California state librarian Greg Lucas is facing scrutiny from lawmakers after roughly $650,000 tied to a statewide literacy program connected to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library could not be accounted for.

The issue surfaced during a Thursday Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 1 on Education hearing, which examined how funds were distributed for California’s participation in the book-gifting program.

Documents shared by the subcommittee as part of its hearing agenda claim that a nonprofit created to help administer the program reported spending roughly $1.2 million, while bank statements provided to Senate budget staff showed $555,000 in expenditures, leaving about $649,000 without supporting documentation.

“I find this to be incredibly concerning,” said state Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, D-Pasadena, chair of the subcommittee. “There’s $650,000 that’s been unaccounted for in a program, a bipartisan effort that was intended to increase literacy among children. This is incredibly serious.”

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California state Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez speaks during a press conference at Pasadena City Hall in Los Angeles County on June 23, 2025. (Sarah Reingewirtz/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)

State Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, also criticized the lack of documentation, saying the situation raised serious concerns about transparency and oversight.

“That makes no sense,” Grove said during the hearing. “And that reeks of horrific no transparency and potential fraud.”

The California state library did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Lawmakers said Senate budget staff had requested financial records from the Strong Reader Partnership, the nonprofit created to help administer the program, multiple times, including receipts, invoices and bank statements to corroborate expenses.

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Senate Bill 1183, signed in 2022, created California’s statewide Dolly Parton Imagination Library program, which sends free books to children from birth to age 5 to encourage early literacy. (Noah Sauve/iStock Editorial via Getty Images)

According to the subcommittee, those requests were made on several occasions between November 2025 and February 2026, but the documentation had not been provided.

During the hearing, Lucas acknowledged that lawmakers had received bank statements accounting for roughly $555,000 in spending but disputed the claim that the funds were unaccounted for.

“I don’t believe that’s correct,” he said. “I mean, we received a final report on the disposition of the money by the Strong Reader Partnership, which has expressed, and we’ve passed this on to you as well, the difficulty in obtaining some of this information because they no longer have any money or members of the partnership since the money was transferred to the Imagination Library.”

He added that his agency has repeatedly asked the nonprofit for additional records and pledged to continue requesting the information.

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Members of the California state Senate, during a hearing on education, speak with Greg Lucas, California’s top librarian, on March 12, 2026. (Credit: California State Senate)

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A spokesperson for the state library told ABC10 in a statement: “The California State Library takes seriously its responsibility to ensure transparency and accountability in the taxpayer dollars entrusted to it. The State Library has provided the Legislature with all documentation in its possession and has repeatedly requested additional records from the Strong Reader partnership. The California State Library remains committed to cooperating fully with all legislative oversight and maintaining accountability in the administration of public funds.”

Pérez gave Lucas seven days to produce the financial records, saying the subcommittee expected invoices and receipts detailing how the money was spent.

Former Dallas Cowboys star Troy Aikman offered his own theory as to why there have been a spate of early-season injuries in the NFL over the last few years.

The Pro Football Hall of Famer said he believed the NFL’s rules to help players avoid injuries may actually be the cause of them.

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Troy Aikman arrives on the red carpet for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on Aug. 5, 2023. (Kirby Lee/USA Today Sports)

On Friday’s “Rodeo Time Podcast,” Aikman fondly remembered doing two-a-day practices in Wichita Falls, Texas, where the Cowboys would hold training camp in the summer. He suggested that while players aren’t as “taxed” as they were in the 1980s and 1990s during camps, they may not be as prepared for the toll their bodies take at the beginning of the season.

“I think they only wear pads one day a week or one time a day, and they have a walk-through, and then after, I don’t know how it all reads, but it’s pretty player friendly and favorable,” Aikman said. “And a lot of it, whenever they negotiate the CBA, the owners tend to always win on the financial side of things. And then the players say, ‘Well, all right, then we’re not gonna practice as long, or we’re not gonna practice as often.’ So, then they tend to get concessions when it comes to how much time they’re actually at facilities.

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Troy Aikman before game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium on Dec. 4, 2023. (Nathan Ray Seebeck/USA Today Sports)

“I think the only ones who don’t have a voice in those negotiations are the coaches. They kind of have to wait till the dust settles and say, ‘All right, just how often do we get them?’ But some of it is that we see, too, is a lot of the reasons I think that we see so many injuries, especially early in the year. A lot of soft tissue injuries, a lot of muscle pulls, and things of that nature is the players, they’re just not able to train the way that we once did, they’re not able to callous their bodies as easily. Not that they’re not training hard and all that, but it’s different training on your own as opposed to being on the football field practicing football movements.”

Aikman made clear he was a fan of making changes in the name of player safety, but worried they may do more harm than good for some.

Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow, Minnesota Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy, San Francisco 49ers’ Brock Purdy and Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson were among the quarterbacks to miss time early last season.

Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson warms up before a preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys, Aug. 16, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

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Player safety is set to be thrust back into the spotlight as the NFL reportedly eyes a Thanksgiving Eve game with the possibility of expanding to an 18-game schedule in the future.

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Iranian authorities say they have arrested dozens of people accused of spying for Israel across several provinces, according to state media reports over the weekend.

Fars, a news agency affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported Sunday the West Azerbaijan prosecutor’s office had arrested 20 individuals in the northwestern city of Urmia for allegedly providing Israel with information about military, police and security sites.

On Saturday, Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence said it had arrested several “enemy operatives” across the country, including a 10-member group in Mazandaran province and another 10-member network in Khorasan Razavi province, according to Tasnim, a semi-official news agency.

Authorities said the suspects transferred the locations of military installations and economic infrastructure and shared coordinates of public places, academic institutions and research centers with Israel.

IRANIAN REGIME SPREADING ANTI-ISRAEL PROPAGANDA ACROSS DOZENS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS: REPORT

Policemen stand on top of a patrol car during a rally supporting Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, successor to his late father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as Iran’s supreme leader, in Tehran, Iran, on March 9, 2026. (Vahid Salemi/AP)

In southern Khuzestan province, intelligence officials also reported arresting a three-person “terrorist team” accused of carrying out armed attacks against security forces and government facilities. 

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Israel has relied on tips from ordinary Iranians to identify targets for strikes inside Iran, citing a senior Israeli security official.

The newspaper said information about potential targets is sent through Israeli Persian-language social media accounts and is verified by Israeli authorities before strikes are carried out.

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A woman holds an Iranian flag during the funeral and burial of Ali Shamkhani at Imamzadeh Saleh in northern Tehran, Iran, on March 14, 2026. (Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)

In a separate development, Bahraini authorities said Sunday they arrested five people accused of passing sensitive information to the IRGC and helping recruit operatives for potential attacks inside the country.

According to a statement from Bahrain’s Police Media Center, the suspects allegedly collected and transmitted coordinates and images of sensitive locations, including hotels, to the IRGC.

IRANIAN REGIME SPREADING ANTI-ISRAEL PROPAGANDA ACROSS DOZENS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS: REPORT

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Officials said one suspect previously received training at IRGC camps in “trafficking persons and recruiting operatives to participate in implementing terrorist plots.”

The five detainees were referred to Bahrain’s Public Prosecution, while a sixth suspect identified in the case is believed to be a fugitive abroad.

Unknown Fact: Due to increasing tension in the Middle East, the world is facing a serious crisis related to gas, energy and petroleum in March 2026. Gas prices have increased rapidly in many countries, while at some places the supply has also been affected due to panic booking by people.

Meanwhile, words like LPG, CNG and PNG are trending rapidly on social media. Although people hear these names often, very few people know the difference between them. It is possible that you may have read about them in school, but with time you may not have remembered that information. In such a situation, let us understand in simple language what are LPG, CNG and PNG and what is the difference between them.

LPG, CNG and PNG are all three hydrocarbon gases, but their composition, storage, supply and usage methods are quite different from each other. LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) is mainly a mixture of propane and butane gases, which is obtained as a by-product during crude oil refining and natural gas processing.

Whereas CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) is basically methane gas, which is compressed and stored under very high pressure. PNG (Piped Natural Gas) also contains high amount of methane and it is a lighter gas than air, which is supplied directly through the pipeline at low pressure.

If we talk about their storage and supply, then the methods of all three are different. LPG is stored in liquid form in cylinders. Due to pressure, it becomes liquid and turns into gas at the time of use, in this form it reaches homes through red cylinders.

CNG is filled in the cylinder under high pressure in the form of gas and it never changes into liquid state. Whereas PNG is transported as gas directly to homes or industries through pipelines, hence it does not require cylinders or separate storage.

If we talk about the use of LPG, CNG and PNG, then all three gases are used for different needs. LPG is mainly used in stoves and stoves for cooking in homes. Apart from this, it is also used for heating water and at some places in vehicles. It is the most used gas in India and it has more than 33 crore connections in the country.

Whereas CNG is mainly used as fuel for vehicles. It is widely used in autos, taxis, cars and buses. It is cheaper than petrol and diesel and also causes less pollution, hence its demand is continuously increasing in big cities.

PNG, on the other hand, is used in areas where gas pipeline facilities are available. It is used for cooking and heating in homes, while it is also used in many commercial and industrial places. Due to it being safe and convenient, its trend is increasing rapidly in cities.

There is a difference between these three in terms of availability also. LPG is cheaper because of subsidy, but there is a hassle of refilling it when the cylinder runs out. CNG is an economical fuel for vehicles, although sometimes there are long queues at gas stations.

The specialty of PNG is that it provides continuous gas supply to homes and it is also very economical, but this facility is currently available only in those areas where the pipeline network has reached. Therefore, next time when you change the cylinder or fill CNG in the vehicle, remember the difference between these three gases.

The controversy over tearing of banners and hoardings of a program organized at Jainarayan Vyas University (JNVU) in Jodhpur has now become completely heated. In this case, the police took major action and arrested the city district president of National Students Union of India (NSUI), Bablu Solanki. In protest against the arrest, angry student leaders and activists created a ruckus and demonstrated outside the Ratanada police station.

According to the information, a program on the theme “India’s World Heritage Rajasthan” was being organized in JNVU, the banners and hoardings of which were vandalized. Showing promptness in this matter, the police detained Bablu Solanki from Dangiyawas area. As soon as this news reached the student leaders, a large number of NSUI workers gathered outside the Ratanada police station and sat on strike demanding the release of their leader.

Heated altercation between police officers and student leaders

Heavy sloganeering continued outside the police station till late night. During this time, former National Secretary of NSUI Dilip Chaudhary and District President of Youth Congress Pukhraj Devaraya also reached the police station in support. There he had a heated argument with ACP Manglesh Chudawat. Student leaders put pressure on the police and demanded immediate release of Solanki.

Union Minister warned to show black flags

The situation became more tense when the protesting leaders said in a warning tone that if Bablu Solanki was not released soon, their movement would become more violent. He has given an open warning of protesting again against Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and showing him black flags.

At present, NSUI workers are trying to find out where the police has kept Solanki after his arrest. At the same time, the videos of this entire heated debate and uproar outside the police station are becoming increasingly viral on social media, after which the police administration is on full alert mode.

A sensational incident of gang rape has come to light from Patel Nagar area of ​​Dehradun. A 14 year old girl has been brutally assaulted. This incident of gangrape has stunned everyone. The victim girl had gone out to give clothes in the evening, during which three minor boys along with her committed gangrape. The police have detained all three accused in this case.

How did the whole incident happen?

According to the information, on Thursday (March 12) at around seven o’clock in the evening, the victim had gone out to wash clothes in her locality. Meanwhile, a boy he knew called him and called him near a school near Haridwar Bypass. The girl had no idea that two more boys were already waiting for her there.

The accused took the girl to the forest after entangling her in words.

It is being told that the three accused first engaged him in conversation and then took him towards the nearby forest. There he was given a cold drink mixed with intoxicants and given to drink. When she became unconscious, these three gang-raped her. After keeping her in the forest overnight, the next morning i.e. Friday (March 13) the three accused fled in an e-rickshaw, leaving her unconscious outside her house.

What happened when the victim regained consciousness in the morning?

When the girl regained consciousness in the morning, she told everything to her family members, after which there was chaos in the house. The mother of the victim girl immediately reached Patel Nagar police station and lodged a report. As soon as the news spread, Bajrang Dal workers also reached the police station and created a ruckus demanding immediate arrest of the accused. The police assured a fair investigation and strict action, after which the atmosphere calmed down a bit.

police action

Based on the information and photographs given by the victim’s mother, the police acted quickly. The three accused minors were soon taken into custody. A case has been registered against him under sections of gang rape incident. Since all three accused are minors, they will be presented in the Juvenile Court and there is a possibility that they will be sent to a juvenile home.

Vitamin D supplements may offer researchers a new clue about lingering COVID symptoms that persist after infection, according to a new study.

Researchers at Mass General Brigham examined whether high doses of vitamin D could influence COVID-19 outcomes, including the risk of developing long COVID, a condition in which symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath and brain fog continue weeks or months after the initial infection.

The findings were published in The Journal of Nutrition.

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The randomized clinical trial included 1,747 adults who had recently tested positive for COVID-19, along with 277 members of their households. Participants were assigned to receive either vitamin D3 supplements or a placebo for four weeks.

A new study suggests vitamin D may help researchers better understand and possibly prevent long COVID. (iStock)

Dr. JoAnn Manson, senior author of the study and a physician at Mass General Brigham, told Fox News Digital that the results point to a possible benefit related to long-term symptoms.

“A key takeaway is that vitamin D supplementation looks promising for reducing the risk of developing long COVID but does not appear to affect the severity of the acute infection,” Manson said.

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Researchers found that vitamin D supplementation did not significantly change short-term outcomes such as symptom severity, hospital visits or emergency care.

The study also showed no difference between the vitamin D and placebo groups in the likelihood that household contacts would contract the virus.

Long COVID is a condition where symptoms like fatigue, shortness of breath, and brain fog last for weeks or months after the initial infection. (iStock)

However, when researchers analyzed participants who closely followed the supplement regimen, they observed a possible difference in lingering symptoms.

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About 21% of participants who took vitamin D reported at least one ongoing symptom eight weeks after infection, compared with 25% of those who received a placebo.

“There’s been tremendous interest in whether vitamin D supplements can be of benefit in COVID, and this is one of the largest and most rigorous randomized trials on the subject,” Manson said in the press release.

“While we didn’t find that high-dose vitamin D reduced COVID severity or hospitalizations, we observed a promising signal for long COVID that merits additional research,” she added.

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Manson said vitamin D may influence longer-term complications because the nutrient plays a role in regulating inflammation in the body.

Researchers say vitamin D may affect inflammation in the body, which could play a role in long COVID symptoms. (iStock)

Study limitations

The researchers noted several limitations in the trial. The study had to be conducted remotely during the pandemic, and participants began taking vitamin D several days after their COVID diagnosis.

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Ideally, Manson said, supplementation would begin before infection or immediately after diagnosis.

She added that larger studies will be needed to confirm whether vitamin D could reduce the risk or severity of long COVID symptoms.

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Researchers are planning additional trials to examine whether vitamin D supplementation may help treat people already experiencing long COVID.