Fox News Latest Headlines
Aaron Judge says Team USA baseball 'fired up' after hockey gold, wants to 'copy' what Olympic teams did
Another version of Team USA, this time on the baseball diamond, is preparing to bring home a gold medal, as the World Baseball Classic (WBC) is set to start this week.
The U.S. has done well in recent sporting events, including the men’s and women’s ice hockey teams, who both defeated Canada in the Milan Cortina Games last month. Both games ended with an overtime goal, with Megyn Keller’s backhand winning it for the women and Jack Hughes’ heroics for the men.
Team USA baseball captain Aaron Judge, the three-time MVP for the New York Yankees, made an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Monday, where he admitted those hockey performances were getting his teammates fired up for the WBC.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
"Boys were fired up," he said when McAfee asked him his thoughts on Hughes’ goal in particular. "Hughes, man, we sent so many pictures of Hughes in the group text. It was great.
"It’s kinda cool that it’s going to snowball into this. Just the excitement we had when I was with the Yankees, and then with the group text, the boys were pumped up. Now, it’s WBC, we get the chance to throw on the red, white, and blue and copy what they did."
A-ROD, BIG PAPI, JETER HEADLINE FOX SPORTS' 2026 WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC COVERAGE
Judge added that it was a "special run" both the men and women had.
Of course, Judge is hoping his two weeks away from the Yankees will be well worth it, as the U.S. seeks revenge for finishing with the silver during the 2023 WBC, losing to Japan in the championship game.
Judge’s teammate, first baseman Bryce Harper, shared the same sentiment as his captain. Harper has been wearing the Stars and Stripes for some time now, having played for the U-18 national team in 2008.
He announced he would play for the 2023 WBC team, but he was rehabbing from Tommy John surgery which didn’t allow him to play.
He’s healthy now and excited to represent his country once more.
"I learned when I was young, when you put U.S. on our hats, it’s about us," he explained when it was his turn to wear the headset on McAfee’s show. "That’s why it’s only U.S. and not USA. It’s about us. So, for our team, it’s about everybody that’s in that clubhouse. No matter where you came from, who you played for, what you got, we don’t care because every single day we come out here, it’s for the greater good of America. What we’re doing for the people, who we’re representing.
"I’m proud to be American. I’m so happy to be in this clubhouse with all these guys and there’s no greater feeling than going out there, hearing the national anthem blare over the speakers. Knowing what you represent."
Team USA begins its WBC schedule against Brazil on March 6 at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Radical US mosques honor Iran's Supreme Leader's 'martyrdom' with memorial services, eulogy: 'Our leader'
Two United States-based mosques that have faced scrutiny for their ties to Iran held formal events to "honor" Ayatollah Khamenei after U.S. military forces took out the Islamic leader of Iran this weekend, including one mosque in Northern Virginia that referred to Khamenei as "our leader."
Located in Manassas, Virginia, and Dearborn Heights, Michigan, the mosques both publicly advertised events eulogizing the slain leader. In a flyer for the "Potluck Iftar" honoring Khamenei, which is a ceremony where Muslims break their Ramadan fast, the Manassass Mosque, which has faced questions over alleged ties to Iran, referred to Khamenei as "our leader." Meanwhile, at the Islamic House of Wisdom (IHW) in Dearborn Heights, which has also faced scrutiny over its ties to Iran, the center's Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi called the U.S. military offensive "evil" and argued that it was based on false-pretenses.
"You promised that America First, and now we ended up to have Netanyahu first," the Michigan-based Imam told his congregants after the attacks this weekend. "Now we realize that all their talk about nuclear [unintelligible] was a joke, it didn't even exist. From the beginning talking about regime change, we want to change, because we don't like it. So, starting an illegal – illegal war – and then go and bomb the house of the leader of the country. Where is justification for this? Where is their reason for this, at all?"
FBI REMAINS ON HIGH ALERT, DHS MEMO WARNS OF LONE WOLF ATTACKS AMID WAR WITH IRAN
The Michigan-based Islamic worship center and its Imam also touted talking points from Iranian state media and officials that have not yet been confirmed, claiming hundreds of young girls were killed by a missile strike on a school in Iran. Hossein Kermanpour, a spokesperson for Iran’s health ministry, said Saturday that 60 young children were killed and 80 injured, but by Sunday Iranian officials were saying the death toll had risen to about 150, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) posted on X on Monday that the alleged death toll was now as high as 168.
According to The Guardian, Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for U.S. Central Command, indicated they were "aware of reports concerning civilian harm resulting from ongoing military operations," adding that, "We take these reports seriously and are looking into them."
CHASING THE APOCALYPSE: RADICAL SIITE CLERICS ON AMERICAN SOIL PREACH PROHETIC SHOWDOWN WITH US
"Why a school? Why not a military base or a missile base? They attack children first. It's a form of their – again, call me crazy – but child sacrifice," said a speaker at the IHW's Ramadan program, who gave a speech alongside Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi. "This is a war against justice, against morality, against legality, against truth," Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi added as he was speaking to his followers.
"Now we realize that all their talk about nuclear [unintelligible] was a joke, it didn't even exist. From the beginning talking about regime change, we want to change, because we don't like it," the Imam continued.
IRAN’S SECURITY CHIEF ACCUSES TRUMP OF ‘ISRAEL FIRST’ POLICY, 'DELUSIONAL FANTASIES' IN REGION
Both the Manassas Mosque and the IWH were listed in a July 2023 letter that Congressional Republicans sent to former Attorney General Merrick Garland and former Director of National Intelligence during the Biden administration, Avril Haines. The letter called out a network of U.S.-based mosques throughout the country that have received financial funding from the Alavi Foundation, which lawmakers said "is a large foundation that has been in litigation for years because of allegations it operates on behalf of the Iranian regime, a state sponsor of terrorism," or have other close ties to the Iranian regime.
"The Imam of IHW, Mohammad Ali Elahi, served as the head of ‘political ideology’ for the Iranian Navy in the 1980s, according to a publicly available Central Intelligence Agency report." the letter asserts. "He personally claims to be ‘friends’ with three former Iranian Presidents, and since moving to the US, he has had seemingly non-stop contact with senior regime officials."
The letter, which included concerns also laid out in a report drafted by the George Washington University Program on Extremism, adds that IHW has been "a significant purveyor of extremist propaganda, in line with the Iranian regime’s views."
The Manassas Mosque was among the groups that received financial funding from the Alavi Foundation, reportedly totaling around $200,000. The mosque has also reportedly been gifted expensive relics from the Iranian regime, and alleged video of the inside reportedly shows the worship center filled with pictures of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) "martyrs" killed in Syria, a life-size cut-out of Khamenei and Iranian flags or other symbols.
Fox News Digital reached out to both mosques, but neither returned requests for comment in time for publication.
Skier's prank backfires, leaving her dangling 65 feet in the air as twin desperately holds on
A skier was left dangling 65 feet in the air after a prank on a chairlift went terribly wrong.
The incident happened Feb. 24 at Big Bear Lake in California, where Roula De Miranda-Arce, 21, was riding the lift with her twin sister and a friend, news agency SWNS reported.
Big Bear Mountain Resort confirmed the incident in a statement shared with Fox News Digital.
NEARLY 70 SKIERS STRANDED IN MIDAIR FOR HOURS AFTER GONDOLA MALFUNCTIONS AT POPULAR RESORT
"At approximately 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24, a 21-year-old female skier safely loaded onto Chair 9 at Bear Mountain. At some point during her ride to the top, she failed to maintain proper safety protocols and became suspended from the carrier," the resort said in its statement.
The organization added, "The guest and her sister, who was riding the carrier with her, admitted to horseplay as the reason for her becoming suspended. As soon as staff became aware of the situation, they took quick action to stop the carrier and unload everyone as soon as it reached the upper terminal."
Officials said the skier was evaluated by ski patrol as a precaution and did not sustain significant injuries.
TOP AFFORDABLE SKI RESORTS IN US FOR HITTING THE SLOPES THIS YEAR
In an attempt to jokingly scare her sister, De Miranda-Arce slid down from the moving chair, planning to hang briefly before pulling herself back up, SWNS reported.
The weight of her skis, however, made it impossible for her to lift herself back onto the seat — leaving her suspended as the chair continued uphill.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
Video shows the young woman hanging in midair while her sister and friend cling tightly to her arms, preventing her from falling.
"I thought I was going to die or become a paraplegic," she said.
The young woman said she began screaming as the strain on her arms intensified.
"I was screaming at one point, ‘Just let me go,’ because it felt like my arms were going to break," she said.
"And thank God my sister and my friend did not listen to me."
CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES
The pair managed to hold her for roughly two minutes until the chairlift reached the top of the slope — where ski patrol members were waiting for her.
"It's crazy what your body does in fight or flight," she said.
The resort said the incident serves as a reminder for guests to lower the safety bar and avoid potentially dangerous behavior while riding lifts.
Fox News Digital previously reported on another alarming chairlift incident in California earlier this year.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
A 12-year-old girl was left dangling from a ski lift at Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort before falling to the ground in a frightening moment captured on video.
Footage showed ski resort staff rushing to position padding and a safety net beneath her as she struggled to hold on, though she ultimately missed most of the net during the fall.
Her mother later said the girl "miraculously walked away with no broken bones or major injuries" — calling it a traumatic but accidental event.
Bonny Chu of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.
Iran starts ‘indiscriminate’ strikes across Gulf of Oman, hits shadow tanker tied to regime
Iran is conducting "indiscriminate" targeting of vessels across the Gulf of Oman and the wider Persian Gulf following the launch of U.S.-Israeli strikes under Operation Epic Fury, according to a maritime intelligence firm.
Windward AI noted the sanctioned Palau-flagged tanker Skylight was hit as the conflict across the Middle East entered its second day, with the tanker also holding Iranian nationals among the crew and ties to the regime.
"Analysis of vessel affiliations, targeting patterns, and cargo data points to a strategy of indiscriminate area denial — not precision targeting — aimed at demonstrating Iran's capability to disrupt the Strait and deter commercial shipping," the firm said Monday.
GULF STATES INTERCEPT HUNDREDS OF IRANIAN MISSILES AND DRONES, ISSUE JOINT CONDEMNATION WITH US
Iran has been retaliating with missiles and drones targeting U.S. and allied positions across the region, including in Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which links the Gulf of Oman to the Persian Gulf, is the world’s most critical energy chokepoint.
While three other vessels were reported attacked since the hostilities escalated Feb. 28, Windward described Skylight as "the highest-risk vessel in the group and the most anomalous target."
The UKMTO Operation Centre also later confirmed attacks on Skylight, MKD Vyom and Hercules Star, warning of significant military activity across the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, the North Arabian Sea and the Strait of Hormuz.
Skylight had been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control in December 2025, and was used to transport Iranian petroleum products, according to reports.
It was operated by United Arab Emirates-based Red Sea Ship Management LLC, which Windward noted has documented ties to front companies linked to Iran’s Ministry of Defense.
The vessel had been at anchor since Feb. 22 and carried 20 crew members — 15 Indians and five Iranians.
DUBAI HOTEL FIRE APPEARS TO BE CAUSED BY IRANIAN STRIKE; INJURIES REPORTED
"The Skylight anomaly — striking a vessel with an Iranian crew, Iranian operational ties, and active OFAC sanctions — is the single strongest piece of evidence against deliberate targeting by affiliation," Windward said.
Reuters also reported March 1 that the Palau-flagged tanker was hit off Oman’s Musandam Peninsula in the Gulf of Oman, injuring four.
Oman’s Maritime Security Center said in a post on X that Skylight was attacked about 5 nautical miles north of Khasab Port, caught fire and was evacuated.
Bill Clinton reveals Trump 'never said anything' linking himself to Epstein's crimes
Former President Bill Clinton told lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee last week that he couldn’t recall President Donald Trump saying anything that would link him to Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes.
As Democrats pressed Clinton on his relationship with Trump and the pair’s numerous mentions in the Epstein files, Clinton paused to clarify his stance.
"I hate this because I don’t think I should inject anything, but I do not want to leave the impression… He, the president, never — this is 20-something years ago — never said anything to me to make me think he was involved with anything improper with regard to Epstein," Clinton told investigators last week.
At another point in the deposition, Clinton again clarified his stance on Trump’s relationship with Epstein.
HILLARY CLINTON TELLS HOUSE 'I DO NOT RECALL EVER ENCOUNTERING' JEFFREY EPSTEIN
"As I said earlier, the only conversation I had with President Trump about this was in the early 2000s and I have no information that he did anything wrong," Clinton said.
Lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee deposed the former president as a part of the group's ongoing probe into Epstein and his crimes.
Epstein, a former financier with a robust social circle that included Clinton, Trump, Bill Gates, the United Kingdom’s Prince Andrew and other famous figures, died while incarcerated in 2019 on charges of sex trafficking minors.
CLINTONS AGREE TO TESTIFY AFTER HOUSE THREATENS CONTEMPT IN JEFFREY EPSTEIN PROBE
Lawmakers are investigating whether Epstein used his expansive social connections to facilitate illegal sexual encounters for his contacts.
Democrats, in particular, have sifted through the files with an eye for any connections to Trump.
Clinton, who was repeatedly asked by Democrats about Trump throughout his deposition, continued to affirm that he had only limited knowledge of Trump’s relationship with Epstein and that his primary concern was about government transparency on the matter.
"I just want it all out there. I want everybody to get it all out there and let everybody see where we are," Clinton said.
Notably, Clinton is pictured in several materials released by the Department of Justice. One places him in a pool with Ghislaine Maxwell, an accomplice of Epstein, and a third person whose identity has been redacted.
Asked again about his communications with the president, Clinton said he had not spoken to Trump in the years since the "early 2000s" about Epstein.
"It’s the truth," Clinton added.
Trump presses NATO partners on support as Hegseth blasts hesitation
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth warned that some traditional U.S. allies are "hemming and hawing about the use of force" as Washington presses forward with its campaign against Iran, raising fresh questions about NATO cohesion at a moment of escalation.
Spain has refused U.S. permission to use certain bases for strikes on Iran, calling for de-escalation and adherence to international law. Turkey has criticized the operation and warned of broader regional destabilization, while President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he was "saddened" by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death and denied that Turkish territory was used in the campaign.
In a statement released on Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron said that, "The outbreak of war between the United States, Israel and Iran carries grave consequences for international peace and security." He added, "The ongoing escalation is dangerous for all. It must stop."
HEGSETH LAYS OUT 'CLEAR' 3-PART MISSION AGAINST IRAN, SAYS WAR ‘IS NOT ENDLESS'
During Monday's media briefing, Hegseth drew a sharp contrast between Israel and what he described as hesitant allies. "Israel has clear missions as well, for which we are grateful. Capable partners, as we've said since the beginning. Capable partners are good partners, unlike so many of our traditional allies, who wring their hands and clutch their pearls, hemming and hawing about the use of force."
The criticism reflects growing frustration inside the administration that while some European capitals have issued statements of support, operational backing has not matched the rhetoric.
President Donald Trump also voiced dissatisfaction with allied hesitation. In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Trump said he was "very disappointed" in British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for initially blocking U.S. use of British bases and that Starmer took "far too much time" to reverse course.
The United Kingdom later authorized U.S. use of key facilities, including Diego Garcia, after raising initial legal objections and following a drone strike on RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.
Justin Fulcher, former senior adviser to Hegseth, told Fox News Digital the moment represents "an absolutely critical inflection point where NATO should act in a unified way in support of what the United States is doing."
He framed the issue as larger than the current campaign. "Symbolically, the U.S.-NATO alliance is critical when looking at actually restoring deterrence globally," Fulcher said, arguing that visible unity would send a message not only to Tehran but to other geopolitical rivals watching how the alliance responds under pressure.
FROM MISSILES TO MINERALS: THE STRATEGIC MEANING BEHIND THE IRAN STRIKE
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has sought to downplay suggestions of division.
"I spoke with all the key European leaders over the weekend," Rutte said on Fox News. "There is widespread support for what the president is doing."
He added, "Europe is stepping up, is doing what is necessary to make sure this operation can go ahead and deliver all the enablement necessary."
Germany has struck a more cautious tone. Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned in Sunday that strikes risk an Iraq- or Afghanistan-style quagmire and that Europe would bear the consequences.
At the same time, he said Berlin would not "lecture" the U.S. "We recognize the dilemma," he said, explaining that repeated attempts over past decades had not put Iran off trying to acquire nuclear weapons or oppressing its own people. "So we're not going to be lecturing our partners on their military strikes against Iran."
"Despite all the doubts, we share many of their aims," he said.
Fulcher contrasted the current hesitation with the strong reactions from some NATO capitals during past alliance disputes, including tensions surrounding Greenland.
"When you look at Greenland, that was obviously a very touchy subject for some countries in the Alliance," Fulcher said. "Iran for decades has been a huge promoter and funder of terrorism all across the globe — attacks that have happened in Europe, in many NATO and European countries," he said. "For me, it is quite shocking that we’re seeing a difficult time for many NATO members to fully unify and step up in support of the United States and what the U.S. and Israel is doing in Iran."
He argued that Europe has a significant strategic incentive to see Iranian capabilities degraded.
"I think actually Europe and NATO have the most to gain from neutralizing the threat that emanates from Iran," Fulcher said. "When you look at whether the ballistic missile threat or some of the state-sponsored terrorism threats, Europe has been on the receiving end of much more of these threats than the United States has in some cases."
He stressed that support should extend beyond public endorsements.
"Some of our European allies can do a lot more to not just support with words, which should be the bare minimum here, but also support with actual tangible action," Fulcher concluded.
Reuters contributed to this report.
US casualties rise to 6 following Iranian retaliation for massive strikes
Six American military service members have been killed amid Iran's retaliation over U.S. and Israeli attacks over the weekend, officials said Monday.
The U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, said U.S. forces recently recovered the remains of two previously unaccounted for service members from a facility that was struck during Iran's initial attacks in the region.
"Major combat operations continue. The identities of the fallen are being withheld until 24 hours after next of kin notification," a CENTCOM post on X states.
TOMAHAWKS, B-2 STEALTH BOMBERS AND ATTACK DRONES POUND OVER 1,000 IRANIAN TARGETS IN 24-HOUR BLITZ
Following U.S. attacks that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Tehran launched a series of strikes on U.S. military bases in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arab, as well as against Israel.
On Monday, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said more U.S. troops were headed toward the Middle East amid escalations by Iran.
DOZENS OF TOP IRANIAN REGIME OFFICIALS, SUPREME LEADER KILLED IN ISRAELI STRIKES
The U.S. mission in Iran, Caine said, is to "prevent Iran from (the) ability to project power outside its borders."
War Secretary Pete Hegseth said the mission is to prevent Tehran from producing a nuclear weapon, as well as destroying some of its military capabilities.
Over the weekend, Iran had 11 ships in the Gulf of Oman where it has disrupted commercial shipping, CENTCOM said, but that number declined to zero by Monday.
"The Iranian regime has harassed and attacked international shipping in the Gulf of Oman for decades. Those days are over," it said. "Freedom of maritime navigation has underpinned American and global economic prosperity for more than 80 years. U.S. forces will continue to defend it."
Longtime Trump critic credits him for restoring 'credibility of US deterrence' as Iran strikes unfold
One of President Donald Trump's most outspoken critics in the legacy media is praising his administration's strike on Iran.
Washington Post columnist George Will penned a piece on Sunday titled, "At last, the credibility of U.S. deterrence is being restored."
"The perhaps 30,000 protesters who perished in Iran’s streets in early January did not die in vain," Will wrote.
WASHINGTON POST SLAMMED FOR DESCRIBING AYATOLLAH KHAMENEI AS ‘AVUNCULAR’ WITH ‘EASY SMILE’
Will, a former Republican who voted for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the most recent presidential elections, marveled at how "Precision munitions, directed by spectacular intelligence, enabled a decapitation strategy" as the U.S. and Israel carried out Operation Epic Fury on Saturday, which resulted in the elimination of the Iranian regime's top leaders including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
"The U.S. action for regime change in Iran is not sufficient to produce regional tranquility. It is, however, a necessity for beginning to reestablish a precondition for a more peaceable world: the credibility of U.S. deterrence," Will told readers.
The Post columnist lamented the credibility the U.S. lost on the world stage beginning in 1975, citing the last helicopter leaving the roof of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon, later invoking President Barack Obama's "red line" that he drew for Syria regarding the use of chemical weapons which was later crossed in 2013, as well as President Biden's disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
"Today, Vladimir Putin is watching Venezuela, Iran (a source of some of Putin’s drones) and soon, perhaps, Cuba, join Syria as vanished clients. The swiftness of their downfall illustrates the hollowness of Russia’s claim to be a formidable global actor," Will continued.
IRANIAN-AMERICAN JOURNALIST CALLS OUT MAMDANI OVER RESPONSE TO US-ISRAEL STRIKES
Will also dismissed critics who've labeled Trump's actions as a "war of choice," calling it a "too casually bandied phrase" that "rarely fits untidy reality" and how his administration "has chosen not to wager U.S. safety on Iran’s abandoning its multi-decade pursuit of nuclear weapons, or on Iran’s acquiring them but not really meaning 'Death to America.'"
"Nationalism, so often derided, was never captured by Iran’s regime. Instead, nationalism simmered against the state, which warred unceasingly against the nation. As America prepares to help, from a distance, Iran’s political rebirth, we should heed an American poet’s advice of bold thoroughness. Robert Frost: 'The best way out is always through,'" he concluded.
WATCH: Bill Clinton grilled on shirtless hot tub photo amid swirling questions on Epstein relationship
Former President Bill Clinton told lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee that recently uncovered images of him in a pool with Ghislaine Maxwell, an accomplice of Jeffrey Epstein, and the infamous hot tub photo were taken at a hotel in Brunei and are not linked to any sexual misconduct.
"No," Clinton answered flatly when asked if he had sexual relations with the female in the hot tub photo, whose identity has been redacted by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The DOJ is required by law to release any documents or images related to Epstein, but to censor information that could identify Epstein’s victims.
Clinton said his stay at the hotel came about as an invitation from the kingdom’s sultan — someone Clinton said he had met during his presidency.
HILLARY CLINTON COMES OUT SWINGING AFTER GOP GRILLED HER DURING MARATHON EPSTEIN DEPOSITION
"It’s a tiny place but a very wealthy one, and the sultan was a man I had gotten to know well in my eight years as president and his involvement with the Asia-Pacific leaders conference, which I started and which he attended," Clinton said.
Brunei is a kingdom located on an island near Indonesia.
"When he knew I was coming, he invited me to stay there. And he said, ‘I want you to stay at this hotel, and I hope that you’ll use the pool.’ So, I did, and then I got out and went to bed, exhausted," Clinton recalled.
While Clinton said that he remembered that both Epstein and Maxwell had joined him at the resort, he told lawmakers he couldn’t remember who else was there.
Clinton didn’t explain why Epstein and Maxwell had accompanied him on the trip.
He answered that and said that, to the best of his recollection, no one at the pool had been a minor. He went on to admit that he thought that everybody there was part of their party and that he believes there was a Secret Service agent there too.
HILLARY CLINTON TELLS HOUSE 'I DO NOT RECALL EVER ENCOUNTERING' JEFFREY EPSTEIN
Clinton appeared before lawmakers as a part of their ongoing probe into Epstein and his crimes. Epstein, who rubbed shoulders with rich and powerful figures, died in prison in 2019 while charged with sex trafficking minors.
Despite being pictured together with Epstein in several images released by the DOJ, Clinton has denied knowledge of Epstein’s crimes or having been party to them.
"I don’t think there was anyone else in that hot tub. I had forgotten there was anyone in the hot tub," Clinton said.
"I don’t think I ever knew the photo was taken."
Punch the monkey, viral star, experiences dramatic breakthrough among zoo mates
In a dramatic turn of events that's captured the attention of animal lovers worldwide, Punch — the young macaque at a zoo in Japan famous for his inseparable bond with a stuffed orangutan toy — has reached a major milestone in his journey toward social integration.
On Thursday, visitors and staff at the Ichikawa Zoological and Botanical Garden witnessed a breakthrough: Punch was seen cuddling with and hitching a ride on the back of a fellow macaque.
Punch’s story began with hardship. He was abandoned by his mother shortly after his birth in July 2025 — and to ensure his survival, zookeepers stepped in to hand-rear the primate.
ORPHANED BABY MONKEY FINDS COMFORT IN STUFFED ANIMAL AFTER BEING ABANDONED BY MOTHER AT BIRTH
On Jan. 19, 2026, the zoo officially began the process of reintegrating Punch into the "monkey mountain" enclosure.
The transition was initially fraught with tension.
As a hand-reared infant, Punch was bullied and ignored by the established group of monkeys.
He was often seen huddled alone with his orange plush companion while the rest of the troop interacted.
BABY MONKEY CARRIES FAITHFUL STUFFED COMPANION EVERYWHERE HE GOES, DRAWING CROWDS AT ZOO
In an official statement released Feb. 27, the Ichikawa Zoological and Botanical Garden detailed the meticulous care behind this process.
"From an animal welfare perspective, our primary goal is to reintegrate Punch with the troop," the zoo said.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES
The strategy involved nursing Punch within the enclosure, so the troop could recognize him as one of their own, and pairing him with a gentle young female macaque prior to his full release to build his confidence.
The latest footage, captured by X user @tate_gf, suggested the zoo's patience is paying off.
The video shows Punch seeking physical contact not from his toy, but from another monkey — eventually climbing onto its back for a vital social behavior for young macaques: the "piggyback ride."
While Punch still carries his stuffed toy for comfort during moments of perceived danger, the zoo remains optimistic about his progress.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
The organization cited the successful 2009 case of Otome, another hand-reared macaque who eventually outgrew her stuffed toy, successfully integrated — and went on to raise four offspring of her own.
The zoo has had crowds coming to see Punch, with hundreds of people lining up to get inside to see the young star, according to reports.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
"I'm hoping Punch has a good life like everybody else does, and think he's a cute little guy," one person commented online.
"Such a precious baby," another person wrote.