https://meenews.co/post/6a9652742c5335ae104dc61f Tyler Robinson hearing could decide death penalty fate, finally see plea in Charlie Kirk case te 2026-09-01T04:20:04.028Z Tyler Robinson hearing could decide death penalty fate, finally see plea in Charlie Kirk case PROVO, Utah — Accused Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson returns to a Utah courtroom Tuesday for a hearing that could send his case to trial or dramatically reshape it, with a judge to weigh whether prosecutors have shown enough probable cause to support the aggravated murder charge that puts the death penalty on the table — and the suspect may finally be asked to enter a plea nearly a year after the slaying. Robinson, a 23-year-old from Washington, Utah, is accused of firing a single shot that killed the 31-year-old father of two during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Sept. 10, 2025. While the defense has argued that prosecutors have not established enough probable cause to pursue aggravated murder, which carries the potential death penalty, experts tell Fox News Digital that they don't expect Judge Tony Graf Jr. to take it off the table just yet. ACCUSED CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN TYLER ROBINSON ASKS JUDGE TO TAKE POTENTIAL DEATH PENALTY OFF TABLE "We’re at a preliminary hearing stage, so we’re at a very low burden," said Skye Lazaro, a Salt Lake City-based defense attorney who is not connected to the case. "It’s probable cause, and everything is taken in a light most favorable to the state." The court held a week-long hearing in early July, then gave both sides weeks to file briefs before Tuesday's expected decision from Judge Graf. WATCH: Retired FBI sniper says Charlie Kirk shooting put many lives in danger She said she expects the entire case to be bound over for trial, including the sole aggravating factor that makes the aggravated murder charge eligible for the potential death penalty — that Robinson allegedly put other people at great risk of death by shooting Kirk in a crowded place. Greg Rogers, a former FBI agent and SWAT sniper who now teaches at Utah Valley University, said the alleged risk to the crowd should be enough to preserve the aggravating factor at this stage. "Shooting into a crowd is always dangerous because you don’t know if someone moves, someone walks behind him," Rogers told Fox News Digital. "There are all sorts of things that could happen in the very instant you pull that trigger." TYLER ROBINSON RARELY HIT BULLSEYE IN PRACTICE SHOTS, PUTTING BYSTANDERS AT RISK IN KIRK SHOOTING: PROSECUTORS Rogers said even highly trained law-enforcement snipers would consider such a shot dangerous. "When you have a rank amateur that is shooting, it’s clearly, clearly very dangerous," he said. TYLER ROBINSON'S LAWYERS SEEK CAMERA BAN FOR SEPT. 1 HEARING, SAY CASE IS NOT A 'REALITY TV SHOW' Separately, a court spokeswoman said last week that Graf may or may not hold an arraignment after deciding whether there's enough probable cause to bind the case over for trial. If he does, it would be the first time that Robinson is asked to enter a plea. TYLER ROBINSON HEARING ENDS WITHOUT RULING AS EVIDENCE DISMANTLES CHARLIE KIRK CONSPIRACY CLAIMS "I would expect that they would enter not guilty pleas and move forward," Lazaro said. Lazaro said a different plea would likely require an agreement taking the death penalty off the table. ACCUSED CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN TYLER ROBINSON FIGHTS BACK AS PROSECUTORS' SPRAWLING CASE COMES INTO FOCUS "I think the state has been so assertive on their position about the death penalty in this case that I don’t see them doing that right now," Lazaro said. To attack the aggravator, Robinson's defense argued that only a single shot was fired, from an elevated position. It traveled over the crowd, rather than through it, and it only struck Kirk. TYLER ROBINSON'S AND LANCE TWIGGS' DNA BOTH ALLEGEDLY FOUND ON KEY EVIDENCE IN CHARLIE KIRK'S ASSASSINATION Prosecutors countered that Robinson was a bad shot, one who "seldom hit the bullseye and sometimes misses the target completely" when practicing shooting with the suspected murder weapon. Other evidence against Robinson includes the suspected murder weapon, a .30-06 Mauser rifle that prosecutors have said belonged to his grandfather and had his DNA on it. Robinson allegedly confessed to multiple people, including his roommate and lover, Lance Twiggs, according to court documents. ACCUSED CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN ALLEGEDLY CONFESSED IN TEXTS, APOLOGIZED AND DESCRIBED MOTIVE, AGENT TESTIFIES "This is likely as straightforward a bindover decision as this Court will ever see," prosecutors wrote. "After admitting to several friends, including his roommate and romantic partner, that he assassinated Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025, in front of approximately 3,000 eyewitnesses, Defendant surrendered to law enforcement for that crime." SEND US A TIP Prosecutors also presented surveillance video, ballistic evidence, an alleged handwritten confession and witness statements. In one message to Twiggs, Robinson allegedly wrote that, "I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I took it." LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST A source close to the Kirk family said last week that Kirk's widow Erika, and his parents, Rob and Kathy, all plan to attend the Sept. 1 hearing together as they did during the July hearing. GET BREAKING NEWS BY EMAIL But even if the case moves forward, Lazaro said the pretrial sparring won't end any time soon. "I do think we’re going to see a lot more litigation come down the road in terms of 1102 and expert-witness designations, forensic testimony on the ballistics and things like that," Lazaro said. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a96501d2c5335ae104dc44e GOP secretary of state hopeful Alex Kolodin won’t say Arizona elections are secure te 2026-09-01T04:10:05.962Z GOP secretary of state hopeful Alex Kolodin won’t say Arizona elections are secure Alex Kolodin (R) and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes (D) at an Aug. 31, 2026, candidate forum that aired on Arizona PBS's "Arizona Horizon" program. (Screenshot via YouTube/AZPBS Now) Alex Kolodin, the Republican running to be the state’s top election administrator as secretary of state, refused to say that Arizona’s elections are safe and secure in a candidate forum Monday on public television. He dodged the question multiple times, instead declaring that Arizonans don’t have confidence in the state’s elections and blaming Adrian Fontes, the Democratic secretary of state, for turning Arizona elections from “a national model to a national embarrassment.” Throughout the 27-minute forum that was broadcast on Arizona PBS, Kolodin evaded questions or gave meandering answers that only tangentially related to the question, as “Arizona Horizon” host Ted Simons repeatedly tried — mostly in vain — to get him to give straight answers. “He’s not answering your questions because his actual answers would turn off a lot of Arizona voters,” Fontes told Simons at one point. GET THE MORNING HEADLINES. SUBSCRIBE Fontes openly needled Kolodin about his evasiveness, repeatedly interrupting the GOP state legislator to point out how he was failing to provide simple answers to questions. “Stop talking about me. What do you want?” Fontes said when Kolodin began answering a question about whether he would support President Donald Trump’s executive order to restrict voting by mail by accusing Fontes of “making a big deal of things” that don’t concern Arizona. “Why don’t you just answer the question, Alex?” Fontes interjected at another point.  “You could have just said ‘no,’ but you didn’t,” Fontes told Kolodin after he rejected the label “election denier” in an answer that focused more on a dispute over election observers in Pinal County than it did in hewing to the question he was asked. Secretary of State Adrian Fontes (D) at an Aug. 31, 2026, candidate forum that aired on Arizona PBS’s “Arizona Horizon” program. (Screenshot via YouTube/AZPBS Now) Fontes accused Kolodin of trying to hide his true views through misleading answers and prevarications, and said his refusal to be honest and straightforward does a disservice to voters. “What I’d like to do is invite Alex Kolodin to just give straight answers to questions. This isn’t, like, a show. This is serious. Arizona voters need to see who you really are, not the prepared, canned answers,” he said near the end of the forum. “They need to see who you are, not who you prepared to be. Come on.” Kolodin, a state representative from Scottsdale who is a member of the far-right Arizona Freedom Caucus, has backed changes to Arizona election laws that are inspired by conspiracy theories, including banning no-excuse vote-by-mail and returning to voting in tiny precincts, which election officials said was logistically impossible. He handily won the GOP nomination for secretary of state in the July 21 primary election. Although he said it was “absurd” and “ridiculous” to label him an “election denier,” Kolodin’s record as an attorney and a state legislator are replete with unfounded claims about Arizona’s elections. He was one of the key attorneys for Trump’s campaign who challenged the 2020 election results in the state and has represented a number of prominent election deniers.  Following Trump’s 2020 loss in Arizona, Kolodin was among the attorneys who signed on to the so-called “kraken” lawsuit that was based on claims made by people with no actual knowledge of the elections. While Kolodin and the other attorneys submitted more than 300 pages of attachments, the purported evidence was mostly “anonymous witnesses, hearsay, and relevant analysis of unrelated elections,” and a federal judge nixed the case in a scathing dismissal, saying that it would “utterly disenfranchise” millions of Arizonans who voted in the 2020 election based on claims that were “sorely wanting of relevant or reliable evidence.”  An Arizona Supreme Court disciplinary panel later found that Kolodin “violated his duty to the legal profession, the legal system, and the public” by bringing that lawsuit because it was backed by no evidence, misrepresented Arizona law and sought relief that would be illegal.  During the “Arizona Horizon” forum, Kolodin appeared at times to struggle with separating himself from Trump and the election lies that have been a defining characteristic of his time as president.  Alex Kolodin (R) at an Aug. 31, 2026, candidate forum that aired on Arizona PBS’s “Arizona Horizon” program. (Screenshot via YouTube/AZPBS Now) For instance, Trump has attacked Arizona’s elections that he or his allies lost — like his in 2020 or Kari Lake losing the governor’s race in 2022 — as being riddled with fraud. On the question about whether the state’s elections are “safe and secure,” Kolodin answered not by saying what he thought, but by pointing instead to falling voter confidence in the state’s elections, which he said is “at an all-time low” because of Fontes’ mismanagement. Fontes shot back that Kolodin was lying — a poll in late 2025 found voter confidence had significantly rebounded — and accused him of establishing his political career by “grifting on the Big Lie” and trying to parlay that into being the man overseeing all Arizona elections. “You were one of the folks who was the architect of the Big Lie here in Arizona. You’re the one who has caused the misinformation and distrust,” he said. “You’re like the arsonist who causes the fire and then says you’re going to come in and cure things.” Kolodin retorted that Fontes was “a radical” with views “far outside the mainstream” and said his record at the legislature was one of working across party lines. “I have a documented record of solving problems,” he said. “Mr. Fontes has a documented record of causing them.” Later, Kolodin took pains to avoid criticizing Trump for his aggressive efforts to make sweeping changes to elections, particularly by cracking down on voting by mail, which the president — who regularly votes by mail — has baselessly said is a source of widespread fraud that aids Democrats. When asked if voting by mail is a source of fraud, Kolodin equivocated, saying that it can be done safely “when we have a secretary of state that will follow the law.” Fontes fired back that Kolodin was little more than a lackey for Trump who would do anything the president or his administration asks, whether it has to do with mail ballots or turning over the state’s voter rolls. Fontes fought that request from the Trump administration and won in federal court — as has every state that refused to comply with the U.S. Department of Justice’s demand for voter information.  “The clear answer is obvious: He would have done exactly what the Trump administration would have told him to do, because he’s one of those guys that buys into election denialism,” Fontes said. “He would have thought he was serving his political masters in Washington, D.C., by doing that.” YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE. SUPPORT Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a964b6e2c5335ae104dc36a Get right out of town te 2026-09-01T03:50:06.517Z Get right out of town The House of Representatives is back in town after not voting since July 23. But the House is only back for less than a week. And the Senate doesn’t even return until Monday, September 14. The first day of school, this is not. House members descending on the Capitol this week – then abandoning Washington for Labor Day is kind of like the third and final preseason game in the NFL. THE WILL OF 100: TRUMP’S SAVE AMERICA ACT SIDELINED AFTER SENATE UNANIMOUSLY AGREED TO AUGUST EXIT Lots of fans show up for the first game of the NFL preseason. It’s usually a nice – if sweltering – August night. Not some bone-shivering chill in Cleveland with a foot of snow on the ground in mid-December. There’s anticipation. The first look at the new team. The first tailgate. First-string players and highly touted draft picks even play a series or two. But by the third preseason game, few want to be there. The die is cast for the roster spots. Players are cut. Even the most robust fans only show up for a quarter or two. In the NFL, everyone is waiting for the regular season to begin in a few weeks. That’s kind of where things are now in the House. Congress has tackled most of its business for the year. The highly-touted GOP "Reconciliation 3.0" likely falls by the wayside. Lawmakers even tucked into bed the usual autumn drama surrounding a possible government shutdown. The chances of a repeat following last year’s 43-day shutdown saga dissipated in early August when the Senate approved an interim, bipartisan bill which will fund the government through December 11. The House votes on that bill Tuesday. Everyone on Capitol Hill is now waiting for the regular season to begin. That’s what awaits the body politic following the midterm elections in November. And most members don’t even want to linger in Washington right now. As fast as they came to Washington, they wanted to skate out of town to campaign. That’s why attendance might be sparse over the next few days. The House had 384 members present for one non-controversial measure Monday night. A second vote recorded 388 members present. Those attendance figures could slide if the House returns to Washington in mid-September – as the schedule dictates. Especially among those who either lost their primaries or are retiring. In fact, Fox is told that some members in both camps have even considered resigning early. Imagine what that could do to the narrow Republican majority. TRUMP DEMAND PUTS VULNERABLE REPUBLICANS IN IMPOSSIBLE SPOT AHEAD OF MIDTERMS So, will the House stick it out this week, go home and come back in a few weeks? "Are we going to be here the entire period?" yours truly asked House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. "We’re going to be here this week and then we're going to come back in a couple weeks?" "Well, it’s on the schedule," Johnson replied. That’s a schedule which the House Republican leadership etched out last December – on the heels of that epic government shutdown. Who could have anticipated that government funding could work out so easily this time around. So what’s on the agenda? Republicans plan a vote on a resolution to get Democrats on the record of either supporting socialism or democracy. In other words, the GOP wants Democrats to put their voting cards where their policies are. "They want to abolish things like the U.S. Supreme Court. The United States Senate," said Rep. Jeff Crank R-Colo. Republicans hope to compel Democrats to either accept or reject progressive, left-wing ideologies. "We need to see where Democrats stand on this because the American people are rejecting it," said Rep. Tom Tiffany R-Wis., on Fox. "They're going to try to distance themselves as much as they can," said Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla. "But the fact is that's where the Democratic Party is going. That's where the energy of the Democratic Party is going." This is what’s described in Congress as a "gotcha" vote. Republicans will dare Democrats to vote no. And if they do, the GOP will deploy that vote against vulnerable Democrats in campaign ads this fall. Some Democrats could vote to reject any relationship with socialism. In fact, the vote could give those Democrats a gift to say they’re opposed to socialists in the Democratic Party. But Republicans ensconced a measure in the resolution which could oblige Democrats to vote no. The measure includes the SAVE America Act. That’s the hallmark of the GOP’s agenda. It requires proof of citizenship for voting. Most Democrats view the SAVE America Act as a poison pill. So Democrats could vote nay. And some Republicans will still say "gotcha" if they oppose it. "The resolution elevates the so-called Save America Act, which is just the ‘suppress the vote act,’ said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries D-N.Y. "I'm not clear how many Democrats are actually going to support a resolution whose focus is on trying to rig the midterm election by elevating this voter suppression legislation that Donald Trump has been trying to jam down the throats of the American people for the last year." The House could also wrestle with a resolution to censure Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C. He admitted to inappropriate conduct around female aides and dropped his reelection bid. There could be an effort to expel Rep. Cory Mills R-Fla. He faces allegations of financial misconduct and alleged assault of a woman at his apartment last year. But Mills lost his primary. Then there is Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio. The Ohio Republican faces allegations of spousal and child abuse. Republicans implored Miller to drop his reelection bid. But Miller doubled down, saying the allegations are false. Johnson says he supports Miller’s "reelection." He contends the House shouldn’t take action until the Ethics Committee completes its inquiry. "He has been a great Member of Congress," said Johnson of Miller. "He has some personal issues he’s still working through." But it’s possible Democrats – and even some Republicans – could engineer a special resolution to expel or otherwise punish Miller. Johnson and the GOP leadership want nothing to do with that. So the solution? Get lawmakers off Capitol Hill and back into their districts. Fast. Yes, it’s unclear what the Senate may address when it returns in a few weeks. But House Republicans are more concerned with clinging to their narrow majority in November. So recessing until after the election could prove to be the safest political tactic for Republicans. Don’t be surprised if the House leaves Washington until November in the next few days. Think it’s not possible? Get right out of town. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a964b6c2c5335ae104dc34b California Lawmakers Pass Ban on Shock Gloves te 2026-09-01T03:50:04.539Z California Lawmakers Pass Ban on Shock Gloves The California Legislature moved quickly to approve the legislation in an attempt to stop ICE agents from using the gloves. Local law enforcement agencies have come out against the bill. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a96491c2c5335ae104dc326 ZACARIE ROMERO.jpg te 2026-09-01T03:40:12.091Z ZACARIE ROMERO.jpg Zacarie Romero Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a96491b2c5335ae104dc31d ANDREW FLANAGAN.jpg te 2026-09-01T03:40:11.254Z ANDREW FLANAGAN.jpg Andrew Flanagan Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a96491a2c5335ae104dc314 MARUICE JOHNSON.jpg te 2026-09-01T03:40:10.352Z MARUICE JOHNSON.jpg Maurice Johnson Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9649192c5335ae104dc30b JON BANTLEON.jpg te 2026-09-01T03:40:09.551Z JON BANTLEON.jpg Jon Bantleon Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9649182c5335ae104dc2ff Letter to the Editor: Stand up for Arizona’s national monuments Before it’s too late te 2026-09-01T03:40:08.706Z Letter to the Editor: Stand up for Arizona’s national monuments Before it’s too late Editor: After the near elimination of two Utah National Monuments, Arizona could be next. It was already reported last year that the administration was looking to downsize or eliminate six national monuments in particular. Two were those in Utah, and… Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9638b32c5335ae104dbf5c DAVID ROJAS.jpg te 2026-09-01T02:30:11.112Z DAVID ROJAS.jpg David Rojas Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9638b22c5335ae104dbf53 ALFONSO ROSALES.PNG te 2026-09-01T02:30:10.273Z ALFONSO ROSALES.PNG Alfonso Rosales Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9638b12c5335ae104dbf4a CALVIN HOSLER.jpg te 2026-09-01T02:30:09.390Z CALVIN HOSLER.jpg Calvin Hosler Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9636562c5335ae104dbec3 WATCH: Maryland carjacking suspect plows toward cops as they open fire te 2026-09-01T02:20:06.922Z WATCH: Maryland carjacking suspect plows toward cops as they open fire Newly released body camera footage shows an alleged carjacking suspect driving toward Maryland police officers, striking an officer and multiple cars before officers opened fire as she attempted to flee. Police in Anne Arundel County responded on May 7 at around 9 p.m. to the area of North Crain Highway and 11th Avenue in Glen Burnie for a report of a hit-and-run. When police arrived at the scene, they learned a woman had crashed her car into another vehicle before forcibly taking the vehicle belonging to a family member who had shown up to help her. The woman, identified as Jasmin L. Cooper, 28, was later located inside the vehicle on the 8500 block of Severn. WATCH: DEPUTIES HUNT WANTED MAN THROUGH CORNFIELD AFTER HIGH-SPEED CHASE CAUGHT ON CAMERA Officers can be seen in the video pointing their guns at the woman inside the car, yelling at her to "turn the car off" and "get out of the car." At one point, she raises her hands from the wheel, but she does not exit the vehicle. "So what, she stole her son's car?" one officer is heard saying in the footage. A short time later, the woman pulled out of the parking space and sped away while officers hurried out of the way. SUSPECT ACCUSED OF HURLING CHAINSAW AT DEPUTIES DURING CHAOTIC STOLEN CAR CHASE CAUGHT ON VIDEO Police said Cooper drove toward the officers, striking an officer, two patrol cars and another vehicle, prompting officers to discharge their firearms, striking her.. Additional officers responding to the scene observed Cooper turn onto Reece Road. She crashed into another car in the area of Reece Road and Telegraph Road and attempted to break into another occupied vehicle before officers apprehended her. The footage shows the woman lying on the ground in handcuffs. The video also shows officers bandaging the woman's wound after she was shot in the parking lot. Cooper was charged with carjacking, attempted carjacking , multiple counts of reckless endangerment, first- and second-degree assault and related charges. The suspect and the officer who was struck by her were both treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9636562c5335ae104dbeba CBS News takes heat over report on Dem hopeful Abdul El-Sayed's now-deleted 9/11 posts te 2026-09-01T02:20:06.196Z CBS News takes heat over report on Dem hopeful Abdul El-Sayed's now-deleted 9/11 posts CBS News faced heat from the far-left Monday over a report about past comments Democratic Michigan Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed made about 9/11 ahead of the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attack. "As the nation prepares to mark 25 years since Sept. 11, 2001, Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Michigan, may be facing the risk of renewed scrutiny and fresh political attack," CBS News wrote Monday. The report cited El-Sayed's deleted social media posts, including some from 2020 comparing the nearly 3,000 Americans killed on 9/11 to the death toll from the coronavirus pandemic. Another post from Sept. 11, 2021, first uncovered by The Washington Free Beacon, read, "Today, I mourn the 3K lives, 6K injuries, & infrastructural devastation in NYC, perpetuated ignorantly in the name of my faith. Tomorrow, I'll mourn ~1M lives, millions of injuries, & infrastructural devastation in 3 countries, perpetuated ignorantly in the name of my country." UNEARTHED EL-SAYED ESSAY DRAWS EXPLOSIVE TRUMP-BIN LADEN PARALLEL: ‘RECRUITED, RADICALIZED AND REASSURED’ However, many of El-Sayed's supporters and other liberal critics expressed outrage linking El-Sayed to the forthcoming 9/11 anniversary. "What an insane headline," far-left commentator Hasan Piker reacted on X. "This is why the [new Paramount owner David Ellison] bought CBS and put Bari Weiss in charge." Bari Weiss was tapped by Ellison to become the network's editor-in-chief last fall as part of Paramount's multimillion-dollar acquisition of her outlet The Free Press. "Hi @CBS @CBSNews @bariweiss do you think it's super offensive and disgusting and Islamophobic to do a tweet about the potential first ever Muslim Democratic senator which begins by referencing 9/11?" Zeteo founder and former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan asked. "Despicable anti-Muslim woke right garbage from the house CBS account," The Bulwark podcast host and MS NOW analyst Tim Miller wrote. SOCIALIST CANDIDATES CAN DELETE OLD POSTS, BUT THEY CAN'T ERASE THEIR RADICALISM "What an insane, blatantly racist headline. Unreal," Rep. Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz., posted. "The current state of institutional media legit bums me out," Vox host and editorial director Astead Herndon said. "We’ve burned through so much credibility in recent years. And our information ecosystem is worse for it." YOUTUBE STAR MS RACHEL GIVES FUNDS TO DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST MICHIGAN SENATE HOPEFUL ABDUL EL-SAYED A CBS News source familiar with the story shrugged off the criticism, telling Fox News Digital that reports about deleted social media posts from politicians are published "all the time." El-Sayed was confronted about his deleted posts by a local CBS News reporter on the campaign trail. "What happened on 9/11 is a disaster. It was a terrible attack on our country," El-Sayed said. "And our responsibility is also to think about, how do we build an America where we are protecting our servicemen and women from being asked to fight in wars we have no business fighting in?" CBS News did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9633fa2c5335ae104dbe29 How the Pentagon Is Getting Into the Venezuelan Oil Business Under Trump te 2026-09-01T02:10:02.615Z How the Pentagon Is Getting Into the Venezuelan Oil Business Under Trump The Defense Department’s Office of Strategic Capital, founded by the Biden administration to give loans to bolster the U.S. defense industry, is helping lead President Trump’s oil deal. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9631a72c5335ae104dbdcd Chad Ochocinco warns Browns' Deshaun Watson has 'very short' leash, could lose starting job by Week 3 te 2026-09-01T02:00:07.372Z Chad Ochocinco warns Browns' Deshaun Watson has 'very short' leash, could lose starting job by Week 3 The Cleveland Browns made their quarterback decision entering the 2026 NFL season, but football fans are still trying to process why Deshaun Watson is getting the Week 1 start against the Jacksonville Jaguars over Shedeur Sanders. The decision by first-year head coach Todd Monken may have answered the question on everyone’s mind for the Browns this preseason, but the debate still rages on throughout the football world considering Watson’s track record in Cleveland and how the $230 million man hasn’t lived up to his contract in the slightest. In fact, fans booed Watson during their home preseason against the Buffalo Bills, to which he called them "disrespectful" and "personal" rather than a reaction to his performance on the field. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Either way, Watson heads into the new campaign – his first regular-season play since tearing his Achilles in 2024 – with an immense amount of pressure. However, one former NFL star believes the leash will be quite tight for the veteran signal caller. Maybe to the point where he doesn’t start under center come Week 3 – the Browns’ home opener against the Carolina Panthers. "If they start the season 0-2 – you open with the Jaguars. Then, you have Tampa Bay, then you come home. I’m not sure you play the third game, but you’d have to start that season off either 1-1 or 2-0. Either 1-1 or 2-0. One or the other. If you start off 0-2, they’re making a move. They’re making a move before the season gets too far away from them," Chad Ochocinco told OutKick in a recent interview while highlighting his partnership with DraftKings ahead of this NFL season. DESHAUN WATSON SAYS 'EMOTIONS GOT THE BEST OF ME' AFTER RIPPING CLEVELAND BROWNS FANS FOR BOOING Ochocinco has been very vocal about the Browns’ quarterback conundrum on his "Nightcap" podcast with Shannon Sharpe, where he’s noted on numerous occasions that there was never really a position battle between Watson, Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and anyone else on the quarterbacks' depth chart. "It was never a quarterback competition. It never was. At no point in any game is the $46 million man competing for a job and would lose to the younger player based on salary," Ochocinco said. "As an owner and person writing the check, Deshaun Watson was always going to be the starting quarterback no matter what. Now, it’s his job to lose now going forward, and his leash is going to be very short." From the fan perspective, Ochocinco also understands why the Browns faithful feel the way they do about Watson. Since he came over in a now-infamous trade with the Houston Texans, Watson, who was given a whopping $230 million, fully guaranteed contract over five years, has started just 19 games across three seasons, with injuries and his lengthy 11-game NFL suspension coming in 2022. In those games, the Browns have gone 9-10, including the most recent in 2024 where he went 1-6. Watson has thrown 19 touchdowns compared to 12 interceptions, competing 61.2% of his passes for 3,365 yards and a passer rating of 80.7. For comparison there, in his four years with the Texans, where he earned three Pro Bowls and led the NFL with 4,823 yards in 2020, he had a passer rating of 104.5. "The fans are upset, the fans are booing because they have nothing to cheer for," Ochocinco said. "You haven’t given them anything to cheer for in general. So, the bad taste that’s left in their mouths are the issues that came with you from Houston on top of coming here to Cleveland. You’ve given them nothing to cheer for, therefore that’s why they’re gonna feel the way they feel." So, what do Watson and the Browns do if even their home crowd seems to be against the most important player on the field for them come Week 1? As the saying goes, the shortest way through a storm is straight. Watson is going to have to face the music, and Ochocinco is hoping he can do it. HALL OF FAMER JOE THOMAS ON SKIPPING THE NFL DRAFT TO FISH, RAISING WAGYU AND TRANSFORMING HIS HEALTH "But one thing can happen: performing and winning cures all," he said. "Listen, they come out the gate, somehow find a way to beat Jacksonville, find a way to beat Tampa, and you go into Cleveland the first home game 2-0. Man, they will cheer their a—off. You’re gonna hear cheering and eruptions of cheering for Deshaun that he’s never heard before. Honestly, I’m hoping he does. "Winning cures all. It doesn’t matter what you did. You’re the quarterback of their team. If you start out the gate 1-1 at best – 2-0 best scenario – they’re going to love you in Cleveland despite what you’ve done. They’ll love you because you’re winning – something they haven’t had consistently for a very long time." It will be a tough task for Watson and the Browns to get those wins against playoff hopefuls in Weeks 1 and 2. But Ochocinco sees no other way for Watson to hang on to his job even if it is just the start of a new campaign. OCHO LOVES DRAFTKINGS GAMEDAY College football is already underway, and the NFL is right around the corner, which has Ochocinco very excited about football being back. Also, he’s excited to impact the fan experience with DraftKings. "DraftKings Gameday," which will take place on Sept. 2, was announced on Monday with quite the activation as it celebrates the first football season with DraftKings Sports & Casino available in all 50 states. As a way to fuel fans with the return of football, DraftKings will be offering free gas, while supplies last, to passenger vehicles at select gas stations in Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, Atlanta and Detroit. Specific locations and event times will be announced separately. "For me, I think it’s fun because who else would do something like this outside of DraftKings. This is a great touch for NFL fans to start the season," Ochocinco said. "We’re giving you free gas, so when your respective team plays, you’re fueled up to go. And word of mouth will be, ‘You won’t believe this? You know what DraftKings did? I was able to save money and get tickets to go to a game because they paid for my gas.’ That makes sense." There will also be exclusive DraftKings Gameday promotions for customers, a customized in-app experience, in-person activations, a charitable donation through the DraftKings SERVES program, and a new campaign featuring Kevin Hart and Nick Jonas this season. "It’s all about the fan experience, so some of the offers and luxuries throughout the season is what sets us apart from everybody else. I’m happy to be a part of them," Ochocinco said. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a962f4d2c5335ae104dbd0f Gen Z Democratic lawmaker spars with Baby Boomers over whether American Dream is dead te 2026-09-01T01:50:05.838Z Gen Z Democratic lawmaker spars with Baby Boomers over whether American Dream is dead Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., engaged in a fiery debate with a group of Baby Boomers this week on the web series Surrounded, arguing that Generation Z faces economic hurdles their generation did not experience. The 29-year-old congressman appeared in the viral debate on the Jubilee YouTube channel, where a single public figure faces an entire room of challengers.  In the debate, Frost argued that young Americans were raised with the expectation that going to college — even if it required taking on student debt — would lead to a good job, allow them to repay that debt and provide a pathway toward the American dream. He argued that this bargain, and the American dream prospect itself, no longer holds for many young Americans. Frost cited his working-class family background and noted that he worked as an Uber driver to make ends meet while running for Congress. VANCE WARNS THERE WILL BE A SOCIALIST PRESIDENT IN THIS COUNTRY IF GOP DOESN'T FIX ECONOMY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE "So that’s the American dream! You lived it!" his debate opponent, comedian Geno Bisconte, responded in a clip that went viral on Monday. "The American dream isn't driving Uber to barely make ends meet," Frost replied. "The American dream is upward mobility and being able to have success." "You went from driving an Uber to being a politician!" Bisconte shouted. "Is that upward!? What am I missing?" "But it's not about one person. It's about the totality of a generation," Frost replied. "That's part of the reason that I have the claim that I have. The majority of my generation is struggling and having a hard time to just survive. Just to survive. The American dream isn't survival, my friend. Is the American dream survival or is it thriving? The American dream is thriving. The fact of the matter is the vast majority of young people feel like they're not able to put aside enough money to have mobility." Another participant named William argued that many of Frost’s complaints can be attributed to population growth from mass immigration. BIDEN'S ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION SURGE CAUSED HIGHER RENT AND HOME PRICES, FED STUDY FINDS "When we started school, there was less than 157 million people in America today. Now there's 340," William responded. "More people needing homes means home prices go up. More people needing food means food prices go up. We can't correct that until we get rid of all the foreigners that have come in here. And your party is refusing to do that, even if they’re illegal!" Frost pushed back, saying immigrants provide a net economic positive and share more in common with everyday Americans than billionaires do. He added that entry-level wages haven't kept pace with living costs, making the prospect of buying a home on a retail or service job "a fantasy." Frost also pointed to competition in real estate, noting young buyers now face off against private equity firms. Analysts and policy experts offered mixed takes on the generational exchange in comments to Fox News Digital. Judge Glock, director of research and a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, argued that in general young adults have a much higher net income than Baby Boomers did at the same age, but agreed that housing affordability is at its "worst it's been in decades." However, Glock disputed Frost’s contention that institutional investors or older generations are to blame, attributing price spikes to regulatory constraints that limit new housing construction alongside high mortgage rates. CEO UNDER FIRE FOR MASS LAYOFFS AMID FOREIGN WORKER HIRING SPREE NOW APPOINTED TO FED'S TASK FORCE ON JOBS "Frost is wrong that higher housing prices are due to competition from Baby Boomers or Wall Street," Glock said. "The fundamental reason housing prices have gone up is that we are building less than we used to. And we are building less than we used to because of ever-increasing regulations, from zoning to environmental mandates. When combined with high mortgage rates due to both inflation and high levels of government debt, homeownership is becoming increasingly out of reach." Glock also noted that "This generation also has much higher student debt levels than earlier ones. Due to their high student debt, and lack of wealth in housing, older Millennials have a lower net worth than Gen Xers at the same age. That's not because of a lack of jobs, but because colleges have been handing out ever more low-quality degrees at an ever higher cost." Elizabeth Pipko, a former Republican National Committee national spokesperson, agreed that Gen Z faces certain major challenges, but argued they should not overestimate the luxuries the Baby Boomer generation had. "Nobody is arguing that young Americans have it easy. And it is true that housing prices in many parts of America have risen much faster than incomes, particularly in desirable cities and suburbs. But, with that being said, times have changed and the comparison to baby boomers is not exactly fair," she said. "Households back then consumed much less. Today’s family is purchasing a much higher material standard of living. What is considered 'normal' today would have been a dream to many a few decades ago. For example, the material things that improve our quality of life which were mere dreams are now not only attainable by most, but vastly cheaper. Think about computers, televisions, household technology, air travel, etc. Times have changed, yes, and with that comes difficulties, but also incredible advantages and benefits." CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE Pipko added that immigration, artificial intelligence, and post-pandemic work shifts are compounding the tough entry-level job market for recent graduates. She cautioned against abusing H-1B visas for cheaper labor, warning that such practices put "American graduates in direct competition for the entry-level jobs that traditionally gave them their start." Link Lauren, an influencer and former senior advisor to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., also told Fox News Digital, "For years, I’ve recommended trade and technical schools. If you go to college and major in queer theater or LatinX literature, don’t be shocked when there aren’t tons of jobs waiting for you. Unless you really need that four-year degree to go on to medical school or law school, you really have to think twice about spending all that time and money on a college campus. The American dream is certainly attainable. But the landscape has shifted. This is something Charlie Kirk spoke about often." Fox News Digital also reached out to Frost's campaign and did not receive an immediate reply. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a962a9c2c5335ae104dbc3d Suspected DUI driver leads cops on wild chase before dramatic takedown on popular California beach te 2026-09-01T01:30:04.762Z Suspected DUI driver leads cops on wild chase before dramatic takedown on popular California beach A man accused of driving recklessly led police on an erratic pursuit through San Diego before the chase spilled onto a popular beach Sunday morning, where stunned beachgoers watched officers move in and take him into custody. The chaotic pursuit began just before 7:30 a.m. when the San Diego Police Department received multiple calls from witnesses reporting a man driving recklessly in the Pacific Beach neighborhood, police told Fox News Digital. Witnesses described a man behind the wheel of a tan or gold Nissan Frontier doing donuts in parking lots, nearly hitting other vehicles and possibly striking curbs and a retaining wall, according to police. Officers arrived in the area within minutes and spotted the truck heading west toward the ocean. An officer attempted a traffic stop, but police said the driver fled and a pursuit ensued. HUNDREDS BLOCK FLORIDA INTERSTATE IN ALLEGED STREET TAKEOVER BEFORE 140 MPH POLICE CHASE Officers eventually terminated the pursuit because of what police described as the driver's "increasing wanton disregard to public safety." BODYCAM SHOWS POLICE K-9 LEAPING INTO ACTION AFTER SUSPECTED IMPAIRED DRIVER REFUSED TO SURRENDER Police later located the truck again, but the driver allegedly failed to yield a second time, sparking another pursuit that officers also terminated. By then, police said the Nissan was wanted in connection with felony evading, and officers saturated the area in an effort to locate it. WATCH: DEPUTIES HUNT WANTED MAN THROUGH CORNFIELD AFTER HIGH-SPEED CHASE CAUGHT ON CAMERA Officers eventually spotted the truck again driving slowly but held off on another attempted stop until the department's ABLE, or Airborne Law Enforcement, helicopter was overhead and able to track it. The helicopter followed the Nissan as it drove onto the beach and headed toward the water, police said. WATCH: FELONY SUSPECT'S OCEAN GETAWAY UNRAVELS AFTER 90-MINUTE STANDOFF WITH LIFEGUARDS Video from the scene shows stunned beachgoers watching as officers converge on the pickup on the sand. The driver, identified by police as 25-year-old Griffin Charles Foy, is seen outside the truck with his hands raised as officers move in to detain him. A police K-9 was also at the scene but was not deployed during Foy’s arrest, authorities said. FLORIDA MAN IN BUNNY HELMET ALLEGEDLY LED POLICE ON 120 MPH CHASE BEFORE SURRENDERING TO TROOPERS Police said officers conducted a high-risk vehicle stop because of the nature of the alleged violations and Foy's "disregard to public safety." Foy was taken into custody without further incident. REPEAT OFFENDER WITH MASSIVE RAP SHEET LEADS COPS ON WILD CHASE AS BLIND PASSENGER BEGS TO ESCAPE: POLICE He was booked into San Diego Central Jail on charges of felony evading a peace officer with wanton disregard for safety, obstructing or resisting a peace officer and driving under the influence of drugs, according to police. Despite the chaotic pursuit, police said no one was injured. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9625ed2c5335ae104dbb51 Ketel Marte breaks unexplained absence from Diamondbacks, will face his teammates 'like a man' te 2026-09-01T01:10:05.645Z Ketel Marte breaks unexplained absence from Diamondbacks, will face his teammates 'like a man' Arizona Diamondbacks star Ketel Marte finally graced his team with his presence Monday, returning to the lineup after ghosting the club and leaving fans holding the bag for two weeks. Naturally, the D-backs rewarded his unexcused vacation by plugging him right back into the clean-up spot as the designated hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies. "I'm going to stand in front of my teammates like a man," Marte said through a translator. "I'm going to ask for forgiveness. We're human, we all commit mistakes." Marte walked away from the club in Boston on Aug. 17 without permission, initially leading to a restricted list placement before the team cited knee inflammation. Marte admitted the no-show was entirely on him. PHILLIES SEND CY YOUNG CONTENDER CHRISTOPHER SANCHEZ TO THE MOUND IN WILD CARD RACE SHOWDOWN "A moment of frustration," he explained. "No one made the decision for me, I'm the one that made the decision to not show up." He added, "I get along really well with Torey, and in that instance I failed him by not showing up," referring to manager Torey Lovullo. If that wasn't wild enough, Lovullo openly stated after Marte's return that this marks the fourth consecutive season the second baseman has missed a game without team authorization. If any normal American walked off the job without permission once a year for four straight years, security would escort them out of the building. In Major League Baseball, it just gets you slotted right back into the middle of the order for a playoff push. DIAMONDBACKS MANAGER TOREY LOVULLO APOLOGIZES TO CHICAGO CUBS AFTER SIGN STEALING CONTROVERSY: 'BUSH LEAGUE' While sidelined on the injured list, videos surfaced of Marte casually playing roulette at Talking Stick Casino in Scottsdale while his teammates were grinding out a home game across town. Pressed on the optics of hitting the gaming tables mid-game, Marte shrugged off the backlash like it was nothing. "I've been injured before, those are things that I do in my personal time," he told reporters. "I've been injured before, those are things that I do in my personal time," Marte told reporters. When asked directly if he had any message for the Arizona fans who pay his salary, the D-Backs star offered complete silence and simply shook his head no. The Diamondbacks are stuck in a corner. At 73-65 and fighting for a Wild Card spot, they desperately need Marte's bat (.249 average, 21 home runs). Locked into a contract through 2031 with full no-trade protection, Marte holds every piece of leverage in the building. Arizona gets its star back for the stretch run, proving once again that as long as you hit home runs, accountability is completely optional. Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9623982c5335ae104db8ff Teen girl indicted on murder charges for allegedly helping spread livestream of deadly mosque shooting te 2026-09-01T01:00:08.073Z Teen girl indicted on murder charges for allegedly helping spread livestream of deadly mosque shooting If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. A 17-year-old North Carolina girl has been charged with murder by aiding and abetting after allegedly recording a livestream of the deadly San Diego mosque shooting and sharing the attackers’ manifesto. Forsyth County District Attorney Jim O’Neill said Monday that the teenager, identified as Sarah L. Santiago in court records, was indicted on three murder counts and one conspiracy count, according to The Associated Press. Although she was across the country during the May 18 attack, she allegedly recorded and helped distribute the attackers’ livestream and published their manifesto. "She disseminated that information. And she published their manifesto," O'Neill said. NORTH CAROLINA WOMAN CHARGED IN ALLEGED HOUSTON SYNAGOGUE ATTACK PLOT AS INVESTIGATORS SEARCH FOR 2 OTHERS Caleb Vazquez, 18, and Cain Clark, 17, stormed the Islamic Center of San Diego armed and intending to kill people inside, according to authorities. The gunmen killed three men — Amin Abdullah, Nadir Awad and Mansour Kaziha — who confronted them and helped prevent further bloodshed. The attackers later died by suicide in a vehicle nearby, police said. Authorities said the mosque was one target in a broader attack plan. "Their plan that day was to commit mass murders not only at the mosque, but to follow up at a local Jewish temple. And finally, at a predominantly African-American high school there in town," O'Neill said. FBI NABS 7 FOR ALLEGED 'CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE' TO PRESSURE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, BUSINESSES OVER ISRAEL TIES The indictment alleges Santiago agreed before the attack to record and distribute the gunmen’s livestream and publish their manifesto. She is also accused of buying a patch bearing a white-supremacist symbol for one of the attackers to wear during the shooting, The Associated Press reported. O’Neill said Santiago could face charges in North Carolina even though she was not physically present in California. "She didn't have to be in California, she's in our jurisdiction," O'Neill said. "And today, a grand jury indicted her and held her responsible for her actions leading up to that disastrous day in May." O’Neill noted that North Carolina law allows a 17-year-old accused of such conduct to be treated as an adult. FBI BRINGS IRAQI MAN ACCUSED OF COORDINATING NEARLY 20 TERROR ATTACKS IN EUROPE TO FACE TRIAL IN NEW YORK Authorities said the broader investigation has included more than 100 interviews, over 30 search warrants and a review of more than 4 million messages. "Our investigation shows that the individual had multiple opportunities to come forward to law enforcement and alert us of these deliberate actions, and the failure to do so must have consequences," FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9623962c5335ae104db8f6 Texas Tech head coach blasts USC, Lincoln Riley, for poor attendance at LA Coliseum in Week Zero te 2026-09-01T01:00:06.871Z Texas Tech head coach blasts USC, Lincoln Riley, for poor attendance at LA Coliseum in Week Zero Boy oh boy, do we need a full slate of college football games to start. Immediately, if not sooner. Despite the LSU Tigers program under Lane Kiffin essentially blowing up the college football model by adding NFL players in order to make their team better and pivotal week one storylines to track, the only topic of discussion around the sport this week has been the attendance at USC's home opener. The Trojans hosted San Jose State at the LA Coliseum on Saturday at noon, a game time that made little sense for everyone other than NBC. SC entered the game as 38-point favorites, temperatures were in the mid-90's with extreme, and unusual, humidity for Southern California, and the kickoff time ensured there'd be no shade or relief from the miserable conditions. USC FOOTBALL RIPPED FOR PATHETIC CROWD AT HOME OPENER: 'ABSOLUTELY EMBARRASSING' Unsurprisingly, many chose to stay home, rationally deciding that they could simply wait for the weather and a more favorable kickoff time to deal with the atrocious LA traffic, elevated parking prices, long walk, and terrible security lines. This has sparked days of outrage and clickbait videos from commentators and analysts in comfortable studios who are certain they'd sit in the heat to watch a full game that was over within 15 minutes. All while ignoring the many examples of other big schools, like the Florida Gators, that have struggled to fill seats for noon games in August. Now we can add the head coach of the Texas Tech Red Raiders, a program known for its moral character, to the list of complainants. At a news conference on Monday, Joey Maguire explained, just before taking a shot, that he did not want to "take any shots," before saying he's excited to play in front of a sold out crowd in Lubbock this weekend. "Not to take any shots because I have a lot of respect for USC and Lincoln Riley, but man, it's really awesome to be playing in Lubbock, Texas, knowing we're going to be playing front of 60,000, and it's going to be warm," he said. "It's going to be every bit as warm as it was Saturday. The great thing is we got some really tough people in West Texas that love their football and they're going to show up." DOES USC'S POOR OPENING GAME ATTENDANCE MEAN LINCOLN RILEY'S ON THE HOT SEAT ALREADY? It actually won't be as warm in Lubbock as it was in LA, with a forecast high of 92 degrees and lower humidity. And the game is at 4 p.m., meaning the sun will be going down behind the stadium by the second half, instead of only getting increasingly hot as the game wears on. Though, since weather is the topic of conversation in college football right now, it is a credit to fans in Lubbock that they show up to watch their teams in the heat. The problem though? They have no choice. Most Texas Tech home games in August and September are going to be miserable, because the weather in Lubbock in August and September is miserable. There's no, "I'll just go to the next game because it'll be more comfortable," because doing so would mean missing half the season. Same with Gainesville, Florida, and most of the South. The weather is objectively awful for two straight months, which means you have little choice but to subject yourself to hell in order to watch the team play. With USC, by contrast, these outlier heatwaves are pretty easily avoidable. The forecast for Friday night's game against Fresno State, for example, is 72 degrees. By the end of the game, it'll be 68. Some fans make the rational decision to simply...go to that game instead, not waste their time to watch 15 minutes of competitive football. Especially when there are multiple events per week that compete for entertainment dollars. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Fans in other parts of the country have no choice and are used to atrocious conditions, because they live in places with atrocious summer climates. There's no competition for Texas Tech football in Lubbock, not the NFL, not Major League Baseball, and not Major League Soccer, all of which will have games in LA in the coming weeks. Should USC's attendance have been higher? Yeah, absolutely. Did it fill in more after kickoff? Also yes, though obviously well below what it could have been. For those who've never been to the Coliseum, it's in downtown LA, which means horrific traffic trying to get to the USC campus. There's little parking at the Coliseum, meaning fans are forced into a nightmarish hellscape of distant structures, and the security lines are infamously awful at an old stadium. Late arriving crowds are part of the LA sports experience, even at USC, because getting places in LA is an unpredictable guessing game. ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW! Oh, and not that it matters to Maguire or to anyone else, for that matter, but there are plenty of good seats available for most Texas Tech home games this year. Yes, week one is sold out, but their game against Arizona has thousands of tickets just waiting for those "tough" fans to snap up. Even their "biggest" home game, against Arizona State, has seats readily available. Lower level tickets are $170, whereas desirable seats for SC's home game against Oregon in September are $425-$475. For a family of four, that's nearly $2,000 to go to a game, with parking and stadium concessions. Maybe that's part of the problem too, USC's administration simply pricing their tickets too high for what the market can support. Particularly given the competition in LA and Southern California. USC's student composition has also changed dramatically in recent decades, as the school now has a shockingly high percentage of international students, thanks to their wealthy donor parents, who have little interest in football. But nuance, rationality, perspective, and experience are not valuable commodities in college football, however, considering social media dunks are far more exciting and attention grabbing. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a961ee72c5335ae104db75e LSU alum Ben McDonald says he doesn't agree with NFL-to-college returns, but understands why coaches want them te 2026-09-01T00:40:07.346Z LSU alum Ben McDonald says he doesn't agree with NFL-to-college returns, but understands why coaches want them As the LSU Tigers prepare for their season opener against the Clemson Tigers, not all eyes are focused on the current matchups to expect in Death Valley. The college football world is waiting to see if tight end Dae’Quan Wright, as well as former Notre Dame defensive end Junior Tuihalamaka, among others, will be available to play for LSU after causing quite the controversy by reuniting with Lane Kiffin at the NCAA level after being released by the Cleveland Browns following a training camp stint with the NFL team. Even as college football's Week 0 has passed, the debate continues over a growing trend: former NFL rookies and other athletes attempting to move from the professional ranks back to college in pursuit of a fifth year of eligibility. The SEC and other major conferences have pushed back on new guidelines, but injunctions and temporary restraining orders issued by local judges have generated a series of court proceedings and strained relations among the NCAA, conferences, schools and others. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Ben McDonald, the first overall pick of the 1989 MLB Draft, Olympic gold medalist, and former LSU Tigers star pitcher, appeared on "America Reports" where he told Sandra Smith about his stance on the current stir running through the college ranks. "Personally, I don’t believe in it," McDonald explained. "I think once you get to play your four years, for me, it’s time to move on at that point. But things are so different now when you talk about the NIL money and the money that’s out there now, you get why these kids want to come back. "So, if you can’t make it in the NFL, MLB, wherever, maybe you have that opportunity to return for a fifth year of college and make some money. You don’t blame the players for wanting to continue to play. They love the sport, they want to continue their athletic career. But also, money is involved." MATT RHULE SOUNDS ALARM ON NFL RETURNEES, $45 MILLION ROSTERS AND COLLEGE FOOTBALL'S PAYROLL PROBLEM One of the NFL’s top agents, Drew Rosenhaus, who also represents Wright, explained why he supports players returning to college if they are within the current "5-for-5" rule set by the NCAA in June, which gives student-athletes five years of eligibility to play five seasons. For one, as McDonald mentioned, there’s the financial perks of returning to college rather than sitting on a practice squad for NFL rookies. "He is not going to make an NFL team this year," Rosenhaus said on "One Nation with Brian Kilmeade." "At best, he would be on a practice squad. He feels playing another year in college would be great for his development, and it will allow him to get bigger, stronger, more experienced and take another shot at the NFL. Oh, by the way, he would make more money in college than he’d make on an NFL practice squad." Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule recently appeared on OutKick’s "Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich," where he added how much of a boost players like Wright got already because they’ve gone against pros in an NFL training camp. "Twice as good," Rhule said about Wright’s development having been with the Browns. "I think the hardest thing when you’re coaching these guys, you’re always telling them, ‘Hey, do this. This is what it’s like at the next level.’ It would be at least twice, if not three, times better than they were." So, in that respect, McDonald understands a coach like Kiffin wanting to go after these players wishing to get back to college. "Whether you agree with it or not, if I’m a college coach and I have the opportunity to get a kid that’s got four years of college experience, and he was in an NFL training camp, why would I not want him to come back to my roster? It only allows us a better chance to win," he said. "Everybody’s picking on Lane Kiffin because it’s low-hanging fruit for him. There’s been a lot of controversy over Kiffin lately, leaving Ole Miss and the great year he had the last few years at Ole Miss, and now he’s the head coach at LSU. But it’s not an LSU thing. This is across the board. …I don’t totally agree with it, but I understand where it’s at right now. And if I’m a head coach, hey, I want those players. There is pressure to win now, and why not get the best players you can?" NFL WARNS CLUBS THEY CANNOT SIGN ANY PLAYER WHO RETURNS TO COLLEGE FOOTBALL FOR 2026 SEASON, MEMO SAYS McDonald added the other side of the argument, believing "it hurts our incoming freshman class because those kids don’t have really nowhere to go with the 5-for-5 deal that’s out there right now." Kiffin said that he spoke with his players’ leadership committee, where they were at a consensus to "bring ‘em" into the program if it meant winning this season. "We understand we have a team that's practiced together and worked together all offseason, but one of them said, 'Hey, this is how it works at the next level, and this is how the real world works.' So, that made me feel a little better in the struggle and being torn back and forth," Kiffin told reporters on Monday. Kiffin’s final roster is due to the SEC on Friday, which is the day before the team will take on Clemson. On Thursday, a judge in a Louisiana courtroom will either uphold the temporary restraining order, which would prohibit the SEC from punishing schools if they were to add a player like Wright, or reverse the decision after hearing from the SEC and NCAA following a show-cause order. Elsewhere in the SEC, coaches like Texas’ Steve Sarkisian opposed the idea of bringing back players that went pro. "The fact that somebody out there is going to take a player off of an NFL roster and tell somebody who's been doing it for nine months to go kick rocks, that doesn't sit well with me. I think that's wrong. That, morally, is wrong," he said, via ESPN. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a961ee62c5335ae104db755 Texas Tech head coach blasts USC, Lincoln Riley, for poor attendance at LA Coliseum in Week Zero te 2026-09-01T00:40:06.529Z Texas Tech head coach blasts USC, Lincoln Riley, for poor attendance at LA Coliseum in Week Zero Boy oh boy, do we need a full slate of college football games to start. Immediately, if not sooner. Despite the LSU Tigers program under Lane Kiffin essentially blowing up the college football model by adding NFL players in order to make their team better and pivotal week one storylines to track, the only topic of discussion around the sport this week has been the attendance at USC's home opener. The Trojans hosted San Jose State at the LA Coliseum on Saturday at noon, a game time that made little sense for everyone other than NBC. SC entered the game as 38-point favorites, temperatures were in the mid-90's with extreme, and unusual, humidity for Southern California, and the kickoff time ensured there'd be no shade or relief from the miserable conditions. USC FOOTBALL RIPPED FOR PATHETIC CROWD AT HOME OPENER: 'ABSOLUTELY EMBARRASSING' Unsurprisingly, many chose to stay home, rationally deciding that they could simply wait for the weather and a more favorable kickoff time to deal with the atrocious LA traffic, elevated parking prices, long walk, and terrible security lines. This has sparked days of outrage and clickbait videos from commentators and analysts in comfortable studios who are certain they'd sit in the heat to watch a full game that was over within 15 minutes. All while ignoring the many examples of other big schools, like the Florida Gators, that have struggled to fill seats for noon games in August. Now we can add the head coach of the Texas Tech Red Raiders, a program known for its moral character, to the list of complainants. At a news conference on Monday, Joey Maguire explained, just before taking a shot, that he did not want to "take any shots," before saying he's excited to play in front of a sold out crowd in Lubbock this weekend. "Not to take any shots because I have a lot of respect for USC and Lincoln Riley, but man, it's really awesome to be playing in Lubbock, Texas, knowing we're going to be playing front of 60,000, and it's going to be warm," he said. "It's going to be every bit as warm as it was Saturday. The great thing is we got some really tough people in West Texas that love their football and they're going to show up." DOES USC'S POOR OPENING GAME ATTENDANCE MEAN LINCOLN RILEY'S ON THE HOT SEAT ALREADY? It actually won't be as warm in Lubbock as it was in LA, with a forecast high of 92 degrees and lower humidity. And the game is at 4 p.m., meaning the sun will be going down behind the stadium by the second half, instead of only getting increasingly hot as the game wears on. Though, since weather is the topic of conversation in college football right now, it is a credit to fans in Lubbock that they show up to watch their teams in the heat. The problem though? They have no choice. Most Texas Tech home games in August and September are going to be miserable, because the weather in Lubbock in August and September is miserable. There's no, "I'll just go to the next game because it'll be more comfortable," because doing so would mean missing half the season. Same with Gainesville, Florida, and most of the South. The weather is objectively awful for two straight months, which means you have little choice but to subject yourself to hell in order to watch the team play. With USC, by contrast, these outlier heatwaves are pretty easily avoidable. The forecast for Friday night's game against Fresno State, for example, is 72 degrees. By the end of the game, it'll be 68. Some fans make the rational decision to simply...go to that game instead, not waste their time to watch 15 minutes of competitive football. Especially when there are multiple events per week that compete for entertainment dollars. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Fans in other parts of the country have no choice and are used to atrocious conditions, because they live in places with atrocious summer climates. There's no competition for Texas Tech football in Lubbock, not the NFL, not Major League Baseball, and not Major League Soccer, all of which will have games in LA in the coming weeks. Should USC's attendance have been higher? Yeah, absolutely. Did it fill in more after kickoff? Also yes, though obviously well below what it could have been. For those who've never been to the Coliseum, it's in downtown LA, which means horrific traffic trying to get to the USC campus. There's little parking at the Coliseum, meaning fans are forced into a nightmarish hellscape of distant structures, and the security lines are infamously awful at an old stadium. Late arriving crowds are part of the LA sports experience, even at USC, because getting places in LA is an unpredictable guessing game. ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW! Oh, and not that it matters to Maguire or to anyone else, for that matter, but there are plenty of good seats available for most Texas Tech home games this year. Yes, week one is sold out, but their game against Arizona has thousands of tickets just waiting for those "tough" fans to snap up. Even their "biggest" home game, against Arizona State, has seats readily available. Lower level tickets are $170, whereas desirable seats for SC's home game against Oregon in September are $425-$475. For a family of four, that's nearly $2,000 to go to a game, with parking and stadium concessions. Maybe that's part of the problem too, USC's administration simply pricing their tickets too high for what the market can support. Particularly given the competition in LA and Southern California. USC's student composition has also changed dramatically in recent decades, as the school now has a shockingly high percentage of international students, thanks to their wealthy donor parents, who have little interest in football. But nuance, rationality, perspective, and experience are not valuable commodities in college football, however, considering social media dunks are far more exciting and attention grabbing. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a961ee32c5335ae104db724 Lachy Groom backs Indian startup aiming to keep aircraft aloft for a year te 2026-09-01T00:40:03.767Z Lachy Groom backs Indian startup aiming to keep aircraft aloft for a year Founded by a 20-year-old, Alteon is developing autonomous aircraft that hopes to harvest wind energy to stay aloft for several months. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a961c8d2c5335ae104db6d2 Duane 'Keffe D' Davis found guilty of first-degree murder in 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur te 2026-09-01T00:30:05.540Z Duane 'Keffe D' Davis found guilty of first-degree murder in 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur A Nevada jury on Monday found Duane "Keffe D" Davis guilty of first-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon in the 1996 drive-by shooting death of rap icon Tupac Shakur. The verdict came after jurors began deliberating Monday following closing arguments in the closely watched trial, according to The Associated Press. TUPAC MURDER TRIAL FACES ‘SNITCHES GET STITCHES’ PROBLEM BUT DEFENDANT'S GHOSTWRITER COULD BE KEY The 16-member panel, including four alternates, heard nine days of testimony from 24 prosecution witnesses and three defense witnesses.  A gunman in a white Cadillac opened fire on a BMW carrying Shakur and Marion "Suge" Knight on Sept. 7, 1996, on the Las Vegas Strip.  Knight recovered from minor injuries. Shakur succumbed to his injuries six days later at 25 years old. This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a961a382c5335ae104db63e Arizona can be a model for public-private data center collaboration te 2026-09-01T00:20:08.008Z Arizona can be a model for public-private data center collaboration Bob Stump For months, an erroneous narrative has been afoot in the United States: The advance of artificial intelligence and data centers is to blame for... Subscribe Already a subscriber?  Login The post Arizona can be a model for public-private data center collaboration first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a961a352c5335ae104db603 Wendell Berry, Writer Who Extolled America’s Agrarian Past, Dies at 92 te 2026-09-01T00:20:05.500Z Wendell Berry, Writer Who Extolled America’s Agrarian Past, Dies at 92 A Kentucky farmer, he railed against agribusiness and championed small family farms and the environment, winning widespread acclaim. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a961a332c5335ae104db5e7 Apple shares ‘shocking evidence’ against former employee accused of stealing company data for OpenAI te 2026-09-01T00:20:03.867Z Apple shares ‘shocking evidence’ against former employee accused of stealing company data for OpenAI Apple says it has evidence that a former employee destroyed evidence of data theft after learning he was under investigation. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9617dc2c5335ae104db59e Roughly 80 Americans still unaccounted for after Himalayan disaster kills 903, officials say te 2026-09-01T00:10:04.771Z Roughly 80 Americans still unaccounted for after Himalayan disaster kills 903, officials say Roughly 80 Americans remain unaccounted for following the catastrophic Himalayan flood last Wednesday that killed hundreds of people, the State Department said. The update marks a decrease from a previous estimate of at least 90 Americans who went missing near the Nepal-China border. "We can confirm that 13 American citizens have made their way to safety in Nepal," a State Department spokesperson told Fox News. Meanwhile, Nepal’s death toll has risen to 903, while the number of people still unaccounted for has nearly doubled to roughly 4,200, according to an update from local officials Sunday. TRAPPED NEPALI WORKERS PULLED FROM HYDROPOWER TUNNEL AFTER CATASTROPHIC FLOODING According to officials, the disaster occurred in north-central Nepal when a distant slope failure involving a glacier triggered a rapidly moving debris flow that traveled roughly 62 miles downstream before striking a populated area. Footage from the disaster showed a massive surge of water and debris suddenly rushing through the valleys, engulfing buildings in its path. On Sunday, a spokesperson for Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided an update on the toll. "So far, 903 bodies have been recovered from the areas and about 4200 people are still unaccounted for. Over 10,000 people have been rescued from the regions, including over 323 foreign nationals. As per the available data, about 590 foreign nationals are still missing, from 39 countries," the spokesperson said. Twenty-two of the missing Americans were part of a pilgrimage affiliated with a Tennessee-based nonprofit group, Isha Foundation coordination leader Jyoti Jankowski told Fox News Saturday. They were inside an immigration building when the flooding struck the area, Jankowski said. MORE THAN 3,000 MISSING AFTER COLOMBIA EARTHQUAKE AS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PROVIDES $15.5 MILLION IN RELIEF Authorities said Nepal is coordinating with neighboring countries and the international community to provide relief, with supplies already arriving from countries including India and China. More supplies are expected to arrive from the U.S., United Arab Emirates, Myanmar, Qatar, the U.K., Australia, the Republic of Korea, Japan, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, Bangladesh, Pakistan and other international organizations, officials said. "Relief and humanitarian assistance are being provided in the affected areas. We are deeply grateful to our friends and partners for their solidarity, goodwill and generous offers of support at this difficult time," the spokesperson said. DEATH TOLL FROM MUDSLIDES, FLOODING AT NEPAL-CHINA BORDER CLIMBS PAST 670; NEARLY 3,000 MISSING The State Department said last Wednesday that it was "monitoring the situation and is deploying a disaster response advisor to the region to support response efforts." "The Department will also provide $500,000 in assistance through its global award with Catholic Relief Services, supporting emergency shelter, relief items, and water, sanitation, and hygiene assistance to flood-affected communities," the department said. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) investigators remain uncertain whether the initial failure was a landslide incorporating part of a glacier or a glacial collapse, in which a portion of a glacier breaks off and rapidly moves downslope with surrounding debris. The glacier-related event resulted in a magnitude 5.2 earthquake, according to the USGS. A second seismic event was recorded approximately three hours later, generating energy equivalent to a magnitude 4.2 earthquake. "The glacial debris contained water and ice that rapidly melted, picking up more material and water as it flowed downslope in the existing stream and river channels, creating a fast-moving, far-traveled landslide and flood laden with boulders and other rubble," the agency said. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9615882c5335ae104db53e Trump calls Hollywood a 'total disaster,' pushes federal tax incentive for film after meeting with Jon Voight te 2026-09-01T00:00:08.442Z Trump calls Hollywood a 'total disaster,' pushes federal tax incentive for film after meeting with Jon Voight President Trump boasted about progress made with one of his Hollywood Special Ambassadors, Jon Voight. The commander-in-chief admitted he had a "great and very interesting meeting" with the "movie legend," who he appointed to a special envoy in 2025 which includes Mel Gibson and Sylvester Stallone. "He is a fantastic man who loves our Country, and feels strongly about the Motion Picture and Television Industry," Trump shared on his Truth Social platform. MEL GIBSON APOLOGIZES FOR MOCKING ASL INTERPRETER, BLAMES 'SPONTANEOUS THOUGHTLESS IDIOCY' "He hates what’s happened to it! It is being dissipated in its entirety. It has moved to Canada, and other Countries, with very little work being done anymore in the United States." Trump continued, "Hollywood is a Complete and Total Disaster! Despite the name, it is getting very little work. There is no incentive to be there, and it is hurting California very badly." TRUMP NAMES SYLVESTER STALLONE, MEL GIBSON AND JON VOIGHT AS SPECIAL AMBASSADORS TO 'VERY TROUBLED' HOLLYWOOD The president noted that Jon, along with industry leaders, suggested a federal tax incentive in order to "Make our Movie and Television Production Business GREAT AGAIN, perhaps GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE!" "The amount of money spent on Tax Incentives will be made up tenfold by the money pouring into the Treasury’s coffers," Trump wrote. "Meetings are being set up with the Leaders of both Parties in order to get this done. It should be Bipartisan, especially since so much money is being lost in California, and other largely Blue States. "I am going to suggest that Republicans and Democrats get together, and immediately craft Legislation to save the Movie, Television, and Entertainment Business in America. Congress should approve, immediately, a Federal Production Incentive to create Entertainment Jobs in America." He added, "It can be done quickly, accurately, efficiently and, importantly, will benefit ALL of America. What we watch on the Silver Screen should be made in what was once the Movie and Motion Picture Capital of the World. Let’s get this done!" Voight's representatives did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS Motion Picture Association Chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin welcomed the proposal from Trump. "For over a century, American studios, casts, and crews have produced the films and series that the world wants to see," he said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital. "A federal incentive would be a landmark step toward bringing more production to local communities in all 50 states, strengthening our nation’s economy, and making our country a more competitive place to produce, create, and tell great stories." Rivkin added, "We applaud President Trump’s support for this vital action, and we look forward to continuing to work with the White House and bipartisan leaders in Congress to enact a meaningful and effective national incentive into law." Shortly before Inauguration Day for his second term in office, Trump revealed the Special Ambassadors program in efforts to promote business in Hollywood. "It is my honor to announce Jon Voight, Mel Gibson, and Sylvester Stallone, to be Special Ambassadors to a great but very troubled place, Hollywood, California," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "They will serve as Special Envoys to me for the purpose of bringing Hollywood, which has lost much business over the last four years to Foreign Countries, BACK—BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!" He added, "These three very talented people will be my eyes and ears, and I will get done what they suggest. It will again be, like The United States of America itself, The Golden Age of Hollywood!" In May 2025, Voight, along with special advisor Steven Paul, submitted a "comprehensive plan" to the president to save the film and television industry. GET ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR EMAIL BY CLICKING HERE Voight and Paul met with "dozens of leading film and television organizations (guilds, unions, studios and streamers) about what changes need to be made to increase domestic film production," according to a statement. PUT YOUR ENTERTAINMENT KNOWLEDGE TO THE TEST AND SEE HOW YOU SCORE The meeting was conducted in person with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida and included SP Media Group/Atlas Comics President Scott Karol. "The proposal includes federal tax incentives, significant changes to several tax codes, the establishment of co-production treaties with foreign countries, and infrastructure subsidies for theater owners, film and television production companies, and post-production companies," the statement said. "The proposal also includes a focus on job training, and tariffs in certain limited circumstances." He added, "This plan is about leveling the playing field so that producing right here in America is not only a competitive option, but the first choice." The White House and its relevant policy advisors were in the process of reviewing the proposal. "While President Trump regularly corresponds with his Hollywood Ambassadors, including Jon Voight, to restore America’s cultural dominance, it was President Trump himself who formulated the idea of using tariffs to Make Hollywood Great Again," White House Spokesman Kush Desai told Fox News Digital at the time. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a96132d2c5335ae104db467 Polymarket reportedly raises $300 million from Donald Trump Jr.’s investment fund te 2026-08-31T23:50:05.285Z Polymarket reportedly raises $300 million from Donald Trump Jr.’s investment fund The firm, 1789 Capital, led the funding round that reportedly will total around $1 billion. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9610d42c5335ae104db41c Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll Resigns as U.S. Military Grapples With Two Wars te 2026-08-31T23:40:04.956Z Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll Resigns as U.S. Military Grapples With Two Wars The resignation of Daniel P. Driscoll, the secretary of the Army, had been expected but comes at a tumultuous time for the service. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9610d32c5335ae104db413 Trump Mocks Data-Center Opponents as Wanting to Stay ‘Backwards and Poor’ te 2026-08-31T23:40:03.534Z Trump Mocks Data-Center Opponents as Wanting to Stay ‘Backwards and Poor’ The giant computing sites that power A.I. are increasingly opposed by communities across the country, a signal of voters’ concern about a changing economy. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a960c282c5335ae104db368 Tensions erupt in House hearing as GOP advances anti-socialism resolution while Dems rage: 'Silly season' te 2026-08-31T23:20:08.214Z Tensions erupt in House hearing as GOP advances anti-socialism resolution while Dems rage: 'Silly season' House Republicans are teeing up a pair of bills this week to put Democrats on the record about where they stand on their party's socialist insurgency. The House Rules Committee just advanced a resolution to condemn socialism during its Monday meeting, with no Democrats voting in favor of moving it forward. Democrats, in fact, criticized the resolution as a waste of time. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., called the bill "nonsense" and argued it did little to better the lives of Americans. "So you're concerned about rising gas, or are you concerned about grocery prices? You know, don't worry. Republicans in Congress are passing another non-binding resolution condemning socialism," McGovern said. HOUSE REPUBLICAN AIMS TO PUT DEMOCRATS ON THE RECORD OVER DSA WITH RESOLUTION CONDEMNING SOCIALISM Tensions erupted at one point as Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., clashed with Committee on House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil, R-Wis., over the definition of socialism. Neguse had attempted to press Steil on whether he would see President Donald Trump trying to take a "20% stake" in Kroger grocery stores as socialism, to which Steil replied he would "want to see the details." "Oh, you'd want to see the details," Neguse yelled as the two men spoke over each other. "You said if the government owns grocery stores, that would be socialist. But if, of course, Donald Trump were to announce an equity stake in a grocery store, well, 'I'd have to really see the details,' because we all know the play." Steil said he would be open to seeing such a proposal if it had a national security imperative, but stated repeatedly that Neguse was posing a hypothetical. At one point, Rules Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., chided Neguse for interrupting Steil. Steil shot back at one point, "Some folks on your side of the aisle would like to have government-run grocery stores. I think that's nuts." "And if the president of the United States announced that the United States government was taking an...equity stake in grocery stores?" Neguse pressed. After more back-and-forth, Steil said, "I think there would need to be a national security rationale for the action. I don't see any in your hypothetical. I don't see a national security focus." Neguse called it a "helpful answer," to which Steil quipped, "It's a hypotherical. So we're entering silly season." A House-wide test known as a "rule vote" on the resolution will take place on Tuesday afternoon, followed finally by a vote on the resolution itself on Tuesday evening, according to a provisional schedule obtained by Fox News Digital. SOCIALISM SURGES AMONG DEMOCRATS AS PARTY LEADERS REJECT DSA AGENDA: ‘PACK OF FOOLS’ It's not uncommon for Democrats on the House Rules Committee to oppose GOP-led measures. But the move is especially stark as Republicans seize on the left's inter-party civil war that has dominated the midterm election cycle. Republicans are capitalizing on that civil war with another measure expected for a vote on Wednesday afternoon, according to that provisional schedule. That vote will be on a constitutional amendment to cap the number of Supreme Court justices at nine. DEMOCRATIC SENATOR CLAIMS GOP 'STOLE' TWO SCOTUS SEATS IN 2016, 2020, CALLS FOR EXPANSION Several top progressives, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Ed Markey, D-Mass., have called for expanding the Supreme Court to up to 13 seats. House GOP leaders have opted to fast-track that legislation past the House Rules Committee. In exchange, however, it will need two-thirds of the chamber to pass as opposed to a simple majority. CARVILLE UNLOADS ON DSA SOCIALISTS: 'DON'T USE OUR GOD---- NAME' "It's time for the Democrats to pick a side. Stop playing the middle. Be proud of who you are. You were elected to lead, so lead. Have an opinion. We intend to put you on record," House GOP Conference Chair Lisa McClain, R-Mich., told Fox News Digital. "Do you want to pack the Supreme Court or not? It's really simple. It's a yes or no vote. It's no bigger than that. Two — do you believe in socialism? If you do, you should say it loud and say it proud. I personally don't believe in socialism. I like the fact that we have a democracy, that we have a republic, that we have a free society. And I'm proud to put myself on record." Meanwhile the top Democrat, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., side-stepped a question on whether he supports the anti-socialism resolution on Monday. "I haven't taken a look at that resolution, although it's my understanding that the resolution elevates the so-called SAVE America Act, which is just the 'Suppress the Vote Act.' And I'm not clear how many Democrats are actually gonna support a resolution whose focus is on trying to rig the midterm election by elevating this voter suppression legislation that Donald Trump has been trying to jam down the road to the American people for the last year," he told reporters. JOHNSON SCORES COMMANDING VICTORY IN FIGHT TO RAM SAVE AMERICA ACT THROUGH DEMOCRAT OPPOSITION In addition to condemning socialism, the resolution also hails Republican-led election security bills as "common-sense election integrity measures, including proof of citizenship, photo identification, and database checks." It calls for the "enforcement" of the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which has passed the House but has not been taken up in the Senate. Democrats have largely panned that legislation as attempts at voter suppression. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., said the bill was a bid to "silence political opponents." "Let's scare people with yet another boogeyman and not do anything about it. Not really solve problems, just try to scare people," Scanlon said. Meanwhile, Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., pointed out that Democratic socialists were already in power in his own state and warned it could spread elsewhere. "I've seen firsthand the alarming rise of socialism...families in western New York have watched one-party rule in Albany pile on more taxes, more mandates, more government control, while hardworking taxpayers are left to foot the bill," Langworthy said. "And now downstate, we've watched the socialist left move more from the activist fringe into positions of real, serious political power. And anyone thinks that these ideas are going to stay confined in New York City is sadly mistaken." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a960c272c5335ae104db35f CNN admits error after suggesting US troops abroad would be impacted by Trump's mail-in ballot crackdown te 2026-08-31T23:20:07.414Z CNN admits error after suggesting US troops abroad would be impacted by Trump's mail-in ballot crackdown CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer issued a mea culpa Monday after he falsely suggested U.S. troops abroad would be impacted by the Trump administration's crackdown on mail-in voting. On Friday's installment of "The Situation Room," Blitzer sat down with Democratic Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger to discuss the lawsuit the commonwealth filed alongside other blue states to block President Donald Trump's executive order from March to curb mail-in voting, which was slapped with a 14-day temporary restraining order last week by a federal judge. "The continued attacks that we're seeing from the Trump administration is really just an effort to get people fearful, to get people to stay home, and, in many cases, to eliminate what is a valid, safe, secure way for people to be able to have their voices heard and to vote," Spanberger said. CNN APOLOGIZES AFTER MISTAKENLY AIRING IMAGE OF DOLLY PARTON IMPERSONATOR DURING REPORT ON ICON'S DEATH "And in Virginia, you have a lot of military personnel who totally rely on mail-in ballots if they want to be able to express their opinions," Blitzer told the governor. "That's true," Spanberger replied. "It's members of the military service, of our diplomatic service, intelligence services, people serving overseas in service to our country who get their ballots mailed to them at the various postings throughout the world." FEDERAL JUDGE AGAIN BLOCKS TRUMP'S MAIL BALLOT ORDER JUST BEFORE MIDTERMS However, Blitzer made a "quick note of clarification" at the end of Monday's program in reference to his exchange with Spanberger. "We discussed legal challenges to the Trump administration’s directives for the Postal Service on mail-in voting. A comment I made suggested that U.S. military and overseas voters' ballots would be impacted by these directives. I want to be clear right now: those ballots are exempt from the Postal Service’s new rules implementing the president’s March executive order," Blitzer told viewers. "Those groups are covered under the Uniformed and Overseas Absentee Voting Act, just to be specific on that point," he added. CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST MEDIA AND CULTURE NEWS A spokesperson for CNN pointed to Blitzer's comments and declined to comment further. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a960c262c5335ae104db356 Abdul El-Sayed stands by criticism of fireworks, tells Americans to find other ways to 'show you love' te 2026-08-31T23:20:06.558Z Abdul El-Sayed stands by criticism of fireworks, tells Americans to find other ways to 'show you love' Democratic Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed defended his past controversial comments about Fourth of July fireworks during a radio appearance Monday. While appearing on "The Breakfast Club," El-Sayed was asked by host Charlamagne tha God about his previous support for defunding the police and criticism of firework celebrations on Independence Day. El-Sayed pushed back against the criticism. "They're coming at me on fireworks," El-Sayed said. "I'm like, 'All right, first, if your whole conception of America is that it's fireworks, I'm so sorry. You don't have a complete conception of America. But even then, right, like what is it?'" WASHINGTON POST THROWS COLD WATER ON DC FIREWORKS WITH REPORT OF ‘HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTION’ He continued: "I said, 'Well, every time we do a fireworks show, it destroys the air quality and people have asthma exacerbations and heart attacks the next day.' That's all I was saying. You know what I mean? I'm not saying we shouldn't have fireworks. I'm just saying maybe like there are other ways to show your love." El-Sayed's comments follow a CNN report earlier this month that revealed that El-Sayed deleted or hid approximately 100 YouTube videos before launching his Senate campaign. Among them included a plea that Americans "please" find another way to celebrate the Fourth of July besides using fireworks, citing air quality and the risks to children and pets as reasons. SOCIALIST CANDIDATES CAN DELETE OLD POSTS, BUT THEY CAN'T ERASE THEIR RADICALISM The video allegedly included four reasons "why fireworks suck" and a chapter titled "Fireworks just aren't worth it: hear us out." While appearing on "Hannity" earlier this month, Republican nominee Mike Rogers called out El-Sayed for his deleted posts and comments. ABDUL EL-SAYED PLAYS DOWN HASAN PIKER TIES AFTER STREAMER’S VIRAL ANTISEMITISM FIRESTORM "This guy spent hours hating on what most Michiganders would enjoy in their pastimes, and he should be held to account for that," Rogers said. "These are views that he held, that he was pretty strong about, but he knew that he had to delete them all… If people really knew who he was, they wouldn’t vote for him." Fox News Digital reached out to the El-Sayed and Rogers campaigns for comment but did not immediately receive a response. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a960c242c5335ae104db33c Defendants in Minnesota Church Protest Case Challenge Charges in Flurry of Motions te 2026-08-31T23:20:04.722Z Defendants in Minnesota Church Protest Case Challenge Charges in Flurry of Motions In their broadest assault yet against the charges, lawyers for the defendants pointed to the unusual investigative tactics the administration deployed to make the case against them. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a960c222c5335ae104db320 a16z brings growth fund to $8.5B days after launching new $1.1B fund te 2026-08-31T23:20:02.946Z a16z brings growth fund to $8.5B days after launching new $1.1B fund Andreessen Horowitz held out its hand and returned with billions more in new funds to invest in startups. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9609ce2c5335ae104db2cb Prop. 317 would call drug cartels terrorists. Critics fear who else it could catch. te 2026-08-31T23:10:06.361Z Prop. 317 would call drug cartels terrorists. Critics fear who else it could catch. A worn out sign at the trailhead for Quitobaquito Springs warns visitors that they may encounter smugglers or migrants in the area and says to call 911 if they see suspicious activity. (Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy/Arizona Mirror) Later this year, voters will decide whether Mexican drug cartels should be labeled terrorist organizations under Arizona law, a classification that critics say will, at best, do nothing and, at worst, be used by a future governor to justify sending military forces to the border.  Proposition 317 would declare drug cartels equivalent to terrorist organizations and order the Arizona Department of Homeland Security to do everything within its power to “address the threat posed by drug cartels.” Putting the law on the books has been a multi-year effort for Republican Steve Montenegro, the speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives, who has sought to set himself apart as a vocal immigration hawk among a party that is increasingly focused on the issue.  GET THE MORNING HEADLINES. SUBSCRIBE In 2023, Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed the Goodyear Republican’s first iteration of the drug-cartels-are-terrorists bill, prompting Montenegro to turn to voters to avoid future rejections. But the Republican-controlled legislature decided not to advance a ballot measure version in 2024.  It wasn’t until 2025, after President Donald Trump issued an executive order designating drug cartels terrorist organizations at the federal level — which was quickly weaponized to ship immigrants with tattoos to a Salvadoran mega prison, where they were subsequently tortured — that Arizona Republicans greenlit the move to ask voters to order state officials to go after drug cartels.  Joel Edman, a spokesman for Progress Arizona, called the proposal “pure, dumb symbolism” and said it amounts to nothing more than Republican lawmakers seeking to bolster Trump’s policy goals. “This is clearly trying to support and signal the local legislative Republicans’ loyalty to Trump’s agenda,” he said.  But Edman acknowledged that the language in the proposal could potentially be used by a future Republican governor to send Arizona National Guard soldiers to the southern border, under the guise of protecting against an “invasion” of undocumented immigrants and drug smugglers, which Republican lawmakers have long fought to declare. “(Prop. 317) is part of this broader effort to continue to militarize the border,” Edman said.  Darrell Hill, the spokesman for the Arizona chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, echoed that concern, though he emphasized that using Prop. 317 as the basis for declaring an “invasion” would ultimately be legally indefensible.  “It has very loaded language that could lead to the deployment of law enforcement or other resources at the border in excess of what is necessary, but I don’t think the state has the power to declare an invasion,” he said.  Once an extreme position staked out by the most xenophobic Republicans, characterizing human trafficking and drug smuggling at Arizona’s southern border as an “invasion” has now become a common sentiment in the Republican Party under Trump.  In 2022, then-Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, facing plummeting public opinion in a crowded U.S. Senate primary, published a legal opinion claiming that the governor has the right to invoke war powers under the U.S. Constitution’s definition of an invasion. Legal scholars have refuted that argument, noting that the Constitution leaves the decision about how to respond to an invasion to federal officials.  But Republicans have pushed forward with the theory. And Prop. 317 appears to have been born, at least in part, in a nod to that argument. During a February meeting of the House Judiciary Committee, Montenegro touted the legislation as a critical tool for law enforcement officers and a necessary defense against criminals at the Arizona-Mexico border. “(Prop. 317) underscores the urgency of the Arizona Department of Homeland Security to utilize its authority to address the invasion of traffickers at Arizona’s southern border,” he said. Hill pointed out that, while the proposal threatens to lead to an overly militarized border, the more immediate concern is who could be classified a terrorist. The definitions in the initiative about what constitutes a drug cartel are too broad, Hill said, and they risk labeling Arizona residents or asylum-seekers as terrorists instead of people who are actually involved in drug trafficking.  Prop. 317 defines a drug cartel as an “ongoing formal or informal association of persons” whose members either individually or cooperatively participate in human smuggling, drug trafficking for profit or terrorism. That, Hill said, could sweep in low-level drug offenders, people with substance abuse issues or immigrants traveling with paid guides.  “Arizona residents who are engaged in buying and selling low amounts of drugs may find themselves designated as terrorists simply because they have a substance abuse disorder or are a low-level part of the drug economy,” he said.  A similar concern was raised during that House Judiciary hearing. Rep. Lupe Contreras, D-Laveen, pressed Montenegro on whether the legislation could lead to migrants being forced to carry drugs while crossing the border under threat of violence also being designated terrorists. Montenegro waved away that concern, saying that the Department of Homeland Security has processes in place to determine who is really at fault.  “The Department of Homeland Security has different processes and different definitions as to how they deal with terrorist organizations. It has to do with the transnational criminal aspects of the organization, it has to do with their activity,” Montenegro said. “If they’re going to be terrorizing people, that’s different than carrying a backpack.”  It’s unclear how the ballot measure will fare in November, but Arizonans have demonstrated a willingness to support proposals that take an aggressive stance against border-related crimes. Two years ago, 61% of voters approved of Proposition 314, which made it a state crime punishable with a minimum of 6 months in jail for people to cross the state’s southern border without authorization anywhere but at an official port of entry. YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE. SUPPORT Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9609cc2c5335ae104db2aa 'Landman' star Michelle Randolph rocks white bikini months after going Instagram official with Glen Powell te 2026-08-31T23:10:04.790Z 'Landman' star Michelle Randolph rocks white bikini months after going Instagram official with Glen Powell Michelle Randolph is giving fans a glimpse at her off-duty style. The "Landman" actress shared a mirror selfie to her Instagram Story on Sunday, posing in a white triangle bikini top with a black skirt and a baseball cap. Randolph, 28, sat on the floor in front of a wood-paneled wall with her knees bent as she held up her phone for the photo. She finished the casual look with black-and-red slide sandals, layered bracelets and rings, while a pair of sunglasses and a glass sat beside her on the floor. 'LANDMAN' STAR MICHELLE RANDOLPH STUNS IN BARELY-THERE METALLIC YELLOW BIKINI IN NEW SUMMER PHOTO DUMP The effortlessly stylish snapshot comes as Randolph continues to draw attention both on and off-screen. Randolph first broke through in Taylor Sheridan’s "1923," starring as Elizabeth Strafford in the "Yellowstone" prequel. She later joined Sheridan’s "Landman" as Ainsley Norris, the teenage daughter of Billy Bob Thornton’s Tommy Norris. Randolph’s growing career has brought increased attention to her life off-screen as well, including her relationship with Glen Powell. The pair first sparked romance rumors in November 2025 after they were spotted dancing together in Powell’s hometown of Austin, Texas. They continued to be seen together over the following months, including during outings in Los Angeles and New York City. PUT YOUR ENTERTAINMENT KNOWLEDGE TO THE TEST AND SEE HOW YOU SCORE   Powell made their relationship Instagram official on July 7, sharing a black-and-white photo of the couple kissing. The social media debut came weeks after the pair had been photographed holding hands and kissing during an outing in Manhattan. Despite the attention surrounding their romance, Randolph has generally kept her personal life private. "I think, for peace of mind, those are really important for me to keep separate," she told InStyle earlier this year. "How people perceive you publicly is not who you are." GET ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR EMAIL BY CLICKING HERE She echoed that sentiment in a February interview with Bustle. "I think my personal life is so separate than my work life. And I understand that my job is something public, and I’ve chosen that," Randolph said. "But I just think for my peace of mind, I just try to keep those things as separate as possible. And it’s hard, but it’s important to me." ‘LANDMAN’ STAR BILLY BOB THORNTON SAYS WORKING PEOPLE RELATE TO THE STRUGGLES THE CHARACTERS FACE Randolph has also spoken about navigating increased attention as her acting career takes off. In a December 2025 conversation with "Landman" co-star Demi Moore for Interview magazine, Randolph said she has had to learn not to let outside opinions shape how she sees herself. TAYLOR SHERIDAN'S LANDMAN FACES LENGTHY WAIT AS SEASON 3 PRODUCTION TIMELINE REVEALED "I had to really unlearn caring so much about what people thought of me," she said. The actress added that staying off her phone more and spending time with family help keep her grounded. LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS "Honestly, I have to just shut a certain part of my brain off, and I’ve gotten better at doing it," Randolph said. "I’ve gotten a lot better at not being on my phone as much, trying to be really present in just my life in general. And my family keeps me really, really grounded." Randolph said that despite the increasingly glamorous side of her career, life at home remains decidedly normal. "You go on these crazy press tours and you’re doing all these fabulous things, and then it’s like I go home and my parents are like, ‘Unload the dishwasher, please.’" Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9607762c5335ae104db24e Bernie Sanders claims some Democrats may want their own Senate nominee to lose te 2026-08-31T23:00:06.826Z Bernie Sanders claims some Democrats may want their own Senate nominee to lose Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., accused a small group of Democratic leaders and donors Monday of being willing to see Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed lose, telling "Politico Playbook" that progressives threaten wealthy interests and the party's approach to Israel as El-Sayed faces mounting scrutiny over his ties to far-left streamer Hasan Piker. Sanders said the resistance extended to people at the top of the Democratic Party and its financial base. "You’re talking about a small number of people who are at the head of the Democratic Party. You’re talking about the donor class..." Sanders said. "Are they less than enthusiastic about Abdul? Yes, they are." GRETCHEN WHITMER ENDORSES MODERATE HALEY STEVENS IN TIGHT UPCOMING SENATE PRIMARY Democratic strategist and former Biden White House chief of staff Yemisi Egbewole pushed back on Sanders' framing, pointing instead to the party's need to capture the Senate and El-Sayed's responsibility to consolidate Democrats after narrowly defeating Rep. Haley Stevens in the primary. "Dems want a majority in the Senate. El-Sayed apologized for his comments about the Temple Isreal attack and hasn’t campaigned with Hasan. No one is as caught up in this oligarchy business as Sanders is. Stevens lost. She endorsed Abdul. It’s now his job to win those voters," Egbewole said. RNC national press secretary Natalie Baldassarre rejected Sanders’ defense of El-Sayed in a statement to Fox News Digital on Monday, arguing the Michigan Democrat’s record and associations made him unfit for the Senate. "Abdul El-Sayed is a terrorist bootlicker who downplayed 9/11, pals around with a radical streamer who thinks our country deserved it, and whose mother worked for an organization that funneled money to Osama bin Laden to orchestrate it," she said. "His presence in the Senate would absolutely pose a national security threat, and it's no surprise that Democrats are losing their minds at Bernie for propping up another unelectable extremist." HALEY STEVENS CONDEMNS HASAN PIKER BUT RALLIES BEHIND EL-SAYED AFTER NARROW PRIMARY LOSS Sanders, who backed El-Sayed throughout the primary, told Playbook that some Democrats viewed candidates like El-Sayed as challenges not only to wealthy political interests but also to U.S. policy toward Israel. Sanders said those Democrats view El-Sayed and similar progressives as "a threat to oligarchy" and a "threat to American foreign policy and our continued support for the extremist Netanyahu government in Israel." The exchange came as El-Sayed attempted to move past renewed questions about Piker, who campaigned with him during the Democratic primary. Piker drew widespread Democratic condemnation this month after remarks about American Jews and Israel, with critics including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., and Jacky Rosen, D-Nev. Fox News Digital reached out to El-Sayed for comment, but did not immediately receive a response. EL-SAYED TRIES TO MAKE PEACE WITH JEWISH DEMOCRATS BUT DRAWS LINE AT DUMPING HASAN PIKER Sanders declined to join those Democrats in focusing on Piker, instead dismissing the streamer's controversies while accusing Republicans and the media of distracting voters from economic issues. "Like every other podcaster in the world, he says dumb things that people should reject," Sanders said. El-Sayed similarly resisted repeated questions about Piker at the Michigan Democratic Party convention Saturday, where four reporters pressed him about the streamer. Fox News Digital previously reported El-Sayed campaigned and socialized with Piker during the primary. "We’re in the state of Michigan. If you want to make this race about a streamer in California, I just think you’re missing the boat," El-Sayed said. "This is about affordability in Michigan. This is about seeing a doctor in Michigan. This is about Donald Trump’s disastrous policies in Michigan. That’s what I’m focused on right now." CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE El-Sayed also apologized Saturday for remarks he made following the March terrorist attack on a Michigan synagogue. He had said, "Hurt people, hurt people," following the attack, comments that drew criticism from Michigan Democrats, including Attorney General Dana Nessel. "To anybody who feels like my comments may have been hurtful, I’m really sorry. That was not my intention. We condemned that terrorist attack. We condemned it outright," El-Sayed said. "What I was trying to do was offer context for why it happened, but it wasn’t the time for context, and you don’t ever want to trample somebody’s pain." An August Fox News poll showed Republican nominee Mike Rogers leading El-Sayed 51%-47%, within the survey's margin of sampling error, while a subsequent AARP survey also showed the candidates locked in a margin-of-error contest. Fox polling found 91% of Democrats backed El-Sayed, compared with 96% of Republicans supporting Rogers. Sanders urged El-Sayed to keep his campaign centered on economic concerns rather than the controversies surrounding Piker. "Stay on the issues that impact working families in Michigan," Sanders said. "Do that, you’re going to win — and I think he will." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a96051e2c5335ae104db1e9 Knife-wielding woman accused of stabbing 2 in Times Square before being shot by police te 2026-08-31T22:50:06.568Z Knife-wielding woman accused of stabbing 2 in Times Square before being shot by police A knife-wielding woman stabbed two people in the heart of Times Square Monday afternoon before advancing on NYPD officers with two knives and being shot by police, authorities said. The violence erupted just before 4:30 p.m. near West 43rd Street and Seventh Avenue, where the woman, described by authorities as emotionally disturbed, stabbed a man and a woman, police confirmed to Fox 5 New York. The armed woman then fled north toward an NYPD substation, where officers confronted her as she wielded two knives, according to police. TEEN SHOT IN TIMES SQUARE AS KNICKS CHAMPIONSHIP CELEBRATIONS TURN CHAOTIC Officers first deployed a Taser in an attempt to stop the woman, but she continued advancing toward them while armed, prompting officers to open fire and strike her, police said. The two stabbing victims and the female suspect were hospitalized following the attack. Authorities said the victims and suspect were transported to hospitals, but their conditions were not immediately clear. Police urged the public to avoid West 43rd Street and Seventh Avenue and warned of delays in the surrounding area as investigators descended on the scene. Authorities said the incident does not appear to be terror-related. It was not immediately clear whether any NYPD officers were injured during the incident. Police are expected to hold a news conference later on Monday. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a96051d2c5335ae104db1da Who pays for US power boom? Blue, red states offer starkly different ways to lower utility bills amid AI surge te 2026-08-31T22:50:05.675Z Who pays for US power boom? Blue, red states offer starkly different ways to lower utility bills amid AI surge As the AI boom drives an unprecedented hunt for electricity, two states are taking sharply different approaches to assuage fears that Big Tech’s massive energy needs will raise Americans’ utility bills. New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s approach is to set statewide ground rules before large data centers connect to the grid. Under legislation she signed in July, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities must create a separate rate structure for large data centers and ensure that the costs of new substations, transmission lines or other grid upgrades built mainly for the data center, are not added to other customers’ bills. The law also requires large data centers to commit to paying for at least 85% of the electricity capacity they request for a 10-year period, in case they scale back their power use or close, and it directs regulators to encourage data centers to bring clean generation or energy storage online, use power more efficiently and reduce their electricity demand during emergencies. CHINESE BOT FARM CAUGHT RED-HANDED TRYING TO INFLUENCE HEATED AI DATA CENTER DEBATE Sherrill has paired those ratepayer protections with new disclosure and local-planning measures. A separate law she signed this week requires operators to report their energy and water use to the state twice a year. Sherrill’s administration says the reporting and new municipal guidance will give officials a clearer picture of data centers’ demands and help communities assess local impacts and negotiate with developers. Meanwhile, Indiana is taking a different approach. Rather than impose statewide rules for every large data center, state regulators approved a deal negotiated by Indiana Michigan Power (I&M), the Fort Wayne-based utility serving customers in Indiana and Michigan, along with consumer advocates and major technology companies. The deal grew out of a wave of huge planned projects in I&M’s service area. Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced an $11 billion data-center campus near New Carlisle, Indiana, in 2024, while Google announced a $2 billion project in Fort Wayne. I&M and state officials then had to determine who would cover the cost of the additional power and grid infrastructure needed to serve those projects. FROM NETFLIX TO GPS: 10 WAYS THIS HIDDEN TECH INFRASTRUCTURE QUIETLY POWERS MODERN LIFE According to I&M, the 2025 agreement requires new large customers, including data centers, to make long-term financial commitments to pay for the electric service they request, even if their future demand falls short of expectations. With those commitments in place, I&M says it can turn the new demand into a benefit for existing customers. The utility is now asking regulators to cut base rates by $59 million in 2027, saying revenue from large customers, including data centers, makes the reduction possible. If the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission approves the plan, I&M says an Indiana household using 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity a month would save about $100 a year. The utility is also proposing to freeze all rates on customers’ monthly bills for three years, with a decision expected in June 2027 and any savings beginning that summer. Daniel Turner, executive director of the energy advocacy group Power The Future, said Indiana’s approach was better than New Jersey’s more prescriptive framework, but argued neither state had gone far enough to ensure the AI buildout adds power to the grid rather than simply consuming it. DSA CANDIDATE PUSHES FEDERAL AI DATA CENTER MORATORIUM WITH MICHIGAN EARLY VOTING UNDERWAY "Indiana’s approach is definitely the better of the two," Turner told Fox News Digital. "At least Indiana is saying, ‘Hey, we don’t know where this is going, but we’re not going to put in all of the guardrails yet to stop progress from happening. Let’s work together and figure out what the solution is.’" Turner said he would make new power generation part of the deal from the start. New Jersey’s law encourages data centers to bring clean generation or energy storage online, but Turner said facilities should be built alongside the generation needed to run them and add capacity to the broader grid. "Every data center should be built in conjunction with the necessary power-generating facility to power it and give back to the grid," he said. Turner posited that data centers have become a political football, with officials too often choosing sweeping restrictions or open-ended delays instead of working with utilities, developers and local communities on plans that protect ratepayers while adding needed power. KEVIN O'LEARY DETAILS MASSIVE UTAH AI DATA CENTER TO RIVAL CHINA'S TECH DOMINANCE "The solutions to data centers are not complicated issues to solve," he said. "They just require political will." The Trump administration has already sought to turn that argument into a national model. In March, the White House announced a Ratepayer Protection Pledge signed by major technology companies, including Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle and xAI, which the administration says commits the companies to cover the cost of additional electricity generation needed for AI data centers rather than pass it along to families. Turner noted the stakes of the data-center debate extend well beyond local utility bills, arguing that the United States cannot afford to fall behind China in the race to build and control artificial intelligence. "When you tell Americans why we have to win the AI race, look at what China did with the Wuhan flu and how they tried to lie about that," Turner said. "Now imagine they can do that with every single piece of intellectual property on every platform in real time. That alone should scare the crap out of Americans." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a96051b2c5335ae104db1c1 JD Vance Called Michigan Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed ‘Evil’ in Speech te 2026-08-31T22:50:03.216Z JD Vance Called Michigan Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed ‘Evil’ in Speech The vice president also told Dr. El-Sayed, Michigan’s Democratic Senate nominee, to “keep my wife’s name out of your mouth.” Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a96006f2c5335ae104db10a Army Secretary Dan Driscoll submits resignation to Trump te 2026-08-31T22:30:07.414Z Army Secretary Dan Driscoll submits resignation to Trump Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has submitted his resignation to President Donald Trump, a senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News. The resignation remains pending and has not been accepted by the White House, the official said. According to The Wall Street Journal, Driscoll is expected to depart the Pentagon in the coming days.  The move also comes amid ongoing tension with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the outlet reported. This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a96006c2c5335ae104db0f2 Scott Brown Was a GOP Star. Will It Matter in the New Hampshire Senate Race? te 2026-08-31T22:30:04.806Z Scott Brown Was a GOP Star. Will It Matter in the New Hampshire Senate Race? Scott Brown is chasing the political limelight again with a seemingly improvised Senate campaign. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95fe1b2c5335ae104db0bb MIKE BENGERT: Are Scottsdale School Board Members Leaders Or Menzel Followers? te 2026-08-31T22:20:11.684Z MIKE BENGERT: Are Scottsdale School Board Members Leaders Or Menzel Followers? By Mike Bengert | At the June 23rd meeting, the three-member progressive majority of the Scottsdale Unified School District (SUDSD) Governing Board approved a $20,000 raise and contract extension for Dr. Menzel. His annual salary, not including stipends, bonuses, or other benefits, is now $245,000. Member Amy Carney voted no. Explaining her vote, she said: “My vote for extending the superintendent’s contract through 2029 is based on performance, accountability, and the financial realities facing our district. Scottsdale Unified School District continues to face significant challenges. Enrollments declined by approximately 6,000 students over the past decade, resulting in ongoing budget pressures and difficult decisions about closing and consolidating neighborhood schools. And at the same time, district academic performance indicators, including ACT scores, are still declining. This year, the superintendent received a lower evaluation score from the board than he received in previous years. Despite that decline, the board majority has approved both a salary increase and a three-year contract extension. I believe contract extensions should be earned through demonstrated results. When academic goals have not been met over a long span of time and a district is operating in a season of budget deficits, extending a contract is wrong. In most organizations, declining performance would not earn you additional compensation or a lengthened contract. Given those realities, I don’t believe giving our superintendent a raise or long-term contract extension is appropriate. My responsibility is to exercise sound stewardship of taxpayer dollars and hold district leadership accountable for results. So, for those reasons, my vote is a no.” With this statement, Member Carney again showed the principled leadership she has brought to the Board throughout her four years serving SUSD students and parents. For those who have been paying attention, this is not surprising. Over the years, Member Carney has consistently challenged Menzel’s radical and destructive policies. For the past four years, she and outgoing Member Werner were the only voices of reason and common sense on the Board. Despite attacks and ridicule from progressive members who backed Menzel, they refused to serve as rubber stamps and would not be silenced. Now let’s compare what the Menzel-aligned board members said about his new contract. Menzel’s Followers on His Leadership Explaining his vote to approve Menzel’s raise and contract extension, Member Pittinsky said in part: “I think under Dr. Menzel’s leadership, we’re in the midst of several critical initiatives, all of which are multi-year, and he deserves the opportunity and we need his leadership and his expertise to see them through.” According to Pittinsky, SUSD needs Menzel’s “leadership and expertise” to carry out “several critical initiatives,” including closing and consolidating schools. Yet those initiatives stem from actions Menzel took, with support from the Board majority, as part of his effort to disrupt and dismantle SUSD. Then came comments from Governing Board President Dr. Lewis, another public education expert and former superintendent of the year. Explaining her yes vote, Dr. Lewis said: “Menzel’s asked frequently to serve and guide other superintendents around the state and that’s a compliment and a badge of honor for this district.” She conveniently left out that Menzel is paid for his involvement in the Superintendents Collaborative Network with Grand Canyon University. Dr. Lewis went on to say: “I appreciate that he symbolizes who we are and what we’re about and is very in touch with some of the points of disagreement. And that takes a sophistication and complexity to weather while leaning in and taking the risk of leading.” I’m not sure exactly what this means, especially the last sentence. But since Lewis and the other Menzel supporters on the Board routinely approve what Menzel wants, one interpretation is that, if Menzel “symbolizes who we are and what we’re about,” they also support his effort to “disrupt and dismantle” SUSD. Menzel’s Followers on Enrollment Pittinsky continued: “I would point out that if you look at retention, which is the number of students who are in our schools that continue in our schools, every single year that Dr. Menzel has been superintendent, our enrollment has grown. We’ve had more than 100% of our students renew, which means we are attracting more students. Our enrollment trends are a function of starting kindergarten classes that are much smaller than graduating senior classes and that is largely a function of demographics. That is simple math.” To try and understand Pittinskys’ statements about retention and enrollment trends, I went to the  various presentations used by Menzel at the Board meetings. Member Pittinsky’s statement that enrollment has grown under Menzel is proven wrong by Menzel’s own chart. Go to the 4/29/25 Enrollment Planning Study Session, slide #10, and see for yourself. From 2021 (21,455) to 2024 (20,930) enrollment has declined every year for a total of 525 (-2.4%) students. If you extend it to include 2025 (19,722) (from District Financial & Enrollment Overview 10/28/2025, slide #4) during period 2021-2025 the total drop in enrollment is 1,733, with 1,208 of that reduction happening between 2024 and 2025 alone. During Menzel’s tenure as superintendent the 1,733 enrollment reduction represents 29% of the total 6,032 between 2010 and 2025. Again, using Menzel’s numbers, while SUSD enrollment was declining by 2.4% from 2021 to 2024, Great Hearts enrollment increased 5.6%. Must be demographics. Pittinsky is arguing that Menzel should not be blamed for declining enrollment because kindergarten classes are smaller than graduation senior classes, due in large part to demographics. Yes, the math is simple, but it has followed the same pattern since 2010, with kindergarten enrollment lower than the number of graduating seniors every year by an average of over 500 students. But in the last five years under Menzel, we have graduated an average of over 700 more seniors than kindergarten students. Explain again how we are attracting more students. Menzel’s Followers on Capture Rate During the February 11, 2025, board meeting, where the 2025-2026 budget was reviewed, Member Pittinsky commented that, due in part to demographics and the SUSD capture rate (currently 55%), the district would be “doing the same thing again in 12 months” without rethinking its expense structure. At the February 2025 meeting, Pittinsky viewed the district low capture rate as a problem, but apparently now he views it as a positive while trying to defend his vote to give Menzel a raise and contract extension, he says: “…if you look at our capture rate under Dr. Menzel, our capture rate has declined at the lowest rate of any of the recent superintendents.” So, according to Pittinsky, while the SUSD capture rate under Menzel is bad and is declining, it is not as bad as other SUSD superintendents. This is the same logic Menzel uses when he says SUSD academic performance may be bad, but we still lead the state, a state where overall academic performance is a disaster. I think this kind of logic is what they call spin. Menzel’s Followers on Academic Goals Pittinsky also notes that in this contract extension, the Board has set multi-year academic achievement goals for Menzel. But in his five years at SUSD, Menzel has not met a single academic goal. Why should this time be different? Goals may sound meaningful, but if they are repeatedly missed without consequences, they become little more than wasted time. Menzel’s Followers on the State of the District Pittinsky claims that according to surveys SUSD is a well-run district. Perhaps Pittinsky needs to review slides 30 and 31 from the 4/29/25 Enrollment Planning Study Session. Those exit surveys identified parents’ concerns about academic rigor, technology overuse, discipline and policy enforcement, bullying and safety, and dissatisfaction with school leadership. According to Arizona Auditor General, a “review of the District’s data indicates that the District may be moving toward the highest-risk category.”  The Auditor cites five areas at SUSD as high risk, including the change in weighted student count (-7.19% in 4 years), and four critical financial measures. You can review the details here Scottsdale Unified School District Approaching Highest Risk. The Scottsdale Unified School District Spending Report shows that the District FY2025 instructional spending percentage of 54.0% is near the 25-year low of 53.6% This story from March 2024 talks about the poor performance of 8th graders on the math testing with only 54% being proficient on the standardized math test. Look at the FY2025 8th grade math test scores on the Arizona Department of Education website here. You will see that only 49% of all 8th graders are proficient in math. Does this sound like a well-run district? Here is the bottom-line. This November we have a choice. We need principled leadership on the SUSD Governing Board. We can’t afford to elect another member with no ties to the district other than being a Menzel supporter. Do your homework. Mike Bengert is a husband, father, grandfather, and Scottsdale resident advocating for quality education in SUSD for over 30 years. The post MIKE BENGERT: Are Scottsdale School Board Members Leaders Or Menzel Followers? first appeared on AZ FREE NEWS. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95fe162c5335ae104db08a Navy unveils ‘MALICE’ missile built to strike enemy aircraft from extreme range te 2026-08-31T22:20:06.401Z Navy unveils ‘MALICE’ missile built to strike enemy aircraft from extreme range The U.S. Navy is developing a brand-new, extra-long-range missile designed to shoot down enemy aircraft before they can get close enough to threaten American fighter jets or aircraft carriers. The department announced the new weapon on Aug. 22, saying the next-generation AIM-424 LRAAM is nicknamed "MALICE." The weapon is designed to be fired from a jet to target enemy aircraft or drones at extreme distances in the air. In practice, American pilots will be able to detect an enemy on radar, launch the missile from extreme ranges and destroy the target before coming within close proximity to the enemy, potentially increasing the pilot's survivability. ARMY CONDUCTS FIRST OVERSEAS TEST OF 'HAMMER OF THE GODS' WEAPON-DISRUPTING SYSTEM "LRAAM sustains the Department’s first look, first shot, first kill advantage by providing our aviators greater reach, greater survivability, and greater tactical flexibility in the air-to-air fight," the Navy said. The missile is designed to increase the "range, lethality, and combat effectiveness for Marine and Naval aviation forces," officials added. EUROPE'S $116B FIGHTER JET 'FAILURE' RAISES FRESH DOUBTS ABOUT ABILITY TO DEFEND ITSELF WITHOUT US Its range is listed as "in excess" of 250 nautical miles, or roughly 287 statute miles. That is a massive distance for an air-to-air missile, allowing jets to protect an entire fleet from far over the horizon. At 13.5 feet long and weighing 1,500 pounds, the missile is significantly larger and heavier than standard medium-range air-to-air missiles. In comparison, the AIM-120 AMRAAM weighs about 335 pounds, underscoring the size of the propulsion system needed to propel the LRAAM to extreme distances. The missile is also equipped with a blast-fragmentation warhead, meaning it does not necessarily have to score a direct physical hit. Instead, it detonates near the target, sending fragments outward to destroy or disable the aircraft. Officials said the missile is compatible with aircraft across multiple generations, including fourth and fifth-generation fighters as well as future sixth-generation aircraft. The LRAAM is being developed by Raytheon, one of the U.S. military’s primary defense contractors. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95fe152c5335ae104db081 Rickey Jackson wins first Bassmaster Randy Moss Pro Football Hall of Fame Pro-Am on St. Lawrence River te 2026-08-31T22:20:05.521Z Rickey Jackson wins first Bassmaster Randy Moss Pro Football Hall of Fame Pro-Am on St. Lawrence River CLAYTON, NEW YORK — The first-ever Bassmaster Randy Moss Pro Football Hall of Fame Pro-Am wrapped Monday on the St. Lawrence River in Clayton, New York. And, surprisingly enough, it wasn’t Randy Moss who took home the trophy. The event paired eight Hall of Famers with eight Bassmaster Elite pros for a single day on the water. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE FROM OUTKICK OUTDOORS Here's how the football side of the field stacked up. Super Bowl XXIX champion linebacker Rickey Jackson, paired with two-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier John Garrett, won the whole thing with 21 pounds, 10 ounces. Jackson, a Pahokee, Fla., native who grew up around Lake Okeechobee, compared the win to the biggest stage he knows: "I mean, it's kind of like winning the Super Bowl." DENNY HAMLIN CHASES MONSTER LARGEMOUTH BASS IN TEXAS WITH BASSMASTER PRO CHRIS ZALDAIN Minus the free trip to Disney World, of course. Joe Thomas spent tournament week loudly promising a win and needling Randy Moss over the tournament bearing his name. "I would say these guys are trembling in their boots because I am by far the most experienced and talented of the bass fishermen here, pros included," Thomas (jokingly, we think) told OutKick Outdoors on the dock just before launch. "I mean, it's just a matter of when we collect our prize money and the trophy at this point. He and his partner, Jay Przekurat, nearly made good on the promise, too, finishing second at 21-5, just 5 ounces short of the win. Thomas kept the trash talk going all the way to the scale: "It would feel great to snatch that right from Randy Moss because he's been cheating a little bit... but as you can see, when you're from Wisconsin, you guys can cheat all you want, Randy Moss. The real fishermen are right here. We'll take care of it." Offensive lineman Kevin Mawae finished third at 20-6 alongside Robert Gee. Mawae turned out to be no stranger to the sport, revealing he lives near Toledo Bend Reservoir. It’s one of the top bass fisheries in the country, and he spends plenty of time there. EVAN KUNG WINS BASSMASTER ELITE AT ST. LAWRENCE RIVER IN A TOURNAMENT FOR THE RECORD BOOKS Asked if he was ready to join the pro tour, Mawae explained that he still needed three things: his wife’s blessing, sponsors and a boat. "You don't have to have a boat," he said. "But you gotta make sure you're friendly with a neighbor who does." Words of wisdom from the Hall of Famer there. Packers legend Dave Robinson, who won the first two Super Bowls under Vince Lombardi, finished fourth at 17-15 with 2024 Bassmaster Classic champion Justin Hamner. Robinson came into the week with tremendously low expectations for himself. When we asked him to rate his confidence ahead of the tournament, Robinson gave his own fishing skills a "negative two" out of 10. But he still predicted a win. On the water, Hamner revealed Robinson tried a creative approach to baiting his hook: "He had beef jerky on the hook. I don't know if that's cheating or not, but I just wanted to let y'all know." It didn't work — no fish were caught on the jerky — but it was worth a shot. Cornerback Ronde Barber and Elite pro Tucker Smith finished fifth at 16-14. When asked what position his partner could play in the NFL, Barber tasked him to cover Randy Moss. "He's going to play Nickelback next to me," Barber said. "He’s going to be my backup." Way, way, way back, B.A.S.S. emcee Dave Mercer noted. Robert Brazile, competing under his old NFL nickname "Doctor Doom" alongside partner Tyler Williams, finished sixth at 14-3. Together, they were "Doctor Doom and the Barefoot Bandit." If there’s ever been a better name for a fishing duo, we’ve certainly never heard it. Brazile leaned into his father's old fishing wisdom, explaining, "The best way to fish is to close your mouth." Which really just sounds like his dad wanted some peace and quiet on the water. Still, the advice stuck. "I never thought I could enjoy something more than football," Brazile concluded. "This is better than football." Fishing with 2025 Bassmaster Classic champion Easton Fothergill, Moss weighed in at 13-11, good for seventh place. Fothergill, who grew up in Minnesota idolizing Moss, said his partner held his own on the water, using forward-facing sonar to locate fish sitting 70 to 90 feet deep. Moss put this event together specifically to give his Hall of Fame brothers an experience he fell in love with roughly two decades ago. "I just wanted to team up, bring the two together, and see if we can put something on for years to come," Moss told OutKick Outdoors before the tournament. "This is the first annual, and I look forward to it." He described the event as a way to pull his fellow Hall of Famers out of the football-only orbit they usually share once a year at induction, and into something new. And the beauty of the St. Lawrence River in Clayton was an easy selling point. "Me being a country boy," Moss said, "just being around water just makes me feel at home." Megatron and Elite pro Brandon Palaniuk finished last as a team at 11-13 — but still walked away with the day's Phoenix Boats Big Bass award anyway, boating a 7-pound smallmouth. Johnson, ever humble about it, downplayed his own role. "I was just fishing today. I wasn't catching." It happens like that sometimes. But he did admit the day left an impression. "This is truly a one-of-a-kind experience for me," Johnson said. "I was talking to Brandon, I was like, 'Dang man, you got me thinking about getting a boat now.'" If Monday was any indication, Megatron won't be the only one. Moss set out to build something his fellow Hall of Famers would fall in love with the same way he did. And based on the reactions up and down the dock, it worked. Next year, something tells me there’ll be more than just eight teams. Love all things fishing and outdoors? Follow OutKick OutDoors on Instagram and TikTok! Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95fe122c5335ae104db056 A group funded by Andreessen, Horowitz, and Brockman plans data center ads to sway midterms te 2026-08-31T22:20:02.375Z A group funded by Andreessen, Horowitz, and Brockman plans data center ads to sway midterms Build American AI plans to lobby voters in select states about the virtues of data centers by spending millions of dollars on ads. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95fbc12c5335ae104db03c NAU ROUNDUP: Men's and women's cross country picked as Big Sky preseason favorites te 2026-08-31T22:10:09.789Z NAU ROUNDUP: Men's and women's cross country picked as Big Sky preseason favorites A look at news and results from NAU. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95fbc02c5335ae104db032 HCH Pet of the Week: Arbor te 2026-08-31T22:10:08.753Z HCH Pet of the Week: Arbor Meet Arbor, a handsome German Shepherd mix with a heart of gold, and a desire to trade in shelter life for a loving family. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95fbbf2c5335ae104db029 HCH Pet of the Week: Glitter te 2026-08-31T22:10:07.729Z HCH Pet of the Week: Glitter Hey, I'm Glitter, and I'm ready to sparkle in your home! I'm an 8-month-old brown and white mixed breed girl with plenty of growing room ahead — at nearly 35 pounds, I'm going to be a lovely medium-to-large companion. I'm… Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95fbbd2c5335ae104db000 Mel Gibson apologizes for mocking ASL interpreter, blames 'spontaneous thoughtless idiocy' te 2026-08-31T22:10:05.580Z Mel Gibson apologizes for mocking ASL interpreter, blames 'spontaneous thoughtless idiocy' Mel Gibson apologized Monday after video surfaced showing the actor mocking a sign language interpreter. Gibson, 70, waved at attendees at the Fan Expo Canada panel Saturday in Toronto, before appearing to jeer behind an American Sign Language (ASL) translator on stage at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. "Sometimes when you get pushed out on a stage in a spotlight your mind is all over the place, and sometimes spontaneous thoughtless idiocy is displayed," Gibson told Fox News Digital. 'RESURRECTION OF THE CHRIST' WRITER REVEALS MEL GIBSON'S DARK SPIRITUAL WARNING ABOUT 'PASSION' FOLLOW-UP "There was no intended maliciousness attached, and I certainly apologize to anyone who was upset by it." Backlash swiftly hit the Internet following Gibson's appearance in the Constitution Hall for his panel discussion, "From Braveheart to Mad Max: A Q&A with Mel Gibson." MEL GIBSON AND PARTNER ROSALIND ROSS QUIETLY SPLIT AFTER 9 YEARS TOGETHER "This choice is bonkers to me," one user wrote on X. "Interpreter just doing their job, people clapping for you, positive vibes ... Mel Gibson: makes fun of ASL interpreter for no reason at all. What dysfunction causes a brain to need to be casually cruel for no reason?" One user responded, "It’s dumb silly stupid and disrespectful sure. But why is it cruel? He’s a ten year old boy who never grew up trying to be funny." LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS "Always disappointing to see my language mocked," one user wrote on a since-deleted post. "We work hard to get our language recognized and be taken seriously." Some weren't as negatively impacted by Gibson's on-stage actions. In a video circulating online, one X user wrote, "I’ve seen tons of comedians do that. People are way too caught up in their feelings." Another user noted, "Least controversial Mel Gibson incident." Representatives for the expo did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Gibson confirmed at the event that he's actively editing and working on post-production for "The Resurrection of the Christ" in Toronto. GET ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR EMAIL BY CLICKING HERE In 2025, President Donald Trump announced three special envoys with the purpose of promoting business in Hollywood. "It is my honor to announce Jon Voight, Mel Gibson, and Sylvester Stallone, to be Special Ambassadors to a great but very troubled place, Hollywood, California," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. PUT YOUR ENTERTAINMENT KNOWLEDGE TO THE TEST AND SEE HOW YOU SCORE "They will serve as Special Envoys to me for the purpose of bringing Hollywood, which has lost much business over the last four years to Foreign Countries, BACK—BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!" He added, "These three very talented people will be my eyes and ears, and I will get done what they suggest. It will again be, like The United States of America itself, The Golden Age of Hollywood!" The "Mad Max" actor was "surprised" to find out about his new role, but admitted he is ready to help the administration in any way. "I got the tweet at the same time as all of you and was just as surprised," Gibson said in a statement to Fox News Digital at the time. "Nevertheless, I heed the call. My duty as a citizen is to give any help and insight I can. Any chance the position comes with an Ambassador’s residence?" Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95f9662c5335ae104daf9e Ms Rachel confronted on accusing Israel of 'genocide' in park interaction with podcaster te 2026-08-31T22:00:06.670Z Ms Rachel confronted on accusing Israel of 'genocide' in park interaction with podcaster Podcaster Avi Lichtschein confronted popular children's educator Ms. Rachel about her anti-Israel comments during an interaction at a neighborhood park, according to the Sunday episode of his show, "Depends on the Context." During the episode, Lichtschein described running into the YouTuber, whose real name is Rachel Griffin Accurso, while they were both taking their children to the park. After meeting her, he asked her why she was anti-Israel. Accurso reportedly told him that she was not anti-Israel, but anti-Israeli government and anti-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "I pushed back on this, and I said, 'That's absurd,'" Lichtschein said. "Saying you're anti-Netanyahu, but you're not anti-Israel? Netanyahu is the democratically elected leader of the sovereign nation. I think what [she does] is way beyond that." YOUTUBE STAR MS RACHEL GIVES FUNDS TO DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST MICHIGAN SENATE HOPEFUL ABDUL EL-SAYED Lichtschein said that Accurso also accused Israel of committing a "genocide" through its war with Hamas. "She said something along the lines of, 'Twenty thousand children have died. How is that not a genocide?'" Lichtschein said. "The answer is — and this is what I was trying to convey to her — genocide is not just a word for, like, a war. War is terrible. Again, Hamas started this war. Genocide is the specific accusation that [she's] hurling at the Jewish people, hurling at the state of Israel, and now it gives carte blanche to go open season on Jews literally around the world." Lichtschein added that Accurso repeatedly said that her "husband's father is Jewish" and that she supports the existence of a Jewish state. He informed her that she was "spreading blood libel" and that there was "blood on your hands" for her ignorance before she ultimately walked away. SCHOLAR CHALLENGES MS RACHEL’S GAZA MESSAGING AS ANTISEMITISM SURGES GLOBALLY Lichtschein then spoke to Accurso's husband on the matter, apologizing for upsetting her, though he did not take back his comments. "I wasn’t planning on changing her mind," Lichstein said. "I wanted to point out your words are creating a lot of damage and someone with an audience as enormous as hers has a responsibility to understand what happens downstream from the things that she says. I think that what she’s doing is motivated by compassion for children, but I think she’s very naïve and gullible and doesn’t realize what her actions are doing to the Jewish community at large, what her words are doing to the enemy of the Jewish people. What she’s doing is harmful." Fox News Digital reached out to Accurso for comment. YOUTUBE STAR MS RACHEL EMOTIONALLY APOLOGIZES FOR LIKING ANTISEMITIC COMMENT, SAYS IT WAS AN ACCIDENT In a statement to Fox News Digital, Lichtschein recalled that Accurso told him that she considers herself a "Zionist" akin to former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander. "The timing struck me because it was such a vivid example of the point I had been trying to make to Rachel. You may personally consider yourself a Zionist and may not intend your rhetoric to contribute to hostility toward Jews or Zionists, but when you have an enormous platform, you have to think seriously about what happens downstream from the rhetoric you amplify," Lichtschein said. He added, "I don’t think Rachel hates Jews, and I'm sure her advocacy comes from a place of genuine compassion for children. But when you have an audience as enormous as hers, you have a responsibility to understand the consequences of the claims you’re amplifying. That’s what I wanted her to hear." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95f4b72c5335ae104daf08 Hobbs keeps legal donors under wraps amid ‘pay-to-play’ probe te 2026-08-31T21:40:07.100Z Hobbs keeps legal donors under wraps amid ‘pay-to-play’ probe GLENDALE — Gov. Katie Hobbs says she won’t disclose who is helping to fund the legal costs she has incurred in investigations of whether she was involved in a “pay-to-play”... Subscribe Already a subscriber?  Login The post Hobbs keeps legal donors under wraps amid ‘pay-to-play’ probe first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95f4b52c5335ae104daee4 NYPD warns public to avoid Times Square amid officer-involved shooting te 2026-08-31T21:40:05.399Z NYPD warns public to avoid Times Square amid officer-involved shooting The NYPD urged people to avoid a busy Times Square intersection Monday afternoon as officers investigated a police-involved shooting. Police warned the public to avoid West 43rd Street and Seventh Avenue and expect delays in the surrounding area. The NYPD confirmed to Fox News Digital that a police-involved shooting had happened, but provided no additional details. A witness claimed on social media that a woman was "running around stabbing people." A video posted to social media showed a woman wielding what appeared to be a knife. She appeared to approach a group of police officers with the knife and was shot. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95f4b42c5335ae104daedb Kirk Herbstreit and his former gymnast wife have four boys thanks to handstands on the bed te 2026-08-31T21:40:04.242Z Kirk Herbstreit and his former gymnast wife have four boys thanks to handstands on the bed Kirk Herbstreit knows the secret to having boys, and it starts immediately after you and your lady enjoy some alone time. He and his former gymnast wife Alison Bulter have gone four-for-four implementing this method. It's worth a shot for all the girl dads out there who want to try one last time for a boy, isn't it? Unless, of course, this headstand on the bed that his wife would do is a coincidence, and they were always going to have boys anyway. There is a chance that's the case, but where's the sense of adventure in going along with headstands being a part of the process? Wouldn’t you much rather live in a world where a bunch of women are going upside down in bed with their feet in the air hoping it will bring them a boy? ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW! I know that's the kind of world I want to live in, and I'd like to think Herbstreit does too. He shared his bedroom secret for having boys during a recent appearance on Bussin' With the Boys. After being asked what his secret was, Herbstreit clarified that he was actually being asked about having boys specifically, then dove right into it. His wife had done some research on the subject, and apparently they didn’t want any girls, because they used the secret method for each of their four children, and they all ended up being boys. CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGE "Well, my wife, to be specific, my wife was a gymnast…," Herbstreit said: "When we would get done with, when we were done... she heard the male sperm were faster. She would do a handstand, she would go up on the bed, and we're four-for-four." He wasn’t sure about the length of time required for these boy-making headstands, but that didn’t matter to the hosts. They were convinced, as we can only hope a lot of others are, that Herbstreit had cracked the code. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95f25f2c5335ae104dae83 NYPD warns public to avoid Times Square amid reports of officer-involved shooting te 2026-08-31T21:30:07.675Z NYPD warns public to avoid Times Square amid reports of officer-involved shooting The NYPD urged people to avoid a busy Times Square intersection Monday afternoon as officers investigated an incident amid reports of an officer-involved shooting. Police warned the public to avoid West 43rd Street and Seventh Avenue and expect delays in the surrounding area. A witness claimed on social media that a woman was "running around stabbing people." A video posted to social media showed a woman wielding what appeared to be a knife. She appears to approach a group of police officers with the knife and is shot. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95f25c2c5335ae104dae6c U.S. Strikes May Have Targeted a New Type of Iranian Naval Mine te 2026-08-31T21:30:04.740Z U.S. Strikes May Have Targeted a New Type of Iranian Naval Mine The U.S. military said its attacks against Iran were in response to a threat to the Strait of Hormuz. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95f0072c5335ae104dae23 Bryan Kohberger's new lawyer says key questions may soon get answers in court te 2026-08-31T21:20:07.452Z Bryan Kohberger's new lawyer says key questions may soon get answers in court Bryan Kohberger's newest lawyer says upcoming filings and a potential evidentiary hearing will shed new light on the Idaho student murders case while their immediate legal fight concerns the constitutionality of the plea his client is attempting to withdraw. "We think the [amended] PCR and evidentiary hearing will naturally address some of the outstanding and unanswered questions," Jason Goldman, a New York-based attorney who is joining Kohberger's team, told Fox News Digital Monday. "That said, the main priority right now is to scrutinize the constitutional issues surrounding Bryan's plea." Kohberger, in a handwritten petition for post-conviction relief filed in July, told the court he had ineffective counsel, that his guilty plea was "not knowingly or voluntarily entered because it was induced by unkept promises" and that it was "not voluntarily entered because of threats asserted by petitioner's (Kohberger's) legal counsel." BRYAN KOHBERGER'S POST-CONVICTION RELIEF BID ENABLED BY FLAWED PLEA DEAL, PSYCHOLOGIST ARGUES "The circumstances surrounding Bryan's plea — and what occurred in the critical days leading up to it — deserve careful, independent judicial scrutiny," Goldman said. "Some of those circumstances are already part of the public record. Others are not." He also said that the support Kohberger receives from his family is part of why he agreed to join the case. BRYAN KOHBERGER'S MOTHER CALLED HIM 'MY ANGEL' AND INSISTED POLICE MADE A 'REALLY, REALLY BAD MISTAKE': BOOK "Most family and friends run for the hills when a loved one is quietly arrested, let alone charged with a highly-publicized murder," he said. "The unwavering support Bryan maintains speaks volumes."  Judge Steven Hippler set a Nov. 13 deadline for Kohberger's lawyers to file an amended petition which is expected to be written by attorneys and include more in-depth legal arguments than the handwritten petition Kohberger submitted in July. BRYAN KOHBERGER’S 2027 HEARING IS NOT GUARANTEED AS IDAHO SEEKS QUICK DISMISSAL Idaho defense attorney Greg Rauch was appointed to represent Kohberger last month. Goldman said he would be joining as out-of-state counsel but is not yet officially on the docket. Prosecutors have asked the judge to dismiss Kohberger's petition on numerous grounds, but Kohberger's lawyers filed a motion last week to have the judge removed from the case and to change the venue back to Moscow, Idaho, where the offices of Rauch and the Latah County Prosecuting Attorney are both located. Kohberger had previously sought a change of venue out of Latah County, where the murders took place, which landed him in front of Hippler in Ada County. FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X "The motion speaks for itself," Goldman said. "We must ensure that the serious constitutional questions at play are heard in a forum whose impartiality and neutrality cannot be questioned." SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST TRUE CRIME NEWS The motion, signed by Rauch, questions Hippler's impartiality, noting that he declined to give Kohberger's former defense team more time when they said they were not finished with discovery review weeks before trial. READ THE MOTION: Rauch also took issue with some of the language Hippler has since used to describe his client: "someone in whom the Court could identify nothing remaining that was 'good or intrinsically human.'" LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE Kohberger, 31, last year pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and a felony burglary charge for the 2022 stabbing deaths of University of Idaho students Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20. He did not give a motive. GOT A TIP? In a motion filed last week, Deputy Latah County Prosecuting Attorney Keith Scholl asked for a transcript of Kohberger's July 2, 2025, change of plea hearing, in which Kohberger's own words could be used to rebut the new claims in his petition. LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST Hippler set a Nov. 13 deadline — four years to the day after the murders — for Kohberger's legal team to file an amended petition and set aside two potential dates for a status conference and evidentiary hearing next year. KOHBERGER DEFENSE EXPERT WANTS HIS LAWYERS UNDER OATH AFTER KILLER CITES FINDINGS IN BID TO UNDO GUILTY PLEA Hearings on the recusal and venue motions could be held before then. "We will let the evidence and the filings speak in due course," Goldman told Fox News Digital. "Stay tuned." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95f0052c5335ae104dae0d Teen Charged With Murder After Livestreaming San Diego Mosque Shooting te 2026-08-31T21:20:05.357Z Teen Charged With Murder After Livestreaming San Diego Mosque Shooting The authorities said the 17-year-old from North Carolina had recorded the attack, which killed three people in May. “She ran with the pack — she shared in the kill,” the district attorney said. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95edb42c5335ae104dadd8 Judge calls Trump mail ballot rule ‘substantively unconstitutional’ as court battle extends te 2026-08-31T21:10:12.031Z Judge calls Trump mail ballot rule ‘substantively unconstitutional’ as court battle extends (Photo by Jim Small/Arizona Mirror) A Massachusetts federal judge on Monday declined the Trump administration’s request to overturn the temporary restraining order she signed last week that blocks the U.S. Postal Service from carrying out a rule placing new restrictions on mail-in voting. The 14-day order published Aug. 27 was not appealable, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani wrote in a brief order Monday. But even if the order could be appealed, the administration would lose on the merits, Talwani wrote.  “It is likely that the USPS lacked authority to issue the Final Rule and that the Final Rule is substantively unconstitutional and contrary to law,” she wrote. She dismissed the administration’s argument that the temporary restraining order came too close to Election Day as a “cynical interpretation” of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Aug. 24 decision that allowed President Donald Trump’s related executive order to move forward on procedural grounds. The high court found that Trump’s executive order, which directed the Postal Service to create the rule, could not be challenged until the rule itself was in place. It made no determination on the merits of the rule. “A Final Rule has now issued and, contrary to Defendants’ cynical interpretation, the Supreme Court has not endorsed the view that any challenge to the Final Rule is now too late,” Talwani, whom President Barack Obama appointed to the bench, wrote. She added that she disagreed with the USPS argument that the requirements of the rule, which would force states to overhaul their vote-by-mail systems ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections and to gain federal government approval of lists of voters who requested mail ballots, were “modest.” The administration is also fighting Democratic-led states and voting rights groups in the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals over Talwani’s temporary restraining order and in Talwani’s court over a longer pause of the final rule. Several Republican state attorneys general, representing Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota and Texas, joined the suit on the federal government’s side. The rule’s challengers say it is an inappropriate incursion of states’ power to administer elections, and would likely disenfranchise people who depend on mail ballots to vote.  Trump has long claimed, without evidence, and despite his personal use of the service, that mail voting enables election fraud.  The administration has said its rule is needed to ensure that noncitizens do not vote in federal elections, which studies have shown is rare. Trump issued the executive order March 31. States and voting rights groups immediately sued to stop it, but the legal battle heated up last week with the Supreme Court’s procedural decision on its emergency docket.  The states and groups challenging the law quickly refiled their lawsuits to reflect that the rule had been published Aug. 21. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95edb22c5335ae104dadbb Dad of third-grade girl in Massachusetts allegedly barged in on by trans student in bathroom calls for action te 2026-08-31T21:10:10.844Z Dad of third-grade girl in Massachusetts allegedly barged in on by trans student in bathroom calls for action The Massachusetts father of a third-grade girl who says his daughter was subjected to a disturbing bathroom incident involving a transgender classmate is not backing down from his fight with the school district. Luis Rivera, whose daughter attends Rochester Memorial School, has hired attorney Sam Whiting of the Massachusetts Liberty Legal Center after filing a federal Title IX complaint against the Old Rochester Regional School District in May. A letter filed by Whiting on Rivera’s behalf alleges that Rivera’s 9-year-old daughter was the victim of sex-based harassment after a transgender female classmate, who was born male, entered her bathroom stall. The letter also alleges that the student had previously watched female students use the bathroom, which Rivera and his attorney argue invaded their privacy and undermined their dignity. Rivera and his wife, Kerri, along with other parents, have repeatedly contacted Rochester Memorial School Principal Heidi Letendre about the transgender student’s use of the girls’ bathroom, according to the letter. WASHINGTON MOTHER SAYS SHE FOUND ADULT MALE SHOWERING IN WOMEN'S LOCKER ROOM DURING CHILDREN'S SWIM MEET "On numerous occasions, during this actual event, we reached out multiple times. And we were told by the principal that no boy is supposed to be in the bathroom. Then somewhere along the line, they changed their story," Rivera told Fox News Digital. Fox News Digital reached out to Letendre for comment. Rivera said he has attended every school committee meeting since the incident, joining other community members in pushing the district to change its bathroom policy. He also said he and his wife have decided to remove their daughter from the school for the upcoming school year. His daughter wrote a letter to President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump asking for help with the situation. "I feel scared to use the girls' bathroom," she wrote. WASHINGTON MOTHER PULLS CHILDREN FROM SCHOOL AFTER PRIDE LESSON SHOWN IN MUSIC CLASS WITHOUT NOTICE The dispute centers not only on the alleged incident involving Rivera’s daughter but also on the district’s interpretation of state and federal anti-discrimination laws, Whiting said. Massachusetts law prohibits discrimination against students based on protected characteristics, including gender identity, and bars schools from excluding students from "the advantages, privileges and courses of study" they offer. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education also says transgender students should have access to school facilities, including bathrooms, consistent with their gender identity. For now, however, the Old Rochester Regional School District does not appear to have plans to change its policy regarding transgender students. In a message to parents, Superintendent Michael Nelson said that, following a Title IX investigation, school staff and district administrators acted in compliance with the law. The decision, he said, was made by an independent decision maker following the complaint brought forward by the Rochester Memorial School parent. TRUMP ADMIN TARGETS WOKE SCHOOLS ACCUSED OF HIDING STUDENTS' GENDER TRANSITIONS FROM PARENTS In a written statement, Nelson said the district is bound by the Massachusetts laws. "Additionally, our schools adhere to the policies and procedures of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education," he said. "... We believe that we are bound by law and state education policy and that age-appropriate handling of student matters in a public school setting is best left to the professional educators who know how to do their jobs correctly and effectively," he said. He also noted that during this process, his educators and administrators have been subject to "innumerable explicit, angry and threatening communications," directly and indirectly through social media. Fox News Digital reached out directly to Nelson. Whiting said he and the parents involved are particularly disappointed by the superintendent’s response, which he claims downplayed the seriousness of the incident. According to Whiting, the response amounted to, "Oh, these things just happen between 9-year-olds… sometimes bathroom doors are unlocked and these things happen." PORTLAND PARENT BANNED FROM SCHOOL EVENTS AFTER OPPOSING GENDER IDENTITY ASSIGNMENT FILES LAWSUIT Whiting said he hopes the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights will investigate the complaint. "Ultimately, we hope they will find that the school district is in violation of Title IX and will refer the case to the Department of Justice for enforcement," he said. "School districts who violate Title IX can be at risk of losing their federal funds… We’re always hopeful they’ll do the right thing, but if they don’t, our plan is to try to get this in front of the proper authorities at the federal level." Rivera said the lack of what he considers meaningful action from the district has left him with no choice but to escalate the matter. "They haven’t taken any remedial action. And so that’s why we feel like we have to kind of bring this up to the higher authorities and the federal government," Rivera said. "There’s no transparency. There’s no accountability. It’s just they’re running around free, and they’re violating these girls’ privacy rights, because what happened to my daughter should have never happened if the policies were put into place." "And I have to deal with her emotional trauma behind this," Rivera added. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95edb12c5335ae104dadb2 Tips for your fantasy football draft: How to build a winning team without overthinking it te 2026-08-31T21:10:09.909Z Tips for your fantasy football draft: How to build a winning team without overthinking it It's that time of year again. You've read the rankings, listened to the podcasts, watched some preseason football and probably done at least one mock draft that completely fell apart by the fifth round (or you literally stopped paying attention after round three). You've got a strategy, and you're ready for your actual fantasy football draft. So, naturally, the guy in your league who hasn't done a second of research and shows up 10 minutes late asking, "Wait, Mike Evans is on the 49ers now?" is probably going to win the championship. That's fantasy football. There are hundreds, probably thousands, of fantasy football analysts on the internet, and many of them are very good at what they do. They'll tell you which running backs are undervalued, which rookie wide receivers are about to break out and which quarterback is being drafted three rounds too early. TIME TO FACE FACTS: FANTASY FOOTBALL PUNISHMENTS HAVE OFFICIALLY JUMPED THE SHARK IN 2026 Find an analyst whose opinion you trust. Better yet, find a few. That's not what we're doing here. Instead, I want to talk about general fantasy football draft strategy. I've been playing fantasy football for a long time, in a lot of different leagues with a lot of different people, and there are certain mistakes that people make over and over again. Avoiding a few of them won't guarantee you a championship. Nothing will. But it certainly won't hurt. Let's start with the most obvious one, because it's also one that people routinely screw up: know the rules. Sounds simple, right? Well, is your league full PPR, half-PPR or standard scoring? How many wide receivers start? How many flex spots are there? Is it a one-quarterback league or superflex? Are passing touchdowns worth four points or six? Do you get bonuses for long touchdowns or 100-yard games? How many bench spots does everyone have? How does the waiver/free agency system work after the draft? All of that matters. A player can have significantly more value in one scoring system than another. A league that starts three wide receivers and a flex puts a lot more pressure on wide receiver depth than one that starts two receivers. Superflex leagues push quarterbacks way up the board. So before you start obsessing over whether Player A should be ranked 37th or 41st, make sure you understand the game you're actually playing. And that includes roster rules. I've seen people get halfway through a draft before realizing the league adjusted the roster spots between seasons. I've seen people draft like they're playing standard scoring when receptions are worth a full point. Don't be that person. This is especially important if you're playing in multiple leagues. If the setup is different enough, an elite draft in one league might be a last-place roster in another. Honestly, just knowing the rules probably puts you ahead of at least one player in your league (but likely more than one). This is one of the most important parts of fantasy football drafting, and I don't think people talk about it nearly enough. Who are you playing against? There's a huge difference between a casual home league and a league filled with people who spend all summer studying fantasy football. Maybe you're in a league with 11 friends you've known since college. Three of them are really into fantasy football. Five pay attention once the calendar flips to September but not one day sooner. One guy still thinks it's 2022. Then there's Derek, who forgot the draft was today. Side note: definitely don't be this guy. There's nothing worse than those frantic phone calls to first locate "Derek" and then, if unsuccessful, calls to find a last-minute fill-in. Home leagues are a completely different environment from a competitive league where nearly everyone understands Average Draft Position (ADP), knows the depth charts and has already done 50 drafts. If that's your league, I'm not sure why you're reading my fantasy football advice in the first place. In a casual league, good players tend to fall further. There's often no reason to reach aggressively for someone just because you like him. There's a decent chance your league mates aren't even looking at the same players you are. Sharper leagues are different. Sleepers aren't really sleepers when everyone knows about them. A player you think is going to last another round might have six other people waiting to draft him. You also need to know the specific people in your league. Home leagues develop personalities over time. One guy always takes a quarterback early. Another drafts rookies like he's waiting for his shot to be an actual NFL GM (it's not going to happen, Kevin). Someone else has to get at least three players from his favorite team every year. Pay attention. NFL COACHES AND EXECUTIVES SAY PATRICK MAHOMES IS NO LONGER THE BEST QUARTERBACK IN THE NFL I live in Connecticut, and I've made this same point about NCAA Tournament pools. Filling out a bracket against a bunch of UConn fans is different because you already know UConn is probably going to be more popular in that pool than it would be nationally. Fantasy football works the same way. Drafting with a room full of Eagles fans? Philadelphia players probably aren't slipping very far. And after 10 or 15 years in the same home league, you probably know your friends' bad habits better than they do. In fact, they probably don't even realize their own bad habits. Now is the time to use that information against them. Are you drafting on ESPN? Yahoo? Sleeper? CBS? NFL? Or are you sitting in someone's garage with a giant draft board and a stack of stickers? Those are not the same drafts. Every fantasy platform has its own rankings and its own ADP. And whether people realize it or not, those rankings sitting on the screen have a huge influence on who gets drafted when. A player ranked near the top of the available list is going to attract attention. Maybe you're using rankings from an analyst who has a certain wide receiver ranked 45th overall. Great. But your league is drafting on a site where that player typically goes around No. 70. Why take him at 45? You might be right about the player. But the entire point is to get him as late as you reasonably can. That's why you need to check the site you're actually using. A player you have to grab in the sixth round on ESPN might still be sitting there in the eighth on Yahoo. And that's before you even get to live drafts. There isn't one universal list controlling the room when you're sitting around a table. One person has a printout from ESPN. Another has rankings from some fantasy analyst he follows. Someone is drafting off his phone. Then there's the guy who bought a fantasy magazine in an airport six weeks ago (this guy usually falls into the "Mike Evans plays for who?!" category). Good luck figuring out what he's going to do. Those drafts can get weird quickly, which is part of what makes them fun. This ties directly into the previous point. Rankings are your opinion, or somebody else's opinion, of how players should be valued. ADP tells you where people are actually taking them. You need to know both because that's how you're going to find value. Let's say you absolutely love a player and have him ranked 50th overall. His ADP is around 80. You have pick No. 52. Taking him there isn't necessarily wrong if you believe he's worth the pick. But what if you also select again at No. 69 (nice) and there's a very good chance he's still going to be available? Now you've got a decision to make. Fantasy football isn't just about identifying good players. It's also about figuring out how long you can afford to wait before somebody else takes them. Of course, ADP isn't some magical law that everyone has to follow. Players get picked ahead of ADP all the time, and sometimes that's the right move. Same thing with rankings. There isn't nearly enough certainty in fantasy football to pretend that the player ranked 42nd is definitely better than the player ranked 49th. They're probably pretty close. That's why tiers can be useful. You might have six wide receivers that you view almost identically who are all still available. Meanwhile, there's one running back left before you see a significant drop at the position. That matters a lot more than whether WR18 is technically ranked three spots ahead of RB17. It happens in almost every fantasy draft. Three quarterbacks go in quick succession. Then someone takes another one. Suddenly, a person who had absolutely no intention of drafting a quarterback starts thinking, "Oh no, I need to get one." Do you? Maybe. But it's also possible four people just helped you by taking quarterbacks while good players at other positions sat there. Obviously, you can't completely ignore a run. If the last quarterback you really like is sitting there and six have already gone, you might have to pull the trigger. But that's different from getting nervous because the room suddenly decided now is the time to grab QB1. There are drafts where jumping into the run makes sense. There are others where I'm perfectly happy watching everyone else do it and taking whatever good players they're leaving for me. This is called "board texture" if you're really into fantasy football, and I promise that's the last time I'm going to use a nerdy term like that. There's something satisfying about looking at your fantasy team during the draft and seeing every starting position filled. Quarterback? Got one. Running backs? Done. Wide receivers? Check. Tight end? Taken care of. Defense and kicker? Yep, got them, too. Great. Nobody gives you bonus points for that. Your goal isn't to be the first person in the league with a complete Week 1 starting lineup. You're trying to build a roster for an entire season. Maybe there's a tight end you like, but there are four others you'd be perfectly happy drafting later. Meanwhile, a running back you had ranked much higher than the rest of the board is still available even though you already have two running backs. I'm probably taking RB3 and dealing with tight end later. Obviously, this has limits. You can't completely ignore roster construction and just draft 14 running backs because they're the highest-ranked player every time you're on the clock. But I see people pass on good players all the time because they don't like seeing an empty spot next to "TE" or "QB" on the draft screen. Everyone loves sleepers. It's one of the best parts of fantasy football, and if you Google "fantasy football sleepers" you'll probably get 10,000 results. Why? Every analyst writes those articles because they know how many people are looking for that exact analysis. There's no better feeling than taking the guy no one in your league has even heard of and having him post a 1,000-yard, 10 TD season. Now you get to talk about what a football expert you are (but you're still not getting that GM gig, Kevin). The problem is that fantasy players sometimes get so excited about finding sleepers that they destroy the entire point of finding them. A player isn't much of a bargain if you draft him four rounds ahead of where anyone else was going to take him. Now, there's nothing wrong with reaching sometimes. In fact, you have to do it. Fantasy drafts don't let you select whenever you want. Maybe you pick 65th and don't pick again until 88th. There's a player with an ADP around 78 whom you really want. Take him. Waiting around for some perfect ADP value is a good way to watch the guy picking three spots behind you draft all the players you wanted. But taking someone 15 picks early because you know he won't make it back to you is different from taking someone 50 picks early because you watched two preseason highlights and fell in love. And, yes, maybe you really did find the next superstar. I'd still rather draft him later if I can. You can do 100 mock drafts before your real draft (but you shouldn't, because this is a major waste of time). It won't matter. Someone is going to take a player 25 picks earlier than expected. A player you've never seen fall past the fifth round is going to be sitting there in the seventh. You're going to have three players queued up for your next pick and watch all three come off the board right before you're on the clock. Welcome to fantasy football. This is why I never go into a draft thinking things like, "I'm definitely taking two running backs with my first two picks." Maybe that's how it works out. Then again, maybe the second round comes around and a receiver you never expected to see is sitting there. Same with waiting for a quarterback, taking an elite tight end early or any other draft strategy you decided on before the first team was even on the clock. Having a plan is smart. Just don't spend the entire draft trying to force the board to match the mock draft you did Tuesday night. I saved this one for last because I think people sometimes forget it. Fantasy football is supposed to be fun. Yes, we all want to win. Winning is a lot more fun than losing. And everything written above is designed to help you make better decisions during your draft. But you're also going to spend the next four months rooting for these players. You'll watch a random Monday Night Football game between two teams you don't care about because you need 11 points from your wide receiver (I'm looking at you, Falcons at Saints in Week 4). You'll spend Sunday afternoon checking your phone to see whether your running back got credit for a reception (c'mon, that wasn't a lateral; he definitely threw it forward!) You're going to care about these guys. So, if there's a player you really like, and you want him on your fantasy team, take him. Maybe it's your favorite player. Maybe you just really want to root for the guy this season. That's good enough for me. Take him. Does that mean you should take someone with a 10th-round ADP in the third round because you really like him? Probably not. But we're talking about fantasy football here, not managing your 401(k) (unless you're in a league where you're playing for the value of someone's 401(k), but again, you're probably not taking advice from me if that's the case). So pick a player a little earlier than ADP if you really want him. Who cares if some fantasy expert has another guy ranked two spots higher? Do your homework. Understand the room you're drafting in and try not to light value on fire for no reason. After that, get some players you actually like. You might even win the league. If you do, don't forget to tell everyone how good you are at fantasy football. And if you don't, blame injuries and bad luck. That's what everyone else does. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95edb02c5335ae104dada9 Kansas City Chiefs may have ruined Jack Pyburn's plan to make big money at LSU by giving him a job in the NFL te 2026-08-31T21:10:08.853Z Kansas City Chiefs may have ruined Jack Pyburn's plan to make big money at LSU by giving him a job in the NFL Folks who track such things last week were estimating that Jack Pyburn could make around $1 million in 2026 if he was cut by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and allowed to return to college at LSU. Except, well, the Kansas City Chiefs had other plans. The Chiefs on Monday afternoon claimed the linebacker off waivers from the Bucs, per the NFL waiver wire. That means Pyburn's NFL career continues as a member of the Chiefs' 53-man roster. NCAA CREATED THIS MESS, NOW LSU SET TO MAKE DAE’QUAN WRIGHT COLLEGE FOOTBALL’S FIRST NFL RETURNEE It also means Pyburn is seemingly headed for a pay cut by being in the NFL rather than back in college. Yes, crazy world. Pyburn's rookie salary is scheduled to be $885,000. And that is less than the $1 million he was expected to make in college. So we have reached the critical juncture where the NIL rules and countless court filings and rulings on eligibility have turned college football into something of a financial competitor for the NFL in the case of some players. MATT RHULE SOUNDS ALARM ON NFL RETURNEES, $45 MILLION ROSTERS AND COLLEGE FOOTBALL’S PAYROLL PROBLEM It's been that way before. There have been examples where quarterbacks forego their final years in college and the sizeable pay they might have earned in that season, and go to the NFL to take a financial shave. But that's quarterbacks. Stars. And it is their choice to start what promises to be a lucrative career longterm. Jack Pyburn? He was not drafted in April coming out of LSU. He played only one season there after playing at the University of Florida in 2023 and 2024. Pyburn played in 12 games with 11 starts at LSU and collected 52 tackles with 2 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss. That's nice. But that doesn't scream $1 million nice. NCAA WINS TENTH CIRCUIT 'STAY', BUT FACES MORE ELIGIBILITY LAWSUITS FROM 2022 CLASS ATHLETES IN CHAOTIC TIME And how did we get here? Pyburn was part of a lawsuit filed by more than 30 athletes in Louisiana that won a temporary restraining order allowing them to play in college in the 2026 academic year. Pyburn and other players meeting certain criteria who signed with or were drafted by NFL teams were allowed to return to school as long as they could terminate their pro contracts and repay any pro earnings. Pyburn was reportedly ready to do that with the Bucs because they were expected to cut him – as they eventually did. They had guaranteed him $115,000, including a $15,000 signing bonus. But now that contract is not terminated. It and the rights to Pyburn belong to the Chiefs. Pyburn, by the way, reportedly informed LSU that he is withdrawing his name from the ongoing eligibility lawsuit and will remain in the NFL – not that the Chiefs gave him a choice, really. FOLLOW ARMANDO SALGUERO ON X: @ARMANDOSALGUERO Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95edaf2c5335ae104dada0 Mom loses grip on daughter as passenger ferry capsizes with 20 people still missing te 2026-08-31T21:10:07.802Z Mom loses grip on daughter as passenger ferry capsizes with 20 people still missing A ferry carrying 267 passengers and crew capsized off the northern coast of Cyprus, leaving at least eight people dead and 20 others missing as search efforts continued Monday. The vessel was traveling from Kyrenia in northern Cyprus to the Turkish port of Tasucu when it began taking on water shortly after leaving port Sunday, according to Reuters. Survivors were rescued from the water and from the overturned ferry as nearby vessels and coast guard crews responded, Reuters reported. CRUISES THROWN INTO CHAOS AS DROUGHT STRANDS SHIPS, LEAVES PASSENGERS SCRAMBLING Among those still missing Monday were siblings Miray Bicer, 12, and Mehmet Asaf Bicer, 6, who had been visiting Cyprus with their family, the outlet reported.  Their mother, Ayten Bicer, described the struggle to hold onto her daughter as the vessel overturned. "She was saying, 'Don't let go,'" Bicer told Reuters. "And I didn't let go of my daughter. I swear, I didn't let her go." A suitcase fell on Bicer during the chaos, causing her to lose her grip on the girl.  She managed to grab her daughter's foot, but said oil from the vessel made the area slippery and the child slipped away. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER Officials raised the number of people considered missing from 18 to 20 on Monday after checking passenger records against the list of survivors, according to Reuters. The search has also been complicated by the location of the wreckage, which lies in water more than 1,600 feet deep. Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman said a ship from Turkey equipped to assist with work on the seabed was expected to arrive on Tuesday, Reuters reported.  It remained unclear whether anyone was trapped inside the sunken ferry. Authorities have also begun investigating what may have caused the vessel to sink. CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES Nine people connected to the ferry's operations were detained as part of the investigation, according to Reuters. Authorities said the vessel had a valid seaworthiness certificate. Questions also remain about the conditions at the time of the disaster. Northern Cyprus Prime Minister Unal Ustel said the ferry encountered adverse weather and began taking on water about 15 minutes after departure, according to the Associated Press (AP).  TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ Erhurman, however, said weather conditions "were not bad" and cautioned against speculating about the cause of the sinking, the outlet reported. The internationally recognized government of Cyprus also offered to provide assistance with the search-and-rescue operation, according to AP. Reuters and The Associated Press contributed reporting. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95edae2c5335ae104dad97 Matthew Berry details how he reported Tom Brady signing with Tampa Bay while drunk at a bar with team official te 2026-08-31T21:10:06.688Z Matthew Berry details how he reported Tom Brady signing with Tampa Bay while drunk at a bar with team official Do you remember who first reported that Tom Brady would join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020? Matthew Berry thought about the question for a brief moment before remembering. "Oh, I believe it was me," he told OutKick. For context, Brady announced his departure from the New England Patriots weeks before signing with Tampa Bay. At the time, his rumored destinations included the Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders and Indianapolis Colts. No one had mentioned the Buccaneers. MATTHEW BERRY DISCUSSES WHETHER HE'D HIRE DIANNA RUSSINI FOR HIS BUDDING FANTASY FOOTBALL EMPIRE Then, after the NFL Combine, Berry wrote in his annual rumors column that he would bet on Brady heading to Tampa. He told OutKick he was quite confident about his prediction at the time. "I won’t give away my source, but I will tell you how I came across the information. I was at the NFL Combine, and it was about 2 a.m., and I was in a bar. I met somebody who worked for the Buccaneers organization," he explained. "We were drinking for an hour and were hammered. This particular person tells me, ‘I think we have a shot at Brady.’ And I’m like, ‘No, you don’t.’" Berry added: "And this person tells me, ‘No, man. We worked him out. We’ve had conversations with him. We think it’s down to us and, I think he said, the Raiders. He goes, Gisele wants a South Florida team to make it easier for her to get home, to fly out of a Florida airport." As they continued drinking, Berry realized the person was, in fact, serious. "The more he talked, the more convinced this person sounded. I thought, ‘Well, okay.’ These are things that I hear drunk in a bar." MATTHEW BERRY HAS HAD TALKS WITH ESPN ABOUT A RETURN, FOLLOWING PAT MCAFEE MODEL As I mentioned to Berry during the conversation, I remember reading his report and asking an NFL insider about it. The insider said they had not heard that. Fans and media were also skeptical that a fantasy football guru, rather than a traditional insider, would have the correct information about one of the biggest transactions in NFL history. Later that night, the insider texted me back: "Berry is onto something." Brady eventually signed with Tampa Bay and led the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl victory in his first season there. The takeaway is obvious. For those who want to break major NFL stories, the real information is not obtained at journalism school, but while drunk in a bar at 2 a.m. Berry appreciated that we asked him about the scoop. "No one has ever brought that up before. Thank you." You can watch OutKick's full interview with Matthew Berry on YouTube here. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95eb552c5335ae104dad35 Bessent Claims Canada Is Too Small to Fight a Trade War te 2026-08-31T21:00:05.457Z Bessent Claims Canada Is Too Small to Fight a Trade War At gathering of G20 finance ministers, the Treasury secretary accused Canada’s prime minister of starting a “political shouting match” over U.S. trade policies. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95e9182c5335ae104dad01 ASU tennis alum Desirae Krawczyk a leading voice beyond the lines te 2026-08-31T20:50:32.641Z ASU tennis alum Desirae Krawczyk a leading voice beyond the lines PHOENIX – At 18, a talented and effervescent Desirae Krawczyk was ready to commit to a college tennis career. But first, she had one thing to share with Arizona State University women’s tennis coach Sheila McInerney.  “I did play a prank on her,” Krawczyk said. “I called Sheila and I just said, ‘I really liked ASU, but I think I’m going to, you know, go somewhere else.’ “And she was so like, ‘You know, that’s all right. It’s great. I’m glad you enjoyed your time here,’” Krawczyk said of her coach’s immediate reaction. Krawczyk responded with “just kidding” and committed to her top choice of ASU in the same conversation.  “I was like, you know what? She’s going to have her hands full with me,” Krawczyk said. “So I’m just going to start with this one before I even get to school.” Fourteen years later, McInerney still speaks fondly of the four years she spent coaching Krawczyk. McInerney sends texts to Krawczyk after watching every one of her professional matches. “She’s always got energy, she’s always fun and she’s a risk taker,” McInerney said. Desirae Krawczyk defeated the No. 1 ranked player in the nation in back-to-back seasons at ASU, and she also reached the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 singles championship in 2016. (Photo courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics) Krawczyk’s latest risk was the rollout of her joint podcast venture, “The Player’s Box,” at the 2025 U.S. Open. “It was the quickest launch ever, fastest launch ever,” Krawczyk said. “We joke about it all the time because it took us about a week.” She co-hosts with Jessica Pegula, Jenny Brady and Madison Keys, two Grand Slam singles finalists and an Australian Open champion, respectively.  “We wanted people to have a glimpse into our group chat, basically, and just into our lives and what we think,” Krawczyk said.  Coming up on the podcast’s one-year anniversary and heading into the 2026 U.S. Open in Queens, the podcast has 45,900 subscribers on YouTube. It’s quite a feat for an athlete who wasn’t always comfortable voicing her opinion publicly. “I remember as a college freshman, she hated to give speeches,” McInerney said.  While at ASU from 2012-16, Krawczyk played singles and doubles. In her senior season, she was ranked No. 34 nationally in singles, earning All-America honors.  “She was just a really, really good kid,” McInerney said. “Qnd then she was actually a very good tennis player, too, so we were lucky.” Desirae Krawczyk (second from right) poses with former ASU coaches Sheila McInerney (left) and Matt Langley (right) at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, following her 2021 U.S. Open mixed doubles championship win. (Photo courtesy of Sheila McInerney) Krawczyk joined the WTA tour after graduating, a move that came with certain adjustments following her illustrious college career.  “We would have three girls staying in one room, four girls staying in one room because it’s so expensive,” Krawczyk said. “You want to limit costs because at that point you don’t have a coach because that’s such an added expense and you kind of just want to go out there and just see how you do to start off with.” In those early years she became known as a doubles specialist, no longer entering tournaments to play singles.  She won her first mixed doubles Grand Slam title in 2021 at the French Open. Krawczyk said when she and her partner Joe Salisbury made the quarterfinals, he initially thought about pulling out after he lost in men’s doubles.  “He was kind of like, ‘Oh, I kind of want to go back and prep for the grass season,’” Krawczyk said. “He ended up staying. He was like, ‘You know what? We agreed to play, so let’s just stay in and play.’ And I was like, ‘OK, thank God.’” She won back-to-back-to-back mixed doubles Grand Slam titles that summer.  “We ended up playing my partner that I played with in the French in the finals of Wimbledon, literally three weeks later and we won,” Krawczyk said.  Later that summer, Salisbury and Krawczyk again held the trophy at the U.S. Open. “We were there for that,” McInerney said, “so it was a thrill for sure.” Krawczyk was only the seventh player in the Open era to win three-of-the-four mixed doubles Grand Slam titles in a season. View this post on Instagram Despite their own levels of tennis success, the hosts of “The Player’s Box” podcast don’t insist on pomp and circumstance. They began premiering episodes without proper audio equipment and still often record in hotel rooms at odd hours.   “It’s not very tennis-focused as other podcasts are, but we kind of just keep it lighthearted,” Krawczyk said. They offer food reviews from the cities they visit around the world, and they begin every episode by each sharing their ‘unforced error’ of the week.  The episode that premiered in the middle of the Cincinnati Open, the Masters 1000 tournament in August that precedes the U.S. Open, featured the following unforced errors: Brady thought her Uber driver was going to fall asleep and failed to engage in a conversation with him after being brushed off. A canceled flight from Toronto to Cincinnati for Krawczyk led to her getting a car transport to Buffalo, then picking up a rental car that she drove eight hours to Ohio.  Keys shared that four times in a row at the grocery store she knocked into shelving, causing merchandise to scatter onto the floor. Other patrons even made comments to her about the clumsiness. Pegula had two anecdotes she would not share on camera but talked about an uncapped lid when she went to shake her bottle, resulting in liquid all over herself.   The group picks the most egregious story as the week’s winner.  “I think people think that we make it up, but we really do not make this stuff up, like it just happens,” Krawczyk said.  Even though they giggle with each other over the mishaps, Krawczyk is candid about how much work the tour requires, including navigating typical travel nightmares. “I will say I am my own travel agent, so that is something that has gotten better over time,” Krawczyk said. “I’ve definitely booked the wrong flights.” Krawczyk has more fans than ever before. She even has Pokémon cards with her face on them. “We had one of our fans make what I think is the coolest gift,”  Krawczyk said in the episode before her Cincinnati travel issues.  View this post on Instagram “If you listen to the podcast, Madison and Jenny Brady will say Des is the one that’s going to go out there, she’s riding her bike through Paris and she’s going to do the escape room,” McInerney said. The attack move listed on Her Explorer Pokémon card ‘leads the opponent astray, steering them off track of victory.’  “It’s so different,” McInerney said. “I think just the tone of how they talk about things is so fun. You can’t get that when they’re talking to the press.”  As a doubles player, Krawczyk isn’t required to talk to the press at tournaments as singles players are required to do.  “You have to know what to say, what not to say, and I’m learning to speak more in communications – which I probably shouldn’t have skipped that class in college,” Krawczyk said. “I’ve learned so much from how to do media or press about certain things.” The U.S. Open has changed its mixed doubles tournament to favor top singles players pairing up for shortened matches that take place the week before the official tournament begins. It has kept Krawczyk out of the draw for the past two years.  The women’s doubles tournament begins Sept. 3. Krawczyk has partnered with Storm Hunter from Australia. The draw takes place Tuesday. Serena and Venus Williams will also be playing together. The post ASU tennis alum Desirae Krawczyk a leading voice beyond the lines appeared first on Cronkite News. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95e6b22c5335ae104dac84 Vance unloads on El-Sayed after Usha swipe with brutal warning: 'Way out of your league' te 2026-08-31T20:40:18.137Z Vance unloads on El-Sayed after Usha swipe with brutal warning: 'Way out of your league' Vice President JD Vance urged Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed during a rally on Monday to focus on substantive policy issues instead of attacking his wife. "I actually think that the people of Michigan think it's kind of weird when you talk about another guy's wife," Vance said at a metro Detroit rally organized by MAGA Inc., a super PAC aligned with the president. "I think the people of Michigan would like you to talk about the public policy ideas …I think the people of Michigan would like you to talk about how you're going to protect auto workers when you're supporting every single policy that has undercut the wages and jobs of Michigan auto workers your entire life in public service." EL-SAYED UNDER FIRE ONLINE AFTER TAKING AIM AT USHA VANCE, FEMALE TRUMP AIDE IN WEEKEND SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS "But whatever you want to talk about, Abdul, keep my wife's name the hell out of your mouth because she's way out of your league," the vice president added. Vance's quip was in response to El-Sayed saying "do we think JD is taking Usha with him back in time to meet Papaw, or no" after the vice president suggested that Sharia law would have been an alien concept to his grandfather.  Critics said the post appeared to take aim at Usha Vance’s Indian heritage. El-Sayed later said his point was that Vance seemed to be suggesting some people are "more American" than others because their families have been in the country longer, noting that Vance’s own in-laws are immigrants. "If you’re a rural White American living in Michigan, just remember El-Sayed believes you’re a racist," conservative commentator Ryan Girdusky said in response to the Democratic hopeful’s statement. SECOND LADY USHA VANCE FIRES BACK AT POINTED JAB FROM DEMOCRATIC SENATE NOMINEE ABDUL EL-SAYED Earlier in his speech, Vance accused El-Sayed of undercutting his support for working people by taking liberal positions on immigration issues. "We're here to talk about protecting Michigan truck drivers, but also protecting the safety of every single person who drives on the road with a semi truck, which is all of us," Vance said. "Here's the crazy thing. Just a few years ago, Abdul El-Sayed said that we need to make sure that illegal aliens have driver's licenses in this country. He would love to undercut the wages of American truckers." TRUMP ADMIN INVESTIGATING 75 TRUCK DRIVER SCHOOLS FOR FRAUD, HELPING NON-CITIZENS GET LICENSES In 2018, El-Sayed expressed support for allowing illegal immigrants to obtain standard driver's licenses, though he did not specifically push for those in the country illegally to receive the commercial driver's licenses necessary to operate long-haul trucks. While Vance and El-Sayed differ in their approaches to immigration, the two both agree, in principle, that tariffs should be used to benefit American industry. The El-Sayed campaign did not respond to a request for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Monday. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95e6af2c5335ae104dac7b Lionel Richie hospitalized in St. Louis after summer of health scares and canceled concerts te 2026-08-31T20:40:15.005Z Lionel Richie hospitalized in St. Louis after summer of health scares and canceled concerts Lionel Richie was hospitalized Monday in St. Louis after a concert stop over the weekend at The Muny in Forest Park. Circumstances surrounding his hospitalization were not immediately known. Richie, 77, suffered a number of health scares over the summer, which forced him to cancel a string of shows. LIONEL RICHIE REASSURES FANS HE IS 'DOING WELL' AFTER DIZZY SPELL FORCED CONCERT CANCELLATIONS "Thank you for every message, every kind word, and for all your love," he wrote online in July. "I’m doing well, and I’m grateful for all of you." GET ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR EMAIL BY CLICKING HERE One week prior, Richie was forced to postpone shows from falling "dizzy" during his tour-opener in Minnesota. The United Center announced at the time that Richie's scheduled concerts in Chicago, and Columbus, Ohio, would no longer take place due to doctors' orders. JON BON JOVI ABRUPTLY ENDS MADISON SQUARE GARDEN SHOW AFTER HEALTH SETBACK "Under advisement by doctors to rest and return to full health, Lionel Richie has postponed his next two shows," the Instagram post read in part. "Lionel is heartbroken to postpone these two shows and cannot wait to be back performing for his fans." LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS A St. Paul Fire Department public information officer confirmed to Fox News Digital last month that an individual was "transported from Grand Casino Arena late on June 24, 2026, to a local hospital by Saint Paul Fire-EMS." The "American Idol" judge was nearly an hour into his concert at the Grand Casino Arena when fans noticed a change in Richie. PUT YOUR ENTERTAINMENT KNOWLEDGE TO THE TEST AND SEE HOW YOU SCORE While performing his upbeat classic "Dancing on the Ceiling," Richie paused and took a seat on a platform before later revealing to the crowd that he was feeling lightheaded, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune. "When you're feeling dizzy, sit your a-- down," he joked. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95e6a72c5335ae104dac67 Supreme Court Allows Trump’s White House Ballroom Construction te 2026-08-31T20:40:07.233Z Supreme Court Allows Trump’s White House Ballroom Construction Lower-court rulings would have blocked construction of the 90,000-square-foot ballroom after finding that the Trump administration should have first sought approval from Congress. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95e45c2c5335ae104dac1c Carrie Underwood honors Dolly Parton's faith and legacy during emotional concert tribute te 2026-08-31T20:30:20.802Z Carrie Underwood honors Dolly Parton's faith and legacy during emotional concert tribute Carrie Underwood admitted Dolly Parton's death was a shock that created ripples throughout the world. The "American Idol" judge was overcome with emotion as she honored the late country music icon during her debut performance Saturday at the Tanglewood Music Center in Lenox, Mass. Underwood, 43, told her audience that Parton was a "huge influence to so many of us, but just one of the nicest people I think I've ever met." DOLLY PARTON LAID TO REST AS NIECE SHARES EMOTIONAL TRIBUTE TO 'GRANNY' "It was such a shock, I feel like just the whole world, like could feel the ripples, like time just stood still, and it was just like... what?" Underwood said in a video circulating online. "She's just the one that transcends all space and all time." DOLLY PARTON'S PATH FROM NASHVILLE NEWCOMER TO BILLBOARD'S NO. 1 COUNTRY MUSIC ARTIST OF ALL TIME She added, "I feel like she was just out there with the brightest smile on her face up until the very last day... and that's something that I feel like we can all learn from. She is gone, but she's not forgotten." LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS With one finger pointed up toward the sky, Underwood said, "I know where she is, and I know how much she loved Jesus." The "Jesus Take the Wheel" singer asked the audience to take out their phones and "light this place up" in honor of Dolly before dedicating "See You Again" to the late country legend. Underwood recognized Parton's longtime devotion to her faith while remembering Dolly on social media following her death. DOLLY PARTON'S LIFE IN HER OWN WORDS: FROM SMOKY MOUNTAINS POVERTY TO COUNTRY MUSIC IMMORTALITY "She’s not gone. I know exactly where she is," Underwood wrote on Instagram last week. "She was the epitome of faith, grace, talent, beauty and humor. She had a humble heart for Jesus and made everyone around her feel special. GET ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR EMAIL BY CLICKING HERE "She was probably the one person on planet Earth that everyone loved and could agree on. She was a one of one and no one will ever come close. It’s alright to be sad that this world lost a legend, but heaven gained an angel. Well done, good and faithful Dolly. Welcome home." Parton died peacefully in Nashville, Tenn., on Tuesday following a brief battle with cancer, according to a press release. She was surrounded by loved ones at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. "Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched," her team said in a statement. "Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand." PUT YOUR ENTERTAINMENT KNOWLEDGE TO THE TEST AND SEE HOW YOU SCORE They added, "Whether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly’s unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact." Beyond music, Parton built a business empire in her home state of Tennessee, with Dollywood becoming one of the state’s most popular attractions. Her charitable work through the Dollywood Foundation and Imagination Library also left an indelible mark on many. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95e4592c5335ae104dac13 Trump's White House ballroom construction gets another lifeline from SCOTUS amid heated legal fight te 2026-08-31T20:30:17.608Z Trump's White House ballroom construction gets another lifeline from SCOTUS amid heated legal fight The Supreme Court has again sided with the Trump administration, allowing construction on the White House ballroom project to continue while the case continues to be litigated in the lower courts. This is a breaking news story. Check back for details. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95e44f2c5335ae104dabed FTC accuses Amazon of running a ‘secret ad surcharge scheme’ in new lawsuit te 2026-08-31T20:30:07.068Z FTC accuses Amazon of running a ‘secret ad surcharge scheme’ in new lawsuit Amazon is facing a new lawsuit from the FTC and 22 states for allegedly secretly charging businesses more for advertising. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95e2192c5335ae104dabc5 Gas prices Aug 31 te 2026-08-31T20:20:41.183Z Gas prices Aug 31 National average: $4.08 Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95e20a2c5335ae104dab97 Trump's Canada tariff fight reaches critical point as House GOP summons trade chief te 2026-08-31T20:20:26.534Z Trump's Canada tariff fight reaches critical point as House GOP summons trade chief FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump's top trade advisor will huddle with House Republicans on Wednesday as the commander-in-chief's tariff strategy is quickly becoming a flashpoint on the campaign trail. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is attending the Republican Study Committee's weekly lunch this week, a source familiar with planning told Fox News Digital. Two additional sources told Fox News Digital they expect lawmakers to raise the issue of Trump's trade war with Canada. VANCE SAYS CANADA FRIENDLIER TO CHINA ON TRADE THAN TO US: 'INSANITY' It comes as tensions escalate between the U.S. and its northern ally. Trump accused Ontario of ripping off American businesses in a post on Truth Social Sunday, claiming Canada wants "to be treated like a state, but they aren't one." ‘CAPTAIN CANADA’ FIREBRAND UNLOADS ON TRUMP WITH PROFANE ONE-LINER AS TRADE WAR ESCALATES "They’ve been ripping us off for decades, and it’s going to stop," Trump wrote. The U.S. imposed a 50% tariff on a range of Canadian goods in late July, with the duties going into effect earlier this month. Canada responded with its own tariffs of up to 50% on U.S. imports. TRUMP JUST EXPANDED HIS TARIFF PLAYBOOK WITH A POWERFUL TRADE WEAPON NO PRESIDENT HAS EVER USED Trump also escalated tensions with the country this month by signing an executive order to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America." It's not clear when the meeting between Greer and RSC was planned, nor is it clear if Fox News Digital's sources expect questions or outright opposition to the trade war. But Trump's tariffs have been a political lightning rod for much of his second term. The House passed a bill in February aimed at reversing Trump's earlier Canada tariffs, with six Republicans voting in support. Just one Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, voted against it. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95e2002c5335ae104dab84 Kalshi Suspends Republican House Candidate for Betting on Her Own Race te 2026-08-31T20:20:16.152Z Kalshi Suspends Republican House Candidate for Betting on Her Own Race The trading platform Kalshi issued a three-year suspension to the candidate, Laurie Buckhout, and fined her nearly $2,600. Ms. Buckhout said she had made a “dumb mistake.” Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95e1f92c5335ae104dab6a The Pentagon now has its own version of ChatGPT and Grok te 2026-08-31T20:20:09.832Z The Pentagon now has its own version of ChatGPT and Grok Versions of OpenAI's ChatGPT and SpaceXAI's Grok will join Google's Gemini on the Pentagon's central portal for AI tools. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95dfbc2c5335ae104dab05 Putting death row in the rear view mirror: Debra Milke finds her purpose as a ‘survivor’ te 2026-08-31T20:10:36.049Z Putting death row in the rear view mirror: Debra Milke finds her purpose as a ‘survivor’ Debra Milke in August 2026. (Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy/Arizona Mirror) Thirteen years after she was released from Death Row, Debra Milke was in Phoenix to comfort a friend who is ill. Milke, 62, had been gone for a long while, trying to escape what her therapist called the source of her pain: Arizona. And though she still feels that drag of depression every day when she wakes up, she forces herself to look to the future, not the past. “Why do you think the windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror?’” her husband asks her. “You’ve got to start looking out the windshield instead of the rearview mirror.” GET THE MORNING HEADLINES. SUBSCRIBE In December 1989, Milke was arrested and charged with arranging the murder of her four-year old son, Christopher. It was that year’s crime of the century, a pre-internet, pre-social media Jodi-Arias-OJ-Simpson-kind of case. She was the demon with an angel’s face, the cold and calculating beauty whose small son was in the way of a vixen’s agenda, the woman who had confessed to inducing two men to take the boy out to the desert and shoot him in the head when he thought he was going to the mall to see Santa Claus.  Except the only evidence against her was the word of a crooked cop.  She denied having anything to do with the crime. And as for the supposed confession, there was no recording of it. There were no witnesses. There was no typed confession statement for her to sign. The cop in question had a reputation for lying in court, violating Miranda rules and extracting confessions from people who were unconscious on hospital gurneys.  Furthermore, the two co-defendants, who were also sent to death row, refused to testify against her.  No matter. She was convicted by a jury anyway and sentenced to death by a judge. It took 25 years for any court to pay attention to the police and prosecutor misconduct in her case. But when one did, it did so resoundingly. The 9th U.S. District Court of Appeals threw out the sentence and the conviction with scathing orders to either retry Milke or set her free.  Over the protests of then-Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery, a judge let her out on bail. Then the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled that retrying Milke would be tantamount to double jeopardy. Her ankle monitor was cut off. She went free.  But people still claimed she had got away with murder, after spending 25 years behind bars — the legal definition of a life sentence — for a crime she didn’t commit. She was 25 when she was arrested and 50 when she was released. Exactly half of her life had been spent in solitary confinement, locked in a cell the size of a bathroom. Still, she looked forward. “She is the strongest, most resilient person I have ever known,” said Lori Voepel, one of the attorneys who orchestrated Milke’s exoneration. They became fast friends. Milke is now her bookkeeper and does paralegal work for her. “She’s my hero to be able to withstand everything she went through.” “She didn’t get to grieve her son’s death,” Voepel said. “She couldn’t go to her mom’s funeral. She has taken an unimaginable trauma and horrific circumstances that would have debilitated anyone, and she has turned that into a way to educate people on wrongful conviction and the death penalty.” When Milke met with the Arizona Mirror earlier this month, she had just returned from Paris, where she had addressed the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty. She has spoken to the United Nations International Women’s Conference. She talks to prosecutorial organizations, law students and police cadets. She is on staff for Witness to Innocence, a lobby and support group for death row exonerees, founded by another Arizona exoneree, Ray Krone and Sister Helen Prejean, the Catholic nun and activist who wrote the book “Dead Man Walking.” “You’d be surprised how many people don’t know that wrongful convictions happen,” Milke said. “They think the state gets it right all the time, and it’s not true.” Of course, speaking about her past means looking in the rearview mirror instead of through the windshield. “When I speak, I’m always going back. But it’s a healing thing to share,” she said. “I thought my therapist was crazy when she suggested I speak. She said, ‘No, it’s very therapeutic and healing,’ and it is.” THE CONFESSION Milke was born Debra Jean Sadeik in Germany in 1964 to a German mother and a U.S. serviceman. By the time her sister, Sandy, was born two years later, the family had moved to the U.S., and then did the usual military family relocations until settling in Phoenix. She graduated from Cortez High School and attended community college, and then went to work for American Express and later for insurance companies. While on a girl’s night out at a biker bar, she met Mark Milke and fell in love. They married, against her parents’ wishes. At age 21, she gave birth to Christopher. But things did not go well. Debra did not succeed in changing the bad boy. Mark Milke succumbed to drug and alcohol abuse, doing at least two stints in prison, and he was abusive to Debra and Christopher. She moved out after two years, eventually divorced him and they battled over custody and visitation, with Debra bouncing from one living situation to another, sometimes living with Sandy and Sandy’s young son, sometimes with Mark Milke’s mother. After a final confrontation with Mark, she turned to a man that she and Sandy thought they knew well from their apartment complex, Jim Styers, and Debra rented a bedroom in his apartment. Styers was older than Debra and Sandy, a disabled Vietnam vet with a young daughter about Christopher’s age who lived with him. He went to church three times a week and sometimes took Christopher with him. And he was a reliable babysitter. So, on that December day in 1989 when he said he was going to the mall and Christopher asked if he could go along to see Santa Claus, there was no apparent reason for Debra Milke to say no. Milke’s prospects were looking up. She had a new job at an insurance company where she hoped to train to be an underwriter. She had signed a lease for her own apartment, which she planned to move into after the holidays. And she had lined up daycare for Christopher. There was a pile of Christmas presents for him hidden under her bed. Then Styers called her from the mall and said that Christopher had disappeared while Styers was in the rest room. Milke went into a panic. Police were called, and Milke sat by the phone, waiting for Christopher to call. She had made him memorize the phone number in case he had to call in an emergency. The day dragged on, and her stepmother came to pick her up so that she could spend the night at her father’s place in Florence to wait out the search. Styers told his story to the security guards at the mall and to the police. He was with a friend, Roger Scott, a man Milke disliked. The police thought their stories were hinky. One of the cops leaned on Scott, and he confessed they had taken the boy to the desert on the pretext of hunting for snakes and shot him in the head. He took police up to the site off Happy Valley Road, which was open desert then, and they found the body. On the way to the site, Scott intimated that the boy’s mother was in on the plan. “The day Christopher was reported missing was an emotional day for me,” Milke remembers. “There was a lot going on. The police were at the apartment. I was talking to so many police detectives, and I was anxious and worried and feeling every emotion you can think of. And I was exhausted. My stepmother came down to Phoenix from Florence to be there, but we weren’t getting anywhere. There was no word. Nothing. So my stepmother suggested,’Why don’t you come down to Dad’s and get some rest?’ I didn’t really want to go, but the police told me they’d notify me as soon as they heard something, and that they thought it was a good idea for me to go be with my family. So, we went to Florence.” When she was summoned to the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, she thought she was going to get news of Christopher’s whereabouts, possibly even be reunited with him.  Phoenix Police Detective Armando Saldate had flown to Florence in a police helicopter. He walked into the room where Milke was waiting, sat down at a desk, shuffled some papers, and then announced that Christopher was dead and she was under arrest. Milke became hysterical. Saldate read her the Miranda rights —the right to remain silent, the right to an attorney — and she said she wanted a lawyer. He ignored her and pounded away with questions for the next 30 minutes. When he finished with her, he got her into the backseat of a police car with him and they were driven to jail in downtown Phoenix. Reporters were waiting. Only later did she realize she had supposedly confessed. Saldate was known as a “closer.” He was quoted at the time as saying he didn’t believe in tape recorders because they got in the way of the truth. There was no recording of the interview. There were no witnesses to the confession, even though there were other Phoenix Police officers present at the Sheriff’s office. There was no typed confession to be signed. Saldate claimed he destroyed his notes after he typed up his report. According to the “confession,” Debra Milke wanted her son killed to keep him from growing up and being like his father. When she said, “God, I just wanted to take care of him,” Saldate twisted it to “I want God to take care of him.” Both Styers and Scott refused to testify. And though both were eventually sentenced to death, to this day it is uncertain which of them actually shot the boy. Saldate on the stand said that Milke had pretended to cry but he thought she was faking it. Milke remained stoic during the trial, partly because she had been sedated, and partly on the advice of her attorneys. It fit two common scenarios: the defendant was hysterical, she was faking it, so she’s guilty, or the defendant remained cold and unfeeling, so she’s guilty. Prosecutor Noel Levy based his case on Saldate’s word. Levy also allowed the jury to listen to a tape recording Saldate had made while interviewing Debra’s sister, Sandy. In it, Saldate alleged that Debra had exposed herself to him and propositioned him. The tape had not been played in the courtroom. But after hearing it in the jury room, the jury voted unanimously to convict Milke of first-degree murder. The judge sentenced her to death. DEATH’S WAITING ROOM Debra Milke was greeted on her arrival at Perryville prison with shouts of “baby killer.” At that time, death row prisoners were kept in solitary confinement, and she was the only woman with that designation in Arizona. A second woman was later sentenced to death for a 1996 murder but had her sentence reduced in 2002.  Milke waited out her appeals. She almost didn’t last. In January 1998, after an appeal was denied, the Arizona Supreme Court issued a warrant for her execution. Prison employees even took her from her cell to do an execution rehearsal, and she came within 17 days of being put to death before the U.S. District Court for Arizona issued a stay of execution. A third woman, Wendi Andriano, was sentenced to death for a 2007 murder, and she was housed in a cell next to Debra. To communicate, they had to lay on the floors of their cells and talk through the air vent. “After we became vent partners, I was able to convince her to go outside with me,” Andriano, who remains on Death Row, told the Mirror in an email. “It was the only time we could actually have a conversation while making eye contact. I found her to be very damaged by her imprisonment. She had bonds with a few people on the outside and did her best to maintain her normalcy and not become ‘prison.’ Some people conform to prison standards. She did not. She didn’t gossip or share war stories, preferring to focus on sharing current events or some scientific discovery from her magazines. We loved reading the Oprah magazine. We learned so much about trauma and healing from the Oprah show and the Dr. Phil show. To this day, she sends me wonderful books about healing the wounded soul.    “After learning she could trust me, she shared with me about her visitor. Officers and inmates alike would whisper about the hauntings from past suicides and murders. While Debbie was asleep, she would sometimes feel a touch on her shoulder. That would have sent me running and banging on the door, but she knew, deep down, it was Christopher. What their unspoken conversations were, I will never know, but he brought her peace. This I know.” Milke would also have dreams in which Christopher was calling out to her for help and she couldn’t get to him. “I never got to know what really happened to Christopher,” she said. “I never got to know that. I had to come to terms with that.” But she persevered. “Suicide never crossed my mind, for two reasons,” she said. “First, I’m the biggest baby — I wouldn’t want to do something that would hurt. And if you take a bunch of pills, you may be successful, but you may not be successful, and then you’re a vegetable. No. 2, I was determined to see this through, because I knew Saldate lied, and I had nothing to do with this crime. I wasn’t just going to give up, because then that would have meant that they won.”  The appeals process took 23 years. Even though attorneys had amassed at least eight other cases where Saldate had lied or had invented confessions, the Arizona Supreme Court and a U.S. District Court judge ignored them and let the sentence and the conviction stand. They also turned up two instances in which Saldate had demanded sex from women in exchange for leniency. Debra Milke and Lori Voepel in August 2026. (Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy/Arizona Mirror) Voepel and her co-counsel, Mike Kimerer, came on board as Debra’s attorneys in 2001. Voepel argued the case before the 9th Circuit, and on March 13, 2013, the court issued its opinion.  Chief Judge Alex Kozinski was irate. “This is a disturbing case,” he wrote. “There’s no physical evidence linking Debra Milke to the crime, and she has maintained her innocence since the day she was arrested. Neither of the men who actually did the killing testified against Milke. Roger Scott refused to testify because his ‘testimony would not be what he felt was the truth.’ After spending many years on death row, James Styers continued to insist that ‘Debbie had nothing to do with it and thats [sic] the truth.’ The only evidence linking Milke to the murder of her son is the word of Detective Armando Saldate, Jr. — a police officer with a long history of misconduct that includes lying under oath as well as accepting sexual favors in exchange for leniency and lying about it.” “Could the people of Arizona feel confident in taking Milke’s life when the only thread on which her conviction hangs is the word of a policeman with a record of dishonesty and disrespect for the law?” he continued. “Bad cops, and those who tolerate them, put all of us in an untenable position.” Milke was released from prison, and a Superior Court judge granted her bond. Her attorneys spirited her away from the media. Sue Stodola, who was a mitigation specialist in death penalty cases, remembers serving Milke a vegetarian sandwich and Milke bursting into tears at the taste of fresh avocado. This is what I wrote for The Arizona Republic after Milke showed up for court while out of custody for the first time: “Debra Milke walked through the hallways of Maricopa County Superior Court with the uncertain step of a sleepwalker. She pressed her back into a corner of the elevator as it filled with people, her eyes big, her expression tentative, looking, in effect, like a person who had spent the last nearly 24 years in a cell and was now walking free.” Montgomery, the county attorney, was intent on sending her back to prison. He offered a plea deal and a ticket off death row to Roger Scott, who turned down the offer. He tried to get Saldate back on the stand, but he also refused. He appealed to the Arizona Supreme Court and lost. In March 2015, the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled that double jeopardy would attach, and the charges were dropped completely. I interviewed Milke that August at a house in the West Valley where she was staying. She was trying hard to acclimate to life outside prison. She had started by going out her back door, a step or two farther from the house each time. And by walking down the street, first with friends, adjusting to crowds in the supermarket, the people on their phones, the kids running around and chattering. It was not all negative. “I’ll tell you a story,” Milke said in an interview for this story. “I was grocery shopping right by my house, and I bought all these vegetables and fruit — all the things that you really can’t eat in prison. So, I’m putting it all on the conveyor belt, and the cashier says, ‘Well, this is definitely a lot healthier than prison food.’ And I looked at her, and she smiled and said, ‘I’m so happy for you that you got out.’” WITNESS TO INNOCENCE Milke met me for lunch recently at a Central Phoenix restaurant. She waited outside with her back to the building. “I’m not going to come into a crowded place and sit and wait,” she said.  She told of how she once went to a restaurant with her nephew, a veteran of the Iraq war who was afflicted with PTSD. They both headed for the same seat at the table, she so she could see who came in and he so he could see the way out. She still has a list of triggers. “Prison was so disgusting,” she said. “I just can’t be in a dirty place. Some things just remind me of prison.” “Kids with their parents in a store, begging for this, wanting that, throwing a fit. Those are all things my son used to do.” Cops give her flashbacks to Saldate’s interrogation, a trigger pulled when she spoke to a roomful of police cadets in uniform. Official records show that a person has been convicted, not that they have been exonerated. So there have been other problems: Background checks when she was trying to rent an apartment. Fingerprinting when she was applying for a job. When she worked as a paralegal in Florida, her employer ran her name through the system and had a big surprise. “When people are released from death row, they’re just kind of kicked out,” Milke said. “There you go, fend for yourself. If you committed a crime and got released on parole, you’d have all these resources available. But not from death row. Exonerees? There’s nothing. You’re on your own. They don’t have the resources to help us, so we just have to figure it out.” Kimmerer, one of her attorneys, hired her to do office work, and that lasted until COVID closed offices in 2020. Help came from elsewhere. (Kimmerer has since passed away.) When Milke was first released, she was contacted by Ray Krone, who told her about an organization called Witness to Innocence, an organization of death row “survivors,” as they call themselves. She turned him down, thinking it would drag up everything she was trying to forget. For relief, she would get in her car and drive, trying to be anywhere but Arizona. A year later, Krone’s wife reached out to her and convinced her to attend a “gathering” of more than 100 exonerees in Cincinnati. It was a pleasant shock to her. Krone had been falsely convicted of murdering a bartender in 1992. He was branded “the Snaggletooth Killer” because his front teeth were crooked, and Noel Levy, the same prosecutor who tried Milke’s case, based his argument on junk science findings that Krone’s teeth matched bite marks on the victim’s body. He spent 10 years in prison — two on death row — until he was cleared by DNA. Krone was the 100th death row exoneree in the country, and Sister Helen Prejean asked him to help start Witness to Innocence in 2005. “We were healing ourselves as a group and needed to get out and share our stories,” Krone told the Mirror.  They weren’t looking for forgiveness. “Forgiveness is what you do for yourself,” Krone said, quoting Prejean. The organization lobbies on behalf of death row exonerees, offers emergency help and other services. Milke met her current husband — also an exoneree — at a Witness to Innocence gathering and moved with him to Florida. “Oh my God: peace just overcame me,” she said. “For the first time in over 20 years, I felt at peace.” Witness to Innocence had hired professionals to teach the speakers how to condense and present their stories. So she started giving talks on their behalf. “Debra is requested a lot,” said Herman Lindsey, the organization’s executive director, who is also an exoneree. She talks to prosecutor groups and police officers, law students and others. “I was nervous the first time,” she said. “But I thought, you know what? These prosecutors need to hear this. So, I never go in wanting to lecture. I don’t go in angry, because I’m not like that. I just want them to know what happened to me, and just make them aware of how important it is that they have somebody’s life in their hands when they bring somebody to trial. “I get it that you want to prosecute criminals,” she continued. “I’m for that. But you’ve got to have your facts. Don’t just try to get a conviction because you get an award or something. That’s not right. You didn’t go to law school to become corrupt. You go to law school because you want to make a difference. At least that’s what a lot of law students tell me. So, never once have I had a bad reception. I was really surprised. In fact, I’ve had prosecutors come up and thank me for sharing my story.” Witness to Innocence then brought her on staff as administrative assistant, which she calls being a bookkeeper.  And she found family. When she was arrested, her father gave up on her and decided she must be guilty because the police said she was. He died before events could prove otherwise. Her mother, who stuck by her, died shortly after she was released, but Milke was unable to attend her funeral in Switzerland. Her sister, Sandy, was long estranged, and has since died as well.  But her sister’s son was born five weeks after Milke’s son, Christopher, which made him 41 now. “He grew up thinking he had this evil aunt,” Milke said, “that I was a spawn of the devil. So, when I got out, he was 28. My friend said, ‘Would you like me to look him up on Facebook?’ And I said ‘yeah.’ I didn’t even know what Facebook was. I wanted to see what he looked like. So, she found him, and then she said, ‘Would you like me to see if he wants to meet you?’ I was a little nervous, but I thought the worst had already happened to me. “So, my friend reached out and said, ‘I’m very good friends with your aunt, would you like to meet her?’ And he wrote back and said, ‘Hell yeah!’ “I was shocked. “And when I met him, I just started crying. This tall guy with a hairy face at my door; the last time I’d seen him he was four. It was very emotional. He told me a bunch about how he grew up, and I filled in a lot of holes for him, answered a lot of his questions. “He called me on Mother’s Day one time. He said, ‘I know you’re my aunt, and I’m really sorry that you lost your son.’ He doesn’t remember Christopher. He said, ‘I wish you were my mother. But at least I love you as my aunt.’” YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE. SUPPORT Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95dfb52c5335ae104daabe New report exposes intact Iranian bunker that may hide regime's ongoing nuclear work te 2026-08-31T20:10:29.431Z New report exposes intact Iranian bunker that may hide regime's ongoing nuclear work A new report from a leading think tank has revealed what it says is a partially submerged Iranian uranium facility at the Natanz nuclear compound in Iran. The revelation of the secretive facility raises new concerns over whether Iran’s nuclear weapons apparatus was destroyed during the two American-Israeli-launched wars against the regime in 2025 and 2026. The Washington, D.C.-based Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) announced in late August that it has located an underground Iranian facility that is likely linked to uranium enrichment for the possible use in production of atomic weapons. EXPERTS ‘DEEPLY’ CONCERNED OVER IRAN’S WORK AT UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR SITE It wrote that "The facility does not appear to have been targeted in the military actions of either 2025 or 2026. Since the June 2025 war, no vehicle activity has been observed at the facility in available satellite imagery." According to the institute, "The Institute has identified a separately enclosed, partially below-ground, bunkered building at the Natanz Nuclear Complex that was likely intended to serve as uranium hexafluoride… storage facility to support large-scale uranium enrichment at the Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant. The bunkered structure was constructed between 2010 and 2017, with the bulk of construction occurring between 2015 and 2017." It further added that "The lesson for today is that any temporary enrichment ban must include a dismantlement and dissolution of remaining capabilities and must not allow for any type of preparatory activity for the end of a ban." IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL HINGES ON IAEA ACCESS TO LONG-BLOCKED ATOMIC WEAPON SITES, EXPERTS SAY Uranium is the crucial material to produce atomic weapons. Iran’s regime is vehemently opposed to the Trump administration’s demands that it stop enriching uranium and hand over its already enriched uranium. According to another report by the Institute for Science and International Security in April," From December 2024 to June 2025, a half-year period, Iran almost doubled its stock of 60% enriched uranium to 440 kilograms. This action dramatically increased suspicion that Iran was moving toward a decision to build nuclear weapons, significantly shortening timelines to be able to create a nuclear arsenal with up to ten nuclear weapons." The U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran’s vast nuclear weapons facility during Operation Midnight Hammer in June 2025 significantly set back Iran’s ability to produce atomic weapons and enrich uranium. OBAMA-ERA INSPECTION FLAWS IN IRAN COULD PERSIST AS EXPERTS WARN OF NUCLEAR BLIND SPOTS Jason Brodsky, policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), told Fox News Digital that "The report assesses the structure at the Natanz nuclear facility was not targeted during Operations Midnight Hammer and Epic Fury. This raises questions as to why the U.S. and Israel did not target the site. Given that Iran is not allowing IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] inspections of bombed facilities, in contravention of its NPT [Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons]obligations, this will require Washington and Jerusalem to rely on their own intelligence estimates as to this bunkered building." Brodsky added, "If it is still intact and can accommodate this kind of enrichment activity, the site should be destroyed in any future strikes. The allowance of such a facility under the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] demonstrates the flaws of the agreement — permitting Iran to retain an industrial scale enrichment program following the sunsets of various provisions — and underscores why zero enrichment in Iran has to continue to be the international demand." When asked about the facility and if the IAEA plans to inspect it, Fredrik Dahl, a spokesman for the IAEA, told Fox News Digital, that "The building you are referring to is well-known to the Agency as part of the Natanz site that the IAEA regularly inspected prior to mid-2025." Asked about the report, Anna Kelly, a White House spokeswoman, told Fox News Digital that "First, Iran’s nuclear facilities were totally obliterated during Operation Midnight Hammer. Now, Operation Economic Outcast is severing every remaining economic lifeline sustaining the Islamic Republic of Iran. President Trump has been clear that Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon, and America is entering the endgame with the single greatest financial offensive ever mounted against an adversary." Successive U.S. administrations have repeatedly designated the Islamic Republic of Iran since the 1980s as a leading state-sponsor of terrorism. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s announcement last week that the U.S. imposed the economic equivalent of the military campaign that defeated Nazi Germany on the Islamic Republic of Iran could set off a series of events leading to the dissolution of the nearly 47-year-old dictatorship in Tehran, according to experts. Bessent’s declaration of economic warfare — formally designated Operation Economic Outcast — follows President Trump’s commitment to launch an "economic D-Day" against the clerical regime. The comprehensive U.S. economic pressure point campaign also aims to isolate the regime with respect to its efforts to rebuild its nuclear weapons facility. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95dfa32c5335ae104daa26 Spotlight's third hub links Tucsonans to civic power te 2026-08-31T20:10:11.266Z Spotlight's third hub links Tucsonans to civic power Tucson Spotlight's third resource hub is here: Civic Participation. It connects residents with the organizations and government offices shaping decisions across Tucson and Southern Arizona, from voter registration and advocacy groups to city, county, and town offices where those decisions actually get made. This follows our Basic Needs hub, connecting residents to food, shelter, and health resources, and our Immigration hub, linking residents to legal aid and humanitarian support. Civic Participation is the third of five hubs growing out of our Information Ecosystem Assessment, and Community Development and Education are still to come. You can explore the Civic Participation hub map here, read more about our IEA findings here, and stay tuned for details about our resource fair, planned for this fall. Let us know what you think through our short survey. Your feedback shapes what we build next. Know an organization or resource that should be on this map? Let us know. 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/6a95dd4a2c5335ae104da5e0 110 Trucking Schools Closed for English-Language Lapses te 2026-08-31T20:00:10.925Z 110 Trucking Schools Closed for English-Language Lapses Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who has targeted truckers in the country illegally, said the schools certified drivers later found to lack proficiency. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95d8b12c5335ae104da542 Texas learns the hard way not to mock Florida high school football, Lindsey Vonn stuns & USC's poor showing! te 2026-08-31T19:40:33.807Z Texas learns the hard way not to mock Florida high school football, Lindsey Vonn stuns & USC's poor showing! 'Nightcaps' is a daily column that catches you up on the biggest sports, news and culture stories you may have missed while pretending to do work at your desk. It runs Monday–Friday on OutKick.com. Final day of August, folks. This is it. At 12:01, we officially begin the 'Ber months — otherwise known as the greatest stretch on the sports calendar. Forget sports ... it's the greatest stretch on the calendar, period. September. October. November. December. Four of the best months of the year, staring us right in our fat faces. How lucky are we? We got our college football appetizer on Saturday, and it starts in full this week. We get NFL next Wednesday (!!!). We have a three-day weekend coming up. Fantasy football drafts are in full swing. The WNBA is taking the next three weeks off. Again, who has it better than us? Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas. Unreal stretch coming up. Strap in and hold on tight. We're in for a wild little ride. Welcome to a Monday Nightcaps — the one where a Texas high school football team learns the hard way not to disrespect the great state of Florida. This was never, ever going to end well. What else? I've got Lindsey Vonn smashing tennis balls and dominating in a green dress, my Red Sox got embarrassed over the weekend, and let's talk about that USC crowd from Saturday afternoon. It was pathetic, and for those screaming about it being a blowout Week 0 game, I've got some highlights out of South Dakota to show you. Give me a break. Grab you something tall and strong — but please don't make it a hurricane (we're entering PEAK time down here) — and settle in for a final-Monday-of-August 'Cap! Obviously, the end of August and beginning of the 'Ber months hit just a bit different down here in Florida. Case in point: We're currently spending the week monitoring 'Dolly,' which is, unfortunately, the next named storm on the list. Looks like we're just gonna get some possible rain remnants from her later this week, which is fine. Not the best, given it's rained all summer where I am, but better than the alternative. But it is a reminder that this is the time of year where the H-words really get active. This is a 'hold-your-breath' month for Floridians. Let's keep our heads down and eyes on the prize, folks. Let's GRIND. OK, let's get this class going by staying this great state and checking out last Friday's big national game between DeSoto (Texas) and St. Thomas Aquinas down in Fort Lauderdale: Hilarious. St. Thomas, by the way, has won seven straight state championships. They've been a Florida powerhouse since I was in school, and that was a long time ago. USC FOOTBALL RIPPED FOR PATHETIC CROWD AT HOME OPENER: 'ABSOLUTELY EMBARRASSING' There's always been this debate surrounding high school football ... which state produces the best talent? It's either Florida, Georgia, Texas or California. Those are the Big Four. I'd throw in Tennessee as well. Obviously, I'm biased. Duh. I live and breathe Florida. We have the greatest governor in the world, had no clue COVID was happening, and have so much leftover money in the budget we're about to nix property taxes (kinda). I played high school football down here. I covered it for years. I don't think it's particularly close. Don't poke the bear like that, DeSoto! Dumb decision. They went down, 38-0, in the first half and the second half took 15 minutes because there was a running clock. It Just Means More down here! You know where it doesn't mean more ... or, frankly, anything? Southern California: Goodness gracious. I know it was San Jose State, but come on. That's just pathetic. It was so bad, by the way, that USC felt the need to issue a STATEMENT on the attendance: "We understand the factors that impacted Saturday’s attendance," USC said, via USA Today. "We have high expectations and a premier home schedule this season, and we know the competitive advantage an electric Coliseum atmosphere can provide our program. We thank our fans who showed up Saturday and look forward to seeing increased attendance the rest of the season." Factors? What factors? The heat? It was 92 degrees. Give me a break. CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGE And no, I don't want to hear the "it was San Jose State!" argument. That's so weak. Guess who South Dakota State played on Saturday? The Stetson Hatters — otherwise known as, quite possibly, the worst team in all of college football. I know this, because I spent many years in DeLand. The Jackrabbits, a nationally ranked FCS team, were a 49.5 point favorite. I know this, because I hammered that and it was the easiest win I've ever had. They won 70-7. LOOK at this crowd for that game Saturday night: Spare me, USC. Don't bulls–t a bullsh–tter. OK, let's rapid-fire this Monday class into a big Monday night. First up? My Red Sox got embarrassed in New York this weekend, losing a winnable series, 3-1, because they chose to basically punt in two of the games. It was a disgrace, and the bellyaching from Red Sox Twitter today has been even worse. Everyone is complaining about this 'no catch' call from yesterday afternoon, which basically turned a 0-0 game on its head: I thought it was a catch in real time, and thought it was a catch after the replay. But, it was ruled a no-catch on the field, and they were never overturning that — especially at Yankee Stadium. But the whining and complaining afterwards was a sight to behold, and I'm a Red Sox fan! It got so bad, the Red Sox radio team started telling our crappy pitchers to start hitting their crappy players. Seriously: Good God. It's so pathetic. I like Will Middlebrooks. I don't particularly love Will Flemming. This was just insane to hear. Hey, fellas — it's Red Sox/Yankees. This was the biggest game of the year. Quit whining about the stupid catch, quit whining about Jazz stealing third, and maybe start talking about how the Red Sox were a complete no-show all weekend long. You're either the hunter or the hunted, and the Red Sox laid three eggs in the biggest series of the year and then whined about it for five innings yesterday. Grow up and start worrying more about not sucking in Yankee Stadium. You're gonna be back there in a month. Figure it out. Whew. OK, I needed to get that off my chest. Appreciate everyone allowing me to do so. Let's cool down with Lindsey Vonn on the way out. And, of course, let's have a big week. Was it a catch? Email me at Zach.Dean@OutKick.com. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95d8a62c5335ae104da531 DOJ Issues Grand Jury Subpoena to James Comey Confidant Daniel Richman te 2026-08-31T19:40:22.212Z DOJ Issues Grand Jury Subpoena to James Comey Confidant Daniel Richman The subpoena of Daniel C. Richman is the latest move in a persistent campaign to go after James B. Comey, one of President Trump’s most reviled political adversaries who has already been indicted twice. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95d8a02c5335ae104da518 Apply now to host a Side Event at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 te 2026-08-31T19:40:16.723Z Apply now to host a Side Event at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 Apply before September 4 to be a part of the TechCrunch Disrupt community by hosting your own Side Event. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95d8992c5335ae104da50e Rio Nuevo may pull support for stalled Friedman Block te 2026-08-31T19:40:09.675Z Rio Nuevo may pull support for stalled Friedman Block The Rio Nuevo District Board is weighing whether to pull its support from the long-stalled Friedman Block redevelopment after balking at a $2 million funding request that includes $1 million just for nearby parking. Overall, May's numbers were previously a driving concern, with final projections dropping from $1.6 to $1.3 million a year. However, prospects are now looking good as of June, jumping to $1.8 million. CFO Dan Myers said during the board's Aug. 11 meeting he believes part of the May decrease could be attributed to payments not being credited immediately to Rio Nuevo's account. "I think there may be still a couple hundred thousand in May that we didn't receive, and hopefully we'll get that in June," Myers said. Myers said part of the reason for the recent jump was that Rio Nuevo had to push some of its outstanding commitments to the next fiscal year. The district has yet to receive TIF rates for June and July. Board Chair Fletcher McCusker said a project involving Empire Pizza was pushed until next fiscal year to ensure it had sorted out communications with the Pima County Historical Society and received its permits from the city of Tucson. "There's nobody more transparent than us," McCusker said. "I think it just helps to remind people where our money is going." But in social media posts published before the meeting, Empire Pizza suggested its Hydra building expansion may be off entirely, citing delays from historic review and more than $500,000 in rent paid on a building that remains empty. Tucson Spotlight trains the next generation of Southern Arizona journalists and publishes their work free for everyone. No paywalls, no corporate backing — just readers who believe this community deserves better local news. The Hydra building at Congress Street and 6th Avenue, where Empire Pizza's planned expansion now appears uncertain after the restaurant cited historic review delays in a series of social media posts. Photo by Gracie Kayko. Empire's patio was the site of two of the nine shooting victims struck during the July 19 mass shooting on Congress Street, an incident the restaurant referenced in the same string of social media posts that raised doubts about the Hydra expansion. According to the Arizona Daily Star, Rio Nuevo has reimbursed Empire Pizza $186,000 so far, out of a total $512,000 commitment under its 2023 agreement. The board also revisited the long-delayed Friedman Block project, a formerly stagnant site that has since been fenced off for public safety, thanks in part to Rio Nuevo. Union Hospitality Group's Grant Krueger, who has been working closely with the project, presented the board with an actionable budget for the block's renovation and reopening. Among other funding sources, Krueger estimated that a $2 million contribution from Rio Nuevo would help keep the project on its current 10-year timeline. With expected outside investment and TPT rebates factored in, Krueger said, funding remains tight. "Even all of these things combined are just going to be barely enough to bridge the gap to get this thing across the finish line," he said. "It's a big project, it's aggressive, but I think there's a way to get this done." Part of the block's previously unresolved issues was a lack of parking, and part of the current funding request would pay for an agreement with the nearby Council House apartments to make up the difference. According to the proposal, $1 million of that $2 million request is to pay Council House for continued use of its parking lot. Board members pushed back against the proposal. "There's no way we can fund the kind of ask that you're suggesting on the parking side," McCusker said, adding that it was unrealistic to ask for more than $1 million in funds just to provide parking. The Friedman Block sits boarded up and fenced off for public safety, with its future still uncertain as Rio Nuevo weighs a disputed parking deal. Arilynn Hyatt / Tucson Spotlight. He explained that the current plan would give Council House too much leverage over the completion of Friedman Block's renovation. "What's frustrating to me is that we've been talking about negotiating with Council House, probably for a year and a half, and all that has happened is the number has gone up, not down," said Board Member Corki Poster. Poster likened the negotiation terms to extortion, implying that Council House has grossly overestimated the value of its parking property. "In the next two weeks, I think we need a realistic negotiation with Council House," Poster said. No action was taken on the plan during the meeting, as the board intends to revisit the topic next session. However, members noted that unless a parking solution is reached, Rio Nuevo may have to pull its support for the Friedman Block project. In other developments, the Cornish Pasty is set to open downtown by early 2027, and the board approved $400,000 toward the expansion of Pueblo Vida brewery to a second location, a rustic brewhouse that is bike and dog friendly. The board also approved other funding requests that were discussed in previous meetings, including $111,300 for safety initiatives proposed by Downtown Tucson Partnership. This would fund Safe Ambassadors, off-duty officers, downtown cleanups, a marketing campaign and more. Ambassadors are meant to supplement the physical deterrent of police officers while remaining unimposing, with the goal of maintaining public order and trust while staying in contact with rapid response units when needed. The partnership is also planning a first-ever Fall Field Day for downtown office workers, an event yet to be formally announced, whose funding is part of the approved request. Quentin Agnello is a University of Arizona alum and freelance journalist in Tucson. Contact him at qsagnello@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/6a95d64f2c5335ae104da4d5 Steve Sarkisian gives embarrassing explanation for Texas' College Football Playoff loss: 'We were tired' te 2026-08-31T19:30:23.271Z Steve Sarkisian gives embarrassing explanation for Texas' College Football Playoff loss: 'We were tired' Expectations for the Texas Longhorns football program have reached a fever pitch, with star quarterback Arch Manning heading into his second year as the starting quarterback. The Longhorns are expected to once again have one of the best defenses in college football, brought in a top six recruiting class, and some services believe Texas has the most talented roster in the sport. At least by recruiting rankings. They also finished out their 2025 season with wins over Texas A&M and Michigan, taking some momentum into a pivotal 2026. Unfortunately, despite all these factors aligning in their favor, the Longhorns also have arguably the toughest schedule in the country. They host Ohio State, play at Tennessee, have the traditional Red River Shootout against Oklahoma, host Ole Miss, play at LSU, and at Texas A&M. With that schedule, the Longhorns could be a significantly improved team from 2025 and still finish 9-3 without playing poorly. WHICH TEAMS HAVE THE TOUGHEST STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE HEADING INTO COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON? But that might not be the biggest hurdle in head coach Steve Sarkisian's quest to bring a national title home to Austin. It's being mentally tired. Seriously. Sarkisian revealed on a recent podcast that their loss to Ohio State in the 2024-2025 College Football Playoff was due to the Longhorns being "tired." ARCH MANNING'S NFL STAR GRANDFATHER LAMENTS HYPE AROUND TEXAS QUARTERBACK "I felt like the year we played Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, we were tired, and not necessarily physically tired," Sarkisian said. "We were mentally fatigued as well. That’s a long season. We had so many big games. So I think managing it this time around, how we manage their energy level, is as important as how we manage their legs and the physicality." Every team is tired at the end of a college football season. Every team deals with injuries and mental fatigue. And it's the job of a coach to prepare the players for each and every challenge. Specifically, if you can't overcome fatigue and being "tired" in the literal College Football Playoff semifinal, how can you ever? ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW! Not to mention, Ohio State was likely "tired" too. The Buckeyes finished their season with a top-5 Indiana team, rivalry game against Michigan, playing Tennessee in the first round, then the number one seed in the tournament, Oregon, in LA, then had to travel to Texas to play the Longhorns in what should have been an effective home game for Sarkisian just 200 miles from campus. There's no doubt Texas had a tough stretch to finish their season as well, but they played their final games either in Texas or Atlanta. And despite the easier travel schedule, they were very fortunate to escape with a win over Arizona State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM It's not encouraging that, with Texas heading into what's likely their toughest schedule over the past few seasons, their head coach is explaining the team has been fatigued and tired for their biggest games. Whatever it takes, Sarkisian will apparently have to get them more rest to bring home a championship. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95d6482c5335ae104da4cc Stephen A Smith reveals Barack Obama privately called him after Biden criticism ahead of 2024 election te 2026-08-31T19:30:16.335Z Stephen A Smith reveals Barack Obama privately called him after Biden criticism ahead of 2024 election Podcast host Stephen A. Smith revealed on Friday that former President Barack Obama called him before the 2024 election to discuss his influence, noting that Obama wanted to speak privately rather than appear on his podcast. "What I never told y'all, and I never brought up, is that Barack Obama called me too. The content of that conversation will remain private because I will not violate trust," Smith said. "He called before the election to discuss my impact, but he didn't come on the podcast either." Smith spoke to "The Culture Table," hosted by Tori Cooper, Sumatra Abernathy and Ashley Christopher, about receiving a "thumbs-down" award from the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) at an Atlanta gala, defending himself against the criticism. STEPHEN A SMITH CALLS OUT JILL BIDEN, DEMS FOR 'LYING THROUGH THEIR TEETH' AND DAMAGING PARTY'S BRAND "It was after I said that we need a new president because Joe Biden clearly was done. You know, he clearly looked done. So the point is, folks like to talk to me privately, but then when I ask them to come on camera and to have a fruitful discussion, now they go elsewhere," he continued. "So it's like I'm taking these hits, and these are people that want to facilitate or assist in the facilitation of these narratives being disseminated and projected about me. But the same people calling me privately, having discussions upon which I have never violated. This is the first time anyone has ever heard me publicly state that Barack Obama called me," Smith said. OBAMA BLAMES SPLINTERED MEDIA FOR PREVENTING SUPERSTAR DEMOCRAT FROM RISING UP The former president's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Obama wasn't the only one Smith accused of not coming on his show. He also named former first lady Michelle Obama, former vice president Kamala Harris, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. "I think the Democrats fear my footsteps," he said. "I think they know that they have a legitimate fear that I can influence the election potentially. I will never divulge what was said, but last week when I did my podcast and I responded to the NABJ, I pointed out how Kamala Harris reached out to me and asked to meet with me, and we met for two hours." KAMALA HARRIS BACKS MAJOR CHANGES TO THE SUPREME COURT, ELECTORAL COLLEGE AHEAD OF POSSIBLE 2028 CAMPAIGN "She did not speak to me and come on my show before the election," Smith said of Harris. "Once again, in my opinion, they take paths of smaller resistance." Harris' office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. AMERICA OWES BLACK WOMEN 'EVERYTHING,' REP JASMINE CROCKETT RANTS OVER JULY 4 WEEKEND Smith recently addressed the NABJ's thumbs-down award during his show. "The reality is that it was a personal hit job," Smith said. "We can sit up there and lollygag around and act like we don't know any better. It was a personal hit job. Which, by the way, usually doesn't phase me. I know you think something phases me, just because you see me commenting on it. No, I'm in this business. I have a platform. I can comment about anything I want to, and I will continue to do so." "That's not what this is," he added. "This is different. This is a journalism organization that didn't engage in journalism when it came to critiquing me. Disparaging Black women is a very incendiary thing to say. If you felt that adamant about it, [NABJ] President [Errin] Haines, how come I never got a call?" Smith speculated that the award was focused on his past criticism of high-profile Black female political figures like Crockett. He also revealed that he reached out to Haines regarding the organization's allegations to potentially discuss their differences, a conversation that ultimately went nowhere. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE "While much of the public conversation in recent days has centered on Stephen A. Smith, he was one of five recipients named this year," the NABJ previously told Fox News Digital in a statement. "The concerns NABJ raised extend well beyond any one individual and include threats to editorial independence, the loss of newsroom diversity and reporting expertise, the treatment of Black journalists in the workplace, responsible use of influential media platforms, and decisions that affect the ability of journalists to fully and fairly cover Black communities and hold powerful institutions accountable." Fox News' Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95d4072c5335ae104da499 LOCAL ROUNDUP: Coconino football drops season opener to top-ranked Snowflake te 2026-08-31T19:20:39.484Z LOCAL ROUNDUP: Coconino football drops season opener to top-ranked Snowflake The Coconino Panthers had a tough first outing against the Snowflake Lobos on Friday, losing 37-7 on the road. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95d4012c5335ae104da473 DSA leader's working-class image takes hit as public records pile up contradictions te 2026-08-31T19:20:33.078Z DSA leader's working-class image takes hit as public records pile up contradictions The contradictions are piling up around New York City Democratic Socialists of America co-chair Gustavo Gordillo, whose claims about his working-class credentials — from being a "union electrician" to his housing and family story — have increasingly collided with public records and other evidence. Gordillo has repeatedly invoked his family’s immigrant success story while explaining his support for socialism. "My parents came here, they had nothing," Gordillo told the New York Times in a profile piece earlier this month. "Their first jobs were in fast food and cleaning houses. They built success in this country. And they’re absolutely the exception." According to Gordillo, he advances the cause of socialism because he believes it can "build a world" where his parents’ success story is "not exceptional." LUXURY TRAVEL, SHOPPING, SIX-FIGURE INCOME: BATTLEGROUND DEMS RIPPED FOR 'PHONY' WORKING-CLASS NARRATIVE A 2021 obituary for Gordillo’s paternal grandfather, however, raises questions about the family history behind that account. Manuel Gordillo, Gordillo’s grandfather, immigrated from Peru to the United States to practice medicine in 1958. After settling in the United States, Manuel met his future wife in St. Louis, and the couple later had Gordillo’s father, Gustavo. The obituary also notes that Gordillo’s grandfather built a successful life as a psychiatrist in Ohio, at one point serving as the president of the Ohio Psychiatric Association, casting doubt on the socialist’s claim that his parents grew up in poverty. "My dad, his first job in the United States was working at Wendy’s, my mom’s first job was a house cleaner, and they did make a living for themselves, and they had success," Gordillo told Fox News in July. Gordillo and the New York City Democratic Socialists of America did not respond to requests for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Monday. The questions surrounding Gordillo’s account of his family history come after discrepancies emerged over how he has described his occupation and living arrangements. DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST HEADED FOR $142K LEGISLATURE SALARY BEGS FOR RENT HANDOUT, DELETES POST AFTER BACKLASH The 38-year-old socialist, for example, told the New York Times that he was renting a modest apartment in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn only for it to be revealed that he was actually living in a $1.4 million townhouse owned by his father in a trendier part of the borough. "Not only did DSA co-chair Gustavo Gordillo's parents buy him this rowhouse, they converted it from a two family and renovated it into a luxury single-family home for him," New York City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino said on X. "Exactly the kind of 'greed' the DSA rails against on a daily basis, and reducing valuable housing inventory by one more unit, which is supposedly something the DSA cares very deeply about." FRUSTRATED BLUE-COLLAR UNION BOSSES RIP SOCIALIST POLITICIANS, WARN OF LABOR EXODUS FROM DEM PARTY Also undercutting Gordillo’s working-class image is his continued self-identification as a "union electrician" despite the fact that he hasn’t been a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers since March, when he was fired for not showing up to his apprenticeship. "After learning of Mr. Gordillo’s prolonged absence from and failure to participate in required work and classes, the trustees of the Joint Apprentice Training Committee terminated Mr. Gordillo from the program," the IBEW said in a statement. Even with the IBEW publicly stating that Gordillo is not a member of their organization, the socialist leader still identifies himself as a "union electrician" on social media. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95d3f32c5335ae104da463 What to Know About the Grand Canyon Flooding te 2026-08-31T19:20:19.909Z What to Know About the Grand Canyon Flooding The bodies of at least two people were found and more than a dozen were missing. Further storms could hinder rescue efforts on Monday. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95d3eb2c5335ae104da44b Instagram puts new limits on undisclosed AI profiles te 2026-08-31T19:20:11.019Z Instagram puts new limits on undisclosed AI profiles As frustration over AI influencers has been growing, Instagram is limiting the reach of undisclosed AI profiles. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95d1aa2c5335ae104da41b Trump admin revives ‘Apprentice’-era energy with $1M business battle in DC te 2026-08-31T19:10:34.263Z Trump admin revives ‘Apprentice’-era energy with $1M business battle in DC FIRST ON FOX: The Small Business Administration is bringing a celebrity panel to Washington next month to judge five entrepreneurs competing for a share of a $1 million prize pool, Fox News Digital has exclusively learned. "As our nation marks its 250th anniversary, the SBA is celebrating America’s legacy of free enterprise through the Million Dollar Pitch Competition—a historic live event showcasing the essential contributions of America’s small businesses," SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler told Fox News Digital. Entrepreneurs from across the nation submitted their ideas earlier this year, leaving five finalists to participate in a live pitch competition in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 18. Rapper Nicki Minaj, entrepreneur and private equity fund manager Grant Cardone, co-founder of Airbnb and U.S. Chief Design Office Joe Gebbia will judge the final competition. Award-winning actor Dean Cain will host the event, Fox News Digital has exclusively learned. REP ROGER WILLIAMS: 250 YEARS OF HARD WORK PAYS OFF FOR MAIN STREET BUSINESSES The competition is another example of the Trump administration’s efforts to spotlight American ingenuity and partner with the private sector to support innovation and small-business growth, Fox News Digital learned. "Their participation brings invaluable real-world perspective as our five exceptional finalists compete for a share of $1 million in growth capital. I look forward to joining them next month as we recognize the innovators and job creators who power American strength," Loeffler added. The participants were evaluated based on categories of strengthening American competitiveness, examples of small businesses "punching above its weight," economic impact and quality jobs and business fundamentals and execution readiness. AMAZON EXPLORES 'THE APPRENTICE' REBOOT WITH TRUMP JR SET FOR PROMOTION: REPORT The five finalists are defense technology company Compotech, Inc. in Brewer, ME, metalworking machinery manufacturer Winton Machine in Suwanee, GA, plastic mold manufacturing company Plas-Tech Tooling in Garner, IA, pressure vessel manufacturer Red River in Gillette, WY, and machinery manufacturing firm VetPowered LLC in San Diego, CA. No finalist will go empty-handed with the first-place winner scoring $400,000, second place winning $250,000, third place gets $150,000 and fourth place will take home $125,000, leaving fifth place with $75,000. The competition also echoes the format of Trump’s hit early-2000s reality show, "The Apprentice," which put aspiring business leaders through a series of challenges for a chance to work for his company. 'SHARK TANK' STAR DAYMOND JOHN SAYS 'YOU'LL BE SCREWED' IF YOU DO THIS WHEN STARTING A BUSINESS The successful show aired for 14 seasons with Trump as host. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95d1a42c5335ae104da412 Bon Jovi gives fans their money back after health issue forced early end to Madison Square Garden show te 2026-08-31T19:10:28.892Z Bon Jovi gives fans their money back after health issue forced early end to Madison Square Garden show Jon Bon Jovi made things right with fans after a health setback forced him to abruptly cut one of his Madison Square Garden concerts short. More than a month after the rock star struggled to make it through the July 23 performance, Fox News Digital can confirm Bon Jovi offered fans a full refund for the shortened show. "Thank you for being part of Bon Jovi's Madison Square Garden shows," an email from Ticketmaster read. "In effort to always put the fans first and create the best experience for them, Bon Jovi will be giving refunds to primary ticket purchasers at original point of purchase for fans who attended the Thursday, July 23, 2026 concert at Madison Square Garden." MEGAN MORONEY CANCELS SHOW MID-PERFORMANCE, LEAVES STAGE IN TEARS "Due to scheduling and logistics Bon Jovi was unable to offer an additional performance," the email continued. "As the primary ticket purchaser, you will receive an automatic refund for your ticket within the next 14 business days." Bon Jovi abruptly ended the July 23 show after having difficulty getting through his performance. Train frontman Pat Monahan stepped in to help before Bon Jovi made the decision to end the show. A representative for Bon Jovi confirmed to Fox News Digital at the time that the concert ended early, saying the singer told fans from the stage he had been battling a health setback. GET ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR EMAIL BY CLICKING HERE "Jon Bon Jovi spoke from stage and told fans he has been battling a sinus infection which led to the show's early ending," the representative said in a statement. "As part of the Bon Jovi residency at Madison Square Garden, Jon has said numerous times that it has been a joy to return to live shows for the band. Updated information will be available shortly." An insider who attended the concert told Fox News Digital Bon Jovi performed for roughly 90 minutes. LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS Bon Jovi's previous Madison Square Garden residency shows have lasted more than two hours and included roughly 19 songs, the insider noted. The July 23 performance wrapped after approximately 15 songs, ending earlier than fans had come to expect. Monahan was in the arena as a fan and was not part of the scheduled show, according to the insider. PUT YOUR ENTERTAINMENT KNOWLEDGE TO THE TEST AND SEE HOW YOU SCORE The 64-year-old rocker was performing on night eight of his nine-show residency when he stopped the show early. Monahan joined him for "Livin' on a Prayer," taking over the vocals midway through the song. Fox News Digital's Stephanie Giang-Paunon contributed to this report. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95d1912c5335ae104da3f4 Apple’s top App Store exec, Phil Schiller, follows wave of exits as CEO Tim Cook steps down te 2026-08-31T19:10:09.328Z Apple’s top App Store exec, Phil Schiller, follows wave of exits as CEO Tim Cook steps down The longtime executive won't be leaving Apple just yet but staff at the company say it's a step closer to Schiller retiring. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95cf492c5335ae104da39f Drive for nuclear power boosts uranium industry — and tribal health concerns in Southwest te 2026-08-31T19:00:25.285Z Drive for nuclear power boosts uranium industry — and tribal health concerns in Southwest WHITE MESA, Utah — On a hot April day, Malcolm Lehi maneuvered his Jeep Wrangler over a rough dirt road past junipers and sagebrush in search of Entrance Spring on land long connected to his tribe, the Ute Mountain Ute. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95cf462c5335ae104da396 Gallego calls for New Deal-style Colorado River project te 2026-08-31T19:00:22.248Z Gallego calls for New Deal-style Colorado River project The U.S. government needs to launch a massive federal public works program to build more infrastructure to help Arizona and other Southwestern states cope with impending Colorado River water cutbacks, said U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95cf422c5335ae104da371 Portland Public Schools puts drag performer front and center in ‘radical joy’ welcome video te 2026-08-31T19:00:18.850Z Portland Public Schools puts drag performer front and center in ‘radical joy’ welcome video Portland Public Schools (PPS) opened an official Facebook welcome-back video for teachers, principals and staff Friday with drag performer Poison Waters, who thanked district employees as the 2026-27 school year began. Waters, whose legal name is Kevin Cook, appeared first and was identified onscreen as an advocate, educator and host. Waters thanked district employees for their work with students. "I’m here to wish you all a successful 2026, 2027 school year and to thank all the amazing principals, teachers, and staff for your dedication to your students and their learning," Waters said. "While we can often get caught up in the hustle and bustle, it’s so important to remember that together we rise with excellence and purpose." WATCH: FATHER OF THREE OUTRAGED OVER ADVICE HIS FAMILY RECEIVED AMID TRANS TEACHER FIGHT Heritage Foundation education research fellow Corey DeAngelis, a school choice advocate, criticized the district’s decision in a statement to Fox News Digital Monday and accused PPS of promoting gender ideology. "Portland Public Schools’ back-to-school video is beyond parody,"  DeAngelis said. "The government school system is trying to groom young impressionable minds into gender ideology. They want to brainwash other people’s kids and replace their families. The school system has overstepped their boundaries and needs to stay in its lane. The public school system is rubbing it in that they have control over children whether the parents like it or not. Kids don’t belong to the government. Parents are responsible for passing down values to their children, not government schools." "The video posted on the school district’s official Facebook account is free advertising for school choice and homeschooling," he continued. "Families need the power to take their children’s education funding to the schools that align with their values rather than subvert them." TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TOUTS ‘HARD RESET’ FOR AMERICAN SCHOOLS, VOWS TO PUT PARENTS ‘BACK IN CHARGE’ Sonja Shaw, a candidate for California superintendent of public instruction, claimed the decision to feature Waters was an intentional ideological choice. "That wasn’t an accident. It was a choice. And it tells you exactly where the district’s priorities are," Shaw said Monday in a statement to Fox News Digital. "Public schools exist to educate children in reading, writing, math, science and critical thinking. They are not stages for adult entertainment or ideological and cultural signaling." "Get politics and adult entertainment out of our schools and get back to educating children," she added. Tina Descovich, CEO and co-founder of Moms for Liberty, said in a statement to Fox News Digital that no student should be welcomed back to class by a man in drag. "Portland Public Schools has been unabashed about its objectives: hijacking the classroom to push a sexualized curriculum and progressive viewpoints on impressionable children," she said. "We see exactly what this district (backed fully by teachers unions) is doing, and Moms for Liberty will keep fighting to protect our children from the left’s indoctrination and get students back to learning again." OREGON SCHOOL COUNSELOR FACES BACKLASH OVER 'CHOSEN FAMILY' BOOK FOR YOUTHS A Portland State University profile described Waters as a longtime Portland performer, advocate and educator. Waters taught a noncredit course on the history of drag performance at Portland Community College and received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Portland State in 2025. The district video later featured messages from Oregon Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley and Rep. Maxine Dexter, D-Ore., along with other Portland-area public figures. The video drew attention weeks after Portland mother Allison Roberts sued PPS and her children’s elementary school, alleging officials retaliated against her for objecting to gender-identity curriculum and an intersex-inclusive Progress Pride flag. Fox News Digital previously reported that PPS declined to comment on the pending case. Portland Public Schools, Waters and Dexter’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the welcome-back video. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95cf402c5335ae104da368 Popular artificial sweetener linked to potentially dangerous heart risk te 2026-08-31T19:00:16.962Z Popular artificial sweetener linked to potentially dangerous heart risk People who consume greater amounts of a popular artificial sweetener could face a greater risk of heart attack and stroke, a new study suggests. The research, which was presented at the ESC Cardiology Congress in Germany this week, showed that higher levels of xylitol in the blood were associated with an increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that is commonly used as a low-calorie sweetener and sugar substitute, according to the National Institutes of Health. It is often used in higher amounts to sweeten foods, drinks, chewing gum and dental care products. ZERO-CALORIE SWEETENERS COULD ALTER THE GENES OF LATER GENERATIONS, NEW STUDY WARNS The researchers followed two large study cohorts of more than 17,700 Canadian and British participants. Over a six-year follow-up, people in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging with the highest xylitol levels had a 57% higher risk of death, myocardial infarction or stroke related to cardiovascular events compared to those with the lowest levels. Over 30 years, participants in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC)-Norfolk group with the highest xylitol levels had an 18% greater risk of MACE. Both cohorts showed evidence of a dose-dependent association, where higher blood xylitol concentrations corresponded to higher rates of cardiovascular events. DIRTY SODA DRINKS ARE EVERYWHERE, BUT DOCTORS WARN OF HEALTH RISKS: 'METABOLIC DISASTER' These higher risks persisted even after the researchers adjusted for other factors like age, gender, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes and lipid levels. The study follows previous research that showed xylitol can enhance the ability of platelets to form clots, according to Dr. Marco Witkowski, the study presenter from Charité University Hospital in Berlin, Germany. "Artificial sweeteners are consumed by people who think they are healthier than sugar and they are generally regarded as safe by regulatory agencies," the doctor said in a statement. TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ "Our long-term findings in the general population highlight how little we know about the cardiovascular safety of xylitol and indicate that further studies are warranted, especially as the amount of xylitol in products continues to increase." CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES The study was observational and does not prove that xylitol causes cardiovascular events, as the researchers noted that more studies are needed to confirm the findings. The report also does not establish whether high levels of xylitol in the blood necessarily reflects dietary consumption, as the sugar alcohol can also be produced naturally in the body as part of glucose metabolism. "These disturbing findings with plausible mechanism of xylitol increasing cardiovascular risk should be taken very seriously," Dr. Aseem Malhotra, a cardiologist and public health campaigner based in London, told Fox News Digital. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER "As a practicing cardiologist, I see many patients suffering from anxiety and palpitations that resolve as soon as they stop taking artificial sweeteners." Malhotra, who was not involved in the study, noted that one of the most important dietary changes to reduce cardiovascular risk is to "unsweeten your sweet tooth." "That’s why I advise all my patients to avoid all processed sugars and artificial sweeteners for six weeks to break the addiction," he added. Fox News Digital reached out to several food and beverage trade groups for comment. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95cf3f2c5335ae104da35f Maine lighthouse proved to be no match for man dancing in the buff who was armed with a golf club te 2026-08-31T19:00:15.238Z Maine lighthouse proved to be no match for man dancing in the buff who was armed with a golf club A historic lighthouse on a small rocky island off the coast of York, Maine, was minding its own business last week, as lighthouses tend to do, when it was attacked by a naked dancing man armed with a golf club. Why was he naked? What was the purpose of the dancing? And what did the lighthouse do to him to prompt an attack with a golf club? If I was a betting man, I'd say we're never going to know the answers to those questions. The York Police Department hasn’t made the man's identity public, reports the Bangor Daily News. ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW! What they did reveal, along with the fact that he was naked, dancing, and in possession of a golf club, is that he was allegedly trespassing at Cape Neddick Lighthouse at around 6:15 pm on Tuesday evening. He was also alleged to have caused damage to the lighthouse, which is also known as Nubble Light. The outlet adds that police were able to take him into custody without incident and take him to the hospital for a mental health evaluation. That's good news for any lighthouses in the area. Now, the unnamed man is known to several of the York establishments. According to police, he had been asked recently to leave them for disruptive behavior. CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK CULTURE COVERAGE I'd say it's safe to assume that this disruptive behavior didn’t involve the removal of clothing or the use of a golf club, since it was categorized by authorities as not criminal. As for whether any dancing was involved, that's hard to say. It wasn't specifically mentioned, but it's within the realm of possibilities. Perhaps he was a man who wanted to share his dancing with the world and when nobody noticed he took it out on the lighthouse. Whatever the case, I hope he gets whatever help he may need. I have a feeling the Nubble Light will be just fine, despite this ordeal. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95cf392c5335ae104da343 Kalshi bans George Santos for life over State of the Union bets te 2026-08-31T19:00:09.483Z Kalshi bans George Santos for life over State of the Union bets The disciplinary action comes two months after the Commodity Futures Trading Commission settled charges against Santos. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95cf342c5335ae104da33a Microsoft tests fix for latest hours-long Outlook outage te 2026-08-31T19:00:04.633Z Microsoft tests fix for latest hours-long Outlook outage Microsoft says it's testing a fix for the widespread Outlook issues that have led to email delays and failures. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95ca8c2c5335ae104d9e38 Kelly Osbourne says she 'wasn't well' while facing harsh scrutiny, body-shaming after dad Ozzy's death te 2026-08-31T18:40:12.450Z Kelly Osbourne says she 'wasn't well' while facing harsh scrutiny, body-shaming after dad Ozzy's death Kelly Osbourne is opening up about the toll public scrutiny has taken on her following the death of her father, Ozzy Osbourne. In a new interview with Hello!, the 41-year-old addressed the comments surrounding her appearance, admitting she was not in a place to handle the criticism while grieving the loss of the Black Sabbath frontman. "I didn't navigate it — I wasn't well," Osbourne said when asked how she dealt with the scrutiny. KELLY OSBOURNE WOWS IN LEOPARD-PRINT SWIMSUIT AS SHE STEPS 'AWAY FROM THE MADNESS' "How can you navigate something so cruel when you're so sick?" she added. The TV personality said she is now working toward healing, both mentally and physically. JACK OSBOURNE FIRES BACK AT BODY SHAMERS CALLING HIM 'GROSSLY UNDERWEIGHT' "You've got to fix the head before you can fix the body," Osbourne said. "It's a slow process." "It's going to take me a minute. I'm not going to be fixed in a day. I'm not going to be fixed on one therapy session. This is a lifetime of work I've got to do and continue to do for the rest of my life." PUT YOUR ENTERTAINMENT KNOWLEDGE TO THE TEST AND SEE HOW YOU SCORE CHRISSY METZ SLAMS WEIGHT LOSS CRITICS, SAYS THEY'RE ALWAYS 'GOING TO HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY' Osbourne, who said she has "all the help" she needs, explained that therapy has helped her better understand herself. "I'm getting to know myself in a whole new way, but it's a lot more healthy, I can tell you that," she said. Earlier this year, the 41-year-old — who accepted a lifetime achievement award with her mom, Sharon Osbourne, on her father's behalf at the BRIT Awards on Feb. 28 — took to social media to address those who criticized her appearance. LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS "This is a special kind of cruelty in harming someone who is clearly going through something, kicking me while I'm down, doubting my pain, spreading my struggles as gossip, and turning your back when I need support and love most," she wrote on her Instagram Stories. "None of it proves strength; it only reveals a profound absence of compassion and character," she continued. "I'm currently going through the hardest time of my life. I should not even have to defend myself. But I won't sit here and allow myself to be dehumanized in such a way!" A week earlier, Osbourne had a similar response to harsh comments surrounding her body. GET ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR EMAIL BY CLICKING HERE "Literally can't believe how disgusting some human beings truly are," she shared alongside a screenshot of an Instagram comment in which one user wrote, "Looks like a dead body… she's tooooo thin and fragile.… Looks like she's going to see her dad soon." During an appearance on "Piers Morgan Uncensored" in December 2025, Sharon came to her daughter's defense after online trolls attacked Kelly's appearance. The legendary Black Sabbath frontman died at home in England on July 22. He was 76. OZZY OSBOURNE'S LATEST REINVENTION IS AN AI-POWERED INTERACTIVE HOLOGRAM EXPERIENCE While speaking about online commenters who had mocked Kelly's weight loss, Morgan shared a video that Kelly had posted on social media in response. "To the people who keep thinking that they're being funny and mean by writing comments like, 'Are you ill?' or 'Get off Ozempic' or 'You don't look right.' My dad just died and I'm doing the best that I can, and the only thing that I have to live for is my family," she said in the video. "I choose to share my content with you and share the happy side of my life not the miserable side of my life. So to all those people, f--- off." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95ca8a2c5335ae104d9e2f El-Sayed torched online after brushing off questions about Hasan Piker campaign ties: ‘What a pal’ te 2026-08-31T18:40:10.662Z El-Sayed torched online after brushing off questions about Hasan Piker campaign ties: ‘What a pal’ Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed is facing a wave of online blowback after dodging questions about his ties to far-left streamer Hasan Piker, a frequent presence on the campaign trail in Michigan. When asked about Piker’s influence on his campaign, El-Sayed told reporters the race is about Michigan and that he is "not interested in a conversation about a social media person in California." "But I don’t want to have a conversation about a Twitch streamer in California," El-Sayed said. "This is not a serious conversation." Fox News Digital then pressed El-Sayed on why he brought Piker to Michigan if that was the case, which he waved off before doubling down and calling Piker "a single streamer from California" when another reporter asked if he would condemn him. ABDUL EL-SAYED PLAYS DOWN HASAN PIKER TIES AFTER STREAMER’S VIRAL ANTISEMITISM FIRESTORM The clip exploded across social media and drew widespread ridicule as El-Sayed scrambles to distance himself from the streamer, who has roughly 10 million social media followers. In a post on X, writer and political commentator Stephen L. Miller wrote, "Amazing. They are so terrified of him that she literally jumps in one question deep." "Who is the candidate here?" Miller wrote in another post. "This keeps getting worse," Republican political strategist Kyle Martinsen posted on X. "I’m interested in it so there’s a problem here," Townhall senior columnist Kurt Schlichter posted on X. In another post on X, "The Charlie Kirk Show" executive producer Andrew Kolvet wrote, "It's very clear Abul El Sayed is panicking. He went from doing a half dozen campaign stops with Hasan Piker and taking glamor shots with him, to refusing to say his name. Now he's just ‘some media person in California.’ What a pal." HASAN PIKER INSISTS ABDUL EL-SAYED ASKED HIM TO 'STUMP' FOR MICHIGAN CAMPAIGN AMID BACKLASH "He might be worse than Kamala…," Fox News contributor Joe Concha posted on X. Pro-Israel activist and philanthropist Adam Milstein also wrote in a post on X, "El Sayed again refuses to condemn Hasan Piker — who himself recently confirmed it was El Sayed that asked him to campaign for him, not the reverse." Piker has emerged as a growing flashpoint within the Democratic Party over his past controversial remarks, including his claim that "America deserved 9/11." Last week, El-Sayed responded to outrage over his association with Piker after the streamer's comments on a viral audio clip involving Jewish Michigan state Sen. Jeremy Moss, the Democratic nominee in the state’s 11th Congressional District, sparked outrage. "I want to be crystal clear, nobody speaks for this campaign besides me and my campaign spokespeople," El-Sayed said in a statement. EL-SAYED PALS AROUND WITH FAR-LEFT STREAMER HASAN PIKER THE DAY BEFORE CRUCIAL MICHIGAN SENATE ELECTION Despite El-Sayed’s attempts to distance himself from Piker, the streamer has spoken openly about his invitation to join the campaign, saying at an April rally with El-Sayed, "The reason why, when Abdul asked for me to come on this journey with him, I said yes, absolutely." In a Friday interview with Semafor columnist David Weigel, Piker said El-Sayed also asked him to "stump" for his campaign. El-Sayed will face Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers for retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters’ seat in a race that could determine control of the Senate. Fox News Digital reached out to El-Sayed's campaign for comment. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95ca842c5335ae104d9e14 Harvard Law dropout raises $6M for Blue Voice to build a “Harvey for police officers” te 2026-08-31T18:40:04.403Z Harvard Law dropout raises $6M for Blue Voice to build a “Harvey for police officers” The seed round for the app that provides real-time legal and policy guidance to officers was led by SignalFire and Las Olas VC. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95c83b2c5335ae104d9de5 FBI extradites former Ten Most Wanted fugitive arrested for 2000 murder of 5-year-old girl in Philadelphia te 2026-08-31T18:30:19.094Z FBI extradites former Ten Most Wanted fugitive arrested for 2000 murder of 5-year-old girl in Philadelphia The FBI secured the extradition of a Honduran national wanted for over 25 years for the alleged rape and murder of a 5-year-old girl in Philadelphia on Monday. Alexis Flores was arrested in Honduras in February and connected to the alleged 2000 rape and murder of 5-year-old Iriana DeJesus, FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement. The FBI listed Flores on its top 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list, and authorities in Honduras agreed to extradite him to U.S. custody. "Alexis Flores is yet another high value target brought back by this FBI, after he was arrested in Honduras in February by an anti-gang transnational task force connected to the 2000 murder of a 5-year-old girl, Iriana DeJesus," Patel told Fox News Digital. "After more than 25 years on the run, this arrest proves time and distance do not shield violent offenders from justice." EXCLUSIVE: ALLEGED $32M COVID-19 FRAUD FUGITIVE CAPTURED IN JAMAICA AND RETURNED TO US, FBI SAYS "This also comes as the FBI and Trump administration continue an unprecedented run of man hunting violent fugitives. This FBI has conducted nearly over 70 similar extraditions since the start of June. More than ever before, violent criminals cannot hide from the reach of law enforcement. Thank you to our overseas partners, department of justice, and brilliant FBI teams who got this done," Patel said. The FBI said Flores had been removed from the fugitives list in March 2025 due to the prior Honduran government’s refusal to extradite him for his offenses, citing local laws limiting extradition. PATEL SAYS FBI IS 'MANHUNTING' TERROR SUSPECTS AROUND THE GLOBE AFTER TWO HIGH-VALUE CAPTURES Authorities in Philadelphia celebrated Flores' arrest when authorities apprehended him in Honduras earlier this year. "The passage of time does not diminish our resolve or perseverance in the pursuit of justice," said Wayne Jacobs, special agent in charge of FBI Philadelphia, in February. "The arrest of Alexis Flores is the culmination of 25 years of tireless investigative effort and the strength of our partnerships across departments. Through this sustained collaboration and the support of our law enforcement partners, both domestically and internationally, the day is now here." COLD-CASE FUGITIVE BUSTED SOUTH OF THE BORDER AS NEW DNA TECH ALLEGEDLY TIES HIM TO TEEN’S ROADSIDE KILLING Flores' extradition comes just weeks after the FBI captured Most Wanted fugitive Gregory Henderson Jr., just three days after adding the alleged Indianapolis gang leader to its list and offering a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to his arrest. Henderson, 46, had evaded arrest since a sweeping federal takedown of his alleged organization in August 2023. He faces federal charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and conspiracy to engage in an animal fighting venture. The FBI alleges Henderson led a violent Indianapolis gang whose drug trafficking network was supplied by the Sinaloa Cartel and distributed methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl throughout Indianapolis and the surrounding Midwest. Fox News' Brittany Miller contributed to this report. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95c8382c5335ae104d9ddc US Fish and Wildlife Service officer dies during wildfire evacuation efforts in Oklahoma, agency says te 2026-08-31T18:30:16.543Z US Fish and Wildlife Service officer dies during wildfire evacuation efforts in Oklahoma, agency says A federal wildlife officer is believed to have died while helping evacuate residents threatened by a wildfire in Oklahoma, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said over the weekend. Officials said David Taylor, 38, of Scio, Oregon, was helping people fleeing the fast-moving fire south of Oklahoma City on Saturday. He was going door-to-door to help residents alongside emergency crews. His last contact with dispatch came while he was assisting a family in leaving their home, the agency said. 11 NATIONAL PARK SERVICE WORKERS EVACUATED BY HELICOPTER AMID CALIFORNIA FIRE "Everything we know about David's actions demonstrates extraordinary courage and selflessness," said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik. " When people were in danger, David was there helping them get to safety. He remained committed to protecting others under the most dangerous circumstances. We mourn alongside his family, friends and colleagues, and we will never forget his service." Evidence recovered from a structure led officials to believe Taylor died during the evacuation effort, authorities said. MARINE VETERAN AND BOSTON FIREFIGHTER DIES AFTER RESCUE EFFORTS AT MASSIVE HOUSE BLAZE At the time of his death, Taylor was a senior chief petty officer in the Navy Reserve and previously served on active duty. During his 20 years of naval service, Taylor completed five deployments, including one to Iraq and four to Djibouti. Taylor also served the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge and the Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico before joining the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. The Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of the Interior were coordinating support for Taylor’s family and co-workers, the agency said. UNCONTAINED BRUSH FIRE IN NEVADA TRIGGERED BY HUMAN ACTIVITY; INFERNO GROWS TO 13K ACRES Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has ordered all American and Oklahoma flags on state property to be flown at half-staff Sept. 1 through Sept. 4 in honor of Taylor. "Sarah and I are praying for his family, his fellow officers and everyone who was impacted by this tragedy," he wrote on X. "His courage, selflessness and devotion to protecting others will never be forgotten." The Railroad South Fire in Comanche County, Oklahoma, was reported on Saturday. All evacuation orders for residents affected by the wildfire have been lifted. The cause of the blaze is still under investigation. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95c8362c5335ae104d9dd3 ‘Backwards and poor’: Trump issues dire warning to communities blocking critical technology te 2026-08-31T18:30:14.543Z ‘Backwards and poor’: Trump issues dire warning to communities blocking critical technology President Donald Trump took aim Monday at the growing backlash against data centers, warning that communities that shut the door on the facilities risk missing out on the jobs and economic gains of America's AI boom. "The only reason that communities throughout the U.S.A. should not want Data Centers is if they want to end up being backwards and poor," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. "If they want to be successful and rich, with far lower taxes and jobs all over the place, let Data Reign," he added. Trump has made energy dominance and U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence central pillars of his second term, placing data centers at the center of his push to maintain America's edge over China. "China could not be happier with this anti Data Center movement," Trump wrote, arguing that resistance to new facilities risks undercutting America's edge in the global AI race. ELECTION WHISTLEBLOWER WARNS FOREIGN ACTORS ARE SPENDING BILLIONS TO TURN AMERICANS AGAINST AI The data center boom has also emerged as a midterm flashpoint, as concerns over rising electricity costs, water use and rapid development collide with promises of jobs, investment and U.S. dominance in artificial intelligence . That tension is already playing out across the country. Trump has specifically criticized Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's approach, calling the Lone Star State's stance toward data centers a "mistake" and pointing to the economic investment the projects can bring to communities willing to host them. Texas has cemented its status as a heavyweight in the industry, with Dallas ranking as the world's No. 1 primary data center market in Cushman & Wakefield's 2026 Global Data Center Market Comparison. But billions of dollars in new investment have also brought enormous electricity demands and questions over who should pay for the infrastructure needed to support the boom. Abbott has moved to address those concerns, directing regulators to ensure data centers cover the infrastructure costs needed to serve them and calling on developers to add their own power generation rather than shift costs onto Texas residents. A SOUTHERN STATE JUST TOOK THE TOP SPOT IN ONE OF THE WORLD'S FASTEST-GROWING INDUSTRIES Meanwhile, in Pennsylvania, Gov. Josh Shapiro recently imposed new requirements on large data center developments. Other governors have taken a more restrictive stance. Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul imposed a one-year moratorium on new hyper-scale data centers as states grapple with concerns over electricity costs, grid reliability and the pace of development. Data centers house the servers and computing equipment that power artificial intelligence and cloud services, requiring vast amounts of electricity to operate and cool. Most Americans may never see the inside of one, but they rely on data centers constantly, often without realizing it. The growing patchwork of state restrictions and requirements could complicate Trump’s push for rapid data center expansion as communities weigh America’s AI ambitions against concerns over electricity costs, water use and development. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95c82d2c5335ae104d9db6 State spent $1.1M on outside counsel in 4 UA lawsuits te 2026-08-31T18:30:05.888Z State spent $1.1M on outside counsel in 4 UA lawsuits The Arizona Board of Regents has paid outside law firms more than $1.1 million combined to defend the University of Arizona against lawsuits brought by a former administrator, a former student-athlete, a tenured professor and a longtime faculty senator, according to billing records obtained by Tucson Spotlight. Under Arizona law, the state's risk management division covers legal defense costs for both state employees sued individually over job-related conduct and state entities named as defendants. The totals above cover only payments to outside law firms. They don't include the cost of in-house UA attorneys or Arizona Attorney General's Office staff who may also have worked on these cases. The records, obtained through a public records request to the Arizona Department of Administration, cover four separate cases dating back as far as 2019. In each, more than 99% of the money went to attorneys' fees, with travel, filing and court reporting costs making up a small fraction of the total. The two largest bills stem from cases alleging retaliation tied to sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation, both of which have already reached the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. "Litigation, and the use of outside counsel, is not unusual in state government," Megan Gilbertson, ABOR's associate vice president for public affairs, told Tucson Spotlight. "It is how disputes get settled lawfully, and it is how ABOR and the universities make sure they are doing right by taxpayers and employees alike." Southern Arizona news written by journalists who live it. Free in your inbox. Michael Grabowski, a former UA track and cross-country athlete, alleges coaches canceled his scholarship after he reported homophobic bullying. Courtesy of Western Colorado University. Bullying claim still active after 7 years ABOR has paid law firm Rusing Lopez the most of any firm in this review, $568,296 since 2019, to defend against a lawsuit from Michael Grabowski, a former UA track and cross-country athlete. Grabowski, a high school All-American runner from New York who chose UA over other scholarship offers, alleges teammates subjected him to homophobic bullying starting in 2017, based on their perception that he was gay, and that coaches made him a scapegoat and canceled his athletic scholarship after he complained. The lawsuit, filed in 2019 and seeking $10 million, cites a video from a 2017 team party and text messages allegedly telling teammates to bully Grabowski at a coach's direction. Grabowski's attorney accused the university of protecting its coaches and athletics program over its students, while UA denied interfering with the case. Grabowski's Title IX discrimination claim was dismissed with prejudice in March 2025. The judge found he'd misrepresented to the Ninth Circuit that he immediately transferred schools after losing his scholarship, when he hadn't, and applied judicial estoppel to bar the claim. That left only his retaliation claim, which alleges the university pulled him from the track team after he complained about bullying. On Feb. 26, the judge denied ABOR's bid to also toss that remaining claim, so it stays alive. The same order denied Grabowski's request to file a fifth amended complaint, citing four earlier amendments over six years of litigation and no new facts to justify another. The case has continued in active discovery since. The court issued a scheduling order in May, and both sides have filed a steady stream of deposition and discovery notices through July, the most recent entry in the docket. Anthony DeFrancesco, fired from UA Health Sciences in 2019, alleges he was targeted after his husband warned against hiring Dr. Michael Dake. Courtesy of Anthony DeFrancesco. Administrator fired after warning about hire The law firm Cohen Kennedy Dowd & Quigley has billed the state $366,678 since 2020 to defend UA officials against a lawsuit from Anthony DeFrancesco, a former senior director of operations at UA Health Sciences who was fired in 2019. DeFrancesco's legal claim says then-UA President Robert Robbins hired Dr. Michael Dake to run the university's medical schools at a salary of $875,000 a year, despite Dake ranking near the bottom of the search committee's candidate list and warnings from DeFrancesco's husband, then-CFO Gregg Goldman, that the hire could cost Robbins his job. DeFrancesco's complaint says Goldman told Robbins and other senior officials that the search process had been rigged in Dake's favor and that hiring him would be a mistake. DeFrancesco alleges Dake fired him in retaliation for those warnings and discriminated against him over his sexual orientation. His discrimination and equal protection claims were dismissed, and that dismissal was affirmed on appeal in January 2023. The Ninth Circuit affirmed dismissal of DeFrancesco's retaliation claim in May 2025 on qualified immunity grounds, finding it was not clearly established in June 2019 that retaliating against an employee over a spouse's speech violated the First Amendment. The court left open whether public employees have First Amendment protection tied to a relative's speech. In a concurring opinion, Ninth Circuit Judge Marsha Berzon wrote that she would have gone further and ruled that Robbins and Dake did violate DeFrancesco's constitutional rights, saying the protection is "well-grounded in Supreme Court and Ninth Circuit precedent." Theodore Downing, an 83-year-old UA faculty senator, alleges he was disciplined for testifying against a bill that would have repealed Arizona's faculty shared-governance law. Credit: Michael McKisson / Arizona Luminaria. Faculty senator says testimony triggered retaliation Stinson LLP and Ice Miller Legal Counsel have billed $125,378 since late 2025 representing UA officials named in a federal lawsuit from Theodore Downing, an 83-year-old tenured research professor, faculty senator and former state legislator who helped write Arizona's 1992 faculty shared-governance law. Billing began in November 2025, three months after Downing's attorney formally notified the university of the claim, and continued through the filing of his lawsuit in July. Downing alleges the university disciplined him twice in retaliation for protected speech. The first came after he testified before a state Senate committee in March 2024 against a bill that would have repealed that governance law. The second came last September, weeks after his attorney sent formal notice of a civil rights claim, when a university vice president accused him of misconduct toward an unnamed IT employee. That accusation stemmed from comments Downing made about an email policy he said would restrict the speech of roughly 5,800 university employees. The lawsuit, filed July 6 in U.S. District Court, names Robbins and five other current or former officials as defendants and seeks compensatory and punitive damages, plus removal of both disciplinary records from Downing's personnel file. Matthew Abraham, a tenured UA English professor, alleges his April firing was retaliation for opposing DEI hiring practices. Courtesy of UA. Professor's DEI complaints span nearly a decade Ballard Spahr has billed $80,412 since December defending ABOR against a federal lawsuit from Matthew Abraham, a tenured UA English professor represented by the Liberty Justice Center and a Phoenix law firm. Abraham alleges a multiyear pattern of retaliation for opposing what he calls race-based DEI hiring practices, including a four-year public-records fight against ABOR, EEOC discrimination charges dating to 2021, and repeated exclusion from faculty governance committees. The dispute has since escalated. UA removed Abraham from the Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure last August, where he had been serving as vice chair, citing his outside employment at the Arizona Attorney General's Office. Then, on April 1, UA fired Abraham from his tenured position, citing that same outside-employment reason. Abraham says the reason was false and the firing was the end result of years of retaliation. He's since taken a lower-paying job out of state and says in his complaint that he now only sees his wife and teenage son on weekends. An amended complaint filed June 30 seeks Abraham's reinstatement, back pay and compensatory damages tied to both the committee removals and the termination. The UA is facing several other lawsuits from current and former employees in federal and superior court. The Arizona Daily Star reported last year that the board paid $190,000 to settle a pay-equity lawsuit brought by three former UA deans, and that a separate $20 million class-action gender-pay lawsuit against the university remained pending at the time. 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/6a95c5e32c5335ae104d9d88 Clintons roasted over intern job listing demanding high level of ‘discretion’: 'Say no' te 2026-08-31T18:20:19.037Z Clintons roasted over intern job listing demanding high level of ‘discretion’: 'Say no' The Clinton Foundation is hiring for positions in the personal offices of former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton — a paid "Special Projects Associate" for his office and an unpaid intern for hers — and conservatives are having a field day with the titles. "Love how it’s the same job but for Bill Clinton they couldn’t call it an ‘internship,’" wrote Sen. Ted Cruz’s Rapid Response Director James Laverty. The jobs appear to have some overlapping administrative duties but are not the same. Hillary Clinton’s unpaid internship includes research, scheduling, briefing memos and event support, while Bill Clinton’s paid associate role requires a bachelor’s degree and includes executive support, communications and managing special projects. HILLARY CLINTON'S WHITE HOUSE UFC JAB BACKFIRES AFTER CRITICS POINT OUT WHAT HER HUSBAND DID IN 'OUR HOUSE' "Why, was there some sort of controversy involving Bill Clinton and an intern or something," joked Michael Knowles. "If Bill Clinton asks you to do a special project, say no," said conservative commentator Steve Guest. He added "my gosh" in another X post reacting to the listing.  Both listings also use the word "discretion." Bill Clinton’s position calls for "using discretion in scheduling," while Hillary Clinton’s internship requires a "high level of professionalism and discretion." MONICA LEWINSKY HAS ONE REQUEST FOR CRITICS NEARLY 30 YEARS AFTER WHITE HOUSE SCANDAL "Where is Sgt. Hans Schultz when you need him? Hillary Clinton is seeking an intern ‘with a high level’ of ‘discretion’ to work for free. Applicants might want to Google this one," wrote Jonathan Turley referencing the show "Hogan's Heroes." Several of the posts referenced the scandal that erupted publicly in 1998 over Clinton’s sexual relationship with Lewinsky, who was a 22-year-old White House intern when the relationship began in 1995. MONICA LEWINSKY'S LINDSEY GRAHAM TRIBUTE DRAWS CRITICISM AND PRAISE FOR PLACING PEOPLE OVER PARTY: EXPERT Lewinsky later turned over a navy blue dress she said she wore during a 1997 sexual encounter with Clinton to Starr’s Office of Independent Counsel. FBI testing concluded Clinton was the source of DNA obtained from a semen stain on the dress. "Bold of HilDawg to be in Monica Blue," wrote Senate Majority Whip Sen. John Barrasso speech writer Charles Correll III, referencing the color of Hillary’s shirt in the photo. Fox News Digital reached out to the Clinton Foundation and Monica Lewinsky for comment. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95c5df2c5335ae104d9d7f Scottie Scheffler celebrates FedEx Cup title with a rare beer, offers warm praise for Brandel Chamblee te 2026-08-31T18:20:15.554Z Scottie Scheffler celebrates FedEx Cup title with a rare beer, offers warm praise for Brandel Chamblee Scottie Scheffler was in a great mood on Sunday evening after winning the Tour Championship and wrapping up the FedEx Cup. After securing his third victory of the year and picking up a $10 million check in the process, he celebrated like most would, by enjoying a cold beer in the clubhouse before hitting the countless media stops on the property before leaving Atlanta. Scheffler also handed out a huge compliment to Golf Channel's Brandel Chamblee during his post-victory sit-down with the network. While it was a straightforward gesture, it showed a side of Scheffler we don't often see, which is a completely laid-back guy who was both ecstatic and relieved that he ended his 2026 campaign on top. To close out his post-round news conference in the media center, Scheffler was asked what sort of celebratory dinner he was going to get into. The World No. 1 explained that all he wanted was a cheeseburger, but he did let everyone know he enjoyed a nice cold beverage before sitting down to answer questions. THE SCOTTIE VS TIGER COMPARISON, MICHAEL BLOCK'S PARTY GETS SHUT DOWN, AND A FINAL WORD ON YOUTUBE GOLF DRAMA "I had a beer for the first time in a long time. It just sounded good," Scheffler explained. "Right when we got off the course, I got in there, these guys are trying to get me to do media and all this stuff. I was like: how much time do we really have? They're like we've got a couple minutes. All right, let me go inside and get some air conditioning. There was an open bar inside, and I'm like, all right, I'm grabbing a beer. It tasted great. "I don't really drink very often. My wife and my manager were like, wow, I haven't seen you have a beer in a long time. Well, season's over now. I'm going to have a beer. Well-earned beer." Yes, most would say the beer Scheffler sank after his round was well-earned, given his three-win, five-runner-up campaign that saw him earn $31 million before bonuses are added. SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER SHARES A PERFECTLY IMPERFECT ASSESSMENT OF WORK-LIFE BALANCE, THE CHALLENGES OF FATHERHOOD Scheffler then went on to join the Golf Channel's post-game show, and before leaving the set, he tipped his cap to Chamblee and the plethora of research and notes he puts together week in and week out. Chamblee, like any great broadcaster, has his fair share of supporters and critics, but there is no denying that he is a walking encyclopedia of golf knowledge. Whether it be golf history or the modern game, there may not be another human out there who has a brain filled with more knowledge about the sport. Scheffler giving props to Chamblee, and grabbing a page of his notes to show viewers back home made for a cool moment, and, again, presented a side of Scheffler that we don't get to see too often. There's nothing 'normal' about Scheffler on paper – this is a guy who has been the No. 1 ranked player in the world for 207 consecutive weeks – but at the end of the day, he's just someone who appreciates hard work and likes to hand out a compliment. At least with a beer in his system, that is. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95c5d62c5335ae104d9d64 Hackers claim millions of patient records stolen during data breach at healthcare giant McKesson te 2026-08-31T18:20:06.286Z Hackers claim millions of patient records stolen during data breach at healthcare giant McKesson The company, which distributes medicines and medical devices to hospitals and healthcare practices across the U.S., said it was hacked and expects intermittent service degradation. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95c3972c5335ae104d9d3b Kris Mayes targets AI data centers as Arizona faces water, power crunch te 2026-08-31T18:10:31.294Z Kris Mayes targets AI data centers as Arizona faces water, power crunch (Photo via Getty Imates) Arizona Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes is calling for a statewide pause on new data centers, specifically those aimed at powering artificial intelligence systems, amid rising energy costs and the federal government’s plan to cut 30% of Arizona’s Colorado River supply.  “The only sane thing to do is to pause the approval of new data centers,” Mayes said in a written statement. “Data centers are power- and water-intensive, and Arizona is challenged on both fronts right now.”  Mayes also said she is planning to hold a town hall in Ahwatukee on Oct. 14 to hear from members of the community about a planned data center project there.  The Menlo Digital hyperscale data center is a 38-acre campus featuring a one-million-square-foot data center planned in the Ahwatukee area. It has been facing criticism from locals.  The company has switched other properties from office space to data centers in other states and has had its data centers purchased by corporations like Amazon for $65 million.   The rapid construction of giant data centers has become a major point of controversy in Arizona and nationwide.  Across the country, politicians and lawmakers are trying to get ahead of the issue, as data center popularity continues to diminish ahead of the midterm elections.  Locally, high-profile data center projects have faced public outlash leading to some of those projects failing to get approval as developers continue to push for the projects.  “Arizona may be one of the most exposed states in the country to the negative impacts of excessive data center development,” Mayes said. “The Colorado River is in serious distress, and Wall Street firms are seeking to ship La Paz County’s groundwater to Phoenix to fuel the Valley’s growth — against the wishes of the county’s residents and leaders. We owe it to our communities, homeowners, and future generations of Arizonans to better manage our water and power needs before any new data center approvals are issued.”  Mayes is calling for state lawmakers and Gov. Katie Hobbs to pass legislation to halt data center approvals until the state has a plan to monitor and control their growth.  Getting legislative approval for such an idea will likely be an uphill battle.  Republican leadership in the Arizona House of Representatives have pushed the past few years for legislation aimed at helping data center power demand by disallowing counties to regulate them and allow the colocation of small modular nuclear reactors, a technology that is largely unproven.  That legislation was ultimately vetoed by Hobbs.  In her announcement, Mayes cited an analysis by the sustainability non-profit Ceres that estimates a more than 450% increase in water demand if all planned data center projects in the greater Phoenix area are built.  Mayes also cited an Arizona State University study that found that data centers can raise nearby neighborhood temperatures by up to four degrees Fahrenheit. YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE. SUPPORT Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95c3902c5335ae104d9d1b Kelani Jordan finally wins NXT Women's Championship, defeats Kendal Grey at Heatwave te 2026-08-31T18:10:24.547Z Kelani Jordan finally wins NXT Women's Championship, defeats Kendal Grey at Heatwave It has been a long road for Kelani Jordan to finally sit atop the WWE NXT women’s division. On Sunday night, she finally got there. Jordan defeated Kendal Grey in one of the best women’s matches of the year to win the NXT Women’s Championship at Heatwave. COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON OUTKICK She always lamented bigger opportunities passing her by. This time, Jordan had her chance and took it. She nailed Grey into the turnbuckle as the champion was on the apron. Grey’s momentum carried her into the ring and Jordan was lined up for a perfect split-legged moonsault. Jordan pinned Gray and became the new champion. Grey tried her best to put Jordan away multiple times. She hit Jordan with an avalanche reverse Spanish Fly, but there was nothing she could do to put her opponent away. Grey had Jordan on the ropes again, picked her up and nailed her with her knee. Still, Jordan wouldn’t quit. SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS The lack of quit in Jordan propelled her to the victory and launched her first title reign as NXT women’s champion. Jordan has held singles titles before, but never the NXT Women’s Championship. She was the first NXT women’s North American champion and even held the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) Knockouts Championship for a brief moment. Jordan held the NXT Women’s North American Championship until she lost it in a gauntlet to Fallon Henley at Halloween Havoc 2024. She was the TNA Knockouts champion until she lost it at NXT Gold Rush last November to Lei Ying Lee in a triple-threat match. But getting her opponent one-on-one seemed to be paramount for Jordan. She used her gymnastics background to counter Grey’s amateur wrestling abilities and came out the winner. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95c3892c5335ae104d9d12 Grayson Waller's high-risk elbow drop pays off as he captures NXT Championship at Heatwave in four-way match te 2026-08-31T18:10:17.106Z Grayson Waller's high-risk elbow drop pays off as he captures NXT Championship at Heatwave in four-way match Tony D’Angelo entered Heatwave with a huge challenge – defend the NXT Championship against Grayson Waller, Cruz Montana and Zilla Fatu. It was the toughest obstacle yet of his NXT Championship reign. He didn’t need to be pinned to lose the title. He had hungry wrestlers trying to get to the top of the men’s division. Fatu was making his singles debut while Montana was coming out of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) trying to make an immediate impact and Waller was clawing his way back to the top. COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON OUTKICK It took a while for any of these competitors to stay down. Fatu hit a nasty flying Samoan Spike on D’Angelo and pinned him. As the referee was just about to hit three, Waller pulled him out of the ring. Waller was seemingly spent after becoming the punching bag for each of his opponents. Later, Fatu was lying down on the announcer table after some more fighting with D’Angelo and Montana. Waller, back in the ring, knew he had to hit one more home run to keep Fatu down. He thought about it for a second, but decided to take advantage of the situation. SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS Waller climbed to the top turnbuckle and nailed Fatu with an elbow drop. The two crashed through the announcer table. D’Angelo and Montana battled in the ring as Waller tried to recover. Montana hit Spin the Block on D’Angelo. Waller rushed back into the ring and tossed Montana back to the outside and pinned D’Angelo for the victory. Waller became the new NXT champion. It is Waller’s first NXT title reign in NXT despite starting his career with the brand and winning the Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge in 2022. He was never able to reach the heights that NXT has to offer – until Sunday night. Waller talked the talk when he returned to NXT TV and now he’s walking the walk. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95c12c2c5335ae104d9cce CBC caves on 9/11 'terrorism' guidance as US, Canadian officials unleash cross-border backlash te 2026-08-31T18:00:12.636Z CBC caves on 9/11 'terrorism' guidance as US, Canadian officials unleash cross-border backlash Elected leaders and senior officials in the U.S. and Canada denounced the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) on Monday after it reversed guidance telling journalists not to describe the Sept. 11 attacks as terrorism without attribution. New York City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino told Fox News Digital Monday that the reversal had not resolved her concerns. "While it's certainly good that some modicum of reality has prevailed in this instance, it should not have required a week of international outrage and pressure from the United States Government. The fact that the institutional instinct of the CBC was to downplay the 9/11 terror attacks reveals a deep ideological rot that cannot be ignored," Paladino said. "Unfortunately, the CBC, like Canada itself, appears to be a fundamentally broken institution, and one correction made under severe duress doesn't change much of anything," she added. MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD-LINKED NETWORKS EMBEDDED ACROSS CANADIAN INSTITUTIONS, NEW REPORT ALLEGES CBC Head of Public Affairs Chuck Thompson responded Monday by directing Fox News Digital to the broadcaster's revised Editor's Blog, which explained its Friday reversal. "After reviewing our current language guidance, we have decided to adjust it to clarify that direct attribution is not required for describing the historic events of 9/11 as terrorism," CBC News’ senior director of journalistic standards and public trust Basem Boshra said. The change came one day after Fox News Digital first reported that an internal memo authored by Boshra had directed staff to avoid the terrorism label unless it was attributed. Boshra's memo gave CBC journalists an explicit instruction on terminology. "Do not refer to the Sept. 11 attacks as terrorist attacks," the memo had said. SMITHSONIAN-LINKED MUSEUM IN EL-SAYED’S BACKYARD PUTS AMERICA’S POST-9/11 RESPONSE ON TRIAL Former New York Gov. George Pataki, who led the state on 9/11, said the guidance sanitized the deliberate hijackings. "Fear of being accused of Islamophobia cannot become an excuse for denying the plain truth. This is a shameful failure of moral courage. Truth matters in a free society," Pataki said on X. Canadian criticism crossed party lines.  Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre demanded a retraction and apology. "To call 9/11 anything other than a terrorist attack is an appalling distortion of history. It dishonours the victims and their families, the survivors, and the first responders who suffered from the horrors of that day," Poilievre said on X. JUDGE THROWS OUT KHALID SHEIKH MOHAMMED'S 9/11 CONFESSION IN ALREADY LONG WAIT FOR TRIAL Canadian Culture Minister Marc Miller of the Liberal Party said the reversal corrected guidance that had caused legitimate anger.  Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said Canada had always recognized 9/11 as history's deadliest terrorist attack. CBC posted its revision less than an hour after his statement. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE House Republicans also pressed Canada to explain the policy. "What possible motive could there be for sanitizing the worst terrorist attack on American soil? Care to explain, @Canada?" the House Republican Conference said. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., also criticized the guidance.  FBI Director Kash Patel said it bastardized history, while U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra said failing to confront terrorist ideologies endangered the nations’ shared security partnership. The CBC initially told Fox News Digital that the memo reflected a longstanding attribution policy, pointing to an earlier explanation that the terms were politically and emotionally loaded. It later said the leaked excerpt lacked context and caused concern, anger and hurt. The 9/11 attacks, which happened 25 years ago next month, are the most lethal terrorist attacks in history. Nineteen al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four planes, flying two into the World Trade Center in New York City and another into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. The fourth airliner crashed in Pennsylvania without hitting its target after heroic passengers tried to retake the controls. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for comment, but did not immediately receive responses. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95c12a2c5335ae104d9cc5 Colorado family wakes up to bear eating breakfast in kitchen te 2026-08-31T18:00:10.940Z Colorado family wakes up to bear eating breakfast in kitchen A Colorado family woke up one July and found a bear making itself at home and eating breakfast in their kitchen. Security camera footage from inside the Colorado Springs home shows the bear entering the kitchen on July 21 and grabbing a snack. "I was getting ready in the morning and heard a bang. I asked my kids — 8, 6 and 3 years old — if they were all okay, and they were all upstairs playing," Nerissa England told Storyful. GATLINBURG POLICE FREE BLACK BEAR THAT LOCKED ITSELF INSIDE HOTEL BATHROOM IN WILD VIRAL VIDEO "I assumed it was a picture that had fallen off the wall, so my curious 8-year-old daughter, Zara Lee, went downstairs to investigate, and my husband followed to grab coffee," England added. "She rounded the corner into our kitchen, and a bear was eating our trash right outside the kitchen door." The bear apparently walked into the home through a back door that was left open so that a breeze could come in amid the hot temperatures. COLORADO BLACK BEAR DIES AFTER BECOMING TRAPPED INSIDE UNLOCKED CAR FOR DAYS: REPORT The animal then ate some Flintstones vitamins left on a table, dragged a trash can outside and began rummaging through it near the kitchen door, England said. Zara Lee and her father reportedly managed to scare the bear away by opening the door and making noise. CALIFORNIA COUPLE FIGHTS OFF 70-POUND BLACK BEAR WITH HATCHET AND WATER BOTTLE OUTSIDE THEIR HOME "We will be keeping the door shut for a while until the local bears get the food they need and go into hibernation!" England told Storyful. Bears have wandered into people's homes across the United States in record numbers after a dry winter wiped out plants, grasses, berries and nuts that form around 90% of their diet, Reuters reported. Their sense of smell has lured them to places with human food. This has led to record bear deaths in some states, as hundreds have been euthanized, run over, shot and even electrocuted as they interact with humans. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95c1282c5335ae104d9cbc Ex-teammate exposes 'huge' difference between French trans star Julie Tetart and Brittney Griner te 2026-08-31T18:00:08.786Z Ex-teammate exposes 'huge' difference between French trans star Julie Tetart and Brittney Griner The narrative that French trans basketball player Julie Tetart wouldn't hold a competitive advantage in the WNBA just doesn't hold up, according to two former teammates who are speaking out about Tetart's raw physical power that they describe as "a train coming into you." During an interview with French podcast, "Club Five," Sara Crudo and Martina Bestagno explained their experiences playing with Tetart during the 2025-26 season and whether the French phenom could play in the WNBA after averaging a historic 20 points and 20 rebounds per game last season. "If they contact me, I won't say no. But you have to be realistic: I'm old, and there are far better players than me!" Tetart told OutKick in early August as the WNBA told the world that it was inclusive and welcoming of trans basketball players. FRENCH TRANS PHENOM JULIE TÉTART LOOKS WNBA-READY — SO WHY HASN’T THE ‘INCLUSIVE’ LEAGUE CALLED? Bestagno, who played against Brittney Griner over multiple seasons during EuroLeague competitions, describes Tetart's power as unlike anything she's seen in women's basketball. "I played against really big players such as Brittney Griner (6'9", 219 pounds), Isabelle Yacoubou (6'3", 229 pounds), and they're big. They're probably bigger," the veteran power forward Bestagno explained. "It's not just the size, it's the combination of size and strength that it's something that I never went against it before. I was blown away by the difference talking about strength. The difference is huge." CLAY TRAVIS SETS SIGHTS ON FRENCH TRANS PHENOM JULIE TETART FOR PROPOSED 'INCLUSIVE' WNBA EXPANSION TEAM Tetart is listed at 6'3" and 200 pounds. Does this size and power translate to the WNBA? The Club Five podcast host asked Bestagno and Crudo if Tetart would "dominate" the American league. "No, not at all. Not at all," Bestagno answered. "Physically, [Tetart] is probably the strongest that I ever faced. With that being said, basketball is not athletics. It's not because you're the strongest automatically you are the best player." WNBA COMMISSIONER CATHY ENGELBERT SENDS TRANS INCLUSION MEMO AFTER ENES FREEDOM, ROYCE WHITE ANNOUNCEMENTS Interesting. So a basketball player who's stronger and more physically dominating than Griner, and put up 20 points and 20 rebounds, shouldn't be on a WNBA roster? That doesn't make sense. At the very least, Tetart deserves a tryout, wouldn't you think? We don't know what the former teammates think because the host doesn't follow up with that question. It's simple: Can Tetart play in the WNBA? STEPHANIE WHITE, LET ME 'EDUCATE' YOU ON THE SCIENCE OF WHY MEN DON'T BELONG IN WOMEN'S SPORTS Relegated to the French second division, Tetart will return to Monaco's team when its season starts in September. Ex-teammate Crudo says enough is enough. "Is it unfair to let [Tetart] play? Yeah, absolutely yes. This is too much, and I'm sorry to say this, but I don't understand why no one says it," she added. JONATHAN ALPERT: WOMEN WERE TOLD TO SPEAK UP. EXCEPT ABOUT WOMEN’S SPORTS "Imagine me when I was 13 years old. I start to travel as a kid, you follow this dream that you have," the veteran forward said. "You fight for it. You don't arrive there in first league by chance, because you work your ass off. And then maybe there is a situation like someone like Julie, that at 30 years old—after she already went through puberty—can come in. I fight for my whole life to reach this level. She's taking a spot [from] another woman." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95becd2c5335ae104d9c69 Texas fire department makes save on crane 22 stories in the air te 2026-08-31T17:50:05.992Z Texas fire department makes save on crane 22 stories in the air Responders rescued an individual from the cab of a towering crane in Texas on Saturday, according to the Fort Worth Fire Department. The department detailed the save in a Saturday Facebook post, which noted that the individual was about 220 feet high. "The Fort Worth Fire Department Alarm Office received a call for a medical emergency at 11:50am today," the post noted, explaining, "The location was at... the construction site at JPS Health Hospital. Upon arrival, crews found that the patient was actually located approximately 220 feet up in the air, inside of a crane cab." Responders climbed up, provided medical aid and lowered the individual to the ground, the department noted. "When technical rescue teams arrived on scene, they gathered gear and began their ascent up the crane’s ladder. They carried with them all of the equipment they would need for the entire rescue on their backs," the department said. "Upon arrival at the top of the crane (over 22 stories in the air), they went to work. Immediate emergency medical care was started while technical rescue teams began devising a plan for the patient’s safe descent," the department continued. "Once the patient was safely hooked up to the ropes and rigging system, the crews had him lowered and on the ground. This all happened within less than an hour of their making it to him initially," the post read. The department shared multiple photos of the heroic rescue effort. "The crane operator was then transported to the hospital in stable condition," the department added. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95bc762c5335ae104d9c1f Illinois man missing more than a week as crews scour Great Smoky Mountains National Park te 2026-08-31T17:40:06.593Z Illinois man missing more than a week as crews scour Great Smoky Mountains National Park A 57-member search team is combing Great Smoky Mountains National Park for an Illinois man who has been missing for more than a week after his vehicle was found at a popular visitor center. Marcin Bachleda-Blaszczak was last known to be at the Sugarlands Visitor Center parking lot on Aug. 22, 2025, according to the National Park Service (NPS). He was reported missing two days later and his vehicle was then found in the visitor center’s parking lot. Park rangers and volunteers, along with local agencies, have expanded the search in and around the park, looking both on and off trails and using drones to help cover the area, as they look for Bachleda-Blaszczak, according to NPS. 73-YEAR-OLD CAMPER VANISHES OFF THE GRID BEFORE HIS RV TURNS UP IN WILDERNESS Drones are normally prohibited inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee, but are temporarily being allowed for the search. Bachleda-Blaszczak's family said nothing seemed unusual shortly before he disappeared. "The day before, I believe, was when he had pizza with his dad, you know, chatted with him, said he might pick up a shift the next day at work," his cousin, Corrina Auten, told CBS Chicago. "It was very, you know, like a normal, normal conversation. There wasn't anything strange or amiss," she said. "The next thing we knew, he didn't show up for work and he was missing." URGENT SEARCH UNDERWAY FOR MORE THAN A DOZEN PEOPLE AFTER GRAND CANYON FLASH FLOOD Rangers first searched the area around Sugarlands before widening their search. The team grew to 47 rangers and volunteers by Saturday and 57 by Sunday, according to the NPS. Bachleda-Blaszczak is described as 5 feet, 6 inches tall and approximately 170 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. Officials asked anyone with information or who believes they have seen Bachleda-Blaszczak to contact Great Smoky Mountains National Park dispatch at GRSM_Dispatch@nps.gov. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95ba232c5335ae104d9bf3 Hobbs refuses to disclose donors to legal defense fund te 2026-08-31T17:30:11.361Z Hobbs refuses to disclose donors to legal defense fund GLENDALE -- Gov. Katie Hobbs won't disclose who is helping to fund the legal costs she has incurred in investigations of whether she was involved in a "pay-to-play'' scheme. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95b7d82c5335ae104d9ba7 A unanimous vote from the Arizona Board of Education adjusts the school grading system te 2026-08-31T17:20:24.471Z A unanimous vote from the Arizona Board of Education adjusts the school grading system The Arizona State Board of Education takes the first step in revising the A-F school grading system by removing bonus points. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95b7d32c5335ae104d9b81 We disagee with Dan Orlovsky. Matthew Stafford is great, but not that great. te 2026-08-31T17:20:19.569Z We disagee with Dan Orlovsky. Matthew Stafford is great, but not that great. According to ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky, Matthew Stafford could establish himself as one of the five greatest quarterbacks of all time with a second Super Bowl victory this upcoming season. "Matthew Stafford gets another one, he has an MVP in his back pocket, he becomes top-five, top-seven of all-time conversation," Orlovsky said on Get Up. Top five? Top seven? Let us first establish the modern-day quarterbacks whom Stafford ranks below historically, in no particular order:        8. Brett Favre MATTHEW STAFFORD, JOSH ALLEN HEADLINE 'MADDEN NFL 27' RATINGS AS 99 CLUB MEMBERS And then there is another group of pre-1980s quarterbacks who are also ranked ahead of Stafford on most all-time lists: A recent Bleacher Report ranking of the 99 greatest quarterbacks featured Stafford at 20th. He has some work to do to reach the top five, or seven. For the sake of argument, let's set aside the pre-modern era. The difference in competition, rules, statistics, and number of games makes such comparisons difficult and misleading. Today, Stafford is commonly listed in an echelon with the likes of Troy Aikman, Ben Roethlisberger, Dan Marino, and Steve Young. These are all-time greats who sit a tier below the, let's call it, G.O.A.T. category. For example, Brady is universally recognized as the greatest, but there are arguments, of varying degrees of validity, that Montana, Manning, Mahomes, and Rodgers are better. Of that top tier, a second Super Bowl win, the crux of Orlovsky's case, would give Stafford more rings than Brees, Rodgers, and Favre. Granted, he never quite achieved the sustained individual success of those three. Stafford was the best quarterback in the NFL last season, winning his first league MVP. The knock is that it was the first year in which he was definitively in that conversation. Brees, Rodgers, and Favre each spent multiple seasons among the two or three best players in the league. CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGE What also makes Stafford's résumé debatable is that he didn't experience notable team success until he joined the Rams in 2021, whom he did lead to a Super Bowl win that year. Stafford clearly elevated the Detroit Lions during his first 12 years in the NFL. The Lions were the first team in NFL history to go 0-16 the season before they drafted him. However, he didn't win a single playoff game while in Detroit. That matters. Moreover, the Rams are one of the bigger preseason favorites in recent NFL history, currently +500 on DraftKings. While Los Angeles would not be such favorites without Stafford, he is far from the only reason it is. Consider the surrounding talent. Puka Nacua is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. Sean McVay is an elite coach and game-caller whose 13-personnel scheme has transcended the league. In the offseason, the Rams added Myles Garrett, Trent McDuffie, and Aaron Donald. Garrett is the most dominant edge defender in the NFL. McDuffie is a top-tier corner. Donald, albeit 35 and coming out of retirement, was the premier defensive tackle of this generation. The Rams may have already had the best roster in the league. They then added all of that. Therefore, Stafford shouldn't have to carry a franchise at a historic level for the Rams to win, the way Mahomes did for his three rings. Stafford didn't have to in 2021 either, thanks to Donald, Leonard Floyd, Odell Beckham Jr., and eventual Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp. None of this diminishes Stafford's legacy. In general, he is underappreciated. That said, in this case, the pendulum is swinging too far in the other direction. With all due respect to Dan Orlovsky, one of the best analysts in the industry, we must disagree. Even with a Super Bowl win this season, Matthew Stafford still won't be one of the five or seven best quarterbacks ever. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95b7ca2c5335ae104d9b67 Ryan Breslow is raising up to $27M in pay-to-play bridge funding to save Bolt te 2026-08-31T17:20:10.478Z Ryan Breslow is raising up to $27M in pay-to-play bridge funding to save Bolt The controversial founder of the checkout startup once valued at $11 billion is putting in $5 million of his own money. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95b7c52c5335ae104d9b5e Un dúo transforma el agotamiento en compasión te 2026-08-31T17:20:05.209Z Un dúo transforma el agotamiento en compasión Leer en inglés En 2023, Jose Ocaño y Angel Guzman, una pareja casada y antiguos residentes de Tucson, atravesaban crisis personales cuando tomaron una decisión poco convencional: dejar sus empleos para iniciar un negocio juntos. Ese negocio, Hatching, enseña ahora a profesionales del sector asistencial que sufren agotamiento, desde trabajadores de refugios de animales hasta trabajadores sociales escolares, a reconectar con la compasión. Ocaño comenzó a trabajar en el Pima Animal Care Center (PACC) a los 19 años. Como técnico veterinario certificado, terminó teniendo que asistir en la eutanasia de animales. Aunque la eutanasia puede ser la mejor y más humana opción en algunos casos, no siempre era así en el refugio, señaló. "Vi animales a los que se les aplicaba la eutanasia porque estornudaban," dijo. "Los sacrificaban porque bufaba tras un largo viaje en coche."  Ocaño notó que tanto él como sus compañeros sufrían agotamiento profesional. Parte de la solución, afirmó, consistía en cambiar los procedimientos operativos del PACC. "Con el paso de los años, el PACC se ha convertido en una organización increíble y en uno de los mejores modelos de salvamento de vidas del país, y tuve la oportunidad de formar parte de ello," comentó Ocaño. Su éxito al implementar cambios en el PACC llevó su trabajo a un ámbito nacional cuando fue contratado por Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. Sin embargo, mientras trabajaba en recursos humanos, empezó a experimentar esa sensación familiar de agotamiento que ya había vivido en el PACC. "A menudo iba a desarrollar programas y ofrecer apoyo operativo, pero sabía que abordar el agotamiento y el aspecto humano era una parte necesaria," dijo Ocaño. "Con el tiempo, me di cuenta de que esa era la pieza que faltaba, centrarse en la humanidad de las personas." Tu membresía permite pagar a periodistas emergentes para que cubran el sur de Arizona como se merece. Angel Guzman (izquierda) y Jose Ocaño (derecha) posan junto a una trabajadora social del Distrito Escolar Unificado de Tucson durante su taller "Más Compassion", donde ambos compartieron herramientas para combatir el agotamiento emocional. Cortesía de Hatching. Ocaño afirma que, si no se atienden los desafíos emocionales que conlleva la labor de cuidado, la situación puede empeorar. "Lleva a las personas a sentirse... apáticas y sin esperanza," señaló. Durante su etapa en la organización Best Friends, la madre de Ocaño ingresó en cuidados paliativos y falleció. "Mi vida atravesaba muchos altibajos en aquel entonces y una compañera de trabajo me dijo que estaba ‘hatching’ (eclosionando)," comentó Ocaño. "Se refería a una nueva etapa, a crecer, aprender y tener que desenvolverse en medio de una circunstancia difícil. Esa idea se me quedó grabada." Guzman es un violinista profesional que ha actuado en Disneyland, ha realizado giras con artistas latinos y ha grabado con Camila Cabello. También es un experto en finanzas, su trayectoria incluye un puesto en la unidad de delitos financieros de los Servicios de Protección para Adultos y trabajó como investigador financiero para el estado de Arizona. Además, a Guzman le crecía un tumor benigno en la mandíbula, justo donde apoya el violín. La operación para extirparlo supondría el fin de su carrera, por lo que se resistió a someterse a ella hasta que la situación se volvió insostenible. Finalmente decidió operarse, pero echaba de menos tocar el violín como medio de expresión y válvula de escape. "Fue algo que cambió mi vida y la forma en que percibía el mundo que me rodeaba," afirmó. Guzman necesitaba encontrar otra vía de desahogo, así que dedicó su tiempo a prácticas de atención plena. "Adopté prácticas como el yoga y la meditación, ya que no podía ir al gimnasio (ni tocar el instrumento)," explicó Guzman. "Se trató, en gran medida, de adaptarse y aceptar la realidad de mis circunstancias." Los trabajadores sociales del Distrito Escolar Unificado de Tucson se reúnen para un taller de Hatching, donde José Ocaño y Ángel Guzmán guiaron a los asistentes a través de ejercicios de cultivo de compasión para abordar el agotamiento. Cortesía de Hatching. La idea detrás de Hatching no comenzó como un plan de negocios. Nació al afrontar las dificultades de la vida y creció a partir de la evaluación emocional y la búsqueda de formas de sanar. Pero aunque el escenario estaba preparado para su negocio, todavía faltaba algo. Luego, Ocaño recordó una experiencia de su época trabajando en un refugio de animales en Fresno. "Estaba sentado en la sala de descanso con un miembro del personal y compartimos cómo fue la experiencia, trabajando en este entorno realmente intenso y con pocos recursos. Compartimos consejos y diferentes cosas que descubrí que me habían ayudado," dijo. "Entonces me di cuenta de que tenía este sentimiento de conexión, este sentimiento de 'Estoy en esto contigo.'" Fue en ese momento, dijo, que la idea de Hatching realmente despegó. "Vamos a centrarnos en las personas y en quienes nos ayudan porque los necesitamos para que el mundo sea un lugar mejor," dijo Ocaño. La eclosión ya había surgido y se había convertido en lo que Ocaño y Guzmán llaman "cultivo de la compasión." Se trata de ayudar a las personas a pasar del modo de supervivencia al modo de compasión, dijo Ocaño. La pareja descubrió que las personas a menudo estaban tan "hundidas en el modo de supervivencia" que incluso las buenas sugerencias parecían demasiado para aceptarlas, por lo que desarrollaron lo que llamaron "Más Compasión." "Muchas veces... el autocuidado... no es algo de lo que hablamos ni discutimos en nuestra comunidad. Así que esa es una pequeña idea de por qué lo llamamos 'Más Compasión,'" explicó Ocaño. Desde 2023, Hatching se ha asociado con más de 100 organizaciones, ha atraído a más de 830 participantes a través de The Más Compassion Experience y ha inscrito a más de 1,000 personas en sus cursos en línea. Comienzan con lo que denominan la rutina "333": tres minutos de estiramientos, tres minutos de reflexión musical mientras se plantean preguntas internas y tres minutos de escritura personal. "Aquí es donde ocurre la magia," afirmó Ocaño. Los participantes se hacen preguntas como "¿Cómo es ser yo?" y "¿Qué llevo conmigo?" para luego compartir sus respuestas con sus compañeros de trabajo. Los participantes responden a las preguntas mediante una aplicación de encuestas anónimas, compartiendo lo que descubrieron sobre sí mismos y sobre los demás durante los ejercicios. "Lo que más escuchamos en cada taller, y es la conclusión más poderosa, es: 'No estoy solo,' " señaló Ocaño. Ambos regresaron recientemente a Tucson para compartir herramientas destinadas a combatir el agotamiento laboral con los trabajadores sociales del Distrito Escolar Unificado de Tucson. Explicaron que el objetivo es siempre conectar a las personas con el presente, reconectándose consigo mismas, entre sí y con su trabajo. Si los trabajadores pueden regresar a sus puestos con "más reservas de compasión, algunas herramientas y una conexión más profunda entre ellos y con el propósito de su labor," Ocaño y Guzman consideran que han logrado cultivar la compasión. Katherine Martinez es una estudiante de periodismo de origen nativo Kickapoo-Potawatomi en la Universidad de Arizona y pasante en El Foco de Tucson. Puede contactarla en martinezk29@arizona.edu. Esta nota fue traducida por Priscilla Daniel. 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/6a95b57f2c5335ae104d9b41 Flagstaff cross country sees wins in summit races amid new race schedule te 2026-08-31T17:10:23.174Z Flagstaff cross country sees wins in summit races amid new race schedule Kylyn Taylor and Yohanes van Meerten took wins in the Peaks Invitational summit races to kick off the 2026 high school cross country season. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95b5782c5335ae104d9b1c Oilers legend Robert Brazile on fishing, wild Bum Phillips advice and how Howard Cosell coined Dr. Doom te 2026-08-31T17:10:16.838Z Oilers legend Robert Brazile on fishing, wild Bum Phillips advice and how Howard Cosell coined Dr. Doom Robert Brazile built a Hall of Fame career by wrecking offensive game plans, but these days, "Dr. Doom" is taking his talents to the water. The Houston Oilers legend reeled into OutKick OutDoors to share his outdoor routine, swap wild cowboy tales about Bum Phillips, and break down how he earned one of football's scariest nicknames. Before Lawrence Taylor ever terrorized quarterbacks, Brazile was already wrecking offenses. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound Oilers legend stacked up seven straight Pro Bowls, a spot on the NFL’s 1970s All-Decade Team, and a long-overdue induction into Canton in 2018. These days, the defensive terror who spent a decade demolishing ball-carriers lives at a much different pace. He replaced bruising hits with early-morning bike rides, long walks and a growing love for life on the water. And make no mistake, Brazile is up long before most people hit snooze. "My day starts about 3:30 every morning," Brazile said. "I get up and I color by numbers on an app on my iPad. I sit there and color a picture every day, and then I send my daily creation out to a friend who is waiting to see what I colored." He then bikes to a creek near his Alabama home before taking a two-hour walk, relying on the exact same routine that helped him memorize his Hall of Fame induction speech. It is also how he ensures family comes first. "I still have both of my parents living," Brazile shared. "So I want to get everything done early in the morning, and by the time they wake up, I'm over there visiting them to see what I can do to help make a great day for them." Despite living right on the water, the former linebacker admits he isn't even the top angler under his own roof. CHARTER CAPTAIN JONATHAN MOSS EXPLAINS HOW TO GET KIDS HOOKED ON FISHING FROM AN EARLY AGE "My wife is the real fisherman in the house, and she's used artificial bait all her life," Brazile laughed. "I've been what you call a 'catcher.' I use live bait all the time." Growing up in Mobile and playing for the iconic Bum Phillips gave Brazile a front-row seat to pure Southern outdoor culture. Phillips, famous for his Stetson hats and Texas drawl, didn't mince words when Brazile asked about riding a bull. The legendary coach shut it down with a classic one-liner. "He looked at me and said, 'Rob, that bull will throw you higher than train smoke!'" Brazile recalled. His golf game didn't offer much refuge, either. As a rookie playing in the Houston Open alongside entertainment icon Jackie Gleason, Brazile was introduced over the loudspeaker. Before the announcer could finish saying his name, Brazile teed off and drilled Gleason square with the ball. "The golf pro turned to me and said, 'Mr. Brazile, you know you can get sued for that?' That took all the glare out of golf for me right then and there," Brazile joked. He officially hung up his driver after that and became a self-described "designated putter," traveling to charity events around the country with six putters in tow. RANDY MOSS LAUNCHES YOUTUBE BASS FISHING SERIES WHILE HEADLINING RECORD $3.25M TOURNAMENT IN NASHVILLE Of course, you can't talk to Brazile without asking about his terrifying moniker ... the man known as Dr. Doom. Before a College All-Star Game early in his career, fellow player Richard Wood suggested the comic-book-inspired nickname. Brazile wasn't sold until a coach overheard the conversation and gave it an unforgettable acronym. "He walked over and said, 'Young Brazile, you need to consider taking that name. D-O-O-M: Death On Opposing Men. Doesn't that fit you?'" Brazile recalled. "I said, 'Yeah, I'll take it!'" Now, Brazile is putting those outdoor skills to the test as the Bassmaster Randy Moss Pro Football Hall of Fame Pro-Am gets underway on New York’s St. Lawrence River. Brazile is chasing smallmouth in a star-studded field hosted by Moss and featuring fellow heavyweights Calvin Johnson, Joe Thomas, and Ronde Barber. It isn't his first time hitting the water with NFL royalty, either. "I had the opportunity last year to go fishing with Ray Lewis. We went walleye fishing, and boy, it was a blast," Brazile said. "And to fish with another classmate, Randy Moss... I feel like a kid going to a Christmas party." "I'm going to be like a big sponge taking in all that knowledge on Monday so I can bring it back home to my wife," Brazile added. "And I've learned this about fishing: it's all about how you hold your mouth, and the best way to do it is to keep it closed!" For Brazile, reunions like this carry extra weight after waiting 30 long years for his phone call to Canton. "That day when we got the gold jackets... I took all of that day personally," Brazile explained. "I vowed at that second that if I have the opportunity to share that feeling, I'm going to every Hall of Fame event. That's why I show up every year for enshrinement." Looking ahead to the upcoming NFL season, the franchise icon remains deeply connected to the team's modern era in Tennessee under owner Amy Adams Strunk, offering veteran wisdom for young quarterback Cam Ward. "I believe in the young quarterback, his work ethic, and the things I hear about him," Brazile said. "I know what it's like. Remember in 1975 when I was Rookie of the Year? Whatever the coach tells you to do, lead your team to victory every game, and just leave it out on the floor." Before wrapping up, 'Dr. Doom' sent one final message to football fans everywhere. "Keep the faith. I know everybody says football isn't like it used to be, but it still runs on tackles," Brazile said. "Without y'all, we're nothing... continue to do what you can for your home teams. But cheer for the Titans, please! Titans up!" Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95b5702c5335ae104d9b03 Tim Cook’s parting message: Apple is in the hands of a product builder te 2026-08-31T17:10:08.739Z Tim Cook’s parting message: Apple is in the hands of a product builder Tim Cook’s farewell memo to Apple employees offers a glimpse at how he wants John Ternus to be seen: as a product builder with deep experience across the iPhone, Mac, AirPods and other major hardware lines Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95b0c92c5335ae104d9a45 Nashville school pulls LGBT books after Christian teacher was disciplined for refusing to read one te 2026-08-31T16:50:17.218Z Nashville school pulls LGBT books after Christian teacher was disciplined for refusing to read one A Nashville charter school has removed books featuring LGBT themes from its elementary school libraries months after a Christian teacher was disciplined for refusing to read one of the books to students, a decision the school later cleared from the teacher’s record. The Tennessee Star reported Friday that, according to the First Liberty Institute — a nonprofit legal organization — the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) in Nashville has taken out books that promote same-sex marriage. "We are thrilled that KIPP Nashville voluntarily removed books that could run afoul of parents’ rights under the Constitution and Tennessee law," Cliff Martin, senior counsel at First Liberty Institute, said in a Thursday statement.  "It is paramount that religious views be respected in schools," Martin said. UTAH LIBRARY CONFIRMS LGBTQ 'PRIDE' BOOK FOR ITS 'SMALLEST PATRONS' IS KEPT EASILY ACCESSIBLE The development comes months after First Liberty said it reached an agreement with KIPP Nashville to clear the record of Eric Rivera, who taught at Antioch College Prep Elementary School and was issued a "final warning letter" after declining to read a children’s book about same-sex parents to his first-grade class. KIPP Nashville operates 10 high performing schools in Nashville for kindergarten-12th grade, including KIPP Antioch College Prep Elementary School.  In February, Rivera was denied religious accommodation for not reading a book that violated his sincerely held religious beliefs. CHRISTIAN SCHOOL CHAPLAIN WINS SETTLEMENT AFTER FIRING OVER LGBTQ SERMON After receiving a demand letter from First Liberty, the school said they would accommodate any reasonable religious requests. First Liberty Institute’s demand letter read, in part, "Mr. Rivera’s sincerely held religious beliefs are protected under the First Amendment. Thus, he was within his rights to request a reasonable accommodation. As employees, teachers have the right to opt out of curricula that they find religiously objectionable just as students do unless the opt out would cause an undue hardship." EXCLUSIVE: INDIANA SCHOOL COUNSELOR FIRED FOR SPEAKING OUT ON GENDER IDENTITY POLICY SETTLES LAWSUIT FOR $200K Rivera’s record was subsequently cleared, and First Liberty Institute said that "the school also agreed to ‘permit all teachers to ask another employee to read materials objectionable to their faith.’" In a statement to Fox News Digital, Rivera said, "I am really glad that the parents who have kids at KIPP now have all the information they need to choose what’s best for their kids." Fox News Digital reached out to the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) program in Nashville for comment. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95b0c62c5335ae104d9a3c Debi Mazar says 'Entourage' set 'got toxic' after she returned from having her second daughter te 2026-08-31T16:50:14.657Z Debi Mazar says 'Entourage' set 'got toxic' after she returned from having her second daughter "Entourage" star Debi Mazar is opening up about what she described as a difficult experience on the set of the hit show. The actress, who played no-nonsense publicist Shauna Roberts throughout the HBO show’s eight-season run, reflected on her experience in a recent interview with The Sunday Times, calling the first season a "joy-fest" before saying the atmosphere shifted. "In the third season, the set was a testosterone-fueled environment," Mazar told the outlet. "I’m tough, but it got toxic towards the end for me." JACK OSBOURNE FIRES BACK AT BODY SHAMERS CALLING HIM 'GROSSLY UNDERWEIGHT' Mazar, 62, said she returned to work after welcoming her second daughter and felt judged over her appearance. "They didn’t like that I got fat, even though I got skinny again," she said. The "Goodfellas" star said the situation was complicated in part because she has never been one to keep quiet about how she feels. Still, Mazar stressed that she remained professional and was grateful for her time on the series. "It was a lot of fun, until it wasn’t," she said. Fox News Digital reached out to HBO for comment. "Entourage," which followed the highs and pitfalls of a rising actor navigating Hollywood with his childhood friends, ran on HBO from 2004 to 2011. Mazar reprised her role as Shauna in the 2015 movie based on the series. GET ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR EMAIL BY CLICKING HERE Mazar is among several stars who have recently opened up about their "toxic" experiences on Hollywood sets. Earlier this year, Rose McGowan said Hollywood executives openly obsessed over her fluctuating weight during her stint on "Charmed" in the early 2000s. During an appearance on the "We Need to Talk" podcast, McGowan — who joined the cast in 2001 — recalled how show executives would often mull over her weight gain or loss. "They would circle around me to check my weight when I came back from season to season," she said, referencing show producers. "I think it was just really inspecting their product." BELLA THORNE SAYS HOLLYWOOD TREATED HER LIKE A KID ON SCREEN AND AN ADULT OFF CAMERA "There was no chill with it. It was completely fine to be that way," she added. "Now they have to kind of pay lip service to being different." Danielle Fishel — who famously portrayed Topanga Lawrence in the beloved '90s series "Boy Meets World" — has been open about facing significant body-image struggles during the height of the show's success. "I was aware, even if nobody said it to me directly... that as far as the people in power were concerned, my body was a problem," Fishel, 44, said in an April interview with Us Weekly. "I remember around the time of [1998’s] prom episode being aware that they didn’t want me wearing something sleeveless." Toward the end of the series, Fishel felt she was "no longer attractive" because she had put on weight. PUT YOUR ENTERTAINMENT KNOWLEDGE TO THE TEST AND SEE HOW YOU SCORE "I just so did not want to be there; I was uncomfortable on set every day," she said. "There was this feeling that I was no longer attractive, because I had gained weight. I just wanted to be anywhere other than on set. I was probably a curmudgeon." During the show's last season, Fishel's weight gain was addressed in an episode titled, "She's Having My Baby Back Ribs." In the episode, Topanga pretends to be pregnant as she struggles with body insecurities. LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS Looking back, Fishel said those feelings of inadequacy almost ended her on-camera career after the series. "I feel some cognitive dissonance because I’m aware that what my eyes are seeing doesn’t match up with the way I feel watching," she told the outlet. "It just doesn’t feel good. The season 7 episodes are tainted with the feeling of incredible insecurity and fear of being on camera, which was hard for me to shake and probably why I didn’t really want to go forward with a career on camera." "I wouldn’t say or do [anything] differently other than be more accepting and loving of myself," she added. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95b0c32c5335ae104d9a33 Creature dubbed 'Syracuse Figure' spotted in New York: Is it Bigfoot or an elderly skinny-dipper? te 2026-08-31T16:50:11.119Z Creature dubbed 'Syracuse Figure' spotted in New York: Is it Bigfoot or an elderly skinny-dipper? Researchers with the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization are baffled, according to one of their own, Matthew Moneymaker. He posted on Facebook last week images of what they've dubbed the "Syracuse Figure." What is it? That's what they'd love to know. While they admit it looks like an old man wading into a pond, they're not convinced that's the case. "The Syracuse Figure does not look like a classic bigfoot, but it does not look like a normal human either. The location and behavior (wading in a swamp) are more consistent with bigfoots than humans. What appears to be skin may actually be thinning wet fur that is laying flat," Moneymaker wrote. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE FROM OUTKICK OUTDOORS "The photos were shot at a relatively remote pond in Onondaga County (the county for Syracuse NY) by a hiker lady who was taking photos of the scenery around the pond. The BFRO's investigator in Syracuse saw the photos and was intrigued, so he investigated them, first to determine if the witness/photographer was credible, then to try to find out what the figure is." This curiosity and willingness not to write the sighting off as just an elderly skinny-dipper without first taking into consideration all the possibilities is how the answers are going to be found one day. Another wrinkle to this is the approximate size of the "Syracuse Figure." Moneymaker added that it is believed to be "around 4 foot 9 inches tall." WITNESS RECOUNTS FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND BIGFOOT SIGHTING IN CONNECTICUT, SAYS 'THERE WERE NO BOOBS' There have been other, shorter Bigfoot sightings reported in Pennsylvania recently. In fact, the BFRO was in the process of investigating these pictures, which they received in early August, when the mini-Bigfoot reports came out. Is that what has been captured here? Is this a so-called mini-Bigfoot or an old guy without any clothes on going for a refreshing dip in a New York swamp? That's what the researchers are hoping to find out. They've concluded that the images are legit and the witness who took them is credible. They haven’t been able to identify what she captured on camera. "We are posting the photos of the Syracuse Figure in hopes of being able to identify him/it," Moneymaker added. "It might be an old man, or it might not be. If it's a man then we assume someone in or near Onondage County will recognize him." Is it Bigfoot or an elderly skinny-dipper? Let me know what you think or if you have any information about the "Syracuse Figure" sean.joseph@outkick.com. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95ae742c5335ae104d99ec As food recalls mount, experts warn Trump has hollowed out America’s food safety system te 2026-08-31T16:40:20.802Z As food recalls mount, experts warn Trump has hollowed out America’s food safety system Vegetables and lettuces at a grocery store in Michigan. A summer of food recalls, including the record-shattering cyclosporiasis outbreak tied to iceberg lettuce that has sickened thousands, has raised many Americans’ fears of contracting a foodborne illness. (Photo by Jon King/Michigan Advance) Jalapenos. Frozen berries. Beef. Alfalfa sprouts. A summer of food recalls, including the record-shattering cyclosporiasis outbreak tied to iceberg lettuce that has sickened thousands, has raised many Americans’ fears of contracting a foodborne illness. The recalls have focused attention on the Trump administration’s decision to cut funding and staff at several public health agencies, and prompted questions about whether those changes have made consumers more vulnerable. In fact, this year’s tally of food recalls is roughly in line with the numbers in recent years. About 48 million people each year get sick from a foodborne illness. But experts worry that the scope, severity and scale of outbreaks and their associated food recalls are growing. While the United States sees some cyclosporiasis cases every year, this year’s outbreak has crushed records: Since May, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed more than 17,000 cases, with another nearly 12,000 reported cases still under investigation. The outbreak has resulted in at least 922 hospitalizations and two deaths. Federal officials have blamed this year’s multistate outbreak on processed iceberg lettuce from central Mexico. The lettuce was brought to the U.S. by Taylor Farms, a distributor that supplies foods to thousands of restaurants and grocery stores, including Target, Taco Bell, Whole Foods, Kroger, Walmart, Costco and Jack in the Box. Quotation I think there are valid questions around the timing of the response, the time it took for agencies to recognize the outbreak and to start to investigate it, get boots on the ground in Mexico. – Jennifer McEntire, food microbiologist and founder of Food Safety Strategy The CDC and the Food and Drug Administration are investigating at least six other clusters for which a source hasn’t yet been confirmed. Cuts at the CDC and FDA haven’t necessarily increased consumers’ chances of food contamination or outbreaks, said Jennifer McEntire, a food microbiologist and the founder of a food safety consulting firm. However, McIntire said, “I do think the cuts may have influenced the way outbreaks unfold.” “I think there are valid questions around the timing of the response, the time it took for agencies to recognize the outbreak and to start to investigate it, get boots on the ground in Mexico,” she said. Darin Detwiler, a food safety expert and professor emeritus at Northeastern University, noted that the U.S. is seeing more recalls affecting multiple states, rather than a small area. He added that more recalls are being tied to a problem earlier in the food chain — such as contaminated irrigation water at a large lettuce farm rather than, say, improperly stored deli meat at a sandwich shop  — which can spread the pathogen to a far higher number of people and make it harder to track and contain. “We’re seeing so many people impacted, so many states impacted, and the recalls are dragging on for a long time,” Detwiler. “There’s ambiguity or lack of transparency over who’s even behind a recall.” The White House dismissed concerns about the federal government’s ability to handle outbreaks. “The Trump Administration has never cut FDA food inspectors or other frontline personnel for domestic disease response,” White House spokesperson Allison Schuster told Stateline in an email. “President Trump’s top priority is the health and safety of the American people, and the federal government remains capable of robustly addressing any future outbreaks.” Fewer staff, less funding Last year, the Trump administration laid off thousands of employees at federal public health agencies including the CDC, which tracks and responds to disease outbreaks, and the FDA, which oversees and regulates food safety. While some of the layoffs were reversed through lawsuits or by Congress, the nation’s health public agencies remain at diminished capacity. The CDC workforce has been reduced by 28% since December 2024, the month before Trump took office, according to a Stateline analysis of data from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Employee numbers at the FDA are down 23% during the same period. Last year, U.S. inspections of foreign food facilities, such as the Mexican farming operation linked to the cyclospora outbreak, plummeted to historic lows following those staffing cuts. The FDA suspended a quality control program for food testing. And the parasite surveillance staff at the CDC, which responds to outbreaks, was downsized last year by the Department of Government Efficiency from 11 people to three. Sandra Eskin, a food safety expert who worked in the office of food safety at the U.S. Department of Agriculture during the Biden administration, likened federal public health cuts to the game Jenga, where players construct a tower of wooden blocks and then remove the blocks one at a time while trying not to make the tower fall. “I think that’s what we’re seeing,” said Eskin, who now leads a public health nonprofit called Stop Foodborne Illness, which advocates for stronger food safety policies. “Whether it’s cuts in staff, cuts in funding that trickle down to the states, or late responses to outbreaks — these are all pieces of wood in that game where you start pulling them out and then the whole thing collapses.” The federal government also has delayed requiring companies to comply with new food safety rules, included in a law enacted more than a decade ago, that would help regulators track where food comes from and where it’s going during outbreaks. Detwiler and other experts say the new rules could have helped speed the government’s sluggish response to the cyclospora outbreak investigation after Taylor Farms initially tried delaying the recall. Last year, the Trump administration also drastically scaled back FoodNet, an early warning surveillance system that required tracking of infections caused by eight different foodborne pathogens. The federal-state collaboration is now only required to track two pathogens: salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing E.coli. The other six pathogens, including cyclospora, were made optional. The CDC says the change was made because other surveillance systems monitor those pathogens. But McEntire and other food safety experts want them reinstated on FoodNet. State impacts Infectious outbreaks like cyclosporiasis are typically investigated by state and local health departments, which largely rely on federal dollars distributed through the FDA and CDC. Public health has been chronically underfunded for decades under several administrations, experts say. But the Trump administration since last year has terminated $5.78 billion in CDC grants — funds that were appropriated by Congress but had not yet been spent. Michigan, at the center of the cyclosporiasis outbreak with the highest number of cases and clusters, is one of 23 states (plus the District of Columbia) that successfully sued the Trump administration in June 2025 over federal funding cuts. Changes to federal funding last year affected public health infrastructure across Michigan, a representative from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services told Stateline. During the cyclosporiasis  outbreak, the state used its own resources to bolster local responses. “While we are able to support this investigation on a local level, sustained investment in public health capacity is essential to ensuring Michigan can respond effectively to future regional and statewide public health threats,” said department spokesperson Lynn Sutfin. Stateline reporter Anna Claire Vollers can be reached at avollers@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/6a95ae6e2c5335ae104d99cb El-Sayed tries to make peace with Jewish Democrats but draws line at dumping Hasan Piker te 2026-08-31T16:40:14.873Z El-Sayed tries to make peace with Jewish Democrats but draws line at dumping Hasan Piker Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed spent this past weekend trying to mend fences with Jewish Democrats in Michigan, but his Republican rival calls El-Sayed's comments a "sham apology." El-Sayed, in an appearance Saturday before the Michigan Democrats' Jewish Caucus, and in an answer to a question from Fox News Digital, apologized for comments he made after a March attack on a suburban Detroit synagogue. But he pushed back when asked to repudiate controversial comments from incendiary left-wing streamer Hasan Piker, who is a strong supporter of his campaign. A vocal critic of Israel who describes its military actions against Hamas in Gaza as "genocide," El-Sayed is facing off against former Rep. Mike Rogers, the Republican nominee in the Great Lakes battleground state, for a crucial open Senate seat the Democrats must hold in the midterm elections as they aim to win back control of the chamber. El-Sayed's narrow primary victory over more moderate Rep. Haley Stevens in what was a divisive intraparty showdown was arguably the biggest victory to date for the left in its battle against the establishment for the ideological future of the Democratic Party. El-Sayed appeared this past weekend at the state party's nominating convention in Lansing, Michigan in an effort to unify Democrats in the wake of the primary battle. DEMOCRATIC MICHIGAN AG ACCUSES HER PARTY OF 'ABSOLUTELY NOT' DOING ENOUGH TO COUNTER ANTISEMITISM Fox News Digital asked El-Sayed about a recent controversy stemming from comments he made in response to an attack on a Michigan synagogue, when federal investigators say a gunman inspired and radicalized by Hezbollah crashed into the place of worship seeking to kill as many Jewish people as he could. The alleged attacker was a Lebanese-born man who a week earlier had lost relatives in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon. "Hurt people, hurt people," El-Sayed said in response to the attack. He was criticized by members of his own party, including Michigan Secretary of State Dana Nessel, who discussed the comments in a recent interview with The Atlantic, and declined to attend this past weekend's convention partly over concerns of antisemitism in the Democratic Party. El-Sayed told Fox News Digital his comments "might have been misconstrued to be justifying something I did not intend to justify," but then offered an apology. "To anybody who feels like my comments may have been hurtful, I’m really sorry. That was not my intention. We condemned that terrorist attack. We condemned it outright," El-Sayed added. "What I was trying to do was offer context for why it happened, but it wasn’t the time for context and you don’t ever want to trample somebody’s pain." El-Sayed is an epidemiologist and former Wayne County Health Department director who, if elected in November, would make history as the nation's first Muslim senator. He has argued against unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel, as have other progressive politicians. And El-Sayed has repeatedly declined to directly answer whether Israel has the right to exist. He said his message to Jewish voters in Michigan is, "We may not agree on everything when it comes to foreign policy... I'm not going to stop fighting for Palestinian self-determination... but that does not mean that I will not stand up… for safety for all communities and I believe in the safety and dignity of Jewish kids like I believe in the safety and dignity of my own kids." Before taking questions from reporters, El-Sayed met in Lansing with the state's Democratic Jewish Caucus. "He just had a very good meeting with us," Daniel Rivkin, a convention delegate and member of the caucus, told Fox News Digital, as he referred to El-Sayed. "We're having real conversations." CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLL IN MICHIGAN'S BLOCKBUSTER SENATE RACE But hours earlier, some Jewish leaders in Michigan went public with an open letter urging Jewish Democrats and independents in the state to sign their names in support of Rogers, who is making a second straight run for the Senate after falling just 20,000 votes short in 2024. "Many of us have been fiercely supportive of Democratic candidates and principles. All of us have felt threatened and alienated by the politics and allies embraced by Abdul El-Sayed, which has included demonization of Jews, equivocation on terrorism, exclusion of Jewish Americans from public life, and expression of implacable hatred of the world’s only Jewish nation," the letter stated. Rogers, in a statement highlighting the letter, claimed that "Abdul El-Sayed fans the flames of antisemitism. We’re fighting to extinguish it." In an interview Monday morning on Fox News' "Fox and Friends," Rogers said, "We've had so many Democrat Jewish people here in the state of Michigan ring up our phone and say, "I can't do this. I'm for you." WHAT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE MIDTERM RACES SHOW Referring to El-Sayed, Rogers said, "When someone says you might have been offended by what I said, that's not an apology." And he claimed that El-Sayed "has a long history of antisemitic and inflammatory comments." But El-Sayed has repeatedly pushed back, saying, "My commitment to Jewish safety is the same as my commitment to the safety of my own kids. We have a responsibility to take on antisemitism in all of its forms, wherever we see it." Making El-Sayed's mission to make peace with Jewish Democrats and independents more difficult is the backing he receives from Piker. Piker recently featured on his stream an image of state Sen. Jeremy Moss, the Democratic nominee in Michigan's 11th Congressional District. Moss, who is Jewish, has said that people are sharing a fake audio clip of him claiming that his entire reason for running for Congress is to make sure that America continues to support Israel. "If Jews in America keep putting this idea out there that they are singularly invested in Israel, eventually someone is going to come around and take action, not against the state of Israel, mind you, but against American Jews," Piker warned. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB Piker, who endorsed El-Sayed for the Democratic nomination and appeared at some of the candidate's campaign events including a primary night party in Detroit, has repeatedly stood by his numerous past comments critical of Israel over its ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza. El-Sayed, who over the past week appeared to try and distance himself from Piker, responded to the firestorm by saying, "I want to be crystal clear, nobody speaks for this campaign besides me and my campaign spokespeople." On Saturday, El-Sayed was peppered with questions from reporters about Piker. "We’re in the state of Michigan. If you want to make this race about a streamer in California, I just think you’re missing the boat," El-Sayed told reporters. "This is about affordability in Michigan. This is about seeing a doctor in Michigan. This is about Donald Trump’s disastrous policies in Michigan. That’s what I’m focused on right now." As the questions about Piker continued, El-Sayed repeatedly characterized him as "a streamer from California" who is irrelevant to his race in Michigan. "This is not a serious conversation." THESE 12 MIDTERM RACES WILL DECIDE WHICH PARTY CONTROLS THE SENATE Besides his numerous antisemitic comments, Piker is known for saying "America deserved 9/11," praising Mao Zedong and Communist China, and arguing that capitalists should be murdered in the streets. The Democrats' discord over Israel comes as most GOP leaders continue to showcase their support for Israeli leaders. As the Republican Jewish Coalition's annual leadership summit got underway Sunday evening in Las Vegas, El-Sayed and the far-left drew boos from the audience of high-powered GOP activists and donors. Meanwhile, there's no letup in the battle between the left and the center for the future of the Democratic Party. Rahm Emanuel, a former ambassador, congressman, Chicago mayor and former White House chief of staff to then-President Barack Obama, took aim at the socialist push taking aim at the party's establishment. "The Democratic Party is not open to being taken over," Emanuel, who's seriously mulling a 2028 White House run, told Fox News' Shannon Bream on "Fox News Sunday." SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER "I don't consider the Democratic Socialists are part of the Democratic Party. About four weeks ago, they had a convention in Chicago. Separate party. They believe in defunding police, letting prisoners out of prison, opening borders, eliminating the Pentagon. If you're so confident people want that, I'll see you in November. Put it on the ballot. Let's go. Run as a separate party," Emanuel emphasized. Democratic Party leaders, when asked about the party's current ideological warfare, often point to Democrats as a "big tent" party. But veteran Democratic strategist Julian Epstein criticizes such responses and jabs at his party for failing to call out the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). "They’ve taken cover behind the empty 'Big Tent" lie as radical DSA members and allies, like Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed and Colorado’s Melat Kiros, triumph in Democratic primaries," Epstein wrote in an opinion piece last week in the New York Post. Epstein, who served as chief counsel for the Democratic minority on the House Judiciary Committee during the 1998 impeachment proceeds against then-President Bill Clinton and who later served on Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, argued, "Moderates should unite and shed the Big Tent delusion — because they have nothing to lose but their chains." With the House of Representatives back in session, a resolution "condemning socialism in all its forms" could see a vote later this week. Rep. Jeff Crank, R-Colo., introduced a measure Thursday condemning socialism in all its forms, telling Fox News Digital he wanted to use the vote to force moderate House Democrats to take a more public stance against the DSA. Fox News' James Cirrone contributed to this report . Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95ae662c5335ae104d99bc Death Toll Rises in Grand Canyon Flood as Search Efforts Continue te 2026-08-31T16:40:06.600Z Death Toll Rises in Grand Canyon Flood as Search Efforts Continue Officials announced a second death and said more than a dozen people remain unaccounted for following heavy rain. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95ac202c5335ae104d9982 Far-left streamer Hasan Piker equates Israel's 'right to exist' to Nazi Germany te 2026-08-31T16:30:24.732Z Far-left streamer Hasan Piker equates Israel's 'right to exist' to Nazi Germany Far-left streamer Hasan Piker equated Israel's "right to exist" to Nazi Germany on Saturday during an interview on "The Breakfast Club," calling it an "apartheid state." "I think Israel in its current formation, given that it’s a settler colonial operation that’s seeking out the expulsion or complete extermination of the indigenous population as an apartheid state does not have a right to exist," he said. "It’s like, for me, it’s like saying does Nazi Germany have a right to exist or does apartheid South Africa have a right to exist? Does Rhodesia have a right to exist? No, of course not." Host of "The Breakfast Club," Charlamagne tha God, asked if it was like saying MAGA didn't have a right to exist, and Piker said yes. "That doesn't mean kill all Republicans or whatever, right? I mean, I'm sure that's how people would present it as. I mean, this is a trick that every political movement deploys, right?" Piker responded. HASAN PIKER CLAIMS ISRAEL HAS NO ‘RIGHT TO EXIST’ IN ITS CURRENT FORM WHO IS HASAN PIKER? MEET THE FAR-LEFT STREAMER WHO IS STIRRING UP CONTROVERSY AND DIVIDING DEMOCRATS He added, "So the, 'Does Israel have a right to exist?' deployment as a statement, as a question, is a technique to shift the conversation away from Israel's crimes against the Palestinians to make it seem like the opposition is actually being crazy, and they want like all Jews to be exterminated, all Israelis to be exterminated, which is not the case. That's not a real point of advocacy, it's certainly not my advocacy," the streamer continued. UCLA professor Benjamin Radd refuted Piker's characterization of Israel in a statement to Fox News Digital.  "Piker’s comments about Israel as a ‘settler colonial operation’ and its alleged objective of ‘seeking out the expulsion or complete extermination’ of one of the region’s indigenous groups reflects a profound ignorance of the historical development of the land, and of the various ethnic, religious, and colonial-imperial powers — including the Ottoman Turks — that have traded control over it. If Piker were intellectually honest, he could hold two uncomfortable truths simultaneously: that different groups, including Jews, have legitimate indigenous claims and that the current Israeli leadership does not represent nor serve as an indictment of those claims," Radd said.  Piker, an outspoken anti-Israel voice, also compared Zionism to fascism and Nazi Germany during the conversation. "I think the reason why the Israeli society broadly has shifted so far to the right in a matter of decades is because of this ideology that guides Israeli society. It’s Zionism, which I, by the way, have no problems like, equating to fascism because it is a fascist ideology and even make these comparisons to Nazi Germany, which is very frustrating for a lot of people. They say that’s antisemitic," he said. Piker has divided the Democratic Party, as some have chosen to embrace the streamer and others have denounced him. HASAN PIKER CALLS HAMAS 'FAR MORE MODERATE,' DISMISSES TERROR GROUP’S BRUTAL RULE IN GAZA Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has campaigned with Piker and has dismissed any focus on his controversial statements. Though, recently, El-Sayed has put some distance between himself and the streamer. El-Sayed, who is facing off against former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers in battleground Michigan in a high-stakes Senate showdown, on Monday emphasized in a statement, "I want to be crystal clear, nobody speaks for this campaign besides me and my campaign spokespeople." The statement from El-Sayed came after Piker, on his stream last week, featured an image of state Sen. Jeremy Moss, the Democratic nominee in Michigan's 11th Congressional District. Moss, who is Jewish, has said that people are sharing a fake audio clip of him claiming that his entire reason for running for Congress is to make sure that America continues to support Israel. DEMOCRAT RIPS HASAN PIKER AS 'HACK WHO THRIVES ON HATE' OVER HIS WARNING TO AMERICAN JEWS ABOUT ISRAEL CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE "If Jews in America keep putting this idea out there that they are singularly invested in Israel, eventually someone is going to come around and take action, not against the state of Israel, mind you, but against American Jews," Piker warned. Piker, who endorsed El-Sayed for the Democratic nomination and appeared at some of the candidate's campaign events, including a primary night party in Detroit, has repeatedly stood by his numerous past comments critical of Israel over its ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza. Fox News Digital reached out to The Anti-Defamation League and The Jewish Federation for comment. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95ac1b2c5335ae104d9979 New Orleans Saints projected under 5.5 wins as roster transition continues into 2026 season te 2026-08-31T16:30:19.537Z New Orleans Saints projected under 5.5 wins as roster transition continues into 2026 season There has been a lot of transition and long-term retooling over the past few seasons for the New Orleans Saints. With head coach Kellen Moore stepping in to take over the reins and second-year quarterback Tyler Shough looking to hold onto the starting role, New Orleans is aiming to prove that its ongoing transition phase can yield immediate results in an open NFC South. The Saints endured a difficult 2025 campaign, finishing near the bottom of the division with a 5–12 record and missing out on postseason action entirely. It wasn’t all bad. Their defense had some low-scoring performances to keep games manageable, and the offense showed occasional explosive pop when Chris Olave stretched the field. The offense was brutal for most stretches, as an aging Alvin Kamara seemed to be the only real consistent for the team. The inability to pull out one-score decisions down the stretch eventually led to a mid-season coaching shift and set up a busy winter of structural changes in the Big Easy. SAINTS MAKE SHOCKING JA'LYNN POLK RETIREMENT MOVE AFTER FORMER SECOND-ROUND PICK DISAPPEARS To jump-start an offense that lacked identity, New Orleans hired former Chargers and Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore as head coach. On the player personnel front, the front office handed big-time extensions to core pieces—re-signing star wide receiver Chris Olave to a four-year extension through 2030 and bringing back franchise legend Cameron Jordan on a one-year deal. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS BETTING OUTLOOK: CAN JUSTIN HERBERT AND MIKE MCDANIEL FINALLY DELIVER? In free agency, the Saints made noticeable waves by signing former Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. to a four-year contract, adding tight end Noah Fant, and retooling the linebacker corps with Kaden Elliss. They also added depth across the board, signing quarterback Zach Wilson, cornerback Martin Emerson, running back Ty Chandler, and safety Terrell Burgess. They no longer will have Swiss Army knife Taysom Hill on the roster, and some other losses happened, but I wouldn’t call any overly significant. The offense receives a decent boost with Travis Etienne Jr. joining Alvin Kamara in the backfield, forming a versatile, dual-threat running back duo tailored for Kellen Moore’s up tempo system. Out wide, Chris Olave remains the clear focal point of the passing game. The big question still surrounds who will be the most reliable under center. Shough was fine, but I wouldn’t be excited if I was a Saints fan. However, Moore might like him as the team didn’t draft anyone. Spencer Rattler looked lost when he played, and Zach Wilson really hasn’t had success anywhere. I think their defense will struggle. There have already been injury issues on the line. The Saints are ranked by PFF as the 28th defensive line in football. If you need any clarification, that is terrible. If Chase Young can have a great season, maybe they can make it work, but there should be a lot of concerns on this side of the ball. COLTS FACE QUARTERBACK UNCERTAINTY AS DANIEL JONES RECOVERS FROM ACHILLES INJURY There really just aren’t many things you can be sure of with this team. Moore should make the offense a little more consistent and dynamic. However, I really don’t believe in any quarterback on their roster. Perhaps I’ll eat those words, but right now, I don’t love their options. On defense, I think the team needs to be playing nearly perfectly in order to win games. I think under 5.5 games is a realistic look for them. For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024 Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95ac172c5335ae104d9970 Hall of Famer Joe Thomas on skipping the NFL Draft to fish, raising Wagyu and transforming his health te 2026-08-31T16:30:15.144Z Hall of Famer Joe Thomas on skipping the NFL Draft to fish, raising Wagyu and transforming his health In Cleveland, Joe Thomas became the rare franchise star whose greatness was measured less by noise than by the standard he brought every Sunday. Thomas gave Browns fans an early glimpse of that character on draft day. While the league gathered its top prospects in New York, he spent the 2007 NFL Draft fishing with his father on Lake Michigan, then took the Browns’ call and became the No. 3 overall pick. Now retired, leaner and fully invested in life beyond the NFL, the 2023 first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer joined OutKick Outdoors to revisit that unforgettable draft-day call, the health transformation that changed his life and Hall of Fame Farms, his Wisconsin cattle business. Thomas made national news before he became a Browns legend by skipping the New York draft spectacle. While other top prospects wore custom suits, walked across the stage and hugged Commissioner Roger Goodell, Thomas preferred a fishing rod and open water. TOP FIVE HILARIOUS NFL DRAFT NIGHT MOMENTS TO GET THE NOSTALGIA FLOWING "I wasn't really interested in the pomp and circumstance of the NFL Draft," Thomas said. "Didn't have a suit, and would much rather spend the day fishing with my dad." When NFL representatives called to urge him to attend, warning teams might hold it against him, Thomas held his ground. On draft morning, he headed onto Lake Michigan to fish for salmon and trout with his father. "I had a nice little Motorola flip phone with me. The Cleveland Browns called me, number three overall, and I said, 'Yup, I'm excited to be a Cleveland Brown. I'll be there this afternoon.' And that's what happened." JACK STORY SKIPPED HIS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION TO GO BASS FISHING AND WALKED AWAY WITH $100K That down-to-earth approach defined Thomas’ 11-year career in Cleveland and continues to shape his post-football life in Wisconsin. But retirement in 2018 also forced him to confront the toll of playing at 310-plus pounds. "I had so much inflammation, so much pain, couldn't even walk down the stairs, was basically sliding down on my butt," Thomas recalled. "The doctor said, 'Your knee needs a knee replacement or you can lose weight.' And I was like, 'Well, say less.'" INTERMITTENT FASTING’S REAL BENEFIT MAY COME AFTER YOU START EATING AGAIN Thomas went all-in on rebuilding his body, cutting processed foods, refined carbohydrates and seed oils while embracing intermittent fasting, garden vegetables and high-quality animal proteins. He said the result was less joint pain, restored mobility and a physique that now looks closer to an NFL tight end than the 310-pound lineman Browns fans remember. That health overhaul eventually led to Hall of Fame Farms. What began as a Wisconsin cash-crop operation took a turn when Thomas’ kids decided a "real farm" needed livestock. CARRIE UNDERWOOD SAYS HER FAMILY COULD BE 'SELF-SUSTAINED' ON TENNESSEE FARM AWAY FROM HOLLYWOOD SPOTLIGHT "My passion that I had from football that made me a perfectionist and allowed me to be a Hall of Famer started to get poured into the cattle business," Thomas said. "We treat each one of our animals like a professional athlete. I learned a lot about health and nutrition and how to treat myself to get the best out of me on Sundays. And I'm learning that if you treat your cattle the exact same way, you're going to have beef that's deserving of the Hall of Fame." These days, Thomas’ Hall of Fame Farms is turning out Wagyu and Certified Angus beef, from premium steaks to Wagyu beef tallow. But the bigger payoff is right there on the Wisconsin farm: raising four kids, working the land and enjoying the life he worked his tail off to build. CHARTER CAPTAIN JONATHAN MOSS EXPLAINS HOW TO GET KIDS HOOKED ON FISHING FROM AN EARLY AGE Whether he’s chasing smallmouth in Canada, tagging calves at the farm or fishing the Bassmaster Randy Moss Pro Football Hall of Fame Pro-Am alongside Randy Moss, Thomas is happiest sharing the outdoors with his kids. "When I see them catch their first fish and the joy that they have, I feel like that's even more exciting than when I caught my first fish," Thomas said. "Because I'm able to pass that onto the next generation: that love of fishing, that love of the outdoors, that respect for nature. It's one of those things that make you feel like, 'All right, Dad, you're not doing a bad job. You're doing all right.'" Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95a7772c5335ae104d98f9 Fake Chrome update scam could infect your computer te 2026-08-31T16:10:31.528Z Fake Chrome update scam could infect your computer You are browsing the web when a warning suddenly takes over the page. It says your browser needs a "Critical Update" before you can continue. It looks like Chrome. The message feels urgent. So, clicking Update may seem like the safest thing you can do. That is exactly what makes this fake Chrome update scam so convincing. Recent reports linked aggressive fake browser update warnings to a Chrome extension called Enable Right Click & Copy - Smart Unlock + OCR. The extension was originally developed as a legitimate tool for restoring right-click and copying features on websites that block them. However, security researchers at Socket now say the extension was later acquired by a threat actor and updated with malicious functionality. It had around 70,000 users when that malicious functionality appeared, although researchers caution that this does not mean every user received the malicious version. The extension was delisted from the Chrome Web Store on Aug. 14 after being flagged as potentially malicious. FAKE WINDOWS UPDATE INSTALLS HIDDEN MALWARE The bigger lesson goes beyond one extension. Something you installed months ago and trusted every day can change after an update. Here's how this fake Chrome update scam works, how to spot the warning signs and what you can do to protect your browser and computer. Missed CyberGuy LIVE? Watch the Protect Your Money replay Our free CyberGuy LIVE class, Protect Your Money From Today’s Biggest Threats, has ended, but you can still watch the full replay and download our financial protection checklist. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson walks you through five simple ways to help defend yourself against AI scams, fraud, identity theft and financial hacks. You’ll learn how to set up bank alerts, strengthen your account logins, protect your phone number, freeze your credit and help secure your retirement savings against unauthorized transfers. No technical experience is needed. Get the free replay and checklist now at CyberGuyLive.com. The warning can appear while you are visiting an otherwise normal website. You may see language such as "Critical Update Required" or "Update available." The alert then pushes you to download something before you continue browsing. However, Chrome normally handles its updates through the browser itself. Google says Chrome usually updates automatically in the background. You can also check manually by opening Chrome and going to More > Help > About Google Chrome. A webpage asking you to download a .vbs script or an unfamiliar .exe file to update Chrome should immediately raise your suspicion. Google specifically advises users to avoid suspicious pop-ups asking them to install updates. Instead, Google recommends going directly to the program or its official website. Here is the part that can catch careful people off guard. You may have installed an extension when it had thousands of users, strong reviews and no obvious signs of trouble. You use it for months. Then the extension changes. Google confirmed to CyberGuy that it looked into Enable Right Click & Copy - Smart Unlock + OCR. "We've investigated the extension and taken action to protect our users," a Google spokesperson told CyberGuy. New research published by Socket on Aug. 27 shows the threat went beyond fake update warnings. Researchers linked the extension to a larger campaign involving 19 Chrome and Edge extensions capable of delivering malicious payloads. Those capabilities included credential theft, cryptocurrency wallet draining, injected phishing pages and fake browser update lures. Socket says some of the extensions began as legitimate products before being acquired and weaponized by the threat actor. We have seen that pattern before. Earlier this year, researchers found that QuickLens - Search Screen with Google Lens changed ownership before a malicious update arrived. The extension had previously earned a Featured badge from Google. Researchers later found malicious functionality capable of injecting code, displaying fake Google update prompts and targeting sensitive information. Google removed QuickLens from the Chrome Web Store. CyberGuy has also reported on trusted browser extensions that later became spyware. One campaign affected 4.3 million users after extensions that began as useful tools eventually received malicious updates. That history changes how I look at browser extensions. A great rating tells you what people thought when they reviewed an extension. It cannot guarantee what a future update will do. This recent extension case had another detail I think everyone should notice. Enable Right Click & Copy - Smart Unlock + OCR still had an average rating near 4.7 stars as reports of the fake update warnings appeared. That can happen because thousands of earlier positive ratings remain part of the overall score. Meanwhile, recent reviews can begin filling with warnings. In this case, August reviews accused the extension of injecting fake Chrome update alerts. Several users said removing or disabling it stopped the prompts. So, before installing an extension, look beyond the overall star rating. Read the newest reviews as well. CyberGuy previously covered another browser-extension scam involving a fake ad blocker. That extension created computer problems and then tried to convince users to run dangerous commands to fix them. One Reddit user who encountered the recent fake update warnings said a full scan found nothing. The user later traced the pop-ups to the Right Click extension. A clean scan should never convince you that a suspicious browser warning is safe. The extension itself may be creating or injecting what you see inside the browser. Meanwhile, a downloaded malicious file may pose a separate threat if you open or execute it. Google's Safe Browsing system checks installed extensions and downloads against known threats. Chrome can also disable extensions that Google identifies as malicious. Still, newly emerging threats can create a window where users encounter trouble before defenses catch up. That is why your own reaction to a suspicious prompt remains important. FAKE CAPTCHA SCAM CAN HACK YOUR COMPUTER Seeing a Chrome-branded warning inside another browser gives you a pretty good clue that something is wrong. Users of Chromium-based browsers including Brave and Opera have reported similar fake Chrome update prompts. Users connected those warnings with suspicious browser extensions rather than genuine browser updates. That makes sense because Chromium-based browsers can support many of the same types of browser extensions. If Opera suddenly tells you that Google Chrome desperately needs an update, do not follow the prompt. You never need to trust a random webpage to tell you whether Chrome needs updating. On your computer: Open Chrome > click the three-dot menu > Help > About Google Chrome. Chrome will check for available updates on that page. If an update has already been downloaded, you may see an option to relaunch Chrome. If you do not see Relaunch, Google says you are running the latest available version. That simple check can take much of the guesswork out of a scary update warning. Look carefully at what you have installed. Google lets you turn an extension off temporarily or remove it completely. You can also open an extension's details and review whether it can read or change data on every website you visit. If you have Enable Right Click & Copy - Smart Unlock + OCR installed, I would remove it even if you never clicked or opened one of the suspicious downloads. Researchers found malicious capabilities that went beyond the fake update prompts. Then restart Chrome, run a full security scan and change passwords for sensitive accounts you used while the extension was installed from another trusted device. If you have several unfamiliar extensions, disable them and re-enable only the ones you recognize and still need. For more help identifying warning signs, CyberGuy has a full guide explaining how to tell if your browser has been hijacked. A few smart habits can lower your chances of turning a convincing pop-up into a serious security problem. If a webpage tells you to download an update, close the warning. Then go directly to Chrome > Help > About Google Chrome. Google also warns people to use caution when websites claim you need to download software because your device has a virus. Strong antivirus protection adds another defense between a bad download and your computer. Look for antivirus software that provides real-time protection, rather than relying only on occasional manual scans. Real-time protection can monitor files as they arrive and look for suspicious behavior before malware gets a chance to spread. Keep the antivirus software updated as well. New threats appear constantly, so outdated security software can leave gaps. If you clicked a fake update or accidentally ran a suspicious file, perform a full system scan. Follow the antivirus program's instructions if it detects malware. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at CyberGuy.com. Take a minute every few months to see what you have installed. In Chrome on your computer: Pay particular attention to extensions that can read and change your data on all websites you visit. Google classifies access to data across all websites as a higher-risk permission because an extension may be able to read, request or modify information on pages you visit. If an extension suddenly asks for broader permissions or you no longer remember why you installed it, I would remove it. FAKE PARTY INVITATION SCAM CAN HIJACK YOUR COMPUTER Do not rely only on the overall rating. Scroll down and look at what people have written recently. A long history of five-star reviews can hide a sudden change that users discovered only days ago. If recent reviews suddenly mention pop-ups, malware or unexpected redirects, choose another extension. For additional protection, open: Chrome > Settings > Privacy and security > Security > Enhanced protection. Google says Enhanced Protection can warn you about potentially dangerous websites, downloads and extensions, including threats that Chrome has not previously identified. It also provides deeper checks on suspicious downloads. If you clicked a fake update and it downloaded a .vbs, .exe or another unfamiliar file, do not open it. Delete it. Then empty your Recycle Bin or Trash and run a full security scan. Chrome may also block files it considers dangerous, suspicious or unverified. Treat those warnings seriously rather than overriding them to get the download through. A data removal service cannot remove malware from your computer. However, it can reduce another piece of the scammer's advantage: the amount of personal information about you that sits online. Data brokers can collect details such as contact information, previous addresses and other identifying information. Scammers can use exposed data to make follow-up phishing attempts feel much more believable. For example, a scammer who already knows your name, phone number and where you live has more material to personalize a fake security alert. Data removal services work by sending removal requests to data brokers and other sites that publish personal information. They can also continue checking whether your information reappears. Reducing that digital footprint will never stop every scam. However, giving criminals less information to work with can make targeted attacks harder to personalize. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting CyberGuy.com. If you actually executed the suspicious file, treat the computer as potentially compromised. If you removed a suspicious extension and the warning still appears, continue narrowing down the cause. What bothers me most about this fake Chrome update scam is how little suspicious behavior it requires from the person being targeted. You could have downloaded a useful extension from the official Chrome Web Store. It could have worked exactly as promised. It could even have thousands of happy users. Then something changes behind the scenes. That means we need to stop treating browser extensions as install-once-and-forget-about-it utilities. Every extension gets a level of access to your browser. The fewer you keep around, the smaller that exposure becomes. I would also make one rule nonnegotiable: Never update Chrome because a webpage tells you to download a file. Open Chrome's settings and check the update yourself. That extra 20 seconds could save you from turning a convincing fake warning into a much bigger security headache. How much do you trust a browser extension's star rating or download count when deciding whether it is safe to install? 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/6a95a7692c5335ae104d98e2 Clipto uses AI to search terabytes of video and is now valued at $250M te 2026-08-31T16:10:17.065Z Clipto uses AI to search terabytes of video and is now valued at $250M The three-year-old startup says it reached $15 million in ARR and profitability before raising its latest $15 million round. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95a7612c5335ae104d98d9 VLC crosses 7 billion downloads te 2026-08-31T16:10:09.512Z VLC crosses 7 billion downloads In our world of expensive streaming platforms, the very free and offline VLC media player has crossed 7 billion downloads. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95a50d2c5335ae104d98ac Lionel Messi retires from international soccer after leading Argentina to 2026 FIFA World Cup final te 2026-08-31T16:00:13.932Z Lionel Messi retires from international soccer after leading Argentina to 2026 FIFA World Cup final Lionel Messi officially announced Monday he was retiring from international soccer. Messi has been the face of Argentina soccer since he started playing for the squad in 2005 when he was just 18 years old. ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW! "It was a decision that hurt — and still hurts deeply — but I understand that the time has come," Messi said in a post on his Instagram. "I swear to you that I always gave it my all— not just in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too; I always fought and left everything on the field for this jersey, to bring you joy and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football." Considered to be one of the greatest soccer players ever, Messi solidified that notion in 2022 when he led Argentina to a World Cup title. He nearly did it again this summer as Argentina made the final but fell to Spain in extra time. He will finish his international career as Argentina’s leading goal scorer, playing in six World Cups and capturing two Copa América titles for his country. He scored 98 goals on the international stage for Argentina. SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS Messi’s personal accolades on the world stage have very few rivals. He was the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball winner in 2014 and 2022, won the FIFA World Cup Silver Ball in 2026 and the FIFA World Cup Silver Boot in 2022. While his Argentina career comes to a close, he’s still performing at a high level in Major League Soccer. Messi joined Inter Miami in 2023 and immediately took the U.S. league by storm. He scored 20 goals in his first full season with the club in 2024 and followed that with a 29-goal season in 2025, leading the team to an MLS Cup victory. Messi is leading MLS with 18 goals this season. Inter Miami is second in the Eastern Conference – 10 points behind Nashville SC for first place. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95a5082c5335ae104d989e Senate Primary in Massachusetts Is a Generational Fight, With a Twist te 2026-08-31T16:00:08.101Z Senate Primary in Massachusetts Is a Generational Fight, With a Twist In Massachusetts, the octogenarian senator Ed Markey faces a challenge from a much younger centrist, Representative Seth Moulton. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95a2b72c5335ae104d9857 Former TCU safety Jacob Fields charged with aggravated assault after alleged locker room incident te 2026-08-31T15:50:15.345Z Former TCU safety Jacob Fields charged with aggravated assault after alleged locker room incident The ongoing saga involving former TCU safety Jacob Fields took another turn Sunday when the athlete turned himself in to the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office over an alleged fight inside the Horned Frogs’ locker room. According to court records, Fields was charged with aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury. His bond was set at $50,000, and he was released later that afternoon. SEC Lawyers, Lane Kiffin And Death Valley: College Football’s Week 1 Is Set For Fireworks The Fort Worth Star-Telegram first reported the locker room incident, which allegedly involved Fields striking TCU wide receiver Dozie Ezukanma. Fields was dismissed from the program for violating team rules following the incident. Fields transferred to TCU from Louisiana Tech, where he was named the Conference USA Defensive player of the year last season. The legal process continued on Sunday, with the former TCU safety being booked. Cory Dubose, who represents Fields, released a statement on social media on Sunday, mentioning that he was not allowed at the initial court appearance. "Jacob’s bond has been set at $50,000. This bond was set at a hearing where I was denied access to defend him. Worse, a jailer informed us that the bond "would probably be set at $50,000" prior to him having a hearing." In a crazy twist to this entire situation, TCU would go on to revoke the media credentials of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram the following week, based on their coverage of the alleged locker room incident that has now resulted in the arrest of Fields. This action led to an outcry on social media from members of the press, though the school has not changed its stance on credentialing the outlet. Before TCU traveled to Ireland for its game against North Carolina, head coach Sonny Dykes finally addressed the situation. "It was something that was certainly out of character for the team and the young man that was involved," Dykes said. "Look, you got 110 football players. I mean, things happen sometimes. You've got to find ways to move through them, and, man, these young kids are resilient. "It's like anything else, when something bad happens, it becomes a teaching moment. And so we were able to teach our players, and I think the guys are better off from having gone through it." Not only was the football program dealing with the fallout from this locker room incident, they are now coming off a lackluster loss to North Carolina this past weekend in Ireland. Going into the contest, there was talk of this being the last season for Bill Belichick if he could not turn the Tar Heels program around. Bill Belichick Finally Provides UNC With A Pulse, But Now He Has To Earn That $10 Million Paycheck Now, the conversation has shifted toward Sonny Dykes, who is clearly missing quarterback Josh Hoover after he transferred to Indiana. Just over three years ago, TCU was playing for a national championship against Georgia. Now, they are trying to survive in the Big 12, with Dykes also taking aim at ACC officials following the loss to North Carolina this past Saturday. "Not having ACC officials, for one," Sonny Dykes mentioned about fixing the penalty issues. "And then I think we have to do a better job of being more disciplined. We've got to be more disciplined, we've got to be more — just gotta do a better job." It might sound crazy to some, given where TCU stood just a few years ago. But, could Sonny Dykes have traded spots with Belichick, and joined the list of coaches who need a favorable year to save their jobs? Time will tell. But with the off-field issues, awkward media policies for the TCU athletic department and rough performance in Week 1, the heat had intensified for Sonny Dykes. As for Jacob Fields, the legal fallout from the alleged incident within the TCU facility will linger into the college football season. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95a2b42c5335ae104d984e South Carolina woman accused of stabbing Lyft driver 11 times claims mental health crisis te 2026-08-31T15:50:12.672Z South Carolina woman accused of stabbing Lyft driver 11 times claims mental health crisis A South Carolina woman accused of stabbing her Lyft driver 11 times before taking his vehicle was denied bond Friday as her attorney argued she was experiencing a severe mental health crisis during the alleged attack. Naziyha Weatherall faces charges of attempted murder, carjacking and possession of a weapon during a violent crime in Greenville County. The charges stem from an April 22 incident, court records show. FOX Carolina reported that prosecutors called the allegations a "frightening factual scenario" during Friday’s bond hearing and argued Weatherall posed an extreme danger to the community. FLORIDA MAN ARRESTED IN IHOP RESTAURANT AFTER POLICE SAY HE STABBED A RIDESHARE DRIVER "The victim was simply just trying to do his job and was stabbed 11 times," a solicitor said, according to FOX Carolina. "Not only was he stabbed 11 times, his car was then carjacked by this defendant." The driver’s wife appeared in court on his behalf, saying the trauma of the alleged attack prevented him from attending. "What concerns us most is that happened while my husband was simply working," she said. "He was not looking for any confrontation, he was providing a service to a person. If this level of violence could happen to someone who was simply doing his job, we are concerned about potential risks to other people in our community." FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X Weatherall’s lawyer urged the court to view the allegations through the lens of her mental state, saying she had never previously been charged with a crime and was in the throes of a psychiatric emergency. CHARLOTTE TRAIN STABBING SUSPECT DODGES POTENTIAL DEATH PENALTY FOR NOW AFTER HE'S RULED INCOMPETENT The defense said paranoia had convinced Weatherall that others were monitoring her and trying to harm her, prompting her to summon a ride to report her fears to police. SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST TRUE CRIME NEWS "Her mother even called the police station to let them know she was on the way to make a report," the attorney said. "During that, the crisis got worse." LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE The attorney said Weatherall believed she was being trafficked, panicked during the ride and had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and other mental health conditions. SEND US A TIP The defense said Weatherall is now medicated, stable and competent, and asked the court to release her so relatives and a social worker could arrange placement at a treatment facility. BOYFRIEND ACCUSED OF STABBING DEFENSE TECH ENGINEER 15 TIMES DENIED BOND AFTER 911 CALL PLAYED IN COURT Weatherall’s mother apologized to the driver’s family while asking the court to consider her daughter’s mental state. LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST "She’s not a criminal. She would never, ever, ever hurt anybody like that," her mother said. "And I understand the family’s side, I truly do, because we are all suffering. We all are." GET BREAKING NEWS BY EMAIL A judge ordered competency and observation evaluations in June, court records show. On Friday, the judge denied Weatherall’s bond request and ordered that she remain jailed pending a psychological evaluation scheduled for September. Lyft told Fox News Digital it permanently removed the rider accounts involved from its platform and has continued assisting law enforcement. "Violence like this has no place in the Lyft community or in our society," a Lyft spokesperson said. "The driver’s well-being has been our priority, and we have reached out to them and their family to offer support." Fox News Digital has reached out to Weatherall’s attorney for comment. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95a2b02c5335ae104d9845 New federal grand jury subpoena issued to former James Comey advisor in leak investigation: sources te 2026-08-31T15:50:08.317Z New federal grand jury subpoena issued to former James Comey advisor in leak investigation: sources FIRST ON FOX: A federal grand jury issued a subpoena to former FBI Director James Comey's longtime friend and advisor on Monday as part of a new investigation into Comey allegedly leaking classified information to the media. The subpoena targets former Comey adviser Daniel Richman and indicates that the Justice Department has launched a fresh investigation into the leak of classified information to the New York Times. The issue was also investigated under President Donald Trump's first term, but was cut off when former President Joe Biden entered office. The new investigation is in addition to the one centered on Comey's alleged threats against Trump. This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95a0592c5335ae104d97ef Novak Djokovic suffers stunning defeat in first round of US Open after trying to battle through ailments te 2026-08-31T15:40:09.762Z Novak Djokovic suffers stunning defeat in first round of US Open after trying to battle through ailments Novak Djokovic could be argued to be one of the greatest tennis players of the last generation, but the pursuit of continued greatness on the court hit a snag on Sunday night at the U.S. Open. The 24-time Grand Slam winner was shockingly ousted in the first round of the 2026 tournament. He lost in straight sets to Argentina’s Mariano Navone 7-6 (5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1. ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW! Djokovic, 39, had 10 double faults in the loss and made 70 unforced errors. He explained afterward he was dealing with different ailments. "It’s something that I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year: vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there," Djokovic said. "Then my whole body starts to collapse, basically cramping and pain. Yeah, the back just gave up in the end and shoulder, and I couldn’t close it out." The first-round exit at the U.S. Open was a first for Djokovic. He came into the tournament, which he had won three times, as the fourth seed. Despite getting back into the match, he didn’t have the ability to put Navone away for good. SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS "Just struggled all the way since the fourth game of the match," Djokovic added. "When it comes to match itself and overall feeling of how I felt with (my) body and playing, it was really not enjoyable. I pretty much despised every moment that I spent on the court for that." Navone said he idolized Djokovic growing up and described the win as bittersweet. "(It) was very tough for me because you are playing with the ‘GOAT’ on this court," he said. "For sure it’s the best thing I’ve had on court. This is an amazing court and the biggest stage. It’s amazing, the way we play. I mean, five sets. ... I’m very happy. I don’t know. What can I say?" Navone, 25, won an ATP tournament earlier this year in Romania – the first of his career. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a959dff2c5335ae104d97ab Putin unleashes new fury on Ukraine as report exposes fear hanging over war’s end te 2026-08-31T15:30:07.427Z Putin unleashes new fury on Ukraine as report exposes fear hanging over war’s end Questions over whether the Russia-Ukraine war is entering a new phase are mounting as Kyiv endures repeated drone attacks and near-constant air raid alerts, including growing waves during daylight hours — an expansion beyond the nighttime barrages that have become grimly familiar to residents of the Ukrainian capital. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia launched nearly 1,500 drones over four days, more than half of them jet-powered, accusing Moscow of attempting to wear down Ukraine and its population. The attacks have repeatedly interrupted Kyiv’s metro system and daily commutes, Reuters reported Aug. 31, as residents are forced to seek shelter during daytime air raid alerts. As Ukrainians seek some semblance of normalcy at the end of the summer and prepare for the start of the school year, the relentless attacks are again sending already exhausted Kyiv residents underground. RUSSIA UNLEASHES NEARLY 600 MISSILES AND DRONES ON KYIV IN DEADLIEST STRIKE SINCE MAY Russian President Vladimir Putin has simultaneously intensified attacks on Ukraine’s warehouses and logistics network, damaging distribution centers used by major retailers and disrupting food deliveries. Russian drone attacks on Kyiv and the surrounding region stretched into a fifth consecutive day Monday, with strikes damaging warehouses, a retail outlet and residential buildings in the Kyiv region. The attacks are part of a broader campaign against Ukrainian commercial and logistics infrastructure. Reuters reported Aug. 28 that Russia had targeted warehouses belonging to major supermarket chains, Ukraine’s largest private postal company and home-goods retailers. Ukraine’s Agriculture Minister Taras Vysotskyi that roughly 90% of the food logistics infrastructure operated by retail chains had been destroyed. RUSSIA LAUNCHES BALLISTIC MISSILE ATTACK ON KYIV HOURS AFTER ZELENSKYY WARNS OF MAJOR STRIKE "As of today, roughly speaking, 90% of food logistics operated by retail chains have been destroyed, but that doesn't mean Ukrainians will be left without food," Vysotskyi told reporters in Kyiv, according to Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform. He said retailers would shift logistics and use alternative methods of delivering food. Ukrainian outlet TSN reported Aug. 30 that some NOVUS locations in Kyiv were short of bread, potatoes, apples and oatmeal, while supermarket chain ATB had introduced limits on how much of certain products customers could purchase. Ukraine, meanwhile, has expanded its own campaign against Russian economic infrastructure. Ukrainian drones have targeted oil facilities as well as warehouses connected to major Russian online retailers including Wildberries and Ozon. Reuters reported Monday that a logistics hub in Yekaterinburg was also struck by a drone. Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Richard Newton, a former USAF assistant vice chief of staff, told Fox News Digital that he believes the military momentum has increasingly shifted toward Ukraine, particularly because of Kyiv’s expanding use of long-range drones. ZELENSKYY SAYS PUTIN 'LOST THE INITIATIVE' AS UKRAINE'S TECH INDUSTRY RESHAPES THE WAR "My sense is the momentum has swung in Ukraine's favor over the last year or so," Newton told Fox News Digital. "The Ukrainians have shown tremendous resolve and capability to push back against Russia." Newton pointed particularly to Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russia against "energy production capability, logistics supply chains, and so forth," calling their use of drone warfare "quite remarkable." He cautioned, however, that Ukraine faces a critical vulnerability as Russia intensifies its aerial campaign. "The current challenge facing Ukraine is the shortage of U.S.-made Patriot air defense interceptors," Newton said, noting that the systems are also in heavy demand elsewhere around the world. TRUMP SAYS US WILL LET UKRAINE MAKE PATRIOT MISSILES IN MAJOR POLICY SHIFT The escalation comes amid new reporting about Putin’s calculations over how — or whether — the war can end. The Economist reported Aug. 30, that Putin fears ending the war without Russia achieving even what he considers a minimum objective — control of all of Donbas — could threaten his position and potentially his physical safety. "They will hang me," Putin reportedly told people around him at some point during the war, according to an unnamed insider cited by The Economist. Fox News Digital has not independently verified Putin remarks. The Economist also reported that dissatisfaction with the war is growing among ordinary Russians and that the mood among parts of Russia’s elite is even more pessimistic, with one source arguing that nearly five years consumed by the war represents a failure regardless of its eventual outcome. Newton argued that the intensifying confrontation makes NATO cohesion increasingly important. "In my view it's more important now for NATO to remain firm perhaps at any time since the end of the Cold War," he said. "A weakened NATO emboldens Putin and Russia not only against Ukraine but the entire alliance." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a959bb02c5335ae104d9750 John Cena maintains no amount of money will get him back in the ring: 'No Khan has got the pocketbook' te 2026-08-31T15:20:16.205Z John Cena maintains no amount of money will get him back in the ring: 'No Khan has got the pocketbook' John Cena has made it clear there is no amount of money that he could be offered to get him to return to the ring after his farewell tour in 2025 that saw him win the WWE title for the 17th time. Cena was broached again with the topic during Fan Expo Canada over the weekend where at least one fan was chanting, "One more match." He plainly stated that WWE president Nick Khan nor All Elite Wrestling (AEW) owner Tony Khan could come up with enough cash for one more match. COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON OUTKICK "I’m out, dog. No Khan has got the pocketbook," Cena said. "Nick, Tony, they ain’t got the money. I’m out. And I’m going to take your chant and say that because a lot of you folks spent a whole lot of resources on my farewell tour. If I decide to selfishly come back for ego-driven reasons, basically that’s saying I’m lying to every one of y’all. "You might not mind, but there are people who paid a fortune to sit at that last match. And for me to be like, ‘Just kidding’ … I met so many families that put so much effort into saving just to see those moments. For me, I’m out of it with my health. I feel good. I got good clarity and good closure. As far as me falling down ever again, that’s out." SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS Cena’s farewell tour saw him turn heel for the first time in decades, which set up his main event match at WrestleMania 41 against Cody Rhodes. He won the Undisputed WWE Championship then and held it until SummerSlam – where he dropped the belt back to Rhodes. He had a brief Intercontinental Championship run and then lost his final match against Gunther at Saturday Night’s Main Event. Cena has since appeared on WWE programming in an announcer role. He revealed at Backlash in May there will be a forthcoming John Cena Classic to showcase the rising talent across the WWE roster. But details for that are still unclear. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a959baa2c5335ae104d973b Nvidia’s $3.5B MediaTek bet reveals its plan for tackling Big Tech’s AI chip buildout te 2026-08-31T15:20:10.761Z Nvidia’s $3.5B MediaTek bet reveals its plan for tackling Big Tech’s AI chip buildout Nvidia invests $3.5 billion into Taiwanese chipmaker MediaTek. The deal shows how Nvidia plans to stay essential to AI infrastructure as Big Tech begins to build its own AI chips. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a959ba72c5335ae104d9732 How AI could make it harder for governments to use hacking tools te 2026-08-31T15:20:07.015Z How AI could make it harder for governments to use hacking tools AI is proving effective at finding and exploiting vulnerabilities. Some say this will make it harder for governments to use hacking tools and spyware and could reignite calls to backdoor devices. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9596f32c5335ae104d937a MapQuest’s app surges to No. 1 in Navigation after refusing to rename Lake Ontario te 2026-08-31T15:00:03.592Z MapQuest’s app surges to No. 1 in Navigation after refusing to rename Lake Ontario MapQuest is getting an unexpected boost from its decision to defy President Trump’s renaming of Lake Ontario. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9594a12c5335ae104d9309 Verde Valley Regional SWAT trains in Uptown te 2026-08-31T14:50:09.484Z Verde Valley Regional SWAT trains in Uptown Vacant building at 401 Jordan getting some use before being torn down to make way for new fire station Verde Valley Regional SWAT team, the Sedona Police Department and the Sedona Fire District helped the building at 401 Jordan Road go out with a flash bang throughout Monday, Aug 24, as law enforcem Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9592452c5335ae104d92a7 Masked Israeli settlers attack NBC News crew and Palestinian family in West Bank te 2026-08-31T14:40:05.531Z Masked Israeli settlers attack NBC News crew and Palestinian family in West Bank An NBC News crew was attacked by masked Israeli settlers on Saturday in the West Bank, an incident that has been condemned by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.  NBC News reported that three crew members were interviewing Palestinian woman Aida Ahmed Abdullah and her family when a gray car with Israeli license plates approached the group.  According to video released by the network, a group of masked men holding sticks jumped out of the car and began attacking Abdullah and the NBC News crew.  "They smashed our car windshield, hit our crew with clubs and beat Aida unconscious," international correspondent Matt Bradley told "Sunday Today." TRUMP VOWS TO REPORT NBC ANCHOR KRISTEN WELKER TO FCC OVER 'PURPOSEFUL INACCURACY' ON ENDORSEMENTS Bradley said that he got hit twice on the arm but is "recovering well."  Abdullah was hospitalized after the attack with non-life-threatening injuries, while a pair of NBC News staffers were also injured and treated following the ordeal, the network reported.  "The settlers had sticks. I saw a gun, but they didn’t use the gun," producer Lawahez Jabari told NBC News Digital.  Cameraman Khaldoon Eid, who resides in the area, was left stunned after the attack.  EX-HILLARY CLINTON STAFFER WARNS DEMOCRATS THAT COURTING FAR LEFT COULD COST THEM JEWISH VOTERS "We were in the middle of a Palestinian area next to Palestinian houses," Eid said.  Netanyahu said the attack, along with other violence in the area, was the work of a "handful of rioters" and "harms Israel's standing in the world," according to Israel’s Haaretz newspaper.  "Settlers began encircling homes in Qusra on Aug. 9, in what human rights groups referred to as an attempt to seize privately owned Palestinian land. They have since been documented roaming freely in full view of soldiers, who have failed to enforce the order barring Israelis from entering the area," Haaretz reported.  Doron Spielman, a spokesperson for Netanyahu’s office, also condemned the attack, calling it a "grave injustice."  DEMOCRATIC MICHIGAN AG ACCUSES HER PARTY OF 'ABSOLUTELY NOT' DOING ENOUGH TO COUNTER ANTISEMITISM "Their actions violate the law, they endanger both Jews and Arabs, and they interfere with the Israel Defense Forces as they carry out vital security missions, and, of course, they harm Israel’s international legitimacy," Spielman said in a video posted to social media before promising those responsible would be brought to justice.  "We will not tolerate vigilantism of any kind," Spielman said.  NBC News did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a958fed2c5335ae104d89db The Scottie vs Tiger comparison, Michael Block's party gets shut down, and a final word on YouTube golf drama te 2026-08-31T14:30:05.981Z The Scottie vs Tiger comparison, Michael Block's party gets shut down, and a final word on YouTube golf drama Remember that narrative about Scottie Scheffler suddenly forgetting how to win golf tournaments and putting together a disappointing 2026 campaign? It was a popular one for much of the year, but that storyline is now dead with Scheffler winning the Tour Championship on Sunday, two weeks after dominating the first FedEx Cup Playoff event to wrap up his season with three wins and earning just shy of $31 million, a sum that excludes bonuses. While the final round of the Tour Championship lacked any sort of juice down the stretch, it did mark the 30-year-old's 18th win over the last three seasons. A player by the name of Tiger Woods also picked up exactly 18 wins during the same time frame by the age of 30, which leads us into our favorite exercise: making comparisons. Scheffler winning the Tour Championship by three shots and ultimately cruising down the stretch was the culprit of creating little excitement, but Michael Block doing Michael Block things over on the senior circuit was admittedly taking attention away from the proceedings at East Lake as well. The man is his own content factory. Lastly, the week-long drama in the YouTube Golf world with Good Good's terrible ad, the blowback, and Grant Horvat peddling kids' clubs at an obscene price tag, there is one final analysis of the situation that must be brought forward. Welcome to Par Talk, a weekly read to get you caught up on all the happenings that took place in professional golf that you need to know. You can follow Mark on X @itismarkharris and email him at mark.harris@outkick.com. BACKLASH OVER GOOD GOOD GOLF AD GOES TOO FAR AS STORES PULL MERCHANDISE, PGA TOUR EVENT POTENTIALLY CANCELED There isn't much to recap from the Tour Championship. The best player in the world, who played the most consistent golf all season, earned the crown as FedEx Cup champion at East Lake. Scheffler, far and away, had the best iron play for the week, and when he's in control of his irons, as he was in Atlanta, he's untouchable and capable of sizable victories, which is exactly what unfolded. Now, let's get into the fun stuff. Kyle Port of Normal Sport fired off a post on X after Scheffler's win, comparing his age 28-30 age season to Tiger Woods' age 28-30, and they're alarmingly similar. SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER TURNS HOT-MIC F-BOMB INTO MOTIVATION, RALLIES FOR TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP WIN Strictly looking at the numbers, the resumes are nearly identical, but Woods winning four majors compared to Scheffler's three, and Scheffler edging out Woods in the strokes gained category, is where things open up for a discussion. Strokes gained, remember, is a statistic relative to tournament fields and how a player performs against other players, not just the golf course, such as greens hit or fairways hit. If we stick to the golden rule that majors trump all things, that version of Woods beats out this version of Scheffler. There is no fun in that scenario, but where there is fun is claiming which era of the PGA Tour was deeper. Woods, battling with the likes of Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, Retief Goosen, Jim Furyk, and other greats during his 28–30 run, may make that era more top-heavy than what Scheffler is dealing with at the moment. Does that also mean Woods' era was deeper overall, though? I'm not sure it does. Technology has played a huge role in professional golf, which has helped with the result that the PGA Tour is filled with more elite talent than ever before, but that shouldn't mean it should be cast aside as if it doesn't matter. Just because the times have changed doesn't automatically mean the times have gotten worse or less meaningful. Nobody is comparing Woods' overall career to Scheffler's, but over a three-year stretch, this version of Scheffler is (at the very least) on par with that version of Tiger. It may not be as flashy, it may not be as exciting, and you can call Scheffler 'boring' all you want, but that doesn't make the previous statement untrue. Michael Block turned 50 in June, making him eligible to compete on the PGA Tour Champions, and he's not-so-quietly made the most of his sponsor's exemptions on the senior circuit. Playing on another sponsor's invite in this past weekend's Ally Challenge, the PGA professional had not missed a cut in his four previous starts and earned a pair of Top 10 finishes along the way. The guy has simply been playing great golf, has brought juice to the senior tour, and has suddenly become one of the better players – for at least a stretch – on a 50-and-up circuit that is absolutely filled with legends of the game. Block began Sunday's final round at the Ally Challenge atop the leader board, and while he posted a 2-over 74 to finish T-3 and four shots back of eventual winner Steven Alker, he still stole the show, just as you'd expect him to. JUSTIN ROSE SLAM DUNKS HOLE-IN-ONE DURING FINAL ROUND OF TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP ON EXTREMELY DIFFICULT PAR 3 On the Par 3 eighth hole, one of the most absurd things ever witnessed in a professional golf tournament unfolded courtesy of Mr. Block. After hitting his tee shot on the 200-yard hole to about 15 feet, Block decided that this was the perfect opportunity to put on a show for the fans. Not only did he launch his club back to his caddie to catch and rip his putter out of his hand, he began walking backwards to share some fist bumps and high fives with the volunteers surrounding the tee box. Again, this all took place on the eighth hole after he hit a pretty standard shot onto the green. You would have thought he knocked it to eight inches and was about to tap in for the win, but no, the man hadn't even made the turn yet. If this were anyone else on planet Earth doing this, they'd be criticized until the end of days, but since it's Michael Block, it's just another day. Love the guy, hate the guy, don't care about the guy, whatever the case may be, one thing is for sure, and that is that you can't ignore him or escape him. Everyone, including myself, has an opinion about the Good Good and Callaway ad, the complete fallout that has taken place after the fact, and Grant Horvat jumping into the fray by creating a set of kids' clubs and selling them for the cool price of $200. It was a week to forget for the YouTube golf universe and the millions of fans who occupy it, and while there was no shortage of knee-jerk reactions to it all, one overarching analysis I saw simply has to be mentioned courtesy of Tweeth Mitchell on X. We live in this strange time when everything moves at a pace no one can keep up with, and analytics in the form of likes, shares, and engagement rule all. Good Good, and Grant Horvat, are the prime examples of a group and, frankly, a generation who know nothing else. It's not their fault; one doesn't choose when they are born, but it's just the fact of the matter. Horvat, who does not have children, diving headfirst into the kids' golf space and selling clubs that very much appear to be made of plastic for two hundred American dollars is strange and presents the image of a guy looking to get rich in what he sees as an opportune, never-ending market with humans continuing to create little humans looking to get into golf. You can't fault someone for taking a chance in business, but in Horvat's case, it's not taking a chance given he's at the top of the Golf YouTube pyramid, and that's why it comes across as a money grab. As Mitchell noted on X, there is no north star. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a958d952c5335ae104d889c Jim Clyburn regrets supporting Clarence Thomas' SCOTUS appointment, calling it a 'mistake' te 2026-08-31T14:20:05.181Z Jim Clyburn regrets supporting Clarence Thomas' SCOTUS appointment, calling it a 'mistake' Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., told NBC News' "Meet the Press" on Sunday that he regretted supporting Clarence Thomas during his 1991 Supreme Court confirmation hearing, calling it a "mistake." During the show, host Kristen Welker remarked that Clyburn had previously testified in favor of Thomas' appointment to the Supreme Court during his contentious 1991 hearing. Since his appointment, Thomas has been considered a prominent conservative justice. Welker asked Clyburn whether he stood by his decision to support Thomas as the Democratic Party increasingly supports court-packing and enforcing term limits for justices. CLARENCE THOMAS PRAISED AFTER RARE TELEVISED ADDRESS WARNING OF PROGRESSIVISM GOES VIRAL "Absolutely not. I have made mistakes in my life," Clyburn said. "And that’s one that I made, and I will own up to that mistake. The fact of the matter is, I had faith and confidence in the fact that his background and experiences would instruct him in his professionalism, especially sitting on the bench. We had worked together when he was chair of the Equal [Employment] Opportunity Commission and, of course, I was running the state agency here in South Carolina." Clyburn said that, despite their political differences, he believed that Thomas would be "upholding those precedents" set by the Voting Rights Act and Civil Rights Act. "I had no idea that Clarence Thomas would rebel the way he has against his own background and experiences. He was raised by his grandfather, and he has shown very little sensitivity to the environment his grandfather grew up in Pin Point, Georgia," Clyburn said. During the 1991 hearing, Clyburn referred to Thomas as "a personal and professional friend, in spite of the fact that he shares a conservative Republican philosophy."  By Sunday, however, he referred to Thomas as a "very angry rightist." 'LOOK AT ME!' JUSTICE FIRES BACK AT CRITICS WHO DARE QUESTION HIS BLACKNESS "I had hoped that Clarence Thomas would follow the modern underpinnings of that Constitution of ours, but he has not done so," Clyburn said. "In fact, he decided to go all the way from an angry leftist to a very angry rightist." During a rare interview with Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz last week, Thomas rejected the idea that being a Black man requires him to subscribe to Democratic beliefs. "We had this saying [that there are] only two things I have to do: stay Black and die," Thomas said. "That was a retort to people who had these sort of requirements for us, these mandates for us because of our skin color… But at any rate, they think that here's the way you're supposed to think. Again, here's your skin color. There's this kind of deterministic view that you're supposed to think this because we say so." CONSERVATIVES HAIL JUSTICE THOMAS FOR 'TRUTH BOMB' ABOUT RULING PROTECTING WOMEN'S SPORTS He added, "And I, of course, declined that invitation. And so now that means something, that I'm a walking contradiction because I've deviated from their perception of what I should think." Fox News Digital reached out to the Supreme Court for comment. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a958b3f2c5335ae104d886d Trump administration moves to roll back Forest Service’s ‘Roadless Rule’ te 2026-08-31T14:10:07.913Z Trump administration moves to roll back Forest Service’s ‘Roadless Rule’ The department’s initial announcement last year stating that it planned to rescind the rule was met with overwhelmingly negative public feedback. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9584352c5335ae104d7829 SEC lawyers, Lane Kiffin and Death Valley: College football’s Week 1 is set for for fireworks te 2026-08-31T13:40:05.243Z SEC lawyers, Lane Kiffin and Death Valley: College football’s Week 1 is set for for fireworks The appetizer that was week zero in college football certainly delivered in a time of desperation for fans across the country wanting just a taste of what is to come this season. But after seven long months of waiting, the main course finally arrives this week, headlined by Clemson’s trip to Baton Rouge for a Saturday night showdown in Death Valley — and Lane Kiffin’s LSU debut. COLLEGE ATHLETICS' LATEST MESS: COURT ORDERS SAY PRO ATHLETES CAN PLAY, BUT SEC AND BIG TEN READY TO FIGHT Trust me, I understand fans are sick of hearing about the ongoing court battles between athletes from the 2022 class and the SEC. But there is another fight brewing in Baton Rouge on Thursday morning that will draw plenty of attention. When plaintiffs in the Louisiana case added the SEC to their amended complaint over the weekend, taking aim at Conference commissioner Greg Sankey for his part in enacting new guidelines approved by member schools, it was only a matter of time before this route was taken by attorneys. Now, before LSU takes on Clemson on Saturday, a courtroom will be the setting for the latest round between class of 2022 athletes and the NCAA. NCAA WINS TENTH CIRCUIT 'STAY', BUT FACES MORE ELIGIBILITY LAWSUITS FROM 2022 CLASS ATHLETES IN CHAOTIC TIME On Sunday night, OutKick asked the SEC about being added to the case, which the conference then provided a statement noting they would be inside the Baton Rouge courthouse in order to argue their case. "The order entered against the SEC and Commissioner Sankey is a temporary restraining order, not a final ruling on the merits, the conference noted. "The SEC and Commissioner Sankey are prepared to contest the allegations in the plaintiffs’ petition at Thursday morning’s hearing and defend the SEC’s rights as a voluntary association to fulfill its mission to its member institutions.  In the meantime, the SEC and Commissioner Sankey will continue to comply with the Court’s order. Following the hearing, the SEC will carefully review the Court’s decision and determine the appropriate next steps" What does that final sentence mean? GOVERNOR LANDRY BACKS LANE KIFFIN, LSU IN FIGHT WITH SEC: ‘DON’T HATE THE PLAYER, HATE THE GAME’ Well, if an injunction is granted for the athletes in this case and some of those athletes take the field on Saturday night for LSU against Clemson, or listed on Friday's final roster report, the SEC would then have to make a decision on how to enforce their own rules pertaining to athletes with NFL ties. OutKick will have you covered this week from both the courthouse on Thursday morning, and inside Tiger Stadium on Saturday night. Thankfully, we had a number of games this past weekend that delivered enough drama to get us through the next four days. I don't think many of us, myself included, expected Bill Belichick to lead his North Carolina team to a win over TCU in Ireland. But, I'd also say that it's hard to take away a lot from that one game, besides the fact that Sonny Dykes is desperately missing quarterback Josh Hoover after he transferred to Indiana. BILL BELICHICK FINALLY PROVIDES UNC WITH A PULSE, BUT NOW HE HAS TO EARN THAT $10 MILLION PAYCHECK But, the Tar Heels certainly needed a win to create a spark in Chapel Hill before having to play Notre Dame and Clemson over the next month. Heck, they really just needed a win, which obviously was accomplished. Also, how about Memphis going to Las Vegas and upsetting UNLV? Monster win for Charles Huff, which left Dan Mullen complaining about his own fans starting the 'wave' while his offense was on the field. Yes, this actually transpired, Mullen was upset. FROM FSU TO DAN MULLEN, HERE ARE THREE 'OVERREACTIONS' FROM WEEK ZERO OF THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON Now, looking ahead to a jam-packed schedule this week, it all starts in Atlanta on Thursday night, as Deion Sanders will roam the Georgia Tech sidelines in primetime. Here's a look at which games I've got my eye on this week. We have spent seven months talking about Lane Kiffin leading LSU out of the tunnel at Tiger Stadium, and it finally comes to fruition Saturday night in Death Valley. Expectations are sky-high across Louisiana, and nationally, for this LSU team. But this is also a measuring-stick game for Dabo Swinney and Clemson. Can he lead the Tigers into one of the sport’s most hostile environments and leave with a victory? Predictions are coming later this week, but that is a tall task for Clemson. ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW! Here we go. The Fighting Irish will face the Badgers at Lambeau Field to begin what should be a season that ends in the College Football Playoff for Notre Dame. We will also get a fresh look at Heisman Trophy candidate CJ Carr, while Luke Fickell and Wisconsin could have their hands full trying to keep this Fighting Irish offense out of the end zone. A potentially massive season awaits Marcus Freeman and his team. NCAA CREATED THIS MESS, NOW LSU SET TO MAKE DAE’QUAN WRIGHT COLLEGE FOOTBALL’S FIRST NFL RETURNEE Year One for Pete Golding as Ole Miss’ full-time head coach begins with a neutral-site matchup against Louisville in Nashville. We know what the Rebels have on offense, with Trinidad Chambliss at quarterback and Kewan Lacy back for what could be another highlight-filled season at running back. But don’t sleep on Louisville in this one. I’m just saying. After a lackluster showing against New Mexico State this past weekend, Florida State better figure out how to contain SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings. If it doesn’t, this could be the beginning of a stretch that puts Mike Norvell’s job in serious jeopardy over the next two months. Go ahead and get all of those chores done now, or figure out how to get out of an event planned by your family or significant other. College football is officially back, and I can promise there will be an upset this weekend that Vegas isn’t predicting. It might not be the strongest slate of games we’ll see all season, but nobody had better be complaining about a five-day stretch of action over Labor Day weekend. See all of you Clemson and LSU fans in Baton Rouge this week. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9581e02c5335ae104d77df Pittsburgh youth football coach loses his mind & fights opposing coaches, Maria Sharapova at the beach & Flair te 2026-08-31T13:30:08.297Z Pittsburgh youth football coach loses his mind & fights opposing coaches, Maria Sharapova at the beach & Flair If Monday Screencaps seems a little off, it's because I am working at about 55% this morning after coming down with whatever these kids brought into this house from school. I'm talking down for the count Saturday night. That led into a brutal Sunday with all the symptoms that comes with this crap. But, it's not enough to call in sick. Uncomfortable? No doubt. Bad enough to pass up pumping out an edition of America's Best Daily Column, as named by the readers? No. In better news, I can report that Screencaps Jr. has officially broken the 12-minute mark in his cross country career. In Saturday's race, he went 11:45:30 and finished 6th out of 238 runners. That's 30 seconds off his previous personal best. Jr.'s team finished first and our top runner clocked a 10:49.60, which was two seconds off the school record. It looks like they'll have a pretty good season. WISCONSIN PARENT STORMS FIELD DURING YOUTH FOOTBALL GAME AND TRIPS 9-YEAR-OLD KID IN WILD SCENE In other youth sports news, did you see this unhinged youth football coach lose his mind this weekend in Pittsburgh? "Its the 4th quarter, we're down 7-0 with 3:00 min left with the ball and a chance to tie the game, then this happens," the video uploader, Ryan Crux, wrote on Facebook. "The coaches are (100)% blame for this loss after they forfeit smh. Never thought i would have to protect my son from youth football coaches but here we are." You know what we didn't see at cross country this weekend? Drama. There wasn't a single mom yelling "Get the kids!" at the invitational. 📩 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 We were fortunate enough to receive a flyer from Screencaps Jr. over the weekend announcing the 8th grade D.C. trip. Guess how you find out the dates and the cost? Yep, you have to scan a QR code that opens up a website that then wants you to authorize cookies on your phone. JUST GIVE ME THE F-ING DETAILS ON A FLYER WITHOUT MAKING ME JUMP THROUGH HOOPS. I didn't agree to the cookies, but I did find out that the $1,500 includes hotel for three nights, bus trip, admissions and "All Meals (unless otherwise stated). If that price seems high, have no fear. WorldStrides, who organizes the trip, promises that it will provide families with "shareable Facebook links students can send the friends and family" to beg for money. LINDA COHN, ONE OF THE FEW SPORTSCENTER ANCHORS WHO ALWAYS PUT THE FAN FIRST, SET TO RETIRE FROM ESPN – Lee D. in Tampa emails: I dunno, this made me want to puke. Years ago the talking heads at ESPN apparently had a near-revolt against their Disney overlords for installing a news ticker crawl (which the four-letter is finally getting rid of -- it morphed into something used mainly for selling, not informing). Why was there unrest among the anchors? The ticker might dilute THEIR airtime and might ruin THEIR "setup" or THEIR "clever line." You know, the same kind of bad one-liner that would otherwise get a guy (girl?) chased out of a local ChuckleHut in Kingman, Ariz. And seriously, 30 years ago when folks did watch SportsCenter for news, who the hell watched it for Linda Cohn? Did you ever meet anyone who said, "My day is ruined if I don't catch Linda Cohn tonight. She's so good!" I have never met one person who turned on ESPN for Linda Cohn. Maybe turned the channel because of Linda Cohn, but never tuned in because of Linda Cohn. The arrogance of both this interview, and the blow-drys on national TV in general, is staggering, but not really surprising. It's not about information with these people, it's about THEIR egos. https://awfulannouncing.com/espn/linda-cohn-bottomline-ticket-up-in-arms.html – Mike N. says: I caught the last inning of the LLWS 3rd place game on Sunday. Japan was down 0-2, runners on 1st & 3rd, 1 out, and a little kid from Japan gets a base hit and scores a run. Standing on 1st base the kid begins to cry. First thing that comes to my head is I hope he's not crying because he knows he has avoided a beating tonight from his chain-smoking dad who never accomplished anything in his life. The raw emotion after "a success" during the middle of any sporting event seems rare at any age. It had me rooting for him. Interested on your thoughts. Hope the CC meeting went well for you guys on Saturday. Here's to the Greatest Column in the Land! Kinsey: It might've been his first hit of the tournament. Or he's crying because this dream summer in the U.S. is over. I have to be honest, I didn't catch any of it because I was on the couch trying to sleep off this flu or whatever I have. – Mark in Bismarck, ND checks in: Never going to watch Nascar live on NBC. It's like trying to watch a game you've been waiting for and having your wife and 5 of her friends all talking at the same time and having 6 first graders standing in front of the TV trying to show you what they drew in class and you have a small window in the middle to try and watch through. Too much noise and way too busy on the screen. Kinsey: I have nothing against Leigh Diffey as a human, I just can't sit there and watch NASCAR and listen to his Australian accent on NBC. My brain has been trained to associate NASCAR with Mike Joy's voice. – Mike T. in Idaho gives us an update: We have a very busy year ahead of us, Cindy T is in full TGC ( Tour guide Cindy) mode. Fall trip over the Canadian Rocky’s, through Montana to Yellowstone and Grand Tetons. Down through Colorado to visit family and SLC to home, 3 weeks. Winter trip Italy, France and Spain, some new places and revisit some favorite places! 90 days, the EU is saying they are enforcing Visa requirements of any longer stay. Cindy T and I are playing the Amen corner of life and will aim for every flag on the way to the clubhouse! I apologize if this image from Mike P. doesn't load. It's a Facebook embed showing Christmas trees for sale at Costco. You know it's coming, but it's always so startling to see this in August when we're not even to Labor Day weekend. ###################### And with that, I'm done this morning. Let's go out and have a great day. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a957f852c5335ae104d77a6 Ella Langley honors Dolly Parton with emotional 'Jolene' cover during Alabama concert te 2026-08-31T13:20:05.074Z Ella Langley honors Dolly Parton with emotional 'Jolene' cover during Alabama concert Ella Langley performed an awesome tribute to music icon Dolly Parton. The legendary singer and country music icon passed away at the age of 80 last week, and Parton's death sent shockwaves through the country. She was universally respected and a beloved artist who left behind a legacy that will be near impossible to replicate. TRUMP MOURNS DOLLY PARTON, ORDERS US FLAGS LOWERED NATIONWIDE AFTER COUNTRY MUSIC ICON DIES Tributes immediately poured in following Dolly Parton's death, and that now includes an awesome moment from Langley. The incredibly popular and talented country singer was performing in Alabama on Friday, according to Whiskey Riff, when she took a moment to honor Dolly Parton. SHANIA TWAIN CALLS ELLA LANGLEY AN 'AUTHENTIC SONGWRITER' WITH A UNIQUE SOUND IN NEW INTERVIEW The "Nicotine" singer performed a cover of Parton's famous song "Jolene" for the crowd at Auburn, and it was an incredibly touching and awesome moment. You can check it out below, and let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com. There's no question it was an awesome moment from Ella Langley as she paid tribute to one of country music's biggest influences. People were also quick to show support in the comments. One fan wrote, "What an amazing version." Another added, "Ella you did a great job on this song. I know Dolly would be very proud of this tribute." A third wrote, "This song was a perfect choice for her voice." CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK CULTURE COVERAGE I have no doubt the tributes will continue to roll in for Dolly Parton following her passing. RIP to a true legend. Let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a957d2d2c5335ae104d776e Is the US already losing to China on innovation, logistics and rapid resupply? te 2026-08-31T13:10:05.260Z Is the US already losing to China on innovation, logistics and rapid resupply? It has been said that "An Army Marches on its Stomach." True enough. But even the task of quickly and properly feeding hundreds of thousands of military personnel to keep them battle ready, comes down to some form of logistics, innovation, and speed. The recent "controversy" involving the USS Abraham Lincoln during its 250-plus day deployment serves as a timely example of that truth. To be sure, many of the accusations made regarding the lack of food and low morale among the sailors were exaggerated by some commentators who harbor a strong dislike of President Donald Trump and were seeking to use the long deployment as a way to embarrass the president and his administration. That acknowledged, there also is an element of "Your side, my side, and the truth somewhere in the middle" associated with the resupply and morale issue connected with the USS Abraham Lincoln. CENTCOM COMMANDER TOUTS USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN MENTAL HEALTH RECORD AFTER MORE THAN 260 DAYS WITHOUT PORT CALL Logistics, innovation, and rapid resupply do matter. Be it food, basic staples, weapons systems, or medical supplies. All politics aside, at the very least, the resupply issue surrounding the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln — no matter the actual severity — can serve as a very valuable lesson going forward. "Watch the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves" — a phrase often attributed to Benjamin Franklin — most especially proves true with our military. If the logistics chain breaks or dramatically slows down at the bottom, the war-fighting — and winning — capability at the top will suffer… or fail. AMERICA FACES A CRISIS IN OUR MILITARY ARSENAL THAT TRUMP IS RACING TO FIX What constitutes a "penny" for our military? Meaning, what is something which may seem so insignificant and tiny that it never enters the mind of the civilian population — or worse, our "decision makers" — but could prove a gamechanger for the military if either exponentially innovated and put into action, or because it aged out, failed, or was made irrelevant by the technology implemented by our adversaries? A recent conversation with a general opened my eyes to just one such "penny" that is off virtually everyone's radar screen. That being a rivet. The simple rivet. Ironically, about the same size as the penny we need to "watch" if we hope to grow our wealth. INNOVATION IS KEY TO AMERICA STAYING A SUPERPOWER. BUT IT IS MISSING AN ESSENTIAL PIECE More specifically, the general outlined the constant and increasing need to replace old rivets in military (and commercial) aircraft. To be honest, rivets, and more specifically, their replacement on aircraft never entered my mind in all my years until the general informed me not only how vital it was to the maintenance of our fleet and military readiness, while also stating they had fortunately identified a state-of-the-art technology which can do it fifteen times faster and more efficiently via robotics. "What’s the big deal" some might understandably ask until one stops to realize that there are collectively hundreds of millions of rivets on military and commercial aircraft which either age out or crack. Faster, cheaper, better, and safer is a real advantage. A technology the general informed me, the People’s Republic of China is already employing with its exponentially advancing AI and Robotics platforms. INSIDE CHINA’S AI ‘WOLF PACK’ DRONES BUILT WITH TAIWAN CONFLICT IN MIND Aside from their innovation in rivet replacement, a recent peek into just one of China’s robotic advancements was referenced on this site under the headline: "Chinese humanoid robot breaks Usain Bolt's 100m dash record at 9.39 seconds." Li Yanfeng, an education worker and a Beijing resident who witnessed the record-breaking robotic feat said in part: "At first, I wasn’t very accepting of artificial intelligence. I was even a bit resistant to it, because of the possibility that it might replace or displace humans. But now that I see this development is unstoppable, I decided to come and take a look." The Chinese educator spoke the one word which should strike fear into the hearts of all those in charge of safeguarding our national and economic security: "Unstoppable." That one word should — and must — force our decision makers to ask the most critical question of all regarding this topic: "Is the United States losing the innovation, logistics, and rapid resupply war to China in our military and commercial sectors?" Fortunately, it appears that question is being asked across the U.S. national and economic security spectrum. As mentioned in the piece, "The U.S. has stepped up scrutiny of robots from China, which makes the majority of the world's humanoid robots." CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION To this point, President Donald Trump's Federal Communications Commission (FCC) stressed in part: "I welcome these Executive Branch national security determinations, and I am pleased that the FCC has now added foreign-produced advanced robotics and power inverters to the FCC’s Covered List. Following President Trump’s leadership, the FCC will continue to do our part to secure America’s critical supply chains and, with today’s action, the FCC is acting in lock step with our national security agencies to do just that." "Critical supply chains." Be it the replacement of rivets; prompt resupply of food or logistical materials; or actual robots performing any task faster, cheaper, and more efficiently than U.S. citizens, our nation can’t afford to fall behind China when it comes to the innovation which drives these endeavors. To that end, we had better watch the innovation "pennies" so our national and economic security "dollars" can protect us all. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a957d2b2c5335ae104d7765 FIRST ON FOX: Texas becomes testing ground for new defense against attacks on America’s water systems te 2026-08-31T13:10:03.972Z FIRST ON FOX: Texas becomes testing ground for new defense against attacks on America’s water systems FIRST ON FOX: The Trump administration is launching "Project Watershed 250" Monday, Fox News Digital exclusively learned, deploying American artificial intelligence and cybersecurity tools to protect Texas water systems from cyberattacks in a pilot the administration plans to scale nationwide. "Project Watershed 250 is another example of President Trump putting American families and communities first. President Trump is relentless in his work to secure our critical infrastructure against our most determined adversaries," National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross told Fox News Digital. "President Trump has cemented America’s leadership in AI security and innovation and is now bringing those exquisite tools to local communities and utilities in Texas and ultimately, across the nation through the launch of Project Watershed 250 – a scalable cyber water pilot program." The Trump administration is bringing federal, state and private-sector cyber defenses together in a six-month Texas pilot aimed at finding vulnerabilities in water systems before adversaries can exploit them — while testing whether the model can be expanded across the country. INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE IRANIAN HACKERS ARE LIKELY BEHIND CYBERATTACK ON MINNESOTA WATER SYSTEMS: REPORT The program will connect Texas water utilities with U.S. cybersecurity companies to test their existing defenses and strengthen vulnerable systems using private-sector cyber and artificial intelligence tools, a White House official told Fox News Digital. The program will use "red-teaming" to stress-test water utilities’ networks, identify weaknesses hackers could exploit and then strengthen those systems with cybersecurity tools, according to a White House official. TRUMP LAUNCHES GOLD EAGLE TO HUNT CYBER FLAWS WITH AI Dragos CEO Robert Lee said that U.S. water infrastructure faces active, documented threats, particularly at small utilities that often lack strong cybersecurity defenses. Lee said Watershed 250 will help get technology, training and support to those vulnerable systems before an attack occurs. "There is nothing more important to Texans than clean, reliable drinking water. Project Watershed 250 puts federal, state, and private-sector cyber defenses behind our utilities at no cost. The White House, the Texas Cyber Command, and industry now work from the same playbook," said Texas Governor Greg Abbott. A White House official, however, said the program is not in response to recent cyberattacks that targeted more than 30 Minnesota water systems, though the incidents underscored vulnerabilities in local infrastructure. "However, these recent attacks have reiterated the need for this modernization and focus on water systems," said the White House official. "Critical Infrastructure protection has long been a priority for ONCD and President Trump and this effort has been in the works since last year." IRANIAN HACKERS ATTACKED OUR WATER SYSTEMS. HERE ARE 5 THINGS OUR LEADERS NEED TO DO NOW The Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency will serve as federal partners in the effort, while Texas Cyber Command will work alongside the White House with local governments and tech companies such as Microsoft, Reflection AI, Palo Alto Networks and Dragos Inc. "Few things matter more than the safety of the water Americans drink, and this is a powerful example of how open-weight AI models, built in the U.S. and running on a utility’s own systems, can help keep communities safe," said Reflection AI Head of Corporate Affairs Becky Sosnov. ANTHROPIC'S MYTHOS AI FOUND OVER 2,000 UNKNOWN SOFTWARE VULNERABILITIES IN JUST SEVEN WEEKS OF TESTING CHINA-LINKED HACKERS INFILTRATED US GOVERNMENT NETWORKS BEFORE FBI TAKEDOWN "Microsoft applauds the Administration’s leadership in strengthening the cybersecurity of America’s water infrastructure and is proud to support the Project Watershed 250 effort in partnership with the Office of the National Cyber Director, the State of Texas, and Texas Cyber Command," said Microsoft US Public Sector president Chris Barry. "By bringing together Microsoft’s cybersecurity expertise, threat intelligence, and AI-powered security capabilities, we aim to help water utilities strengthen their resilience against evolving cyber threats and develop scalable approaches that can enhance the security of water systems nationwide." The push comes as the Trump administration races to build out U.S. data centers to fuel the AI boom, putting more attention on the water and power needed to keep them running. The pilot program builds on Trump’s June executive order on Promoting Advanced Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Security and his Cyber Strategy for America released in March. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a957ad82c5335ae104d7718 NASCAR race includes half the field wrecking, furious drivers & Hollywood actor ripping a 'leftist, woke' move te 2026-08-31T13:00:08.890Z NASCAR race includes half the field wrecking, furious drivers & Hollywood actor ripping a 'leftist, woke' move Well ... that's all she wrote for the NASCAR regular season. Just like that, it's playoff time. Or "Chase" time. Whatever they're calling it nowadays. The longest season in sports now enters a 10-week race to the finish. We start in Darlington, and end in Miami. Daytona, meanwhile, takes a long, well-earned rest until next February. Ryan Preece, somehow, won Saturday night under the lights. He entered the race a billion points below the Chase cutline, needed a win — and some luck — to get in, and ... he got the win, and some luck. First NASCAR Cup Series win of his career, too. First real one, anyway (he won the Busch Clash earlier this year). "Daytona almost took my life," Preece said, referring to his nasty Daytona spin(s) a few years ago that led to the speedway removing the grass on the backstretch. "Or ended my racing career. It could've. We were inches away from something, possibly, really bad happening." Well, this certainly beat the heck outta that! Well done, Ryan. We'll dive in here in a bit. NASCAR WAG HOLDS ON FOR DEAR LIFE WITH HER WATERMELON FARMER BOYFRIEND, KIRK'S DOG IS BACK & AL VS TRUMP! Of course, that's not all from a pretty loaded Daytona weekend. I've also got a wild wreck on the final lap, drivers being accused of wrecking other drivers, one driver going airborne, and Tom Cruise. That's right. Tom Cruise! Well, we're not really gonna talk about him. Instead, we're gonna check in with old Days of Thunder teammate, Randy Quaid, who seems excited for the sequel! You'll see. Four tires, a splash of that Sunoco racing fuel, and maybe a bucket of popcorn for Randy as he watches the new movie ... Monday Morning Pit-Stop — the 'Leftist, Woke & Horrible' edition — is LIVE! We have so many places we could start this morning, I don't even know how to choose ... Never mind! This one's easy. If the race was yesterday, I'd start with Preece winning or Ricky Stenhouse (allegedly) hooking Ryan Blaney. But that was two days ago at this point. You guys have seen a lot of it already. What you haven't seen, though, is Randy Quaid (Cousin Eddie!) losing his everloving mind on Tom Cruise and Anne Hathaway. NASCAR FANS RIP SOCIAL MEDIA POST FOR OBVIOUS REASON, JEFF GORDON'S BIGGEST REGRET & RACE WIFE HITS THE BEACH For those who missed it, Tom and Anne announced over the weekend that 'Days of Thunder' would be moving forward with a sequel, set for release in 2028 when we're all getting ready to vote for JD Vance (or Marco!). Cruise was at the track Saturday night with enough security for a president, by the way. Seriously: That's Tom in the white in the middle, with three guards leading the way, three more to his right, and one to his left. He had two escalades waiting for him beyond that gate. I've only ever seen a security presence like that at Daytona when Trump's in town. Wild. Anyway, Tom was NASCAR's big get this weekend, and he attended the driver's meeting before the race. I don't know what he said because I wasn't invited (not complaining, trust me), but I do know he respected Kyle Busch like any true patriot: Cole Trickle gets it. Not surprised. Someone who doesn't quite get what's going on is Randy Quaid, who played team owner Tim Daland in the original 'Days of Thunder.' There's been no official word yet, but it sounds like Randy was NOT invited back this time around: "Anne Hathaway is a leftist, woke, horrible choice for DAYS OF THUNDER NASCAR audience who are MAGA," Quaid posted via X shortly after the news broke Saturday. "The sexy older chick for Tom in this film needs to be Nicole. That’s the casting that would sell the idea. It’s interesting because when we made the first one there was also a rush to get it out; editors slept in the cutting room on shifts. This is a weird thing, like they want it to come out and tank." Quaid, of course, wasn't done! He went to bat, again, for Nicole Kidman a few posts later. "We need Nicole back. Don’t be a p—y, @TomCruise," he said. "You need the original girl. It’s not personal; it’s filmmaking. Anne isn’t sexy, because and if you haven’t noticed, she’s pregnant." Whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Nellie! Tell us how you really feel, Randy! Lordy. It's no secret that Randy and Anne Hathaway ain't exactly on the same ends of the political spectrum, but calling her not "sexy" is a bit of a stretch. I'm certain I align far more with Randy than I do with Anne (on some things, not the burglary stuff), but if we're going purely based on visuals in 2026, I think I'm taking Anne over Nicole Kidman. I just think she still has the fastball. That's all. Fair is fair. OK, let's leave the fictional world of NASCAR and get to the real stuff ... Ryan Preece won Saturday night after surviving an overtime restart and finish that included the rest of the field exploding behind him down the backstretch. NASCAR chose to wait during the first set of wrecks on throwing the yellow, but eventually threw it when Ricky Stenhouse sent poor Ryan Blaney into the fence. It may be unpopular, but ... I think NASCAR made the right call to A) wait, and B) finally throw it when they did: Look, I hate that these races usually end under caution nowadays. Hate it. It angers me every single time, especially when the 500 ends under yellow. That race, in my opinion, should only be allowed to end under green. But I get this one. NASCAR tried to let them run to the finish after the first crash. They couldn't keep sitting on their hands when the rest of the field started imploding a few seconds later. The Blaney hit looked hard. They weren't gonna let him sit there for another 30 seconds while the leaders raced to the finish. They just couldn't do that, for obvious reasons. Speaking of Ryan Blaney ... I know everyone is blaming Ricky Stenhouse Jr. for hooking him today for no reason, but ... I give Ricky a pass here: Turns out, Dillon actually got doored by the No. 2, which sent him into Ricky, which sent Ricky into Ryan, which sent Ryan into the wall. Y'all got all that?! Good! Looked bad, though. Sounded even worse: "The f—ing 47, what the f–k! What the f–k are we doing?! We’re going down the backstretch and he f—n hooks me! Stupid f—k." "I can’t drive it, it’s f—in killed!" Six F-bombs from Rhino! That's the Angry Blaney we've all come to know and love. Missed him. It's been a while. Welcome back, Ryan. While Blaney was blowing off some steam, poor Kyle Larson was getting run over by Daniel Dye. And I literally mean RUN OVER. Amazing. Don't really know what Daniel's plan was here, but if this was it, he nailed it. Well done! OK, that's it for today — and this week. Good work, everyone. It's Chase time, now. Let's lock it in. Ten races to the finish. On the way to Darlington, here's Natalie Decker at her Daytona pool party after finishing 22nd in Friday night's O'Reilly race. Bottom's up! Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a957ad52c5335ae104d7704 Meeting notetaker Circleback adds a free tier to attract more customers te 2026-08-31T13:00:05.848Z Meeting notetaker Circleback adds a free tier to attract more customers Circleback is also introducing new pricing plans starting from $14 per month Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95787c2c5335ae104d7407 WWE star rips 'f—ing weird' autograph-seeker after bizarre interaction while trying to catch connecting flight te 2026-08-31T12:50:04.055Z WWE star rips 'f—ing weird' autograph-seeker after bizarre interaction while trying to catch connecting flight Pro wrestlers have been clear with their rabid fans – be polite, respectful and refrain from being weird when seeing them in public. WWE star Paige had to make that clear once again. COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON OUTKICK Last week, she fired off a warning on X about those seeking her autograph at an airport. "Airport scalpers are morphing.. Had someone waiting for me as I was getting off the plane at the gate of my connecting flight with like 30 pictures.. I’m easy going with this stuff but pulling up to my gate is f—ing weirdo behavior," she wrote. "Don’t do that." Paige caught up with TMZ over the weekend and detailed the incident further. SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS "A lot of people in sports and anywhere really, or like any kind of celebrity, there'll be people wait to the airport like a bunch of pictures ready for you to sign," she said. "They want to sell it eventually. I’m usually pretty chill about it, honestly. I'm like, whatever, take my signature, I’m good. But this guy bought a ticket to go through to meet me at my connecting gate. So, he knew my flight, he knew where I was connecting through and he knew what time I was landing which is so f---ing weird. "It's too far. So he's waiting outside for me and he has like 30 pictures and I'm like bro this is really strange. And he's like, ‘I know it's weird.’ And I'm like, yeah, bro, like, ‘get the f--- away.’ I don't think it's the airlines fault. I think it's someone maybe working for the airline or someone working in the airport that's like telling these people exactly where we are. And I'm like, we have meet and greets. We tell you where we're going to be at the arenas. That's different, too. Come to the arena. Come to, you know, a meet and greet, but like don't turn up at my hotel. Don't turn up at my connecting day. And don’t even turn up at the airports because a lot of wrestlers hate that." While Paige deals with autograph-seekers, she’s also dealing with Nikki Bella in the ring. Bella turned on Paige at SummerSlam after dropping the tag team titles with Brie Bella to Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9576292c5335ae104d73da Steven Roberts: Trump's loss of trust te 2026-08-31T12:40:09.931Z Steven Roberts: Trump's loss of trust As President Donald Trump escalated his trade war with Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney responded with a direct and damning comment: "We've recognized from the start that America has changed," he said. "We recognize that sometimes, its signature is written… Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9576252c5335ae104d73a5 Melinda French Gates stuns festival crowd, pledges to match Olivia Rodrigo's fundraising for $20M haul te 2026-08-31T12:40:05.204Z Melinda French Gates stuns festival crowd, pledges to match Olivia Rodrigo's fundraising for $20M haul Olivia Rodrigo introduced Daisy Chain Fields festival attendees to a surprise guest with a huge heart. After revealing that her inaugural music festival raised $10 million for various women-focused nonprofits, the "Drivers License" singer revealed a shocking fundraising update. Before her headlining set at the event in Irvine, Rodrigo announced that Melinda French Gates would match every donation to the dollar, for a grand total of $20 million fundraised. Rodrigo, who announced her first female-driven festival in June, told the crowd that she was "grateful" for each of the booked acts who performed "for free" throughout the day as she celebrated her initial $10 million fundraising effort. "I really believe that giving women the tools to decide their own futures and live healthy lives free of violence and discrimination is the most effective tool we have at changing the world for the better," Rodrigo said. "And I don’t know many people who represent that idea more than Melinda French Gates." GET ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR EMAIL BY CLICKING HERE The former Disney Channel actress admitted that Gates was "one of the most inspiring women I've ever met," while championing her dedication to "empowering women and girls that might have otherwise been forgotten." "She's generous and brave and has done so much good in this world, and I’m totally floored because as well as being in attendance here tonight, she’s pledged to double every dollar that we made here today to a grand total of funds being donated to $20 million," Rodrigo told the crowd. "I'm so grateful!" "Look at what you have done," Gates told Rodrigo after joining the "good 4 u" singer on stage. "Look at what you created!" "What I love about you is that you know that real power is not up here on stage, it's with everybody there, all of you," Gates continued. "When women and girls come together to dream and to lead, we change the world." The former wife of Microsoft founder Bill Gates added, "And, so long after the lights go down from this festival, the organizations doing this work will keep doing it because you all are here, so thank you for being here and thank you Olivia." During a press conference Friday before the festival, Rodrigo announced the multi-million figure raised for specific, women-focused nonprofits. LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS Ten organizations will receive an equally split total from the funds raised at the festival, which included: Baby2Baby, Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Center for Reproductive Rights, FreeFrom, Jhpiego, Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health, National Domestic Workers Alliance, National Institute for Reproductive Health, National Women’s Law Center and Planned Parenthood. In addition to Rodrigo's headlining gig, Chappell Roan, Garbage, Doechii, Not For Radio, the Breeders, Bikini Kill, Quiet Light, Rachel Chinouriri, and Eli also performed at Daisy Chain Fields. PUT YOUR ENTERTAINMENT KNOWLEDGE TO THE TEST AND SEE HOW YOU SCORE Katseye was initially slated to perform in the afternoon, but canceled due to member Megan Skiendiel's ankle injury. Three of the ladies in the girl group made a brief appearance to introduce Devon Again, who filled in for what would have been their time slot. Stevie Nicks, Alanis Morissette and Sarah McLachlan each joined Rodrigo on stage to sing duets, where Rodrigo admitted McLachlan's Lilith Fair was the inspiration behind her festival. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9571742c5335ae104d7332 Aaron Donald reveals wife's advice that helped him make decision to come out of retirement and re-join Rams te 2026-08-31T12:20:04.401Z Aaron Donald reveals wife's advice that helped him make decision to come out of retirement and re-join Rams Aaron Donald detailed the conversations he needed to have with his wife before he decided to come out of retirement and re-join the Los Angeles Rams for the 2026 season. Donald signed a one-year, $20 million deal to bolster a defense that already includes Myles Garrett, who the Rams acquired in a trade with the Cleveland Browns in the offseason. ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW! While Erica Donald posted on X, "I let him out of the house y’all," the brooding NFL defensive lineman told reporters he had to make sure his wife and household were good with him going back onto the field. "I think my wife played a huge part of me making this decision period because if the wife wasn't happy, it wasn't going to get done. I got to make sure that the household was good, the kids were okay with it all," he said. "Then having the hard conversations, figuring things out, what I wanted to do. If I was to do it, how would we do it? "My wife was on board. She said, 'If you want to do this, (I'm) with (you) 100%,' and there were days when I was like, 'I don't know.' She talked to me enough to be like, 'You want to do this. Don't make no decisions faster than what you need to make a decision. Take your time.' She played a huge part of me figuring this out because it really wasn't an easy decision. It took a lot of hard work, a lot of long conversations with a lot of different people, but I felt good enough to make the decision to come back and do this." Donald said he was on the fence about actually coming out of retirement. He said he spoke to Rams head coach Sean McVay almost every day to give him updates on where he was at about possibly coming back. SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS "To be honest with you, it was on and off for a while, but I think we knew this decision about two weeks (ago). I knew the world was saying all types of different things and nobody knew what was going on, but I knew for two weeks," Donald said. "Then, I talked to Sean every single week, damn near every day. We stayed in contact. I gave him all my updates, how I was feeling, how things were going. I know he got annoyed with [media] asking all the questions in camp every damn day. I felt bad for him at that point, but I was doing everything I needed to do to give myself peace of mind and see if I can do it. "(There) wasn't (any) rushing. I just wanted to take my time and make the right decision because once you choose to come back, you’re all the way back in. You can't be halfway in, you (have to) be all the way in it. I had to get to that point where I felt like I'm 100% committed to playing football again because the last two years have been amazing. Building things that I've been building, working on what I've been working on, working from home, and jumping back in the fire playing football again. So, I really had to sit back, think about it, not just from the physical aspect (but) from the mental aspect as well. Everything just played out how it played out and we're here now." Donald retired after the 2023 season. He was a Pro Bowler in each of his first 10 years with the Rams and was a First-Team All-Pro selection in all but two seasons. Donald was on the team when the Rams won the Super Bowl in 2021. He has logged 111 sacks and 543 tackles in 154 career games. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a956f1c2c5335ae104d72f9 Nevada casino on brink of closure reopens to lure tourists fed up with Las Vegas prices te 2026-08-31T12:10:04.091Z Nevada casino on brink of closure reopens to lure tourists fed up with Las Vegas prices One month after a Nevada casino narrowly avoided closure and reopened its doors, the ironic destination is expanding its comeback — betting that lower prices and fee-free resort experiences can lure travelers frustrated by high prices in Las Vegas. Primm Valley Resort & Casino's July 22 reopening marked a dramatic turnaround for the town of Primm, which had been on the brink of losing its last operating casino-hotel and 344 jobs earlier this summer. The Primm family struck a last-minute deal with Las Vegas-based Terrible's to operate the properties, averting the planned closure. GHOST-TOWN CASINOS GET STUNNING RESCUE AFTER FAMILY FINDS LAST-MINUTE BUYER Primm Valley Resort & Casino reopened 17 days after Terrible's assumed management control. "We're off to a great start," Cory Clemetson, president of Primm's landowning group Primm South Real Estate Company and grandson of town founder Ernie Primm, told Fox News Digital. The company president pointed to the reopening of the pool and steakhouse, along with what he described as a positive response to the changes. Clemetson said Primm is also aiming to offer travelers a more affordable alternative to Las Vegas. LAS VEGAS ‘PRICING PROBLEM' IS SCARING OFF TOURISTS FROM 'GREATEST CITY IN THE WORLD,' SAYS RICK HARRISON The property is operating without resort fees and matching previously earned rewards tiers for returning customers as it works to bring longtime visitors back to Primm. "I think right now in Las Vegas, one of the hot topics is ... people feel that private equity companies in general have taken away what's made Vegas great as a more affordable vacation by charging parking fees, resort fees," Clemetson said. "Your overall ability to have a much more affordable vacation and have a great experience feels like it cost you three or four times that today," he said. "Primm is trying to reposition that and get back to attracting people." BARGAIN BUFFET REFUSES TO DIE WHILE LUXURY DINING TAKES OVER VEGAS But affordability is only part of Primm's appeal, according to Clemetson.  He said nostalgia remains a major draw for longtime visitors. "Primm has a special place in so many people's hearts, not just Nevadans, but neighboring states and people throughout the country that have come to Las Vegas or have taken a trip out there," he said. "[People] don't want to see [the properties] go away, and they don't want to see them deteriorate in a way, especially the way that was being formulated by the previous operator," Clemetson added. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER More changes could soon be on the way, he indicated.  Table games could return to Primm Valley "pretty quickly," while another of the town's shuttered casino resorts, Buffalo Bill's, could eventually make a comeback, he said.  CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE NEWS "I think eventually you'll see Buffalo Bill's here open, probably sooner rather than later," he said. "They're working on that, and so there's excitement." Beyond the immediate changes, Clemetson pointed to the planned Southern Nevada Supplemental Airport near Primm as a major factor in the town's longer-term future. "In the next 10 years, there's going to be a second major airport that will be built within a mile and a half of Primm, Nevada," he said.  TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ "And that will give Primm a strategic advantage that it's never had," he said.  "With the right vision and the right strategy, we think that Primm can even potentially be better than it ever was, and it has a chance to do that," he added. "There's not a guarantee, but it certainly has a chance — so we're optimistic about our future." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a956cc42c5335ae104d72b0 Newark airport shuttle bus slams into concrete barrier, injuring 13 te 2026-08-31T12:00:04.930Z Newark airport shuttle bus slams into concrete barrier, injuring 13 An employee shuttle bus crashed into a concrete barrier at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey early Monday, injuring 13 people, according to local reports. The crash happened shortly after 3 a.m. on the Terminal B Departures Level 3 roadway, News 12 New Jersey reported. Three people suffered serious injuries, while 10 others sustained minor injuries, according to the report. None of the injuries were believed to be life-threatening. BUS CRASH NEAR PENTAGON INJURES 23, INCLUDING 10 WAR DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL Video obtained by Fox News Digital showed the badly damaged shuttle bus still pressed against the concrete barrier in the aftermath of the crash. The front end appeared crumpled, while glass from the bus door and windshield were shattered. Police tape surrounded the crash site as first responders worked nearby. The injured were transported to area hospitals for evaluation and treatment, according to WABC-TV. The crash prompted authorities to close the Terminal B Departures Level 3 roadway as crews worked to clear debris from the area. LAGUARDIA SHUTS DOWN RUNWAY FOR SECOND TIME IN WEEKS AFTER PAVEMENT ISSUE RESURFACES The Port Authority Police Department advised passengers departing from Terminal B to be dropped off on Level 2 because of the police activity. Authorities have not released the cause of the crash. The investigation is ongoing. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a956a6d2c5335ae104d71b2 Deadly Grand Canyon flooding knocks out critical water line amid race to find missing hikers te 2026-08-31T11:50:05.301Z Deadly Grand Canyon flooding knocks out critical water line amid race to find missing hikers Severe flash flooding knocked out a central water line in the Grand Canyon this weekend, forcing the National Park Service to implement strict water restrictions amid an ongoing race to find missing hikers. NPS says it will implement stage four water restrictions beginning at 12:00 p.m. on Monday, saying the Saturday flooding caused "extensive damage to infrastructure," including the Transcanyon Waterline that supplies the park with water. Park officials say one person was killed and 15 may be missing after the flooding, though they say that is an estimate. Park officials confirmed they recovered the body of a 46-year-old man from the Colorado River on Sunday night. He has not been publicly identified. MISSING GRAND CANYON HIKER, 83, RESCUED AFTER GETTING SEPARATED FROM COMPANION NPS issued a request for the public to provide information on the 15 other people who are believed to be missing. "The National Park Service is asking anyone who knows of hikers or backpackers who were in the inner canyon along the Bright Angel Creek corridor on August 29, as well as anyone who had a campground reservation in the affected corridor, to provide information to the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch," NPS said in a statement. AMERICAN HIKER VANISHES ON TROPICAL TREK AS FLASH FLOODS, MUDSLIDES TURN JUNGLE GETAWAY INTO DESPERATE SEARCH Park officials say they have so far evacuated at least 62 people since the Saturday flooding. The stage 4 water restrictions affecting the rest of the park include forced dry camping with no access to water spigots, the temporary closure of overnight lodgings, and a strict no-fire rule for the South Rim and inner canyon areas. ARMY BLACK HAWKS AIRLIFT 200-PLUS STRANDED CAMPERS AS MISSOURI FLOODS TRIGGER MORE 350 RESCUES The flooding struck Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area on Aug. 29, according to NPS, which added that nearly all footbridges spanning Bright Angel Creek were destroyed. Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said state emergency officials are coordinating with federal and local authorities as the search continues. EXPERTS ZERO IN ON LIKELY CAUSE OF DEADLY NEPAL MUDSLIDE, WITH MORE THAN 1,400 MISSING "My heart is with the families and loved ones of every person unaccounted for after the flash flooding at the Grand Canyon," Hobbs wrote on X. "DEMA is coordinating with NPS and Coconino County Emergency Management to support search and recovery efforts." Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes called the flash flooding "devastating" and thanked first responders for searching for those still unaccounted for and evacuating others from the affected area. "The physical damage includes a historic lodge near the bottom of the site and untold environmental upheaval," Fontes said in a statement. "I send my prayers to the community as the search for those unaccounted for continues." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9568172c5335ae104d706f Kazuchika Okada wins AEW International Championship, fends off Kyle Fletcher and Konosuke Takeshita at All In te 2026-08-31T11:40:07.004Z Kazuchika Okada wins AEW International Championship, fends off Kyle Fletcher and Konosuke Takeshita at All In Kyle Fletcher made his return to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) programming at Double or Nothing after Konosuke Takeshita defeated Kazuchika Okada for the International Championship. Fletcher worked his way back quickly to capture the title for himself. Fletcher entered All In on Sunday trying to defend the title against both men. With each wrestler in the ring, the match had a chance to steal the show. Fletcher started with a superkick to Okada, who appeared to be aligned as part of the Don Callis Family going into the match. Still, it proved that it was every man for himself. COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON OUTKICK Okada hit Fletcher with two Rainmakers. When he went for a third, Fletcher countered with a devastating lariat of his own. Takeshita watched it from the outside as he caught his breath. He quickly got back into the match but trying to take out Fletcher proved to be a daunting task. Fletcher caught Takeshita on the top rope and went for a brainbuster. But Takeshita reversed the move into a tornado DDT of sorts. Thoroughly spent, Takeshita and Fletcher knocked Okada out of the ring. The two then met in the middle of the ring once more and began to throw forearms at each other. Fletcher then ate a Blue Thunder Bomb and hit Takeshita with a turnbuckle brainbuster. ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW! Okada took his time and took advantage of Fletcher’s focus on Takeshita. He caught Fletcher with a Rainmaker. He pinned Fletcher for the win. Fletcher avoided hitting Okada with the belt after the loss. Fletcher lived up to his word and raised Okada’s hand for the win. It is Okada’s second reign as international champion. He initially held the belt for 316 days after he beat Kenny Omega at All In last year. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9568162c5335ae104d7066 AEW star Darby Allin crashes through stage with high-risk move, captures TNT Championship at All In te 2026-08-31T11:40:06.199Z AEW star Darby Allin crashes through stage with high-risk move, captures TNT Championship at All In All Elite Wrestling (AEW) All In became a family affair during an insane falls count anywhere match between Kevin Knight and Darby Allin with the TNT Championship on the line. It was supposed to be a singles match. Knight came after Allin hot, hitting the challenger with the belt to start the bout. The match got more chaotic from there. COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON OUTKICK Don Callis Family members Brian Cage and Jake Doyle offered their support of Knight, beating down Allin and trying to give Knight the upper hand. Steve Borden entered the fray and lent his support to Allin in the midst of the match. But Cage and Doyle quickly jumped on Borden and continued to work on Allin. Moments later, the stadium lights turned off. Appearing at the top of the entrance ramp was "The Icon" Sting. The legendary pro wrestler brought his bat and inflicted pain on Cage and Doyle. Borden, Sting’s son, went to the top of a ladder and laid out the two intruders. As the fighting went back up the ramp, Knight was trying to follow them. Instead, Allin chased him down. ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW! Allin had Knight in his crosshairs. After a body slam at the top of the ramp, Allin climbed up a pillar that was a part of the stage. He fell backward and hit a Coffin Drop on Knight. The two crashed through part of the stage. As AEW medical personnel strapped Knight to a gurney, Allin got his revenge from Double or Nothing. He leaped off the stage and onto a helpless Knight. Allin pinned Knight and picked up the win. It is Allin’s third reign as TNT champion. He last held the title from Jan. 4, 2023, to Feb. 1, 2023, losing the belt to Samoa Joe. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9568152c5335ae104d705d Mercedes Moné captures AEW Women's World Championship for the first time at All In te 2026-08-31T11:40:05.291Z Mercedes Moné captures AEW Women's World Championship for the first time at All In Three years ago, Mercedes Moné was spotted in the crowd at All In keeping a close eye on the women’s division as she mulled whether she would make the jump to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Months later, Moné finally made her debut and took the AEW women’s division by storm. She later defeated Willow Nightingale for the TBS Championship and started a reign that would last more than 500 days – that was until Nightingale defeated her on Dec. 31, 2025. It was the pretext for the feud that would begin when Nightingale captured the AEW Women’s World Championship and Moné won the Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament. COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON OUTKICK On Sunday, Moné gave her blood, sweat and tears to finally win the AEW Women’s World Championship. She took full advantage of Nightingale’s broken hand, putting her in the Money Maker to make her pass out. Moné was bloodied to start the match as Nightingale nailed her in the nose. Nightingale tried to smile through the pain. She took out Moné with a suplex onto the mat outside the ring. She also hit a brutal pounce on Moné that sent her opponent into the referee. Both women used the knockdown to their advantage. Nightingale whipped the leather part of the belt against Moné. It was a lot for Moné to overcome even as Nightingale dealt with the hand injury. At the end of the match, Nightingale completely ran out of gas and the referee called for the bell. SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS Moné will begin her first reign as AEW women’s world champion, adding to her impressive resume in AEW. She’s been the aforementioned TBS champion and won the Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament twice. She might already have her first challenger. High above Wembley Stadium, Thekla was watching closely. Thekla made her return to AEW programming earlier in the show. She lost the AEW Women’s World Championship to Nightingale at Redemption and hadn’t been seen until Sunday. All Out is about a month away and it could very well mean that Moné and Thekla are lining up for an epic match in September. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9568142c5335ae104d7054 Will Ospreay ascends to top of AEW with world championship victory at All In over Kenny Omega te 2026-08-31T11:40:04.237Z Will Ospreay ascends to top of AEW with world championship victory at All In over Kenny Omega Will Ospreay entered Wembley Stadium coming face-to-face with the ghosts of his past. He walked through the backstage area giving head nods to the likes of Zack Sabre Jr., Ricochet, Swerve Strickland and others as he got ready to go down the ramp. He gave his wife, Alex Windsor, a good-luck kiss and then met with Jon Moxley, who handed him the Union Jack before his music hit. COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON OUTKICK Ospreay had the momentum of his home country being behind him as he challenged Kenny Omega for the AEW World Championship at All In. It was the biggest stage of the year for the biggest match of Ospreay’s career. The history between the two goes back to their epic bouts in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Omega looked to end the match early. He bloodied Ospreay with a TV monitor and then powerbombed him through a table. Ospreay powered through the blood and nailed Omega with a nasty Hidden Blade, opening up Omega. Giving up was not an option for either competitor. Even as the referee was counting Omega out, he was trying to get him to stop. Ospreay hit another Hidden Blade but couldn’t get the win. He pulled out a Styles Clash on Omega – and still couldn’t get the pin. The two went blow-for-blow before Omega hit a V Trigger and a Tiger Driver ’91. A second V Trigger led to Omega’s One-Winged Angel attempt. Omega hit it cleanly and tried to pin Ospreay for the win. Ospreay kicked out. SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS The AEW World Championship meant everything to Omega and Ospreay. Omega had one last V Trigger in him, but couldn’t get Ospreay to stay down. As he went for another One-Winged Angel, Ospreay countered and hit his own Tiger Driver on Omega. The crowd that was watching intently broke out "This is awesome!" chants. The two men slowly got back to their feet. Ospreay couldn’t muster up one punch and Omega couldn’t take advantage right away. Omega tried one more V Trigger before Omega caught him. Ospreay hit Omega’s finisher but only got a one count. Ospreay hit a Stormbreaker and got to one again. What would it take to put any of these men away? Through bloodied strands of hair, Ospreay hit Omega with one more Hidden Blade. He pinned Omega for the win. Emotions hit Ospreay in full force as he was declared the champion. He became the first Englishman to win a world championship in Britain and started his reign as the AEW world champion. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9565bd2c5335ae104d6e1d Vulnerable Dem's own audit admits Medicaid oversight failure amid massive statewide fraud scandal te 2026-08-31T11:30:05.853Z Vulnerable Dem's own audit admits Medicaid oversight failure amid massive statewide fraud scandal Maine's state auditor Matt Dunlap, who is now pursuing a bid to represent Maine's 2nd Congressional District as a Democrat, released a report earlier this year sounding the alarm that the state's internal watchdog for its MaineCare program had a serious gap in utilization control. "[The Program Integrity Unit] could not provide documentation of the methodology used to identify projects and post-payment reviews performed in relation to surveillance of all Medicaid services provided under the State plan," the report reads, referring to the "PIU," the program's watchdog. The report’s release, which comes after revelations of healthcare fraud in Maine from federal investigators and a local whistleblower, puts renewed focus on Dunlap’s tenure as auditor and raises questions about Maine's past systems to detect fraud amid one of the country's most competitive congressional races. VANCE TURNS UP HEAT ON STATES WITH FEDERAL CASH THREAT OVER MEDICAID FRAUD CRACKDOWN In order to ensure that state programs are complying with federal requirements, the PIU, the watchdog, selects a set number of cases for review, picking those cases based on "data analytics." The report didn't expand on those analytics — but noted a key weakness. In addition to being unable to provide documentation of why those cases had been chosen for review, the process also didn't take into account possible misuse — by patients or by the companies that bill MaineCare. In the report's words, the PIU, the watchdog group, "does not document consideration of misutilization practices of beneficiaries or providers ... [and] may not provide adequate monitoring of all Medicaid services, resulting in potential noncompliance with Federal regulations." Dunlap's 2026 report also acknowledged that this particular reporting issue hadn't been caught before, noting that it had a "prior year findings: none" designation. When asked about the weakness and whether this was really the first time it had surfaced in an audit, Dunlap's campaign stressed that the report only narrowly applied to that particular weakness and that Dunlap had recieved praise — even from local Republicans — on his work identifying other liabilities. "As Auditor, Matt Dunlap has flagged many issues that date back to the LePage administration. He has been praised by local press and Republican leaders alike for his work to recommend ways to safeguard taxpayer dollars. Paul LePage should answer why his team didn't implement the recommendations of his own Auditors from when he was governor," Harry Burke, a spokesperson for the Dunlap campaign said in a comment to Fox News Digital, referring to the Republican nominee in the race, a former governor of Maine who served from 2011 to 2019. The campaign also observed that, Dunlap himself, as an auditor, has little power to implement changes he flags as problematic. Decisions to remedy issues within Maine's programs lie within the departments themselves, although auditors can recommend specific changes. "The auditor's job is to be a fire alarm: identify the problems so that state agencies can act. For example, last year, his recommendations led to the arrest and prosecution of a procurement fraudster saving taxpayer dollars," Burke added. Despite his campaign's pushback, Dunlap has received backlash from Republicans for failing to stop fraud schemes that have caught national attention. TRUMP TASK FORCE IS TACKLING $250 BILLION IN GOVERNMENT FRAUD. IT’S JUST GETTING STARTED Dunlap first came into the role in 2021 despite lacking the credentials to become an auditor. After being installed, he had to resign after twice failing the needed tests to become a certified auditor. Even so, Dunlap returned to the role in November 2022 after passing the requisite exams. That track record has become a focal point for Republicans in the congressional race after the U.S. Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General revealed in January that the state had paid out at least $45.6 million in improper Medicaid payments for autism services. The findings only furthered concerns raised by a whistleblower in December. Christopher Bernardini, a former employee of Gateway Community Services, said his company had been defrauding Maine’s Medicaid program. According to Bernardini, the health services contractor had routinely filed false records about client visits, billing the state for services that Gateway had never provided. The compounding stories of fraud have captured the attention of figures like JD Vance, who highlighted them in a visit to the state on Monday. "How did Maine become one of the main capitals of defrauding the American taxpayer?’" Vance asked at a campaign event. "One of the answers is somehow you guys hired an auditor who is not actually an auditor and failed the auditor exam. Well, call it old-fashioned common sense, but if you want somebody managing your money, maybe they ought to actually meet the constitutional requirements to do the job," Vance said. Vance argued Dunlap’s track record should be disqualifying. "And for Matt Dunlap, if you’ve got a guy who cannot protect your tax dollars from fraudsters, who has turned your state into one of the fraud capitals of the United States of America, maybe you should be saying to Matt Dunlap, ‘You’re fired, not promoted to the United States Congress,’" Vance said. Previous years of reporting before Dunlap’s time as auditor also cast doubt on the office’s aggressiveness in uncovering fraud, hinting that the office’s zeal has declined under his watch. Notably, in the six years before Dunlap took over the reins in 2022, the state had identified that it had almost too many active fraud investigations. "Cases opened because of potential fraud, abuse, or questionable practices need improved supervisory review," several reports state. Audits going back to 2016 noted that the office had routinely taken on more cases than its resources and its staffing would allow for, leading to a lack of monitoring of individual cases. DR. OZ NAMES 5 STATES IN FRAUD CRACKDOWN AS TRUMP ADMIN TARGETS MEDICAID ABUSE Since Dunlap returned to the role in 2022, the auditor’s office has not resurfaced that concern. Having secured his party’s nomination in the state’s primaries earlier this year, Dunlap heads to the general election on Nov. 3, where he faces off against the Republican nominee, former Gov. Paul LePage. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9563652c5335ae104d6cdf Vulnerable Dem's own audit admits Medicaid oversight failure amid massive statewide fraud scandal te 2026-08-31T11:20:05.122Z Vulnerable Dem's own audit admits Medicaid oversight failure amid massive statewide fraud scandal Maine's state auditor Matt Dunlap, who is now pursuing a bid to represent Maine's 2nd Congressional District as a Democrat, released a report earlier this year sounding the alarm that the state's internal watchdog for its MaineCare program had a serious gap in utilization control. "[The Program Integrity Unit] could not provide documentation of the methodology used to identify projects and post-payment reviews performed in relation to surveillance of all Medicaid services provided under the State plan," the report reads, referring to the "PIU," the program's watchdog. The report’s release, which comes after revelations of healthcare fraud in Maine from federal investigators and a local whistleblower, puts renewed focus on Dunlap’s tenure as auditor and raises questions about Maine's past systems to detect fraud amid one of the country's most competitive congressional races. VANCE TURNS UP HEAT ON STATES WITH FEDERAL CASH THREAT OVER MEDICAID FRAUD CRACKDOWN In order to ensure that state programs are complying with federal requirements, the PIU, the watchdog, selects a set number of cases for review, picking those cases based on "data analytics." The report didn't expand on those analytics — but noted a key weakness. In addition to being unable to provide documentation of why those cases had been chosen for review, the process also didn't take into account possible misuse — by patients or by the companies that bill MaineCare. In the report's words, the PIU, the watchdog group, "does not document consideration of misutilization practices of beneficiaries or providers ... [and] may not provide adequate monitoring of all Medicaid services, resulting in potential noncompliance with Federal regulations." Dunlap's 2026 report also acknowledged that this particular reporting issue hadn't been caught before, noting that it had a "prior year findings: none" designation. When asked about the weakness and whether this was really the first time it had surfaced in an audit, Dunlap's campaign stressed that the report only narrowly applied to that particular weakness and that Dunlap had recieved praise — even from local Republicans — on his work identifying other liabilities. "As Auditor, Matt Dunlap has flagged many issues that date back to the LePage administration. He has been praised by local press and Republican leaders alike for his work to recommend ways to safeguard taxpayer dollars. Paul LePage should answer why his team didn't implement the recommendations of his own Auditors from when he was governor," Harry Burke, a spokesperson for the Dunlap campaign said in a comment to Fox News Digital, referring to the Republican nominee in the race, a former governor of Maine who served from 2011 to 2019. The campaign also observed that, Dunlap himself, as an auditor, has little power to implement changes he flags as problematic. Decisions to remedy issues within Maine's programs lie within the departments themselves, although auditors can recommend specific changes. "The auditor's job is to be a fire alarm: identify the problems so that state agencies can act. For example, last year, his recommendations led to the arrest and prosecution of a procurement fraudster saving taxpayer dollars," Burke added. Despite his campaign's pushback, Dunlap has received backlash from Republicans for failing to stop fraud schemes that have caught national attention. TRUMP TASK FORCE IS TACKLING $250 BILLION IN GOVERNMENT FRAUD. IT’S JUST GETTING STARTED Dunlap first came into the role in 2021 despite lacking the credentials to become an auditor. After being installed, he had to resign after twice failing the needed tests to become a certified auditor. Even so, Dunlap returned to the role in November 2022 after passing the requisite exams. That track record has become a focal point for Republicans in the congressional race after the U.S. Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General revealed in January that the state had paid out at least $45.6 million in improper Medicaid payments for autism services. The findings only furthered concerns raised by a whistleblower in December. Christopher Bernardini, a former employee of Gateway Community Services, said his company had been defrauding Maine’s Medicaid program. According to Bernardini, the health services contractor had routinely filed false records about client visits, billing the state for services that Gateway had never provided. The compounding stories of fraud have captured the attention of figures like JD Vance, who highlighted them in a visit to the state on Monday. "How did Maine become one of the main capitals of defrauding the American taxpayer?’" Vance asked at a campaign event. "One of the answers is somehow you guys hired an auditor who is not actually an auditor and failed the auditor exam. Well, call it old-fashioned common sense, but if you want somebody managing your money, maybe they ought to actually meet the constitutional requirements to do the job," Vance said. Vance argued Dunlap’s track record should be disqualifying. "And for Matt Dunlap, if you’ve got a guy who cannot protect your tax dollars from fraudsters, who has turned your state into one of the fraud capitals of the United States of America, maybe you should be saying to Matt Dunlap, ‘You’re fired, not promoted to the United States Congress,’" Vance said. Previous years of reporting before Dunlap’s time as auditor also cast doubt on the office’s aggressiveness in uncovering fraud, hinting that the office’s zeal has declined under his watch. Notably, in the six years before Dunlap took over the reins in 2022, the state had identified that it had almost too many active fraud investigations. "Cases opened because of potential fraud, abuse, or questionable practices need improved supervisory review," several reports state. Audits going back to 2016 noted that the office had routinely taken on more cases than its resources and its staffing would allow for, leading to a lack of monitoring of individual cases. DR. OZ NAMES 5 STATES IN FRAUD CRACKDOWN AS TRUMP ADMIN TARGETS MEDICAID ABUSE Since Dunlap returned to the role in 2022, the auditor’s office has not resurfaced that concern. Having secured his party’s nomination in the state’s primaries earlier this year, Dunlap heads to the general election on Nov. 3, where he faces off against the Republican nominee, former Gov. Paul LePage. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95610f2c5335ae104d69ce Trey McKinney becomes youngest Bassmaster Angler of the Year at 21, breaking Kevin VanDam's record te 2026-08-31T11:10:07.488Z Trey McKinney becomes youngest Bassmaster Angler of the Year at 21, breaking Kevin VanDam's record CLAYTON, NEW YORK — Evan Kung's name is on the tournament trophy from the St. Lawrence River. But the biggest story out of Clayton this week might actually be the young guns. The Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River closed out the 2026 Elite Series regular season, and with it came the season-long Angler of the Year and Rookie of the Year titles. These are awards decided by cumulative points across all nine regular-season events — not by who wins this one tournament. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE FROM OUTKICK OUTDOORS Still, a lot was riding on how this Championship Sunday shook out. Trey McKinney came into the season finale having watched Chris Johnston walk away with the Angler of the Year title for two straight years — runner-up finishes that, as the emcee pointed out, meant McKinney had "never been out of the top two" in the AOY race in his young career. This time, the roles reversed: Johnston himself handed McKinney the trophy. A passing of the torch, you could call it. At 21, McKinney is now the youngest Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year in history — breaking a record held by Kevin VanDam since 1992. It's a fitting cap to a week where McKinney also boated the heaviest five-fish smallmouth limit ever weighed in Bassmaster history (30 pounds, 11 ounces, back on Day 2) and picked up his own Century Belt for good measure. None of it came easily. McKinney finished the tournament in second place, 2 pounds behind Kung. But by his own account, that was never really what he came to Clayton for. "Yes, I didn't win the tournament, but I wasn't even thinking about that," McKinney said. "Angler of the Year is the only thing I was thinking about all week. I was doing well in the tournament, but that title is what was on my mind." EVAN KUNG WINS BASSMASTER ELITE AT ST. LAWRENCE RIVER IN A TOURNAMENT FOR THE RECORD BOOKS The final push very nearly didn't happen. McKinney described his last hours on the water as the most nervous he's ever been fishing. "I was more nervous today than I've ever been in my whole life," he said. "I couldn't even think straight. My fish were short-striking, not committing, and I thought there was no way I was about to hand this away. We kept running around, and thank goodness, right at the end we caught a 6-pounder to seal it. "I was about ready to leave when something told me to keep going a little longer. There was one rock. I gave it a shot, and it was a 6-pounder. If I hadn't caught that fish, I don't think I would have gotten it." McKinney credited three years of hard work finally paying off. His mom took the mic on stage afterward to share in the moment, crediting faith and the support of everyone who'd backed him through the chase. While McKinney was closing out his tournament, a tight Rookie of the Year race was being decided, too. And it included a man who wasn't fishing at all. Caleb Hudson led the rookie points race most of the season but didn't make the cut for Championship Sunday at St. Lawrence. This left him to watch from land as Fisher Anaya — the only other rookie still in contention — fished for the title. Anaya needed a top-six finish on the final day to overtake Hudson. He came in ninth, at 100 pounds, 5 ounces (a Century Belt, but not enough to flip the race), which meant Hudson held on to win Rookie of the Year without ever making a cast that day. "It was the most nerve-wracking day I've ever had to go through," Hudson said before the final leaderboard was announced. "I think today has felt like at least 30 hours long since I got up this morning. I'm ready for this to be over. I hate this feeling. Either way, I'm going to be happy. I've had an amazing season, and Fisher's a great angler. I'd have no problem losing to him. He's phenomenal." When it was official, Hudson — who picked up a $10,000 bonus check from Pro Guide Batteries along with the title — noted the timing: "Today's my mom's birthday, so I did it for her. Best birthday present — saves me some money on a gift." JACK STORY SKIPPED HIS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION TO GO BASS FISHING AND WALKED AWAY WITH $100K Anaya, for his part, lost the title in dramatic fashion — losing what he described as one of the biggest smallmouth of his life on his first two casts of the day. "What a battle, what a season," Anaya said. "The last two days have been rough. I've lost more than I've caught. I knew heading out this morning it just didn't feel right. Congrats to Caleb. It was his time to win, and he had a heck of a season. I'm not mad about losing to him. If it was going to be someone, he's the guy to lose to." Maybe we’re seeing a changing of the guard. Between a 21-year-old breaking a three-decade-old record and a Rookie of the Year race that came down to who was and wasn't fishing on the final day, this St. Lawrence River finale was a doozy. And it showcased a few of the faces the sport will be talking about for years to come. Love all things fishing and outdoors? Follow OutKick OutDoors on Instagram and TikTok! Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95610e2c5335ae104d69c5 Dietitian reveals simple eating strategy for better sleep — and one habit to avoid te 2026-08-31T11:10:06.747Z Dietitian reveals simple eating strategy for better sleep — and one habit to avoid How you eat can influence how you sleep, according to experts. Erin Palinski-Wade, a New Jersey-based registered dietitian, certified diabetes care specialist and author of "The Sleepdemic Solution," says certain foods can make, or break, a good night’s sleep. "There are a number of foods that can help support sleep, and sometimes it's even a combination," she told Fox News Digital. 5-STEP SLEEP RESET COULD PROMOTE HEALTHY WEIGHT LOSS, NUTRITIONIST SAYS Keeping blood sugar steady throughout the day may help prevent afternoon energy crashes and support more restorative sleep at night, Palinski-Wade said. Waking up in the middle of the night and struggling to fall back asleep may not always be insomnia, she suggested, but could be linked to fluctuations in glucose levels. Combining lean proteins, slow-digesting carbohydrates and healthy fats in meals and snacks can help stabilize those levels — what Palinski-Wade called the "No. 1 way" to improve overall sleep. Some small studies suggest tart cherry juice may support sleep, and the expert named tart cherries — or 100% tart cherry juice — as her top choice.  FOOD CRAVINGS AT 3:45 PM AREN'T RANDOM, HERE'S WHAT YOUR BODY MAY BE WARNING YOU ABOUT "Tart cherries [are] one of the foods that have the highest amount of melatonin naturally, but they also have compounds that help to really extend that melatonin in our bodies and our body's ability to use it," she said. Still, research linking tart cherry consumption to modest improvements in sleep duration or quality is limited and mixed; a 2025 systematic review reached a similar conclusion. For those who suffer from insomnia, Palinski-Wade recommends ingesting 4 to 6 ounces of 100% tart cherry juice, or about a quarter cup of dried tart cherries. "It's a really, really great tool to improve your sleep – and it's really tasty, too," she said. TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ Foods and drinks that may help reduce inflammation can also support sleep, the dietitian said. "When we have more antioxidants in the body, more anti-inflammatory compounds, we're really helping our body to achieve that more restful state," Palinski-Wade said. Foods rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds — including nuts and seeds, olive oil and avocados — also provide healthy fats and other nutrients that may support sleep. On the other hand, Palinski-Wade warned that caffeine intake can negatively impact sleep quality. "So many of us have a poor night's sleep and the next day we reach for caffeine to give us a burst of energy," she said. "And there's nothing wrong with a little bit of caffeine, but you have to look at how much you're having and how close to bedtime." CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER "And it's a stimulant, so it's harder to fall asleep," Palinski-Wade warned. "If you have foods or beverages with a large amount of caffeine, and you're having them in the afternoon or toward the evening, that is going to make it very hard to get restorative, restful sleep in the evening." For those who do drink caffeine, it is best to stop about 10 hours before bedtime, the expert advised. The "sweet spot" for daily caffeine intake is 300 milligrams or less, she said. Any more than that becomes a "stressor to our body." A cup of coffee, traditionally 8 ounces, is about 100 milligrams. CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES The FDA says up to 400 milligrams daily is not generally associated with negative effects for most adults, although individual tolerance can vary depending on factors such as medications, health conditions and sensitivity to caffeine. "We start to release stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, and that not only makes our body store fat versus burn it, but it also increases inflammation," Palinski-Wade noted.  "So now you have the stimulant, you have this inflammation, and all those things go against quality sleep." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95610e2c5335ae104d69bc SEN CHUCK GRASSLEY: Republicans are making America safer by restoring law and order te 2026-08-31T11:10:06.048Z SEN CHUCK GRASSLEY: Republicans are making America safer by restoring law and order The 119th Congress will be remembered as a decisive turning point for American safety and security. By electing Republicans to the majority in 2024, voters rejected the leftist ideals of defunding the police, abolishing prisons and supporting violent criminals over victims. In turn, Republicans have led a resurgence in commonsense crime-fighting legislation, supported by the historic confirmation pace of judicial and executive nominees who interpret and enforce the law. National security is the No. 1 responsibility of the federal government. The previous administration abdicated this duty by promoting soft-on-crime policies that left the American people with emboldened criminals, struggling police departments and Soros-backed district attorneys who refused to prosecute murderers, rapists and child abusers. But where Democratic leadership failed, Republicans in the 119th Congress have delivered. Republicans’ renewed focus on fighting crime, championing law enforcement and protecting American families has coincided with the largest drop in violent crime ever recorded in the United States. Murder and robbery declined approximately 20% from 2024 to 2025. And according to the Council on Criminal Justice’s midyear report, 2026 is on track to meet, if not exceed, 2025’s historic drop in crime. America is the safest it’s been in a century. TODD BLANCHE 'HONORED AND HUMBLED' BY TRUMP'S AG NOMINATION AFTER EXPLOSIVE WEEK OF FEDERAL ARRESTS This Congress, the Senate Judiciary Committee has been at the epicenter of Republicans’ crime-fighting agenda. As chairman, I’m proud to have ushered major pieces of public safety legislation through the committee, including the passage of my "HALT Fentanyl Act" to crack down on deadly fentanyl knockoffs, the "Secure America Act" to fund law enforcement and border security measures, and numerous bills that back the blue. I’ve also led the confirmation of key Department of Justice leaders who have refocused federal efforts on protecting Americans, including Attorney General Todd Blanche. At the same time, I’ve processed and advanced President Donald Trump’s law-and-order judicial nominees at the fastest pace since the Reagan administration. CARGO THEFT HITS EVERYTHING FROM LEGO TO TEQUILA. WE NEED THE SENATE TO HELP STOP IT With less than six months left in the 119th Congress, my work as Judiciary Committee chairman is moving full steam ahead. I’m keeping my nose to the grindstone to continue confirming Trump’s nominees to keep our streets safe. I’m also pushing a landmark nationwide crime package to protect children from online exploitation, crack down on organized retail crime, combat the spread of illicit xylazine and stem the flow of contraband in federal prisons. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION This bipartisan legislation has garnered widespread support from major child safety, law enforcement and technology groups, as well as the Trump administration. It’s imperative that this package is signed into law as part of the "National Defense Authorization Act." I’ve approached my responsibilities this Congress as a husband, father and grandparent who wants every American family to be safe from crime. I’ve worked hard to do just that, and I’m proud of Republicans’ achievements in delivering lasting security for generations to come. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM SEN. CHUCK GRASSLEY Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95610d2c5335ae104d69b3 Iran retaliates against US forces after American strikes in key oil route and more top headlines te 2026-08-31T11:10:05.324Z Iran retaliates against US forces after American strikes in key oil route and more top headlines 1. Iran retaliates against US forces after American strikes in key oil route 2. US carrier joins operations to support security in Mideast 3. Trump says what would be 'big, big trouble' for America TRAIL OF DAMAGE — Around 15 people unaccounted for after flash flood tears through Grand Canyon. Continue reading … HARD AT WORK — AI data center boom sparks hiring surge at one of America’s oldest manufacturers. Continue reading … RIPPLE EFFECT — Retired judge warns more accused killers may follow Lindsay Clancy strategy. Continue reading … SURVIVOR'S SPIRIT — California mom loses both legs after SUV suddenly barrels into outdoor dining area. Continue reading … GRIDIRON VERDICT — FSU nearly blown out by a 4-8 squad and Norvell's job could be on the line. Continue reading … -- BOOM VOYAGE — Pentagon puts suspected drug boats on notice with new images and deadly warning. Continue reading … FROM THE PEW — Progressives invoke Jesus as they push left-wing agenda in key Senate races. Continue reading … ROAD RECKONING — Dozens of illegal alien truck drivers busted with licenses from Dem-run states. Continue reading … ON NOTICE — Duffy teases 'unprecedented' fraud crackdown as federal agencies team up. Continue reading … Click here for more cartoons…   GUILT BY ASSOCIATION — Hasan Piker tells reporter El-Sayed asked him to 'stump' for Michigan campaign. Continue reading … POLITICAL THEATER — Border czar Homan fires back at Democrat who claims ICE is 'terrorizing' children. Continue reading … MUZZLE ATTEMPT — Trump vows to report Kristen Welker to FCC over 'purposeful inaccuracy.' Continue reading … DOLLAR DIPLOMACY — Brandon Johnson's new order forces contractors to reveal ties to federal agencies. Continue reading … GOV. MIKE DUNLEAVY — America cannot beat China by leaving Alaska’s critical minerals underground. Continue reading … JONATHAN TURLEY — Far-left litmus test for Senate hopefuls exposes the radical priority. Continue reading … -- AISLE OF PRIDE — Shoppers are going hog wild for merchandise from 110-year-old American grocery chain. Continue reading … ON TOP AGAIN — Scheffler gets last laugh after F-bomb frustration, storms back to win Tour Championship. Continue reading … 'IT'S OFFICIAL!' — Google Maps begins showing 'Lake America' to US users after Trump order. Continue reading … AMERICAN CULTURE QUIZ – Test yourself on football futures and dessert drama. Take the quiz here … Tune in as Republican leadership faces a tight window to pass a budget, clear legislative hurdles, and set the narrative before early voting begins. 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 Tuesday. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a955ebf2c5335ae104d6992 Finding the Right SUV for Your Lifestyle te 2026-08-31T11:00:15.509Z Finding the Right SUV for Your Lifestyle Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a955ebe2c5335ae104d6989 Finding the Right SUV for Your Lifestyle te 2026-08-31T11:00:14.649Z Finding the Right SUV for Your Lifestyle Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a955ebd2c5335ae104d6980 3 Practical Ways to Build Financial Confidence te 2026-08-31T11:00:13.754Z 3 Practical Ways to Build Financial Confidence Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a955ebc2c5335ae104d6977 3 Practical Ways to Build Financial Confidence te 2026-08-31T11:00:12.965Z 3 Practical Ways to Build Financial Confidence Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a955ebc2c5335ae104d696b Our View: Planning to vote this November? Make a voting plan now te 2026-08-31T11:00:12.047Z Our View: Planning to vote this November? Make a voting plan now The latest fight over voting by mail has landed at a bad time. But Mohave County voters should not mistake uncertainty over mail ballots for uncertainty over whether they can vote. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a955eb62c5335ae104d6941 Amazon makes Alexa+ free on compatible Fire TVs te 2026-08-31T11:00:06.569Z Amazon makes Alexa+ free on compatible Fire TVs AI is coming to your TV, and if you own a compatible Fire TV, Amazon may add it without you doing anything. Amazon is rolling out Alexa+ to compatible Fire TV devices across the U.S. at no additional cost. You do not need an Amazon Prime membership for the Fire TV experience. There is no app to download or subscription to activate either. Eligible devices get upgraded automatically. That means millions of televisions and streaming devices are gaining a more conversational AI assistant. But what you probably really want to know is: What can you actually say to it? There is also a privacy question worth answering. Some Fire TV devices have hands-free microphones while others rely on the microphone button on the remote. Alexa also stores information about your interactions depending on your settings. So, here is how to try Alexa+ on your Fire TV and how to check the controls behind it. Missed CyberGuy LIVE? Watch the Protect Your Money replay Our free CyberGuy LIVE class, Protect Your Money From Today’s Biggest Threats, has ended, but you can still watch the full replay and download our financial protection checklist. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson walks you through five simple ways to help defend yourself against AI scams, fraud, identity theft and financial hacks. You’ll learn how to set up bank alerts, strengthen your account logins, protect your phone number, freeze your credit and help secure your retirement savings against unauthorized transfers. No technical experience is needed. Get the free replay and checklist now at CyberGuyLive.com ALEXA+ LETS YOU ORDER FOOD LIKE A REAL CONVERSATION The old Alexa worked best when you gave it a fairly direct command. Alexa+ can understand more natural conversations and follow-up questions. For example, you can describe the kind of movie you want rather than knowing its title. Then you can narrow the results without repeating your entire request. Amazon says Alexa+ users are having nearly twice as many conversations on Fire TV compared with the original Alexa. The company also says viewers choose Alexa's top movie recommendation more than 40% more often than they did previously. The assistant reaches beyond entertainment too. It can interact with compatible smart home devices and display supported camera feeds. You can also ask general questions while you watch TV. How you talk to Alexa+ depends on the Fire TV hardware you have. If you use a Fire TV Stick: Press and hold the Alexa or microphone button on your Alexa Voice Remote. Say what you want, then release the button. Amazon says current Fire TV Sticks use the remote for voice control. Hands-free control requires a linked Echo device. If you use a Fire TV Cube: You can press the microphone button on the remote or speak to Alexa from across the room. The current Fire TV Cube supports native hands-free Alexa through its built-in microphone array. If Alexa is built into your smart TV: Capabilities vary by model. Some supported televisions have hands-free Alexa while others rely on the voice remote or a linked Echo. Amazon's device specifications identify which models support far-field voice control. Once Alexa+ appears on your Fire TV, there is no special Alexa+ mode you need to open. Just start talking to it. The real fun starts when you stop treating Alexa like a search box. Try conversational requests and follow up naturally. Some features depend on the streaming service, your subscriptions and the smart home devices connected to Alexa. Amazon specifically highlights conversational entertainment searches, follow-up questions, Ring camera feeds, smart home controls and general information requests as part of Alexa+ on Fire TV. It also supports jumping directly to described scenes in thousands of Prime Video movies. That last feature may be especially useful when you are trying to find one memorable moment without dragging the progress bar back and forth. CHEAP STREAMING BOX COULD HIJACK YOUR HOME INTERNET If your current television still works perfectly, a streaming stick may be the easiest way to add the newer Fire TV experience. Amazon's latest Fire TV Stick HD supports Wi-Fi 6 and includes voice control through the Fire TV remote. It is designed for HD streaming and can also work with a linked Echo for hands-free Alexa control. The Fire TV Stick 4K Plus supports 4K Ultra HD, Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos. It includes an Alexa Voice Remote. Like the other current sticks, hands-free Alexa requires a linked Echo. The Fire TV Cube makes the most sense if you specifically want to speak to Alexa without reaching for the remote. Amazon's current Cube has a four-microphone array and supports native hands-free Alexa. To compare these Fire TV options and find links to the models we recommend, visit CyberGuy.com This is where the type of Fire TV you own makes a big difference. If you have a Fire TV Stick, the streaming stick itself does not provide native hands-free Alexa. You normally press the microphone button on the Alexa Voice Remote when you want to speak. Amazon says a blue indicator appears on the television when the remote is recording your request and sending it to the cloud. If you pair that Fire TV Stick with an Echo, the Echo can provide hands-free voice control. The Fire TV Cube works differently. It has built-in microphones designed to hear the Alexa wake word from across the room. Amazon says supported hands-free Fire TV devices use on-device wake-word detection. Once the device recognizes the wake word, audio is sent to Amazon's cloud for processing. Amazon says that audio can include a fraction of a second from immediately before the wake word. That is worth knowing before you start using Alexa+ heavily. If your Fire TV device supports hands-free Alexa, look for its microphone-off button or switch. Amazon says using that control disconnects power to the microphones. A red light appears to show that the microphones are disabled. With the microphones off, that device cannot record or stream audio when you say the Alexa wake word. You can still use an Alexa Voice Remote because the remote has its own microphone that activates when you press its voice button. That gives you a useful middle ground. You can disable hands-free listening while keeping voice commands available whenever you intentionally press the remote button. Alexa can support follow-up requests so you do not have to repeat the wake word every time. If you prefer Alexa to stop listening after each request, Amazon says you can disable Follow Up Mode in your device settings or through the Alexa app. There is an even easier option. Say: "Alexa, turn off Follow Up Mode." Amazon confirms that voice command can disable the feature. If you are going to use Alexa+ more often, I would spend a minute looking at your Alexa history. Here you can review voice recordings, transcripts and typed Alexa requests associated with your Amazon account. Amazon says you can also delete them. Amazon provides controls here for managing how your voice recordings are retained and whether they can be used to improve its services. If you use Alexa to control lights, cameras or other connected equipment, check More > Alexa Privacy > Manage Your Alexa Data > Smart Home Device History as well. Amazon says you can delete that history or have certain smart home information automatically deleted after three or 18 months. Keep in mind that deleting Alexa history may affect personalization and certain Alexa features. NEW AMAZON AI SEARCH TURNS WORDS INTO SHOPPABLE IMAGES Alexa privacy is only one part of the equation. Fire TV has its own data settings. Amazon notes that turning these settings off does not stop every form of data collection. Some device information still gets processed to provide features, troubleshoot problems and operate Amazon services. Apps such as Prime Video may have separate privacy controls too. These settings are device-specific. If you have more than one Fire TV in the house, Amazon says you need to review the settings on each one. Here is an important detail that could easily get lost in the word "free." Compatible Fire TV owners in the U.S. can now use many Alexa+ features on their television at no additional charge, regardless of whether they have Prime. However, Amazon still charges $19.99 a month for its broader Alexa+ Standard Plan for non-Prime members. Prime members receive the broader Alexa+ experience as part of Prime. Prime or the Alexa+ Standard Plan also unlocks additional capabilities. Amazon lists Alexa Routines, access to specific Ring camera moments and advanced Home Modes among the extra Fire TV features. Subscribers also get Alexa+ on compatible Echo devices. So, you can get plenty of Alexa+ functionality on a compatible Fire TV without paying another monthly fee. Just do not assume every Alexa+ feature across every Amazon device has become free. For most Fire TV owners, the biggest improvement will probably be search. Scrolling through endless rows of movies can get old fast. Being able to describe what you want and then refine the results by talking naturally could make Alexa+ genuinely useful. Smart home controls add another layer. If you already use Ring cameras, compatible lights or connected locks, the television becomes another place to manage them. The automatic upgrade deserves attention too. You may suddenly have an AI assistant with new capabilities on a device you have owned for years. That makes this a good time to understand whether your particular Fire TV has hands-free microphones and review the privacy choices connected to Alexa. You can use the convenience without leaving every data setting untouched. I like the direction Amazon is taking with Alexa+ on Fire TV because voice search badly needed an upgrade. Asking for a movie the way you would describe it to a friend feels far more useful than remembering an exact title. The hands-on features are where this gets interesting. I can see myself asking about an actor while watching a movie or pulling up a front-door camera without reaching for my phone. Still, an automatic AI upgrade should also trigger an automatic privacy check in your head. First, find out where the microphone actually lives. A Fire TV Stick's remote works differently from the hands-free microphones in a Fire TV Cube. Then look through Alexa Privacy and the Fire TV Privacy Settings menu. You may decide you are comfortable with everything exactly as Amazon configured it. You may also find a few switches you would rather change. Either way, that choice should belong to you. Would you rather have Alexa+ automatically added to your Fire TV, or should Amazon make AI features like this something you choose to turn on yourself? 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/6a955eb52c5335ae104d6938 Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese must now work together at Women's World Cup as WNBA takes a high-stakes break te 2026-08-31T11:00:05.543Z Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese must now work together at Women's World Cup as WNBA takes a high-stakes break The U.S. is headed to a battle in Berlin. Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese will have to work together to uphold American dominance in the Women's Basketball World Cup in September. At home, the WNBA will take a two-week break from hosting the chaos of the 2026 season. So Americans will have to root together for their biggest stars on the world stage. The U.S. has won four consecutive World Cups in a row and this year's team will also have to protect an active 30-game win streak. What happens in Berlin could very well shape the climate of the league that the players return to when the WNBA season resumes. Clark and Reese have spent more than three years framed as adversaries. The last time they were on a basketball court, Clark was seen laughing as she walked by Reese, who had just missed the game-winning layup. Their rivalry fueled the 2023 national championship game between Iowa and LSU. It followed them into a rematch in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, then into the WNBA as the top two contenders for Rookie of the Year. Every matchup, foul and postgame comment became another invitation for fans to choose a side. But at times, they've also shown glimpses of what that can look like when playing together. Reese first said, "one day, hopefully, we can be teammates," while discussing Clark in an October 2024 Wall Street Journal article. They first became teammates at the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game, when Clark recorded 10 assists and Reese finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds in Team WNBA’s victory over the U.S. Olympic team. CAITLIN CLARK HELPS WNBA SHATTER ANOTHER TV RATINGS RECORD AS FEVER-DREAM DRAWS MASSIVE AUDIENCE In March, Clark and Reese helped the U.S. go 5-0 at the World Cup qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico. There was an awkward moment when Clark appeared to ignore a high five invitation from Reese during one of the games. Clark earned tournament MVP honors after averaging 11.6 points and a tournament-leading 6.4 assists. Reese averaged a team-high eight rebounds while shooting 52.2% from the field. "Team chemistry is everything," Reese said during the qualifying tournament. "Some of us have played with each other on our respective teams, but we have to come together and find your role. Everybody’s not going to be able to do everything that they do on their respective team." Clark and Reese will play alongside established champions A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier and Chelsea Gray in Berlin. The available rules and national-team precedent point to the entire U.S. team standing on the court for "The Star-Spangled Banner" in Berlin. Whether every player places her hand over her heart or sings along is a separate question that neither USA Basketball nor FIBA rules answer. The issue has drawn new attention during the 2026 WNBA season because teams have followed different routines. Several WNBA teams historically and routinely remain in the locker room or clear the floor during the playing of the national anthem as part of pregame routines. CHINA’S INFLUENCE MACHINE: FEDERAL RECORDS EXPOSE BEIJING’S PUSH TO SWAY AMERICA The Atlanta Dream remained in their locker room while the anthem played before their Aug. 16 game against the Indiana Fever. That left Reese and Rhyne Howard, both members of the World Cup roster, off the court while Clark, Aliyah Boston and the rest of the Fever stood along the sideline. Clark stood facing the flag with her hands behind her back. Sophie Cunningham placed her right hand over her heart. The difference generated criticism of Clark online, although nothing in the WNBA rulebook requires players to sing or place a hand over their heart. The rules change when those players leave their WNBA teams and join the national program. USA Basketball’s code of conduct requires participants to follow FIBA and USA Basketball rules, attend team functions as directed and "demonstrate proper respect during the playing of the national anthem." The code does not define "proper respect," but it gives USA Basketball authority to investigate alleged violations and impose discipline. FIBA also controls the ceremonies in Berlin. Its 2026 regulations state that only anthems and flags of countries or national federations recognized by FIBA may be used. The regulations leave the details of World Cup ceremonies to the tournament’s hosting documents. They do not publicly prescribe whether a player must sing, place a hand over her heart or assume another specific posture. FIBA’s code of conduct additionally prohibits players and other "basketball parties" from using gestures, words or objects to transmit political or ideological messages that are deemed unfit for a sporting event. The rule does not specifically identify kneeling, remaining silent or declining to place a hand over the heart as violations. It does, however, give FIBA greater control over demonstrations than the WNBA has exercised during its domestic season. Past U.S. teams have treated international competition differently from the WNBA. American players who routinely remained off the court during WNBA anthems stood together for them at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Sue Bird, then the team’s captain and now the managing director who selected the 2026 roster, said wearing a USA uniform changed the context. "You are wearing USA jerseys and it does change the conversation a little bit and what you’re representing," Bird said at the time. "With that, I don’t feel like a hypocrite in any way. Everyone knows where we stand. I don’t think it contradicts anything since we’re actually doing the work." The U.S. players stood with their arms linked during that Olympic run. There also were no reported anthem protests during the United States’ five-game World Cup qualifying run in Puerto Rico in March. That team included Clark, Reese, Howard, Paige Bueckers and Kahleah Copper. As of Aug. 30, no member of the World Cup roster has publicly announced plans to kneel, leave the floor or conduct another demonstration during the anthem in Berlin. The Americans will open the World Cup against China on Sept. 4. It will be a rematch of the 2022 World Cup final. Women's basketball dominance over America's greatest current geopolitical rival will be on the line. There have been 15 World Cup and Olympic meetings between the countries, and the U.S. has won all 15. Two of those victories came at the 2022 World Cup. The U.S. beat China 77-63 during group play and then defeated it again, 83-61, in the final. The victory gave the Americans their fourth consecutive world championship. China still viewed its silver medal as a major national achievement. The championship game took place on Oct. 1, China’s National Day. ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW! Afterward, China’s General Administration of Sport praised the team for competing "with the motherland in mind." The government agency called the silver medal "a perfect birthday gift to the country," according to China Daily. What happens during national anthems will also be a point of potential contrast during the game against China. China has had a national anthem law since 2017. The law specifically lists major sporting events as occasions for the anthem and directs those present to stand solemnly and behave respectfully. Deliberately insulting the anthem in public can result in detention or criminal prosecution under Chinese law. The law will not govern what the American players do in Berlin. But it shows how differently the two countries can treat displays of patriotism at sporting events. In the U.S., anthem protests have become part of the political debate surrounding professional sports. Players have been praised, criticized and placed under close scrutiny depending on whether they stand, kneel, leave the court or place a hand over their heart. In China, disrespecting the anthem can become a legal matter. The World Cup opener will arrive amid another sensitive period in U.S.-China relations. The countries remain divided over trade, tariffs, human rights and China’s relationship with Taiwan, even as officials work toward another meeting between their presidents. None of that will determine what happens on the court. But it will affect how the game—and especially the moments before it — are interpreted in both countries. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a955eb22c5335ae104d692b What Is Phantom Ranch? Inside the Grand Canyon Lodge Hit by Flash Flooding te 2026-08-31T11:00:02.417Z What Is Phantom Ranch? Inside the Grand Canyon Lodge Hit by Flash Flooding Phantom Ranch, the only lodge within the Grand Canyon, has drawn adventurers and dignitaries, including Theodore Roosevelt, for more than a century. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9552ff2c5335ae104d680b This tiny farming town you’ve never heard of is helping Microsoft sell America on data centers te 2026-08-31T10:10:07.517Z This tiny farming town you’ve never heard of is helping Microsoft sell America on data centers In central Washington, a farming town of roughly 8,100 people has become an unlikely showcase for America’s data-center boom. Quincy, long known for potato fields, apple orchards and food-processing plants, has spent two decades attracting some of the world’s largest technology companies. Microsoft began building data centers there around 20 years ago, drawn by affordable land, the region’s cool climate and abundant hydropower from the Columbia River. Now the town is becoming central to Microsoft’s response to a backlash against the facilities powering cloud computing and artificial intelligence. The company this year cited Quincy as proof that data centers can bring tangible benefits to the communities that host them, as residents elsewhere raise alarms over electricity prices, water use and limited local job creation. ONE OF THE WORLD'S HOTTEST INDUSTRIES IS SPARKING A BLUE-COLLAR JOBS BOOM The economic gains are visible in Quincy. KUOW reported that years of data-center tax revenue have helped support a state-of-the-art high school and hospital. The city recently opened a new aquatic center, complete with a six-lane lap pool, lazy river and waterslides, while a planned indoor sports complex Data centers are not an employment engine on their own. A single facility can operate with 50 employees or fewer, KUOW reported. But Quincy has enough facilities that the sector has become a meaningful employer in aggregate, while also supporting construction, service businesses and the city’s broader tax base. TRUMP HEADS TOWARD UNLIKELY CLASH WITH CLOSE ALLY OVER FUTURE OF MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR INDUSTRY Microsoft says its new national approach will ask local utilities to set rates high enough to cover data-center energy use and grid upgrades without raising prices for residents. The company also says future facilities will use closed-loop cooling systems that recycle water rather than drawing from local supplies. Quincy already has such a system. Microsoft and the city partnered on a $31 million water-reuse utility that treats and recirculates cooling water. The EPA says the project reduces the company’s reliance on potable groundwater and saves an estimated 138 million gallons of water a year. Still, Quincy is not without skeptics. Former Mayor Patty Martin, according to KUOW, has warned that the town must look beyond its immediate economic gains and consider its long-term water and electricity needs, pointing to population growth, electric vehicles and changing snowpack as added pressures on the region. Quincy’s boom shows what data centers can bring to a small town and the questions communities must answer before they arrive. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9552fe2c5335ae104d6802 Newly unclassified Pentagon images show suspected drug boats as official issues deadly warning te 2026-08-31T10:10:06.818Z Newly unclassified Pentagon images show suspected drug boats as official issues deadly warning EXCLUSIVE – Newly unclassified Pentagon images show suspected drug-smuggling boats at sea, including vessels loaded with apparent narcotics. The images come as the department warned traffickers that the U.S. will continue hunting down those who threaten Americans, nearly a year after the Trump administration began striking suspected drug-trafficking vessels. "Nearly one year after the first strike, the message to narco-terrorists remains unchanged: if you traffic deadly illicit narcotics and threaten the American people, we hunt you down, we will find you, and we will kill you," Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. The photos, dated Oct. 27, Oct. 29 and Dec. 4, 2025, show the boats speeding through open water under U.S. military surveillance. DEM SENATOR ACCUSES PENTAGON OF MURDER WITH BOAT STRIKES TARGETING DRUG TRAFFICKERS Wilson said Operation Southern Spear has disrupted trafficking networks, forced traffickers to adapt their methods and removed "dangerous narcoterrorists." US MILITARY CONDUCTS MORE DEADLY STRIKES AGAINST VESSELS OF ALLEGED 'NARCO-TERRORISTS' "Operation Southern Spear has disrupted trafficking networks, forced trafficker adaptations, removed dangerous narcoterrorists, and demonstrated that the United States will use every lawful tool available to defend our Homeland and protect our communities," Wilson said. The Pentagon told Fox News Digital the operation has carried out 67 strikes, including the first strike on Sept. 2, 2025. US KILLS TWO 'NARCO-TERRORISTS' IN STRIKE 2 MONTHS SINCE LAST ANNOUNCED ANTI-'NARCO-TRAFFICKING' ATTACK One of the most recent strikes came Aug. 25, when U.S. Southern Command said four alleged drug smugglers were killed aboard a fast boat operating along known trafficking routes in the Caribbean. "Confirmed intelligence revealed the vessel’s active involvement in narco-trafficking," SOUTHCOM wrote in a post on X, saying the operation was carried out by Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere under the direction of Gen. Francis L. Donovan. US MILITARY KILLS THREE 'NARCO-TERRORISTS' IN LATEST LETHAL STRIKE ON VESSEL IN THE EASTERN PACIFIC "Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere continues executing precise, lethal operations against the cartels," Donovan said in a statement quoted in the post. "We will hunt, disrupt, and defeat these narco-terrorist networks." "SOUTHCOM is resolved to neutralizing cartel terror and violence throughout the region and into the U.S. homeland," he added. US MILITARY CONDUCTS STRIKE ON ANOTHER VESSEL CARRYING ALLEGED NARCO-TRAFFICKERS, KILLING 2 Days before the Caribbean strike, the U.S. military said two people were killed in a strike on a vessel in the Eastern Pacific. That was the first reported strike in more than two months. A video posted to X showed what appeared to be a moving boat before a flash filled the screen. Since the first strike last September, the Trump administration has targeted suspected cartel vessels in the Atlantic and Pacific that it says were carrying narcotics. PRESIDENT TRUMP’S DRUG CONTROL STRATEGY SETS THE PATH TO END THE DRUG CRISIS FOR GOOD Trump has described the fight as an "armed conflict" with cartels in Latin America and has argued the attacks are necessary to stop drugs from reaching American communities and fueling fatal overdoses. The administration is also pursuing agreements with allied nations that could extend its campaign onto land in multiple Latin American countries. War Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a visit to Panama this month that Colombia, Guatemala and Honduras had agreed to allow the U.S. to conduct joint operations against criminal groups on their soil, though Guatemala denied an agreement had been reached. Ecuador began similar missions with the U.S. in March. Reuters, The Associated Press and Fox News Digital's Eric Mack contributed to this report. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9552fe2c5335ae104d67f9 Queen Camilla puts past differences with Prince Harry aside as King Charles seeks closer family ties: experts te 2026-08-31T10:10:06.126Z Queen Camilla puts past differences with Prince Harry aside as King Charles seeks closer family ties: experts Queen Camilla will put King Charles III first as the royal family navigates Prince Harry’s return to the U.K., royal experts told Fox News Digital. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex returned to the U.K. on Aug. 26. Their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, will begin school in Britain in September. Royal experts believe the king, who is still receiving treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer, wants a relationship with his grandchildren. Camilla, they said, is prepared to support her husband as Harry hopes for reconciliation with his family. PRINCE HARRY, MEGHAN MARKLE’S UK MOVE PUTS FRESH SPOTLIGHT ON THEIR EXPLOSIVE CLAIMS AGAINST ROYAL FAMILY Before the Sussexes’ return, the king met with Harry, Meghan and their children at Highgrove House on July 10. Vanity Fair royal correspondent Katie Nicholl later reported that, according to sources, "not even the Prince and Princess of Wales were made aware that the meeting was taking place." Camilla was present. "Camilla has weathered far bigger storms than the Sussexes’ 2020 move, or Prince Harry’s book, ‘Spare,’" royal commentator Meredith Constant told Fox News Digital. "Camilla knows how to lie low when she needs to. She’s going to go through the motions and put on a good face for her husband as he works on his relationship with his younger son." "While Prince William and King Charles are not in lockstep over how to handle Prince Harry’s return, they understand that they are a unit with their respective wives," she said. "William wouldn’t expect Camilla to take a stand against her husband anymore than Charles would expect that of Kate." WATCH: WHY KING CHARLES ALWAYS CAME BACK TO QUEEN CAMILLA: AUTHOR Royal biographer Tom Bower told the Daily Mail that Camilla approached her stepson with what InStyle magazine described as "an olive branch" — a "fixed smile" before she "offered him tea." A source told Bower the meeting was "polite with no recrimination." "Albeit this was indeed a polite gesture, it was merely a tiny aperture being opened, not a welcome for any full return as senior royals at all," British royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. "It’s traditionally British to offer tea as merely a polite gesture. Camilla is dedicated to the king’s health and welfare, so it’s not surprising." Royal historian Catherine Mayer told People magazine that Camilla "is a non-negotiable part of Charles’ life," adding, "there’s no reconciliation with [the king] without her." The road to reconciliation may be a lengthy one for Harry. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020, saying they faced intense scrutiny from the British press and lacked support from the palace. After moving to California, the couple aired their grievances in interviews and documentaries. Harry’s 2023 memoir, "Spare," further strained his relationship with his family. Royal experts previously told Fox News Digital that Harry and his older brother, Prince William, haven’t spoken since 2022. After "Spare" was published in 2023, Harry accused his stepmother of leaking private conversations to the media to burnish her reputation. GET ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR EMAIL BY CLICKING HERE In interviews, Harry accused family members of getting "into bed with the devil" to gain favorable tabloid coverage. He singled out Camilla's efforts to rehabilitate her image with the British public after her long-running relationship with his father. Camilla, who once faced widespread public criticism, eventually won over many royal watchers through her charitable work and support of the king. Charles was crowned in 2023. "Yes, she was hurt by Harry’s unkind words," British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital. "However, she is made of tough stuff and plays a vital role as King Charles’ steadfast partner, prioritizing his protection. Supporting the king through rigorous treatment and applauding his determination, Camilla’s desire is to ensure her husband’s [golden] years bring him peace, health and joy." "There is the fleeting thought that, despite Harry’s series of cutting jibes, Queen Camilla is reminded of a sad young Harry," she said. "She is sympathetic to Harry’s deep-rooted problems. But their relationship is tricky." In 2023, Harry told "Good Morning America" that he and Camilla "haven’t spoken for a long time." "I love every member of my family, despite the differences," he said. "So when I see her, we’re perfectly pleasant with each other." LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS "She’s my stepmother," he continued. "I don’t look at her as an evil stepmother. I see someone who married into this institution and has done everything she can to improve her own reputation and her own image, for her own sake." In May 2025, Harry told the BBC that he wanted reconciliation, saying, "There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore" and "life is precious." At the time, the prince said, "I do not know how much longer my father has left." A source told People magazine that Harry had been thinking about the move "for a while." With Archie and Lilibet now school-age, the couple felt the timing made sense, the outlet reported. As for Camilla and the rest of the royal family, royal experts expect them to keep calm and carry on. "Members of the British royal family do not cause a scene," Constant said. "If they want information out there, it will find a way to the papers. Camilla doesn’t need to say a word to get her message across. As long as her stepson isn’t interfering with her husband’s reign, it’s just business as usual." Chard said she believes Camilla is choosing to put her personal feelings aside and prioritize what is best for her husband. PUT YOUR ENTERTAINMENT KNOWLEDGE TO THE TEST AND SEE HOW YOU SCORE "Queen Camilla raced to the July 10 meeting at Highgrove in support of her husband, not for the love of Harry," she said. "Camilla was a listening ear and offered the usual stability to her husband. Queen Camilla is interested in the best for her husband and the monarchy going forward." But not every royal appears to be on the same page about the Sussexes. "Prince William, to date, has still had no contact with his wayward brother," Fordwich said. "The imminent future looks rather awkward. If Harry and Meghan refrain from any public accusations, any monetization of royal contacts, and are discreet, William is likely to be more open to controlled conduct than any sort of reconciliation. Harry should take a page out of Camilla’s playbook to gain eventual trust and respect. Silence is golden." Kensington Palace, which represents the office of the Prince and Princess of Wales, told Fox News Digital that it does not comment on personal family matters. Fox News Digital reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment. Details about the location of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's private, non-royal home and the children’s school are being closely guarded, People magazine reported. The outlet also reported that the king was made aware of their plans on Aug. 16 and welcomed the opportunity to see more of his son’s family "in a private and personal capacity." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9552fd2c5335ae104d67f0 Shoppers are going hog wild for Piggly Wiggly's retro pig merchandise te 2026-08-31T10:10:05.280Z Shoppers are going hog wild for Piggly Wiggly's retro pig merchandise Merchandise from a regional grocery store chain with locations across the Midwest and South has become a hot commodity. Nicola Miller, of Suffolk, England, will detour as much as 50 miles to visit a Piggly Wiggly when she's in America, hoping to add another T-shirt featuring the iconic, cheerful Mr. Pig to her collection, Food & Drink reported. Miller first encountered the mascot in the 1978 film "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," which features the retro pig face in the film's final scene. 6 ICONIC AMERICAN RESTAURANTS STILL SERVING UP NOSTALGIA AND CLASSIC FLAVORS She told Food & Drink that Piggly Wiggly stores and the company's logo "spark joy" and nostalgia for her. Miller is not alone. The Piggly Wiggly brand "resonates across all ages and demographics," Terry F. Goins, Piggly Wiggly director of marketing and advertising for the Midwest, told Fox News Digital. "Younger shoppers are drawn to exactly the qualities that make it retro: the hand-drawn feel, the humor, the fact that it's unmistakably regional and not from a national chain," Goins said. "For a lot of younger customers, it's less, 'I remember this' and more, 'This is where I'm from.'" The branding is warm and "doesn't take itself too seriously," Goins added.  "Mr. Pig has never been redesigned into something sleek and corporate. He looks like he looked. In a category where most logos get sanded down every eight years, that consistency is rare, and people respond to it." VINTAGE PHOTOS REVEAL WHAT GROCERY SHOPPING LOOKED LIKE IN THE 1960s Piggly Wiggly was founded in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1916 by Clarence Saunders. Saunders pioneered the then-unheard-of concept of modern self-service grocery shopping, according to the company's website. Before Piggly Wiggly, shoppers typically presented their orders to clerks, who gathered the goods from store shelves. The self-service concept proved wildly successful, helping Piggly Wiggly grow from a single Memphis store into a nationwide chain with more than 1,200 locations by 1923. Today, there are more than 500 Piggly Wiggly stores across 18 states. The origins of the Piggly Wiggly name "remain a mystery," according to the company, but its Mr. Pig mascot has been part of the brand since the beginning. For more than 20 years, Piggly Wiggly has formally sold branded merchandise online and in stores, while individual locations have also created their own designs. Piggly Wiggly shirts, however, had been circulating informally long before that. TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ "That's a big part of what makes this fun," Goins said. "Piggly Wiggly Midwest is a mix of franchise and corporate-owned stores across Wisconsin and Illinois, and our independent operators know their communities better than anyone at a corporate office does. "There are brand standards around how Mr. Pig and the logo are used — that mark is 110 years old and we protect it — but within that, stores have latitude to [make] designs that speak to their town, their high school colors, their local events. That's why you'll find shirts in one store you won't find anywhere else." Demand for Piggly Wiggly merchandise has been remarkably steady, Goins said. "What we see instead are lifts tied to moments: a new design drop, a seasonal item, a tie-in with something happening in the community," he said. "People aren't buying a shirt because a grocery store put its logo on one. They're buying it because Mr. Pig means something to them, and wearing it is a way of saying where they're from." T-shirts featuring the pig's face on the front and its backside on the back are far and away the favorite, Goins said. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER "It's not close," he said. "The retro self-service design does very well, and honestly, anything involving the pig butt tends to move." Some collectors treat the pastime like collecting ballpark or brewery merchandise, Goins said. "They'll pick up a shirt from a store they haven't been to before," he said. "Nobody has ever told us they own too many Pig shirts." Piggly Wiggly also offers seasonal and limited-edition designs, along with branded socks, shoes, hats, stuffed animals and more. At the Wisconsin State Fair this month, the enthusiasm extended beyond merchandise. "We had people lined up for over an hour — in August, at a state fair, with a thousand other things to do — for a temporary Mr. Pig tattoo," Goins said. CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE NEWS The company also handed out 6,000 Piggly Wiggly reusable bags in under six hours. "That's not a merchandise transaction," Goins said. "That's people wanting to be associated with something." Everyone has their own Piggly Wiggly story, Goins said. "It's never generic," he said. "It's always personal and always tied to a specific place and a specific memory." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9552fc2c5335ae104d67e7 'Jesus was a radical': Progressives invoke Christ to sell left-wing agenda on campaign trail te 2026-08-31T10:10:04.188Z 'Jesus was a radical': Progressives invoke Christ to sell left-wing agenda on campaign trail Progressives seeking a seat in the Senate are taking a decades-old page from their Republican counterparts, using faith as a political tool to build connections with voters. Three progressive Democratic candidates running for the Senate, Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon, Abdul El-Sayed and Texas state Rep. James Talarico, share a penchant for bucking the Democratic establishment in their meteoric rise this midterm cycle. They have also incorporated their religions and faiths into their campaigns and messaging to voters, showing shades of the "Moral Majority" coalition that formed during the late 1970s in the GOP when former President Ronald Reagan was running as Republicans sought to tie policy to Christianity. PROGRESSIVE FLORIDA LAWMAKER ANGIE NIXON TOPPLES TRUMP IMPEACHMENT WITNESS IN DEM SENATE PRIMARY UPSET Nixon, who scored a major upset against Alexander Vindman, a major figure during President Donald Trump’s first impeachment trial who was backed by the Democratic establishment in Washington, D.C., has become a prime target for the GOP because of her connection to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). During a sermon last week at the Saint Paul AME Church of Jacksonville, Fla., Nixon, who will face Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., in November, contended that her "radical" positions were akin to those of Jesus Christ. "They are trying, y'all. They are trying … to label me as this extremist, this radical. But, you know, Jesus was a radical," Nixon said. EL-SAYED MAKES JESUS COMPARISON WHEN PRESSED ON SOCIALIST VIEWS: 'RADICAL IN HIS TIME, TOO' "And Jesus fought for — I mean, he pushed for the same things that I'm fighting for today, right? Right now, we're literally in a civil rights moment," she continued. "Whether or not people wanna believe it or not, but we are." She joined the DSA in June, prompting immediate backlash from the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, which tied her to socialism, despite her denial that she’s a Democratic socialist. Nixon isn’t the only one of the three to make the same comparison. El-Sayed, during an appearance on the Progressive Christians Podcast that aired in May, similarly invoked Christ when asked about his policy positions. El-Sayed, who is Muslim and running in Michigan’s toss-up race against former Rep. Mike Rogers, was asked about the similarities between his faith and Christianity and why they were being targeted as radical. "Well, you know, Jesus, peace and blessings be upon him, was considered radical in his time, too," El-Sayed said. JAMES TALARICO ADMITS PAST COMMENTS 'MISSED THE MARK' WHEN CONFRONTED ON CLAIMS LIKE GOD IS 'NON-BINARY' "And there is a radical nature to being willing to stand forthright in a time of corruption, and I think it's important for all of us to realize that popularity and zeitgeist don't make truth. And we live in a time where people are trying to normalize corruption," he continued. Of the three, Talarico, who is running in the toss-up race against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, has displayed his faith the most. He has been taking seminary classes to become a Presbyterian minister, and has blended Christianity with his policy platform since launching his candidacy last year. And like the others, Republicans have pounced on his use of faith as a point of attack, particularly in his defense of transgender children. In pushing back against the Texas GOP’s newly signed anti-trans bill in 2021, Talarico argued Texas Republicans were trying to justify the measure "in the name of God's law." "The first two lines of the Bible, the first two lines in Genesis, use two different Hebrew words to describe God. One is the masculine Hebrew noun for divinity," Talarico said. "The second is the feminine Hebrew noun for spirit. God is both masculine and feminine, and everything in between." "God is non-binary," he said. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9544f02c5335ae104d6661 Dozens of illegal alien truck drivers busted with licenses from deep blue states te 2026-08-31T09:10:08.431Z Dozens of illegal alien truck drivers busted with licenses from deep blue states FIRST ON FOX: A multi-agency operation in Arizona’s Yuma Sector led to the arrest of 95 illegal alien truck drivers earlier this month, striking at the heart of human and drug smuggling operations at the U.S. southern border. All 95 drivers had acquired state-issued commercial driver’s licenses; 76 from California, six from New York and the rest from a handful of other states, according to Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The apprehensions continue to demonstrate the high volume of narcotics and human trafficking smuggling operations that are alive and well at the border — even as immigration numbers have plummeted in recent months. CHAOTIC BORDER CHASE ENDS WITH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FOUND CRAMMED IN SEMITRUCK SLEEPING AREA "We are committed to protecting our citizens from all international threats, whether that is from unlicensed or untrained drivers, or transnational criminal organizations engaged in human or drug trafficking," Acting Chief Patrol Agent Dustin Caudle said in a statement to Fox News Digital. Since the end of 2024, border crossings have plummeted, going from over 144,000 encounters in December 2024 to just 33,000 in July. Even so, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has reported several high-profile smuggling attempts that have sought to bring weapons, narcotics and humans across the U.S. border. Earlier this year, CBP released reports on how it had prevented a car carrying a rocket-propelled grenade launcher from crossing the border, detected dozens of immigrants crammed into a semi-truck and even detained a boat off the coast of the Dominican Republic with the help of a Black Hawk helicopter. TRUMP ADMIN INVESTIGATING 75 TRUCK DRIVER SCHOOLS FOR FRAUD, HELPING NON-CITIZENS GET LICENSES Trucking, in particular, has been a key way in which smugglers have sought to bring weapons and humans into the country. According to CBP, the bust earlier this month, which took place between Aug. 10 and 14, also stopped two human-smuggling events, resulting in the arrest of four smugglers and 17 smuggled aliens. Additionally, agents seized 74 pounds of methamphetamine and 169 pounds of marijuana. In total, authorities arrested 143 suspects from 18 countries. To prevent schemes like these, the Department of Transportation (DOT) is finalizing a rule to prevent unqualified drivers from obtaining CDLs. If implemented, the rule would limit CDLs to H-2A, H-2B, and E-2 nonimmigrant status holders — types of visas with more stringent vetting requirements. The rule would also prevent an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) as a way to prove eligibility, citing lax reporting and scrutiny on their approvals. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCKERS ACCUSED OF MOWING DOWN AMERICANS IGNITE FURY OVER LOOPHOLES UNLEASHING DEADLY ROADS "Moving forward, unqualified foreign drivers will be unable to get a license to operate an 80,000-pound big rig," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a press release about the rule. "Under President Trump’s leadership, we are putting the safety of the driving public first," Duffy continued. "From enforcing English language standards to holding fraudulent carriers accountable, we will continue to attack this crisis on our roads head-on." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9544ef2c5335ae104d6658 Abdul El-Sayed shares dozens of donors with ex-GOP candidate at center of antisemitism controversy te 2026-08-31T09:10:07.770Z Abdul El-Sayed shares dozens of donors with ex-GOP candidate at center of antisemitism controversy Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed shares nearly two dozen donors with former Republican congressional candidate Dan Bilzerian, whose campaign included antisemitic attacks against Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla. El-Sayed and Bilzerian are on opposite sides of the political spectrum, but both have criticized U.S. support for Israel and called on the United States to cease all aid to the Jewish state. Bilzerian has supported the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts, while El-Sayed has called for abolishing ICE. Bilzerian has called for lower taxes and less regulation, while El-Sayed has called for higher taxes on the wealthy and Medicare for All. The two candidates’ shared donors have contributed more than $61,000 to their campaigns, according to a Fox News Digital review of FEC filings for both campaigns. The shared donors gave $23,144.12 to Bilzerian's campaign and approximately $38,626.20 to El-Sayed's campaign. EL-SAYED CAMPAIGN BACKED BY OVER $100,000 FROM DOZENS OF MEMBERS OF GROUP WITH ALLEGED TERROR TIES Bilzerian lost to Fine in the primary, and his campaign tactics and advertisements drew sharp criticism from Republican leaders. His attacks against Fine, who is Jewish, included a 2½-minute AI-generated campaign ad calling Fine a ".fat Jew" as well as other antisemitic remarks. "Jewish supremacy is the greatest threat to the world today," Bilzerian told Fox News Digital in response to a request for comment. Meanwhile, El-Sayed, who has routinely accused Israel of committing "genocide" against the Palestinian people, has drawn criticism for his associations with social media influencer Hasan Piker, who said the terrorist group Hamas was "a thousand times better than the fascist settler colonial apartheid state," referring to Israel. Donors to both El-Sayed and Bilzerian include prominent critics of Israel, such as Georgia attorney Ibrahim Awad of Awad Law Firm. He contributed $12,651.88 through a joint fundraising committee supporting Bilzerian’s campaign on April 25, 2026. It is unclear how much of that contribution was attributed to Awad. Fox News Digital reached out to Awad for comment. EL-SAYED DISTANCES HIMSELF FROM HASAN PIKER AFTER DISTURBING REMARKS ABOUT JEWISH AMERICANS A little more than a month earlier, Awad donated $7,000 to El-Sayed’s campaign. Awad, whose mother was born in Gaza, has been a vocal critic of Israel and has accused the Jewish state of committing a Holocaust in Gaza that may be worse than the Holocaust during World War II. "It’s a Holocaust," Awad shared during an appearance on the Sumud Podcast hosted by Dr. Ed Hasan. "Like, it’s present day. There are so many ways that it’s even worse than [the] World War II Holocaust because it’s happening in real time right in front of us." Awad appeared on the podcast in August 2025, where he decried Zionism as a "toxic way of thinking." "That’s the poisonous sin, right? The toxicity of Zionism," Awad said. "It’s all rooted in this supremacy. Racism is rooted in this supremacy. Slavery is rooted in this supremacy." He said he distinguishes Judaism from Zionism but argued that Palestinians should not be responsible for explaining that distinction. MICHIGAN SENATE RACE: EL-SAYED’S TIES TO EXTREMIST FUEL ANTISEMITISM CONCERNS AMONG JEWISH VOTERS "The onus is on the oppressor," Awad said. "I mean, about whether you’re coming in and you’re saying, ‘Hey, Israel is a Jewish state,’ and that same Jewish state is coming in and spray-painting the walls with the Star of David, and then I have to now, as the victim whose home was stolen, say, ‘Oh no, it’s not that you’re a bad Jew. It’s that you’re just a Zionist settler.’ "Nonetheless, we take the high ground and we distinguish, and we say, ‘No, this is Zionism, right? This is Jewish supremacy. That is antithetical to Judaism, right? But that’s what it is,'" Awad continued. Awad also rejected the characterization of the Palestinian resistance as "terrorism." Meanwhile, Hussein 'Sam' Mahrouq, a Texas resident and owner of Enterprises International, which is the parent company of AutoMax and Dollar Rent-A-Car, donated $3,500 to El-Sayed's campaign from May 2025 to April 2026 He also contributed more than $1,000 through a joint fundraising committee supporting Bilzerian. Mahrouq has donated to other candidates critical of Israel, including Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga. He also donated $400,000 to American Priorities PAC, which was created this year to counter the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the New York Post reported. Mahrouq shared during an appearance on the podcast Bigger than Business that he is the child of Palestinian refugees. In a statement, Mahrouq did not directly answer Fox News Digital's question about whether El-Sayed and Bilzerian's stances on Israel factored into his decision to donate. MICHIGAN SENATE CANDIDATE CONFRONTED REPEATEDLY OVER ISRAEL’S RIGHT TO EXIST, DEFUNDING THE POLICE "I have made contributions and donations to many different candidates, organizations, community initiatives and charitable projects over the years," Mahrouq said. "A contribution should not be interpreted as an endorsement of every position taken by a candidate or organization." Muhi Khwaja, co-founder of the American Muslim Community Foundation, donated $625 to El-Sayed’s campaign and $26.68 to Bilzerian’s campaign. Khwaja described a visit to Gaza in a November 2023 essay and advocated for building support for Palestinians beyond the Arab world. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER "The Israel-Hamas war has made one thing clear: The philanthropic world can no longer turn a blind eye to the collective punishment facing Palestinians," Khwaja wrote. "As a student of philanthropy, I believe in the love of humankind. As a Muslim, I believe in compassion for all. My Jewish friends and colleagues believe in Tikkun olam — repairing the world. But Israel’s actions in Gaza are doing the opposite." Fox News Digital reached out to El-Sayed's campaign and Khwaja for comment. Awad was also contacted for comment. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9544ef2c5335ae104d664f My family fled the ‘butchers’ in Iran 50 years ago. We can’t give them what they want te 2026-08-31T09:10:07.099Z My family fled the ‘butchers’ in Iran 50 years ago. We can’t give them what they want On Tuesday, Aug. 25, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. Navy has removed or detonated every Iranian mine in the international waters of the Strait of Hormuz. Tankers are moving again, gas prices should finally start to ease and Washington will be tempted to exhale. That would be a mistake. It took the most powerful navy on Earth six months to undo Tehran’s damage to the strait. The 60-day negotiating window produced nothing, Iran's foreign ministry said the deadline "essentially has no relevance," and the regime that just lost this round is already winding the next clock. I know that clock. My family lived under it before we fled Iran, a Jewish family that watched the revolution turn our homeland into a place where we could no longer safely exist. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and the rest of the regime leadership are not trying to beat the American military; they are trying to outlast the American taxpayer, and the regime is banking its survival on exactly that. TRUMP OPENS HORMUZ UNDER FIRE WITH ‘PROJECT FREEDOM’ AS IRAN WARNS OF ATTACKS A year after Operation Midnight Hammer and the 12-Day War showed the world what American power can do in a matter of days, the American public’s worst fear is materializing anyway: a drawn-out conflict. The strait may be reopening, but the squeeze of the past six months reached pocketbooks nationwide, midterm elections are approaching and Washington is debating how, and how fast, to prosecute this war. The longer this war runs, the more the Iranian regime gains. The only question that matters is whether America fights the war Tehran designed or the war America can win. Since 1979, the dictatorship has run the same play, which U.S. officials have long described as "deception, defiance and delay." Buy time, bleed the adversary, survive to rebuild. The arithmetic of this war was built for that play. Tehran fields a Shahed suicide drone for about $20,000; America answers with Patriot interceptors at roughly $4 million each. Iran maintains the capacity to manufacture an estimated 10,000 drones a month, has begun rebuilding its missile facilities, and is moving valuable assets underground. Every truce and every pause becomes a rearmament window for Iran. Tehran is not waiting alone. The regime signed a 20-year strategic partnership with Russia, is receiving more than a thousand tons of missile-making chemicals from China, and collaborates on missile technology with North Korea. Each arrangement lowers what it costs the ayatollah to keep firing, which means our gravest geopolitical rivals are helping underwrite the missiles aimed at us. The rest of the bill lands on Iran’s neighbors, as the regime strikes airports, shipping and commercial districts across the Gulf states, from Dubai to Doha, to spread the pain and build pressure for American concessions. IRAN TAPS FINANCIAL LIFELINE, RUSSIAN ARMS AS TRUMP ESCALATES 'CRUSHING' ECONOMIC WARFARE A U.N. fact-finding mission found Iran responsible for the systematic rape and brutalization of women. Iran’s laws make homosexuality punishable by death, and the regime persecutes ethnic and religious minorities as policy. My family was one of those minorities. My mother pulled my brother and me out of Iran because being Jewish there had become dangerous, and she rebuilt our lives in America from nothing. In January, after a nationwide uprising, the regime reportedly murdered more than 30,000 people, most of them students and young people, in just two days. It has carried out nearly a thousand executions since. Those are my people, Jewish and Muslim alike. I am now a mother of four daughters, and I think about the mothers in Tehran raising girls under a regime that treats their bodies as state property. Every day this regime survives, more of them die waiting for the world to act. IRAN’S KILLER DRONES INCREASE SLAUGHTER IN SUDAN AMID WORLD’S FORGOTTEN WAR The violence has never been limited to its own captive citizens. Iran’s proxies killed 241 U.S. service members in the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing and at least 603 more in Iraq, by the Pentagon’s own count. The regime has funded anti-Israel protesters inside America, interfered in our elections, and plotted to assassinate American officials, including the president. I have seen that campaign up close. My daughter was a student at Columbia when the encampments took over campus, and she testified before Congress about what Jewish students were facing. The regime's reach into American institutions is not abstract to my family. For Tehran, delay is not a pause. It is an opportunity to extract more blood and damage America from within. Some in Washington counsel patience. The blockade is biting, they note, and U.S. intelligence has assessed the regime can withstand roughly 90 to 120 more days. But two things can be true at once. The blockade is hurting the regime and the regime does not care. The ayatollah will starve his own people, shake down his neighbors and cut back-room deals with Moscow and Beijing before he yields. Meanwhile, every passing day writes another costly line in America’s ledger. A war of attrition is the one war this regime can win, because it built the war that way on purpose. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION That leaves three roads. A long war, which Tehran wins on price. An accommodation, which leaves the regime its missiles, its nuclear ambitions and its proxies, and buys a pause, which they will spend preparing the next round. Or a decisive end to the war on America’s terms. Simply weakening the regime without ending it just kicks the can down the road. The United States must destroy the regime’s military-industrial capacity, cripple the energy infrastructure that bankrolls the Revolutionary Guard and break its ability to crush the Iranian people who keep rising against it. My family fled the butchers who stole my country nearly five decades ago, and I have spent every year since watching the world try to manage, contain and negotiate with them. The Iranian people are not our enemy; they are the regime’s first hostages. America proved in Operation Midnight Hammer what the most powerful military in human history can do, and it is our job to finish the job. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9544ee2c5335ae104d6646 Inside the dangerous US mission that cleared Iran’s mines from Hormuz shipping lanes te 2026-08-31T09:10:06.441Z Inside the dangerous US mission that cleared Iran’s mines from Hormuz shipping lanes President Donald Trump declared last week that the United States had removed or detonated all mines in international waters in the Strait of Hormuz. Now, the commander of U.S. Central Command has offered the clearest public account yet of the high-stakes operation behind that declaration: a months-long effort in which U.S. forces quietly cleared Iranian sea mines from established international shipping lanes used by commercial vessels. Other threats still stand between the cleared lanes and a return to normal activity in one of the world’s most important waterways. The latest maritime guidance still classifies the Strait at a "SEVERE" threat level. Recent attacks have struck tankers near Oman, and oil flows remain far below prewar levels. "We have successfully cleared sea mines in the Strait’s international shipping lanes that were laid months ago by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps," CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper said in a video update. TRUMP SAYS IRAN’S NAVY ‘OBLITERATED’ AS US ENFORCES HORMUZ BLOCKADE — BUT KEY THREAT REMAINS "Internationally recognized transit routes in the Strait are free of Iranian sea mines thanks to the incredible work of the U.S. military," Cooper said. Cooper identified the cleared area as the Strait’s Traffic Separation Scheme, the long-standing system of opposing lanes that guides commercial vessels through the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman. "Our forces meticulously and quietly cleared them of sea mine threats using a combination of Navy divers, Navy SEALs and U.S. air power from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps," Cooper said. The operation was carried out as the Navy was in the middle of a major transition in how it handles mine warfare. The service had retired its four Bahrain-based mine countermeasure ships the previous year as newer unmanned systems were still being fielded. In April, defense analyst Bryan Clark told Fox News Digital the Navy was at a "nadir" in its mine-sweeping capacity. At the time, retired Vice Adm. Kevin Donegan, who previously commanded the Navy’s 5th Fleet, said newer technology was increasingly being used to locate and neutralize mines, including unmanned systems that map the seabed and identify potential threats before explosive ordnance teams move in. Cooper’s account now shows U.S. forces relied on a broader combination of Navy divers, SEALs and air power to clear the international shipping lanes. CENTCOM has not disclosed the precise role each capability played. "The circumstances were challenging and dangerous to say the least, but we got the job done," Cooper said. "Bottom line, today international shipping lanes are open and momentum is building." Donegan, who was not involved in the current operation, said mine-clearance operations begin with surface and subsurface vessels, including unmanned systems, locating and identifying possible mines. Once mines are identified, autonomous systems, specially trained Navy divers and SEALs can destroy or neutralize them. Different sections of a waterway can be at different stages of the process at the same time, Donegan said, with forces neutralizing mines in one area while detection and identification continue elsewhere. Throughout the operation, the Navy continues scanning the waterway to ensure it has not missed any mines, he said. Donegan said the Navy uses a sophisticated detection model before declaring a waterway clear. "In simplest terms they have to conduct enough sweeps of the lanes to drive the probability of detection of mines to virtually 100% in the model," he said. Donegan said the calculation takes into account factors including the detection systems and their effectiveness, characteristics of the waterway and the type of seabed. WHITE HOUSE SILENT ON IRAN-OMAN HORMUZ PLAN TEHRAN SAYS WOULD BAN US WARSHIPS The Navy has also spent years preparing for such an operation. Donegan said elements of large-scale mine clearance in the Strait have been practiced through recurring NAVCENT mine-countermeasure exercises dating to 2012, along with regular Navy training. Cooper said U.S. forces have assisted nearly 1,500 commercial vessels through the Strait in recent months by providing coordinated protection. Those ships carried nearly 750 million barrels of crude oil bound for global energy markets, he said. The CENTCOM commander said the military is pursuing two missions at once: enforcing a naval blockade on Iran and protecting commercial passage through the Strait. He said that since the blockade resumed in mid-July, U.S. forces have turned around 75 vessels attempting to run it and disabled three that failed to comply with directions. Cooper did not say how many mines U.S. forces found or destroyed. Axios reported Thursday, citing U.S. officials, that American forces swept more than 200 mine-like objects from the main shipping lane. Of those objects, 11 were actual mines, and only a few had been properly deployed. The figures illustrate the painstaking identification process Donegan described: Forces must investigate possible threats before determining which objects are actually mines. CENTCOM has not provided further details on the systems used during the operation or how individual mines were neutralized. A defense official told Fox News Digital that the military would not discuss operational specifics for security reasons. The broader maritime-security picture has yet to catch up with CENTCOM’s declaration. The latest Joint Maritime Information Center advisory, issued through the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations office on Aug. 25, keeps the Strait of Hormuz at a "SEVERE" threat level and says deliberate hostile action remains highly likely. The advisory says mine-danger areas remain active and warns of a continued risk from drifting or uncharted mines in and near the Traffic Separation Scheme. It says clearance and mine-surveying operations continue throughout the Strait and that commercial traffic is expected to remain below prewar levels. The assessment predates Cooper’s video update. No public advisory downgrading the threat level or lifting the underlying warnings had been issued as of Friday. Donegan said the possibility of drifting mines does not disappear entirely after a route has been cleared. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER "In the Gulf there is always the danger of drifting mines that are not fixed, that are left over from this conflict or previous ones in the region," Donegan said. "That threat from those in the Gulf has historically been very low especially due to currents in that area that make it unlikely that drifting mines stay in the lane and contact a commercial vessel." Commercial crews are also still confronting attacks. UKMTO reported that tankers near Oman were struck by unknown projectiles on Aug. 24 and Aug. 25, setting off fires that crews later extinguished. All crew members were reported safe in both incidents. The public alerts did not identify the vessels or attribute the strikes. Oil flows through the Strait stood at about 5 million barrels per day Monday, down from more than 20 million before the war, according to Reuters, which cited provisional Vortexa tracking data. The recovery remains uneven. Reuters reported Friday that seven commodity vessels transited the Strait on Thursday, down from 17 the day before and below the 10-day average of 15 vessels, based on preliminary shipping data. Iran and Oman separately announced this week that they were discussing a temporary joint navigation corridor and a joint mine-clearance project. Their statements did not specify whether that work would cover the same Traffic Separation Scheme CENTCOM says U.S. forces have cleared. Cooper’s announcement provides the most detailed official account yet of the operation behind Trump’s declaration and marks a significant step toward restoring commercial passage through the Strait. The U.S. military says the recognized commercial lanes are open and protected. But the latest maritime risk guidance, continued attacks and sharply reduced traffic show that the broader Strait remains dangerous and disrupted. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9544ed2c5335ae104d663d GOV MIKE DUNLEAVY: China is holding critical minerals hostage. Alaska can help end the threat te 2026-08-31T09:10:05.751Z GOV MIKE DUNLEAVY: China is holding critical minerals hostage. Alaska can help end the threat America’s ability to compete with China hinges on secure access to critical minerals. That strategic imperative must guide federal policy on the resources that undergird our technology, economy, and national defense. It’s not an exaggeration to say that, without access to the critical minerals that form the backbone of our modern technological infrastructure, our economy would face major challenges growing and sustaining new jobs and equipping our military with the systems that keep us safe. Here in Alaska, our state hosts resources of 57 of the 60 most important critical minerals. These critical minerals include rare earth elements used in hard drives and laptops, smartphones, and electric motors. They also include graphite, an important component of batteries used in electric cars and computers. Graphite is not only a critical mineral, but also one essential to national security as designated under the Defense Production Act. Among its many mineral deposits, Alaska holds a bountiful reserve of graphite in the aptly named Graphite Creek Project. New estimates suggest that this one reserve alone could provide enough graphite to meet the entire nation’s needs for a century. Yet in recent years, rather than developing these American natural resources, the Biden administration instead frittered away $150 million in taxpayer funds on a loan to a graphite facility in Mozambique—a facility that eventually shuttered operations. THE CCP CONTROLS THE MOST INTIMATE ELEMENTS OF OUR LIFE. MOST AMERICANS HAVE NO IDEA Leftists believe that ending American production of critical minerals will somehow cure the world’s environmental problems. In reality, it has only moved production overseas, to countries with lower environmental and worker-safety standards. It has also increased our economic dependence on countries with unstable governments—like Mozambique, where the graphite mine was caught up in civil unrest linked to ISIS-affiliated terror groups—or interests opposed to our own, such as China. Not developing projects like Graphite Creek amounts to waving the white flag of surrender to China in our contest to shape the future of the world economy. Its Communist government has already used critical minerals to engage in economic blackmail, holding access to the minerals hostage to protest American trade policy. Americans should never agree to this extortion—and, by developing our own American resources, we need never do so. CHINA’S GRIP ON RARE-EARTH MAGNETS COULD CRUSH US DRONE INDUSTRY BEFORE IT GROWS Thankfully, President Trump understands Alaska’s needs and the imperative for the United States to establish dominance in critical minerals, just as it does in energy. Upon resuming office last year, the president immediately issued an executive order to unleash Alaska’s extraordinary resource potential, because Alaska "holds an abundant and largely untapped supply of natural resources" that "will raise the prosperity of our citizens while helping to enhance our Nation’s economic and national security for generations to come." CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION Indeed, developing the Graphite Creek Project will create quality, high-paying jobs right here in Alaska. More importantly, by ensuring that we develop one of the critical minerals integral to the global economy, it will ensure that our nation’s businesses and innovators will have unfettered access to the resources they need. It’s a simple equation: American energy dominance and American critical-mineral dominance will lead to American economic dominance for decades to come. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM GOV. MIKE DUNLEAVY Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9544ed2c5335ae104d6634 The data center fight could decide the next president and cost America the AI race te 2026-08-31T09:10:05.040Z The data center fight could decide the next president and cost America the AI race It’s the fall of 2028. A debate moderator turns to two presidential nominees who spent their governorships fighting over data centers. "China’s AI lead is now a fact," she says. "In 2026, you decided to restrict data-center construction, and the machinist in Youngstown, Ohio, watched his job follow the servers to the Gulf. What do you tell him? Which of your policies would you take back?" That reckoning is two years away, but the choices that will decide it are being made now. Rising electric bills deserve a real fix, but not one rushed for political expediency that leaves the people it’s meant to help worse off down the road. The pressure to do something is building. Gary Elder retired to Lewisport, Ky., on a fixed income that makes any bill feel precarious. At a Public Service Commission hearing in Hancock County this July, the 69-year-old told regulators he was worried a 500-megawatt data center proposed nearby could push his electric bill toward $1,000 or more. Elder represents seven in 10 Americans who oppose a data center in their own backyard. And when politicians sense trouble, they move fast. FOX NEWS POLL: COOL YOUR SERVERS! VOTERS REJECT DATA CENTERS By August, Pennsylvania Democrat Gov. Josh Shapiro and Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, two governors who spent recent years courting hyperscale data centers, were both moving the other way. Shapiro signed an executive order he called the "strictest guardrails in the nation." Abbott froze new grid connections pending a statewide audit. New York Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul went further, pausing environmental permits for a year, and Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis guaranteed local governments’ authority to reject data centers. Republicans and Democrats are arriving at the same anxiety from different directions. FROM NEW YORK TO TEXAS, STATES SHOULD RESPECT LOCAL CONTROL ON DATA CENTERS In contrast, President Donald Trump has been the most unambiguous pro-buildout voice in the country, calling Abbott’s freeze a "mistake," while Senate Republicans have privately warned the issue could cost them Ohio’s Senate seat, where Trump-endorsed Sen. Jon Husted trails as "the face of data centers." The same dynamic is now repeating in the state’s gubernatorial race with Republican Vivek Ramaswamy calling for a moratorium of his own, and Democrat Amy Acton countering with hers. For any ambitious politician eyeing 2028, there is little downside to running as the candidate who stood for cutting electric bills and considerable risk in being the one who has to explain why America’s compute lead matters. TRUMP HEADS TOWARD UNLIKELY CLASH WITH CLOSE ALLY OVER FUTURE OF MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR INDUSTRY Data centers are not just computer warehouses. They are the physical foundation of artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, advanced manufacturing, scientific research, autonomous systems and, increasingly, national-security capabilities. Goldman Sachs estimates that U.S. AI-related investment will approach $600 billion in 2026. But every gigawatt of capacity America fails to build can flow to countries with faster permitting, cheaper power or more predictable policy, taking construction jobs, supply-chain work and the tax base with it. Ironically, many of this year’s stalled projects aren’t zoning fights at all. They’re running into a more fundamental constraint: scarce high-voltage transformers, a bottleneck that exists with or without protests. The strategic vulnerability is that China accounts for roughly 60% of global transformer production capacity. Saudi Arabia’s $100 billion HUMAIN program, the UAE’s Stargate and a Japan buildout backed by Gulf sovereign wealth are courting the same capital American localities are turning away. CHINA IS BUILDING AN AI WAR MACHINE. WASHINGTON MUST WAKE UP BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE So how do we address legitimate concerns while keeping our eye on the strategic imperative of becoming the "AI capital of the world," as Trump put it? Start by recognizing what this fight is actually about. Americans don’t oppose data centers; they oppose feeling like someone else gets the benefit while they get the bill. This shouldn’t be treated as us vs them, but as a solvable problem that comes down to three practical questions: where the power gets built, who pays for it and how fast the permits move. DATA CENTERS FORGOT THE CONSUMER — AND THAT COULD COST AMERICA THE AI RACE Data centers should pay the incremental cost of the electricity infrastructure they require, enter transparent power agreements, invest in new generation and storage where feasible and use energy- and water-efficient technologies. Communities should have meaningful input, and governments should tie tax incentives to measurable economic benefits. Done right, this isn’t just fair, it works. Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy found that large loads haven’t been the principal driver of rising rates, and in some places with the highest demand growth, prices have actually fallen, provided supply, cost allocation and tariff design are sound. AMERICA NEEDS AI TO SURVIVE. WORKING FAMILIES ALSO NEED TO SURVIVE IT States should also encourage data centers to locate where power is abundant, as West Virginia is doing. Its leaders view data centers as critical infrastructure and are positioning abundant energy, microgrids and proximity to population centers as advantages. Republican Gov. Patrick Morrisey has described the approach as a 20-year strategy, while Google has announced a multibillion-dollar project there. That’s the model America should pursue: more capacity, in more places, with smarter rules. THE WAR ON DATA CENTERS JEOPARDIZES OUR ECONOMY AND NATIONAL SECURITY Technology companies have a role, too. In March, Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle and xAI signed the White House’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge, committing to bring or buy power for their facilities and cover required infrastructure upgrades rather than shift those costs onto households. Get that sequencing right, and there’s a benefit even the buildout critics tend to overlook: the trades. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION Building a data-center campus requires a large skilled workforce, including electricians, pipefitters and high-voltage crews. Meta’s president estimates the U.S. could need roughly 500,000 additional electricians alone to support the AI infrastructure buildout. Microsoft’s president has called the electrician shortage the company’s biggest constraint. That’s why Google, Microsoft and the electrical workers’ union are pouring money into apprenticeships that lead to well-paying careers without student debt. We don’t have to choose between Gary Elder’s electric bill and America’s technological lead. We can do both. When those presidential nominees face the data-center question in 2028, they can say: "We kept bills affordable while keeping America in the lead." CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM LEN KHODORKOVSKY Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9544eb2c5335ae104d6629 More Mail Ballots Are Arriving Late This Year, and They’re Getting Tossed te 2026-08-31T09:10:03.097Z More Mail Ballots Are Arriving Late This Year, and They’re Getting Tossed State officials say they worry about the Postal Service’s ability to deliver votes this fall. They are urging voters to mail their ballots early or use drop boxes so their votes count. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9544ea2c5335ae104d6620 Lindsay Clancy Murder Trial: Jury Deliberations Expected to Continue te 2026-08-31T09:10:02.075Z Lindsay Clancy Murder Trial: Jury Deliberations Expected to Continue Jurors have already discussed the high-profile case for about 10 hours over two days. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a953b952c5335ae104d63fa FBI Reports Historic 2025 Decline In Violent Crime As Arizona Offenses Fall te 2026-08-31T08:30:13.190Z FBI Reports Historic 2025 Decline In Violent Crime As Arizona Offenses Fall By Staff Reporter | Reports of violent crime dropped by double digits last year, according to the latest federal reporting.  The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released its Reported Crime in the Nation Statistics for 2025 last week, which reflected some violent crimes dropping by nearly 20% nationwide.  According to the FBI, its Uniform Crime Reporting Program reflected that 2024-2025 marked the largest year-to-year decline in violent crimes in nearly 100 years. The FBI began those estimations in 1936.  Nationally, murder and nonnegligent manslaughter offense reports decreased by more than 18%. Rape offense reports decreased by nearly 8%. Aggravated assault reports decreased by more than 18%. Property crime decreased by more than 12%.  Additionally, the FBI reported that the murder rate for 2025 tied with the lowest murder rate on record, which occurred in 1955 and 1956: 4.1 per 100,000 inhabitants.  In Arizona in 2025, there were: 21,499 reports of aggravated assault: a 10% decrease from 2024 (24,067) and a 7% decrease from (23,121) 363 reports of homicide: a 10% decrease from 2025 (407) and 23% decrease from 2023 (477) 2,867 reports of rape: a 10% decrease from 2024 (3,192) and 14% decrease from 2024 (3,361) 3,785 reports of robbery: a 23% decrease from 2024 (4,969) and 20% decrease from 2023 (4,775) These first two years of the Trump administration, from January 2025 through the latest reporting in August 2026, there have been 32,811 reports of aggravated assault, 495 reports of homicide, 4,281 reports of rape, and 5,804 reports of robbery in Arizona.  In a similar capture of the first two years of the Biden administration, from January 2021 through August 2022, there were 25,899 reports of aggravated assault, 540 reports of homicide, 4,081 reports of rape, and 5,034 reports of robbery. The last two years of the Biden administration, from January 2023 through August 2024, there were 39,485 reports of aggravated assault, 735 reports of homicide, 5,529 reports of rape, and 8,123 reports of robbery.  The entirety of Biden’s administration, there were 80,643 reports of aggravated assault, 1,616 reports of homicide, 11,825 reports of rape, and 16,594 reports of robbery.  The entirety of Trump’s first administration, there were 94,824 reports of aggravated assault, 1,640 reports of homicide, 14,111 reports of rape, and 26,652 reports of robbery.  FBI Director Kash Patel released a preview of reported crime data for 2026 which reflected a continued decline in violent crimes.  According to the report, preliminary trends established by reports made from January through June 2026 reflect violent crime down by more than 10%, murder and nonnegligent manslaughter down by 23%, rape down by more than 18%, robbery down by more than 19%, and aggravated assault down by more than 7%.  The agency also shared that there was a 2.4% increase in law enforcement agencies submitting their crime data compared with the previous year.  The FBI also reported on law enforcement feloniously killed in the line of duty. Last year, 53 law enforcement officers were killed; a decline from 2024. According to the agency, more law enforcement officers were feloniously killed from 2021 to 2024 than any other consecutive four-year period.  The White House claimed the declining crime rates as the result of the Trump administration’s focus on “unprecedented enforcement” along with the support of a Republican trifecta.  The FBI reported a 90% increase in violent crime arrests, a 13% increase in child predator and human trafficker arrests, and the capture of nine of the Ten Most Wanted fugitives and four of the Most Wanted Fraudsters.  AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link. The post FBI Reports Historic 2025 Decline In Violent Crime As Arizona Offenses Fall first appeared on AZ FREE NEWS. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a953b932c5335ae104d63f1 Mayes Accused Of Aiding A ‘Captured Government’ After Declining To Prosecute Hobbs In Pay-To-Play Investigation te 2026-08-31T08:30:11.377Z Mayes Accused Of Aiding A ‘Captured Government’ After Declining To Prosecute Hobbs In Pay-To-Play Investigation By Matthew Holloway | Republican Rep. Abraham Hamadeh (AZ-08) said Arizona has a “captured government” after Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes declined to prosecute Gov. Katie Hobbs over allegations involving political contributions connected to Sunshine Residential Homes and rate increases the company received from the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS). Hamadeh made the remarks during an appearance on James T. Harris’ “The Conservative Circus,” calling Mayes’ two-year criminal investigation “a sham” that he said was intended to clear Hobbs before the November election. “Arizona has a captured government right now,” Hamadeh said. Congressman Hamadeh is not surprised that @KrisMayes dropped the investigation into crooked @KatieHobbs. Mayes is the illegitimate attorney general BECAUSE Hobbs withheld evidence when she was Secretary of State. They are in cahoots. This was a sham released sixty days before… pic.twitter.com/OJwDggjUKw — Office of Congressman Abe Hamadeh (@RepAbeHamadeh) August 25, 2026 “The most important thing we have to do this November is get rid of both Kris Mayes and Katie Hobbs.” Hamadeh said. Hamadeh accused Mayes and Hobbs of protecting one another and said the state’s news media had failed to hold either official accountable. “The attorney general is not going to hold the governor accountable,” Hamadeh said. “This is what you call a captured government. So it is up to We the People to show them accountability by voting them out of office.” The congressman also tied the decision to his continuing claim that Mayes is an “illegitimate attorney general,” arguing that Hobbs withheld evidence while serving as secretary of state during Hamadeh’s unsuccessful challenge to the 2022 attorney general election. Mayes defeated Hamadeh by 280 votes after a recount, a result later recounted in an Arizona Court of Appeals decision rejecting Hamadeh’s request for a new trial. Mayes announced earlier this month that her office found no evidence of a quid pro quo connecting Sunshine’s political contributions to the company’s DCS rate increases. “After two years of investigation, consisting of multiple interviews, reviews of campaign-finance records, procurement records, bank documents, and State emails and chats, totaling over one terabyte of data, including more than 100,000 documents, the investigation has not uncovered any evidence of the necessary quid pro quo to support a bribery charge,” Mayes said. The attorney general’s seven-page legal memorandum said investigators conducted 12 interviews and reviewed campaign-finance records, procurement documents, bank records, and state communications. The memorandum concluded that prosecutors lacked evidence establishing a reasonable likelihood of conviction for bribery or related offenses. Hobbs declined an in-person interview and submitted two written statements through her attorneys on Aug. 17, according to the memorandum. She stated that she had never discussed Sunshine’s rates or DCS contracting decisions with Sunshine founder and CEO Simon Kottoor or anyone affiliated with the company. Hobbs also denied directing anyone to intervene and said Sunshine’s political contributions did not influence state agency decisions. Sunshine gave $200,000 to the Arizona Democratic Party before Hobbs’ 2022 election, $100,000 to her inaugural fund and another $100,000 to the state party in August 2023. Kottoor and his wife, Elizabeth, also made contributions to Hobbs’ gubernatorial campaigns. The company received a mid-contract rate increase in May 2023 that raised its payment to $195 per bed, followed by an increase to $234 per bed during an April 2024 contract renewal. The AG memorandum said Sunshine’s rate increased 56% between 2019 and 2024. Two other providers received larger percentage increases over that period while retaining lower daily rates. Mayes’ Investigation found that DCS officials knew about Sunshine’s political contributions as they considered its request. Then-DCS official Robert Navarro told colleagues during a February 2023 meeting that Sunshine was likely to seek an increase and was a donor to Hobbs, according to the memorandum. Navarro told investigators that the donations created perceived pressure. The Attorney General’s Office concluded that any perceived pressure resulted from Navarro’s own knowledge of the contributions and found no evidence that Hobbs or her office directed DCS to increase Sunshine’s rate. The memorandum concluded that Sunshine’s rate increases resulted from its leverage as one of Arizona’s largest congregate-care providers. Sunshine accounted for approximately 20% to 25% of the state’s non-Division of Developmental Disabilities group-home beds. DCS officials told investigators that the company had threatened to move beds to the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement, which paid higher rates to house unaccompanied migrant children. Officials said losing Sunshine’s capacity would have strained the foster-care system and reduced beds available to keep siblings together. Mayes called for legislation increasing transparency around political contributions from state contractors when she announced the decision. Hobbs previously vetoed two bills sponsored by Republican Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope (R-LD16) that would have required certain companies seeking state contracts or grants to disclose political contributions and required agencies to retain procurement records. Mayes’ criminal division recommended closing its pay-to-play investigation while keeping the matter open for the limited purpose of assisting the Arizona Auditor General. A separate review involving the Auditor General and Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell remains ongoing. The Arizona House has also commissioned an independent investigation. 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 Mayes Accused Of Aiding A ‘Captured Government’ After Declining To Prosecute Hobbs In Pay-To-Play Investigation first appeared on AZ FREE NEWS. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a953b912c5335ae104d63e8 Biggs Urges Sens. Kelly And Gallego To Back Child Exploitation Bill te 2026-08-31T08:30:09.337Z Biggs Urges Sens. Kelly And Gallego To Back Child Exploitation Bill By Staff Reporter | As one of his last major moves in Congress leading up to the November showdown against Gov. Katie Hobbs, Republican nominee and Rep. Andy Biggs (AZ-05) is attempting to reach across the aisle to pass core priority legislation.  Biggs publicly called on Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego to secure Senate consideration and passage of his bill addressing child exploitation.  The bill, Coercion and Sexual Abuse Free Environment Act (CSAFE), passed in the House in mid-January earlier this year. Biggs urged Kelly and Gallego to work with him to root out the current flaws in the law that worsen child coercion and exploitation.   “It’s been 227 days since the U.S. House unanimously passed my CSAFE Act to deliver long-overdue legal clarity and serious consequences for criminals who coerce and exploit children,” said Biggs. “Passage of this bill would close gaps in federal law that allow predators to hide behind screens, anonymity, and outdated statutes while young lives are shattered. It’s time for action. It’s time for the U.S. Senate to pass CSAFE.”  The legislation would make it a punishable crime to coerce minors into committing self-harm, suicide, animal abuse, or other torturous or sexually exploitative acts. Those that violate this proposed law would face fines and up to 10 years in prison at minimum.  Coercion that results in the serious bodily injury of a child would bump the imprisonment maximum to 10 years, and coercion that results in death would empower a judge to sentence the offender to prison for life or as long as deemed necessary.  The bill defines coercion to include “the use of a threat, extortion, blackmail, fraud, deceit, or manipulation.” Coercion against children often occurs online.  In late 2024, the Department of Justice arrested a 20-year-old Tucson man for producing child sexual abuse material and cyberstalking. The man, Baron Cain Martin, was indicted last October on 29 counts related to his alleged participation in a child exploitation enterprise.  Martin was allegedly a part of 764: one of the more notorious online violent terror networks, also known as child sextortion sites.  According to the indictment and DOJ announcement, Martin produced and distributed child pornography and coerced and enticed minors to engage in sexual activity under the moniker “Convict.”  Martin was also indicted on conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists; conspiracy to kill, kidnap, or maim persons in a foreign country; cyberstalking; animal crushing and distribution of animal crushing videos; and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.  Martin allegedly first entered the world of child sextortion in 2019. His represents the first case in which a 764 member faces terrorism charges. His case, United States v. Martin, is ongoing in the Arizona District Court.  President Donald Trump signed an executive order earlier this year directing federal agencies to coordinate on disrupting cyber crimes including sextortion, and the networks behind those crimes. The order is part of the Trump administration’s broader Cyber Strategy for America initiative.  The initiative identified six pillars for improving cybersecurity: shaping adversary behavior, promoting commonsense regulation, modernizing and securing federal government networks, securing critical infrastructure, sustaining superiority in critical and emerging technologies, and building talent and capacity.  An action plan for implementing this initiative is forthcoming. AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link. The post Biggs Urges Sens. Kelly And Gallego To Back Child Exploitation Bill first appeared on AZ FREE NEWS. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a952fd92c5335ae104d5fc8 Best Bets: Monday, Aug. 31, 2026 te 2026-08-31T07:40:09.428Z Best Bets: Monday, Aug. 31, 2026 Coming Up Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a952fd82c5335ae104d5fbf Gas prices Aug 31 te 2026-08-31T07:40:08.593Z Gas prices Aug 31 National average: $4.10 Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a952fd72c5335ae104d5fb6 Davis Dam releases for Aug. 31 te 2026-08-31T07:40:07.622Z Davis Dam releases for Aug. 31 Monday Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9521c62c5335ae104d5e67 Cattail Cove to host Family Campout as state nearly doubles fall events te 2026-08-31T06:40:06.721Z Cattail Cove to host Family Campout as state nearly doubles fall events Cattail Cove State Park will host an Arizona Family Campout this fall as the state nearly doubles the number of events offered through a program that teaches families how to camp and enjoy the outdoors. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9521c52c5335ae104d5e5e Campbell pushes for more weed control along Lake Havasu City paths te 2026-08-31T06:40:05.881Z Campbell pushes for more weed control along Lake Havasu City paths Lake Havasu City Councilmember Nancy Campbell wants the city to do more about weeds along its multi-use paths, particularly on the south side of the city. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a95160b2c5335ae104d5b45 Duffy teases 'unprecedented fraud crackdown' announcement with DHS, DOJ te 2026-08-31T05:50:03.999Z Duffy teases 'unprecedented fraud crackdown' announcement with DHS, DOJ Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy on Sunday teased an upcoming announcement about the Trump administration's fraud crackdown. In a post on X, Duffy said there would be "unprecedented fraud crackdown" announcement on Monday. "TOMORROW: UNPRECEDENTED FRAUD CRACKDOWN," the secretary wrote. WHITE HOUSE LAUNCHES INTERACTIVE MAP TRACKING BILLIONS IN SUSPECTED FRAUD In the post, he also tagged Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Department of Justice and the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, suggesting a multi-department effort targeting fraud. Duffy did not disclose details of the announcement, including when or where it will take place, what type of fraud will be discussed or whether any arrests have been made. The announcement comes amid the administration's broader crackdown on fraud. Trump established the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud in March to coordinate efforts involving federal benefit programs. TRUMP ADMIN INVESTIGATING 75 TRUCK DRIVER SCHOOLS FOR FRAUD, HELPING NON-CITIZENS GET LICENSES The DOJ has also created a National Fraud Enforcement Division to investigate and prosecute the theft or fraudulent misuse of taxpayer dollars. Duffy’s Department of Transportation has worked with DHS in recent months to crack down on alleged fraud and safety violations in the commercial trucking industry, including improperly issued commercial driver’s licenses, fraudulent driving schools and unvetted foreign drivers. The agencies announced a joint investigation in July into about 75 commercial driving schools suspected of fraud, including allegedly falsifying training records and improperly certifying drivers. The two departments have also conducted roadside enforcement operations targeting unqualified foreign commercial drivers. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9503522c5335ae104d59a0 Noble Young-Blackgoat te 2026-08-31T04:30:10.432Z Noble Young-Blackgoat Northern Arizona linebacker Noble Young-Blackgoat (16) runs a drill during a spring practice on March 24 outside the Student-Athlete High Performance Center. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9503512c5335ae104d5997 Noble Young-Blackgoat sees big position change ahead of second year te 2026-08-31T04:30:09.705Z Noble Young-Blackgoat sees big position change ahead of second year The Flagstaff native made waves when he became a walk-on at NAU last year. Now, he looks to make an impact on defense in a new role as a sophomore. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a9500f52c5335ae104d593e Accused NC killer mom plans insanity defense — as retired judge says more may follow Lindsay Clancy strategy te 2026-08-31T04:20:05.042Z Accused NC killer mom plans insanity defense — as retired judge says more may follow Lindsay Clancy strategy The insanity defense planned by a North Carolina mother accused of killing her son has drawn parallels to Lindsay Clancy’s trial and raised questions about whether it could become prevalent in criminal cases. Andrea Faust, 41, is charged with murder and attempted murder in the Feb. 12 death of her 3-year-old son and the attempted murder of her 2-year-old son at their home in Durham, North Carolina. Her attorneys have filed notice that they intend to rely on defenses of not guilty by reason of insanity and diminished capacity, WRAL reported. The case is drawing parallels to Clancy’s Massachusetts trial. Retired Massachusetts Superior Judge Jack Lu said he expects similar defenses to be raised more often as the Clancy case draws national attention to postpartum mental-health conditions. LINDSAY CLANCY DIDN'T SHOW 'BREAK WITH REALITY' AS JURY WEIGHS PSYCHOSIS DEFENSE: SUSAN SMITH PROSECUTOR Clancy has pleaded not guilty by reason of lack of criminal responsibility in the 2023 deaths of her three children. Her defense argued she suffered from postpartum psychosis, while prosecutors argue she understood her actions and acted deliberately. Jurors ended a second day of deliberations Friday without reaching a verdict. They will return on Monday morning to continue working toward a verdict. In Faust’s case, the filing does not establish that she was legally insane or had diminished capacity. Her attorney, Nicole Galinsky, told the local outlet that a defense expert concluded Faust could not distinguish right from wrong during the alleged murders. "Andrea and Lindsay’s cases are eerily similar, though not entirely the same," Galinsky told Fox News Digital.   Galinsky noted that Faust was not suffering from postpartum psychosis.  "However, both women were known to be loving, doting, responsible mothers who were worried about and caring for their children up until the very second they decided to kill them," Galinsky said, adding that Faust and Clancy were both struggling with similar issues, including hallucinations, hospitalizations and mental health.  "Neither woman did this out of the blue," Galinsky said in an email. "Both were struggling enormously with their mental health. But, like most women and almost all moms, they were just trying to get through each day, care for their children, be a good mom/wife/employee. Both were seeking help from doctors who weren’t really taking their concerns seriously. "Both of these cases highlight the failure in our society to take women and mothers seriously when it comes to their mental health. Both of these women advocated for themselves countless times and—for what? It got them nowhere.   "I am hopeful that our case will demonstrate how to properly treat and rehabilitate a woman living her own worst nightmare. Lindsay Clancy was not given that luxury." FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X Lu said society and the legal system have not fully understood the effects postpartum mental illness can have on behavior and criminal responsibility. "Most of the time, these criminal responsibility, insanity, mental health defenses are unsuccessful," Lu told Fox News Digital. LINDSAY CLANCY'S FAMILY WAS 'VERY CONCERNED' ABOUT HER MENTAL HEALTH IN THE MONTHS BEFORE SHE KILLED HER KIDS SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST TRUE CRIME NEWS Although he is not a mental-health expert, Lu said the Clancy trial has challenged and changed his own understanding of what a person might experience. LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE "I had no real understanding of what a person like Ms. Clancy was going through until this trial," he said. SEND US A TIP Faust was found incapable of proceeding to trial in March after court records documented serious concerns about her mental health and safety, according to WRAL. GOT A TIP? Central Regional Hospital later found her capable of proceeding as of May 21. Her attorney said another evaluation would examine her mental state at the time of the alleged offenses. LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST GET BREAKING NEWS BY EMAIL Lu said mental-health defenses should receive more serious consideration because they can explain behavior and reduce moral culpability. But allegations involving children create an especially difficult path with jurors, he said. "These cases should have legs," Lu said, "but unfortunately society and juries don’t give them much credence." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a94f08d2c5335ae104d57cd Rockies player benched after flipping off Braves fans, caught on video giving the bird te 2026-08-31T03:10:05.062Z Rockies player benched after flipping off Braves fans, caught on video giving the bird Colorado Rockies rookie center fielder Cole Carrigg found himself in the doghouse after flipping off Atlanta Braves fans during Saturday's 2-1 loss at Truist Park. PETE CROW-ARMSTRONG GETS INTO UGLY, CURSE-FILLED SCREAMING MATCH WITH FEMALE WHITE SOX FAN As Colorado clung to a 1-0 lead, Carrigg dove for Michael Harris II's fly ball but came up empty. The ball went for a two-run double, giving Atlanta the lead. As Braves fans let him hear it, Carrigg lost his cool and flipped the bird toward the stands. Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer publicly condemned the gesture and said Carrigg would remain out of the starting lineup for a couple of days. "Cole made a mistake, and he knows that is an embarrassment to the organization and that we don't stand for that," Schaeffer said. "Listen, everybody makes mistakes. It is just one that he has to learn from. It is just that we will not put up with that here." WATCH: Despite being held out of Sunday's starting lineup, Carrigg entered the series finale as a pinch hitter. He went 0-for-2 with a strikeout, then remained in the game at center field and shortstop. Carrigg owned the lapse in judgment afterward. BREWERS PITCHER ABNER URIBE APOLOGIZES AFTER CONTROVERSIAL STRIKEOUT CELEBRATION SPARKS BACKLASH "First, I apologize to my teammates and the organization, that's not how I want to represent us," Carrigg said. "That's inexcusable on my part. "With that being said, I'm somebody who's going to play at 110 percent every game and give my all to this team and to the game to try to win ballgames. That was a play that I felt could or could not have won the game, so I'm very passionate about that. "Braves fans are pretty passionate themselves. Kudos to them. But that gesture can't happen." Flipping off fans gets you benched every time. But in a league full of canned answers, at least Cole Carrigg actually cares. Take the licks, learn the lesson, and move on. Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a94ebdb2c5335ae104d573c Many are making the argument that Jordan Travis was the greatest college QB of all time, and they aren't wrong te 2026-08-31T02:50:03.981Z Many are making the argument that Jordan Travis was the greatest college QB of all time, and they aren't wrong A lot has already been made about Florida State's lackluster 17-point win over New Mexico State on Saturday night. To most Seminoles fans, their week zero showing was just a microcosm of how rotten things have gotten in the past few years under the tutelage of head coach Mike Norvell. With the win, Norvell improved to a paltry 8-17 since the beginning of 2024, and failing to cover a 31.5-point spread against an undermanned G6 school did little to quell the bloodthirsty masses in Tallahassee. FROM FSU TO DAN MULLEN, HERE ARE THREE 'OVERREACTIONS' FROM WEEK ZERO OF THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON But it wasn't always this way between Norvell and the fans. There was a time not too long ago when all was right in the land of garnet and gold. You see, prior to 2024, Norvell and the Seminoles were seen as a program on the rise, due in large part to a 23-4 stretch between 2022 and 2023 that featured an ACC Championship, back-to-back top-10 finishes, and dominant wins over perennial rivals like Miami and Florida. What went wrong? WHICH HEAD COACH'S SEAT IS HOTTER HEADING INTO 2026 SEASON: SHANE BEAMER OR MIKE NORVELL? Much of that ground was covered in a previous article, but Saturday night's performance prompted a notable number of observers to focus on one name in particular — someone they argue carried Norvell to an inflated record and, in turn, a lucrative contract extension that has since bound him to Florida State for the foreseeable future. Jordan Travis. On the surface, it seems like an absurd claim that Travis would be in the discussion for greatest college quarterback of all time, let alone one of the best players overall. He certainly is far from the most accomplished. A one-time conference champion, a two-time All-ACC selection, and the 2023 ACC Player of the Year, Travis carved out a solid career with plenty of great stats and moments to make him one of the more revered Seminole quarterbacks post-Jameis Winston. But if you juxtapose how bad this Florida State team has been since his departure, it almost perfectly explains the downfall of this once-proud program. To be fair, plenty of other players on those 2022 and 2023 FSU teams had a part in Norvell's rise. Look across the NFL landscape, and you're bound to spot guys like Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, Keon Coleman, and Jammie Robinson on professional rosters, but Travis was the engine that made it all run so smoothly. Even that 2023 team that went undefeated in the regular season dropped off a cliff the instant Travis suffered his unfortunate injury that would ultimately end his playing career. Before losing Travis, the Noles were averaging a robust 38.8 points per game on offense. That number cratered to just 14.3 without him. Granted, it's a small sample size, but the way the team played without him even in that short stretch backs up this theory. FLORIDA STATE QUARTERBACK ASHTON DANIELS IS NOT HAPPY WITH PERCEIVED ON3 QB RANKINGS SNUB FSU escaped an absolute dogfight against a five-win Florida team, then immediately followed that up with a season-low 16 points against Louisville in the ACC title game. I won't even include the 63-3 beatdown against Georgia in the Orange Bowl because I don't feel like arguing with rabid Noles fans, but the point remains the same. The very next year, despite signing yet another loaded portal class, the Seminoles bottomed out with a 2-10 record. Things didn't get much better in 2025, which brings us to now. Together, Travis and Norvell posted a 29-10 record, and if you look at Norvell's overall record at Florida State (39-34), you don't need to be a math wiz to figure out the former had a lot to do with the latter's success. Numbers don't even tell the whole story, either. Travis was basically the football equivalent of Houdini, consistently bailing Norvell out of suboptimal play calls with his wizardry both in and out of the pocket. So, is Jordan Travis the greatest college football player of all time? Probably not, but you could certainly make the argument that he is perhaps the most underrated or underappreciated player of all time. For crying out loud, Mike Norvell was getting floated as a successor to Nick Saban at Alabama just two and a half years ago. Now FSU fans are practically begging another program to come along and take their embattled head coach off their hands. Call that the Jordan Travis Effect. Here's hoping anytime the two are in the same city, Norvell picks up the tab when they have dinner together. After all, it's the least he could do for the guy. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a94e9862c5335ae104d56ee Parkgoer airlifted after Batman roller coaster incident leaves man with fractures to both legs te 2026-08-31T02:40:06.154Z Parkgoer airlifted after Batman roller coaster incident leaves man with fractures to both legs Panic and confusion followed at a theme park in Spain Saturday after a ride on a Batman-themed roller coaster left a visitor with fractures to both legs, according to local reports. The incident occurred on the Batman Gotham City Escape at Parque Warner Madrid, the the park said in a post on X. The 49-year-old rider reportedly suffered an open fracture in his left leg and a closed fracture in his right leg, Europa Press reported, citing emergency officials. WOMAN ALLEGEDLY EJECTED FROM ROLLER COASTER, SUFFERS SERIOUS INJURIES AFTER DRAGGED ALONG TRACK: REPORTS According to the park, the ride opened in 2023 and was Spain’s first multi-launch roller coaster. The roller coaster features three launches that propel riders upward at high speeds and four inversions that leave riders briefly hanging upside down. Park officials said the ride was stopped immediately and emergency procedures were promptly activated. EIGHT RIDERS LEFT DANGLING ATOP 100-FOOT ROLLER COASTER FOR OVER THREE HOURS AT TEXAS AMUSEMENT PARK "The affected person was attended to immediately by emergency medical services," Parque Warner said. First responders then airlifted the visitor to a nearby hospital, Europa Press reported. Another visitor, Juan José Molina, described panic among some parkgoers. "There were people crying and having anxiety attacks," he said. Parque Warner said the roller coaster will remain closed while management reviews the incident in coordination with authorities. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a94e9832c5335ae104d56dd The U.S. is building barriers around drones and robots, but China has scale to get around them te 2026-08-31T02:40:03.579Z The U.S. is building barriers around drones and robots, but China has scale to get around them The U.S. is shutting out more foreign-made drones and robots. China’s scale means the global competition may simply move elsewhere. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a94e72b2c5335ae104d569e Beloved Texas chiropractor, hiking group among those unaccounted for after Grand Canyon flash flood te 2026-08-31T02:30:03.592Z Beloved Texas chiropractor, hiking group among those unaccounted for after Grand Canyon flash flood A Texas chiropractor and the hiking group he was with are among those reported missing or unaccounted for after a flash flood tore through a remote stretch of the Grand Canyon, according to a public plea from his wife. Dr. John Giusti, a chiropractor and father of three from Granbury, Texas, was hiking and camping in the canyon when floodwaters swept through Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area on Aug. 29, his wife said in an update shared by Whipple City Family Chiropractic. "Please pray for Dr. John’s safety," she wrote. The family’s update said Giusti’s hiking group is "among those currently reported missing and unaccounted for." It said National Park Service search-and-rescue teams were conducting ground sweeps and helicopter operations across the canyon floor. PARK VISITORS FACE FLOOD DANGER OUT WEST WHILE SEVERE STORMS RIP THROUGH NY, NJ His wife asked ChiroHabit’s community to keep "my husband, his hiking group, and our families" in their thoughts and prayers, adding that the family would share official updates as they are confirmed by park authorities. ARIZONA STATE STUDENT VANISHES DURING GRAND CANYON TRIP JUST DAYS BEFORE GRADUATION, FAMILY PLEADS FOR HELP "Dr. John is the heart of ChiroHabit, but above all, he is a deeply loved husband, father and pillar of our family," she wrote. Photos posted to Giusti’s ChiroHabit business page also show him in the Grand Canyon before the flooding began. GRAND CANYON MYSTERY ILLNESS REPORTEDLY TRIGGERS NPS INVESTIGATION AFTER RAFTERS REPORT ALARMING SYMPTOMS The National Park Service has not publicly identified the approximately 15 people it is working to locate or account for, and officials have not confirmed Giusti’s name. The agency is asking anyone who knows of hikers or backpackers who were in the Bright Angel Creek corridor on Aug. 29 or who had a campground reservation there to contact investigators. Giusti practiced chiropractic care for 19 years and was a partner at Whipple City Family Chiropractic in New York for eight years before moving to Granbury in 2020, according to his business biography. He and his wife, Janet, are raising three daughters in Texas. Outside of work, Giusti enjoys hiking, hunting, fishing, running and martial arts, his practice said. ARMY BLACK HAWKS AIRLIFT 200-PLUS STRANDED CAMPERS AS MISSOURI FLOODS TRIGGER MORE 350 RESCUES Separately, the National Park Service said Sunday evening that recovery operations had been completed for a 46-year-old man near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River. The Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office was on scene. NPS did not identify the man, disclose a cause of death or say whether his recovery was connected to the search for people who remain unaccounted for after the flooding.  The flash flood began at about 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 29, according to the National Park Service. As of Sunday morning, 62 people had been evacuated from Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab Trail, and no injuries had been reported. Nearly all footbridges across Bright Angel Creek were destroyed, cutting off hiker access across the waterway. The flooding also forced the closure of Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground, the North Kaibab Trail to Phantom Ranch, Black Bridge, Silver Bridge and the Colorado River to river traffic. EXPERTS ZERO IN ON LIKELY CAUSE OF DEADLY NEPAL MUDSLIDE, WITH MORE THAN 1,400 MISSING Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said her "heart is with the families and loved ones of every person unaccounted for after the flash flooding at the Grand Canyon." Hobbs said the Arizona Division of Emergency Management is coordinating with the National Park Service and Coconino County Emergency Management to support search and recovery efforts. Anyone with information about people who may have been in the affected corridor is asked to contact the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch Tip Line at 888-653-0009 or nps_isb@nps.gov. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a94e4d22c5335ae104d5637 Grindr wants to be the everything app for gay men; investors are still deciding whether it can pull it off te 2026-08-31T02:20:02.426Z Grindr wants to be the everything app for gay men; investors are still deciding whether it can pull it off George Arison is done letting Wall Street's "Grindr discount" go unchallenged — in a wide-ranging Q&A, the CEO walks us through how AI, a controversial $350-plus EDGE tier, and a bet on healthcare and long-distance matchmaking are turning Grindr into the "gayborhood in your pocket" he's been promisi Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a94d91c2c5335ae104d53a2 California mom has both legs amputated after suspected impaired driver plows into her restaurant lunch table te 2026-08-31T01:30:04.720Z California mom has both legs amputated after suspected impaired driver plows into her restaurant lunch table An elderly California mother had both her legs amputated after an alleged impaired driver crashed into the outdoor dining area of a restaurant where she was eating lunch. Cristina Vargas, 81, was enjoying lunch at a sidewalk table outside Los Cinco Puntos in Los Angeles' Boyle Heights with her daughter, Gabriela Vargas, and their male friend when the SUV plowed into them at around 3:30 p.m. on July 7. Surveillance footage obtained by KTLA shows an SUV veering onto the sidewalk and into the outdoor dining area. Screeching tires were heard just before the SUV hit the group, sending patrons, the table and other items flying. ARIZONA GRANDPA TO UNDRGO AMPUTATION AFTER COLLAPSING ON SCORCHING SIDEWALK "I remember I just heard screeching and I was lifting up my head and I just saw headlights and a bumper and I heard a big boom," Gabriela told KTLA. "The next thing I knew, I was airborne." Cristina’s lower body was pinned under the vehicle and Gabriela suffered a head injury and a deep laceration on her knee. The two women and their male friend were rushed to a hospital for treatment. Gabriela and the male friend have since recovered from their injuries, but Cristina's injuries were significantly worse and faces a long road to recovery. Cristina underwent three surgeries and later had both of her legs amputated. She said she is thankful to be alive and has maintained a positive mindset. She has been undergoing physical therapy at a rehabilitation center and will soon be allowed to go back home. Cristina, a widowed mother of two, said she is looking forward to being surrounded by her family and friends. "My goal is to give her the best quality of care from here on out," Gabriela said of her mother. A police report alleges that the driver was impaired at the time of the crash. The unidentified woman was arrested and charged with multiple felonies, according to KTLA. A GoFundMe created by a friend for the Vargas family has raised more than $30,000 as of Sunday night. The fundraiser said the family is facing massive medical bills, ongoing rehabilitation and daily living expenses. "Cristina will need significant support to adapt to her new disability, including making their home accessible and covering the costs of specialized care. The road ahead is long and challenging, but with your help, they can focus on healing rather than the overwhelming financial stress," the fundraiser reads. CALIFORNIA MAN PICKS UP EXPLOSIVE DEVICE ON A BEACH DURING JULY 4 CLEANUP, LOSES HAND The fundraiser described Cristina as a "vibrant and social person with a true lust for life." "She loved to dance and was a regular at events at the senior center, bringing joy and energy wherever she went," the GoFundMe reads. "Her vivacious spirit and love for connecting with others made her a beloved member of the community. This sudden change is especially heartbreaking for someone who has always embraced life so fully and actively." In an Aug. 17 update, Gabriela thanked supporters and said the recovery was progressing slowly. "Thank you everybody for your love and support. We greatly appreciate it. It's a slow recovery but day by day we're getting through it. My mom's spirits remain hopeful as do mine. Recovery is very painful but she's giving it her all," Gabriela said. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a94d6c32c5335ae104d535c Hasan Piker insists Abdul El-Sayed asked him to 'stump' for Michigan campaign amid backlash te 2026-08-31T01:20:03.450Z Hasan Piker insists Abdul El-Sayed asked him to 'stump' for Michigan campaign amid backlash Twitch streamer Hasan Piker said that Democratic Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed asked him to "stump" for his campaign during an interview Friday following the intense backlash the Democratic politician has faced for appearing with him. Piker spoke to Semafor columnist David Weigel about the backlash he has received from Democrats since appearing on the campaign trail with El-Sayed, which he claimed was El-Sayed's idea, not his. "He asked me to stump for him, and I had not considered that ever before," Piker said. "I'd never really delivered a speech like that before." EL-SAYED PALS AROUND WITH FAR-LEFT STREAMER HASAN PIKER THE DAY BEFORE CRUCIAL MICHIGAN SENATE ELECTION Piker added that he had previously decided to get more involved with politics through New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's campaign but did not face significant backlash for that effort compared to campaigning for El-Sayed. He explained that after campaigning for El-Sayed, establishment Democrats and think tanks like Third Way came out to attack him. "I'll admit I didn't realize how much the media would think that this is different," he continued. "I had no idea that in the mindset of, you know, people in D.C., in the mindset of like, establishment media, doing a rally with a politician was apparently far more consequential than flying out to Dearborn and, like, working out with him, doing profiles, fundraising for him. I didn't realize that it was a very different thing," Piker said. He continued, "I did not realize that people would get so mad about it because, from my perspective, who cares if I'm doing a rally with a politician? I'm like, I've already had the guy on, like, a hundred times on the broadcast. You know, I've fundraised for him. I like him a lot. I have my disagreements with him, too, of course. But that was when the onslaught came in." ABDUL EL-SAYED PLAYS DOWN HASAN PIKER TIES AFTER STREAMER’S VIRAL ANTISEMITISM FIRESTORM Fox News Digital reached out to El-Sayed's campaign for comment. El-Sayed has received intense scrutiny for campaigning with Piker despite the far-left Twitch streamer's history of controversial statements, such as claiming America "deserved" 9/11. More recently, El-Sayed has attempted to distance himself from Piker after he suggested Jewish Americans were "making antisemitism worse" by voicing their support of Israel. El-Sayed has since repeatedly referred to Piker as "a streamer from California" with no relevancy to the race. "I am not interested in a conversation about a social media person in California. And to folks who want to make this about a social media person in California, let’s not forget what actually matters in our politics, what our politics are really about," El-Sayed told reporters during Saturday's state Democratic Party Nominating Convention.  MICHIGAN DEMOCRAT DEMANDS REPORTERS STOP ASKING 'ABOUT HASAN PIKER' AHEAD OF SENATE RACE He added, "I don’t ever want my comments to hurt anybody’s feelings. It’s important to me that people understand that I take serious [sic] the pain of all communities in this state. But I don’t want to have a conversation about a Twitch streamer in California. This is not a serious conversation." In a comment to Fox News Digital, El-Sayed also apologized for his past comments made in response to an attack on a Michigan synagogue in March, where he remarked, "Hurt people, hurt people." "To anybody who feels like my comments may have been hurtful, I’m really sorry. That was not my intention. We condemned that terrorist attack. We condemned it outright," El-Sayed told Fox News Digital. "What I was trying to do was offer context for why it happened, but it wasn’t the time for context and you don’t ever want to trample somebody’s pain." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a94d46c2c5335ae104d5302 Nicolás Maduro flashes peace signs in first prison photos since US capture in Caracas te 2026-08-31T01:10:04.607Z Nicolás Maduro flashes peace signs in first prison photos since US capture in Caracas Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro appeared in photos posted to his social media accounts Sunday, offering the first known glimpse of him inside a New York prison since his capture by U.S. forces in January. Maduro, who was flown to the U.S. following a major military operation in Caracas, has been in custody for eight months at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn while facing drug trafficking charges. In the photos, shared to Maduro’s X account, the former dictator wore a matching gray sweatsuit with white sneakers and appeared noticeably thinner as he stood against a plain wall. Maduro said he shared the images as a small gift of hope to his family and supporters, assuring them that "we will remain strong, serene, and confident" and that "Venezuela will be reborn." TRUMP TOUTS ACCESS TO 65 BILLION BARRELS OF VENEZUELAN OIL IN DEAL HE SAYS WILL SLASH GAS PRICES "I send these photos as a small gift to all my grandsons and granddaughters, to the boys and girls, and to all the noble people who love us," Maduro said. "I want you to know that we stand firm, with our hearts full of your love, that love that reaches us transformed into prayer, into constant action, into solidarity and true support. Infinite thanks for every word, for every gesture, for every blessing." "Enjoy this small gift with joy and hope. Cilia and I embrace you forever, with our souls devoted to you and with our faith in God intact," he added, referring to his wife, who was also flown to New York on related drug trafficking charges. MADURO ALLY DEPORTED TO US OVER ALLEGED BILLION-DOLLAR CORRUPTION SCHEME TIED TO OIL, FOOD PROGRAM While Maduro made the post Sunday morning, timestamps on the two photos indicate they were taken June 25, just one day after two major earthquakes killed more than 6,500 people in northern Venezuela near Caracas, according to The Associated Press. The images were released just two days after President Donald Trump announced a breakthrough in U.S.-Venezuela relations, with Venezuela agreeing to give the U.S. majority control over 65 billion barrels of oil from the nation’s reserves. The deal marks a major development for the American oil market as the ongoing war with Iran continues to push up prices at the pump. Since being detained, Maduro has reportedly spent much of his time reading the Bible, according to his son, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, who spoke with El País in May. He added that the former leader has 510 minutes a month, or 8.5 hours, for conversations with people outside the prison, according to the report. Maduro and his wife are expected to go on trial in New York in June 2027. Both have pleaded not guilty and face potential life sentences if a jury finds them guilty of conspiring to send cocaine into the U.S. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a94cfc02c5335ae104d4d7f Appeals court limits what homebuilding constitutes a ‘nuisance’ te 2026-08-31T00:50:08.098Z Appeals court limits what homebuilding constitutes a ‘nuisance’ PHOENIX — Just because a new home might look into a neighbor’s backyard or block a scenic view doesn’t mean it violates state law, the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled.... Subscribe Already a subscriber?  Login The post Appeals court limits what homebuilding constitutes a ‘nuisance’ first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a94cfbe2c5335ae104d4d5f Billions in US aid to Ukraine under microscope as corruption rocks Zelenskyy’s inner circle te 2026-08-31T00:50:06.836Z Billions in US aid to Ukraine under microscope as corruption rocks Zelenskyy’s inner circle Washington is relying on extensive safeguards and dozens of oversight agencies to scrutinize and protect billions of dollars in U.S. aid to Ukraine amid the country’s continuing struggle with corruption, a regional security expert said Sunday. The oversight comes as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s inner circle faces renewed political pressure from widening investigations, with several senior officials and aides resigning, being dismissed or facing investigations since 2025. Zelenskyy dismissed Iryna Mudra, a deputy head of the presidential office, on Aug. 19 as anti-corruption investigators pursued a money-laundering case involving another deputy head of the office. Investigators have not named Mudra as a suspect, The Associated Press reported. ZELENSKYY SAYS PUTIN 'LOST THE INITIATIVE' AS UKRAINE'S TECH INDUSTRY RESHAPES THE WAR "Of course, in all of the former Soviet Union countries, there is significant corruption," former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Carrie Filipetti, now executive director of the Vandenberg Coalition, told Fox News Digital. "A lot more work needs to be done. But we know, at least on the U.S. side, as we're providing support for their military, we have a lot of mechanisms," she said before explaining how dozens of agencies are working on oversight of U.S. aid to Ukraine. The U.S. committed $67.8 billion in defense articles and services to Ukraine from February 2022 through March 2026 through the Presidential Drawdown Authority, the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and Foreign Military Financing, congressional reports show. That support is part of a broader U.S. response to the war. About $195 billion has been appropriated for Operation Atlantic Resolve, including funds to replenish U.S. weapons stocks, support U.S. military operations in Europe and provide economic, development and humanitarian assistance, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. AS TRUMP'S NATO GAMBLE PAYS OFF, ENVOY NAMES ALLIES HE'S STILL WATCHING "Over 24 federal agencies are involved in oversight," Filipetti said. "To make certain that there are no consequences to the U.S. taxpayer, to our equipment in terms of the corruption issue, U.S. contributions are very much protected." In recent months, however, senior Ukrainian officials have resigned, been dismissed or faced scrutiny by the country’s independent anti-corruption bodies, including NABU. Those developments include Andriy Yermak’s Nov. 28, 2025, resignation after investigators searched his premises and Mudra’s Aug. 19 dismissal during a money-laundering probe. Former Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna was dismissed by Zelenskyy as Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S. on Aug. 3, two days before a suspicion notice was served against her, according to the Kyiv Post. He also fired Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov on July 15 in a broader reshuffle over internal wartime disagreements which sparked protests across the nation. ZELENSKYY PRESSURES US AND EUROPE FOR MORE 'AIR DEFENSE' ASSISTANCE AMID ONGOING WAR WITH RUSSIA In interviews after he left government, Fedorov also complained about what he described as ingrained corruption and patronage networks, Reuters reported. "We've seen that Zelenskyy is taking really seriously the criticisms of corruption, and every time there is an allegation, he moves very swiftly to remove those individuals from the government," Filipetti said. "And the fact that there are these independent bodies is, I think, really important. They're listening to them. They're making sure that they're trying to root it out as much as humanly possible." THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT AMERICAN WEAPONS SYSTEMS NATO IS EAGER TO HAVE Zelenskyy has pushed back on suggestions that the investigations implicate him personally. "The heads of anti-corruption agencies have zero questions for me," Zelenskyy said in remarks published Aug. 23 regarding the investigations. "They understand perfectly well that I am not involved in anything like that." A February 2024 USAID inspector general review also found that the agency did not independently verify some Ukrainian health workers’ salary claims before reimbursement, though Filipetti said U.S. economic aid is now reimbursed only after verification. "A lot of what the United States has been providing, we're making sure that everything is through a reimbursement mechanism," Filipetti said. TOP UKRAINIAN OFFICIALS IN ZELENSKYY GOVERNMENT SUBMIT RESIGNATIONS AMID $100 MILLION CORRUPTION SCANDAL She said U.S. aid has not been tied to the money-laundering allegations and remains protected as Ukraine works to combat corruption. The scrutiny also comes as Kyiv faces shortages of Patriot interceptors amid intensified Russian strikes and a need for air defense interceptors. Zelenskyy said he wants to secure 300 additional interceptors for the coming winter, while Ukraine’s air force has requested 360. "One of the most urgent needs that the Ukrainians have right now is interceptor missiles," Filipetti said. "This is why this idea of sending Patriot capabilities and allowing them to produce them on the ground in Ukraine has become so important to Zelenskyy." RUSSIA’S GAS GAMBLE BACKFIRES AS TRUMP’S ENERGY VISION RESHAPES EUROPE President Donald Trump has expressed reluctance to further deplete U.S. missile inventories, saying the United States also needs the weapons, while pressing European allies to shoulder more of Ukraine’s defense burden. "We want missiles too," Trump said Aug. 6 when asked about Zelenskyy’s requests for long-range missiles and Patriot systems. "Biden gave him so much, Biden gave $300 billion worth of ammunition." Filipetti also said Ukraine’s anti-corruption efforts remain an important consideration for its NATO aspirations. "I think every country has been really adamant that the Ukrainians move forward in their anti-corruption mechanisms," Filipetti said. "Obviously, if Ukraine ever wants to be a formal member of NATO, that's something that they will need to prove and demonstrate." Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a94cfbe2c5335ae104d4d56 Alex Palou clinches fourth straight IndyCar title and fifth overall in doubleheader at Milwaukee Mile te 2026-08-31T00:50:06.157Z Alex Palou clinches fourth straight IndyCar title and fifth overall in doubleheader at Milwaukee Mile Àlex Palou officially clinched the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series championship on a doubleheader weekend in Milwaukee that turned into an unusual partial doubleheader on Sunday. The 29-year-old Spaniard qualified well for both races, but served an engine penalty in the first, which got underway on Saturday. Rain, however, caused a red flag at the 90-lap mark, and the rest of the race was postponed to Sunday morning. Come Sunday morning, the track was still too wet, which led to an unusual schedule for the day: Race 2 would get underway at noon local time, finish, and then Race 1 would resume in the late afternoon. Palou started on pole for Race 2 — which was now kind of Race 1.5 — and came home in fifth, with Arrow McLaren's Pato O'Ward winning the race. KYLE KIRKWOOD HANGS ON TO WIN FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX IN WASHINGTON No biggie, because Palou just needed to have a championship lead of more than 54 points when the checkered flag fell on Race 1 (which, again, ended after Race 2; weird, I know), to clinch the title with one race left on the schedule. Palou played it safe for the remaining 160 laps, keeping his nose clean and getting his yellow No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda back in one piece. INDYCAR STAR ALEX PALOU REFLECTS ON WHITE HOUSE, OVAL OFFICE VISIT WITH TRUMP: 'INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE' He did it, coming home tenth in a race that Pato O'Ward won, meaning he pulled off the rare feat of winning two races in one day. But the big story was that Palou had built a big enough points buffer to claim his fifth career title in six years, and his fourth straight. INDYCAR'S FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX SPECTACLE IN WASHINGTON, DC DRAWS MASSIVE TV RATINGS It's an unbelievable run of form for Palou, who is now third on the all-time list for career championships behind AJ Foyt with seven, and his CGR teammate for one more weekend, Scott Dixon, with six. Don't think for a second that Palou will take it easy in the season finale now that he has the title locked up. The season ends at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, one of his best tracks. That race will get underway Sept. 6 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a94cb0e2c5335ae104d4ce1 Abbey Gate survivor describes chaos before attack, says pullout was botched from the start te 2026-08-31T00:30:06.870Z Abbey Gate survivor describes chaos before attack, says pullout was botched from the start Abbey Gate bombing survivor retired Marine Sgt. Tyler Vargas-Andrews said Saturday on "The Big Weekend Show" that U.S. Marines were forced to improvise their way through the chaotic evacuation of Afghanistan after inadequate preparation and support left them facing overwhelming crowds in the days leading up to the deadly attack. Vargas-Andrews, who lost his right arm and left leg in the Aug. 26, 2021, suicide bombing, said Marines at Hamid Karzai International Airport were left to adapt on the ground despite warnings from leadership about how dire the evacuation could become. Vargas-Andrews told Fox News that the failures leading to the attack began well before the first explosion and renewed his call for accountability. "Everything we were doing while we were there was like figuring it out on the go," he said, even as he acknowledged that Marines are trained to "adapt, improvise and overcome." ARMY VET LAWMAKER MARKS ABBEY GATE ANNIVERSARY WITH BLISTERING MESSAGE FOR BIDEN-HARRIS: 'ABJECT FAILURE' "We were lacking in the support. We were giving [the refugees] our food. We were giving them our water. There was no tent set up to process refugees," Vargas-Andrews said. He recounted that day, comparing it to something out of the movie "World War Z," saying, "It was just hundreds of thousands of people. And if I filled up the whole room with sand, that's how many people it felt like [were] there." AMERICA’S PROMISE TO OUR AFGHAN ALLIES IS STILL UNFINISHED FIVE YEARS LATER "We were just put in a very, very precarious situation that could have been better prepared for over the weeks and months prior leading up to that," Vargas-Andrews recalled. "And that decision was never made." Vargas-Andrews said troops had received intelligence warning of a threat, but maintained that nothing was done proactively to prevent it. He did not place responsibility on any single person or group, instead pointing to multiple administrations, the State Department and other organizations and citing "decades of action and inaction and just poor decision-making." Vargas-Andrews welcomed the recent recognition by the Department of War of Marines who served during the evacuation, but said he did not want these awards to overshadow the fact that there has still been no accountability. "It's a good step in the right direction, is what I will say. I think that the real important things still haven't happened, but we hope it does and we pray that it does.," Vargas-Andrews said. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a94c8b62c5335ae104d4c28 Bipartisan revolt against Flock cameras spreads across the states te 2026-08-31T00:20:06.775Z Bipartisan revolt against Flock cameras spreads across the states Governors, attorney generals, state lawmakers and candidates for office are joining the growing, bipartisan tempest over Flock cameras. The solar-powered, artificial intelligence-equipped eyes in the sky capture images of vehicles,... Subscribe Already a subscriber?  Login The post Bipartisan revolt against Flock cameras spreads across the states first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a94c65e2c5335ae104d4be6 Meta settlement won’t stop legislative push te 2026-08-31T00:10:06.570Z Meta settlement won’t stop legislative push State lawmakers and youth advocates are calling for further social media regulations after the blockbuster, multi-billion-dollar settlement announced this week between state attorneys general and Meta. The sweeping agreement is... Subscribe Already a subscriber?  Login The post Meta settlement won’t stop legislative push first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a94c65c2c5335ae104d4bc5 San Diego Padres swept by Rays after outfielder drops fly ball over the fence for a home run: WATCH te 2026-08-31T00:10:04.923Z San Diego Padres swept by Rays after outfielder drops fly ball over the fence for a home run: WATCH With the calendar set to turn to September, the San Diego Padres are fighting for their playoff lives. Entering a tough weekend series against the Tampa Bay Rays, San Diego had a 16-8 record in August, including an impressive sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers. Their slumping offense had finally come alive in recent weeks, with Fernando Tatis Jr. breaking out of a power drought, Jackson Merrill turning around his year, and Ty France continuing to be a surprising offensive force. Their typically aggressive front office improved the pitching staff by bolstering the starting rotation with trades for Casey Mize and Robbie Ray. Mason Miller looked like an unstoppable force on the mound, encountering easily movable objects in the opposing batters box. JUAN SOTO'S MISREAD TURNS ROUTINE SINGLE INTO LITTLE LEAGUE HOME RUN AS METS' WOES CONTINUE Despite the Arizona Diamondbacks hanging around, the final wild card spot in the National League looked like the Padres' to lose. Fast forward to Sunday evening, and the Padres are suddenly on the outside looking in after a sweep in Tampa. That's frustrating enough, but what's worse for the team and their fans is how it happened. Particularly Sunday's 5-4 loss. Entering the bottom of the ninth inning, the Padres had the Rays right where they wanted them, a 3-1 lead with Miller on the mound. Junior Caminero led off the inning with a 78mph single to center, before Miller rebounded to strike out Liam Hicks and get Chandler Simpson to line out. Then, with two outs, Miller got outfielder Jonny DeLuca to hit a fly ball to left field. Samad Taylor had a beat on it, tracked it down into the corner, caught the ball as he ran into the fence and just...dropped it. Game-ending out turns into game-tying homer. Even more infuriating for Padres fans? DeLuca's fly ball had no business being a home run. With an exit velocity of just 90.7mph, the ball traveled 319 feet, with Taylor's help. That's a home run in literally one out of the 30 Major League Baseball stadiums, good for just an .010 expected batting average. Hits with those exact characteristics are outs 99% of the time, and the one percent turns into a game-tying home run. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM It wasn't the last mistake San Diego would make. In the 11th inning, the Padres took a 4-3 lead on a Ty France fly ball, and reliever David Morgan got superstar Junior Caminero to strike out to start the bottom of the inning. Liam Hicks poked a bloop single to center, and San Diego walked Chandler Simpson to set up a double play after Hicks stole second. Then DeLuca, again DeLuca, tapped a weakly hit grounder to shortstop Xander Bogaerts. Bogaerts had an easy out at home to get the second out and keep the game 4-3 and flubbed it, tying the score and putting the winning run at third with one out. Jorge Mateo immediately laced a walk-off single to left for the sweep, ending a brutal game and weekend for San Diego. ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW! The loss dropped the Padres to 72-65, and if the season ended today, they'd miss the postseason after two straight appearances. It's hard to pin the outcome on Miller; he got DeLuca to hit what amounts to a routine fly ball to left to end the game, but the unique dimensions at Tropicana Field and a fluky misplay by Taylor led to the ball going over the fence. Bogaerts is typically sure-handed, but couldn't come up with a play he makes 99% of the time. That's what makes baseball so impossible to predict, and so exciting to watch. The margins between teams, games, and playoff appearances is often razor thin. While the team's fans will be lamenting a missed opportunity, for neutral baseball fans, the race for the final NL wild card spot is set to provide incredible drama. The Diamondbacks and Padres are separated by just half a game, they're tied in the all-important loss column, and the two finish the regular season by playing a three-game series against each other in San Diego. Even better, the season series between the two is tied at five apiece, meaning that final series will determine the tiebreaker. And thanks to the left-field fence in Tampa, it might be the most exciting three-games of the year. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/post/6a94c4062c5335ae104d4b8e Curacao wins second Little League World Series in country's history, first since 2004 te 2026-08-31T00:00:06.549Z Curacao wins second Little League World Series in country's history, first since 2004 A dream 22 years in the making has become a reality, as Curaçao has captured its first Little League World Series title since 2004. The tiny island nation of less than 200,000 citizens rode a dominant pitching performance and an offensive onslaught to an 11-2 victory over Nevada in the championship game. It was the second championship in the country's history, coming on the heels of their shutout victory over Japan in the International final. LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES SIGN-STEALING CONTROVERSY ERUPTS FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR Nevada was looking for its first world championship after winning the U.S. title, and even took an early two-run lead in the second before Curacao would prove to be too much for The Silver State. Curaçao would immediately tie things up in the third before breaking the game wide open and scoring a combined nine runs in the subsequent three innings. STATE CHAMPIONSHIP HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL GAME ENDS IN CHAOS AS PLAYER DOES SOMETHING RARE, BUT BEAUTIFUL The game wasn't without its drama, though, as Nevada had the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth inning with a loud out to straightaway center field that carried to the warning track. If that ball flies a little further, perhaps the Curaçao players start to sweat a bit more, but even then, a five-run gap would likely have been too large a gulf to overcome for the American team. Long viewed as a Little League World Series powerhouse, Curaçao legitimized those claims by running roughshod through the entire tournament, and, in the process, becoming only the second team in LLBWS history to win a title with the country’s name on its uniform, joining Japan. Japan would claim a prize of their own in this tournament, taking Ohio down by a score of 4-2 to claim a victory in the consolation game. Curaçao has been on a historic run with regard to international sports, as their soccer team also made it to the FIFA World Cup for the first time in program history and even recorded a point in the group stage. Congratulations to these young men for seeing their hard work come to fruition. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana https://meenews.co/home