It was just a few short years ago that the Walt Disney Company was proudly announcing and opening their “Star Wars” themed land in multiple parks across the country.

Disney invested billions of dollars in the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge design and construction, based on a fictional world called “Batuu.” They hyped up technology and immersive elements meant to enhance the guest experience and allow for fans to spend hours in Galaxy’s Edge. And return time and time again to build up experience points by interacting with props and characters.

“Batuu” was purposefully set in the world of the newest trilogy, led by characters like Rey and Kylo Ren. All thanks to advice from then-head of Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy, to then-Disney CEO Bob Iger.

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And now, after just a few years in operation, new leadership at the top is completely changing the entire plan behind Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. In the process, admitting they completely missed the mark with their multi-billion dollar project.

Star Wars Lands Bringing Back Original Characters

One former top executive at Walt Disney World once explained in an interview why Galaxy’s Edge focused on the new trilogy and not the beloved original movies and characters. Because Kathleen Kennedy gave awful advice to Bob Iger.

“We got a call one day,” said former WDW VP Dan Cockerell. “They said, ‘Well, we got some news for you all.’ And the Imagineering guys, they’ve heard this line many, many times during their careers. And I had never been through this.” “They said, ‘Well, yesterday Bob Iger met with Kathleen Kennedy, who as a lot people may know was sort of George Lucas’ protégé and headed up Lucasfilm. And they had a conversation. They had a meeting. And Kathleen Kennedy, her point of view was, there are way more Disney Star Wars stories ahead of us than behind us. So we really should think about do we want to build a Tatooine, and build what all the fifty-somethings remember Star Wars is or do we want to build something else which is going to appeal to all the upcoming generations who are going to know the new stories.'”

Don’t focus the land on characters people like, focus it instead on the new movies, Kennedy said. And Iger listened. Well, those new movies have come and gone, and “Star Wars” has never meant less in the national conversation. Sure enough, under new CEO Josh D’Amaro, Disney announced this month that they were bringing Han Solo, Princess Leia, and Luke Skywalker into Galaxy’s Edge, as well as finally incorporating John Williams’ beloved score from the original films.

That’s how you know they’re admitting they made a gigantic mistake listening to Kathleen Kennedy. 

Bringing these characters into Galaxy’s Edge makes no logical or thematic sense, particularly since they’re being portrayed as their younger selves from the original trilogy. But Disney is desperate to make their gigantic investment in Galaxy’s Edge worth it, so they’re hoping characters people actually like will bring new fans and keep them there longer. 

It’s a series of unforced errors. They made mediocre movies that have been mostly forgotten, assumed that people cared about Rey and Kylo Ren or Fin or Poe Dameron, and then bet billions of dollars that their newer stories would be more popular moving forward than the old ones. They were wrong about all of it. None of the depth, complexity, charm, or swashbuckling excitement of the original characters is present in the new movies. Because Kathleen Kennedy was involved in creating them. They haven’t released a new “main trilogy” Star Wars movie in years, and aren’t close to releasing one. 

Now they’re having to undo these mistakes, without spending billions to reconfigure the land. What a disaster. And even more frustratingly, a predictable and avoidable one.

Discount extended till 16th May
The US Treasury Department issued a new license late at night and said that now countries will be allowed to buy Russian oil loaded by sea route till May 16. Earlier this exemption had ended on April 11. However, this license does not cover any transactions related to Iran, Cuba and North Korea. The purpose of this decision is to control rising energy prices globally, especially at a time when tensions in West Asia are at their peak. Earlier, America had given temporary relief to some countries including India to buy Russian oil from March 5. Later this exemption was extended to other countries also, the period of which ended on 11 April.

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How will India benefit?
This decision will make it easier for India to buy crude oil from Russia. India is already importing oil from Russia on a large scale. Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov has assured that Russia will further increase the supply of crude oil, LPG and LNG to India. He described India as a reliable partner.

According to data from a European think tank, India’s crude oil imports from Russia have increased rapidly in March. According to the report of the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), India bought crude oil worth $ 5.8 billion from Russia in March, which is more than three times compared to $ 1.54 billion in February. Since March 2022, New Delhi has emerged as a major market for Russian oil. In 2024, India will buy about 2 million barrels of oil per day from Russia, compared to imports worth about $44 billion last year.

Displeasure of American lawmakers
However, some American lawmakers have expressed strong displeasure over this decision of America. Treasury Secretary Scott Besant had earlier said the US would not renew waivers for Russian oil. Lawmakers argued that such exemptions could benefit the economies of countries like Iran and Russia, especially since Russia is involved in the war against Ukraine.

Gold Star father Darin Hoover says a new Pentagon review of the deadly Abbey Gate bombing finally feels different after years of what he described as “crickets” from the Biden administration — but he is still asking whether critical information was deliberately kept from military families and the public.

Hoover, whose son, Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin “Taylor” Hoover, was among the 13 U.S. service members killed in the Aug. 26, 2021, suicide bombing during the Afghanistan withdrawal, told Fox News Digital that for years families got little more than a “canned” response.

“For the first three-and-a-half years… we weren’t getting anything from the prior administration. It was crickets,” Hoover said. “The only thing we all got was a canned letter saying how sorry they were. There was not anything individual mentioned about any of the kids.”

Former President Joe Biden checked his watch during the dignified transfer of U.S. service members lost at Abbey Gate, which included 11 Marines, one Army soldier and one Navy sailor.

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His frustration comes as the Pentagon’s Afghanistan Withdrawal Special Review Panel says it has completed the substantive phase of interviews with senior military and civilian leaders, and is now preparing findings and recommendations for a final report expected “in the coming months.”

The panel reviewed more than nine million documents, according to chairman Sean Parnell. By contrast, a prior Pentagon review examined roughly 3,000 documents.

Parnell said the earlier review was “significantly narrower in scope” and “over-classified at the highest levels, which effectively kept the most critical and relevant information from public scrutiny.”

That contrast is exactly what has Hoover demanding answers.

“The 3,000 pages… doesn’t even make a ripple,” Hoover said. “Now we’ve got over a million pages being reviewed. Why was everything so top-secret that none of us could see it? They owe us the answers.”

OUR FALLEN HEROES’ FAMILIES DESERVE MORE THAN OUTDATED SURVIVOR BENEFITS

Asked directly whether he believes key information was withheld, Hoover did not hesitate.

“Yes, absolutely, information was kept from us,” he said.

“That smells exactly like a cover-up,” he added. “What is it that they saw, or what did they feel needed to be hidden so nobody could know what it was?”

A Pentagon spokesperson referred Fox News Digital to a statement from Parnell when asked for comment.

In that statement, Parnell said the panel was established by War Secretary Pete Hegseth at the direction of President Donald Trump “to conduct the most comprehensive military after action review in modern history.”

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He said the panel has interviewed key figures involved in the planning and execution of the withdrawal, including retired Gen. Mark Milley and retired Gen. Kenneth McKenzie Jr., among other senior officials.

“This will be the most thorough, transparent, and honest accounting the American people have received of what happened in August 2021,” Parnell said. “Our purpose is to identify failures in decision-making, so that we may prevent the United States from ever repeating this tragedy.”

Hoover said accountability should mean real consequences for those in command if the new review finds failures.

“If they did something wrong or failed to act, they should no longer be allowed to lead where life and death is at stake,” he said.

“I would love to see pensions taken away… and if possible, I’d love to see people go to jail,” he added.

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He also argued the bombing exposed a broader system failure between civilian and military agencies.

“The right hand didn’t know what the left hand was doing,” Hoover said. “And it all got stalled somewhere in the middle.”

“And our kids did the best they could with the tools they were given,” he added. “They did a phenomenal job.”

Other official reviews have previously documented breakdowns surrounding the withdrawal. A State Department review found failures in crisis planning and preparation for worst-case scenarios, while Milley later described the evacuation timeline as “too slow and too late.”

Hoover said what makes this moment different is President Trump’s engagement with the families and Hegseth’s promise of a broader accounting.

“He spent 45 minutes with us… gave us his full undivided attention,” Hoover said.

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He added that after years of silence, simply being included now matters. Hoover noted that the trial of the ISIS-K-linked figure accused of giving the final approval for the bomber to detonate is set to begin Monday in Alexandria, and some of the Abbey Gate families plan to attend.

“We’re coming up on Memorial Day,” Hoover said. “Please, please, please remember them. Honor them. Don’t forget how we got here, why we got here and live a life worthy of the sacrifices that have been made.”

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defended comments about President Donald Trump‘s mental health following a tense exchange during a congressional hearing.

During Friday’s hearing, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) addressed Trump’s recent social media posts, pointing to an AI-generated image that critics said depicted him as Jesus Christ and his criticism of Pope Leo as evidence he is mentally unwell.

“Millions of Americans are questioning this president’s mental fitness, his emotional stability, and whether he can carry out the duties of his office. Do you share their concerns about his mental health?” Takano asked Kennedy.

Kennedy began to answer, saying, “I call your attention to…” before the representative cut him off and demanded a more direct response.

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“Mr. Secretary, my question was: Do you share their concerns about his mental health?” Takano reiterated. “We need a leader that we know has full command of his mental faculties and is emotionally stable as he sends uniformed American men and women into harm’s way.”

“Millions of Americans are now wondering if this president is delusional and thinks he is Jesus Christ,” he continued. “Mr. Secretary, given everything that I’ve shown you today, will you insist that President Trump undergo an assessment of his mental fitness and his emotional stability?”

“Absolutely not,” Kennedy quickly interjected.

RFK JR AND TOP DEM CLASH DURING HEATED SENATE HEARING: ‘THIS IS ABOUT KIDS’

Takano followed up by asking whether Kennedy would support invoking the 25th Amendment, which allows for a transfer of power if the president dies, resigns, or is incapacitated.

“There hasn’t been a president who is more sane or stable …” Kennedy began to answer before the congressman interrupted him again.

“Mr. Secretary, my question is would you vote to invoke the 25th Amendment,” Takano said.

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The heated exchange came one day after Kennedy engaged in a shouting match with Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Ala., over previous comments he made about Black children.

“Mr. Secretary, you’ve already admitted that you are not a board-certified physician, and you’ve already admitted you did not go to medical school. Have you ever reparented or parented, I should say, a Black child?” Sewell said, referencing his appearance on a 2024 podcast.

As the two argued back and forth, Kennedy claimed he never made those remarks and refused to answer her question.

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The exchanges mark a pattern of escalating confrontations as Kennedy faces continued scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers.

Fox News Digital’s Elaine Mallon contributed to this report.

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FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump will read from 2 Chronicles 7 during a nationwide Bible-reading event this week, a passage organizers say was deliberately reserved for the president because of its decades-long role as a call to prayer in America.

Trump is set to read 2 Chronicles 7:11–22 from the Oval Office as part of “America Reads the Bible,” a weeklong event marking 250 years of the Bible in America and featuring nearly 500 participants reading Scripture from Genesis to Revelation.

Organizers said Trump’s section was not assigned at random.

The event’s online schedule shows the 2 Chronicles 7:11–22 reading was reserved as a “special guest” slot during a prime evening hour on Tuesday, alongside figures like former HUD Secretary Ben Carson and members of Congress.

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“We needed somebody special to read Second Chronicles chapter seven,” Bunni Pounds, founder and president of Christians Engaged, told Fox News Digital.

“As my director and I were praying over different sections of scripture, it came to us that this is such a critical passage for the body of Christ,” she said.

Pounds said the passage, particularly verse 14, has been central to American prayer life for decades, often invoked during times of national reflection.

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“It comes at a time where the Israelites were experiencing hardship and God spoke and said, ‘If my people that are called by my name would humble themselves and pray,’” Pounds said. “We’ve prayed this scripture for at least the last 50 years of American history on National Day of Prayer and other moments in this country.”

Verse 14 reads, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

“And so we instantly said — who needs to read that? The President of the United States,” she added. “We set it aside for him and have been praying for that for the last year.”

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Pounds said Trump’s participation sends a broader message about faith in American life.

“I think he’s sending a message that faith matters in this country, and that it’s important not only personally, but for our nation overall,” she said.

She added that the selected Scripture speaks to the country’s current moment.

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“We’re making a statement during this week as America reads the Bible, that there is so much in the Bible that we can gain wisdom and discernment from, there is so much that can heal our families, that can rescue us from depression and anxiety and can heal our inner cities and heal our land… I believe the president’s saying that by reading this scripture specifically,” Pounds said.

The White House echoed that theme in a presidential message commemorating the event, calling the Bible “indelibly woven into our national identity” and urging Americans to “rediscover” its role in shaping the nation.

The event, held in partnership with the Museum of the Bible, will run from April 19 through April 25, and include nearly 500 Americans participating in a public reading of the entire Bible.

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According to Pounds, all participants will read from the King James Version Easy Read edition, which was licensed for the event’s livestream and a later audiobook version from the week’s readings.

The event will feature a wide range of participants, including actress Patricia Heaton, Candace Cameron Bure, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and House Speaker Mike Johnson, each reading portions of Genesis during the opening hours.

Readers range from elected officials and pastors to single parents and small business owners, reflecting what Pounds described as a nationwide cross-section of Americans.

Worship music will accompany each hour of the readings, with different ministries and organizations partnering throughout the event.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Pounds said viewers watching Trump’s reading from the Oval Office will notice the weight of the moment.

“They’re going to see how passionate he is about it, how deliberate he was,” she said. “It really struck me to see the leader of the free world reading scripture from the Oval Office.”

“There’s a humility on him… and I don’t believe that he would have read it if he didn’t believe it,” she added.

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

“America Reads the Bible” begins 9 a.m. ET Sunday.

An international fugitive was arrested in Dubai this week following a years-long manhunt.

Daniel Kinahan, the alleged leader of one of Ireland’s biggest criminal gangs, the Kinahan cartel, was arrested on organized crime charges on Wednesday in a covert operation involving Irish and United Arab Emirates authorities.

The 48-year-old alleged crime boss is expected to face charges in Ireland related to a gangland feud between the Kinahan cartel and the Hutch gang that has left 18 people dead since 2015.

Dubai police didn’t name Kinahan, saying they had “arrested an Irish fugitive for his alleged role in an organised criminal ​group involved in international crimes in his ​home country.”

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He was identified by Irish media outlets on Friday.

Ireland’s national police force, the Garda Síochána said an Irish man in his 40s was arrested under a warrant from the Irish courts.

“An Garda Síochána has been steadfast in our determination that we would pursue those allegedly involved in serious Organized Criminal activity, wherever they go,” the police said in a statement, according to The Irish Star. “Today’s arrest is another extremely important demonstration of the need for international law enforcement co-operation in tackling transnational organized crime.”

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Kinahan fled Ireland for Spain, then the UAE after he was the believed target in an assassination attempt that left an associate of the Kinahan cartel, David Byrne, dead at a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel in Dublin.

The U.S. Treasury Department offered a reward of $5 million in 2022 for information leading to the arrest of the Kinahan cartel’s leaders or the organization’s “financial destruction.”

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The cartel is considered a juggernaut in the European drug trade, and, along with other European crime organizations, has created a “super cartel” that controls around a third of Europe’s cocaine trade.

Kinahan is also affiliated with the boxing world, and was the founder of boxing management company MTK Global.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.