Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed reports of a rift with President Donald Trump, saying their relationship &#8220;couldn&#8217;t be better&#8221; despite disagreements over key foreign policy issues.
<a href="https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/benjamin-netanyahu-war-iran/2026/07/07/id/1262083/">In an interview</a> on Newsmax&#8217;s &#8220;The Record With Greta Van Susteren,&#8221; Netanyahu said the close relationship between the two leaders has allowed them to speak candidly, including on issues where they do not see eye to eye. 
&#8220;He said it couldn&#8217;t be better,&#8221; Netanyahu said, referring to Trump&#8217;s own description of their relationship. &#8220;Friends can have agreements and disagreements.&#8221;
Netanyahu acknowledged that one disagreement involves the Trump administration&#8217;s consideration of selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey. Trump has said he would consider the sale while also moving to lift U.S. sanctions on Turkey, drawing concerns from Israeli officials.
&#8220;I think this is not a good thing,&#8221; Netanyahu said.
The Israeli leader stressed that he has conveyed those concerns directly to Trump rather than through public statements.
&#8220;What I&#8217;m telling you, I say to my friend, Donald Trump, the president of the United States, in private conversations. It&#8217;s not that I&#8217;m hiding it,&#8221; he said.
Rather than viewing those disagreements as evidence of a strained alliance, Netanyahu argued they demonstrate the resilience of the relationship between the two countries.
&#8220;This is a real friendship, a real alliance.&#8221;
He said Israel remains deeply appreciative of its alliance with the United States, describing both nations as democratic societies where political disagreements can occur openly without undermining the broader partnership.
&#8220;We&#8217;re a robust democracy, too,&#8221; Netanyahu said of Israel. &#8220;I never lose sight of the fact that it is the ability to have disagreements that marks a free country.&#8221;
Contrasting Israel and the United States with countries such as Iran and Turkey, Netanyahu argued that authoritarian governments suppress dissent rather than tolerate open political debate.
&#8220;That&#8217;s not the American way, and it&#8217;s not the Israeli way,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Thank God we have our two democracies to continue the tradition of freedom and open discourse.&#8221;

Benjamin Netanyahu, Donald Trump

Netanyahu Dismisses Trump Rift Reports: ‘Couldn’t Be Better’

Benjamin Netanyahu

Donald Trump

Executive

F-35

Israel

Politics

Turkey

United States

Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey shared his thoughts on America&#8217;s 250th birthday in a recent social media post, saying that the genius of the United States was in the journey, not the destination.
The &#8220;True Detective&#8221; star shared a post on X on Friday, saying that the United States was not about being the &#8220;perfect union,&#8221; but rather about always striving to be a better one. The magic, he said, was not in the fact that America had &#8220;arrived anywhere,&#8221; but should celebrate the fact that &#8220;we&#8217;re still on our way&#8221; to being a little bit better, a little bit brighter.
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bets still on the table America, yet. <a href="https://t.co/Ap5Cw3EKRV">pic.twitter.com/Ap5Cw3EKRV</a>
— Matthew McConaughey (@McConaughey) <a href="https://x.com/McConaughey/status/2073013891937034425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Two hundred and fifty years young! Howdy, America,&#8221; McConaughey said, looking straight at the camera. &#8220;To a lot of people, that may seem like a long time to be a country but it&#8217;s really not. But I&#8217;ll tell you what it&#8217;s definitely not too long to be — it&#8217;s not too long to be an idea, which is what America is. A land that has never been — yet.&#8221;
&#8220;And that &#8216;yet&#8217; that we&#8217;re seeking and chasing, that&#8217;s the whole thing,&#8221; he added. &#8220;It&#8217;s a place we&#8217;re never going to arrive at. And that&#8217;s not failure because we won&#8217;t, that&#8217;s by design. Think about it, we didn&#8217;t start this country on any kind of proof. We started it on a belief that was worth fighting for, a wager that was worth betting on. An act of faith that a self-governing people could be something worth being and becoming.&#8221;
Mcconaughey said that if America had learned anything in that 250 years, it was that the bet was still on the table — because the bet was designed to always be on the table: &#8220;We have not cashed in, and let&#8217;s hope we never cash in.&#8221;
Drawing a line between skeptics and cynics, he argued that the former would drive progress while the latter had already given up: &#8220;One cares enough to question, which we should, and the other one&#8217;s already quit. We don&#8217;t need you.&#8221;
The &#8220;best&#8221; of America, he added, was in those who had delivered 250 years of &#8220;showing up&#8221;: 250 years of &#8220;arguing, loving, losing, forgiving, starting over, believing in who we are and what we can be — that&#8217;s the &#8216;yet&#8217; we&#8217;re chasing.&#8221;
&#8220;So, here we are today lighting the fire, breaking the bread, raising a glass to our family and friends, and maybe even the neighbor we don&#8217;t agree with. Today, we&#8217;re going to let the kids run barefoot after dark, baby. That&#8217;s the celebration,&#8221; he concluded. &#8220;Not that we&#8217;ve arrived anywhere, but to the fact we&#8217;re still on our way. Take inventory, with the one in the mirror and together. Here&#8217;s to more dancing in the home of the brave. Happy 250th, America. Just keep living.&#8221;

Matthew McConaughey Opens Wilderness Cabin In Sydney, Australia

Matthew McConaughey: America At 250 Is A Bet That’s ‘Still On The Table’

Matthew McConaughey: America At 250 Is A Bet That's 'Still On The Table'

America 250

Fourth of July

Matthew McConaughey

A major toy manufacturer is under fire after one outraged parent realized an item marketed to children as young as 3 had inappropriate and sexual content printed on it. 
Zuru Mini Brands sells a miniature toy version of the popular Colleen Hoover romance novel “Without Merit,” which apparently includes actual lines of text that can be read by anyone who purchases it, per TikTok user Tam (@ basic_mom_moments). 
Tam said in the viral video, which now has over 5 million views, that some of the books she received were classics like “Moby Dick” and “Sherlock Holmes.” But she said her daughter was reading “Without Merit” and then allegedly told her, “Mommy, I can’t read this book anymore, it’s inappropriate.”
At first, Tam said she thought it was a silly yet harmless word such as “butt” or “dumb.” But when she took out the included miniature magnifying glass to look for herself, the last line of the first page of “Without Merit” said, “I was enjoying his hand on my boob.”
“My daughter is seven,” she said in the video, “and I had to have a kind of weird conversation with her about that, that I wasn’t really ready to have.”
<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@basic_mom_moments/video/7649183440419523871" data-video-id="7649183440419523871" data-embed-from="oembed" style="max-width:605px; min-width:325px;">
<section> <a target="_blank" title="@basic_mom_moments" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@basic_mom_moments?refer=embed">@basic_mom_moments</a> 
I’m literally speechless. 🚩 Check your kids&#8217; Mini Brands books, parents. I cannot believe what I just read in a toy for my 7-year-old. @ZURU @Target please explain this. <a title="parenting" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/parenting?refer=embed">#Parenting</a> <a title="minibrands" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/minibrands?refer=embed">#MiniBrands</a> <a title="momlife" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/momlife?refer=embed">#momlife</a> <a title="target" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/target?refer=embed">#Target</a> <a title="fyp" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/fyp?refer=embed">#fyp</a>
 <a target="_blank" title="♬ original sound - the_real_tamtam" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7649183415706733342?refer=embed">♬ original sound &#8211; the_real_tamtam</a> </section>
</blockquote>
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The TikTok creator updated her followers with the response from Zuru in the comments, which she called “corporate garbage.”
A rep from the company responded by saying that the “ages three and up” label was for choking hazards, not content. She said the company “did admit” that there was “inappropriate content” that was “not OK for children.” Tam said the rep promised to pass the feedback on to internal team members and offered to send her child a free box of toys. “Not totally happy with this,” Tam <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@basic_mom_moments/video/7651793918429760798">noted</a>, saying she’s happy the company responded but was frustrated it happened at all. 
The brand Zuru is known for its popular Mini Brands collection of everyday household items. Everything from kitchen appliances to food, shoes, toys, and more can be purchased in miniaturized versions from the Mini Brands lineup. These are sold in blind bags and are a limited release to encourage buyers to keep buying and collect them all.
On the distributor’s website, these items are labeled as a “Surprise Toy for Kids, Teens &amp; Adults Ages 3+ by ZURU.”
Most commenters were outraged that Colleen Hoover&#8217;s books were included in the mix. But others noted that adults collected mini items too, and claimed this title was for them. 
“It’s literally a toy for adults which is why it’s in the toy section but it overlaps with kids toys. It’s the parent’s responsibility to check for what they buy their kids. She’s so annoying,” one Redditor <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/MiniBrands/comments/1u7nftd/so_this_is_why_minibrands_books_are_taken_off/?rdt=49002">said</a> of Tam. 
“She&#8217;d rather gripe in an online video than just monitor what her kid gets,” another person agreed. “Miniatures aren&#8217;t just for kids. They are for everyone.”
Editor&#8217;s note: A previous version of the article attributed Mini Brands to MGA Entertainment. The toy is manufactured by ZURU Toys.

Target toys

Adult Content Hidden Inside Popular Toy Goes Viral

Adult Content Hidden Inside Popular Toy Goes Viral On TikTok

Children

Toys

For many years, various shades of white and beige dominated the home trend market, but now, gradually, color is coming back in a big way. And there are several colors that could make you more money when it comes time to sell your house, plus others that could cost you.
According to Zillow’s <a href="https://www.zillow.com/learn/best-paint-colors-sell-house/">2026 Paint Color Analysis</a>, the interior paint color choice that saw the biggest return was chocolate brown in a bedroom. The report found that bedroom walls in this hue could add an estimated $2,277 to a home’s offer price.
Maybe it has something to do with the dark, moody hue. But brown was not the only color making home sellers some extra cash. While white walls are seen as a blank slate, sometimes potential buyers need a little assistance envisioning themselves living in a space.
It was also discovered that pale blue living room walls could add about $1,723 to an offer price. That was more than white or gray walls, which were both calculated to add around $1,509. Charcoal gray kitchens were found to boost a home’s offer price by nearly $1,373. Overall, sage green was one of the safest color options for any room, including the bathroom. 
“Greens continue to be seen as a modern neutral; sage is calming and nature-inspired bringing that dose of versatility to the bedroom without feeling plain,” Emily Kantz, Color Marketing Manager &amp; Trendsight Team member at Sherwin-Williams, told Zillow. 
She said it’s all part of a trend to embrace color in favor of neutrality.
“Giving your home some personality by using a color that has depth is driving measurable return on investment,” Kantz added. “I’ve been seeing that a lot lately when it comes to design — playing it safe is riskier than experimenting with color and design.”
There were also plenty of paint colors that could cost money when it came to getting offers.
Ochre yellow was found to be one of the worst financial choices. Bold red bathrooms reportedly attracted offers that were $7,971 lower than if the room were white — the largest impact the study found for a single-room color choice, according to the report.&#8221; Blush pink bathrooms were a close second and resulted in offers that were $6,013 less.
The experts recommend painting your home whatever color you want while living there, then repainting it when it’s time to list to maximize profits. 
“If an ochre yellow kitchen brings you joy, embrace it!” Zillow’s home trends expert Amanda Pendleton said. “There will be some buyers who will love your yellow kitchen as much as you do. But getting top dollar for your home is all about appealing to the most potential buyers. So enjoy your ochre kitchen and when it’s time to sell, paint it charcoal gray or plum.”

Paint

The Common Paint Color That Could Cost You Thousands When You Sell

News

Real estate

A Hezbollah strike on an Israeli tank in southern Lebanon killed four IDF soldiers Friday — including a battalion commander — raising fresh doubts about whether the Iranian-backed militia will honor terms that Iran agreed to earlier this week in the memorandum of understanding with the United States.
The attack struck near the Lebanese village of Tebnit overnight, when &#8220;a suspicious target impacted an IDF tank,&#8221; an IDF official told <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/06/19/four-israeli-soldiers-killed-combat-lebanon-imperils-us-iran-deal/">The Washington Post</a>. Israel responded by striking multiple Hezbollah infrastructure sites across Nabatieh and other areas of southern and eastern Lebanon.
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‼️ ANOTHER BLATANT CEASEFIRE VIOLATION: As a result of an explosive drone impact in southern Lebanon, an IDF reserve officer was severely injured, and 3 reserve NCOs &amp; an NCO were lightly injured.
This incident follows numerous blatant ceasefire violations by Hezbollah. Just… <a href="https://t.co/I0LgRUk8sH">https://t.co/I0LgRUk8sH</a>
&mdash; Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) <a href="https://x.com/IDF/status/2067882793753829685?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The fallout was swift: Vice President JD Vance scrapped a planned trip to Switzerland, where he was to have led American negotiators, and both Washington and Tehran announced they were postponing the talks.
The memorandum of understanding signed Wednesday by President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/17/middleeast/us-iran-war-mou-text-intl">explicitly declares</a> &#8220;the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon,&#8221; with both parties pledging to &#8220;refrain from the threat or use of force against each other.&#8221; Hezbollah is an ally of Iran and fought alongside Iranian forces in the current war — making its continued attacks a direct challenge to Tehran&#8217;s commitments under the deal.
Trump signaled his expectations on Thursday in a social media post, writing: &#8220;We expect a complete Ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel.&#8221; Within hours, four Israeli soldiers were dead.
Ministers in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#8217;s government called for intensifying strikes against Hezbollah following Friday&#8217;s deaths. Friday&#8217;s strike did not come out of nowhere. It is the latest episode in a campaign of violence that Hezbollah has sustained across multiple ceasefires and diplomatic agreements.
Hezbollah opened its current front against Israel on October 8, 2023 — the day after Hamas&#8217;s massacre — firing rockets and guided missiles at Israeli border communities in what it called solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. What began as sporadic fire escalated into one of the most sustained cross-border bombardments in the history of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict.
By the time a ceasefire halted major fighting on November 27, 2024, Hezbollah had <a href="https://israel-alma.org/summary-of-war-data-israel-northern-arena-2023-2024/">carried out</a> 5,185 documented attack waves against Israel — firing over 10,000 rockets, and deploying anti-tank missiles, suicide drones, and air defense systems. The deadliest single strike of that phase killed 12 children and teenagers on a soccer field in the Druze village of Majdal Shams on July 27, 2024. October 2024 alone saw 1,158 attacks — the most intense single month of the conflict.
Since a new ceasefire took effect on April 17, 2026, Hezbollah has carried out 975 documented attack waves — 745 targeting IDF forces operating inside Lebanon and 230 directed at Israeli territory itself. Seventeen IDF soldiers and one Israeli civilian have been killed during that ceasefire period alone, according to the Alma Research and Education Center, which tracks attacks on Israel&#8217;s northern front.
Neither the April ceasefire nor a subsequent Statement of Principles issued June 3 slowed Hezbollah&#8217;s operational tempo. In the <a href="https://israel-alma.org/weekly-report-hezbollah-attacks-against-israel-june-1-7-2026/">first seven days</a> of June alone, Hezbollah launched 198 attack waves, including 93 rocket and missile barrages against IDF forces and 30 strikes at Israeli territory.
Friday&#8217;s killing of four soldiers — coming within 48 hours of a U.S.-Iran agreement committing both sides and their allies to permanent cessation of hostilities — suggests that whatever Tehran agreed to in Versailles, its proxy Hezbollah, as always, has no intention of holding to it.

ISRAEL-US-LEBANON-IRAN-WAR

Hezbollah Kills Four Israeli Soldiers In Attack Just Two Days After U.S.-Iran Peace Deal

Hezbollah

Iran

Lebanon

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

The CEO of Hooters says the chain doesn’t want to be known for just big hooters anymore.
Neil Kiefer, who has been involved with Hooters since its founding in 1983 and became CEO in 1992, insists the restaurant has always been a family-friendly destination despite its famously scantily clad waitstaff.
“It&#8217;s a neighborhood place that many families frequent, and singles and couples,” Kiefer <a href="https://people.com/hooters-is-rebranding-as-family-friendly-as-ceo-insists-we-ve-never-switched-from-being-a-neighborhood-place-exclusive-11981778">told</a> People after The New York Times published a recent report on the company&#8217;s attempt to reinvent itself.  
Hooters was founded by six Florida businessmen who, according to the company&#8217;s website, “got together to open a place they couldn’t get kicked out of.” During its heyday, there were more than 420 locations in 42 states and 29 countries, and even a Hooters airline, as the Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/21/style/hooters-restaurant-chain-family-rebrand.html">reported</a>.
Things went downhill during the 2008 recession, the COVID pandemic, and amid various lawsuits. Hooters of America closed several locations and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March 2025.
But Kiefer is not ready to give up on the original concept just yet. While the CEO blames the takeover of private equity on the restaurant’s overly sexualized image, the NYT noted that scantily clad “Hooters Girls” were part of the gimmick from the start. Now, Kiefer is leaning into a different aesthetic.
“We’re getting back to what makes us a beach-themed restaurant as opposed to a girlie bar,” Kiefer told the NYT, blaming the owners of certain locations for taking the sexy image too far. 
“It was a sporty athletic look at the time, and I think in the last 10 or 15 years, a lot of the country has seen a more sexualized version of that,” he added. “That chased away a lot of customers.”
“That was never the intention when this concept started,” the CEO insisted.
When asked whether the company is trying to become more family-friendly, Kiefer <a href="https://people.com/hooters-is-rebranding-as-family-friendly-as-ceo-insists-we-ve-never-switched-from-being-a-neighborhood-place-exclusive-11981778">told</a> People the restaurant has “been that way always.”
“If you&#8217;ve ever been to a Hooters in Chicago or in Tampa Bay or in South Florida, you&#8217;re going to see tons of families, tons of children,” he said. “It&#8217;s [a] tongue-in-cheek type of beach theme restaurant.”
“I understand the word hooters, the Steve Martin joke,” he said. “It was a double entendre. It was acceptable humor back then, and it&#8217;s coming back to be acceptable humor, but it was oversexualized too much in the last 15, 20 years.”
The restaurant was named after a Steve Martin comedy routine during which he insisted that the real name for breasts should be “hooters.” 
Kiefer claims family-friendly, beach-themed locations in Florida and Chicago are doing well, though he also admits it will take time to “win customers back” after decades of a scandalous reputation. 
“We&#8217;re having success, but it&#8217;s a long road to climb out of it,” he told People.

Hooters

Hooters Says It Was Never Really About The Hooters

Business

Families

Restaurant

Raise one up for one of the most iconic beer brands in America. After 177 years, Schlitz Premium is being discontinued.
Pabst Brewing Co., the brand&#8217;s parent company, announced that Schlitz Premium is being put “on hiatus.” 
“Unfortunately, we have seen continued increases in our costs to store and ship certain products and have had to make the tough choice to place Schlitz Premium on hiatus,” head of brand strategy Zac Nadile said in a <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2026/05/19/famous-beer-schlitz-brewed-one-last-time-ending-177-year-run/90157205007/">statement</a>, according to USA Today.
“Any brand or packaging configuration that is put on hiatus is still a cherished part of our history and hopefully our future. We continually look for opportunities to bring back beloved brands, and customer feedback is important in shaping those discussions.”
Schlitz traces its roots back to 1849, when August Krug founded a tavern brewery in Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel <a href="https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/business/2026/05/21/tell-the-journal-sentinel-what-will-you-do-with-your-last-schlitz/90182695007/?gnt-cfr=1&amp;gca-cat=p&amp;gca-uir=false&amp;gca-epti=z115329p115150l004450c115150u116529e1113xxv115329&amp;gca-ft=39&amp;gca-ds=sophi">reported</a>. After Krug died in 1856, company bookkeeper Joseph Schlitz married Krug’s widow and renamed the company after himself.
Schlitz died at sea in 1875, but the company continued to grow and became one of the largest beer brands in the nation. Stiff competition eventually led to the company shutting down in 1982 before Pabst Brewing Co. revived the brand after acquiring it in 1999.
Schlitz returned to the market in 2008 with a reformulated version of its original brewing recipe, but never reclaimed its throne in the beer market. 
Now the company is once again fading from store shelves.
Wisconsin Brewing Company brewmaster Kirby Nelson said the brand would receive a “proper sendoff” with “dignity and respect.”
The brewery plans to produce “the last Schlitz” at its Verona, Wisconsin, facility on Saturday, as Milwaukee-area bars and breweries host farewell parties honoring the historic brand. The final batch will be released June 27 as a limited-edition ode to &#8220;Schlitz&#8217;s glory days.” 
The news comes as alcohol consumption in the United States continues to decline. According to a <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/693362/drinking-rate-new-low-alcohol-concerns-surge.aspx">Gallup poll </a>published last year, the percentage of American adults who say they drink alcohol has fallen to 54%, the lowest on record in Gallup history.

Beer

Last Call! Beloved Beer Brand Is About To Brew Its Last Batch

Alcohol

Milwaukee

Wisconsin

What’s it like to enjoy dessert with your family uninterrupted? Fans of Halo Top are invited to find out.
The ice cream brand is introducing a unique new product: the Silent (à la) Mode Spoon. This golden-hued utensil comes with an embedded NFC (near-field communication) chip that can be set to activate Do Not Disturb mode on both iPhone and Android smartphones. 
The idea is to encourage users to unplug during dessert time without the constant dings and pings from social media — an issue that plagues family time these days. 
“Blending technology with indulgence, this tricked-out utensil connects to your smartphone with a simple tap, creating a seamless ‘phones down, spoons up’ experience,” the item description <a href="https://shop.ilovewells.com/product/halo-top-silent-la-mode-spoon-coming-may-15th/OKQWU6W7EZZLM6YHC6YSVLKM">reads</a>. “Designed for easy setup, the spoon uses a discreet NFC connection that is compatible with most smartphones, including iPhone and Android devices. Once connected, you can quietly savor every spoonful of your favorite Halo Top flavor.”
Silent Mode Spoon is being offered at the low price of $4.90, which, of course, is a nod to the fact that a full pint of Halo Top is only 490 total calories. 
Setup takes just a minute and only has to be done once. iPhone users can use the &#8220;Shortcuts&#8221; app to scan the chip inside the Halo Top logo fastened to the end of the spoon, name the spoon once it&#8217;s detected, and create a shortcut that activates Do Not Disturb when the spoon touches your phone.
Android users will need to download the &#8220;NFC Tasks&#8221; app and connect the spoon. After that, your phone will automatically be set to Do Not Disturb when the spoon is tapped against it.
The built-in chip means this spoon is hand-wash only. 
A silent spoon is just the latest marketing gimmick aimed at disconnecting us from technology. Last month, Chick-fil-A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/i-made-my-parents-try-chick-fil-as-phone-free-challenge-but-i-didnt-see-this-coming">went viral</a> for promoting “chicken coops” to stash cell phones while eating meals in-store. If everyone at the table participates, then diners receive a free “Icedream” cone as a reward for staying present with fellow guests — and with their chicken sandwiches.

Cell phone ice cream

The War Against Phones At The Dinner Table Just Got A New Weapon

cell phones

Food

Ice Cream

Technology

McDonald’s customers are annoyed by what the fast food company just pitched as a bargain.
For a limited time, the McDouble will be available on the company&#8217;s &#8220;McValue&#8221; menu for $2.50. But social media commenters are pointing out that this “value” only highlights how much prices have increased in a short period, as the same sandwich once cost $1.
People were further incensed when McDonald’s discontinued its popular “Buy 1, Get 1 for $1” promo in late April. That’s been replaced by the “Under $3” menu that includes the McDouble and other items, many of which were included in the earlier promotion. 
&#8220;Look, it was my go-to lunch for work every single day. Quick, easy and 5 bucks for lunch. That&#8217;s gone, so am I,&#8221; one commenter wrote. &#8220;No reason else to go. Might only be 1 person, but that&#8217;s one customer gone.&#8221; 
“Anyone remember when McDoubles used to be 99 cents? It was only 10 years ago &#8230;&#8221; one Reddit user noted. 
&#8220;All these were 99-cent items, then it [turned] into a &#8216;value&#8217; meal, then we have what we got now,” another commenter observed. 
&#8220;Thing was a dollar, they sell billions of burgers and I&#8217;m supposed to be impressed by 2.50?&#8221; a third agreed.
McDonald’s pushed back against those criticisms, insisting that their offerings remain a great value.
&#8220;Our focus has always been on listening to our customers and meeting their needs,&#8221; McDonald&#8217;s USA said in a statement, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/mcdonalds-2-50-mcdouble-sparks-backlash-americans-say-fast-food-no-longer-cheap">per</a> Fox News Digital.
&#8220;That&#8217;s why McValue was built as a flexible platform designed to evolve with them. The under $3 menu delivers on what they&#8217;ve told us matters most: consistently great prices on their favorite items and the freedom to order what they want, when they want — no bundling required.&#8221;
The fast-food chain is also facing backlash for continuing to phase out its self-serve beverage stations, which many dine-in customers valued for free refills. 
“As confirmed in 2023, McDonald’s will be transitioning away from self-serve beverage stations in dining rooms across the U.S. by 2032,” the company said in a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mcdonalds-continues-to-phase-out-popular-restaurant-feature-nationwide">statement</a> this week. “The change is being rolled out over 10 years, and is intended to create a consistent experience for both customers and crew across all ordering points, whether that’s McDelivery, the app, kiosk, drive-thru or in-restaurant.&#8221;

McDonald’s

The McDonald’s Menu Change Sparking Nostalgia For The 99-Cent Era

Economy

Fast-Food

WASHINGTON — Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine both laughed off The Daily Wire&#8217;s questions about &#8220;kamikaze dolphins&#8221; last week, joking that while Iran does not have such capabilities, the United States wouldn&#8217;t reveal if it did.
While the phrase &#8220;kamikaze dolphin&#8221; certainly sounds fictional, a Navy spokesman clarified to The Daily Wire that there is a long history of the military using sea life in warfare through the U.S. Navy’s Marine Mammal Program. Some drone programs are mimicking the appearance and aesthetics of dolphins and sharks in modern-day weaponry.
Iranian officials <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/iran-us-blockade-oil-641b89f2">told the Wall Street Journal this month</a> that Iran might use &#8220;mine-carrying dolphins&#8221; to attack U.S. warships, in addition to other measures like submarines or mines themselves. On Tuesday morning, during a press briefing at the Department of War, The Daily Wire pressed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine about this claim.
“I haven’t heard the kamikaze dolphins thing — it’s like sharks with laser beams, right?” joked Caine, referencing the film Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.
“I can’t confirm or deny whether we have kamikaze dolphins,” Hegseth said with a smile, “but I can confirm they don’t.”
Meanwhile, Iran-affiliated accounts, which closely follow American news cycles, have responded to the kamikaze dolphins news cycle with AI-generated images of dolphins equipped with explosives.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Say hello to these cute dolphins who&#8217;ll be giving love bites to &#8230; You know whom 😌 <a href="https://t.co/dbTLa3QVIa">pic.twitter.com/dbTLa3QVIa</a>
— True Promise &#8211; الوعد الصادق ✪🇮🇷 (@IRTruePromise) <a href="https://twitter.com/IRTruePromise/status/2052353591424241949?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
Dolphins have long been used &#8220;to detect, locate, mark and recover objects in harbors, coastal areas, and at depth in the open sea,&#8221; according to the U.S. Navy&#8217;s Marine Mammal Program.
Scott Savitz, an expert on mines and a senior engineer at the think tank Rand Corporation, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/05/iran-war-hegseth-kamikaze-dolphins.html">pointed out to CNBC</a> that during the Vietnam War, the Navy even trained dolphins to locate swimmers trying to access U.S. military facilities, and during the Iraq War, dolphins helped find and clear naval mines from the port of Umm Qasr.
&#8220;The U.S. Navy’s Marine Mammal Program began in 1959 and has supported maritime security missions for decades using bottlenose dolphins and California sea lions,&#8221; a Navy spokesman told The Daily Wire. &#8220;The program supported missions including mine countermeasures, object recovery, and harbor security. Elements of the program’s history, including deployments during the Vietnam War, have been publicly documented.&#8221;
The Navy spokesman noted that the Navy&#8217;s marine mammals are &#8220;trained, cared for, and handled by professional personnel, with animal welfare and safety central to all operations.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1092181" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kamikaze-dolphins-real-underwater-drone-investigation/defense-secretary-hegseth-and-joint-chiefs-chairman-caine-brief-media-at-pentagon" rel="attachment wp-att-1092181"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1092181" class="wp-image-1092181 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2274634271-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2274634271-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2274634271-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2274634271-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2274634271.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA &#8211; MAY 05: U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth takes questions during a press briefing at the Pentagon on May 05, 2026 in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)</div>
&#8220;As with many long-running military programs, fictional portrayals, speculation, and misinformation have contributed to public misconceptions regarding the Navy&#8217;s Marine Mammal Program and its mission,&#8221; he explained.
The Navy&#8217;s program is focused on defensive maritime missions, the spokesman stressed, noting that the Navy doesn&#8217;t discuss specific operational capabilities or procedures or speculate about hypothetical missions.
&#8220;The Navy is aware of public reporting regarding marine mammal programs in other countries,&#8221; the spokesman added. &#8220;As a matter of longstanding policy, we will not discuss foreign military capabilities or intelligence assessments.”
Meanwhile, groups like Cardona Marine Group are creating their very own &#8220;kamikaze dolphins&#8221; in the form of the &#8220;Sea-Predator 7,&#8221; a combat drone that is designed to sink or disable large vessels and engineered for both surface and underwater deployment. The Sea Predator 7 is currently in development and Cardona Marine Group has been in talks with the United States Navy about their product.
The drone is inspired by a shark and has shark skin hydrodynamics with riblet-textured armor and a &#8220;custom Flume Drive propulsion system&#8221; that make it virtually undetectable, according to its maker, while its hull is built with ballistic composites. A spokesman for the company claimed that a swarm of them can take out a group of enemy ships by sneaking up to a submarine or aircraft carrier undetected.
“The Sea-Predator 7 can operate alone or as part of a swarm, submerging until the right moment to surface, deploy its armaments, and then vanish again from detection,” explains John Cardona, President of Cardona Marine Group. “Beyond strike capabilities, it is built to perform mission-critical tasks including anti-mine warfare, reconnaissance, special operations support, force multiplication, logistics, stealth operations, and underwater surveillance.&#8221;
Cardona Marine Group would very much like to see their drones in the hands of the United States Navy.
There are unmanned underwater vehicles being developed by the United States Navy itself, such as the &#8220;Ghostswimmer unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV).&#8221; The Navy was testing the Ghostswimmer as far back as 2014 as part of the Rapid Innovation Cell project, Silent NEMO. At about five feet long and 100 pounds, the Ghostswimmer was designed to mimic the shape and style of a large fish like a shark.
&#8220;It swims just like a fish does by oscillating its tail fin back and forth,&#8221; Michael Rufo, director of Boston Engineering&#8217;s Advanced Systems Group, <a href="https://www.doncio.navy.mil/CHIPS/ArticleDetails.aspx?ID=5839">explained in 2014</a>. &#8220;The unit is a combination of unmanned systems engineering and unique propulsion and control capabilities.&#8221;
While the Ghostswimmer isn&#8217;t known to be equipped with weapons, it can stealthily provide the military with intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. And other versions of the product, like the Ghost Shark XL-AUV developed by Anduril Industries for the Royal Australian Navy, are in fact armed and dangerous.
Then there&#8217;s the &#8220;Manta Ray Drone,&#8221; an autonomous underwater vehicle developed by Northrop Grumman for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The Manta Ray, shaped like the fish it is named for, glides silently under the water, borrowing a &#8220;trick from nature,&#8221; as <a href="https://defensefeeds.com/military-tech/navy/uuvs/manta-ray-drone/#:~:text=Drone%20slips%20in.-,Photo%3A%20Northrop%20Grumman,collecting%20data%20over%20extended%20periods.">Defense Feeds described last month</a>, gliding rather than fighting the water, &#8220;conserving energy in a way that seems almost unfair.&#8221; It can even power down on the floor of the ocean in order to stay hidden. 
The Manta Ray is <a href="https://www.darpa.mil/news/2024/manta-ray-uuv-prototype#:~:text=The%20Manta%20Ray%20prototype%20uncrewed,in%20February%20and%20March%202024.">currently being tested</a> in real-world naval environments. With its payload-capable design, it could carry a variety of mission-specific tools, including weapons.

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Are ‘Kamikaze Dolphins’ Real? The Daily Wire Investigates

Department of War

Pete Hegseth

Costco just changed how it sells bagels, and not everyone is happy about it. 
Previously, the big-box retailer offered its Kirkland Signature brand bagels in two six-packs for $5.99, with no option to split the packs and purchase only a half dozen if they didn’t need so many. This led to many complaints, as customers reported that the freshly made bagels went stale or moldy before they could be consumed, <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/05/07/lifestyle/costo-changes-bakery-rule-after-years-of-customer-complaints/">per</a> The New York Post.
Now Costco is rolling out a new option: eight bagels for $4.99. While it’s a welcome change for shoppers who prefer fewer bagels at once, customers with some basic math skills can’t help but notice that the price was reduced by $1, but the quantity of bagels was reduced by four. 
“No more bagels going bad before you can finish them,” the popular Instagram account @costcobuys said of the change. 
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“I never buy them for home because I don’t want 12 bagels, so I love the single pack option!” one commenter said.
“Yay!!! 8 pack!! For ppl who don’t own a hotel,” another agreed.
But not everyone was happy. Many commenters said they didn’t mind the 12-pack because even if it was too many, they could freeze the extras.
“Why would I want one bag with more for more money&#8230; That is the stupidest math ever,” one person observed.
“So they removed choice and quantity. Good job,” another complaint read.
Costco has been making several notable changes lately, including amending the legendary $1.50 hot dog deal. Shoppers can now opt for bottled water as part of the combo, rather than being limited to a fountain soda alongside the oversized hot dog. 
It’s the first major tweak to the $1.50 deal in more than 40 years, dating back to its debut in the 1980s, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/costco-adjusts-its-legendary-1-50-hot-dog-deal-for-the-first-time-in-decades">reported</a>.

Costco

Costco Finally Fixes A Major Bakery Complaint From Shoppers

McDonald’s has ticked off many customers as it continues making an unpopular change to its restaurants.
The fast-food behemoth announced in 2023 that it planned to gradually phase out self-serve beverage stations. That was not an idle threat, as many customers are now seeing this change implemented at their local McDonald’s.
&#8220;This change is intended to create a consistent experience for both customers and crew across all ordering points, whether that&#8217;s McDelivery, the app, kiosk, drive-thru or in-restaurant,&#8221; the company told USA Today in a statement in 2023.
McDonald’s confirmed that the plan was moving forward despite significant backlash.
&#8220;As confirmed in 2023, McDonald’s will be transitioning away from self-serve beverage stations in dining rooms across the U.S. by 2032,” the company <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/fox-news-food-drink/mcdonalds-quietly-ditching-popular-in-store-feature-nationwide">told</a> Fox Business this week, giving a nearly identical statement. “The change is being rolled out over 10 years, and is intended to create a consistent experience for both customers and crew across all ordering points, whether that’s McDelivery, the app, kiosk, drive-thru or in-restaurant.&#8221;
The change is being seen as a move away from in-store dining in favor of drive-thru, delivery, and digital orders. This <a href="https://www.today.com/food/restaurants/whatever-happened-to-mcdonalds-playplaces-rcna195698">lines up with</a> many restaurants being remodeled and removing play places for kids, plus generally changing the aesthetic to be more muted and modern. 
Beverages, one of the <a href="https://www.mashed.com/190582/the-real-reason-all-mcdonalds-soft-drinks-are-only-1/">biggest sources of profit</a> for the company, remain a focus for McDonald’s. Sodas have a profit margin of up to 90%, with the fast-food restaurant charging $1.50 to $4 for an item that costs 10 to 40 cents per cup, including product, packaging, and labor.
The company told Fox Business in a statement that it would introduce new items to the lineup, including “dirty sodas” that have been going viral online. 
&#8220;Our fans’ love for McDonald’s beverages runs deep … Next month, we’re building on that passion with a new era of beverages, featuring a variety of Refreshers and crafted sodas rolling out nationwide,&#8221; the statement said.

McDonald’s soda

McDonald’s Continues To Phase Out Popular Restaurant Feature Nationwide