'Landman' star Ali Larter excited to turn 50, reveals ‘disciplined’ fitness and wellness routine

Over the course of her career, Ali Larter has been subject to the harsh realities of Hollywood's beauty standards. Now, the "Landman" actress — who turned 50 on Saturday — is leaning into who she is today and feeling better than ever before. 

"The most beautiful you're ever going to be is today and to embrace that, to embrace it, to be kind to yourself," Larter said during a luncheon to celebrate a new wellness destination, Canyon Ranch Austin, in Dallas, Texas, earlier this month. "I think that women, in my industry and in the world and the way that we're seen and spoken about, it's just it's so critical. We just need to be kinder to ourselves and also, like I'm someone who, I don't want to look 20 years younger, 10 years younger. I want to be the best version of me right now."

"So I think that embracing the best version of yourself and don't be scared of the hard work, because you will feel mentally and physically stronger when you have that practice," she said. 

‘LANDMAN’ STAR ALI LARTER GETS UNEXPECTED PRAISE AND ‘BADA--’ COMPLIMENT FROM HOLLYWOOD ICON

Larter also said she was looking forward to turning 50.

"The women that I know that [are] older than me, are living their best lives. They’re taking care of themselves. I have a big birthday coming this year, and I’m excited," she said.

Larter's view on health and wellness hasn't always been crystal clear. From her early modeling days to her "Landman" success, the mom-of-two has evolved in more ways than one. 

"I hold myself to such a high regard in the way that I want to walk through this world, and a lot of that starts with wellness," Larter said during the Texas luncheon event. "The beauty of aging is just being kinder to yourself. I’m much more forgiving of myself than I ever have been."

WATCH: ‘LANDMAN’ STAR ALI LARTER SHARES HER SELF-CARE SECRETS

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Larter also spoke about her relationship with food, saying, "I’m not scared of food...food is what makes you feel strong, but you have to choose it wisely."

In January, while on the "Not Skinny But Not Fat" podcast, the actress opened up about her strict workout regimen and healthy eating habits. 

"I take care of myself. So that's what I do. But also, when I say I go to the gym, yes, you need to strength train," she said. "You know, as you get older as a woman, it's part of it. You have to do it. But I'm also there, babe. I am like getting through my terror of life. Like I'm working my anxiety out and then I can start the day."

ALI LARTER LEAVES LITTLE TO IMAGINATION IN SHEER BURGUNDY OUTFIT AT LONDON 'LANDMAN' PREMIERE

Larter said she typically starts the day with celery juice, a coffee, and then hits the gym. 

"I get up an hour and a half before call time before I get picked up. I just do it. I do the Peloton trainers. I fit it in when I fit it in. I don't do a lot. Sometimes I'll do half an hour. Sometimes I do 20 minutes."

"For me, after I exercise and I sweat, I've burned off a lot of my fear and I spent a lot of time just breathing, and it just gets so much oxygen into my body, and then I just feel better about myself. Like, I've already won the day," she added. "For me, it's a life-changer, and I've never been this disciplined ever in my whole life."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

In July, Larter gave Fox News Digital her self-care tips that benefit her hectic, day-to-day routine. 

"I believe in sweating. Number one, you sweat," Larter said. "I don't care if you run, or you do it in a steam room. Sweat, sweat, sweat to get your glow on."

Next, Larter insisted, "Enjoy your life. When you're happy and relaxed, like you can feel it, you can see it. Stressed out, intense, curmudgeons – no, thank you."

"I think one of the biggest things is that routine is how I can handle when my life is running at a high-power level," she said. "It's getting up in the morning. Even if it's 20 minutes, I go for a run. I do yoga, I do stretching. I eat really clean. I drink a lot of water. I don't drink a lot of alcohol. I keep it really tight. And then as soon as I'm done with the run, I ruin it all in one day." 

Despite her new outlook and all her hard work, Larter said she still finds it challenging to let go of vulnerability when it comes to filming bikini scenes in "Landman."

During an interview with People magazine, Larter, who plays Angela Norris in the hit Paramount+ series, described shooting scenes in which her character wears a bikini as "tough, in a weird way."

"I don't think there's an actress alive that's like, 'Woo! Got a bikini scene!'" Larter said. "Nobody wants to do it. Those are the hardest for me," she continued. "I don't enjoy them. It's just part of the story that I'm telling, and I'm an actress, so I get on board. But those are definitely my least favorite."

"In the end, anytime you have to put on a bathing suit and walk in front of anybody, it's really difficult," she said. "When I look around, the sexiest women I know are the women that own it. So, part of getting there with Angela is owning it."

"But no matter what, it's like, I've got to spend all this time fighting off my own insecurities, my own anxiety, to be able to put on that bikini and walk into these scenes," she admitted.

from Latest & Breaking News on Fox News https://ift.tt/QazAxsI

Shia LaBeouf lands behind bars again as third victim steps forward in alleged Mardi Gras melee

Shia LaBeouf has been arrested on another charge related to his alleged Mardi Gras bar brawl earlier this month.

LaBeouf is currently being held at the Louisiana Orleans Justice Center after being taken into custody early Saturday on a new charge of simple battery, according to inmate records viewed by Fox News Digital. Local outlet WWL Louisiana reports that an arrest warrant was issued Friday after an additional victim came forward from his alleged fight outside R Bar on Feb. 17.

This is the actor's third simple battery charge related to the alleged incident. He is set to appear in court this afternoon for his first appearance related to the new charge.

SHIA LABEOUF RUNS FROM COURTHOUSE AFTER POSTING $100K BOND IN NEW ORLEANS MARDI GRAS BATTERY CASE

Fox News Digital has reached out to LeBeouf and New Orleans police for comment.

LaBeouf appeared in court on Feb. 26 for a status hearing on the original charges. During the hearing, Orleans Parish Criminal Court Judge Simone Levine set a $100,000 bond and ordered LaBeouf to return to drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

According to the Associated Press, LaBeouf was reprimanded for allegedly yelling homophobic slurs while hitting multiple people near the French Quarter last week. The police report said LaBeouf allegedly dislocated one victim’s nose.

Levine also ordered the 39-year-old to submit to weekly drug tests.

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

LaBeouf posted bond following the hearing and was seen running away from the media outside the courthouse shortly after.

In a video captured by local news network WDSU, LaBeouf — who was wearing a white fleece pullover, jeans and boots — jogged away from the courthouse as members of the media attempted to follow him. 

The "Transformer" star's whirlwind day last week allegedly began with an early-morning bar fight in the Faubourg Marigny district of the city. Authorities responded to a simple battery on the 1400 block of Royal Street at approximately 12:45 a.m. Tuesday, when two male victims reported being assaulted, according to the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD).

LaBeouf was allegedly "causing a disturbance and becoming increasing aggressive at a Royal Street business." When a staff member attempted to eject the actor from the establishment, LaBeouf allegedly used "his closed fists on the victim several times," police said.

"The victims reported that LaBeouf left, but then came back, acting even more aggressive."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

Multiple people allegedly attempted to hold LaBeouf down outside the business in Faubourg, and he was eventually let up in hopes that he would leave. 

The "Even Stevens" actor allegedly struck the same victim again with "closed fists to the victim’s upper body" before allegedly assaulting another person by punching them in the nose.

"LaBeouf was again held down until police arrived," police said. "He was taken to a hospital for treatment of unknown injuries. Upon release, he was arrested and charged with two counts of simple battery."

The following day, LaBeouf broke his silence with a two-word message posted on X shortly after 2 a.m., "Free me." Earlier in the day, the "Transformers" actor was spotted celebrating Mardi Gras and dancing on Bourbon Street with his release papers in his mouth, WGNO reported.

Fox News Digital's Tracy Wright and Christina Dugan Ramirez contributed to this report.

from Latest & Breaking News on Fox News https://ift.tt/tNMOsPa

Illinois city was the first to pay Blacks residents $25K in reparations, but how will it find more funding?

The City of Evanston, Illinois' Reparations Committee issued $25,000 to 44 residents earlier this month in reparations' payments and is currently looking for other ways to keep the program funded.

Committee members have reportedly previously discussed the lack of revenue from their cannabis tax source, due to low sales at the two dispensaries in the city. "When you tax something at a high rate, customers are less likely to purchase that product and are more likely to identify alternatives," Tiffany Ingram, the executive director of the Cannabis Business Association of Illinois, told Fox News Digital on Wednesday. 

"And so that's why you see customers going to other places like Michigan or Missouri, if they're close to the border, or purchasing products from the illicit market or purchasing alternatives like unregulated Delta 8," she said.

According to the city’s resolution, Evanston committed the first $10 million of the city’s Municipal Cannabis Retailers' Occupation Tax — a 3% tax on gross sales of cannabis — to fund the program. 

SAN FRANCISCO RESIDENTS BAND TOGETHER TO SHUT DOWN REPARATIONS FUND, CLAIMING IT’S ‘DIVIDING’ THE CITY

"We're always excited to see the ways in which municipalities determine how they want to use cannabis revenues to improve their communities. So it was definitely — I believe — Evanston was the first," Ingram told Fox News Digital.

Another way the program is funded is through the city’s Real Estate Transfer Tax Ordinance. According to a city memo, the fund had received $276,588 from Evanston’s real estate transfer tax.

The fund was primarily supported by the cannabis sales tax and real estate tax money, since there were no philanthropic donations this year as of Jan. 31, and it received $1,010 last year. Furthermore, the city reported $55,956.22 in donations to the Reparations Fund as of September 2024. 

Evanston was the first city in the nation to pass a reparations plan, pledging $10 million over a decade to Black residents in November 2019. Established in 2019 and approved by the City Council in 2021, the program issues $25,000 direct cash payments to Black residents and descendants of Black residents who lived in Evanston between 1919 and 1969. 

CHICAGO MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON TAKES JAB AT CLARENCE THOMAS WHILE DEFENDING CITY'S REPARATIONS TASK FORCE

As the committee members are considering other sources to create revenue, members discussed on Feb. 6 a municipal tax on Delta 8 products. Alderman Krissie Harris recognized that the tax would not significantly increase revenue, though it would "help keep moving that number forward" in the reparations process, The Daily Northwestern reported.

"It’s really important for people to understand we pay as we have the money, and it’s not that we’re withholding from paying everyone," Harris said. "It’s just we have to accumulate the funds to make sure we can pay."

So far, 137 Evanston residents have received reparations payments totaling $3.47 million, and more are expected by year’s end, reaching 171 recipients with about $4 million allocated to direct descendants.

Evanston's City Attorney Alexandria Ruggie wrote in a city memo that the city has the ability to tax Delta 8 products as a "home rule unit."

"A question has arisen as to whether the City may tax Delta 8 products in the City," Ruggie said.

"Additionally, Delta 8 products are generally quite cheap, so any tax revenue generated from Delta 8 sales would likely be relatively small, accompanied by minimal impact on the purchase of these products," she wrote.

She added that, "Lawmakers and cannabis industry representatives have long asserted that unregulated THC products like Delta 8 can be more potent than regulated marijuana, and therefore, dangerous to consumers."

Ruggie told The Daily Northwestern that Delta-8 THC products are sold in Evanston, but not included in the Illinois Cannabis Tax Regulation Act.

MARYLAND CHURCH TO ISSUE REPARATIONS GRANTS TO 'BUILD UP BLACK COMMUNITIES' DUE TO ‘SYSTEMIC RACISM'

Ingram told Fox News Digital that taxing Delta-8 THC products is concerning, considering that it's unregulated. "Delta- 8 is basically an unregulated, hemp-derived intoxicant," she said. "We always say before we talk about taxing Delta- 8, we need to talk about protecting consumers."

The Cannabis Business Association of Illinois sent Fox News Digital a letter it penned to the chair of the Committee on License and Consumer Protection, Debra Silverstein, showing support of an ordinance that would prohibit "the sale of hemp-derived cannabinoid products within the City of Chicago."

In response to the Cannabis Business Association of Illinois’ concerns and the future of funding for the reparations program in general, a spokesperson for the City of Evanston told Fox News Digital that the city cannot comment "due to litigation."

Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group, told Fox News Digital earlier this month it filed a lawsuit against Evanston, to stop the city from paying Black residents reparations.

The $25,000 payments to Evanston residents are intended to cover housing expenses. The city committed to focus on housing because the issue is "the strongest case for reparations." 

"There is sufficient evidence showing the City’s part in housing discrimination as a result of early City zoning ordinances in place between 1919 and 1969, when the City banned housing discrimination," the city explained.

Reparations can take many forms but broadly refer to payments or other compensation to the descendants of Black Americans affected by slavery or past discriminatory government policies.

In July 2019, Evanston’s Equity and Empowerment Commission held community meetings to gather feedback from community members on what reparations would look like. In addition to housing, the community members identified four other priorities including, economic development, education, finances, and "history/culture."

from Latest & Breaking News on Fox News https://ift.tt/sLS1H3w

Amazon shelves Blue Jay warehouse robot

Amazon made a lot of noise last October when it unveiled Blue Jay, a multi-armed warehouse robot built to speed up same-day deliveries. Just months later, the company quietly ended the program.

The robot's core technology will live on in other projects. Still, Blue Jay itself is done.

That sudden shift raises an important question. If one of the world's most advanced logistics companies cannot make a high-profile robot work at scale, what does that say about the future of artificial intelligence (AI) in the real world?

Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.

ROBOTS LEARN 1,000 TASKS IN ONE DAY FROM A SINGLE DEMO

Blue Jay was not a simple conveyor belt upgrade. It was a ceiling-mounted system designed to recognize and sort multiple packages at once. Using AI-powered perception models, the robot could:

Amazon said it developed the system in under a year. That pace alone was impressive. The goal was clear: move more packages faster while reducing strain on workers in same-day fulfillment centers. On paper, that sounds like a win for everyone.

Despite the hype, Blue Jay faced steep engineering and cost challenges. First, the robot was mounted to the ceiling. That design required complex installation and tight integration into Amazon's Local Vending Machine warehouses. Those facilities operate as massive, single structures with automation baked into the building itself.

There was little room to reconfigure hardware once installed. That rigidity likely became a liability. In software, AI can pivot overnight with a code update. In the physical world, changing course means retooling steel beams, motors and entire layouts. That takes time and serious money. Several employees who worked on Blue Jay have already moved to other robotics projects.

The company reportedly continues to experiment and improve its warehouse systems. The technology behind Blue Jay will, in fact, inform future designs. In other words, the robot failed. The ideas did not.

WAYMO’S CHEAPER ROBOTAXI TECH COULD HELP EXPAND RIDES FAST

Amazon's next move centers on a new warehouse architecture called Orbital. Unlike the older Local Vending Machine model, Orbital is modular. It can be built from smaller units and deployed faster in different layouts.

That flexibility matters. Retail is fragmenting. Customers expect same-day delivery from urban hubs, local stores and even grocery locations. Orbital could allow Amazon to place micro-fulfillment centers behind retail stores, including Whole Foods locations. That would help it compete more directly with Walmart, which already has a strong grocery footprint.

Alongside Orbital, Amazon is developing a new robotics system called Flex Cell. Unlike Blue Jay's ceiling mount, Flex Cell is expected to sit on the floor.

That small design change signals something bigger. Amazon appears to be moving from massive centralized automation to smaller, adaptable systems built for the unpredictable realities of local retail.

If you order from Amazon regularly, you might wonder whether this affects you. In the short term, probably not. Your packages will still show up. Same-day and next-day delivery remain core priorities. However, the long-term story is more interesting. Amazon's robotics strategy shapes how fast your order arrives, how much you pay and how local warehouses operate in your community.

If Orbital works, you could see:

If it struggles, same-day expansion could slow or become more expensive. That tension reflects a broader truth about AI. Writing code is one thing. Teaching a robot to lift boxes in a real warehouse without breaking down is another.

AI TRUCK SYSTEM MATCHES TOP HUMAN DRIVERS IN MASSIVE SAFETY SHOWDOWN WITH PERFECT SCORES

Blue Jay highlights a growing divide in the tech world. AI in software is moving at lightning speed. Chatbots, image tools and predictive systems evolve weekly.

Hardware is different. Robots must deal with gravity, friction, heat and unpredictable human environments. Every mistake has a physical cost.

Amazon's course correction shows that even tech giants hit limits when translating AI breakthroughs into moving metal. That does not mean automation is slowing down. It means the path is bumpier than the headlines suggest.

Take my quiz: How safe is your online security?

Think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get a personalized breakdown of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my Quiz here: Cyberguy.com.

Amazon shelving Blue Jay is not a retreat from robotics. It is a recalibration. The company is betting that modular, flexible systems will win over massive, tightly integrated machines. That shift could define the next era of e-commerce logistics. For you, the promise remains the same: faster delivery, better availability and more local convenience. But behind that promise is a complicated dance between AI ambition and real-world constraints.

If even Amazon struggles to make advanced robots work at scale, how much of the AI revolution is still more vision than reality? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report 
Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.

Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

from Latest & Breaking News on Fox News https://ift.tt/ocU12Zf

The biggest omissions in Trump’s State of the Union — and why they matter in 2026

President Donald Trump delivered a sweeping State of the Union address Tuesday night, promoting new policy proposals on retirement savings, energy infrastructure and congressional ethics while touting his administration’s record on border security, the economy and global military operations. 

But despite the wide-ranging speech — which included calls for a congressional stock trading ban, a new 401(k)-style retirement option and ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran — several areas notably were absent or only briefly addressed.

The omissions matter in 2026 as the administration heads into a pivotal year marked by record federal debt levels, cooling job growth, intensifying great-power competition with China and ongoing global instability. 

With Congress narrowly divided and international tensions high, the State of the Union offered a key opportunity for the president to outline how his second-term agenda will address long-term fiscal sustainability, labor market momentum and U.S. strategy abroad — questions that remain central to lawmakers, markets and U.S. allies.

TRUMP'S 'HOME RUN' SOTU SPEECH SPARKS PRAISE FROM CONSERVATIVES ONLINE WHILE LEAVING DEMOCRATS SEETHING

Despite emphasizing economic growth and vowing to root out fraud, the president did not lay out a detailed plan to address the nation’s $38.56 trillion debt or the long-term solvency of Social Security and Medicare.

Trump’s "big, beautiful Bill," 2025 tax and spending legislation, is projected by the Congressional Budget Office to add another $4.2 trillion to the deficit throughout the next decade.

The Supreme Court’s recent ruling striking down his universal tariffs creates a $2 trillion revenue gap that the president didn’t address. He claimed "alternative statutes" would fill it, but there’s potential for courts to strike down those as well. 

The issue also has prompted concern within Trump’s own party. 

Rep. Lloyd Smucker, R-Pa., while praising the president’s address, warned afterward that the national debt poses an "existential threat" that must be addressed to preserve economic stability for the next 250 years.

Outside fiscal watchdogs echoed that concern. 

"The state of our Union is more indebted than ever," said Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. "The Supreme Court has opened a massive revenue hole of nearly $2 trillion (with the tariff ruling) that the Administration and Congress must fill."

Trump proposed a new "war on fraud" task force Tuesday night, to be led by Vice President JD Vance, claiming that rooting out corruption —specifically targeting the Somali community in Minnesota — could recoup enough stolen taxpayer funds to "balance the budget overnight."

The debt carries heightened urgency in 2026 as interest payments approach $1 trillion annually and lawmakers face looming deadlines on entitlement trust fund solvency and future budget negotiations.

"The roaring economy is roaring like never before," Trump boasted during the speech. "More Americans are working today than at any time in the history of our country."

But the president failed to touch on 2025’s lagging job growth: the labor market added 181,000 jobs in all of 2025, much fewer than the 1.46 million jobs that were added in 2024.

Economists note that while headline job totals can mask fluctuations, the sharp deceleration in hiring relative to 2024 highlights a labor market that has softened even as other economic indicators remain positive.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer claimed Trump "mocked" affordability issues and failed to note weak job numbers. 

"Trump didn't simply ignore the affordability crisis," Schumer said. "He mocked it yet again. The average Americans sitting at their table trying to figure out how they're going to pay that damn bill, was furious that he said, 'it doesn't matter.'" 

"He bragged last night about job creation," Schumer said. "Well, job creation is … at its lowest point in over 20 years outside of a recession, its lowest point in 20 years. And he brags about it."

While Trump used his address to declare a "Golden Age" of security, the world’s most significant geopolitical theater — the Indo-Pacific — hardly was mentioned. 

Despite a record-breaking $11 billion arms sale to Taiwan just two months ago and a planned high-stakes visit to Beijing in April, the President did not once mention Taiwan, the South China Sea or a broader regional strategy by name.

While Trump mocked "Chinese technology" in the context of the Venezuelan raid, he offered no public reassurance to allies in Tokyo, Canberra, Australia, or Taipei, Taiwan, which are navigating Beijing’s expanding military reach. 

The omission follows a pattern established in the 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS) released in January, which for the first time in a decade scrubbed direct references to Taiwan’s security. 

Though the U.S. has long held a policy of strategic ambiguity — refusing to say whether it would come to Taiwan’s defense if China invaded — some analysts have detected a fragile détente between the U.S. and China.

The absence is notable in 2026 as Washington prepares for high-level talks with Beijing and regional allies closely monitor U.S. commitments amid rising cross-Strait tensions and expanding Chinese naval activity.

Despite a marked escalation in U.S. policy toward Cuba, Trump made no reference to the island, the longstanding embargo or recent moves to tighten economic pressure.  The omission is noteworthy given how central Havana has become to broader U.S. policy in the Western Hemisphere.

Under Trump’s second term, the administration significantly has reinforced sanctions and pressure on Cuba, moving beyond the decades-old embargo to block crude oil and fuel supplies that left the island largely without vital energy imports after Venezuelan shipments dried up, contributing to widespread blackouts and worsening humanitarian conditions.

SPEECHWRITERS SPLIT AFTER TRUMP’S RECORD-BREAKING SOTU: ‘LIVING IN HIS OWN REALITY’ VS. ‘RESOUNDING SPEECH’

In late January, Trump issued an executive order declaring a national emergency on Cuba and authorizing tariffs aimed at halting the supply of oil to the island.

Caribbean leaders also highlighted the regional consequences of U.S. policy on Cuba at a major summit this week, warning that the fuel and economic crisis could have broader security and migration implications across the Caribbean basin.

The issue carries regional implications in 2026 as Caribbean leaders warn that prolonged instability in Cuba could fuel migration flows and strain hemispheric security coordination.

Trump did touch on the war in Ukraine in his State of the Union, framing an ambition to "end" the conflict as part of his foreign policy narrative. But he offered no detailed outline of how the administration plans to achieve that goal or how U.S. diplomacy, military aid or leverage with European allies will be marshaled to bring it about — leaving a key foreign policy challenge largely undefined for the nation.

"We’re working very hard to end the ninth war, the killing and slaughter between Russia and Ukraine, where 25,000 soldiers are dying each and every month — think of that, 25,000 soldiers are dying a month," Trump said. 

The speech came on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

The lack of detail stands out in 2026 as the war enters its fifth year and European allies look to Washington for clarity on long-term security guarantees and reconstruction support.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

from Latest & Breaking News on Fox News https://ift.tt/ZablRWq

Postal Service can't be sued for intentionally not delivering mail, Supreme Court rules in 5-4 split

The U.S. Postal Service cannot be sued for damages for intentionally failing to deliver mail, the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision released Tuesday.

The majority opinion, written by Justice Clarence Thomas, ruled the government's sovereign immunity bars claims for undelivered mail. 

"The United States enjoys sovereign immunity and cannot be sued without its consent," Thomas wrote, citing the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) granting "sovereign immunity for a wide range of claims about mail."

"Specifically, the FTCA's postal exception retains sovereign immunity for all claims ‘arising out of the loss, miscarriage, or negligent transmission of letters or postal matter,’" he continued, adding, "This case concerns whether this exception applies when postal workers intentionally fail to deliver the mail. We hold that it does."

TRUMP SAYS SUPREME COURT RULING AGAINST BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP ORDER WOULD BENEFIT CHINA

The case, U.S. Postal Service v. Konan, stemmed from a dispute between Texas landlord Lebene Konan and her local post office. Konan alleged that postal workers in Euless, Texas, intentionally withheld and returned mail addressed to her and her tenants at two rental properties she owned, causing financial harm and emotional distress.

After her administrative complaints failed, Konan sued the United States in federal court, asserting state law claims including nuisance, tortious interference and conversion. A federal district court dismissed her claims, citing the FTCA's postal exception, which preserves immunity for "any claim arising out of the loss, miscarriage, or negligent transmission of letters or postal matter."

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit revived the lawsuit, ruling the exception did not apply to intentional acts of nondelivery. The Supreme Court agreed to hear the case to resolve a split among federal appeals courts.

Reversing the Fifth Circuit, the high court held that the ordinary meaning of "loss" and "miscarriage" at the time Congress enacted the FTCA in 1946 encompassed mail that fails to arrive at its destination, regardless of whether the failure was negligent or intentional.

"A 'miscarriage of mail' includes failure of the mail to arrive at its intended destination, regardless of the carrier's intent or where the mail goes instead," Thomas wrote.

TRUMP'S TARIFF REVENUES HIT RECORD HIGHS AS SUPREME COURT DEALS MAJOR BLOW

The decision vacates the Fifth Circuit's ruling and sends the case back for further proceedings, though the justices did not decide whether all of Konan's claims are barred.

"We hold that the postal exception covers suits against the United States for the intentional nondelivery of mail," Thomas concluded. "We do not decide whether all of Konan's claims are barred by the postal exception, or which arguments Konan adequately preserved.

Sotomayor wrote the dissenting opinion, arguing that the postal exception was meant to cover negligent mistakes, not intentional misconduct.

"Today, the majority concludes that the postal exception captures, and therefore protects, the intentional nondelivery of mail, even when that nondelivery was driven by malicious reasons," she dissented.

Justice Neil Gorsuch joined the three liberal justices – Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson – in the dissent.

The ruling underscores the limits of the FTCA's waiver of sovereign immunity and narrows the circumstances in which individuals can seek damages for mail-related harms, even when they allege deliberate wrongdoing by postal employees.

from Latest & Breaking News on Fox News https://ift.tt/e6yNcKj

NJ Democrats push ‘F---ICE Act’ to let residents sue over immigration enforcement

Democratic lawmakers in one major blue state are facing backlash over their latest attempt to blunt federal immigration enforcement through a new bill crafted around a vulgar acronym.

The F---ICE Act, with the acronym spelled out in practice, is officially the "Fight Unlawful Conduct and Keep Individuals and Communities Empowered Act" and would permit civil action for violations of the U.S. Constitution related to immigration enforcement. The measure was introduced after a clash between a federal agent and a democratic socialist councilman.

Tensions between local and state officials and DHS had soared this month after federal authorities reportedly detained nearly a dozen people on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail in Jersey City. Jake Ephros, a Democratic Socialist councilman who went to the scene, was rebuffed by a federal agent who told him, "I don’t need a warrant, bro."

Assembs. Ravi Bhalla and Katie Brennan, two Democrats from neighboring Hoboken, crafted the F---ICE Act in response to the incident. Bhalla also announced several other bills seeking to restrict New Jersey’s cooperation with the federal government, according to the Hudson County View.

BLOCKING ICE COOPERATION FUELED MINNESOTA UNREST, OFFICIALS WARN AS VIRGINIA REVERSES COURSE

Bhalla said that when he was mayor of neighboring Hoboken, his first move was to enact a sanctuary city ordinance. The city is famously home to Frank Sinatra and sits across the Hudson River from Midtown Manhattan.

"ICE has no place in our communities," he said in a statement. "Now, the stakes are even higher, and it is incumbent on all of us to use the power we have to keep our residents safe."

Brennan cited Ephros’ run-in with ICE in comments to People, adding that she cannot "sit back and do nothing while they violate people’s constitutional rights."

"These bills strengthen local protections and make sure these agents of chaos face accountability. We have to use the full force of our state government to protect the people of New Jersey."

Brennan told NJ Advance Media that while critics have voiced concern about her acting "unbecoming" and "unladylike," she said it was fellow Hoboken Democrat state Sen. Raj Mukherji who came up with the acronym.

HOCHUL ENDORSES LEGISLATION TO ALLOW NEW YORKERS TO SUE ICE AGENTS: 'POWER DOES NOT JUSTIFY ABUSE'

Mukherji has said ICE has sown "seeds of chaos" nationwide.

Not all lawmakers were on board, including some from the state’s more conservative, rural northwest.

"So, they’re doing acronyms now," said Assemb. Michael Inganamort, R-Chester.

"This sort of radicalism is the inevitable result of an unchecked, 25-year Democratic Majority. It’s what our Republican Minority stands against and why elections matter," Inganamort said in a statement on X.

Assemb. Dawn Fantasia, R-Sussex, said the bill’s title is "wild" but the premise is "wilder."

"[I] don’t have the text yet, but if it means what it sounds like, that’s illegal entry followed by a state-created pathway to sue over enforcement," she said.

"If I was a bettin’ woman, I’d guess NJ taxpayers will be footing the legal bill."

"Katie and Ravi need their mouths washed out with soap," quipped conservative commentator Matt Rooney of "Save Jersey."

Assemb. Paul Kanitra, R-Point Pleasant Beach, suggested the state should deal with the F---ICE Act the same way it deals with people who submit applications for off-color tags.

"Much like the state DMV has to turn down and in some cases even repossess license plates that are deemed vulgar, this should suffer the same fate," Kanitra said.

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill could not immediately be reached for comment.

In one of her first acts in Trenton, Sherrill signed Executive Order 12, which restricts ICE activities on state property and creates a portal for residents to report immigration enforcement in their areas.

"I take seriously my responsibility to keep New Jersey residents safe and, as a Navy veteran and former federal prosecutor, my commitment to upholding the Constitution will never waver. This executive order will prohibit ICE from using state property to launch operations," Sherrill said in a statement at the time.

from Latest & Breaking News on Fox News https://ift.tt/HMGX8jW