Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the U.S. air traffic system as antiquated on Wednesday and urged the Senate to pass the Big Beautiful Bill which has $12.5 billion earmarked for upgrades to the system.Duffy, speaking at the Transportation Department, was providing updates on the situation at Newark International Airport in New Jersey where outdated infrastructure and staffing shortfalls have already triggered radar and telecom outages there."We have an antiquated and old air traffic control system, anywhere from 25 to 35, 40 years old in some places," Duffy said. "It is in desperate need of a brand-new build. We need Congress to act."TRUMP TOUTS 'REBUILDING AND MODERNIZATION' OF US AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL, BLASTS BUTTIGIEG FOR HAVING 'NO CLUE'Duffy said the agency aims to build a brand-new air traffic control system and touted it was able to work with Verizon on completing a new fiber optic line between Philadelphia and New York in just 30 days, a troubled portion of the line impacting Newark. Fiber optic lines are used to transmit radar, radio and other air traffic data between facilities and they replaced older copper lines, which are slower and more vulnerable to disruption.The work was necessary after three major disruptions occurred at Newark's Philly TRACON (terminal radar approach control), causing telecom outages and radar scope reboots.A software update was deployed to fix the glitch, and Verizon laid the new fiber line to ensure long-term stability and confirmed the fix worked, Duffy said."That's just an example of what's going to happen should Congress give us the money to do this brand-new build," Duffy said. "And by the way, it's a nationwide plan. We have we have systems all over the country, but we need the Congress to act."NEWARK AIRPORT HIT WITH NEW DELAYS, OUTAGE HEARD ON AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL AUDIODuffy added that more funding would likely be needed and urged Congress to streamline the permitting process to ensure the work gets completed quickly. He also praised President Donald Trump for backing airspace modernization and criticized the Biden administration for moving Newark's airspace to Philadelphia without fiber lines.He said that construction of a runway at the airport alsocontributed to delays, specifically by reducing the number of flights the airport could handle, but he said he expects work to be finished by June 15.Additionally, only 16 of the 27 people at Philadelphia TRACON, which controls Newarks airspace, are working due to trauma leave and medical leave, Duffy said. Five of the 27 are supervisors.He said that 16 controllers are in training and will be deployed over the coming months."We normally run 5054 departures an hour at Newark, thats now down to 28 an hour due to staffing," Duffy said."When the runway reopens June 15, well bump that up to 34 an hour and reassess again in October once more controllers are certified."There is currently a shortage of 3,000 air traffic controllers across the U.S., Duffy said, but he insisted the system is safe."Some have asked is the airspace safe? Is it space to try to travel by airplane?" Duffy retorted. "And the answer to that is absolutely yes," he said.

President Donald Trump said he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy in the coming weeks "if necessary."The presidents comments come just after he condemned Russias recent large-scale strike against Ukraine.Russian forces launched hundreds of drones and missiles atUkrainian citiesovernight Sunday. The attack, which has been called the largest aerial attack of the war so far, targeted the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.TRUMP SAYS HE'S 'NOT HAPPY' WITH PUTIN AFTER MASSIVE UKRAINE STRIKEUkrainian officials said that at least 12 people were killed and dozens more were injured.Though past strikes have proven more deadly, the attack is the largest-scale aerial assault of the war in terms of the number of weapons: 298 drones and 69 missiles were launched.The president on Wednesday was asked if he believes Putin actually wants to end the war with Ukraine, to which Trump replied: "I cant tell you that, but Ill let you know in about two weeks.""Within two weeks, were going to find out whether or not hes tapping us along or not," Trump told reporters at the Oval Office during a swearing-in ceremony for Jeanine Pirro as interim U.S. attorney. "And if he is, we will respond a little bit differently."Trump said his special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, is "doing a phenomenal job" and "dealing with them very strongly right now.""They seem to want to do something," Trump said.But Trump again condemned Russias attack, saying he is "very disappointed at what happened a couple of nights now where people were killed in what you would call a negotiation.""Im very disappointed by that," Trump said. "Very, very disappointing."TRUMP WARNS PUTIN IS 'PLAYING WITH FIRE' AFTER DECLARING THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT HAS 'GONE ABSOLUTELY CRAZY'Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed a willingness to sit down again with Trump and with Putin in Geneva.When asked if he was planning to sit down with Putin and Zelenskyy, Trump said he would be willing."Well, if it's necessary we have to, I think at this point. I wish you would have been that way a couple of months ago, but at this point, we're working on President Putin, and we'll see where we are," Trump said. "I think we're doing fine, but we'll see."Special Envoy Keith Kellogg is preparing for possible talks in Geneva, though it remains unclear when they will be held. Russia has yet to agree to the U.S.s peace proposal, and its foreign ministry Tuesday claimed it was still working on its memorandum of terms.Russia has suggested a possible meeting in Istabul, Turkey.Meanwhile, the president again on Wednesday said: "I don't like what's happening. It's one thing I'll say I don't like when I see rockets being shot into cities. That's no good. We're not going to allow it."The president, over the weekend, blasted Putin, saying he is "killing a lot of people.""I don't know what the hell happened to Putin," he said over the weekend. "I've known him a long time, always gotten along with him, but he's sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don't like it at all."In a post on Telegram, Zelenskyy called for an international response to the attack."The silence of America, the silence of others in the world only encourages Putin," he wrote on Telegram. "Every such terrorist Russian strike is reason enough for new sanctions against Russia."Trump expanded on his comments later Sunday, writing on Truth Social that Putin "has gone absolutely CRAZY!" while also criticizing Zelenskyy."Ive always said that (Putin) wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe thats proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!" the social media post read. "Likewise, President Zelenskyy is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does. Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I dont like it, and it better stop.""This is a War that would never have started if I were President," Trump concluded. "This is Zelenskyys, Putins, and Bidens War, not Trumps, I am only helping to put out the big and ugly fires, that have been started through Gross Incompetence and Hatred."

Former RNC Chair and MSNBC analyst Michael Steele compared the U.S. government deporting an illegal immigrant to El Salvador to despotic regimes kidnapping Americans or journalists while abroad on Tuesday.During an MSNBC segment, Steele argued that the U.S. deporting illegal immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia from Maryland to the "Terrorism Confinement Center" in El Salvador earlier this year is similar to radical Islamic terrorists capturing Americans in the Middle East, or Russian President Vladimir Putin kidnapping journalists."How is this different from when Putin grabs a journalist or some, you know, rogue group in the Middle East grabs an American, and we're sitting here fighting to try to get them back," he asked.GOP SENATOR SAYS TRUMP ADMIN DEPORTING KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA WAS A 'SCREW UP'"Our own government did this," he continued. "Our own government snatched him up and put him in harms way and now refuses to do what it must do and should do to get him back home."Steele made the comments to Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md., who recently traveled to meet with the deported immigrant but was denied access to the prisoner by local government officials.Ivey agreed with the former RNC chairs assessment that the U.S. is acting like Putin or Islamic extremist groups, prompting Steele to double down."Were doing the exact same thing here in the U.S. now, with our own government. Were petitioning our government to stop seizing people and grabbing them off the street and putting them in foreign prisons.""Yeah," Ivey replied.CNN'S SCOTT JENNINGS SAYS LEFT 'IN LOVE WITH THE WORST PEOPLE' DURING CLASH OVER DEPORTED ALLEGED MS-13 MEMBERSteele is the latest pundit to engage in the debate over Abrego Garcia between the Democratic Party and Republicans. Democratic figures, like Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., have claimed that Abrego Garcia has been unjustly deported to the mega prison.Van Hollen previously said that it was "absolutely unjust and illegal to have this Marylander detained one more day in a notorious prison in El Salvador." He also traveled to the country to meet with Abrego Garcia, a meeting that was heavily criticized by the Trump administration.Though some government officials acknowledged in court that Abrego Garcias deportation to the Central American country was an administrative error, high-level Trump administration officials say the illegal immigrant was correctly removed and that hes a member of the MS-13 gang.CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTUREMentioning the detained migrants 2022 arrest, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Press Secretary Tricia McLaughlin recently declared, "Kilmar Abrego Garcia is an MS-13 gang member, illegal alien from El Salvador, and suspected human trafficker. The facts reveal he was pulled over with eight individuals in a car on an admitted three-day journey from Texas to Maryland with no luggage."She continued, "The facts speak for themselves, and they reek of human trafficking. The medias sympathetic narrative about this criminal illegal gang member has completely fallen apart. We hear far too much about the gang members and criminals false sob stories and not enough about their victims."Both a federal district court and the U.S. Supreme Court have ordered the Trump administration to "facilitate" Abrego Garcias release and return to the U.S. for proper deportation proceedings.Attorney General Pam Bondi said that Abrego Garcia would not be allowed back into the U.S. unless El Salvador were to decide otherwise."He is not coming back to our country," she said.In response to Steele's claims, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital, "Michael Steele is suffering from a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome and should apologize to all the innocent people he just insulted by comparing them to a terrorist illegal immigrant, human-trafficker, and wife-beater who had no legal right to be in the United States."

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the U.S. air traffic system as antiquated on Wednesday and urged the Senate to pass the Big Beautiful Bill which has $12.5 billion earmarked for upgrades to the system.Duffy, speaking at the Transportation Department, was providing updates on the situation at Newark International Airport in New Jersey where outdated infrastructure and staffing shortfalls have already triggered radar and telecom outages there."We have an antiquated and old air traffic control system, anywhere from 25 to 35, 40 years old in some places," Duffy said. "It is in desperate need of a brand-new build. We need Congress to act."TRUMP TOUTS 'REBUILDING AND MODERNIZATION' OF US AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL, BLASTS BUTTIGIEG FOR HAVING 'NO CLUE'Duffy said the agency aims to build a brand-new air traffic control system and touted it was able to work with Verizon on completing a new fiber optic line between Philadelphia and New York in just 30 days, a troubled portion of the line impacting Newark. Fiber optic lines are used to transmit radar, radio and other air traffic data between facilities and they replaced older copper lines, which are slower and more vulnerable to disruption.The work was necessary after three major disruptions occurred at Newark's Philly TRACON (terminal radar approach control), causing telecom outages and radar scope reboots.A software update was deployed to fix the glitch, and Verizon laid the new fiber line to ensure long-term stability and confirmed the fix worked, Duffy said."That's just an example of what's going to happen should Congress give us the money to do this brand-new build," Duffy said. "And by the way, it's a nationwide plan. We have we have systems all over the country, but we need the Congress to act."NEWARK AIRPORT HIT WITH NEW DELAYS, OUTAGE HEARD ON AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL AUDIODuffy added that more funding would likely be needed and urged Congress to streamline the permitting process to ensure the work gets completed quickly. He also praised President Donald Trump for backing airspace modernization and criticized the Biden administration for moving Newark's airspace to Philadelphia without fiber lines.He said that construction of a runway at the airport alsocontributed to delays, specifically by reducing the number of flights the airport could handle, but he said he expects work to be finished by June 15.Additionally, only 16 of the 27 people at Philadelphia TRACON, which controls Newarks airspace, are working due to trauma leave and medical leave, Duffy said. Five of the 27 are supervisors.He said that 16 controllers are in training and will be deployed over the coming months."We normally run 5054 departures an hour at Newark, thats now down to 28 an hour due to staffing," Duffy said."When the runway reopens June 15, well bump that up to 34 an hour and reassess again in October once more controllers are certified."There is currently a shortage of 3,000 air traffic controllers across the U.S., Duffy said, but he insisted the system is safe."Some have asked is the airspace safe? Is it space to try to travel by airplane?" Duffy retorted. "And the answer to that is absolutely yes," he said.

President Donald Trump said he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy in the coming weeks "if necessary."The presidents comments come just after he condemned Russias recent large-scale strike against Ukraine.Russian forces launched hundreds of drones and missiles atUkrainian citiesovernight Sunday. The attack, which has been called the largest aerial attack of the war so far, targeted the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.TRUMP SAYS HE'S 'NOT HAPPY' WITH PUTIN AFTER MASSIVE UKRAINE STRIKEUkrainian officials said that at least 12 people were killed and dozens more were injured.Though past strikes have proven more deadly, the attack is the largest-scale aerial assault of the war in terms of the number of weapons: 298 drones and 69 missiles were launched.The president on Wednesday was asked if he believes Putin actually wants to end the war with Ukraine, to which Trump replied: "I cant tell you that, but Ill let you know in about two weeks.""Within two weeks, were going to find out whether or not hes tapping us along or not," Trump told reporters at the Oval Office during a swearing-in ceremony for Jeanine Pirro as interim U.S. attorney. "And if he is, we will respond a little bit differently."Trump said his special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, is "doing a phenomenal job" and "dealing with them very strongly right now.""They seem to want to do something," Trump said.But Trump again condemned Russias attack, saying he is "very disappointed at what happened a couple of nights now where people were killed in what you would call a negotiation.""Im very disappointed by that," Trump said. "Very, very disappointing."TRUMP WARNS PUTIN IS 'PLAYING WITH FIRE' AFTER DECLARING THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT HAS 'GONE ABSOLUTELY CRAZY'Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed a willingness to sit down again with Trump and with Putin in Geneva.When asked if he was planning to sit down with Putin and Zelenskyy, Trump said he would be willing."Well, if it's necessary we have to, I think at this point. I wish you would have been that way a couple of months ago, but at this point, we're working on President Putin, and we'll see where we are," Trump said. "I think we're doing fine, but we'll see."Special Envoy Keith Kellogg is preparing for possible talks in Geneva, though it remains unclear when they will be held. Russia has yet to agree to the U.S.s peace proposal, and its foreign ministry Tuesday claimed it was still working on its memorandum of terms.Russia has suggested a possible meeting in Istabul, Turkey.Meanwhile, the president again on Wednesday said: "I don't like what's happening. It's one thing I'll say I don't like when I see rockets being shot into cities. That's no good. We're not going to allow it."The president, over the weekend, blasted Putin, saying he is "killing a lot of people.""I don't know what the hell happened to Putin," he said over the weekend. "I've known him a long time, always gotten along with him, but he's sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don't like it at all."In a post on Telegram, Zelenskyy called for an international response to the attack."The silence of America, the silence of others in the world only encourages Putin," he wrote on Telegram. "Every such terrorist Russian strike is reason enough for new sanctions against Russia."Trump expanded on his comments later Sunday, writing on Truth Social that Putin "has gone absolutely CRAZY!" while also criticizing Zelenskyy."Ive always said that (Putin) wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe thats proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!" the social media post read. "Likewise, President Zelenskyy is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does. Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I dont like it, and it better stop.""This is a War that would never have started if I were President," Trump concluded. "This is Zelenskyys, Putins, and Bidens War, not Trumps, I am only helping to put out the big and ugly fires, that have been started through Gross Incompetence and Hatred."

Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content.Here's what's happening-Jeanine Pirro sworn in as DC's interim US Attorney, pledging 'no more mercy for criminals'-White House sending $9.4 billion DOGE cuts package to Congress next week-Federal judge refuses to reconsider order to facilitate deportee's return to USRepublicans are ripping progressive New York Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for renewing her call to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in a recent fundraising email."I believe that ICE, an agency that was just formed in 2003 during the Patriot Act era, is a rogue agency that should not exist," Ocasio-Cortez said in a fundraising email obtained by Fox News Digital.The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), House Republicans' campaign arm, criticized the potential 2028 presidential candidate in an X post for fundraising on wanting to abolish ICE, a progressive rallying cry that rejects President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigrationREAD MORETRUMP CHECKS BIBI: Trump confirms he told Netanyahu to back off Iran strikes amid nuclear talksLAWFARE CONTINUES: Obama-nominated judge allows lawsuit targeting Musk's role with DOGE to proceed, drops claims against Trump'INTENSELY LOYAL': 'Intensely loyal' Jill Biden aide despised by White House staffers, new book claims'NO EVIDENCE': Watchdog finds 'no evidence' Biden knew of crucial climate EOs, demands answers on who signed autopenELIMINATED: Netanyahu says Israel has killed Hamas' Gaza chief Mohammed SinwarEXECUTION IN IRAN: Iran hangs a man convicted of spying for Israel'DOES NOT UNDERSTAND': Russia says 'Trump is not being sufficiently informed' after calling Putin 'absolutely CRAZY'FIRST ON FOX: Rubio urged to punish Iraq with 'maximum pressure' sanctions for its 'complete subjugation' by IranNEPOTISM IN ACTION: Longtime Democrat senator's daughter takes aim at Trump, Musk, RFK Jr, in launch for key House swing seatBURGERS AND BARBS: Senate Republican campaign committee 'grills' Chuck Schumer on National Hamburger DayDOCTOR'S ORDERS: A new law in this state bans automated insurance claim denialsTERROR AT THE BORDER: DHS video honors Marine killed by Mexican cartel, touts Trump's crackdown on 'terrorists'US STRIKES BACK: Rubio announces visa restrictions for foreign authorities 'complicit' in censoring Americans' free speechILLEGAL MIGRANT: Texas border sheriff says illegal crossings have seen dramatic decline as CA migrant center shuts downDESANTIS ON DOGE: DeSantis goads Congress to follow FLs DOGE blueprint as Musks cuts still wait for vote'INACCURATE' VOTER LISTS: DOJ sues North Carolina over voter rollsBULLET POINTS REPEALED: Defense Department workers no longer required to submit DOGE's weekly production reportsGet the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

Just ahead of summer, the high season when military families are packing up for another round of having to relocate, known as permanent change of station (PCS) moves, the Pentagon is now signaling a dramatic shift in policy that could reshape military life for years to come.The Department of Defense (DoD) recently released a memo ordering all military branches to update their PCS policies in an effort to slash relocation spending by half by fiscal year 2030.The May 22 memo directs each service to focus on cutting discretionary travel for operational, rotational and training assignments."At approximately $5 billion annually, PCS moves are a significant expense," the memo reads. "Lower-priority PCS moves should be reduced for Service members and their families seeking greater geographic stability."HEGSETH ORDERS SWEEPING ARMY OVERHAUL AND CONSOLIDATION AIMED AT COUNTERING CHINA AND GOLDEN DOME CAPABILITIESThe directive mandates a staged budget reduction: 10% by FY 2027, 30% by FY 2028, 40% by FY 2029, and 50% by FY 2030, based on FY 2026 figures adjusted for inflation.Services have 120 days from the memos signing to submit implementation plans, including career model revisions that support long-term geographic stability.In a briefing with reporters, Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Tim Dill confirmed that the target is ambitious, but not final."We want them to come back and tell us if that seems like the right number for them," Dill said. "If they come back and say, well, this specific course of action could be harmful, then we don't want to accomplish it."While the effort is framed as a cost-saving measure, the move comes as pressure mounts over quality-of-life issues facing military families.According to the 2024 active duty spouse survey, 32% of military spouses favor leaving the military altogether, a historic high for the biennial survey. Only 48% report being satisfied with military life, the lowest level in nearly two decades.PCS moves are at the center of that discontent."We just reviewed the results of the 2024 active duty spouse survey, and we hear from them frequently about all of the concerns that are typically associated with PCS moves," Dill said. "Its clear that its time for the [DoD] to look at reducing the frequency of those moves, especially if we want to maintain the momentum that we have today both in recruiting and the retention of service members."PENTAGON TO CUT UP TO 60K CIVILIAN JOBS, BUT FEWER THAN 21K HAVE VOLUNTARILY RESIGNEDDill stressed the wide-ranging disruption PCS causes: "Families have to go find a home, they need new arrangements for their children and theyre displaced from the community of support that theyve developed over the years in their previous duty station."He emphasized that the new PCS guidance is not about shifting hardship from families to single troops."PCS moves affect everyone," he said. "We just think we need to take the moves away from the families and put it on someone else its for everyone."Still, Dill acknowledged that family experience weighs heavily on whether service members choose to reenlist: "If your family is not supportive of the service member staying in service, thats a very high predictor of whether or not the service member will decide to stay. We want them to stay."MILITARY SPOUSE AND MOM OF 5 FIGHTS BACK AS VACCINE DISPUTE BLOCKS FAMILY'S PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATIONThe Pentagon estimates roughly 80% of PCS moves are discretionary."What were directing the departments to do is purely to examine potential reductions in things that would be defined as discretionary," Dill said. "If they see [a move] as mandatory for mission needs, were not even asking them to come back with a plan to reduce it."In a statement, Chief Pentagon Spokesperson and Senior Advisor Sean Parnell clarified that this initiative is separate from a broader PCS Task Force established to improve the efficiency of current moves."This initiative focuses on reducing the costs of PCS and is distinct from the Secretarys direction to establish the PCS Task Force, which is focused on the timely and efficient execution of PCS moves," Parnell said.The PCS overhaul isnt happening in a vacuum.It comes on the heels of a series of other cost-efficiency pushes at the DoD.In a statement issued May 23, Parnell confirmed that the department would be ending its much-criticized "What You Did Last Week" initiative, requiring civilian employees to report weekly accomplishments.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPFirst launched in February 2025 under Secretary of Defense guidance, the program was intended to "foster accountability."Parnell said the program would officially conclude May 28, and employees were asked in their final submissions to offer "one concrete idea to enhance efficiency or root out waste."

The Woods family has added more hardware to the trophy case.Charlie Woods took home the Team TaylorMade Invitational title Wednesday at the Streamsong Resort Black Course in Bowling Green, Florida, for his first American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) victory.Woods began the day tied at 9-under and finished with a final-round 66 to come out on top of a 71-player field that included four of the top five players in the AJGA.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMWoods' final round featured eight birdies and two bogeys, and he closed with four straight pars. He won the event by three strokes ahead of fifth-ranked Luke Colton, Willie Gordon and Phillip Dunham.Woods opened the tournament with a first-round 70 but followed with a 65 Tuesday. He was competing in just his fifth AJGA event, and his previous best finish was a tie for 25th at the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley in March.Woods already has several wins on his resume, with his first coming in the 14-15-year-old category at the Hurricane Junior Golf Tours Major Championship in June 2023. Later that year, he won the Last Chance Regional golf tournament.PRO GOLF GREATS DISCUSS SOUTH AFRICA WITH TRUMP, COUNTRYS PRESIDENT IN TENSE MEETING BETWEEN LEADERSLast summer, he qualified to compete at the U.S. Junior Amateur but failed to make the cut. He recorded his first-ever hole-in-one at the PNC Championship, where he teamed up with his father.His dad has 82 professional wins, tied with Sam Snead for the most ever. Fifteen of those victories have come in majors, and his last major win was the unforgettable 2019 Masters.Tiger, who has not won a tournament since the 2019 Zozo, is recovering from a ruptured Achilles he sustained just weeks before this year's Masters. In 18 official events since finishing tied for ninth at the 2020 Farmers Insurance Open, his best finish was a tie for 37th at the 2020 PGA Championship.Last year, Tiger competed in just five events, including the Genesis Invitational and the other four majors. He withdrew from the Genesis, finished dead last in the Masters and missed the cut in the final three majors.The Associated Press contributed to this report.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X,and subscribe tothe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

UNITED NATIONS Israeli United Nations Ambassador Danny Danon condemned what he called a "shakedown" by the U.N. to prevent Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) from working with the new U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).While addressing the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday, Danon claimed that the world body was using "threats, intimidation and retaliation" against NGOs that dared to defy the international bodys call to boycott GHF. The Israeli diplomat described the U.N.s response to NGOs cooperating with GHF as "mafia-like.""Without any discussion, without due process, the U.N. removed those NGOs from the shared aid database. That database is the central system for tracking aid deliveries into Gaza," Danon told the Security Council. "This is the gravest violation of the U.N.'s own principles. It is extortion of well-meaning NGOs that refuse to kiss the ring."In the same Security Council meeting, Acting U.S. Alternate Representative John Kelley urged the U.N. to work with GHF and Israel "to reach agreements on how to operationalize this system in a way that works for all." Kelley also emphasized the need to ensure that Hamas cannot benefit from any humanitarian aid distribution system that is established.NEW US-BACKED AID GROUP BEGINS DISTRIBUTING FOOD IN WAR-TORN GAZAOn Wednesday, GHF said in a statement that it had opened another secure aid distribution site "without incident." The organization also addressed some claims about its operations. GHF said that, contrary to reports, no Palestinians have been questioned or detained while receiving aid. Additionally, GHF said that no Palestinians had been shot or killed while trying to get aid.GHF disputes reports that its sites were overrun on Tuesday: "GHF anticipated that the [safe distribution sites] may experience pressure due to acute hunger and Hamas-imposed blockades, which create dangerous conditions outside the gates."According to established protocol, for a brief moment the GHF team intentionally relaxed its security protocols to safeguard against crowd reactions to finally receiving food. No beneficiaries were injured, no lives were lost and all food available was distributed without interference. Order was restored without incident. As in all emergency response situations, particularly in conflict zones, this type of reaction from stressed beneficiary populations is expected and we remain prepared to continue providing lifesaving assistance should disruptions occur."Unfortunately, there are many parties who wish to see GHF fail. Conditions remain very difficult and the lives of both Gazans and aid workers are at stake," GHF said in a statement.ISRAELI AMBASSADOR LASHES OUT AT UN OFFICIAL, CONDEMNS UK, FRANCE, CANADA STATEMENT ON AIDThe international community has not relented in its push against GHF.U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher who once called the plan behind GHF a "fig leaf for further violence and displacement" of Palestinians in Gaza has made his objections to the program clear. Fletcher made an appeal in a post on X to let the U.N. take control of aid distribution in Gaza."We have the supplies, plan, will, and networks to deliver massive amounts of lifesaving aid to civilians in Gaza, in line with humanitarian principles, as the world is demanding," Fletcher wrote.ISRAEL TURNS TABLES ON UN OFFICIAL CLAIMING 'GENOCIDE' IN GAZA WITH BASIC QUESTIONSEarlier this month, Fletcher urged the international community not to "waste time" with a new plan when the U.N. already had one in place.On Wednesday, as Israel marked 600 days since the Oct. 7 massacre, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) noted that "121 trucks belonging to the U.N. and the international community" were allowed into the Gaza Strip. The IDF said that the trucks were carrying food and other aid.

The Angel Reese-Caitlin Clark rivalry has another chapter closed after the WNBA found that claims of hateful speech toward Reese by Indiana Fever fans were "not substantiated."The two young phenoms have been tied at the hip since they faced off in the 2023 national championship game, where Reese's LSU Tigers defeated Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes, and in the closing moments, Reese hit Clark with a "you can't see me" taunt.It was a move that Clark took in good fun, saying Reese should not have been "criticized at all" and pointing at the nature of competitiveness.But after a flagrant foul by Clark against Reese on Saturday, all the prior talk from each athlete about a lack of a rivalry seemed to falter.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMHowever, former ESPN host Jemele Hill said fans are looking too deep into Reese and Clark, even if they do actually "hate each other.""This is ultimately a conversation about cultural competency. Angel Reeses very existence rubs a lot of people the wrong way. No one knows for sure how she feels about Caitlin Clark, but what we do know from Angel Reeses own public comments is that she feels a way that she isnt given more credit for how she also has added to the popularity of womens basketball in this moment," Hill said in a YouTube video on her channel in a segment called "Spolotics."Hill also said Black athletes are more often "portrayed negatively by the media" than White athletes."If Black athletes are confident, they're considered cocky and arrogant. If they speak their mind, they're considered troublemakers or ungrateful same tropes, different day," Hill added.But Hill said the Reese-Clark "rivalry" should be treated like every other sports rivalry.ANGEL REESE 'OWES' FEVER FANS 'AN APOLOGY' AFTER WNBA FINDS NO EVIDENCE OF HATEFUL REMARKS, SENATOR SAYS"In sports, we love drama. We love the idea of athletes having to go through something. We also love fiery competitors and athletes who talk their s--t and back it up. But when it comes to women, or more specifically these two women, we are struggling to see them as just two highly competitive athletes who often are in a position of having to compete for the same things," Hill said. "For some reason, when it comes to Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark, we simply refuse to view their competitiveness through that same lens. Maybe they hate each other, maybe they dont. But I want us to graduate to a point where whether or not they like each other is utterly irrelevant.""Angel Reese is not the villain in Caitlin Clarks story, no more than Caitlin Clark is the savior in hers. Every interaction between them is not a think piece. If there are hard fouls, rough language and things get spicy, so be it. If you have no problem when male athletes compete hard against one another or expose their pettiness, do us all a favor and apply that same energy so we can actually enjoy this WNBA season."Reese once claimed that increased viewership in women's basketball was "because of me, too" and "not just one person." She also recently reposted a TikTok that claimed she was "unsafe" while playing in Indiana, and she once also said Fever and Iowa fans had been racist toward her.Clark and Reese were teammates in the WNBA All-Star Game last year.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X,and subscribe tothe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.