President Donald Trump expressed support for Bill Belichick after the NFL legend was blocked from entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot earlier in the week.

Trump brushed off a “controversial” couple of years Belichick may have had, with his personal life spilling out into the spotlight. Still, Trump said during his interview with NBC News that the former New England Patriots head coach should have been a shoo-in.

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“I thought it was terrible. He’s won so much,” he said. “He’s won so many Super Bowls. (He) became a little bit controversial, I guess, after that, his little period after that. During it, he was just a great coach. I thought it was very inappropriate.”

“He’s had a little bit of a controversial year-and-a-half, two years, maybe, but what difference does that make? He should be in there right at the top,” the president added.

Trump didn’t mention anything specific. But Belichick’s love life with Jordon Hudson was thrust into the national spotlight as he got to work as the North Carolina Tar Heels’ head coach. The tipping point came during Belichick’s interview with CBS and Hudson shutting down a question about how they met.

Hudson’s presence with the Tar Heels raised eyebrows before the season started. The Tar Heels were 4-8 in Belichick’s first year as head coach.

As rumors that Belichick was going to be left out first surfaced, the president weighed in with criticism against the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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“It is the same mindset that gave pro football the new and unwatchable ‘Sissy’ Kickoff Rule, that made it possible for Bill Belichick to not be elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Both are ridiculous and should be overturned!” he wrote on Truth Social, touching on the league’s dynamic kickoff rules.

Belichick, who is currently the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, was 302-165 in his career as a head coach between the Patriots and the Cleveland Browns. He won six titles with Tom Brady as the head coach of the Patriots before he mutually parted ways with the franchise after the 2023 season.

He served as a defensive assistant under Bill Parcells with the New York Giants from 1979-1991. The team won two Super Bowls in that time.

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Belichick’s Patriots’ career wasn’t exactly sunshine and rainbows either. He was caught up in the Spygate and Deflategate scandals during his time, which may have been a reason why some voters didn’t elect him.

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The shrine board, which met on Sunday, approved efforts to put Katra on the global map. Also reviewed the steps taken after the last meeting. Important agenda items to improve service to pilgrims were approved. Apart from doubling the insurance cover of pilgrims, a preliminary proposal for the construction of an international museum dedicated to Mata Vaishno Devi at Natale in Katra has been approved in consultation with the Asian Heritage Foundation.

The proposed Shakti Museum will be the first of its kind and will serve as a religious, educational and cultural centre. Additionally, a state-of-the-art light and sound show will bring the mythology to life through a blend of tradition and innovation. LG Manoj Sinha has sought suggestions from the board for this so that work on the project can start in the coming months. It is targeted to complete it within two years.

Review of development projects, instructions for timely completion
The progress of major development projects was reviewed in the meeting. These projects include construction of exit track at Bhawan, new Vaishnavi Bhawan, widening of travel track from Sanjichhat to Bhawan, slope stabilization work, construction of Shri Shankaracharya Temple and associated facilities at Katra and school for disabled people at Chaitanya Ashram, Jammu. The Board has directed to strictly adhere to the timelines while ensuring the highest standards of quality and safety.

New helipad approved in village Hudd, operations for Shivkhodi and Katra from here
The Board has approved the newly developed helipad at village Hutt. After signing of the revised MoU, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board will provide one time financial grant to Shri Shivkhodi Shrine Board for expansion of pilgrim facilities. It was also approved that for the convenience of the pilgrims, heli services for both the shrines will operate from the same helipad.

Renovation of schools damaged in disaster
The Board appreciated the community welfare initiatives of renovation of 15 schools in Reasi and Udhampur districts damaged during heavy rains of August-September 2025 which were completed in just five months.

After Mike Tomlin stepped down last month following 19 seasons, the Pittsburgh Steelers hired Mike McCarthy as their next head coach.

McCarthy took the 2025 season off after being let go by the Dallas Cowboys after five seasons there. Previously, he coached Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers for 13 years.

Now, it looks like a 14th season is on the horizon.

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NFL Network reported that the odds of Rodgers coming back to the Steelers for a 22nd NFL season are “increasing.”

It’s not quite known what the original odds were, but even at season’s end, Rodgers, who originally sounded as if the 2025 season would be his last, didn’t sound ready to leave.

“I’m not going to make any emotional decisions,” Rodgers said. “I’m disappointed. It was such a fun year. Obviously, a lot of adversity, but a lot of fun.”

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At the time he signed with the Steelers, he said he was “pretty sure” the 2025 season would be his last, but there is no question that Rodgers has at least warmed up to the possibility of a 22nd NFL season, given McCarthy’s hire.

McCarthy and Rodgers made magic happen in Green Bay, winning a Super Bowl in the 2010 season. McCarthy won the NFC North six times while in Green Bay, and the duo made the playoffs eight years in a row.

This season marked the first time since 2021 that Rodgers made the playoffs — he missed them in his final year in Green Bay and then did not make it in either campaign with the New York Jets.

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Rodgers threw 24 touchdowns against seven interceptions with 3,322 yards and a 65.7 completion percentage.

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Thailand’s incumbent party has taken the lead in the country’s general election, according to preliminary and unofficial results from the state Electoral Commission.

The commission’s count indicated the conservative Bhumjaithai party had attained around 194 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives.

Parties need 251 seats to elect a prime minister, otherwise, a coalition will need to be formed.

The People’s Party, which had been tipped to win the most seats, is currently at around 116.

The populist party Pheu Thai follows behind with around 76 seats.

The 500-member House of Representatives is made up of 400 directly elected politicians based on constituencies.

The other 100 are chosen from “party list” nominees, who gain seats according to each party’s proportional share of the vote on a separate ballot indicating party preference.

The party list totals are subject to change until the vote count is completed.

Bhumjaithai’s leader, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, thanked voters for their support and vowed his party would work hard for the Thai people.

“At this moment, our people have given us more than what we expected this morning.

“So we owe our voters a fortune and we will only repay them by working at our utmost to bring all the good things to them and our country,” he said.

The People’s Party’s leader, Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, said early on Friday night his party would not come in first, and said it would respect the results.

“We respect the parliamentary system, that we have to allow the winner to form the government first, and for now, we don’t think we are going to form a government in competition with Bhumjaithai,” he said, apparently referring to any attempt to form an alternative coalition.

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He also said his party would not support Bhumjaithai’s candidate for prime minister.

Anutin has been the prime minister only since last September.

He dissolved parliament in December to call a new election after he was threatened with a no-confidence vote.

Subsequent border clashes with Cambodia allowed Anutin to recast himself as a wartime leader after his popularity initially slipped because of floods and financial scandals.

His campaign focuses on national security and economic stimulus.

A lifelong dream led one man to plan an extreme road trip of thousands of miles across several continents — just to see the northern lights.

In an extended journey that would likely defeat most people, Malik Al-Sultan, 28, drove more than 5,600 miles from Saudi Arabia to northern Norway — spending thousands of dollars on the trip — to catch a glimpse of the aurora borealis.

He planned the long journey for over a year, news agency SWNS reported.

Rather than flying, he chose to make the trip by road so he could experience other countries along the way.

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The freelance digital creator from Saudi Arabia set off on Dec. 20, 2025, driving his Toyota Land Cruiser pickup truck across Europe and Scandinavia.

The three-week journey took him through 19 countries, with a final destination of Bodø, Norway.

He said the idea for the trip came about roughly a year before his departure.

That’s when he began mapping out a route, saving money and preparing his vehicle for long-distance travel.

In the five weeks leading up to his departure, Al-Sultan spent a lot of free time making sure his truck was road-ready and securing the necessary travel documents, he said — including a Schengen visa required for Saudi citizens traveling across much of Europe.

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The cost of his trip, which included fuel, food and hotel stays in every city where he spent the night, totaled about $12,300, SWNS reported.

His route took him through countries that included Kuwait, Turkey, Serbia, Italy, Germany and Sweden.

“It made the whole journey worth the trouble.”

Along the way, he made an unplanned detour to the United Kingdom — where he visited London for the first time and decided to remain for a few days.

“At first, the United Kingdom was not part of the plan,” he said. “But when I visited it, I was amazed by the beauty of the roads. When I arrived in London and saw it, I decided to stay for a couple [of] days and enjoy the atmosphere.”

After logging approximately 5,600 miles, Al-Sultan arrived in Bodø — and was finally able to witness the aurora borealis lighting up the night sky.

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“It was quite a long journey, traveling through so many different cultures and lands,” he said.

“It made the whole journey worth the trouble,” Al-Sultan said.

“I was so amazed [at] watching the lights,” he said.

Al-Sultan said his journey itself became just as meaningful to him as the ultimate destination.

“I will always remember both together, because one could not exist without the other for me,” he said.

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After soaking in the experience, Al-Sultan said he plans to continue driving back to Saudi Arabia — possibly taking a different route home.

“Love his camping set-up,” wrote a social media commenter. “Would love to sit by his fire and listen to his stories.”

In another extreme journey that made headlines recently, a man’s longtime friendship led him to make a one-day, 14,000-mile journey to say goodbye to a dying pal, as. Fox News Digital recently reported. 

Bob Walker traveled from Jakarta, Indonesia, to Arbroath, Scotland, and back again, just to spend a few hours with his friend Peter Gould, 82, who was diagnosed with terminal cancer in December. 

The two men had been friends for more than four decades, first meeting while working as aircraft engineers in Papua New Guinea in the 1980s. Despite living in different countries for much of their lives, they stayed in close contact over the years.

“I really wanted to [make] the journey.” 

“There’s not many opportunities where you can actually say goodbye to people, so I really wanted to [make] the journey,” Walker said.

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On Jan. 16, the friends sat together in Gould’s hometown — sharing cans of their favorite beer and reminiscing about their years working, traveling and raising families.

“I’m very grateful for what Bob did,” he said. “He didn’t have to do it.”

The Trump economy is beginning to deliver, and Americans are poised to see the benefits, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. He pointed to cooling inflation and record market highs as signs that “Main Street is about to prosper.”

Bessent said current market trends reflect growing confidence in President Donald Trump’s policies. He described them as having “set the table” for economic gains in 2026.

It comes as many Democrats have criticized Trump’s economic policies, including concerns about affordability and the potential impact of tariffs on consumer prices.

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“The president’s plan is working. The Trump economy is delivering for the American people,” Bessent said on “Sunday Morning Futures.”

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He noted the economy is experiencing ‘strong growth’ and that inflation is easing toward the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.

Bessent also pointed to record highs across the stock market, including gains in industrial and small-cap stocks. He said those trends typically signal broader economic expansion is on the way.

On Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 50,000 points for the first time. President Donald Trump reacted to the milestone on Truth Social, writing, “The Dow Jones Industrial Average just hit 50,000 for the first time in History. CONGRATULATIONS AMERICA!”

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Bessent said Democrats are overlooking what he described as signs of a strong economic year ahead. He argued the success of Wall Street is an indicator that “Main Street is about to prosper.”

“We are seeing a big cyclical recovery. The president’s agenda set the table in 2025, and now the American people are going to benefit in ’26,” he said.

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“The stock market lives in the future, and I think we’re [going to] have very strong economic growth and very strong job gains and very strong real income growth.”

Bessent said those gains will increasingly show up in household finances. Earlier this year, he noted that Americans could see “substantial refunds” and bigger paychecks as the administration’s agenda continues to take effect.