Bill Maher blasts Dem’s attempt to destroy the economy in 24 hours to protest Trump
Comedian Bill Maher slammed the no-spend day protests calling the economic blackout protest “so f—— stupid,” as his panel suggested Democrats figure out how to win elections.
“This is something called the People’s Union USA. And they have something called — today I got emails about this from people — no spend day. And it’s against the malign influence of billionaires, big corporations and both major political parties on the lives of working Americans,” Maher said during his “Overtime” section of his Friday show. “And what it is, is you refrain from making any purchases, either in stores or online, to shun fast food, getting gas — for a full day! I know! That look on your face says it all! You’re right, it’s so f—— stupid!”
According to the Associated Press, a group called the People’s Union USA organized an economic blackout on Friday, Feb. 28, to protest big corporations and the system as a whole.
Maher was joined by former Democratic Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel as well as CNN host Fared Zakaria, who pointed out that some have used interpretive dance to protest the president.
BILL MAHER LAMENTS THAT EVERYTHING IN GOVERMENT IS ‘BROKEN,’ BUT IS CONVINCED TRUMP ISN’T THE ANSWER
“This is why I was saying that there really is a movement of people doing interpretive dances to protest the Trump administration’s cuts of USAID,” Zakaria said. “I mean, like, people are starving. You know, the thing about not winning, as you said, is you’re left with these kind of absurdities. The answer is figure out how to win elections.”
Zakaria specifically suggested that Democrats look to former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama for guidance on how to win elections, because they are the only two Democrats to have served two terms since Roosevelt.
“Bernie Sanders didn’t win, AOC hasn’t been president recently,” Zakaria pointed out.
Emmanuel agreed and provided an example.
“Breaking news, 100,000 new community police officers, or defund the police? Now which one do you think is going to work?” Emmanuel said.
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Emmanuel also slammed the Democratic Party.
“What’s really crazy about where the party’s gone, it’s taken in identity politics, that the only way you have moral standing is if you’re somehow been hurt,” he said. “And that is insane.”
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The former Chicago mayor took aim at Chicago’s leadership during the show as well, accusing the government of becoming too “permissive” on crime and having fixated on niche liberal issues like transgender bathroom policies rather than dealing with plummeting education standards.
European leaders ripped for ‘creepy’ pro-Zelenskyy posts that read exactly the same
A handful of European leaders are coming under the microscope of critics on social media for issuing pro-Ukraine messages with the exact same wording following Ukraine President Vlodomyr Zelenskyy’s fiery meeting with President Donald Trump on Friday.
“Your dignity honours the bravery of the Ukrainian people. Be strong, be brave, be fearless. You are never alone, dear President @ZelenskyyUa. We will continue working with you for a just and lasting peace,” read verbatim social media posts from at least five different European leaders since Friday.
The president of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, European Commissioner for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis, European Parliament member Manfred Weber, and European Council President António Costa all posted the same exact social media message on Friday, a review of X shows.
DNI GABBARD SOUNDS OFF ON EUROPE’S ‘DIVERGENCE’ FROM U.S. VALUES AFTER TENSE TRUMP-ZELENSKYY MEETING
Fox Digital reached out to the European Parliament and European Commission on Sunday afternoon regarding the posts but did not immediately receive replies.
WORLD LEADERS BACK ZELENSKYY FOLLOWING TRUMP, VANCE OVAL OFFICE SPAT
Social media users quickly caught on that the messages were exactly the same, criticizing them as “kinda creepy” and asking tongue-in-cheek questions such as, “has the EU been bots this whole time?”
JD VANCE STEPS INTO SPOTLIGHT DEFENDING TRUMP’S FOREIGN POLICY IN OVAL OFFICE DUSTUP WITH ZELENSKYY
Trump asked Zelenskyy to leave the White House on Friday following a fiery meeting in the Oval Office, with Zelenskyy heading to Europe shortly afterward. Trump said Zelenskyy could return to the White House “when he is ready for peace.”
Zelenskyy met with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Saturday, with the pair spotted on camera embracing upon Zelenskyy’s arrival.
“We stand with Ukraine for as long as it may take,” Starmer said on Saturday while offering the UK’s “unwavering” support for Ukraine.
TRUMP SAYS ZELENSKYY CAN ‘COME BACK WHEN HE IS READY FOR PEACE’ AFTER FIERY WHITE HOUSE EXCHANGE
A group of European leaders met in London on Sunday after Starmer told local media that he had spoken with Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron regarding the UK and France taking the reins on crafting a plan for peace that will eventually be presented to the U.S.
The UK leader vowed in comments on Sunday that the nation is “ready to put boots on the ground and planes in the air” to support Ukraine against Russia and ultimately reach a peace deal.
“We discussed a plan today to reach a peace that is tough and fair, that Ukraine will help shape, that’s backed by strength, to stop Putin coming back for more,” Starmer said on Sunday. “I’m working closely with other European leaders on this, and I’m clear that the U.K. is ready to put boots on the ground and planes in the air to support a deal, working together with our allies, because that is the only way that peace will last.”
TRUMP, VANCE AND ZELENSKYY SPAR OVER RUSSIAN WAR IN TENSE EXCHANGE: ‘VERY DISRESPECTFUL’
U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard joined “Fox News Sunday” ahead of the London meeting, slamming some European nations for breaking with the U.S. on the value of freedom and reaching peace in Eastern Europe after criticizing Trump’s meeting with Zelenskyy.
“I think those who are criticizing [Trump’s] efforts in this way are showing that they are not committed to peace, and in the case of many of those European countries, that they’re not committed to the cause and values of freedom, even though they speak of this,” Gabbard told Fox News’ Shannon Bream on Sunday morning when asked about Democrat U.S. politicians criticizing the meeting at the White House and Russia celebrating Trump’s tense meeting with Zelenskyy.
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“We heard very clearly, during Vice President Vance’s speech in Munich, different examples of how these European partners and longtime allies, in many cases, are actually implementing policies that undermine democracy that shows that they don’t actually believe in the voices of the people being heard, and implementing anti-freedom policies. We’re seeing this in the United Kingdom. We’re seeing this in Germany. We saw it with the tossing out of the elections in Romania,” she continued.
NATO ally makes stance with US Navy clear after company calls for boycott over Trump
Norway made clear that it will continue supplying fuel for U.S. Navy ships after a private marine fuel supplier threatened to boycott the U.S. in response to deteriorating U.S.-Ukraine relations.
“We have seen reports raising concerns about support for U.S. Navy vessels in Norway. This is not in line with the Norwegian government’s policy,” Norway’s Defense Minister Tore Sandvik said in a statement Sunday, according to a report from Reuters.
The statement comes after privately held Norwegian fuel supplier Haltbakk Bunkers took to social media Friday and threatened a boycott of the U.S. Navy in response to President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s heated Oval Office exchange.
TRUMP SAYS UKRAINE RARE EARTH MINERALS DEAL WILL LEAD TO ‘SUSTAINABLE’ FUTURE BETWEEN US, UKRAINE
“Huge credit to the president of Ukraine restraining himself and for keeping calm even though USA put on a backstabbing TV show. It made us sick… No Fuel to Americans!,” the company said in a Facebook post that has since been deleted.
The company’s CEO, Gunnar Gran, confirmed to the Norwegian newspaper VG that he had decided not to supply the U.S. military, according to the Reuters report, though the company also acknowledged that the move would only have a “symbolic” impact, since Haltbakk Bunkers does not have a fixed contract with the U.S. government.
The company’s threat comes after a heated exchange in the Oval Office among Trump, Zelenskyy and Vice President JD Vance on Friday, when Vance accused the Ukrainian leader of being “disrespectful” to Trump in the White House.
“Mr. President, with respect, I think it’s disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media,” Vance told Zelenskyy. “Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines, because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president for bringing it, to bring it into this country.”
ZELENSKYY SPEAKS OUT AFTER PUBLIC SPAT WITH TRUMP, VANCE, SAYS DUSTUP ‘BAD FOR BOTH SIDES’
Trump then joined the fray after Zelenskyy claimed that the U.S. would feel the war “in the future,” an argument the American leader did not appreciate.
“You don’t know that,” Trump responded. “Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. We’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel.”
The exchange caused some to express concerns about not only the U.S.’s commitment to Ukraine’s continued war effort but also Trump’s apparent strained relationship with European allies overall.
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But Norway, a NATO ally, made clear that the country has no plans to join the threats to cut off the U.S. military.
“American forces will continue to receive the supply and support they require from Norway,” Sandvik said.
Gene Hackman’s close friend Morgan Freeman shares how star wanted to be remembered
Morgan Freeman honored his “dear friend,” Gene Hackman, at the 97th Academy Awards.
“Well this week, our community lost a giant, and I lost a dear friend, Gene Hackman,” Freeman said. “I had the pleasure of working alongside Gene Hackman in two films – ‘Unforgiven and Under Suspicions.’
“And, like everyone whose ever filmed a scene with him, I learned he was a generous performer and a man whose gifts elevated everyone’s work.”
Freeman noted that Hackman earned two Oscars throughout his career, but “more importantly won the hearts of film lovers all over the world.”
He recalled his late friend saying he didn’t want to be remembered for his legacy, but that he hoped people remembered him “as someone who tried to do good work.”
“I think I speak for everyone when I say, Gene, you’ll be remembered for that and so much more. Rest in peace my friend,” Freeman said.
Hackman, along with his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Wednesday, Feb. 26. No foul play is suspected in their deaths, authorities said.
“When Harry Met Sally” stars Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal
reunited on stage to present the biggest award of the night — best picture. Ryan had not attended the Oscars in 27 years prior to Sunday night’s award show.
“Anora” took home the prestigious award, scoring a total of five Oscars for the film on Sunday night.
Alex Coco, the producer behind “Anora,” urged filmmakers to continue making independent films. Mikey Madison took home the award for best actress at the 2025 Oscars.
“Anora” was up against several big movies this year, including “Wicked,” “The Brutalist,” “The Substance” and “Dune: Part Two.”
“Anora” took home the most Oscars of the night. “The Brutalist” was runner-up with three Oscars and “Emilia Pérez,” “Wicked,” and “Dune: Part Two” all took home two each. Eight out of the 10 movies nominated for best picture took home at least one award.
Click here for a look at all of the 2025 Oscar winners.
Mikey Madison earned her first Academy Award for her role in “Anora.”
The Los Angeles native thanked the Academy, her family and her twin brother while standing on stage at the Dolby Theatre.
“I want to again recognize and honor the sex worker community,” she said. “I will continue to support and be an ally. All of the incredible people, the women that I’ve had the privilege of meeting from that community has been one of the highlights of this entire incredible experience.”
She also recognized the “thoughtful” performances of the women recognized in her category.
Fernanda Torres was nominated for her role in “I’m Still Here,” while Karla Sofía Gascón earned a nod for Emilia Pérez.
Demi Moore was nominated for “The Substance,” and Cynthia Erivo, who also performed earlier in the Oscars telecast with Ariana Grande, was nominated for “Wicked.”
Quentin Tarantino took the stage to present the award for best director on Sunday night.
Sean Baker won for his movie, “Anora,” which marked four Oscars for the movie so far tonight. Barker hugged Tarantino when he took the stage and thanked him for casting Mikey Madison in “Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood” and said there would no “Anora” without him.
During his speech, Baker made an emotional plea to save movie theaters. “So, we’re all here tonight because we love movies. Where did we fall in love with movies? At the movie theater.”
He noted that going to the movie theater is an “experience” that you don’t get at home. Baker said that movie theaters are “under threat” and it is up to the consumer to go to them.
“This is my battle cry. Filmmakers, keep making films for the big screen,” Baker said.
He also urged parents to introduce their children to seeing movies in the theater. “Let’s keep the movie theater experience alive and well.”
In Oscars history, there have only been six horror films that have been nominated for best picture – and only one of them won big.
Jonathan Demme’s “The Silence of the Lambs” is the only horror film that has won best picture at the Academy Awards in 1991. “The Exorcist” in 1973 earned a nod, “Jaws” followed up with a nomination in 1975.
“The Sixth Sense” earned a nomination in 1999 and “Black Swan” earned one in 2010. The more recent nomination for best picture for a horror film include “Get Out” in 2017 and this year for “The Substance.”
Demi Moore starred in “The Substance” and is up for best actress this year for the role, marking a career high after she nearly left Hollywood behind.
“Being nominated for an Oscar is an incredible honor and these last few months have been beyond my wildest dreams,” Moore said in a statement. “Truly there are no words to fully express my joy and overwhelming gratitude for this recognition. Not only for me but for what this film represents. I am deeply humbled.”
Adrien Brody urged the Academy Awards to “please, turn the music off” as he accepted the best actor award for his role in “The Brutalist.”
“They’re already counting me down … Thank you, God,” Brody said while walking on stage to accept the award. “Thank you for this blessed life.”
“Acting is a very fragile profession. It looks very glamorous and at certain moments it is.”
Brody added, “The one thing that I’ve gained in having the privilege in coming back here is having some perspective. No matter where you are in your career, no matter what you’ve accomplished. it can all go away. And I think what makes this night most special is the awareness of that, and the gratitude that I have to still do the work that I love.”
“Winning an award like this is signifies a destination, and something my character references in the film, but to me it also, beyond the pinnacle of career it is a chance to begin again, and the opportunity to hopefully be fortunate enough so that the next 20 years of my life that I can prove that I am worthy of such meaningful and important roles.”
Sebastian Stan was nominated for “The Apprentice,” while Colman Domingo earned a nod for “Sing Sing.”
Ralph Fiennes was nominated for his role in “Conclave,” and Timothee Chalamet earned his first Oscars nod for playing Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown.”
“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” actress Michelle Trachtenberg was notably left out of the Oscars in-memoriam, which sparked outrage online.
Several people took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their thoughts on the Academy’s slip-up.
“if you have to do every year ‘in memoriam’, work on it better! It is not fair forgetting about Michelle Trantchenberg, Who died a few days ago #Oscars,” one user wrote.
Another added, “oscars really didnt put michelle trachtenberg in their memoriam tribute… THE DISRESPECT.”
Another user called the Oscars not including Trachtenberg “pretty low.”
“Did they really not even include Michelle Trachtenberg in the “In Memoriam” for tonight’s Oscars??? That’s icky,” another user wrote.
Other in-memoriam snubs included Olivia Hussey, Mitzi Gaynor and Roberto Orci.
The 39-year-old “Gossip Girl” star was found dead in a New York City apartment on Feb. 26. Her cause and manner of death has been ruled “undetermined.”
The first responders who battled the LA Fires in January received a standing ovation at the 2025 Oscars and told some risqué jokes.
Host Conan O’Brien made LAFD captain Eric Scott, LAFD pilot Jonas Johnson, Pasadena Fire Department captain Jody Slicker tell jokes on stage.
“Our hearts go out to all of those who lost their homes and I’m talking about the producers of ‘Joker 2,'” Scott said.
Johnson chimed in, “To play Bob Dylan, Timothee Chalamet learned how to sing. In fact, the singing was so good, he almost lost the part.”
Lastly, Slicker said, “It’s great to be back with Conan. Usually when he calls, he’s stuck in a tree.”
“It’s happened twice!” O’Brien responded.
After the LA Fires first responders’ Oscars bit, Miley Cyrus
and Miles Teller took the stage to present the next award. Cyrus and Teller have both lost their homes in LA fires — the Woolsey Fire destroyed Miley’s home in 2018, and the Palisades Fire recently devastated Teller’s home.
Streaming services have greatly impacted the Oscars over the past decade.
Streaming services allow viewers to watch the movies nominated for the Academy Awards from the comfort of their own homes instead of making a trip to the movie theater, according to Nielsen.
In 2022, “Coda” – which premiered on Apple TV – had 211 million hours of streaming before the Oscars, per Nielsen. The movie took home best picture that year.
During the coronavirus pandemic, people didn’t have the choice to go see a movie in the theater and became reliant on streaming services. Neilsen saw that even after movie theaters returned to normal, streaming services provided an “extension” for movies to make their way to bigger audiences.
At the 2025 Oscars, nine out of the 10 movies nominated for best picture are already available on streaming services. “I’m Still Here” can only be seen in theaters or pre-ordered on Apple TV.
Mick Jagger attended the 2025 Oscars to present the best original song.
Before presenting the award, Mick Jagger joked that he wasn’t the Academy’s “first choice” as a presenter and said that the producers wanted Bob Dylan.
“Bob didn’t want to do it because he said the best songs of this year were obviously in ‘A Complete Unknown,'” Jagger said. The musician then joked that Dylan, 83, would suggest someone “younger” than Jagger, 81.
The movie, which is nominated for best picture, is all about Dylan’s life and his rise to fame. Timothee Chalamet starred as Dylan in the film.
The best original song was awarded to “El Mal” from “Emilia Perez.”
The biopic about President Ronald Reagan starring Dennis Quaid was one of 116 films not considered for an Academy Award because it did not meet the Academy’s DEI standards, according to “Reagan” screenwriter Howard Klausner.
“I think the situation speaks for itself,” Klausner told Fox News Digital.
“There’s not really anger and indignation among those of us who made this film, we didn’t seriously expect to be nominated for anything by Hollywood in this cultural climate— it’s just sadness, really.”
Instituted in 2024 for the 96th annual ceremony, AMPAS
now requires films in consideration for best picture to meet two out of four possible categories worth of criteria, focused on underrepresented groups, including women, racial or ethnic groups, LGBTQ+ or people with disabilities.
Read more about the film and what producers have planned for the movie.
The Oscars celebrated the 20th anniversary of “Kill Bill: Volume 2” by bringing Daryl Hannah on stage to present the best film editing award at the 2025 Oscars.
When she approached the microphone, Hannah said “Slava Ukraine.”
“Slava Ukraini” is a Ukrainian phrase that translates to, “Glory to Ukraine.” Hannah kept her political comments to that short statement before segueing to presenting the award for best film editing to Sean Barker for his work in “Anora.”
Hannah’s comments come on the heels of the heated discussion between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the oval office.
Born in Chicago, Hannah is most notably known for her roles in “Blade Runner” and the “Kill Bill” franchise.
Zoe Saldana was overcome with emotions as she accepted the best supporting actress Oscar for her role in ‘Emilia Pérez.’
“I’m sharing this award with you,” she told her cast.
“To my mom, my dad, and my sisters – everything brave outrageous and good that I’ve ever done in my life is because of you,” Saldana said with tears streaming down her face.
“To my husband with that beautiful hair, you’re just … the biggest honor in my life is being your partner. You hug the moon and our beautiful perfect sons – Cy, Bowie and Zen – they fill our skies every night with stars.”
Forever Bond girl, Halle Berry, honored the “James Bond” spy franchise Sunday at the 97th Academy Awards.
“Every year, the Academy’s board of governors honors extraordinary contributions to cinema with the governor’s awards,” the Oscar-winner said. “Last fall, these awards were presented to Julia Taylor, the legendary composer Quincy Jones, writer/director Richard Curtis, and producer, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.
“Now I had the great pleasure of working with Barbara and Michael on ‘Die Another Day,’ and let me tell you – they don’t just produce movies, they are the heart and soul of this franchise for decades.”
She added, “Every generation does have their Bond, you know. The world revolves, it evolves and so does he, but that signature mix of danger, style and intrigue, well now that’s timeless. Tonight we pay tribute to Barbara and Michael, and to our favorite spy.”
Margaret Qualley kicked off the tribute with a choreographed dance. K-Pop star Lisa then took the stage with a “Live and Let Die” performance, before Doja Cat appeared dripping in jewels for a rendition of the “Diamonds Are Forever” theme song.
Raye received a standing ovation and closed the montage singing “Skyfall.”
Amy Poehler didn’t sweat an earlier joke made on her behalf by her “Parks and Recreation” co-star Nick Offerman as she stepped on stage at the 97th Academy Awards.
The former “Saturday Night Live” star was on hand to present back-to-back Oscars in the writing realms.
“Anora,” a film about a young sex worker whose life takes a sudden turn, earned the Oscar for writing in an original screenplay, with Sean Baker picking up the Academy Award.
Peter Straughan picked up the Oscar for best adapted screenplay for “Conclave,” a movie based on the election of the next pope.
Halle Berry got Adrien Brody back.
Ahead of the 2025 Oscars, Berry approached Brody on the red carpet and grabbed him while he was in the middle of the interview. She planted a big kiss before the duo laughed and hugged.
Berry took to social media to share a clip of the “payback” she got on Brody. 22 years ago, Berry presented the award for best actor to Brody for his role in “The Pianist” when Brody kissed Berry.
“I bet they didn’t tell you that was in the gift bag,” he said in his acceptance speech. At the time, Berry wiped her lips off as she appeared to be very off-guard by the moment. While the audience cheered at the time, Brody has since been chastised for forcing a kiss on Berry.
Conan O’Brien decided to take a trip down memory lane at the 2025 Oscars.
While announcing that Emil Jannings won the first Oscar ever for best actor in 1929, a voice was heard interrupting O’Brien and announcing that this was his first time-ever hosting the prestigious award show.
The voice was none other than “Parks and Recreation” star Nick Offerman.
The camera then panned to the face behind the voice, revealing Offerman, before O’Brien continued on with the award show. Offerman’s “Parks and Recreation” co-star Amy Poehler, then took to the stage to present the next two award of the night.
The 97th Academy Award nominations were revealed in late January.
The 2025 nominations were announced by Bowen Yang and Rachel Sennott in Los Angeles.
“Emilia Perez” topped the list and became the most nominated non-English language film ever, according to The Associated Press. “The Brutalist” and “Wicked” followed with 10 nominations each, “A Complete Unknown” and “Conclave,” with eight nominations each, and “Anora,” with six noms.
While actors such as Selena Gomez, Nicole Kidman, Angelina Jolie and more were noticeably snubbed for their parts in their individual films.
Others such as Demi Moore and Sebastian Stan earned well-deserved nominations.
Here’s a look at some of the biggest snubs and surprises.
This is an excerpt from an article written by Fox News’ Christina Dugan Ramirez.
There are 13 stars up for their first-ever Oscar win in 2025.
Demi Moore earned her first nomination for best actress in “The Substance.”
“Being nominated for an Oscar is an incredible honor and these last few months have been beyond my wildest dreams,” Moore said in a statement. “Truly there are no words to fully express my joy and overwhelming gratitude for this recognition. Not only for me but for what this film represents. I am deeply humbled.”
Mikey Madison, Fernanda Torres and Karla Sofia Gascon are all also nominated for best actress this year. Ariana Grande, Zoe Saldana, Isabella Rossellini and Monica Barbaro are nominated for best supporting actress.
Sebastian Stan is the only man nominated for best actor for the first time this year. Stan stars as a young Donald Trump in the movie, “The Apprentice.”
Jeremy Strong is another first-time nominee for his role in “The Apprentice.” Strong took on the role as lawyer Roy Cohn in the movie. Guy Pearce, Kieran Culkin, and Yura Borisov are also all nominated for best supporting actor for the first time at the Academy Awards.
Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell attended the 97th Annual Academy Awards.
Hawn graced the red carpet in a gold, embellished gown with a gold throw over top. Russell was by her side in a black tuxedo.
Hawn took the stage with Andrew Garfield to present the best animated picture to “Flow.” Garfield held Hawn’s hand while explaining that she was his mom’s “favorite” actress and Hawn was responsible for giving us movies “full of joy and made us feel all was right with the world.”
Hawn joked with Garfield and asked him to present the award because of her cataracts. They also presented the best animated short film to “In The Shadow of the Cypress.”
Robert Downey Jr. presented the best supporting actor award to Kieran Culkin for his role in “A Real Pain.”
Culkin said it was a “real honor” to receive the award from Downey Jr.
Culkin went on to thank Jeremy Strong, Jesse Eisenberg, his mother for “attempting” to raise him and others.
Even though his time for a speech was winding down, Culkin decided to share a story about a bet his wife made him regarding their family.
At the 2025 Oscars, Culkin gave a shout-out to his wife, Jazz Charton, who promised to give him a fourth child once he won an Oscar. The camera panned to his wife in the audience, who was laughing and covering her mouth while nodding in agreement that she did “shake” his hand on that.
Now that Culkin is an Oscar winner, his family may be expanding!
Adam Sandler took a stance against the hate – for his laid back approach toward fashion.
Sandler, 58, caught Conan O’Brien’s eye during his opening monologue at the 97th Academy Awards, and for all the wrong reasons.
“It’s important that everyone is properly dressed … Adam,” O’Brien said before asking why he was dressed so casually.
“Nobody even thought about what I was wearing until you brought it up,” Sandler yelled from the audience.
“You’re dressed like a guy playing video poker at 2 a.m., Adam,” O’Brien noted.
“And you know what, Conan, I like the way I look, because I’m a good person,” the former “SNL” comedian
insisted. “I don’t care about what I wear or what I don’t wear. My snazzy gym shorts and fluffy sweatshirt offend you so much that you have to mock me in front of my peers.”
O’Brien apologized, but it was too little, too late for Sandler, who stood up in his seat and began to walk out of the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, Calif.
“I’m going. I’m leaving,” Sandler said before turning to the audience. “No, it’s not you, it’s him. You caused this.”
He added, “You are all welcome to join me for a game of five-on-five basketball at Veteran park tonight, midnight tip off – where’s the guy from ‘Nosferatu’ – he’s on my team.”
Just before exiting, Sandler grabbed Timothee Chalamet and screamed his name in his signature voice.
Kicking off the award show, host Conan O’Brien crawled out of Demi Moore’s back.
Giving a nod to “The Substance,” which starred Demi Moore and is nominated for best picture at the 97th Annual Academy Award
, an Oscars crew member was seen banging on O’Brien’s door and the camera panned to a scene from Moore’s film with her laying naked on the bathroom floor.
Her back then splits open, like it did in the movie, and O’Brien’s head popped out. He crawled out of Moore’s body before realizing he was missing a shoe and went back inside of Moore to find it.
O’Brien then appeared on the Oscars stage to announce all of the movies that have are nominated for best picture.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande received a roaring applause to open the 97th Academy Awards Sunday.
Grande started the Oscars with a moving rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” with a cloudy sky and rainbow silhouette shining down.
Erivo performed a moving rendition of “Defying Gravity” from their blockbuster hit, “Wicked.”
Cynthia Erivo could set her own record and become an EGOT member if she takes home the award for best actress on Sunday night.
The film adaption, directed by Jon M. Chu, earned an Oscar nomination for best picture. Both Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande
earned nominations for their starring roles. Erivo is nominated for best actress and Grande is nominated for best supporting actress.
Hollywood stars dressed to impress for the 97th Academy Awards.
First-time nominee Demi Moore, who is recognized for her leading role as an aging actress in “The Substance,” simply shined wearing a custom Armani Privé gown with a plunging neckline.
Diamond chandelier earrings peered out from behind Moore’s long hair as she walked the red carpet at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, Calif.
Selena Gomez, who starred in “Emilia Pérez,” rocked a custom Ralph Lauren gown adorned with thousands of crystal beads.
Click to read more celebrity fashion from the 97th Academy Awards.
Ben Stiller took a moment to honor the late Gene Hackman at the 97th Annual Academy Awards.
Speaking to ABC News on the red carpet, Stiller shared that he always “looked up” to Hackman and was honored to have the privilege of working with him. The duo starred in the comedy “The Royal Tenenbaums” which released in 2001.
“He is literally one of my favorite actors growing up… For me he was someone I looked up to as one of the most authentic, real, charismatic and honest actors,” Stiller said. “He was a giant, and I was lucky to have a chance to work with him once. And it was incredible.”
Stiller described Hackman as being “one of the most authentic, real honest movie makers.”
Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home with their dog on Wednesday. Their cause of death has still not been determined and an investigation is underway.
Meg Ryan made a triumphant return to the Academy Awards Sunday – her first time on the Oscars red carpet in nearly 30 years.
Ryan, 63, wore a stunning crimson red strapless while posing ahead of the awards show at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, Calif.
While Ryan attended Vanity Fair’s Oscars after party last year in support of her son, Jack Quaid’s box office blockbuster, “Oppenheimer,” her last appearance at the Academy Awards was with ex-husband Dennis Quaid in 1998.
She told Vanity Fair at the time that she stepped away from the big screen to focus on herself.
“I took a giant break because I felt like there’s just so many other parts of my experience as a human being I wanted to develop,” Ryan said.
The “Sleepless in Seattle” star’s last film was working alongside David Duchovny in the 2023 romantic comedy, “What Happens Later.”
Heidi Klum and Jane Seymour are among Hollywood stars attending Elton John’s 33rd Annual Academy Awards viewing party that the musician’s AIDS Foundation hosts yearly.
Klum stunned on the carpet in a strapless, black gown with an asymmetrical, deep-plunging neckline. Her gown featured a high slit and Klum tied the look together with dark, sultry makeup.
Seymour arrived in a strapless, floral gown. She smiled for the cameras while posing with her legs crossed. Seymour attended the event with musician, John Zambetti.
The event, held in West Hollywood Park, supports the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Chappell Roan is expected to perform at the event on Sunday night. Elton John, David Furnish, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Jean Smart, Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka are the hosts for the evening.
“Dune: Part Two” has been nominated for five Academy Awards this year.
Director Denis Villeneuve decided to split Frank Herbert’s Dune novel into two films. Villeneuve has never received a nomination for best director for his “Dune” films.
“Dune” and “Dune: Part Two” star Zendaya, Timothee Chalamet, Austin Butler and Florence Pugh. The first film earned 10 Oscar nods and took home six wins in 2022.
The science fiction movie was nominated for best picture in 2022 but fell short to Apple TV’s “Coda.”
The movie did take home awards for best cinematography, best editing, best score, best visual effects, best production design and best sound.
“Dune: Part Two” was nominated for best picture, as well as best visual effects, best sound, best production design and best cinematography. Villeneuve received a snub at the 2025 Oscars and was not nominated for best director, a repeat of the 2022 Oscars.
“Dune” is the fourth franchise to receive back-to-back best picture nominations.
Ahead of the 2025 Academy Awards, Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Pérez,” which showcases a Mexican drug lord who undergoes gender affirming surgery, leads the night with 13 nods.
“Emilia Pérez” matched “Oppenheimer’s” 13 Oscar nominations in 2024. The movie also set the record for most nominations for a non-English language movie.
The musical-turned-movie stars Karla Sofia Gascon, Zoe Saldana, Selena Gomez and Edgar Ramirez.
The movie is nominated for the biggest award of the night: best picture.
“Emilia Pérez” is also nominated for best director, best actress, best supporting actress, best adaptive screenplay, best makeup and hairstyling, best original score, best cinematography, best film editing, best international feature film and best sound.
On Feb. 23, Saldana took home the SAG Award for her role as Rita in “Emilia Pérez.”
“I am proud to be a part of a union that allows me to be who I am,” Saldana said in her acceptance speech. “I’ve never been questioned where I come from or judged for how I speak or what my pronouns are. Everyone has the right to be who they are.
“‘Emilia Pérez’ is about truth and love and us actors really have to tell stories that are thought-provoking and beautiful and live within the spectrum of artistic freedom,” she added.
“Emilia Pérez” and “Wicked” are nominated for best picture at the 2025 Oscars. This is the first time two musicals have gone head-to-head since 1968.
In 1968, “Funny Girl” and “Oliver!” were two musicals nominated for the biggest Academy Award. “Oliver!” took home the award at the 41st Annual Academy Awards.
The 2025 Oscars is also the first time two musicals have received 10 or more nominations in the same year. “Emilia Pérez” leads the 2025 Oscars with 13 nominations and “Wicked” has 10.
The last time two musicals received that level of recognition at the Academy Awards was in 1965. “Mary Poppins” received 13 nominations and “My Fair Lady” had 12 nods.
“Wicked” and “Emilia Pérez” are among the record-breaking performances at the 2025 Oscars. “Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo could set her own record and become an EGOT member if she takes home the award for best actress on Sunday night.
“A Complete Unknown” star Elle Fanning announced big news on the red carpet ahead of the 2025 Oscars.
Speaking to E! News on the carpet, Fanning shared that she and her famous sister, Dakota Fanning, are working together on a project about Paris Hilton and her sister, Nicky Hilton. When asked if the Fanning sisters will be acting together, Elle said, “I can’t say much about it, that’s the thing, but we have got to work really closely with Paris which is just a dream come true, to get to say that she’s become a friend.”
She continued, “I was so obsessed with her when I was young. But yeah, Dakota and I hope to work together for sure. That’s on the bucket list for us.”
Elle starred alongside Timothée Chalamet in “A Complete Unknown,” which is nominated for best picture at the 97th Annual Academy Awards.
Other nominees include “Anora,” “The Substance,”
“The Brutalist,” “Conclave,” “Dune: Part Two,” “Wicked,” “Emilia Perez,” “I’m Still Here” and “Nickel Boys.”
EGOT is an acroynm for the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Awards. To receive the prestigious honor, candidates must win all four major art awards.
At the 2025 Oscars, Cynthia Erivo could become the latest celebrity to earn EGOT status. Erivo earned her second best actress nomination for her role as Elphaba in “Wicked.”
When Erivo learned of her Oscar nomination, she shared an emotional message on social media.
She thanked the Academy for the nomination and shared what her younger self would think of her success.
“I often get asked what I would say to my younger self. Well today there’s nothing to be said. She is smiling, beaming, glowing from ear to ear. That speaks volumes,” she wrote.
So far, Erivo has won a Tony Award in 2016 for best actress in the Broadway musical, “The Color Purple.” The actress and the rest of the cast also earned an Emmy in 2017 for outstanding musical performance in a daytime program award for “The Color Purple.”
Erivo also won a Grammy Award for the best musical theater album that same year.
If Erivo wins big on Sunday night, she will join Elton John, Audrey Hepburn, Viola Davis, Whoopi Goldberg and more celebrities who have reached EGOT status.
After “Wicked” saw huge success at the box office, grossing over $700 million worldwide, the musical-turned-movie earned 10 Oscar nominations prior to the award show.
The film adaption, directed by Jon M. Chu, earned an Oscar nomination for best picture. The movie’s leads, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, both earned nominations. Erivo is nominated for best actress and Grande is nominated for best supporting actress.
This is Grande’s first-ever Academy Award nomination. When it was announced that she was nominated, Grande shared an emotional message to social media, sharing that she “cannot stop crying, to no one’s surprise.”
“i don’t quite have all my words yet, i’m still trying to breathe. but thank you. oh my goodness, thank you. Universal, Marc, my family, my heart. lemons and melons and pears, oh my,” Grande wrote.
“Wicked,” the prequel of “The Wizard of Oz,” is nominated for seven additional Oscars in the categories: best visual effects, best sound, best editing, best production design, best original score, best makeup and hairstyling and best costume design.
Ariana Grande and Elle Fanning brought Old Hollywood glamour to the red carpet Sunday at the 97th Academy Awards.
The “Wicked” actress sported a strapless Schiaparelli Couture gown with billowing layers of sparkling, pale pink tulle fabric layered underneath a futuristic bodice.
Grande’s nominated for best supporting actress for her role in “Wicked.” The John M. Chu directed flick picked up 10 nominations at the Academy Awards, including best picture, best actress, best original score and best makeup and hairstyling.
Fanning stars as Sylvie Russo in “A Complete Unknown.” The film, which also stars Timothee Chalamet as a young Bob Dylan, follows the music icon through the ’60s and ’70s, and picked up eight Oscar nominations.
The 2025 Academy Award nominations were delayed twice due to the tragic Los Angeles fires that devastated the Pacific Palisades and Altadena communities in January.
The nominations were originally slated for Jan. 17 and were moved to Jan. 19. They were ultimately revealed on Jan. 23 ahead of the award show on March 2. Although the Academy decided to go through with this years Oscars, they decided to cancel and not reschedule the Oscar Nominees Luncheon.
According to Deadline, the Academy donated $750,000 to the Motion Picture Television Fund’s fire-relief efforts.
Per Cal Fire, the Palisades Fire is 100% contained and it began on Jan. 7. The date of containment is listed as Feb. 20. The fire was 23,448 acres and destroyed 6,809 structures. 11 civilians died and one firefighter lost their lives during the devastating Palisades Fire.
The Eaton Fire,
which affected Altadena, burned 14,021 acres of land, according to Cal Fire. The fire also began on Jan. 7 and was fully contained on Feb. 20. 9,418 structures were destroyed and 17 civilians died during the Eaton Fire.
The four major American entertainment awards include the Emmy Awards, the Grammy Awards, the Academy Awards and the Tony Awards.
The Emmy Awards honors major achievements in television, the Grammy Awards honor major achievements in audio recording (music), the Academy Awards honors major achievements in film and finally, the Tony Awards recognizes major achievements in Broadway theater.
The Academy Awards
are the oldest entertainment award ceremony, rolling out the now annual ceremony since May 16, 1929.
The first Primetime Emmy Award ceremony debuted on January 25, 1949, and the first Grammy ceremony aired on May 4, 1959. The first Tony Award ceremony was held on April 6, 1947.
The 97th Annual Academy Awards will be held at Dolby Theater in Hollywood on March 2. Conan O’Brien will be hosting the award show and the ceremony has star-studded presenters lined up, including Selena Gomez, Ben Stiller, Joe Alwyn and more.
Select few celebrities have won awards at all four major American entertainment awards, earning themselves EGOT status.
For the past 23 years, the Oscars have been held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
The Dolby Theater is a Hollywood landmark, previously known as the Kodak Theater, and hosts some of the industry’s biggest events, including movie premieres and performances. Throughout the history of the Academy Awards, many venues have had the honor of hosting some of the biggest stars of the time.
The very first Academy Awards took place in the Academy banquet in the Blossom Room of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, in May 1929, shortly after silent movies began to be phased out and “talkies” became more popular.
In the first few years after its inception, the Oscars were banquets and were held in ballrooms at various hotels, but as attendance increased, they transitioned to theaters, moving to Grauman’s Chinese Theater in 1944. From then on, the Academy Awards bounced back and forth between many theaters, including the Shrine Civic Auditorium, the RKO Pantages Theatre and the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. It has taken place at the Dolby Theater since 2002.
Three films have won the five major awards at the Oscars — Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Best Screenplay.
The record-breaking films include, “It Happened One Night” (1934), “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975) and “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991), according to Academy Award statistics on oscars.org.
Ten films are nominated for best picture this year, including: “Anora,” “The Brutalist,” A Complete Unknown,” “Conclave,” “Dune: Part Two,” “Emilia Pérez,” “I’m Still Here,” “Nickel Boys,” “The Substance,” and “Wicked.”
The 2025 Academy Awards are set to take place on Sunday, March 2 at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles.
The show is scheduled to be broadcast live on ABC at 7 p.m. EST, starting an hour earlier than it has in the past.
For the first time in history, the Oscars will also be available to stream simultaneously via Hulu Live TV and other streaming services, and will also be available to watch in full on ABC.com and on the ABC app.
While no one knows for sure how the Oscars statuette got the nickname, an urban legend says the name came about after Margaret Herrick, a librarian for the Academy, said the statuette resembled her uncle whose name was Oscar.
The Academy first used the nickname in 1939, a few years after the moniker officially came about.
The annual event featuring jewels, couture attire and A-list celebrities is widely regarded as the most prestigious award show of the year.
In 2023, 21 million viewers tuned into the Academy Awards, according to Statista. Viewers watched as action sci-fi film “Everything Everywhere All At Once” starring Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis, among other stars, won best picture, Michelle Yeoh, lead actress in “Everything Everywhere All At Once”, won best actress and Brendan Fraser emotionally addressed the audience after winning best actor at the 95th Academy Awards.
Fox News’ Gabriele Regalbuto contributed reporting.
It’s not uncommon to find a film based loosely on past events which reflect real events and real people. However, these biographical films often feature twists doctored by Hollywood writers that aren’t entirely historically accurate.
Some stories from the past have been stamped with Hollywood’s highest honor, an Oscar nomination, and in certain cases, a win.
Oscar-nominated films which also took home wins include:
- “The Wolf of Wall Street” – Jordan Belfort
- “Erin Brockovich” – Erin Brockovich
- “Catch Me If You Can” – Frank Abagnale Jr.
- “The Big Short” – Michael Burry
- “Molly’s Game” – Molly Bloom
“The Wolf of Wall Street” is a 2013 movie based on the 2007 memoir by Jordan Belfort. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Belfort in the Martin Scorsese-directed film.
Erin Brockovich
evolved as an unlikely hero in her own story. She played a large role in the case of Anderson v. Pacific Gas & Electric, a case settled for $333 million dollars.
Julia Roberts plays Brockovich in the 2000 movie titled “Erin Brockovich.”
“Catch Me If You Can” stars DiCaprio as a famous check forger, Frank Abagnale Jr., who is on the run from the FBI.
The 2015 movie “The Big Short” is about Michael Burry, the investor and hedge fund manager who predicted the 2008 stock market crash. Christian Bale stars as Burry in the film.
Molly Bloom ran an underground poker empire involving several Hollywood elites. In 2014, she was convicted for the illegal gambling operation that she was running.
Bloom is played by Jessica Chastain in the Oscar-nominated film for Best Adapted Screenplay.
This is an excerpt from an article written by Fox News’ Ashlyn Messier.
The most essential element of the Academy Awards
is the people, the members who make up the organization that ultimately vote on the winners. The group comprises over 10,000 members of the entertainment industry, with approximately 9,500 having the ability to vote, according to Variety.
Over the last decade, the Academy has gone to great lengths to increase its membership of women and people of color.
A nominee is decided by these members after each person votes in their qualified branch categories during the nomination process, followed by their picks for Best Picture. If branches do not have a category, then those members are only able to vote on the best picture for that year. The inclusion of more diverse members from across the industry has allowed for more equity in the awards process over the last 10 years.
Moreover, other branches decide their contenders by cutting them down over time. The branches that participate in this form of voting include music, sound, visual effects, documentary feature, international features, and makeup and hairstyling.
In 1973, Marlon Brando declined an Oscar after he won best actor for his role as Vito Corleone in “The Godfather.”
Although he was not present at the ceremony, he did send American actress Sacheen Littlefeather
in his place to decline the award. According to History.com, Brando declined the award as he was protesting the portrayal of Native Americans in films.
Littlefeather explained in her speech that the actor refused to accept his award because of the lack of Native American representation in the film/television industry.
When she took the stage, she refused the Oscar award from Roger Moore.
“Hello,” she said. “My name is Sacheen Littlefeather. I’m Apache and I’m president of the National Native American affirmative image committee. I’m representing Marlon Brando this evening and he has asked me to tell you in a very long speech which I cannot share with you presently because of time, but I will be glad to share with the press afterwards that he very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award and the reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry.”
“I beg at this time that I have not intruded upon this evening and that we will in the future our hearts and our understandings will meet with love and generosity,” she said. “Thank you on behalf of Marlon Brando.”
Sacheen received applause from the crowd before exiting the stage.
Fox News’ Gabriele Regalbuto contributed reporting.
Aside from acting, the Academy Awards offer various high-profile awards for other professions within the film and entertainment industry. Individuals can receive multiple Oscars for the same category but not multiple nominations for the same performance.
The individual who has won the most awards in the organization’s history was Disney founder and animation pioneer Walt Disney.
Through a career that expanded across decades, Disney won 26 Oscars and received 59 nominations.
He won his first award at the Academy Awards for best short subject in 1932. He continued to win in various categories until 1969, two years after he died in 1967. He received Oscars for best animated short category for “Three Little Pigs,” “The Ugly Duckling,” “Winnie the Pooh” and “The Blustery Day.” He also won the Honorary Academy Award for creating Mickey Mouse in 1932.
Disney is widely regarded today as a media and entertainment innovator.
By his death, Disney had turned his company into the biggest animation studio in the United States and founded the Disneyland theme park to entertain millions. He is widely regarded as the most crucial figure in the history of film animation and a cultural icon.
The first Oscars ceremony took place on May 16, 1929, at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, California, according to the Academy’s official website, oscars.org.
The distribution of the awards reportedly took 15 minutes.
Actor and filmmaker Douglas Fairbanks, actress Mary Pickford, and showman Sid Grauman opened the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel two years before the venue hosted the first Academy Awards.
The historic location of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel has hit television screens many times over the decades. The elegant hotel was featured in an episode of “I Love Lucy”, “Melrose Place” and “Beverly Hills 90210”, among other popular television shows, and scenes from films like “Beverly Hill Cop II”, “Catch Me If You Can”, “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle” and “Hancock”.
The two spaces dedicated to event hosting at the hotel are still named “Oscar” and “Academy”, according to the hotel’s website.
Fox News’ Gabriele Regalbuto contributed reporting.
Katharine Hepburn is the most decorated actor and actress with four Academy Awards to her name.
In 1934, Hepburn was awarded the Best Actress Oscar for “Morning Glory,” oscars.org reports. She then won two consecutive Best Actress awards in 1968 and 1969 for “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” and “The Lion in Winter,” the latter she shared with Barbra Streisand.
Hepburn was nominated for Best Actress 12 times. She did not win for her role in “Alice Adams”, “The Philadelphia Story” and “Woman of the Year”, among other names.
All four of her awards are showcased at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. featured in a gallery named “Twentieth-Century Americans”.
Her final Academy Award was in 1982 for “On Golden Pond.”
Meryl Streep holds the record for most nominations, 21, by a performer in the acting categories, but she has only taken home three Oscars, according to oscars.org.
Fox News’ Gabriele Regalbuto contributed reporting.
Three films hold the title for the most Oscars won since the start of the Academy Awards: 1959’s “Ben-Hur,” 1997’s “Titanic” and 2003’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”
These iconic Hollywood blockbusters each received 11 Oscars during the years they were nominated.
Moreover, the “Lord of the Rings” and the “Titanic” brought in over $1 billion at the box office during the release year.
“The Titanic”, directed by James Cameron and starring Leonardo DiCaprio
and Kate Winslet, received 14 total Oscar nominations. The film won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Score, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress and Best Film Editing, among a handful of others.
“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”, directed by Peter Jackson and starring Elijah Wood and Andy Serkis, was nominated for 11 Academy Awards. The fantasy film won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Song, Best Costume Design and Best Visual Effects, among others.
Fox News’ Gabriele Regalbuto contributed reporting.
The 2025 Academy Awards
are set to take place on Sunday, March 2 at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. The show is scheduled to be broadcast live on ABC at 7:00 PM EST, starting a whole hour earlier than it has in the past. For the first time in history, the Oscars will also be available to stream simultaneously via Hulu Live TV and other streaming services, and will also be available to watch in full on ABC.com and on the ABC app.
The very first Academy Awards were held in May 1929, but were not televised until March 1953, when it was broadcast on NBC. From then on, the award show bounced between NBC and ABC. After going back and forth for many years, ABC took over in 1976, broadcasting the Oscars
every year since then. The network is under contract with the award show through 2028, after which it could possibly find a new home.
EU leaders on edge as prospect looms of Trump pulling 20K troops from continent
European leaders are grappling with how to handle icier relations with the U.S. since President Donald Trump regained control of the White House this year.
“The Europeans have a serious problem of readiness … that they’re trying to fix, but it takes time,” Camille Grand, a former NATO official who is now with the European Council on Foreign Relations, said in a Washington Post report Sunday. “If Trump decides ‘I’m going to pull out U.S. troops from Germany because I’m upset with the trade imbalance,’ that’s much more complicated to manage than to say we have a plan to do this within X years.”
The comments come as European leaders have become increasingly anxious about the future of the security of the continent in the second era of Trump, with the Washington Post reporting that leaders are wary that the American president is too friendly with Moscow and that they widely expect him to pull back roughly 20,000 U.S. troops that were deployed to the continent by former President Joe Biden in the aftermath of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“I would not be surprised if at some point [those troops] go back to their home base in America,” a NATO diplomat told the outlet while noting that those troops were sent to Europe at the height of an emergency and that their exit “would be, so to speak, a return to normalcy.”
WORLD LEADERS BACK ZELENSKYY FOLLOWING TRUMP, VANCE OVAL OFFICE SPAT
The current number of U.S. troops in Europe has fluctuated between 75,000 and 105,000 since 2022, according to data from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), with the higher end of that number being a result of the surge of forces into the region ordered by Biden.
But fears persist that those numbers could fall even more rapidly than expected under Trump, despite assurances from Trump administration officials that there are no imminent plans for a large reduction of forces on the continent.
Those fears have been buoyed by recent events, including Vice President JD Vance’s remarks at a security conference in Munich in which the American leader scolded European leaders for their alleged break from shared values such as freedom of speech and Trump’s widening rift with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
However, American presidents from both parties have been warning European leaders for more than a decade of the potential shift of troops away from the continent as the U.S. seeks to focus more effort on confronting the emerging threat of China in the Indo-Pacific, leaving Europe in charge of a greater share of its own security.
JD VANCE STEPS INTO SPOTLIGHT DEFENDING TRUMP’S FOREIGN POLICY IN OVAL OFFICE DUSTUP WITH ZELENSKYY
Indeed, the U.S. military footprint in Europe has already fallen drastically since the end of the Cold War, the CSIS data shows. At the height of hostilities between the U.S. and the Soviet Union in the 1950s and 1960s, the U.S. had nearly 500,000 troops deployed to the continent. There were still roughly 350,000 U.S. troops in Europe at the start of the 1990s and the end of the Cold War, a number that fell further to more than 100,000 at the turn of the century.
Despite the consistent warnings, European leaders now fear that the timeline to move troops from the continent could accelerate further under Trump, leaving holes in European security countries they are not yet able to fill.
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“I just worry that, given, frankly, President Trump’s mercurial nature … how much confidence really can Europe have in any degree of American protection and defense,” Nigel Gould-Davies, a former British diplomat and senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, told the Washington Post.
Trans athlete wins MVP of women’s college basketball tournament after sparking feud
A Canadian women’s college basketball conference championship game on Saturday night saw a transgender player score 21 points in victory and ultimately win tournament MVP.
Trans athlete Harriette Mackenzie led Vancouver Island University (VIU) to a 69-59 victory over Columbia Christian College (CBC) in the PACWEST Championship game. Mackenzie finished the game with 10 rebounds in addition to the athlete’s game-leading 21 points.
Mackenzie was then awarded conference tournament MVP in a ceremony after the game. It capped off a season in which the athlete punished competition on the court, leading the entire conference in scoring by a 62-point margin over the second-place scorer, and leveraged Canada’s anti-discrimination laws to bring punishment to CBC off the court.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Mackenzie’s tournament MVP honor and conference championship came after a season-long feud between the two teams, which the trans athlete was at the center of. Mackenzie was the conference’s player of the year in 2023.
The feud resulted in the suspension of CBC head coach Taylor Clagett, and CBC lost the rights to host the PACWEST championships, as Saturday’s game was supposed to be played on CBC’s own home court. Instead, because of sanctions placed on CBC over allegations made by Mackenzie, the game was played at Capilano University.
The feud started during an Oct. 25 game between the two teams, which VIU won 69-56 after Mackenzie scored a game-leading 19 points. Five days after that game on Oct. 30, the trans athlete posted an Instagram video alleging that Clagett “cornered one of our athletic staff and went on a tirade about how I shouldn’t be allowed to play.”
Mackenzie alleged she was also deliberately fouled to the ground by a CBC player.
TEEN GIRLS OPEN UP ON TRANS ATHLETE SCANDAL THAT TURNED THEIR HIGH SCHOOL INTO A CULTURE WAR BATTLEGROUND
“I got two-hand chucked to the ground by No. 13 without a play on the ball in sight, then head coach Clagett can be seen applauding in support,” the trans athlete said.
In response, Clagett posted her own statement on Instagram, claiming that Mackenzie’s statements were inaccurate.
“My intention has nothing to do with a specific athlete, but instead, the safety of female athletes in their sport,” Claggett wrote.
VIU then submitted a formal complaint to the PACWEST, prompting an investigation against VIU. When the two teams were scheduled to play each other again in two games on Jan. 10 and 11, VIU refused to play due to the alleged incident from their first meetings.
“Intimidation, harassment, and discrimination have no place in athletics,” VIU said in a statement to Fox News Digital in January regarding the decision not to play. “VIU stands in full support of our student-athletes and affirms the right of all athletes to compete in an environment that prioritizes their safety and well-being.”
VIU even requested that the two forfeits not count as losses on the team’s record, which was granted by the PACWEST.
CBC provided a statement to Fox News Digital that weekend stating, “accusations that CBC, its coaches, players, and fans are a safety threat are simply untrue and misinformed.”
CBC players then condemned Mackenzie in a letter sent to Fox News Digital.
HOW TRANSGENDERISM IN SPORTS SHIFTED THE 2024 ELECTION AND IGNITED A NATIONAL COUNTERCULTURE
CBC players blamed Mackenzie for “personal attacks,” “defamatory comments” and even “comments that incite violence,” against their coach.
“Videos and letters posted by members of the VIU women’s basketball team over the past three months have directly violated multiple rules stated in Article 17.2 of the manual. Various posts have included ‘personal attacks,’ ‘defamatory comments,’ ‘lack of respect towards the PACWEST,’ and led to ‘comments that incite to violence and/or hatred’ directed at our coach,” the letter read.
“Any and all allegations made by VIU players regarding our team and coach should have been directly communicated to PACWEST officials alone, they should not have been uploaded publicly to social media.”
The PACWEST then suspended Clagett in early February, and CBC lost its right to host the PACWEST championships after an investigation by the conference.
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VIU went on to finish first in the conference with a 21-1 record and will now go into the national tournament as a conference champion. CBC will have to settle for a wildcard spot.
Since June 2017, all places within Canada must comply with the Canadian Human Rights Act, equal opportunity and/or anti-discrimination legislation prohibiting discrimination against gender identity or gender-identity expression. This law protects the inclusion of all trans athletes in women’s and girls’ sports.
President Donald Trump’s recent “No Men in Women’s Sports” executive order in the U.S. states that any publicly funded institution that allows trans athletes to compete in girls’ or women’s sports will lose its federal funding. He has also repeatedly suggested that Canada join the U.S. as the 51st state.
Gene Hackman, wife’s cause of death: Forensic expert details ‘unusual’ circumstances
Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa’s deaths as well as that of their dog could be the result of a tragic accident, according to forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden.
A criminal investigation into the deaths of Hackman and Arakawa was launched Wednesday after New Mexico authorities found the 95-year-old actor, the 65-year-old classical pianist and one of their dogs dead in their Santa Fe home under circumstances deemed “suspicious.”
Santa Fe Sheriff Department officials have said that there were no obvious signs of foul play and no external trauma was seen on either Hackman or Arakawa. After preliminary autopsies were completed, Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed that the couple had tested negative for carbon monoxide and the Oscar-winning actor had likely died about nine days before the bodies were discovered.
GENE HACKMAN, WIFE FOUND DEAD AT SANTA FE ESTATE: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE PROPERTY
During an appearance on “Fox Report,” Baden explained that Hackman’s pacemaker, which the sheriff said last recorded an event on Feb. 17, could offer a key clue.
“That event would have been a cardiac arrest caused by an abnormal pulse rate,” he said. “The pacemaker keeps track of the pulse, and when it gets down too low, it discharges. And that’s all in the record.”
“So the autopsy showed he didn’t have any injury,” Baden continued. “There was no carbon monoxide. And he had — the most common cause of death in this country — severe heart disease, coronary artery disease and high blood pressure perhaps, from what’s been released. So that would cause him, having cardiac arrest in the mudroom, to collapse right there.”
In a search warrant affadvit released by the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office and obtained by Fox News Digital, investigators stated that they had found Hackman’s body on the floor in a mud-room with a walking cane and sunglasses nearby. According to the documents, the detectives suspected that the actor may have “suddenly fallen.”
Baden shared his theory that Arakawa’s death may have occurred after Hackman’s pacemaker stopped while she was trying to help her husband.
“The circumstances and who he was — he was beloved by so many — are what make it so unusual.”
The affidavit stated that Arawkawa was found on the ground in a bathroom with a space heater near her head. An orange prescription bottle was found near Hackman’s wife, according to a search warrant affidavit. It appeared to be open, with pills scattered on a countertop. Authorities listed thyroid medication, blood pressure medication and Tylenol among the items they took from the house.
GENE HACKMAN’S DEATH MOURNED BY HOLLYWOOD: ANTONIO BANDERAS, GARY SINISE, FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA REMEMBER STAR
“His wife was found in the bathroom,” Baden said. “They haven’t released the information about her findings, except that she did not have carbon monoxide in her, and that what appears to be from the scene and from what’s been said is that she found her husband in the mudroom.”
Baden explained that in an agitated state, Arakawa could have rushed to the bathroom to get Hackman’s blood pressure medication before falling to the floor while scattering the pills and taking the space heater down with her.
“She may have struck her head on the way down and had some internal injury to the brain that doesn’t show up on the outside or bleeding in the inside of the brain,” Baden said. “Or that she may also, at 65, had severe heart disease and excitement can cause a trigger to the cardiac rhythm causing death under those circumstances. I think the first, that striking her head would be more common.”
According to the affidavit, the deceased dog, a German Shepherd, was found “10-15 feet” away from Arakawa in a closet of the bathroom. Two other living dogs were discovered on the property. Detectives observed that “one of the healthy dogs was initially observed near the deceased female (inside the bathroom) and the other healthy dog was observed outside the residence.”
“What was perplexing to me initially with the release was the death of a dog also, which I thought was free in the house,” Baden said. “And that’s why I think that the carbon monoxide[theory] was a very good thought with them breathing in the same air. But it turns out from what they say, that the dog was constrained in his cage or kennel and would have died from just dehydration and lack of water during the nine-day period that he couldn’t get out of the kennel.”
Baden noted that his theory could explain why an emergency call wasn’t immediately made after Hackman experienced the cardiac event on Feb. 17. A maintenance worker who discovered Hackman and Arakawa’s bodies called 911 on Feb. 26.
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“The circumstances and who he was — he was beloved by so many — are what make it so unusual,” Baden said. “Because heart disease and collapsing and dying with a pacemaker is common in the United States.”
“But the circumstances of the two of them isolated by themselves,” he continued. “And that may have been the reason that 911 wasn’t called, for example, while his wife was trying to get him some medication and fell.”
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Hackman and Arakawa were last publicly photographed together on March 28, 2024. Hackman was spotted holding onto his wife’s arm. He held onto a walking cane in his other hand. Arakawa looked out in the distance and held up her arm to support her husband.
The couple were pictured outside Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen in Santa Fe. Hackman has lived in the area since the 1980s.
While Hackman and his wife mainly lived a private life, the last event they attended together appeared to be the 2003 Golden Globes, when he was honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award.
During a Friday appearance on “Today,” Sheriff Mendoza said that the medication that was found on the property was “very important evidence at the scene.”
“That information was collected . . . passed to the medical investigator to help them make a determination. . . . Yes, we’re looking at that specifically and other medications possibly in the residence. . . . That is something of concern,” he said.
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When asked whether Hackman and his wife died simultaneously or whether one died before the other, the sheriff replied, “I think that’s very difficult to determine. I think it’s going to be pretty close.”
Mendoza previously stated that toxicology tests were ordered for Hackman and his wife because the manner and cause of death have not been determined.
While appearing on “Today,” the sheriff said the toxicology report may take up to three months for results or “possibly longer,” depending on how “busy the laboratory is.” Mendoza added his team hopes the results come “sooner rather than later.”
Mendoza said he is “pretty confident there is no foul play, just based on the lack of evidence of foul play.”
“But we, of course, we’re not ruling that out. . . . The autopsy results, the official results, will steer us in the right direction. That could change, obviously, and we’re not ruling that out. This is an open investigation. It’s a couple [of] days old. We’re putting together the timeline. We’re trying to figure out all the evidence. . . . The autopsy is key, and that’s going to take some time.”
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The Wall Street of the South has a hot luxury real estate market
Palm Beach and West Palm Beach have been experiencing a very active real estate market.
Both places are located within Palm Beach County in sunny South Florida, with the former sitting on a barrier island and the latter just across the Lake Worth Lagoon.
Palm Beach County saw over 13,300 single-family home sales transactions and 9,900 condo and townhouse deals close in 2024, according to a report from Broward, Palm Beaches and St. Lucies Realtors.
“Right now, South Florida real estate in general, but especially West Palm Beach, Palm Beach is extremely active,” Douglas Elliman sales associate John Wilson told FOX Business in an interview, adding the area has “bunches of new development.”
There were 398 new signed contracts for Palm Beach County single-family homes and 335 for condos last month, a report from Douglas Elliman showed. Some 1,600 homes were newly listed.
Condo signed contracts and listings were both also up year-over-year in January.
Palm Beach and West Palm Beach’s luxury markets have been particularly flourishing.
“A lot of the, let’s say like $700,000 to $2 million, that’s sort of an interest rate driven market, so it’s not as much, where mainly what we’re dealing with on the island and in West Palm Beach, and we do a lot of new development, a lot of that’s cash,” Wilson said.
He said he has “never seen anything like this” in the West Palm Beach market.
“West Palm, I describe it this way … It was kind of like the outside of the island if you know what I mean and sort of quiet and really wasn’t over developed, but now, with all the developers and stuff coming here, this place is on fire, and it’s exciting because there’s just so much new things happening. It’s like a renaissance, if you will.”
Wilson said demand in Palm Beach and West Palm Beach’s luxury markets had grown “exponentially” in recent months.
“Right before the election, it was sort of like ‘wait and see.” Yes, there was activity, but I think people were holding back, and it just seemed like after the election, the market just lit up. It just got way more active, way more people were looking,” he said.
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New signed contracts for single-family homes worth at least $1 million in Palm Beach County clocked in at 138 in January, up from 90 in the same month last year, the Douglas Elliman report found.
He noted that ultra-luxury market properties in the Palm Beach and West Palm Beach area had been trading before the November election “even in season, which is the summertime,” but said the luxury market “definitely” saw a boost in activity after the election.
Palm Beach County notched 132 sales of homes worth more than $10 million over the course of 2024, according to a recent report from Compass. That marked a 21.1% year-over-year jump.
Wilson also weighed in on what he thinks is driving demand in the two locales.
“People want to be here,” he said. “Everyone’s always known about Palm Beach Island, but I think during Covid, what happened is people rediscovered it, and what you had is you had a whole new group come rolling into town during Covid, and then what happens? Like all things in life, all of the sudden, you start telling your friends ‘I’m having so much fun’ and ‘you gotta see this,’ and then more and more people come.”
Building development in West Palm Beach played a part as well, according to Wilson.
He also said young families have been moving to the area because of new development and “what’s happening with all the hedge funds.”
More than 300 hedge funds, private equity firms and financial services call Palm Beach County home, according to the Development Board of Palm Beach County.
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It has helped the area, particularly West Palm Beach, earn the nickname “Wall Street South.”
Wilson also told FOX Business “there’s always going to be demand on the island [Palm Beach], but you can come over to West Palm Beach, get a beautiful residence, whether that’s a new development condo or a house for a lot less than on the island, and literally just cross a bridge and still be on the island and all the activity and Worth Avenue and the shopping.”
Worth Avenue is an area in Palm Beach known for its restaurants and high-end shopping.
Wilson said there are “no new development buildings” in Palm Beach so “there’s a lot going on and there’s a lot being traded in the condo market, but the single-family home market is extremely strong” and “continues to remain very strong.”
West Palm Beach is seeing a lot of new luxury condo buildings being developed, he also said.
The real estate markets in the two cities didn’t become hot overnight, according to Wilson. Rather, it has been going on for “a few years now,” with the boom during the pandemic helping drive that.
He was bullish about the future for the real estate markets in Palm Beach and West Palm Beach.
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“I think it’s going to continue to go higher because of demand,” Wilson said, noting many people from the Northeast and California are coming to the area.
“If you’re looking at long-term growth potential over the next two to three to five years, I would say this market’s going to continue to drive higher.”
Homes in Palm Beach had a median listing price of $3 million in January, according to Realtor.com. In West Palm Beach, it was $374,200.