Popular band draws strong reaction after singer raises Palestinian flag on stage
Rock band Imagine Dragons set social media ablaze after lead singer Dan Reynolds waved a Palestinian flag on stage during a concert in Milan, Italy on Tuesday.
Video clips of Reynolds picking up a Palestinian flag and waving it before draping it across his shoulders at the concert’s end racked up millions of views and drew mixed reactions on social media.
The band’s frontman also kissed the flag and threw it back into the crowd.
Palestinians on social media praised the band for its support. One post that reached over one million views applauded the “powerful gesture.”
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“Very nice to see more people showing support,” another pro-Palestinian account posted.
Liberals also applauded the band for appearing to take a political stand while they poked fun at the band over their dislike of their music.
“Omg Radiohead has now been lapped by IMAGINE DRAGONS?!?” Stand-up comedian Matt Lieb wrote in a post that reached over two million views.
Lieb was referring to the band Radiohead telling off an anti-Israel heckler during a show last October.
“Imagine Dragons are now on the very short list of respectable celebs,” another person praised.
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But Jewish fans of the band and pro-Israel commentators expressed their disappointment and outrage.
“It looks like the band ‘Imagine Dragons’ supports terrorism,” ACT for America Chairman Brigitte Gabriel wrote.
“You know it’s moments like these where I genuinely don’t know what to do with myself anymore… I actually really liked Imagine Dragons, But now it seems they genuinely hate my people,” one Jewish fan posted, adding, “It’s disgusting how people still view Palestine as a moral virtue when it’s all a myth.”
One popular post by a Jewish woman who says her grandparents were Holocaust survivors accused the band of “waving their solidarity with terrorists.”
“They’re calling for ‘gay rights’ and ‘Free Palestine,’” her post continued.
“Essentially, they just called for the deaths of all gay people — and their music career. Goodnight, Imagine Dragons.”
The band is outspoken about its support for the LGBTQ community and Reynolds waved “Progress Pride” flags at previous shows.
During the Milan concert, Reynolds also waved a Ukrainian flag.
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Representatives of Imagine Dragons did not immediately return a request for comment.
The band faced blowback for playing in Israel in August 2023, before the October 7 Hamas terror attacks.
During a July 2024 interview with Rolling Stone, Reynolds said he didn’t have any regrets about playing shows in Israel and in Azerbaijan.
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“I don’t believe in depriving our fans who want to see us play because of the acts of their leaders and their governments. I think that’s a really slippery slope. I think the second you start to do that, there’s corrupt leaders and warmongers all over the world, and where do you draw the line?” Reynolds told the outlet.
Former first lady Michelle Obama draws criticism over reproductive health remarks
Former First Lady Michelle Obama is facing backlash after saying that creating life is “the least” of what a woman’s reproductive system does.
On the latest episode of the podcast “IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson,” the former first lady and her brother were joined by OB/GYN Dr. Sharon Malone, whose husband, Eric Holder, served as Attorney General under former President Barack Obama. During the discussion, the former first lady lamented that women’s reproductive health “has been reduced to the question of choice.”
“I attempted to make the argument on the campaign trail this past election was that there’s just so much more at stake and because so many men have no idea about what women go through,” Obama said. She went on to claim that the lack of research on women’s health shapes male leaders’ perceptions of the issue of abortion.
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“Women’s reproductive health is about our life. It’s about this whole complicated reproductive system that the least of what it does is produce life,” Obama added, “It’s a very important thing that it does, but you only produce life if the machine that’s producing it — if you want to whittle us down to a machine — is functioning in a healthy, streamlined kind of way.”
In the same episode, the former first lady seemed to scold Republican men by saying that the men who “sit on their hands” over abortion are choosing to “trade out women’s health for a tax break or whatever it is.” Obama also criticized Republican women, suggesting they voted for President Donald Trump because of their husbands.
“There are a lot of men who have big chairs at their tables, there are a lot of women who vote the way their man is going to vote, it happened in this election.”
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The “Becoming” author’s remarks drew criticism from pro-life activists, including Danielle D’Souza Gill, the wife of Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas. The couple announced the birth of their second child earlier in May.
“Motherhood is the most beautiful and powerful gift God gave women. Creating life isn’t a side effect, it’s a miracle. Don’t let the Left cheapen it,” D’Souza Gill wrote in a post on X.
Isabel Brown, a content creator and author, also slammed the former first lady as a “supposed feminist icon.”
“I am SO sick [and] tired of celebrities [and] elitists attempting to convince you that your miraculous superpower ability to GROW LIFE from nothing is somehow demeaning [and] ‘lesser than’ for women,” Brown wrote.
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At the time of this writing, Obama’s podcast is ranked 51 on Apple Podcasts and doesn’t appear on the list of the top 100 podcasts on Spotify. However, it is ranked 91 on the list of 100 trending podcasts on Spotify. The entire episode with Malone is available on YouTube, where it currently has just under 41,150 views so far.
Musk’s sweeping State Department reforms will remain despite his departure
Elon Musk may no longer be the top dog at DOGE, but his reforms at the State Department will remain permanently in place, a senior agency official told Fox News Digital Thursday.
As Musk’s 130-day mandate as a “special government employee” comes to an end, the billionaire entrepreneur announced his departure from DOGE in a post on his social media platform X, formerly Twitter, Wednesday night.
During Musk’s time as the head of DOGE, he helped usher in big reforms at the State Department, which included an effective dismantlement of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), staff reductions, and the cancellation of various foreign aid programs due to lack of oversight, inefficiency, and other reasons.
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The indication that Musk’s DOGE-related work at the State Department will continue was reinforced by a new reorganization effort at the Department of State announced by Secretary Marco Rubio on Thursday. The new reorganization plans are expected to cut or consolidate more than 300 of the State Department’s offices and bureaus as part of a massive overhaul aimed at streamlining the department, according to agency officials.
The agency currently has about 700 offices, meaning the reorganization effort will slash, or join, more than 40% of its offices.
“We have too many godd— offices,” a senior State Department official told Fox News Digital. “We’re trying to shrink offices rather than create them.”
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The State Department submitted a notice to Congress Thursday disclosing plans for the reorganization overhaul, which senior State Department officials said will be the largest restructuring for the agency since the Cold War.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt added Thursday that many DOGE employees will remain part of the Trump administration, despite Musk winding down his work.
“Surely the mission of Doge will continue,” Leavitt told reporters Thursday. “Many Doge employees are now political employees.”
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One of Musk’s DOGE associates, Jeremy Lewin, has recently been tapped for a top role within the State Department. In April, he was placed at State for a different role. For his part, Lewin, however, disputes that he ever did any direct work for Musk’s DOGE.
‘The View’ erupts as Behar knocks Dems’ $20M men study as ‘waste of money’
Co-hosts of ABC’s “The View” on Friday feuded over how the Democratic Party should change its game plan after losing male voters.
After their decisive defeat in November, Democrats are still figuring out how they should change their strategy and move forward as a party. The New York Times recently published a report claiming that Democrats are spending $20 million on a study called “Speaking with American Men: A Strategic Plan.” The study is a project to “study the syntax, language and content that gains attention and virality in these spaces” of male voters.
Co-host Joy Behar scoffed at the idea, deriding it as “20 million bucks just to talk to boys.”
“You know what I think? I think it’s a waste of money. Maybe these guys should spend their money on teaching men to not be such sexists,” Behar said, as the audience applauded.
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“But the stats don’t bear that out,” co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin said, arguing that Trump has done better with multiple demographics across races and sexes than his Republican predecessors did.
Behar suggested this was merely because he was “running against a woman.”
“You think Democrats that were with Biden in 2020 left to be with Trump because they’re sexist?” Griffin asked.
“I don’t know the reason, but it’s very suspicious,” Behar replied.
Other co-hosts argued that Democrats have indeed alienated male voters.
Griffin mocked the idea of appealing to authenticity by hiring analysts and strategists to analyze how men speak, suggesting instead, “What made Joe Rogan or Theo Von or some of these manosphere guys huge was there’s a level of authenticity.”
Meanwhile, she noted Democrats not only have an “authenticity problem” but recalled that “Joe Rogan was a Bernie Bro. Democrats lost him. They had their own Joe Rogan and then alienated him with policies.”
She added that men want to be able to speak about the issues they face as a group, particularly the phenomenon of men falling behind, without being accused of sexism or excluding women.
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Haines brought up the appeal of both Trump and the manosphere. “What drove people to this manosphere was people were saying, ‘It’s okay to be a man, you have value.’ I think the language around men with ‘toxic masculinity’ were sometimes misunderstood to make men the problem.”
US Ambassador Huckabee offers Macron advice on his push for a Palestinian state
EXCLUSIVE – The United States will not participate in a conference next month in New York City hosted by France and Saudi Arabia aimed at promoting the recognition of a Palestinian state, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview in Jerusalem earlier this week.
“It’s incredibly inappropriate in the midst of a war that Israel is dealing with to go out and present something that I think increasingly Israelis are steadfast against.
“Oct. 7 changed a lot of things. If France is really so determined to see a Palestinian state, I have a suggestion for them–carve out a piece of the French Riviera and create a Palestinian state. They are welcome to do that, but they are not welcome to impose that kind of pressure on a sovereign nation. And I find it revolting that they think they have the right to do such a thing.
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“I hope they will reconsider but the U.S. will not participate. It simply will not be a part of such a ruse,” he added.
Huckabee, commenting on recently reported tensions between the two close allies, noted there may be disagreements between the Trump administration and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, but there should be no fear of a rupture in bilateral ties.
“I don’t think pro-Israel Americans need to be concerned that there’s some rift between the United States and Israel. Are there sometimes differences of opinion on the next steps in the war in Gaza, getting the hostages home, or maybe to avoid an all-out war with Iran? Of course, that’s natural,” he said.
“But as far as the relationship between Israel and the U.S., that is not in any way at risk, nor is it in any way splintered or fractured. It’s solid, it has to be. We don’t have a choice. It’s critically important that the United States maintains its partnership—and I use that word very deliberately—it’s not a friendship, it’s not an alliance, it’s a partnership, which means we are yoked together in our intelligence sharing, military — so many ways in which our nations are linked inseparably.”
On talks between Washington and Tehran, the ambassador described the Islamic Republic as “one of the if not the greatest, threats to world peace,” warning that it poses a serious and immediate existential threat not only to Israel, but also to several Gulf nations and ultimately to the United States.
“The Iranians have said Israel is the ‘Little Satan,’ but America is the ‘Great Satan.’ They’ve always treated Israel as the appetizer and the United States as the entrée,” he said. “It’s just important when people tell you over and over for 46 years they plan to kill you, you might want to start taking them seriously.”
Nevertheless, Huckabee expressed hope that ongoing nuclear negotiations between the two nations would be successful and avoid any kind of military conflict.
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“But when diplomacy fails, the soldiers show up,” he said.
“I find it hard to believe the Iranians, after all these years of pushing towards a nuclear device that is weaponized, would suddenly come to their senses and say we’ve changed. We don’t want that anymore, but let’s hope they do. But if they don’t, the president has been incredibly clear that Iran is not going to have a nuclear weapon.”
On Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip, he emphasized that the suffering could end immediately—if Hamas chooses to act.
“All of us are hoping and praying that Hamas will finally give up all the hostages and release them, and then they will depart Gaza for good. If they do these two things, this is over,” he said. “It could have been over on Oct. 8, 2023; it should have been. What they did was unthinkable, horrific, heinous, uncivilized, savage behavior.”
He noted that President Donald Trump has repeatedly insisted that Hamas has no future in Gaza. “They can’t rule it, they can’t stay,” said Huckabee.
“Israel has been clear that they are willing to put them on airplanes and fly them out in exile, they have a way out, but they don’t have a way in. They have to go, and all hostages living and dead have to be returned,” he added.
Huckabee expressed hope that this would happen immediately.
Speaking to Fox News Digital on Thursday, he said of the hostages, “This pin that I wear on my lapel—one of the happiest days of my life will be when I can take this pin off and permanently put it away, never to wear it again, because that means all of the hostages have come home,” he said.
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He also expressed confidence in the prospect of expanding the Abraham Accords, forged during Trump’s first term, which normalized relations between Israel and four Arab states: the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco.
While not naming new countries considering joining, Huckabee said, “There are a number of nations that now realize that having enmity with Israel is meaningless,” he said. “It is a delicate path for some countries; they can’t go faster than their people are willing to go and accept … but there is a great atmosphere and possibility that we will see some dramatic changes and big additions to the Abraham Accords.”
Peyton Manning’s errant tee shot hits home in amusing scene for PGA Tour star
NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning was a source of entertainment for reigning PGA Championship winner Scottie Scheffler when the two partnered up for the 2025 Memorial Tournament Pro-Am this week.
The two were all smiles as they walked the course at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin. Ohio on Wednesday, but it was Manning who was the subject of Scheffler’s amusement after the Indianapolis Colts great took a wild shot that resulted in potentially some damage for one homeowner.
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Video shared on social media showed Manning yelling, “Fore!” several times after one of his tee shots. Almost immediately after the sound of the ball hitting something could be heard. The ball reportedly made contact with a house.
The camera then pans over to Scheffler, who leans over in laughter.
“Good morning, sir,” he quipped. “That’s too much.”
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Former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning didn’t miss an opportunity to highlight his brother’s errant shot, and shared the video on X.
“I’m so proud,” he said in the post.
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Scheffler is the defending champion at the Memorial and is attempting to join Tiger Woods as the only repeat winners at Muirfield Village. He entered the third round on Saturday in fourth place, three strokes behind leader Nick Taylor.
Celebrity-owned cannabis shop looted by burglars in brazen smash-and-grab
The Woods WeHo, a cannabis dispensary and lounge co-owned by Woody Harrelson, Bill Maher and John McEnroe, was targeted in a smash-and-grab burglary.
On Saturday, May 17, around 4:30 a.m., surveillance footage, shared by Elliot Lewis, the founder and CEO of Catalyst Cannabis, on Instagram captured five masked individuals smashing through the glass entrance of the West Hollywood, California, store.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed with Fox News Digital that the hooded burglars stole approximately $2,000 to $3,000 worth of merchandise from the cannabis storefront before fleeing.
“Does nobody care about the people trying to build something up and they seem to only care about those trying to destroy,” Lewis wrote in the caption of the video. “Make it make sense. Please bring back some common sense.”
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The following night, the same group attempted to burglarize ERBA Markets, another dispensary partially owned by the same group, police said. The group of five suspects were confronted by an armed security guard who opened fire, prompting the suspects to flee without stealing anything.
“Shots fired! Shot fired! Shots fired! That’s the only way to defend what’s yours in the city of L.A.,” Lewis said in an Instagram reel. “Years of bad policy have led us to this. There have to be consequences for the Jack Boys. Somebody is going to get hurt. Somebody is going to get killed. Let’s get some common sense and bring back some deterrents.”
The sheriff’s department said that the five suspects were wearing similar clothing and had similar stature.
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The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is investigating both incidents, and the suspects remain at large.
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As of now, neither Harrelson nor Maher has publicly commented on the burglaries. Fox News Digital reached out to the Woods WeHo.
College basketball player Jamarion Brown shot and killed at Texas pool party
A Division II basketball player is dead after he was shot in the head at a pool party.
Henderson State’s Jamarion Brown was killed last week at the age of 23 in an incident that left two others injured, according to the Camp County Sheriff’s Office.
“It is with deep sadness that Henderson State Athletics mourns the death of junior men’s basketball student-athlete Jamarion Brown,” the university said in an online statement. “‘Jo’ spent just one season in Arkadelphia, but his impact on our campus was profound.”
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“No words can express our sadness for Jamarion’s family, friends, and teammates,” added head coach Jimmy Elgas. “Jo’s impact was felt not only on the basketball court, but throughout the fabric of Henderson State University, and we all grieve together. His loss leaves a tremendous void on our campus, but Jo will be remembered and honored in our hearts forever.”
KLTV reported that authorities responded to a pool party in Camp County in Texas after multiple calls reported a shooting. Henderson was found seriously injured, while the others who were injured had gunshot wounds that were not life-threatening.
A helicopter arrived on the scene, but Brown was too injured to be flown away immediately. He was brought to a nearby hospital, then flown to another in Tyler, where he was pronounced dead.
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The Camp County Sheriff’s Office arrested Onterrian Jamour Newton, 17, earlier this week in connection to the deadly shooting. He faces a murder charge and other additional pending charges, law enforcement said.
“He was a shining light to all who knew him, remembered for his warm spirit, deep commitment to family, and passion for basketball,” an obituary for Brown read.
“Basketball was one of Jamarion’s greatest passions, a game he played with heart, discipline, and joy. His other passion was family – the center of his life and the source of his strength. Whether on or off the court, Jamarion’s kindness, determination, and dedication were evident in everything that he did. . . .
“Though his time with us was far too short, Jamarion’s life was filled with purpose and love. He leaves behind countless cherished memories, and a lasting impact on all who had the privilege of knowing him.”
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Brown averaged 6.5 points and 3.6 rebounds this past season. It was his first year with the Reddies after he spent two years at Southwestern Christian College.