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George Pickens will play the 2026 season on the franchise tag after not signing a long-term deal by Wednesday afternoon.

New York Knicks' celebrity row includes Chalamet, Spike Lee, Tracy Morgan and Ben Stiller.

New York Knicks' celebrity row includes Chalamet, Spike Lee, Tracy Morgan and Ben Stiller.

Already, Iranian officials say US strikes have killed more than than 35 people and wounded over 300 others.

Kids at The Marlboro Houses in Brooklyn are getting a first-of-its-kind playground that is made from hundreds of thousands of recycled wine and champagne corks.

Hegseth Announces New Mandatory Military Testosterone Tests

Authored by Jack Phillips via The Epoch Times,

Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday announced a measure to screen U.S. armed forces members’ testosterone levels and offer therapy as a way to optimize the military’s performance.

“While we invest heavily in our weapon systems, platforms, and gear, our most decisive tactical advantage will always be the individual warfighter,” Hegseth said in a video, titled, “The High-T Department of War,” released on X.

“We have a sacred duty to maintain that advantage, which is why we must constantly look for new ways to optimize your performance, your resilience, and your long-term health.”

The hormone tests will be initiated for troops aged 30 and older, although soldiers under that age threshold can voluntarily get tested, the Pentagon chief said.

Hegseth explained that the new screening program will make sure that troops “have the right testosterone levels to operate at [their] absolute best because it’s well-established science that as we age, testosterone levels often naturally drop.”

“This initiative, it’s not about artificial enhancement. It’s about restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities, protecting your longevity, and ensuring you have the biological foundation required to sustain the fight,” he continued. 

“We owe our warriors the absolute best medical care in the world. And this program delivers on that obligation.”

The screenings, he added, will be mandatory for service members who are eligible, but that treatment would be voluntary. “If treatment is recommended, it’s entirely your choice to receive testosterone replacement therapy,” Hegseth said.

The Department of War has not yet issued more details on when the screening requirement would be implemented or when more medical guidance will be released.

Hegseth, a former member of the National Guard and Fox News host, has initiated stricter fitness standards for the U.S. military, also working out with service members in videos posted on social media. In addition, he imposed a ban on most service members from having beards.

“By addressing these health markers early, we’re keeping you on the leading edge of lethality and giving you the same level of support that you give this nation—the absolute best,” Hegseth said Wednesday.

Testosterone levels in men decline naturally with age and have been linked to issues such as mood changes, weight gain, and a loss of muscle mass or hair. But health experts have debated for years how to diagnose the problems and whether they should be treated with replacement therapy.

Hegseth’s announcement comes as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other Trump administration officials are moving to make it easier for doctors to prescribe testosterone. Last month, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed easing prescribing limits on testosterone gels, pills, patches, and injections.

Some studies have shown overall declines in young and adolescent males’ testosterone levels since the 1990s. An Israeli global study released earlier this month found that male testosterone levels have halved in the past 50 years, a researcher involved in the study told The Guardian in an article published July 7.

Another study published in 2020 by The Journal of Urology found that testosterone deficiency has a prevalence of 10 percent to 40 percent among adult males, and 20 percent among males aged 15 to 39 years old.

A Yale researcher involved in the study, Soum Lokeshwar, said that the overall decline in testosterone could be attributed to several factors including “an aging population with older males exhibiting lower testosterone levels” as well as an “increase in comorbidities, including diabetes, which may have cause this testosterone decrease nationally.”

Previously, the FDA had issued caution about using certain testosterone products, saying in early 2025 it was “adding a warning about the risk of increased blood pressure to the prescribing information of testosterone products that currently do not include this information based on the results of separate blood pressure monitoring studies.” However, the agency said it removed a previous warning about a possible risk of heart attack or stroke when comparing such treatments with a placebo.

Tyler Durden Wed, 07/15/2026 - 22:35

Before the Yankees took the field again for the second half, YES broadcasters Michael Kay and Paul O’Neill fielded some questions about the Bombers.

"She needs her daddy, and I need to be with my little girl," the TLC star exclusively told Page Six.

"She needs her daddy, and I need to be with my little girl," the TLC star exclusively told Page Six.

The star cited an "irretrievably broken" marriage and claimed a separation starting in 2024.

The star cited an "irretrievably broken" marriage and claimed a separation starting in 2024.

It’s hilarious that snot-nosed socialist svengali Morris Katz, the Mamdani whisperer, is reportedly trash-talking Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s chances as the Democrat presidential candidate for 2028.

Firefighters in Kansas City found themselves in a mess this week after responding to a bizarre distress call. 

The All-Star Game is over and the true second half of the MLB season begins Thursday night.

A brazen open-air crack market allegedly run by the West Coast Crips just 1.5 miles from San Diego's Petco Park has been shut down after federal prosecutors charged 30 suspected gang members and associates in a sweeping drug crackdown.

Australia Slaps Power, Water, And Copyright Rules On Data Centers After Anthropic Lobbying Push

Over the last year or so, several US states have taken measures to regulate or prevent data centers from being built, citing local concerns over electricity and water use, pollution (noise and otherwise), and the fact that they're a godawful eyesore. On Tuesday, New York became the first state to enact a one-year ban on data centers. Pennsylvania, meanwhile, is slapping heavy new regulations on them. 

DCI Data Centers facility in Adelaide (ADL02)

The revolt has gone worldwide - as Australia will impose mandatory national rules on large-scale artificial-intelligence data centers, requiring operators to minimize water consumption, fully fund their power needs and underwrite new electricity generation, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Wednesday.

The measures, part of a broader push to define AI's "social licence," come after extensive engagement with AI companies - including Anthropic - and reflect the government's determination to balance investment attraction with protections for energy resources, the environment, creators, and national interests.

In a major speech at the University of Sydney, Albanese warned of a narrow window to set conditions before major foreign investments lock in - suggesting that the new rules are in response to intense industry lobbying and consultations, while rejecting softer approaches on copyright favored by some tech players.

He also gave assurances to Australian musicians, writers, artists and journalists, declaring that they must retain ownership and control of their work - including the right to name their price in any AI licensing deals.

"Anything less is theft," he said. "No company should use Australian books, music, art or news to build or train AI without the artist's control."

The remarks push back against proposals from AI developers, including Anthropic, which had advocated for alternatives such as a shared creative fund. Albanese made clear the government would not dilute existing copyright principles. He told reporters he was unconcerned that the firm stance would deter investment, noting direct meetings with companies including Anthropic where the position was conveyed plainly.

"We're confident the advantages that Australia provides will see significant investment here," he said.

Anthropic's general counsel, Jeff Bleich, responded positively, saying the company respects the process and takes seriously its responsibility to meet the Australian government's terms for AI developers. He noted that societal-level solutions are needed given AI's benefits and challenges for economies and national security.

Data-Center Rules Target Resource Strain

The mandatory standards, to be agreed at a National Cabinet meeting next month and legislated early next year, will replace fragmented state-level approaches. They will specify permissible locations for data centers and impose obligations on power and water use.

Operators must pay the full cost of grid connections, underwrite new generation capacity, and contribute at least as much energy to the grid as they consume - including renewables backed by firming power - so households do not bear the burden. Water use must be minimized, with companies covering additional infrastructure costs where needed.

Albanese framed the rules as essential for sovereign capability. "Our great country can be much more than a data warehouse for AI products made overseas," he said.

The approach aims to provide investor certainty while preserving community confidence. South Australia already maintains a dedicated framework, while Queensland has expressed caution on national renewable-energy proposals.

Coordinated Oversight and Worker Input

A new Office of AI will be established within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to coordinate efforts across portfolios ranging from education and employment to energy, copyright and defence.

On the labor front, Albanese encouraged workers to engage actively in shaping AI deployment in their workplaces rather than being sidelined. Businesses could reap "massive productivity benefits," he said, but employees have a stake in ensuring those gains translate into better conditions. ACTU Secretary Sally McManus welcomed the coordinated national approach and stressed employers' duty to consult and mitigate harms.

The only question is - will New Zealand step up and protect Flight of the Conchords from AI replicants and copyright malarkey? 

Tyler Durden Wed, 07/15/2026 - 22:10

There was a time, not long ago, when Bryson DeChambeau looked like he was about to take over the golf world.

KAT brought out his claws.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr might have caused the biggest buzz of the summer among NBA fans. On Wednesday, a video surfaced on social media of a Warriors fan telling Kerr the team needed to sign LeBron James. “We got him,” Kerr said. Steve Kerr is entering his 13th season as the Warriors’ head coach. The...

The Mets signed their top selection (27th overall) in this year’s draft on Wednesday in Queens, agreeing to a $3,466,500 signing bonus (the full slot value) with the 6-foot-5 flamethrower from Arkansas.