Music executive Dave Shapiro, drummer Daniel Williams among 6 killed in crash
Dave Shapiro, a music executive in the heavy metal and hard rock scene, and drummer Daniel Williams were among those killed in a San Diego plane crash.
Six people, including Shapiro and Williams, were on board the plane when it crashed into a neighborhood of U.S. Navy-owned housing in San Diego early Thursday morning. There are not believed to be any survivors.
Williams, former drummer for metal band The Devil Wears Prada, posted on his Instagram on Wednesday afternoon that he was boarding the plane with Shapiro. The band has posted a tribute to Williams on their Instagram page.
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“No words. We owe you everything. Love you forever,” the band wrote.
Shapiro had a pilot’s license and was listed as the owner of the plane that crashed, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. He was among the six people killed in the crash, along with two employees, the music agency Sound Talent Group confirmed Thursday.
“We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues and friends. Our hearts go out to their families and to everyone impacted by today’s tragedy.”
“We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues and friends. Our hearts go out to their families and to everyone impacted by today’s tragedy,” the music agency he co-founded, Sound Talent Group, wrote in a statement.
Shapiro co-founded Sound Talent Group in 2018 alongside Tim Borror and Matt Andersen. The agency represented a diverse roster of artists, including Pierce The Veil, Parkway Drive, Sum 41 and Vanessa Carlton.
Shapiro was a strong advocate for independent musicians and a co-founder of the National Independent Talent Organization. He was included in Billboard’s 2012 “30 Under 30” list that recognized rising stars in entertainment. Industry veterans say Shapiro paved the way for the formation of other independent agencies and helped many alternative bands find audiences in the mainstream.
Tributes poured in from across the music industry, with many praising Shapiro’s dedication to artists and his genuine character.
Sum 41 singer Deryck Whibley credited Shapiro with helping build the rock band back up during a “low point” in their career.
“His opinion mattered so much to me,” Whibley said. “He was that guy I would go to for advice on things.”
Nate Blasdell, former lead guitarist for the band I Set My Friends on Fire, said he was “absolutely heartbroken.”
“Dave was the first booking agent I ever worked with and he was a major part of my music career in my late teen years,” he said in a post on X.
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“He was truly the best in the game and one of the most respected people in the industry.”
In addition to his work in the music industry, Shapiro was a passionate aviator. He owned Velocity Aviation, a flight school offering lessons in San Diego and Homer, Alaska.
The small aircraft crashed in a large San Diego military neighborhood Thursday morning. Eight people in the neighborhood were injured, but none died.
The aircraft, a Cessna 550 Citation business jet, crashed around 3:45 a.m. in the Murphy Canyon neighborhood, igniting multiple homes and cars in flames.
The flight originated at Teterboro, New Jersey. After making a stop in Wichita, Kansas, it appeared to have been inbound to Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport.
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Homes were engulfed in flames, and jet fuel rolled down the streets, as half a dozen vehicles ignited while residents in the neighborhood of U.S. Navy-owned housing were shaken awake just before 4 a.m. by the thunderous crash and subsequent explosions. Out their windows, they saw a wall of fire.
“I can’t quite put words to describe what the scene looks like, but with the jet fuel going down the street, and everything on fire all at once, it was pretty horrific to see,” San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said, according to The Associated Press.
No one in the neighborhood died, but eight were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation and injuries that were not life-threatening, including a person who was hurt climbing out a window, police officer Anthony Carrasco said.
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Netanyahu blasts UK, France and Canada leaders for looking to give Hamas ‘ultimate prize’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not hold back in his criticism of U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
The Israeli leader’s condemnation comes after the U.K., France and Canada issued a joint statement demanding that Israel end its military campaign in Gaza.
In a video statement released on Thursday, Netanyahu said Hamas does not want a Palestinian state; rather, the terror group wants the destruction of the state of Israel. He questioned how this “simple truth evades the leaders of France, Britain, Canada and others.” Netanyahu went on to accuse the U.K., France and Canada of giving Hamas “the ultimate prize” in their insistence on the establishment of a Palestinian state.
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“Well, for 18 years we had a de facto Palestinian state. It’s called Gaza. And what did we get? Peace? No. We got the most savage slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust,” Netanyahu said in the video statement.
Hamas issued a statement thanking the U.K., France and Canada for “rejecting the policy of siege and starvation pursued by the occupation government against our people in the Gaza Strip, and the Zionist plans aimed at genocide and displacement,” according to the Jerusalem Post.
The terror organization also urged Arab and Islamic countries, the European Union and others “to take urgent action and adopt firm positions and concrete measures to halt the barbaric Zionist aggression,” among other things.
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“I say to President Macron, Prime Minister Carney and Prime Minister Starmer: When mass murderers, rapists, baby killers and kidnappers thank you, you’re on the wrong side of justice,” Netanyahu said in a video statement on Thursday. “You’re on the wrong side of humanity and you’re on the wrong side of history.”
Netanyahu went on to say that while Starmer, Macron and Carney may think they are “advancing peace,” they’re actually “emboldening Hamas to continue fighting forever.”
In response to a Fox News Digital request for comment on Netanyahu’s statement, Starmer’s office pointed to the prime minister’s post on X condemning the murders of two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington, D.C.
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“I thoroughly condemn the antisemitic attack outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington DC. Antisemitism is an evil we must stamp out wherever it appears. My thoughts are with their colleagues, family and loved ones, and, as always, I stand in solidarity with the Jewish community.”
Netanyahu also spoke about the murdered embassy employees, saying the two “weren’t the victims of a random crime. The terrorist who cruelly gunned them down did so for one reason and one reason alone – he wanted to kill Jews.”
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Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim were murdered on Wednesday night outside an event at D.C.’s Capital Jewish Museum. The two met at the embassy, fell in love, and were supposed to travel to Israel next week, where Lischinsky planned to propose.
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office did not immediately respond to a Fox News request for comment. Fox News Digital is attempting to make contact with President Emmanuel Macron’s office.
Jewish activist warns DC shooting is an indicator of something bigger
The fatal shooting of two Israeli Embassy staffers has left the American Jewish community reeling after more than a year of surging antisemitism.
Yuval David, a filmmaker and Jewish activist who lives in Washington, D.C., told Fox News Digital that the murders of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim were “too close by for every Jew in America.”
“I was very close by in Washington, D.C., and the thing is, even though I was just merely blocks away, this is too close by for every Jew in America,” David said. “This is our nation’s capital. Jews now have increased security at our businesses, at Jewish schools, at Jewish synagogues, and it shows us that whatever increased security we have is not enough because two people were murdered last night.”
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David met Lischinsky just one day before he and his soon-to-be fiancée were gunned down outside the Capital Jewish Museum. The Jewish activist told Fox News Digital that the two discussed Islamism in the West, something David was addressing on a panel at the conference.
While the attack took place at a Jewish institution, one of the victims, Lischinsky, was not Jewish. David pointed this out, saying that “all it takes” to be at risk is for someone to be perceived as Jewish. He added that “far too many people” have ignored the dangers of antisemitism.
“There is something terribly wrong. This pandemic of Jew hatred has been spreading in this country and around the world for many years, and far too many people ignored it,” he said.
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The Jewish activist said that he experienced antisemitism in the nation’s capital long before Lischinsky and Milgrim were fatally shot. According to the ADL’s annual antisemitism audit for 2024, David is far from the only one. The organization recorded 151 antisemitic incidents in Washington, D.C., throughout 2024.
“I personally have been yelled at, have been spit at here in Washington, D.C. on the streets of our nation’s capital. And I speak out about it very openly as I address this ever-increasing antisemitism, anti-Jewish racism, anti-Jewish hatred, anti-Jewish bigotry, which seems in the haters’ minds to be justified when they call it anti-Israel or anti-Zionism.”
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David is urging Americans to realize that the hatred and attacks go beyond the Jewish community — they are also attacks on the U.S.
“Some people are saying America next, but it’s clear that America’s not next — it’s happening here right now,” David said.
GOP memo looks at key Trump policy wins in ‘big, beautiful bill’ that passed House
FIRST ON FOX: An internal House GOP memo sent to Republican lawmakers and obtained by Fox News Digital highlights the party’s key accomplishments included in President Donald Trump‘s “big, beautiful bill.”
House Republicans passed all 1,118 pages of Trump’s “one big, beautiful bill” on Thursday morning, after working through hourslong committee meetings, huddles in the speaker’s office and even a last-minute push from the president.
Finally, late Wednesday night, House leadership found consensus among key factions of the Republican caucus. The late-night “manager’s amendment” appeased lingering Republican holdouts, including fiscal hawks who wanted more reform on Medicaid and former President Joe Biden’s green energy subsidies, and blue state Republicans seeking to raise the cap on the state and local tax (SALT) deduction.
The bill is a sweeping multitrillion-dollar piece of legislation that advances Trump’s agenda on taxes, immigration, energy, defense and the national debt. It aims to slash the federal government’s spending trajectory by cutting roughly $1.5 trillion in government spending. The U.S. government is over $36 trillion in debt and has spent $1.05 trillion more than it has collected in the 2025 fiscal year, according to the Treasury Department.
The bill raises the debt ceiling by $4 trillion.
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The internal House Republican memo shared with Fox News Digital summarizes Republicans’ key legislative accomplishments.
According to the memo, the bill reduces the deficit by $238 billion through the Agriculture Committee, securing $294 billion through Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit reform. It reinvests $56 billion in SNAP benefit savings into rural America.
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Republicans say the SNAP reform restores its integrity by requiring states to pay a larger share for its benefits and incentivizing more state efficiency. It requires congressional approval for states to increase enrollment eligibility and creates SNAP work requirements for able-bodied adults who do not have young dependents.
The Armed Services Committee increased defense spending by nearly $143 billion with improvements to service members’ quality of life, healthcare and family support. There are billions of dollars allocated to building the military’s arsenal, advancing technology and infrastructure and expanding military readiness.
The bill allocates $34 billion for shipbuilding, $5 billion for border security enforcement, $400 million for the Department of Defense and $25 billion for Trump’s Golden Dome, which is a layered missile defense shield.
It reduces the deficit by $349.1 billion through the Education and Workforce Committee, which made a series of reforms to streamline student loan payment options, support students and save taxpayer money.
Specifically, the bill caps the total amount of federal student aid a student can receive annually to the median cost of the college, which is $50,000 for undergrad, $100,000 for graduate students and $150,000 for professional graduate programs. There is also a “lifetime limit” of $200,000.
The Education and Workforce Committee consolidated student loans into two plans – a fixed mortgage-style plan or a repayment assistance plan.
It also establishes a performance-based PROMISE grant program, prevents future attempts at the loan forgiveness program championed by the Biden administration and reforms Pell Grant programs.
The Energy and Commerce Committee, which had a lengthy overnight budget markup last week, includes a series of Medicaid reforms, which Democrats have railed against as conservatives pushed for more cuts. The bill establishes work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents, requires state cost-sharing for adults above the poverty line, eliminates illegal immigrants from enrolling and reduces state funding for states who prioritize coverage for illegal immigrants.
The Financial Services Committee in the “big, beautiful bill” includes reforms to save taxpayer money and reduce federal bureaucracy. Meanwhile, the Homeland Security Committee increases spending by a little over $79 billion to expand border security, and the Judiciary Committee increases spending by about $7 billion to stop illegal immigration.
The Energy and Commerce Committee also delivered on one of Trump’s key campaign promises to unleash American energy by supporting domestic energy production and eliminating Biden-era green energy projects, including eliminating electric vehicle mandates.
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The Natural Resources Committee reduces the deficit by $18 billion to deliver Trump’s energy agenda. The bill reinstates quarterly onshore oil and gas lease sales, requires geothermal lease sales and mandates at least 30 lease sales in the newly-renamed Gulf of America over the next 15 years and six in the Cook Inlet in south-central Alaska.
It returns oil and natural gas royalty rates to before Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, resumes leases on energy production in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, resumes coal leasing on federal lands, increases timber sales and long-term contracts on federal lands and walks back funds allocated by the Biden administration for climate change.
The bill includes amendments by the Oversight Committee that will reduce the deficit by $12 billion by eliminating retirement annuity payments for new federal retirees that are eligible to retire before age 62, allows new federal employee hires the option to elect to serve “at will” in exchange for higher take-home pay, requires a comprehensive audit of employee dependents currently enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program plans.
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Finally, the Ways and Means Committee makes the 2017 tax cuts permanent, which prevents a 22% tax hike, and delivers Trump’s campaign promises, including no taxes on tips, overtime pay or car loan interests. It also provides additional tax relief for seniors. The bill increases the university endowment tax and subjects the largest endowments to the corporate tax rate.
As touted in the House GOP memo, the bill also prevents taxpayer benefits from going to illegal immigrants by requiring a Social Security number for individuals claiming tax credits and deductions, ends illegal immigrant eligibility for Obamacare premium tax credits and Medicare, and applies new remittance payment fees for illegal immigrants.
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The One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed in the U.S. House of Representatives 215 to 214. All Democrats and just two Republicans, Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, voted against it. House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris, R-Md., voted “present.”
Now, the Senate is tasked with passing their own version of the bill before it lands on Trump’s desk. Republican leadership is eyeing a July 4 deadline, but sparks are likely to fly in the Senate before Trump can claim a legislative victory.
Jessica Biel offers glimpse into Montana family life with Justin Timberlake and sons
Jessica Biel shared a rare glimpse into her home life with her husband Justin Timberlake and their children in rural Montana. Biel recently invited InStyle magazine to her home in the Rocky Mountains, where she posed for photos — including the outlet’s Summer Issue cover — and sat down for an interview.
The 43-year-old actress and the 45-year-old singer left Hollywood years ago and moved to Big Sky, Montana, where they are raising their two sons, Silas, 10, and Phineas, 4.
During her interview, Biel spoke candidly about the challenges of balancing her busy career and motherhood.
“Spending time with the family unit is a huge priority right now, because I’ve been gone, Justin’s been gone,” she said.
Biel explained that when she isn’t working or doing press, her typical Saturday involves skiing with Timberlake in the morning and later picking up their children at ski school before hitting the slopes as a family in the afternoon.
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“These moments at this time feel kind of priceless,” the “7th Heaven” alum said.
Biel explained that she and Timberlake split parenting and childcare duties when they are both at home with their sons.
“We’re doing the same thing every other parent is doing:‘Okay, tennis. You got the tennis? I’ll get the thing,’” she said.
Biel told InStyle that she feels fortunate to have a strong support system of family and friends to lean on while juggling her demanding work schedule and her parental duties.
“It really takes a village to raise any kid, let alone in a wild business like this where parents are traveling for long times for work,” she said.
The “Sinner” star noted that she and Timberlake strive to ensure that one parent is able to stay home with Silas and Phineas if the other is away working.
“Sometimes we do a good job; we try to have one of us working full-time, only one,” she said. “It doesn’t always happen, because the opportunities arise and the timing is what it is. You just have to take advantage of it.”
Biel is starring in the upcoming movie “Matchbox,” which is based on the Mattel toy brand of the same name. The film, which Mattel developed after the massive success of 2024’s “Barbie,” was filmed in Morocco, Slovakia and Hungary.
The actress told InStyle that the timing of the movie’s shoot ” couldn’t have been worse” as Timberlake was in the middle of his Forget Tomorrow World Tour. She recalled that Silas and Phineas traveled to Europe to stay with her while she was filming the action-adventure comedy.
“We had our incredible [travel] teachers and our incredible nanny and our family helped out,” Biel said. “The kids are good, we’re good, it’s all positive; it’s just when you’re in the middle of it, you’re like, ”
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However, Biel admitted that finding a balance as a working mom can be tough.
“It’s so hard,” she said. “I don’t do it very well all the time.”
The Emmy Award nominee went on to share the words of wisdom that she had received from her longtime producing partner, Michelle Purple.
“She said one thing to me a long time ago. She goes, ‘Listen, all you can do is: When you’re working, you’re 100-percent working, and when you’re home, you’re 100-percent home. Do not take a work call when you’re at home with the kids. If you do it half-a–, you’re not good at anything,'” Biel recalled. “That was a good piece of advice.”
In a video for InStyle, Biel reflected on what had most surprised her about being a parent.
“The thing that surprised me about being a parent, and surprised me about myself is that I actually might be the rule enforcer,” she said. “Sometimes. But it’s not really my style.”
“I just sort of thought ‘Justin’s going to be the rule enforcer and that’s the way it’s gonna be,'” the actress continued. “I’m a Pisces, I’m more emotional, gentle, easygoing and whatever, but I’m kind of good at it. I drop a boundary and I’m like ‘Nope, you can’t cross it.’ It took a while to learn that, but it’s an important skill to have.
“And sometimes he can be really soft about things. Which I didn’t expect!” Biel added. “We take turns, and I think that was surprising to me.”
The couple, who tied the knot in 2012, purchased their home in Blue Sky’s exclusive, gated community, Yellowstone Club, in 2015, shortly before they welcomed Silas. Biel gave birth to Phineas during the summer of 2020.
In 2021, Biel and Timberlake listed their Los Angeles mansion for $35 million, but the pair later took the home off the market. The pair sold their New York City penthouse for $29 million in 2022.
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During a 2024 appearance on SiriusXM’s “Let’s Talk Off Camera With Kelly Ripa,” Biel explained that they decided to make Montana their primary residence so they could raise their children away from the paparazzi.
“You get hammered on the East Coast. You kind of get hammered on the West Coast. That’s why we don’t really live there anymore,” she said. “We’re just trying to create some normalcy for these kids.”
“We want to share our family with our loved ones and friends and also, we understand that our job has this major public-facing element, so we understand that part of it, but also these kids didn’t choose this,” Biel continued.
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“I don’t want to expose them in a way until they have an ability to make that decision for themself, you know?” she added. “This very social media world is where they exist and where they live and that will be a very big part of their life and their reality.”
“I just don’t want it to be on my account so we try to engage in a way that feels authentic, but also just not, you know, blasting them all over the place and no disrespect to anybody who feels comfortable doing that. That’s just our family choice.”
Though Silas and Phineas have made appearances on their parents’ social media platforms, Biel and Timberlake do not show their sons’ faces. While speaking with InStyle, Biel explained that she and Timberlake often face a dilemma when it comes to how much their children should be in the public eye.
“It’s a tricky one, a tricky balance. We do really try hard not to expose them in a way that they’re not comfortable with,” she said.
Silas made a rare public appearance last August when he accompanied Biel to the US Open tennis tournament in Queens, New York. Biel told InStyle that she had a conversation with Silas ahead of the event to gauge whether he was prepared for the inevitable media attention.
“My son was 9 at the time, and he’s a huge tennis fan — that’s his sport, that’s what he plays,” she said. “We had this opportunity, and we talked about it. We talked about photographers. You know, ‘Are you comfortable with that?’ He can’t make these decisions on his own, but at this point, we can at least discuss what’s his opinion around it.”
Biel explained why she ultimately decided to go through with the outing, telling InStyle, “You really want to give your kids every experience.”
“I don’t know if it was the right decision, to be honest with you, but he and I had a good time,” she added. ‘It’s scary every time. But it’s also their life. And so it’s this really tricky, tricky thing to figure out, what’s appropriate.”
Biel noted that she and Timberlake are also ambivalent over whether they should encourage Silas’ natural talent and interest in acting. “If he was a kid actor, he’d probably work all the time,” she said.
However, Biel told InStyle she would prefer that Silas wait until he is older to decide whether he wanted to follow in his parents’ footsteps.
“‘And when you’re 18 years old, you want to be professional? Have at it. That’s your choice.’ That’s what I would like to hold on to, if possible, for him, you know?” she said.
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Revolutionary War ship found at Ground Zero finally headed to museum after years
A lost Revolutionary War-era ship that was unearthed at the site of the World Trade Center will finally be exhibited in a museum over a decade after it was found.
The New York State Museum announced in a mid-May press release that the ship will be housed in its Albany headquarters. The 18th-century vessel was found during an excavation of Ground Zero in July 2010.
But details about the boat have perplexed historians until now – just in time for America’s 250th anniversary.
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With help from Texas A&M University historical preservationists, experts have been working for 14 years to gather facts about the ship while preserving it carefully.
The ship, which measures 50 feet long and 18 feet wide, has been identified as a “rare” American-built gunboat.
The vessel was likely built in the Philadelphia area in the 1770s.
It was used during the Revolutionary War but was decommissioned after roughly two decades.
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“[B]y the 1790s, the ship was out of commission and repurposed as landfill to expand New York City, ultimately ending up beneath what would become the World Trade Center,” the New York State Museum said.
“Today, it stands as one of the few American-built Revolutionary War ships to be identified, studied and preserved in New York State.”
In total, 600 pieces of wood and roughly 2,000 artifacts were found at the site, including musketballs.
After years of carefully preserving each piece of wood and artifact, the preservation team began the process of reconstructing the vessel at the New York State Museum on May 14.
In a statement, New York State Historian Devin Lander said the exhibit is “history in its rawest, most thrilling form.”
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“We’re not just unveiling a ship – we’re resurrecting a lost relic of the American Revolution, right before your eyes,” Lander said.
“New York stood at the epicenter of our fight for freedom, and this gunboat is a physical reminder of that courage and grit.”
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The historian added, “To watch it rise again, plank by plank, is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to witness the intersection of archaeology, storytelling and national identity.”
US Army to introduce rigorous new Army Fitness Test — could you pass it?
“Army Strong” is more than just a tagline — for soldiers, it’s a requirement for duty.
The U.S. Army requires that all active-duty soldiers prove their physical prowess by passing a rigorous fitness test. There have been multiple versions of the test over the years — and the Army recently announced that a new version has been adopted.
On June 1, 2025, the military branch will roll out its new Army Fitness Test (AFT) as a replacement for the current Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT).
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The new test — based on “18 months of data analysis and feedback from thousands of test iterations” — will introduce updated scoring standards that emphasize “readiness and combat effectiveness,” according to an Army press release.
Soldiers will have until Jan. 1, 2026, to meet the new AFT requirements without facing “adverse actions.”
AFT scores are recorded during basic training for soldiers and initial training for officers, the Army states on its website.
Active-duty soldiers are required to complete the test twice a year, while soldiers in the Army Reserve and Army National Guard must record scores once a year.
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“The AFT is designed to improve soldier readiness and ensure physical standards [and] prepare soldiers for the demands of modern warfare,” said Sgt. Maj. Christopher Mullinax, senior enlisted leader, deputy chief of staff for Operations, Army Headquarters, in the release.
“It emphasizes holistic fitness over event-specific training and is grounded in performance.”
“The AFT is designed to improve soldier readiness and ensure physical standards [and] prepare soldiers for the demands of modern warfare.”
Scoring requirements are more demanding for the new test, with soldiers in combat roles held to the highest standards.
“Combat standards are sex-neutral for the 21 direct combat roles, a change designed to ensure fairness and operational readiness,” the release states.
5 components of the test
The AFT consists of the following five events, as described on the Army’s website.
1. Three-repetition maximum deadlift
In this challenge, the soldier must lift the maximum weight possible three times using a 60-pound hex bar and plates.
This move assesses muscular strength, balance and flexibility.
“Deadlifts require a person to recruit glute and hamstring strength in order to lift a barbell off the ground to waist height,” said Miles Hill, a certified personal trainer and boxing instructor at Rumble in New York City. “It is the most effective technique for picking heavy weights off the ground.”
The deadlift can also be dangerous for civilians if they use improper form, warned Dr. Hooman Melamed, an orthopedic spine surgeon and sport medicine expert from Beverly Hills.
“It’s doable — but only with smart, progressive training.”
“If your posture or form is off, the risk to your lower back and hips is high — it could be a career-ending injury for some,” he told Fox News Digital.
2. Hand-release push-up
The soldier must complete as many hand-release push-ups as possible in two minutes, using proper technique.
“Hand release push-ups require a person to drop all the way to the ground, lift their hands in the air for a second, and then push themselves back up to high plank,” said Hill, who is also a second-degree black belt in Taekwondo.
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Melamed noted that while hand-release push-ups are great for building upper body strength, if the person is not already strong, the sudden force can damage the shoulders.
The hand-release push-up tests muscular endurance and flexibility.
3. Sprint-drag-carry
With the sprint-drag-carry (SDC), the soldier is tasked with completing five 50-meter shuttles (sprint, drag, lateral, carry, sprint) as quickly as possible, using two 40-pound kettlebells and a 90-pound sled.
“The sprint-drag-carry is probably the toughest sequence here, since it requires explosive strength, muscular endurance and cardiovascular endurance,” Hill said.
Melamed calls the SDC a “brutal test of speed and explosive power.”
“If you’re not conditioned, tearing a hamstring or pulling something mid-run can happen,” he said.
4. Plank
The soldier must maintain a proper plank position for as long as possible, testing muscular endurance and balance.
“A plank is an ultimate test of core strength and endurance, as it requires a person to hold their body weight for as long as they can,” said Hill. “It can be challenging, but it is the time requirement that determines the challenge.”
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Melamed noted that while this move looks simple, holding a proper plank for time is extremely challenging. “It exposes weaknesses in the back, core and shoulder girdle.”
5. Two-mile run
The soldier must complete a timed two-mile run on a flat outdoor course in a test of aerobic endurance.
“Two-mile runs are relatively easy for any able-bodied human — however, the time constraints are what make it challenging,” Hill said.
The standing power throw event, which was part of the previous version of the test, is no longer included as a requirement.
“We eliminated the standing power throw because it wasn’t effectively promoting fitness and readiness as well as we would like,” Mullinax said.
“Furthermore, it presented an elevated risk of overuse injury and encouraged soldiers to focus on technique rather than demonstrating true power.”
How tough is it?
The toughness of a workout or fitness test is relative to the overall fitness of an individual, according to Dr. Jason Perry, M.D., primary care sports medicine physician with Baptist Health Orthopedic Care in Deerfield Beach, Florida.
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“Generally speaking, the AFT is challenging, but not impossible for the average person with a basic fitness foundation,” Perry, who is unaffiliated with the Army, told Fox News Digital.
“It’s designed to test full-body strength, muscular endurance, speed, agility and cardiovascular stamina — all elements essential for combat readiness, but also relevant to functional fitness for civilians.”
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Compared to a typical gym workout, the AFT is more demanding because it combines different physical domains into one test, he said.
“Compared to elite athletic training, it’s moderate — but not easy,” Perry added.
For civilians who regularly strength train, run or do functional workouts (like CrossFit or HIIT), this test is well within reach, he said.
For a civilian who exercises three to four times a week, the AFT is “realistically achievable” with focused training over an eight- to 12-week period.
“About 30 to 50% of healthy, recreationally active adults could likely pass it with little to moderate training,” he predicted. “Sedentary adults or those with chronic conditions would have a harder time and would likely need a focused eight- to 12-week (or possibly longer) conditioning plan to pass.”
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Melamed wasn’t quite as optimistic, estimating that less than 5% of civilians could pass the AFT.
“If you try this unprepared, you could get seriously hurt.”
“These aren’t weekend-warrior workouts — this is military-level conditioning,” he told Fox News Digital. “You have to work your way up to this level of intensity training.”
The expert also noted that there is a mental component to the test, but said mindset alone isn’t enough.
“If you try this unprepared, you could get seriously hurt,” he cautioned. “It’s doable — but only with smart, progressive training. You have to work up to it gradually.”
“And this test is as much about strategy and recovery as it is about raw strength.”
Cold sore treatment linked to lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s, new study suggests
Cold sores may play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study published in BMJ Open.
Researchers examined 344,628 “case-control pairs.” The pairs were matched in age, sex, geographical region and number of healthcare visits — but one had Alzheimer’s disease and one did not.
Of the groups studied, 1,507 people with Alzheimer’s also had herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), which is the most common cause of cold sores. Only 823 people in the control group had HSV-1.
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Among these 2,330 people, 40% used anti-herpetic medication following their diagnosis.
Those who were treated for the virus were 17% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those who didn’t use the treatments, the study found.
The risk of developing this form of dementia is known to rise with age. However, the chance of an HSV-1 diagnosis was 80% higher in those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, according to the research.
Less commonly, cold sores can be caused by herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2).
ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE COULD BE PREVENTED BY ANTIVIRAL DRUG ALREADY ON MARKET
The analysis places “an even greater emphasis on viewing the prevention of herpes viruses as a public health priority,” the researchers said in a press release.
Overall, women made up 65% of the Alzheimer’s cases. Their average age was 73, and they tended to have more co-existing conditions, which were all risk factors.
The study also observed the potential role of other herpes viruses, some of which were associated with an elevated risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
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The specific connection between viruses like HSV-1 and heightened dementia risk isn’t clear, the researchers noted.
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“However, studies have shown that inflammatory alterations in the brain caused by HSV infection are pivotal in [Alzheimer’s disease] development,” they said in the release.
Treatment with anti-viral therapy seems to lower the risk of Alzheimer’s, “suggesting that HSV-1 treatment may be protective,” the study says.
“There’s no cure for cold sores, but treatment can help manage outbreaks,” according to Mayo Clinic.
“Prescription antiviral medicine or creams can help sores heal more quickly. And they may make future outbreaks happen less often and be shorter and less serious.”
Potential limitations
There were some limitations in the study, the researchers acknowledged.
“Due to limited data history, HSV-1 infections prior to the patient’s database entry were not included in the analysis, and it is possible that some overlap exists between HSV-1 and HSV-2 diagnoses,” the researchers noted.
“Additionally, many individuals with HSV-1 infection are asymptomatic, and others may not seek medical care during recurrences and are therefore not clinically diagnosed and recorded in the database.”
While an estimated two-thirds of people under 50 are infected with HSV-1, data on symptomatic infections is limited, “as manifestations can be mild or unnoticed,” the researchers added.
Under-diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease could also skew the results.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers and other doctors for comment.
Third accomplice charged with aiding fugitive in Orleans Parish jail escape
A third alleged accomplice has been arrested in connection with the escape of one of ten inmates from the Orleans Parish Correctional Facility, according to Louisiana State Police.
Connie Weeden, 59, is believed to have assisted the fugitives and was taken into custody following an investigation that revealed she was in contact via phone with escapee Jermaine Donald – both before and after the escape. Donald remains at large.
Authorities say Weeden gave cash to Donald via a “cell phone app.” She has been charged with one felony count of accessory after the fact and booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center.
TWO MORE ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY AIDING NEW ORLEANS JAILBREAK FUGITIVES
“According to Louisiana law, those convicted of accessory after the fact shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars, or imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for not more than five years, or both,” a statement from the LA state police said. “Law enforcement personnel from multiple local, state, and federal agencies will continue to pursue every lead until the remaining fugitives are located. Those who choose to assist or conceal these individuals are violating the law and will be held accountable. Harboring fugitives threatens the safety of our communities and will not be tolerated.”
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Weeden is the third person charged for aiding the escapees since the jailbreak. Cortnie Harris and Corvanntay Baptiste were previously accused of providing support and transportation to other escapees.
The following fugitives are still at large:
- Lenton J. Vanburen Jr., 26, faces charges of illegal carrying of weapons, possession of a firearm or weapon by a felon, obstruction of justice, and introducing contraband in prison.
- Jermaine Donald, 42, faces charges of second-degree murder, aggravated battery, possession of a firearm or weapon by a felon, and obstruction of justice.
- Antoine Massey, 32, faces charges of domestic abuse involving strangulation, theft of a motor vehicle, and a parole violation.
- Derrick Groves, 27, faces three counts of attempted second-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, and battery of a correctional facility employee.
- Leo O. Tate Sr., 31, faces charges of simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling, possession of a firearm or weapon by a felon, illegal carrying of a weapon, motor vehicle theft, and multiple drug counts.
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Authorities have reminded the public that these individuals are considered armed and dangerous.