NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! American skier Hunter Hess appeared to backtrack on the “mixed emotions” he said he had about representing the U.S. at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.Hess drew backlash from President Donald Trump and others when he made his initial comments to reporters last week. But after a few days, Hess made clear what it means to wear the red, white and blue on one of the biggest stages in sports. “I love my country,” he wrote with an American flag emoji. “There is so much that is great about America, but there are always things that could be better.”One of the many things that makes this country so amazing is that we have the right and the freedom to point that out. The best part of the Olympics is that it brings people together, and when so many of us are divided we need that more than ever. I cannot wait to represent Team USA next week when I compete.”Hess’ comments came as the Trump administration faced backlash over the use of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in enforcement operations. An incident with ICE agents in January left Renee Good dead…

The U.S. Air Force must buy at least 500 sixth-generation fighters and bombers — more than it already plans — to be able to prevail in a war against China, the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies said Monday.In its policy paper, “Strategic Attack: Maintaining the Air Force’s Capacity to Deny Enemy Sanctuaries,” experts from the Mitchell Institute argue that the Air Force needs at least 300 next-generation F-47 fighters and at least 200 B-21 Raider stealth bombers to counter China. The Air Force has previously signaled it plans to buy at least 185 F-47s from Boeing and at least 100 Northrop Grumman-made B-21s.In an online discussion about the paper, former F-16 pilot and Mitchell Institute director of research Heather Penney warned that past U.S. wars such as Korea and Vietnam, and Ukraine’s current war against Russia’s invasion, have showed that militaries who can’t or won’t hit enemy bases and other sanctuaries from the air risk falling into grueling wars of attrition, akin to trench warfare.And without a significantly boosted combat fleet able to project long-range air power in force, Penney said, the United States could find itself in a similar danger against China.“China is deliberately building the capabilities and the…

China has asked all of its banks to reduce exposure to American debt, citing rising market volatility and geopolitical risks. China has been steadily whittling away at its United States treasury holdings since peaking in 2013. Bloomberg [behind a paywall] has reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The shift away from American debt has seen China overtaken by Japan and the United Kingdom as the largest foreign holders. Since peaking at around $1.3 trillion in 2013, its holdings have fallen roughly by half to about $650–700 billion, reaching levels not seen since 2008, according to a report by RT.  Investors also bailed on the dollar back in October of 2025 when the U.S. national debt approached $38 trillion. Investors Bail On The U.S. Dollar As Debt Approaches $38 Trillion China’s guidance, reportedly intended to diversify market risk, came ahead of last week’s phone call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart, Donald Trump. In October, the two leaders agreed to a one-year trade truce, under which tariffs and export controls on each other’s goods would be lowered. Trump Says “80% Tariffs On China Seems Right” Ahead Of Weekend Trade Talks Beijing’s latest move comes amid broader concerns about…

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! The U.S. urged China to reverse what Secretary of State Marco Rubio called an “unjust and tragic” sentence against Hong Kong publisher and democracy activist Jimmy Lai, after Beijing-backed courts handed the 78-year-old a 20-year prison term under the national security law. “The conviction shows the world that Beijing will go to extraordinary lengths to silence those who advocate fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong,” Rubio said in a statement. “The United States urges the authorities to grant Mr. Lai humanitarian parole.”The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) used Hong Kong’s courts to sentence Lai on Monday, cementing one of the most consequential national security cases since Beijing imposed a sweeping new law in the wake of months-long anti-CCP protests.Lai, a billionaire media entrepreneur, founded the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper in 1995 once Hong Kong’s most outspoken pro-democracy publication. He is among the highest-profile figures arrested under the 2020 National Security Law Beijing imposed following the unrest.The protests, sparked by fears Beijing was eroding Hong Kong’s promised autonomy, were followed by a sweeping security crackdown that criminalized dissent and reshaped the city’s legal system.MARCO RUBIO VOICES CONCERN THAT AMERICANS MAY SOMEDAY BE ARRESTED FOR SOCIAL MEDIA…

They spoke different languages and wore different uniforms but for four grueling days, U.S. and Italian soldiers operated under German standards to earn a foreign military badge few American troops are authorized to wear. In early February, more than 110 candidates completed ruck marches, weapons qualifications, a swimming event and academic assessments in hopes of earning the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge at an Italian military base, the U.S. Army announced Monday. The Army said the event was meant to bring together U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) forces and neighboring units and build morale and relationships with allied militaries.The event helped 1st Lt. Michell Hansen, the executive officer for SETAF-AF’s intelligence and sustainment company, better understand the work his unit does with European partners. “This training has really opened my eyes, working with our Italian and German partners, because they each have different processes for completing the mission,” Hansen said in the release. German troops from the Support Battalion 8, 10th Panzer Division, evaluated the Italian and American hopefuls to see if they scored high enough to meet the badge’s gold, silver or bronze levels. American soldiers from 173rd Airborne Brigade, 207th Military Intelligence Brigade (T), 517th…

RoseCraft’s newest model, the Barren Fork Jack, has just arrived with dealers – and it marks a big moment for the shop as it is the first RoseCraft piece made from 14C28N steel, answering a long-time request from customers. Last year, RoseCraft officially moved away from modern folders altogether, to focus on what they do best: making accessible, quality traditional knives. Since then, the company’s head honcho, Andy Armstrong, has been on a bit of a roll, putting out a stream of new takes on various historical patterns. The Barren Fork Jack’s lineage can be traced to a jack knife from Joseph Allen & Sons, an English cutler from the 19th century. A simple, clean profile Like many traditional jack knives, the Barren Fork doesn’t reinvent the wheel; rather, it imbues the familiar elements with its own particular style. The 2.9-inch clip point blade, for instance, has a notable harpoon-like swedge, and a French pull in lieu of the more commonly-seen crescent nail mark. Meanwhile the handle has a washboard profile, but squared-off bolsters on both the top and bottom ends. The most notable element here, however, is the presence of 14C28N blade steel. Until now, most RoseCraft traditionals released…

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Many travelers and cruise lovers may consider scuba diving during a vacation trip a cherished bucket-list item — but a pair of recent deaths have driven home concerns about diving risks for older Americans, even as experts say the activity remains relatively safe.A 64-year-old woman in West Hills, California, passed away on Jan. 26 after going scuba diving off the coast of Catalina Island in the Golden State, authorities said.She exhibited signs of distress while diving, the Los Angeles Times reported — and died later at a hospital. NEARLY 70 SKIERS STRANDED IN MIDAIR FOR HOURS AFTER GONDOLA MALFUNCTIONS AT POPULAR RESORTOn that same day, a 66-year-old man from Waukee, Iowa, died in a diving accident off the coast of Manasota Key Beach, Florida. He and a diving partner had gone hunting for shark teeth, according to reports — but he never resurfaced. His body was found several hours later. Both deaths are still being investigated.There are some 2.5 million scuba divers in the U.S. each year, according to the Diving Equipment & Marketing Association, a trade group headquartered in San Diego — and serious incidents are rare. Experts say deaths are uncommon, particularly when…

Why If you Form 1 an NFA item, disregard whatever purported “truth” a low-information trash weblog told you and listen to what we’ve heard directly from the BATFE: You have to mark any personally manufactured NFA item. The BATFE has gotten so many questions due to this garbage rumor they’ve even been stamping some forms reminding folks it needs to take place. Minimum Requirements The depth must be no more shallow than .003 inch with a text size no smaller than 1/16th of an inch. But we actually recommend going deeper and larger. Here’s why: If you only engrave to the minimum size and depth, it’s incredibly easy to inadvertently cover the marking with paint or something like Cerakote. And so long as you place it someplace inconspicuous, the marking can be more than twice the depth and size without being anything close to obvious. What Per 27 CFR § 479.102:“In the case of a domestically made firearm, the city and State (or recognized abbreviation thereof) where you as the manufacturer maintain your place of business, or where you, as the maker, made the firearm.” There are two ways to go here. If you’re making an NFA item from another…

Russia has stated that it will not attack the European Union (EU) or NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) member states unless it is attacked first. The comment came from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who added that Western officials have justified increasing military spending by citing the need to defend NATO’s eastern flank. “We have no intention of attacking Europe. There is no reason to do so,” Lavrov told NTV in an interview aired on Sunday. Russia has repeatedly stated that it has not and does not intend to attack any country, but that it will defend itself if attacked. “If Europe acts on its threats to prepare for war against us and initiates an attack on the Russian Federation, it will face a full-fledged military response from our side, with all available military capabilities,” he said. The U.S. and Russia Are Seeking New START Nuclear Treaty Through Diplomacy Moscow has also accused the EU of seeking to derail United States-brokered peace talks with Ukraine and prolong the fighting. It has also accused the U.S. of fighting a proxy war. Officials in Russia have added that continued support for Ukraine by Western military aid to the country, including the delivery of…

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