RFK Jr clashes with Dem lawmaker over Trump’s mental fitness in heated exchange
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defended comments about President Donald Trump‘s mental health following a tense exchange during a congressional hearing. During Friday’s hearing, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) addressed Trump’s recent social media posts, pointing to an AI-generated image that critics said depicted him as Jesus Christ and his criticism of Pope Leo as evidence he is mentally unwell. “Millions of Americans are questioning this president’s mental fitness, his emotional stability, and whether he can carry out the duties of his office. Do you share their concerns about his mental health?” Takano asked Kennedy. Kennedy began to answer, saying, “I call your attention to…” before the representative cut him off and demanded a more direct response. SEN BERNIE SANDERS CALLS ON RFK JR TO RESIGN FOLLOWING DEPARTURE OF CDC OFFICIALS “Mr. Secretary, my question was: Do you share their concerns about his mental health?” Takano reiterated. “We need a leader that we know has full command of his mental faculties and is emotionally stable as he sends uniformed American men and women into harm’s way.” “Millions of Americans are now wondering if this president is delusional and thinks he is Jesus Christ,” he continued. “Mr. Secretary, given everything that I’ve shown you today, will you insist that President Trump undergo an assessment of his mental fitness and his emotional stability?” “Absolutely not,” Kennedy quickly interjected. RFK JR AND TOP DEM CLASH DURING HEATED SENATE HEARING: ‘THIS IS ABOUT KIDS’ Takano followed up by asking whether Kennedy would support invoking the 25th Amendment, which allows for a transfer of power if the president dies, resigns, or is incapacitated. “There hasn’t been a president who is more sane or stable …” Kennedy began to answer before the congressman interrupted him again. “Mr. Secretary, my question is would you vote to invoke the 25th Amendment,” Takano said. TRUMP STANDS BY RFK JR. AFTER HEATED SENATE HEARING: ‘I LIKE THE FACT THAT HE’S DIFFERENT’ The heated exchange came one day after Kennedy engaged in a shouting match with Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Ala., over previous comments he made about Black children. “Mr. Secretary, you’ve already admitted that you are not a board-certified physician, and you’ve already admitted you did not go to medical school. Have you ever reparented or parented, I should say, a Black child?” Sewell said, referencing his appearance on a 2024 podcast. As the two argued back and forth, Kennedy claimed he never made those remarks and refused to answer her question. The exchanges mark a pattern of escalating confrontations as Kennedy faces continued scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers. Fox News Digital’s Elaine Mallon contributed to this report.
Gold Star father says prior Afghanistan review smelled ‘like a cover-up’ as new look examines millions of docs
Gold Star father Darin Hoover says a new Pentagon review of the deadly Abbey Gate bombing finally feels different after years of what he described as “crickets” from the Biden administration — but he is still asking whether critical information was deliberately kept from military families and the public. Hoover, whose son, Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin “Taylor” Hoover, was among the 13 U.S. service members killed in the Aug. 26, 2021, suicide bombing during the Afghanistan withdrawal, told Fox News Digital that for years families got little more than a “canned” response. “For the first three-and-a-half years… we weren’t getting anything from the prior administration. It was crickets,” Hoover said. “The only thing we all got was a canned letter saying how sorry they were. There was not anything individual mentioned about any of the kids.” Former President Joe Biden checked his watch during the dignified transfer of U.S. service members lost at Abbey Gate, which included 11 Marines, one Army soldier and one Navy sailor. WATCH: PRESIDENT TRUMP REVEALS FAMILIES OF SLAIN US SERVICE MEMBERS URGED HIM ‘FINISH THE JOB’ His frustration comes as the Pentagon’s Afghanistan Withdrawal Special Review Panel says it has completed the substantive phase of interviews with senior military and civilian leaders, and is now preparing findings and recommendations for a final report expected “in the coming months.” The panel reviewed more than nine million documents, according to chairman Sean Parnell. By contrast, a prior Pentagon review examined roughly 3,000 documents. Parnell said the earlier review was “significantly narrower in scope” and “over-classified at the highest levels, which effectively kept the most critical and relevant information from public scrutiny.” That contrast is exactly what has Hoover demanding answers. “The 3,000 pages… doesn’t even make a ripple,” Hoover said. “Now we’ve got over a million pages being reviewed. Why was everything so top-secret that none of us could see it? They owe us the answers.” OUR FALLEN HEROES’ FAMILIES DESERVE MORE THAN OUTDATED SURVIVOR BENEFITS Asked directly whether he believes key information was withheld, Hoover did not hesitate. “Yes, absolutely, information was kept from us,” he said. “That smells exactly like a cover-up,” he added. “What is it that they saw, or what did they feel needed to be hidden so nobody could know what it was?” A Pentagon spokesperson referred Fox News Digital to a statement from Parnell when asked for comment. In that statement, Parnell said the panel was established by War Secretary Pete Hegseth at the direction of President Donald Trump “to conduct the most comprehensive military after action review in modern history.” MEDAL OF HONOR FOR STAFF SGT MICHAEL OLLIS AFTER 13 YEARS BRINGS BITTERSWEET ‘VALIDATION,’ SISTER SAYS He said the panel has interviewed key figures involved in the planning and execution of the withdrawal, including retired Gen. Mark Milley and retired Gen. Kenneth McKenzie Jr., among other senior officials. “This will be the most thorough, transparent, and honest accounting the American people have received of what happened in August 2021,” Parnell said. “Our purpose is to identify failures in decision-making, so that we may prevent the United States from ever repeating this tragedy.” Hoover said accountability should mean real consequences for those in command if the new review finds failures. “If they did something wrong or failed to act, they should no longer be allowed to lead where life and death is at stake,” he said. “I would love to see pensions taken away… and if possible, I’d love to see people go to jail,” he added. TRUMP CALLS FAMILY OF STAFF SGT OLLIS TO CONFIRM MEDAL OF HONOR AWARD He also argued the bombing exposed a broader system failure between civilian and military agencies. “The right hand didn’t know what the left hand was doing,” Hoover said. “And it all got stalled somewhere in the middle.” Other official reviews have previously documented breakdowns surrounding the withdrawal. A State Department review found failures in crisis planning and preparation for worst-case scenarios, while Milley later described the evacuation timeline as “too slow and too late.” Hoover said what makes this moment different is President Trump’s engagement with the families and Hegseth’s promise of a broader accounting. “He spent 45 minutes with us… gave us his full undivided attention,” Hoover said. He added that after years of silence, simply being included now matters. Hoover noted that the trial of the ISIS-K-linked figure accused of giving the final approval for the bomber to detonate is set to begin Monday in Alexandria, and some of the Abbey Gate families plan to attend. “We’re coming up on Memorial Day,” Hoover said. “Please, please, please remember them. Honor them. Don’t forget how we got here, why we got here and live a life worthy of the sacrifices that have been made.”
Trump says first releases from Pentagon UFO study will come out ‘very, very soon’ after Phoenix rally tease
President Donald Trump said the first releases from a Pentagon study on UFOs will come out “very, very soon.” Speaking at a rally at Dream City Church in north Phoenix on Friday night hosted by Turning Point USA and Turning Action, Trump told the audience it seemed like the right crowd to hear about the study because Arizonans are “really into that.” The comments come as interest in unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAPs, continues to grow in Washington, with lawmakers pushing for greater transparency and the Department of Defense expanding efforts to investigate unexplained incidents. “I figured this was a good crowd because I know you people. You’re really into that. I don’t know if I am,” the president told them. UFO TASK FORCE EYED AS LAWMAKER WARNS OF STRANGE OBJECTS IN SKIES AND WATERS DEFYING KNOWN TECHNOLOGY He said he recently spoke with War Secretary Pete Hegseth about releasing the study’s findings to the public before giving the crowd a brief tease of what he saw. “We found many very interesting documents, I must say,” Trump said. “And the first releases will begin very, very soon. So, you can go out and see if that phenomenon is correct. “You’ll figure it out. Let me know,” he added. “But we’ve had a lot of questions. It’s something that — it really captivates the mind, there’s no question about it.” EXPLOSIVE NEW DOCUMENTARY PROBES ’80-YEAR GLOBAL COVERUP’ OF UFO SECRETS Trump said in February he would direct the release of government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life and unidentified aerial phenomena. The president said at the time there was “tremendous interest” in the topic following remarks from former President Barack Obama, whom Trump said shared classified information suggesting aliens are real. “Based on the tremendous interest shown, I will be directing the Secretary of War, and other relevant Departments and Agencies, to begin the process of identifying and releasing Government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs), and any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “GOD BLESS AMERICA!” Interest in UAPs has grown significantly in recent years, attracting increased scrutiny from federal lawmakers and defense officials. In 2023, Congress enacted the Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Disclosure Act, while the Department of Defense created the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office to investigate these incidents more thoroughly. Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
Grieving mothers scorch Dem lawmaker after he pivots during hearing to attack ‘MAGA Republicans’
A congressional hearing featuring the victims of crimes tied to illegal immigration erupted into a tense confrontation Thursday. Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., drew fierce backlash from grieving mothers and Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, for appearing to dismiss their tragedies while pivoting to attacks on “MAGA Republicans.” The fiery exchange happened during a hearing focused on “The Human Toll of Sanctuary Policies,” during which Johnson claimed the victims’ families’ comments were a “Steve Miller-approved” stunt with the sole purpose of “stir[ring] up passion and prejudice against immigrants who are people of color.” SLAIN COLLEGE STUDENT’S MOTHER VOWS ‘FIGHT FOR JUSTICE’ AFTER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED IN CHICAGO KILLING After offering brief condolences to the families of victims allegedly killed and critically injured by illegal immigrants, Johnson immediately pivoted to a partisan attack, arguing the committee should instead be holding hearings on the “human toll” of the “Trump MAGA tax cuts,” Trump’s foreign policy with Iran or the “cover up of the Epstein files.” He went on to list a string of violent crimes committed by White men and noted the death of Renee Good, who was killed by federal authorities in January while protesting immigration enforcement. “I’m not minimizing the tragedy that is before us today with you three women, but the other tragedies at the hands of non-immigrants are just as important,” Johnson said. He also accused the Republican majority of strategically “sandwich[ing]” a Democrat witness between the victims’ families for “dramatic effect.” Gill fired back, calling Johnson’s tirade “one of the most disgusting testimonies I have ever heard” and blaming Democrat lawmakers for the tragedies during four years of open borders under the Biden administration. DHS SLAMS CALIFORNIA ‘SANCTUARY’ COUNTY AFTER MOM ALLEGEDLY MURDERED BY 2 HONDURAN NATIONALS However, the most stinging reply to Johnson’s comments came from Jen Heiling, the mother of victim Brady Heiling, 18, who was killed along with his girlfriend, Hallie Helgeson, 18, in 2025, when an illegal immigrant from Honduras was allegedly driving the wrong way on I-90 while intoxicated, crashing into the teens’ car. “You can put me in whatever order, in whatever seat. My tragedy is never going to be OK,” Heiling told Johnson. “Today’s our day. Hear us. Leave your butts in your seat. I don’t want to hear your butts.” She described how her 11-year-old and 16-year-old children are still waiting for the teens to come home, noting that her garage stall remains empty because her son’s car is still being held as police evidence. “We can’t pick a headstone because that makes it too real. But you can sit here and tell us about what kind of hearing this should be,” Heiling said. “Renee Good is not the same as angel families. She made a choice. … Brady and Hallie didn’t get a choice. … They were living [by] American laws … and they were stolen by somebody who doesn’t care.” Patricia Fox, mother of Carissa Aspnes, who was seriously injured in a hit-and-run allegedly caused by an illegal immigrant, followed Heiling’s remarks by shooting back at Johnson’s comments about race, noting, “I don’t know if anybody has noticed, but I am not White. I wake up Brown every day.” “I’m not sure what race has to do with any of this,” Fox said. “There’s four kids that we talked about today, and y’all can’t seem to stay on topic for what — an hour of your time. “Today, we’re talking about sanctuary policies and how they have wrecked our families. Y’all come and y’all feed Carissa. You get her up from her bed using a crane, and then you tell me and lecture me what this hearing should be about.”
Newsom PAC bought thousands of memoir copies about his hardships, juicing sales
Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s political action committee spent more than $1.5 million buying thousands of copies of his new memoir — accounting for about two-thirds of all copies sold nationwide — according to campaign finance filings. The PAC spending helped propel Newsom’s memoir, “Young Man in a Hurry,” onto the New York Times bestseller list and is raising new scrutiny as his national profile builds ahead of a possible 2028 presidential run. In November, the Campaign for Democracy Committee launched a book campaign asking donors to contribute any amount to the PAC to receive the memoir when it was released on Feb. 24. Newsom spokesperson Nathan Click told the New York Times that the PAC bought about 67,000 copies—representing a substantial portion of the 97,400 total sold. “We were thrilled with the response,” Click told the New York Times. “Our goal was to deepen the relationship between him and the millions of folks who have already expressed support for Governor Newsom’s work.” TRUMP QUESTIONS NEWSOM’S FITNESS FOR WHITE HOUSE, CITING HIS DYSLEXIA The PAC made two payments totaling over $1.5 million to Porchlight Book Company, according to a FEC filing posted on Wednesday and reviewed by Fox News Digital. THE MOST UNUSUAL PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: NEWSOM IS DYSLEXIC, STRUGGLES WITH SPEECHES, REJECTS ‘LIBERAL’ LABEL When asked about the book’s ranking on the best seller list, a New York Times spokesperson explained the outlet places a dagger symbol on the list to indicate when a book’s ranking has been influenced by a bulk purchase. “When The Times has reason to believe that sales of a book include a mix of organic and bulk sales, the book’s best-seller ranking is accompanied by a dagger. That’s what we did with the Newsom book,” Nicole Taylor, spokesperson for The Times, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. A spokesperson for Newsom told Fox News Digital later on Friday evening, “Governor Newsom did not do a ‘bulk buy’ of $1.5M worth of books to boost sales.” “The book sales through his email list were individual sales done through a new, innovative approach that allows his list to receive copies of the book early. The campaign viewed the book offer as a major list-building and engagement opportunity – one of the largest of any campaign in the country.” The spokesperson said the books were sold at cost through a vendor and that Newsom did not receive royalties on copies distributed through the program. “Supporters were invited to give whatever amount they could afford and still receive a copy of the book. The goal was participation and engagement, not fundraising,” the spokesperson continued. “The campaign’s list provided an opportunity for supporters to buy the book through a vendor consistently used by other authors. Each book was sold and sent out through the vendor, similar to buying from Amazon or Barnes and Noble. In total, more than 67,000 individual sales were made through the campaign’s offers.” Book promotion is common among politicians, but Newsom’s PAC spending outpaces similar political committee purchases. The Republican National Committee, for example, spent about $100,000 in 2019 purchasing Donald Trump Jr.’s book, the New York Times noted in its report. GOV GAVIN NEWSOM: FROM PRIVILEGE TO HEARTBREAK, MY LIFE BEHIND THE HEADLINES Newsom’s memoir is focused on the challenges he faced in his upbringing, addressing his battle with dyslexia and having divorced parents, as well as his political career. Newsom’s book tour, which included visiting cities across the nation, drew criticism from conservatives for the Democrat governor allegedly putting himself over leading California. Chairwoman of the California Republican Party Corrin Rankin told Fox Digital, in response to the book campaign, she believes Newsom is trying to “rebrand his national image” while abandoning issues at home, as recent data underscores ongoing challenges in the state. Social media commenters have not shied away from mocking Newsom over the book sales, including Republican California gubernatorial candidate and former Fox News host Steve Hilton. “Gavin Newsom’s ‘bestseller’ memoir just got the ultimate California treatment: his PAC dropped $1.56 million of donor cash to buy 67,000 free copies and mail them to anyone who donated any amount,” Hilton posted to X on Thursday. “That’s two-thirds of all print sales. Nothing says ‘Young Man in a Hurry’ like rigging your own book numbers with political slush funds while California burns.” Newsom is considered a top potential 2028 presidential candidate for the Democrat Party, though he has not confirmed whether he will officially throw his hat in the ring.
Alito not expected to retire this term, cooling Supreme Court vacancy speculation: sources
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito is not expected to step down this term and has already hired all four law clerks for the upcoming annual term despite speculation the high court justice was weighing retirement, multiple sources said. Alito “is not stepping down this term and is in the process of hiring the rest of his clerks for the next term,” a source told Fox News Digital. Two other sources told Fox News that Alito is not retiring this term, which lasts until the Supreme Court’s new year kicks off in October. Justices tend to hire their clerks two to three years in advance, although that process is not necessarily indicative of a justice’s retirement plans. The revelation that Alito is reportedly not planning to step down comes after President Donald Trump told Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo he is “prepared” to appoint up to three Supreme Court justices if vacancies arise. Trump added he has a shortlist of nominees in mind, though he did not mention any names. TRUMP REVEALS HE HAS MULTI-PICK SCOTUS PLAN READY AS RETIREMENT SPECULATION HEATS UP “In theory, it’s two or three, they tell me — if you just read statistics — it could be two, could be three, could be one,” Trump told Bartiromo. “I don’t know. I’m prepared to do it. But when you mention Alito, he is a great justice.” Trump said he thinks Alito, who has sided with him on most high-profile cases, is “in very good physical health” and called him “one of the great justices of our time.” “Justice Alito is an unbelievable justice,” Trump said. JONATHAN TURLEY: KAMALA HARRIS BACKS RADICAL PLAN TO BLOCK TRUMP SCOTUS PICKS Rumors about Alito, 76, potentially retiring have grown because of his age, his two-decade tenure on the bench and speculation that he may want to make sure a conservative successor is confirmed by the current Republican-led Senate before the upcoming midterm elections. Former President George W. Bush nominated him for the nation’s highest court in 2005. The rumors were further fueled when it was revealed Alito was treated last month for dehydration after becoming ill at a Federalist Society dinner. A Supreme Court spokesperson clarified at the time that the justice was “thoroughly checked” and quickly returned to the bench. TRUMP DISMISSES CALLS FOR ALITO, THOMAS TO STEP DOWN FROM SUPREME COURT, CALLING THEM ‘FANTASTIC’ Justice Clarence Thomas, an appointee of President George H. W. Bush, has drawn less retirement speculation despite being one year older than Alito at 77 and in his own lengthy tenure. Thomas has been a conservative fixture on the court for more than three decades and holds a record as the second-longest serving justice in history. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, told reporters earlier this week he would recommend Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, or Mike Lee, R-Utah, as top candidates if Alito were to retire. Grassley said he hoped Alito would not step down but said his committee is “fully prepared” to process a nominee before the midterm elections. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters Tuesday the GOP majority would be able to fill a Supreme Court vacancy quickly. “That’s a contingency I think around here you always have to be prepared for. And if that were to happen, yes, we would be prepared to confirm,” Thune said. Fox News’ Bill Mears contributed to this report.
Utah justice allegedly sent ‘inappropriate’ texts to lawyer in key redistricting case, officials launch probe
Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and top state lawmakers ordered an independent investigation Friday into a state Supreme Court justice over allegations she had an unethical relationship with an attorney who worked on a high-stakes redistricting case. Justice Diana Hagen, who was appointed by Cox, stands accused by her ex-husband of sending what he described as “inappropriate” text messages to an attorney who helped challenge a Republican-friendly map that maintained four red congressional seats in Utah. Hagen joined a unanimous decision to toss out Republicans’ redistricting plan in July 2024, a ruling that led to one of the seats flipping blue in time for the 2026 midterms. FEDERAL JUDGE SCORCHES DEMS FOR PANDERING TO LATINOS WITH CALIFORNIA MAP IN FIERY DISSENT The revelation of a possible relationship between Hagen and the attorney, David Reymann, who worked on behalf of progressive voting rights groups in the case, stemmed from a complaint that a lawyer for Hagen’s husband submitted to Chief Justice Matthew Durrant and the Judicial Conduct Commission, according to local outlet KSL. Hagen and Reymann have both denied the allegations. Fox News Digital reached out to a Utah Supreme Court representative and Reymann for comment. The Judicial Conduct Commission, described on its website as an independent body comprising several state lawmakers, judges and members of the public, conducted a preliminary investigation based on the complaint and chose not to pursue the matter further, KSL reported. Fox News Digital reached out to the Judicial Conduct Commission for comment. The Utah Supreme Court issued a public statement on behalf of Hagen Friday afternoon in which she said she never had a conflict of interest. SUPREME COURT SIDES WITH NEW YORK REPUBLICAN IN CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING FIGHT “My last involvement in the redistricting case was October 2024,” Hagen said. “I voluntarily recused myself from all cases involving Mr. Reymann in May 2025, and my recusal was reflected in the Court’s September 15, 2025 opinion in League of Women Voters. “I took prompt, prudent, and transparent steps in response to the allegations made by my ex-husband, including reporting them myself to the Judicial Conduct Commission and submitting a sworn statement. The Judicial Conduct Commission recently reviewed the matter, dismissed the complaint, and closed the case. I remain committed to upholding the highest standards of judicial ethics, integrity, and impartiality.” The complaint and interviews conducted by the Judicial Conduct Commission found that Hagen and her husband began discussing divorce in September 2024, had interacted together with Reymann toward the end of that year and that Hagen did not meet one-on-one with Reymann until 2025, according to KSL. Cox, along with Senate President Stuart Adams and House Speaker Mike Schultz, who joined the governor in launching the new investigation, said in a joint statement that more “transparency” was needed on the matter, signaling that the public’s trust in the state’s highest court was at stake, especially after a polarizing decision in a redistricting case set to affect the midterms. “An initial review by the Judicial Conduct Commission and the court left important questions unresolved,” they said. “Allegations of this nature, especially involving public officials, must be examined with transparency and accountability to establish the facts and to maintain public confidence.”
Texas AG sues Houston mayor and city council over new sanctuary city ordinance limiting ICE cooperation
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing Houston city officials over the adoption of a “sanctuary” ordinance designed to limit cooperation between local authorities and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The ordinance, passed by a 12-5 vote last week, ended a Houston police policy that required officers to wait at least 30 minutes for ICE to arrive if a suspect had an immigration warrant. The lawsuit names Houston Mayor John Whitmire, the city’s 16 council members and Houston Police Chief J. Noe Diaz as defendants. Paxton argued the ordinance violates Senate Bill 4, a state law passed in 2017 that prevents local governments from adopting, enforcing or endorsing policies that prohibit or materially limit the enforcement of federal immigration laws. EXCLUSIVE: NYC OFFICIALS REFUSE ICE HOLD FOR ILLEGAL ALIEN ACCUSED IN ARSON THAT KILLED 4 AND INJURED 7: DHS “I will not allow any local official to push sanctuary policies that make our communities less safe,” Paxton said in a statement. “Under my watch, no Texas city will be a safe harbor for illegals. “The Texas Legislature passed strong legislation that specifically stops the type of lawless ordinance that Houston adopted,” he added. “Houston has no authority to ignore the Constitution and the laws duly enacted by the Legislature. I’m calling on Houston to immediately repeal this ordinance.” LOUISIANA AG URGES NOPD TO COOPERATE FULLY WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES In a statement, Whitmire said it was “unfortunate that so much time and resources are being spent on an issue that should not be partisan. It interferes with our responsibility to keep Houston safe and protect all residents.” Houston City Council member Alejandra Salinas urged the city to defend the ordinance in court. BOSTON POLICE IGNORED 100% OF ICE DETAINER REQUESTS IN 2025, CITING SANCTUARY LAW “It’s no longer a question about whether the City should go to court,” she wrote on X. “We’re already there. The Mayor and City Council must vigorously defend the law we voted for and that the City Attorney deemed legal. I stand ready to work with my colleagues to defend our laws and protect Houstonians’ constitutional rights.” Fox News Digital has reached out to several city council members for comment. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has also threatened to freeze public safety funding if Houston moves forward with the ordinance. “Houston received more than $100 million from the state based on a written agreement that they will comply with immigration enforcement,” Abbott wrote on X in a post Tuesday. “If they refuse to comply, they better get out their checkbook. It will be costly if they refuse to keep their streets safe.” A special City Council meeting scheduled for Friday was rescheduled after Abbott extended the deadline for the city to respond to his funding freeze threat.
Can Pakistan secure Iran-US nuclear compromise, as Trump says deal ‘close’?
Islamabad, Pakistan – Standing on the South Lawn of the White House before boarding his helicopter for Las Vegas on Thursday, United States President Donald Trump offered his most optimistic assessment yet of the war with Iran. “We’re very close to making a deal with Iran,” he told reporters. “They’ve totally agreed to that [no nuclear weapons]. They’ve agreed to almost everything, so maybe if they can get to the table, there’s a difference.” Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list He went further, saying Iran had agreed to hand over its stockpile of enriched uranium, material that, if further enriched, can be used to build a nuclear weapon. “They’ve agreed to give us back the nuclear dust that’s way underground because of the attack we made with the B-2 bombers,” he said, referring to US strikes in June last year. A deal, he added, could come “over the weekend”. Trump said he would consider travelling to Islamabad himself if an agreement was signed there. “If the deal is signed in Islamabad, I might go. They want me to go.” Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented a different picture. Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed that messages were being exchanged through Pakistan, but was unequivocal on enrichment. Iran, he said, “based on its needs, must be able to continue enrichment”. No Iranian official has confirmed agreeing to surrender the country’s enriched uranium stockpile. Tehran’s public position, that enrichment is a sovereign right, remains unchanged. Asif Durrani, a former Pakistani diplomat who served as Islamabad’s ambassador to Tehran from 2016 to 2018, said framing the situation as a gap between the two sides was misleading. Advertisement “There are no gaps, really. If Trump has read the NPT, he would know that every country has the right to access nuclear technology for peaceful purposes,” he told Al Jazeera. “Iran has said multiple times that it does not want a weapon. What it wants is civil nuclear use, within the framework of both the NPT and the JCPOA.” The NPT, or Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons while promoting peaceful nuclear energy and disarmament. The JCPOA, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, was the 2015 agreement between Iran and six world powers that capped Tehran’s uranium enrichment and placed its facilities under international supervision in exchange for sanctions relief. The United States withdrew from the deal in 2018 during Trump’s first term, reimposing sanctions and setting in motion the gradual erosion of its limits on Iran’s nuclear programme. Seyed Mojtaba Jalalzadeh, an international relations analyst, said the reality was more complex than public statements suggest. “We should avoid simplistic binaries such as ‘one side is lying’,” he told Al Jazeera. “The gap visible between Trump’s remarks and the position of Iran’s foreign ministry is more a reflection of the complex, multilayered, and still unfinished nature of the negotiations.” When Trump speaks of “total agreement”, Jalalzadeh said, “he is most likely offering the most maximalist possible reading of the negotiating process.” It remains unclear whether Trump’s remarks reflect genuine backchannel progress or are a pressure tactic in advance of the April 22 ceasefire deadline, but Trump and Iran’s descriptions paint completely different pictures of the same negotiations. Pakistan’s diplomatic orchestra Foreign Minister of Türkiye Hakan Fidan calls on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Antalya on Thursday, April 16, 2026 [Handout/Prime Minister’s Office] The most active diplomacy on Thursday ran through Tehran, where Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, held a series of high-level meetings. Munir met Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who led Iran’s delegation at the Islamabad talks with the US last Saturday, followed by a meeting with President Masoud Pezeshkian. He also met Major-General Ali Abdollahi, commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the operational command of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Al Jazeera reported on Wednesday that Pakistani officials were expecting a “major breakthrough” on Iran’s nuclear programme “in days to come”, with messages continuing to pass between Washington and Tehran. Advertisement While Munir engaged Iranian leaders in Tehran, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pursued a parallel track, meeting Gulf leaders in Saudi Arabia and Qatar before arriving at Turkiye’s Antalya Diplomacy Forum on Thursday evening. Pakistan’s central role has been acknowledged by both sides. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said any further in-person talks would most likely take place in Islamabad. “The Pakistanis have been incredible mediators throughout this process, and we really appreciate their friendship and their efforts to bring this deal to a close, so they are the only mediator in this negotiation,” she said. Durrani cautioned that Pakistan’s role has limits. “Pakistan is facilitating this meeting, and the most it can do is suggest certain things that mediators can offer in their capacity,” he said. “But ultimately, it all depends on the political will of the two parties.” That political will now faces a ceasefire deadline set to expire on April 22. Official sources told Al Jazeera that nearly 100 visa applications from journalists have been received in the past week, while authorities have begun tightening security in the capital in anticipation of a possible high-level event — the potential visit of US President Donald Trump, or at the very least, another round of high-level talks led by senior officials from Tehran and Washington. Hardline signals from Tehran Alongside diplomatic movement, Iran’s hardline establishment struck a sharper tone. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, right, welcoming Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir before their meeting in Tehran on Thursday, April 16 [Handout/Iranian Parliament Public Relations Office] Mohsen Rezaei, a former IRGC commander and now a military adviser to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, said on a state-owned television channel that he did not support extending the ceasefire. “Unlike the Americans who are afraid of continuous war, we are fully prepared and familiar with a long war,” he said, according to Tasnim News Agency. Abdollahi, speaking during his meeting with Munir and quoted by state news agency IRNA, said the conflict
Men caught competing as women in prestigious South African marathon
Two women runners initially finished outside the top 10 in the Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town before bib swap spotted. By The Associated Press Published On 17 Apr 202617 Apr 2026 Two men have been disqualified from one of South Africa’s flagship marathon races after they finished in the top 10 of the women’s race. Their attempt at swapping bibs, which bear the identification numbers worn by racers, resulted in two women runners initially finishing outside the top 10 in the Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town on April 12. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list The annual Two Oceans race is one of South Africa’s iconic marathons and includes a 56km (34.7-mile) ultramarathon and a 21.1km (13.1-mile) half-marathon. The event attracts more than 16,000 participants, and finishing among the top 10 is a significant achievement for most runners. The two men, Luke Jacobs and Nic Bradfield, finished seventh and 10th. They were disqualified after a marathon board member uncovered the deception. The women runners who had been bumped were subsequently recognised for their legitimate finishes. Jacobs and Bradfield will face disciplinary processes by the marathon’s disciplinary subcommittee, said Two Oceans Marathon board member Stuart Mann, who helped uncover the cheating, which overshadowed the performance of honest runners. Swapping bibs is unethical and risky Exchanging bibs with another marathoner has become more common while also carrying far-reaching consequences, Mann said. “Not only is it considered unethical, but it also poses health and medical risks in case of an emergency, as wrong medication may be administered to a wrong person,” Mann said. Swapping numbers can result from different motivations, Mann explained. For some, it is done to avoid losing money if they are injured or for some other unexpected reason, cannot run the race. For others, the deceptive practice allows them to obtain a faster time to use for qualifying in a future race. Advertisement Online photos lead to discoveries and apologies Mann was tipped off to one of the swaps after Jacobs posted pictures of himself at the race on social media and people noticed his bib displayed the name “Larissa”. After further investigation, Mann learned Jacobs competed using a bib assigned to Larissa Parekh, who was registered to compete in the women’s race. “I made an error in judgment and did not consider the consequences. I should not have taken part,” Jacobs said in a written apology. Jacobs and Bradfield were also tripped up by modern sports technology. Race officials watched the first 10 women cross the finish line, but data from chips in the bibs indicated two other women had also crossed, although they were not observed by the officials. The discrepancy led to the revelation that Bradfield competed with a number belonging to Tegan Garvey, who later admitted to giving up her bib after she suffered a hip problem prior to the race. “The day before, my hip gave in completely, leaving me unable to even walk. I felt bad as to give up my race entry so my friend ran in my place,” Garvey said. Parekh did not give a clear explanation for her actions, according to Mann, who said both women have apologised and face two-year bans from the Two Oceans Marathon. Adblock test (Why?)