New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel apparently got his birthday punches after he attempted to break up a fight during the teams joint practice with the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday.The head coach, who turned 50 on Thursday, was captured on video getting knocked to the ground after he threw himself in the middle of a scuffle on the field in an attempt to break it up.Video shared on social media showed twoNFL players on the ground scrapping after the whistles were blown.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ONFOXNEWS.COMThat quickly turned into a pile up of players, and Vrabel wasnt far behind.As the scrum of people moved on the field, Vrabel was momentarily knocked down in the process. The fight quickly settled down and there were no reported injuries.Speaking to the media earlier in the day, Vrabel seemingly offered an explanation for the tense nature of joint practices.STEFON DIGGS NONCOMMITTAL ON PATRIOTS DEBUT AS HE RECOVERS FROM INJURY: 'TAKING IT DAY BY DAY'"These practices are like a game we've said that. There's ups and downs. We hit some plays. They hit some plays."However, Thursdays practice wasnt the first time Vrabel had involved himself in a practice fight. Earlier this month, during a joint practice with theWashington Commanders, Vrabel stepped in to try and break up another fight.ESPN reported at the time that Vrabel walked away with a bloodied cheek.The Patriots are hoping to carry that same intensity into Week 1 when they host the Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 7.Follow Fox News Digitals sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

When President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage today, the summit of the two leaders will do more than discuss the Ukraine conflict. Their presence in the Last Frontier will confirm the axiom of modern geopolitics that energy security is national security.For territory that Russia sold to the United States for a mere $7.2 million in the 19thcentury can now become the nations powerhouse in the 21st, thanks to President Trumps vision for energy dominance.Over the last century and a half, energy exploration has allowed our state to vastly exceed the "Sewards Folly" nickname originally given to Americas purchase of Alaska. By far theleast denselypopulated state, Alaskas economy rankseighthper capitaamong the 50 states, with a per-person GDProughly twicethat of Russia. Energy exploration has powered our economic growth, and the financial stability of the state and its residents; the$80 billionAlaska Permanent Fund, financed with the proceeds of mineral lease sales, provides annual dividends to Alaskans.ALASKAS OIL RESERVES ARE AMERICAS NATIONAL SECURITY SHIELDOther nations without similar access to affordable energy face greater challenges to growth. For confirmation of the vital link between energy security and national security, look no further than President Trumps recent decision to raise tariffs on Indian goods, given that countrys continued purchases of Russian oil. An Indian government spokesmandefendedthe purchases as rooted in the countrys need "to ensure predictable and affordable energy costsa necessity compelled by [the] global market situation" and a "necessary measure to safeguard [Indias] national interests and economic security."The Indian spokesman admitted what successful governments around the world understand: Economic growth and national security lies in access to abundant, affordable energy. Unfortunately, for the past four years, Democrats have failed to protect our national security by fumbling away our energy security. Inthrall to a far-left climate lobby, the Biden administration took literallydozens of actionsdesigned to prevent resource development and exploration in Alaska that would bring down energy pricesand make our nation more secure.For all the insults that Democrats have lobbed at President Trump over his stance towards Russia, they fail to recognize one key fact: Vladimir Putinto say nothing of Chinas Xi Jinping or the mullahs in Iranisnt about to sabotage his countrys economy and national security in the name of a radical environmental agenda. Forty years ago, President Reagan was right to face down the leftists who believed in unilateral nuclear disarmament against the Soviet Union. President Trump is similarly justified in rejecting the Lefts bid for unilateral climate disarmamentwhich would leave us bending the knee to hostile regimesand instead focusing on American energy dominance.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONIf, coming out of todays summit, President Trump or Congress decide to increase sanctions on Russia, Alaska will gladly help fill the void on global markets caused by the loss of Russian oil and gas. Alaskans would benefit from additional jobs, and countries from India to our European allies would benefit from a more reliable energy source. Withproven reservesof 3.4 billion barrels of oil and 125 trillion cubic feet of natural gas,Alaska, unleashed from the Biden Administration shackles, can now help power the 21st-century economy.The location of todays summit provides an important reminder that national security lies in energy independenceand, ultimately, energy dominance. Thanks to President Trump, Alaskans and all Americans can rest assured that no foreign power will have the power to hold our country hostage over energy. It's no accident that President Trump picked Alaska for this meeting; Alaska exudes U.S. strengthand energy independence.

A preserved shipwreck from 1703 was recently documented in stunning detail for the first time with experts cautioning that it may not stay this way for very long.Researchers dove off the coast of Kent, England, to view the wreck of "The Northumberland" last summer. The Stuart-era ship was built in 1679 and sank during the Great Storm of 1703. (See the video at the top of this article.)The site was designated a Protected Wreck Site in 1981 but it hasn't been seen so clearly until now.WORKERS DISCOVER 18TH-CENTURY VESSEL WHILE INSTALLING PIPELINE IN MEDIEVAL 'GAME OF THRONES' CITYOfficials revealed the results of the dive on July 31, sharing pictures of a shipwreck covered by marine sediment. The sands have aided the survival of the wreck, which is roughly 50 to 65 feet underwater.The dive was conducted by Historic England, British coastal contractor MSDS Marine and Dan Pascoe, the licensee of the wreck.Historic England told Fox News Digital that divers found an extensive hull structure, exposed deck planks and the wooden frame of the ship which is "much more than previously thought."Among the finds were multiple wooden chests some still containing musketballs as well as one sealed chest with unknown contents.CAPTAIN COOK'S LEGENDARY SHIP FINALLY IDENTIFIED NEAR NEW ENGLAND RESORT AFTER 250 YEARSResearchers also came across seven iron cannons, along with copper cauldrons and rope.Experts cited shifting sands as the main threat to the wreck.Hefin Meara, a maritime archaeologist at Historic England, told Fox News Digital the sand on the coast of England is "highly dynamic."Only the most robust materials, such as anchors and iron cannons, tend to survive."The Goodwin Sands provide an excellent environment for the preservation of organic material, such as ship timbers, rope and other objects," he said.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER"Once the sand cover migrates away from the wreck site, biological and physical processes can cause the wreck to deteriorate very quickly," he also said.He noted that archaeologists will continue focusing on surveying the site instead of removing the artifacts, which could jeopardize the integrity of the site.Pascoe noted that "The Northumberland" "has the potential to be one of the best-preserved wooden warships in the U.K."For more Lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyleMSDS's Alison James emphasized the wealth of information that the wreck could provide about the Stuart era."'The Northumberland' has so much potential to tell us more about the English Navy and ships of the period," she said.Many historic shipwrecks have been found and documented across the United Kingdom in recent years.In Feb. 2024, a teenager found an American Revolution warship on a Scottish beach.More recently, a former military pilot identified a 19th-century shipwreck in the English Channel.

Expect plenty of action Friday in the national battle between Republicans and Democrats over congressional redistricting ahead of next year's midterm elections.As the Democratic lawmakers who fled Texas to prevent any votes on congressional redistricting in the red state signal they're coming home, Republicans in the GOP-dominated Texas legislature are expected to adjourn the current special session when they gather this morning.Moments later, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott will immediately call for a second special session to pass GOP-crafted maps to create up to five Republican-friendly congressional districts at the expense of currently Democrat-controlled seats.FLEEING TEXAS DEMOCRATS SIGNAL THEY'LL COME HOMEThe action in Austin comes one day after California Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Democrats unveiled their playbook to counter the push by President Donald Trump and Republicans to enact rare - but not unheard of - mid-decade congressional redistricting.Newsom vowed to "meet fire with fire" by redrawing blue-state California's congressional maps to create five more Democrat-leaning districts.REDISTRICTING BATTLE: NEWSOM VOWS TO FIGHT FIRE WITH FIREThe state Democratic lawmakers, who fled to the blue states of Illinois, New York and Massachusetts, said that they would return to Texas after the adjournment of the current special session. However, they didn't say specifically which day they would come home.The end of the walkout by the Democrats will lead to the passage of the new maps, but Texas Democrats vow they'll fight the new state maps in court and say the moves by California are allowing them to pass "the baton.""Now, as Democrats across the nation join our fight to cause these maps to fail their political purpose, were prepared to bring this battle back to Texas under the right conditions and to take this fight to the courts," Texas state House Democratic leader Rep. Gene Wu said on Thursday.Abbott is urging Texas' highest court to remove Wu from office, and state Attorney General Ken Paxton has asked that 13 Democratic state lawmakers also be removed from office. The fleeing lawmakers also face fines of up to $500 per day for their absence.In Texas, the state Senate passed the new congressional maps, but Democratic lawmakers in the House fled the state, preventing the House from reaching a quorum. That effectively blocked any votes in the chamber to approve the GOP redistricting push.Both houses of the state legislature are scheduled to meet at 10 a.m. CT, with both expected to adjourn the current special session.Abbott would then immediately begin another special session."The Special Session #2 agenda will have the exact same agenda, with the potential to add more items critical to Texans," Abbott said earlier this week. "There will be no reprieve for the derelict Democrats who fled the state and abandoned their duty to the people who elected them."Additionally, the three-term conservative governor vowed "I will continue to call special session after special session until we get this Texas first agenda passed."The Republican push in Texas, which comes at Trump's urging, is part of a broader effort by the GOP across the country to pad their razor-thin House majority to keep control of the chamber in the 2026 midterms, when the party in power traditionally faces political headwinds and loses seats.Trump and his political team are aiming to prevent what happened during his first term in the White House, when Democrats stormed back to grab the House majority in the 2018 midterms. However, while the Republican push in Texas to upend the current congressional maps doesn't face constitutional constraints, Newsom's path in California is much more complicated.SCHWARZENEGGER'S NEW STARING ROLE: PUSHING BACK AGAINST NEWSOM'S REDISTRICTING DRIVEThe governor is moving to hold a special election this year, to obtain voter approval to undo the constitutional amendments that created the non-partisan redistricting commission. A two-thirds majority vote in the Democrat-dominated California legislature would be needed to hold the referendum.Democratic Party leaders are confident they'll have the votes to push the constitutional amendment and the new proposed congressional maps through the legislature."Here we are in open and plain sight before one vote is cast in the 2026 midterm election and here [Trump] is once again trying to rig the system," Newsom charged on Thursday.Thursday's appearance by Newsom, who is considered a likely contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, will also serve as a fundraising kickoff to raise massive amounts of campaign cash needed to sell the redistricting push statewide in California.The non-partisan redistricting commission, created over 15 years ago, remains popular with most Californians, according to public opinion polling.That's why Newsom and California Democratic lawmakers are promising not to scrap the commission entirely, but rather replace it temporarily by the legislature for the next three election cycles."We will affirm our commitment to the state independent redistricting after the 2030 census, but we asking the voters for their consent to do midterm redistricting," Newsom said.However, their efforts are opposed by a number of coalition of figures supportive of the non-partisan commission.Among the most visible members is former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the last Republican elected governor in Democrat-dominated California.Democrats currently control 43 of the state's 52 House seats. In Texas, Republicans control 25 of the state's 38 congressional districts.

Ex-Washington Post fact-checker Glenn Kessler conceded on Thursday that he was "completely wrong" to label the COVID-19 lab leak theory "doubtful" in 2020.In an interview with Kessler, theeditors.com founder Ira Stoll brought up the eroding trust in fact-checkers from conservatives, using the 2020 Washington Post fact check titled "Was the new coronavirus accidentally released from a Wuhan lab? Its doubtful." as an example.Kessler defended the work done on the piece by his Fact Checker video team but blamed himself for the backlash for adding the words "its doubtful" to the headline.He described being called out by co-author Sarah Cahlan after it was published.CREDIBILITY CRISIS: MEDIA FACT-CHECKERS WERE EAGER TO DEBUNK COVID LAB LEAK THEORY, HAD TO ISSUE CORRECTIONS"One of the reporters on the piece came up to me the next day and said, I think you made a real mistake by putting 'it's doubtful' here. Because I'm uncertain where it stands, and you framed it in a way that made it seem more definitive than what we came up with," Kessler recalled.He continued, "That's on me. I screwed up. She recently left the Washington Post to go to another place. In my goodbye remarks, I mentioned, this explains why you should always listen to Sarah, because she's right, and I was completely wrong about this."Kessler argued that the fact check primarily focused on the claim that the coronavirus was a bioweapon rather than whether the virus came from nature or a lab."It's the headline. The piece itself..." Kessler said."People only remember the headline," Stoll interrupted."Like I said, that's on me," Kessler replied.Fox News Digital reached out to The Washington Post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.WASHINGTON POST ISSUES 'CORRECTION' ON 2020 TOM COTTON STORY CLAIMING COVID LAB-LEAK THEORY WAS 'DEBUNKED'The original fact-check claimed that scientific evidence at the time "strongly supports" the theory that COVID-19 came from nature and that "too many unexpected coincidences" would have been needed for a lab leak. However, it added that the Chinese government was unwilling and unable to offer more information on the theory.Though Kessler now says the fact-check mostly focused on bioweapon claims, he wrote on Twitter, now known as X, in 2020 that it was "virtually impossible" for COVID-19 to have come from a lab in a comment to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, about the piece."I fear @tedcruz missed the scientific animation in the video that shows how it is virtually impossible for this virus jump from the lab. Or the many interviews with actual scientists. We deal in facts, and viewers can judge for themselves," Kessler wrote.Kessler wrote a new fact-check in 2021 that the lab leak theory "suddenly became credible" after new evidence emerged. Though several members of the first Trump administration expressed support for the theory in 2020, Kessler blamed them for his rejection of their claims."The Trump administration also sought to highlight the lab scenario but generally could only point to vague intelligence. The Trump administrations messaging was often accompanied by anti-Chinese rhetoric that made it easier for skeptics to ignore its claims," Kessler wrote.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPThe Washington Post was among the earliest news outlets to reject the lab leak theory outright, calling it a "coronavirus conspiracy theory that was already debunked" in February 2020.

Activist Scott Lo Baido was arrested outside New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's anti-Trump event on Staten Island on Wednesday.A viral social media video revealed that Lo Baido told Mamdani, "This is my f---ing island, you are not welcome here," as he was physically held back while approaching the candidate after the event at Istanbul Bay Authentic Mediterranean Restaurant on Staten Island.Lo Baido shouted profanities at Mamdani, telling the candidate that he hates Jews, cops and America. The protester, who shouted into a megaphone during the opening remarks of Mamdani's event, was later arrested by the New York Police Department (NYPD).In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital on Friday morning, Lo Baido confirmed his arrest and said, "I suggest that somebody in every single borough every time this man shows his face to do what I did the other day."GET OUT OF TOWN!: STATEN ISLAND CROWD CONFRONTS ZOHRAN MAMDANI AT ANTI-TRUMP RALLYLo Baido told his followers on X that he received three summonses upon arrest for sound without permit, disorderly conduct and foul language."Go back to where you came from. We don't want you on Staten Island," a protester wearing a "Trump girl" T-shirt and holding an American flag shouted at the 33-year-old self-described socialist as he exited the backdoor of the restaurant.MAMDANI TAKES AIM AT TRUMP'S IMMIGRATION POLICIES IN FIERY STATEN ISLAND SPEECH: 'WE ARE FIGHTING TO KEEP NYC A SANCTUARY CITY'Inside the event, as Mamdani kicked off his third anti-Trump event of the week, protesters outside the restaurant drowned out the introductory speeches with their cowbells, sirens and megaphones.Despite the heat in the crowded restaurant and his detractors outside, Mamdani maintained a smile throughout the event and told reporters, "It saddens me to hear language of being told to go back to where I came from, and yet, it is not surprising because it is so much of what characterizes President Trump's politics."Mamdani was hosting his third "Five Boroughs Against Trump" event of the week on Wednesday, reaffirming his commitment to protecting New Yorkers from Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration if he's elected mayor of New York City this November."I will not let it dissuade me from continuing to come to Staten Island, from continuing to speak to New Yorkers, no matter where they live, no matter what politics they have," Mamdani said in response to the protesters. "Because I know that just as there are Republicans who feel that way, there are others who are sincere in their questions."Several protesters outside the restaurant told Fox News Digital that they planned to vote for Curtis Sliwa, CEO of the Guardian Angels, this November."He's the only one that could save our city," Ed, a Staten Islander carrying a large American flag, said. Ed told Fox News Digital that he wanted to give Mamdani "a little surprise party" and let the socialist candidate know that his values do not represent those of Staten Island."This is Trump country," said Manny, another protester and Wall Street retiree who said Mamdani's policies are "anti-Wall Street."Trump won Staten Island by 30 points in the 2024 presidential election, according to The New York Times' data. Meanwhile, in neighboring Brooklyn, former Vice President Kamala Harris carried the borough by 44 points.Tommy Banks, a native Staten Islander, said his message to Mamdani on Wednesday was simple. "Get out of town.""He wants to make everything free. He can't afford that. He's a socialist. He don't live that. We're not socialist," Banks said.Banks agreed with the other protesters outside the restaurant, telling Fox News Digital that "nobody else" could be mayor but Sliwa. "He's a true New Yorker. He's been fighting for New York all his life. Give him a chance to get in there," Banks said.Another protester, Liz, shouted, "Mamdani's a commie!" as the Democratic nominee departed in his SUV.Liz said she doesn't like Mamdani because "he's not a Democrat, he's a communist."She said Mamdani is trying to tempt New Yorkers with campaign promises like free childcare, free bus fare and government-run grocery stores, but Liz said it would be a "disaster" if he became mayor.When Mamdani declared victory in the Democratic primary, incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who is running as an independent, called Mamdani a "snake-oil salesman" who would "say and do anything to get elected."Trump has often criticized Mamdani and his policies, calling him a "100% communist lunatic."Staten Islanders who spoke to Fox News Digital outside Mamdani's anti-Trump event on Wednesday seemed to agree with those sentiments, calling him a "commie" and criticizing his policies, which include freezing the rent, raising corporate taxes and increasing the minimum wage.However, Shahana Masum, who sported a "Zohran for Staten Island" sticker on her purse and attended the event, told Fox News Digital that Mamdani is the person who is representing "me and my community."Masum said she has also been told to go back to her country.To that, she said, "You didn't go back to your country, and I came here with dignity and with my visa, so don't tell me to leave."Fox News Bryan Llenas and Marly Carroll contributed to this report.

Kate Gosselin is speaking out about her life now, which includes 12-hour days as a pediatric nurse."Today was a busy day, it was another 12-hour day, and my patient and I did a bunch of things," Kate told her followers on TikTok this week. "We went on the swings together, we went to a birthday party, we played in the water, we spent a lot of time outside. My patient loves to spend time outside, and I, of course, did all of the medical care as well, feeding, bathing and all the things."She added, "And so now I work again tomorrow morning, so I have my dishes loaded into the dishwasher, my dishwasher running, and so I can go to bed and get up early and do it all over again," she continued.While several people praised her work ethic in the comments, one fan asked her what happened to all the income she earned working on the show.ALANA 'HONEY BOO BOO' THOMPSON CLAIMS SHE'S NEVER SEEN A DIME OF MONEY MADE FROM TLC REALITY SHOW"Honestly? Providing for 8 kids, college funds which I am proud to say covered all of their college and more and LAWYERS. Sickening but I was drug into court constantly and that costs A TON," she said in her response. "Sad bc my kids could have a lot more saved and I could have a retirement saved if it werent for lawyers. Its okay. Im helping other families and I feel needed and I enjoy helping!"The former reality star first gained national attention when she appeared on the hit TLC reality show, "Jon & Kate Plus 8," which chronicled how she and her then-husband, Jon Gosselin, managed their eight children, which included one set of twins and one set of sextuplets.The show was on the air from 2007 to 2009, before the couple's divorce in 2009 brought it to an end. Kate then starred in the show's spin-off, "Kate Plus 8," which showed what her life was like as a single mother.One fan in the comments section pointed out that the life she lives now seems much different than what her life was like on the show, and asked if she misses anything from her time on the show.LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS"I miss our house in Pa. But mainly, I miss when the kids were little. Not the stress, just their cuteness. At the time it felt like the days were longbut in hindsight it sped by. And Im sad :(," she wrote in her response.At the time their divorce was finalized, Kate was awarded sole physical custody of all eight of the couple's children. It was later revealed that one of the sextuplets, Hannah, lived with Jon, but that he had little to no contact with his other children.In 2018, Jon was awarded temporary custody of another one of the sextuplets, Collin, after he was allegedly diagnosed with a behavioral disorder and sent away by Kate to a separate school at the age of 12. She sent him to live at the Fairmount Behavioral Health System, a psychiatric hospital located in Philadelphia.In September 2024, Collin accused his mother of being "physically aggressive and verbally very abusive," during an interview with The Sun."My mother had a room built in our unfinished section of the storage basement," he said. "She had a room put up with cameras in it, a tiny window in the corner and it was bolt-locked from the outside. It was like a containment room, and it had a mattress on the floor and that's how I lived."Following the interview, Kate's lawyer, Richard Puelo, told Fox News Digital, "She never wants to comment because she always knows that this gets taken out of context. She doesn't want to comment. Doesnt need to. The record speaks for itself."He added, "The facts belie the truth. Whatever took place, the ones that are truthful are the ones that took place She has no comment because its not going to change the past. And I dont believe she intentionally harmed any of her children in any way, shape or form."More recently, Collin shared an old family photo on TikTok featuring him and his siblings, writing an emotional caption about their fractured relationship, stating "Born to be a team, us against the world. Forced to do it alone, and wonder every day what our lives could've looked like."CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER"Forced apart, pitted against each other. All the fame and money in the world, but what about kids being kids?" he wrote. "I will always love them more than anything. The tears I shed behind closed doors, thinking about the memories we couldve shared. I love you guys."

A man died in California after being struck by a vehicle on the 210 Freeway while trying to flee an immigration enforcement operation at a Home Depot, officials said.The fatal incident unfolded Thursday morning in Monrovia, a city outside of Los Angeles, after police received reports of immigration agents approaching the Home Depot, Monrovia City Manager Dylan Feik told the Los Angeles Times.A day laborer who frequents the location in search of work said to the newspaper that people there started yelling "Immigration, run!"One man then fled the store on foot, jumped over a concrete wall and entered the eastbound lanes of the 210 Freeway, according to the Los Angeles Times. The newspaper reported that a few minutes later, Monrovia Fire & Rescue responded to a call of a vehicle striking a pedestrian. That individual was taken to a hospital and succumbed to his injuries.DHS SCOOPS UP CRIMINAL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SUSPECTED OF KILLING MAN ON LAWNMOWER: 'SENSELESS TRAGEDY'The Department of Homeland Security told Fox News Digital, "This individual was not being pursued by any DHS law enforcement.""We do not know their legal status. We were not aware of this incident or notified by California Highway Patrol until hours after operations in the area had concluded," a spokesperson added.16 IN CUSTODY AFTER IMMIGRATION RAID AT LA HOME DEPOT, DHS SAYSMonrovia resident Karen Suarez told the Los Angeles Times that she went to the Home Depot and found the daughter of the man "visibly very upset.""I feel so bad for her. I feel so bad for the families. These are people trying to escape whatever horrible atrocities they came from for a better life," Suarez added.A crowd of about 50 people later gathered in front of the Home Depot last night, waiving Mexican flags and holding signs that said "ICE out of L.A.," the Los Angeles Times also reported.

FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump's crime crackdown in Washington, D.C., includes streamlining the gun permitting process for law-abiding residents looking to protect themselves, Fox News Digital has learned.The concealed carry permitting process and firearm registration process in the deep blue city have been slashed from months down to days via Trump's Making DC Safe and Beautiful Task Force, which was established via an executive order in March to revitalize the nation's capital. The working group's work to clean up the city did not include changing local gun laws, but instead streamlines the city's already established process, so law-abiding residents can more easily navigate the firearms system. "President Trump is not only stopping violent crime in Washington, D.C., he is also streamlining the permitting process for law-abiding residents who want the ability to protect themselves and their families," White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told Fox News Digital. "The Making DC Safe and Beautiful Task Force has been working with local officials to eliminate longstanding obstacles and successfully reduced the average permit processing time from several months to just five days."Under the task force's efforts, locals are able to book next-day appointments to register their firearms with the Metropolitan Police Department, while walk-in appointments are now available and advertised on the police department's website.Previously, applicants typically waited four months for a firearms registration appointment, a White House official told Fox Digital.RADICAL DC OFFICIALS TREATED OFFICERS LIKE CRAP, POLICE LEADER SAYS 7 ATTACKS THAT LED TO TRUMP TAKEOVERThe concealed carry permit process also has been streamlined, Fox Digital learned. What used to take "several months" to obtain a concealed carry permit, has been cut down to 4.6 days, according to data compiled during the month of May by the task force, which the White House shared with Fox News Digital.Appointments for firearm registration and conceal carry licenses also have been combined into one category to cut back on confusion over which option to choose when beginning the gun process. While the District will soon use third-party finger printers, in addition to Metropolitan Police Department machines, after the D.C. City Council voted to broaden where people can get fingerprinted July 28.Washington, D.C., has some of the most strict gun laws in the nation, including requiring permitted concealed carry holders to re-apply for their license every two years, a ban on most semi-automatic rifles, and ammunition restrictions that ban an individual from possessing ammo for a firearm not registered with the Metropolitan Police Department. The District also has an extensive list of gun-free zones, including public memorials on the National Mall, public transportation, government buildings, schools and colleges, hospitals and medical offices, stadiums and anywhere alcohol is sold.WHITE HOUSE LAUNCHES FEDERAL SECURITY BLITZ AS PRESIDENT VOWS TO END DC 'CRIME PLAGUE'Those registering firearms and applying for concealed carry permits will need to complete D.C.'s requirements to obtain the documents, including completing a firearms training course to obtain a concealed carry license. The Metropolitan Police Department published a lengthy list of reasons an individual's firearm registration application would be denied, including refusing to be fingerprinted, refusing to be photographed, refusing to pay fees for the application process or attempting to register a banned firearm, such as a short-barreled shotgun and so-called "assault weapons."I SUPPORT TRUMP TAKING CONTROL OF DC POLICE THE CONSTITUTION IS ON HIS SIDEThe working group established by the executive order is exploring options to broaden firearm access in the city, such as permitting female concealed carry holders to carry firearms in their handbags as opposed to rules requiring firearms be strapped to a person's body, Fox Digital learned.The working group is also looking at options that would permit concealed carry on public transit, and to kick off reciprocity for concealed carry permits from other states, but such changes would require the D.C. City Council approval.Trump's Making D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force includes members from federal agencies such as the Department of the Interior, the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the United States Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia. The task force is directed, consistent with applicable law, to make D.C. "safe, beautiful, and prosperous by preventing crime, punishing criminals, preserving order, protecting our revered American monuments, and promoting beautification and the preservation of our history and heritage."PRESIDENT TRUMP INCREASES FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PRESENCE IN DC FOLLOWING VIOLENT CRIME SURGETrump's March executive order establishing the task force was followed months later by Trump federalizing the D.C. police department Monday, ordering hundreds of National Guard troops to sweep the streets, while law enforcement officials from agencies such as the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Department of Homeland Security have assisted with arrests and cracking down on crime in the district.Trump federalized the city under the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, which allows the president to assume emergency control of the capital's police force for 30 days.Trump described the federalization of the police as "Liberation Day in D.C.," declaring, "We're going to take our capital back.""We're taking it back under the authority vested in me as the president of the United States, I'm officially invoking section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act," he said Monday. "You know what that is. And placing the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control. In addition, I'm deploying the National Guard to help reestablish law, order and public safety in Washington, D.C. And they're going to be allowed to do their job properly."

Alyson Stoner had worked in showbiz for nearly 20 years when the former child star checked a bank account, expecting over a million dollars and there was nothing.The entertainer had been performing since turning 3 years old. The 32-year-old danced alongside Missy Elliott, and appeared in "Cheaper by the Dozen" and "Camp Rock," among other films. Yet after being "groomed to be sold," the bank account had zero dollars. Stoner is now exploring the pitfalls of fame in a new memoir, "Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything.""Even though I was absolutely frugal, and I continue to be, there are a lot of loopholes that leave room for a childs money to be mishandled, even by people who have good intentions but dont understand the unique business structures of entertainment expenses," Stoner told Fox News Digital.LINDSAY LOHAN SAYS FAME DROVE HER OUT OF HOLLYWOOD, BLAMES PAPARAZZI FOR PTSD"It was shocking to wake up to zero dollars in an account," Stoner admitted. "I was mostly in denial at first. I was afraid for my future. I wondered after all this time, if I can be duped once, will I be taken advantage of again? Do I have the competence, the life skills to find my way outside the industry?"The entertainer, who uses they/them pronouns, was in their early 20s when they made the shocking discovery.Stoner and their older sister teamed up to investigate years of records, the book details. The duo discovered that Stoners business team had mismanaged finances, splurging on lavish gifts. Their mother, a "career bookkeeper," had been paying herself a monthly salary since Stoner was a child, plus taking "one-off payments" of "several thousand" over the years.There were also decades of hefty expenses to maintain a successful career in Hollywood. There were never any conversations about budgeting and saving.Stoner wrote that 15 years of labor turned into "a crumbling house of cards.""A lot of folks are unaware that it can cost between $10,000 and $20,000 for different expenses," said Stoner. "Many artists are losing money while spending a lot of time and energy and resources auditioning, only to be rejected a majority of the time The creative industry is largely unpaid labor. When youre a child, the assumption is that you can afford to do this for fun, because you arent necessarily the breadwinner."A devastated Stoner met with an entertainment lawyer. Ultimately, they decided against legal action, writing that they "cant burn a bridge with my mother." Stoner said they felt loyalty and compassion for the matriarch, who had also struggled with alcohol.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER"I began performing at the age of 3," Stoner reflected. "I attended a performance convention in New York at age 6. Unbeknownst to me, this was a recruitment funnel for Hollywood. And my Midwestern family had zero affiliation with the industry.""I had zero aspirations to pursue the industry," said Stoner. "And yet, there was a funnel with lots of different players, from agents, to managers, to casting directors, who were used to seeing children go through this process almost like a conveyor belt, becoming packaged products for audiences.""At 6 years old, I couldn't understand the short- and long-term implications of having corporations own my name, image and likeness," Stoner continued. "It was also impossible for my family, who were given no upfront manual for what to expect, to recognize the consequences of disrupting every area of my childhood development, removing me from school to navigate 80-hour work weeks."And Stoner paid a big price for growing up in the public eye. After navigating stalkers, kidnapping plots, grueling schedules and excess demands, all the pressure eventually led to an eating disorder."I would see forums online and comment sections and interactions with fans nitpicking specific aspects of my appearance, as if it correlated to my talent, my ability to work and my inherent value," said Stoner. "I also wanted to fulfill the industrys wishes, fulfill the expectations of someone like me, which is namely to stay thin, be fit and be so versatile."The book revealed that Stoner prepared to audition for "Hunger Games" while battling an eating disorder. Stoner claimed that at age 17, they convinced a "world-renowned medical weight-loss camp" to help, with the goal of building muscle for the film, not shedding pounds. But desperate for the role of Katniss, they went into "starvation mode" until they "completed the biggest binge of my life." The part ultimately went to Jennifer Lawrence.LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSStoner was encouraged to press onward in their career. They described that for many performers, turning 18 is an "expiration date." But their body was "screaming for help," they said."I was experiencing flaking nails, I had sallow skin, my weight was dropping, and I was navigating intense anxiety," said Stoner. "Some OCD tendencies were forming I needed help.""The bittersweet truth is that oftentimes, when youre vying for deeply competitive spots, theres a sense that theres never going to be a good time to take care of yourself. Youre willing to sacrifice absolutely anything to secure your spot I needed to try to get myself back on track if I wanted any kind of future in the industry. Or any future at all."At age 17, Stoner sought treatment."I recognized that I was in such a degree of distress that if I didnt get help, I was looking at potentially fatal consequences," Stoner admitted.Stoner also noted that as they grew older, they felt uneasy being expected to play more seductive characters at a film studio."One of the areas that was most uncomfortable was being in a casting room where youre playing opposite adults, and youre being coached to come across as provocative, and youre rewarded with maybe a callback if you showcased the right amount of skin," said Stoner."If [youve] gone through the process of being able to work as a legal 18, you might be on set without any guardians. Crew members may not even know your age. And it leaves a lot of room for pushing the envelope, potential grooming and being taken advantage of.""I have countless stories of young people who were hired to play one character, and upon showing up on set, they were slowly and systematically coerced into doing more than what was originally on the page," said Stoner.Today, Stoner is the founder of Movement Genius, an online platform that aims to make mental health support more accessible. Stoner is also a voice actor for Disney."I strongly encourage people to pursue local community theater first," Stoner offered up when asked about advice for parents. "For a young person to be able to develop healthfully, they need developmentally appropriate experiences. At the moment, entertainment productions are not equipped to provide those experiences."Stoner noted that being an advocate for the next generation of child performers is one of their most important roles today.WATCH: FORMER DISNEY STARS EXPLAIN HOW CHILD STARDOM PREPARED THEM FOR SPECIAL FORCES"My memoir gives people an opportunity to learn about the intimate details of what happened on all those sets growing up, while also answering very timely questions about what it means to navigate the world," said Stoner. "I tell people, Come for the childhood chaos. Stay for the cultural critique."