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DR. MARC SIEGEL: What I admire most about Shannon Bream’s powerful stories of faith and healing
In her new bestselling book, "Nothing Is Impossible with God," Fox News anchor, attorney and author Shannon Bream tells the story of 11 heroes of the Bible, including two of everyone’s favorites: Joseph and Moses.
But she begins the book with a story of her own, overcoming, at the age of 39, severe, persistent eye pain that was causing her to become quite depressed. With her hope petering out, message boards led her to seek out one last cornea specialist, Dr. Thomas Clinch of Eye Doctors of Washington.
The fact that she only got in to see him right away because he had a cancellation was another sign from God. Indeed, Clinch was himself one of God’s messengers, as he diagnosed her with a condition other doctors had missed: map-dot-fingerprint dystrophy, also known as Cogan’s dystrophy. This condition involves tiny erosive scratches on the surface of the cornea. The outer cornea sticks to the lower layers and begins to rub off, especially during deep sleep. Clinch’s treatment was Muro 128 ointment to use at night, eye drops, and tear duct plugs to help her eyes retain moisture.
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Shannon Bream is one of the kindest, most sincere, humble yet intelligent anchors, authors and lawyers you could ever meet. Her gratitude to God for her reclaimed life following her successful treatment is palpable. It also leads directly to the stories of this important book, where her strong faith motivates her to seek and explore the biblical heroes who inspire her the most.
She has an important take on Moses, a story that began "with a bold, brave mother who defied the law of the day requiring all Hebrew male babies to be thrown into the Nile River — a certain death."
Of course, Moses’s mother and the midwives didn’t comply. He was hidden and then placed in a basket, which Pharaoh’s daughter famously found, and he went on to become her adopted son. But as Bream points out, he never lost the link to his own people, killing an Egyptian for beating a Hebrew.
When Pharaoh learned of this, he tried to kill Moses, who became a fugitive. Shannon’s analysis of Moses’s life is filled with insight: "Moses was faithful, working for his father-in-law as a shepherd. We see no grumbling about how great life used to be at the palace, no daydreaming about going back to the life of a prince — just the methodical work of a dutiful man. God can and will show up whenever you are laboring, whether or not you think anyone else is aware of your diligence."
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Here, Bream is referring to the burning bush, and as she does throughout the book, she quotes from the Bible: "God called to him from within the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!’ And Moses said, ‘Here I am.’" (Exodus 3:1-4)
"I am nearly 100 percent certain I would not have had such a calm reaction," Bream writes, combining her personal irony with a reverence for scripture, as she does throughout the book. She does it again with the Exodus itself, writing: "But the Lord had a plan that wouldn’t look like any other rebellion in history. It would start with what any strategist would tell you is a terrible mistake — letting your enemy know you’re coming."
Indeed, as God told Moses: "So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt." (Exodus 3:10)
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When it comes to her chapter on Joseph in Genesis, Bream again personalizes a section of the Bible. When his brothers (who kidnapped him and sold him into slavery) came to visit Egypt to get grain in the legendary famine, they didn’t recognize him.
Bream describes Joseph’s weeping because he understood what his brothers were saying in Hebrew, of course, despite his show of using an interpreter and speaking Egyptian as his primary language to preserve his disguise. And despite Joseph’s mistrust and hurt, he still treated them with hesed (loving kindness). But their own guilty consciences made Joseph’s kindness seem sinister to them.
And quoting Genesis 42:28 — "Their hearts sank, and they turned to each other, trembling, and said, ‘What is this that God has done to us?’"
Above all, Shannon Bream preserves the sense of the Bible as the great narrative it is, filled with inspirational heroes, leaders and prophets.
Her own life of overcoming makes her the perfect person to write this compelling book.
‘Goodbye California’ anthem sparks firestorm as country star hits back at critics: ‘Right is right’
Country star Annie Bosko is speaking out about the criticism that she has faced after releasing her new song "Goodbye California" earlier this year.
During an interview with Fox News Digital, the 40-year-old singer explained that the bittersweet country ballad has resonated with the majority of listeners but struck a nerve with others, who have tried to frame the song as political, which she insists was not her intention.
"I have gotten some backlash on the song, and I'm OK with it," Bosko shared ahead of her March 5 concert at the famed West Hollywood music venue the Troubadour.
"I think anytime you put yourself out there to make a statement and to say something, people will take any shot at turning something political," she continued.
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"I don't believe in getting involved in politics — I care about the state that I grew up in," Bosko added. "I love California. So that's where I stand on things. And there comes a point where right is right and wrong is wrong, and it feels like there's too much wrong going on."
"So, you know what, if 1% of people are upset with me, then so be it, right?" Bosko added. "You can't please them all."
"So therefore you’re forced to leave," she continued. "Not because you want to leave, but because you feel like you don’t have any other option. And I feel like a lot of people, and myself included, have felt that way in both love relationships and geographically in locations. I think most people would say ‘Why would you want to leave here?’ Like look at the weather, look at everything. I mean it’s beautiful, right? You got everything: the desert, mountains, ocean, farm, ranch, everything.' I just think sometimes people, for financial reasons or other reasons, feel like they’ve been forced to leave."
The "Levitating" singer explained that many people she knows in the entertainment industry have also moved on to other states due to a sharp decline in projects filming in Los Angeles.
"This was the epicenter of all entertainment," Bosko said. "And I feel like so many people have left because the jobs aren’t here. And so I feel like — I wouldn’t say there’s a specific moment in time — I just feel like, gradually over the years, every time I’ve come back, it feels like little things have kind of been chipped away."
"It just feels like so much of that dynamic and community has changed," she continued. "So many of my actor friends are leaving. And that’s what makes LA and Hollywood so special are the artists. Without the artists, this town is not the same. You need artists. And so I feel like it’s kind of been a combination honestly of all those things."
WATCH: COUNTRY STAR ANNIE BOSKO DEFENDS ‘GOODBYE CALIFORNIA’ AFTER CRITICS SPEAK OUT
Bosko told Fox News Digital that she has spent a lot of time in Nashville, Tennessee in recent years and believes that it would make the most sense for her to relocate to Music City.
"So much of the music industry is there," she said. "And so many of my collaborators and business partners are there. So that would kind of be the obvious answer."
"But I feel like California’s my heart and soul," she continued. "I’d like to end up here just because I love it and this is my home."
Bosko shared that she remains optimistic California could one day return to the state she remembers from earlier years.
"I’m hopeful that there’s a bright future," she said. "The world always changes, but I almost feel as though people have to get so fed up that everyone wants a change. And I do feel as though so many people across the board — doesn’t matter where you are on the political spectrum — I think so many people across the board are fed up with just the way things have been and that there’s a better way to lead this state."
The singer explained that California holds a special meaning for her because her grandparents were able to build successful lives in the state after emigrating from Croatia.
WATCH: COUNTRY STAR ANNIE BOSKO SAYS ‘99%’ OF PEOPLE RESONATE WITH HER SONG ‘GOODBYE CALIFORNIA’ DESPITE BACKLASH
"I guess that's why I feel so passionately about California, in particular, because my family did come here and live the American Dream," she said. "They were able to come here, start a farm, build a business, buy homes. And I think about this next generation and I don’t know that they’re in the same position."
"It’s like to buy a home here, right? It’s just everything is difficult," Bosko continued. "I think families are paying astronomical money in taxes to not feel safe walking their own kids outside in a stroller on the road. And at some point, it's just not fair anymore."
"This next generation will be impacted the most," she added. "I think I read a statistic that more kids now than ever in their 30s are living with their parents just because they can't afford to start a new life here. And so I really hope that that changes. And I'm hopeful it could change, but like I said, people have got to be so upset and be aggravated by it to make that change."
Bosko recalled that her grandmother sold her only car so her husband could buy a Ford tractor and start a small farm, which later grew into her family's successful Boskovich Farms.
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"Kudos to my grandmother, that’s what you call blind faith," she said. "I don’t know that I would have been that hopeful in any guy."
"But she had faith in him, and she knew that he worked really hard, and he was relentless, and he started a farm on four acres of land himself," Bosko said. "And then his sons ended up helping him grow the company. It was a smart move."
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COUNTRY STAR ANNIE BOSKO SAYS PEOPLE ARE ‘FED UP’ WITH CURRENT STATE OF CALIFORNIA
Bosko shared that she was concerned since she had seen many farmers — particularly small farmers — were facing major challenges due to water shortages.
"This doesn't so much impact the large farming companies," she said. "But multi-generational farmers are struggling big time right now. And California grows, I think, nearly 75% of the nation's produce, so that's huge. It's really important. I think we need to protect farmers, protect farmland, make sure they're getting adequate water supply and that we do everything we can to help."
"Goodbye California" is available to stream HERE and the official visualizer can be watched HERE.
Move over, New York and Chicago — one Midwest pizza style is taking over
Pizza lovers often flock to New York and Chicago — but one Midwest city is carving out its own place on the map as it gains national attention for its unique pizza style.
Ohio's state capital, Columbus, is home to a distinct type of pizza known as Columbus-style pizza.
The regional specialty features a thin crust, a slightly sweet tomato sauce and loads of cheese — provolone-and-mozzarella or just provolone.
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The pizza is also packed with edge-to-edge toppings, often pepperoni — and is baked into a round pie with little to no exposed crust.
Columbus-style pizza is cut tavern style, into squares and rectangles rather than slices, making it easy to share and popular in group settings.
It's somewhat similar to St. Louis-style pizza, though Gateway City pizza has a cracker-like crust and signature Provel cheese that sets it apart.
The Columbus favorite dates back to the mid-20th century, as the style began to take shape in local restaurants, according to CBUS Today.
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The local outlet credited brothers Dan and Jimmy Massucci, who opened Romeo's Italian Restaurant and Massey's Pizza in 1949, with helping to shape the style and popularize it across Columbus.
A distinct characteristic of Columbus-style pizza is that it doesn't have a "dough ring," said Kevin King, the CEO and president of Donatos Pizza in Columbus.
"We make sure the sauce, cheese and toppings cover the entire surface of the pizza," he told Fox News Digital.
"We are even known for putting 100 pieces of pepperoni on our large pizzas."
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Donatos was founded in 1963 and has helped "grow and popularize Columbus-style pizza," the CEO noted. It's become one of the city's most recognizable pizza brands.
The brand uses smoked Wisconsin-made provolone to give it a "sharper flavor profile" that distinguishes it from other regional styles.
The pizza's unique characteristics are helping Columbus to gain national recognition as "one of the best pizza destinations," King said, as the city continues to build its reputation among food lovers.
King cited a recent study that found Columbus was the fourth most pizza-obsessed city in the world, ahead of Chicago and Rome. Publications such as USA Today and Eater have said Columbus is one of the best pizza cities in the country.
"Donatos Pizza hopes to spread the word across the country by providing consistently high-quality pizza in all our locations across 28 states," he said.
The executive also credited the pizza's enduring popularity to tradition and consistency in preparation.
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"Our founder, Jim Grote, is an innovator at heart," he noted. "He set out to create pizza equipment that would always provide customers with a consistent pizza experience."
For example, Donatos has created machines that provide "the right amount of sauce and the optimal sliced pepperoni," to help the pizzas stay consistent, he said.
If pepperoni doesn't interest some customers, King said Columbus-style goes beyond traditional toppings with more experimental options.
"You can find a plethora of different combinations of toppings — and even sauces — on Columbus-style pizza," he said.
"Donatos recently released a line of white sauce pizzas with the creamy parm sauce as the base … [and the] hot honey trend on pizza has been proliferated with Columbus-style pizzas as well."
Christian father says Sweden 'kidnapped' his children, branded family ‘religious extremists’
A Christian father in Europe says his family's life has been "destroyed" after Swedish authorities took his two daughters over three years ago following a false abuse allegation.
Daniel and Bianca Samson have been fighting to regain custody of their daughters, Sara and Tiana, who were 11 and 10 years old when they were seized by Sweden’s social services and placed in foster care in December 2022.
Daniel Samson told Fox News Digital that the girls were taken after Sara made an abuse allegation at school after an argument over her parents' refusal to let her wear makeup or have a cell phone.
"They literally kidnapped the girls from school," he said.
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Even after Sara reportedly retracted the statement and police dropped the investigation after finding no evidence of abuse, the government agency refused to return the girls.
Samson alleged that authorities then shifted their focus to the family's Christian faith.
"As soon as you mention God, as soon as you try to leave following Christian values, you have a target on your back. And once they take your children back, they will never let go," he said.
In court, Samson said officials labeled the parents "religious extremists" to justify their separation. He said lawyers used their parenting choices against them, such as the girls not being allowed to paint their nails, the lack of a television in the home, and the reading of Bible stories, which he said authorities called "violent."
The family, originally from Romania, had unsuccessfully petitioned to have the girls moved to Romanian foster care to keep the family unit closer together. Since being placed in state care, Samson said his daughters' physical and mental health have deteriorated.
Samson shared videos with Fox News Digital of his daughters pleading to be reunited with their family and of his eldest daughter describing her suicide attempts while in state care. He also alleged the girls had been given antidepressants against their will and that Sara witnessed a sexual assault while in a state-run facility.
In Samson's view, the legal system favors social services as "the experts" and parents have little recourse in custody cases. He claimed the agency wins the vast majority of cases in Sweden, making it nearly impossible for families to find legal representation willing to challenge the state.
One 2017 study of Swedish administrative court verdicts found that when social services petitioned for compulsory care based on allegations of violence, the court granted the request 90% of the time and 78% approval in all other cases.
Despite receiving positive feedback from state-mandated parenting courses, Samson said the agency told the court they had "not the smallest single good thing" to say about the family to justify returning the children.
Over the past three years, Samson says their family has lost 14 times in court.
In March, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled their case "inadmissible," a final decision that cannot be appealed. The decision came after he said authorities cut off all in-person visits in December and all video contact last month.
Samson said authorities have also expressed intentions to change the girls’ names, a move he fears is a precursor to adoption.
"They told me, 'You give false hope to your children because you tell them they’re coming home, and we have no intention of giving them back,'" Samson said. "I told them, I’m their parent, and I’ll never stop fighting for them."
He has been outspoken about his family's case on social media and alleges their story is not unique but part of a systemic problem in Sweden.
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"In Sweden, we have written to all the members of the parliament, to all the institutions that could do something to all the media outlets, televisions, newspapers, radios," Samson said. "This has been done multiple times with ample evidence and nobody talks about it because everybody is afraid that [their] child could be next."
Sweden's social services told Fox News Digital it could not comment on individual cases.
Sweden’s government has previously pushed back against claims that it "kidnaps" children or targets religious families, labeling such accusations part of a "disinformation campaign."
The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs stated in November 2022 that a decision to remove a child is "always based on a significant risk of harm to the child’s health or development." Officials maintain that the goal is to reunite children with parents once care is completed, provided it is in the child's best interest.
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Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Minister for Social Services Camilla Waltersson Grönvall also disputed "kidnapping" claims in a February 6, 2023, press release calling for stronger penalties against those who threaten or insult public officials.
The Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare also denies that religion is a basis for removal, stating that cases are based solely on the child's safety and development.
"No, religion is no basis for a child being placed in care. A decision to take a child away from their parents or guardians must always be based on there being a significant risk of harm to the child’s health or development. It can either be the situation in the family home or the child’s or young person’s own behavior that may be deemed harmful or dangerous," the government agency says.
NASA races to build moon base as US challenges China in new space race
NASA is racing to establish a permanent human presence on the moon as the U.S. looks to beat China's ambitions on the lunar surface amid intensifying competition in space.
The Trump administration’s push for a roughly $20 billion moon base marks a major shift in NASA’s strategy, moving away from plans for a lunar-orbiting space station and toward building infrastructure directly on the moon as a long-term foothold for deep space exploration.
"This time, the goal is not flags and footprints," NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said as he outlined the plan. "This time, the goal is to stay."
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"The reason you want to have a lunar base is that it acts as a focal point of our ongoing efforts to not just be around the Earth, but go into deep space," Casey Dreier, chief of space policy at The Planetary Society space exploration nonprofit, told Fox News Digital. "It’s like the reason that we have our base stations in Antarctica."
Dreier said a sustained presence on the moon would allow the U.S. to store supplies, build out infrastructure and expand its capabilities over time in ways that are not possible with a station orbiting the moon.
The shift also reflects a recalibration of NASA’s earlier plans, which centered on the Gateway program — a proposed space station in orbit around the moon that had been a cornerstone of the Artemis program but faced delays, funding uncertainty and growing questions about its necessity.
Originally envisioned as a staging point for astronauts traveling to and from the lunar surface, Gateway was designed to serve as a communications hub and transfer point in orbit. NASA is now redirecting resources toward building infrastructure directly on the lunar surface instead.
While the new approach sharpens NASA’s focus, Dreier cautioned that the administration’s timeline and budget remain highly ambitious.
"Probably not," he said when asked whether $20 billion would be enough to build and sustain a lunar base. "It’s an ambitious level."
Dreier added that the roughly seven-year timeline is aggressive, particularly given the technical challenges of operating on the moon, suggesting the effort may begin with a limited initial presence that expands over time.
China is aiming to land astronauts on the moon by around 2030, a milestone that would mark its first crewed lunar mission and significantly expand its presence beyond Earth orbit.
The push for a lunar base comes as China also rapidly advances its own capabilities, conducting increasingly complex robotic missions and laying the groundwork for a long-term presence on the moon.
"They have gone from launching one or two satellites or space science satellites to launching dozens," Dreier said. "They have landed huge amounts of mass now on the moon, on the far side of the moon."
He noted that China has also successfully carried out robotic sample return missions, launching material from the lunar surface back to Earth — a technically demanding feat that underscores its growing capabilities.
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"They’re developing their capability very fast," Dreier said. "That is more capability than the United States has at the moon right now."
"At the Moon, China actually has the advantage right now," he added.
China is working with international partners, including Russia, on plans for a long-term presence near the lunar south pole — a region believed to contain water ice and other key resources.
"We find ourselves with a real geopolitical rival, challenging American leadership in the high ground of space," Isaacman said.
Dreier said the push to build sustained operations on the moon could also strengthen broader U.S. capabilities in space, particularly as orbit becomes more contested.
"The moon is the ultimate high ground," he said. "If we have to have space contested, let’s make it a race to the moon … rather than something far more direct and destructive in the Earth orbit."
Fox News Digital reached out to NASA for comment.
Soros-backed group among liberal orgs pumping eye-popping cash into Virginia gerrymandering effort
A group fighting to get Virginia voters to approve an April 21 referendum to let Democrats in the state redraw its congressional maps is being pumped with liberal cash, receiving over $38 million from less than a dozen left-wing entities over the last three months, including from the George Soros-backed Fund For Policy Reform Inc.
The Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP) tracks state spending in Virginia and, according to its database, Virginians for Fair Elections has received $5 million from the Soros-funded and founded entity, which is within his Open Society Foundations Network of groups known for pushing liberal causes.
Soros' latest cause is a massive gerrymandering effort in Virginia, where the state's congressional delegation could go from effectively 6 Democrats and 5 Republicans, to 10-Democratic-leaning districts and one Republican-leaning district, per VPAP. Virginians for Fair Elections is one of the main vehicles pushing Virginia voters to vote "yes" on April 21 to redraw the state's maps. Virginia's decision to redraw its maps came after mid-decade redistricting efforts by Republicans in Texas, which significantly changed the state's electoral maps.
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Tens of millions of dollars have been pumped into the state of Virginia ahead of the April 21 referendum vote, with the vast majority going to the Democratic side of the issue.
Besides money from Soros' network, in 2026, Virginians for Fair elections received $20 million from the nonprofit counterpart of House Democrats' House Majority PAC, $100,000 from Sen. Tim Kaine's, D-Va., leadership PAC, a little over $10 million from the progressive nonprofit that funds ballot initiatives nationwide, The Fairness Project, almost $500,000 from the Democratic Party of Virginia, $1 million from the Global Impact Social Welfare Fund, $1 million from a group called American Opportunity Action, and then several other smaller donations from wealthy liberal backers.
The main group opposing redistricting, Virginians For Fair Maps, has only raised a little over $3 million from just two donors in 2026. $560,000 came from the Republican Party of Virginia while the remaining $2.5 million came from a group by the same name, Virginians for Fair Maps, according to VPAP.
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Despite the fundraising advantage, the referendum is still expected to be close. Since polls opened March 6 for early voting, turnout in Republican-heavy counties has been high compared to the state's election turnout in November, when Democrats performed very well and Spanberger took over the Governor's mansion, while Jones took over the attorney general's Office.
Democrats in the state have reportedly been urging Spanberger to get more assertive in the redistricting effort.
Democrat Beth Macy, who is running for Congress in one of the five House districts currently held by Republicans, said Virginia Democrats "gotta stop bringing a spork to a knife fight," according to Politico. She added that it would be "helpful" for Spanberger "to be the spokesperson on redistricting because she did so well and won by so much."
Soros' network of groups and PACs has also been a powerful force behind supporting dozens of far-left district attorneys, such as the formerly recalled San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin, Chicago's Kim Foxx, and L.A.'s George Gascon. In 2022, 1 in 5 Americans were represented by a Soros-linked prosecutor, according to data from the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund.
In Virginia, Soros' Democracy PAC donated at least $500K to help Spanberger become governor and to help Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones, who fantasized about killing his Republican rival and his family, get elected. His PACs have also donated millions to the campaign coffers of far-left district attorneys in Virginia.
Fox News Digital reached out to Soros' Open Society Foundations and the other top donors pumping millions into the redistricting battle, but did not receive a response from Soros' group ahead of publication.
"No one wanted to take this action, but in a democracy, we can’t let entire states rig their congressional maps just to bend to the will of one person. We have to respond. This amendment is a temporary, one-time exception that gives Virginia voters a voice and meets the needs of the current moment, while ensuring Virginia’s bipartisan redistricting process will resume after the 2030 census," Alexis Magnan-Callaway, a spokesperson for The Fairness Project, told Fox News digital.
"The ballot measure allows Virginia voters, not politicians, to decide for themselves whether they want new, temporary districts," she continued. "This isn’t about favoring one party over another. This is about restoring fairness across the board by temporarily changing Virginia’s congressional districts."
'Project Hail Mary' wins rave reviews as anti-woke Hollywood blockbuster
A new science fiction film is drawing praise from audiences who say it delivers something increasingly rare from Hollywood: a crowd-pleasing blockbuster that avoids overt political messaging.
"Project Hail Mary," adapted from the novel by Andy Weir, stars Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace, a biologist-turned-middle-school science teacher who is chosen for a space mission to save the planet from an impending disaster.
The film has drawn strong audience and critical reaction, earning a 95% critics score and 96% audience score. It also led the box office in its opening weekend, earning $80.5 million domestically and $140.9 million worldwide.
That reception has prompted praise from a number of conservative commentators, who compared the movie to other crowd-pleasing hits such as "Top Gun: Maverick." Several commentators said the movie's success offers a lesson for Hollywood.
"Saw this last night. Fantastic movie. Zero foul language, nothing woke or inappropriate, just great humor and tons of suspense," MRCTV managing editor Brittany Hughes wrote on X, adding, "Hollywood, take note."
Joel Berry, managing editor of The Babylon Bee, called the film a "fun movie" that is great "to watch with the family."
"I hope they make more like this," he wrote.
Journalist Megan Basham echoed that sentiment.
"So clearly Project Hail Mary, which is being roundly applauded for old school wholesome entertainment, is going to be a massive hit. Just like Maverick. And Hollywood will learn nothing from it," Basham wrote.
She added, "Again, Hollywood can thrive again. It just has to decide as an industry that it cares more about telling good, entertaining stories than in peddling political propaganda."
Others saw deeper spiritual themes in the film.
Prominent Catholic leader, Bishop Robert Barron, said that while he found the film entertaining, uplifting and well-acted, he was most struck by what he saw as its Christian themes. He argued the title refers not only to the football term, but also to the Virgin Mary, and said Ryan Gosling’s character is "undoubtedly a Christ-figure."
"The title, of course, refers to the Hail Mary pass in football, since the adventure undertaken is a fairly desperate attempt to save the planet. But it also becomes eminently clear that the reference is not just to football but to the Blessed Mother herself, for the Gosling character is undoubtedly a Christ-figure," he began. "I don't want to give away too much of the plot, but it involves a willingness to sacrifice one's life utterly in order to deliver the entire human race from disaster."
He suggested the film reflects Christianity's continued influence on modern culture.
"I know lots of people say that Christianity is in irreversible decline and that we are inhabiting, at least in the West, a post-Christian society. I'm not so sure. Like it or not, we remain a Christ-haunted culture — and a film like 'Project Hail Mary' makes this clear," he added.
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Entertainment critic Christian Toto, host of "The Hollywood in Toto Podcast," told Fox News Digital the movie’s reception reflects audience hunger for hopeful storytelling.
"There's a reason 'Project Hail Mary' is causing a stir," Toto said. "The film is brimming with imagination, hope and humanity."
Toto said the film, unlike many of its modern counterparts, avoids virtue signaling or "mocking the story's straight White hero."
"It's a fiercely original story that feels all too human," he continued. "Yes, the lead actor is a handsome movie star, but his character isn't sure he'll be able to complete his mission. That's very relatable on several levels. The film is also clean, wholesome and attractive to all ages. No virtue signaling, no lectures… nothing but entertainment. Sadly, in this day and age, those basic qualifiers make it a culture war conversation starter."
Most Americans are doing one nightly activity that's wrecking their sleep, expert says
If you’re not sleeping well, there could be a variety of reasons — but one habit stands out as the biggest culprit.
Dr. Wendy Troxel, a licensed clinical psychologist and senior behavioral scientist at RAND based in Utah, revealed that phone use at night is the activity that is most likely to have a negative effect on slumber.
"Most people are aware of this, but probably the No. 1 habit that's contributing to interrupted sleep, and poor-quality sleep, in Americans is the use of phones at night, particularly in bed," she said in an interview with Fox News Digital.
"About 90% of Americans are using their phones in bed, and as much as I would like to tell everybody to remove the phone entirely from the bedroom, I realize that ship has probably sailed by now."
This disruption is driven by both blue light exposure and the stimulating content on phones, according to Troxel.
"There is blue light emitted from our devices, and blue light can suppress the hormone melatonin, which is the hormone of darkness."
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"But it's not just the blue light that is causing sleep disruptions from our phones. It's really the stimulating content that we're consuming … social media, which is designed to be addictive, so that you can't put that phone down," she added.
This content is also "very emotionally activating," Troxel noted, which is "antithetical to the state we want to be in as we approach sleep."
To counteract attachment to phones, the sleep expert recommends setting a boundary with one simple rule.
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"I recommend that you try to keep your phone more than arms' distance away from you while in bed," she advised. "And set a rule for yourself — if you're going to use the phone, don't do it in bed. In fact, make your feet be on the floor if you're going to use that phone."
Setting this boundary creates "behavioral friction," according to Troxel.
"As a clinical psychologist, I work with people to help them … break habits that aren't serving them," she said. "Having that little bit of behavioral friction makes the habit of immediately grabbing for the phone and scrolling while in bed a little more difficult."
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"And when that automatic behavior is a little more difficult, it's less likely to occur."
SOUTH CAROLINA AG WILSON: Fentanyl is a national security threat — follow the Chinese money
Every day, families across this country are losing loved ones to fentanyl. This is not just a public safety crisis. It is not just a public health emergency. It is something far more dangerous. It is a national security threat.
As attorneys general, we see the devastation up close. In my home state of South Carolina, fentanyl was responsible for more than 70% of overdose deaths in 2023.
I’ve prosecuted cases where a single operation brought enough fentanyl into our state to kill half a million people. These are not isolated incidents. They are part of a coordinated, global pipeline designed to profit from American lives. And if we are serious about stopping it, we must be honest about what is fueling it.
The fentanyl epidemic is propped up by a massive money laundering network, moving an estimated $100 million every single week. That money is the oxygen that keeps this crisis alive. It allows cartels to expand operations, flood our communities with poison and evade law enforcement.
A key part of that network runs through China-based technology platforms.
Apps like WeChat and its Chinese counterpart, Weixin, have been used to facilitate the transfer and laundering of drug money tied directly to fentanyl trafficking. These encrypted platforms create a black box that shields criminal activity from American law enforcement.
Over the past year, a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general, led by North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson and me, has worked to confront this problem head-on. We pushed WeChat to cooperate with law enforcement, and we secured real progress, including faster response times and stronger monitoring tools.
However, WeChat's China-based sister app, Weixin, still operates under Chinese data privacy laws and does not adequately respond to U.S. law enforcement requests.
Since many of the money brokers facilitating these transactions are based in China, closing that gap is an immediate national security priority. Without this information, law enforcement can’t dismantle the international drug organizations that are peddling poison into the United States. That’s why this week, a coalition of attorneys general sent a letter to President Trump, asking him and the federal government to work with their Chinese counterparts to stop the flow of fentanyl trafficking.
President Donald Trump has long understood the scope of this crisis. During his first term, he took decisive action to confront China’s role in the fentanyl pipeline and made clear that protecting American lives must come first. He recognized that this is not just about drugs. It is about foreign actors exploiting our systems to weaken our country.
We need that same strength and clarity now.
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In modern times, our enemies rarely engage us through conventional warfare, where they meet us on the battlefield wearing uniforms. Instead, they engage in what we call gray-zone warfare. They use proxy networks, technology, financial systems and cyber warfare to attack or weaken the United States. The fentanyl crisis is a textbook example.
Chinese labs produce precursor chemicals. Mexican cartels manufacture and distribute the drugs. And digital platforms help move the money. Together, they form a system that is killing Americans every single day.
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This is not accidental. It is strategic.
We cannot allow foreign adversaries to use technology and financial networks as weapons against our people. We must demand accountability. We must strengthen enforcement. And we must bring every tool of our national power to bear, from law enforcement to diplomacy.
This fight is personal for me, as it is for so many Americans. I have seen the toll this crisis takes on families, communities and the future of our country.
If we do not act decisively, more lives will be lost. More families will be shattered.
But if we confront this threat with the seriousness it demands, if we go after the money, the networks and the foreign actors enabling it, we can turn the tide.
The American people and South Carolina families deserve nothing less.
Scouting America moves to shed ‘woke’ label with major recommitment to military, traditional American values
Scouting America, the Texas-based national organization founded as the Boy Scouts of America, is working to shed claims it has gone "woke" in recent years as it renews its focus on training young people with life skills, providing fun and educational outdoor experiences and revitalizing its partnership with the U.S. military.
Since its inception by Lt. Gen. Robert Baden-Powell in February 1910, what is now Scouting America has remained dedicated to providing the key life tenets of faith, character and service to young people, as in one example it eliminated an otherwise recently conceived "DEI" merit badge and replaced it with a military-centric one.
Chief Scout Executive Roger Krone told Fox News Digital that scouts have been central to key moments in history, a testament to the program’s values, importance and longevity.
"In fact, I think all but one of the men that walked on the moon were Scouts. There is [also] a tendency for a certain percentage of membership to want to trade their Scout uniforms for military uniforms: we have a long tradition with the military," Krone said.
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In 1915, professional scouter E. Urner Goodman founded Scouting America’s own honor society, the Order of the Arrow, at Treasure Island Scout Reservation in the middle of the Delaware River to recognize scouters who excel in their life of service.
John F. Kennedy was the first scout president, and Gerald Ford is the only one to date who has earned Eagle Scout. President Jimmy Carter, though never a scout, earned the BSA's Silver Buffalo Award for service to Georgia scouts.
As part of its reaffirmation of American values, Scouting America will waive registration fees for military families’ children and participate in the America250 program.
"Just as it has for 116 years, Scouting America is dedicated to shaping patriotic Americans grounded in faith, character and service," Krone said. "Our relationship with the United States Military reflects a shared belief that leadership, service, and love of country are not abstract ideals—they are values forged through action, discipline, and commitment. The Scouting program is uniquely positioned to instill these values in our future leaders."
Fifteen percent of military academy cadets are Eagle Scouts, and more than 130 million Americans have been trained by the Boy Scouts since 1910.
He noted that Baden-Powell, a British military hero, conceived the idea in the wake of the Industrial Revolution to instill merit and values in wayward children in London.
"There were kids in London that were getting in trouble because they had too much time on their hands. And so we started using these military tactics, learning how to track animals and using compasses and these things, to keep kids occupied they go on camp out some things like that. And that was the birth of the scouting program. So we have a proud tradition with the military."
Scouts continue wearing the American flag on their Class-A uniforms from their time as Cub Scouts through earning Eagle, and, as Krone noted, their meetings also begin with the Pledge of Allegiance and the Scout Oath, which include pledges to honor God, country and law.
"There’s a deep connection between what we teach with character and leadership … to the military so it's probably just natural."
Krone pushed back on Scouting America being called woke, noting that about 70 percent of sponsoring organizations are churches. The Catholic Church is said to be the largest holder of unit charters, Krone said, while across the country other houses of worship, from Methodist to Episcopal to the United Church of Christ, sponsor troops.
"We are a very faith-based, faith-driven organization, very patriotic, we love God and country and so yeah, we strive very hard to be apolitical these days."
Scouting received blowback for allowing girls to join in the past decade. Krone said that Scouting remains a meritocracy and rank requirements aren’t changed by gender.
"Whether you're a young man in a program or a young woman in a program, you do the same exact thing. And it all is about using the outdoors as a classroom where you learn leadership and grit and resilience and you put the ideals of Scout … to practice in the outdoors and it is an amazing teacher. It's an amazing program."
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The Scouting program also takes kids away from their screens and away from potentially "woke" influences online and reconnects them with serving their community and working or camping outdoors.
"We know one of the challenges I think our kids in our country face today is that they're glued to the devices, they're indoors or on a couch," Krone said.
"And I think there's a lot of authors out there have written about the fact that it's toxic, right? We've got to get kids back outdoors and get them off devices, you know, moving around. "We say it's ‘social without the media’."
Scouting America’s youth leaders recently visited Capitol Hill, where they met with congressional leaders who included scouters among them.
"Great day with [the] Boy Scouts. I enjoyed meeting Ricky Mason, Chair of the Scouts Executive Board, and outstanding young leader Joshua Nero, Chief of the Order of the Arrow (the highest ranked Scout), and taking him to meet Speaker Mike Johnson," Rep. Michael Baumgartner, R-Wash., said in a statement.
"Scouts is a great program and more parents should get their kids off of their phones and out into the wilderness learning life skills and confidence with Scouting for America."
The Hill also hosts its own Congressional Scouting Caucus led by Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Reps. Glenn "GT" Thompson, R-Pa., and Sanford Bishop, D-Ga.
To be awarded the Eagle Scout rank, a scout must earn at least 21 merit badges, including 10 from a specific list that includes three "Citizenship" badges — Community, Nation and World — through which they learn civics and about America’s founding principles and are required to write their congressman or senator about an issue important to them.
Other required skills include Personal Management, First Aid, Swimming, Cycling or Hiking, Family Life and Environmental Science. Most scouts earn many more than required.
The Scout Law, which all scouts agree to, hosts 12 tenets for daily life:
"Trustworthy; Loyal; Helpful; Friendly; Courteous; Kind; Obedient; Cheerful; Thrifty; Brave; Clean; Reverent."
Scouting’s motto remains "Do a Good Turn Daily," and it is most recognized by its 116-year-old slogan: "Be Prepared."