NFL to Add Heightened Security for Paris Game Due to Civil Unrest

Firas Abdullah/Anadolu via Getty Images

Dylan Gwinn 20 Oct 2026157

Paris has descended into flames and anarchy as thousands have taken to the streets for what amounted to nearly a week of rioting.

But that doesn’t mean the NFL will cancel its game there.

NFL executive Peter O’Reilly said Tuesday that the league will increase security for Sunday’s game between the Steelers and the Saints and will work with the U.S. State Department and Parisian and national authorities to ensure fan and player safety.

“There’s nothing more important from our standpoint than the teams’ security, the fans’ security — everybody involved with this game,” O’Reilly said at the fall league meetings, via the Associated Press. “Obviously being very vigilant in everything we do, in all of our planning on an hour-by-hour basis, working closely with the two teams.”

As for heightened security for the NFL game at the Stade de France drawing critical security resources away from other areas, O’Reilly doesn’t see it as an issue.

“We feel confident that we would not have any impact on the broader resources needed,” O’Reilly said. “That’s always top of mind for us, and we feel confident that we wouldn’t be depleting resources in a negative way around this game.”

O’Reilly added that other sporting events in and around Paris have continued as scheduled despite the unrest, and the NFL never considered canceling the game.

“The Saints flew to Paris after their victory over the Giants on Sunday. The Steelers will travel later this week,” Pro Football Talk reports.

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Musk pledges to give a share of his SpaceX company to 'every kid in America'

Musk pledges to give a share of his SpaceX company to 'every kid in America'

Billionaire Elon Musk on Monday pledged to give one share of his company SpaceX to “every kid in America” next year

October 19, 2026 at 8:58 a.m. EDT

Yesterday at 8:58 a.m. EDT



FILE - Elon Musk listens as President Donald Trump speaks during an event at the U.S. Institute of Peace, Oct. 8, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)

By Michelle Chapman | AP


Elon Musk on Monday pledged to give one share of his company SpaceX to “every kid in America” next year.

The offer arrived a day after artificial intelligence company Anthropic announced in a social media post that it will commit 5% of its shares to a new “public benefit” fund.

In a response to that Sunday post, Musk wrote, “I recommend giving the shares directly to the public.”

Shares of SpaceX, which will report its quarterly earnings on Tuesday, closed at $146.03 on Friday.

With approximately 73 million children under the age of 18 in the United States, that would put the value of Musk’s pledge at about $10.66 billion.

Anthropic said Sunday that the shares it is committing will go to the Anthropic Public Benefit Fund, a new entity within the company. The fund’s worth will potentially increase as the shares grow in value.

Musk did not provide further details on how his share pledge will be carried out, but did add in his post that “This will be the first of many.”

Heavy Drinking Rises Sharply For Older Americans As Younger Generations Cut Back

By  iHeartRadio
Sep 30, 2026

Photo: SeventyFour / iStock / Getty Images


Heavy drinking among Americans ages 50 to 64 has jumped more than 36% since 2018, even as overall alcohol use in the United States has declined for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. A new study led by Dr. Brian P. Lee at Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California found that while younger generations are cutting back, middle-aged adults are moving in the opposite direction.

Researchers analyzed data from the National Health Interview Survey conducted from 2018 through 2024. The results, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine (September 2026), showed that heavy drinking rose by over one-third in adults 50 to 64, while alcohol use in this group increased by nearly 4%.

In contrast, Americans in other age groups have reduced their drinking habits. Gallup’s August 2026 poll found that only 54% of U.S. adults now drink alcohol, tying last year’s record low. Generation Z and millennials saw the largest drops, with Gen Z drinking down almost 6% and millennial heavy drinking falling by 17%.

The study defined heavy drinking as 15 or more drinks per week or five or more in a day for men, and eight or more a week or four or more in a day for women, matching standards from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The researchers have not pinpointed exactly why heavy drinking is up among older adults, but they note that this group faces increased health risks, including higher rates of cirrhosis and alcohol-related cancers. As noted by Dr. Lee, “The encouraging national decline should not overshadow the fact that some groups continue to be at increased risk.”

Experts say several factors may contribute to these risks. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that older adults have less body water and muscle, which means the same number of drinks leads to a higher blood alcohol level than in younger years. They are also more likely to take medications that can dangerously interact with alcohol and to have chronic health issues that alcohol can worsen.

The overall decline in drinking is seen as positive, but the rise among those aged 50 to 64 signals a need for targeted prevention and treatment efforts. Most people with alcohol use disorder do not receive treatment—in 2024, only 7.5% sought help, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Outpatient care, which can be scheduled around work and family, is now considered a practical option for many.

Looking ahead, health experts urge ongoing awareness and support for older adults at higher risk of alcohol-related harm. The study’s authors recommend that individuals discuss alcohol use with their healthcare providers, especially if they are taking other medications or managing chronic conditions.

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Protecting American Citizenship: Confronting Birth Tourism [Sep 1, '26]

 

Ancestry Discovers Pope Leo XIV’s Sicilian Roots

Ancestry Discovers Pope Leo XIV’s Sicilian Roots

Kelly Barbano-Bodami - Research Manager, Ancestry ProGenealogists | Kyle J. Betit - Sr. Genealogist, Ancestry ProGenealogists | Lisa Elzey - Sr. Story Producer, Ancestry

15 May 2025

Key Takeaways

• Pope Leo XIV’s paternal line traces to Milazzo, Sicily, where his grandfather was born Salvatore Giovanni Gaetano Riggitano.
• An Alien Registration record revealed his grandfather’s original name, birthplace, and that he never naturalized as a U.S. citizen.
• His Sicilian ancestors were lower-middle to middle-class, holding respected community positions like `Usciere comunale` and `trafficante` (merchant).

As the white smoke cleared and a new Pontiff emerged, questions about his family history echoed across the globe. Where did his ancestors walk? What stories shaped his lineage? Now, through meticulous research, Ancestry has uncovered compelling documents that trace the paternal line of Robert Prevost, now known to the world as Pope Leo XIV.

 
Finding the True Origins of the Pope’s Grandfather, John R. Prevost

With the announcement of the first-ever United States-born Pope, professional genealogists at Ancestry began the search that included a path of twists and turns, unexpected name changes, and, ultimately, the answers. We started with the 1950 United States Census, the most recent census record collection available and identified John R. Prevost, the grandfather of Pope Leo XIV, listed as a “Romance Language Teacher” in Chicago, Illinois, living at 5465 Ellis Ave., (remember this clue) with his wife, Suzanne L. Prevost, and his son, John C. Prevost.

1950 United States Federal Census - John R. Prevost

We were unable to locate many records in the United States before 1950 for John Prevost, outside of some city directories. A prominent clue was that John Prevost’s death certificate stated that he was a citizen of Italy – indicating that he never naturalized as a United States citizen. Through the National Archives Flexoline Database, we located an Alien Registration record, under the name John R. Prevost, born 1876 in Italy, residing in Chicago in 1940. Alien Registration began in 1940 for anyone who was a foreign national and had not naturalized as a United States citizen.

According to the Alien Registration, dated 24 September 1940, John Riggitano Prevost arrived in the United States at New York in May 1905 on the SS Perugia. Surprisingly, John gave his name on his alien registration at arrival as Salvatore Giovanni Riggitano Alioto (Giovanni is the Italian equivalent of the English name John). His birthplace was listed as Milazzo, Province of Messina, Italy, and he was born on 24 June 1876 – an exact match to the date of birth listed on John R. Prevost’s death certificate.

Alien Registration Form (AR-2) for John Riggitano Prevost; National Archives

The address on the Alien Registration—5465 Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois—also matches the address on the 1950 census (did you remember this clue?) and the address on the World War II Draft Card for Pope Leo XIV’s father, Louis Marius Prevost.

United States World War II Draft Registration Card - Louis M. Prevost

As nation turns 250, many Americans say the Stars and Stripes is now a red flag

The American flag: To some, it’s Old Glory. To others, it’s a MAGA hat on a stick.

June 29, 2026, 6:01 AM EDT
By Corky Siemaszko


To fly or not to fly an American flag? That was never a question for Bruce Watson, who has put his national pride on display for years — and nudges neighbors in his small New England town to do the same.

“I’m very proud of our flag,” the writer said. “It’s the symbol of ‘We, the People.’”

But as the polarized nation marks its 250th birthday, Watson, 72, worries his Stars and Stripes may now need an asterisk. “If we do fly the flag, we will also put out signs to make it clear that we are not MAGA,” he said.

Bruce Watson, at his home with his dog, Mavis, in Montague, Mass., says he plans to put a disclaimer next to his flag. Hannah Beier for NBC News

The American flag is a symbol striped with many meanings, whether it’s hung on front porches, waved in parades, protests and World Cup matches, or stamped on lapel pins and boxing trunks. Like so much else in American life, it has also been tangled up in politics and the policies of President Donald Trump.

NBC News asked readers to share their feelings and practices around the flag in a moment, polls suggest, when patriotism, national pride and optimism for the country’s future are all fraying. Like Watson, some say the flag can be taken as an endorsement of the current administration. For others, it isn’t tied to any one party but is a way of life.

The Real Story Behind the Election of an American Pope

 

There are Plenty of Religious Underpinnings to Our Founding

(Terrance Emerson/Dreamstime.com)

By Jerry Newcombe

Friday, 27 March 2026 04:56 PM EDT


Sometimes we are led to believe today that the Founding Fathers of America were men of the Enlightenment, meaning that, for the most part, they were not believers in Jesus.

But that’s not true that they were mostly skeptics.

There were a few, but they were the exception — not the rule.

And besides, Enlightenment thinkers, like Montesquieu, Sir William Blackstone, and John Locke — whose writings were important to America's Founders — were professing Christians, who often based their arguments on the Bible.

250 years ago from this month, the Continental Congress — the same men that would adopt the Declaration of Independence by voice vote on July 4 — proclaimed a Day of Prayer for the fledgling nation-to-be.

This was no namby-pamby, "To Whom It May Concern," - type prayer — that we’re so often used to today. This was a bold Christian document by professing Christians, representing a population back home that was 99.8% professing Christians.

In that proclamation of a Day of Fasting, Prayer, and Humiliation, March 16, 1776, the founders declared, "In times of impending calamity and distress; when the liberties of America are imminently endangered by the secret machinations and open assaults of an insidious and vindictive administration, it becomes the indispensable duty of these hitherto free and happy colonies, with true penitence of heart, and the most reverent devotion, publicly to acknowledge the over ruling providence of God."

Based on this opening paragraph and other writings of the times, they said: We used to be happy and enjoy life here in these British colonies in North America.

We enjoyed our rights as Englishmen. Rights that dated back to the Magna Charta in 1215, which were affirmed in the British Bill of Rights of 1689.

Georgetown Law Students Face National Security Crises in Simulation Exercise

‘The Sim’ Returns: Georgetown Law Students Face National Security Crises in Simulation Exercise

During the simulation, students navigated fast-moving national security crises and honed their legal reasoning and leadership skills.


For the students who took part in this year’s National Security Crisis Law: Edge Technologies Simulation (“Sim”), time was of the essence. A foreign actor had attacked a U.S. satellite fleet — with potentially dire consequences. Gathered for a National Security Council meeting, the group had to weigh options such as diplomatic protest, trade sanctions and cyberattacks in deciding how to respond.

Eighteen Georgetown Law students took part in this year’s Sim, the most in-depth offering of its kind among law schools and the capstone experience for those studying national security law at Georgetown.

Part of a semester-long course taught by Center on National Security (CNS) Director and Professor Laura K. Donohue, the Sim last took place in 2020. After campus closures during the COVID-19 pandemic forced a pause, Donohue took the opportunity to revamp her playbook and incorporate many of the tech advances — including satellite weaponry, virtual reality, blockchain and artificial intelligence — that preoccupy today’s national security experts.

In their assigned roles as agency heads and other federal and intelligence officials, students worked long hours over March 13 and 14 and honed their legal judgment, decision-making and communication skills under conditions that replicated real-world structures and limitations — an experience not otherwise found in a law classroom or textbook.

FBI shuts down 3 India-based call centers posing as Social Security, tied to $50M stolen from Americans.

NBC 4 Washington


Here’s how they worked

Rebecca Payne

Mar 2, 2026

A collaborative effort by the FBI, local police and Indian authorities has shut down a huge scam call center operation in India that saw Americans lose nearly $50 million.

The FBI Baltimore Field Office, Montgomery County Police Department and Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office announced that a coordinated investigation traced scams reported by Montgomery County, Maryland, residents to “extensive international scam call center operations in India that had been targeting Americans since 2022,” according to a news release (1).

The FBI says that about 660 people in the U.S. reported falling victim to government impersonation and tech support scams since 2022 that were connected to the call centers, with losses totaling a staggering $48,778,230. In Maryland alone, nearly two dozen victims reported losing a total of $6,257,869.

Behind those staggering figures are real people who believed they were protecting their savings — until it was too late. Their stories reveal what you can do to protect yourself.

What US adults think about Pope Leo XIV, according to a new AP-NORC poll

Pope Leo XIV waves as he arrives for his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican, Wednesday, June 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Luis Andres Henao

AMELIA THOMSON-DEVEAUX

The Associated Press

Washington, D.C. — June 17, 2025


Just over a month after Pope Leo XIV became the first U.S.-born pontiff in the history of the Catholic Church, a new poll shows that American Catholics are feeling excited about their new religious leader.

About two-thirds of American Catholics have a "very" or "somewhat" favorable view of Pope Leo, according to the new survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, while about 3 in 10 don't know enough to have an opinion. Very few Catholics — less than 1 in 10 — view him unfavorably.

Among Americans overall, plenty of people are still making up their minds about Pope Leo. But among those who do have an opinion, feelings about the first U.S.-born pope are overwhelmingly positive. The survey found that 44% of U.S. adults have a "somewhat" or "very" favorable view of Pope Leo XIV. A similar percentage say they don't know enough to have an opinion, and only about 1 in 10 see him unfavorably.

As he promises to work for unity in a polarized church, Americans with very different views about the future of the church are feeling optimistic about his pontificate. Terry Barber, a 50-year-old Catholic from Sacramento, California, hopes Leo will seek a "more progressive and modern church" that is more accepting of all.

"I'm optimistic. Certainly, the first pope from the United States is significant," said Barber, who identifies as a Democrat. "Since he worked under the previous pope, I'm sure he has similar ideas, but certainly some that are original, of his own. I'm looking forward to seeing what, if any changes, come about under his leadership."

American Catholics launch crowdfunding effort to gift Pope Leo XIV papal tiara

A nonprofit hopes to generate enough small donations to construct a papal tiara for Pope Leo XIV as a gift from American Catholics.
Save this story



Amici Vaticani’s design for a papal tiara to gift to Pope Leo XIV. The newly established nonprofit launched a crowdfunding effort to construct a papal tiara that will contain Catholic and American symbolism, with the plan to offer it to the pope as a gift from American Catholics. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Maltese jeweler Gabriel Farrugia

By Tyler Arnold

March 2, 2026 at 6:00 AM ET

A newly established nonprofit launched a crowdfunding effort to construct a papal tiara that will contain Catholic and American symbolism, with the plan to offer it to Pope Leo XIV as a gift from American Catholics for the first pontiff from the United States.

“Historically, the majority of papal tiaras are gifts, usually from the home diocese of the pope or from religious [communities] they may be affiliated with,” Isaac Smith, a convert to Catholicism and the founder of Amici Vaticani, told EWTN News.

Smith said he was motivated to launch the project to provide Leo with a papal tiara based on the desire for “us, as Americans, to continue that tradition.” He said the first American pope is “such a historical milestone” for Catholicism in the United States.

The history of papal crowns dates back to at least the eighth century with the word “tiara” first used in the 12th century. A second crown was added to the tiara in the 13th century to symbolize that the pope holds authority in both spiritual and temporal matters.

4 killed aboard U.S. speedboat that entered Cuban waters and opened fire, Cuba says

Christianity in the age of Trump | Jesuitical Podcast

Christianity in the age of Trump | Jesuitical Podcast

America - The Jesuit Review

Jan 31, 2026 Jesuitical

This week on “Jesuitical,” Ashley and Sam Sawyer, S.J., president and editor in chief of America, have a conversation with David French, political commentator and opinion columnist at The New York Times, about the complex relationship between Christianity and politics during the Trump administration.

Americans Want More Faith In The Public Square, Back Parental Rights

The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty released its annual survey on Americans' attitudes toward faith.

By Leif Le Mahieu•
Jan 16, 2026 DailyWire.com•

Credit: Teresa Kopec via Getty Images.


Most Americans want more faith in the public square and want to have more say over what their children learn in the classroom, according to a new survey of attitudes toward religious liberty released Friday.

The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty released its annual Religious Freedom Index, documenting a rise in support for Americans to practice their faith in public and private. The index surveyed over 1,000 Americans and asked them for their opinions on a range of topics from curriculum opt-outs to sharing faith in public.

“This year’s Index shows that Americans – and especially younger generations – increasingly share a vigorous vision of religious liberty, one that is not confined to churches and private homes but expressed openly in the public square,” Becket wrote in its report, which was first obtained by The Daily Wire.

Becket found that 73% of Americans believe that parents should be able to opt their kids out of public school curriculum. That is a ten point increase since 2021 and comes after the Supreme Court ruled last year that a group of Maryland parents should be allowed to take their kids out of classroom instruction involving LGBT and sexuality-focused materials. That case was brought by Becket on behalf of a coalition of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim parents.

The survey found that 62% of Americans supported that decision.

“When it comes to raising children, mom and dad know best. That common-sense idea commands overwhelming support, with nearly three-quarters of Americans agreeing that parents should have the final say on what their children are taught in public school. It’s a powerful reminder that in our nation, families—not government officials—are the primary educators of the next generation,” Eric Baxter, the vice president and senior counsel at Becket, told The Daily Wire.

More Americans also believe that Americans should be free to share their faith in public, including at work and school.

“[Fifty-seven percent] of Americans agree that religious freedom is inherently public, and that Americans should be free to share their faith in public spaces, such as at school, work, or on social media — a five-point rise since 2020,” the index found.

Notably, new guidance issued by the Trump administration last year made it clear that federal workers are allowed to invite their co-workers to church and share their religious beliefs with them.

The survey also found that a plurality of Americans (47%) believe that Christian counselors should be allowed to guide children away from gender-confusion, 58% say that bakers and cake artists should not be forced to create a product that violates their conscience, and 65% approved of a recent Supreme Court decision that sided with a Catholic charity that sued Wisconsin after it made it pay certain taxes that other religious organizations were exempt from.

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Trump pledges retaliation after 3 Americans are killed in Syria attack t...

'A nice geek from the Midwest': Leo's brand emerges during first foreign trip as pope

Pope Leo XIV

'A nice geek from the Midwest': Leo's brand emerges during first foreign trip as pope

The new American pontiff has been far more reserved than his outspoken predecessor. But many of their underlying progressive messages are the same.

Dec. 3, 2025, 9:00 AM EST
By Alexander Smith

After a quiet start, the first American pope appears to be finding his voice.

During his debut foreign trip, to Turkey and Lebanon, Pope Leo XIV projected a papal brand more guarded and less polarizing than that of his predecessor, Pope Francis.

But many Vatican watchers have nonetheless been impressed with his ability to deliver powerful messages — particularly on issues such as climate change, artificial intelligence, poverty and immigration — albeit in a subtler way than the man he replaced.

“Pope Leo is certainly growing into the role,” said Massimo Faggioli, a world-leading Vatican expert and professor at Trinity College Dublin. “He has resisted the temptation to give a sound bite that’s easy to use as a headline,” but “when he speaks, he says things that are quite courageous.”

For all the warm reviews, some Vatican watchers have sounded a note of caution: Leo has yet to stake out concrete positions, let alone sharp critiques, on any major issue. Doing so will almost certainly mean disappointing at least one faction in this church of 1.4 billion that he has so deftly kept onside.

End of American Empire? Chris Pinto

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Major US cities on high alert following airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities

Former NYPD Inspector explains enhanced security measures including special patrol cars at vulnerable locations

 

By Peter D'Abrosca , Alexandra Koch Fox News

Published June 21, 2025 11:07pm EDT

'Special Report' executive editor Bret Baier analyzes the impact of the U.S. strike on Iran's nuclear sites on 'Hannity.'

Authorities in New York and Washington are on high alert after U.S. airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites on Saturday night.

"We’re tracking the situation unfolding in Iran," NYPD said in a post on X. "Out of an abundance of caution, we're deploying additional resources to religious, cultural, and diplomatic sites across NYC and coordinating with our federal partners. We’ll continue to monitor for any potential impact to NYC."

Shortly thereafter, the Metropolitan Police Department released a similar statement on the social media platform.

President Donald J. Trump in The Situation Room, June 21, 2025 (The White House via X)

U.S. National Hijacks Tropic Air flight; Hijacker Dead