Cast down imaginations & every high thing that exalts itself against God

https://www.foxnews.com/travel/man-built-country-400-citizens-says-all-began-experiment

A man has declared himself president of a self-proclaimed country nestled in a disputed patch of land between Croatia and Serbia — and it comes complete with a flag, cabinet, currency and nearly 400 citizens.

Daniel Jackson founded the Free Republic of Verdis, a 0.5-square-kilometer (less than 125 acres) sliver of forest along the Danube River. He did so after discovering the area was unclaimed by either neighboring country due to an ongoing border dispute.

"Verdis was an idea I had when I was 14," said Jackson, who is 20 years old. "It was just a bit of an experiment at first with a few mates. We have all dreamed of creating something crazy."

MAN DISCOVERS ‘GHOST TOWN’ FULL OF EMPTY, EERIE HOTELS: ‘LIKE A TIME CAPSULE’

Jackson officially declared the republic’s independence on May 30, 2019, news agency SWNS reported.

The area the British man claimed, known on maps as "pocket three," has since been named the world’s second-smallest country, right behind Vatican City.

The digital designer, who earns a living by creating virtual worlds on Roblox, began shaping Verdis into a functioning government when he was just 18. 

"We started making Verdis a reality when I was 18 by forming some laws and a flag," he said. "We have now built up a government and have a great cabinet," he said.

SCHOOLBOY SPOTS AMERICAN REVOLUTION WARSHIP ON BEACH AFTER STORM UNCOVERS 230-YEAR-OLD WRECK

The official languages of Verdis are English, Croatian and Serbian — and the nation uses the Euro as its currency. 

Verdis is accessible only by boat from the Croatian city of Osijek, though attempts to settle there have gotten some significant resistance.

In October 2023, Croatian police detained several settlers, along with Jackson himself, before deporting them and issuing him a lifetime ban from entering the country. 

MYSTERIOUS RARE PURPLE SHELL WASHES UP ON SHORES OF BEACH AFTER LONG ABSENCE

"They deported us but couldn’t give a reason why," Jackson said. "They said we were a threat to homeland security."

Now operating what he calls a "government in exile," Jackson has accused Croatian authorities of installing surveillance along his country's shoreline to block access from Serbia, SWNS reported. 

"We have had a lot of problems with Croatian authorities, but we do want a good relationship with them in the future," he added. 

"They haven’t taken to us kindly and have been aggressive," he claimed. 

ANCIENT 'STICK FIGURES' ON BEACH ONCE AGAIN VISIBLE AT TOURIST DESTINATION

Per SWNS, Jackson now travels frequently to Belgrade, Serbia, where he says officials have been more receptive. 

Despite his ban from Croatia, he continues to advocate for the right to access Verdis and hopes to return to live there one day.

"If successful, I would step down from my position and call an election," he said. 

"I am not interested in power at all … I just want to be a normal citizen. It has been eye-opening, and I am quite proud of what I have achieved," he added. 

Verdis began with just four people but now claims over 400 official citizens from a pool of more than 15,000 applicants. 

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Each person receives a passport — though Jackson has warned people against trying to use it for actual international travel. 

That said, some citizens have reportedly used their Verdisian passport to enter other countries.

"It is a very small country so we have to be careful who we let in," Jackson told SWNS. 

"When it comes to approving people, we look for in-demand skill sets such as experience in medicine or policing."

Despite mounting setbacks, Jackson said he remains optimistic. 

"It is a matter of when, not if, we get back on the land," he said. 

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"Croatia doesn’t claim the land, so we have the right to it, and we believe that we have a good chance."

Jackson, who is originally from Australia, is determined to make Verdis more than just a thought experiment, SWNS reported.

"To the naked eye it is just a lot of forest, but when you realize that you are in a country you have created, it is magical," he said.

https://www.foxnews.com/travel/man-built-country-400-citizens-says-all-began-experiment

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/tyra-banks-david-beckham-jessica-biel-stun-fans-shock-habits

Tyra Banks doesn't think there is ever a bad time to snack.

During a recent appearance on "Today with Jenna & Friends," the former Victoria's Secret model shared that she loves getting into bed with her mom and snacking on ice cream and popcorn. Host Jenna Bush Hager then admitted she "isn't into eating in bed" because she is "a little bit of a messy eater" and will get crumbs everywhere.

"I clean crumbs by eating them, because if you put it in the trash, I’m like, ‘You might get roaches or something.’ So just clean it up with your finger and eat it," Banks responded, adding "if it's not super perishable." 

"Like popcorn? C’mon. That’s like astronaut food, it lasts forever. You just pick it up. I’m not joking."

The "America's Next Top Model" host isn't the only celebrity to admit to their stunning habits, with Martha Stewart sharing she's always wearing a bathing suit to Jessica Simpson confessing she brushes her teeth a few times per week. 

Here are some of the most shocking habits celebrities have admitted to.

David Beckham has spoken about his need for everything to be organized on a number of occasions.

When speaking to a panel in Florida for the launch of his supplement brand, IM8, Beckham admitted to being so organized, "to the point where it’s quite tiring every single day," per Page Six. He later joked that his need for perfection "annoys" his wife and kids sometimes.

He initially spoke about his organizational habits in an episode of his four-part Netflix documentary, "Beckham."

"I’ve got this obsessive compulsive disorder where I have to have everything in a straight line or everything has to be in pairs," he explained in an episode. "I’ll put my Pepsi cans in the fridge and if there’s one too many then I’ll put it in another cupboard somewhere … everything has to be perfect."

Stewart made a surprising confession when speaking with Page Six in February 2024.

While speaking to the outlet, Steward admitted she likes to wear "bathing suits under my clothes" in case she gets the opportunity to go swimming.

"Bathing suits are my underwear," she explained. "I don’t wear any of that structured stuff. No tight lace, no Skims for Martha. But I love Skims. I think they serve a very good purpose – but I don’t wear those. I only wear Aerie bathing suits under my clothes."

She later joked that Kim Kardashian might be mad at her for saying that, before assuring herself, "No, she won’t be mad at me. She knows I don’t wear Skims."

MARTHA STEWART ADMITS SHE’S NEVER ORDERED TAKEOUT DESPITE BEING UBER EATS SPOKESPERSON

Simpson has unique habits when it comes to her oral hygiene. 

During an appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in May 2010, the "Take My Breath Away" singer shared she only brushes her teeth "maybe three times a week."

"My teeth are so white, and I don't like them to feel too slippery, but I do use Listerine, and I do floss every day," she said on the show. "But I don't brush them every day. I'll use a shirt or something ... I know it's gross, but I always have fresh breath."

The singer admitted that her routine is "really weird" but maintained that she doesn't like brushing because it makes her teeth "too slippery" and she feels like her "lips are sliding all over the place."

Jessica Biel is all about multitasking.

In a January 2024 TikTok video, the "7th Heaven" star shared her best tips for eating in the shower, saying she wants to start "a shower-eating movement," believing it will "be a relief in so many ways."

"I like to take a bite or a sip and put it on the ledge, and then you do your thing. You wash your hair — keep the soap out — that's a big deal. It's pretty simple, guys. You can do this. I find it deeply satisfying," she said.

She continued: "The only tricky thing is that when you're chewing, you got to keep your mouth closed because I still like to get under the water while I'm chewing, and for whatever reason, I want to open my mouth at the same time and spit water."

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The actress confessed to snacking in the shower when she posted a now-deleted photo of an empty plate with utensils on it and a cup of coffee sitting on the ledge of her shower, captioning the post, "Yes. I eat in the shower. I admit it."

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Angelina Jolie has an eccentric taste when it comes to her food.

In a video shared by the BBC in February 2017, the "Maria" actress can be seen cooking up spiders and scorpions on a stove with her children while in Cambodia.

"I first had them when I was first in country," she said. "Crickets — you start with crickets. Crickets and a beer, and then you kind of move up to tarantulas."

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She even gave her children tips on how to best prepare spiders, telling them "See the hard part where you have the teeth? Take the fangs out." She then split a spider with her children and shared that the scorpion was "hard to chew." Her son, Knox, compared the bugs to "flavorless chips."

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Paris Hilton sent shockwaves through social media when she shared her "trick" when it comes to eating pizza.

In a May 2025 TikTok video, Hilton can be seen picking up a slice of pizza and dropping it upside down on top of a pizza box in order to get the excess grease off of it, telling viewers, "that's my trick," before picking it up and taking a bite.

"I'm full of #Sliving tips #ThatsHot," she captioned the post. 

While some fans were impressed by her party trick, others were concerned about the idea of putting her food on a dirty pizza box.

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"It was a brand new pizza box, so it wasn't from some random place," she says on the red carpet at the premiere of her movie "The Trainer" in June. "[The pizza box] was for the photo shoot." She stood by her trick, saying, "It is a good hack."

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/tyra-banks-david-beckham-jessica-biel-stun-fans-shock-habits

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/phillies-superstar-bryce-harper-ejected-vehemently-disagreeing-check-swing-call

Philadelphia Phillies superstar Bryce Harper was ejected after vehemently disagreeing with a check-swing call in the third inning of the team’s 5-4 win over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night at Citizens Bank Park.

Harper was up, with runners on second and third base in the bottom of the seventh inning and the game tied 3-3. The count was full, and Harper tried to check his swing as Tigers’ relief pitcher Will Vest’s breaking ball was in the dirt. 

Third base umpire Vic Carapazza called Harper out on the check swing, and Harper was irate. He immediately took his helmet off and started waving his arms in disgust. 

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As Harper walked towards Carapazza he appeared to say, "There is no f------ way," and was promptly ejected.

Harper said his ejection was "warranted."

"I left the batter's box walking toward him, so I think it was warranted," Harper said.

YANKEES LOSE HEARTBREAKER AFTER NEW BULLPEN, OTHER TRADE PIECE PULL OFF THE IMPOSSIBLE VS MARLINS

"Can't get thrown out in that situation, especially with the ninth inning possibly coming around and my at-bat coming up," he added.

Following Harper’s ejection in the bottom of the seventh inning, Tigers right fielder Wenceel Perez hit a solo home run to put them up 4-3. 

However, the Phillies responded in the bottom of the eighth inning with two runs. Left fielder Otto Kemp doubled to score right fielder Nick Castellanos to tie the game at 4-4.

Second baseman Bryson Stott singled to score Kemp to give the Phillies a 5-4 lead they would not relinquish. 

With the Phillies' win, and the New York Mets' loss, the Phillies overtook the Mets for first place in the National League East.

The Phillies (62-47) will look to keep their winning ways when they play the Tigers (64-47) in the second game of their three-game series on Saturday at 4:05 p.m. ET. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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https://www.foxnews.com/sports/phillies-superstar-bryce-harper-ejected-vehemently-disagreeing-check-swing-call

https://www.foxnews.com/travel/radioactive-wasp-nest-discovered-workers-former-nuclear-bomb-site

Officials at a former nuclear bomb site in South Carolina have discovered a radioactive wasp nest.

Workers were conducting a routine radiation level check at the Savannah River Site near Aiken when a nest was identified with liquid nuclear waste tanks, The Associated Press (AP) reported.

The U.S. Department of Energy filed a report on July 22 stating the nest had 10 times the radiation level that is permitted by federal regulations. 

'CARBON PASSPORTS' WOULD TRACK TRAVEL AND EVEN RESTRICT HOW SOME PEOPLE TAKE VACATION

Officials said no wasps were found at the nest. 

"The wasp nest was sprayed to kill wasps, then bagged as radiological waste," the report said. "The ground and surround[ing] area did not have any contamination."

It is believed the nest became radioactive through "onsite legacy radioactive contamination" from activity left when the site was fully operational.

The site now makes fuel for nuclear plants and cleanup, AP reported. There are still 43 of the underground tanks in use, while eight have been closed.

A watchdog group, Savannah River Site Watch, called out the report, saying it lacked details about the source of the contamination and how the wasps encountered it, according to AP.

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Tom Clements, Savannah River Site Watch executive director, slammed the report in text messages obtained by AP.

"I’m as mad as a hornet that SRS didn’t explain where the radioactive waste came from or if there is some kind of leak from the waste tanks that the public should be aware of," Clements wrote, as AP reported.

The Savannah River Mission Completion monitors the site and provided a statement to the Aiken Standard, a local news outlet.

"Upon discovery of the contaminated nest, the immediate area was secured and surveyed; no contamination was found in the area," the statement noted. 

"There were no impacts to workers, the environment or the public."

The nest was found in F Tank Farm area, which is "centrally located inside the 310-square-mile Savannah River Site. Generally, wasps travel only a few hundred yards from their nest," it continued.

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In 1950, President Harry Truman announced that the United States would accelerate the atomic energy program; the plant opened during the start of the Cold War. 

The plant was in charge of producing "basic materials" in support of American defense programs, primarily tritium and plutonium-239, according to the Savannah River Site. 

It has produced over 165 million gallons of liquid nuclear waste, reducing it through evaporation to about 34 million gallons, according to Savannah River Mission Completion.

Of the remaining 43 tanks, eight have closed. 

Regarding the radioactive wasp nest, three additional nests have since been discovered at the site, The New York Times reported on Saturday. 

The Savannah River Site occupies some 310 square miles in the sandhills of South Carolina, near the Georgia border. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

https://www.foxnews.com/travel/radioactive-wasp-nest-discovered-workers-former-nuclear-bomb-site

https://www.foxnews.com/us/teacher-accused-arkansas-hiking-murders-bounced-between-4-districts-3-states

The 28-year-old teacher accused of stabbing a married couple to death in front of their children at Arkansas’ Devil’s Den State Park bounced between four districts in three states prior to the alleged murders, a report said. 

Andrew McGann – who was charged with two counts of capital murder in the killing Saturday of Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41 – was once placed on administrative leave at an elementary school in the Dallas suburb of Flower Mound, Texas, in spring 2023 after concerns were raised about his classroom management, according to the Associated Press. 

A parent whose son was in McGann’s fifth grade class in Oklahoma that year also told the AP that he remembers him being "reserved" and "not super friendly," and that McGann was "just off-putting" the first time they met. 

"He wouldn’t look at me really, wouldn’t talk to me. He would only really talk to the kids and he would just walk away," Kyle Swanson said. "I don’t know, it was a strange interaction."  

ARKANSAS HIKING MURDERS: TIMELINE REVEALS TEACHER SUSPECT’S ROUTE FROM CLASSROOM TO COURTROOM 

McGann, who graduated in spring 2022 from Oklahoma State University-Tulsa with a Bachelor of science degree in elementary education, has active teaching licenses in Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma, according to each respective government certification website. No infractions or suspensions are noted on his public state licensures in any of those states, the AP reported. 

McGann was placed on administrative leave in spring 2023 while he was employed at Donald Elementary School in Flower Mound, Texas, "following concerns related to classroom management, professional judgment, and student favoritism," according to a spokesperson for the Lewisville Independent School District. 

Sierra Marcum, whose son was in McGann’s fourth grade class, told the AP that McGann came across as "pretty cold" and "disinterested in his students." Marcum said her son came home from school upset about some of McGann’s behavior, which she reported to the school’s principal. 

VIDEO SHOWS ARKANSAS HIKING MURDER SUSPECT ARRESTED MID-HAIRCUT 

McGann resigned from the Lewisville posting in May 2023, the district said in a statement. 

The following school year, he taught fifth grade at an elementary school in the Tulsa suburb of Broken Arrow before leaving to take another job at a separate Tulsa-area district, Sand Springs, from the summer of 2024 until May of this year. Officials with both Oklahoma districts said McGann passed all background checks. 

McGann was expected to start a new job at Springdale Public Schools in northwest Arkansas on Aug. 11, according to the AP. Then the murders unfolded on July 26 in what police have described as a seemingly "random" attack. 

McGann made his first appearance on Friday before an Arkansas judge, who ordered him to be held without bond at the Washington County Detention Center, assigned him a public defender and scheduled his arraignment for Aug. 25. 

Amy Labree, who knew Cristen Brink from a church in Miles City, Montana, told Fox News she had a beautiful voice and was involved in music at the church.

"She got As in nursing school while raising babies and taking care of her family," Labree said. "I loved her so much and it just doesn't seem real. Just seems there should be something I could do to take all this terrible tragedy back.  Sadly, they are gone."

Fox News' Ashley Papa and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

https://www.foxnews.com/us/teacher-accused-arkansas-hiking-murders-bounced-between-4-districts-3-states

https://www.foxnews.com/health/common-sweetener-could-hold-untapped-potential-fight-aggressive-cancer-study-finds

A household sweetener could hold the potential to create an anti-cancer treatment.

New research from Hiroshima University in Japan revealed that stevia leaf extract could help fight pancreatic cancer cells.

The leaves of the stevia plant (Stevia rebaudiana) are used to make stevia extract, a naturally sweet substance commonly used as a sugar substitute.

TWO CANCER DRUGS SHOW PROMISE IN REVERSING ALZHEIMER'S DEVASTATING EFFECTS

The study, published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, investigated the anti-cancer properties of stevia leaf extract when it is fermented with a certain strain of bacteria.

In laboratory research, the fermented extract exhibited "significantly enhanced antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity" against pancreatic cancer cells, the researchers revealed.

This led them to believe that this substance could serve as a "promising candidate for pancreatic cancer treatment."

Paul E. Oberstein, M.D., medical oncologist and assistant director of the Pancreatic Cancer Center at NYU Langone Perlmutter Cancer Center, shared his thoughts in an interview with Fox News Digital.

ANCIENT 'PHARAOH'S CURSE' FUNGUS SHOWS PROMISE IN KILLING CANCER CELLS

"This is an interesting study because it evaluated something derived from a natural plant (stevia) and showed that it may have utility in stopping cancer cells from growing in the laboratory," he said.

"As the authors point out, the actual stevia plant does not seem to have any benefit for stopping cancer, so they had to use a chemical process to change the plant and make it stronger with a fermentation process."

Oberstein recommended approaching this with caution, as it is unknown whether altering the plant will lead to side effects or toxicity.

The study was not performed on humans, so there is "still a lot that’s unknown about whether this will help patients," the oncologist added.

As stevia extract alone does not have an impact on cancer cells, Oberstein said these findings most likely will not lead to any immediate changes in treatment plans.

"The study suggests that if the stevia can be changed in the lab, it may have an impact, so hopefully they will further test this and determine whether this effect happens when tested in people and if it doesn’t cause new side effects," he added.

"I hope the researchers keep testing this in various formats and in people."

Dr. Kristen Arnold, a surgical oncologist and pancreatic cancer specialist at the Orlando Health Cancer Institute, reacted to these study findings in a separate interview with Fox News Digital.

"Pancreatic cancer is a very aggressive malignancy," she said. "And we know that even with the most aggressive of therapies, unfortunately, our outcomes are not good."

"As a pancreatic cancer community, we spend a lot of time and there's a lot of ongoing effort into trying to find better modalities to treat this disease."

Although more research is needed to confirm these preliminary findings, Arnold said she is encouraged by the study.

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"I think the data's very early to know if it's ultimately going to be a game-changer, but it's very exciting to know that we're finding some positive pre-clinical data," she said.

"This is the process of how we discover new treatments – some of which turn out to be absolute game-changers and make dramatic changes in the lives of our patients."

"Not all of it pans out, but it's a process of discovery," Arnold added.

For those with pancreatic cancer, Arnold recommends seeking out appropriate clinical trial opportunities as new science develops.

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"The clinical trials are ultimately what determine how we treat patients on a day-to-day basis," she added.

Fox News Digital reached out to the study authors for comment.

https://www.foxnews.com/health/common-sweetener-could-hold-untapped-potential-fight-aggressive-cancer-study-finds

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/was-president-up-job-steve-ricchetti-defends-bidens-fitness-gop-seeks-answers

Steve Ricchetti was the gatekeeper for former President Biden.

But House Republican investigators hoped Ricchetti was the key to unlocking answers about Mr. Biden’s cognitive state when he was commander in chief.

The House Oversight Committee summoned Ricchetti for a closed-door deposition recently. Ricchetti worked for President Clinton, was Biden’s top aide when he was Vice President and served as a key advisor in the Biden White House. He frequently visited Capitol Hill as President Biden and Congressional Republicans negotiated a debt ceiling pact in the spring of 2023.

"What’s your message to the committee today?" yours truly asked Ricchetti when he materialized on the third floor of the Rayburn House Office Building for a voluntary, transcribed interrogation.

"I’m not going to say anything on the way in. I’m just going to go in and give an interview," replied Ricchetti.

"Was the President up for the job?" I inquired.

"Of course he was," answered Ricchetti. "Of course he was."

SENATE REPUBLICANS PLAN HEARING ON BIDEN'S ALLEGED COGNITIVE DECLINE COVER-UP

In a statement, Ricchetti conceded that former President Biden "occasionally stumbled." But he argued the former president was fit for the job. Ricchetti added that no one "usurped President Biden’s Constitutional duties."

 In their inquest, Republicans have specific questions about the former President’s use of the autopen and about legal documents bearing Mr. Biden’s signature.

"Who was signing any of these documents and who was running the White House?" asked Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., on Fox. "That’s the biggest, weirdest scandal probably in American history since Woodrow Wilson’s wife was running the White House."

That refers to First Lady Edith Wilson. Historians generally believe that she took over day-to-day executive functions after President Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke.

"Anything that had the force of (law) that was signed by autopen should be null and void," argued Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, on Fox Business.

Unlike Ricchetti, three other Biden figures have ducked questions when summoned for closed-door interviews. The Oversight Committee issued subpoenas for former Biden administration aide Annie Tomasini, former Jill Biden aide Anthony Bernal and the President’s former physician, White House doctor Kevin O’Connor. All three invoked the Fifth Amendment during their sessions before the House Oversight Committee, declining to answer questions.

BIDEN'S AUTOPEN USE QUESTIONED AMID RELEASED AUDIO FROM SPECIAL COUNSEL HUR INTERVIEW

"I think the real witness is the doctor. And unfortunately, he took the Fifth," said Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan.

 Marshall himself is an OB-GYN.          

"A doctor certainly has an obligation ethically to protect (a patient) for privacy. But the needs of the country – the national security issue, legal issues – trump that relationship as well," said Marshall.

Democrats contend Republicans are flailing in their probe of the former President. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., believes the GOP should focus on the economy and affordability issues.

"Message to House Republicans," declared Welch. "You won the election. I mean, I’m not quite sure why they want to waste time on this."

"He’s not the president," said Sen. John Fetterman, D-Penn., of former President Biden. "I think we really should just move (on)."

Fetterman himself faced questions about his health after suffering a stroke during his 2022 campaign and hospitalization for depression after taking office as a senator in 2023.

But Republicans contend the Biden investigation is critical. Former President Biden’s medical state isn’t clear, although the public saw his performance in the debate last June. Republicans insist their probe is about figuring out what to do if a future President struggles cognitively.

SENATE HEARING ON WHO WAS 'REALLY RUNNING' BIDEN WHITE HOUSE KICKS OFF WEDNESDAY

"What we’re doing today is setting sort of a template for the future," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. "How can we make it better? Because it’s a Democratic President today. It may be a Republican President tomorrow."

It’s not just a challenge for the presidency. But for lawmakers, too. In recent years, Capitol Hill has witnessed uncomfortable, steady declines of late Sens. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C., Thad Cochran, R-Miss., Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Rep. Kay Granger, R-Tex.

"Hopefully all of us make the right decision when it’s appropriate," said Welch. "And we have people around us to do the right thing."

Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., is one of the most conservative, politically pragmatic Democrats in the House. She represents a district President Trump carried three times. And even though Sens. Patty Muray, D-Wash., and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., routinely win statewide, they fail to carry Gluesenkamp Perez’s district. Gluesenkamp Perez bested GOP nominee Joe Kent - for a second time – by four points in 2024.

The 36-year-old Gluesenkamp Perez introduced a plan requiring cognitive standards for persons to serve in the House.

The House Appropriations Committee rejected her amendment late last month.

However, there are Constitutional and legal problems with imposing a cognitive exam on prospective lawmakers.

Article, I, Section 5 of the Constitution says the House and Senate "may determine the Rules of its Proceedings." So, it’s possible the House or Senate could impose a "rule" dictating a test. The same part of the Constitution says each body may judge "the qualifications of its own Members."

INSIDE THE BIDEN COVER-UP PROBE: 8 AIDES QUESTIONED, MORE ON THE WAY

But imposing an additional provision for eligibility to serve could be extra-constitutional. For instance, Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution says House Members must be at least 25-years-old, have been a citizen for seven years and reside in the state from which they were elected. A senator must be 30, a citizen for nine years and live in the state they represent. However, heaping another mandate on top of that is a problem.

This is why the Supreme Court found term limits to be unconstitutional. An additional "rule" – such as how long one can serve – introduces an extra qualification not outlined in the Constitution. That’s why the Supreme Court ruled against term limits proposals. It’s likely the High Court would follow suit with additional stipulations to serve in Congress.

Moreover, installing an acuity credential holds the potential to undo the will of the voters.

Late Rep. Adam Clayton Powell, D-N.Y., faced ethics issues in the late 1960s. Voters re-elected Powell in 1966. But the House refused to seat him. Powell sued. In Powell v. McCormick, the Supreme Court found that the House didn’t have the right to exclude Powell. The High Court argued that the House’s refusal to seat Powell wasn’t Constitutional since it placed additional conditions on his service in Congress.

There’s no easy solution on how to handle an impaired President or lawmaker. It is often said Congress simply reflects the rest of the country. There are cognitively-diminished persons serving in every walk of life in the U.S. And that’s a reality for those in government, too.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/was-president-up-job-steve-ricchetti-defends-bidens-fitness-gop-seeks-answers

https://www.foxnews.com/media/jd-vance-says-hes-obsessed-eerie-ufo-videos

Vice President JD Vance revealed that he is "obsessed" with mysterious UFO videos during an appearance on the "Ruthless" podcast on Friday.

"I'm obsessed with the whole UFO thing. What’s actually going on? What were those videos all about? What’s actually happening?" he questioned. "I haven’t gotten to the bottom of it yet, but we’re only six months in."

"The August [congressional] recess is, in part, me going to try and dive to the bottom of the whole UFO thing last year," the vice president joked. 

Vance jokingly offered to take the show’s hosts to Area 51 "once I get to the bottom of it." 

Although the vice president didn't specify the exact "videos" that have captivated his attention, there was no shortage of videos and news headlines related to aerial phenomena last year.

MILITARY JET'S MYSTERIOUS COLLISION RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT ADVANCED UFOS IN US AIRSPACE: 'BEEN HERE ALL ALONG'

Last November, the House Oversight Committee held a hearing on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs) which was aimed at getting to the bottom of the Pentagon's investigations into UAPs, and heard the testimony of numerous experts and witnesses working with or in the alleged programs.

A former Pentagon official testified to Congress that the U.S. government has evidence that "we are not alone in the cosmos," but that a "cabal" of officials is hiding the information.

The official, Luis Elizondo, is the former head of the Defense Department's Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), which was tasked with investigating UAPs. He and other witnesses testified before the House Oversight Committee.

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"Excessive secrecy has lead to grave misdeeds against loyal civil servants, military personnel and the public, all to hide the fact that we are not alone in the cosmos," Elizondo said, later calling the group a "cabal."

In December, SUV-sized drones were seen over the skies of New Jersey, terrifying some residents and prompting the Trump administration to release a report on the phenomenon.

The White House revealed their findings in late January, and stated that some of the drones seen flying over New Jersey and other parts of the country in November were authorized to be flown by the Federal Aviation Administration.

"After research and study, the drones that were flying over New Jersey in large numbers were authorized by the FAA for research and various other reasons," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

Fox News' Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.

https://www.foxnews.com/media/jd-vance-says-hes-obsessed-eerie-ufo-videos

https://www.foxnews.com/world/france-deport-palestinian-woman-over-antisemitic-post-featuring-hitler-halts-gaza-evacuations

France is halting all evacuations of Gazans fleeing the war-torn enclave amid growing outrage over a Palestinian student allegedly reposting antisemitic content on her social media.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told France Info radio that the woman "must leave the country" and that she "has no place" in France.

"No evacuation of any kind will take place until we have drawn the necessary conclusions from this investigation," Barrot said in the interview. He also vowed there would be a probe into how the Palestinian woman was able to get a student visa.

French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau also expressed outrage over the incident, writing on X, "Hamas propagandists have no place in our country."

The now-expelled Sciences Po Lille student, who has not been identified by the French government, is accused of sharing a post with an image of Adolf Hitler that called for killing Jews.

According to a screenshot shared by the Jerusalem Post, the caption of the Hitler image—when translated by Grok from Arabic to English — read: "Kill the Jews everywhere. I don’t want a Jewish lineage on this earth. You must kill them before they kill you."

FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON TO RECOGNIZE 'STATE OF PALESTINE' IN SEPTEMBER AT UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

In a thread on X, Sciences Po Lille said its administration became aware of the student’s posts due to a report by Radio Monte-Carlo (RMC). The school condemned the posts, saying the content is in "direct contradiction with the values upheld by Sciences Po Lille." It added that the institution rejects antisemitism, discrimination, and incitement to hatred.

"France has no obligation to host international students who glorify terrorism, crimes against humanity, or antisemitism," French Minister of Higher Education Philippe Baptiste wrote. "Whether they come from Gaza or elsewhere, international students who express or relay such views have no place in our country, nor on our soil."

Baptiste also vowed that the French government would "do everything necessary to ensure that the case of the Palestinian student admitted to Sciences Po Lille, who shared extremely serious comments on social media, is handled with the utmost firmness."

TRUMP SHRUGS OFF FRANCE’S RECOGNITION OF PALESTINE AS RUBIO, PROMINENT REPUBLICANS BLAST MOVE

French President Emmanuel Macron, who recently drew the ire of the U.S. and Israel over a plan to recognize a Palestinian state, has yet to comment on the matter regarding the student.

According to Macron’s plan, Paris will recognize a Palestinian state in September. The country appeared to lay the groundwork for this at the United Nations earlier this week as it co-chaired a conference with Saudi Arabia. During the conference, several nations signed the "New York Declaration," which calls for Hamas to disarm and surrender control of Gaza to the Palestinian Authority. The declaration also demands that Israel evacuate its forces from the Strip.

TRUMP REJECTS MACRON MOVE AS US SKIPS UN SUMMIT ON PALESTINIAN STATE

The U.S. objected to the conference before it began, with State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce calling it "unproductive and ill-timed." She also dismissed it as a "publicity stunt that comes in the middle of delicate diplomatic efforts to end the conflict."

"As Secretary Rubio has made clear, this effort is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th and a reward for terrorism. It keeps hostages trapped in tunnels," Bruce said. "The United States will not participate in this insult but will continue to lead real-world efforts to end the fighting and deliver a permanent peace.  Our focus remains on serious diplomacy: not stage-managed conferences designed to manufacture the appearance of relevance."

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Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon also objected to the conference.

"Israel has already agreed many times to a ceasefire. No token recognition and no UN resolution will change the basic fact that there are those in the world who fight terrorists and extremist forces and then there are those who turn a blind eye to them or resort to appeasement," Danon said in a statement.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/france-deport-palestinian-woman-over-antisemitic-post-featuring-hitler-halts-gaza-evacuations

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/david-marcus-fetterman-calls-fellow-democrats-just-gross-shunning-israel

There is a growing notion that support for Israel is becoming a divisive issue on the American right, owing mostly to a handful of influencers who nobody who isn’t terminally online has ever heard of, but in fact, it's Democrats who are divided in very plain sight.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., an emerging leader in the caucus, on Friday took to X to say that "Recognizing a Palestinian State is an idea whose time has come," which mirrors plans by France, the UK, and Canada, to do just that.

'POD SAVE AMERICA' OBAMA BROS WANT TO SEE DEMOCRATS TOTALLY CUT OFF AID TO ISRAEL

I pointed out to the congressman that by "handing out prizes for massacring teenagers at music festivals, Hamas will learn this lesson well and execute it in blood," which was to say, if they are rewarded, they will do it again.

Here it gets interesting. As Khana points out, his proposal "explicitly calls for a democratic Palestine where Hamas is not in power and has disarmed." This led me press the congressman on whether this recognition would take place before or after Hamas actually left power.

"I am for recognizing a Palestinian state (non Hamas representative) and then working with the 22 Arab countries to work on a democratic Palestine," he replied.

So, in effect, the answer was that, yes, as a result of the barbarism of Oct. 7, 2023 and its aftermath, Khanna wants to reward the terrorists with the achievement of their secondary goal, a Palestinian state. Their primary goal, of course, is the destruction of Israel.

I decided to see how a pro-Israel Democrat voice on Capitol Hill would react to Khanna’s proposal, so I asked Sen. John Fetterman, D-Penn., to weigh in. Boy did he.

"Witnessing many in the media and in my party turning Israel into a pariah state is just gross," the maverick lawmaker told me.

Fetterman makes a key point here: The sudden calls for a Palestinian state are clearly not just a rebuke of Israel, but a threat to it. The Jewish state is being told to end its war, even with Hamas in power, or else.

The good news here is that Rep. Khanna and his anti-Israel allies have no more power to recognize a Palestinian state than you or I have to recognize a sovereign Quebec or Alberta. The bad news is that it may be Khanna, not Fetterman who represents the zeitgeist of the Democrat party on the Israel issue.

On Friday, it was Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who "reaped the whirlwind," as he once put it, as protesters, including a New York City council member, descended on his office in Gotham to hoot, holler, and get arrested while voicing their opposition to Israel.

It could not have happened to a more deserving member of Democrat leadership. These protesters are the wages of Schumer’s fecklessness in the face of not just of anti-Israel sentiment in his party, but often, straight-up antisemitism. 

It was, after all, Schumer and his ilk who sat by quietly as Jewish students were harassed and chased down by pro-terrorist mobs on college campuses in recent years, a despicable situation that President Donald Trump has cracked down on.

This week, 27 Senate Democrats voted to cut some military aid to Israel. No Republicans did, but that also leaves 20 Democrats who didn’t. It was a pretty close margin among Democrats, even if the anti-Israel crowd is much, much louder.

Ultimately, if the Khanna wing of the Democrat Party has its way, Israel will be weakened, Hamas will be strengthened, and the deadly counterbalance of the past 75 years will be reinstated.

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The Fetterman wing, albeit quietly aside from the Keystone state’s hoodie-rocking senior senator, on the other hand, stands with Trump and almost all of the GOP in the firm belief that a return to the pre-war status quo that leaves Israel open to further attack is not acceptable.

Last year, in Israel, I had the chance to speak with officials, including some in the war cabinet, and they stressed one principle over and over: Neither Hamas, nor the Palestinian cause in general, can be allowed to grow stronger than it was on October 6, 2023.

It is a mystery as to why so many Democrats cannot understand that rewarding bad behavior begets more bad behavior, but whether this refusal stems from political necessity, or just hapless progressive naivete, it's dangerous.

For now, it certainly seems that the virulent anti-Israel wave in the Democrat Party is washing over Fetterman and the few brave others standing for the Jewish state, like Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y. If there are others ready to stand up, now is the time.

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https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/david-marcus-fetterman-calls-fellow-democrats-just-gross-shunning-israel

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/timeline-evolution-mamdanis-defunding-police-rhetoric-this-weeks-damage-control

New York City socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani made headlines this week when he attempted to walk back his long track record dating back to 2020 of criticizing the New York Police Department and calling for it to be defunded.

On Wednesday, Mamdani told reporters after the death of an NYPD officer in midtown Manhattan that he is "not running to defund the police" and is "a candidate who is not fixed in time, one that learns and one that leads, and part of that means admitting, as I have grown, and part of that means focusing on the people who deserve to be focused about."

Mamdani added that his past calls to defund the police had been made out of "frustration" over the death of George Floyd. 

Fox News Digital reviewed his comments on positions on police dating back to the days after Floyd’s death.

MAMDANI BLASTED BY GOP OPPONENT FOR 'SANCTIMONIOUS HYPOCRISY' ON POLICE STANCE: 'ABSOLUTE INSANITY'

June 5, 2020

"Two cops knocked a harmless old man to the ground and let him bleed out on the pavement," Mamdani posted on X. "All that’s happened to them is a suspension without pay - and their colleagues think even that’s too much. There’s no reforming this system. Defund the police."

June 28, 2020

"We don’t need an investigation to know that the NYPD is racist, anti‑queer & a major threat to public safety," Mamdani posted on X. "What we need is to #DefundTheNYPD. But your compromise uses budget tricks to keep as many cops as possible on the beat. NO to fake cuts – defund the police."

July 3, 2020: 

"We need a socialist city council to defund the police," Mamdani posted on X.

November 6, 2020

"Queer liberation means defund the police," Mamdani posted on X. 

November 7, 2020

"Nature is healing," Mandani posted on X in response to a user mocking and laughing at seeing a police officer "crying inside his car."

December 7, 2020

"City Council tried to make the NYPD reduce its overtime budget by half," Mamdani posted on X. "They simply refused. There is no negotiating with an institution this wicked & corrupt. Defund it. Dismantle it. End the cycle of violence."

MAMDANI REVEALS IN RESURFACED VIDEO HOW ONE OF HIS 'GREATEST VICTORIES' BENEFITTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

June 5, 2021

In an interview with SAAG interactive, Mamdani again pushed the idea of defunding the police while suggesting the department for investing in "apartheid" by working with Israel’s IDF. 

December 19, 2024

 "As Mayor, I will disband the SRG, which has cost taxpayers millions in lawsuit settlements + brutalized countless New Yorkers exercising their first amendment rights," Mamdani posted on X, pledging to disband the New York Police Department’s Strategic Response Group (SRG), a unit that was first on the scene responding to the deadly midtown Manhattan shooting that left an NYPD officer and several others dead last month.

Mamdani’s long history of anti-police rhetoric has resulted in heavy skepticism from many that his Wednesday press conference truly represents an abandonment of a desire to defund or hamstring police.

"Zohran ‘Nature Is Healing’ Mamdani’s Wednesday presser struck me as a cynical and transparent attempt at damage control in response to an incident that served as a violent and somber reminder to New Yorkers of the enormous daily risks taken on their behalf by the men and women of the NYPD," Rafael Mangual, senior fellow and head of research for policing and public safety at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, told Fox News Digital this week. 

"But even under the tragic circumstances in which the press conference was held, Mamdani balked at multiple opportunities to explicitly retract or apologize for his long and sordid history of anti-police statements."

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/timeline-evolution-mamdanis-defunding-police-rhetoric-this-weeks-damage-control

https://www.foxnews.com/media/new-york-times-guest-writer-argues-boy-crisis-overblown-citing-anti-feminist-backlash

A New York Times guest writer argued that the narrative of boys falling behind in education is overblown.

Author Jessica Grose wrote that she has heard that boys around the world have been underperforming academically compared to girls for the past few years and that there have been assumptions that young boys are at a disadvantage in schools and require attention that girls and young women do not.

"Reactionary conservative commentators, including Jordan Peterson, say boys are underperforming in school because the ‘vast majority of teachers are not only female but infantilizing female and radically left,’ boys are made to sit for hours at a time, which is against their ‘nature,’ and they are told that their "ambition is pathological," Peterson said in a conversation with my Times Opinion colleague David French," Grose wrote.

BARACK OBAMA CALLS OUT PROGRESSIVES' 'MISTAKE' OF CONSTANTLY TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH BOYS

Grose said that she had "long accepted the basic premise" that the lack of male role models in the classroom drove the crisis of learning in boys. But then when she started asking people about their experiences, it led her to research.

"There’s not much solid evidence that boys do better with male teachers. And girls have been getting better grades than boys since before women had the right to vote," she added.

"The ‘crisis’ doesn’t seem to be that boys are doing particularly poorly of late. It seems to be that girls are finally being rewarded in the form of college attainment and more equal pay for their efforts," she continued. 

Grose's article notes that the teaching force in the U.S. has been majority female for over 100 years and that public schools are not "bereft of male leadership," considering "men dominate middle school and high school administrations."

"Only a quarter of superintendents, who are in charge of multiple public schools or districts, are women," she noted.

TEACHER QUITS PROFESSION AFTER VIRAL RANT ON HOW AI IS 'RUINING' EDUCATION

The author added that the evidence of students doing better with same-gender teachers is mixed at best, citing a "2021 study using seven years of data" that reviewed students in Indiana in grades three to eight, finding that "female teachers are better at increasing both male and female students’ achievement than their male counterparts in elementary and middle schools." 

The study she cited concluded that "contrary to popular speculation, boys do not exhibit higher academic achievement when they are assigned to male teachers."

Furthermore, Grose cited Judith Warner's essay called "What Boy Crisis?" explaining that the notion that modern teaching styles favored girls and neglected boys was "little more than a myth."

"The myth persists because there’s always a market for anti-feminist backlash... a mostly female teaching force is sadly an easy target," she argued.

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Grose took issue with the narrative of blaming female teachers for the downfall of boys in academia.

"These are all important questions to consider. But if we are identifying the root of boys’ problems based on vibes rather than real evidence, we are not going to find helpful solutions."

She went on to say, "By incorrectly blaming female teachers, society may also end up downplaying some of the gendered harassment that girls and their female teachers experience — another problem that doesn’t seem to be abating."

https://www.foxnews.com/media/new-york-times-guest-writer-argues-boy-crisis-overblown-citing-anti-feminist-backlash

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/rock-hudson-came-on-to-me-during-arranged-studio-date-50s-sex-symbol-claims

Mamie Van Doren never misses a chance to kiss and tell.

The star, now 94, will be honored with the Legacy Award at the annual Cincecon Film Festival and present a screening of her 1959 film, "Guns, Girls and Gangsters." Fox News Digital learned she’s filming a new documentary about her life and has a book coming out later this year.

Before Van Doren became a Hollywood sex symbol, Universal Studios set up several dates for her with other movie stars to boost her career.

MARISKA HARGITAY SHARES THE SURPRISING WAY SHE DISCOVERED HER BIOLOGICAL FATHER'S IDENTITY

One of her arranged dates was with Rock Hudson.

"With Rock Hudson, they said he was gay at the studio. . . . ‘You don’t have anything to worry about,’" she recently told IndieWire. "But that’s not true. That’s not true at all."

"He came on to me," she claimed. "And in my book, I told about having [on] a Crimmins skirt and him getting very passionate and rolling on the kitchen floor."

Hudson, a box office titan, died in 1985 from complications of AIDS. He was 59. When his AIDS diagnosis became public a few months before his death, friends and colleagues revealed that he was gay, People magazine reported. The outlet noted this was an open secret in most Hollywood circles.

"We all knew Rock was gay, but it never made any difference to us," Van Doren told the outlet in a 1985 cover story about Hudson.

"Universal invested a lot of money in Rock, and it was important for his image to remain that of a ladykiller. Rock did what was expected of him."

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Van Doren went on to write about her encounter with Hudson in her 1987 memoir, "Playing the Field: My Story."

Van Doren told IndieWire that one actor she didn’t want to get involved with was Gig Young, her co-star in 1958’s "Teacher’s Pet."

"I had a problem with that one," she explained. "I was very on the outs with my husband at that time, but we were still together, and I didn’t have any kind of relationship with him then, but I realized that he liked me."

"Merv Griffin had a show coming out of Las Vegas," said Van Doren. "[Young] was on the show, and I was on the show. Well, he was there, and he wanted to take me out. And I didn’t want to go out with him. There was something about him that I didn’t particularly care for. I have a sense that’s really good. I have a really good nose for horse flesh, that’s for sure. And I refused to go out with him."

"He got very upset and very mad at me. And then I heard later that he [had] married somebody, and he shot her."

In 1978, Young fatally shot his wife Kim Schmidt before taking his own life. He was 64.

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Van Doren has been married five times. She had a son with band leader Ray Anthony in 1956. 

"I found myself pregnant, and I got married afterward … that was unheard of," she told the outlet. "At least it got me out of my contract at Universal."

Van Doren is grateful for the life that she’s lived, pointing out that her contemporaries had met untimely ends. Marilyn Monroe passed away in 1962 from a barbiturate overdose. She was 36. Jayne Mansfield was instantly killed in a 1967 car crash. She was 34.

WATCH: NEW MARILYN MONROE PHOTOS TAKEN BY CLOSE FRIEND REVEALED IN BOOK

"I’ve got a couple of wonderful angels on my shoulder," Van Doren told the outlet. I really believe that, and I have a connection with God. And everything I do, there’s a reason why I do it. It’s to help and be kind to people. I’ve tried to be kind to people even when they weren’t kind to me. And if I’m around someone very bad, I try to just get away from it. I don’t like to be around bad things."

Back in 2020, Van Doren told Fox News Digital that at first, she had no inkling that Hudson was gay.

"I was only under contract for two weeks when the publicity department called me and said I was going on a date with Rock Hudson," she said at the time. 

"And I was just so worried. The girl casually said, ‘You don’t have to worry about him – he doesn’t go for girls.’ So we went out. . . . We became great friends. I remember him being really down to earth and just a nice guy. So, when he became sick, it was very devastating."

After skyrocketing to fame, Van Doren was ready to leave Hollywood.

"I moved out here to Newport Beach simply because I didn’t like it in Hollywood," she said. "Your life is too much of an open book up there. So, I got away … I got away from all the bad stuff that was going on. This was around the ‘60s when I left. There were a lot of drugs. Marilyn died. Jayne died. A lot of my contemporaries were gone. I just thought it was time to leave Hollywood. It just wasn’t agreeing with me."

"And I had a son," she said. "I wanted to give him a better life than Hollywood. And he got interested in boats. I took a different turn and a different lifestyle from what I was used to. I kept some of my friends. I didn’t have that many friends in Hollywood to begin with. I shy away from going to parties so much. I had stacks of invitations, and I just never used them."

Still, the screen siren said she’s proud to be recognized as a sex symbol.

"Well, being sexy is nice," she said. "I like being sexy. Hell, I like sex. I like it better than rock ‘n’ roll. I was the first to do rock ‘n’ roll on the big screen, and that definitely exudes a lot of your sex appeal. It comes from within. You can’t learn rock ‘n’ roll. You have to be born with it. It’s gotta be natural."

"I think I was born with it," she reflected. "I certainly opened a lot of doors during a postwar time when things were very conservative. I was way ahead of my time … I wasn’t going to be playing nun roles, that’s for sure."

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/rock-hudson-came-on-to-me-during-arranged-studio-date-50s-sex-symbol-claims

https://www.foxnews.com/media/cnn-panel-shreds-harris-colbert-interview-her-lack-solutions-after-six-months-figure-out

Former Vice President Kamala Harris was criticized on a Friday CNN panel for delivering vague answers during her interview with host Stephen Colbert the night before.

During the "Late Show" interview, Harris spoke about her choice not to run for the governorship of California, making broad generalizations about how, "Just for now, I don‘t want to go back in the system. I think it‘s broken."

On CNN, NOTUS White House Correspondent Jasmine Wright, who covered the Harris campaign, objected to Harris using "amorphous phrasing" like "the system," and doubted whether Americans could grasp what she was talking about. 

KAMALA HARRIS RULES OUT 2026 RUN IN HER HOME STATE OF CALIFORNIA

"I think what people want are solutions, and she has not said a single one," Wright said. "And consistently, people want her to be descriptive about what she says is wrong. And I don‘t think that that interview, she was able to do that. And it‘s a shame because she‘s had six months to figure it out."

"She hasn‘t said anything really for six months," panel host Manu Raju agreed.

CNN senior reporter Aaron Blake commented on how there are multiple other prominent Democrats, like former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, talking about how America’s institutions are under attack, or how American democracy is in particularly dark times, but there is one key flaw.

"But we don‘t see, like, a very consistent message from Democrats on this," Blake said. "Maybe that‘s because they don‘t have somebody with kind of the heft and the constant presence in our daily lives to drive that message. But it seems like something where they pop up every once in a while and say, ‘Hey, this situation is pretty bad.’ And then they kind of fade away and it just doesn‘t seem like Democrats have been able to drive that message very well."

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"You know, she was so guarded last night. I mean, I was a bit surprised because she had been gone. She‘s now not running for office, at least at the moment. And she was not, perhaps, as forthcoming about some of the issues with the campaign than maybe what I personally expected," Raju said, before playing a clip of Mark Cuban saying Harris is far more charismatic behind closed doors.

AP White House reporter Michelle Price argued that Thursday night’s interview stood out because "she was especially robotic, but that is a longstanding problem for her. She even looked physically uncomfortable, like her shoulders seemed up into her neck most of that interview, which was just striking because, you know, she has nothing to lose right now. She could be energetic or much more candid than she was."

Price added further that the interview "seemed more like a lament for where things went last year, where the party is now. There was no message of leadership or moving forward, or even clarity on what, again, like Jasmine said, what is the system? Is she talking about the California gubernatorial system, the election system?"

Wright argued that Harris is falling uniquely short of her responsibility to candidly explain what went wrong with the election.

"I think that after how damaging 2024 was, not just for her personally, but for the Democratic Party, I think that what is required of her is to really be honest about what went wrong in her campaign, what went wrong with the party, and what she wants to do," she said. "And yes, maybe that happens on that listening tour that she‘s going to go on in December. But I think people want those answers from her now. And she had the time to create them."

https://www.foxnews.com/media/cnn-panel-shreds-harris-colbert-interview-her-lack-solutions-after-six-months-figure-out

https://www.foxnews.com/us/trump-assassination-attempt-suspect-ryan-routh-cant-see-classified-info-relating-case-judge-rules

The man accused of trying to assassinate President Donald Trump in Florida last year was barred by a federal judge from seeing classified material related to the case. 

Judge Aileen Cannon wrote in a ruling Friday that "the United States has made a sufficient showing that the information at issue was classified" and that its disclosure "could cause serious damage or exceptionally grave damages to the national security of the United States."

"The Court finds that the United States properly invoked the provisions of [the] Classified Information Procedures Act and its classified information privilege as to the information referenced in the classified order," she added in granting a motion filed by federal prosecutors. 

Routh, 59, was recently granted approval to represent himself in his upcoming trial. He was charged with attempting to assassinate Trump, assaulting a federal officer and multiple firearms violations stemming from the Sept. 15, 2024 incident in Florida, the second attempted assassination plot against Trump in a matter of months. Routh has pleaded not guilty. 

TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT SUSPECT RYAN ROUTH CAN REPRESENT HIMSELF AT TRIAL, FEDERAL JUDGE RULES 

Prior to allowing Routh to represent himself, Cannon told him in late July that his court-appointed attorneys "will defend you far better than you can defend yourself" and "I strongly urge you not to make this decision." 

Fox News Digital also reported in July that Routh wrote an unusual letter to the judge asking why the death penalty isn’t on the table—and proposing that he be included in a prisoner swap with U.S. adversaries, even suggesting he be sent to freeze in Siberia in exchange for a Ukrainian soldier. 

"Why is the death penalty not allowed? At nearly 60, a life of nothingness without love—what is the point? Why is it not all or nothing?" Routh wrote in the letter filed on the case docket.  

TRUMP ASSASSINATION SUSPECT FLOATS BIZARRE PRISONER SWAP IN LETTER TO JUDGE, ASKS WHY HE CAN’T BE EXECUTED 

"I had wished for a prisoner swap with Hamas, Iran... or China for Jimmy Lai or one of the 40 others, or to freeze to death in Siberia in exchange for a Ukrainian soldier... so I could die being of some use and save all this court mess." 

He then sarcastically added that the judge could send him away, which would give Trump a symbolic win.  

"Perhaps you [Judge Cannon] have the power to trade me away... An easy diplomatic victory for Trump to give an American he hates to China, Iran, or North Korea... everyone wins." 

Cannon is the same judge that was presiding over Trump’s classified documents case, which she dismissed in July 2024. That case dealt with the FBI’s investigation into Trump and its raid on his Mar-a-Lago estate in 2022. 

Fox News Heather Lacy, Olivianna Calmes, Bernardo Montas and Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.   

https://www.foxnews.com/us/trump-assassination-attempt-suspect-ryan-routh-cant-see-classified-info-relating-case-judge-rules

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/seth-rollins-looms-large-summerslam-amid-possible-knee-injury

The Undisputed WWE Championship and the World Heavyweight Championship will both be up for grabs during the first-ever two-night SummerSlam this weekend.

Gunther will defend the World Heavyweight Championship against CM Punk, and John Cena, in likely his final SummerSlam premium live event, will defend the Undisputed WWE Championship in a street fight.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

There’s one person who looms large over the entire world championship scene, and he is Seth Rollins.

Rollins appeared to have suffered a knee injury during his Saturday Night’s Main Event match against LA Knight. He came up lame as he tried to land a moonsault onto Knight. The referee briefly stopped the match but when he decided to continue on, Knight took advantage and won.

Since then, Rollins has not appeared on "Monday Night Raw." Instead, his consigliere, Paul Heyman, has held his Money in the Bank briefcase as Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed continued to wreak havoc on Jey Uso and Roman Reigns.

Rollins has only addressed the knee injury once – when he filled in as the host for Rich Eisen on his radio show.

"There was some imaging. It was a little too swollen. So, we’re going to take another look, hopefully in a week or two here in LA," he said. "Try to get some sort of firm diagnosis, and we can go from there. I am not a doctor, I only know my body and what I feel. What I feel is that this is going to be me out for an extended period of time."

JOHN CENA TAKES SUBTLE SHOTS AT THE ROCK, TRAVIS SCOTT IN PRE-SUMMERSLAM SHOWDOWN WITH CODY RHODES

Those remarks were made on July 16. He hasn’t been seen or heard from since, and it’s unclear how hurt Rollins actually is. Heyman teased a Plan B with Breakker, but that has yet to unravel itself.

Rollins could cash in his Money in the Bank contract at any time and insert himself into a match for either title. It could make the moment for either title match huge. But the bigger question is which title he would go for.

"The Revolutionary" could very well make sure that he fulfills his promise to make sure Punk never holds as championship ever again and insert himself into his match against Gunther. He could also do it without cashing in his contract and go for the major prize.

Rollins and Rhodes have feuded in the past and the two teamed up at WrestleMania 40 to take on The Rock and Roman Reigns. The Undisputed WWE Championship is the biggest prize in WWE and to take the title away from Rhodes and Cena would certainly turn WWE on its head. Rollins nearly cashed in at Night of Champions.

The third possibility is that Rollins is actually hurt and that the injury isn’t a so-called "work." But injured or not, Rollins holds the cards at the biggest event of the summer in WWE.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/seth-rollins-looms-large-summerslam-amid-possible-knee-injury

https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/gen-z-ditching-boxed-cereals-breakfast-couldnt-pay-me-eat-them

Once the breakfast of champions for millions of Americans, cereal seems to be losing its crunch — especially among younger generations who are redefining the morning meal.

Sales of boxed cereal, once a pantry staple for generations, have been declining in the United States for over 25 years. 

A temporary pandemic-era bump – when more Americans had time for sit-down breakfasts – wasn't enough to help. Cereal sales in the U.S. dropped over 13% from nearly 2.5 billion boxes in 2021 to 2.1 billion in the same period this year, according to Nielsen IQ.

THIS BREAKFAST MISTAKE MAKES PEOPLE REACH FOR SUGARY SNACKS IN THE AFTERNOON

Since the 1990s, grab-and-go options like Nutri-Grain breakfast bars and Clif Bars have posed a challenge to cereal. Now, yogurt cups and protein shakes are also stealing the spotlight. 

Experts claim this isn't just about convenience, but rather represents a generational shift in how people fuel their mornings.

Members of Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012, especially are rethinking the way millennials, Gen X and baby boomers approach breakfast, according to Kenton Barello, a vice president at market research firm YouGov.

Gen Zers are less likely to eat breakfast at all and if they do, they're choosing eggs, fruit, toast and pancakes ahead of cereal, according to YouGov's research. They also eat more vegetables at breakfast than older generations. 

Thirty-six percent of Gen X, born between 1965 and 1980, still opt for cold cereal – 10% more than their Gen Z counterparts, according to YouGov.

BEST AND WORST BREADS FOR YOUR HEALTH, ACCORDING TO NUTRITION EXPERTS

While Gen Zers still buy some boxed cereal, data suggests they eat it as a snack or for other meals.

"With younger generations, there are differences in their relationship with food and these eating moments," Barello said. 

Gen Z social media influencers are embracing the "crunchy" trend — meant to evoke not cereal but granola and signaling a health-focused, all-natural lifestyle.

Annika Zude of Iowa, known online as @ThatCrunchyGirlAnnika, posts videos on TikTok and Instagram of highly processed foods she'd never eat. 

"I would never eat sugary cereals if I wanted my day to go well," Zude, a teenager, told Fox News Digital. "You couldn't pay me to eat them."

Instead, she said she prefers to "eat something nutritious like steak, eggs or ground beef for breakfast." 

BREAKFAST KEY TO MEETING DAILY FIBER NEEDS AMID AMERICAN 'HEALTH CRISIS'

Concerns about food processing and sugar intake have dimmed enthusiasm for cereal for consumers across generations, too. Just one cup of Lucky Charms contains 24% of the recommended daily sugar intake, for example.

The artificial dyes used in many cereals have been under intense scrutiny of late, largely a result of the growing Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement.

Last year, demonstrators rallied outside WK Kellogg's headquarters in Battle Creek, Michigan, demanding the removal of the dyes. Kellogg and General Mills have since pledged to phase them out.

Among Kellogg's pledges: The company said it's "reformulating our cereals served in schools to not include FD&C [food, drug and cosmetic] colors by the 2026-27 school year," according to a statement on its website. It also says it "will remove FD&C colors from the small percentage of our foods in retail that contain them today, by the end of 2027."

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It added, "We are committed to continue working with HHS and FDA to identify effective solutions to remove FD&C colors from foods."

"Americans today want to recognize what's in their breakfast and know that it's doing something good for their bodies," Jennifer Hillis, a registered dietitian and citrus nutrition research liaison at the University of South Florida, told Fox News Digital. 

"They don't want any hidden ingredients," Hillis added. "That's why I always recommend building breakfast around core foods that will help fill you up and provide you with key nutrients to have a successful day."

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Italian confectioner Ferrero Group – maker of Ferrero  Rocher chocolates – recently said it plans to purchase WK Kellogg, maker of Corn Flakes, Froot Loops, Rice Krispies and other popular brands.

But the sale doesn't mean cereal is at total risk of extinction. 

Packaged food companies have options for turning around their soggy cereal sales, according to Tom Rees, global insight manager for staple foods at the consulting company Euromonitor. 

Kellogg's Mashups line, which mixes brands like Frosted Flakes and Froot Loops into one box, appeals to younger consumers, who tend to like interesting flavor combinations, Rees told The Associated Press (AP).

The market may also have a fragmented future, according to Rees. Companies may have to accept that younger buyers want a sweet-and-spicy cereal, while older buyers might want a keto-friendly option.

"The future might be realizing that the era of 'This brand will serve everybody' isn't going to happen," Rees said.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.

https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/gen-z-ditching-boxed-cereals-breakfast-couldnt-pay-me-eat-them

https://www.foxnews.com/us/vehicle-tennessee-quadruple-murder-suspect-found-details-criminal-past-emerge

The vehicle driven by Tennessee quadruple murder suspect Austin Drummond was found abandoned as details are emerging about his lengthy criminal background. 

A manhunt is ongoing Saturday for Drummond, a 28-year-old wanted in the murders of four people this week in Tiptonville, Tennessee. Police said an infant later found on the front lawn of a random individual's house is related to all four deceased individuals, identified as family members of Drummond’s current girlfriend. 

"The Jackson Police Department has located the vehicle driven by Austin Drummond in the woods near the dead end of MCO road," the agency said Friday regarding an 2016 Audi A3 with a Tennessee license plate. "It appears that he has been living in the vehicle and may be in the area. 

"JPD asks all people within the immediate area of this alert, to lock their doors and stay indoors as we actively search for Drummond," it added. "Remember, he is considered armed and extremely dangerous." 

TENNESSEE MANHUNT FOR QUADRUPLE MURDER SUSPECT TIED TO ‘TARGETED ATTACK’ AFTER BABY FOUND ABANDONED: DA 

Jackson is located about 70 miles southeast of Tiptonville, where the victims -- James M. Wilson, 21, Adrianna Williams, 20, Cortney Rose, 38, and Braydon Williams, 15 -- were found Tuesday. 

Tennessee District 29 District Attorney Danny Goodman said during a Friday press conference that at the time of the alleged murders, Drummond was out on bond for trying to kill someone while he was in prison on Dec. 12, 2024. 

"It was a targeted attack," Goodman added during an interview with "Fox & Friends" on Friday. 

Goodman revealed the four victims were family members of Drummond’s current girlfriend. Rose and Adrianna are half-sisters, and both of Williams’ siblings are her nephew and niece.  

A reward of $15,000 is now being offered for Drummond’s arrest. The nature of the alleged killings is unclear, but the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) has said it obtained warrants for Drummond charging him with four counts of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated kidnapping and weapons offenses. 

VICTIMS IDENTIFIED IN TENNESSEE QUADRUPLE MURDER 

"Getting Austin Drummond in custody is a priority. Anyone with information about where we can find him should call us immediately. You will remain anonymous," U.S. Marshal Tyreece Miller said in a statement. The U.S. Marshals are assisting the TBI in the manhunt. 

Drummond previously spent years in prison for robbing a convenience store as a 16-year-old and threatening to go after jurors, the Associated Press reported, citing court records. 

He was tried as an adult for the July 2013 robbery in Jackson, Tennessee. During the incident, he pointed a pistol at the gas station store worker and ordered the cash register to be opened, taking the $44 inside, court records show. 

At a 2020 hearing in which he was denied parole, Drummond said he was on Xanax the night of the robbery and doesn’t remember robbing the gas station. He said the gun was a BB gun. 

3 FORMER MEMPHIS POLICE OFFICERS ACQUITTED IN DEATH OF TYRE NICHOLS 

After the jury convicted him of one count of aggravated robbery in August 2014, he made threats to go after jurors, Drummond said during the parole hearing. He pleaded guilty in February 2015 to 13 counts of retaliation for past action. 

The district attorney that covers Madison County, Jody Pickens, urged against early release for Drummond, writing a letter in 2020 that called him "a dangerous felony offender and a confirmed member of the Vice Lords," a street gang, according to the AP. 

Drummond ultimately was given a combined 13-year sentence. His sentence ended in September 2024, Tennessee Department of Correction records showed. 

As of the 2020 parole hearing, Drummond also had more than two dozen disciplinary issues in prison, including possession of a deadly weapon, assault, refusing a drug test and gang activity. Drummond said the assault and the deadly weapon charges occurred because he was almost beaten to death. 

Fox News’ Julia Bonavita, Adam Sabes, Samantha Daigle and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

https://www.foxnews.com/us/vehicle-tennessee-quadruple-murder-suspect-found-details-criminal-past-emerge

https://www.foxnews.com/world/stunning-photos-capture-moment-one-indonesias-most-active-volcanoes

For the second day in a row, one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes, Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, erupted. 

The explosion launched a column of smoke and volcanic material shot up to 11 miles in the sky early Saturday morning. Debris from the volcano blanketed villages, but no casualties have been reported. The explosion was one of the country’s largest since the 2010 eruption of Mount Merapi, the country’s most volatile volcano.

On Friday, in an eruption that occurred just hours before the one Saturday morning, smoke and ash went as high as 6.2 miles, as the volcano lit up the sky with glowing lava and bolts of lightning.

ICELANDIC VOLCANO ERUPTS, FORCING TOURISTS TO EVACUATE FAMOUS GEOTHERMAL SPA

Indonesia’s Geology Agency recorded an avalanche of searing gas clouds mixed with rocks and lava traveling up to 3 miles down the slopes of the mountain. Drone observations showed deep magma movement, triggering tremors that registered on seismic monitors.

HAWAII'S KILAUEA VOLCANO ERUPTS WITH 1,000-FOOT 'LAVA FOUNTAINING'

Volcanic material, including hot, thumb-sized gravel, was thrown up to 5 miles from the crater, covering nearby villages and towns with thick volcanic residue, the agency said. It asked residents to be vigilant about heavy rainfall that could trigger lava flows in rivers originating from the volcano.

Lewotobi Laki Laki has been on the highest alert level since the 5,197-foot volcano erupted in June, and the exclusion zone has been doubled to a 4.3-mile radius due to more frequent eruptions.

AMERICAN TOURIST FALLS 30 FEET OFF CLIFFSIDE TRAIL IN VACATION HOT SPOT

The explosion comes less than a month after Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport was forced to delay and cancel flights when a major eruption on July 7 covered the roads and fields with debris. 

Indonesia is home to 280 million people and has 120 active volcanoes. It sits along the "Ring of Fire," a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

https://www.foxnews.com/world/stunning-photos-capture-moment-one-indonesias-most-active-volcanoes

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/new-york-lawmaker-sounds-alarm-potential-devastating-effects-mamdani-victory-chaos

EXCLUSIVE: Republican New York State Sen. Bill Weber told Fox News Digital about what he believes will happen to New York City in a variety of areas if socialist Zohran Mamdani becomes mayor in November.

"It could be in chaos," Weber, who represents New York’s 38th State Senate district along the Hudson River outside New York City, told Fox News Digital about the prospect of a Mamdani victory. 

"I mean, we even see some of those big issues happening now in the city. Anyone that's gone into the city recently sees a lot of just unsafe situations."

Weber, the son and brother of NYPD officers, spoke to Fox News Digital days after the city witnessed the deadliest mass shooting in half a century in Midtown Manhattan, sparking a bitter war of words between all four mayoral candidates about public safety in the city.

UNEARTHED VIDEO EXPOSES MAMDANI'S 'UNABASHED' COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING ANTI-ISRAEL SANCTIONS AS LAWMAKER

Mamdani has been heavily criticized for previous calls to defund the police, which he attempted to walk back in a Wednesday press conference, which is a critique that has been amplified in the wake of the shooting on Monday.

Weber told Fox News Digital that the police department in New York City needs more resources, not less.

"We've got to continue to fund the police department and when you hear rhetoric starting in 2020, and even continuing today with some political figures, including, you know, Mamdani, who could be the next mayor of New York City, in the past talking about defunding the police and really taking a different approach to law enforcement. It's a real concern, not only now, but what could happen in the future."

Weber continued, "So I'm hopeful that clearer minds will prevail, and we will continue to support the police department, which is the best in the world, and we need to make sure that we continually support them financially and all the tools that they need to do their jobs effectively."

'CULTURE OF SHAME': NYC COUNCIL MEMBER SOUNDS ALARM OVER MAMDANI VOTERS FALLING FOR 'PIPE DREAM'

Weber told Fox News Digital he represents a district with either the first or second most Jewish residents per capita in the state and that many Jewish voters have expressed concern to him about Mamdani’s long history of anti-Israel stances.

"A lot my Jewish residents are very concerned," Weber, who recently penned an op-ed on the subject of Mamdani and Israel, explained.

"They have family that live in the boroughs of New York City. A lot of them commute into the city as well. So they're very worried about the rhetoric that Mamdani has really spewed over a long time. And you know. Even up until recently, he still refuses to condemn the globalized intifada, which is very concerning because we saw what happened on October 7th."

Political experts have suggested that the three candidates other than Mamdani need to coalesce around one candidate in order to defeat Mamdani, which Weber said he supports but says it's unclear whether that will happen or who that candidate will be to form a one-on-one matchup.

"The opposition, whoever that candidate is going to be, they need to really rally behind and unify behind one candidate, whoever it is, and I even offered to be a liaison to try and facilitate one of, or at least getting them all together into a room to have one candidate to run against Mamdani because I'm fearful that the rest of them will split the vote and then Mamdani will sneak in," Weber said.

In terms of what New York City’s economy will look like in four years if Mamdani becomes mayor, Weber pointed out that New York City drives most of the revenue back to the state in Albany and suggested a bleak outlook if Mamdani, who has been labeled a communist by some, were to win. 

"I think he's very serious about what he's indicating that he wants to do, which would really be a devastating impact on New York City," Weber said.  "If we chase out building owners, if we chase out the wealthy people to go to Florida or other states that are more tax friendly, it will have a devastating impact not only on New York City, but on New York state as a whole."

"So, you know, we should take him at his word. He wants to have government-run supermarkets. I mean, these are all code words of what we've heard from socialist nations around the world, socialist nations that have failed, and we don't want to see a failure in New York City. So we need to take him, listen to him, take him at his word and really fight back to make sure that none of those programs get implemented in that. Really, that starts with defeating him at the polls in November."

Fox News Digital reached out to the Mamdani campaign for comment.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/new-york-lawmaker-sounds-alarm-potential-devastating-effects-mamdani-victory-chaos

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/sydney-sweeneys-image-fortified-bunker-despite-american-eagle-ad-maga-style-hat-uproar-expert

Sydney Sweeney's "good jeans" ad with American Eagle is just the latest backlash the actress has faced.

In 2022, Sweeney was under fire when pictures of her mom's surprise 60th birthday surfaced. She was quickly slammed for including customized "Make Sixty Great Again" hats, which guests donned.

Sweeney was also caught in drama by sparking affair rumors with her "Anyone But You" co-star, Glen Powell, while shooting the movie. Both have since denied the claims.

Despite the uproars over the past several years, Sweeney has created a personal brand that is a "fortified bunker" that "cancel cannonballs bounce off harmlessly," according to brand expert Eric Schiffer.

SYDNEY SWEENEY FROLICS WITH MYSTERY MAN AS AMERICAN EAGLE DROPS PROVOCATIVE NEW AD 

"Only a radioactive felony mugshot could pierce her ironclad darling status -- short of that, critics punch air. Perhaps selling out to a manipulative woke boycott against her own audience could torch loyalty or betraying her small-town authenticity for Hollywood virtue-signal cash would look catastrophic," he told Fox News Digital.

Doug Eldridge, founder of Achilles PR and a crisis communications expert, told Fox News Digital that there are three reasons Sweeny has been able to "dance between raindrops" when it comes to controversy.

"1) her grassroots fanbase, built over the course of several years; 2) the changing political and cultural climate today, compared to 2020; 3) the nature of the purported 'controversies' themselves," he said.

Eldridge went on to say that, "Sweeney is largely seen as the golden girl, both for marketers and movie studios, alike. She draws eyeballs, interest, and engagement, all of which are the key variables in the overarching 'monetization equation.'"

"She has remained largely immune from outside controversy, so as long as she is aware of the dangers of self-sabotage, Sweeney has liked laid the cornerstones for a remarkably strong career," he said.

On Friday, American Eagle took to Instagram and shared an official statement, firing back at the backlash. 

Earlier this week, the clothing company released its latest campaign with the "Euphoria" actress, titled "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans." Following the launch, there has been a mix of reactions on social media.

Some have dubbed the campaign as "tone-deaf" due to the alleged racial undertones, and others have praised the actress for killing "woke" advertising. 

In a promo video posted to the brand's Instagram, the 27-year-old walked toward an AE billboard featuring her and the tagline "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Genes." Sweeney crossed out "Genes" and replaced it with "Jeans" before walking away. 

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According to Salon, the term "great genes" was historically used to "celebrate whiteness, thinness and attractiveness."

In a second ad, Sweeney is seen laying down and fastening her jeans while saying, "Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color." The camera then pans up to her blue eyes. "My jeans are blue."

Fans were quick to share their disappointment over the ad.

"Entirely tone-deaf," one user commented on Instagram. 

"This is what happens when you have no [people] of color in a room. Particularly in a time like this. This ad campaign got so caught up in this ‘clever’ play on words and this stunt the [people] in the room missed what was so blatantly obvious to anyone not White," another wrote. 

SYDNEY SWEENEY SLAMS HOLLYWOOD'S 'WOMEN EMPOWERING OTHER WOMEN' MESSAGE AS 'FAKE'

Some others in the comments called out the ad for allegedly being "Nazi propaganda."

"Oh cute she’s in her Nazi propaganda era," one user wrote.

However, some were quick to come to the brand, and Sweeney's, defense. "It doesn’t hurt ANYONE. That’s the point. It’s literally an advertisement for jeans. Not for nazism," one person wrote.

"I don’t get why people don’t like this? It’s cute and clever," another added. 

"Woke advertising is dead. Sydney Sweeney killed it," one user wrote on X. 

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In response to the backlash, American Eagle stated, "'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans' is and always was about the jeans. Her Jeans. Her Story. We'll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way."

"Great jeans look good on everyone," the statement concluded.

Three years ago, critics took aim at Sweeney's mother's birthday party, which prompted her to speak out.

SYDNEY SWEENEY HAS NO FEAR OF FILMING NUDE SCENES AS SHE HIGHLIGHTS BODY TRANSFORMATION FOR ROLE

Sweeney was bewildered to learn that certain assertions were being made about her because of the clothing and accessories that guests at her party chose to wear, some of which had been intentionally made for the event.

At the time, she took to X to share a message with her fans.

"You guys this is wild. An innocent celebration for my moms milestone 60th birthday has turned into an absurd political statement." 

In images shared by her brother, guests of the party were seen wearing hats that were apparently derived from President Donald Trump's MAGA — or "Make America Great Again" — slogan.

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The hats, which are frequently imitated, were not intended to cause such an uproar, according to Sweeney, who wrote that it "was not the intention," and to "please stop making assumptions."

In one photo, a male guest was seen wearing a "Blue Lives Matter" shirt, photographed next to Sweeney's mother and grandmother as they gathered around the cake.

The star's mother was treated to a surprise hoedown in 2022, where all guests were decked out in cowboy attire. Sweeney planned the event, which included a bull ride and dancing.

One year later, Sweeney was at the center of headlines again when she and her co-star Glen Powell sparked romance rumors during the premiere of their movie, "Anyone But You," in 2023.

In 2024, Sweeney hosted "Saturday Night Live" and addressed her alleged affair with Powell.

"The craziest rumor I've seen is that while I was filming ‘Anyone But You’ I was having an affair with my co-star Glen Powell. That's obviously not true," she told the giggly crowd of her romantic-comedy. "Me and my fiancé produced the movie together, and he was there the entire shoot."

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"I just want to let everyone know that he's the man of my dreams, and we're still together and stronger than ever. He even came here tonight to support me," she exclaimed, asking the "SNL" cameras to cut to her then-fiancé.

The camera panned to a "clueless" Powell, who looked displeased upon the realization he was on television, much to the audience's glee.

"That's not my fiancé, he's in my dressing room," Sweeney joked.

When the romance speculation began, Sweeney was engaged to Jonathan Davino. The pair called off their engagement in March. Powell was engaged to Gigi Paris but split in 2023 amid rumors of a romance with Sweeney. 

Fox News Digital's Tracy Wright contributed to this report.

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/sydney-sweeneys-image-fortified-bunker-despite-american-eagle-ad-maga-style-hat-uproar-expert

https://www.foxnews.com/media/maryland-high-school-teacher-awarded-half-million-defamation-lawsuit-over-racism-allegation

A Maryland county school board was ordered to pay half a million dollars in damages to a teacher who was accused of racism in a school-wide email.

A Montgomery County Circuit Court jury returned a verdict last week finding the Montgomery County School Board defamed Dan Engler, a former Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School (B-CC) English teacher. The court awarded Engler damages of $500,000, plus $18,000 in prejudgment interest for a total of $518,000, according to Bethesda Today.

The case centered around a 2023 incident in Engler’s classroom involving two Black students who refused to sit in their assigned seats. The students reported the encounter to the assistant principal afterward, alleging that Engler told them he would not be able to tell them apart from other students, believing this to be a racial comment.

Two days after the incident, the school principal, Shelton Mooney, sent a school-wide email to staff, parents, and students reporting that a "hate bias incident" had occurred at the school.

MARYLAND TEACHER CLAIMS IN LAWSUIT HE WAS FALSELY BRANDED ‘RACIST’ OVER SEATING CHART DISPUTE

The message said that "several African American students" were told by a teacher that he was "unable to distinguish them from other African American students" in the classroom and that the Montgomery County Police Department had been notified as an internal investigation was ongoing.

"Let me be clear, discrimination of any kind must not be tolerated," Mooney wrote before citing the school policy against "insensitivity, disrespect, bias, verbal abuse, harassment, bullying, physical violence or illegal discrimination toward any person."

Although Engler was not named in the email, he said he was quickly identified by students, parents and colleagues. He maintains that he did not make the statement attributed to him in the letter and "did not do anything that could reasonably be classified as a ‘hate bias incident.’"

Engler's lawsuit alleged his reputation was "destroyed" by the email. His lawsuit also claimed that Mooney and the school board violated MCPS policies and procedures by sending the message before an investigation had been completed and that they refused to issue a retraction or apology.

The jury ultimately found the school board liable for defamation, but not Principal Mooney. Mooney reportedly resigned this week and accepted a different position at another MCPS school, according to Bethesda Today.

VIRGINIA SCHOOL DISTRICT ACCUSED OF RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION IN TRANSGENDER LOCKER ROOM CASE

The school board declined to comment to Fox News Digital. Mooney's lawyer did not return a request for comment.

Ahead of the trial, Engler told Fox News Digital that the experience took a heavy toll on his mental health. The same day, he went on disability leave for a year and a half before resuming teaching at another school in the district.

"I love teaching. I love coaching," he said. "And I really care a great deal about the relationships I have with those kids and helping them learn how to become adults in the best way possible. To lose the confidence of the kids, the trust of the kids, based on what the kids' leadership had to say about me, was devastating. It was identity stealing."

He called the verdict "a tremendous relief."  

"[Teachers are] human and are not mistake-free and have good hearts, and they should be treated that way," he told Bethesda Today. "I believe this verdict is an illustration that what I’m saying is true… so that means a great deal to me."

https://www.foxnews.com/media/maryland-high-school-teacher-awarded-half-million-defamation-lawsuit-over-racism-allegation

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/producers-notebook-tracking-fate-jimmy-hoffa

In March of 2018, veteran producer Dan Cohen and I were handed a seemingly impossible assignment: Find out what happened to Jimmy Hoffa. Our host would be Eric Shawn, the veteran Fox News senior correspondent known for his dogged and principled reporting. The project eventually became Riddle: The Search for James R. Hoffa, a FOX Nation documentary series that I naively assumed would be a one-off, some neat 50-minute story wrapped in the mystery and mythology of Detroit’s labor history and the enduring enigma of Hoffa’s 1975 disappearance. But I was wrong. And Eric made sure of that.

What followed over the next seven years would become some of the most important work of my three-decade career in journalism. That first spring and summer, we traveled to Detroit three times, tracking down former attorneys, reporters, experts and historians. We interviewed Charles Brandt, author of I Heard You Paint Houses, pored over Temple University’s photo archives and the heavily redacted HOFFEX memo, and even revisited the now-infamous house on Beaverland Street—allegedly the site where mob hitman Frank Sheeran killed Hoffa. The result was a thoroughly researched, compelling first season. When FOX Nation launched in November 2018, we felt we had accomplished something meaningful. Yet, we knew there was more to do.

JIMMY HOFFA’S SON: WHO KILLED MY DAD, WHY, AND WHAT IT DID TO MY FAMILY

Too many leads were unproven. Too many theories clashed. Too many families—most notably the Hoffas—still had no answers. And so, we kept digging.

Eric’s journalistic pedigree is no accident. This is the same reporter who landed exclusives with Bernhard Goetz and Joey Buttafuoco, who covered O.J. Simpson and John Gotti with the same tenacity he brought to this Hoffa investigation. He doesn’t just follow a story—he chases it down, interrogates it, and doesn’t let go until the truth emerges.

With producer Bud Knapp, we expanded our investigation beyond Detroit, entertaining the decades-old theory that Hoffa was transported to New Jersey and buried at Moscato’s Dump in Jersey City. We interviewed the sons of the original dump owners—Phil Moscato Jr. and Frank Cappola—and followed their compelling claims that Hoffa was killed in Detroit, moved across state lines, and buried near the Pulaski Skyway. After all, it’s what their fathers told them.

We scoured Essex, Bergen, and Morris Counties in New Jersey, driving everywhere and interviewing anyone connected. We examined everything—even a theory that he may be buried under a backyard pool in East Rutherford owned by Gabriel Briguglio, a 1975 New Jersey resident and the last living suspect with alleged mob connections. By the end of Season 3 and 4 of Riddle, Eric had dismantled several prominent theories, but kept the family—Jimmy’s children, James P. and Barbara—updated, respectfully, as if our work might one day help bring them closure.

JIMMY HOFFA'S FAMILY CALLS ON TRUMP TO RELEASE FBI FILES

Then, something remarkable happened. In 2021, based on our reporting, the FBI conducted a dig under the Pulaski Skyway. I remember visiting the site myself before it made headlines, spotting disturbed ground and security cameras perched ominously above. The bureau confirmed to the press in June 2022 that a dig did in fact happen in October of 2021, but Hoffa was not found. While they found nothing, it was proof that our work was resonating.

Still, we pressed on. Our research eventually exposed the weak foundation of the New Jersey theory, a theory that, in 1975, the Briguglio brothers, Sal and Gabe, as well as the Andrettas, Thomas and Steven, came to Detroit to murder Hoffa and make him disappear. Combing through our research, we realized that the theory was largely built on the word of convicted felon Ralph Picardo, a pathological liar serving time for manslaughter. His claims about the Briguglio and Andretta brothers were part of a desperate attempt to reduce his sentence, not credible evidence.

And so, we turned back to Detroit.

With help from Scott Burnstein of Gangster Report, Eric led us back to where it all began. By Season 6, our investigation had cleared Gabriel Briguglio’s name, casting doubt on author Dan Moldea’s long-held assertions. Moldea, once the authoritative voice on the Hoffa case, had appeared to rely on the same faulty source—Picardo. In our series Riddle, he often stated that "Picardo was state of the Art." We had the confidence to know that while it was smart for the FBI to follow that lead back in 1975, in 2025 it just didn’t make sense anymore.

Eric continued working, meticulously sifting through FBI files, cold leads, and firsthand interviews. Eventually, we sat down with the last living suspect, Gabriel Briguglio, who spoke candidly—finally free of decades of suspicion. In early 2025, we achieved a milestone: finally chatting with the Hoffa family on a phone call that would ultimately lead to our interview with James P. Hoffa for Season 7.

Fifty years after Jimmy Hoffa disappeared, we were face-to-face with his son James P. Hoffa, listening to the heartbreak and frustration only a family can feel. Eric’s interview was respectful, pointed, and powerful. It wasn’t about chasing headlines—it was about chasing the truth. He asked the questions that mattered, because the story still matters. We felt a connection to James P. "Fox has followed this all the way", he said, aas if to give us the "OK", to try and help them get some type of closure in this 50-year mystery. It was important to all of us in the room that day.

This wasn’t just a documentary. It was a mission—one built on empathy, tenacity, and journalistic responsibility. Eric never lost sight of the human cost of this story. He never lost interest in the truth, and he never got discouraged, even when the trail went cold. He just kept going, because that’s what good journalists do.

From 2004, when he entered the Beaverland house to test floorboards for blood, to Season 7 of Riddle, which is out on FOX Nation right now, Eric Shawn has been the soul of this investigation. The dignity, professionalism, and rigor he brought to this project is unmatched.

So if you watch Riddle: The Search for James R. Hoffa, don’t just watch it for the mystery. Watch it to understand what true investigative journalism looks like.

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/producers-notebook-tracking-fate-jimmy-hoffa

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/baloney-about-blue-angels-biting-office-more-julys-seven-craziest-stories

Yes, America, it's been another truly crazy month. July featured big, beautiful bills and bigger freakouts. We had the collective media breakdown over the cancellation of Stephen Colbert. Another about President Donald Trump defunding PBS and NPR. And then one about a jeans ad. More on all three of those below.

But oddly enough, two of the strangest stories came from the legal profession, including one involving cats.  

1 Catastrophic attack: The left hates the military, even some of the best of the military. Their latest campaign is to ground the Blue Angels. The Blue Angels, for the 12 people who have never heard of them, are acrobatic pilots who exemplify some of the best the military has to offer by performing death-defying maneuvers flying as close as 18 inches from one another. Eleven million Americans see the incredible flying of the Blue Angels each year. 

 CLIMATE ACTIVISTS DEMAND END TO US NAVY'S 'BLUE ANGELS' AIRSHOW IN SEATTLE

Leftist climate loons can’t stand that. They are running a campaign to stop the historic show, at least in their insane neck of the woods, complete with billboards. They are even resorting to cat lawsuits. Here’s a bit from a ridiculous NBC News story: "The final days of a Seattle cat were spent in ‘terror’ due to flyovers by Blue Angels fighter pilots, before squadron leaders blocked the feline's human mother on social media in an act of ‘cowardly censorship,’ she said in a lawsuit filed this week." NBC News says the author of the lawsuit, a paralegal, whined about the fliers last year on Instagram, "Nobody gives a f--- about your stupid little planes." Except for 11 million people. 

2. F-bombs galore: One of the month’s freakouts featured the embarrassing behavior of media liberals willing to debase themselves to keep Colbert employed, though his show lost tens of millions of dollars and wasn’t funny. The worst of these came from his buddy and former coworker Jon Stewart. Stewart mocked the network (which shares the same corporate owners as his own Comedy Central) for not trying to save their late-night show and for "killing a show that you know rankled a fragile and vengeful president." Half of the segment was classic Stewart with a degree of self-deprecating humor. Then he launched into song, complete with backup singers, telling the network, "Just go f--- yourself." Counting the singers repeating his mantra, the segment featured at least 35 or so F-bombs. That’s what the left is down to, they are losing so badly that all they can do is F-bomb like kids who learned a naughty word. Besides, Jason Mewes did it better.

3. Big law bites: Law has often been described as swimming with the sharks. But leave it to a young associate to put that metaphor into action – like the shark out of "Jaws." A summer associate at the prestigious Sidley Austin law firm reportedly lost her job because of her eating habits. According to Above The Law, "a Biglaw summer associate bit people at the firm — with her teeth." The site termed her the "Biglaw Biter" after rejecting several other options including, "Associate Lecter." The site reported that five people were bitten and with "a faux-quirky manic pixie dream girl crossed with the Donner party vibe." Ah, the joys of telecommuting.

WASHINGTON POST, NY TIMES COLUMNS INSIST COLBERT CANCELATION IS DUE TO OBSOLETE FORMAT, NOT POLITICS

4. Misreading history: Those of us who like history find it hard to reconcile the amazing stuff historian Ken Burns does with the absolute idiocy that he delivers at times. This month was no exception. He went on CBS to pretty much defend the people who pay him: "I couldn’t do any of the films I’ve done without them being on PBS." Burns admitted he doesn’t believe there’s bias at the network, which really does call into question every other analysis he has ever done. Then came the killer quote: "It is the Declaration of Independence applied to the communications world." Yeah, leaves me speechless. I wish it had done the same to him.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION

5. In the bag: There are purses and bags and then there’s the Birkin. (You can almost hear the angelic choir in the background.) Birkin bags are the in fashion accessory for the heavily cashed set. You know, the kind of people who think shopping at Tiffany is middle class. (That’s a dating story.) For them, there is the almighty Birkin bag. There are videos devoted to it and even songs. One hundred years from now, it will probably qualify as a religion. This month, the late Jane Birkin’s original Birkin bag sold at auction … for $10 million. This wasn’t pristine, as many Birkin owners try to keep theirs. No, according to the Post, "Scratches, surface scuffs, and signs of use are present on all sides." But you know the old adage, if you have to ask how much, you can’t afford it. I’m not sure I can afford to be in the same Zip Code.

6. ‘Blue Jean Baby’: American Eagle unveiled a new ad for their jeans with sex symbol Sydney Sweeney as spokesmodel. And it was WW II all over again. In the ad, Sweeney seductively pulls on her jeans and makes word play mixing "genes" and "jeans." The campaign tagline says, "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans." The reaction was swift and unhinged, whining that pretty women are controversial and arguing it was all about "eugenics." MSNBC claimed: "Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle ad shows a cultural shift toward whiteness." Yahoo ran a piece arguing, "I’m astounded Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle ads got approved." Some online commentators even whined about her initials. This is the kind of reaction that makes you wish Al Gore had never pretended to invent the internet.

7. Bowling for …: And speaking of word play, Pittsburgh Area Naturalists held naked bowling in July. Naked bowling – except for shoes. (You have to protect the integrity of the game, after all.) According to WTRF out of Pittsburgh, $30 got you four hours of bowling and footwear. The event was naturally called, "Balls Out Bowling." The story included the important caveat, "Nudity is required with the exception that women can wear bottoms." I pity the poor business that had to design the trophy.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM DAN GAINOR
 

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/baloney-about-blue-angels-biting-office-more-julys-seven-craziest-stories

https://www.foxnews.com/us/peek-inside-jimmy-hoffas-lakehouse-hideaway

Jimmy Hoffa's disappearance ignores his life. 

The legendary labor leader, who was the hard-charging former president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, had a quiet, hidden place where he could kick back and relax with his family away from the intense public spotlight.

Hoffa's sanctuary was an unassuming wooden house and compound on the shore of Lake Orion, 38 miles north of Detroit. It was Hoffa's beloved getaway where he spent decades with his wife Josephine, daughter Barbara and son James, granddaughter Barbara and grandsons David and Geoffrey, and assorted family and friends. But it is also the place he left on the afternoon of July 30th, 1975, to head to a meeting that resulted in his tragic disappearance.

JIMMY HOFFA’S SON: WHO KILLED MY DAD, WHY, AND WHAT IT DID TO MY FAMILY

"He loved this place," said Hoffa's son James. "When he came home, he was just Dad."

This summer, Fox Nation visited the house with Mr. Hoffa and his son David, as part of our series "Riddle, The Search for James R. Hoffa." The last two episodes of the series highlight the role the lake house played in the family.

The Hoffas sold the house in 1986, but, strangely, it remains much as it was during the summer of 1975 today, so many years later.

Jimmy Hoffa's furniture is still in it. His wood-paneled console TV still sits in the living room where he watched it. The only books on the shelf were from 1975, the year he vanished. His copy of the 1975 "Who's Who in America," which of course lists him, rests alongside his copies of "The Celebrity Register" and "Men of Achievement."

The old green shag wall-to-wall carpet was still underfoot in the living room.

Jimmy Hoffa's carved wooden Totem Pole still stands overlooking the lake.

Even his white and orange garden tractor, a 3415 H Simplicity, that he used to mow his own lawn remains in the backyard.

"As busy as he was, he was a good father, and he always found time for his family, and he was a good family man," said James. He said his father did his own home repairs, built parts of the house and grounds himself, cleared trees and brush and did his own yardwork.

"He was a working man all the way," he said. 

This summer promises a new life for the Hoffa house. It was bought by Susan and John Hagen, who plan to renovate it and are appreciative and respectful of its unique history.

"We knew the house was Jimmy Hoffa's summer estate when we saw it for the first time," John Hagen told Fox Nation. "We were the only ones who wanted to restore the property. Everyone else wanted to tear it down."

JIMMY HOFFA'S FAMILY CALLS ON TRUMP TO RELEASE FBI FILES

He said their intention is to "preserve a bit of history." After the closing, they decided to learn all they could about the famous previous owner.

"We started to appreciate the significance and what an important person Jimmy Hoffa was to the labor workers of his time. He was one of those rare people who make a huge impact on the world, and to keep that property of the local community has become very important to us. Even though the property is not listed as an historical site, it does have much historical significance, and we feel our role is to be the caretaker of the property  and to preserve it to the best of our abilities," he said.

The Hagens have started a Facebook page, "Hoffa House Renovations," that will document their effort. Their page even includes photos of our Fox Nation visit. The page already shows their work, such as repainting Hoffa's handmade totem pole in its original colors, taking down walls, uncovering long hidden patios and even Hoffa's wooden picnic tables.

"The property needs a lot of work, so it made sense to share the progress with everyone. We have had messages from people all over the country, who have stated they are enjoying seeing the home the Hoffa's loved so much."

The Hagens have their work cut out for them. The house and grounds are in disrepair, with large areas grown over and neglected. But the couple is ready as John was a builder/carpenter for 40 years, so he is ready.

"Our plans for the house are to restore the carriage house back to its former glory. The foundation is sinking on one side, so we may have to tear it down and rebuild it," he said. "There is a very large concrete patio that was uncovered next to the house. The stone bar-b-q that is on the patio is in need of serious repair. I will be taking it totally apart and putting it back together."

"The house will be redone inside and out," he said. "The outside will look exactly as it did 50 years ago, complete with the 8-inch white siding and new windows in all the locations. The house inside will be updated to look like 2025."

"The new owners are really good," said Hoffa's son James. "They will do a good job."

The Hagens are also uncovering special reminders of the Hoffa family's presence.

A faint outline of "JO" was visibly written in the cement stairs leading up from the lake, for Hoffa's wife Josephine.

The stone seawall that Hoffa built by hand with his son James, remains as strong as ever.

"We did it together," boasts Hoffa's son, James. "I worked with him on that. My hands would be raw, and his hands were raw, but we did it together."

The Hagens met Hoffa's son and one of his grandsons, David, when we visited the house.

"Hearing the wonderful stories about Jimmy Hoffa gave us a unique insight of the human side of the Hoffa story. Jimmy Hoffa was a family man and loved his family," John said.

"As I listened to James P. Hoffa, I thought to myself, I hope my kids have great memories of bringing their kids to my house, like he does. There is an obvious strong family bond with the Hoffas."

The Hoffa family loved the house, and it is clear that the Hagen family will carry that on in the spirit of the illustrious former owner.

Watch all eight episodes of "Riddle: The Search for James R. Hoffa," now streaming on Fox Nation. The latest episodes, 7 and 8, "The Only Way To Stop Him Was To Kill Him," and "The Hoffa Legacy," include the story of the lake house.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/peek-inside-jimmy-hoffas-lakehouse-hideaway