Scorned ex-lover accuses Sinema of 'malicious' marriage interference

Kyrsten Sinema could be forced to shell out tens of thousands of dollars in damages for an affair she had with her former bodyguard after his estranged wife sued the former senator under a 19th century law that allows jilted spouses in a handful of U.S. states to sue for a broken heart.

The so-called "alienation of affection" lawsuits are currently recognized in just six U.S. states — including North Carolina, where Sinema’s former bodyguard, Matthew Ammel, had lived with his now-estranged wife, Heather Ammel, for roughly a decade. 

The complaint against Sinema accused her of engaging in "intentional and malicious interference" in Ammel's marriage and sought $25,000 in damages from Sinema as a result of the allegedly "willful and wanton" conduct.

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In order to succeed in the lawsuit, plaintiffs must satisfy a difficult burden of proof. First, that the marriage had real affection and a viable relationship before any third-party involvement; second, that the "love and affection" were destroyed, or significantly diminished; and third, that the defendant in question directly "caused the destruction of that marital love and affection."

Perhaps for this reason, the complaint spares no detail: it ticks through an extemporaneous timeline of Ammel's relationship with Sinema, as a member of her security detail, a member of her staff, and later, as her romantic partner.

According to the complaint, Sinema sent suggestive messages to Matthew Ammel repeatedly over Signal, the encrypted messaging app, months before he and his wife officially split.

"I keep waking up during my sleep and reaching over for your arms to hold me," Sinema told Ammel via Signal in June 2024, according to the complaint — around the same time Ammel allegedly stopped wearing his wedding ring.

On another occasion, Sinema offered to "work on" Ammel's back with a Theragun, and allegedly suggested that he bring MDMA on a work trip and offered to "guide him through a psychedelic experience," though Sinema said she has "no recollection" of those messages. 

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At times, Heather was herself a party to the relationship, before and after the affair allegedly began. In 2023, she traveled to Las Vegas to attend a U2 concert with her husband and Sinema where they drank Dom Pérignon wine in Cindy McCain’s suite, according to the lawsuit. 

The two also traveled to Miami for a Taylor Swift concert in October 2024 — which the three attended out of "concern" for Ammel’s children, according to copies of the affidavit reviewed by Fox News Digital. 

It was the same month that Heather Ammel allegedly confronted Sinema directly by responding to one of her Signal messages. 

"Are you having an affair with my husband? You took a married man away from his family," she wrote, according to the complaint. Sinema has since acknowledged having received the message.

The lawsuit accuses Sinema of acting with "deliberate" interference in the marriage of her bodyguard and his now-estranged wife, who argued that the former lawmaker seduced him and thus "wrongfully and maliciously" deprived her of the "warmth, companionship" and love of their marriage.

The relationship between the two is not in dispute: Sinema, who served in the Senate from 2019 to 2025, has since acknowledged her relationship with her former bodyguard, though she argued the case should be dismissed for a lack of jurisdiction, since the affair in question took place "exclusively outside" the boundaries of the Tar Heel state, according to her lawyers.

While these lawsuits have become increasingly rare in the 21st century, they are not unheard of — and plaintiffs in the state have at times won eye-popping payouts for such claims. 

In 2010, a jury in North Carolina awarded plaintiff Cynthia Shackelford a total of $9 million in compensatory and punitive damages for an "alienation of affection" lawsuit brought against her husband’s alleged mistress. More recently, 2018, a Durham County judge ordered some $8.8 million in damages be paid out to BMX show owner Keith King from the man he said stole his wife — and ruined his company.

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Sinema, for her part, says the relationship between the two became "romantic and intimate" beginning in May 2024, during a trip to Sonoma, California, and said they were subsequently "physically intimate" in the months that followed, including in Phoenix, Arizona; Aspen, Colorado; and New York City. 

They were not, her lawyers stressed, intimate within the physical bounds of North Carolina prior to the dissolution of Ammel's marriage.

The judge presiding over the case ordered the plaintiff, Ammel, to file a response to Sinema's motion to dismiss the lawsuit by mid-April.

Matthew Ammel filed for divorce from his wife earlier this year.

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Scathing report claims nation's oldest labor union 'betrayed' MAGA members through 'shocking' spending

FIRST ON FOX: One of the nation’s most prominent railroad unions is facing new scrutiny after a watchdog report alleged its leadership is quietly working against the political views of its members who support President Donald Trump's agenda.

The report, released by the American Accountability Foundation (AAF), claims the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), one of the nation’s oldest labor unions, is run by leaders who are endorsing and promoting Democratic policies and candidates despite a membership base that data suggests largely supports the president.

The report, which alleges the union "betrayed" its MAGA members, points to the union’s endorsement of the Harris-Walz ticket in the 2024 election cycle, as well as its ties to prominent Democrats, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and former Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, who is running for Senate again.

While BLET has touted Republicans in recent years, including earlier this year when it applauded Vice President JD Vance and the bipartisan reintroduction of the Railway Safety Act (RSA), the report highlights repeated criticism of Trump-era policies, including transportation regulations, immigration enforcement and the conservative-backed Project 2025 agenda, alongside praise for the policies of the Biden administration.

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A review of the union's social media account by AAF shows numerous examples of the union opposing various moves by the first Trump administration during his presidential campaign against incumbent Joe Biden, which the report describes as evidence of "woke leadership."

"In the lead-up to the 2024 election, BLET issued 14 tweets that criticized the actions of the first Trump administration while praising the Biden administration's railroad policies," the report says. "The messaging was clearly intended to skew union members toward the Democratic presidential ticket. In these tweets, they attacked nearly every major Trump-era rail policy decision while framing the Biden administration's actions positively."

The union’s public support of Democrats had a financial angle as well, as the report states that the organization spent more than $26 million on political activity in recent years, with the vast majority supporting Democratic candidates and causes to a degree that AAF referred to as "shocking."

According to the report, 99% of the union’s party committee donations went to Democrats.

"For example, in the 2016 cycle, BLET donated $15,000 to the DNC when they were the nexus for GOTV for the Hillary Clinton campaign but never donated a dollar to the RNC," the report says. "In 2024, long after it had become clear that industrial union membership was strongly behind President Trump, the BLET leadership still hadn’t gotten the message, making 24 different donations to Democrat party committees for a total of $53,400 and a mere two donations to Republican committees for a spare $2000."

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According to the report, the divide reflects a broader shift in American politics, with blue-collar workers increasingly backing Trump while union leadership remains entrenched in traditional left-leaning positions.

The report goes beyond the union’s spending on politics and delves into what it calls "waste and abuse" in the form of millions of dollars of member dues being shelled out for travel, hotels and "swag."

"While it’s bad enough that BLET spent over $5,000,000 on hotels and conferences, even more concerning is the fact that the union spent over $2,000,000 on casinos and resorts alone," the report says. "The union appears more concerned with staying at entertaining destination resorts than they do being thrifty with their members’ dues."

Recent polling shows that labor unions like BLET consist of a large number of workers who support Trump, including Teamsters polling that shows a 60/40 breakdown in favor of Trump and exit polling from the 2024 election that shows working-class voters without a college degree went 56% for Trump and 42% for Harris. 

The report also points to leadership compensation as part of the disconnect, noting multiple top officials earning over $200,000 annually, with the union president and vice president each making more than $300,000.

"The men pulling America’s freight voted for President Trump because they believe in secure borders and putting American workers first," AAF President Tom Jones said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"But their union bosses are busy living large on member dues and carrying water for the Left. They’ve turned a blue-collar brotherhood into a woke political machine that’s doing everything it can against the Trump-Vance agenda, and likewise, against everyday railroad workers. Every BLET member should be asking where their hard-earned dollars are really going." 

In a statement to Fox News Digital, a BLET spokesperson said: "We do not comment on false press releases by dark money groups who have no accountability to the truth."

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Arnold Schwarzenegger passes bodybuilding torch to lookalike son Joseph Baena

Like father, like son — and a bodybuilding legacy in the making.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was spotted stepping back into coach mode as he trained his son, Joseph Baena, ahead of his first bodybuilding competition — signaling the next generation may be ready to carry the torch.

The seven-time Mr. Olympia winner, 78, was seen working closely with Baena, 28, inside the iconic Gold’s Gym in Venice Beach, California, where the bodybuilding legend once built his empire.

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But this time, Schwarzenegger wasn’t the one posing under pressure — he was fine-tuning every detail from the sidelines.

In the video obtained by Fox News Digital, the "Terminator" star carefully adjusted Baena’s positioning, ensuring each muscle hit just right.

After a session of pumping iron, Baena went shirtless to show off his increasingly sculpted physique, flexing his biceps as his father corrected his angles and form — even helping him lock in one of Schwarzenegger’s signature poses.

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Schwarzenegger, dressed casually in a black T-shirt, shorts and knee-high socks, watched closely as he coached his son.

Onlookers quickly gathered as the pair moved through each pose with precision, drawing a crowd inside the gym famously dubbed "the mecca of bodybuilding."

The "Dancing with the Stars" alum has recently showed off his fit physique and fitness routines in behind-the-scenes training videos on his social media.

WATCH: ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER TRAINS LOOKALIKE SON JOSEPH BAENA AT GYM AS BODYBUILDING BUZZ GROWS

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Baena has been carving out his own path — from acting roles, including the 2024 action thriller "Gunner," to landing a Men’s Health cover — while navigating inevitable comparisons to his father.

"It's been a huge growth year of me finding out who I am and really being secure… confident… no matter what the challenges are, what the comparisons are," Baena previously told Fox News Digital.

Still, he’s acknowledged the pressure that comes with the name.

"The message that I wanted to get across was, there’s a lot of people out there with very accomplished parents… and it’s scary. It’s scary to get compared to these giants, and to have the feeling like you need to live up to these expectations."

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American worker shot, killed in Bahamas as police launch criminal investigation: report

A criminal investigation is underway in the death of an American worker who was allegedly shot and killed in the Bahamas.

The Tallahassee Democrat reported that the victim, identified as 31-year-old Cody Castillo, of Crawfordville, Florida, was killed March 21 in Nassau following a dispute outside Da Plantation Bar & Grill in Nassau. The outlet said the shooting involved an off-duty senior officer of the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe said a criminal investigation has been opened.

"My understanding is that the police responded to the scene, acquired CCTV footage, as they always do, and commenced an investigation," Munroe said. "If there's evidence that criminal charges should be levied, they will do it. If, at the conclusion, they determine that they are uncomfortable in levying criminal charges, it goes to a coroner's inquest."

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A U.S. State Department spokesperson confirmed the death of an American, saying that they are "closely tracing local authorities' investigation into the cause of death."

"The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of American citizens," the spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "Out of respect for the privacy of the family and loved ones during this difficult time, we have no further comment." 

In a statement to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Nassau said that they "are closely following the case of the shooting death of a U.S. citizen by an off-duty police officer last weekend."

"We note with [the] deepest concern media reports that the officer followed the unarmed victim to his vehicle before fatally shooting him," they said. "We urge the Government of The Bahamas to ensure the victim receives justice in this case without delay."

Authorities have not released further official details about the identities of those involved or the circumstances of the shooting. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Royal Bahamas Police Force for additional information.

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A GoFundMe identified Castillo as a lineman for Pike Electric who had been in the Bahamas for work. Fox News Digital has reached out to Pike Corporation for comment.

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The fundraiser states that Castillo and his wife, Mikayla, were married about a year ago and were expecting their first child, a boy due in August.

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"Cody was working to support his family with PIKE Electric in the Bahamas. Then, in a moment that changed everything, Cody's life was taken by senseless violence while he was working abroad," they said.

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Major airline tightens window for passengers to seek compensation after baggage delays

Delta Air Lines is making a key change to its baggage guarantee program, shortening the window that travelers have to file a claim if their checked bags are delayed.

The airline confirmed that passengers will now have just two hours after their flight arrives at the gate to request compensation.

Previously, travelers had up to three days to submit a claim.

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Delta told Fox News Digital in a statement that customers whose checked bags do not arrive within 20 minutes of landing on domestic flights are still eligible for compensation.

"SkyMiles Members whose checked bags do not arrive at the carousel within 20 minutes of any domestic flight are eligible to receive 2,500 miles when they file a claim with Delta," the airline said.

"To streamline the process, Delta asks customers to submit those claims utilizing the quick and easy process on delta.com/bag-guarantee no later than two hours after their flight arrives at the gate."

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The baggage guarantee applies only to domestic flights.

It offers 2,500 SkyMiles to eligible travelers whose luggage is delayed, Delta said.

The change significantly shortens the timeframe for filing claims — meaning passengers must act quickly after arriving at their destination.

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Delta’s program is considered one of the more generous in the airline industry, as not all carriers offer compensation for delayed baggage.

Alaska Airlines offers a similar 20-minute baggage guarantee, though the process works differently.

If checked bags are not delivered within 20 minutes of arrival, customers can receive either a $25 discount code for a future flight or 2,500 bonus points, the airline says.

Unlike Delta, Alaska requires passengers to speak with an agent at the airport to file a claim — plus, requests must be made within two hours of arrival, according to the airline.

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The updated policy for Delta underscores the importance of checking baggage claims promptly and submitting requests quickly if luggage is delayed.

The change has also sparked discussion among travelers on social media.

Users said the shorter deadline could make it harder for travelers to take advantage of the policy.

"So to summarize, they are late, so now we have to speed up our time to submit?" one commenter wrote.

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Other users questioned whether the move was designed to reduce payouts.

"Pathetic attempt to not pay out claims at the same rate anymore," one person wrote.

Other people had no issues.

They said they routinely file claims while waiting at baggage claim and have not had any problems with the process.

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Rubio testifies in trial of ex-Florida congressman allegedly hired by Maduro government to lobby for Venezuela

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is testifying Tuesday in the trial of former Miami congressman and roommate David Rivera, who is accused of trying to lobby members of Congress and the White House on behalf of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. 

Rubio, testifying in a packed federal courtroom in Miami with heightened security, said he and Rivera became "very close" when both overlapped for six years as members of the Florida Legislature in the early 2000s. Rivera, a Republican, was arrested in December 2022 on charges of money laundering and representing a foreign government without registering. 

In July 2017, Rubio said he got a call from Rivera saying he needed to see him urgently to discuss Venezuela. The next morning, Rivera traveled to Washington and, at a meeting at his home, said he was working with Raul Gorrin, a media magnate in Venezuela who was Rivera’s main conduit to the Maduro government, on a plan to persuade Maduro to step aside. 

"I was skeptical," said Rubio during his testimony, according to The Associated Press, adding that the Maduro government was full of "double dealers" who were constantly pitching plans to betray Maduro. 

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"But if there was a 1% chance it was real, and I had a role to play alerting the White House, I was open to doing that," he added. 

Within days, borrowing talking points provided by Rivera, Rubio wrote and delivered a speech on the Senate floor signaling the U.S. would not retaliate against Venezuelan government insiders who worked to push Maduro from power, the AP reported. 

"He provided me with insight into some of the key phrases that regime insiders would’ve wanted to hear to know this was serious," Rubio testified. "No vengeance, no retribution." 

In the indictment against Rivera, there’s no indication that Rubio acted improperly as a senator at the time. 

The allegations come in connection to a $50 million consulting contract Rivera signed with Venezuela’s socialist government. 

The indictment alleges Rivera, at the start of the Trump administration, was part of a conspiracy to lobby on behalf of Venezuela to lower tensions with the U.S., resolve a legal dispute with a U.S. oil company and end U.S. sanctions against the South American nation — all without registering as a foreign agent. 

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As part of his work, Rivera and his co-defendant are accused of trying to arrange meetings for then-Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez — now Venezuela’s acting president — in Dallas, New York, Washington and Caracas, Venezuela, with White House officials, members of Congress and the chief executive officer of Exxon Mobil. 

To cloak their activities, prosecutors said, the co-defendants and others set up a chat group called MIA — for Miami — in which they used Spanish-language code words like "Little Cuban" for Rubio, "The Lady in Red" for Rodríguez and "melons" for millions of dollars. 

"This case is about two things: greed and betrayal," prosecutor Roger Cruz said in his opening statement Monday. "The evidence will show that for $50 million these two defendants made a pact to secretly lobby for Nicolás Maduro," as well as for Rodríguez. 

Rivera, 60, counters that his one-man firm, Interamerican Consulting, was hired by an American subsidiary of Venezuela’s state-owned oil company — not the company itself — and therefore did not need to register as a foreign agent. 

His three-month contract, his attorney says, was focused exclusively on luring Exxon back to Venezuela — commercial work that is generally exempt from the Foreign Agents Registration Act. 

Separate and wholly distinct from that consulting work were his efforts with the Venezuelan opposition to pave the way for Maduro’s exit, Rivera's defense said. 

Fox News' Gillian Turner, Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Former Playboy model Kendra Wilkinson opts for GLP-1 shots instead of new jeans: 'Mama is on a budget'

Kendra Wilkinson is preparing for her GLP-1 journey

"I’m a little bit overweight at the moment, so I’m gonna start taking my weight loss shots," Wilkinson told Us Weekly. "I’m starting that journey next week."

"There’s nothing worse than being in a gym every single day, working out and not seeing any progress," she added. "I hit 40. I’m happy. I’m at peace, but I noticed that my jeans are a little tighter lately, so I don’t want to go out and shop anymore. Mama is on a budget, so I have to fit back in my jeans. So I actually signed up for a shot company that will be delivering my shot next week. So I’ll start my journey next week."

KENDRA WILKINSON TELLS HATERS TO 'LEAVE ME ALONE' AFTER WEIGHT GAIN, ADMITS SHE'S NO LONGER A 'PLAYBOY GIRL'

Wilkinson admitted that she doesn't intend to "go all in" with the shots, but rather, "lose a few pounds safely."

"I just want to slightly, like, ease my way into it," she said. "I just want to be balanced out. I don’t really want to be skinny, but I just want to be balanced and fit in my jeans again."

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Last year, Wilkinson addressed body-shamers who had been poking fun at her physical appearance. 

"Yes, I’ve gained weight. Yes, im aging. Yes, I’m not that girl i was before (playboy girl)," she wrote on Instagram, adding a laughing face emoji. "But for once in a long time I feel good and mentally healthy. Kids are my everything. Feeling pretty balanced. Working out and cooking a lot more. Golf, work. No housekeeper or nanny."

Wilkinson explained that she's "finally" at peace in her life and would appreciate it if fans online would stop criticizing her appearance. 

KENDRA WILKINSON REVEALS HOW SHE'S ‘GETTING ON MY FEET AGAIN' AFTER DIVORCE

"For those of you hating on my new weight, 40 yr old face please know that I’m happy, healthy and at peace in life finally. Leave me alone and respect that I’m where I actually want to be finally all together," she wrote. 

"Almost 40 is feeling amazing and yes to the people criticizing my alcohol intake… I hear you and that will be monitored better. Drinking too much is definitely drinking too much but you know what’s coming up in JUNE…. Shots."

These days, the mother of two is focusing on her real estate career. 

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"The only thing I can say I regret in my life is not starting my real estate career while I was living at the Playboy Mansion," the "Girls Next Door" alum told Fox News Digital on the red carpet at the Operation Smile 25th Los Angeles Smile Fiesta last year. 

"What was I thinking?" she added. "Like, I mean, I was surrounded by everyone, every celebrity, every billionaire, and what was I thinking? But I'm now in real estate, so I'm good."

Wilkinson launched her career in real estate after passing the California real estate exam in June 2020. A month later, Wilkinson was hired as a real estate agent at The Agency, the luxury real estate company founded by Mauricio Umansky.

Wilkinson later left The Agency to join the high-end real estate firm Douglas Elliman. In November 2021, Wilkinson debuted her reality series, "Kendra Sells Hollywood," which followed the former model as she navigated the ups and downs of her new career in Los Angeles' ultracompetitive luxury real estate market. "Kendra Sells Hollywood" ran for two seasons on Discovery+ and Max. 

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Scottie Scheffler withdraws from PGA event just 2 weeks before Masters to welcome second child: reports

Scottie Scheffler has proven he's human over the last couple of weeks, which led to initial concern when he withdrew from this week's Houston Open.

The PGA Tour announced Wednesday that Matt Kuchar would replace Scheffler, whose withdraw came rather abruptly, considering this weekend is one of the final tuneups ahead of the Masters.

However, there is good reason for the move, as Scheffler and his wife, Meredith, are reportedly set to welcome their second child.

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Perhaps the stress of welcoming another child had been weighing on Scheffler. He finished T-22 at The Players earlier this month after finishing T-24 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He began the 2026 season with a victory at The American Express and followed up with typical results of T-3 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and T-4 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He then finished T-12 at the Genesis Invitational.

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For context, before this recent slump, Scheffler finished inside the top 10 in each of his previous 19 tournaments, and the last time he finished outside the top 20 in back-to-back events was in July and August 2023.

Scheffler has had success in Houston, finishing T2 in three of the last four Children's Opens.

Scheffler won the Masters for the first time in 2022, officially putting himself on the map. Two years later, he took the green jacket back from Jon Rahm, proving himself as the game's best after being named the PGA Tour Player of the Year in each of the two years prior.

Scheffler's last chance for a Masters warm-up will be next week at the Valero Texas Open, but it remains to be seen what happens next weekend, and afterward. The couple became parents in May 2024, just weeks after Scheffler's second win at Augusta.

Reigning Masters champion Rory McIlroy had to withdraw from the Arnold Palmer Invitational due to back spasms but returned for The Players the following week.

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Obama intel chief angered president at meeting by asking if he'd tolerate Iran having nuclear weapon

Former Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair once angered then-President Barack Obama during a White House meeting on Iran, after he pressed Obama on whether he could tolerate the nation obtaining a nuclear weapon, according to newly released oral history interviews.

"When it came my turn to speak at this meeting," Blair said, "I said, ‘Mr. President, you really just have one decision to make… Are you going to tolerate Iran having a nuclear weapon or not?’" He added that rejecting a nuclear Iran would require espionage and military options, while acceptance would mean a strategy to contain and deter Iran.

The exchange, documented in interviews conducted by the University of Virginia's Miller Center and reported by The New York Times, offers a window into internal divisions within the Obama administration as officials debated how to respond to Iran's nuclear program.

Blair said the moment prompted a sharp warning from Obama.

"The president took me aside after that meeting and said, ‘Denny, don’t ever put me on the spot like that again,’" he recalled. "I said… ‘Yes, sir, Mr. President. I certainly won’t.’" He added, "I was kept out of meetings from that time forward."

OBAMA OFFICIAL WHO BACKED IRAN DEAL SPARKS ONLINE OUTRAGE WITH REACTION TO TRUMP'S STRIKE: 'SIT THIS ONE OUT'

Blair described the meeting as one that had been presented as an opportunity to provide input on Iran policy, and he made the "mistake" of thinking Obama was honestly looking for "fresh insights."

Blair served as Obama's DNI from the start of his presidency in 2009 until he resigned at Obama's request in May 2010.

Obama would go on to negotiate the Iran nuclear deal during his second term, which his administration hailed as a landmark diplomatic achievement that limited the country's nuclear ambitions while avoiding bloodshed. Its critics savaged the deal as mere appeasement that granted unearned sanctions relief to the world's largest state sponsor of terror. 

President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the agreement in 2018.

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The released oral histories also include accounts of internal political discussions within the Obama White House, including deliberations over Vice President Joe Biden’s potential 2016 presidential bid.

David Plouffe, a top political strategist, urged Biden not to enter the race, telling him, "There's no room. There's just no room for you."

Plouffe added, "I’m concerned about you as a human being. I’m not sure you’re in a state to run."

Biden, who mourned the death of his son Beau in 2015, announced later that year that he would not enter the Democratic race, which came down to a heated battle between Hillary Clinton, Obama's preferred candidate, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.

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Clinton would go on to win the nomination and lose the general election to Trump.

Obama's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. 

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Analysts say Gaza 'civilian' deaths include Hamas, other terror members working as medics, media workers

As Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) publicly claim their dead, new research shows that many previously counted as civilians were in fact members of the terrorist organizations, undermining accusations that Israeli forces deliberately targeted civilians in Gaza.

Researchers monitoring the Hamas-run health ministry’s death reports told Fox News Digital that a growing number of "martyrs" were exposed as terrorists by their own groups such as Hamas, despite maintaining public identities as healthcare or media workers.

Gabriel Epstein, senior policy associate at Israel Policy Forum, told Fox News Digital that he has tracked multiple individuals named by Hamas and PIJ as martyrs killed in battle in Gaza who held positions in the health industry, including nongovernmental organizations (NGOs.)

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Epstein found several individuals labeled as medical staff who are also members of terrorist groups. The most serious revelation from the martyr list is Fadi al-Wadiyya, a physiotherapist for Médecins sans frontières, who was killed by Israel Defense Forces in June 2024. MSF responded to the death, saying they were "outraged" and "strongly condemn[ed] the killing of our colleague."

When the IDF claimed that al-Wadiyya was a member of PIJ, MSF said they had "no prior knowledge" of his "alleged involvement in military activities" and said they had "not received any formal explanation" of "the circumstances of his killing."

In a Telegram account claiming to be the media reserve for the Al-Quds Brigades, a post mourning al-Wadiyya’s martyrdom on Feb. 24 lists the physiotherapist as an assistant to the military manufacturing unit of PIJ’s Al-Quds Brigades.

Fox News Digital asked MSF whether they were aware of al-Wadiyya’s PIJ connections prior to the martyr announcement. A spokesperson said, "We would not knowingly employ people engaging in military activity" as it "would pose a danger to our staff and patients by compromising our neutrality."

HAMAS TERRORISTS USE AMBULANCES, SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS IN VIOLATION OF US-BROKERED CEASEFIRE, IDF OFFICIAL SAYS

The spokesperson said that "MSF had no indication that Fadi Al Wadiya might have been involved in military activity of any kind prior to the Israeli authorities’ online posts in June 2024. In the immediate aftermath of Al-Wadiya's killing, we asked for explanations from the Israeli authorities, but never received an official response. If the Israeli authorities were aware of Al-Wadiya's links with militant activities, they never shared this info with us until after he was killed. To this day, the only information they shared and that we are aware of is what was shared through public social media posts."

The IDF banned MSF operations in Gaza from the beginning of March because the organization refused to provide a list of its Palestinian employees. In response to Fox News Digital’s questions about whether they would consider providing this list to the IDF presently, MSF’s spokesperson said, "We did not share our staff lists with Israel because we did not receive concrete assurances to ensure the safety of our staff or the independent management of our operations. This is a place where humanitarian workers have frequently been detained, attacked, and killed. We have a responsibility to protect our colleagues from harm."

Epstein shared several other cases of healthcare workers who played prominent roles in terror groups.

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Mohammed Akram Abdullah al-Kafarna was mourned by the Palestinian Nursing and Midwifery Association’s Facebook page as the nursing supervisor at Kamal Adwan Hospital and by the Institute for Palestine Studies as head of the Gaza nursing system. A Telegram account that lists members of Hamas’ best-outfitted Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, al-Kafarna is described as one of Beit Hanoun’s "Qassam Martyrs."

Ayman Suleiman Aliyan Abu Tayr was listed as martyred in Khan Younis in June 2025. The Institute for Palestine Studies labels him as a nurse and head of the clinical nutrition department at Nasser Hospital. According to a Telegram account linked to PIJ’s Al-Quds Brigades, Abu Tayr was a Commander in the Central Operations Unit of the Al-Quds Brigades.

Jaber Abdulhamid Diab Mohammedin was mourned on the Palestinian Ministry of Health General Directorate of Nursing’s Facebook page as an Intensive Care Unit nurse at the Al-Rantisi Specialized Children’s Hospital. A Telegram account linked to the Islamic Jihad Movement lists Mohammedin as a commander in the military manufacturing unit of the PIJ’s Al-Quds Brigade.

Nidal Jaber Abdulfattah al-Najjar is labeled as an administrator at the Palestinian Ministry of Health, according to the Institute for Palestine Studies, while a mourner on Facebook noted that he worked in the Al-Rantisi Children’s Hospital. He is labeled on a Telegram account emblazoned with Hamas’ distinctive red triangle as a martyr commander of Hamas’ Al-Radwan Battalion.

Salo Aizenberg, director of media watchdog group HonestReporting, told Fox News Digital that he is tracking at least 10 "virtually indisputable" examples of journalists who are actually combatants, working with Hamas and other terrorist groups.

David Adesnik, vice president of research for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that he has also been tracking the disclosures. "With PIJ, the number of commanders who operated with civilian cover is striking," Adesnik said. "We’re at a point where the evidence indicates that this duplicity was a routine part of a strategy to infiltrate civilian organization, especially humanitarian ones. This provides access and protection while ensuring outrage when these supposed humanitarians are killed."

Adesnik said he believes it "likely that Hamas also employed this strategy in a systematic way, but right now we mainly have the PIJ disclosures. Given that Hamas is many times larger, if it were to disclose this kind of information, the effects could easily ripple across the humanitarian sector in Gaza."

Among the cases Aizenberg is tracking are media workers. He said that his list is "based solely on admissions by those groups and other Gazan sources," and "does not include the many additional examples identified through Israeli evidence."

Though the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) cites Yacoup Al-Borsch as a journalist and the executive director of Namaa Radio, Aizenberg has found "numerous social media posts and martyr notices identifying him as a fighter and ‘mujahid.’" This includes a Facebook post from an account affiliated with the Al-Omari Mosque in Jabalia.

Ahmed Abu Sharia was a freelancer who worked for outlets like Iranian Tasnim News Agency, the CPJ says. According to the "official" Telegram site of the Mujahideen Brigades, the Palestinian Mujahideen movement’s military wing, he was also a member of the Mujahideen Brigades.

Rizq Abu Shakian was a "media worker and administrator for the pro-Hamas Palestine Now Agency," according to CPJ. Shakian also appears in Hamas uniform on a Telegram site that shares images of Palestinian martyrs. According to Aizenberg’s research, he was a member of the Al-Qassam Brigades.

In response to questions about whether CPJ would update listings of journalists who have been claimed as terror affiliates, the group directed Fox News Digital to its policy for updating listings, which states, "CPJ has a long-standing policy of updating its data and the accompanying narrative accounts without issuing formal corrections as new information becomes available over time. In certain cases, a record may be removed from public view when new information leads CPJ to determine that a case falls outside its mandate or for security concerns, such as the safety of the journalist and their family.  CPJ will publicly record when it has removed a journalist from the database for a reason outside of security concerns. "

As the shaky ceasefire in Gaza continues, analysts say they continue to place value in closely examining the war’s casualties. Epstein said that "reviewing cases of militants who held dual civilian roles in key sectors like media, healthcare and education is important for the historical record and underscores the information limitations press, government, and analysts face in real time during conflict." He said that "over time, militant identification can give a sense of just how deep Hamas, PIJ and other militant groups' hold over key sectors in Gaza was."

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Iran conflict won’t trigger Biden-style refugee replay, expert predicts

Iran’s instability is unlikely to trigger a Syrian- or Afghanistan-style refugee crisis, a top immigration expert told Fox News Digital, even as questions mount over what comes next for the Iranian people once the fighting subsides.

With Ayatollah Ali Khamenei killed in an airstrike, several top officials dead and competing factions vying for control, questions are mounting over whether Iran’s turmoil could trigger a refugee crisis.

However, given the geography and environment in Iran, a mass refugee exodus appears unlikely, according to Andrew "Art" Arthur – a nationally-recognized national security and immigration expert at the Center for Immigration Studies.

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"It's actually an interesting question, and there are a couple of things to keep in mind," Arthur said in a recent interview.

"One is Iran is about twice the size of Texas. It's, I think, roughly the size as Alaska. It is a huge country, and I think there are 93 million people there, but it's still a big country and most of it is untouched by the conflict, so it's not like individuals couldn't relocate in-country and be perfectly safe."

Unlike Afghanistan, he added, the U.S. and the West don’t have a previous footprint on the ground and don’t have people inside the country offering assistance.

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"[W]e don't have the ability to do something like President Biden did where we load up C-130s with everybody we can get our hands on and fly them to the United States. So, that's a huge distinction."

During the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal, chaos reigned at Hamid Karzai International Airport as U.S. military planes with refugees hanging off of them flew in and out of Kabul while Taliban forces created deadly roadblocks and uncertainty for those trying to flee.

The operation led to a huge influx of largely unvetted Afghan nationals into the U.S., which many immigration hawks blame for some of the migrant violence seen domestically.

WINNING THE BATTLES, LOSING THE WAR? AMERICA MUST DEFINE THE ENDGAME IN IRAN

Arthur said that exemplar is rare, in that most refugees don’t or aren’t able to fly "halfway around the world" to escape unrest.

"The Afghanistan evacuation operation, Allies Refuge and Allies Welcome, was completely without precedent in U.S. history, because, generally, refugees resettle in an adjacent country assuming that they can resettle in-country," he said.

Such was true during the other major refugee flow this century, the Syrian crisis during the 2011 "Arab Spring."

AUSTRALIA GRANTS ASYLUM TO 5 IRANIAN WOMEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS AMID IRAN CONFLICT

Then-Syrian President Bashar al-Assad responded to peaceful civilian protests with military force, spurring years of outflows of about 11 million Syrian nationals around Europe with a smaller proportion ultimately making their way to the U.S.

The Obama administration set a goal of 10,000 admissions of Syrians through refugee resettlement, while nearly 5 million were registered globally as refugees as of 2017, according to the Migration Policy Institute.

A good proportion of the U.S.’ Syrian population also predates the refugee crisis, some by more than 100 years, like the estimated 5,000 in Allentown, Pennsylvania. 

TOP COUNTERTERRORISM OFFICIAL RESIGNS IN PROTEST OF US WAR AGAINST IRAN

Addressing the potential for any Iranian refugee crisis, Arthur said that, in practice, the U.S. could offer resources to neighboring countries but would not be obligated to take in refugees.

"That’s not the way that this works," he said, pointing out that during the 1980s Afghan-Soviet conflict, Afghans relocated to Pakistan and the U.S. helped them from afar.

"We didn’t bring them to the United States," he said, adding that the U.S. helped enforce a no-fly zone to assist aligned factions, such as the Kurds, maintain safer territory.

MEDIA UNDER FIRE: JOURNALISTS KEEP QUESTIONING IRAN WAR AS HEGSETH CALLS THEM ‘UNPATRIOTIC’ AND ‘ANTI-TRUMP’

Fox News Digital also asked the White House for its thoughts on the prospect of another refugee crisis amid another bout of instability in a Mideast country.

The White House directed Fox News Digital to recent comments by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on the matter, when he was questioned about the proclivity for such conflicts as Iran to force thousands to flee from the conflict zone and into the U.S. – and whether there are any "safeguards" in place to prevent such.

"I think it's safe to say there's no plan for a wave of new Middle Eastern refugees to the United States of America," Hegseth said.

"I think, as the president has pointed out for a long time, there are a lot of countries in the region who would be capable of providing that kind of support if need be."

"But that's certainly not something we're planning on," he said.

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Apple News fails to provide balanced coverage of DHS shutdown, ignores right-leaning outlets: study

FIRST ON FOX—Apple News and other prominent aggregators are failing to provide balanced coverage of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown, according to a study. 

The conservative-leaning Media Research Center (MRC) examined Apple News, Google News, Microsoft’s MSN and Yahoo News for the first month of the DHS funding lapse. The MRC wanted to see how the four major news aggregators had been curating information related to the partial government shutdown that began on Feb. 14, and findings indicate many Americans are only hearing one side of the story. 

The four apps limited their coverage of the DHS shutdown to only 1%, comprising 28 stories, out of the 1,977 promoted during the period, according to the MRC. Of the 28 stories, 19 came from "leftist" media sources and seven came from "center" sources. 

THE ALLEGED BIAS OF APPLE NEWS: EX-LIBERAL MAG EDITOR TASKED TO HANDPICK STORIES FOR MILLIONS OF IPHONE USERS

"Out of the 28 articles about the shutdown, only one headline exclusively blamed Democrats," MRC Vice President Dan Schneider told Fox News Digital. 

Apple News published 17 stories related to the shutdown, but none of them came from right-leaning news organizations. None of the stories featured a headline that blamed Democrats, and only one of the 17 even mentioned Democrats in the headline at all, according to the MRC. 

Apple News published 12 stories from organizations that the MRC considers "left" or "lean left," and five from outlets labeled "center." No right-leaning or conservative outlets had DHS shutdown content published by Apple News, according to the MRC. 

APPLE NEWS BOOSTS LEFT-LEANING NEWS OUTLETS, SHUTS OUT CONSERVATIVE SOURCES: WATCHDOG

"When a dominant platform like Apple News delivers 71 percent left-leaning coverage and zero right-leaning perspectives on a major political fight, that is not balance. That is the information pipeline tilting the playing field," MRC President David Bozell told Fox News Digital. 

During the time period Feb. 14 to March 14, 2026, MRC researchers examined the top 20 stories featured on the Big Four News Apps — Apple News, Google News, Microsoft’s MSN and Yahoo News — each day at approximately 8:30 AM ET and searched the article headlines for the terms "DHS," "Homeland Security," "shutdown" and "shut." MRC researchers used the AllSides media bias ratings, which categorize an outlet as "left," "lean left," "center," "lean right" or "right" to determine the overall bias presented by Google News and analyzed the results.

Google News published six stories on the topic, and none of them featured a headline that blamed Democrats or even mentioned the party. Four were from left-leaning outlets, according to the MRC, while two stories from the BBC and Reuters were considered "center" by the media watchdog. 

When reached for comment, Google questioned the methodology of the study and said Google News changes throughout the day and is personalized to users.

Apple News did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Microsoft’s MSN only pushed a single article related to the shutdown, which came from Bloomberg News, according to the MRC.

"Microsoft is especially egregious in covering up the Democrat-led effort to shut down DHS in the middle of the U.S. fight against Iran. Even the one story it published was from Bloomberg, which buries stories behind its paywall. Only users who pay extra can access the one story MSN published about the shutdown," Schneider said. 

TRUMP FTC SENDS LETTER TO APPLE ABOUT ALLEGED POLITICAL BIAS ON ITS NEWS APP

MSN did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Yahoo News was the most balanced, publishing four stories, including a pair from Fox News. 

Democrats on Capitol Hill are accusing Republicans of walking away from attempts to shrink the size of a partial shutdown, arguing that the impasse over funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) doesn’t need to hold up funding for other agencies.

Democrats are demanding a ban on masks for ICE agents, an end to roaming patrols, stiffer warrant requirements and visible identification markings. Their demands came about in the wake of the deaths of two civilians in Minnesota who lost their lives in escalated confrontations with immigration enforcement.

Without those demands, Democrats say there’s no way to press on towards funding ICE. As the partial government shutdown continues to drag on, Transportation Security Administration officers are not getting their paychecks due to the lapse in funding.

Over the weekend, airports across the country faced long security delays, with TSA officers calling out of work.

Republicans maintain the demands would handcuff President Donald Trump’s illegal immigration crackdown efforts.

Republicans can’t advance funding legislation in the Senate without the help of at least 7 Democrats. Republicans hold 53 seats in the chamber and need 60 votes to break the threat of a filibuster.

Fox News Digital’s Leo Briceno and Ashley J. DiMella contributed to this report.

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Oscars 2026: Jessica Alba, Kate Hudson, Alessandra Ambrosio and more stun on Vanity Fair silver carpet

The stars aligned following the 98th Academy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday. 

Hollywood's biggest names kept the party going at the 2026 Vanity Fair Oscar Party — turning heads in some of 2026’s sexiest and most daring fashion statements.

From sheer gowns to low-plunging necklines, stars such as Jessica Alba, Emily Ratajkowski, Kim Kardashian, Nicole Kidman, Heidi Klum and more flocked to the silver carpet to debut their own style. 

Here is a look at some of the night's best-dressed attendees. 

2026 OSCARS: WINNERS AND LOSERS

Jessica Alba, who was accompanied by her new love interest, Danny Ramirez, wore a black strapless Tamara Ralph gown featuring 3-D feathers on the skirt.

Emily Ratajkowski wore a maroon velvet dress with a plunging neckline and side cutouts, while Alessandra Ambrosio wore a white corset gown that featured a sheer bottom exposing her legs. 

Nicole Kidman, who hilariously photobombed Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos on the carpet, per a video obtained by Page Six, opted for a classic, long-sleeved gold gown. Priyanka Chopra and Kim Kardashian followed suit with their own gold ensembles. 

Kardashian paired her bodycon gown with blue-colored contacts.

Heidi Klum wore a light yellow gown that featured sheer cutouts and a low back. 

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Kate Hudson, who was nominated at the 2026 Oscars for best actress for her role as Claire Sardina in the musical romance "Song Sung Blue," wore a sexy, black cutout gown that exposed her abs. 

Donatella Versace, Fran Drescher and Meg Ryan all wore various shades of deep green gowns. 

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Kylie Jenner, who opted out of walking the Oscars' red carpet with boyfriend and nominee Timothée Chalamet, cuddled up to the actor while walking the VF silver carpet. Jenner wore a custom black sequin Alexander McQueen gown with a long feathered train, while Chalamet donned an all-white suit. 

KATE MIDDLETON DAZZLES ALONGSIDE HOLLYWOOD STARS KATE HUDSON AND EMMA STONE AT THE 2026 BAFTAS

More couples who walked the carpet included Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos, Melanie Hamrick and Mick Jagger, Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor and more. 

Dakota Fanning, whose sister Elle Fanning was nominated for best supporting actress in "Sentimental Value," sparkled in a black Zuhair Murad gown, while "Abbott Elementary" creator and star Quinta Brunson wore a black Tom Ford gown that featured a high-neck. 

"The Queen's Gambet" actress Anya Taylor-Joy took a chance with a Dior black bodysuit by Jonathan Anderson and a Tiffany & Co. statement necklace. 

Selma Blair, who has been vocal about her MS battle, walked the silver carpet with her cane and dazzled in a black gown. Blair paired her look with a chunky diamond necklace and a slicked-back hairstyle. 

Queen Latifah wore a red strapless gown accompanied by a sheer layered cape, while Kaia Gerber kept it classic with a red silhouette gown that featured a high cutout. 

Kendall Jenner sparkled in a baby blue Chanel corset gown, which was embroidered with sequins. Jenner accompanied her look with Tiffany & Co. jewelry, wearing a pair of 4-carat diamond drop earrings and a 6-carat diamond ring. Hailey Bieber wore a strapless animal print dress by Giorgio Armani. Her husband, Justin Bieber, was not in attendance. 

Inside the party, which was held at the Los Angeles County Musuem of Art (LACMA), guests gathered within the outdoor "forum" area beneath the main museum galleries facing the Japanese Pavilion. A vestibule composed of curved faceted mirrored walls created a "hall of mirrors" effect as guests passed into the large party room.

A 20-foot-tall arrangement of 10,000 yellow orchids anchored the entry to the main party space, which featured a custom fabricated 40-by-15-foot-wide central bar, presented by Tequila Don Julio, in stainless steel at the center of the room, over which hung 24 six-foot-tall Noguchi-inspired parchment lanterns, bathing the room in a warm white coloration, according to a press release obtained by Fox News Digital. 

Guests enjoyed a meal curated by chef Evan Funke of Funke, Beverly Hills, and Funke Catering & Events. The meal consisted of lasagna alla Cantonese, Mediterranean sea bass, grilled prime ribeye with custom chocolate bark for dessert. 

To top it off, partygoers were offered by-the-slice Domino's Pizza and In-N-Out burgers throughout the night. 

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Top California librarian questioned about missing $650K tied to Dolly Parton child literacy program

California state librarian Greg Lucas is facing scrutiny from lawmakers after roughly $650,000 tied to a statewide literacy program connected to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library could not be accounted for.

The issue surfaced during a Thursday Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 1 on Education hearing, which examined how funds were distributed for California’s participation in the book-gifting program.

Documents shared by the subcommittee as part of its hearing agenda claim that a nonprofit created to help administer the program reported spending roughly $1.2 million, while bank statements provided to Senate budget staff showed $555,000 in expenditures, leaving about $649,000 without supporting documentation.

"I find this to be incredibly concerning," said state Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, D-Pasadena, chair of the subcommittee. "There’s $650,000 that’s been unaccounted for in a program, a bipartisan effort that was intended to increase literacy among children. This is incredibly serious."

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State Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, also criticized the lack of documentation, saying the situation raised serious concerns about transparency and oversight.

"That makes no sense," Grove said during the hearing. "And that reeks of horrific no transparency and potential fraud."

The California state library did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Lawmakers said Senate budget staff had requested financial records from the Strong Reader Partnership, the nonprofit created to help administer the program, multiple times, including receipts, invoices and bank statements to corroborate expenses.

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According to the subcommittee, those requests were made on several occasions between November 2025 and February 2026, but the documentation had not been provided.

During the hearing, Lucas acknowledged that lawmakers had received bank statements accounting for roughly $555,000 in spending but disputed the claim that the funds were unaccounted for.

"I don't believe that's correct," he said. "I mean, we received a final report on the disposition of the money by the Strong Reader Partnership, which has expressed, and we've passed this on to you as well, the difficulty in obtaining some of this information because they no longer have any money or members of the partnership since the money was transferred to the Imagination Library."

He added that his agency has repeatedly asked the nonprofit for additional records and pledged to continue requesting the information.

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A spokesperson for the state library told ABC10 in a statement: "The California State Library takes seriously its responsibility to ensure transparency and accountability in the taxpayer dollars entrusted to it. The State Library has provided the Legislature with all documentation in its possession and has repeatedly requested additional records from the Strong Reader partnership. The California State Library remains committed to cooperating fully with all legislative oversight and maintaining accountability in the administration of public funds."

Pérez gave Lucas seven days to produce the financial records, saying the subcommittee expected invoices and receipts detailing how the money was spent.

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Hall of Famer Tony Dungy announces NBC let him go after 17 seasons on their pregame show

Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Dungy announced to social media that he would not a part of NBC’s "Football Night in America" next season.

Dungy, 70, spent the last 17 seasons with the pregame show and was on the field for NBC’s coverage of Super Bowl LX.

"I have been informed by NBC that I won’t be back with FNIA this fall, and it has given me time to reflect and also to look ahead," Dungy posted to X.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

"It’s disappointing news, but I want to thank my NBC family for making the last 17 years so special. I’ll have lasting memories of my time there, especially with Rodney Harrison, who has become a tremendous friend."

The Athletic reported last month that Dungy would likely be out as a regular on the show but that no final decision had been made on the show. Dungy’s post to X on Friday morning confirmed his departure.

The Super Bowl champion coach said he is unsure of what his next steps will be.

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"God has always directed me in these moments, and while I’m not sure what the next step will be for me —whether it will be in football, in broadcasting, or getting more involved in church and community outreach — I know God has plans for my life and I can’t wait see them unfold. And I am reminded of one of my favorite verses in the Bible - Romans 8:28. ‘God works all things for His good for those who love the Lord.’"

Dungy might not be the only change to "Football Night in America’s" broadcast, as his contract was not the only one that expired following Super Bowl LX, according to The Athletic’s report.

Dungy played three seasons in the NFL as a defensive back, spending two with the Pittsburgh Steelers and one with the San Francisco 49ers. He then transitioned into coaching.

He coached the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for six seasons and the Colts for seven seasons, winning a Super Bowl with the Colts.

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Travis Kelce insists Chiefs return in 2026 was never in doubt: 'Hungry to get back'

Any concerns about 11-time Pro Bowler Travis Kelce’s career continuing with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2026 were apparently unwarranted.

Shortly after news surfaced that Kelce would return to the only NFL team he’s ever played for, the 36-year-old tight end said he made the decision "about midway through" last season.

"About midway through the season," Kelce said on the latest episode of "New Heights," the podcast he co-hosts with his brother, former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce. 

While questions surfaced as Kelce took some extended time to reveal his decision, he made it clear he did not want to make an emotional decision.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

"I was taking Jason Kelce’s advice. I was taking the advice to take a step back. You gotta let the emotions clear and you gotta have a clear head. I’ve made decisions based off of emotions, and they haven’t always played out the right way. So I think taking a step back, letting the emotions settle down… it still felt like I was hungry enough to get back at it. Obviously, there’s still a little bit of that grit and that emotion. I f-----g hated the way that s--t ended last year and I wanna make it right."

TRAVIS KELCE CREDITS TAYLOR SWIFT FOR HELPING MOTIVATE HIS RETURN TO THE CHIEFS

Kelce said his decision to return was also driven by another shot at NFL glory. "And I want to get another chance at another f-----g Super Bowl," he said.

A 6-11 finish in the 2025 season meant the Chiefs were on the outside looking in at the playoffs for the first time since 2014.

As the Chiefs’ offseason got off to an earlier-than-normal start, Patrick Mahomes' season-ending ACL injury and the uncertainty swirling around Kelce’s future are being closely watched in Kansas City.

Kelce finished last season with 851 receiving yards and five touchdown receptions. 

The Chiefs selected Kelce in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Kansas City made a splash in free agency this week, signing Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III to bolster its running back room.

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FBI responding to reports of 'active shooting situation' at Michigan synagogue

Federal and state authorities are responding to an "active shooting" at a Reform Jewish synagogue in West Bloomfield, Michigan, after a suspect allegedly rammed a vehicle into the house of worship and opened fire.

The shooting, which unfolded at about 12:30 p.m. local time Thursday, took place at Temple Israel, according to Michigan State Police.

A senior law enforcement source tells Fox News the shooter is believed to be dead.

FBI Director Kash Patel said his personnel are on the scene with partners in Michigan and are "responding to the apparent vehicle ramming and active shooter situation" at the temple.

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Bloomingfield Township Police confirmed Bloomfield Hills schools are in secure mode.

"This is out of precaution, there are no known threats to Bloomfield Hills schools at this time," the agency wrote in a statement.

Neighboring agency Ann Arbor Police Department said its officers will also increase patrols and respond to local houses of worship and schools throughout the city as a precautionary measure.

"We are asking for community members to stay away from the area to allow for police response," state police wrote in a statement. "Troopers are also increasing patrols at other places of worship in the district."

SAN JOSE POLICE INVESTIGATE VIOLENT ALTERCATION CAUGHT ON CAMERA AS POTENTIAL ANTISEMITIC HATE CRIME

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she is tracking reports and working with Michigan State Police to get more information.

"This is heartbreaking," Whitmer wrote in an X post. "Michigan's Jewish community should be able to live and practice their faith in peace. Antisemitism and violence have no place in Michigan. I am hoping for everyone's safety. Thank you to law enforcement for their swift action."

The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to inquiries from Fox News Digital.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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Judge says no new trial for Laken Riley killer Jose Ibarra

A Georgia judge denied Jose Ibarra’s motion for a new trial following his conviction in the killing of nursing student Laken Riley.

Lawyers for Ibarra argued his constitutional rights were violated when the judge declined two defense motions before trial. One was a request to delay the trial to give an expert witness time to review and analyze DNA data. The other would have excluded some cellphone evidence. 

"As the only evidence admitted at trial derived exclusively from the cellphone was the Rubin location data, and that data is cumulative of the timing advance records provided directly from the service provider, any error in failing to suppress the cellphone is harmless," Superior Court Judge Patrick Haggard wrote, rejecting the request and leaving in place Ibarra’s sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. "Even excluding the cellphone location data, the Court finds the remaining evidence, including the DNA, fingerprint, trace, and video evidence, overwhelming and sufficient to support Defendant's conviction. Hence, any error arising from the admission of the cellphone evidence is harmless."

Ibarra, a Venezuelan migrant, was found guilty of malice murder, felony murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault, hindering a 911 call, tampering with evidence and peeping tom in connection with Riley’s death.

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A spokesperson for Ibarra’s attorneys said they plan to file an appeal.

Ibarra, 28, had entered the U.S. illegally in 2022 and was allowed to stay while he pursued his immigration case under former President Joe Biden's open border.

GOP PUSHES TO HOLD SANCTUARY JURISDICTIONS’ ‘FEET TO THE FIRE’ IN STATE WHERE LAKEN RILEY WAS KILLED

Ibarra encountered Riley while she was running on the University of Georgia campus in Athens on Feb. 22, 2024, and killed her during a struggle. Riley was a student at Augusta University College of Nursing, which also has a campus in Athens, about 70 miles (115 kilometers) east of Atlanta.

EXCLUSIVE: ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT RELEASED UNDER BIDEN 'CATCH-AND-RELEASE' ALLEGEDLY KILLS DRIVER IN POLICE CHASE

Ibarra’s trial attorneys had asked the judge to delay the trial after a DNA expert said she would need six weeks to review evidence analyzed using TrueAllele Casework, software used to interpret DNA and assist the defense. The judge wrote in his order Monday that Ibarra’s lawyers "effectively challenged the TrueAllele DNA evidence at trial" and concluded that Ibarra was not harmed by the denial of a delay.

The DNA expert testified during a January hearing on the motion for a new trial, and the judge wrote that he did not find her opinion to be persuasive or credible and that it would not have changed the trial outcome.

Ibarra’s attorneys also had challenged the seizure of two cellphones from his apartment, saying they were not listed on the search warrant, and sought to exclude evidence pulled from them. Haggard wrote that there were "exigent circumstances authorizing the seizure of the cellphones" and that the phones were not searched until after warrants were issued authorizing the search of the contents of the phones.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Hundred auction creates some of the highest-paid sportswomen in the UK

All-rounder Danielle Gibson, pace bowler Issy Wong and 18-year-old spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman receive deals in excess of £100,000 in the inaugural Hundred auction.

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China-linked birth tourism under scrutiny as GOP lawmakers press Trump admin for answers

FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans are pressing the Trump administration for answers over whether China is exploiting U.S. birthright citizenship and visa programs in a U.S. territory to secure long-term influence inside the United States.

In a letter sent Monday to outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Reps. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., and 32 other GOP members raise concerns that so-called "birth tourism" and visa-waiver policies in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands could be leveraged by Chinese nationals in ways that present national security risks.

Noem will leave her position at Homeland Security at the end of the month.

"American citizenship is a sacred trust — not a loophole to be exploited," Roy said. "When foreign adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party can leverage birth tourism and visa-less programs to gain influence within our borders, we must restore integrity to our immigration system and defend the sovereignty of our Republic." 

Tiffany argued that "Communist China has exploited ‘birth tourism’ by sending women to the Northern Mariana Islands solely to give birth and secure U.S. citizenship for their children," adding that "it is time to close this loophole, end the abuse, and protect our national security."

TRUMP SAYS SUPREME COURT RULING AGAINST BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP ORDER WOULD BENEFIT CHINA

The Northern Mariana Islands is a U.S. territory in the Pacific, and like births in any U.S. state, children born there are granted American citizenship under the 14th Amendment, even though the territory operates under certain distinct immigration rules.

The lawmakers cite reports estimating that between 750,000 and 1.5 million Chinese nationals have obtained U.S. citizenship through birthright policies and birth tourism, though federal agencies have not publicly confirmed those figures. 

In their letter, Roy and Tiffany ask the Departments of Homeland Security, State and Interior to provide data on how many children have been born since 2009 to at least one Chinese national parent, how many have reached voting age and how many are registered to vote in the United States. 

They also ask whether any such individuals have documented ties to the Chinese Communist Party and request entry figures for Chinese nationals under Northern Mariana-specific immigration programs. 

Under the 14th Amendment, individuals born on U.S. soil are generally granted citizenship at birth. The debate has centered on whether foreign nationals travel to the United States specifically to give birth so their children will obtain citizenship — a practice commonly referred to as birth tourism.

Federal prosecutors in recent years have brought criminal cases against operators of birth tourism businesses, particularly in California, where organizers were convicted of visa fraud and conspiracy for helping foreign nationals misrepresent their travel intentions in order to give birth in the United States.

The Northern Mariana Islands long have operated under distinct immigration frameworks. In 2009, the Obama administration implemented a categorical parole program allowing certain Chinese nationals to enter without obtaining a traditional U.S. tourist visa. The Biden administration in 2024 finalized a rule creating the Economic Vitality & Security Travel Authorization Program (EVS-TAP) for the Northern Mariana Islands, which allows certain Chinese nationals to enter the territory visa-free for short stays.

The lawmakers argue those policies created incentives for birth tourism in Saipan, the capital of the islands, pointing to reports that births to foreign visitors increased sharply after the 2009 changes.

NOEM BACKS SAVE AMERICA ACT, SLAMS 'RADICAL LEFT' OPPOSITION TO VOTER IDS AND PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP

They warn that once U.S.-born children turn 21, they can petition for lawful permanent resident status for their parents, potentially opening additional immigration pathways.

While the letter raises concerns that such individuals could eventually participate in U.S. elections, it does not cite evidence that large numbers are currently registered to vote or that the Chinese government has directed birth tourism as a coordinated strategy.

The Departments of Homeland Security and Interior did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment. The State Department referred back to Homeland Security. 

The letter comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing, with U.S. officials repeatedly warning about Chinese influence operations, intellectual property theft and espionage efforts targeting American institutions.

Roy and Tiffany urged the administration to end any parole or visa-waiver programs extended to Chinese nationals in the Northern Mariana Islands and to provide a full accounting of the scope of birth tourism involving Chinese nationals.

The Chinese embassy could not immediately be reached for comment. 

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The unlikely tool Trump is eyeing to tackle rising oil prices amid the Iran conflict

The new battleground in the Gulf isn’t just on the water — it’s in the insurance market, where war-risk coverage can determine which oil tankers sail and which stay put.

With the conflict driving gasoline prices higher, the White House is weighing steps to keep oil flowing through the Strait of Hormuz and to keep prices from climbing further.

The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage between Iran and Oman, carries roughly 20 million barrels of oil a day and about one-fifth of global supply of liquefied natural gas. When conflict flares in the region, even the threat of disruption can rattle markets because so much of the world’s energy moves through that single corridor.

WATCH SHIPPING THROUGH THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ GRIND TO A HALT AMID IRAN CONFLICT

And with so much at stake, the White House is turning to an unlikely tool: insurance.

President Donald Trump said the U.S. could use a government-backed insurance program to lower war-risk premiums for vessels in the region. Under a backstop, the government would absorb part of any major losses, easing pressure on private insurers and shipowners.

Because when danger rises, the bill rises.

Insurers charge more to cover ships and cargo, shippers add "war-risk" surcharges and some vessels slow down, detour or pause altogether. Those delays can tighten supply and push crude prices higher even if oil production hasn’t changed.

Against that backdrop, the latest disruption, sparked by U.S.-Israeli strikes starting on Feb. 27 and retaliatory Iranian drone and missile attacks across the region, is forcing shippers and insurers to rethink whether it’s safe to transit the waterway. 

NEW SATELLITE IMAGES SHOW FIRES, NAVAL BASE DAMAGE ACROSS IRAN AFTER US-ISRAELI STRIKES

Some global insurers are already tightening terms. Maritime insurance titans Gard, Skuld, NorthStandard, the London P&I Club and the American Club, have already canceled war-risk coverage, leaving voyages through Iranian and nearby waters without insurance.

Not all coverage is disappearing though. Lloyd’s of London, an insurance marketplace that brings together multiple insurers to cover large, high-risk voyages, said its vessels operating in the Gulf region have a combined hull value exceeding $25 billion. It added that coverage is still in place.

A Lloyd’s spokesperson told Reuters the market is in talks with U.S. officials about possible options. Separately, global insurance broker Marsh said it met with Trump administration representatives to discuss the idea.

Matt Smith, an analyst at Kpler, said coverage is a baseline requirement for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, but it doesn’t eliminate the risk. 

"It’s essential for all of these tankers to have insurance. You simply cannot pass through the Strait of Hormuz if you don’t have the insurance, given the high possibility of getting struck by a missile," Smith told Fox News Digital.

"But even with that insurance in place, it’s little comfort for those on the ship if there’s a chance the vessel is going to be attacked," he added.

With that calculus in mind, Maersk, widely regarded as a bellwether for global ocean freight, said it will suspend all vessel crossings through the Strait of Hormuz until further notice and warned service to Arabian Gulf ports could be delayed.

When big shippers hit the brakes, the ripple effects can be felt fast. If oil becomes more expensive or slower to reach buyers, those increases can move through the supply chain and show up for Americans at the pump.

How much Americans feel at the pump will depend on how long the disruption lasts and whether shipping and insurance markets stabilize. Until then, the world’s most important energy chokepoint is likely to keep traders and drivers on edge.

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