Appeals court issues ruling on Noem decision to end TPS for 3 countries
A federal appeals court in San Francisco granted a stay allowing the government to proceed with terminating Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for immigrants from Nepal, Honduras and Nicaragua.
The reliably liberal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an order freezing a lower court ruling that would have vacated Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem’s decision to end the protections.
The court found the government was likely to succeed on the grounds that the DHS decision was not “arbitrary or capricious,” suggesting that the decision-making process was rational.
“The government is likely to prevail in its argument that the Secretary’s decision-making process in terminating TPS for Honduras, Nicaragua, and Nepal was not arbitrary and capricious,” court documents said.
Last year, Noem sought to terminate refugee status for the three long-protected countries, arguing that under TPS, the government must check if the initial reasons for their protection still apply.
Nepal, Honduras, and Nicaragua all originally received TPS protections due to specific environmental disasters. Nepal was designated in 2015 following a massive earthquake, while Honduras and Nicaragua received protections in 1999 after Hurricane Mitch.
Noem’s chief spokeswoman, Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, previously noted last August that TPS protections were always intended to be temporary.
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Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the decision, saying it would allow the Trump administration to continue its immigration policies and deport certain immigrants.
“This is a crucial legal win from @TheJusticeDept attorneys that helps clear the way for President Trump’s continued deportations,” she said.
“As the court found, ‘the government is likely to prevail in its argument’ that ending Temporary Protected Status for some immigrants is sound and lawful policy. We are proud to represent the Trump Administration in court every day.”
Noem’s ruling was previously challenged by the National TPS Alliance, who argued it was “arbitrary and capricious” and violated the Administrative Procedure Act.
On December 31, 2025, a San Francisco district court judge sided with the plaintiffs and canceled Secretary Noem’s termination order.
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The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals panel assigned to the case included Judges Hawkins, Callahan and Miller. Judge Hawkins was appointed by Bill Clinton, Judge Callahan by George W. Bush and Judge Miller by President Donald Trump.
While Judges Callahan and Miller appear to have authored the main analysis, Judge Hawkins wrote a separate concurring opinion. He agreed with the result based on recent Supreme Court guidance, but said he would not rule on the plaintiffs’ claims at this early stage.
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Bad Bunny scrubs social media following controversial halftime performance
Latin pop singer Bad Bunny surprised his over 50 million followers by deleting every single one of his Instagram posts hours after his controversial Super Bowl performance Sunday night.
The 31-year-old singer, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, also deleted his Instagram profile picture and unfollowed everyone, leaving only his follower count intact.
This move followed the Latin trap artist’s Super Bowl LX halftime show, which received mixed reactions.
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Fox News Digital reached out to Bad Bunny’s team for comment.
Bad Bunny’s performance received widespread condemnation from prominent conservatives, including President Donald Trump.
“The Super Bowl Halftime Show is absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER! It makes no sense, is an affront to the Greatness of America, and doesn’t represent our standards of Success, Creativity, or Excellence. Nobody understands a word this guy is saying, and the dancing is disgusting, especially for young children that are watching from throughout the U.S.A., and all over the World,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Sunday night.
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Other conservative users on social media criticized the show for almost entirely being performed in Spanish, claiming it was a political statement to criticize U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
Top Democratic leaders, by contrast, praised the performance, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who declared Sunday “Bad Bunny Day” prior to the game.
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“Thank you @sanbenito for taking the California stage and using your voice at #SuperBowlLX. A beautiful moment! Together, we are America,” Newsom wrote on X.
However, some fans have speculated that the decision was not caused by the Super Bowl performance but instead part of a rebranding effort by the singer that could be ahead of a major announcement.
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Bad Bunny had previously deleted his Instagram posts in 2022 after joining TikTok.
‘Marxist’ tech tycoon’s millions allegedly fund anti-American propaganda network
FIRST ON FOX: Hours before banging the gavel to commence a hearing Tuesday to investigate the dynamic of “malign foreign influence,” House Committee on Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith escalated his investigation into the China-based, American-born Marxist tech tycoon, Neville Roy Singham, who has allegedly been “sowing chaos and spreading Chinese propaganda, possibly in coordination with a foreign government.”
Fox News Digital has obtained copies of letters that Smith sent on Monday night to two U.S. nonprofits – BreakThrough BT Media Inc. and Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research – demanding records of their ties to Singham and alleging they are promoting propaganda aligned with the Chinese Communist Party.
At 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Smith will chair a hearing called, “Foreign Influence in American Non-profits: Unmasking Threats from Beijing and Beyond.” The hearing will be broadcast online at the committee’s website. Singham, Tricontinental and BreakThrough BT Media, which publishes articles as “BreakThrough News,” didn’t respond to requests for comment.
Congressional investigators say the Singham network sits at the center of a malign foreign influence operation that allegedly exploits U.S. nonprofit laws to inject anti-American propaganda into domestic protest movements and sow discord from within the United States.
In separate letters, Smith demanded records from BreakThrough and Tricontinental, warning that both tax-exempt organizations may be operating outside their lawful purpose as possible unregistered foreign agents, while helping to fuel domestic unrest under the guise of journalism and academic research.
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The letters describe a full-spectrum operation, with funding aligned with foreign interests flowing into tax-exempt nonprofits that produce ideological research, media narratives and social media messaging, which are then deployed onto U.S. streets through tightly choreographed protests.
Over the past year, Fox News Digital has documented a pattern of coordinated protests by socialist, communist and Marxist groups, revealing a synchronized ecosystem of funding, media amplification, ideological framing and street-level mobilization that aligns with the strategic interests of hostile foreign governments, including the People’s Republic of China.
“Tax-exempt status is a privilege not a right,” Smith told Fox News Digital. “Nonprofits must remain accountable and refuse to act as instruments of hostile foreign governments.”
The Ways and Means Committee “continues to investigate how foreign money and foreign-linked networks are funneled through tax-exempt entities to sow discord and unrest in our society,” he said. “That’s why we’re demanding answers from Tricontinental and BreakThrough about their funding streams, activities and communications with CCP-linked individuals, including Neville Roy Singham.”
“If the evidence shows these groups are acting as conduits for CCP-aligned propaganda or functioning like foreign agents while enjoying U.S. tax benefits, their tax-exempt status should be revoked immediately,” Smith said. “We’re going to follow the money and demand accountability to put a stop to Beijing’s exploitation of our tax-exempt sector.”
In his letter to Karla Reyes, chair and director of BreakThrough, Smith wrote that he was “disturbed by the connections between BreakThrough and Chinese Communist Party linked organizations” and launched an inquiry into whether the outlet deserves its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.
Smith emphasized that the investigation is not about suppressing speech but about whether nonprofit protections are being abused. He wrote that, under federal law, “if more than an insubstantial part of an organization’s activities is not in furtherance of a tax-exempt purpose…the organization is not operated exclusively for such exempt purpose.” He cited Supreme Court precedent stating that “the presence of a single nonexempt purpose, if substantial in nature, will destroy the exemption regardless of the number or importance of truly exempt purposes.”
In the letter, Smith warned that receiving funding from “an individual who lives in Shanghai, maintains business ties with companies and individuals linked to the CCP, works with and physically alongside a foreign propaganda company, and attends CCP forums on how to promote the party abroad” raises “serious questions” about whether BreakThrough qualifies as an “agent of a foreign principal” under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
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Since its inception, he noted that BreakThrough has produced and distributed content that “aligns with pro-CCP rhetoric across both the United States and the globe.” Following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, Smith wrote that BreakThrough News “dramatically shifted their coverage in a way that suggests its intent on sowing division within the United States,” while portraying China in an “overwhelmingly positive light.”
As reported, BreakThrough was one of the first social media accounts to publish the video of the killing of anti-ICE demonstrator Alex Pretti.
The investigation places BreakThrough within a broader network that includes Tricontinental, the People’s Forum, the Party for Socialism and Liberation and the ANSWER Coalition, groups that Fox News Digital has documented working alongside organizations such as the Democratic Socialists of America to mobilize protests, train “rapid responders” and flood social media with coordinated narratives during flashpoint events, from immigration enforcement actions to the arrest of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro.
BreakThrough was also one of the first social media accounts to publish video of the U.S. strike over Caracas when Maduro was arrested.
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In his letter to Vijay Prashad, executive director of Tricontinental, Smith said that he was “disturbed by the connections between yourself, Tricontinental and organizations linked to the CCP.” He described Tricontinental as an organization that has been “responsible for spreading Marxist and anti-American rhetoric across both the United States and the globe,” and possibly “sowing chaos and spreading Chinese propaganda, possibly in coordination with a foreign government.”
Committee investigators tied Prashad directly to Chinese state-linked institutions, noting his role as a senior fellow at a think tank connected to China’s Ministry of Education and his participation in conferences hosted by universities funded by the Chinese Communist Party. He also detailed Tricontinental’s financial relationship with Maku Group, a Chinese media company whose stated mission is to “tell China’s story well,” and disclosed that Tricontinental paid the firm more than $2.1 million for “research, analysis, and translation services.”
The committee also documented Tricontinental’s deep financial and structural ties to Singham, noting that the organization received millions of dollars from entities linked to him, employs his son as a researcher and lists Singham as chair of its international advisory board. Multiple reports, Smith wrote, have found that Tricontinental is “part of Mr. Singham’s network of non-profit organizations that serve as his conduits to spread pro-CCP narratives,” including media outlets where Prashad appears regularly.
Researchers say the nonprofits under scrutiny engage in a dynamic known as “narrative convergence,” echoing the propaganda of foreign adversaries. In a new report, the Network Contagion Research Institute, based in Princeton, N.J., documented how the Democratic Socialists of America sent delegations to China, Cuba and Venezuela and then, upon returning to the United States, deployed slogans at protests that mirror the anti-U.S. rhetoric of those governments.
The institute concluded that the Democratic Socialists of America “exhibits multiple indicators” warranting scrutiny as a foreign lobbyist. Democratic Socialists of America didn’t return a request for comment.
Smith echoed those concerns in his Tricontinental letter, warning that the People’s Forum and allied groups “continued to organize protests aligned with Chinese talking points,” including demonstrations that “turned violent in Minnesota.”
National security analysts say the hearing represents a critical moment in what they describe as a new cognitive war, in which foreign adversaries seek to weaponize outrage, protest and information to weaken the United States from within.
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Dem slammed for declaring ‘we are the majority,’ telling racial groups to ‘take over’ US
The leader of Democrats in the Texas House of Representatives, state Rep. Gene Wu, is facing conservative backlash after a clip resurfaced of him calling on various racial groups to unite against their common “oppressor.”
The resurfaced viral clip was from a Dec. 31, 2024, episode of the “Define American” podcast with Antonio Vargas titled, “In this Texas District, 1/3 of Residents are Undocumented.”
Vargas argued that the future of the United States will be decided by Texas, asking Wu to give him the big picture. Wu said that one of the powerful forces driving modern politics, particularly regarding immigration, is that “White people” in America are concerned about becoming a racial and political minority.
“The scary thing for me is that what is driving this newest round of anti-immigrant sentiment is purely a sense of White nationalism,” Wu said.
“That there is a sense of, ‘America really just belongs to White people,’ that this was that a lot of people believe that God gave America to White people to rule, and that any time that immigrants, minorities make progress in this country, that that is seen as a slight against them,” he continued.
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Both agreed that White people are already or almost a racial minority in Texas, with Wu clarifying that for now, they are still the majority of people who are able to vote. The host later asked Wu to talk about his majority-Latino district and the relationship between the Latino and Asian communities, particularly between those of both groups who are immigrants.
“I think you’ve hit exactly the right point,” Wu said. “It’s not just Latinos. It’s not just Asians. It’s not just African Americans. It’s everybody. Right? We, our country and the forces that be, the powers that be, have spent tremendous time, effort and money to make sure that those groups are never united, that they always see each other as enemies, as competitors, without ever realizing that they share one thing in common, that their oppressors all are the same. The oppression comes from one place.
“I always tell people the day the Latino, African-American, Asian and other communities realize that they are — that they share the same oppressor is the day we start winning, because we are the majority in this country now,” he continued. “We have the ability to take over this country and to do what is needed for everyone and to make things fair.”
The 2024 comments resurfaced on social media, causing Wu to face backlash from fellow Texans.
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“Gene Wu is a radical racist who hates millions of Texans just because they’re [W]hite. This is who the modern Democrat Party is,” Texas Attorney General and Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton wrote.
Former Texas GOP Chairman Matt Rinaldi wrote, “This clip is being widely circulated for its advocacy for [W]hite genocide. People need to realize that this isn’t some random Democrat backbencher. This is the Texas House Democrat caucus LEADER.”
“The Democrat party is built on bigotry,” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, replied.
Rep. Chip Roy, also of Texas, called on Wu to resign.
“Unlike many Democrats, he admits his racism against [W]hite people and call to ‘take over this country.’ He should resign or the TX House should strip him of any power,” he wrote. “Another reason to pass my PAUSE Act. Stop importing people who hate you.”
After the backlash, Wu appeared to try to backtrack and claim that he was not referring to White people, but Republicans.
The Houston Chronicle’s Evan Mintz, reporting on the viral clip from the longer interview, noted that “nowhere in the clip does Wu talk about [W]hite people.”
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However, Wu had referred to “White people”and their racial anxiety of becoming a minority in America before the segment shown in the clip.
“Just to clarify, I even called up Wu to ask who, exactly, he meant by ‘shared oppressor,'” Mintz wrote. “His answer: Republicans.”
“It is undeniable that Republicans have spent the past 50 years beating down communities,” Wu told the writer.
“To their credit, some Republicans engaged with what Wu actually said, swiping at him for dividing the American people into subgroups in the first place — which, yes, he did do,” Mintz reported.
Wu’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
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‘Dirty Dancing’ star shows off beach body at 65 as she prepares for ‘Baby’ comeback
Jennifer Grey is glowing on a girls’ getaway.
The “Dirty Dancing” star shared a series of photos from the trip on Instagram, opening with a solo shot of herself seated on a towel along the beach. Grey wore a black bikini and sunglasses as she relaxed in the sand with the ocean behind her.
Elsewhere along the beach, Grey walked along the shoreline as waves broke at her feet. She opted for a simple black one-piece swimsuit. Layered necklaces featuring a gemstone pendant and a coin medallion added subtle detail to the understated look. The open ocean and rugged coastline stretched out behind her as she moved through the surf, giving the beach moment an easy, unposed feel.
The “Dancing with the Stars” winner included an outdoor solo selfie. The sun highlighted the red in her hair and peeked in the corner of the photo. She smiled softly at the camera while wearing a sleeveless top and a patterned scarf tied loosely around her neck, with sunlight catching her hair as it blew in the breeze.
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Another image shifted the focus to friendship, showing Grey posing alongside longtime friend Tracy Pollan. The pair leaned in close for a casual selfie, sharing the beach day with her followers.
The 65-year-old actress captioned the post, “Long overdue girls trip @tracy.pollan 🤍 giggled like we were back in high school,” reflecting on their decades-long bond.
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Her longtime bestie commented back, “Love you the mostest!”
In 2023, Grey marked Pollan’s birthday with a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, calling her a lifelong constant.
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“Happy birthday to my lifelong sister-friend @tracy.pollan. There is nothing like having someone you can always count on, from 14 on, through so many chapters, through so much life. I ❤️ u #tracypollan #oldfriendsarethebestfriends,” Grey wrote at the time.
The two actresses first met as teenagers while attending New York City’s Dalton School, where their friendship began years before Pollan went on to marry Michael J. Fox. Over the years, Grey and Pollan have remained close, often supporting one another through personal and professional milestones.
Grey rose to international fame with her role as Frances “Baby” Houseman in the 1987 classic “Dirty Dancing,” a performance that cemented her place in pop culture.
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On Jan. 27, 2026, Grey announced she would return to the role in a newly developed sequel, reprising her character decades after the original film’s release. The actress is also set to serve as an executive producer on the project.
“The role of Baby has held a very deep and meaningful place in my heart, as it has in the hearts of so many fans over the years,” Grey said in a statement. “I’ve long wondered where we might find Baby years later and what her life might be like, but it’s taken time to assemble the kind of people that I felt could be entrusted to build on the legacy of the original film … and I’m excited to say that it looks like the wait will soon be over.”
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The upcoming sequel will continue the story of “Dirty Dancing” for a new generation, with Grey helping guide the project alongside a new creative team.
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Your daily coffee habit may play a role in dementia risk, study finds
Drinking two to three cups of coffee daily could reduce the risk of dementia, according to new observational research published in The Journal of the American Medical Association.
American researchers analyzed four decades of data from more than 130,000 doctors and nurses, finding that moderately caffeinated coffee and tea intake can lower the risk of cognitive decline, according to SWNS.
The analysis revealed that not only did participants with the highest intake of caffeinated coffee have a lower risk of dementia, but there also appeared to be a “sweet spot” where it was most effective.
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Previous findings on the relationship between coffee and dementia have been inconsistent due to limited follow-up data. To address this, researchers used information from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, tracking healthcare professionals from midlife through older age.
Over a follow-up period of up to 43 years, the team analyzed self-reported dietary patterns collected through questionnaires administered every four years.
This long-term approach allowed scientists to account for changes in coffee and tea consumption over time, while monitoring for both clinical dementia diagnoses and subtle shifts in cognitive function.
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By adjusting for variables such as smoking, physical activity and underlying health conditions, the researchers were able to isolate the specific relationship between caffeine intake and long-term brain health, SWNS noted.
Of the 131,821 participants involved in the long-term analysis, 11,033 developed dementia.
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The analysis revealed that participants with the highest intake of caffeinated coffee had an 18% lower risk of dementia compared with those who reported little or no consumption.
These participants also performed better on tests of overall cognitive function, the report noted. While higher tea intake yielded similar results, decaffeinated coffee did not, suggesting that caffeine is likely the driving neuroprotective factor.
The cognitive benefits were most pronounced in those who consumed two to three cups of caffeinated coffee or one to two cups of tea daily.
Dementia affects more than 6 million Americans and 55 million people worldwide, with the National Institutes of Health reporting more than 100,000 U.S. deaths annually.
Experts emphasize that early prevention is crucial, as current treatments offer only modest benefits once symptoms appear. This has led scientists to investigate the role that specific lifestyle factors play in cognitive decline.
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“When searching for possible dementia prevention tools, we thought something as prevalent as coffee may be a promising dietary intervention,” senior study author Daniel Wang, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, noted in a press release from SWNS.
Both coffee and tea contain bioactive ingredients such as polyphenols and caffeine, which may reduce inflammation and cellular damage while defending against cognitive decline. Researchers referred to these properties as “neuroprotective.”
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Contrary to some previous studies, higher caffeine intake did not produce negative effects; instead, it provided consistent neuroprotective benefits even for those with a high genetic predisposition to the disease, per SWNS.
Despite the encouraging findings, Wang cautioned that the effect size is small and should be viewed as just one of many ways to protect cognitive health during aging.
Country music festival responds to artist exodus after patriotic mission questioned
One day after Kid Rock’s Rock The Country festival canceled a scheduled stop in Anderson, South Carolina—after several artists withdrew citing concerns over political division—the event’s organizers are pushing back.
“Rock The Country was created to unite people together through music,” a representative for the festival told Fox News Digital in a statement. “Our lineups and our crowds reflect that sentiment — a wide range of voices, backgrounds, and stories that make up this country. We’re truly disappointed we won’t be bringing the show to Anderson. Our fans work hard for their money, and we refuse to put on a show that doesn’t meet the standard they deserve.”
“Our focus remains where it’s always been: Supporting our artists, honoring our fans, and delivering unforgettable nights throughout the country. The shows ahead represent the heart of what Rock the Country stands for: music, community, and pride in where we come from.”
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“Loving America isn’t political; it’s who we are,” the statement concluded.
On Friday, the rock band Shinedown pulled out of the Rock the Country festival, leaving fans with mixed feelings.
Shinedown took to X to announce their sudden exit from the festival, which is being touted as “a celebration of community, tradition, and the spirit that’s carried America through 250 years,” explaining that their mission as a band is to “unite, not divide.”
“Shinedown is everyone’s band. We feel that we have been given a platform to bring all people together through the power of music and song. We have one boss, and it is everyone in the audience.”
“Our band’s purpose is to unite, not divide. With that in mind, we have made the decision that we will not be playing the Rock the Country festival,” the statement read.
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“We know this decision will create differences of opinion,” Shinedown continued. “But we do not want to participate in something we believe will create further division.”
The festival, originally scheduled to be held in Anderson, South Carolina, on July 25 and July 26, was reportedly canceled due to “unforeseen circumstances,” according to Fox Carolina.
“Anderson County has been proud to host Rock the Country for the past two years,” the Anderson County administrator, Rusty Burns, said in a statement to Fox Carolina. “The event was a huge success drawing tens of thousands of visitors, making a multimillion-dollar economic impact on the Upstate. An event of this caliber proved what a great venue and exceptional hospitality we have here in Anderson County. Of course, we are disappointed that Rock the Country will not return to Anderson this year.”
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“We are already planning additional major events and look forward to exciting announcements to come. Anderson County is committed to bringing high quality arts and entertainment to our community.”
According to the festival’s website, the lineups vary by city.
The Anderson, South Carolina, lineup had Kid Rock and Jason Aldean headlining and also featured Creed, Shinedown, Brantley Gilbert, Ludacris, Gretchen Wilson, Parmalee, Morgan Wade, Chase Matthew, Lakeview, Fox N’ Vead, and more, Fox Carolina reported.
Ex-prince’s daughters ‘horrified’ as Epstein scandal forces family break: expert
Ex-Prince Andrew’s daughters are said to be “emotionally drained” as the ever-widening Jeffrey Epstein scandal forces a painful reckoning — and an increasingly public break — with their disgraced parents.
The York sisters, both mothers to young children, have reportedly been left shaken by the latest batch of documents released by the Department of Justice (DOJ), which reignited scrutiny of their parents’ connection to the late convicted sex offender.
The DOJ recently released more than 3 million records related to Epstein, including his personal emails. Inclusion in the files does not necessarily imply wrongdoing.
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“Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice are reportedly emotionally drained by their parents’ involvement in the Epstein scandal,” British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital.
“Their relationship is strained,” she claimed. “Horrified, frustrated and crestfallen over the scandalous, shocking revelations, the York princesses are now prioritizing their own families and careers. The breakdown in trust over the reports has devastated both princesses. They feel they have been fed a pack of lies about their parents’ involvement.”
Chard’s comments came after sources told People magazine that Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 35, feel they’ve been “duped” by their father as fresh revelations about his links to Epstein continue to emerge.
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“I do think they believed their father, and now it has all backfired,” Robert Jobson, author of “Windsor Legacy,” told the outlet. “I know that Eugenie, especially, has found it very difficult.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Kensington Palace for comment. A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace previously told Fox News Digital they don’t answer for Andrew, 65, as he’s no longer a working royal.
“Beatrice and Eugenie are united and have always been emotionally supportive of each other,” British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. “They are frightfully embarrassed and mortified by their parents’ behavior. They were seen hugging a few months ago. It was reported that Beatrice said to Eugenie, ‘We’re in this together, don’t forget that.’”
“While Beatrice is in full damage-containment mode, stepping back emotionally and aligning herself with the king, Eugenie was always closer to her father and is taking it far harder,” Fordwich claimed.
“Purportedly, she’s feeling even more deceived. She is therefore leaning more on Beatrice,” Fordwich added.
Andrew has claimed that he cut off all contact with Epstein in 2010. However, documents indicate that the friendship continued.
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One email recently released by the DOJ shows that Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, was planning a lunch date with Epstein.
“What address shall we come to. It will be myself, Beatrice and Eugenie,” she allegedly wrote in a 2009 email thread discussing lunch with the financier in Miami.
In another email — dated March 2010 — Epstein asked Ferguson, 66, about a trip to New York. The ex-Duchess of York responded, “Not sure yet. Just waiting for Eugenie to come back from a shagging weekend!!”
At the time, Eugenie was reportedly spending time with her then-boyfriend, Jack Brooksbank, ahead of her 20th birthday. The couple married in 2018.
One email exchange also suggested that Epstein and Ferguson spoke about arranging a tour of “Buckingham” led by the ex-duchess or one of her daughters. It’s unclear whether the tour happened.
People reported that Andrew sent Epstein his family Christmas cards in 2011 and 2012, which included snapshots of his daughters enjoying the year. Epstein was convicted in Florida state court in 2008 on one count of soliciting prostitution and one count of procuring a minor for prostitution. He served 13 months in jail.
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Fox News Digital previously reached out to Ferguson’s representative for comment about the DOJ’s release.
Royal experts agreed that the sisters are “devastated” by the revelations. Chard pointed out that the siblings are handling the fallout differently.
“Eugenie has distanced herself from her parents and has almost severed contact with her father,” Chard claimed. “She has particularly taken the public scrutiny and conflicting reports hard. Inevitably, her anti-slavery work is making it harder for her to maintain a relationship with her parents at this point, although she maintains a civil distance.”
“Princess Beatrice, on the other hand, has been spotted a few times with her father,” said Chard. “Sources say she is worried about her parents’ well-being and feels a greater responsibility in checking that they’re OK.”
Sources close to the family pushed back on claims that the princesses had cut off their parents entirely, People previously reported. Royal experts told Fox News Digital that the women are concerned about their parents’ welfare and are under strain as they attempt to make sense of the latest document release.
Chard said the siblings are getting support from two key royals.
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“King Charles admires his nieces and wishes to protect them,” she said. “Prince William loves his cousins and doesn’t want them ostracized. The worry and burden of the negativity surrounding their parents is taking its toll, although, as always, they have maintained a low profile, outwardly carrying themselves with grace and dignity.”
Chard noted that now more than ever, the sisters want to “maintain their good work away from family drama.”
“They refuse to be embroiled in their parents’ downfall,” she said. “However, continuous public scrutiny, along with bombshell revelations, may reshape their loyalty.”
Epstein died in custody in 2019. Virginia Giuffre, who said she was trafficked by Epstein, accused Andrew of sexual abuse when she was 17. The American woman filed a civil lawsuit alleging she was forced to have sex with the disgraced duke three times. The case was settled out of court in 2022, with Andrew admitting no wrongdoing.
The 41-year-old died in 2025. Her posthumous memoir, published in October, reiterated her claims.
Andrew announced in October that he was giving up his royal titles, and the palace confirmed later that month that the king had “initiated a formal process to remove the style, titles and honours of Prince Andrew.”
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The decision followed Andrew’s initial step back from public life in 2019 after his BBC interview, in which he discussed his relationship with Epstein. On Feb. 3, Andrew vacated his home, Royal Lodge, three months after the king ordered him to surrender his lease.
Ferguson has also moved out of the 30-room mansion. The ex-duchess, who divorced Andrew in 1996, continued living with him at the property. People reported she is expected to spend time abroad before deciding where to live next.
While Ferguson was mentioned in the latest Epstein files release, she has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
A spokesperson for Ferguson previously told The Guardian: “The duchess spoke of her regret about her association with Epstein many years ago, and as they have always been, her first thoughts are with his victims.”
Metal detectorist’s search at old Gold Rush campsite leads to a baffling discovery
A metal detectorist exploring an Australian Gold Rush-era campsite made a remarkable discovery in recent weeks — even without striking gold.
Angus James, a treasure hunter in the Australian state of Victoria, was sweeping an abandoned sports field — known locally as a sports oval — on Jan. 24 when he uncovered an unusual coin.
The field, north of the mining town of Ballarat, had been used as a campsite during the Australian Gold Rush, which began in 1851 and continued for decades.
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Digging in the dirt, James realized the coin was Japanese in origin — and made of bronze.
The find was no ordinary piece of currency.
It was a 100 Mon Tempo Tsuho, a coin that held modest purchasing power and was commonly used for small, everyday transactions in 19th-century Japan.
Interestingly, the characters on the coin are Chinese, even though it was produced in Japan during the mid-19th century — a common practice at the time.
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Unearthing the artifact was “such a buzz,” James told Fox News Digital. “Finding a Japanese coin this old in Australia is extremely rare.”
“I have found Chinese coins from the Gold Rush era… To find a Japanese coin this old is a great discovery.“
“I can’t wait to see what else I can detect from this location.”
James shared his finds on Facebook. When he first uncovered the coin, he said he felt immediate excitement — and intrigue.
“At first I had no idea what it was because I have never found anything like it,” he said.
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He was “not expecting to find something so unique in the area,” he added, as his eyes were originally set on Australian coins and jewelry. He’s even found gold nuggets in recent weeks.
He described the site as “extremely old,” adding that it was originally a campsite. He said it hadn’t been used as a sports field since the 1950s.
“I have started to uncover other relics, including a belt buckle dated around the 1840s, and a trade token coin with the date 1855,” said James.
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“I can’t wait to see what else I can detect from this location.”
And for those interested in metal detecting, James raved about the hobby, encouraging people to “go for it.”
“Metal detecting is such a great hobby,” he said.
“You get great exercise [and] fresh air, and you can also find some pretty amazing things,” he said.
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“I take my young boys with me all the time. They absolutely love it also.”
The artifact is among several coin-related discoveries that were recently uncovered, thanks to metal detecting.
This winter, the children of Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders found ancient coins in a previously-unknown cave in the West Bank.
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In Scotland, a metal detectorist recently handed over the oldest Scotland-made coin ever found to the country’s national museum.