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Dust-up between Mercedes teammates in Canada Sprint shows that there's a classic title fight brewing
It's been a few years since Formula 1 introduced the Sprint format, and I was kind of surprised when I realized that until Saturday, Canada's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve had never hosted one.
It should probably join the rotation full-time because it delivered a race that showed us a title battle for the ages between Mercedes teammates Kimi Antonelli and George Russell is brewing.
The Silver Arrows locked out the front row of the grid — Russell on pole and Antonelli in P2 — for the 23-lap race, and that seemed to be thanks to a new upgrade package the team brought with them to Montreal.
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Russell got a better getaway when the lights went out, but Antonelli, who has really struggled with starts, hung with him, and within a couple of laps, the two were scrapping away.
And that's when things got interesting.
Antonelli tried to make a move around the outside of Turn 1 and looked like he was ahead through the apex, but Russell came inside to take the next turn and forced Antonelli off the track.
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The 19-year-old championship leader was irate and was quick to hop on the radio and let his team know how unhappy he was with his teammate.
Not long after, Antonelli tried another move and ended up cutting another corner and bouncing through the grass.
That off allowed McLaren's Lando Norris to slip by and take P2, where he stayed.
Russell ended up winning the Sprint, followed by Norris and then Antonelli.
I think the second off Antonelli had was just entering the corner too hot, and may have been because he was still fuming from the incident at Turn 1.
Speaking of which, that one seemed pretty borderline. I think you could place the blame on either driver.
And, in fact, they saw it differently themselves.
But the biggest takeaway is that both drivers are going to do whatever they can to win this championship, and that's a great thing for fans.
Not as great for the team.
In fact, team boss Toto Wolff had to give Antonelli a talking-to multiple times during the race, including once as he was pulling into the pits at the end of the race.
If any team is familiar with an intra-team battle for a championship and how that can go sideways, it's Mercedes.
Who knows if it will get as intense as the infamous 2016 title battle between Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton — which Rosberg won, but not before the two crashed into each other during the Spanish Grand Prix — but it seems like we may have just taken the first step in that direction.
Newsom declares state of emergency in Orange County as failing chemical tank nears catastrophic explosion
Emergency crews launched a high-stakes "offensive" overnight mission at a Southern California aerospace facility to neutralize an adjacent chemical tank, as the internal temperature of a failing primary tank has steadily climbed to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, prompting Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency Saturday and the evacuation of over 40,000 residents.
Orange County Fire Authority Incident Commander Greg Covey shared the "bad news" Saturday morning that crews who went into harm's way overnight and manually checked the failing tank's internal temperature gauge, which had been obscured from drone cameras by cooling water.
The temperature had reached 90 degrees, rising by an average of one degree per hour since it was recorded at 77 degrees on Friday morning.
Orange County Fire Authority Interim Chief T.J. McGovern and Covey previously warned there are only two catastrophic outcomes: The tank could fail and spill between 6,000 and 7,000 gallons of "very bad chemicals," or undergo "thermal runaway" and explode, potentially triggering a chain reaction with neighboring fuel and chemical tanks.
The primary goal of the overnight operation, conducted with the support of a chemist team, was to neutralize a 15,000-gallon tank, removing its explosive potential in case the neighboring 7,000-gallon tank detonates, according to Covey.
Despite the rising temperatures, officials have developed a potential third outcome to avoid disaster.
By using a heavy, continuous deluge of water, crews hope the volatile chemical will "cure" and harden at a slower rate from the outside in, similar to an ice cube.
Covey said the team is hoping the void space at the top of the tank will absorb the overpressure from the curing process, preventing an explosion.
Simultaneously, crews are preparing aggressive contingency plans in case the tank fails and spills liquid.
Responders are establishing diking and damming measures to divert the potential fluid down a grade into a commercial holding area.
OKLAHOMA AMMONIA GAS LEAK PROMPTS HUNDREDS OF EVACUATIONS AS AT LEAST 36 PEOPLE HOSPITALIZED
The diversion would prevent the toxic chemical from reaching storm drains, river channels and the ocean, preventing an "environmental disaster."
"Letting this thing just fail and blow up is unacceptable to us," Covey said, noting that experts from across the country are consulting on the crisis.
Newsom declared a state of emergency Saturday afternoon, allowing resources to flow to the scene.
The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services has been mobilized for more than 24 hours and state agencies are supporting impacted communities to protect public safety and assist local officials as response efforts continue, Newsom wrote in a statement on X.
COMMERCIAL BUILDING EXPLODES IN NEW JERSEY, MULTIPLE PEOPLE INJURED AND REMAIN IN CRITICAL CONDITION
The emergency began Thursday night when authorities discovered methyl methacrylate (MMA) — a volatile and flammable plastic epoxy — leaking from a storage tank at GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove, a facility that manufactures engine structures and products for commercial and military aircraft.
Firefighters initially put critical cooling measures in place and the situation was initially believed to be under control, allowing residents to temporarily return home.
The crisis severely escalated by Friday morning, and by 5 p.m. local time, crews had successfully used a "water curtain" to temporarily stabilize the temperature, buying experts time to brainstorm solutions.
"We are not giving up," Covey said Saturday morning. "We are going to do everything we can to mitigate this, protect your residences, protect our environment and get you back home."
WORKERS KILLED AND MANY TREATED AFTER REFINERY CHEMICAL RELEASE AS INVESTIGATORS PROBE CAUSE
Garden Grove Police Chief Amir El-Farra announced that an expanded evacuation zone was implemented to protect the public from the imminent threat. Displaced families have been directed to numerous emergency evacuation centers.
Health officials warned of severe risks if the chemical tank ruptures.
Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong of the Orange County Health Care Agency said if the chemical reacts and temperatures rise, it can create a highly toxic vapor.
"My biggest concern is that if that vapor goes into the air, and people inhale that, it causes significant damage," Chinsio-Kwong said, warning it can cause severe respiratory issues and irritation to the eyes, nose and lungs.
"No matter what happens with the situation, whether the polymer just leaks out and then just hardens, or if it does explode and there is a vapor, you are all safe as long as you are out of the zone," she continued.
Rep. Derek Tran, D-Calif., released a statement saying he is closely monitoring the situation alongside local officials.
Tran confirmed he is in contact with federal disaster relief officials, including FEMA and the EPA.
FEMA and the EPA did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Unsafe water warning issued for one of America’s most visited beach destinations
If you’re still nailing down summer vacation plans, you might want to strike some southern California beaches from your list.
Environmental non-profit group Heal the Bay ranked Santa Monica Pier among the Golden State’s most polluted beaches for the fifth year in a row.
VACATION HOT SPOT CRACKS DOWN ON BEACH SETUPS WITH $500 FINES FOR SUN SHADES, CANOPIES
The beaches at the Pier are some of the state's most popular tourist destinations. The landmark is "an internationally recognized icon of Southern California" that draws more than 9 million visitors each year, Pacific Park, an amusement park at Santa Monica Pier, reported.
Heal the Bay’s annual Beach Report Card tracks amounts of fecal pollution measured at ocean beaches "from sites in Mexico near Tijuana all the way up the coast through Washington."
For the second consecutive year, Santa Monica Pier came in second place on Heal the Bay’s 36th annual "Beach Bummers" list that ranks "chronic pollution from urban runoff, bacteria hotspots and aging infrastructure." Playa Blanca, in Tijuana, was ranked first.
Heal the Bay further reported that rainfall and runoff and sewage spills impact coastal waters.
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Santa Monica Pier has made the Beach Bummers list for 15 of the last 21 years, despite efforts to improve the water quality.
"Upgrades from the City of Santa Monica, such as stormwater capture systems and installation of bird deterrent netting, have been implemented to reduce pollution," Heal the Bay said in its report.
"While many of these upgrades have aligned with temporary improvements to water quality, bacteria levels have since increased. These persistent problems highlight the need for sustained investment and maintenance to improve the area’s environmental health."
Storm-impacted beaches and chronic pollution sites "remain key concerns" in Santa Monica Pier, the report said. The group also said it has formed a task force with the City of Santa Monica to determine the cause of the Pier’s pollution, "which will help inform recommended solutions."
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Twenty-one California beaches made Heal the Bay’s "Honor Roll List," which recognizes consistently excellent conditions. That number is down from 62 last year. Bluff Cove, Palos Verdes Estates in Los Angeles County took the top Honor Roll spot.
According to Heal the Bay, fecal pollution is "of particular concern because even a single exposure can result in illness."
The Environmental Protection Agency reported that swimming, diving or wading in water contaminated with fecal bacteria can result in severe infection and illness.
Areas surrounding Santa Monica Pier were included in a public health advisory due to elevated bacteria levels in ocean water last year, Fox News Digital reported.
In Florida, the Department of Health in Miami-Dade County (DOH Miami-Dade) just released a water-quality advisory for Crandon Park North in Key Biscayne because levels of fecal-related bacteria exceeds levels established by the state.
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DOH Miami-Dade advised against any water-related activities at the beach "due to an increased risk of illness in swimmers."
The State of Washington Department of Ecology advises people avoid contact with fresh or marine water for at least 24 hours after heavy rainfall as well as with pipes or streams that drain directly to the beach.
Reds All-Star pitcher Andrew Abbott proposes to Cincinnati TV anchor girlfriend
Cincinnati Reds All-Star pitcher Andrew Abbott just threw the most important pitch of his season, and it was an absolutely perfect strike.
Abbott took to social media to announce he proposed to his girlfriend, Lindsay Stone. Like Abbott, Stone is also very familiar among Cincinnati fans, as she has worked as a TV anchor at WLWT for the past three years.
Abbott captioned the Instagram post of his proposal, "Forever." The post showed the couple on a rooftop, with the Cincinnati skyline in the background, celebrating the engagement.
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In the background, the Reds' home stadium, Great American Ball Park, can be seen.
Stone grew up about 30 miles north of Cincinnati. She began her career covering Notre Dame football as a sports reporter and anchor at WDNU in South Bend, Indiana.
Her next move was to WTTV in Indianapolis, where she stayed until she joined WLWT. On May 14, Stone announced she would be leaving WLWT when her contract ends on May 24 in a post to social media, and did not say what she would be doing next.
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Abbott, 26, has been with the Reds for his entire four-year career. He made his first All-Star team last season, when he had a 10-7 record with a 2.87 ERA in 166 1/3 innings pitched.
After his success last season, the Reds named Abbott their Opening Day starter this season. However, he hasn’t quite seen the same results as last year.
In 11 starts, Abbott has a 4-2 record with a 3.97 ERA. He has struggled with command, as he has walked 26 batters and struck out 38.
Abbott has seemed to catch his stride of late, as he has a 4-0 record with a 1.29 ERA and 19 strikeouts in his last five starts.
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Lindsay Lohan, Brooks Nader and Halsey heat up red carpets in sky-high slits and sheer gowns
Many of Hollywood's biggest stars stepped out onto the red carpet this week in risqué black dresses.
Lindsay Lohan, Halsey and Brooks Nader are just three of the big names who dared to bare in revealing dresses this week, whether it be in sheer looks or one with a high slit.
Here's a look at some of the stars in little black numbers.
SYDNEY SWEENEY STUNS IN CUT-OUT DRESS WHILE MICHELLE MONAGHAN TURNS HEADS IN LEATHER: PHOTOS
Lindsay Lohan turned heads when she arrived at the GucciCore: Gucci Cruise 2027 event in a two-piece leather outfit.
The matching set featured a jacket on top with a high neckline, and a skirt that included a high slit, showing off the actress's toned legs.
She paired the look with gold jewelry and a black purse, and opted for a natural makeup look.
The "Parent Trap" actress posted pictures from the night on her Instagram, with fans quickly flooding the comments section with compliments. "Could you imagine looking this amazing !!!😍🔥🔥🔥," one fan wrote, while another added, "Oh she did NOT come to play 😍🔥."
Helena Christensen broke the Cannes Film Festival dress code when she arrived at the red carpet screening of "Amarga Navidad" in a sheer black dress.
The backless dress featured a plunging neckline which was lined with black velvet and then flowed into a completely sheer design with black lace, giving fans a peek of her high-waisted black underwear.
She kept the accessories to a minimum and opted for a more natural hair and makeup look, letting the dress do all the talking.
The Cannes Film Festival implemented a new dress code in 2025, which banned sheer dresses for "decency reasons," something a few attendees chose to overlook this year.
Christensen posted photos from the red carpet on her Instagram, with fans calling her the "most beautiful woman in the world" and "absolutely stunning."
The Danish model sported another revealing black dress at the festival, during the Knights of Charity gala on Wednesday.
She posted photos from the night on her Instagram, captioning the post: "A truly beautiful and heartfelt evening in the most magical garden full of laughter and roses 🌹💫💜." Fans were quick to compliment her in the comments section, with one writing, "Beautiful as always ❤️❤️."
Brooks Nader stood out from the crowd when she posed for photos in a black Zuhair Murad gown at the amfAR Gala at the Cannes Film Festival.
The "Love Thy Nader" star walked the red carpet in a sheer black floor-length dress with a plunging halter neckline.
She accessorized the dress with just two rings, and styled her hair in a loose updo. Her makeup look included a dark smoky eye with bold lashes and a defined nude lip.
Halsey also chose to break the Cannes Film Festival dress code this year, walking the red carpet at the festival's screening of "Her Private Hell."
The Grammy Award-nominated singer wore a sleeveless sheer black dress which featured a layered, ruffled skirt with lace designs, which she paired with a black bodysuit.
She paired the look with a dark makeup look and accessorized her curly hair with a headband.
Julianne Hough stunned when she posed for photos at the Gracie Awards in a black dress.
JENNIFER LOPEZ, MICHELLE MONAGHAN AND SOFIA VERGARA HEAT THINGS UP: PHOTOS
The "Dancing with the Stars" host arrived at the award show in a black dress with a halter neckline and a keyhole cutout at the center of her chest. The tight bodice included multiple horizontal cutouts, while the loose skirt featured a thigh-high slit.
She wore little to no accessories and styled her signature blonde hair in a short bob.
Marion Cotillard also broke the Cannes Film Festival dress code rules when she posed for photos at the premiere of "Roma Elastica."
The actress walked the red carpet in a sheer black crochet Schiaparelli dress with a full-coverage fringe train following behind her.
She styled her hair in a deep side part and kept her accessories to a minimum, including dangling earrings and a ring.
Emily Blunt stepped out at the Louis Vuitton fashion show in New York in a unique look.
The "A Quiet Place" actress attended the runway show in a cropped jacket with exaggerated shoulders and a bold black-and-white plaid pattern, which she paired with matching high-waisted trousers.
The actress wore her hair in a slick back bun and opted for a natural makeup look with pink lipstick.
Penélope Cruz stunned when she arrived to the red carpet premiere of "La Bola Negra" at the Cannes Film Festival in a revealing black dress.
The actress wore a black one-shoulder Chanel dress to the premiere, which featured areas with sheer fabric, as well as a thigh-high slit highlighting her toned legs. The dress also featured feather embellishments on her hip and shoulder.
She kept her accessories to a minimum, opting for a pair of earrings and a ring, and went with a natural makeup look, styling her short hair in a side part.
Tara Reid made her big return to the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival after she was hospitalized in November.
The actress posed for photos at the premiere of "The Birthday Party" in a one-shoulder black dress that featured a large white flower embellishment on her shoulder, with the white fabric flowing down and forming a cape that trailed behind her.
She wore her hair in a high bun and went for a dramatic makeup look with bold lashes and a dark smoky eye. The "Sharknado" star accessorized the dress with multiple bracelets and a statement necklace.
Last year, Reid claimed she was drugged at a hotel bar. However, police later confirmed there was no sufficient evidence of anyone tampering with the actress' drink.
TARA REID SAYS SHE WAS DRUGGED AT HOTEL BAR, TAKEN TO CHICAGO HOSPITAL
Despite police findings, Reid fired back and said the "horrifying experience" has been affecting her mental health.
According to video footage, Reid — who was in Chicago for Comic Con — appeared disoriented as several people helped her into a wheelchair. Slurring her words and visibly confused, she was seen clinging onto a hotel guest before being seated. In another clip, the "American Pie" alum was seen being taken out of the hotel on a stretcher by paramedics, with onlookers shouting words of support.
Irina Shayk put it all out there when she stepped out in Milan, Italy in a fully sheer black gown.
The flowy gown featured intricate lace designs which gave fans a look at her black undergarments. She paired the look with black knee-length socks and black pointed heels, as well as a black clutch.
The model styled her hair in a slick back bun and went for a more natural makeup look, except for bold red lipstick.
Christina Aguilera made a statement when she arrived at the 35th anniversary celebration of The Abbey in West Hollywood.
The Grammy Award-winning singer posed for photos on the red carpet in a black bodysuit with a plunging neckline and sheer mesh on the side and ruffles on the neck and down the torso.
She paired the bodysuit with a black lace bra, which was visible due to the plunging neckline, as well as black hot pants, sheer black tights and black leather gloves.
Eva Longoria shut down the red carpet when she arrived at the Global Gift Gala at the Cannes Film Festival in a sparkly dual-toned dress.
The "Desperate Housewives" star posed for photos in a sequined black and white dress with a plunging halter neckline and a thigh-high slit.
She paired the look with multiple pieces of jewelry, including a bracelet, rings, a statement necklace and a pair of dangling earrings.
The actress styled her hair straight and parted down the middle and went with bold eye makeup and subtle lipstick.
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Heidi Klum left little to the imagination when she arrived to the Killian Beach Club after party in a revealing gown.
The German supermodel attended the event in a brown figure-hugging corset dress with a scalloped neckline and sheer mesh cutouts on the sides, as well as a thigh-high slit and ruching at the hip.
Klum styled the dress with pointed high-heeled shoes and a series of diamond rings on her fingers.
She posted photos and videos from the night on her Instagram, which included some shots of her with husband, Tom Kaulitz, captioning the post, "Party time with my L❤️VE and @kilianparis @kilianhennessy."
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The "Germany's Next Top Model" host also attended the amfAR Gala while at the Cannes Film Festival, this time in a big black ballgown.
Man finds poop on his roof, and if that wasn't bad enough, it led to a mountain lion encounter
It's never a good day when you find poop on your roof.
No one is going to go, "Hey, there's some dookie on my roof, I think I'll go buy some lottery tickets because clearly, everything is going my way."
At least, finding some leavings on top of your house usually doesn't end in a run-in with a mountain lion ... usually.
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Bill Dabney of Pasadena was one of the unlucky few who had roof turds on his guest house that led directly to a big cat encounter.
"I looked up, and I saw poop on the roof," Dabney told KABC-TV. "It was like four separate stools."
Now, I'm not into numerology, but those four separate stools may have been hinting at imminent danger ... or it could've meant he was going to find something he had previously misplaced. Numerology usually has upsides and downsides like that.
In this case, there was some imminent danger, and the guest house roof may not have ended up being the only thing with crap on it.
"All of a sudden I look over and [there's a] mountain lion staring at me," Dabney said.
Now, the implication here is that the mountain lion ripped a deuce on Dabney's guest house. I think that's probably the case, because I refuse to believe that anyone could discover four separate stools on their roof and then turn around and have a completely unrelated mountain lion encounter.
That just can't happen. Not unless we live in a simulation and it's glitching like crazy.
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This mountain lion wasn't hanging around to apologize or ask if anyone in the house could spare a square, either.
"He was in the position mode, like he was going to spring," Dabney said, before saying he immediately hightailed out of there. "Time to go!" he said. "I took off running!"
According to the report, there was another mountain lion sighting just days later, though it's unclear whether it was the same cat.
Of course, the dead giveaway would be if it got in on the act of leaving some presents at another guest house.
ROBERT MAGINNIS: God, duty and the return of moral clarity at West Point
On Saturday morning, I sat watching the rain fall over the United States Military Academy as another generation of cadets marched across Michie Stadium and into the Long Gray Line. The scene stirred memories I had not revisited in years. I graduated from West Point in 1973, and I tuned in partly to refresh my memory before a television interview later that afternoon. By the end of the ceremony, something more important had happened: for the first time in many years, I heard a commencement address at West Point that spoke honestly about God, duty, sacrifice, and war.
The speaker was Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Years ago, after retiring from the Pentagon, I joined the Family Research Council and eventually became its vice president for policy. During the summer of 2000, we had several interns, including a young Princeton student and basketball player named Pete Hegseth. He was intelligent, personable, disciplined, and openly grounded in his Christian faith even then. My children liked him immediately.
Years later, I watched Pete emerge as a prominent television personality on Fox News, where I have also spent many years as a military analyst. But beyond television, Pete served his country in uniform, deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan with the Army National Guard and later advocating tirelessly for veterans. That background gave him credibility before the 994 graduates seated before him Saturday morning.
Unlike many recent commencement speakers, he did not give a carefully sanitized speech meant to offend no one. Instead, he offered these future officers something they rarely hear from Washington: a candid account of the calling they had chosen.
The centerpiece of Hegseth’s address came from Isaiah 6:8: "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? … Here am I! Send me." That verse could hardly be more fitting. These young men and women are not simply collecting diplomas like graduates at most universities — they are becoming commissioned officers in the United States Army. Many will eventually lead soldiers in combat. Some will deploy to dangerous places within months. Some may never come home.
West Point has always understood that weight. Founded in 1802 by President Thomas Jefferson, the academy exists for one purpose: to produce leaders of character capable of defending the nation. Its graduates have fought in every major conflict from the Civil War through Iraq and Afghanistan. The motto — "Duty, Honor, Country" — was not crafted for comfort or corporate success. It was forged in sacrifice.
My own graduation in 1973 came during another troubled era. The Vietnam War was winding down, though Americans were still dying overseas, the Middle East was unstable, and Cold War competition with the Soviet Union dominated strategic thinking. Our commencement speaker was Admiral Thomas H. Moorer. My classmates entered an Army struggling through one of the most difficult transitions in its history.
Today’s cadets inherit a world equally dangerous and considerably more complex. Russia’s war in Ukraine continues. China openly pressures Taiwan. Iran fuels proxy violence across the Middle East. Artificial intelligence, cyber warfare, autonomous drones, and information operations are reshaping the battlefield faster than military institutions can adapt — and unlike the Cold War, this competition offers no long plateau of managed stability. Into that world, Hegseth delivered a message that military culture has long needed to hear again openly.
For years, too many military leaders and public officials behaved as though references to God or Scripture were somehow out of place in official ceremonies. Yet combat, of all human experiences, is where such questions press hardest. Under fire, questions about courage, morality, sacrifice, and eternity are not philosophical abstractions — they are immediate and consequential. Hegseth recognized that truth and chose not to sidestep it.
He also went directly after an institutional failure that has occupied the Pentagon in recent years: the military’s absorption with diversity, equity, and inclusion programs that displaced readiness and standards. Hegseth praised the academy’s return to merit while reemphasizing "Duty, Honor, Country" as the framework for what commissioned officers owe their nation. He reminded the graduates that the military exists to fight and win the nation’s wars — a point that should never have required restating, but in the current climate, clearly did.
HERE'S HOW WE CAN LIVE AND WORK WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WITHOUT LOSING OUR HUMANITY
Combat ultimately settles every question an ideology sidesteps. No framework survives contact with an enemy determined to kill, and the officer’s irreducible obligation under fire is moral clarity — the judgment to act when information is incomplete, the courage to bear responsibility for decisions made in conditions no training exercise fully replicates, the faith to lead men and women through circumstances that will break anyone not anchored in something beyond themselves.
One part of Hegseth’s speech stayed with me particularly. He spoke about his seven children at the ceremony and said he would be proud if one day his own son answered the nation’s call by saying, "Send me." As I listened, I thought about the continuity represented at West Point — every graduating class joining a chain stretching back more than two centuries. Every era brings different technology, different threats, a different strategic context, but the republic’s dependence on men and women willing to place service above self does not change.
That reality settled over me again as the Corps of Cadets sang the poetic hymn "The Corps" following the ceremony. Those words, first sung on the steps of the Cadet Chapel on June 12, 1910, and part of every West Point graduation since 1911, still echo faintly from fifty-three years ago. The Long Gray Line endures.
That continuity is precisely what is at stake as today’s graduates enter an Army increasingly shaped by machine-assisted decision-making, autonomous systems, and cyber capabilities that their predecessors could not have imagined. As I explore at length in The New AI Cold War and AI for Mankind’s Future, this technology is reshaping the character of modern warfare in ways that raise profound moral questions — but it cannot supply the moral judgment that distinguishes a leader from an instrument. That judgment is formed in character, and character is shaped by precisely the kind of honest reckoning Hegseth offered Saturday morning.
America does not merely need technically proficient officers. It needs leaders who understand both the horrors of war and the moral responsibility that accompanies command — young men and women still willing to answer the ancient call that has summoned every generation of soldiers before them: Here am I, Lord. Send me.
New York ready to combust as NYPD shut down Knicks watch party outside Madison Square Garden
The New York Knicks are two wins away from going back to the NBA Finals for the first time this millennium, and the city that never sleeps may not know what to do with itself if they make it there.
We all saw how electric Madison Square Garden was for Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, just imagine how much that place will be rocking if the Knicks can host a game with the Larry O'Brien Trophy in the building.
The entire roof may cave in!
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And it's not just limited to home games either, as the fans have been clamoring to get an outdoor watch party outside of MSG organized to watch the Knicks on the road.
The NYPD, however, isn't about to let that happen.
There's a fine line between acting like a crazy fan and breaking the law, and sometimes having a preemptive plan in place is the best move.
I reached out to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch for comment, and although she hasn't responded yet, I sympathize with her position.
She's between a rock and a hard place with this one.
No one wants to deny Knicks fans a watch party, but it might be a wise decision to nip this in the bud before it gets out of hand.
There were a handful of arrests due to "fan rowdiness" after Game 2, which might explain the decision to pull the plug on the proposed watch party.
This makes sense too, given the recent incidents that have occurred in resort towns in nearby New Jersey, though this certainly wasn't a popular decision among fans.
With all that being said, I need to see the city of New York in the NBA Finals like I need air to breathe.
Watch party or not, the whole city might combust if the Knicks win an NBA Championship.
The ticker-tape parade down the Canyon of Heroes will be legendary, but there's business to attend to first.
The Knicks will have to buckle down and win two of the next four contests against a scrappy Cleveland Cavaliers team, but the fans will unfortunately have to watch from the comfort of their own couches.
There will be no "rowdiness" in the streets of NYC, at least not for Knicks fans.
RFK Jr announces 'largest autism fraud bust in American history' with $46.6M Medicaid scheme indictment
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the indictment of two Minnesota defendants charged in what officials called the "largest autism fraud bust in American history."
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted 55-year-old Shamso Ahmed Hassan and 25-year-old Hanaan Mursal Yusuf, slapping them with numerous counts of fraud and related charges for their alleged $46.6 million scheme to defraud Minnesota Medicaid’s Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) Program.
The indictment was part of a wider enforcement action taken by the DOJ's National Fraud Enforcement Division that swept up 15 alleged fraudsters in indictments for schemes that targeted over $90 million in taxpayer funds.
"Today's arrests represent the largest autism fraud bust in American history. This was not a paperwork error. It was not a technical violation. This was organized theft that exploited the most vulnerable children in America, deceived families, stole taxpayer dollars meant to help children with autism access legitimate care and support," Kennedy Jr. said in a Friday news conference.
Hassan was a shareholder in two autism centers, Smart Therapy Center and Star Autism Center, but she did not disclose her ownership to the Minnesota Department of Human Services as required by law, prosecutors said. Yusuf worked at the Smart Therapy Center and helped operate the center, including by submitting the businesses' claims for Medicaid reimbursement, according to the indictment.
MINNESOTA FRAUD SUSPECT WHO JUMPED FROM BUILDING IS ARRESTED, FBI SAYS
The pair allegedly paid kickbacks to families to incentivize them to send their children to Smart Therapy Center and Star Autism Center so they could bill for autism-related services in their children’s names. They then billed Medicaid for services that were not rendered or were not reimbursable by Medicaid, according to the indictment.
Of the $46.6 million they filed for reimbursement, $21.6 million was paid out, per the indictment. The DOJ is seeking restitution for that money.
The pair "diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars of the fraud proceeds" to "their families' personal use and benefit, including through real property purchases and transferring funds overseas, including to Kenya," according to the indictment.
The defendants were each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and one count of money laundering. Yusuf was charged with five counts of healthcare fraud, while Hassan was charged with two.
"Every fraudulent autism diagnosis steals time, care, and resources from the children for whom this program was designed and who desperately need this care. Families with autistic children already face enormous challenges navigating therapies, specialists, and support systems. Fraud makes those barriers even steeper," Kennedy Jr. said in the announcement.
This may be the most absurdly juiced athlete competing in the Enhanced Games this weekend
What would it be like to watch a group of world-class athletes juiced to the gills, with legs the size of tree trunks and biceps big enough to need their own area code, compete on the world stage? That’s exactly what the Enhanced Games aim to find out when the controversial competition kicks off on Sunday, May 24.
The Enhanced Games, often referred to as the "Steroid Olympics," are a new Olympic-style sports competition founded by Australian entrepreneur Aron D'Souza. The project was inspired by the idea that elite sports already operate in a gray area of performance enhancement, and that athletes should be allowed to openly use medically supervised enhancement technologies instead of hiding them. I’d be willing to guess that the "Steroid Era" of baseball, where Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were launching bombs left and right, was his favorite era.
Organizers frame the event as pro-science, with a hyperfocus on a "human optimization" alternative to the International Olympic Committee and World Anti-Doping Agency systems, arguing that modern anti-doping rules are hypocritical, outdated and restrictive. I disagree, but watching these athletes make Steve Rogers-like transformations has been wild to witness, and the games haven’t even started.
Unlike the Olympics, athletes competing in the Enhanced Games are allowed to use performance-enhancing substances such as testosterone, HGH and EPO under medical supervision, though organizers say drugs must be regulated and monitored.
As for the most juiced athlete we’ve seen so far, look no further than Australian swimmer and former Olympian "The Missile" Magnussen.
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He is easily the most significant transformation. He quite literally looks like a combination of the Michelin Man and Arnold Schwarzenegger. My goodness! Look at those traps.
Magnussen was one of the top sprint freestyle swimmers of the 2010s and one of Australia’s most accomplished male swimmers in the 100m freestyle. He became the first Australian man ever to win the 100m freestyle world title, capturing gold at the 2011 and 2013 World Championships and was a three-time Olympic medalist.
For the inaugural Enhanced Games this weekend, Magnussen will also wear a full-body polyurethane super swimming suit that was banned after the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Magnussen is reportedly 6’6" 250 lbs. For comparison, Michael Phelps is reportedly 6’4" 195 lbs. Dude is a walking, talking tank.
The Enhanced Games also recently released substance-use data from its clinical trial, revealing that 91% of athletes used testosterone, 79% used HGH, 62% used stimulants such as Adderall, 50% used metabolic modulators, 41% used EPO and 29% used anabolic steroids. So yes, these athletes will basically be superhuman.
The inaugural competition is being held in Las Vegas and features track and field, swimming and weightlifting events with massive cash incentives, including reported million-dollar bonuses for breaking recognized world records.
Competitors reportedly include Olympians and former world champions such as Fred Kerley, Ben Proud, James Magnussen, Hafthor Bjornsson, Kristian Gkolomeev and Reece Prescod.
Next, I need them to set up a home run derby with baseball players juiced with special appearances by Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Alex Rodriguez and Jose Canseco. I'll tune in for that as well.