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NY Times reporter loses job over hot tub photos, NFL coach does not: Same old double-standard story
The leaked hot tub photos were embarrassing, no question about it.
There was NFL reporter Dianna Russini of the New York Times – part of its sports unit The Athletic – getting quite cozy with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel.
Other shots obtained by the New York Post’s Page Six showed the pair, who are both married, locked in an embrace on the roof of a private bungalow, and holding hands at a luxury hotel in Sedona, Ariz.
More details in a moment, but the bottom line is a tale most foul, as familiar as civilization itself.
DIANNA RUSSINI RESIGNS FROM THE ATHLETIC AMID MIKE VRABEL CONTROVERSY
The woman takes the fall, and nothing happens to the guy.
Russini was forced to resign from the Times, and Vrabel, for now, has emerged unscathed.
This is not to suggest that Russini is some innocent victim. She is absolutely tone-deaf about the seriousness of what she has done. She covers the Patriots! That is, along with the league’s other teams. On what planet is this not out of bounds?
PATRIOTS' MIKE VRABEL WAS NEVER EXPECTED AT TEAM'S PRE-DRAFT PRESS CONFERENCE
Plus, they weren’t exactly being discreet. Russini must have been aware that photos were being taken. Doesn’t everyone know by now that pictures, especially of the salacious variety, always wind up on the interwebs?
And it’s a major embarrassment for the Times, which rushed to defend Russini when the story first broke.
The Athletic, which replaced the Times sports desk so subscribers could be charged an extra fee, and which does a very good job, dismissed the initial accounts.
Steven Ginsberg, The Athletic’s executive editor, backed Russini, telling the New York tabloid that he is "proud" of her. "These photos are misleading and lack essential context. These were public interactions in front of many people."
But as Front Office Sports later reported, The Athletic decided to investigate Russini’s account, and that the pictures had been shopped to TMZ and other outlets. ESPN confirmed that the Post’s coverage had raised concerns that were being reviewed.
Vrabel, who led the Patriots to the Super Bowl and was named NFL Coach of the Year, could not have been more dismissive. "These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable," he told the Post. "This doesn’t deserve any further response." And that was it.
But Russini has had plenty to say since she was allowed to resign. In a letter to Ginsberg on Tuesday, obtained by The AP, she does not offer a shred of regret:
"I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every story I have ever published…unfortunately, commentators in various media have engaged in self-feeding speculation that is simply unmoored from the facts."
"Moreover, this media frenzy is hurtling forward without regard for the review process The Athletic is trying to complete. It continues to escalate, fueled by repeated leaks, and I have no interest in submitting to a public inquiry that has already caused far more damage than I am willing to accept."
Russini said she’s quitting before her contract expires on June 30 "because I refuse to lend it further oxygen or to let it define me or my career."
Sadly, she still doesn’t get it. Journalists are supposed to avoid even the appearance of a conflict.
Now some media outlets are asking the inevitable question.
NBC Sports asked: "Is there a double standard for Mike Vrabel, Dianna Russini?"
But reporter Mike Florio writes that Vrabel has a very different job in Massachusetts. If the coach was leaking non-public information, he says as a hypothetical, that could be a problem.
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And there’s this vague catch-all in league rules for players: "Conduct that undermines or puts at risk the integrity of the NFL, NFL clubs or NFL personnel."
The Boston Globe has also assailed a "double standard," saying female journalists’ credibility is more easily challenged and male figures like coaches are less likely to suffer consequences.
Globe columnist Chad Finn says that "accountability falls unevenly."
Veteran sportswriter Jeff Pearlman said in a TikTok video that if he had a private meeting with Mike Vrabel, there wouldn’t be any headlines, even if they jumped in a hot tub, but when it’s a female reporter, it’s national news.
"It is unfair but a reality for women reporters, it’s unfair, but they really have to be cautious when writing about a particular man…It’s just such a painful double standard."
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Look, I get it. Journalists are held to a higher ethical bar. Female journalists in particular are held to a higher ethical standard than sources. Particularly if the source is a powerful man. And especially if that man just took his team to the Super Bowl.
But nobody looks good here – not the Times, not Dianna Russini, not the Patriots, not the National Football League, and definitely not its Coach of the
Year.
2 detained after shooting in New York leaves 15-year-old killed, two others wounded: police
Two people were taken into custody on Wednesday after a shooting that killed a 15-year-old and wounded two others in what police described as a gang-related shooting at Eisenhower Park on Long Island in New York.
The shooting occurred around 8:20 p.m. near Hempstead Turnpike and Merrick Avenue, the Nassau County Police Department said.
Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder told reporters that gang members saw an invitation on social media for a barbecue at the park, according to CBS New York.
Two people then became involved in an argument and shots were fired, Ryder said.
Three people, including the 15-year-old boy, were struck by gunfire. The three victims were transported to a local hospital, where the teenager was pronounced dead.
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The two other victims were listed in stable condition, and Ryder said they underwent surgery late Wednesday. Their ages were not immediately known.
Two people who were both carrying weapons were taken into custody. Police did not release the suspects' identities or specify what charges they may face.
The shooting remains under investigation.
After the shooting, responding officers flooded the area. Patrol cars were seen lining the roadways and a police helicopter was observed circling the park as officers investigated the incident.
Markwayne Mullin decries CA governor front-runner Tom Steyer, claims he ‘doesn’t understand’ ICE
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin accused California gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer of failing to understand Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as the new Democratic front-runner pledges to abolish the agency if elected.
During an appearance on "The Ingraham Angle" Wednesday, Mullin pushed back on Steyer’s comments that ICE has "criminal" tendencies.
"I’m very straightforward about this; ICE should be abolished," Steyer said at a February debate. "You really can’t reform an organization which is absolutely wrong and criminal from top to bottom."
Mullin, who took the reins of the Department of Homeland Security roughly three weeks ago, said the Democratic gubernatorial hopeful does not have the power to abolish the federal immigration agency.
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"He doesn't have the authority to do it, and he's talking on the left side of his mouth," he told Fox News host Laura Ingraham. "He doesn't understand ICE's role."
Recent polling places Steyer as the front-runner in the race to replace California Gov. Gavin Newsom. He leads with 21% of likely voters, while Republican candidate Steve Hilton trails at 18%.
Steyer has emerged as a sudden Democratic front-runner after various sexual misconduct allegations forced Eric Swalwell to drop his gubernatorial campaign and resign from Congress.
Mullin criticized Steyer’s stance on immigration enforcement, arguing that ICE is required to abide by federal law.
"ICE simply enforces the nation's immigration policies and deports individuals and goes after the criminals that should never be in this country to begin with," the DHS chief told Fox News.
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"We're not doing anything outside the law, we're working well within the law, and they're doing a job every single day protecting, even people like himself, that want to decriminalize criminals. It doesn't make any sense to me."
Mullin also said Steyer’s fellow California Democrats, who largely hold anti-ICE stances, have the power to reform ICE through congressional legislation.
"[Steyer] says they're criminal from top to bottom? ICE is enforcing the laws that Congress passed. That means that the Democrats that represent California in the federal government, if they wanted to change ICE's authority, they could do it," he added.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Steyer said President Donald Trump is responsible for turning ICE "criminal."
"I understand perfectly well the role ICE has played under this president," Steyer wrote in the statement. "Donald Trump has turned ICE into a criminal enterprise, so we will treat them like one. If they break the law in California, they will be prosecuted — just like anyone else."
In addition to defending ICE, the new DHS secretary pledged to maintain the Trump administration’s aggressive deportation campaign and communicated a willingness to accept the "right" kind of immigrants.
"We're not slowing down," Mullin said. "We're going after the illegals, and we would love for them to leave on their own, and we'll assist them. We have programs to help assist you to go back to your country, because if we have to go through the prosecution process, you'll never come back in this country legally ever."
"We want legal immigration, people that want to make the country stronger. We're a nation of immigrants. We understand that. But the right kinds of immigrants."
Pandemonium: Pro Wrestling kickstarts WrestleMania week with hard-hitting action in Las Vegas
Pandemonium: Pro Wrestling was among the companies to kickstart WrestleMania week in Las Vegas on Wednesday night.
While a relative unknown promotion among pro wrestling fans, Pandemonium held their "Whatever Forever" show as part of Shooting Star Fest. Dozens of fans poured into the Bizarre Bar in Las Vegas for hard-hitting action in an intimate setting where they had no other choice than to feel the wrestlers’ pain.
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AMIRA took on Janai Kai and Saya Ida in the main event for the Pandemonium: Pro Championship. AMIRA walked into the venue as the champion and left the same way. She successfully powered through all of Kai’s kicks and Ida’s knife-edge chops.
After getting Ida out of the ring, AMIRA put her attention on Kai. She hit the world’s strongest slam on Kai and pinned her for the win.
Johnnie Robbie, who received a ton of praise heading into the week, took on Natsupoi. The one-time Wonder of Stardom champion gave Robbie all that she could handle. Even as Robbie appeared to have the upper hand in the match, Natsupoi was able to use her speedy in-ring ability to gain momentum.
Natsupoi hit a cartwheel body press and pinned Robbie for the win.
Several other pro wrestlers on the card impressed with victories, including Joseline Navarro, Miko Alana, Jiah Jewell and the New Fever tag-team duo of Danny Orion and Shimbashi.
Indie pro wrestling companies are going to be on full display throughout the entire week, and fans were treated to the perfect appetizer for the days to come in the city of sin.
Iran to execute first female protester tied to anti-regime unrest
Iran is set to execute its first female protester tied to the January 2026 uprising in Tehran, according to multiple human rights organizations.
Bita Hemmati was named in a collective death sentencing alongside three other defendants, including her husband, Mohammadreza Majid-Asl, 34, according to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
The couple’s reported neighbors, Behrouz Zamaninejad and Kourosh Zamaninejad, were also sentenced to death, while a relative, Amir Hemmati, received five years in prison.
The verdicts mark some of the most recent capital punishment decisions amid the government’s broader crackdown on suppressing unrest. Possibly thousands of protesters have reportedly been killed since demonstrations erupted this year.
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"Mohammadreza Majidi-Asl and Bita Hemmati are a couple living in Tehran, and Amir Hemmati is a relative of the two," a source told HRANA. "Kourosh Zamaninejad and Behrouz Zamaninejad were living in the same residential building, and their arrests took place simultaneously."
No execution date has yet been given.
The Tehran Revolutionary Court reportedly accused the defendants of multiple offenses, including national security disruption in connection with the "hostile government of the United States," according to HRANA.
On Jan. 8 and 9, the defendants allegedly used explosives and weapons, threw objects such as concrete blocks and incendiary materials from rooftops, injured security forces, and engaged in "propaganda against the regime" in an effort to undermine security, according to federal authorities.
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Alongside the capital punishment verdicts, the court also issued five years of discretionary imprisonment and ordered the seizure of their personal assets.
Officials added that the fifth associate, Amir Hemmati, was specifically convicted of "assembly and collusion against national security" and "propaganda against the regime," the groups said.
Human rights activists further raised concerns that the defendants’ confessions may have been coerced, citing allegations of torture and interrogation.
The organizations, which are urging a halt to the executions, also claimed a lack of specific evidence linking the accused to the alleged crimes, and argued that Tehran is seeking to intimidate the public in order to prevent future civilian unrest.
Widespread protests first erupted in late December 2025 in Tehran amid an economic crisis marked by a collapsing currency and soaring inflation. Tensions then quickly escalated into broader anti-government unrest that spread across multiple cities.
Washington officially joined the conflict with the launch of Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28, 2026, when it conducted massive joint airstrikes with Israel that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Guards at 'Alligator Alcatraz' beat, pepper-sprayed detainees, lawyer says
Guards severely beat and pepper-sprayed migrant detainees at "Alligator Alcatraz," an immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades, causing injuries to their heads, shoulders and wrists, according to a lawyer for two detainees.
The guards targeted several detainees at the state-run facility after they complained about a lack of phone access one day earlier this month, lawyer Katherine Blankenship said in a court declaration.
The phones are the primary method for detainees to communicate with family and their legal representation while held at the detention center, but the phones were not functioning.
The guards first started to taunt the detainees as they were in a cell. Blankenship said the guards then became "more aggressive and were yelling and threatening to enter the cage."
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One detainee was punched in the face after walking up to a guard. The guards then began beating other detainees in the cell.
Blankenship said one of her clients was punched in the right eye, thrown to the floor and beaten by several guards. She said guards kicked him in the head and injured his shoulder and arm. A guard also put his knee on the detainee's neck while restraining him, according to the attorney.
Included in the declaration is a photo taken during a video call nearly a week after the beating showing the detainee with a bruised eye.
"The officers beat several people during this incident and broke another detained individual’s wrist," Blankenship wrote, noting that the detainee whose wrist was broken is not among her clients.
Phone service was restored the following day, although officials failed to provide any explanation as to why it was cut off.
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Blankenship's declaration was part of a court filing alleging that state and federal officials have not complied with a federal judge's preliminary injunction last month ordering the detention center to offer detainees access to timely, free, confidential, unmonitored and unrecorded calls with their attorneys.
U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell directed officials to provide at least one operable telephone for every 25 people held in the facility.
The judge's order came after a lawsuit that argued that officials at the facility were violating detainees' First Amendment rights.
State officials have denied claims of restricting detainees' access to their attorneys, pointing to security and staffing issues for any cutoffs. Federal officials, who are also defendants in the case, denied that detainees’ First Amendment rights were violated.
Last week, state officials filed a notice saying they intend to appeal the judge's ruling.
The facility has been slapped with several lawsuits since it was built over the summer.
The detention facility was constructed last year by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration to support President Donald Trump’s plan to mass detain and deport migrants. Officials in the Sunshine State also built a second immigration detention center in northern Florida.
During a visit last week to the detention center, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., said she was not given the opportunity to speak with detainees.
The lawmaker also described conditions at the detention center as "inhumane" and "cruel."
"The way the detainees are housed is cruel and unnecessary," she said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
LIV Golf CEO sends rallying memo to staff after reports Saudi funding could end after this season
LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil sent a memo to his staff Wednesday in response to reports the Public Investment Fund will no longer use its resources for the league.
Sources told Fox News Digital the Saudis will stop funding LIV after the 2026 season.
"Team, (f)ollowing up on my previous message, which I realize may have led to some confusion on where we stand as a business," O'Neil wrote in a memo obtained by Fox News Digital.
"I want to be crystal clear: Our season continues exactly as planned, uninterrupted and at full throttle.
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"While the media landscape is often filled with speculation, our reality is defined by the work we do on the grass. We are heading into the heart of our 2026 schedule with the full energy of an organization that is bigger, louder, and more influential than ever before.
"The life of a startup movement is often defined by these moments of pressure. We signed up for this because we believe in disrupting the status quo. We have faced headwinds since the jump, and we’ve answered every time with resilience and grace. Now, we answer by doing what we do best: putting on the most compelling show in sports."
O'Neil then praised LIV golfers for contending at the Masters, noting Tyrell Hatton finished tied for third, and hyping up Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm as the faces of the league.
"To the teams in New York, London, and those on the ground here with me in Mexico: lean into this moment," O'Neil continued.
"The noise you hear is simply the sound of a movement that is working. Embrace it. We are pioneers, and while the road isn’t always smooth, the destination is worth every mile. Let’s go out and show the world why LIV Golf is the future of the game. It matters. You mattered. Now, let’s go win.
"Long LIV Golf."
LIV began in 2022 and has produced two major winners in Brooks Koepka, who has since rejoined the PGA Tour, at the 2023 PGA Championship, and DeChambeau at the 2024 U.S. Open. They are currently playing in Mexico City.
LIV Golf shifted from its 54-hole format, a draw for golfers defecting from the PGA Tour, to 72 beginning this season. Patrick Reed is also set to rejoin the tour.
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NYC Mayor Mamdani calls threat of rich people leaving NYC over taxes 'imagined'
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani claimed on Wednesday that threats of the city's wealthiest residents leaving the city over high taxes were "imagined."
Mamdani held a Tax Day public forum with economists Gabriel Zucman and Joseph Stiglitz to discuss his plans to further tax the rich, starting with a new tax on luxury properties valued at $5 million or more.
"For all of the discussion of the imagined exodus that would take place were we to tax the wealthiest New Yorkers by the appropriate amount—I say imagined because before I was a mayor I was a state legislator and I was part of an effort to increase taxes on millionaires at that time—we were told the same thing then—and what we find now is that we have more millionaires today than we did at that time even after having passed that tax," Mamdani said.
Mamdani acknowledged New York City losing many of its residents in recent years, pointing out that the city lost 200,000 Black residents between 2000 and 2020. However, he claimed that this was an "exodus" of working-class people who can no longer afford to live there.
"And so for all of that conversation about this imagined exodus, we have to reckon with the very real exodus that we are seeing in the city, an exodus of working-class people, an exodus of those who cannot afford to live here and for many who work here who now find their residence in Jersey City or in Connecticut or in Pennsylvania, anywhere else where their dollar can go a little bit further," Mamdani said.
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During the forum, Mamdani also highlighted his past campaign goals for free busing, universal childcare and five city-run grocery stores.
Though Mamdani was able to launch a universal childcare program within his first 100 days in office, he has yet to deliver on his plans for free busing or a city-run grocery store. The first of the proposed grocery stores is currently slated to open in late 2027.
Fox News Digital reached out to the mayor's office for comment.
Mamdani's comments came in stark contrast to previous ones made by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who encouraged wealthy former state residents to move back and support social programs.
"There are some patriotic millionaires who stepped up. OK, cut me the checks. If you want to be supportive — but maybe the first step should be [to] go down to Palm Beach and see who you can bring back home, because our tax has been eroded," Hochul said last month.
Starbucks uses ChatGPT to suggest drinks based on mood as expert warns of hidden downsides
Not sure what to order at Starbucks? The company is now using ChatGPT to help customers decide.
The Seattle-headquartered coffee giant announced Tuesday that it's begun testing a beta app within ChatGPT to help with beverage customization.
The recommendations can be "tailored to your taste, mood and goals," according to the Starbucks app.
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The tool can even take into account what the weather is and what drink might pair best with a user's outfit.
It also allows customers to select a nearby store and begin an order, which can be completed through the Starbucks app or website.
To access the app, customers can open ChatGPT, access the app directory and search for "Starbucks."
Then, ChatGPT users can send a prompt along the lines of, "@starbucks, I'd like a good coffee to start my day."
Paul Riedel, senior vice president of digital and loyalty at Starbucks, told Fox News Digital the move reflects shifting consumer behavior over the past year.
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"Over the past year, one thing has become clear: Customers aren't always starting with a menu," he said. "They're starting with a feeling.
"We wanted to meet customers right at that moment of inspiration and make it easier than ever [for them] to find a drink that fits."
The rollout highlights how companies are using AI to personalize experiences, said Marva Bailer, a Georgia-based strategic advisor and board member specializing in AI and emerging technologies.
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"Starbucks has the opportunity to leverage visuals and descriptions of products reflecting travel, discovery and creativity as an extension of their brand," she said.
"We have experienced ChatGPT planning dinner parties, leaving out no detail. Think the same for this daily interaction."
The effort shows that Starbucks is "meeting people where they likely already are mentally," said Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist based in New York City and the author of the upcoming book "Therapy Nation."
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"Most customers aren't walking in thinking, 'I want a triple espresso with oat milk.' They're thinking, 'I'm exhausted. I need a pick-me-up,' or 'It's cold out, and I want something comforting,'" Alpert said.
The result is an ordering process that feels "easier and more personal," he said.
"I think most consumers will be comfortable with AI influencing low-stakes decisions like coffee because it feels fun and low risk," he said.
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"But the bigger shift is behavioral: People are getting more used to outsourcing tiny daily decisions to machines."
Alpert said the approach could pose a risk, warning the AI may "naturally lean into emotional gratification" and push users toward more caloric drinks.
"If someone says they're stressed, tired or want a reward, the system may keep nudging them toward sweeter, more indulgent, higher-calorie drinks because those are the easiest emotional matches," Alpert noted.
"That's good for sales," he said. "But, over time, it can quietly reinforce impulse-driven choices and make people less aware of how much the technology is shaping what they consume."
'We're taxing the rich': NYC Mayor Mamdani touts new $500M-a-year tax on luxury second homes
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani celebrated a proposal to tax luxury second homes owned by the ultra-wealthy, a plan expected to generate at least $500 million annually.
Earlier in the day, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled a pied-à-terre tax on luxury second homes in New York City valued at $5 million or more, allowing the city to impose an annual surcharge on ultra-wealthy nonresidents.
The proposal is projected to generate at least $500 million annually, according to Hochul.
Mamdani praised the plan, noting he campaigned on taxing the wealthy.
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"When I ran for mayor, I said I was going to tax the rich. Well, today, we're taxing the rich," he said in a video posted on X.
He said the tax is designed for the "richest of the rich," people who "store their wealth in New York City real estate but who don't actually live here."
"This is a fundamentally unfair system that hurts working New Yorkers," Mamdani said. "Now, it's coming to an end."
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He added that revenue from the tax would go toward initiatives such as free childcare, cleaner streets and safer neighborhoods.
"As mayor, I believe everyone has a role to play in contributing to our city, and some a little bit more than others," Mamdani said.
"Happy Tax Day, New York."
MAMDANI'S ESTATE TAX PLAN COULD DRIVE WEALTH OUT OF STATE, CRITICS WARN
According to the governor’s office, the pied-à-terre tax would apply to residential properties in New York City that are not used as a primary residence.
Hochul said the tax would "ensure that those that own luxury homes, but do not live in the City or pay City income tax are still fairly contributing towards the funding of the essential services like policing and parks that make New York City a global destination."
"It is not a tax on residents. That is so important. We're talking about people who are ultrawealthy," she said during a news conference Wednesday.
Hochul added that the proposal would help generate revenue as the city faces budget constraints without affecting most residents.