Fox News Latest Headlines
Dem CA gubernatorial hopeful lectures reporter, says interview should be a profile, not a 'gotcha piece'
Democratic California gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra is taking heat from critics over a contentious exchange he had with a local reporter about whether he was subjecting himself to a "gotcha piece."
Becerra, who is now widely considered a leading Democratic candidate in California's jungle primary following the exit of disgraced former Rep. Eric Swalwell, sat down with KTLA's Annie Rose Ramos as part of the station's interview series on the top hopefuls in the race.
However, in the interview that aired Tuesday, Becerra appeared to try setting the terms with the reporter.
"By the way, this is a profile piece. This is not a gotcha piece, right?" Becerra began.
MULTIPLE BIDEN OFFICIALS BASH FORMER CABINET OFFICIAL, GOBSMACKED BY THEIR RISE CA GOVERNOR RACE
"Look, I think these questions are fair. It's in order to learn about you as a candidate," Ramos responded.
"So long as it's about the profile," Becerra doubled down.
"I don't know how you define profile, but I'd like to begin the interview," Ramos replied.
"The way I describe profile is you talk about all the things I've done, things I want to do — along with some tough questions, but not only tough questions," Becerra said.
Becerra did, in fact, face tough questions — including how he'd address homelessness and his record as the Biden-era Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary, specifically claims his agency lost track of over 85,000 migrant children who entered the country illegally.
Ramos later told her KTLA colleagues she was "caught off guard" by Becerra's comments, saying her experience was "dramatically different" from the other candidates she sat down with.
"To have it start this way before I had even asked a question... it's about asking some of the hard questions sometimes but allowing our viewers to get to know each candidate," Ramos said. "So that is why not just myself but our editors and executive producers here at KTLA decided to include that portion in this piece."
FORMER TOP BIDEN OFFICIAL RIPPED OVER SCANDAL-PLAGUED PAST DURING FIERY DEBATE: 'MORE FRAUD'
Becerra's conduct was widely panned on social media.
"A man telling a younger woman how to do her job, this just posted on KTLA Los Angeles. Dude it’s 2026," Democratic strategist Michael Trujillo reacted.
"Politicians and candidates…let your staff have these whiny conversations! Or at least don’t do it on camera!" Pod Save America podcast co-host Tommy Vietor exclaimed.
"This is not surprising to anyone who has ever covered Becerra. He once held up his fingers in the sign of the cross to ward me off, as though I were a vampire, after a piece accurately describing his effort to undermine Pelosi with the Prog Caucus over ACA public option," NBC News correspondent Jonathan Allen wrote, referring to a 2010 incident during Becerra's time as a congressman.
"How come Fauci was the face of Biden’s COVID response and not the HHS secretary? We may never know," Semafor reporter David Weigel joked.
Others made comparisons to Democratic gubernatorial rival Katie Porter, who had a similar exchange last year with CBS California correspondent Julie Watts, telling her she didn't want to have an "unhappy experience" and threatened to walk out of the interview over follow-up questions she received.
The Becerra campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Miles Robinson hoping to be named to first US national team for World Cup: 'Would mean so much'
Miles Robinson knows his worth as a center-back, and he's confident he can make an impact for the United States men's national team in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Of course, it's not up to Robinson to decide if he's worthy enough for this year's U.S. roster.
That's the job of USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino, who will lead his first World Cup for the Stars and Stripes. But he knows what Robinson brings to the table, as he was a part of the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup roster last summer.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Robinson won’t know his fate until May 26, but while he focuses on the present with his FC Cincinnati club during this Major League Soccer season, he’s still thinking about what it could mean to be a part of his first World Cup of his career.
"It would mean so much. I think it’s one of those things where I envisioned myself like when I was seven, watching the World Cup or whatever. I almost like dreamed I could do, but I never really believed it. Then, next thing you know, I’m actually playing for the national team and things like that," he told Fox News Digital, while highlighting his partnership with Bounty.
US SOCCER GREAT THINKS AMERICAN TEAM CAN SHOCK THE WORLD AT UPCOMING WORLD CUP
"So, for it to actually happen would be this whole full-circle moment that I’ll make sure I’ll tell other kids that I really just believed in myself and I think that’s the type of thought process that can get people much farther than they really can imagine. It’s just that deep sense of belief within yourself and grounding yourself in love. It can really go a long way."
Belief in one’s self was tested for Robinson after he suffered a ruptured left Achilles in May 2022 — just one month before potentially participating in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. It was widely expected that he would be a part of former head coach Gregg Berhalter’s roster, but during a game against the Chicago Fire, he suffered the injury that forced him out.
It was a rough time for Robinson, as one might expect. But it also pushed him down a road that forced mental and physical fortitude. Now, he believes that made him a better player, and person, than ever before.
One prepared for this World Cup moment four years later.
"I think in those tough moments, you learn the most about yourself," he explained. "I definitely learned a lot about just kind of overcoming struggles, on and off the field. I think it was a tough moment for me, but I grounded myself in gratitude and being so grateful for my friends and family who supported me, and my teammates who wished good things upon me and my leg and things like that.
"Then, I recognized it was me versus me. It’s not about anything else. I just wanted to continue to get better and improve just for me rather than for anything else or anyone else. That’s when I definitely took that next step in my career and my development as a player and as a person."
Healthy and hungry, Robinson is gunning for that USMNT roster, but he also understands being in the present until May 26. That includes focusing on FC Cincinnati’s game against Inter Miami, the team that bounced them from last year’s MLS Playoffs, on Wednesday night at home.
"Every game’s an opportunity to show yourself, but also to get better and improve. For Miami and Cincinnati, Miami kicked us out of the playoffs last year, so we got that kinda bitter taste in our mouth,"he said. "For us, it’s focusing on how we play, how we press and if we do that, it should be a great game. In the back of our minds, it’s the future, but we’re trying to focus in on the present."
While Robinson, and the rest of the USMNT hopefuls, focus on the present with their respective clubs, they are also sitting in suspense like the rest of soccer fans in hopes they hear their names called to represent their country in the biggest tournament in the world.
"I’m just grateful to be in this situation, potentially on the roster," Robinson admitted. "I’m just trying to chip away. I’m healthy. …In general, I’m just grateful and I’m excited for sure because I know this summer’s going to be amazing."
One way that Robinson can get his mind off the potential USMNT roster is by grilling in his spare time on his Cincinnati deck. It’s a passion of his to whip up some grub for his teammates, friends and family, but the more that come, the more chance of a mess happening.
Robinson partnered with Bounty, the American paper towel brand, to preach about the right way of cleaning messes up, whether it be at home, or tailgating before a match.
"The biggest mess I probably ever cleaned up, recently I was grilling on my deck and I had a beverage that spilled and there was glass and beverage everywhere," he revealed. "Gladly, I had Bounty and one sheet swiped it all away. It was all good, honestly.
"Sometimes, have to clean up some mistakes from my teammates and Bounty hooked it up with this sponsorship, so I’m proud to be a part with them because they’re always cleaning up messes as well."
Watch 3 Days of the FIFA World Cup for Free after 5/18 or before. Start your free trial or try it free.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
ICE nabs criminal illegal alien who attempted to murder a cop, escaped deportation for years
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested a Vietnamese national convicted of attempted murder of a police officer who remained free in the country for over 15 years because his home country refused to take him back.
The case underscores a broader shift in U.S. deportation policy targeting previously protected foreign nationals with criminal convictions.
Dinh Quy Nguyen, who was convicted of attempted capital murder of a police officer and burglary on June 28, 1989, was taken into custody in Houston, Texas, on May 5, 2026. Despite being ordered deported in 1997, Nguyen was released in 2011 after Vietnam refused to take him back.
For over a decade, Nguyen was considered "untouchable" by immigration officials. Under a previous agreement, the U.S. could not repatriate Vietnamese citizens who arrived in the country before July 12, 1995. Because Nguyen arrived on Dec. 15, 1977, he was effectively shielded from deportation despite a violent criminal record.
"As we observe Police Week, the men and women of ICE law enforcement are removing this illegal alien convicted of attempted murder of a police officer from our communities, so he cannot victimize anymore Americans," Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital.
"This criminal illegal alien from Vietnam was also previously convicted for burglary. Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, we will always stand by our brave ICE law enforcement who put their lives on the line to arrest heinous criminals from American neighborhoods."
The arrest marks a significant shift in enforcement under President Donald Trump and Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, according to DHS officials, who say recent policy changes are aimed at removing longstanding barriers that allowed certain convicted criminals to remain in the United States.
Nguyen’s history in the U.S. spans nearly five decades. He was first admitted to the U.S. in 1977 in Honolulu, Hawaii. He was issued a final order of removal by an immigration judge on Dec. 30, 1997, which was affirmed by the Board of Immigration Appeals on May 26, 1998.
On March 17, 2011, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice transferred Nguyen into ICE custody, but he was released on June 22, 2011, because Vietnam refused repatriation.
The Department of Homeland Security said the renewed enforcement effort is part of a broader initiative to ensure "heinous criminals" are no longer able to victimize Americans due to diplomatic technicalities.
Nguyen is currently being held at the Montgomery Processing Center in Conroe, Texas, pending his removal to Vietnam.
Washington manufacturer leaving state after 48 years, citing crime, taxes, political climate
A Washington manufacturer is leaving the state after nearly five decades, with its owner citing rising crime, taxes and a worsening political climate.
Jon Bodwell, whose family founded Delta Camshaft in 1977, said he has been forced to live inside his business because the cost of operating in Washington has become too high.
"A majority of it is the constant battle with the city over the graffiti and the crime stuff here, the constant massive tax increase, everything is increasing," Bodwell told Fox News Digital in an interview Tuesday.
"The cost of power, the cost of insurance, everything is increasing by large increments. It's not like one or two percent, it's like, my insurance went up 20%," he added. "My power bill is going up. The claim is supposed to be going up another 13%. But just last month, it almost doubled."
Delta Camshaft manufactures and repairs camshafts, which control how an engine takes in air and fuel and expels exhaust.
On its website, the company says that it "is not closing," but that "our plan is to relocate the business and continue to serve our customers for years to come."
"Because crime is running rampant, my insurance policy on the building is skyrocketed," Bodwell said. "You know, quite a substantial amount in the past three to five years. And then, officers that I do speak with about the graffiti stuff like that they'll say it takes longer for them to write the report than it does if they arrest the person," he said, adding that "the criminals basically have more protective rights than I do as the building owner."
According to an FBI crime report for 2024, released in August, Seattle was ranked fourth-worst out of the 30 largest American cities for total crime.
Bodwell said his move out of Washington state might cost him upwards of $100,000, but that he believes he will be able to make up the money once he has moved his business.
"A few years ago, I should have sold it, sold the building when people were buying and moving into the downtown Tacoma," he told Fox News Digital. "And now there's just a ton of buildings for sale in the market because everyone's leaving."
SEAHAWKS GM WARNS WASHINGTON’S NEW 'MILLIONAIRE TAX' COULD HURT FREE AGENT RECRUITING
Bodwell and Delta Camshaft are far from the only ones planning to leave Washington.
A recent survey by the Association of Washington Business reported on by The Center Square found that 44% of business leaders said they are considering moving their personal residence out of state, with businesses also saying they are now more than twice as likely to expand outside of Washington than within it.
In March, Washington state Democrats passed the "millionaires tax," which Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson signed on March 30. It's the state's first-ever income tax, pushed by progressives and opposed by conservatives.
If he was younger, Bodwell said he would try to run for office to turn things around.
"If I was in my younger years, if I was in my mid-20s or 30s, I would go into politics to stop what's occurring now," he said. "Unfortunately, I'm 56 with some very bad health issues that won't allow me to be around for a whole lot longer with my lungs and heart issues. But I definitely, I wish I could go back to get involved in politics to stop what's occurring."
New option available for Alzheimer’s patients as FDA approves expanded drug use
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has green-lit the first-ever non-antipsychotic drug treatment for agitation in Alzheimer’s disease patients.
The drug, Auvelity, was originally FDA-approved in 2022 for treating adults with major depressive disorder. Most recently, its use has been expanded for agitation associated with dementia.
Agitation is a common and "distressing" symptom in adults with Alzheimer’s, according to the agency. The condition is characterized by excessive motor activity, or verbal or physical aggression.
ALZHEIMER’S SCIENTISTS FIND KEY TO HALTING BRAIN DECLINE BEFORE SYMPTOMS
The FDA noted that agitation can "significantly impact quality of life for patients and caregivers."
In a press release, the FDA commissioner commented that this approval "represents a significant advancement in our ability to help patients and families dealing with one of the most challenging aspects of Alzheimer's disease."
"With today’s action, patients and their families have access to an additional important treatment for complications of this devastating disease," he said.
DRUGS THAT REDUCE DEMENTIA RISK — AND OTHERS THAT INCREASE IT
Tracy Beth Hoeg, MD, PhD, acting director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, also reflected on the approval, noting that Auvelity was found to be "efficacious for treating agitation in Alzheimer’s disease" in two randomized trials.
The first study was a five-week trial of the drug, in which patients were assessed for the frequency of agitated behaviors based on caregiver reports. The results found Auvelity, which is made by Axsome Therapeutics in New York City, to be "significantly superior" in improving behaviors.
The second study looked at patients who responded to Auvelity and were then randomly assigned to continue treatment or switch, tracking how long it took for agitation symptoms to return.
Participants who continued Auvelity reported significantly longer time periods before relapse compared to those receiving placebo treatment.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
"[This approval] now represents an additional option to address one of the most difficult sequelae of the disease, especially as it progresses," Hoeg said in a statement. "We hope this approval will provide meaningful benefit to patients, their families and caregivers."
Auvelity is administered in rapid-onset extended-release tablets. The FDA urged healthcare providers to monitor blood pressure, screen for a medical history of bipolar disorder, and determine whether patients are taking other medications that contain bupropion or dextromethorphan before prescribing Auvelity.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
The most common side effects of the medication include dizziness, upset stomach, headache, diarrhea, drowsiness, dry mouth, sexual dysfunction and uncontrolled sweating, according to the FDA.
The treatment can also cause seizures, with the risk increasing along with the dose. Other risks include elevated blood pressure, hypertension and mania in susceptible patients.
The drug's prescribing information also warns of increased suicidal thoughts in younger adults; providers should monitor patients for the emergence of these behaviors, the FDA advised.
CALLOUT: "It is a good choice [over] anti-psychotics in many cases, because it doesn't cause the same amount of drowsiness or other side effects."
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel applauded this approval in an interview with Fox News Digital.
The doctor said the treatment works on two brain targets — NMDA and sigma-1 receptors — helping to reduce agitation and depression in older adults with dementia, including Alzheimer’s patients.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
"It is a good choice [over] anti-psychotics in many cases, because it doesn't cause the same amount of drowsiness or other side effects … and is much better tolerated by the heart in a very old person," Siegel added.
Taiwan watches Trump-Xi meeting for signs China will test US resolve
KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan: President Donald Trump’s meetings with communist China’s supreme leader Xi Jinping in Beijing will be keenly watched here in Taiwan, from the presidential office to military command centers and semiconductor company boardrooms. The key question many are asking is whether Trump negotiates with China from a position of strength, or leaves Taiwan exposed?
The de facto independent nation of 23 million people has spent decades living under threat from the Chinese Communist Party, which claims Taiwan as its territory despite never having ruled it for even a day.
Observers here warn that Xi may try to offer Trump a deal: cooperation on tariffs, fentanyl, U.S. business access, or global flashpoints like Iran and Ukraine in exchange for Trump accepting a larger Chinese role in Taiwan’s future.
CHINA ORDERS FIRMS TO IGNORE US IRAN SANCTIONS, DARING US TO ENFORCE CRACKDOWN
Taiwan’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu recently told Bloomberg News, "What we are the most afraid is to put Taiwan on the menu of the talk between Xi Jinping and President Trump."
Huang Kwei-bo, a professor in National Chengchi University’s Department of Diplomacy, told Fox News Digital that Taiwan shouldn't assume nothing will change. "Taiwan shouldn't rule out the possibility that the United States and mainland China could reach an understanding behind the scenes, agreeing to reduce arms sales to Taiwan, or become less active in helping us meaningfully participate in international space," he said.
In comments on Monday, President Trump acknowledged China’s dislike of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, and said the topic would be "one of the many things I'll be talking about."
Over the past week, more than 50 communist Chinese aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line or entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone.
Those numbers are not a dramatic new escalation. In Taiwan, they are increasingly seen as part of a new normal: a sustained pressure campaign that falls short of war but keeps Taiwan’s military on alert. China also intentionally damages the undersea cables that connect Taiwan to the internet, hacks into Taiwan’s computer systems daily, and floods social media with content that praises the communist party.
Taiwan’s semiconductor industry is a major concern for Washington. The island is home to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., or TSMC, the dominant producer of the world’s most advanced semiconductors. Those chips are used in smartphones, cars, artificial intelligence systems and U.S. defense technology. Any conflict or blockade that cuts Taiwan off from global markets would ripple through American factories, consumers, technology companies and military planning.
However, as the leaders of the two nations most closely intertwined with Taiwan's future meet, there is no outward sense of panic here.
"Most people here are not obsessed with China every day," Audrey Chiang, who runs a tourist souvenir shop in Kaohsiung, told Fox News Digital. Chiang has a son who is just a few years away from serving one year as a military conscript, a 2024 response to China’s invasion threats. "We go to work. We worry about the next big test at our kids’ school. We complain about traffic. But everyone knows things can change very quickly."
Taiwan’s legislature on May 8 passed a near US$25 billion supplemental defense spending bill, meant in part to signal to Washington that Taipei isn’t simply depending on America to protect itself. But the package was smaller than the almost US$40 billion requested by Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s administration.
Taipei-based American political analyst, Ross Darrell Feingold, told Fox News Digital that many in Taiwan assume that the U.S., and possibly Japan, will come to the island’s defense in the event of a war. "Going back to the Cold War when the U.S. had a treaty obligation to defend Taiwan, and even after the treaty was abrogated, the consistent assumption is that the U.S. president will send in the military to save Taiwan. More recently, there is a growing assumption Japan will do so as well. But Taiwan still must do what is necessary to prove to its partners that Taiwan’s own people will be on the front line," he said.
CHINA PROMISES 'COUNTERMEASURES' TO US ARMS SALE TO TAIWAN
Taiwan’s main political parties have major differences in their approaches to China, but broadly support U.S. arms purchases and agree that Beijing is a threat to democratic Taiwan.
Chinese officials insist Taiwan’s status is an "internal affair." Taiwan’s elected government rejects that, and so do most Taiwanese, who see Taiwan’s future as something only they should decide.
National Pingtung University Associate Professor Paul Lee is among those who think Xi Jinping is going to push the U.S. president hard on Taiwan. Speaking by phone, he told Fox News Digital that "Xi Jinping almost certainly wants one clear change from the U.S., he’ll want Trump to say the United States ‘opposes Taiwan independence’ rather than the language it uses now that is closer to ‘does not support Taiwan independence.’ To be frank, I don’t think President Trump sees Taiwan as that important – except as the producer of the world’s most advanced semiconductors, and as a source of some revenue from weapons sales." Lee notes that the difference between "doesn’t support" and "opposes" may not seem like much for Trump, but for Xi, it would be viewed as a major victory."
For Taiwan’s ruling party, and anyone in Taiwan who supports moves by Lai and his predecessor to establish at home and abroad that Taiwan is not part of China, such a change in language would come as a blow as it implies that the U.S. does not agree with the people of Taiwan having the right to self-determination on their future, Lee explained, and he said Xi Jinping wouldn’t be satisfied with Trump simply saying a few sentences.
"Trump has roughly three years left on his second term, and Xi will want to ensure the ‘oppose independence’ language translates into a new framework with new rules such as not letting Taiwan President Lai transit through the U.S., as one example. Xi knows U.S. presidents come and go, so the goal is to create a tacit agreement that Taiwan is in the Chinese sphere of influence, he said.
Lee said China has been patiently waiting for an opportune moment, and the war in Iran, tariffs and other issues facing President Trump is presenting exactly that.
Lee said Taiwan’s government and academic community will closely scrutinize the official translations of what the two sides "agree" on. "Put simply," Lee said, "if Xi Jinping agrees to help make things easier for Trump, Xi will not be satisfied with cryptically worded official press releases. He will want to see the beginning of a new U.S.-China framework for dealing with Taiwan."
Dems’ latest Virginia redistricting scheme draws mockery amid major court filing blunder
Democrats in Virginia apparently filed their redistricting appeal to the wrong Supreme Court, drawing even more mockery in a heated battle over the district lines of the state's congressional map.
Jason Miyares, the former attorney general of Virginia, led the criticism online on Tuesday, pointing to a previous mistake where Democrats spelled the commonwealth's name incorrectly on legal documents.
"Good news: Dems managed to spell Virginia correctly," Miyares said in a post to X. "Bad news: They sent their emergency application to SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States) to the wrong court."
"Baby steps," the former Republican AG quipped.
Sure enough, Virginia legislators emblazoned their emergency petition with an address "to the Supreme Court of Virginia" instead of the highest U.S. court, according to an image of the document shared on social media by Miyares.
He was also one to point out on Friday Democrats' misspelling of the state as "Virgnia" rather than "Virginia" in their filing to the Supreme Court. In that same mistake-riddled document, they wrote "Sentator" instead of Senator.
Miyares' latest jab adds insult to injury as Democrats are still reeling from a Virginia Supreme Court decision that struck down a set of new maps designed to overwhelmingly favor their party in the November midterm elections. The post also highlights Republican glee at the foiled maps as Democrats hope to keep their gerrymandering push alive by advancing the issue to the Supreme Court (SCOTUS).
The new maps would have eliminated as many as four Republican-leaning districts.
REPUBLICANS TARGET SPANBERGER AS ‘GOVERNOR BAIT AND SWITCH’ IN BID TO DEFEAT DEMS REDISTRICTING PUSH
Virginia's highest court ruled late last week that Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger had improperly fast-tracked a constitutional amendment that temporarily undid state-level prohibitions on gerrymandering.
In particular, the court ruled that Spanberger’s redistricting push skirted requirements that any constitutional amendment must receive the approval of two separate sessions of the Virginia legislature before it can be put to a statewide referendum.
Most importantly, at least to the state court's decision, is that those sessions must be decisively separated by an election.
By the time the referendum reached consideration in the General Assembly last year, early voting for 2025 had already begun. This led Virginia's court to conclude the amendment’s consideration had not meaningfully been separated by a full election and therefore could not be upheld.
VIRGINA DEMOCRATS’ $70M REDISTRICTING GAMBLE BACKFIRES AFTER COURT DEFEAT, IGNITES BLAME GAME
Virginia is now asking the Supreme Court to weigh in on state-level laws, arguing that the court "impermissibly transgressed the ordinary bounds of judicial review."
It’s unclear when the matter may reach consideration before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Golden Knights reportedly block Oilers from interviewing their former head coach Bruce Cassidy
I'm all about respect and sportsmanship, but I also love a healthy dose of gamesmanship, and that seems to be what we're getting from the Vegas Golden Knights.
Vegas is still in the playoffs and currently tied with the Anaheim Ducks 2-2. However, they were the talk of hockey at the end of the regular season when they fired then-head coach Bruce Cassidy with just eight games left in the season and the team on track to make the playoffs.
It was a shocker — especially after Cassidy led the team to a Stanley Cup in 2023 — and the team moved on to John Tortorella.
Of course, this makes Cassidy, a former Jack Adams Award-winner, the hottest commodity on the coaching market.
LAS VEGAS WINGER MITCH MARNER SHEDS TORONTO PLAYOFF STINK WITH STELLAR POSTSEASON PERFORMANCE
One of those teams reportedly interested in Cassidy is the Edmonton Oilers; however, they needed, however they needed to get Vegas' permission to talk to him.
According to insider Frank Seravalli, they did, but the Golden Knights wouldn't give it to them.
The Golden Knights have a bit of a cutthroat reputation, and I kind of love that about them.
It feels old school. They may have cut bait with Cassidy, but they know what a great coach he is. They don't want him going to a division rival like Edmonton who they've met in the playoffs twice in the last four years.
Is it the gentlemanly thing to do? No, but neither is drinking a beer in the shower, and we all like that.
However, this report made things a bit uncomfortable for Edmonton because they don't have a head coaching vacancy. Despite a disappointing first-round exit, head coach Chris Knoblauch is still with the team.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
They of course could be mulling over a move, but if the hope was to keep these conversations on the down-low... well, better luck next time.
Perhaps some other jobs will open up — Toronto has a new GM so maybe there's a change coming there — so we'll see how this shakes out.
Still, you have to expect Cassidy will be behind an NHL bench next fall.
It just sounds like Vegas may be doing their damnedest to make sure it's not in Edmonton.
Hegseth dismisses ‘foolish’ US stockpile concerns as Iran conflict tests munitions
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth dismissed concerns about strained weapons stockpiles outright, saying recent reporting has exaggerated the issue.
"The munitions issue has been foolishly, and unhelpfully overstated," Hegseth said during a hearing with the House Appropriations subcommittee on defense Tuesday. "We have all the munitions needed to execute what we need to execute."
Hegseth reiterated that stance during a recent congressional hearing, pushing back directly on claims that U.S. inventories have been significantly drawn down.
"I take issue with the characterization that munitions are depleted in a public forum. That's not true," he told lawmakers.
"Even in the conduct of the conflict, working with the chairman and Admiral Cooper, ensuring that any munitions we're using, we know what we're trading off of to preserve capabilities. So we have maximum optionality across the globe," he said, referring to chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine and Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper.
US DRAINS CRITICAL MISSILE STOCKPILES IN IRAN WAR AS YEARSLONG REBUILD LOOMS
The comments come as questions about U.S. weapons inventories have intensified following the Iran conflict and new analyses pointing to heavy usage of key munitions.
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., said after a recent classified briefing that it is "shocking how deep we have gone into these magazines," pointing to heavy use of systems including Tomahawk cruise missiles, Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and Patriot air defense interceptors.
Hegseth responded by accusing Kelly of improperly discussing sensitive information, suggesting the former Navy pilot may have violated his oath.
"‘Captain’ Mark Kelly strikes again," Hegseth wrote on X. "Now he’s blabbing on TV (falsely & dumbly) about a CLASSIFIED Pentagon briefing he received. Did he violate his oath… again? @DeptofWar legal counsel will review."
Kelly pushed back, saying the information was not classified and noting Hegseth had made similar remarks publicly in recent testimony. He added that the cost of the conflict had yet to be fully explained to the American people.
Caine offered a more measured assessment, telling lawmakers that U.S. forces currently have "sufficient munitions for what we're tasked to do right now," while acknowledging that commanders will "always want more."
IRANIAN DRONE ATTACKS STRAIN US AIR DEFENSES AS UKRAINE PITCHES LOW-COST INTERCEPTORS
But concerns about munitions stockpiles are not limited to the U.S.
Across the Middle East, U.S. partners also have relied heavily on high-end air defense systems to counter Iranian missile and drone attacks, raising similar concerns about how long those inventories can be sustained if fighting resumes.
While countries like Israel and Saudi Arabia entered the conflict with deeper and more layered interceptor stockpiles, built over years of investment in missile defense systems, other Gulf allies, which operate smaller inventories and depend more heavily on U.S. resupply, could face greater pressure if the ceasefire breaks down and missile exchanges resume.
Despite the heavy usage, analysts say the U.S. retains enough munitions to sustain current operations.
A recent analysis from the Center for Strategic and International Studies found that while stockpiles have been drawn down, they remain sufficient for the ongoing conflict.
TRUMP ADMIN SOUGHT REDACTIONS ON KEY CHINA WAR GAME REPORT WARNING OF US MILITARY READINESS GAPS
The greater concern, the report noted, is whether the U.S. is prepared for a future conflict with a peer adversary like China, which likely would require sustained use of the same high-end missiles now being depleted, including long-range strike weapons and advanced air defense interceptors.
Rebuilding those inventories could take years. Even before recent conflicts, it typically took about two years from contract award to initial delivery for many missile systems, with full production stretching longer.
Analysts now say those timelines have extended further, with new orders potentially taking four to five years to fully deliver as demand outpaces capacity.
That lag reflects deeper constraints in the defense industrial base. Missile production depends on specialized components such as propulsion systems and guidance technology, often sourced from a limited number of suppliers, making it difficult to rapidly scale output.
Defense contractors are moving to close that gap.
RTX has said it is increasing missile deliveries and investing billions to expand manufacturing capacity, while Lockheed Martin is working to significantly boost production of systems like the Patriot interceptor. The Pentagon is also pursuing multi-year procurement deals to give companies more predictable demand and incentivize expansion.
Even with those efforts, analysts warn the gap between battlefield use and industrial capacity cannot be closed quickly.
Inside the Christian border town in Lebanon that says it survived by defying Hezbollah
The church bells still ring in Rmeish on the Lebanon-Israel border.
While much of southern Lebanon has suffered destruction during the war between Israel and the terror group Hezbollah, the predominantly Christian border town close to Israel remained largely untouched. Churches are still standing. Homes remain intact. Residents say the village avoided Israeli strikes because locals refused to allow Hezbollah fighters to operate from inside the town.
"There was more than one attempt for them to come to the outskirts or the entrance of the village to launch rockets from there," one resident told Jusoor News. "The young men of Rmeish confronted them and prevented them from entering."
"That led to the protection of Rmeish from any Israeli attacks," the resident said. "The Israelis do not target aimlessly. They target launch sites."
The account offers a rare public glimpse into open resistance to Hezbollah inside southern Lebanon, where criticism of the Iranian-backed terrorist group is often met with accusations of treason or collaboration with Israel.
Tarek, a Christian social activist from Rmeish who spoke by phone with Fox News Digital, said residents of the town have long-faced pressure because they refused to align with Hezbollah.
"After 2000, when Israel left, we were always labeled as collaborators of Israel," Tarek said. "We suffered a lot from this stigma."
He said Hezbollah supporters accused the town of cooperating with Israel simply because it escaped the destruction seen in neighboring villages.
The interviews come as the Trump administration brokers talks between Israel and Lebanon aimed at stabilizing the border and addressing Hezbollah’s military presence in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem recently rejected any discussion about disarming the group, while U.S. officials continue pushing to strengthen the Lebanese state over the armed terror group.
Tarek argued Hezbollah’s grip on Lebanon cannot be separated from Iran.
"The Lebanese government has been ruled by Hezbollah for almost 36 years," he told Fox News Digital. "They are deeply entrenched in all arms of the government, security, army and institutions."
"If the president or prime minister says they want peace, Hezbollah will resist that," he added.
Tarek said weakening Iran is the key to weakening Hezbollah.
IRAN COULD ‘ACTIVATE’ HEZBOLLAH IF US TARGETS REGIME, TRUMP’S INNER CIRCLE TO DECIDE: EXPERT
"It’s about cutting the head of the octopus, which is the Iranian regime," he said. "Once you cut the head, Hezbollah will no longer function."
Another resident said many in the town increasingly believe "Hezbollah’s project is an Iranian project, not a Lebanese one."
Another woman from the village described living surrounded by war while trying to keep the town outside the fighting.
"We are in the middle, and the war surrounds us from all sides," she said. "This makes us live in a state of fear, anxiety, insecurity and instability."
A man from the village said residents had endured decades of wars that they have nothing to do with.
"We decided to remain steadfast," he said. "Where would we go?"
An older resident said his family has suffered from violence along the border since the 1970s.
"We are tired of wars," he said. "We want nothing but peace."
Despite accusations from Hezbollah supporters, residents insisted they do not regret standing up to the terrorist group.
"All accusations of treason are rejected," one resident said. "The people of Rmeish want to live safely on their land."
Another resident added: "Just because I don’t believe in your project doesn’t mean I’m a traitor."
Ahed Al Hendi, a senior fellow at the Center for Peace Communications, told Fox News Digital that, "The defiance shown by Christians in southern Lebanon reflects a major shift in the country’s internal dynamics. For more than two decades, many Christians living near the border suffered under Hezbollah’s dominance, yet were stigmatized and often afraid to speak openly against it."
"Today," Al Hendi added, "with the changing balance of power, they are increasingly confronting Hezbollah publicly and speaking out against what they see as its tyranny."