It was, and I don't say this lightly, a jaw-dropping moment.I'm sitting here with the TV on and all of a sudden there's a live shot of Melania Trump, reading a speech at the White House.A speech about Jeffrey Epstein. A speech about how she's being smeared in connection with the late pedophile.None of the journalists knew what to say. The first lady, talking about Epstein. Reporters were told she would be making remarks, but not the subject matter. Only that it would be newsy.EPSTEIN'S LAWYER 'NOT AWARE' OF ANY RELATIONSHIP TRUMP HAD WITH LATE CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER, COMER SAYS"I never had a relationship with Epstein or his accomplice, [Ghislaine] Maxwell. My email reply to Maxwell cannot be categorized as anything more than casual correspondence. My polite reply to her email doesn't amount to anything more than a travel note. I am not Epstein's victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump. I met my husband by chance at a New York City party in 1998," the first lady said in her speech.There was pain in her voice. The three-minute speech, read in her accented English, was not easy for her.When the Epstein files were released, there was correspondence between Maxwell, who called her "Sweet pea," and Melania signed hers "Love." Hardly a big deal.I didn't know there were any rumors about Melania Trump and Epstein. It seemed clear that the first lady was trying to get out ahead of something but what?This had the feeling of the tip of an iceberg.They first crossed paths in 2000: "I had never met Epstein and had no knowledge of his criminal undertakings. Numerous fake images and statements about Epstein and me have been calculating [circulating]on social media for years now. Be cautious about what you believe. These images and stories are completely false."Epstein pleaded guilty to sexual abuse in 2008 and served an absurdly light sentence of 13 months in Florida. And Donald Trump knew of his relationship with underage girls, having called Palm Beach authorities about it back in 2006.KARL ROVE: TRUMP DROPPED BONDI, BUT THE REAL POLITICAL FIGHT IS JUST BEGINNINGStill, Melania said, "I have never had any knowledge of Epsteins abuse of his victims. I was never involved in any capacity. I was not a participant. Was never on Epstein's plane and never visited his private island. I have never been legally accused or convinced [convicted] of a crime in connection with Epstein. Sex trafficking, abuse of minors and other repulsive behavior. The false smears about me from mean-spirited and politically motivated individuals and entities looking to cause damage to my good name, to gain financially and climb politically, must stop."She added that she and her lawyers "have fought these unfounded and baseless lies with success."The New York Times reaction: "It was not clear why she chose to speak out now, or to what reports she was referring."NBCs Garrett Haake tweeted that the speech was "breathing new life into the Epstein saga."By the way, it was not a news conference, as the Washington Post and other outlets kept calling it. She took no questions.The first ladys senior adviser, Marc Beckman, said in a statement noted by NBC that she is speaking out now because "enough is enough" and "the lies must stop."CAROLE RADZIWILL ADDRESSES YEARS-LONG GHISLAINE MAXWELL FRIENDSHIP AFTER NAME APPEARS IN EPSTEIN FILESNeedless to say, this catapults the story right back into the media narrative and at a time when it finally seemed to be fading as the country's attention is riveted on the Iran war and the shaky ceasefire.Rep. Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said he agrees with the first lady and wants to "schedule a public hearing immediately."The Republican chairman, James Comer, who recently subpoenaed Hillary Clinton to testify about Epstein, canceled a scheduled deposition with Pam Bondi after she was fired as attorney general.When Bondi testified at a disastrous hearing, she spent her time attacking the Democrats and refused to turn around and look at the victims seated behind her.Todd Blanche, her likely successor and now acting attorney general, has said there is no need for DOJ to do anything further on Epstein. Blanche, who interviewed Epstein's convicted enabler, Ghislaine Maxwell, who was later transferred to a less restrictive prison, has also proclaimed his love for the president.But the last thing Donald Trump wants is a renewed media spotlight on Epstein's victims.So there is clearly some kind of distancing going on.What remains hazy is why Melania Trump decided to deliver this speech at the White House rather than, say, putting out a statement.Is there an accusation, true or false, that she is trying to preempt? There is much we still don't know.But like everyone else who was watching, or has since seen the clips, I view it as a stunning moment in an administration that serves them up with amazing regularity.

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By Chuck Bentley, CP Guest Contributor Friday, April 10, 2026Dear Chuck,Im what youd call a "soccer mom." We have three kids, and I feel like I run a taxi service for all their sports. Our health

A New York City man is facing murder charges after allegedly randomly setting a fire in a Queens apartment building that killed four people, including a 3-year-old girl, and injured seven others, authorities announced.Roman Amatitla, 38, of Maspeth, was arrested Wednesday and arraigned on multiple charges, including eight counts of second-degree murder and first-degree arson, for the March 16 blaze at a three-story building in Flushing.He faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted.Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz called the incident an "act of mass murder," noting Amatitla's chilling lack of motive.WAVE OF ALLEGED MIGRANT MURDERS IGNITES FURY ACROSS US AS OFFICIALS WARN OF MORE CARNAGE, CRACKDOWN NEEDED"Shockingly, the defendant had no known connection to the building or any of its occupants and selected the building at random," Katz wrote in a statement.According to prosecutors, Amatitla entered and exited the Avery Avenue building multiple times late that morning, at one point urinating in front of the apartments.He then went to a nearby gas station, where he bought a beer, stole a second one and took a pack of matches after refusing to pay for a lighter, authorities allege.FOUR-TIME DEPORTED HONDURAN ARRESTED AFTER SHOVING ELDERLY AIR FORCE VET ONTO NYC SUBWAY TRACKS, DHS REVEALSHe then entered the apartment building for a fourth and final time, authorities said, allegedly lighting a piece of paper on fire and tossing it onto trash near a stairwell.As smoke engulfed the street, he stayed in the immediate area to watch the building burn.During a court hearing Thursday, Queens Assistant District Attorney Gabriel Reale said Amatitla "watched as people jumped from various windows, some of them living, one of them dying" while sipping on a beer, according to a report from the New York Post.VETERAN, 83, SHOVED ONTO NYC SUBWAY TRACKS DIES FROM INJURIES, ILLEGAL MIGRANT CHARGED WITH MURDERThree of the people killed in the blaze, identified as Sihan Yang, 3, Chengri Cui, 49, and Chie Shin Ming, 61, were found in the building and pronounced dead from smoke inhalation.A fourth victim, Hong Zhao, 64, died at a hospital after suffering multiple broken bones and brain trauma when he leaped from a window to escape the flames.Among those injured were a New York City Fire Department (FDNY) lieutenant and a firefighter who plunged into the basement when a staircase collapsed during rescue operations, resulting in thermal burns and smoke inhalation.Four other occupants were injured jumping from the building to flee the fire, while a fifth was rescued from a second-story window by firefighters.Prosecutors said Amatitla "had to get his rage out on someone or something," though no official motive has been released.New York City Police Department records note he is from Mexico, though his immigration status has not been confirmed.The Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not immediately respond to inquiries from Fox News Digital.Amatitla was ordered to remain in custody by Criminal Court Judge Thomas Wright-Fernandez and is scheduled to return to court April 13.

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Philadelphia residents have been sharing sidewalks with robot delivery drivers for about a month, and they're not thrilled with the change. Uber Eats held a demo March 10 showing off Avride autonomous delivery robots, which officially launched in the city of brotherly love that same week.The robots were described as "the future of delivery," but the humans around them quickly began resenting the automated couriers. In late March, an Uber Eats delivery robot in Philadelphia's Center City neighborhood was kicked multiple times.The second time the autonomous delivery bot was kicked it toppled over, according to WPVI-TV, which noted that the people who attacked the robot put it on its wheels.The kicking incident occurred just after another viral incident in which someone sat on one of the robots.THE ROBOTAXI PRICE WAR HAS STARTED. HERES EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW."When delivery robots are introduced in a new area, its quite common to see heightened curiosity from people around them. Some may try to test how the robot reacts for example, by stepping in front of it or attempting to interact with it directly," Avride, the company that makes the robots, said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital."This is a known and expected phase as people get used to the technology. These few cases of vandalism in Philadelphia did not affect our service area expansion plans."The robots are designed to respond conservatively. In most cases, they will simply stop and wait if someone approaches or interferes, resuming their route only once the interaction has ended. In practice, these moments are usually brief people tend to satisfy their curiosity within a minute or so and then move on. At the same time, we do not condone intentional damage or unsafe behavior toward the robots."Lindsay Ouellette, a third year PhD student in social psychology who is part of Temple University's Robot Social Navigation Amongst Pedestrians (roboSNAP) team, told BillyPenn the frustration with the robots is not new, just aimed at a new target. She said that just as pedestrians can be frustrated with fellow humans who walk slowly or are looking at their phones, they can also take issue with the delivery robots.The delivery robots have been deployed to dozens of cities across the U.S., including Austin, Dallas and Jersey City. The robots keep the orders secure by requiring customers to unlock the cargo hatch through the Uber Eats app. Additionally, Avride is immediately notified if someone tampers with or tries to steal the device."The cargo compartment of each delivery robot is securely locked and can only be opened by the intended recipient through a mobile app. If anyone attempts unauthorized access or tries to steal the robot, it triggers an alert to our remote operator. The operator will immediately connect to the robots sensory feed to evaluate the situation and take appropriate action to secure it," Avride said on its website.WAYMO AUTONOMOUS CAR BLOCKS AMBULANCE CREW RESPONDING TO DEADLY AUSTIN MASS SHOOTINGWhile the robots are able to navigate without human intervention, Avride has a remote support team that is able to control the robots in the case of "an extraordinary situation arises."The robotic delivery service is available from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. in the Philadelphia neighborhoods of Center City, Chinatown and Old City. The robots use LIDAR sensors and cameras to navigate and are able to travel about 5 miles per hour.Avride says its robots are able to operate in a variety of weather conditions, including rain and snow. Additionally, the company said its bots can interpret and recognize traffic light signals, giving them the ability to safely navigate busy city streets.While customers have shown skepticism, business owners see robot delivery as an opportunity."I think more ability to deliver food is better for us," Jeff Newman, owner of Hi-Lo Taco Company told WTXF-TV."And certainly, right now, it started raining, and we see that we have a higher demand for takeout and delivery, but we also have fewer drivers."Uber forwarded Fox News Digital's request for comment to Avride.

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Barcelona have taken the extraordinary step of filing a formal complaint to UEFA following their controversial 2-0 Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid. The Catalan giants are furious over what they describe as "incomprehensible refereeing" in a match defined by a bizarre handball incident that went unpunished. Barca demand answers from UEFA Barca have confirmed the complaint to UEFA in an official statement, which reads: "Barcelona announces that, today, the Club's legal department has filed a formal complaint with UEFA regarding the events that occurred in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal against Atletico de Madrid. The Club believes that the referee's performance was contrary to the regulations in force, directly impacting the course of the match and its outcome. "The complaint focuses on a specific incident. In the 54th minute of the match, after play had properly restarted, an opposing player handled the ball inside the penalty area, yet no penalty was awarded. FC Barcelona believes this decision, along with the serious failure of VAR to intervene, constitutes a significant error. Consequently, the club has requested an investigation, access to the referee's communications, and, if necessary, official acknowledgment of the errors and the implementation of appropriate measures. "In this same vein, FC Barcelona believes that this is not the first time that, in recent editions of the UEFA Champions League, incomprehensible refereeing decisions have seriously harmed the team, creating a clear comparative disadvantage and preventing them from competing on equal terms with other clubs." The bizarre handball controversy At the heart of Barca's fury is an incident in the 54th minute involving Atletico substitute Marc Pubill. After goalkeeper Juan Musso played a short goal-kick, the ball was technically in play when Pubill deliberately stopped it with his hand and rolled it back to his keeper, seemingly believing it had not yet been live. Despite the clear infringement, referee Istvan Kovacs allowed the kick to be retaken without further action. Hansi Flick was left fuming on the touchline as both the on-field official and the VAR room failed to award a penalty. Barcelona argued that this was a fundamental error in the application of the laws of the game, especially as the action occurred well after play had correctly resumed. Flick slams VAR failure Speaking after the match, Flick did not hold back in his assessment of the officiating. "I don't know why VAR didn't intervene... it's unbelievable. We all make mistakes but with this type of situation... Why do we have VAR? It should be a penalty and a second yellow for the player," Flick stated. Uphill battle after red card drama The handball incident was not the only flashpoint of the evening, as Barcelona played the majority of the match with ten men. The dismissal of Pau Cubarsi just before half-time shifted the momentum firmly in favour of Diego Simeones side. While Flick remained sceptical about the red card, he maintained that the missed penalty for handball was the more egregious error. With a 2-0 deficit to overturn in the Champions League quarterfinal tie following goals from Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth, history is against Barca. However, the club remains defiant both on and off the pitch as they prepare for a hostile second leg in Madrid, hoping that their formal protest will at least ensure a more scrutinized officiating performance in the return fixture.

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"I think he owes an apology to the people of Harris County to say that, 'Look, I am not going to act like this anymore in the future.'"

A federal judge in Washington ordered the Pentagon on Thursday to restore full press access for credentialed journalists, ruling that the Department of Defense failed to comply with an earlier court decision.

The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a self-described "progressive" candidates bid to enter Ohios Republican primary, leaving in place a decision by state election officials to disqualify him for misrepresenting his party affiliation.Samuel Ronan, a former Democratic state and national candidate, attempted to run as a Republican in Ohios 15th Congressional District against GOP incumbent Rep. Mike Carey. To do so, he signed a declaration of candidacy under penalty of election falsification swearing he was a member of the Republican Party.However, court documents filed in U.S. District Court note Ronan was caught publicly admitting that his candidacy was part of a calculated strategy to run Democrats as Republicans in "deep red districts" to "get a foot in the door."A Republican voter, Mark Schare, filed a protest with the Franklin County Board of Elections, presenting social media posts and interviews as evidence of Ronan's scheme to "trick" GOP voters.'GOP' HOUSE CANDIDATE ADMITS SHE'S ACTUALLY A PROGRESSIVE IN VIRAL VIDEO: 'TELLING PEOPLE THE TRUTH'Ronan claimed in his application he did not lie about his affiliation, citing similar party deviations by politicians, including former President Ronald Reagan, President Donald Trump and "hundreds of others," according to a report from Courthouse News Service.After the election board tied along party lines, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose stepped in to toss Ronan off the ballot.LaRose said the case was a matter of "the integrity of the electoral process," slamming Ronan's alleged mission to infiltrate the party, according to court filings.FLASHBACK: DEM SENATE CANDIDATE WAS CRITICAL VOTE IN CONFIRMING JUDGE WHO TIED VOTER ID TO 'WHITE SUPREMACY'In response, Ronan filed a federal lawsuit claiming his First Amendment rights were violated because the state used his core political speech against him to remove him from the ballot.Chief U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison swiftly rejected Ronan's arguments, ruling the First Amendment does not protect a candidate who submits a fraudulent declaration of candidacy."It cannot be the case that a State must allow a candidate on a partisan ballot even if he lied about his party affiliation simply because the First Amendment is implicated," Morrison wrote in her opinion.GOP TEXAS CANDIDATE IN THE HOT SEAT AFTER RIVAL EXPOSES FAMILY'S DEM DONATIONS: 'DOESN'T MAKE SENSE'She noted that while Ohio allows candidates to legally change their political affiliation, election officials are not required to ignore a candidate's public statements that directly contradict their sworn oath.The court emphasized the state has a "substantial interest" in barring candidates from fraudulently attesting they belong to a political party when they do not.Morrison also dismissed Ronan's claims that a Republican elections board member was unconstitutionally biased against him, finding that political association does not prove a risk of bias.After the legal loss, Ronan asked the Supreme Court Monday to intervene prior to early voting.Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a Trump appointee, referred the application to the full court, which denied Ronans request without explanation, according to Courthouse News Service.

A mysterious video generation model that swept to the top of global benchmarks was developed by a team under Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., sending ripples across Chinas AI industry.