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'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' star Charisma Carpenter flashes her toned figure in low-cut red bikini
Charisma Carpenter is bringing the heat in anticipation of summer.
In a recent Instagram dump, the 55-year-old actress posted a series of photos from her serene weekend, including some of her reading, lounging on the beach and walking around her neighborhood.
"Could get used to this. 🪴 🌳 🌊 🏖️ ☀️🚲 📚," she captioned the post.
One of the photos showed the actress smiling for the camera as she posed for a selfie at the beach in a red bikini, which she paired with a large straw sunhat and a pair of sunglasses.
'LANDMAN' STAR ALI LARTER STUNS IN RED BIKINI SELFIE FROM HER TRAILER
She later shared another photo of her day spent tanning at the beach, which featured a peek at her red bikini bottoms and her toned legs, with the ocean on her left and the sky above.
"What a beautiful lady wow ❤️🔥😍," one fan wrote in the comments section. Another added, "You have super cute smile sweet Charisma."
"Awwww that smile always brightens the darkest days ❤️❤️❤️," a third fan wrote.
Carpenter rose to fame playing Cordelia Chase, an original member of the Scooby Gang, on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," which she starred in for the show's first three seasons, alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alyson Hannigan and Nicholas Brendon.
She left "Buffy" to join the cast of its spin-off show, "Angel," which starred another "Buffy" alum, David Boreanez, who played the new show's titular character.
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When news broke out that a "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" reboot was in the works at Hulu, Carpenter told IGN in July 2025 that "it would be a dream to be included," but was unsure how it would work considering her character died in season five of "Angel."
"These writers are wildly creative, I'm sure they could figure it out if they wanted to. If it was a fan thing, where if there was a thirst or craving or need for Cordelia to be there, I'm sure with one hell of a creative team they have leading the writers room, it would be possible," she said.
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"[Cordelia] was built up so big, she'd grown so much, she'd had this remarkable journey, and for her to go out the way that she did just felt so unjust," she added.
Ultimately, the reboot, titled "Buffy: New Sunnydale," which Gellar was working on with Academy Award-winning director, Chloé Zhao, was scrapped by Hulu.
"We had an executive on our show who was not only not a fan of the original, but was proud to constantly remind us that he had never seen the entirety of the series and how it wasn't for him," Gellar told People in March.
"That's very hard when you're taking a property that is as beloved as 'Buffy,' not just to the world, but to me and Chloé. So that tells you the uphill battle that we had been fighting since day one, when your executive is literally proud to tell you that he didn't watch it."
Former Attorney General Pam Bondi hails Trump admin's 'justice and transparency' on Epstein files
Former Attorney General Pam Bondi, who spoke before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on Friday, stood behind the Trump administration's work releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files, according to a copy of her prepared opening remarks obtained by Fox News Digital.
"Before we start today, I want to reiterate what I have said many times regarding the Department’s handling during my tenure as Attorney General of the voluminous materials that are now commonly known as the Epstein Files," she told the committee, according to the document.
"I am proud of the Department’s record and commitment to transparency under my leadership. We demonstrated an unprecedented commitment to transparency in the Department’s search for, collection, and review of the Epstein files, producing nearly 3 million pages of material, including thousands of videos and hundreds of thousands of images," Bondi asserted.
Bondi has since departed from the Capitol following her voluntary transcribed interview with the House Oversight Committee, Fox News has learned. Friday's interview was transcribed, though not video recorded.
BONDI GRILLED ON EPSTEIN FILES IN FIRST CAPITOL HILL RETURN SINCE DOJ OUSTER
"These investigations span FOUR administrations, dating back to the Bush administration and have gone on through the Obama administration, the first Trump administration, and the Biden administration. The only time federal prosecutors were permitted to launch investigations against Epstein and Maxwell was when President Trump occupied the White House. Only under President Trump were 3 million Epstein related documents released," Bondi said, according to her prepared remarks.
The former attorney general further described "an enormously complicated and labor-intensive process."
"To the best of my knowledge, the Department produced everything required under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Our diligent and good faith effort to collect materials ensured that all potentially responsive documents that could be reasonably located would see the light of day," she noted, according to the copy of her remarks.
"All Department components were directed to submit any potentially responsive records, resulting in a comprehensive review of millions of documents. As the head of a large Department with broad responsibilities, I did not lead every aspect of this effort or conduct that document review myself. I delegated oversight over this process to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche," Bondi continue.
Blanche was appointed acting attorney general on April 2 after President Donald Trump announced Bondi's departure. He is not considered Bondi's permanent replacement as head of the DOJ.
Bondi told the committee on Friday that "the team of professionals who reviewed all of the materials that we collected assured me the only materials that were withheld were either non-responsive, privileged, or duplicative."
"Although not required by the Act, the Department has given Congress access to unredacted, duplicative materials in the Reading Room in an effort at maximum transparency," Bondi said.
"There were redaction errors," she continued. "But since day one of this process, this Department has been committed to accountability and transparency. Our stance has always been that the Department stands ready to review any potential evidence of criminal activity related to Epstein and his associates and would pursue appropriate investigative or prosecutorial action wherever the facts and law warrant."
"I would like to repeat what I shared before the House Judiciary Committee in February: I have spent my entire career fighting for victims and I will continue to do so. I am deeply sorry for what any victim has been through, especially as a result of that monster. If they have any information to share with law enforcement about anyone who has hurt them or abused them, the FBI is waiting to hear from them," Bondi's opening statement said.
"The bottom line is: justice and transparency in this matter have been delivered at the direction of President Trump and his administration," she asserted.
Bondi was diagnosed with thyroid cancer shortly after departing the Department of Justice last month, according to reports this week. Katie Miller, a former White House staffer and podcast host who is married to White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller, reposted an Axios report on X on Tuesday.
"Pam has been quietly kicking cancer's ass the last few weeks," she wrote.
Mamdani’s ‘COGE’ rollout gets DOGE’s attention after critics say he ripped off Elon Musk
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani introduced the Commission on Government Efficiency, or COGE, on Thursday in New York, saying the panel would find ways to make city government "work smarter, faster, and more effectively" for working people.
City Hall said COGE will review the city charter, hold public hearings and develop proposals that could go before voters in November.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos responded to the announcement by praising the concept and calling for tax relief.
"This is great and they do deserve that. And, with some of the savings, we can zero out taxes on the bottom half of earners. The best way to put money in people's pockets is not to take it out in the first place," Bezos said on X.
SOCIALIST ZOHRAN MAMDANI LAUNCHES ELON MUSK-STYLE ‘COGE’ CHAIRED BY SOROS-ALIGNED DEM
Mamdani said the commission was aimed at improving how government serves residents.
"For too long, bureaucracy has stood in the way of delivering the housing, transit, childcare and public services our city needs," Mamdani said.
"The Commission on Government Efficiency will take a hard look at how City government functions and identify the reforms we need to deliver faster, smarter and more effectively for working people."
Mamdani said rebuilding public trust requires demonstrating that the government can produce results.
MAMDANI'S WALL STREET COURTSHIP SPARKS CRITICISM OF ANTI-BILLIONAIRE AGENDA
"Restoring faith in government starts with proving government can actually deliver," he said.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said Mamdani’s announcement showed Democrats were warming to an issue they previously criticized when President Donald Trump’s administration pursued federal government efficiency efforts.
"Remember when Democrats ridiculed President Trump and his administration for tackling government waste?" Blackburn said, adding that the idea of cutting government waste had broad appeal.
"Looks like they ran the numbers and found eliminating fraud, waste, and abuse is quite popular," she said.
JASON CHAFFETZ: DEMOCRATS HAVE MADE A FATAL ERROR OPPOSING DOGE
The White House established the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, by executive order on Jan. 20, 2025, saying the office would modernize federal technology and software "to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity."
Matt Van Swol, a conservative commentator and former Department of Energy nuclear scientist, said Republicans’ push for efficiency had been rejected because of its political source.
"It's insane how every Republican idea is bad because it's a Republican doing it," he said.
'MISSISSIPPI MUSK': STATE AUDITOR'S MOGE REPORT FINDS $400M IN GOVERNMENT WASTE
Conservative journalist Nick Shirley also compared the new commission to the Trump administration's DOGE.
"This sounds a lot like DOGE … Weird how your own governor questioned me when I speculated the sudden increase in spending in areas like childcare in NYC and now you do this. (Which is a good thing btw!)," Shirley said.
Shirley argued government efficiency should transcend partisan politics.
"Cutting waste, fraud, and abuse should be the most nonpartisan issue in America as it affects everyone," he said.
Comedian Arynne Wexler criticized the commission from the right.
"Exactly what NYC needs," Wexler wrote. "More government run by socialists."
Mayor Mamdani's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
'The Mandalorian and Grogu' is a prime example that Disney's Star Wars is on life support
Ever since Disney took over Star Wars, one of America’s most well-known and cherished franchises, it has been eroding.
Is it dead? Not quite, but I’d say it’s on life support. To be charitable, I could say that it’s a shell of its former self.
It used to have one of the most, if not the most dedicated fanbases in all of film and television, but then, Disney took over. The new trilogy bastardized the established canon and disrespected the original characters. Former President of Lucasfilm Kathleen Kennedy decided to go the woke route by staking the claim that "The Force is Female," putting an emphasis on female empowerment over proper storytelling and character development.
Disney also unjustifiably fired Gina Carano from The Mandalorian after season 2, Solo bombed, The Acolyte was an abomination that got cancelled after only one season, and the list goes on.
Sure, there have been some bright spots such as "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," "Andor," though it's been a costly show financially that is not watched nearly as much as it should because of Disney's failure to keep fans interested, and "The Mandalorian" season 1 and parts of season 2.
There’s no better indication that Star Wars is cooked more than what is happening in the box office right now, though.
After a seven-year absence from the box office, where fans were booing in the theater as Rey was revealed to be a Skywalker in Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, Star Wars made its return on Memorial Day weekend with "Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu." The title within itself should tell you how far Disney’s Star Wars has fallen into creative bankruptcy. It’s a bloated title with the names of the main characters. Imagine Star Wars Episode VI being called "Luke Skywalker and His Father" instead of "Return of the Jedi". It’s that bad.
Anyway, the film ended the holiday weekend at the top of the box office, but it performed worse than the massive Disney Star Wars flop, Solo, when you adjust for inflation. Solo actually defeated "The Mandalorian and Grogu" in both nominal dollars and inflation-adjusted dollars. Solo's $84.4 million three-day opening in 2018 is equivalent to roughly $109–110 million today, about 33% higher than "The Mandalorian and Grogu's" $82 million opening weekend.
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If you compare the four-day holiday openings (both were Memorial Day releases), the gap is even larger. "The Mandalorian and Grogu" earned about $102 million over the four-day holiday weekend, while inflation-adjusted estimates put Solo's 2018 Memorial Day debut at roughly $136.6 million in 2026 dollars.
And even worse, an independent horror, "Obsession" just surpassed "The Mandalorian and Grogu" for the top spot at the box office on Wednesday. A film that had a budget reportedly around $750,000, directed by a YouTuber and TikToker, just took out a Star Wars film, which reportedly had a production and marketing budget of more than $300 million. If that’s not a clear indication that Star Wars is on life support, I don’t know what is. Word of mouth just trounced a cultural juggernaut brand.
Where "Mandalorian and Grogu," and much of Star Wars has gone wrong, is best described in some of the responses to the movie from the media. The BBC said, "It’s felt like homework" to see Star Wars and try to somehow some way connect to stories and characters that aren’t worth loving or caring for at any significant level. Inverse said, "The Mandalorian and Grogu is Barely A Movie," which is spot on because the movie feels more like a few episodes of a weak Disney+ show that has to be stretched into a movie like butter scraped over too much bread.
Star Wars can no longer print money, simply because of name recognition. The constant reliance on cheap callbacks and recycling characters through cheap imitations is leaving audiences feeling cheated and empty. For example, in this movie, Grogu is a baby version of Yoda, the Hutts are back, the Mandalorian plays a Luke Skywalker figure who falls in a pit to fight a giant monster while visiting the Hutts, there’s a battle on a snow planet calling back to "Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back," and so on. Baby Yoda was fine for a season or two of the show, but now it just feels as if Disney cannot make compelling original characters, or find a way to properly care for the ones that established this franchise in the first place. Disney can’t even compel audiences to care enough to keep a Star Wars movie at the top of the box office for a whole week. It’s damning.
This is what modern-day Hollywood has done to beloved intellectual properties, though. It has desecrated them with woke nonsense, weak storytelling, uncompelling characters, and a belief that sticking to the source material and respecting established lore is old-fashioned. "Star Trek," "Doctor Who," "Marvel: Phase Five" (properly known as the M-She-U), "Lord of the Rings" (Rings of Power), you name it. Hollywood has again and again lit the fire and burned many franchises to the ground to the point they are unrecognizable.
The question is now, "What does Disney do next with Star Wars?" My guess is it tries a reboot of the original trilogy, and the fact that I’m even writing this makes me want to throw up. I hope I'm wrong, but I don't see where else Disney goes, especially after the Starfighter movie featuring Ryan Gosling that'll attract audiences because of the actor, not because they care about the Star Wars brand or story being told. Star Wars is a franchise that should have had a century’s-long staying power, yet its grave is already being dug, with the studio scrambling to find a way to salvage the spare parts like Jawas.
Dakich: sports media has created an ‘industry’ out of complaining about white athletes like Caitlin Clark
Dan Dakich thinks the latest Caitlin Clark complaint is part of a much bigger media problem.
Former ESPN host Cari Champion recently criticized Clark, accusing the Indiana Fever star of receiving favorable treatment from the WNBA and taking issue with the way Clark and her fans carry themselves.
Dakich did not see it that way.
The OutKick host used Champion’s latest Clark criticism to unload on what he sees as a sports media industry built around race-based complaints whenever prominent White athletes or media figures are involved.
"Sports media waits on every single move that a white person makes," Dakich said on Thursday's Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich. "The latest is ‘blatant favoritism.’ Well, it can’t be any farther from the truth when talking about Caitlin Clark and the Fever."
Then Dakich took it a step further.
"But an African-American and failed SportsCenter anchor, Cari Champion, is once again whining about Caitlin Clark," Dakich continued. "I’m telling you, man, there’s an industry for African-Americans to whine about every move — whether it’s Jaxson Dart, whether it’s Caitlin Clark, whether it’s me — of every white person. Y’all are doing pretty good with it."
That was the real point.
Dakich was not just defending Clark from one media personality. He was arguing that Clark has become the latest White athlete to be picked apart through a racial lens by people who realize that attacking white athletes makes them popular among a certain segment of the population.
We also need to acknowledge the obvious: Caitlin Clark is popular because people care about Caitlin Clark.
She sells tickets. She drives television ratings. She brings attention to the WNBA in a way no player ever has. Her games matter in the national sports conversation, and every hard foul, technical, facial expression and postgame comment becomes a debate.
CAITLIN CLARK IS THE 'MOST POPULAR ATHLETE IN AMERICA,' WNBA COMMISSIONER DECLARES
It's certainly not because the WNBA is protecting her. In most cases, the opposite is generally true.
It's because she is the biggest star the league has ever had. And even that isn't because she's white. It's because she plays basketball in a way that no woman ever really has. Steph Curry isn't popular because he's Black. He's popular because he hits threes unlike anyone in history. Clark brought that to the women's game.
Dakich also ripped Champion directly for her criticism of Clark.
"Cari Champion, who legitimately, if people are being honest — which they can’t — was the worst employee ever at ESPN," Dakich said.
Champion has publicly framed her ESPN exit as a case of being unappreciated (she also blamed racism because, of course).
She announced in 2020 that it was time to leave ESPN, then later claimed the network made her feel like she "didn’t matter."
That is Champion’s version of the story. But people who worked inside ESPN at the time may remember the situation very differently. I worked there, and Champion’s reputation inside the building was not a secret. I was once assigned to produce an ESPN Radio special involving Champion and my supervisor warned me that she was difficult to work with. In my experience, difficult proved to be a massive understatement.
Dakich described the exit in harsher terms.
"Now think about this: a beautiful African-American woman gets fired at ESPN. Have you turned ESPN on? That tells you how horrible Cari Champion is. But good for her, we’re talking about her," the OutKick host said.
Champion is free to dislike Clark. Nobody has to root for the Fever star. Nobody has to pretend every reaction from Clark is perfect.
JEMELE HILL QUIETLY DELETES CAITLIN CLARK POST FOLLOWING STALKER ARREST
But the idea that Clark has received some kind of easy ride from the WNBA is laughable.
Clark has been shoved, grabbed, mocked, criticized and blamed for the alleged behavior of "her" fans. She has also been expected to carry the weight of an entire league’s newfound popularity while veteran players, media members and commentators continue to preach that she doesn't deserve that attention.
That is the part Dakich clearly finds ridiculous.
"She’s claiming the Fever star gets favorable treatment from the league, along with proclaiming that she, Cari Champion — who is the worst of the worst — doesn’t like how she acts or how her fans act," Dakich said. "See, this is an age-old thing. Weren’t we talking about this three years ago? Of course we were."
The names change, but the playbook does not. Dakich brought up Jaxson Dart for a reason.
Dart recently introduced President Donald Trump at a rally in New York, and the reaction from many corners of sports media was as predictable as it was exhausting. The conversation quickly became another referendum on politics, race, and locker-room dynamics.
That is the pattern Dakich was pointing to.
With Dart, it was a White quarterback standing next to Trump. With Clark, it's a White basketball star bringing unprecedented attention to the WNBA. With Dakich, in his view, it's a White media personality saying things the sports media class does not like.
Find the white person. Frame the controversy through race. Pat yourself on the back for being a hero. Devour the praise from like-minded race-hustlers in sports media.
Rinse. Repeat.
Dakich is right that there's an industry built on this pattern, but the more important point he made was this:
"Y’all are doing pretty good with it."
That's exactly why this isn't going to change anytime soon.
Christian farming communities under siege as US report names Fulani militants Nigeria's deadliest threat
JOHANNESBURG — An estimated 30,000 mostly Muslim Fulani militants are operating in Nigeria, causing "worsening insecurity and religious freedom violations," according to an influential new report.
The report, by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), states "violence by Fulani militants caused the highest number of deaths among all religious communities in Nigeria over the last year, as compared to attacks by organized insurgent groups and criminal gangs."
The Fulanis, so-called herders of livestock, have, according to the USCIRF report, "targeted Christian (farming) communities in the Middle Belt and, increasingly, the South, burning homes and churches as well as kidnapping, raping, and murdering."
CHRISTIANS TARGETED IN SYSTEMATIC KIDNAPPING CAMPAIGN IN NIGERIA BY JIHADI HERDSMEN, EXPERTS SAY
But a former counterterrorism expert at the State Department told Fox News Digital that the kind of strikes the U.S., working with Nigerian government forces, have recently carried out in Nigeria’s North against Islamist terrorist organizations such as Boko Haram and Islamic State, wouldn’t work against the Fulanis in the predominantly Christian central areas of the country.
Sterling Tilley, former acting director of the Bureau of Counterterrorism, who has worked in Nigeria for the State Department, said that the U.S. "militarily dealing with the farmer-herder conflict is not advisable because it is likely to bring more instability in the country." Tilley, now director of the Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowship at Howard University, added, "There are some steps that can be taken to quell the violence, but there must be Nigerian political will to do so."
This week, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth commented on the recent strikes ordered by President Donald Trump on Nigeria, saying, "Maybe a year ago, [the president] heard the call of Nigerian Christians who were being targeted and killed by ISIS. And he said, 'Pete, I want the War Department to focus on ensuring that we do everything we can to protect those Christians.'"
NIGERIA NAMED EPICENTER OF GLOBAL KILLINGS OF CHRISTIANS OVER FAITH IN 2025, REPORT SAYS
Christians make up approximately 48% of Nigeria’s population. Fulani militants, the USCIRF report stated, "have often carried out operations during Christian holidays such as Christmas or Easter to further maximize the psychological impact, terrifying those communities from gathering to celebrate or worship. During attacks, assailants sometimes utter slogans with religious connotations, such as "Allahu Akbar" (Arabic for "God is great").
But, according to the report, Muslims are being attacked too. "Fulani assailants have not spared Muslims, raiding herders’ cattle and violently attacking non-Fulani Muslim communities," the report added.
"Violence at the hands of militants from the Fulani tribe far outnumbers violence from all other militant groups such as Boko Haram or ISWAP (Islamic State West African Province)," Henrietta Blyth, CEO of Open Doors UK & Ireland, an organization that highlights the persecution of Christians, told Fox News Digital.
While her organization was not part of the report, she said, "My heart has been broken as I have heard stories from women and men who have seen their beloved family members butchered in front of them or carried off into a life of slavery."
AFRICAN UNION CHIEF DENIES GENOCIDE CLAIMS AGAINST CHRISTIANS AS CRUZ WARNS NIGERIAN OFFICIALS
Blyth added: "The situation is complicated, and as the report concludes, it is too simplistic to say all perpetrators are religiously motivated. What is undisputable is that Christians are highly vulnerable and often the victims, paying the price in blood. They desperately need protection and, for hundreds of thousands driven from their homes, the chance to heal and rebuild their lives."
The USCIRF report also stated, "Criticism of responses to Fulani militant violence from federal and state authorities has often described their responses as unsatisfactory at best and complicit at worst."
Tilley told Fox News Digital that elections are to be held in Nigeria next year, and "the Fulani do have considerable political influence as a voting bloc. Thus, the Nigerian government seems reluctant to take actions necessary to quell the violence for fear that they could lose their base of support in the North and Middle Belt."
Fox News Digital reached out to the Nigerian government for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.
WNBA betting preview: Why the Sparks-Mystics total is the play with Kelsey Plum sidelined tonight
Lost in the shuffle of the NHL and NBA Playoffs, and MLB labor talks is the fact that the WNBA has started its season and games are in full swing. We still don't have most teams done with a quarter of their season, so it is still early, but we are starting to see some of the teams take shape. I love the league and basketball, so betting on the WNBA is one of my favorite things. Tonight, we do it as the Sparks play the Mystics.
The Los Angeles Sparks are a team that has a lot of potential, but haven't looked great through six games this season. The team, led by Kelsey Plum, is looking to capitalize on its scoring superstar. In basketball, it is very common to succeed if you have one really good player and surround him or her with decent talent. The problem is that Plum will be out due to an ankle injury. That means if they only have decent talent around her, someone needs to step up.
The candidates for improved performance over the next few games are Dearica Hamby and Nneka Ogwumike. Both are already averaging 15 or more points this season. I also should mention that both are probably better than "decent" players. They are strong contributors who make a difference on every team. Someone like Cameron Brink or maybe Ariel Atkins will get more opportunities without Plum on the floor.
Caitlin Clark breaks WNBA assists record to a chorus of boos as Valkyries spoil the milestone
The Washington Mystics are still trying to figure it out. They have some good pieces, but they don't really have everything they need to be true competitors. I'd actually be fairly surprised if they make the postseason. As of right now, they are 3-3 with some inconsistent games. It is still early, so I don't want to put too much judgment on this team or what they could be. But, I'd classify the Mystics as rebuilding or at least building, compared to the Sparks, who are more championship hopefuls.
The main building block of this team is Sonia Citron. She was the third overall pick last year and had a great rookie campaign. She is building off of that this year with 17.2 points per game, 3.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. If they can keep her, she will be the face of the franchise for multiple years. She has had a couple of tough games this season, but the team split those two games. So they are capable of winning despite her struggles, which is a good sign for their future.
In tonight's game, the Sparks probably have the better overall roster. However, without Plum, I think there are reasons to question how efficient they will be. Plum is a dominant ball-handler who is probably classified as a shoot-first point guard. They should still have the talent to score, but it could have some challenges.
The total dropped quite a bit from the opener after Plum was announced out. However, this Sparks team is playing very little defense this season. The Mystics aren't that much better. Combined, they are averaging 182.3 points per game allowed. I expect Citron to bounce back after a bad game, and I think the Sparks will be fine getting to 75+ points without Plum. Give me the over 165.5.
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For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024
Hurricanes should punch ticket to Stanley Cup Finals as Canadiens face elimination in Game 5
I was wrong about the last hockey play that I had. It was just a couple of nights ago, and in this same matchup. Tonight, we have a Game 5 over in the Eastern Conference and the first game of the series where a team can officially make it to the Stanley Cup Finals. Either the Canadiens extend the series, or the Hurricanes finally punch their ticket.
You almost feel sorry for the Montreal Canadiens. They've taken the postseason and had to play every single possible game. To their credit, they've persevered and won the first two series. I made a point of this the other day, but this is now the 19th game that the Canadiens will play in the postseason. They didn't exactly have to battle to get into the postseason, but it does make for a grueling campaign. It also puts a lot of mental pressure on you as you're constantly battling.
The good news for Montreal is that they've been in these situations before. They haven't exactly faced elimination in this way, aside from two Game 7s. In those previous elimination games, goalie Jakub Dobes was fantastic. Dobes allowed three total goals in over two hours on the ice. He stopped 65 of the 68 shots that came his way. Can he do it again tonight, and then for another two games if they do win?
The Carolina Hurricanes are just one game away from finally reaching the Stanley Cup Finals. They have looked like the best team in the playoffs, losing just one game. The lone loss was fairly ugly as they lost 6-2 in the first game of this series. Since then, they've looked like their normal selves, winning the past three games. Their first two wins came in overtime with identical 3-2 scores. Then in the most recent game, they were able to take the win 4-0, finally getting to Dobes.
NHL betting outlook focuses on two teams more familiar with each other in Game 4, ready for scoring
The Hurricanes are massive favorites tonight to close out the series. They have three chances to make it to the Finals, so if they fail tonight, it won't be the end of the world, but the pressure is on them to get it done. The team is on the verge of something they haven't done with this group. The team will continue to ride Frederik Andersen, who is playing much better after that first game. The Hurricanes' defense deserves a lot of credit, though, as they have only allowed 64 shots on Andersen in this series.
I'm not sure that the Canadiens' offense knows how to attack this Carolina defense. During the regular season, the team averaged 26.3 shots per game. That isn't a ton, but the Carolina defense has held them to just 16 shots per game, down from the 23.9 they allowed opponents during the regular season.
Hockey is not a sport where a team just gives up. These games have been competitive, but I think Andersen and the Hurricanes' defense are locked in right now. I don't expect the Canadiens to win, and I think this is likely to be a lower-scoring game. Specifically, I will take the Canadiens to go under their 2.5 team total.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024
Judge temporarily blocks Trump DOJ's nearly $2B 'anti-weaponization' fund
A U.S. judge temporarily blocked the Justice Department Friday from "taking any further action pursuant to the creation or operation" of a $1.778 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund."
The Trump administration said last week that the fund will compensate Americans unfairly targeted by politicized federal investigations on a "case-by-case" basis.
U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema’s order on Friday comes in response to a lawsuit filed by a group of plaintiffs that includes a former career prosecutor who alleges he was fired for his handling of the Jan. 6 cases. The plaintiffs are suing to block payout from the fund.
The order, which lists the Justice Department as a defendant, states that the DOJ is blocked "from taking any further action pursuant to the creation or operation of the Anti-Weaponization Fund, which includes the transferring of money to the Fund; the consideration of any claims submitted to the Fund; and the disbursing of any funds from the Fund."
The judge also set a hearing for June 12 in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia.
A Justice Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Friday that "The Department remains extremely confident in the legality of the Anti-Weaponization Fund which is supported by ample precedent, including Obama-era settlements."
"We will not allow the policy preferences of judges to interfere with our efforts to provide restitution to victims of lawfare," the spokesperson added.
The plaintiffs challenging the fund include former Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Floyd, an Alexandria resident who prosecuted Capitol riot cases in Washington, D.C., before he was fired last year by then-Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Floyd was a deputy chief of the Justice Department’s Capitol Siege Section. He said he believes his firing was retaliation for his Jan. 6 work, according to The Associated Press.
Another plaintiff is California State University Channel Islands professor Jonathan Caravello, who was acquitted of an assault charge. He was accused of throwing a tear gas canister at federal agents during a 2025 protest against an immigration raid at a Camarillo, California, cannabis farm.
Also named as plaintiffs are the government watchdog Common Cause, the city of New Haven, Connecticut, and the National Abortion Federation, an association of abortion providers.
New Haven claims the Trump administration officials have targeted it and other municipalities that they perceive to be "sanctuary" cities. The federation said it fears that the fund will issue payments to people who have attacked abortion clinics, providing an incentive for more violence against its members, the AP also reported.
The Anti-Weaponization Fund was born out of a settlement between President Donald Trump and the Internal Revenue Service. Trump filed the lawsuit against the IRS in January over the unauthorized disclosure of his tax records.
Claims will be determined by a five-person board appointed by the attorney general, with at least one member selected for consultation with congressional leadership, according to a Justice Department press release. At any point in time, the president has the power to remove a member without cause, it added.
"This is about seeking accountability for all Americans who were victims of law fare and weaponization: millions of Americans whose online speech was censored at the behest of the government, parents silenced at school boards, Senators whose records were secretly subpoenaed, churchgoers targeted by the FBI, and so on," a Justice Department document stated.
The Anti-Weaponization Fund was slated to last until Dec. 1, 2028.
Funding for the Anti-Weaponization Fund is coming from the Judgment Fund, which is a permanent Treasury account used to pay for settlements and claims against the government.
Fox News' Elaine Mallon, Kerri Urbahn and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
DOJ escalates blue-state ICE standoff after states refuse key federal request
The Department of Justice announced on Thursday that it filed lawsuits against four Democrat-led states over their refusal to issue undercover license plates to ICE agents.
DOJ Civil Division Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate previously issued an ultimatum to Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon and Washington, giving them until May 22 to provide immigration enforcement officers with undercover plates for their vehicles. Justice Department officials argue the states’ refusal unlawfully discriminates against federal law enforcement and violates the Constitution's Supremacy Clause.
These lawsuits escalate a months-long standoff between the Justice Department and Democrat-led states over immigration enforcement. The cases could test the limits of the Supremacy Clause as the DOJ seeks to assert legal authority over state motor vehicle departments, while the states themselves maintain that they are not required to assist with civil immigration enforcement.
"This Department of Justice will exercise any and all lawful authorities to support the brave men and women of law enforcement," Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said. "Law enforcement officers risk their lives every day to keep Americans safe and must be able to carry out their duties effectively. By denying undercover license plates to DHS components, including ICE, while issuing them to their own state agencies, these governors are pursuing discriminatory and obstructionist policies against federal law enforcement."
DOJ PUTS BLUE STATES ON NOTICE AS ICE FIGHT BARRELS TOWARD NEXT CONSTITUTIONAL SHOWDOWN
An official in the Massachusetts governor’s office previously told Fox News Digital that the commonwealth does issue undercover plates to federal agents, but only if they are investigating criminal offenses. It refuses to do so in cases where civil infractions are being investigated, which covers most immigration cases.
"In Massachusetts, we support law enforcement doing legitimate criminal investigative work, and local, state and federal agencies doing that work can request confidential plates," Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement flagged for Fox News Digital by her staff. "But that’s not what we are seeing from ICE and its unconstitutional tactics."
Oregon, meanwhile, has gone a step further by placing a general moratorium on issuing undercover plates to federal agents, while Maine and Washington, like Massachusetts, are declining to provide plates for civil investigations.
FEDERAL JUDGE RULES AGAINST DHS ON WARRANTLESS IMMIGRATION ARRESTS IN OREGON
"We look forward to defending this lawsuit," Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson said in a statement his office shared with Fox News Digital. "We take public safety seriously, and work with federal partners to voluntarily provide hundreds of undercover plates every year for criminal investigations. Judges across the country have found that the Department of Homeland Security’s tactics in conducting civil immigration enforcement routinely violate the Constitution."
"That is unacceptable," he added.
A spokesman for the Oregon governor’s office told Fox News Digital that Gov. Tina Kotek is waiting for the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles to conduct a review of its undercover plate policy and that she expects the agency to "communicate next steps."
The Maine governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Thursday.
The lawsuits filed by the DOJ cite the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, which establishes federal law as supreme over conflicting state laws, arguing that it can be used to make the four Democratic states issue undercover license plates to ICE agents.
"The United States has sovereign authority to manage federal law enforcement activities and, under the Supremacy Clause, need not cede that authority to Maine (or any state) by abiding by its dangerous policy which jeopardizes federal law enforcement operations and the officers who carry them out," the lawsuit reads.
JONATHAN TURLEY: WHY BLUE STATES' NEW ANTI-ICE LAWS ARE UNCONSTITUTIONAL VIRTUE SIGNALING
"Under the Supremacy Clause, States do not have the power to dictate how the Federal Government executes its constitutional powers within their borders," it continued.
Conservative legal experts previously told Fox News Digital that they believe the DOJ is fighting an uphill battle in trying to compel states to issue specific license plates by leveraging the Supremacy Clause.
"Federal law preempts state law when state law conflicts with a supreme federal law. And when it does, the state law is preempted, meaning that the state law cannot be given legal effect in those instances of conflict," Charles "Cully" Stimson, a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital. "There is no law in my mind that is conflicting with federal law. You simply have state actors refusing to issue these types of license plates."
Stimson did add that there is an underlying assumption that, by virtue of being in the union and as implied under the Constitution’s separation of powers, the four Democratic states should cooperate with the federal government to enforce laws.
The Department of Justice did not respond to a request for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Thursday.