Just before Pixar celebrated their first big win of the year at the box office with “Hoppers,” Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter explained why the company decided to cut the gay storyline in the original film “Elio” last year.
“Hoppers” is being lauded because it doesn’t push any inkling of LGBT themes that have become quite common in animated films recently. “Elio,” meanwhile, flirted with the idea, and it was widely considered to be a box office flop.
The original narrative included tidbits about former director Adrian Molina’s experience growing up gay, as <a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/media/pixar-disney-franchises-pete-docter-80c57f9d">reported by</a> The Wall Street Journal. But Docter said the studio opted to change it up because parents weren’t necessarily ready to have those discussions with their young children watching the film.
“We’re making a movie, not hundreds of millions of dollars of therapy,” the Pixar exec said. “As time’s gone on, I realized my job is to make sure the films appeal to everybody.”
The film tells the tale of an 11-year-old boy, Elio, who bonds with aliens. The outlet noted that the original storyline showed Elio raising a child in the future with a same sex partner.
Upon its release, The Hollywood Reporter <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/elio-pixar-america-ferrera-director-queer-2-1236301860/">described</a> Elio as a “queer-coded character” whose “characterization gradually faded away throughout the production process.”
LGBT activists who worked on the film blamed these edits for its poor performance. “Suddenly, you remove this big, key piece, which is all about identity, and Elio just becomes about totally nothing,” one former Pixar artist told THR. “The Elio that is in theaters right now is far worse than Adrian’s best version of the original.” Another said the final character version was “generic.”
Meanwhile, there was speculation that “Elio” never took off because those “queer coded” themes were leaked to the media and parents were avoiding it.
After being understood as a hitmaker for years with beloved projects such as the “Toy Story” franchise beginning in 1995, “Monsters Inc” (2001), “Finding Nemo” (2003), “The Incredibles” (2004), “Up” (2009), “Inside Out,” (2015), and a slew of others, Pixar, which was acquired by Disney in 2006, seemed to lose its way by going too niche. It produced sequels to some of its most popular titles, but also came up with out-of-the-box concepts like the controversial “Turning Red” (2022), a movie about puberty.
Then there was that whole “Lightyear” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gay-kiss-included-woke-toy-story-spinoff-lightyear-struggles-at-box-office">same sex kiss fiasco</a> in 2022, which proved that even Pixar films based on treasured IP weren’t guaranteed to hit, especially if they included topics parents didn’t want their kids to see.

Elio

Pixar Exec Explains Why Studio Killed Gay Storyline In Animated Children’s Film

Animation

Children

Disney

Entertainment

LGBTQ

Movies

Pixar

U.S.

The NBA has canceled the Atlanta Hawks&#8217; &#8220;Magic City Monday,&#8221; which was set for next week, after some NBA players raised concerns about having a promotional themed night celebrating a strip club.
The Hawks were set to honor one of Atlanta’s &#8220;iconic cultural institutions&#8221; with special food, merchandise, and a halftime performance by Atlanta rapper T.I. for their matchup against the Orlando Magic next week, per a team release.
But San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet voiced concerns about having a night that brings attention to Magic City, the historic strip club in Atlanta, calling the move a poor decision.
&#8220;The NBA should desire to protect and esteem women, many of whom work diligently every day to make this the best basketball league in the world,&#8221; Kornet wrote. &#8220;We should promote an atmosphere that is protective and respectful of the daughters, wives, sisters, mothers, and partners that we know and love&#8230;we desire to provide an environment where fans of all ages can safely come and enjoy the game of basketball and where we can celebrate the history and culture of communities in good conscience. The celebration of a strip club is not conduct aligned with that vision.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nba-team-to-honor-strip-club-during-international-womens-month">NBA Team To Honor Strip Club During International Women’s Month</a>
Warriors center Al Horford, who played for years for the Hawks, also pushed back against &#8220;Magic City Monday,&#8221; saying he agreed with Kornet&#8217;s assessment of the evening not creating an environment for fans of all ages — and the league agrees.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The following has been released by the NBA. <a href="https://t.co/jzbUW8t73Y">pic.twitter.com/jzbUW8t73Y</a>
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAPR/status/2031116613986971749?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2026</a></blockquote>
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued the following statement on Monday: &#8220;When we became aware of the Atlanta Hawks&#8217; scheduled promotion, we reached out to Hawks leadership to better understand their plans and rationale. While we appreciate the team&#8217;s perspective and their desire to move forward, we have heard significant concerns from a broad array of league stakeholders, including fans, partners and employees. I believe cancelling this promotion is the right decision for the broader NBA community.&#8221;
&#8220;Magic City Monday&#8221; was scheduled for the Hawks on March 16.
&#8220;The Hawks have worked with Magic City to bring the ‘best of’ the phenomena for fans in attendance at the award-winning State Farm Arena,&#8221; the announcement for the promotional night read.
&#8220;From the food to the music and the exclusive merchandise, we are excited to team up with Magic City to create an authentic, true to Atlanta-inspired game experience,&#8221; said Hawks Executive Vice President &amp; Chief Marketing Officer Melissa Proctor.
Atlanta&#8217;s NBA team responded to the cancellation in a statement Monday evening on <a href="https://x.com/ATLHawks/status/2031132956379533698?s=20">X</a>.
&#8220;While we are very disappointed in the NBA&#8217;s decision to cancel our Magic City Night promotion, we full respect its decision. As a franchise, we remain committed to celebrating the best of Atlanta with authenticity in ways that continue to unite and bring us all together.&#8221;
The Hawks never referred to Magic City as a strip club, though the widely-known entertainment space has been known for that since the 80s; instead, the organization planned to focus on other aspects of the club, including its lemon pepper wings that were set to be a special menu item for the March 16 game.
There is no word on if famed rapper T.I. is still set to perform, despite the promotion being called off.
The tip-off for the Hawks and Magic is set for next Monday at 7:00 p.m. ET.

Credit: Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire/Prince Williams/Wire Image via via Getty Images/Daily Wire staff

NBA Strips Atlanta Hawks Of ‘Magic City Monday’ Promotional Night After Backlash

Adam Silver

General

Sports

At the high-profile United Nations Commission on the Status of Women this week, the United States was the only nation in the world to vote against a woke document that failed to define what a woman is and promoted gender ideology and diversity, equity, and inclusion principles, The Daily Wire can first report.
Thirty-six nations are members of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, and every single year during the commission, there is an agreed-upon document that focuses on topics affecting women around the world, including injustices.
This year&#8217;s document was a disappointment to Bethany Kozma, Director of Global Affairs (OGA) at the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as the other members of President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration who had traveled to the commission in New York.
The document was filled with mentions of DEI, gender ideology, and ambiguous language about &#8220;reproductive rights,&#8221; but was bereft of language unique to womanhood, according to Kozma. &#8220;No mention of motherhood or unique female experiences,&#8221; she said, adding, &#8220;and it failed to define what a woman is.&#8221;
In short, The Daily Wire has learned, it was not aligned with the Trump administration&#8217;s policies and views on these issues. Since the president took office again in 2025, the United States has clearly defined what a woman is, banned boys from girls&#8217; spaces and sports, fought back against transgenderism in the medical world, and shut down many DEI projects in corporations and academia.
&#8220;The UN Commission on Women is supposed to be for women, yet for years, it’s been co-opted to include men pretending to be women,&#8221; she explained. &#8220;Many countries claim to support and empower women, yet some of them cannot even answer the simple question: &#8216;What is a woman?'&#8221;
&#8220;Thanks to the moral leadership of President Trump, the tide is changing and we&#8217;re standing up for women and girls,&#8221; she emphasized. &#8220;And I really was hopeful that we could come to an agreement.&#8221;
Kozma and her delegation from the United States worked hard to participate in good faith, offering amendments to the document that they knew some countries might sign onto. Natalie Dodson, senior advisor to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., shared that their delegation worked aggressively to negotiate with the other countries in order to include language defending the integrity of women.
&#8220;The text was not something that the U.S. liked at all,&#8221; Kozma explained. &#8220;It would not have been something that we would have ever put out on behalf of the United States government, but we had offered several amendments that were just very common sense.&#8221;
One amendment that they had been asking for, over and over, was an amendment that essentially defined men and women so that there would be no ambiguity.
<div id="attachment_1056463" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1056463" class="size-full wp-image-1056463" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/IMG_6039-scaled.jpeg" alt="" width="2560" height="1920" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/IMG_6039-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/IMG_6039-300x225.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/IMG_6039-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/IMG_6039-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/IMG_6039-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />Members of the United States Delegation at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.</div>
The Commission on the Status of Women wasn&#8217;t interested in the American amendments, Kozma and Dodson explained to The Daily Wire. Minutes before midnight on Sunday night, the council sent the final draft to the United States without acknowledging any of the American red lines that Kozma&#8217;s team had outlined.
And when it came time to vote on the amendments, which were intended to be voted on separately, the council bundled all the amendments together. Some nations might have voted for one amendment but not another, and bundled together, the amendments failed.
During Monday&#8217;s vote, the United States was the only nation in the world to vote against the document. Six nations abstained: Côte d&#8217;Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Mali, Mauritania, and Saudi Arabia.
Kozma believes it was a deliberate attempt at &#8220;isolation&#8221; by the council to make the United States look like &#8220;we won&#8217;t don&#8217;t defend women and girls.&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;m really proud of us,&#8221; she told The Daily Wire over the phone. &#8220;We were the only country that was voting to protect women and girls.&#8221;

World Leaders Gather For The 80th Session Of The United Nations General Assembly

U.S. Stands Alone Defending Women In Gender Identity Fight At United Nations

Department of Health and Human Services

Social Issues

Transgender

United Nations

Women

The Justice Department announced Monday that it may have reached a settlement in its antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaster and parent company Live Nation Entertainment.
Though nothing is confirmed yet, the DOJ announced in Manhattan federal court that the case was likely nearing a conclusion after the term sheet was signed on Thursday, per the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/livenation-antitrust-justice-department-0a6ef66f497e5f626096de753bfff8ce">Associated Press</a>.
An unnamed official told the outlet that the terms included Live Nation paying a fine of up to $280 million and divesting some properties to allow for more competition in the ticket sales industry. The official said the settlement was a “win-win for everybody.”
Certain states were allegedly not on board with the proposed terms, however, and Judge Arun Subramanian called the terms “entirely unacceptable.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement that the settlement “fails to address the monopoly at the center of this case.” 
“My attorney general colleagues and I have a strong case against Live Nation, and we will continue our lawsuit to protect consumers and restore fair competition to the live entertainment industry,” she said, adding that she preferred to move forward with the trial.
Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown has a similar take, saying, “[the] case against Live Nation is strong, and the state coalition is committed to holding the company accountable for its illegal behavior, protecting consumers and restoring competition to this market,” the outlet noted.
The lawsuit was originally filed in 2024 under the Biden administration, as WSJ <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/live-nation-reaches-settlement-in-federal-antitrust-case-9f0c6fb7">reported</a>. About 40 states came together to sue the entertainment company.
U.S. Justice Department lawyer David Dahlquist summarized the charges during opening statements last Tuesday, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doj-opens-landmark-antitrust-trial-against-ticketmaster-calls-concert-ticketing-broken">reported</a>.
“This case is about power, the power of a monopolist to control competition,” Dahlquist said. “Today, the concert ticket industry is broken.”
Attorney David Marriott, who is representing Live Nation, said it wasn’t so. “We’ll let the numbers do the talking. We do not have monopoly power,” he said in response.
The complaint alleges that the company engages in “anticompetitive conduct” that results in higher fees, fewer opportunities for artists, and limited ticketing options. The filing occurred after the infamous 2022 incident when Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour pre-sale tickets caused the Ticketmaster site to crash, with thousands of fans — and bots — swarming the site all at once.
This Taylor Swift incident led to congressional hearings beginning in January 2023.
Ticketmaster was founded in 1976 and merged with Live Nation in 2010. Over the years, the company has clashed with fans and artists, with many accusing the company of having predatory prices. The rock band Pearl Jam testified before Congress on the issue all the way back in 1994, but their efforts ultimately led nowhere.

Taylor Swift

Ticketmaster Case Sparked By Taylor Swift Ticket Meltdown Enters Key Stage

Department of Justice

Lawsuit

Music

New York

Ticketmaster

A protest outside of Gracie Mansion in Manhattan on Saturday turned violent when two men lit two improvised explosive devices near a crowd that had gathered outside of Mayor Zohran Mamdani&#8217;s residence. Neither of the explosives detonated, and no one was injured in the attack, which authorities are investigating as &#8220;ISIS-inspired terrorism.&#8221;
The story in New York could have been much different, however.
The devices used by the suspects during the weekend attack contained triacetone triperoxide, or TATP, an explosive nicknamed the &#8220;Mother of Satan&#8221; that terrorists have used to kill hundreds of people since 2005. TATP is especially dangerous because its materials are inexpensive and easy to access.
The U.S. government <a href="https://www.dni.gov/files/NCTC/documents/jcat/firstresponderstoolbox/78--NCTC-DHS-FBI---Triacetone-Triperoxide-(TATP)-.pdf">warns</a> that even small amounts of TATP can cause major damage if detonated, and the explosive can also be packed with shrapnel — such as nuts, bolts, and screws — to increase its lethality. The devices used by two suspects in New York City over the weekend were packed with such shrapnel.
One of the suspects threw an explosive near the crowd of protesters and the other suspect dropped another device near police officers. The suspects, 19-year-old Ibrahim Kayumi and 18-year-old Emir Balat, were quickly apprehended by authorities. The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/09/us-news/shackled-terrorist-defiantly-flashes-isis-salute-after-hes-busted-for-tossing-explosive-device-near-gracie-mansion/">reported</a> that one of the suspects said &#8220;Allahu Akbar&#8221; after he was questioned by investigators.
While the attack in Manhattan on Saturday has not yet been confirmed to be an ISIS attempt to kill Americans, TATP has been a primary weapon for the terrorist group for years. Since 2005, nearly 500 people throughout the world have been killed by terrorists who used the &#8220;Mother of Satan&#8221; in their attacks. Most of the terrorists who have used TATP to carry out mass killings in the past were either inspired by or part of ISIS.
<h3>2019: Sri Lanka Easter Bombings</h3>
On Easter Sunday in April 2019, ISIS terrorists used the &#8220;Mother of Satan&#8221; in bombings that targeted Christians who were worshipping in churches and at hotels throughout the small country. More than 250 people were killed in the coordinated attacks. The TATP bombs were worn by suicide bombers who pulled a strap to detonate their vests.
<h3>2017: Ariana Grande Concert Bombing</h3>
A lone suicide bomber detonated either a vest or a backpack with TATP and shrapnel at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, on May 22, 2017, killing 22, including 10 people under the age of 20. The terrorist reportedly made the bomb by himself. Authorities <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jun/09/manchester-arena-bomb-designed-kill-largest-number-innocents">determined</a> that the blast was able to kill people more than 60 feet away and was &#8220;designed to kill and maim indiscriminately the largest number of innocent people.&#8221;
<h3>2016: Brussels Airport and Train Bombings</h3>
Three ISIS suicide bombers detonated &#8220;Mother of Satan&#8221; bombs at the Brussels airport and on board a train leaving a metro station in a coordinated attack on March 22, 2016. The terrorists killed 32 people and wounded nearly 350 more. Two more attackers had planned to detonate another bomb at the airport and another at the metro station, but they fled the scenes of the bombings before carrying out their part of the attack.
<h3>2015: Paris Terrorist Attack</h3>
TATP explosives were part of the arsenal for ISIS fighters who carried out the deadliest terror attack in France&#8217;s history on November 13, 2015. Terrorists killed 130 people in six different locations throughout Paris in their attack, using semi-automatic rifles and suicide belts loaded with the &#8220;Mother of Satan.&#8221;
<h3>2005: London Bombings</h3>
Radical Muslim terrorists inspired by al-Qaeda killed more than 50 people and wounded nearly 800 in one of England&#8217;s deadliest terror attacks. Investigators believe the terrorists primarily used TATP bombs for their attack on London underground trains and a double decker bus.
As investigators continue to look into the two New York City attackers who attempted to detonate explosives over the weekend, more information about the suspects is coming to light. The two men reportedly have connections to the Middle East, but as of Monday afternoon, authorities have not tied them to any terror group. Kayumi and Balat recently spent time in Turkey, and Kayumi also flew to Saudi Arabia in 2024, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/08/us-news/self-radicalized-isis-supporters-used-explosive-called-mother-of-satan-inside-bombs-thrown-at-gracie-mansion-protest-sources/">reported</a>.
It remains unclear if the two suspects were taught how to make the &#8220;Mother of Satan&#8221; bombs or if anyone else knew about their attack. Kayumi and Balat reportedly told investigators that they had watched ISIS videos and targeted right-wingers who were protesting outside of Gracie Mansion because they believed the protesters disrespected their religion. The protest, which was organized by far-right activist Jake Lang, focused on denouncing the so-called Muslim takeover of New York City.
In a social media post on Sunday, Mamdani condemned the protest, which he said was &#8220;rooted in bigotry and racism&#8221; before he added, &#8220;What followed was even more disturbing. Violence at a protest is never acceptable. The attempt to use an explosive device and hurt others is not only criminal, it is reprehensible and the antithesis of who we are.&#8221;

Terror Incident

Terrorists Have Killed Hundreds With ‘Mother Of Satan’ Bomb Used In NYC Attack

Bombings

ISIS

New York City

Terrorism

Liberal comedian Walter Masterson stood in front of Gracie Mansion, home of Democratic socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and shouted at anti-Islam protesters, &#8220;We welcome everyone!&#8221; Seconds later, terror suspect Emir Balat threw a bomb over his head into the crowd.
Masterson, a Democratic comedian and political satirist, posted video from the incident that took place on Saturday — an incident that is being investigated by the FBI&#8217;s Joint Terrorism Task Force after both suspects professed their allegiance to ISIS upon being apprehended.
&#8220;I was in the middle of saying &#8216;as a born and raised New Yorker, we welcome everyone into this city&#8217; when he threw that over my head,&#8221; Masterson commented on the video.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I was in the middle of saying “as a born and raised New Yorker, we welcome everyone into this city” when he threw that over my head. <a href="https://t.co/i5iD3MVf7h">pic.twitter.com/i5iD3MVf7h</a>
— Walter Masterson (@waltermasterson) <a href="https://twitter.com/waltermasterson/status/2030738690163531891?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;We were born and raised in New York, and we want everyone to stay in New York,&#8221; he said into a megaphone, shouting at the protesters gathered there. &#8220;You don&#8217;t get to come from outside and then tell everyone else —&#8221;
As he was speaking, someone else began to scream. Masterson appeared to instinctively duck down slightly, at which point Emir Balat — one of the suspects who was quickly apprehended — ran right up behind him and tossed something over his head.
People responded to Masterson&#8217;s video, suggesting that maybe he&#8217;d learned a valuable lesson that day – but Masterson, who claimed that he hadn&#8217;t been scared because the bomb looked fake, doubled down: &#8220;I’m the guy who didn’t run when a bomb was thrown over his head, I also didn’t become a xenophobic bigot.&#8221;
Masterson attempted to justify Balat&#8217;s actions — because he was targeting January 6th defendant Jake Lang — saying in an <a href="https://x.com/waltermasterson/status/2031066754928054611">X post</a>, &#8220;A terrorist jumped over my shoulder to throw an explosive at a pardoned terrorist from January 6th.&#8221;
In what appears to be a bizarre coincidence, Masterson appeared three years earlier at a school board meeting in the <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/09/us-news/parents-of-alleged-nyc-bomb-thrower-own-2-5m-home-are-naturalized-citizens-from-afghanistan/?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_source=twitter">Pennsylvania community</a> from which the New York City suspects had come.
There to mock parents concerned about pornographic materials in school libraries and LGBTQ propaganda flooding classrooms, Masterson pretended to be a concerned conservative parent and complained about, among other things, a book that showed two penguins holding hands.
He also claimed that &#8220;The Giving Tree&#8221; was an overt reference to communism, and argued that all PRIDE flags should be replaced with copies of the Declaration of Independence: &#8220;It&#8217;s not just a piece of paper, it&#8217;s a map that leads to a treasure of Templar gold. That is why Nicolas Cage tried to steal it. As these liberals try to steal our Constitution the only way to stop it is to steal it first.&#8221;

TOPSHOT-US-POLITICS-DEMONSTRATION

‘We Welcome Everyone,’ Liberal Comic Says — Then NYC Terror Suspect Throws Bomb Over His Head

Islamists

terrorist

terrorist attack

A terror scare erupted in America’s tourist hotspot when suspected homemade bombs packed with nuts, bolts, and screws were hurled toward a crowd.
The devices were tossed during dueling protests late Saturday morning near Gracie Mansion, the mayor’s residence on Manhattan’s Upper East Side in New York City.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said investigators are still working to determine whether the devices were functional explosives or hoaxes, adding the information released so far is early and could change as the investigation develops.
Police say the first protest began around 11 a.m. near Gracie Mansion. The demonstration — titled “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City, Stop New York City Public Muslim Prayer” — drew about 20 participants and was organized by individuals associated with January 6 defendant Jake Lang.
A counter-protest nearby called “Run the Nazis out of New York City, Stand Against Hate” drew roughly 125 people at its peak. Officers separated the two groups into designated protest areas, but tensions escalated shortly before noon.
At 12:15 p.m., police say a protester associated with the Lang demonstration used pepper spray against counter-protesters and was arrested.
Fast forward 20 minutes. The situation intensified.
Police say an 18-year-old counter-protester identified as Amir Balat lit and hurled an ignited device toward the protest area. Witnesses reported seeing flames and smoke trailing the device as it flew through the air before striking a barrier and extinguishing just feet from police officers.
Balat then ran from the scene, where investigators say he obtained a second device from a 19-year-old man tentatively identified as Ibrahim Nick.
Police say Balat lit that device while running before dropping it nearby. Officers quickly moved in, secured the area and took both men into custody. The incident was captured on NYPD surveillance cameras.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
WATCH: NYPD tackle man who allegedly set off a “homemade smoke bomb.” Police are now ordering everyone to clear the area.<a href="https://twitter.com/Bodittle?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Bodittle</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/TPUSA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TPUSA</a> <a href="https://t.co/lUnciJLJ25">pic.twitter.com/lUnciJLJ25</a>
— FRONTLINES TPUSA (@FrontlinesTPUSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/FrontlinesTPUSA/status/2030341117053382819?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Bomb squad technicians responded to examine the devices. Tisch said early inspections suggest the objects appeared to be jars wrapped in black tape, slightly smaller than a football, packed with nuts, bolts, and screws and fitted with a hobby fuse that could be ignited.
Investigators are still working to determine whether the devices were functional improvised explosive devices or hoaxes, as it remains unclear whether they contained explosive material.
Both devices were transported by the bomb squad to the department’s Rodman’s Neck facility for further testing and analysis.
Police established a safety perimeter and searched the surrounding area for additional hazards, using canine units and manually inspecting garbage cans, vehicles, and nearby locations.
In total, six arrests were made in connection with the events. Those arrests include the two men accused of handling and deploying the devices, the protester who used pepper spray earlier in the demonstration, and additional individuals charged with disorderly conduct and obstructing traffic.
Some on social media are claiming Balat or Nick yelled “Allahu Akbar,” though that has not been confirmed by authorities.
Tisch praised officers who rushed toward the danger as the situation unfolded.
“I always speak about the police running toward the danger when everyone else runs away,” the commissioner said. “Let me be clear — that happened today.”
“I am grateful that there were no injuries associated with the incident,” she added.
Tisch said she has remained in contact with Mayor Zohran Mamdani throughout the day. Authorities say there is currently no indication the incident is connected to ongoing hostilities involving Iran, though the investigation remains active.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Watch as <a href="https://twitter.com/NYPDPC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NYPDPC</a> and NYPD executives brief the media on an ongoing investigation. <a href="https://t.co/FgTRZHumPV">https://t.co/FgTRZHumPV</a> <a href="https://t.co/MKsui1817S">pic.twitter.com/MKsui1817S</a>
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYPDnews/status/2030422025928310810?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Frontlines TPUSA reporter Bronson Alford told The Daily Wire that the counter-protesters from &#8220;Drive the Nazis out of New York&#8221; were not your average demonstrators.
“The protesters weren’t normal protesters; they were ANTIFA and their goal was to hurt as many conservative journalists as they could,” Alford told The Daily Wire. Alford said things escalated when protesters started screaming “Bomb, bomb, bomb.” His surroundings began to fill with smoke saying it smelled like something had been ignited.

New York City Attack

Arrests Made After Homemade Explosives Cause Terror Scare In NYC

Islam

Zohran Mamdani

A Southwest Airlines flight traveling from Nashville to Fort Lauderdale diverted to Atlanta on Friday night after a possible security concern.
Footage from the incident shows passengers inside the plane seated with their heads down and hands up as Atlanta Police travel to the back of the plane. A man is then removed from his seat and placed into handcuffs.
The pilot and flight attendants can be heard repeatedly saying &#8220;heads down, hands up&#8221; as passengers comply.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
✈️ Shocking video: plane in the U.S. makes emergency landing over security threat on board
Atlanta — A Southwest Airlines flight from Nashville to Fort Lauderdale was forced to divert and land in Atlanta late Friday night due to a reported security threat, authorities said.… <a href="https://t.co/PJDCbRfQBi">pic.twitter.com/PJDCbRfQBi</a>
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) <a href="https://twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/2030306044446900587?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Flight tracking software from FlightAware shows the plane landed safely at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport at about 9 p.m. WSB-TV 2 reports the Federal Bureau of Investigation determined there was no credible threat.
Southwest told 11Alive, &#8220;Southwest Airlines Flight 2094 landed safely at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) Friday evening after diverting to respond to a possible security matter. We appreciate the professionalism of our Flight Crew and apologize to our Customers for the delay. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of its Customers and Employees.&#8221;
The Daily Wire has reached out to the Atlanta Police Department and the FBI for comment.
The incident comes as the United States is on high alert following the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.
In the immediate aftermath of the strikes, Ndiaga Diagne, a Senegalese man wearing an Iranian flag shirt underneath a hoodie with the phrase “Property of Allah” emblazoned on it, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/austin-shooters-iran-linked-attire-becomes-central-focus-in-terror-probe">opened fire</a> in Austin, Texas, killing three and injuring 14.
Authorities have not yet definitively linked the terror attack to the Iran strikes.
Jake Braun, a former senior counselor to the Secretary of Homeland Security, recently <a href="https://abc7chicago.com/post/federal-agencies-us-cities-alert-potential-retaliatory-attacks-amid-israel-iran-war-conflict-no-specific-threats-il/18669574/">spoke</a> with ABC7, a Chicago affiliate, about the risk of homeland attacks, both cyber and physical, noting that multiple targets are potentially vulnerable.
An Iranian ayatollah called on Thursday for President Trump&#8217;s blood to be shed during a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/iranian-ayatollah-calls-for-the-shedding-trumps-blood">message</a> on Iranian state TV.
“We are now on the verge of a great test and we must be careful to fully preserve this unity, to fully preserve this alliance,” said Ayatollah Abdollah Javadi Amoli in the message, <a href="https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump-lebanon-march-05-2026#0000019c-bcd4-d21d-a1dc-fefd3c7e0000">going on</a> to call for “the shedding of Zionist blood, the shedding of Trump’s blood.”
Invoking the &#8220;Imam of the time,&#8221; Amoli said, &#8220;Fight the oppressive America, his blood is on my shoulders.”
In a separate development on Thursday, another Iranian official <a href="https://x.com/araghchi/status/2029435610922996100?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threatened</a> the United States following the sinking of an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka by a U.S. naval torpedo strike.
&#8220;The U.S. has perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran&#8217;s shores. Frigate Dena, a guest of India&#8217;s Navy carrying almost 130 sailors, was struck in international waters without warning. Mark my words: The U.S. will come to bitterly regret the precedent it has set,&#8221; said Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi.
This is a developing story; check back for updates.
Leif Le Mahiew contributed to this report.

Southwest

Stunning Video Shows Police Raiding Southwest Flight After Security Threat

Air Travel

Atlanta

Southwest Airlines

Tornadoes and strong storms killed at least four people and injured more than a dozen in southern Michigan on Friday, destroying multiple homes and leaving hundreds of residents without power, local authorities said.
Soon after the National Weather Service issued tornado warnings for the area on Friday, videos on social media claiming to be from the towns of Three Rivers and Union City showed massive whirlwinds tearing roofs off buildings and lifting debris into the air.
Local media footage showed smashed buildings and cars, and poles, trees and road signs that had been blown over.
Three fatalities and a dozen injuries were reported in Branch County, where Union City is located, the county&#8217;s sheriff&#8217;s office said.
One person was killed and several injured in Cass County, according to local authorities there.
<div id="attachment_1055343" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1055343" class="size-full wp-image-1055343" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2264669957.jpeg" alt="Debris is wrapped around a tree following a tornado that hit several cities in rural southwest Michigan on March 7, 2026 in Union City, Michigan." width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2264669957.jpeg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2264669957-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2264669957-864x576.jpeg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2264669957-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Bill Pugliano/Getty Images</div>
&#8220;Multiple large structures &#8211; including homes and pole barns &#8211; sustained damage ranging from major structural impacts to complete destruction,&#8221; according to a statement on a website for Cass County.
Power outages had affected hundreds of people, local officials said.
&#8220;We have multiple utility poles down, transformers damaged, and long stretches of power lines on the ground. The north side of Union Lake sustained some of the most severe damage, with roughly two miles of line brought down in that area alone,&#8221; according to a posting on Union City&#8217;s official Facebook page that said restoration may take several days.
<div id="attachment_1055345" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1055345" class="size-full wp-image-1055345" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2264663705.jpeg" alt="A Chevy Trailblazer SUV is seen crushed by a falling tree that was uprooted by a tornado that hit several cities in rural southwest Michigan on March 7, 2026 in Union City, Michigan." width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2264663705.jpeg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2264663705-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2264663705-864x576.jpeg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2264663705-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Bill Pugliano/Getty Images</div>
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said she activated a State Emergency Operations Center for monitoring the situation.
&#8220;The state is ready to fulfill any resource requests that may arise. We&#8217;ve yet to receive any just yet. It&#8217;s sounding like the local response is and has been able to address what&#8217;s been a very devastating afternoon and evening in southwest Michigan,&#8221; Clayton Cummins, a spokesperson for Michigan emergency services and police, told Reuters.
(Reporting by Maria Tsvetkova; Editing by Donna Bryson and Tom Hogue)

Tornado Damage

Tornadoes Kill Four, Injure More Than A Dozen In Michigan

Gretchen Whitmer

Michigan

Severe Weather

Tornado

A North Carolina woman is accused of hitting a police officer with her car — but she was released on a $3,000 bail just hours after her arrest.
Tanaezah Michelle Austin, 25, is facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon against a government official in connection with a street takeover early Sunday morning in northwest Charlotte, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/driver-accused-attempting-mow-down-cop-during-street-takeover-strolls-free-hours-later-3k-bond">reported</a>.
Officers responded to reports of cars doing donuts in a commercial parking lot at 3:25 a.m. on March 1, according to the outlet. One officer approached a black Kia Optima that was trying to leave. The driver stopped at first, but “began to accelerate rapidly” and struck the officer, who rolled over the hood.
The officer was in full uniform, giving verbal commands to stop and standing where the driver could clearly see him, Fox News said. He was taken to a hospital and treated for minor injuries.
Video of the incident posted to X shows the officer in front of the car before it accelerates toward him and drives away. The X post incorrectly identifies the driver as a man.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: Horrifying video footage has emerged from Charlotte NC of a man attempting to RUN OVER A POLICE OFFICER WITH HIS GUN DRAWN, trying to avoid arrest.
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN CHARLOTTE?!!!!!!!! <a href="https://t.co/MQFt9gKKJQ">pic.twitter.com/MQFt9gKKJQ</a>
— Matt Van Swol (@mattvanswol) <a href="https://twitter.com/mattvanswol/status/2028602510425075753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Austin was arrested March 2 and released early on March 3, with a probable cause hearing scheduled for March 24.
“These are among the worst of the worst incidents that we have to deal with in Charlotte,” Dan Redford, president of the <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/us/charlotte-raleigh-piedmont">Charlotte Fraternal Order of Police</a>, told Fox News. “To see a $3,000 bond for an offender, regardless of whether she has a criminal history or not, when the intent to flee was clearly there, is pathetic.”
The $3,000 bond means Austin may have needed to pay just $300 to be released, Randy Sutton, a retired police lieutenant, told the outlet. Sutton founded The Wounded Blue, a nonprofit that supports injured and disabled law enforcement officers.
“When I hear about someone being released on a $3,000 bond for running over a police officer on video, it boggles my mind,” Sutton said. “She ran over a cop, and she walked out.”
Sutton said the incident wasn’t an accident.
“She saw him, he was communicating with her, and then she just gunned the car toward him,” Sutton said. “This could have been a fatal encounter.”
Austin faced misdemeanor marijuana and paraphernalia charges in 2025, but they were later dropped, Fox News reported.
U.S. Rep. Mark Harris criticized the bond decision.
“Running over a police officer is of the highest level of evil,” Harris said in a statement, according to Fox News. “It’s also a complete slap in the face for our brave law enforcement to see these kinds of criminals allowed right back on the streets. When is Charlotte going to end the crime cycle? When are magistrates going to keep bad guys behind bars? Enough is enough!”
The case comes as cities across the U.S. are seeing a rise in violent criminals being released with low or no bond.
Charlotte made headlines last year with the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, whose alleged killer had been arrested and released 14 times, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/where-is-the-outrage-trump-rails-against-media-dem-crime-policies-after-brutal-train-murder?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98Where+Is+The+Outrage%3F%E2%80%99%3A+Trump+Rails+Against+Media%2C+Dem+Crime+Policies+After+Brutal+Train+Murder">reported</a> at the time.
In Chicago, Illinois, a 50-year-old man, who had been arrested 72 times since he was 18, allegedly set a woman on fire in the subway in November. He had most recently been arrested three months earlier, when he was charged with aggravated battery, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/woman-set-ablaze-chicago-transit-train-identified-rcna245669">reported</a>.
In a more recent incident in Brooklyn, a man was arrested after allegedly stalking and attacking an Orthodox Jewish family. He was freed on supervised release, despite being charged with assault and multiple counts of harassment as a hate crime and the district attorney’s request for a $50,000 cash bail, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-frees-accused-antisemitic-assailant-who-threatened-to-kill-brooklyn-family">reported</a> at the time.

Tanaezah Michelle Austin

‘Enough Is Enough’: Suspect Accused Of Hitting Cop With Car Walks Free On $3K Bond

Charlotte

Crime

Law Enforcement

North Carolina

The IRS and the Department of Treasury released a series of rules regarding eligibility and procedures for Trump Accounts yesterday.
Under the Trump Accounts, which were part of the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” the federal government will mark the birth of U.S. citizens by depositing $1,000 into a deferred, low-cost index fund, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-announces-1000-newborn-baby-investments-in-big-beautiful-bill">reported</a>. While the accounts start at $1,000, families and others can contribute up to $5,000 total per year per child, including employer contributions.
Parents have until Dec. 31 of the calendar year in which their child turns 17 to open the initial account, the IRS said in a press release.
“Trump Accounts are a pro-family initiative that will help millions of Americans harness the strength of our economy to lift up this generation and generations to follow and unlock the American Dream,” IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank J. Bisignano said in the release. “Creating Trump Accounts was one of the most important provisions in President Trump’s historic One, Big, Beautiful Bill, and these regulations are an example of the hard work of Treasury and the IRS in developing the guidance needed to ensure that eligible families can take advantage of Trump Accounts.”
Parents can open the account with Form 4547 when filing taxes or through a separate <a href="https://form.trumpaccounts.gov/">online portal</a>, the IRS said. Instructions for opening an account can be found <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i4547.pdf">online</a>. The IRS said the person who opens the account will be responsible for it.
For a child to be eligible for the accounts, he must have been born between 2025–2028, be a U.S. citizen, and have a valid Social Security number.
Parents can choose to receive the initial $1,000 when they open the account. If they choose not to claim it then, individuals who can claim the pilot amount are, in order: a legal guardian, a parent, an adult sibling, and a grandparent.
“It is a trust fund, a piece of the American economy for every child that they will be able to take out when they are 18, or they could convert it to a more IRA-type program,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-secret-weapon-that-will-supercharge-the-trump-accounts-for-newborns">said</a> in December.
In February, Bessent said about two million forms for three million children have been filed for the Trump Accounts, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/20/trump-accounts.html">according</a> to CNBC.
“They’ll be getting a big jump on life,” President Donald Trump said last year of the babies benefitting from the accounts.
The program will officially launch in July 2026.

TOPSHOT-US-VOTE-REPUBLICANS-TRUMP

Trump Accounts Move Forward: IRS Releases Rules For $1K Baby Investment Program

Donald Trump

Economy

Trump Administration

U.S. Gulf Coast heavy grades continued to surge on Friday as the Iran conflict spurred several Middle Eastern producers of heavy crude to curtail production and drove buyers to scoop up U.S. barrels.
Prices of Mars sour crude, the flagship crude produced in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and favored by refiners globally, traded at a $11 premium to U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude on Friday, brokers said. That was the highest since April 2020, and up $4 from Thursday.
Just a week ago it traded at a premium of $1.50.
Other heavy grades such as the Heavy Louisiana Sweet and the West Texas Sour also rose.
Benchmark crude oil prices have surged since the initial attacks last week, with Brent crude settling at $92.69 a barrel, its highest level since October 2023 on Friday.
The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has forced several countries, including Iraq, to curb output. The strait is a key route for medium and heavy sour crude from the Persian Gulf, and those flows are now largely cut off. Additional production cuts announced in Kuwait on Friday also helped lift Mars prices, a trader said.
“Refiners that rely on these grades will need to find similar, or roughly similar, alternatives to replace the lost barrels, so Mars and other U.S. Gulf sour heavies and mediums are natural substitutes and are getting bid up aggressively,” Kpler lead Americas oil analyst Matt Smith said, adding that buyers, especially in Asia, are scrambling for more of these medium and heavy crude barrels.
&#8220;This time of year also marks the shift from winter into driving season, when demand typically rises across all crude grades,&#8221; said Tim Snyder, chief economist at Matador Economics, adding that ultimately the supply disruption caused by war was driving prices.
&#8220;In the short term we will continue to see these grades rise until we see the Strait of Hormuz open up,&#8221; Snyder said.
(Reporting by Siddharth Cavale in New York and Georgina McCartney in Houston; Editing by David Gregorio)

Menu