Air Force reveals B-2's hidden ship killer capability as China threat grows

The Air Force revealed Monday that its flagship B-2 Spirit stealth bomber can now strike enemy warships with the long range anti-ship missile (LRASM), publicly unveiling the capability after a live-fire exercise in the Western Pacific.

The stealth bomber launched a long-range anti-ship missile during Exercise Valiant Shield 26, a U.S.-led multinational exercise involving American and allied forces across the Western Pacific, in a sinking exercise north of the Mariana Islands.

The announcement comes as the Pentagon increasingly focuses on preparing for a potential conflict in the Indo-Pacific, where China's rapidly expanding navy would present one of the U.S. military's biggest challenges. Publicly demonstrating the B-2's new maritime strike capability also serves as a signal that the stealth bomber could play a key role in holding high-value naval targets at risk.

"The B-2's impressive performance underscores the U.S. military’s commitment to adaptability and flexibility in the face of emerging security challenges," Gen. Kevin B. Schneider, commander of Pacific Air Forces, said in a statement.

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"By prioritizing counter-maritime strike operations, we can maintain a decisive edge over adversaries, protect our national interests and ensure the free and open Pacific that underpin our global security."

Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) could not immediately be reached by Fox News Digital for details, but confirmed to The War Zone that the B-2 fired the anti-ship missile at a decommissioned amphibious warfare ship known as the USS Juneau during the exercise.

U.S. and partner-nation forces battered the decommissioned warship, which entered service in 1969, with coordinated air, surface and subsurface strikes June 27 and June 28, sending it to the bottom of the Philippine Sea more than 200 nautical miles off the coast of Guam, according to a Navy release. A Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force submarine delivered the final blow with a torpedo.

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China continues to expand the world's largest navy and fields an array of long-range anti-ship missiles aimed at keeping U.S. forces at bay in the Western Pacific. The People's Liberation Army Navy will grow from more than 370 battle force ships to roughly 435 by 2030, according to Pentagon projections. U.S. Navy currently operates about 291 battle force ships.

But Beijing has yet to field its long-awaited H-20 stealth bomber, leaving the U.S. with an operational capability China has not yet publicly demonstrated: pairing a stealth bomber with a long-range anti-ship cruise missile capable of striking high-value naval targets in heavily defended airspace.

While long range anti-ship missile already is carried by the Air Force's B-1B Lancer and the Navy's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, integrating the missile onto the B-2 gives the Air Force a stealth platform capable of carrying the weapon.

The B-2 Spirit is the Air Force's only operational stealth bomber, designed to penetrate sophisticated enemy air defenses while carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons. Most recently, B-2s flew from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri to strike Iranian nuclear facilities during Operation Midnight Hammer, dropping 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs in the weapon's first combat use.

The demonstration could also foreshadow future missions for the B-21 Raider, the Air Force's next-generation stealth bomber, which eventually will replace the B-2. While the Air Force has not disclosed which anti-ship weapons the B-21 will carry, officials say it is being designed to employ a broad mix of stand-off and direct-attack conventional munitions. 

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The B-21 is expected to begin entering operational service in 2027.

source https://www.foxnews.com/politics/air-force-reveals-b-2s-hidden-ship-killer-capability-china-threat-grows

Texas Rangers get the nod over Cleveland Guardians in tonight's MLB betting pick despite road struggles

I finally got off the slide last night and now have won three of the past four MLB games that I've played. I did catch a little bit of luck yesterday as the Diamondbacks scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. In fairness, they were winning until the top of the fifth. It was nice to be on the right side of it either way. Tonight, we head to the American League and look for a win.

If you're familiar with Greek mythology at all, you've probably heard about Sisyphus. For those who don't know, he was a guy who was condemned by the Greek gods to push a huge boulder up the hill, only for it to roll back down every time it got to the top. That's how I feel about the Texas Rangers. Every time they get close to looking like a winning team, they have a setback and go back under .500. They are over for the moment at 42-41, and perhaps, this is the time they get the boulder over and keep moving forward. However, I think they are what they are - an average team that needs to find a way to get on a roll.

Starting pitching really hasn't been the problem for the Rangers. It has been more about a lack of consistent offense. Today, they send out Jacob deGrom to do his work. We know that deGrom's arm was blessed by the gods early in his career, but even now, he is still turning in solid outings. He is 6-5 for the season with a 3.55 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. He has struggled on the road this year with a 4.60 road ERA. What is crazy is that he has three games where he allowed six earned runs. He faced Cleveland earlier this month and allowed no runs in six innings of work.

I'm not sure I have a mythological comparison for the Cleveland Guardians. All I can say about this team is that every year, they seem to be one of the better teams in baseball and find a way to win despite not having top-tier talent. Perhaps that is a lesson in roster construction for the rest of the league. The Guardians are three games over .500, and they are one game back of the White Sox, so you can once again count on them having a say on who wins the division.

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What the Guardians have always done a very good job of is finding reliable starting pitching. Tonight, they have Tanner Bibee taking the hill. Bibee is 2-8 for the season with a 3.78 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. He is doing slightly better at home than on the road. However, he has allowed more homers at home than on the road. And, he has allowed identical earned runs on the road as at home this season; he just has one more start at home and roughly five more innings. Bibee also faced the Rangers earlier this month and turned in his best start of the year. He went eight scoreless innings and allowed three hits.

Bibee has good numbers against Rangers hitters in his career, with just 11 hits allowed in 56 at-bats. Jake Burger might be worth a look at for total bases or a homer, as he is 2-for-5 with two homers against him. I'm not sure I'll get involved in the player prop market for this game, though.

The play here is to take the Rangers. Call it a bit of a hunch, but if I'm backing either of these pitchers to replicate the performance from earlier in the month, I'm taking deGrom. He has struggled a bit on the road, but part of that is from the really bad games. Otherwise, he is pitching fairly well. Give me the Rangers on the moneyline tonight.

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For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024 

source https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/texas-rangers-get-nod-cleveland-guardians-tonights-mlb-betting-pick-despite-road-struggles

Wisconsin Badgers just added the perfect jersey sponsorship if there is such a thing

One of the most controversial things to happen in sports over the last five to seven years or so is the introduction of jersey ads.

Sure, they've been around in Europe and in the minor leagues forever, but now major league teams and even colleges are adding them.

But now and then, someone comes up with a perfect jersey ad, and that's what the Wisconsin Badgers have done.

It seems borderline sacrilegious to throw a corporate sponsorship on the Badgers' iconic cardinal red and white getups. Especially one that doesn't share those colors.

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But they may have found a solution: Butter burger-flippin', Concrete Mixer-slingin' fast-food chain, Culver's.

I feel like a significant portion of the Badgers fanbase was very angry when they heard they were slapping ads on their uniforms, but that subsided at least 20%, if not completely, when they saw it was Culver's.

They love Culver's there.

And I think this might be the answer to these jersey sponsorships. I don't totally hate the way they look, because I think they become part of the uniform. Think about motorsports, where the sponsor is the paint scheme or livery.

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But I think you can convince even more of the haters if you bring in a sponsor that has some ties to the region, and that's what Wisconsin has done.

More schools will be adding sponsors, so hopefully they will follow suit. Get a Texas school to partner with Buc-ee's or a Philly-area school to throw a Wawa patch on their uniforms (of course, it doesn't have to stay limited to regional convenience store chains, but there's a lot of pride in those).

Is it still fun to see corporate logos slapped on iconic uniforms? No.

But you've got to bring in that money somehow if you want to throw a competitive roster on the field.

And if that means slapping a burger chain's logo on the shoulder, go for it.

source https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/wisconsin-badgers-perfect-jersey-sponsorship

Taylor Swift's Alan Jackson tribute backfires as country crowd seemingly erupts in boos

Taylor Swift paid tribute to Alan Jackson with a heartfelt message celebrating the country icon's legendary career, but the emotional moment quickly became overshadowed after video appeared to capture a mix of cheers and boos from the crowd.

The reaction came during Jackson's "Last Call: One More for the Road — The Finale" concert, where Swift appeared in a prerecorded video tribute honoring the country legend rather than attending the show in person.

"It's Taylor," Swift began in the video. "I just want to say thank you for your decades of unbelievable songwriting and your performances and the way that means so much to us, the fans."

Swift praised Jackson for his song "Drive." Released in January 2002 as the second single from his album of the same name, Jackson wrote it as a tribute to his father, Eugene "Daddy Gene" Jackson, who died in 2000. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and remains one of his signature recordings.

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"In that song, you paint such a picture and let us into the details of your life," Swift explained. "I know that was an example that was so good for me to see at a young age, an artist who's really just letting fans into the details of his life."

"I appreciate you so much for the ways that you have just treated me and other artists and writers with… such support and encouragement over the years," she continued. "I am so excited for you doing this show and just appreciate you so much. Love you."

Swift's message was met with what appeared to be a mix of cheers and boos, according to a viral TikTok video. "Not the reaction they were expecting I'm assuming," the creator captioned the clip.

"Now do the video showing how they cheered so loudly," one user commented.

Another added, "There was applause, and later boo's [sic]. They booed longer so they can go viral."

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Others decided it was insulting, not just to Swift but to Jackson as well.

"imagine booing someone giving a tribute to the person you're AT THE CONCERT FOR they weren't disrespecting Taylor, they were disrespecting Alan."

"Absolutely insulting to her and especially to Alan Jackson," another said.

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Swift has long cited Jackson as one of the country artists she admired growing up, and the two have shared several notable moments over the years. One of the most memorable came in 2008, when Swift performed Jackson's emotional hit "Drive (For Daddy Gene)" as part of "CMT Giants: Alan Jackson," a television special honoring his career.

Swift also honored Jackson at the 2011 Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony, performing his 9/11 anthem "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" as part of the tribute celebrating his songwriting achievements.

source https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/taylor-swifts-alan-jackson-tribute-backfires-country-crowd-seemingly-erupts-boos

Will Ospreay wins Owen Hart Men's Tournament at AEW Forbidden Door, punches ticket for All In title shot

The tension in the All Elite Wrestling (AEW) Forbidden Door main event was palpable. Will Ospreay vs. Swerve Strickland in the Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament final with a shot at the AEW World Championship on the line at All In.

Ospreay vowed to live up to his dream of competing at Wembley Stadium in London. Strickland was hoping to play the spoiler in order to get the AEW world title back around his waist. The match would be a bloody affair between two of the top stars in the company.

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Strickland knew what the gameplan was. He needed to slow Ospreay’s attack down to a snail’s pace and bring the match to him rather than trying to match the agility of his opponent. For the most part, he curtailed Ospreay’s attack. But as the match wore on, the hits got harder, both men were bleeding and one man had his hand raised in the end.

Both men gave it their all. With blood dripping down their faces, Osprey and Strickland stared each other down in the ring. Ospreay had The Death Riders cheering him on at ringside while Strickland had Prince Nana in his corner. It was coming down to the end.

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Strickland hit the House Call but the strength in Ospreay’s neck appeared to take the hit. With all his might, Osprey ramped back up and hit Strickland with a Hidden Blade and a lariat Hidden Blade but Strickland kicked out of the pin.

Ospreay hit a Paradigm Shift, a Death Rider and a Tiger Driver. Finally, he was able to get the pin on Strickland. Ospreay is going to All In.

The Death Riders were in shock as they joined Ospreay in celebration in the ring.

If All In was tomorrow, Ospreay would be facing MJF for the AEW World Championship on Aug. 30. There’s still a lot of time for that opponent to change but for now Ospreay has his sights set on MJF.

source https://www.foxnews.com/sports/ospreay-wins-owen-hart-mens-tournament-aew-forbidden-door-punches-ticket-title-shot

Rodney Atkins warns younger generation against 'chasing' trends and losing sight of what matters

Country artist Rodney Atkins grew up with a valuable lesson he wishes the younger generation would return to.

During an interview with Fox News Digital, Atkins — who just released his new album "True South" — advised young people to stay true to themselves and tap back into the values he often sings about.

"I'm singing about friends, family and the good Lord, keeping those things in check," he began. "And not chase something that just because you see somebody else doing it, you know, falling prey to all the filters and the AI and the not real things."

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Atkins emphasized that kids should find things that really matter to them and "keep that in check."

Speaking of his newly released album, the singer explained that the inspiration for it was the same advice he would give the next generation.

WATCH: RODNEY ATKINS WARNS YOUNGER GENERATION AGAINST 'CHASING' TRENDS AND LOSING SIGHT OF WHAT MATTERS

"'True South' is friends, family and the good Lord," he began. "That's what I'm singing about. It's not tricky. It's not following trends. It's just trying to sing about the things that matter the most to me and, I think, most people."

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"The Years Are Short" singer told Fox News Digital one of the major themes of his latest album is authenticity. He said the rise of Artificial Intelligence and social media has left people craving something real.

"I think it's hard to believe, with social media, with all the filters and the AI everywhere. There's a place for all that, but I just think that having something real, you can't replace real, authentic anything," he began. "And I think people just appreciate that."

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Atkins' new album, "True South," was three decades in the making as every song tells a piece of his story, where he’s been, what he’s learned, what he believes, and the people who've helped shape him along the way.

WATCH: COUNTRY SINGER RODNEY ATKINS EXPLAINS INSPIRATION FOR LATEST ALBUM 'TRUE SOUTH'

"You know, ‘True South,’ it's not necessarily about… geography. We're all south of somewhere. Really, it's about the things that made me, me. The things that I value, that I grew up with, that, you know, you still hang on to. It's not about going back in time, but about those things that you value and hanging on to that and then what I'm trying to raise my kid, those kind of values… I've got three sons… you know I'm not raising babies. I'm trying to raise young men."

Atkins' album features the single "The Years Are Short," and he said there are moments "all the time" with his kids that remind him just how fast life is moving.

"You know, marking their height on the pantry door. And then you turn around, and they're practically wearing your shoes, or they're, you know, looking you in the eyes, asking for the car keys. It's just, it goes by so fast."

The new album and single are now available. For more info, visit: https://www.curb.com/.

source https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/rodney-atkins-warns-younger-generation-against-chasing-trends-losing-sight-what-matters

Rare American Bible and founders’ letters trace faith’s role in birth of the nation

A rare collection of original letters, family Bibles and founding-era artifacts is offering new insight into the role Scripture played during the nation's founding.

The artifacts are on display at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., where a new collection marking America's 250th anniversary examines how Scripture influenced the country's earliest years through original documents and historical objects.

Among the featured items are the first Bible printed in English in America, family Bibles belonging to several founding fathers and other prominent Americans, and an original Thomas Jefferson letter on religious freedom.

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Together, the documents trace how biblical language appeared throughout the founding era, influencing conversations about liberty, education and public life.

Anthony Schmidt, the museum's director of collections and curatorial, told Fox News Digital that the collection uses primary sources to examine the Bible's role in early American history.

"The Bible has been an integral part of this nation's founding and history," Schmidt said.

"That's not a theological claim; it's what the documents show. The founding fathers referenced Scripture, argued from it, and built political frameworks on its language about human dignity and liberty."

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One section explores how Scripture was part of everyday life during the nation's earliest years, displaying the first Bible printed in English in America alongside family Bibles owned by several founding fathers and other historical figures.

Schmidt said the objects were intentionally selected to tell what he described as the fullest story possible about the Bible's influence on America's founding generation.

"These objects show the Bible's impact not only on religious life, but on early American art, education and politics."

Another section examines the relationship between faith and government through Jefferson's writings on religious liberty and one of the nation's earliest published arguments for resisting tyranny.

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Visitors can also view Revolutionary-era printed materials that helped unify the colonies, documents tracing early Jewish civic life in America, portraits of George Washington and other colonial-era figures, a hand-colored lithograph memorializing Abraham Lincoln, and busts of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin.

Schmidt said one of the collection's central goals is to encourage visitors to engage directly with original historical documents.

"We want visitors to encounter the history of this country and see, in the primary documents, what impact the Bible actually had on the people who built it," he said.

He noted that while the founding fathers often disagreed on matters of religion, the historical record shows many were still influenced by the Bible's language and ideas.

"Many of the founders disagreed about religion, and disagreed sharply, but they were still shaped by the Bible's language and arguments," Schmidt said. "We want people to engage with that evidence and come to their own conclusions."

source https://www.foxnews.com/travel/rare-american-bible-founders-letters-trace-faiths-role-birth-nation