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Popular diet trend could boost mental health among older adults, study finds

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Popular diet trend could boost mental health among older adults, study finds


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Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, fish and olive oil may help keep the mind strong even into old age, according to new research.

Older adults in England who followed a Mediterranean diet — which is primarily composed of the above foods — during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic reported higher psychological well-being than peers who did not.

The researchers tracked more than 3,000 adults between the ages of 50 and 90 to determine how their daily food choices related to their long-term outlook on life, according to a press release.

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The participants filled out specialized surveys that measured positive psychological traits, including their sense of autonomy, life satisfaction, purpose and control over daily routines.

Each participant also received a score based on how closely their eating habits matched a traditional Mediterranean dietary pattern.

The boost in well-being was not driven by differences in caloric intake, meaning the specific types of food eaten played an important role, the researchers said. (iStock)

Adults who stuck closely to the Mediterranean diet reported a significantly stronger sense of overall well-being.

This finding held even after researchers accounted for factors like income, education, physical activity, smoking habits and general physical health.

The boost in well-being did not appear to be driven by differences in caloric intake, which suggests the specific types of food played an important role.

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As the researchers tracked the participants over several years, they were able to measure how their well-being shifted during the early months of the pandemic.

While emotional well-being and happiness dropped across the entire group during the lockdowns, the study – which was published in BMJ Open – showed the decline was less intense for people who stuck to the Mediterranean diet.

Extra virgin olive oil pouring from spoon to a bread slice on rustic wooden table.

The Mediterranean diet is naturally packed with anti-inflammatory elements, such as antioxidants called polyphenols found in extra virgin olive oil. (iStock)

Previous research points to a few explanations for this.

“This study shows what we’ve been seeing in other research,” Kim Kulp, registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of the Gut Health Connection in the San Francisco Bay Area, told Fox News Digital.

‘LONGEVITY GENE’ MAY PROTECT THE BRAIN FROM ALZHEIMER’S BY BOOSTING DNA REPAIR, STUDY FINDS

The Mediterranean diet is naturally rich in anti-inflammatory nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids from fish and antioxidants called polyphenols found in extra-virgin olive oil.

These nutrients help to lower inflammation in the brain and support a healthy gut microbiome, which is directly linked to the chemical production of mood-regulating hormones, experts say.

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“Since the Mediterranean diet is loaded with a variety of plant foods, it provides an increase in nutrients for the body and brain, special compounds that reduce inflammation, and prebiotics to feed the good gut microbes,” said Kulp, who was not involved in the study.

Family sharing meal

The participants shared how they felt about their sense of autonomy, life satisfaction, purpose and control over their daily routines. (iStock)

Researchers noted some limitations to the data, including the fact that the study relied on self-reported dietary surveys, which can sometimes be inaccurate.

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Additionally, the participants who completed the tracking tended to be healthier and wealthier than the general public, meaning the results might not fully apply to more diverse or vulnerable populations.

Adults eating salad and drinking wine

The Mediterranean diet can help reduce stress and depression and improve a sense of well-being, a nutritionist confirmed. (iStock)

“There were only two days of dietary data, and the psychological well-being test was only administered on two occasions, both early on during COVID,” Kulp noted. “Two days of data may not be enough to form conclusions.”

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Because the study was observational, it could not prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship between the diet and improved mental health, the researchers acknowledged.

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“Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes provides the ultimate combination of nutrients to improve overall health as we age,” said Kulp.

“Together, this diet can help reduce stress and depression and improve a sense of well-being, even during the toughest times.”

Khloe Quill is a lifestyle writer with Fox News Digital. She and the lifestyle team cover a range of story topics including food and drink, travel, and health. 



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‘Nothing wrong with being a patriot’: Readers on England flag fever

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‘Nothing wrong with being a patriot’: Readers on England flag fever



England’s run to the World Cup semi-finals has turned even reluctant households into flag-wavers, and for Charlotte Cripps, watching her young daughters become overnight patriots has stirred up some distinctly mixed feelings.

Writing about her 10-year-old’s newfound love of St George’s Cross, Cripps admitted she wasn’t sure how she felt about a symbol she’s more used to seeing at far-right marches than on her own car window.

It’s a tension Independent readers clearly recognise. Many pushed back on the idea that patriotism needs an apology at all, arguing that loving your country is no different from any other kind of pride.

Others said the discomfort makes sense, given how hard Reform UK and the far right have worked to make the flag their own – and saw this summer’s tournament as the perfect moment to take it back.

It’s a debate that goes well beyond football. Here’s what you had to say:

Patriotism only works if we live up to it

There is nothing wrong with being patriotic when it’s for the right reasons. At its best, sport unites people, especially when fans and players show good sportsmanship. Wimbledon is an excellent example of this: the country can put all its hopes into one of our own players, but when they are beaten, we still cheer and applaud the foreign player, and are genuinely happy for their success. England is a great country and we should be proud of it… but we also have a responsibility to behave in a way that demonstrates to others that this pride is justified.

theculture

Nice to be excited to be English again

I thought Charlotte’s article articulated the reasons behind this quite well – patriotism has been the realm of the flag-waving right in the last decade since Brexit, and not much this country has done since 2016 has given us much to be excited about, even if you take out the hatred that seems to exist in the dark corners. It’s nice to be excited to be English again, even if that feeling can only last a little while.

Nihale

The issue with looking down at flag waving

The English won’t reclaim their flag until the middle stops passive-aggressively looking down their noses at anyone who flies it.

It will stay the preserve of the far right while that continues.

Fazzie

Patriotism is not prejudice

Supporting your own country should not be controversial. Flying the St George’s Cross during an England match is not hatred, extremism, or a threat to anyone – it is simply pride in your country and support for your national team. Yet it always seems to be the same section of political opinion that has a problem with it: happy to celebrate every other identity, but not this one. Patriotism is not prejudice, and no amount of sneering will make it so.

RachelFromAccounts

‘Football Not Farage’ flags

You can buy England flags with ‘Football Not Farage’ printed across the horizontal bar. I got a couple for my neighbour’s kids.

ProBonoComments

Nothing wrong with being a patriot

There is nothing wrong with being a patriot. Why would or should you feel uncomfortable with the notion of patriotism? How have we become so contrarian that we have to feel ashamed to love the country that made us what we are and we call home?

Isthatso

Saltires swapped for St George flags

My son’s next-door neighbours are Glaswegians, and they bedecked their house with Saltires. As soon as Scotland was knocked out, these were immediately replaced by St George flags. Brilliant people!

Dogglebird

Why is English pride treated as the exception

Strange how the Scots can be proud of being Scottish and fly the St Andrew’s Cross. Strange how the Welsh can be proud of being Welsh and fly their national flag. Strange how every country in the world, apart from England, can be proud of its national heritage – but woe betide an Englishman who is proud that his ancestors abolished slavery and brought parliamentary democracy to the world: the country that invented the concept of a government bound by its own laws, and most of the innovations necessary for the modern world.

TomHawk

The real danger is extremism online

I don’t think there is any harm in fervent displays of patriotism every few years, based around international sports tournaments. The danger is kids secretly accessing dodgy extremist websites – because we all know where that leads.

Nomoneyinthebank

An accident of birth

Patriotism? I’ve never quite understood pride in an accident of birth. I’m proud of some of my modest achievements, and I’m proud of my children, but it ends there. How does one take pride in something we have no control over?

GenesisP

Have an honest conversation with your kids

Have an honest conversation with your kids. Flags, patriotism, nationalism – how to reckon with it isn’t simple. You aren’t supposed to present it unmuddied to them. Help them navigate it by giving them information, and help them start thinking through symbols and choices, and which ones to care about.

ALyn

Some of the comments have been edited for this article for brevity and clarity.

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MLB All-Str Mike Trout shuts down idea of leaving LA, says doubters fuel push to get Angels back to playoffs

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MLB All-Str Mike Trout shuts down idea of leaving LA, says doubters fuel push to get Angels back to playoffs


Steve Doocy experiences the MLB All-Star Fan Zone

‘Fox & Friends’ co-host Steve Doocy reports live from Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the MLB All-Star Fan Zone. Doocy interviews baseball enthusiasts, capturing the excitement building for tonight’s game. He also experiences a unique Liberty Bell-inspired beer tap, showcasing the local flavor and fan festivities and the fun of America’s pastime.

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Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout opened the 2026 MLB All-Star Game with a strikeout in his first plate appearance.

Trout is making his 12th All-Star appearance near home, with Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park sitting roughly 40 miles from where he was born and raised in New Jersey. But the Angels entered the break once again at the bottom of the AL West standings.

The Angels have not reached the postseason since 2014, the longest active playoff drought in MLB, with the Pittsburgh Pirates next on the list after last playing October baseball in 2015.

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Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout warms up before the All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Eric Hartline/Imagn Images)

At 38-59 entering the break, Los Angeles faces long odds of reversing course and mounting a playoff push, but Trout said the doubt surrounding the team has only fueled his motivation.

“I think the fuel of people doubting us kind of makes it more of a fire for me to try to get back to the playoffs,” Trout told the Los Angeles Times. “I think that’s the biggest key for me.”

Trout made his big league debut with the Angels in 2011, but the franchise has reached the postseason just once during his tenure.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR DURING THE 2026 MLB ALL-STAR GAME AT CITIZENS BANK PARK IN PHILADELPHIA

The lack of team success has raised questions about whether he would consider playing elsewhere in the twilight of his career. But ahead of Tuesday’s All-Star Game, the three-time AL MVP said he still has unfinished business in Southern California.

“Could I take the easy way out and just leave? Yeah,” Trout said.

Mike Trout looks on at Target Field

Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout looks on against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on July 11, 2026. (Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images)

“But I think – I said this last year around this time, but it’s the same feeling I’ve been having – I really haven’t sat down and talked to anybody about it specifically, but I know there’s a time where, if things change, who knows? I don’t know. But, for me, right now, my focus is on trying to get this club back in the playoffs.”

If Trout’s playoff hopes are going to become reality this season, the Angels must make up 10 games in the wild-card race or close an 11.5-game deficit behind the first-place Texas Rangers in the AL West.

Mike Trout warms up before the MLB All-Star Game

Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels warms up before the All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 14, 2026 (Eric Hartline/Imagn Images)

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Trout’s long-term future remains tied to the Angels after he signed a record-breaking extension in 2019 that runs through the 2030 season and includes a full no-trade clause. Injuries have interrupted much of his otherwise stellar career, but he entered the All-Star break having played in 78 of Los Angeles’ 97 games while hitting 18 home runs.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports  coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports  Huddle newsletter.

Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.





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26 Meta workers sue over alleged AI-aided layoffs targeting employees on medical or family leave

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26 Meta workers sue over alleged AI-aided layoffs targeting employees on medical or family leave


A group of 26 Meta employees has sued the company, claiming it used artificial intelligence systems to select people for layoffs, disproportionately targeting those on medical, parental or family leave.

They are among the 8,000 employees, or about 10% of its workforce that Meta said it would lay off starting in May. In an internal memo to employees in April, the company said the cuts would be aimed at making the company more efficient and offsetting its other investments.

The lawsuit filed late Monday in federal court in Oakland, California, claims the company used internal AI systems, keystroke and activity-monitoring data, AI token-usage dashboards and algorithmically assisted performance rankings, among other methods, to determine who would be laid off.

Many of these scores and ratings “by design, cannot be accumulated by an employee who is on protected medical or family leave, or whose output is reduced by a disability,” the lawsuit says. Meta, according to the lawsuit, did not account for protected leave when taking employees’ scores into account and “did not pause the system for the individualized, leave- and accommodation-neutral review that the law requires.”

As a result, people on protected medical or family leave were disproportionately selected for layoffs, the lawsuit says. Each of the 26 anonymous employees in the lawsuit took protected leave and requested or received a reasonable accommodation for disability. Though they have been notified of their layoffs, all 26 remain employed by Meta, with separations set to begin July 22.

Many of the employees in the lawsuit took pregnancy or parental leave, during which time they wouldn’t have worked and thus had their measured output reduced. Others took medical leave — one disclosed a “serious health condition and disability” that was approved by Meta’s own provider. But according to the lawsuit, he was “discouraged and deterred from taking that leave by a manager” who warned that doing so would result in his selection for the anticipated layoffs. Meta offered no accommodation for his disability, the lawsuit says.

Meta said in a statement that the claims “lack merit and are not based on facts. Workforce management and organizational decisions were and are made by people, not AI.”

Details on the workers Meta intends to lay off    

About half the plaintiffs had taken leave for caregiving or pregnancy-related reasons. Eight are women who had taken maternity or pregnancy-related leave, four are men who had taken parental leave and one is a woman who had taken leave to care for a family member and later bereavement leave.

The lawsuit says the layoffs violated several state and federal laws, including the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.

The complaint also references “disparate impact liability,” a longstanding civil rights concept that President Trump’s administration moved to abandon. Disparate impact, codified in Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, holds that facially neutral policies or practices can be discriminatory if they disproportionately burden a protected class of workers and aren’t necessary for the job.

The Trump administration has ordered federal agencies to deprioritize disparate impact liability enforcement, arguing that its use undermines “meritocracy” and encourages the assumption that any racial or gender imbalance in a workforce is the result of discrimination. The order has led the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to drop discrimination cases on behalf of some workers.

However, the lawsuit against Meta underscores that companies remain vulnerable to disparate impact litigation in the age of AI despite the Trump administration’s efforts to stamp out its enforcement. Workers are still free to pursue such lawsuits on their own if the EEOC rejects their complaints, and several state laws specifically prohibit disparate impact discrimination.

In the case against Meta, lawyers for the plaintiffs argued that the company’s “algorithmically assisted selection process, by systematically recording such absences as reduced performance, falls more heavily on women than on men.” That’s because women disproportionately take pregnancy and caregiving leave, according to the lawyers. The lawsuit cites Title VII’s prohibition on employment practices that have a disparate impact, as well as a landmark 1971 Supreme Court ruling that recognized the doctrine.

The plaintiffs’ lawyers said in a statement that the lawsuit asks for one thing — preserving the status quo to keep the workers employed pending arbitration. That’s because “once these separations are final, the harms are irreversible: employer-subsidized health coverage lost during pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and active medical treatment; time-bound leave rights extinguished; unvested equity forfeited; and immigration consequences triggered.”

In:



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Video Blast from the past! High-energy workout Tae Bo is back

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Video Blast from the past! High-energy workout Tae Bo is back



Hanna Battah talks to Billy Blanks, a fitness personality who’s introducing a whole new audience to the workout which surged in popularity decades ago.



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You paid for it. So why is your device showing ads?

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You paid for it. So why is your device showing ads?


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You paid for the product. So why does it feel like the company still controls the screen? That is the question more of us are starting to ask as smart devices get updated long after we bring them home. A refrigerator can show ads in your kitchen. A car can flash offers on the dashboard. Even a Windows 11 computer can surface promotions before you get to work.

The frustrating part is that this often happens through software updates. You tap update because you want your device to stay secure and work properly. Then one day, the product you bought starts acting like a billboard. This is also why it pays to understand the hidden privacy clauses and settings that come with smart products before those screens start doing things you never expected.

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Smart devices from refrigerators to cars and computers can show ads after software updates, raising questions about who controls screens consumers already paid for. (Michele Tantussi/Getty Images)

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Samsung Family Hub refrigerators started showing ads

Samsung Family Hub refrigerators are sold as connected kitchen hubs. You can use the screen for weather, calendars, grocery lists and other household features. But as we discussed on The CyberGuy Report podcast at CyberGuy.com, that same screen can also become a place for ads after a software update. Samsung began showing ads on some Family Hub refrigerator Cover Screens in the U.S. We reached out to Samsung about this, and a spokesperson provided us with this statement:

“Last year, Samsung piloted a new Cover Screen widget on Family Hub refrigerators in the U.S. The widget rotates through useful information like weather, news, calendar events, and curated ads. After the pilot concluded in March, the widget was launched fully with the same user experience.

Users can turn off the Cover Screen widget, including ads, in the Advertisements tab of the Settings menu (Settings > Advertisements > Cover screen Ads) without impacting any other features or functions. Ads can also be dismissed on the Cover Screens where shown, meaning that the dismissed ad will not appear again during that specific ad’s campaign period. Since the start of the pilot program last October, our review has indicated consumers are finding value in this new widget. The percentage of users who have turned off the feature is in the low single-digits.

A Cover Screen appears when the Family Hub screen is idle, and the widget only appears on the Weather, Color, and Daily Board themes. The widget does not appear on the Cover Screen’s Art or Album themes.”

That answer is important because Samsung says you can turn the Cover Screen ads off without losing other features. Still, the larger point remains. You bought a refrigerator, then a later update added an ad experience to the screen in your kitchen.

How to turn off Samsung Family Hub Cover Screen ads

On the Family Hub screen:

  • Tap Settings
  • Tap Advertisements
  • Tap Cover Screen Ads
  • Turn the switch off

You can also change the Cover Screen theme. Samsung says the widget does not appear on Art or Album themes.

Car screen ads appeared in Jeep, Ram and Chrysler vehicles

Now move from the kitchen to the driveway. Some Jeep, Ram and Chrysler drivers previously saw promotional messages on their infotainment screens through Stellantis’ Uconnect system.

Stellantis, the automaker behind Jeep, Ram, Chrysler and Dodge, says its In-Vehicle Message technology, or IVM, is designed to help the company stay in contact with owners at important points during ownership. The company says it uses IVM for important messages, such as vehicle recalls and vehicle health monitor alerts. Stellantis also confirmed that the earlier pop-up promotions were part of its in-vehicle messaging or Uconnect communication system. However, the company says it has not run the promotional in-vehicle messages referenced in those reports since mid-fall 2025 and has nothing planned for future in-vehicle promotional messages.

At the time those promotional messages were active, Stellantis says owners could opt out by calling customer service or by updating their profile or Message Settings on their vehicle brand’s website account, such as a Ram owner account. That update is important. There are no current promotional in-vehicle messages to opt out of, according to Stellantis. Still, the larger concern remains: modern vehicles are software-driven, and the screen in the middle of your dashboard can be changed long after you drive off the lot.

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An infotainment screen is shown in a car.

Some Jeep, Ram and Chrysler drivers previously saw promotional messages on infotainment screens through Stellantis’ Uconnect system. (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutsson)

Why dashboard messages feel more intrusive

A car screen is different from a phone app or website. You use that display for directions, music, climate controls and vehicle settings. So when a promotional message appears there, it can feel more personal than an ad on a webpage.

To be fair, in-vehicle messaging can serve an important purpose. Recall notices and vehicle health alerts can help owners respond to safety or maintenance issues faster.

However, promotional messages hit differently. You are sitting in a car you paid tens of thousands of dollars for. That screen should help you drive, maintain your vehicle and get where you are going without feeling like another place for a sales pitch.

Windows 11 ads can appear in several places

Then there is your computer. Windows 11 can show promotional content in places that feel like part of the operating system. That includes the lock screen, the Start menu and account-related notifications.

The lock screen can use Windows Spotlight, which displays rotating images along with tips, tricks and notifications. Start menu settings also include areas where Microsoft can show recommendations and account prompts.

Some of these messages may look like helpful notices. Others can feel like upsells. The most annoying ones are the alerts that look urgent, then steer you toward a Microsoft service such as OneDrive backup. Microsoft declined to comment for this story.

How to reduce ads and suggestions in Windows 11

You can cut down on much of this in Settings.

Change the lock screen:

  • Go to Settings
  • Click Personalization
  • Click Lock screen
  • Change Windows Spotlight to Picture
  • Turn off Get fun facts, tips, tricks and more on your lock screen

Reduce Start menu suggestions:

  • Go to Settings
  • Click Personalization
  • Click Start
  • Turn off any available toggles for recommendations, tips, suggestions or personalized offers

FIVE DATA BROKER OPT-OUT MYTHS THAT LEAVE RETIREES EXPOSED

A woman interacts with the screen on a smart refrigerator.

Samsung says Family Hub refrigerator Cover Screen ads can be turned off, but the feature highlights how connected appliances can change after purchase. (SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Limit account-related prompts:

  • Go to Settings
  • Click Personalization
  • Click Start
  • Turn off Show account-related notifications

Microsoft may change wording over time, so look for anything tied to recommendations, tips, suggestions, offers or account notifications. For more Windows settings help, see these Windows 11 tips.

Device screen ads are spreading after you buy

The real problem isn’t one ad on one screen. It is the fact that software gives companies a way to change products after you buy them. A refrigerator used to stay a refrigerator. A car dashboard used to do what it did on the day you drove off the lot. A computer operating system used to feel like the tool you used to get things done.

Now those screens can change later. A company can add a widget, promote a service or push an offer through an update. That does not mean every update is bad. Security fixes are essential. Bug fixes help. New features can be useful. However, ads feel different when they arrive after you already paid for the product. That is why you should keep your devices updated, but also check what changed after the update installs.

What this means to you

Before you buy a smart appliance, connected car or computer, think beyond the hardware. Ask what kind of software controls the screen. Check whether ads, recommendations or promotional content can be turned off.

After setup, go through the settings before you assume the default experience is the only option. Look for menus labeled ads, recommendations, notifications, tips, offers or personalization. If you are setting up a new device, this new electronics setup guide is a good place to start.

Also, pay attention after updates. If a new widget or pop-up appears, do not assume you have to live with it. There may be a buried toggle that turns it off. Most of all, remember that a screen in your home, car or office has value. Companies know that. You should know it too.

Kurt’s key takeaways

This is exactly why we covered this on The CyberGuy Report podcast at CyberGuy.com. It hits a nerve because you already paid for these products, yet companies can still use software updates to claim space on the screens you see every day. Samsung says Family Hub Cover Screen ads can be turned off. Stellantis says its vehicle promotions stopped in the fall of 2025. Windows 11 gives you some settings that reduce tips, suggestions and account prompts. Still, the pattern is hard to ignore. Companies are learning how to keep making money from a product after the sale. That may be great for them, but it can feel pretty lousy when the screen is inside your kitchen, your car or your computer. When you pay thousands of dollars for a product, that screen should work for you instead of becoming another place for a company to sell to you.

Which screen ad would bother you most: one on your refrigerator, one on your computer or one in your car? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.



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Trump won’t rule out Kharg Island takeover: What a US assault could look like

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Trump won’t rule out Kharg Island takeover: What a US assault could look like


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Hundreds of U.S. Marines storm ashore as helicopters thunder overhead, Navy warships and fighter jets establish overwhelming air and sea superiority, and commanders issue one final warning to Iranian forces: surrender or be overrun.

That is how military experts envision the opening hours of a potential U.S. operation to seize Iran’s Kharg Island—the tiny but strategically vital island that handles roughly 90% of the Islamic Republic’s crude oil exports and has become the centerpiece of Washington’s economic pressure campaign against Tehran.

The scenario was thrust back into the spotlight Tuesday after President Donald Trump declined to rule out taking the island. “I can’t say that to you because if I did, it would be foolish,” Trump told Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst during an exclusive interview on ‘Special Report’ when asked directly whether he planned to seize Kharg island. He added that previous U.S. strikes intentionally avoided the island’s oil facilities because they are “a chunk of the world economy.”

TRUMP HAS 3 CHOICES TO DEFINE VICTORY IF HE WANTS TO BEAT IRAN. NONE OF THEM ARE EASY

Satellite view of Kharg Island, located in the Persian Gulf off the coast of Iran. (Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2024)

“There are a lot of ways to skin this cat,” Vice Adm. (Ret.) Robert Harward, former deputy commander of U.S. Central Command, told Fox News Digital in an interview.

Harward explained a Marine Expeditionary Unit could conduct an amphibious assault while U.S. naval and air forces establish complete control over the battlespace, giving Iranian defenders an opportunity to surrender before major fighting begins. The goal, he said, would not simply be to capture the island but to preserve the oil infrastructure that could one day serve a post-Islamic Republic government.

“The real objective at the end of the day is to minimize risk,” said Harward. “Not only to your own forces, but to the people you’re coming in contact with,” while also limiting damage to facilities that could eventually be handed over to “a government of Iran that is focused on supporting its people, as opposed to proliferating the Islamic Revolution.”

Trump’s remarks echoed Harward’s assessment that preserving Kharg’s oil facilities would likely be a key military objective. Trump said he had instructed U.S. forces during previous strikes to “hit everything, but the oil,” explaining that damaging the export terminal could have significant consequences for the global economy.

HOW IRAN ATTACKS ARE FORCING THE PENTAGON TO RETHINK ITS DECADES-OLD MIDDLE EAST BASE STRATEGY

A helicopter lands on the Veronica III vessel at sea.

U.S. forces conduct a right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding of the Veronica III without incident in the INDOPACOM area of responsibility after the vessel allegedly tried to defy President Trump’s quarantine, Feb. 15, 2026. (X/@DeptofWar)

But military experts say capturing Kharg may be the easiest part of the mission.

Located just 16 miles off Iran’s Gulf coast, the eight-square-mile island sits well within range of Iranian missiles, drones and shore-based anti-ship weapons. While analysts believe U.S. forces could likely seize the island within hours, holding it against sustained retaliation from the nearby mainland could require a far larger and longer military commitment—raising the risk of direct war with Iran itself.

Kharg’s strategic importance predates Iran’s modern oil industry. British forces briefly occupied the island during confrontations with Persia over Herat in 1838 and again during the Anglo-Persian War in 1856, using its location near the Iranian coast to apply pressure on Tehran. Nearly a century later, Iran selected Kharg as a deep-water oil terminal because its sheltered waters could accommodate large tankers. Construction began in the late 1950s, and the terminal entered service in 1960, transforming the island into the principal outlet for Iranian crude.

“Everybody talks about seizing Kharg,” Nicholas Carl, assistant director of the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, told Fox News Digital. “Iran has spent decades investing in denial capabilities designed specifically to keep U.S. forces away from its shores.” Those capabilities include anti-ship cruise missiles, drones, naval mines and hundreds of fast attack craft designed to overwhelm superior naval forces.

IRAN’S BIGGEST WEAPON AGAINST THE US MAY BE SLIPPING AWAY, EXPERTS SAY

A satellite image of Iranian oil infrastructure on Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf.

A satellite image shows an oil terminal at Kharg Island, Iran, February 25, 2026. (2026 Planet Labs PBC/Handout via Reuters)

Military planners have long viewed Iran’s anti-access strategy as one of the most sophisticated in the Middle East. Rather than matching the U.S. Navy ship for ship, Tehran has invested heavily in asymmetric weapons intended to make any amphibious assault costly.

Harward, a former member of the National Security Council and current member of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America’s Iran Policy Project, acknowledged that once American forces were on Kharg, the primary danger would shift from conventional naval combat to missile and drone attacks launched from the nearby mainland.

“Iran doesn’t really have air power,” Harward said. “The concern is whether they launch missiles and drones at the island with U.S. forces on the ground. That’s the biggest risk.”

Harward said the viability of the operation would ultimately depend on intelligence about the number and disposition of Iranian forces, whether they had prepared booby traps or improvised explosive devices, and how Tehran might respond once American troops were ashore.

Still, he argued, such retaliation would come at a price for Tehran.

“If they start striking Kharg itself, they become accountable for damaging their own economic lifeline,” he said.

The challenge illustrates the distinction between tactical success and strategic success. Seizing an eight-square-mile island is one military problem. Defending it against sustained attacks only a short distance from Iranian territory is another.

Oil

A general view of the Port of Kharg Island Oil Terminal, 25 km from the Iranian coast in the Persian Gulf and 483 km northwest of the Strait of Hormuz, in Iran on March 12, 2017. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

Harward suggested Washington still has several options short of launching an amphibious assault.

With the U.S.-led blockade, reinforced Tuesday, already constraining Iran’s oil exports, he argued that additional economic pressure could target overland transportation routes, border crossings and air traffic instead of committing ground troops.

“There is still a lot you could do to enhance the economic challenges to Iran,” Harward said. “Synchronizing military, economic and political pressure is really the strategy.”

Some strategists have also questioned whether Kharg is the most valuable military objective.

Mark Fox, a retired Vice Admiral and a former commander of the 5th Fleet, previously told Fox News Digital that Kharg is fundamentally an oil terminal rather than a military fortress. Instead, he argued, smaller islands such as Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa—disputed islands near the Strait of Hormuz—could present more manageable military objectives while creating a significant strategic dilemma for Tehran because of their location along one of the world’s most important shipping lanes.

For Harward, however, the larger question extends beyond any single island.

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Export oil pipelines run across an industrial facility on Kharg Island along Iran’s Persian Gulf coast.

Export oil pipelines are seen at an oil facility on Kharg Island, on the shore of the Gulf, Feb. 23, 2016. (Str/AFP Via Getty Images)

“I think the only real end state to ensure long-term stability and security in the region is a government of Iran that renounces the Islamic Revolution and focuses on the Iranian people,” he said. That would require ending Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, halting support for proxy groups, protecting freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and ending the regime’s domestic repression.

Whether Washington ever decides to seize Kharg, military planners agree on one point: Capturing Iran’s economic lifeline would likely be measured in hours, but successfully holding it—and managing the regional escalation that could follow — would be a far longer and more complex campaign.

Efrat (Effie) Lachter is an investigative journalist, filmmaker and war correspondent. She has directed and produced over 200 documentary segments across more than 40 countries. Recipient of the 2022 Peres Center for Peace Award, Lachter is also a 2023-24 Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellow at the University of Michigan. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communication and a master’s degree in political science.



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“Train aapki property hai kya?” Mother caught teaching toddler to throw garbage from moving local train; video sparks outrage

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“Train aapki property hai kya?” Mother caught teaching toddler to throw garbage from moving local train; video sparks outrage


Instagram/@coach_amitkumar

So this is one of those ‘zero civic sense’ scenes that makes your blood boil. A seemingly ordinary train journey has triggered a larger conversation about civic responsibility and parenting that shape India’s travel culture. A video is doing rounds on the internet which is shared on Instagram by creator @coach_amitkumar (Amit Kumar). He captured a woman allegedly encouraging her toddler to throw garbage out of a moving local train. The clip has left social media users disappointed and furious. The video

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DaunZgyts07/

The video shows a woman eating what looks like a snack inside the train. She is seen travelling on a local train with her young child with another woman sitting next to her. As she finishes eating from a packet, she cleanly folds the empty wrapper and hands it to the toddler. Instead of asking the child to keep it, she does something which is shocking. Instead of asking the kid to throw the wrapper in a dustbin, she appears to encourage him to throw it out of the train window!Moments later, she can be seen handing the child another empty wrapper and again asking him to throw it outside. The child agrees to the mother and follows her instruction while the mother smiles and appears to cheer him on.That’s not all. When the person objects to the act, questioning why she is teaching a young child to litter from a moving train, the woman responds dismissively, saying, “Train aapki property hai kya?” (“Is the train your property?”).Social media reactsThe video has been viewed by thousands who expressed disappointment and rage over the incident. Many said children often learn by observing the behaviour of adults around them and in this case the mother herself is teaching! Such a shame. Some of the most-liked comments on the video include:

Local

“And this is exactly why parenting isn’t for everyone.”“Body grown fullyyyyyyy… brain didn’t…”“Yes, record them and post them. Only the shaming by the whole internet can stop them!! 👏”Many users also pointed out that while authorities continue investing in cleaner railway stations and trains, such everyday behaviour undermines those efforts. Others stressed that civic sense begins at home and that parents play a crucial role in teaching children how to behave responsibly in public spaces.Why littering is a serious issueThrowing garbage out of a moving train window may look insignificant to some, but it creates multiple problems.Plastic wrappers and food packaging often end up along railway tracks and hence the pollution. Such waste can also clog drainage systems near railway lines, attract stray animals, and create unhygienic conditions. Indian Railways has repeatedly requested passengers to use dustbins and waste bins instead of throwing waste outside. Travel with kids: Children learn what they see

Travel with kids

As per behavioural experts, kids learn from what they see and observe. A young child imitates the actions of parents and caregivers far more than following verbal instructions. Everyday actions that adults may dismiss as harmless can quickly become lifelong habits for kids.And that’s one of the biggest reasons why the video resonated with so many viewers. For many, the concern was not just about one wrapper being thrown from a train window, but about a child being taught that littering is acceptable behaviour.Every journey is a shared responsibility

Train

Whether it’s train, bus, flight, or road, every traveller shares responsibility for keeping public spaces clean. It’s not hard to carry a small bag and keep empty wrappers, tissues and waste bottles inside it until a dustbin is available.Public transport is not one single person’s belonging but it belongs to everyone present inside in that hour. Every wrapper thrown from a moving train ultimately lands in someone else’s environment.This video is a reminder of the fact that if kids are always watching and learning, what kind of travel habits are we passing on to them?





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Face-to-face with ancient Rome: Exhibition in Hungary brings forgotten faces to life

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Face-to-face with ancient Rome: Exhibition in Hungary brings forgotten faces to life


BUDAPEST, Hungary — A blacksmith, a stable boy, a soldier, a slave: The faces and stories of these and other residents of an ancient Roman city in modern Hungary have been brought to life in remarkable fidelity for a new exhibition in Budapest.

The display, which runs until Oct. 31, showcases highly detailed facial reconstructions from over a dozen skulls found in the ancient city of Aquincum, once a bustling Roman settlement on the empire’s Danube frontier.

Visitors to the Aquincum Museum come face-to-face with hyperrealistic models of Roman-era individuals, each crafted using DNA analysis and other techniques from fields such as archaeology and anthropology to determine how the people may have looked in life nearly 2,000 years ago.

“Our main goal was to bring a few of these individuals closer to the people of today,” said Loránt Vass, an archaeologist and the exhibition’s co-curator.

The title of the exhibition, “Once we were like you,” attempts to answer questions about ordinary people in ancient societies: What did they look like? What were their names? What was their fate?

Experts with the Aquincum Museum used DNA analysis of unearthed bones to reveal skin, hair and eye color and whether the person may have had freckles.

The shape, density and other characteristics of the skull revealed details of the structure of the face as well as the person’s age and whether they had sustained any injuries or suffered from disease.

Based on the findings, curators came up with names, trades and biographical stories to each of the reconstructed faces, giving them new life.

Péter Vámos, another of the exhibit’s co-curators, said the invented details were “based on authentic historical foundations” as well as information gathered from analysis of the skulls, which are displayed under the reconstructions.

“We don’t even know their names, unfortunately, but we tried to incorporate everything that anthropology and genetic studies could tell us about their life history,” he said.

One character, a construction worker they named Respectus, is described as having made his living in Aquincum plastering walls and splitting stone blocks. The exhibit says the work took its toll on his bones, and in a wine-fueled skirmish in a local tavern, his nose was broken and one of his teeth knocked out.

The story and social status of Respectus is typical of many Aquincum residents depicted. Vass said their studies showed that the bones of almost all individuals show a “fairly high degree” of inflammation.

“They were subjected to regular physical labor, and in many cases they were exposed to starvation for a certain period of time,” he said. “Based on this, it can be concluded that most of them belonged to the lower middle class, which is the least remembered segment of Roman society.”

Of the 16 reconstructions, six are silicon moldings that have been painted and meticulously adorned with true-to-life hair, clothing and jewelry.

Emese Gábor, who handcrafted the silicon reconstructions, said that while artificial intelligence also can be used to model ancient faces, “they just appear on a screen.”

“The advantage of this kind of reconstruction is that it can be displayed in a museum, it can be viewed from all angles and is totally life-size,” she said. “I stick to scientific methods and combine classical and modern scientific methods in this work.”

Another valuable piece of information that DNA can reveal is the ethnic origin of the person — quite illuminating in Aquincum’s diverse settlement.

Analyses showed the presence of not only Roman citizens with origins in the heart of the empire in modern-day Italy, but also people from as far away as today’s Scotland and Syria, as well as members of the nomadic Sarmatian tribes of the Eurasian steppes.

Also among Aquincum’s residents were Celts, who inhabited the region in the Iron Age before Roman settlement.

Vass said that during typical excavations of Roman-era skeletons, artifacts are examined, documented and stored, meaning “the bodies have no weight, no life, no soul.”

But by confronting visitors with their ancient predecessors, the museum hopes to forge a connection.

The exhibition’s title “suggests that they were like we are today. They had the same occupations, the same problems,” Vass said.

“They may have had different life conditions, different social status, but people are people,” he said. “I don’t think that has changed much across history.”



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Trump to address defense technology gathering as the Iran war has reduced US weapon stocks

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Trump to address defense technology gathering as the Iran war has reduced US weapon stocks


WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is headlining a defense summit at the U.S. Army War College on Wednesday, planning to tout major investments in battlefield technology at a time when the war in Iran has reduced the U.S. supply of Tomahawk cruise missiles and Patriot and THAAD interceptors.

The gathering in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, is organized by Republican Sen. David McCormick. It has also featured Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth; Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Army Secretary Dan Driscoll; CIA Director John Ratcliffe; and Mike Waltz, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

Trump has been a frequent visitor to the critical swing state of Pennsylvania, including last month, when he went to a Mack Trucks facility in Macungie, outside Allentown — hoping to boost Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie’s reelection chances.

Trump carried Pennsylvania in 2016 and 2024, and McCormick is not up for reelection this cycle, but Republicans are increasingly concerned about the war and persistently high cost of living as well as the president’s low approval ratings as they look to maintain control of Congress during November’s midterm elections.

The White House said the summit is bringing together key leaders in defense and some of the largest global investors to spotlight the importance of national security and identify investment opportunities.

Summit attendees include JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon, Blackstone President Jon Gray, Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet, General Dynamics CEO Phebe Novakovic, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, SpaceX director Antonio Gracias, and Shyam Sankar, chief technology officer of analytics and artificial intelligence firm Palantir, McCormick’s office said.

Trump spoke at a similar gathering organized by McCormick last year in Pittsburgh that sought to make the city a hot spot for advancement in energy technology and robotics. Then, the senator announced $90 billion in pledged investments in those sectors across Pennsylvania.

This year’s summit began on Tuesday. Before Trump’s arrival, multi-analytics threat detection leader ZeroEyes, which is based in Conshohocken, outside Philadelphia, announced a planned $10 million investment in artificial intelligence and machine learning research and development.

Pittsburgh-based Gecko Robotics also says it plans to open a new 10,000-square-foot (930-square-meter) manufacturing facility designed to boost integration of robotics into defense manufacturing processes and better expand the nation’s defense industrial base.

An analysis released in May found that U.S. military contractors will need at least three years to replenish stockpiles of Tomahawks — used to strike targets deep inside enemy territory — as well as Patriots and THAAD interceptors, which defend against incoming missiles and drones.

Stocks have dwindled as the U.S. has repeatedly fired strikes on Iran, adding to concerns that American forces would have limited firepower in any potential future conflict with China.

China has a stated goal of ensuring its military is capable of taking Taiwan by force if necessary by 2027, which experts see as more aspirational than a hard deadline. But Chinese President Xi Jinping warned during Trump’s recent visit to Beijing that if Washington mishandles its relations with the self-governing island, the U.S. and China could end up clashing or even find themselves in open conflict.

Trump also recently pledged to give Ukraine a license to produce Patriot air-defense systems which could be a major development in its war with Russia — though turning the idea into real weapons is also likely to take years.

Trump has sought to correct the shortfall by seeking a historic $1.5 trillion defense budget proposal for 2027. But a package authorizing such spending levels is stalled in Congress, and, even if it eventually moves forward, loads of additional time will still be required to expand production capabilities to accommodate such weapons systems.

Jake Loosararian, co-founder and CEO of Gecko Robotics, said U.S. defense companies have “got to supercharge supply chains” to reduce how long it takes for new technology to be ready for widespread production.

“President Trump uniquely understands the importance of pragmatic impact today,” Loosararian said. “He also understands big, beautiful things for tomorrow.”



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