached a boiling point in the courtroom almost as soon as the real estate mogul took the witness stand, with the judge at one point asking Trump’s lawyer to control his client.

President Joe Biden, his voice gripped with emotion, condemned the deadly attack against Israel by the Hamas militant group as "an act of sheer evil" and stressed U.S. support for Israelis mourning the slaughter of more than 1,000 people.

A visibly upset Biden, in remarks at the White House, voiced concern for any Americans who may be held hostage by Hamas, the Iran-backed group that launched a surprise attack on Israel from Gaza on Saturday.

At least 14 Americans died in the attack. National security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters the U.S. believed 20 Americans were missing but that it remained unclear if they were being held hostage.

A New York appeals court declined to temporarily pause former President Trump’s civil fraud trial but did halt the cancellation of Trump’s business licenses until after an appeals court hears his case.

The order follows a Friday motion filed by Trump’s legal team to stay the trial and the enforcement of an earlier ruling issued by the New York Supreme Court that found Trump and his businesses liable for fraud.

In that 1,154-page court filing, Trump’s legal team wrote that Judge Arthur Engoron’s decision imposed “unauthorized, undemanded, overbroad relief” to the New York attorney general’s office, which will result in “significant, irreparable harm” to the former president and his business.

“Supreme Court clearly does not comprehend the scope of the chaos its decision has wrought,” Trump’s attorneys wrote in the filing.

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