Millions under alert as historic winter storm charges across US unleashing heavy snow, ice

Spanberger faces GOP firestorm over future of historic military college

Virginia Democrats in the state’s House of Delegates introduced a resolution on Tuesday that would establish a task force to investigate the Virginia Military Institute and determine if the historic military college should continue to receive funding. 

The move is the latest of Virginia Democrats’ efforts to reinvigorate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policy in the state after much of the DEI mandates and policies were revoked after President Donald Trump was elected in 2024.

“This takes away from VMI, takes away from its mission,” Virginia Republican Congressman Rob Wittman told Fox News Digital. “I think that it’s harmful to the Commonwealth of Virginia, harmful to VMI as an institution, harmful to all the incredible military leaders and community leaders that have come out of VMI.”

“It’s just reprehensible that they would even go down this road,” Wittman added. “But, it seems to be what’s happening in Richmond.”

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Wittman, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, represents the Northern Neck, Middle Peninsula and parts of the Peninsula of Virginia. He attended Virginia Tech University and was a member of the core of cadets, which he says had a friendly rivalry with VMI. 

VMI was founded in 1839, making it the oldest public senior military college in the country. VMI has had several notable graduates, including sitting Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, and Lt. Gen. John “Dan” Caine, Trump’s Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. 

Wittman was not the only member of Congress who voiced concerns about the potential Democratic-driven demise of the nation’s first state-funded military college.

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Congressman Pat Fallon, R-TX, also serves on the House Armed Services Committee and pointed to newly elected Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger as the culprit of the threat to VMI.

“Less than a month in office as governor of Virginia, Abigail Spanberger has shown a commitment to turning the commonwealth into California,” Fallon told Fox News Digital. “The left’s renewed focus on VMI is not intended to benefit our military.

“Instead, it’s yet another avenue to tear down an institution that has developed exceptional leaders and statesmen who have made significant contributions to our nation, such as George C. Marshall, Mike Waltz, and the current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, whom I had the privilege of serving with in the Air Force,” Fallon added.

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In 2021, then-Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam ordered a state-sanctioned investigation into VMI’s DEI structure. An investigation which specifically looked for racism and sexism. The audit came in President Joe Biden’s first full year in the White House, when DEI policies were running rampant at universities and corporations across the country. 

One of Spanberger’s first acts since being elected was appointing Northam to VMI’s Board of Visitors.

“To appoint disgraced former Governor Ralph Northam, a man of poor moral character, to the Board of Visitors at VMI is an insult to our nation’s oldest state-supported military school and the leaders it produces,” Fallon told Fox News Digital. “He has no business overseeing VMI, and leftists like Spanberger can’t help themselves from advancing their radical, far-left agenda.”

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Spanberger has received sharp criticism for many of the liberal policies she has implemented in her short time in office, including an executive saying local and state law enforcement are no longer required to cooperate with ICE, a reversal from a previous order issued by former Republican governor Glenn Youngkin.

“Screw any and all of you who lied to low-information voters and sold Abigail Spanberger as some kind of moderate,” Meghan McCain, the daughter of the late U.S. Sen. John McCain, posted to social media. “She’s been in office like 6 hours and is already trying to turn Virginia into Minneapolis.”

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Should the legislation introduced in the Virginia House of Delegates make it to Spanberger’s desk, it is possible that the military institution will not survive if state funding is revoked. 

“There is no logic, there is no logical reason why you would do this,” Wittman told Fox. “If you have issues with VMI, many of those have played out in years past, the institution has done everything that the General Assembly has asked for them to do.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger, but did not receive a response in time for publication. 

Mayor moves to scrap snow days as doctors stress health benefits

Ahead of a significant winter storm forecast to impact much of the country throughout the weekend, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced there will not be traditional snow days for kids. 

The storm is expected to reach the city on Sunday and continue into Monday, bringing as much as 8 to 12 inches of snow and frigid temperatures.

At a weather briefing press conference Friday, Mamdani said the final decision between in-person and remote learning will be announced by Sunday at noon. 

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“I have to apologize to the students that were hoping for a different answer for a traditional snow day,” he said. “That will not be the case.”

‘Unplugging’ for mental health

Following Mamdani’s controversial announcement, doctors weighed in on the decision, pointing out that snow days can be beneficial for kids. 

“From a mental health standpoint, the old-school, unplugged snow day is actually very healthy for kids,” Jonathan Alpert, a New York City and Washington, D.C.-based psychotherapist and author, told Fox News Digital. “Sometimes the healthiest message we can send kids is simple: ‘Today, go outside and have fun.’”

Snow days shouldn’t be seen as “lost time,” Alpert added. They help regulate the nervous system, improve mood and allow kids to return to school more focused and refreshed. 

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The time spent outdoors being physically active can also be beneficial, he noted.

“An occasional snow day gives kids something they rarely get now: old-fashioned outdoor fun,” he said. “Sledding, snowballs, building forts … no screens, no Zoom links, no pressure to stay productive.”

“Children don’t need more screen time,” he added. “They need movement, fresh air, unstructured play and permission to unplug.” 

Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel echoed the benefits of having a full day off with no obligations.

“I love the idea of an old-fashioned snow day for mental and physical health — for kids to play out in the snow, build a snowman with a carrot nose, to commingle and socialize, and to have harmless snowball fights,” he said.

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Kathryn L. Jones, M.D., Ph.D., a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU in Richmond, Virginia, also supports snow days as a way to help kids slow down and rediscover play. 

“Children don’t need more screen time. They need movement, fresh air, unstructured play and permission to unplug.” 

“Children and teens are so highly programmed with extracurriculars — and even when they have free time, often seek relaxation and restoration online, whether in playing video games or engaging with the wide variety of social media apps at their disposal,” she told Fox News Digital.

“With so much external and internal pressure to grow up faster, we end up with kids who become adults who have forgotten how to play,” Jones went on. “There is such a kinesthetic pleasure in playing outside in the snow, to notice textures, temperatures, all senses activated and engaged.” 

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Jones suggested the snow day doesn’t get the “respect and grace” it deserves. 

“For the lessons learned about nature, the world around us and our own internal landscapes, the snow day is worthwhile.”

Virtual learning pros and cons

Alpert pointed out that Zoom-based learning was found to be ineffective during the COVID pandemic. 

“We already ran the experiment of replacing real life with remote learning during the pandemic, and the results were clear,” Alpert said. 

“Zoom school doesn’t function as true learning or true rest. It keeps kids mentally ‘on’ without giving them structure or recovery, which is exactly where stress and burnout build.”

Jarrod M. Leffler, Ph.D., chief of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychology at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU in Richmond, Virginia, noted that virtual learning can have benefits if implemented well.

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“Pivoting to virtual learning during a snowstorm can provide consistency for the student and limit the potential of adding days onto the school year,” he told Fox News Digital. “For some youth, this may be a positive experience.”

However, if the learning is not well-planned, supported and implemented, the switch to virtual could cause more stress for students and teachers, according to Leffler.

“Also, depending on the intensity of the inclement weather, teachers may be left to manage life stressors not normally requiring attention while teaching, resulting in stress for the teacher, which can impact the learning experience,” he said.

“It is important to not place a high level of learning burden on the student to limit increasing stress and potentially impact emotional and behavioral functioning.”

Tips for a safe, active snow day

For kids who do get the chance to enjoy an unplugged snow day, the doctors offered some simple tips to get the most out of it. 

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“Stay warm, wear hats, gloves and coats — and if you get wet, go inside for a warm shower and a cup of hot chocolate,” Siegel suggested. 

“These are some of my best memories from childhood, along with sledding down ‘dead man’s hill.’”

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If being outdoors isn’t an option due to extreme weather, Leffler suggested that children can engage in indoor activities that are also rewarding, enjoyable and creative.

“It may be helpful for caregivers to help plan and/or offer some options for indoor activities to help reduce potential stress and irritability if the child is required to stay indoors,” he advised.

Texas senator returns to Lone Star State after social media erupts over travel photo

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, returned to the Lone Star State Friday after a photo went viral on social media of him boarding a plane as the state prepares for a potentially historic winter storm.

The senator appeared to poke fun at himself on Friday as online chatter swirled over the past few days about whether he would once again be absent as his constituents hunkered down during a major weather event.

“I’ve returned home from my work trip. It’s 66 degrees & beautiful. A storm is expected tomorrow night,” Cruz wrote in an X post Friday.

“But I am reliably informed by Twitter that if I simply raise up my hand on Texas soil, the storm will turn around & sunshine, rainbows & unicorns will emerge. Let it be,” he continued.

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In 2021, Cruz was slammed for traveling to Cancun, Mexico, with his family the same week that Texas dealt with a winter storm that left millions of people without power and ultimately caused 246 deaths, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Cruz later admitted that the decision was “obviously a mistake.”

His comments Friday came after a photo was posted on X on Tuesday showing Cruz aboard a plane that was reportedly heading to Laguna Beach, California.

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The post quickly went viral, gaining more than 9 million views, with users both defending and blasting the senator.

“I’m noticing a pattern,” one person responded.

A spokesperson for Cruz confirmed to FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth that the senator had left Tuesday on a pre-planned trip, vowing that the senator would return ahead of the inclement weather.

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The winter storm is expected to impact 235 million Americans across 40 states this weekend, according to FOX Weather, and many areas will experience life-threatening cold weather, heavy snow and crippling ice.

State proposal could drop mandatory prison time for rape, manslaughter

A new bill proposed by Democrats in the Virginia state legislature is raising concerns regarding the removal of minimum prison sentences for various violent felony crimes. 

Within days of Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger being sworn in, members of her party introduced a flurry of amendments looking to end mandatory minimum sentences for various crimes within the state. 

According to Jason Miyares, the former Republican attorney general, House Bill 863 includes proposals to effectively eliminate minimum sentencing for manslaughter, rape, possession and distribution of child pornography, assaulting a law enforcement officer and other repeat violent felonies. 

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Additionally, Democrats are also looking to remove the mandatory five-day minimum sentence for certain first-time DUI offenders.

“HB 863 is a common-sense proposal that eliminates the requirement for one-size-fits-all minimum sentences for certain crimes,” Delegate Rae Cousins, who sponsored the bill, said, according to ABC 7. 

“This change would give the experienced judges in our communities more discretion to make decisions based on the unique facts of each case. As the General Assembly session continues, I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this legislation and promote fairer outcomes in our justice system.”

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However, law enforcement experts are pushing back against the bill while expressing concerns about how the possibility of more lenient sentencing could impact victims of violent crimes.

“From a law enforcement standpoint, I think police generally want offenders to be held accountable, and frustration among law enforcement officers grows when individuals are released quickly and subsequently re-offend – and even more so if it involved a violent felony,” law enforcement expert Josh Ederheimer told Fox News Digital. I think that also tracks the thinking of many members of the public.  I think there is more tolerance for flexibility for minor offenses. 

Ederheimer, an assistant professor at the University of Virginia’s Center for Public Safety and Justice and a retired law enforcement officer, went on to explain that police typically understand unique circumstances that can point to a defendant receiving a lesser sentence, but frustration still exists surrounding more serious crimes.

“For violent felonies, however, the biggest practical concern is that the defendant will re-offend, and that the public is not alerted or aware that the defendant has returned to the community. It’s an accountability concern that falls on the shoulders of judges and prosecutors.”

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The proposed bill would allow courts to hand down sentences based on the individual facts of each case, rather than statutory mandates implemented by the state’s government. However, it does not impact maximum penalties in such cases. 

Ederheimer further explained that the bill could have a negative impact on victims and their families regarding accountability for violent offenders. 

“I think that the police and public alike have expectations that convicted criminals will be held accountable, and that full sentences should be served,” Ederheimer said. “Mandatory minimums assure victims – and the community – that a convicted person will serve their sentence.”  

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“It is the circumstance when convicted felons are released early that victims may feel a sense of betrayal or that justice was not served. That’s the dilemma.”

The bill is set to be reviewed by the House and Senate Justice Committees, where it will likely be amended.

However, Ederheimer added that mandatory minimum sentences may not actually encourage violent offenders not to commit crimes, further adding to the complex balance of maintaining justice and community safety. 

“From a law enforcement perspective, I don’t think mandatory minimums serve as a deterrent,” Ederheimer told Fox News Digital. “I think that largely defendants are not focused on repercussions at the time of their offense.”

Arkansas judge removed after secretive murder trial of father who rescued daughter

A travesty of justice is unfolding in Arkansas, but it isn’t too late to stop it.

At 1:12 a.m. on the morning of Oct. 8, 2024, Aaron Spencer and his wife awoke to find their 13-year-old daughter missing from her bed. Spencer’s wife called 911, while Spencer jumped into his vehicle and sped off into the night, desperate to find any trace of his missing child. He hadn’t gone far when he spotted the truck of Michael Fosler, with his daughter inside.

Fosler was no stranger to the Spencers. In July of that year, Fosler allegedly raped Spencer’s daughter, resulting in his indictment for 43 separate counts including sexual assault of a minor, internet stalking of a child, and possession of child pornography. The Lonoke County prosecutors handled the case, with it landing on the desk of Circuit Judge Barbara Elmore. It’s a little unclear who dropped the ball—Lonoke County, Judge Elmore, or some combination of both—but what we know for sure is that this dangerous abuser of children was released from custody on a $5,000 bond, with a no contact order in place to prevent further abuse of Spencer’s daughter. Then Oct. 8 came, and neither the bond nor the no contact order were worth the paper they were printed on.

Spencer’s actions in that moment were nothing short of heroic. He ran Fosler’s truck off the road, and firearm in hand, ordered him to release his daughter. Instead, Fosler fought back, and the struggle ended with Spencer emptying his firearm into Fosler. Spencer then rescued his daughter from the truck and called 911.

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Spencer never should have been in this situation. He shouldn’t have had to save his daughter from a monster. But because local elected prosecutors and judges failed him, that was the position he was put in. Astonishingly, the prosecuting attorney not only failed to take any responsibility for what had transpired; he charged Aaron Spencer with second-degree murder. And wouldn’t you know it, the judge on the case was none other than Circuit Judge Barbara Elmore.

Judge Elmore immediately took action to hide this affair from the public eye, dropping a gag order on everyone in any way connected with the case, preventing them, on penalty of contempt of court, from speaking with the press or the public about the case. Gag orders are not that unusual, but this gag order was so expansive and so obtrusive that the Arkansas Supreme Court stepped in and declared it unconstitutional, finding that it “was on its face a plain, manifest, clear, and gross abuse of discretion and in excess of its authority.”

Judge Elmore was undeterred. Despite the constitutional right every defendant has to a public trial, she essentially closed the trial to the public, greatly limiting the seats available to the public, media, and even Spencer’s own defense team. Elmore did this without providing any alternative means of viewing the trial, and without any evidentiary hearing or judicial findings justifying it. For the people of Arkansas, it seemed like the fix was in. The judge who had once failed Aaron Spencer’s daughter was now committed to ensuring that his trial would happen in as close to secrecy as she could muster.

Fortunately, the Arkansas Supreme Court stepped in, again, vacating the judge’s order. But they didn’t stop there. The high court took the extraordinary step of removing Judge Elmore from the case. The unusual remedy showed just how egregious her behavior had become.

This is the first step toward justice, but it shouldn’t be the last. The prosecuting attorney should drop this case altogether.

Not that the prosecution’s behavior up to this point has been indicative of good judgment. Statements from the prosecutors in this case are not only embarrassing; they should trouble the people of Arkansas. Prosecutors suggested that Spencer’s angry comments from July—when he discovered that his daughter had been raped by Fosler—were somehow evidence of his intent in October. Never mind that such anger would be the natural reaction of any father. And never mind that Spencer didn’t hunt down Fosler and murder him in the weeks or even months that followed; he shot him while rescuing his daughter from another kidnapping by Fosler.

Prosecutors also suggested that Spencer should have just called 911 when he saw his daughter in the truck with Fosler. That a father should give up the pursuit of his daughter’s kidnapper and rapist in the hopes that the police could arrive in time to save her is so astonishingly absurd it boggles the mind that any prosecutor charged with protecting and defending citizens and victims of crimes would countenance it.

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But the removal of Judge Elmore and the attendant delay in Spencer’s trial provide an opportunity to end this farce. The local prosecutors should drop this case. The state attorney general should refuse to defend any conviction, in the unlikely event a jury returns one. And the governor should promise to do everything in her power to pardon Spencer, if she must. To do otherwise is to turn justice on its head and to leave every person in Arkansas at the mercy of the predators who would victimize them and their children.

Hispanic GOP candidate predicts pivotal shift in midterm elections

After making historic inroads with Hispanic voters in the last several election cycles, the Republican Party is going all in on winning the Latino vote this midterm election. The party, which currently holds a razor-thin majority in the House of Representatives, is confident that Hispanic voters will help it retain and shape the future of its majority both this November and in the years to come.  

Longtime South Texas Democratic Judge Tano Tijerina told Fox News Digital during an interview that he and Hispanics are ready to buck the Democrats and embrace a “new generation” of political leadership.

Alongside former assistant U.S. attorney Eric Flores and former California mayor Kevin Lincoln, Tijerina is one of three Hispanic Republicans running to unseat Democrats in Congress who have been endorsed by President Donald Trump. There are eight other Hispanic Republicans running in competitive, heavily Latino districts in border states, Texas, New Mexico and California.

If elected, these candidates will join an already influential group of Hispanics in Congress, including Reps. Maria Salazar, R-Fla., Monica De La Cruz, R-Texas, Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., and Gabe Evans, R-Colo.

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Tijerina is running to unseat longtime Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar in a district along the Texas-Mexico border. He said that despite long being a Democratic stronghold, the Biden administration’s mismanagement of the border and prioritization of DEI “really opened up a lot of eyes of the Hispanics down here in South Texas.”

“Being a Democrat after so many years, I’m just sick and tired of seeing all the social issues that the Democrats are [promoting]. And I’m not the only one. That’s why Webb County, that’s why South Texas, voted for Trump plus 10 numbers.”

“We have always been conservative, everybody knows it,” he went on, adding, “Down here in South Texas, the only thing that we care about is good-paying jobs [and] making sure that we’re getting protected.”

Cuellar also counts himself as one of the last “blue dog” conservative Democrats in the House of Representatives. He was highly critical of the Biden administration’s handling of the border and immigration issues. Cuellar has said that it was this stance that led to him being indicted by the Biden Department of Justice on foreign bribery charges. He was later given an unconditional pardon by Trump, who also posited that the charges were politically motivated.  

Though there was much speculation that Cuellar would switch parties after his pardon, he rebuffed those rumors, saying he would remain a blue dog Democrat. Tijerina said that it is just as well because the people of South Texas “deserve somebody that’s actually going to go fight for them and not fight for themselves.”

“[Cuellar] comes around and says, ‘I’m your money guy, I’m the one that brings the money.’ When in all reality, I, as a county judge, know that we’ve gone through commissioner’s court, we’re the ones with the ideas, we’re are the ones that ask for the federal funding, we’re the ones who do the cash match,” said Tijerina.

“Henry’s been for Henry all these years, and it’s very obvious,” he went on. “It’s time for a new generation.”

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In response, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Spokesperson Madison Andrus told Fox News Digital that “during his time in office, Congressman Cuellar has brought billions of dollars back home to South Texas through his powerful position on the House Appropriations Committee.”

Andrus knocked Tijerina for “fighting for a controversial $10 million spending project in Webb County” to purchase property for a new tax office.

“Tano should focus on his own backyard and do his homework on how members bring money back to their districts,” she said.

A national Democratic strategist told Fox News Digital that Tijerina’s assertion that Cuellar has failed to bring money back to the district stems from a “misunderstanding” of how the House appropriations process works.

“Just based on how the House works, Tano will not be able to bring as much money to the district as Cuellar is,” said the strategist, adding, “It is exceedingly rare that a freshman member of Congress gets a seat on the Appropriations Committee. So, Tano would not be able to sit on it, that just wouldn’t happen. And so, that would necessarily lead to a significant decrease in the federal funding that Texas 28 would get.”

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Tijerina, however, is not the only candidate forecasting that the Democrats’ hold on the Hispanic vote is nearing its end.

“For too long, Democrats took South Texas for granted, assuming our votes were virtually guaranteed, while they turned their backs on our values,” said Flores, an Army veteran running as a Republican in the Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Flores asserted that Democrats have “traded the needs of hardworking families for a radical agenda that has left our borders open and our economy in shambles.”

Lest one think this phenomenon is isolated to the Texas border, this sentiment was further echoed by Lincoln, a Marine veteran who is also running in California.

Lincoln told Fox News Digital that Hispanic families in the California Central Valley are “feeling the crushing pressures of the affordability crisis driven by Democrats from Sacramento to Washington who put political ideology ahead of kitchen table issues.”

“Generations of families like mine came to America in pursuit of the American Dream, and the Republican Party is earning their trust by working to restore the affordability and opportunity that allows working families to get ahead again,” said Lincoln.

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Despite this, the Democratic Party is also leaning into the affordability message and remains confident that Hispanic voters will stand by them.

“While Republicans are pushing policies that make everyday life unaffordable, Democrats are focused on lowering costs, creating good-paying jobs, and protecting health care for every American,” DCCC spokesperson Bridget Gonzalez told Fox News Digital.

“Latino voters see through the GOP’s empty, hypocritical rhetoric because they’re living with the consequences of Republican extremism every day,” said Gonzalez, adding, “Republicans can trot out all the talking points they want, but Latino families know who’s actually fighting for them — it’s the Democrats.”

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Meanwhile, National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Christian Martinez told Fox News Digital that “outstanding” candidates like Flores, Lincoln and Tijerina “reflect their communities, understand the challenges working families face, and are stepping up to help grow a House majority focused on opportunity, security, and the American Dream.”

“Republicans aren’t just talking about earning Hispanic voters’ trust, we’re continuing to work and build it,” said Martinez.

Powerful Stone Age canine found with mysterious weapon puzzles researchers

Archaeologists have unearthed an “exceptionally well-preserved” dog skeleton from the Stone Age — laid to rest alongside a 5,000-year-old dagger.

The discovery, announced by Arkeologerna, a Swedish archaeological consultancy, is centered around a site near Järna, southwest of Stockholm.

Arkeologerna worked with its parent organization, Sweden’s National Historical Museums (SHM), during the excavation, which took place ahead of railway construction last fall.

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“Several thousand years ago, the 3,500-square-meter [37,700-square-feet] area looked very different,” the release said.

“At that time, the bog was a shimmering lake used for fishing.”

The dog was “deliberately” deposited with the bone dagger, which officials said was just under 10 inches long and was finely polished. 

It was likely made from elk or red deer bone.

Officials described the dog as a “large and powerful male.” He was between three and six years old when he died.

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Archaeologists believe the dog was placed in a bag or container with stones and deposited about 100 to 130 feet out into the lake.

Linus Hagberg, project manager of the excavation, told Fox News Digital his team is still in the process of analyzing the remains, which they hoped would shed light on when the dog lived and what he ate.

“Dog burials from early Neolithic times are very rare,” said Hagberg. 

“A couple of thousand years earlier, during the Mesolithic, dog burials appear on burial grounds and on settlements, but they were not common in those days either.”

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Researchers believe that the dog’s skull was crushed when it died, as opposed to being crushed during the burial.

The bones survived the millennia because they were deposited in water — and Hagberg described their good condition as “rare as well.”

“The most surprising and unexpected event [of the excavation] was the finding of the deposited dog remains,” he said. “Without a doubt.”

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He also said that, while it’s impossible to describe the dog in terms of modern breeds, the dog was “relatively large, with broad jaws and big teeth.”

The discovery comes less than a year after archaeologists found another well-preserved dog burial from ancient Rome.

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Archaeologist Arne Verbrugge told Fox News Digital that the burial, which was found in Belgium, was preserved “quite well,” thanks to the calcareous sandstone under which it was buried. 

‘The most awkward part of it all’: Beckham wedding DJ reveals what stunned guests

Fans are champing at the bit to see unreleased footage of Victoria Beckham dancing “inappropriately” on her son, Brooklyn Beckham, at his wedding to heiress Nicola Peltz in 2022.

On Monday, Brooklyn shared an explosive, six-page statement to his Instagram story, exposing what led to the rift in the Beckham household. Brooklyn alleged that the night before his wedding, family members told him that Nicola was “not blood” and “not family.”

He said his parents sent his brothers to attack him on social media before they blocked him last summer. Late last year, Brooklyn’s brother Cruz Beckham shared that Brooklyn blocked their entire family on social media.

Brooklyn said Victoria “hijacked” his first dance at his wedding, which was in front of 500 guests at their Palm Beach, Florida nuptials in 2022. He said Marc Anthony called him to the stage at the time when he was scheduled to dance with his wife. Instead, Victoria was waiting for him at the stage for a dance.

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“She danced very inappropriately on me in front of everyone. I’ve never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated in my entire life,” Brooklyn said.

“She danced very inappropriately on me in front of everyone. I’ve never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated in my entire life.” 

— Brooklyn Beckham

Ever since Brooklyn’s statement, fans have been speculating online about the extent of Victoria’s first dance with her son and are hoping a clip of the dance is leaked online.

The DJ at the wedding, DJ Fat Tony, commented on Brooklyn’s claims against his mother on Wednesday, when he posted a video on Instagram of a scene from the TV show “Motherland,” featuring a character doing a TikTok dance at a function with the words “POV: Victoria Beckham during Brooklyn’s first dance” written across the top. 

“Actual video footage it’s true I was there !” he wrote in the caption.

He later doubled down during an appearance on the British talk show, “This Morning,” on Friday, going into full detail on what he witnessed at the reception. 

“There was no slut dropping, there was no PVC cat suit [and] no Spice Girl action,” he explained. “why I said it was inappropriate as well was because at the time. It was the timing.”

• April 2022: Brooklyn Beckham marries Nicola Peltz at her family’s Miami estate. Feud rumors surface after Nicola wears a Valentino gown rather than a Victoria Beckham design, though the family publicly denies any rift.
• April 2025: Speculation shifts to Brooklyn and his brother Romeo after Romeo begins dating model and DJ Kim Turnbull, who previously dated Brooklyn.
• May 2025: Brooklyn and Nicola are not seen at David’s 50th birthday celebration in London, fueling renewed feud speculation.
• August 2025: The couple renews their wedding vows in a lavish ceremony attended by about 200 guests, with Brooklyn’s family notably missing.
• December 2025: Cruz Beckham denies claims his parents blocked Brooklyn on Instagram, saying they were blocked instead. Brooklyn and Nicola spend Christmas with her family.
• January 2026: Brooklyn confirms he is estranged from his parents in a series of Instagram posts, alleging lifelong control and accusing Victoria Beckham of overshadowing his wedding.

Tony explained that Anthony invited both Brooklyn and “the most beautiful woman in the room to come to the stage and,” while everyone expected Nicola, “he says Victoria come to the stage.”

“At that point Brooklyn’s like suddenly literally devastated because he thought he was going to do his first dance with his wife,” Tony said. “Then Nicola leaves the room crying her eyes out. Brooklyn’s stuck there on stage, and then they do this dance and Marc Anthony is like ‘go put your hands on your mother’s hips.’ It’s a Latin thing, and the whole situation was really awkward for everyone in the room.”

He added that while “it is difficult to deem what is inappropriate,” all of this is “about how Brooklyn feels” and that if he believes “it was inappropriate and awkward, then it was inappropriate.”

According to Tony, “the most awkward part of it all” was during the brunch on Sunday, the day after the wedding, “because everything that had gone on the actual wedding night was discussed amongst all the guests the next morning.”

A source told People that Brooklyn and Nicola are the only two people with access to footage of their wedding.

“Brooklyn and Nicola are the only ones who have access to video. It’s an extremely embarrassing moment for them, and it would not be good for Brooklyn’s mental health to see this circulating online,” a source told the outlet.

“It’s one of the most humiliating moments of his life, and he doesn’t want it to be seen by the world.”

A source told Page Six that Victoria “got up on stage and wrapped her arms around Brooklyn” and “nuzzled into his neck.”

WATCH: Brooklyn Beckham slammed as ‘spoiled brat’ for blasting famous parents

“She was dancing with him very inappropriately. She took that moment from Nicola, that is the God’s truth. Nicola ran out crying. The Beckhams’ side of the room was cheering and the Peltz side was quiet,” the insider added. “Nicola’s friends were saying ‘You have to go back down.’ Her face was swollen. She finally came down and was sad the entire evening. It was so heartbreaking.”

While Brooklyn is claiming Victoria stole his and Nicola’s first dance, reporting from the Daily Mail at the time said the couple had their first dance earlier in the night, dancing to a live performance of Elvis Presley’s hit song “Only Fools Rush In,” by South African artist Lloyiso Reporting at the time also claimed Nicola also had a father-daughter-dance with her dad, prior to Victoria and Brooklyn’s dance together later in the night.

Since Brooklyn exposed his mother for dancing “on him” at his wedding, old videos of Victoria dancing have resurfaced.

Hello! Canada shared a video of Victoria dancing with her dad, Anthony Adams, over the Christmas holiday. The video, which was posted on Instagram last month, has new viewers and commenters after Brooklyn’s explosive statement.

“This aged well 😂,” one user wrote. “This is nice!!! I don’t understand the issue,” another added.

Another chimed in, “It’s just a family…every family is different. They are dancing in their way….. Stop judging them.”

There have been several videos created by social media users, poking fun at Victoria’s alleged dance with her son. Brooklyn’s brother Cruz appears to be joining in on the jokes after he was seen liking a creator’s post this week.

Content creator Olly Hume shared a skit of the DJ at the Brooklyn-Peltz wedding introducing Victoria to her dance with Brooklyn.

“And now for the song requested by the mother of the groom for her first dance with her son,” Hume said before prompting “Pony” by Ginuwine to play.

“Interesting moves Victoria #beckham #beckhamwedding #news #joke #funny #comedy,” Hume captioned the post, which earned a like by Cruz.

On Wednesday, the 20-year-old son of David and Victoria Beckham took to social media to send a seemingly subtle dig after Brooklyn made scathing claims about their parents. 

BECKHAM DRAMA DEEPENS AS EX-STYLIST SAYS NICOLA HAD ‘SPOOKY ENERGY,’ KNEW MARRIAGE WOULDN’T BE GOOD FOR FAMILY

Since Brooklyn’s social media rant, Cruz has stayed active on Instagram while promoting his upcoming U.K. concert, but hasn’t directly responded to his brother’s claims. 

In a post shared to his Instagram Stories on Wednesday, Cruz thanked his fans for selling out his show and noted that he may be adding more dates. However, he accompanied the post with a popular Spice Girls song, “Who Do you Think You Are” — a song about how someone can lose themselves and get trapped in the glitz and glam of fame. 

The lyrics read, “The race is on to get out of the bottom / The top is high so your roots are forgotten / Giving is good, as long you’re getting / What’s driving you is ambition I’m betting / Who do you think you are? / Who, some kind of superstar?”

While not directly calling out his brother, Cruz’s song choice hints at where he might stand and where his loyalties lie. 

Brooklyn shocked the world on Monday after uploading a lengthy statement about his relationship with his parents.

“I have been silent for years and made every effort to keep these matters private,” Brooklyn began. He said that his parents had gone to the press, which left him with “no choice” but to address the family rift publicly.

“I do not want to reconcile with my family. I’m not being controlled, I’m standing up for myself for the first time in my life. For my entire life, my parents have controlled narratives in the press about our family,” Brooklyn wrote.

He continued, “For my entire life, my parents have controlled narratives in the press about our family [with] performative social media posts, family events and inauthentic relationships. … Recently, I have seen with my own eyes the lengths that they’ll go through to place countless lies in the media, mostly at the expense of innocent people, to preserve their own facade.”

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Brooklyn alleged David and Victoria “repeatedly pressured and attempted to bribe” him into “signing away the rights to” his name.

“My holdout affected the payday, and they have never treated me the same since,” Brooklyn said. “During the wedding planning, my mum went so far as to call me ‘evil’ because Nicola and I chose to include my Nanny Sandra and Nicola’s Naunni at our table because they both didn’t have their husbands. Both of our parents had their own tables equally adjacent to ours.”

Brooklyn continued making harsh claims about his family and said they “value public promotion and endorsements above all else.”

“Brand Beckham comes first,” he alleged.

“Family ‘love’ is decided by how much you post on social media, or how quickly you drop everything to show up and pose for a family photo opp, even if it’s at the expense of our professional obligations. We’ve gone out of our way for years to show up and support at every fashion show, every party and every press activity to show ‘our perfect family,'” he continued. “But the one time my wife asked for my mum’s support to save displaced dogs during the LA fires, my mum refused.”

Nicola co-founded Yogi’s House, a non-profit organization for rescue dogs.

The 26-year-old went on to address the narrative that his wife controls him. Brooklyn denied these claims.

“I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life. I grew up with overwhelming anxiety. For the first time in my life, since stepping away from my family, that anxiety has disappeared. I wake up every morning grateful for the life I chose, and have found peace and relief,” he wrote.

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Brooklyn’s lengthy statement concluded, “My wife and I do not want a life shaped by image, press, or manipulation. All we want peace, privacy and happiness for us and our future family.”

Prior to the bombshell statement, Brooklyn reportedly sent his parents a legal “desist” letter, informing them they could only speak to him and his wife via lawyers. The Sun reported that the letter instructed his parents not to mention him or his wife on social media.

Dr. Carole Lieberman, a clinical psychiatrist, told Fox News Digital that Brooklyn taking legal action emulates “toddler” behavior.

“Although Brooklyn is the eldest child, he is behaving like a toddler by maintaining this feud. They need to be going to family therapy, not communicating via attorneys,” Lieberman said.

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