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Hakeem Jeffries breaks Kevin McCarthy record while stalling Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’

Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., shattered a speech record in the House of Representatives on Thursday, as lawmakers continue to wrestle with President Donald Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill.’

Jeffries has been able to command the House floor via a ‘magic minute,’ a privilege for party leaders in the chamber that allows them to speak for however long they want.

He’s used it as a stalling tactic to delay the final vote on Trump’s massive tax and immigration bill, after a marathon House-wide session considering the bill that began around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.

It’s now the longest-enduring ‘magic minute’ in U.S. House of Representatives history, breaking the previously record held by ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.

McCarthy spoke for eight hours and 32 minutes in November 2021 to oppose Democrats’ progressive Build Back Better bill.

Like Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act, lawmakers were working to pass it via the budget reconciliation process – which fast-tracks certain pieces of fiscal legislation by lowering the Senate’s threshold for passage from 60 votes to 51.

The New York Democrat began speaking minutes before 4 a.m. on Thursday and broke McCarthy’s record about 1:30 p.m, by approximately 12 minutes. Jeffries ended his speech after eight hours and 44 minutes.

‘I feel the obligation, Mr. Speaker, to stand on this House floor and take my sweet time,’ he said at one point.

The first part of Jeffries’ speech saw him read from a binder that he said contained accounts of people who could lose their Medicaid coverage under the GOP bill, taken from residents of states with Republican lawmakers.

‘This Congress is on the verge of ripping food out of the mouths of children, veterans and seniors as a result of this one big ugly bill in order to reward billionaires with massive tax breaks and exploding the debt in the process,’ he said at one point.

Jeffries said this ‘one big, ugly bill’ that ‘our Republican colleagues are trying to jam down the throats of the American people will undermine their quality of life.’

At another point in the wide-ranging speech, he accused Republicans of cutting federal benefits to pay for tax breaks for wealthy Americans like Elon Musk – who notably opposes the bill.

‘I think it’s important for the American people to process… SNAP on average provides $6 per day. At the same time, Elon Musk, his federal contracts, as we understand it, amount to $8 million per day. Mr. Speaker, if Republicans were really serious about targeting waste, fraud and abuse in the United States of America, start there – $8 million per day, start right there,’ Jeffries said.

‘Don’t take it. Don’t rip it from the mouths of children, seniors or veterans. If Republicans were really serious about targeting waste, fraud and abuse, start right there with Elon Musk.’

House Republicans are expected to hold their vote.

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Red Wings legend gave kid great start. Thanks and RIP, Alex Delvecchio

Want to know a cool story about Alex Delvecchio?

Well, let me take you back to the early 1970s in the Motor City. There was a kid gearing up for another summer playing baseball in the Police Athletic League (PAL), but the dude’s glove was shredded, his bat was cracked and the spikes were about two sizes too small.

And money was tight, with his single mom raising three kids.

Delvecchio, though, came up with an idea: He told the kid to go to Olympic Sporting Goods and get whatever baseball equipment he needed.

“Tell them to put it on my account,” he declared.

That kid was me. So, I took the city bus to the store on Livernois Avenue and left the place with all sorts of stuff – including a sweet Cesar Cedeno glove.

Thanks, Alex.

Delvecchio, the Detroit Red Wings legend and hockey Hall of Famer, died on July 1 at 93, prompting a flood of personal memories.

He was a true hero to me.

I grew up about 10 blocks from Olympia. When I was around 10, I wandered there routinely on Saturday mornings to watch the Red Wings practice, the access first granted by Art, a security guard who figured that I meant no harm.

One thing sure led to another. They gave me skates, and I learned how to use them after Red Wings practices (Gary Bergman taught me how to skate backward). Of course, after expending all of that energy, the kid welcomed rides home.

Thanks, Alex.

Then there was that period when Delvecchio, for 12 years the team captain, was pressed into becoming the head coach and ultimately the GM. These were tough times for the Wings. But he tried. And during my high school years in the mid-1970s, he came up with another idea for me: He gave me an after-school “job” as a gopher helping out Kathy Best, the public relations secretary.

I’d run invoices over to concessions. Pick up the mail. Stuff press releases into envelopes. Pass out stats in the press box.

And for this “job” that was off the books, as they say, Alex paid me cash out of his pocket.

Thanks, Alex.

Trust me, it helped. Yet the more essential perk from that experience around the Red Wings at Olympia Stadium was that it exposed to me a whole new world and industry, which led to me pursuing a career in journalism.

There were so many supportive people from that era. In addition to Kathy, players like Henry Boucha and Jimmy Rutherford were awesome to chat with. Marcel Dionne? He didn’t speak much (if any) English during his rookie year, but while horsing around with me on the ice one day he inadvertently taught me a hockey ‘survival skill’ by pulling my jersey over my head. Looking back, the idea of Dionne getting into a skirmish is hilarious, because during his Hall of Fame career he didn’t fight nobody!

The trainer, Lefty Wilson, was also special. When I went through a phase of skipping school, flunking classes at Northwestern High and showing up to Olympia during school hours, Lefty made it an issue and demanded that I start bringing him my report cards. Needless to say, it helped get me back on track.

Yet it all started with Alex, who they used to call “Fats.” He won three Stanley Cup crowns with the Red Wings during the 1950s, earned 13 NHL All-Star appearances, centered the “Production Line II” with Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay, making his mark as an awesome assist agent that set up the prolific goal scorers. Fittingly, he also won the Lady Byng Trophy three times for, well, classy conduct.

And while it’s not on his NHL resume, Alex was also the first person to let me take their car alone after I got my driver’s license – something my momma was not signing up for.

With Alex, working into the night as GM, it basically involved me driving to Burger Chef for hamburgers … and then maybe a joy ride.

 Thanks, Alex.

We can all have the power to impact another person’s life in some form or fashion. As I reflect on Alex, I am compelled to share some of these memories to illustrate just how much of a difference he made for me.

Like my sophomore year at Michigan State (thanks, Earvin “Magic” Johnson), when I decided to study abroad in a mass media program at the University of London. I put together scholarships, grants and a loan to handle the tuition, room-and-board and the travel.

Yet the broke college student didn’t have squat to pay for daily personal expenses, like, uh, fish and chips, splurging at the Hard Rock Cafe or hanging out at Ronnie Scott’s jazz club. 

Well, Alex made that happen. He hired me to work for a month at his engraving business, Alex Delvecchio Enterprises, putting me on a project to help him (with his sleeves rolled up) make signage for the relatively new Renaissance Center. It allowed to me earn enough to handle the personal expenses in England.

Thanks, Alex.

When I had no one else to turn to in the clutch, he dished off another amazing assist.

Forever grateful. RIP, Alex.

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Ronaldo, Nadal, LeBron share condolences on soccer player’s death

The soccer world on Thursday is mourning the deaths of Liverpool player Diogo Jota, and his brother André Silva, who both died in a car crash in Spain. Jota was 28, while Silva was 26.

Jota helped Liverpool win the Premier League last season, and helped Portugal win the UEFA Nations League last month. He also married his wife, Rute Cardoso, last month. They share three children.

‘We have lost two champions. Their deaths represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football, and we will do everything we can to honour their legacy every day,’ the Portuguese Football Federation said in a statement.

Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo also shared his condolences as players and clubs around the world issued statements Thursday.

‘It doesn’t make sense. Just now we were together in the National Team, just now you had gotten married,’ Ronaldo said on social media. ‘To your family, your wife, and your children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world. I know you will always be with them. Rest in Peace, Diogo and André. We will all miss you.’

FIFA president Gianni Infantino shared a statement on social media:

‘I am deeply saddened to hear of the tragic passing of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva. Aged just 28, Diogo had enjoyed a fantastic career to date and had many great years ahead of him, while his brother André was thriving at FC Penafiel – they will both be so sorely missed by all those who knew them and by the worldwide football community,’ Infantino said.

‘On behalf of FIFA and the wider football family, my thoughts are with their family and friends, as well as everyone at Liverpool FC, FC Penafiel and the Portuguese Football Federation. May they rest in peace.’

Tennis legend Rafael Nadal said in a social media post: ‘What terribly sad and painful news.’

NBA superstar LeBron James, who is a minority owner of Liverpool FC, also posted a message on social media.

Atlético Madrid, which Jota played from 2016-2018:

FC Porto, the Portuguese club where Jota played on loan from 2016-17:

Here are some other social media posts from the soccer world Thursday:

(This story was updated to add a video.)

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Rubio-run State Department dumps Biden-era DEI hiring criteria, replaces with ‘fidelity’

The State Department has changed its hiring and promoting criteria for foreign service officers to eliminate any diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) considerations. 

Before now, the second of five core precepts used in State Department hiring and promotion emphasized promoting DEI, according to documents obtained by Fox News Digital. That precept has now been replaced with one focused on ‘fidelity.’

A senior State Department official said it was ‘unbelievable’ fidelity was not already part of the promotion criteria. 

‘This is a commonsense and needed change. U.S. Foreign Service Officers represent America overseas and should be judged on their ability to faithfully and dutifully represent and champion our country abroad.’ 

The department’s previous hiring guide for 2022–2025 required foreign service employees to ‘demonstrate impact in diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility,’ according to the internal documents.

Entry-level applicants were expected to proactively seek to ‘improve one’s own self-awareness with respect to promoting inclusivity.’ Mid- and senior-level supervisors were told to recruit and retain diverse teams, respond immediately to non-inclusive workplace behaviors, and ‘consult with impacted staff before finalizing decisions.’

That guidance is now out.

READ THE NEW GUIDANCE BELOW. APP USERS: CLICK HERE

The department’s new document for 2025–2028 lists ‘fidelity’ as the first of five core precepts, followed by communication, leadership, management and knowledge. Under the new policy, mid- and senior-level Foreign Service Officers must demonstrate loyalty by ‘zealously executing U.S. government policy’ and ‘resolving uncertainty on the side of fidelity to one’s chain of command.’

The move comes amid a government-wide effort to eliminate DEI within federal agencies, and root out those who they believe to be working to undermine President Donald Trump’s agenda. 

The State Department has also frozen the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) – typically administered three times a year – as it moves to restructure and potentially downsize its workforce. In May, the department submitted a plan to Congress outlining a 15% reduction of its 19,000 employees and the consolidation of over 300 bureaus and agency offices.

While a court order has temporarily paused mass layoffs across federal agencies, a recent Supreme Court ruling determined that nationwide injunctions issued by federal district courts ‘likely exceed the equitable authority that Congress has granted.’

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Colby’s China-focused Pentagon playbook sparks Ukraine arms freeze

A recent pause in the U.S. sending Patriot missiles and ammunition to Ukraine is part of a wider, global review of military aid driven in part by the Pentagon’s China-leery policy chief, Elbridge Colby.

‘A capability review is being conducted to ensure U.S. military aid aligns with our defense priorities,’ Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told reporters this week. 

That review is part of a plan championed by Colby to conserve U.S. resources that may be needed for war in the Indo-Pacific. 

Upon first news of the pause, Pentagon officials said it was due to concerns about the U.S.’ stockpile of munitions, which came after the U.S. and Iran traded strikes on each other in the Middle East. 

However, Parnell wrote on X that it was ‘flat out wrong’ to suggest Colby caught other administration officials off-guard with the aid pause. Colby ‘routinely provides policy recommendations to the Secretary of Defense and the President,’ but they have the ultimate say, he said.

A White House official confirmed to Fox News Digital they were ‘aware of the pause ahead of time.’

‘The President and top officials expect the DOD to regularly review aid allocations to ensure they are in line with the America First agenda,’ the official said. 

Colby has long advocated for limiting resources in Europe and the Middle East in case they’re needed in a war over Taiwan. 

‘What I have been trying to shoot a signal flare over is that it is vital for us to focus and enable our own forces for an effective and reasonable defense of Taiwan and for the Taiwanese, as well as the Japanese, to do more,’ Colby said during his confirmation hearing. 

‘A Europe first policy is not what America needs in this exceptionally dangerous time. We need to focus on China and Asia – clearly,’ he wrote on X. last year. 

The weapons put on pause, including missile interceptors and 155 mm ammunition shells, were already on their way to Ukraine, U.S. officials told Fox News.

Since Russia’s 2022 invasion, the U.S. has provided Ukraine with nearly $66 billion in security assistance, the Pentagon noted.

‘Part of our job is to give the president a framework that he can use to evaluate how many munitions we have and where we’re sending them,’ Parnell added. ‘We can’t give weapons to everybody all around the world.’

Still, critics like former GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger claimed Colby had ‘blood on his hands’ over the halt. 

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., requested an ’emergency briefing’ from the White House and the Defense Department to ‘review our nation’s weapons and munitions stockpiles, and ensure the United States remains fully committed to providing Ukraine with the resources it urgently needs.’

Dan Caldwell, a former Pentagon official who worked with Colby on policy, defended his past colleague on X. ‘The incentives at DoD favor maintaining the status quo: Keep troops in Syria, keep sending weapons to Ukraine that we need for our defense, etc. That is why when patriots like @ElbridgeColby put the interests of their own country and own troops first, they are viciously smeared.’

Six months into President Donald Trump’s second term, U.S. military prowess has largely focused back on the Middle East: an offensive campaign against the Houthis in Yemen, hitting Iran’s nuclear sites and boosting defenses in the region.

Air Force Gen. Daniel Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said defending the Al-Udeid base from an Iranian counterattack was the largest Patriot missile salvo in history. 

Fox News’ Jen Griffin contributed to this report. 

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GOP lawmakers rebuke Elon Musk’s primary threats, say Trump’s legislation ‘something we’ve got to do’

As lawmakers march toward a vote on President Donald Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill,’ House Republicans aren’t too worried about primary threats from tech billionaire Elon Musk.

Musk, who once served as the head of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has been highly critical of the president’s legislative agenda. He had remained quiet about the bill until earlier this week when Senate Republicans were making strides to pass it.

‘We don’t take threats lightly up here,’ Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., told Fox News Digital. ‘And, you know, Elon, we appreciate all the work he did with DOGE — and he did some fine work, some great work — but at the same time, this is something we’ve got to do.’

Musk again returned to bemoan Republicans for supporting the legislative behemoth for its staggering $3.3 trillion price tag and the impact it would have on the nation’s already massive, $37 trillion debt. He went so far as to threaten to back primary challengers against any Republican that voted for the bill. 

It wouldn’t be the first time that Musk has been involved — he dumped millions into Trump’s campaign last year.

Now, House Republicans are gearing up to vote after hours of delays, negotiations and a near record-breaking amount of open floor time in the lower chamber. Additionally, many don’t care about Musk’s threats.

Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mi., told Fox News Digital that he was focused on doing the best ‘we could do, which is, frankly, better than what Elon Musk did.’

‘I don’t worry about Elon Musk,’ he said. ‘I do know that DOGE found some good things that we needed to remedy in this government. But the $2 trillion that Elon said he was going to find, he didn’t.’

Musk took particular issue with the Senate’s changes to the bill, too, and slammed it for adding trillions to the deficit.

Rep. Brad Knott, R-N.C., noted that the bill cuts north of $1.5 trillion in an effort to help offset the cost of extending or making permanent Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

‘I appreciate Mr. Musk’s motivation,’ he told Fox News Digital. ‘I appreciate his focus on debt reduction, and I hope he’ll take a step back and realize that we’re still all on the same team here.’

While the Senate’s changes, particularly to Medicaid and a reduction in the rollback of green energy subsidies from former President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, among other cost-driving issues, gave fiscal hawks in the House heartburn, House Republican leadership is confident that the bill will pass.

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Tariffs and weaker beer demand are weighing on Modelo owner Constellation Brands

Constellation Brands on Tuesday reported quarterly earnings and revenue that missed analysts’ estimates as beer demand slid and tariffs on aluminum weighed on its profitability.

Still, the brewer reiterated its forecast for fiscal 2026, showing confidence that it can hit its financial targets despite the weaker-than-expected quarterly performance and higher duties.

Shares of the company fell less than 1% in extended trading on Tuesday evening but rose 3% during morning trading on Wednesday after the company’s conference call.

The stock has shed more than 20% of its value this year, fueled by concerns about how the higher duties imposed by President Donald Trump would affect demand for its beer.

Here’s what the company reported compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG:

The report, which covers the three months ended May 31, includes the start of Trump’s tariffs on canned beer imports in early April. He also hiked trade duties on aluminum to 25% in mid-March and to 50% in early June.

Both imported beer and aluminum are crucial to Constellation’s beer business, which accounts for roughly 80% of the company’s overall revenue. Constellation’s beer portfolio only includes Mexican imports, like Corona, Pacifico and Modelo Especial, which overtook Bud Light as the top-selling beer brand in the U.S. two years ago.

Constellation reported fiscal first-quarter net income of $516.1 million, or $2.90 per share, down from $877 million, or $4.78 per share, a year earlier. Constellation’s operating margin fell 150 basis points, or 1.5%, in the quarter, in part driven by higher aluminum costs.

Excluding items, the brewer earned $3.22 per share.

Net sales dropped 5.8% to $2.52 billion, fueled by weaker demand for its beer and the company’s divestiture of Svedka vodka.

Constellation is still facing softer consumer demand, CEO Bill Newlands said in a statement. He attributed the weaker sales to “non-structural socioeconomic factors.” Constellation’s beer business saw shipment volumes fall 3.3%, caused by weaker consumer demand.

Last quarter, Newlands said Hispanic consumers were buying less of the company’s beer because of fears over Trump’s immigration policy. Roughly half of Constellation’s beer sales come from Hispanic consumers, according to the company.

But on Wednesday, Newlands demurred when asked about Hispanic consumer sentiment, saying that all shoppers are concerned about higher prices.

“When you see a fair amount of change, both Hispanic and non-Hispanic consumers are concerned about inflation and about cost structure,” Newlands said.

He added that consumers aren’t going out to eat as much and hosting fewer social occasions, which means they are drinking less beer. Still, he maintained that consumer interest in drinking beer hasn’t waned; while shoppers’ overall spending on beer has fallen, their relative spend on beer compared with their total grocery bill has held steady.

For fiscal 2026, Constellation continues to expect comparable earnings per share of $12.60 to $12.90. The company is projecting that organic net sales will range from declining 2% to rising 1%.

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Caitlin Clark ruled out of showdown with Aces as injury lingers

The Indiana Fever, the newly minted 2025 Commissioner’s Cup Champions, return home to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Thursday, July 3 to face off against the Las Vegas Aces without Caitlin Clark.

Clark will sit out her fourth consecutivegame Thursday due to a left groin injury, which also kept her out of the Fever’s 74-59 win over the Minnesota Lynx in the 2025 Commissioner’s Cup final on July 1. She’s set to miss her ninth game of the season after a quad injury sidelined her five games last month. The Fever have gone 4-4 without Clark in the lineup, but eagerly await her return to the court.

‘(I’m) doing everything I can to put myself in a position to play the next game every single time,’ Clark said on June 29. ‘That’s always my goal — to be available for the next game. Doing everything I can with the medical staff to be able to get my body right and be able to do that.’

Despite being listed as ‘day-to-day,’ Clark was ruled out of Thursday’s matchup one day before the game. Fever head coach Stephanie White said July 2 that the team was taking a cautious approach with Clark and putting ‘her long-term health and wellness at the forefront.’

‘I think it’s five games before All-Star break,’ White continued, ‘so let’s just ease her mind even though she’s antsy, and let’s do this the right way and make sure we’re ready to go and 100% when she comes back.’

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year’s playing status:

2025 WNBA COMMISSIONER’S CUP: Highlights, recap as Fever beat Lynx

Is Caitlin Clark playing vs. Las Vegas Aces?

No. Clark was ruled out for Thursday’s matchup against the Aces, the second meeting between the two teams this season. The Fever lost the first matchup 89-81 in Las Vegas on June 22. Clark had 19 points, 10 assists and three rebounds in the loss.

The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 3. It can be streamed on Prime Video.

Caitlin Clark injury update: What happened?

Head coach Stephanie White said she first learned of Clark’s groin injury on June 25 following the Fever’s 94-86 win over the Seattle Storm on June 24, where Clark finished with six points (3-of-13 FG, 0-of-6), nine assists, three steals and two rebounds in 31 minutes of play.

Clark previously suffered a quad injury during the Fever’s 90-88 loss to the New York Liberty on May 24. Clark returned to the Fever’s lineup on June 14 in the Fever’s 102-88 win over the Liberty after missing five games, which officially ended her longest stretch of missed due to injury in her collegiate or WNBA career. She dropped 32 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in her first game back.

‘No one said this season was going to be perfect for us. There’s going to be ups and downs,’ Clark said on June 29. ‘From injuries or coaches not being here for a couple of games. Everybody has been through a little bit of adversity here. So I think just giving our group credit for being able to stick together and know that whatever we have in our locker room is really all we need to go out there and win. I’m just proud of our group.’

Caitlin Clark stats

Clark ranks second in the WNBA in assists per game to start the 2025 season. Here’s a look at the 2024 Rookie of the Year’s full stats (per game):

Games played: 9
Minutes: 33.3
Points: 18.2
Rebounds: 5.0
Assists: 8.9
Steals: 1.6
Blocks: 0.7
Turnovers: 5
FG%: 39.0
3P%: 29.5

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‘Unicorn’ Clayton Kershaw joins 3,000 strikeout club – the hard way

LOS ANGELES – Agonizing.

Excruciating.

Tortuous.

At times it was that tough watching Los Angeles Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw on the mound before the magical moment

Kershaw became the 20th pitcher to strike out 3,000 batters and he did it against the lowly Chicago White Sox – the hard way.

Entering the game needing only three strikeouts to reach the milestone, Kershaw labored through six innings. Until on his 100th pitch, he recorded strikeout No. 3,000.

Kershaw, 37, left with the Dodgers trailing the Chicago White Sox 4-2 – and the home crowd roaring after his achievement. He was on the hook for the loss until the Dodgers rallied with three runs in the bottom of the ninth, earning a 5-4 win with Freddie Freeman’s walk-off single.

‘Honestly didn’t pitch that great tonight,” Kershaw said after the game. ‘Slider was so bad. But this was such a special night all the way around. It really was. Couldn’t have asked for anything more really. It just was so fun to get to be out there.”

Kershaw is not flawless, given his share of postseason struggles. But Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was spot on before the game when he called Kershaw “a unicorn.’

The Dodgers clubhouse also happens to be occupied by baseball’s ultimate unicorn – Shohei Ohtani. He’s the ultimate two-way superstar, recently throwing a 102 mph fastball and at 30 already having won three MVP awards.

But Kershaw has done something Ohtani can’t match. 

In fact, there’s a chance no player ever will.

It starts with loyalty.

Tommy Lasorda, the late Dodgers manager insisted he bled Dodger Blue. There’s no need to check Kershaw’s veins. Clearly, he’s a blueblood.

He has spent his entire 18-year career with the Dodgers, and joining the exclusive club of pitchers with 3,000 strikeouts further underscored how rare that is.

Of the 20 pitchers in the 3,000 club, only Walter Johnson and Bob Gibson got there while playing exclusively with one club – Johnson with the Washington Senators and Gibson with the St. Louis Cardinals.

‘I don’t know if I put a ton of stock in being with one team early on,” said Kershaw, who was selected by the Dodgers in the first round of the 2006 MLB Draft. ‘Just kind of something that happened and over time. I think as you get older and you appreciate one organization a little bit more.

‘And the Dodgers are stuck with me, too. It hasn’t been all roses, I know that. So there’s just a lot of mutual respect, I think. And I’m super grateful now looking back to get to say that I spent my whole career here. … I have a lot more appreciation for it now.”

Kershaw’s on-field contributions to the Dodgers put him in rare company. Ten All-Star appearances. Three Cy Young awards. Two World Series rings.

Entering Wednesday, he had a 216-94 career record and a ERA of 2.51.

Roberts said Kershaw also has an impact on the younger pitchers on the Dodgers’ staff.

“A lot guys grab him, get his ear,’ Roberts said. “But for the most part, I think that’s just kind of how he goes about it. He’s always talking the game. He’s watching the game. More importantly, he’s very consistent.

“Even yesterday I was watching in the pen, he was doing his dry work (practicing skills without using a ball) and this is something he’s done for 18 years the day before a start.’’

Roberts said Kershaw had the 3,000-strikeout milestone in mind when he decided to return to the Dodgers in 2025. But before the season started, Kershaw underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee and a ruptured plantar plate in his left big toe.

Recovering, Kershaw did not make his first start until May 17. He entered the historic game 4-0 with a 3.03 ERA and with 29 strikeouts in 38 ⅔ innings pitched this season.

It’s more than many people expected from a veteran who’s grown more brittle, and, Roberts said, “A reminder for me for anyone to never bet against that guy.’

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

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Iran nuclear program set back 2 years after US strikes: Pentagon

The ‘bunker busting’ bombs dropped on Iranian nuclear sites last month by U.S. forces have degraded Tehran’s atomic program by up to two years, the Pentagon confirmed Wednesday.

‘We have degraded their program by one to two years, at least intel assessments inside the Department [of Defense] assess that,’ Defense Department spokesman Sean Parnell told reporters. 

‘We believe that Iran’s nuclear capability has been severely degraded, perhaps even their ambition to build a bomb,’ he added, though security experts have told Fox News Digital that Tehran is unlikely to be deterred in its ambition to build a nuclear weapon.

The announcement reflects a far more positive assessment regarding the success of the June 22 strikes that targeted the Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites than previous estimates regarding the extent to which Tehran’s atomic capabilities had been degraded. 

Rafael Grossi, head of the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), over the weekend warned that Iran may be able to resume enriching uranium within a matter of months. 

The comments also coincided with reports that Iran may have been able to move some of its stockpiles of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium, or possibly centrifuges, after satellite images showed more than a dozen cargo trucks were spotted at the Fordow nuclear site prior to the U.S. strikes. 

The U.S. has fervently denied that any intelligence suggests Iran was successful in moving its nuclear capabilities off site. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth became angry when asked about the possibility by reporters.

Fox News Digital has confirmed that Israel is continuing to monitor the security situation. 

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi this week acknowledged that there was severe damage to the Fordow facility, though he also insisted that ‘the technology and knowhow is still there.’

‘No one exactly knows what has transpired in Fordow. That being said, what we know so far is that the facilities have been seriously and heavily damaged,’ Aragchi said during a CBS interview this week.

Though according to Parnell on Wednesday, ‘All of the intelligence that we’ve seen (has) led us to believe that Iran’s – those facilities especially, have been completely obliterated.’

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