https://meenews.co/post/6a512563c2ca79de23660f58 Food stamp changes will cost states billions, raising fears about SNAP’s future te 2026-07-10T17:01:23.489Z Food stamp changes will cost states billions, raising fears about SNAP’s future Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a512550c2ca79de23660f4f Psychiatrist stripped of license over patient misconduct sat on Az’s Sex Offender Management Board te 2026-07-10T17:01:04.036Z Psychiatrist stripped of license over patient misconduct sat on Az’s Sex Offender Management Board Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a51253cc2ca79de23660f46 Grijalva pushes ICE to halt deportation of Russian man, others during Az measles outbreak te 2026-07-10T17:00:44.579Z Grijalva pushes ICE to halt deportation of Russian man, others during Az measles outbreak Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a512524c2ca79de23660f26 China is catching up to Elon Musk’s reusable rockets te 2026-07-10T17:00:20.524Z China is catching up to Elon Musk’s reusable rockets China's state-owned space company recovered its first orbital rocket booster after launch. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a512331c2ca79de23660ef6 Mikel Oyarzabal and Romelu Lukaku set to light up Spain vs Belgium World Cup quarterfinal te 2026-07-10T16:52:01.408Z Mikel Oyarzabal and Romelu Lukaku set to light up Spain vs Belgium World Cup quarterfinal We grabbed another win yesterday as France advanced to the semifinals. It wasn't just a win, but a 2-0 victory as predicted. I didn't bet it, but the odds on that exact score had to be a decent payday for you. Today brings us just one game in the World Cup, and the winner will move on to play France in the semifinals. Let's try to grab a bit more cash as Spain takes on Belgium. The Spanish team remains one of the better groups remaining in the World Cup. If you're considering the remaining teams, I think you have to assume that either Spain or Argentina will be the biggest threat to France. Spain is led in scoring by Mikel Oyarzabal, and my biggest concern is that they don't have enough guys to get goals. With only nine goals in the World Cup, over five games, they could certainly use more scoring in general. They have five guys with one goal each, which is a testament to how many different people have made an impact, but they will struggle if Oyarzabal can't lead the way. In their path to getting to this game, Spain started with a draw against Cape Verde. We know now that the Cape Verde team had a lot of heart and was very good in the World Cup. That final was 0-0. In the second game, they were able to win 4-0 over Saudi Arabia. That's a game they were supposed to dominate, and they did it. The final game of the Group Stage saw them win 1-0 over Uruguay. They had a fairly lucky draw against Austria in the Round of 32 and dominated, winning 3-0. Then they ended Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup career with a 1-0 win to get to this game. CRISTIANO RONALDO EXITS WORLD CUP AS SPAIN DEFEATS PORTUGAL, AWAITS WINNER OF USA-BELGIUM Belgium is probably a team most readers are a bit more familiar with, having seen them play in their last match. It wasn't the most-watched game of all time like the England-Mexico match, but having knocked out the United States, there were plenty of people watching them play. While Spain is led by one guy, I would say that Belgium is also led, but not dominated, by one person. Romelu Lukaku is their best scorer and has recorded a shot in each game and a shot on goal in the past three games. Belgium has four guys on the squad with at least two goals. I've already mentioned the last game that Belgium played, but let's explore their path to this matchup. They've had a relatively easy path, starting with a draw against Egypt, which also gave Argentina a scare (and arguably should've won). Then playing Iran to a draw as well. When they needed a win, against New Zealand, they got it, winning 5-1. They also beat Senegal 3-2, before taking down America 4-1. There are two things I like in this game: the first one is both teams to score. This is slightly pricey with a -145 line, and Spain hasn't exactly looked like an offensive force, but I think they should be good enough to get one against a Belgium team that has given up plenty of opportunities to opponents. In fact, in all but one Belgium game, the teams have both scored. The other angle I like in this one is over 2.5 goals scored. Again, Spain seems to be more defensively focused, but Belgium is an attacking team. I wouldn't be surprised to see a 2-1 victory for either team here. I just don't have a good feel for which team comes out on top (which usually means that there is some value in the underdog). Give me the over. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024 Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a51231dc2ca79de23660eed Mamdani official's planned meeting with Iran envoy shut down by State Department te 2026-07-10T16:51:41.925Z Mamdani official's planned meeting with Iran envoy shut down by State Department A senior official in New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration planned to meet with Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, before the State Department reportedly intervened and the meeting was canceled. Commissioner Ana María Archila, leader of the Mamdani administration’s Office of International Affairs, was scheduled to meet with Iran’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Amir-Saeid Iravani, Tuesday, the City Journal first reported. A U.S. official familiar with the matter confirmed to Fox News Digital that the meeting had been scheduled. The State Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. TRUMP SAYS HE'S IRAN'S 'NO. 1' TARGET AS RENEWED CONFLICT RAISES ASSASSINATION FEARS The reported intervention marks the second known instance in recent weeks in which the Trump administration has stepped in over the Mamdani administration's contacts with foreign leaders, highlighting growing federal scrutiny of New York City's international outreach under its new socialist mayor.  The Office for International Affairs coordinates closely with the State Department on many diplomatic matters because of New York City's role as host to the United Nations.  Once the State Department became aware of the planned meeting, it was called off and State Department officials met with Mamdani officials to clarify acceptable conduct, a State Department official told the City Journal. The Iranian mission declined to comment on the meeting to Fox News Digital. The mayor's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Trump repeatedly has said he is "No. 1" on Iran’s "kill list," and Israel recently shared intelligence with the U.S. president about an Iranian plot to assassinate him, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The reported Iran meeting would mark the second known instance in recent weeks in which the Trump administration intervened over the Mamdani administration's contacts with foreign officials. TRUMP SAYS IRAN CEASEFIRE IS 'OVER' AFTER IRANIAN ATTACKS TRIGGER MASSIVE US RESPONSE In June, the Washington Post reported that a planned meeting between Mamdani and Colombian President Gustavo Petro was scrapped after State Department objections. Fox News Digital has asked the State Department to confirm that account. Archila, the official who planned to meet with the Iranian representative, served as the co-director of New York’s progressive Working Families party prior to her appointment as commissioner. She had no prior diplomatic experience before taking the role, and in 2022 ran for lieutenant governor of New York. Archila made headlines in 2018 when she confronted former Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., outside a Senate elevator after he announced he would vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. She identified herself as a sexual assault victim and asked him why he would vote to confirm Kavanaugh after hearing the account of Christine Blasey Ford, who claimed Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were teenagers. Kavanaugh denied the allegation. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a51230ac2ca79de23660ee4 Trump administration expands 'Product of USA' label as push for American-raised beef grows te 2026-07-10T16:51:22.477Z Trump administration expands 'Product of USA' label as push for American-raised beef grows FIRST ON FOX — The Trump administration announced on Friday that 10 additional companies will put a "Product of USA" label on their meat and poultry products that originate from farms and ranches in the United States. This push began earlier this year as a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) initiative aimed at making it easier for consumers to know whether they are supporting American meat producers at the grocery store. "President Trump has made it clear that when American families buy American products, they should know exactly what they’re getting," Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said in a statement first obtained by Fox News Digital. "The Product of USA label gives consumers confidence that the meat, poultry, and egg products they purchase come from animals born, raised, harvested, and processed right here in the United States." STEVE MOORE: POLITICIANS ARE BLAMING THE WRONG VILLAIN FOR AMERICA’S RISING FOOD PRICES The USDA finalized the updated standard of what qualifies as American meat in 2024, marking a shift from past labeling rules that critics said allowed some imported meat to say it was U.S.-made as long as it was merely processed domestically. Rollins added that as more companies adopt the voluntary label, independent ranchers, family farmers, and small- and mid-sized meat processors will begin to reap the benefits. "USDA will continue working every day to strengthen domestic food production and ensure American agriculture remains the strongest in the world," Rollins added. The 10 new companies adopting the "Product of USA" label include Harris Ranch and One World Beef, both based in California; Upper Iowa Beef; American Foods Group; Agri Beef in Idaho; FPL Food in Georgia; Hadrick Farms in South Dakota; Fort Worth Meat Packers in Texas; Wholestone Farms in Nebraska; and Harrison's Poultry in Illinois. STEVE FORBES: CHUCK SCHUMER HAS A BEEF WITH BEEF, BUT DOESN’T EVEN KNOW HOW TO GRILL IT Juan Ramos, founder and CEO of Fort Worth Meats, said in a statement that the origin of food "should never be a mystery." "Consumers deserve labels they can trust, U.S. producers deserve recognition for what they produce, and every meat product should be represented honestly for what it is," Ramos said. Eric Brandt, the president of One World Beef, thanked the USDA for strengthening transparency and "helping preserve the future of independent ranching for generations to come." SECRETARY ROLLINS DISCUSSES US AGRICULTURE'S ROLE IN IRAN PLAN "Working from pasture to package gives us a unique appreciation for the responsibility behind every label. Honest representation honors the work of producers and gives consumers the confidence to know exactly what they're buying," Kyle Zimmerman, co-president and co-owner of Harrisons Poultry, said. According to the USDA website, thousands of American producers already display the "Product of USA" label. Last month, the USDA announced another new initiative called the Strengthening Processing for U.S. Ranchers Program. The program will provide up to $500 million to help eligible small- and mid-sized beef processors to expand their domestic operations. To be eligible, companies need to be U.S.-owned firms under federal inspection, according to the USDA. They also cannot hold a dominant position in the beef processing market. Fox News Digital's Danielle Wallace contributed to this report. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a5120d8c2ca79de23660e45 CEO under fire for mass layoffs amid foreign worker hiring spree now appointed to Fed's task force on jobs te 2026-07-10T16:42:00.805Z CEO under fire for mass layoffs amid foreign worker hiring spree now appointed to Fed's task force on jobs The CEO of a popular U.S. gaming brand on Thursday was appointed to a high-level Federal Reserve task force despite ongoing fury over her company's recent firing of 1,600 workers while being approved to hire thousands of foreign visa workers. Asha Sharma, who heads Microsoft's Xbox division, announced the layoffs earlier this week. Microsoft said that it will lay off 4,800 people in total, while it had been approved earlier this year to hire 2,273 foreign H-1B visa employees, according to data from U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS). At the height of the wrath over the layoffs this week, the Federal Reserve moved forward with appointing Sharma to a newly-created advisory role within the central bank. FURY ERUPTS AS US BRAND FIRES 1,600 EMPLOYEES AFTER SECURING THOUSANDS OF FOREIGN WORKER VISAS Sharma will serve on a task force on "Productivity and Jobs" alongside Andreessen Horowitz co-founder Marc Andreessen and Stanford University economics professor Charles I. Jones. "The Federal Reserve's commitment to price stability and maximum employment is unwavering. As is our resolve to pursue our mandate with rigor," said new Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh in a statement on the appointments. "Each task force will carefully consider whether policymakers' means and methods, analytical tools and policy approaches can be improved upon," he continued. "I am honored that the best minds from a range of disciplines have agreed to work with us to sharpen our performance as an institution." Many of the same critics who raged at Sharma, Xbox and Microsoft over the perceived replacement of American employees with foreign visa workers continued their tirades after the announcement. TRUMP TAPS ACTING LABOR SECRETARY KEITH SONDERLING FOR PERMANENT ROLE PENDING SENATE CONFIRMATION "It’s like asking El Chapo to lead the DEA," one person said online. Another critic said the Federal Reserve is trying to "incentivize" mass layoff of American workers in favor of foreign ones with their hiring of the XBOX executive. "The Federal Reserve needs help firing Americans," another person quipped. A fourth person called the move "totally unexplainable" FTC CHIEF ACCUSES DEMOCRATS OF 'TRYING TO PROTECT THE FRAUDSTERS' BY WITHHOLDING DATA FROM TRUMP ADMIN Some have claimed a racial component to the importation of H-1B visa workers, the vast majority of whom come from India. Sharma has Indian heritage but was born in Wisconsin. "Reminder that she had zero gaming experience when she was promoted to run Xbox, and she has zero finance or economic experience now that she's promoted to advise the Federal Reserve, said one X user. "Her one function is to purge white Americans and replace them with Indian cheap foreign labor." XBOX and the Federal Reserve did not return Fox News Digital's requests for comment.  Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance announced on Tuesday a large-scale investigation into H-1B visa fraud. "Today, I’m proud to announce that the federal Department of Labor has started dozens of subpoenas and investigations into foreign fraudsters who are trying to take advantage of the H-1B visa program," he said during a press conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. "American jobs ought to go to American workers and not foreign fraudsters and the Department of Labor is fighting back against it." Microsoft sent a statement to Fox News Digital on Thursday in the wake of the pushback on the company's H-1B program, and offered reasoning for the layoffs. "These decisions are based on business need, not visa status," a Microsoft spokesperson insisted. "H-1B employees were also impacted by job eliminations in the U.S." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a5120c5c2ca79de23660e3c DOJ accuses Maryland of 'active and deliberate effort' to prevent deportations of illegal immigrants: lawsuit te 2026-07-10T16:41:41.349Z DOJ accuses Maryland of 'active and deliberate effort' to prevent deportations of illegal immigrants: lawsuit The Department of Justice sued Maryland over its sanctuary policies, accusing the state of engaging in an "active and deliberate effort" to obstruct federal immigration enforcement. The lawsuit, filed Thursday in Maryland federal court, comes after the U.S. attorney general in February 2025 ordered the DOJ's civil division to identify state and local policies that provide sanctuary to illegal migrants. Since then, 20 other lawsuits have been brought, including against Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois and New York. The DOJ's suit against Maryland argues that the state's Community Trust Act, passed this year, "jeopardizes the public safety for all Americans" by purposely thwarting immigration-related arrests and deportations. "Federal immigration officers merely enforce the laws that our Nation’s elected representatives in Congress passed, reflecting the will of We the People," Associate U.S. Attorney General Stanley Woodward said in a statement. "Today’s suit proves that this Department will never stand for such lawless action from blue state leaders." EXCLUSIVE: DHS BLASTS SANCTUARY LEADERS AFTER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ACCUSED OF BAT ATTACK FREED FROM JAIL The lawsuit also said that Maryland's law violates the supremacy clause of the Constitution, which says state laws must be compliant with federal law. DOJ lawyers argued that the Community Trust Act has led to local authorities not cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other immigration officers. They pointed to an incident on May 29, 2026, when a warden of a Worcester County Jail told a detention and deportation officer that as a result of the Community Trust Act, his facility "would no longer honor ICE detainers, release individuals to ICE custody, or notify ICE when individuals are in custody and ready for release." "The facility denied a scheduled ICE pickup that morning and did not release the individual in question to ICE custody," DOJ lawyers wrote. DOJ ESCALATES BLUE-STATE ICE STANDOFF AFTER STATES REFUSE KEY FEDERAL REQUEST The text of the law says Maryland correctional facilities may not transfer individuals into federal custody without a "valid judicial warrant." The DOJ argued that immigration law allows arrests through administrative warrants, not just through warrants signed by a judge. Most local law enforcement officers in Maryland agree with the federal government's assessment of the Community Trust Act. WATCH: ANGEL MOM TURNS TABLES ON SANCTUARY POLITICIANS WITH BASIC QUESTION ABOUT THEIR PRIORITIES In late May, 17 of Maryland's 24 sheriffs sued the state, saying the law "interferes with the ability of sheriffs and local detention centers to coordinate with [ICE] regarding individuals in custody who may pose threats to public safety." The sheriffs claimed in a statement that Gov. Wes Moore, who was named in the lawsuit, told them during a phone call that he "was aware of the unintended public safety consequences this legislation could have on our communities." Moore did not sign the Community Trust Act, but under Maryland law, a bill approved by both chambers becomes law if the governor does not sign or veto it within 10 days. Moore's office confirmed to Fox News Digital that this phone call took place and that Moore "explained his rationale for letting the bill go into law without his signature." Moore previously said that despite the implementation challenges, the Community Trust Act keeps "local law enforcement focused on the work that has helped drive Maryland’s historic reductions in violent crime." A representative from Moore's office also told Fox News Digital that the Community Trust Act allows local authorities to coordinate with federal immigration officers "when it comes to people convicted of serious crimes." Moore's office declined to comment on the DOJ lawsuit but offered a statement attacking President Donald Trump's approach to immigration enforcement. "Maryland will work with the federal government when that coordination makes our people safer – but we will not let Donald Trump’s untrained, unqualified, and unaccountable ICE agents deputize our law enforcement officers to do immigration work," the statement read. The office of Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown — who was named in both the federal lawsuit and the complaint filed by the collection of sheriffs — declined to comment. Fox News Digital reached out to the DOJ, the White House and the Department of Homeland Security for comment. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a512074c2ca79de23660e1a Trump Is Promoting ‘Freedom Fuel’ for $3.47 a Gallon. Who’s Behind It? te 2026-07-10T16:40:20.972Z Trump Is Promoting ‘Freedom Fuel’ for $3.47 a Gallon. Who’s Behind It? The president has praised a network of 25 recently rebranded gas stations in the Philadelphia region that have been selling gas for considerably less than the national average. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a511e94c2ca79de23660dde Janice Dean offers a tearful final farewell after bringing sunshine to Fox News for over two decades te 2026-07-10T16:32:20.611Z Janice Dean offers a tearful final farewell after bringing sunshine to Fox News for over two decades After more than two decades bringing sunshine into millions of living rooms, Fox News senior meteorologist Janice Dean officially signed off the air in an emotional goodbye on Friday. Sitting on the "Fox & Friends" curvy couch, Dean used her final moments on air to thank the audience, whom she called "friends," and reflect on the milestones she achieved during her time on the show. "I want to say to the audience, I have loved every moment you have invited me into your living rooms every single morning," a tearful Dean said. FOX NEWS LEADS ALL NEWS BRANDS IN YOUTUBE VIDEO VIEWS AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT FOR SECOND QUARTER 2026 "I've met some of you on the plaza. I've done the weather with some of the children. It has been an honor of my life. And I feel really blessed to have done this job," she added. Dean, who has been with Fox News for over 22 years, announced her departure in a video posted to X last month. She explained her struggles living with multiple sclerosis and said the early morning work schedule was affecting her health. "Living with an illness, we don’t talk about this on TV, but getting up at 2:30 in the morning is a really tough thing, right? It's tough on your body. I did it for a long time, and I probably shouldn't have done it as long as I did," she said. "But I think I caught it at a time where I can repair myself a little bit. And part of that is, unfortunately, getting away from a job that was very stressful in a lot of ways, even though I loved it so much," Dean added. She noted that throughout her time on the show, she shared many major milestones on television, including her engagement, welcoming her two children and speaking about the difficult deaths of her in-laws during the COVID-19 pandemic. KATHIE LEE GIFFORD ADMITS SHE 'WANTED TO DIE' AFTER MISDIAGNOSIS AND MULTIPLE SURGERIES FOR CHRONIC PAIN Now, Dean said she is looking forward to spending more time with her family and her two teenage sons. She also expressed gratitude to her husband, who took on the "lion's share of all those mornings" so she could pursue her career. Dean described her time being off the air as a "grieving period" and said she felt it was important to return for a final farewell with the audience to lighten some of the heaviness she’s felt. DANNY MCBRIDE SAYS DITCHING LA WAS THE BEST MOVE FOR HIS CAREER AND FAMILY "When you leave a career [or] a job, there is a grieving period because this has been part of my life. You guys have been my second family, and this, I think, will help me with that grieving period, because turning the page on this chapter has been really heavy," she said. "And maybe the pages will get lighter after this." Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that attacks the central nervous system. There is currently no cure for the chronic illness. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a511e81c2ca79de23660dd5 CEO under fire for mass layoffs amid foreign worker hiring spree now appointed to Fed's task force on jobs te 2026-07-10T16:32:01.153Z CEO under fire for mass layoffs amid foreign worker hiring spree now appointed to Fed's task force on jobs The CEO of a popular U.S. gaming brand on Thursday was appointed to a high-level Federal Reserve task force despite ongoing fury over her company's recent firing of 1,600 workers while being approved to hire thousands of foreign visa workers. Asha Sharma, who heads Microsoft's XBOX division, announced the layoffs earlier this week. Microsoft said that it will lay off 4,800 people in total, while it had been approved earlier this year to hire 2,273 foreign H-1B visa employees, according to data from U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS). At the height of the wrath over the layoffs this week, the Federal Reserve moved forward with appointing Sharma to a newly-created advisory role within the central bank. FURY ERUPTS AS US BRAND FIRES 1,600 EMPLOYEES AFTER SECURING THOUSANDS OF FOREIGN WORKER VISAS Sharma will serve on a task force on "Productivity and Jobs" alongside Andreessen Horowitz co-founder Marc Andreeson and Stanford University economics professor Charles I. Jones. "The Federal Reserve's commitment to price stability and maximum employment is unwavering. As is our resolve to pursue our mandate with rigor," said new Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh in a statement on the appointments. "Each task force will carefully consider whether policymakers' means and methods, analytical tools and policy approaches can be improved upon," he continued. "I am honored that the best minds from a range of disciplines have agreed to work with us to sharpen our performance as an institution." Many of the same critics who raged at Sharma, XBOX and Microsoft over the perceived replacement of American employees with foreign visa workers continued their tirades after the announcement. TRUMP TAPS ACTING LABOR SECRETARY KEITH SONDERLING FOR PERMANENT ROLE PENDING SENATE CONFIRMATION "It’s like asking El Chapo to lead the DEA," one person said online. Another critic said the Federal Reserve is trying to "incentivize" mass layoff of American workers in favor of foreign ones with their hiring of the XBOX executive. "The Federal Reserve needs help firing Americans," another person quipped. A fourth person called the move "totally unexplainable" FTC CHIEF ACCUSES DEMOCRATS OF 'TRYING TO PROTECT THE FRAUDSTERS' BY WITHHOLDING DATA FROM TRUMP ADMIN Some have claimed a racial component to the importation of H-1B visa workers, the vast majority of whom come from India. Sharma has Indian heritage but was born in Wisconsin. "Reminder that she had zero gaming experience when she was promoted to run Xbox, and she has zero finance or economic experience now that she's promoted to advise the Federal Reserve, said one X user. "Her one function is to purge white Americans and replace them with Indian cheap foreign labor." XBOX and the Federal Reserve did not return Fox News Digital's requests for comment.  Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance announced on Tuesday a large-scale investigation into H-1B visa fraud. "Today, I’m proud to announce that the federal Department of Labor has started dozens of subpoenas and investigations into foreign fraudsters who are trying to take advantage of the H-1B visa program," he said during a press conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. "American jobs ought to go to American workers and not foreign fraudsters and the Department of Labor is fighting back against it." Microsoft sent a statement to Fox News Digital on Thursday in the wake of the pushback on the company's H-1B program, and offered reasoning for the layoffs. "These decisions are based on business need, not visa status," a Microsoft spokesperson insisted. "H-1B employees were also impacted by job eliminations in the U.S." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a511e6dc2ca79de23660dbc Historians warn Trump’s Smithsonian attack seeks to rewrite the American story, not correct it te 2026-07-10T16:31:41.184Z Historians warn Trump’s Smithsonian attack seeks to rewrite the American story, not correct it The National Museum of American History sits on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. (Photo courtesy National Museum of American History) WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s latest attack on the Smithsonian Institution represents an attempt to replace a shared American history with his own ideology, academics said as the Smithsonian defended its longstanding position as a nonpartisan actor. A July 4 White House report accused the Smithsonian Institution and its National Museum of American History of promoting what it called a “radical, activist ideology” that downplayed U.S. achievements and promoted injustices related to race, gender and sexual identity. But the report does not advocate for a neutral presentation of history, said Asim Ali, an American studies professor at the University of Maryland. Instead, the report’s authors are promoting their own vision of American history that downplays the country’s shortcomings to promote national pride, Ali said. “The report frames what the National Museum of American History is doing as being ideologically and politically motivated,” Ali said. “But what it is actually saying in the first several pages is that it should be following a different ideology — one that is focused on what the authors of the report want to see.” A spokesperson for the Smithsonian, a constellation of museums largely funded by the federal government, said the museum had a nearly two-century track record of nonpartisan service. Television chef Julia Child gave her Model 182 Garland Commercial Range to the Smithsonian Institution. (Photo courtesy National Museum of American History, copyright Garland Group) “For more than 180 years, the Smithsonian has served the American public with nonpartisan and independent scholarship, and we remain committed to doing so,” the spokesperson wrote in a statement to States Newsroom.  Lonnie G. Bunch III, the secretary of the Smithsonian, was more forceful in an internal email, according to a July 8 Washington Post article. His email to employees said the White House report was “not a fair characterization of the work and totality of the National Museum of American History,” according to the Post. ‘Ideological capture’ The scathing 162-page report published by the White House Domestic Policy Council represents the latest push in a broader Trump effort to restructure some of the nation’s hallmark cultural and artistic institutions to hew more closely to the nationalistic vision that animates his MAGA movement, American University history professor Pamela Nadell said.   It alleges the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History has “explicitly adopted an ideological framework that no longer treats the American story as a shared national inheritance to be taught or celebrated,” instead painting the country in a “problematic” light with “thinly veiled anti-Americanism.” “This ideological capture has moved the Museum’s mission away from straightforward historical education and scholarship toward an extreme political activism that seeks to transform our country,” the report said.  The Star-Spangled Banner flew at Baltimore’s Ft. McHenry to celebrate a crucial 1814 victory over British forces in the War of 1812 and became the subject of the national anthem written by Francis Scott Key. Eben Appleton, the grandson of Ft. McHenry’s commander, George Armistead, gave the original flag to the Smithsonian in 1907. It is on display at the National Museum of American History. (Photo courtesy of National Museum of American History) Struggle to define history Ali said he thinks the report’s introduction reads like “propaganda” due to its focus on ideology and disregard of the contributions of academics and researchers.  Nadell also said the Trump administration is trying to get the Smithsonian — along with other cultural and educational institutions across the country — to conform to a certain “patriotic, heroic narrative.”  She said she disagreed with the report’s attempts to deemphasize flawed parts of America’s story that are “essential to tell the complete history of the nation.” The White House report also has its defenders, who agree with Trump that U.S. educational and cultural institutions ought to show the country’s history in a more positive light. U.S. Sen. Jim Banks, an Indiana Republican who introduced a bill to codify a 2025 Trump executive order on the presentation of U.S. history, said in a social media post Tuesday that the White House was right to criticize the National Museum of American History.  “The Museum of *American* History has no major exhibits dedicated to *America’s* founding,” the senator wrote. “Instead, it focuses on ‘social justice’ and ‘decolonization.’ This is wrong.”  An 8-foot section of the original lunch counter from Woolworth Department Store in Greensboro, North Carolina, on display at the National Museum of American History. Four African American students at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College began a nonviolent, direct-action protest by sitting at at the “whites only” lunch counter in February 1960. (Photo courtesy National Museum of American History) ‘Woke’ institutions The Domestic Policy Council, which is led by former Trump campaign speechwriter Vince Haley, accused museum leadership of advancing personal ideological agendas that contradict the institution’s founding patriotic principles. The language used in the White House report echoes arguments the second Trump administration has made against academic and cultural institutions the president has deemed too culturally liberal or “woke.”  Last year, less than one month after he assumed office, Trump named himself chairman of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and took control of much of the center’s programming.  He has also ordered colleges and universities to make changes to their diversity, equity and inclusion-related programs and threatened to withhold federal funding if they did not comply.  And the July 4 report is not the first move the Trump administration has made against the Smithsonian Institution. The president issued a March 2025 executive order to “restore the Smithsonian Institution to its rightful place as a symbol of inspiration and American greatness” and get rid of any “improper ideology.” Then, beginning in August of last year, he launched an investigation into exhibitions and materials from eight of the Smithsonian’s 21 museums. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., with President Donald Trump’s name on the facade is pictured May 5, 2026. (Photo by Ashley Murray/States Newsroom) Constructive criticism OK Andrew Taylor, an associate professor of arts management at American University, said the Smithsonian should not be immune from criticism. “I think anybody and everybody in the country has the right to hold the Smithsonian accountable and to make their best case for the things they’re concerned about,” he said. “That’s fine, that’s harmless and it’s useful.” But, he added, the White House’s critique seemed more designed to disrupt an honest public accounting of the nation’s story. “It feels like the report is intended to change what we consider to be our shared history, without actually going through the process of knowing what that should be,” he said. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a511e1cc2ca79de23660d93 Disney+ is considering a free streaming tier, report says te 2026-07-10T16:30:20.291Z Disney+ is considering a free streaming tier, report says The launch of free content would allow Disney+ to better compete with free services like YouTube and Tubi, which are capturing a growing share of consumers’ viewing time. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a511c16c2ca79de23660d70 Texas police admit officer made inaccurate First Amendment remarks after preacher cited at Pride event te 2026-07-10T16:21:42.918Z Texas police admit officer made inaccurate First Amendment remarks after preacher cited at Pride event The Fort Worth Police Department acknowledged that an officer made "certain statements that were not accurate" during a viral encounter last month with a Christian street preacher outside a Pride festival, while maintaining that the citation he received stemmed from the use of a bullhorn that allegedly violated the city's noise ordinance, not the content of the preacher's speech. According to the department, officers responded to a June 27 incident at Trinity Pride Fest, after nearby business owners complained that the amplified sound disrupted their operations and drove away customers. Police said the preacher was warned that continued use of the bullhorn would violate the city's noise ordinance before ultimately receiving a disorderly conduct citation after continuing to use the device. FAR-LEFT HOUSE CANDIDATE RIPPED FOR 'DISGUSTING' VOTE ON MISGENDERING BILL: 'DISQUALIFYING' A video posted on X on July 8 by Rich Penkoski, who identifies himself on his social media as a Christian street preacher, said, "Fort Worth Police officer says calling a biological male a male is a gray area that could be citable at some point and then says he can't do anything about half naked men running around children at pride." In the video, a male Fort Worth police officer said calling a biological male a "sir" is a "gray area" and that he would potentially ticket people for "offensive" language. Penkoski appeared in another July 8 video he reposted on X from Libs of TikTok where a female officer said, "If someone is offended by your talking, then we have a problem." NEW YORKER SUING ICE AFTER OFFICERS WENT TO HIS HOME TO WARN HIM OVER CRITICISM OF AGENCY "You're going to ticket us for 'offensive' speech?" a man asked the female officer in the video. "Yes, absolutely," the female cop responded, saying it was called disorderly conduct. In another video posted on X on July 9 by the male Fort Worth Police Department officer, Penkoski wrote, "Did the Fort Worth Police set us up for a citation? Sure looks like it." In a statement to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for the Fort Worth Police Department said, "The City of Fort Worth and the Fort Worth Police Department recognize that incidents involving First Amendment activity require thoughtful consideration and understanding of the law." 'PREACHING AS RESISTANCE': DEM MINISTER BEHIND SATANIST WEDDING NOW LINKED TO ANTI-TRUMP SERMON GUIDE "In response to an incident that took place on Saturday, June 27, at Trinity Pride Fest, the City and FWPD have carefully reviewed the incident, officer response and resulting social media posts," the spokesperson added. According to the Fort Worth Police Department, the preacher outside the festival used a bullhorn that nearby business owners said disrupted their operations and drove away customers. Officers warned the individual that continued use of the amplification device would violate the city's noise ordinance. After the person continued using the bullhorn, police issued a disorderly conduct citation, seized the device as evidence, and said the individual remained free to continue protesting without amplification. "FWPD remains committed to protecting the constitutional rights of all individuals, regardless of the content or viewpoint of their speech," the department said in its statement. "A video that has circulated online captures only a portion of the interactions between the officer and the individuals involved. FWPD acknowledges that an officer involved in the incident made certain statements that were not accurate." The department continued, "The City of Fort Worth Law Department will provide refresher training to Fort Worth Police Officers and new trainees on First Amendment protections and related legal issues for persons expressing free speech, protesters, and other similar activities. FWPD continuously strives to improve its procedures to ensure both constitutional rights and public safety are protected." In a Thursday post on X, Penkoski wrote, "Police officers have been violating preachers' 1st amendment rights for years. This isn't new, we just got it on video, and they can't walk it back or deny it," with a stop emoji and a film emoji. "​As a street preacher, it is not my job to coddle anyone or go soft on sin," Penkoski continued. "People are dying and going to hell everyday and we have to warn them. ​The Bible tells us on some have compassion and others win with fear. The Bible also says God will send a cruel messenger to those in rebellion. 📖🔥 ​Please support street preachers." In a Friday X post, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon reposted one of the videos about the incident and wrote, "Troubling. Our @CivilRights team is on it." Fox News Digital reached out to Penkoski for comment but did not immediately receive a response. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a511c03c2ca79de23660d67 Ex-Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino gets honest about deportations with Tomi Lahren: 'I've got no regrets' te 2026-07-10T16:21:23.468Z Ex-Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino gets honest about deportations with Tomi Lahren: 'I've got no regrets' Immigration has become one of the most important issues of the decade for American voters, and it's easy to see why. Thanks to Joe Biden's lax deportation and border policies, President Donald Trump inherited a mess that his supporters have called upon him to clean up. His methods have drawn scrutiny, namely from the left, but former Border Patrol chief, Greg Bovino, joined "Tomi Lahren is Fearless" and expressed his thoughts on the deportation operation as a whole, revealing that there is still plenty left to get done. ICE SURGES ENFORCEMENT, MAKES 10,000 ARRESTS IN FIVE DAYS AMID SUPREME COURT BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP DECISION "I've got no regrets about anything," Bovino said. "Except, that I wish I had gone even harder." The former Border Patrol Commander-at-Large says he "still has gas in the tank" when it comes to enforcing immigration policies and also suggested that Trump may have been swayed to relax his stance on immigration from polling numbers. "If I had something to do over, I would have briefed Trump face-to-face and cut out that team... that maybe plied him with polling and things like that." BIDEN JUDGE OVERRULED ON KEY TRUMP IMMIGRATION POLICY It's a fascinating peek behind the curtain and helps to explain why maybe there seemed to be a shift away from the more aggressive ICE operations from earlier in the year. Bovino expressed his wishes to continue the mandate of the people who voted for the administration to adopt a hardline stance on immigration enforcement. "I would have loved to have arrested, oh, I don't know, 99 million of those 100 million illegal aliens that are still here," Bovino said. BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN TELLS TEXAS DEMOCRAT TO 'BRING IT' AFTER HER CHILLING THREAT TO JAIL ICE AGENTS While Bovino is a very unpopular figure to those on the left, having endured harassment from a number of unhinged liberals in public, the former Border Patrol chief reveals the vast majority of his interactions have been positive. "90% are people saying, 'Can I get a picture with you? Thank you. We're sorry what happened to you,'" Bovino explained. "That lets me know that what we were doing was accepted by, as we always said, 90% of the public." His unapologetic stance certainly rubs people the wrong way, but Bovino explains that enforcing the law is something no one should be sorry for. "I'm very unapologetic," he told Lahren. "I won't apologize for a legal, ethical, lawful, and much needed law enforcement mission." That mission still has a long way to go, but as Bovino sees it, the next generation is ready to complete it. "It's going to be the young folks, the grassroots, look out... they're going to win this thing." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a5119d2c2ca79de23660d0b CMLL women's champion Persephone has been the 'breakout star of the year,' AEW's Thunder Rosa says te 2026-07-10T16:12:02.225Z CMLL women's champion Persephone has been the 'breakout star of the year,' AEW's Thunder Rosa says Persephone has been a rising talent in pro wrestling over the two years as she’s become the reigning Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) world women’s champion as well as the Universal Amazons champion and the winner of the 2025 Grand Prix de Amazonas. Persephone’s talent has exceeded the ropes of a CMLL ring. COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON FOX NEWS DIGITAL She’s been utilized on All Elite Wrestling (AEW), Maple Leaf Wrestling and Ring of Honor just to name a few promotions. She’s also made an impression on AEW star Thunder Rosa. Rosa told Fox News Digital she believed Persephone has broken out. "I think she's one of those talents that – she bet on herself a long time ago. She was a luchadora. She had a mask. She lost her mask and she's been working very, very hard to make that opportunity for herself," Rosa said. "And I think that she has found her time. And it's been this year, I think she's been the breakout star of the year I will say. I think when she started coming last year and doing some of the shows, people started seeing how talented she was." Rosa said she’s seen Persephone’s growth as a wrestler firsthand and has the ability to make fans cheer for her even though she’s presented as a heel. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM "I mean, I've seen her grow since 2020 in the independent scene and now when I go to Mexico City and they love her regardless if she's a heel or not, they like love her over there," Rosa added. "And now, how she's been able to transition into American style, it's also very interesting to see because when you see this transition, me going into Mexico and trying to transition into Lucha Libre and her, although she was born here, in America and she's binational, having the fact that she has to transition into American style of wrestling is always very, very good to see. "But she's very smart and she knows what she's doing. So, I'm really proud of her." Persephone recently showcased her pro wrestling prowess in AEW’s Survival of the Fittest match for the TBS Championship. Tessa Blanchard also challenged her for the CMLL Women’s Championship, which she accepted this week. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a511994c2ca79de23660cec Gov. Hobbs on navigating election-year politics from the Ninth Floor te 2026-07-10T16:11:00.651Z Gov. Hobbs on navigating election-year politics from the Ninth Floor Gov. Katie Hobbs is now on the other side of four legislative sessions on the Ninth Floor.  And while the final session of her first term as governor did not feature the uproarious political battles over immigration, abortion and disability rights that defined her previous years, it did still bring plenty of clashes between an incumbent Democrat seeking a second term and a Republican Legislature doing everything it can to regain a trifecta in November’s election. Hobbs sat down with the Arizona Capitol Times on June 30 to discuss the session’s highs and lows, the tax cuts she hopes will help Arizonans struggling during an affordability crisis and her disappointment at the lack of movement on education funding and school voucher reform.  Questions and answers have been lightly edited for style and clarity. What do you consider to be your biggest win from this legislative session? The budget we got through this year. Now (we have) four years of bipartisan, balanced budgets. This one had the most support on both sides of the aisle, and delivered a huge win for Arizonans with the tax cut. That is going to really help provide relief and put money back in the pockets of middle-class Arizonans. That tax cut was one of the biggest sources of contention throughout the session, but I’m glad we were able to finally get this negotiated and give Arizonans a higher standard deduction, no tax on tips and overtime, a $6,000 senior tax credit, expanded child care and a child tax credit. What was the biggest missed opportunity? The Prop(osition) 123 extension. When we’re looking at ways that we can increase revenue to deliver for Arizonans, Prop. 123 has been a way to support our public schools without raising taxes. It’s been very successful, and so it was a once in a decade opportunity to make sure we continued that, and unfortunately, really, it was Republicans who let electoral politics get in the way of doing what’s right for Arizonans. What is your response to the criticism that you are taking credit for a tax cut created by Republicans in Washington and backed by Republicans in the Legislature? It was part of the budget that we negotiated together. If I wasn’t willing to make that deal, we wouldn’t have a budget. The Republicans are taking credit for it too, I don’t understand why it’s an issue that I am when we agreed on it together. As governor, I’ve focused on ways to lower costs for Arizonans, cutting taxes is one way to do that. I proposed this plan back in November, based on the federal tax cuts, I encouraged the Legislature to get it to me first thing this session, and we worked on this together. Why did you veto the plan before it ultimately got baked into the budget? What I said when I put out that plan in November and in January is, look, we can have a conversation about full tax conformity, but it has a big price tag, and we can’t do that in absence of looking at the whole budget. So when we sit down to negotiate a budget, let’s negotiate that. (Former Gov.) Doug Ducey did that in 2019 when there was another large federal tax cut. It wasn’t unprecedented to break that up like that, and it was quite frankly irresponsible for the Republicans to continue to send full tax conformity (to my desk) without showing how they wanted to pay for that. We got there in this budget, but that was after figuring out how we were going to pay for it, and what things we are going to compromise on to do that. Do you think there is any hope for Prop. 123 in Arizona’s divided government? Obviously this is an election year and things get more heated. I imagine that (Sen.) Jake Hoffman will have some other excuse next year not to do it. But the fact is, he put out a tweet that said “(Prop. 123) will guarantee Governor Hobbs’ reelection.” That’s not what I’m focused on. That’s not why I think it’s important to do it, but that killed any chance of a deal this year. Perhaps when we’re not in an election year, we can take that off the table. There has been criticism from both sides on the data center tax moratorium, how do you respond to that? I proposed a full repeal of the tax credit. There was legislation that was introduced that also would have done that from both sides of the aisle, and I think the three-year stop to that tax credit is responsible. It takes into account those companies that already have that tax credit, we’re not going back on something that they already have. But it’s one of the toughest data center policies in the country now, and it gives us a chance to craft the right policy and look at making sure we’re getting the right return on investment, which honestly I think we should be doing for any tax credit or tax incentive. (We will) really have a chance to address some of the real concerns about water, energy and the valid community opposition we’ve seen to data centers. It’s not putting a moratorium on them, and the data center market is thriving here. I voted for that tax credit 13 years ago, but I think it’s a moment that we should be pausing and looking to see that we’re crafting the right policy. Can you talk about your office’s role in the last-minute Empowerment Scholarship Accounts program deal that fell through? We were involved, particularly about the concerns around (House Concurrent Resolution) 2040. We heard from teachers, but also it attacks fire and police and other public employees. We wanted to protect them and at the same time have some guardrails on the waste, fraud and abuse that we’re seeing in ESAs, and we had a real chance for a bipartisan deal. It is unfortunate that that didn’t end up happening. Voters are going to have a chance to have their say on ESA reform. I think that, ultimately, we’re in the situation we’re in because people have political agendas, and they were more focused on that than on doing what’s right for Arizonans. I hope there’s still a way to address HCR 2040 and protect the public employees who are really out there on the front lines for us every single day. You have now vetoed 541 bills since taking office in 2023. What do you want voters to know about that veto record? I have signed nearly 1,000 bills into law, so I think that speaks more to what we’ve been able to get done together. So much of what happens at the Legislature is not controversial, it’s the controversial stuff that I vetoed, it’s the controversial stuff that gets the headlines. And there’s election-year politics at play here. I don’t know how many veto letters we issued that said, “when I vetoed this last year.” It just shows there was no interest in working with us to get whatever they were doing to a place where it was workable or actually solved a problem. It was just people trying to make political statements. I said from day one I’ll be a backstop, but I didn’t come here to veto bills, I came here to work across the aisle and get things done, and we’ve done that with almost 1,000 bills. I think that is what Arizonans elected us to do, and over and over again, we’ve shown that when we are focused on doing the right thing and putting the politics aside, we can do that. The post Gov. Hobbs on navigating election-year politics from the Ninth Floor first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a51196cc2ca79de23660cc2 Dumb Co dared me to trade my iPhone for a hacked flip phone te 2026-07-10T16:10:20.720Z Dumb Co dared me to trade my iPhone for a hacked flip phone Dumb Co sells flip phones that sync to your smartphone, bridging the infinite connectivity of the iPhone and the unrealistic limitations of an early 2000s relic. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a510e56c2ca79de23660b1e Would you pay $8,000 for a robot to fold laundry? te 2026-07-10T15:23:02.941Z Would you pay $8,000 for a robot to fold laundry? If your clean laundry has been sitting in a basket long enough to qualify as furniture, Isaac 1 may sound like the robot you have been waiting for. Weave Robotics has introduced Isaac 1, a mobile home robot designed to handle household chores that many of us keep pushing off to tomorrow. It can pick up dirty clothes, handle loaded hampers, fold laundry and put clothes away. It can also help with making beds, fixing pillows and blankets, plus putting everyday clutter back where it belongs. That sounds pretty amazing to me, especially if your house has kids, pets or a laundry pile that seems to regenerate overnight. However, Isaac 1 also raises a very personal question: how much access would you give a robot inside your home if it meant fewer chores? HUMANOID ROBOT CLEANS FIRST US APARTMENT Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Isaac 1 is a wheeled mobile robot built from the ground up for the home. Weave says it designed and assembled the robot in San Francisco. The robot has a soft fabric shell, a solid internal structure and a collapsible torso. It can shrink down when it is off duty or extend up to a more human height when it needs to work. Unlike a robot vacuum, Isaac 1 can reach for objects, move items around and interact with clutter in your home. You control it through a smartphone companion app. That app lets you request a task on demand or schedule one for later. So, Isaac 1 could work while you are home or handle a chore while you are away. Isaac 1's main features fall into two areas. The first is Laundry Flow. Isaac 1 can find dirty clothes, pick them up, handle loaded hampers, fold clothing and put items away. Depending on your home setup, Weave says Isaac 1 may also help with related tasks, such as loading and unloading clothes from a washer or dryer. The second area is Daily Reset. That means Isaac 1 can tidy rooms so they feel ready to use again. It can make beds, straighten pillows and blankets and return toys, shoes and other clutter to their places. For many homes, that could be a big deal. Laundry and daily pickup chores tend to drain time because they never really end. Isaac 1 has an 8-hour battery life and a listed charge time of about two hours. It connects through Wi-Fi and has a footprint of 20.5 inches by 22 inches. Its height ranges from 3 feet to 5 feet 9 inches because the torso can collapse or extend. Weave also lists an 80-inch vertical reach and a 38-inch horizontal reach. Those specs help explain how Isaac 1 could reach beds, hampers, shelves and other parts of a normal home. It also uses a wheeled base, which Weave says makes it passively stable as it completes tasks. At preorder, you can also choose a color preference, including Sage, Gray, Slate Blue, Terracotta or Vesper. CHINA’S ROBOT-RUN HOTEL OPENS TO PUBLIC IN 2027 Weave says Isaac 1 is autonomous by default for Laundry Flow and Daily Reset. However, the company also says teleoperation assistance may step in when needed to make sure tasks get completed. That detail deserves your attention because Isaac 1 works inside your home. Teleoperation means a person can help the robot remotely if it gets confused by an item, a room layout or a task. In some cases, that could make the robot more useful. It could also help prevent chores from getting stuck halfway. Weave says privacy is core to Isaac 1's design. The company also says the robot has physical cues that show when it is working. However, Weave's privacy policy says its robots have video cameras and may record visual content about their surroundings. That can include tasks being performed, objects in the robot's field of view and people nearby. The policy also says Weave's workforce may remotely access that information in connection with the robot's operation. That does not mean you should panic. It does mean you should read the policy before putting down a deposit. Isaac 1 may need cameras to fold clothes and move through your home. Still, your bedroom, laundry area and living room are private spaces. You deserve clear answers about what gets recorded, who can see it and how long it is stored. Before ordering, ask whether video can be deleted, whether you can opt out of AI training uses and how you can limit where the robot operates. Weave lists two payment options for home customers. You can pay $7,999 upfront, with an optional $99-per-month premium membership, or choose a $449-per-month subscription plan. You can also preorder Isaac 1 with a fully refundable $250 deposit. That deposit reserves your place in line and remains refundable until your robot ships. For some, the math may come down to time. If Isaac 1 handles enough laundry and daily cleanup, the cost may feel easier to justify. For others, $449 a month may feel like too much for an early home robot. Weave says first shipments begin in fall 2026. California deliveries come first, with broader U.S. availability expected through 2027. After you preorder, Weave says you should receive a confirmation and thank-you email. As your delivery date gets closer, the company plans to coordinate a demo. That demo may happen in person at a Weave location or remotely over a video call. Weave also says it will use that time to understand your top priorities for Isaac 1 inside your home. If Isaac 1 works as promised, it could give you back time from chores that never seem finished. Laundry alone can take hours each week, especially in a busy household. It could also help if bending, lifting or carrying loaded hampers has become a hassle. For some homes, a robot that folds clothes and resets rooms may offer more than convenience. However, Isaac 1 is still a connected device moving through private rooms. It uses cameras, connects to Wi-Fi and may involve remote help when needed. So before you place a deposit, think about your home layout and where you would actually feel comfortable letting it work. GOOGLE TURNS OLD PHONES INTO CLOUD SERVERS Your phone holds your email, passwords, photos, banking apps and personal data. In this free CyberGuy Live replay, Kurt the CyberGuy walks you step by step through simple phone security fixes you can do at your own pace. You’ll learn how to improve your privacy settings, spot the latest phone scams, use trusted security tools and walk away with a simple checklist to stay protected. Watch the replay and get our checklist here: CyberGuyLive.com. Isaac 1 is the kind of robot that makes you stop and say, "OK, now we're getting somewhere." Nobody looks forward to folding laundry, making beds or picking up the same clutter again and again. These are the chores that eat up your precious time and seem never-ending. The price is the hard part. At $7,999 upfront or $449 a month, Isaac 1 has to do a lot more than look cool in a demo. It has to save you real time, work reliably and fit into your home without creating new headaches. Then there is the privacy side. Isaac 1 uses cameras, connects to Wi-Fi and may involve remote help when needed. That does not make it a dealbreaker for me, but I would want very clear answers before letting it work in private spaces like my bedroom or bathroom. I love the idea of a robot taking laundry off my hands. I am just not sure most of us are ready to pay nearly $8,000 for that privilege quite yet. Would you let a robot see inside your home if it meant you never had to fold another load of laundry again? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a510e43c2ca79de23660b15 Hegseth steps in to ‘fix’ situation after Apache pilots suspended for ‘Salute from the Shores’ flyover te 2026-07-10T15:22:43.462Z Hegseth steps in to ‘fix’ situation after Apache pilots suspended for ‘Salute from the Shores’ flyover Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stepped in quickly after reports that the pilots of eight Apache helicopters were suspended following a low-altitude flyover during South Carolina's "Salute from the Shore" event celebrating America's 250th anniversary. Video of the Apache helicopters conducting a low-altitude flyover as beachgoers cheered and waved flags quickly went viral. However, Fox affiliate Fox Carolina reported Thursday that after the pilots landed, they were informed they had been suspended pending an investigation. Their suspension did not last long. Shortly after news broke of the suspension, Hegseth posted on X, "We’ll fix this. Carry on, Patriots." Early the next morning, Sean Parnell, a Pentagon spokesman and senior advisor to Hegseth, announced that "effective immediately, the suspension of all involved South Carolina pilots has been lifted." Echoing Hegseth, he added, "Carry on Patriots." HEGSETH SAYS PENTAGON WILL REVIEW MARK KELLY'S PUBLIC STATEMENTS ABOUT CLASSIFIED BRIEFING AMID ONGOING FEUD Fox Carolina reported on Thursday that South Carolina National Guard spokesperson Maj. Lisa Alle clarified the suspension was intended to be temporary and that the pilots remained in good standing with the military. Alle emphasized to the outlet, "We want to assure the community that a temporary suspension from flight duties is a routine administrative measure whenever a flight profile is under review. This is not punitive." While suspended, the pilots were continuing to work and getting paid. Despite this, the pilots’ suspension outraged many online who expressed anger that they would be under review for participating in a patriotic event. FIRST ON FOX: BEHIND THE SCENES OF ARLINGTON’S MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE FOR AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY Conservative influencer Matt Van Swol posted on X, "WHAT ON EARTH??!!!! The National Guard has just SUSPENDED all 8 pilots of the Apache helicopters that flew on the ‘Salute to the Shore’ flyover across the South Carolina coast. No reason has been given for their suspension. A source says as soon as the pilots landed, they got a message saying they were suspended pending an investigation." Another popular influencer who goes by the username Jammles9 reacted, "Are you kidding me?? This was incredible!!" Rep. Russell Fry, R-S.C., wrote, "Leave it to a beach Karen to make a frivolous complaint about the most EPIC flyover ever on Independence Day. Newsflash— we LOVED the flyovers!!!" The congressman added, "These heroes deserve to be CELEBRATED, not chastised. We stand with each of the Apache pilots!" 'THE VIEW' CO-HOST SUNNY HOSTIN LAMENTS 'I SUDDENLY FEEL UNSAFE' IN NEIGHBORHOODS WITH AMERICAN FLAGS In a statement shared with Fox News Digital Friday morning, the South Carolina National Guard confirmed the state adjutant general had lifted the administrative suspension of the eight pilots. The statement referred to the pilots as "experienced aviators" and noted that returning them to flight status "ensures that the South Carolina National Guard maintains its peak operational readiness and remains fully postured to support both state and federal missions." "The South Carolina National Guard’s 59th Aviation Troop Command is an exceptional helicopter unit, renowned throughout the Army and the National Guard for its unwavering commitment to excellence and Soldier safety," the statement read. "As is the hallmark of any professional organization, the 59th Aviation Troop Command continuously self-examines and critically evaluates its training and operations to ensure that the highest levels of professionalism and safety are maintained. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER "The subject events of July 4th are no exception, as our pilots remain deeply committed to excellence and the highest standards of safety," the South Carolina National Guard continued, adding, "The South Carolina National Guard appreciates the outpouring of concern and support from our community and state leaders. Go Guard!" Praise poured in for Hegseth after the decision, with Mike Davis, a former Capitol Hill staffer, posting, "This is why I love Pete." Swol commented, "Really appreciate @PeteHegseth lifting this suspension. My wife and I were on that beach and we watched the flyover with my son… it was absolutely epic. This right here is why I love Pete Hegseth. Thank you @SecWar." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a510e30c2ca79de23660b0c Influencer Connor Murphy's rental discovered in shocking condition after his sudden drowning te 2026-07-10T15:22:24.006Z Influencer Connor Murphy's rental discovered in shocking condition after his sudden drowning After influencer Connor Murphy's death by drowning in Thailand on July 7, police uncovered a highly disturbing scene at the luxury home that he was renting with his girlfriend identified as Bee. Video obtained by Viral Press shows a black tar-like substance splattered across numerous appliances in the kitchen, plus overflowing piles of grimy trash and excessively stained couches. In the video, gray and yellow paint can be seen streaked across the walls and ceiling of the high-end home in Samut Prakan. The home was once valued at around $658,000 (22 million baht), the Bangkok Post reported.  AMERICAN 'LOOKSMAXXING' INFLUENCER CONNOR MURPHY DEAD AT AGE 32 AFTER APPARENT LAKE DROWNING The kitchen was shown littered with pots, tools and bowls, the video indicated — plus a kettle, blender and other equipment were covered in the grimy black substance.  In addition to piles of garbage, a cardboard box was filled with bottles, cans and additional trash. In a shocking development, the 32-year-old influencer drowned after jumping in a lake, according to the Bangkok Post. Police in Samut Prakan province, about 16 miles south of Bangkok, were called Tuesday afternoon after receiving a report that a man was behaving erratically, the Bangkok Post and Thairath reported. EXTREME DEPTH MADE FATAL CAVE DIVE PERILOUS AT LUXURY HONEYMOON DESTINATION A staff member at the residential village recorded video of Murphy before he went into a nearby lake, according to Khaosod English. The fitness influencer allegedly argued with a security guard at the rental property, the Bangkok Post reported. Witnesses told Khaosod English that Murphy swam for several minutes before he seemed to lose strength, adding that they did not try to enter the water because the lake was more than 10 meters — almost 33 feet — deep. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER Divers from the Poh Teck Tung Foundation searched for about 30 minutes before finding Murphy roughly 20 meters from shore. Fox News Digital reached out to the Samut Prakan Provincial Police Headquarters and Tourist Police Bureau for comment. Police told Thai media that an initial examination found no visible signs of assault. Murphy's body was sent to Ramathibodi Chakri Naruebodindra Hospital for a post-mortem examination, they added. Full autopsy and toxicology findings are pending, Khaosod English noted. CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES Murphy and his girlfriend had been staying at the luxury villa under a three-month rental agreement, according to the Bangkok Post. Bee told police the damage appeared to have happened overnight while she was asleep in another room, the Bangkok Post reported. Murphy had more than 2.7 million followers across YouTube and Instagram, where he posted bodybuilding and fitness content. TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ He said he was part of the looksmaxxing community — a male-dominated subculture associated with creator Clavicular — focused on fitness and improvements in physical appearance, sometimes through extreme measures. His social media pages appear to have last been updated on July 3, when he posted a video of himself kicking around a soccer ball inside a luxury home.  Murphy's last YouTube post was six days before his death, according to reports. The investigation is ongoing. Kelly McGreal of Fox News Digital contributed reporting. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a510e1cc2ca79de23660b03 'Knots Landing' star Donna Mills issues urgent warning about aging te 2026-07-10T15:22:04.553Z 'Knots Landing' star Donna Mills issues urgent warning about aging Donna Mills warns that it "takes work" to look good as you age, urging people to never stop exercising. "I think the people out there have to realize it takes work. You can't just decide, ‘Oh, I'm going to look good,’ you know?" the "Knots Landing" star said on Kara Mayer Robinson's "Really Famous" podcast. "I didn't wake up looking like this." The 85-year-old actress said she works out almost every day and frequently plays tennis. ‘CHARLIE’S ANGELS’ STAR JACLYN SMITH SAYS BEAUTY SECRET ISN’T MAKEUP OR DIET AFTER FANS PRAISE YOUTHFUL GLOW "I started out as a dancer, so I know how essential that is, and I know what it means for your body," she said. "And I know that I don't have, at my age, any of the things that happen to the body, you know? I mean I’ve not had any knees replaced or hips replaced or anything, you know, because I never stopped working out." She said people often stop working out after they have kids or when they get to a certain age. "And so, for years they don't work out," she said. "You can't get that back. You really can't. You can start to work out again … but you've lost something in that time." LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS Mills’ advice is to "just keep doing it always and then your body will respond the way it should." The "Play Misty for Me" actress said if she starts exercising again after a few weeks off, she can feel it. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER "It's hard," she admitted. "And I go, ‘I'm never going to do this again,’ because I do a lot of stretching and that just tightens up real fast. So, starting again, it's painful and all that, but once you do it, you know, three or four days and then, you know, it all kind of moves in again and works again. But I just advise just keep doing it. Just keep working out. Always." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a510e09c2ca79de23660afa Sandy Alcantara home dominance gives edge to Miami Marlins for tonight's betting card te 2026-07-10T15:21:45.094Z Sandy Alcantara home dominance gives edge to Miami Marlins for tonight's betting card We were able to escape with another win on the diamond yesterday. It wasn't a walk in the park, but a win is a win. David Peterson allowed just one run, and Trevor Rogers allowed just one run as well, but his was in the sixth as Seyia Suzuki hit a bomb. The Orioles ended up winning the game 3-2, and really, the end result is all that matters. I'm hoping this game won't be quite as much of a sweat as we play the Guardians and Marlins matchup. The Cleveland Guardians are once again in a battle for the American League Central Division title. That isn't anything all that surprising. What is a surprise is that they are battling the White Sox. That is a different story for a different article, though. The Guardians are now two games above .500 and seem to always find a way to hang around the postseason race. This team isn't filled with a ton of superstars or guys you'd recognize, but they are a team that gets the job done. They also always seem to get the most out of their pitching staff. Today's starter for the Guardians is Parker Messick, who has been one of their best pitchers this season. For the year, Messick is 7-5 with a 2.80 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. He has been better on the road in terms of runs allowed than he has been at home, but he has allowed seven of his nine homers on the road. His worst month of the season was in June, but he responded well as the calendar flipped to July. In his most recent start, he allowed just one earned run over five innings. He has never faced the Marlins, so he could have the upper hand against them the first time through the lineup. A LAUGHABLY BAD AMERICAN LEAGUE HAS ALLOWED ONE OF BASEBALL'S WORST TEAMS TO CLIMB INTO THE PLAYOFF RACE This has been a dream season and run for the Miami Marlins. While it isn't over yet, this "rebuilding" team seems like they are building or have built something special. Right now, the team is 52-42 and is 14 games above .500 at home. Perhaps what they should be most impressed by is that this team has only one player above 30 outside of their pitching staff. Sometimes, young talent clicks, and it seems like this is what has happened. They were 26-34 on May 1st, and since they've gone 26-8, one of the hottest teams in baseball. There is still the lingering question of what the Marlins will do at the deadline. While they are unlikely to trade away position players, there is a big market they may not pass up for today's starter, Sandy Alcantara. For the year, he is 10-4 with a 4.00 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. He has been a better pitcher at home than on the road. He has made nine home starts and has allowed 21 earned runs there. Of those 21 earned runs, 13 came in two games. That means he has allowed eight earned runs in seven home starts. Only one Guardian's hitter has faced Alcantara — Rhys Hoskins who is 9-for-41 against him. The natural instinct for this game is to play the under. The Guardians are not typically a high-scoring team, but the Marlins can put some runs on the board. It would be surprising to see the over hit, but with a total of just seven, there is very little room for error. I personally don't like betting on things like that. On the other hand, Alcantara is elite at home. Sure, Messick has been good on the road and overall, but not quite at the level of Alcantara in home outings. Remove the two worst starts of his season at home, and he has been so dominant. Roughly 78% of the time, he has allowed 2 or fewer earned runs at home this season. He is -140 to allow two or fewer earned runs in the game. I like that bet quite a bit, but I also like the Marlins to win, so I'll play both. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024 Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a510df5c2ca79de23660af1 One of my favorite Craftsman drills is 40% off right now — here's why I recommend it te 2026-07-10T15:21:25.652Z One of my favorite Craftsman drills is 40% off right now — here's why I recommend it A few weeks ago, my trusty impact driver finally gave out. It had served me well for years, but I wasn't ready to spend hundreds of dollars on a replacement. After comparing a few options, I chose the Craftsman impact driver, largely because it was on sale for just $59 (and still is). Since then, it's powered through weeks of DIY projects, from woodworking and deck repairs to drilling into concrete planters, and has become the tool I reach for most. Original price: $99 Just $59 (40% off) for a cordless drill from a trusted, FOX reader-favorite brand. Everything you need is in the box, including the tool, battery and charger. Lightweight design and comfortable grip help reduce hand and wrist fatigue. Long-lasting battery delivers up to 120 drives per charge. Highly rated by shoppers, with a 4.7 Amazon rating and more than 1,000 purchased last month. After using impact drivers from brands like DeWalt, Bosch and Ryobi, the Craftsman immediately stood out because it was noticeably lighter in my hand. That made it easier to use for longer projects without my wrist getting tired. Despite its lighter build, it doesn't feel underpowered. While building a picnic table and repairing raised garden beds, it drove long deck screws into pressure-treated lumber without any lags. It isn't quite as fast as my comparable DeWalt driver, but with a little extra forward pressure, the performance gap was surprisingly small. READ MORE: Buy it for life: Durable products worth every dollar (now on sale) While some online reviewers criticized the battery life, I found it lasted much longer than expected. On a single charge, I built a picnic table, repaired a few garden beds and assembled a wooden pallet bar, and still had enough charge left to tackle smaller jobs the next day. None of these were quick five-minute jobs. They took several hours spread across a single weekend. I often find myself working right up until sunset, so the built-in LED has become one of my favorite features. While installing planter boxes one evening, it lit up my work area well enough that I didn't have to stop and grab a flashlight. It also stays on for a few seconds after you release the trigger, which made it much easier to line up the next screw. READ MORE: Built like they used to be: American-made tools worth every penny One feature I appreciated almost immediately was how quickly I could swap bits between jobs. Whether I was drilling pilot holes or driving screws, I could change bits in a couple of seconds without reaching for extra tools. That's because the Craftsman drill uses a keyless chuck instead of the older keyed design that requires a separate chuck key. While drilling drainage holes into a concrete planter, the bit stayed securely locked in place without slipping. Later, I switched to driving screws into planter box brackets, and changing between bits only took a few seconds. If I had one complaint, it's that the charger isn't particularly fast. It's compact and takes up much less space than some competing models, but that convenience comes at the expense of charging speed. Expect to wait a few hours for a full charge, so it's worth keeping a spare battery on hand if you have bigger projects planned. For more Deals, visit www.foxnews.com/deals After a few weeks of regular use, I'd buy this Craftsman impact driver again without hesitation. It isn't the fastest model I've used, and I wish the charger worked a little quicker, but neither issue outweighed its lightweight design, solid battery life and dependable performance. At $59, it's one of the best values I've found for homeowners and weekend DIYers. If you're an Amazon Prime member, you can get this tool sent to your door ASAP. You can join or start a 30-day free trial to start your shopping today. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a510bacc2ca79de23660a7a Hobbs sees bipartisan budget, tax cuts as her election-year legacy te 2026-07-10T15:11:40.100Z Hobbs sees bipartisan budget, tax cuts as her election-year legacy Key Points: Gov. Katie Hobbs is already campaigning on $1.4 billion tax cut from bipartisan budget She managed to secure a data center tax moratorium and avoid setting a new veto record The governor will now set her sights on the Nov. 3 election in which she hopes to be reelected For Gov. Katie Hobbs, the fourth and final legislative session of her first term in office serves as a model for how Arizona’s divided government forces state leaders to work across the aisle and compromise.  “I think the election year politics were a little more challenging this year, but at the end of the day we got the right thing done,” Hobbs, a Democrat, told the Arizona Capitol Times while sitting in her office on the Ninth Floor of the Executive Tower on June 30. She is hoping voters will grant her another term in that office on Nov. 3, a date she swears to reporters she is not thinking about even as Republicans in the Legislature did their best to prevent her from coming away from the session with wins she could tout to voters.  “What’s going to happen in the general election? I’m not focused on that right now,” Hobbs said during a press conference on July 7.  Nevertheless, Hobbs is already campaigning on the $18.3 billion budget she signed in June after it passed out of both chambers of the Legislature with bipartisan support. Her campaign hopes the successes of this session will bolster the governor’s image as a pragmatist who works alongside Republicans to craft moderate, common sense legislation and state budgets. Hobbs said her proudest accomplishment of the session was the budget, which will cut taxes for Arizonans by $1.4 billion over four years. The tax package included elements of a proposal the Governor’s Office dubbed the “Middle Class Tax Cuts,” but which contained only cuts imposed federally by President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.” In addition to provisions eliminating taxes on tips and overtime and increasing the standard deduction, the budget also featured a Republican proposal increasing the child tax credit and adding a credit for child care. “This (budget) had the most support on both sides of the aisle and delivered a huge win for Arizonans with the tax cut,” Hobbs said.  Republicans have lambasted the governor for taking credit for the tax cuts, which she did at a June 23 press conference featuring three signs celebrating “Hobbs’ $1.4 billion Middle Class Tax Cut.” They found it especially confounding considering Hobbs vetoed three similar tax conformity proposals before signing a budget that fully conformed the state’s tax code to the federal cuts — making Arizona the first state in the nation to do so.  Hobbs does not see that as a contradiction. The governor and her staff were careful to note throughout the session that she would support full federal tax conformity if the Legislature could demonstrate a responsible way to pay for it during budget negotiations.  And if you ask the governor, the bill moratorium she instituted in April — effectively grinding the Legislature’s work to a halt for a month — only helped bring the tax conformity plan to fruition by delaying negotiations until updated May revenue estimates demonstrated the state could afford it without shortchanging other spending areas like education. “Ultimately, the last revenue report that came out right before we finalized the budget was really helpful in making sure that we could keep schools whole … and that was to me the biggest priority,” Hobbs said.  But that brings the governor to what she sees as the biggest missed opportunity of the last four legislative sessions: the Legislature’s failure to renew the education funding mechanism known as Proposition 123. Originally passed in 2013, Prop. 123 allowed Arizona to make a 6.9% annual withdrawal from the state land trust to fund public education before it expired in 2025.  “It is still a priority for me to fight for a Prop. 123 renewal,” Hobbs said on July 7. “I don’t  think that conversation is off the table.” And while the governor may not have influenced the tax conformity plan, she did secure a data center tax moratorium that few thought could be possible and that Republicans have also attempted to take credit for. For the next three years, Arizona will not grant new tax incentives to data center developers, a move Hobbs’ office says will save the state $57 million while it evaluates the industry’s impact on water and energy supplies.  Congressman Andy Biggs, the frontrunner in the Republican race to unseat Hobbs in November, attempted to attribute the data center tax moratorium to GOP leaders in the Legislature. However, the Republican majority largely opposed any adjustment to the incentives, which take $38.5 million in potential revenue away from the state’s coffers annually.  The governor also signed 264 pieces of legislation into law this year, almost beating her 2025 record of 265 bills signed in one session. Hobbs has signed 993 bills in her four years as governor and vetoed 541. Perhaps most importantly, Hobbs did not set a new veto record this session after previously setting two new records in 2023 and 2024. She vetoed 151 bills this year, surpassing her 2023 record of 143 bills, but falling short of her 2024 record of 174 bills. That gives Republicans a bit less fodder to use against her in the upcoming election. She has previously accused GOP lawmakers of intentionally running up the score on her veto record by sending her bills she has already rejected. An Arizona Capitol Times analysis shows 90 of the governor’s 541 vetoes came from bills that Hobbs rejected twice or even three times in the past four years.  “I don’t know how many veto letters we issued that said, ‘when I vetoed this last year…’” Hobbs said. “It just shows there was no interest in working with us to get whatever they were doing to a place where it was workable or actually solved a problem. It was just people trying to make political statements.” The governor also did not shy away from signing bills members of her own party protested, a habit she has kept throughout her tenure on the Ninth Floor. This session, Hobbs signed the controversial “Don Lemon” bill, which Democrats in the Legislature argue weakens free speech protections in order to crack down on religious discrimination. With the legislative session behind her, Hobbs can begin to look toward her reelection bid and a potential second term. She didn’t give many hints about what her priorities could look like for the next four years, instead pledging to keep moving the needle on the issues most important to Arizonans.  “The things I’m hearing from Arizonans haven’t largely changed, they’re still focused on higher costs, probably different reasons for it this time around than four years ago,” Hobbs said. “And we still have work to do on water, border security, continuing to create good paying jobs, and making sure Arizonans are equipped for those opportunities. So I will continue to focus on those issues and find ways to work with whoever is in the majority at the Legislature to get those done.” In the meantime, Hobbs said she’s particularly proud of her administration’s work on water policy, touting the state’s advocacy for its position in Colorado River negotiations, the passage of 2025’s “Ag-to-Urban” groundwater bill and the creation of two new active management areas in rural Arizona.  And until then, the governor plans to stay the course she charted after being sworn in as governor in 2023. “I’m going to continue to focus on ways to work across the aisle and come to common sense solutions for some of the biggest challenges we’re facing,” Hobbs said. The post Hobbs sees bipartisan budget, tax cuts as her election-year legacy first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a510b84c2ca79de23660a5c Two Days of U.S. Strikes in Iran Signal a Sharp Escalation te 2026-07-10T15:11:00.672Z Two Days of U.S. Strikes in Iran Signal a Sharp Escalation U.S. forces hit more than 170 targets, including air defense systems, drone and missile storage sites, and military speedboats. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a510b70c2ca79de23660a4d 8 candidatos compiten por el Concejo de South Tucson te 2026-07-10T15:10:40.707Z 8 candidatos compiten por el Concejo de South Tucson Leer en inglés Ocho candidatos compiten por tres escaños en el Concejo Municipal de South Tucson en unas elecciones primarias no partidistas que concluyen el 21 de julio; entre los temas centrales de la contienda figuran la seguridad pública, el persistente déficit presupuestario y el futuro del sistema de cámaras de vigilancia de la ciudad. Con la votación anticipada ya en curso, entre los candidatos se encuentran los miembros actuales Roxanna Valenzuela, Cesar Aguirre y Brian Flagg, así como los aspirantes Christopher Dodson, Diana Moreno-Sears, Zeke Cook, Debbie Federico y Eduardo Baca. Dodson y Baca se postularon anteriormente como candidatos por escrito en la elección revocatoria de agosto de 2025, la cual buscaba destituir a Valenzuela, Flagg y Aguirre de sus cargos. La revocatoria no prosperó y los tres titulares conservaron sus escaños. Los tres candidatos que obtengan la mayor cantidad de votos en las primarias del 21 de julio se integrarán al concejo. El Foco de Tucson contactó a los ocho candidatos para plantearles preguntas sobre seguridad pública, déficit presupuestario y planes de desarrollo para este municipio de una milla cuadrada. Dodson, Moreno-Sears y Aguirre no respondieron. Roxanna Valenzuela Estilista y expropietaria de su propio salón de belleza, Valenzuela ha formado parte del Concejo Municipal de South Tucson desde 2022 y fue nombrada alcaldesa por sus colegas del concejo tras las elecciones de 2024. Ella, Flagg y Aguirre han hecho campaña juntos y han colaborado como voluntarios en el comedor comunitario Casa Maria. Los tres titulares han gobernado en gran medida en total sintonía desde que asumieron sus cargos. En febrero, el Concejo Municipal de South Tucson votó 5 a 1 (con una abstención) a favor de cancelar su contrato con Flock Safety, debido a preocupaciones sobre la recopilación de datos y la privacidad. Los residentes han seguido expresando sus opiniones sobre el asunto tras la cancelación del contrato, con una pequeña mayoría a favor de la implementación de un nuevo sistema. El jefe de policía de South Tucson, Danny Denogean, atribuyó a las cámaras Flock la clave para realizar un arresto relacionado con el homicidio de un residente de South Tucson de 60 años. Actualmente, el concejo debate la posible implementación de cámaras.  "Estamos construyendo una red de seguridad integral que combina una respuesta rápida ante emergencias con una profunda atención a la comunidad," dijo Valenzuela al Foco. La alcaldesa Roxanna Valenzuela basa su campaña en una plataforma centrada en la vivienda asequible, con un plan que, según afirma, ayudará a las familias de bajos ingresos a conservar sus hogares y a convertirse en propietarias de sus viviendas en South Tucson. Cortesía de Defend Nuestro Barrio. El plan de Valenzuela incluye mantener una plantilla completa en el departamento de policía, financiar las operaciones mediante la donación de un millón de dólares de la Tribu Pascua Yaqui y continuar emprendiendo acciones legales contra los propietarios de viviendas en condiciones deplorables. "Fundamentalmente, nuestra estrategia de seguridad pone un gran énfasis en ampliar la prevención y los programas para jóvenes, brindándoles mejores oportunidades y caminos positivos para alejarse de la vida callejera," señaló Valenzuela. A principios de este mes, South Tucson aprobó un presupuesto provisional que reduce el déficit de 1.6 millones de dólares a 400,000 dólares. La eliminación del impuesto del 1.5 % sobre alimentos y consumo a finales de abril ha aumentado la presión, obligando a la ciudad a gestionar un déficit persistente con un presupuesto limitado. "De cara al futuro, seguiremos equilibrando el presupuesto mediante una estricta disciplina fiscal administrativa y aprovechando activamente las asociaciones regionales externas para nuestras necesidades de infraestructura y operativas, garantizando así que los residentes no carguen con la responsabilidad financiera," afirmó Valenzuela. En cuanto al desarrollo, se preguntó a los candidatos qué les gustaría ver en la ciudad. "Nuestra prioridad absoluta es ampliar la vivienda asequible, comenzando con nuestro plan para asegurar 300 unidades habitacionales estables y dignas en todo el municipio,” dijo Valenzuela. "Estamos invirtiendo directamente en las familias y la cultura de nuestra comunidad mediante el aumento de fondos directos para actividades extraescolares y deportivas para jóvenes, el lanzamiento de una red municipal de Wi-Fi de bajo costo para ofrecer internet público gratuito y reducir las facturas mensuales de servicios públicos para todos, y la recuperación de celebraciones muy queridas como el Festival Norteño." Brian Flagg Flagg ha sido un defensor de los residentes de South Tucson durante mucho tiempo y forma parte del concejo municipal desde 2022. Atribuye las recientes mejoras en seguridad a las actualizaciones del departamento de bomberos aprobadas por los votantes mediante la Proposición 409. También desea mantener una plantilla policial completa mientras explora nuevas estrategias, como una patrulla policial en bicicleta inspirada en la iniciativa de seguridad del Distrito 3 y la continuidad de los recorridos y jornadas de limpieza en los barrios junto a la organización Barrio Restoration. "Cuando llamas a las puertas, algo que hacemos en South Tucson, la gente te dice lo que quiere,” comentó Flagg. "Quieren seguridad pública y un departamento de policía que responda eficazmente... creemos que vamos por buen camino en ese aspecto.” Si resulta reelegido, Flagg planea colaborar con el Condado de Pima para compensar los costos de la cárcel, al tiempo que continúa las conversaciones sobre los fondos provenientes de los acuerdos judiciales relacionados con los opioides. "Se estima que nuestra factura por el uso de la cárcel asciende a $150,000... y, recientemente, el Condado de Pima ha aplazado el cobro de dicha factura. Me gustaría explorar esa posibilidad," señaló Flagg. Un cartel de campaña de los actuales concejales Roxanna Valenzuela, Brian Flagg y Cesar Aguirre, quienes buscan la reelección para el Concejo Municipal de South Tucson en las elecciones primarias del 21 de julio. Él también quisiera ver que se financien programas locales e iniciativas de seguridad antes de que el desarrollo cobre fuerza. "La base de todo esto es contar con una fuerte presencia de bomberos y policía en nuestra ciudad," dijo Flagg. "Creo que si la gente se siente cómoda estableciendo negocios aquí y viniendo a hacer negocios, a comprar o a comer en un restaurante... eso es lo que necesitamos. Cuestiones de seguridad pública relacionadas con el aspecto del desarrollo económico." Zeke Cook Cook se postula junto a Federico y ha hecho hincapié en un enfoque basado en datos para el presupuesto de la ciudad y la seguridad pública. "El método más eficaz para aumentar la seguridad pública es instalar cámaras de lectura de matrículas," dijo Cook. "Las cámaras Flock estuvieron operativas solo seis meses, pero condujeron a 14 arrestos y a la resolución de un caso de homicidio." Cook señaló un incidente ocurrido a finales de mayo en el que unos ladrones arrancaron el cableado de cobre de las farolas en una zona anteriormente cubierta por las cámaras Flock, causando daños estimados en $39,000. "Demos a la policía las herramientas que merece para mantenernos seguros," afirmó. Cook señaló que la ciudad necesita aproximadamente $2 millones más en ingresos fiscales anuales para equiparar los salarios del personal y estabilizar el presupuesto. "Si todo proviene del impuesto sobre transacciones comerciales, eso implica que necesitamos un aumento de cuarenta millones de dólares en ventas minoristas. En otras palabras, necesitamos un desarrollo responsable," dijo Cook. "A corto plazo, necesitamos subvenciones. Subvenciones para hacer que la ciudad sea más atractiva para los inversores y los ciudadanos. La buena noticia es que contamos con socios dispuestos a ayudar." De resultar elegido, Cook planea trabajar con el director de Planificación y Zonificación de South Tucson, Josue Licea, para alcanzar objetivos financieros mediante un plan de desarrollo integral. Cook también quiere cambiar el enfoque: pasar de centrarse en la comunidad de personas sin hogar a los residentes de South Tucson que tienen vivienda pero necesitan ayuda para el mantenimiento de sus hogares. "Existen subvenciones para reparaciones del hogar y la ciudad debe gestionarlas de manera activa," dijo Cook, añadiendo que hay residentes que están vendiendo sus casas porque no pueden costear reparaciones importantes. En el sentido de las agujas del reloj, desde arriba a la izquierda: Roxanna Valenzuela, Cesar Aguirre, Zeke Cook, Deborah Federico y Brian Flagg. Cook también quisiera que la ciudad implementara un impuesto a los terrenos baldíos y un impuesto por deterioro urbano a las propiedades descuidadas, al tiempo que incentiva a la Autoridad de Vivienda de la ciudad a invertir en más "terceros espacios" para residentes de todas las edades. "No estamos dando una buena primera impresión con la imagen de consumo de drogas a la vista, terrenos baldíos descuidados y gente simplemente deambulando en medio del tráfico," dijo Cook. "Un nuevo plan integral nos proporcionará un marco para mejorar esta zona." Debbie Federico Federico ha hecho hincapié en la disciplina fiscal y en la necesidad de un plan integral actualizado para la ciudad. "La verdadera seguridad significa llegar a las personas antes de que surja la crisis, utilizando todas las herramientas a nuestro alcance, programas del condado, organizaciones sin fines de lucro, tratamientos, y no limitándonos a una patrulla policial; tampoco podemos dejar pasar subvenciones y asociaciones por las que otras ciudades compiten," afirmó Federico. Ella también apoya la reinstalación de las cámaras Flock, pero bajo normas estrictas: siguiendo las directrices de la Unión Estadounidense por las Libertades Civiles (ACLU), realizando auditorías independientes y manteniendo el portal de transparencia de las cámaras que ya existía. "Exigiría en el contrato que los datos permanezcan en South Tucson y no se compartan con agencias externas, garantizando así la seguridad de los residentes y manteniendo nuestra información bajo nuestro control,” dijo Federico. Federico también opinó sobre el presupuesto. "Ya dependemos del impuesto sobre las ventas, la herramienta más regresiva que existe, y agravamos el déficit al eliminar el impuesto a los alimentos básicos sin tener un plan para reemplazar los aproximadamente $173,000 anuales que este generaba," señaló Federico. "Hay que ocupar el local vacío de Food City y los espacios comerciales desocupados en las calles South 6th y South 4th, y hacer que abrir un negocio aquí sea rápido y económico. Debemos buscar cada dólar externo que se nos adeuda, subvenciones federales, asociaciones con tribus...,y adoptar un plan integral actualizado para dejar de tomar decisiones financieras votación tras votación." Ella coincidió en la necesidad de que la ciudad cuente con un plan integral actualizado. "El desarrollo, la vivienda y la seguridad dependen de tener un plan real en lugar de reaccionar votación a votación," afirmó Federico. El difunto abuelo de Debbie Federico cuando era niño en South Tucson, hacia 1950. Federico afirma que las profundas raíces de su familia en la comunidad fueron lo que la impulsó a postularse. Cortesía de Debbie Federico. También desea ver un programa de reparación y rehabilitación de viviendas para los residentes de South Tucson, así como apoyo a las pequeñas empresas para ayudar a ocupar los espacios vacíos de la ciudad. "Financiado mediante subvenciones CDBG y otras similares, un programa local permite que los residentes de larga data permanezcan en sus hogares y frena el desplazamiento, todo ello sin crear ni un solo impuesto local nuevo," dijo Federico. "South Tucson no es un experimento. Se trata de servicios básicos que se le han debido a South Tucson durante años." Eduardo Baca Propietario del negocio local Baca Upholstery, Baca se postuló anteriormente como candidato por escrito en la elección revocatoria de agosto de 2025, buscando desplazar a Aguirre del cargo. Baca expresó su deseo de hablar directamente con los miembros de la comunidad, incluir a los residentes en la planificación de la seguridad e impulsar más proyectos de embellecimiento urbano. "Quiero hablar con los miembros de la comunidad y asegurarles que se atenderán sus necesidades de seguridad", dijo Baca. También le gustaría que la ciudad asumiera mayor responsabilidad ante los actuales déficits presupuestarios y redujera su gasto general. "(El concejo) no debería gastar fondos que obtienen rápidamente", señaló Baca. En cuanto al desarrollo, Baca manifestó su interés en ver más inversión en las raíces culturales de la comunidad. Inspirado por la organización de su hijo, el Ballet Folklórico Tapatio, Baca dijo que le gustaría aumentar los programas dirigidos a los jóvenes y, al mismo tiempo, apoyar tanto a los negocios nuevos como a los tradicionales de la zona. "Es el momento de hacer algo al respecto,” afirmó Baca. Los tres candidatos que obtengan más votos prestarán juramento a finales de noviembre, y el concejo elegirá a su próximo alcalde el martes siguiente. 💡 Las elecciones primarias se celebrarán el 21 de julio. La votación anticipada comenzó el 24 de junio y la fecha límite para enviar la boleta por correo es el 14 de julio. Los votantes del condado de Pima pueden registrarse, verificar su registro o solicitar una boleta por correo en recorder.pima.gov. Topacio "Topaz" Servellon es periodiste en El Foco de Tucson. Puede contactarla en topacioserve@gmail.com. Gabriel Sadza es estudiante de University High School y pasante en El Foco. Esta nota fue traducida por el equipo bilingüe de El Foco de Tucson. El Foco de Tucson es una sala de prensa comunitaria que ofrece oportunidades remuneradas a estudiantes y periodistas emergentes del sur de Arizona. Por favor, considera apoyar nuestro trabajo con una donación deducible de impuestos. Donar a El Foco Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a510b5cc2ca79de23660a31 Oratomic raises $300M to build a viable quantum computer that needs only 20K qubits te 2026-07-10T15:10:20.744Z Oratomic raises $300M to build a viable quantum computer that needs only 20K qubits The new startup raised $300 million co-led by ARCH Venture Partners, Spark Capital, and Khosla Ventures. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a51092ec2ca79de236609ed Witnesses of ICE Killing in Houston Dispute the Official Account te 2026-07-10T15:01:02.242Z Witnesses of ICE Killing in Houston Dispute the Official Account The agency said a Mexican resident driving a van tried to ram agents before they shot him dead. A lawyer for three passengers said that was untrue. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a51091ac2ca79de236609df Tropical Smoothie Cafe officially opens in Flagstaff te 2026-07-10T15:00:42.798Z Tropical Smoothie Cafe officially opens in Flagstaff Customers can receive a free 24-ounce smoothie with the purchase of food or bowl from Friday to Sunday. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a510904c2ca79de236609bd Netflix could be planning ‘always-on’ live TV channels te 2026-07-10T15:00:20.778Z Netflix could be planning ‘always-on’ live TV channels Amid signs of slowing engagement, Netflix is reportedly considering launching "always-on" live channels, giving subscribers something to tune into 24/7. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a5106fec2ca79de2366095d Fox News AI Newsletter: Microsoft cuts thousands of jobs te 2026-07-10T14:51:42.928Z Fox News AI Newsletter: Microsoft cuts thousands of jobs Welcome to Fox News' Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements. IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER: - Microsoft cuts 4,800 positions, insists jobs 'not being replaced by AI' - OpenAI unveils ChatGPT Work to automate workplace tasks as AI race intensifies - Google turns old phones into cloud servers TECH TRANSITION: Microsoft said on Monday that it will eliminate roughly 4,800 jobs – or about 2.1% of its global workforce – as it restructures parts of the company to prioritize artificial intelligence investments and other long-term business goals. AUTOMATION ASSIST: OpenAI on Thursday unveiled a new enterprise offering called ChatGPT Work, which is designed to leverage the popular chatbot to carry out and automate workplace tasks across a variety of applications and files. CALL YOU BACK: That old phone sitting in your drawer may have more life left in it than you think. You may look at it and see a dead battery, an outdated camera or a screen that no longer feels worth using. Google and researchers at the University of California San Diego see something else: a tiny computer that may still have useful processing power. SPORTS TECH: Colombia and Portugal were deadlocked at zero in one of the most thrilling 2026 FIFA World Cup matches when a cross from Colombia whipped into Portugal’s box. Davinson Sánchez of Colombia read the pass perfectly the whole way to the far post and used his head to smash the ball into the back of Portugal’s net. The goal was in stoppage time, Colombia and its fan base were in rapture, and the game appeared to be won.  TACO 'BOT': Taco Bell is expanding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) at drive-thrus and announced a new strategic partnership with an AI voice provider. TECHING IT HIGHER: The artificial intelligence (AI) boom is causing a fierce bidding war for some luxury homes in the San Francisco Bay Area, with dozens of homes selling more than $1 million above asking price last month. SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM: The state of Oregon's utility regulator is implementing a new rule starting Wednesday that will raise the electricity bills of data centers and other large energy users to allow lower rates for other customers. BYTE THE BULLET: A security update rarely feels dramatic. You see the alert, promise yourself you will install it later and then go right back to whatever you were doing. This time, Apple is giving you a stronger reason to pay attention. TECH FUTURE: American workers who never use artificial intelligence (AI) may be more likely to be laid off than those who use AI more regularly, according to new data. CRUNCH TIME: Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra detailed the company’s new $250 billion U.S. investment as the chipmaking giant responds to surging demand for memory storage in the age of artificial intelligence. Facebook Instagram YouTube X LinkedIn Fox News First Fox News Opinion Fox News Lifestyle Fox News Health Fox Business Fox Weather Fox Sports Tubi Fox News Go Fox Nation Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future with Fox News here. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a5106ebc2ca79de23660954 Millions in Dem ad money vanished from Platner race days before rape allegation doomed Senate bid te 2026-07-10T14:51:23.496Z Millions in Dem ad money vanished from Platner race days before rape allegation doomed Senate bid Two Democratic-aligned political groups shifted millions of dollars in planned Maine Senate ad reservations days before a rape allegation against former Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner became public, handing Republicans a new line of attack over whether party leaders had already lost confidence in his campaign. WinSenate removed more than $6.2 million in Maine Senate ad reservations, including $5.9 million in broadcast reservations from July 7 through Aug. 31 and $330,000 in cable reservations that had been set to begin June 30, AdImpact, a leading ad-tracking and analytics firm that monitors political advertising, reported July 2. AdImpact also said a separate $240,000 in digital spending shifted from Majority Forward. The ad shift came roughly one week before one of Platner’s ex-girlfriends accused him of rape, though Majority Forward denied the shift was due to recent campaign turmoil.  The rape allegation reported by Politico, which Platner denied, ended a campaign already weakened by months of controversy. Platner had faced scrutiny since October 2025 over comments from a deleted Reddit account and a Nazi-linked tattoo he acquired while serving in the armed forces. Pressure intensified June 4 after The New York Times reported that multiple ex-girlfriends described him as emotionally abusive, which he also denied. WATCH: CHUCK SCHUMER SIDESTEPS PLATNER SCANDALS, CONFIRMS SUPPORT FOR CONTROVERSIAL DEM "D.C. Democrats are furious that Graham Platner went down swinging with a lengthy swan song calling out their ‘political establishment’ coup to silence grassroots progressives," one GOP operative told Fox News Digital. "Chuck Schumer’s ad spending proves he only discovered moral clarity when his midterm strategy was on life support." The funding for the ads was rerouted to a different Democratic committee to reserve advertising space in Maine between July 7 and Aug. 31, according to AdImpact. Majority Forward denied the spending shift was connected to Platner’s campaign turmoil. "Majority Forward moved its (c)4 spending to another entity, a fairly common practice with issue advocacy campaigns," a spokeswoman for the organization told Fox News Digital. "This change was not connected to recent campaign events." WinSenate and Majority Forward are closely tied to the Democratic Senate campaign apparatus. Both organizations are affiliated with Senate Majority PAC, a wealthy political committee run by allies of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. WinSenate has historically been funded by Senate Majority PAC, while Majority Forward has shared staff and costs with the committee. Prior to the rape allegation, Schumer avoided commenting on Platner's controversies, stating that he was committed to flipping Maine's Senate seat. After the story broke, Schumer said he was "disturbed" and demanded that Platner "immediately withdraw" from the race. DAN BONGINO SAYS DEMOCRATS DUMPED GRAHAM PLATNER OVER 'POWER' NOT 'PRINCIPLE' AFTER BOMBSHELL RAPE ALLEGATION "What did they know and when did they know it?" journalist Chuck Ross wrote of the ad cancellations on X. Upon dropping out of the race on Wednesday, Platner claimed that the Democratic establishment sabotaged his campaign. "It's not the false allegations though that have brought us to where we are," Platner said of the rape allegations, which he denies, during his concession speech on Wednesday. "It's the fact that they are being used by the political establishment to put structural pressure on us … Those in power who have the ability to do so are using these allegations as an excuse to take away all of the things that we need to run a campaign." DEMOCRATS EXTEND PLATNER 'GRACE' DESPITE ABUSE ALLEGATIONS AFTER KAVANAUGH RECKONING Platner underwent an unusually short vetting process, a decision some argue allowed a candidate with significant baggage to make it much further than he should have. While most candidate background checks in key races often cost tens of thousands of dollars and take weeks to complete, Platner’s lasted just three days and cost just over $6,000, the Wall Street Journal reported. Democrats in Maine plan to hold a nominating convention to determine who will replace Platner to face off against incumbent GOP Sen. Susan Collins on the ballot in November. While independents could vote in Maine's Democratic primary, the convention will only feature Democratic delegates. WinSenate and the Platner campaign did not respond to requests for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Thursday. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a51000ac2ca79de2366081f WATCH: Trump's Energy chief reveals what escalating Iran tensions could mean for gas prices te 2026-07-10T14:22:02.374Z WATCH: Trump's Energy chief reveals what escalating Iran tensions could mean for gas prices Energy Secretary Chris Wright is telling Americans not to be concerned about the possibility of another surge of sharp increases in gasoline prices as tensions with Iran have started to escalate once again. Asked whether Americans should worry about higher prices at the pump and how the Trump administration is preparing to keep the economy stable if the conflict continues to worsen, Wright told Fox News Digital: "It has not been any good behavior from Iran that's allowed oil to flow. It's been the United States military." "That's not changing," he assured, speaking from the Great American State Fair on the National Mall this week. US CLAWS BACK KEY CONCESSION TO IRAN AFTER FRESH ATTACKS ON COMMERCIAL SHIPS IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ With Iran striking three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Monday and Tuesday, Wright doubled down in urging citizens to not credit Iran for the U.S. military’s work to ensure oil shipments continue flowing through the strait. "Look, the U.S. Military has been the key asset here," he said. "They have assured the flow of oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz throughout. Not at the beginning of this conflict, but through the last six weeks." Wright said the administration is closely monitoring global oil supplies as the tentative ceasefire with Iran seemingly came to come to a halt, with President Donald Trump telling Secretary-General Mark Rutte the call for peace with Iran is "over" at the NATO Summit in Turkey on Wednesday. But, he pointed to the continued shipping through the Strait as evidence that markets should remain stable. TRUMP SAYS IRAN CEASEFIRE IS 'OVER' AFTER IRANIAN ATTACKS TRIGGER MASSIVE US RESPONSE "We're of course constantly watching the supply of oil, the supply of refined products and what's going on there," Wright said. "And I think still all positive trends." Beyond geopolitical concerns, Wright also praised the new chain of discounted gas stations across Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Freedom Fuel, which promises customers prices below the national average. The Trump administration, though not involved with the network, has heavily endorsed the new chain and its 25 locations. "We love it," Wright said when asked about Freedom Fuel. "I mean, look, any mechanism we can to lower energy costs for Americans of all kinds, we're all in on." "With Freedom Fuels, they're just lowering it down to their wholesale price of gasoline," Wright said. "So they're not making any money selling gasoline, but they've got convenience stores. That's how most gas stations make money." NEWSOM UNDER FIRE AS CALIFORNIA GAS TAX HIKE SENDS PUMP PRICES EVEN HIGHER Gasoline costs are a known concern for many Americans, and amid surging prices there has been a considerable increase in those opting to purchase electric vehicles to save money long-term at the pump — with Tesla dominating the market for these types of models. Wright argued one of the benefits to living in America is having the option to choose what type of vehicle you drive. "We just want people to buy what they would prefer," he told Fox News Digital when asked his thoughts on increasing calls for support of the electrification of cars. "Consumer choice — you wanna buy an electric car, you wanna buy a gas powered car, diesel powered car, buy a big truck. That's the choice." "That's why you live in America. You get the choice of all those." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50ffb8c2ca79de236607df Florida ransomware negotiator convicted for helping ransomware gang extort US companies te 2026-07-10T14:20:40.445Z Florida ransomware negotiator convicted for helping ransomware gang extort US companies A third ransomware negotiator has been jailed for helping a notorious ransomware group to extort American victim companies into paying the hackers. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50ffa4c2ca79de236607d6 EU threatens Meta with fines over addictive features on Facebook and Instagram te 2026-07-10T14:20:20.996Z EU threatens Meta with fines over addictive features on Facebook and Instagram The tech giant is in breach of the Digital Services Act by focusing on features like infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and the highly personalized recommendation algorithms, the European Commission said. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50fb4ac2ca79de2366075a Pair powers Agua Prieta te 2026-07-10T14:01:46.927Z Pair powers Agua Prieta Christensen and Romanska’s site visit to Rancho Feliz turns into relief for families Tod Christensen, the Sedona and Prescott manager for Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty, trekked to Agua Prieta, Mexico, in April to present a $3,455 check to the Phoenix-based Rancho Feliz Charitable Foundati Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50faf8c2ca79de23660719 Trump Says He Won’t Sign Housing Bill, in Protest Over Stalled Voting Measure te 2026-07-10T14:00:24.057Z Trump Says He Won’t Sign Housing Bill, in Protest Over Stalled Voting Measure The president did not say he would veto the housing legislation, so it would still become law unless he does. But his pronouncement reflects a growing rift between him and Senate Republicans. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50f8dbc2ca79de236606db Riley Green's new 'Think As You Drunk' music video is winning over country music fans te 2026-07-10T13:51:23.605Z Riley Green's new 'Think As You Drunk' music video is winning over country music fans Riley Green is going viral with his latest music video. Green has become a country music superstar over the past couple years, and it's not hard to figure out the formula to his success. The "There Was This Girl" singer makes incredibly fun and engaging music. He's also known for keeping it real and authentic. That's about as rare as a unicorn sighting these days. COUNTRY MUSIC STAR ANNOUNCES MAJOR CAREER NEWS, FIRES UP FANS WITH VIRAL VIDEO FOR NEW ALBUM Now, he's, once again, proven why he's a star. Green released the music video for his new hit song "Think As You Drunk" for fans on Thursday, and it's making serious waves in the country music world. It's classic Riley Green. COUNTRY MUSIC SENSATION WYATT FLORES SHOCKS INTERNET WITH NEW SONG, UNEXPECTED COLLABORATION Give it a watch below, and make sure to let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com. People in the comments were incredibly excited with Green's latest music video. One wrote, "Bringing back good music videos, not a lot of people do it like this anymore." Another commented, "This is sooooo freaking funny! I love it! Made my day!" ELLA LANGLEY’S BEHIND-THE-SCENES ACM AWARDS VIDEO HAS FANS 'CRYING ALL OVER AGAIN' AFTER RECORD-BREAKING NIGHT A third wrote, "Video of the year." It's great to see Riley Green continue to dominate the country music world, and I have no doubt there's a lot more coming from the "Jesus Saves" singer. Let me know your favorite song of his at David.Hookstead@outkick.com. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50f43ec2ca79de236605ee Oba Femi vs Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam is a 'generational matchup,' WWE legend JBL says te 2026-07-10T13:31:42.337Z Oba Femi vs Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam is a 'generational matchup,' WWE legend JBL says Oba Femi and Brock Lesnar’s feud will come to a head at SummerSlam in August and the showdown has the potential to be WWE’s match of the year. Femi beat Lesnar at WrestleMania 42 and led to "The Beast Incarnate" deciding to retire – at least for a moment – at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Lesnar made a dramatic return a few weeks later, challenging and beating Femi at Clash in Italy. COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON FOX NEWS DIGITAL At SummerSlam, Femi and Lesnar will do battle inside a Hell in a Cell. WWE Hall of Famer John Bradshaw Layfield called the next meeting between Femi and Lesnar a "generational matchup." "I’ve never seen anything like Oba – well, I have. I’ve seen Brock," he told Fox News Digital. "It’s very much the carbon copy of Brock coming in. Brock coming in was like, oh my God, who is this guy? The guy can even talk and he’s gonna be one of the biggest stars in wrestling. Not only could he talk, he’s a really smart guy. Brock became one of the biggest draws in professional wrestling. He came one of the biggest draws in UFC. It’s an unbelievable story and now you got somebody who can rival that character. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM "This Oba Femi comes out with the silly little walk he does. Everyone kinda does it, it’s like The Bushwackers. But the whole arena does it. I was in Vegas and I didn’t want to go to the matches and deal with the traffic and deal with the backstage area and so I kinda just watched it in a sports bar, I stood in the back where nobody could recognize me, and as soon as Oba came out, the entire sports bar was sitting there doing that Oba Femi dance. The guy is just unbelievably over. "I really think that somewhere in the NFL this year, you’re going to see an entire NFL arena doing this dance. You’re gonna have somebody like Saquon Barkley or ‘King’ (Derrick Henry) or some of these guys do this dance and it’s infectious. Once one of them does, one of these great running backs or wide receivers, or somebody scores a touchdown, that’s when I think you’re gonna see entire arenas doing it. I just think Oba Femi is lightning in a bottle and Brock has always been that way. This is, to me, a generational matchup." SummerSlam will take place on Aug. 1 and 2 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50f42ac2ca79de236605e5 Sophie Cunningham stuns the Internet with Phoenix entrance attire, new fantasy football punishment & ribs! te 2026-07-10T13:31:22.889Z Sophie Cunningham stuns the Internet with Phoenix entrance attire, new fantasy football punishment & ribs! Let's get Friday Screencaps started with news that summer has officially officially started around here, as the summer rec baseball season came to a close last night in the second round of the NW Ohio 14U playoffs. The boys battled through three innings, and trailed 5-2 against a flame-throwing 14 year old before they went to the pen and brought in a flame-throwing, junk-ball throwing 14 year old who had our kids way off-balance and flailing at pitches. Screencaps Jr. came in, got his first taste of an elevated mound for the first time in about two months and he struggled. A few walks and hard singles later and we were going home with a 12-2 loss. Our opponent didn't hit a single ball in the air over our infield, but they must've had 8-10 singles into holes. VEGAS LITTLE LEAGUE PRESIDENT ACCUSED OF SPENDING LEAGUE MONEY ON STRIP CLUBS AND ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION MEDS My message after the game to wrap up the season was simple: You guys didn't turtle after facing adversity early in the season. We were a complete mess early on, but the boys ripped off five straight wins before losing last night. I explained how a boxer will turtle against opponents he fears. Last night, we didn't turtle. I had a boy take an 85 mile fastball to the small of his back that was one of the most brutal hit-by-pitches you're ever going to see and hear. The kid could've turtled. After catching his breath and refusing to show he was in pain, the boy got up and stole second base. The boys were mentally and physically tough this season. Onward they go to other sports and activities. Hopefully I made a difference in their lives this summer. Quick observations from last night: 📩 Email: joe.kinsey@outkick.com Send photos, stories, tips, rants—whatever you've got. 📰 Screencaps Page: 👉 Read the latest Screencaps ▶️ YouTube: Screencaps with Joe Kinsey Subscribe for videos, rants, and behind-the-scenes. 🐦 Twitter/X: @JoeKinseyexp Tag me or drop a DM. 📸 Instagram: @OutKickScreencaps You guys need to start tagging me on content you're seeing. 📘 Facebook Page: Screencaps on Facebook 👥 Facebook Group: Join the Screencaps Community 📬 Mail (Thursday Night Mowing League): 27072 Carronade Dr, Unit A 155 Perrysburg, OH 43551 🗞️ Newsletter: 👉 Subscribe here There she is, Caitlin Clark's enforcer looking like she didn't skip leg day before last night's game in Phoenix. By the way, how about Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White turtling and refusing to address a letter sent to the WNBA by members of Congress who wonder whether treatment of Clark is due to racial motivation when asked about it by OutKick's Dan Zaksheske. White refused to address the letter. She's as weak as they come. The anti-straight White women league rolls on. Guys, you don't need to contact John Boehner about mowing. I'm sitting right here by my phone. I can tell you why white collar America wants their yard to look pristine. It's because we don't want to look like absolute slobs. White collars, and millions of blue collars, have worked their asses off for YEARS to buy homes and create amazing pieces of property. My big problem with this headline is the white-collar modifier. All of us should be obsessed with taking great care of our properties. We should beam with pride when we mow on Thursday night and then stare at our lawns as the sun is setting. We should puff our our chests when someone compliments how our property looks. I believe that taking pride in property leads to taking pride in community. This isn't hard. No bumper stickers was a dead giveaway. I believe they've gone five straight days drawing weather dongs. – Philly Ray in MN asks: Hello Joe, great video with a great par as well. I have a few questions about the towel hanging from your belt loop though. A. Why isn't this on your cart or golf bag? B. It looks like a dry towel flapping in the wind. Is there a damp one on your cart? What happens during those windy days? C. Is this for wiping schweaty hands during humid rounds? If so, that's something I can get behind.. Inquiring minds want to know. Keep up the great work. Kinsey: ################### That is it this morning. What a week. I feel like I'm getting back into the swing of things. I'm pissing off people on social media. I'm firing off on topics that had been missing over the last six weeks. I'm back to finding small nuggets that had been escaping me in late May and June. Enjoy your weekend. Hit the pool. Stay cool. Watch some soccer and the Tour de France Sunday morning when you're just lounging around. Let's embrace those dog days of summer. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50f195c2ca79de23660569 How Terrorist Groups Are Using A.I. to Gain an Edge in Battle te 2026-07-10T13:20:21.066Z How Terrorist Groups Are Using A.I. to Gain an Edge in Battle A.I. chatbots are not just a propaganda tool for violent extremists but are aiding in bomb construction and attack planning, new research finds. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50efb4c2ca79de2366052d Trump says he's Iran's 'No. 1' target as renewed conflict raises assassination fears te 2026-07-10T13:12:20.103Z Trump says he's Iran's 'No. 1' target as renewed conflict raises assassination fears One thing was clear from President Donald Trump’s appearance at the NATO summit in recent days: He believes Iran wants him dead. "I'm No. 1 on the kill list for Iran," the president told reporters Wednesday. "I like being number one on TikTok better." Trump returned to the subject repeatedly throughout the summit — with a level of candidness that might seem unusual for any other president. A new report suggests U.S. officials may have had fresh intelligence to support concerns about the threat: the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that Israel recently shared intelligence with the United States indicating Iran had developed a new plan to assassinate Trump. The report also adds new context to questions surrounding Trump's decision to switch from the interim Air Force One to one of the legacy VC-25A aircraft during his return from the NATO summit. The White House has not said whether the reported intelligence played any role in that decision. TRUMP EXPLAINS WHY HE'S FLYING OLD AIR FORCE ONE BACK TO DC  Trump flew to the summit in Turkey, which borders Iran, aboard the new Air Force One, a retrofitted Boeing 747 donated by Qatar, but switched to one of the older Boeing VC-25A aircraft that have served as Air Force One for more than three decades for the first leg of his trip home, from Ankara to Royal Air Force Mildenhall in the United Kingdom. From the U.K. to the U.S., Trump switched back to the newer jet. Bill Gage, a former Secret Service special agent who traveled on dozens of presidential and vice presidential foreign trips, told Fox News Digital he had "never seen a plane switch up" in the middle of an overseas visit. Trump said the newer aircraft was instead flown ahead of him to Royal Air Force Mildenhall, UK, so U.S. troops could tour it. "It could be that simple," Gage said. "I just have never seen that in all my years."  The president surmised in a press briefing Wednesday that Iran may want revenge for the U.S. killing its leadership.  TRUMP SAYS IRAN CEASEFIRE IS 'OVER' AFTER IRANIAN ATTACKS TRIGGER MASSIVE US RESPONSE "They had leaders, they're gone, and they had another set of leaders, they're gone," Trump said. "Now they have another set of leaders, they may be gone. Who knows? And you know what, I may be gone too, because I'm their number one target." The president was asked why twice he had alluded to Iran attempting to assassinate him. "I speak about it a lot because the life of a president is very dangerous," he said. "I don't really care, because I'm doing my job, and I'm doing it, I hope better than anybody's ever done it, because we have a country that's hot and really, really successful ... I like being No. 1 on TikTok better. But I'm No. 1 on the list for killing." The Iranian government did not return a request for comment on Trump's assertion.  During Thursday's funeral procession for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Mashhad, Iran, mourners carried banners reading "Hey Trump, we will kill you" and "We will kill Trump" while chanting revenge slogans against the U.S. president.  The mourners were not publicly linked to Iranian leadership.  But, "banners like that can only be put together and carried with the permission of the Iranian government," Tom Warrick, a former Department of Homeland Security deputy assistant secretary for counterterrorism policy and senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, told Fox News Digital. Warrick said it would make sense for Iran to try to kill Trump after the U.S. killed Khamenei. "The starting point is understanding Iran's peculiar sense of symmetry. Anything that's done to them, they try to do back at somebody," Warrick told Fox News Digital. "Many of us expected there would be an Iranian attempt to kill President Trump, and they're likely to persist in this." The summit aircraft change quickly fueled questions about whether the interim Air Force One had received the full suite of defensive upgrades carried by the legacy presidential aircraft.  Images of the jet and Air Force statements indicate that several complex modifications, including some missile detection and countermeasure systems, were intentionally left off the accelerated retrofitting. Two aging Boeing VC-25A aircraft have served as Air Force One since 1990, while Boeing builds two new VC-25B aircraft to serve as Air Force One that originally were supposed to be completed in 2024. Now, that timeline has slipped to 2028 or 2029.  The U.S. spent $400 million upgrading the Qatari-donated jet to serve as Air Force One in the meantime. The U.S. Air Force, which operates the presidential aircraft fleet, had previously said it prioritized certain modifications in order to bring the Qatari-donated Boeing 747 — known as the "Bridge" aircraft — into service on an accelerated timeline. The Air Force said the rapid conversion was completed "without accepting any risk regarding security, safety, or secure communications," but acknowledged that "several highly complex engineering modifications required for the final (Air Force One aircraft) were intentionally excluded from the Bridge aircraft." The Secret Service had recommended Trump use the older plane as a security precaution as hostilities fired up once again with Iran, The New York Times reported.  The White House declined to say whether the administration believes the threat to the president has changed following the latest escalation with Iran or whether the aircraft change was related to security concerns, but said the new Air Force One is secure. "The new Air Force One is a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the President and his staff," Steven Cheung, White House director of communications, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "As the President has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal to address those threats."  The FBI declined to comment on whether the Iranian threat level had changed and the Secret Service did not return a request for comment.  Gage cautioned that he had no firsthand knowledge of why the aircraft was changed, but said that if reporting that the Secret Service recommended the switch was accurate, "the Secret Service would not have just said that in a vacuum, out of the blue. There must have been some kind of intelligence that prompted them." Gage said the Secret Service, working with the broader intelligence community, likely has a dedicated team focused exclusively on monitoring threats from Iran directed at the president.  "There's probably 20 or 30 people every day that are working on that, going through reams of HUMINT and OSINT and trying to find that diamond in the rough," Gage said, referring to human intelligence and open source intelligence.  Trump's comments came as a tenuous U.S.-Iran ceasefire unraveled.  The truce, formalized in a June memorandum of understanding brokered by Pakistan and other regional mediators, was intended to halt fighting for 60 days while the two sides negotiated a broader agreement. The deal called for Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and laid out a framework for future talks on sanctions relief and other issues. But the agreement rapidly broke down after Iran attacked commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting renewed U.S. military action. U.S. Central Command launched a new round of strikes targeting Iranian military infrastructure tied to maritime operations and other military sites, while Trump declared the ceasefire "over" and warned of further action if Iran continued its attacks. Questions about whether the threat had intensified gained new urgency Thursday after The Wall Street Journal reported that Israel recently shared intelligence with the United States indicating Iran had developed a fresh assassination plot targeting Trump. Trump repeatedly described himself during the NATO summit as Iran's top target and said he faces "a threat all the time." Following the January 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, Iranian officials have repeatedly vowed revenge, and U.S. officials have long warned that Tehran has sought to target current and former American officials involved in the operation.  The U.S. government has publicly alleged multiple Iran-linked assassination plots targeting Trump. Following the U.S. killing of Soleimani in 2020, Iranian officials repeatedly vowed revenge, prompting the U.S. government to provide additional security to Trump and several former administration officials involved in the operation. The government has long warned that Tehran has sought to target current and former American officials linked to the strike. In 2024, the Justice Department charged an alleged Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps asset with directing a plot to surveil and assassinate then-President-elect Trump, describing it as part of Iran's broader campaign of retaliation. Earlier that year, a Pakistani national with alleged ties to Iran was also charged in a separate murder-for-hire scheme. None of the domestic assassination attempts against Trump during the 2024 campaign have been publicly linked to Iran. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50efa0c2ca79de23660524 DOUG SCHOEN: Far-left gamble in Maine blows up, leaving Democrats with one choice te 2026-07-10T13:12:00.643Z DOUG SCHOEN: Far-left gamble in Maine blows up, leaving Democrats with one choice Democrats are facing a crisis after the implosion of Graham Platner’s candidacy in Maine following explosive allegations of sexual assault and his withdrawal from the race. To that end, it is clear that Democrats’ strategy — particularly the approach of democratic socialists — of picking far-left candidates with no experience and without vetting is fraught with peril, as Platner’s case underscores. Right now, Democrats have one last opportunity to seize victory from the jaws of potential defeat, and it’s critical they take it. PLATNER CAMPAIGN PUTTING 'THUMB ON SCALE' TO INFLUENCE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT, MAINE DEM ALLEGES What must Democrats do? Plainly, they need to avoid repeating the coronation process used by former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris. Quite simply, Maine Democrats must use the next two weeks to start a robust process that ideally goes deeper than their 600-delegate nominating convention. Indeed, they should let prospective candidates for the party’s nomination participate in town halls, rallies and other events. Voters deserve the ability to question the multitude of candidates about their positions and to interact with the candidates in a way that provides the delegates with sufficient feedback to pick a viable candidate. This would allow Maine voters a chance to hear what the candidates have to say, why voters should support them, and how each plans to compete with Republicans nationally as well as against incumbent Sen. Susan Collins. PLATNER CAMPAIGN PUTTING 'THUMB ON SCALE' TO INFLUENCE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT, MAINE DEM ALLEGES In my opinion, arguments calling to blindly elevate Troy Jackson hold no water. Jackson – a former Platner supporter until it became inconvenient – has received the most attention, as he’s ideologically very similar to Platner, yet the latter won an uncontested primary with just 72% of the vote. In other words, nearly 30% of Maine Democrats did not support Platner, whether due to ideology or past controversies. Thus, a fully open process is needed.  To be sure, I previously recommended Democrats undertake this process in 2024.  Then, my party missed an absolutely critical lesson: the process matters just as much as the candidate, but in this case it actually matters more. Rather than having the state Democratic party select a nominee, it would be best to have as close to a primary as the system – and time – will allow.  PLANTER CALLS IT QUITS, DROPS SENATE BID AMID MOUNTING SCANDALS If possible, this should include a televised debate so voters have as much information as possible. Moreover, this would give both wings of the Democratic electorate — establishment and progressive — the chance to fully vet prospective candidates and then choose based on background, proposed policies and ideology. DEMOCRATS' CIVIL WAR HEADS TO MICHIGAN WHERE PROGRESSIVES FACE BIGGEST TEST YET IN HIGH-STAKES SENATE SHOWDOWN The outcome of this election, despite Platner’s collapse, is not a foregone conclusion.  Deeply flawed, Platner remained competitive with Collins despite seemingly endless revelations about his character and incendiary comments over the last year. Put another way, it is the case that my party still has a chance — albeit a diminishing one — to win the seat. However, that cannot happen without a healthy and transparent nominating process with candidates who have previously been fully vetted.  The three strongest candidates, in my opinion, are incumbent Gov. Janet Mills, who withdrew her candidacy earlier in the year; Rep. Jared Golden or Dr. Nirav Shah, the epidemiologist, economist, attorney and politician who finished second in the ranked-choice Democratic gubernatorial primary in 2024. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION Further, Sheena Bellows, Maine's Secretary of State, would be a prospective candidate alongside Jackson and the aforementioned officials.  More important than what I think about each candidate, however, is ensuring the process gives Mainers a chance to pick a candidate who truly reflects their worldview. The impact that the repeated headlines have already had on the Democratic brand is clear and obvious. At the same time, with August’s Senate primary in Michigan now a two-way race between centrist Haley Stevens and far-left progressive Abdul El-Sayed, the choice between socialists and moderates becomes clear and apparent. It is now a real possibility that El-Sayed emerges as the nominee. He has a 5-point lead over Stevens in the polls, and Mallory McMorrow’s withdrawal ended the threat of splitting the progressive, activist-class vote. As such, it is increasingly important that Maine Democrats demonstrate their commitment to democracy and rally behind whichever candidate comes out of this two-week process, rather than trying to orchestrate an outcome they deem preferable. Failure to avoid the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris model will further damage the Democratic Party and its brand, hurting us going forward just as it hurt Harris in the 2024 election. Ultimately, as a Democrat, I very much hope that this process plays out. And in terms of electability, I remain convinced that a centrist offers the best chance for success, not to mention the benefits it gives Democrats hoping to shed their party’s "socialist" label. That said, as we sit here today, unless Democrats adopt some variant of the approach I’ve outlined, the impact in November is likely to be clearly and obviously detrimental.  CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM DOUG SCHOEN Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50ef8dc2ca79de2366051b Mamdani's wife co-hosts luxe Muslim retreat casting Virgin Mary as ‘Palestinian woman’ under occupation te 2026-07-10T13:11:41.187Z Mamdani's wife co-hosts luxe Muslim retreat casting Virgin Mary as ‘Palestinian woman’ under occupation The wife of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Rama Duwaji, is reportedly co-hosting an Islamic Women’s "spiritual wellness" retreat on the swank French island of Corsica that frames the Virgin Mary as a "Palestinian woman" under occupation. "She is the only woman mentioned by name in the Qur’an — mentioned 34 times — and the only one to have an entire chapter revealed in her name," reads The Women Sanctuary website referring to Mary. "Surah Maryam. Her story is not only one of divine motherhood, but of unwavering faith, sacred retreat, and total devotion to Allah." The Virgin Mary is the most revered woman in Christianity, venerated as the Mother of Jesus, and is also revered in Islam as Maryam.  Mamdani drew national attention for running as a Democratic socialist in New York City, while also facing backlash over his pro-Palestinian positions and far-left immigration views. When he took office in January 2026, Mamdani became the first New York City mayor to be sworn in on a Quran. His wife, a Syrian American artist, has also faced scrutiny over her outspoken pro-Palestinian activism. ZOHRAN MAMDANI'S WIFE SKIPS AMERICA 250 FOR ISLAMIC ‘SPIRITUAL WELLNESS’ RETREAT IN SPAIN The New York Post reported that Duwaji previously traveled to Mallorca, Spain, for The Women’s Sanctuary’s sold-out "Plants of the Quran" retreat over the Fourth of July holiday, where she was described as the group’s "artist in residence" and one of the gathering’s hosts. "Nothing says ‘America 250’ quite like skipping the celebration for a Mediterranean vacation, but I am not surprised because she has made her hatred for America very evident," Councilwoman Joann Ariola, R-Queens, told The Post in response to that event.  The Women Sanctuary describes itself as a women’s retreat organization rooted in Islamic tradition and spiritual renewal, offering retreats in Mediterranean destinations. The Women's Sanctuary website does not explicitly list Duwaji as a co-host for the current event in France. The New York Post reported she would co-host the "Mary In The Quran" retreat from Thursday to July 14 in a sold-out event. The cost of the retreat starts at just over $4,000 per attendee, according to its website.  The New York Post first reported Duwaji’s participation in the pair of retreats when she was seen at Newark International Airport in New Jersey boarding a flight to Mallorca’s capital city over the patriotic holiday weekend. Photos of Duwaji at the airport were posted by conservative commentator and comedian Arynne Wexler. The retreat in France includes daily organic meals made with locally sourced ingredients, communal prayers, devotional practices, lectures, and workshops centered on spiritual renewal and mindful reflection. Participants also receive and have free time to pray, meditate, journal, relax by the pool, or explore the island, blending "guided learning" with "personal reflection," according to the website.  MAMDANI'S WIFE 'TRULY SORRY' FOR CONTROVERSIAL ANTI-ISRAEL SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS Duwaji publicly apologized in April for offensive posts she made as a teenager, saying she was "truly sorry" for the hurt they caused, though she did not specify which posts she was addressing. The Washington Free Beacon previously reported that Duwaji had shared anti-Israel posts on Tumblr, including a September 2017 post featuring a photo of Palestinian militant Leila Khaled. MAMDANI BLASTS ICE AGENTS, ELON MUSK AND 'SUPREMACY' IN AMERICA 250 SPEECH AHEAD OF JULY 4 WEEKEND Fox News Digital reached out to Mayor Mamdani’s office and The Women Sanctuary for comment. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50ef3cc2ca79de236604f0 Mount Elden Middle School’s quest for continuous improvement te 2026-07-10T13:10:20.808Z Mount Elden Middle School’s quest for continuous improvement Mount Elden Middle School (MEMS) was recognized as a 2026 Arizona Schools to Watch. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50ed26c2ca79de236604b2 Marine vet Victor Marx narrowly notches victory in Colorado GOP gubernatorial primary te 2026-07-10T13:01:26.069Z Marine vet Victor Marx narrowly notches victory in Colorado GOP gubernatorial primary Marine veteran Victor Marx defeated Colorado state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer and state Rep. Scott Bottoms in the state's Republican gubernatorial primary. Marx edged out Kirkmeyer, who was the close runner-up in the June 30 contest, which The Associated Press finally called on Thursday. Bottoms came in a distant third place. "THANK YOU, COLORADO. Because of you, your time, your door knocking, your phone calls, and your belief in something bigger than politics, we just won the Republican nomination for Governor," he declared in a part of a Thursday post on X. HUMANITARIAN HELPING TRAUMATIZED CHILDREN WAS WARNED TOO DANGEROUS TO VISIT GAZA: 'ABSOLUTELY BACKWARDS' Marx indicates on his campaign site that "as the founder of All Things Possible Ministries, I’ve led more than 150 high-stakes missions across some of the world’s most dangerous regions — delivering trauma relief, medical aid, and hope to victims of terrorism, trafficking, and violence." Marx alleged in his memoir that when he was 7 years old, his stepfather placed his hand around his own and made him shoot and kill someone, The Denver Post reported. "While we came up short in what appears to be the closest Republican gubernatorial primary in Colorado history, I'm grateful for every voter who placed their trust in us," Kirkmeyer said in part of a statement on Thursday. "I'm still proud of the campaign we ran... and, for the record, I still haven't killed anyone." DEM COLORADO GUBERNATORIAL NOMINEE BALKS AT SOCIALIST MELAT KIROS' RESPONSE TO BOMBING OF PRO-ISRAEL RALLY Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser is the Democratic gubernatorial candidate. "From the little we know about Victor Marx, his views and style are far out of step with Coloradans, and his nomination for governor is a threat to our state’s values and our future," Weiser said in part of a Thursday statement. ANTI-TRUMP SENATOR DEFEATED BY FAR-LEFT RIVAL AFTER HEATED GUBERNATORIAL PRIMARY The state has not elected a Republican in a gubernatorial race since 2002. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50e8ebc2ca79de236603e8 Marco Rubio steps in after Tim Walz pardoned illegal alien child rapist before deportation te 2026-07-10T12:43:23.703Z Marco Rubio steps in after Tim Walz pardoned illegal alien child rapist before deportation EXCLUSIVE: An illegal alien child rapist from Laos who was set for deportation until Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and the State Board of Pardons granted him clemency has been removed from the United States, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News Digital. Rubio stepped in to terminate Tue Lue Vang's legal status in the U.S. and ensure that Walz's actions would not create roadblocks for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) removing him from the country. "Just weeks ago, a foreign child rapist was freed to once again endanger America's children after receiving a pardon from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz," the Secretary of State said. "Tue Lue Vang admitted to committing heinous crimes against a 10-year-old girl in Minnesota. He attempted to pay his victim for her silence and dismissed his acts of child abuse as a 'minor thing.'" "Just days before he was scheduled to be deported, the Minnesota Governor pardoned him, setting him free to endanger American families once again," Rubio lamented. Vang was convicted in 2006 of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. He repeatedly raped the girl between 2002 and 2004, and told authorities after he was arrested that "it is a cultural thing...to marry and have sex with girls as young as 12." Rubio told Fox News Digital, "Americans should never have to live in fear that foreign sex predators — shielded from deportation by their own elected officials — could endanger them or their children." "That's why I terminated his legal status in the United States," he continued. "Vang has now been removed from our country and will never pose a threat to any American ever again." ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SOCCER COACH WHO USED ALCOHOL AND DRUGS TO SEXUALLY ABUSE KIDS LEARNS FATE Minnesota's Board of Pardons is composed of Walz, state Attorney General Keith Ellison and state Chief Justice Natalie Hudson, who let Vang off the hook on June 10. The nine-member Minnesota Clemency Review Commission (CRC) recommended the pardon to the board. WATCH: ANGEL MOM TURNS TABLES ON SANCTUARY POLITICIANS WITH BASIC QUESTION ABOUT THEIR PRIORITIES "Being granted a pardon is a notable achievement and a reflection of the work you have done since your conviction," a CRC member said in a letter to Vang informing him of his clemency. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) feared at the time that the move to pardon Vang would shield the criminal illegal alien from deportation. "Governor Tim Walz's decision to pardon an illegal alien convicted child rapist so he can remain in our country is disgusting," DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said at the time. "These are the criminal illegal aliens he and his Minnesota sanctuary politicians are protecting." WALZ A NO-SHOW AT KEY FRAUD HEARING DESPITE BEING IN THE BUILDING ON OTHER BUSINESS: GOP LEADER In May, Walz and his board pardoned another Laotian criminal illegal alien — a convicted armed robber — before he could be deported. Walz said at the time that Vang had become a "critical member of the community" since his release from prison, and falsely referred to him as a "citizen" of the United States. "I can find no reason how Minnesota will be safer or better if Mr. Vang is deported to a country he has not been to since he was a child," Walz said of the convicted child rapist. "I do not see how it would serve his family, nor the economic interest where we have a taxpaying citizen who is creating job growth and living a life free from any criminal activity. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50e8c3c2ca79de236603cc How to Create a Dedicated Backyard Game Space te 2026-07-10T12:42:43.246Z How to Create a Dedicated Backyard Game Space Few things bring the fun to summer parties like a backyard game space. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50e8afc2ca79de236603c3 Best Bets: Friday, July 10, 2026 te 2026-07-10T12:42:23.277Z Best Bets: Friday, July 10, 2026 Today Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50e89ac2ca79de236603ba Gas prices July 10 te 2026-07-10T12:42:02.828Z Gas prices July 10 National average: $3.80 Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50e886c2ca79de236603b1 Davis Dam releases for July 10 te 2026-07-10T12:41:42.829Z Davis Dam releases for July 10 Friday Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50e872c2ca79de236603a8 Our View: Mohave County deserves the chance to prove its case te 2026-07-10T12:41:22.871Z Our View: Mohave County deserves the chance to prove its case When Arizona voters head to the polls for the July 21 primary, Mohave County will become the first jurisdiction in the nation to debut "Ballot Guard"—a specialized ballot paper embedded with five distinct anti-counterfeit security features. Whether this pilot becomes… Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50e62ec2ca79de2366034d WNBA player who battered Caitlin Clark elbows another Fever star in the face, but there's a catch te 2026-07-10T12:31:42.245Z WNBA player who battered Caitlin Clark elbows another Fever star in the face, but there's a catch Alyssa Thomas, the player who threw Caitlin Clark to the ground like a rag doll two weeks ago, was back on the floor against the Indiana Fever Thursday night. Clark sat — a planned decision made by head coach Stephanie White — but Thomas played, and things got physical ... again! I tell you what, whenever the Phoenix Mercury and Indiana play, it's must-see TV at this point. Well, "must-see TV" for July. Not sure folks are flipping over from football in the fall, but it's good content right now as we grind through the dog days of summer. CAITLIN CLARK HATERS GOT SOME ADDITIONAL AMMO AS FEVER WIN AGAIN WITHOUT THEIR STAR GUARD Anyway, back to Thomas ... The Fever won, 92-89, on a pair of Sophie Cunningham free throws at the end, but Thomas was the star of the game, finishing with 22 points on 10 of 18 shooting. Fair is fair, and I have to be fair here. Alyssa Thomas balled out Thursday night. Sure, it was in a loss, but credit where it's due – she was excellent. She was also once again, physical, this time taking aim at Lexie Hull during a play in the third quarter: CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Thoughts? First impressions? To me, it's just a basketball play. Players have been taking elbows to the face for a century now. Alyssa Thomas and Lexie Hull didn't reinvent the wheel here. Sure, it looks rough, but I assume it ain't the first elbow Lexie's taken the face. Lord knows it ain't the first elbow Alyssa Thomas has thrown. Given her ... history ... she seems like someone who has launched an elbow or two during her career. Frankly, she seems like she throws one every game! By the way, this was called a shooting foul on Lexie Hull after a ref review. I say they got it right, and I'm certainly no Alyssa Thomas fan. Again, though, fair is fair. I'm nothing if not a man of integrity. Anyway, all is well that ends well. Sophie Cunningham hit two big free throws to ice the game at the end and the Fever overcame two separate 10-point deficits to win. Caitlin Clark did nothing as White gave her a rest day after one game back in the lineup. She did enjoy Sophie trolling the crowd after the final buzzer, though: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50e61ac2ca79de23660344 8 indicted in planned sniper attack at White House UFC 250 event, DOJ says te 2026-07-10T12:31:22.794Z 8 indicted in planned sniper attack at White House UFC 250 event, DOJ says Eight people now face terrorism charges related to a thwarted alleged plot to kill government officials and high-profile figures — including President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Elon Musk — at the UFC Freedom 250 event held at the White House last month. All eight were charged together Thursday as part of a two-count indictment handed down in Ohio. The indictment alleges they conspired to provide material support to terrorists, conspired to commit murder on federal territory, and conspired to murder federal government officials, the Justice Department said. FBI REVEALS WHY TRUMP WHITE HOUSE UFC EVENT WENT AHEAD DESPITE ALLEGED TERROR PLOT On June 10 — just four days prior to the event — law enforcement officials first learned of the possible threat to the cage-fighting show. Seven of the suspects were arrested shortly after in various locations across the country. The eighth suspect, who was allegedly designated to participate as a sniper during the attack, was arrested this week by the FBI in West Virginia. The indictment stems from an initial investigation and criminal complaint filed against Tycen C. Proper, 19, of Danville, Ohio. The other defendants are Michael Alan Thomas, 32; Daniel K. Eskridge, 32; Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, 31; Jordan W. Rincker, 28; Bryan Omar Roa, 25; William Lee Spartacus Falkner, 21; and Chandler D. Scaggs, 21. CHICAGO MAN CHARGED WITH OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE IN CONNECTION TO WHITE HOUSE UFC ATTACK PLOT The plot allegedly began in May when the defendants started amassing money, firearms, ammunition, body armor, explosives, drones, medical supplies and communications equipment. Federal prosecutors said Scaggs was originally supposed to be picked up by Proper to travel to Washington, D.C. However, even after Proper was arrested, Scaggs indicated to the group that he was still willing to participate in the attack and made new plans for another co-conspirator to pick him up. The suspects coordinated online through an encrypted Signal chat, Discord, and a TikTok group called "Vanguard of the Old," authorities said. The group held fringe anti-government conspiracy theories and expressed a desire to "tear down" the United States so it could be rebuilt, prosecutors noted. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50e3d7c2ca79de236602e5 Upside-down American flag at Minnesota Somali celebration sparks community chaos: 'Unfathomable' te 2026-07-10T12:21:43.083Z Upside-down American flag at Minnesota Somali celebration sparks community chaos: 'Unfathomable' FIRST ON FOX: More details are emerging after an American flag was displayed upside down at a Somali Independence Day event in Minnesota, sparking both outrage and apologies in a situation that has gone viral on social media in recent days. The St. Cloud Police Department confirmed to Fox News Digital that on July 3 at 5:29 p.m., the department received a call that the U.S. flag was being flown upside down on a city flagpole at the Lake George Park Pavilion during a Somali Independence Day event. A video from that event, exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital, showed the flag upside down as event attendees, roughly 500 people at peak times, enjoyed the festivities. The department said the officer "corrected the flag without objection" and that organizers "indicated to City staff that the flag being flown upside down was not intentional." Despite the claim that the flag was flown upside down by accident, some in the community are skeptical that the error was not noticed by anyone at the event, including the local politicians who were giving speeches and various organizations like the AFL-CIO and the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), who had booths set up. WATCH: OMAR-BACKED MAYOR MOCKS OUTRAGE OVER SOMALIA JULY 4TH TRIP WITH SARCASTIC 'APOLOGY' "I was disgusted by it and then disgusted that it wasn't seen, wasn't caught," St. Cloud City Councilman Scott Brodeen told Fox News Digital, shortly after bringing up the issue in a city council meeting on Monday. Brodeen says a Facebook friend messaged him on the evening of July 3, and by the time the councilman got down to the event, the flag had been fixed. He said a St. Cloud police officer told him the department had received complaints and that police made sure the flag was returned to its proper position. FORMER VIKINGS CAPTAIN REACTS TO FBI RAIDS ON ALLEGED SOMALI FRAUDSTERS IN MINNESOTA The flag was upside down long enough for the situation to gain significant traction on social media, including a post on the Facebook account Rocks & Cows of Minnesota, named after an infamous comment from Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, where he referred to rural Minnesota as "mostly rocks and cows." Some users on social media expressed outrage directed toward the sponsors of the event, including US Bank, Alpha News reported. Fox News Digital reached out to US Bank for comment. "If it was accidental, how could it not have been caught by organizers or politicians that were down there campaigning?" Brodeen asked. "It really bothered me, especially with the people campaigning on the weekend of our nation's birthday, a big milestone, 250th, that they would remain silent, not to take a stand for our flag really what the flag represents too is, that’s the key here that is really bothersome." Sauk Rapids, Minn., resident Kathy Neumeister, whose husband is a 36-year military veteran, told Fox News Digital she rushed down to the event as soon as she saw videos circulating online and was outraged when she saw the flag upside down for herself the day before the nation’s 250th anniversary. "There were like 500 Somalians, they were celebrating, most of them kids in the splash pad, and then there's the upside-down flag, and I'm like, you can't make this up," Neumeister told Fox News Digital. Neumeister said she approached various attendees at the event and was told that no one realized the flag was upside down. Additionally, she explained that when she called the mayor’s office, a spokesperson told her that it’s possible a city staffer "made a mistake." "I said, I’m sorry, who do you have on your staff that doesn’t know how an American flag is supposed to fly?" Neumeister said. "I really don’t buy that." TRUMP ADMIN UNCOVERS 7,100% SURGE IN MEDICARE SKIN SUBSTITUTE CLAIMS, SAYS FRAUD CRACKDOWN BLOCKED MILLIONS Nearly a week after the incident, apologies from those involved started to surface. On Thursday afternoon, St. Cloud Mayor Jake Anderson told Fox News Digital the city is "aware of the concerns regarding the U.S. flag being displayed upside down during a recent event held at a city park facility." "The event organizer has relayed to the City that this was done so unintentionally and has apologized for the mistake," the statement said. "The City takes the proper display of the American flag seriously and understands the significance it holds in our community. The City has been working with this event organizer for over 11 years and this has never happened before." The mayor added that it appreciates the residents who contacted the police and that the flag was fixed before the first speaker hit the stage at 6 p.m. The mayor also provided the permit for the event, issued to a local nonprofit called Internal Housing Assistant, which supports immigrant communities finding housing. The executive director of that nonprofit, Omar Podi, told Fox News Digital the incident was an accident, and he understands why people are "frustrated" given the "fraud issue and everything," a reference to the massive and still unfolding fraud scheme uncovered in Minnesota, largely involving the Somali community. St. Cloud is home to one of the largest Somali communities in a state that is home to the most Somali immigrants in the United States by far. In a statement, Podi, despite the viral video posted by Minnesota Rocks & Cows being filmed by and posted on Facebook by him, said he takes "full responsibility" for the flag being displayed upside down and insists it "was never meant as a sign of disrespect to the United States, its citizens, its veterans, or anyone who attended our celebration." Podi added that he is "committed to ensuring that it never happens again." Brodeen told Fox News Digital he does not want to "manufacture outrage" but at the present time it feels "very well warranted." "People can fly a flag upside down and protest, not saying you can't, just saying, you shouldn't," Brodeen said. "You know, be grateful for the country that has given so much. Part of my thinking, like brave men and women died for that flag and for what it represents, so don’t disrespect it in a way that’s almost unfathomable." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50e3c3c2ca79de236602dc CBS News anchor tells viewers Democrats dropped Platner because he was looking 'like a loser' te 2026-07-10T12:21:23.625Z CBS News anchor tells viewers Democrats dropped Platner because he was looking 'like a loser' "CBS Evening News" anchor Tony Dokoupil offered what appeared to be tough words for the Democratic Party on Thursday over its longtime support for former Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner. Dokoupil reported on Maine Democrats' attempt to replace Platner on the ballot after he suspended his campaign over a recent rape allegation from a former girlfriend. During his report, Dokoupil pointed out that many Democrats continued to endorse Platner after several scandals before that. "The Big Question tonight is why did so many in the Democratic Party, the party of Black Lives Matter and Believe Women, continue to see Graham Platner as a future star?" Dokoupil said. "Despite scandal after scandal that seemed to undermine those principles and more? Despite his old Reddit comments about, among other things, why Platner thinks Black people don't tip? Despite his chest tattoo with a Nazi history? And despite the accusations of abuse against women? Through all of that and more, Platner downplayed or denied the claims and was defended by the party in some of its biggest voices." BERNIE-BACKED MAINE DEMOCRATIC SENATE HOPEFUL SQUIRMS OVER PAST GRAHAM PLATNER SUPPORT He asked, "So what's behind all that support for him until now? Could it simply be that he was winning? That he had blown out the sitting governor in the Democratic primary? It sure seemed like the Democrats’ best chance to beat Maine's Republican Sen. Susan Collins. In political circles, the answer, it appears, was yes." Dokoupil pointed to comments made by progressive strategist Daniel Moraff, who was among the liberal activists initially behind Platner's campaign. FETTERMAN UNLOADS ON SCANDAL-PLAGUED PLATNER AFTER RAPE ALLEGATION ENDS SENATE BID: 'ADIOS, TRASH BAG' "I think we want people who didn't run for student council, right? We want people who have not been spending their entire lives planning their ascent to political power," Moraff said in a Wall Street Journal interview released last month. After the latest allegation against Platner, nearly every Democratic politician pulled their support for the candidate. Dokoupil concluded that the major change was not the scandal itself but the fear that Platner could no longer defeat Collins. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE "But after Platner was accused of rape this week, it turned out that theory had its limits. Character does matter. Platner denied the accusation, but for some Democrats, he’d committed the one offense no political party can tolerate. He started to look like a loser," Dokoupil said. Platner announced that he would be suspending his Senate campaign on Wednesday after several key Democratic figures, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., called for him to step down. However, some reports have indicated that he does not intend to file the formal paperwork to have his name removed from the ballot until Monday, the final day to withdraw if Democrats hope to replace him. If Platner steps aside before the deadline, the state Democratic Party will have until July 27 to choose a replacement. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50e3b0c2ca79de236602d3 Prestigious international pro wrestling tournament begins in US for second time, Rocky Romero breaks it down te 2026-07-10T12:21:04.181Z Prestigious international pro wrestling tournament begins in US for second time, Rocky Romero breaks it down One of the most prestigious pro wrestling tournaments in the world rings the first bell on Saturday in Chicago on Saturday. G1 Climax 36 begins at the NOW Arena with some of the best pro wrestlers New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) has to offer. The winner of the tournament will get a future shot at the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom in January. COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON FOX NEWS DIGITAL The event lasts four weeks. There are wrestlers separated in two blocks – A and B. Wrestlers get two points for a win, one point for a draw and zero points for a loss or a no contest. Double count outs and double disqualifications are determined to be draws. Block A includes: Last year’s winner Konosuke Takeshita, Hirooki Goto, Boltin Oleg, Yota Tsuji, Shingo Takagi, Jake Lee, Sanada, Great-O-Khan, Yuto-Ice and Ryohei Oiwa. Block B includes: Shota Umino, Yuya Uemura, Drilla Maloney, Zack Sabre Jr., Callum Newman, Ren Narita, Gabe Kidd, Henare, Aaron Wolf and Oskar. "I think that that because it's a league style and it is, obviously, super physically demanding. This is the tournament that kind of makes you a legend, if you get the opportunity to be in it," New Japan ambassador Rocky Romero told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. "Obviously, it's super physically demanding. The schedule is difficult as well but I think the popularity of it comes from it really is the highest caliber that New Japan has to offer. "This tournament kind of, like I said, creates legends in the end. It's the most famous tournament. … We've had people, you know, Masahiro Chono has been in it. Scott Norton. I mean, Steve Austin, I believe, has been in it. So, I mean, names that really mean something have been a part of this tournament since ‘91, the inception of it." Among the greats who have participated in the tournament was Jon Moxley. He joined the tournament in 2019 after he departed WWE. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Romero recalled reaching out to Moxley when he became a free agent and tried to lure him to the tournament despite how physically demanding the event could be. "There's a famous story when Jon Moxley had left the WWE and he had kind of reached out and said, ‘You know, I'd love to kind of do New Japan.’ And the first idea and the timing was like well Mox would you want to do the G1? There was hesitation there and he was like, ‘Well, I don't know.’ You know, that's like the first thing coming out of WWE," he recalled. "Here is a 30-day tour. First time to wrestle in New Japan and then to be thrown right to the wolves, so to speak. "We hung up and he’s like, ‘Let me think about it.’ You know, we had that conversation and I would say 30 seconds later, a minute later, I think he looked over to Renee (Paquette), his wife and was like, ‘They want me to do the G1.’ She's like, ‘Well, what's the what's the problem?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah. I need to do the G1. This is this is crazy.’ Yeah, I don't think he ever expected it. So, he called me back immediately and was like, I'm in, and then, you know, it ended up being one of the coolest things for Mox to leave WWE and then go straight into the G1, which was which was pretty crazy. I mean, like I said, it's the stuff that makes legends." That’s the standard that New Japan has set, which makes the G1 held in high regard in the pro wrestling world. Romero said that Tsuji and Takeshita are the likely favorites going into the tournament. He also named Sabre and Wolf as two of the wrestlers who could come out top. "You never know. Like Yota Tsuji definitely is top dog I think this year. Then, you have Konosuke Takeshita as well who not only won last year but he's really been one of the best wrestlers on the planet for the last couple years and really showing what he's all about last year by not only winning the tournament but also becoming the IWGP heavyweight champion," he said. "I think Takeshita or Tsuji, which also happens to be the main event of Chicago on Saturday. "Then you have players like Zack Sabre Jr., who at any moment could win anything. He's one of the best tournament wrestlers of all time. Everybody always talks about (Kazuchika) Okada, but I feel like Zack Sabre is up there in tournaments. You just never know. But I think the most interesting person probably going into this is Aaron Wolf. He's an Olympic gold medalist judoka It’s really his first really, really big challenge on this type of scale. So, I think a lot of eyes are going to be on Aaron Wolf." Newman is also one wrestler to watch. The 23-year-old Englishman is the leader of the United Empire faction. He already made waves in New Japan earlier this year when he captured the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. "Look, I don't think anybody was expecting that Callum Newman at his age, 23 years old or whatever it is, to win the IWGP championship earlier this year," Romero said. "Now he lost it, you know, back to Yota Tsuji, but he is a guy that I think the world has a lot of stock in, New Japan has a lot of stock in, that he's going to be a major player. I think he's got some big shoes to fill. He is a protege of Will Ospreay. If he can manage to reach the heights that Ospreay has done, I mean you know, Ospreay never won a G1 maybe Callum can." The G1 Climax is starting in the U.S. for only the second time in its history. The first time the U.S. kicked off the tournament was in 2019 in Dallas. Romero said starting the event in the U.S. really puts New Japan in the international spotlight. "Well, obviously, it makes the tournament global and international. New Japan is by far the biggest professional wrestling company in Asia, but to be able to come over to the U.S. and have, 4,000, 5,000 fans come and show up and support such a kind of historic and important tournament, I think it's a big deal for a lot, not only New Japan, not only for the wrestlers, but also for the fans," Romero said. "And I think for the wrestlers, most importantly, is they want to show the world that New Japan is the best. It's the best wrestling on the planet. I think with this year, it's primarily all young talent, young athletes. "So, I think for them, it's to show the world that they are as good as an Okada or better, or they are as good as a (Hiroshi) Tanahashi or better or Kenny Omega. All these iconic names that have been involved in the tournament, especially over the last 10 years. All these names have been huge players in professional wrestling. So, I think for this year, coming to the States is just a great opportunity to show the world, hey New Japan is here, and this generation is here and has arrived." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50e16cc2ca79de2366026c Hidden underground chamber revealed beneath home of legendary Roman emperor te 2026-07-10T12:11:24.206Z Hidden underground chamber revealed beneath home of legendary Roman emperor Archaeologists recently unearthed a hidden chamber beneath an estate tied to one of ancient Rome's most famous emperors — and they say it could be the oldest known structure at the site. The discovery, made at Hadrian's Villa in Tivoli, Italy, was recently announced by Pablo de Olavide University (UPO), a university in Seville, Spain. The imperial villa was once home to Emperor Hadrian, who ruled Rome from 117 to 138 A.D. ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNCOVER 'MYSTERIOUS' ANCIENT TUNNEL NEAR BIBLICAL KINGDOM OF JUDAH SITE IN JERUSALEM The emperor is best known for building Hadrian's Wall in northern Britain and traveling throughout the Roman Empire during his reign. The sprawling imperial complex is now preserved as a UNESCO-listed site that draws visitors — and archaeologists — from across the globe. At the villa, archaeologists found an underground structure that dates back to the Roman Republic period, which spanned from 509 B.C. to 27 B.C. — centuries before Hadrian took power. The abandoned structure, which officials believe may have been used as a silo or storage facility, was partially filled in with ancient construction debris and ceramic materials. COLOSSAL TOMB TIED TO ALEXANDER THE GREAT REVEALED BY OFFICIALS: 'UNIQUE AND MAGNIFICENT' The find "could prove to be the oldest structure ever identified at Hadrian's Villa," officials said. Much of that earlier complex was destroyed during construction of the emperor's sprawling villa, leaving archaeologists with few clues about its history. "The discovery is particularly significant because it is associated with a villa that predated Hadrian's imperial residence and was later partially incorporated into the construction of the Palazzo," the statement added. It was surprising to see that the structure was not completely filled with soil, said Rafael Hidalgo, director of the Palazzo Project at Hadrian's Villa. ARCHAEOLOGISTS MAKE GRIM DISCOVERY AFTER FINDING ANCIENT ROMAN BUILDINGS Hidalgo told Fox News Digital that more surprises came when his team began excavating the space's interior. They found objects that "provide highly valuable information for understanding the history of Hadrian's Villa," he said in an email translated from Spanish to English. "The recovery of a significant assemblage of archaeological materials from inside the structure ... will allow us, once the ongoing study is completed, to propose a date for this archaeological context," he said. "That will be of great importance in establishing the chronology of the earlier villa and determining the period during which it was occupied." Archaeologists found several ceramic pieces along with architectural terracottas that once lined the roof of a nearby building. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER Several of the terracottas featured canine heads, while one depicted a bull's head. Hidalgo said the structure is in "excellent condition," especially its vaulted roof, which is relatively fragile and typically collapses. The roof "was perfectly preserved," he said. "Even on the inner surface of the vault, the impressions left by the wooden centering — the timber framework used during construction — are still clearly visible," said Hidalgo. CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE NEWS "These supported the opus caementicium [or] Roman concrete, as it was poured to create the vault." The archaeologist said the discovery helps fill a longstanding gap in what experts know about the villa that existed before Hadrian's. "We have relatively little information about this earlier villa because much of it was destroyed by Emperor Hadrian during the construction of his own complex," Hidalgo said. TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ The find adds to a growing list of underground archaeological discoveries that provide insight into ancient Rome. Earlier this year, Italian officials unveiled the remains of an ancient Roman villa discovered beneath a high school gym near Rome's Colosseum. Last summer, excavations for Rome's Metro Line C led archaeologists to uncover a multi-story apartment building dating back to the first century B.C. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50e158c2ca79de23660263 Taylor Sheridan's 'Landman,' 'The Madison' snubbed by Emmys as expert hails him as TV's 'six-time champion' te 2026-07-10T12:11:04.758Z Taylor Sheridan's 'Landman,' 'The Madison' snubbed by Emmys as expert hails him as TV's 'six-time champion' Taylor Sheridan's massive television empire was shut out of the 2026 Emmy Awards, continuing a long-running trend from the Television Academy. Earlier this week, the 2026 Emmy nominations were released and out of every category, Sheridan's TV universe received a single stunt coordination nod for "Tulsa King," despite the popularity of his other shows: "Landman" and "The Madison." Fox News contributor Raymond Arroyo, who hosts "Arroyo Grande with Raymond Arroyo," weighed in on yet another snub from the Television Academy. "Despite rave reviews for ‘Landman’ and ‘Madison,’ the Emmys have once again totally shut these Taylor Sheridan shows out of any contention. Remember, these are industry awards — insiders lauding awards upon each other. What we are seeing is the industry seeking to protect its own," Arroyo told Fox News Digital. TAYLOR SHERIDAN SAYS HE DOESN'T CARE WHAT CRITICS THINK, ADMITS TO 'RAGE BAITING' THEM ON PURPOSE "Sheridan is an outlaw — a guy who charted his own course and who obviously has his finger on the pulse of American audiences. They are outraged that his shows have such huge viewership and that they are for the most part non-political enterprises," he continued. "In some ways, Sheridan's work is a throwback to the ‘Dallas’ and ‘Dynasty’ days, when audiences tuned in to watch great actors thrash about in the melodrama of the week." Arroyo called the "Landman," "Tulsa King" and previous "Yellowstone" snubs "absurd." MICHELLE PFEIFFER SAYS THERE WAS ‘NO BATHROOM’ AND ‘NO FOOD’ ON ‘THE MADISON' SET "There is one exception; ‘Tulsa King’ was nominated for an Emmy this year... for Stunts! The biggest stunt is that no Sheridan show has even won best series, actor, or ensemble," Arroyo concluded. President of Interdependence, Sarah Schmidt, doesn't necessarily see this year's Emmy nominations as a snub to Sheridan. "Is it a snub? I guess that depends on how you define it. This move really is not surprising when you look at what Sheridan has built and how he talks about it, and specifically The Academy. He went on a podcast a week before nominations and clearly said that he is not trying to win Emmys and called the executives and critics who influence the awards just about every name in the book," Schmidt told Fox News Digital. ALI LARTER DEFENDS TAYLOR SHERIDAN'S WRITING OF FEMALE CHARACTERS, CALLING CRITICISM A 'FALSE NARRATIVE' She continued, "The Academy is made of industry peers, and you cannot spend years telling the world that you have no respect for it and then expect them to hand you a trophy. That's not how it works. He essentially opted out, and they took him up on it." Schmidt also pointed out that the Television Academy historically honors shows that are "more moody, ambiguous, and amateur-driven." "Sheridan creates big, broad, and emotionally direct shows for Middle America. He makes a lot of them quickly. That is a commercial machine, not an awards play. Voters have never really rewarded popularity on its own," she said. Regardless, Schmidt only sees Sheridan's hit shows being left off the nomination list as a win for him. "Big picture, this snub doesn't hurt Sheridan. It actually helps him. His entire brand is built on being an outsider who beat Hollywood and lives and works in the fray. Getting shut out by the institution he mocks only proves his point," she said. "Him not being nominated only further underscores his brand." Schmidt explained that the people who are hurting from being snubbed are the actors and the crew. Michelle Pfeiffer received a nomination this year, just not for her work on "The Madison." "Sheridan can afford not to care about the Emmys. The people working in service of his scripts, however, deserve a second look. That is the storyline worth paying attention to here," she concluded. Doug Eldridge, founder of Achilles PR, made a sports comparison when discussing Sheridan with Fox News Digital. LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS "In many ways, Sheridan’s ongoing Emmy snub has become almost akin to Jordan compared to LeBron. Jordan wanted one thing, rings, and he retired as a six-time NBA champion, who was undefeated in the finals. By contrast, LeBron has often been accused of chasing stats and building a brand, rather than having the singular focus that made Jordan the greatest of all-time," Eldridge began. "Point being, Sheridan has never chased the vanity metrics or subjective industry awards; he has pursued the one thing that matters most: competition-crushing viewership across every show he’s ever created. Others might 'win' Emmy’s and other acknowledgments, but Sheridan is the six-time champion of television," he concluded. Steve Honig told Fox News Digital that Sheridan's snub is a reflection on the industry, not on the creator's work. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER "It is a reminder that awards and influence are not always closely aligned. From a public relations perspective, there is a tendency to treat industry recognition as the ultimate measure of success. It isn't. Awards certainly matter; they provide third-party validation, generate headlines and can elevate show's reputation. But audience loyalty, cultural relevance and ratings often tell a far more meaningful story," Honig said. He continued, "Sheridan has built one of the most successful franchises in television by understanding exactly who his audience is and consistently delivering for them. Whether Emmy voters embrace his work is almost beside the point. Millions of viewers already have. The Emmy nominations may shape the industry's conversation for a week. Sheridan's audience will determine his legacy for years. From a public relations standpoint, that is the audience whose opinion carries the most weight." Fox News Digital's Larry Fink contributed to this report. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50dcb8c2ca79de23660194 National Guard shooting suspect in 'dire,' 'self-inflicted' health condition after refusing to eat: filing te 2026-07-10T11:51:20.360Z National Guard shooting suspect in 'dire,' 'self-inflicted' health condition after refusing to eat: filing The Afghan national accused of killing a National Guard member and opening fire on others near the White House last year has been transferred from prison to a hospital after refusing to eat or drink water, court records show. Federal prosecutors told the court they learned Rahmanullah Lakanwal was hospitalized on Wednesday at around midnight to "preserve his life." This came after the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) warned in June that Lakanwal was refusing to "consume adequate nutrition for an extended period." Officials with the USMS were concerned that Lakanwal had put himself "at risk for long-term health consequences, including a potential risk of death," according to the court filing. In an emergency hearing held late Thursday morning, D.C. District Judge Amit Mehta called the murder suspect's condition "dire" and "self-inflicted," according to a transcript obtained by The New York Times. FBI PROBES POSSIBLE TIES OF NATIONAL GUARD SHOOTER TO SHADOWY GROUP, A 'CATALYST' FOR JIHAD Lakanwal, 30, is accused of killing West Virginia National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and severely wounding Guardsman Andrew Wolfe in last November’s attack. He faces 17 charges, the most serious of which — the first-degree murder charge — makes him eligible for the death penalty. In the most recent court filing, prosecutors told Mehta that on June 16, 2026 — the day Lakanwal pleaded not guilty to all the charges — they learned about a protective order that "prohibited the government from receiving medical records concerning Lakanwal’s treatment." The judge ruled that prosecutors had a right to have access to Lakanwal's medical records and his treatment providers for "the duration of his current hospitalization." AFGHAN NATIONAL ACCUSED IN DC NATIONAL GUARD SHOOTING PLEADS NOT GUILTY Last month, Lakanwal made his first appearance in court, months after the Washington, D.C., shooting. He was wearing an orange prison jumpsuit and was in a wheelchair. On November 26, Lakanwal allegedly drove his Toyota Prius from his home in Bellingham, Washington, to the District of Columbia while in possession of a stolen firearm, according to court records. Prosecutors said he opened fire on West Virginia National Guard members, striking Beckstrom and Wolfe in the head. Two nearby National Guard members then subdued Lakanwal at the scene, officials said. Investigators reportedly recovered a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver that had been reported stolen in Seattle in 2023. Officials said Beckstrom died from her injuries on Thanksgiving, while Wolfe continues to recover from his injuries. Beckstrom was posthumously awarded the West Virginia Distinguished Service Medal, while Wolfe was recently given the "Freedom 250: Hometown Hero Award." Both of them were awarded the Purple Heart by President Donald Trump in February. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50dca4c2ca79de23660185 Dodgers could acquire Tarik Skubal at the trade deadline to avoid having to face him in playoffs: Report te 2026-07-10T11:51:00.909Z Dodgers could acquire Tarik Skubal at the trade deadline to avoid having to face him in playoffs: Report There's a clear villain these days in Major League Baseball, and for once, it's not the New York Yankees. The Los Angeles Dodgers have become the new version of the Death Star, a remarkable collection of talent built as a result of their financial advantages, front office brilliance, and exceptional drafting and development. Superstar catcher Will Smith goes down with a neck injury? Top prospect Dalton Rushing is there to step in and have the second-highest weighted runs created plus (wRC) of any catcher in baseball with more than 150 plate appearances. Expensive free agent signing Kyle Tucker gets off to a slow start? Andy Pages, who signed for $300,000 as a prospect out of Cuba, turns in a top-25 most valuable season from an offensive player to make up for it. Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow miss most of the season with injuries? Unheralded Justin Wrobelski puts up a 2.69 ERA and the same wins above replacement thus far as Zack Wheeler. MLB OWNERS REVEAL NEW DETAILS OF SALARY CAP PROPOSAL THAT ALL BUT GUARANTEE A LOCKOUT THIS DECEMBER High-priced closer Edwin Diaz has arm surgery? Will Klein, picked up off the scrap heap, has a 2.27 ERA. Alex Vesia, acquired in trade for Dylan Floro, has a 2.35 ERA. Tanner Scott's been one of the most dominant relievers in the sport, and former prospect Edgardo Henriquez has used his 102mph fastball to a 2.43 ERA and hasn't allowed a hit in his last 30 batters faced. Entering Thursday, the Dodgers were, unsurprisingly, at the top of the NL West and the top of the league's overall standings at 61-33. FanGraphs gives them a 100% chance of not only making the playoffs, but winning their division. They have a 97.4% chance of clinching a bye and avoiding a wild card series. And yet another new report has suggested that their response to this could be to...acquire one of the best handful of pitchers on the planet at the trade deadline. ESPN's Jeff Passan reported this week that the Dodgers' "best match" in trade would be Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal. The same Tarik Skubal who's put up four consecutive seasons with an ERA o 2.80 or less, and with the combination of bat missing stuff and command that plays up in the postseason. "Sorry," Passan wrote. "Of all the teams to get by far the best player on the market, did it really have to be the two-time defending champions who feature the most talented player in the game's history and a payroll that dwarfs almost every other team? Maybe not, but there are two realities at play here: The Dodgers have the sort of farm system Detroit would love to raid, and adding Skubal to a rotation that includes Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Blake Snell would make them damn near unassailable." While hardly a done deal, Passan did say that LA could be motivated to make a bigger move not only to bring in yet another superstar, but to avoid having to face him in a potential playoff series. "So while they could nibble around the margins like they did at the last deadline," he added, "the opportunity to not only add Skubal to their rotation but prevent the chance of having to face him in a crucial game is tantalizing." DODGERS MINOR LEAGUE PROSPECT KENDALL GEORGE HURTS HIMSELF AFTER NEAR COLLISION WITH A BAT DOG Imagine, trading for Tarik Skubal as a luxury so he doesn't go to one of your rivals. And the crazy thing is, a trade would make sense for both sides. Yes, Wrobleski has been outstanding, and the Dodgers have Roki Sasaki starting too, but it's unclear if either would be trusted to start a playoff game as opposed to moving to the bullpen. Snell and Glasnow are expected back this year, but with their lengthy injury histories, it's no guarantee both are available and healthy in October. The Dodgers like to give Ohtani extra rest between starts, understandable given his unique situation, making another top starter even more valuable. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Incredibly, with all their major league talent, LA has one of baseball's best farm systems too. Emil Morales, Eduardo Quintero, James Tibbs III, Mike Sirota, Zyhir Hope, Josue De Paula, River Ryan...it's an embarrassment of riches. The Dodgers could deal from their outfield prospect depth, bring in Skubal for two months and October, and still have a top 5 minor league system. It's already an uphill battle beating LA in a five or seven game series, but imagine facing Skubal, Yamamoto, Snell, Ohtani, then Skubal again in the NLDS. That dream might soon become a reality for Dodgers fans, and a nightmare for the opposition. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50da50c2ca79de2366011d FCC chair mocks 'The View' host Sunny Hostin for blatant partisanship as she pleads for Dems to win Senate te 2026-07-10T11:41:04.108Z FCC chair mocks 'The View' host Sunny Hostin for blatant partisanship as she pleads for Dems to win Senate FCC Chairman Brendan Carr mocked "The View" on X Wednesday after co-host Sunny Hostin urged Democrats to flip the Senate during a discussion about Maine's embattled Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner. This came as ABC argues the daytime program should remain exempt from federal political equal opportunity rules. Carr said ABC was asking the FCC to treat the show like a traditional news program while Hostin openly pressed for a Democratic Senate majority. "ABC is arguing to the FCC that The View is a ‘bona fide news program’—just like Meet the Press—and thus exempt from the political equal opportunity rules," Carr said. ABC FIRES BACK AT FCC PROBE OF 'THE VIEW,' CALLS OUT AGENCY'S 'CHILLING EFFECT ON FIRST AMENDMENT' Hostin's remark came as "The View" panel discussed whether Platner, who faced mounting Democratic pressure over allegations he denies, should step aside in the race to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine. "We’re in an existential crisis. We need to flip the Senate," Hostin said. Hostin argued that Maine remained a key pickup opportunity for Democrats and said the party needed the right replacement candidate if Platner left the race. PLATNER CAMPAIGN PUTTING 'THUMB ON SCALE' TO INFLUENCE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT, MAINE DEM ALLEGES "I do believe that Susan Collins is beatable. And I think once they just have the right candidate with all the appropriate information, the Democrats really could take that seat and that’s a very important seat," Hostin said. Hostin also said Platner should not have a role in picking who would replace him. "No, he can’t have any say in his replacement, I agree with you. I think that’s ridiculous and I think it’s clear that he has to step down," Hostin said. 'THE VIEW' CO-HOST HITS DEMOCRATS OVER 'BOTCHED' VETTING OF PLATNER Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin, former Trump White House communications director, said Democrats mishandled a race that has been viewed as central to their hopes of retaking the Senate. "I’m just struck by how bad Dems botched it. It always ran through Maine. That was always going to be an important pickup seat," Farah Griffin said. "They had six years to recruit against Susan Collins and vet somebody and look into the tattoos that they might have." Sara Haines said Platner should step aside rather than try to influence the replacement process. "I think he should get out, because I don’t think... if he’s not qualified for the job, he’s not qualified to pick his successor," Haines said. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE Joy Behar was more blunt about Platner amid the panel's discussion of his controversies. "Look, they knew that he had this so-called Nazi tattoo on him. They knew that and he claims he didn’t know... if I had a third nipple, I know it’s there, okay? This is the dumbest... I’ve never heard anything so stupid. Based on that he should get out and shut up," Behar said. Whoopi Goldberg said the situation showed why parties need to scrutinize candidates before voters are asked to support them. "People need to vet the people who are coming out," Goldberg said. "Can't we get somebody who has nothing?" The FCC’s Media Bureau said in May that KTRK-TV, a Disney-owned ABC station in Houston, and ABC filed a petition asking the FCC to declare that "The View" qualifies as a bona fide news interview program and is exempt from statutory equal opportunities requirements. The notice said the rules are meant to prevent broadcast television stations from "unfairly putting their thumbs on the scale" for candidates. ABC argued in a filing made public Tuesday that the FCC already resolved the issue in 2002 and said the agency's renewed scrutiny threatens editorial independence. The network argued, "The First Amendment does not permit the government to sit in an editor’s chair," according to the Associated Press. An FCC spokesperson responded to the AP that ABC should focus on "complying with its public interest obligations, rather than misleading the public about them." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50d80ac2ca79de236600bb Pro wrestling star Shotzi Blackheart calls being MLW women's champion 'the greatest thing ever' te 2026-07-10T11:31:22.980Z Pro wrestling star Shotzi Blackheart calls being MLW women's champion 'the greatest thing ever' Shotzi Blackheart began her first Major League Wrestling (MLW) Women’s World Championship reign earlier this year when she defeated Shoko Nakajima on "Fusion." It’s her first title of any kind of MLW and she relished the fact that she sits on top of the MLW women’s division after only joining the company officially in March. COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON FOX NEWS DIGITAL "Oh my god, it feels so good. Like, look at this beauty. I love it," she said, showing off her championship belt in an interview with Fox News Digital. "I love MLW. I am such a proud champion. Like, I love this company so much. I've never had a company understand Shotzi Blackheart more than MLW. So, to be the champion there is just like the greatest thing ever. Yes, so proud." Now, Shotzi has a target on her back. The challengers are lining up. She will make her latest title defense against Kira, who is a rising star with Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL). Kira joined CMLL in 2023 and became an immediate player, participating in the tournament to crown the CMLL Universal Amazonas champion. She didn’t win that match but has a good opportunity to win the MLW women’s world title against Shotzi on Saturday. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Shotzi suggested she was excited for what Kira can bring in the ring. "I mean, she's amazing. I watched her a lot when I went to CMLL a few months ago, and she is like the up and coming thing," Shotzi said. "Like, I think she could be CMLL women's champion at any point soon. Like, I really think that she could run the company at some point, and to have her come into MLW is awesome. "I want to go up against girls like her – that that you can tell they like have spent a lot of time in the ring and they really love this sport and they take it really seriously and she's going to challenge me for sure. She's a really awesome high-flyer. She does all the tricks and flips and it's really awesome to see. Like I was very impressed when I was doing my research on her. I'm so excited for it. I think it's going to be an awesome match." Kira is far from the only one looking to step up to Shotzi. Scarlett Bordeaux, a good friend of the champion, told Fox News Digital previously that she’ll always support Shotzi but when the time comes to fight, she’s going to give it her all. In response, Shotzi believed Bordeaux could be a great champion and would love a feud with her. "I am all for it. I think that Scarlett would be an awesome champion everywhere," she told Fox News Digital. "But yeah, I would definitely make her work for it. But maybe she's the one to take it from me. I don't know. We'll see. But I would love a feud against Scarlett. I would love it. And I would just say like, ‘Hey girl, don't hold back, you know, because I'm not going to either.’ I mean, we love each other, but in a way we're like we're ready to beat the s--- out of each other, too." Regardless, Shotzi said she loves having the target on her back. "I mean, it feels good. It feels good to be wanted, you know? I love a target on my back," she said. "I'm for it. I love the drama – physical and whatnot. But yeah, with MLW teaming up with CMLL and Stardom, really awesome girls are coming through and they want my neck and I'm all for it." The MLW women’s roster is so deep, no one can really expect who is going to come for the champ next. Lady Frost, Zamaya, Priscilla Kelly and others from companies like CMLL and Stardom lurk in the shadows waiting to get their chance at Shotzi and her championship. For now, Shotzi will take on Kira for the title on "Fusion" on Saturday. "Fusion" can be seen on YouTube, beIN Sports and Veeps. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50d7f7c2ca79de236600b2 Court hears alleged confession from accused Charlie Kirk assassin in texts with lover and more top headlines te 2026-07-10T11:31:03.532Z Court hears alleged confession from accused Charlie Kirk assassin in texts with lover and more top headlines 1. Court hears alleged confession from accused Charlie Kirk assassin in texts with lover 2. Trump warns 'they want to take out the US leader' as assassination plot surfaces 3. Socialists launch radical platform to abolish the US Senate in bid to fundamentally transform America   IN THE HOT SEAT — Sanders under fire for propping up Platner as Dems torch his toxic endorsement ‘pattern'. Continue reading … ‘FULL-OUT WAR’ — New 911 audio captures neighbors warning of 'full-out war' before police were attacked in block party chaos. Continue reading … ‘H1-B SCAM’ — Online fury erupts as American brand guts workforce while hiring foreign visa workers. Continue reading ... POST-MATCH RIOTS — London rocked by unrest after Morocco's World Cup quarterfinal loss to France. Continue reading … ‘DECLASSIFIED’ — Space chief admits 'we don't know what it is' after capturing mystery imagery. Continue reading … -- POLITICS TRUTH COMES OUT — Scope of SPLC's deeply embedded influence training teachers nationwide uncovered in sweeping report. Continue reading … UNDER PRESSURE — Iran's grip on the world's most critical waterway may be slipping away. Continue reading … PROUD TO BE HERE — Trace Adkins premieres patriotic song as ‘Chicago’ says FIFA guests prove American greatness. Continue reading … SUPPLY CHAIN SHAKEUP — New FDA rule targets loophole allowing foreign drug factories to mask ingredient origins. Continue reading … Click here for more cartoons…   'CUT-AND-DRY' — Donald Trump Jr argues Charlie Kirk murder evidence puts conspiracy theories 'at rest'. Continue reading … CAMPUS GOVERNANCE — Zero Republicans sit on the Yale Corporation, new 'Echo Chamber' report reveals. Continue reading … ‘KNIFE TWIST’ — Platner accuser feels pre-campaign text was an attempt to gauge her silence. Continue reading … HANDS OFF — Viral video captures alleged assault on a journalist at anti-Trump protest. Continue reading … ERFAN FARD — America may be abandoning containment for something far more aggressive toward Tehran. Continue reading …  CHUCK DEVORE — Ukraine’s drone revolution shows Russia is dangerously unprepared. But, so is America. Continue reading … -- STILL NO PEACE — King Charles 'fed up' with Prince Harry drama as reunion with grandchildren hangs in balance. Continue reading … PATTY POWER — Regional burger chains are beating fast-food giants in one key measure. Continue reading … UNINVITED GUEST — Black bear raiding garage garbage can sparks dramatic Lake Tahoe wildlife encounter. Continue reading … DIGITAL'S NEWS QUIZ — What were Graham Platner’s parting words? What’s the new dining no-no? Take the quiz here … Tune in as we examine the shake-up in the Maine Senate race and what’s at stake for the battle over Senate control. Check it out ... What's it looking like in your neighborhood? Continue reading…   Facebook Instagram YouTube Twitter LinkedIn      Fox News First Fox News Opinion Fox News Lifestyle Fox News Entertainment (FOX411) Fox Business Fox Weather Fox Sports Tubi Fox News Go Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! We'll see you in your inbox first thing Monday. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50d3a7c2ca79de2365ffe8 America's top destination for new taxpayers is quietly getting poorer, IRS data reveals te 2026-07-10T11:12:39.753Z America's top destination for new taxpayers is quietly getting poorer, IRS data reveals Wealthy Americans are continuing to flee high-tax states — and New York City is paying the price. Nowhere is that more apparent than in Manhattan. The borough led the nation in new tax filers between 2022 and 2023, but it still lost roughly $922 million in adjusted gross income as high-income taxpayers departed and were replaced by lower-earning newcomers. With the 2026 midterm elections approaching, the migration of high-income taxpayers is becoming more than a demographic trend — it's a political and fiscal test for governors and state lawmakers. Wealthy households contribute a disproportionate share of income tax revenue in states with progressive tax systems, making the size and composition of a state's tax base critical to funding schools, infrastructure and other public services. As states compete to attract and retain affluent residents, the latest data from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offers one of the clearest measures of which tax policies are winning, and which states are watching valuable tax dollars leave. AN OVERLOOKED RED STATE QUIETLY BUILT ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST COMPETITIVE TAX SYSTEMS Other parts of New York City and its surrounding suburbs also experienced significant outflows. According to the IRS data, Queens County lost 17,109 tax filers to interstate migration between 2022 and 2023, the second-largest net loss in the nation, while the Bronx lost 16,319. Suffolk County and Nassau County also ranked among the 10 counties with the biggest outflows. In fact, all 10 counties with the largest net losses in tax filers were located in either New York or California, underscoring the continued exodus from some of the nation’s highest-tax and most expensive states Democrat-run states. Many of the taxpayers leaving New York have relocated to lower-tax states such as Florida and Texas, which have been among the biggest beneficiaries of interstate migration in recent years and are conversely run by Republicans. FLOURISH MAP: WHERE AMERICANS PAY THE MOST IN TAXES 29253994 "It's very, very clear that people ultimately vote with their feet, and when they feel like they're getting taxed too much, they go somewhere else where they will be taxed less," E.J. Antoni, chief economist at the Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital. "New York has been learning that lesson over and over again, but apparently hasn't learned it well enough yet because they have been hemorrhaging their most valuable resource — people," he added. FLORIDA AND TEXAS ARE BATTLING FOR NEW RESIDENTS — DESANTIS THINKS HE FOUND AN ADVANTAGE The migration carries significant implications for state finances. High-income earners account for a disproportionate share of state income tax collections, meaning the loss of relatively few wealthy households can have an outsized effect on government revenues. Manhattan's experience underscores why economists increasingly focus on income migration rather than population migration alone. Although the most densely populated borough attracted more tax filers than any county in the nation, the loss of higher-income households produced one of the country's largest declines in adjusted gross income. For states that rely heavily on top earners for tax revenue, retaining wealthy residents can matter more than adding larger numbers of middle-income taxpayers. Antoni said the migration patterns show taxpayers are consistently choosing lower-tax states over higher-tax alternatives. "They're not going to Massachusetts or Illinois or California," he said. "They're going to Texas. They're going to Tennessee. They're going to Florida — places with low or no income taxes and low overall levels of taxation." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50d393c2ca79de2365ffdf AOC-backed candidate ripped for 'bizarre response' to transparency question: 'Pretty basic' te 2026-07-10T11:12:19.784Z AOC-backed candidate ripped for 'bizarre response' to transparency question: 'Pretty basic' Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Michigan, says he’s waiting on outstanding paperwork needed to accurately fill out his tax disclosure forms. El-Sayed's statement appears to be trying to defuse allegations from his opponent, Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Michigan, that he is trying to mask his net worth, hiding the true nature of his wealth until after the Michigan Aug. 4 Democratic primary. "You’ve sought an extension through August 13, I believe, which is after the primary," El-Sayed, who is endorsed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and other far-left lawmakers, was asked on Wednesday. "Was this to avoid transparency with your voters? Why not release them before the election?" DEM CIVIL WAR HITS PRIMARY DEBATE STAGE IN FIERY BATTLEGROUND SHOWDOWN: 'WHAT ARE YOU HIDING?' "No," El-Sayed replied. "Taxes get complicated." "My wife and her family own property abroad and getting all those tax forms is a thing," he added. As a part of his candidate disclosure report filed in June 2025, El-Sayed has reported a number of holdings. Among them: a salary from Wayne County worth $278,900 and an assortment of other assets bringing his net worth to somewhere between $580,000 and $1.7 million. As a part of that disclosure, his wife reported a rental property in Bangalore, India worth between $100,001 and $250,000. The disclosure went on to say that his wife brought in between $5,001 and $15,000 in "income." Another rental property in Ann Arbor, Michigan that was worth between $250,001 $500,000 brought in between $5,001 and $15,000. To some viewers, El-Sayed’s responses this past week are confusing, given the existence of his 2025 filings. "A bizarre response," Chuck Ross, a Washington Free Beacon investigative reporter, wrote in a post to X. "He filed a Senate financial disclosure in June 2025 that listed his wife’s rental property in India." "When it comes to actual transparency and investment, the fact that he is saying ‘my wife has foreign assets. My wife has investments abroad.’ Look we need to know you have allegiance to the United States of America," Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., told Fox News. "You need to come before the people that are working to elect you and you've got to show them what you're about." "If you have nothing to hide, then just release the tax returns. These Trump tactics are an extremely bad look," another observer wrote. WATCH: SURFACED VIDEOS OF DEM SENATE CANDIDATE BACKING 'DEFUND THE POLICE' CONTRADICT RECENT DENIALS Hen Mazzig, a pro-Israel political commentator, also bashed El-Sayed’s response. "Didn’t realize being unaware of the extent of your own wealth was a characteristic of the working class," Mazzig said, referring to El-Sayed’s promises to represent everyday Michigan voters against corporate interests. El-Sayed’s responses on Wednesday come after the Michigan primary debate on Tuesday evening, where Stevens accused El-Sayed of a lack of candor. "Well, look, transparency is oh so important. This is why I have released my tax returns. My opponent, Abdul, he said that transparency is key, but yet he hasn’t released his tax returns," Stevens said. "Look, I am the only one running for United States Senate in Michigan who is not a millionaire," Stevens said. When asked if Stevens' assertions were true, El-Sayed hinted that the figure was a little ambiguous. "If you take my assets and my wife’s assets together, then I guess they add up to something like that," El-Sayed said in his Wednesday interview. In another sit-down with MS Now, El-Sayed pledged to release his tax documents ahead of the primary. OMAR'S DISCLOSURES ERASED MILLIONS, LEAVING HER WITH POTENTIAL NEGATIVE NET WORTH. SHE WON'T EXPLAIN WHY "We absolutely will. Sometimes finances are complicated. I can only control what I can control, and unfortunately, when it comes to tax documents, sometimes they are really complicated to get," El-Sayed said. "We are absolutely going to release it before the primary." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50d380c2ca79de2365ffd6 Corporate America's China addiction has become a national security threat te 2026-07-10T11:12:00.330Z Corporate America's China addiction has become a national security threat The American economy is dangerously reliant on Communist China. Many in government and business know this, but hardly anyone has done anything about it. One important step toward addressing this vulnerability is greater transparency. A petition recently filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission urges the agency to require publicly traded companies to disclose to shareholders the material risks created by deep supply chain dependence on China. Investors deserve a clear accounting of just how exposed corporate America has become. This is no hypothetical exercise or war game. U.S. corporations have outsourced vital consumer production to a geopolitical rival that is openly committed to displacing America as the world’s leading power. China’s appetite for Taiwan may very well become a near-term flashpoint. SEN TODD YOUNG: THE HIDDEN DANGER CHINA’S SHIPS COULD BRING TO OUR SHORES Corporate reliance on China has resulted in a supply chain so brittle that an abrupt break in relations — whether from war, embargo or economic coercion — could cripple our defense, healthcare, technology and consumer economy overnight. Communist China already controls decisive shares of vital materials and components. It mines roughly 70% of global rare earth elements and processes more than 90% of them. The U.S. relies on China for many critical minerals essential to F-35 jets, submarines, missiles, semiconductors, electric vehicles and medical devices. Export controls imposed by Beijing in recent years are not abstract warnings; they are dress rehearsals for leverage. The pharmaceutical sector is equally exposed. China supplies 60% to 70% or more of key active pharmaceutical ingredients and precursor materials for antibiotics and other essential drugs. Much of the rest flows through India, which itself depends heavily on Chinese precursors. In a crisis, American hospitals, pharmacies and military field hospitals would face immediate shortages. STEVE MOORE: POLITICIANS ARE BLAMING THE WRONG VILLAIN FOR AMERICA’S RISING FOOD PRICES This would not be merely an economic inconvenience — it would be a national health emergency. U.S. companies chased low prices and handed Beijing practical know-how, machinery, processes and market share. The result, as The New York Times has noted, is a rival that now dominates production across rare-earth magnets, solar wafers, steel, pharmaceuticals and electric vehicles. Profit was never Beijing’s sole objective; strategic dominance was. Recent history proves the point. China embargoed rare earth exports to Japan in 2010 over a territorial dispute, forcing concessions without firing a shot. It has restricted gallium, germanium and other materials in response to U.S. actions. Beijing is mapping foreign supply chains through licensing requirements precisely to identify pressure points for future coercion. Current corporate disclosures on these risks are vague, inconsistent and inadequate. If companies know the dangers, they are hesitant to alarm investors or invite regulatory scrutiny. That reluctance does not satisfy fiduciary duties or legal requirements for disclosure of material information. Investors cannot accurately price portfolio risk when required SEC filings gloss over the possibility of sudden loss of access to 70% to 90% of critical inputs. Policymakers similarly fly blind when assessing sanctions, tariffs, or defense strategies. The commission has existing authority to demand clearer, more specific disclosures about geographic concentration risks, single-source dependencies and scenario analyses for major supply disruptions. Companies should quantify potential revenue, cost and operational impacts from China-specific shocks. Vague boilerplate about "geopolitical tensions" is no longer acceptable. Critics will claim such guidance burdens business or politicizes markets. The opposite is true. Markets function best with accurate information. Concealing existential supply chain vulnerabilities distorts capital allocation and leaves shareholders exposed. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION Free enterprise does not require pretending that doing business with a totalitarian rival bent on supremacy carries no unique downside. National security and economic resilience are not optional externalities; they are material facts. As war is costly and risky, China has implemented a strategy of "fighting without fighting" — weaponizing trade dependencies intentionally developed over decades. Recent commentary from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent underscores the linkage: Trade policy, industrial capacity and national security are inseparable. Allowing foreign dependencies to degrade any one domain risks defining America’s future on Beijing’s terms, which is China’s goal. The SEC should act promptly. Investors deserve transparency. Companies owe their shareholders honest assessment of risks, not happy-talk optimism. America’s economy and security cannot afford willful blindness about the most consequential supply chain vulnerability of our time. The time to disclose or, preferably, end the reliance is now. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50d36cc2ca79de2365ffcd WATCH: California parents sue luxury daycare after toddler allegedly tossed into air, dropped on head te 2026-07-10T11:11:40.873Z WATCH: California parents sue luxury daycare after toddler allegedly tossed into air, dropped on head A California couple is suing a luxury country club daycare center after they say their 23-month-old son suffered a traumatic brain injury when an employee swung him through her legs, tossed him several feet into the air and failed to catch him, according to a lawsuit. Matthew Kittle, Elena Kittle and their minor son, identified in the complaint only as C.K., filed the lawsuit against The Bay Clubs Company, LLC in Los Angeles County Superior Court. The lawsuit paints a disturbing picture of what the Kittle family says happened March 17, inside The Clubhouse at Bay Club El Segundo, a 14,000-square-foot childcare center advertised as a place for children to participate in supervised play and organized activities. FAMILY OF TODDLER FOUND ALIVE IN MORGUE AFTER BEING DECLARED DEAD PLANS LEGAL ACTION Surveillance video, provided to Fox News Digital by Rosen Saba, LLP, captured the heart-stopping moment a toddler was thrown into the air by a worker, crashing to the ground just before the adult fell on top of the child. According to the complaint, Matthew Kittle dropped off C.K. at the El Segundo Clubhouse at about 8:35 a.m. and told staff he planned to pick him up at 11:30 a.m. The suit says Kittle also told the club he would be at Manhattan Country Club, about a mile away, while his son was in the Bay Club’s care. Less than an hour later, at about 9:20 a.m., the lawsuit alleges, a female Bay Club employee was holding C.K. by his hands when she intentionally swung him between her legs, hoisted him over her head and released his hands while he was about six feet above the ground. TERRIFYING SCENE UNFOLDS AT SIX FLAGS AS STORM-TOPPLED TREE SENDS 4 GUESTS TO HOSPITAL The employee failed to catch him, the lawsuit says. C.K. allegedly fell to the hardwood floor, smashed his head and then the employee fell backward and landed on top of him. The complaint includes still images it says are from Bay Club’s camera system. The filing alleges other adults in the room appeared "aghast" at the severity of the incident. Ryan Saba, an attorney for the Kittle family, accused the club of failing the child and his parents. SAN FRANCISCO ARCHDIOCESE AGREES TO $395M SETTLEMENT WITH 530 CLERGY ABUSE SURVIVORS "When a parent entrusts their child to a daycare, they expect the employees to be properly trained and responsible. The Bay Club failed on both accounts," Saba, of Rosen Saba, LLP, told Fox News Digital. The lawsuit alleges Bay Club staff then downplayed what happened. At 9:28 a.m., Elena Kittle received a missed call from the Bay Club, according to the complaint. Two minutes later, Matthew Kittle received a call saying C.K. had "fallen" and had since "calmed down," the suit alleges. A staff member allegedly said she did not think the parents needed to pick him up but wanted them to know an incident had occurred. Matthew Kittle called back at 9:34 a.m. and, after being told he could not speak directly to Clubhouse staff, relayed that because he had been told C.K. was calm and not injured, they would pick him up at the end of his scheduled session, the lawsuit says. At about 9:45 a.m., Bay Club called again and said C.K. needed to be picked up because staff had not been able to settle him down, according to the complaint. When Matthew Kittle arrived around 10:10 a.m., the suit says, he saw injuries far worse than what had been described. The child’s right eye was swollen shut, the right side of his face was badly bruised and his mouth was swollen, according to the filing. After returning home, the toddler was "extremely drowsy, lethargic, and irritable," the lawsuit says. The complaint alleges Elena Kittle later spoke with a Bay Club employee who identified herself as the aquatics director and said C.K. had been held by an employee who fell while squatting, with the child only about 1.5 feet above the ground. The lawsuit says that account was false. GET BREAKING NEWS ALERTS C.K. was taken to a local hospital later that morning "for evaluation of blunt head trauma," according to the complaint. Doctors diagnosed him with blunt head trauma, a concussion, also described in the filing as a traumatic brain injury, and a facial abrasion, the lawsuit says. The suit alleges medical staff questioned whether the child’s injuries matched the club’s description of a short fall. The next day, C.K. was taken to his pediatrician, where the lawsuit says the doctor also questioned whether the injuries were consistent with a fall of roughly 1.5 feet. CLICK HERE FOR MORE U.S. NEWS The Kittles repeatedly pressed Bay Club for video, according to the complaint. On March 21, the company provided the video to the parents, who were "shocked" by the fall and by what they say was an effort to conceal the truth, the lawsuit says. The complaint also alleges Bay Club’s incident report was false and misleading. According to the lawsuit, the report said the employee lost her footing while picking up C.K. and "caught" him, helping avoid him hitting the ground. The lawsuit alleges the video proved otherwise. The family says C.K. continued suffering symptoms in the days and weeks after the incident, including sensitivity to light and sound, irritability, irregular sleep, lethargy and attachment issues. On April 9, C.K. was evaluated at the UCLA Concussion Clinic, where a neurology specialist noted he was still experiencing concussion symptoms, the complaint says. The lawsuit alleges he continues to suffer symptoms from the traumatic brain injury, including hearing loss. SEND US A TIP The suit alleges negligence, negligence per se, negligent hiring, supervision and retention, negligent infliction of emotional distress, fraud, intentional infliction of emotional distress and battery. The family is seeking damages, punitive damages, civil and statutory penalties, attorneys’ fees and a jury trial. The Bay Club said in a statement to Fox News Digital that it could not discuss pending litigation. "We are unable to comment on ongoing litigation. At the Bay Club, the safety of our members, team members, and the families we serve is our highest priority," the company said. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50d359c2ca79de2365ffc4 Coffee may have powerful effect on liver health, major study suggests te 2026-07-10T11:11:21.415Z Coffee may have powerful effect on liver health, major study suggests The health benefits of morning coffee may go beyond a wake-up call, according to a massive new study linking the beverage to a significantly lower risk of severe liver disease, liver cancer and liver-related death. Published in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the research used data from 354,957 participants enrolled in the UK Biobank. Researchers tracked individuals who had no history of cirrhosis or liver cancer at the start of the study for an average of 13 years, according to a press release. ZERO SUGAR, MORE PROBLEMS? STUDY REVEALS SURPRISING GUT HEALTH EFFECTS Participants who drank one to two cups of coffee daily showed a 20% lower risk of developing cirrhosis and a 31% lower risk of liver-related mortality compared to non-coffee drinkers. The protective effects became even more noticeable at higher levels of consumption. Individuals who drank five or more cups of coffee per day experienced a 32% reduction in cirrhosis risk, a 42% lower risk of liver-related death and a 47% lower risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common form of primary liver cancer. While previous studies have hinted at coffee's positive relationship with liver health, this study provides biological evidence to support the statistical trends, the researchers said. CAN ALKALINE WATER ACTUALLY IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH? EXPERTS SEPARATE FACT FROM FICTION To better understand why coffee may protect the liver, the researchers conducted additional analyses using imaging data from a subgroup of nearly 29,000 participants and blood samples from approximately 50,000 individuals. CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES That data showed that heavy coffee drinkers had significantly lower levels of liver fat and liver iron, as well as lower odds of developing fibroinflammation, which is the scarring and inflammation that often precedes permanent liver damage. The blood analysis linked coffee consumption with lower levels of some proteins known to trigger inflammation and tissue scarring, along with higher levels of proteins essential for healthy liver function. Notably, the study found that the liver-protective benefits were similar for both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee, suggesting that these benefits are driven by naturally occurring compounds not related to caffeine. While the benefits persisted regardless of whether the coffee was consumed black or with sweeteners, the researchers observed that adding sugar or artificial sweeteners slightly weakened the beneficial effects, particularly concerning markers of liver inflammation. While these findings suggest that coffee consumption is an accessible dietary habit for supporting liver health, the authors noted that it should serve as a complement rather than a replacement for standard preventative health practices. TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ Because the research relied on self-reported dietary questionnaires from the UK Biobank, the findings could be susceptible to changes in participants' coffee-drinking habits over the 13-year follow-up period. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER Additionally, as an observational study, it can only establish a strong correlation and cannot prove cause and effect, as other factors may influence the outcomes. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50d345c2ca79de2365ffbb California education leaders sound alarm over Newsom’s ‘brazen power grab’ stripping superintendent position te 2026-07-10T11:11:01.969Z California education leaders sound alarm over Newsom’s ‘brazen power grab’ stripping superintendent position Californians working in the state's education sector are warning against what they describe as an "undemocratic power play" by Gov. Gavin Newsom to strip authority from the state's Superintendent of Public Instruction. Assembly Bill 181, passed as a budget trailer bill for the 2026–27 fiscal year, shifts day-to-day managerial power from the state superintendent to a newly created position: the Education Commissioner. Unlike the independently elected superintendent, the new commissioner will be appointed by and report directly to the governor. The structural overhaul was finalized as part of budget negotiations between legislative leaders and Newsom. "As a teacher and voter, I am completely against this undemocratic power play," Steve Campos, who taught for more than 30 years in California, told Fox News Digital. Newsom on Thursday delivered remarks on the day of the bill signing for their budget for public education, noting that organizations have been advocating for "change" for decades. "As it relates to governance reform, change has its enemies. I'm for change. I'm not arguing for the status quo," Newsom said. "I couldn't be more proud that the legislature and the people of the state demanded a new approach, and I was proud to attach my signature to a new approach." Newsom touted the changes earlier this year, saying in a statement, "California can no longer postpone reforms that have been recommended regularly for a century. So we are going to modernize the governance system by unifying the policy-making State Board with the Department of Education that implements those policies. And we’re empowering the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to help align our education policies from early childhood through college. These critical reforms will bring greater accountability, clarity, and coherence to how we serve our students and schools." TEXAS’ LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT SEES TEST SCORES SOAR AFTER STATE TAKEOVER DESPITE RACISM CLAIMS Campos, who currently serves as a member of the Perris Union High School District board of trustees and teaches physical education, voiced deep concern over the timing of the legislation. "As a school board member, I am extremely disappointed in the fact that he is trying to take away the will of millions of voters who are parental rights supporters," Campos said. "Californians deserve the opportunity to elect someone who supports their values statewide, since the passage of AB 1955 took away some of their local control. The governor was also in support of taking away their local voice through AB 1955. My hope is that the governor’s plan will be legally challenged and overturned. Sonja Shaw, the school board president for the Chino Valley Unified School District, echoed those frustrations. Speaking to Fox News Digital, Shaw accused Newsom of orchestrating "the most brazen power grab in California history, bypassing the voters and using a backdoor budget bill to strip authority from the independently elected State Superintendent and hand it to a political appointee." Shaw is currently running to become the state's next superintendent. She advanced from the state's top-two primary election in June and is set to face off against Richard Barrera in the November general election. The conservative firebrand has gained national attention for championing local parental notification policies, which require schools to disclose a student’s transgender identity to their parents. Shaw vowed to challenge AB 181 in court, arguing that it violates the state’s constitution. "Californians have rejected this idea at the ballot box four separate times because they believe the person overseeing our schools should be accountable to voters, not to political special interests," Shaw said. "The timing isn’t accidental. They know that when I’m elected, I will expose years of failure and mismanagement — so they’re trying to change the rules before the election." LINDA MCMAHON: PARENTS TOLD ME SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS LESS RED TAPE, STRONGER RESULTS Campos believes Newsom’s tactical pivot is targeted entirely at weakening Shaw's potential impact if she wins the office. "This has been tried before and is a desperate move by the governor to not allow the people of California to elect Sonja Shaw as the next Superintendent of Public Instruction," Campos told Fox News Digital. "The governor fears that she will bring out millions to the polls in the midterm election this November and lose the stronghold on this elected position, as well as the governorship. This desperate move is also being opposed by the California Teachers Association and current SPI, Tony Thurmond." Though conservative advocates worry about a progressive hold on the state executive office, Thurmond himself will not be on the November ballot for governor; the current schools chief ran a progressive gubernatorial campaign but failed to advance past the crowded June primary. The race to replace the term-limited Newsom will instead be decided between Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton. Laura Markin, a southern California high school English teacher with 20 years of classroom experience, called the policy alignment "wrong" and agreed that the legislative maneuver seems designed to muzzle conservative momentum. "There's a lot of unpopular positions that Tony [Thurmond] was supporting over the years, which led to the rise of Sonja [Shaw], and now Gavin Newsom is reacting to that. And I think it's appalling," Markin told Fox News Digital, while also criticizing the lack of public transparency surrounding AB [181]. "This was done by Gavin Newsom without the input from his constituents," Markin added, noting the bill bypassed standard public comment layout. "He did this to strip it of power. The position still exists from what I understand, and is mostly going to be a committee position — which is a waste of taxpayer dollars to have somebody elected to a position that is just going to be sitting on committees." GOV SANDERS REVEALS 'MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH' ON EDUCATION AS RED STATE POSITIONS ITSELF AS 'BLUEPRINT' FOR NATION Lance Christensen, a former candidate for state superintendent who now serves as the VP of Government Affairs & Education Policy at the California Policy Center, describes himself as an "extreme localist" who favors empowering local school boards over expanding Sacramento's reach. "Let's be honest about what's really driving this: they're afraid of losing the superintendent's office to a sincere parents' rights advocate in Sonja Shaw," Christensen told Fox News Digital. "If legislators actually want to neutralize the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the ethical path is a constitutional amendment to eliminate the office and put it before voters. But that won't happen, because it's been tried before, and it always fails." The California Department of Education didn't immediately responded to Fox News Digital's request for comment. However, in an interview with ABC10, current superintendent Thurmond admitted he heavily disagreed with how the changes were forced through the legislature. "I don't think it's a bad thing, in and of itself; whenever you want a governor to be directly involved with education, that's a good thing, and most states operate in the same way," he told the station.  "Here's what is a concern: the manner in which it's being done," Thurmond continued. "The state superintendent position is approved by the voters, and I think that's the method in which the position should have been changed. And short of doing that, what's happened is they've created an extra layer of government, so now you have an elected state superintendent who will have very little to do as a result of these changes. And now you'll have this new position that will also be in place." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50c7b6c2ca79de2365fdb3 Fox News Digital's News Quiz: July 10, 2026 te 2026-07-10T10:21:42.308Z Fox News Digital's News Quiz: July 10, 2026 Test your news knowledge with this week's Fox News Digital News Quiz, featuring Graham Platner and restaurant etiquette. Looking for another challenge? A primary upset occurred in Colorado, and police identified the Empire State Building climbers as foreign daredevils in last week's News Quiz. Test your knowledge of the Founding Fathers, vaccine victories and more in this week's American Culture Quiz. If you're looking to play even more, you can find all of our quizzes by clicking here. Check back next week for the latest News Quiz from Fox News Digital. Thanks for playing! Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50c7a2c2ca79de2365fda4 ICE agents in fatal Houston shooting were not wearing body cameras, sources say te 2026-07-10T10:21:22.858Z ICE agents in fatal Houston shooting were not wearing body cameras, sources say The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents involved in this week's fatal shooting of an illegal immigrant in Houston were not wearing body cameras, multiple sources familiar with the investigation told Fox News. The development comes as the shooting continues to draw national attention. The incident is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General, while prosecutors in Houston are conducting a separate investigation into the shooting. Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican citizen who authorities said was in the country illegally, was shot and killed Tuesday after he allegedly tried to ram an ICE officer with his vehicle, the agency said. ICE SAYS OFFICER SHOT AND KILLED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WHO TRIED TO RAM HIM WITH CAR IN HOUSTON Multiple Democrats have called for an independent investigation into the incident. "Every single ICE agent involved in the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo must be investigated to the full extent of the law," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries wrote on X. "Video footage of the killing must be released immediately. The American people deserve the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth." New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also called for "real accountability" following the shooting and reiterated his support for abolishing ICE. ANTI-ICE DEMONSTRATORS DETAINED AFTER PROTESTING ARREST OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT FACING ASSAULT, DRUG CHARGES Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum vowed to pursue "legal measures" following the shooting. Asked whether the officers involved were wearing body cameras, the Department of Homeland Security directed Fox News to ICE's previous statement regarding the shooting, in which the agency accused Araujo of attempting to evade arrest. ICE previously told Fox News Digital that Araujo "rammed an ICE law enforcement vehicle, refused to follow multiple verbal commands and weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer, resulting in our officer firing his weapon in self-defense." ICE RENEWS HUNT FOR EL CHAPO'S LAST TWO FUGITIVE SONS WITH MASSIVE REWARD Araujo was struck and taken to a hospital, where he later died. "This is a developing situation, and we will update the public when more information is available," the agency added. Little video of the encounter has emerged publicly in the days since the shooting. Araujo's family has disputed ICE's account of the shooting and called on the agency to release any available video evidence. Fox News Digital's Louis Casiano and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50c764c2ca79de2365fd77 Top Senate Democratic PAC Stockpiles Record Sum, as Money Chase Heats Up te 2026-07-10T10:20:20.910Z Top Senate Democratic PAC Stockpiles Record Sum, as Money Chase Heats Up Senate Majority PAC says it entered July with $126 million, a new midyear high, after raising $147 million with an affiliated nonprofit from April through June. But can it keep pace with the G.O.P.? Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50c5fac2ca79de2365fd43 Socialists launch radical platform to abolish the US Senate in bid to fundamentally transform America te 2026-07-10T10:14:18.801Z Socialists launch radical platform to abolish the US Senate in bid to fundamentally transform America As many of its candidates notch electoral wins nationwide, the pre-eminent socialist political group in the U.S., the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), plans to roll out an updated platform that includes eliminating the Senate and replacing the president and the Supreme Court with an executive and judiciary chosen by Congress. According to a source familiar with the DSA’s planning, the organization plans to roll out an update next week to its long-term vision for a U.S. policy platform. The update includes eliminating the U.S. Senate and replacing the president and the Supreme Court with an executive branch and judiciary chosen by and subordinate to Congress. Additionally, the updated platform would include amnesty for all immigrants and defunding the Department of War. This would be in addition to the DSA’s current policy platform, which calls for an "immediate end to all deportations," free migration between countries without restrictive immigration controls, and "extending full voting rights to people with criminal convictions and noncitizens." EXPERT WHO FLED CUBA WARNS OF ‘VICIOUS CYCLE’ THAT WILL LEAD TO ‘COMMUNISTS IN DOUBLE DIGITS’ IN CONGRESS Once considered a fringe movement on the Democratic Party’s progressive wing, the DSA has been gaining relevance with several of its members toppling longtime establishment party figures. This has prompted many to speculate that the DSA represents the Democratic Party’s future. While the DSA has endorsed the likes of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., perhaps the most prominent member of the group is New York City socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Mamdani, an immigrant from Uganda, burst onto the national consciousness this year after he defeated former Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2025. Since Mamdani’s victory, the DSA has continued to gain momentum, with four of its endorsed candidates — Melat Kiros of Colorado, Darializa Avila-Chevalier of New York, Adam Hamawy of New York and Donavan McKinney of Michigan — each defeating sitting Democratic members of Congress in recent months. SOCIALIST MAYOR KATIE WILSON SILENT AMID PROTESTS OVER ‘HUMAN DUMPING GROUND’ AHEAD OF US WORLD CUP MATCH These and other victories have emboldened the DSA, which touts itself as a "working-class alternative to the Democratic Party." After a recent round of primary victories, the DSA proclaimed that "only socialism can solve decades of capitalist mismanagement in the US." The group added that "our newly elected leaders will fight for the working class — not for crumbs." WATCH: DEM GOV MOCKED FOR CRITICIZING ‘TRIBAL’ POLITICS AMID REDISTRICTING PUSH: ‘HYPOCRISY KNOWS NO BOUNDS’ In addition to radically altering the country’s three-branch form of government, the DSA’s existing platform also advocates establishing a 32-hour work week "with no reduction in pay or benefits," the passage of Medicare for all, canceling all student loan debt, the elimination of cash bail and universal rent control. In its program for 2025-2026, the DSA calls for a "new democratic constitution" that it says would establish civil, political, and democratic rights for all based on proportional representation in a "single federal legislature." SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Fox News Digital reached out to the DSA for comment. Fox News' Matthew Donnell contributed to this report. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50c5e7c2ca79de2365fd3a Scope of SPLC's deeply embedded influence training teachers nationwide uncovered in sweeping report te 2026-07-10T10:13:59.346Z Scope of SPLC's deeply embedded influence training teachers nationwide uncovered in sweeping report FIRST ON FOX: A new report is shining a spotlight on the Southern Poverty Law Center's influence in American colleges, revealing its educational materials are being used to train future K-12 teachers in 38 states as Congress and federal investigators intensify their focus on the organization. According to a report from Defending Education, an education watchdog group that the SPLC once labeled an "extremist" group, researchers examined 100 colleges of education and uncovered SPLC's Learning for Justice, formerly Teaching Tolerance, and the group's Social Justice Standards embedded into teacher preparation programs nationwide. The report said the organization's Social Justice Standards are incorporated into teacher preparation programs that include "Equity, Access, and Anti-bias Education," "Teaching for Social Justice," "Critical Consciousness," and "Socially Just Teachers." Researchers found the materials in required education courses, teacher candidate handbooks, student teacher evaluations, lesson planning assignments, departmental frameworks and professional development for educators. LIBERAL FACULTY STILL HUGELY OUTNUMBER CONSERVATIVES IN HIGHER EDUCATION: REPORT "It is quite clear that the SPLC’s programming has more than a trivial impact on education," Defending Education Director of Research Rhyen Staley said. "Pre-service teachers should not be forced to adhere to or promote politically charged ideologies to obtain a degree. Furthermore, students and their families deserve an educational experience that is free of political bias and promotes balanced viewpoints." The report argues colleges help shape what future teachers bring into classrooms and that many universities keep their use of Learning for Justice materials out of public view, saying "few COEs outwardly acknowledge their use of SPLC materials; instead, many COEs hide their usage and promotion behind faculty login pages." "Because COEs are the primary institutions responsible for preparing future K-12 classroom teachers, as well as the continuing education of present teachers and administrators, they play a major role in what content, materials, 'best practices,' and perspectives shape educators," the report said. FEDS OPEN PROBE INTO NEW YORK CITY'S ANTI-ISRAEL TEACHERS Pointing to multiple universities, the report highlights how the standards have worked "their way into courses, pre-service programming, and K-12 classrooms indirectly." California State University, Sacramento's College of Education, and William & Mary's School of Education require pre-service teachers to incorporate Social Justice Standards into coursework, lesson planning, classroom instruction and professional evaluations, according to the report. William & Mary's handbook states that the standards "reflect the School of Education's philosophical approach to teaching and learning," the report said. The report also said Western Washington University evaluates student teachers on integrating the standards into lesson planning, requiring "clear links to identity and diversity anchor standards found in Learning for Justice/Teaching Tolerance Standards," while Brandeis University says the standards guide its "Teaching for Social Justice" teacher education program. CRUZ PUSHES BILL TO HOLD TAX-EXEMPT SPONSORS ACCOUNTABLE AS DOJ PROBES SINGHAM NETWORK The standards have also reached graduate programs, grant-funded initiatives and state policy, according to the report. The University of Maryland College of Education incorporates them into one of its teacher leadership master's degree programs, and the Maryland State Department of Education includes them in new teacher induction regulations, the report said. "MSDE does not generally develop curriculum; we establish statewide standards," a Maryland State Department of Education spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "We're not aware of any local school systems incorporating SPLC materials into training for teachers or board members, so questions about local implementation would need to be directed to individual LEAs." Researchers reviewed taxpayer-funded initiatives, including a $275,000 National Science Foundation grant supporting Northern Arizona University's project and a $3.3 million U.S. Department of Education grant awarded to Claremont Graduate University, whose grant proposal said it would "introduce Fellows to the following core social justice teaching ideas and practices," including the "Social Justice Standards from Teaching Tolerance," according to the report. The NSF declined to comment. The report comes after the Justice Department filed an 11-count indictment against the organization in April, alleging it defrauded donors by concealing millions of dollars in payments to confidential informants operating within extremist groups, including the Ku Klux Klan, United Klans of America and Aryan Nations. SPLC Interim President and CEO Bryan Fair denied any wrongdoing during a House Judiciary Committee hearing in June, calling the charges politically motivated as Republicans continue investigating the nonprofit's ties to the Biden administration. Fox News Digital reached out to the SPLC, William & Mary's School of Education, California State University, Sacramento, Western Washington University, Brandeis University, and the Department of Education for comment. The Department of Education told Fox News Digital it does not mandate curriculum and said reports like this are the reason the Trump administration has made an effort to empower parents, families, and communities to be more involved in childhood education. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50c5d3c2ca79de2365fd31 New 911 audio captures neighbors warning of 'full-out war' before police were attacked in block party chaos te 2026-07-10T10:13:39.889Z New 911 audio captures neighbors warning of 'full-out war' before police were attacked in block party chaos Newly released 911 calls capture North Charleston, South Carolina, residents expressing fear as they reported armed teens, gunfire and what one caller described as a "full-out war" before police were assaulted during a Fourth of July block party. Fox News Digital obtained recordings of the calls from Charleston County Dispatch, which reveal multiple residents calling dispatchers shortly before 8:30 p.m. as a city-permitted Fourth of July block party in North Charleston's Chicora-Cherokee neighborhood began spiraling out of control. Callers reported people openly carrying guns, hearing repeated gunfire and fearing for their safety as officers struggled to disperse hundreds of attendees before multiple officers were assaulted and six people were later charged. NORTH CHARLESTON OFFICER ATTACKED BY CROWD IN VIRAL VIDEO AFTER GUNFIRE ERUPTS AT BLOCK PARTY One of the earliest callers warned dispatchers that armed people had gathered near Calvert Street and North Carolina Avenue, telling a 911 operator, "Everybody got guns," before pleading, "We need the police out here bad. They need to come out here." The caller also reported hearing gunfire and described seeing a blue Dodge Charger parked near a bus stop with armed people gathered around it. As officers responded, another resident described the situation rapidly deteriorating after having already contacted authorities. WATCH: SOUTH CAROLINA BLOCK PARTY THUGS WITH MACHINE GUN, SPEAR CHARGED IN MOB ATTACK ON OFFICERS, POLICE SAY "I called 45 minutes ago and asked to have officers come out here to break up a group of kids with firearms, and now there's like a full-out war going on outside my f------ front door," the caller told a dispatcher. Dispatch logs show officers soon reported more than 500 people at the gathering while requesting every available unit to help disperse the crowd. The same caller later reported seeing what appeared to be muzzle flashes. RALEIGH MAYOR CONSIDERS YOUTH CURFEW FOLLOWING TEEN TAKEOVER, VIOLENT JULY 4TH WEEKEND "I just watched about six of them that have f------ muzzle flash," the caller said. "It looked like they were f------ shooting at each other and running in opposite directions." Another resident in the area told dispatchers that one person in the crowd shouted, "Get the strap," before the caller heard gunfire moments later. "I came inside and about 10 seconds later I heard three gunshots," the caller said. "I need officers over here please." Another homeowner reported watching teenagers fire a handgun into the ground from across the street. "I got a group of like teenage kids across my street... shooting a gun into the... ground," the caller said, adding the individual tucked the weapon back into his waistband. FEDS DISMANTLE ALLEGED GUN TRAFFICKING RING THAT FUNNELED DOZENS OF FIREARMS FROM GEORGIA TO CHICAGO GANGS The recordings also capture the growing fear among residents as gunfire continued. One caller told dispatchers they had armed themselves while waiting for officers to arrive. "I have my gun in my hand. If they come on my property I will kill somebody," the caller said, noting that he heard 20 to 30 shots. "I have on camera several individuals. We've been calling all night about this. We need people posted out here." As the response intensified, officers were instructed not to respond alone and to pair up while working the crowd. Police previously said officers responded around 8:30 p.m. after receiving reports of people firing fireworks toward passing vehicles before learning attendees had begun discharging firearms. Officers repeatedly ordered the crowd to disperse, but multiple fights broke out and additional gunfire was reported, prompting officers to leave their patrol vehicles to restore order. Authorities said multiple officers were assaulted during the response, including two female officers who suffered minor injuries. Viral video from the scene shows one officer being pulled to the ground while attempting to detain a woman before several people began striking her. Investigators recovered multiple firearms, including what police described as a machine gun, along with a makeshift spear. Six people — including four juveniles — have since been charged in connection with the incident, though police said the investigation remains active and additional arrests are possible. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50c5c0c2ca79de2365fd28 Trace Adkins premieres patriotic song as ‘Chicago’ says FIFA guests prove American greatness te 2026-07-10T10:13:20.439Z Trace Adkins premieres patriotic song as ‘Chicago’ says FIFA guests prove American greatness Grammy-winning country star Trace Adkins and rock mainstay Chicago spoke to Fox News Digital about Adkins' new single, "American Made," and why celebrating America's 250th birthday means so much to them. Adkins premiered his new single "American Made" on PBS's "A Capitol Fourth," an annual live concert on Capitol Hill, while Chicago also performed during the event. Adkins said he and some friends came together to write "American Made" and submit it to a record label. AMERICA'S 250TH CELEBRATION IN NATION'S CAPITAL BOOSTED BY ICONIC AUTOMAKER'S 2-WEEK TRIBUTE TO INNOVATION "[We] thought this year was the best timing that we could ever have to celebrate the 250th. So we put this song out. I like it. I do," he said. When asked what message he hopes the public will take from the song, he spoke about how his wife just recently became a naturalized American citizen. "She is so proud to be an American," he said. "My family's been here for over eight generations on both sides. I'm proud to be an American too and you know I think we're equally as proud so there you go." SOFÍA VERGARA, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER AND MORE CELEBRITIES WHO BECAME US CITIZENS In separate interviews, Adkins and Chicago’s founding member Lee Loughnane pointed to the reactions of global tourists in the U.S. for the FIFA World Cup. "World Cup folks are coming over and finding out that it's really easy to walk around. They get surprised when someone comes to refill a drink for them. They don't have to pay another $12," Loughnane said. "The freedoms that we have and that we take for granted, they're just seen now." Many videos and accounts from foreigners visiting the U.S. for the FIFA Club World Cup have gone viral, including Japanese fans visiting Texas and praising American barbecue. WORLD CUP SOCCER FANS ARE DISCOVERING AMERICA’S GREATNESS. IT’S TIME AMERICANS DID, TOO One Australian comic in the U.S. with his son posted a video about a bus driver in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., giving them a gesture of good faith after they were unable to make change for a fare, and separately extolled the taste and value of Popeye's chicken meals. German and Scottish fans also posted emotional tributes to their time in the U.S., including after the latter purportedly enjoyed their environs so much they drank Boston dry. Both Adkins and the Chicago members said they’ve seen the contrast in their decades of traveling the world for concerts. "I've been to those other places. This is the best place, man. And when I'm away from here, I feel uneasy until I get back home," Adkins said. "A lot of those people, when they say [they aren’t proud to be Americans] they've never been anywhere." Chicago’s Rudy Cardenas, who is originally from Venezuela, said he is "blessed" to be living in the U.S. "You have to remember that when we travel around we get to see so many different cultures and the way that other people live and to come back to this country and to just be like, we got it pretty good," he said. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER "So it's an honor and we're so blessed and to be able to celebrate 250 with this band in this venue is just crazy amazing so it's going to be one of a kind." Asked about polling showing a decline in patriotism, Loughnane said many people take America for granted and that there are "misunderstandings" and times when people are told things about current events or history that are not particularly true. "So, I enjoy being an American and I'm very proud of it and I won't stop," he said. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50c5acc2ca79de2365fd1f Fox News Digital's News Quiz: July 9, 2026 te 2026-07-10T10:13:00.978Z Fox News Digital's News Quiz: July 9, 2026 Test your news knowledge with this week's Fox News Digital News Quiz, featuring Graham Platner and restaurant etiquette. Looking for another challenge? A primary upset occurred in Colorado, and police identified the Empire State Building climbers as foreign daredevils in last week's News Quiz. Test your knowledge of the Founding Fathers, vaccine victories and more in this week's American Culture Quiz. If you're looking to play even more, you can find all of our quizzes by clicking here. Check back next week for the latest News Quiz from Fox News Digital. Thanks for playing! Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50c599c2ca79de2365fd16 King Charles 'fed up' with Prince Harry drama as reunion with grandchildren hangs in balance: expert te 2026-07-10T10:12:41.522Z King Charles 'fed up' with Prince Harry drama as reunion with grandchildren hangs in balance: expert King Charles III is said to be "fed up" with the drama that continues to follow his estranged son. The claim comes from British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard following The Mirror's report that the Duke of Sussex is "frantically" trying to secure private security for his wife, Meghan Markle, and their two young children so they can travel to the U.K. Fox News Digital reached out to Archewell, which handles the offices of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, for comment. PALACE AIDES 'DON'T TRUST' PRINCE HARRY ALONE WITH KING CHARLES, EXPERTS SAY "Of course, grandfather Charles wants to see his Montecito grandchildren," said Chard. "He just does not want the Sussex drama. King Charles is fed up — fed up with the rolling media briefings, the last-minute changes of plan, the security fight being litigated in public and in court. "Then there was the accommodation offer made, declined and then re-requested. The visit with the children is confirmed, then canceled and then maybe back on. It pulls the monarchy into a circus it cannot control." "The reputational damage is already done," Chard said. "To bring the Sussexes back into the fold publicly now would look like the institution surrendering to pressure. If Harry and Meghan want the king to meet his grandchildren, it will have to be strictly private, properly planned and without the press in tow. The Sussexes will have to agree to the king's terms to avoid the royal family becoming the laughingstock of the world." WATCH: KING CHARLES WENT 'ABOVE AND BEYOND' FOR PRINCE HARRY: EXPERT Harry's return to his home country has been troubled from the start. After reports that the prince would visit the U.K. with his family, the U.K. government declined his request for police protection outside royal residences, prompting him to travel alone on July 6. He is expected to remain there through July 11 for events highlighting the Invictus Games. It is unclear whether he will meet with his father or if his family will join him before the end of his trip. The Telegraph reported that Meghan is expected to travel to Britain this week with the children. Fox News Digital reached out to a Sussex spokesperson for comment. Harry's troubles have only deepened. On July 7, the Duke of Sussex lost his yearslong privacy lawsuit against Associated Newspapers Limited, publisher of the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday. The case involved Harry and six other claimants, including Elton John and Elizabeth Hurley. The High Court dismissed their claims after finding they failed to prove unlawful information gathering. Associated Newspapers Limited called the ruling an "overwhelming victory" and a "magnificent vindication." Harry said the court denied him the justice and accountability he sought. The publisher has long denied the allegations, calling them "preposterous" and maintaining the articles were based on lawful sources, including friends, royal aides and publicists. Meanwhile, the royals have kept their distance, carrying on their duties without meeting with Harry. At one point, Harry and his older brother, Prince William, were just 12 miles apart. Royal experts previously told Fox News Digital that Kate Middleton and Queen Camilla were choosing to keep their heads down, keep calm and carry on. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER British royal expert Hilary Fordwich previously told Fox News Digital that Harry's "debacle" over security and his "self-inflicted court case" have been "stressful" for the king. Harry has said the litigation became one of the primary causes of his falling out with his father and brother. In pursuing the case, he broke with royal family tradition by taking the dispute to court. The Sussexes lost their taxpayer-funded security after they stepped back as senior working royals. Harry was denied the restoration of that security by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC). Fox News Digital reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment. "Every time it looks as if there might be a last-minute chance for some sort of tender reunion, it all falls apart," Christopher Andersen, author of "The King," told Fox News Digital. "Every planned kumbaya moment turns into a dumpster fire. The latest court ruling against Harry at the very moment when he might have been able to at last have a few moments with his father is a perfect example." "The idea that the king would love to have a relationship with his grandchildren is no secret," said Andersen. "That has been the case from the beginning. Don't forget that Charles stepped up to walk Meghan halfway down the aisle when she married Harry because her own father didn't show. King Charles was always very fond of Meghan, so, to a large degree, he also feels betrayed by her. It's a very complex situation, and maybe even more complicated by the behind-the-scenes intrigues of palace operatives." LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS People magazine previously reported that ahead of Harry's trip, his team spent several days exploring ways to make the visit safe through enhanced private security arrangements. Palace sources said Harry initially declined an invitation to stay at a royal residence before accepting it on Saturday. Harry's spokesperson told People that an offer for the Duke of Sussex to stay at Buckingham Palace during his London visit was withdrawn after he had formally accepted it. Palace sources, however, disputed that account, saying Harry failed to respond by the deadline and that his later acceptance came only after arrangements could no longer be made. "From King Charles' perspective, the issue isn't whether he loves Harry or his grandchildren — it's whether private family business can remain private," Kinsey Schofield, host of YouTube's "Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered," told Fox News Digital. "Right now, there is very little evidence to reassure him." "I've never doubted that King Charles would love to know Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet," she said. "The tragedy is that affection isn't what's missing — trust is. I think King Charles can long for a relationship with his grandchildren while recognizing that any meeting carries institutional and reputational risks. The king's heart may say yes. His experience tells him to proceed very carefully. The reunion begins with rebuilding confidence that family moments won't become public commodities." Harry has been estranged from his family since he and his wife stepped back as senior royals in 2020, citing what they described as unbearable intrusions by the British press and a lack of support from the palace. After moving to California, they aired their grievances in interviews and documentaries. Harry's 2023 memoir, "Spare," further strained relations. The palace has never publicly commented on the book. Following the couple's 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Queen Elizabeth II issued a statement, remarking, "Some recollections may vary." While Archie, 7, was born in the U.K., Lilibet, 5, was born in California. Charles met his granddaughter only once, during the family's 2022 visit to Britain. "The relationship between King Charles and the Sussexes is undoubtedly distant, and he is wary of them," royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said. "As the world knows, there is a rift in the royal family, and [it’s believed] that William wants nothing to do with them. The king's biggest priority right now is the future of the monarchy. He also knows William, Catherine and their family are its future." "Even if there were a meeting, any true relationship takes time," Fordwich said. "The rest of the royal family, particularly Prince William, is extremely wary." In 2025, Harry told the BBC he would "love" reconciliation with his family, noting "there's no point in continuing to fight anymore." He also acknowledged that his memoir and the couple's interviews raised concerns within the royal family. "Of course, some members of my family will never forgive me for writing a book," he said. "Of course, they will never forgive me for a lot of things." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50c586c2ca79de2365fd0d Iran's biggest weapon against the US may be slipping away, experts say te 2026-07-10T10:12:22.066Z Iran's biggest weapon against the US may be slipping away, experts say Iran's latest attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz sent oil prices sharply higher in recent days — a reminder that Tehran can still rattle global energy markets. But the latest spike also highlights a bigger question facing the Trump administration: Has Iran begun losing its ability to use the strategic waterway as economic leverage over Washington? Growing oil production, alternative export routes and new shipping patterns suggest Iran's ability to weaponize the Strait of Hormuz may be steadily weakening — even if it can still trigger short-term price shocks. VANCE REJECTS CLAIMS TRUMP-IRAN DEAL ECHOES OBAMA-ERA LOGIC AS HAWKS RAISE ALARM Vice President JD Vance in late June linked global oil supplies directly to negotiations with Iran.  "I think what the president has told us to do is use this MoU (memorandum of understanding) to sort of refill the world's oil economy, to refill some stocks, and then to see where the hand is," Vance said during an interview with "The Michael Knowles Show" podcast June 30. That outlook faced its first major test in recent days after Iran renewed attacks on commercial shipping. President Donald Trump declared the U.S.–Iran memorandum of understanding and ceasefire "over" and warned his administration could again impose a naval blockade on Iran if attacks on commercial shipping continue. US CLAWS BACK KEY CONCESSION TO IRAN AFTER FRESH ATTACKS ON COMMERCIAL SHIPS IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ The U.S. Energy Information Administration in recent days forecast worldwide crude production and trade flows will rebound to near pre-conflict levels by the end of the year, with most previously shut-in production returning during the first quarter of 2027. The agency expects increased global production to lower crude oil and gasoline prices in the months ahead despite continued instability in the Gulf. The forecast comes as OPEC+ continues increasing production, Gulf producers restore output and exporters rely more heavily on infrastructure that allows crude to bypass the Strait of Hormuz altogether. Those developments don't eliminate Iran's ability to move markets. But they could make it harder for Iran to use oil prices as a way to pressure the United States into negotiating on its terms. The oil market isn't the only thing that has changed. The conflict has accelerated a shift that already was underway.  Gulf producers increasingly rely on infrastructure built over the past decade to move crude without depending entirely on the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi Arabia can divert exports through its East-West Pipeline to the Red Sea, while the United Arab Emirates has expanded export capacity through Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman, allowing millions of barrels of crude to bypass the narrow waterway altogether. Commercial shipping has adapted as well. More vessels have shifted toward a southern corridor hugging Oman's coastline, putting additional distance between commercial traffic and Iran's coastline while allowing exports to continue despite repeated attacks. Retired Navy Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery said those changes strike at the heart of Iran's strategy. "The southern route creates a route they can't toll or control." Iran's objective, however, has never necessarily been to shut down the strait altogether. "The IRGC has been trying to make it commercially unworkable," former Fifth Fleet commander Vice Adm. Kevin Donegan told Fox News Digital, referring to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. "These attacks on shipping to me aren't random. They're strategy." Donegan said Iran's goal is to raise the cost and risk of commercial shipping, making insurers and shipping companies think twice before returning to normal operations. Even Iran appears unwilling to completely disrupt the flow of oil. Maritime tracking firm TankerTrackers.com reported Wednesday that three Iranian crude tankers were loaded at Kharg Island. The move underscored Iran's own dependence on selling oil, even as it continues trying to disrupt commercial shipping elsewhere in the Gulf.  Markets reflected both realities. Oil prices climbed after Iran's latest attacks renewed fears of broader conflict, but the EIA's outlook suggests traders also expect additional supply to continue reaching global markets unless the fighting escalates into a sustained disruption. Iran has proved it can still rattle global oil markets. The bigger question now is whether rising production, alternative shipping routes and sustained U.S. military pressure have shortened the life of those price spikes — denying Iran one of its most effective tools for influencing negotiations with Washington. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50c572c2ca79de2365fd04 WATCH: Dr. Oz says Newsom, other blue states have turned Medicaid fraud into a 'feature' te 2026-07-10T10:12:02.610Z WATCH: Dr. Oz says Newsom, other blue states have turned Medicaid fraud into a 'feature' CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz says Medicaid fraud has become a "feature" blue states use to exploit the system. President Donald Trump's chief at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in an interview with Fox News Digital urged California Gov. Gavin Newsom and other Democrat governors to join the administration's anti-fraud push. "Why would you steal money from Medicaid?" Oz questioned, before explaining how he believes some states are using Medicaid-funded care programs as an economic engine for their state and will distribute federal reimbursements to pay unemployed people. "I began to realize that stealing money from Medicaid is not a flaw for a lot of states, it's a feature of the program." he continued. "They call it 'Medicaid-ing it.'" I'M OHIO'S STATE AUDITOR — MEDICAID FRAUD IS NOT JUST A WASHINGTON PROBLEM He continued, "You're taking money from the federal government creating a Medicaid benefit, paying a lot of money for it. Now all these people who would have been unemployed, costing the state money, are instead of getting money from the federal government. You're taxing that, which makes the state richer." Oz also argued the arrangement creates political incentives because those workers can unionize, which he claims benefits Democrats by allowing the unions to help fund the party’s political action committees (PACs). "The service industry's unionizing these workers," Oz said. "That gets union dues into their coffers, those union dues can now pay for political action committees, funding. Of course, one party — always." "That party now has a lot of money coming in for local and state elections, and we are paying for it!," he lamented.  Newsom was the main blue-state leader that Oz accused of failing to adequately address fraud in his state despite internal warnings. "I think Governor Newsom's embarrassed," the one-time television doctor told Fox News Digital. "He's embarrassed that four years ago, he was told by his own auditors that there was such widespread fraud in California that they had to take action and they sort of dabbled." "They did some performative things, but they didn't actually do the important steps required to stop fraud in the state." FTC CHIEF ACCUSES DEMOCRATS OF 'TRYING TO PROTECT THE FRAUDSTERS' BY WITHHOLDING DATA FROM TRUMP ADMIN In response to California’s failure to follow the federal government’s lead in combatting widespread fraud, the Trump administration cut over $1.3 billion in the state’s Medicaid reimbursements. "We can't understand where the money's going," Oz said. "We have the responsibility to the federal taxpayer to make sure this is true. Until we are comfortable with the money spent wisely, we're not paying for illegal immigrants, we're not paying for people who really don't have these coverage Medicaid, we're paying for services to people that don't exist or to folks doing these services that have not actually been authenticated as eligible to do that." Oz encouraged all governors to follow suit in the Trump administration's efforts to put an end to fraud nationwide — state by state. DR. OZ WARNS MEDICARE SCAMMERS ARE STEALING BILLIONS — AND YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION COULD BE NEXT Vice President JD Vance even recently began spearheading the administration’s new anti-fraud task force, which was formed to enact federal oversight against exploitation of federal benefit programs. "The greatest obstacle is when the governors don't realize that if they're not aligned with the president, if they’re not on the same page, then they're pulling the oars in the opposite direction and we're going in a circle down the drain," Oz said. "Fraud happens because the people who have the power to stop it don't work together." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50c55fc2ca79de2365fcfb Sanders under fire for propping up Platner as Dems torch his toxic endorsement 'pattern' te 2026-07-10T10:11:43.155Z Sanders under fire for propping up Platner as Dems torch his toxic endorsement 'pattern' Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who has endorsed over 70 candidates this election cycle, is facing heat for propping up disgraced ex-Senate candidate Graham Platner — among a string of other radical, dark horse candidates. The self-proclaimed Democratic socialist, who has called his far-left movement a "revolution," had been one of Platner's most vocal supporters, asserting that he would "do everything I can to make sure that Graham Platner is the next senator from the state of Maine." Sanders, true to his word, attended campaign events and advocated fiercely for Platner on social media despite a series of scandals about Platner's past. But that was before Tuesday. Less than 24 hours after Politico published a bombshell report on Monday detailing how Platner allegedly raped his then-girlfriend in 2021, Sanders joined many of his Democratic colleagues and called for Platner to step aside. FETTERMAN UNLEASHES ON 'DIRTBAG' WING OF DEMS AFTER FAR-LEFT VICTORIES: 'ORGY OF SOCIALISM' To Rachel Bade, a political commentator and longtime political reporter, it's a moment that is stress-testing Sanders' continued influence in the party.  "The Graham Platner fiasco was bad, yes. But now, some Dems are tallying up everywhere else Sanders and his orbit bet wrong this cycle, raising questions about their judgment in elevating untested, unvetted candidates with skeletons nobody bothered to check for," Bade wrote in a post to X. In addition to Platner, Sanders has also endorsed several other candidates who have sparked political controversy over troubling details in their past. Adam Hamawy, who has past ties to a convicted terrorist who was convicted of seditious conspiracy linked to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, won a Democratic primary with Sanders' endorsement, calling him one of the party's "bold leaders." Sheikh Abdel-Rahman, who died in prison at the federal detention center in Butner, North Carolina, in 2017, was nicknamed the "Blind Sheikh." Similarly, Melat Kiros, a socialist and political newcomer in Colorado, defeated a 30-year incumbent in a primary challenge with Sanders' backing despite her assertions that American foreign policy had made the 9/11 terror attacks "inevitable." Sanders endorsed her with a prediction that she would be a "great ally in Congress fighting for a progressive agenda." And Randy Villegas, another congressional candidate supported by Sanders in California, is also facing scrutiny as news broke that he had voted to approve confidential settlements related to decades-old child sex-abuse cases as a teacher.  "We must do everything we can to elect new, bold leaders like Randy who will be a champion for working Americans in Congress," Sanders said. He is also backing Cori Bush, who came under fire for previously paying her husband with campaign cash and previously being one of the most vocal defund the police supporters in Congress, as she pursues a comeback House bid. To some Democrats, the list is frustrating and, amid Platner's fallout, seems risky. "So, I don't know why you want to keep pushing these kinds of people," Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said of Sanders in an interview with Fox News. "Maybe he should consider sitting a few out and stop pushing these kinds of communists. SANDERS BREAKS SILENCE ON PLATNER, CALLS ON SCANDAL-PLAGUED PROGRESSIVE TO 'STEP ASIDE' Sanders' list doesn't just extend to this cycle. In a 2018 endorsement, Sanders endorsed Andrew Gillum, a former candidate for Florida governor, saying he would "work to provide health care for all through a Medicaid-for-All program, raise the minimum wage, invest in sustainable energy." While he narrowly lost to Gov. Ron DeSantis, he went on to have at least a couple scandals, including a recent arrest on drug-related charges in Alabama and a highly publicized incident in a Miami Beach hotel room involving a medical emergency and illicit substances. Similarly, Cenk Uygur, the founder of the Young Turks and the uncle of controversial streamer Hasan Piker, faced backlash in 2019 when an online footprint laced with racist material surfaced, prompting Sanders to rescind his endorsement that he would "serve ordinary people, not powerful special interests" and that "he is a voice that we desperately need in Congress."  He has also backed multiple "Squad" members, including Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., who have both been accused of antisemitism and have an anti-Israel and defund the police track record. Tlaib recently came under fire for being outraged over the prison sentences of accused antifa cell members sentenced to decades in prison for a violent attack on a Texas immigration facility that federal prosecutors called an act of terrorism, calling it a "travesty and totally unjustified." To some onlookers like Shannon Watts, a gun-control advocate and political commentator, Sanders’ apparent willingness to pursue candidates who champion his preferred policies has led him to overlook character flaws that threaten their viability. "A reminder that Bernie Sanders also endorsed another candidate who mocked sexual assault, failed Utah House Dem candidate Nate Blouin," Watts said in a post to X this week, referring to yet another one of Sanders' endorsements in 2026, who lost his primary earlier this year. "It’s almost like there’s a pattern," she added. Natalie Baldassarre, Republican National Committee Press Secretary, echoed Watts' thinking. "Whether it’s alleged rapist Graham Platner, anti-cop Abdul El-Sayed, or ‘trans kid lover’ James Talarico, Bernie Sanders' clown car of unvetted and untested candidates is showing the American people just how unfit they are for public office," Baldassarree said. In the 2026 midterm cycle, Sanders has endorsed 19 candidates at the federal level. Of those, nine have not held office. He has also endorsed another 54 candidates in state and local races — far more than fellow progressives Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif. Baldassarre believes more of Sanders’ candidates require scrutiny. "We will continue to expose these candidates for who they are — radical socialists who will push their extreme ideology and strip every American of their safety, sanity and freedom," Baldassarre said. To Bade, the next test of Sanders' influence will come in early August as Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive doctor, takes on Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., in a primary to become the Democratic nominee to the U.S. Senate. In the past, El-Sayed has called for defunding the police, abolishing ICE and called for universal healthcare — positions in line with Sanders' thinking. "All eyes now turn to the August 4 Michigan Senate primary, where Sanders has endorsed progressive Abdul El-Sayed over centrist Rep. Haley Stevens who has Chuck Schumer behind her," Bade said in a recent Substack article.  Sanders did not respond to requests for comment on his endorsement track record. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50c54bc2ca79de2365fcf2 DR MARC SIEGEL: A Senate candidate's medical title sparks a debate voters shouldn't ignore te 2026-07-10T10:11:23.697Z DR MARC SIEGEL: A Senate candidate's medical title sparks a debate voters shouldn't ignore There is a long-storied history of physicians as U.S. senators. Sen. John Barrasso is an orthopedic surgeon who previously served as chief of surgery at Wyoming Medical Center. Sen. Bill Cassidy is a gastroenterologist and liver specialist who co-founded a clinic for the poor. Sen. Rand Paul is an ophthalmologist who practiced for almost 20 years. Sen. Roger Marshall is an OB-GYN who delivered more than 5,000 babies. Perhaps most impressive of all was heart surgeon Sen. Bill Frist, who performed more than 150 heart and lung transplants and started the Vanderbilt Multi-Organ Transplant Center before going on to serve as a U.S. senator from 1995 to 2007 and Senate majority leader from 2003 to 2007. Every great physician requires compassion, balanced judgment, calmness and resolve under pressure, as well as a deep understanding of the human condition. These are also crucial qualities for a U.S. senator. That is why the current focus on whether Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a candidate in the current Democratic Senate primary in Michigan, is actually a physician, as he claims, is much more than political theater. LEFT-WING HOST PRESSES EL-SAYED OVER 'PHYSICIAN' CLAIM, QUESTIONS HONESTY OF MICHIGAN DEM SENATE HOPEFUL As reported here on Fox News Digital, left-wing host Mehdi Hasan challenged El-Sayed on Wednesday during an interview on Zeteo for trying to represent himself as a physician despite not having a valid state medical license. "Do you wish you’d just stuck to calling yourself a doctor, which you are, to avoid all of this controversy and attacks on your physician status?" Hasan asked. As a longtime physician myself, I take my role and qualifications very seriously. I agree completely with Hasan’s line of questioning and believe El-Sayed’s use of the term "physician" deserves scrutiny. Should anyone with a Doctor of Medicine degree also be called a physician? Most state licensing boards, including New York state’s, don’t think so and reserve the title "physician" for someone who is licensed to practice medicine or surgery. I agree with this distinction, which I don’t think is minor. I consider being a physician an active role that involves healing or treating patients or studying potential tests or cures as a physician-scientist. Don’t get me wrong: El-Sayed has strong medical credentials. He earned a medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. He also obtained a doctorate in public health from Oxford University, and he has served as executive director of the Detroit Health Department as well as director of Wayne County’s Health, Human and Veterans Services Department. He has held multiple academic appointments in Michigan and at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. DEM SENATE HOPEFUL’S ‘PHYSICIAN’ CAMPAIGN PITCH UNDER FIRE AFTER LICENSE RECORDS REVEAL KEY GAPS But those qualifications make him a doctor and an epidemiologist; they do not make him a physician. Simply put, El-Sayed has not practiced medicine. A physician is someone who assumes the care of patients or searches for treatments and cures as a physician-scientist. From the American Medical Association Journal of Ethics: "The term ‘physician’ has been around since the days of Aristotle, and derives from ‘physik,’ an ancient Greek word for ‘nature.’ Physicians were those engaged in the study of the natural world. Hippocratic physicians understood illness as part of the natural order, as contrasted with those healers who believed that illness was part of the supernatural order, and sought explanations for illness in the physical world." CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION El-Sayed strongly supports Medicare for All and even penned a book, "Medicare for All: A Citizen’s Guide." But his point that he has never received money from an insurance company and therefore doesn’t answer to them rings hollow. In fact, it is the process of wrangling with private and public insurers to obtain expensive and groundbreaking care for my patients that makes me most aware of how Medicare functions and what its limitations are. The physicians in the U.S. Senate, now and in the past, are a tough act to follow. The first step in that direction is not to claim you are a physician when, in fact, you aren’t. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM DR MARC SIEGEL Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50c538c2ca79de2365fce9 Regional burger chains are beating fast-food giants in one key measure te 2026-07-10T10:11:04.248Z Regional burger chains are beating fast-food giants in one key measure Regional burger chains are dramatically outpacing America's largest fast-food brands in sales growth. New data from Chicago-based food service research firm Technomic shows Culver's, In-N-Out Burger and Whataburger have grown far faster than McDonald's, Wendy's and Burger King since 2019. Technomic data measured U.S. sales growth between 2019 and 2025 and found regional burger chains significantly outpaced their national rivals. CHEFS NAME AMERICA'S BEST FAST-FOOD FRIED CHICKEN AND BISCUITS — AND ONE CHAIN STANDS ABOVE THE REST The regional chains include Culver's in the Midwest, In-N-Out Burger in the West and Whataburger across the South and Southwest. McDonald's, Wendy's and Burger King posted U.S. sales growth of 36.2%, 16.5% and 8.5%, respectively, according to Technomic data. Meanwhile, Culver's sales surged 143% to $4.36 billion over the same period, while In-N-Out's climbed 91.7% to $2.58 billion and Whataburger's grew 68.6% to $4.31 billion. Fox News Digital reached out to McDonald's, Wendy's and Burger King for comment. AUTOMATIC TIP OR SERVICE CHARGE? NEW STATE LAW REQUIRES RESTAURANTS TO TELL DINERS BEFORE THEY ORDER The findings highlight how several regional chains are expanding their footprints and attracting loyal customers even as the nation's largest burger brands continue to dominate overall sales. The growth gap between national burger chains and regional operators has widened considerably over the past six years, said David Henkes, senior principal and head of strategic partnerships at Technomic. Henkes told Fox News Digital that there are "some really strong and fast-growing brands in the 'regional' bucket." "Across sales growth, unit expansion and average unit volume (AVU), regional burger chains have substantially outpaced the three largest national brands over the 2019–2025 period," he said. "Going forward, our 2026 forecast data supports continued regional outperformance, with the strongest regional operators all growing faster than the national big three on a percentage basis." GEN Z EATS NEARLY TWICE AS MANY SNACKS AS BOOMERS, WITH EXPERTS WARNING THEY'RE REPLACING REAL MEALS The trend isn't universal, however, Henkes said. "Not all regionals are winning," he said. "Steak 'n Shake (down 32.8% in sales since 2019), Checkers (down 21.8%) and Smashburger (down 30.8%) show that geography alone does not guarantee outperformance." "The winning regional formula is concentrated around strong AVU, disciplined unit growth and a differentiated brand experience — best exemplified by In-N-Out, Culver's and Shake Shack," Henkes added. Fox News Digital reached out to the National Restaurant Association for comment. Industry experts say the appeal extends beyond the food itself. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER Regional burger chains often become "part of a community's identity," said Ravi Sawhney, a California-based design expert and founder of RKS Design. Sawhney told Fox News Digital that, while food quality matters, it's rarely the main driver behind emotional loyalty. "If it were, consumers would consistently choose the objectively 'best' product," he said. "We know that's not how people behave." TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ "Scarcity," Sawhney added, "plays a powerful role." Part of it is a consumer desire for brands "that feel human rather than corporate," Sawhney said. "For years, scale was viewed as a sign of success and trust," he said. "Now we're seeing a growing appreciation for authenticity, local culture, craftsmanship and distinctiveness." CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE NEWS The lesson for national fast-food brands isn't to mimic regional chains' menus but to build the same kind of customer connection, Sawhney said. "They create a clear sense of meaning and belonging while remaining true to who they are," he said.  "Regional chains succeed because they feel personal. National brands succeed when they find ways to make scale feel personal as well." Technomic's 2026 forecast projects the strongest regional burger chains will continue to grow faster than McDonald's, Wendy's and Burger King on a percentage basis. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50c0fac2ca79de2365fc20 California seizes 63,000 pounds of illegal cannabis worth $104 million in major crackdown te 2026-07-10T09:52:58.780Z California seizes 63,000 pounds of illegal cannabis worth $104 million in major crackdown California authorities seized more than 63,000 pounds of illegal cannabis worth over $104 million, along with firearms and cash, during a three-month crackdown targeting organized criminal networks across the state. Between April and June, authorities carried out enforcement operations across 10 counties, eradicating more than 89,000 cannabis plants, confiscating 17 firearms, seizing more than $220,000 in cash and making 24 arrests, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom's office. Since Newsom established the state's Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force in 2022, California has seized and destroyed more than 841,000 pounds of illicit cannabis valued at more than $1.3 billion. FORMER ACTING DHS SECRETARY WARNS CHINESE CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS ARE INFILTRATING AMERICA'S HEMP INDUSTRY "Disrupting the illegal cannabis market is about more than seizing unlicensed products – it’s about taking on criminal networks, removing illegal firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals, and stopping activity that threatens public safety," Newsom said in a statement. "Through strong multiagency collaboration, California is making clear: if you threaten our communities, we will act," he added. The largest enforcement operation took place between May 14 and June 3 across the southern Central Valley and northern Antelope Valley, where the California Department of Fish and Wildlife led a multiagency effort serving 26 search warrants at illegal cannabis sites in Tulare, Kern and Los Angeles counties. FEDS DISMANTLE ALLEGED GUN TRAFFICKING RING THAT FUNNELED DOZENS OF FIREARMS FROM GEORGIA TO CHICAGO GANGS Authorities eradicated nearly 24,000 cannabis plants, destroyed roughly 3,700 pounds of processed cannabis, seized cash, and arrested or cited multiple individuals. Investigators also uncovered numerous environmental violations, including 13 cultivation sites where banned, unregistered or foreign-labeled pesticides were found or suspected. Kern County accounted for the largest seizure during the three-month operation, with authorities confiscating more than 25,000 pounds of illegal cannabis valued at $41.5 million and destroying 26,442 plants. Authorities also seized more than 14,500 pounds of illegal cannabis in Alameda County, valued at more than $24 million. California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Meghan Hertel said investigators routinely find restricted pesticides at illegal grow sites tied to organized criminal enterprises. She warned the toxic chemicals threaten wildlife and can also pose a risk to consumers because illegally grown cannabis isn't tested for safety. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50c0bdc2ca79de2365fbee What We Know About the ICE Shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo te 2026-07-10T09:51:57.330Z What We Know About the ICE Shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo Mr. Araujo was a father, a husband and a business owner who had moved to the United States 35 years ago from Mexico. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50c0a9c2ca79de2365fbe5 Man Charged in National Guard Shooting Is Hospitalized for Refusing Food te 2026-07-10T09:51:37.875Z Man Charged in National Guard Shooting Is Hospitalized for Refusing Food The “dire” condition of the suspect, who has pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges, was “self-inflicted,” a judge said. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50c096c2ca79de2365fbdc Trump Administration Fires Members of Independent Election Group te 2026-07-10T09:51:18.421Z Trump Administration Fires Members of Independent Election Group The firings and a resignation render the Election Assistance Commission useless. The moves come as President Trump seeks to impose control over how ballots will be counted in the midterms. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50c083c2ca79de2365fbd3 How Florida’s Dream of Ever-Lower Taxes Flew Too Close to the Sun te 2026-07-10T09:50:59.020Z How Florida’s Dream of Ever-Lower Taxes Flew Too Close to the Sun Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed for a proposal to slash property taxes. But after some local Republican officials protested, he backpedaled, sort of. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50c06fc2ca79de2365fbca Why Some Women in Maine Are Mourning the End of Graham Platner’s Campaign te 2026-07-10T09:50:39.567Z Why Some Women in Maine Are Mourning the End of Graham Platner’s Campaign They believe the accuser, but they also grieve the demise of a campaign that promised that politics could be different — and they blame those who failed to find a less flawed candidate. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50c05cc2ca79de2365fbc1 Top Senate Democratic PAC Stockpiles Record Sum, as Money Chase Heats Up te 2026-07-10T09:50:20.116Z Top Senate Democratic PAC Stockpiles Record Sum, as Money Chase Heats Up Senate Majority PAC says it entered July with $126 million, a new midyear high, after raising $147 million with an affiliated nonprofit from April through June. But can it keep pace with the G.O.P.? Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50b74dc2ca79de2365fa13 Ukraine’s drone revolution shows Russia is dangerously unprepared. But, so is America te 2026-07-10T09:11:41.228Z Ukraine’s drone revolution shows Russia is dangerously unprepared. But, so is America Russian missiles and Iranian-supplied drones continue to slam into Ukrainian hospitals and apartment blocks with regularity. These are not precision strikes aimed at military targets; they are clumsy, often wildly inaccurate terror attacks designed to break the will of the Ukrainian people. In this, they echo the Nazi V-1 and V-2 "vengeance weapons" of 1944-45. Those terror weapons killed thousands of civilians in London and Antwerp, but achieved little militarily. They also mirror the Luftwaffe’s Blitz on British cities in 1940. The bombs fell — but British resolve only hardened. The same dynamic is playing out now in Ukraine. Every Russian strike on civilians strengthens Ukrainian determination to fight on. JEB BUSH PRAISES TRUMP FOR CRIPPLING IRAN’S MILITARY, BUT WARNS OF ‘THREAT’ TO US FROM REPORTED DRONES IN CUBA Meanwhile, Ukraine has seized the initiative with a weapon the Russians has yet to counter: massed, AI-enabled drones and long-range cruise missiles produced at scale and employed with laser-like focus for operational and strategic effect. Operationally, Ukrainian strikes have methodically dismantled Russian logistics across the southern theater from the Donbas approaches all the way to Crimea. Drone strikes on fuel convoys, ammunition trucks, rail hubs and bridges have created chronic shortages of fuel, water, ammunition and food for Russian troops. Reports from occupied Crimea and the southern land corridor document rationing, long lines at gas stations and mounting chaos. Ukrainian strikes have effectively placed large portions of the Russian southern front under a logistics lockdown. DRONE OFFENSIVE HITS RUSSIAN OIL TANKERS AND REFINERIES AT 'INDUSTRIAL SCALE' AS MOSCOW BANS DIESEL EXPORTS With supply lines under constant interdiction, half or more of Russia’s southern grouping now operates under severe strain — a situation that risks localized collapse if the pressure continues. This, while Russian territorial gains have slowed to a crawl — and even reversed. Strategically, Ukraine has accomplished something extraordinary. Its sustained campaign of long-range drone and missile strikes against Russian oil refineries and energy infrastructure intensified dramatically in the last month. Kyiv has inflicted damage on Russia’s fuel production capacity that took the U.S. Army Air Forces two full years of strategic bombing to achieve against Nazi Germany in World War II. Major refineries from Moscow to the south have been hit repeatedly. Processing capacity has been slashed by more than a third. Russia now faces a genuine fuel crisis: lines at pumps, regional shortages and emergency measures. Putin himself has acknowledged the "difficult period." The cruel arithmetic is now unavoidable. Who gets the remaining fuel? Front-line troops? The Russian military’s broader needs? Civilian motorists? Trucks and trains hauling food and goods? Farmers trying to bring in the harvest? A food crisis looms as transport and agriculture feel the squeeze. Ukraine has gone further. Long-range strikes have also targeted Russian military electronics plants and missile production facilities. In June, Ukrainian forces hit a key electronics plant in Voronezh that produces components for Iskander missiles and other systems. When new Russian missiles emerge from damaged factories, they will fly with inferior avionics. Accuracy will suffer. The terror weapons aimed at Ukrainian apartments and hospitals may soon struggle to even hit a city center. Ukrainian drones have not stopped at Russia’s borders. Naval and aerial drones have ranged far into the Black Sea and beyond, striking Russia’s shadow fleet of tankers used to evade sanctions and fund the war. Attacks have occurred off Turkey’s coast and even in the Mediterranean — vessels hit hundreds or thousands of miles from Ukrainian territory. This campaign degrades Moscow’s ability to export oil and generate war revenue. All of this flows from Ukraine’s rapid mastery of drone technology and its decentralized, innovative military culture. Ukrainian industry has scaled production of AI-enhanced drones and cruise missiles at a pace that Russia’s legacy, Soviet-style, rigid, top-down systems cannot match. There is a painful lesson here for the United States. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION Much of our Navy — aircraft carriers and submarines alike — remains vulnerable to massed drone attacks, both by air and sea, when at port. Air bases, power grids and other critical infrastructure also sit exposed. Adversaries could launch similar drone swarms from Cuba or Mexico, or from Chinese merchant vessels loitering off our coasts. We have seen what cheap, massed drones, some with warheads larger than a ton, can do when employed with imagination and industrial scale. America must absorb these lessons quickly. President Donald Trump’s Department of War has called for urgent investment in layered counter-drone and missile defenses — the Golden Dome initiative — as well as hardened infrastructure and our own rapid innovation in unmanned systems. It’s up to Congress to fund it. We must reward decentralized initiative and speed rather than bureaucratic caution. The alternative is to learn these truths the hard way. Russia’s terror campaign has failed to break Ukraine, while Ukraine’s precision campaign is systematically degrading Russia’s ability to wage war. Fortunately, war’s harsh lessons are plainly displayed for America to see — as we strive to deter adversaries. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM CHUCK DEVORE Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50b739c2ca79de2365fa0a Trump calls terrorist Iranian a ‘cancer.’ Is he finally the one to remove it? te 2026-07-10T09:11:21.773Z Trump calls terrorist Iranian a ‘cancer.’ Is he finally the one to remove it? President Donald Trump’s remarks on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, may represent one of the most consequential shifts in America’s strategic language toward the Islamic Republic of Iran since the 1979 revolution. By warning that any new Iranian attack would trigger a far more devastating response — and by describing the regime as a "cancer" that must be removed — Trump signaled something that goes beyond conventional political rhetoric. In the language of national security, such terminology often reflects a fundamental change in how a threat is defined. For more than four decades, U.S. policy toward the Islamic Republic has centered on containment and deterrence. The underlying assumption was that Tehran’s behavior could be influenced, constrained or made more costly. Trump’s remarks suggest a different premise: the issue is no longer merely the regime’s behavior, but the system itself. The objective is no longer to manage the crisis, but to eliminate its source — raising once again the prospect of regime change as a strategic outcome. ROBERT MAGINNIS: TRUMP’S ANKARA REMARKS REVEAL A GRAND STRATEGY HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT This shift is rooted Iran’s own record. Hostility toward the United States, the declared objective of Israel’s destruction, the expansion of proxy networks and the systematic export of instability have defined its regional posture. Vast national resources that belonged to the Iranian people were redirected toward missiles, proxy militias and ideological warfare, while economic decline, corruption and declining living standards spread at home. The result has been a cycle in which regional conflict and domestic deterioration reinforce one another. Following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and amid Washington’s changing posture, a central question emerges: Is the United States moving beyond containment toward what could be described as a doctrine of strategic surgery? If so, this would represent more than a military adjustment; it would signal the emergence of a doctrine aimed at dismantling one of the most entrenched sources of instability in the modern Middle East. ISRAEL FORTIFIES BORDER WITH JORDAN AS IRAN SEEKS NEW TERROR PATH To understand the weight of Trump’s remarks, one must examine the strategic trajectory of the Islamic Republic. After the Iran-Iraq War, and especially following Khamenei’s consolidation of power in 1989, the regime shifted away from reconstruction toward a long-term ideological and geopolitical project. Its aim was to position itself as the central force within a transnational network spanning the Shiite Crescent and beyond. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its Quds Force developed an extensive infrastructure across Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Gaza. Through these networks, Tehran extended its influence while simultaneously undermining regional stability and challenging U.S. interests. Over time, proxy warfare became not just a tactic, but a defining feature of the regime’s strategic identity. The domestic cost has been severe. Enormous financial resources were diverted toward military expansion, nuclear ambitions and external operations, while Iran’s economy weakened under inflation, capital flight and systemic corruption. The pursuit of "strategic depth" ultimately ensured that the consequences of exported conflict would return inward. ROUND ONE OF IRAN FIGHT WENT TO THE US MILITARY. BUT ENDING THINGS IS MUCH HARDER For this reason, describing the Islamic Republic as a "cancer" should not be interpreted as a reference to a single leader. It reflects a judgment about an entire system — one that has institutionalized instability. Any meaningful "surgery" would therefore have to address the full structure that sustains this doctrine, rather than just its most visible figure. What distinguishes Trump’s language is not only its intensity, but its strategic implication. Within national security discourse, defining a threat as a "cancer" implies that it cannot be indefinitely managed. It must be removed at its source. If this framing evolves into policy, the objective shifts from containment to dismantlement. Such an approach does not necessarily imply full-scale war or occupation. In strategic terms, it would involve a coordinated application of political, intelligence, economic, cyber and military tools designed to degrade and ultimately dismantle the regime’s capacity to generate instability. The goal would not simply be to punish, but to prevent regeneration. Over decades, the Islamic Republic has constructed a multilayered system of resilience: the IRGC, the Quds Force, proxy networks, missile and nuclear programs, intelligence services, propaganda institutions and financial structures. Targeting individual components has repeatedly proven insufficient. Limited actions may delay threats, but they have not eliminated them. If Trump’s remarks translate into doctrine, the United States may be entering a new strategic phase — one focused on dismantling the system itself rather than managing its behavior. In that context, the concept of "The Greatest Surgery of the Century" moves from metaphor toward operational principle. History offers a cautionary lesson: removing a regime without a viable plan for what follows can produce instability, fragmentation and new forms of extremism. Iraq after Saddam Hussein and Libya after Muammar Qaddafi illustrate how power vacuums can generate prolonged disorder. The Islamic Republic is not merely a governing authority; it is an integrated system of military, ideological, economic and security institutions. The IRGC, Basij, financial networks, and regional proxies function as an interconnected ecosystem. Partial disruption would likely allow the system to reconstitute itself. For that reason, any successful strategy must combine dismantling the regime’s coercive and expansionist structures with a credible political transition grounded in national sovereignty and the rule of law. The objective is not retribution, but to break a cycle that has linked Iran’s internal stagnation with regional instability. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION It is equally important to distinguish between Iran and the Islamic Republic. The primary victims of this system have been the Iranian people themselves, whose resources and future were sacrificed to ideological ambitions and external conflicts. If Trump’s remarks indeed signal a new doctrine, its success will not be measured solely by immediate outcomes, but by whether it permanently removes the regime’s capacity to regenerate instability while enabling the emergence of a stable and responsible Iranian state. The Iranian people have repeatedly indicated their desire for an alternative rooted in accountability and normalcy. If this moment represents the beginning of a strategic transformation, the Middle East may be approaching its most significant geopolitical shift since the end of the Cold War. In that case, "The Greatest Surgery of the Century" will not simply describe a policy — it will define an era. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM ERFAN FARD Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50b725c2ca79de2365fa01 America is fighting yesterday’s AI war. Tomorrow’s war is on the way te 2026-07-10T09:11:01.875Z America is fighting yesterday’s AI war. Tomorrow’s war is on the way For more than two decades on the Army Staff, part of my job was recommending which nations received American weapons, training and doctrine, and which did not. The choice rarely came down to which weapon system performed best on a range. It came down to alliance. A country that trained on American equipment, spoke our tactical language and built its systems around our supply chains stayed tied to Washington for a generation. One that turned to Moscow or Beijing drifted into someone else’s orbit. That lesson has stayed with me. Great powers rarely prevail because they possess the single best weapon; they prevail because other nations choose to build their militaries, economies, and, ultimately, their futures around their systems. Washington risks forgetting that lesson in today’s race to build the world’s dominant computing platform. ROBERT MAGINNIS: TRUMP’S ANKARA REMARKS REVEAL A GRAND STRATEGY HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT While Washington argues over which chatbot drafts the sharper essay, Beijing is building something far more ambitious than a single flagship model. That distinction separates today’s technology race from tomorrow’s world order. Consider that China’s Huawei is preparing to double production of its Ascend processors in 2026, pushing toward 1.6 million chips, and Chinese developers at DeepSeek have already tuned their newest models to run specifically on that Huawei silicon. SEN TODD YOUNG: THE HIDDEN DANGER CHINA’S SHIPS COULD BRING TO OUR SHORES Meanwhile, congressional hearings and cable news segments keep asking which model scores highest on the latest benchmark, an interesting question but not the decisive one. History’s great wars were won not by the single best weapon, but by nations able to generate energy, build factories and produce the industrial output needed to prevail. CHINA’S ROBOT-RUN HOTEL OPENS TO PUBLIC IN 2027 This technology is no different. America is treating this contest as a technology race. China is treating it as a civilization-building project. The mistake Washington keeps making is assuming there is a single technology race. There isn’t. There are multiple competitions unfolding simultaneously, each reinforcing the others. National competitiveness in this contest rests on what I call the AI Power Stack: interdependent layers that together determine technological power. Everything begins with abundant, reliable electricity. The newest data centers can draw more than a gigawatt each, roughly the output of a nuclear reactor, and China now generates more than twice as much electric power as the United States, power its centralized system can direct toward computing clusters far more easily than our fragmented grid allows. Above energy sits semiconductors, the steel mills of the digital age. America’s effort to rebuild domestic chip manufacturing is genuine progress. Above the chips sits computing infrastructure: the data centers, networking and cooling that turn processors into usable capability. Only once those foundations exist do the models built atop them become decisive, and models are almost all what Washington debates. Above the models sit applications: the factories, hospitals, farms and command posts where this technology gets used. And above every layer sits the one Washington discusses least: the ecosystem of developers, companies, universities, investors and allied nations that decide which technology becomes the world’s standard. China is not merely trying to invent tomorrow’s technology. It is trying to become the platform upon which tomorrow’s technology operates. Beijing grasps that top layer better than Washington credits it. Rather than chasing a single breakthrough model, Chinese firms are pricing their models aggressively, betting that adoption compounds over time. By February 2026, Chinese open-source models were drawing more weekly token traffic on the world’s largest model marketplace than American models, with four of the five most-used systems globally built in China. One venture capital partner has estimated that most American startups now build on Chinese base models simply because they are cheaper to run. Banks in Singapore, telecom carriers in Indonesia, and government platforms in Malaysia are already operating on Chinese models and Huawei hardware. History suggests the technologies that reshape civilization are rarely the ones engineers admire most. They are the ones businesses, governments and consumers adopt, and continue building upon, for decades. This pattern is not new. The internet did not prevail because it was the most secure network ever engineered. It prevailed because millions of people built on it. Cloud computing reshaped global commerce for the same reason. This technology will follow the identical path. That reality explains why today’s debate over open and closed models is far more than a technical disagreement. Closed models emphasize security, control and carefully managed deployment. Open models let universities, startups and allied nations build new applications and accelerate adoption. The debate is not simply about protecting intellectual property. It is about determining whose technology ecosystem the next billion users, and the nations they inhabit, will trust. That larger strategic competition is one I explored in greater detail in my book, "The New AI Cold War: Liberty vs. Tyranny in the Age of Machine Empires." Washington is not standing still. President Donald Trump’s AI Action Plan, released in July 2025, directs the Commerce and State Departments to assemble full-stack American export packages: hardware, models, software and standards bundled together for allies and partners abroad. That is precisely the right instinct. That strategy recognizes the central truth of this race: America cannot export chips alone; it must export an entire technology ecosystem. It treats this technology the way effective security cooperation treats weapons systems: as a decades-long relationship, not a single sale. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION But the plan will only succeed if Washington backs it with the same urgency it gives defense budgets and semiconductor legislation: faster permitting for energy generation and transmission, sustained investment in domestic chip manufacturing and a willingness to compete on price, not just capability, in the developing markets China is actively courting. The nation that wins the AI Cold War will not necessarily build the smartest chatbot. It will build the ecosystem the rest of the world chooses to trust, adopt and expand. History suggests that once those ecosystems take root, they shape alliances, commerce, military power and political influence for generations. Right now, Beijing appears to understand that reality better than Washington. America still holds the strategic advantage, but only if it recognizes the true battlefield before the decisive campaigns have already begun. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM ROBERT MAGINNIS Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50a6eac2ca79de2365f706 U.S. Trade Deficit Climbs To $77.6 Billion As Exports Fall, Imports Rise te 2026-07-10T08:01:46.498Z U.S. Trade Deficit Climbs To $77.6 Billion As Exports Fall, Imports Rise By Ethan Faverino | The Joint Economic Committee’s latest analysis of federal trade data shows the U.S. trade deficit widened in May, reaching $77.58 billion — the largest monthly gap since March 2025. The deficit increased by $23.02 billion from April and stood 28% above its 12-month average as exports declined and imports climbed. Goods trade accounted for the bulk of the imbalance, with the goods deficit rising to $106.48 billion, up $23.57 billion from April, while the nation’s services surplus increased modestly to $28.90 billion, up $557 million from April. Total exports fell to $317.68 billion in May, led by a decline in goods shipments of $11.29 billion, whereas imports rose to $395.26 billion as purchases of both goods and services increased by $12.50 billion. Over the twelve months ending in May 2026, the United States recorded a cumulative trade deficit of $728.02 billion. Goods trade posted a $1.06 trillion deficit, partially offset by a $336.00 billion surplus in services. During that period, exports totaled $3.59 trillion and imports reached $4.32 trillion. The nations largest goods trade deficits were with Vietnam ($203.85 billion), Mexico ($199.18 billion), and Taiwan ($194.38 billion), while its largest surpluses were with the Netherlands ($75.57 billion), the United Kingdom ($44.48 billion), and Hong Kong ($41.23 billion). Civilian aircraft and related equipment, non monetary gold, and pharmaceutical preparations led the U.S. exports by value, accounting for 17.54% of all exported goods in the past 12 months. Whole computers, pharmaceuticals preparations, and computer accessories were the top imports accounting for 19.83%. Mexico and Canada remained the country’s leading trading partners on both the export and import sides, joined by the United Kingdom among export destinations and China among import sources. Major gateways for trade activity from May 2025 to May 2026 included the port districts of New York City ($273.88 billion), Houston-Galveston ($266.35 billion), and Laredo ($169.20 billion) for exports. Over the same period Los Angeles ($379.22 billion), Chicago ($331.73 billion), and Laredo ($328.22 billion) were the port districts with the highest imports. The United States collected $296.97 billion in import duties over the past year with $21.03 billion in May 2026. Passenger cars, vehicle parts, and electric apparatus generated the greatest duty revenue. China accounted for the largest share of those duties, followed by Vietnam and Mexico accounting for around 46% of all applied duty rates. Currency movements also shaped trade conditions. Between May 2025 and May 2026, the U.S. dollar weakened against the Chinese yuan by 6%, the euro by 2.1%, and the Mexican peso by 9.8%, while strengthening against the British pound by 0.5% and Japanese yen by 11.5%. Exports prices rose 11.21% year-over-year, while import prices increased 4.61%, with fuel imports experiencing particularly sharp inflation at 35.89%. Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link. The post U.S. Trade Deficit Climbs To $77.6 Billion As Exports Fall, Imports Rise first appeared on AZ FREE NEWS. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50a6d6c2ca79de2365f6fd Biggs Backs Palo Verde Expansion, Pushes Arizona To Lead Small Modular Reactor Development te 2026-07-10T08:01:26.006Z Biggs Backs Palo Verde Expansion, Pushes Arizona To Lead Small Modular Reactor Development By Matthew Holloway | Republican gubernatorial candidate and U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ05) says Arizona should embrace an expanded nuclear future, backing additional reactors at Palo Verde Generating Station while positioning the state to become a national leader in small modular reactor technology. In an exclsuive interview with AZ Free News, Biggs voiced unequivocal support for expanding Arizona’s nuclear generating capacity as electricity demand continues rising from population growth, advanced manufacturing, and data centers. “I’m 100 percent behind it,” Biggs said when asked about expanding Palo Verde. “I think they need to be located there.” His comments come as Arizona utilities continue to pursue license renewals that would allow Palo Verde’s three existing reactors to operate into the 2060s. Palo Verde was also originally envisioned with additional generating capacity, including Units 4 and 5, expansion plans first contemplated in the 1970s and revisited in 2006. Separately, Arizona Public Service (APS), Salt River Project (SRP) and Tucson Electric Power (TEP)  announced in February 2025 that they were working together to identify potential sites for an entirely new nuclear power plant to meet growing energy demands. “New nuclear generation could provide Arizona with reliable, around-the-clock carbon-free energy to power economic growth while helping us make progress toward a clean energy future,” TEP President and CEO Susan Gray said in a news release at the time. “We know the development timeline would be long, so it makes sense for our state’s energy providers to begin this preliminary evaluation as soon as possible.” Biggs also expressed strong support for small modular reactors, commonly known as SMRs. “I’ve been supportive of the development of SMRs,” he said. The Arizona legislature considered House Bill 2795 in February, which aimed to ease regulatory barriers for next-generation nuclear power projects in rural Arizona. However, the measure failed to pass in the State Senate. While Biggs cautioned the technology is probably “not going to be scalable for five to 10 years,” he said Arizona should move aggressively to secure one of the first demonstration projects. One location stands above the rest, according to Biggs. He said, “We’re advocating that Luke Air Force Base gets an SMR—one of the first nine or 10 that the administration is insisting needs to be there by the end of 2027.” Biggs said he has been working alongside fellow Arizona Republican members of Congress, including Reps. Paul Gosar (R-AZ09), Eli Crane (R-AZ02), and Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ08), to encourage the effort. “We want to be on the cutting edge of that. Because I think SMRs are the wave of the future,” Biggs said. He also said recent meetings with energy-sector officials reinforced that view. “I just talked to an energy group last week, and they agree SMRs are the wave of the future. And that’s where we need to be going.” Biggs also tied nuclear development to Arizona’s broader economic future, saying reliable baseload power will be essential as advanced manufacturing, semiconductor production, artificial intelligence, and data centers continue expanding throughout the state. Although he said he supports data center investment, Biggs argued such projects should proceed without taxpayer subsidies or preferential treatment. “No special breaks. No special benefits,” he said. Instead, Biggs said developers should be responsible for securing their own electrical generation—including SMRs where appropriate—while ensuring existing residential and commercial ratepayers are not displaced by new industrial demand. His comments come as Arizona utilities and policymakers increasingly examine nuclear energy as part of the state’s long-term strategy to meet growing electricity demand while maintaining grid reliability. Biggs is seeking the Republican nomination for governor, making energy development one of several major policy areas he says will shape Arizona’s long-term economic competitiveness. Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com. The post Biggs Backs Palo Verde Expansion, Pushes Arizona To Lead Small Modular Reactor Development first appeared on AZ FREE NEWS. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50a6c1c2ca79de2365f6f4 Transgender Student Drops Challenge To Arizona’s Save Women’s Sports Act te 2026-07-10T08:01:05.528Z Transgender Student Drops Challenge To Arizona’s Save Women’s Sports Act By Staff Reporter | Arizona’s “Save Women’s Sports Act” no longer faces a court challenge following a Supreme Court ruling. Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in West Virginia v. B.P.J. (inclusive of Little v. Hecox) that states have a constitutional right to enact laws restricting single-sex sports participation on biological sex. The court ruling affirmed that biology, not gender identity, defines sex when considering federal regulations on sex-based discrimination.  The Save Women’s Sports Act went into effect in 2022 under SB 1165. The law requires K-12 students to play on sports teams aligning with their biological sex.   The following spring, the families of two boys who identify as transgender girls sued State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne in Doe v. Horne. The boys who filed were, at the time, an 11-year-old middle schooler in Maricopa County identified as “Jane Doe” and a 15-year-old high schooler in Pima County identified as “Megan Roe.”  Roe, now identified as Grey Picciano, dropped out of the case upon graduating high school, and until this week only Doe remained in the case.  The two youths had alleged the law was unconstitutional under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause, Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Rehabilitation Act since they had either not undergone puberty or were taking puberty blockers.  The Tucson division of the Arizona District Court blocked the state law in July 2023, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that ruling in 2024.  Horne celebrated the lawsuit’s dismissal in a press release announcement, bringing to close a three-year court battle in which Horne ultimately held the line on Arizona’s law.  “There had been numerous articles about girls who worked hard on their sports, hoping to make the team, or even get a college scholarship or compete for the Olympics. Then they had to compete with a biological boy who was bigger, stronger and faster from birth,” said Horne. “They could not compete. Their dreams were shattered and they were devastated. They no longer need to fear those outcomes.” Horne also pointed out that, of all those named as defendants in the original lawsuit, only his office remained three years later. Attorney General Kris Mayes reportedly declined to represent Horne in the case. Horne contracted the services of Wilenchik Law Firm to represent him. An attorney behind the lawsuit to stop Arizona’s law, Rachel Berg, senior staff attorney with the National Center for LGBTQ Rights (NCLR), told Capitol Media Services that it was Doe’s decision to dismiss the lawsuit.  “[O]ur client has decided for personal reasons that she does not want to continue with the litigation,” said Berg.  In a statement last week responding to the Supreme Court ruling, Berg claimed state laws restricting participation in single-sex sports based on biological sex would lead to institutions checking the gender of participants should they appear to be physically above average. “Blanket bans on transgender girls playing school sports invite anyone to call for a ‘gender check’ on any girl who wants to play sports if they think she is ‘too tall’ or ‘too strong,’” said Berg. “Local schools and sports associations should be handling this issue, not politicians.” Including the dismissed case, NCLR has filed five cases challenging Arizona laws and policies which allegedly impose unlawful discriminations against individuals who identify as transgender. AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link. The post Transgender Student Drops Challenge To Arizona’s Save Women’s Sports Act first appeared on AZ FREE NEWS. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50a468c2ca79de2365f679 Groups highlight dementia support te 2026-07-10T07:51:04.084Z Groups highlight dementia support The Dementia Care and Education Campus of Hospice of the Valley offers a broad variety of online support groups for people living with dementia and their care partners. “Dementia Bytes” is presented on Thursdays from noon to 12:45 p.m. Simply log in to Zoom during lunch hour and enjoy a weekly conversation that will help participants navigate the challenging dementia journey. “Memories of the Heart…when a loved one dies of dementia” is presented the first and third Tuesday of the month from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Registration is required. For more information and to register call 602-636-5390. Start Tuesdays with a fresh focus at Mindful Connections for Dementia Caregivers, beginning at 10 a.m. Join a member of Hospice of the Valley’s Dementia Program for a virtual “wellness get-together.” After a 5-10-minute practice to help relax and refresh, the group will discuss any questions around dementia and heartfelt concerns as a caregiver. Guests are invited to actively participate or simply connect with others, listen and learn in this safe and welcoming space. Finally, the Dementia Care Partners Online Support Group meets every Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m. Join other care partners to discuss the stresses, challenges and rewards of providing care for a person living with dementia. This free virtual group is facilitated by Nicole Crothers, a skilled Medical Social Worker in the field of dementia. The Dementia Care and Education Campus is located at 3811 N. 44th St. For additional information, call 602-767-8300
 or visit https://dementiacampus.org/classes-support and click on the “Classes and Support” link to find Zoom meeting IDs and passcodes. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a509d35c2ca79de2365f514 Suspect in Charlie Kirk Killing Admitted to the Crime in Text Messages, Prosecutors Say te 2026-07-10T07:20:21.373Z Suspect in Charlie Kirk Killing Admitted to the Crime in Text Messages, Prosecutors Say In messages that prosecutors say were sent to his romantic partner, Tyler Robinson admitted he was the person who shot Charlie Kirk during an event at a Utah university. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50836cc2ca79de2365f05b ‘A Clear Violation’: Judge Scolds Top Federal Prosecutor in Chicago te 2026-07-10T05:30:20.359Z ‘A Clear Violation’: Judge Scolds Top Federal Prosecutor in Chicago A federal magistrate judge said Andrew S. Boutros, the U.S. attorney in Chicago, violated an order sealing a criminal case when he spoke at a news conference. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a507ee6c2ca79de2365ef9c Tyler Robinson hearing: Top moments from explosive Lance Twiggs interview played in court te 2026-07-10T05:11:02.134Z Tyler Robinson hearing: Top moments from explosive Lance Twiggs interview played in court PROVO, Utah — The former lover of Charlie Kirk’s accused assassin told Utah prosecutors that the suspected killer "wishes he hadn't done it," according to a video played in court Thursday. "I just asked him in person if what he said was true the night before, and he said it was, started crying a little bit and said he wishes he hadn't done it," Lance Twiggs told investigators in a video interview. The night before, according to text messages prosecutors displayed later, Robinson allegedly took credit for Kirk's shooting in a conversation with Twiggs. TYLER ROBINSON PRELIMINARY HEARING: JUDGE ORDERS REDACTIONS TO EX-LOVER’S VIDEO TESTIMONY The video was played on the fourth day of Tyler Robinson’s preliminary hearing — a procedural step to determine whether the case can go to trial. Prosecutors had attempted to play it Wednesday, but the defense asked the judge to order redactions. After some back and forth over what could and couldn’t be included, it was shown in court Thursday morning, and Robinson appeared to watch it closely. TYLER ROBINSON'S AND LANCE TWIGGS' DNA BOTH ALLEGEDLY FOUND ON KEY EVIDENCE IN CHARLIE KIRK'S ASSASSINATION Twiggs, who is cooperating with investigators and hasn’t been charged with a crime, was also Robinson's lover and roommate, according to prosecutors. He said that he identified as "Luna" to some associates, including Robinson. Twiggs was briefly placed under FBI protection and has since left the state. After the shooting, Twiggs allegedly received a text message from Robinson telling him to look under his keyboard. There, according to prosecutors, he found a note that he said he took a picture of. CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION: TIMELINE OF UTAH CAMPUS SHOOTING, TYLER ROBINSON CHARGED Prosecutors showed it in court, but the judge said it could not be photographed. It was a full page, written by hand. "I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it," it read at one point. After seeing the note, Twiggs then allegedly texted Robinson asking if he was joking. CHARLIE KIRK'S FAMILY COMES FACE TO FACE WITH ACCUSED ASSASSIN FOR FIRST TIME "I am still ok my love, but am stuck in orem for a little while longer yet," Robinson replied — allegedly. "Shouldn’t be long until I can come home, but I gotta grab my rifle still. To be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you." "You weren’t the one who did it right????" Twiggs replied. "I am," Robinson allegedly wrote back. "I’m sorry." Twiggs also alleged in the video that Robinson began engraving bullets roughly a month before the shooting. "I don't remember exactly when, but he had said he was planning to go hunting with his family," Twiggs told prosecutor Ryan McBride in the recorded interview. "And he asked me...if we had a Dremel tool, because he said he wanted to create messages on bullets." Prosecutors have said that cartridges and a spent casing recovered from the suspected murder weapon had been engraved with several messages. Another casing with a similar engraving had been recovered from the home Robinson and Twiggs shared, according to testimony Thursday. Several times when the Dremel tool allegedly used to engrave the bullets came up Robinson appeared uncomfortable in the courtroom, fidgeting in his chair. Twiggs said he told Robinson where to find the tool and warned him not to accidentally discharge a bullet while engraving — then didn’t think of it again until after Kirk was killed. CHARLIE KIRK'S PARENTS, WIDOW TO ATTEND TYLER ROBINSON'S PRELIMINARY HEARING NEXT WEEK Mention of the tool also appeared to have an impact on Robinson's family in the first row of the gallery in court. As the Dremel discussion continued, Robinson’s brother was bent over with his head down, with his mother rubbing his back, and the father's arm around her. Later in the hearing, when the court saw a text message conversation between Robinson and Twiggs, Erika Kirk could be heard crying as the texts were read in court of Twiggs asking Robinson questions about the gun, which by the time they were sent had been recovered by police in a wooded area just off campus. UTAH VALLEY UNIVERSITY SCRAPS CONTROVERSIAL COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER WHO CRITICIZED CHARLIE KIRK AFTER HIS MURDER According to Twiggs' video interview, Robinson allegedly told him that he had a "long drive to work" on the morning of the shooting. "I don't know an exact time," he said. "I just know he left early. I heard him leaving, and he just said he had, like, long drive to work that day. So he was leaving early." That was on Sept. 10, the day of Kirk's assassination at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Robinson allegedly lingered in the area until after midnight on Sept. 11. When Twiggs said he woke up at around noon to 1 p.m. on the day of the shooting, members of Kirk's family scoffed from the third row of the gallery. Robinson reached up and scratched his throat when Twiggs talked about the last time he saw Tyler before he went to surrender. In another portion of the video interview, Twiggs told investigators that Robinson looked like the man circulated on an FBI wanted poster connected to the shooting, which showed a person of interest on campus. "They do look like Tyler Robinson," Twiggs said. He had downplayed the identification, however. "I wouldn't say with 100% certainty just because of camera quality, but that looks like him in terms of the shoes he's wearing, the sunglasses," Twiggs said. "I don't think I'd specifically seen him wearing that hat, but he was usually wearing a hat, and the jeans." Twiggs did not testify in person at the preliminary hearing but may be asked to do so if the case goes to trial. Near the end of Thursday's hearing, Judge Tony Graf Jr. indicated that he would not make a decision at the end of the preliminary hearing this week. Instead, he agreed to a defense request to allow briefs to be filed by both sides before he listens to oral arguments at a hearing scheduled for Sept. 1. Only after that would he make a decision on where there's enough probable cause to send Robinson's case to trial. The 23-year-old accused assassin has not yet entered a plea and won’t do so unless the judge agrees with prosecutors that the charges are warranted. The September hearing will be nearly a year after a sniper's bullet killed Kirk during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Robinson could face the death penalty if convicted. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a507c8fc2ca79de2365ef34 Caitlin Clark haters got some additional ammo as Fever win again without their star guard te 2026-07-10T05:01:03.129Z Caitlin Clark haters got some additional ammo as Fever win again without their star guard PHOENIX – The Caitlin Clark haters got some additional ammunition on Thursday night as the Fever defeated the Phoenix Mercury 92-89 to move to 4-0 without Clark this season. Kelsey Mitchell scored 29 points, including a go-ahead layup with 10 seconds left, to lead all scorers. Aliyah Boston returned from injury and scored 21 points. Rookie Raven Johnson saw extended minutes with Clark sidelined but only managed to score 6 points in the star's absence. Sophie Cunningham, who produced perhaps the most viral moment of the WNBA season when the Mercury and Fever met on June 22, hit two clutch free throws in the final seconds to seal the win. FEVER COACH STEPHANIE WHITE DODGES QUESTION ON GOP LETTER ABOUT CAITLIN CLARK’S TREATMENT IN WNBA Alyssa Thomas, who was suspended for one game for a Flagrant 2 foul on Clark when the two teams met on June 24, scored 22 points in the loss. The Fever ruled Clark out for Thursday night's game against Phoenix despite the guard playing 16 minutes on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Sparks and saying afterward that her "body feels great." Stephanie White said prior to Wednesday's game that Clark and Boston would split the back-to-back, with Clark active against Los Angeles and Boston active against Phoenix. Indiana is 9-9 in games Clark has played this season, but is now 4-0 without her. However, there's important context. Only one of the teams the Fever have defeated without Clark has a winning record, the Las Vegas Aces. FEVER HEAD COACH LECTURES AMERICA ON RACISM AND HOMOPHOBIA AS CAITLIN CLARK NARRATIVE STARTS TO SHIFT That might sound impressive, given that the Aces are the defending WNBA champions. However, four-time MVP A'ja Wilson missed the game with an injury. The other wins came against the expansion Portland Fire on May 20, the currently 9-11 Los Angeles Sparks on June 27 and the now 8-15 Mercury on Thursday. While many Clark haters on social media like to say that she is a liability defensively (even though the data suggests that's not entirely true), the team didn't exactly put on a defensive clinic without her. Especially in the first half. CANDACE PARKER TELLS CAITLIN CLARK HATERS TO 'GO TO THERAPY' AFTER SHOCKING WNBA PLAYER RANKINGS The Mercury scored 53 points across the first two quarters, shooting 55% from the field. Regardless, there's a certain section of people out there who root for Clark to fail. A fourth straight win in games that she has missed is certain to provide them with additional fuel. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a5077b4c2ca79de2365ee0e After Apple, India’s smartphone manufacturing boom enters new phase with Vivo JV te 2026-07-10T04:40:20.276Z After Apple, India’s smartphone manufacturing boom enters new phase with Vivo JV Vivo's joint venture could become a template for Chinese smartphone makers in India. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a506c2dc2ca79de2365ec23 Logan Webb deletes X account after lashing out at reporter, Giants fans following embarrassing loss te 2026-07-10T03:51:09.269Z Logan Webb deletes X account after lashing out at reporter, Giants fans following embarrassing loss The San Francisco Giants' season-long struggles are weighing heavily on Logan Webb, and the frustration spilled onto the internet for everyone to see. On Wednesday, following a blowout loss to the Blue Jays at Oracle Park, the All-Star pitcher started trading shots with critics on X before eventually deleting his account. The back-and-forth began after KNBR's Jack Loder posted a video criticizing the Giants' "leadership void" and questioned whether Webb had consistently lived up to his billing as the team's ace. SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS ASKED TO RETIRE 'THRUSTING' CELEBRATION A DAY AFTER TAKING THE LEAGUE BY STORM "When someone is supposed to be your ace, you think that they're going to give you the best chance to win every week," Loder posted. "Logan Webb had an awesome June, he was bad in April, he missed most of May. I've said over the years that he's been a great Giant, like I've really appreciated his Giants tenure. But there's always been a little bit lacking." Webb lost control, going after Loder, posting: "You know what's sad is they allow people like you in the locker room." When KNBR host Adam Copeland chimed into the thread, Webb shut him down with a quick side swipe: "Who are you?" When one user called his public replies embarrassing, Webb snapped, "Do you get paid by KNBR?" NATIONALS PITCHER FORCED TO APOLOGIZE FOR PERCEIVED RACISM AFTER OPPONENT THREW HIS HELMET AT HIM To another critical account, he fired off: "Honestly you probably don't know anything about anything some loser on the couch that couldn't make his little league team." Whether Webb returns to X or not, he'll have plenty of explaining to do. The social media back-and-forth followed a miserable night on the mound. Webb surrendered five first-inning runs, including a grand slam to Kazuma Okamoto. He settled in to finish seven innings, but the bullpen unraveled, and the Giants' offense was nearly no-hit by Dylan Cease in a 10-0 shutout. First-year manager Tony Vitello, fresh off a successful run at Tennessee, is navigating a difficult first season, and his intense college coaching style has come under increasing scrutiny as the losses have piled up. Webb is heading to the All-Star Game next week. But instead of fielding questions about his season, he'll likely be answering for his social media meltdown. Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a5069a4c2ca79de2365eb87 Trump Begins New Construction Project on White House Front Columns te 2026-07-10T03:40:20.657Z Trump Begins New Construction Project on White House Front Columns Restoration work began after the president saw “door dings in the pillars” and ordered up repairs, the interior secretary said. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a506521c2ca79de2365eadf Fever coach Stephanie White dodges question on GOP letter about Caitlin Clark’s treatment in WNBA te 2026-07-10T03:21:05.566Z Fever coach Stephanie White dodges question on GOP letter about Caitlin Clark’s treatment in WNBA PHOENIX – Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White showed little interest in addressing a recent letter sent by 11 Republican members of Congress to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert over the treatment of superstar Caitlin Clark. OutKick asked White prior to Thursday night's game against the Phoenix Mercury what her reaction was to the letter, which stated that the Republican lawmakers were concerned about "physical hostility" and "violence" that Clark faces and suggested it might be "racially motivated." "Our team made a statement yesterday so you can find that statement," White said. FEVER HEAD COACH LECTURES AMERICA ON RACISM AND HOMOPHOBIA AS CAITLIN CLARK NARRATIVE STARTS TO SHIFT "I understand that, I just mean as a coach when you hear that one of your players is being mentioned in a letter from members of Congress to the commissioner of the league, how do you handle that?" I pressed. "Again, that's not something we can control," White said, sidestepping the question a second time before echoing some of the language from the team's statement. "We're not affiliated with those groups. We try to keep the main thing the main thing and focus on the things we can control." The Fever released a statement on Wednesday that said, "Our organization nor Caitlin has had any interaction with anyone in this congressional group and we were unaware of their letter." The statement continued: "We have been clear in our public comments and in our ongoing dialogue with the League about the priority of player safety. Our players and our fans know where we stand on those issues, and we will continue to stick up for our team and a standard of excellence across the league." In other words, the Fever and White are willing to broadly discuss "player safety" but neither directly addressed whether race has anything to do with how Clark specifically is treated. Of course, Clark is the league's biggest star by a wide margin and it behooves everyone involved to protect her at all costs. However, it seems that many of the players in the WNBA might not have gotten that memo. As the letter states, "Clark has been hip-checked, poked in the eye, and struck in the throat during games. These incidents go far beyond routine physical play, yet the WNBA and its officiating have too often failed to address these unacceptable incidents and hold players accountable." CANDACE PARKER TELLS CAITLIN CLARK HATERS TO 'GO TO THERAPY' AFTER SHOCKING WNBA PLAYER RANKINGS The Fever ruled Clark out for Thursday night's game against Phoenix despite the guard playing 16 minutes on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Sparks and saying afterward that her "body feels great." White did not address whether the decision to sit Clark had anything to do with Thursday's opponent, the Mercury. She did say prior to Wednesday's game that Clark and Aliyah Boston would split the back-to-back, with Clark active against Los Angeles and Boston active against Phoenix. The last time the Fever and Mercury met, on June 24, Phoenix forward Alyssa Thomas drove her fist into Clark's throat area during a scramble for a loose ball. No foul was called on the play in real time, but the WNBA announced the following day that Thomas had received a Flagrant Foul 2 penalty and a one-game suspension after a postgame review. Many fans were eagerly anticipating a rematch between the two teams, since their June 22 meeting also spawned the now famous Sophie Cunningham pointing meme. While Cunningham took the court on Thursday night in Phoenix, Clark did not. Maybe the Fever are taking player safety seriously after all and not subjecting her to the team that, according to White, delivered "two cheap shots" to Clark. Of course, it would be better if teams stopped taking cheap shots at Clark altogether. Baby steps, though. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a505950c2ca79de2365e8a4 Florida man who contacted police about 1987 killing arrested in connection to cold case te 2026-07-10T02:30:40.132Z Florida man who contacted police about 1987 killing arrested in connection to cold case A Florida man who contacted authorities saying he had information about a 1987 killing was instead arrested and facing a murder charge, investigators said Thursday. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office announced that Gary Edward Glowacz, 70, was arrested Wednesday in connection with the killing of 20-year-old Melissa Ellison. Police said Glowacz contacted the sheriff's office Wednesday and told investigators he wanted to provide information about Ellison's death. OHIO COLD CASE REPORTEDLY SOLVED AS MAN IS CHARGED IN 1985 HOTEL MURDER LINKED TO GEORGIA CRACKER BARREL CLUE Detectives interviewed Glowacz before obtaining an arrest warrant. He was booked into the Duval County Jail on charges of murder and burglary with battery. Officials celebrated the arrest, which comes nearly four decades after the case went cold. NORTH CAROLINA COLD CASE HEATS UP WITH STEPMOTHER ACCUSED OF KILLING MISSING TEEN "Television shows condition us to believe that homicide cases that are not solved within the first 48 hours will not be solved," Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said during a news conference. "That is patently false." "While his arrest cannot fill the enormous void left in the hearts of Melissa Ellison's loved ones, I hope that this arrest is another step in the healing process," he added. Police responded to a home on Colejean Road at about 4:40 a.m. on Dec. 28, 1987, after receiving a report of a deceased person. Ellison's body was found by authorities in her bed with injuries consistent with blunt force trauma, according to police. Investigators said Ellison's roommates checked on her after hearing her toddler crying on the living room couch. The sheriff's office thanked First Coast Crime Stoppers, the State Attorney's Office, Project Cold Case and the Clay County Sheriff's Office for their work on the investigation. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a5056f8c2ca79de2365e83b Donald Trump Jr argues Charlie Kirk murder evidence puts conspiracy theories 'at rest' te 2026-07-10T02:20:40.280Z Donald Trump Jr argues Charlie Kirk murder evidence puts conspiracy theories 'at rest' Donald Trump Jr. said Thursday that unsealed evidence from the preliminary hearing in Charlie Kirk’s murder case puts to rest "conspiracy theories" surrounding his death. Trump Jr., a longtime friend of Kirk, was in the courtroom in Provo, Utah, this week, hearing arguments and viewing unsealed evidence against Kirk’s accused killer, Tyler Robinson. "Based on everything that I saw in that courtroom, it's very clear to me that Tyler Robinson did this," he said on "Jesse Watters Primetime." DONALD TRUMP JR SAYS EVIDENCE IN TYLER ROBINSON PRELIMINARY HEARING 'MORE CUT AND DRY' THAN HE THOUGHT Robinson, 23, is accused of fatally shooting Kirk, 31, at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025, and could face the death penalty if convicted. 🔍 Got a story tip? Email nora.moriarty@fox.com His preliminary hearing began Monday, with prosecutors attempting to establish probable cause to allow the case to proceed to trial on a series of charges. Robinson allegedly admitted to killing Kirk in unsealed text messages to his roommate after the shooting, saying he "had enough of his hatred," according to testimony from Thursday’s hearing. TYLER ROBINSON'S AND LANCE TWIGGS' DNA BOTH ALLEGEDLY FOUND ON KEY EVIDENCE IN CHARLIE KIRK'S ASSASSINATION "This stuff is very cut-and-dry at this point," Trump Jr. said. "The DNA evidence, the fact that… he turned himself in… to me, it puts so much of this at rest," he added. 📲 More stories at @newswithnora on X Trump Jr., a regular speaker at Turning Point USA events, questioned the lack of security presence at Kirk’s Utah Valley University event. "The biggest question in my mind at this point is not whether Tyler Robinson did this, or if it was some people from a foreign land, or another planet — it was, why were there only six police officers active at a major event on a university campus?" he asked. ACCUSED CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN TYLER ROBINSON FIGHTS BACK AS PROSECUTORS' SPRAWLING CASE COMES INTO FOCUS Trump Jr. added that TPUSA college campus events usually draw a heavier law enforcement presence, noting they attract "thousands" of people. "These are big events," he said. "I've done 100 of them with Charlie Kirk on college campuses all over the place... That there wasn't an all-hands-on-deck kind of operation to prevent this very thing from happening is truly scary." Trump Jr. argued that questions surrounding Kirk’s death had once been a "50–50" issue, but said the unsealed evidence has shifted public sentiment to "90–10," adding that most believe Robinson is guilty. He dismissed "conspiracy theories" surrounding Kirk’s death while saying he understands why people could be skeptical. Prosecutors are expected to present more evidence during Friday’s hearing. A trial date has not been set. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50524bc2ca79de2365e795 Man charged with first-degree murder following Wednesday shooting in Flagstaff te 2026-07-10T02:00:43.714Z Man charged with first-degree murder following Wednesday shooting in Flagstaff The Flagstaff Police Department announced 42-year-old Erick Gustavo Pineda has been arrested for first-degree murder. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a504ff2c2ca79de2365e702 LA Galaxy coach Greg Vanney says Team USA was 'too naive,' explains Christian Pulisic's struggles te 2026-07-10T01:50:42.090Z LA Galaxy coach Greg Vanney says Team USA was 'too naive,' explains Christian Pulisic's struggles CARSON, Calif. — On a hot Thursday in Carson at Dignity Health Sports Park, LA Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney stood on the practice field answering questions. When we asked about Team USA's World Cup exit just days earlier, Vanney pointed to one problem: the Americans were too naive. Later that afternoon, Belgium, fresh off eliminating the United States, was scheduled to train at Dignity Health Sports Park ahead of Friday's World Cup quarterfinal against Spain, prompting heightened security around the Galaxy's training complex. AFTER BLOWOUT LOSS TO BELGIUM, MANY ARE WONDERING IF TEAM USA IS BETTER OR WORSE THAN IT WAS A DECADE AGO "Collectively, the team entered that final match entirely too naive from top to bottom," Vanney said. "It immediately put us on our heels. Against world-class opponents, it is incredibly difficult to recover your rhythm once you fall behind like that. We have to be less naive in a World Cup knockout setting." The Galaxy coach expanded on why Team USA fell short, why Christian Pulisic never found his footing and what North American soccer must change before the next World Cup. US SOCCER ISSUES STATEMENT ON MAURICIO POCHETTINO'S FUTURE WITH TEAM USA AFTER WORLD CUP We also asked Vanney about Christian Pulisic, whose World Cup never fully got off the ground. "It was a difficult tournament for Christian because he arrived sharp but picked up an injury in the opening match," Vanney said. LANDON DONOVAN JOINS CHRISTIAN PULISIC CRITICISM FOLLOWING USA'S WORLD CUP EXIT WITH HARSH OBSERVATION "The World Cup waits for no one; it gets progressively harder every round, and he didn't have the time to find his rhythm. When you carry a knock in an unforgiving tournament, you risk losing your form and your connection to the system. He is a world-class player who belongs on this stage, but he was simply unlucky." For Vanney, Pulisic's struggles reflected a larger issue. Against Belgium, Team USA simply wasn't ready for the demands of a World Cup knockout match. Then came Belgium's arrival. As the media session wrapped up and vehicles exited Dignity Health Sports Park, a bus bearing a massive Belgium flag rolled through the gates. Belgium only ended up at Dignity Health Sports Park after FIFA approved a last-minute venue change. Extreme heat and heavy use had damaged the turf at the team's original base at Loyola Marymount University, creating an injury risk ahead of Friday's World Cup quarterfinal against Spain. While Vanney reflected on Team USA's shortcomings, his attention will soon return to the Galaxy, who host cross-town rival LAFC next weekend. The Galaxy will look to defend home turf following the departures of Gabriel Pec and Mauricio Cuevas when El Tráfico arrives. Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a504d99c2ca79de2365e683 GLAAD releases 'particularly concerning' report showing shrinking LGBTQ representation third year in a row te 2026-07-10T01:40:41.124Z GLAAD releases 'particularly concerning' report showing shrinking LGBTQ representation third year in a row The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation's (GLAAD) latest report on LGBTQ representation in film on Thursday revealed that the percentage of "LGBTQ inclusive films" has decreased for the third year in a row. In 2023, GLAAD reported a record 28.5% —or 100 out of 350 films released in 2022—featured LGBTQ characters. The number dropped to 27.3% for 2023 films before plunging to 23.6% in 2024. In 2025, the number dropped to only 20.4%, or 46 out of 225 films, featured LGBTQ characters with a total of zero transgender characters across theatrical and streaming releases. CHRISTOPHER NOLAN'S 'THE ODYSSEY' GETS OVERWHELMINGLY NEGATIVE REACTIONS AFTER CONTROVERSIAL CASTING CHOICES GLAAD also found that out of the 19 films on the list classified as animated/family films rated PG and under, there were zero LGBTQ characters, compared to two "inclusive" films out of 26 one year prior. The organization called this finding "particularly concerning" as the "Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under this administration opened a public inquiry about whether to create new TV ratings that would apply warning labels to television programming featuring transgender and nonbinary characters."  "Audiences across the board are seeking out original and inclusive stories," GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement. "Our study found LGBTQ stories in film that are both commercially and critically successful. In fact, every theatrically released LGBTQ-inclusive horror film made back over double the film’s production budget. If the industry doesn’t prioritize investing in films with LGBTQ characters, it risks losing a generation that will go elsewhere to find entertainment that does include our community." 'SUPERGIRL' SUFFERS CATASTROPHIC 73% DROP, GETS OBLITERATED AT BOX OFFICE BY PATRIOTIC 'YOUNG WASHINGTON' However, GLAAD added that there were some "success stories" in 2025, particularly through horror films like "I Know What You Did Last Summer," "The Parenting," "Companions" and "Weapons." The organization found that every horror film that featured LGBTQ characters with publicly available production budget information earned more than twice its budget back upon theatrical release. GLAAD also found that independent studios and mid-budget films continued to be the driving force of representation compared to big-budget releases. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE In a statement, GLAAD Senior Director, Entertainment Research & Analysis Megan Townsend emphasized the importance of LGBTQ representation to reach Gen Z audiences, remarking that approximately 23% of Americans under 30 were LGBTQ. "If studios want to stay relevant with younger audiences and bring in box office dollars, they can’t afford to ignore nearly one-quarter of their most enthusiastic ticket buyers," Townsend said. In a comment to Fox News Digital, Newsbusters Senior Research Analyst Bill D'Agostino celebrated the report as a win for ordinary moviegoers. "For anyone who actually likes movies, this is a positive sign. It means fewer filmmakers feel pressured to shoehorn gay characters into their scripts to appease the likes of GLAAD. If far-left activist groups are struggling to force artists to comply with their demands, that's categorically a win for the art consumers," D'Agostino said. GLAAD's report followed a similar trajectory to a Gallup poll released last month that showed declining support for same-sex marriage or gay relationships. Gallup reported that moral acceptance of gay and lesbian relationships dropped to 62%, the lowest percentage recorded since 2016. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a504924c2ca79de2365e5be Judge blocks Arizona elections rule barring ‘intimidating’ and ‘harassing’ clothing te 2026-07-10T01:21:40.515Z Judge blocks Arizona elections rule barring ‘intimidating’ and ‘harassing’ clothing Maricopa County voters wait in line to vote during the November 2024 presidential election. Many longtime residents will receive a notice in the mail soon asking them to prove their citizenship to continue voting a full ballot. (Photo by Courtney Pedroza/Votebeat) A federal judge on Tuesday blocked a provision in Arizona’s elections rulebook that prohibits people at polling places from “wearing clothing, uniforms or official-looking apparel intended to deter, intimidate, or harass voters.” Judge Michael Liburdi’s ruling came fewer than two weeks before the Grand Canyon State’s July 21 primary election, with early voting already underway.  GET THE MORNING HEADLINES. SUBSCRIBE The temporary block of the intimidating apparel provision of Arizona’s Elections Procedures Manual was a win for the Pima County Republican Party and The Oversight Project, which is representing the party in a lawsuit challenging multiple provisions of the EPM.  The elections rulebook, which is revised every two years, was written by Democratic Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and approved by Gov. Katie Hobbs and Attorney General Kris Mayes, also Democrats. The Oversight Project asked the court in May to block multiple provisions of the EPM, arguing that they were unconstitutional. Fontes and Mayes countered that the challenged provisions merely explain existing state law, without expanding upon it.  Liburdi handed wins and losses to both parties when he opted to block poll workers from enforcing the intimidating apparel provision, but did not do the same for a provision banning audible electioneering outside the 75-foot perimeter of polling places, if it can be heard at the polling place door.  He also chose not to block a provision allowing elections officials to kick political party election observers out of polling places if they raise “repeated frivolous voter challenges to poll workers without any good faith basis.” In his order, the judge noted the conflict in this case between the right to political speech and the government’s authority to maintain order at polling places.  Liburdi agreed with the Oversight Project that the apparel rule was overly vague because it asks the election worker to discern both whether the clothing is intimidating and if the person is wearing it with an intent to harass. “Intent of that kind is not observable,” he wrote. “An election official cannot read it from the garment, and the manual offers no standard for inferring it from anything else.” He wrote that blocking the rule was necessary to prevent discrimination based on election officials’ discretion and the chilling of protected speech.  “Because the provision makes the lawfulness of a voter’s attire depend on a poll worker’s unguided assessment of the voter’s intent, it fails to give fair notice and invites discriminatory enforcement,” he wrote.  Although Fontes and Mayes argued that blocking any of the provisions would confuse poll workers and voters amid primary election voting, Liburdi disagreed that the block on the apparel rule would do so.  “Enjoining its enforcement changes no ballot, deadline, precinct, or voting procedure,” he wrote. “It requires officials only to refrain from applying a clause the Court has found likely unconstitutional, which imposes no administrative hardship and disturbs no longstanding procedure.” Regarding the provision about audible politicking more than 75 feet away from polling sites, Liburdi disagreed with Fontes and Mayes that the EPM rule didn’t go any further than state law, but he also concluded that the Oversight Project failed to make a case that the rule is unconstitutional. “Plaintiffs have not shown the audibility provision is likely unconstitutional, there is no constitutional violation for an injunction to prevent, and the public’s interest lies in the orderly administration of the election under the rules already in place, particularly now that early voting has begun,” the judge wrote.  And Liburdi found that the Oversight Project and the Pima County Republican Party did not have legal grounds to challenge the repeated frivolous voter challenge provision because the party doesn’t train its poll workers to make frivolous voter challenges.  “Today’s ruling affirms that the overwhelming majority of those common-sense protections are lawful and appropriate,” Fontes wrote in a Thursday statement. “That is good news for Arizona voters and for the dedicated election officials who work to administer elections fairly, securely, and professionally.” YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE. SUPPORT Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a504910c2ca79de2365e59f Queens man arrested with Molotov cocktails after alleged arson attacks on Ozone Park and Woodhaven churches te 2026-07-10T01:21:20.547Z Queens man arrested with Molotov cocktails after alleged arson attacks on Ozone Park and Woodhaven churches Yogesh Sayrange, 36, is accused of throwing Molotov cocktails at two Queens houses of worship and a nearby commercial building late Wednesday night before officers arrested him carrying additional incendiary devices, according to police and law enforcement sources. Sayrange allegedly targeted Iglesia Bautista El Mesias in the Ozone Park neighborhood shortly before 11 p.m., where surveillance video appears to show him speaking with three other men before lighting a Molotov cocktail and throwing it over the front gate toward the church's entrance. The bottle ignited near the front door before Sayrange walked away, according to surveillance video published by the New York Post. MAN ARRESTED AFTER ALLEGEDLY THROWING MOLOTOV COCKTAIL AT PERSON IN WHEELCHAIR NEAR OKC POLICE HEADQUARTERS The FDNY confirmed to Fox News Digital that it received a call at 11:57 p.m. Wednesday for a reported incendiary device thrown at a church on 75th Street in Ozone Park. Fire marshals and the NYPD are investigating. Police said Sayrange then walked less than a mile to a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in nearby Woodhaven, where he allegedly threw another Molotov cocktail at the building's front entrance, sparking a second fire. The FDNY also confirmed to Fox News Digital that it received a second call at 12:08 a.m. Thursday for a reported incendiary device thrown at a church on 78th Street in Woodhaven. Fire marshals and the NYPD are investigating. MANHATTAN BUILDING DEVELOPER SAYS COLLAPSE FEARS WERE OVERBLOWN, CALLS BUCKLING COLUMNS 'LOCALIZED SITUATION' Police said no injuries or significant damage were reported at either church. Investigators later determined Sayrange also allegedly threw a third Molotov cocktail at an ambulette service building on Rockaway Boulevard near 77th Street in Woodhaven around the same time, police said. No injuries or damage were reported there, police said. Officers took Sayrange into custody at about 12:10 a.m. Thursday and recovered two additional Molotov cocktails from his backpack, according to police sources. Investigators are also examining whether Sayrange may be connected to several similar incidents dating back to last month, according to law enforcement sources. Authorities have not publicly announced any additional cases tied to him. Sayrange appeared in federal court Thursday in connection with a criminal complaint alleging he threw an incendiary device into a Brooklyn business on June 25. Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York for additional information about the Queens investigation. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a5048fdc2ca79de2365e596 Dramatic bodycam captures NYPD officer rescuing woman from top of Brooklyn Bridge after emotional plea te 2026-07-10T01:21:01.097Z Dramatic bodycam captures NYPD officer rescuing woman from top of Brooklyn Bridge after emotional plea If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Dramatic bodycam video shows the moment New York City police officers rescued a woman perched atop the steel cables of the Brooklyn Bridge above the East River on Wednesday. The NYPD said its Emergency Service Unit responded to the bridge around 7:38 p.m. to reports of a person in distress. BROOKLYN BRIDGE CATCHES FIRE AMID NYC FIREWORKS DISPLAY AS TRUMP HAILS IT IN DC SPEECH Newly released video shows officers climbing the bridge to reach the woman, whose feet dangled over the edge of one of the bridge's steel cables. "I just wanna talk," one officer tells the woman. "What’s happening today?" The officer continued speaking with the woman, urging her to accept help. EX-NFL PLAYER DOUG MARTIN'S FAMILY SUE OAKLAND POLICE, ALLEGE RESTRAINT ASPHYXIA IN FATAL MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS "I wanna help you, that’s why I’m up here right now," the officer said. "I genuinely care, I do. It’s a permanent solution to a temporary problem, it really is. I don’t know what you’re going through, but I want to understand. We have services we can get you to." "The strongest thing you can do right now is accept help, I promise you," he continued. "That’s the strongest thing you can do." As the woman stood on the cable while holding onto another support cable with one arm, an officer moved close enough to wrap his arms around her and pull her to safety. SEE IT: ICE AGENTS PAUSE ARREST OPERATION TO SAVE WOMAN IN ROLLOVER CRASH "Don’t do it. Don’t do it, please. Please, please," the officer said. "I got you. You’re okay, I promise. I got you, I promise. Everything’s gonna be OK. You’re not in trouble." Police said officers spent nearly an hour talking with the woman before safely bringing her down the bridge. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch shared the bodycam video on social media and praised the responding officers. "This video of a rescue last night on the Brooklyn Bridge will take your breath away," Tisch wrote. "High above the East River, NYPD ESU officers climbed onto the Brooklyn Bridge to reach a woman in crisis who was threatening to jump," she continued. "For nearly an hour, they stayed with her, spoke with her, and waited for the moment they could safely pull her back from the edge. The care, courage, and compassion these officers showed was just extraordinary. May God bless them." Officials said the rescue unfolded during rush hour and forced the closure of all eastbound lanes on the bridge for several hours. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a5048e9c2ca79de2365e58d London descends into disorder as Morocco fans flood streets after World Cup elimination at hands of France te 2026-07-10T01:20:41.641Z London descends into disorder as Morocco fans flood streets after World Cup elimination at hands of France Public unrest began in parts of London late Thursday night, and it appears Morocco’s exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the hands of France is the reason. France took down Morocco 2-0, forcing the African country’s elimination for the second consecutive tournament, this time in a quarterfinal match. As a result, many feared Paris would erupt into riots, especially after the chaos that followed Paris Saint-Germain's UEFA Champions League victory over Arsenal in May. Instead, images and videos from Edgware Road in northwest London showed police clashing with large crowds as smoke billowed through the streets and debris littered the roadway. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Riot police, equipped with shields and body armor, were seen trying to contain the crowds as they clashed with people launching fireworks and throwing debris. One video also appeared to show an officer down. KYLIAN MBAPPÉ, OUSMANE DEMBÉLÉ FIRE FRANCE INTO WORLD CUP SEMIFINALS WITH WIN OVER MOROCCO It’s unknown what happened to the officer who was seen down on the asphalt, or how his injury happened. Fans were seen waving Morocco flags in the middle of the streets, which held up traffic. Some were even spotted jumping on top of vehicles trying to get through the area. Similar scenes unfolded after Egypt's World Cup exit, when Argentina rallied for a controversial 3-2 victory that featured several disputed officiating decisions. Paris, on the other hand, looked more like a city celebrating than one on the brink of a riot. Supporters of both France and Morocco flooded the streets, slowing traffic in several parts of the city. One video showed horns blasting from cars with France and Morocco flags out the windows on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris. Supporters on the side of the road, touting their own flags, joined in on the celebration. France’s Kylian Mbappé scored his eighth goal of this World Cup, which ties him for the most with Argentina’s Lionel Messi. Ousmane Dembélé also scored in the second half for France in the 2-0 win over Morocco. It’s the third straight semifinals appearance for France, while Morocco still made World Cup history despite the loss. After becoming the first African country to reach the quarterfinals and semifinals in World Cup history in 2022, they only added to that by becoming the first-ever African nation to reach more than one quarterfinal. Morocco’s exit means there are no more African nations still alive in the World Cup. France will be taking on the winner of Spain and Belgium, while England-Norway and Argentina-Switzerland are also set to play in the quarterfinals. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a5046a5c2ca79de2365e4a8 Residential fire breaks out along Beefeater Drive Thursday afternoon te 2026-07-10T01:11:01.038Z Residential fire breaks out along Beefeater Drive Thursday afternoon Smoke was seen on the northside of Lake Havasu City Thursday afternoon, as a residential fire appeared to break out. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a504690c2ca79de2365e472 Disney faces another box office shipwreck as 'Moana' remake on track to follow 'Snow White' to the bottom te 2026-07-10T01:10:40.055Z Disney faces another box office shipwreck as 'Moana' remake on track to follow 'Snow White' to the bottom Disney's live-action "Moana" remake heads to theaters amid poor early reviews and soft opening projections. Industry experts project that the film could debut at around $60 million in North American theaters this weekend, though some analysts expect an opening closer to $40 million, against a reported $250 million production budget, according to Variety. It comes on the heels of last year's "Snow White" remake, which also received widespread criticism and had similar box office projections. The film officially hits theaters on July 10, but early critic reviews have already landed the remake in rough seas. "Moana" debuted with a 32% Rotten Tomatoes critics score, according to Forbes. NEW STREAMING DATA PAINTS SHOCKINGLY GRIM PICTURE FOR DISNEY'S AWFUL ‘STAR WARS’ SEQUELS While the score has since increased to 39%, it remains one of the studio’s lowest-rated adaptations, sitting just above 2022’s "Pinocchio" and currently tied with the 39% scored by "Snow White." Critics have questioned why the film was made in the first place, with the original animated version of "Moana" debuting less than a decade ago and its sequel premiering just two years ago in 2024. A reviewer for the San Francisco Chronicle called the film a simple "money grab," adding, "What’s a real head-scratcher is how it can feel so lifeless with real people as compared to the animated original." CHRISTOPHER NOLAN'S 'THE ODYSSEY' GETS OVERWHELMINGLY NEGATIVE REACTIONS AFTER CONTROVERSIAL CASTING CHOICES The Daily Telegraph (UK) gave the film two out of five stars, writing that the final product felt as if it were created by artificial intelligence: "This was, by all appearances, an incredibly costly and labour-intensive production, yet there is barely a moment in it which feels as if it couldn’t have been achieved by typing: ‘What if this scene from Moana was remade in live action?’ into a video generator’s prompt box," they wrote. While a writer for the Substack publication Girl Culture said it isn't the worst of Disney’s remakes, she argued it exemplifies what’s going wrong at the studio: 'SUPERGIRL' SUFFERS CATASTROPHIC 73% DROP, GETS OBLITERATED AT BOX OFFICE BY PATRIOTIC 'YOUNG WASHINGTON' "[Moana] isn’t necessarily the worst of these remakes the studio has churned out, but somehow feels most representative of the rot at the core of this artistic project." The plot of the original "Moana" centered around a Polynesian teenager who works with the demigod Maui to save her dying island. The new version follows the exact same premise, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson reprises his role as Maui, only this time wearing a long, curly wig that drew criticism from some viewers online. Several of Disney's live-action remakes have delivered mixed financial results. The studio's 2019 adaptation of "Dumbo" opened to $45 million domestically, while 2025's "Snow White" opened to around $43 million. However, "Snow White" was met with multiple controversies at the time, including criticism of its portrayal of the characters with dwarfism, the film’s lead actress Rachel Zegler’s comments on the 1937 film and its "weird" love story, and her comments on the situation in Gaza. The studio did find success with the live-action version of "Lilo & Stitch," which crossed the $1 billion mark after its release last year. Fox News Digital reached out to Walt Disney Studios for comment but did not immediately hear back. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50443bc2ca79de2365e402 Airplane passenger goes viral for streaming Argentina's miraculous World Cup comeback for the entire plane te 2026-07-10T01:00:43.351Z Airplane passenger goes viral for streaming Argentina's miraculous World Cup comeback for the entire plane We've seen some stellar fan performances all World Cup long, but I'm not sure we've seen an MVP quite like a fan who has gone viral for starting an impromptu watch party on a flight. Because is there anything that will make you popular faster than ponying up for airplane Wi-Fi so everyone can watch one of the most shocking comebacks of the tournament? No. No, there is not. TOM BRADY COMPARES ARGENTINA'S DRAMATIC WORLD CUP RALLY TO PATRIOTS' SUPER BOWL COMEBACK The video shows a man with a laptop standing toward the front of an airline cabin, holding it up so the rest of the passengers could watch this week's Argentina-Egypt match. Not all heroes wear capes. I have no clue what airline this is, but I'm guessing it doesn't throw you a bone with live TV that freezes every couple of minutes. FITNESS INFLUENCER SAYS LUFTHANSA TOLD HER SHE LOOKED ‘NAKED,’ FORCED HER TO ZIP UP BEFORE BOARDING FLIGHT That drives me nuts, by the way. I can appreciate the wonder of being able to watch an IndyCar race while going hundreds of miles per hour through the sky, but I feel like we should have this figured out to get seamless streaming on planes. And then, if you want the good internet, that's going to cost you. That's where this dude is a hero. He bit the bullet so everyone else could enjoy a match for the ages that saw Lionel Messi and Argentina come back from two goals down to win 3-2. The only ones who probably weren't thrilled were the airline, which clearly didn't account for one brave soul with a MacBook discovering the cheat code to free midair internet. Had this been on Spirit, they would've tackled that dude the second he stepped out of the jetway just to send a message. As was the Spirit way (RIP). It's a great example of how the World Cup brings people together, and that's a very cool thing. Especially if they can stick it to the airlines that keep nickel-and-diming all of us. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a503d31c2ca79de2365e224 Live-action remake of 'Moana' gets ravaged by critics in latest blow to Disney Studios te 2026-07-10T00:30:41.899Z Live-action remake of 'Moana' gets ravaged by critics in latest blow to Disney Studios Who was asking for this? That's become the most repeated response to most new release movies and trailers, as Hollywood and the entertainment industry seem to be rapidly running out of ideas or creativity. The latest example? The tepid response to The Walt Disney Company's latest attempt at a "live-action" remake of one of their animated films, "Moana." The original "Moana" was widely enjoyed by critics and audiences, with popular songs that are still frequently played today, even as the film approaches its 10-year anniversary. Its animation style was also praised for the colorful, lush representation of a Pacific island. While it didn't reinvent the wheel, there was some level of creativity and originality to the presentation of a familiar coming of age story. CHRISTOPHER NOLAN'S 'THE ODYSSEY' GETS OVERWHELMINGLY NEGATIVE REACTIONS AFTER CONTROVERSIAL CASTING CHOICES Unsurprisingly, it was a huge financial success. It grossed $248.7 million at the domestic box office, adding a whopping $394 million internationally. That $643 million total adjusted for inflation is now nearly $900 million. And Disney, never one to leave well enough alone, didn't. Fast-forward to 2026, and trailers for the live-action remake of "Moana" hit theaters and the internet to well, mixed reactions would be an understatement. Instead of the vivid, colorful world of the animated film, every background seemed washed out, desaturated, and uninteresting. Dwayne Johnson, reprising his role as Maui, wore a wig that was comically, laughably amateurish. Even in just two minute increments, it was clear and obvious that most people involved in the production had little interest in it. Still, small sample sizes can be deceiving, raising hopes that it might make for a better film than trailer. Yet now that its July 10 release date is approaching, the first critical reviews have been published. And... pretty much confirmed everyone's worst fears. 'SUPERGIRL' PRE-RELEASE TRACKING LOOKS DISASTROUSLY BAD FOR HOLLYWOOD AFTER LEAD ACTRESS' BIZARRE COMMENTS It debuted on Rotten Tomatoes with just a 38% positive rating, with many top critics issuing similarly negative reviews. Robbie Collins from The Telegraph summed it up by comparing it to AI-generated content: "Disney’s awful live-action Moana could have been made by a ChatGPT prompt." The Associated Press review from Jake Coyle roasts Johnson's "Fabio hair," with the opening paragraph describing it as "purposeless." "Say what you will about them," he writes. "But the  Disney live-action remakes have at least given us a choice. Which would you rather see? A spirited, soaring, animated 'Moana,' or a purposeless remake featuring Dwayne Johnson with Fabio hair?" CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK CULTURE COVERAGE Others called it "pointless," "lifeless," or compared it to the "uncanny valley" effect when video games become too realistic. Not what you want to hear if you're Disney. But therein lies the problem. Major studios, particularly modern Disney, have mostly abandoned any pretense of creativity or originality. They're happy to rehash the same tired formula, as long as it makes a profit. For the first few remakes, it worked. Audiences, though, quickly caught on that the level of quality in films like the live-action "Beauty and the Beast" or "The Lion King" were far below that of the animated classics. The choice becomes spending money on going to the theater to see a worse version of a movie you've seen many times before. Disney may still sell enough tickets to turn a profit on "Moana." But based on the reactions we've seen, the live-action remake well might be drying up sooner rather than later. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a503b00c2ca79de2365e1b9 Israel shares intelligence warning Iran plotted new assassination attempt against Trump: report te 2026-07-10T00:21:20.413Z Israel shares intelligence warning Iran plotted new assassination attempt against Trump: report Israel recently shared intelligence with the United States indicating Iran had developed a fresh plan to assassinate President Donald Trump, according to a Wall Street Journal report Thursday citing people familiar with the matter. The reported intelligence would mark an escalation in the longstanding threats against Trump, whom Iran has repeatedly vowed to retaliate against over the 2020 U.S. strike that killed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Gen. Qassem Soleimani. The White House referred Fox News Digital to Trump's remarks Wednesday when asked about the report. TRUMP FACES UNPRECEDENTED THIRD ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT "They want to take out the US leader — me. I’m on whatever list. I saw this morning I’m on every single one of their lists. And so far, I guess I’ve been a bit lucky, but maybe that doesn’t last very long. These are evil, sick people. And we have to root out that cancer. That cancer. You know what you do? You’ve got to cut out cancer early. And that’s the way I feel." Fox News Digital has also reached out to Israel's Embassy in Washington and Iran's Mission to the United Nations for comment. The Journal reported the intelligence surfaced as Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have diverged in recent weeks over how to proceed following last month's conflict with Iran. Netanyahu has advocated for continuing military pressure on Tehran, while Trump has sought to preserve a fragile ceasefire after U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. NETANYAHU REJECTS REPORTS OF A RIFT WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP, SAYS THE TWO REMAIN ALIGNED ON IRAN Trump and Netanyahu spoke Thursday and agreed to continue coordination between the two countries, according to a statement from Netanyahu's office, which said Trump also updated the Israeli leader on recent U.S. activity in the Gulf. Iranian mourners at the funeral for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei chanted for Trump's death and displayed a banner reading, "We Will Kill Trump," according to the Journal. Iran has publicly vowed for years to retaliate against Trump over the U.S. operation that killed Soleimani, the former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force, in Baghdad in January 2020. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a503ad8c2ca79de2365e18d Don’t want to invest in Elon Musk? Two new ETFs explicitly exclude him te 2026-07-10T00:20:40.985Z Don’t want to invest in Elon Musk? Two new ETFs explicitly exclude him The new exchanged-traded funds exclude companies that are founded, controlled, or led by Elon Musk. That means no SpaceX or Tesla. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a503ac5c2ca79de2365e184 OpenAI says GPT 5.6 is the ‘preferred model’ for Microsoft Copilot amid breakup chatter te 2026-07-10T00:20:21.033Z OpenAI says GPT 5.6 is the ‘preferred model’ for Microsoft Copilot amid breakup chatter OpenAI's new family of models will continue to power Microsoft's suite of workplace and productivity apps. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a503896c2ca79de2365e14e Trump fires all Election Assistance Commission members, leaving agency unable to act te 2026-07-10T00:11:02.353Z Trump fires all Election Assistance Commission members, leaving agency unable to act President Donald Trump tours the assembly line at the Ford River Rouge Complex on Jan. 13, 2026 in Dearborn, Michigan. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) President Donald Trump fired all three remaining members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission on Thursday, abruptly disabling the only federal agency devoted solely to election administration at a moment when Trump has sought to reshape federal voting rules. The two Democratic commissioners, Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland, were notified by email. “On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as Commissioner of the Election Assistance Commission is terminated, effective immediately. Thank you for your service,” the email said. It was signed by Morgan DeWitt Snow, deputy director of presidential personnel in the Executive Office of the President. The third commissioner, Republican Christy McCormick, was allowed to resign, according to three sources within the agency. McCormick declined to comment when reached by phone. The agency’s fourth commissioner, Republican Donald Palmer, voluntarily departed the agency earlier this year to join the Heritage Foundation. The firings leave the four-member commission with no commissioners, meaning it cannot take official action until new members are installed. They also come days after the Supreme Court granted the president power to fire leaders of independent agencies, weakening a legal framework that for decades had insulated bipartisan federal commissions from direct White House control. The EAC was created by Congress after the 2000 election to help states improve election administration without federalizing elections.Its role is mostly supportive: distributing federal election funds, maintaining the national mail voter registration form, testing and certifying voting systems, and offering best practices and guidance to state and local election officials. Trump cannot simply install replacement EAC commissioners on his own. Commissioners must be nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, and no more than two can come from the same party. Neither the White House nor the EAC immediately responded to a request for comment. A possible legal test after Supreme Court rulings The Supreme Court issued two major removal-power decisions at the end of its term in late June. In Trump v. Slaughter, the court overturned decades of precedent and said that the president may remove leaders of independent agencies, such as the Federal Trade Commission, which was the subject of the case. In a separate case involving the Federal Reserve, however, the court recognized a different rule for Fed governors, pointing to the long historical independence of central banking institutions. Whether bipartisan election agencies fall into the first category, the second, or some yet-undefined exception remains unresolved. “It’s an open question about the EAC and the [Federal Election Commission],” said Rick Hasen, an election law professor at UCLA. “The question has not been tested as to whether political entities created with bipartisan balance might be subject to another exception.” Earlier this year, Trump fired Ellen Weintraub, a Democratic commissioner on the FEC who had served for years in holdover status after her term expired. Weintraub did not sue, leaving unresolved whether the president can fire members of bipartisan election commissions at will. If any of the fired EAC commissioners challenge their removals, the case could become the first direct test of whether the Supreme Court’s new removal-power doctrine extends to federal election agencies structured around bipartisan balance. The Help America Vote Act, which created the EAC, says the president is supposed to consider recommendations from the Senate and House majority and minority leaders when nominating new EAC commissioners. In practice, Hasen said, that means both parties typically work with the administration to identify nominees. But “that’s more a custom than something that’s in the statute itself.” That means Trump could try to nominate Democrats acceptable to him, though they would still need Senate confirmation. HAVA does not appear to create a separate shortcut for temporary commissioners: Vacancies are filled “in the manner in which the original appointment was made,” meaning presidential appointment and Senate confirmation. A recess appointment could raise separate legal questions. A bipartisan agency with no commissioners left The EAC does not run elections or tell local officials how to run them, but the agency has long been politically contested. Congress designed it as a bipartisan commission, with no more than two members from the same party, but vacancies, partisan fights, and leadership turmoil have repeatedly limited its ability to act. Election officials and watchdogs have also criticized the agency at different points for failing to assert itself on election security, even as its responsibilities became more urgent after Russian interference in the 2016 election. Hicks, the commission’s chair, had served on the EAC since 2014 and previously worked for Democrats on the House Administration Committee, which oversees federal election law and election administration. Hovland joined the commission in 2019 after being unanimously confirmed by the Senate and had previously served as acting chief counsel to the Senate Rules Committee and as a senior counsel on election matters. McCormick had served on the EAC since 2014 and previously worked as a senior trial attorney in the voting section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. What happens while the EAC is frozen The immediate practical effect is clear: The EAC cannot act. That could stall not only routine commission business, but also any attempt by the Trump administration to use the agency to alter the federal voter registration form or voting-system standards before the 2026 midterms.The EAC also oversees the federal testing and certification program for voting systems, accrediting labs and certifying whether machines meet federal standards known as the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines. Many states rely on that certification before allowing voting equipment to be purchased or used. The EAC has been without a quorum before. For years, vacancies rendered the agency unable to perform major parts of its work, contributing to long delays in updating voting-system guidance. The agency regained stability only after the Senate confirmed new commissioners in 2019. Now, with the 2026 election cycle underway, the agency is again frozen — this time not because commissioners resigned or terms expired, but because the president removed all of them at once. This article was originally published by Votebeat, a nonprofit news organization covering local election administration and voting access. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a503882c2ca79de2365e12d Bernie-backed Maine Democratic Senate hopeful squirms over past Graham Platner support te 2026-07-10T00:10:42.330Z Bernie-backed Maine Democratic Senate hopeful squirms over past Graham Platner support Former Maine gubernatorial candidate and potential Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson struggled to answer for his past support for Graham Platner during an MS NOW interview on Thursday. Before Platner officially suspended his campaign amid a rape allegation, Jackson filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to potentially replace Platner as the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate. Prior to the recent allegation against Platner, Jackson was one of his earliest supporters and previously campaigned with Platner during his gubernatorial campaign. MS NOW's "The Moment" host Katy Tur questioned him on his longtime support for Platner, pointing out that he maintained his support through several other scandals. PLATNER ACCUSER RECALLS 'GASLIGHTING,' ‘BETRAYAL’ FROM NY TIMES AS SHE CAME FORWARD WITH HER ALLEGATIONS "You supported him," Tur began. "You bragged about being one of the first supporters of him. Why did you stick with him for so long? Why did you stick with him after the Nazi tattoo? Why did you stick with him after The New York Times article and the aggressive women stuff, stick with him after the Reddit posts that were arguably racist and sexist? I know he denies the sexual misconduct allegations, but why did you stay with him for so long?" "Well, the Nazi tattoo and the Reddit posts, I mean, I didn’t know — I mean, I haven’t ever been on Reddit, but, you know, when people talked about those things, and then he turned around and said, you know, that these were times whenever they were dark for him and, you know, he’d grown and all this stuff," Jackson said. "I mean, they were, you know, a different time period for him. And I understood, you know, that people can change." GRAHAM PLATNER EX REVEALS REACH-OUT BEFORE CAMPAIGN, SAYS HE WAS TRYING TO 'TAKE MY TEMPERATURE' Jackson added that he was more focused on Platner's political issues, such as his push for Medicare for All and a desire for change. "You know, he had plausible reasons that he said that they happened. But when it came to a credible sexual assault, it became clear that that was — that was it. It was, you know, a red line that I wasn’t going to cross. And, you know, the other thing about it was Graham told me point-blank that there was nothing in his past that I had to worry about. And he, you know, he lied to me, and he lied to a lot of us," Jackson said. Fox News Digital reached out to Jackson for comment. GRAHAM PLATNER'S MOST PROMINENT PRESS ALLIES ABANDON HIM AS RAPE ALLEGATION ROCKS MAINE SENATE RACE Though Jackson referred to "credible sexual assault" as a "red line" for him, Jackson continued to support Platner after a New York Times report last month described Platner being physical with his ex-girlfriend Lyndsey Fifield during their time together. Fifield described Platner grabbing her wrist and forcefully yanking her out of a cab in one instance and pushing her into a bedroom and while holding the door shut in another. Jackson has also been a longtime ally of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. He was one of the few Democratic National Committee superdelegates to endorse Sanders over Hillary Clinton during the 2016 Democratic presidential primary and later served as Sanders' Maine political director, introducing him at campaign rallies across the state. Sanders has yet to endorse another candidate for the Maine Senate seat, though there's still time before an official candidate can be named. Under Maine law, Platner has until Monday, July 13, to withdraw if Democrats hope to replace him on the November ballot. If he steps aside before the deadline, the state Democratic Party will have until July 27 to choose a new nominee. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50363cc2ca79de2365e0c4 Grand Canyon mystery illness reportedly triggers NPS investigation after rafters report alarming symptoms te 2026-07-10T00:01:00.577Z Grand Canyon mystery illness reportedly triggers NPS investigation after rafters report alarming symptoms The National Park Service (NPS) has launched an investigation into a mysterious illness affecting multiple rafters who took separate Grand Canyon trips in recent weeks. Several people took to social media last week to report a cluster of unexplained illnesses that they say have left doctors searching for answers. The rafters said they embarked on two-week trips beginning as early as mid-May, and developed conditions after returning home.  Paddling Magazine reported that park officials are now leading the investigation as rafters report experiencing severe and painful symptoms.  Speculation about the potential cause has spread online, with some healthcare professionals and others weighing in on possible explanations, including mosquito-borne illnesses such as dengue fever and chikungunya. PARASITIC INFECTION CAUSING ‘EXPLOSIVE’ STOMACH ILLNESS EXCEEDS 1,000 CASES IN NORTHERN STATE According to a Facebook group "Grand Canyon Private Boaters," four people became sick after a group of 16 people embarked on a two-week rafting trip in mid-June. In a July 1 post, user Steven King described a range of symptoms among members of the group, including fever, chills, fatigue and pneumonia. He said some individuals experienced more severe complications, including fluid in the lungs and loss of consciousness.  "One person briefly lost consciousness in their doctor's office then was subsequently hospitalized," King said.  King also described another person who developed what he called "cobblestoning" — an infection or cellulitis-like condition — on a bruised area of the shin that "feels like a broken bone." "X-ray doesn't show a break, and it doesn't seem to be healing at all but rather getting worse," he said.  YOSEMITE, GRAND CANYON LEAD NOTABLE LIST OF NATIONAL PARK CAMPGROUNDS FOR AMERICA'S 250TH He said additional precautions were taken by some individuals as officials have yet to determine the cause of the alleged illnesses. "One person started receiving the rabies vaccine in an abundance of caution even though they are not really showing symptoms of rabies specifically," the user said. King reported that the group did not encounter any ticks during the trip, but reported seeing mosquitoes on several nights while in the canyon. Separately, Matthew Wappett — who said he went to the emergency room with a swollen knee and "bone-crushing" joint pain after a two-week trip in mid-May — also reported experiencing mosquito bites during the rafting trip.  "We slept out every night and did get some mosquito bites," Wappett said in a July 2 post.  An infectious disease epidemiologist reportedly told Facebook user Dan Squire that the illnesses could potentially be linked to mosquito-borne viruses such as dengue fever or chikungunya.  "Based on the symptoms and the reports of mosquito bites (together with the lack of GI symptoms and no reports of tick bites) it’s sounding viral - and symptoms are a good match for both Dengue and Chikungunya. (Hanta should also be ruled out)," Squire wrote, citing his friend. Squire said the expert noted that dengue and chikungunya are uncommon in the U.S. compared with other parts of the world, but Arizona is home to mosquitoes capable of transmitting both viruses. "If someone who had been exposed to these viruses (like during international travel) went into the canyon while still carrying the virus, they could have transmitted to local mosquito populations," Squire wrote.  The healthcare professional also suggested doctors could have difficulty identifying the cause if patients do not report recent international travel, potentially leading to delays in testing for certain viruses. "People reporting symptoms like this, but without recent international travel, are highly unlikely to be tested for these viruses in AZ," Squire added. The NPS and the Arizona Department of Health Services did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a503629c2ca79de2365e0bb Fever coach Stephanie White rules out Caitlin Clark despite star saying she feels 100 percent physically te 2026-07-10T00:00:41.147Z Fever coach Stephanie White rules out Caitlin Clark despite star saying she feels 100 percent physically Caitlin Clark says she feels great. Stephanie White still kept her on the sidelines. Thursday night's decision ahead of the Fever's road matchup against the Phoenix Mercury raises more questions than answers. After returning Wednesday night from a lingering back injury and logging 16 carefully managed minutes against the Los Angeles Sparks, Clark felt encouraged by how her body responded. STEPHANIE WHITE GIVES CAITLIN CLARK STATUS UPDATE AHEAD OF FEVER-SPARKS, BUT HER NEXT MOVE RAISES QUESTIONS "I told our trainers after the game that it stinks we didn't win, and we didn't play very well, but I'll take it as a win how my body feels and how I really felt out there," Clark said (via Indy Star's Chloe Peterson) after Wednesday's loss to the LA Sparks. "I didn't even feel very winded." Before that game even tipped off, the Fever ruled her out against the Mercury. The official injury report listed the reason as "rest." Fever head coach Stephanie White revealed before Wednesday's game that the plan all along was to split the back-to-back between Clark and All-Star forward Aliyah Boston. "Yeah, [Boston] just did some of the shooting," White said before the game. "She's gonna be out tonight, again, with the back-to-back. ... Caitlin's gonna be active tonight, AB's not, and then they'll flip-flop tomorrow." CAITLIN CLARK DEFENDS COACH STEPHANIE WHITE AFTER SIDELINE CONFRONTATION SPARKS DEBATE Clark's own assessment gave the Fever new information, but the original plan never changed. The Fever are entitled to be cautious. Clark is the face of the franchise and the engine behind Indiana's offense. Protecting her is understandable. She played only 16 minutes Wednesday. Coach White's strategy was to put out Caitlin for three-minute spurts throughout the game. The approach didn't work. "It’s just really hard when you’re playing three minutes, (sub) out, three minutes, three minutes, then you’re on the bench," Clark added Wednesday night. "It’s really, really hard to get into a flow. For the most part, I got good looks, some of them went, some of them didn’t. I probably didn’t get to have a feel for the game as I usually do, like it’s just really, really hard for me to play in that scenario, but overall, my body feels great, so that’s the positive I can take from today." Thursday's matchup against the Mercury presents another test, with the Fever (12-9) short their best playmaker. Perhaps White's plan will pay off in the long run. That still doesn't explain the jump from a 16-minute restriction to a full night off. Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a5033d1c2ca79de2365e035 AEW star Thunder Rosa talks pro wrestling journey from social worker to women's champion te 2026-07-09T23:50:41.804Z AEW star Thunder Rosa talks pro wrestling journey from social worker to women's champion Thunder Rosa is one of the best women’s professional wrestlers in the world, but the journey to get to the top of the mountain is one that is never ending. Rosa, whose real name is Melissa Cervantes, currently performs for All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) – two of the major promotions in North America. But while most professional wrestlers started their path to the ring at a school, Rosa was a social worker before wrestling caught her eye. "I became a pro wrestler 13 years ago after making a decision to stop being an activist. I was a social worker, so, one day, I decided that I wanted to be a wrestler after going to a wrestling show and just attending a couple of the shows there and feeling that was the next step to take," she told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. "I feel like the call was like – it was going to be a bigger platform. I just decided to go and do a tryout and after I did the tryout, I fell in love with professional wrestling." COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON FOX NEWS DIGITAL Rosa said the aura of pro wrestling is what got her hooked on it in the first place. Everything from the theatrics to the sport. She said she was up for the challenge even though she never much played sports in her life. "It's everything. It's all the details, all the different things that the sport entails, which is, you know, the theatricals, the level athletic of athleticism," she said. "It's just like the fact that you could travel with it and also because it's very challenging. It was going to be very challenging for me physically because I never done like sports and I just felt like I could do it at the time." Rosa said she had to start from scratch, "learning how to roll, learning how to exercise, learning how to build my body, learning like body control, a lot of like gymnastics, basics on many different sports and I think I just had to like really pull it together and then really be realistic with myself." She said she needed to work harder than anyone in her training classes because most of the time she was the only woman in the class if not the room. She said there was never one moment she could point to where she knew taking a chance on pro wrestling was the right move. It wasn’t until she noticed she didn’t have time to go to work her day job is when she thought she could make a career out of wrestling. "There’s not really a moment because I feel like when you're getting and you're earning things sometimes you feel like you have an imposter syndrome and no matter what you have done like it's just like not enough, right?" Rosa told Fox News Digital "I feel like that even when big opportunities came it was like, ‘Oh I'm so lucky that this happened to me.’ No, I wasn't I wasn't lucky. It's just people saw that I had the skills and I had the talent and I had the IT factor and they gave me an opportunity. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM "I feel like once things started rolling with bigger opportunities in professional wrestling that's when I was like, "OK, I think I can leave my full-time job and become a professional wrestler.’ I think it was my first contract with Lucha Underground when I just noticed that I didn't have enough time to go to work. That that was the time where it was it was time for me to move my next chapter of my life and my career. So, that's when I think I was like, ‘OK, I think I can do this. I think it's feasible. It's going to be it's going to be hard, but it's feasible.’" Rosa joined AEW in 2020 and started to defend the National Wrestling Alliance Women’s Championship on "Dynamite." She lost the title to Serena Deeb. She would gain AEW World Women’s Championship gold for the first time when she defeated Britt Baker in a cage match. She was the fifth woman to hold the title. However, she had to relinquish it due to a back injury. Rosa told Fox News Digital she took pride in helping women’s wrestling grow. "It's been really beautiful to see the journey that a lot of us have taken in the last six years here in AEW or even seven because we’ve seen something small grow so big to the point in where we have had shows that have had 80,000 people," she said. "The way that we or I was able to help the women's division and grow and given a bigger platform with opportunities that have a lot in stake. I take that with a lot of pride. There was a lot of things that happened and in 2021-2022 that really broke a lot of barriers for a lot of the women that are now in the women's division and they all have done a tremendous job on continuing to open more doors for everyone that is coming in the future. "It's been also incredibly interesting to see how different companies have worked together and now they are symbiotic of each other. They exist and subsist with each other's collaboration and that, I think, has changed the landscape of professional wrestling forever because we're not living in an island. I feel like this subculture or this culture of professional wrestling has subsisted within this niche but I feel it's becoming bigger and bigger and bigger so that has been very interesting to see how AEW has been pivotal for that stuff." Rosa vowed to continue to use her voice to advocate for women and children, which she stressed was really important to her. She also said she has her eyes focused toward the latter part of the year with Grand Slam Mexico. "I have a lot of things planned. I continue to work extremely hard every single day to be better at my craft. I continue to work really, really, really hard outside of professional wrestling to advocate for women and for young children because I think that's something very, very important and to advocate for my community. I continue to focus on the opportunities that are in front of me," she said. "Right now, we're going to focus, like laser focus, on Grand Slam in Mexico City. Then, there's some big things happening in September, October during Dia de Los Muertos and like all that stuff. There's a lot of opportunities to come during that time. So, I’m taking everything day by day and, of course I want gold, but that is not on me. I'll just have to continue to work harder and continue to knock on doors. Even when I lose, I always win. And the last Forbidden Door, we had a tremendous match with Divine Dominion and with Olympia. We always leave something for the fans to remember. Again, I will continue to work extremely hard to hopefully have gold in the future, but if not, I will enjoy the journey just as much." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a503165c2ca79de2365df90 Fidji Simo steps down from OpenAI’s no. 2 role te 2026-07-09T23:40:21.032Z Fidji Simo steps down from OpenAI’s no. 2 role OpenAI's No. 2 executive, Fidji Simo, is stepping down from her full-time role after her medical leave proved longer than expected — a leadership vacuum that comes at a tricky time as the company eyes a possible IPO and races to catch Anthropic in the enterprise market. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a502f86c2ca79de2365df70 Attorney: Havasu woman may seek plea deal in deadly accident te 2026-07-09T23:32:22.884Z Attorney: Havasu woman may seek plea deal in deadly accident A Lake Havasu city teenager charged in a deadly vehicle-pedestrian collision will likely enter a plea agreement that will send her to the Arizona Department of Corrections. That’s what defense attorney Brad Rideout said near the end of a July… Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a502f72c2ca79de2365df67 Hobbs orders Arizona flags to half-staff for fallen firefighter Nick Hutcherson te 2026-07-09T23:32:02.919Z Hobbs orders Arizona flags to half-staff for fallen firefighter Nick Hutcherson PHOENIX — Gov. Katie Hobbs has ordered flags at all Arizona state buildings to be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset Saturday, July 11, in honor of firefighter Nick Hutcherson, who was killed while battling a wildfire in Colorado. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a502f5ec2ca79de2365df5e Arizona gas prices start climbing after weeks of declines te 2026-07-09T23:31:42.950Z Arizona gas prices start climbing after weeks of declines Arizona drivers are seeing gas prices edge higher after several weeks of declines, as renewed uncertainty over the ceasefire between the United States and Iran pushes crude oil prices upward. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a502f4ac2ca79de2365df55 Lane restrictions planned on Santa Fe Ranch Frontage Road in Yucca te 2026-07-09T23:31:22.983Z Lane restrictions planned on Santa Fe Ranch Frontage Road in Yucca YUCCA — Motorists traveling on the Santa Fe Ranch Frontage Road in Yucca should expect intermittent lane restrictions July 20-21 while the Arizona Department of Transportation performs pavement maintenance. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a502f36c2ca79de2365df3f State fell short on prison reform but greenlit some changes to criminal court system te 2026-07-09T23:31:02.526Z State fell short on prison reform but greenlit some changes to criminal court system Key Points  Prison oversight funding failed despite court pressure  Bipartisan reforms eased court fees, modified probation Advocates plan renewed prison oversight, confinement reforms next session Despite facing a takeover of the prison healthcare system, the state failed to fully fund court costs and again declined to cover start-up costs for an independent prison oversight office. The Legislature, however, did make some strides in criminal justice reform with the passage of bills eliminating certain court fees for criminal defendants, modifying probation conditions and creating committees to study inmate mental health and incarceration related to failure to pay fines and fees. Some policy changes still sit on the table for next session – including a long-running bill to expand the home confinement program for eligible inmates and, again, attempts to fully fund an office to monitor the state prison system. The reasons behind bills failing vary, with legislation often getting caught up in procedural traps, but advocates still plan to push on for the next session. “It’s frustrating with any topic, but I think with criminal justice issues where the stakes are just so high, it’s really upsetting to see these reforms fall victim to just structural issues,” Estrella López, senior state policy manager for Justice Action Network, said. “That’s unfortunate, but there’s always next year.” As the legislative session rolled on, the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry continued to contend with a 14-year-long class action lawsuit over the conditions and caliber of healthcare in state prisons. In February, federal district Judge Roslyn Silver ordered the department’s healthcare system under receivership, and plaintiffs in the lawsuit continued to push for department compliance with a years-long healthcare staffing plan, demanding funding in the state budget. Meanwhile, lawmakers and criminal justice reform advocates continued to push for $1.5 million in funding to create an independent office to monitor and report on the state prison system at large. The final budget proposal, greenlit by the governor and the Legislature, included only half of the necessary funding to comply with healthcare staffing requirements and left out the $1.5 million request for the oversight office. Gov. Katie Hobbs cited the failure to fully fund costs related to increasing staff in the state prison system as a source of frustration in budget negotiations but maintained her office and the department’s commitment to continuing to work toward compliance with court orders. “This is what we are able to negotiate in the budget,” Hobbs told reporters in June. “We’re continuing to work to meet the conditions of the court and this lawsuit.” Oversight funding never materialized in Hobbs’ executive budget proposal, nor any budget proposal floated by the legislative majority, and expectedly, it failed to make it into the final proposal passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor, despite some lawmakers’ broad support for the appropriations bill and a last-minute nudge in committee to see it included. “We had the political capital, the will, and it just didn’t get done,” López said. John Fabricius, executive director of Praxis Initiative, stressed the importance of building in extra monitoring of the prison system and vowed to keep fighting going forward. “We have oversight organizations in the state overseeing everything from nail and makeup to education,” Fabricius said. “And we don’t have any type of oversight over the one agency that’s consuming a third of the budget and houses human beings 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.” The original bill creating the oversight office allows for private and federal grant funding, now leaving advocates to look elsewhere. “We’re dying on the vine for funding,” Fabricius said. “It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.” Though oversight funding fell through, advocates did celebrate victories in reforming court fees and probation and in keeping momentum on legislation to address inmate mental health treatment. House Bill 2265, sponsored by Rep. Neal Carter, R-San Tan Valley, eliminated the fees levied on criminal defendants for court-appointed counsel, jury trials and appeals. It was signed by the governor on June 19. Hobbs also enacted Senate Bill 1662, sponsored by Sen. Shawnna Bolick, R-Phoenix. The legislation directs the courts to only impose conditions of probation that are reasonably necessary to address the level of risk posed and individually tailored to every individual. “This change will make it better for the people that are on probation, for the communities that they’re in, but also for probation officers,” López said. “If they’re not being made to enforce unnecessary conditions, they can really focus their time and effort on the people who need it most, which is what will serve public safety.” Lawmakers also created a study committee to look at how prisons and jails assess and treat inmates with mental illness, with a report due at the end of the year. Unsuccessful legislative proposals will likely make the rounds again next session. Senate Bill 1110 proposed a home confinement system allowing inmates with nonviolent offenses and disciplinary records an early path out of incarceration. Both the House and Senate overwhelmingly passed the bill, but it ultimately did not go up for a final vote and ended the session without a signature from the governor. Though unsuccessful, advocates still have hope for future sessions. López stressed criminal justice reforms continue to escape party lines, leaving a shared legislative goal to change the state’s systems. “People want a criminal justice system that is safe, that promotes public safety, that is fair, that is efficient,” López said.“Because the stakes are high, because public safety is one of the concerns, because individual liberty is on the line, there’s a lot of hesitance to move away from how it’s always been done. But if you have an opportunity to actually engage in conversations that are about the issues, that put politics aside, there’s a lot of agreement.” The post State fell short on prison reform but greenlit some changes to criminal court system first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a502f22c2ca79de2365df18 Megan Rapinoe blames Trump for distracting US players ahead of World Cup loss to Belgium te 2026-07-09T23:30:42.027Z Megan Rapinoe blames Trump for distracting US players ahead of World Cup loss to Belgium The post-mortems on the U.S. men's national team's exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup are rolling in, and former U.S. women's national team player Megan Rapinoe is offering her take. And you'll never believe where she's placing the blame... Nah, you guessed it, she's blaming President Trump. MEDIA FIGURES MELT DOWN OVER TRUMP INVOLVEMENT WITH FIFA AS US STAR FOLARIN BALOGUN SET TO PLAY One of the biggest stories going into Monday's match against Belgium had to do with the red card and suspension of U.S. star Folarin Balogun. Of course, pretty much everyone agreed it was a lousy call, and when the President phoned up FIFA, they allowed Balogun to play using the same rule that allowed Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo to play under similar circumstances. But, obviously, because Trump was involved, the usual suspects were not happy about it, and Rapinoe argued on her podcast, "A Touch More: The Beautiful Game," that the distraction doomed the team. By the way, the bookshelf behind her featured pretty much exactly what you'd expect. "I think the distraction got to the team for sure in some type of way. Whether it was, you know, this red card situation, whether it was being in a public discourse with this president, all of the, you know, shenanigans and chaos that comes with the feelings on both sides of that. Whether you agree with it or not it's, it's just like it's a lot to contend with," Rapinoe said. Well, that's certainly a take. Rapinoe — who knows a thing or two about off-field distractions — argued the problem was that the U.S. doesn't have enough players willing to create off-field distractions by yammering about politics, as she has often done herself. LANDON DONOVAN RECALLS LIFE-CHANGING WORLD CUP MOMENT AMID PLAYERS' 'RESPONSIBILITY' OF GROWING GAME IN USA "So, not only does this team not have like a core of older players who are used to that, but none of these players talk about anything ever, like for the most part," she said. "I think in men's football, just like in general, there's not a lot of players who are choosing to use their platform or to, you know, broaden their scope of pressure and responsibility." So, there you go, fellas. It wasn't that you ran into a tough Belgian team or that maybe it just wasn't your day. You just need to be much more annoying and create distractions, so when there is a bit of an off-field distraction, you're used to it. Not sure if Rapinoe wants to get into coaching at some point, but this method may not land her too many gigs. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a502ccac2ca79de2365decc Another year, still no deal on Prop. 123 te 2026-07-09T23:20:42.481Z Another year, still no deal on Prop. 123 Key Points:  Proposition 123 renewal failed for third consecutive legislative session Republicans, Democrats remained divided over education funding priorities 2026 elections likely determine Prop. 123’s future direction, fate  Lawmakers drew the same lines in the sand after a third consecutive failure to renew or reconfigure Proposition 123 and rework one way the state funds education, leaving Arizona’s land-trust-backed K-12 funding stream in limbo for another year. Republicans still prioritize funding teacher pay over broader school funding, and some deem it crucial to wrap in protections for school choice programs in the state. Democrats, meanwhile, are pushing something closer to the original Proposition 123 measure allowing public schools flexible dollars to spend where needed. Despite those entrenched positions, the ultimate fate of Prop. 123 next session depends on the outcome of the 2026 legislative and gubernatorial elections. Prop. 123, originally passed by voters in 2016, increased the draw from the State Land Trust Permanent Fund from 2.5% to 6.9% and directed additional dollars to K-12 for the next ten years. The original deal aimed at funding education in step with inflation following a lawsuit and subsequent settlement agreement over the Legislature’s long-running failure to provide mandated inflation increases for K-12. Ahead of the 2024 legislative session and as the ten-year mark approached, Republican lawmakers proposed resetting Prop. 123 to focus on teacher pay raises. That plan hit a roadblock with the governor, Democrats and the state’s teachers union, given the exclusion of educator support staff and provisions awarding salary increases to high performing teachers. Gov. Katie Hobbs initially proposed a higher distribution rate from the State Land Trust Fund, with targeted splits for general school funding, teacher pay, support staff and school safety, extending Prop. 123 for another decade. When it became clear that plan wouldn’t advance in the Legislature, she shifted to advocating for a clean extension of the existing voter-approved formula instead. No deal came to pass in the 2024 session. Before the 2025 session, then-Sen. J.D. Mesnard, who had taken the lead on the majority plan in the Senate, started to meet with school choice groups. Later on in the session, a behind-the-scenes proposal to wrap in protections for the ESA program and for charter schools curried favor with some, but not all Republicans, and expectedly met staunch opposition from Democrats, the governor and public school advocacy groups, leaving the measure to die again in 2025 and lapse at the end of the fiscal year. The Legislature backfilled the funds and did so again this legislative session after failure to move another Proposition 123 measure in any real sense. Republicans returned with the same stalwart support for school choice inclusions. Hobbs, supported by Democrats, pushed for a clean extension and went so far as to halt budget talks with Republicans, citing their refusal to negotiate on Prop. 123. But when all was said and done, Prop. 123 once again went nowhere fast. “What was clear is that negotiations weren’t productive and that there was no desire to talk about Prop. 123,” Hobbs said. “It gave us a chance to come back and find a different way to solve the 123 issue.” Hobbs added Prop. 123 was an issue that “got caught up in election year politics,” but still staked it as a priority and said she would continue to fight for renewal. She also highlighted that the budget ensured no public schools saw a reduction in funds. “I am proud that even though we weren’t able to get Prop. 123 renewed in this year’s budget, that we were able to protect our public schools from the funding shortfalls that are occurring because of the failure to renew Prop 123,” Hobbs said. Democratic Rep. Nancy Gutierrez again blamed the failure on the majority’s insistence on including the ESA program in any proposed measure and thus enshrining it in the state constitution. “That is unacceptable,” Gutierrez said. As she looks to next session, Gutierrez plans to bring back a new proposal, making particular note of an ongoing lack of funding to school facilities as determined by a judge. “Our public schools need these funds, particularly to have the funding to go toward our school facilities that have been purposefully underfunded by the Legislature for decades,” Gutierrez said. Republicans are also geared up to revisit the issue next session. Rep. Matt Gress, a Phoenix Republican, who worked on Prop. in 123 in the House, said he plans to work across the aisle next session to get some measure over the finish line but continues to support a renewal “that spends more money in the classroom, raises teacher pay and bypasses administrators.” “That’s not only good policy — it has the best chance of passing at the ballot,” Gress said. Republican Sen. Jake Hoffman reemphasized his allegiance to ensuring “robust protections for the educational opportunities and choices of all Arizona children.” “In a system where approximately two-thirds of public high schoolers lack proficiency in reading and math, it is a matter of critical importance that the state of Arizona do everything within its power to protect families’ freedom to choose the educational environment that will best serve their children,” Hoffman said. Mesnard has since departed the Legislature after taking up Prop. 123 from the start. He said he did not pass the buck to any legislator to continue the charge, citing the uncertainty woven into the upcoming election. “Too many unknowns with the election to anticipate the next 123 discussion,” Mesnard said. The post Another year, still no deal on Prop. 123 first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a502abfc2ca79de2365de56 Future of ESA program in hands of voters after negotiation breakdowns te 2026-07-09T23:11:59.879Z Future of ESA program in hands of voters after negotiation breakdowns Key Points  Negotiations on Empowerment Scholarship Account collapsed Competing measures headed to voters Ballot measures face legal, language and campaign battles in runup to election  Legislators twice tried to iron out a deal to reform the Empowerment Scholarship Account program this session, but now, voters will have the final say. The legislative session ended with negotiation between lawmakers across the aisle, school choice idealogues and the state teacher’s union, with the aim of passing more tempered ESA program reforms instead of sending a more sweeping proposal to the ballot in November. But attempts on the final day of the legislative session and an ultimately unsuccessful push for a special session after the fact left two measures on the ballot. The Protect Education Act, a voter initiative, backed by a public school advocacy group and the state teacher’s union, aims to overhaul the Empowerment Scholarship Account program, while a legislative referral, House Concurrent Resolution 2048, proposes striking the entire measure down upon its passage. Negotiations marked the first time the Republican majority entertained making any substantive changes to the program since its universal expansion in 2022. But after compromise fell out of reach, Republicans still seem keen on keeping the program untouched. And now, the path to ballot is shaping out to be a drag-out fight across the board as HCR2048 must survive legal challenge and Protect Education Act proponents must cut through amendments and changes to language by the majority on legislative council. As the legislative session trudged on, voter momentum grew behind the Protect Education Act. The measure, introduced by Save Our Schools Arizona and the Arizona Education Association, would bar enrollment from families making more than $150,000, prohibit luxury purchases, enact background checks and fingerprinting for ESA educators, require academic testing and recoup unused program funds for public schools. As of the filing deadline, the Protect Education Committee filed 421,451 signatures with the Secretary of State’s Office, about 165,500 more than necessary to qualify for the ballot. In the final days of the legislative session, Republican lawmakers, the Arizona Education Association and school choice groups convened to strike up a deal. Republicans offered a proposal to ban the purchase of luxury items, require background checks and fingerprints and slightly restrict the funds an ESA accountholder could keep in their account. It also added additional employees to administer the program at the Arizona Department of Education. And, Republicans agreed not to move forward with House Concurrent Resolution 2040, which restricts educator union participation, and Senate Concurrent Resolution, which dictates district classroom spending. In exchange, the AEA would withdraw the Protect Education Act from voter consideration. Senate Democrats rejected the deal, alongside Senate President Warren Petersen and Sen. Jake Hoffman. Then, majorities in both chambers passed HCR2040, SCR1032 and HCR2048. After sine die, conversations swirled around a special session, with a second attempt to cut the Protect Education Act, in exchange for the removal of all three legislative referrals. But the final deal floated by the majority only offered to take the union measure off the table. AEA and labor unions immediately dubbed it a nonstarter. In a statement, the coalition said they were initially open to good-faith discussions when all three referrals were on the table, but the final proposal from the majority ultimately torpedoed any hope of a compromise. “After … extremist allies intervened, their involvement left the Republican caucus divided and unable to negotiate in a serious or constructive way,” a statement from AEA and labor unions read. “As a result, we are no longer willing to participate in what has become a political circus. If Republican leadership cannot present a unified, credible proposal, there is no basis for further discussions.” Save Our Schools Arizona, or SOSAZ, never participated in negotiations with the Legislature and instead stayed deadset on sending the full measure to voters. “These hundreds of thousands of signatures represent the clear will of Arizona voters to place significant reforms on the ESA voucher program that is siphoning $1 billion from Arizona’s underfunded public schools every year,” SOSAZ said in a statement. “Arizona voters are more than ready to add commonsense guardrails to provide far better transparency and accountability, to curtail waste, fraud and abuse, and to ensure safety and quality academics for all students.” Both the Protect Education Act and HCR2048 face hurdles ahead. In a complaint filed June 24, the Protect Education, Accountability Now Committee and Save Our Schools Arizona, represented by the Center for Law in the Public Interest, claim HCR2048 “is deliberately designed to subvert the very democratic process it invokes” and is unconstitutional on two fronts. And, during the legislative council hearing on July 8, the Republican majority made every effort to ensure HCR2048 leads with the provision to prohibit military scholarship sweeps, but obscures the piece voiding the entirety of the Protect Education Act. “Failing to include this provision, even a mention of it, is astounding, earth-shattering frankly,” House Minority Leader Oscar De Los Santos said. “It 100% betrays our duty… to provide an impartial and accurate analysis.” Summary language changes to the Protect Education Act approved by Republicans also swapped out “would be recouped” to “shall be taken” when talking about stockpiled scholarship dollars. Senate Minority Leader Priya Sundareshan noted the connotation. “You could say take, you could also say steal and burgle or thief,” Sundareshan said. “That’s the line of analysis of advocacy that we’re going down with that kind of a change.” The majority also inserted language suggesting the political action committee can sue individual ESA families and private schools, despite the provision providing a right of action – primarily against state agencies – to compel enforcement of the act. And Republican lawmakers approved a clause that would work in a non-severability clause, mandating a court to strike down the entire act if one provision is found unconstitutional. “It is a lie to the voter,” Sundareshan said. “This is squarely bias and advocacy being added to the analysis language of this measure is completely false and misleading to the voters of Arizona.” The post Future of ESA program in hands of voters after negotiation breakdowns first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a502aabc2ca79de2365de31 Just 1 in 10 Ivy League trustees are Republican, Yale has none, report finds te 2026-07-09T23:11:39.396Z Just 1 in 10 Ivy League trustees are Republican, Yale has none, report finds Only about 1 in 10 Ivy League trustees identifies as Republican, while Yale has no Republican trustees at all, according to a new report that is fueling debate over ideological diversity at the nation's most elite universities. "Yale is a leader in many things, but ideological homogeneity shouldn’t be one of them," Lauren Noble, Buckley Institute founder and executive director, said in a statement. "Looking at the dramatic ideological imbalance across Ivy League governing bodies, it’s little surprise that so much has gone awry on campus," Noble continued. "If America’s top universities truly want to fix the echo chamber in the classroom, they will need to address the echo chamber among their own leadership." WILLIAM BENNETT, ROB NOEL: TWO YEARS AFTER COLUMBIA ENCAMPMENT, CAMPUSES STILL CHILLED BY FEAR The report, entitled, "The Echo Chamber on Top: Governance in the Ivy League," found that Democrats outnumber Republicans 6 to 1 amongst Ivy League trustees. The report said that of the 233 total Ivy League trustees identified, 155, amounting to 67%, were registered Democrats, 52, or 22%, were unaffiliated, and 26, amounting to 11%, were Republicans. In total, the report said it found a 6 to 1 ratio of Democrats to Republicans on Ivy League trustee boards, and highlighted that Yale’s sole governing body, the Yale Corporation, had zero registered Republicans in its membership. A NEW YORK UNIVERSITY FACES JUSTICE DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATION OVER 'BLACK MALE INITIATIVE' The report also found a comparable discrepancy among political donations. "Though a small number of individuals accounted for the bulk of political donations on several boards, total political giving to Democrats outnumbered political giving to Republicans at a 4 to 1 rate," Buckley Institute said in a press release on the report. "In total, Ivy League trustees gave $85.5 million to Democratic causes and campaigns and only $22.4 million to Republican causes and campaigns." In this area as well, the report found that Yale trustees gave $5.8 million to Democrats and a little more than $102,000 to Republicans, highlighting it as a 50 to 1 ratio. UVA INSTALLS TAMPON DISPENSERS IN MEN’S RESTROOMS, STUDENTS CALL MOVE ‘ABSURD’ The report also found that among Ivy League schools, Cornell stood out as the only university whose trustees donated more money to Republican causes than Democratic ones, although more individual trustees gave to Democratic candidates and organizations than to Republicans. In a statement to Fox News Digital, Noble said, "Like 27 of Yale’s departments, the Yale Corporation has zero registered Republicans. Yale is a leader in many things, but ideological homogeneity shouldn’t be one of them. Looking at the dramatic ideological imbalance across Ivy League governing bodies, it’s little surprise that so much has gone awry on campus. "If America’s top universities truly want to fix the echo chamber in the classroom, they will need to address the echo chamber among their own leadership," Noble added. A January report from Yale Daily News found that professors at the Ivy League school overwhelmingly donated to Democrats and essentially donated nothing to Republicans last year, with 97.6 percent of donations going to Democrats, and the remaining 2.4 percent going to independent candidates or groups. Fox News Digital reached out to Yale University and Cornell for comment. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a502a97c2ca79de2365de28 DHS plans costly crackdown on states that don’t cooperate on election security te 2026-07-09T23:11:19.940Z DHS plans costly crackdown on states that don’t cooperate on election security FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Homeland Security will withhold billions in preparedness grant funding from states that refuse to adopt new election-security measures, including voter citizenship verification, post-election audits and expanded use of paper ballots. The push comes as President Donald Trump and many Republicans slam states that do not want to let the federal government audit their voter rolls, while also criticizing the snail's-pace, widely criticized vote tabulations in places like California. FEMA, a sub-agency of DHS, is making more than $1 billion in taxpayer funding available to states that want to participate in its Homeland Security Grant Program, but with a catch. OBAMA-APPOINTED JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP'S ELECTION ORDER AS SAVE AMERICA ACT FIGHT INTENSIFIES To qualify for grants, states must submit plans to transition away from "unsecure electronic voting systems" that employ QR codes or barcodes instead of hand-marked paper ballots. By doing so, the agency said, it provides a paper trail to quickly assess any alleged irregularities. After each federal election, states seeking preparedness grants must conduct a manual audit of at least 5% of all ballots cast – with the agency arguing a manual, random review will confirm voting-machine tabulations’ synthesis with paper ballots and identify any "manipulation." States must also match the number of voters who participated in the election with the number of ballots cast and, within 120 days of any grant award, use the SAVE database — brought to the fore amid numerous illegal immigrant truckers getting in fatal crashes — to verify the citizenship of every listed voter in the state. SAVE, the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements system, has been criticized by some Democratic governors for being insufficiently upkept – an assertion DHS has denied. LEGAL WAR ON TRUMP’S AGENDA GAINS FIREPOWER AS FEDERAL LAWYERS DEFECT TO DEMOCRATS DHS told Fox News Digital that threats to election systems continue to evolve and that Secretary Markwayne Mullin has made critical infrastructure protection a top priority, with a spokesperson suggesting elections fall within that critical infrastructure and remain susceptible to foreign attacks. "Under President Trump’s leadership, we are taking decisive action to protect election systems from threats like foreign interference, insider threats, and cyberattacks," the DHS spokesperson said. "These new requirements for homeland security grant recipients will preserve election integrity and ensure that Americans can trust the results." The new rules come as the Trump administration suffered a major loss in court while seeking to force the issue of election security. An Obama-appointed federal judge in Pittsburgh sided with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania after the Justice Department sued more than 25 states seeking voter records that included Social Security numbers. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Judge Cathy Bissoon ruled the feds lack authority to demand "highly sensitive" state information – after Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt, a Philadelphia Republican appointed by Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, balked at a demand to turn over data last fall. Schmidt reportedly offered a redacted version of the state voter file without the sensitive data, telling the DOJ in his response that such "broad data" collection is a "concerning attempt to expand the federal government’s role in our country’s election process," according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. DHS’ new tact may or may not be tested in a similar fashion. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a502a84c2ca79de2365de1f Jessica Alba posts multiple bikini photos from Italian vacation with boyfriend Danny Ramirez te 2026-07-09T23:11:00.484Z Jessica Alba posts multiple bikini photos from Italian vacation with boyfriend Danny Ramirez Jessica Alba is soaking up the summer sun during her Italian vacation with her boyfriend. In a recent Instagram post, the 45-year-old actress shared snippets from her recent vacation to Tuscany with her boyfriend, Danny Ramirez, featuring many shots of her lounging in her bikini. "Ciao, Italy," the actress, who flashed her toned abs in a striking bikini, wrote as the caption for the Instagram carousel she shared. One of the photos featured Alba and Ramirez laying next to each other on lounge chairs on the beach, with Alba giving the camera a big smile as Ramirez gave her a kiss on her shoulder. JESSICA ALBA STUNS IN RED CORSET AND LACE MINI DRESS AS SHE CELEBRATES HER 45TH BIRTHDAY In the photo, the "Fantastic Four" actress showed off her tan and toned abs in a strapless brown bikini top and matching bottoms, which she paired with sunglasses and jewelry, including hoop earrings and a necklace. A second photo shows Alba looking off into the distance as she lounged in another bikini while in the middle of the ocean on a paddleboard. She also shared a clip of her and Ramirez lounging next to each other while on a boat off the coast of Tuscany. Alba was all smiles in a patterned red bikini, while Ramirez snacked on chips. "You look amazing and happy. Enjoy your vacation. ❤️🙌," one fan wrote in the comments section, while another added, "She doesn’t age!!! 🔥" A third wrote, "Looooking VERY happy girly!!! 🥰." CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER Ramirez and Alba first sparked relationship rumors in July 2025, and continued to do so after they were photographed together on multiple occasions throughout the rest of the year. They confirmed their relationship when they attended the Baby2Baby Gala together in November 2025. Since then, the two have been featured on each other's Instagram posts, with Alba calling him "my love" in a post celebrating her birthday, and thanking him "for loving me through every chapter." The two were recently spotted showing some PDA during their trip to Miami, Florida. They were photographed with their arms wrapped around each other and sharing multiple passionate kisses as they cooled off in the water. In a separate Instagram post, Alba shared she and Ramirez were in attendance at Madison Square Garden when Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce got married, sharing photos of the two of them prior to the event. LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS "We love love 🥰💒🫶🏽 Congrats to T&T - such a beautiful night celebrating you," she captioned the post. The photos showed Alba in a floor-length dress featuring a black bodice with a plunging neckline, which transitioned into a sequined gold skirt. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a502a5dc2ca79de2365de06 Erika Kirk Requests All Evidence in Husband’s Killing to Be Shown Publicly te 2026-07-09T23:10:21.579Z Erika Kirk Requests All Evidence in Husband’s Killing to Be Shown Publicly A lawyer for Charlie Kirk’s family said disclosure would help quell conspiracy theories, but the judge ruled that not all evidence would be shown in the courtroom or on a livestream. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50282dc2ca79de2365dd98 Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé fire France into World Cup semifinals with win over Morocco te 2026-07-09T23:01:01.463Z Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé fire France into World Cup semifinals with win over Morocco For the second straight World Cup, France has sent Morocco home with a 2-0 victory. In 2022, it was a historic semifinal, as Morocco became the first-ever African team to reach that stage of the tournament. But France defeated them to reach the World Cup Final in Qatar. Four years later, history repeated itself in the quarterfinals, as Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé scored second-half goals to send France back to the semifinals. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM France will now await the winner of Spain and Belgium, who face off against each other on Friday at 3 p.m. in Los Angeles. Much like Paraguay in the Round of 16 against France, Morocco was clearly focusing on their defense, making sure the likes of Mbappé didn’t have easy lanes to score. It was working to start the match, though France was immediately on the offensive and stayed there throughout. However, Morocco faltered when a foul was committed in their own box, forcing a penalty kick. KYLIAN MBAPPÉ'S SEVENTH GOAL OF THE WORLD CUP LIFTS FRANCE PAST PARAGUAY IN PHYSICAL ROUND OF 16 MATCH Mbappé stepped right up to the ball, but the head referee was waiting for the signal to see if a VAR check was needed before the penalty could be taken. The referee called it a penalty on the pitch, but he had Mbappé frustrated as he had to continue re-doing his routine multiple times before finally getting the chance. Morocco goalkeeper Yassine "Bono" Bounou read Mbappé like a book, as the French superstar tried to bait him into moving before his kick. But Bounou stood like a statue before pouncing to his left and keeping the scoreboard silent in the first half. Morocco didn't register its first real scoring chance until stoppage time, underscoring France's control of the match. It felt like only a matter of time before Les Bleus finally broke through. After getting back to their offensive ways in the second half, they left it to Mbappé to find just enough space inside Morocco’s box, with defenders draped all around him, to fire a perfectly placed kick past a diving Bounou for his eighth World Cup tournament goal. Mbappé is tied with Argentina’s Lionel Messi for the lead in this World Cup, while also having 20 for his career. Messi, who broke the all-time World Cup goals record earlier in the group stages, is up to 21 goals. With Morocco finally conceding, France began finding more space as its opponent was forced to open up in search of an equalizer. Dembélé exploited one of those gaps to perfection. In the 66th minute, Dembélé, using his weaker right foot, kept a screamer low toward Bounou’s net. Though the Morocco keeper got a hand on it, he didn’t get enough as it trickled into the back of the net. At this point, France knew it had the space it needed on the scoreboard to ride out the match. Though Morocco tried, they couldn’t get anything going, and Didier Deschamps’ squad once again proved how dominant they can be during this World Cup as they moved on to the semifinals. France will play on July 14 at 3 p.m. in Dallas, where they could face a Spain team that has yet to concede a goal in this tournament, or a Belgium squad that took out Team USA to reach the quarterfinals. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a502805c2ca79de2365dd69 Tucson Spotlight named finalist for national award te 2026-07-09T23:00:21.083Z Tucson Spotlight named finalist for national award Tucson Spotlight has been named a finalist for the Collaboration of the Year award by Local Independent Online News Publishers, a national organization that supports independent online news outlets. The award recognizes a newsroom that has successfully partnered with at least one other organization to strengthen its journalistic impact, financial health or operational resilience. Tucson Spotlight is one of three finalists in the category's small revenue tier, selected from 232 submissions across 10 award categories. The recognition highlights the newsroom's partnerships across Southern Arizona, including its work in South Tucson, a predominantly Hispanic community of 5,600 residents with limited digital access. Tucson Spotlight independently reported on the city and handled layout and design of two editions of a physical newsletter delivered to residents last year. The newsroom also hosts O'odham Media on its website and began producing a physical newsletter for Tohono O'odham Nation residents, bringing Indigenous journalism to one of Southern Arizona's most significant news deserts. Southern Arizona news written by journalists who live it. Free in your inbox. Additional collaborations with Arizona Luminaria, the Local News Initiative of Southern Arizona, Tucson Tome Gnome and the University of Arizona have produced literacy and civic events beyond what any single organization could accomplish alone. "This recognition belongs to our partners as much as it does to us," said Tucson Spotlight co-founder Caitlin Schmidt. "We've always believed that sustainable community journalism is built on relationships, and this work proves that collaboration is how small newsrooms reach the people who need local news most." This is the second consecutive year Tucson Spotlight has been named a LION Sustainability Awards finalist. Last year, the newsroom was a finalist for the New Business of the Year award. Founded in September 2024, Tucson Spotlight produces bilingual, community-focused reporting led by local and emerging journalists, with a mission centered on improving access to civic information in historically underserved communities. Since its launch, the newsroom has provided paid opportunities to more than 50 early career journalists. This year's finalists include 45 member organizations, with winners announced live during the LION Sustainability Awards celebration at the Independent News Sustainability Summit, held Sept. 9-11 in San Diego. Tucson Spotlight is a community-based newsroom that provides paid opportunities for students and rising journalists in Southern Arizona. Please consider supporting our work with a tax-deductible donation. Donate to Tucson Spotlight Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50236ac2ca79de2365dca6 North Carolina man broke into ex's home, fatally stabbed his 5-year-old son before going to Taco Bell: police te 2026-07-09T22:40:42.221Z North Carolina man broke into ex's home, fatally stabbed his 5-year-old son before going to Taco Bell: police A North Carolina man allegedly kicked down his ex-girlfriend's apartment door and fatally stabbed his 5-year-old son before leaving and heading to Taco Bell. Jehaaz-Akil Khaliq Echoles, 31, was charged with first-degree murder, the Pineville Police Department said on Thursday. Officers responded shortly after midnight on Thursday to the Sabal Point Apartments in Pineville for a report of an assault with a deadly weapon. When they arrived at the home, they found the victim with multiple stab wounds. The officers immediately began rendering emergency medical care to the child before rushing him to the hospital in a patrol car. THREE-TIME DEPORTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED WITH KILLING NORTH CAROLINA GIRL, 6, AFTER RUNNING STOP SIGN The boy was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Echoles' ex-girlfriend, who is also the child's mother, said the man broke into the apartment, entered their son's room and closed the door, according to an arrest affidavit, WGHP reported. She said she heard a commotion and went to the bedroom and opened the door, at which point Echoles fled, according to the affidavit. She found her son bleeding and unresponsive, covered in stab wounds to his head, neck and arms, and she immediately called 911. The woman and another child in the home were unharmed. Echoles was later arrested at a nearby Taco Bell, according to police. Police said this was a domestic incident and not a random act of violence. The motive for the attack is unclear at this time. Echoles has previous criminal history for assault. MARCELLUS WILEY'S WIFE CLAIMS EX-NFL STAR THREATENED TO KILL HER BEFORE FOURTH OF JULY DOMESTIC BATTERY ARREST This includes a conviction in North Carolina for assault on a woman in connection with an October 2020 incident. He also has multiple other assault-related cases going through the court system. He has been accused of two assaults on women this year. In one case, he beat a woman with a belt. In the other, he threw keys at a woman after he borrowed her car and refused to return it. Echoles is being held in the Mecklenburg County Jail without bond. His next court date is scheduled for July 30. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a5020fcc2ca79de2365dbfe OpenAI launches its new family of models with GPT-5.6 te 2026-07-09T22:30:20.668Z OpenAI launches its new family of models with GPT-5.6 OpenAI's latest family of models promise improvements across a range of areas, including cybersecurity. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a501eb8c2ca79de2365dbac FIFA World Cup champion praises Team USA despite tournament's end: 'They did surprise us' te 2026-07-09T22:20:40.205Z FIFA World Cup champion praises Team USA despite tournament's end: 'They did surprise us' It wasn't the ending Team USA wished for in the Round of 16 loss to Belgium, but a former FIFA World Cup champion believes the collective work this squad did on home soil should be celebrated. In fact, four years from now when the new World Cup tournament begins, he wouldn't be shocked if we see the USMNT making their way to its first-ever final. Christian Karembeu, the French legend who helped the country lift the World Cup trophy in 1998, said "as Europeans," and as a soccer player himself, the U.S. surprised him in this tournament. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM "They did surprise us. Nobody expected that they can play like that," Karembeu told Fox News Digital , while also discussing his partnership with Coca-Cola and FIFA for their "Every Throw-In Counts" initiative. "With speed, with possession at times, and also, the talent you have now. "I think [head coach Mauricio] Pochettino has done a great job and you need to be proud of Team USA because we didn’t expect that." LANDON DONOVAN RECALLS LIFE-CHANGING WORLD CUP MOMENT AMID PLAYERS' 'RESPONSIBILITY' OF GROWING GAME IN USA The entire country was rallying behind one of the three host nations, as Mexico and Canada also led the way in hospitality. Karembeu, who participated in the World Cup in 1994 when it was on American soil, has been enthralled by what he called a "successful" tournament thus far. But the 4-1 loss to Belgium, which saw some key blunders by the USMNT that led to goals, put a damper on the three wins the U.S. were able to come by in the tournament, including the Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Karembeu believes that the loss to Belgium should serve as a lesson for the U.S., as they look ahead to 2030. "We learn every time, every day, every year. I think that through Pochettino, Team USA has improved a lot," he explained. "That’s why I said I don’t think it’ll be surprising in the next four years – they’ll be in Morocco, Portugal and Spain – Team USA will maybe go to the final. Because now they have seen what was missing maybe, but I think it was more a lack of experience. Otherwise, they have the potential." Leading up to the Belgium match, the USMNT was in headlines around the globe after FIFA decided to invoke Article 27 of its disciplinary code and suspend the red card Folarin Balogun received in the Round of 32, which allowed him to play against Belgium . Many were furious, including the Belgian Football Federation, which released a scathing statement about the situation. TRUMP CALLED FIFA PRESIDENT TO REVIEW FOLARIN BALOGUN'S RED CARD AHEAD OF USA-BELGIUM MATCH, SOURCE SAYS Even President Donald Trump got involved, calling close friend and FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, to ask for a review of the red card. Some argued it could've distracted the U.S. from focusing on the match, but no excuses were made. Pochettino and many others acknowledged their lack of effort and precision in the biggest moment of the tournament. But again, Karembeu looks at the USMNT with a glass half full. "I think you need to focus on the collective result and what they achieved before that. We need to be very focused on what they delivered," he said. The U.S. could have the opportunity to make Karembeu's prediction come true, but they must first qualify for the World Cup now after getting an automatic bid for being the host country. EVERY THROW-IN COUNTS AT THE WORLD CUP Karembeu can’t get enough of Coca-Cola and FIFA’s new fan challenge during this World Cup, where "Every Throw-In Counts" gives fans a way to participate in the tournament beyond what goes down on the pitch. With a mixture of soccer, lifestyle and community care activities, the initiative encourages fans around the globe to complete simple, everyday activities, upload photos and score "goals" for chances to win exclusive prizes. From recycling to using public transport, to choosing reusable items, more than 5,000 fans and 34,000 goals have been tallied to date. And there’s still more games to play. "It is awesome. It’s fun, simple," Karembeu said. "Fans embrace it because it is simple. They can play with it with their families. It’s just perfect for everyone. "I think this is a lesson and model for everyone. Therefore, when you have this great platform for the World Cup tournament, it’s good to share this initiative with the fans. To be responsible and to be sustainable." Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a501cd8c2ca79de2365da9c Lake Havasu City braces for another week of dangerous heat te 2026-07-09T22:12:40.139Z Lake Havasu City braces for another week of dangerous heat If it feels like summer has settled in for good, the forecast for the coming week won't do much to change that. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a501cc4c2ca79de2365da93 AZ Governor bars state workers from using inside information on prediction-market bets te 2026-07-09T22:12:20.164Z AZ Governor bars state workers from using inside information on prediction-market bets PHOENIX -- Think you know what day that Interstate 10 bridge over the Gila River will be open to traffic? Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a501cb0c2ca79de2365da8a GOP ballot summaries draw claims of advocacy from Democrats te 2026-07-09T22:12:00.194Z GOP ballot summaries draw claims of advocacy from Democrats PHOENIX -- Republican lawmakers approved a plan of how measures on the November ballot would be explained to voters, rejecting claims by Democrats that their verbiage is mislead or even designed Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a501c9cc2ca79de2365da81 Planning commission to review permits for Hava Bite, Oasis Eateries food truck courts te 2026-07-09T22:11:40.228Z Planning commission to review permits for Hava Bite, Oasis Eateries food truck courts Two of Lake Havasu City's food truck courts will go before the Planning and Zoning Commission on Wednesday as part of the city's annual review process for their conditional use permits. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a501c87c2ca79de2365da4e Piers Morgan accuses Tim Miller of ‘TDS’ after Trump critic claims president has done ‘nothing’ good te 2026-07-09T22:11:19.746Z Piers Morgan accuses Tim Miller of ‘TDS’ after Trump critic claims president has done ‘nothing’ good Piers Morgan accused Tim Miller of showing "a clear symptom of Trump derangement syndrome" on Tuesday when the former Republican strategist said on "The Bulwark Podcast" that President Donald Trump has done "nothing" good. Morgan challenged Miller to name one positive thing Trump had done after Miller argued he should not have to soften his criticism of the president. "So right there, I’m afraid, is a classic example of a clear symptom of Trump derangement syndrome," Morgan said. The exchange came after Miller said Trump critics are often accused of having "TDS" even when they are, in his view, telling the truth about the president. WHITE HOUSE FIRES BACK AFTER 'SLOB' JB PRITZKER SAYS TRUMP IS SUFFERING FROM 'DEMENTIA' "Wwhat do you want me to do? Be a liar, shine his turds, pretend like he’s something that he’s not?" Miller said. "I mean, look, if the honest truth is everybody who goes in to work for Trump, and then has a falling out with him and leaves, sounds like me in the end." "I mean, John Kelly, you know, thought he’s a fascist. [James] Mattis, [Anthony] Scaramucci, we could go down the list. They all sound like me because I’m saying the truth about him," Miller said. Morgan then interrupted the argument with what he called a test. "Let me do a test. Tell me one good thing Trump has done," Morgan said. Miller pushed back by saying he believed Trump’s presidency was part of a larger flawed political project. DE NIRO SAYS HE CAN'T LOVE AMERICA, COMPARES COUNTRY TO ABUSIVE HUSBAND "The Abraham Accords is something that people say. That's turned out to be a s--- sandwich," Miller said, referring to the normalizing of diplomatic ties between Israel and several Arab states during Trump's first term. "No, I think everything has turned out to be a s--- sandwich." Morgan pressed Miller again on whether he could identify anything Trump had done well. "What do you think he’s done that’s been good?" Morgan said. Miller rejected the premise: "Nothing. I think that it’s a disaster." Morgan then listed border security as one Trump achievement Miller should be willing to acknowledge. "Obviously, shutting the southern border... stopping millions of people coming over the southern border illegally without going through any process was wrong. It happened under [Joe] Biden to catastrophic levels," Morgan said. BIDEN JUDGE OVERRULED ON KEY TRUMP IMMIGRATION POLICY Miller said he agreed with criticism of Biden's border record, but argued Trump blocked a legislative fix and then pursued an immigration policy Miller called un-American. "The Biden policy got out of hand. Much too late — this is a political criticism of him — Biden went to the Congress and tried to come up with a solution. Trump scuttled that solution, and then he did it via executive order," Miller said. Morgan cited Trump's role in freeing hostages held by Hamas in Gaza as an achievement. "The way he got the remaining hostages out of Gaza for Israel was a major achievement," Morgan said. Miller said the release of hostages was good, but argued that did not make Trump's broader Middle East policy successful. "Well, sure it’s good that the hostages are out, but that doesn’t mean his Israel policy is good," Miller said. Morgan said Trump deserved credit for that specific outcome while still criticizing his decision to go to war with Iran. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a501c60c2ca79de2365da23 OpenAI is shutting down Atlas, but its AI browser ambitions are still growing te 2026-07-09T22:10:40.321Z OpenAI is shutting down Atlas, but its AI browser ambitions are still growing OpenAI is sunsetting its AI-powered browser after less than a year. But it's moving some agentic browsing features to its desktop app and a Chrome extension. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a501c4cc2ca79de2365da1a An AI agent startup just let its agent run its $100 million fundraise te 2026-07-09T22:10:20.402Z An AI agent startup just let its agent run its $100 million fundraise Lyzr, a startup that builds AI agents for enterprises, used its own AI agent to raise a $100 million round — proof, evidently, that the product actually works. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a501a45c2ca79de2365d9ce Stephen Curry opens up about possibly teaming up with LeBron James, which was once a 'pipe dream' te 2026-07-09T22:01:41.360Z Stephen Curry opens up about possibly teaming up with LeBron James, which was once a 'pipe dream' For four consecutive years, Stephen Curry and LeBron James tried to win an NBA championship against one another — but soon, they might try to win one together. The two faces of this generation's NBA faced off against each other in the NBA Finals each year from 2015 to 2018, with Curry winning three and James winning one. What became a de facto annual series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors grew into one of the greatest on-court rivalries in the history of basketball. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM But after they teamed up for an Olympic gold medal in Paris, what was once an irrational thought turned into a reality, and suddenly Curry's Golden State Warriors found themselves among the favorites to land James after he announced he'd be leaving the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency. "If LeBron says he wants to play for you, you move mountains to get him," Curry told reporters at his American Century Championship media availability on Thursday. Curry all but confirmed the Warriors are in the "mix" of suitors for the NBA's all-time leading scorer, a scenario Curry can hardly believe. "I mean, up until probably two, three years ago, it was like a pipe dream question or even a thought, but that is a part of the allure," Curry said when asked by Fox News Digital about the possibility of playing alongside James after once being his public enemy No. 1. LEBRON JAMES NEXT TEAM ODDS: CAVALIERS FAVORED; HEAT, WARRIORS IN MIX "For him going into his 24th season, me going to my 18th, the battles that we had, that would be such a unique story in NBA history, sports history. But a little premature right now to talk about it other than that." After James and the Cavs completed the first-ever 3-1 comeback in NBA Finals history in 2016, the Warriors signed Kevin Durant, and they won the next two titles as James' surrounding talent diminished. James then went to the Lakers where he won his fourth title in 2020, but his tenure there is up after nine seasons. The Warriors appear to be on the outside looking in at the LeBron sweepstakes after being an early favorite, but reports have said James is going to make his decision based simply on his own happiness, money aside. And it's hard not to be happy playing alongside a fellow NBA legend who has gone from a rival to a good friend. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a501a31c2ca79de2365d9c5 Joy Reid gives Maine Democrats 'permission to not vote' if party replaces Graham Platner with a moderate te 2026-07-09T22:01:21.960Z Joy Reid gives Maine Democrats 'permission to not vote' if party replaces Graham Platner with a moderate Far-left journalist Joy Reid unloaded on the Democratic Party following Graham Platner’s suspension of his Maine Senate campaign on Wednesday, telling voters they have her "permission to not vote" if leadership opts to replace the progressive candidate with a more moderate option. On "The Joy Reid Show," the former MSNBC host warned key figures in the party that if they do not replace Platner with an "ideologically similar candidate," voters may stay home on Election Day. "You need to replace him with somebody who is ideologically the same, because that is what was decided. The people of Maine, the Democratic voters of Maine said, ‘We want a progressive.’ They did not say they want an AIPAC [American Israel Public Affairs Committee] moderate," Reid said. "So the Democratic Party in Maine ought to pick someone who is ideologically the same or ideologically similar as Platner." Reid went on to give Maine voters her blessing not to cast their ballot if the Democrats do not select a candidate whose policies are in line with Platner’s campaign promises. PLATNER DROPS OUT OF CRUCIAL SENATE RACE AFTER BOMBSHELL RAPE ALLEGATION TORPEDOES CAMPAIGN "If you don't and the DNC shoves an AIPAC candidate down your throat, you have my permission to not vote for them because the Democratic Party needs to learn that it is not, ‘Vote blue no matter who’ — it matters who," Reid continued. The podcast host suggested that the Democrats would have to reckon with an inevitable election loss if party leaders do not take voters’ preferences into account. "They sometimes need to lose in order to learn," Reid said. "Sometimes when you lose, you learn." Reid concluded with words of warning for the party that if they select another "sellout moderate" to fill Platner’s seat, the decision could cost them the election. "If they put another AIPAC sellout moderate in place of Graham Platner, and they do not put somebody in who is his same ideology, you have my permission to stay your a-- home. Then they will learn — when Susan Collins gets six more years," Reid said. "At this point, we have to teach Democrats. We need to instruct them and teach them how to treat us." SCANDAL-PLAGUED PLATNER CAPTURES DEMOCRATIC SENATE NOMINATION DESPITE MOUNTING CONTROVERSIES "It's like being in a relationship," Reid added. "We gotta teach you how to treat your wife." Reid’s comments come on the heels of Platner’s announcement that he was dropping out of the race just five days before a crucial 5 p.m. deadline on Monday, July 13, allowing the Maine Democratic Party to replace him on the general election ballot. The party has until July 27 to select a new nominee. Platner's suspension of his campaign was announced just days after Maine resident Jenny Racicot told CNN's Jake Tapper that "by dictionary definition" Platner "raped" her while the pair were in a relationship — allegations that Platner has vehemently denied. In a statement to Politico, Platner said, "These allegations are troubling, serious, and false. Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically untrue." PLATNER CAMPAIGN PUTTING ‘THUMB ON SCALE’ TO INFLUENCE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT, MAINE DEM ALLEGES CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE Platner was the subject of a second bombshell allegation published on Tuesday by The Washington Post, in which ex-girlfriend Lyndsey Fifield accused him of removing condoms during sex and engaging in physical misconduct. In a statement to the Post, the Platner campaign said that Fifield's latest allegations were "categorically false and politically motivated." In a video posted to X Wednesday night, Platner insisted he was not suspending his campaign "because of allegations" but was "doing it because of structures that are being taken away from us by those in power." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a501a1dc2ca79de2365d9b7 John Stamos told 'Dancing with the Stars' producers to never ask him to join the show again te 2026-07-09T22:01:01.999Z John Stamos told 'Dancing with the Stars' producers to never ask him to join the show again John Stamos is finally revealing why he'll never join "Dancing with the Stars." On Tuesday's episode of "The Bobbycast" podcast, Stamos revealed that he's asked every season to join, but never will. "What makes that show good is people suffering and looking like fools," Stamos began. "They’re breaking their feet, calluses. I don’t want that." The "Full House" star told host Bobby Bones that after being repeatedly asked to join, and always turning "DWTS" down, he finally made it very clear. JODIE SWEETIN SHARES SHOCKING 'FULL HOUSE' RESIDUAL CHECK AMOUNT DESPITE SHOW'S MEGA SUCCESS "I said, ‘Don’t ever ask me again.' I’m never gonna do that show," Stamos said. LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS Bones, who won "DWTS" with Sharna Burgess in 2018, attempted to sway Stamos and said the actor would "learn so much." Bones was unsuccessful at changing Stamos's mind. In 2010, Stamos took to Twitter and announced that he would not be joining "Dancing with the Stars." CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER "I’m not doing ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ Flattered to be asked. I’m not a dancer. I’d put my foot in my mouth faster than John Mayer," Stamos wrote at the time, according to People. "DWTS" pro Karina Smirnoff had invited Stamos at the time to compete on the show. "He could be a great dancer," Smirnoff said at the time, per People. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a5019f6c2ca79de2365d98b Elon Musk praises Mythos/Fable, promises not to ‘cut off’ Anthropic te 2026-07-09T22:00:22.073Z Elon Musk praises Mythos/Fable, promises not to ‘cut off’ Anthropic Should Anthropic trust Elon Musk to host its models? With about $40 billion in revenue at stake, Musk insists that the company can. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a5017c3c2ca79de2365d938 American Century Championship brings celebrities to the golf course for a star-studded tournament te 2026-07-09T21:50:59.710Z American Century Championship brings celebrities to the golf course for a star-studded tournament The American Century Championship is where celebrities go to duke it out on the golf course. The Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe is where the biggest show in celebrity golf will take place. The tournament begins on July 10 and runs through July 12. The American Century Championship uses a Modified Stableford scoring system rather than traditional stroke play, which means that instead of counting total strokes, players are instead awarded points based on their score for each hole. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM An albatross is worth 10 points, a hole-in-one is worth eight points, an eagle is worth six points, a birdie is worth three points, a par is worth one point, a bogey is worth nothing and anything two over par or worse is worth minus two points. Last year, former NHL star Joe Pavelski won with 73 points. World Series champion John Smoltz finished second with 64 points, country singer Jake Owen came in third with 62 points, former USMNT soccer star Taylor Twellman came in fourth with 61 points, while Golden State Warriors legend Steph Curry came in fifth with 58 points. Smoltz told Fox News Digital in a recent interview that he has not started fast enough in the first round, forcing him to play catch-up. "I get off to a slow start. Every tournament I rally second and third round with too big of a hole. I make a ton of pars. It's so frustrating to say that I make a ton of pars. That would be normally good, but it's not in this tournament. I think at one point I made 29 pars in a row in one tournament and it was nauseating. It was like I'd rather bite the head of my putter off because you only get one point for a par," Smoltz told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. Smoltz attributed his slow starts to a conservative mindset and stressed the importance of making birdie putts. "You get three times the value for a birdie. So, like last year, I think I made seven or eight birdies the last round to finish second. Couldn't chase down Pavelski, but I'm like, where has that been? Where's those birdies in the first round?" Smoltz said. SUPER BOWL CHAMPION JOE THEISMANN SAYS THE NFL'S IS LOSING TRADITION TO STREAMING-ERA SCHEDULING LPGA legend Annika Sorenstam echoed Smoltz’s sentiment about needing to be aggressive because of the scoring system. "I would love to bring it home. I have not been able to do that, I keep trying every year. Keep knocking on in the door. I want to get the guys one time. I mean it obviously I have to play well all three rounds. I think I need to be a little more aggressive because it's Stableford as you know," Sorenstam told Fox News Digital. "Different format than I'm used to. I mean, as far as you know, my professional career, we played stroke play for four days. Consistency was really the key. Now it's about getting points and you get points by being more aggressive here. It rewards birdies and Eagles. I think I got to really try to be a little bit more aggressive, which is maybe not my nature when it comes to golf." Smoltz, Sorenstam, Owen, Pavelski, Curry, former NFL star Adam Thielen, and Los Angeles Lakers star Austin Reaves are among the favorites. While the golf is certainly a major draw from some of the celebrities, many praised the atmosphere the tournament has. "I think American Century does a great job of getting good people to come out there and be a part of the tournament and it's a lot of good golf too," Minnesota Twins legend Joe Mauer told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. WORLD SERIES CHAMPION JOHN SMOLTZ REVEALS WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN THE AMERICAN CENTURY CHAMPIONSHIP "They make you feel like you're on the tour for one week." This will be the 37th American Century Championship, and Super Bowl champion Joe Theismann has played in 36 of them. He said he used to be a 2-handicap, but is now a nine, as he doesn’t hit the ball as far. He called the event a can’t-miss event, not just because of the golf, but because of all the people you get to meet. "The American Century Championship has evolved to one of those things that if you love golf at all and you happen to be in that quote-unquote celebrity world, it's the thing you really want to participate in. You get to measure your game. You get to pull back the curtain on so many wonderful people and you get to see those that you watch on TV because I'm a fan of everything. But now you get a chance to see them up close and personal and you get a chance to meet them and get to know them and it's exciting," Theismann told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. The 76-year-old said he gets to visit people on the range. He mentioned Jerry Rice, Tony Romo, and Miles Teller as people he has had conversations with, calling himself a ‘fanboy’ of Teller’s. Theismann said "Top Gun: Maverick" is his favorite movie of all time. ESPN broadcaster Jay Bilas said he was invited six or seven years ago and called it the equivalent of a PGA Tour player being invited to the Masters. ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW! "When I got invited six, seven years ago and I was thrilled. I just couldn't believe I would get to do it. And they've been they must have a very low bar, but they've invited me back ever since. And to me, getting that invitation has got to be the equivalent of a PGA tour player getting invited to the Masters. So, you get the invitation, you're like, "Oh, my God, I can't believe they invited me back again." And it's an automatic yes," Bilas told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. "It's just a thrill. And it's equally thrilling once you're there cause it's a beautiful setting in Lake Tahoe at the Edgewood Resort. The weather's always spectacular. Seventy thousand people are there in shorts and sundresses and just enjoying seeing some of their favorite celebs." Bilas said he loves competing in the tournament, but called the atmosphere what makes it special. He credited CEO Jonathan Thomas for being so welcoming and creating a family environment that everyone loves. NFL great Patrick Peterson said the event has evolved over the years and said it’s something that his whole family enjoys. "My girls look forward to going to Lake Tahoe each and every year to not only walk with dad, but to go out on the lake," Peterson told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. "Go on top the mountain and doing the zipline and things like that. So, the memories that they're able to create for the families that are involved are countless." NFL legend Jerome Bettis said the American Century Championship gives him a locker room vibe he doesn’t get anymore. SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS "I think the favorite part is really getting to chop it up with the athletes because, obviously, being retired, you don't get the chance to do that anymore. And, so, when you do get a chance to kind of rib guys and have fun with guys like that locker room experience again, it's really fun and exhilarating," Bettis said. The tournament has raised more than $8 million for regional and national charities. American Century Investments donates 40% of its profits to the Stowers Institute for Medical Research and activates fundraising at the tournament to drive direct donations to Stowers each year. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50179cc2ca79de2365d90c Can AI answer the $3 trillion question? te 2026-07-09T21:50:20.292Z Can AI answer the $3 trillion question? The AI ROI debate has returned and the numbers are even bigger, as are, perhaps, the consequences. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a501581c2ca79de2365d8b7 Tom Hanks' son Chet Hanks shares the life-changing decision that followed rehab and addiction te 2026-07-09T21:41:21.255Z Tom Hanks' son Chet Hanks shares the life-changing decision that followed rehab and addiction Chet Hanks offered a deeply personal look at his struggles with addiction and self-worth, saying he didn't find peace until he stopped trying to control everything and gave it to God. Hanks reflected on the emotional burden of growing up in the shadow of Tom Hanks, his journey through rehab and the lessons he's learned since during an appearance on "Artist Friendly with Joel Madden." The 35-year-old actor said life changed for him when he embraced gratitude for life's simplest moments rather than focusing on opportunities that weren't coming. "... I did notice that once I learned to truly love the simple s--t, it made ... my career happen a lot smoother," he told host Joel Madden. "Like that's actually the game changer that shifted everything in my career," Hanks said. CHET HANKS DITCHED LUXURY APARTMENTS FOR NASHVILLE TRAILER PARK "Like once I was like, I don't have s--t. I'm broke. Like I'm fresh outta rehab or whatever. I got nothing going on. No opportunity's happening. Nobody's calling my phone. Nobody's f---ing, I don't even have an audition. Music? No one gives a f--k about my music. You know what I mean?" he added. "But I was so grateful to just have a spot, have my bike, wake up in the morning. Wow. It's a beautiful day. I'm gonna go for a walk." The actor said that embracing gratitude after rehab ultimately led him to surrender his worries to God rather than trying to control every outcome. "When I got to that point, that's when the phone started ringing," he explained. "You know what I'm saying? It's an energetic thing .... I truly believe that. I feel like we are trained to think that we have to hustle and grind to make s--t happen. And to some extent that's true. But for me, I can truly say that when I was putting it all on myself, I gotta grind. I gotta hustle. I gotta think of something. I gotta come up with a plan. I gotta f---ing do this. I gotta f---ing wait. You know what I mean? I got nowhere. Like, it was always just one f---ing obstacle after the other." Instead of relying solely on hustle, Hanks said he found peace by placing his faith in God. "It felt like I was just never making any progress. When I truly let go, and I'm like, you know what, f--k all that. I gotta just enjoy the simple s--t and trust God. And what I'm worrying about. I give it to God. I tell God, 'Yo God, check this out. This is what I'm worrying about. I'm stressed about this. I don't know what the f--k I'm gonna do. I don't gotta answer. I'm giving it to you. You deal with it. Please. Amen.' That's when s--t started happening." Reflecting on his addiction, Hanks offered a candid explanation for what drew him to drugs in the first place. "See, that was my problem, is that I liked not being in control. That was like the thrill of it." TOM HANKS’ SON CHET TRAPPED IN MEDELLIN AFTER USING GREEK PASSPORT FOR COLOMBIA TRIP GOES WRONG Hanks also looked back on his childhood, explaining how growing up as the son of one of Hollywood's biggest stars shaped his self-worth. He admitted he was "hyper aware" of how people interacted with him to the point that it "was like an overload." "There's so much information that I'm picking up on," Hanks said. "These micro things that I'm aware of, that was so overwhelming, that the way I dealt with it was just tune it out completely," he explained. "Because if I didn't shut it off completely, I would be consumed by it. And that kind of created its own monster." He explained that those feelings made him crave a sense of freedom that had eluded him for years. "...the circumstances I was born into was like, I didn't feel like I needed to meet the bar. I felt like I had to excel past the bar in order for me to just ... live up to who I thought I should be," he explained. Those pressures became deeply internalized, according to Hanks. "Over long periods of time, the result, for me at least, was to internalize it – forming the belief that there is something wrong with me," he admitted. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER Hanks said the emotional toll boiled down to one overwhelming feeling. "Like really what it is, is just feeling worthless," Hanks said. "... I felt worthless. You know what I'm saying? People ask me, 'What was it like for you growing up?' ... They have an idea in their head, like, of like some, like f---ing awesome." "That wasn't it dude," he emphasized. "And that wasn't it. It was like, just feeling f---ing worthless." Hanks revealed his Nashville trailer home represents the freedom he spent years searching for after addiction and growing up in the shadow of one of Hollywood's biggest stars. "I just love the feeling of like freedom," he told Madden. "That to me is, I realize like that that's the most important thing in life for me, hands down." LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS Hanks traded swanky apartment living for a Nashville trailer park while pursuing his country music dreams. He launched his country music career in 2025 as he created his band, Something Out West, with collaborator Drew Arthur. The duo released "Leaving Hollywood" and recently performed at the Stagecoach Festival. Looking back on his journey, Hanks said one lesson stands above all the rest. "I just feel like gratitude is the key to unlocking everything," he explained. "Because if you're not grateful for, at least, you could have a s----y job that you hate. But if you're not at least grateful in that s----y job for your health, for your loved ones. Then if you don't learn the importance of gratitude when you don't have sh--, you're not gonna learn it If you get all the s--t." "And even if you get all the s--t, if you've never learned why you have to be grateful, then it won't even f---ing matter, and you won't even enjoy it," Hanks noted. "And then what's the point?" Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50156dc2ca79de2365d8ae NASA chief confirms agency has unexplained UFO imagery; 'we don't know what it is' te 2026-07-09T21:41:01.826Z NASA chief confirms agency has unexplained UFO imagery; 'we don't know what it is' NASA head Jared Isaacman recently confirmed that the space agency has taken images of objects that remain unknown, which could be classified as UFOs. Isaacman, who began serving as NASA's chief administrator in December, said the imagery could not be explained. "We have captured imagery — and this is what President Trump is very forward-leaning about — that based on the data that we have within that imagery, we don't know what it is," he told podcast host Jack Gordon in a June 30 episode. Isaacman stopped short of saying the images were proof of extraterrestrial life, but said he was confident that at some point, humans will conclude that other lifeforms exist beyond planet Earth. 'MILESTONE': SCIENTISTS CLAIM TO BUILD SYNTHETIC CELL, RAISING CONCERNS IN STEP TOWARD ARTIFICIAL LIFE "I think there's a very real possibility we're going to arrive at a conclusion in our lifetime that perhaps there's life everywhere out there and that it isn't as infrequent as it could possibly be," he added. NASA has previously denied having any evidence to suggest that UFOs are extraterrestrial in origin. A 2023 report by an independent group of scientists and experts convened by NASA stated that more data was needed to better understand certain encounters that defied explanation. 'MILESTONE': SCIENTISTS CLAIM TO BUILD SYNTHETIC CELL, RAISING CONCERNS IN STEP TOWARD ARTIFICIAL LIFE The Pentagon has released batches of data, images, and other files related to Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP). In June, it released dozens of records published through the Trump administration's Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters, or PURSUE, a government-wide effort to declassify files related to UAPs. "We did keep a lot of that buried in files somewhere and the president said, ‘Why? Put it out there. We don't have time to study it. Let other people tell us what it is,’ and you're seeing that effort and you're going to continue to see it," Isaacman said. 'MILESTONE': SCIENTISTS CLAIM TO BUILD SYNTHETIC CELL, RAISING CONCERNS IN STEP TOWARD ARTIFICIAL LIFE Thus far, nothing has pointed to definitive proof of extraterrestrial life. Isaacman noted that while NASA has images appearing to show unexplainable objects, it has yet to see evidence of crashed alien bodies or recovered spacecraft. However, he teased that NASA may already have evidence of life on Mars, a mere 250 million miles away. "We got samples on Mars right now," he said. "If we bring them back, there is a very high probability that they will point to, at some point, microbial life at least on Mars." "I can't hate the subject," Isaacman added. "In fact, I'm incredibly fascinated by it because that is at the heart of what we're trying to do at NASA — answer the question, are we alone?" Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50155ac2ca79de2365d8a5 Unearthed records reveal Dem mayor sought tax hike to fund DEI role ahead of key House race te 2026-07-09T21:40:42.348Z Unearthed records reveal Dem mayor sought tax hike to fund DEI role ahead of key House race Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District, once proposed raising taxes to make room for a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) officer. A "DEI coordinator" was among eight new hires in the city’s 2023 proposed budget and would have set aside $25,500 for the position. In order to cover the costs of that opening and those of a police chief, a fire chief, a business administrator, a solicitor and a director of public works, the budget included a 3% property tax increase, estimated to generate $957,000 for the city. The positions themselves were estimated to cost $380,500. That budget was ultimately not adopted. Cognetti’s proposed plan highlights her beliefs about diversity in government and the directness with which government should pursue representation among certain demographics as she looks to flip one of the country’s most competitive districts and unseat incumbent Rep. Rob Bresnahan, R-Pa. RED-STATE SENATOR DROPS HAMMER ON DEM MAYOR OVER NEW 'WOKE' DEI ORDINANCE WHILE VIOLENT CRIME SURGES In the past, Cognetti has highlighted her purposeful pursuit of diversity in government. "We’re not doing this for the publicity. We’re doing this quietly so that these conversations just become the norm," Cognetti said in a podcast appearance. When asked about the DEI proposals and the 2023 budget, the Cognetti campaign pointed out that Bresnahan’s company has received government assistance for being "women-owned," support it says is in line with DEI policies. "Rob Bresnahan’s own company identifies itself as disadvantaged and women-owned in order to get a leg up on securing federal contracts," a Cognetti spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital, referring to Kuharchik Construction Inc. The company, which Bresnahan began leading as CEO in 2013, has received $162,000 in federal contracts since 2008, according to records. MAMDANI COMPARISONS FOLLOW COLORADO DEMOCRAT INTO PIVOTAL HOUSE RACE AFTER PRIMARY WIN It has not received federal payments since 2017. The campaign also said that many of Cognetti’s other acts as mayor directly helped bring the city’s costs down. "Mayor Cognetti ran as an independent against a corrupt Democratic machine and reformed city hall. She saved taxpayers' money by balancing the budget after years of mismanagement, turned down a government car and gas card, refused a pay raise, and improved the city’s credit rating from junk bond status to an A- investment rating," the Cognetti campaign continued. "Now Paige is running to take on corrupt politicians in Washington like Rob Bresnahan, who has stock traded off of his votes and his access to insider information in Congress." Bresnahan is not under investigation for insider trading, a violation of House rules. Despite her emphasis on cutting government spending, Cognetti’s framing of the 2023 budget and its DEI role reflects her belief that diversity should be an area where the government places more of its resources. She explained her thinking in a 2023 podcast. "I will say that we’ve had some setbacks. Last year we put a DEI coordinator in our budget. My city council cut that position with zero fanfare. There was no public comment. And this is where I think that the positive advocacy is missing," Cognetti said of her budget proposal. "You know, you want to raise taxes 3%. ‘Well, it should be only 2%.’ Okay, well, let’s have that conversation," she said. In Cognetti’s view, her work on DEI has not clashed with Scranton's interests, and she affirms that hiring the best candidates has naturally led to greater diversity in government roles. MAYORS WANT TO KEEP HANDING OUT FREE CASH AFTER FEDERAL FUNDS DRIED UP "We’re not doing it by cherry-picking, but by merit, and lo and behold, City Hall looks different," Cognetti said. "When you walk into City Hall today, there are far more people of color and far more women working there, I think, than you would have seen four years ago. And again, it's not because we have had some grand strategy beyond really just hiring the best people for the jobs and trying to make sure that our jobs are posted in places that people are looking, right?" Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a501302c2ca79de2365d82d Major NBA trade won't be official until league's investigation into team's salary cap accusations is complete te 2026-07-09T21:30:42.795Z Major NBA trade won't be official until league's investigation into team's salary cap accusations is complete Kawhi Leonard isn't going to Toronto just yet. Last week, Leonard's Los Angeles Clippers agreed to a trade that would send him to the Toronto Raptors, where he won a championship in 2019. However, the trade is reportedly on hold until the NBA's investigation into the Clippers is complete. Leonard is accused of receiving off-the-books money through an apparent endorsement deal to help the Clippers circumvent the salary cap. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM "For the past 10 months, our organization has fully cooperated with an NBA investigation, participating in dozens of interviews, providing tens of thousands of documents, and facilitating access to our staff. While the process has been challenging, we have remained committed to transparency," the Clippers said in a statement to ESPN. "On June 30, we reached an agreement in principle to trade Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors. We have since been informed that the trade can only be finalized if the Raptors' ownership group assumes the risk of penalties related to Kawhi’s contract that could theoretically result from the ongoing investigation. "The investigation is ongoing, and we expect the trade to be finalized following its conclusion." In the statement, the Clippers denied any wrongdoing. LEBRON JAMES NEXT TEAM ODDS: CAVALIERS FAVORED; HEAT, WARRIORS IN MIX "We did not funnel money to Kawhi Leonard through Aspiration. Like many sophisticated investors, financial institutions, and business partners, we were victims of a fraud initiated by [Aspiration co-founder Joe] Sanberg, who has been convicted and sentenced to 14 years in prison," the team said. "We recognize the uncertainty this has created and the impact it has had on our team, our fans, the Raptors organization, their fans, and the players whose futures remain affected while this process continues. We remain confident that, when the facts are evaluated fairly and thoroughly, the NBA will confirm exactly what we have said from the beginning: We have not done what we are accused of doing." The Raptors said to ESPN they "would assume the risk of any potential outcome" of the investigation and "will wait until the league's investigation is complete." "The Raptors remain eager to bring Kawhi back to Toronto and look forward to a swift resolution for our players, our organization, and our fans," they said. Leonard remains under contract through 2027 and is set to earn more than $50 million next season. According to reports, he also hopes to sign a two-year, $126.1 million extension that would allow him to finish his career in Canada. The Raptors agreed to part with forward Brandon Ingram, guard Gradey Dick, two future first-round picks, a first-round pick swap, and two second-round picks. Outkick's Alejandro Avila contributed to this report. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50115dc2ca79de2365d7e2 Graham Platner ex reveals reach-out before campaign, says he was trying to 'take my temperature' te 2026-07-09T21:23:41.866Z Graham Platner ex reveals reach-out before campaign, says he was trying to 'take my temperature' FIRST ON FOX — Lyndsey Fifield never believed ex-boyfriend Graham Platner was fit for office and suspects a friendly text exchange years after their relationship ended was intended to see if she would keep his skeletons in the closet.  Fifield, who dated Platner between 2013-2015, was among the women to speak out about Platner’s controversial past before he officially dropped out of the Maine Senate race Wednesday night amid mounting party pressure.  Roughly a decade after their relationship ended, Fifield said she received a random text from Platner in June 2025. She recalled Platner being friendly and expressing happiness that she found success, complimenting her "happy family" photos posted on Instagram.  NEW YORK TIMES UNDER SCRUTINY OVER GRAHAM PLATNER COVERAGE AS ACCUSERS SPEAK OUT AGAINST PAPER Then, Platner joked about not having to worry about anything "unflattering" from his past because he’s a simple oyster farmer and "oysters don’t require a clearance" before noting he was "immensely curious" about what Fifield had written in her diary about their relationship, according to an image of a screenshot she shared with Fox News Digital that Fifield says is a portion of her conversation. Fifield was cordial and responded, "Maybe I’ll let you read some when we’re old," but she says she inwardly was appalled. "I screenshotted it and sent it to a friend of mine like, ‘The audacity of this man,’" Fifield told Fox News Digital during a phone interview just hours before Platner suspended his campaign on Wednesday. Platner launched his since-abandoned bid for U.S. Senate in August 2025, the month following the alleged conversation.  "When I saw that he was running, it felt like a knife twist, because he was just trying to take my temperature," Fifield said.  Platner’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.  Fifield went on to speak out about Platner, accusing him of physical misconduct during their relationship, saying that he sometimes grabbed her hard enough to leave marks on her body and that one time he twisted her arm around her back, pushed her into a bedroom and held the door shut until she "calmed down."  Later, when speaking with another accuser, Fifield said she realized the "extremely promiscuous" Platner had dated both women at the same time. "He was disgusting. He was lying to us both the whole time," Fifield said. Fifield said she initially wanted to help the Marine Corps combat veteran overcome PTSD, comparing him to a "wounded animal." As the relationship progressed, she said Platner became more "controlling" and would make threats to get his way.  WHO IS VALLI GEIGER? MEET THE MAINE DEM THAT PLATNER URGED TO RUN FOR SENATE While Fifield has put a public spotlight on many of Platner’s alleged flaws, she understands why some Maine residents initially found him appealing. "He could also be incredibly charming. He had a very big personality. … He’s this charismatic narcissist that knows how to work a room," Fifield said.  Despite his personality, Fifield said there is "no chance in hell" that anyone who knew Platner during their relationship would have predicted he would ever have been considered a legitimate Senate candidate.  "He was such a loser," she said. "He was drinking all day and all night." Platner suspended his campaign Wednesday amid mounting controversies — including one former girlfriend who accused him of sexual assault — and growing calls from top Democrats in Maine and across the country to quit the race. He called the sexual misconduct allegations against him "false" and blasted the media for pushing the claims.  "The things that have been claimed did not happen. It is not real," Platner said. "Those in power who have the ability to do so are using these allegations as an excuse to take away all the things that we need to run a campaign." Platner was a controversial candidate throughout the race, including for a Nazi tattoo on his chest, past incendiary rhetoric online, abusive behavior in prior relationships and sexually explicit messages he'd send to women outside his marriage.  But Democrats and left-wing media figures largely stood by him as he tried to unseat Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, until the sexual assault charge this week finally prompted calls for him to step aside. Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser, Joseph A. Wulfsohn and Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50114ac2ca79de2365d7d9 These school supplies are cheaper online than in stores — Amazon, Best Buy and more te 2026-07-09T21:23:22.402Z These school supplies are cheaper online than in stores — Amazon, Best Buy and more Many back-to-school essentials are already cheaper online than they are in stores. Get a head start on shopping with the best deals from Amazon, Staples and Best Buy on everything from JanSport backpacks and graphing calculators to notebooks, pencils and more. Original price: $110.85 Graphing calculators can be one of the biggest back-to-school expenses. Right now, Amazon has the Texas Instruments TI-84 — a model commonly required for math classes — for less than $100. If you're looking to spend less, Staples also has the Casio FX graphing calculator, which offers many similar features and comes in pink. Original price: $40 JanSport backpacks are a staple, but Amazon currently offers some of the best prices. Pick up a classic JanSport backpack in a variety of colors for just $36, beating in-store prices by $20. If you need extra space, Staples also has a floral JanSport laptop backpack.  READ MORE: Buy it for life: Durable products worth every dollar (now on sale) Original price: $129.99 Save $31 on Apple's AirPods 4 at Amazon, where they're on sale for just $99. Staples also has the earbuds on sale, but for $117. The latest generation features improved sound quality and a more comfortable fit. Get an 18-pack of classic yellow pencils from Amazon for just $4. If mechanical pencils are on your shopping list, Staples offers a better value with a 40-pack for only $10. Original price: $11.49 Amazon has one of the best deals on Pilot pens, with a four-pack marked down by more than 50%. For comparison, Staples charges about $10 for a three-pack of fine-point Pilot pens, while Amazon's four-pack costs just over $5. Original price: $9.31 After comparing prices at Amazon, Staples and Best Buy, Amazon offers the best deal on this six-pack of Mead notebooks thanks to a 25% discount. The set includes six colors, making it easy to organize notebooks by class. READ MORE: 21 small Amazon buys that make everyday tasks easier, from just $4 Original price: $89.99 Amazon and Best Buy are tied on price for the HP DeskJet 2955 printer at $69.99, a savings of $20. Both retailers also include three months of Instant Ink with your purchase. Original price: $19.53 Five Star binders cost more than $30 at Staples and Best Buy, but Amazon has them for about $20, saving you more than $14. If color isn't a priority, the red version is an even better value at just $17. Original price: $5.56 Amazon comes out ahead again with some of the best prices on Crayola supplies. A two-pack of Crayola crayons costs just $13, while a single-pack at Best Buy is priced at $31. You can also pick up a 12-count of Crayola markers for just $6. READ MORE: Save up to 80% on summer essentials, from cooling pajamas to sandals Amazon has kids' Owala FreeSip water bottles for $25 in a variety of fun colors, making it an easy stop for a back-to-school essential. Choose from bright combinations like mint green and brown or orange and navy. Original price: $9.97 No matter where you shop, it's easy to save on Elmer's glue sticks right now. Amazon has a 30-count pack for just over $7, while Staples offers a six-pack for $4. READ MORE: Save 40% off or more on back-to-school essentials from HP, Anker, JanSport and more Original price: $22.99 Best Buy has the best price on this Logitech wireless mouse at just $15, a 35% discount. The battery lasts up to 18 months, making it a practical pick for school or work. A similar model on Amazon costs about $30, even on sale. For more Deals, visit www.foxnews.com/deals With a new Minions movie in theaters, this Simple Modern Minions backpack from Amazon is a fun back-to-school pick. It features multiple storage pockets, including a padded laptop sleeve. For a more collectible option, Kipling also offers Minions-themed backpacks, pencil cases and tablet bags. If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can get these items sent to your door ASAP. You can join or start a 30-day free trial to start your shopping today. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a501136c2ca79de2365d7d0 ESPN's John Buccigross names his Mount Rushmore of all-time SportsCenter anchors te 2026-07-09T21:23:02.457Z ESPN's John Buccigross names his Mount Rushmore of all-time SportsCenter anchors This October will mark 30 years since John Buccigross made his ESPN debut. Over the past three decades, he's become one of the network's most recognizable voices, anchoring SportsCenter and calling NHL games. Buccigross joined OutKick this week for a wide-ranging conversation that revealed a side of him many viewers have never seen. He opened up about his divorce, his personal struggles, and how faith helped him through some of the most difficult years of his life. We also asked him about a popular debate among sports fans: Who belongs on the Mount Rushmore of SportsCenter anchors? ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW! "Chris Berman is the first name. He built the place," Buccigross said. "He was the everyday sports fan, the king of Middle America. He just loved sports, and that came through every night." His second choice came just as quickly. "Keith Olbermann is the other. His intelligence, his writing and his knowledge of history took the show to another level." From there, Buccigross struggled to narrow the list to just four. "Man, this is really hard," Buccigross admitted before working through the remaining candidates. First, he mentioned Craig Kilborn: "Craig Kilborn was different because he brought comedy. When he came on, it felt like a new artist had arrived. I'd see his name in the opening credits and know I was watching. He was genuinely funny and completely unique." Then Scott Van Pelt: "Scott Van Pelt deserves to be in the conversation, too. He's become an outstanding interviewer, maybe the best in the business. His 'One Big Thing' essays are exceptional, and to produce that level of work every night on a solo show is remarkable." CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGE Then Stuart Scott: "Obviously, Stuart Scott was a comet. He came along and did the job in a way nobody else had. He became a true pop culture star. People who didn't even watch ESPN knew who Stuart Scott was." And finally, Dan Patrick: "Dan Patrick also belongs in the conversation. He had an understated style that never wore on viewers. He made it look effortless, and that's a rare skill." Eventually, we made Buccigross lock in his final two choices. "So if you have to narrow it to four, who are the final faces on Mount Rushmore?" I asked. "Berman and Olbermann are locks," he responded. "Stuart Scott has to be there because of his impact and star power. That fourth spot is the toughest. You can make a case for Dan Patrick, Craig Kilborn or Scott Van Pelt." After thinking it over, he made his final pick. "If I'm picking one, I'll go with Scott Van Pelt. His ability to interview people, write essays, read highlights and connect with viewers puts him over the top. He's got the touch." So, according to John Buccigross, the SportsCenter Mount Rushmore consists of Chris Berman, Keith Olbermann, Stuart Scott and Scott Van Pelt. Do you agree? Let us know your SportsCenter Mount Rushmore on X at @burackbobby_. Stay tuned to OutKick for more from our interview with John Buccigross in the coming days. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a501122c2ca79de2365d7c7 FAA sounds alarm as summer flyers approach July's biggest air traffic crunch te 2026-07-09T21:22:42.980Z FAA sounds alarm as summer flyers approach July's biggest air traffic crunch Travelers taking to the skies today are expected to face the busiest air travel day of July. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is forecasting over 56,000 flights nationwide for Thursday, July 9, the agency told Fox News Digital. The FAA's latest forecast calls for 56,311 flights, just eight fewer than the 56,319 flights recorded on June 25, the busiest day of the year so far. AIRLINES PREPARE FOR RECORD-BREAKING SPRING BREAK TRAVEL SURGE AS AMERICANS 'PRIORITIZE EXPERIENCES' The timing may surprise some travelers, with the busiest flying day of the month falling nearly a week after the Fourth of July rather than during the holiday weekend itself. New York-based travel expert Lee Abbamonte told Fox News Digital the unusual travel spike reflects shifting summer vacation patterns following the Fourth of July holiday. "This unusual mid-July surge is due to peak summer vacation travel and people returning from extended Fourth of July trips," Abbamonte said. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER "This has all added up to a ridiculously busy travel day in a normally very busy time of the year." He said travelers who delayed their return flights may also have benefited from lower fares. "I think that has to do with extended vacations and the fact that off-days are generally cheaper for flying. Flying today on a Thursday is cheaper than it would have been last Sunday or even Monday with the holiday weekend," Abbamonte said. CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert and author of the blog "View From the Wing," told Fox News Digital that while July 4 marked the peak of the holiday itself, it was not necessarily the busiest day for flight operations. "Many people drive for the Fourth of July," Leff said. "Now that summer is in full swing, schools are out and bigger summer trips are underway, you get a combination of return traffic from extended trips, mid-summer leisure demand and the heavy end-of-week airline schedule," Leff said. To help travelers navigate the crowds, Leff recommended booking nonstop flights whenever possible and choosing early morning departures, which are generally less likely to be affected by delays that build throughout the day. "When possible, travel nonstop," he said.  "Connections multiply the chances that something will go wrong." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50110ec2ca79de2365d7a3 Big 12 media days: ASU using World Cup experience as showcase for Union Jack Classic in London te 2026-07-09T21:22:22.497Z Big 12 media days: ASU using World Cup experience as showcase for Union Jack Classic in London FRISCO, Texas – When Mikel Merino buried Spain’s winner against Portugal into the corner of the net, half of the Arizona State football team’s leadership council completely missed it. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a5010fac2ca79de2365d791 Big 12 media days: ASU using World Cup experience as showcase for Union Jack Classic in London te 2026-07-09T21:22:02.535Z Big 12 media days: ASU using World Cup experience as showcase for Union Jack Classic in London Arizona State mascot Sparky, left, and Kansas’ Jayhawk do their best to tease the Sept. 19 game between the schools in London for the Union Jack Classic. The pair were part of Big 12 Football Media Days festivities. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a5010e6c2ca79de2365d788 Michael Soroka regains form with Diamondbacks before injury te 2026-07-09T21:21:42.563Z Michael Soroka regains form with Diamondbacks before injury PHOENIX – Michael Soroka looked like the future ace of the Atlanta Braves. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a5010d2c2ca79de2365d77f Michael Soroka regains form with Diamondbacks before injury te 2026-07-09T21:21:22.601Z Michael Soroka regains form with Diamondbacks before injury After years of devastating injuries, Diamondbacks starting pitcher Michael Soroka has rediscovered the form that made him an All-Star. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a500c24c2ca79de2365d6b5 YouTuber Bordeaux goes in depth on EA Sports College Football 27's 'micro transactions' te 2026-07-09T21:01:24.749Z YouTuber Bordeaux goes in depth on EA Sports College Football 27's 'micro transactions' College Football 27, the latest edition of the popular EA Sports video game series, has now officially been released, giving fans of college football all across the country something to do for the next six weeks before the start of the season. This would normally be a cause for celebration, but many in both the gaming and college football community are less than pleased with the current iteration of the game. While the first two releases of the new CFB game have been relatively untainted by the touch of "microtransactions," it appears College Football 27 didn't get off so cleanly. IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A BIG 12 WINNER NOT NAMED TEXAS TECH OR BYU, CONSIDER THE HOUSTON COUGARS Fans of the game as well as content creators have taken to social media to voice their displeasure in EA's decision to introduce microtransactions to offline modes of play, creating the hashtag #CFBPlayDontPay and tagging the developers in every post. One content creator in particular who has been leading the charge is Bordeaux, a YouTuber with nearly 600,000 subscribers. Bordeaux rose to prominence on the video platform thanks to his "rebuild" series from both the old NCAA football games and the new editions of the College Football game, but he hasn't been shy about calling out the company for their latest transgressions. "It just doesn't feel like the direction I ever thought the college football games would go," Bordeaux said in an exclusive interview. "I think whenever you've built up a game mode, and you've built up a community off of offline, single-player stuff never having those features... and you replace it with something like microtransactions, you really fracture a lot of the trust that you've built up." Throughout the interview, Bordeaux made it a point to separate the developers of the game from the company, claiming the game devs are "doing a great job." "I do believe the team that works on this game is doing a great job. They really care about it, and there's a lot of passion that I'm able to see (that) seeps into these things whenever I'm down there," Bordeaux explained. THE FIVE BEST YEARS IN VIDEO GAME HISTORY RANKED: WHICH GAMING YEAR WAS THE GREATEST EVER? Despite the bad blood between he and EA, Bordeaux has stated that he still intends to play the game, but his partnership with the company may never be the same. "The game is good, I'm not going to ever backtrack on that opinion," Bordeaux said. "It's just the fact that they're putting those microtransactions in is where I have to draw the line and say 'do not spend money on this.'" Going into this, Bordeaux claims he never had a set goal in mind when it came to calling out EA for their choice to include microtransactions. He just wanted to speak his mind while raising awareness, and it ended up becoming something bigger. When asked if there was any way EA could win back his trust, Bordeaux was blunt. "Take out microtransactions completely, bring back all of the features that they removed, and never go in the direction of making "Dynasty" and "Road to Glory" a mode with microtransactions, especially offline. "If they really took that stance, I'm okay again," Bordeaux said. "But I don't believe they will." Though that may sound pessimistic, it's probably the correct take. Once game developers smell money, it's hard for them to reverse course (see: Grand Theft Auto: Online). For Bordeaux, the message is simple: "Just have fun." "I want to load up (the game) and have fun in a 'no-money-spent' dynasty," Bordeaux pleaded. That certainly is the goal, but it may be wishful thinking on his part. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that this saga has a happy ending. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a5009e0c2ca79de2365d635 Hurricanes owner gets dragged for putting his kids names on the Stanley Cup te 2026-07-09T20:51:44.485Z Hurricanes owner gets dragged for putting his kids names on the Stanley Cup It's a good time to be the Carolina Hurricanes, seeing as just a few weeks ago they hoisted the Stanley Cup for the second time in franchise history. However, one of the team's moves since then is raising some serious eyebrows, and it has to do with the names they had etched on the Stanley Cup itself. While it's not unusual to see a team's owner on the Cup, Canes owner Tom Dundon took things a step further and put the names of his wife and kids on the most famous trophy in sports. Now, other owners have put names of family members on the Stanley Cup before. CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGE According to TSN, back in 1984, Oilers owner Peter Pocklington put his father Basil's name on the Cup, and it was eventually covered with X's because he had nothing to do with the championship. However, Panthers owner Vincent Viola did this as well after his team's 2025 Cup win, and those names are still on it. But it's fair to say that if this is the new trend in the NHL, it's not going over real well. Oof. I get the impulse of wanting to share something like this with your wife and kids... but, on the other hand, they really had nothing to do with it, and there's only so much real estate on the Stanley Cup. ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW! As you probably saw in one of those tweets, some players didn't get their name on the Cup because the Dundon youngins took priority. However, the one everyone is pointing to is Joel Nystrom, who played 38 regular-season games. The NHL requires 41-regular season games or one game in the Stanley Cup final, but teams can petition to add players. On one hand, if you own the team, you get to call the shots, but this is the sort of thing that isn't going to go over too well within the organization. The Hurricanes' success didn't come overnight. It was the build-up of several years and a lot of effort from a lot of people. Is it special to put your kids' name on the Stanley Cup? Sure, but it's a lot more special to make sure those who helped you win it get on their first. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a5009cdc2ca79de2365d62c Indiana man charged with arson after admitting to cutting off his genitals and setting them on fire te 2026-07-09T20:51:25.036Z Indiana man charged with arson after admitting to cutting off his genitals and setting them on fire An investigation by police into an alleged stabbing in Fort Wayne, Indiana took an unexpected turn when it ended up being related to an arson investigation being conducted by the fire department at the same time. It took an even more unexpected turn when a man eventually told investigators that he had cut off his penis and set it on fire. ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW! According to FOX 59, on May 6, the Fort Wayne Fire Department was investigating a fire at a detached garage while the police were busy responding to reports of a stabbing. The owners of the garage said that a neighbor had woken them up and told them about the fire. They also said that a member of the family was missing. That family member was 36-year-old Christopher Peden. HERO IN BIRTHDAY SUIT GRABS HIS HOSE AND SAVES TWO HOMES FROM FOURTH OF JULY SMOLDERING FIREWORK FIRE While the fire department was looking into the cause of the fire, Peden was claiming to Fort Wayne Police that he was a stabbing victim. On the way to the hospital, he told them that he had been stabbed in downtown Fort Wayne and that he had been threatened the day before. Peden decided to come clean about the stabbing and what had caused the fire in the garage. According to court documents, he admitted he was "dishonest" and "wanted to be truthful." I hope for their sake the investigators were sitting down. Peden told them, reports FOX 59, that he went to the garage and "harmed himself" by "cutting off his penis" with a kitchen knife. He doused the freshly detached member in gasoline and "set it on fire on the floor of the garage just inside the door." He then walked away. The court documents state that the investigators retrieved a red plastic gas container, four lighters and a kitchen knife. There was evidently no mention of the state of the severed penis. You can imagine it didn’t fare well against the gasoline-fueled blaze. That's one hell of a Wednesday if you ask me. Peden was charged with arson. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a500773c2ca79de2365d5a0 Josh Allen says he would be 'very honored' to play for Team USA in flag football at 2028 Olympics te 2026-07-09T20:41:23.395Z Josh Allen says he would be 'very honored' to play for Team USA in flag football at 2028 Olympics The FIFA World Cup may be dominating the sporting landscape across the Americas, but another football movement is beginning to take shape. With the 2028 Summer Olympics on the horizon, flag football is rapidly emerging as one of the most anticipated additions to the Games. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell recently shared his excitement about the tournament and revealed that many players are eager to represent their countries on the Olympic stage. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM "I've had a lot of players that have said, ‘We want to participate in that,’" Goodell told ESPN's "Women's Sports Now" recently. "These players are competitors, and they love the big stage. To win a gold medal or any medal is something I think they would all treasure. They talk about it all the time. "So, I absolutely believe we're going to have players in the Olympics." BILLS QB JOSH ALLEN DEFENDS PLAY STYLE, NOT FEELING PRESSURE TO WIN SUPER BOWL Josh Allen, the 2024 NFL MVP, says count him among the active NFL players interested in representing the United States in the Summer Games two years from now. "I'm interested," Allen told Fox News Digital on behalf of Natrol. The sleep-aid brand recently announced an expanded partnership with the Buffalo Bills quarterback. Allen acknowledged that watching flag football has given him an appreciation for the unique challenges the sport presents. "I've always thought it would be really cool to compete for my country. Now, if I have the skill set, that's a different story. I watched (flag football) not too long ago when it was on TV. Those guys just kind of move different. Their hips are dipping a foot down and they're able to evade. I can throw with the best of them. But I'm better at usually running through people than spinning and getting around them. Allen said earning the chance to compete for gold and play for Team USA at the Summer Games would mark a special chapter in his athletic career.  "We will see. I'd be very honored to do it," he said.  Goodell said the Olympic calendar creates a natural window for NFL players to take part, with flag football set to be played before training camps open. He expects active players — and possibly recently retired stars — to be in the mix when the sport makes its Olympic debut. The 2028 Summer Olympics are slated to begin in mid-July. In May 2025, a resolution was introduced to NFL team owners that would allow one player from each NFL roster to compete in the 2028 Games. An exemption would be granted for each team's designated international player representing his home country. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports  Huddle newsletter. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a50051ac2ca79de2365d51a Hobbs bars Arizona state employees from using government info to bet on prediction markets te 2026-07-09T20:31:22.796Z Hobbs bars Arizona state employees from using government info to bet on prediction markets The Commodity Futures Trading Commission sued Arizona on April 2, 2026, alleging the state is violating federal law by trying to regulate Kalshi and other online prediction markets. (Photo by Jim Small/Arizona Mirror) Gov. Katie Hobbs issued an executive order Thursday prohibiting state employees from using nonpublic government information to make bets on prediction markets in light of revelations that classified military information has been used to do so in other parts of the country.  Prediction markets are open markets that enable the prediction of specific outcomes using financial incentives, though in practice, they function largely as forums for people to be on practically anything, from the winner of a basketball game to where missiles will land in war zones.  GET THE MORNING HEADLINES. SUBSCRIBE The executive order strictly prohibits executive branch employees in Arizona from disclosing or using any nonpublic information to profit or avoid losing in a prediction market. Violations “may result in a dismissal or other appropriate sanctions and may be referred to law enforcement.”  The order encourages statewide elected officials, boards and commissions, as well as the judicial and legislative branches — all of which are not under Hobbs’ control — to adopt similar policies.  “Arizonans deserve a state government that works for them, not one where insiders exploit public service for their own gain,” the governor said in a statement announcing the order. “I’m proud to set clear, commonsense ethical standards on prediction markets to hold our government accountable. Public service is a privilege, and we will not tolerate anybody abusing that privilege to line their own pockets.” Arizona has taken center stage in a fight against one of the largest prediction market companies, Kalshi.  Attorney General Kris Mayes pursued criminal charges against Kalshi, accusing it of breaking Arizona laws prohibiting the operation of an unlicensed wagering business and betting on Arizona elections.  Some of the bets Mayes’ singled out include betting on the 2028 Presidential election results, if Republican Andy Biggs would win the Arizona governors race, if Elon Musk would attend the Super Bowl and if a Democrat would win the Arizona Secretary of State race. Mayes’ charges focused primarily on Arizona sports and election bets, though some charges include federal election bets, as well as sports contests in other states. That case was permanently blocked in federal court after a judge determined that federal law preempted the state’s authority to regulate Kalshi because they are exclusively regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE. SUPPORT Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a5002c3c2ca79de2365d4c0 Black bear raiding a garbage can at Lake Tahoe garage triggers dramatic wildlife encounter te 2026-07-09T20:21:23.145Z Black bear raiding a garbage can at Lake Tahoe garage triggers dramatic wildlife encounter A California man says a black bear charged at him outside his Lake Tahoe vacation home over the Fourth of July holiday, prompting him to deploy bear spray in a dramatic encounter captured on video. Cortlandt Koerwitz of Sacramento told KCRA 3 that the encounter began after his daughter spotted the bear rummaging through a garbage can inside the home's garage. Koerwitz said he grabbed bear spray and went outside to investigate, but the encounter escalated within seconds when the animal rushed toward him. WOMAN STALKED BY CHARGING BEAR ON MORNING DOG WALK CAPTURES TERRIFYING ENCOUNTER ON CAMERA "I just kind of caught something out of my left eye, and it was the bear rushing in. We were both startled, and I just shot the spray. And the overspray from that, you know, the shot hit me and hit my eyes," Koerwitz said. Video obtained by KCRA 3 shows Koerwitz approaching the garage before the bear suddenly charges toward him. Moments later, he deploys the bear spray, and the bear turns away and runs off. Koerwitz told the station that bears frequently wander through the Lake Tahoe area in search of food and often get into trash cans or unlocked vehicles, but he described the aggressive behavior in this encounter as unusual. HIDDEN DANGER AT POPULAR US NATIONAL PARK FORCES TRAIL CLOSURES AS BEAR SIGHTINGS CLIMB According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, black bears are common throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin and are often drawn into neighborhoods by unsecured garbage and other easily accessible food sources. Wildlife officials encourage residents and visitors to secure trash, keep food out of vehicles and remove other attractants to reduce conflicts between bears and people. The Lake Tahoe Basin is home to a healthy black bear population, and wildlife officials routinely remind residents and tourists that bears are naturally curious and possess an exceptional sense of smell, making improperly stored food and garbage a frequent source of human-bear encounters. Koerwitz said he hopes sharing his experience serves as a reminder for residents and visitors to secure their garbage, remove food from vehicles and remain alert when spending time in bear country. Fox News Digital reached out to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for comment. A department spokesperson said the inquiry had been forwarded to the Tahoe wildlife conflict team. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ffe61c2ca79de2365d3ec Accused Charlie Kirk assassin allegedly confessed in texts, apologized and described motive, agent testifies te 2026-07-09T20:02:41.742Z Accused Charlie Kirk assassin allegedly confessed in texts, apologized and described motive, agent testifies PROVO, Utah – Tyler Robinson allegedly admitted to assassinating Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk in text messages to his roommate after the Sept. 10, 2025, shooting, apologized for his actions and claimed he acted because he "had enough of his hatred," according to testimony Thursday during Robinson's preliminary hearing. Utah State Bureau of Investigation Agent Brian Davis read portions of the text exchange in court as prosecutors continued presenting evidence against Robinson, 23, who is charged with assassinating Kirk outside a "Prove Me Wrong" event at Utah Valley University in Orem. Reading from the exchange, Davis testified Robinson sent his roommate, Lance Twiggs, a message shortly after the shooting that read, "Stop what you're doing. Look under the keyboard." Davis then read another alleged message from Robinson. ACCUSED CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN TYLER ROBINSON FIGHTS BACK AS PROSECUTORS' SPRAWLING CASE COMES INTO FOCUS "I'm still okay, my love, but I'm stuck in Orem for a little while longer yet. Shouldn't be long until I can come home, but gotta grab my rifle," the message read. "Still, to be honest, I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you." Twiggs allegedly replied, "You weren't the one who did it, right?" "I am. I'm sorry." After Twiggs wrote, "I thought they caught the person," Davis read Robinson's alleged response. "No, they grabbed some crazy old dude, then interrogated someone in similar clothing. I had planned to grab my rifle from the drop point shortly after, but most of that side of town got locked down," Davis read. "It's quiet, almost enough to get out, but there's one vehicle lingering." TYLER ROBINSON'S AND LANCE TWIGGS' DNA BOTH ALLEGEDLY FOUND ON KEY EVIDENCE IN CHARLIE KIRK'S ASSASSINATION When Twiggs asked why Robinson carried out the shooting, Davis testified Robinson replied: "I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can't be negotiated out. If I'm able to grab my rifle unseen, I will have left no evidence. Going to attempt to retrieve it again. Hopefully they have moved on." Robinson added, "I haven't seen anything in the news about them finding it. We'll update you by midnight." After Twiggs asked how long he had been planning the shooting, Davis read Robinson's response: "A bit over a week. I believe I can get close to it, but there is a squad car parked right by it. I think they already swept that spot, but I don't want to chance it." CHARLIE KIRK FAMILY DEMANDS JUDGE REVEAL HIDDEN EVIDENCE FROM ACCUSED ASSASSIN'S HEARING Davis also read messages in which Robinson allegedly described trying to recover the rifle. "While they were parked there, if they had found it, I imagine there would be more commotion. Again, I'm sorry for roping you into all of this. You shouldn't have to worry about this." When Twiggs asked why Robinson left the rifle behind, Davis read his alleged response. "I worry about prints. I had to leave it in a bush where I changed outfits, didn't have the ability or time to bring it with." According to Davis, Robinson later wrote, "I'll bet that K-9 sniffed it out. We replace it? Unlikely. I don't fully know what the gun was because it was old as s--- and Gramps did some modifying." He also referenced bullets he had engraved before the shooting. "Remember how I was engraving bullets? The f------ messages are mostly a big meme. If I see notices... on Fox News, I might have a stroke." The exchange concluded with Robinson allegedly writing, "No, my dad wanted to use a high caliber for the rifle hunt. Judging from today, I say Gramps' gun does just fine." Davis testified that Robinson then instructed Twiggs: "Delete this exchange." Davis also testified Robinson later texted, "I'm going to turn myself in willingly. One of my neighbors here is a deputy for the sheriff. We hope to keep things sort of quiet here." The final message Davis read from the exchange stated: "If any police ask you questions, ask for a lawyer and stay silent. My lawyer should be Doug Terry. I'll see if he can reach out to you and make sure the police follow." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ffe4ec2ca79de2365d3e3 Parasitic infection causing ‘explosive’ stomach illness exceeds 1,000 cases in northern state te 2026-07-09T20:02:22.292Z Parasitic infection causing ‘explosive’ stomach illness exceeds 1,000 cases in northern state Cases of cyclosporiasis infections are rising across America, with more than 1,000 people diagnosed in Michigan and more than 500 in Ohio. This is the largest outbreak of its kind in Michigan's history and one of the country’s largest in years, according to the Associated Press. The parasitic infection can cause weeks of watery diarrhea. The source of the infections has not been identified and no deaths have been reported. MYSTERY PARASITE LEAVES AMERICANS BATTLING ‘EXPLOSIVE' ILLNESS AS CDC INVESTIGATES Michigan officials announced the outbreak last week following the identification of more than 170 cases since June 22 in the southeastern part of the state. Typically, only about 50 cases are identified in Michigan each year, according to AP. Similar illnesses have been reported in 28 other states, including neighboring Ohio, where diagnoses have popped up across the Michigan border. Cases have been climbing since the CDC identified an uptick in infections in mid-June, with illnesses now reported in dozens of states. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER Michigan has now reported more than 1,200 cases and at least 40 hospitalizations. In Ohio, northwest counties have identified more than 500 cases, including at least 306 in Lucas County, according to the latest available local figures. TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ Texas has reported at least 48 cases, and illnesses have been identified in numerous other states as health officials investigate the source. The hallmark symptom of a cyclospora infection is watery, often "explosive" diarrhea that can last for weeks or even months if left untreated, the CDC says. Other symptoms include severe abdominal cramping, bloating, nausea, fatigue and significant weight loss. The official outbreak season for the parasite runs from May 1 through Aug. 31, a window where warmer temperatures historically coincide with a spike in infections, according to the CDC. CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES While the infection can sometimes clear up on its own, it frequently requires antibiotics. The CDC advises anyone experiencing symptoms of cyclosporiasis to contact a healthcare provider for testing and treatment. The CDC, alongside the Food and Drug Administration and state health officials, is actively investigating several multi-state clusters, but they have yet to find a cause behind the spread. Past infections have reportedly been linked to consuming contamined fruits or vegetables, or being exposed to contaminated irrigation water. Fresh produce should be washed thoroughly before being eaten, although this may not eliminate the risk of infection, the AP noted. Michigan officials recommend purchasing salad mixes or whole heads of lettuce instead of pre-washed, bagged lettuce. Remove two to three leaves from the outer layer of the lettuce head before washing and cook vegetables when possible. Fox News Digital's Khloe Quill contributed to this report. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ffe3ac2ca79de2365d3da School lied, hid daughter's gender transition under district policy, parents allege te 2026-07-09T20:02:02.401Z School lied, hid daughter's gender transition under district policy, parents allege A Maryland school district is being sued after parents accused school officials of hiding their daughter's social gender transition and then citing district policy to justify keeping them in the dark. America First Legal (AFL) is leading the lawsuit on behalf of anonymous parents identified as John and Jane Doe. The plaintiffs argue Anne Arundel County Public Schools' policies violate their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights, as well as similar provisions of the Maryland Constitution. The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. The lawsuit is part of a growing wave of legal challenges targeting school districts with policies allowing staff to withhold information about a student's gender identity from parents. It also comes months after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Mirabelli v. Bonta, which America First Legal says reinforced parents' constitutional rights over decisions involving their children. Ian Prior, senior advisor at America First Legal and counsel for the plaintiffs, said the district ignored that precedent. NBC ANCHOR FORCED TO EXPLAIN USE OF TERM 'BIOLOGICAL MALE' DURING COVERAGE OF SUPREME COURT RULING "The school system was referring to our client's daughter by a male name and assuming a male identity for their daughter, and they didn't approve that, and they weren't told of that, and when they did find out about it, and they questioned the school, they were quite frankly lied to about it," Prior told Fox News Digital. "They said this is not going to happen anymore, we deny consent, and the school said, 'Well, too bad, that's the law.' Unfortunately, for Anne Arundel County Public Schools, that is not the law." Prior said the Supreme Court made clear in Mirabelli that "parents have a fundamental right to raise their children" and argued schools cannot facilitate a child's social transition without parental notice and consent. According to the complaint, the dispute began in December 2025 after a teacher accidentally emailed the parents using a male name for their daughter before attempting to recall the message and later claiming it had been sent to the wrong recipient. The lawsuit alleges the teacher later admitted the explanation was false and acknowledged the student had requested to be called by a male name. The parents then instructed school officials to use only their daughter's legal name and requested records related to the school's actions. The complaint alleges school administrators refused those requests, citing the district's policies and telling the parents that school staff were required to honor the student's preferred name while at school. ALASKA STATE FAIR BARS PARENTAL RIGHTS GROUP DUE TO 'EXTREMIST' GROUP DESIGNATION BY FAR-LEFT ORGANIZATION Months later, another teacher allegedly used the same male name in an email about an upcoming field trip. When the parents questioned it, the lawsuit says the teacher initially gave a false explanation before admitting the name referred to their daughter. According to the lawsuit, the district's policies require staff to use students' preferred names and pronouns and keep information about their gender identity confidential, without notifying or getting permission from parents. "It's really unfortunate that this even has to result in litigation, because again the Supreme Court has been very clear about what schools can and cannot do, but what we've really seen throughout the country is that in order to get schools to adhere to the Constitution and the law of the land, you have to bring them to court and get a court order demanding that they follow the law," Prior told Fox News Digital. The Maryland case is the latest in a series of lawsuits AFL has filed challenging school policies governing student gender identity. Just weeks earlier, on June 22, 2025, America First Legal filed a separate federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia against Fairfax County Public Schools. That lawsuit alleges the district's policy violates parents' constitutional rights by allowing school staff to socially transition students, including using different names and pronouns at school without notifying parents in certain circumstances. The Fairfax litigation remains in its early stages. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Prior said AFL is also pursuing similar parental-rights cases in Pennsylvania and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in California. The litigation also comes amid a broader push by the Trump administration to challenge school policies concerning parental notification and gender identity. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Education concluded that the California Department of Education remains in violation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), finding that state policies pressure school officials to conceal information about students' gender identity from parents. California has pushed back against the federal government's conclusions and related legal challenges remain ongoing. Anne Arundel County Public Schools declined to comment on the litigation. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ffde8c2ca79de2365d39f She survived domestic violence and the incarceration of her children. Now she helps others. te 2026-07-09T20:00:40.403Z She survived domestic violence and the incarceration of her children. Now she helps others. Eight years may seem like just a number. For Sylvia Arana, they were not. She turned them into days. One by one. She counted 2,920 days of beatings, fear, silence and domestic violence. Only then did she feel the number reflected the true magnitude of what she had lived through. That is how the title of her new book — written years later — was born: “Muda 2920 Days.” On the book cover a heart monitor appears. The line rises in irregular peaks before fading into a horizontal line against a dusty pink background. “In my case, it became horizontal, not because I died, but because I remained with that emotional damage for many years afterward,” says Sylvia, a 53-year-old Mexican immigrant and mother of two. Before presenting “Muda 2920 días” at the Consulate General of México in Phoenix in late June, she wrote “Muerte en pena” in 2021, a book that tells the story of a mother confronting the imprisonment of her only two children in Arizona. That mother is her. “My daughter committed a robbery while under the influence of drugs. As she tried to flee from the police, she crashed into another vehicle and killed someone,” she says. “My son had his own struggles as well, but seeing drugs in my children’s faces was the hardest thing for me, apart from the prison itself.” Her son was sentenced for separate crimes, including armed robbery. Sylvia arrived in Arizona in 1987. She was 14 years old. She was a young immigrant from Nogales, Sonora, who did not speak English. Abuse followed her from childhood: first at home, then at school because she did not know the language, and later in her relationship with her partner. Sylvia Arana received a recognition at the Consulate General of Mexico in Phoenix for the publication of her latest book, Muda 2920 días. Credit: Sylvia Arana She thought her children had been spared because they had never suffered the beatings or psychological abuse  she endured. Over time, she came to understand that violence is also passed on through what children witness. Today, she sees its consequences in the paths her two children’s lives took. “I thought they (my children) had no excuse because I never mistreated them. But they were also carrying everything they had witnessed, even though they were never physically abused,” she says. “Only now do I understand that violence engulfs the entire family.” Her daughter, 29, and her son, 34, remain incarcerated in Arizona. Sylvia soon realized she was not alone. There were other parents living through the same absence, the same questions and the same grief. That realization led her to found Mosaicos Inc., an organization where parents of incarcerated people find mutual support through sessions led by therapists and psychologists. “When I went through what happened with my two children, I realized there are hundreds of thousands of people incarcerated in the state of Arizona, in prisons and immigration detention centers,” she says. Art in prison: A portrait of Sylvia’s daughter and grandson, painted by an incarcerated artist. Credit: Sylvia Arana Her voice fades at times, as though every word carries the weight of that reality.  The number of people who go to jail annually in Arizona is estimated at 117,000, according to a 2019 analysis by the Prison Policy Initiative, a research center that advocates for criminal justice reform. At a rate of 1,680 unique jail admissions per 100,000 residents, Arizona ranks slightly higher than the national average. For Sylvia, the numbers are personal. “Every incarcerated person has a mother and a father,” she says. Arizona Luminaria spoke with Sylvia about her new book, her previous publications and the work she does supporting parents of incarcerated children. This interview has been edited for clarity and length. Q: Why is it important to write this kind of book? A: Since my children went to prison, it has raised many questions for me about why they are there and what role I may have played in their development. I used to think the violence was only directed at me, that I was the only one being beaten. Q: You’ve become a speaker, written books and created a support group. Do you feel you’ve been able to heal from the abuse? A: I’m still trying to. If you don’t talk about it, it’s very difficult. I felt ashamed and believed it was something I had brought upon myself. Sometimes the first things people say are, “You’re stupid because you like being there,” or “You like being beaten.” So you stay quiet because you feel even more guilty. But we also have to take responsibility for how much we’re willing to endure. I didn’t take that responsibility. I had the opportunity to leave. I should have sought emotional help, but I didn’t. There are many factors that leave you questioning everything. Q: Is this book meant to serve as a guide for women, or what is its purpose? A: The message of the book is about forgiveness and learning. There are many women living with domestic violence, and we stay there. My book is not advice; it’s a story that shows a person can go through so much and still move forward. Drawing created by Sylvia Arana’s daughter depicting how she feels during her incarceration. Credit: Sylvia Arana The proof is that I stayed silent for 20 years. Today, I choose to speak because I left behind fear, shame and the stigma imposed by society. If my story can serve as an example, that’s wonderful, because I’m still healing. Q: Why did you found Mosaicos Inc.? A: I want to help people like me who have children in prison. Parents come to us whose children are in detention centers and who are experiencing the same absence. We are growing. On July 7, we will open our second location in Chandler. Q: What do you share in the group? A: We meet together. We bring in a psychologist, and we do activities around different topics, such as loss. Grief is often treated as something that follows a death. We are also grieving because we cannot see our children. We hear that there are too many deaths in the county’s jails from drug use, people who are supposedly dying by suicide, and homicides. There are many situations that, as parents, deeply alarm us. Q: Will you share more about the book you wrote dedicated to parents of incarcerated people? A: I wrote “Death in Grief.” It was in 2021, when my daughter was sentenced. Facing a $1 million bail was incredibly difficult. Every time I met with the attorney, I was told she could face the death penalty. Mosaicos Inc., an organization where parents of incarcerated people find mutual support. Credit: Sylvia Arana That was one of the reasons my daughter accepted a guilty plea. Better to accept 23 years in prison. I see how sentencing can depend on the color of your skin: the same crimes, yet a world of difference in the number of years people receive. When you listen to parents talk about not having the money to hire a lawyer, and you see that the sentence Paco Pérez received is 20 years longer than John Smith’s for the same crime, you ask yourself: Why? That’s where the frustration comes from. We try to support one another. Q: What message would you give to women who have gone through experiences like yours? A: Give yourselves the opportunity to see yourselves as human beings. Give yourselves the opportunity to live. I lost that opportunity for many years, but I realized that if I’m still here, it’s for a purpose. We have to give ourselves the chance to believe in ourselves and take the initiative to seek help. The post She survived domestic violence and the incarceration of her children. Now she helps others. appeared first on AZ Luminaria. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ffdd4c2ca79de2365d396 Tras años de violencia doméstica y con sus hijos en prisión, una madre crea libros y red de apoyo te 2026-07-09T20:00:20.995Z Tras años de violencia doméstica y con sus hijos en prisión, una madre crea libros y red de apoyo Ocho años pueden parecer sólo un número. Para Sylvia Arana no lo eran. Los convirtió en días. Uno por uno. Contó 2,920 jornadas de golpes, miedo, silencio y violencia doméstica. Sólo entonces sintió que la cifra reflejaba la dimensión de lo que había vivido. Así nació el título de su nuevo libro, escrito años después: “Muda 2920 días”. En la portada del libro aparece un monitor cardíaco. La línea asciende en picos irregulares hasta desvanecerse en un trazo horizontal sobre un fondo rosa sepia. “En mi caso quedó horizontal, no por fallecer, sino por permanecer con ese daño emocional muchos años después”, dice Sylvia, inmigrante mexicana de 53 años y madre de dos hijos. La violencia no ha dejado de marcar su vida. Antes de presentar “Muda 2920 días” en el Consulado General de México en Phoenix a finales de junio, escribió “Muerte en pena” en 2021, un libro que relata la historia de una madre enfrentando el encarcelamiento de sus dos únicos hijos en Arizona. Esa madre es ella. “Mi hija cometió un robo bajo la influencia de las drogas. Al tratar de huir de la policía, se estrelló con un carro y mató a alguien. Mi hijo tuvo sus problemas, pero igual, miré la droga en el rostro de mis hijos, fue lo más pesado, aparte de lo que es la prisión”, dice. Su hijo fue sentenciado por delitos distintos, entre ellos robo a mano armada. Sylvia llegó a Arizona en 1987. Tenía 14 años. Era una joven inmigrante de Nogales, Sonora, que no hablaba inglés. El abuso de violencia la acompañó desde la infancia: primero en su hogar, después en la escuela por no conocer el idioma y, más tarde, en su relación de pareja. Sylvia Arana recibió un reconocimiento en el Consulado General de México en Phoenix por la publicación de su libro más reciente, “Muda 2920 días”. Credit: Sylvia Arana Pensó que sus hijos habían quedado a salvo porque nunca recibieron golpes ni el maltrato psicológico que ella soportó. Con el tiempo entendió que la violencia también se hereda a través de lo que se presencia. Hoy ve sus consecuencias en el rumbo que tomaron las vidas de sus dos hijos. “Yo pensaba que ellos (sus hijos) no tenían excusa porque yo no los traté mal, los eduqué, pero ellos también venían arrastrando lo que miraron, a pesar de que ellos no recibieron golpes”, dice. “Hasta ahora comprendo que la violencia arrastra a todo el núcleo familiar”. Su hija de 29 años, y su hijo, de 34, permanecen encarcelados en Arizona. Sylvia pronto se dio cuenta de que no estaba sola. Había otros padres atravesando la misma ausencia, las mismas preguntas y el mismo duelo. Esa realidad la llevó a fundar Mosaicos Inc., una organización donde madres y padres de personas privadas de la libertad encuentran acompañamiento mutuo en sesiones guiadas por terapeutas y psicólogos. “Cuando pasé por la situación de mis dos hijos entendí que hay cientos de miles de personas presas en el estado de Arizona, en cárceles y centros de detención migratoria”, dice.  Arte en las cárceles: retrato de la hija de Sylvia y su nieto, pintado por una persona privada de la libertad. Credit: Sylvia Arana Su voz se apaga por momentos, como si cada palabra cargara el peso de esa realidad.  Se estima que cada año unas 117,000 personas ingresan a la cárcel en Arizona, según un análisis de 2019 del Prison Policy Initiative, un centro de investigación que promueve la reforma del sistema de justicia penal. Con una tasa de 1,680 ingresos únicos a la cárcel por cada 100,000 habitantes, Arizona se ubica ligeramente por encima del promedio nacional. Para Sylvia, las cifras son algo profundamente personal. “Cada persona encarcelada tiene una madre y un padre”, dice. Arizona Luminaria habló con Sylvia sobre su nuevo libro, sus publicaciones anteriores y el trabajo que realiza apoyando a padres y madres de hijos encarcelados. Esta entrevista ha sido editada por motivos de claridad y extensión. P: ¿Por qué es importante escribir este tipo de libros? R: Después de que mis hijos están presos, ha despertado en mí muchas preguntas del por qué ellos están ahí, qué contribución tuve yo en el desarrollo de ellos, cuando yo pensaba que la violencia era solo para mí, que a mí nada más me golpeaban. P: Te has vuelto conferencista, has escrito libros, has creado un grupo de ayuda. ¿Sientes que pudiste sanar del abuso? R: Aún estoy tratando de salir. Si no lo hablas, es muy difícil. Yo tenía vergüenza y sentía que era algo que yo me había buscado. En ocasiones, las primeras palabras que recibes son: “Eres tonta porque te gusta estar ahí”, “te gusta que te golpeen”. Mejor te quedas callada; sientes más culpabilidad. Pero también debemos asumir la responsabilidad de hasta dónde nosotros queremos aguantar. Yo no tomé esa responsabilidad. Yo tuve la oportunidad de salir. Debí haber buscado ayuda emocional y no la busqué. Son muchos factores que te dejan pensando. P: ¿Este libro viene siendo una guía para las mujeres o qué busca? Dibujo realizado por la hija de Sylvia Arana que representa cómo se siente durante su tiempo en prisión. Credit: Sylvia Arana R: La narrativa del libro es perdonar y aprender. Hay muchas mujeres viviendo la violencia doméstica y nos quedamos ahí. Mi libro no es un consejo; es una historia donde se plasma que uno puede pasar por mucho y salir adelante. La prueba es que me quedé callada por 20 años, pero hoy que decido hablar es porque dejé el miedo, la vergüenza y el estigma de la sociedad. Si mi historia llega a servir de ejemplo, qué bonito, porque todavía me estoy curando. P: ¿Por qué fundas Mosaicos Inc.? R: Me interesa ayudar a esas personas como yo que tienen hijos presos. Llegan padres que tienen a sus hijos en centros de detención, que están sufriendo la misma ausencia. Estamos creciendo. El 7 de julio abrimos la segunda sede en Chandler. P: ¿Qué comparten en el grupo? R: Nos reunimos. Llevamos al psicólogo, se hacen dinámicas de algún tema, como la pérdida. El duelo lo trabajan muchas veces como una pérdida por muerte. Nosotros también estamos teniendo un duelo porque no vemos a nuestros hijos. Escuchamos que en el condado hay demasiadas muertes en las cárceles por consumo de droga, personas que supuestamente se suicidan, hay homicidios. Hay muchas situaciones que, como padres, estamos viendo que nos sobresaltan. P: ¿Podrías contarnos un poco más sobre el libro que escribiste acerca de los padres de personas recluidas? Mosaicos Inc., una organización donde madres y padres de personas privadas de la libertad encuentran acompañamiento mutuo. Mosaicos Inc., an organization where parents of incarcerated people find mutual support. Credit: Sylvia Arana R: Escribí “Muerte en pena”. Fue en 2021, cuando mi hija fue sentenciada. Fue muy difícil enfrentarme a un millón de dólares de fianza. Cada vez que miraba al abogado, me decían que tenía pena de muerte. Ese fue uno de los motivos por los que mi hija firmó como culpable. Mejor que firme 23 años de cárcel. Yo miro lo que es una sentencia del color de piel: mismos crímenes y un mundo de diferencia en el número de años. Cuando observas las conversaciones, cuando escuchas a los padres con aquel dolor de que no tienen para pagar un abogado, y miras que la sentencia que le dieron a Paco Pérez es 20 años mayor que la de John Smith, ¿por qué? Es ahí donde nos llega la frustración. Tratamos de ayudarnos. P: Es un ejemplo lo que haces ¿Qué mensaje les das a mujeres como tú? R: Que se den la oportunidad de verse como seres humanos, esa oportunidad de vivir. Yo la perdí, pero me di cuenta de que si estoy aquí es por un propósito. Debemos darnos esa oportunidad como seres humanos de creer en uno mismo y tomar la iniciativa de buscar ayuda. The post Tras años de violencia doméstica y con sus hijos en prisión, una madre crea libros y red de apoyo appeared first on AZ Luminaria. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ffc0bc2ca79de2365d34c Chris Johnson’s ALS diagnosis renews discussion of effects of NFL-induced head trauma te 2026-07-09T19:52:43.198Z Chris Johnson’s ALS diagnosis renews discussion of effects of NFL-induced head trauma PHOENIX – Chris Johnson was 40 years old when he told the world that his hands had started to ignore him.  It started with small inconsistencies. He experienced weakness in his right hand 10 to 14 months before his diagnosis. His grip and body didn’t feel as strong as an NFL player expects. By the time Johnson went public with a diagnosis he received the previous year, his doctors had labeled his progression “rapid.”  Johnson was diagnosed with sporadic ALS, the most common form of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, accounting for 90% to 95% of all cases. There is no known cause, no family history and no known cure. ALS is a degenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, gradually taking away a person’s ability to control their muscles. Over time, the patient loses the ability to eat, walk and speak.  ALS is universally fatal. The average survival time is two to five years from the initial diagnosis. About 10% to 20% of patients live 10 years or longer. “Honestly, I don’t know if you ever fully process it,” Johnson said during an interview with ABC’s “Good Morning America” on June 29. “At first you’re in shock. Then you realize you have two choices. You can give up or you can fight. I chose to fight.” The fact Johnson has no family history of ALS may sound surprising, but it is not. “Diagnosis of sporadic ALS that is not running in families is the majority of ALS patients, actually,” said Dr. Robert Bowser, a researcher at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix. “Only about 10 to 15% of ALS patients have it running in their family.” Johnson’s family life has remained relatively private since his retirement from the NFL in 2018. He and his wife Brittany have four children together, which include his twin sons CJ and Kaden. Brittany shared a video of Chris and their daughter Honey Love and Chris during his early battle with ALS.  🚨🚨POWERFUL🚨🚨 Chris Johnson’s wife Brittany shared a heartbreaking video showing the #Titans legend simply being a dad during his early ALS battle. The emotional clip is a powerful reminder of how devastating ALS can be for an entire family. Tears 💔 pic.twitter.com/rZFLTbIYbQ — MLFootball (@MLFootball) July 8, 2026 Bowser noted an important fact about those kids: Johnson likely is not passing anything down to his four children. But even within a narrow age bracket, the disease remains unpredictable. “There’s variability in the rate of disease progression, even for someone who is 39,” Bowser said, noting Johnson’s age when he was diagnosed. While Bowser said Johnson’s case isn’t out of the ordinary, that doesn’t change the dire prognosis.  “I don’t think it’s unusually rapid for his case,” Bowser said. “It varies from person to person. Hearing rapid progression as part of his disease is usually not a good prognosis moving forward.” Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive neurodegenerative brain disease linked to a history of repetitive head trauma. Its link to the NFL has been debated for years, but a Boston University study also found that NFL players are three to four times more likely to suffer ALS than the general male population.  Bowser does not dismiss those findings, but he also won’t call them settled science. “I’m not 100% convinced there is [an increase],” he said. “At the same time, there’s definite indications that there is a link, that repetitive head traumas can be a factor that can induce a disease like ALS.” Johnson played a decade in the league, including three seasons for the Cardinals from 2015-2017. As a premier running back for more than half his career, Johnson was no stranger to getting hit repeatedly. The complication that Bowser noted is in the data BU produces.  “It’s a postmortem program,” he said. “The cases that they’re getting are from individuals that pass typically with the main question, ‘Do they have CTE or not?’ Out of the thousands of people that played in the NFL that have passed in the last multiple decades, the majority of them did not have ALS.” Bowser’s own research offers more than statistics. In a study with Arizona State University, colleagues used mice to model repetitive head trauma. Researchers found a protein called TDP-43, which is at the forefront of most ALS cases.  TDP-43 turns up abnormally in the spinal cord’s motor neurons, even though the spinal cord was never affected, only the head was. For families living within this reality, science is secondary to survival. Taryn Norely, the president and CEO of ALS Arizona, said the organization currently supports nearly 600 people statewide, with an estimated 100 more it hasn’t reached. She said the numbers track a national prevalence rate of roughly one in 100,000. The financial weight of treating ALS is overwhelming. It costs an estimated $200,000 per year to live with ALS.  ALS Arizona runs on an equipment loan closet program with roughly $75,000 worth of gear per household, spanning families co-pays that can cost up to $8,000 for a single wheelchair. “A patient will come in quarterly to the appointment,” Norely said. “And at that time, they will see a neurologist. They’ll see a respiratory therapist, a speech therapist, a physical therapist. “The wonderful thing about our clinics is that they are a multidisciplinary approach.” Since Johnson went public, Norely said the response has outpaced anything she’s seen before, including the surge after actor Eric Dane’s diagnosis. “I was talking to a colleague and I’m like, ‘Wow, we thought Eric Dane was big,’ but I just feel like so many people are reaching out to me through text, emails, everything, saying, ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t believe Chris Johnson’… It’s pretty unreal.” Norely said. For former players, the diagnosis is eye-opening on a personal level. Scottsdale Chaparral High product Lyle Sendlein, who played center for the Cardinals for nine seasons, watched Johnson use a communication screen to speak on his “Good Morning America” appearance. “He was a real pro – tough and fast and smart,” Sendlein said June 30. “I took the news kind of hard. I haven’t spoken to him in a long while, but I see him on TV every now and then, looks healthy and fine, and then yesterday morning, seeing him use a screen to talk — just awful.” Sendlein’s concern is not only about disease risk. It’s about what happens after the NFL is done for a player. “I don’t think long-term healthcare is a priority for the NFL,” he said. “You only get health insurance for five years after you retire. Other sports get lifetime health insurance.” Sendlein said there are lingering concerns that never go away. “Is my vision like that? Is there ringing in my ears? All these things you feel,” he said. “You kind of go in your mind thinking, ‘Well, maybe I should have taken that day off.’ You try not to sit and think on it, but it’s there. It’s always in the back of your mind.” Chris Nowinski, the co-founder and CEO of the Concussion Legacy Foundation and a co-founder of Boston University’s CTE Center described the tight grip the NFL has on the conversation between CTE and ALS. Nowinski’s path to becoming the leading voice on football and brain diseases is unlike anyone in the field. A former defensive tackle at Harvard, Nowinski ended up a professional wrestler with the WWE.  A concussion in the ring ended his career. His researchers from BU’s CTE Center were the first to publish evidence linking repetitive head trauma to motor neuron diseases like ALS. “The NFL has a lot of influence with the media,” Nowinski said. “What we’ve known over the years is that if a broadcast platform talks about CTE, they will get a lot of backlash from the NFL. People at the NFL office will call them and tell them that they should not cover CTE in that way.” The NFL has been silent following Johnson’s announcement. There has been no public statement or acknowledgement of increased risks of ALS in its players. The Tennessee Titans, New York Jets, Cardinals and NFLPA have all released messages of support for Johnson. The league itself has not responded. While the NFL has made no public comment, research is quietly happening at the team level. Bowser is hoping to work with the Cardinals and the NFL. There is an institutional relationship through a Barrow-Cardinals brain health partnership. They test players’ blood, drawn both before and after the season, to track biomarkers tied to accumulating head injuries before symptoms appear. “We want to gather much more information and knowledge about biomarkers in the blood,” Bowser said. Johnson is hoping more research takes place.  “I hope the NFL steps up, invests in research and continues working to protect players — both now and for generations to come,” he said on his “Good Morning America” appearance. For now, the connection between football and ALS is concerning enough to warrant attention, but still lacking enough definitive data to answer a nagging question. Johnson’s diagnosis has not answered that question. It has just made it impossible to keep ignoring it. “It’s continued to progress much faster than I ever imagined,” Johnson told the show. “I want people to understand just how quickly ALS can attack your body. Just over a year ago, I was picking up my 7-year-old daughter so she’d make a wish with her birthday cake. Today, I couldn’t do that.” The post Chris Johnson’s ALS diagnosis renews discussion of effects of NFL-induced head trauma appeared first on Cronkite News. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ffbf7c2ca79de2365d33e Trump’s narrow ‘professional degree’ rule paused, temporarily reopening higher loans for nurses te 2026-07-09T19:52:23.226Z Trump’s narrow ‘professional degree’ rule paused, temporarily reopening higher loans for nurses Graduate-level programs such as nursing are, for now, considered “professional” degrees by the U.S. Department of Education after a court order in late June halted the agency’s new “professional” definition while a legal challenge unfolds. (Photo by Getty Images) WASHINGTON — Students pursuing several advanced degree programs can now access higher loan caps, but the temporary relief has ushered in a wave of uncertainty amid an ongoing legal battle.   Graduate-level programs such as nursing, occupational therapy and speech-language pathology are, for now, considered “professional” degrees by the U.S. Department of Education after a court order in late June halted the agency’s new “professional” definition while a legal challenge unfolds. That definition had limited the number of advanced degrees eligible for higher annual and lifetime loan limits to just 11 fields, while excluding several programs, such as nursing. In response to U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell’s interim ruling, the department temporarily expanded the list of degrees considered “professional” to 29 fields, per guidance given to institutions.  Pushback from Trump administration But the Education Department said it was confident its definition is “lawful” and vowed to keep defending the regulations.  The agency also stressed in its guidance that the temporary “professional” designations “are provided solely to facilitate implementation of the Court’s order and may change as litigation in the case proceeds.” A department spokesperson, speaking on background, declined to comment on whether the department would appeal the ruling.  The department said in its guidance that while the case continues, institutions may wish to consider limiting loan amounts to the graduate-level caps for programs temporarily deemed “professional” in an effort to “mitigate potential disruption to student borrowers resulting from changes in program classification that may arise from the ongoing litigation.”  The programs on the expanded list from the department include: veterinary medicine; law; divinity/ministry; rabbinical studies; clinical psychology; counseling psychology; school psychology; clinical child psychology; health/medical psychology; family psychology; forensic psychology; clinical, counseling and applied psychology; chiropractic; audiology; speech-language pathology; dentistry; anesthesiologist assistant; physician associate/assistant; athletic training; medicine; osteopathic medicine; podiatry; optometry; pharmacy; occupational therapy; physical therapy; registered nursing; nurse anesthetist; and nursing practice.  On the flip side, the department identified several programs that may have been considered “professional” prior to the court’s ruling but no longer carry the status while the court order is in place, such as theology, pharmaceutical sciences, environmental psychology, and clinical and industrial drug development.  Schools ‘not sure what to do’ Denise Morelli, of counsel at Sligo Law Group, a firm made up of former Education Department attorneys, said the department’s late June guidance lacks clarity, especially in spelling out any repercussions for schools and students if the agency prevails in court and can keep its “professional” degree definition. “I do think that has an impact on schools and students because schools are, kind of, not sure what to do because now … these people in these programs are allowed to have the higher loans, according to the department, but the department’s not saying they can keep them,” said Morelli, a former attorney for the Office of the General Counsel at the department.  “You could be partway through the program, the department prevails, now the student has to get their loan amount cut, and it could also affect their annual limits, so it puts both students and schools in a very precarious position right now,” she added.  Student loan system overhaul The new definition is part of President Donald Trump’s administration’s sweeping overhaul of the federal student loan system stemming from the GOP’s 2025 “big, beautiful” law. Most provisions in the overhaul took effect July 1.  Part of the regulations axed a program allowing for unlimited borrowing for graduate and professional students and set new caps on federal student loans, with much different limits based on whether a degree is deemed “professional.”  Now, graduate student loans face a $20,500 annual cap and $100,000 lifetime limit. Professional student loans are subject to a $50,000 yearly limit and $200,000 aggregate cap.  Lawsuits crop up The department’s new “professional” degree definition prompted a handful of legal challenges against the administration, including the suit that sparked Howell’s June order.  That case stems from a pair of combined challenges brought by a total of eight groups representing people in fields outside of the department’s new “professional” definition.  One of the lawsuits was brought in May by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners; the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners; the American Association of Colleges of Nursing; the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health; the National Education Association; and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.  The PA Education Association and the American Academy of Physician Associates filed the other lawsuit in June. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ffbe1c2ca79de2365d32d Investing in the future: Suns bring back Williams, Goodwin, Gillespie te 2026-07-09T19:52:01.745Z Investing in the future: Suns bring back Williams, Goodwin, Gillespie PHOENIX – Research has consistently shown that Tuesday is the most productive workday of the week. Suns GM Brian Gregory won’t argue with that notion after signing three key pieces of the team’s core on the same day. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ffbcdc2ca79de2365d324 Investing in the future: Suns bring back Williams, Goodwin, Gillespie te 2026-07-09T19:51:41.748Z Investing in the future: Suns bring back Williams, Goodwin, Gillespie Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams (15) drives to the basket against Philadelphia 76ers forward Trendon Watford, right, and 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Phoenix. Williams signed… Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ffb7cc2ca79de2365d2d8 Meta enters the crowded AI coding battle with Muse Spark 1.1 te 2026-07-09T19:50:20.349Z Meta enters the crowded AI coding battle with Muse Spark 1.1 Meta's new Muse Spark 1.1. will go up against similar products offered by Anthropic and OpenAI. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ff99dc2ca79de2365d2ac Scarborough says 'hypocritical' Republicans should 'shut up' over criticism of Dems' early support for Platner te 2026-07-09T19:42:21.970Z Scarborough says 'hypocritical' Republicans should 'shut up' over criticism of Dems' early support for Platner MSNBC host Joe Scarborough on Thursday blasted Republicans criticizing Democrats over their initial support for former Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner before allegations of sexual assault surfaced publicly, arguing the GOP had no standing to attack Democrats given Republicans' backing of candidates facing their own misconduct allegations. "You know, Republicans should just really just shut up," Scarborough said. "They really should just shut up. If they're going to be critical of Democrats for supporting a morally challenged candidate or one who has been accused of doing things that are morally challenged, it is so hypocritical, and they should just leave this to the Democrats to clean up their own house," he continued. PLATNER DROPS OUT OF CRUCIAL SENATE RACE AFTER BOMBSHELL RAPE ALLEGATION TORPEDOES CAMPAIGN Scarborough made the remarks on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" after the show aired portions of Platner's Wednesday night video announcing he was suspending his Senate campaign following allegations published by Politico. Platner denied the allegations in the video and said he would continue to fight to clear his name. Fox News Digital reached out to Graham Platner for comment, but did not immediately receive a response. Before criticizing Republicans, Scarborough argued Platner had issued an unequivocal denial and warned against convicting people in the court of public opinion. EXPLOSIVE SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATION ROCKS PLATNER CAMPAIGN AHEAD OF KEY DEADLINE IN CRUCIAL SENATE RACE "That is beyond hypocritical," Scarborough said of Republicans criticizing Democrats. "That is just sheer farce. This is even beyond ‘South Park’ levels of farce, what I am reading on X, what I am reading in social media, what I am seeing on TV after the past decade." He contrasted the Republican response to Platner with the party's support for President Donald Trump, who has denied multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and Texas Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton. "And by the way, if you want to talk about morally challenged candidates, you don't have to look at the White House," Scarborough said. "You don't have to look at Republicans bowing and scraping for the past decade... just look at Texas!" HOUSE REPUBLICAN PLANS MOTION TO OUST SWALWELL FROM CONGRESS AMID SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS Scarborough accused Republicans of ignoring allegations against candidates they support while attacking Democrats over Platner. "Look at who Republicans are behind as they're trying to suggest that James Talarico is gay!" Scarborough said. "'But look at Paxton. He's not!' I mean, the hypocrisy!" Scarborough argued media outlets and commentators should avoid declaring Platner guilty before any legal process has played out. "People in the media are just summarily saying, 'Well, he's a rapist,'" Scarborough said. He said the show's approach mirrored how it covered allegations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearings. "I also said about Brett Kavanaugh... people would come on this network and call Brett Kavanaugh a sexual harasser or a rapist without any due process at all," he said. "Perhaps they needed to take a deep breath," Scarborough said. Platner announced Wednesday night that he was suspending campaign operations after Politico published allegations from multiple women accusing him of sexual assault or sexual misconduct. Platner has categorically denied the allegations, calling them false and politically motivated. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ff98ac2ca79de2365d2a3 Sophie Cunningham further humiliates her finger-wag victim, a shameful Bryce Harper video & MLB has gone soft! te 2026-07-09T19:42:02.522Z Sophie Cunningham further humiliates her finger-wag victim, a shameful Bryce Harper video & MLB has gone soft! Over the hump and safely onto the other side. We don't quite have the juice we had this time last week going into a holiday weekend, but it's OK. Sometimes, we need to rest and recover. That's what the summer is all about. The World Cup is still going on, but does anyone really care anymore? No. Baseball is nearing the All-Star break, which means we'll get the Home Run Derby in a few days ... if you can find it. ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW! Spoiler alert: It's on Netflix now! Wonderful. Football is still a few weeks away from really ramping up. We've got a week until the final major of the golf season. This is sort of a transition week for us, right? We're firmly in the dog days right now. The first half of summer is behind us. Now, we have to grind. And grind, we will! Welcome to a Thursday Nightcaps — the one where Sophie Cunningham throws on a catsuit of sorts and takes another shot at the WNBA mean girls. She just doesn't miss, does she? What else? I've got a question for all of our high school parents in class today, and, amazingly, we had ANOTHER pitcher pulled last night during a perfect game. What is going on in Major League Baseball right now? It's disgusting. It's un-American. It has to stop. OK, grab you a handful of fries for National French Fry Day, and settle in for a Thursday 'Cap! I'm quite sure we've done this one before (mainly because I went back and looked), but I'm gonna go ahead and recycle my Mount Rushmore of Fries today. Lord knows there ain't anything else going on. I'd also accept: Chick-Fil-A, although the butt-pieces of waffle fries are disgusting, so it's a slippery little slope. I'll also listen to any sweet potato truthers in class, too. That's right. Some people scoff at sweet potato fries, but, done right, they are elite. Dip them in some of that marshmallow/pineapple sauce like a true slob, and it's game over. What a country. OK, let's get down to business. It's slim pickens today, so I don't want to hear it. First up? Sophie Cunningham doubled down on her viral finger-wag a few weeks ago, calling Phoenix Mercury forward-guard DeWanna Bonner "Miss Priss" in an interview on Shannon Spake's "Sons and Daughters" podcast." "Caitlin got a technical and looking back I think both of them deserved a technical like, trying to clean up the game, whatever," Cunningham said in the full clip, which can be seen here. "And so I wasn't even speaking to Miss Priss over there and I was just like, 'Hey, if Caitlin got a check, I think she deserves one.' Like, wasn't even looking at her and I just like kind of pointed and it just made her mad, and she was like, 'Don't you point at me.' "And I was 'Oh, (she) shouldn't have said that.' And so then I just didn't say a word. I did not say a word to her. I just pointed." Love her or hate her, at least Sophie Cunningham isn't a BSer. A lot of these athletes just dance around the subject and toe the line. Not Sophie. She wants all the smoke. Now, did she follow that interview up with a 2-point game last night? Sure. But that's what we call semantics in this business! You know what's not semantics? This new rule passed by USA Baseball this week. Batter up! Whoooooooooooooooa Nellie! They're letting high school players use drop 4, 5 and 6 bats now? Seems ... risky. For those who aren't up on the lingo, "bat drop weights" is the difference between a bat's length (in inches) and its weight (in ounces). For example, the current rules say a bat must be -3, or a drop-3. If a bat is 31 inches long, it must be weigh 28 ounces. That's standard practice for bats in high school baseball. Starting in 2028, they're now gonna be allowed to use lighter bats? Wild. Here's the kicker. USA Baseball sold the move as a necessary one to "keeping more athletes in baseball and supporting their long-term development." "We have seen too many athletes entering high school baseball struggle with the immediate jump to the -3-drop weight and then walk away from the game," USA Baseball President John Gall said. Huh? They're billing it as a way to keep players from "walking away from the game," which is puzzling. I've never once seen nor heard of a player walk away from high school baseball because the bat was too heavy. Come on. Basically, in the name of inclusivity, USA Baseball has now put a lighter bat in the hands of a 220-pound, 5-tool prospect who can already tear the cover off the ball as is. Can't wait to see how that goes! OK, couple quickies on the way out. First? Let's stay on the diamond and check in on the state of Major League Baseball: Amazing. That's TWICE in the past week that a starting pitcher has been yanked during a perfect game. I'll go ahead and rehash what I said earlier this week, and then we'll move on, because I am DISGUSTED. Unlike no-hitters, which happen often(ish), perfect games almost never happen. In fact, there have only been 24 official perfect games in MLB history. Twenty-four! Baseball has been around for a century, give or take. It's really been around for much longer, but we'll just go back 100 years to make it a nice, round number. In that time, we've only seen 24 (!!!) perfect games. And now, in the span of five days, we've seen two pitchers get yanked during one: Eury Perez of the Marlins last weekend, and Jared Jones last night. Make Baseball Great Again! Finally, on the way out, let's check in with FanDuel, MLB and Bryce Harper! Just a WILD story out of Philly today. Truly insane. A man with a gambling addiction got a personalized video sent to him, via FanDuel, of Bryce Harper ... thanking him for his support? That's just barbaric. What have we come to in this country? Look, I love sports gambling. It's truly one of my favorite things to do in the fall (for about 30 minutes before the 1 p.m. games start and I immediately lose everything). But I do it for fun. I'm talking $5 bets on Saquon Barkley to be the first TD scorer of the game. I know my limits. Some folks, clearly, don't. And that's on them, partially. But let's not sit here and pretend the casinos don't play a role. And now we're sending out VIP videos to people a million dollars in the hole? Whooooof. I'm all for some dark humor, but Lordy, even that one crosses a line for me. OK, that's it for today. Good work, everyone. You did well. Related to absolutely nothing, here's Scottie Scheffler proving that technology is a load of crap to take us home. See you tomorrow. OutKick Nightcaps is a daily column set to run Monday through Friday at 4 p.m. (roughly, we’re not robots). Thoughts on the new high school bat? Email me at Zach.Dean@OutKick.com. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ff977c2ca79de2365d29a US soccer star Christian Pulisic reportedly suffered microfracture in leg, speaks out on social media te 2026-07-09T19:41:43.058Z US soccer star Christian Pulisic reportedly suffered microfracture in leg, speaks out on social media U.S. soccer star Christian Pulisic reportedly sustained a microfracture in his leg during the team's 4-1 loss to Belgium on Monday in Seattle. Pulisic suffered a bone bruise and a microfracture in his leg in the loss and will be sidelined for several weeks, but not months, according to The Athletic's report on Thursday. He appeared to sustain the injury when he attempted a shot in the 52nd minute but hit a Belgian defender's calf instead of the ball. Pulisic, 27, has been widely criticized for his postgame comments after the team's loss in the Round of 16 about his injury after he said he now has time to "rest" following the injury, which drew the ire of many. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM He made his first post to social media since the deflating loss on Wednesday, Pulisic said it was tough to find words. "Tough to find the words. I want to start by saying thank you to everyone who believed. The support carried us all the way through. It simply wasn’t good enough from us in the end and I wanted to deliver so much more," Pulisic captioned his post. "I still feel blessed to be a part of this team. The memories this summer will last a lifetime. It’s just the start for us and for this sport in America," he wrote with an American flag emoji. ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW! The AC Milan star has been the face of U.S. soccer since the turn of the decade but struggled at the World Cup. He reaggravated a calf injury in the opening round, which forced him to miss nearly two full games. Pulisic came back from the injury and played in both the Round of 32 game against Bosnia and Herzegovina and the match against Belgium but was not effective before leaving due to injury. In four World Cup games, he recorded just two shots on target and one assist. The Hershey, Pennsylvania, native will now return to AC Milan and look to move on ahead of the upcoming Serie A season as he recovers. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ff963c2ca79de2365d291 'American houses are for American people': Trump housing chief insists immigration crackdown will lower costs te 2026-07-09T19:41:23.610Z 'American houses are for American people': Trump housing chief insists immigration crackdown will lower costs EXCLUSIVE: Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner said the Trump administration is working to counteract the housing cost surges that he said resulted from Joe Biden's open border policies. Speaking exclusively with Fox News Digital from the Great American State Fair on Thursday, Turner insisted President Donald Trump's team is pursuing policies to improve affordability, a key midterm issue, and bring down home price and rent cost spikes that correlated with the influx of illegal immigration under the previous administration. Republicans have argued their agenda will bring down home prices and rents by cutting regulations, increasing housing supply and cracking down on illegal immigration. BIDEN'S ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION SURGE CAUSED HIGHER RENT AND HOME PRICES, FED STUDY FINDS "When we first came in with President Trump, we had open borders. We had tens of millions of illegals in our country," Turner said, arguing that increased housing demand from unauthorized immigration drove up costs for American citizens. A recent Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas working paper reached a similar conclusion, estimating that every 1% increase in unauthorized immigrant workers was associated with a roughly 2.2% increase in home prices and a 1.4% increase in rents. Turner said that beyond rolling back regulations, expanding mortgage credit and removing barriers to new construction, reducing illegal immigration is key to helping ease demand for housing. THE SURPRISING HIDDEN COST QUIETLY ADDING NEARLY $132K TO NEW HOME PRICES REVEALED He also said the Trump administration's immigration crackdown is a key part of the president's broader effort to reduce costs for American families amid an ongoing affordability crisis. "Here in America, we prioritize American people and American people only. American houses are for American people," Turner said. Asked when Americans can expect to see lower housing costs, Turner argued the administration is already taking steps to make housing more affordable. "I think there is a misperception that this is not a priority. It is of utmost priority," Turner said. A PROBLEM HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT IS KEEPING AMERICANS FROM BUYING HOMES As evidence, Turner pointed to two executive orders Trump signed that together work to remove regulatory barriers to affordable housing construction, expand access to mortgage credit and increase housing supply. The HUD Secretary said the administration is also rolling back regulations and "bureaucratic red tape" put in place under the Biden administration to lower construction costs and spur more homebuilding. "That's what we're doing now, we are easing the regulatory environment, bringing the cost down, raising the supply so builders can build and homeowners can buy," he said, describing those efforts as key to making homeownership more affordable for American families. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ff745c2ca79de2365d222 Man spends house deposit on grandpa’s World Cup dream, then gets unexpected surprise te 2026-07-09T19:32:21.517Z Man spends house deposit on grandpa’s World Cup dream, then gets unexpected surprise An England soccer fan who spent his life savings to take his grandfather to the FIFA World Cup was surprised by a gift that restored every penny he spent. Jacob Allmendinger, 21, used the roughly £10,000 — or about $13,300 — that he spent five years saving for a down payment on a home to take his 80-year-old grandfather, Geoff Golliker, on what he described as the trip of a lifestime to follow England through the tournament, news agency SWNS reported. The pair traveled together to New York, Atlanta and Mexico City, attending England's matches against Panama, DR Congo and Mexico, including England's historic 3-2 victory over Mexico at Estadio Azteca. BLUE-HAIRED WORLD CUP FAN BREAKS SILENCE AFTER HIS EMOTIONAL REACTION GOES VIRAL Their story quickly gained attention online.  While traveling, the two said they were recognized by fans who had read about their journey, according to SWNS. The publicity caught the attention of U.S.-based online crypto casino Metawin — which pledged on social media to reimburse Allmendinger if England beat the Democratic Republic of the Congo. CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES The proposal came after another offer to repay him if England defeated Panama by more than two goals. England fell short in that game. After England's 2-1 victory over DR Congo, the company followed through on its promise. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER "I was amazed. It was an incredible gesture, really," Allmendinger told SWNS. "I didn't quite believe it, to be honest, until I looked at my bank and it was there. I was just in shock." Allmendinger said he plans to save the money while deciding what to do next. "I'll put it in a savings account for now and see what happens after the next couple of months," he said. TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ "We could go to the European Championships. I could buy a house. Anything is possible. It's just great to have options." Before the trip, Allmendinger said spending his savings was an easy decision because he knew the opportunity to travel with his grandfather would not come around again. "I can always make money back," he said. "I'm at the age where I can afford to miss out on a house for two or three years." "But I won't ever get to go to the World Cup with my grandad again." He also said, "We're more best mates than grandad and grandson." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ff732c2ca79de2365d219 Illegal immigrant soccer coach who used alcohol and drugs to sexually abuse kids learns fate te 2026-07-09T19:32:02.059Z Illegal immigrant soccer coach who used alcohol and drugs to sexually abuse kids learns fate An illegal immigrant convicted of using alcohol and drugs to sexually exploit children while working as a soccer coach was recently sentenced to 30 years in prison. Camilo Campos-Hurtado, a Mexican citizen who was living in Franklin, Tennessee, pleaded guilty in June to four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of receiving child sexual abuse material, one count of using or possessing fraudulent immigration documents, and one count of possessing a stolen or unlawfully produced identification document. Federal prosecutors requested a 50-year sentence during the July 2 hearing. ABIGAIL SPANBERGER’S VIRGINIA A ‘HOTBED’ FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIME, DHS SAYS AFTER LATEST RAPE CHARGE "This criminal illegal alien pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting children and child pornography charges after he repeatedly drugged and assaulted children while he was working as a soccer coach," said Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. "If he is ever released, ICE will immediately remove him from the country. He will never again harm another child in our country." The investigation into Campos-Hurtado began in 2023 when someone discovered explicit videos on a cell phone he had left behind at a Franklin business. ICE NABS ILLEGAL ALIENS CONVICTED OF CHILD SEX CRIMES AND METH TRAFFICKING IN NATIONWIDE ENFORCEMENT SWEEP The tipster reported the footage to the Franklin Police Department, according to the Justice Department . During a subsequent search of Campos-Hurtado's home and vehicle, investigators found electronic devices containing child sexual abuse material, along with numerous counterfeit immigration and identification documents. While the offenses related to his convictions occurred between 2017 and 2021, forensic analysis of his electronic devices determined that Campos-Hurtado had been producing child sexual abuse material since at least January 13, 2013, federal prosecutors said. It was not clear when he illegally entered the United States, DHS said. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ff6f4c2ca79de2365d1f1 A Letter From the Editor: Arizona just got stronger te 2026-07-09T19:31:00.104Z A Letter From the Editor: Arizona just got stronger Change is in the air in our Arizona newsroom. As Arizona prepares for another high-stakes election cycle, we’re investing in the future of Arizona Capitol Times by welcoming two accomplished journalists who bring decades of experience, deep newsroom leadership and a shared commitment to producing the kind of journalism our readers have come to expect. Frank Gluck has joined Arizona Capitol Times/State Affairs as managing editor, bringing more than 25 years of reporting and editing experience covering state government, public policy, healthcare, criminal justice and local government. Frank Gluck, Arizona Capitol Times’ new managing editor. Most recently, Frank served as Baltimore County bureau chief for The Baltimore Sun, where he led coverage of education, crime, courts and government and regularly filled in as editor of the newspaper’s Capitol Bureau, covering the Maryland General Assembly. Before that, he held leadership roles at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and spent more than a decade producing watchdog and enterprise reporting for the USA Today Network in Florida and at The Tennessean. A graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, Frank has built a career on accountability journalism and helping reporters produce their best work. Joining him is Joey Chenoweth, who will serve as assistant editor. Joey has spent his entire journalism career covering Arizona, beginning as a reporter in Pinal County before rising through the ranks at what is now PinalCentral. Over the past 14 years, he has covered everything from local government and public safety to politics and community issues, eventually leading the newsroom as editor. Together, Frank and Joey bring exactly what we’re looking for: deep newsroom leadership, a passion for state government reporting and an unwavering commitment to serving readers. Frank captures that mission perfectly: “I’m honored and excited to join such a groundbreaking organization with such dedicated journalists. I look forward to advancing State Affairs’ mission of providing must-read news from the Arizona State Legislature. Some of the most consequential decisions affecting Arizonans and Americans happen at the state level. We’re here to concentrate on those stories.” Joey is equally excited about what’s ahead: Joey Chenoweth, Arizona Capitol Times’ new assistant editor “The Arizona Capitol Times has been at the forefront of impactful reporting on our state’s politics and governance, and I am excited to work with State Affairs to maintain that reputation while pushing the levels of coverage even further. Arizona is approaching another high-stakes election, so we will be hitting the ground running to put out the best information on the people and issues that matter.” Those two perspectives perfectly capture where we’re headed. Our goal isn’t simply to preserve the legacy of the Arizona Capitol Times, which is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year. It’s to build on it. We want to deliver even deeper, smarter and more indispensable coverage of the Arizona Legislature and state government while continuing to earn the trust readers have placed in this newsroom for decades. As Frank and Joey take the helm, you’ll be seeing the impact of their leadership in the weeks and months ahead. Please join me in welcoming them to Arizona Capitol Times and State Affairs. If you’re reading this as a subscriber, thank you for placing your trust in us. If you’re not yet a subscriber, there’s never been a better time to join us as we continue delivering the in-depth, nonpartisan coverage of Arizona government and politics that readers have relied on for decades. And one more reminder: Nominations are now open for our annual Arizona Capitol Times Women Achievers of Arizona awards, recognizing women who are making an extraordinary difference in their professions and communities. We hope you’ll take a moment to nominate someone deserving.  Welcome to the team, Frank and Joey. We’re excited for what’s ahead. Alison Bethel is editor-in-chief and chief content officer for State Affairs, the parent company of Arizona Capitol Times. The post A Letter From the Editor: Arizona just got stronger first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ff6ccc2ca79de2365d1c1 Charles Hudson shares the common mistakes he’s seen after investing in 500+ startups te 2026-07-09T19:30:20.690Z Charles Hudson shares the common mistakes he’s seen after investing in 500+ startups In this week’s episode of Build Mode, Isabelle Johannessen talks with Precursor Ventures' Charles Hudson about the headwinds facing early-stage founders today and the most common mistakes founders should avoid in order to get funded. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ff529c2ca79de2365d1a0 'Preaching as resistance': Dem minister behind Satanist wedding now linked to anti-Trump sermon guide te 2026-07-09T19:23:21.745Z 'Preaching as resistance': Dem minister behind Satanist wedding now linked to anti-Trump sermon guide FIRST ON FOX: Democrat candidate Sarah Trone Garriott, a minister and state legislator running for one of the most competitive House seats in the nation, contributed to a "resistance preaching" guide that encouraged faith leaders to combat President Donald Trump and his supporters from the pulpit. Trone Garriott authored a chapter in a 2018 collection titled, "Preaching as Resistance: Voices of Hope, Justice, and Solidarity," in the aftermath of Trump’s 2016 presidential election victory — an event the book described as bringing the country "so closely to fascism." Responding to Trump's presidency, "Many pastors find themselves drawn toward acts of resistance," Phil Snider, a self-described "White male cishet pastor," writes in the book's introduction. He argued that "pastors of the resistance" were working against a Trump-led coalition rooted in "White supremacy," "exploitation," "greed," and "heteropatriarchy." JOHN FETTERMAN DEFENDS TRUMP SUPPORTERS, CONDEMNS FELLOW DEMOCRATS' 'F--- TRUMP' STRATEGY Trone Garriott, who was ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America in 2008, was among that cohort as an author of the collection. Her contribution titled, "The Gospel of Resistance," was described as the first sermon she delivered after the 2016 election and has not been previously reported. Trone Garriott’s involvement comes as she faces mounting scrutiny from Republicans over her previous remarks on religion and cultural issues. The GOP views the Iowa House battleground held by Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, which incorporates the state capital of Des Moines, as critical to preserving its slim majority. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the contest as a "toss-up." Trump carried the swing district by over four points in 2024, but a recent Fox News Poll showed his favorability is now underwater in the Hawkeye State. Trone Garriott publicly discussed helping marry a Satanist couple as a minister-in-training during a love-themed storytelling event in 2023, Fox News Digital previously reported. She also defended a Wiccan-led prayer in the state legislature and tied public displays of Christianity to political violence in a 2023 sermon. During that talk, she criticized private schools and parental rights in education while highlighting her efforts to seek out prayers in the state legislature that were not from the "White American Christian variety." The Republican National Committee (RNC) sharply criticized Trone Garriott's participation in the "resistance" preaching collection. "The Wicked Witch of Woke strikes again and admits what we all knew — she views the pulpit as a political weapon to advance her radical agenda," RNC spokesman Zach Kraft said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "There isn't a far-left cause Sarah Trone Garriott hasn't claimed to have found in the Bible and attempted to force on Iowans." Trone Garriott did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment about why she chose to contribute to the collection or whether she agreed with the book's introduction, which described Trump and his tens of millions of voters as rooted in racism. IOWA DEM ADMITS BEING ‘UNCOMFORTABLE’ WITH WHITENESS AS SHE SEEKS TO FLIP COMPETITIVE HOUSE SEAT The sermon collection, described as "provocative" by its publisher, includes 30 sermons under titles that include "Transgressing the Gender Binary," "Encountering Pharaoh — and Climate Change," and "Wake Up and Stay Woke!" Beyond criticism of Trump, pastors also condemned immigration enforcement, deportation policies, transphobia, and what one author calls "the worship of military-grade weaponry among the populace." In "When to Break the Law," a minister urges sanctuary cities to defy the federal government and harbor illegal aliens to avoid deportation. In "Take a Knee," the author rails against the "militarized border." In "Overcome Evil with Good," police departments are associated with White supremacy. In "Beloved Resistance," the president is described as an "unrepentant sexual predator." Trone Garriott's own sermon closes the collection. While less overtly political than some of the others, it was identified as the first sermon she delivered after Trump's election. In the sermon, Trone Garriott appears to encourage listeners who were upset by recent events, without explicitly mentioning Trump's election win. She discusses periods when Christians felt detachment throughout history and turned to Matthew 24:36–44, a passage about Christ's return in which he tells believers to remain ready. "For those who are honestly praying for the kingdoms of this world to be destroyed and Christ’s kingdom to come…for those who are yearning to go with Christ wherever that may lead…for those hoping for new life…this is the good news," she wrote. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ff516c2ca79de2365d197 ESPN's coverage of Caitlin Clark is a racially charged, dishonest, and embarrassing mess | Bobby Burack te 2026-07-09T19:23:02.291Z ESPN's coverage of Caitlin Clark is a racially charged, dishonest, and embarrassing mess | Bobby Burack For a network that claims to want to grow conversation around the WNBA, no company struggles discussing the league's biggest star more than ESPN. Over the past week alone, various ESPN commentators have told viewers that Caitlin Clark was not actually punched in the throat (despite clear video evidence), that she has a responsibility to stand up for Black women in the league, that her embellishment is why Alyssa Thomas' fist ended up on her throat, and that she is not even one of the top guards in the WNBA. David Dennis Jr., whom ESPN recently re-signed and promoted, was responsible for some of those remarks on Thursday. "I don't think that you can make a compelling argument that Caitlin Clark is a top-four guard in the WNBA," Dennis said, brushing aside the statistical case that proves otherwise. He also argued that it is unfair to claim opposing players are targeting Clark or committing hard fouls out of "petty jealousy." Instead, he said Clark is simply receiving "superstar treatment." Dennis has built a reputation for filtering cultural issues through the lens of race. Last year, he wrote that the idea of praising Sydney Sweeney for her appearance "mortified" him. Perhaps he was once rejected by a white woman, and the moment still haunts him to this day. CHINEY OGWUMIKE CLAIMING THAT A'JA WILSON IS 'GREATER' THAN TOM BRADY EXPOSES ESPN'S WNBA CREDIBILITY PROBLEM Still, the coverage of Clark is not much better elsewhere on ESPN. The network continues to rely on Chiney Ogwumike and Monica McNutt as two of its leading WNBA analysts, despite their obvious disdain toward Clark. Last week, Ogwumike argued that Alyssa Thomas punching Clark in the neck was not a significant issue because it required a "freeze frame" to see the contact, whatever that means. McNutt, meanwhile, accused young white girls of favoring Clark on racial grounds. "Caitlin represented, and again, some of this to me probably is not fair to her, because it was not anything that she said or was truly based on her personality, but she was a white girl from the middle of America. And so she represented a whole lot to a lot of people, whether that is truly what she ascribed to or not," McNutt said. Former NFL player Harry Douglas has also become part of the conversation. This week, he attempted to praise Paige Bueckers but did so only by trying to diminish Clark. "Everything we expected Caitlin Clark to be, Paige Bueckers has been in the WNBA," Douglas said. The numbers tell a different story. Clark just won Player of the Month after averaging 20 points, eight assists, and four rebounds per game. Not bad for a guard whom ESPN insists is nowhere near the top four. ESPN MUST HOLD STEPHEN A. SMITH ACCOUNTABLE AFTER DOUBLING DOWN ON RACIST REMARKS ABOUT WHITE BASKETBALL PLAYERS At this point, you have to wonder whether a single ESPN employee is willing to defend Clark or even challenge the factually challenged claims that regularly make it onto the network's airwaves. Much of the responsibility falls on ESPN management. When executives consistently elevate commentators with one specific ideology, it should not surprise anyone that they arrive at the same illogical, racially-charged conclusions about Clark. From day one, the narrative around Clark is that she is a superstar only because America has starved for a straight white girl to save them from a league of largely black LGBTQ women. That narrative is not supported by the history of superstardom in American sports. Yet it has shaped ESPN's coverage from the start. The result is a network that presents a distorted picture of the most influential player in the history of women's basketball. It's bad for the sports. It's bad for ESPN's brand. The pressure shifts to ESPN executives Jimmy Pitaro, Burke Magnus, and Mike Foss. Those three executives are doing fans a disservice by allowing racial idolaters to turn ESPN's coverage of Clark into a resemblance of how cable news covers the leader of the opposition party. Imagine if nearly every prominent NFL voice at ESPN approached Patrick Mahomes with the underlying goal of minimizing his accomplishments. That is the culture ESPN has enabled when it comes to discussing Caitlin Clark. OutKick credited ESPN several months ago for rebuilding its brand by shifting away from identity politics. The ratings suggest viewers have noticed. However, the network's coverage of Clark remains a glaring exception. In the process, ESPN is undermining the growth of one of its most valuable media properties. ESPN ought to add some diversity to its WNBA commentary -- diversity of opinion, that is. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ff502c2ca79de2365d18e Eating common dairy food every day may slow biological aging, study suggests te 2026-07-09T19:22:42.840Z Eating common dairy food every day may slow biological aging, study suggests A simple lifestyle adjustment could potentially slow down the body's biological aging process, according to new research. The study, published in the journal Aging, investigated how a diet change and easy exercise regimen affected men between the ages of 50 and 74 over a three-month period. Researchers designed a clinical trial involving 48 overweight men in Japan. Over a 12-week period, half of the participants followed a strictly structured wellness routine, while the other half maintained their usual habits. DOCTORS SAY 8 FORGOTTEN HABITS COULD HELP FIGHT STRESS, OBESITY AND CHRONIC DISEASE For the intervention group, the routine required consuming 100 grams of plain yogurt every day. This group also received individualized dietary counseling that advised them to curb overeating, avoid excessive snacking and cut out sugary drinks. They were also instructed to walk or use a stepper machine for roughly 30 minutes a day, at least three days each week. To measure the impact of these changes, the scientists collected blood samples from all participants before and after the study, and also analyzed DNA for chemical changes that act as indicators of cellular age. Specifically, they used a measurement tool called DunedinPACE. Rather than assessing a person's chronological age in years, this tool calculates the precise rate at which an individual’s body is currently aging. The men who consumed the probiotic yogurt, adjusted their diets and exercised showed a statistically significant reduction in their pace of aging compared to the control group, the researchers said. On average, the speed of their biological aging slowed by approximately 2.2%. This reduction is roughly comparable to the slowing of biological aging observed in a previous two-year U.S. study, in which participants reduced their daily calorie intake by 25%. TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ This reduction in aging speed happened independently of weight loss , meaning it did not directly correlate with changes in the participants' body mass index or the exact number of exercise sessions they logged. The researchers also recorded a noticeable improvement in a specific DNA marker that is linked to kidney function. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER Because this study combined three distinct factors — probiotics, diet and exercise — the authors concluded that the anti-aging benefits cannot be attributed to any single component. Instead, the slowed aging rate appears to be the result of a combined effect. The researchers also acknowledged clear limitations of the study, including its small sample size and short duration. Also, the participant pool was restricted to overweight men of a single nationality. CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES More research is needed to determine whether these short-term biological shifts can translate into permanent, long-term health benefits, the study stated. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ff4efc2ca79de2365d185 American mother murdered in Irish tourist town as international manhunt targets alleged asylum seeker te 2026-07-09T19:22:23.381Z American mother murdered in Irish tourist town as international manhunt targets alleged asylum seeker An American mother originally from New York was found dead in her home in a popular Irish tourist town, with police saying that a person of interest has fled the country. Some Irish publications are reporting the person of interest is an asylum seeker. The victim was identified by the Irish Prime Minister as Jamey Carney, while Irish police, An Garda Síochána, said the 43-year-old's body was found on Tuesday at a home in Killarney, County Kerry. Irish police said the person of interest left the jurisdiction in the early hours of Tuesday, before Carney's body was discovered and reported to authorities. Police said they have launched a murder investigation and are engaging with international law enforcement partners. Carney was originally from Westchester County, just north of New York City, before moving to Ireland in 2021 with her young daughter, according to the Irish Independent. HOMELAND SECURITY OFFICIAL'S KILLING LEAVES AGENCY 'DEVASTATED' AS VETTING BREAKDOWN EXPOSED The State Department confirmed to Fox News Digital that an American citizen died in County Kerry on July 7 and said it was providing consular assistance to the victim's family. "The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans," the agency said. The Irish Mirror reported the person of interest was an asylum seeker living in state-run accommodation in Killarney who allegedly fled to Turkey. The outlet also reported that the man, who previously lived in France and the United Kingdom, knew Carney and frequently stayed at her home. Carney's social media profiles described her as a "New Yorker in Ireland" and showed her with a man she identified as her partner. In one recent post, she referred to them as a "mixed couple." Police have not identified the person of interest or said whether he is the man featured in the posts. Documents reviewed by Fox News Digital indicate she also had ties to Rockland County, New York, and northern New Jersey, while Fox News Digital sources said she was a familiar face along Yonkers' MacLean Avenue, a neighborhood with a large Irish-American community. The Irish Independent, citing sources, reported Carney was found with bedclothes covering her body and had suffered severe head and neck injuries, with indications she may have fought to defend herself. The room was heavily bloodstained, according to the outlet. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PLANS NEW ICE HOLDING FACILITY NEAR LOUISIANA DEPORTATION FLIGHT HUBI Investigators believe the person of interest first arrived in the United Kingdom before traveling to Ireland, RTÉ reported. Detectives have contacted airline and transport officials and are coordinating with British authorities as they work to establish his identity and movements. Despite the international search, Irish police have not released the man's name, image or a description, saying they are not in a position to comment on his age, name or nationality for legal reasons, according to RTÉ. The news has rattled the picturesque southwest Irish town, a gateway to Killarney National Park and the famed Ring of Kerry, two of Ireland's biggest draws for American visitors. Carney's LinkedIn profile indicated she moved to Ireland in 2021 to work for a healthcare outsourcing company after previously working as an insurance agent and real estate salesperson in the New York metropolitan area. Her social media accounts are filled with selfies and content with her daughter as well as her partner. It shows she also supported the Free Palestinian movement and her bio included criticism of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Carney is being remembered locally as a devoted mother who loved living in Killarney. Councillor Martin Grady, who said he knew her personally, told the Irish Independent she was "a loving, caring mother" and "always happy and smiling." Carney marked the Fourth of July with her partner just days before her death, per her social media account. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ff4b1c2ca79de2365d156 Arizona ranks ninth among America's handiest states, study finds te 2026-07-09T19:21:21.429Z Arizona ranks ninth among America's handiest states, study finds Arizona ranks among the nation's top 10 handiest states, according to a new study that combines housing costs, online DIY interest and the prevalence of maintenance-related jobs. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ff49dc2ca79de2365d14d Early morning fire kills three pets in Lake Havasu City home te 2026-07-09T19:21:01.464Z Early morning fire kills three pets in Lake Havasu City home A neighbor's quick action helped alert authorities to an early morning house fire Thursday, but three family pets died before firefighters could bring the blaze under control. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ff489c2ca79de2365d144 Rabbit virus resurfaces across Arizona as Game and Fish urges hunters to remove carcasses te 2026-07-09T19:20:41.544Z Rabbit virus resurfaces across Arizona as Game and Fish urges hunters to remove carcasses The Arizona Game and Fish Department is warning hunters that Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Type 2, a highly contagious disease that devastated the state's rabbit populations several years ago, is again circulating widely across Arizona. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ff230c2ca79de2365d0b5 Slate Auto teams up with Crayola to color its EV truck te 2026-07-09T19:10:40.027Z Slate Auto teams up with Crayola to color its EV truck Slate has an answer for owners who have always want to drive a truck with bright crayon colors. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ff21cc2ca79de2365d0ac New York Times says OpenAI hid evidence in ChatGPT copyright trial te 2026-07-09T19:10:20.576Z New York Times says OpenAI hid evidence in ChatGPT copyright trial News publishers say OpenAI hid tools and datasets that could identify copyrighted journalism in ChatGPT outputs, escalating their lawsuit with a new motion for sanctions. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ff002c2ca79de2365d064 FanDuel, Bryce Harper video to losing gambler reinforces the greed of the MLB, sportsbooks and the union te 2026-07-09T19:01:22.460Z FanDuel, Bryce Harper video to losing gambler reinforces the greed of the MLB, sportsbooks and the union A disturbing new report from The Philadelphia Inquirer reveals that FanDuel used a personalized video from Phillies slugger Bryce Harper to target an online gambling addict. Sent directly to customer Terry Thompson by his FanDuel VIP manager, "Bryttanni," the video features Harper wishing the gambler a happy Thanksgiving, greeting his young son, and thanking him for his years of support. Thompson wasn't just an ordinary fan; he was a problem gambler who wagered a staggering $18.5 million on FanDuel and lost $1.5 million. Instead of cutting him off, FanDuel gave Thompson VIP treatment, showering him with champagne and Super Bowl tickets while weaponizing Harper, a two-time NL MVP. MLB PLAYERS UNION IS MAKING OUTRAGEOUS SPORTS BETTING PROPOSALS IN THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING NEGOTIATIONS This gross revelation brings us right back to the Major League Baseball Players Association's recent, ridiculous collective bargaining proposals. Last month, I noted the union's hypocrisy in demanding a bigger share of sportsbook revenue while trying to shield itself from the realities of the gambling market. During those CBA negotiations, the union eagerly sought clarity on how players can secure lucrative endorsement deals with sportsbooks. Now we see exactly what those corporate partnerships look like in practice: using the sport's most recognizable players as high-end retention tools to squeeze millions out of desperate people. The MLBPA has also complained about players facing harassment from angry bettors, even pushing to ban player props. Yet they remain completely silent when their multi-billion-dollar sportsbook partners aggressively target and manipulate actual addicts, using a superstar to drag a vulnerable father deeper into a gambling hole. MLB OWNERS ALREADY PUSHING BACK ON PLAYERS' FIRST CBA PROPOSAL AS WORK STOPPAGE LOOMS AFTER 2026 SEASON Then there is the absolute joke of baseball's "integrity". The union is allegedly pushing for a soft 15-day minor-league "rehab assignment" for players caught illegally betting on baseball. It turns out the union wants coddling for its rule-breakers while the league’s official betting partners actively exploit everyday fans in the background. Harper's video exposes the hypocrisy of these sportsbook partnerships with leagues and players. All-Stars are being used in predatory marketing schemes, proving that the union is far too busy chasing betting dollars to actually protect the reputation of its players or the well-being of the fans. MLB and the union love to plaster "responsible gaming" logos on every broadcast to pretend they care about the human cost. But this video shows the entire ecosystem is a fraudulent, greedy mess. It is time for baseball to decide what matters more: the money or the fans. _____________________________ Follow me on X @Geoffery-Clark, and check out my "OutKick Bets Podcast" for more betting content and random rants. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fefd9c2ca79de2365d038 FanDuel sent a video from star athlete Bryce Harper to a customer with a gambling problem te 2026-07-09T19:00:41.501Z FanDuel sent a video from star athlete Bryce Harper to a customer with a gambling problem The video calls highlights the murky relationship between professional athletes and gambling apps. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fefc5c2ca79de2365d02d Tucson refugee sick with measles in ICE detention te 2026-07-09T19:00:21.041Z Tucson refugee sick with measles in ICE detention A Russian refugee who fled to avoid being drafted into the war in Ukraine is now sick with measles inside an Arizona immigration detention center, days before he is scheduled to be deported back to the country he escaped. He's one of several detainees infected in an outbreak at the Florence Detention Center that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed Tuesday. The outbreak has drawn condemnation from Arizona lawmakers, who say overcrowding in immigration facilities created the conditions for a preventable disease to spread, and has added new urgency to his wife's fight to keep him in the United States. For his wife, Andrea Landavazo, the diagnosis is the latest blow in a whirlwind year that began with an unexpected romance and has turned into a desperate effort to stop his deportation. It started at the pharmacy where Landavazo works. "When he walked up, he just had this really nice smile," Landavazo said. As she looked up the young man's prescription, she joked about how many letters were in his last name. He introduced himself as Vlad. "It takes me a lot to even just form connections … (but) he just looked so sweet," Landavazo said. The two exchanged phone numbers and talked for three hours during their first call. Later that week, they went on a date to Funtasticks that lasted 12 hours. They married exactly one year later. Share Tucson Spotlight with a friend. Every signup earns you a raffle entry to win a gift card to a local Tucson favorite. Four winners drawn August 1. Vlad and Andrea Landavazo married on June 20, exactly one year after their first date. Six days later, Vlad was detained at a Tucson ICE office. Courtesy of Andrea Landavazo. Six days after their wedding, her husband walked into a Tucson ICE office and never came home. Vlad, whose last name is being withheld for fear of retaliation, arrived in Mexico in 2022 along with his now ex-wife, presenting himself at a U.S. port of entry and filing for political asylum. He has had no criminal history in the United States and had recently been working overnight shifts at Walmart. Vlad had legal counsel in his immigration case until February, when his California-based lawyers, who had represented him for four years, dropped him as a client over a conflict of interest involving their representation of his ex-wife, whom he divorced two years ago. After losing his lawyers, Vlad missed an immigration hearing in May that had already been rescheduled several times. Shortly after, he received a deportation order. Vlad filed a motion to reopen his case, but it was denied. He then received a second letter ordering his deportation by the end of June. On June 26, Vlad presented himself to the ICE field office with a second motion to reopen his case. "I'm waiting for him, I'm in the living room, and an hour and a half had passed by, and I was like, 'Where is he?'" Landavazo said. "I was getting really nervous." After her texts and calls to Vlad went unanswered, Landavazo received a call with no caller ID. It was him. "I couldn't even talk," Landavazo said. "I was just so speechless, and (in) just so much in shock. And Vlad, of course, was just again so sweet about it. He said, 'It's okay, things will be okay.'" Landavazo has admired Vlad's optimism throughout their relationship. "Vlad, no matter what … always has something positive to say," Landavazo said. "Even when he called me to let me know he got detained." Andrea Landavazo protests outside the ICE Field Office on Valencia Road and Country Club Road, holding a sign calling for her husband's release. Topacio "Topaz" Servellon / Tucson Spotlight. In September 2022, when Russia announced its first mobilization since World War II for the war against Ukraine, it sparked protests across several cities, and more than 261,000 Russians fled the country. That same month, more than 1,300 Russians, including Vlad, were arrested for protesting the war. "He and his brother got arrested, and when he went to the (police) station, the cop had assaulted him with a pen," Landavazo said. In 2020, the U.S. processed 467 Russian asylum cases at the U.S.-Mexico border. By 2022, more than 21,000 Russian asylum cases were processed in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with more than 3,800 cases in October alone. Russia's draft system requires 12 months of service for men ages 18 to 30, regardless of whether the country is at war. Draft evasion is a felony punishable by up to 26 months in prison or a large fine, and men are legally barred from employment unless they can demonstrate active military registration. That fear of the Russian state, Landavazo said, followed Vlad even after he reached the U.S. "He was really paranoid, and he even felt like ICE was following him sometimes, and so that constant feeling of him having to look behind his back … I just hate that for him," Landavazo said. "Four years, and he was still feeling that way in America, and he came here, you know, to seek refuge." Landavazo's devastation turned into action after Vlad was detained. She contacted several representatives about Vlad's case, including U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani, Sen. Mark Kelly and Rep. Adelita Grijalva. The day after Vlad was detained, Landavazo stood outside the ICE Field Office on Valencia and Country Club, holding a sign that said, "ICE will send future soldier to Russia" and asking passersby to call the office and ask for his release. She returned to the field office the following Monday, where she participated in a peaceful demonstration with members of Tucson's Rapid Response Team. "They told me what they were about. I told them my story, and then they pretty much helped me out, like right away," Landavazo said. U.S. Rep. Adelita Grijalva issued a statement July 9 saying that say overcrowding in immigration facilities created the conditions for an outbreak of measles, a preventable disease. Topacio "Topaz" Servellon / Tucson Spotlight. That same morning, Landavazo had been notified that Vlad had been moved to the Florence Detention Center. She was approached by a woman whose husband is also detained in Florence, who asked her to pass along a message that Vlad was OK. Earlier this week, after more than two weeks of not hearing from her husband, Landavazo was able to contact Vlad, when he again reassured her he was OK. On July 2, U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton made an unannounced visit to the Eloy Detention Center, where he was informed that a few detainees were under quarantine from a measles outbreak at the processing center in Florence. DHS confirmed the outbreak Tuesday, a day after Landavazo was informed Vlad had caught measles and is now in quarantine. Grijalva addressed Vlad's case directly in a statement Thursday. "This latest measles outbreak is the predictable outcome of Trump's mass deportation agenda, which has fueled dangerous overcrowding at detention facilities and created the conditions for preventable diseases to spread," Grijalva said. "This outbreak has infected people like Vlad, who faces the prospect of being drafted into the war in Ukraine if he is deported to his home country of Russia." Grijalva called on ICE to delay the deportation proceedings of Vlad and all other affected individuals so they can pursue all legal avenues, which will be delayed by the outbreak. "For ICE to say this is the 'best healthcare' these individuals have ever received while simultaneously presiding over a measles outbreak at one of its own facilities demonstrates how willfully blind or blatantly indifferent the agency is to the inhumane conditions right under its nose," Grijalva said. Vlad's deportation is scheduled for July 30. Topacio “Topaz” Servellon is a reporter with Tucson Spotlight. Contact them at topacioserve@gmail.com. Tucson Spotlight is a community-based newsroom that provides paid opportunities for students and rising journalists in Southern Arizona. Please consider supporting our work with a tax-deductible donation. Donate to Tucson Spotlight Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fee08c2ca79de2365cfe5 Graham Platner drops out of Maine U.S. Senate race te 2026-07-09T18:52:56.659Z Graham Platner drops out of Maine U.S. Senate race U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner claims victory in the Democratic primary during a watch party in Blue Hill on June 9, 2026. (By Emma Davis/ Maine Morning Star) Democratic nominee Graham Platner dropped out of Maine’s U.S. Senate race on Wednesday, two days after an accusation of sexual assault tanked support from his party.  “This is incredibly difficult because I know that some will think it’s an admission of guilt, and it most certainly is not,” Platner said in an 11 minute video posted to social media announcing he suspended campaign operations. “We’re not doing it because of the allegations. We’re doing it because of the structures that are being taken away from us by those in power.” Platner’s exit clouds Democrats’ hopes of winning back the U.S. Senate majority, as Maine’s seat long held by Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins is seen as crucial for that aim. The state party is tasked to replace him in just a few weeks time. While Platner said he intends to file his paperwork to withdraw, he added, “The process needs to assure that what comes next is reflective of the Mainers who on June 9 turned out and showed that they are desperate for a different kind of politics.” Some voters are hopeful the momentum Platner’s campaign generated can be carried into a possible replacement, while others are less optimistic, essentially making peace with another Collins term.    The political newcomer had weathered a series of controversies during his campaign — including offensive online comments, a now-covered Nazi-linked tattoo and earlier accusations of unsettling behavior toward previous romantic partners.  But the allegation of sexual assault, reported by Politico, resulted in the nominee rapidly losing support from both national and local Democrats. A source close to the campaign told Maine Morning Star early Wednesday that Platner’s top strategists had been urging him to drop out since that accusation. Jenny Racicot, 41, told Politico she had an on-and-off relationship with Platner for more than two years before he entered her home in 2021 uninvited while intoxicated and forced himself on her while she repeatedly told him to stop.  “I just want to make it clear, this was all false,” Platner said in the Wednesday video. “The things that have been claimed did not happen. It’s not real.”  Much as he did during his primary night acceptance speech, Platner placed blame on the political establishment and corporate media. “I learned about this through press inquiries, with no time to truly respond, no time for investigations before a corporate media system and the political establishment got to act as judge, jury, and execution,” Platner said. “Accusations are supposed to be the beginning of things, not the end.” The accusation came exactly a week out from Maine’s ballot deadline. With Platner’s official exit from the race, the Maine Democratic Party must name a replacement by July 27. State law doesn’t specify what process the party has to use to replace him. During an emergency meeting earlier Wednesday evening, state committee members voted in favor of using a convention process, including 500 delegates elected proportionally by county committees, along with the entire 100-person state committee, as first reported by the Bangor Daily News.  Platner’s campaign and the state party have been dueling over what it should look like, with the party saying Platner will have no role in the decision but the campaign launching a survey of its volunteers Wednesday soliciting input.  The selection process appears to be unprecedented. Chief Deputy with the Maine Secretary of State Department Katherine McBrien said she’s unaware of any instances of someone withdrawing from a race in Maine after winning the primary. Within hours of the Politico story publishing, speculation was building over who could replace Platner. Several Democrats who recently lost the nomination for governor have said they’d consider Senate bids, as have two former Senate candidates, among others. This story was originally produced by Maine Morning Star, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Arizona Mirror, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fedf4c2ca79de2365cfc9 ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ star John Schneider breaks silence on ex-wife's court battle: 'Everything's a negotiation' te 2026-07-09T18:52:36.693Z ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ star John Schneider breaks silence on ex-wife's court battle: 'Everything's a negotiation' More than a decade after their split, John Schneider and ex-wife Elvira Schneider are still battling it out in court. Now, with millions of dollars at stake, the "Dukes of Hazzard" star is speaking publicly for the first time, telling Fox News Digital he doesn't understand why an ex-spouse would expect continued financial support after ending a marriage. "It's a negotiation," John told Fox News Digital. "Everything's a negotiation." 'DUKES OF HAZZARD’ STAR JOHN SCHNEIDER CHERISHES LATE WIFE IN BLISSFUL DANCING VIDEO: 'A BEAUTIFUL MOMENT' The beloved television and country music star addressed the dispute while in Washington, D.C., where he performed a 45-minute concert on the Freedom Stage celebrating America's 250th anniversary. When asked about the ongoing court battle, John didn't hide his frustration. WATCH: ‘DUKES OF HAZZARD’ STAR JOHN SCHNEIDER HOPES EX-WIFE SPOUSAL SUPPORT DISPUTE ENDS 'REALLY SOON' "I don't understand why someone would feel that… someone that they threw away, right?… If you throw somebody away, why would you expect them to continue to be part of your life in any regard, let alone financially? I don't understand where the integrity is in that." Still, he said he's hopeful the yearslong dispute is nearing an end, saying, "We're working it out." He added, "It's a shame when people who were together then turn into this. And it's been a long time. I mean, this divorce… she filed for divorce in 2014. My God, that's been 12 years. So, I don't understand it, but you know, cooler heads will prevail, and we'll get through it." John's comments come weeks after his second ex-wife, Elvira, alleged in court that he owes over $2,382,548 in unpaid spousal support dating back years, including more than $984,000 in accrued interest, according to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital. In her filing, Elvira asked the court to award her portions of John's Screen Actors Guild pension and Social Security benefits if he cannot pay the amount outright. John is pushing back. LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS According to the court documents, the actor's legal response argues that his former wife miscalculated the amount allegedly owed and failed to provide evidence supporting her figures. The former couple married in 1993. Elvira filed for divorce in 2014, and the divorce was finalized in 2019. Even as the legal battle continues, John has kept his focus on performing. ‘DUKES OF HAZZARD’ STAR JOHN SCHNEIDER HOPES ALBUM HE WROTE TO ‘HONOR’ LATE WIFE WILL HELP OTHERS GRIEVING The actor traveled to Washington to celebrate America's 250th anniversary, calling the invitation to perform an honor and reflecting on attending the nation's Bicentennial celebration as a teenager. "Wow, it's an honor because we're here in D.C. And we were asked by the present administration, so that's really terrific. So, I'm jazzed about it." Schneider recalled visiting Disney World with his high school in 1976 for the country's 200th birthday. WATCH: ‘DUKES OF HAZZARD’ STAR JOHN SCHNEIDER PRAISES AMERICA DURING NATION'S 250TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION "In 1976, I was 16 years old, and I went with my high school to Disney World and celebrated the Bicentennial." Now, 50 years later, he said, returning for America's 250th birthday feels like a full-circle moment. "So now, to be part of something else 50 years later, I can't believe that, but it's true ... the 250th birthday. And I'm proud of our country, and I'm proud of everything that's going on right now. I know it's a little dicey for some, but you know, I believe in peace through strength, and that's what we're involved in right now." Despite the courtroom drama, John said he's focused on the future — and on his marriage to wife Dee Dee Sorvino. Reflecting on love and partnership, he explained that lasting relationships require mutual commitment. "Partnership is so important. You have to be, what's the biblical standard? Equally yoked." He continued, "A relationship is something that has to… it's two-sided. There are two people involved, and there are two sets of responsibilities. And your thought, again, like trying to make somebody else's day better, certainly the first person that you want to make their day better should be your partner." CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER John praised his wife, adding, "I like to think that's what I do. I know that's what Dee Dee does. I know she puts me first." When Fox News Digital asked what chapter of life excites him most, he didn't hesitate. "Absolutely this one." He added, "We get better and better every day. We have greater and greater aspirations every day because we live in this country, and we can do that. I mean it with every fiber of my being when I say that my best days are ahead of me." Other projects the Hollywood actor has previously worked on include "Smallville" and Tyler Perry's "The Haves and the Have Nots," in addition to co-founding Children's Miracle Network. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fede1c2ca79de2365cfbf Woman happily married to her ex-husband's twin, boobs getting in the way of love & realizing it’s over te 2026-07-09T18:52:17.233Z Woman happily married to her ex-husband's twin, boobs getting in the way of love & realizing it’s over I have to admit I was going through the motions this week. I don't know what it was. It could have been the crash following the Fourth of July weekend, but I wasn't getting into True Romance like I normally do. A lesser version of myself may have lashed out and pointed the finger at the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wedding. But I've grown. I've come to realize that there are better ways to channel my energy. There's no use in trying to figure out which celebrity couple is real and which is going over the top to hide the fact that it's all a sham. That takes me to the news that had me sit up a little in my chair. ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW! It had me realize that I wasn’t as into it as much as I should have been on a Wednesday afternoon. That news was that Luke Wilson, at the very youthful age of 54, welcomed a baby with his 24-year-old girlfriend, Kendall Yates. If that sentence doesn't put a smile on your face, you might be in the wrong place. The two, according to Page Six, had their newborn in a carrier for an event for Wilson's new Netflix series. An introduction of their child to fellow actors and attendees of the event took place, the source told the outlet. It's also, dare I say, a reminder of the true meaning of love and romance. It can bring a well-known actor in his 50s and a twenty-something together. I'm taking that optimism with me this week as we're also reminded that it isn't always as simple as Wilson and Yates make it seem. Go follow True Romance on Twitter and Facebook. Send your emails here: sean.joseph@outkick.com (anonymously if you prefer). CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK CULTURE COVERAGE Who says you can't find love within a family after failing to do so once already? Quitters, that's who. It can be done if you start getting close to your husband's twin brother as your marriage starts to fall apart. Kimberly and her husband Ismael are living proof of that. This was unexpected and caught them both by surprise. It wasn't anything that they had planned. "I confided in him a few things that were happening. There was a very subtle, intimate moment. I started crying because I knew that something woke up in me, and it was definitely awake in him," she told Truly. Kimberly was married to Ismael's brother at the time. That marriage was on its last legs and was about to collapse. Following their hearts helped that process along. "My intention was not to take my sister-in-law (back then) from my brother," Ismael admitted. But that's what ended up taking place. As her marriage to her ex-husband was coming to an end, Kimberley got pregnant with Ismael's child. This added another layer of family fun to the situation, because she already had a child with her now ex-husband. That's right. Not only did she marry her ex-husband's twin, she had kids with both, making them brothers and cousins at the same time. Nobody ever said romance wasn't complicated. Sometimes you fall for the sibling of your significant other. They didn't plan for this. It can about naturally. They could have sat back and taken a look at what it would mean for them to go down this path. They could have decided to live their lives in darkness, covered by a cloud of what-if. They chose instead to let their hearts lead the way. It's not for everyone. Some enjoy the darkness more than others. Now they have a love story to share with others. I could be wrong, but to me that's a beautiful thing. Follow True Romance on Twitter and Facebook. A Scottish model with 30R breasts is having a hard time dating. She has dreams of finding "the one" in the next couple of years and settling down. The 27-year-old wants to be a trad wife, but says her huge boobs are getting in the way of that. Is a traditional, loving relationship too much to ask? Summer Robert thinks it might be. She told The Scottish Sun, "Every other conversation is about my chest. I don’t really get wined and dined." When she does find someone who can look past her chest, they have a hard time with the attention she receives when they go out. The catcalling and stares drive them away. "I want to be married in two years. I want a husband. I want to get married so bad, it’s hard," Robert explained. "I want to have a farm with a man. He goes out and works on the farm and I have a wee baby and I’m cooking him dinner." Can't a woman with big boobs who happens to make a living on OnlyFans find love? She wants a nice guy who isn't boring to travel with. That's reasonable, isn't it? You don't have to worry about her career either. That could be a small factor in her striking out for a handful of people out there, but for Mr. Right, she'll give it all up. She said, "I don’t know if I’m going to find that because, obviously, my job and I have massive boobs. I would give it all up to find love." That's a touching story. I didn’t expect that ending when I first started digging into this one. There will be doubters out there, but I'm not one of them. I'm wishing her the best. I think she'll find someone willing to meet her in the middle. I don't want anyone to think of this as an attempt to make a crash landing this week. This talk of divorce from those who have lived it is meant to serve as a reminder to always keep your head on a swivel. Sometimes the exact moment you realize your marriage is over is when you catch your wife sleeping with the neighbor. Other times the moment is going to be less obvious. Here are a few tales of realization from those who have been through it that were shared on Reddit: - MP from Staunton, Virginia writes: Sean, this week’s True Romance piece on marrying the ‘logical’ choice reminds me of the Huey Lewis and the News classic "Stuck With You " . A song about a couple who may not be terribly romantic but still care about each other. Happy Fourth of July. SeanJo MP, thanks for reaching out. I hope you enjoyed your Fourth of July weekend. It feels only right that we wrap this week up with Huey Lewis & The News. Enjoy. ------------- Have a great week. Feel free to reach out, anonymously if you prefer, at sean.joseph@outkick.com. Send me whatever you want, Huey Lewis & The News related or not. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fedcdc2ca79de2365cfb6 JONATHAN TURLEY: Democrats ditched their morals for Maine. Graham Platner left them empty-handed te 2026-07-09T18:51:57.775Z JONATHAN TURLEY: Democrats ditched their morals for Maine. Graham Platner left them empty-handed This week, Democrats are fighting to keep Maine after shedding their morals. The controversy in Maine over Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner was a modern remake of the scene from "A Man for All Seasons." That’s the scene in which Sir Thomas More confronts Richard Rich, a former protege who lied in court to secure his conviction in exchange for being named attorney general for Wales. As Rich passes by, More asks: "For Wales? Why, Richard, it profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world … but for Wales!" For Democrats, they might not even have Wales to show for their "profit." DEMOCRATS ARE ‘COMPLETELY STAINED’ AFTER BACKING PLATNER THROUGH MULTIPLE SCANDALS, REPUBLICANS CHARGE Platner withdrew from the race Wednesday night. Even with that decision, Democratic politicians will be wearing the mark of Platner for the rest of their careers after dismissing earlier allegations in their quest to take back power in Congress. Of course, Platner’s withdrawal from the Senate race could well prove to be an upgrade. After all, it is hard not to improve on an allegedly Nazi-tattooed, Hamas-praising, veteran-bashing, sex-texting, communism-embracing accused rapist. However, politicians such as Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif. and others will long wallow in a post-Platner party. These Democrats led the mob against now Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, in September 2018, insisting that women had to be believed. Whitehouse said he was "not impressed" by the allegations from multiple women as reported by the New York Times, calling them "a lot of nothing." He also reminded voters that one of the alleged victims is a Republican. HOW GRAHAM PLATNER'S CAMPAIGN UNRAVELED: FROM REDDIT POSTS TO RAPE ALLEGATION Warren was equally undeterred, bouncing on the stage with Platner while proclaiming that he was "my kind of man." It did not matter that he was accused of rape and other abuse. Platner would likely have helped deliver a major committee chair assignment for Warren if Democrats retook power in the Senate. As with disgraced Democrat former California Rep. Eric Swalwell, the establishment moved to destroy Platner only after some polls began to show him slipping with voters and unlikely to beat Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Suddenly, the same pattern emerged as in the Swalwell episode. CNN and The Washington Post suddenly ran stories about new allegations just days before the deadline for Platner to voluntarily withdraw. The same candidates and media that downplayed the allegations of abuse earlier in the Platner campaign suddenly became a convention of "Casablanca" Claude Rains types claiming to be "shocked, shocked" that another woman, who had previously spoken with the New York Times, was now sharing deeply concerning allegations. DAN BONGINO SAYS DEMOCRATS DUMPED GRAHAM PLATNER OVER 'POWER' NOT 'PRINCIPLE' AFTER BOMBSHELL RAPE ALLEGATION For Whitehouse, the woman had the benefit of being liberal, since apparently the alleged encounters previously detailed by the New York Times, including an accusation by one woman who was a Republican seemed like "a lot of nothing." New York Times columnist Michelle Goldberg at least acknowledged her role in the early press push for Platner while calling for his withdrawal. Gone now is her gushing account in The New York Times of how he proved "nothing like the edgelord caricature I encountered online." At the time she added, "Onstage, Platner is magnetic. Like Obama, he seems to promise a politics that is fundamentally progressive while going beyond debased partisan sniping. He shows his audience the respect of at least seeming to level with them." The Maine Democratic Party has announced that it will choose Platner’s replacement. After an anti-establishment primary in which Platner won by more than 70% and crushed the sitting governor in fundraising, the Democratic Party announced, "We have repeatedly reiterated to Graham Platner’s team that they have no role in determining our next Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate." PLANTER CALLS IT QUITS, DROPS SENATE BID AMID MOUNTING SCANDALS For many, it sounds like a Kamala Harris 2024 redux by the Democratic establishment, though in this case about 600 selected people will hold an ad hoc "convention." The rhetoric could backfire. The irony is that these politicians are drawing distinctions that would have been unthinkable just months ago. Ro Khanna insisted, after withdrawing his support and after previously appearing at a rally for Platner, "I’ve been very clear that sexual assault or violence against women is a red line." The problem is that women had previously accused him of such violence, but Khanna endorsed him anyway. For Democratic politicians, the bar kept rising for women who came forward, until an alleged rape involving a liberal woman finally became the red line. The actual red line appeared to be polling that showed shifting support for Platner and concerns that he could not deliver his side of the Faustian bargain. He could not deliver Maine. Suddenly, again, women had to be believed, and the party had to choose his replacement. The greatest irony would be if Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who attracted national attention in 2024 by pushing an unconstitutional effort to block Trump from the state’s presidential ballot (the move was later overturned by the Supreme Court), emerged as the new Democratic senate candidate. Her disregard for constitutional values would be highly appealing to many in the party who want to take over the Supreme Court by packing it with an instant liberal majority. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION Bellows previously campaigned on her unconstitutional actions as the ultimate "win by any means" Democrat. After being roundly defeated this year in a run for governor, garnering just over 20% of the vote in the June primary, she could now compete in the general election as a senate candidate without having run a true primary campaign. It is all part of achieving real power. Just ask Richard Rich. Of course, it may profit these politicians nothing to give their souls for the whole world, but they may not even get Maine in the bargain. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM JONATHAN TURLEY Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fedbac2ca79de2365cfad Former cop Derek Chauvin appeals judge's rejection of bid for new trial in George Floyd murder case te 2026-07-09T18:51:38.333Z Former cop Derek Chauvin appeals judge's rejection of bid for new trial in George Floyd murder case In his newest fight against the judicial system, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is demanding the court reconsider his push for a new trial. Court documents say Chauvin recently filed an appeal against a judge's decision denying his petition for post-conviction relief. Chauvin was convicted of the murder of George Floyd in April 2021. Records show the former officer kneeled on Floyd's neck for nine minutes and 29 seconds while he was face-down and handcuffed on the ground; Floyd suffered a fatal lack of oxygen to the brain. EX-MINNEAPOLIS OFFICER DEREK CHAUVIN, CONVICTED OF GEORGE FLOYD MURDER, FILES FOR NEW TRIAL On June 29, Chauvin, represented by criminal defense attorney Gregory Joseph, filed an appeal of a judge's denial, made on May 1. "None of the claims raised in this Petition for Post-Conviction Relief warrant relief," the 41-page order read. The judge denied Chauvin's entire post-conviction petition more than five months after it was initially filed in November 2025. The petition's arguments include prosecutors improperly relying on video evidence, jury instructions being legally flawed, and police officials giving false testimony among others. In the May 1 order, the judge repeatedly applied Minnesota's Knaffla rule, which generally prevents defendants from using post-conviction proceedings to raise issues that were already decided on direct appeal, or could have been raised earlier but were not. DEREK CHAUVIN CLAIMS NEW EVIDENCE SHOWS HE DIDN'T CAUSE GEORGE FLOYD'S DEATH, ATTEMPTS TO OVERTURN CONVICTION The judge concluded that essentially every one of Chauvin's claims fit into one of those two categories. Joseph was not Chauvin's defense attorney for his initial trial, KTTC reported. Joseph has represented him following his conviction and continued appeal efforts. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4feda6c2ca79de2365cfa4 MS NOW's Jen Psaki calls Platner's political career 'enraging for all of us' te 2026-07-09T18:51:18.863Z MS NOW's Jen Psaki calls Platner's political career 'enraging for all of us' MS NOW host Jen Psaki said former Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner's political career was "enraging for all of us" on Wednesday upon his race exit announcement. Psaki noted that Platner had exited the Maine Senate race at the start of her show, "The Briefing," after one of his exes, Jenny Racicot, alleged in 2021 that Platner drunkenly entered her home uninvited and had sex with her despite her repeatedly telling him to stop, Politico reported Monday. Platner has firmly denied her claims. The report came after The New York Times had published a report including accusations from Lyndsey Fifield, who detailed his "unsettling" behavior with women. "It is an end to what has been an unpredictable, incredibly tumultuous, at times fascinating, simply because of the political story and, ultimately deeply enraging political career for Graham Platner, enraging for all of us. And we have covered this race from the very beginning on purpose, because I think it’s important that we don’t put our heads in the sand and just project upon all of you what we think, and only talk to people at a table in Washington, D.C. I think one of the most important things we can do is listen to voters, to watch and to try to understand what is happening in this country, even if it doesn’t totally make sense," she said. HOW GRAHAM PLATNER'S CAMPAIGN UNRAVELED: FROM REDDIT POSTS TO RAPE ALLEGATION Psaki said Platner defeated Maine Gov. Janet Mills, who ultimately dropped out of the race because she didn't raise enough money, and won the Democratic Party. "That is telling us something. Important to listen to that, even if he is a deeply flawed candidate," she said. "But now it is over. It's over because, not of all the people who are out there patting themselves on the back, and there are a lot of them on Twitter, believe me, it's driving me crazy, it's because of the bravery of the women who came forward to tell their stories." She said only the accusers deserved a pat on the back for coming forward, and then said Platner's video announcing his decision to exit the race was even more revealing of who he is. MS NOW HOST BLASTS GRAHAM PLATNER'S RESIGNATION VIDEO AS 'FINGER-POINTING' AFTER SCANDALS SINK CAMPAIGN "And tonight, the video that he recorded and posted online announcing his decision, which was more than 11 minutes long, and it took quite a long time to get to the point, showed us more of who Graham Platner actually is. Someone who, in the face of incredibly serious and extremely credible allegations, seemed to blame everyone but himself," she said. Platner, who was embattled in many controversies, including having a Nazi tattoo, was interviewed by Psaki on her show in October 2025 and in April 2026. During the 2025 interview, Psaki confronted him on his criticism of the focus on his past statements and the tattoo and said it sounded like he was trying to "shirk responsibility," the Hill reported at the time. PLATNER TOLD RAPE VICTIMS TO ‘TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY’ AND AVOID BEING ASSAULTED IN VULGAR RESURFACED POST Platner's first major controversy erupted on Oct. 16, 2025, after CNN uncovered years of deleted Reddit posts he made between 2009 and 2021. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE The posts revealed the Democratic Senate candidate once described himself as a "communist," wrote that "all" police were bastards and argued that many rural White Americans "actually are" racist and unintelligent. Other posts reflected how his combat experience in Iraq and Afghanistan had reshaped his politics, with Platner writing that America's wars had left him disillusioned and "significantly more left" than when he enlisted. Days later, additional reporting drew scrutiny to other deleted posts, including one in which Platner appeared to downplay concerns about sexual assault. In one post, Platner wrote that people should "take some responsibility for themselves" and avoid becoming so intoxicated that they end up in compromising situations. Psaki didn't ask him about the past statements or reporting that came to light during her most recent interview with him, which occurred on April 30, but she noted them as she previewed the interview. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fed7fc2ca79de2365cf79 Google will now disclose which ads are made with AI te 2026-07-09T18:50:39.437Z Google will now disclose which ads are made with AI A new feature will indicate when advertisers have used generative AI tools to create or edit their ads, Google says. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fed6bc2ca79de2365cf70 Mercor is in talks for a $20B valuation te 2026-07-09T18:50:19.988Z Mercor is in talks for a $20B valuation A new $20 billion valuation would be a giant step up from the $10 billion valuation it reached in October. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4feb14c2ca79de2365cf01 Paris-based AI voice startup Gradium raises $100M seed, backed by Nvidia te 2026-07-09T18:40:20.784Z Paris-based AI voice startup Gradium raises $100M seed, backed by Nvidia The Paris-based ElevenLabs competitor, just announced a hefty seed extension round. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fe920c2ca79de2365cec9 Gardening Etcetera: Head to the Arboretum's Monsoon Plant Sale te 2026-07-09T18:32:00.216Z Gardening Etcetera: Head to the Arboretum's Monsoon Plant Sale This week's edition of the Gardening Etcetera column, written for the community by certified Master Gardeners of the University of Arizona's Coconino County Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fe90cc2ca79de2365ceb3 Data centers, water and vouchers: Democrats’ unfinished work, in Sundareshan’s words te 2026-07-09T18:31:40.243Z Data centers, water and vouchers: Democrats’ unfinished work, in Sundareshan’s words Senate Democrats spent much of this legislative session playing defense, but they’re already eyeing ways to play offense next year. Senate Minority Leader Priya Sundareshan said Democrats stood up and stuck together in all of the places where it mattered, including standing up against a lot of bad bills that Republicans put forward. “It’s a difficult job trying to manage a caucus full of leaders within their own right. Every single senator comes as an elected member of this Legislature from their district. They come with a lot of experience and expertise on some of the topics,” she said. “I’m very proud of my caucus for coming together and uniting where we needed that unity.” Some of their biggest wins outside the budget were a result of Democrats standing together and voting no as a party, she added.  Sundareshan recently finished a two-year term as Senate minority leader. It’s unclear if she will run for the position next year or who would be Senate president if Democrats gained the majority.   Questions and answers have been lightly edited for style and clarity.  Overall, how’d the session go this year? It was a tough one, but I think we as Democrats did the best we could to center our fight for affordability and to put working families first. We were united as Democrats in the House and Senate. Democrats ran “An Arizona We Can Afford” campaign this session. Did we move the needle on affordability? We did somewhat. We introduced at the very beginning of session a number of bills that we highlighted and brought forward at every chance we could, given the constraints that we live under, which is that the Republican majority does not hear any of our bills. The vast majority of those bills never saw the light of day, we’ve accomplished aspects toward that in the budget, but there still remains a lot to do to be able to lower costs and help Arizonans afford everything. We had a number of bills geared toward lowering costs in healthcare, lowering energy, supporting public education and making sure that the government is functioning smoothly and providing all of the necessary support that it is intended to do. We knew this wall was ahead of us. The Republican majority would not be thrilled to hear our bills. I think we did manage to achieve some significant wins in the budget that we were targeting from the get-go. What do you count as budget wins? We’re very excited. I think the big one in the budget is that three-year moratorium on new data center tax giveaways. There’s been public enthusiasm for not having these giveaways go to data centers, especially given that these are corporations that are profitable, doing pretty well in the stock market, there was a lot of public support for repealing that tax exemption.  We are very proud of that as our big budget win, protecting the important agencies and services, healthcare services, food support services that our state agencies provide in the face of Republicans seeking to cut those programs.  From this session, what’s the biggest accomplishment, along with data centers?  We did successfully negotiate an election timeline fix bill. It was nearly unanimous out of the Senate, if not fully unanimous.  We fought back against a lot of Republican bills. A lot of the Republican bills really wanted to embrace ICE even more, given that they’ve been so lawless, and so we stood firm in opposition to that. There were a number of Arizona communities who were targeted based on one aspect of their identity or another by a lot of the Republican bills, and we stood up against those bills, and made the case for either veto or even stopping their momentum from going further. What’s the biggest loss? Education and our failure to rein in ESAs and failure to invest in secure public education funding. We saw Republicans fail to come to the table on Prop. 123 discussions, so we here we are in an election year where there is no Prop. 123 on the ballot, which means that public education does not have a separate and secure funding source to be able to make sure we can pay for everything that we need to, even on a maintenance basis. It puts us in the 48th to 50th in the country on per pupil spending on public education, so I think that’s the huge loss or opportunity lost that we did not do this session yet again. We just continue to see so many reports after reports about what those ESA funds are being used for that really stretch the definition of what might be educational, if not outright waste and fraud. We’re seeing national news stories about the Colorado River and the seven state negotiations that have still not really produced a negotiated solution. I think that that’s, of course, something that is outside the Legislature’s hands, but what we have failed to do at the Legislature is anything further to strengthen our own groundwater resources, given the challenges we know we will be seeing from the Colorado River.  A lot of things have changed since 1980 (Groundwater Management Act) so we do need to be much more with the times and that’s even just within our urban areas. The other half of that equation is our rural groundwater completely remains unregulated and unprotected, and we’ve seen the news stories about people whose wells have gone dry, and we have really done nothing to help.  What are your plans for next year on data centers? The tax exempt incentive moratorium is a great start in the right direction. All that does is really kind of re-establish the fair playing field, where corporations, especially the data center corporations, should be able to pay the sales tax that all of us pay, and should not be receiving special favors for.  We should look at completely extending or completely eliminating the sales tax exemption. There’s so much else about the resource use involved with data centers that we need to talk about and get a handle on. For example, on the water use side, I think we need to have a good understanding of the water that’s being used and also whether they’re paying their fair share of that water. Then on the energy side of things, we’re going to see more information about how a lot of the rate increases people have been experiencing might be as a result of a lot of these large loads that data centers are a key example of hitting the grid.  I also think it’s really important that if we have large loads coming onto the grid, we do need to be talking about heat waves. We’ve got to be talking about how we are powering these vast energy consuming facilities in a way that isn’t going to further cause the heat waves that we’re seeing from climate change. I think we need to be having much more of a conversation around requiring those data centers and large loads generally to be sourcing their electricity from renewables.  What do you hope legislators will make serious progress on next year? Everything that I just listed is an opportunity lost, right? I want us to be seriously finally grappling with our water situation and protecting our groundwater, demonstrating that Arizona can be the leader and continue to be the leader in groundwater protections.  I want us to be able to finally rein in ESAs in one way or another. We’ll see how the initiative that is currently getting onto the ballot does, and if so, that will put in place a good chunk of ESA reforms. There’s likely more the Legislature might want to do still on reining in all of the waste and fraud we see. We’ve got to be fully funding our public education space. A lot of it is funding and a lot of it is the misalignment of the legislative majority’s priorities in delivering tax breaks instead of investing in the things that we should be doing. It’ll all depend on who’s in charge in the Legislature. We will continue our defense, and even hopefully be able to be on offense on so many issues. I’d like us to be protecting voting rights and making voting more accessible rather than just be on the defense all the time against attacks.  As America turns 250, what is the one piece of unfinished work we must finish by its 300th — and what part of it is Arizona’s responsibility?  Equality and diversity. It’s still all about being for the people and for all the people.  We started 250 years ago with these grand ideals. We have continually recommitted ourselves to those ideals, but we know we have not gotten there, and it will always be a work in progress. We should always be doing that self-reflection about whether or not America is achieving those ideals, and how we can do better.  What has motivated me in my whole career is growing up in this beautiful place and knowing that it continues to be beautiful because we continue to protect it. We have these beautiful national monuments, national parks and national forests that we protect for the public, and maybe that’s the thing that Arizona can continue to showcase and be a leader in protecting that access to all of these beautiful places. Access to those beautiful places in a way that benefits everyone.  I think that’s something that we can really look to Arizona’s relationship with our outdoor spaces and our public lands and recommit on behalf of the country … that represents the ideal of this country as being for the people and not just for the few. The post Data centers, water and vouchers: Democrats’ unfinished work, in Sundareshan’s words first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fe8f8c2ca79de2365ceaa Petersen: GOP ran ‘most conservative Legislature in Arizona history’ as he prepares to leave the Senate presidency te 2026-07-09T18:31:20.278Z Petersen: GOP ran ‘most conservative Legislature in Arizona history’ as he prepares to leave the Senate presidency Senate President Warren Petersen led Republicans through a long legislative session bookended by a bill-signing freeze from Gov. Katie Hobbs and a final-week showdown over Arizona’s ESA program and the state budget.  Though he’s now running for Attorney General, Petersen says his focus this year stayed on the day-to-day work of the legislature – and he calls this budget process the smoothest he’s ever seen, even with weeks of stalled talks and a bill moratorium that left dozens of GOP priorities in limbo.  In a conversation with the Cap Times, Petersen discussed how he thinks the session went, whether lawmakers moved the needle on affordability, what progress he believes the Legislature needs to make next year and who might take over as Senate president – or minority leader – depending on the midterm elections. “You had your bill moratorium, you had that period where the governor walked away from signing bills. I think that was unprecedented. I don’t remember ever in Arizona history where the governor walks away from budget negotiations and vetoes bills,” he said. “She left you in between a rock and a hard place.” Petersen said the budget still came together more smoothly than in past years and that the last-minute fight over ESA changes on the final days of session overshadowed much of the rest of the work lawmakers did. Questions and answers have been lightly edited for style and clarity.  How do you look back on your tenure as Senate president? I don’t have any regrets. It is definitely a challenge to lead under divided government. When I was first elected Senate president, I thought that I’d have a Republican governor. A few days later, I found out I was working with Katie Hobbs. I wondered, “How are we going to make this work?” I’m just really proud that we’ve delivered such a conservative agenda for the four years that I’ve been here.  I feel like we came in and delivered conservative agendas and conservative budgets while I’ve been the Senate president, and I don’t have complete control of the situation, but the control that I did have, I feel good about how I handled those situations, and I think we delivered a lot of wins, and I got to give it to my caucus. It matters that I have had, I think, the most conservative Legislature. The media said this was the most conservative Legislature in Arizona history. I’m working with great people. Had I had some really bad defectors or something, or if we don’t have the majority working on stuff these last four years could have looked very, very different. What’s your biggest accomplishment for your final session? I think obviously the biggest accomplishment was delivering the Trump tax cuts to the citizens.  I do think we’ve met a lot with the Trump Administration to talk about water. There is no deal yet, but I do think we have engaged in a way the Legislature never has before. I think normally you count on the governor to make those negotiations, so I think that the Legislature has been very heavily involved in water negotiations. It looks like we’re going to be probably looking at a special session at some point if we can reach an agreement with the seven basin states here, even though it is highly contested.  What was the biggest loss? Personally, something I’ve been wanting to see is some headway on AI disclosure. I feel like people are getting deceived, the public is being deceived by AI. People don’t even know if what they’re seeing or hearing is real.  I think people have a right to watch media or see something and know whether it’s real or whether it’s not real, because they may base important decisions off of what that tells them. So I’m disappointed that we didn’t make any kind of real progress on things that would require disclaimers or accountability for deception through AI, and then kind of tied with that, defamation used to be in the newspaper, now you got defamation on the internet. There was a defamation bill moving, and I think that would have modernized our defamation statutes, and it’s another thing where I think politics especially, is more toxic than ever. I think those are two areas where we could have made some progress. Missed opportunities on both of those.  You’re running for AG. Who are the most likely options to take over as Senate president next year, if Republicans hold the Legislature? Well, that’s an interesting question. We are going to hold the Legislature. I think if the election was today, I think really the only person that I know that’s really actively running for it, and has a lot of support, is the Pro Tem (Sen. T.J. Shope). Obviously, you’re going to have your elections in the fall, and that may change things, but I feel confident of whoever takes the reins that they’ll continue to deliver good results for Arizona. Republicans relied on tax conformity as their affordability platform this year. Did we move the needle on affordability? When it comes to government and affordability, the biggest tool that you have is tax relief. We just delivered the biggest tax cut in Arizona history. We definitely moved the needle on affordability. The one area where we could have done better is the red tape on home construction – speeding up the process, increasing the supply. That is the real solution to lowering the cost of homes. You have to have more supply of homes, and that is an area where we just couldn’t. Every year, we’ve done something, but we haven’t done major things, because we haven’t been able to land a consensus with the other side from this session. What do you hope legislators will make serious progress on next year? I think every elected official always has the same overwhelming responsibility that we all share, that is to defend the Constitution and protect individual rights of the citizens, so I hope that that’s everybody’s priority, no matter what they’re doing.  I do think we need to deliver on housing affordability, housing supply. We need to deliver on our water solutions, we need to figure out how to get the augmentation, the 2.5 million acre feet that we need in the Colorado River. We need to work with the seven basin states and get a solution on that. And then I think just the innovation, the tech, AI. We need to be able to modernize our laws to protect people from scams that can come from AI. Would you want to come back to the Legislature at some point?  I don’t know. The reason I do this is because I feel like I’m really good at getting to the root of problems. I don’t like to mess with the outside, I like to go to the root, and policy is how you do that, and so it really boils down to me protecting individual rights, liberty, and freedom. I enjoy that. This is one way that I have been able to really do that. If I’m at a point later on where I feel like this is the best way to do that, maybe, I don’t have plans for that right now. I’m not termed out and I’m ready to hand it over. I’m ready to hand over the reins right now. I really don’t have any plans to return.  As America turns 250, what is the one piece of unfinished work we must finish by its 300th — and what part of it is your state’s to take on, from where you sit? Here’s how I look at it. I think our founding fathers were some of the most brilliant minds to ever walk this earth, and they put forward a blueprint that was designed to protect individual rights. Part of their goals early on was to eradicate slavery. They did that. They accomplished that. I think that our society, as we continue to become more technologically advanced, I think that we will find ways to help people become just more and more prosperous. We live better than kings lived. The average person lives better than a king with electricity and water and access to food and just opportunity and all these things, so I think that’s just going to continue, but I think we can improve on crime. There should never be human trafficking. There should never be the rape of a child. There should never be these heinous crimes that we’re seeing, and as society becomes more and more sophisticated, and as we advance as a culture and society.  The post Petersen: GOP ran ‘most conservative Legislature in Arizona history’ as he prepares to leave the Senate presidency first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fe8e3c2ca79de2365ce85 Democrats are ‘completely stained’ after backing Platner through multiple scandals, Republicans charge te 2026-07-09T18:30:59.793Z Democrats are ‘completely stained’ after backing Platner through multiple scandals, Republicans charge Graham Platner is taking his name off the ballot, but the trail of debris left from the mounting controversies that brought down his nearly year-long insurgent Senate campaign in Maine is giving Republicans ammunition to use against Democrats in other crucial midterm races. "Democrats rolled in the mud with Platner, and now they are completely stained by their association with this sick monster," Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruters charged in a statement minutes after the Marine Corp veteran announced on Wednesday night that he was suspending his campaign. Republicans are now linking Platner to Democrats in a handful of House and Senate races that will directly impact the midterm battle for control of Congress. Platner, a populist Democrat backed last September by leading national progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., was challenging longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in a high-profile, combustible and very expensive race in Maine, which is one of a handful that will determine if the GOP holds onto its slim Senate majority in November's midterm elections. PLANTER CALLS IT QUITS, DROPS SENATE BID AMID MOUNTING SCANDALS Platner's exit from the race came two days after an explosive report on Monday afternoon contained an allegation of rape from a woman he previously dated. It was only after that report when a chorus of calls emerged from top Democrats across the country for him to immediately drop out. But Platner, the combat veteran and oyster farmer whose campaign caught fire and steamrolled the Democratic establishment, had already been forced on defense ahead of the his primary victory last month. Past inflammatory online comments made on a now-deleted Reddit account came back to haunt him at the same time he was reeling from revelations of a now covered-up tattoo on his chest that resembled a Nazi symbol. Then reports that Platner exchanged sexually explicit messages with several women while married came right before allegations from ex-girlfriends of a history of rape fantasies, heavy drinking and violent episodes were made public. Platner repeatedly called the allegations of violence untrue and dismissed his tattoo and Reddit posts as actions taken by a younger man who has now changed. And addressing the latest rape allegation, a visibly irritated Platner charged in his suspension video on Wednesday: "This is all false. The things that have been claimed did not happen. It is not real." PLATNER'S GONE: HERE'S WHAT'S NEXT AND WHO'S SCRAMBLING TO REPLACE HIM But Republicans see an opportunity to use Platner's toxic baggage as a cudgel against some Democrats on the ballot in key races this year — especially those who once backed the Maine candidate or defended him against previous allegations. "Every Democrat that endorsed Graham Platner endorsed a rapist, and every Democrat that stayed silent was complicit," Gruters argued. The GOP quickly took aim at Matt Dunlap, the Democratic nominee in Maine's 2nd Congressional District, a Democrat-controlled open seat in a mostly rural district President Donald Trump carried in the past three presidential elections that the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is heavily targeting. Dunlap endorsed Platner and appeared with him at a campaign event days before Maine's June 9 primary. "Out of touch freak Matt Dunlap might be okay with Nazi lovers and men who abuse women, but in November, he'll see for himself that Mainers aren't. Dunlap's embrace of this vile human is disqualifying," NRCC Spokeswoman Maureen O'Toole charged. On Monday, amid a wave of Democrats calling on Platner to call it quits, Dunlap said in a statement, "The allegations reported today are serious, and they deserve to be treated with the gravity they warrant. As such, I am calling on Graham Platner to withdraw from the race for Senate so we can all come together behind a nominee who can successfully carry the torch in November." DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB In neighboring battleground New Hampshire, the NRCC took aim at Stefany Shaheen, the polling front runner in the September primary in the state's 1st Congressional District, another crucial swing seat that is among roughly two to three dozen that will determine if the GOP holds its razor-thin House majority in the midterms. "Granite Staters will hold Shaheen accountable for her appalling judgment," O'Toole argued. Shaheen never endorsed Platner, but did not explicitly condemn him until Monday, when she said in a statement that "the allegations of sexual assault are extremely disturbing." "Graham Platner needs to drop out of this race. I stand with the women who bravely came forward," she added. The Shaheen campaign told Fox News Digital that Republicans are being hypocritical, and pointed to President Donald Trump as an example of the double standard. "Stefany Shaheen called for Graham Platner to drop out. Republicans hacks are total hypocrites still excusing Donald Trump even after he was forced to pay millionsin damages to a woman he sexually abused," Shaheen campaign manager Emma Greenberg told Fox News Digital. "They have nothing to say about the twenty-eight women who have accused Trump of sexually abusing them. Stefany is going to keep taking on Donald Trump’s corrupt self-dealing and misogyny along with the hacks who keep enabling it." The general election winner in the congressional race will succeed four-term Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas, who is running for the Senate this year. Former GOP Sen. John E. Sununu, the Republican front-runner in that race, took aim at Pappas over what he charged were the "failures of Chris Pappas when it comes to Graham Platner." The statement spotlights a critical piece on Pappas penned by the conservative-leaning New Hampshire Journal. Pappas, who never endorsed Platner, also took to social media on Monday, saying, "The allegations against Graham Platner are reprehensible, and he must step aside." SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER The Pappas campaign also argued that Sununu, who is backed byTrump, is being hypocritical. "Donald Trump was found liable for sexual abuse, bragged about sexually harassing women and girls, has publicly defamed and demeaned survivors, and is mentioned in the Epstein files over 38,000 times — and John Sununu accepted Trump’s endorsement anyway," Chris Pappas for Senate spokesperson Gates MacPherson said. "Chris Pappas called on Platner to step aside immediately. John Sununu still stands with Donald Trump. They are not the same." The Senate showdown for the Democrat-controlled seat in New Hampshire is one of roughly a dozen races that will determine if Republicans retain their majority in the chamber. Democrats question how effective any concerted push by the GOP to use Platner as ammunition may be with voters this autumn. "Battleground district voters don't care about Graham Platner, CJ Warnke, communications director at the House Majority PAC, the top super PAC supporting congressional Democrats, told Fox News Digital in a statement. Warnke, pivoting to affordability, argued that voters "care about how Republicans broke their promise lower costs by passing a toxic agenda of tariffs, new wars, and devastating health care cuts. Meanwhile, Democrats are running on making life more affordable and rooting out corruption, and in November we're going to win." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fe8bcc2ca79de2365ce59 How did the government decide OpenAI’s frontier model was safe to release? te 2026-07-09T18:30:20.373Z How did the government decide OpenAI’s frontier model was safe to release? "Exactly what that dialog looked like between the government and Anthropic and OpenAI is unclear." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fe6e0c2ca79de2365ce40 Federal SAVE database in limbo, disrupting Arizona voter citizenship checks te 2026-07-09T18:22:24.141Z Federal SAVE database in limbo, disrupting Arizona voter citizenship checks WASHINGTON – Access to a federal database that Maricopa County has used to verify voter citizenship remains limited, under conflicting rulings from federal judges in Florida and the District of Columbia. Last year, the Trump administration gave election officials the ability to check voter registrations against Social Security records, and also created a new option intended to weed out as many ineligible voters as possible: bulk searches.  Two weeks ago, a Biden-appointed judge in Washington shut down access to that expanded data, ruling that it violates the privacy rights of U.S. citizens. The judge affirmed that ruling Wednesday, a day after a Trump-appointed judge in Florida ordered the Department of Homeland Security to restore access to four Republican-led states: Florida, Ohio, Iowa and Indiana.  “The Court understands that this puts Defendants in a bind because they are subject to two contradictory orders,” the Florida judge, T. Kent Wetherell, wrote. The Trump administration has appealed the order from the D.C. district court judge, Sparkle Sooknanan, who issued her initial order June 22. The appeals court has not yet heard arguments. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, part of DHS, has not publicly acknowledged that it shut down the system or removed the data the judge said ran afoul of privacy rights. But the system has been unavailable since June 23, when the agency announced optimization updates to the web browser experience. In March 2025, President Donald Trump ordered the expansion of the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements database, created in 1986 to verify immigration status and eligibility for government benefits. Arizona election officials began using the SAVE system after voters approved a measure in 2004 that required proof of citizenship. But the database wasn’t nearly comprehensive enough for elections officials to confirm citizenship for every voter, only those born outside the United States. And for that, they needed an alien registration number or the number from a naturalization certificate. Social Security data was added last year by Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency, along with the option to conduct bulk searches. In Sooknanan’s view, federal agencies “haphazardly combined and repurposed” the personal information of millions of Americans and relied on citizenship data they knew could be inaccurate. Maricopa County began using the expanded SAVE database to review voter rolls in August 2025.  Yavapai County’s Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 in March to begin using the expanded federal database to screen its voter rolls. Recorder Michelle Burchill said she would use it to review 238 federal-only voters who are barred from state and local elections because they haven’t proved citizenship. Often, those are newcomers from other states. In Maricopa County, Recorder Justin Heap has aggressively sought to identify ineligible voters since he took office last year, and his office has used the expanded database to conduct large-scale citizenship checks. Heap is a former Republican state legislator allied with election deniers who echo Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen in Arizona and elsewhere.  In February, he announced that his office had used the federal database to identify 137 potential noncitizens, including 60 people who had previously voted. His office has not said if any were confirmed to be noncitizens.  He also used the tool to confirm the citizenship of more than 61,000 voters whose registrations were flagged in 2024, when more than 200,000 registrations were called into question statewide. The confusion revolved around whether many drivers who renewed their licenses after 2004 had actually provided proof of citizenship, as Motor Vehicle Division records indicated. Alex Gulotta, Arizona state director at All Voting is Local, a voter advocacy group that operates in eight battleground states, asserted that Heap has undermined voter confidence by hiding how his office has used the SAVE tool. “We don’t exactly know how Recorder Heap has been using the tool because his office has not been particularly transparent about their processes,” he said, adding that there is reason for suspicion because “Heap hasn’t just aligned himself with election deniers; he is one.”  Heap did not respond to interview requests. A spokeswoman, Judy Keane, said the restrictions on the SAVE tool will not affect Maricopa County’s preparations for the July 21 primary or the November general election. The expanded SAVE database aligns with Trump’s SAVE America Act, a proposal that would require voters to provide photo ID and proof of citizenship, and would largely eliminate the use of mail-in ballots.  The House approved the bill but it has stalled in the Senate, despite intense lobbying by Trump.  Arizona has remained at the center of Trump’s false claims that widespread election fraud and voting by noncitizens affected the 2020 presidential election. Republican officials have since pursued investigations into voter rolls and citizenship verification.  “I think the biggest risk is preventing a qualified voter from voting,” Thomas Collins, executive director of the Arizona Clean Elections Commission, said by email.  He said he doubts that restrictions on using the SAVE tool will have much practical effect because there is no evidence that noncitizens have registered in significant numbers. On Tuesday, the Department of Justice sent letters to election officials in all 50 states, threatening them with criminal prosecutions if they allow noncitizen voting.  Adrian Fontes, Arizona secretary of state, rejected suggestions that county recorders have been letting noncitizens cast ballots.  “We will continue following Arizona law – not directions that come from political rhetoric or intimidation,” he said in a statement.  Jason Snead, executive director of the Honest Elections Project, a group that Democrats have described as “anti-voting,” said the concerns raised by the D.C. court about privacy and the validity of data are “smokescreens.”  “I look forward to this ruling being overturned on appeal, like so many early ‘wins’ for liberal groups in the lower courts,” he said by email.  On June 29, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments next fall on two Arizona laws – one of which is intended to identify voters where there is “reason to believe” they may be a noncitizen. A federal appeals court put both laws on hold. The post Federal SAVE database in limbo, disrupting Arizona voter citizenship checks appeared first on Cronkite News. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fe6a2c2ca79de2365ce2a 46 states settle for $45M over Cash App deceptive practices te 2026-07-09T18:21:22.698Z 46 states settle for $45M over Cash App deceptive practices Key Points: AGs allege the company failed to install proper consumer protections Cash App is a peer-to-peer payments platform owned by Block Inc. CFPB ordered Block to pay $75M-$120M in 2025 for similar allegations A coalition of 46 states, led by Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, was awarded $45 million in a settlement with Block Inc. on Wednesday, after a judge found the company’s peer-to-peer payments service Cash App failed to protect users from fraud and downplayed safety concerns. The attorneys general allege Block promoted Cash App as a safe place for consumers to deposit funds and implied it provided the same protections as a bank account, which it does not. While doing so, the attorneys general allege, the company was aware that fraud was increasing on the platform, and instead of issuing warnings or updating consumer safeguards, the company “doubled down on marketing.” “Cash App told people their money was safe, and millions of Oregonians and Americans believed them, including a lot of people who didn’t have other options,” Rayfield said in a statement. “When things went wrong, Block left them with nowhere to turn. This settlement holds Block accountable and makes sure they can’t walk away from money they promised to pay back to consumers.” The attorneys general allege that the enrollment process for Cash App was designed to be “fast and frictionless” and came with minimal identity verification, making it easy for fake accounts to thrive. The company had no phone support line. Customers sought service help through the app or social media, or they dialed phone numbers they found online run by scammers, who took consumer information and drained their Cash App accounts. The company also had a “Cash App Fridays” promotion in which users would post their handle on social media for the chance to win a weekly prize. Scammers, the attorneys general say, would then contact users and tell them they won, tricking them into sharing their information. As part of the settlement, Block denied any wrongdoing and all allegations in the complaint. “When Texans trust a financial platform with their paychecks, savings, and family’s security, they deserve to be fully protected as promised. I will make sure that they are,” Paxton said in a statement. “This settlement ensures that Texans who were harmed can recover what they are owed. It sends the clear and unmistakable message that exploiting consumers is not a business strategy — it’s a liability.” Hawaii, Missouri, South Carolina and Wyoming were the only states to not participate in the suit. Days before President Donald Trump took office again, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued an order against Block for similar infractions by Cash App between July 2019 and January 2025. The agency found that Block failed to provide effective customer service and failed to take timely measures to address, detect and prevent fraud on the app, both in violation of the 2010 Consumer Financial Protection Act. The order also found that Block failed to meet its obligations under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act and Regulation E to resolve issues in a timely fashion. Block was ordered to amend its practices to be compliant and pay between $75 million and up to $120 million in redress to customers, as well as an additional $55 million in civil penalties. The website for the settlement states that checks began to be mailed out on June 8. In the press release announcing the state attorney general settlement, the Oregon Department of Justice said the multistate agreement would serve as a backstop. “Under the new administration, the CFPB has canceled several settlements, including at least two in which restitution had not yet been paid,” the department said. “Consequently, the multistate agreement ensures that if Block fails to pay the restitution it promised under the CFPB settlement, that obligation will be absorbed into Oregon’s settlement and enforced by the multistate executive committee.” The Trump administration has greatly curtailed the CFPB’s enforcement ability. Shortly after taking office, the Trump officials began work to dismantle the agency, calling for its shuttering and the firing of 90% of staff. The administration canceled the CFPB headquarters lease and instituted a work stoppage for nearly all activity at the consumer watchdog agency created in response to the 2008 financial crisis. Nearly one-third of the CFPB workforce has been culled or otherwise left; in May, CFPB officials announced all regional office employees would need to relocate to Washington, D.C., or resign. A federal appeals court last month blocked a Trump administration plan to cut the remaining staff by two-thirds. The case was sent back to district court at the administration’s request.   The post 46 states settle for $45M over Cash App deceptive practices first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fe68ec2ca79de2365ce1e Psychiatrist stripped of license over patient misconduct sat on AZ’s Sex Offender Management Board te 2026-07-09T18:21:02.234Z Psychiatrist stripped of license over patient misconduct sat on AZ’s Sex Offender Management Board (Photo illustration by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy/Arizona Mirror) No one involved can explain why former psychiatrist Peter Morey was appointed to the Arizona Sex Offender Management Board last year, 15 years after his Oregon medical license was suspended for inappropriate behavior toward vulnerable patients.  When it issued an emergency suspension of Morey’s license in 2010, the Oregon Medical Board wrote that Morey’s behavior posed “immediate danger to the public and his patients” after finding that he had improperly prescribed medication and engaged in inappropriate relationships with patients.  “Licensee would meet with Patient A in this vacant space by his clinic and at his office, where he engaged in inappropriate touching, to include embracing her, kissing her, and stroking her hair while her head was resting in his lap,” the board wrote in a report following its investigation into Morey. “On multiple occasions, Licensee initiated sexualized conversations with Patient A about his own sexual activities and frustrations, as well as Patient A’s sexual relationship with her then-boyfriend.” Sixteen years later, Morey had moved to Arizona, obtained a law degree and was working as an attorney for the Maricopa County Office of the Legal Advocate, where his title is “Attorney III” and he is paid at least $114,500 a year. At a February meeting of the Sex Offender Management Board’s Adult Guidelines and Standards Subcommittee, Morey explained that he has been providing legal advice to sexually violent predators since 2015. It’s unclear when or how the Sex Offender Management Board first learned of Morey’s history, but it’s clear that the board doesn’t want to publicly grapple with what it means that one of the people tasked with developing rules to oversee sex offenders had a history of credible allegations of sexual impropriety. GET THE MORNING HEADLINES. SUBSCRIBE Morey, one of 29 people serving on the Sex Offender Management Board, was dismissed from his appointment in March and quietly replaced. There were no formal announcements of the change.  He was one of two people that Steve Montenegro, the Republican speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives, appointed to the board in 2025, when it was formed. The law governing the board allows the president of the Senate and the speaker to each appoint two representatives.  Andrew Wilder, a spokesperson for Montenegro, said the speaker was initially unaware of Morey’s history in Oregon. He said that staff for the House GOP majority had checked to see that Morey was an attorney in good standing with the State Bar of Arizona before appointing him.  Montenegro learned of Morey after he was recommended by the board’s chair, Beth Goulden.  The board is overseen and operated by the Arizona Department of Public Safety, which refused to comment on this story other than saying that the agency “does not interfere with the statutory authority of other entities to exercise their right to appoint members” of the board and that the law does “not authorize DPS to background check appointees,” DPS spokesman Bart Graves told the Mirror.  Goulden, the board’s chair, said in an email to the Mirror that she has never spoken to any of Morey’s “victms/accusers.” She said that she referred Morey to Montenegro after he was suggested “by some of his colleagues who worked with him through his position at Maricopa County.”  But Goulden wouldn’t answer follow-up questions, referring the Mirror to DPS instead, claiming that the board’s bylaws do not permit the chair to “speak to the media on behalf of the Board without the permission of the Board.” The board’s bylaws do not include any provision blocking any of its members from speaking to the press.  Information about Morey’s past is hardly difficult to find: The third result when searching for “Peter Morey Psychiatrist” on Google returns results about the suspension and the allegations against him.  When the Sex Offender Management Board met last month, one of Morey’s past patients told board members that she has tried to raise the alarm — and has been met with silence from the board.  “Peter was supposed to be an expert witness to support me in civil litigation regarding child sexual abuse in my church,” Michelle Stevenson told the board at its June 22 meeting. “I wrote this information to (the Sex Offender Management Board) in time for my letter to be published for the May release of public comments. Unfortunately, somebody decided to not publish that letter, even though I had specified I wanted it public to help others. This is unfortunate. It takes a lot of courage for survivors to speak up. It costs us something.”  It’s unclear when Maricopa County learned of Morey’s past. “While Maricopa County doesn’t comment on specific personnel matters, I can confirm he is a fully licensed attorney with the State Bar of Arizona and holds the position of Attorney III in the Office of the Legal Advocate,” a county spokesperson said in a statement to the Mirror. “The County will investigate recent public statements related to this employee.” Morey did not respond to multiple calls and emails seeking comment.  “They can look this stuff up”  In the early 2000s, survivors of sexual abuse in religious organizations began to come forward, telling their stories and seeking justice for the abuse and the cover-ups.  The most prominent was the Boston Globe’s investigation into the Catholic Church covering up abuse, but others soon followed.  Among them was the Seventh Day Adventist Church, which in Oregon began seeing lawsuits brought against it for abuse dating back to the 1970s.  Stevenson said she had also been abused by members of the church when she was a child and was working with an attorney to find a psychiatrist to help her heal her trauma and to act as an expert witness when they found Morey’s Portland office, she told the Mirror.  Her story is much like that of another woman who would later sue Morey and ultimately settle out of court. Attempts to reach that individual went unreturned.  Both women sought out Morey as adults for his services to help cope with childhood sexual trauma, and to also see if they could enlist his services in a possible lawsuit against a church that they both said helped cover up that abuse, according to court documents and Stevenson’s testimony before the board. The lawsuit in Oregon was filed by the woman referred to in the Oregon Medical Board investigation as Patient A. In a deposition filed with the court as part of the lawsuit, she said that, due to the trauma she had experienced throughout her life — which she was seeking Morey’s help to treat — she did not see his actions as odd until she spoke with investigators from the medical board.  Among other things, the lawsuit alleged, Morey offered her a job while she was a client; called her “family;” rubbed her back and told her to not tell other physicians about it; and gave her medications without a prescription.  When Stevenson discovered that Morey was on the Arizona Sex Offender Management Board, she said she became worried about what that could mean for victims in the state who may speak to the board.  “They can look this stuff up, it’s public record in Oregon,” Stevenson said of Morey’s publicly available and accessible case with the Oregon Medical Board.  Stevenson brought the Oregon case to the board’s attention in May and was told her written comment would be included in a packet of written comments that are provided to board members each time before they meet. That written comment wasn’t made public in May and that frustrated Stevenson.  “I have a hard time coming forward,” she said through tears. “I’m just trying to make sure people are safe. I’m trying to make sure other people aren’t hurt.” Who’s watching?  The board is a new creation and it was spurred largely through advocacy from Goulden, who spent more than two decades working in Adult Probation specializing in the supervision of sex offenders. She pushed for the creation of the board as a way to make legislative recommendations on sex offenders and their victims. Goulden has featured the legislation creating the board as a key part of her campaign this year for Gilbert Town Council. The board operates as part of DPS, and the majority of its appointees are chosen by the statewide police agency. Its members are meant to serve two-, three- and four-year terms.  Several months ago, the House of Representatives learned of the allegations that had been leveled against Morey in Oregon and withdrew his appointment to the board.  “The House first learned of the allegations involving Dr. Morey at the end of March. Upon receiving that information, we immediately began the process of replacing him and acted promptly to make a new appointment to the board,” Wilder, the House spokesman, told the Mirror. “The House was not aware of the allegations or the Oregon disciplinary history described in your inquiry prior to the appointment, and nothing identified during the appointment process revealed this information.” On April 16, Montenegro appointed Dr. Rene Rivera of PCS Forensics to the board.  Morey is an attorney in good standing with the Arizona State Bar and was admitted to practice law in 2015, after earning a juris doctorate from Arizona Summit Law School, a defunct school that shut down after years of controversy.  The for-profit law school was based in Phoenix from 2005 to 2018, when it lost its accreditation from the American Bar Association. In 2015, two years after Morey graduated, the dean of the school reportedly paid students who were underprepared to not take the bar exam. The following year, a high percentage of the school’s students failed the test. The Arizona Supreme Court is responsible for “Character and Fitness Assessments” of prospective attorneys, including a background investigation prior to issuing a license. One of the points in the “checklist” for an application expressly mentions licensing history of all kinds. Applicants are required to detail the outcomes of any discipline action or licenses they previously held. Under Arizona court rules, applications for bar licensure are considered confidential, so it is not clear whether Morey disclosed his history in Oregon to Arizona Bar officials. Hierarchical misconduct  In Stevenson’s testimony before the committee and in a conversation with the Mirror, she emphasized her frustration that systems she felt that should’ve held Morey to account have not.  It is something that advocates for victims of abuse by institutions like the Catholic Church and others are well aware of.  “Too often, the hierarchical structures support the perpetrator and keep this abuse in the shadows,” Angela Walker, executive director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP. “Oftentimes, we found priests were moved from place to place. Survivors may be attacked by the institution but sometimes they’re ostracized by their faith community and this needs to stop.” While much attention has been paid to sexual abuse in religious organizations, survivors and advocates say the problem extends far beyond houses of worship and into other institutions. “There are cases where there are professors raping the trainees for decades without getting caught,” neuroscientist Hermina Nedelescu, who has been advocating for laws to combat clergy sex abuse in California, said. “I think society is just now reckoning with sexual violence and sex offenders.” And others are taking note of how institutions are dealing, or rather not dealing, with these issues within their own professions.  “In therapy, you are at your most vulnerable, so it really is a dangerous place,” said Amy Nordhues, who wrote about her experience being abused by her therapist and now is trying to bring attention to the issue. “So, when there is childhood sexual abuse, that is probably like a green light to (predators), because those people’s boundaries were violated at a very young age.” While Nordues was able to file a complaint against the therapist in her case and the doctor ended up permanently surrendering his medical license to the state’s medical board — something the board noted had only been done five times in 20 years — she said her case is an outlier. The unfortunate reality for most people who face abuse from a therapist, she said, is that the system is often predisposed to give therapists leniency. “It just seems like there is so much staked against the victim,” Nordues said, adding that few cases are heard and the pressure put on victims can cause severe psychological trauma. “Your chances are already hard and then they just pay a fine or have to take a sexual abuse class.” It also doesn’t always stop a perpetrator from obtaining a license for a different profession or even the same profession in a different state with more relaxed rules, Nordues said.  “A therapist that singles you out and makes you feel more special than any of the other clients is one of the biggest red flags,” Nordues said. “Even though in our adult minds we might kind of feel that is not right, the younger parts of us say ‘this is amazing this is what I always wanted.’”  That behavior is similar to what Morey’s Patient A described in her lawsuit. He offered her free sessions, called her his “Girl Friday” and called her “family,” she claimed in the lawsuit. For Stevenson, what has transpired is indicative of the experience of many survivors, one she said to the committee and the Mirror she wants to see stopped. “This is what happens when survivors are silenced and crimes are covered up,” Stevenson told the board. “The abuse continues and more innocents are horribly hurt.”  YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE. SUPPORT Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fe67ac2ca79de2365cdfd ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ star John Schneider breaks silence on ex-wife's estate battle: 'Everything's a negotiation' te 2026-07-09T18:20:42.256Z ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ star John Schneider breaks silence on ex-wife's estate battle: 'Everything's a negotiation' More than a decade after their split, John Schneider and ex-wife Elvira Schneider are still battling it out in court. Now, with millions of dollars at stake, the "Dukes of Hazzard" star is speaking publicly for the first time, telling Fox News Digital he doesn't understand why an ex-spouse would expect continued financial support after ending a marriage. "It's a negotiation," John told Fox News Digital. "Everything's a negotiation." 'DUKES OF HAZZARD’ STAR JOHN SCHNEIDER CHERISHES LATE WIFE IN BLISSFUL DANCING VIDEO: 'A BEAUTIFUL MOMENT' The beloved television and country music star addressed the dispute while in Washington, D.C., where he performed a 45-minute concert on the Freedom Stage celebrating America's 250th anniversary. When asked about the ongoing court battle, John didn't hide his frustration. WATCH: ‘DUKES OF HAZZARD’ STAR JOHN SCHNEIDER HOPES EX-WIFE ESTATE DISPUTE ENDS 'REALLY SOON' "I don't understand why someone would feel that … someone that they threw away, right? … If you throw somebody away, why would you expect them to continue to be part of your life in any regard, let alone financially? I don't understand where the integrity is in that." Still, he said he's hopeful the yearslong dispute is nearing an end, saying, "We're working it out." He added, "It's a shame when people who were together then turn into this. And it's been a long time. I mean, this divorce … she filed for divorce in 2014. My God, that's been 12 years. So, I don't understand it, but you know, cooler heads will prevail, and we'll get through it." John's comments come weeks after his second ex-wife, Elvira, alleged in court that he owes over $2,382,548 in unpaid spousal support dating back years, including more than $984,000 in accrued interest, according to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital. In her filing, Elvira asked the court to award her portions of John's Screen Actors Guild pension and Social Security benefits if he cannot pay the amount outright. John is pushing back. LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS According to the court documents, the actor's legal response argues that his former wife miscalculated the amount allegedly owed and failed to provide evidence supporting her figures. The former couple married in 1993. Elvira filed for divorce in 2014, and the divorce was finalized in 2019. Even as the legal battle continues, John has kept his focus on performing. ‘DUKES OF HAZZARD’ STAR JOHN SCHNEIDER HOPES ALBUM HE WROTE TO ‘HONOR’ LATE WIFE WILL HELP OTHERS GRIEVING The actor traveled to Washington to celebrate America's 250th anniversary, calling the invitation to perform an honor and reflecting on attending the nation's Bicentennial celebration as a teenager. "Wow, it's an honor because we're here in D.C. And we were asked by the present administration, so that's really terrific. So, I'm jazzed about it." Schneider recalled visiting Disney World with his high school in 1976 for the country's 200th birthday. WATCH: ‘DUKES OF HAZZARD’ STAR JOHN SCHNEIDER PRAISES AMERICA DURING NATION'S 250TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION "In 1976, I was 16 years old, and I went with my high school to Disney World and celebrated the Bicentennial." Now, 50 years later, he said, returning for America's 250th birthday feels like a full-circle moment. "So now, to be part of something else 50 years later, I can't believe that, but it's true ... the 250th birthday. And I'm proud of our country, and I'm proud of everything that's going on right now. I know it's a little dicey for some, but you know, I believe in peace through strength, and that's what we're involved in right now." Despite the courtroom drama, John said he's focused on the future — and on his marriage to wife Dee Dee Sorvino. Reflecting on love and partnership, he explained that lasting relationships require mutual commitment. "Partnership is so important. You have to be, what's the biblical standard? Equally yoked." He continued, "A relationship is something that has to … it's two-sided. There are two people involved, and there are two sets of responsibilities. And your thought, again, like trying to make somebody else's day better, certainly the first person that you want to make their day better should be your partner." CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER John praised his wife, adding, "I like to think that's what I do. I know that's what Dee Dee does. I know she puts me first." When Fox News Digital asked what chapter of life excites him most, he didn't hesitate. "Absolutely this one." He added, "We get better and better every day. We have greater and greater aspirations every day because we live in this country, and we can do that. I mean it with every fiber of my being when I say that my best days are ahead of me." Other projects the Hollywood actor has previously worked on include "Smallville" and Tyler Perry's "The Haves and the Have Nots," in addition to co-founding Children's Miracle Network. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fe46fc2ca79de2365cdb4 Signed bills, veto tallies and a new law helping sex trafficking victims: what Arizona’s 2026 session reveals about lawmaking under divided government te 2026-07-09T18:11:59.743Z Signed bills, veto tallies and a new law helping sex trafficking victims: what Arizona’s 2026 session reveals about lawmaking under divided government Key Points: Lawmakers introduced a record-breaking number of bills in the 2026 legislative session Gov. Katie Hobbs did not break her veto record this year Rep. Selina Bliss took home the title of most effective lawmaker with 15 bills signed Gov. Katie Hobbs didn’t set a new veto record in 2026 – but lawmakers still produced a high-friction session defined by record bill volume, a lower success rate and a steady stream of vetoes. Lawmakers filed 2,116 measures this year, including at least 87 that Hobbs had already vetoed in prior sessions. About 21% of those bills reached her desk, down from roughly 25% a year earlier, according to an Arizona Capitol Times analysis.  Of the bills that did advance, Hobbs signed 264 and vetoed 151. Together, those numbers underscore a familiar dynamic at the Capitol: prolific introductions paired with limited conversion and persistent partisan mismatch between a Republican-led Legislature and a Democratic governor.  The Arizona Capitol Times analyzed every bill that reached Hobbs’ desk to see which lawmakers were most effective – and which sent the most veto bait her way. The analysis excludes the 16 budget bills to avoid skewing the results toward the House and Senate appropriations chairs, whose names appear on much of the spending package.  She leaves her fourth legislative session with an all-time tally of 541 vetoes and 993 bills signed.  “I said from day one, I’ll be a backstop, but I didn’t come here to veto bills, I came here to work across the aisle and get things done,” Hobbs told the Arizona Capitol Times on June 30. She said Arizonans expect lawmakers and the governor to “put the politics aside” and argued that when they do, “we can do that” – even in sessions dominated by partisan clashes and bill moratoriums. This session, most of the bills Hobbs approved were related to state government operations, healthcare and public safety, according to bill data. Republican Rep. Selina Bliss topped the effectiveness rankings this year with 15 bills signed into law. Bliss represents Legislative District 1, which encompasses most of Yavapai County around Prescott.  Bliss said her proudest accomplishment was House Bill 2720, a bipartisan effort with Sen. Flavio Bravo that targets people who pay for sex. The new law makes paying for sex under a fee arrangement a class 6 felony and adds a mandatory $200 fine that will go to the state’s Anti-Human Trafficking Grant Fund, which provides services to victims of sex trafficking. “This bill was very important to me, looking uniquely at reducing the demand (for prostitution) by increasing the penalty on those that traffic other humans (and) are part of fueling the sex trafficking trade,” Bliss said during a bill signing ceremony.  The law also strengthens protections for victims by requiring courts to seal records tied to prostitution convictions when those convictions are vacated because the person was a trafficking victim, according to a news release.  Beyond HB 2720, Bliss said this was a particularly good session for everyone and credited her work ethic to her grandfather, who served 17 years in the South Dakota Legislature and set the expectation that everyone should work hard.  She added that while lawmakers still face plenty of challenges, “We’re all a little more satisfied with the work we did this year” and argued that what matters most is “really the quality, not so much the quantity” of bills. Sen. Carine Werner, R-Scottsdale, finished close behind Bliss, with 14 bills signed into law. Werner and Bliss chair the Senate and House Health and Human Services committees, and their portfolios helped drive the 31 new healthcare laws enacted this session.  At a recent healthcare roundtable at Valle Del Sol Community Health, Hobbs urged legislators to focus on ensuring Arizonans can actually access healthcare, not just pass health-related bills, she told the Arizona Capitol Times. She pointed to revisions in the federal H.R. 1 package that critics say make coverage harder to maintain and warned that when people lose insurance, “it doesn’t mean they’re not going to get healthcare – it’s just going to cost more because they’re going to go to the emergency room,” driving up costs for everyone. Sen. Shawnna Bolick, R-Phoenix, and Rep. Jeff Weninger, R-Chandler, tied for third place with 13 bills signed each. Democrats got 10 bills signed, all from the House. Reps. Consuelo Hernandez, D-Tucson, Sarah Liguori, D-Phoenix, and Stacey Travers, D-Phoenix, each saw two bills make it through, creating a three-way tie for the most bills passed by a Democratic lawmaker this session.  Those measures largely focused on public safety, veterans issues and criminal justice, underscoring how few Democratic bills make it through a Republican‑controlled Legislature.  It was a repeat performance from last year, where Democrats also had 10 bills signed; in 2024, they got 12 bills signed. Democrats have repeatedly highlighted how difficult it is to get their bills heard in a Republican-controlled Legislature.  On the veto side, Sen. Wendy Rogers recorded 14 vetoed bills – the most of any lawmaker this session. Almost half of those bills had already been vetoed in prior sessions. She did have three standalone bills signed plus a striker amendment signed. Sen. Mark Finchem had 12 vetoes, and Reps. Lisa Fink and Gail Griffin had 11.  Rogers said her rural constituents voted for her to fight for them down at the Capitol.  “Fourteen vetoes means fourteen times I represented my people and thus refused to write policy just to please a governor who forgot she works for Arizonans,” Rogers said via email. “We need real leadership at Arizona’s Capitol. Until we get it, I’ll keep fighting for my rural district and the entire state, one veto at a time.” But of her bills that she got signed, Rogers said she’s most proud of Senate Bill 1426, which will make it easier and faster for property owners to evict squatters.  The law does not change any of the rights and remedies available to landlords and tenants under the Arizona Residential Landlord Tenant Act. It specifically does not apply to  current or former tenants, immediate family members or people who had a verbal or written agreement to live on the property with the owner, narrowing it to people occupying homes without a legal or agreed-on right to be there. The post Signed bills, veto tallies and a new law helping sex trafficking victims: what Arizona’s 2026 session reveals about lawmaking under divided government first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fe45bc2ca79de2365cd92 Trans athletes drop lawsuit to gain access to girls' sports in New Hampshire after SCOTUS ruling te 2026-07-09T18:11:39.260Z Trans athletes drop lawsuit to gain access to girls' sports in New Hampshire after SCOTUS ruling A pair of trans athletes in New Hampshire have dismissed their lawsuit to challenge the state law that protects girls' sports after the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark Title IX ruling on June 30. The trans teenage plaintiffs, Parker Tirrell and Iris Turmelle, originally filed the lawsuit in 2024 to challenge a current New Hampshire state law prohibiting trans athletes from participating in girls’ sports. The lawsuit later expanded to add President Donald Trump's administration to the defendants after Trump signed the "No Men in Women's Sports" executive order on Feb. 5, 2025. The lawyers for the trans athletes claimed Trump’s executive order, along with parts of a Jan. 20 executive order that forbids federal money from being used to "promote gender ideology," subjects the teens and all transgender girls to discrimination in violation of federal equal protection guarantees and their rights under Title IX. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM The U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire then ruled last year that female athletes represented by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) attorneys were permitted to intervene in the case to defend the state’s women’s sports law and the administration’s executive orders. Now, after the Supreme Court's landmark ruling, which protects state laws that ensure only females compete in girls' sports, there is no room for the trans teens to fight the law in New Hampshire. "Women and girls deserve privacy, safety, and equal opportunities. That can’t happen when males are competing in women’s sports, taking spots on women’s athletic teams, and winning women’s championships," ADF Senior Counsel and Vice President of Litigation Strategy Jonathan Scruggs said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. USA POWERLIFTING, ONCE IN TRANS ATHLETE LAWSUIT, SUPPORTS SCOTUS RULING: 'LAW HAS CAUGHT UP WITH THE SCIENCE' "President Trump’s executive orders and New Hampshire’s law recognize common sense and track Title IX, the federal law that ensures equal opportunities for women in athletics. We are grateful this case is coming to an end and that New Hampshire is free to protect its female athletes." Fox News Digital has reached out to Tirrell and Turmelle's attorneys at GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) for a response. The SCOTUS rulings in West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox, the high court upheld state laws requiring student-athletes to compete on sports teams that correspond with their biological sex at birth rather than their gender identity, in a 6-3 decision. However, there are still 23 states, including California, New York and Massachusetts, that don't have any such laws, and some of those have laws to protect trans athletes in girls' sports. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fe447c2ca79de2365cd89 Boeing 737 mystery takes painful turn as families learn names of missing crew te 2026-07-09T18:11:19.808Z Boeing 737 mystery takes painful turn as families learn names of missing crew Officials are releasing new details about the K2 Airways cargo plane that disappeared off the coast of Pakistan on Tuesday, including the names of the five crew members who remain missing. The Boeing 737 was on a cargo flight bound for Karachi, Pakistan, when it disappeared around 9:21 p.m. local time Tuesday evening. It had departed from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates earlier that day, as The Associated Press (AP) previously reported.  Officials announced that some wreckage was recovered on Wednesday 53 miles south of Ormara, though the search for the missing crew continued into Thursday. FRANTIC SEARCH UNDERWAY FOR CREW AFTER BOEING 737 WRECKAGE FOUND BY OFFICIALS The crew members have been identified as Capt. Muhammad Rizwan Idris, First Officer Faisal Jatoi, flight engineers Muhammad Hamid and Muhammad Arif Siddiqui, and aircraft loader Muhammad Taufiq Khan, according to the AP's listing of the names published by the airline in a Facebook post. Ghulam Nabi Bahrani, the father-in-law of co-pilot Faisal Jatoi, told the AP the family was in regular contact with him while he was in Sharjah. Jatoi had reportedly called his wife shortly before he departed the UAE on Tuesday, Bahrani added. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER "All we can do is wait and pray for a miracle," he said. Military and civilian teams using planes and ships found plane wreckage in the Arabian Sea after about 12 hours of searching, Pakistan's Airports Authority said in a post on X. "Various air and sea borne assets were employed ... to locate the wreckage and efforts are underway to find the missing crew members," the agency said. CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE NEWS "Further details will follow as the search-and-rescue operation progresses." The plane's crew had reported a "navigation system problem" shortly before contact was lost roughly 155 nautical miles west of Karachi. Radar data showed the aircraft rapidly descending before it dropped off radar. TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ The aircraft — K2 Airways' only aircraft — was a roughly 27-year-old Boeing 737-400 freighter, according to aviation databases Airfleets.net and Planespotters.net. The airline, which was established in 2018, said it would "continue to pray earnestly for the safety of our colleagues," according to a statement obtained by the AP. Military assets have been deployed to aid the search.  The PNS Zulfiqar, a frigate of Pakistan's navy, was diverted to the area where the plane disappeared, and Pakistan's air force had also deployed aircraft to assist with the search. Fox News Digital reached out to K2 Airways and Boeing for comment. The Associated Press contributed reporting. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fe434c2ca79de2365cd80 DoorDash deactivates driver accused of stealing DHS food orders after viral post te 2026-07-09T18:11:00.351Z DoorDash deactivates driver accused of stealing DHS food orders after viral post DoorDash said Wednesday that it deactivated the account of a driver accused of intentionally redirecting food orders destined for a Department of Homeland Security facility, calling the alleged conduct "theft" and a violation of the company's policies after the accusations went viral online. "This Dasher's account has been deactivated," DoorDash said in an X post. "Misusing the safety-unassign feature to intentionally cancel orders and redirect the food based on where it's going is theft and a violation of both our Community Guidelines and Platform Access Policy," the company continued. "When our support team attempted to address their report and explain our policies, the individual was abusive toward the agent, which is a separate violation." FEDS SAY ARIZONA SUSPECT VANDALIZED ICE FACILITY AND ATTEMPTED TO IGNITE LOBBY AREA The company's response came after social media account, Libs of TikTok, posted screenshots it said were from a Buffalo-area driver and asked DoorDash whether the alleged conduct complied with its policies. In the screenshots shared by Libs of TikTok from the alleged driver, a Threads account identified as "nixxslingerland" wrote, "Just dropped off another cancelled nazi DoorDash to my free pantry and was handed this large bag of m&m's in return," with a white heart emoji and added, "I love communism," with a smiling face emoji. Nixxslingerland continued, "For new people who are unaware, there's unfortunately a detention center right in my town, and every single time I contact support and tell them they need to remove the location completely, I doubt they ever will, but it still feels good getting their orders cancelled and donating their food." TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PLANS NEW ICE HOLDING FACILITY NEAR LOUISIANA DEPORTATION FLIGHT HUB In a statement to Fox News Digital, Michelle Babin, manager for Trust & Safety Communications for DoorDash confirmed that "this individual's Dasher account was deactivated and they no longer have access to the DoorDash platform." Babin said DoorDash enforces its Platform Access Policy and Community Guidelines consistently. "We enforce our standards and policies fairly and consistently. Anyone who does not meet our standards or whose behavior violates our policies may be removed from our platform," Babin said. NEW YORKER SUING ICE AFTER OFFICERS WENT TO HIS HOME TO WARN HIM OVER CRITICISM OF AGENCY "Additionally, I wanted to note that this individual was never employed by DoorDash as Dashers are independent contractors, not employees," she added. Fox News Digital reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fe420c2ca79de2365cd77 WATCH: Dem gov mocked for criticizing ‘tribal’ politics amid redistricting push: ‘Hypocrisy knows no bounds’ te 2026-07-09T18:10:40.909Z WATCH: Dem gov mocked for criticizing ‘tribal’ politics amid redistricting push: ‘Hypocrisy knows no bounds’ Maryland Democratic Gov. Wes Moore is facing criticism for condemning rising "tribal" politics while continuing to push a redistricting effort that opponents say would eliminate the state's sole Republican congressional seat. Moore, a rising Democratic star who is being floated as a possible 2028 presidential candidate, gave an Independence Day speech in which he described American history as "powerful," "painful" and "complex." Speaking in the Maryland State House, where George Washington resigned his military commission in 1783, Moore proclaimed that "too many feel that our politics has become tribal, that our political system once felt like a gift, but the politics of today feel like a grift." In response, Haven Shoemaker, the top state attorney for Maryland’s Carroll County, remarked to Fox News Digital that "Gov. Moore is proof positive that hypocrisy knows no bounds." WATCH: MARYLAND DEMS DEFEND ‘BIG TENT’ PARTY AS NEW YORK SOCIALIST SURGE FUELS DEM DIVIDE "On the basis of what you would have to characterize as tribalism, he is going to convene a special session of the Maryland General Assembly to redistrict Maryland's only Republican congressman out of office. Sounds like tribalism to me," said Shoemaker. Maryland General Assembly leaders announced they will meet for a special session beginning Aug. 3 to consider a constitutional amendment on congressional redistricting, affiliate Fox 45 reported. The special session follows months of pressure from Moore and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., on Maryland Democrats to advance a congressional redistricting plan that would likely eliminate the state's lone Republican-held district. Maryland General Assembly leaders announced they will meet for a special session beginning on Aug. 3 to consider a constitutional amendment on congressional redistricting, affiliate Fox 45 reported. The special session follows months of pressure from Moore and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., on Maryland Democrats to advance a congressional redistricting plan that would likely eliminate the state's lone Republican-held district. The earlier effort to pass the redistricting bill had fizzled out largely due to Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson, a Democrat who called the proposed map "objectively unconstitutional" and expressed his worry that "the downside risk to Democrats is catastrophic." Afterward, Moore notably did not endorse Ferguson in his primary race despite Ferguson being one of the highest-ranking Democrats in the state. After the special session announcement, Moore said in a statement that "for months, I have said that inaction is not an option and we cannot sit on the sidelines while voting rights, fair representation, and the foundations of our democracy come under attack across the country." TRUMP FOE WINS CRUCIAL DEM PRIMARY AS 2028 PRESIDENTIAL SPECULATION SWIRLS "I appreciate the General Assembly’s continued conversations and the agreement to come back to finish the work," he said, adding, "My administration will work closely with the General Assembly as they consider legislation to ensure our state has the tools necessary to protect voters and defend fair representation." Meanwhile, Shoemaker, who previously served nine years in the Maryland House of Delegates, even holding the role of minority whip, accused Moore of being caught up in national politics while Marylanders are "fleeing in droves." "His record as governor is abysmal," he said, adding, "Since he became governor, almost four years ago, all that he's done is really tried to position himself to run for president." Shoemaker also took issue with Moore’s critique of American nationalism during his July 4th address. Moore remarked that "today there are those who will use patriotism to justify pulling books from schools and rewriting history until it comforts those in power. In reality, that's not patriotism; that's nationalism." The governor continued that "nationalism is not an extension of patriotism; they are not interchangeable. There's a difference, and that does matter." Shoemaker responded that "patriotism means that you love your country," while in his view nationalism "means that your country is exceptional." "It's pretty clear to me that neither Gov. Moore nor the ultra-progressives generally think that America is exceptional, and I think that's incredibly sad," he said. Moore’s comment also garnered criticism from Maryland Freedom Caucus Chair Matt Morgan, a Republican, who said, "In Moore’s world, if you’re a parent concerned about explicit material in your child’s school library, you’re a nationalist. If you question the revisionist history framework of the 1619 Project and advocate for accurate, honest history, you’re not a patriot. You’re a nationalist." "It’s a neat rhetorical trick: reframe the terms, and suddenly anyone who disagrees with you is the villain," said Morgan. In a statement shared with Fox News Digital, the Maryland Freedom Caucus called Moore’s decision to convene lawmakers for a special session for redistricting "a blatant partisan effort to rewrite the Maryland Constitution so Democrats can gerrymander away Rep. Andy Harris’s seat and silence rural and conservative voices." "While Maryland families sit around their kitchen tables wrestling with sky-high taxes, crushing energy costs, and a cost-of-living crisis made far worse by Annapolis Democrats, Governor Wes Moore has decided now is the perfect time to call a special session," said Morgan. In response to the criticism, Ammar Mousa, a spokesperson for Moore, told Fox News Digital, "Why are Maryland Republicans so against patriotism?" BLUE STATE RESIDENTS 'FLEEING IN DROVES' AFTER ‘INSANE’ PROGRESSIVE TAKEOVER, SAYS TOP STATE ATTORNEY Shoemaker told Fox News Digital that his own county has been targeted by state leaders for "wanting to have age-appropriate material in public school libraries." In 2025, the Maryland State Board of Education reviewed Carroll County's removal of 20 books from school libraries after parents argued the removals violated Maryland's Freedom to Read Act, which was signed by Moore in 2024. The State Board ultimately upheld the county's decision, allowing the books to remain off library shelves. "Fighting to keep filth in public schools and public school libraries, or, you know, even revising history to make villains of founding fathers who have made our country great by just pointing out their flaws. That seems like moral relativism to me and revisionism at its worst," said Shoemaker. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Shoemaker said that it is policies such as these, along with continuously "hiked taxes," that prompted him to announce he is moving out of the state at the end of his term. He says he is not the only one calling it quits on Maryland under the current leadership. "I've talked to a lot of people; most of them say that they don't blame me a bit for fleeing Maryland, and a substantial number of those folks say that they're right behind me," he said. Fox News Digital also reached out to the Maryland State Board of Education for comment. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fe219c2ca79de2365cd2e Data centers dominated 2026 session – lawmakers answered with 3-year tax incentive pause te 2026-07-09T18:02:01.254Z Data centers dominated 2026 session – lawmakers answered with 3-year tax incentive pause Key Points The state budget freezes Arizona’s sales tax exemption for data center operators through 2029 After public pushback against proposed projects, data centers become the dominant topic of 2026  Gov. Katie Hobbs and Democrats say the fight isn’t over just yet When Arizona lawmakers descend on the state Capitol at the start of each year to consider the most pressing issues facing the Grand Canyon State, one issue inevitably emerges as that session’s defining topic. In 2026, the topic that captivated lawmakers, the governor, lobbyists, reporters and constituents was Arizona’s booming data center industry.  According to keyword search, data generated by the Arizona Capitol Times’ bill tracking service, State Affairs Pro, data centers were mentioned at least once throughout 84 committee hearings, caucus meetings and floor sessions from January to June. Lawmakers introduced more than 50 bills related to energy policy, six of which dealt specifically with the state’s data center tax incentives. A new committee was even created this year to examine one of the biggest drivers of data centers: artificial intelligence. The House Artificial Intelligence and Innovation Committee heard presentations from utility companies, think tanks, universities and technology groups about the future of AI and how data centers will power it. All of that discussion — covering both the upsides and downsides of increased data center development — culminated in Arizona’s first major policy shift on data centers in over a decade. The state budget, negotiated by Gov. Katie Hobbs and Republican legislative leaders, instituted a three-year moratorium on the state’s data center tax incentives.  “Arizona ranks in the top 10 for data centers nationwide, with nearly 98 facilities currently operating, and 86 planned or under construction,” Hobbs told reporters at a press conference on July 7. “… There is no question that Arizona’s data center tax exemption has achieved what it sought to do.” According to the Pew Research Center, Arizona ranks seventh in the nation for the number of data centers currently operating or under development. Hobbs attributes that to the tax incentives that she and other state lawmakers voted for in 2013 when she served in the state Senate.  For the past 13 years, data center operators could submit an application to the Arizona Commerce Authority to exempt their operations from transaction privilege and use taxes on purchases like software and technology upgrades. The Legislature renewed the exemption for an additional 10 years in 2021.  Dan Diorio, vice president of state policy for the Data Center Coalition, said the tax incentives help keep costs low on expensive equipment and frequent server upgrades  required to maintain a data center facility. “The idea there is kind of two fold, one is that you defray some of the cost of the inputs to then get the outputs and the economic activity,” Diorio said. “And the second part is because you want to foster continuous reinvestment in the facility.” After intense backlash in 2025 against proposed data center projects in Tucson, Chandler and Marana, Hobbs advocated eliminating the tax incentives entirely in her executive budget proposal. Republicans were vehemently opposed to the idea, arguing it would slow economic growth and send the wrong signal to potential investors. Ultimately, a compromise resulted in the temporary moratorium set to lift in 2029 if the incentives aren’t completely eliminated in a future session. Diorio said the outcome was a letdown for data center operators and developers, who rushed to file applications for the tax incentives before the window closed at the end of June. “We are just very disappointed because now folks are going to question (Arizona’s) long-term commitment to the program,” Diorio said. “They’re going to look on it with uncertainty, and I think it’s going to push development elsewhere.” Hobbs disputed that idea when taking questions from reporters on July 7.  “I think that this pause in the exemption gives us a chance to really examine the policies,” Hobbs said. “Nobody’s talking about a moratorium on data centers themselves. There are places where they make sense, where they provide economic opportunity and where they’re not sucking the groundwater and overtaxing the utilities.” While the tax moratorium was the star of the legislative show this session, Hobbs also signed a bill imposing new reporting requirements for utility companies helping connect data centers to Arizona’s electrical grid. And she vetoed a bill specifically inspired by an attempt to refer a Marana data center proposal to the ballot after the referral’s petitions were rejected by the county and then withdrawn by a group helping collect them.  Democratic leaders in the Legislature agree that more work needs to be done in future sessions, specifically to rein in data center water usage and to prevent residential utility ratepayers from bearing any costs to provide data centers with electricity.  But the Legislature and the Governor’s Office are limited in the actions they can take against data centers, because the Arizona Corporation Commission has the exclusive constitutional authority to set utility rates. While other state legislatures have floated requiring data centers to pay large load tariffs, demanding they build their own energy infrastructure or even outright banning their development, only the Corporation Commission can make those decisions in Arizona. The five-member commission, which currently has an all-Republican supermajority, has publicly supported data centers and while it has approved large load tariffs and expressed interest in “bring-your-own-capacity” programs, it cannot legally prohibit the monopoly utilities it regulates from providing power to customers.  Not that commissioners would want to do so anyway. “I don’t think it’s realistic to bury our heads in the sand and simply say no to new data centers,” Commissioner Kevin Thompson said during an April commission workshop on large load users.  Hobbs pointed to the report generated by her Arizona Energy Promise Taskforce, which made several data center recommendations related to “bring-your-own-capacity” initiatives, tax incentives and energy efficiency technologies, as a road map for future work. But even that report notes that the implementation of its recommendations are “solely within the jurisdiction of the relevant ratemaking body.”  Nonetheless, Senate Minority Leader Priya Sundareshan, an environmental attorney by trade, says there is just enough wiggle room for the Legislature to set the tone for data center regulation. “There are some areas in which the Corporation Commission has sole plenary authority, but the Legislature also has a very important role to play,” Sundareshan said. “And I think neither body has really been demonstrating any activity in that regard in the last couple of years.” She plans to keep pushing a bill she introduced this session aimed at preventing cost shifts from data centers to residential customers, though the bill was not granted a hearing by Republican leadership in the Senate. It would require the commission to ensure large load customers pay for energy, fuel, generation and transmission costs.  Commissioners and their staff are content that data centers are currently paying their fair share, but they are exploring updates to existing large load tariffs and other policies to ensure residential ratepayers are protected. Sundareshan isn’t so sure.  “I am not confident that data ratepayers are being protected from those increased costs and I think data will be coming out shortly to show that,” Sundareshan said.  Whether data centers will continue to be the topic du jour heading into the 2027 legislative session remains to be seen, but Arizona leaders are clearly not done with the conversation. The post Data centers dominated 2026 session – lawmakers answered with 3-year tax incentive pause first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fe204c2ca79de2365cd0b Dodgers will again visit White House to celebrate World Series championship, official says te 2026-07-09T18:01:40.769Z Dodgers will again visit White House to celebrate World Series championship, official says The Los Angeles Dodgers are set for what is now becoming an annual trip to the White House. After becoming the first team to win back-to-back Fall Classics since the New York Yankees won three straight from 1998 to 2000, the Dodgers will once again pay a visit to President Donald Trump in the nation's capital. The White House confirmed to Fox News Digital that the team will visit on July 23, an off day between series in Philadelphia and New York. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM "President Trump is excited to welcome the Los Angeles Dodgers BACK to the White House to celebrate their World Series championship!" White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said in a statement to Fox News Digital. The California Post was the first to report the news. The Dodgers were crowned champs again after completing a Game 7 comeback against the Toronto Blue Jays in 11 innings in one of the wildest games of all time. The visit will not come easily to some — shortly after winning the Fall Classic, an immigration rights group pleaded with the team not to visit again. "The Los Angeles Dodgers have always been more than a baseball team — they’re part of the spirit of who we are as a city. The team represents our neighborhoods, our families, and our shared love for our diverse communities. But right now, our community, our city are under siege, we need them to stand with us, on the right side of history," the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) wrote in an online petition. "Ask the team to honor the unity, integrity and diversity they themselves represent. They cannot stay silent as our families and neighbors face violence, detention, and deportation. By visiting a president who has used his power to harm the most vulnerable, the team would be turning its back on the very people who fill the stadiums, wear the jerseys, and give this team its heart. By encouraging the team to do the right thing, we will show the White House that Los Angeles stands for compassion, dignity, and solidarity with their immigrant neighbors." Hard-throwing reliever Brusdar Graterol, along with some others, missed out on the celebration last year, which celebrated the 2024 title. Graterol opted to stay at "my brown house." Freddie Freeman did not attend while he had been on the injured list at the time, but several injured players like Clayton Kershaw, Gavin Stone, Michael Kopech and Michael Grove were there. Meanwhile, outfielder Mookie Betts decided to go last year after opting out of the trip with the Boston Red Sox in 2019. JUSTIN VERLANDER ANNOUNCES HE WILL RETIRE AFTER THIS SEASON: 'I'VE REALIZED THAT TIME HAS COME' "This is not about me; I don’t want anything to be about me. This is about the Dodgers. Because these boys were there for me," Betts said, via the Los Angeles Times. Betts said he regretted not making the trip in 2019, which manager Alex Cora and pitcher David Price also skipped, saying he felt he was a distraction. Cora recently admitted he skipped out on meeting Trump because he wanted to prioritize his home of Puerto Rico. When the Red Sox visited the White House in May 2019, Puerto Rico was still recovering from the destruction of Hurricane Maria in 2017, and Cora wasn't satisfied with the federal government's response. The Dodgers visited former President Joe Biden in July 2021 to celebrate their 2020 World Series title. Several major sports champions, including each NBA title winner, have declined to visit the White House during both of Trump's terms. The Dodgers, Philadelphia Eagles, Florida Panthers, Ohio State football team, Indiana football team, LSU baseball team and Inter Miami have all visited the White House to celebrate their championships since Trump’s second term began in January 2025. It remains to be seen whether the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Hurricanes will follow suit, but Knicks owner James Dolan said his team would visit. That would make them the first NBA team to visit Trump. Last year, the Florida Gators were the first college basketball team to visit Trump since the Baylor women's team in 2019. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fe1f1c2ca79de2365cd02 Omar's disclosures erased millions, leaving her with potential negative net worth. She won't explain why. te 2026-07-09T18:01:21.314Z Omar's disclosures erased millions, leaving her with potential negative net worth. She won't explain why. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., refused to address her revised financial disclosures that could imply she has a negative net worth after the progressive lawmaker dramatically reduced the reported value of assets tied to her husband's business ventures. "Can you tell us if your husband still has the consulting business and the wine business?" Fox News Digital asked Omar. The congresswoman stayed silent as she was repeatedly questioned, after previously telling Fox News Digital that the original filing — showing Omar's reported assets reducing by as much as $29.9 million — was inaccurate and "incomplete" information. ILHAN OMAR'S OFFICE SAYS SHE'S ‘NOT A MILLIONAIRE’ AFTER $30M FILING REVISED DOWN TO UNDER $100K: REPORT The controversy surrounding Omar’s finances began when a 2024 financial report estimated that Omar and her husband possessed between $6 million and $30 million in assets, all while the Minnesota fraud scandal within the Somali community was beginning to come to fruition. A more recent 2025 financial disclosure report shows Omar’s revised value of shared assets between her and husband to sit at a maximum of $125,000 — a multi-million-dollar drop from the year prior. The lower estimate of their assets, $20,000, compared to the low and high debt estimates, $30,000 and $100,000, would imply the Minnesota Democrat could have a negative net worth. Both her and her husband have separate debts, each ranging somewhere between $15,000 and $50,000 — from her own student loans and her husband’s credit card debt, according to the disclosures. WATCH: OMAR SILENT WHEN CONFRONTED ON ALLEGED TIES TO MASSIVE MINNESOTA FRAUD SCANDAL The biggest change in the documents involved Omar's husband, Tim Mynett. His reported ownership interests in both his winery and venture capital advisory firm, which were previously valued in the millions of dollars, are listed with no value now. In Omar’s 2024 financial disclosure records, Mynett’s share in his winery was valued between $1 million and $5 million, and his share at the venture capital advisory firm was valued between $5 million and $25 million. Now, his equity interests are both listed at $0. Omar's office previously told Fox News Digital that Mynett has partners in both businesses and said the earlier disclosure mistakenly reflected the businesses' total equity rather than his ownership interest. The office also said the original filing listed assets without accounting for liabilities. VANCE REFERS TIM WALZ, MINNESOTA ATTORNEY GENERAL TO DOJ FOR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION OVER STATE'S ALLEGED FRAUD House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., has publicly voiced his interest in the Ethics Committee opening an investigation into Omar’s personal finances after the 2025 financial reports came out showing the possibility of a $29 million drop in her net worth. Vice President JD Vance also has previously said the U.S. Department of Justice will be opening a probe into her alleged fraud as part of the administration’s anti-fraud taskforce that he spearheads, though no formal investigations have been shared with the public at this time. Omar has been reluctant to answer Fox News Digital’s questions about her financial fallout and potential probes to be opened against her. The Minnesota lawmaker similarly dodged answering any of Fox News Digital's questions just last month about the revised disclosures. "There’s also the possibility that it might rain on this sunny day," Omar replied without responding directly to the content of the question. Fox News Digital’s Robert Schmad contributed to this report. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fe1ddc2ca79de2365ccf9 FTC chief accuses Democrats of 'trying to protect the fraudsters' by withholding data from Trump admin te 2026-07-09T18:01:01.361Z FTC chief accuses Democrats of 'trying to protect the fraudsters' by withholding data from Trump admin Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson accused Democratic governors Thursday of "trying to protect the fraudsters" by refusing to provide the Trump administration with SNAP recipient data, arguing their resistance is hindering efforts to root out waste, fraud and abuse in federally funded benefit programs. "A lot of the red states are cooperating. The blue states are not," Ferguson told "America's Newsroom." "I don't know what else to infer from the fact that they're not cooperating other than trying to protect the fraudsters, and I don't know what to infer from that other than the Democrats are in on this, and I think it's a huge problem." STOLEN IDS SOLD FOR ‘HAPPY MEAL’ PRICES FUEL BILLIONS IN US BENEFIT FRAUD Ferguson, who is helping lead the charge in the Trump administration's broader effort to unmask and eliminate systemic fraud in government-funded programs, called out blue-state governors for their refusal to hand over the requested information, including information identifying benefit recipients. Ferguson said programs like SNAP, which are administered by states but funded by the federal government, are particularly under the microscope. "The federal government, at this point, doesn't have good insight into who actually receives this money, so we've been asking the states, ‘Work with us here, show us where the money is going so that we can ensure that federal taxpayer dollars are not going to the worst people in the world...’" he said. TOP FEDERAL PROSECUTOR CALLS CALIFORNIA A 'FRAUDSTER'S PARADISE,' WARNS STATE OFFICIALS COULD FACE CHARGES "You've got to ask why Democrat governors would want to prevent us from finding the fraudsters, and I think it raises a lot of suspicions about the Democrats themselves." Vice President JD Vance is leading the administration's anti-fraud effort, publicly pressing for the same information to determine whether people who are in the country illegally are receiving SNAP benefits in certain states. The vice president specifically called out Wisconsin on Wednesday. Ferguson touted the success of the mission to uncover fraud on Thursday, telling guest host Sandra Smith that the probes have yielded indictments and potential prison time for perpetrators as well as uncovered "tens of billions of dollars of fraud" that would have otherwise gone to fraudsters. "That's why Vice President Vance's leadership is so important. And the stats speak for themselves," he said. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fe1b4c2ca79de2365cccc How to stop Meta’s AI image generator from using your Instagram photos te 2026-07-09T18:00:20.913Z How to stop Meta’s AI image generator from using your Instagram photos Meta's new AI image generator is using your public Instagram photos unless you opt out. Here's how to do that. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fdfc1c2ca79de2365cc8f Advocates alarmed as DOJ backs states challenging mandate to keep people with mental disability out of institutions te 2026-07-09T17:52:01.508Z Advocates alarmed as DOJ backs states challenging mandate to keep people with mental disability out of institutions WASHINGTON – Theo Braddy has been advocating for people with disabilities for decades. Being a C4 quadriplegic since he was 15, he understands that experience. “Trying to live with a disability is like going through a maze,” said Braddy, executive director of the National Council on Independent Living.  The maze has gotten harder to navigate, he said, because of a push to make it easier for states to confine people with severe mental illness or mental disability in institutions. The latest salvo in that fight came in a June 18 memo issued by the Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel. The memo seeks to reinterpret a landmark 1999 Supreme Court ruling that compels states to provide community-based care when possible as an alternative to facility living. That case, Olmstead v. L.C., involved two women with developmental disabilities and mental illness who were confined at a Georgia psychiatric hospital against their wishes and medical advice.  The ruling provided the foundation for a policy known as the integration mandate – a requirement that people with mental disabilities are housed in the “most integrated” setting possible. The DOJ memo argues that is a misinterpretation of Olmstead, and that the Americans with Disabilities Act and other laws protecting the rights of people with disabilities don’t require states to move people with serious mental health problems out of institutions. A group of six Republican-led states is arguing in federal court that the federal government lacks the authority to force states to avoid institutionalizing individuals with mental disabilities, and that the relevant provision, known as Section 504, is unconstitutional. The DOJ memo largely mirrors the states‘ position. That’s a reversal from the Biden administration, which those states and others sued in 2022 over certain abortion regulations that hinged on Section 504. Under the Trump administration’s stance, states would no longer be compelled to seek all possible alternatives to help those with mental disabilities live in the community rather than a care facility. The backlash has been swift among disability rights advocates. “Society has a long history of not wanting to see people with disabilities living in the community,” Braddy said. “Decisionmakers are taking us back to the ‘ugly laws’ … where it is better to institutionalize people with disabilities. Keep them out of sight, out of mind.” The Civil Rights Act of 1964 banned discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion and national origin but made no mention of disabilities.  Until 1973, when President Richard Nixon signed the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, there was no comprehensive federal protection against discrimination on the basis of disability. Section 504 of that law changed all that. “It was the first time we have … confirmation that people with disabilities actually have civil rights,” said Robyn Powell, a law professor at Stetson University who specializes in disability law. For much of American history, it was seen as easier to institutionalize people with physical or mental disabilities than to allow them to live in the community with support, Braddy said. Americans with a wide range of disabilities were routinely confined to state-run institutions, including hospitals and almshouses. Some cities had laws on the books forbidding people with physical disabilities and maladies from being seen in public, colloquially referred to as “ugly laws.” The deinstitutionalization push dates to 1977, when advocates began a series of sit-ins over the government’s failure to enforce Section 504. In K-12 education, 504 plans ensure extra time on tests or other accommodations for students with learning disabilities. Section 504 states that regardless of a disability, a person cannot be “excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”  There’s no integration mandate. But that provision created the basis for many rights recognized by courts and the federal government. After the sit-ins, the Carter administration issued long-overdue regulations regarding 504 implementation, and Congress amended the 1973 law to beef up enforcement. This 1808 etching by artist Thomas Rowlandson depicts the dining hall of an asylum. The work is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection. (Photo courtesy Metropolitan Museum of Art) All of those developments laid the groundwork for the Americans with Disabilities Act, which President George H.W. Bush signed in 1990.  The ADA codified protection against discrimination for disability and access to equal rights and opportunities.  In Olmstead, the court found that under Title II of the ADA, states can’t keep people like the two plaintiffs in institutions against their will, and that community-based services must be provided when appropriate “and the placement can be reasonably accommodated.” “There is much that shows … that the integration mandate exists both in the ADA and also in the Rehabilitation Act,” Powell said. In 2022, a group of 17 Republican states led by Texas sued the Biden administration, trying to chip away at Section 504. A number of states dropped out after the Trump administration reversed a Biden effort to add gender dysphoria to the list of disabilities covered by Section 504.  At last count, six states are still in court arguing that the federal government can’t force states to provide community-based services rather than institutionalization.  The litigation is pending in the Northern District of Texas. Some disability advocates interpret the new DOJ memo as a move to give states more leeway, not to make institutionalization the norm. “The DOJ letter, for lack of better terms, opens the door for states to reevaluate how they implement home and community-based services and what that looks like,” said Brandi Coon, executive director of the Arizona disability advocacy nonprofit Raising Voices Coalition. Arizona has moved away from institutionalization for decades, she said. But given the patchwork of state laws, she added, the DOJ memo is a recognition that there is no one-size-fits-all solution.  She noted that institutionalization can cost four times more than services in a home or community-based setting, so states already have an incentive to avoid that when possible. Nina Richtman, interim executive director of the Virginia-based nonprofit Treatment Advocacy Center, said the DOJ memo provides helpful guidance for states. “In our view, the DOJ memo is a clarification of what Olmstead actually said and what it did not say,” she said by email. She also said that there is a difference between justified and unjustified institutionalization that the memo helps to distinguish. “The memo recognizes that there is an important difference between someone who can live in the community with support and someone whose severe mental illness requires hospital-level or other intensive treatment to stabilize before they can benefit from community-based care,” Richtman said.  The DOJ did not respond to interview requests.  Braddy called the memo “bad policy.”  “You cannot count on the Department of Justice anymore to fight these cases,” he said.  Many states – including many of those fighting the integration mandate in court – don’t have or don’t want to spend the money needed to provide ongoing support to disabled people, said Claudia Center, legal director at the California-based Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund. “These states maybe didn’t have the structures in place to accommodate 504 as currently written, and so that’s why they’re pushing back,” Center said, though she called deinstitutionalization far more cost-effective. “People are going to be integrated, participate in the community, which is what was intended by the ADA,” she said. The post Advocates alarmed as DOJ backs states challenging mandate to keep people with mental disability out of institutions appeared first on Cronkite News. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fdf83c2ca79de2365cc60 Wisconsin Democrat downplays appearing on Hasan Piker's show, doesn't 'endorse' everything he says te 2026-07-09T17:50:59.571Z Wisconsin Democrat downplays appearing on Hasan Piker's show, doesn't 'endorse' everything he says Wisconsin state rep. and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong appeared to distance herself from far-left Twitch streamer Hasan Piker on Wednesday after appearing on his livestream less than two weeks ago. While being interviewed on "MS NOW Reports," Hong was asked about her late June appearance on Piker's livestream, which also served as a fundraiser for her campaign. Hong faced criticism for campaigning with Piker from former Democratic Wisconsin Elections Commissioner Ann Jacobs, who claimed she was "willing to sell out the Jews of Wisconsin for a few bucks." "I condemn hatred, discrimination, antisemitism and Islamophobia, any sort of dehumanizing of communities," Hong responded. "Being on these streams, it’s important that we get our message out in places where, you know, campaigns struggle to reach voters. Just because I am on a platform certainly does not mean that I endorse everything that has been said by either the hosts or other people who have gone on." WHO IS HASAN PIKER? MEET THE FAR-LEFT STREAMER WHO IS STIRRING UP CONTROVERSY AND DIVIDING DEMOCRATS She added, "And if candidates and elected officials who are speaking with more controversial hosts, you know, if we are to be responsible for everything that they have ever said, I would point to the fact that [Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis.,] the Republican likely nominee, has been on a radio show that has called for the execution of the governor of Minnesota." "So, I think it’s important to recognize that when we are campaigning in areas where folks may not have already heard our message, it’s important to let them know that we are a campaign that is fighting for working-class people, and it’s important that folks are staying engaged on our elections here in Wisconsin," Hong said. Fox News Digital reached out to Hong and Piker for comment. SOME DEMOCRATS PRIVATELY DISGUSTED BY HASAN PIKER BUT ARE AFRAID TO PUBLICLY CRITICIZE HIM, HOUSE DEM CLAIMS Piker has received widespread backlash over the years for several controversial statements such as claiming that America "deserved" 9/11 and that Hamas is "a thousand times better" than Israel. Despite his comments, Piker has been a growing figure within the Democratic Party, campaigning with progressive candidates like Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. Hong, who described herself as a democratic socialist, has also made controversial statements in the past, calling for efforts to defund and abolish the police. HASAN PIKER TURNS ON PLATNER, SAYS HE BELIEVES SEXUAL ASSAULT ACCUSER AND PREDICTS 'CURTAINS' FOR CAMPAIGN "I support defunding the police as a first step towards abolishing the police," Hong wrote online in 2020, according to CNN. Hong appeared to backtrack from these comments in a statement to Fox News Digital in May. "There is no way I want to cut resources for public safety," Hong said. "I don’t like crime. I don’t like unsafe streets. I also don’t like when a member of law enforcement abuses their power." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fdf70c2ca79de2365cc57 France vs Morocco World Cup quarterfinal tips the scales toward Kylian Mbappe and a low-scoring affair te 2026-07-09T17:50:40.134Z France vs Morocco World Cup quarterfinal tips the scales toward Kylian Mbappe and a low-scoring affair It seems hard to believe, but there was no World Cup Soccer yesterday, and we have just a handful of days remaining as we've now reached the Quarterfinals. In College Hoops, this would be known as the Elite Eight. The Round of 32 was a bit boring in terms of results, but the Round of 16 had a lot of wild games and some very close calls. I'm excited to see what the Quarterfinals bring us today. The first game of this round comes from France and Morocco, who square off today. France is the current favorite to win the World Cup, but they have to get past a very strong Moroccan team today. There are a number of stars on this French team, one that has so many good players it is hard to see them losing. They have one of the best scorers in Kylian Mbappe, and they have another strong scorer and offensive threat in Ousmane Dembele. There aren't too many teams that have multiple threats on offense, but the French team does. That doesn't even count all of the major players on defense who have combined to allow just two goals this World Cup. Kylian Mbappe blasts 'despicable' Paraguayan senator over vile 'colonized Cameroonian' slur In order to get to this spot in the tournament, Senegal was the first team that France disposed of. This was not a clean sheet as they did allow one goal, but they won with relative ease. From there, they dominated an over matched Iraq team and played Norway without their best player. In the Round of 32, France had a bit of trouble before breaking the game open against Sweden, winning 3-0. Paraguay gave France all they could handle before the Frenchmen took it 1-0. Morocco is facing a tough battle as they are not the favorite to win this game, and if you believe conspiracy theories, FIFA does not want them to win. We saw some questionable whistles, calls, and other things go against Egypt as they played Argentina. You have to wonder if the organization does the same thing here to keep France in it. Although France really shouldn't need any help. That isn't to dismiss Morocco. I very much like their team and have been impressed with their performance to this point. Getting to this game is not the end goal, though. They made it to the World Cup Semifinals last World Cup and want to get back there again. They started their tournament with a draw against Brazil. Since then, they've had four straight wins. They took down Scotland with a 1-0 win, and then took down Haiti 4-2. The game against the Netherlands was fantastic as it ended in penalty kicks. Last round, they made light work of Canada. The last time these two teams played, there was a lot on the line. They had a chance to get into the World Cup Final, but it wasn't that exciting of a game. France took a 1-0 lead extremely early with a goal in the first five minutes. Nothing really happened after that for about 75 minutes. Then France scored again and won the game 2-0. Today, I just think France still has too much for Morocco to handle. They are a very good team that really doesn't have much of a weakness. That doesn't mean they can't be beaten, but I just don't see this being a game where there are a ton of goals, or an upset. I'm going to back the under 2.5 as I think history repeats itself with a 2-0 French victory. Also, France to win the World Cup is still good value at +185. I'll be investing in that as well. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024 Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fdd2dc2ca79de2365cc10 19 states pass rounding bills since last penny was minted te 2026-07-09T17:41:01.990Z 19 states pass rounding bills since last penny was minted Key Points: The U.S. Mint stopped producing pennies in November The Treasury issued rounding guidance to states, merchants An NCSL report detailed the approach Canada has taken Nineteen states have enacted laws this year in response to the U.S. Treasury Department’s phaseout of the penny, giving merchants guidance on rounding cash transaction totals to the nearest nickel. Bills in two other states are awaiting governor signatures, and lawmakers in six states are still considering bills. Nine other states have issued guidance but not passed legislation. President Donald Trump last year ordered the Treasury to stop manufacturing pennies, which cost more to make than their store of value. Production of the copper-coated coins ceased in November. The Treasury issued guidance the following month advising that as pennies fall out of circulation, “merchants will need to round transactions either up or down to the nearest five cents.” It noted that most states require sales tax to be calculated on the final sale price rounded to the nearest penny, meaning states will have to amend their sales tax laws to reflect the new normal. The guidance cited a report from the National Conference of State Legislatures, which details Canada’s rounding approach after stopping the production of pennies in 2012. Amounts ending in .01, .02, .06 and .07 were rounded down to the nearest five cents, and amounts ending in .03, .04, .08 and .09 were rounded up.  “While there are multiple potential routes forward, the evidence suggests that clear, potentially uniform solutions are within reach — solutions that can preserve tax integrity, minimize legal exposure, and reduce undue burdens on all stakeholders,” the NCSL report said. All but 11 states have introduced or passed legislation or issued guidance on how to respond to the penny phase-out. Four of those — Montana, Nevada, North Dakota and Texas — were not in session this year. States have taken varied approaches, but the majority including Connecticut (HB 5349), Florida (SB 1074) and Maryland (SB 893) give retailers discretion to round up or down to the nearest nickel from the total transaction amount. Arizona House Bill 2938 is the only law to mandate retailers use the Canadian system. New York Assemblymember John McDonald, D-Cohoes, the primary sponsor of Assembly Bill 9274, which the Legislature passed, told State Affairs that he and Sen. James Skoufis, D-Orange County, who introduced the Senate version, worked with the NCSL to craft the legislation to ensure consistency for businesses and consumers. “Due to the nature of the phaseout of the penny without congressional approval, consumers, businesses and those involved with exchange of currency were left in a state of confusion on handling what is normally a simple transaction,” McDonald said. “To be clear, I agree that the penny production should cease, but the uncertainty needs to be corrected.”  McDonald said as a former business owner, he knows the regulatory requirements can be complex but that businesses want to comply. “This legislation will help bring that clarity, and I am hopeful that it will find favor with the governor in the coming months,” McDonald said. Indiana Senate Bill 243 leaves rounding up or down to the retailer’s discretion but includes the Canadian system for reference. The law also requires state and local taxes to be rounded down to the nearest nickel. Some states — like Alabama (HB 545) and Kentucky (HB 757) — require the rounding to be done post-tax.  Pennsylvania Rep. Nathan Davidson, D-Dauphin, introduced the Pennsylvania Common Cents Act, House Bill 2388, which has advanced to the Senate, after a county treasurer in his district told him the federal government’s phase-out was causing “confusion and administrative strain … for our county treasurers, tax collectors, and municipal governments.” “Everyone deserves a predictable and uniform standard if they choose to use cash,” Davidson told State Affairs. “This legislation is important and timely to protect businesses, state and local government entities, and, most importantly, everyday Pennsylvanians.” California Assemblymember Christopher Ward, D-San Diego, said he is “a very proud Democrat, but one thing I agree strongly with is an executive order from President Trump to discontinue the penny.” “It was a century ago that we did away with the ha’penny, the half penny, and so this isn’t the first time the country has done this,” Ward said. “But doing so does actually create a problem for how we are conducting our business in cash transactions.” Ward’s Assembly Bill 1793 — the number is a nod to the year the penny was first minted — would make it the second state, along with Arizona, to require merchants to round prices to the nearest 5 cents when paying with cash.  Ward, who was stationed in Germany while serving in the military, noted that overseas U.S. bases have not used pennies since 1980 when the Department of Defense decided it was too cost-inefficient to ship the heavy coins. “If you were shopping for groceries, you just rounded to the nearest nickel, and they were able to do that because it was a federal facility,” Ward said. “I remembered that nugget amid today’s context, and it seemed odd that this question wasn’t answered.” Many states that have not passed laws have issued guidance on how to treat retail transactions. Utah was the first state to do so in November. The state has yet to sign a comprehensive bill on rounding, but the governor signed House Bill 597 in March, which only applies to cash liquor sales. Some states’ provisions only apply to payments by state agencies and parties transacting on their behalf, such as Minnesota House File 4591 and Oklahoma House Bill 3075. New Mexico House Bill 291 only applies to state taxes, property taxes and Motor Vehicle Code payments; the state does not yet have a retail rounding bill on the books.  Bills failed in Alaska (HB 281), Iowa (SF 2456), Kansas (HB 2797), Mississippi (SB 2680, SB 2847), South Carolina (HB 4617), West Virginia (HB 4476) and Wyoming (HB 71). Both Iowa and South Carolina have issued guidance.  Michigan Senate Bill 1014, introduced last month by Sen. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, would take the novel approach of mandating businesses round down on cash transactions, a first among states. Both chambers of Congress are debating the Common Cents Act — SB 1525 and HR 3074 — but neither has had any action since last year.  States with actively pending legislation: California: AB 1793 Massachusetts: HB 5450 Michigan: SB 1014 Missouri: HB 2819 New Jersey: SB 3977 New York: AB 9274 Ohio: HB 737 Pennsylvania: HB 2388 States that have enacted rounding laws this year: Alabama: HB 545 Arizona: HB 2938 Connecticut: HB 5349 Florida: SB 1074 Georgia: HB 1112 Hawaii: SB 3255 Idaho: SB 1350 Indiana: SB 243 Kentucky: HB 757 Maryland: SB 893 Minnesota: HF 4591 Nebraska: LB 838 New Mexico: HB 291 Oklahoma: HB 3075 Oregon: HB 4178 Tennessee: HB 1744 Vermont: S 327 Virginia: HB 954 Washington: HB 2334 The post 19 states pass rounding bills since last penny was minted first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fdd1ac2ca79de2365cbeb Man arrested after throwing Molotov cocktail at person in wheelchair near OKC police hq te 2026-07-09T17:40:42.017Z Man arrested after throwing Molotov cocktail at person in wheelchair near OKC police hq A suspect was arrested moments after throwing a Molotov cocktail at a man in a wheelchair near police headquarters in Oklahoma City, authorities said. Surveillance footage from outside the headquarters showed the man in the wheelchair crossing a street diagonally at around 8 a.m. on July 2. Moments later, another man could be seen crossing the street before turning around and approaching the victim. The unidentified suspect appeared to light something before hurling the incendiary device at the man in the wheelchair. KNIFE-WIELDING FLORIDA MAN ARRESTED AFTER SETTING RESTAURANT ON FIRE WITH FLAMING PROPANE TANK: AUTHORITIES After the object was thrown, the victim was momentarily surrounded by flames before the suspect pushed the wheelchair. A passing vehicle could be seen stopping, and two people got out. A nearby Oklahoma City police detective and a bystander pulled the victim from the fire while another police officer detained the suspect. ICE ASKS MICHIGAN TO HOLD HAITIAN ILLEGAL ALIEN WHO ALLEGEDLY 'BARBARICALLY STABBED' COWORKER The victim suffered minor injuries, was treated at a hospital, and is expected to recover, according to local media. The suspect faces multiple felony charges, including assault with intent to kill and assault and battery with a deadly weapon, according to the Oklahoma City Police Department. A motive for the incident has not been disclosed. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fdb16c2ca79de2365cbaf World Cup adds international spice to America’s melting pot te 2026-07-09T17:32:06.758Z World Cup adds international spice to America’s melting pot LOS ANGELES – David Gallardo traveled all the way from Spain to experience the World Cup in person. Gallardo proudly hails from Fuenlabrada, a suburb near the center of Madrid. His World Cup vacation has taken him across America, attending Spain’s first two matches in Atlanta before switching coasts ahead of the first knockout match in Los Angeles. It was there that he discovered that, when fulfilling his biggest dream, the smallest details stood out. “Yesterday, I went to the area around (SoFi Stadium) where the United States was playing and when I was leaving there was a man carrying hot dogs who happened to be close by when I was talking to other people,” Gallardo said. “We struck a chord and he gave me a hot dog. It’s a silly story, but it was a really nice gesture.”  In lieu of attending Spain’s final group stage match, he visited the Union Station Fan Zone to gain another new experience. “The football atmosphere from all parts of the world, and especially the way I’m being treated as a Spaniard, I feel we are very loved here,” he said. “It changes football a lot and all I can do is be thankful because, honestly, I feel at home.” David Gallardo proudly waves his custom World Cup flag in support of his home country of Spain at the Union Station Fan Zone in Los Angeles on Friday, June 26. (Photo by Paloma Rachel/Cronkite News) The fan zone and this World Cup have perfectly illustrated the idea of America being a blend of different communities. “We always talk about the United States being like a melting pot, but it’s different when it’s people that live in other countries being here at one time and just being so connected and joyful and happy,” L.A. local Phreezy Naufaldy said. “I actually went to Qatar last (World Cup), so I got to experience firsthand what it was like to see the entire world in one space, let alone for my favorite sport. I think the fact that it brings everyone together is a very beautiful thing.” This fan zone took over Union Station in Los Angeles from June 25-28 for the final weekend of the World Cup group stage and opening match of the knockout rounds. While some results eliminated teams from the competition, the overwhelming emotion was one of joy. “There are no differences,”  said Monica Reynolds, who was born in Ecuador but now lives in Nevada. “It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you look like, we all share the same love for football. It doesn’t matter what team you support because even if we lose, we are still happy.” Monica Reynolds and her husband, Craig, support their teams (the U.S. and Ecuador) in the crowd of Men In Blazers Matchday Live! at the Union Station Fan Zone in Los Angeles on Thursday, June 25. (Photo by Matthew Badger/Cronkite News) The World Cup brings people together in spirit.  “You can walk down the street and just because you’re wearing a Spain jersey, people are greeting you and cheering you up,” Gallardo said. “You meet people from all different countries and if you get to know them, they’ll open their homes to you.” International fans have certainly felt at home. FIFA announced that over 4.6 million fans from 210 different countries and territories attended the group stage matches, consuming 300,000 hot dogs in the stadiums. Supporters also purchased over 2.8 million beers compared to just under one million water bottles.  Fans are painting cities across America in new colors. “The Scots were in Boston partying and going to the Red Sox game and singing the entire game. In New York, the Norwegians are taking over Times Square doing ‘The (Viking) Row,’” Naufaldy said. “It was 11 p.m. on a Wednesday night and there were green (Mexico) jerseys everywhere (in Los Angeles). It’s been awesome to feel the inner mix between different cultures.” The melting pot has even more flavor due to the World Cup expanding the competition to feature 48 teams instead of 32. Some soccer enthusiasts were frustrated with the expansion, with UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin reportedly telling Slovenian website Zurnal 24 that the expansion would cause “matches that are completely uninteresting.”  For fans representing the smaller countries in the tournament, this sentiment could not be further from the truth. “This entire World Cup has really put Cape Verde on the map, which means so much to me,” said Eliza Singleton, whose family is from Cape Verde. “I feel so immensely proud of the team for constantly fighting and proving all of the odds wrong.” Cape Verde made history in this World Cup, becoming the smallest country by population to qualify for the knockout stage. The island nation is home to roughly 530,000 people, which would make it the third most populous city in Arizona behind Tucson ( about 550,000) and ahead of Mesa (about 510,000).  As a result of his heroic saves and clean sheet performances, Cape Verde’s goalkeeper, Vozinha, ascended to superstar status, rising from 50,000 to over 28 million Instagram followers during the tournament. “Seeing the reception from the world continuously cheering us on, it’s such an honor to be part of the underdog story of this year’s World Cup,” Singleton said. “I’m proud to be one of the Cape Verdeans here to show that we’re here on the West Coast and we’re all around the world.” Fans said the overjoyous feelings stand out, especially in times of tribulation. “Nowadays, it feels like everything’s so divisive and here, we’re all in it together and that’s really, really cool,” L.A. local and University of California, Berkeley student Ian McLendon said. “There’s just something to be said for being able to go to an event like (the fan zone) and have it be more like a community experience where it feels like everyone’s coming together.” While countries experience global conflict including the ongoing one between the United States and Iran, the World Cup unites individuals, fans said. “The team reception was not so good because of the problems everybody knows, but being a fan, no, everything has been fine,” said Iranian Babak Agah, who attended a couple of the team’s group stage matches before visiting the fan zone. “I find it very interesting that I find even many Americans that are cheering for Iran, which is surprising.” Fans are finding the tournament to be a much-needed distraction from world events. “It’s really good to support my team, especially with all the situations that are currently going on,” said Mahdis Jenabi, who was born in Iran but now lives in Orange County, California. “I just focus on the sports.” While the journey has ended on the pitch for the United States, the country will continue to play a key part in the tournament as the sole host of the quarterfinals, semifinals and final. “It’s just so cool to see how the country has really embraced all these teams from all over the world,” said Ian’s mother, Barbra McLendon. “People are just really excited about the games and excited to celebrate the sport and it’s really fun to be a part of it.” Fans like Gallardo, who have felt the embrace from America, are hopeful their teams will continue to create the same good feelings. “Last year, I was in New York at MetLife Stadium for the Club World Cup final,” Gallardo said. “I’m telling you, that stadium owes me a final. It didn’t happen with Real Madrid, so I’m coming back to celebrate one with my Spain.” The post World Cup adds international spice to America’s melting pot appeared first on Cronkite News. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fdad8c2ca79de2365cb80 Devils star Nico Hischier saved a family while boating te 2026-07-09T17:31:04.806Z Devils star Nico Hischier saved a family while boating With the NHL in the midst of its offseason, that doesn't mean that some of the league's biggest stars aren't putting in the work, and in the case of New Jersey Devils captain Nic Hieschier, that work is saving a family from disaster. Hischier — the top pick in the 2017 NHL Draft — hails from Switzerland and was over there this summer. According to Swiss German-language outlet 20 Minuten, Hischier was boating near the Engehalde Weir, a dam near the city of Bern, when he saw a family in distress out on the water. ALEX OVECHKIN SIGNS A ONE-YEAR DEAL TO RETURN FOR ANOTHER NHL SEASON WITH THE CAPITALS The family — two adults and two kids — was in an inflatable raft, wound up getting pulled toward the dam, and were unable to get themselves out of danger on their own. So that's where the Devils captain stepped in, with actions that were described as "heroic." It's awesome to hear that he sprang into action like that to help those in need, but the best part of the story is Hischier's quote after the fact. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS DEALT DEVASTATING BLOW WITH CONNOR BEDARD EXPECTED TO MISS START OF SEASON "In this situation, everyone is grateful for support, and we were all relieved that no one was hurt in the end," he said, before going on to note the first responders who also helped out during the incident. Now that is a Hockey Guy answer if ever there was one. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM He's being credited with saving a family, and when asked about it, he gave the family-saving version of, "It was a team effort; we just went out there and executed, got pucks on net." Great stuff, and that's what you want from your captain. It's what the Devils clearly want too, because earlier this month, they signed him to a five-year extension, a $11,700,000 AAV deal that will kick in after this season. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fdab1c2ca79de2365cb68 A Justice With No Plans to Retire and a Trump Lawyer Now on the Bench te 2026-07-09T17:30:25.396Z A Justice With No Plans to Retire and a Trump Lawyer Now on the Bench A roundup of legal news from the country. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fd8cec2ca79de2365cb2f Less is more: A bigger arsenal isn’t always better for MLB pitchers te 2026-07-09T17:22:22.726Z Less is more: A bigger arsenal isn’t always better for MLB pitchers PHOENIX – Every pitcher has the same goal when they step on to a mound: get people out. It is the methods by which they try to achieve that goal that differ from pitcher to pitcher. “You look at a lot of our dominant relievers, a lot of them only have two pitches and some are really good,” Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon Pfaadt said. “And then you look at some of the other guys that have six pitches, and that works too.” As baseball has progressed, pitchers are turning away from simply relying on a fastball and a dominant off-speed pitch. In today’s game, pitchers may step onto the mound with up to seven pitches in their arsenal, being able to change speeds, locations and movements with each ball thrown. Every pitch is curated to serve a certain purpose and move a certain way. Every sequence of pitches is given thought long before the game begins. But when does it get to be too much?  “Sometimes I feel like when you have too many options, it’s hard to focus on which one’s probably just the best one at that moment,” Diamondbacks pitcher Paul Sewald said. There’s hit and miss whether it’s important to have a multiple and whether having two really good ones is important.” In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, all types of pitches existed that have since been largely forgotten like the knuckleball, screwball and spitball that would pair with a fastball that was flat and down the middle. As hitters improved at the turn of the century, more pitch movement came into play. For the longest time, there were just three pitches that almost every pitcher knew: the fastball, curveball and changeup, with the fastball being the building block for all the rest. But as time has passed, more and more iterations of these three have emerged and taken over the game. “You gotta build an arsenal around you, fastball, around one solid breaking ball and hopefully a good changeup,” Athletics pitching coach Scott Emerson said. “Then you can add to the arsenal after that, whether it’s a cut fastball or a second breaking ball.”  It all starts with the fastball, which has, in its original form, become a near-obsolete pitch. Nearly every pitcher in today’s game, instead of throwing a simple four-seam fastball, throws a variation of it, like a cutter or sinker.  After a fastball, a pitcher will usually have at least one off-speed pitch, something that changes direction and/or speed on its way to the plate, like a changeup or curveball. Pitchers have also started to find new ways to grip the ball, creating more pitches and confusing more hitters. Once pitches like the slider and splitter started popping up in the arsenals of different pitchers, some hitters got confused and some adjusted well. A reason for that was the progression the pitcher actually made on the pitch thanks to the newly designed balls and laces that were introduced to the game. If a pitcher is trying to learn a new pitch and doesn’t have time to master it, there are two things they can do: either throw it with the risk of it not doing what they want, or not throwing it and just keeping it in their back pocket until they reach a point of confidence. The third-time-through-the-order rule comes into play as well when looking at what type and how many different pitches someone throws. When looking at a starter and a bullpen pitcher, a starter has much more reason to learn more pitches, seeing as they will be facing the order two to three times, rather than the one to two times the reliever will. “In the bullpen, obviously, way different than a starter,” Sewald said. “As a starter, facing their lineup three times, you have to have three, even four pitches to make sure that you can throw at them a third, fourth time.” But the question still remains: When is enough enough? A guy who can master two or three pitches will almost always be more successful than someone who has seven different pitches, but only has total confidence in two of them. “To have the ability to change speed and get hitters out in front or get hitters late on pitches can help you get that weak contact is the goal,” Emerson said. “If you’re constantly chasing, swing and miss from a starter, and your pitch count goes through the roof, well, you’re killing a bullpen, because you’re going five innings and 110 pitches every fifth day, and your bullpen’s got to come for three or four innings every night.” Good pitchers will know when the new pitches they are trying to learn are ready. Just because they know the grip and what movement to make with their wrist does not mean that they will always have success with the pitch.  While technology has made it easier to evaluate, a pitch can only be ready if the pitcher feels ready to throw it. “I tried to do the changeup thing. I worked on it, adapting during spring training as much as I could where you have the luxury to kind of see how it looks,” Sewald said. “I think you can kind of check to see what a computer says, and if the grades on it are pretty good, then it’s time to get into a game and see what happens.” Another big issue with learning a new pitch is consistency. Sometimes, players and coaches will get so caught up in what the computer says or what the video shows that they will seemingly forget that the thing that matters the most is how they feel. If they are throwing a new pitch and the computer says it’s good and it looks good out of the hand, but the pitcher doesn’t feel good for some reason, that should be a sign. Too many pitchers in today’s game are testing out their new pitches before they feel good about them mentally, which only leads to disaster. “You can’t put a pitch in unless you know you can (throw it) for a strike,” Sewald said. “That’s really what you need to know is: 75% of the time when I throw it, (is it) where I need to?” Despite all the challenges and assessments, there are advantages to having so many pitches. While having two or three great pitches is amazing, that also means there is only so much randomness a pitcher can throw at hitters. Being able to mix up the pitches they throw and when they throw them creates more confusion for hitters in multiple different counts. “You are looking for your arsenal to have a dominant strike pitch,” Emerson said. “Then you’re looking to have a dominant swing-and-miss pitch, and then you’re looking to have a pitch that can produce weak contact, something that you need to put a ball in play.” Being able to confuse a hitter and mess with their timing in a 1-0 count or 1-1 count can change the whole course of an at-bat and possibly the whole course of a game. It is so much easier when pitchers have more pitches from which to choose.  Having so many pitches allows a pitcher to build confidence in themselves. As a pitcher learns more and more pitches, they take more time in their bullpen sessions and listen more to their coaches. That builds confidence, allowing them to feel good about both themselves and what they are throwing. “Some pitches come easier than others,” Pfaadt said. “Once you get it under your belt and get a few good results with it, I feel like the confidence grows and you’re able to throw it more.” While not every pitch might be working that day, having that huge bag and so many choices allows them to see what pitch might be working that day and which ones aren’t. If a pitch is not working on a particular day, they have others to choose from and see what is working. In an ideal world, all the pitches are working well every time they step on the mound, but in reality, that rarely happens. “The elite pitcher’s gonna throw 66% strikes or more with three pitches,” Emerson said. “That’s kind of what we’re shooting for. It’s not just about throwing strikes. It’s creating strikes. Can you certainly miss outside to strike some?” There are both advantages and disadvantages to having so many pitches in an arsenal, but at the end of the day, if a pitcher can get guys out, that is really all that matters. The post Less is more: A bigger arsenal isn’t always better for MLB pitchers appeared first on Cronkite News. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fd890c2ca79de2365cb01 Family of toddler found alive in morgue after being declared dead plans legal action te 2026-07-09T17:21:20.779Z Family of toddler found alive in morgue after being declared dead plans legal action The family of a 1-year-old child who was declared dead in an Arizona hospital only to be found alive in the morgue is planning legal action over the ordeal. The parents of the child are facing potential charges of child abuse after admitting to using marijuana and failing to supervise the child during a Super Bowl party. The child, Vincent Fiordilino, was found face down in a pool, and first responders transported him to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The family plans to sue Dignity Health Mercy Gilbert Medical Center and the doctor in the case, identified only as Dr. Toosi, according to AZFamily. Bodycam footage recorded Toosi declaring the child dead at 6:20 p.m., only for both the child's mother and the nurse to detect signs of life in the following minutes. A police report of the incident viewed by the local outlet noted that Vincent was "still possibly breathing based on the appearance of his stomach and chest area rising and falling." TODDLER DECLARED DEAD AFTER NEAR-DROWNING WAS FOUND ALIVE IN HOSPITAL MORGUE HOURS LATER, POLICE SAY When this information was brought to Toosi, the report states, the doctor responded "arrogantly" and said, "he was the doctor, he has the medical degree, he went to medical school for a reason, and to let him do his thing." Medical officials later found the child breathing and carrying a pulse just before midnight at the morgue. He was then flown to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where it was confirmed he was suffering from severe medical issues related to the near-drowning. According to a GoFundMe drive set up for the boy, Vincent's kidneys, lungs and liver began shutting down after he arrived at Phoenix Children's Hospital. An MRI initially identified two small areas of potential brain damage, but later testing reportedly found no brain damage. The fundraiser says Vincent continues to require extensive therapy, ongoing medical monitoring and treatment as he recovers. Neither Toosi nor the parents have been charged with a crime in relation to the incident. Toosi's attorney declined to comment on the issue when contacted by AZFamily. According to AZFamily, a Dignity Health spokesperson said the hospital conducted a review following the incident. "This is a heartbreaking situation. We immediately conducted a thorough review of all aspects of the care that was provided to learn what happened and to make meaningful changes to strengthen our care," the spokesperson said in a statement. "Out of respect for the patient's privacy, we cannot discuss details. We continue to work with the family and their representative. Patient safety and exceptional care is our highest priority." Fox News' Brittany Miller contributed to this report. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fd87dc2ca79de2365caf8 Pirates star pitcher makes unfortunate history after being taken out in middle of perfect game bid te 2026-07-09T17:21:01.318Z Pirates star pitcher makes unfortunate history after being taken out in middle of perfect game bid Jared Jones was flirting with Major League Baseball history on Wednesday night — he got it, but it was not what he originally envisioned. The Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher retired the first 18 batters he faced, but he was taken out in the middle of his perfect game bid after six innings. Now, the Pirates certainly have their reasons — the 24-year-old Jones hasn’t thrown more than 81 pitches in eight starts since returning May 20 after missing all of last season while undergoing ulnar collateral ligament internal brace surgery on May 21, 2025. He was yanked with 77 pitches and likely would have needed more than 100 pitches to record the 25th perfect game in MLB history. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM However, Jones left the game after getting zero run support, so when the Atlanta Braves tacked on three runs late for a 3-0 victory, Jones instead found himself in the wrong chapter of the history books. According to Opta Stats, Jones became the first pitcher in the modern era (since 1920) to pitch at least six perfect innings and not record a win. "It does suck. Something’s cool coming on, but I’m on what? My eighth start off of surgery? I completely understand it, and it is what it is," Jones told reporters after the game. JUSTIN VERLANDER ANNOUNCES HE WILL RETIRE AFTER THIS SEASON: 'I'VE REALIZED THAT TIME HAS COME' Jones said he didn't entertain attempting to complete the perfect game. "Not with the pitch count," he said. "Not really ever expecting to go nine right now, so that was never in my head." Joey Bart, traded to the Braves from the Pirates on June 18, followed a double by Mike Yastrzemski with a 422-foot, two-run homer to left-center field off a slider from Dennis Santana. Drake Baldwin added an RBI single to center in the ninth for good measure. It was the second time in less than a week that a pitcher was taken out of the game with a perfect bid through six innings — the Miami Marlins took Eury Perez out after seven innings in which he had 92 pitches. Perez, too, is in the midst of returning from injury and has surprisingly found himself right in the postseason mix. He was pulled for Lake Bachar to start the eighth, and the Marlins allowed eight runs to the Athletics in the final two innings, but held on to win 9-8. The Pirates are 4.0 games out of the final wild card spot, which is held by the Marlins. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fd855c2ca79de2365cacc Meta’s new AI chips will begin production in September te 2026-07-09T17:20:21.894Z Meta’s new AI chips will begin production in September In its bid to spend less on GPUs from providers like Nvidia, Meta is on track to start making its the latest versions of its AI-specific chips in September. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fd686c2ca79de2365ca76 Ask a Ranger: Arizona's wild orchids te 2026-07-09T17:12:38.217Z Ask a Ranger: Arizona's wild orchids This week's Ask a Ranger column, from the NPS/USFS Roving Rangers. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fd671c2ca79de2365ca53 California restaurant owner hits parents of bratty kids with hefty fines for trashing his business te 2026-07-09T17:12:17.730Z California restaurant owner hits parents of bratty kids with hefty fines for trashing his business A California small business owner is tired of out-of-control kids in his restaurant, and now he’s making parents pay the price. You You Xue operates two restaurants south of San Francisco. He told The Post he introduced damage charges on certain bills after repeated problems with unruly children disrupting other diners. "My staff, my servers were being forced to parent children on behalf of other parents. That’s not their job," Xue told The Post, adding, "Parenting has become so relaxed, and I know if I acted some ways these children are acting, I would have gotten my a-- beat." The restaurant's online menu includes an advisory at the top of the page beneath the headline, "Please control your children." RESTAURANT OWNERS REVEAL THE BIGGEST MISTAKE DINERS MAKE BEFORE ORDERING Some of the forbidden actions are running around, shouting, and making noise with utensils, which the menu goes on to say in all caps, "will not be tolerated." "Guests not respecting this policy may be asked to leave. We will hold parents financially liable for all damage caused by their children to restaurant property," it adds. CHILI'S GOES VIRAL AFTER ROASTING FAST-FOOD PRICES: 'WHY LET THEM PLAY YOU LIKE THIS?' The page also lists specific instances when Xue decided to charge parents for bad behavior. In one case, a child picked up and dropped a credit card machine, shattering the screen. The family was charged $327.03. Another instance saw a child carve designs into a tabletop using utensils. Those parents were charged $109.38 in damages. The final instance listed on the website read, "A customer's child was playing on the booth seats and bumped a teacup onto the ground, causing it to shatter. We charged the parent $5.47 in damages." Xue has said the reaction to the rules, which were implemented last year but went viral last month, has been generally positive — though some online felt charging for the teacup went too far. He clarified to The Post that parents aren’t charged if accidents happen, but he felt the new policy was necessary after witnessing a deterioration in parenting and the behavior of young kids. CHRIS HANSEN URGES PARENTS TO TEACH CHILDREN ABOUT ONLINE PREDATORS BEFORE ALLOWING INTERNET ACCESS "We don’t blame the kids — I’m very proud of the fact that this is an unpretentious restaurant where people can come with their whole families," he said, adding, "It’s to remind this very small group of parents who are not doing their jobs: please do your job so we can do ours." The viral policy also sparked discussion on "Fox & Friends," where co-host Lawrence Jones argued that a lack of parenting is fueling disruptive behavior. "This is pretty simple. This is not controversial, right?" Jones said Thursday. He pointed to his own childhood, saying his parents only had to give him and his siblings a look to get them to behave. "My parents, they handled discipline very well. And it got to the point where all they had to do is give me and my siblings a look, and we knew to get into shape," he said. "That has been discouraged in modern-day society. And so, you got kids acting crazy on planes, acting crazy in stores, kicking at seats. You have them throwing stuff across the room," Jones added. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fd65ec2ca79de2365ca38 NY Italians put Mamdani on notice after ‘sacred ground’ snub: ‘We stand AGAINST COMMUNISTS!’ te 2026-07-09T17:11:58.275Z NY Italians put Mamdani on notice after ‘sacred ground’ snub: ‘We stand AGAINST COMMUNISTS!’ New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is under fire from an Italian American heritage group after Little Italy was left off a city immigrant-neighborhood map tied to a World Cup tourism campaign — an omission critics called an insult to one of the communities that helped build New York. "Zohran Mamdani wants to ERASE Italian Americans. First, he denied our permit for Unity Day 2026. Now, he is excluding Little Italy as a recognized location all together on the map," wrote the Italian American Civil Rights League (IACRL) on X along with a press release. "Italian Americans BUILT NEW YORK CITY. Not third world Ugandans, We stand AGAINST COMMUNISTS," the group added. DAVID MARCUS: COMMIE DEMS WOULD DESTROY EVERYTHING WORLD CUP FANS LOVE ABOUT AMERICA The map, titled "New York City Immigrant Enclaves," was created by New York City Tourism + Conventions as part of its NYC Neighborhood Passport campaign tied to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs has promoted the neighborhood map at pop-up booths across the city. It encourages visitors to explore "diverse" communities, including 30 neighborhoods ranging from the popular Chinatown to lesser-known Little Palestine and Little Haiti. The map did not mention any Jewish or Irish neighborhoods.  Mamdani has touted himself as unapologetically pro-immigrant, backing sanctuary protections for immigrants while advocating for Palestinian rights. "Mamdani’s City Hall can find room for every fashionable progressive constituency, but somehow it cannot find Little Italy," IACRL president Mike Crispi said in the press release. "Our culture is good enough for their photo ops, our food is good enough for their fundraisers, and our neighborhoods are good enough for tourism dollars — but when it comes time to recognize Italian Americans, they erase us," he added. PRO-ISRAEL INFLUENCER EMILY AUSTIN SAYS ZOHRAN MAMDANI REACHED OUT TO CO-HOST FIFA EVENT More than 4 million Italians immigrated to the United States between the 1880s and 1924, and roughly one-third settled in New York City, helping make Italians the city's largest immigrant community in the early 20th century, according to the Library of Congress. "Little Italy is sacred ground. It is where Italian immigrants came with nothing, worked like hell, opened shops, raised families, built churches, fed the city, and helped make New York what it is," said Crispi. NY GOVERNOR HOPEFUL VOWS SHOWDOWN WITH MAMDANI OVER SOCIALIST AGENDA: ‘I WILL STOP HIM’ The Italian-American community has previously slammed the socialist mayor, including when Mamdani posted a photo to X in 2020 showing him giving the middle finger to a Christopher Columbus statue in Queens. Fox News Digital reached out to IACRL and Mamdani for comment. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fd64ac2ca79de2365ca2f 'Landman' star Ali Larter stuns in cherry print bikini during mountain getaway te 2026-07-09T17:11:38.818Z 'Landman' star Ali Larter stuns in cherry print bikini during mountain getaway Ali Larter celebrated the Fourth of July with a little mountain adventure. The "Landman" star shared a patriotic photo dump from the holiday, documenting an active getaway filled with fishing, floating down a river and celebrating with family and friends. Larter captioned the post, "Epic 4th in the Mountains!" with American flag emojis. 'LANDMAN' STAR ALI LARTER WOWS IN 'STUNNING' SELFIES AS SHE SHOWS OFF RUGGED MOUNTAIN LIFESTYLE The actress wore a white cherry-print triangle bikini beneath an open jean jacket paired with distressed denim shorts. She completed the all-American look with a blue-and-white trucker hat and oversized sunglasses. One friend opted for a burgundy bikini top with light-wash denim shorts, while another wore a royal blue one-piece swimsuit tucked into denim shorts with a baseball cap. The holiday festivities also included a fly-fishing excursion. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER Larter and a friend stood together in the middle of a shallow mountain river wearing chest waders, long-sleeve fishing shirts, baseball caps and sunglasses while holding fly rods. Towering trees and rushing water surrounded the pair as they smiled for the camera. The "Varsity Blues" star also slowed things down with a relaxing float through the river. The 50-year-old mother of two and a friend drifted side by side in inflatable loungers while wearing baseball caps as they took in the peaceful mountain scenery. ‘LANDMAN’ STAR ALI LARTER SHOWS OFF HER TONED ABS IN DARING BRALETTE AND CARGO PANTS LOOK The holiday weekend brought everyone together for a group photo beside a bright red Jeep. The group embraced the Fourth of July spirit in red, white and blue outfits, with American flags, festive scarves and coordinated summer looks adding to the holiday celebration. The trio later stopped for another photo against the scenic mountain backdrop. Larter wore a white tank top tucked into denim shorts with a striped button-down and a white cowboy hat as the trio smiled beneath clear blue skies. The holiday weekend reflected the slower pace Larter has embraced since relocating her family from Los Angeles to Sun Valley, Idaho, in 2020. While speaking with Fox News Digital in June, Larter said her summers have become "totally different" since making the move. "We love to barbecue at our house. We love to play with our dogs. My daughter will probably play some volleyball. We'll go to Leroy's and get an ice cream cone," she said. DAVID AND VICTORIA BECKHAM, ASHTON KUTCHER AND MILA KUNIS SHARE AN UNEXPECTED FOURTH OF JULY TRADITION "It's just kind of simpler, and the days are really long. The sun's out till like 10 at night now, so it's been really beautiful to kind of have the kids out of school and enjoy the time with them." Larter and husband Hayes MacArthur share two children, son Teddy and daughter Vivienne. Larter has also been embracing a new chapter after turning 50, recently telling People that her approach to wellness has evolved over the years. "It's shifted in so many ways because I believe in the whole approach to wellness," Larter said. "I'm someone who definitely — I go to the gym, I drink a ton of water and celery juice. I take care of my skin. I love my family." LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS The actress said becoming a mother has also changed how she prioritizes self-care, explaining that consistency has become one of the biggest differences in her routine. "This new chapter is just beginning," Larter said. Outside of family life, Larter is preparing for another season of Paramount+'s "Landman," where she stars as Angela Norris opposite Billy Bob Thornton. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fd623c2ca79de2365ca18 Fake IDs, Dummy Manuscripts and a Rare Book Heist at U.C.L.A. te 2026-07-09T17:10:59.906Z Fake IDs, Dummy Manuscripts and a Rare Book Heist at U.C.L.A. Jeffrey Ying, 39, was sentenced in an elaborate scheme to switch Chinese manuscripts from a University of California library with dummy copies. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fd610c2ca79de2365ca0f U of A College of Veterinary Medicine fetches full accreditation te 2026-07-09T17:10:40.450Z U of A College of Veterinary Medicine fetches full accreditation U of A College of Veterinary Medicine fetches full accreditation lburtchbuus Wed, 8 Jul 2026 - 11:14 U of A College of Veterinary Medicine fetches full accreditation Today After establishing a robust curriculum, publishing research and g Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fd5fcc2ca79de2365c9f3 Nvidia is a victim of the compute marketplace it created te 2026-07-09T17:10:20.490Z Nvidia is a victim of the compute marketplace it created Nvidia's stock price has fallen 15% since their peak in May, even as projected revenues continue to grow. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fd161c2ca79de2365c85d Food stamp changes will cost states billions, raising fears about SNAP’s future te 2026-07-09T16:50:41.005Z Food stamp changes will cost states billions, raising fears about SNAP’s future A sign noting the acceptance of electronic benefit transfer cards for food aid is displayed at a grocery store in California. Upcoming shifts in the federal food stamp program are poised to cost states billions of dollars, raising fears that more Americans will lose access to the nation’s largest food assistance program. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Upcoming funding shifts in the federal food stamp program are poised to cost states billions of dollars, heightening fears that more Americans will lose access to the nation’s largest food assistance program. Last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act made major changes to the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, or SNAP, including new eligibility and work requirements. Already, more than 4 million Americans have lost SNAP benefits, putting more pressure on food banks and food pantries across the country. But beginning in fall 2027, states for the first time must begin to fund some SNAP benefits themselves. Analyses of newly released data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture show states could be on the hook for more than $9 billion. Some states, county officials and advocates fear this will remove more Americans from the safety net program and even push some states to consider dropping out of SNAP altogether.   The new law will penalize states depending on their payment error rates — a technical calculation by the feds of SNAP overpayments and underpayments, not fraud. States with a payment error rate above 6% will have to fund 5% to 15% of their benefit payments. Previously, the feds provided the aid. In USDA’s most recent analysis, the error rate slightly improved across the states in fiscal year 2025, but officials said states still made a collective $10.1 billion in improper payments.  “These payment error rates are further proof that state accountability is severely lacking in SNAP,” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a June news release.  As many as 36 states will face new cost share requirements in the fall of 2027. And nearly half of those are expected to be on the hook for $100 million or more a year, according to the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. For example, in Michigan, the current error rate could cost the state $300 million a year, the center estimates. Texas could be on the hook for an estimated $725 million and New York may need to spend more than $1 billion.  “States are going to have to make some really painful decisions as they have to balance their budgets about how they are going to cover those costs, and if they can’t fully cover the required cost-sharing requirement, by raising revenue or cutting elsewhere in their budget,” said Katie Bergh, senior policy analyst at the center.  The change is heightening fears that states will slow down benefit approval, cut access or even choose to drop out of the program altogether, Bergh said. While advocates and some officials have unsuccessfully pushed Congress to reverse its SNAP changes, many are now asking for at least a delay in implementation to give states time to improve their payment error rates. After USDA released its new data last month, New Jersey Human Services Commissioner Stephen Cha said the error rate measurement is “fundamentally flawed.” Though the state significantly cut its error rate from 14.33% to 6.86%, it could still be on the hook for an estimated $100 million.  Cha reiterated previous calls for Congress and the Trump administration to eliminate or delay the changes. “Penalizing states will do nothing to improve payment accuracy or meaningfully address waste, fraud, or abuse,” Cha said in a statement. “Instead, they impose a significant financial and administrative burden on State and county governments, threatening our ability to effectively administer SNAP and meet the critical needs of families across New Jersey.” In a statement to Stateline, a USDA spokesperson noted states have had decades to improve erroneous payments. “Perhaps now, States will stop spending other people’s money so recklessly,” the statement said.  Looming budget pressures In 10 states — California, Colorado, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin — counties administer the SNAP program.  The National Association of Counties has said the cost shift will threaten not only food access, but could squeeze the ability of counties to fund public safety, emergency management and infrastructure needs. “These cost shifts threaten to destabilize county budgets, forcing reductions in staffing and delaying critical nutrition assistance for vulnerable residents,” association CEO Matthew Chase said in a letter last year to congressional leaders.  The National Conference of State Legislatures, which represents lawmakers and legislative staff, said states are committed to administering SNAP benefits accurately and to being held accountable for their performance. But in a statement, the organization said USDA’s most recent data “make clear that additional time is needed” to implement meaningful improvements.  State efforts to improve their payment accuracy also have substantial tradeoffs. This spring, the Urban Institute and the American Public Human Services Association surveyed all SNAP agencies across the country. Thirty-nine states responded to the survey, representing a 78% response rate. The survey found that SNAP administrators are investing in staffing, technology and automation to respond to the federal law. But many states are turning away from efforts to improve timeliness and may have to reduce staffing and benefits to comply.  In the survey, 29% of states identified narrowing eligibility policies as a potential risk and 11% saw a wholesale withdrawal from SNAP as a potential risk.  Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican, said churches, food banks and other organizations would ensure that people are fed there. Stitt, the chair of the bipartisan National Governors Association, said he believes federal programs like SNAP are operated with “a lot of fraud and abuse.” He also suggested that the program had become too seamless, with cards that resemble credit cards allowing recipients to easily purchase groceries.  “Maybe it’s going back to the day where there was a little stigma attached and you had to actually go to a food bank and pick up commodity cheese and commodity groceries, and it had a little stigma so you were a little bit embarrassed,” he told Stateline. “Maybe we should go back to a little bit of that instead of just making it so easy…”  “Nobody’s going to go hungry in Oklahoma,” he said. “…I can assure you people were eating, getting married, graduating from high school before we even had anything called SNAP benefits.” The error rate The federal focus on error rates is incentivizing states to slow down or entirely halt benefits in some cases, said Gina Plata-Nino, SNAP director at the Food Research & Action Center, a nonprofit working to combat hunger. That’s because states face no penalty for wrongfully denying benefits, she said, only for paying too much or too little in benefits. The rate, calculated by a random sample of households, adds the number of overpayments and underpayments together. And states can still be penalized for overpayments they later recover from recipients.  Missouri could be on the hook for $150 million in food benefits due to error rate “There is no oversight in terms of the people who are eligible and being cut off,” Plata-Nino said.  In Massachusetts, nearly 175,000 people lost SNAP benefits between July of last year and May of this year. And understaffing at the Department of Transitional Assistance has caused thousands of incoming phone calls from residents to get disconnected, according to the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, a poverty law and policy center. That organization has pushed for more caseworkers, though a legislative budget proposal last week would cut $26 million from existing operations, said Victoria Negus, senior economic justice advocate at the institute.   “What is happening is a version of what I’ve been calling ‘can’t see the forest for the payment error rate trees,’” she said. “They have set up this system that forces states to try to meet a number that is almost impossible for them to meet without fully decimated access to SNAP, because it takes time to methodically and carefully reduce payment error rates.” In Alabama, officials said the state continues to prioritize staff training, automation and other changes to reduce the state’s error rate. The current error rate of 9.52% could cost the state an estimated $170 million. Tennessee taxpayers could foot bill for some SNAP costs if state’s error rate doesn’t improve Alabama’s legislature has set aside nearly $150 million for the SNAP program. But state Sen. Greg Albritton, a Republican who leads the budget committee, told Alabama Reflector in April that those funds won’t be released unless the state can reduce its error rate to 6% or develop another plan to cover costs of the federal cuts.  Kathryn Shoupe, spokesperson for the Alabama Department of Human Resources, noted that the federal data can be over a year old. She also noted that it isn’t evidence of fraud, but usually unintentional reporting errors from recipients. LaTrell Clifford Wood, the hunger policy advocate at the anti-poverty nonprofit Alabama Arise, said the state needs hundreds more employees to fully meet the need. She noted that more than 52,000 people have already lost SNAP benefits in Alabama. And with rising grocery prices, she said the focus on the error rate will force difficult budgetary decisions that could affect other parts of the state budget, such as education. “It is a metric with moral ambiguity,” she said. “We are putting paper pushing over people.”  Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at khardy@stateline.org. This story was originally produced by Stateline, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Arizona Mirror, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fcf91c2ca79de2365c7f6 Ryleigh Alex marks another Flagstaff softball college signee, commits to Lassen College te 2026-07-09T16:42:57.126Z Ryleigh Alex marks another Flagstaff softball college signee, commits to Lassen College The recent Flag High grad is the third softball Eagle this year to commit to continuing her career in college. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fcf7cc2ca79de2365c7d7 Fury erupts as US brand fires 1,600 employees after securing thousands of foreign worker visas te 2026-07-09T16:42:36.652Z Fury erupts as US brand fires 1,600 employees after securing thousands of foreign worker visas A popular U.S.-based gaming brand owned by Microsoft is facing fury after mass employee layoffs occurred in the wake of the company being approved for thousands of foreign worker visas. Microsoft announced that it will lay off 4,800 people total and 1,600 from the corporation's XBOX division, which makes and sells the dominant video game console. Meanwhile, Microsoft has been approved this year to hire from foreign countries 2,273 employer-sponsored, non-immigrant workers under what is known as the H-1B visa program, according to data from U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS). Furious online critics claim that American jobs are being unfairly handed to foreigners in an effort to cut labor costs but at the cost of leaving U.S. workers in the lurch. 'AMERICA FIRST' IMMIGRATION OVERHAUL BILL WOULD CODIFY TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN PROMISES ONCE AND FOR ALL "A great way to fix this is to throw anyone doing this in prison," said one user on X. "Fire Americans to replace with thousands of visa workers? Straight to jail, and assets seized. This story has been told countless times. Fire American staff and hire foreigners. Over and over." "It is the fault of our Government [sic] for approving the H-1Bs," another social media user lamented. "Our Government [sic] has sold us out of jobs at home and those being moved to other countries." HOUSE REPUBLICANS RIP INTO SENATE FOR DELAYING IMMIGRATION RECONCILIATION PACKAGE: 'I'M VERY FRUSTRATED' Another user described the H-1B program as "industrial scale job theft from Americans." Microsoft is the sixth-largest beneficiary of H-1B visas, a program that is overwhelmingly dominated by workers from India. The company has even more H-1B applications pending. Microsoft has employees worldwide, but most are in the United States. "Every single employer is exploiting the H-1B visa program," said the Project for Immigration Reform. A lawmaker even called for a complete end to the non-immigrant visa program. TRUMP TAPS ACTING LABOR SECRETARY KEITH SONDERLING FOR PERMANENT ROLE PENDING SENATE CONFIRMATION "This is INSANE. LEGAL immigration is a major problem. These companies, especially big tech, are abusing these immigration programs to replace American workers with foreign workers," said Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va. "No more. It’s long past time to end the H-1B scam." XBOX CEO Asha Sharma cited the company's financial health for the layoffs. "Our business today is not healthy," said a memo from Sharma, according to The Associated Press. "We are operating at margins that are 3-10x lower than comparable platform and publishing businesses." Sharma added that her strategy is to "reset" XBOX. Some online critics, however, claimed Sharma's Indian heritage played a role in firing the Americans, given the percentage of H-1B workers from India. Sharma was born in Wisconsin. Vice President JD Vance announced on Tuesday a large-scale investigation into H-1B visa fraud. "Today, I’m proud to announce that the federal Department of Labor has started dozens of subpoenas and investigations into foreign fraudsters who are trying to take advantage of the H-1B visa program," he said during a press conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. "American jobs ought to go to American workers and not foreign fraudsters and the Department of Labor is fighting back against it." Recently, President Donald Trump tried to limit employers' use of the H-1B program by imposing a $100,000 fee for companies seeking H-1B applications. A federal judge struck down that order, reasoning that it amounted to a tax that only Congress has the ability to impose. Fox News Digital reached out to Microsoft and XBOX for comment. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fcf69c2ca79de2365c7ce Knife-wielding Florida man arrested after setting restaurant on fire with flaming propane tank: authorities te 2026-07-09T16:42:17.191Z Knife-wielding Florida man arrested after setting restaurant on fire with flaming propane tank: authorities A Florida man was arrested after he allegedly carried a flaming propane tank through a Tampa restaurant and wielded a pair of knives when deputies tried to take him into custody. The incident unfolded around 8:45 a.m. Tuesday after Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a report of an assault or battery in progress at a restaurant in Tampa, according to the sheriff's office. When deputies arrived, they found the restaurant filled with smoke and flames while a propane tank outside the building was also on fire, authorities said. Deputies said they spotted Rubiel Maceo Castillo, 53, still inside the restaurant holding two knives and repeatedly ordered him to drop the weapons and come outside. PENNSYLVANIA MAN ACCUSED OF FATAL ARSON AFTER WOMAN ALLEGEDLY REJECTED HIS ADVANCES "Drop the knife now. Do it now," one deputy can be heard yelling on bodycam video. Working alongside Hillsborough County Fire Rescue crews, deputies extinguished the fire before taking Castillo into custody. He was booked into jail and is being held without bond. Castillo allegedly grabbed two knives and charged at several people inside the restaurant before cutting a woman on the wrist when she tried to intervene, according to court documents obtained by WFLA-TV. Investigators alleged he then cut a gas line connected to a grill, grabbed a propane tank and ignited the fire. Surveillance video released by the sheriff's office appears to show a man carrying a flaming propane tank through the restaurant as flames spread inside the business. Body camera footage also captured deputies confronting the suspect before placing him under arrest and helping extinguish the blaze. MARCELLUS WILEY'S WIFE CLAIMS EX-NFL STAR THREATENED TO KILL HER BEFORE FOURTH OF JULY DOMESTIC BATTERY ARREST Castillo has been charged with first-degree arson of an occupied structure, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, criminal mischief causing more than $1,000 in damage and other offenses, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. While authorities have not publicly identified a motive, WFLA reported that investigators believe the incident stemmed from a domestic dispute involving Castillo and his wife. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fcf55c2ca79de2365c7bc 'Grey's Anatomy' star Patrick Dempsey fires sharp warning at politicians as he speaks on rumored Senate run te 2026-07-09T16:41:57.735Z 'Grey's Anatomy' star Patrick Dempsey fires sharp warning at politicians as he speaks on rumored Senate run Patrick Dempsey broke his silence on his future in the political sphere. Dempsey, 60, admitted he "gave it real thought" as he mulled over the idea of running for Senate in a Portland Press Herald op-ed published Wednesday. The "Grey's Anatomy" star wondered if he would be able to make a "meaningful difference" and encouraged elected officials to "put people before party" as he pondered effective leadership qualities. 'GREY'S ANATOMY' ACTOR STEVEN W BAILEY BREAKS SILENCE ON RARE NEUROMUSCULAR DISORDER DIAGNOSIS "Over the past several days, I’ve been asked a question more than once: Would you ever run for the United States Senate?" Dempsey wrote. "It’s flattering, and I don’t take it lightly. I love my home state of Maine. "I care deeply about the people who live there and, like so many Americans, I’m concerned about the direction our country is heading." Dempsey gave a run for office "real thought," but "not because I was looking for a new career, but because I asked myself an honest question: Could I make a meaningful difference?" "I want someone who leads with empathy," he wrote. "Someone who listens before speaking, who has the courage to work with people they disagree with and who understands that public office isn’t about power. It’s about service." LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS "Most of all, I want integrity. That may sound idealistic today, but it shouldn’t." Growing up in the Twin Cities of Maine, Dempsey learned "that dignity comes from work and from community," and acknowledged how many families built their lives around working in mills or lumber businesses, but those "opportunities disappeared." "The challenges are different but no less serious today," Dempsey wrote. "Families worry about heating their homes, paying the electric bill, buying groceries, and affording healthcare. Too many parents are making impossible choices every month. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER "For some children, school meals are the most dependable food they’ll receive that day. Those aren’t political talking points. They’re realities." He noted that through his Dempsey Center, he connected with thousands of families faced with "another unimaginable burden: cancer." "A cancer diagnosis doesn’t only threaten your health," he wrote. "It can threaten your financial security, your relationships, your future and your peace of mind. Even families with insurance often struggle under the weight of treatment." He continued, "Healthcare shouldn’t be a partisan issue. It should be one of the places where Americans expect their elected leaders to work together and deliver meaningful solutions. Those solutions require cooperation." Dempsey also acknowledged education as another deeply personal issue as he struggled in school due to a missed dyslexia diagnosis. "As I reflected on all of this, I kept coming back to one question: Do I truly want to serve in Congress?" Dempsey asked. "After a lot of thought, I realized the answer is no. Not because public service isn’t honorable — it absolutely is. But because I believe I can contribute more effectively through the life I’ve already built." "Democracy depends on more than elections. It depends on trust, accountability, respect for the Constitution and a willingness to believe that people with different opinions are still our fellow Americans." He added, "I haven’t lost faith in our country. I’ve witnessed too much kindness for that. I’ve seen communities rally around families they’ve never met. I’ve seen strangers become caregivers. I’ve seen generosity that asks for nothing in return." "Whether you’re an elected official, a teacher, a nurse, a business owner, a parent or a volunteer, service begins with one simple question: How can I make someone else’s life a little better?" he asked. "That’s the work I want to keep doing. So no, I’m not running for office. But I am asking something of the people who do. Lead with humility. Tell the truth. Put people before party." He noted, "Remember that public office is a privilege not a career path and that leadership isn’t measured by how loudly you speak or how often you’re on television. It’s measured by whether people’s lives are better because you served. "That’s the kind of leadership Maine deserves. It’s the kind of leadership America deserves, too." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fcf42c2ca79de2365c7b3 MS NOW host blasts Graham Platner's resignation video as 'finger-pointing' after scandals sink campaign te 2026-07-09T16:41:38.277Z MS NOW host blasts Graham Platner's resignation video as 'finger-pointing' after scandals sink campaign MS NOW’s Catherine Rampell offered a series of harsh comments toward Graham Platner, the embattled Democratic Senate nominee in Maine, after he suspended his national campaign Wednesday night. Rampell’s criticism comes after Platner, a populist Democrat challenging Republican Sen. Susan Collins, received countless calls to resign following a rape allegation made by a woman he previously dated. "Well, that was Graham Platner officially announcing that he is dropping off of the ballot… for federal Senate from Maine," Rampell said, after showing a video of Platner announcing he would be suspending his campaign. "But taking zero responsibility for any of the scandals and more troubling things in his past that have destroyed that campaign." PLATNER DROPS OUT OF CRUCIAL SENATE RACE AFTER BOMBSHELL RAPE ALLEGATION TORPEDOES CAMPAIGN "Instead blaming, let's see, corporate media, the political establishment — lots of hate for the political establishment, saying that. ‘We banded together. We did it the way we were told we were supposed to make change, and we won. And now they are not going to let us have it.’" Rampell pointed to Platner’s allies — including Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who previously offered his endorsement — turning their backs on the embattled candidate as the allegations came to light. "So lots of finger-pointing and blame — and not taking any responsibility," Rampell continued. "Note that whoever he conceives of as the political establishment — you do have many of his once allies, including Bernie Sanders and Ro Khanna — also calling for him to drop out. People who believe many of the same policy ideas that Graham Platner himself says that he was taken down for." SANDERS BREAKS SILENCE ON PLATNER, CALLS ON SCANDAL-PLAGUED PROGRESSIVE TO 'STEP ASIDE' Platner’s campaign suspension comes just one month after he walked away with a landslide victory in the state’s June 9 Democratic Senate primary, and only five days before a crucial deadline allowing Democrats to replace him with a new nominee ahead of the general election. He suspended his campaign just two days after a bombshell report detailing rape allegations from Maine resident Jenny Racicot, who told CNN's Jake Tapper that "by dictionary definition" Platner "raped" her. In a video message posted to X, Platner labeled the accusations as "false," but added the situation has "placed an immense amount of weight" on him. PLATNER CAMPAIGN PUTTING 'THUMB ON SCALE' TO INFLUENCE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT, MAINE DEM ALLEGES "What comes next needs to come from the people, needs to come from the people of Maine," Platner said. "It needs to be open, transparent and democratic. It needs to be reflecting the will and the values of the people that built this movement." "We believe that for the movement to continue, it can’t be me. And for that reason, we are suspending campaign operations," Platner continued. Rampell seemingly blasted the comments made by Platner in his resignation video, specifically pointing to his claims that "those in power" are working against his campaign. "He also said during that ten-minute video that, ‘All we were asking for was healthcare, was to end the genocide, to use our taxpayer dollars at home [and] to uplift our communities instead of waging war overseas. We were asking for a fair system. We are asking for an end to the corruption,’" Rampell said, quoting Platner. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE "So, lots of allegations that he was being taken out by nefarious forces that are forcing him to suspend his campaign rather than the drip, drip, drip of scandal after scandal that has dogged his campaign and that have littered the last few months with red flags," Rampell concluded. Platner’s campaign was marred by several controversies, including allegations from his ex-girlfriend Lyndsey Fifield claiming he removed condoms while the pair were intimate and engaged in physical misconduct. In a statement to The Washington Post, the Platner campaign said Fifield's latest allegations were "categorically false and politically motivated." Previous online comments made on a now-deleted Reddit account also plagued Platner’s candidacy, along with a now covered-up tattoo on his chest that appeared to resemble a Nazi symbol. He has also been accused of exchanging sexually explicit messages with several women while he was married. Platner has repeatedly denied all allegations of misconduct and violence, while insisting the tattoo was of a skull and crossbones. In his Wednesday night video, Platner insisted he was not suspending his campaign "because of allegations. We’re doing it because of structures that are being taken away from us by those in power." Fox News Digital reached out to Platner for comment but did not receive an immediate response. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fcf2ec2ca79de2365c7aa Argentinian flight instructor jumps to death from plane, 22-year-old student forced to land alone te 2026-07-09T16:41:18.822Z Argentinian flight instructor jumps to death from plane, 22-year-old student forced to land alone A flight instructor jumped to his death out of a small aircraft over Argentina, forcing the student pilot he was teaching to land the plane herself. Leandro Andrés Bertazzo, 42, was on board a two-seat Cessna 150G on Saturday when he made the decision to jump out over the province of Córdoba, according to CNN, which cited its Argentinian affiliate TN. "He made this tragic decision on board an aircraft with another person by his side," Eduardo Álvarez, director of the Flying Parrot Córdoba flying school where Bertazzo worked, told TN. "It’s impossible to think about it or understand it, but the human mind is so complex." PILOT DECLARES MAYDAY BEFORE SEAPLANE COMES DOWN IN NEW YORK CITY’S EAST RIVER Rosario, the 22-year-old student, later told authorities that Bertazzo told her, "You know what you have to do, carry on," before taking off his gear, opening the door and leaping out, according to Álvarez. Opening the door of a plane midair is incredibly difficult. Álvarez said it would be akin to trying to open the door of a car traveling 124 miles per hour. FRANTIC SEARCH UNDERWAY FOR CREW AFTER BOEING 737 WRECKAGE FOUND BY OFFICIALS Álvarez said that Rosario managed to land the plane safely, despite being in "complete shock." There was no damage to the plane, according to TN. Álvarez noted that Bertazzo had gone on a flight with another student earlier in the day. Álvarez also told TN that Bertazzo had visited a psychiatric institute, something that was only known by his family prior to his death. Prosecutors in Córdoba will lead the investigation into Bertazzo's death. The plane he jumped from is now in police custody. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fcf1bc2ca79de2365c735 Biden-era enviro rule accused of strangling truckers, squeezing Americans lands on Trump chopping block te 2026-07-09T16:40:59.366Z Biden-era enviro rule accused of strangling truckers, squeezing Americans lands on Trump chopping block FIRST ON FOX: The Trump administration is proposing to slash Biden-era truck emissions regulations in a move officials say would save the trucking industry about $12 billion and ease supply chain costs that make everyday goods more expensive for Americans. "Collectively, these savings will be passed on to American families through lower costs for food, household goods, and other products trucks deliver, while still maintaining strong environmental protections and ensuring clean air," read the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) press release first viewed by Fox News Digital. The EPA has proposed changes to heavy-duty truck emissions rules that would save truckers an estimated $12 billion, including up to $6,000 per new truck, helping lower transportation costs and prices for American families.  The proposal would eliminate DEF-related engine deratements and speed restrictions for new highway engines and vehicles, as well as new nonroad engines and equipment, including farm machinery, replacing them with warning alerts so operators can keep working until repairs can be made safely. TRUMP PARDONS 9 PEOPLE CONVICTED OF TAMPERING WITH EMISSION CONTROLS ON DIESEL ENGINES Previous policies "make delivering everything more expensive and so that's going to all be passed on to the consumer as well. By making these trucks cheaper and more reliable, we are making sure that the supply chain stays as cheap as possible for the American people," EPA air chief Aaron Szabo told Fox News Digital in an interview.  The proposal would also reduce costly emissions warranty requirements from the 2023 rule while keeping nearly 90% of the planned NOx emissions reductions and giving manufacturers more time and flexibility to meet the updated standards. Szabo said the proposal addresses a major problem caused by DEF system failures, which can force trucks and farm equipment into "limp mode" by reducing their speed to just five miles per hour. STEVE MOORE: POLITICIANS ARE BLAMING THE WRONG VILLAIN FOR AMERICA’S RISING FOOD PRICES He said with more than 200 possible failure codes, the deratements can leave truckers stranded on the side of the road and farmers losing hours—or even days—of productivity during critical work like harvesting. "We're both making the products more reliable and decreasing the impact from DEF. And we're also bringing down the price of the whole supply chain by reducing the cost of these new trucks," Szabo said. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins told Fox News Digital in a statement that the issue has "shown the true cost of government overreach." AMERICA'S FAVORITE BEERS — AND THE JOBS TIED TO THEM — ARE AT THE CENTER OF A BREWING TRADE FIGHT "Our rural communities rely on diesel powered engines to deliver their food, families, electricity, and so much more to where it needs to go. The billions in savings will directly benefit those who feed, fuel, and clothe our nation," Rollins said. The latest proposal follows Trump’s broader pledge to roll back Biden-era green regulations after he returned to office. "We will terminate the Green New Deal, revoke the electric vehicle mandate, and unleash American energy," Trump said in his inaugural speech. Szabo said the Biden administration tried to push Americans into electric trucks with rules it enforced. "That's what the Biden administration was doing. They were forcing people to not have choice anymore, taking away their freedom to choose what kind of vehicle and telling them you have to buy an electric vehicle," he added. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fcef3c2ca79de2365c708 Lyon seeks Arizona House seat in LD17 race te 2026-07-09T16:40:19.949Z Lyon seeks Arizona House seat in LD17 race Holly Lyon, a Democrat and retired U.S. Air Force colonel, is running for the Arizona House of Representatives in Legislative District 17, alongside incumbent Democratic Rep. Kevin Volk. Republican Rep. Rachel Keshel is seeking another term and is joined on the GOP side by John Winchester, a government relations manager at Arizona State University. Legislative District 17 wraps around Tucson's north and east sides, stretching from Rincon Valley and Tanque Verde through Oro Valley and Marana to SaddleBrooke in southern Pinal County. Republicans hold a roughly 10 percentage point voter registration advantage in the district, one of the few in the state with split representation in the House. Lyon began her career as a seventh-grade math teacher before serving 26 years in the Air Force, where she commanded twice, taught future military leaders and oversaw education, training and strategic planning for tens of thousands of service members. She previously ran for the Legislature in 2014 and 2018, losing her 2014 House bid to Republicans Mark Finchem and Vince Leach in the district's predecessor, LD11. Tucson Spotlight asked all the candidates their positions on groundwater regulation, affordable housing and public school funding. Outside of the state's Active Management Areas, groundwater pumping in rural Arizona remains largely unmeasured and unregulated. "The state has failed to enforce existing water resources safeguards like the requirement for developers to demonstrate a 100-year assured water supply," Lyon said, adding that meaningful reforms have been stalled by legislative leadership. "If Arizona does not take proactive steps now to manage water more responsibly, we risk federal intervention and broad restrictions that could severely impact our economy and our people," she said. Lyon said her top priority would be bringing together local governments, water experts, agriculture, industry and community stakeholders to advance reforms including rural groundwater management areas in critically stressed regions, statewide pumping reporting and metering for large users, and enforceable pumping limits in overdrafted basins. "Water policy and economic policy cannot be separated," Lyon said. "Sustainable growth requires sustainable water management, and Arizona must lead on this issue rather than letting this looming crisis lead us." Housing affordability is another top concern for district voters, with rents rising across the Tucson region and affordable stock in short supply. "Housing affordability has become one of the defining economic challenges facing Arizona families," Lyon said. "In Tucson and across LD17, too many working families, young professionals, and seniors are being priced out of stable housing, either for sale or rent." Lyon said local communities should keep the flexibility to address their own housing needs, but that the state has a responsibility to remove barriers and support long-term affordability. She said she would lead collaborative efforts on solutions including limits on corporate home buying, a state affordable housing tax credit, permitting reform, infrastructure improvements to make affordable and workforce housing possible, and expanded workforce homebuyer assistance programs. Holly Lyon stopped for a tour of the Arizona Capitol Museum after filling her candidacy paperwork with the Arizona Secretary of State. Courtesy of Lyon for Arizona. On education, Lyon said strong public schools are essential to Arizona's future and strengthen the state's economy by developing a skilled workforce and attracting high-quality employers. "While funding alone will not solve every challenge in education, we cannot expect schools to succeed without making serious investments in students, teachers, and classrooms," Lyon said. She said she supports increasing the base level formula for school funding, improving teacher recruitment and retention through more competitive compensation, and restoring fiscal transparency to the Empowerment Scholarship Account voucher program. "We need a long-term commitment to accountable educational excellence for every child, regardless of their zip code," Lyon said. Neither party faces a contested primary for the district's two House seats in the July 21 primary. 💡 The primary election is July 21. Early voting began June 24, with a mail ballot deadline of July 14. Pima County voters can register, check their registration or request a mail ballot at recorder.pima.gov Caitlin Schmidt is Editor and Publisher of Tucson Spotlight. Contact her at caitlin@tucsonspotlight.org. Tucson Spotlight is a community-based newsroom that provides paid opportunities for students and rising journalists in Southern Arizona. Please consider supporting our work with a tax-deductible donation. Donate to Tucson Spotlight Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fccb1c2ca79de2365c6c5 Wisconsin football team gets uniform reveal for matchup against Notre Dame at Lambeau Field te 2026-07-09T16:30:41.902Z Wisconsin football team gets uniform reveal for matchup against Notre Dame at Lambeau Field The Wisconsin Badgers will be rocking some awesome alternate uniforms this season against Notre Dame. It's not a secret that I'm a Wisconsin man, and it's been some VERY dark years for the program in Madison. What was once a proud Big Ten powerhouse has turned into a sad shell of itself under Luke Fickell's leadership. It certainly feels like 2026 is a make-or-break year for Fickell after he's compiled a 17-21 record with the Badgers since being hired. WISCONSIN BADGERS JUST ADDED THE PERFECT JERSEY SPONSORSHIP IF THERE IS SUCH A THING While nobody knows what the future holds, we do know the team will wear some slick alternate threads this season. The Badgers released a look at their alternate uniforms for the September 6th match up against Notre Dame at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. While I'm not generally a huge fan of alternate uniforms, I must admit that these are pretty cool. IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A BIG 12 WINNER NOT NAMED TEXAS TECH OR BYU, CONSIDER THE HOUSTON COUGARS You can check out the release video below, and let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com. The program announced the following details explain the crisp and historic design: COLORADO QUARTERBACK JULIAN LEWIS REVEALS HE WASN'T READING DEFENSES FOR MAJORITY OF 2025 SEASON I have to admit that the Culver's patch goes insanely hard. Is there anything more Wisconsin than Badgers football and Culver's? Throw in the fact it celebrates America 250, and it couldn't be better. It's like it was made in a lab for the people of Wisconsin. I give these alternate uniforms a solid A-grade. Now, will the Badgers actually be any good this year? Time will tell, but at least they'll look good if they're getting blown out by the Fighting Irish. Let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fca99c2ca79de2365c635 AZFEC: Another Month, Another Onslaught Of Municipal Tax And Fee Increases te 2026-07-09T16:21:45.828Z AZFEC: Another Month, Another Onslaught Of Municipal Tax And Fee Increases By the Arizona Free Enterprise Club | Arizona taxpayers can’t catch a break from their local governments. From water rates and utility bills to property taxes and sales taxes, city councils have spent the last several months approving one increase after another. No matter the justification, the result is always the same: higher costs for the people paying the bills.  Here are some of the top offenders of the last couple of months:   Florence  In the Town of Florence, the town council approved a multi-year water and wastewater rate hike plan that starts with roughly 6–8% increases but compounds over several years into what many residents estimate will amount to around a 64% increase in total utility costs. At a time when families are already struggling with affordability, approving rate hikes of that magnitude is a serious burden on Florence residents. With increases that steep, one would think they’re trying to compete with Gilbert (100%+ increase over 3 years). The increases will start on July 1st, just in time for summer, so get your pocketbooks ready, Florence residents.  Tempe  Tempe has their own slew of problems that deserves an article of its own, self-imposed by mismanagement, obviously. The Tempe City Council recently voted on sending a 0.5% sales tax increase to the ballot for voters in November. This will tax all non-grocery food and is said to give 0.3% to public safety, 0.1% to transit such as light rail and buses and 0.1% to Tempe PRE, a city run free preschool.  As usual, local leaders are putting all blame on the legislature. One Tempe councilmember said, “Let me remind you what we set out to do with this initially: to address a … deficit that was created not by us but by the Arizona Legislature and the federal government.”   Meanwhile, this is occurring while the council has decided on things like a $2 million “Mill Ave” sign.  Just plain, silver metal. Nothing special or aesthetic and $2 million is going towards this thing? Right, and it’s the legislature’s fault that they are in a budget deficit of about $24 million. It’s almost as if they didn’t spend your tax dollars on stupid things, they wouldn’t need to keep raising taxes… >>> CONTINUE READING >>> The post AZFEC: Another Month, Another Onslaught Of Municipal Tax And Fee Increases first appeared on AZ FREE NEWS. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fca6dc2ca79de2365c60e Medical identity theft follows you into the doctor's office te 2026-07-09T16:21:01.287Z Medical identity theft follows you into the doctor's office The Justice Department recently charged 455 people in its annual National Health Care Fraud Takedown. The cases involve more than $6.5 billion in alleged false claims. More state Medicaid units took part than in any prior year. Ninety of the accused are doctors or other licensed medical professionals. The DOJ says prosecutors still must prove the charges in court. Many schemes used other people's medical identities. Prosecutors also added aggravated identity theft charges in cases across dozens of states. In one case, the co-owner of a Virginia mental health company allegedly paid homeless people with hotel stays. Prosecutors say the company used their Medicaid numbers, then billed Medicaid for crisis services the patients never got. For the people whose numbers got used, the case file may eventually close. Their medical records may not be so easy to fix. Once someone else's treatment shows up under your name, it can add wrong information to your chart. It can also use up insurance benefits you may need later. That is harder to undo than canceling a credit card. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report DR OZ WARNS MEDICARE SCAMMERS ARE STEALING BILLIONS — AND YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION COULD BE NEXT Medical identity theft happens when someone uses your name, Social Security number (SSN), health insurance account number, or Medicare number to see a doctor, fill a prescription, buy medical equipment, or submit a claim, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). When care is billed under your name, the thief's health information can blend into yours. The FTC warns that mixed records can affect the care you're able to get and the benefits you are able to use. A blood type, a drug allergy, a diagnosis, or a prescription that belongs to a stranger can sit in the file a physician reads before treating you. Hospitals and insurers hold the exact records that make the fraud work, and those records are stolen often. This does not mean every healthcare breach leads to fraud. However, it explains why your insurance number, Medicare number, SSN and medical records can become valuable long after a breach notice arrives. This spring, NYC Health + Hospitals reported that an intruder had copied files that may have included health insurance information, medical information, biometric data, billing data and other personal information. The breach was later reported to affect roughly 1.8 million current and former patients and employees. Once a name, SSN, insurance number, Medicare number or medical record reaches a criminal marketplace, it can be resold to operators who bill under someone else's identity. Your health insurance and Medicare numbers are what these operations need, so the FTC recommends guarding them the way you would a payment card. HOSPICE FRAUD USES STOLEN IDENTITIES FOR FAKE PATIENTS Because a fraudulent medical claim runs through insurance and provider systems instead of a credit check, it skips the alerts most people rely on. Here's what the FTC says you should look out for: If a bill, EOB or Medicare notice shows care you never received, move quickly and keep everything in writing. Call your insurer or Medicare using the number on your card, not a number from a random text, email or voicemail. Ask for the provider name, date of service, claim number and service details. Contact the provider in writing and request the medical or billing records tied to that claim. Report the error to your insurer's fraud department. File a report at IdentityTheft.gov if your medical identity was used. That gives you a recovery plan and documentation you may need if fraudulent bills or collections show up later. Keep copies of every bill, EOB, letter, portal message, police report and case number. Request your records from every provider, clinic, pharmacy, lab and insurer the thief may have used, then report each error in writing. Under HIPAA, a provider generally has 30 days to give you access to your records after a written request, with a possible 30-day extension. Fixing the record itself can take longer. HHS says a covered provider or health plan usually has up to 60 days to act on a request to amend a medical record, with a possible 30-day extension in certain cases. If the provider or plan created the wrong information, it must amend inaccurate or incomplete information. There's one catch, though: a provider may refuse to release records that now contain a stranger's information, citing that person's privacy. If that happens, ask for the provider's privacy officer or patient advocate. You can also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights if you do not get your records or an explanation within the required window. TEXAS DATA BREACH HITS 3M LICENSE CUSTOMERS A freeze blocks new accounts, but it does nothing about a claim filed with your insurance number. Because medical identity theft can move without touching your credit file, monitoring where your personal information appears is the earliest way to act on it. An identity theft protection service can monitor the dark web, data broker sites and people-search sites for exposed SSNs, driver's license numbers, medical ID numbers and email addresses. It can also track all three credit bureaus for medical collections that may follow and flag public-record changes tied to your name. If misuse happens, some services include fraud resolution support to help you request records, dispute fraudulent claims and work with providers, insurers and credit bureaus. Some plans also include identity theft insurance for eligible recovery costs. No service can prevent every misuse of your medical identity. However, ongoing monitoring may flag exposed information before another person's treatment reaches your records and your insurance. See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at CyberGuy.com. Medical identity theft hits in a place most of us rarely check: our health records. A stolen credit card can usually be canceled quickly. A stolen Medicare or insurance number can create fake claims, wrong diagnoses and benefit headaches that follow you long after the fraud case ends. I would not wait for a credit alert here. Check your EOBs, Medicare Summary Notices and insurer portals for visits, prescriptions or equipment you never received. Also, treat your insurance card like a payment card. Do not give the number to anyone who calls, texts or emails out of nowhere with a free offer. The most important thing is to act fast. Call your insurer or Medicare, ask for the claim details and request your medical records in writing. Then file at IdentityTheft.gov, so you have the paperwork you need if fraudulent bills or collections show up later. Have you ever spotted a medical bill, insurance claim or EOB for care you never received? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fca59c2ca79de2365c605 SEE IT: ICE agents pause arrest operation to save woman in rollover crash te 2026-07-09T16:20:41.835Z SEE IT: ICE agents pause arrest operation to save woman in rollover crash EXCLUSIVE: Quick-thinking Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Wisconsin who were preparing to conduct an arrest operation dropped everything to rush to the scene of a nearby rollover crash, saving a woman trapped inside her car, Fox News Digital has learned. ICE agents have been maligned as "fascist" and "inhumane" by critics, while recent incidents have highlighted officers rescuing people in danger, including a case in which an agent leaped into a hotel pool to save a drowning child. On June 29, agents were in the Milwaukee area preparing to make an arrest when one officer involved heard the sound of a car crash and hurried to investigate. THREE-TIME DEPORTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED WITH KILLING NORTH CAROLINA GIRL, 6, AFTER RUNNING STOP SIGN A car ran a stoplight at 20th Street and Cleveland Avenue, colliding with another vehicle. The impact caused one of the vehicles to roll over and crash into a light pole, pinning the 31-year-old woman inside. The agent then contacted the rest of his team and told them to call 911 and come over to help free the woman in the interim. Working as a team, the agents were able to remove the woman from the mangled car and render first aid until emergency medical technicians arrived. NEW YORKER SUING ICE AFTER OFFICERS WENT TO HIS HOME TO WARN HIM OVER CRITICISM OF AGENCY "Our best of the best ICE officers put their lives on the line to arrest the worst of the worst," a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital following the incident. Acting Assistant DHS Secretary Lauren Bis said ICE agents like those involved, who remained anonymous, including in exclusive images, for their safety, exemplify the best in federal law enforcement. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER "Despite smears and hoaxes spread by sanctuary politicians and the media, our officers put their lives on the line to make our communities safer," Bis said. "They are heroes." "If you see an ICE law enforcement officer, thank them for all they do to protect our nation." In another case this year, while ICE agents were assisting TSA agents during the Democrats’ DHS shutdown, one ICE agent performed the Heimlich maneuver on a choking child, saving the child's life. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fc8cac2ca79de2365c5cc Further Review: Ice Crea Sundae te 2026-07-09T16:14:02.953Z Further Review: Ice Crea Sundae 145 years ago yesterday - July 8, 1881 - The first ice cream sundae -- featuring chocolate syrup -- was served by Edward Berner of Two Rivers, Wisconsin. It was so named because, in the beginning, he offered it only… Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fc8b6c2ca79de2365c5c3 68e57ef1306b1.image.webp te 2026-07-09T16:13:42.969Z 68e57ef1306b1.image.webp Mohave County Airport Authority called a special and executive session beginning at 10:30 a.m., Friday, June 10, to discuss certain matters with the board's legal counsel and to consider the employment status of Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport Director James Scheller. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fc879c2ca79de2365c5a3 Lingenfelter says 'all eyes' will be on Mohave County as Ballot Guard debuts te 2026-07-09T16:12:41.015Z Lingenfelter says 'all eyes' will be on Mohave County as Ballot Guard debuts Mohave County officials believe the nation's attention will be fixed on the county's Elections Department in 2026 as it becomes the first jurisdiction in the country to use Ballot Guard ballots in a live election. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fc865c2ca79de2365c59a ire Department reports fewer emergency calls over Independence Day weekend te 2026-07-09T16:12:21.056Z ire Department reports fewer emergency calls over Independence Day weekend The Lake Havasu City Fire Department responded to significantly fewer emergency incidents during the Independence Day holiday weekend than it did a year ago, reporting a 23% drop in calls for service. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fc851c2ca79de2365c591 Supervisors approve $100 emergency cleaning fee despite debate over 'exorbitant' rate te 2026-07-09T16:12:01.080Z Supervisors approve $100 emergency cleaning fee despite debate over 'exorbitant' rate KINGMAN — Mohave County supervisors approved a $100 hourly emergency cleaning fee for county facilities in Lake Havasu City Monday, following a sharp debate over whether the rate was too expensive. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fc83dc2ca79de2365c588 Mohave County warns of email scam targeting planning and zoning applicants te 2026-07-09T16:11:41.113Z Mohave County warns of email scam targeting planning and zoning applicants Mohave County is warning residents and developers about a phishing scam involving fraudulent invoices that falsely claim to come from the county's Planning and Zoning Commission. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fc829c2ca79de2365c57f Supervisors order review of Mohave County Economic Development Department te 2026-07-09T16:11:21.143Z Supervisors order review of Mohave County Economic Development Department KINGMAN — Mohave County supervisors have ordered a comprehensive evaluation of the county’s Economic Development Department, giving the county manager 90 days to recommend structural changes after a budget review flagged failed performance metrics and redundant services. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fc815c2ca79de2365c576 USPS to raise Forever stamp prices again. Here's by how much te 2026-07-09T16:11:01.190Z USPS to raise Forever stamp prices again. Here's by how much Sending a birthday card is about to get a little bit more expensive, as the U.S. Postal Service is set to raise stamp prices this weekend. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fc7ecc2ca79de2365c52d Recortes a SNAP afectarán a miles en Pima te 2026-07-09T16:10:20.737Z Recortes a SNAP afectarán a miles en Pima Leer en inglés Funcionarios del condado informaron a los supervisores a principios de este mes que la cantidad de hogares del Condado de Pima que reciben beneficios de SNAP se ha reducido casi a la mitad en menos de un año, ya que el One Big Beautiful Bill Act elimina la elegibilidad de veteranos, personas sin hogar, jóvenes que estuvieron bajo tutela estatal y miles de personas más que anteriormente calificaban para recibir asistencia alimentaria y de atención médica. Los supervisores conocieron los detalles del plan de acción propuesto por el condado durante su reunión del 9 de junio; el Departamento de Salud del Condado de Pima propuso una respuesta coordinada ante los cambios en las políticas para mitigar el posible impacto. La ley introduce los siguientes cambios en los requisitos de elegibilidad y presentación de informes para SNAP y AHCCCS: Ampliar el rango de edad para los requisitos de reporte de actividades laborales aplicables a adultos físicamente aptos y sin dependientes, pasando de 18-54 años a 18-64 años. Restringir los grupos de inmigrantes elegibles únicamente a residentes permanentes legales y categorías limitadas, excluyendo a refugiados, asilados y personas con permiso de permanencia temporal. Modificar la designación de "empleos insuficientes" de Arizona, de modo que las exenciones ahora solo se apliquen a áreas con una tasa de desempleo superior al 10%. Según datos del año fiscal 2026, esto deja al Condado de Pima sin posibilidad de obtener dichas exenciones, calificando únicamente la ciudad de Yuma y ciertas áreas tribales. Reducir las exenciones parentales de los requisitos de elegibilidad: ahora solo aplicarán a padres que cuidan a niños menores de 14 años, en lugar de los menores de 18 años. Eliminar la mayor parte de las declaraciones juradas en el proceso de verificación, exigiendo ahora pruebas verificadas de ingresos y actividades laborales. Eliminar las exenciones de elegibilidad para veteranos, personas sin hogar y jóvenes que estuvieron bajo tutela estatal. Basar los cálculos de ingresos en el ingreso bruto con menos deducciones, eliminando las deducciones por gastos en facturas de servicios públicos. En todo el Condado de Pima, el número de beneficiarios de SNAP se ha reducido casi a la mitad en menos de un año. Entre julio de 2025 y abril de 2026, la cifra de hogares beneficiarios de SNAP cayó de 78,001 a 39,197, y el número total de residentes del condado que reciben beneficios descendió de 144,720 a 67,671.  Esto incluye una disminución de casi el 56 % en el número de niños que reciben beneficios de SNAP en el condado, pasando de 53,616 a 23,710. La tendencia refleja lo que ocurre en el resto del estado. En ese mismo periodo, el número de hogares beneficiarios de SNAP en Arizona disminuyó de 455,652 a 253,162, y la cantidad de personas que recibían los beneficios cayó de 908,989 a 435,196. Para quienes permanecen en el programa SNAP en el Condado de Pima, los beneficios se han reducido casi un 15%; el beneficio promedio por hogar bajó de $330.79 a $282.15, una cifra significativamente inferior al promedio estatal, que descendió de $356.59 a $311.43. La Dra. Theresa Cullen, directora del Departamento de Salud del Condado de Pima, señaló que las cifras presentadas son una "cifra variable,” ya que a menudo existen discrepancias entre las distintas fuentes de información. "Prevemos coordinar una respuesta tanto dentro del condado como con nuestros socios en toda la zona, principalmente sistemas de atención médica y organizaciones comunitarias, para garantizar que las personas logren una inscripción adecuada en SNAP y tengan acceso al programa," afirmó Cullen. Matt Heinz, supervisor del Distrito 2, estimó que los recortes en SNAP representan una pérdida anual de $178 millones en fondos federales que el Condado de Pima ya no recibe. "Quiero que todos entiendan que no hay manera de que el condado, la ciudad, el estado o los bancos de alimentos comunitarios puedan compensar esta pérdida," declaró Heinz. Los Centros de Servicios de Medicare y Medicaid también están recibiendo comentarios públicos sobre una norma establecida el 1 de junio que, según Cullen, limitaría considerablemente el concepto de fragilidad médica. Cullen indicó que, por el momento, el condado no cuenta con directrices claras sobre cómo las personas acreditarán los requisitos de elegibilidad, quién documentará dicha información ni cómo se enviará y verificará la documentación a nivel estatal para los programas Medicaid y SNAP. El condado continúa inscribiendo a residentes en el Programa Especial de Nutrición Suplementaria para Mujeres, Bebés y Niños (WIC) utilizando fondos propios; en el último año se han inscrito más de 2,000 personas. Asimismo, el Condado de Pima gestiona un programa de referencias mediante el cual los residentes pueden solicitar asistencia alimentaria y obtener derivaciones a través de departamentos como el de Servicios de Desarrollo.  El sistema de Medicaid de Arizona enfrenta restricciones de elegibilidad similares; el 1 de octubre entrarán en vigor cambios en los criterios para los inmigrantes, los cuales anteriormente incluían a personas con estatus humanitarios. A partir de 2027, las renovaciones deberán realizarse cada seis meses en lugar de cada 12, con plazos de respuesta más breves y requisitos más frecuentes para acreditar la actividad laboral. Se han reducido las excepciones relacionadas con el trabajo: aunque la fragilidad médica sigue siendo una causa de exención, ahora requiere una verificación más estricta. Asimismo, una nueva normativa federal exigirá que los adultos de entre 19 y 64 años cubiertos por la expansión de Medicaid realicen actividades laborales o de participación comunitaria. Entre julio de 2025 y abril de 2026, el número de hogares beneficiarios de SNAP disminuyó de 78,001 a 39,197. A nivel estatal, se estima que 380,000 personas inscritas en AHCCCS corren el riesgo de ser dadas de baja. Las normas sobre requisitos laborales afectarán a 190,000 adultos, mientras que se prevé que los procesos de redeterminación más frecuentes provoquen 50,000 bajas anuales adicionales. En el caso del Condado de Pima, esto probablemente signifique que entre 25,000 y 35,000 residentes estarán sujetos a los nuevos requisitos. El Departamento de Salud del Condado de Pima ha propuesto un plan de acción para todo el condado con el fin de preservar la cobertura de atención médica, reducir la inseguridad alimentaria y prevenir futuras brechas en ambos ámbitos. El plan de acción contempla el desarrollo de recursos de orientación multilingües y herramientas dirigidas a la comunidad, la ampliación de la asistencia para la inscripción a través de Health-e-Arizona Plus y programas en clínicas, así como la creación de vías de derivación mediante evaluaciones clínicas, referencias por inseguridad alimentaria y orientación sobre recursos comunitarios. "Ha habido informes de personas tan desanimadas que optan por creer que no calificarán para acceder a los servicios o a SNAP debido a los cambios ocurridos," señaló Cullen. Para restablecer el acceso a la atención médica, el plan propone apoyar procesos de redeterminación de AHCCCS más ágiles a nivel estatal, analizar las tendencias de bajas del programa, identificar poblaciones de alto riesgo, brindar asistencia en la orientación y renovación a los inscritos en AHCCCS y reducir la pérdida de cobertura en el mercado de seguros del Afforadable Care Act. Para reducir la inseguridad alimentaria, el plan aboga por promover una mayor flexibilidad a nivel local y estatal en los requisitos de elegibilidad de SNAP, monitorear las tendencias de inseguridad alimentaria y las tasas de participación en SNAP, y ampliar las actividades de difusión y asistencia para la inscripción en programas de ayuda alimentaria de emergencia como alternativas a SNAP. El plan también busca fortalecer la preparación del sistema, conectar a los usuarios con asistencia alimentaria, recursos de salud, oportunidades laborales y servicios de apoyo social, así como construir una infraestructura a largo plazo que garantice una cobertura sostenida y ayude a reducir costos futuros. El supervisor del Distrito 5, Andrés Cano, se opuso a los requisitos laborales para los beneficiarios de SNAP, señalando la drástica reducción de beneficios para niños como prueba de que los recortes van mucho más allá de afectar únicamente a adultos físicamente aptos para trabajar. También criticó el momento elegido para los cambios en Medicaid, que entrarán en vigor tras las elecciones de mitad de mandato de noviembre, e instó a los residentes a ponerse en contacto con el representante federal Juan Ciscomani y con la administración federal para exigir que se revierta la medida. El supervisor del Distrito 4, Steve Christy, señaló la existencia de otros recursos alimentarios para los niños de la comunidad, como el programa de almuerzos gratuitos o a precio reducido del Distrito Escolar Unificado de Tucson; sin embargo, la supervisora ​​del Distrito 3, Jennifer Allen, advirtió que dichos programas también se verían afectados por un recorte de fondos de 1,000 millones de dólares en 2025. "Sabemos que la nutrición, especialmente en la primera infancia, es fundamental. Es crucial no solo para el desarrollo físico, sino también para el desarrollo cerebral," afirmó Cullen. "Existen numerosos estudios históricos y revisados ​​por pares que indican que la desnutrición o una alimentación inadecuada en los primeros años de vida frenan el crecimiento y el desarrollo cerebral, daños que no pueden revertirse más adelante." Cullen también destacó el impacto económico más amplio de los recortes, señalando las repercusiones en cadena que conlleva la pérdida de ingresos del programa SNAP para los comercios de alimentación y la situación de los residentes sin seguro médico, obligados a buscar tratamientos que no pueden costear. Ian Stash es egresado de la Universidad de Arizona y periodista independiente radicado en Tucson. Puede contactarlo en ianjgs16@gmail.com. Esta nota fue traducida por el equipo bilingüe de El Foco de Tucson. El Foco de Tucson es una sala de prensa comunitaria que ofrece oportunidades remuneradas a estudiantes y periodistas emergentes del sur de Arizona. Por favor, considera apoyar nuestro trabajo con una donación deducible de impuestos. Donar a El Foco Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fc5a8c2ca79de2365c4e8 Ex-Sherron Moore aide is suing University of Michigan, claims school is hiding public records te 2026-07-09T16:00:40.494Z Ex-Sherron Moore aide is suing University of Michigan, claims school is hiding public records Paige Shriver, an ex-aide of former University of Michigan head football coach, Sherron Moore, is suing the school, claiming the university is willfully withholding records relating to the investigation of the scandal. Shriver and her legal team filed the suit Wednesday, accusing the university of intentionally violating the Michigan Freedom of Information Act, a law designed to help people find and review public records. The legal team is accusing school officials of breaking the law by not providing records related to the investigation conducted by a private law firm, Jenner & Block, who were hired in the aftermath of the alleged scandal and relationship between Moore and Shriver. MICHIGAN'S INVESTIGATION INTO SHERRONE MOORE AND ITS ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT HAS COST OVER $11.5 MILLION SO FAR Attorney Andrew M. Stroth released a statement outlining the details of the suit. "The lawsuit filed today demands transparency and accountability from the University of Michigan, President Grasso and the Board of Regents," Stroth said. "This public university paid Jenner & Block $12 million to investigate the Sherrone Moore scandal and the abuse, Title IX and Title VII violations within the athletic department and Schembechler Hall, yet now refuses to release the investigation's findings. It was important for our client to file this initial FOIA lawsuit to ensure the truth and facts come out." OutKick and Fox News have reached out to both the University of Michigan's public affairs office as well as the athletic department for comment, but have received no response. SHERRONE MOORE'S ALLEGED MISTRESS RIPS SENTENCE THAT KEPT FORMER MICHIGAN COACH OUT OF JAIL It would appear as though we have only seen the beginning of what is sure to be a long and drawn-out legal battle, with this new lawsuit being just the latest twist in the saga. Michigan fired Moore in December 2025 after an investigation uncovered "a situation that transpired within and outside the football building." Shortly after that, Moore was arrested on charges of assault, but avoided jail time and was sentenced to probation back in April. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fc353c2ca79de2365c30b Jasmine Crockett blasts her Texas Democratic primary loss as ‘racist race' te 2026-07-09T15:50:43.181Z Jasmine Crockett blasts her Texas Democratic primary loss as ‘racist race' Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, said her Democratic Senate primary race was "a racist race" in an interview published Wednesday and argued she didn't need to campaign with her former opponent and the party's nominee, James Talarico.  Crockett said at the Essence Festival alongside the hosts of the "Native Land" podcast that the best thing she could do for former primary foe Talarico was to endorse Black candidates down ballot so more Black voters turn out in November. "The best thing that I can do is take down-ballot candidates who no one's ever heard of and do my best to uplift them and increase the voter participation in a way that we did in Texas," she said.  "You see, a lot of haters got a lot of things to say about me and my race and how I ran it," Crockett continued. "But the reality is that there was a lot of racist, not a lot, it was racist. It was a racist race. It is what it is, right? But we live in America as y'all are celebrating 250. OK? We know what this country is. But let me tell you the facts. There is no race that turned out more people to vote ever in the state of Texas except for Barack [Obama] and Hillary [Clinton]." WATCH: OBAMA, HARRIS ADVISOR WARNS ‘BETRAYED’ BLACK VOTERS COULD BE TEXAS SENATE CANDIDATE'S KRYPTONITE Crockett launched her bid for Senate in 2025 and ultimately lost the Democratic nomination to Talarico, a state legislator. Talarico is now facing Republican Ken Paxton in the general election. "Did you hear me?" she said during the podcast interview. "Literally, our Democratic nominee during a presidential year last term got 500,000 votes. I got over double that, and I still lost. So, so listen, I say this with all sincerity. I am doing my part." Crockett said she was treated unfairly in the race.  CRITICS ROAST JASMINE CROCKETT AFTER SHE CALLS HERSELF 'ONE OF THE 535 MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE' IN US "The reality is that people hold me to a completely different standard," she said. "The fact is, we have never seen anybody, quote unquote, be pressured to jump into a Senate race to help out their opponent that beat them, ever. This is the first time we have ever seen this in this country. And it just so happens that it ended up being a high-profile Black woman." "I am nobody's footstool, but I believe in doing everything that I can for the betterment specifically, not to the detriment of anybody else, but specifically for Black people," Crockett added. "And I am committed to that. I will continue to do that work." CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE Earlier in her remarks, Crockett responded to people telling her to join Talarico at campaign events. "People keep trying to say, 'Well, Jasmine has to go and hold his hand.' No, I don't," she said.  "And don't worry about my math and how it works in my mind," Crockett continued. "Because the reality is that if you can give people more than one thing to vote for, then you have a better chance of getting them out to the polls." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fc120c2ca79de2365bf3a Former US Olympian David Hearn pleads not guilty in Reflecting Pool vandalism case te 2026-07-09T15:41:20.648Z Former US Olympian David Hearn pleads not guilty in Reflecting Pool vandalism case Former U.S. Olympic canoeist David Hearn pleaded not guilty Thursday to deliberately damaging the recently renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Hearn, 67, entered the plea through one of his attorneys during his initial appearance in D.C. Superior Court. Superior Court Judge Carmen McLean did not require Hearn to be supervised by the court while he awaits trial. A status hearing was scheduled for Aug. 5. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Hearn was indicted last week on a felony destruction of property charge following his arrest in connection with the June 19 incident. Hearn denied damaging the pool, saying he stopped on a bike ride and touched a loose piece of the peeling blue coating "to satisfy my curiosity as a citizen." Prosecutor Kevin Reddington said the government wasn’t seeking any court supervision for Hearn, but just a "stay-away order," without specifying in court where it wanted to keep Hearn away from. Mary Dohrmann, one of Hearn’s attorneys, urged the judge not to impose any conditions of court supervision, calling Hearn an "upstanding citizen and member of the community." ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW! Dohrmann also said "the government’s evidence is weak." The Reflecting Pool recently underwent a $14 million rehabilitation project under President Trump. Hearn’s indictment came after several people were arrested or cited for allegedly damaging the reflecting pool. Video of Hearn’s arrest went viral on X after it was captured by journalist Emily Miller. Miller accused the former Olympian of grabbing a hose that female National Park Service workers were using to clear algae. Hearn denied the accusation but admitted his bike tire might have hit the hose. "I didn't vandalize anything," Hearn told The Washington Post. "By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs." Records show that Hearn has ties to a major left-wing fundraising network. Hearn represented the United States at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Fox News' Jasmine Baehr, Jackson Thompson, and the Associated Press contributed to this report. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fc10dc2ca79de2365bf31 Jailed Catholic woman's hunger strike highlights Iran religious persecution — US demands action te 2026-07-09T15:41:01.214Z Jailed Catholic woman's hunger strike highlights Iran religious persecution — US demands action The State Department condemned Iran’s intensified repression of Christians, including a Catholic woman on hunger strike in a prison known as one of the most brutal in the theocratic state. The Trump administration statement on widespread human rights violations carried out by the Iranian regime coincides with new military strikes against it in response to Tehran’s attacks on commercial tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The Christian woman on hunger strike is 42-year-old Ghazal Marzban, who sits in Iran’s infamous Evin prison in Tehran, according to Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA). Iran sentenced Marzban, a Catholic, to nearly 10 years in prison for practicing her Christian faith, Iranian experts told Fox News Digital. Marzban’s physical health, as of late May, had deteriorated. Her current condition is not known. IRAN REGIME ACCUSED OF KILLING 19 CHRISTIANS IN ANTI-REGIME PROTESTS AS PERSECUTION CONTINUES: WATCHDOG It is unclear if the administration plans to ramp up pressure on Iran’s leaders for their widepsread persecution of religious minorities and opponents of the regime. A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "We are aware of these reports. It is reprehensible that the Iranian regime continues to persecute religious minorities, including Iranian Christians." Article 18, an organization that promotes religious freedom in Iran, noted that following Marzban’s conversion, the Islamic law graduate was banned from taking her bar entry examination. Her husband, who also converted to Christianity, has been denied medicine for his Parkinson’s disease, according to Article 18. Fox News Digital sent a press query to Iran’s U.N. Mission about Marzban and the plight of practicing Christians in Iran. The State Department spokesperson said, "In Iran, human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, association, and religion or belief, are completely ignored. The regime targets members of religious and ethnic minority groups and uses tactics like arbitrary arrest and torture to intimidate opponents and silence dissent." After the regime reportedly murdered as many as 45,000 Iranian demonstrators within a 48-hour period in January, including as many as 22 Iranian Christians, the security forces of the regime arrested vast numbers of protestors. PENCE COMMENDS TRUMP FOR WINNING FREEDOM OF BEIJING'S ZION CHURCH PASTOR EZRA JIN FROM CHINESE DETENTION President Trump has cited the number of 45,000 Iranians killed by the regime. The State Department told Fox News Digital that Iran’s leaders should free those protesters still in detention. "We reaffirm our unwavering solidarity with the people of Iran and call for the immediate and unconditional release of all political and wrongfully detained prisoners, including those facing persecution for peacefully exercising their fundamental freedoms," said the State Department spokesperson. Lisa Daftari, an expert on Iran who is the editor-in-chief of The Foreign Desk, told Fox News Digital that the joint U.S.-Israel elimination of the former Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, in February, "Hasn’t eased pressure. On the contrary, we are seeing more escalation and the implementation of even more hardline influences." Daftari said the "Arrests of Christians jumped from 139 in 2024 to 254 in 2025, alongside longer and more frequent sentences. At least 11 people received over a decade. After the recent war, authorities claimed they had ‘neutralized’ 53 elements, which is how they refer to evangelical Christians. That is because the Islamic Republic views conversion as a security threat." Hengaw, an organization that monitors human rights violations in Iran, reported on its website on July 3 that the regime plans to seize the St. Peter Church in Tehran. Daftari said, "This is a large Christian compound with schools and family homes, and roughly 20 Armenian and Assyrian families are being expelled under a Revolutionary Court order that’s been sitting unused since 1998." When asked about a policy response from the U.S., Daftari said, "If there’s going to be a response, it has to be targeted. That means sanctions on the specific judges, intelligence officials and IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] actors involved in cases like St. Peter Church and Marzban. And the transfer of church property to entities like EIKO [a business empire controlled by the late Khamenei] should be treated as state seizure, not an internal legal matter, and raised accordingly in international forums." Ramin, whose real name cannot be disclosed due to "security reasons," an expert for Open Doors, a global Christian organization that aids persecuted Christians, told Fox News Digital, "The threatened confiscation of St Peter’s Evangelical Church in Tehran is deeply concerning and should not be viewed merely as a property dispute. It reflects a wider and long-standing pattern of pressure on Iran’s Christian communities, including recognized historic churches, Protestant communities, converts and reported cases involving Catholic converts." Ramin added, "St Peter’s is one of Iran’s historic Protestant churches, and the reported eviction of families from the compound sends a clear message of intimidation to the wider Christian community. Together with the arrest, detention and sentencing of Christian converts, including those from Catholic backgrounds, this shows that the Iranian authorities continue to treat the peaceful Christian faith as a security concern rather than as a basic right to freedom of religion or belief." RUBIO REVOKES IRANIAN OFFICIALS' US TRAVEL PRIVILEGES OVER DEADLY PROTEST CRACKDOWN KILLING THOUSANDS Mansour Borji, the executive director of Article 18, told Fox News Digital that "The targeting of Christians whom the founders of the Islamic Republic viewed as an ideological threat began from the earliest days of the revolution. This included both Catholic and Protestant communities. Within days of the 1979 revolution, the Rev. Arastoo Sayyah, an Anglican priest, was murdered in his office. Foreign missionaries were expelled within the first year and Christian schools, hospitals and churches soon came under increasing pressure." He added that, "Since 2008, Article18 has documented numerous confidential cases involving the arbitrary arrest of Catholic converts, harassment of church leaders, visa denials for clergy, the revocation of citizenship from a long-serving bishop and the confiscation and demolition of church property." Borji continued, "The recent move against St. Peter’s Church is therefore not an isolated incident or a new development. It is part of a long-standing pattern of systematic pressure on independent Christian communities. The Islamic Republic is a totalitarian regime that has consistently sought to suppress any institution or community that operates outside its ideological control." In the wake of the intensified persecution of Iranian Christians, he warned that "If the Islamic Republic regains the capacity to project its ideology with renewed confidence, the consequences are likely to extend across the region and beyond." He urged that perpetrators "face targeted sanctions, visa restrictions and asset freezes under existing human rights mechanisms." Borji said that "Governments, especially in the EU, U.K. and other trade partners, should also make religious freedom a consistent part of their engagement with Iran, rather than treating it as a secondary issue. Appeasing a regime that persecutes its own people has rarely produced moderation." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fc0f9c2ca79de2365bf28 Americans are not giving up on NATO, but they expect Europe to do its share te 2026-07-09T15:40:41.745Z Americans are not giving up on NATO, but they expect Europe to do its share For years, Europeans have asked a version of the same question: Will the United States remain committed to NATO? Sharp rhetoric about allies and their willingness to more equitably share the burden of defense spending has raised doubts about the future of the transatlantic relationship itself. Yet the latest Reagan Institute Summer Survey suggests that reports of NATO’s demise in American politics are greatly exaggerated. This nationwide U.S. public opinion poll, conducted in the weeks leading up to the 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara, reveals a broad and resilient base of support for the alliance among the American people — including many who are often assumed to be skeptical of U.S. engagement abroad. This headline finding should reassure allies across Europe: 73 percent of Americans believe that keeping the United States in NATO matters to America’s security and prosperity. That includes a majority of both Democrats and Republicans. It also includes 61 percent of self-identified MAGA Republicans, a constituency frequently portrayed as opposed to America's traditional alliances. MOST TRUMP SUPPORTERS STILL BACK NATO DESPITE YEARS OF TRUMP'S CRITICISM, NEW POLL FINDS NATO’s collective defense principle is also popular, as 72 percent of Americans say they would support the United States responding with military force if a NATO ally was attacked. Among MAGA Republicans, 69 percent support this core Article 5 commitment. These numbers tell an important story. Americans understand that NATO is not charity or a favor the United States does for Europe. It is a strategic alliance that advances American interests by deterring adversaries, protecting security, and ensuring that the United States does not face global threats alone. At the same time, the survey also highlights a reality that European leaders should not ignore: support for NATO is not uniform across the American political landscape. Overall, 55 percent of Americans oppose withdrawing the United States from the alliance. But among MAGA Republicans, 63 percent support U.S. withdrawal from NATO. TRUMP CALLS OUT NATO AHEAD OF SUMMIT, CALLING IT 'RIDICULOUS' FOR US TO PERSIST ON 'ONE SIDED PATH' These findings point to a paradox in the message Americans are sending to European allies. Many Americans who are skeptical of NATO nevertheless support the practical outcomes the alliance delivers. They view NATO as important to U.S. security. They support defending allies under attack. But at the same time, they have real questions about the institution itself and continued U.S. participation. What does that tell us about the future of America’s commitment to NATO? Perhaps continued U.S. support for the alliance will depend less on abstract arguments about transatlantic solidarity and more on tangible evidence that the alliance is prepared to meet today's challenges, adapt to evolving security threats, and spend more on defense. American policymakers from both parties have long argued that European allies should assume a greater share of responsibility for transatlantic security and increase their own domestic defense spending. Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine accelerated that process, prompting significant investments in defense — especially in Eastern Europe. But now, the alliance has now entered a new phase. Every NATO ally is meeting the Wales Summit guideline of spending 2 percent of GDP on defense. And the historic goal of 5 percent of GDP from last summer’s NATO Summit in The Hague reflects a recognition that the security environment has fundamentally changed. The alliance requires investments in military readiness, modernized capabilities, and industrial capacity. The significance of this commitment extends beyond defense planning. It has become a political test of NATO's credibility in the United States. Many Americans, particularly those who are skeptical about the value of U.S. alliances, are not judging NATO by its founding principles, summit declarations, or strategic concepts. They are judging it by performance. The question moving forward will be: Are America's allies making meaningful investments in their own defense so our alliance is prepared to meet evolving security challenges together? The NATO Summit in Ankara is the latest testing ground for this question. And allies have demonstrated measurable progress toward the commitments they made in The Hague in 2025. Total defense and security spending has already reached around 4 percent of GDP, just a year later. There are early indicators that real increases in spending will accelerate procurement and force modernization, strengthen defense industrial production, and deliver the capabilities required to deter aggression. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION No one in Europe should view this as a concession to American political pressure; rather, it is an investment in the long-term health of the alliance itself. Defense investment, modernization, and industrial base growth will directly benefit the security and economies of European countries, not just the United States. And on the U.S. side, the Trump Administration National Security Strategy‘s focus on "[e]nabling Europe to stand on its own feet…including by taking primary responsibility for its own defense" should not be viewed as the United States walking away from NATO; rather, it is an opportunity for European partners to play their appropriate role. As Secretary General Rutte put it when he spoke at the Reagan Institute in Washington earlier this year, "This is a move from unhealthy co-dependence to a transatlantic alliance grounded in true partnership." The strongest argument for keeping America in NATO is not rhetoric — it is results. If European allies continue to strengthen their defense capabilities and make tangible progress toward the transatlantic burden shift, they will reinforce the case that NATO remains indispensable to American security and prosperity. And in an era of political uncertainty on both sides of the Atlantic, that may be the most important investment the alliance can make. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fbc34c2ca79de2365be47 Block reaches $45M settlement with 46 states over Cash App fraud probe te 2026-07-09T15:20:20.296Z Block reaches $45M settlement with 46 states over Cash App fraud probe State attorneys general said they found that Block misled users by falsely advertising that Cash App provided bank-like protections, including advanced fraud detection. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fba06c2ca79de2365be0f Flagstaff Event Almanac for July 9 te 2026-07-09T15:11:02.376Z Flagstaff Event Almanac for July 9 July 9 Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fb9f2c2ca79de2365bdfd Early ballot requests for upcoming primary due by Friday te 2026-07-09T15:10:42.413Z Early ballot requests for upcoming primary due by Friday Voters who are registered as Independent, Other or Party Not Designated must contact the Coconino County Recorder’s Office by 5 p.m. Friday to make a party ballot selection. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fb7bfc2ca79de2365bbfd Orioles send Trevor Rogers, and we should bet to back his hot streak on the mound te 2026-07-09T15:01:19.884Z Orioles send Trevor Rogers, and we should bet to back his hot streak on the mound It was a strong day for those who trailed yesterday.  We bet on the Toronto Blue Jays, and their starting pitcher, Dylan Cease, was throwing a no-hitter for eight innings before he lost it in the top of the ninth. Interestingly enough, I mentioned that both starters could throw a complete-game shutout. Cease would've done it if his pitch count was a bit lower — he had 11 strikeouts. Let's try to get another clean sweep today. The Chicago Cubs are in one of their better stretches again. I've talked quite a bit about how their season has gone when I've covered them in the past. The Cubs have had two ten-game winning streaks and a ten-game losing streak. That's not common for a team. Offensively, the Cubs are led by Pete Crow-Armstrong, who is quickly becoming one of the most polarizing figures in the game. There really is no denying his talent, but there are also moments where you can see he is 24 years old. That's not a knock; it is the reality of the situation. If the Cubs want to get where they want to go, they absolutely need to have some pitching added to this team. Their starters have been decimated, with all but one of the five from Opening Day (I believe) spending time on the injured list at this point. The Cubs went out and traded for today's starter, David Peterson. His first start with the Cubbies did not go well, giving up 10 earned runs on nine hits in 3.2 innings. Perhaps something can be adjusted with his mechanics, because he has been fine in some games and awful in others. The good news is that Orioles hitters have not hit Peterson well, batting just .139 against him in 36 at-bats. The Baltimore Orioles' season has been a disaster, and they are starting to run out of time to turn it around. This was a year they expected to adjust and return to the success they had found two years ago. Just a few years ago, this was a team that was viewed as one with a bright future because of the young talent. Their pitching hasn't quite aligned with how their hitting has developed, and that certainly is part of the issue. Being in the American League East also doesn't help them, as it is one of the hardest divisions to play in. Today, they send out Trevor Rogers to the hill in hopes that he can avoid a sweep. For the season, Rogers is 6-7 with a 4.70 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. None of those numbers are very encouraging. He is also the owner of a 5.02 home ERA, which is another reason for concern. There is one positive that can be taken away, though, and that is his current form. Lately, he's been solid on the mound, allowing just seven earned runs over his past 35.2 innings of work. Cubs hitters have had decent success against him with 12 hits in 48 at-bats. Crow-Armstrong had another strong game yesterday, so it would probably be wise to back him while he continues his hot hitting. However, I'm probably not going to get too deep into player props in this one. I've found lately that they are a bit harder for me to be consistently good at, but I still like mentioning for those that play fantasy or like them. Instead, my play is going to be to continue fading Peterson until he proves that he has made the necessary adjustments. I think the Cubs will eventually turn him around, but I'm not comfortable backing him. Give me the birds in this one, as I think Baltimore takes down Chicago and avoids the sweep. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024 Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fb798c2ca79de2365bb3f Anthropic, OpenAI, and SpaceX are bigger than the last 25 years of tech exits te 2026-07-09T15:00:40.453Z Anthropic, OpenAI, and SpaceX are bigger than the last 25 years of tech exits Three big AI IPOs are set to generate more value than all the U.S. VC backed exits since 2000. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fb784c2ca79de2365bb36 Anthropic’s new Claude feature is quietly selling you on AI te 2026-07-09T15:00:20.507Z Anthropic’s new Claude feature is quietly selling you on AI Claude’s new Reflect dashboard doesn’t just visualize how you use AI. It also subtly reinforces how much of your daily work now depends on Anthropic’s chatbot. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fb540c2ca79de2365ba0e Air Force rescinding 135 promotions after test scoring error: 'This is going to be hard' te 2026-07-09T14:50:40.925Z Air Force rescinding 135 promotions after test scoring error: 'This is going to be hard' The Air Force on Monday acknowledged a human error involving an outdated test answer key corrupted this year's technical sergeant selection process, forcing officials to revoke 135 promotions and award those slots to other troops who rightfully earned them. The error affected only the service's security forces career field, where officials rescored all 2,285 eligible Airmen after discovering an outdated scoring key had been used on the Specialty Knowledge Test. "We owe it to those affected to address it immediately," Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force David R. Wolfe said in a statement. "This is going to be hard for everyone impacted." After rescoring all 2,285 eligible Airmen, the Air Force determined that 451 previously selected Airmen would keep their promotions while 135 others no longer met the cutoff score. Another 135 Airmen who were initially passed over will instead receive the promotions after officials rescored every eligible test. 99-YEAR-OLD WWII VETERAN AWARDED PURPLE HEART AFTER WAITING MORE THAN 80 YEARS Air Force officials said the error was discovered after the promotion list was released and an enlisted promotions team member at the Air Force Personnel Center identified the outdated scoring key. Officials described the mistake as an isolated and unprecedented human error, adding that no other Air Force specialty codes were affected. US NAVY IDENTIFIES SAILOR LOST IN ARABIAN SEA AFTER HELICOPTER'S EMERGENCY WATER LANDING Officials said they verified the correct answer key with subject matter experts before rescoring every eligible exam. The total number of promotions did not change, remaining at 586. "We promote Airmen based on merit, which is established in federal law and policy," Lt. Gen. Jefferson O'Donnell, the Air Force's deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services, said in a statement. "Who we are as an Air Force, defined by our core values, demands integrity in the meritocratic promotion system." The Air Force Personnel Center plans to announce the 135 newly selected technical sergeants in a supplemental promotion release during the week of July 13. Officials said the new selectees will receive adjusted line numbers that will not affect when they are promoted. The Air Force said it has tightened its review process and is examining how the error occurred to prevent a similar mistake in future promotion cycles. Leaders are notifying affected Airmen directly and have set up a hotline to answer questions. Officials said the mistake was caused by human error, not artificial intelligence. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fac2dc2ca79de2365b853 Vanilla Ice says he nearly joined the ‘27 Club’ before quitting drugs for good te 2026-07-09T14:11:57.866Z Vanilla Ice says he nearly joined the ‘27 Club’ before quitting drugs for good This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Vanilla Ice opened up about one of the darkest chapters of his life, revealing he wrote a suicide note at age 27 during a battle with drug addiction before ultimately quitting drugs for good and rebuilding his life. In an episode of "Hang Out with Sean Hannity" that was released Thursday, the rapper looked back on how the sudden end of his meteoric rise to fame left him struggling with his identity. He described how drug use spiraled until he reached a breaking point, saying that experience ultimately prompted him to walk away from drugs, cut ties with unhealthy influences and start his life over in Miami. "Basically, that whole wave I was riding — 'Ice Ice Baby,' 'Ninja Turtles,' 'Cool as Ice,' movies, everything — and then all of a sudden I hit the shore. The wave just crashed," he said. "I almost joined the 27 Club, and it was right there. Twenty-seven years old. I couldn't figure out what I was doing. I never got to be a kid. I had to be a responsible adult, and I wanted to just enjoy being twenty-something. I never got to enjoy that." MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY FLED TO PERU TO FIGHT ‘DEMONS’ AFTER EARLY FAME The singer, known for his 1990 hip-hop hit "Ice Ice Baby," said his friends read his suicide note and came to his aid. After that, he elected to cut "the party guys" out of his life, changing his phone number and moving to Florida. He reflected on the difficulties facing people in their late twenties. ‘BRADY BUNCH’ STAR SHARES THE SIMPLE WORD THAT SAVED HER FROM HOLLYWOOD TRAPS "Whether you're famous or not, 27 is a hard age because your twenties are over. You've got the adult thing coming. Being an adult sucks. You've got to accept responsibility and be a lousy adult and wake up, drink coffee and deal with kids," he said. "You have it really good until you get right there, and that's where the transition happens. The pressure... These kids in their twenties, especially today, they have to process way too many thoughts in their heads. They don't know where their future is going. They try to plan it and figure it out, and they can't." Although he quit drugs and left that chapter behind, Vanilla Ice said it took years before he fully came to terms with the success that had once nearly consumed him. He recalled that a conversation with evangelist Tammy Faye Messner while filming the reality television series "The Surreal Life" changed his perspective. BROOKE SHIELDS REFLECTS ON BEING MADE A 'SEX SYMBOL' AT A YOUNG AGE AND HOW SHE TURNED THE PAGE ON FAME The rapper admitted he didn't like performing "Ice Ice Baby" because the period of his life when it became a phenomenon "almost killed" him. "I just didn't want to be that person. It wasn't me," he said. But words of wisdom he attributed to Messner and actor Erik Estrada caused him to reconsider. "[They] both said, 'Listen, you are who you are because of who you were... Accept it. You can't go back and change it. You have to be yourself now. That makes you who you are today.'" The conversation prompted him to embrace "Ice Ice Baby" as part of his story rather than something to run from. He said he realized fans had attached their own memories to the song, and he didn't want to take that away from them. Vanilla Ice also credited his mother with helping him find a healthier outlook after his struggles. He recounted asking her how he was supposed to be happy when he felt miserable. "She said, 'Exactly. You need to put your dancing shoes on.' And I don't mean literally get up and start dancing. I mean get out there. Whatever problems you've got, dance your way through them because you cannot dance if you're miserable." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fac1ac2ca79de2365b84a Jeff Foxworthy says Hollywood has not understood regular Americans in a ‘long, long time’ te 2026-07-09T14:11:38.408Z Jeff Foxworthy says Hollywood has not understood regular Americans in a ‘long, long time’ Jeff Foxworthy is a comedian for the people, but Hollywood, in his estimation, has lost the plot. "I don't think Hollywood has understood that audience in a long, long time," Foxworthy told Fox News Digital of regular people. "I don’t care where they live or where they stand politically, if you sat people down and said, ‘What do you want out of life?’ I bet we would agree on 85% of the things." He said everybody wants to love somebody and be loved, be able to take care of their family and have a little entertainment. BILLY BOB THORNTON PUSHES BACK ON CELEBRITY ACTIVISM: ‘I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT POLITICS’ "We want the same things," he argued. "But what happened was, instead of celebrating the 85% that we're all alike, we yell and scream at each other over the 15% that we’re different. Being different is fine. It would be boring as hell if we were all alike and all thought the same way." Foxworthy loves being able to talk to people about differing points of view. WATCH HERE: JEFF FOXWORTHY SAYS HOLLYWOOD HASN'T UNDERSTOOD REGULAR AMERICANS IN A LONG TIME "I think that was the success of the Blue Collar Tour, because when the Kings of Comedy came out, Atlanta was one of the first stops, and they had an article about it in the Atlanta paper. And it said it was a show for the urban hip audience. And I'm like, ‘’Well, I've been to all 50 states, and let me tell you, there's 200 million people that aren't urban or hip, so let's do a show for them.’" JIMMY KIMMEL FIRES BACK AT CRITICS TELLING HIM HOW TO DO HIS JOB AS LATE-NIGHT COMEDIAN He added, "I just kind of, my comedy comes from this template. I just think if I think something or my wife says something or my family does something, I'm going to assume other people are thinking and saying and doing the same things." The greatest compliment he gets, Foxworthy said, is when someone tells him after he’s tried a new bit, ‘Oh my God, you've been in our house,’ ‘cause, you know, you've made them kind of laugh at themselves. You've held something up that they've said or thought, and you realize that's — we all want to belong to something bigger than ourselves." That’s when he realizes, "‘Oh, it's not just me. Other people, other people's families are as screwed up as ours,’ you know?" JEFF FOXWORTHY SAYS NEW FOX NATION SPECIAL COULD BE HIS LAST, AND HE'S ENDING IT WHERE HE STARTED Foxworthy’s new comedy special "The Joke's On Me" is streaming now on Fox Nation. WATCH HERE: JEFF FOXWORTHY DESCRIBES THE INSPIRATION FOR HIS ‘THE JOKE’S ON ME' COMEDY SPECIAL The special is unique in that it offers a behind-the-scenes look at his family life and his joke-writing process. The comedian said he was inspired by the Beatles documentary "Get Back," which showed the musicians writing the song. "They were in the studio, and they were trying to write songs and, you know, playing with lyrics and throwing them out and playing with instruments and throwing them out," Foxworthy said. "And at the end, they all go up on the roof, and they play 'Get Back,' and it was so beautiful. I got teary-eyed. I'm sitting there watching it, and I thought: ‘You know, seeing the process didn't take anything away from the finished product. In fact, it added to it. It made it richer because you saw the struggle that went into creating that." It made him realize that "Nobody's ever done that with stand-up. People just think stand-ups are funny." He said people often think stand-ups just grab a microphone and start talking about their day, "And yet to do a 60-minute special, it takes a year of hard work to create an hour worth of material." That’s why when Fox Nation first approached the comedian about a 60-minute special he wasn’t interested. "I said, ‘But if you're willing to try something different, if you will show me note cards in hands, going into a club on a Tuesday night or a Wednesday night and just throwing these thoughts out’ – Because one of the things that still fascinates me after over 40 years about stand-up is I still don't know what people are gonna laugh at." He laughed, "You would think after 40 years, I would know. Now I'll go in there with an idea, ‘Oh, this is really funny.’ And then nobody laughs, or I'll have a card where I think ‘This is so stupid. I'm embarrassed to say it.’ And you throw it out there and everybody's beating the tables laughing. And you're like, ‘Really?’ And so I wanted to show that. And Fox Nation was the first place that ever said, ‘OK, we'll do it.’" Friends have told him it’s the best thing he’s ever done and that they’ve never seen anything like it before, he said. "I love stand-up," he added. "Every special looks the same, and I wanted — I mean they just do. I've seen a thousand of them, and so I'm like, ‘I want this to be different.’ I want something like the Beatles thing. I want someone to watch it and at the end they go, ‘Not only did I laugh, I learned something about the artist in it,’ and I think we pulled it off." The 67-year-old has also implied that this special might be his last. "And by that, I don't mean that I would quit doing stand-up," he explained. "I just — at this point in my life, what it takes to create that new linear hour, I'd rather spend that time with my grandkids, or I'd rather spend time on a tractor at the farm." He’s said he's also been on the road nonstop his entire career. "I laugh at my music friends when they say they're on tour. I said, ‘Well, tour implies it stops at some point.’ I said, ‘I've been on tour since 1984, you know? It just never stopped.’ I still love stand-up. I just don't know that I'm willing — and to be honest, I'm not sure I can do anything any better than this, which just feels like a good place to stop." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fac06c2ca79de2365b841 Parents, fans furious with puzzling decision that could make high school baseball far more dangerous te 2026-07-09T14:11:18.951Z Parents, fans furious with puzzling decision that could make high school baseball far more dangerous High school baseball pitchers better have their heads on a swivel beginning in 2028, because the game is about to change. On Wednesday, USA Baseball and the National Federation of High School State Associations (NFHS) announced that the NFHS Rules Committee voted to expand permitted bat drop weights in high school baseball to include -4, -5, and -6. For those who don't know, "bat drop weights" is the difference between a bat's length (in inches) and its weight (in ounces). For example, the current rules say a bat must be -3, or a drop-3. If a bat is 31 inches long, it must be weigh 28 ounces. That's standard practice for bats in high school baseball. VANDERBILT PITCHER SCREAMS AT BATTER LIKE A MANIAC, GETS HIT WITH INSTANT KARMA ONE PITCH LATER A 31-28 bat, 32-29, or 33-30. You get the picture. Starting in 2028, players will be able to legally use a lighter bat, hence the -4, -5, or -6. USA Baseball sold the move as a necessary one to "keeping more athletes in baseball and supporting their long-term development." I'm not so sure. Neither are fans, parents, or coaches. "We have seen too many athletes entering high school baseball struggle with the immediate jump to the -3-drop weight and then walk away from the game," USA Baseball President John Gall said in a release. "This rule change creates flexibility for players to continue building strength, refining mechanics, and developing bat speed over time before making the jump to USA BBCOR." I'm just not sure its the best move, I'll be honest here. I played high school baseball. In fact, I played baseball for well over a decade, all the way through college. I've seen what legit high school prospects can do with a bat. I played before the current BBCOR bat was in place. For those who haven't brushed up on their high school sports terms in the past decade, BBCOR bats were introduced in 2012 and are basically just a toned-down version of the old aluminum bats we used to use and absolutely annihilate balls with. They are essentially a bridge to the wood bats they use at the professional level. BBCOR stands for Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution, and basically controls how much energy transfers from a bat to the ball upon impact. And that's your science lesson for today! Anyway, high school baseball mandated these bats after the 2011 season at both the college and high school level, and it's been pretty much business as usual ever since. Why USA Baseball decided to allow players to make them lighter all of a sudden is puzzling. They're billing it as a way to keep players from "walking away from the game," which, again, is puzzling. I've never once seen nor heard of a player walk away from high school baseball because the bat was too heavy. Come on. Basically, in the name of inclusivity, USA Baseball has now put a lighter bat in the hands of a 220-pound, 5-tool prospect who can already tear the cover off the ball as is. Parents, coaches and fans were quick to point that out after USA Baseball made the announcement: I could go on and on. Folks are angry, and I get it. Personally, this comment from Southwest Tennessee Community College coach Erik Schoenrock really did it for me: "If you’re not using a -3 bat by the time you’re 14 or 15 years old… don’t worry about college baseball recruiting. You’re not getting prepared," said Schoenrock, a former University of Memphis pitcher who was drafted by the Padres in 2013. "And personally, I think this is ridiculous… just asking for someone to get hurt. 0 player safety thoughts with this new rule." To me, this feels like a step backwards in terms of high school baseball development. Right? Again, my final year of high school baseball back in 2011 was the final year of the old bats. The next year, BBCOR's were made mandatory, partly due to safety concerns. But, they were also a bridge to the wood bats used in professional baseball. If you really want to develop amateurs, why not just make the move to wood bats entirely and ditch the metal? That's what they did pre-1973(ish). The good 'ol days. The simpler days. "Back when men were men!" as my grandpa would say. Instead, we're giving them the option to use ... lighter ... bats? I don't get it. Even more puzzling was the reasoning. Because kids are walking away from the game? Odd. "The adoption of the USA Baseball BBCOR standard and expanding the available drop-weight options provides younger and developing players with additional opportunities to build proper mechanics, confidence, and skills while maintaining the risk minimization and performance standards expected in education-based athletics," said NFHS Director of Sports, Sanctioning, and Student Services Elliot Hopkins. Risk minimization? We'll see. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fabf3c2ca79de2365b838 'Dune: Part Three' trailer ignites fan frenzy ahead of the trilogy-closing December 2026 release te 2026-07-09T14:10:59.496Z 'Dune: Part Three' trailer ignites fan frenzy ahead of the trilogy-closing December 2026 release A new trailer has arrived for "Dune: Part Three." Basic info: HOW 'OBSESSION' WENT FROM A SUB-$1M HORROR FILM TO A $371.2M BOX OFFICE PHENOMENON THAT DETHRONED 'SINNERS' The "Dune" film series has become an international phenomenon. The first two films in Frank Herbert's saga directed by Denis Villeneuve earned more than $1.1 billion globally. It's worth noting the first one was also released on streaming due to the COVID-19 pandemic, thus, impacting its total box office haul. The science fiction story about Paul Atreides —played by Timothée Chalamet -is legendary, and now there's one film left to close out Villeneuve's trilogy. To say fans are excited would be an incredible understatement. "Dune: Part Three" arrives in theaters on December 18th, and a new trailer for the film dropped Wednesday. It's only going to send excitement further soaring. Give it a watch below, and let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com. People were quick to weigh in on the YouTube comments with one writing, "This movie better win all of the awards. Villeneuve deserves it." Another added, "Every shot here looks amazing. This was the only film I came into this year hyped for & the trailers have only heightened that." A third commented, "Stoked for this one!" Clearly, people are excited and I'm right there with them. December 18th is going to see a lot of packed theaters in America. Let me know your thoughts on the final "Dune" film in Villeneuve's trilogy at David.Hookstead@outkick.com. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fabccc2ca79de2365b822 Former Olympian Pleads Not Guilty to Damaging Reflecting Pool te 2026-07-09T14:10:20.592Z Former Olympian Pleads Not Guilty to Damaging Reflecting Pool David Hearn is one of at least four people accused of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool that has been plagued with challenges. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fa9b4c2ca79de2365b7f0 City of Sedona creates its library of housing plans te 2026-07-09T14:01:24.967Z City of Sedona creates its library of housing plans Pre-approved architectural designs aim to cut costs and permitting time It’s all going according to plan at the city of Sedona’s Community Development Department, following the July 1 opening of its Verde Valley Housing Plan Library. The city put the library in place to comply with Senate Bill 1529, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fa98ac2ca79de2365b7c8 A laughably bad American League has allowed one of baseball's worst teams to climb into the playoff race te 2026-07-09T14:00:42.496Z A laughably bad American League has allowed one of baseball's worst teams to climb into the playoff race The Boston Red Sox are three games out of a postseason spot as the Major League Baseball season nears the All-Star break. If you've missed the first three months of the season, you're probably confused as to why that's worthy of a story. After all, it's the Red Sox. They made the playoffs last season and were a trendy World Series pick this year. Of course, they've been, arguably, the most embarrassing team in the league for 90% of the season. It's been a real race between the Red Sox and New York Mets, if we're being honest. At the moment, the Mets are in the lead. But it hasn't been that way all season. FIRED RED SOX COACHES ESCORTED FROM TEAM HOTEL IN EMBARRASSING FASHION The Sox fired manager Alex Cora less than a month into the season after an abysmal start. Star outfielder Roman Anthony has missed most of the year with a finger injury that the team initially said should sideline him for only a few weeks. Ace Garrett Crochet hasn't made a start in months, and he was recently moved to the 60-day IL. The team, as of a few weeks ago, was at the bottom of the American League. GM Craig Breslow was about to be fired. The entire roster was set to be sold off at the deadline. Fans at Fenway were chanting "Sell the team" every other game. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM And now, because of a well-timed winning streak — and because the American League is laughably bad this season — those same Red Sox are on the cusp of a playoff spot at the halfway point. Let's go ahead and dive into the numbers, because they are truly stunning. Just a historically bad year for the American League, obviously. And, because of that, teams like the Red Sox (42-48), Tigers (42-50), Orioles (42-51) and A's (41-51) are all within legit striking distance of a playoff spot. The Red Sox are, perhaps, the most surprising of all. They fired half their coaching staff back in April, including Alex Cora. They've essentially lost their ace and best all-around player for the season. They are 17-27 at Fenway Park this season, which is impossibly bad given that park. Yet, the team has rallied behind an elite pitching rotation even without Crochet, the best closer in the AL in Aroldis Chapman, and an All-Star season from 34-year-old Willson Contreras. It also hasn't hurt that Caleb Durbin — the player acquired to replace Alex Bregman last winter — has been among the best third baseman in baseball over the last month after an abysmal start to the season. Credit to Durbin — and the rest of the roster — for somewhat turning it around. But is it a mirage? With the trade deadline looming, that's the question the Red Sox — and the rest of the mediocre clubs in the American League — will have to grapple with over the next few weeks. Does "going for it" because the league is in the midst of an embarrassing season make sense? Some would argue teams, like the Red Sox, would just be delaying the inevitable by doing that. Others will counter that by saying you play games to win, and you grind through seasons to play in October. It's a fascinating debate, and one that is very much alive at the moment only because the American League is laughably mediocre. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fa757c2ca79de2365b760 Anti-Trump protester charged after viral video appears to show journalist shoved at Maine protest te 2026-07-09T13:51:19.335Z Anti-Trump protester charged after viral video appears to show journalist shoved at Maine protest A Maine man is facing charges after a viral video captured him allegedly assaulting a local journalist at an apparent Democratic-led protest. The undated video posted Tuesday shows The Maine Wire’s Joe Sokol speaking to demonstrators at a protest challenging President Donald Trump — among other political flashpoints — in the city of Bangor. "When we find out that somebody is not a good person, we don’t vote for them," one woman can be heard telling Sokol, as she carries a sign depicting an upside-down American flag. TPUSA REPORTER SAVANAH HERNANDEZ ASSAULTED DURING MINNEAPOLIS ICE PROTEST As Sokol walks away following a brief interview with the woman, a man wearing a white shirt and carrying a sign that reads "Healthcare 4 all" appears to shove the journalist and cameraman. "Whoa, whoa, that’s assault," Sokol is heard saying as the man walks away. As the man storms away from Sokol, a woman carrying an American flag can be seen following him with her hand on his shoulder and apologizing profusely. TPUSA REPORTER SAYS FAMILY CHARGED WITH ASSAULTING HER IS NOW TRYING TO SILENCE HER WITH RESTRAINING ORDERS Sokol then confronts the man, asking, "Why would you just do that?" "I didn’t see you," the man replied while walking down a sparse line of fellow demonstrators, each carrying signs that appeared to push anti-Trump rhetoric. "Excuse me, sir, would you like to tell me why you just assaulted me?" Sokol asked. "Would you like to tell me why you just assaulted me?" VIDEO SHOWS OFF-DUTY FLORIDA SHERIFF'S SERGEANT ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTING ELDERLY COUPLE AT BAR The man appears to not respond to Sokol, as the unidentified woman offers a string of apologies to the journalist. "I’m sorry, we don’t do that," the woman can be heard telling Sokol. In another clip, Sokol can be seen attempting to interview another man at the protest when the same individual appears to back into Sokol before allegedly elbowing him. The man does not appear to exchange words with Sokol throughout the video and details surrounding any type of confrontation remain unclear. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE The incident was subsequently reported to the Bangor Police Department, who confirmed the man’s identity to Fox News Digital as 78-year-old Ronald Staples, of the nearby city of Holden. Staples is facing one charge of assault, according to police. Authorities have not yet released details surrounding what led up to or transpired immediately after the alleged assault. Fox News Digital reached out to Staples and the Maine Wire for comment but did not receive a response. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fa743c2ca79de2365b757 Kenny Omega captures AEW World Championship in epic match over MJF te 2026-07-09T13:50:59.880Z Kenny Omega captures AEW World Championship in epic match over MJF Kenny Omega walked into The BayCare Sound in Clearwater, Florida, on Wednesday night knowing it could be the final time he could challenge for the All Elite Wrestling (AEW) World Championship. It was the stipulation that Omega agreed to in order to face champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF). It’s a similar stipulation that "Hangman" Adam Page agreed to and lost to MJF earlier this year. Omega and MJF are two of the top stars in all of pro wrestling. COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON FOX NEWS DIGITAL The Clearwater crowd was seemingly behind Omega. MJF already ruffled the feathers of his potential challenger at All In, Will Ospreay, when he spat in his face in a segment backstage. The tensions were heightened and it marked for a terrific match between the two pro wrestlers. And the referee let them fight. MJF and Omega brought their brawl into the stands at fight before taking it back into the ring. MJF used his dirty tactics to avoid Omega at first. He put the referee in his way of a V-trigger and then bit into Omega’s face. "I’m moonwalking to Wembley Stadium whether you like it or not," MJF told the camera during the match. Omega tried to put some space in between himself and MJF. He walked up the ramp and was able to take some control of the match. He climbed up a lifeguard tower that was set up at the top of the ram and hit a moonsault on MJF. He got MJF back in the ring and hit a dropkick from the top rope to MJF’s back. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Omega looked as good as ever and it seemed he was going to take control with hopes of becoming the AEW world champion for the third time. MJF had other ideas, taking advantage of Omega’s blinding speed with a drop toehold. But it wasn’t enough to grind Omega’s momentum to a halt. The two went back and forth as fans waited to see who was going to walk out of Clearwater with the belt. As the match wore on, MJF attempted to drive Omega from the apron into the announce table with a tombstone. However, Omega got out of it and hit a V-trigger on MJF. The champ was sent flying from the apron and through the announce table. By the time MJF got back up, the two men were clearly spent. They attempted to get their last licks in. MJF hit Omega with a tombstone piledriver on a chair but seemingly injured his knee with the move. Omega got MJF back in the ring and hit two more nasty V-triggers. Somehow, MJF was able to counter a One-Winged Angel with a poisonrana. He hit him with a heatseeker but couldn’t get the pinfall. MJF lined up to hit Omega with the Dynamite Diamond Ring. But Will Ospreay came out to take the ring away. Omega was going to hit MJF with the AEW title belt but didn’t have the heart. MJF hit Omega with a low blow and the title. But Omega kicked out at a one count. It was Omega’s turn to turn on the heat. He reached deep down inside of him to hit MJF with three more V-triggers and a One-Winged Angel. Omega pinned MJF to win the AEW World Championship. The crowd went wild and it appears Omega will go on to face Ospreay at All In later this summer. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fa730c2ca79de2365b74e Hooters closes operations in multiple LIB states, new footage of Payne Valley golf cart debacle & steak dinner te 2026-07-09T13:50:40.435Z Hooters closes operations in multiple LIB states, new footage of Payne Valley golf cart debacle & steak dinner It's a beautiful July morning here in NW Ohio where we buckle up for another edition of Thursday Screencaps which includes not-so-shocking news from Hooters. While we were all focused on the World Cup, America 250 and enjoying our summer breaks, the breastaurant quietly closed a number of stores in LIB states where the purple hairs run pop culture. According to MassLive, Hooters has now closed its operations in Massachusetts where the final store closed in June. Around the same time, Hooters also closed up its final New York location after closing New York City stores earlier this year. WORLD CUP FANS ARE BLOWN AWAY BY 'FREE REFILLS' IN THE UNITED STATES, GEN Z HITS MASSIVE VEGAS POT & MEAT! • Minnesota • Connecticut • Massachusetts • New York Meanwhile, in LIB-controlled Michigan, one store remains. With beer consumption on the decline, to-go sports bar food business models thriving and a pivot to lesbian sports bars being all the rage, Hooters seems to be caught in a nightmare situation, especially in states under full LIB control. So what's the plan? In April, company leadership indicated there's a Hooters movie coming and possible growth in the West to go along with the strong footprint it has in the free state of Florida. What's crystal-clear is that Hooters will likely never return to states run by angry members of the Alphabet Mafia. That ship has sailed. 📩 Email: joe.kinsey@outkick.com Send photos, stories, tips, rants—whatever you've got. 📰 Screencaps Page: 👉 Read the latest Screencaps ▶️ YouTube: Screencaps with Joe Kinsey Subscribe for videos, rants, and behind-the-scenes. 🐦 Twitter/X: @JoeKinseyexp Tag me or drop a DM. 📸 Instagram: @OutKickScreencaps You guys need to start tagging me on content you're seeing. 📘 Facebook Page: Screencaps on Facebook 👥 Facebook Group: Join the Screencaps Community 📬 Mail (Thursday Night Mowing League): 27072 Carronade Dr, Unit A 155 Perrysburg, OH 43551 🗞️ Newsletter: 👉 Subscribe here Speaking of brands that were left for dead, let's check in with Cracker Barrel and dummy CEO Julie Masino. It was around this time last year when Masino's team was quietly changing the look of the iconic company. They started by whitewashing stores and ripping out the fabric of what made people fall in love with the brand in the first place. They made stores look like First Watch. And loyal customers were furious. Masino followed that up with an August media blitz right before the NFL season that turned out to be one of the dumbest marketing moves since Bud Light. Now? MSNBC is hailing Julie as a hero for helping the company rebound...to nearly where the stock was at before the August mess. You can't make this stuff up. There's new video from the Payne Valley golf cart incident I golf with some real degenerates, but none of the guys I know have dunked a golf cart into a pond, especially off a cliff. I need to hear from these guys bad. The golf community is small. One of you has to know the guy who dunked the cart. I'm begging you, send me his phone number. This is the nonsense you get from social media that people are dumb enough to believe Ah yes, he just went on a generational run where the dealer pulled all the bust cards in head-to-head blackjack. If you believe this garbage, you deserve to lose your 401k at the casino. The chances of going on this run and pulling two 21s after splitting aces are astronomical. How many times have you been on a run like this? Should the United States marketing department reach out to the Euros to have them experience college football Saturdays? – Alex in NC presents a strong idea: As awesome as it has been that all these fans from other countries have fallen in love with the USA, the fact that they are all going to miss the college football season experience is a true shame. Imagine them ant the Iron Bowl, tailgating at Ole Miss, a white out at penn state, osu vs Michigan Florida vs UGA, The red river shootout with OU and Texas in the cotton bowl.  Any  rivalry game and the energy around those stadiums would have blown their minds. Readers continue to react to my athletic achievement – Savannah Bob says: Probably one of many that are sending this, but that is a PAR 5!! Tap in PAR!!! Take the credit — well played hole. – Jim Z in East Peoria, IL is back and complimenting my golf game: WOWZA!!!!! Great job there Mr. One-Take Kinsey!!! Very impressive. That 40 foot putt was truly amazing!!! And the shots leading to it were pretty darn good as well!!! Congrats on the baseball win last night. Sounds like, regardless of what happens, you've ended up in a good place with your group this year. Completely unhinged nonsense that modern moms post on social media – Britt emails: My wife showed this post to me from a neighborhood group. I haven't stopped laughing yet, but the truth is this is how many younger people think and live in this country and I hope I'm not around when they get control.    ––––––––––––––––––––––––– Hey neighbors, I'm looking for a babysitter (for just occasional times here and there) but fair warning: we are veeerry particular My daughter really needs to trust someone before she'll feel comfortable with them, so before any real babysitting happens we'd want to spend real time together first. Playdates, hangouts, getting to know each other. Our babysitter ends up feeling more like a trusted family friend. I'm looking for an adult with a lot of genuine experience with kids (not just babysitting younger siblings a few times), someone who gets nervous system-aware, connection-based parenting. Montessori, RIE, conscious parenting vibes. Down to play pretend, do crafts, read a million books, follow a child's lead. Able to stay calm and grounded when things get big: tears, frustration, resistance, without shutting it down or powering through. Someone who works WITH a child rather than over them. My daughter does best with low-pressure, collaborative energy and someone who offers choices rather than commands. If this sounds like you or someone you know, please reach out! –––––––––––––––––––––––––– Kinsey: What are the chances the mom used AI to create that message? 74% chance? More? I'll tell you this, her husband either needs a blowout golf trip BAD or he's a giant pussy who is going to wake up one day and wonder why he let this maniac ruin his life. Pulse check: Are your kids watching sports on TV? – Travel Ball Hardo Chris B. in Houston checks in: You've said your baseball boys don't watch MLB baseball games... some probably watch the highlights on social media.  Ask them if they watched the USA vs Belgium World Cup game.  I suspect many of them did.  And one more... talk to them about the MLB all star game next week.  Back when my son played most of the boys didn't watch regular season games, but many of them watched the home run derby & the all star game.  You might poll yours and see what you get.   Kinsey: My kids watched more World Cup than they have MLB in the last two months because I've had it on more.  Granted, they've been outside a ton this summer. YouTube will show them MLB ASG clips that they'll watch, I'm sure. Honestly, I could get rid of our TVs and I'm not sure they'd notice for a few days.  CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS ##################### And with that, I'm out this morning. I have Zooms to hop on, Facebook posts to post and things to get done at this job that I'm incredibly fortunate to have. We're quickly closing in on my 20th anniversary of cashing checks on the Internet. That is bizarre to even think about. Let's get after it. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fa4edc2ca79de2365b6e3 With US unleashing attacks, Iranian official threatens that the Islamic Republic will deliver a 'hard slap' te 2026-07-09T13:41:01.811Z With US unleashing attacks, Iranian official threatens that the Islamic Republic will deliver a 'hard slap' An Iranian official warned that the Islamic Republic will deliver a "hard slap" while another blatantly threatened the U.S. that "if you strike, you'll get hit," according to automatic translations from the two men's Persian-language posts on X. Ebrahim Rezaei, whose profile on the social media platform indicates that he is a representative in Iran's Parliament and the spokesperson for the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, wrote in a post on X, "The martyred Khamenei taught us not to fear America and showed that 'falsehood will perish.' Await the hard slap from the Iranians." The speaker of Iran's Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned, "America still hasn’t learned that bullying and breaking promises are no longer cost-free. Let me put it plainly: if you strike, you’ll get hit. Don’t flail around pointlessly, or you’ll sink even deeper: the Strait of Hormuz will only open with 'Iranian arrangements,' not American threats." Both of the men issued their posts on Wednesday after U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced more strikes against Iran. "At the direction of the Commander in Chief, U.S. Central Command forces have started conducting additional strikes against Iran to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The United States is holding Iran accountable for recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping and civilian crews freely navigating a vital international waterway," CENTCOM had noted in a post on X. TRUMP SAYS IRAN CEASEFIRE DEAL IS 'OVER' AFTER NEW ROUND OF STRIKES The U.S. military later provided more information about the attacks. "U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces completed an additional round of strikes against Iran, July 8, to further degrade Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping and innocent civilian mariners in the Strait of Hormuz," CENTCOM noted on Wednesday night. "U.S. forces struck approximately 90 Iranian military targets including air defense systems, coastal surveillance assets, missile and drone storage sites, naval capabilities, and military logistics infrastructure along Iran’s coastline. The latest strikes follow successful execution of offensive strikes in Iran the night before," the announcement noted. "CENTCOM forces hit approximately 80 Iranian military targets July 7, including more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats, to impose heavy costs for Iran violating the ceasefire by attacking three commercial vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz." TRUMP DEMANDS END TO TRADE WITH KEY US ALLY, CALLS IT A 'WASTED CAUSE' President Donald Trump indicated on Wednesday that, as far as he was concerned, the U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding ceasefire was "over." Kuwait and Bahrain have both reported coming under attack. The Kuwait Army noted in a Thursday post on X, which was written in Arabic, "The Official Spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, Major General Saud Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi, stated that the armed forces detected, at dawn today, (3) ballistic missiles, (1) cruise missile, and (10) hostile drones within Kuwaiti airspace, which were successfully intercepted and dealt with." TRUMP SAYS 'IRAN LIES AND CHEATS' AS IRGC EMERGES AS DOMINANT FORCE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH US The Bahrain Defense Force noted in a post that was in Arabic, "The General Command clarifies that, with firm resolve and high combat readiness, the Bahrain Defense Force's air defense systems confronted, intercepted, and destroyed several treacherous Iranian aerial attacks this morning, Thursday, July 9, 2026 CE." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fa4dac2ca79de2365b6d1 Landon Donovan joins Christian Pulisic criticism following USA's World Cup exit with harsh observation te 2026-07-09T13:40:42.351Z Landon Donovan joins Christian Pulisic criticism following USA's World Cup exit with harsh observation Christian Pulisic is not getting the benefit of the doubt from anyone. In perhaps the most important World Cup in the history of soccer in the United States, Pulisic ultimately did not make an impact. Pulisic got hurt in the U.S. Men's National Team's opener, causing him to miss its next game before playing limited minutes in the group stage finale. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM But Pulisic, the face of U.S. Soccer, disappointed in both knockout-stage games and left the Round of 16 match against Belgium after an ankle injury. After the loss, Pulisic said he can "rest." Landon Donovan saw both the highs and lows during his World Cup career, and while he admitted he "want[ed] to be careful" regarding his observation about Pulisic, the USMNT legend did not hold back much about the criticism he "deserves." "In the end, he’s your best player, he’s your star player, and it just didn’t happen for him..." Donovan said on his "Unfiltered Soccer" podcast with former teammate Tim Howard. "That’s part and parcel with this role. It’s just disappointing, I was waiting for a moment for him … and it just didn’t happen." TAYLOR TWELLMAN GOES OFF ON TEAM USA AFTER DISASTROUS 4-1 LOSS TO BELGIUM: 'CAN'T MISS FUNDAMENTALS' "I’m starting to look back, Tim — it’s more than just a trend now. It is," Donovan continued. "Like, when the games are easy, and it’s a home qualifier, and it’s Jamaica, yes. But in the big moments and the big games, he just hasn’t — I’m not criticizing, I’m just saying it factually. He is who he is at this point." Donovan also was not thrilled that Pulisic left the Belgium game. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter. "The reality is, he came out of a World Cup knockout game at home, with his leg still intact. Because you would have had to f--king drag me off the field," Donovan said. "And I would have punched the doctor in the face and said, ‘You’re not taking me off the field. Put whatever you need to put in me, and I’m staying on the field.’" Howard was cryptic in his not-so-positive Pulisic analysis, saying he is a "nice footballer," but "outside of that, you’d have to ask me very direct questions to which I could give you very direct answers." Pulisic has just one goal in eight career World Cup games. In Monday's loss, he lost possession 11 times in the first half. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fa294c2ca79de2365b66e Charlie Kirk family demands judge reveal hidden evidence from accused assassin's hearing te 2026-07-09T13:31:00.546Z Charlie Kirk family demands judge reveal hidden evidence from accused assassin's hearing Charlie Kirk's widow and parents say they were prevented from viewing evidence during the accused assassin's preliminary hearing, arguing in a new court filing that victims have a legal right not only to attend criminal proceedings but to meaningfully observe the evidence presented in open court. Tyler Robinson, 23, is accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk outside a "Prove Me Wrong" event at Utah Valley University in Orem on Sept. 10, 2025. A preliminary hearing is underway to determine whether the case will move forward to trial. In a supplemental notice filed Wednesday, Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, asked a Utah judge to require that all evidence admitted during the remainder of Robinson's preliminary hearing be displayed in real time for everyone lawfully present in the courtroom. The filing also asks the court to republish exhibits admitted during the first three days of the hearing that were not shown publicly. CHARLIE KIRK'S PARENTS, WIDOW TO ATTEND TYLER ROBINSON'S PRELIMINARY HEARING NEXT WEEK "The Victim's Family's position is simple. At a minimum, every exhibit entered into evidence during the preliminary hearing must be visible to every person lawfully present in the courtroom," the court filing read. "To receive evidence in a manner shielded from those seated in the courtroom – as happened today – is not transparency. And in the absence of transparency, speculation and conspiracy theories related to the tragic assassination of Mr. Kirk will continue to proliferate in the public domain, breeding doubt and distrust in the judicial system. This is not what anyone should want." The filing says the Kirk family waited 10 months for the preliminary hearing and traveled to the courthouse to witness the proceedings, only to find themselves unable to view certain evidence admitted during testimony. Attorneys wrote the family was "present in body" but denied the ability to "meaningfully observe the preliminary hearing." TYLER ROBINSON PRELIMINARY HEARING: JUDGE ORDERS REDACTIONS TO EX-LOVER’S VIDEO TESTIMONY The filing also contends that Utah law guarantees crime victims and their representatives the right to be informed of, present at and heard during important criminal justice proceedings, and argues those protections are meaningless if victims cannot see the evidence being presented to the court. "The right 'to be present' is hollow if the victim or his representative is physically in the room but is prevented from seeing the evidence the Court is receiving," the document reads. "A right to attend that does not include the ability to perceive what is happening is not meaningful presence at all." ACCUSED CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN TYLER ROBINSON FIGHTS BACK AS PROSECUTORS' SPRAWLING CASE COMES INTO FOCUS The filing asks the court to display all previously admitted exhibits that were not shown publicly during proceedings scheduled for July 9 and to require that all future evidence admitted during the preliminary hearing be displayed openly and in real time for everyone lawfully present in the courtroom. It also asks the judge to prohibit evidence from being received in a manner that conceals it from courtroom observers. Robinson's preliminary hearing began Monday and is expected to continue through the week. Prosecutors must establish probable cause for the case to proceed to trial on multiple charges, including aggravated murder, which carries the potential death penalty. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fa281c2ca79de2365b665 Trump says Democrats replacing Platner is 'very hard for them to do' te 2026-07-09T13:30:41.096Z Trump says Democrats replacing Platner is 'very hard for them to do' President Donald Trump remarked that congressional Democrats would have a hard time replacing former Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner after the embattled candidate suspended his campaign Wednesday. "It's very hard for them to do. It's really a question of whether or not you believe the woman. A lot of people say big falsehoods. It's... he's in a bind. He's in a bind. But, should they be able to do it? Well, I guess he's going to lose. I imagine he's going to lose," Trump said while speaking to reporters on Air Force One before returning to the United States from the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey. Platner suspended his campaign Wednesday evening after numerous Democrats and liberals who had previously backed him pulled their support and encouraged him to drop out of the race. PLATNER DROPS OUT OF CRUCIAL SENATE RACE AFTER BOMBSHELL RAPE ALLEGATION TORPEDOES CAMPAIGN The calls for his exit came after Politico published a bombshell report detailing rape allegations against Platner. In the story, Platner's ex-girlfriend Jenny Racicot alleged he forced his way into her home and sexually assaulted her in 2021. The Politico report followed a New York Times story that described another physical abuse allegation against Platner, this one from Lyndsey Fifield, a digital strategist for Republican political campaigns and organizations. Trump alluded to Fifield's allegations, wondering aloud why her allegations weren't a catalyst for outrage in the same manner that Racicot's were. PLATNER'S LATEST ACCUSER CLAIMS THE DEMOCRATIC SENATE CANDIDATE 'ABSOLUTELY' RAPED HER "It's very interesting when the Republican woman came out with the same charge, nobody believed her... when this woman came out everybody believed her, right?" Trump asked reporters. Fifield criticized the New York Times' handling of her accusations, spotlighting the paper's focus on her history of working for Republicans. "I'm out here on my own, I'm the only one photographed and there's 11 paragraphs of my work history. Like, what is this?" Fifield told Fox News Digital in a Wednesday interview. Platner maintained that his suspension was not an admission of guilt and denied the allegations. While Platner suspended his campaign Wednesday, he has not officially dropped out to clear a path for a new candidate. Under Maine state law, he would have to drop out by July 13 to allow the Democratic Party to put a new candidate on the ballot in his stead. Fox News Digital contacted the Platner campaign for comment. Fox News Digital's Brian Flood and Joseph Wulfsohn contributed to this report. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4fa02ac2ca79de2365b5ec Transgender fencer held women's scholarship before Trump order and NCAA policy change te 2026-07-09T13:20:42.114Z Transgender fencer held women's scholarship before Trump order and NCAA policy change Fencer Stephanie Turner was black-carded last year for refusing to compete against a trans-identifying male opponent in a women’s fencing tournament. Now, Turner says a new detail proves exactly why she took a knee in the first place. CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGE Redmond Sullivan, the transgender fencer Turner refused to face at the Cherry Blossom Open in March 2025, previously received a $5,000 athletic scholarship per semester while competing at Wagner College, according to a recent CT Mirror profile. Sullivan, who previously fenced for Wagner’s men’s team before moving to the women’s team in 2024, lost the scholarship after President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at keeping males out of women’s sports and after the NCAA changed its transgender athlete policy. The CT Mirror profile framed Sullivan’s story as one of loss and rebuilding. Turner sees it very differently. "It’s funny Redmond let it slip in this sob piece that he’s been earning women’s athletic scholarship money, as if women should feel sorry that he’s been stealing money and opportunities from them," Turner told OutKick. "It really highlights the obscenity of trans activist claims that ‘transwomen’ just want to be included when in fact they’re earning coveted positions on college sports teams, scholarship money, and awards off the backs of deserving women." Turner became a viral figure in March 2025 when she took a knee rather than fence Sullivan in the Division 1A women’s foil event at the Cherry Blossom Open, a USA Fencing-sanctioned regional tournament held at the University of Maryland. Turner removed her mask, knelt and refused to compete. She was issued a black card and disqualified from the tournament. At the time, USA Fencing said Turner was not punished for her beliefs, but rather for refusing to fence an eligible competitor. The organization later placed Turner on one year of probation. The incident quickly became one of the most visible flashpoints in the national debate over transgender athletes in women’s sports. Turner testified before Congress in May 2025 and said her protest was an act of desperation after years of frustration with USA Fencing’s transgender athlete policy. Since then, the landscape has shifted dramatically. USA Fencing later changed its policy to require athletes in domestic competition to compete according to biological sex, following updated guidance from the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee. The NCAA also changed its policy after Trump’s executive order, limiting women’s competition to biological females only. USA FENCING TRANSGENDER SAGA TAKES IRONIC TWIST AS ORG DEFENDS BANNING TRANS ATHLETE FROM WOMEN'S EVENT And last week, the Supreme Court handed supporters of women’s sports another major victory, ruling 6-3 against challenges to laws in Idaho and West Virginia that restrict males from competing in girls’ and women’s sports. Turner said the ruling was a relief, but she believes the fight is far from over. "It’s such a relief to see the Supreme Court ruling against men in women’s sports. I’ve been waiting a long time for this moment," Turner told OutKick. "However, there’s a lot of work to be done at the state level. Totally ridding women’s sports of men requires states to pass their own bills, and we all know there are Democrat-run state legislatures so deeply wedded to transgender ideology that the idea of passing such bills seems daunting. "As long as we keep sounding the alarm, waking people up to common sense, and cataloging our grievance, these bills will get passed. It’s only a matter of time." According to CT Mirror, Sullivan has since transferred to UConn, majors in history and secondary education, practices with the UConn Fencing Club and competes in mixed-gender fencing events when possible. Sullivan told the outlet fencing is no longer the main focus. "My life is now rotated to focus on different goals, and it’s not fencing," Sullivan said. "Which was going to happen eventually, because it’s something that you can only do for so long. But I would’ve liked to have chased fencing for a little bit longer." For Turner, the scholarship detail adds a new layer to a story that was initially framed by critics as one athlete refusing to include another. Her argument is that the issue was never simply about participation. It was about roster spots, competitive opportunities, awards and now, by Sullivan’s own account, scholarship money. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f9e21c2ca79de2365b579 Trump's voter ID bill catches unlikely break as McConnell remains sidelined te 2026-07-09T13:12:01.249Z Trump's voter ID bill catches unlikely break as McConnell remains sidelined An unlikely reason has chipped away, for now, at Senate Republican resistance against President Donald Trump’s flagship election priority. The Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act has hit brick wall after brick wall in the Senate, and has only twice mustered 50 votes. Still, Trump wants Republicans to pass it by any means necessary. Republicans, however, aren’t unified behind it. One lawmaker, Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has routinely voted against the bill in its variety of iterations, earning the personal ire of Trump. MCCONNELL FACES FRESH CALLS TO COME CLEAN ABOUT HEALTH ISSUES "Mitch McConnell," Trump told reporters last month. "He's very disloyal to John Thune. You know, John Thune was a very good person for him. I mean, he's a very loyal person, and Mitch McConnell's against him almost all the time because he's angry, I guess. Probably at me." McConnell has been absent from the Senate, which is currently in recess, for almost three weeks due to health issues. When he will return still remains unclear. But without his resistance, that’s one less "no" vote that Republicans have to contend with. REPUBLICAN SAYS TRUMP'S TOP ELECTION PRIORITY 'DEAD' IN SENATE AS GOP FRACTURES AHEAD OF MIDTERMS Still, it doesn’t address the broader math problem in the Senate weighing down the chances of the SAVE America Act passing. Senate Democrats are unified against it, meaning Trump and the SAVE America Act’s biggest proponents can’t break through the 60-vote filibuster, which has, in part, fueled the president’s demands to nuke the filibuster. Senate Republicans don’t have the votes to do that, either. "The only way you could get there is to undo or get rid of the legislative filibuster, and there aren't even close to the votes here in the United States Senate in order to achieve that," Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said last month. There is the talking filibuster, which Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, has pushed for months, which Republicans have yet to turn to, largely over concerns of floor time being eaten away and fractured unity leading to Democratic wins. Then there is the budget reconciliation route, which Trump has pushed Congress to consider. While Senate Republicans aren’t leaping at the prospect, the House is moving full steam ahead. GOP INFIGHTING OVER TRUMP'S VOTER ID BILL ERUPTS AS TOP SENATOR CALLS STRATEGY 'FANTASY' House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told Fox News’ Shannon Bream that he would move ahead with the reconciliation plan. "We passed it three times in the House. We’re going to try one more time on a budget reconciliation bill, and I think that will be the way to get it through the Senate, and finally, to the president’s desk." Notably, though, House Republicans have not passed the version of the SAVE America Act that Trump desires, which would include a strict crackdown on mail-in balloting, a ban on transgender athletes in women’s sports and a ban on transgender surgical procedures for minors. But even the bill’s biggest backers see reconciliation as a far-fetched option. Lee last month told Fox News Digital that the SAVE America Act was "policy, it's non-budgetary. Therefore, SAVE America itself is not eligible for consideration in a third reconciliation." There could be alterations, like giving states federal funding to start doling out enhanced REAL IDs with citizenship verification in a reconciliation package, while separately passing a voter ID bill. However, Lee believed that there was "no evidence that there is a viable path to a third reconciliation bill." "I hope there is. I would love to be wrong on that. I want us to do that. I think we should do that. But the schedule that we've got, to my great disappointment, is not — it doesn't accommodate any of it." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f9e0dc2ca79de2365b570 SCOTT WALKER: Democratic Socialists are coming for my state. This is how we beat them te 2026-07-09T13:11:41.789Z SCOTT WALKER: Democratic Socialists are coming for my state. This is how we beat them Liberals in New York just elected a slate of self-described Democratic Socialists in key blue-district primaries. Battleground Wisconsin is their next target. Wisconsin State Rep. Francesca Hong is the frontrunner in the crowded Democratic primary for governor this year. Recently, she posted a video of herself and supporters cheering on the New York Knicks winning the NBA championship with the caption, "New York City elected a socialist mayor, and the Knicks won their first championship in 53 years. Imagine what we could do with a socialist governor in Wisconsin." Research conducted by nationally recognized pollster Charles Franklin shows that voters who identify as Democrats in my state have become significantly more liberal over the past decade, which means Hong may very well be on the path to victory in the primary. This gives Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany the opportunity to present the campaign as a simple choice: common sense versus crazy. DEM SOCIALIST RUNNING FOR WISCONSIN GOVERNOR PUSHED 'ABOLISHING THE POLICE' Tiffany spells out reasonable plans to lower costs in Wisconsin by ending the 400-year property tax increase, greater transparency in healthcare, controlling utility rate increases, freezing college tuition and making government more efficient, effective and accountable. His likely opponent campaigns on a radical agenda. Hong talks about a world without prisons and abolishing law enforcement, massive tax increases on individuals and job creators, legalizing "sex workers," and supporting sex-change surgeries for children. Unlike candidates in other battleground states, she doesn’t even pretend to sound like a moderate. She is betting that her Democratic Socialist platform will be enough to win the very competitive primary – the same playbook these socialist candidates are running in blue districts nationwide. Tiffany, on the other hand, has a clear path to the nomination and can focus on the general election. His main opponents in the primary dropped out. Delegates at the recent state convention gave him their official endorsement. He has dominated the airwaves since April, spelling out who he is and what he will do to help people afford to live and thrive in Wisconsin. THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS ARE NO LONGER ON THE FRINGE Liberals take comfort in having won the last four elections for the state Supreme Court in the Badger State. They overlook the fact that the turnout is much higher in November than in April elections. Over the past decade, Donald Trump has carried the state in two out of three elections, and Ron Johnson has been elected to the Senate twice. Wisconsin is the closest swing state in America. So far, Tiffany and his campaign team are doing the things necessary to win. They are on target with the three Ms: message, manpower and money. Early ads reinforce his Wisconsin roots and time as a small business owner with his wife, Chris, where they had to count every penny to survive – just like so many families today. DEMOCRATS' CIVIL WAR HEADS TO MICHIGAN WHERE PROGRESSIVES FACE BIGGEST TEST YET IN HIGH-STAKES SENATE SHOWDOWN Aggressive fundraising encouraged other GOP candidates to exit the race and allowed the campaign to start running ads sooner. That helped motivate small-dollar donors to give and volunteer. The Tiffany campaign now has the most aggressive grassroots effort since the 2012 recall election. They are connecting to voters at their homes on the issues that matter to voters. Democrats, on the other hand, are doing just about everything to help Tiffany. Gov. Tony Evers has remained popular over the past two terms by at least pretending to sound moderate and by cutting deals with Republican leadership in a divided government. All the remaining Democrat candidates have made it clear they oppose any compromise that doesn't radically increase the size and scope of state government. They are running on increasingly radical ideas. Each of these radical Democrat candidates has spent very little time campaigning to a general election audience, and most voters don’t know much about them. Tiffany, however, has been on the airwaves for months, building his name ID and selling his vision for a more prosperous Wisconsin. After Democrats elect their nominee in mid-August, Tiffany and his allies can pounce on their opponent and aggressively brand them as a radical. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION The race is all about common sense versus crazy. That said, Wisconsin is the most competitive state in the nation right now. Historically, an advantage goes to the party not in the White House. Getting past the war in Iran and seeing lower gas prices will help. On the flip side, no intra-party fight for Tiffany, paired with a boisterous Democrat primary driven by this wave of radical ideas, levels the playing field. The race will be close. Wisconsin has been the key to victory in the last three presidential elections. It will likely be the same in 2028. Expect both parties to play heavily in my home state this year. Thankfully, Tom Tiffany is doing the right things to win the election for governor. I should know, as we did it three times. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f9de6c2ca79de2365b55b Platner’s Exit Sets Off Scramble for New Senate Candidate in Maine te 2026-07-09T13:11:02.369Z Platner’s Exit Sets Off Scramble for New Senate Candidate in Maine The state Democratic Party has said it will pick a replacement through a nominating convention before a July 27 deadline. Candidates are already lining up. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f9dd2c2ca79de2365b540 Character.ai enters the microdrama arena with its own productions, but there’s a twist te 2026-07-09T13:10:42.398Z Character.ai enters the microdrama arena with its own productions, but there’s a twist In an interesting twist that takes advantage of the company's core product, users can chat with these shows' characters, ask them questions, and even roleplay different storylines. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f9dbec2ca79de2365b537 Popular open source AI developer tool Ollama raises $65M, grows to nearly 9M users te 2026-07-09T13:10:22.950Z Popular open source AI developer tool Ollama raises $65M, grows to nearly 9M users Benchmark-backed Ollama has amassed 176,000 stars, and nearly 17,000 forks on Github by helping developers easily run AI on their PCs. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f9b8cc2ca79de2365b4cc Minnesota yanks race-based grant after DOJ initiated Civil Rights review, DOJ reveals te 2026-07-09T13:01:00.071Z Minnesota yanks race-based grant after DOJ initiated Civil Rights review, DOJ reveals Minnesota's Department of Health (MDH) voluntarily suspended a grant program that was specifically based on race after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) initiated a Civil Rights Act compliance review, the DOJ said in a Tuesday announcement. The Capacity Strengthening Initiative, according to the DOJ, was a grant program which "limited eligible grantees to organizations that worked with 'people of color,' provided 'strategic consideration' and 'gave priority' to proposals from organizations 'led by populations of color.'"  It also, the DOJ alleged, prioritized allocating a higher proportion of grants to "Black or African American" and "nonwhite Latino(a)" communities. A 2023 summary of the Capacity Strengthening Grant from the third party Grant Portal described it as being designed "To support and strengthen the capacity of metro and rural community-based organizations and faith-based organizations serving people of color, American Indians, LGBTQIA+, and people living with disabilities." JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ZEROES IN ON UCLA FOR ALLEGED ILLEGAL DEI ADMISSIONS AS ELITE SCHOOL CRACKDOWN EXPANDS RED-STATE SENATOR DROPS HAMMER ON DEM MAYOR OVER NEW 'WOKE' DEI ORDINANCE WHILE VIOLENT CRIME SURGES The strict race-based language, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division explained, was a violation of the Civil Rights Act. "Recipients of federal dollars cannot decide who benefits from those funds on the basis of race, color, or national origin," Dhillon said in a DOJ statement. "The Department appreciates that the State of Minnesota has recognized this foundational principle and has repealed the statute governing the program." MDH withdrew the grant program after the DOJ initiated a review based on Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, the DOJ statement claimed. Title VI prohibits any recipient of Federal financial assistance - a group that includes MDH - from discriminating on the basis of race, color, or national origin. LEGAL WAR ON TRUMP’S AGENDA GAINS FIREPOWER AS FEDERAL LAWYERS DEFECT TO DEMOCRATS Fox News Digital contacted the DOJ and MDH for further comment and confirmation. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f9b78c2ca79de2365b4c3 Federal inmates may soon get tablets with messaging capabilities as Bureau of Prisons makes modernization push te 2026-07-09T13:00:40.619Z Federal inmates may soon get tablets with messaging capabilities as Bureau of Prisons makes modernization push Federal inmates are set to receive their own tablets to use for educational and career advancement, according to the Bureau of Prisons (BOP). On Wednesday, the BOP announced that it had inked a tablet services contract that will "dramatically modernize the agency’s approach to communication, education, rehabilitation and daily operations across its facilities nationwide." The BOP also said inmates will be given access to secure messages and video services to help them "maintain healthy relationships with loved ones, an essential factor proven to reduce recidivism." WILD VIDEO SHOWS INMATES RIOTING INSIDE JAIL AFTER FRUSTRATIONS OVER ACCESS BOIL OVER Per the announcement, the tablets will be made available to all inmates in BOP custody. There are more than 138,000 prisoners in federal corrections facilities. "Our first priority is the safety of our staff and the security of our institutions," said BOP Director William K. Marshall III. "This contract modernizes outdated operations, reduces administrative burdens, and allows staff to focus on the critical work of maintaining safe facilities while expanding opportunities for rehabilitation and successful reentry." Officials said the tablets will assist inmates with literacy support, evidence-based rehabilitative programs, faith-based materials, health care information and job preparation content. NEW YORK SHERIFFS 'MAD AS HELL' AS HOCHUL PUSHES TO BAN KEY LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERSHIP The tablets will also reduce administrative burden for staff by moving traditionally paper-dependent tasks, such as commissary ordering and program registration, onto a digital platform. The BOP stressed that the devices will be rolled out in phases across its vast network of prisons, with each implementation being guided by "strict security protocols and oversight." The timeline for the rollout is not clear. Fox News reached out to the BOP for further comment. DEMOCRATIC SENATE CANDIDATE CALLED FOR MASS RELEASE OF CRIMINALS DURING PRISON ABOLITION WEBINAR Virtually every state prison system now has some form of tablet program, though the scope, vendor, features, and rollout model vary widely. In 2019, only a dozen states had tablets in prisons, according to Law360. Oregon is the most recent state to begin implementing a model where each inmate gets their own tablet. In April, the state's Department of Corrections said one of the primary motivations for doing this was to cut down on drugs getting smuggled into prisons through the mail. Once the program is fully in place, officials will scan inmate's mail and send it to them via their tablet, cutting off any ability for them to receive illicit packages while behind bars, Oregon's DOC said in June. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f9933c2ca79de2365b3aa Jeb Bush praises Trump for crippling Iran’s military, but warns of ‘threat’ to US from reported drones in Cuba te 2026-07-09T12:50:59.839Z Jeb Bush praises Trump for crippling Iran’s military, but warns of ‘threat’ to US from reported drones in Cuba Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush praised President Donald Trump for his efforts in crippling the Iranian regime, but warned that Cuba is now believed to have hundreds of explosive drones from Tehran. Bush made the statement at a United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) event on Wednesday, standing next to an Iranian Shahed-136 drone. The Shahed family of drones are cheap but effective kamikaze weapons that Iran has used extensively in the Middle East, in addition to shipping them to Russia for use against Ukraine. "We have decimated Iran's capability to make mischief in the region. There's no doubt about it," said Bush, who is UANI's chairman, adding that he applauds the Trump administration for their work. "I also want to point out that the press reports are that there are 300 of these in Cuba," Bush said, gesturing toward the drone. TRUMP SAYS IRAN CEASEFIRE IS 'OVER' AFTER IRANIAN ATTACKS TRIGGER MASSIVE US RESPONSE "We have very good defense capabilities, so this is not a press conference to scare the bejesus out of people. The United States does have capabilities of defending the homeland, for sure," Bush qualified before saying the drones nevertheless pose "a threat." Bush was joined at the event by Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., who warned attendees that while Shahed drones are a "terror weapon," they are also the future of how wars are going to be fought. CUBA PLUNGES INTO THIRD MAJOR BLACKOUT THIS YEAR AS POWER CRISIS WORSENS "This is the face of warfare," he said of the drone, noting that AI capabilities were drastically advancing the effectiveness of drones. "This is how war is going to be carried out in the future, and it's being carried out right now." Gimenez emphasized the effectiveness of drones in the war in Ukraine, where Kyiv's forces have manufactured millions of small explosive drones for their defense, and to great effect. Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mark Wallace, now CEO of UANI, also spoke at the event, calling the Shahed drone "the ubiquitous terror weapon of mass destruction in modern warfare." "This drone has struck our allies across the region, killed American troops, our allies across the region ... and has been raining terror across the Middle East at our bases and the like," Wallace said. Wallace told Fox News Digital that the drones in Cuba were transferred years ago, before the current conflict between the U.S. and Iran. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f9920c2ca79de2365b3a1 Palm Beach airport's President Donald J Trump International rebrand celebrated as Trump plane touches down te 2026-07-09T12:50:40.387Z Palm Beach airport's President Donald J Trump International rebrand celebrated as Trump plane touches down The Trump name has landed on another marquee landmark. President Donald J. Trump International Airport officially opened under its new name Thursday, and Eric Trump celebrated the milestone by taking the first flight into the hub. "There's no way in hell I was letting UPS be the first plane to land, so we got on Trump Force One... we touched down at exactly 5:01 a.m. this morning, and it was a beautiful day," he told "Fox & Friends." TRUMP TEASES US WILL BE 'TAKING OVER' CUBA 'ALMOST IMMEDIATELY' IN FLORIDA SPEECH "I don't think there's anybody more synonymous with Palm Beach than Donald Trump." The South Florida hub was formerly known as Palm Beach International Airport for nearly half a century leading up to the change. The rebrand has been linked to the president's deep ties to the area, including his repeated presence at the airport and his Mar-a-Lago estate located a few miles away. The president's son also said that choosing Trump Force One to usher in the rebrand's debut was no coincidence, tying the plane's significance to seasons of Trump's campaigns and his presidency. TRUMP EXPLAINS WHY HE'S FLYING OLD AIR FORCE ONE BACK TO DC "This is the plane that carried him to victory... It was the backdrop of so many of the presidential campaign stops," he recalled. "There's so many stops with us as a family, so it was an incredibly special moment for us this morning." Thursday's inaugural flight marked the ceremonial culmination of a law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier this year, which officially redesignated Palm Beach International Airport as President Donald J. Trump International Airport in recognition of the president's longstanding ties to the area. Reflecting on the symbolic first landing, Eric Trump said the moment represented more than a new name on the terminal — it was a tribute to his father's legacy. "It's just a special moment. He's a man that deserves it. He's the man that's done so much for this country," he said. "He's fought like hell for all of us and, as a son who worked so hard to make this happen, I couldn't be more proud. Today was a really, really special moment." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f96c8c2ca79de2365b33a DHS secretary touts security operation to protect World Cup fans te 2026-07-09T12:40:40.078Z DHS secretary touts security operation to protect World Cup fans Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin has hailed the huge security operation surrounding the World Cup, and the cooperation between federal and local law enforcement as "amazing." In an exclusive interview with Fox News Chief Correspondent Jonathan Hunt, Mullin said he won’t get a good night’s sleep until July 20, the day after the World Cup Final, but speaking at the Seattle Stadium, Mullin said he’s delighted the security operation is running smoothly even in blue cities like Seattle and Los Angeles. And he hopes leaders in those cities might learn from that. WATCH THE WORLD CUP FINAL ON FOX ONE "We may disagree on a lot of stuff when it comes to immigration and maybe some other issues," the secretary said, "but when it comes to protecting the fans and the fans’ experience here, in LA or in other areas around the country we've all really worked together and I hope we can carry that on between the state, federal and local partnerships. We can do a good job for our cities when we work together." Millions of soccer fans from around the world are experiencing the U.S. for the first time and many, given the media coverage of the Trump administration in their home countries, appeared to expect a high-profile militarized security operation. But that is not what they’ve found. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Much of the work is being done undercover or in the background, a very deliberate choice, Mullin said. "We want people to enjoy their time," he added. "We don't want to feel like they're walking through a war zone, but we want to let everybody know we're also working very hard to secure the premises. I don't care if you're outside the stadium or you're inside the stadium, but the amount of officers we have that are dedicated to this from the federal, local to state is absolutely amazing, and we're doing it together." Mullin also paid tribute to the role of the fans, both from the U.S. and overseas, in making this a safe World Cup, and as many have said, possibly the best World Cup experience ever. "They're so passionate about it, and they love America," Mullin said. "I mean, we see in the videos, my wife is absolutely infatuated with the amount of videos going on social media, with the fans that are here from around the world that are getting to experience the greatness of America, which is what it's all about. We're like no other nation. I don't care if you drive the country from coast to coast, you see the most beautiful land and the friendliest people. And we get to showcase it because of President Trump's vision back in Trump 45 to bring the World Cup here to celebrate our 250th birthday." Mullin admits he didn’t know much about soccer before the World Cup got underway but like so many across the country, he has embraced the sport and is loving every minute of it even as he and his team work 24/7 to ensure everyone is safe. And he’s looking forward to that good night’s sleep on July 20. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f9483c2ca79de2365b2e0 WATCH: Omar-backed mayor mocks outrage over Somalia July 4th trip with sarcastic 'apology' te 2026-07-09T12:30:59.508Z WATCH: Omar-backed mayor mocks outrage over Somalia July 4th trip with sarcastic 'apology' St. Louis Park Mayor Nadia Mohamed, who made history as the first Somali American elected mayor of a U.S. city, fired back at critics who criticized her Fourth of July weekend trip to Somalia during the country's 250th anniversary weekend. The controversy began after local news outlet Alpha News reported that Mohamed, who has repeatedly been praised by Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., was in Somalia over the semi-quincentennial Fourth of July weekend, citing a Somali news outlet that reported on her visit she made alongside the country's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.  Video from the Somali president's X account highlighted the visit and, according to Alpha News, photos appeared to show the mayor’s arrival with "a large welcoming party waving American and Somali flags."  WALZ, MINNESOTA BOARD OF PARDONS CLEARS CONVICTED ILLEGAL ALIEN CHILD SEX OFFENDER FACING DEPORTATION "Allow me to offer my sincerest apology for daring – for having the audacity – to take vacation time to see family members I have not seen in 10 years," Mohamed sarcastically said in a video posted to her social media accounts following criticism for not being stateside.  "Allow me to apologize for utilizing the federal holiday that we have, and the time off that we have to be able to go see my grandmothers – in which I have not seen in 10 years, in which six of those years I have worked diligently to serve the good people of St. Louis Park – I am so sorry. How inconsiderate of me! How treacherous – is it treacherous? Treacherous of me!" A LOOK AT WHAT'S INSIDE THE AMERICA 250TH TIME CAPSULE BURIED IN PHILADELPHIA "If you must know, I also met with the President of Switzerland, the then-President of Switzerland, but nobody asked me about that one," she continued.  "I would've loved to have told you about that. I would have loved to have had an entire news article written about that. I will do better next time. I will." Mohamed remains in Somalia, according to the city, which told Fox News Digital the trip is personal, privately funded and unrelated to city business. However, the city did not provide a return date when asked, saying only that Council Member Yolanda Farris is currently performing the mayor’s duties as designated mayor pro tem. Mohamed concluded her "apology" video by calling the complaints about her trip "bullying." "Reading the comments on this post," she said, while trying to contain laughter. Honestly, it's the way that people do not fall for this s---. It's the way that people do not fall for this propaganda. It is the way that people do not fall for this bullying – because that's what this is." It's all about "clicks" off the backs of "hating" Somali people, Mohamed argued.  "The minute they mention Somali people, their clicks and views go up," she said before the video cut. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f9470c2ca79de2365b2d5 Fox News ‘Antisemitism Exposed’ Newsletter: Team Mamdani attacks 'The View' over 'antisemite' label te 2026-07-09T12:30:40.075Z Fox News ‘Antisemitism Exposed’ Newsletter: Team Mamdani attacks 'The View' over 'antisemite' label Fox News' "Antisemitism Exposed" newsletter brings you stories on the rising anti-Jewish prejudice across the U.S. and the world. IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER: - Mamdani aide blasts ABC after ‘View’ host brands mayor an antisemite - Stolen summer: Israeli kids flee to holidays haunted by 1,000 days of terror - Socialist-led California city's clash over Israel, antisemitism offers glimpse into the left's future TOP STORY: An enraged aide to NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani reportedly trashed ABC execs after The View co-host Sara Haines branded Mamdani’s primary-winning socialist darling, Darializa Avila Chevalier, a total "antisemite." The mayor's camp threatened a total show boycott, while Chevalier faces brutal backlash over her deleted, flag-shaming communist posts. It’s total warfare on daytime TV. VIDEO: Abdul El-Sayed, who is running for Senate in Michigan, was asked three times by CNN's Kasie Hunt if he believes Israel has a right to exist. WATCH HERE: WAR SCARS: After a grueling 1,000 days of relentless warfare, traumatized Israeli children are entering summer vacation fighting severe anxiety, bed-wetting, and nervous tics. While families dodge skyrocketing global antisemitism to travel abroad, others face terrifyingly familiar sirens. Now, massive government programs and specialized terror-victim camps are scrambling to heal a shattered generation desperate to just be kids again. FALSE FLAG FURY: Far-left Richmond, Calif., Mayor Eduardo Martinez is facing ferocious demands to resign after boosting sick antisemitic conspiracy theories online, branding a horrific Australian mass stabbing an Israeli "false flag." The democratic socialist—who previously wore a "Death to IDF" hat—was dumped by his own progressive allies ahead of the election. Local politics has descended into total chaos. TOXIC TALK: NATO's Ankara summit is buzzing, but behind closed doors, Turkey is unleashing a toxic torrent of antisemitism. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan sparked fury by branding Israel a "burden that humanity can no longer bear." Israel fired back, blasting the vile rhetoric as a "call for genocide" reminiscent of the Holocaust, while Turkey’s anti-Israel hate hits an all-time high. GUEST EDITORIAL: Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, an Israeli civil rights attorney and the president of the Shurat HaDin Law Center, writes about a foundation led by a former Hezbollah member she says is waging "lawfare" to hunt and harass Jewish soldiers. By filing baseless criminal complaints globally, HRF aims to terrorize veterans through intimidation. The author demands the DOJ investigate HRF’s dark-money funding using anti-terrorism and foreign agent laws to protect American sovereignty. QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "I think Jews are getting organized. You know, we realize if we don't stand up for ourselves, we're in big trouble. I sort of like look at what's happening in New York and think 'Wow, things could be much worse. We don't have a Mamdani here.'" - Stephen London, Jewish resident of Richmond, Calif. - Looking for more on this topic? Find more antisemitism coverage from Fox News here. - Did someone forward you this email? Subscribe to additional newsletters from Fox News here. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f8ffbc2ca79de2365b21c Trump to ask Supreme Court to rehear birthright citizenship case after 'insane decision' te 2026-07-09T12:11:39.313Z Trump to ask Supreme Court to rehear birthright citizenship case after 'insane decision' President Donald Trump will ask the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision on the birthright citizenship case, he announced on Wednesday. Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social that the court's decision to uphold birthright citizenship, even in the case of children of illegal immigrants and those in the U.S. temporarily, was "absolutely insane." The president said he was already seeing examples of the ruling being exploited. "Signs and Billboards are being put up all over our Southern Border, and Mexico, advertising BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP, with 'Deliveries starting at $4000.' Likewise, similar signs going up all over our Country. Billions of Dollars will be illegally made by this SCAM, with Citizenship going to anyone willing to pay," Trump wrote. ABBOTT ORDERS PROBE AFTER TEXAS HOSPITAL ADVERTISES 'BIRTH PACKAGES' IN MEXICO: 'CITIZENSHIP IS NOT FOR SALE' "I will be asking for a Rehearing by the United States Supreme Court, IMMEDIATELY. This miscarriage of justice will destroy America if they don’t change their absolutely insane decision," he added. The court's ruling allows the losing party to file a petition for a rehearing within 25 days of the ruling being handed down. However, a majority of justices on the court would have to agree to rehearing in order for it to be considered again. TRUMP SUFFERS MAJOR SUPREME COURT DEFEAT AS JUSTICES UPHOLD BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP The 6-3 decision, handed down on the court's final day of session, saw Chief Justice John Roberts writing that all children born on U.S. soil "to parents unlawfully or temporarily present" are "citizens at birth" under the 14th Amendment. Conservatives have sought a way to move forward against birthright citizenship in the days since the ruling, with some saying a constitutional amendment may be necessary. TRUMP'S 'HERO' JUSTICE OFFERS ROADMAP AFTER SUPREME COURT REJECTS BIRTHRIGHT ORDER Others have pointed to arguments from justices like Bret Kavanaugh, who sided with the majority, but did not outright state that the Constitution enshrines birthright citizenship. Kavanaugh argued in a concurring opinion that Trump's mistake was imposing limits via executive order, but said those limits might rightfully be imposed by an act of Congress. House Speaker Mike Johnson has said Republicans are exploring such a legislative push, but there has been no public progress since the ruling. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f8fe7c2ca79de2365b213 Real-life 'Three Musketeers' mystery deepens after excavation blunder destroys key evidence te 2026-07-09T12:11:19.860Z Real-life 'Three Musketeers' mystery deepens after excavation blunder destroys key evidence Months after archaeologists were abuzz about the possible discovery of the legendary Fourth Musketeer's remains, local officials have reported a major setback. The remains, which may belong to Charles de Batz de Castelmore d'Artagnan, were found near the altar of St. Peter and Paul Church in Maastricht, the Netherlands, in February. D'Artagnan is the legendary French musketeer who inspired Alexandre Dumas' "The Three Musketeers." He died during a siege near Maastricht on June 25, 1673. ARCHAEOLOGISTS PINPOINT SITE OF DOOMED 'SPANISH ROANOKE' COLONY AFTER UNEARTHING SINGLE CLUE Contemporary documents say D'Artagnan was buried on consecrated ground nearby, making the altar discovery especially promising. But on July 2, the Municipality of Maastricht announced a significant setback in the investigation — and pointed to improper archaeological work done before the official excavation on March 13. "The excavation work carried out before March 13 was not documented according to standard archaeological procedures," the municipality said in a news release. "As a result, a significant amount of archaeological information has been irreversibly lost." ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNEARTH ANCIENT TREASURE CACHE AT BIBLICAL CITY CONNECTED TO GENESIS When archaeologists began the official excavation, only about 50% of the skeleton remained in its original position, and roughly a third of the skeleton's skull was missing. "The situation is highly complex because, during the initial excavation work, various bones were collected without documentation," the release noted. The retired archaeologist who led the initial excavation work before the official March 13 dig, Wim Dijkman, was arrested in May after refusing to surrender the bones to authorities, according to the NL Times. CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE NEWS In March, Dijkman told Reuters that the archaeological work became "a top-level investigation." "We want to be absolutely certain — or as certain as ​possible — whether it is the famous musketeer, who was killed here near Maastricht," he said. At this stage, officials said it was unclear whether the skeleton belonged to d'Artagnan or not. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER Isotope analysis found that 27% to 30% of the man's diet consisted of fish, a finding researchers said is inconsistent with what is known about d'Artagnan's lifestyle and likely diet. "Although sea fish was sold at markets in Paris and Lille in the 17th century, and salted fish was also eaten inland, it remains unclear whether musketeers would have been served this kind of food frequently," the release said. "This raises the question of whether such a diet was common among Catholic musketeers from France in the 17th century." TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ Officials also stressed the research does not rule out the possibility that the skeleton belonged to d'Artagnan. "Based on the current data, this makes identification as d’Artagnan less likely, although it cannot be ruled out," the statement added. Fox News Digital previously reached out to Dijkman for comment. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f8fd4c2ca79de2365b201 Manhattan building developer says collapse fears were overblown, calls buckling columns 'localized situation' te 2026-07-09T12:11:00.404Z Manhattan building developer says collapse fears were overblown, calls buckling columns 'localized situation' The developer behind a Manhattan high-rise that sparked fears of a collapse after buckled columns forced evacuations says the danger was overstated, calling the structural damage a "localized situation" that never put the building at risk of collapsing. MetroLoft said in a statement obtained by NBC 4 New York on Wednesday that the developer worked closely with New York City’s Department of Buildings to confirm the building "is now stable," and that it has "a clear plan to fix" the issue. "This is a localized situation affecting less than 30 apartments out of over 1,600. At no time was the building, or any portion of it, at risk of collapse," the statement said. MANHATTAN BUILDING STABILIZED, SOME EVACUATIONS LIFTED AFTER COLLAPSE FEARED Emergency responders discovered two buckled support columns and sagging floors inside the 37-story structure on Tuesday, prompting the evacuation of construction workers and occupants of nine nearby buildings. Nathan Berman, founder of MetroLoft, said reports of an impending collapse had been "blown a little bit out of proportion" during an interview with real estate publication The Real Deal. "This is a 1.3 million-square-foot project with an issue at the building's northwest corner," Berman told the publication, noting that the building has a "huge base that is as stable as anything in the city." He said the damage was limited to a roughly 20-by-20-foot section of the building and described the problem as "very fixable." Fire officials initially warned of an "extremely dangerous situation" after finding the damaged columns on the 21st floor, though they said the primary concern was "a localized collapse" rather than the failure of the entire 37-story structure. PILOT DECLARES MAYDAY BEFORE SEAPLANE COMES DOWN IN EAST RIVER After emergency crews worked overnight to stabilize the building, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said no additional movement had been detected but vowed to make a full investigation into what caused the situation. Berman said the damage likely occurred because added weight from the ongoing office-to-residential conversion overloaded two columns, calling it a "freak accident" involving supports that may not have been reinforced sufficiently or may have contained an undetected defect. "That’s it. There’s no mystery, and there’s no magic," he said. He rejected claims from a union official that the project lacked enough structural steel, calling the allegation "total nonsense" and insisting the work had been designed and approved by structural engineers. The project is converting the former Pfizer headquarters near Grand Central Terminal into roughly 1,600 apartments in what is billed as the largest office-to-residential conversion in New York City history. Berman said replacing the damaged columns and raising the sagging floors should keep the project on track for its planned 2027 completion. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f8facc2ca79de2365b1d9 Nandan Nilekani leaves GP role at Fundamentum as it launches $200M third fund te 2026-07-09T12:10:20.984Z Nandan Nilekani leaves GP role at Fundamentum as it launches $200M third fund Nilekani remains Fundamentum's anchor investor as the firm expands its leadership team and targets AI and fintech startups in India. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f8d6ac2ca79de2365b18b A Hezbollah veteran is hunting Jews in US courts — we just named him to the DOJ te 2026-07-09T12:00:42.156Z A Hezbollah veteran is hunting Jews in US courts — we just named him to the DOJ I have spent 25 years dragging terrorist groups, their leaders and their bankers into courtrooms and taking their money for their victims. I know what a terror operation looks like when it puts on a suit. This week my NGO, the Shurat HaDin Law Center, placed a complaint on the desk of the Attorney General of the United States, and I will say plainly what our petition documents in eight pages of receipts: The Belgium-based Hind Rajab Foundation is a hunting operation. Its prey is Jews. Let the record speak. HRF's chairman, Dyab Abou Jahjah, told the world in his own words that he joined the outlawed Hezbollah resistance against Israel and received military training, and he called it a source of pride. Israel's government identifies him as a former Hezbollah terrorist. He has boasted of personally arranging European visits for the political leadership of Hezbollah, an organization the United States has designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization since 1997. This is the man the world's newsrooms keep describing as a human-rights advocate. A Hezbollah alumnus does not retire into humanitarianism. He changes uniforms. FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE: FIVE YEARS ON, THE ABRAHAM ACCORDS STILL POINT THE WAY TO PEACE And look at what his foundation actually does, because it is not advocacy. It is target acquisition. HRF scrapes soldiers' social media, harvests their faces, maps them to their units, tracks their flights and then springs frivolous criminal complaints on them in whatever airport they land in. Sixteen jurisdictions. A claimed dossier on a thousand names at the International Criminal Court. And after all of it, the scoreboard reads zero, zip, nada! Not one court, anywhere on Earth, has found one of these soldiers guilty of anything. Dismissals, rejections, refusals, releases. Totally baseless claims repeatedly filed. HRF does not care, because conviction was never the product. The terror is the product. The knock on the hotel-room door is the product. The reservist who cancels his honeymoon, the student who withdraws from a foreign university, the young officer who learns her name sits in a foreign dossier: these are the trophies. They pluck random names off the internet, conjure up fake claims and then run off to file them with never any consequences for their rejected lies. This is intimidation and malicious harassment laundered through court clerks, an abuse of the well-intended universal jurisdiction statutes and every honest jurist on earth should be insulted by it. There is an old and rotten tradition of dressing the persecution of Jews in the language of law. Every blood libel and every pogrom had their paperwork too. What HRF has built is that tradition running on modern infrastructure: one people, and one people only, marked for pursuit across every border on the planet, not for anything a judge has found they did, but for the crime of defending the Jewish state against murderous extremists. Quite rightly, American veterans fly wherever they wish. British veterans, French veterans, the same. Only the brave Jewish serviceperson who wears a uniform is made a fugitive in advance. Call that what it is. It is antisemitism with a filing fee. SIGN UP FOR ANTISEMITISM EXPOSED NEWSLETTER CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION Now hear the part that should make every American's blood run cold. This machine has crossed your border. HRF denounced an Israeli American soldier to authorities in Sri Lanka, and when that same American came home to watch the World Cup on American soil, HRF demanded that the United States Department of Justice prosecute him. Absorb that sentence. An outfit chaired by a self-proclaimed Hezbollah trainee, funded by donors it refuses to name, compiled a dossier on a United States citizen and ordered his arrest by his own government. If a Russian-funded front group did this to an American veteran, we would call it what it is: a hostile foreign influence operation aimed at the heart of American sovereignty. And it is running in the dark. No published donors. No financial disclosures. A Stripe button and a shrug, behind a campaign whose global legal apparatus costs a fortune someone is quietly paying. Federal law was built for exactly this. The FARA legislation exists to drag foreign agents into the light. OFAC exists to strangle terror finance. The material-support terrorism statutes exist to punish those who service designated killers. Our complaint asks the Department of Justice to bring all of it: subpoenas, financial tracing, sanctions referral, the full weight of the United States. Not a press release. An investigation of HRF with teeth. I have beaten Iran's bankers in court. I have taken judgments against the mightiest terror sponsors on earth and collected. So believe me when I tell you the leaders of this operation are not brave, and they are not untouchable; they are simply unexamined. That ends now. Today they hunt Jews who served their country. The weapon they are perfecting, this dangerous lawfare, will fit anyone's hand and anyone's enemy. America should break it while it still bears their fingerprints. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f865fc2ca79de2365b03f Google turns old phones into cloud servers te 2026-07-09T11:30:39.702Z Google turns old phones into cloud servers That old phone sitting in your drawer may have more life left in it than you think. You may look at it and see a dead battery, an outdated camera or a screen that no longer feels worth using. Google and researchers at the University of California San Diego see something else: a tiny computer that may still have useful processing power. Their idea is called phone cluster computing. Instead of treating retired smartphones as electronic waste, researchers remove the motherboard and redeploy it as part of a low-carbon computing system. Google says UC San Diego plans to launch a data center built from 2,000 Pixel smartphones in fall 2026. The goal is to provide low-cost cloud computing for students and researchers while reducing the need for newly manufactured server hardware. That means the next chapter for an old phone may not be a junk drawer. It may be a server rack. YOU COULD GET PAID FROM GOOGLE’S ANDROID DATA LAWSUIT Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Phone cluster computing takes retired smartphones and turns their core hardware into a computing platform. The process starts by stripping each phone down to the motherboard. That board holds the processor, memory and storage. The display, battery, cameras, chassis and other phone-specific parts are removed. That step is important because a full phone does not belong in a data center. Batteries can create safety issues. Screens and cameras waste space. The motherboard is the part that still offers computing value. Once the board is removed, researchers load a general-purpose Linux system onto it. Android already runs on Linux at its core, but Android is built for mobile apps and personal devices. A data center needs something more flexible for cloud workloads. After that, the phone boards can be grouped into clusters. Many small boards then work together like a collection of tiny servers. The AI boom has created a huge appetite for computing power. Data centers need more chips, more electricity and more cooling. At the same time, billions of phones fall out of use around the world. This Google-backed project takes that conversation in a different direction by asking whether some useful computing can come from hardware we already made. The project focuses on embodied carbon. That means the emissions created before a device ever turns on. Mining, manufacturing and shipping all add to that carbon footprint. If a phone motherboard already exists, reusing it can avoid some of the environmental cost tied to manufacturing new hardware. Google says the motherboard accounts for about half of a phone's embodied carbon, which makes it the most valuable part to recover. You cannot plug a pile of old phones into a rack and call it a data center. The process requires careful teardown, new software and a way to manage many boards at once. Google says the project uses containerized applications managed by Kubernetes. That helps coordinate the work across many devices. The phones are organized into self-managing clusters of about 25 to 50 boards. Each board works as a small Linux machine. Together, they can handle tasks that would otherwise run on traditional cloud servers. That does not make one phone equal to one server. A server has many more processor cores, more memory and data center-grade hardware. A phone board has fewer resources and tighter limits. Still, some jobs do not need a giant machine. They need enough compute to run efficiently without wasting resources. GOOGLE ENGINEER STOLE AI SECRETS FOR CHINA, SENATE HEARS IN EXPLOSIVE TESTIMONY The technical case is stronger than you may expect. Google says the single-threaded performance of modern smartphone performance cores can match or beat the per-core performance of some modern multicore servers. In one comparison, a 2023 Pixel Fold was tested against an ASUS RS720A-E11 server using SPEC benchmarks. The Pixel Fold's performance cores beat the baseline data center server core on many of the tests. That sounds impressive, but there is an important catch. A smartphone board has a smaller memory limit and fewer cores. It also lacks the management tools and hardware durability that servers are built around. So the project needs the right workloads. UC San Diego is starting with educational and research computing. That makes sense because many classroom tasks can run on small cloud instances. Google says early experiments showed that a 20-phone cluster could support peak submission rates for a class of more than 75 students. The grading latency also came in below the default AWS backend used in the comparison. UC San Diego plans to use the 2,000-phone cluster to support computer science classes and research workloads. Google says the deployment could support about 100 classes at once. It also describes the system as providing about 50 server-equivalents worth of compute at a fraction of the usual cost. For a university, that could be a major advantage. Cloud computing costs can rise quickly, especially when many students submit assignments at the same time. If a reused phone cluster can handle some of that load, schools may save money while reducing demand for newly manufactured servers. This also gives researchers a chance to test phone-based computing at scale. A small lab demo can look promising. A 2,000-board deployment will show much more about reliability, maintenance and day-to-day performance. Phone cluster computing sounds promising, but it still has a lot to prove. Your smartphone was made for daily use in your hand, not nonstop work inside a data center. Data center servers are built to run for years with steady cooling, fast repairs and constant monitoring. Phone motherboards come from devices made for pockets, backpacks and kitchen counters. That alone raises some big questions. The boards could fail faster than expected. Cooling may also become a challenge once thousands of tiny processors run side by side. Then there is the labor problem, because someone has to safely remove batteries, screens and other parts before the boards can be reused. Cost will be the deciding factor. If teardown, maintenance and replacement work get too expensive, this idea may stay in the research lab. Phone clusters also will not replace the massive GPU systems that power advanced AI training. They make more sense for smaller cloud jobs, classroom tools and research tasks that fit within smartphone hardware limits. That still leaves plenty of useful work. After all, not every cloud task needs the newest chip. The world's e-waste problem is growing fast. The Global E-waste Monitor projects that electronic waste could climb to 82 million tonnes by 2030, while formal collection and recycling rates are expected to fall to 20%. Old phones are a big part of that problem because many never make it to a proper recycling program. They sit in drawers, land in closets or get tossed out with valuable parts still inside. Even when a phone no longer feels useful to you, its processor, memory and storage may still have work left to do. CyberGuy has covered related second-life ideas before, including old smartphones being turned into tiny data centers and repurposed EV batteries helping power AI data centers. The common theme is hard to ignore. Some of the hardware already in circulation may still have useful work left to do. FIVE DATA BROKER OPT-OUT MYTHS THAT LEAVE RETIREES EXPOSED This research does not mean you should toss your old phone into a random donation bin tomorrow. Before you recycle, donate, trade in or sell an old phone, you need to protect your data. Back up anything you want to keep. Then sign out of your accounts and securely wipe the device. CyberGuy has a helpful guide on how to securely get rid of your old cell phone. Privacy comes first whenever you part with a device. You can also consider trade-in programs, certified refurbishers or reputable electronics recycling programs. If the phone still works, buying refurbished can also keep devices in use longer. CyberGuy has covered what to know before buying refurbished electronics, which is helpful if you want to save money without taking a gamble. The key is to avoid letting old devices sit forgotten forever. A phone in a drawer helps no one. That old phone in your drawer may not be as useless as it looks. Even if the battery is tired or the camera feels outdated, the processor inside may still have real value. Now, you probably will not be mailing your old phone to a Google data center anytime soon. Still, this project points to a bigger shift in how we think about retired tech. Instead of sending every old device straight to recycling or letting it collect dust, companies, schools and researchers may find smarter ways to reuse the parts that still work. There is also a money lesson here. If your current phone still runs well, you may not need to rush into an upgrade just because a newer model comes out. A battery replacement, trade-in or refurbished option could save you money while keeping perfectly good hardware in use longer. To me, that is the real takeaway. The phone you forgot about could possibly still have a job to do. Your phone holds your email, passwords, photos, banking apps and personal data. In this free CyberGuy Live replay, Kurt the CyberGuy walks you step by step through simple phone security fixes you can do at your own pace. You’ll learn how to improve your privacy settings, spot the latest phone scams, use trusted security tools and walk away with a simple checklist to stay protected. Watch the replay and get our checklist here: CyberGuyLive.com Google and UC San Diego are testing how to turn retired Pixel phone motherboards into a low-carbon cloud computing platform. The project could give old smartphones a second life while reducing the need for newly manufactured servers. That is important as AI data centers keep demanding more computing power and more electricity. The first major test is expected in Fall 2026 with a 2,000-phone data center at UC San Diego. If it works, the cluster could support students and researchers at a lower cost than traditional cloud infrastructure. However, this idea still has to prove it can handle the grind of daily use. Reliability, cooling, teardown labor and maintenance will determine whether phone cluster computing can grow beyond just research. To me, the most relatable part is sitting in your junk drawer. That old phone may seem useless, but its processor could still be powerful enough to help run cloud jobs. Maybe the future of computing starts with hardware we already forgot we owned. Would you feel good knowing your old phone could help power cloud computing? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f840ac2ca79de2365afe3 US forces hit dozens of targets as Iran threatens 'grave consequences' and more top headlines te 2026-07-09T11:20:42.178Z US forces hit dozens of targets as Iran threatens 'grave consequences' and more top headlines 1. US forces strike approximately 90 targets in Iran during latest military operation— follow today's LIVE COVERAGE 2. Former lover’s testimony could shape fate of accused Charlie Kirk assassin 3. Platner drops out of Senate race after bombshell rape allegation torpedoes candidacy KYIV OFFENSIVE — Drone offensive hits Russian oil tankers and refineries at 'industrial scale' as Moscow bans diesel exports. Continue reading … TOX SHOCK — Girl found dead with huge Benadryl ingredient dose as stepdad faces sex assault allegations. Continue reading … DEVASTATING WRECK — Popular influencer and model killed in horrific highway crash that left 2 dead. Continue reading … PUBLIC TRANSIT — Bus plows into building outside Baltimore leaving more than 30 people injured. Continue reading … TRUTH UNRAVELED — Lynette Hooker's mom challenges husband's story in Bahamas disappearance. Continue reading … -- MASSIVE SAVINGS — First 'Freedom Fuel' station opens with gas 50 cents below average. Continue reading … ELECTION WATCH — Pardoned Dem congressman's brother faces up to 10 years in alleged county funds scheme. Continue reading … SPORTS DIPLOMACY — Dana White drops 2028 hint as he reveals 'close' friendship with key cabinet member. Continue reading … STERN WARNING — Potential 2028 Dem contender unloads on Netanyahu, admits US-Israel ties at 'crossroads'. Continue reading … Click here for more cartoons…   NOT MINCING WORDS — Fetterman delivers blistering takedown of Platner after he suspends campaign. Continue reading … HEAD IN THE SAND — James Carville says Maine Democrats paid the price for failing to properly vet Platner. Continue reading … 'LITMUS TEST' — Jewish Democrat reveals House colleague once claimed 'all of the Jews are rich'. Continue reading … NOT FIT FOR PRINT — Platner's ex-girlfriend accuses New York Times of 'betrayal' as she revealed abuse claims. Continue reading … TED JENKIN — Democratic socialists have lots of ideas, but how are we supposed to pay for them? Continue reading … VICTORIA COATES — Iran’s Strait of Hormuz scheme could derail one Gulf nation’s bright future. Continue reading … -- SOCIAL SHOT— Chili's blasts fast-food prices, touts value meal: 'Why let them play you like this?' Continue reading … SCAN PLAN — Costco expands digital wallet as members get a simpler checkout option. Continue reading … INDIANA ICE-OUT — Caitlin Clark returns on minutes limit as Fever get routed by Sparks. Continue reading … AMERICAN CULTURE QUIZ — Test yourself on Founding Fathers and vaccine victories. Continue reading … Tune in to the FOX NEWS RUNDOWN PODCAST for today's in-depth reporting on the news that impacts you. Check it out ...   What’s it looking like in your neighborhood? Continue reading…   Facebook Instagram YouTube Twitter LinkedIn      Fox News First Fox News Opinion Fox News Lifestyle Fox News Entertainment (FOX411) Fox Business Fox Weather Fox Sports Tubi Fox News Go Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! We’ll see you in your inbox first thing Friday. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f81d7c2ca79de2365af88 Girl who was allegedly sexually harassed by trans athlete in SCOTUS case speaks out after historic ruling te 2026-07-09T11:11:19.998Z Girl who was allegedly sexually harassed by trans athlete in SCOTUS case speaks out after historic ruling For Adaleia Cross, the Supreme Court’s ruling in the West Virginia women’s sports case was not just a legal victory. It was personal. Cross, a Bridgeport High School student in West Virginia, said the ruling gave her a "sense of peace" after years of speaking out about the transgender athlete at the center of the case. Cross has alleged the athlete made comments to her in the girls’ locker room that amounted to sexual harassment when both were students at Bridgeport Middle School. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Fox News Digital is not naming the trans athlete because the athlete is a minor. "I definitely have a sense of peace about all of it," Cross told Fox News Digital after the ruling. "Although I had to go through all of that, and it doesn’t make up for what I had to go through, I know that other girls can be protected, like my sister and my friends who are still on the team." Cross also sent a message to the athlete in the wake of the ruling. "Jesus Christ loves [the athlete] and has a place for [the athlete] if they want to be there," she said. Cross and her parents previously told Fox News Digital the alleged sexual harassment occurred in the girls' locker room during the 2022-23 school year. Cross was in eighth grade, and the trans athlete was in seventh. "When Adaleia first told us, she told us that [the trans athlete] was telling her and other girls ‘s--- my d---,’" Cross's mother, Abby Cross alleged in December. "[The trans athlete] was saying to her, coming up and saying to her, ‘I’m going to stick my d--- in your p---- and also in your a--.' At different times [the trans athlete] was saying these things to her."  But Adaleia said Wednesday that the entire locker room changed after the athlete joined the girls' team. "A lot of girls, after [the athlete] came into our locker room, started going to the bathroom," Cross said. "They started changing in stalls, which was not really normal." "You would have kids separated to try to not be around [the athlete], but it was still hard because during track meets, you had to be around [the athlete]," she added. "Girls were just uncomfortable." "They didn’t want to be around [the athlete]," Cross said. Cross said the discomfort even spread beyond her own team. "I know other teams started canceling coming to track meets so their girls didn’t have to put up with it," Cross said. "It’s just really sad to see all that happening." "Girls deserve to have that space," she added. "And it’s just been taken away." The ACLU previously denied the allegations.  "Our client and her mother deny these allegations and the school district investigated the allegations reported to the school by A.C. and found them to be unsubstantiated. We remain committed to defending the rights of all students under Title IX, including the right to a safe and inclusive learning environment free from harassment and discrimination," read an ACLU statement provided to Fox News Digital. But the Cross family's attorneys at Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) then responded to the ACLU's statement. "Our client has sworn under oath and under penalty of perjury in numerous cases about the events that took place between her and the male athlete. As a result of the situation, [Cross] had to step away from the sport she loved entirely and sacrifice a key element of her school experience to protect herself," read an ADF statement provided to Fox News Digital. The Cross family said when they reported the alleged harassment to the school, nothing was done to reprimand the trans athlete, to their knowledge. "They told me they would do a full investigation into what I told them," Adaleia said. "And then, all of a sudden, it was like nothing else was happening, it was done, and it seemed like they thought nothing of it because they didn't talk to us about it at all, they just left it there and didn't tell us anything else, so it just made it seemed like, yup it's done." Her father, Holden Cross said, "We received no response from the school after filing the report." Fox News Digital made repeated requests to the ACLU and the Harrison County School District, which oversees Bridgeport Middle School and Bridgeport High School, seeking documentation related to the school’s investigation and clarification on whether an investigation occurred and, if so, why only the Cross family was not notified of the results. Those requests have not been met. Fox News Digital has since reached back out to the ACLU and the Harrison County School District for a response to Adaleia Cross's statements, but has not received a response. NEWSOM'S OFFICE RESPONDS TO SCOTUS RULING ON WOMEN'S SPORTS AS CALIFORNIA FACES ONGOING TRANS ATHLETE WAVE The Supreme Court ruled on June 30 that schools may base eligibility for women’s and girls’ sports on biological sex. The court reversed rulings against West Virginia and Idaho, whose laws restrict girls’ and women’s sports teams to biological females. Despite the victory, Cross said joining the case case came with a cost. "The hardest part of the whole situation for me has been losing friends that I’ve had for years," she said. "I’ve been friends with these kids since middle school, early elementary school, and to watch as we get older and we get into high school, they just want nothing to do with me." "It’s people I love don’t want to talk to me now," she added. She said that during her sophomore year, she wore a shirt that said "Save women’s sports." Cross said other students wore the shirt too because they were "enraged over what was happening." Then, she said, she walked into homeroom. "My homeroom teacher, who I’d had for two years, told me that she sees me as less of a person," Cross said. "That was really scary for me." "I didn’t know what to say," Cross said. "I just kind of left. And by my junior year, I had been moved from my homeroom." Cross said most of her high school has supported her. But she said a small group has been loud enough to make daily life harder. "My high school has been very supportive," Cross said. "A lot of teachers, the administration, I know they support me. Most of the kids, I know that they support me." But, she said, "there’s a very small population that does not, and they are extremely vocal about it." "They are aggressive, and there have been threats, and there’s been hate," Cross said. "So, while it’s like an 80/20, it feels more of a 50/50, which has been hard." Along the way, Cross also had to witness the athlete win the girls' state championship in shot put this past May, just weeks before the Supreme Court ruling that later prohibited the athlete from competing against girls. "It was extremely frustrating for me and for I know several other girls," Cross said of the trans athlete winning the championship. "All of my friends that have been working to be at the top for years, they had the first place spot taken from them, and then every other place, um, behind that, and it's just, it's been really hard. Even though I'm not competing, I know the frustrations everybody else is having, and they stand no chance, and it's not their fault, it's biological reality." And now, despite the fact that the athlete won't be returning to girls' sports, Cross said that she won't be returning to sports either, as too much time has passed since she last competed. "As much as I would like to, I don't plan on it. I will be a senior this year, and after not participating for two years, I won't be anywhere near with comparing with the other girls because of the training they have had versus what I haven't had," she said. Cross said she was 14 when she first had the chance to speak publicly about what she says happened. She said she was afraid. "When I first had the option to stand up, I was 14, and I was terrified, and I didn’t really want to," Cross said. "I told God that I would do it if He made it abundantly clear for me, and He did. He has showed up for me since." Cross said a Bible verse helped convince her to go forward. "The next day, I got on my phone, and the verse of the day on the Bible app was Esther 4:14, which is, ‘Perhaps you were created for such a time as this,’ and I knew that that was what He wanted me to be doing," Cross said. She said the verse stayed with her through the case. "All throughout the case, that verse has been so prevalent in my life," Cross said. "He has remained faithful." Cross said the case has also changed the way she sees her own school experience. Bridgeport High School, she said, is built around sports and activities. Cross said she has had to quit three extracurriculars she loved because of the fallout. "I definitely feel like I’ve kind of missed a bit of the camaraderie and the friendship that comes from it," Cross said. "I definitely miss that, but it’s all worth it to protect women and girls." Cross said she believes the national debate often leaves out the girls who are directly affected. "I think that the media likes to focus heavily on how the transgender athletes feel about the situations happening," Cross said. "What they should be focusing on is how the biological women are being affected." "This is their spaces, and it is being taken from them," she added. She said her frustration is not only with the athlete, but with the adults she believes failed to protect her. "It is really frustrating of my school district, because I went to them with the issues, and I thought that they would handle it, and I thought that they would protect me," Cross said. "I know that they confirmed it happened. I know several other children confirmed that it was happening to me, and they completely ignored it." "They attempted to silence me," she added. "They attempted to silence my parents, and that’s really frustrating, especially as a 14-year-old." Cross said the experience still weighs on her because she wonders how many other girls may be afraid to speak up. "I just wanted to compete in sports," Cross said. "It’s really hard to think about even now, to know how many other kids could they be doing that to? How many other situations of sexual abuse are happening that they’re silencing? It’s just really frustrating." Now, with the Supreme Court ruling behind her, Cross said she hopes people will look beyond the politics and listen to girls who say they have been affected. "I urge people to think for themselves," Cross said. "Actually look into the facts of the cases, and to what’s actually happened to countless girls, and to not let the media tell them what to think." "Actually use their minds," she added, "and look into what’s actually happening." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f81c4c2ca79de2365af7f Dr Oz links obesity to chronic disease surge, says GLP-1s can 'jumpstart' better health te 2026-07-09T11:11:00.542Z Dr Oz links obesity to chronic disease surge, says GLP-1s can 'jumpstart' better health GLP-1 weight-loss drugs have become a prevalent part of American healthcare, and the current administration is getting behind the movement. In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital at the Great American State Fair in Washington D.C. on July 6, CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz voiced his support for the use of GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) medications, like Ozempic, for appropriate uses. "I'm a fan of GLP-1 drugs when used correctly," he said. "They do help people who are overweight lose weight quite effectively. They're not a replacement for diet and exercise, but they might jumpstart the system so it’s easier for you to use healthier tactics." DR OZ WARNS MEDICARE SCAMMERS ARE STEALING BILLIONS — AND YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION COULD BE NEXT This is especially helpful for those who may have trouble moving due to joint pain or are experiencing internal dysfunction, the doctor said. Certain GLP-1 drugs are covered by Medicare for overweight candidates with certain conditions, like high blood pressure and diabetes, and Oz projected the benefits will continue to benefit taxpayers. "We believe these are so effective in reducing conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes that they'll actually save money for the federal taxpayer, because [they're] going to make you healthy enough that you don't have to consume health services," the doctor said. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER "We think about 70% of all the money we spend on healthcare is caused by chronic conditions, and obesity is the No. 1 driver of all that, so it’s a smart decision." Oz recently announced the launch of the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program, which will allow more seniors to access GLP-1 drugs for only $50 a month if they meet qualifying health criteria and receive prior authorization from a doctor. "There are a lot of overweight people who don't have high blood pressure, diabetes or other conditions, so they don't get access to the drug normally," he said. "We want them to have the ability to use it as well." Although these access shifts could boost Americans' overall health — and in some cases could be lifesaving — Oz noted that there is "no silver bullet" when it comes to these medications. CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES "I love the fact that the innovation that's coming out of pharmaceutical companies is allowing us to save lives and make lives better," he said. "But the real secret to longevity is eating right, exercising, sleeping, dealing with the stress of your life, finding some purpose in your existence [and] realizing you have agency over the future." "These are things that your mom would have told you [and that] you don't need a doctor to be emphasizing." While GLP-1s may not be a fix-all, combining these medications with foundational health practices "makes a lot of sense," Oz said. "I don't want people being fat-shamed ... I don't want you feeling guilty that you're gaining weight even though everyone else around you seems to have figured it out," he said. "It's not that simple — our set points for hunger are different. We have different things going on in our lives." TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ "But if you realize how precious you are — the temple of the soul is so valuable. It's the greatest gift your parents ever gave you, and you take advantage of every tool out there to make it work … which includes using medications when appropriate. That, to me, is MAHA." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f81b1c2ca79de2365af76 BROADCAST BIAS: Graham Platner scandal shows how media’s #MeToo movement collapsed te 2026-07-09T11:10:41.091Z BROADCAST BIAS: Graham Platner scandal shows how media’s #MeToo movement collapsed New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor made it sound like the "#MeToo" phenomenon she spurred on was dead. It began with Hollywood power broker Harvey Weinstein and collapsed when it came to Democrat candidates like Graham Platner, in the crucial Maine Senate race against Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Those allegations led to Platner suspending his campaign July 8. Kantor's stories on Weinstein became a feminist movie titled "She Said," and she was played as a heroine by actress Zoe Kazan. But she wasn’t a feminist when it came to Platner. On CNN’s afternoon show "The Arena" on June 10, Kantor dismissed the allegations made in a June 4 article in her own newspaper by two other female reporters. They found ex-girlfriends identifying "unsettling behavior," featuring liberal Jenna Racicot and conservative Lyndsay Fifield. "The accusations against Graham Platner are not classic #MeToo accusations," Kantor claimed. "They're not about a boss and a young female employee being subjected to sexual advances. They were mostly made in the context of consensual relationships." They were "not classic abuse allegations." PLATNER RIPPED CHEATERS AS ‘GARBAGE’ IN UNEARTHED POSTS BEFORE HIS OWN EARLY-MARRIAGE SEXTING SCANDAL How does that make them less newsworthy? On July 6, pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson, who pushed back against Kantor’s dismissive tone in that segment, tweeted, "I try to stay pretty even-keeled on air, but was pretty aghast at the way the allegations against Graham Platner were being dismissed." Fifield, the figure at the center of the Times story, reacted over the Kantor video on X by noting she forgave Platner, "but when I realized I was not the only woman he had done this to, that he has a lifelong pattern of deep contempt for women, I realized he had suckered me once again. And instead of support for coming forward, Jenny and I have been met with horrific smears, told it was 'karma,' or that it wasn’t ‘that bad.’" Kantor wasn’t alone that day. A few hours earlier, co-host Sunny Hostin pushed hard for Platner on "The View," saying Republicans don’t have the moral high ground. "It's time for Democrats to stop that nonsense, put emotions on the side, let's be strategic, let's get some power, let’s take over the Senate and let’s take over the House and let's right the ship!" 'THE VIEW' CO-HOST HITS DEMOCRATS OVER 'BOTCHED' VETTING OF PLATNER The original Times story on was skipped by all the networks on the first night, a Thursday. CBS arrived the next morning, and then ABC found it on the second night. So did the "PBS News Hour." They turned to their Friday pundits, and Jonathan Capehart insisted Platner shouldn’t drop out, because Republicans never cared about sexual-assault accusations against President Donald Trump. Pseudo-conservative David Brooks strongly disagreed: "The guy is a moral degenerate. The abuse of women, the sexting, the Nazi tattoo," and noting he made comments disparaging rape victims on Reddit. NBC didn’t arrive on the story until Saturday’s "Nightly News" on June 6. When Platner easily won the primary the next Tuesday (because his opponent Janet Mills had dropped out), NBC reporter Ryan Nobles gushed that Platner’s victory showed "the oyster man and Marine vet has energized progressives despite facing multiple scandals," like a tattoo "some say resembles a Nazi symbol." BROADCAST BIAS: PLATNER’S NOMINATION EXPOSES MEDIA DOUBLE STANDARDS … AGAIN This Monday, Politico dropped a new bomb, that liberal Racicot alleged Platner "forced her to have sex with him nearly five years ago despite her repeated objections." Suddenly, Democrats were talking about how he might have to go. The networks all covered the story that night, but they were slow about it. Only NBC reported on it in the first five minutes. ABC and CBS waited more than 10 minutes into the show, behind the weather and other lighter fare, like World Cup soccer. NPR’s "All Things Considered" put the rape allegation No. 12 on their list, airing three and a half minutes on the subject after spending eight minutes on the Earth-shattering news that the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band was deciding not to tour any more. The "PBS News Hour" waited almost 37 minutes to get around to it, featuring it in its Monday political-pundit segment, and the panel talked mostly about the political ramifications. Political analyst Carrie Dann was upbeat for Democrats: "Susan Collins remains very vulnerable. This could end up being the best news Democrats could have had if they are able to replace him with a candidate who can be competitive against her." CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION On "The View" on Tuesday, Hostin doubled down on Platner, saying she would still vote for him if she lived in Maine. Co-host Sara Haines said, "If you were one of those people that was willing to plug your nose, you're the problem." Hostin shot back: "Well then, I’m the problem!" Joy Behar proclaimed: "I don't want to hear from the Epstein protector party, OK?" Then, on Wednesday’s show, Hostin gave in, saying Platner should go. The internal squabbling among Democrats (and in the media) resembled President Joe Biden’s debate fiasco in 2024, where some die-hards insisted Biden shouldn’t be forced out. The only real principle in these stands is that the party's nominee shouldn't be pressured off the ballot by panic-stricken Democrats frightened of losing. The broadcast networks aren’t "independent journalists" with no rooting interest in the outcome. They are part of the messaging machine that aims to help Democrats win elections. Their standard on scandals isn’t much different from Hostin’s. Scandals are just "distractions" for Democrats, and when someone pressures them to investigate, their first partisan instinct is to "stop that nonsense." CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM TIM GRAHAM Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f7f86c2ca79de2365af3e Tips to Ace Math Class This School Year te 2026-07-09T11:01:26.074Z Tips to Ace Math Class This School Year Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f784fc2ca79de2365a7d7 Anthony Volpe calls retracted position change report 'BS,' vows to do anything to help Yankees win te 2026-07-09T10:30:39.658Z Anthony Volpe calls retracted position change report 'BS,' vows to do anything to help Yankees win New York Yankees embattled shortstop Anthony Volpe usually rolls with the punches thrown by the rabid fan base over his inconsistency at the plate, but he offered a rare public response on Wednesday. Volpe reportedly refused to play second base while he was in Triple-A this season, but he called "B.S." on that claim. The report has since been retracted. "It couldn’t be further from the truth," Volpe told reporters, via the New York Post. "From my end, from my perspective, that’s been very clearly communicated to [manager Aaron Boone] and the team. I think it’s just kind of B.S., honestly, because I’d hope my teammates in here — I’ve played with them for three-plus years — I hope they know my character and that I’d literally do anything to help the team win. Literally anything. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM "So, I think just the narrative and what it tries to say about me, I feel like I’m defending myself over something that literally didn’t happen." The 25-year-old added that the Yankees had not approached him about switching his position until José Caballero, who began the season as the team’s shortstop, came off the injured list in May. Volpe, who underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder, was working during his rehab with the mindset of being a shortstop. That was the case during his rehab assignment, though he was optioned to Triple-A on May 4 when he was set to come off the injured list because of Caballero’s good performance to begin the season. ANTHONY RIZZO CALLS OUT JAZZ CHISHOLM'S 'IMMATURITY' AFTER EJECTION DURING YANKEES' FENWAY PARK SWEEP Volpe also mentioned he was checking in with the Yankees during the offseason, asking what was expected of him during a time when his rehab process only allowed him to take ground balls. He couldn’t throw across the diamond yet. Volpe said the message from the Yankees was to be ready to play shortstop. When the season began, GM Brian Cashman also noted that the plan was to always have Volpe get back into the mix as the team’s shortstop, but Caballero’s play forced the Yankees’ hand. However, things changed when Caballero got hurt himself, and Volpe was called back up naturally to fill the space. At the time, he was only playing shortstop in Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. "When I was getting optioned, I told Booney I’d play catcher, I’d do literally whatever the team needed," Volpe explained. "And that’s the truth behind the story. That’s why the fact that what was said was said is catching me so off-guard because there was literally zero of that." Finally, Volpe said he had "no problem" with the introduction of a position change. "I want to be here and I want to help the team win the World Series. That’s literally all I want," Volpe said. Boone added: "I know he would do anything. Volpe’s character and team-first [mindset] is beyond reproach. He’s as good as it gets. He’s been through a lot and he’s handled everything with toughness, with grace, with work ethic and with team-first in mind. He’s always been that way." Volpe, a first-round pick out of Delbarton High School in New Jersey by the Yankees back in 2019, has had his moments with the team, but consistency hasn’t been there through parts of four seasons. For his career, Volpe is slashing .224/.287/.375 with a .662 OPS across 513 games. Volpe’s 19 errors at shortstop last season also led MLB in that category. He has three in 36 starts this year for the Yankees. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f7416c2ca79de2365a706 Slain NJ therapist's husband hires lawyer as investigators confirm ongoing contact in homicide probe te 2026-07-09T10:12:38.308Z Slain NJ therapist's husband hires lawyer as investigators confirm ongoing contact in homicide probe FIRST ON FOX: CHESTER, N.J. – The husband of Brooke Hanlon, who was found stabbed to death inside her Chester, New Jersey home, has obtained a lawyer, authorities confirmed to Fox News Digital. Investigators with the Morris County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit confirmed to Fox News Digital that Conor Hanlon has been communicating with investigators following his wife’s killing. The new mother was found dead on June 6 with "multiple sharp force injuries" confirmed by the medical examiner the Morris County Prosecutor's Office said. 'THAT WAS THE LAST I HEARD FROM HIM': SLAIN NJ THERAPIST’S NEIGHBOR RECALLS LAST CONTACT WITH HUSBAND The agency said it has been in touch with "several" family members throughout the investigation. When asked whether Hanlon has been cooperative throughout the probe, authorities chose not to comment. FOX TRUE CRIME IS NOW ON FACEBOOK Fox News Digital obtained a Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) log of a 911 call made at the home on June 6 that was initially reported as a "Cardiac or Respiratory Arrest." SLAIN NEW JERSEY THERAPIST'S SISTER SAYS FAMILY IS LIVING A 'NIGHTMARE' ONE MONTH LATER According to the log, the 911 call came in at 4:29 p.m., and within 13 minutes at approximately 4:42 p.m., a dispatcher enters the note "suspicious death" to the log. SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER Within the hour, Major Crimes Unit detectives were notified. The log also indicates several days of investigative activity at the home following the initial call. SLAIN NEW JERSEY THERAPIST'S SISTER SAYS FAMILY IS LIVING A 'NIGHTMARE' ONE MONTH LATER Detectives, investigators and the medical examiner, among others, were recorded on the log from June 6 through June 12, when the log was officially closed out. LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST It was not immediately clear who Hanlon's lawyer is. Hanlon has not been accused of any crime or wrongdoing. SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST TRUE CRIME NEWS Fox News Digital previously made calls to Hanlon that were not returned. FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X The investigation is active and ongoing. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f7402c2ca79de2365a6fd The surprising hidden cost quietly adding nearly $132K to new home prices revealed te 2026-07-09T10:12:18.850Z The surprising hidden cost quietly adding nearly $132K to new home prices revealed Government regulations are adding nearly $132,000 to the cost of newly built houses, according to a new report released as Americans struggle to become homeowners. The findings that more than one-quarter of the final prices of newly constructed homes come as housing affordability remains a top concern nationwide, with elevated mortgage rates and limited inventory putting homeownership out of reach for many families. The issue is also expected to be a key focus heading into the 2026 midterm elections, as lawmakers face growing pressure to address high housing costs and the affordability crisis overall. AMERICA'S HOUSING MARKET COULD RUN OUT OF SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN HOMES The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), which commissioned the report, argues that regulations imposed by federal, state and local governments have become a major driver of the nation's housing shortage and affordability challenges. The study found regulations add an average of $131,734 to the cost of a newly built home, representing 26.4% of the final sale price. The estimate, based on the average new-home price of $499,500, marks the largest increase between consecutive NAHB surveys since the organization began tracking the data in 2011. Regulatory costs have climbed a whopping 40% since 2021. "We update our study every five years and this reinforces what we have been saying all along — that the cost to build a single-family home in this country continues to escalate and exacerbate the housing affordability crisis," NAHB President and CEO Jim Tobin told Fox News Digital. "We're up 40% over the last five years, and now regulatory burdens at every level of government are totaling more than $130,000 for the cost of a new home." NAHB estimates the U.S. faces a structural housing shortage of 1.2 million homes, arguing rising regulatory costs make it more difficult to increase supply. Tobin said regulatory costs vary across the country, with states in the Southeast, including Texas, Florida and the Carolinas, generally maintaining a lower-cost regulatory environment than states such as California, New York, New Jersey and Illinois. AMERICANS KEEP MOVING TO TEXAS AND FLORIDA — BUT ONE OTHER RED STATE IS GROWING EVEN FASTER He also said he expects regulatory costs to continue rising, but believes policymakers can help slow the pace through reforms. "Anything we can do to lower that cost, I think would be really important," Tobin said. He pointed to the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which would streamline permitting, reduce barriers to new construction and expand financing tools intended to increase the nation's housing supply. The White House and the Department of Housing and Urban Development did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment on the report's findings. NAHB said the study is not intended to argue that all regulations should be eliminated but to quantify their cumulative effect on housing affordability. "While regulations are important, they can go too far," Tobin told Fox News Digital. "We need to make sure health and safety are protected while getting rid of the more onerous and costly regulations that do nothing more than drive up costs and keep Americans out of homeownership." The analysis is based on surveys of 54 land developers and 337 single-family builders conducted in March 2026. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f73efc2ca79de2365a6f4 Trump holds Washington hostage over SAVE Act as midterm clock ticks on GOP control te 2026-07-09T10:11:59.395Z Trump holds Washington hostage over SAVE Act as midterm clock ticks on GOP control President Donald Trump is turning the stalled SAVE America Act into a leverage fight on Capitol Hill, tying the bill to unrelated Republican priorities as the party races to use its congressional majorities before the midterms. The fight now stretches across defense spending, housing legislation, Senate primary politics and the filibuster, as Trump pushes Republicans to move the stalled elections bill before the party’s midterm window narrows. The latest pressure point came Tuesday, when Trump tied the stalled elections bill to a proposed "Reconciliation 3.0" package seeking $350 billion in new defense spending.  "The SAVE AMERICA ACT, which everyone is asking for, paired with the full funding of our Great Department of War, can be passed, very quickly, ensuring that the United States of America stays FREE for Generations to come," Trump wrote on Truth Social Tuesday.  TRUMP'S SAVE AMERICA ACT SHOWS SIGNS OF LIFE IN THE SENATE DESPITE REPUBLICAN REVOLT The SAVE America Act includes Trump’s long-sought voter ID and citizenship verification, which has faced obstacles in the Senate. Trump has warned about the need for voter ID laws for years, including from the 2016 campaign trail.  In late June, Trump announced a last-minute cancellation of the signing of the 21st Century ROAD Act of Housing, while issuing an ultimatum to get the SAVE Act passed. The housing bill had bipartisan support and would have expanded the supply of homes and lower costs while also giving individual buyers a leg up by banning large institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes.  The cancellation came as a shock to members on both sides of the aisle, with Republican Maine Sen. Susan Collins saying the decision "made no sense," while Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren said Trump refused to sign at the "11th hour." "The SAVE America Act has always been a top priority for President Trump, and it remains one. This is commonsense legislation, supported by the vast majority of Americans, that will secure our elections for generations to come," White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital. "The President knows how critical this issue is for the American people, and he will not stop fighting until it is passed," Jackson added. Democratic lawmakers have argued the SAVE Act would create unnecessary barriers for eligible voters, disenfranchising them. "In fact, he won’t sign our bipartisan bill to finally bring relief to the housing market until he gets his SAVE Act to rig the midterms and kick millions of American citizens off the voter rolls. America First," said New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, referencing the housing act.  "Donald Trump thinks that passing a voter suppression law is the most important thing for our country," posted House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on X.  TRUMP SUFFERS MAJOR SUPREME COURT DEFEAT AS JUSTICES UPHOLD BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP The SAVE Act also became entangled in the Texas Senate fight between Attorney General Ken Paxton and incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, where the filibuster and Trump’s endorsement became part of the same pressure campaign. Texas Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton previously sounded the alarm on the importance of getting the bill passed during his campaign in March.  "I would consider dropping out of this race if Senate Leadership agrees to lift the filibuster and passes the SAVE America Act," he wrote on X at the time. Cornyn declined to back the SAVE Act even as he signaled he could reconsider his longtime support for the filibuster, sharpening the Texas primary pressure before Trump ultimately endorsed Paxton. Trump also diverted his attention back to the SAVE Act in another move to push his immigration agenda after a Supreme Court ruling on birthright citizenship. After the Supreme Court ruled that children born in the United States to parents unlawfully or temporarily present are citizens at birth under the 14th Amendment, Trump turned back to the SAVE Act as part of his broader immigration and elections push. "The Supreme Court upheld Birthright Citizenship, which is too bad for our Country, but we can easily make it up in Congress through Legislation, with the support of the President, that has now been determined during this process," Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time. CONGRESS EYES RARE BIPARTISAN HOUSING WIN WITH OR WITHOUT TRUMP'S HELP Senate Majority Leader John Thune has cast doubt on the bill’s path forward, saying Republicans do not have the 60 votes needed to overcome a Democratic filibuster. Trump has pushed Senate Republicans to change the rules and pass the bill by a simple majority, while pressing Democrats to publicly defend their reliance on the filibuster. Trump has sounded the alarm that the SAVE Act may never pass if it doesn't cross the finish line before November.  Republicans and administration officials have joined Trump's crusade by using their speaking engagements to help push the SAVE Act. Vice President JD Vance said by passing the legislation to get voter ID, Republicans will stop talking about election fraud.  "We are the only advanced democracy anywhere in the entire world that doesn't require you to show a voter ID to vote. It's simple. Just give us election integrity laws, give us voter ID, and then we will have the confidence to say the American people, there's no cheating," said Vance. "So stop it and give the American people voter ID." The Senate is scheduled to return from its Independence Day recess the week of July 13. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f73dbc2ca79de2365a6eb US hurtling toward population decline even as Americans say they want bigger families, new report warns te 2026-07-09T10:11:39.939Z US hurtling toward population decline even as Americans say they want bigger families, new report warns The Institute for Family Studies (IFS) is warning in a new report that the U.S. could be headed for population decline within the next few decades. Researchers say the looming demographic shift isn't because Americans no longer want families, and that, in fact, most people aspire to have more children than they actually have. Americans still say they want to have roughly 2.4 children while actual fertility has fallen below 1.6 children per woman, one of the widest gaps between desired and actual family size in modern history. Lyman Stone, Director of IFS' Pronatalism Initiative and co-author of the report, told Fox News Digital that the discrepancy is closely tied to family formation. Stone said Americans haven't given up on having children. Instead, as more people delay marriage or forgo it altogether, many fall short of the family size they envisioned. ERIKA KIRK HITS BACK AT NY TIMES NEWSLETTER ABOUT MARRIAGE AND KIDS, ACCUSES WRITER OF MISSING THE POINT "What most people want is family," Stone said. He noted that people who marry earlier are far more likely to reach their family size goals. "Conditional on marrying early enough, people almost always hit their fertility desires," he said. "The main factor shaping undershooting is just not getting married." Stone pushed back on the idea that the decline in birth rates was linked to an increase in medical infertility, saying that Americans have delayed starting their families. According to a 2025 statement from the U.S. Census Bureau, the median age at first marriage increased to 30.8 for men and 28.4 for women, compared to 1975 when the ages were 23.5 and 21.1. "There's not been a dramatic decline in health or reproductive ability. Humans are able to reproduce like we always have, but the choice to delay is exposing more people to the difficulty of age, and it does change their biological options in an adverse way," he said. "It's better to start earlier." OPINION: AMERICA'S NEXT 250 YEARS BEGIN IN THE CLASSROOM IFS also found "peer culture" to be a key factor in fertility. Young Americans with highly supportive friendships reported wanting larger families. The report noted that for Americans under 30, respondents with more supportive friends said they would like to have roughly 2.8 children, compared with 1.7 children among those with the least supportive friend groups. Stone said the researchers have yet to analyze whether having friends who are married and have children makes someone more likely to start a family, though he suspects there is likely a connection. Delayed family formation and the social influences highlighted in the report explain why Americans are having fewer children than they want, according to the report. The IFS believes this trend could reshape the country's demographic future. AGE OF FIRST-TIME MOTHERS HITS RECORD HIGH IN BLUE STATES AS BIRTH RATES KEEP FALLING The report warns that if things do not change, the U.S. could hit peak population in the 2050s before sliding into a steady decline. Stone told Fox News Digital that he found that "growth will basically fall to nearly zero by like the late 2030s." "We kind of do this like long, slow plateau type of thing. But then in the late 2050s and into the 2060s decline becomes fairly rapid. And by end of century, we could be looking at nearly a one percentage point population decline every year," he said. The IFS report projects that if fertility rates continue to decline, the U.S. population will peak at 351 million before it starts declining in the 2050s. However, if fertility rates stabilize, the population is projected peak at 366 million and will begin declining in the 2080s, according to the report. Stone argued that fixing the trend in birth rates would likely require policymakers to make family formation a higher priority. The report makes several recommendations, including eliminating marriage penalties in tax and welfare programs, expanding family-friendly housing and creating more financial incentives that encourage Americans to have children. Stone said the broader debate should focus less on whether government should intervene in family life and more on how it can improve the way it already intervenes. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE "I'm not arguing that the government should go from non-intervention to intervention," he said. "We're arguing we've got to wake up and be honest, the government is already intervening on family life and it's time to stop intervening against family life." Stone warned that the consequences of declining birth rates go beyond population numbers and said that strong families are essential to the long-term success of the U.S. "Families are the bedrock of a functional society. It's family growth that built this country. It his family growth that will keep this country going. And if we do not have families growing, liberty will not long last," he warned. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f73c8c2ca79de2365a6e2 Restaurant owners reveal the biggest mistake diners make before ordering te 2026-07-09T10:11:20.483Z Restaurant owners reveal the biggest mistake diners make before ordering Choosing an entrée isn't always easy, especially at a restaurant with an extensive menu. Many diners find it helpful to ask their server, "What's your favorite?", or simply, "What should I order?" Restaurant professionals, however, say those questions may not always lead to the best recommendation. AUTOMATIC TIP OR SERVICE CHARGE? NEW STATE LAW REQUIRES RESTAURANTS TO TELL DINERS BEFORE THEY ORDER Instead, they recommend asking questions that help reveal what a restaurant does best and allow servers to tailor recommendations to your preferences. Two hospitality experts spoke with Fox News Digital about the best questions to ask before ordering. Diners can get more useful recommendations by asking questions that go beyond a server's personal preferences, said Stephanie Mell, owner of Alabama-based ChurchStreet Family Restaurant & Hospitality Group. "I always find it interesting when someone asks, ‘What’s your favorite thing on the menu?' Because what I like isn't necessarily what you're going to like," Mell told Fox News Digital. CUSTOMERS HIT WITH AUTOMATIC 20% GRATUITIES AS RESTAURANTS COMBAT TIPPING CONFUSION "I think what people are really asking is, "What's exciting?' or ‘What should I experience while I'm here?'" Mell recommends one of two simple questions to get a better recommendation: "What are you known for?" or "What's your specialty?" "Those kinds of questions are great because they start a conversation," she noted. "Then we can learn more about what you're in the mood for and help guide you from there." CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER Mell said that her servers don't necessarily steer people toward their own personal favorites; rather, the focus is "the guest and the experience they're looking for." "Are you looking for something light? Are you in the mood for seafood? Are you having a bold red or a crisp Sauvignon Blanc? Do you have any allergies or dietary preferences?" she said. "A good server is trained to understand every dish on the menu, how it's prepared and who it's best suited for. The recommendation should be based on what the guest wants, not what the server wants." While Mell recommends asking what a restaurant is known for, another restaurant owner suggests a different approach: asking your server what he or she would order that night, since the answer may reflect what's freshest or being prepared especially well. CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE NEWS Robert Mahon, owner of Mahon Hospitality in New York and Dublin, told Fox News Digital that servers "know which dishes guests consistently love, what's being executed particularly well that day and what fits different tastes." "Their goal is usually to help guests have a great experience, not just sell the most expensive item," he said. "One common mistake diners make is ordering what they're familiar with instead of trying the dishes the restaurant is actually known for," Mahon said. Ultimately, Mell said, the best thing diners can do is have a conversation with their server. "The more information you give us, the better we can guide you," she said. TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ "Tell us what you are thinking about ordering, what you usually drink, whether you are looking for something heartier or lighter … even if it's your first time dining with us." Mell added that the conversation shouldn't be one-sided. At a good restaurant, she said, "the server should be asking those questions, too." "The goal isn't to tell you what to order. It's to figure out what is going to create the best experience for you," she said. "That's where the best recommendations come from." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f73b5c2ca79de2365a6d9 Prince William 'no longer recognizes' Prince Harry as security battle leaves duke 'close to tears': expert te 2026-07-09T10:11:01.028Z Prince William 'no longer recognizes' Prince Harry as security battle leaves duke 'close to tears': expert Prince Harry’s security battle may have left him "close to tears," but the royal family is said to have little sympathy for his emotional ordeal. The claim was made by multiple experts who spoke to Fox News Digital after a source told Vanity Fair's Katie Nicholl that the Duke of Sussex "was devastated and close to tears." The U.K. government declined his request for police protection for his family outside royal residences, prompting the prince to return to the U.K. alone on July 6. He is expected to remain there through July 11 for events highlighting the Invictus Games. PRINCE HARRY'S UK TRIP OFF TO ROCKY START AFTER FIRST MAJOR SETBACK It is unclear whether he will meet with his father or whether his family will join him later in the week. "My understanding is that Harry was deeply emotional," Kinsey Schofield, host of YouTube's "Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered," told Fox News Digital. "[For the royal family], there is exhaustion. The king is frustrated, Prince William is detached, and the broader family has very little appetite for another round of Sussex drama." Schofield called William the family's "biggest realist." WATCH: KING CHARLES WENT 'ABOVE AND BEYOND' FOR PRINCE HARRY: EXPERT "He's the future of the monarchy, so he views every decision through the lens of protecting the institution he will inherit," she said. "That naturally makes him more cautious than sentimental. He is a good judge of character, and I'm told he no longer recognizes Prince Harry." "King Charles still has the instincts of a father. William has increasingly had to think like a future king. Those are very different perspectives, and history suggests heirs are often less willing to take institutional risks than reigning monarchs." "William, in particular, seems grateful to be removed from the soap opera," Schofield said. "His priority is Princess Catherine, their children and protecting the peace of his household. We have seen plenty of the Wales family this week, and they look blissful and carefree. They aren't giving the Harry drama a second thought." Harry's troubles only deepened after he arrived in the U.K. On July 7, the Duke of Sussex lost his yearslong privacy lawsuit against Associated Newspapers Limited, publisher of the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday. The case involved Harry and six other claimants, including Elton John and Elizabeth Hurley. The High Court dismissed their claims after finding they failed to prove unlawful information gathering. Associated Newspapers Limited called the ruling an "overwhelming victory" and a "magnificent vindication." Harry said the court denied him the justice and accountability he sought. The publisher has long denied the allegations, calling them "preposterous" and maintaining the articles were based on lawful sources, including friends, royal aides and publicists. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER British royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that "the debacle" over security and Harry's "self-inflicted court case" has been "stressful" for the king. Harry has said the litigation became a primary source of his falling out with his father and brother. In pursuing the case, he broke with royal family tradition by taking the dispute to court. "Members of the royal family don't file such lawsuits, let alone lose on all counts in a highly public court case that Harry himself chose to file," she said. "With everything dismissed, he, along with the other claimants, will now be responsible for court costs. Harry initially being in tears wouldn't be surprising at all. Everything is of his own doing, which must make it even more painful. He chose to leave royal life." "Harry's emotions are likely to leave the royal family cold," royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital. "His visit has turned into an overhyped mess. ... This trip was supposed to have been planned months ago. ... We still don't know whether he will see his father or, if so, where and with whom, but it's certain to reinforce William's belief that his approach — ignoring the Sussexes — is the right one." The Sussexes lost their taxpayer-funded security after they stepped back as senior working royals. Harry was denied restoration of that security by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC). LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS People magazine previously reported that ahead of Harry's trip, his team spent several days exploring ways to make the visit safe through enhanced private security arrangements. Palace sources said Harry initially declined an invitation to stay at a royal residence before accepting it on Saturday. Harry's spokesperson told People that an offer for the Duke of Sussex to stay at Buckingham Palace during his London visit was withdrawn after he had formally accepted it. Palace sources, however, disputed that account, saying Harry failed to respond by the deadline and that his later acceptance came only after arrangements could no longer be made. Harry had also hoped to bring his family to Britain for the first time since 2022. But after learning they would receive police protection only while on royal property — and not throughout the visit — it was reported on July 4 that they would not accompany him. It's been reported that Harry wants his children to know their British heritage and have a relationship with King Charles, who continues to undergo cancer treatment. In a 2025 BBC interview, he said he hoped to reconcile with his family because "there's no point continuing to fight anymore." He also said his father was no longer speaking to him over the ongoing security dispute. Harry has long argued the British press damaged his relationships, leaving him "paranoid beyond belief." He blames the media for the death of his mother, Princess Diana, and coverage of Meghan Markle before the couple stepped back as senior working royals in 2020. "They continue to come after me; they have made my wife's life an absolute misery," he testified as he choked back tears in the witness box during the trial in January. "Constitutionally, the king has no role in this security decision, and Buckingham Palace cannot be seen interfering with government or legal processes," Schofield said. "But Harry understands emotional leverage. By tying security to whether his children can visit the U.K. or see their grandfather, he creates a narrative in which the palace appears cold, even though the decision is not the palace's to make." "This visit has likely deepened the rift because it has once again turned a family issue into a public pressure campaign," Schofield said. "Instead of building trust privately, Harry's team appears to brief and litigate through the media. That makes reconciliation almost impossible." Taxpayer-funded security is determined on a case-by-case basis by RAVEC, Vanity Fair reported. The magazine noted that it is generally provided only to full-time working members of the royal family. A Home Office spokesperson confirmed to the outlet that the government's position remains unchanged. "[Harry] had assumed that because he was bringing the children, and the king had made a royal residence available to them, he would get what he had been seeking all along — full-time police protection," a source told the outlet. "That has not been the case. The king has made it clear that while he wants to see his estranged son and grandchildren, he will not intervene in security matters." As Harry's rift with the royal family shows little sign of healing, Schofield believes his ongoing security battle has become about more than personal safety. "I'm told there is frustration that he still wants the freedom of private life with the infrastructure of public duty," Schofield said. "That is the contradiction at the heart of this entire fight. Harry wants the world to believe he left the institution, but not the importance that came with it." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f73a1c2ca79de2365a6d0 House Republican Thomas Massie suggests Obamacare could now be labeled 'Trumpcare' te 2026-07-09T10:10:41.577Z House Republican Thomas Massie suggests Obamacare could now be labeled 'Trumpcare' Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., criticized President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers over Obamacare on Wednesday, suggesting that it could now be referred to as "Trumpcare." "Might as well call it Trumpcare now. Our party has made no serious effort to repeal Obamacare and legalize affordable health insurance after taking control of the House, Senate & White House," Massie wrote on a post on X. "Why? Because the current system enriches insurance and hospital companies," he added. MASSIE LASHES OUT WHEN PRESSED ON EX-GIRLFRIEND'S ALLEGATIONS OF AFFAIR WITH GOP FIREBRAND A user responded to the congressman's comments by asking, "How can things get done without votes. Is trump able to do something on his own?" Massie replied that the president has "endorsed literally every Republican who wants to keep Obamacare." MASSIE POSITIONS HIMSELF FOR POTENTIAL POLITICAL FUTURE AFTER PRIMARY DEFEAT: 'I WON'T BE GOING AWAY SILENTLY' Fox News Digital reached out to the White House early on Thursday morning. Massie lost the Republican primary in Kentucky's 4th Congressional District in May to President Donald Trump-backed challenger Ed Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL. TRUMP ADMIN CRACKS DOWN ON ESTIMATED $10 BILLION IN OBAMACARE FRAUD, BOOTS MILLIONS FROM ROLLS Massie has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since late 2012. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f715cc2ca79de2365a647 Bonnie Tyler, singer of chart-topping hit 'Total Eclipse of the Heart,' dead at 75 te 2026-07-09T10:01:00.366Z Bonnie Tyler, singer of chart-topping hit 'Total Eclipse of the Heart,' dead at 75 Bonnie Tyler, the Grammy-nominated Welsh singer whose soaring 1983 hit "Total Eclipse of the Heart" became one of pop music's most enduring anthems, has died. She was 75. Tyler died unexpectedly at a hospital in Portugal, where she had been receiving treatment for an illness, her family announced Thursday. She had been hospitalized in May for emergency intestinal surgery and was later placed in an induced coma. Her family had said last month that she was no longer in a coma but remained critically ill. Born Gaynor Hopkins in Skewen, Wales, Tyler rose to international fame with her signature raspy voice and a string of hits including "It's a Heartache," "Holding Out for a Hero" and "Total Eclipse of the Heart," which spent four weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983. The Jim Steinman-produced power ballad enjoyed a resurgence during the solar eclipses of 2017 and 2024, helping the song surpass 1 billion streams, while its iconic MTV-era music video also crossed the 1 billion-view mark. Tyler earned three Grammy nominations during her career, represented the United Kingdom at the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest and was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in 2023 for her services to music. She is survived by her husband, Robert Sullivan, a property developer and former Olympic judo competitor. The couple had been married since 1973. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f7148c2ca79de2365a63e Drone offensive hits Russian oil tankers and refineries at 'industrial scale' as Moscow bans diesel exports te 2026-07-09T10:00:40.920Z Drone offensive hits Russian oil tankers and refineries at 'industrial scale' as Moscow bans diesel exports Ukraine launched one of its broadest recent drone offensives against Russia’s maritime and energy networks this week, claiming strikes on 21 vessels in three days as attacks on major refineries deep inside Russia intensified pressure on Moscow’s fuel supplies. The wave of attacks offered a striking display of Ukraine’s growing long-range capabilities. On Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met President Donald Trump at the NATO summit in Ankara, where Trump said the United States would allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot air-defense interceptors and the two leaders discussed a potential drone agreement. TRUMP SAYS US WILL LET UKRAINE MAKE PATRIOT MISSILES IN MAJOR POLICY SHIFT Zelenskyy made air defense his top priority during the bilateral meeting and said the two governments had also begun working on a separate drone agreement. "Air defense is the priority," Zelenskyy said. He described the emerging drone deal as "a very good beginning" and said he hoped to discuss additional details with Trump. The timing allowed Zelenskyy to arrive at the summit with evidence that Ukraine’s domestic drone industry can threaten Russian assets far beyond the conventional battlefield. UKRAINE’S BATTLEFIELD IS TRANSFORMING THE FUTURE OF NATO Trump praised Zelenskyy as "very effective" and credited Ukrainian forces with successfully operating American weapons against Russia’s much larger military. "He’s had the best equipment because he had our equipment," Trump said. "But somebody has to use that equipment. And you have a lot of brave people that are using that equipment." Ukraine is increasingly forcing Russia to defend refineries, airfields, shipping routes and other infrastructure far beyond the front. Kyiv has not achieved a comparable breakthrough in the grinding ground campaign, and Russia continues to bombard Ukrainian cities. But repeated long-range strikes have begun disrupting fuel production and maritime logistics while imposing costs on parts of Russia that were once largely insulated from the fighting. WATCH: FIGHTS BREAK OUT AT RUSSIAN GAS STATIONS AS PUTIN ADMITS FUEL SHORTAGES On Tuesday, Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces said nine Russian-linked vessels were struck in the Sea of Azov on Wednesday, bringing the number targeted over 72 hours to 21. Commander Robert "Magyar" Brovdi said the targets included 19 oil tankers, a cargo ship and a ferry operating near Russian-occupied Crimea, according to East2West news agency. He described the campaign against the fleet as reaching an "industrial scale." Ukrainian and Russian officials confirmed that the overnight offensive targeted tankers, refineries, pipeline facilities and a military airfield across several Russian regions. Ukraine says many of the vessels were part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet and were being used to transport fuel to Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula Moscow seized and illegally annexed in 2014. The maritime strikes were accompanied by attacks on the Saratov refinery and energy facilities in the Russian regions of Tatarstan and Bashkortostan. Russian authorities said one person was killed in Saratov. Ukraine also said it struck the Borisoglebsk military airfield in Russia’s Voronezh region. The base has been used by Russian combat aircraft involved in attacks against Ukraine, according to Kyiv. The latest wave followed a Ukrainian strike Monday on the Omsk refinery in Siberia, approximately 1,700 miles from Ukrainian-controlled territory. The facility is Russia’s largest oil refinery and processed about 460,000 barrels of crude per day last year, according to Reuters. UKRAINE LAUNCHES WHAT APPEARS TO BE ONE OF ITS LARGEST DRONE ATTACKS AGAINST RUSSIA: REPORT Two industry sources subsequently told Reuters that the Omsk facility had halted oil processing following the attack. The disruption comes as parts of Russia face gasoline and diesel shortages attributed in part to repeated Ukrainian attacks on refineries and fuel depots. Long lines have formed at filling stations in several cities, while some regions have introduced purchasing restrictions. Russia announced Wednesday that it was temporarily banning diesel exports through July 31 to protect domestic supplies. The shortages have become one of the most visible ways the war is reaching ordinary Russians. Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the Kremlin-funded RT network, acknowledged the hardships during an appearance on Russian state television and urged Russians not to respond by challenging the country’s leadership. "There is no petrol," Simonyan said in a translated clip distributed by regional media. Recalling food rationing after the collapse of the Soviet Union, she said: "We endured it. And we will endure it now." Simonyan argued that Russia’s enemies wanted the population to react as it had during the 1917 revolution and "run off to overthrow" the czar. "Yes, it is hard, yes, very hard," she said, urging Russians to remain calm. The pressure on Russia’s energy infrastructure formed the backdrop to Zelenskyy’s Wednesday meeting with Trump at the Beştepe Presidential Compound. Russia continued its bombardment of Ukraine during the summit, striking Kyiv and other cities with missiles and drones. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said storage facilities were burning in the capital’s Desnyanskyi district and reported another fire in the Sviatoshynskyi district. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f6cd6c2ca79de2365a5a9 Reinventing Business Internet from the Ground Up and the Sky Down te 2026-07-09T09:41:42.855Z Reinventing Business Internet from the Ground Up and the Sky Down (NAPSI)—Here’s news many companies may consider out of this world: A revolutionary business internet solution that combines the largest 5G network with Starlink. Called SuperBroadband, this groundbreaking service delivers ultimate redundancy, unmatched coverage and unprecedented simplicity—redefinin Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f6cc2c2ca79de2365a5a0 Reinventing Business Internet from the Ground Up and the Sky Down te 2026-07-09T09:41:22.891Z Reinventing Business Internet from the Ground Up and the Sky Down Powered by America’s fastest 5G internet and integrated with Starlink, SuperBroadband delivers virtually unbreakable connectivity. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f65f2c2ca79de2365a43f Democratic socialists have lots of ideas, but how are we supposed to pay for them? te 2026-07-09T09:12:18.561Z Democratic socialists have lots of ideas, but how are we supposed to pay for them? As a Certified Financial Planner, I've spent more than three decades asking people one simple question before they make a major financial decision. "How are you going to pay for it?" It's a question every bank asks before approving a loan. It's a question every family should ask before buying a home. And it's the question every voter should ask as democratic socialism gains momentum across America. You can vote for someone as president of student council who promises free lunch, no school on Fridays, and unlimited recess, but will those policies actually be put into place and will they be successful. Because every promise has a price tag. MAMDANI RIPPED FOR CLAIMING VICTORY OVER CAPITALISM AFTER NYC'S MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR TAXPAYER FUNDED BAILOUT Over the past few weeks, Democratic Socialist candidates have captured national attention with proposals that include government-funded childcare, free public transit, city-owned grocery stores, tuition-free college, universal healthcare, rent freezes, expanded public housing and significantly higher taxes on wealthy Americans. Many of these ideas sound compassionate. Some may even solve real problems. But good intentions have never balanced a budget, and we are woefully behind on that already. BLACKROCK CEO LARRY FINK 'WORRIED' ABOUT NYC UNDER MAMDANI, FLOATS INVESTING ELSEWHERE UNDER WEAKER CONDITIONS The United States is already carrying nearly $40 trillion in national debt. We continue to run trillion-dollar annual deficits. Interest on that debt is now one of the fastest-growing expenses in the federal budget, meaning taxpayers are spending hundreds of billions of dollars every year simply paying interest on yesterday's borrowing while not building roads, improving schools or strengthening our military. Now we're being told the answer is ... more spending? Let's look at what happens when government promises more than it can sustainably fund. In New York City, progressive leaders have proposed policies ranging from city-owned grocery stores and free buses to major expansions of public housing and government-funded childcare. In Seattle, policymakers have pursued higher business taxes, expanded tenant protections and broader public spending to address housing affordability and inequality. Supporters believe these policies make life more affordable. Critics argue they increase long-term financial obligations, discourage business investment and create budget pressures that future taxpayers must absorb. Reasonable people can disagree on which side is right, but no one can disagree with one basic principle. Eventually, the bill comes due. Here's what worries me most. America became the most prosperous nation in history because we rewarded people who created value. Entrepreneurs risked their savings to build companies. Small business owners hired employees before they knew if customers would show up. Investors funded ideas that changed the world. Workers believed that hard work and personal responsibility could improve their lives. That system wasn't perfect. But it created more opportunity, more innovation and more wealth than any economic model in history. When government continually expands its role, raises taxes and promises more benefits without clearly explaining how they'll be funded, we should ask whether we're creating more opportunity or simply redistributing what others have already created and stunting future generations to want to build and innovate. As a financial advisor, I never tell clients they can spend money they don't have. That’s just common sense. I don't tell them debt doesn't matter. I don't tell them someone else will eventually pay their bills. Washington shouldn't either. If politicians want to propose new programs, great. Show us the numbers. Show us how they'll be funded over the next decade and not just next year's election cycle. Show us what gets cut if revenues don't materialize. Show us how much additional debt we're willing to leave our children. That's not a Republican question. That's not a Democratic question. That's an American question. Compassion and fiscal responsibility are not opposites. In fact, lasting compassion depends on sound finances. Families know it. Businesses know it. And you know it. The federal government should know it too. America doesn't have a shortage of good ideas. It has a shortage of leaders willing to admit that every promise comes with a price tag. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION Before we embrace bigger government, let's demand something remarkably simple to understand. Don't just tell us what you're going to give us. Tell us who's going to pay for it. How’s that for a democratic idea? CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM TED JENKIN Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f65dfc2ca79de2365a436 Iran’s Strait of Hormuz scheme could derail one Gulf nation’s bright future te 2026-07-09T09:11:59.105Z Iran’s Strait of Hormuz scheme could derail one Gulf nation’s bright future In the maelstrom of noise over Iranian action in the Strait of Hormuz, there has been much less discussion of the country on the other side of the contested waterway: Oman. Over the course of the conflict in Iran, Oman has been a somewhat enigmatic actor. While cooperating with the United States as a mediator, it has also displayed an openness to Tehran’s schemes to impose tolls on shipping through the Strait. That would be a significant mistake. Unlike Iran, Oman has a bright, promising future due to recent effective economic reforms and the opportunity to join the growing regional cohesion against the Islamic Republic. For the sake of the Omani people, Muscat should embrace this path to greater freedom, opportunity, and prosperity. TRUMP SAYS IRAN CEASEFIRE IS 'OVER' AFTER IRANIAN ATTACKS TRIGGER MASSIVE US RESPONSE Despite the accident of geography that put them on either side of the Strait, there are plenty of reasons a rapprochement with Iran makes no sense for Oman. In the 2026 edition of The Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom, an annual benchmark report that compares entrepreneurial competitiveness and resilience environments of countries around the globe, Oman made a splash by achieving the second-best score improvement (behind Javier Milei’s Argentina) and moving up by impressive 19 places to rank 39th globally. This transformative advancement reflects the country’s ongoing economic expansion and strength under the Oman Vision 2040 framework. Fiscal consolidation and more effective management of public finance have helped reduce the debt level to less than 40 percent of GDP. Legal reforms focused on ensuring greater transparency and accountability have impressively combated corruption. In addition, opening up Omani businesses to greater foreign investment has also contributed to the country’s success. As a result, the International Monetary Fund estimates Oman’s GDP per capita at $21,645 — a nineteen percent increase over 2025. This happy state of affairs could not be further from the disastrous economic dysfunction playing out in Iran. Despite having the world’s second-largest proven oil reserves (to say nothing of significant natural gas reserves), due to systemic mismanagement by the regime, Iran’s economy was in a compounding free fall long before Operation Epic Fury. Things are now far worse. Ten years ago, after Barak Obama’s JCPOA gave Tehran an economic lifeline, inflation was around 7%. It is now around 50%, with prices for food closer to 100%. Poverty levels have risen dramatically, with millions more projected to fall into poverty in coming months. Official estimates put unemployment at about 10%, but independent assessments put it over 25%, with young people bearing the brunt of the job losses. As a result, Iran’s GDP per capita is a dismal $3,415 — less than half of Oman’s and a six percent decrease from 2025. All of which makes Oman’s recent equivocation over Iran confounding. The two countries recently had high-level discussions in Muscat to assert their joint sovereignty over the waterway, and so ability to demand payment for ships to pass. While dressed up in diplomatic language in official statements as security and environmental fees, the reality is a state-sponsored blackmail imposed on the vital energy floes from the Gulf. Such money-grubbing schemes, while understandable for an increasingly impoverished and desperate Iran, are beneath the aspirations of Oman. Instead of teaming up with a global pariah and running the risk of U.S. economic sanctions or even military attack, Muscat should build on the hard work it has already done to transform its economy for greater future. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION The next pragmatic step should be to further embrace the principle of economic freedom to offer passage through their side of the Strait independent of Iranian threats, which would only increase the attractiveness of their ports as ports of call for everything from international tankers from Gulf nations to U.S. Navy vessels. Oman could also be an integral part of the regional race to establish an alternative infrastructure around the Strait, which will eventually — and inevitably — leave Iran out in the cold. Going into business with Iran to impose restrictions and tolls on Hormuz would fatally undermine this opportunity for Oman, which could wind up isolated from the rest of the region along with Iran. The recent show of unity in the Gulf Cooperation Committee (GCC) in Bahrain with Secretary of State Marco Rubio offers a much better alternative for Oman. Rather than becoming a junior partner to Tehran, Muscat has the unique geoeconomic opportunity to coordinate with far more productive and prosperous regional partners in conjunction with the United States for the greater good. Now is the time for Oman to seize that moment to ensure its transformative trajectory. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM VICTORIA COATES Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f65cbc2ca79de2365a42d MORNING GLORY: Graham Platner proves candidates can’t outrun secrets and scandal te 2026-07-09T09:11:39.650Z MORNING GLORY: Graham Platner proves candidates can’t outrun secrets and scandal Do you want to run for an office that will be heavily contested in the general election? Begin considering your decision with the Bible. Really. Specifically, the Gospel of Luke, chapter 8, verse 17: "For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light." (The New King James Version.) Roman Catholics have long been urged to reflect often on "the four last things": death, judgment, heaven and hell. The "judgment" comes along with the consideration of a man’s or woman’s entire life. The fundamental premise about the nature of God is that God knows all things — that he is omniscient (as well as omnipresent and omnipotent). PLATNER DROPS OUT OF CRUCIAL SENATE RACE AFTER BOMBSHELL RAPE ALLEGATION TORPEDOES CAMPAIGN That has not always been the case with political media. Sometimes the national and even local press were complicit in hiding facts known to some but not widely shared. President John F. Kennedy’s escapades were well known to many in the Beltway’s elite media and perhaps in Massachusetts, but those who knew and liked or even loved him were not about to tell. That is perhaps the most famous example of media complicity in burying scandals, but it’s a bipartisan tradition to not launder some dirty garments in public. That era is over. President Obama is said to have believed "if you can win, you should" as an explanation for playing hardball in politics. Lots of Republicans live by the same rule. Politics is far, far from actual war or even life-and-death struggles, but as Finley Peter Dunne’s famed creation Mr. Dooley put it, "politics ain’t beanbag" either. It’s a rough-and-tumble game, and lots of lives get upended, if not even more seriously wrecked, when national attention turns to the backstory of every candidate on whom the searchlights turn. Now more than ever, every candidate must be warned again and again that Luke 8:17 is very much true and indeed inevitable for every candidate in every race in which any opponent has the means to dig deep. As the number of media platforms has grown and grown, so too has the number of reporters eager for a "scoop" or anything close to one. NEW YORK TIMES UNDER SCRUTINY OVER GRAHAM PLATNER COVERAGE AS ACCUSERS SPEAK OUT AGAINST PAPER Producing the soiled linen on any candidate — "R" or "D" — produces clicks and thus heightens the profile of the journalist with the byline. No rumor is too outrageous to check out. And every old girlfriend or boyfriend, business competitor or colleague, and even family member with a score to settle views campaigns as an opportunity not to be missed. Which is why every would-be candidate ought to subject himself or herself first to self-scrutiny and then to a gauntlet of "friendly" professionals who specialize in digging up "opposition research." If an unflattering story exists, it can be found, and it will be found. And it will be on every front page. PLATNER’S THREE-DAY VETTING JOB COMES BACK TO HAUNT DEMS AS RAPE ALLEGATION ROCKS SENATE BID Which brings us to the people who recruited Maine Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner. Platner dropped out of the race for Senate in Maine on Wednesday night. Platner owns his own life story. Whatever he did and didn’t do cannot be undone or made up for. It’s just the facts of every life, and no life is going to emerge unscathed from searching — and often searing — reviews.  This is what candidates have to fully grasp. It will all come out. Every bit of the bad and not much of the good. Forewarned is forearmed. HOW GRAHAM PLATNER'S CAMPAIGN UNRAVELED: FROM REDDIT POSTS TO RAPE ALLEGATION In his classic book, "Hardball," former MSNBC host Chris Matthews brought up this old but true bit of wisdom: If you have a political problem, hang a lantern on it. Call attention to the very worst parts of your life and bio at the start of a campaign. If your candidacy can’t survive self-disclosure and apology, your candidacy will fail, and the failure will be all the more painful when it arrives. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION But if his one-time backers didn’t lay out these tough facts about the hard realities of politics in 2026, the now former candidate may be more angry with them than he is with himself at this point. If he was misled about what could be papered over, it wouldn’t be an irrational response. But Platner's saga is already a tale worth telling every candidate in every race coming down the road in the years ahead: "[N]othing is secret that will not be revealed." Hugh Hewitt is a Fox News contributor and host of "The Hugh Hewitt Show" heard weekday afternoons from 3 PM to 6 PM ET on the Salem Radio Network, and simulcast on Salem News Channel. Hugh drives Americans home on the East Coast and to lunch on the West Coast on over 400 affiliates nationwide, and on all the streaming platforms where SNC can be seen. He is a frequent guest on the Fox News Channel’s news roundtable, hosted by Bret Baier weekdays at 6pm ET. A son of Ohio and a graduate of Harvard College and the University of Michigan Law School, Hewitt has been a Professor of Law at Chapman University’s Fowler School of Law since 1996 where he teaches Constitutional Law. Hewitt launched his eponymous radio show from Los Angeles in 1990. Hewitt has frequently appeared on every major national news television network, hosted television shows for PBS and MSNBC, written for every major American paper, has authored a dozen books and moderated a score of Republican candidate debates, most recently the November 2023 Republican presidential debate in Miami and four Republican presidential debates in the 2015-16 cycle. Hewitt focuses his radio show and his column on the Constitution, national security, American politics and the Cleveland Browns and Guardians. Hewitt has interviewed tens of thousands of guests from Democrats Hillary Clinton and John Kerry to Republican Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump over his 40 years in broadcasting. This column previews the lead story that will drive his radio/ TV show today. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM HUGH HEWITT Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f65a4c2ca79de2365a41b Big Tech Is Now Targeting Native American Land for Massive Data Centers te 2026-07-09T09:11:00.736Z Big Tech Is Now Targeting Native American Land for Massive Data Centers The data center boom has roiled communities across the country, but on Native land, a Big Tech push for quick approvals has pitted the need for development against a history of exploitation. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f6591c2ca79de2365a412 Trump’s Loyal Defender at the Vatican te 2026-07-09T09:10:41.281Z Trump’s Loyal Defender at the Vatican Ambassador Brian Burch must navigate the relationship between the two most prominent American men in the world. His priority is the one in Washington. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f657dc2ca79de2365a409 Can Trump’s Arch Be So Tall? A Panel May Redefine a Law to Get to Yes. te 2026-07-09T09:10:21.831Z Can Trump’s Arch Be So Tall? A Panel May Redefine a Law to Get to Yes. The proposed 250-foot arch would violate a height limit on Washington structures under the traditional reading of the law. But the panel, now led by the president’s allies, has other ideas. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f57c1c2ca79de2365a0ff Biggs Defends Working Families Tax Cut Bill On Its First Anniversary te 2026-07-09T08:11:45.233Z Biggs Defends Working Families Tax Cut Bill On Its First Anniversary By Matthew Holloway | One year after President Donald Trump signed the Working Families Tax Cut Bill into law, U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ05) defended the legislation as a cornerstone of the nation’s economic recovery, arguing it prevented what he described as a massive tax increase while expanding tax relief for families, workers, and small businesses. In an exclusive interview with AZ Free News earlier this week, Biggs, who is also running for Arizona Governor, said the legislation’s most immediate accomplishment was preserving tax relief that otherwise would have expired. “I think what you’re seeing is, the biggest success, is you stopped a $4 trillion tax increase,” Biggs said. “That would have been economically really, really bad for the country—maybe the death knell.” Biggs said extending the 20 percent deduction for qualifying small businesses and preserving immediate business expensing provisions were among the bill’s most significant accomplishments. He also pointed to Treasury Department estimates indicating many families could see larger tax savings. “According to the Treasury Department, the average family is going to see somewhere north of $2,000,” Biggs said, adding that other estimates range between $1,500 and $2,000. “That provides money to the economy and stimulus to the economy and helps the working men and women of this country.” The congressman said some provisions are only beginning to show their long-term effects, particularly expanded domestic energy and natural resource development. “I think people are getting… that a lot more federal land is being opened up for oil, gas, coal, minerals, whatever those natural resources are,” Biggs said. “Years from now, looking back, people will say, ‘Man, that really was one of the most critical things that could have happened for us.'” Biggs also cited provisions eliminating federal taxes on tips, reducing taxes on overtime income, and providing tax relief for seniors receiving Social Security benefits as measures designed to increase disposable income while stimulating economic activity. Critics of the legislation, such as Arizona Senate Minority Leader Priya Sundareshan (D-LD18), have argued it disproportionately benefits higher-income Americans and could increase the federal deficit, as reported by The Center Square. Biggs rejected both claims. “The problem that we have is not a revenue problem in Washington, D.C.,” Biggs said. “It is a spending problem.” He argued that economic growth generated by lower taxes ultimately produces additional federal revenue. “What you do get is more economic activity,” Biggs said. “More taxes ultimately get paid and go into the federal government.” Looking ahead, Biggs said a future Republican Congress should consider additional tax reductions for businesses while encouraging domestic manufacturing and development of critical mineral resources. “If you want to stimulate jobs,” he said, “you’d find a way to reduce some of the corporate tax policy… and pass those along to sole proprietors and small firms as well.” Although Biggs described the legislation as comprehensive, he said one area he wished Congress had addressed more aggressively was healthcare policy. “One thing that we didn’t take care of, in my opinion… is we did nothing really on healthcare costs in the One Big Beautiful Bill,” Biggs said. He said he had introduced legislation to expand Health Savings Accounts and increase their portability, adding that Rep. Eric Burlison of Missouri had proposed similar but broader reforms. “I would have liked to see us do more on tax policy related directly to healthcare as well,” Biggs said. Speaking with KTAR’s Mike Broomhead Monday, Biggs also discussed fraud in Medicaid and the Indian Health Services program. In a post to X sharing a clip he wrote, “When we root this waste out, we’ll get taxpayer dollars back in the pockets of Arizonans so families and businesses can thrive.” There’s still billions of fraud in Arizona, especially in Medicaid and our Indian Health Services program. When we root this waste out, we’ll get taxpayer dollars back in the pockets of Arizonans so families and businesses can thrive. I’ll get this done as Governor. pic.twitter.com/TM9SYLIXGa — Andy Biggs (@andybiggs4az) July 6, 2026 Looking ahead to a possible Biggs administration, he said future state tax policy should continue focusing on healthcare affordability and higher education while complementing the broader economic approach established by the federal legislation. “The affordability of housing” remains Arizona’s largest economic challenge, Biggs said, arguing that utility costs, water policy, and management of state trust lands all play significant roles in addressing long-term affordability. Biggs, who declined to seek another term in Congress to run for Governor, said Arizona has already incorporated many of the federal tax provisions into state law, though he criticized Gov. Katie Hobbs for initially vetoing related legislation before later signing it. Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com. The post Biggs Defends Working Families Tax Cut Bill On Its First Anniversary first appeared on AZ FREE NEWS. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f57acc2ca79de2365a0f6 Goldwater Seeks To Intervene In Lawsuit Challenging Military Family ESA Ballot Measure te 2026-07-09T08:11:24.752Z Goldwater Seeks To Intervene In Lawsuit Challenging Military Family ESA Ballot Measure By Matthew Holloway | The Goldwater Institute has filed a motion in Maricopa County Superior Court seeking to intervene on behalf of two Air Force veterans in a lawsuit challenging a proposed constitutional amendment that would protect certain scholarship funds for children of military families. The motion was filed on behalf of Nickolas Kupper and Robert Figueroa, whom Goldwater identified as Air Force veterans whose children currently participate in Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program. The proposed intervenors are seeking to defend House Concurrent Resolution 2048, the “Military Families College Savings and Scholarship Protection Act,” which the Legislature recently referred to the November 2026 ballot. The lawsuit was filed by the Protect Education Accountability Now Committee, Save Our Schools Arizona, and voter Linda May Lyon against the State of Arizona and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes. According to Goldwater’s motion to intervene, the plaintiffs are asking the court to block HCR 2048 from appearing on the November ballot. Arizona's military families don't deserve to have their children's educational opportunities ripped from their hands. That's why we're stepping up to defend them. https://t.co/ayRcX5JbBE — Goldwater Institute (@GoldwaterInst) July 2, 2026 Goldwater said in a July 2 announcement that Kupper and Figueroa are seeking to defend the measure because their families have used ESA funds for years and have a direct interest in the outcome of the litigation. “Proposed Intervenors seek to intervene as Defendants to defend the constitutionality of House Concurrent Resolution 2048 (‘HCR 2048’), the ‘Military Families College Savings and Scholarship Protection Act,’ which is a legislative referral passed to protect the educational stability of military families,” the motion states. HCR 2048 proposes adding a new section to Article XI of the Arizona Constitution. Under the measure, the state could not confiscate funds from the scholarship account of a child of a military family if the account is maintained under a state program that designates such students as eligible and allows the funds to be used for tuition or fees at eligible postsecondary institutions. The measure defines a “child of a military family” as a student who is the child of a person serving on active duty in the U.S. armed forces, who was serving on active duty when the student’s eligibility was initially determined, or who was killed in the line of duty. The proposed amendment also contains a nonseverability provision. If a future law or voter-approved measure violates the military-family scholarship protection, the entire conflicting law or measure would be void, and a court could not sever only the offending portion. The House passed HCR 2048 initially on March 2, the Senate passed it on June 12 by a 16-13-1 vote, and the House passed the final reading on June 13 by a 31-22-7 vote. Goldwater’s motion argues that Kupper and Figueroa have a right to intervene because the lawsuit directly threatens their ability to secure long-term constitutional protections for their children’s education funding. “By seeking to keep HCR 2048 off the ballot, Plaintiffs directly threaten to block Proposed Intervenors’ ability to secure long-term constitutional protections for their children’s educational funding,” the motion states. The filing also argues that the existing government defendants cannot adequately represent the families’ specific interests. Goldwater said Fontes is defending the measure as a neutral election administrator, while Kupper and Figueroa are defending the substantive validity of the proposed amendment because their children rely on ESA funds. In its July 2 statement, the Goldwater Institute said, “The Arizona Constitution is clear: Arizona voters have the right to amend the state constitution, and the Military Families Protection Act would trump the activists’ efforts to cripple the scholarship opportunities currently afforded to Arizona military families and others.” The lawsuit comes as ESA opponents are also seeking to place the Protect Education Act on the ballot. Save Our Schools Arizona says the proposal is intended to “reform Arizona’s universal ESA voucher program” and increase transparency and accountability. The Protect Education Campaign announced last week that it submitted 421,451 signatures to the Secretary of State’s Office. The Protect Education Act proposal would require unused ESA money to revert to the state and be directed to public schools, and it would bar families making more than $150,000 annually from joining the program. It would also ban ESA spending on non-educational or luxury items and require the Arizona Department of Education to report how much voucher funding each school receives. HCR 2048 could conflict with the Protect Education Act because the proposed constitutional amendment would block future laws or ballot measures from changing the protected scholarship-account funds for military families. Goldwater argued in its motion that the litigation is directly tied to that conflict, saying an adverse ruling could remove HCR 2048 from the ballot and leave the families’ ESA accounts vulnerable to “regulatory and financial rollbacks” under the competing Protect Education Act. “Without HCR 2048, Proposed Intervenors’ educational accounts will remain highly vulnerable to systemic legislative and political volatility, including the exact regulatory and financial rollbacks slated under Plaintiffs’ competing ‘Protect Education Act,’” the motion states. Kupper and Figueroa are asking the court to allow them to enter the case as defendants, either as a matter of right or by permission. They also said they intend to file a motion to dismiss the plaintiffs’ claim rather than expand the litigation with counterclaims. The case is assigned to Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Joseph Kreamer. Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com. The post Goldwater Seeks To Intervene In Lawsuit Challenging Military Family ESA Ballot Measure first appeared on AZ FREE NEWS. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f5798c2ca79de2365a0ed Gallego Withdraws Second Endorsement Amid Sexual Assault Claims As Platner Exits Senate Race te 2026-07-09T08:11:04.279Z Gallego Withdraws Second Endorsement Amid Sexual Assault Claims As Platner Exits Senate Race By Staff Reporter | Graham Platner has dropped out of the Maine Senate race. His exit comes after Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) withdrew his endorsement of Platner following widespread criticism of the candidate. This is the second candidate in nearly as many months that Gallego has backed off endorsing over sexual assault claims. Back in April, Gallego rescinded his endorsement of his longtime best friend: California gubernatorial candidate and resigned congressman, Eric Swalwell.  Although other allegations against Platner detailing unseemly behavior began to emerge earlier this year, it wasn’t until reporting came out this week detailing a sexual assault allegation that Gallego ended his support.  “The allegations against Graham Platner are troubling and deeply serious,” said Gallego. “I am rescinding my endorsement.” The allegations against Graham Platner are troubling and deeply serious. I am rescinding my endorsement. — Ruben Gallego (@RubenGallego) July 6, 2026 Gallego declined to rescind his endorsement after an initial accusation of assault emerged from 40-year-old conservative pundit Lyndsey Fifield in New York Times reporting. Fifield and others have speculated that Gallego opted not to act because he was less inclined to believe Fifield’s claims. This new allegation claiming sexual assault came from a 41-year-old Maine resident and massage therapist, Jenny Racicot. Racicot accused Platner of raping her in 2021 when he was heavily intoxicated. Racicot offered accounts of the alleged assault in exclusive interviews with CNN and Politico. Racicot had initially lent some insight to the media about Platner’s “reckless” and “unsettling” behavior, but decided to come forward with her story after witnessing the doubts raised against Fifield’s testimony.   Platner issued a short video statement calling the allegations “troubling, serious, and false,” and that all accusations of nonconsensual behavior were untrue. Platner also indicated he would take time to “reflect” on the future of his Senate campaign. Gallego had praised Platner as a unifier across varied voting demographics, defending him against discoveries of Platner having acquired a tattoo of the Nazi military’s skull and crossbones known as a Totenkopf, and aligned himself publicly with Antifa and socialism.  “Platner can bring out new voters, can bring out cross-voters,” said Gallego. “This guy is an authentic man.” The senator also defended Platner’s online indications of sexual deviancy as typical military behavior. Platner had admitted to a habit of masturbating into portable public toilets and appreciating the explicit graffiti on restroom walls.  Gallego described Platner as “relatable,” though other veterans serving in Congress disagreed.  The Republican Party of Arizona called Gallego “just another fat rat jumping off the various sinking socialists’ ships.” There is a pattern emerging – first his former "roommate" Swalwell, now his socialist buddy. Ruben is just another fat rat jumping off the various sinking socialists' ships. https://t.co/4IgTNS4WJy — Republican Party of Arizona (@AZGOP) July 7, 2026 Other Democrats who have held onto their endorsements of Platner have also begun bowing out.  The Democratic nominee for Maine governor, Hannah Pingree, called the allegations “deeply disturbing” and urged Platner to exit the race.  “Democrats need a nominee who can beat Susan Collins in November. Graham Platner is no longer that candidate,” said Pingree. “Graham Platner tapped into something real — voters hungry for change showed up with real passion and energy. That energy doesn’t have to go away. It needs a new candidate to carry it forward.” My statement on Graham Platner: These allegations are deeply disturbing. Jenny Racicot is a woman who has shown real courage in sharing her story — what she's describing is serious, credible and cannot be dismissed. For Maine, for the future of control of the US Senate, and… — Hannah Pingree (@PingreeHannah) July 6, 2026 AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link. The post Gallego Withdraws Second Endorsement Amid Sexual Assault Claims As Platner Exits Senate Race first appeared on AZ FREE NEWS. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f4296c2ca79de23659d72 Rick Southey: Election Integrity te 2026-07-09T06:41:26.685Z Rick Southey: Election Integrity Editor: A recent letter to the editor refutes the claim that America has massive voter fraud in our elections and suggests that it is a conspiracy that some try to use to divide the American population. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f3bedc2ca79de23659c25 Havasu man gets probation in plea agreement over domestic violence incident te 2026-07-09T06:13:01.956Z Havasu man gets probation in plea agreement over domestic violence incident A probation guaranteed plea agreement has been entered for a Lake Havasu City charged in a domestic violence incident. Victor Casazza, 38, pleaded guilty to an aggravated assault charge during a July 6 hearing before Judge Ryan Esplin. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f3bd9c2ca79de23659c1c Former Mohave County judge Leonard Langford dies te 2026-07-09T06:12:41.984Z Former Mohave County judge Leonard Langford dies Former Mohave County Superior Court Judge Leonard "Bill’’ Langford has died. His wife Anita confirmed that Langford died June 27 in nearby Henderson, Nevada, succumbing to a pre-leukemia health challenge. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f3bc6c2ca79de23659bfc Driver, not Toyota, to blame for drifting vehicle, Arizona justices rule te 2026-07-09T06:12:22.006Z Driver, not Toyota, to blame for drifting vehicle, Arizona justices rule PHOENIX -- Motorists can't use the failure of vehicle manufacturers to install an optional safety device to make up for their own negligence or the negligence of others behind the wheel, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled Tuesday. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f3bb2c2ca79de23659bf3 ADEQ raises arsenic limits at Arizona mine well te 2026-07-09T06:12:02.067Z ADEQ raises arsenic limits at Arizona mine well The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has agreed to revise groundwater arsenic limits for a monitoring well at the Pinyon Plain uranium mine south of the Grand Canyon, concluding that higher arsenic levels in the well were naturally occurring. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f3b9ec2ca79de23659bea Havasu police, sheriff report busy but relatively safe July 4 holiday weekend te 2026-07-09T06:11:42.491Z Havasu police, sheriff report busy but relatively safe July 4 holiday weekend The July 4 holiday weekend kept law enforcement busy across Lake Havasu City and the Colorado River, with hundreds of calls for service, increased traffic and boating enforcement, and dozens of arrests, according to the Lake Havasu City Police Department… Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f3b8ac2ca79de23659be1 Lake Havasu City to dedicate new Dr. Thilak Fernando Water Quality Laboratory te 2026-07-09T06:11:22.525Z Lake Havasu City to dedicate new Dr. Thilak Fernando Water Quality Laboratory Lake Havasu City will celebrate the completion of its new Dr. Thilak Fernando Water Quality Laboratory with a ribbon-cutting ceremony July 16. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f3b75c2ca79de23659bd8 Havasu woman arrested after allegedly disrupting medical emergency te 2026-07-09T06:11:01.577Z Havasu woman arrested after allegedly disrupting medical emergency A Lake Havasu City woman was arrested after allegedly disrupting firefighters treating a patient with profanity and obscene gestures. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f3b61c2ca79de23659bcf California man arrested after DUI crash in Lake Havasu City te 2026-07-09T06:10:41.568Z California man arrested after DUI crash in Lake Havasu City A California man was arrested after allegedly rear-ending another vehicle while driving under the influence in a Lake Havasu City parking lot. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f2af9c2ca79de236597e0 Caitlin Clark's return falls flat after Fever coach limits her in loss to shorthanded Sparks te 2026-07-09T05:00:41.556Z Caitlin Clark's return falls flat after Fever coach limits her in loss to shorthanded Sparks All eyes were on Caitlin Clark on Wednesday night as she made her anticipated return from injury in a road matchup in Los Angeles. But instead of a triumphant comeback, the Fever spent the entire night chasing the Sparks as Clark's rough return fueled a 106-92 rout. The superstar never found a groove, looking completely out of sync in her return from a back injury. STEPHANIE WHITE GIVES CAITLIN CLARK STATUS UPDATE AHEAD OF FEVER-SPARKS, BUT HER NEXT MOVE RAISES QUESTIONS Much of that disjointed performance falls squarely on head coach Stephanie White, who kept Clark on a ridiculously tight leash by limiting her to just 16 minutes. The stop-and-go approach could have sabotaged any chance for the phenom to establish a rhythm. Clark finished with just 9 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Her minus-16 plus-minus told the story. The Los Angeles Sparks were severely shorthanded, taking the floor without stars Kelsey Plum and Cameron Brink. MERCURY'S NOW-DELETED SOCIAL MEDIA POST MOCKING CAITLIN CLARK DRAWS SCRUTINY AFTER STAR'S INJURY Yet while a depleted Sparks roster played to win, Indiana spent the night over-managing its biggest asset. With Clark on a minutes restriction and Aliyah Boston out of the lineup, Kelsey Mitchell was forced to shoulder the entire offensive burden. Mitchell did her part, pouring in 29 points while shooting 5-of-9 from beyond the arc. But one hot hand couldn't stop an efficient LA squad. The Sparks shot 45% from three-point range, going 9-of-20 from deep to cruise to the 106-92 victory. White's next move is to sit Clark against the Mercury on Thursday while Boston returns. After Wednesday's loss to a shorthanded Sparks team, it's fair to question whether Indiana's cautious approach is working. The Fever dropped to 12-9. Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f1cebc2ca79de236595bd Hazel Brimhall te 2026-07-09T04:00:43.296Z Hazel Brimhall Hazel Pearl Bryant Brimhall, 94, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, friend, aunt, and faithful disciple of Jesus Christ, passed away in Snowflake, on June 23, 2026.  Hazel was born Feb. 7, 1932, in Snowflake, to Roy and Ada Bryant.       She married the love of her life, Darrell Lake Brimhall, on April 15, 1953, in the Mesa Arizona Temple. Their home was filled with love, laughter, and the joyful chaos that comes from raising eleven children.       She leaves behind a remarkable legacy of 11 children, 53 grandchildren, 94 great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great-grandchildren. She taught by example that a meaningful life is built through service, devotion, hard work and love.       Though her family mourns her passing, they find comfort in the knowledge that her life was one of purpose, faith, and extraordinary love. Her legacy lives on in the generations she nurtured, the faith she shared, the bread she baked, the stories she preserved and the countless acts of kindness she performed throughout her life.       She was preceded in death by her daughter, Julie; son, Brett; daughter-in-law, Kathy; and her eternal companion, Darrell.       A viewing will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., on Friday, July 10, at the Snowflake Pioneer Stake Center. There will be another viewing from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 11, at the Snowflake Pioneer Stake Center, located at 175 W. 9th S. St. in Snowflake. Funeral services will take place at 11 a.m. The post Hazel Brimhall first appeared on Painted Desert Tribune. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f15cdc2ca79de2365947e Graham Platner Suspended His Senate Campaign. Here’s What’s Next for Democrats. te 2026-07-09T03:30:21.358Z Graham Platner Suspended His Senate Campaign. Here’s What’s Next for Democrats. The deadline to pick a new nominee is July 27 and candidates are already lining up. State party leaders said they would hold some form of nominating convention. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f0c7fc2ca79de23659304 ‘A Slow-Rolling Disaster’: Inside the Implosion of the Platner Campaign te 2026-07-09T02:50:39.844Z ‘A Slow-Rolling Disaster’: Inside the Implosion of the Platner Campaign Graham Platner’s bid for the Senate inspired progressive Democrats. But the campaign, which he suspended Wednesday, was messy, disorganized and ultimately doomed by a steady drip of scandal. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f0c6cc2ca79de236592fb Second Person in a Week Killed by Federal Task Force in Memphis te 2026-07-09T02:50:20.393Z Second Person in a Week Killed by Federal Task Force in Memphis Tennessee authorities are investigating both shootings involving agents working with the task force in Memphis. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f0a51c2ca79de236592a2 Tyler Robinson preliminary hearing: Judge orders redactions to ex-lover’s video testimony te 2026-07-09T02:41:21.636Z Tyler Robinson preliminary hearing: Judge orders redactions to ex-lover’s video testimony PROVO, Utah — Video testimony from Lance Twiggs, the former lover of suspected Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson, will be played in court Thursday morning as a week-long preliminary hearing nears its end.  Prosecutors intended to play it Wednesday, but after a series of objections from the defense, Judge Tony Graf Jr. called for redactions, and prosecutors said they’d rather wait until the morning to ensure they could comply with the court order before playing it.  Charlie’s widow, Erika Kirk, shared several emotional embraces with her mother-in-law, Kathy Kirk, and was also wiping tears when the family attorney, Jeff Neiman, asked the court to play the unredacted video for "all the world to see." From the gallery, she appeared to urge the lawyer to approach the podium for the first time since the hearing began Monday.  ERIKA KIRK COMFORTS A STRANGER IN TEARS DURING HEARING FOR HUSBAND'S ACCUSED ASSASSIN TYLER ROBINSON Playing only a redacted version would create "doubt and distrust in the judicial system," Neiman argued.  "The Kirk family believes strongly that if the evidence is being admitted in this preliminary hearing, it should be made public for the world to see no redactions," he told the judge. "This court has tools at its disposal to make sure the defendant receives a fair trial. You'll use them if you find that you need to." DONALD TRUMP JR SAYS EVIDENCE IN TYLER ROBINSON PRELIMINARY HEARING 'MORE CUT AND DRY' THAN HE THOUGHT Graf, however, agreed to redactions of about 16 minutes of the roughly 37-minute video statement from Twiggs, as suggested by the defense, after Robinson attorney Richard Novak raised constitutional concerns about televising a "confession" before trial.  The full video is expected to show Twiggs discussing texts, chat logs and a note that the defense said prosecutors and the public would consider a "confession" from Robinson.  Novak said the defense does not characterize them as a confession.  Robinson appeared visibly uneasy at times during the hearing, especially during mentions of Twiggs, his lover at the time of the shooting — taking deep breaths, fidgeting and adjusting his suit jacket.  Some of the alleged texts between Robinson and Twiggs have been made public already, in which prosecutors claim the defendant mentions being "stuck in Orem," where the shooting took place — and appears to take responsibility for being "the one who did it." Mention of the texts are expected to be redacted from the video played Thursday, but the judge said he will consider them when he makes his probable cause decision.   Graf also said the preliminary hearing will end by 5 p.m. Friday, squelching speculation that the planned five-day hearing could run longer.  At the end of the hearing, as everyone stood, Erika and Kathy Kirk shared a tearful hug. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f0a3ec2ca79de23659299 Justin Baldoni and wife Emily break two-year silence on Blake Lively lawsuit and 'injustice' te 2026-07-09T02:41:02.194Z Justin Baldoni and wife Emily break two-year silence on Blake Lively lawsuit and 'injustice' Justin Baldoni is breaking his silence two years after the Blake Lively legal drama began. On Wednesday night, Baldoni and his wife, Emily, sat down and filmed a lengthy video for Instagram. The couple detailed the last two years being filled with "injustice" and "trauma." "We have not spoken publicly for the better part of the last two years, and it’s not because we haven’t had anything to say," Justin began the video. He added, "Because lord knows we have, but it just felt like every time we went to make a video like this, we wanted to speak, something was telling us not to. It just didn’t feel like the right time, and we were talking about it and feeling into it and praying about it." BLAKE LIVELY ALLEGES ‘MEAN GIRL’ SMEAR CAMPAIGN DAMAGED HER CAREER, SEEKS UP TO $296M Emily said: "This feels like the moment," and "There’s so much to say." The legal battle between Lively and Baldoni stemmed from the production of the 2024 movie "It Ends With Us." Rumors of tension surfaced during the movie's press tour when Baldoni promoted the movie separately from Lively and the rest of the cast. APP USERS CLICK HERE In December 2024, Lively filed a complaint and later a federal lawsuit alleging Baldoni sexually harassed her on set and, after she raised concerns, orchestrated a campaign to damage her reputation. Baldoni denied the allegations and responded with lawsuits against Lively, Ryan Reynolds, The New York Times, and others, accusing them of defamation, extortion, and attempting to destroy his career. Over the following year, both sides engaged in a highly public legal fight that included the release of text messages, behind-the-scenes footage, subpoenas, and multiple amended court filings. Rather than proceed to trial, Lively and Baldoni reached a confidential settlement in May 2026 without either side admitting wrongdoing or paying damages to the other. The only remaining issue before the court is Lively's request for approximately $8 million in attorney's fees and litigation costs, which Baldoni is contesting. BLAKE LIVELY CONTROVERSY HAD RETAIL PARTNERS 'SPOOKED' BEHIND THE SCENES, COURT DOCS SAY In the video uploaded on Wednesday, Justin shared that they wouldn't cover everything and his wife agreed, adding that they have "immense gratitude for ... so many people and so many things that have happened to us." "Gratitude has saved us," Justin added. Emily noted that despite the gratitude that they both have, it doesn’t "negate the injustice and the pain that we have also felt in the last few years." "We’ve had to wrestle with so many things and try to understand so many things, like how could something like this even happen? Let alone disguised as a fight for women. So much to unpack," she continued. LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS Emily said that the couple experience "a lot of trauma" and it is difficult for them to discuss it. "We don’t even know if this is the right thing to say. We just know we need to share something," Justin said. "What I will say is that there have been so many painful things that have been spoken into existence over the last couple of years. That created so much noise, and we didn’t want to add to the noise. So we just wanted to let the justice system run its course." Emily added that "the truth and the facts have spoken for themselves." The couple, who tied the knot in 2013, gave an update to fans about how their lives are two years after the legal battle began. "We are healing," Justin said. "If you’ve ever been through something traumatic, you know that healing isn’t linear. It looks different every day. We have had to rethink for ourselves what is real, and what matters. It’s this. It’s our family, it’s our friends, it’s our community, who have been their for us, it’s our faith." He said that this situation has led to him and Emily growing "closer, more devoted, and steadfast in our faith than we’ve ever been." Justin said that Emily prayed "people would have discernment" while he thanked viewers for their support. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER "So many of you had discernment, and you used your intuition, and you trusted that. You have given your time to fight for us. Thank you does not feel like enough. But we’re here, in large part, because of so many of you, and all of our friends and family," Justin said. To wrap up the video, Justin said the biggest lesson they have learned throughout this journey. "When God presses the reset button, and everything else is stripped away, that’s when love shows up," he said. Emily added, "And it did. There’s so much more to say. The time will come. But for now, we are going to focus on continuing the healing and hanging out with our kiddos and enjoying life." Although the courtroom battle between Baldoni and Lively has largely concluded, the dispute remains one of Hollywood's most talked-about legal sagas because of its impact on the movie, the celebrities involved, and the broader conversation about workplace conduct and reputation management. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f0a16c2ca79de23659277 Truecaller clashes with India’s telecom regulator over anti-spam rules te 2026-07-09T02:40:22.763Z Truecaller clashes with India’s telecom regulator over anti-spam rules The caller ID company says users are increasingly ignoring and blocking calls from India's dedicated business number series. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f0578c2ca79de2365915e Fetterman unloads on scandal-plagued Platner after rape allegation ends Senate bid: 'Adios, trash bag' te 2026-07-09T02:20:40.368Z Fetterman unloads on scandal-plagued Platner after rape allegation ends Senate bid: 'Adios, trash bag' Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said Graham Platner was always a "dead man walking" after the scandal-plagued Democratic candidate dropped out of the Maine U.S. Senate race following a rape allegation. "The trash took itself out tonight. And now, finally, people in Maine have a chance to really vote on someone that's not a total piece of trash," Fetterman said on "Jesse Watters Primetime" Wednesday. "[Platner] will only be remembered as the accused rapist that got pushed out of your election. That's your legacy, bro. And you are a guy that cheats on your wife. You're the guy that roughs up your ex-girlfriend." PLATNER DROPS OUT OF CRUCIAL SENATE RACE AFTER BOMBSHELL RAPE ALLEGATION TORPEDOES CAMPAIGN After facing a multitude of scandals, including sexual misconduct and domestic abuse allegations, Platner dropped out of the Maine race Wednesday. He announced his exit in an 11-minute video posted to X Wednesday evening, calling the rape allegation from a former partner "false." (Platner has not been criminally charged for the allegation.) "To give that weird long speech and pretend like people will miss you?" Fetterman said. "No one's going to forget you other than [as] the guy that was pushed out of the election because a woman credibly accused you of raping her. So that's his legacy." HOW GRAHAM PLATNER'S CAMPAIGN UNRAVELED: FROM REDDIT POSTS TO RAPE ALLEGATION "No one wants you anymore. I'm like, bro, you are an accused rapist," the senator continued. "Adios, trash bag." Platner, a military veteran and oyster farmer, spent much of his campaign on the defensive as multiple scandals rocked his candidacy, including a chest tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol and abuse allegations from former girlfriends. The allegation that triggered Platner's exit from the race came from Maine resident Jenny Racicot, 41, who told CNN's Jake Tapper that "by dictionary definition" Platner "raped" her. PLATNER'S LATEST ACCUSER CLAIMS THE DEMOCRATIC SENATE CANDIDATE 'ABSOLUTELY' RAPED HER Racicot alleged that Platner entered her home uninvited and forced her to have unprotected sex despite her repeatedly telling him to stop. Her allegation was the latest in a series of controversies that have dogged Platner. "He's always been a dead man walking," Fetterman said. Fetterman blasted his left-leaning colleagues like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who endorsed Platner in the Maine Senate race, saying they owe voters an apology. "What did [Democrats] see in this guy? Was it the Nazi tattoo, was it the gross messages online, the way he roughs up women?" Fetterman questioned. "Bernie Sanders needs to apologize to the voters of Maine and to everyone that donated to that train wreck of a campaign," he added. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE Republicans currently control the chamber 53-47 and flipping the Senate seat in left-leaning Maine is a key part of the Democrats' path to retake the majority. Platner’s exit from the race will make the math harder for Democrats vying for the Senate majority. "Go back under that rock that you came from," Fetterman said of Platner. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f0347c2ca79de23659105 Who is Shenna Bellows, a Democrat interested in running for Senate in Maine? te 2026-07-09T02:11:19.066Z Who is Shenna Bellows, a Democrat interested in running for Senate in Maine? Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f0333c2ca79de236590fc Who is Nirav Shah, a Democrat interested in running for Senate in Maine? te 2026-07-09T02:10:59.610Z Who is Nirav Shah, a Democrat interested in running for Senate in Maine? Dr. Shah, an epidemiologist who led Maine’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, finished second in the ranked-choice primary for governor. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f0320c2ca79de236590f3 Who is Troy Jackson, a Democrat running for Senate in Maine? te 2026-07-09T02:10:40.153Z Who is Troy Jackson, a Democrat running for Senate in Maine? Mr. Jackson, a longtime state legislator, lost a Democratic primary for governor this year. He has already earned some high-profile endorsements. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f030cc2ca79de236590ea Trump Says He’ll Ask Supreme Court to Rehear Citizenship Case, an Unlikely Event te 2026-07-09T02:10:20.705Z Trump Says He’ll Ask Supreme Court to Rehear Citizenship Case, an Unlikely Event The last time the justices granted a rehearing request after a case decision was in 1965. The court has only once reversed itself after rehearing a case. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f00dcc2ca79de2365909b Social media influencer and model, 22, killed in violent highway crash te 2026-07-09T02:01:00.094Z Social media influencer and model, 22, killed in violent highway crash A popular 22-year-old social media influencer and model was killed in a weekend car crash that also claimed the life of another passenger, authorities said. Officials identified one of the victims as Ayzia J. Toledo, a Philadelphia-area resident known for her modeling work and lifestyle content under the handle "AYZIA J." Toledo was driving a BMW with two other passengers late Sunday night when she lost control of the vehicle on a New Jersey freeway, police told Fox News Digital on Monday. The vehicle veered off the roadway, overturned and crashed into a tree in Deptford Township, about 12 miles south of Philadelphia. POPULAR FLORIDA SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER KILLED IN DRIVE-BY SHOOTING WHILE INSIDE LUXURY SUV "Toledo lost directional control of the vehicle, ran off the roadway to the left, overturned and struck a tree," New Jersey State Police said. Both Toledo and her front-seat passenger "sustained fatal injuries," according to authorities. The second victim was identified as Henrietta F. Carter, a 22-year-old woman from Darby, Pennsylvania, a Philadelphia suburb. A third passenger who was seated in the rear of the vehicle suffered minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital, authorities said. Officials said the crash remains under investigation. FITNESS INFLUENCER STEPHANIE BUTTERMORE DEAD AT 36, FIANCÉ CONFIRMS IN HEARTBREAKING POST Toledo was a popular social media influencer who frequently shared content about beauty, fashion and her life in the Philadelphia area. She had amassed more than 300,000 followers across her social media accounts, including more than 250,000 followers on TikTok and about 87,000 on Instagram. Following news of her death, fans flooded her social media pages with messages of grief and condolences. According to a GoFundMe page dedicated to Toledo, she had been "building an incredible future for herself." "Ayzia was deeply loved by her family, cherished by her close friends, and admired by many throughout her community," the fundraiser said. "Ayzia has gone home to Heaven to rest peacefully alongside her beloved mother and grandmother." Her death came on the same day another young influencer was killed in a drive-by shooting while riding in a Lamborghini SUV in Miramar, Florida. Officials identified the woman as 21-year-old content creator Brianna Johnson, who was known to her followers as DreamDoll Brii. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4f00c8c2ca79de23659092 Is another team ready to take over the top of the Big Ten from Indiana and Ohio State? te 2026-07-09T02:00:40.645Z Is another team ready to take over the top of the Big Ten from Indiana and Ohio State? After years of unchecked dominance from the SEC, the Big Ten Conference cemented its place as the best in college football in the 2025-2026 season. The Indiana Hoosiers completed a remarkable 16-0 season by winning a National Championship, beating Ohio State in the conference championship game, dominating Alabama in the Rose Bowl, then blowing out Oregon in the College Football Playoff semifinal. That completed a Big Ten trifecta, with the Michigan Wolverines winning a championship in 2024, then the Buckeyes following it up by beating Notre Dame to win the title in 2025. While the SEC might have better depth overall, it's no question that the top of the Big Ten is as good or better than anyone. SEC, BIG TEN ARE DOMINATING COLLEGE FOOTBALL THANKS TO MASSIVE ADVANTAGES OVER OTHER CONFERENCES And a new program might be ready to take their turn at the top of the Big Ten: those same Oregon Ducks. One of the most predictive measures of a team's strength from year to year is how much production they return from the previous season. It makes sense; the more key players that stay with the team, the better it is for continuity and development. The Big Ten, oddly enough, has several teams that return much of their production on both sides of the ball. ESPN's Bill Connelly ran the numbers, finding that teams like Maryland, Nebraska, Minnesota and UCLA all ranked in the top 10 nationally in returning value. Though given how these teams played in 2025, that's less important. Number 12, though? The Oregon Ducks. And that carryover production is coming from a team that lost just two games all season, both to Indiana. They handled a very good USC team, 42-27, overcame miserable conditions to outlast the Iowa Hawkeyes on the road, beat the rival Washington Huskies, and most impressively, shut out an elite Texas Tech team 23-0 in the College Football Playoff. And they bring back the players responsible for 66% of their overall production, including star quarterback Dante Moore. Just behind them at 65%? USC, heading into a pivotal season under Lincoln Riley. Here's where Oregon has the advantage, however. They bring that percentage back from a team that was significantly better than USC. It's no surprise then, that per Connelly's SP+ projections, Oregon is expected to be the No. 2 team in the country, by efficiency on offense, defense and special teams. IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A BIG 12 WINNER NOT NAMED TEXAS TECH OR BYU, CONSIDER THE HOUSTON COUGARS What about the other Big Ten schools, though? USC is the biggest wildcard. They sit at No. 13 in the SP+ projections, thanks to an elite offense and a defense that's expected to be solid, if unspectacular. But their special teams projections are all the way down at No. 100 in the country, thanks to a series of disastrous mistakes in 2025. Special teams, though, should be the easiest area to improve upon. So if the Trojans can make some adjustments, they could exceed the eight game win expectancy. Ohio State and Indiana, the two most recent champions, have a bit of a tougher hill to climb, though their roster composition is far from disastrous. The Buckeyes bring back 60% of their production, while Indiana is at 56%, even with several huge departures. That ranks at No. 31 and No. 52, respectively. Important, but not enough to push either team out of the top 5 in the national projections. And Ohio State sits at No. 1, thanks to consistently elite recruiting and key players like Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith returning. But if there is an upset brewing at the top of the conference, Oregon might be the place to look. The question then becomes, can they put it all together against a difficult schedule? The Ducks play USC on the road, host Nebraska, travel to Illinois, play Ohio State on the road, host Michigan and have their rivalry game against Washington at Autzen. It won't be easy, but don't be surprised if at the end of the season, Dan Lanning and the Ducks are right back in the mix. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4efe84c2ca79de23659029 Jewish House Democrat recalls colleague saying there is no antisemitism because 'all the Jews are rich' te 2026-07-09T01:51:00.650Z Jewish House Democrat recalls colleague saying there is no antisemitism because 'all the Jews are rich' Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., described to CNN on Tuesday an instance of a fellow House Democrat appearing to dismiss antisemitism because "all the Jews are rich." Balint was one of multiple Jewish Democratic politicians who spoke to CNN about concerns regarding a growing sense of antisemitism among grassroots campaigns that have begun affecting established political figures like California state Sen. Scott Weiner. She told CNN she was "shaken to [her] core" after seeing Wiener heckled by anti-Israel activists for his past support for Israel and Jewish heritage. JEWISH CALIFORNIA CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE SAYS HARASSMENT FROM GAZA AGITATORS WENT ‘BEYOND FREE SPEECH’ "She described a familiar ache," the article read. "Like the people who tell her that homophobia doesn’t exist and then ask her what it means that she’s a lesbian. Like the House Democratic colleague she wouldn’t name who she says came to a bipartisan antisemitism task force meeting and said, 'I didn’t really think there was any antisemitism anymore, because all the Jews are rich.' Like the people who accuse Jewish politicians of having dual loyalty." Though Balint has agreed with progressive Democrats claiming that Israel was guilty of "committing a genocide" in Gaza, she told CNN that she still fears a "day of reckoning" for her because of her support for the Jewish state. "I know at some point there will be a day of reckoning, because I still believe that Jews should have a homeland," Balint said. "There will be people, I think some of my own supporters, who will turn on me, because I still believe in a two-state solution. I still do. I still believe that Israel should be safe and secure. I believe that the Palestinians have been so ill-treated for so long and deserve a safe and secure homeland. I do not believe Israel should be dismantled." BATYA UNGAR-SARGON EXPLAINS WHY SO MANY AMERICAN JEWS BECAME DEMS — AND WHY SOME NOW FEEL POLITICALLY HOMELESS Fox News Digital reached out to Balint's office for comment. Other Jewish Democrats expressed concerns that Israel is becoming a political "litmus test" for them despite their support for other progressive causes and criticism of the Israeli government. "The experience of being a Jewish Democrat is to feel like … no matter what the topic — it can be affordable housing — it’s just a matter of time before someone links it to Israel," New York City comptroller Mark Levine said. "What is the list of litmus test issues? As far as I know, at this point, it is exclusively a list of questions on Israel. We’re progressives. We’re absolutely willing to criticize the actions of the current government of Israel. And we are. But we’re feeling excluded from many spaces right now, and it’s hard to conclude it’s not because we’re Jewish." WATCH: HOUSE DEMS UNLOAD ON TEXAS DEMOCRAT OVER ‘DEMENTED’ ANTISEMITIC COMMENTS Michigan state Rep. Noah Arbit told CNN that he believed antisemitism is being perpetuated under the guise of criticizing Israel. "After I leave office, I’m not sure I’ll ever call myself a Democrat again," Arbit said. "I don’t know how Jews can feel like you can align yourself with any political movement when the grassroots are so hostile to who you are and your community." Fox News Digital also reached out to Arbit and Levine for comment. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4efe71c2ca79de23659020 Social media influencer and model, 22, killed in violent highway crash te 2026-07-09T01:50:41.198Z Social media influencer and model, 22, killed in violent highway crash A popular 22-year-old social media influencer and model was killed in a horrific weekend car crash that also claimed the life of another passenger, authorities said. Officials identified one of the victims as Ayzia J. Toledo, a Philadelphia-area resident known for her modeling work and lifestyle content under the handle "AYZIA J." Toledo was driving a BMW with two other passengers late Sunday night when she lost control of the vehicle on a New Jersey freeway, police told Fox News Digital on Monday. The vehicle veered off the roadway, overturned and crashed into a tree in Deptford Township, about 12 miles south of Philadelphia. POPULAR FLORIDA SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER KILLED IN DRIVE-BY SHOOTING WHILE INSIDE LUXURY SUV "Toledo lost directional control of the vehicle, ran off the roadway to the left, overturned and struck a tree," New Jersey State Police said. Both Toledo and her front-seat passenger "sustained fatal injuries," according to authorities. The second victim was identified as Henrietta F. Carter, a 22-year-old woman from Darby, Pennsylvania, a Philadelphia suburb. A third passenger who was seated in the rear of the vehicle suffered minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital, authorities said. Officials said the crash remains under investigation. FITNESS INFLUENCER STEPHANIE BUTTERMORE DEAD AT 36, FIANCÉ CONFIRMS IN HEARTBREAKING POST Toledo was a popular social media influencer who frequently shared content about beauty, fashion and her life in the Philadelphia area. She had amassed more than 300,000 followers across her social media accounts, including more than 250,000 followers on TikTok and about 87,000 on Instagram. Following news of her death, fans flooded her social media pages with messages of grief and condolences. According to a GoFundMe page dedicated to Toledo, she had been "building an incredible future for herself." "Ayzia was deeply loved by her family, cherished by her close friends, and admired by many throughout her community," the fundraiser said. "Ayzia has gone home to Heaven to rest peacefully alongside her beloved mother and grandmother." Her death came on the same day another young influencer was killed in a drive-by shooting while riding in a Lamborghini SUV in Miramar, Florida. Officials identified the woman as 21-year-old content creator Brianna Johnson, who was known to her followers as DreamDoll Brii. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ef77bc2ca79de23658f20 More than 30 injured after Maryland transit bus crashes into building near Baltimore te 2026-07-09T01:20:59.553Z More than 30 injured after Maryland transit bus crashes into building near Baltimore More than 30 people were injured Wednesday when a public bus crashed into a building just outside Baltimore, Maryland, and one critical patient was extricated and taken to a hospital, authorities said. First responders were at the scene after a Maryland Transit Administration bus crashed on Reisterstown Road in Pikesville, Fox 45 News reported. DC POLICE OFFICIALS FACE TERMINATION AFTER FEDERAL PROBE UNCOVERS ALLEGED MANIPULATED CRIME DATA BY DEPARTMENT Baltimore County officials said "numerous civilian vehicles" were involved in the crash, including one that overturned onto its roof. One person was trapped inside the bus and another in a car was rescued by responding crews, authorities said. A building engineer was en route to the scene, the Baltimore County Fire Department said. WATCH: COAST GUARD VIDEO REVEALS SEIZURE OF BRIAN HOOKER'S SAILBOAT AFTER WIFE'S BAHAMAS DISAPPEARANCE FLORIDA MAN GIVES AN INCREDIBLE INTERVIEW ABOUT HOW HE FOUGHT OFF AN ALLIGATOR WITH A FISHING POLE A second mass-casualty incident alarm was issued shortly after the crash, officials said. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said he was monitoring the situation. "Dawn and I are keeping everyone impacted in our hearts and prayers. We are deeply grateful for our first responders who acted with speed and skill to ensure the safety of our neighbors," he wrote on X. "We’ve been in close coordination with local officials to provide any support needed on the ground." The Maryland State Highway Administration said that roads near the crash were closed as crews responded to the scene. Drivers were urged to use alternate routes. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ef768c2ca79de23658f17 Stepdad accused of sex assault as cops widen probe into girl’s lethal Benadryl ingredient dose te 2026-07-09T01:20:40.105Z Stepdad accused of sex assault as cops widen probe into girl’s lethal Benadryl ingredient dose A Connecticut man is accused of sexually assaulting his 12-year-old stepdaughter, who was found dead in her home with a lethal dose of diphenhydramine — the active ingredient in Benadryl — in her system, according to authorities. Anthony Federline, 39, was charged in April with first-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor after the death of Eve Rogers, according to the Enfield Police Department. Authorities are now looking to search Federline’s Facebook and Snapchat accounts, the family’s CVS Caremark account and two Amazon accounts as part of a probe into the girl's death, court documents show, according to WFLA. Rogers was found dead in her home on March 18. According to court documents, her mother found her on her bedroom floor partially unclothed, with a blanket covering her lower body. Blood and other fluids were running down from her nose, the documents stated. NORTH CAROLINA COLD CASE HEATS UP WITH STEPMOTHER ACCUSED OF KILLING MISSING TEEN A sexual assault kit was performed on the girl before her autopsy, and Federline was determined to be one of the "contributors from a DNA swab," an arrest warrant said, according to WFLA. No charges have been filed in connection with the girl’s death. The medical examiner told police that toxicology testing indicated a lethal dosage of diphenhydramine in the girl's system. Fluoxetine, also known as Prozac, was also found in her system despite it not being prescribed to her, search warrants state, the outlet reported. The report showed a diphenhydramine level of 23,000 ng/ml in Rogers’ blood, WFLA reported. Lethal concentrations are listed at 4,390 ng/ml for children and 14,720 ng/ml for adults, according to the report. The medical examiner said Rogers would have had to ingest about 1.8 liters of liquid diphenhydramine to reach the level found in her blood. Investigators said it is unclear how she ingested the large dosage found in her system. Rogers’ mother told detectives she used her Amazon account to buy medication, Sleep Aid capsules and a "sexual pleasure device" for her 12-year-old daughter, the outlet reported. However, investigators said no dyes were found in the girl’s system to indicate she had ingested Sleep Aid capsules, despite the high level of diphenhydramine detected in her blood. Her mother also said she had found inappropriate conversations between her daughter and unknown people on the internet, but police did not find these conversations during their searches. TEACHER ACCUSED OF SEX WITH STUDENTS WAS ALLEGEDLY BLACKMAILED FOR BETTER GRADES: WARRANTS Federline told detectives that he used applications such as Facebook and Snapchat to speak with his stepdaughter, but claimed the conversations were not sexual.  New search warrants show that investigators are probing Federline’s online activity for the months leading up to the girl's death.  Federline has pleaded not guilty to the sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor charges. He is due back in court later this month. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ef524c2ca79de23658ec5 Candace Parker tells Caitlin Clark haters to 'go to therapy' after shocking WNBA player rankings te 2026-07-09T01:11:00.762Z Candace Parker tells Caitlin Clark haters to 'go to therapy' after shocking WNBA player rankings Caitlin Clark is at the center of the WNBA universe for a reason: she's the best. Names like A'ja Wilson can challenge Clark on an MVP level, but at her position, no one can score and assist like Clark. Clark's WNBA cohorts beg to differ, voting her the 11th-best guard in the league. CAITLIN CLARK'S PEERS MAKE IT CRYSTAL CLEAR THEY HATE HER WITH INSULTING ALL-STAR GAME VOTE Now it's no secret that fellow WNBAers have been jealous of Clark's popularity and appeal. The list was another example of the league-wide anti-Clark campaign. Take it from WNBA legend Candace Parker, who made the point while speaking with Clark's Fever teammate, Aliyah Boston. Parker went off on Clark's 11th spot in the peer-voted survey, saying the league ought to quit being disrespectful to Clark and give her some flowers. She said, "It's also kinda crazy. I wholeheartedly believe that there need to be some rules with the WNBA players, because this is getting out of hand. Caitlin Clark [being] voted 11th-best guard by WNBA players, that's crazy." Parker called out the insecurities that continue to poison the well in the WNBA, where too many players have chosen resentment over respect. The WNBA media is most guilty of this. "I think people need to look at themselves in the mirror and realize you've got some insecurities, if you're sitting down and putting Caitlin Clark as the 11th-best guard. WNBA WANTS A BIGGER STORY THAN CAITLIN CLARK, BUT TV RATINGS KEEP POINTING BACK TO HER "Y'all need to go to a therapist and figure out what childhood issues you have, 'cause if you're sitting there, and looking at yourself in the mirror, and putting her at the 11th-best guard like c'mon." Parker led a celebrated career with three championships, two MVP awards, a Finals MVP and Defensive Player of the Year honors. She was also a seven-time All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist. In Parker's view, she would never have tried to launch an anti-campaign against some of the biggest stars from her days in the league. "When I sat down, as much as I did not like Diana Taurasi, there ain't no way I'm not going to write her as an All-Star." "As much as I did not like anyone on the Lynx because they used to whoop our a**, I'm not going to not put Maya Moore or Sylvia Fowles." Fans account for 50% of the All-Star vote, while players and media each make up 25%. Heading into a Wednesday night matchup with the Sparks, Clark is averaging 21.2 points, 8.2 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 0.8 steals in 30.8 minutes per game. Clark finished second overall in fan voting and earned a starting spot thanks to fans and the media, not her fellow players. To tamp down the Clark hype, WNBA players, former players and media have aimed at the Fever guard, believing she's been "overhyped," disregarding the phenomenon that's followed her since college. Her appeal should be championed, even if WNBA players don't see it that way. Since Clark entered the WNBA, the league has shattered attendance and viewership records. The WNBA averaged 9,807 fans per game in 2024, a 48% jump from the previous season. Total attendance topped 2.35 million, sellouts skyrocketed from 45 to 154, and the league followed that by setting another single-season attendance record in 2025. She's been rocket fuel for the league, the sparkplug behind the Fever alongside All-Stars Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell, and a solid leader in her own right. Clark's most ardent supporters have called for her to switch leagues to really put a squeeze on the WNBA. Without Clark, the WNBA would be back to inventing promotional nights just to fill seats. Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ef511c2ca79de23658ebc Carville blasts Dems amid Platner scandal, warning they ignored a classic rule of politics and paid the price te 2026-07-09T01:10:41.315Z Carville blasts Dems amid Platner scandal, warning they ignored a classic rule of politics and paid the price Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville blasted Democrats for failing to properly vet Graham Platner during a podcast on Wednesday. Democratic Party leaders and liberal commentators who once defended Platner amid previous scandals ranging from controversial rhetoric to a Nazi-associated tattoo have since denounced him over new sexual assault allegations. Maine resident Jenny Racicot accused Platner of rape in interviews with Politico and CNN on Monday, alleging the Senate hopeful entered her home uninvited while intoxicated nearly five years ago and forced himself on her. Platner has denied the allegation.  Carville spoke about the election on Wednesday’s episode of "Politics War Room" as a clear case of younger Democrats failing to observe the tried and true political wisdom of the past. EXPLOSIVE SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATION ROCKS PLATNER CAMPAIGN AHEAD OF KEY DEADLINE IN CRUCIAL SENATE RACE "The Platner rise was also a rise of a different attitude set," Carville said. "It was the consultants of like 27, 28 years old, and they were not sort of straitjacketed by the old rules of politics, and it looked like they had some real success. I mean, they won. They knocked the incumbent governor — couldn’t even run — and they were kind of ahead in the polls." "If I look back on this… you didn’t vet your own candidate ? You mean you didn’t know?" Carville rhetorically asked of Maine Democrats. "Okay, we used to get our own oppo researchers to do an oppo research book on us. It’s the most important research you do!" "And so they took off in this campaign, and all of this was recent. It wasn’t way back in some other godforsaken time. I don’t think they knew. I don’t think they wanted to know," Carville said. "It’s so, so '80s to do a briefing on your own candidate to find out what’s wrong with him. But, you know, there are certain rules in politics." This denouncement was a stark contrast from Carville’s previous rhetoric in defense of Platner amid his previous scandals just over a month before. PLATNER’S THREE-DAY VETTING JOB COMES BACK TO HAUNT DEMS AS RAPE ALLEGATION ROCKS SENATE BID "He’s f---ed up, he’s been shot at, he’s a veteran, he’s a little bit weird, he’s an oysterman," said Carville, who, like Platner, served in the United States Marine Corps. "Maybe we need a combat veteran right on that Senate floor who is f---ed up." One noteworthy part of the previous defense was his World War II comparison, arguing, "And you know if Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill could work with Joseph Stalin — who, by the way, well, I'll tell you this, he was a bad guy, a really bad guy, alright — then I can overlook a tattoo." But one of Carville’s defenses of Platner, who has now been denounced by multiple past girlfriends, has aged particularly poorly. "I don’t know how to tell The New York Times this, but boy puts hand on girl’s t---y, girl moves hand, boy walks away rejected and despondent. It happens," Carville said. Fox News Digital reached out to Platner's campaign and did not receive any immediate reply. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE Fox News' Adam Pack and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ef2e1c2ca79de23658e60 Platner accuser recalls 'gaslighting,' ‘betrayal’ from NY Times as she came forward with her allegations te 2026-07-09T01:01:21.406Z Platner accuser recalls 'gaslighting,' ‘betrayal’ from NY Times as she came forward with her allegations Betrayal — that's the word that comes to mind for Lyndsey Fifield following her interactions with The New York Times, saying the paper had "tainted" her story about embattled Democratic Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner.   A bombshell report published Monday by Politico rocked the political landscape accusing Platner of sexual assault by one of his exes. Jenny Racicot alleged in 2021 that Platner drunkenly entered her home uninvited and had sex with her despite her repeatedly telling him to stop. Platner has firmly denied her claims. The claim, which Racicot has said constituted rape, caused prominent Democrats to call for him to step aside, and Platner dropped out of the race officially Wednesday night. NEW YORK TIMES UNDER SCRUTINY OVER GRAHAM PLATNER COVERAGE AS ACCUSERS SPEAK OUT AGAINST PAPER Both Racicot and Fifield were interviewed by the Times in a story published last month about Platner's "unsettling" behavior with women — but the report included a focus on Fifield's conservative politics. "The New York Times piece… people are looking back at that with absolute horror and just saying like, ‘Holy crap, this is like terrible. This is truly gruesome what you've done to these women,’" Fifield told Fox News Digital in an interview Wednesday, before Platner dropped out of the race. Fifield, who dated Platner between 2013-2015, said it started when Times reporter Katie Glueck contacted her in April, saying the paper was trying to reach those who Platner had relationships with after hearing "some really serious things" from other women. Times reporter Lisa Lerer, who co-authored the story, was also intensely involved. "They said… very insistently, ‘Wait, wait, there are other women who are very afraid to come forward. They do not want to tell their stories because of how vulnerable they are, and you can help them, and we can protect you,’" Fifield told Fox News Digital. "I didn’t want to do this," she said. "They made me feel guilty that if I didn’t go on the record, then Jenny and the other unnamed woman, that their stories wouldn’t get told." GRAHAM PLATNER'S MOST PROMINENT PRESS ALLIES ABANDON HIM AS RAPE ALLEGATION ROCKS MAINE SENATE RACE Before the story was published, the Times reporters connected Fifield with Racicot. She found it strange but was told by the reporters that Racicot "had no one" and was "totally isolated" because of Racicot's far-left social circle that was supportive of Platner's campaign. "They said she really needs a friend, and you will understand her... and they were right about that. We have become friends," Fifield said. Racicot wasn't the only one who allegedly faced sexual abuse at the hands of Platner. Fifield initially told the Times off the record that Platner repeatedly removed his condom during sex without her knowledge or consent, an action known as stealthing, which has been made illegal in certain states. She initially did not want to share that publicly due to the "gross" nature of it, in addition to her current life as a wife and mother of young children. Inspired by Racicot going on the record with her assault claim with Politico, Fifield went on the record about it Tuesday with The Washington Post. NYT COLUMNIST SAYS SHE 'DEEPLY' REGRETS PRAISING SENATE HOPEFUL AFTER RAPE ALLEGATION Fifield was aghast by the Times' published report that prominently featured her after the reporters gave her the impression that allegations from the other women would be included. "I'm out here on my own, I'm the only one photographed, and there's 11 paragraphs of my work history. Like, what is this?" Fifield reacted. Racicot initially told the Times about her alleged assault off the record. The incident was alluded to roughly 70 paragraphs deep into the story — which read, "Ms. Racicot also said that in 2021 he arrived at her house drunk, after she had asked him not to come over. She declined to elaborate, but said she cut off contact soon after that episode and found his behavior 'reckless' and 'unsettling.'" During the reporting process, Fifield recalled the Times asking numerous questions about her career. She said the reporters made it feel like they were seeking information to protect her from the Platner campaign, suggesting her claims were tied to her political affiliation. Instead, Fifield said the Times weighed her story down with pointless details about her work history, insisting she’s "not some political operative" despite the framing. The Times' story described Fifield as a "Virginia conservative who has worked for right-leaning groups and Republican campaigns" and harped on her ties to a women’s conservative group. Her claim that Platner once "twisted her arm behind her back, shoved her into a bedroom and held the door closed from the other side so she couldn’t get out" was mentioned in the 24th paragraph. "I want to blame the editors at The New York Times," Fifield said. "I almost don't want to blame these journalists because they became like friends, I felt like we had a friendly relationship — and maybe that's me being really naïve. I don't know, it doesn't make any sense." HASAN PIKER TURNS ON PLATNER, SAYS HE BELIEVES SEXUAL ASSAULT ACCUSER AND PREDICTS 'CURTAINS' ON CAMPAIGN Fifield was puzzled when the Times reporters urged her to avoid the public's response to the story shortly after it was published as she peppered them with questions about the finished product. Some left-wing allies of Platner suggested Fifield's story was tainted because of her personal views.  "They were like, ‘Oh, Lyndsey, just stay off social media. Don't listen to people who are being critical of you. Don't listen to them. Put your phone away. Go to the lake... Go on vacation, enjoy your babies... You did a brave thing. This was so huge. You're so brave for doing this and we really appreciate it. We're here if you need anything.' And it was just, like, gaslighting," Fifield recalled. Fifield doesn’t want to think of Glueck and Lerer as "villains," but feels what occurred was "pretty evil" in the wake of the Politico story. "They were like slow walking it to the week of the primary. They contacted us on April 15. There was no reason in hell that they shouldn't have been able to get that story out that week," she said. "It makes me sick to realize that that's what they were doing now." The Times story last month claimed it "could not independently corroborate Ms. Fifield’s account of the altercations." Fifield said this is simply "not true" and the Times reporters knew it was false before the article was published, telling the Times she had confided in a friend about the abuse and other "toxic elements" of her relationship with Platner, but her friend was never contacted by The Times. "They only called the sources that didn’t know anything about the abuse," Fifield said. "There was a conversation where they were saying, ‘We're going to include this line about ‘could not corroborate,’ and that was when I started to get really panicked. And I was like, ‘Wait a minute, what do you mean? I thought that you called.’" She was "horrified" when the Times told her that "it wasn’t enough," and attempted to downplay the disclaimer that her account could not be corroborated. "They were like, ‘Actually, it's fine. You know, women don't often come forward, so it's actually normal for women not to tell anyone,’" Fifield said. Emily Zanotti, one of Fifield's friends, was willing to speak with the Times to corroborate Platner's mistreatment of her. She wrote on X that she was never contacted. Conservative critics on social media have accused the Times of using "catch and kill" tactics to shield Platner so that allegations of sexual misconduct would never see the light of day, a notion Fifield agreed with. "They tainted our story," Fifield told Fox News Digital. A spokesperson for The New York Times stood by its reporting and strongly pushed back against critics. "The Times's June 4 reporting on Graham Platner and his patterns of behavior was a powerful and original piece of journalism that presented deeply personal accounts and many new facts for the first time," the Times spokesperson said. "As a result of what this original article broke open, The Times and other outlets continued to produce groundbreaking, independent reporting that revealed even more new details about the sensitive and upsetting experiences that women who knew Platner went through." "In the ensuing weeks, partisan commentators and politically-aligned media have put forward false allegations and criticism about The Times's journalism process. The story carefully reported what we could confirm at the time, was factually accurate and fair, and it alerted the public to important new information about a candidate for the Senate," the spokesperson added. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ef2cdc2ca79de23658e57 Pardoned House Dem back in the spotlight as brother faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted te 2026-07-09T01:01:01.950Z Pardoned House Dem back in the spotlight as brother faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted The efforts of Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, to move past his indictment and subsequent pardon by President Donald Trump are clashing with his brother's legal troubles. Martin Cuellar, sheriff of Webb County, Texas, faces a court hearing on Thursday over accusations of having misappropriated county funds. The case, coupled with the closeness of the Cuellar family, is complicating Henry Cuellar’s political outlook as he wages a campaign to continue his congressional career in one of the country’s most competitive districts. It’s been over half a year since Trump pardoned Cuellar from an indictment on charges of bribery, conspiracy and money laundering. "This pardon gives us a clean slate. The noise is gone. The work remains," Cuellar said in a post to X, announcing that very same day that he would pursue reelection. FORMER INDIANA REP STEPHEN BUYER RECEIVES FULL PARDON FROM TRUMP FOR 2023 INSIDER TRADING CONVICTION Cuellar was accused of accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes from an oil and gas company controlled by the government of Azerbaijan and a Mexican bank. Although those charges are gone, Cuellar’s case is still very much in the public eye as his brother fends off accusations of siphoning funds. Martin Cuellar faces 10 years behind bars as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine for allegedly using county employees and resources to run his own disinfecting business, Disinfect Pro Master. Martin allegedly took home about $175,000 in illegal proceeds between 2020 and 2022, according to the Department of Justice. "They allegedly opened Disinfect Pro Master in April 2020 and entered into service agreements with local businesses and restaurants despite having no employees or supplies of their own," the U.S. attorney’s office wrote. SWALWELL FRIEND GALLEGO DEFENDS CAMPAIGN-FUNDED SUPER BOWL, MIAMI TRIPS: ‘GO WHERE THE MONEY IS’ "The indictment alleges WCSO employees handled the company’s day-to-day operations from the sheriff’s office where they picked up schedules and equipment to conduct disinfecting services both on and off the clock with the county." Connections between Cuellar and his siblings are further strengthened by their closeness. In the past, Cuellar has used his campaign fundraising apparatus to bolster his family’s chances in their own official pursuits, records show. According to FEC filings, Cuellar’s campaign and his leadership PAC have paid $11,000 to his sister Rosie Cuellar for doing work for the campaign in 2022 and then donated $1,200 to her bid to become a judge. He has similarly donated $8,400 to his brother, Martin Cuellar, and his campaign to become sheriff in 2008 and 2020. To at least one onlooker, the family’s woes look interconnected. "The latest legal trouble surrounding Henry Cuellar's family proves one thing: the scandals didn't end with Henry. They simply moved down the family tree," Christian Martinez, the national Hispanic press secretary for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in a statement. "The Cuellar family's culture of corruption has turned South Texas into a case study of what happens when one self-serving family holds power for too long," he added. SWALWELL PAL ACCUSED OF USING CAMPAIGN CASH TO BANKROLL ‘LUXURY LIFESTYLE’ — INCLUDING SUPER BOWL TICKETS Cuellar’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. Having cleared the Texas primary in March, Cuellar now heads to the general election on Nov. 3. Cuellar last won reelection in a 52.8% to 47.2% victory over Republican challenger Jay Furman in 2024. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ef2a7c2ca79de23658e4c Video of Kirk Assassination Suspect’s Ex-Partner to Be Played in Court te 2026-07-09T01:00:23.045Z Video of Kirk Assassination Suspect’s Ex-Partner to Be Played in Court A judge said he would allow prosecutors to play the recording at a hearing on Thursday as prosecutors seek to take Tyler Robinson to trial on a charge that he murdered Charlie Kirk last year. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ef061c2ca79de23658dde Clues Behind a Cracker Barrel and in 2 Other States Led to 1985 Killing Cold Case Arrest te 2026-07-09T00:50:41.161Z Clues Behind a Cracker Barrel and in 2 Other States Led to 1985 Killing Cold Case Arrest Nearly four decades after an Ohio man was found slain in a hotel room, renewed forensic testing and years of follow-up investigation resulted in a murder indictment. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ef04dc2ca79de23658dd5 Does a Sex Assault Claim Kill a Political Career? It Depends. te 2026-07-09T00:50:21.713Z Does a Sex Assault Claim Kill a Political Career? It Depends. The swift exit of Graham Platner from the Maine Senate race followed Eric Swalwell’s similar exit from the California governor’s race, but Republicans have taken a different tack. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4eee08c2ca79de23658d6f Justin Verlander's retirement announcement comes with a well-earned hat tip to SI Swimsuit legend Kate Upton te 2026-07-09T00:40:40.363Z Justin Verlander's retirement announcement comes with a well-earned hat tip to SI Swimsuit legend Kate Upton Justin Verlander announced on Wednesday that this season would be the last of his career. His return to the Detroit Tigers hasn't gone as planned. He's given up five earned runs in just three and two thirds innings of work due to injury. Even more disappointing than those numbers was the wasted bikini welcoming Sports Illustrated Swimsuit had for him ahead of what was supposed to be his first home start back in April. Verlander missed that start and hasn't pitched in a game since his first start of the season in Arizona back in March. His retirement announcement came after Major League Baseball revealed that he had been selected to his 10th All-Star Game as a "Legend Pick." ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW! The game of baseball has told him it's time to hang it up. The All-Star and retirement announcements have come, as you would expect, with a look back at his Hall of Fame-worthy career. The 2006 AL Rookie of the Year and 2011 MVP has three Cy Young Awards to his name. He has two World Series rings and three no-hitters to go along with his other accolades. PHILLIES STAR SAYS 'BS RULE' IS KEEPING HIM FROM BEING NAMED ALL-STAR IN FRONT OF HOME CROWD Verlander is also eighth on the all-time strikeout list with a real shot at seventh place, needing only 21 more strikeouts to pass Don Sutton. As with any mention of his career achievements, the internet, as you would also expect, has made sure to give a well-earned hat tip to his wife, Kate Upton. A legend in her own right. You really can't tell the full story of Justin Verlander's remarkable career without a mention of the four-time SI Swimsuit cover model. She's been there through every high and low. And as he pointed out in his announcement, he couldn't have done it without her. What a career, even if it doesn't end how one of the best to ever lace up a pair of cleats hoped it would. Again, you're not sneaking a retirement announcement by the internet without a round of applause for Mrs. Verlander. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4eebafc2ca79de23658d1d Platner drops out of crucial Senate race after bombshell rape allegation torpedoes campaign te 2026-07-09T00:30:39.781Z Platner drops out of crucial Senate race after bombshell rape allegation torpedoes campaign Graham Platner, the embattled Democratic Senate nominee in Maine, suspended his campaign on Wednesday amid mounting controversies and growing calls from top Democrats in his home state, in the nation's capital, and across the country for him to immediately quit the race. Platner, a populist Democrat backed last September by progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., was challenging longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in a high-profile, combustible and expensive race in Maine, which is one of a handful that will determine if the GOP holds onto its slim Senate majority in November's midterm elections. "For the movement to continue, it can’t be me. For that reason we are suspending campaign operations," Platner said in a video posted to social media. Platner's exit from the race comes five days before a crucial deadline, which, if he had missed, would have prevented Maine Democrats from replacing him with a new nominee on the general election ballot. The suspension of his campaign took place one month after Platner won a landslide victory in Maine's June 9 Democratic Senate primary, but just two days after an explosive report on Monday afternoon contained an allegation of rape from a woman he previously dated.  SCANDAL-PLAGUED PLATNER CAPTURES DEMOCRATIC SENATE NOMINATION DESPITE MOUNTING CONTROVERSIES Maine resident Jenny Racicot, 41, told CNN's Jack Tapper that "by dictionary definition" Platner "raped" her. "I thought, here's a man who was drunk and who, by dictionary definition, raped me. And he's blaming drunk women," Racicot said. "So I just felt like that was a very odd take to have on that. And I also feel like with all of the comments that he made about women, sexual assault, rape, even, um, you know, the comments that he had made that was in The New York Times article about, you know, threatening people with rape, like, why does this person have this issue, like scattered throughout their life, throughout their commentary, like it‘s on their mind?" Racicot also said over the course of three interviews with Politico that Platner forced her to have sex five years ago against her will, a claim that Platner denied in the Politico story. Additionally, the report says that a man Raciot dated afterward confirmed she had told him about the incident, which was also corroborated by emails between Racicot and her therapist.  "I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me," Racicot told the outlet about the incident, which allegedly took place while Platner was "almost blackout drunk." "I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.’" Racicot alleged that Platner entered her home uninvited and forced her to have unprotected sex despite her telling him to stop multiple times.  Racicot said in the report that "one of the reasons" she didn't come forward until now was the "huge moral conflict" she had between her support of Platner's politics and not supporting him "as a person." "I just want the truth out there," Racicot said. "I just want people to have a whole scope of who he is as a person." In a statement to Politico, Platner said, "These allegations are troubling, serious, and false. Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically untrue." The Platner campaign also posted a video on X shortly after the Politico story published where Platner again called the allegations "false" and that he was going to "reflect" on the best path forward.  "So, regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting, but mindful the political reality it will inflict, we are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward for the state that I love, the people that I love, the movement I belong to, and the goal of defeating Susan Collins," Platner says in the video. "Those were the goals when we launched this campaign, and they remain my goals today." Platner was hit with a second explosive allegation of sexual impropriety on Tuesday. In a report published by The Washington Post, Platner was accused of removing condoms during sex with his ex-girlfriend Lyndsey Fifield after she explicitly directed him to wear them. Fifield, 41, previously accused Platner of physical misconduct during their relationship, saying that he sometimes grabbed her hard enough to leave marks on her body and that one time he twisted her arm around her back, pushed her into a bedroom and held the door shut until she "calmed down." In a statement to The Washington Post, the Platner campaign said that Fifield's latest allegations were "categorically false and politically motivated," as they pointed to her previous work for the conservative Heritage Foundation. The Marine Corps combat veteran and oyster farmer became the all-but-certain nominee in the spring, after two-term Gov. Janet Mills, who had been backed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and the Democrat establishment, suspended her bid after significantly trailing Platner in fundraising and polling. But Platner was forced onto defense the past couple of months amid multiple controversies that muddied the final days of his primary campaign and overshadowed his victory. Past inflammatory online comments made on a now-deleted Reddit account came back to haunt him at the same time he was reeling from revelations of a now covered-up tattoo on his chest that resembled a Nazi symbol. Then reports that Platner exchanged sexually explicit messages with several women while married came right before allegations from ex-girlfriends of a history of rape fantasies, heavy drinking and violent episodes. Platner repeatedly called the allegations of violence untrue. A day before the primary last month, a former high-level staffer from the Platner campaign wrote in a Washington Post op/ed that Platner "is not someone who would be good for Maine or for the country." The mounting controversies grabbed plenty of attention, gave Republicans more ammunition to use against him and triggered some Democrats in the nation's capital to question whether Platner was damaged goods. But the allegations didn't stop him from riding a populist wave to capture the nomination. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB Platner, who had acknowledged his battle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from his three tours of duty in the war in Iraq with the Marines and one tour with the Army National Guard in Afghanistan, apologized for his controversial Reddit posts after some of them made headlines last fall soon after he launched his Senate campaign. And Platner said he got the skull and crossbones tattoo in 2007, while drinking with fellow Marines stationed in Croatia. He said that he covered up the tattoo with a new design after learning last year that it resembled a Nazi symbol. But allegations from an ex-girlfriend raised questions about Platner's timeline regarding knowledge of the tattoo. In his primary night victory speech, Platner emphasized that he was a changed man. "If you believe, as I do, that we can change our politics and change our country, then you must also believe that people can change," Platner told the crowd. "And the reason I believe that is because I have lived it. And the reason that I have lived it is because of my wife." Platner's suspension of his campaign comes just before a 5 p.m. deadline on Monday, July 13, set by state law, for candidates to withdraw from the race. Since Platner dropped out ahead of the deadline, the Maine Democratic Party will be able to replace him on the general election ballot. The party needs to select a new nominee by July 27. If Platner had exited the race after the deadline, his name could be stricken from the ballot, but Maine Democrats would not be able to replace him with another candidate.  The Maine Democratic Party on Tuesday night, in a stunning announcement, said that party officials were working "around the clock" to determine a replacement process, but claimed that Platner and his team were trying "to put their thumb on the scale of what this process looks like." Platner's team, responding, said they had reached out to the party but denied they were trying to put any "finger on the scale."  THE TEN RACES THAT WILL DETERMINE THE SENATE'S MAJORITY Rumors about Platner potentially dropping out started swirling this past weekend, as multiple events by the candidate were canceled without an official explanation. The Bangor Daily News reported on Monday that one organizer said an event was canceled due to Platner "not feeling well." The news of the canceled events led conservative outlets and pundits to speculate whether there was an underlying reason for the cancelations or an impending end to his campaign. Collins said in a statement, "These allegations are appalling. Nevertheless, it is not up to me to choose the Democratic nominee for Senate."  As Monday afternoon turned into Monday evening, a growing chorus of leading Democrats called on Platner to quit the race. Schumer called the allegations in the Politico report "incredibly disturbing – violence, abuse and sexual assault are absolutely unacceptable." In a statement with Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) Chair Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Schumer emphasized, "Graham Platner needs to immediately withdraw as the Democratic nominee for Senate and allow Maine Democrats the opportunity to choose a new candidate who can defeat Susan Collins. The DSCC will not invest in the Maine Senate race if Platner remains on the ballot." Senate Majority PAC, the Schumer-aligned top super PAC backing Senate Democratic incumbents and candidates, said it was "redirecting resources away from the Maine Senate race in light of the latest allegations against Graham Platner." The leadership of the Maine Democratic Party, in a statement, said it "is calling Graham Platner to withdraw as the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate." One of Platner's top supporters in Congress, Rep. Ro Khanna of California, rescinded his endorsement. "I’ve been very clear that sexual assault or violence against women is a red line. These allegations are very serious and credible. Graham Platner should drop out from the race. I am withdrawing my endorsement," Khanna wrote in a social media post. Khanna, a top progressive leader in the House, told Fox News Digital as he campaigned with Platner in Maine days ahead of the primary that he was "concerned about making it clear that we’re opposed to misogyny, those relationships were toxic and volatile, there’s no excuse for that." "I talked to Graham, and he says he was at a very dark period. He had come back from two tours of duty in Iraq as an infantryman seeing violence and death. That doesn’t excuse it," Khanna said last month. Also dropping their endorsement on Monday was Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona, who along with Khanna is considered a potential 2028 White House hopeful. "The allegations against Graham Platner are troubling and deeply serious," Gallego wrote on X. "I am rescinding my endorsement." So did progressive champion Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who had endorsed and appeared with Platner. Our Revolution, a progressive political action organization founded by Sanders, announced it was withdrawing its endorsement of Platner. On Tuesday, Sanders finally put out a statement. "I have spoken with Graham Platner about the best path forward for Maine. In light of these very serious allegations, I have recommended that he step aside," the senator wrote. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Platner, who launched his bid for U.S. Senate last summer, quickly started drawing large crowds and built a healthy fundraising war chest earlier this year, thanks, in part, to Sanders' early support and the candidate's tireless efforts on the trail. Two polls conducted late last month indicated a close general election contest. A Fox News poll gave Collins a three-point edge, while a New York Times/Siena survey indicated Planter holding a two-point margin. But beating Collins hasn't been easy. Six years ago, public opinion polls indicated the senator was headed to defeat, but Collins defied expectations and won re-election by defeating then-Democratic state House Speaker Sara Gideon by nine points. Collins, a moderate Republican who at times votes against President Donald Trump's agenda, is running for a sixth six-year term in the Senate. Republicans currently control the chamber 53-47 and flipping the Senate seat in left-leaning Maine is a key part of the Democrats' path to retake the majority. Fox News' Olivia Palombo and Matthew Donnell contributed to this report Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ee96ec2ca79de23658ccb Left-wing host presses El-Sayed over 'physician' claim, questions honesty of Michigan Dem Senate hopeful te 2026-07-09T00:21:02.319Z Left-wing host presses El-Sayed over 'physician' claim, questions honesty of Michigan Dem Senate hopeful Left-wing host Mehdi Hasan pressed Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed on Wednesday over why he called himself a "physician" despite not having a valid state medical license, as the Democrat competes in a closely watched primary. "You got attacked by your rivals for calling yourself a physician, not just a doctor, even though you don’t have a valid state medical license in New York or Michigan, which apparently is what you need legally to call yourself a physician," Hasan said during a Zeteo interview. "Do you wish you’d just stuck to calling yourself a doctor, which you are, to avoid all of this controversy and attacks on your physician status?" "You know, at the end of the day, it’s not about whether or not I’m a physician or a doctor," El-Sayed said. "It’s not about my education. It’s about whether or not your kid gets a good education." "That’s a good line, but people would say it’s also about did you tell the truth?" Hasan said. DEMOCRATS' CIVIL WAR HEADS TO MICHIGAN WHERE PROGRESSIVES FACE BIGGEST TEST YET IN HIGH-STAKES SENATE SHOWDOWN Hasan raised the question after noting that El-Sayed’s rivals had attacked him for calling himself a "physician" rather than a doctor. After El-Sayed initially tried to steer the exchange toward healthcare access and education, he defended his public health record, saying he had helped more people through government service than many doctors do in clinical practice. "Well, I would say that I was the health director for the city of Detroit, and I’ve done more to provide more people healthcare or eliminate their medical debt than most doctors have done in their practice career," El-Sayed said. "So, I’m proud of the work that I did." DEM CIVIL WAR HITS PRIMARY DEBATE STAGE IN FIERY BATTLEGROUND SHOWDOWN: 'WHAT ARE YOU HIDING?' El-Sayed said he changed course with his medical training after graduating from Columbia University. "I took my medical education in a different direction," El-Sayed said. "And I did graduate from a school that’s literally called Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons. So, you know, you can go have that argument with Columbia University if you’d like." El-Sayed has repeatedly described himself as a "physician" on the campaign trail and in public biographies, despite records showing he never held a medical license in Michigan or New York.  El-Sayed's campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital for comment. WATCH: SURFACED VIDEOS OF DEM SENATE CANDIDATE BACKING 'DEFUND THE POLICE' CONTRADICT RECENT DENIALS Hasan also pressed El-Sayed on his personal finance disclosure, noting that Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., had attacked him and Republican Mike Rogers over their finances. "You sought an extension through August 13, I believe, which is after the primary," Hasan said. "Was this to avoid transparency with your voters? Why not release them before the election?" El-Sayed said the delay was related to family finances and overseas property. "No, just taxes get complicated," El-Sayed said. "My wife and her family own property abroad and so getting all those tax forms is a thing." Bridge Michigan reported that El-Sayed filed an extension to delay his 2026 personal financial disclosure until after the Aug. 4 primary and that the report is now due Aug. 13. Bridge also reported that Stevens had requested 90-day extensions for her personal financial disclosures each year from 2019 to 2025, though she did not seek one this year. Stevens’ campaign told Fox News Digital El-Sayed pledged on camera after a WOOD-TV debate to release his personal financial disclosures before the Aug. 4 primary after Haley Stevens pressed him over his decision to file an extension. "Now, the clock is ticking. Abdul needs to make good on his promise to Michiganders and release his PFD immediately. What is he hiding?" said Haley Stevens for Senate communications director Arik Wolk. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ee95ac2ca79de23658cc2 Saints' Cam Jordan eyes Super Bowl glory in what he expects to be final NFL season te 2026-07-09T00:20:42.859Z Saints' Cam Jordan eyes Super Bowl glory in what he expects to be final NFL season New Orleans Saints legend Cam Jordan hopes the door to his career isn’t cracked an inch. Hell, he hopes the thing is slammed shut after Year 16 in the National Football League this upcoming season. After deliberation, Jordan, coming off a 10.5-sack 2025 campaign, re-signed with the Saints for one more year. And though the word "retirement" has not yet been uttered, Jordan has made it known he is going into this season expecting it to be his last in the league. "I’ve been doing this since Year 10," Jordan told Fox News Digital over the phone, while also discussing his excitement to work alongside fellow pass rushers at the annual Sack Summit in Las Vegas this week alongside third-year official sponsor Raising Cane’s. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM "Do I feel good? Absolutely. Do I feel better not being part of OTAs? Physically, yes!" One of Jordan’s superpowers, other than getting after the quarterback, setting the edge and doing what a future Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end can do, is being candid no matter the situation. After seeing what first-year head coach Kellen Moore and defensive coordinator Brandon Staley had in place for him last year, Jordan knows his role on the Saints defense, saying he "can do whatever needs to be done" for his team. People questioned him in a two-point stance (an upright position with no hands on the ground at the line of scrimmage), but it clearly worked out when you view his numbers. AARON RODGERS CONFIRMS HE'S RETIRING AFTER UPCOMING SEASON WITH THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS Jordan knows he can impact this Saints team that’s filled with potential, and that fire in his gut still burns to make a difference in the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. There’s also one last run in him to achieve the dream every football player has since they fell in love with the game as a child. "The ultimate dream is to win a Super Bowl," Jordan said. "You go into childhood, coming out of childhood, like, ‘Man, I want to be just like the greats.’ For some reason, we accumulate the idea of success in football to winning a Super Bowl because it’s the ultimate team sport. That’s the ultimate team dream." The personal accolades have been abundant for Jordan since he came out of the Cal Bears system as the 24th overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft. The Saints took him and he hasn’t left Louisiana, showcasing loyalty on and off the field while racking up the 17th-most sacks all-time (132.0). Of course, Jordan's goal during his final season in the black and gold will be to accumulate enough sacks to make it eight seasons in double digits. If he does so, he’ll be top 10 all-time in sacks. "You look at Year 16 — this is who I am. This is my body of work. It has never changed," Jordan added. But again, Jordan believes his Hall of Fame worthiness is etched in stone already. He could write up his speech for Canton, Ohio now before playing his final season. Will that speech include the words "Super Bowl champion"? Jordan certainly hopes so, because what else is there to chase when you believe you've already done enough to earn a bust in the Pro Football Hall of Fame? "I was sitting there this offseason and I was like, ‘Man, what is it I want to accomplish?’ A Super Bowl. Personally speaking, I’ve done it all. All-Pro, Pro Bowls. Hell, I put together a Pro Bowl-esque season last year." Jordan, who will be 37 on Friday, is ready to give his all one last time before that door closes. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ee701c2ca79de23658c31 Security Precaution Led Trump to Use Old Air Force One in Leaving Turkey te 2026-07-09T00:10:41.436Z Security Precaution Led Trump to Use Old Air Force One in Leaving Turkey The Secret Service is said to have asked that the president not use the Qatari-donated jet when he left Ankara. The swap deepens questions about the retrofitting of the new plane. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ee6edc2ca79de23658c1c Pima College boardmember withdraws from county treasurer appointment list te 2026-07-09T00:10:21.985Z Pima College boardmember withdraws from county treasurer appointment list Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ee4e4c2ca79de23658bdb Challenge to Arizona’s transgender school sports ban collapses as teen plaintiff withdraws te 2026-07-09T00:01:40.184Z Challenge to Arizona’s transgender school sports ban collapses as teen plaintiff withdraws (Photo by Bruce BennettGetty Images) The lawsuit that sought to topple Arizona’s anti-transgender school sports ban is set to end, as the lone teen plaintiff steps back from the case that has dragged on for years.  Rachel Berg, a senior staff attorney with the National Center for LGBTQ Rights who represented the teen, said that litigation is “grueling,” especially for young people. Berg pointed out that Jane Doe, as she’s called in court filings, first got involved when she started middle school. She’s starting high school now.  “This case has been going on for three years,” Berg said. “It was filed when she was in middle school.”   Without Doe to bolster the claims that the Arizona law is discriminatory, the case can’t move forward. The setback comes days after the U.S. Supreme Court preserved state-level trans athletic bans in Idaho and West Virginia, a decision that also complicated the legal path forward for the Arizona challenge. GET THE MORNING HEADLINES. SUBSCRIBE In 2022, amid a national wave of anti-LGBTQ legislation, then-Gov. Doug Ducey signed the “Save Women’s Sports Act” into law. It prohibits trans girls across the state from joining school sports teams consistent with their gender identity. Republicans called the measure a “commonsense” protection, even as the Arizona Interscholastic Association, which oversees roughly 170,000 student athletes, testified at legislative hearings that it had received only 16 requests to participate from trans students in five years.  A year later, Doe and another trans teen, called Megan Roe in court filings, filed a lawsuit against their schools and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne, arguing that the ban violated their constitutional rights. (Roe left the lawsuit when she graduated from high school and stopped playing sports in Arizona.) What followed was three years of back and forth litigation, as Republican legislative leaders joined the legal battle when Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, a Democrat, refused to defend the law, and the rhetoric vilified the girls and other trans students for taking away opportunities from their cisgender peers. When a federal judge ruled that the girls should be allowed to play on school sports teams that reflected who they are, Republicans petitioned for that order to be paused, saying that Doe and Roe would “displace biological girls.” That request was denied, but subsequent appeals petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on the Arizona case.  On June 30, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states have the right to ban trans girls from joining sports teams consistent with their gender identity. That same day, the justices lifted the order allowing Doe to keep playing school sports on teams with other girls and sent the issue back to the federal judge who had first issued it to reconsider the question in light of their latest decision.  The legal battle had essentially been thrown back to square one.  Republicans in Arizona hailed the high court’s ruling, and later, Doe’s withdrawal from the state-level legal challenge, as a win.  “This is a victory for girl athletes and for common sense,” Horne said in a written statement celebrating Doe’s decision to dismiss the lawsuit.  But shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling and with Doe still on board, Berg remained adamant that the Arizona lawsuit still had a path forward.  “Our case in Arizona involves different factual and legal theories than the cases at the Supreme Court,” Berg said during a June 30 interview. Challengers of the Idaho and and West Virginia laws argued that the bans violated the equal protection guarantee in the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the prohibition on sex discrimination in Title IX, a federal law that was previously interpreted to include gender-based discrimination under the Biden administration. The justices weren’t convinced by that reasoning.  While those arguments were also present in the Arizona case, Doe’s attorneys also said that the ban violates the Americans with Disabilities Act. That’s because Doe has gender dysphoria, a condition she was diagnosed with when she was seven years old. Gender dysphoria is defined as the distress that occurs when a person’s gender identity and biological sex are incongruent. Treatment for the condition is gender-affirming care, which ranges from medical solutions like hormone therapy and puberty blockers to social acceptance like using a person’s proper pronouns. Forcing trans girls like Doe to play on boys sports teams directly undermines that treatment, which has been endorsed by multiple top medical associations.  The argument that trans athletic bans conflict with the ADA remains untested in court. And while Doe’s withdrawal from the Arizona lawsuit means it won’t be debated in the Grand Canyon State in the near future, it could still arise at a later date. Berg said the National Center for LGBTQ Rights would be open to representing another trans Arizonan student if the opportunity arises.  “This fight is not over,” she said.  But a Republican strategy to shield the state’s trans athletic ban may complicate that future fight even further. This year, Republican lawmakers in Arizona approved a ballot measure that asks voters to weigh in on whether trans students should be barred from school sports teams, bathrooms and locker rooms that reflect their gender identity.  Under state law, trans girls are already prohibited from joining school sports teams consistent with their gender identity. But if voters approve the new ballot measure, it would be protected by a provision in the Arizona Constitution that bars lawmakers from repealing voter-approved laws.  A progressive political action committee is currently attempting to convince a Maricopa County Superior Court judge to prevent the ballot measure from showing up on the November ballot, arguing that it’s discriminatory. A hearing in that legal challenge has been set for July 16.   YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE. SUPPORT Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ee4d0c2ca79de23658bbb Who is Valli Geiger? Meet the Maine Dem that Platner is urging to run for Senate te 2026-07-09T00:01:20.215Z Who is Valli Geiger? Meet the Maine Dem that Platner is urging to run for Senate Maine state Rep. Valli Geiger, a Rockland Democrat, former nurse and former mayor, is drawing sudden national attention after saying embattled Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner encouraged her to consider taking his place on the ballot in the Maine Senate race if he withdraws. Geiger has not been named the replacement nominee, and Platner has not formally dropped out. However, her name entered the Maine Senate scramble after she told local outlet WMTW that Platner called her Monday night, praised her as a "fighter," and asked whether he could put her name forward. Platner’s campaign told the outlet he had not made an endorsement decision, but confirmed he encouraged Geiger to consider running if he stepped aside. After Geiger said Platner called her about potentially putting her name forward, Geiger posted Tuesday that she would not "throw Graham under the bus," while also saying she would not "slander or accuse" Jenny Racicot, the woman who accused Platner of rape, "of anything more than telling the truth as she experienced it."  By Wednesday, local outlets were reporting that Geiger said Platner had encouraged her to consider running if he withdrew. Platner has denied the allegation. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IF PLATNER DROPS OUT? HERE'S WHO COULD REPLACE HIM ON THE BALLOT AND HOW IT COULD WORK Geiger is a third-term Democratic state representative from Rockland, according to her official legislative biography, representing a coastal House district in Maine that includes Rockland, Criehaven Township, Matinicus Isle Plantation, the Muscle Ridge Islands, North Haven and part of Owls Head. Her biography says she serves on the Labor Committee and the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee. Before entering the state legislature, Geiger served six years on the Rockland City Council, including one year as mayor, and four years on the Rockland Comprehensive Planning Commission, three of them as chair.  Her biography says she holds a master’s degree in sustainable design and built her own passive-solar, net-zero-energy house. It also describes her as a former nurse at Pen Bay Medical Center who later worked as a health policy analyst and health administrator, including as director of the Healthreach Hospice program and clinical director for Federally Qualified Health Centers around Maine. PLATNER CAMPAIGN PUTTING ‘THUMB ON SCALE’ TO INFLUENCE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT, MAINE DEM ALLEGES Geiger’s connection to Platner predates the latest replacement speculation. Local reporting has described her as a close Platner supporter, and WMTW reported she previously stood with him and credited him with helping secure funding for rape-kit tracking in Maine. In her Facebook post responding to Racicot’s allegation, Geiger wrote that Racicot’s story "seems credible," but added that "none of us knows the truth nor will we ever." She also described Platner as "a man becoming a better man" and said she had hoped he would lead the political movement his campaign had built and will not "throw Graham under the bus." In the post, Geiger also praised Platner’s "passion for economic populism" and said she had granted him "an enormous amount of grace" for his behavior during what she described as his "dark years" after multiple deployments. The Maine state representative is not the only Democrat whose name has surfaced as Maine Democrats prepare for the possibility that Platner exits the race against Republican Sen. Susan Collins.  Several Democrats have expressed interest or are considering bids, including former gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, and former Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah. Under Maine law, if Platner formally withdraws as the Democratic nominee by 5 p.m. on July 13, the Maine Democratic Party can replace him on the general election ballot by selecting a new nominee through its party process, with the replacement required to be chosen by July 27. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ee4bcc2ca79de23658bb2 Chicago Blackhawks dealt devastating blow with Connor Bedard expected to miss start of season te 2026-07-09T00:01:00.759Z Chicago Blackhawks dealt devastating blow with Connor Bedard expected to miss start of season It's the middle of the summer, which means there isn't a ton of NHL news to sift through, but there is some, and, in the case of the Chicago Blackhawks, it's very bad. That's because the team just learned their franchise centerpiece, Connor Bedard, will be out of action four months after getting injured while training. That means he won't be back in the team's lineup until November. NHL TEAM'S ROUGH OFFSEASON GETS WORSE AS FRANCHISE LEGEND LEAVES TO COACH FOR ARCH-RIVAL Bedard was training in Vancouver last week when video started making the rounds showing him falling during a drill and leaving the ice in clear discomfort. Well, that discomfort was real, and, on Wednesday the Blackhawks announced the 2023 first overall pick had undergone surgery on his left shoulder and is expected to make a full recovery. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM He will miss some action early in the upcoming season. The Blackhawks will be happy to have him back a month or so into the season as opposed to having him miss four months of the regular season, but that is going to make Chicago's start to the season critical. The Blackhawks play in a tough Central Division, and they have to keep pace with the likely playoff teams in it — squads like the Avalanche, Stars, Wild, Mammoth and maybe Jets — so that they don't have to dig out of a hole when Bedard returns to action. Bedard is no stranger to injuries. He battled an injury to his right shoulder last season, and in his rookie campaign in 2024-25, he broke his jaw. When he's healthy, he has averaged a little under a point per game, something the Blackhawks will need as they continue to work their way back to being perennial playoff contenders. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a4ee494c2ca79de23658b74 Feds give final approval for Patagonia mine situated in critical habitat for jaguars and Mexican spotted owls te 2026-07-09T00:00:20.328Z Feds give final approval for Patagonia mine situated in critical habitat for jaguars and Mexican spotted owls This article was originally published in Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here. The U.S. Forest Service Tuesday approved a proposed mine in southern Arizona that will extract up to five critical minerals and was the first added to a program designed to streamline federal permitting. Local environmental groups quickly condemned the decision, alleging the federal agency failed to address fundamental legal questions and environmental concerns before approving the project, such as permitting mining infrastructure through habitat for jaguars and Mexican spotted owls, both listed under the Endangered Species Act. The approval grants 31 exemptions under the Coronado National Forest Plan, which were critical for the project’s proposed actions and which the environmental groups say conflicts with guidance for the area’s public lands, and defers analysis of long-term concerns like impacts to local water resources. “Our community has spent years participating in this process because we believed the agencies responsible for protecting our public lands would carefully evaluate the facts before making a decision,” said Anna Darian, executive director of the Patagonia Area Resource Alliance. “Instead, the Forest Service approved this project while serious legal questions remain unresolved, leaving many residents wondering whether these agencies are still serving the public interest.” South32’s Hermosa project is located in Patagonia, Arizona, one of the state’s “sky islands,” a series of mountain ranges across the Sonoran desert famed for biodiversity. Their elevation, which provides isolated refuges from the hot desert floor, both inspires their island moniker and serves as a bridge for wildlife. The Patagonia Area Resource Alliance and Center for Biological Diversity said they would be evaluating “all available options moving forward,” including potential litigation. The underground mine will extract zinc, lead and silver, with the potential for manganese and copper. Most of the project is on private land, with construction over halfway complete. The project site contains one of the largest undeveloped zinc resources in the world and enough battery-grade manganese to supply all current domestic demand. However, the project has encountered major issues this year, with capital costs for the project increasing by 50 percent, from $2.2 billion to $3.3 billion, and production pushed back a year, to 2028. The federal approval permits the construction of a Primary Access Road across Coronado forest lands that bypass the town of Patagonia in order to prevent traffic through the town, a 138-kV transmission line to power the mine and a large tailings facility where mine waste will be stored. An aerial view of South32’s Hermosa project, just outside Patagonia, Arizona, is seen on March 3, 2026. Credit: EcoFlight “From the beginning, we designed Hermosa to be a different kind of mine, and the federal review process helped make it even better,” said Pat Risner, South32 Hermosa’s president, in a statement. “Years of agency review, Tribal consultation and community engagement strengthened environmental protections, informed project refinements and shaped a project that can transform the local economy.” In 2023, under the Biden administration, the mine was the first to be added under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act of 2015. The FAST-41 program is intended to improve the timeliness, predictability and transparency of federal permitting for selected projects. The Trump administration has added 57 other mining projects to the program, and has cited the Hermosa project for laying that groundwork. “President Trump has launched an all of government mandate to strengthen and secure America’s critical minerals supply chains,” said Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins in a statement. “The Hermosa Critical Minerals Project shows how increasing domestic production can reduce our dependence on vulnerable foreign sources … with one of the world’s largest undeveloped zinc resources and key minerals such as zinc and manganese, it’s a strategic investment in America’s energy and manufacturing future.” Increasing domestic mineral production to wean the U.S. off foreign supplies, largely from China, has been one of the few bipartisan issues this decade.  “If we’re serious about bringing supply chains back to America and reducing our dependence on foreign countries, we need to responsibly produce more critical minerals here at home. This is exactly what the Hermosa project is doing,” said U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), in a statement. The mine will provide around 900 direct jobs and thousands more through indirect economic activity, with the company committed to hiring 80 percent of its workforce from Santa Cruz County.  But major concerns still exist for the local communities, with the town of Patagonia, city of Nogales and Santa Cruz County in active talks to form a community benefits agreement with the mine.  Prior to federal approval, the mine had dewatered the local aquifer in order to access the ore below. Over the projected 70-year life of the mine, an estimated 195,000 acre-feet of water would be removed from the aquifer. One acre-foot is 325,851 gallons, enough water for two to three households a year.  Though the plan outlines discharging that water into three local creeks, the dewatering will lead to a cone of depression, with the water table drawn down by 250 feet, stretching across nearly 50 square miles and affecting wells within three miles of the mine, according to the environmental impact statement.  Treated groundwater has already been dumped into one of the creeks as the mine’s construction has gone on, and resulted in violations of the company’s permits with the state for exceeding permitted antimony levels. Those levels have gone down since South32 made additional investments in its wastewater treatment plant, but concerns remain in the local community. A remote trail camera captures a jaguar drinking from a watering hole within the “impact zone” of the new border wall being constructed in the San Rafael Valley. Una cámara de sendero remota captura a un jaguar bebiendo de un abrevadero dentro de la “zona de impacto” del nuevo muro fronterizo que se está construyendo en el Valle San Rafael. Crédito: Sky Islands Alliance Credit: Sky Islands Alliance Twelve species on the Endangered Species List may be adversely affected by the project, the U.S. Forest Service found. Big cats like ocelots and jaguars have been found in the area as climate change pushes their habitat farther north into Arizona from Mexico. The tailings facility for the mine the Forest Service approved is directly on critical habitat for the jaguar. In their comments during permitting, environmentalists objected to that for both its environmental impact, but also due to a lack of evidence a valuable mineral deposit exists beneath it. Recent court cases brought on by environmental groups for another Arizona mining project found that federal law requires a valid mineral right must exist at a tailings site if done on federal land. “Political fanfare can’t hide the fact that this permit is a disaster for Arizona’s rural communities and endangered species like jaguar and ocelot who live in the area,” said Russ McSpadden, Southwest conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity, in a statement. “This fight is far from over.” The post Feds give final approval for Patagonia mine situated in critical habitat for jaguars and Mexican spotted owls appeared first on AZ Luminaria. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/home