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‘Designated terrorists’: Extremist groups raked in millions from USAID, multiyear study reveals

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided millions of dollars in funding to extremist groups tied to designated terrorist organizations and their allies, according to a report published by Middle East Forum, a U.S. think tank.

‘The Middle East Forum’s multi-year study of USAID and State Department spending has uncovered $164 million of approved grants to radical organizations, with at least $122 million going to groups aligned with designated terrorists and their supporters,’ the conservative think tank wrote in its report published Feb. 4. 

‘Billions more of federal dollars have been given to leading American aid charities which have consistently failed to vet their terror-tied local partners, and show little interest in improving their practices, to the apparent indifference of the federal government.’

The Middle East Forum’s report focuses specifically on funds from USAID and the State Department that wound up in the hands of radical groups and organizations tied to terrorism.  

The think tank reported that among its top findings, USAID was found to have given more than $900,000 to a ‘Gaza-based terror charity’ called Bayader Association for Environment and Development. The funding began in 2016, and its most recent allocation was made just days before Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. 

Bayader describes itself as a nongovernmental organization (NGO) that works ‘to build a civil society’ on the Gaza Strip. 

‘Founded in 2007, shortly after Hamas’s takeover of the Gaza Strip, Bayader operates in close cooperation with the Hamas regime. Its 2021 annual report notes ‘coordination’ and ‘meetings’ with Hamas’s Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Works, Ministry of Social Affairs and Ministry of Agriculture,’ the report found. 

The funds were secured through other NGOs, such as Catholic Relief Services and medical groups. 

‘​​But USAID coordinates directly with Bayader as well,’ according to the report. ‘USAID officials have praised Bayader’s work on social media, and even visited Bayader’s offices, where one senior USAID official, Jonathan Kamin, received an award from the terror-linked charity.’ 

The report also found that USAID approved a $12.5 million grant in 2024 to the American Near East Refugee Agency, which is also ‘a long-standing partner’ of Bayader. The American Near East Refugee Agency is an NGO that was established in 1968 in an effort to assist refugees following the Arab-Israeli War. 

The report found staffers with the NGO have repeatedly and publicly posted ‘violent ideas, without apparent censure from top charity officials.’ The comments on social media posted by employees include: calling on God to ‘erase the Jews,’ expressing support for the ‘brave prisoners’ in Israeli jails during the Hamas-Israel war, and describing Oct. 7, 2023, as a ‘beautiful morning.’

Sam Westrop, the director of the Middle East Forum’s counter-extremism project, Islamist Watch, posted a highlight thread on X of the report’s findings, describing the examples as ‘horrifying.’

‘USAID won’t even tell us how much they gave the Unlimited Friends Association, a Gaza terror charity which operates with help from Hamas. The head of the charity promises to ‘cleanse’ their land of ‘impure Jews,’’ Westrop posted in the thread of an example. 

‘USAID gave millions to Islamic Relief, whose Gaza branch openly works with senior terrorist officials in Gaza, including Hamas politburo member Ghazi Hamad. who promised that Hamas would repeat Oct 7 attacks ‘time and again until Israel is annihilated,’’ he posted in another example from the report. 

USAID funds totaling $125,000 were found in the hands of the Islamic Relief Agency (ISRA) in 2015, despite the U.S. Treasury designating the group a global terrorist organization in 2004 due to its ties to Osama bin Laden. 

The report continued that USAID ‘undoubtedly knew of ISRA’s terrorism activities. In 2010, the executive director of ISRA’s U.S. branch (IARA-USA) and a board member pleaded guilty to money-laundering, theft of public funds, conspiracy, and several other charges. The plea was listed on USAID’s own website,’ the report found. IARA-USA stands for the Islamic American Relief Agency.

The funds were directed to ISRA via an evangelical charity called World Vision that works to provide clean water to areas of Sudan, according to the report. 

A World Vision official told Fox News Digital when asked about the report that the charity earned approval to work in Sudan ‘to help build a better world for the most vulnerable children and their families’ and that it takes ‘compliance obligations seriously.’

‘As soon as we became aware that a local partner, Islamic Relief Agency, might be on the list of organizations banned from transactions by the United States, we suspended the grant and asked the US Government to confirm its status,’ the official said. ‘We would never knowingly put those we serve or our staff at risk by working with a partner on the list of banned organizations. We exist to help build a better world for children and their families, serving in the name of Jesus Christ. We have no evidence that any of our funds have been used for anything other than urgent humanitarian work.’ 

‘As a Christian humanitarian organization, we do not compromise our beliefs nor commitment to integrity as we work with governments throughout the world,’ the official said. ‘It is not easy to operate in fragile contexts, yet this is where the Lord is calling us.  We remain committed to our vision of bringing life in all its fullness to vulnerable children around the world.’ 

Fox News Digital reached out to Bayader, the American Near East Refugee Agency and Catholic Relief Services but did not receive replies. 

USAID is under fire from the Trump administration as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its chair, Elon Musk, investigate the agency’s spending practices and prepare to revamp and potentially shutter the agency. USAID is currently led by interim director Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 

The agency announced on its website on Tuesday, Feb. 4, that nearly all personnel would be placed on leave by Friday, making a few exceptions for those in roles related to ‘mission-critical functions, core leadership and specially designated programs.’ Its overseas missions reportedly also had been told to shut down.

Lawmakers, news outlets and think tanks have dug into past reports related to USAID spending amid the apparent dismantling of the agency, finding countless examples of money channeled to questionable organizations or programs, such as creating a version of ‘Sesame Street’ in Iraq or funding pottery classes in Morocco. 

USAID was established in 1961 under the Kennedy administration, operating as an independent agency that works closely with the State Department to allocate civilian foreign aid. Under Rubio, the agency could be abolished after its reorganization over the coming days, he said in a letter to bipartisan lawmakers on Feb. 3. 

‘In consultation with Congress, USAID may move, reorganize, and integrate certain missions, bureaus, and offices into the Department of State, and the remainder of the Agency may be abolished consistent with applicable law,’ Rubio wrote.

Musk, meanwhile, has posted on X that USAID is a ‘criminal organization’ and that it is ‘time for it to die.’

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Lori Chavez-DeRemer: The little-known Trump nominee who may need to rely on Dems to cross finish line

President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Labor, former Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Ore., has left Republicans in the Senate with some questions over her pro-union stances, but at the same time, she has generated some interest from pro-labor Democrats. 

In particular, the moderate Republican will need to explain to Republicans her support for the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act), a controversial piece of legislation that was proposed a few years ago. 

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters that ‘support for the PRO Act is not something that most Republicans have tolerated in the past, but I think she’s attempted to address that, and my hope is that she can further clarify her position on some of those issues when she goes through the hearing process.’

The Protecting the Right to Organize Act was championed by Democrats and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters upon introduction. But others, such as most Republicans and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, opposed it. 

The legislation would effectively kill state-level laws that prohibit employers and unions from requiring workers to pay union dues as a condition of their employment. 

Chavez-DeRemer will have her hearing in front of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) on Wednesday. 

One committee member she’ll have to answer to is Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who has already said he doesn’t plan to support her. 

‘Her support for the Pro Act, which would not only oppose national right to work, but it would preempt state law on right to work. I think it’s not a good thing, and it’d be sort of hard for me since it’s a big issue for me to support her. So I won’t support her,’ the senator previously told reporters. 

This puts Chavez-DeRemer in a difficult position, as she will need to rely on Democrats to help her advance out of the HELP committee favorably if Paul follows through on his commitment to voting against her. 

Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., who is far from the most pro-union Republican in the upper chamber, is full speed ahead in favor of Trump’s pick as Chavez-DeRemer gears up for her hearing and eventual committee vote. 

In a phone interview with Fox News Digital, he explained that he and Teamsters President Sean O’Brien were involved in Trump’s selection of her for the key Cabinet role. Mullin further detailed the significance of union members in Trump’s winning 2024 election coalition. 

He claimed Democrats have ‘come to us and actually said this is actually a really good pick’ because it puts them in a difficult position and is hard to vote against with her support among labor unions. 

The senator didn’t give away any names of Democrats that might see her appeal, however. 

Paul previously predicted he wouldn’t be the only one unwilling to back her in the Republican conference.

‘I think she’ll lose 15 Republicans and she’ll get 25 Democrats. She’s very pro-labor, she might get all the Democrats. Who knows? So, we’ll see,’ he said. 

If his vote leaves her nomination tied at the committee level, it could still be reported and scheduled for a floor vote, but without a favorable recommendation. In this case, she would need to amass 60 votes in the full Senate to move on to confirmation. 

With her appeal among labor groups, Chavez-DeRemer may manage to put together a 60-plus bipartisan coalition to be confirmed. 

While Paul predicted more than a dozen GOP defectors, Mullin said the real number is likely much smaller.

‘I haven’t heard from any other Republicans that are a ‘no.’ Rand is the only one,’ he said. 

‘I don’t think his numbers are accurate, even close,’ the Oklahoma Republican added. 

A representative for Chavez-DeRemer did not provide comment to Fox News Digital.

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Trump’s Gaza relocation proposal sparks heated debate among Palestinians: ‘no life left here’

President Donald Trump’s suggestion that Palestinians should leave Gaza to rebuild their lives after months of war has triggered a wave of reactions, exposing deep divisions within the enclave and across the Arab world.

Speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House last week, Trump outlined his vision for Gaza’s future, describing it as ‘the Riviera of the Middle East.’ His proposal to relocate 1.8 million Palestinians sparked outrage among Palestinian leaders and drew mixed reactions from Gazans.

While some Gazans have rejected emigration, others see it as their only hope.

‘I’m asking Donald Trump himself to relocate us as he suggested. And I’ll be the first one to go,’ one young man told the Center for Peace Communications team in Gaza during a camera interview. The man described his bleak reality, saying, ‘I want to leave because there’s no life left here. Life here is gone. I mean, just look around you.’

Another Gazan called on neighboring Arab countries to provide an escape route. ‘To our brotherly Egyptian and Jordanian people and King Abdullah—we hope they open the crossing for the youth who are leaving, for the wounded, for the sick, and the elderly who need treatment.’

Jordan’s King Abdullah is set to meet with President Trump on Tuesday, having rejected his plan for annexing Gaza and displacing Palestinians, Reuters reported.

The Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research poll conducted before the October 7 terror attacks found that 31% of Gazans were already considering emigration—44% among young people. The most popular countries were Turkey, followed by Germany, Canada, the United States and Qatar.

The poll’s authors said, ‘The main drivers seem economic, political, educational, security and concerns about corruption.’

Joseph Braude, founder and president of the Center for Peace Communications, told Fox News Digital that the number has grown significantly due to the ongoing devastation. ‘Through our daily contact with Gazans from all walks of life across the coastal strip, we have seen that proportion grow, amid the destruction of the present war, to a substantial majority of the population.’

Ayman Khaled, a Palestinian journalist, echoed similar sentiments, pointing to the grim prospects for rebuilding Gaza after months of relentless Israeli bombardment. ‘Gaza will need to go through a very long period of reconstruction. In that long period of time, where will the youth go? Where will the wounded go? We have more than 100,000 wounded. Even before the last war, a stream of people were leaving Gaza—workers, students, business people. That’s how it looked then. Now, those trends will double. There is no hope for the reconstruction of Gaza, not in a year nor 10 nor 15.’

He also warned that as long as Hamas remains in power, cycles of violence will continue, pushing more people to flee. ‘If Hamas remains on the scene, this will keep happening. Every day, we’ll have new killings. After every battle, they say they are victorious—but what is this victory? If we don’t seriously address the issue of Hamas leaving the political scene, we cannot talk about anything else. If Hamas remains, people will emigrate, whether willingly or unwillingly.’

Hamas described Trump’s plan as a ‘recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region,’ and for many Gazans, leaving is unthinkable. Speaking to The Associated Press, Mustafa al-Gazzar, a displaced Gazan, dismissed the idea of leaving. ‘You think you’ll expel me abroad and bring other people in my place? I would rather live in my tent, under rubble. I won’t leave. Put that in your brain.’

Amna Omar, 71, who has been sheltering in central Gaza, was equally defiant. ‘Gaza is our land, our home. We as Gazans… I don’t want to die in Egypt.’

Another woman in Deir al-Balah told Israeli news agency TPS-IL, ‘We clung to our destroyed homes and we clung to the soil of Palestine.’ While voluntary emigration has been quietly discussed for years, Trump’s endorsement has turned it into a divisive issue. Arab governments, wary of being seen as complicit in Palestinian displacement, have been quick to condemn it.

However, with Gaza in ruins and no reconstruction in sight, the debate over emigration is no longer theoretical. The question is not whether Gazans want to leave, but whether they will have the opportunity to do so.

A Gazan man interviewed on-camera by the Center for Peace Communications said ‘In the end, people will accept reality. They’ll emigrate because they want to live. They want to live in a country that protects and supports them. A country where you can hold your head up high. If our country isn’t looking out for us, where should we go?’

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this article.

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Doncic makes his Lakers debut: How L.A.’s new star fared in first game

LOS ANGELES — Luka Dončić made his debut for the Los Angeles Lakers, just one week after officially joining the franchise.

Dončić added to the Lakers’ scoring attack and contributed in the 132-113 victory over the Utah Jazz on Monday night. He was in the starting lineup alongside LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Jaxon Hayes but was on a minute restriction as he continues to work his way back from a calf injury he suffered during a Christmas Day game.

While Dončić will have some positives he can take away from his first outing of 2025, he will have to bounce back from a poor outing from beyond the arc.

Los Angeles (32-19) acquired Dončić as part of a blockbuster trade that sent Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks, but the team was on the upswing even before the deal. The Lakers have now won six games in a row and 10 of their last 11 games.

All things Lakers: Latest Los Angeles Lakers news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Here’s how Dončić performed in his Lakers debut Monday night vs. the Jazz:

Luka Dončić stats Monday vs. Jazz

Points: 14
FG: 5-for-14
3PT: 1-for-7
FT: 3-for-3
Rebounds: 5
Assists: 4
Steals: 0
Blocks: 0
Turnovers: 1
Fouls: 3
Minutes played: 23

Lakers’ next game

The Lakers will travel to Utah for a rematch against the Jazz on Wednesday. The game is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Tiger Woods withdraws from Genesis Invitational after mom’s death

Woods announced Monday he is withdrawing from the event, which is taking place at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego this year instead of Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles due to damage caused by the recent wildfires in the Pacific Palisades area. Woods cited the death of his mother, Kultida Woods, less than a week ago as the reason for his change of heart.

‘I planned to tee it up this week, but I’m just not ready,’ Woods wrote in a statement released on social media. ‘I did my best to prepare, knowing it’s what my Mom would have wanted, but I’m still processing her loss. Thanks to everyone who has reached out. I hope to be at Torrey later in the week and appreciate the continued kindness since my Mom’s passing.’

Woods hasn’t played in a full-fledged, professional golf tournament since The Open Championship last July, when he missed the cut. He said in December at the Hero World Challenge — another tournament he hosts in the Bahamas — that he was not physically ready and ‘not sharp enough’ yet to compete against the best golfers on the PGA Tour following another back surgery last September.

Woods has since played at the PNC Championship with his son, Charlie Woods, in December. Woods also played two matches with his Jupiter Links GC team in the TGL, the virtual golf league he co-founded along with a group of investors that includes Rory McIlroy.

Woods’ decision to pull out of The Genesis Invitational comes one day after a White House pool report confirmed that Woods and his son, Charlie, played a round of golf with President Donald Trump Sunday morning at Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach, Florida. The PGA Tour recently put out a release signed by Woods, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and golfer Adam Scott saying Monahan and Scott met with Trump at the White House last week about helping to unify professional golf.

It’s unclear when Woods might elect to make his 2025 PGA Tour debut. Next month’s Arnold Palmer Invitational and The PLAYERS Championship loom as possibilities on the schedule before The Masters in April.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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McDonald’s revenue disappoints as U.S. sales see worst drop since pandemic

McDonald’s on Monday reported disappointing quarterly revenue, dragged down by weaker-than-expected sales at its U.S. restaurants following an E. coli outbreak just weeks into the quarter.

But shares of the company rose more than 4% in morning trading as executives predicted sales would improve in 2025.

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

Net sales of $6.39 billion were roughly flat compared with the year-ago period. The company’s overall same-store sales growth of 0.4% outperformed Wall Street’s expectations of same-store sales declines of 1%, according to StreetAccount estimates.

But McDonald’s U.S. business reported a steeper-than-expected drop in its same-store sales. Same-store sales at the company’s domestic restaurants fell 1.4% in the quarter; Wall Street was projecting same-store sales declines of 0.6%.

McDonald’s said traffic was slightly positive, but customers spent less than usual during the quarter. Over the summer, the chain rolled out a $5 combo meal to bring back price-conscious diners and reverse sluggish sales. The strategy worked, helping McDonald’s U.S. same-store sales tick up in the third quarter.

However, analysts have warned that value meals only work if customers also add menu items that aren’t discounted to their orders. McDonald’s executives downplayed those concerns Monday, saying the average check on the $5 meal deal is more than $10.

The biggest hit to McDonald’s U.S. sales came in late October, when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention linked a fatal E. coli outbreak to its Quarter Pounder burgers. McDonald’s switched suppliers for its slivered onions, the ingredient fingered as the likely culprit for the outbreak. In early December, the CDC declared the outbreak officially over.

However, in the days following the news of the outbreak, traffic at McDonald’s U.S. restaurants fell steeply, particularly in the states affected.

U.S. sales hit their nadir in early November, but began rising again after that. In particular, demand for the Quarter Pounder, a popular core menu item with high margins, fell quickly in the wake of the crisis.

McDonald’s expects its U.S. sales to recover by the beginning of the second quarter, executives said.

“I think right now what we’re seeing is that the E. coli impact is now just localized to the areas that had the biggest impact,” CEO Chris Kempczinski said on the company’s conference call. “So think about that as sort of the Rocky Mountain region that was really the epicenter of the issue.”

The company hopes value deals, along with key menu additions, will help to fuel the recovery this year. In 2025, the burger chain plans to bring back its popular snack wraps, which vanished from menus during pandemic lockdowns, and to introduce a new chicken strip menu item.

Outside the U.S., sales were stronger. Both of McDonald’s international divisions reported same-store sales increases, bolstering the company’s overall performance.

The company’s international developmental licensed markets segment, which includes the Middle East and Japan, reported same-store sales growth of 4.1%.

McDonald’s international operated markets division, which includes some of its biggest markets, reported same-store sales growth of 0.1%. The company said most markets reported same-store sales increases, but the United Kingdom and some other markets saw same-store sales shrink in the quarter. One bright spot was France, which saw its same-store sales turn positive during the quarter after months of weak demand.

McDonald’s reported fourth-quarter net income of $2.02 billion, or $2.80 per share, down from $2.04 billion, or $2.80 per share, a year earlier.

Excluding gains tied to the sale of its South Korean business, transaction costs for buying its Israeli franchise and other items, McDonald’s earned $2.83 per share.

Looking to 2025, the first quarter is expected to be the low point for McDonald’s same-store sales, CFO Ian Borden said, citing a weak start to the year in the U.S., among other factors. Winter storms and wildfires in California weighed on restaurant traffic across the industry in January.

For the full year, McDonald’s plans to open roughly 2,200 restaurants. About a quarter of those locations will be in the U.S. and its international operated markets. The rest will be in the company’s international developmental licensed markets, including about 1,000 new restaurants in China.

Including its investments in restaurant openings, McDonald’s plans to spend between $3 billion and $3.2 billion this year on capital expenditures.

The company is also projecting a headwind of 20 cents to 30 cents per share to its full-year earnings due to foreign currency exchange rates.

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Diamondbacks newcomer knows he has big shoes to fill

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Josh Naylor didn’t ask to be in the Arizona Diamondbacks camp, and quite honesty was perfectly content staying in Cleveland.

He didn’t volunteer to be the one to replace three-time Gold Glove first baseman Christian Walker on the field, or his leadership in the clubhouse, but now he has no choice.

Naylor, one of eight first basemen to switch teams during the winter when he was traded by the Guardians in December for reliever Slade Cecconi and a Competitive Balance Round B draft pick, knows that if he can replicate the power he displayed a year ago when he hit a career-high 31 homers and 108 RBI, everything will take care of itself.

He’s not going to bring the same defense as Walker and might not be as popular with the fans, but he can certainly follow Walker’s lead. Walker was the one who replaced All-Star Paul Goldschmidt, their perennial MVP candidate and fan favorite, in 2019. He took the opportunity and capitalized on it, receiving a three-year, $60 million free agent contract with the Houston Astros.

“He’s a phenomenal player,’’ Naylor, 27, said Monday, “and I know he was a popular leader, too. I would love to fill that role and step in those shoes and become that leader that he was in the locker room. Maybe a little bit of a voice and players that someone could come to in confidence and talk to when things are going rough or whatever, just be a good friend.

Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings.

“I’m not going to change the player I am. I’m just going to be myself and grow the most I can.’’

Certainly, Naylor did that as a hitter last year. He hit a career-high .308 in 2023 with 17 homers and 97 RBI with an .842 OPS, and then decided he wanted to hit more homers. His home run total leaped, but his batting average plummeted by 65 points to .243.

“I went into last season trying to hit more homers, knowing my average would fluctuate a little bit,’’ Naylor said. “My goal [now] is just to put both together. I want to be a complete hitter, have the .300 average, have the 30-plus homers, 100-plus RBI. I want to put all of those numbers together and have a great year.’’

The Diamondbacks will gladly take that kind of production. They haven’t had a first baseman hit at least .300 with 30 or more homers since 2015. They have the potential to get 60 homers from their corner infield spots with third baseman Eugenio Suarez having hit at least 30 homers in five of the last six full seasons.

Who knows, maybe he’ll be able to stick around awhile, too? Naylor, who says he didn’t pay attention to the Pete Alonso saga with the Mets, or really the entire free agent first base market at all, is eligible for free agency after the season. It’s too early to know where he’ll be playing in 2026, but he sure likes what he sees so far in the D-backs’ camp.

“This team is phenomenal,’ Naylor said, “extreme talent level here. Everyone is great in their own way. I’m looking forward to just learning everyone and learning how they play, fit into their game style. … Great team, great players, young squad, too. Hopefully, I’ll fit right in.’’

Of course, Naylor thought he was in an ideal situation in Cleveland, too. The Guardians stunned everyone last season by winning 92 games, winning the AL Central title, knocking off the Detroit Tigers in the AL Division Series, before losing to the New York Yankees in the ALCS.

Instead of building off that success, the Guardians scaled back and lowered their payroll, trading three-time Gold Glove second baseman Andres Gimenez to the Toronto Blue Jays in a $100 million salary dump and then sending Naylor to Arizona.

Was Naylor, who will earn $10.9 million this year, surprised he was traded?

“I kind of had a feeling,’’ Naylor said, who was never approached by the Guardians about a contract extension. “Maybe the last few offseasons I kind of had a feeling. It happens. Baseball is a business. Kind of get used to this. It’s the fourth organization I’ve been with since I started playing pro ball. The first few trades are hard, but you get used to it.

“God plans things for you, and you never know what it’s going to be or where you’re going to be. Just go to roll with the punches, continue to grow and make the best out of opportunities.’’

OK, so not surprised Gimenez was dumped, either?

“Now him?’ Naylor said. “Yes. Very surprised.’’

It’s now the Guardians’ problem to figure out a way to repeat as AL Central champions after cutting their payroll to just $89 million. For the Diamondbacks, they’re going all in with a payroll exceeding $190 million, highest in franchise history, after signing ace Corbin Burnes to a club-record $210 million contract.

“It’s great, what a phenomenal pitcher,’’ Naylor said. “This team, they clearly want to win. I’m very thankful to be part of it.’’

While Naylor will definitely miss playing together with his 24-year-old brother Bo, the Guardians’ catcher, the brothers can at least stay together in the same house in spring training, along with 19-year-old brother Myles, a third baseman in the Athletics’ organization.

And together, they share a dream.

“Our parents, they really made all this happen for us,’’ Naylor said, “and we owe them a lot. I think that’s why we work so hard, to give back to them. One day, hopefully, [we’ll] be able to retire them and have them come out to every single game that they can.

“They did a phenomenal job raising us, and we’re very thankful.’’

Follow Nightengale on X @Bnightengale

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Unrivaled 1-on-1 tournament first round brings excitement, shocking upset

MEDLEY, Fla. – Unrivaled’s 1-on-1 women’s basketball tournament is fast-paced and unforgiving. Just ask Breanna Stewart – a league co-founder ousted in the first night of the competition after just three minutes.

Stewart fell to her Unrivaled teammate Alliyah Edwards, 12-0, during their first-round matchup in the league’s midseason tournament on Monday night.

“Lee was hot. She was just being aggressive and I’m happy for her. It sucks that I only had one shot, but Lee deserved it,” Stewart told USA TODAY Sports after the defeat to her Mist teammate.

Napheesa Collier, Kahleah Copper, Rhyne Howard, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Allisha Gray, Rickea Jackson and Shakira Austin are all moving onto the second round on Tuesday.

Eight first-round games were played on Monday night, while the other games lasted roughly 6-7 minutes as players played to 11 points by twos and threes.

However, the Stewart-Edwards game was the biggest upset of the night, and sets the stage for the rest of the tournament where the winner gets $200,000 of the $350,000 in prize pool money.

The credentials are obvious: Stewart, 30, is a two-time WNBA Finals MVP, a three-time WNBA champion and three-time Olympic gold medalist. She was one of four No. 1 seeds in the tournament.

Edwards was one of the No. 8 seeds, but the No. 6 pick for the Washington Mystics in the 2024 WNBA draft surely did not play like it against a fellow Connecticut standout she looked up to.

“That was crazy. My strategy was to trust my shot first, then get a couple buckets at the rim where I’m comfortable. But I was just ready for the moment,” Edwards told USA TODAY Sports after the game. “I’m sad it had to be against Stewie. I feel like it was a set up. But Misties and UConn for life.”

The Unrivaled players slowly picked up on their 1-on-1 strategies after watching Collier beat fellow UConn standout Katie Lou Samuelson 12-6 in the first game.

Shakira Austin, the No. 3 pick in the 2022 WNBA draft for the Mystics, used her size to get the best of Chelsea Gray, a three-time WNBA champion and 2022 WNBA Finals MVP. She also learned to maintain her pace after watching Collier win.

“If you play smart after you score, you can take your time. I saw that from the first game, Phee was doing that a couple of times. As a big, who has to take it from half court, I have to save my breath,” Austin said.

Rhyne Howard took advantage of the wrinkle in the game, where players are allowed to clear the ball by passing it to a stationary person on the court before resetting behind the three-point like. Howard wisely rested before clearing her possession, just to get a few extra moments to breathe.

“They told us if you do the outlet, they can’t throw it to you until you clear,” Howard said. “It’s a nonstop game. But being able to find those little moments in the game to catch my breath was really helpful.”

Meanwhile, other players like Allisha Gray, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Rickea Jackson were like Edwards in how they applied pressure on their opponents.

Diggins-Smith said she tried to speed up the taller Dearica Hamby by getting under her defensively. And when it was time to shoot from the outside, follow through. She was 3 of 6 from 3-point range in her 11-3 win.

“I was trying to pick my spots and take my shots, instead of chucking and chasing, like some people were doing, tiring themselves out,” Diggins-Smith said. “I was trying to stay with my follow through, and knock a few down.”

Jackson, who beat Jackie Young 11-3, focused on playing efficiently and quickly instead of playing back-and-forth like she saw in earlier games.

Jackson will face Collier in the next round on Tuesday. Collier has been Unrivaled’s best player overall, averaging 29.3 points and 11.5 rebounds during the 3-on-3 games.

“I think it’s going to be pretty exciting to watch. Phee is strong as hell. I gotta box out and not let her get second-chance points. That’s going to be a tough one,” Jackson said of Collier. “She’s very experienced and we match up pretty well. But I’m up for it, for sure.”

Unrivaled 1-on-1 score: Aaliyah Edwards beats Breanna Stewart 12-0

The last game of the first round ends with a haymaker from Edwards, beating her Mist teammate in Stewart. It was the biggest upset of the night at Edwards, an eight seed, beat Stewart, a one seed. 

Unrivaled 1-on-1 score: Rickea Jackson beats Jackie Young 11-3 

Jackson got out to a 7-0 lead in first 1:30, and moves on past Young, who briefly went down with a lower body injury. 

Unrivaled 1-on-1 score: Allisha Gray beats Jordin Canada 11-4 

Gray becomes the third Lunar Owls player, joining Collier and Diggins-Smith, to move onto the second round. She beats her Atlanta Dream teammate in the first round.

Unrivaled 1-on-1 score: Skylar Diggins-Smith beats Dearica Hamby 11-3 

Diggins-Smith moves on in the battle between 10-year WNBA vets. 

Unrivaled 1-on-1 score: Rhyne Howard beats Lexie Hull 12-7

Howard beats Hull in the battle between third-year WNBA players. 

Unrivaled 1-on-1 score: Kahleah Copper beats Aliyah Boston 11-6

Kahleah Copper is moving onto the second round.

Unrivaled 1-on-1 score: Shakira Austin beats Chelsea Gray 12-2

Shakira Austin advances with a 12-2 win over Chelsea Gray, the three-time WNBA champion and 2022 WNBA Finals MVP.

Unrivaled 1-on-1 score: Napheesa Collier beats Katie Lou Samuelson 12-6

League founder Napheesa Collier moves on after a 12-6 win in a battle between former Connecticut stars.

How to watch Unrivaled games Monday night on TV

Unrivaled is available on cable television on TNT and TruTV in the United States, and TSN+ in Canada.

Watch: Unrivaled games on Sling TV

How to live stream Unrivaled games on Monday night

Unrivaled games are also available to live stream on Max, and internationally on YouTube.

Unrivaled schedule on Monday

Here are the eight matchups in the first round on Monday night:

Napheesa Collier vs. Katie Lou Samuelson
Chelsea Gray vs. Shakira Austin
Kahleah Cooper vs. Aliyah Boston
Rhyne Howard vs. Lexie Hull
Skylar Diggins-Smith vs. Dearica Hamby
Allisha Gray vs. Jordin Canada
Jackie Young vs. Rickea Jackson
Breanna Stewart vs. Aaliyah Edwards

Unrivaled 1-on-1 tournament rules

Each game will be played to 11 points or 10 minutes, whichever comes first.
Players will play make-it, take-it style – if they score, they retain possession. 
There will be a running clock and a shot clock of seven seconds per possession.
Every game is single elimination until the final, which will be a best-of-three series. 

Unrivaled schedule on Tuesday

Along with the first-round winners Monday, seven players will enter the tournament in the second round due to player injuries.

These two second-round matchups bypassed the first round: Jewell Loyd vs. Rae Burrell; Satou Sabally vs. DiJonai Carrington.

Arike Ogunbowale, Azurá Stevens and Courtney Williams will also face first-round winners.

The winner between Stewart and Edwards will advance to the quarterfinals since the other two players in their bracket are unable to compete.

Which Unrivaled players are not participating in the 1-on-1 tournament?

Unrivaled announced Sunday night that the following players won’t participate due to injury: Tiffany Hayes, Kayla McBride, Alyssa Thomas, Natasha Cloud, Brittney Sykes, Kate Martin and Marina Mabrey.

Angel Reese, Brittney Griner, Sabrina Ionescu, Courtney Vandersloot, Stefanie Dolson and Cameron Brink were already scheduled to not participate.

What do Unrivaled players win?

The winner of the 1-on-1 tournament will win $200,000, the runner-up will receive $50,000, and the other two semifinalists will take away $25,000. Each club teammate of the winner will also receive $10,000.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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FBI must release Mar-a-Lago probe records despite Trump’s criminal immunity: judge

FBI records from the Mar-a-Lago classified documents probe will soon be released despite the dismissal of the case against President Donald Trump and his presidential immunity, according to a federal judge’s ruling Monday.

In a court filing first obtained by Politico, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell found that the FBI must disclose more information related to the case by Feb. 20. 

The decision concerned a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) case brought by journalist Jason Leopold.

Leopold filed a request with the FBI in 2022 after reports that Trump during his first term ‘allegedly flushed some presidential records down the toilet when he was still in the White House and brought presidential records, including sensitive classified documents, to his personal residence in Florida,’ according to the filing.

The FBI asked the court to authorize withholding the records under Exemption 7A, which concerns ‘records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes, but only to the extent that production of such law enforcement records or information…could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings.’

In light of the SCOTUS ruling on presidential immunity as well as Trump’s election win in November, Trump is exempt from criminal proceedings, but Howell found the documents could still be released because of that fact, as there are no law enforcement proceedings against him.

‘Somewhat ironically, the constitutional and procedural safeguards attached to the criminal process include significant confidentiality mechanisms…. with a parallel safeguard in Exemption 7(A) to help preserve the necessary confidentiality of ongoing criminal investigations leading to anticipated enforcement actions, but for an immune president, Exemption 7(A) may simply be unavailable, as it is here,’ Howell said.

‘Defendants’ motion for summary judgment seeking judgment in their favor as to the legality of relying on Exemption 7(A) to withhold entirely the FBI’s investigative files from the processing of the FOIA request at issue and to assert a Glomar response to the sixth category of requested information, must be denied, and plaintiff’s cross motion for summary judgment as to these legal issues is granted,’ the decision concluded. ‘The parties are directed to submit jointly, by February 20, 2025, a status report proposing a schedule to govern future proceedings to conclude this case expeditiously.’

Howell also noted that though Trump is immune from prosecution, anyone who may have helped to ‘aid, abet and execute criminal acts,’ is not.

‘Of course, while the Supreme Court has provided a protective and presumptive immunity cloak for a president’s conduct, that cloak is not so large to extend to those who aid, abet and execute criminal acts on behalf of a criminally immune president,’ Howell wrote in a footnote. ‘The excuse offered after World War II by enablers of the fascist Nazi regime of ‘just following orders’ has long been rejected in this country’s jurisprudence.’

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Jalen Hurts, fiancée celebrate Eagles’ Super Bowl win at Disney World

The quarterback captured the Philadelphia Eagles franchise’s second Super Bowl less than 24 hours ago, demolishing the Chiefs, 40-22. A dynasty was wiped out by the team of destiny for now, as Philadelphia soared all season long to the NFL’s mountaintop.

After claiming a Super Bowl MVP award, Hurts set out to do what everyone who has come before him has done – make the journey to the happiest place on earth. Although on this day, Disney is no higher than No. 2 on the list.

With his fiancée, Bry Burrows, by his side, Hurts was seen enjoying the amusements that the theme park has to offer.

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Shortly after the game, the commercial was ready to rock and roll for one of the Super Bowl’s longstanding traditions.

Burrows, an artificial intelligence partner at IBM, has been engaged to Hurts since they announced it in September 2024. The couple’s relationship dates back to their days at Alabama.

Now they’re Super Bowl champions and getting the red carpet treatment at Disney.

Maybe fairy tales do exist.

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